Grand Champions Polo Club: Audi, Defending Champion Piaget Compete In Butler Handicap, Fine Tuning For Upcoming U.S. Open

Source: News Release/Sharon Robb for PMG Inc.

Audi, Defending Champion Piaget Compete In Butler Handicap,
Fine Tuning For Upcoming U.S. Open

WELLINGTON, FL--Audi and Piaget, fine tuning for the 109th U.S. Open, will compete in the semifinals of the Butler Handicap on Thursday and Friday at International Polo Club Palm Beach.

Grand Champions Polo club-based Audi and Piaget were eliminated in the USPA Piaget Gold Cup but will compete in the subsidiary Butler Handicap to prepare their horses and fine tune for the 109th U.S. Open that begins March 28th.

The U.S. Open draw will be held Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

Audi, led by team captain Marc Ganzi, will play ERG in the opening semifinal game on Thursday at 4 p.m.

Piaget, led by team captain Melissa Ganzi, plays Orchard Hill, in the other semifinal on Friday at 10 a.m.

The winners advance to the championship final on Sunday at noon.

Last year Piaget, then rated 23 goals with Melissa Ganzi, Alejandro Astrada, Nic Roldan and Rodrigo Andrade, won the Butler Handicap with a 14-10 victory over Las Monjitas.

Roldan, a Cardinal Newman alum, was named Most Valuable Player after scoring eight goals. Roldan's gray mare, Dona, was named Best Playing Pony.

Also on Friday, the Grand Champions Cup will be held at 4 p.m. at IPC. The game features advanced level youth players, ages 16-21. Among players competing is Juancito Bollini, 16, a Wellington High senior, who filled in for Marc Ganzi, sidelined with a broken them, for three 26-goal Audi games.

In their final USPA Piaget Gold Cup games, Piaget lost a hardfought 7-6 decision to ERG with a makeshift lineup. Audi played well against Zacara, but not well enough to remain alive and lost 16-10.

BUTLER HANDICAP AUDI/PIAGET SCHEDULE

Thursday, March 21: Semifinal, Audi vs. ERG, 4 p.m.; Maserati U.S. Open draw, 6:30 p.m.

Friday, March 22: Semifinal, Piaget vs. Orchard Hill, 10 a.m.; Grand Champions Cup (youth tournament), 4 p.m., IPC.

Sunday, March 24: Butler Handicap Final, noon; USPA Piaget Gold Cup Final, 3 p.m.

Thursday, March 28: U.S. Open begins, schedule, pairings to be announced after draw.

AUDI/PIAGET TOURNAMENT LINEUP

March 21-24, Butler Handicap

March 28-April 21, 109th Maserati U.S. Open Polo Championship

GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO CLUB

WHERE: On the corner of South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth Road, Wellington.

INFORMATION: There are great field side views for tournament action at the home base of pro teams Audi and Piaget. Everyone is welcome to watch polo in a relaxed atmosphere during the spring and fall tournament season and other special events including the International Cup, Buzz Welker Memorial Junior Tournament, Women's Championship Tournament and Gay Polo League Tournament.