Nuenergen came out swinging in the opening round of the 2026 Interactive Brokers East Coast Gold Cup, powering past Tendonall Equine, 13-10, on Sunday at Greenwich Polo Club.

The win sends Nuenergen into the next stage of the three-week, six-team tournament at Conyers Farm, where some of the world’s top polo players are battling for the 16-goal championship title.

Leading the charge was Marcos Garcia del Rio, a five-goaler who earned Most Valuable Player honors after controlling the pace and helping Nuenergen pull away. He was joined by teammates Kevin Hamilton, Lucas Diaz Alberdi and Kristos “Keko” Magrini.

“This is a very competitive tournament and the teams are all incredible,” Garcia del Rio told the Greenwich Sentinel. “We just want to be strong when we get out there and do the best as we can do.”

The victory carried extra meaning for Garcia del Rio, whose family has a long history at Greenwich Polo Club. His father, Felipe Garcia del Rio, a six-goaler, competed at the club during the 1990s.

Tendonall Equine battled throughout the match with a lineup featuring Lucas Bosch, Raul Colombres, Joaquin Panelo and Scott Swerdlin, but Nuenergen held on to secure the opening-round victory.

Despite cloudy skies, fans packed the grounds for the tournament’s first weekend. Greenwich Polo Club, founded in 1981 inside the Conyers Farm community, is celebrating its 45th season of high-level polo.

The Gold Cup continues Sunday, July 12, with the championship final set for Saturday, July 18. Gates open at 1 p.m., with matches beginning at 3 p.m. Children under 12 receive free admission.