U.S. Open Polo Championship

North America, Polo News

Pilot crowned inaugural Gauntlet of Polo™ Champion

26. April 2019

For the first time ever in the sport of polo, Pilot polo team secured its place in history as the inaugural winner of the GAUNTLET OF POLO™ title with a score of 12-7 over Las Monjitas by winning the U.S. Open Polo Championship^® the third leg of the GAUNTLET series which took place at the International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC) on the U.S. Polo Assn. stadium field in Wellington, Florida.

Over the past three months, Pilot played against the highest level of skilled athletes and ponies and managed to clinch wins in all three GAUNTLET events — the C.V. Whitney Cup, the USPA Gold Cup^®and the U.S. Open Polo Championship^®— as well as capture the $1 million purse, the GAUNTLET OF POLO™ trophy and the prestigious GAUNTLET Champion title.

“It’s amazing to win, it’s like a fairy tale for all of us, the whole team. I started playing polo when I was 49 years old. It’s been an amazing three months and I have to give a shout-out to Mia Bray, a young up-and-coming female polo player, who covered the first three games so I could handle some personal issues,” said Curtis Pilot, team owner.

Pilot received the “Winner Take All” prize money of $1M along with the GAUNTLET OF POLO™ trophy. The hand-crafted, three-foot trophy features three horses representing each GAUNTLET event guarding a tower glorified with the GAUNTLET logo and an inlaid onyx polo horse head to recognize the sport’s equine partner. This trophy will remind future generations of polo competitors, fans, media and sponsors of the strategy, skill and commitment it takes to have your team name inscribed on the trophy and be crowned the GAUNTLET Champion.

“The GAUNTLET challenged the world’s top polo players and ponies to strive to achieve a new goal. We’re thrilled that Pilot earned the first-ever GAUNTLET OF POLO™ Champion title,” said David Cummings, President and CEO, Global Polo Entertainment. “We created the GAUNTLET OF POLO™ as a sports property that will grow in value through player participation, spectator attendance, viewership and sponsorship involvement. In addition, we delivered a positive economic impact to Palm Beach County by hosting thousands of fans, players and horses from around the world over a three-month period and by showcasing the competition to millions of fans on air and online.”

The final game of the U.S. Open Polo Championship^® will air on CBS Sports, on Sunday, April 28 at 2:00pm EDT, and on Eurosport on April 29 at 6:30pm CET and Dsport to more than 250+ million households in more than 66 countries.

Photo: @gauntletofpolo / Global Polo Entertainment

For the first time ever in the sport of polo, Pilot polo team secured its place in history as the inaugural winner of the GAUNTLET OF POLO™ title with a score of…

North America, Polo News

Pilot competes in the U.S. Open for the Gauntlet of Polo

8. April 2019

If Pilot Polo Team wins the U.S. Open Polo Championship^®on April 21, the team will be the first ever GAUNTLET Champion and receive the 1 Million Dollar Purse. Pilot secured its title as the winner of the USPA Gold Cup^®on March 25 with a score of 12-11 over Aspen at the U.S. Polo Assn. Stadium Field at the International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC) in Wellington, Fla. With the latest win from Pilot, the stakes are higher than ever with the potential of a first ever GAUNTLET OF POLO™ champion. The team, winning every game of the first two tournaments, is on its way to be crowned the first ever GAUNTLET Champion. The next chapter will be determined on April 21, after Pilot competes in the U.S. Open Polo Championship^®, held March 27 through April 21, 2019.

The inaugural GAUNTLET OF POLO was created to develop a high-stakes polo competition that offers players and fans an exciting three months of the highest level of skilled athletes, equine partners and strategic planning that ends with $1M prize across three tournaments – C.V. Whitney Cup, USPA Gold Cup and the U.S. Open Polo Championship.

For the first time in the sport, the tournament series will include a “Winner Take All” prize money format. Pilot has already secured $125,000 for winning the C.V. Whitney Cup plus $125,000 for winning the USPA Gold Cup. And if they win the U.S. Open Polo Championship they will receive a $250,000 prize, $500,000 bonus and be crowned the GAUNTLET Champion.

“We are thrilled to see a team progress this far in the first-ever GAUNTLET OF POLO. The team is competing for more than just bragging rights, they are competing for $1M and the Gauntlet Champion, polo’s ultimate test. In addition to strategic planning and outstanding athleticism required to win this many games consecutively, the GAUNTLET offers existing and new fans a fun and exciting day of polo. Whether it’s a VIP brunch or “courtside” seats on the stadium side, we have activities for everyone,” said David Cummings, President and CEO, Global Polo Entertainment.

One key differentiation in the GAUNTLET OF POLO is that for the first time in history there are 16 teams (64 players and a minimum of 640 polo horses) playing consistently across all three tournaments. The GAUNTLET also features some of the world’s finest 10 goal players, premier athletes who have a lifetime’s worth of equine and polo achievements that require a level of expertise shared by less than 1 percent of the polo population. This year’s participating 10 goalers are #2 in the world, Facundo Pieres, Polito Pieres, Sapo Caset, Hilario Ulloa, Gonzalito Pieres and Nico Pieres.

All GAUNTLET games will be livestreamed on USPA Polo Network or live-streamed on the U.S. Polo Network YouTube channel each week with the final event airing on CBS Sports, April 28 at 2 PM EDT.

by United States Polo Association

www.internationalpoloclub.com

If Pilot Polo Team wins the U.S. Open Polo Championship® on April 21, the team will be the first ever GAUNTLET Champion and receive the 1 Million Dollar Purse. Pilot…

North America, Polo News

Daily Racing Form seize 2018 U.S. Open Polo Championship Title

24. April 2018

Competing passionately for the most prestigious title in American polo, Daily Racing Form advanced undefeated into the U.S. Open Polo Championship® Final alongside the seemingly indomitable Valiente on Sunday, April 22, at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington, Florida. Matching Valiente goal for goal, Daily Racing Form’s powerful offensive drives held a consistent one-goal lead throughout the second half, effectively derailing Valiente’s clean sweep of the Triple Crown of Polo™, to culminate the season in a 10-9 victory.

A battle between opposing 10-goalers in the first half, Hilario Ulloa held his own against the formidable duo of Adolfo Cambiaso and Facundo Pieres with aggressive, fast plays. At the two-minute mark Pieres devoured the field riding Corcha to claim the first goal of the game. Ulloa answered with a breakaway field goal despite Tommy Beresford’s attempt to hook. A neckshot pass from Cambiaso to Pieres for the score gave Valiente the lead 2-1 moving into chukker two. Charging from the north end to the south end, both teams struggled to increase their tallies as possession was stolen and goal shots were deflected. Finally, with just over three minutes remaining in the second, both teams picked up a penalty conversion. Immediately responding to Pieres’ Penalty 3, Ulloa made a strong break from the throw-in and propelled straight to goal to tie the game 3-all. Opening the third with back-to-back goals from Ulloa (riding flashy grey mare Future Lituania), Daily Racing Form increased their momentum with confident plays, benefitting from Valiente’s shots falling wide to end the half leading 5-4.

Anticipating a strong uprising from Valiente, Daily Racing Form played with relentless strength and well-executed team strategy in the second half. Each team adding one goal in the fourth, Daily Racing Form remained on top. The fifth began aggressively as both teams fought for possession. A backshot from Valiente mistakenly struck Ulloa in the face early in the chukker. The team captain was down for several minutes as fans and players worried he may be substituted. Ulloa persisted however, and despite a deep cut and bruise on the side of his right eye, he remounted homebred mare Lavinia Castellana to finish what his team had started. “I told them the next two minutes after Hilario had gotten hurt were the two most important minutes of the game,” said Julio Arellano, Daily Racing Form Coach. “I said, ‘you cannot let that team [Valiente] score two goals on you right now when you guys lose focus. These two minutes right now will determine whether or not you win the game.’”

Once play resumed, Valiente kept the game close, unwilling to let their opponents gain a significant advantage. Matching every goal in the fifth, after two field goals and a penalty conversion from each team the lead remained unchanged. For an unprecedented third chukker in a row Daily Racing Form maintained the advantage, the score standing at 9-8. Still anybody’s game, both teams made strategic offensive moves in the sixth, Mariano Obregon’s efforts to score narrowly missing the target twice. Completing a beautiful shot on goal from distance, Jared Zenni* sent the ball soaring through the air with only a few minutes left for Valiente to recover. A final Penalty 2 conversion by Pieres was not enough to shake DRF’s persistent lead, the 30-second horn signaling a new champion, with a final score 10-9.

Showcasing exceptional discipline and skill on defense, and securing two field goals for Daily Racing Form, Zenni was named Most Valuable Player. The first Team USPA member to garner a U.S. Open title the 22-year-old beamed, “for me it’s a dream come true, really surreal.” Best Playing Pony honors were presented to Milenaria, an 8-year-old dark bay Argentine mare trained by Javier Canton and owned and ridden by Mariano Obregon in the first and sixth chukkers. “It’s amazing, it’s the best prize you can get,” said Obregon. “I would rather have this than an MVP, because this is what you work for your whole life.”

www.uspolo.org