DELEGATE'S CUP
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Established in 1969, the Delegate's Cup (formerly known as the Eight Goal) has been a staple in the USPA national tournament calendar and was hosted uninterrupted for 45 years until 2015. The legendary Gulfstream Polo Club (now defunct) was the home of the prestigious tournament from the mid 1970s until it's unfortunate closure in 2016. During that time, Bluestone Farm captured a total of four titles and three consecutive wins from 2005 to 2007, with each winning team boasting at least two members of the Obregon family.
A highly-sought after national trophy, the competition relocated in 2016 to the Houston Polo Club (HPC) in Houston, Texas, where is has remained ever since. In the contest's inaugural year at the club, 7 Bar W/Rocking P secured the win in a close final over BTA II 7-5. BTA once again advanced to the final in 2017, however were bested by Pegasus/Propaganda with the same two-goal margin from the previous year. After a two-year hiatus the Delegate's Cup returned in 2020 and has been awarded to three different champions including Roxstars/Vintage Polo (2020), Vintage Polo (2021) and Island Time Polo/Sullivan Group (2022).
In 2022, Island Time Polo/Sullivan Group (sub. Elle Seybold, Michelle Agrons, Joanie Jackson, Nick Cifuni, Cody Ellis) met Kanthaka (Sylvia Kampshoff, Philipp Kampshoff, Joao Aranha, Marcos Villanueva) for the second time in the tournament. Commanding the game from the start, a balanced effort from Island Time Polo/Sullivan Group kept Kanthaka scoreless in the first half. Despite Kanthaka’s comeback efforts, Island Time Polo/Sullivan Group’s efficient defense and a timely fourth chukker goal from Jackson allowed the team in black to claim the title 6-4. Read article here.
Amid an action-packed fall season at Houston Polo Club, this year's competition features a deep field of eleven teams vying for the title including BCI/CW Petroleum, BTA, Brown Bears/Schiffer Hicks Johnson LLC, C-Bar Thoroughbreds/Patagonia Grill, Island Time Polo/Plank Companies, La Portola, Pegasus, Piney Woods Polo, Roxstars, San Pedro Ranch/Sullivan Group and Shootin' Iron Ranches.
Representing Team USPA are alumni Tomas Alberdi (Island Time Polo/Plank Companies), Mason Wroe (Pegasus), Sloan Stefanakis (Roxstars) and Nicolai Galindo (San Pedro Ranch/Sullivan Group).
2022 Delegate's Cup Champions: Island Time Polo/Sullivan Group - Michelle Agrons, Joanie Jackson, Nick Cifuni, Cody Ellis. ©Kaylee Wroe
