NEWS

In March, arena polo teams traveled from around the globe to Hyderabad Polo & Riding Club (HPRC) in Hyderabad, India, to compete in the International Arena Polo Championship. India and USA entered two teams each, competing against teams from Spain and Luxembourg.

The international event was supported by the American International Polo Foundation (AIPF), USPA International Committee and USPA Global Licensing, who provided the team apparel and prizes for the tournament. AIPF President and Treasurer, Ed Armstrong, worked with HPRC President Chaitania Kumar to organize this year’s event. “One of Chaitania’s goals is to continually improve the quality and level of polo played at his club,” said Armstrong. “He [Kumar] looks forward to hosting more international tournaments and would like to see the FIP World Arena Championship held here.”

The USA-1 collective was made up of Jake Klentner*, Megan Flynn and Sloan Stefanakis. “This was an incredible experience that I got to share with great people,” said Klentner. “There is nothing better than traveling to new places, competing and making friends with people on the other side of the globe.”

Caroline Vissers, Elizabeth Peck and Dorn Cox rounded out the red, white and blue on USA-2. “This tournament was a fantastically unique blend of pride in representing my own country and appreciation of foreign cultures,” said Vissers. “Beyond the rich foods and beautiful textiles of India, I especially enjoyed seeing the similarities and differences in how polo is played abroad. This experience opened my eyes to the depth of polo culture around the world and will forever be a cherished memory.”

Played in a six-team knock-out format, USA-1 made their way into the semifinals and final after beating India-1 and Spain. India 2 earned their spot in the final by besting Luxembourg and USA 2 during the semifinals.

The final turned out to be a spirited match in front of a record crowd. Dignitaries from India, IPS Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad K. Sreenivasa Reddy and U.S. Consul General Jennifer Larson were in attendance to cheer on their home teams. Event organizers Armstrong and Kumar recruited USPA Arena Chair and Professional Umpire Robin Sanchez to maintain impartiality and elevate the quality of the game. Sanchez called the tournament a stand-out event for arena polo. “The footing was some of the best I've ever experienced,” said Sanchez, “And the promotion and publicity was unparalleled.”

In the championship final, USA-1 secured a 3-2 lead in the first chukker and increased the lead to 12-6 by the end of the second, adding three more goals in the final chukker for a decisive 15-8 victory. Stefanakis and Klentner scored seven goals each while Flynn finished with one goal. Luke Klentner also played in the final splitting a position with his older brother. “I feel lucky to have been part of such an amazing experience,” said Flynn. “The warm welcome from the polo club and the size of the support they had blew me away.”

During the tournament, a women’s exhibition match was also played in commemoration of Women’s Day, coincidentally celebrated in India during the United States’ Women’s History Month. American players joined Indian players for a fun and competitive match.

The level of sportsmanship and the value of an international sports experience made the trip memorable for all involved. “It was an honor and privilege to join such a great delegation of players from around the world to both compete and create lasting friendships,” said Cox. “Hats off to the HRPC, USPA and organizers and all who made the event possible and enabled us all to promote the sport we love in a world-class facility in the country where modern polo was born."

*Jake Klentner is Team USPA alumnus. Team USPA is a USPA program designed to enhance and grow the sport of polo in the United States by identifying young, talented American players and providing mentored training and playing opportunities leading to a pool of higher rated amateur and pro players and the resultant giveback to the sport of polo.

All photos courtesy of ©David Dawson.