Thrilling 19th Anniversary Season Planned At Grand Champions Polo Club
By Sharon Robb
Grand Champions, the nation’s largest polo club, will celebrate its 19th anniversary as it kicks off the fall season, followed by an exciting winter season.
Like past years, Grand Champions will host both medium- and high-goal tournaments during the fall season in the heart of horse country.
The schedule is highlighted by the Nov. 6-9 World Polo League Miami Beach Polo World Cup, celebrating its 20th anniversary. It’s the second time the popular beach polo tournament is being held in the fall on South Beach.
The World Polo League Miami Beach Polo World Cup is the largest and most notable beach polo event in the world. It features international teams with several players from Wellington, including Nic Roldan, one of the world’s top players, and more than 120 horses.
The club offers polo for all ages and ability levels. The medium-goal tournaments opened the fall season with the Fall Classic, Tackeria Invitational, Fall Plates and Banyan Cup held in October. The season continues with the Pedro Morrison Memorial, set for Oct. 30 to Nov. 2, and the Casablanca Fall Cup, to be held Nov. 12-16.
The club has also scheduled four high-goal tournaments, including the Saturday, Nov. 22 doubleheader featuring the Legends of Polo Carlos Gracida Memorial and International Cup.
In last year’s International Cup, in front of the season’s largest crowd, GCPC USA (Grant Ganzi, Carlitos Gracida, Nic Roldan and Jason Crowder) defeated the Rest of the World (Sugar Erskine, Tomacho Pieres, Pierre Henri Ngoumou and Julio Gracida), 6-4, to win its 12th title in 13 years. Ganzi was named MVP. The year before, Spain had knocked off previously unbeaten GCPC USA to snap its 11-year win streak.
The Legends of Polo Carlos Gracida Memorial is another highlight during the International Cup day. The game honors the legacy of legendary polo icon Carlos Gracida. Last year, Gracida II (Benji Daniels, Carlitos Gracida, Mariano Gracida and Juancito Bollini) edged Gracida I (Sugar Erskine, Enrique Guzman, Grant Ganzi and Julio Gracida), 7-6. Mariano Gracida was named MVP.
Two USPA-sanctioned tournaments are also played during the fall season: the USPA North American Cup and USPA National 20-Goal. Grand Champions, with 10 world-class fields, is the only club that hosts two 20-goal fall tournaments.
The tournaments attract players from all over the world, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Uruguay, El Salvador, England, France, India, Mexico, Azerbaijan, New Zealand, Nigeria, Uzbekistan, South Africa and the United States.
The family-friendly club welcomes spectators of all ages. All matches, food and refreshments are free, with the exception of special catered events, and open to the public and dogs on leashes.
If you can’t make the games in person, ChukkerTV (CTV Sports) will stream the games live with Dale Schwetz calling the action.
Grand Champions and the Santa Rita Polo Farm is a private, 102-acre polo facility in Wellington with 212 stalls in nine self-contained barns, two tracks, five climate-controlled tack rooms, a vet room, staff quarters, a guest house and four polo fields with state-of-the-art underground irrigation and a short work arena. The club has 10 well-manicured fields at GCPC and Santa Rita.
The Grand Champions Polo Club caters to men, women and youth polo players at all levels. Its expert staff can customize a complete playing experience, including horses, pros and certified umpires, in addition to lessons and practice sessions as part of its Polo On Demand program. The Polo School is for all ages and ability levels and operates in Wellington.
Learn more about the Grand Champions Polo Club at www.gcpolo.com.
GRAND CHAMPIONS
POLO CLUB UPCOMING
SCHEDULE
MEDIUM GOAL
Pedro Morrison Memorial
Oct. 30 – Nov. 2
Casablanca Fall Cup
Nov. 12-16
HIGH GOAL
USPA National 20 Goal
Oct. 29 – Nov. 5
Legends of Polo
Carlos Gracida Memorial
Nov. 22
International Cup
Nov. 22
WPL BEACH POLO
Beach Polo World Cup Miami
Nov. 6-9
