National Arena Amateur Cup
Tournament History
The National Arena Amateur Cup (NAAC) is a national arena tournament that was first played in 1987. In 2019 the Tournament and Arena committees launched the new NAAC format, a brand-new initiative aimed to inject excitement into the sport for present and future members. The idea grew out of discussions concerning how to excite and incentivize present players to play more, play longer and invest more time into the sport. The aspiration of the program is to extend local players’ investments into their home clubs and tournament structure and encourage inter-circuit and national play. The innovative 2019 NAAC format created an opportunity to showcase the accessibility of amateur polo and to motivate amateur players to participate longer and more frequently in USPA tournaments, at their home clubs, home circuits and nationally.
All amateur players rated -1 through 3 goals are eligible. In accordance with National Arena Amateur Cup rules, no player may have a handicap higher than the upper limit of the event. Eligibility to play in the National Arena Amateur Cup is based on a point system. Points are given to individuals playing in all USPA Arena Events – Circuit, Sanctioned and National. Points are based on the number of teams and team standing in each tournament. All points are awarded to each team member, not the team as a whole. The more USPA arena tournaments a player competes in the more points he or she will accrue. Once players commit to participate, the National Host Tournament Committee forms teams to compete at the 0- to 3-goal level of the tournament.
Hosted by Orange County Polo Club (Silverado, California) in 2019, the National Arena Amateur Cup has been relocated in 2020 to Legend's Polo Club in Kaufman, Texas. In 2019 the Silverado Sharks emerged from a field of four and won the trophy in a thrilling penalty shootout 15-14. This year six teams (Legend's Polo Club, Texas Military Polo Club, 101 Polo, Polo InterActive, SabreSpur Polo, Triangle Area Polo Club) will compete for the title with the winner receiving $1,500 in prize money and the runner-up taking home a $1,200 check.
As the country emerges out of the COVID-19 crisis, the USPA established opportunities to support USPA Member Club events through the use of the COVID-19 USPA Polo Tournament Stimulus Package, which provides eligible USPA Member Clubs with waived tournament fees, trophies or reimbursements, one professional umpire and $2,500 in prize money per tournament at no extra cost. Offered to each club for the first two USPA tournaments of 2020 following the COVID-19 USPA Tournaments and Events suspension, Legend's Polo Club will be taking advantage of the program for this tournament.
Photo: 2019 National Arena Amateur Cup Champions: Silverado Sharks - Heather Perkins, Mark Osburn, Allie Bushong. ©Jim Bremner
