Record Number of International Polo Teams Triples Field from 2018 Season To Vie for Million Dollar Prize
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., December 12, 2018 (Newswire.com) - As anticipation builds leading to the launch of the inaugural GAUNTLET OF POLO™ series, the United States Polo Association (USPA), USPA Global Licensing (USPAGL) and International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC) are thrilled to announce a record number of 16 teams are slated to contend for the title of GAUNTLET Champion. A pivotal moment in the history of competitive polo, this challenge has more than tripled the number of teams from across the nation and internationally for a chance at glory and the unparalleled $1M stakes. The action-packed GAUNTLET series will be hosted on the storied fields of Wellington’s IPC, the new Home of U.S. Polo Assn., the official licensed brand for the USPA.
USPA CEO Robert Puetz commented on the impressive rosters boasting top players from as far away as New Zealand, Russia, Nigeria, England, Central and South America, as well as the United States. “With this year’s lineup of a record 16 teams playing in all three tournaments, each team has the makeup of talent and experience for being the first GAUNTLET Champion. It will be exciting to watch the series unfold and find out who has the horses and determination to pull it off.”
USPA CEO Robert Puetz commented on the impressive rosters boasting top players from as far away as New Zealand, Russia, Nigeria, England, Central and South America, as well as the United States. With this year's lineup of a record 16 teams playing in all three tournaments, each team has the makeup of talent and experience for being the first GAUNTLET Champion. It will be exciting to watch the series unfold and find out who has the horses and determination to pull it off.
Bob Puetz, CEO United States Polo Association
The 2019 tournament series will kick off Feb. 13-24, 2019 with the C.V. Whitney Cup, continue with the USPA Gold Cup® from Feb. 24-March 24, 2019, and conclude with the prestigious U.S. Open Polo Championship® from March 27-April 21, 2019. Every 3 p.m. ET Sunday match will take place on the U.S. Polo Assn. field at IPC, one of the largest polo clubs in the world. The prize format will guarantee $125,000 to each of the winning teams of the C.V. Whitney Cup and the USPA Gold Cup®, and a $250,000 prize for the winner of the U.S. Open Polo Championship®. Additionally, any team who wins all three tournaments consecutively will be awarded a $500,000 bonus, for a total of $1M in prize money and recognition as the very first GAUNTLET Champion.
“Sixteen teams is a very important number,” said 9-goaler Nico Pieres. “It’s been a while since there have been sixteen teams anywhere in the world, so it’s going to be a special season. I’m thrilled to be playing, and I hope this is the beginning of many good years for polo in the United States.”
Tickets for all series matches are now available (available for purchase at www.internationalpoloclub.com), and the stage has been set for these preeminent teams and their equine partners to descend upon Wellington, Florida in February 2019 and begin the three months of rigorous competition in pursuit of the sport’s ultimate prize. The teams vying for the inaugural GAUNTLET OF POLO series championship are:
Brookshire Polo Team (22): Scott Wood (A), Lucas James (7), Pablo “Polito” Pieres (10), Pedro Falabella (5).
Cessna Polo Team (21): Chip Campbell (2), Ezequiel “Gallego” Martinez Ferrario (7), Felipe Marquez (6), Felipe Viana (6).
Coca-Cola (22): Gillian Johnston (2), Wesley Finlayson (4), Julian de Lusarreta (8), Ignacio “Nacho” Novillo Astrada (8).
Daily Racing Form (22): Jared Zenni (6), Geronimo Obregon (4), Santiago Cernadas (6), Agustin Obregon (6).
Equuleus (22): Joe DiMenna (A), Iñaki Laprida (7), Magoo Laprida (8), Mariano Gonzalez (7).
Iconica (22): Maureen Brennan (1), Peke Gonzalez (5), Sebastian Merlos (9), Matias Magrini (7).
La Indiana (22): Michael Bickford (2), Facundo Obregon (6), Jeff Hall (7), Tomas Garcia del Rio (7).
Las Monjitas (22): Camilo Bautista (A), Hilario Ulloa (10), Francisco Elizalde (8), Matthew Coppola (4).
Park Place (22): Andrey Borodin (A), Juan Britos (8), Nico Pieres (9), Tommy Collingwood (5).
Pilot (22): Facundo Pieres (10), Gonzalito Pieres (9), Matias Gonzalez (3), Curtis Pilot (A)
Postage Stamp Farm (22): Annabelle Gundlach (A), Valerio “Lerin” Zubiaurre (8), Mariano Aguerre (8), Joaquin Panelo (6).
Santa Clara (22): Nico Escobar (3), Mariano Obregon Jr. (6), Ignacio “Cubi” Toccalino (8), Luis Escobar (5).
SD Farms (22): Sayyu Dantata (2), Peco Polledo (6), Juan “Tito” Ruiz Guiñazu (8), Jesse Bray (6).
Stable Door Polo (21): Henry Porter (3), Santino Magrini (4), Victorino Ruiz (6), Santiago Toccalino (8).
Tonkawa (22): Jeff Hildebrand (A), Agustin “Tincho” Merlos (8), Guillermo “Sapo” Caset (10), Sterling Giannico (4).
Team Name TBD (21): Will Johnston (2), Jason Crowder (6), Miguel Novillo Astrada (9), Stevie Orthwein (4).
Games for all three tournaments will be livestreamed on the USPA Polo Network. For more information on the GAUNTLET OF POLO, please visit uspolo.org/gauntletofpolo. Tickets for all GAUNTLET OF POLO games on the U.S. Polo Assn. Field are available for purchase at www.internationalpoloclub.com.
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About the United States Polo Association®
The U.S. Polo Association was organized and exists for the purposes of promoting the game of polo, coordinating the activities of its Member Clubs and Registered Players, arranging and supervising polo tournaments, competitions and games, and providing rules, handicaps, and conditions for those tournaments, competitions, and games including the safety and welfare of participants and mounts. Founded in 1890, the United States Polo Association (USPA) is the national governing body for the sport of polo. USPA is currently comprised of almost 300 member clubs with thousands of individual members, and oversees 40 national tournaments. For more information, please visit uspolo.org.
About U.S. Polo Assn. and USPA Global Licensing Inc.
U.S. Polo Assn. is the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), the nonprofit governing body for the sport of polo in the United States founded in 1890, making it one of the oldest sports governing bodies. With a global footprint of $1.6B and worldwide distribution through 1,055 U.S. Polo Assn. stores, department stores, independent retailers and ecommerce, U.S. Polo Assn. offers apparel for men, women and children, as well as accessories, footwear, travel and home goods in 166 countries worldwide. USPA is one of the major sponsors of the GAUNTLET OF POLO. USPA Global Licensing Inc. (USPAGL) is the for-profit subsidiary of the USPA and the exclusive worldwide licensor for the USPA’s global licensing program. USPAGL is the steward of the USPA’s intellectual properties, providing the sport with a long-term source of revenue. Additionally, USPAGL also produces global broadcasts to bring the sport of polo to millions of consumers and sports fans around the world.
About the International Polo Club Palm Beach
The International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC) is the premier polo destination in the world, hosting the largest field of high-goal teams and the most prestigious polo tournaments in the United States. Polo enthusiasts descend upon Wellington, FL each winter season to enjoy their love of the sport at the most prominent polo facility in the country. The 2019 Palm Beach Polo Season opens Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018 and concludes 17 weeks later with the U.S. Open Polo Championship® Final on April 21, 2019. Polo matches are open to the public, with a wide range of hospitality and guest seating that includes elegant grandstand viewing, field tailgating, stadium seating, field-side champagne brunch at The Pavilion, and exclusive sponsor boxes. See more at www.internationalpoloclub.com.
MEDIA CONTACTS
USPA Global Licensing:
Shannon Stilson, Senior Director of Marketing
561-227-6994
United States Polo Association:
Matt Baran, Director of Communications
561-373-4954
International Polo Club Palm Beach:
Carly Weilminster, Assistant Director of Marketing & Public Relations
828-863-1144
cweilminster@equestriansport.com
Visit the website at www.uspolo.org
#GAUNTLETOFPOLO
#USPA
@USPOLOASSN
#LIVEAUTHENTICALLY
Source: USPA Global Licensing Inc
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