Grant Ganzi of The Polo School at Grand Champions.
Matias Gonzalez Named MVP
WELLINGTON, FL – March 26, 2013 – The future of polo, looking bright as ever, was on display for four hours Monday at the Buzz Welker Memorial Tournament at Grand Champions Polo Club.
With 10-goal pro players Sapo Caset, Miguel Astrada, Adolfo Cambiaso, Facundo and Gonzalito Pieres watching from the sidelines with friends and family, junior polo players of all ages competed in the annual event in a fun, festive atmosphere.
In the featured game, The Polo School at Grand Champions defeated Lechuza Caracas, 7-4, to win the four-chukker championship.
The Polo School at Grand Champions opened up a 5-0 lead before Lechuza Caracas got untracked. Matias Gonzalez and Justin Daniels each scored three goals, Grant Ganzi added one goal, and Benjamin Avendano played well defensively. Nikoli Bahlsen scored three goals for Lechuza Caracas.
Gonzalez was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. At 14, Gonzalez recently made his 26-goal debut playing for injured Zacara team captain Lyndon Lea in the USPA Piaget Gold Cup.
“I have been playing these tournaments since I was 5 with my dad,” Gonzalez said. “After we play the 20 and high goal we come back and teach the kids to give back to the sport and so they get a chance. It’s nice to all grow up playing together. Hopefully, we will be doing this for the rest of our lives.
“Every game is important, whether it’s 26-goal or juniors,” Gonzalez said. “I play to win and for fun. My dream is to play high goal so they can teach me and I can learn more.”
Ganzi, 14, a freshman at St. Andrew’s School in Boca Raton, is carrying on his family’s tradition in polo. He started playing polo at age 5 and competing seriously at age 12. He has honed his skills playing not only with his parents, both pro team captains, but also at the 12-goal level and junior tournaments. Ganzi also competed in interscholastic tournaments in Atlanta and Virginia.
“It’s a great advantage to play at a young age,” Ganzi said. “You get an early start which is important if you want to be a pro. When you play with better players you get better eventually.
“These junior tournaments are better than taking a lesson because I am learning how to be a team player and leader on the field. I play different positions and it’s very helpful. In a lesson I just work on hitting the ball.
“I have played with these guys and against them; we have all played together,” Ganzi said. “We knew when we saw our team on paper we had a good chance, a fun game and a good match-up.”
Added Daniels, “Tournaments like this is important for junior polo to get all these players out here and keep playing. I have gotten a lot better because of these tournaments.”
The well-organized tournament was hosted by Marc and Melissa Ganzi at their well-manicured polo fields.
The fun event featured food truck Che Grill with four-star Argentine food, Donut Divas with fresh, piping hot donuts and kids face painting by Wellington-based Michele Rodriguez of The Glitter Station, all sponsored by the Ganzi family. Pro announcer Gus Whitelaw kept spectators informed and entertained throughout the day.
Several pros officiated including Juan Bollini and Jason Crowder. While Bollini got a late start in polo in his 20s, Crowder grew up playing in junior tournaments in California.
“When you are a kid you look forward to tournaments like this for a whole week, a whole month,” Crowder said. “These kids work their butts off in the barns so they can come out here and play for a couple of hours.
“I remember being so excited to play these tournaments when I was growing up; it’s all you thought about,” Crowder said. “Parents put all their time and effort into these kids to help make them better. This helps the growth of polo; this is the future.
“That first game was flying out there. Everyone was working and playing as a team. Some of these kids are scaring me a little bit – they are so good. You got to start somewhere and this is where you start. It’s important to have nice people like Marc and Melissa to make this all happen; it’s hard to organize. They donate their time and money. In Argentina, the juniors have more support.”
Joining Gonzalez as Most Valuable Player in their various divisions were Nico Escobar of Equine Law Group; Santos Merlos of Orchard Hill; Cinderella Von Faulkenhausen of Wellington Preserve; Benjamin Quiroga of County Line Feed; Joe Mark Leone of Pololine; Lauren Amos of Polographics; and Brandon Cochrane of The Morning Line.
Sportsmanship award winners included Justin Daniels of The Polo School at Grand Champions; Benjamin Daniels of Equine Law Group; Donovan Stratemann of Orchard Hill; Richard Gollel of Wellington Preserve; Rufino Merlos of Casablanca; Elizabeth Fenner of Eagles; Sophia Aguerre of Nano’s Mallets; and Juan Rodriguez of the American Polo Horse Association.
A record 21 teams competed in Polo Training Foundation Florida Junior Polo tournament. Player skill level ranged from advanced to intermediate, lower levels and lead-line for young children. Grand Champions Polo Club will sponsor another youth tournament on Friday, April 19th at International Polo Club Palm Beach at 4 p.m.
Monday’s tournament was named in honor of Buzz Welker, a former polo player who shared his love for the game with everyone. Before his life ended, Welker played in 16 countries and played with several celebrities including Prince Charles, the Sultan of Brunei and Tommy Lee Jones.
Welker died from an aggressive form of cancer on Nov. 27, 2006 at age 69. He was the founder and leader of the Franklin Polo Association and headed major polo clubs in Texas, Florida and Dominican Republic.
GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO CLUB
WHERE: On the corner of South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth Road, Wellington.
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 polo during the spring and fall tournament season and other special events including the Buzz Welker Memorial Junior Tournament, Women’s Championship Tournament and Gay Polo League Tournament.
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
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