Empire Polo Club Hosting USPA Open National Interscholastic Championship
Tournament
Event to Showcase Top High School Polo Teams and Players
WHAT: Empire Polo Club is set to host the USPA Open National Interscholastic Championship polo tournament featuring the top five high school teams in the country March 13-17 in Indio, California. Back in the tournament this year is western regional champion Eldorado, who finished as the national runner-up last year after losing to defending champion, Cowtown/Work to Ride, in a dramatic championship match that was decided in a double-overtime shootout.
Eldorado will have strong competition from a couple of newcomers in this year’s event including Natania, who made their way to nationals for the first time by knocking off the powerhouse Cowtown/Work to Ride team in the southeastern regional final. Also making their first national tournament appearance will be Prestonwood, who won the central regional championship in just the team’s second year competing in interscholastic polo. Rounding out the competing teams this year is northeast regional champ, Toronto, and wild card selectee, Poway.
The USPA Open National Interscholastic Championship tournament is part of the U.S. Polo Association’s Intercollegiate/Interscholastic (I/I) polo program, which is dedicated to growing the sport by providing maximum exposure, recruiting collegiate and scholastic institutions, coordinating activities and organized competition. Supporting this mission, the I/I program has experienced tremendous growth in recent years including the addition of 31 new teams from 2010 to 2012, for a total of 113 going into this season.
WHEN: March 13-17, 2013
WHERE: Empire Polo Club
81-800 Avenue 51
Indio, CA 92201
TEAMS: Eldorado – Indio, Calif.
Natania – Warrenton, Va.
Poway – Poway, Calif.
Prestonwood – Oak Point, Texas
Toronto – Toronto, Ont.
SCHEDULE:
|
Day |
Time |
Game |
Matchup |
|
Wednesday |
6 p.m. PT |
1 |
Poway vs. Prestonwood |
|
Thursday |
9:30 a.m. PT |
2 |
Toronto vs. Eldorado |
|
|
6 p.m. PT |
3 |
Natania vs. Game 1 Winner |
|
Friday |
6 p.m. PT |
|
Consolation Matches |
|
Saturday |
9:30 a.m. PT |
Final |
Game 2 Winner vs. Game 3 Winner |
|
|
7 p.m. PT |
Banquet |