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Sterling Cup Begins Friday At Grand Champions Polo Club; Adolfo Cambiaso Makes Winter Season Debut Saturday At Valiente

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Sterling Cup Begins Friday At Grand Champions Polo Club; Adolfo Cambiaso Makes Winter Season Debut Saturday At Valiente

WELLINGTON, Fl., January 23, 2020---Grand Champions Polo Club will host its first major 20-goal tournament of the season beginning Friday.


Five star-studded teams will compete over four days in bracket play in the prestigious Sterling Cup.

Polo great Adolfo Cambiaso, coming off last week's inaugural AlUla Desert Saudi Arabia Polo Championships, heads the field that also features his son Poroto, Jejo Taranco, Santi Torres, Jero del Carril, Rodrigo Andrade, Lucas James, Nachi Du Plessis and living legend and six-time Argentine Open winner Horacio Heguy.

2019 Sterling Cup champion Colorado players Rob Jornayvaz, Santi Torres, MVP Diego Cavanagh and Nick Johnson.

Action begins Friday at 11 a.m. at Grand Champions Field 5 with Grand Champions taking on Casablanca. Single games are also scheduled for Saturday and Sunday with a doubleheader on Tuesday with the Handicap Final and Final with times still to be announced.

The 18-22 team rosters are:

Bracket A:

Valiente (20): Adolfo Cambiaso 10, Poroto Cambiaso 4, Gonzalo Ferrari 4, Bob Jornayvaz 2.

SD Farms (22): Sayyu Dantata 2, Robertito Zedda 5, Jejo Taranco 8, Santi Torres/Jero Del Carril 7.

Bracket B:

Casablanca (21): Grant Ganzi 3, Juancito Bollini 4, Rodrigo Andrade 9, Juan Bollini 5.

Grand Champions  (21): Santos Bollini 1, Pablo Spinacci 6, Horacio Heguy 6, Lucas James 8.

Santa Clara (22): Nico Escobar 4, Luis Escobar 4, Nachi Du Plessis 8, TBA.
Last year in one the biggest upsets in Sterling Cup history, Colorado won the title for its first major 20-goal tournament. 

Adolfo Cambiaso tries to hook Diego Cavanagh of Colorado in 2019 final.

Colorado (Rob Jornayvaz, 2, Santi Torres, 6, Diego Cavanagh, 9, Nick Johnson, 3) rallied for a thrilling 9-8 upset of defending champion Valiente (Kian Hall, 3, Robertito Zedda, 4, Poroto Cambiaso, 3, Adolfo Cambiaso, 10) in front of a good local crowd.

It was Colorado's biggest tournament win in its two-year history as a team and first time all four players won the Sterling Cup including Johnson, who was making his 20-goal tournament debut.

Argentine 9-goaler Diego Cavanagh was named Most Valuable Player after scoring a game-high four goals including the game-winner with two minutes left on an amazing 60-yard safety conversion in  windy conditions.

Adolfo Cambiaso of Valiente attempts to hook Santi Torres of Colorado in 2019 final.

Colorado finished the five-day, six team tournament undefeated with a 3-0 record. In early games, Colorado defeated Santa Clara, 9-8, and Casablanca, 13-10, and finished with 31 goals in the tournament.

Valiente (2-1) also scored 31 goals in three games. In its first two games, Valiente defeated Sebucan, 14-9 and Audi, 9-4. Both teams are in the J5 Equestrian organization.

In the 2018 tournament Adolfo, Mia and Poroto Cambiaso made history by winning their first-ever high goal tournament together. Along with teammate Magoo Laprida, Valiente knocked off pre-tournament favorite Audi (Marc Ganzi, Henry Porter, Nic Roldan, Nico Pieres), 10-4, in the final. Mia Cambiaso was MVP.

Poroto Cambiaso of Valiente works the ball out of the air with Diego Cavanagh of Colorado defending in 2019 game.

The Sterling Cup is one of several prestigious tournaments the nation's largest and most innovative polo club resurrected four years ago after a 22-year absence. It was brought back by Grand Champions owners Melissa and Marc Ganzi in hopes of recapturing polo's glory days. It was the second tournament of the 22-goal season at Palm Beach Polo after the January Challenge Cup and last played in 1995. It was considered the 22-goal championship and attracted as many as eighteen teams.

During the winter season in Wellington, Grand Champions is hosting 19 tournaments, the most of any club in the U.S., including five in January. The highlight of the schedule is the second season of the 26-goal World Polo League, featuring at least 11 teams and most of the best players in the sport.

With 18 safe and well-manicured fields, including 11-tournament grade, the club will host every level of polo for men, women and children including the WPL, the only 26-goal polo held outside of Argentina featuring the best players in the world.

Santi Torres of Colorado drives downfield with Valiente's Poroto Cambiaso and Kian Hall in pursuit.

The club attracts a large international field of players from all corners of the world including Australia, Chile, India, Mexico, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Argentina, Canada, Ecuador, Brazil, Switzerland, France, Germany, Uruguay, Venezuela, Azerbaijan, South Africa, Nigeria and England.

Grand Champions is coming off its finest fall season in the club's 13-year history. It was the only club in the nation to stage two 20-goal fall tournaments in addition to the International Cup and Legends of Polo Carlos Gracida Memorial. The club also hosted a full schedule of successful and highly-competitive medium goal tournaments.

Grand Champions and Santa Rita Polo Farm is the largest and most unique polo facility, nestled in the heart of the world's winter equestrian capital Wellington. It features 120 stalls in five self-contained barns, exercise track, five climate-controlled tack rooms, vet room, staff quarters, guest house and four polo fields with state-of-the-art underground irrigation including one field for stick-and-ball and new parking lot.

Grand Champions awards table for the 2019 Sterling Cup.
Photos by Grand Champions Polo Club

Grand Champions Polo Club and Santa Rita Polo Farm's 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, created by Melissa Ganzi when the club first opened.

The Polo School, a stand-alone USPA-sanctioned polo club, is thriving at Grand Champions and Santa Rita Polo Farm. It 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. Headed by Director of Operations Juan Bolli7ni, The Polo School has nurtured several men and women polo players now playing in the pro and amateur ranks since its inception.
2020 WINTER SCHEDULE

JANUARY
Metropolitan Cup
Friday 1/24 11 a.m. Mayer Ranch vs Bushwood at Santa Rita
Friday 1/24 2 p.m. Altair vs Amista at Santa Rita
Sunday 1/26 10 a.m. Metropolitan Cup Final

Aspen Valley Cup
Aspen Valley Cup Final TBA

Limited Edition
Friday 1/24 4 p.m. Sebucan vs Beverly Equestrian at GCPC Field 3
Sunday 1/26 10 a.m. The Limited Edition Final
Sunday 1/26 12 p.m. The Limited Edition Handicap Final

WCT Ladies League
Wednesday 1/29 10 a.m. at Santa Rita

Sterling Cup
Friday 1/24 11 a.m.  Grand Champions vs Casablanca at GCPC Field 5
Saturday 1/25. SD Farms vs. Valiente at Valiente
Sunday 1/26 Winner Game 1 vs. Santa Clara at Jan Pamela Field 2
Tuesday 1/28 Sterling Cup Handicap Final
Tuesday 1/28 Sterling Cup Final


JAN 26-Feb 9    $100,000 World Cup, 0-40
JAN-APR           WCT Ladies Wednesday League

FEBRUARY
FEB 1-29            Halo Polo Trophy, 6
FEB 1-29            Top Pony 8 Goal
FEB 1-29            Sieber Memorial Trophy
FEB 6-16            WPL All-Star Challenge
FEB 19-MAR 1    WPL Founders Cup
FEB 25-MAR 8    $50,000 National 12-Goal

MARCH
MAR 1-29             Madelon Bourdieu Memorial
MAR 1-29             Limited Edition 8-Goal Series    
MAR 1-28             Top Pony 12-Goal Series
MAR 4-22             WPL Palm Beach Open
MAR 28-APR 18  WPL Triple Crown of Polo
MAR 31-APR 4    WCT Finals

APRIL
APR 4-19            Las Acacias, 4-8
APR 6-12            U.S. National Mixed Doubles Polo Championship

Polo Hotline 561-644-5050
THE POLO SCHOOL 

The Polo School at Grand Champions and Director of Operations Juan Bollini are dedicated to teaching polo to all ages, particularly grass roots youth. The school's mission is to provide individuals opportunities in polo. The Polo School operates in Wellington January through May and September through November. For lessons contact Juan Bollini at 561-346-1099. 


ChukkerTV, featuring cutting-edge technology, was the first to introduce state-of-the-art live streaming technology and instant replay in January, 2014 at Grand Champions Polo Club. For advertising opportunities on ChukkerTV please contact Mike Ferreira at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 


GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO CLUB

WHERE: 13444 Southfields Road, on the corner of South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth Road, Wellington, 33414.

DIRECTOR OF POLO: Juan Olivera, 561-644-5050, juan.olivera@gcpolo.com; hotline  561-644-5050.

INFORMATION: For spectators, there are great field side views for tournament action and also the Grand Champions Polo Club Boutique. The club is home base for pro teams Audi and Flexjet. Everyone is welcome to watch every level of polo in a relaxed atmosphere with food and refreshments during the featured games of the winter, spring and fall tournament seasons and other special events. Admission is free except for some special events.

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