The unbeaten Scone, Valiente and Park Place are through the quarter finals of the USPA Gold Cup, following the last qualifying round that took place through Wednesday March 8 and Thursday March 9, at the USPA-owned National Polo Center-Wellington, set in Wellington, Florida, prior to the playoffs that will determine the quarter final matchups of the second leg of the prestigious The Gauntlet of Polo. The USPA Gold Cup sees thirteen teams up to 22 goals, in participation.

On Wednesday March 8, and following a very close contest, reigning champions, Pilot, lost to Aspen 12-11. Thursday March 9 had a double header – Valiente had no trouble at all to defeat La Elina 16-11, while Park Place narrowly beat La Fe 11-10. The latter had Rufino Merlos subbing in for Louis Devaleix.

The USPA Gold Cup was established in 1974, and was played at Oak Brook Polo Club, in Oak Brooks, Illinois, before moving to Milwaukee Polo Club, in Hartland, Wisconsin through 1975-1978. In 1979, it landed in Florida. Like the CV Whitney Cup, the USPA Gold Cup will be entirely played at the at the brand new USPA-owned National Polo Center-Wellington, set in Wellington, Florida.

USPA GOLD CUP  

WEDNESDAY MARCH 8

ASPEN 12-11 PILOT

Aspen: Stewart Armstrong 2, Nico Saenz 5 (1 goal), Rufino Bensadon 8 (9), Pancho Bensadon 7 (2). Total: 22.

Pilot: Curtis Pilot 0, Matias Gonzalez 4 (2 goals), Facundo Pieres 10 (6), Matias Torres Zavaleta 8 (2). Total: 22.

Score Aspen: 2-2, 5-4, 7-7, 9-9, 10-10, 12 11.

Umpires: Kimo Huddleston & Steve Dalton.                            Third man: Héctor Galindo.

THURSDAY MARCH 9

VALIENTE 16-11 LA ELINA

Valiente: Bob Jornayvaz 0, Peke Gonzalez 6 (2 goals), Lucas Criado Jr. 6 (5), Adolfo Cambiaso 10 (9). Total: 22.

La Elina: Jared Zenni 6 (4 goals), Jeff Hall 6 (2), Matt Coppola 5 (3), Nico Escobar 5 (2). Total: 22.

Score Valiente: 5-0, 7-3, 10-5, 13-7, 14-9-16-11.

Umpires: Julian Appleby & Héctor Galindo.                              Third man:  Kimo Huddleston.

PARK PLACE 11-10 LA FE

Park Place: Andrey Borodin 0, Juan Britos 9 (3 goals), Hilario Ulloa 10 (7), Jason Wates, 3 (1). Total: 22.

La Fe: Louis Devaleix 1*, Lucas Diaz Alberdi 6 (2 goals), Francisco Elizalde 9 (7), Robi Bilbao 6 (1). Total: 22.

*Subbed in by Rufino Merlos.

Score Park Place: 0-2, 4-3, 5-3, 8-4, 9-7, 11-10.

Umpires: Jamie Mirikitani & Martín Pascual.                              Third man: : Gastón Lucero.

Action for the USPA Gold Cup will resume on Saturday March 11, Sunday March 12 and Monday March 13, with the playoffs:   

Saturday March 11:

10am: Pilot vs. Two Trees by Jefferies 

Sunday March 12:

12pm: Aspen vs. Shack Attack 2

3pm: Dazos vs. La Fe 

Monday March 13:

12pm: Dutta Corp Show+ vs. Shack Attack

3pm: La Elina vs. Tamera

The final of the USPA Gold Cup is set to be played on Sunday March 26.

USPA Gold Cup – Fixture & Teams

Cover photo by Agustina Fonda.