NATIONAL INTER-CIRCUIT CHAMPIONSHIP
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The National Inter-Circuit Championship will return for the third consecutive year to Sarasota Polo Club in Sarasota, Florida. A national 12-goal tournament, the 2020 edition fielded four teams, with Barefield claiming the narrow victory in the final over Tito's Handmade Vodka 8-7. In 2021, the final featured featured a rematch of the opening game in the tournament between Hillcroft (Vaughn Miller Jr., Herndon Radcliff, Mason Wroe, James Miller) and Glen Farm (Sam Clemens, Tommy Huber, Marcos Onetto, Stuart Campbell), with Hillcroft avenging their only loss in the tournament to capture the title 10-5.
This year all five teams (Barefield, Glen Farm, Hillcroft, Tito's, Whiskey Pond) will return to the competition once more. Defending champions Hillcroft, will be led by Team USPA alumnus Mason Wroe, along with the addition of Ignacio "Nachi" Viana. 2021 finalists Glen Farm will add new teammates Horacio Lisazo and Tommy Collingwood.
Competing in the height of the winter season at Sarasota Polo Club, the 2022 National Outdoor Commander-in-Chief Cup final also served as the second match of this tournament, as Hillcroft topped Whiskey Pond 11-5, following a rematch of the Regional Classic-Southeastern where the score was reversed 11-5 in favor of Whiskey Pond.
Nachi Viana (Hillcroft) can also be seen currently competing in the 2022 GAUNTLET OF POLO®'s USPA Gold Cup® for La Elina.
Sarasota Polo Club will be taking advantage of the USPA's Tournament Support Program (TSP) in the National Inter-Circuit Championship, which provides eligible USPA Member Clubs with waived tournament fees, trophy reimbursements up to $1,200 for a national tournament, one professional umpire and $2,500 in prize money at no extra cost.
The USPA originally created the Tournament Stimulus Package (TSP) to help Member Clubs host USPA Events when the United States was emerging from the first wave of the COVID-19 crisis. The USPA wanted to continue to support Member Clubs with TSP benefits in 2022. Therefore, it extended and expanded TSP under a new name - the Tournament Support Program. Each USPA Member Club can obtain TSP benefits for two USPA Events.
Photo: 2021 National Inter-Circuit Championship Champions: Hillcroft - Vaughn Miller Jr., Herndon Radcliff, Mason Wroe, James Miller. ©Julio Aguilar
