Team USA’s Carlitos Gracida (2) stole the ball from Chile’s Max Silva (2). Photos by Scott Fisher.
WELLINGTON, FL – Dec. 4, 2013 — The USPA International Cup and Legends of Polo doubleheader hosted by Grand Champions Polo Club will be televised on Sunday, Dec. 8th.
The feature game, pitting Team USA against Chile, along with the Legends of Polo game, will be televised on WTVX, WWHB and WTCN from noon to 1 p.m.
The game will reach households in Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Martin, Indian River and Okeechobee counties.
It is the first time a major polo game held at Grand Champions Polo Club will be televised in its entirety. Nearside Productions LLC Director Gavin Guinan, director and producer of Polonow, put the hour-long broadcast together.
Team USA dominated Chile to capture the coveted USPA International Cup with a convincing 13-8 victory on Nov. 30.
It was the second consecutive year that Team USA won the trophy in front of a hometown crowd that included VIPs and dignitaries including Chile Consul General Juan Luis Nilo in the final game of the 2013 fall season.
“Always when you play for your country there is a different element to it,” said Team USA’s Nic Roldan of Wellington, a Cardinal Newman High School alum who was named Most Valuable Player of the international tournament for the second straight year.
Joining Roldan on the victorious U.S. team were Marc Ganzi, Carlitos Gracida and Jeff Hall.
The game marked the final Chile national team appearance of Jose Antonio Iturrate, making his first U.S. appearance since 2003. The former 8-goaler plans to continue to play in Chile.
Iturrate was joined by Juan Antonio, Max Silva and Matias Vial.
Chile has a solid polo resume including the 2008 FIP World Championships and 2013 BMW International Polo Series.
The Legends of Polo game, with players such as brothers and Grand Champions Gray teammates Julian and Howard Hipwood and Grand Champions Blue’s Joey Casey, will also be televised on Sunday.
The Legends of Polo game featured some of the sport’s greats including Hall of Famer and former 10-goaler Carlos Gracida and Great Britain’s former 9-goalers, brothers Julian and Howard Hipwood.
Grand Champions ended its fall season in grand style with white tents lining both sides of the field, an array of international flags hanging from flagpoles that could be seen from Lake Worth Road, a dance floor in the VIP tent, music and DJ, entertaining game announcers, tailgaters and Argentine food truck Che Grill for friends, family and polo players and fans.
Proceeds from the polo doubleheader benefitted the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in Lake Worth. It is the only polo museum of its kind in the world.
The museum is dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the development, history and tradition of the sport of polo by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collections as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to the sport.
GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO CLUB
WHERE: 13444 Southfields Road, on the corner of South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth Road, Wellington, 561-644-5050.
INFORMATION: There are great field side views for tournament action at the home base of pro team Audi. Everyone is welcome to watch high and medium goal polo in a relaxed atmosphere during the spring and fall tournament season and other special events including the International Cup in November, Buzz Welker Memorial Junior Tournament in March, ProKidz Tournaments in the spring and fall, Women’s Championship Tournament and Gay Polo League International Tournament, both in April.
Sharon Robb for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd #105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax) pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
Chile’s Matias Vial (1) and his horse turn into a shot with Team USA’s Jeff Hall (4) defending. Photos by Scott Fisher.
Nic Roldan Named MVP
WELLINGTON, FL – Nov. 30, 2013 — Team USA dominated Chile from start-to-finish to capture the USPA International Cup with a convincing 13-8 victory Saturday at windswept Grand Champions Polo Club.
It was the second consecutive year Team USA has won the coveted trophy in front of a hometown crowd that included VIPs and dignitaries including Chile Consul General Juan Luis Nilo in the final game of the 2013 fall season.
In last year’s game, Team USA defeated England, 8.5-6.
“Always when you play for your country there is a different element to it,” said Nic Roldan of Wellington, a Cardinal Newman High School alum, who was named Most Valuable Player for the second straight year.
“It’s an honor and it feels great to represent the United States again and to take home the trophy,” Roldan said.
Team USA held Chile scoreless in the opening chukker to lead 4-0 and never let Chile back in the game. Team USA led 6-1 after two chukkers and 10-3 after three chukkers.
Roldan finished with five goals and teammate Jeff Hall scored a game-high six goals, including five in the first three chukkers. Marc Ganzi added two goals and Carlitos Gracida played well defensively turning back several Chile scoring attempts.
“We came out with a plan and we came out really strong,” Roldan said. “I think we took them by surprise. It’s always an advantage when you are playing on your own home soil.
“The Chileans are world-class players and they are sportsmen,” Roldan said. “It was fun having them here and it was a good match.”
For Roldan it was a successful end to an outstanding fall season, winning both the USPA North American Cup and USPA National 20-Goal Tournaments for the second year in a row with Audi.
Team USA’s Nic Roldan (3) shows his Most Valuable Player winning form
“The 20-goals were our main focus and the international game and we took home all three,” Roldan said. “I can’t complain; Marc can’t complain. We are all really happy with the way the team played. We are happy with the way Carlitos is advancing and we’re getting ready for the big season and ready to go.”
The victory avenged a one-goal loss for Hall, 33, of America’s top players, the last time he represented the U.S. against Chile in Santiago.
“You always want to come out and start strong,” said Hall, who easily could have shared MVP honors with Roldan. “I think we broke their back right off the bat. We pretty much out-played them all around.
“Representing the U.S., you are representing your country and you want to do the best you can,” Hall said. “We went out there to do that.”
Jose Antonio Iturrate, making his first U.S. appearance since 2003, made his final appearance as a member of the Chile national team. The former 8-goaler said he will continue to play in Chile.
“They have a good team and first I have to congratulate them,” Iturrate said. “They are a tough team; they play really well. I know Marc is not a high-goal player but he understands polo and played very well. He was tough with the plays.
“It was just a shame how the refereeing went the first chukker,” Iturrate said. “That changed the game completely. They blew many ridiculous fouls for us and we became very disappointed and let down. After the second chukker we tried our best. But I think the fouls hurt us.”
While Chile has a solid polo resume including the 2008 FIP World Championships and 2013 BMW International Polo Series, the team was no match for Team USA which had both chemistry among its players and horses which they changed frequently during the five-chukker game.
Chile had its share of penalties early in the game which seemed to frustrate them on both ends of the field.
“It’s tough for them,” Hall said. “They don’t know the horses or how to play them. They were complaining a lot about the fouls and they were legit big fouls but for some reason I think there is a big difference in rules between Chile and the U.S. I think they let people get away with more in Chile than they do here.”
Juan Sanchez, a member of the Chile team that defeated the U.S., 6-5, in the 2011 FIP Polo World Cup, knew the U.S. would be tough to beat on its home turf.
“They were so quick in the first chukker and we were behind four goals before we knew it,” Sanchez said. “It is very hard winning here.”
When a fan walked up to Matias Vial and said Chile needed one more chukker, he shook his head and said, “We needed five more chukkers. They were too tough and too fast.”
The chase is on with Chile’s Max Silva (2) in control of the ball with support from teammates Juan Sanchez (3) against Americans Jeff Hall and Nic Roldan
Added Max Silva, “They played very well. We were so slow in some plays. It’s okay. The horses were very good and easy. It is hard to be here and win on their horses in their country but that’s okay. It was a good game.”
Vial led Chile scoring with four goals, Iturrate had two goals including the last one of the game and Silva and Sanchez each had one goal.
In the opening game, polo fans took a trip down memory lane watching some of polo’s greats including former 10-goaler Carlos Gracida and former 9-goalers Julian and Howard Hipwood in the Legends of Polo game.
With Grand Champions Gray leading, 5-3, with 2:47 left in the game, Grand Champions Blue came back with goals from Joey Casey and Juan Bollini to end the game in a 5-5 tie.
Brit Howard Hipwood was named Most Valuable Player. His team featured his brother Julian, Carlos Gracida and his cousin Ruben Gracida. Hector Gallindo and Peter Rizzo joined Casey and Bollini on the Grand Champions Gray team.
Carlos Gracida led the Gray team with three goals and Julian and Howard Hipwood each had one goal. Galindo led with three goals and Casey and Bollini added one apiece.
“I wasn’t concentrating on the game because I was having too much fun,” said Carlos Gracida. “We want a rematch.”
Grand Champions ended its fall season in grand style with lavish white tents lining both sides of the field, an array of international flags hanging from flagpoles that could be seen from Lake Worth Road, a dance floor in the VIP tent, music and DJ, tailgaters with buckets of champagne and Argentine food truck Che Grill.
Added Rizzo, USPA executive director: “Grand Champions has really taken off. I think Marc and Melissa Ganzi really wanted to do everything the right way, doing these international matches and so much more. We need more people like that. There are so few people that have that kind of interest in the sport. They have so many great players and look at the facility they set up. It’s all for everybody to come enjoy. How many times do you see this around the world? We are very lucky and all of this is the expression of what they want to do in polo.”
The biggest winner of the day was the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in Lake Worth. Proceeds from the doubleheader went to the museum which is in the midst of expanding. It is the only polo museum of its kind in the world.
The museum is dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the development, history and tradition of the sport of polo by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collections as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to the sport.
GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO CLUB
WHERE: 13444 Southfields Road, on the corner of South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth Road, Wellington, 561-644-5050.
INFORMATION: There are great field side views for tournament action at the home base of pro teams Audi and Piaget. Everyone is welcome to watch high and medium goal polo in a relaxed atmosphere during the spring and fall tournament season and other special events including the International Cup in November, Buzz Welker Memorial Junior Tournament in March, Women’s Championship Tournament and Gay Polo League International Tournament, both in April.
Sharon Robb for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd #105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax) pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
American Jeff Hall defends Chile’s Jose Antonio Iturrate (4) during Friday’s practice game. Photos by Scott Fisher.
WELLINGTON, FL – Nov. 29, 2013 — With a majestic view of the world’s flags blowing in the brisk breeze at Grand Champions Polo Club, Chile veteran player Jose Antonio Iturrate and his teammates practiced together for the first time on Friday against the U.S. team.
With the friendly practice game behind them, the two countries will renew their rivalry in polo when they compete Saturday for the coveted USPA International Cup at 3 p.m. at Grand Champions.
It will be part of a polo double-header with the Legends of Polo game kicking off the biggest fall polo event of Wellington at 1 p.m.
Gates open at 12:30 p.m. and tickets, benefitting the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame, are still available and will be on sale at the gate.
Iturrate, a former 8-goaler and one of Chile’s polo legends, will be making his final appearance as a national team member with teammates Matias Vial, Max Silva and Juan Sanchez Unzurrunzaga.
“This will be the last time I wear my country’s colors,” Iturrate said, tugging at his team jersey. “It will be an emotional game for me. I have been traveling for the last thirty years around the world and I think it is time to retire. What better time to do it than against America. I have played many years in the U.S. so I feel very at home here.”
Iturrate will be making his first U.S. appearance since 2003. It will also be the first time Iturrate will compete with his teammates.
“This is our first time we play together as a team; we know each other but we never played as a team,” Iturrate said. “This was our first practice today so we will see tomorrow. I think the American team is very strong, very well-mounted and powerful.
“This is a big game for Chile,” Iturrate said. “When you play England, America and Argentina, the strongest teams in the world, it is very important for us. I am hoping the horses go well tomorrow and we can have a level game. Everyone knows how to hit the ball so the horses will be the difference.”
It will be the final fall game at Grand Champions Polo Club after a highly-successful fall tournament season that started in September.
Eight-goaler Nic Roldan, a Cardinal Newman High School graduate from Wellington, heads Team USA. He will be joined by 7-goaler Jeff Hall, 3-goaler Carlitos Gracida and 1-goaler Marc Ganzi, ranked 49th overall in the world.
All four players have extensive international experience. Roldan and Ganzi are coming off the Westchester Cup in July which Team USA narrowly lost to Great Britain, 12-11 in overtime on British soil.
Hall, 33, one of America’s top-rated players, has competed against Chile for the U.S. losing to them by one goal in Santiago, Chile.
Chile, 2008 FIP World Champions, won the 2013 BMW International Polo Series on August 25th. In March 2012, Chile knocked off England, 11-9, in the Alfonso Rozas Ossa international match in Santiago.
It is the second time Grand Champions Polo Club will host a major international men’s game in its eight-year history.
The 20-goal men’s championship game is sanctioned by the United States Polo Association and Chile Polo Federation.
In last year’s game in front of a sellout crowd, Team USA defeated England, 8.5-6. Roldan was named Most Valuable Player.
Chile’s Matias Vial (2) dribbles downfield
“I have represented Chile many times,” said Matias Vial, a former shot putter in track and field and now one of Chile’s top players rated at 6 goals.
“It has been many years Chile has played in the U.S.,” Vial said. “We have a good team and three of us (Sanchez, Silva and Vial) have played together and know how each other play. We hope the game is going to be close and I hope we win.”
Juan Sanchez, a member of the Chile team that defeated the U.S., 6-5, in the 2011 FIP Polo World Cup, knows the U.S. will be tough to beat. The last time Chile played in the U.S. was two years ago in a 14-goal tournament in St. Louis which Chile won.
“For sure this is going to be competitive, it is a 20-goal game,” Sanchez said. “We are real excited to play against the U.S.
“We have a really balanced team; three of us have played together for most of the year and ‘Tono’ Iturrate has played with each member of the team so we know each other very well and we are friends which gives us a really nice chemistry,” Sanchez said.
While Argentina is king when it comes to polo, Sanchez said the sport is growing in popularity in Chile.
“It’s big at the main polo club where there are 42 teams and outside of Santiago plenty of new clubs with new players are growing,” Sanchez said. “I think the federation is doing a very good job of promoting polo and supporting the new clubs.”
Sanchez said it took time to adjust to the horses during Friday’s practice game in windy conditions. Chile is being mounted by host Grand Champions.
“For sure it is an advantage when you play in your country that you play your own horses,” Sanchez said. “The horses are very important in the game. We know from the first moment we are not using our own horses but that’s okay.”
The Legends of Polo, the first game of the double-header at 1 p.m., features some of polo’s greats including Hall of Famer and former 10-goaler Carlos Gracida in the four-chukker match.
Gracida will team with brothers Julian and Howard Hipwood, two of Britain’s top players once rated at 9-goals, and cousin Ruben Gracida on the Grand Champions (Light Blue) team. The team carries a 17-goal rating.
Hector Galindo, Joey Casey, Juan Bollini and Peter Rizzo make up the Grand Champions (Gray) legends team with a total rating of 16 goals.
Jim Sackett, former news anchor for WPTV NewsChannel 5 who retired after 33 years at Florida’s top-rated television station, will present awards to players in the Legends of Polo match.
Juan Luis Nilo, Consul General of Chile based in Miami, will present the USPA International Cup to the champions and awards to all players in the featured game.
Chile’s Max Silva (2) goes for the big hit during a practice game against the U.S.
Proceeds from the double-header will benefit The Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in Lake Worth, a non-profit educational organization.
The museum is dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the development, history and tradition of the sport of polo by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collections as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to the sport. It is the only polo museum of its kind in the world.
Grand Champions Polo Club co-owner Melissa Ganzi is a board member and vice president of the Board of Directors for the museum.
Tickets are on sale and various sponsorship packages are still available. They are:
$20 General Admission per person. Be sure to bring your own seating. Che Grill will be at field side with delicious food, snacks and drinks, and tented seating will be available to enjoy your meal. Field side parking not included.
$250 Signature Tailgate Package: Includes admission for one car and your guests can enjoy a field side view of the game. The Signature Tailgate Package includes a reserved tailgate spot with parking for one car, a 10 x 10 tent and one table with 4 chairs. Bring your own food or buy some delicious food, snacks and drinks from Che Grill, field side.
$500 Grand Champions Tailgate Package: Includes admission for one car and your guests can enjoy a field side view of the game. The Grand Champion Tailgate Package includes a reserved, preferred tailgate spot with parking for one car, a 10 x 10 tent, one table with 4 chairs, a bottle of champagne with an ice bucket with 4 glasses and 4 sport Grand Champions Polo Club hats. Bring your own food or buy some delicious food, snacks and drinks from Che Grill, field side.
VIP Pavilion Tickets: $200 Per Person: Includes one VIP admission ticket to the comfortable Grand Champions Lounge with a field side view of the game. Enjoy specialty cocktails and fabulous bites from Aaron’s Catering of the Palm Beaches, and relax to DJ music.
$1,500 VIP Corporate Sponsor: Includes one table and 8 VIP admission tickets to the comfortable Grand Champions Lounge with a field side view of the game. Enjoy specialty cocktails and fabulous bites from Aaron’s Catering of the Palm Beaches and relax to DJ music.
WHERE: 13444 Southfields Road, on the corner of South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth Road, Wellington, 561-644-5050.
INFORMATION: There are great field side views for tournament action at the home base of pro teams Audi and Piaget. Everyone is welcome to watch high and medium goal polo in a relaxed atmosphere during the spring and fall tournament season and other special events including the International Cup in November, Buzz Welker Memorial Junior Tournament in March, Women’s Championship Tournament and Gay Polo League International Tournament, both in April.
Sharon Robb for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd #105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax) pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
Eight-goaler Nic Roldan will be heading Team USA. Photos by Scott Fisher.
Tailgate Space, Tickets Still Available
WELLINGTON, FL – Nov. 28, 2013 — The much-anticipated international match for the coveted USPA International Cup, pitting Team USA against the Chile national team will highlight a full day of polo on Saturday at Grand Champions Polo Club.
The featured six-chukker match, part of a polo doubleheader, begins at 3 p.m.
The opening game, the Legends of Polo at 1 p.m., features some of polo’s greats including Hall of Famer and former 10-goaler Carlos Gracida and brothers Julian and Howard Hipwood in the four-chukker match.
Gates open at 12:30 p.m.
The Chile national team and its contingent arrived on Thanksgiving Day and was scheduled to practice on Friday.
Both teams have strong lineups to challenge for the Cup which has become the biggest fall polo event of Wellington.
The final fall game at Grand Champions Polo Club is expected to be one of the most competitive. It will be Chile’s first appearance on U.S. soil in more than 20 years.
Eight-goaler Nic Roldan, a Cardinal Newman High School graduate from Wellington, heads Team USA.
Roldan will be joined by 7-goaler Jeff Hall, 3-goaler Carlitos Gracida and 1-goaler Marc Ganzi. All four players have extensive international experience.
Roldan and Ganzi are coming off the Westchester Cup in July which Team USA narrowly lost to Great Britain, 12-11 in overtime on British soil.
Hall, 33, one of America’s top-rated players, has competed against Chile for the U.S.
“They are going to be good; they are always good,” Hall said. “We played them once in Santiago and lost by a goal. We were over there and on their horses.”
Chile, former FIP Polo World Champions, won the 2013 BMW International Polo Series on August 25th. It was Chile’s first victory in six tries on South Africa soil in Johannesburg. Chile won, 9-7.
In March 2012, Chile knocked off England, 11-9, in the Alfonso Rozas Ossa international match in Santiago, Chile.
It will be the second time Grand Champions Polo Club will host a major international men’s game in its eight-year history.
The 20-goal men’s championship game is sanctioned by the United States Polo Association and Chile Polo Federation.
The U.S. roster is:
Marc Ganzi, 1 goal: Ranked 49th in the World Polo Tour rankings, Ganzi is one of the world’s top amateur players. The Audi team captain is coming off back-to-back 20-goal tournaments wins in the USPA North American Cup and USPA National 20-Goal Tournaments. He has won nearly every major U.S. polo tournament including the 2009 U.S. Open.
Carlitos Gracida, 3 goals: The son of Hall of Famer and former 10-goaler Carlos Gracida is a rising young star. He is one of the youngest players to qualify for the U.S. Open semifinals at 15, was third in the World Cup in Mexico and is coming off back-to-back 20-goal tournament wins this past fall.
Nic Roldan, 8 goals: The highest ranked American player on Team USA has represented the U.S. in several matches including the Westchester Cup. At age 15, became the youngest player to win the U.S. Open with Escue in 1998. The following year the Cardinal Newman alum was named polo’s Young Player of the Year.
Jeff Hall, 7 goals: Another top American player, Hall has competed in every major tournament in the U.S. including the U.S. Open in 2003 with C-Spear, competed internationally including the Argentine Open and represented the U.S. including a match against Chile in Santiago.
The Chile roster features:
Matias Vial, 6 goals: A former shot putter in track and field, he is one of Chile’s top players and known for his agility and horsemanship. He was a member of the winning national team that knocked off England, 11-9, in the Alfonso Rozas Ossa international match.
Jose Antonio Iturrate, 5: Has been ranked as high as 8 goals. Known as a tactician and astute passer. Is technical director for the Chile selection committee. Was a member of the Chile team that defeated England in 1998.
Juan Sanchez, 5: Was a member of the Chile team that defeated the U.S., 6-5, in the 2011 FIP Polo World Cup. Was featured on ABC’s The Bachelor earlier this year. Named MVP at the NSLM Polo Match in Middleburg, Va. in September.
Max Silva, 4: One of his country’s young up-and-coming players was a member of the winning team in the Alfonso Rozas Ossa international match and played in last year’s World Polo Championships.
Carlos Gracida will be leading the Grand Champions Light Blue Team in the opening Legends game
In the opening Legends game Gracida will be joined by brothers Julian and Howard Hipwood, two of Britain’s top players once rated at 9-goals, and cousin Ruben Gracida on the Grand Champions (Light Blue) team. The team carries a 17-goal rating.
Hector Galindo, Joey Casey, Juan Bollini and Peter Rizzo make up the Grand Champions (Gray) legends team with a total rating of 16 goals.
In last year’s game in front of a sellout crowd, Team USA defeated England, 8.5-6. Roldan was named Most Valuable Player.
Jim Sackett, former news anchor for WPTV NewsChannel 5 who retired after 33 years at Florida’s top-rated television station, will present awards to players in the Legends of Polo match.
Juan Luis Nilo, Consul General of Chile based in Miami, will present the coveted USPA International Cup to the champions and awards to all players from the featured game.
Proceeds from the double header will benefit The Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the development, history and tradition of the sport of polo by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collections as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to the sport. It is the only polo museum of its kind in the world.
Grand Champions Boutique will be field side for both games for all your holiday shopping needs.
Tickets are on sale and various sponsorship packages are still available. They are:
$20 General Admission per person. Be sure to bring your own seating. Che Grill will be at field side with delicious food, snacks and drinks, and tented seating will be available to enjoy your meal. Field side parking not included.
$250 Signature Tailgate Package: Includes admission for one car and your guests can enjoy a field side view of the game. The Signature Tailgate Package includes a reserved tailgate spot with parking for one car, a 10 x 10 tent and one table with 4 chairs. Bring your own food or buy some delicious food, snacks and drinks from Che Grill, field side.
$500 Grand Champions Tailgate Package: Includes admission for one car and your guests can enjoy a field side view of the game. The Grand Champion Tailgate Package includes a reserved, preferred tailgate spot with parking for one car, a 10 x 10 tent, one table with 4 chairs, a bottle of champagne with an ice bucket with 4 glasses and 4 sport Grand Champions Polo Club hats. Bring your own food or buy some delicious food, snacks and drinks from Che Grill, field side.
VIP Pavilion Tickets: $200 Per Person: Includes one VIP admission ticket to the comfortable Grand Champions Lounge with a field side view of the game. Enjoy specialty cocktails and fabulous bites from Aaron’s Catering of the Palm Beaches, and relax to DJ music.
$1,500 VIP Corporate Sponsor: Includes one table and 8 VIP admission tickets to the comfortable Grand Champions Lounge with a field side view of the game. Enjoy specialty cocktails and fabulous bites from Aaron’s Catering of the Palm Beaches and relax to DJ music.
WHERE: 13444 Southfields Road, on the corner of South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth Road, Wellington, 561-644-5050.
INFORMATION: There are great field side views for tournament action at the home base of pro teams Audi and Piaget. Everyone is welcome to watch high and medium goal polo in a relaxed atmosphere during the spring and fall tournament season and other special events including the International Cup in November, Buzz Welker Memorial Junior Tournament in March, Women’s Championship Tournament and Gay Polo League International Tournament, both in April.
Sharon Robb for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd #105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax) pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
Wellington, FL – November 16, 2012 – With a talented all-star lineup, the U.S. men’s team will be the favorite when they challenge England for the coveted International Cup.
The United States Polo Association, national governing body for polo in the U.S., announced its men’s lineup for the International Polo Cup doubleheader pitting England against Team USA, Sunday, November 25th at Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington.
The 20-goal championship game features some of the top players from England and the U.S. in the United States Polo Association and Hurlingham Polo Association-sanctioned international tournament.
Nic Roldan, rated at 8 goals; Jeff Hall, 7 goals; Carlos Gracida, Jr., 3 goals; and player-padron Marc Ganzi, 1 goal. The U.S. will field a 19-goal rated team.
Wellington, FL – November 15, 2012 – The United States Polo Association, national governing body for polo in the U.S., has announced its women’s lineup for the International Polo Cup doubleheader pitting England against Team USA, Sunday, November 25th at Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington.
A women’s seven-goal game at 1 p.m., featuring some of the top women’s players in the world, is the first game of the U.S.-England polo doubleheader.
The U.S. team is headed by veteran Sunny Hale, regarded as the top woman’s player in the nation and a fan favorite.
Hale will be joined by Gillian Johnston, Tiffany Busch and Melissa Ganzi, co-host of the holiday event weekend, along with her husband-player, Marc.
The Grand Champions Polo Club will host the International Polo Cup pitting England against Team USA on November 25th. Photo By: Sharon Robb
USPA International Cup
England vs. United States
Players from Hurlingham Polo Association and United States Polo Association compete to win the coveted International Cup.
Proceeds to benefit The National Museum of Polo & Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the development, history and tradition of the sport of polo by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collections as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to the sport.
Fast Facts:
Where: Grand Champions Polo Club
Located at the corner of Lake Worth Road and South Shore Boulevard
When: Sunday, November 25, 2012
Time: 1:00 Women’s Match – United States vs. England
3:00 Men’s Match – United States vs. England
