USPA Women's Arena Handicap
Tournament History
Women’s arena competition has a recent history in the sport beginning with the creation of the Women’s Intercollegiate Championship in the late 1970s, followed by the Girls’ Interscholastic Championship in the early 1990s. With the exponential growth of women’s polo in recent years, the Association recognized the need for a national tournament celebrating the best of women’s arena competition.
The Women’s Arena Handicap held its inaugural competition in 2017 simultaneously alongside the Women’s Arena Open with Drumcliffe claiming the trophy. In 2018 the stage was set for a competitive rematch between University of Virginia (UVA) and Drumcliffe, the Grant sisters defending the title 17-9. Overcoming two previous defeats in the final, UVA's perseverance paid off in 2019 with their first win 16-12 and Maddie Grant's third consecutive title.
Four teams will meet at Great Meadow Polo Club (The Plains, Virginia) for the chance to walk away as the 2020 Women's Arena Handicap champions, including Belle Vodka, Mystique Jewelers, Rebellis and Twilight Polo. Among the competition is Team USPA alumna, Anna Palacios, playing on Rebellis. The Handicap will offer $2,500 in prize money, split between first ($1,500) and second place ($1,000). In addition to being an important national tournament for women arena players beyond their schooling years, the playing of this tournament allows women the opportunity to connect and aspire to an even greater level of women’s arena competition.
As a National USPA Arena Event, the USPA Women’s Arena Handicap is a qualifying tournament for all amateur players -1 through 3 goals to earn points towards the National Arena Amateur Cup (NAAC) which will be held at Legend's Polo Club in Kaufman, Texas, in November 2020. 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.
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, Great Meadow Polo Club will be taking advantage of the program for this tournament.
The semifinals and final will be livestreamed by USPA Polo Network and available exclusively on Global Polo TV.
Photo: 2019 Women's Arena Handicap Champions: UVA - Demitra Hajimihalis, Meghan Milligan and Maddie Grant, pictured with Coach Lou Lopez.
