While we wait for the much anticipated final of the CV Whitney Cup, to be played between Valiente and Pilot on Sunday, February 26, the teams and fixture for the USPA Gold Cup, second leg of the prestigious The Gauntlet of Polo, have been announced. The tournament will run through March 2-26, and see thirteen teams, up to 22 goals, compete. Teams will be split into five brackets. A new team, a second Shack Attack lineup, will join the twelve that played the CV Whitney Cup.
In addition, prior to the semifinals on Wednesday, March 22, the final of the US Open Women’s Polo will be played on Sunday, March 19.
The tournament format is the following:
*Brackets I, II and III will play within their brackets.
*Bracket IV and V will play cross bracket.
*Playoff matches to determine the quarterfinalists will begin on March 11.
*Teams that play their last bracket game on March 9 will not play any playoff game before March 12.
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.
Pilot are the current reigning champions; in 2022, they narrowly beat Park Place 11-10 in extra chukka, with a golden goal produced by Facundo Pieres, which marked Curtis Pilot’s lineup first title in three years.
USPA GOLD CUP – TEAMS
- Bracket I
Aspen: Stewart Armstrong 2, Nico Saenz 5, Rufino Bensadon 8, Pancho Bensadon 7. Total: 22.
Dazos: David Farache 0, Dylan Rossiter 6, Nico Pieres 9, Santi Torres 6. Total: 21.
Pilot: Curtis Pilot 0, Matias Gonzalez 4, Facundo Pieres 10, Matias Torres Zavaleta 8. Total: 22.
- Bracket II
La Fe: Louis Devaleix 1, Lucas Diaz Alberdi 6, Francisco Elizalde 9, Robi Bilbao 6. Total: 22.
Park Place: Andrey Borodin 0, Juan Britos 9, Hilario Ulloa 10, Jason Wates, 3. Total: 22.
Shack Attack 2: Matias Magrini 7, Facha Valent 3, Kris Kampsen 6, TBA. Total: 22.
- Bracket III
Dutta Corp/Show +: Timmy Dutta 4, Joaquin Avendaño 4, Tomas Garcia del Rio 8, Nino Obregon 6. Total: 22.
La Elina: Jared Zenni 6, Jeff Hall 6, Matt Coppola 5, Nico Escobar 5. Total: 22.
Valiente: Bob Jornayvaz 0, Peke Gonzalez 6, Lucas Criado Jr. 6, Adolfo Cambiaso 10. Total: 22.
- Bracket IV
Scone: David Paradice 0, Poroto Cambiaso 9, Pelon Stirling 9, Cody Ellis 4. Total: 22.
Two Trees by Jefferies: Will Johnston 1, Juan Sanchez Elia 5, Mariano Aguerre 7, Miguel Novillo Astrada 8. Total: 21.
- Bracket V
Shack Attack: Santino Magrini 4, Keko Magrini 5, Santi Toccolino 8, Nachi Viana 5. Total: 22.
Tamera: Alejandro Poma 1, Segundo Saravi 5, Diego Cavanagh 9, Pedrinho Zacharias 7. Total: 2
USPA GOLD CUP – FIXTURE
Thursday, March 2
10am Shack Attack 2 vs. La Fe G 1*
3pm Aspen vs Dazos G 2
Friday, March 3
10am Two Trees by Jeffries vs. Shack Attack G 3
3pm La Elina vs. Dutta Corp/Show + G 4
Saturday, March 4
11am Scone vs. Tamera G 5
Sunday, March 5
10am Loser G 2 vs. Pilot G 6
3pm Loser G 1 vs. Park Place G 7
Monday, March 6
11am Loser G 4 vs. Valiente G 8
Tuesday, March 7
10am Loser G 3 vs. Winner G 5 G 9
3pm Loser G 5 vs. Winner G 3 G 10
Wednesday, March 8
11am Winner G 2 vs. Pilot G 11
Thursday, March 9
10am Winner G 4 vs. Valiente G 12
3pm Winner G 1 vs. Park Place G 13
Saturday, March 11
10am Playoff
3pm Playoff
Sunday, March 12
10am Playoff
3pm Playoff
Monday, March 13
11am Playoff
Friday, March 17
10am Quarterfinal
3pm Quarterfinal
Saturday, March 18
10am Quarterfinal
3pm Quarterfinal
Sunday, March 19
3pm Final US Open Women’s Polo Championship
Wednesday, March 22
10am Semifinal
3pm Semifinal
Sunday, March 26
3pm Final USPA Gold Cup
* G means Game
Cover photo, final USPA Gold Cup 2022, Pilot vs. Park Place, by Agustina Fonda.