January 12, 2024
The United States Polo Association (USPA) and the National Polo Center (NPC) are pleased to announce the nine teams that will compete in the 2024 Gauntlet of Polo. The prestigious Gauntlet of Polo returns for the sixth consecutive year, drawing the world’s greatest polo talent to vie for the three most sought-after American titles: the C.V. Whitney Cup, USPA Gold Cup and U.S. Open Polo Championship. Similar to last year, teams can also enter any of the three tournaments individually. One team will take advantage of this opportunity, competing exclusively in the USPA Gold Cup and U.S. Open Polo Championship. While teams can enter individual tournaments within the series, they cannot win the entire Gauntlet of Polo if they choose to do so.
This year’s competition features many returning players and teams, including defending U.S. Open champions, Park Place. Five-time C.V. Whitney Cup winners Valiente, and 2023 USPA Gold Cup winners Scone, will also be making a triumphant return. Pilot will attempt to soar back to the top of the podium for the first time since 2022, and remains the only team to capture the Gauntlet in the inaugural season in 2019.
Former USPA Chairman Chip Campbell returns to the competition under a new team name, Clearwater. Campbell has not competed in the Gauntlet since 2021 when he played for Cessna. Gillian Johnston, the only woman set to compete in the series, is hoping to achieve Gauntlet success having won the U.S. Open Polo Championship in 2002. La Fe and The Dutta Corp boast a unique advantage, with both teams competing with identical 2023 rosters.
Additionally, four 10-goalers (Hilario Ulloa, Facundo Pieres, Poroto Cambiaso, Adolfo Cambiaso) will compete, representing the highest level of the sport. Facundo Pieres is fresh off his win in the 2023 Argentine Open with La Natividad, where he competed against the father/son Cambiaso duo who represented La Dolfina Saudi. Poroto Cambiaso will compete in his fourth Gauntlet of Polo season; just as in 2023, Poroto will play for Scone while his legendary father, Adolfo Cambiaso, will compete for Valiente.
See below for the full list of team rosters to date**:
1. Coca-Cola (22) – Gillian Johnston (0), Kristos “Keko” Magrini (6)*, Pablo “Polito” Pieres (9), Julian de Lusarreta (7)
2. Pilot (22) – Curtis Pilot (0), Santos Merlos (6), Facundo Pieres (10), Santiago Torres (6)
3. The Dutta Corp (22) – Timmy Dutta (4)*, Joaquin Avendaño (4), Mariano “Nino” Obregon Jr. (6), Tomas Garcia del Rio (8)
4. Park Place (TBA) – Andrey Borodin (0), Hilario Ulloa (10), TBA, TBA
5. La Fe (22) – Louis Devaleix (1), Lucas Diaz Alberdi (6), Francisco Elizalde (9), Roberto Bilbao (6)
6. Scone (22) – David Paradice (0), Rufino Merlos (3), Poroto Cambiaso (10), Tomas Panelo (9)
7. Tamera (22) – Alejandro Poma (1), Segundo Saravi (5), Matias Torres Zavaleta (8), Diego Cavanagh (8)
8. Valiente (22) – Bob Jornayvaz (0), Mariano “Peke” Gonzalez Jr. (7), Paco de Narvaez Jr. (5), Adolfo Cambiaso (10)
Team competing exclusively in the USPA Gold Cup and U.S. Open Polo Championship:
9. Clearwater (22) – Chip Campbell (1), James “Jared” Zenni (6)*, Lucas Criado Jr. (7), Raul “Gringo” Colombres (8)
*Kristos “Keko” Magrini and Timmy Dutta are active Team USPA members. James “Jared” Zenni is a Team USPA alumnus. Team USPA is a USPA program designed to enhance and grow the sport of polo in the United States by identifying young, talented American players and providing mentored training and playing opportunities leading to a pool of higher rated amateur and pro players and the resultant giveback to the sport of polo.
**All rosters are subject to change.
The 2024 Gauntlet of Polo will serve as the premier spectacle of the NPC season. The three-part series will begin February 9-25 with the C.V. Whitney Cup, continue with the USPA Gold Cup from February 23-March 24, and conclude with the U.S. Open Polo Championship from March 22-April 21. The prize money distribution for the 2024 season will follow last year’s format: $50,000 will be awarded to each of the winning teams of the C.V. Whitney Cup and USPA Gold Cup and $100,000 will be presented to the winner of the U.S. Open Polo Championship.
All Gauntlet of Polo games at NPC in the C.V. Whitney Cup, USPA Gold Cup and U.S. Open Polo Championship will be broadcast exclusively by the USPA Polo Network. Livestreamed games will be available on uspolo.org as well as across multiple USPA social media platforms including Facebook, X and YouTube. To learn more about 2024 livestreaming on the USPA Polo Network, please click here.
In addition to livestreaming on USPA Polo Network, Global Polo Entertainment and USPA Global Licensing extended their historic relationship with ESPN through 2024 to bring the finals of the top U.S. polo events to ESPN platforms. Games will be distributed on ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS and available on-demand on the ESPN App. In 2024, games will include the most prestigious tournaments in North America, including the U.S. Open Polo Championship.
Tickets for Sunday Brunch and stadium seating for all Gauntlet of Polo tournaments on the U.S. Polo Assn. Field One can be purchased now at nationalpolocenter.com.