The world’s largest and most popular Beach Polo event is back today through April 23 at the sunny shores of Miami Beach. Featuring eight international teams and over 120 horses, expect to enjoy some of the top polo players riding in the white South Florida sand — one of them, Grant Ganzi from Wellington, Florida.
Those following polo tournaments have heard the name Ganzi before. At 24, his athletic journey began before he was even born. His parents, Melissa and Marc Ganzi, are both top polo players and owners of the Grand Champions Polo Club and Aspen Valley Polo Club. Marc won the U.S. Open in 2009 and Melissa took first place in tournaments like the Monty Waterbury Cup and Ylvisaker Cup. It was no surprise when the young Ganzi decided to follow the same path.
“My entire family plays polo, so I joined in the fun as soon as I could, but of course, my parents encouraged me,” he says. “I chose to get serious about it around 14 years old and started competing. I’ve been doing it ever since.”
Photo courtesy of Grant Ganzi
Starting his career at a young age, polo has opened the door for memorable adventures, from the cities he has been able to play in (San Diego, Aspen, St. Moritz, Kitzbuhel, New York City and Miami Beach) to the people he has played with, like Prince Harry during the Sentebale Polo Cup in 2013.
“It was a unique experience and I’m honestly happy to have been able to participate and help Sentebale [Prince Harry’s charity that helps young people in Southern Africa overcome HIV] which is a wonderful cause,” says Ganzi. “I learned how powerful polo can be as an outlet to give back and make a difference.”
However, it is Ganzi’s discipline and commitment to the sport that has taken him far. According to Peak magazine, Ganzi was a U.S. Open semifinalist for the U.S. Polo Association, won the USPA North American Cup, the USPA National 20-Goal Tournament as well the 2015 and 2017 St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship.
“I am super competitive so, for me, the team aspect of the sport is incredible,” he says. “I play polo at least three times a week and I practice almost every day of the week at Santa Rito Polo Farm in Wellington.”
And although polo takes up most of his time, he is also a dedicated student. Having earned his BA in International Business Management from Lynn University, he is currently working on an MBA in Sports Management at the same school. “Lynn University allowed me to continue my studies and my polo playing at high level,” he says. “I decided to continue my studies because of how much I learned in my undergraduate degree.”
Photo courtesy of Grant Ganzi
“I see myself continuing to travel for both polo tournaments and business and hopefully being able to combine the two in a productive way. I’m also looking forward to combining my love for polo with philanthropy.”
In fact, that’s something he’s already started working on. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he raised money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Palm Beach chapter and was named Man of The Year Palm Beach for his efforts.
This year won’t be his first time playing at the Beach Polo World Cup. He has played in 2019, 2021 and 2022. He won in 2019 and 2022 and came in third place in 2021. When asked how he’s getting ready before competition starts on Friday, he says he’s taking some time off and resting. “The horses have been playing for a couple months so the time off is beneficial to me and them,” he explains. He expects to have fun and play well.
A bright future awaits Ganzi. He hopes to use his MBA to work in either the front office of sports or in the tech sector. As for polo, he’s not thinking of stepping down. He plans to play for as long as he can and to put into practice a big lesson his career has taught him: “To play every game to the best of your ability and never give up.”
Photo courtesy of Grant Ganzi
For more information about the Beach Polo World Cup, visit miamipoloclub.com.