U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship

20-year-old Hope Arellano has taken the world of polo by storm. With a myriad of titles, championships and notable victories on her trophy shelf; Arellano’s dominance and dedication to the sport is an inspiration, especially for other young women.

A fourth-generation player, Arellano knew at just nine years old that she wanted to be a professional like her father, Hall of Famer Julio Arellano. Her first adult tournament at the age of 11 served as the catalyst for her polo career, and since then, the phenom is yet to slow down.

At 14 years old, Arellano was rated 3-goals in Women’s Outdoor. Now, six years later, she will achieve the ultimate mark of a professional with the coveted 10-goal handicap in both women’s outdoor and arena handicaps. Set to rise to 9-goals in May and 10-goals in December, Arellano’s achievement also marks a significant accomplishment for American polo. Arellano will be the first American woman to achieve a 10-goal Women’s Outdoor Handicap since the legendary Sunny Hale, and the first American to achieve any 10-goal status since Polito Pieres in 2015. She is also the youngest American to reach a 10-goal women’s handicap.

Arellano’s handicap raise came fresh off of her win in the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship. Competing with La Fe, Arellano’s stellar performance contributed six goals in the final and earned her recognition as the Most Valuable Player. Arellano also won the prestigious tournament in 2017 with San Saba. Just 14 years-old at the time, she is still the youngest player to ever win the tournament.

Arellano also made headlines last fall with her participation in the XII FIP World Polo Championship, making history as the first woman to compete for the United States in the international contest. Her addition to the starting lineup continued USA’s forward momentum, allowing the red, white and blue to emerge with an electrifying 9-8 overtime win against defending champions and competition favorites, Argentina, to advance to the final. Hope’s contributions also helped the USA put forth a strong effort in the final, forcing the game into overtime. While they fell in a narrow 11-10 loss to Spain, the USA’s silver medal finish offered a great deal of hope for the future of American polo on the global scene.

Arellano is also quickly becoming a mainstay in the Women’s Argentine Open, competing the last two years in the prestigious competition. In 2021, she played with La Irenita Libra Seguros, placing third and receiving the Revelation Award for her performance. In 2022, she played with La Irenita E-Movility and advanced to the final, falling to La Dolfina in a hard-fought match. In 2023, she will compete with El Overo Z7 UAE, one of the strongest women’s polo organizations in the world.

A shining beacon of hope for the advancement of American polo, Arellano’s accomplishments pave the way for many other young professionals, showing that hard work and determination can flourish into a successful career in the sport. With a long career ahead of her, the USPA commends Hope Arellano on her soon-to-be 10-goal handicap and looks forward to watching her continue to break barriers and records in the years to come.

Hope Arellano competes in the 2022 Women's Argentine Open. ©Guadalupe Aizaga
Due to rising health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the recommendations by the CDC and the White House to cease all gatherings of more than ten people, we have made the difficult decision to immediately suspend all USPA Tournaments and Events, including the ongoing GAUNTLET OF POLO and the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship for the next 14 days.  
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© Thomas Wirth

2017 finalists Rocking P and first-time qualifiers Midland Polo Club met in the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship™ Final on Sunday, November 11, at Tonkawa in Brookshire, Texas. An uncharacteristic women’s week, significant rainfall led to the U.S. Open Women’s Handicap (played simultaneously) to be moved to the arena, while Open Championship games played on back-to-back days with remarkable upsets in preliminary play. The week was a whirlwind of unexpected activity and the superbly staffed and well-organized Houston Polo Club pulled off an outstanding tournament, each game bringing forth fast, competitive polo at the highest level. Hungry for a tournament win after losing in overtime to San Saba in 2017, Rocking P worked as a well-oiled machine to dominate the Women’s Open Final 10-2 after four chukkers of commanding play.

Both teams willing to lay it all on the line, players arrived to the field slightly over zealous, leading to fouls early in the first chukker. Rocking P’s Hazel Jackson quickly capitalized converting a penalty, followed closely by a field goal from teammate Lottie Lamacraft for an early lead. Midland Polo Club’s efforts to score fell short, resulting in a shutout first chukker. “We played the same team before and so wanted to come in underestimating them,” shared Jackson. “We saw them play against Nina [Clarkin] the other day and they were phenomenal. We watched back their games, and came in super prepared.” Midland Polo Club managed one goal in the remainder of the first half off the mallet of Tiamo Hudspeth*, but an unstoppable Jackson continued to shoot on goal, Rocking P leading the charge at halftime 4-1. Playing in the first half and splitting a man with her sister Courtney, 15-year-old Bridget Price, last year’s Handicap champion, remarked on her first Open experience, “it was definitely faster and so exciting to play. There was more man-to-man contact and it’s more open.”

Plays and strategies were discussed during the divot stomp and hungry for a comeback Midland Polo Club reorganized their team under the direction of coach Corky Linfoot. Izzy Parsons worked hard to create goal shot opportunities for her team, but Midland Polo Club struggled to hold back Rocking P’s Jackson, as she hammered in three consecutive shots. “We were playing some really clean, classic polo, going in pairs. That was really our game plan going in at the beginning, play a lot of defense so we could open up the field and let Hazel play her game,” shared Courtney Price. The gap widened, Midland Polo Club put up a solid fight until the bitter end, yet was unable to overtake the seasoned Rocking P team. Hudspeth managed one more goal for her team, a neckshot off grey mare Pringa before the final horn sounded, signaling Rocking P’s victory 10-2.

Rocking P’s Tiva Gross was happy with her first year of Women’s Open competition. “It’s a huge honor. I’ve been trying to come here for many years and to finally get a chance, and win, is an added bonus,” shared Gross after the game. “I had a great team, they made it an absolute pleasure, it was so fun. Some great opposition too, I don’t think the score really reflected how well they played.”

Hazel Jackson was awarded Most Valuable Player contributing seven of her team’s ten goals on the day. “I love the team I chose,” exclaimed Jackson. “Karl [Price] gave me the mission of finding our team and I am so pleased I chose these girls, they are massive team players, they always take one for each other and we’ve had a super fun week as well.”

Her third chukker chestnut mare Maxima, owned by Marcos Villanueva was presented with Professional Best Playing Pony. Amateur Best Playing Pony was presented to Emma, owned by the Price family and ridden by Courtney Price in the fourth chukker. “She was a little machine today,” commented Price. “She was giving it her all—we were flying.”

By United States Polo Association

www.uspolo.org

 

Rocking P and Midland Polo Club to face off in Women’s Open Showdown: The Houston Polo Club experienced significant rainfall throughout the fall season, but player spirits were not dampened as the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship™ began on schedule, Tuesday, November 6. Heavy rain expected in the forecast, Open games were rescheduled for two consecutive days in an effort to play both preliminary rounds. After back-to-back days of tireless competition, 2017 finalists Rocking P and tournament underdogs Midland Polo Club earned positions in Sunday’s final.

Rocking P Seek Redemption after 2017 Open Final Defeat

Rocking P met Midland Polo Club on opening day of the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship eager to start off solid with their newest team member, Kenyan 6-goaler Tiva Gross. Due to the unfortunate weather, Midland Polo Club was only able to practice once as a team prior to the game and struggled to come together on the field. Three unanswered Rocking P goals in the first chukker set the tone for the remainder of the game, Midland Polo Club adding only one to the scoreboard off the mallet of Molly Smith. Rocking P players combined for an additional three goals to finish the day strong 6-1.

On Wednesday, November 7, Rocking P faced off against rivals San Saba, eager for redemption after suffering a disappointing overtime loss in last year’s final. A Penalty 3 conversion from San Saba’s Lia Salvo early in the first was the only goal to make it on the board before a misfortunate trip by her horse during play sidelined her from continuing. Only half a chukker played and 3:04 remaining in the first, San Saba decided to forfeit. Although unable to get another game under their belts, spirits were high on the Rocking P team as they looked forward to Sunday’s final. “I’ve definitely gotten stronger as a player over the past few years,” said Courtney Price, reflecting of her time competing in this tournament. “All the women, especially Hazel [Jackson], have definitely upped my mental and physical game play—because that is women’s polo, it’s very quick and very physical. We are just going to keep loose and hopefully play a practice before Sunday, watch game tapes and then go get it done!”

Midland Polo Club Pulls Off Second-Half Upset to Secure Final Placement

Armed with the formidable English 10-goaler Nina Clarkin, BTA challenged the women of San Saba in the first match of the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship. Firing hard on their opponents’ goal posts, BTA maintained the lead throughout four chukkers to claim the first win of the day 7-4.

BTA then met Midland Polo Club in second round competition on Wednesday, November 7. San Saba out of the running and Rocking P holding a 2-0 record, the winners of the day’s matchup would earn a spot against Rocking P in the final. 20-goal Midland Polo Club had their work cut out for them, having suffered a loss the day prior and now facing a 25-goal team. BTA’s Lucy Coddington put the first tally on the board. Coddington’s score would prove to be the only goal in the first half, as BTA led 1-0 after two chukkers. A double yellow called on a dangerous riding play at the top of the third sat Clarkin for two minutes providing Midland with a pivotal opportunity for two penalty conversions. Dayelle Fargey and Smith perfectly executed both penalties to gain the lead. The teams traded goals once more in the third to end the chukker 3-2, Midland Polo Club holding a narrow advantage. One chukker left and Sunday’s final on the line, BTA added another goal to equalize the score. Showcasing incredible heart, an offensive push by Midland Polo Club enabled Izzy Parsons to score back-to-back goals, sealing the win for her team 5-3. “We are quite a new team,” commented Parsons. “We had a slow practice on Saturday and then Tuesday we got to know how each other played. Today I think we worked together as a team much better, played to our strengths and supported each other.”

“When we played Tuesday we played very tentatively,” shared Midland Polo Club coach Corky Linfoot. “We played without commitment and a lot had to do with the fact that the players had not played together before, but you cannot play tournament polo, especially when you are not the most dominate team and not commit. So the change that has taken place between yesterday and today might be the most dynamic change I’ve ever seen in any of the coaching I’ve done. Their overall performance was brilliant, their trust and their mental commitment to fulfill the obligations that I asked them to do was impressive.”

The highest level of women’s polo in the country, teams were rapidly formulating their final strategy following their qualifying matches. “We are going to have to have a chat with Corky because we definitely want a different outcome than the game we had with them [Rocking P] on Tuesday,” said Tiamo Hudspeth*. “We had a slow start but I think we are really gelling as a team now and I am confident in all of my teammates,” she continued. Following their second game performance, Rocking P was cognizant of Midland Polo Club’s change and renewed energy. “We’ve definitely got a tough time ahead of us,” stated Gross. “Midland played physical, they were very strong and quick in attack. I think our main strategy is to mark and play with confidence.”

The pinnacle of women’s polo in the nation, Hudspeth was overjoyed with her team’s performance. “You have no idea how happy I am to make it to the finals, I have played the Open five times, I think, and never made it to the finals. I’ve battled these women the last few years, Hazel [Jackson] and Lottie [Lamacraft], and I am so proud of our team and how we came together to make it this far.” Houston Polo Club will host the 2018 U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship Final, Sunday, November 11, at 3:30pm ET.

By US. Polo Association

www.houstonpoloclub.com

www.uspolo.org

Photo: Kaylee Wroe

 

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