he popular Pedro Morrison Memorial, now in its tenth year, will get under way Friday at Grand Champions Polo Club.
Argentine Horacio Segundo Heguy, American Jeff Blake and Frenchman Pierre Henri (Pedrito) Ngoumou will make their fall debut at Grand Champions.
Horacio Segundo Heguy, a member of one of Argentina’s polo family dynasties, followed in his father’s footsteps, polo great Horacio Antonio Heguy, a former 10-goaler and winner of 19 Argentine Opens. The younger Heguy won six Argentine Opens, including four with his brothers, Gonzalo, Bautista and Marcos.
Blake, a three-time U.S. Open champion and Team USA captain, was named Most Valuable Player in his International Cup debut last year after the U.S. won its seventh International Cup title in a row with a 9-7.5 victory over Azerbaijan. The winningest American-born Floridian in polo was the highest rated player on the team at 6 goals.
Ngoumou, a member of the French team set to play Team USA in the Nov. 30th International Cup at Grand Champions, will give fans a sneak preview of his talent. The 6-goal team captain has played throughout the world. He is an explosive and entertaining player.
The tournament begins with one semifinal game on Friday at 4 p.m. when Sebucan plays Newport. In last Sunday’s Fall Plates final, Newport (Gene Goldstein, Jason Crowder, Kris Kampsen, Juan Bollini) rallied to defeat two-time defending champion Sebucan (Pablo Pulido, Brandon Phillips, Pablo Spinacci, Sugar Erskine), 11-7, and tied, 11-11, Casablanca (Santos Bollini, Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Nic Roldan) in a round robin format.
The Pedro Morrison Memorial continues Saturday with the other semifinal game pitting Casablanca against Flexjet at 11 a.m.
The championship final is Sunday at 10 a.m. followed by the For The Joy Of It Cup subsidiary game.
Team rosters are:
Newport (17): Gene Goldstein, Juancito Bollini, Jason Crowder, Kris Kampsen.
Sebucan (18): Pablo Pulido, Pablo Spinacci, Sugar Erskine, Brandon Phillips.
Flexjet (17): Melissa Ganzi, Jeff Blake, Horacio Heguy, Juan Bollini.
Casablanca (18): Marc Ganzi, Grant Ganzi, Pierre Henri Ngoumou, Nic Roldan.
The fun and emotionally-charged three-day tournament continues the legacy of a great friend to polo. The tournament is played in honor of Morrison in a casual, laid-back and fun atmosphere and is a celebration of his life among his friends every year.
In last year’s Pedro Morrison Memorial, Aspen Valley Polo Club (Morgan Van Overbroek, James Rogerson, Mariano Gracida, Carlitos Gracida) won the round robin tournament with a 3-1 victory over St. Moritz (Reto Gaudenzi/Daniel Crasemann, Tony Calle, Jeff Hall, Marc Ganzi), 3-1, in the final and American Polo Horse (Sebastien Le Page, Santos Bollini, Pablo Dorignac, Tito Gaudenzi), 4-2.
Carlitos Gracida, 28, was named Most Valuable Player. The most dominant player for Aspen Valley Polo Club scored four goals in four chukkers.
The 2017 Pedro Morrison Memorial was rained out. In the 2016 final, Flexjet (Riley Ganzi, Juan Bollini, Juancito Bollini, JJ Celis), making its fifth consecutive finals appearance, defeated Audi (Grant Ganzi, Marc Ganzi, Tony Calle, Nic Roldan), 7-6, in overtime. Juan Bollini took advantage of an Audi broken play to shake loose from defenders and scored the winning goal with 4:58 remainingin OT. Bollini was MVP.
Pedro Morrison, born in Spain and University of Miami alum, died Dec. 11, 2003 in Wellington at age 49. He was an avid polo player, patron of The Sympatico Polo team and helped develop Wellington into a thriving community.
Morrison was active in several local and area charities and businesses and touched countless lives. He remains an inspiration. His work on behalf of the YMCA of the Palm Beaches continues on through Polo with Pedro.
“This tournament is always very special,” Grand Champions Polo Club President Melissa Ganzi said. “When we bought our first barn at South 40 we played polo with Pedro at Palm Beach Polo.
“He had one of the most contagious laughs,” Ganzi said. “I just think of Pedro laughing, smoking his cigars and sitting on the boards. It was one of my wonderful polo memories.”
The Pedro Morrison Memorial Tournament is the sixth and final medium-goal tournament of the fall season. Twenty-goal action begins next week and will continue through Thanksgiving weekend.
The winners of the first four 2019 tournaments at Grand Champions were: Newport (Gene Goldstein, Jason Crowder, Kris Kampsen, Juan Bollini), Fall Plates Tournament; Sebucan (Santos Bollini, Pablo Pulido, Nic Roldan, Kris Kampsen), Fall Classic; Flexjet (Melissa Ganzi, Kris Kampsen, Pablo Spinacci, Juan Bollini), Tackeria Invitational; and Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Brandon Phillips, Jason Crowder), US Trust Cup. The Polo Gear Challenge final, postponed by rain, is yet to be played.
During the 2019 fall season, the nation’s largest and busiest polo club, hosts both medium and high goal polo. It 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.
The fall season serves as a tuneup for the winter season for players and green horses. The winter season will feature the second season of the highly-successful 26-goal World Polo League at Grand Champions and Valiente Polo Farm with the best polo players in the world.
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, take pride in 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 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. Food and refreshments are available for players and fans after the finals.
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, a stand-alone USPA club, 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.
