The much anticipated final of the US Open Polo Championship, the highlight of the polo calendar in the United Statees, is coming up. And this match includes an individual clash, which has been seen several times before, not only as contenders but also as winners. 10-goalers, Adolfo Cambiaso and Hilario Ulloa, the two flagship men within their respective organizations, will be crucial for Valiente and Park Place, next Sunday at the USPA-owned National Polo Center.
Adolfo Cambiaso, who has already lifted the US Open cup nine times, states that “Valiente is a big family. We have a great relationship with Bob, we’ve trusted in each other for a long time, since we met we did many things together and I think we have created a great working group, with amazing people like Robert Zedda, Agustín Nero, a lot of people around, vets. We have a big setup in Argentina, J5 with La Dolfina, we are partners. Fortunately, Bob came back and here we are”.
Meanwhile, Hilario Ulloa, who will aim to win this tournament for the fourth time in his career, said: “It’s a great achievement for Park Place to be in the final, it is a great organization; we’ve been fighting for 3 or 4 years to be in the top of the American season. We’ve won a couple of CV Whitney, we’ve lost some finals of the Gold Cup and the US Open, and we are really looking forward to a US Open win”
There are three moments that are definetly worth to remember between the two competitors in their career in the US Open. The first, in 2010, when a Crab Orchard lineup, led by Adolfo Cambiaso, claimed the title, after a win over AUDI. This is followed by by a season to remember, in 2018, when Adolfo Cambiaso and Facundo Pieres joined forces in Valiente to play together for the first time ever, until they lost the US Open final to a very tough rival, Daily Racing Form, with a remarkable Hilario, who ruined a perfect season for Valiente.
And last but not least, in 2021; Scone made their debut in The Gauntlet of Polo, with Adolfo Cambiaso as well as his current team mate in Valiente, Peke Gonzalez. Back then, Scone defeated Park Place, who reached their first final of the US Open, with a lineup that included Hilario Ulloa, Juan Britos and Andrey Borodin.
“I think we were lucky that our system worked out really well, we are very well mounted. Lucas Criado and Peke González did a great job mounting themselves, so congratulations to them and their fathers. It’s incredible to play the US Open final again and have the opportunity to play the most important polo match in the United States. I am very happy to be where we are”, says the man who wants to secure a third US Open title for Valiente.
Hilario Ulloa highlights: This organization deserves to win the US Open it’s really a good year, the team is playing really well, we are doing well in terms of horses, Juano (Britos) is playing amazing, this is probably his best season in the last 3 or 4 years here; Jason (Wates) has been really solid, we know what each other has to do, and Andrey is helping us scoring some goals in every game”.
“It will be a very tough final, they are one of the best teams of the season; they won the CV Whitney Cup, they were close in the Gold Cup. They have Cambiaso, Peke González and Lukitas (Criado) who won everything both in 16-goal and 22-goal tournaments. But I think that Park Place has its own to present battle”, concluded the Park Place’s player.
Valiente and Park Place will go head-to-head to claim the US Open Polo Championship on Sunday, at 2pm, Wellington Local time, at the National Polo Center. The match will be streamed by USPA Network.