U.S. OPEN POLO CHAMPIONSHIP®

U.S. OPEN POLO CHAMPIONSHIP®

TOURNAMENT HISTORY

The most prestigious polo tournament in the United States, the U.S. Open Polo Championship is the apex of the Gauntlet of Polo, held during the Florida high-goal winter polo season that attracts fans and polo enthusiasts from across the United States and around the world.

The U.S. Open was originally conceived as a non-handicapped alternative to the Senior Championship tournament. The first U.S. Open had only two teams, the Wanderers and the Freebooters. It was held at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx borough of New York City. Four 15-minute chukkers were played, with a seven-minute break between each chukker.

After the inaugural U.S. Open in 1904, the tournament was not played again until 1910, when it grew to include six teams. It resumed at Narragansett Pier, Rhode Island, where it was played for several years before relocating to what became its longtime home, Meadowbrook Polo Club in Old Westbury, New York. In 1954, the U.S. Open moved to Oak Brook, where it remained for 22 years, followed by an eight year stint at Retama in San Antonio, Texas. In the late 1980s and into the 1990s, the tournament circulated among several clubs throughout the United States, including Eldorado, Lexington, Palm Beach and Royal Palm. In 2004, marking one hundred years since the tournament’s inception, the U.S. Open relocated to Wellington, Florida where it has been held ever since.

The U.S. Open Polo Championship® perpetual trophy was first presented in 1910 by Joseph B. Thomas. Designed by artist Sally James Farnham, it was inspired by a seventeenth century tureen. The tall, ornate silver cup features horses and riders in relief around the top perimeter and the bottom bowl of the cup, as ornate rearing horses rise from the base of the cup. Stolen in 2002, it was recovered a few short weeks later and is currently kept in the care and custody of the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in Lake Worth, Florida.

In 2019, after defeating each of their opponents in the C.V. Whitney Cup and USPA Gold Cup, Pilot carried their undefeated streak into the final leg of the Gauntlet and claimed the U.S. Open Polo Championship title. Pilot remains the only team to capture all-three tournaments as a part of the Gauntlet of Polo.

In 2022, La Elina (Juan Martin Obregon, Geronimo Obregon, Facundo Obregon, Jared Zenni) and Pilot (Curtis Pilot, Mackenzie Weisz, Matias Torres Zavaleta, Facundo Pieres) each blazed their own path into the most prestigious and anticipated final of the high-goal season. Differing in roster construction and style, Pilots ability to adhere to their strategy and rely on each other for support and success carried them to reclaim the title 11-6. Read article here.

The 12 teams competing in the 2023 USPA Gold Cup (Aspen, Dazos, Dutta Corp/Show+, La Elina, La Fe, Park Place, Pilot, Scone, M A G (formerly Shack Attack), Tamera, Two Trees by Jefferies, Valiente) will be returning for the U.S. Open Polo Championship. In the ultimate test of will and resilience, reigning champion Pilot will be aiming for their third title (2019, 2022) in five years, alongside Matias 'Colo' Gonzalez for the first time since their historic run in 2019. Granting individual entries in the Gauntlet of Polo for a second consecutive year, the U.S. Open Polo Championship will also include the addition of Palm Beach Equine as the thirteenth team vying for the title.

Entering the Gauntlet of Polo for the first time since 2018, renowned powerhouse Valiente will seek to add a third U.S. Open Polo Championship title (2015, 2017) to their name following their impressive return to the podium in the C.V. Whitney Cup, as newcomers Dazos and Two Trees by Jefferies aim to make their mark on the historic tournament. Among this year’s competitors, top American talents Jeff Hall, Jared Zenni, Matt Coppola and Nico Escobar will join forces to play for last year’s U.S. Open Polo Championship finalist, La Elina. La Elina joins the competition as the only All-American team on the roster.

10-goalers competing this year include nine-time U.S. Open Polo Championship winner Adolfo Cambiaso (1999, 2000, 2001, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2021), six-time U.S. Open Polo Championship winner Facundo Pieres (2009, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2022), three-time winner Hilario Ulloa (2010, 2014, 2018).

Although, Adolfo Cambiaso (Valiente) and son Poroto (Scone) will play for separate teams this year, Cambiaso credits his 2021 U.S. Open Polo Championship victory alongside Poroto as the most personal of his storied American career. Father-son duo Rufino Bensadon and Francisco 'Pancho' Bensadon will take the field together on Aspen. Joining Aspen, Mariano Gonzalez will replace Nicolas 'Nico' Saenz for the last leg of the Gauntlet and will also compete against his son Mariano 'Peke' Gonzalez (Valiente).

The winner of the U.S. Open Polo Championship will receive $100,000. In partnership with USPA Global Licensing, each of the teams will select a charity of their choice from 10 non-profits and both charities of the winner and runners-up will receive a $2,500 donation.

Team USPA, an Association program designed to enhance and grow the sport of polo in the United States by identifying young, talented American players will be readily represented in the U.S. Open Polo Championship. Six Team USPA alumni and one Active Team USPA Member are represented across five teams highlighting the depth of American talent.

Learn more about the Gauntlet of Polo.

Photo: 2023 U.S. Open Polo Championship Champions: Park Place - Juan Britos, Andrey Borodin, Hilario Ulloa, Jason Wates. ©David Lominska.