Polo News: USPA International Cup

Grand Champions Polo Club is getting the high-goal polo started early with the United States Polo Association’s International Cup Tournament on Saturday, November 29. Pitting teams from Mexico, the United States and the USPA in a round-robin tournament, North American bragging rights are on the line for the pre-season exhibition game for the Grand Champions Polo Club winter/spring polo season. Prior to the USPA International Cup, a friendly polo match dedicated to the late polo legend Carlos Gracida will take place at 1 p.m. following the opening ceremonies.

   The inaugural Carlos Gracida Memorial Legends of Polo match (formally called the Legends of Polo) will field an internationally acclaimed legends of the game, all friends of the late polo phenom, to play in the honor of this true polo ambassador, and will be played every year as a primer for Grand Champions’ winter/spring medium-goal seasons in the years to come. One of the most accomplished and admired polo players in the history of the game (Carlos Gracida pictured left), and part of the legendary Mexican polo family that dominated the sport for decades, the Carlos Gracida Memorial is an apt opener for the USPA International Cup, which consequently will field Carlos’ son Mariano and nephew Julio for the Mexican team.

   The USPA International Cup will take the pitch at 3 p.m., with Mexico, USA and Team USPA fielding a round-robin style tournament, for a high-speed, intense event. The polo sharps have their eyes on the young guns of Team USPA, who are coming off a narrow one-goal loss in last week’s USPA National 20-Goal tournament.

   The polo fun begins at 12:30 p.m. at Grand Champions Polo Club. General admission costs $30, while VIP Pavilion tickets cost $200 per person. Admission for tailgate seats costs $300, which includes reserved tailgate spot, tent and four chairs—the perfect field side seat.

• For more information, visit grandchampionspoloclub.org.
• Purchase tickets at TicketLeap.com
• All proceeds from the afternoon of polo will benefit the National Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame.

Official Rosters for The USPA International Cup include:

Mexico

• Alejando Gonzalez (2)
• Julio Gracida (4)
• Roberto Gonzalez (5)
• Mariano Gracida (3)

Team USPA

• Patrick Uretz (3)
• Jared Sheldon (3)
• Jesse Bray (4)
• Filipe Viana (4)
• Mason Wroe (4)

USA

• Marc Ganzi (1)
• Carlitos Gracida (3)
• Nic Roldan (8)
• Wes Finlayson (2)