Exciting 2022 Season Planned At The Grand Champions Polo Club

The 2022 winter/spring season at the Grand Champions Polo Club will include some of the most exciting polo matches available in Wellington.

Just when you think that they couldn’t possibly recreate the exciting experiences from the previous season, Melissa Ganzi and her team at Grand Champions have plans to surpass all expectations.

“Spectators at the Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington can look forward to truly being entertained and impressed by the majestic equine athletes,” Ganzi said. “2022 will be filled with excitement, surprises and unforgettable polo.”

Grand Champions will host a full season of exhilarating polo matches, fabulous cuisine, entertainment, and “Worth Avenue West,” a shopping village featuring exquisite shops from the famed Worth Avenue in Palm Beach.

If you have yet to visit, the Grand Champions Polo Club features the only 26-goal polo matches in Wellington, which is the highest level of the sport played outside of Argentina. It showcases the world’s best equine athletes in a sport where 80 percent of the game is based on the horses. To play the highest level of polo, the players need the most exceptional equine partners.

The club will offer polo at a wide array of levels in 2022.

26 Goal World Polo League — The All-Star Challenge runs from Feb. 4 through Feb. 20; the Tommy Hitchcock Legacy Memorial runs from Feb. 16 through Feb. 27; the Founders Cup runs from Feb. 23 through March 13; the Palm Beach Open runs from March 9 through March 27; the Triple Crown of Polo runs from March 23 through April 16; and the Beach Polo World Cup Miami Beach will be held April 22 through April 24.

High Goal — The Sterling Cup runs from Jan. 18 through Jan. 30; the $100,000 World Cup will be held Jan. 28 through Feb. 12; and the Santa Rita Abierto is set for March 1 through March 13.

16 Goal — The Grand Champions Cup runs from Feb. 14 through March 5; the Power Horse Invitational is set for March 8 to March 26; and the Pedro Morrison Memorial will be held March 29 through April 16.

12 Goal — The Limited Edition 12 Goal Series runs from Jan. 25 through Feb. 12. It will be followed by the Sieber Memorial Trophy from Feb. 15 through March 5; the $50,000 National 12 Goal from Feb. 16 through Feb. 27; and the Top Pony 12 Goal from March 8 through March 26.

8 Goal — The Aspen Valley Cup runs from Jan. 14 through Jan. 30; the Top Pony 8 Goal will be held Feb. 15 through March 5; and the Limited Edition 8 Goal is set for March 8 through March 26.

6 Goal — The Metropolitan Cup runs from Jan. 25 through Feb. 12; the Halo Polo Trophy will follow from Feb. 15 through March 5; and the Madelon Bourdieu Memorial will be held March 8 through March 26.

Also at Grand Champions, the Polo School Women’s League is held every Wednesday from Jan. 12 through April 13, and the WCT Finals run March 30 through April 3.

In addition to the scheduled season matches, Grand Champions will host spectacular special events, including “Chukkers and Cocktails at Sunset,” a series created for all levels of polo enthusiasts.

If you would like to become a virtual spectator, all matches can be viewed online through ChukkerTV, the premier source to watch polo live and on demand. Since 2014, ChukkerTV has made history in the polo and technology worlds with live streaming, instant replay, team challenges and team reviews to help improve the game and officiating while bringing the sport to the masses.

The 2022 season follows on the heels of an exciting conclusion to the 2021 spring season at Grand Champions.

The spring season closed on a high note, introducing “World Polo Pride” to Wellington. This event kickstarted pride month, which is traditionally held during the month of June, by hosting a spectacular dinner and polo match to promote the values of equality and diversity, and to celebrate the LGBTQ community.

The pride events began Friday evening with a dinner staged at the Santa Rita Polo Farm. Following delicacies including a crispy skin duck breast, yellowfin tuna tart and Colorado lamb chops, each paired with a carefully curated wine selection, guests enjoyed a panel discussion on “Inclusion and Healing” moderated by ESPN West Palm broadcaster and personality Josh Cohen.

Panel participants included Violet Camacho, author and communications director for Mr. Hospitality; Dani Campbell, a firefighter/paramedic for BSO Fire Rescue and a reality TV personality; Marc Ganzi, CEO of Digital Colony, president and CEO of Colony Capital and co-founder of the World Polo League; Omar Hernandez, founder of Omar’s La Boite, Omar’s at Vauvluse and the Saxony at Faena Miami Beach; and Sidra Smith, producer and founder of Gate Pass Entertainment.

On Saturday afternoon, teams from Grand Champions and Seminole Casino Coconut Creek met for a spirited polo match. Actress Rebel Wilson, a close friend of player/actor Sterling Jones and Melissa Ganzi, was on hand to award the prizes to the winner and runner-up.

The Grand Champions Polo Club is located at 13444 Southfields Road in Wellington and includes a polo school, world-class umpires, 12 championship fields, livestreamed games and polo on demand. For more information about the upcoming season, visit www.gcpolo.com.