Sep 24, 2018 8:22 PM
The countdown to the opening ceremonies of the 2018 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is dwindling as Buenos Aires, Argentina, prepares to host junior competitors representing 36 disciplines from across the globe. Though polo has not yet been reaccepted as an Olympic sport, the Youth Olympic Games serves to be an innovative platform in testing new disciplines. The Argentine Polo Association (AAP) put together a week-long program in conjunction with the Youth Olympic Games to showcase the sport of polo and provide a training opportunity for international junior polo players.
Four American junior players will experience what it is like to be an Olympic athlete first hand. Grayson Price, Grant Palmer, Winston Painter and Grace Mudra will participate in several practices, watch a high-goal match and visit the Olympic Village before playing in the Youth Olympic Games Polo Showcase on October 10, 2018.
The four participants are active in USPA junior programs including the National Youth Tournament Series (NYTS) and Interscholastic Polo Program. Grayson Price recently won the 2018 NYTS National Championship Cecil Smith Cup playing for the Central Zone in Denver, Colorado.
Grayson Price
Age: 17
Handicap: 1
Home Club: Pecan Acres Polo Club, LLC, Simonton, Texas.
Grant Palmer
Age: 16
Handicap: A
Home Club: Eldorado Polo Club, Indio, California.
Winston Painter
Age: 14
Handicap: B
Home Club: Gardnertown Polo Club, Newburgh, New York.
Grace Mudra
Age: 16
Handicap: B
Home Club: Jackson Hole Polo Club, Jackson, Wyoming.
Several players attending the Youth Olympic Games received support from the Young Player Opportunity (YPO) Fund. The fund was created in April of 2018 by the USPA Junior Polo Committee to assist youth players seeking opportunities to improve in the sport of polo. The YPO Fund is intended to support youth players in training opportunities that will cultivate, develop and educate, 19 and under American Polo Players in an effort to enhance their playing ability at a young age.
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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