JOE BARRY MEMORIAL | U.S. POLO ASSN.

January 14 - 28, 2024

JOE BARRY MEMORIAL

Joe Barry Memorial Matches at 3:00pm ET on Sunday, January 21 and Final on Sunday, January 28 will be livestreamed exclusively on the USPA Polo Network.

JOE BARRY MEMORIAL

TOURNAMENT HISTORY

The Joe Barry Memorial was founded in 2005 in honor of Joe Barry, who passed away in 2002. Inducted into the Polo Hall of Fame in 1999, his major wins included six U.S. Open Polo Championship titles, three USPA Gold Cup titles, and the 1971 Coronation Cup in England.

Following the inaugural 16-Goal Super-Series Championship, an innovative effort to draw more teams into medium-goal competition, the battle for the championship continues in 2024 under a new moniker NPC 16-Goal Championship.

The Joe Barry Memorial will serve as the first qualifying leg of four prestigious national tournaments (Ylvisaker Cup, Iglehart Cup, Outback Cup) culminating in the NPC 16-Goal Championship. Qualifiers will be played across multiple clubs, with the championship final hosted on Sunday, April 14 at the National Polo Center – Wellington (NPC). Participating clubs include Port Mayaca Polo Club (Okeechobee, Florida) and the Wellington Polo Tour (WPT) led by Patagones Polo Club (Wellington, Florida) and a series of private fields falling under the WPT umbrella.

Each of the four national tournaments serve as a qualifier for the NPC 16-Goal Championship, with each winning team moving on to the final event. Should a team win more than one qualifier, that team will automatically advance to the NPC 16-Goal Championship.

To reinforce the idea that all participation is encouraged, players may compete in as many events as they would like on either the same team or on different teams. Yet, if a player triumphs in more than one event but on different teams, that player must choose which team he or she would like to compete in the NPC 16-Goal Championship and the other team may use a substitute. Qualifying teams must maintain at least two of their original members in order to play in the Championship.

The Joe Barry Memorial will be guaranteed two Sunday matches (January 21 and 28) on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One.

In 2023, Iconica (Maureen Brennan, Mariano ‘Peke’ Gonzalez, Lucas ‘Luckitas’ Criado Jr., Santos Merlos) began their spectacular 16-1 season with a victory against BTA (Kelly Beal, Ignacio ‘Nachi’ Viana, Jesse Bray, Steve Krueger). Iconica’s tenacity despite BTA’s second half success ultimately helped the team capture the Joe Barry Memorial for the first time with a 12-11 win. Read article here.

Hosted and managed by Port Mayaca Polo Club (PMPC), this year's competition will field eight competitive teams vying for a new victor and opportunity to advance to the NPC 16-Goal Championship including BTA, Catamount, Forbes Plunkett, Las Brisas, La Fe/Dazos, Palm Beach Equine, Patagones and SD Farms/Old Hickory Bourbon.

Representing Team USPA are Active Members Kristos "Keko" Magrini (Catamount), Lucas Escobar (Forbes Plunkett), Jack Whitman (Patagones), Graduating Member Nicolas "Nico" Escobar (Forbes Plunkett) and alumnus Steve Krueger (BTA).

Port Mayaca Polo Club will be taking advantage of the USPA's Bridge to High Goal Initiative (B2HG) for the Joe Barry Memorial, which provides eligible USPA Member Clubs three USPA Professional Umpires (two mounted officials and one third man) at 50% of the regular cost to the club.

The Bridge to High Goal Initiative (B2HG) has been created to support polo between 12 and 16 goals. The goal of the program is to build a bridge from low-goal polo to high-goal polo that provides a safe environment for competition which will allow for the cultivation of team owners and the advancement of aspiring professionals.

2023 Joe Barry Memorial Champions: Iconica - Maureen Brennan, Mariano 'Peke' Gonzalez, Lucas 'Luckitas' Criado Jr., Santos Merlos. ©David Lominska

TEAMS AND ROSTERS

Bracket I

Forbes Plunkett (4-1)

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Brandon Plunkett
Outdoor: 0
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Nicolas 'Nico' Escobar
Outdoor: 5
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Felipe 'Pipe' Vercellino
Outdoor: 7
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Lucas Escobar
Outdoor: 4

BTA (3-2)

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Ignacio 'Nachi' Viana
Outdoor: 6
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Alfonso Pieres
Outdoor: 5
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Steve Krueger
Outdoor: 5
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Kelly Beal
Outdoor: 0

Palm Beach Equine (1-2)

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Antonio Aguerre
Outdoor: 2
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Dylan Rossiter
Outdoor: 6
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Raul 'Gringo' Colombres
Outdoor: 8
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Scott Swerdlin
Outdoor: 0

SD Farms/Old Hickory Bourbon (1-2)

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Sayyu Dantata
Outdoor: 1
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Cesar 'Peco' Polledo
Outdoor: 6
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Mariano 'Nino' Obregon Jr.
Outdoor: 6
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Stevie Orthwein
Outdoor: 3
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Finn Secunda
Substitute
Outdoor: 1
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Sayyu Dantata Jr.
Substitute
Outdoor: 1

Bracket II

Patagones (2-2)

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Jack Whitman
Outdoor: 2
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Joaquin Avendaño
Outdoor: 4
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Edward Banner-Eve
Outdoor: 5
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Santiago Wulff
Outdoor: 5

La Fe/Dazos (2-2)

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David Farache
Outdoor: 0
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Roberto 'Robi' Bilbao
Outdoor: 6
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Francisco Elizalde
Outdoor: 9
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Louis Devaleix
Outdoor: 1
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Wil Ballhaus
Substitute
Outdoor: 0

Catamount (1-2)

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Scott Devon
Outdoor: 0
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Rufino Merlos
Outdoor: 3
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Kristos 'Keko' Magrini
Outdoor: 6
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Lucas 'Luckitas' Criado Jr.
Outdoor: 7

Las Brisas (1-2)

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Larry Aschebrook
Outdoor: 1
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Matias Obregon
Outdoor: 4
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Juan Martin Gutierrez
Outdoor: 3
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Juan Martin Obregon
Outdoor: 6
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Hope Arellano
Substitute
Outdoor: 3

Bracket III

Bracket IV

Bracket V

Bracket VI

Bracket VII

Bracket VIII

Bracket IX

Bracket X

JOE BARRY MEMORIAL

TOURNAMENT GAMES

Sunday, Jan 14, 2024

January 14

Final

Joe Barry Memorial

Port Mayaca Polo Club

Las Brisas logo

Las Brisas (1-2)

9

La Fe/Dazos logo

La Fe/Dazos (2-2)

13

January 14

Final

Joe Barry Memorial

Port Mayaca Polo Club

BTA logo

BTA (3-2)

8

Forbes Plunkett logo

Forbes Plunkett (4-1)

6

Monday, Jan 15, 2024

January 15

Final

Joe Barry Memorial

Port Mayaca Polo Club

Patagones logo

Patagones (2-2)

11

Catamount logo

Catamount (1-2)

6

January 15

Final OT

Joe Barry Memorial

Port Mayaca Polo Club

Palm Beach Equine logo

Palm Beach Equine (1-2)

12

SD Farms/Old Hickory Bourbon logo

SD Farms/Old Hickory Bourbon (1-2)

11

Wednesday, Jan 17, 2024

January 17

Final

Joe Barry Memorial

Port Mayaca Polo Club

Patagones logo

Patagones (2-2)

11

La Fe/Dazos logo

La Fe/Dazos (2-2)

10

January 17

Final

Joe Barry Memorial

Port Mayaca Polo Club

Las Brisas logo

Las Brisas (1-2)

6

Catamount logo

Catamount (1-2)

12

Thursday, Jan 18, 2024

January 18

Final

Joe Barry Memorial

Port Mayaca Polo Club

BTA logo

BTA (3-2)

13

Palm Beach Equine logo

Palm Beach Equine (1-2)

7

January 18

Final

Joe Barry Memorial

Port Mayaca Polo Club

Forbes Plunkett logo

Forbes Plunkett (4-1)

10

SD Farms/Old Hickory Bourbon logo

SD Farms/Old Hickory Bourbon (1-2)

8

Saturday, Jan 20, 2024

January 20

Final

Joe Barry Memorial

Port Mayaca Polo Club

Las Brisas logo

Las Brisas (1-2)

10

Patagones logo

Patagones (2-2)

9

January 20

Final

Joe Barry Memorial

Port Mayaca Polo Club

La Fe/Dazos logo

La Fe/Dazos (2-2)

19

Catamount logo

Catamount (1-2)

12

Sunday, Jan 21, 2024

January 21

Final OT

Joe Barry Memorial

Port Mayaca Polo Club

BTA logo

BTA (3-2)

9

SD Farms/Old Hickory Bourbon logo

SD Farms/Old Hickory Bourbon (1-2)

10

January 21

Final

Joe Barry Memorial

National Polo Center - Wellington

Forbes Plunkett logo

Forbes Plunkett (4-1)

15

Palm Beach Equine logo

Palm Beach Equine (1-2)

8

Wednesday, Jan 24, 2024

January 24

Final

Joe Barry Memorial

National Polo Center - Wellington

La Fe/Dazos logo

La Fe/Dazos (2-2)

9

BTA logo

BTA (3-2)

10

January 24

Final

Joe Barry Memorial

National Polo Center - Wellington

Patagones logo

Patagones (2-2)

11

Forbes Plunkett logo

Forbes Plunkett (4-1)

12

Sunday, Jan 28, 2024

January 28

Final

Joe Barry Memorial

National Polo Center - Wellington

BTA logo

BTA (3-2)

8

Forbes Plunkett logo

Forbes Plunkett (4-1)

9

JOE BARRY MEMORIAL

HOST CLUB

Situated in South Florida, surrounded by vast sugar cane fields and the popular fishing body of Lake Okeechobee, Port Mayaca Polo Club (PMPC) has steadily become a destination for winter polo. Located on more than 600 sprawling acres, the club has eight regulation fields, club barns with 220 stalls, an exercise track, a stick-and-ball field, a clubhouse and several acres of pastures for turnout and trail riding.

While consistent, quality polo is at the forefront of the club’s objectives, a tight-knit sense of community supports it. The club hosts a lunch or cookout after every club practice. A beautiful pavilion style clubhouse provides an enjoyable gathering place for players to congregate and discuss their latest game.


12499 SW Conners Hwy
Okeechobee, FL 34974
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Club Website Club Profile

JOE BARRY MEMORIAL

THE VENUE

The National Polo Center – Wellington (NPC) is located in the heart of South Florida’s legendary horse country. The perpetual home for polo in America, NPC is owned and managed by the United States Polo Association to showcase the finest the sport has to offer. The Association’s premiere event, the Gauntlet of Polo, takes place from February to April each winter season showcasing the world’s preeminent teams, professional athletes and finest horses which come together for three months to battle head-to-head for the coveted C.V. Whitney Cup, USPA Gold Cup and U.S. Open Polo Championship trophies. Throughout the year, the facilities are also used to showcase USPA Member Clubs and prestigious national tournament competition.

The entrance to the club is via a palm tree-lined drive, that leads past tennis courts to the steps of the magnificent pool and Mallet Grille. The natural Florida terrain is augmented by a large lake, lush tropical landscaping and some of the most carefully manicured polo fields in the world. Spectating from the stadium, private boxes, fieldside tailgates and special hospitality tents, all overlooking U.S. Polo Assn. Field One, is an unparalleled experience.

NPC invites you to experience the best polo in the country, taking place at one of the most beautiful venues in the world, the National Polo Center – Wellington.


3667 120th Ave S
Wellington, FL 33414
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Club Website Club Profile