Virginia Based Natania Polo Club Wins National Interscholastic Title
The Natania Polo Club won the 2014 USPA Open National Interscholastic Championship title last Saturday after four days of competition against the best high school polo players in the nation at the Empire Polo Club arena in Indio, CA. This is the Warrenton-based polo club’s second Open National Interscholastic Championship win in a row.
Last year, the Natania Polo Club team made their debut at the National Championship and they left quite a first impression galloping away with the National victory. Looking to defend the team’s title this year, the four Natania Polo Club teammates, Calvin Milligan, Sofia Bignoli, Kamran Pirasteh and Wyatt Harlow defeated the Toronto Polo Club with a score of 17-13 in the final. Game All-Stars and Natania Polo Club teammates Wyatt and Kamran were returning Open Interscholastic veterans, having been on the championship team last year as well.
Brothers Kingsley and Mich Ward from Toronto Polo Club were also named All-Stars, while Hank Uretz from the Eldorado Polo Club was honored for Sportsmanship. Best Playing Pony was Zelaya, owned by George Dill, and Poway Polo Club was honored as Best Playing String.
The annual event featured top high school champion teams that made their way to the national stage through various preliminary and regional tournaments, going up against the best up-and-coming talents in U.S. polo. The co-ed sport includes young female and male polo players on champion high school teams from the Northeastern (Toronto Polo Club), Southeastern (Natania Polo Club), Central (Prestonwood Polo Club) and Western (Poway Polo Club) regions, with two Wild Card teams included from Maryland (West Shore Polo Club) and California (Eldorado Polo Club).
The USPA National Interscholastic Championship tournaments are one of the centerpieces of the USPA Intercollegiate/Interscholastic (I/I) polo program. The I/I polo program’s mission is to help expand the sport in the U.S. at the college and high school level. See more information on the I/I polo program here on the U.S. Polo Association’s website, and follow updates by Liking their Facebook Page.
Upcoming USPA National I/I Events:
Men’s & Women’s National Intercollegiate Championship, April 7-12, at ERG Arena in Brookshire, TX