A mixture of up-and-coming players from Wellington and superstars from Argentina will be on the field when high-goal polo returns for its 11th season at International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington at 3 p.m. Sunday with the championship game of the 20-goal Herbie Pennell Cup.
Four-goaler Tommy Collingwood, who graduated from Wellington High School in 2009, will be a key component on Palm Beach Illustrated. Last season, Collingwood played in his first high-goal final for Coca-Cola, scoring the game's first goal.
Three-goaler Mariano Gracida, the son of the legendary Carlos Gracida, is playing for Lechuza Caracas.
Ten-goaler Pablo MacDonough of Lechuza Caracas, 9-goaler Polito Pieres of Villa del Lago/Casablanca, who was named the Most Valuable Player in the recent Argentine Open, and 8-goaler Magoo Laprida of Palm Beach Illustrated, are the top Argentine players in the tournament. MacDonough is replacing fellow 10-goaler Juan Martin Nero, who will miss this tournament while recovering from a broken thumb suffered during the semifinals of the Argentine Open.
There are only six 10-goalers in the world and five will be playing at IPC at some point during the season. In addition to MacDonough and Nero, others are Adolfo Cambiaso, who is generally regarded as the best player in the world, as well as Facundo Pieres and Gonzalito Pieres. Pelon Stirling is the other 10-goaler but he is bypassing IPC and will be playing in Dubai this season.
Nine-goaler Julio Arellano is a combination of the two, growing up in Wellington and holding a 9-goal handicap for two-time defending champion Coca-Cola. Arellano, who graduated from Florida Atlantic University, is the highest-rated American player and has won numerous prestigious tournaments, including the U.S. Open.
Tommy Tune, the nine-time Tony Award winner, will sing the National Anthem and perform the opening day coin-toss honors. As part of SuperCar Week, the nine-day, exotic car extravaganza, guests and turbo enthusiasts will have an opportunity to preview a variety of high-end, high-performance cars.
Ticket prices for Sunday polo range from $10 for general admission to $120 for box seats. Tickets are also available for Sunday brunch at The Pavilion.
International Polo Club is at 3667 120th Ave. S, between Pierson and Lake Worth roads in Wellington. Call 561-204-5687 or visit InternationalPoloClub.com.