Park Place, Coca Cola, La Dolfina and Valiente qualified to the semifinals of the CV Whitney Cup, following the last league games that took place on Wednesday February 14, a the National Polo Center, inWellington, Florida, United States. The Gauntlet of Polo has been inaugurated in 2019 and Pilot is up-to-date the only team who claimed the three tournaments of the series in one season – CV Whitney Cup, USPA Gold Cup and US Open –precisely in the opening year, 2019. The tournament, currently underway at the National Polo Center, in Wellington, Florida, United States, sees eight teams up to 22 goals, split in four leagues, in participation.
The final of the CV Whitney Cup is due on Sunday February 25.
The last league stage saw Park Place and La Dolfina victorious, against Dutta Corp and Pilot, respectively. Park Place, La Dolfina and Coca Cola remained undefeated.
CV WHITNEY CUP – WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 14
PARK PLACE 11-9 DUTTA CORP
Park Place: Josh Escapite 0 *, Carlos María Ulloa 7** (1 goal), Hilario Ulloa 10 (7), Cody Ellis 5*** (1). Total: 22.
*Subbed in for Andrey Borodin.
**Subbed in for Juan Britos.
***Subbed in for José Meirelles.
Dutta Corp: Timmy Dutta 4 (2 goals), Joaquín Avendaño 4 (1), Tomás García del Río 8 (5), Mariano Obregón 6. Total: 22.
Score Park Place: 1-2, 2-3,7-4, 9-5, 11-6, 11-9-
Umpires: Martín Pascual & Héctor Galindo. Third man: Julian Appleby.
LA DOLFINA 17-12 PILOT
La Dolfina: Dillon Bacon 2 (3 goals), Quinn Evans 1 (3), Poroto Cambiaso 10 (7), Tomás Panelo 9 (6). Total: 22.
Pilot (+4): Curtis Pilot 0, Santiago Torres 6 (1 gol), Santos Merlos 6 (4), Gonzalo Deltour 6* (3). Total: 18.
*Subbed in for the injured Facundo Pieres.
Score La Dolfina: 5-2, 7-4, 8-7, 11-8, 16-10, 17-12.
Umpires: Ronnie Hayes & Jamie Mirikitani. Third man: Kimo Huddleston-
The order of play of the semifinals of the CV Whitney Cup, that will be played on Wednesday February 21, is the following:
11am: Park Place vs. Valiente
3pm: Coca Cola vs. La Dolfina
Originally known as the U.S. Handicap, the C.V. Whitney Cup was first played in 1979. Nine years later, in 1988, the tournament was renamed for C.V. (Cornelius Vanderbilt “Sonny”) Whitney, an avid polo player, three-time winner of the U.S. Open Polo Championship (1928,1937, 1938) and son of 10-goal Hall of Famer, Harry Payne Whitney.
2024 THE GAUNTLET OF POLO CALENDAR
CV Whitney Cup: February 9 – 25.
USPA Gold Cup: February 23 – March 24.
U.S. Open Polo Championship: March 22 – April 21.
Utilizing the same prize money distribution for the 2023 Gauntlet of Polo, the format guarantees a total of $200,000 in prize money. $50,000 will be awarded to each of the winning teams of the C.V. Whitney Cup and USPA Gold Cup. Similarly, $100,000 in prize money will bepresented to the winner of the U.S. Open Polo Championship and any team that wins all three tournaments will be crowned the Gauntlet Champion. In keeping with the spirit of philanthropy, U.S. Polo Assn. will provide a $2,500 donation to the winner and runner-up teams of all three finals to be donated to a polo charity of their choice.
All Sunday games are due on the National Polo Center main ground.
CV Whitney Cup – Teams & Fixture
Cover photo by Agustina Fonda.