Oct 03, 2016 1:35 PM
During the 2016 East Coast Open in Greenwich, Connecticut, the USPA Board of Governors gathered for their annual fall meeting. A board meeting took place along with several days of committee meetings and presentations. Many fun and educational activities were enjoyed by all in attendance. Greenwich Polo Club and Haviland Hollow Polo Club both hosted asados, and a polo game was played by the governors at Greenwich Polo Club. A panel of high-goal players discussed current trends in the sport, and a special hour long talk by leading sports attorney Joe Leccese provided the board, staff, delegates and guests with useful insights. The following is a summary of motions and committee actions that took place at the USPA Board of Governors and Annual Meeting.
Board and Staff Development Committee
The Board and Staff Development Committee created a Club and Member Support Administration Committee, associated with the USPA Services Division, which will advise the board, the Executive Committee and the staff regarding USPA Club and Member compliance as well as other direct member issues.
Constitution Committee
The Constitution has been revised and updated to be in accordance with Illinois law. The changes were passed by the Delegates and were put into effect immediately following the meeting.
Rules
The board approved rule changes to take effect in 2017 for:
- Outdoor and arena rules
- Tournament conditions
- International rules
A complete explanation of the rule changes for 2017 will be published on uspolo.org and sent out in member communication emails.
Women’s Committee/ Arena Handicaps
The board approved the creation of an arena handicap committee. The Women’s Committee passed the Women’s Arena Handicap to be utilized for all USPA Women’s Arena Tournaments.
Annual Blue Book Changes
Starting in 2017, USPA member addresses and contact information will be removed from the Blue Book.
National Handicap Committee
The National Handicap Committee will hold their annual meeting November 1, 2016 to discuss changes to handicaps.
International Polo
The USPA will be sending a men’s team to Manipur, India November 22-29. A USPA men’s team represented the United States last year in the 9th Manipur Polo International Invitational with much success, taking home first place in the tournament. An American team will compete again this year with hopes of a repeat win.
Polo Training Foundation Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Awards
During the Fall USPA Board of Governors Meetings on Friday, September 9th, the Polo Training Foundation (PTF) presented the 2016 PTF Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Player of the Year Awards:
- Intercollegiate Player of the Year – Daniel “Cacho” Galindo of Texas A&M
- Daniel J. Wallace, Jr. Intercollegiate Player of the Year – Anna Winslow of Cornell
- Interscholastic Player of the Year – Shariah Harris of Cowtown/Work to Ride
- Russell A. Sheldon, Jr. Interscholastic Player of the Year – Tom Huber of Westshore Polo Club
Effective Date: Saturday, May 16, 2020
The suspension of USPA Tournaments and Events will be lifted for USPA Member Clubs in locales where hosting polo matches and tournaments is permitted under applicable state and local laws, executive orders and similar decrees. The USPA Member Clubs in these locales are encouraged to follow all such requirements of their state and local authorities with respect to polo operations. In addition, we also encourage all USPA Member Clubs to take the precautions recommended by the CDC. We are preparing a detailed list of best practices for USPA Member Clubs as they return to hosting USPA Tournaments and Events and plan to circulate these guidelines within the next week. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and will notify you if we determine a different course of action is necessary.
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