WELLINGTON, FL -  - The future of men's and women's polo will be in the spotlight Monday, January 21st when Grand

Champions Polo Club plays host to the annual Joanna Monaco Memorial Tournament.

Some of the names: Arellano, Astrada, Avendano, Biddle, Bollini, Casey, Daniels, Escobar, Ganzi, Magrini and Stribling will be familiar to loyal polo fans who have followed the sport for decades.

The next generation of sons and daughters of men and women polo players will compete in the day-long event at various levels and ability.

"The kids are amazing," said Piaget player-sponsor Melissa Ganzi, co-host of the event.

Grand Champions has hosted several junior tournaments in the past. This is the first time the seven-year-old club has hosted the Joanna Monaco Memorial Tournament.

The tournament is named in honor of Joanna Monaco, a tireless, behind-the-scenes mentor of people in the working world of polo.

In her era, there were many English ladies who came to the United States as grooms to whom she became a surrogate mother. Her generosity led to a program she developed to help find jobs for people in the polo world, particularly grooms.

Monaco's door was always open and anyone down on their luck or in need of a hot meal, she would always provide for them. Monaco succumbed to cancer but her legacy lives on through the tournament.

The Polo Training Foundation's Florida Junior Polo tournament will begin 9 a.m.

The advanced players will compete first followed by intermediate and lower levels. There will also be a walk-trot and lead-line for young children to end the day.

Last year's event, hosted by Gulfstream Polo Club, attracted a record 68 participants on 17 teams. This year's event has already broken that record with 94 youth players signed up, according to Florida Junior Polo's Jennifer McLeavy.

Those entered include:  Agustin, Hope and Lucas Arellano; Mia, Miguelito and Tona Astrada; Benjamin, Joaquin and Santiago Avendano; Jacobo Bacariza; Anneke, Jillian and Jon Luke Beck; Bailey Biddle; River Blake; Santos Bollini; Elsa and Grant Braden; Wesley Bryan; Jaqui Casey; Javier and Maria Celis; Matthew Cohen; Benjamin, Justin and Landen Daniels; Anna Shelby and Evan Dees; Anthony Devrient; Cipriano Echazarreta; Brinkley Erb; Lucas and Nicolas Escobar; Buhl and Elizabeth Fenner; Oliver Firestone; Grant and Riley Ganzi; Bryce Gardiner; Carl Gittens Jr.; Matias Gonzalez; William Jacobs; Olivia Johnson; Rachel Kelly; Isabel Lawn; Liam Lott; Christos and Santino Magrini; Carlos Martinez; Jack McLean; Katie Mitcham; Lorenzo and Lucianna Ramirez; Gunther Read; Jessica Riemann; Jimmy Robinson; Victorino Ruiz; Joseph Schwartz; Finn Secunda; Donovan Stratemann; Boone Stribling Jr.; Able and Solon Templin; Alyssa Tranchilla; Cinderella and Malicia Von Faulkenhausen; and Samuel, Sophia and William Wyatt.

The Florida Junior Polo Program currently allows participation up through the age of 15. A new aspect of the program has added the Young Players Program for players ages 16-21, an age group that has been overlooked in the past. During the 2013 season, the PTF Young Players Program will have one tournament game a month.

"I think it is important for young polo players to have mentors," said Hall of Famer and former 10-goaler Carlos Gracida, whose son Carlitos was involved with the program and now playing for Audi, based at Grand Champions.

The PTF is hoping to give graduates of the Junior Program another outlet to compete and hone their amateur polo playing skills.

JOANNA MONACO MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT

Where: Grand Champions Polo Club, on the corner of South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth Road.

When: Monday, January 21, 2013, Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Time: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Information: Call 561-753-3389. Free admission. There are great field side views for tournament action. Please provide your own chair. Dogs should be on leashes. Everyone is welcome to watch polo's future players.