2018 High-Goal Winter Season Kicks Off at the International Polo Club Palm Beach
Ushering in the new year is the highly-anticipated return of the Florida high-goal season to the renowned International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC) in Wellington, Florida. The United States Polo Association® (USPA), in partnership with IPC, is pleased to host both 20- and 26-goal season schedules from December 31, 2017, until April 22, 2018.
“Together with the International Polo Club Palm Beach the USPA is proud to host some of the most prestigious tournaments in the nation,” said USPA CEO Robert Puetz. “The Florida high-goal season always draws tremendous attention to our sport by bringing together many of the world’s best players. I look forward to increased competition with additional teams and many new participants in this year’s lineups.”
Highlighting the season will be four national USPA 26-goal tournaments, three of which make up the triple crown of American polo and culminate with the prestigious U.S. Open Polo Championship®. The season will conclude with the U.S. Open Final on April 22 which will be televised on CBS Primetime from IPC.
“The International Polo Club 2018 polo season should be very exciting,” said IPC Polo Manager Jimmy Newman. “There are three additional teams entered in the 20-goal Joe Barry Cup than we had last winter for a total of eleven. At the request of the competing teams, we have extended the coming 20-goal season until April 1st, making for very competitive polo. A new tournament honoring one of the world’s greatest players, Carlos Gracida, will be added as our fifth 20-goal tournament and we look forward to watching two new teams, Sayyu Dantata’s SD Farms team and Curtis Pilot’s Sonny Hill team compete for the first time at IPC.”
The USPA would like to extend a warm welcome to 2018’s new teams SD Farms, and Sonny Hill and looks forward to the return of many teams from the 2017 season, including 2017 U.S. Open defending champions Valiente, Coca-Cola, Grand Champions Polo Club, Postage Stamp Farm, La Indiana, Travieso, Goose Creek, Villa del Lago/Modere and Valiente II under the new name Colorado. Many notable players will be participating, including Adam Snow, Mike Azzaro, Gillian Johnston, Julio Arellano, Maureen Brennan, Jared Zenni, Mariano Aguerre and 10-goalers Facundo Pieres, Sapo Caset and Hilario Ulloa. For full team rosters, please visit www.uspolo.org.
Internationally recognized as one of the most distinguished clubs in North America, IPC offers a range of seating options for experiencing the exhilaration of Sunday polo, both casual and luxurious. Tickets for featured games at 3:00pm ET may be purchased on game day at the gate, by phone at (561) 282-5334 or online at www.internationalpoloclub.com.
For those seeking a view of the game from the sidelines with an array of delicious food, The Pavilion Champagne Brunch is available with veranda seating and Coco Polo Lounge VIP options on Sundays at 2:00pm ET. To make reservations, please call (561) 838-3409.
The USPA Polo Network will livestream all games beginning on January 4 with the Joe Barry Cup on uspolo.org. For tournament results, game coverage and more information, please visit www.uspolo.org.