WELLINGTON, Fla., November 25, 2024---On a perfect day for polo, GCPC USA returned to the winners' circle Saturday at Grand Champions Polo Club.
By Sharon Robb
Photos by Candace Ferreira
In front of the season's largest crowd, GCPC USA (Grant Ganzi, Carlitos Gracida, Nic Roldan, Jason Crowder) defeated the Rest of the World (Sugar Erskine, Tomacho Pieres, Pierre Henri Ngoumou, Julio Gracida), 6-4, to win its 12th title in 13 years.
Grant Ganzi, 26, was named Most Valuable Player. Ganzi scored a game-high three goals and played well on both ends of the field.
"It was a great day," Ganzi said. "It was incredible to be out there. I thought everyone out there was MVP, showing up, putting on such a fun game and playing polo how it should be played. I was happy to be recognized but at the same time it could have gone to anyone on that field because we were all playing so well and playing such good, classic polo."
Chanel, a 5-year-old gray mare thoroughbred, played by Julio Gracida and owned by Armando Huerta, was Best Playing Pony.
Manhunt, a 9-year-old gray mare, played by Sugar Erskine and owned and bred by Santa Rita Polo Farm was the American Polo Horse Association Best Playing Pony.
GCPC USA, led by veteran 8-goaler Nic Roldan, making his 11th appearance, was out for revenge after watching its 11-year win streak snapped by Spain in overtime, 6-5, last year.
"It made it kind of hard for me to be honest to watch that game," Ganzi said. "Going out there yesterday and being able to play a really fun competitive 20-22 goal game and putting GCPC USA back on the winners' side was definitely a good feeling to have. Being out there with three guys I really love playing with was huge. It was a perfect way to end the fall season on a beautiful day."
It was the first time the GCPC USA team played together.
"We had one practice, a fun 20-goal round robin practice on Thursday afternoon," Ganzi said. "That was the only time the four of us played together as a team. It was great.
"We got in sync pretty quickly. It took us a little bit in the first, but after that we really worked for each other. We played very simple polo. The game as a whole was super open and classic. Run and gunning, unselfish polo on both teams which made it really fun."
The lead changed hands five times before GCPC USA took command in the third chukker. At the 4:44 mark, Ganzi stole the ball and scored for a 5-3 lead. GCPC USA never trailed after that. The Rest of the World had scoring opportunities in the third and fourth chukkers but couldn't capitalize.
In addition to Ganzi's three goals, Roldan had two and Crowder added one. There was also a penalty-one awarded. Erskine and Pieres each had two goals for the Rest of the World.
It was the 13th time Grand Champions Polo Club hosted a major international men's game in Wellington. Since 2012 in front of sellout crowds and worldwide ChukkerTV audience, GCPC USA has beaten England, Chile, Mexico, South Africa, Uruguay, Brazil, Azerbaijan, France, Argentina twice and Switzerland in the annual battle.
In the opening game of the doubleheader, Gracida II (Benji Daniels, Carlitos Gracida, Mariano Gracida, Juancito Bollini) edged Gracida I (Sugar Erskine, Ricky Bueno, Grant Ganzi, Julio Gracida), 7-6, in the annual Legends Of Polo Carlos Gracida Memorial.
Carlitos Gracida, the oldest son of Carlos Gracida, was named Most Valuable Player after competing in both games of the doubleheader for the winning teams.
For Ganzi, it was a thrill to play in the Legends Of Polo Carlos Gracida Memorial for the first time with and against friends.
"I was so happy to play in the game," Ganzi said. "I was over the moon and happy to be included and to help bring the Gracidas back home to Wellington. It was great to see the whole family and huge support for the family. It was fun to be out there with friends who I hold near and dear to my heart on and off the field. It was an amazing game."
In the Charity Chukker, Rebecca Cohen scored the winning goal in the final seconds to give Santa Rita (Rebecca Cohen, Nicole Cardona, Miles Rich, Juan Bollini) a 1-0 victory over Grand Champions (Paige Limehouse, Eliza Limehouse, Pablo Spinacci, Martin Jauregui).
The fun day of polo benefitted 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.
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 club's leagues or Polo School contact Cale Newman at 561-876-2930.