Issuu

POLO

AUTUMN 2026

FELICIDADES

( a h — m a h — S AY )

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CONTENTS

0 7 _P O N Y L I N E S Polo news from around the world

O N T H E C O V E R : B E L T R Á N L A U L H É A N D C R U Z H E G U Y A T T H E G O L D C U P. P H O T O C R E D I T : ABI HANCOCK/THE ART OF POLO. THIS PAGE: ABI HANCOCK/THE ART OF POLO

1 2 _ C LU B S F I R ST The USPA has a vision for stronger clubs and better player pathways 1 6 _ P O LO W I T H A P U R P O S E The Denver Polo Classic has become such a powerful annual fundraiser for children in Colorado 2 0 _N E W B E G I N N I N G S Parker Pearce is the new head polo coach at Virginia Polo 2 4 _R E M E M B E R I N G A N I C O N Owen Rinehart pays tribute to Adolphus Busch 2 6 _ N AT U R A L TA L E N T Mother and son Jo and Leo Stuart talk the family’s love for polo 3 0 _G A M E C H A N G E R The evolution of the pioneering polo media platform PoloLine

36_ H I G H R I S K , H I G H R E WA R D Icon Global founder Bernard Uechtritz on his journey into the world of polo 42_ L AY I N G T H E G R O U N D W O R K Curtis Pilot explains the formula for a successful team 48_ B U I L D I N G A D R E A M Tim Gannon reflects on his business triumphs and five US Open wins 53_ ACT I O N Coronation Cup, Queen’s Cup, Gold Cup, Pacific Coast Open, Sotogrande Gold Cup and the French Open 66_ W I N N I N G ST R E A K Patron of Panache 1993, Wilfrid Koulitchenko, looks back on the team’s enduring success

Above: Pony Club members Florence Ashby (left) and Cruz Otamendi (right) before the start of the Coronation Cup

HURLINGHAM MAGAZINE Publisher Roderick Vere Nicoll Executive Editor Peter Howarth Editor Jemima Wilson Designer Silvia Starace Chief Copy Editor Holly Quayle Copy Editors Polly Rappaport, Mikey Fullalove, Jayne Nelson Contributing Photographer Tony Ramirez SHOW MEDIA Editorial Managing Director Peter Howarth 1-2 Ravey Street, London EC2A 4QP + 44 (0) 20 3222 0101 info@show.london show.london HURLINGHAM MEDIA Sales +44 (0) 771 483 6102 magazine@hurlinghampolo. com; hurlinghampolo.com Printing Pureprint Group; pureprint.com

If you would like to unsubscribe or change your postal address, please send an email with your old and new address to magazine@hurlinghampolo.com. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, no responsibility can be accepted for any errors or omissions. All the information contained in this publication is correct at the time of going to press. The HURLINGHAM Polo magazine (ISSN 1750-0486) is published by Hurlingham Media. The magazine is designed and produced on behalf of Hurlingham Media by Show Media Ltd. The products and services advertised are not necessarily endorsed by or connected with the publisher. The editorial opinions expressed in this publication are those of individual authors and not necessarily those of the publisher. Hurlingham magazine welcomes feedback from readers: magazine@hurlinghampolo.com. Hurlingham is compliant with GDPR regulations.

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FOREWORD The summer of polo has been another good one. What was interesting is that no team or player dominated. You will see in the Action, that all the tournaments were won by different combinations. On the cover, we have Beltrán Laulhé and Cruz Heguy who had just upset La Hechicera in the semi-finals of the Gold Cup. Playing for Gaston, the pair went on to win the British Open against Dubai. In Ponylines, we have words from Beltrán, Cruz and patron Jean-Paul Luksic. In Opinion, Bob McMurtry, COO of the United States Polo Association, outlines the USPA’s vision for stronger clubs. Polo is full of interesting people. In Features, Bernard Uechtritz explains how he got into polo after arriving in the USA from Papua New Guinea and built a

significant property company. After a phenomenal 2026 high-goal season in Wellington, Curtis Pilot reveals his belief that the formula for a successful team is everything that happens before you come to the field. We also would like to remember Adolphus Busch and Harry Revell. Former teammate Owen Rinehart pays tribute to Adolphus and how much he did for American Pros. James Beim writes about Harry Revell as a good friend, avid lover of the game and an exceptional horseman. Winning a polo tournament is not easy, read in Archive how in 1993 Wilfrid Koulitchenko’s Panache won the major eight-goal trophies in England. There are more articles which I hope you will find interesting.

RODERICK VERE NICOLL PUBLISHER

JO STUART brings a lifetime in the saddle to her passion for polo. She was a keen eventer until discovering polo in 2009 after having had her two children, Lucinda and Leo. Jo played for several years at Cowdray Park. She now lives in Surrey with her husband, dogs and horses.

NICHOLAS A BARRY, a graduate of the University of Virginia, lives in West Palm Beach, working in finance. He began playing polo at the Darlington and Ligonier polo clubs. He is co-chairman of the Harriman Cup, an alumni charity polo match between the University of Virginia and Yale University.

ABI HANCOCK grew up in polo, and the photographer is now passionate about creating images that reflect the passion, adrenaline and beauty of the sport. Based in Windsor, she is the official photographer for the HPA. She captured the cover shot for Hurlingham’s autumn 2026 issue.

BERNARD UECHTRITZ, founder of the Icon Global Group, has a 30-year track record of multi-market success in unique international property sales. Born in Papua New Guinea, he is an Australian citizen and at age 22 moved to the US, where he has become a leader in one-of-a-kind real-estate deals.

T H E A R T O F P O L O ; G U S TAV S C H M I E G E

CONTRIBUTORS

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PONYLINES

M A R G A R I TA C R O T T O

Cruz Heguy playing at Guards on the Princes’ Ground

I first played polo in La Pampa, in Chapaleufú, at the old Los Indios club, where all my family played. At first, I played with the twins Antonio and Silvestre, my cousins, at our farm in Intendente Alvear, with my dad [Eduardo “Ruso” Heguy] and my uncles Pepe and Nachi. I played everything with them: my first practises, stick-and-ball sessions and tournaments. That’s really where I grew up playing polo. I started doing polo as a profession fairly recently. I began playing professionally in 2021, my last year of school. That year I went to England to play high-goal and also played in Sotogrande. I went back to finish school that year. I didn’t really see myself as a professional, yet. In 2022 I started taking it more seriously, and in 2023 I finally understood this was what I was going to do every year. That’s when I started travelling more. What makes polo special to me is what you share with your family, your friends and your horses. I love being around horses, being outdoors and in nature. Sharing it with my dad makes it even more special. I don’t know if you can share any other sport with your family as much as you do in polo. The perfect polo day for me starts with beautiful, sunny weather – not too hot, not too cold. I wake up at 9 or 10am, and have breakfast and some mates with my family or my girlfriend. I study the opposition, write down my objectives and then drive to the club listening to good music. Ideally, I’d arrive at Palermo’s Field 1 two hours early, spend time with the grooms and horses. I’d play with Antonio and in a team where everything feels natural. The best feeling on the field is when you get comfortable, clear-headed and confident. When you get into that flow where you lose track of time and suddenly you’re playing the last two chukkas – and, obviously, you win. One of my dreams in my career was to win the Cowdray Gold Cup. It’s the trophy I like the most outside Argentina’s Triple

ONE TO WATCH CRUZ HEGUY Crown. It has an emotional meaning for me because I lived in Cowdray with my family for many years, and I’ve always thought it was a very special tournament: the people, the atmosphere, the grounds. It’s something different. And to have won it with Jean-Paul [Luksic], who is a family friend and someone I’ve known since I was very young, made it even more meaningful to me. Being named MVP is not something I set as a goal in any tournament, but it’s great and it gives you confidence. It’s

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a little reward for yourself and recognition for all the work you’ve put in. The match I remember the most is last year’s Palermo final. Playing with Antonio for Chapaleufú, with my family and friends in the stands, was very, very special. Outside polo, I love golf, tennis and I’ve started going to concerts. I’d also like to learn the guitar. I do almost everything with the goal of performing better on the field, so it’s good to have something that takes your mind somewhere else.

PONYLINES

THE WHITBREAD TROPHY

NEW

Young England played in a tough match against Young Argentina again for the International Day’s opening match at Guards Polo Club, and 2025 Gold Cup winner Paco de Narváez (8) led his Young Argentine side with maturity to take a 9-3 win over Young England on the Princes’ Ground.

The first half was a close contest, but the visiting side, completed by Cata Lavinia (2), Miki Novillo Astrada (4) and Floro Lanusse (2) drew away in the second half to take the win. Young England captain Will Harper (5) was joined by Luke Wiles (4), Zac Beim (4) and first-timer Segundo Darritchon (4), under coach Glen Gilmore.

DEAUVILLE POLO CUP

THE ART OF POLO; PIERRE-HENRI FLAMENT

With an eighth Gold Cup and a new Deauville record, Talandracas left its mark on the 2026 season and achieved a new record at the 2026 Barrière Deauville Polo Cup. Before this historic conclusion, three weeks of polo brought the Deauville grounds to life. The Ladies Polo Cup opened the festivities, followed by the Silver Cup, won by Talandracas, and the Bronze Cup, claimed by La Esperanza. Already crowned Silver Cup champions, Talandracas continued their remarkable summer all the way to the most coveted title: the Gold Cup. Facing Barrière Polo Team in the final, they secured another victory and completed an exceptional Silver-Gold double. Lucas Criado was also named Most Valuable Player of the final. deauvillepoloclub.com

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HOOKED ON POLO JEAN-PAUL LUKSIC

MARK BEAUMONT; THE ART OF POLO

Jean-Paul Luksic’s polo journey began in Chile in his 20s, and his Gaston polo team won the Cowdray Gold Cup this summer I started playing polo in my early 20s. I was living in England but during holidays back in Chile I started riding my brother’s horses. Polo has been a wonderful complement and balance to my working life. It has allowed me to spend time with my family by sharing a team with my sons and watching games with my wife and daughter. I enjoy life outdoors around horses, it is fascinating to see how passionate one gets about them. If there is a perfect polo game, what we experienced in the semi-final and final of the Gold Cup must come close to it – an incredibly high level of focus. Winning the Gold Cup is my most memorable match. The setting at Cowdray is magical and the crowd supporting us was a fabulous experience. We had a difficult campaign – our best player had an accident early in the season that didn’t allow him to play the tournaments. And yet, we managed to get to the final and win it. The game itself was incredibly close until the very last bell. In Chile I play 16-goal polo during the season but also the 22-goal in December. I’ve been playing in the UK for 12 years, but for the past three I’ve played high-goal polo there. Opposite, top: from left: Cata Lavinia, Luke Wiles and Miki Novillo Astrada. Opposite, bottom: from left: Santiago Gaztambide, Edouard Carmignac, Lucas Criado Jr and Juan Martin Zubia

JOHOR SUPER CROWN POLO TOURNAMENT 2026 Following an exciting competition featuring five invitation-only teams and 190 horses, the final of the 22-goal Johor Super Crown Polo Tournament (JSCPT) 2026 took place at the Royal Polo Grounds, Istana Pasir Pelangi. The event marks the largest and highest handicap polo tournament ever hosted in Malaysia. The concluding day saw Royal Johor emerge as the inaugural champions, defeating Temasek 10-7. The victory was spearheaded by His Royal Highness Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, the Regent of Johor, who scored six goals in the sixth chukka and received the MVP award. Pablo “Polito” Pieres also contributed to the win with a hat-trick of goals. royaljohorpoloclub.com

Above: at the start of the final with Johor in the background. Below: the England team, from left: Hazel Jackson, Ed Banner-Eve and Max Charlton

09 59

CHESTERTONS POLO IN THE PARK The world’s biggest three-day polo event and party returned to Hurlingham Park in London for its 2026 edition, running from Friday 5 to Sunday 7 June. Six world-class teams went head-to-head in the fast-paced City Polo format, with England narrowly beating South Africa in a fierce clash for the historic Olympic Trophy. The final for the Chestertons Polo in the Park trophy saw family-run Icon Global/AMASE Team Texas go up against Red Sea Global Team Riyadh in another very close game, with Riyadh emerging victorious. Off the pitch, Chestertons Polo in the Park was every bit the ultimate summer social, and returns to Hurlingham Park from Friday 4 to Sunday 6 June, 2027. polointheparklondon.com

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PONYLINES

CHUKKAS The XIII FIP World Polo Championships was scheduled to be played in Dubai in late 2026. Due to the conflict in the region, the tournament will now be played in Punta del Este, Uruguay in February 2027. In May 2026, the USA won Zone A, beating Mexico and Guatemala. In September, Switzerland won Zone C in Chantilly, overcoming England, France and Italy. In October, Chile will host Brazil and Argentina to decide Zone B. The Zone E playoffs will be played in November at the Abuja Polo Club in Nigeria with India, Pakistan, Iran and Nigeria playing.

SADDLE UP WITH… B E LT R Á N L A U L H É COUNTRY: ARGENTINA HANDICAP: 8 AGE: 19

56-year-old Lolo Castagnola (four goals) was asked to play the Jockey Club Open by his two sons Barto and Jeta and his nephew Poroto – the best three players in the world. Lola had not played at that level since 2013.

The Scottsdale Polo Championships, celebrating its 15th year, takes place on 7 November. A unique polo experience with more than 10,000 fans plus fashion shows, luxury and sports-car displays, live music, a sports bar, live DJs, a sunset after-party, in addition to three polo matches. thepoloparty.com

Above: Beltrán in front of Ned Hine in the semi-finals of the Gold Cup

When did you start to play polo? I have been playing polo for as long as I can remember. I started in Intendente Alvear in La Pampa and then in La Dolfinita, at Mariá Chavanne’s polo school. What makes polo special for you? Polo is special for me because of the horses – I love being around them. Who do you respect most in polo? This is a difficult one, but if I have to respect one person on the field, I respect the umpires. They have

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a tough job and should be treated with respect. What are you doing for the Argentine season? I’m playing the qualification for the Argentine Open with La Zeta Kazak. The team is myself, Nico Pieres, Lorenzo Chavanne and Sapo Caset. What is your most memorable polo game? Winning the Gold Cup at Cowdray with Gaston this year has been my most memorable game so far. It was an amazing experience.

MARK BEAUMONT

Luisa Miguens, the wife of the late Argentine 10-goal polo player Gonzalo Tanoira and grandmother to rising stars Lorenzo and Pedro Chavanne has published for a second time Passion & Glory – a visual and historical look at 100 years of Argentine polo, capturing life both on and off the field.

C O S TA C A R E Y E S Costa Careyes Polo Club is pleased to announce the appointment of Nacho Tejerina as the manager of the beautiful club on the Costalegre, on the Pacific coast of Mexico. The 2026/2027 season will run from November to late April, with weekly practises, clinics and tournaments including Copa New Year Careyes, women Giuliana Cup, Copa Careyes/Agua and Copa de Oro and kids’ polo in the Easter week. For the calendar, visit careyes.com/polo-calendar; for polo info, +54 935 86009512; for accommodation, +52 315 1000757 or email reservation@careyes.com

GIORGIO BRIGNONE; MARK BEAUMONT; PAUL R GROVE

REMEMBERING HARRY REVELL Anyone who had the pleasure of meeting Harry Revell will testify to what a beautiful human he was. A true gentleman with a twinkle in his eye and a cheeky smile. I had the honour to call him a friend. I could rely on him for help and support whenever I asked. A true horseman and an avid lover of polo, he contributed so much to the sport. He saw the good in every horse he rode, and every human. He had the patience of a saint, and the perfect personality to nurture young horses. Harry was the life and soul of every party, he was the last one to leave and the first to get to work the next day. Always reliable. Always amusing. Always happy. He will be sorely missed by all who had the good fortune to have spent time with him around the world. By James Beim

LOVE OF MY LIFE B Y B A R T O C A S TA G N O L A

P O N Y ’ S N A M E : A L B E R TA YA R A R Á SEX: MARE ORIGIN: ARGENTINA Alberta Yarará is a black mare who was originally called Alberta Yara. Dato Beh bought her at the Alegría Polo Horse auction in 2016, and later the Garrahan family asked to own her. She’s a very complete mare. She’s got everything you want in a polo pony, but what makes her special is her heart. She never gives up on you – she’s the kind of horse that never lets you down. When the Garrahans first brought her to be tried, I wasn’t convinced. But there was something about her that I liked, so I asked if I could keep her in the stable for a few days and get to know her better. That feeling proved to be right. About a week later, I decided to keep her, and since then she has gone on to become one of the most important horses in my string. She went to England and really exploded there. She has won the most BPPs in the UK this season – six in total – including the top prize at the Cowdray Gold Cup final.

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OPINION

Clubs first Bob McMurtry, chief operating officer and general counsel, United States Polo Association, outlines the USPA’s vision for stronger clubs and better player pathways I L L U S T R AT I O N : P E T E R J A M E S F I E L D

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U N I T E D S TAT E S P O L O A S S O C I AT I O N

The future of polo begins with clubs. Clubs are where a new player picks up a mallet, where horses and horsemanship are learned, where competition becomes community and where families decide that polo will become part of their lives. If clubs are healthy, players have a place to develop and the sport has a future. National programmes, tournaments and media platforms can support the sport, but they can’t replace strong clubs at its foundation. That conviction is the starting point for the United States Polo Association’s 2026-2032 vision. Clubs First is more than a statement of priority. It is a practical test for decisions: will this make clubs more stable, help them better serve members, develop players or improve the competition they provide? The USPA’s role is to enable clubs to succeed, respond to their different needs and measure progress in stronger clubs, better player experiences and sustained participation. Those needs are not uniform. A seasonal outdoor club, an arena programme, a university team and a community-based polo school operate with different facilities, volunteers, horses and economics. National support must be flexible enough to reflect those differences, giving clubs access to resources that address their individual needs. The goal is practical help that a club can use. Healthy clubs are also where strong player pathways begin. Youth programmes, collegiate competition, adult instruction and elite development often operate as separate lanes, but to a player, they are part of one journey. Our responsibility is to make that journey easier to enter and easier to continue. That requires the Association’s programmes and resources to connect around the player’s experience. That means connecting polo schools and local instruction with arena polo,

interscholastic and intercollegiate competition, the National Youth Tournament Series, grants and advanced training opportunities for youth and adult players. Each stage should prepare a player for the next, while leaving room for the many people who play for recreation, friendship and love of the horse. Success should not be defined only by producing high-goal players. It should also be measured by retention, improving handicaps, capable horsemen and women, active volunteers and adults who remain engaged with their clubs. And no player pathway works without the horse. Access to suitable horses, instruction and places to play is key to both development and retention. Clubs know these constraints firsthand. The USPA can help identify workable models, share knowledge across regions and support partnerships that make instruction and horses more accessible.

As players progress, the quality and consistency of the competition around them matters too. Players develop when rules are taught consistently and matches are officiated fairly. Clubs are stronger when they have access to qualified officials. Participants understand and trust the game when decisions on the field are credible. Umpiring is therefore not a service added after a tournament is organised; it is part of the sport’s foundation. Building a more sustainable umpire pathway is an important part of that work. Recruiting current and former players, strengthening education and certification, expanding mentorship and creating opportunities for advancement can build both quality and depth. The system must also listen to clubs and players – feedback is how standards improve. That same spirit of coordination extends across the Association. One Team, One Goal is more than an internal

S U C C E S S S H O U L D N O T B E D E F I N E D O N LY B Y P R O D U C I N G H I G H - G O A L P L AY E R S . I T SHOULD ALSO BE MEASURED BY RETENTION

Right: USPA club map

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BE YOND THE FIELD, 14

MARKETING AND REVENUE REINFORCE THIS WORK

philosophy; it reflects a commitment to making the USPA’s programmes and services work together. The Tournament Support Program, for example, touches clubs, tournament administration and umpiring. Bringing those functions into closer alignment creates a more seamless experience for members. Beyond the field, marketing and revenue reinforce this work. Storytelling

can make the sport more visible, understandable and relatable, while creating meaningful connections to a local club, a lesson, a match or an opportunity to volunteer. Sponsorship, licensing, digital media and the National Polo Center can generate resources while introducing new audiences to the game. Their value is greatest when those benefits extend throughout the sport, supporting clubs, player programmes, tournaments and umpiring. Putting clubs first also requires the Association to think beyond the immediate term. Financial discipline preserves our ability to support the sport over decades. Strategic investment can provide the stability that allows clubs and private supporters to commit for the long term, while sound governance helps protect fields, facilities and longterm assets the sport depends on. These responsibilities are not separate from Clubs First; they help make it sustainable. That long-term view extends beyond our borders. Polo is international by nature, and the USPA should remain a constructive partner within the global community. We can learn from other associations and share useful work in player development, officiating, safety, equine welfare and tournament standards. Our progress will be meaningful when it strengthens the game as well as the institution. I am optimistic because the foundation already exists in clubs across the country. The people teaching beginners, caring for horses, organising tournaments, mentoring young players and officiating matches are building polo’s future every day. The USPA’s task is to connect their work, remove unnecessary obstacles and provide support that helps good clubs become stronger. Polo’s next chapter will be written club by club and player by player.

From top: Inigo Heguy and USPA umpire Jamie Mirikitani; half time at the National Polo Center

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D AV I D L O M I N S K A ; © U N I T E D S TAT E S P O L O A S S O C I AT I O N

OPINION

TA L K

POLO WITH A PURPOSE

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Rebecca Schmeits explain how the Denver Polo Classic has become such a powerful annual fundraiser for children in Colorado, raising a total of $22.5m over the past 15 years

Rocky Mountain Polo Club and J5 Equestrian have created something that extends far beyond polo. Within the gated community of the Polo Reserve in Littleton, Colorado, the quiet backdrop of the Rocky Mountains and the warmth of this unique community provide the perfect setting for the Denver Children’s Foundation (DCF) and its mission. The Denver Polo Classic – the flagship event in the Rocky Mountain Polo Club’s 10-tournament summer series – is one of North America’s premier charitable polo weekends. The Friday evening gala welcomes players and VIP ticket holders and serves as the kickoff to the three-day event, which draws thousands of spectators – not only for the polo, but also to support children in need. Now in its 38th year, the Denver Polo Classic once again demonstrated the extraordinary generosity of the Denver community, setting an all-time fundraising record of more than $1.7m for Colorado’s at-risk children. Over the past 15 years, a total of $22.5m has been raised. Hosted by the Denver Children’s Foundation, the event is powered by nearly 100 DCF members who volunteer their time to staff virtually every core function of the weekend, from bartending and bussing tables to auctions, hospitality, logistics, and event and polo tournament operations. Funds raised support nonprofit organisations across Colorado through DCF’s four core funding pillars: health, education, advocacy and enrichment. This record-setting year would not have been possible without the incredible support of DCF members, volunteers, sponsors, donors and guests, as well as the longstanding partnership of Rocky Mountain Polo Club and J5 Equestrian with the Schmeits-Sangaline families, whose contributions help make this special Denver tradition possible.

Rebecca and Kevin Schmeits (centre) with players and family

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TA L K

but meaningful request: whether they would be open to allowing the polo players and the charity to cover the costs and operational burden of the fields so the event could continue. In a gracious act of support for the community, the family agreed and by the recruitment of Vinny, the polo community pulled together. In many ways, that moment marked the natural beginning of a deeper partnership between Vinny and Rob – one rooted in shared values, mutual respect and a vision for the future of the sport and its philanthropic impact. It is a fundraising model built not around a single source of revenue, but

around an entire community contributing something – money, products, services or time. That collective generosity is what has allowed the Denver Polo Classic to become such a powerful annual fundraiser for Colorado children. ‘For 38 years, Denver has continued to show up for Colorado’s kids,’ says Ryan Tracy, 2026 Denver Polo Classic chair. ‘Setting a new fundraising record is something we are incredibly proud of, but the real success will be measured by the lives we are able to impact with those dollars. This weekend showed what is possible when an entire community comes together around a shared purpose.’

THE REAL SUCCESS WILL BE MEASURED BY THE LIVES WE ARE ABLE TO IMPAC T WITH THOSE DOLL ARS

Above: players at the gala dinner. Right: J5 Equestrian’s Rob Jornayvaz with Hank and Marit Stout, Rocky Mountain Polo Club members from Houston

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S C O T T H O LT E R

DCF member and Rocky Mountain Polo Club founder Vinny Sangaline assembled this year’s 10-goal tournament roster, showcasing the top polo players and teams in Colorado. The impressive lineup represented corporate sponsors from across the country. The stage was set for the Sunday final between Schomp BMW – Kevin Schmeits (0), Dami Belardinelli (1), Jack Whitman (2) and Pipe Bargalló (6) – and the undefeated Hamilton Williams team, featuring Tan Khan (0), Rob Jornayvaz (1), Justo Llorente (4) and Robert Zedda (4). Schomp BMW had been in this position before and understood what it would take to defeat Hamilton Williams’s powerful foursome. Their strategy paid off. Pipe Bargalló’s string, owned by Kevin and Becky Schmeits, provided exactly what the rising six-goaler needed to claim Most Valuable Player honours and secure the championship for Schomp BMW. The Best Playing Pony award went to Eternity, a thoroughbred mare owned by Becky Schmeits. The strength of the event today is even more meaningful when viewed through its history. Two of our sons have been members of the DCF for more than a decade, and we have witnessed firsthand that the road to building this organisation was not always easy. A pivotal turning point came when Bob Jornayvaz offered to host the event at his new polo fields. That generosity provided the foundation for what the Denver Polo Classic would become, and in many ways the rest is history. Over time, the trophy itself came to reflect the highest levels of the sport, with names engraved on it that mirror those found in the US Open, underscoring the calibre of competition the event now attracts. When Bob suffered his accident in April 2024, the Jornayvaz family understandably paused summer polo at their Denver fields. During that time, our son Vinny – also a DCF member and a friend of Rob Jornayvaz – approached Rob and his mother Louisa with a simple

ARENA POLO INTERNATIONAL DAY

SAVE THE DATE!

SATURDAY 16 JANUARY 2027

ENGLAND V FRANCE

NEW BEGINNINGS AT VIRGINIA POLO DAN ADDISON

The appointment of 2023 alumnus Parker Pearce as head polo coach at the University of Virginia marks the start of an exciting new chapter there, as Nick Barry explains

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MITCH ADOLPH; DAN ADDISON/UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

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After 23 years at the helm of Virginia Polo at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, longtime coach Lou Lopez has retired. Succeeding him is Parker Pearce, a member of the University of Virginia’s Class of 2023 and a product of one of America’s great horse communities. Pearce comes to Charlottesville from Monkton, Maryland, an area outside Baltimore steeped in equestrian tradition dating back generations. The region has long been a source of horses for prominent figures in American racing and sport, including Alfred Vanderbilt and Foxhall Keene (10 goals), and is also home to the Maryland Hunt Cup, the legendary timber race first run in 1894. Pearce’s family has been part of Maryland’s racing culture for more than four generations, owning, training and riding thoroughbreds. At a relatively young age, however, Pearce broke from his more racing-oriented parents and found his passion in polo. Like many growing up in the Baltimore area, Pearce began his equestrian career through jumping and eventing. He was also an accomplished athlete in more traditional sports, including lacrosse, almost a prerequisite for anyone raised around Baltimore. After his first exposure to polo, he was hooked, and decided that polo would become his focus. His early polo education began with Cindy Halle, the legendary coach at the Garrison Forest School, which has produced some of the finest interscholastic and intercollegiate polo players in the country. Pearce went on to work with Kelly Wells, whose family also has deep ties to interscholastic and intercollegiate polo. Wells assembled an interscholastic team with Jack McLean of Pennsylvania,

Brennan Wells of Maryland, and Pearce. The three played together throughout their five years of high school and then continued together for another three years at the University of Virginia, a remarkable eight-year run together that is rarely seen in polo. During his summers, Pearce played extensively at the Maryland Polo Club. He also worked alongside his parents and other racing friends to acquire thoroughbreds off the track for polo. In the process, he developed a competitive string and elevated his game. When Pearce arrived at Virginia, he quickly became involved in every aspect of what makes Virginia Polo operate. The programme encompasses 75 acres, 55 horses, the two-storey Beh Clubhouse, two indoor polo arenas and a full-size grass field. Managing a facility of that scale is no small undertaking. But perhaps what makes Virginia Polo most distinctive is its philosophy: the students are expected to do all the work. Undergraduates are responsible not only for managing and caring for the horses, but also for maintaining the facilities and helping operate the programme itself. For Pearce, that experience proved to be invaluable preparation for his new role. He credits his years working alongside Coach Lopez

Opposite: Parker Pearce in the 2022 Fall Invitational. Above: Pearce with Sarah Lynch and dogs Chip and Tate. Below: Pearce plays in the 2023 Fall Invitational

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as perhaps the best possible education for taking over the programme. Looking back on his undergraduate years, Pearce points to winning the Intercollegiate Championship alongside McLean and Wells as an obvious highlight. There was also a remarkable historical connection to the victory. Pearce’s championship came exactly 100 years after his great-grandfather, Alton Parker Hall, lifted the Townsend Trophy for Princeton in 1922, the first year the prize was presented. History may not repeat itself, but it may very well rhyme.

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Below: Parker Pearce on perfect form at the Maryland Polo Club in 2026

THE PROGRAMME IS TURNING TO SOMEONE WHO KNOWS ITS HORSES, ITS STUDENTS, I T S T R A D I T I O N S A N D I T S C U LT U R E

MITCH ADOLPH

When asked about his time at Virginia, Pearce said: ‘It’s really two aspects that I loved: the backing and support of the alumni and friends, and the fact that we [the undergraduates] are in charge of the programme. It’s unique.’ That responsibility is only part of the attraction. Pearce also enjoys the camaraderie that exists away from the polo field, including the asados, the opportunity to spend time in the country, and the relationships formed with like-minded people from around the world. It’s a culture he hopes to preserve and continue to foster in his new role. The 2026-27 school year promises to be an important one for Virginia Polo, which will host the Intercollegiate Nationals. ‘We have a big year coming up,’ Pearce says. ‘Virginia is hosting the Intercollegiate Championship Tournament, so there’s a lot of work to be done, but we have a terrific group and everyone wants to make sure we look our best.’ Pearce has already had the opportunity to meet with both the men’s and women’s teams, and he is encouraged by their enthusiasm to return to Charlottesville, get back to the barn and begin the new season. He also noted their strong potential and commitment to learning. For those who have played beside him, the appointment is a natural fit. ‘Parker is a passionate horseman and a fierce competitor on the polo field,’ says Jack McLean. ‘I was fortunate to share many battles alongside him while competing for UVA during our intercollegiate days. Together with his strong work ethic, attention to detail and vast knowledge of arena strategy, he will be a tremendous asset to Virginia Polo. I look forward to watching him succeed in his new role as head coach of the programme.’ For Virginia Polo, the departure of Coach Lopez, who spent 23 years building and guiding the programme marks the end of an era. With Pearce, however, the programme is turning to someone who knows its horses, its students, its traditions and its culture from the inside. The next chapter will be a great one.

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REMEMBERING AN ICON

Owen Rinehart pays tribute to Adolphus Busch, who helped to elevate the careers of many top American-born players

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MUSEUM OF POLO

Adolphus “Dolph” Busch was born on 17 July 1953 and was the oldest of seven children. A horseman all his life, on his 14th birthday he received a polo mallet as a gift, but he didn’t actually try playing until he met Jamie Uihlein at the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity at the University of Denver in 1972. The following year, he played at the St Louis Polo Club in Huntleigh, Missouri, thanks to his cousin Stephen Orthwein, who was then club president. Orthwein helped him pick out his first two polo ponies – Sugar and Special Delivery – from Ray Harrington, and a match at Kenny McLean’s field in Mobile, Alabama, cemented his love for the sport. He then travelled to play in low- and medium-goal matches in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, playing with the Uihleins, and to Oak Brook Polo Club in Illinois. Only four years after hitting the ball for the first time, he joined Jack Oxley on his Tulsa team, playing in the high-goal US Open Polo Championship with pros Tommy Wayman Sr and Bart Evans. He played with the Uihleins at Royal Palm Polo in Boca Raton, Florida, for several years before eventually returning to high-goal polo. He was among the first sponsors to make hiring American pros a priority and he and his teams played in medium- and high-goal polo throughout the country, winning the 1976 National President’s Cup, the 1977 Continental Cup, the 1985 Sunshine League and the 1990 C.V. Whitney Cup, among others. In 1986 he reached his highest rating of four goals. Having suffered from back problems, he had surgery in 1985, and when he was no longer able to play, he continued to sponsor teams, mostly made up of American players. Teams he sponsored won the 1991 and 1993 World Cups, and the USPA Gold Cup in 1994. Outside of polo, he was a keen scuba diver, experienced hunter, fisherman and fearless whitewater rafter. A passionate conservationist, he also dedicated a lot of time and energy to preserving the

Missouri wetlands through his work with Great Rivers Habitat Alliance. He sadly passed away on Saturday, 30 May at his home in St Charles, Missouri, at the age of 72. Owen Rinehart

I wouldn’t have made it to 10 goals and to see what it looks like at the top of the mountain if it had not been for Adolphus’s support, and I am sure Mike Azzaro and Adam Snow would both say the same thing. Adolphus and his two brothers, Billy and Andy, co-sponsored teams in the 1980s and 1990s that won every major tournament in the USA. Adolphus was a great four-goal player himself, who always played for the team and he was an excellent rider. He enjoyed spending time off the field with his players and families as much as he did playing the games. My wife Georgie and I enjoyed many fun team dinners with Adolphus and his wife Anne, Dale and Joanne Smicklas, Mike and Amy Azzaro and many others. Adolphus was a huge supporter of American-born players – all of the names above as well as Tommy Wayman, Hector Galindo, Mike Carney, Bobby Barry, Philip Lake, Gary Eakin and many others who played on teams sponsored by Adolphus and his brothers. He also enjoyed supporting Martin Zubia and

Left: Adolphus Busch. Above: Adolphus and Owen Rinehart before the finals of the 26-goal 1991 International Open. Michelob Dry won; Adolphus sponsored both teams. Right: the 1991 Michelob team (from left ): Gary Eakin, Martin Zubia, Adolphus and Dale Smicklas

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Juan Badiola. Unfortunately his bad back forced him out of the game. In my opinion, Adolphus should be in the USPA Hall of Fame – however, I wish for it not to be posthumously. He will always be in my Hall of Fame as someone who really cared about me and my family and helped me tremendously in my career. 25

IN MY OPINION, ADOLPHUS SHOULD BE IN THE USPA HALL OF FAME

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NATURAL TALENT Jo Stuart

The Stuart family got swept into the polo lifestyle back in 2010 when I bought two ponies soon after my first polo lesson and started playing club matches. Like many amateurs who start later in life, the route to success was a meander rather than a straight line, but the passion dominated family life each summer for several years, from Ham Polo Club to Cowdray Park. As a small child, and in the absence of available childcare, while I joyously rode the polo ponies, Leo was something of a “pawn” as he was led – and later rode – beside me on one of my safer ones, atop a sheepskin. (Many years later, Ross Ainsley questioned how Leo rode so well, having never had a lesson. Perhaps the answer lies in a combination of endless riding without stirrups as a child, a wilful and difficult mare called Remy, and being put on literally any available polo pony to play, rather than having a designated string of his own!)

Leo and I briefly overlapped our polo playing before his desire caught fire as a teenager, as his talent ballooned. My joy in watching the sport’s highergoal tournaments was now shared with watching him develop as a player. I was playing competitive polo, so we did not do the pony club, but inter-school polo

This page, from top: Jo and Leo Stuart before the semifinals of the Archie David; Clare Milford Haven (left) and Jo. Opposite: Barto and Camilla Castagnola, Tariq Albwardy, Leo and Santos Merlos

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at Wellington College played an important part in building Leo’s understanding of the game, as kids have to become “playmakers” in the absence of polo professionals. Alongside school, Leo naturally gravitated into adult matches and quickly became useful enough to be invited into teams to play and make a difference. After a couple of substitute runs in the English high-goal in 2025 – and a long winter spent working hard making young polo ponies in New Zealand with Ross and Kel Ainsley – 2026 seemed to take off for Leo. Never in my wildest dreams would I have dared to imagine that I would watch my son play and win with two of the top organisations, Park Place and Dubai, least of all Leo being the “third man” on the winning Royal Windsor 15-goal team with Dubai. Our thanks go out to both organisations for trusting in him and providing him with such amazing horses, and particularly Park Place, who included him in all aspects of high-goal team life throughout the season. It made such a difference, and it was a privileged learning experience. The realisation this season is how utterly exhausting it is caring about the outcome of games without being a player! Credit is due to all managers, spouses and parents out there. As a player myself, I’m probably most envious of Leo’s ability to cope with the pressure and contribute positively to the team while not fouling. I think it shows remarkable awareness in such a young and relatively inexperienced player.

MARCOS CERDEIRA; OLIVER STUART

More than a shared love of horses and a passion for the game, mother and son Jo and Leo Stuart are proof that a polo handicap really is a passport to the world

THE ART OF POLO

Though not a player himself, my husband Ollie luckily also shares a love of the sport. We both love watching Leo, the horses and the teamwork, and admire the technical ball skill and ability to read the play while riding at 32 miles an hour. When you’ve played yourself, this admiration is magnified many times. Over the years it has also been a new pleasure to watch the next generation of top players and horses come through and make their mark on the game. Aside from the selfish joy of sharing my favourite sport and love of horses with my son, polo and horses are incredibly levelling and characterbuilding. Horses and teammates are not machines; you lose about as often as you win, and you must get to know and manage yourself under intense pressure when playing for others. I’m pleased that Leo has had sport to balance out his rigorous academics, and proud that the feedback about him is a good attitude and the ability to learn and take direction.

THE SPORT IS FILLED WITH A DIVERSE A R R AY O F I N C R E D I B L E C H A R A C T E R S

Through polo, Leo has been lucky to learn from the top professionals, and the sport is filled with a diverse array of incredible characters you would be hard pressed to meet in a whole lifetime outside of polo (Jilly Cooper’s novel Polo was probably tame in comparison with the real thing in this regard!). It’s also a sport or hobby that could last Leo a lifetime, whatever career path he takes, and as Mr Churchill famously said, ‘A polo handicap is your passport to the world’. Leo Stuart

I have been riding my whole life and spent years hacking or holding my mum’s sticks on the side of the polo field. After years of that, I figured one day I would

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give stick-and-balling a go – and one thing led to another. For me, the most special thing about polo is the feeling of running on a truly exceptional horse at top speed with the ball, but also playing and watching the horses do what they are bred for, and unlocking the best in a horse, so they can utilise their strengths. The perfect game for me is superopen, running, four-man polo on beautiful fields, where one of my horses wins a rug. Prior to last season, the highest level I had played was eight-goal, but primarily this season I have played 15-goal and several 12- and eight-goal games, with a few matches at the highest level of 22-goal, and I am on the

IF YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN (EVEN I N AT TA C K ), YO U A R E DOING IT WRONG

Below: Leo holding the Royal Windsor trophy with his mother, father and sister Lucinda. Opposite: playing for Park Place – Leo in front of Ed Banner-Eve in the Queen’s Cup

Performance Pathway of the Hurlingham Polo Association. It was an amazing experience to be invited to be the substitute for the owner of Park Place, Andrey Borodin, and to play in five high-goal matches for the Park Place team this year. Being able to learn from an all-time great in Hilario Ulloa, and from both Louis Hine and Jeronimo del Carril, who I was lucky enough to play with previously, was invaluable. There was such good team camaraderie from all the grooms, pilots and backroom staff with Park Place, as everyone gets on very well. Leading up to the Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup and Queen’s Cup, there would be practices most days of maybe six to nine chukkas, the team split in half, with all the pilots playing, and I would get to play in half of these chukkas. Before practices, we would go into the gym to warm up. Sometimes there would also be eight-chukka team practices against another team. Before games in which I’d be playing, we would also have a team meeting and watch back ours and the other team’s last game to work out a plan. The Park Place horses were another level. I got to ride some of the team horses

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in practices, including some slightly older mares of higher-rated players, in particular my favourite mare Casola, who Nico Pieres used to play – one of the most athletic horses I have ever ridden – and small black mares are my favourites. I also got to ride a few of Andrey’s incredible horses, who were so well schooled by Andrey’s pilot Fran Lanusse. My main job on the field was making time for other players. For example, when we played “Loreta” (Lorenzo Chavanne and Jeta Castagnola) from on our knock-ins, I would go to Lorenzo and Louis to Jeta, and once Lorenzo dived in, Louis and I would switch and I would head to the deeper man. When they had possession, I would play as last man for us, allowing all three of my teammates to go in and put pressure on “Loreta” and I’d float, cutting off deep passes, meaning they either had to run or hit a perfectly weighted pass, which hopefully one of us could pick up. It was also an honour to play for Dubai, as they’re such an historic organisation within the sport. One of my earliest memories was watching the white-and-green striped shirts on the Queen’s Ground with Adolfo Cambiaso and Ali Paterson, whom my mum had played with in the past. Winning the 2026 DMMI Brexa Royal Windsor Cup with Dubai was the most memorable game I’ve played, and the ponies were incredible. Mojita Sexopata was my favourite, but I also got to play some incredible horses, such as Alberta Banana Split and Flirt, who have been ridden by some incredible players in their time. Playing with Barto [Castagnola] was especially awe-inspiring. I have always admired his horsemanship as his numberone skill, so to see this up close was amazing. For someone with such talent, he has a quiet demeanour in the tent, and it was interesting to see how he prepares both himself and his team for the game. Also, when playing with Barto, throw-ins were set up very differently from how I’ve ever played before. Often he would line

MARCOS CERDEIRA

TA L K

THE ART OF POLO

up as number one and attempt to win the ball immediately. Failing that, he would follow the ball through, meaning the person that lined up as one would dive in to stop him, winning it at one, but would then often get stuck and unable to follow him through to the back. This is where playing with Tariq Albwardy is so useful, as he is so experienced in how to play well at this level. He could line up as number two against the opposition’s number-two player and take them out, with myself at the back, hopefully blocking at least one of the last players, leaving Santos [Merlos] free either to cover the back door, or, if Barto won the ball, to shoot forward in attack. Throughout the tournament, throw-ins were a strong point with this team.

While there is a pure “flow” to the game at the 22 level, meaning that you can almost see three passes ahead, it’s such a ruthlessly quick game. If you’re even half a second slow reacting, you’re lost from the play and either have to burn your horses to get back into it or have to try and interpret what’s going to happen next to reach the next play. I actually prefer 15-goal, where I feel more impactful. In the 22-goal, my opponent is often six goals or above! Whereas in the 15-goal, any opponent is usually five- or six-goal handicap at most. While still challenging, it’s a little more attainable to slow them down or occasionally beat them to score. Having played with two of the best organisations in polo, I have learned

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that the simple essence of polo works the best: man first, then line of the ball, then the ball – ie if you are on your own (even in attack), you are doing it wrong. Everyone has more time than they think in all levels, but especially at these higher levels. It’s just that your man comes to you quicker in the higher levels, which effectively means you have to beat your man first, then get to the ball and then take your time. I started at Durham University in September to read economics with management, and am potentially going to Argentina during the English winter. I have some exciting plans involving the 15-goal for next year, but my aim is to just keep improving my playing and riding as many horses as possible.

What began in Wellington in 2000 as an early digital experiment has evolved into PoloLine, a multi-platform operation spanning journalism, photography, social media, television and live broadcasting, explains Sebastian Amaya

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MARK BEAUMONT; IMAGES OF POLO

Game changer

POLOLINE BEGAN E S TA B L I S H I N G A R E P U TAT I O N F O R CONSISTENT AND SPECIALISED COVERAGE

GUTTER CREDIT IN HERE

Opposite: PoloLine streamed all of the Gold Cup games. Below: Karl Ude-Martinez interviews Hugo Taylor after the final of the 2025 Gold Cup

wenty-six years ago, following a polo tournament could mean waiting weeks to read the result or see photographs in a magazine or newspaper. Information moved slowly, and international coverage of the sport was limited. It was in that environment that PoloLine was founded in Wellington, Florida, in 2000 by Sebastian Amaya and Javier Herrera, with a vision that would help change the way polo was followed around the world. The original idea was simple but ambitious: to use emerging technologies to deliver polo news, photographs and interviews to audiences faster than ever before. At a time when digital media was still in its early stages, PoloLine became one of the pioneering online-first polo media platforms, helping bring greater immediacy to the way the sport was covered and consumed internationally. In its early years, PoloLine focused exclusively on its website, publishing tournament reports, digital photography and exclusive interviews. The concept quickly resonated with the polo community. Players, sponsors and fans gained access to timely information from major tournaments around the world, while PoloLine began establishing a reputation for consistent and specialised coverage. One of the first defining moments came in 2001, when PoloLine travelled to St Moritz as a guest of polo visionary

P LT V E X PA N D E D POLOLINE’S ABILITY TO BRING LIVE POLO TO I N T E R N AT I O N A L AU D I E N C E S

This page: Control and Productions booths. Opposite: PoloLine.TV CEO Sebastian Amaya

The move into television and live broadcasting marked another transformational chapter. Beginning in 2015, PoloLine started developing live production capabilities alongside leading production partners. That work eventually led to the creation of PLTV [PoloLine.TV] in 2019. PLTV expanded PoloLine’s ability to bring live polo to international audiences. The incorporation of drone coverage, high-quality remote production systems and modern broadcasting technology increased the visibility of players and tournaments beyond their traditional markets, helping connect the sport with viewers around the world. That multi-platform approach has continued to define PoloLine’s development. Today, the company combines specialised journalism, social media, television production

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POLOLINE; IMAGES OF POLO

Reto Gaudenzi. The exposure generated by that coverage helped accelerate the company’s international growth. At the time, there were very few specialised media outlets capable of providing fast and consistent polo coverage, and PoloLine quickly established itself as an important presence within the sector. As polo continued to expand internationally, so did PoloLine. Palm Beach became one of the company’s first major full-season markets, with early support from banker Cali Garcia-Velez helping open the doors to PoloLine’s first entry into Wellington. From there, the company expanded into Europe, the United Kingdom and the Middle East. Today, PoloLine regularly covers many of the sport’s leading tournaments, including the UK Gold Cup, the Open de France, the Palm Beach season, Sotogrande, the Dubai season and the Argentine season. The evolution of digital media brought another major turning point. PoloLine was among the early polo media companies to embrace Instagram and other social platforms, building a large international audience through organic growth. Social media became an increasingly important part of the company’s coverage, allowing tournament news, photography and video to reach audiences instantly and extending the conversation around polo beyond the traditional media cycle. Another important milestone was the launch of the PoloLine Weekly Report, a digital magazine distributed for the past nine-and-a-half years. Delivered directly to more than 3,500 subscribed members worldwide, the report has become one of PoloLine’s key communication platforms and a respected source of information within the polo community.

and international live broadcasting across multiple countries and markets, with a particularly strong presence within the English-speaking polo world. The scale of that audience has continued to grow. During 2025 alone, PLTV generated more than 700,000 live-streaming views, over 5.3 million minutes watched, and broadcast 215 matches across 31 tournaments in nine different countries. Social media performance also reached record levels, with more than 19.5 million Instagram content views and 17.1 million Facebook views. Audiences extended across key polo markets, including Argentina, the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, France and the UAE. Over the years, PoloLine has also worked alongside many of the sport’s leading institutions, brands and clubs. Its partnerships have included organisations such as the USPA, HPA and AAP, as well as global brands, including Rolex, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Mayo Clinic and Small Luxury Hotels of the World. The company also manages the World Polo Tour, widely recognised as polo’s only global ranking system. Throughout its history, PoloLine has also built alliances with companies that share its commitment to excellence, professionalism and the international development of polo. Equustrade became the first sponsor of PoloLine.TV, marking an important step in the company’s evolution into live broadcasting. More recently, the partnership with U.S. Polo Assn. has brought a new dimension to PoloLine’s growth, aligning the company with one of the most recognised names connected to the sport and providing an additional leap in quality, positioning and international visibility. Today, PoloLine’s business model is supported by a diversified network of partnerships across sponsors, tournaments, clubs and teams, reflecting the company’s increasingly integrated role within the international polo ecosystem. Technology partnerships have become increasingly important to PoloLine’s international broadcasting operation, particularly through collaborations with companies such as Hollyland and LiveU, whose innovations continue to support the company’s production capabilities. The road has not been without challenges. Like other long-standing media companies, PoloLine has had to adapt to major changes in the way audiences consume content. The transition from free content to pay-per-view models and back towards open-access strategies, together with website redesigns, changing audience behaviour and the global pandemic, required the company to rethink its operations continually. Those challenges also created opportunities. During the pandemic, PoloLine emerged stronger by becoming one of the first polo media companies able to resume broadcasting, helping reconnect the sport with its audience at a time when traditional sporting activity had been severely disrupted. Today, technological change is accelerating faster than ever. Artificial intelligence, remote production and new

digital tools are already reshaping sports media, creating both new possibilities and new challenges. For Sebastian Amaya, however, adaptation has always been part of PoloLine’s DNA. ‘Our mission remains the same as it was in 2000: to continue leading the polo media industry by staying ahead of the changes transforming the world around us. Technology evolves faster every year, and innovation has to move even faster. PoloLine has always tried to lead from the front.’ Twenty-six years after its foundation, PoloLine remains closely connected to the transformation of polo’s global media landscape. The technology has changed, the audience has grown and the way people follow polo has been transformed. The underlying mission, however, remains remarkably similar: to bring the sport closer to its audience, wherever that audience may be.

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@USPOLOASSN | USPASHOP.COM

High risk, high reward Icon Global founder Bernard Uechtritz explains how he got into polo after arriving in the USA from Papua New Guinea at the age of 22 with an Australian stock saddle, six polocrosse rackets and $800. He also describes how his international real-estate company has now become a sought-after leader in unique property sales across America and Europe

was raised in Papua New Guinea as the eighth child out of 11, and by necessity my siblings and I have all been masters of our own destiny, underscoring the adage of ‘Make your way up or make your way out’. I’m an Australian citizen and from the sixth grade, I went to boarding school in Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and then Australia. After consistent early exits from all schools, I returned to Papua New Guinea – breaking in horses and running a cattle, buffalo, coconut and cocoa plantation station in the Markham Valley, outside a town called Lae, until I was about 22 years old. I came to the USA with a saddle, six polocrosse rackets and big dreams and ambitions of turning everyone into a polocrosse player. I coached and helped start up polocrosse in Uruguay and Ireland as well as in many clubs and riding camps in America, including the US Pony Club. Many of my students would later be the genesis for the sport spreading to parts of Europe and other countries where it was not already played. I had grown up riding horses on cattle stations and playing polocrosse in Papua New Guinea and I toured a bit in Australia. Later, I partnered with Chris Murphy, the manager of Australian rock band INXS. Murphy (who also went on to play polo) and I published the first book about the sport, Polocrosse: Australian Made, Internationally Played, which I ghostwrote, edited and put together with various contributors. Someone else was credited as the author, but that’s a whole other story. I first played polo in Kentucky in 1990. Hilary Boone, a player in Lexington, had a thoroughbred racing farm called Wimbledon, and he saw a photo of me playing polocrosse and

Opposite: NCHA Celebrity Cutting competition, presented by Icon Global, raised over $1M for cancer hospital UTSW, Fort Worth, TX, 2026. Above: Team Icon, winners of the 8-goal final, New Bridge Polo Club. Right: a young Uechtritz at a hybrid coconut tree nursery, Papua New Guinea

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I CAME TO THE USA WITH A SADDLE, SIX POLOCROSSE RACKETS AND BIG DREAMS

Left: “A Grade” polocrosse final – a one-horse sport. USA, circa 2000. Opposite: Icon Global /AMASE Team Texas at Polo in the Park – Tommy Severn, Ignacio Toccalino, Bernard Uechtritz and Olivia Uechtritz

asked if I had played polo. When I told him no, he responded by giving me a horse and a mallet, and I played my first-ever polo game indoors, in the middle of winter, at the Kentucky Horse Park. I never looked back. In 1991 I played as part of an eight-goal team (Saxony Farms) in the President’s Cup, which was held during the US Open, substituting for owner Bruce Hundley who got injured. Back then, the USPA was headquartered in Kentucky Horse Park, and they held the US Open there for about four years. I also worked for USPA president Allan Scherer that year helping him to run the Open. I loved the speed, aggressive competitiveness and camaraderie of polo. When I was a bit younger and lighter I was a racehorse jockey for a while and I also rode saddle bronc horses, bulls and wild steers. I mustered wild cattle across wild country in New Guinea and Australia. Anything action-orientated or competitive, I was up for. With that and my polocrosse background, I could pretty much ride the hair off any horse, and while I didn’t know much about the rules of polo, I was always pretty good at getting there first or derailing higher-rated players than me. I have four children, and they all grew up playing polocrosse with my wife Annie and I. For me, a perfect game of polo now is played with my daughter Olivia, making memories with the rest of my family supporting from the sidelines – it doesn’t get any better than

that. Polo in the Park at Hurlingham in London recently is a good example of a perfect game – Olivia and I made the final together and I had my wife, a brother, two of my daughters with their husbands, my two grandchildren, and some nephews and nieces visiting from New Guinea and Australia, all there having an absolute blast in an incredible crowd of about 10,000 spectators each day. One of my most memorable games was during a match in Kentucky in 1991 or 1992. Playing in the rain, going way too quickly on a super-fast horse, I hit a ball to goal, and as I turned, the horse slipped. Together, we slid on our sides through the posts. When I looked up from the ground, there was a handsome Mexican guy with a big smile and strong accent with his hand held out to help me, and he said: ‘How much for de horse?’ We agreed on $10k before the horse got up. The next day he came to my farm to collect the horse along with his brother Carlos, bringing along a skinny new young pro player kid called Adolfo Cambiaso. That was the first time I met Memo Gracida. Memo took the horse, put a new set of front shoes on it, played it in the US Open final two days later and sold it to Jack Oxley for a six multiple – and we’ve been great friends ever since! Memo loves to laugh and re-tell the story to my great demise, and he enjoys it now, even more than ever, by concluding in wonderment with a comment on how much better a player and rider Olivia is than I ever was!

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THE ART OF POLO

That skinny young kid named Adolfo, who was there in Kentucky playing the US Open that year, and who was at the time chaperoned by his own father, now has two daughters of his own that often play against mine, all these years later. Polo is so generational, small and wonderful in so many ways. Another memorable game was playing in the 2025 eightgoal in Aiken with Olivia – winning our first final, and going to the podium for the next two finals, barely losing twice. I enjoy both losing and winning the most when I know the team and I have left it all on the field. It was my latest comeback to polo, as I hadn’t played for five or six years, and we had a very successful season with a lot of laughs! I don’t think the competition was expecting much from a 61-year-old, zero-goal, no-name ex-polocrosse guy and his youngest daughter. Turns out that we have a fun, good team in myself, Olivia, Charlie Caldwell and Tommy Collingwood. What makes our team special is that we are all friends and we are “all in” on effort, energy and ingenuity! We won another final together in May this year. Charlie and his brother Harry Caldwell, who I’ve known since they were kids, are both self-made, three-goal American polo pros who also got their start in polocrosse. Gabriel Crespo has also been a good friend who helped mount me, coached me and cursed me along the way in equal proportions. When choosing teams, I think it’s important for players to have an open mind, so they can play an open game. A relaxed

character and integrity are also important qualities to me, along with appreciating the horses and the sport. I think a team is successful when there is genuine and sincere synergy between players, good planning and when all team members have a role. My business, Icon Global, evolved out of a speciality practice in one-of-a-kind property marketing and sales. This developed from the early days of my career in 1993, when I sold the Menendez Estate (where, in 1989, the brothers Erik and Lyle shot their parents to death in Beverly Hills). The estate was on the market for about four years, being marketed by big real-estate names in the business, but had failed to sell. As a rookie, I took over the deal, marketed and sold it in about three months. That sale put me on the map. Later I would help with the OJ Simpson and Nicole Brown Simpson estates, and along with a few other challenging deals which I was doing at the time, I became known as the go-to, “can-do” guy for difficult or complicated real-estate sales.

I T ’ S I M P O R TA N T F O R P L AY E R S TO H AV E A N OPEN MIND, S O T H E Y C A N P L AY A N O P E N G A M E

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I A P P LY T H E S A M E D I S C I P L I N E AND PRINCIPLE IN POLO. Y O U ’ R E O N LY A S G O O D A S Y O U R NEX T GAME, NOT YOUR L AST! ultimately the resulting waterfall effect will be felt worldwide, particularly with the alliance of U.S. Polo Assn. Icon Global has supported the USPA on several levels in the past few years, including sponsoring and presenting the livestream games on the USPA Polo Network, as well as the popular online video series USPA Presents, shot by Running Iron Productions, all of which are very well done. Icon and Amasé are also major sponsors of the United States Equestrian Team, their development teams and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) for the next three years, through to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. With both brands, we also sponsor and engage in Western sports such as cutting, reining and rodeo – all these lifestyle participants and horse owners together with polo are our family office and client base and it’s the lifestyle we all live and love. For a long time, polo has had the double-edged sword of being aspirational but not approachable. However, worldwide there are now all sorts of variations of polo emerging, which are very entrepreneurial, including exhibition competitions such as Chestertons Polo in the Park, AIUla Desert Polo and

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THE ART OF POLO

In California, I fell into that niche between 1993-1997. What set me apart was that I didn’t do things by the book – there was no book. I had to write my own book and keep learning, innovating and doing everything differently than everyone else. I had to keep proving to myself and to my clients that I really was as good as I told them I was! The crossover between my business and polo is similar, in that it is all about strategy, mindset and effort. Luck and success are found on the corner of hard work and persistence in real estate and in polo. Years later, in 2004, I moved my family to Texas and started selling big ranches, which is my background, having grown up around ranching, plantations and horses, and Icon Global was established. Between 50-70 per cent of our business today is off-market and private sales. However, one of our greatest strengths and credibility is global marketing campaigns to raise exposure, such as in 2016 when I sold the $725m, 535,000-acre WT Waggoner ranch in Texas. I launched a global marketing campaign that reached 132 countries and was retold in more than 90 languages. Bloomberg, CNN, Fox, Vanity Fair, Variety and hundreds of media outlets globally covered the campaign, many of them with our story trending at various times. Excitingly, the business is currently expanding nationally as well as branching out to South America and Europe. When I came to America, I was a simple country kid from New Guinea with barely a 10th-grade education figuring out how to make a living, and then later, how to support my family. I hadn’t been to college, so I just had to work harder, smarter and longer than anyone else. It’s the same in polo: if you want to succeed in this sport, you have to put in the hours and the hard yards. In real estate, you’re only as good as your next deal, not your last, and I apply the same discipline and principle in polo. You’re only as good as your next game, not your last! The aspirational values of polo tie in with the aspirational values of ranching, luxury real estate and the equestrian lifestyle, and there are often many polo connections associated with the global family offices and real estate that I represent. In 2026 we launched the marketing for the Amasé brand – amasestays.com – to unite our real-estate vision and reach with elevated lifestyle experiences in very high-end luxury destination rental properties, ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 a night. My eldest daughter Kelsi manages Icon Global and my youngest Olivia also works with and represents Icon Global and Amasé as a brand ambassador. Looking at the future of polo, I feel that the USPA under the prior leadership of Stewart Armstrong was an evolutionary moment, turning point and milestone for US polo. His lead in the acquisition of NPC was bold, visionary and brilliant. It has helped to create an incredibly strong platform and foundation for the growing popularity of the sport in the USA and

Opposite: Olivia chases the ball at Polo in the Park. This page, from top: the largest and record-breaking ranch sale in US history, WT Waggoner Ranch; Bernard in his office – “doing the hard yards”

snow polo, which are all exciting advances on the traditional game. I also think there are a lot of great parent-son/daughter combinations playing polo internationally, and polo would do well to further cement itself as a family sport through official family-member-only participant tournaments. One of the biggest challenges of growing polo to reach a wider audience is that it’s difficult for the spectators to interact and engage with the players. I believe there are many elements in this space that could be very much improved to add more value, and thus continued engagement to live and digital audiences. We have the benefit of technology now, and while observing and preserving elements of history and traditional ways of doing things are important, polo leaders could consider that certain elements need to be a cornerstone, not a headstone. Change and innovation are essential to survival and growth. I am extremely grateful to have had polo as a big part of my life, and to have walked among some of polo’s great families and dynasties large and small – and to have ridden some great horses. All of which is a privilege.

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Laying the groundwork After a phenomenal 2026 high-goal season in Wellington, Curtis Pilot reveals his belief that the formula for a successful team is everything that happens before you come to the field

now call Wellington, Florida, home, but I am originally from Alabama. The Point Clear Polo Club was across the street from my house, and my friend and neighbour Chip Campbell was playing there and I thought I would give it a try. Gonzalo de la Fuente agreed to be my manager and trainer. I wasn’t the easiest student, but I do try to be patient and learn and, like most people that start playing, I was quickly bitten by the polo bug and was all in. Polo is the only sport where an amateur can take to the playing field with the top athletes in the world and compete at a high level. I have learned to appreciate the time required to train and be ready to play, and I don’t think that I would be as healthy as I am without polo. Earlier in my life, I didn’t have the time to focus on anything but my business, and when I play polo, for those six chukkas, all I think about is the ball, the horses and the game. I like playing on a good field with and against high-quality professionals and fit horses, not worrying about the score, just the love of the game. Also, I hope one day to play with one or more of my grandchildren, and win or lose, I think that would be the perfect game for me. I have had many memorable polo games over the years. I don’t know if there is just one game, but the 2019 season was probably my most memorable. Winning the Gauntlet of Polo and the Jockey Club Open was a very special time for me. When it comes to putting teams together, the handicap adjustments make everyone regroup each year, so you can’t always have the team you want, but we all try to put the best team and horses on the field that we can. We give our recommendations, but I try to let the 10-goaler have the final option of who he thinks will play the best with him for the season. Every teammate has qualities that I respect and admire. I obviously wouldn’t be where I am now without the Pieres

DAVID LOMINSKA

Opposite: Curtis in the semi-finals of the 2026 US Open. Above: Dawn and Curtis Pilot with the 2026 US Open Trophy

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family, both in horses and knowledge. I have always respected Facundo and his abilities on and off the field. He is a gentleman above all else. I was lucky enough to play with him for many years. I even played with both of his brothers, Gonzalito (Gonzalo) and Nico, in Argentina and here in the States. This past year Jeta joined our organisation and it has been a great experience. He has proven himself to be a fantastic captain, leader and teammate. I admire his dedication to the game – he works very hard all the time to improve himself and everyone around him. It’s amazing to me how he keeps his composure and his head when things get tough, and he has a way of keeping us all looking forward to the next play and success for the team. I have to mention all the other players on the field as well, as I have played with so many

I T I S V E R Y I M P O R TA N T T H AT O U R P L AY E R S A N D GR O OMS H AV E GO OD CH A R AC TER A ND VA LUES

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DAWN PILOT; DAVID LOMINSKA

Left: Jeta Castagnola and Hilario Ulloa. Above: Curtis, Mackenzie Weisz, Jeta Castagnola and Lorenzo Chavanne with the 2026 US Open Trophy. Below: Curtis with his polo manager Gonzalo de la Fuente

talented young men and I have to thank all of them for their hard work and dedication. When I started playing, Gonzalo and I agreed we didn’t want anyone on our team that wouldn’t be a good influence on our kids. It is very important that our players and grooms have good character and values. I think everyone wants the best players and people on their team. It’s more enjoyable to come to the barn and field when you like and respect the people around you. The formula for a successful team is everything that happens before you come to the field. It starts with all the hours and hard work from the managers, grooms, pilots and vets getting the horses ready, as they give the players the tools we need to succeed. We all take to the field thinking that we are prepared and have the ability to compete and hopefully win any game that we play. When a mistake is made, the 10-goaler sets the new play and we try to improve and move on. It’s the organisation behind the organisation that – hopefully – allows the players to succeed on the field. For me personally, I think the biggest crossover between my business and polo (besides surrounding myself with the best people that I can) is the value that both polo and my business puts on charitable giving. I wish more people knew about all the charitable funds that have been dedicated all over the world. Personally, my impact has been on cancer research and children’s needs, both here in Argentina and in Israel. I don’t know if there is just one person I respect the most in polo, but I appreciate the governing bodies of the USPA and the AAP, as I know that it is a hard job and a lot of responsibility. The umpires do their best and I think the team

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S TA R T I N G S O L AT E R I D I N G A N D P L AY I N G H A S P R O B A B LY B E E N T H E BIGGEST HURDLE FOR ME

patrons all try to do their best with their organisations as well. It takes all of us to make this great game work. I now play the Florida season from January through to April, and Argentina in October. I started a little late for my children to play or be involved, but I have been breeding horses for them if they ever choose to play. I’m very proud and thankful that my son works in the company with me. He doesn’t have the time right now; maybe later in life he will want to play like I have. So far, only my eldest grandson has shown interest in playing, but maybe more of them will be interested in the future. My family comes to the field when they can, and being in Florida is a nice vacation, and that is a benefit for me. Starting so late riding and playing has probably been the biggest hurdle for me. Most patrons that play have had some riding experience through their life, so they have a bit of an advantage on me. Polo is definitely a different way of thinking on the field from traditional American sports, and I hope that Americans can start making polo a choice for kids in more areas. I have always said I have the best seat in the house, as these young players move fast and see ball opportunities quicker than I do. Playing defence and back has become my best way to contribute to the team, and every now and then I can even come up with a good backhand shot. Gonzalo and I raise our own horses now and can follow them as they grow and train. The trainers and our pilots advise us on what they think will be the best pony we can put on the field for me and possibly our other players. There are always times when players need a little help with extra horses. Everyone is always looking for that special horse and, of course, what works for me probably won’t work for a high-goaler. I like a handy horse that can get me where I need to be; others have different needs and preferences. My favourite horses have a lot of experience under a high-goaler. They usually have more experience than I do. Ellerstina Capelina was my first clone and I played two of her clones in the Gauntlet last year. Now, I guess my favourite would be Open Zafira, but I have several that I trust and enjoy playing. It depends on the chukka, the tournament level and team we are playing. My business and family have always been the most important things to me. As a family, we spend a lot of time hunting and do some fishing in Alabama and now we have started duck-hunting in Louisiana.

Left: Salem, Curtis’s grandson, with Facundo Pieres and Curtis. Right: Curtis on his first clone – Ellerstina Capelina

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DAWN PILOT

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Tim Gannon reflects on how starting out with just ‘a saddle and a dream’ – plus a lot of hard work with the right people around him – led him to establish one of the most successful polo teams in the United States, winning the US Open five times

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GUTTER CREDIT IN HERE

BUILDING A DREAM

t 39, I was broke, with two young children and more than $200,000 in debt. My oldest friend in the restaurant business, Chris Sullivan, had just called with a partnership: come to Tampa and help open a restaurant. I did not even have the money for the move. So I carried the one thing I owned that mattered into the Houston Polo Club and asked if anyone wanted to buy it. A member named Bill Lund counted out $250. I handed him my saddle, certain I would never see it again, and drove to Florida. To understand what that saddle cost me, you have to go back to the beginning. I was the youngest of six children, raised by my mother alone in Fort Lauderdale. We were not wealthy. I sold newspapers at nine, spent a summer at 15 digging pool ditches and tying steel rebar in the New Orleans heat, and by 16 I was parking cars at a restaurant until well past midnight. Polo was the last thing anyone would have predicted for a teenager like me. Then my best friend, Phil Heatley, took me to my first match. I had never touched a horse. But something about the game got into my blood and never left: the speed, the trust between horse and rider, the way four players have to move as one. Not long after, at Twin Farms, Phil’s father, Bud, walked out to my ’57 Chevy carrying a polo saddle, a Stalker Nafey, its leather worn smooth from years of use. He handed it to me and said, ‘Put it to good use.’ I had no horse and no money for one. What I had was a dream and a saddle, and I held onto both for 23 years. Everything I built in the years between was one step closer to that field.

COURTESY OF TIM GANNON

Opposite: Phil Heatley with Tim hoisting the Silver Cup in Spain. Above, from top: Outback’s co-founders (left to right): Tim Gannon, Bob Basham and Chris Sullivan; the original Outback Steakhouse entrance

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POLO WAS THE L AST THING ANYONE WOULD H AV E PREDIC TED FOR A TEENAGER LIKE ME

The restaurant was Outback Steakhouse. My partners had bet their homes on it. I had nothing to bet but my recipes and a saddle. On opening night, 15 March 1988, we unlocked the doors, and no one came in. The restaurant was so quiet I could hear the ice machine humming. What carried us out of that silence was a single appetiser, 17 spices in the batter and 37 in the sauce. Once word of the Bloomin’ Onion got out, the quiet never came back. That appetiser has since surpassed $1.4 billion in sales, and one silent room in Tampa has become more than 1,400 restaurants in 28 countries. Once Outback stood on its own, I went all in on the game that had driven everything. I built Outback Polo the way we built the restaurants: by finding the right people, investing in them and trusting them completely. At Outback, we gave every managing partner equity and treated them like owners. On the polo field, I did the same. We won the US Open five times in seven years, and in 1999, Rolex named Outback Polo the no 1 team in the world. The next season, we entered the Open as defending champions and lost our first game. Adolfo Cambiaso and I sat down in my barn that night for a heart-to-heart. We came back and won it all. Adolfo and I go back further than that. When he was starting fresh with a new team called La Dolfina and did not have enough horses for the Argentine season, I told him: ‘Any of my horses you think are good enough for Palermo, take them to Argentina’. That first season, on those horses,

Above: Tim Gannon’s invention, the Bloomin’ Onion. Below: William, Prince of Wales, Chris Gannon, Major General Peter Pearson, Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Tim and Jose Donoso – Sandhurst

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MY LAST COMPETITIVE M AT C H W A S P L AY E D ON THE MOST SACRED

COURTESY OF TIM GANNON

GROUND IN POLO

Above, from left: Hayley Heatley, Phil Heatley, Lolo Castagnola, Tim, Sunny Hale and Adolfo Cambiaso at the 2000 US Open Final. This was the year Sunny Hale became the first woman to win the US Open, playing on the Outback Polo team

La Dolfina won at Hurlingham and reached the final at Palermo. It was not a beginning. It was a declaration. Years later, Adolfo repaid that debt in a way money never could. He invited my son Chris and me to play the Masters Cup at Palermo, a ground that only 12 Americans had ever played. In the final, we faced Facundo and Gonzalito Pieres. We won, and I was named goleador, the highest scorer on the field. My last competitive match was played on the most sacred ground in polo, with my son riding beside me. The teenager from the pool ditches could not have written a better ending. I invite you to read my new book, Bloomin’ Adventures. It tells the whole story: the saddle, the partners who risked everything, the decade of polo with King Charles at Sandringham, and the night I tore up a blank cheque that could have been worth more than a million dollars. I have never regretted it. And the saddle? After Outback went public, I tracked down Bill Lund and bought it back for $1,200. Today it sits at Bolay, my son Chris’s restaurant, where anyone can touch it for good luck. If my story proves anything, it is that no dream is too big and no starting point is too small. Know your why. Find your Velcro. Choose the right partners. The rest is work. A long time ago, a good man handed me a saddle and told me to put it to good use. I hope I did. Whatever dream you are holding onto, put it to good use.

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ACTION THE LATEST POLO ACTION FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Pelon Stirling (in blue) on the ball in the Coronation Cup in front of England’s Tommy Beresford, Ned Hine and Ollie Cudmore

THE ACTION THE ART OF POLO

54_ C O R O N AT I O N C U P

5 8 _G O L D C U P A N D L A D I E S O P E N

6 2 _S OTO G R A N D E G O L D C U P

England played a strong final, and

Gaston Polo Team claimed the British

Dubai took the crown for the fifth

despite the higher handicap Uruguayan

Open Polo Championship over Dubai.

time in the Ayala Polo Club high-goal

team, maintained their lead to win

Taking place on the same day, Yaguara

Gold Cup, while Vamos Korea won

the Coronation Cup 14-8.

beat Salty Polo to win the Ladies Open.

the low-goal title.

56_ Q U E E N ’ S C U P

6 0 _PAC I F I C O C E A N C U P

6 4 _F R E N C H O P E N

Guards Polo Club saw Balanz Capital

Klentner Ranch battled La Karina in

Chantilly Polo Club saw Kazak battle

overcome an all-pro team to beat

a close final at Santa Barbara Polo &

to a 10-9 victory in the 2026 Open

Aureus 17-7, taking the Queen’s Cup

Racquet Club, claiming its fourth title

de France BARNES in a thrilling

in the tournament final.

in the U.S. Polo Assn. Pacific Coast Open.

final against Akasha.

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ACTION C O R O N A T I O N C U P, G U A R D S P O L O C L U B , U K , 2 5 J U LY 2 0 2 6

CORONATION CUP Despite playing off 23 goals against Uruguay’s 27, England came out strong and maintained their lead to win the Coronation Cup 14-8, reports Storm Johnson

THE ART OF POLO

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THE ART OF POLO

It was an unforgettable day at Guards Polo Club for the Hurlingham Polo Association’s 54th International Day. England and Uruguay were led out by Pony Club members Cruz Otamendi and Florence Ashby. Opera singer Naomi Rogers made her own debut on the Queen’s Ground with a mesmerising rendition of both national anthems to open the match. The visiting side of Santiago Stirling (5), Nachi Viana (7) and Alejo Taranco (7) were captained by the legendary Pelón Stirling (8), a 10-time Argentine Open winner and driving force of Uruguayan polo. Uruguay were gunning for victory at their second attempt, having left empty-handed in their 2022 debut. England captain Tommy Beresford (7) was joined by Ollie Cudmore (5) and brothers Louis Hine (6) and Ned Hine (5) to form a strong England side for a total of 23 goals against Uruguay’s 27 – a tall order, but these players have racked up plenty of time together on the field. Both teams came out attacking, but Uruguay were first to score, with a penalty sent home by Nachi Viana, who landed in the UK just hours before the game. England started with two goals on the board, owing to the handicap difference, but it was Louis Hine who made the first field goal for England, picking up a massive hit from captain Tommy Beresford and making a superb, angled shot to bring the score to 3-1. After a flawless penalty from Tommy Beresford, it was a Ned-Louis combination that saw England finish the first chukka firmly ahead, 5-1. By the end of the second chukka, Uruguay had closed the gap to 6-4, but England drew away again in the third, heading into half-time at 8-5. By the end of the fourth chukka, the score was 10-7. With only two field goals from Uruguay and most coming from penalties, the England team looked increasingly confident, but needed to keep their cool to stay ahead. Heading into the final chukka, England had surged ahead to leave the scoreboard at 12-7 in favour of the home side and the possibility of victory was slipping away for the visitors. Uruguay came out fighting for the final chukka, but the home team was not

Opposite: Ollie Cudmore, Tommy Beresford, Louis and Ned Hine. Above: Pelón Stirling receives the Gabriel Donoso Trophy from José Donoso. Below: Louis Hine, Ollie Cudmore, Ned Hine and Tommy Beresford

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prepared to let the visitors get ahead. An intense final seven minutes saw Louis Hine score his fifth goal of the match and make it 14-7 with a stunning run of almost the entire length of the field. Uruguay answered with a final goal chipped over the line from Nachi Viana before the buzzer blew at 14-8 for the final score. There was never any doubt that Louis Hine would pick up the MVP prize, being awarded the Rufino Laulhé Trophy for the second consecutive year. Pelón Stirling received the Gabriel Donoso Trophy, and the Bendicks Best Playing Pony prize went to Louis’ outstanding grey mare Guri Española, sourced from team coach Hilario Ulloa, while the Emerson & Watson Retraining of Racehorses Award went to Ollie Cudmore’s Bockos Amber, who ran seven times on the flat for trainer Roger Teal before switching careers to polo. The prizes were presented by HPA chairman Will Lucas alongside Rivals actress Katherine Parkinson, a bittersweet nod to last year’s celebration with the late Dame Jilly Cooper. Captain Tommy Beresford stepped back and welcomed Ollie Cudmore, winning his third Coronation Cup, to lift the trophy, before the traditional celebration of a spray of Gusbourne sparkling wine closed out the prizegiving after an outstanding day of polo.

ACTION Q U E E N ’ S C U P, G U A R D S P O LO C LU B , U K , 1 4 J U N E 2 0 2 6

QUEEN’S CUP Despite Balanz Capital (Claudio Porcel, Ned Hine, Lorenzo Chavanne and Jeta Castagnola) dominating the league stages of the tournament, they had a tough battle to reach the final of the Queen’s Cup on the Queen’s Ground at Guards Polo Club. Balanz Capital’s semi-final game against Dubai went to a seventh chukka, with Lorenzo Chavanne firing through the winning penalty. Aureus (Jake Coventry, Mark Tomlinson, Diego Cavanagh and Teodoro Lacau) was also forced to hunt

for a golden goal after their semi against La Dolfina/Marqués de Riscal went into overtime. Jake Coventry, the first Zambian player to compete in the Queen’s Cup, scored the winner. The final turned out to be a more straightforward affair for Balanz Capital, although Aureus’s Mark Tomlinson scored the first goal. The Aureus captain picked up a perfect pass from Teodoro Lacau to register the shot on target. Chavanne, who was the tournament’s top scorer, with an

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impressive 50 goals, soon found the equaliser. With Lacau converting a Penalty 3 and Jeta Castagnola finding the flags after some lovely play, the first chukka remained level, 2-2. Chavanne and Castagnola, who came to the Queen’s Cup fresh from success in the USA, impressed all with their synchronicity, earning themselves the nickname “Loreta” from the match commentators in the process. Goals from Chavanne and young English player Ned Hine gave Balanz

THE ART OF POLO

Playing in their first UK high-goal season, Claudio Porcel’s Balanz Capital beat Aureus comfortably 17-7 to win the Queen’s Cup final, reports Diana Butler

THE ART OF POLO

Capital a narrow one-goal lead (5-4) at the end of the second. Diego Cavanagh and Tomlinson both scored to keep Aureus in contention and it looked as if the final was going to be another tight game. This seemed to spur Balanz Capital on and they changed up a gear in the third, scoring five goals off the sticks of Castagnola and Chavanne. This gave them an important 10-5 lead at half-time. Cavanagh had converted a 30-yard penalty in this chukka, but Aureus was now struggling to contain the brilliance of the Chavanne/Castagnola partnership. Aureus was superb in defence in the fourth, stopping the Balanz Capital attack. The blue team registered only one goal, but they did not stay subdued for long. The fifth chukka saw another Castagnola/ Chavanne goalfest. Four further goals for Balanz Capital to only one off the stick of Lacau gave Porcel’s team an impressive 15-6 lead going into the sixth. Goals from both sides in the final chukka meant that the scoreboard was reading 17-7 in favour of Balanz Capital at the final whistle. Aureus had struggled to replicate their semi-final form in this match, while Balanz Capital just seemed to go from strength to strength. In fact, they closed this competition with the highest number of goals scored across the tournament – an impressive 98. Cartier has supported this tournament since 2012 and the club was delighted to welcome Agathe Delpont, managing director of Cartier UK & Ireland, to present the prizes. This included the Most Valuable Player prize to Jeta Castagnola. He also received the Best Playing Pony prize for Machitos Mamushka, a 12-year-old chestnut mare. Earlier in the day Akasha had won the Cartier Trophy, played as the subsidiary final. They beat Jean-Paul Luksic’s Gaston Polo Team 10-9. Incredibly, this game had to go to a seventh chukka. A golden goal from Pablo MacDonough won Akasha the impressive silver salver. The team’s number four, Santiago Laborde, who had been outstanding throughout the match, was named MVP.

Opposite: Lorenzo Chavanne (in blue) eyes the ball. Left: MVP Jeta Castagnola on BBP Machitos Mamushka. Below: the winning team: Ned Hine, Claudio Porcel, Lorenzo Chavanne and Jeta Castagnola

THE FIF TH CHUKK A SAW ANOTHER C A S TA G N O L A /C H AVA N N E G O A L F E S T

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ACTION C O W D R AY G O L D C U P, C O W D R AY PA R K , U K , 1 9 J U LY 2 0 2 6

GOLD CUP Underdogs Gaston Polo Team claimed the British Open Polo Championship over Dubai in a close and memorable final, while Yaguara clinched the Ladies title with a half-point lead over Salty Polo, reports Jemima Wilson

As one of the most celebrated polo tournaments in the world, the St. Regis British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup brought 19 elite teams and many of the sport’s most accomplished international players together. It culminated in a closely fought final, which saw surprise finalists Gaston take on Dubai, a team with more Gold Cups than any other.

The line-up for Gaston was Jean-Paul Luksic (0), Gonzalo Ferrari (7), Beltrán Laulhé (7) and Cruz Heguy (7), who each gave their all against the strong Dubai team of Tariq Albwardy (0), Antonio Heguy (7), Bartolomé Castagnola Jr (9) and Santos Merlos (6). Gaston got off to a dominant start in the first half of the game, but by half time Dubai was trailing by just one goal at

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5-4. The second half remained incredibly close, but Gaston managed to stay in front heading into the final chukka. Despite Dubai throwing everything at Gaston in the closing seconds, Gaston emerged victorious, winning 9-8.

Above: Beltrán Laulhé on the ball

MARK BEAUMONT

MARK BEAUMONT; JEN DEBERIGNY

Cruz Heguy was awarded Most Valuable Player of the final and was presented with the U.S. Polo Assn. MVP weekender bag by J. Michael Prince, president and CEO of USPA Global, and Boo Jalil, CEO of Brand Machine Group. The Heguy family has a deep-rooted history in the Cowdray Gold Cup, as Antonio Heguy won the first Gold Cup in 1956; his grandsons Eduardo and Nachi won it in 1996; Bautista in 2000; Marcos in 2004; his great-greatgrandson Antonio in 2024; and Cruz has won it this year, beating his cousin Antonio in the 2026 final. As part of its multi-year partnership with Cowdray Park Polo Club and its support of the British High Goal Season as the Official Apparel Partner of the 2026 St. Regis British Open Polo Championship, U.S. Polo Assn. provided custom cobranded apparel to all on-site staff, presented the MVP Award and donated to Cowdray’s selected charity, Midhurst Palliative Care. On finals day, the U.S. Polo Assn. brand also hosted an Experiential Merchandise Tent highlighting its newest global campaign, The Polo Shirt: An Icon Born from the Game™, a photo wall, an inflatable polo shirt and the brand’s signature cocktail, the Divot Stomp™, served in a souvenir aluminium cup with a polo mallet stirrer. ‘U.S. Polo Assn. is honoured to continue supporting the 2026 St. Regis British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup as the Official Apparel Partner, one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world,’ said J. Michael Prince, of USPA Global, the company that manages and markets the multibillion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand. ‘From world-class athletes and historic grounds to meaningful fan engagement, this tournament represents everything that makes the sport of polo so compelling.’

British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup. The eight teams that started the tournament were narrowed down to the top two, with the opportunity to play in the hotly contested final, which drew record crowds before the mixed final later in the day. Salty Polo, which included one of the world’s top-ranked players, 10-goal Nina Clarkin, pushed Yaguara the whole way, with end-to-end polo and an exciting conclusion. In the end, Yaguara – comprising nine-goaler Milly Hine, who won MVP of the final, sisters Mía and Myla from the legendary Cambiaso polo dynasty, and patron Martina Lowe – proved too strong and clinched the title with just a half-point lead over Salty Polo to finish 7 goals to 6.5. The U.S. Polo Assn. Charity Cheque was presented to the founder of the Power of Polo charity, Katy Hayward, and the Best Playing Pony was Matuza Cassie, owned and played by Cata Lavinia. Together with Eurosport and TNT, USPA Global will air a special Breakaway Show, Polo in Europe, featuring the thrilling competition and special day at Cowdray Park Polo Club in 2026. The show will include featured interviews and experiential moments throughout both the mixed and women’s games. Global Polo YouTube will also carry the show after it premieres on Eurosport and TNT.

WOMEN’S FINAL This year also marked a significant milestone for the women’s tournament, with the British Ladies Open Polo Championship Final held for the very first time on the same day as the St. Regis

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GASTON GOT OFF TO A D O M I N A N T S TA R T IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE GAME

Above: Boo Jalil, MVP Cruz Heguy and J. Michael Prince. Below: action from the final

ACTION PACIFIC COAST OPEN, SANTA BARBARA POLO & RACQUET CLUB, USA, 14-30 AUGUST 2026

PACIFIC COAST OPEN A perfect Southern California day paired with a sold-out crowd resulted in a strong matchup between defending champions La Karina – Brian Boyd, Carlos “Carlitos” Gracida Jr, Felipe “Pipe” Vercellino, Lucas Escobar – and Klentner Ranch – Jake Klentner, Ignacio “Nachi” Viana, Jesse Bray and Justin Klentner – in this year’s Pacific Coast Open final. As one of the oldest polo tournaments in the world and the most prestigious championship in the western United States, the Pacific Coast Open once again

delivered world-class competition while highlighting the enduring connection between sport, style and community. Set against the backdrop of California’s coastline, it continues to bring together talented players, passionate spectators and longtime supporters for more than two weeks of high-goal competition at one of polo’s most esteemed venues. In order to decide the two teams vying for a place in the PCO Friday, two semi-finals matchups were played on 28 August. The first game welcomed

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Mrs Momma Bear and La Karina to Field Three. La Karina battled all the way through and narrowly edged Mrs Momma Bear out with a one-goal defeat, sending the defending champions into the final. The second game of the day showcased Klentner Ranch and Zahedi Chogan, a repeat of the semi-final matchup from the Silver Cup. Zahedi Chogan was looking for redemption, but Klentner Ranch took a stronghold and claimed the victory with a 12-11 score to continue through to the big game on the Sunday afternoon.

DAVID LOMINSKA

Klentner Ranch claimed its fourth title in the U.S. Polo Assn. Pacific Coast Open at Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club, reports Jemima Wilson

DAVID LOMINSKA

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On finals day, a dominant offensive by Klentner Ranch sealed the deal for another historic season by claiming victory in two of the three 16-goal series tournaments. Klentner Ranch seized control of the final with a commanding first-half performance. La Karina mounted a spirited fifth-chukka comeback, cutting the lead to just two goals, but Klentner Ranch erupted for five goals in the sixth chukka, powering to a decisive 16-9 championship victory. The star player of the day was Nachi Viana, scoring 12 of the 16 goals for his team, earning MVP of the final. Jesse Bray brought the horsepower with BPP Dolfi Cautivadora. The Charity Beneficiaries of the PCO final were Polo Training Center Santa Barbara (La Karina) and The Horse Project (Klentner Ranch). The Groom of the Year award went to Carlos Leiva, groom to Facundo Obregon. The Molly Quigley Award for Best String of Horses was won by Pipe Vercellino. Finally, the Robert Skene Season MVP award went to Nachi Viana.

Opposite, from left: Nachi Viana, Jesse Bray, Jake and Justin Klentner. Above: Carlitos Gracida and Jesse Bray 61

Below, from left: Gonzalo Entrecanales, Pedro Chavanne, Gonzalo Ferrari and Bartolomé Castagnola

SOTOGRANDE GOLD CUP Dubai became the champions of the Ayala Polo Club high-goal Gold Cup for the fifth time, while Vamos Korea won the low-goal title, reports Jemima Wilson

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M AT I A S C A L L E J O – AYA L A P O L O C LU B

ACTION AYA L A P O LO C LU B G O L D C U P, AYA L A P O LO C LU B , S PA I N , 2 9 A U G U ST 2 0 2 6

FROM THE SECOND, DUBAI GREW I N I N T E N S I T Y, P L AY L E V E L AND BRILLIANCE

but the Sainte Mesme team of Kristos Magrini, Ned Hine, Carlos María Ulloa and Robert Strom managed to close the gap to a goal difference of 4-3. From the second, Dubai grew in intensity, play level and brilliance, and the prominence of Pedro Chavanne was remarkable, despite being only 16 years of age. Gonzalo Ferrari, who was awarded MVP of the final, was also influential in every aspect of his team’s game. And Bartolomé Castagnola, who returned to play with Dubai after three seasons, showed once again why he is considered

M AT I A S C A L L E J O – AYA L A P O L O C LU B

On August 29, Dubai won the Ayala Polo Club high-goal Gold Cup for the fifth time after beating Sainte Mesme 16-9 in the final played on Field Three of Los Pinos. Ali Albwardy’s Dubai team last won the Gold Cup three years ago in 2023, with Bartolomé Castagnola who was also in the lineup again this year. While the team looked superior throughout, Dubai dominated the final from the second chukka. In the first, the team of Gonzalo Entrecanales, Pedro Chavanne, Gonzalo Ferrari and Bartolomé Castagnola started strong,

one of the top two players in the world. Although Dubai’s victory became more evident from the start of the second half, Sainte Mesme fought until the last moment, making their first Gold Cup final in Sotogrande, having defeated many of the toughest teams in the competition to get there. During the awards ceremony, Paola Zóbel, president of Ayala Polo Club, presented the Cup to the champions Dubai, while the BPP of the final award was received by Ve Ocho Monet, played by Pedro Chavanne, and the prize for the Best Registered Argentine Bred Horse was presented to Dubai Mamma Mía played by Gonzalo Ferrari. In the low-goal final, Vamos Korea (David Ko, Indalecio Pieres, Vicente Stirling, Nicolás Pieres), beat Santa Quiteria (Alfonso Nero, Gonzalo Entrecanales, Luis Domecq, Juan Cruz Carreño) 12-8, with MVP being awarded to Indalecio Pieres, whose horse Willmont New Zealand won the BPP award.

Above: Gonzalo Ferrari and Félix Esaín. Left, from left: Vicente Stirling, Indalecio Pieres, David Ko and Nicolás Pieres

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ACTION O P E N D E F R A N C E B A R N E S , P O L O C L U B D U D O M A I N E C H A N T I L LY, F R A N C E , 3 - 3 0 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 6

FRENCH OPEN Kazak was crowned winner of the 2026 Open de France BARNES after a 10-9 victory over Akasha, reports Jemima Wilson

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Founded by Patrick Guerrand Hermès in 1995 and now one of the largest polo clubs in Europe – and one of the most picturesque – Chantilly Polo Club has been hosting the renowned French Open since 2001. Each year in September, the prestigious tournament attracts many of the world’s biggest patrons and best players, along with a large, enthusiastic crowd of spectators. For the 2026 edition, the journey to the final was one of the most exciting in the competition’s history. The quarter-finals saw three matches decided by a single goal; two rounds of extra-time; and a fourth quarter-final in which defending champions Octogone found themselves three goals down before turning the match around to win. When Kazak came up against Esso, the first extra chukka was goalless, so for the second extra chukka, the goals were doubled in width, from seven to 14 metres – a first on the Chantilly grounds – before Pedro Chavanne scored to secure a place in the semi-finals for Kazak. In the first semi-final, Akasha defeated Octogone 9-7, and in the second semi, Kazak emerged as winners in a tough and close match against Jolly Roger King of Polo, which ended 8-6. Despite having met Akasha in the league stages and losing 11-6, Kazak put the early loss behind them to dominate the final, maintaining a narrow lead throughout the game. In the fifth and final chukka, Kazak led by 10-6, and while the Akasha team of Alexandre Garese, Ciro Urturi, Facundo Fernández Llorente and Tommy Beresford fought back hard in the last few minutes to close the gap to 10-9 – the youthful and dynamic Kazak team of Pedro Chavanne, León Donoso and Teodoro Lacau, led by Sébastien Aguettant, was unstoppable.

K AZAK PUT THE E A R LY L O S S B E H I N D T H E M T O D O M I N AT E THE FINAL

Both teams already had a French Open title to their name – Akasha in 2021 as La Magdeleine and Kazak in 2023. Having been beaten 12-5 by La Magdeleine, now Akasha, five years ago, Sébastien Aguettant chose to put his faith in emerging young players this year – and it paid off. The oldest of Kazak’s three professionals, Teodoro Lacau, has only just turned 24, while Pedro Chavanne and León Donoso are both 16 years old. However, what they lack in years and experience they make up for in talent and tenacity, and the three young Kazak professionals showcased a masterclass of long runs, improbable plays and very few fouls. All 10 of Kazak’s goals were scored by the three of them: four by Chavanne, four by Donoso and two by Lacau. Pedro Chavanne and León Donoso had both made a big impact on the game, but Chilean León Donoso was named MVP and became the youngest MVP in French Open history. The Amateur MVP was Sébastien

Opposite: MVP – a flying León Donoso in front of his cousin, Tommy Beresford. Right, from left to right: Sébastien Aguettant, Pedro Chavanne, León Donoso and Teodoro Lacau

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Aguettant, while the BPP honours went to Irenita Risa, played by Facundo Fernández Llorente and the AACCP BPP award went to Flojura Pulpera, played by León Donoso. The Standing Rock Fair Play Award, judged by the umpires throughout the tournament, was presented to Eternal J. The final of the SkinCeuticals Women’s Open de France promised a great contest between the only two unbeaten teams from the qualifying stage: Lía Salvo’s Augustinus Bader and Hazel Jackson’s Why Not. But Why Not – Allegra Barnaba, Lorena Renggli, Hana Grill and Hazel Jackson – came out in their best form yet, displaying discipline and strong defence, while Augustinus Bader – Alicia Gariador, Mendoza Houben, Paloma Lauro and Lía Salvo – couldn’t find the organisation and control they had shown in their first three matches. Why Not led 5-1 at half-time, with Jackson converting four penalties. Adding three unanswered goals in the second half, the final quickly turned into a one-sided game, with Why Not winning 8-1. With seven of Why Not’s eight goals in the final and 22 throughout the tournament scored by Jackson, she won the SoftShield Best Professional Player award, and her teammate Lorena Renggli received the Drimmer Best Amateur Player award. The Best Playing Pony of the final was El Overo Z7 Michinga, played by Hazel Jackson.