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 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