The United States Polo Assn. released the teams participating in The Gauntlet of Polo 2024, the most important serie of tournaments organizaed by the Polo Assn. in the United States. The GOP gathers three tournaments: C.V. Whitney Cup, USPA Gold Cup and US Open. The matches will take place at the National Polo Center, Wellington.
Among the participating teams is Park Place, winner of the 2023 US Open, with Andrey Borodin and Hilario Ulloa. Valiente, winner of the latest C.V. Whitney, will also take part; and La Dolfina, who will play under this name for the first time in the United States. Both teams keep the 75% of last year`s lineups. Bob Jornayvaz and Adolfo Cambiaso will share team again with Peke Gonzalez; while La Dolfina keeps Scone`s players David Paradice, Poroto Cambiaso and Tomas Panelo, winners of the USPA Gold Cup in 2023.
Another of the favourites is Pilot. The US Open 2022 winner will gather again Curtis Pilot and Facundo Pieres, it should be recalled that this team holds the historic achievemet of being champion of the first Gauntlet of Polo in 2019. Santi Torres and Santos Merlos, Pieres` teammates in Sotogrande, complete the team.
Coca Cola will be another of the big stars of the season in Wellington, with Polito Pieres in its ranks, the team will try to kick the board. Louis Devaleix`s La Fe, one the fastest growing organizations within the US high goal in the last 4 years, will present a team composed by players that know each other and play together since a couple of years ago.
Timmy Dutta will try to keep on the winning path, the same that he had in the argentine spring season. And Tamera, semifinalist of the 2022 US Open, will try to get its best historic result, with the key contribution of Diego Cavanagh, Alejandro Poma`s team will have to be followed closely.
Last but not least is Clearwater: Chip Campbell and Jared Zenni met with experienced players as Gringo Colombres and future stars as Luquitas Criado. Clearwater is the only teams that will participate only in the USPA Gold Cup and US Open.
GAUNTLET OF POLO – TEAMS
COCA-COLA: Gillian Johnston 0, Polito Pieres 9, Julián de Lusarreta 7, Keko Magrini 6.
LA DOLFINA: David Paradice 0, Poroto Cambiaso 10, Tomás Panelo 9, Rufino Merlos 3.
LA FE: Louis Devaleix 1, Francisco Elzialde 9, Robi Bilbao 6, Lucas Díaz Alberdi 6.
PARK PLACE: Andrey Borodin 0, Hilario Ulloa 10, TBA, TBA.
PILOT: Curtis Pilot 0, Facundo Pieres 10, Santi Torres 6, Santos Merlos 6.
TAMERA: Alejandro Poma 1, Segundo Saraví 5, Diego Cavanagh 8, Matías Torres Zavaleta 8.
THE DUTTA CORP: Timmy Dutta 4, Joaquín Avendaño 4, Nino Obregon 6, Tomás García del Río 8.
VALIENTE: Bob Jornayvaz 0, Adolfo Cambiaso 10, Peke González 7, Paco de Narváez 5.
*CLEARWATER: Chip Campbell 1, Jared Zenni 6, Luquitas Criado 7, Gringo Colombres 8.
*Only USPA Gold Cup and US Open.
GAUNTLET OF POLO – CALENDAR:
- CV WHITNEY CUP: February 9 – 25
- USPA GOLD CUP: February 23 – March 24
- US OPEN POLO CHAMPIONSHIP: March 22 – April 21