WELLINGTON, Fla., April 4, 2024----Four teams will compete in the USPA Regional President's Cup which gets underway Thursday at Grand Champions Polo Club.
By Sharon Robb
Audi will open with Grand Champions Polo Club at 5 p.m. at GCPC's Field 4.
Games continue on Friday and Monday with the final on Tuesday to determine which team wins the USPA Regional President's Cup and advances into the single-elimination national tournament hosted by the National Polo Center.
Team rosters are:
BRACKET ONE:
Pony Express (8) Grant Ganzi, 3, Santos Bollini, 2, Benji Daniels, 1, Justin Daniels, 2.
Audi (8) Marc Ganzi, 1, Martin Jauregui, 6, Milo MacDonough, 0, Dig Singh, 1.
BRACKET TWO:
Grand Champions (7) Shannon Hildebrand, -1, Ava Rose Hinkson, 0, Trevor Niznik, 3, Jason Crowder, 5.
Rafool Polo (7) Ray Rafool -1, Martin Valent, 3, Juan Bollini, 3, Tito Gaudenzi, 2.
Play continues on Friday at 1 p.m. with Pony Express playing Rafool Polo. On Monday, Pony Express plays Grand Champions at 3 p.m. followed by Audi against Rafool Polo at 5 p.m. The final for the Regional title is Tuesday at 3 p.m.
Established in 1998, the Regional President’s Cup was reformatted in anticipation of the 2024 National President's Cup.
The Regional President’s Cup tournaments held nationwide now serve as qualifying tournaments for the National President’s Cup, bringing teams together representing clubs from around the country for the opportunity to compete at the National Polo Center.
The new format encourages participation at the 4- to 8-goal level and restores the relationship between the two trophies. The National President's Cup will be hosted by NPC with the final slated for Sunday, April 21, on Field 2.
Teams qualify to enter the National President’s Cup by winning a Regional President’s Cup. Any USPA Member Club can apply to host a Regional President’s Cup, however qualifying events will be awarded to only one Member Club in every circuit.
The Florida Circuit, host of the National President’s Cup, is the only exception, with four Regional President’s Cup events awarded to host clubs International Polo School (Loxahatchee), Port Mayaca Polo Club (Okeechobee), Grand Champions Polo Club (Wellington) and The Villages Polo Club (The Villages).
Winners of the Florida Circuit (ConcordEquityGroup.com) qualifying events will join Royal Bank Canada (Eastern Circuit), Riverview (Midstates Circuit), Amaro (Northeastern Circuit) and TR Turtles (Southwestern Circuit) for National President’s Cup contention.
In 2023, Iconica (Florencio Lanusse, Maureen Brennan, Francisco Lanusse, Mariano Gonzalez) defeated D'Ambrose MD (Mike D'Ambrose, Tommy Huber Jr., Nick Johnson, Harrison Azzaro), 10-6. Trailing by one at halftime, Iconica's leading scorer Gonzalez rallied the team, combining with Lanusse for six goals to win.
The Regional President's Cup hosted by Port Mayaca Polo Club serves as the second Florida Circuit Regional President’s Cup qualifier. Port Mayaca Polo (1-2) will play South of 40 (3-0) on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Port Mayaca to earn a spot in the National President’s Cup. Riverview, winner of the Midstates Circuit, has already qualified for the final event. Fross & Fross (2-0) and D'Ambrose MD (2-0) play Friday at 10:30 a.m. at The Villages.
Comments