The CV Whitney Cup resumed on Wednesday February 15 and Thursday February 16. The CV Whitney Cup is the first stage of the prestrigious The Gauntlet of Polo, already in its fifth edition, that also marks the first time that the competition is held at the USPA-owned National Polo Center-Wellington, set in Wellington, Florida. The competition sees a total of twelve teams, in participation, split in four brackets.
The tournament’s format allows teams to play within their bracket.
*The top two from each bracket will meet in the first round
*The loser of the first game in each bracket will play the third team in the bracket
*The winner of the first game in each bracket will then play the third team.
After bracket play, the top team from each bracket will advance to the semifinals. In the event of a tie, the win/loss, net goals, gross goals format will be used. Semifinals pairings will be determined by a draw. Winners of the will advance to the final.
Originally known as the U.S. Handicap, the C.V. Whitney Cup was first competed for in 1979. Nine years later, in 1988, the tournament was renamed for C.V. (Cornelius Vanderbilt “Sonny”) Whitney, an avid polo player, three-time winner of the U.S. Open Polo Championship (1928,1937, 1938) and son of 10-goal Hall of Famer, Harry Payne Whitney. Serving as the first tournament of the three-part Gauntlet of Polo since 2019, the C.V. Whitney Cup sees twelve teams up to 22 goals, compete, all of which will pursue the USPA Gold Cup and U.S. Open Polo Championship, following the starting leg of the series.
CV Whitney Cup, latest results
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 15
SCONE 17-7 DAZOS
Scone: Cody Ellis 4 (4 goals), David Stirling 9 (5 goals), David Paradice (0)*, Poroto Cambiaso 9 (7). Total: 22.
Dazos: David Farache 0, Dylan Rossiter 6 (1 gol), Nicolas Pieres 9 (6 goles), Santi Torres 6. Total: 21.
*Subbed in by Cable Magness (1 goal).
Score Scone: (0-1) 3-2, 4-4, 8-6, 10-8, 12-7, 17-7.
Umpires: Kimo Huddleston & Ronnie Hayes. Third man: Steve Dalton.
PARK PLACE 12-11 DUTTA CORP SHOW +
Park Place: Hilario Ulloa 10 (10 goals), Juan Britos 9 (1), Andrey Borodin 0 (1), Jason Wates 3. Total: 22.
Dutta Corp/Show+: Joaquin Avendaño 4 (1 goal), Mariano Obregon 6, Timmy Dutta 4 (3), Tomas Garcia del Rio 8 (7). Total: 22.
Score Park Place: 3-0, 4-4, 6-8, 10-8, 11-0, 12-11.
Umpires: Gastón Lucero & Martín Pascual. ÁThird man: Kimo Huddleston.
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 16
LA ELINA 15-12 ASPEN
La Elina: Jared Zenni 6 (6 goals), Jeff Hall 6 (3), Matt Coppola 5 (3), Nico Escobar 5 (3). Total: 22.
Aspen: Francisco Bensadon 7 (1 goal), Nicolás Saenz 5, Rufino Bensadon 8 (10), Stewart Armstrong 2 (1). Total: 22.
Score La Elina: 1-3, 3-5, 6-9, 13-11, 15-12.
Umpires: Kimo Huddleston & Jamie Mirikitani. Third man: Steve Dalton.
LA FE 14-10 TWO TREES POLO
La Fe: Francisco Elizalde 9 (9 goals), Louis Devaleix 1 (1), Lucas Diaz Alberdi 6 (1), Robi Bilbao 6 (2). Total: 22.
Two Trees Polo: Juan Sanchez Elia 5 (1 goal), Mariano Aguerre 7 (1), Miguel Novillo Astrada 8 (8), Will Johnston (1). Total: 21.
Score La Fe: 2-3, 3-5, 7-6, 8-8, 2-12, 12-10.
Umpires: Gastón Lucero & Héctor Galindo. Third man: Kimo Huddleston.
The final of the CV Whitney Cup is due on Sunday, February 26.
The CV Whitney Cup will continue on the weekend, through Saturday February 18 and Sunday February 19, prior to the semifinals, due on Wednesday February 22:
Saturday February 22
11am: Pilot vs. Dazos
3pm: Tamera vs. Park Place
Sunday February 19
11am: Shack Attack vs. La Fe
3pm: Valiente vs. Aspen
THE GAUNTLET OF POLO – TEAMS
- Bracket 1
Scone (22): Cody Ellis (4), David Stirling (9), David Paradice (0), Poroto Cambiaso (9).
Pilot (22): Curtis Pilot (0), Facundo Pieres (10), Matias Gonzalez (4), Matias Torres Zavaleta (8).
Dazos (21): David Farache (0), Dylan Rossiter (6), Nicolas Pieres (9), Santi Torres (6).
- Bracket 2
La Elina (22): Jared Zenni (6), Jeff Hall (6), Matt Coppola (5), Nico Escobar (5).
Valiente (22): Adolfo Cambiaso (10), Bob Jornayvaz (0), Lucas Criado Jr. (6), Peke Gonzalez (6).
Aspen (22): Francisco Bensadon (7), Nicolás Saenz (5), Rufino Bensadon (8), Stewart Armstrong (2).
- Bracket 3
Two Trees Polo (21): Juan Sanchez Elia (5), Mariano Aguerre (7), Miguel Novillo Astrada (8), Will Johnston (1).
Shack Attack (22): Kristos Magrini (5), Santiago Toccalino (8), Santino Magrini (4), Ignacio Viana (5).
La Fe (22): Francisco Elizalde (9), Louis Devaleix (1), Lucas Diaz Alberdi (6), Robi Bilbao (6).
- Bracket 4
Dutta Corp/Show+ (22): Joaquin Avendaño (4), Mariano Obregon (6), Timmy Dutta (4), Tomas Garcia del Rio (8).
Tamera (22): Alejandro Poma (1), Diego Cavanagh (9), Pedrinho Zacharias (7), Segundo Saravi (5).
Park Place (22): Hilario Ulloa (10), Juan Britos (9), Andrey Borodin (0), Jason Wates (3).
CV WHITNEY CUP: Fixture & Teams
Cover photo by Agustina Fonda.