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Coming soon: INAUGURAL WINTER SEASON at NATIONAL POLO CENTER-WELLINGTON

15. December 2022

The United States Polo Association (USPA) and the National Polo Center Wellington (NPC) are delighted to share the updated 2023 NPC winter season schedule, highlighted by the prestigious Gauntlet of Polo series, the new Florida Circuit 16 Goal Super Series, the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship and the historic international Westchester Cup.

The season will officially begin by ringing in the new year with the NPC Inaugural Cup Final and opening Sunday match on January 1, 2023, and will conclude May 28, 2023. Tickets for Sunday Brunch will be available for purchase online at nationalpolocenter.com by mid December. In 2023, select tournaments will be livestreamed on uspolo.org and via USPA social media channels, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Twitch. Please visit uspolo.org for more information.

The 2023 Gauntlet of Polo will serve as the premier spectacle of the NPC season, beginning February 12-26 with the C.V. Whitney Cup, continuing with the USPA Gold Cup from March 1-26, and concluding with the U.S. Open Polo Championship from March 29 April 23. The prize money distribution for the 2023 season will follow last year’s format, with $50,000 awarded to each of the winning teams of the C.V. Whitney Cup and USPA Gold Cup and $100,000 presented to the winner of the U.S. Open Polo Championship.

In addition to the Gauntlet of Polo, the inaugural NPC winter season will offer an unparalleled polo experience for players of all ages and backgrounds. The debut USPA Junior Open Final will unite some of the most talented youth players in the country, while the Westchester Cup will showcase another elite international competition in the Wellington, Florida, area.

Also included in the schedule is the brand new Florida Circuit 16 Goal Super Series, which has generated significant interest among teams. Read more about the innovative Super Series here. Given the widespread attention the superseries has garnered, the USPA is currently developing an iteration at the 8 goal level as well. The series would consist of four qualifying tournaments played January April 2023, with the four winning teams playing a Super Series Championship at NPC at the end of April.

NPC will also welcome additional matches and events from April 30, 2023 May 28, 2023, expanding the opportunity for competitors of all experience levels to enjoy the prestige and thrill of playing on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One. More details on spring events will be available soon. See below for the complete NPC season schedule.

NPC SEASON SCHEDULE

NPC Inaugural Cup
12-to 16-goal Handicap
Hosted and managed by Wellington Polo Tour
Semifinals: December 29, 2022, at NPC
Final: Sunday, January 1, 2023, on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One

Florida Circuit 16-Goal Super-Series
12-to 16-goal Handicap for all four qualifiers and the championship

Joe Barry Memorial (Qualifier)
Hosted and managed by Port Mayaca Polo Club (Okeechobee, Florida)
Tournament Dates: January 4-January 22, 2023
Sunday games on January 8 & 15, 2023 on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One
Final: Sunday, January 22, 2023, on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One

Ylvisaker Cup (Qualifier)
Hosted and managed by Wellington Polo Tour
Tournament Dates: January 20-February 12, 2023
Sunday games on January 29 & February 5, 2023 on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One
Final: Sunday, February 12, 2023, on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One
Contact Juan Olivera for entry at 561.601.9316 or Wellingtonpolotour@gmail.com

Iglehart Cup (Qualifier)
Hosted and managed by Wellington Polo Tour
Tournament Dates: February 10-March 5, 2023
Contact Juan Olivera for entry at 561.601.9316 or Wellingtonpolotour@gmail.com

Continental Cup (Qualifier)
Hosted and managed by Sarasota Polo Club (Sarasota, Florida)
Tournament Dates: February 26-March 26, 2023
Contact Club Manager Mason Wroe for entry at 432.559.7169 or Mason@sarasotapolo.com

Florida Circuit 16-Goal Super-Series Championship
Hosted and managed by NPC
Entry limited to the four winners of the qualifying tournaments
Tournament Dates: April 5-April 9, 2023 (All games played at NPC)
Final: Sunday, April 9, 2023, on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One

YOUTH POLO USPA Junior Open
Final 12-to 14-goal Handicap
Sunday, February 19, 2023, at NPC

WOMEN’S POLO U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship
18-to 24-goal Handicap
Hosted by Port Mayaca Polo Club (Okeechobee, Florida)
Tournament Dates: March 9-19, 2023
Final: Sunday, March 19, 2023, on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One
Contact Club Manager Laura Townsend for entry at 772.228.0115 or Laura@pmpolo.com

INTERNATIONAL POLO

Westchester Cup
USA vs. England
Final: Sunday, March 31, 2023, on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One

GAUNTLET OF POLO

C.V. Whitney Cup 18-22 Goal Handicap
Tournament Dates: February 12-26, 2023
Sunday game on February 19, 2023 on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One
Final: Sunday, February 26, 2023, on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One

USPA Gold Cup
*18-22 Goal Handicap
Tournament Dates: March 1-26, 2023
Sunday games on March 5 & 12 on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One
Final: Sunday, March 26, 2023, on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One

U.S. Open Polo Championship
All teams assume 22 Goals
Tournament Dates: March 29-April 23, 2023
Sunday games on April 2 & 16 on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One
Final: Sunday, April 23, 2023, on U.S. Polo Assn. Field On

North America, Polo News

The2022 Gauntlet of Polo® Series has begun, Broadcast live on ESPN

24. February 2022

The American High-Goal Competition Features some of the Best Polo Players and Horses in the World

Palm Beach County, Fla. (February 23, 2022) Jointly hosting the GAUNTLET OF POLO^® for the fourth consecutive season, the United States Polo Association (USPA), USPA Global Licensing (USPAGL), and International Polo Club (IPC) Palm Beach officially launched the GAUNTLET OF POLO for 2022 on Monday, February 7, with the C.V. Whitney Cup^®. The GAUNTLET OF POLO brings together some of the finest horses and world’s best polo players for the next three months of American high-goal competition. Sponsored by U.S. Polo Assn., the finals of each tournament along with every Sunday 3:00pm ET game are played on the official U.S. Polo Assn. Stadium Field at the IPC in Wellington, Florida.

Established in 2019, the GAUNTLET OF POLO combines the three premier tournaments in the U.S. into a series that crowns one GAUNTLET Champion. The GAUNTLET OF POLO has already begun for 2022, with the C.V. Whitney Cup^® from February 7-27. It will continue with the USPA Gold Cup^® from March 1-27, and will conclude with the illustrious U.S. Open Polo Championship^® from March 29-April 24.

Another exciting addition to the 2022 season includes Global Polo Entertainment (GPE), the entertainment and media subsidiary of USPA Global Licensing Inc. GPE and U.S. Polo Assn. have launched a partnership with ESPN to distribute the 2022 GAUNTLET OF POLO for the very first time. The final of each tournament will be aired on ESPN2, ESPN Sur, or livestreamed on ESPN3. All GAUNTLET games and official USPA events will also be streamed on Global Polo TV.

“Our partnership with the International Polo Club Palm Beach has brought the GAUNTLET OF POLO to players, fans, and enthusiasts around the globe, and has been a significant success for the sport,” said USPA Chairman and GAUNTLET competitor Stewart Armstrong. “We are thrilled that this year’s GAUNTLET OF POLO is record-setting, both with our historic partnership with ESPN and ESPN Sur, and having open enrollment to allow the most teams in the history of the U.S. Open Polo Championship.”

Unique from last year, this season’s competition accepted individual team entries for all three individual tournaments. The U.S. Open Polo Championship, the final tournament of the GAUNTLET, has a record number of twenty teams competing, which is the largest number of entries in the tournament’s history. Of the competitors, nine teams are competing in all three tournaments and fighting for the prestigious 2022 GAUNTLET OF POLO trophy, including the inaugural and reigning GAUNTLET Champion Pilot.

Alongside the illustrious title of being a GAUNTLET Champion, the prize money distribution for 2022 is similar to the previous season. Any team that wins all three tournaments will be crowned GAUNTLET Champion as well as a guaranteed total of $200,000 in prize money. The winners for the C.V. Whitney Cup and the USPA Gold Cup will be presented $50,000 per tournament, and the winner of the U.S. Open Polo Championship awarded $100,000.

The presenting sponsor, U.S. Polo Assn. will once again donate to both the winner and runner up of all three tournaments to be given to the polo charity of their choice, continuing the brand’s support of the polo community and the sport.

“We look forward to reaching more sports fans and attracting new audiences to the sport of polo, and to the U.S. Polo Assn. brand, as we celebrate this amazing polo series,” said J. Michael Prince, President and CEO of USPA Global Licensing, the worldwide licensor of the multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand. “U.S. Polo Assn. continues its mission to support the sport in a variety of ways including key sponsorships as well as the meaningful philanthropic donations to polo causes.”

2022 GAUNTLET OF POLO TEAMS:

Cessna (21): Miguel Novillo Astrada (9), Raul ‘Gringo’ Colombres (8), Edward ‘Camp’ Campbell (2), Will Johnston (2)
Coca-Cola (22): Nicolas ‘Nico’ Pieres (9), Rufino Bensadon (8), Julian de Lusarreta (7), Nico Escobar (5), Gillian Johnston (1)
Dutta Corp/Show+ (22): Tomas Garcia del Rio (8), Ignacio “Inaki” Laprida (7), Timmy Dutta (4), Joaquin Avendaño (3)
La Fe (20): Francisco Elizalde (9), Lucas Diaz Alberdi (6), Robi Bilbao (5), Louis Devaleix (0), sub. Manuel Elizalde (7)
La Indiana (21/22): Mariano Aguerre (7), Jeff Hall (6), Lucas ‘Luckitas’ Criado Jr. (5), Stewart Armstrong (3)
Park Place (22): Hilario Ulloa (10), Juan Britos (9), Cody Ellis (3), Andrey Borodin (0), sub. Joshua Hyde (0)
Pilot (22): Facundo Pieres (10), Matias Torres Zavaleta (7), Mackenzie Weisz (5), Curtis Pilot (0)
SD Farms (22): David ‘Pelon’ Stirling (10), Peco Polledo (6), Lucas Escobar (4), Sayyu Dantata (2), sub. Sayyu Dantata Jr. (1)
Scone (22): Adolfo Cambiaso (10), Poroto Cambiaso (9), Kristos ‘Keko’ Magrini (3), David Paradice (0), sub. Miki Astrada (0)

About the United States Polo Association® (USPA)

The United States Polo Association was organized and exists for the purposes of promoting the game of polo, coordinating the activities of its Member Clubs and Registered Players, arranging and supervising polo tournaments, competitions and games, and providing rules, handicaps, and conditions for those tournaments, competitions, and games including the safety and welfare of participants and mounts. Founded in 1890, the USPA is the national governing body for the sport of polo. The USPA is currently comprised of almost 200 member clubs with thousands of individual members and oversees 40 national tournaments. For more information, please visit www.uspolo.org.

About Global Polo Entertainment^TMand Global Polo TV^™

Global Polo Entertainment^™ (GPE) is a subsidiary of USPA Global Licensing Inc., charged to create, distribute and monetize content opportunities. Today, GPE is comprised of the GAUNTLET OF POLO® and Global Polo TV^™, a digital television platform for mobile, web, smart TVs, and connected TVs; that features all USPA Official Events, international tournaments and polo lifestyle content. Additionally, GPE produces global broadcasts to bring the sport of polo to millions of consumers and sports fans around the world.

About U.S. Polo Assn. and USPA Global Licensing Inc. (USPAGL)

U.S. Polo Assn. is the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), the nonprofit governing body for the sport of polo in the United States and one of the oldest sports governing bodies, having been founded in 1890. With a multi-billion-dollar global footprint and worldwide distribution through some 1,200 U.S. Polo Assn. retail stores, department stores, sporting goods channels, independent retailers and e-commerce, U.S. Polo Assn. offers apparel for men, women, and children, as well as accessories and footwear in 194 countries worldwide. Ranked the fifth largest sports licensor in License Global magazine’s 2020 list of “Top 150 Global Licensors,” U.S. Polo Assn. is named alongside such iconic sports brands as the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. Visit uspoloassnglobal.com.

USPA Global Licensing Inc. (USPAGL) is the for-profit subsidiary of the USPA and its exclusive worldwide licensor. USPAGL manages the global, multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand and is the steward of the USPA’s intellectual properties, providing the sport with a long-term source of revenue.

The American High-Goal Competition Features some of the Best Polo Players and Horses in the World Palm Beach County, Fla. (February 23, 2022) Jointly hosting the GAUNTLET OF POLO® for…

North America, Polo News

Ace sportswear goes all-in to claim second USPA WOMEN’S ARENA OPEN® title

30. September 2021

Concluding a competitive weekend of elite women’s arena polo, Ace Sportswear (Demitra Hajimihalis, Ingrid Donnan, Anna Winslow-Palacios) and Boothwyn Pharmacy (Katie Mitcham, Cindy Halle, Jessica Schmitt) captured hard-fought semifinal victories to meet in the illustrious USPA Women’s Arena Open® Final on Sunday, September 26. A spirited comeback from Boothwyn Pharmacy was completed on a two-point goal from Halle, however Anna Winslow-Palacios was the hero, scoring the game winning goal with one minute remaining to lead Ace Sportswear to an 11-10 victory and the coveted title at Virginia Polo, Inc. (Charlottesville, Virginia).

“We knew it was going to be a defensive battle. We’re all really seasoned arena players, so we all mark-up really effectively. We knew that we all had to be disciplined on the man, disciplined on the wall, which is tough against this team because I know they have the same strategy.” – Anna Winslow-Palacios

Withstanding an opening run from Boothwyn Pharmacy, Winslow-Palacios picked up the ball at midfield with a burst of speed to open the scoring for Ace Sportswear. Fighting her way along the wall on consecutive plays, back-to-back goals from Hajimihalis gave Ace Sportswear the early 3-2 lead in the first chukker.

A resilient Boothwyn Pharmacy pulled even in the opening stages of the second chukker, until a booming penalty from the center line for Winslow-Palacios found the goal for a two-point conversion, pushing Ace Sportswear’s lead to two. After exchanging goals, Ace Sportswear resorted to their long-distance shooting once again, this time with Donnan scoring the two-pointer to send her team into halftime with an 8-5 advantage.

Determined to extend their lead further, Ace Sportswear raced out of the gate in the second half, leaving Boothwyn Pharmacy pinned in front of their own goal. After three missed attempts from Ace Sportswear, Hajimihalis found the goal for her third score of the day. Regrouping, Boothwyn Pharmacy found their footing in open play, finishing the third chukker with goals from Mitcham and Schmitt to decrease the gap to just two. Kept just out of reach through most of the game, Boothwyn Pharmacy took their opportunity in the final chukker with time running out. Trailing by two, Halle jumped on the loose ball and sent a two-point shot into the goal, tying the score and leaving spectators on the edge of their seats entering the final minutes. Blocking the clearing attempt, Winslow-Palacios turned the corner and hit the ball in, giving Ace Sportswear the one-goal lead with one minute remaining. Despite the best efforts of Boothwyn Pharmacy, Ace Sportswear held on to claim the prestigious title with an 11-10 victory.

Ace Sportswear inscribe their name on the USPA Women’s Arena Open® trophy for the second time after winning in 2017. Members of that winning team, Winslow-Palacios and Hajimihalis reunited, while adding newcomer Donnan to emerge victorious. “I’ve lucked out in playing a few times with Anna [Winslow-Palacios] and we’ve gained a lot of great chemistry. It was really fun, competitive polo and it translates onto the field really well,” shared Donnan. As part of the USPA’s Tournament Stimulus Package, Ace Sportswear received $1,500 in prize money while Boothwyn Pharmacy took home $1,000.

Capturing her second title in as many days after winning the USPA Women’s Arena Handicap® on Saturday, Hajimihalis reflected on the memorable weekend. “It feels incredible. I really have to thank my teammates in both flights. They made it really fun and I think it’s just the attitude of no matter what, we knew we were going to have fun.” Deploying five horses that rotated over four days of play, Hajimihalis reiterated the work that was put in to capture the two titles. “I’m very exhausted and so are the horses today. They all played amazing.”

“We feed off each other’s energy, which is awesome. I would play for this team over and over again.” – Anna Winslow-Palacios

The Most Valuable Player award was presented to Anna Winslow-Palacios, whose six-goal performance, including the game-winning goal, helped lead Ace Sportswear to the win. “I actually switched my horse order around quite a bit from the semifinals,” Winslow-Palacios commented. “I put my second half horses in the first half today, which I think helped a lot. I started really strong with my big run-and-gun horses and ended on my steady horse.”

Capturing the victory again with Hajimihalis, Winslow-Placios continued by saying “She’s really positive, which is great. We feed off each other’s energy, which is awesome. I would play for this team over and over again.” exclaimed Winslow-Palacios.

Played in the first and fourth chukkers, Cindy Halle’s Estrella, a 15-year-old Argentine Mare was awarded Best Playing Pony. “She got hurt before the season started, but I’m so happy to have her back” explained Halle. “She’s got a huge bump and moved over a lot of big horses. Anyone could play her, but I really love playing her. She worked really hard out there.”

“In my senior year, I was starting for the National Intercollegiate Championship but it was cancelled, I never got my opportunity to shine. This is a pseudo-nationals for me to finally show all the years of hard work.” – Ingrid Donnan

Building on their chemistry from their 2017 title, Ace Sportswear gained valuable experience together on the grass this past summer, playing in a women’s tournament together in a lead-up to the USPA Women’s Arena Open®. Donnan drew on her experience from playing with the heralded Cornell program. “I learned to play at Cornell, started freshman year and worked my way up to starting on varsity.” Donnan continued by saying, “[i]n my senior year, I was starting for the National Intercollegiate Championship but it was cancelled, I never got my opportunity to shine. This is a pseudo-nationals for me to finally show all the years of hard work.”

North America, Polo News

The 2021 Triple Crown

18. August 2021

Argentine Polo Association partners with Global Polo Entertainment to exclusively commercialize the 2021 Triple Crown in the United States and Canada

Global Polo TV to exclusively offer the Argentine Triple Crown of Polo to viewers in the United States and Canada, and to promote the Triple Crown to fans around the world.

Buenos Aires, West Palm Beach – 18 August 2021: Global Polo TV (GPTV), the leading international polo network and subsidiary of USPA Global Licensing, has announced a new partnership with the Argentine Polo Association that gives GPTV exclusive rights to offer the 2021 Triple Crown to viewers in the United States and Canada. GPTV will also promote Triple Crown to its viewers around the world.

GPTV will promote the 2021 Triple Crown from August to December with each event consisting of elite polo players from around the world competing in the Tortugas Country Club Open (9/26 to 10/10), Hurlingham Club Open (10/27 to 11/13) and Argentine Polo Open Championship (11/14 to 12/11). Also, the Women Argentine Polo Open and the rest of the High Polo Season in Argentina (The Municipalidad de Pilar Cup, The Camara de Diputados Tournament and The Qualifiers to Palermo). The Triple Crown will also be featured in the monthly World of Polo series presented by U.S. Polo Assn. produced and distributed by GPTV.

Fans of polo can gain access to exclusive live Spanish and English language coverage as well as hundreds of hours of historical content from the Triple Crown offered by Global Polo TV. This includes The World of Polo, Inside the Boards and Best of the Week content series as well as extensive programme archives in The Vault all offered for free on Global Polo TV, globalpolo.com.

This is the beginning of a long-term strategic partnership that will mark the expansion of coverage of polo from these two leading Associations to fans around the world.

J. Michael Prince, President and CEO of USPA Global Licensing said: “We are thrilled to collaborate with the Argentine Polo Association to expand the coverage of these prestigious events to our GPTV subscribers and to other global markets through the World of Polo Series. This initiative is the foundation of a long-term partnership between the leading polo markets in the world.”

Commenting on behalf of Argentine Polo Association, CEO, Lucas Adur added: “We know just how passionate the polo audience is and we’re looking forward to bringing this great event to our viewers in North America and around the world. We believe in long term relationships, and this is the beginning of a new era for great content, cutting-edge technology and new ways for fan engagement.”

About Argentine Polo Association is the main Polo organization in Argentina, representing all the Polo Clubs in the country. The AAP was created in 1922 after the fusion of the River Plate Polo Association and the National Polo Federation. Its main objectives are the polo industry and the club’s development. The AAP owns and organizes the Argentine Triple Polo Crown, which are considered the three most important professional polo tournaments in the world. Visit AAP. Lucas Adur – CEO – E-mail: lucas.adur@aapolo.com

About USPA Global Licensing Inc. (USPAGL) is the for-profit subsidiary of the USPA and its exclusive worldwide licensor. USPAGL manages the global, multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand and is the steward of the USPA’s intellectual properties, providing the sport with a long-term source of revenue. Through its subsidiary, Global Polo Entertainment (GPE), USPAGL also manages Global Polo TV and produces global broadcasts that bring greater awareness to the sport of polo. Visit Global Polo TV

Shannon Stilson – Assistant Vice President of Marketing, USPA Global Licensing Phone +1.561.227.6994 ─ E-mail: sstilson@uspagl.com

Argentine Polo Association partners with Global Polo Entertainment to exclusively commercialize the 2021 Triple Crown in the United States and Canada Global Polo TV to exclusively offer the Argentine Triple…