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Grand Champions Polo Club Opens 2016 Spring Season Friday With Grand Champions Cup
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By Arianna Delin, Sharon Robb for Grand Champions Polo ClubThe Grand Champions Cup kicks off Friday in what is expected to be one of the best spring seasons in the nine-year history of Grand Champions Polo Club. Several top and up-and-coming players including brothers Sebastian and Tincho Merlos, Nic Roldan, Kris Kampsen, Juancito Bollini and Grant Ganzi are expected to play during the spring season. Two 19-goal teams featuring the 9-goal rated Merlos brothers and Roldan are competing in the spring-opener. They are: Power Horse: (19) Walter Scherb, 1, Michael Bickford, 1, Tincho Merlos, 9, Nic Roldan, 9. Casablanca (19) Grant Ganzi, 1, Juancito Bollini, 3, Sebastian Merlos, 9, Kris Kampsen, 6.
On Friday, Power Horse will play Casablanca at 4 p.m. on Field One. The score of the 6-chukker game will carry over into Sunday’s six-chukker game featuring the same two teams at 10 a.m. The Grand Champions Cup is the first of six medium-goal tournaments that are scheduled. Other spring tournaments are: April 29-May 1, Spring Challenge; May 6-8, Sun Cup; May 13-15, USPA Eastern Challenge; May 20-22, Polo Gear Challenge Cup; May 26-29,The Memorial. “We are really looking forward to the spring season,” Grand Champions Polo Club President Melissa Ganzi said. “It’s a nice time to relax a little bit and enjoy friends, family and polo.
“The weather is usually amazing and fields are in their best condition. Because of the climate they tend to grow their best in May. We are really looking forward to seeing everyone.” During the Grand Champions’ spring season, amateur polo players will have the opportunity to play with and against some of the world’s top professional polo players. Power Horse won last year’s Grand Champions Cup subsidiary game with an 11-10 victory over Clearwater Polo. Scherb and Roldan were members of last year’s Power Horse team. Psycho Bunny won the title with a 14-11 win over Blackdove. Kampsen was a member of the winning team.
Wellington-based ChukkerTVÂ is live streaming the spring opener. ChukkerTV is exclusively live streaming International Polo Club Palm Beach and Grand Champions Polo Club games along with other games around the U.S. during the 2016 season with polo broadcasters Toby Wayman and Dale Schwetz calling the action. Grand Champions Polo Club is the nation’s busiest and most innovative polo club. The USPA-member club hosts polo tournaments ranging from four to 20-goal in addition to special events. The club also features The Polo School, dedicated to teaching polo to all ages, particularly grass roots youth. Its mission is to provide individuals opportunities in polo. The Polo School operates in Wellington January through June and September through November.
GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO CLUB 2016 SPRING SCHEDULE April 22-24: Grand Champions Cup, Friday, 4 p.m., Field 1; Sunday, 10 a.m. April 23, Saturday: USPA Presidents 8-Goal Cup, 3 p.m.; Ambassadors Game, 5 p.m. April 29-May 1: Spring Challenge May 6-8: Sun Cup May 13-15: USPA Eastern Challenge May 20-22: Polo Gear Challenge Cup May 26-29: The Memorial |
