Grand Champions a Community Polo Club
By Alex Webbe
It’s not unusual in the world of polo to find a club that plays medium-goal polo, but the manner in which Wellington’s Grand Champions Polo Club structures its tournament competition is unique.
“Most of us compete in high-goal competition from Florida to California,” said club president Melissa Ganzi, “but the polo we offer at Grand Champions is a little different.”
In the late spring and fall Grand Champions draws on its many year-round resident players and forms a series of tournaments that allows for a casually paced approach to the game.
“There is plenty of time for hotly contested high-goal tournament play,” added Melissa, but when we get together in the spring and fall it’s a time to have fun playing with your friends.”
The list of friends includes some of the games better players as 8-goalers Jeff Blake and Nicolas Roldan saddle up for action in Grand Champions tournament play.
“We have a lot of fun,” offered Argentine 7-goaler Juan Bollini, “and everyone gets the opportunity to carry the ball and score. Many times you will hear players coaching opponents on the field. Hooking by the better players is kept to a minimum, but the patrons and new players are pushed in an effort to improve their individual games.”
Palm Beach Polo’s Director of Polo Operations, Cali Garcia agrees with Bollini. “It’s a fun atmosphere and everyone gets a great deal of enjoyment out of it”, he offers. “There is a comfortable approach to the competition at Grand Champions that nearly eliminates the pressure of winning.”
The formula seems to be a successful one as the Grand Champions Polo Club gallops into the second half of its first season. There has been a tremendous response from the Wellington polo community,” said club regular Kris Kampsen. “We’ve got six teams of players who’s composition are constantly changing and tournament after tournament accented by a weekly social gathering where we all continue to enjoy the camaraderie we share on the field.”
“It’s a total lifestyle for us,” said Melissa Ganzi. “We’re looking at a long term commitment that will allow us to play fun polo with our friends in our back yard. Grand Champions is a community club where we can ride and hit the ball with our friends and neighbors,” she added.
The backyard statement refers to the two well-manicured championship fields, which were recently purchased from Palm Beach Polo and Country Club and lie virtually in Melissa’s back yard in Wellington.
“When the high-goal season cranks up again we’ll put our game faces on and press for wins, in the meantime, we’re enjoying the game as I believe it was meant to be played so many years ago.”