NEWS

Westchester Polo Club (Portsmouth, Rhode Island) is pleased to name  Polo House Privé (PHP)  as the title sponsor of the third annual 2021 East Coast Open (14- to 20-goal)  and Handicap (8- to 12-goal)  Women's Polo Championships. The open division will take place July 27 through 31, 2021, and the handicap July 28 through August 1, 2021.

“It’s a pleasure for Polo House Privé to start our global tour with the emblematic Newport International Polo Series, and celebrate its 30th anniversary season by participating with our professional women's team in the 2021 East Coast Open Women's Polo Championship, led by English pro, Rebecca Walters, the Ladies Polo Division Director for PHP,” Alexis Head, Founder and CEO of Polo House Privé, explained. “We are excited for this great experience with a week of memorable events around polo and luxury lifestyle enjoying the best of Newport, Rhode Island, and its surroundings.”

“Polo House Privé  will bring an exciting addition to the tournament this year, in our efforts to reach higher goals year after year to  raise our game, and this year will be no exception,” said Westchester Polo Club President and USPA delegate Dan Keating. “All available resources are in effect to provide a first-rate competitive experience, from prize money to the collaborative strength of two clubs for best field conditions, at the peak of the Northeastern polo season, professional USPA umpires, a veteran Host Tournament Committee (HTC), and trusted advisory tournament managers at each host site. We are doing everything we can to support the progress of women in the sport of polo and provide forums of upper levels of competition for players to reach their full potential.”

The new date and structure this year offers peak New England season conditions and maximum audiences. $2,500  in prize money offered in  each tournament through the Tournament Stimulus Package (TSP) and official team uniforms provided for the first four teams in each tournament to register by Thursday, June 24. The Women’s East Coast Open Polo Championship will be broadcast on Global Polo TV. The tournament will be the optimum caliber competition on the East Coast this summer, attracting domestic and international pros as well as highly-rated amateurs.

The tournament registration deadline is Monday, July 19 at 5:00pm ET  or when the team limit is reached.   Entry form, requirements, schedule, tournament fees and details can be found below.

Sanctioned by the United States Polo Association since 2018, the East Coast Open & Handicap Women’s Polo Championships have attracted top female players from four continents, for a series of matches, co-hosted by two of America’s most historic clubs. The semifinal rounds will be co-hosted by neighboring  Myopia Polo Club  in S. Hamilton, Massachusetts, during the weekdays, and on the weekend, the  final and consolation matches will take place at  Westchester Polo Club  in Newport, Rhode Island.

The popularity of women’s polo continues to grow exponentially, ever since dedicated sportswoman Sue Sally Hale became the first female member of the USPA in 1972. The sport has evolved since the 1950s when Hale allegedly disguised herself as the opposite gender to participate in competitions, to today’s Polo House Privé East Coast Open & Handicap Women’s Polo Championships showcasing female players at the top of the ‘Sport of Kings’.

Players seeking to connect with others to form a team are encouraged to post on the  tournaments ’ Facebook Group  page and contact  agnes@nptpolo.com  for  more information.