Grand Champions Polo Club Player Profiles – Juan Bollini
Grand Champions Polo Club is located in the heart of Florida's equestrian capital. Many of polo's finest players call Wellington home, and some have literally grown up with polo. The sport surrounds them. Wellington offers players an environment where they can train, develop and learn from one another. With its schedule of fall and spring tournaments, Grand Champions is able to assemble some of the nation's best players while they are right here in our back yard.
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Juan Bollini - 5-goaler - Pilar, Argentina By gcpc/editor
Juan Bollini saddles up for the Piaget Polo Team
The match between Audi Polo Team and Piaget at the Santa Barbara Polo and Raquet Club had just finished and Ganzi was explaining some history about her team’s secret weapon. In the match, as the sixth chukker was winding down, Piaget was ahead by just one goal. Juan Bollini found the loose ball and with a single sharp swing, sent a rocket from near mid-field right through the goal posts. Ensuring the win, it was an improbable goal and one that garnered the biggest crowd reaction.
Always an energizing and vocal presence on the field, Juan has helped bring his teams to dozens of tournament finals including three Gold Cup wins. This winning history includes a particularly satisfying effort to take the 2001 Gold Cup with Boca Polo and his first patron Charlie Muldoon. During this prolific period, Juan attained his career high handicap of 8-goals. Today Bollini is an important part of the team rosters at Grand Champions. He brings a wealth of skill and experience to share with players who may be just starting their own high-goal journey. This spring Juan will be the defensive force at #4 for Piaget when they play in the 20-goal series at the International Polo Club – Palm Beach. Juan will be joining team captain Melissa Ganzi, Argentine 9-goaler Miguel Novilla-Astrada and 6-goaler Jason Crowder. Photo above, right by Gregory Ratner Back to Grand Champions High Goal Page |
Juan Bollini’s polo journey is also an improbable one. Starting to play for the first time in his early 20’s, Bollini was working for a bank in his native Argentina when a friend got him interested in the sport. Finding that he enjoyed polo and was quickly mastering it, Bollini left Argentina to play in the United States. With a fast rising handicap, Juan landed first at Potomac Polo Club. Bollini then played in England for five years before moving to Florida to play with Jack Oxley’s Boca Polo.