World-class beach polo returns to South Florida this fall with the World Polo League Beach Polo World Cup.
By Sharon Robb
World-class players and horses will return to the white sands of Collins Park (21st-22nd & Collins) for four days on Nov. 6-9.
The world’s largest beach polo tournament is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Record crowds are expected to watch at least eight teams compete at various levels of beach polo. Open day action features Pride Polo, featuring the top LGBTQ players in the sport. Action continues Friday through Sunday with the WPL Miami Beach Polo World Cup.
“This tournament is so much fun,” said Argentine great Alejandro Novillo Astrada. “Not only the polo on the beach with the amazing surface and organization but also the whole weekend.
“Beach polo is fun, I really like it,” Astrada said. “Playing on grass you are away from the crowd and you don’t hear them much. But here the people get really intense with the game. You have the people on the beach, they come from the sea to watch you and you can here them scream when something happens.”
In last year’s final, Beach Club rallied in the second half to capture the title. Beach Club (Melissa Ganzi, Nic Roldan, 9, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7) defeated Blackfin (Grant Ganzi, 3, Pierre Henri Ngoumou, 7, Mariano Gracida, 5) in the final minute for a thrilling 7-6 victory in front of a good crowd. Astrada, outstanding on defense throughout the tournament, was named Most Valuable Player.
General admission is free, as is access to the retail village, featuring ready-to-wear clothing options, accessories and home items.
There is a spacious VIP Tent. Guests can purchase tickets to experience the polo match under the shade at the lounge overlooking the polo field. VIP packages include shaded lounge areas, an open bar, live DJ and access to a mouth-watering buffet.
There are also sponsorship opportunities. For more information on sponsor packages, ticket prices and social events, go to miamipolocup.com. Tickets and more information will be available soon.
Wellington-based ChukkerTV (CTV Sports) will live stream all four days of action worldwide with Dale Schwetz calling the action.
Swiss polo visionary Reto Gaudenzi, the founder of the Snow Polo World Cup in St. Moritz and several other tournaments, created the Beach Polo World Cup in 2005, one year after beach polo was introduced in Dubai, and hosted the South Beach event through 2008.
Gaudenzi’s son, Tito Gaudenzi of Lifestyle Polo, resurrected the event in 2018 successfully along with World Polo League founder and player Melissa Ganzi, president and owner of Grand Champions Polo Club. The Wellington-based club is the host polo club and WPL is title sponsor. The WPL is the only 26-goal polo played outside of Argentina at Grand Champions.
Grand Champions and Santa Rita Polo Farm is the largest and most unique private 102-acre polo facility in Wellington with 212 stalls in nine self-contained barns, two tracks, five climate-controlled tack rooms, vet room, staff quarters, guest house and four polo fields with state-of-the-art underground irrigation and short work arena. The club has 10 well-manicured world-class fields at GCPC and Santa Rita.
Grand Champions Polo Club caters 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.