Tackeria Invitational

North America, Polo News

Grand Champions Polo Club Opens 2020 Fall Season with Tackeria Invitational

22. October 2020

WELLINGTON, FL, October 21, 2020—Grand Champions Polo Club will kick off the 2020 Fall season with the Tackeria Invitational, slated for October 22-25. Top-rated American player Nic Roldan will return to the field, along with other well-known players from the US and Argentina.

Grand Champions Polo Club will kick off the fall season this week with the Tackeria Invitational. The season opening matches are set for Thursday October 22, with the semi-finals to be held on Friday and the finals on Sunday, October 25.

Over the course of October and November Grand Champions will host four medium goals tournaments, along with four high goal tournaments from November 14-November 29. The season will culminate in the 9th annual International Cup on November 29th.. This year will feature the US team against Argentina. Since 2012, the US team has defeated England, Chile, Mexico, South Africa, Uruguay, Brazil, Azerbaijan and France.

The Tackeria Invitational is a sentimental favorite at Grand Champions, as it was the first tournament played at the club during its first season in 2007. This year’s participating teams include:

Casablanca – Santi Bermudez, Gussie Busch, Grant Ganzi and Nic Roldan
Newport – Gene Goldstein, Michel Dorignac, Horacio Heguy, and Juan Bollini
La Indiana – Matt Gonzalez, Michael Bickford, Jeff Hall, and Nick Manifold
Sebucan – Pablo Pulido, Marc Ganzi, Sugar Erskine, and Pablo Spinacci

Flexjet, with Melissa Ganzi, Kris Kampsen, Pablo Spinacci and Juan Bollini, won the Tackeria Invitational title in 2019.

There will be plenty of familiar names on the roster this season, with eight-goaler Nic Roldan returning to the field, as well as top players including Sugar Erskine, Pablo Spinacci, Michele Dorignac, and six-time Argentine Open winner Horacio Heguy. Also returning will be father-son duo Juan and Juancito Bollini, and Brandon Phillips.

Gussie Busch, Pablo Pulido, and Gene Goldstein will round out the lineup, while of couse Grand Champions founder Melissa and Marc Ganzi, as well as son Grant, will be playing. They’ll be joined by Michael Bickford’s La Indiana team, which includes Marcus Llambias, Jeff Hall and Nick Manifold.

The fall season is the precursor of the winter high goal season that runs from January to April, offering an opportunity for players and green horses to prepare for the challenging 26-goal play in the World Polo League. The upcoming 2021 season will be the third for the WPL, with all matches to be played at Grand Champions Polo Club. No decision has yet been made regarding COVID restrictions for the WPL season, as measures will depend on conditions in January.

While admission is traditionally open and free to the public at Grand Champions, the continuing COVID-19 pandemic will see the play closed to the public for the forseeable future. Over the summer, sister club Aspen Valley Polo Club completed a successful high goal season while following strict health and safety protocols and those same protocols will continue at Grand Champions throughout the fall season.

Grand Champions Polo Club co-founder Melissa Ganzi says, “Obviously, we really missed our fans over the summer, and we’ll miss them this fall. Even though Florida is opening up a little more, we are acting out of an abundance of caution. We’ll continue to regularly test for COVID and strictly follow all local and state guidelines.”

COVID testing began at Grand Champions last spring and continued at Aspen Valley throughout the summer.

Although Grand Champions will be closed to spectators, ChukkerTV will livestream the entire 2020 polo series so fans can still enjoy the best polo the US has to offer. ChukkerTV was the first to introduce state-of-the-art live streaming technology and instant replay in January 2014 at Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, Florida.

Photos by Grand Champions Polo Club

North America, Polo News

Let The Countdown Begin: Grand Champions Opens Fall Season With Tackeria Invitational

1. October 2019

Grand Champions, the nation‘s largest polo club, opens the highly-anticipated fall season in ten days with the Tackeria Invitational. In addition to 20-goal action, a medium goal schedule features six tournaments including the Tackeria Invitational. The tournament has a special place in club history as the inaugural tournament when the club first opened in 2007. „We are excited about the fall season,“ said Polo School Director of Operations Juan Bollini said. „The fall season is important to us because it is a continuation of the sport and shows the world you can play polo all year. „We have some great players coming in for the 20-goal and medium goal tournaments. It‘s good, competitive polo and best time of the year with great weather and great fields in October and November after five months of rest.“ Among players expected to compete are Nic Roldan, America‘s top-rated player at 8 goals; Sugar Erskine, Kris Kampsen, Jason Crowder, Pablo Spinacci, Horacio Heguy, Pablo Pulido, Marc Ganzi, Melissa Ganzi, Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini and Juan Bollini. The fall season serves as tuneup for the winter season for players and green horses. The 2020 winter season features the second season of the successful 26-goal World Polo League at Grand Champions and Valiente Polo Farm with the best polo players in the world.

The Tackeria Invitational has a history of exciting finishes. In last year‘s tournament final, Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Julio Gracida, Mariano Gracida) won a hardfought 10-9 overtime game over Flexjet (Santos Bollini, Lucas Escobar, Kris Kampsen, Juan Bollini). In 2017, Audi (Marc Ganzi, Jason Crowder, Brandon Phillips, Carlitos Gracida) rallied in the final chukker to defeat Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, Andres LaPlacette, Pablo Dorignac, Juan Bollini), 11-10, in overtime at Santa Rita Polo Farm. In 2016, Flexjet (Riley Ganzi, Melissa Ganzi, Juan Bollini, Jason Crowder) defeated Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, Jared Sheldon, Carlitos Gracida, Juancito Bollini), 7-6, on Melissa Ganzi‘s winning goal just before the 30-second bell in the final chukker. „The Tackeria Invitational is the perfect way to kick off the season,“ said Tackeria owner Tony Coppola, legendary voice of polo and USPA President. „We are proud to be a returning sponsor with the Tackeria Invitational.“ The Tackeria, a longtime supporter of polo and Grand Champions, carries one of the most complete selections of equestrian equipment in the world, importing goods from all over Europe, the Far East and South America to create the best selection of quality items for its customers. It is a go-to source for equipment, supplies, fashion and gifts for the hunter/jumper, dressage and polo disciplines. The Tackeria is located on the corner of Pierson Rd. and South Shore at 13501 South Shore Blvd. All this week, the Grand Champions Polo Club staff has been putting the finishing touches on its fields at Grand Champions and Santa Rita Polo Farm in preparation for the season-opener.

The 2019 season is highlighted by the International Cup featuring Team USA against France; Legends of Polo Carlos Gracida Memorial, inaugural Wellington Open 20 and USPA National 20. The well-organized fall tournaments attract players from all over the United States and world including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, England, France, India, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Uruguay, Switzerland, Nigeria and South Africa. Grand Champions had its finest fall season in club history last year. It was the only club in the nation to stage two USPA-sanctioned 20-goal fall tournaments and again is hosting two 20-goal tournaments this season. The Grand Champions Fall Invitational League is geared toward improving a player‘s polo skills at every level. Roster lineups change from tournament to tournament with evenly-matched teams featuring pro and amateur players. Club owners Marc and Melissa Ganzi, both accomplished players, share a passion for teaching and sharing the exciting sport of polo with anyone interested in learning. The husband and wife team are coming off their most successful and historical summer season at Grand Champions‘ sister club Aspen Valley Polo Club.

The fall league features: stick-and-ball sessions during the week; two medium tournament games every weekend; ambulance and umpires for all tournament games; world-class polo fields; club-sponsored social events every weekend for all players; and top-of-the-line trophies for all teams every weekend.

Grand Champions Polo Club and Santa Rita Polo Farm cater 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 at the turnkey facility.

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. Scholarships are available. The Polo School operates in Wellington January through May and September through November. For more information on the Fall Leagues or Polo School contact Juan Bollini at 561-346-1099.

Wellington-based ChukkerTV will live stream the entire fall season with Dale Schwetz calling the action. ChukkerTV‘s state-of-the art technology also features team challenges and instant replay which made their debut at Grand Champions in January, 2014.

By: Sharon Robb

2019 Grand Champions Fall Schedule

Medium Goal:

Oct. 11-13, Tackeria Invitational

Oct. 18-20, US Trust Cup

Oct. 25-27, Polo Gear Challenge

Nov. 1-3, Fall Classic

Nov. 8-10, Fall Plates

Nov. 15-17, Pedro Morrison Memorial

High Goal:

Nov. 13-16, Wellington Open 20

Nov. 20-23, USPA National 20

Nov. 30, Legends of Polo and Carlos Gracida Memorial

Nov. 30, 2019 International Cup, USA vs. France

www.gcpolo.com

©Thomas Wirth

North America, Polo News

Casablanca captured the fall season-opening Tackeria Invitational

15. October 2018

Casablanca captured the fall season-opening Tackeria Invitational Sunday at Grand Champions Polo Club, but it wasn’t easy.

In front of a good crowd on an unseasonably hot day, Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Julio Gracida, Mariano Gracida) won a hardfought 10-9 overtime decison over Flexjet (Santos Bollini, Lucas Escobar, Kris Kampsen, Juan Bollini).

Flexjet controlled most of the game until the sixth chukker when the game was tied twice, 8-8 and 9-9, before Mariano Gracida scored the winning goal in a crowd of players around the goal mouth to clinch the victory.

Gracida, the youngest son of Hall of Famer and former 10-goaler Carlos Gracida, was named Most Valuable Player. He scored four goals including one in the sixth chukker to tie the game and game-winner in overtime. The game-winner materialized when Gracida hit a good knock-in to Bollini who hit to Ganzi. All four players pushed toward the goal mouth and Gracida came up with the ball and goal.

“I knew I had the line and no one could go for it so I just got there quick, took my time and tapped it in,” Mariano Gracida said. “It feels great to win. I was just worried about playing well. I know it’s the first week and everyone is going at their own pace. It’s always good to win the first tournament of the season. “Today was the hottest day for both the horses and players,” Gracida said. “I think we had a lot of confidence off our first game which took away from our second game. I think today we started off with too much confidence. We weren’t playing as a team in the first half. At halftime we decided to be calmer when hitting the ball and let them make the mistakes. We played our positions a little bit more, took our time and relied on each other.”

Cupid, a 6-year-old gelding owned and played by Julio Gracida, was selected Best Playing Pony for the second time this year. In April, Cupid was Best Playing Pony in the USPA Eastern Challenge at Santa Rita Polo Farm. Ganzi also scored four goals for Casablanca. Juancito Bollini added two goals and Julio Gracida was the big-hitting playmaker and anchor on defense.

“It was a good game, it was two strong teams playing up in polo,” said Julio Gracida, son of Hall of Famer and former 10-goal polo great Memo Gracida. “We are just exhausted, it was a hot day but we played great polo. It was hitting and running. Both teams played at a higher level. We’re just not ready for that right now, it’s just the beginning of the season.” Despite both horses and players being exhausted and soaked in sweat, Casablanca came out poised in the overtime period.

“We just wanted to simplify things and not rush,” Julio Gracida said. “We didn’t want to overdo things, just hit it forward and hit it backwards and respect your teammates. It was a good team effort. We just rotated really well. I’m very happy to win, it’s good to be back.”

Casablanca was the youngest team in the tournament averaging 22 years in age. The foursome are childhood friends who have played with and against each other for years.

The 12th annual Tackeria Invitational is the first of six medium-goal tournaments in addition to 20-goal action during the fall season. The tournament has always had a special place in club history as the inaugural tournament when the club first opened in 2007.”This was a great way to start the season,” said Tackeria owner, USPA President and longtime Wellington resident Tony Coppola. “It was a really exciting final going into overtime. Glad to see so many people out here supporting Grand Champions in the fall season.

“I’m looking forward to the season here with the culmination of the International Cup on Thanksgiving weekend.” The much-anticipated fall season is a tuneup for the winter season for players and green horses. The winter season will feature the debut of the highly-anticipated 26-goal World Polo League at Grand Champions and Valiente Polo Farm featuring 10-goalers Adolfo Cambiaso, Pablo MacDonough, Pelon Sterling and Juan Martin Nero.

The Tackeria Invitational has a history of exciting finishes. In last year’s tournament final, Audi (Marc Ganzi, Jason Crowder, Brandon Phillips, Carlitos Gracida) rallied in the final chukker to defeat Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, Andres LaPlacette, Pablo Dorignac, Juan Bollini), 11-10, in overtime at Santa Rita Polo Farm. Among the highlights of the season are the Oct. 15-27 USPA North American Cup, Nov. 3-17 USPA National 20-Goal Championship; Nov. 14 Triple Crown of Polo Tournament and Romero Britto Celebration; and Nov. 24 doubleheader featuring the Legends of Polo Carlos Gracida Memorial and International Cup.

By Sharon Robb

2018 FALL SCHEDULE at Grand Champions Polo Club

MEDIUM GOAL LEAGUE

October 18-21: U.S. Trust Cup

October 24-28: USPA Fall Classic

November 1-4: USPA Fall Plates

November 8-11: Polo Gear Challenge

November 15-18 Pedro Morrison Memorial

HIGH GOAL LEAGUE

October 15-27: USPA North American Cup

November 3-17: USPA National 20-Goal Championship

November 14: The Triple Crown of Polo Tournament, Romero Britto Celebration at Santa Rita Polo Club