Ylvisaker Cup
Tournament History
The Ylvisaker Cup is played annually as a tribute to William T. “Bill” Ylvisaker, a true pioneer who was responsible for developing the Wellington, Florida, area into the high-goal winter polo capital of the world. Ylvisaker contributed extensively to the sport’s resurgence in the 70s and 80s. He carved out of the unwelcoming, wild and forbidding marsh on the edge of the Florida Everglades and created the Palm Beach Polo and Country Club. Palm Beach Polo Club flourished and the town of Wellington sprung up around it, going on to successfully host not only polo but numerous other equestrian sports.
As for Ylvisaker’s personal playing record, he began with two National Interscholastic Championships in the 40s, continuing his polo career at Yale University, ultimately reaching a 7-goal handicap at the height of his career. His notable wins include a 1972 U.S. Open Polo Championship® victory, a USPA Gold Cup® and two Coronation Cup titles (Great Britain versus United States), among many others. Ylvisaker co-founded the Polo Training Foundation (PTF) in 1967, and served as its first Vice President. He also served as Chairman of the USPA® from 1970 to 1975. He was inducted into the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in 1996.
Established in 2003, the Ylvisaker Cup has been exclusively played at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington, Florida. Over the past decade the popular tournament has fielded rosters of up to 16 teams. New Bridge-La Dolfina captured back-to-back wins in 2006 and 2007, the only consecutive wins by one team in the history of the tournament. Coca-Cola is another staple of the Ylvisaker Cup with recent victories in 2015 and 2017. This year’s roster is packed with 13 impressive and competitive teams, including the return of both teams slated for last year’s final.
History courtesy of the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame.
Photo (L to R) 2017 Ylvisaker Cup Champions Coca-Cola: Del Walton, Gillian Johnston, Julian de Lusarreta, Julio Arellano, and Wesley Finlayson, Sugar Erskine. ©David Lominska
