WELLINGTON, Fla., October 21, 2024----Maltese Falcons captured one of the oldest tournaments in the club's 18-year history Sunday at Grand Champions.
By Sharon Robb
Photos by Candace Ferreira
Maltese Falcons (Melissa Ganzi, Teo Calle, 1, Grant Ganzi, 3, Nic Roldan 8, ) led Devon Polo (Scott Devon, 0, Pablo Dorignac, 4, Martin Jauregui, 6, Marc Ganzi, 1/Joseph Schwartz) for most of the game for a 14-10 victory in front of a good crowd.

Roldan, one of the world's top players, was named Most Valuable Player after scoring seven goals including the season's first two-goal score from 158-yards out and another goal from 72 yards out. Roldan has won the most MVP honors in club history.
"Pedro Morrison is family to a lot of us," Roldan said. "It was great to see Tommy Morrison and Arvo Katajisto and other dear friends of ours for such a long time here who have kept this Pedro Morrison Tournament alive. We were happy to see them and that motivates us and put a big smile on our face. At the end of the day, we did it for him."
Mr. Goodbar, played by Jauregui and owned and bred by Santa Rita Polo Farm, was Best Playing Pony.
"I'm really happy with the win," said Grant Ganzi, second leading scorer with four goals. "It's fun to play with my mom again for the first time in two months. This was the first time all of us played together and it just kind of jelled. It was a fun game."
Devon Polo took a 1-0 lead when Marc Ganzi scored with 3:54 left in the opening chukker. It was the last time Devon Polo would be in the lead.
Playing wide open simple polo, Maltese Falcons tied the game on Grant Ganzi's 70-yard goal with 1:37 left followed by Teo Calle's score on a back shot to take a 2-1 lead.
Maltese Falcons built on their lead in the second chukker for a 6-1 advantage including Roldan's two-point goal. During the chukker, Devon Polo was dealt a severe blow when Marc Ganzi went down with an injury and was unable to return. He was replaced by up-and-coming player Joseph Schwartz.
Roldan was a crowd-pleaser with his long ball hits.
"I'm just trying to open the game up, I don't want to hold the ball as much," Roldan said. "I just want to make it fun for everyone, a fun open game. I enjoy shooting to goal from a long way out and they just happen to go in."
Added Grant Ganzi, "Nic was unbelievable. I thought he only did that in Aspen (because of the altitude). The fact it was at the end line at a standstill was just insane. I think it's just him being level-headed out there. He plays a lot more simple and gets rid of the ball quicker instead of tapping it more."
Maltese Falcons continued its offensive attack maintaining two and three-goal leads for the rest of the game. After the opening chukker, Maltese Falcons led 6-2, 8-5, 9-6 and 12-9 going into the final chukker.
"We had a strategy in mind and just kept playing," Roldan said. "It was a fun game, a tough game, but a fun game."
Jauregui led Devon Polo with four goals, including three penalty conversions, and Dorignac added three.
In the subsidiary game, SebiLion (Sebastian Mandelbaum, 0, Sugar Erskine, 6, Leo Mandelbaum, 2, Jason Crowder, 5) held on for a 6-5 victory over Newport (Gene Goldstein, 0, Santos Bollini, 2, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Juan Bollini, 3). Sebastian Mandelbaum led scoring with three goals and Crowder added two. Goldstein and Pieres each had two for Newport.
In Friday's qualifying doubleheader, Maltese Falcons defeated Newport, 11-6, behind Melissa Ganzi's seven goals. Maltese Falcons led from start to finish. In the second game, Devon Polo held off SebiLion for a 9-7 victory with Marc Ganzi scoring six goals.
The tournament is named in honor of Pedro Morrison. Born in Spain and a University of Miami alum, Morrison 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 was tireless. The tournament is played in honor of Morrison in a casual, laid-back and fun atmosphere, the way he liked it.
"Most people don't really know about Pedro anymore because everyone playing is so young," Roldan said. "Pedro Morrison is family to a lot of us. I think everyone was just excited to be playing in something that has a little bit of history to it."
Grant Ganzi never met Pedro Morrison but heard only good things about him throughout the years, he said. "It's a great tournament, always competitive," Ganzi said. "It's always nice and meaningful for someone who did a lot for polo in Wellington and did a lot for my parents when they first got down here."
In last year's final, Amaro (Scott Sorbaro, 0, Louis Devaleix, 1, Nic Roldan, 8, Kris Kampsen, 6) dominated round robin action to win. Amaro, in its fall season debut, defeated Aspen Valley (Govinda Quish, 9, Sugar Erskine, 6, Pablo Dorignac, 5, Martin Jauregui, 6), 7-4, and Casablanca (Santos Bollini, 2, Grant Ganzi, 3, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Jason Crowder, 5) , 8-5, in the final. Roldan was MVP for the third straight week.
Melissa Ganzi, Grant Ganzi and Roldan now head to Scottsdale, Ariz. where they will represent Aspen Valley Polo Club in the Oct. 26th 13th annual Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships at WestWorld. Aspen Valley Polo Club has won an unprecedented eight straight titles. The event attracts record crowds, the largest in the U.S. every year.
The nation's largest and most innovative polo club, celebrates its 18th anniversary with two new additions to the fall schedule: Nov. 14 WPL Pride Polo Miami and Nov. 15-17 Beach Polo World Cup Miami. It's the first time the popular beach polo tournament and WPL Pride Polo are being held in the fall on South Beach. The Beach Polo World Cup Miami Beach is the largest and most notable Beach Polo event in the world. It features international teams and over 120 horses.
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 11 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.
The Polo School is for all ages and ability levels and operates in Wellington year-round. 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. The Polo School operates year-round in Wellington. For more information on the Fall Leagues or Polo School contact Cale Newman at 561-876-2930.