USPA Arena Polo Committee
Committee Chair: Dan Coleman Committee Vice-Chair: John Gobin Interim Committee Staff: Peter Rizzo Committee Members: Jennifer Alexy Robert Ceparano Max Duarte Frederic Escobar Mike Farah Diego Florez Dennis Geiler Tom Goodspeed Stormie Hale Karl Hilberg Grainger Hines Duncan Huyler Louis Lopez, Jr. Robert Lynn-Kee-Chow Alice McKnight Erik Munk Honorary Members: B. T. Easterling George A. Masek, Jr.
Pictured from left to right: Dick Fredericks, Kris Kampsen, Team USPA member Felipe Viana, Bob Ceparano, Robert Ceparan and USPA CEO Peter Rizzo
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Mission Statement: The Arena Committee is the successor of the Indoor Polo Association. Its mission is to organize and promote arena polo within the USPA, develop arena polo with member clubs and players, and introduce new USPA membership through arena polo. The committee seeks to differentiate arena polo as an exciting, competitive, and alternative version of the sport of polo. The committee believes arena polo is an invaluable instructional format and is the ideal venue for developing new polo players. The committee's initiatives and responsibilities include arena rules, arena handicaps, high goal arena polo, arena tournaments, international arena polo, and women's arena polo. Americas Arena Cup: This 6-9 goal event was awarded to Grand Champions Polo Club for 2014 and will feature teams from United States, Canada, Mexico and Guatemala. The four teams will fight for the title February 6-8, 2014. Arena Polo Leagues: The Committee are looking at arena polo leagues wherein teams from around the area would participate in and host events that would count toward a championship. Committee members will look to similar events as a resource that can be shared with clubs around the country. Circuit/National Arena Event Reimbursement: USPA established a reimbursement program for clubs hosting Circuit and National arena tournaments. In an effort to have some of our most significant National and Circuit arena events, Arena Committee Chairman Dan Coleman conceived a plan to budget for funding to be used as an incentive to offset arena club’s costs of hosting these important events. Pop-Up Arena Sub-committee: Recognizing that snow and beach polo are played using a snow fence or other removable barriers, this sub-committee will look at opportunities to work with clubs to set up events and bring polo to the people. Russ Sheldon will chair the sub-committee and work with Mike Farah and Karl Hilberg. The sub-committee will work to create a “Playbook” as a resource for clubs or polo related entities interested in the concept. Indoor facilities will also be looked at as venues for this type of event. Townsend Cup: The 2013 Townsend Cup was awarded to Empire Polo Club in Indio, California who hosted the event the second week of January. With a history dating back to 1923, the Townsend is the pinnacle of international arena competition and features high goal teams from England and the USA. Last year, England prevailed over USA, but the U.S. team will look for redemption in the Bryan Morrison Cup at Hickstead’s All England Club this winter. Empire also hosted an international collegiate event in connection with the Townsend that featured a collegiate team from the SUPA program in England vs. an intercollegiate team selected by the USPA I/I committee. The U.S. collegiate team won 188; the team comprised of Ford MacCarty (Colorado State University), Patrick Uretz (Westmont College), Kylie Sheehan (University of Virginia) and Nik Feldman (Cornell University). U.S. Open Arena Polo Championship: Country Farms Polo Club hosted the event in 2013, and four teams participated with help from USPA’s Amy Wisehart and the I/I Committee. The fourth team was funded by the I/I program, and was made up of the Patrick, Tony and Wiley Uretz brothers representing Westmont College located in Santa Barbara, California; Nik Feldman with Cornell was an alternate. Other teams participating included: Aliano Realty – Nick Aliano, Brandon Phillips, Tommy Biddle, Zoetis – Robert Ceparano, Felipe Viana, Kris Kampsen and Tackeria - Matt Coppola, Mauricio Deveurant, Horton Schwartz and alternate Lobo Fernandez. Congratulations to Zoetis who took home the trophy!