Grand Champions Polo Club Hosts March 15 Great Futures Celebrity Polo Match

Grand Champions Polo Club Hosts March 15 Great Futures Celebrity Polo Match; Chukker TV Will Live Stream

For the second consecutive year, Grand Champions Polo Club will host the Great Futures Celebrity Polo Match.

On Sunday, March 15th at 10 a.m. some of the world’s top players including Miguel Novillo Astrada, Gonzalo Pieres, Rodrigo Andrade, Nic Roldan and Nacho Figueras will gather for a fun morning of polo while raising funds for the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club of Wellington.

ChukkerTV.com, leaders in polo broadcasting, will live stream the polo match around the world for the first time.

American television personality John Walsh, a criminal investigator, human and victim rights advocate and creator of America’s Most Wanted, will also compete. Last year he was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.

Walsh is an avid amateur polo player who competes throughout the world and plays in several charity events across the nation.

“It is a terrific event,” Walsh said. “It’s a great group of people coming together to help the Boys & Girls Club, the lifeline for many of these kids from a life of crime or selling drugs. These clubs are changing children’s lives one child at a time. They do God’s work.”

Figueras is the sport’s international ambassador and one of the most well-recognized players in the world as the face of Ralph Lauren.

“It is always fun when you can play polo and do something for kids,” Figueras said.

The celebrity three-team round-robin polo match will feature pros and patrons. Last year Grand Champions (Melissa Ganzi, Marc Ganzi, Nacho Figueras, Nic Roldan) defeated Piaget (Marwan Mohey-El-Dien, Jared Zenni, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Juan Bollini), 3-2, in the inaugural event.

Proceeds from the fundraiser match and Great Futures Brunch At Polo at International Polo Club Palm Beach at 12:30 p.m., featuring a silent and live auction, benefit the club.

The Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys and Girls Club of Wellington along with twelve other Boys and Girls Clubs in Palm Beach County and more than 1,100 in the United States, provides services including after-school activities and camp opportunities in a safe environment to underprivileged kids, ages 6-18.

Grand Champions Polo Club owners and polo players Marc and Melissa Ganzi will chair the event along with Joe and Diana DiMenna, Marwan Mohey-El-Dien and Laura Guarisco and Ray and Terrie Mooney.

“Grand Champions is a community-based polo club with strong community ties and is the appropriate venue for the polo component,” Grand Champions president and USPA Florida Circuit Governor Melissa Ganzi said. “Neil’s involvement and commitment to the Wellington Boys & Girls Club, building it and everything that he does is so important.

“This event is really fun and a nice way to raise money for a great cause,” Ganzi said. “Last year the kids loved being able to get an up-close view of polo, get to meet the players and participate in the event. It’s just a really fun day.”

Sponsorship packages are available at various levels for the Great Futures Celebrity Polo Match and tables of ten are available for the brunch.

Those interested in sponsorship packages can contact Kristen Cummins, Special Events Manager at 561-683-3287 or email kcummins@bgcpbc.org.

The polo match is free to the public. Sponsors and guests will be invited along with all of the supporters of the Boys & Girls Club including the club’s children and their families to attend the polo match.

The Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club of Wellington is located at 1080 Wellington Trace. The non-profit organization is open year-round and serves 7,000 children.

2015 POLO ON DEMAND

Grand Champions Polo Club, featuring five world-class fields, has a full schedule of tournaments from January through May. Let our polo experts create a turn-key experience including top pros to bring out the best in you and your team. Lessons are available for all ages.

12-GOAL TOURNAMENTS

FEBRUARY: USPA Sieber Memorial Trophy; FEBRUARY 24-March 7: $50,000 National 12-Goal Tournament; MARCH: The Top Pony 12-Goal Series; APRIL: Museum of Polo & Hall of Fame Challenge Cup

8-GOAL TOURNAMENTS:

FEBRUARY: USPA Cyril R. Harrison Trophy; MARCH: The Limited Edition 8-Goal Series and USPA Regional President’s Cup; APRIL: USPA Association Cup

6-GOAL TOURNAMENTS

FEBRUARY: Halo Polo Trophy; MARCH: Madelon Bourdieu Memorial; APRIL: Las Acacias

16-GOAL TOURNAMENTS:

MARCH: Santa Rita Abierto; APRIL: John T. Oxley Memorial Trophy

GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO CLUB

WHERE: 13444 Southfields Road, on the corner of South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth Road, Wellington, 33414.

POLO MANAGER: Juan Olivera, 561-644-5050, gcpoloclub@gmail.com

INFORMATION: There are great field side views for tournament action at the home base of pro teams Audi, FlexJet and Casablanca. Everyone is welcome to watch high, medium and low goal polo in a relaxed atmosphere that includes a free Argentine asado during the winter, spring and fall tournament season and other special events including the March 15th Great Futures Boys & Girls Club Polo Day and March 16th Buzz Welker Memorial Junior Tournament, April 1-4 Women’s Championship Tournament (WCT) and International Cup in November. Admission is free except for special events.