Aug 25, 2020 2:00 PM
With the Texas Arena League (TAL), Pacific Coast Arena League (PCAL) and other arena leagues gaining momentum, arena polo is looking up for 2020. More polo arenas are being built and improved thanks to the USPA Polo Development Initiative (PDI); polo school students are being gradually introduced into the sport through arena tournaments while seasoned players are enjoying the quick play that arena polo provides.
In 2019, the USPA announced the new format of the National Arena Amateur Cup (NAAC). Individuals competing in National, Circuit and Sanctioned arena events will earn points based on the number of teams in the tournament and their team’s standing within that tournament.
So far, 21 USPA arena tournaments have been played, with participants representing 17 USPA Member Clubs, with more tournaments on the calendar to qualify for NAAC points. The NAAC Committee tallies points for the individuals once clubs submit tournament results to the USPA. Players with the highest points will be eligible to play in the National Arena Amateur Cup being held at Legend's Polo Club in Kaufman, Texas, in November 2020.
If you are interested in raising your points level or competing in the NAAC, encourage your club to host USPA arena events, look for a USPA arena tournament near you or consider traveling to one of the arena tournaments where horse lease is available. USPA arena tournaments are also eligible for the USPA COVID-19 Tournament Stimulus Package.
In addition to NAAC points, Circuit and National arena events are eligible for:
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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