One of the oldest tournaments in the club’s 18-year history gets under way Friday at Grand Champions Polo Club.
By Sharon Robb
Photos by Candace Ferreira
The Pedro Morrison Memorial opens with a double header at 3 p.m. on Field 3 and 4:30 p.m. on Field 4.
At 3 p.m., the Maltese Falcons (Melissa Ganzi, 0, Nic Roldan, 8, Grant Ganzi, 3, Teo Calle, 1) plays Newport ( Gene Goldstein, 0, Santos Bollini, 2, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Juan Bollini, 3) followed by SebiLion (Leo Mandelbaum, 2, Sebastian Mandelbaum, 0, Jason Crowder, 5, Sugar Erskine, 6) against Devon Polo (Marc Ganzi, 1, Scott Devon, 0, Martin Jauregui, 6, Pablo Dorignac, 4) at 4:30 p.m.
The final and subsidiary gmes are set for Sunday.
In last year’s final, Amaro (Scott Sorbaro, 0, Louis Devaleix, 1, Nic Roldan, 8, Kris Kampsen, 6) dominated round robin action to win. Amaro, in its fall season debut, defeated Aspen Valley (Govinda Quish, 9, Sugar Erskine, 6, Pablo Dorignac, 5, Martin Jauregui, 6), 7-4, and Casablanca (Santos Bollini, 2, Grant Ganzi, 3, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Jason Crowder, 5) , 8-5, in the final. Roldan was MVP for the third straight week.
The tournament is named in honor of Pedro Morrison. Born in Spain and a University of Miami alum, Morrison died Dec. 11, 2003 in Wellington at age 49. He was an avid polo player, patron of The Sympatico Polo team and helped develop Wellington into a thriving community.
Morrison was active in several local and area charities and businesses and touched countless lives. He remains an inspiration. His work on behalf of the YMCA of the Palm Beaches was tireless. The tournament is played in honor of Morrison in a casual, laid-back and fun atmosphere, the way he liked it.
“This tournament is always very special,” Grand Champions Polo Club President Melissa Ganzi said. “When we bought our first barn at South 40 we played polo with Pedro at Palm Beach Polo. He had one of the most contagious laughs. I just think of Pedro laughing, smoking his cigars and sitting on the boards. It was one of my wonderful polo memories.”
The nation’s largest and most innovative polo club, celebrates its 18th anniversary with two new additions to the fall schedule: Nov. 14 WPL Pride Polo Miami and Nov. 15-17 Beach Polo World Cup Miami. It’s the first time the popular beach polo tournament and WPL Pride Polo are being held in the fall on South Beach. The Beach Polo World Cup Miami Beach is the largest and most notable Beach Polo event in the world. It features international teams and over 120 horses. Tickets are on sale.
Grand Champions will host both medium and high goal tournaments this season.
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.
Among the season’s other highlights are the Oct. 29-Nov. 6 USPA North American Cup and Nov. 4-13 USPA National 20-Goal Championship and Nov. 23 doubleheader featuring the Legends of Polo Carlos Gracida Memorial and International Cup with GCPC USA playing the Rest of the World this year. In last year’s International Cup, Spain knocked off previously unbeaten GCPC USA to snap its 11-year win streak in front of a packed house at Santa Rita Polo Farm.
The fall medium goal schedule features six tournaments. The others are Oct. 22-27 Banyan Cup; Oct. 30-Nov. 3 Fall Plates; and Nov. 6-10 Casablanca Fall Cup.
Wellington-based ChukkerTV (CTV Sports) is live streaming the entire fall season worldwide. Grand Champions is the only USPA club that is live streaming all its games.
The Grand Champions Fall Invitational League is geared toward improving a player’s polo skills at every level.
Roster lineups change from tournament to tournament with evenly-matched teams featuring pro and amateur players. It’s also a great opportunity for players and sponsors to prepare for the winter season highlighted by the 26-goal World Polo League, now entering its seventh season at Grand Champions.
The fall league features: stick-and-ball sessions during the week; two medium tournament games every weekend; ambulance and USPA umpires for all tournament games; world-class polo fields; club-sponsored social events every weekend for all players; and top-of-the-line trophies for all teams every weekend.
Grand Champions and Santa Rita Polo Farm is the largest and most unique private 102-acre polo facility in Wellington with 212 stalls in nine self-contained barns, two tracks, five climate-controlled tack rooms, vet room, staff quarters, guest house and four polo fields with state-of-the-art underground irrigation and short work arena. The club has 11 well-manicured world-class fields at GCPC and Santa Rita.
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 year-round. The Polo School, a 501c3 organization and stand-alone USPA club, is dedicated to teaching polo to all ages, particularly grass roots youth. Its mission is to provide individuals opportunities in polo at every economic and ability level. The Polo School operates year-round in Wellington. For more information on the Fall Leagues or Polo School contact Cale Newman at 561-876-2930.