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E V E N T N A M E L O C A T I O N D A T E
A C T I O N
62
GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO CLUB
W O R L D P O L O L E A G U E A L L S T A R C H A L L E N G E D R W , W E L L I N G T O N , U S A , F E B - A P R I L 2 0 1 9
2 6 - G O A L W O R L D P O L O L E A G U E
Allowing team owners and players to vote on unique and democratic rules
of play made for a successful season, reports Darlene Ricker
Who would have thought we would
ever see Grant Ganzi and Adolfo Cambiaso
playing on the same team? That’s what
happened in the first tournament of the
new 26-goal World Polo League, the
All Star Challenge Draw, this winter in
Wellington. The Cambiaso-Ganzi pairing,
the result of a draw, was emblematic of
the new alliance between the Ganzi and
Jornayvaz families, who founded the
WPL. They own longstanding rival
organizations Grand Champions and
Valiente, respectively.
The season ran from 6 February to
14 April and attracted nine teams. Six
were rated at 26 goals (Alegria, Audi,
Grand Champions, Colorado, SD Farms and
Valiente). The three others were Blackwatch
(24 goals); Flexjet (22); and Patagones (21).
Other than the Palm Beach Open, which was
played on the flat, WPL tournaments were
played on handicap. For example, 22-goal
teams started the game with four goals on
handicap and a bonus goal.
Three tournaments put money on the
line for all finalists: $100,000 in the Founders
Cup ($60,000 to victors Grand Champions
and $40,000 to subsidiary winners Valiente);
$125,000 in the Palm Beach Open ($75,000
to SD Farms; $50,000 to Audi); and $150,000
in the Triple Crown of Polo ($90,000 to
Colorado; $60,000 to Audi).
The series culminated on 14 April with the
Triple Crown of Polo. Finalists Colorado
and Audi hung in during ferocious
downpours, and play was suspended only
twice, a testament to the meticulously
maintained fields at Grand Champions.
Colorado took the trophy in overtime, 9-8
over Audi. Audi was also a finalist in the
Palm Beach Open, which SD Farms won 11-6.
None of the other tournaments were decided
on more than a one-goal spread. In an
upset win over Valiente in the Founders Cup,
Grand Champions took the trophy 12-11.
A warm up tournament, the All Star
Challenge Draw, gave patrons (many new
to 26-goal polo) the opportunity to make
