The United States Polo Association and the National Polo Center recently announced that nine teams will compete in the 2024 Gauntlet of Polo series.
The prestigious Gauntlet of Polo returns for its sixth year, drawing the world’s greatest polo talent to vie for the three most sought-after American titles: the C.V. Whitney Cup, the USPA Gold Cup and the 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 the 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 will also be returning. 2023 USPA Gold Cup winners Scone will return to compete under a new team name, La Dolfina. Pilot, the only team to ever capture the entire Gauntlet series, will attempt to soar back to the top of the podium for the first time since 2022.
Former USPA Chair 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. Coca-Cola’s Gillian Johnston, the only woman set to compete in the series, is hoping to achieve Gauntlet success having previously won the U.S. Open Polo Championship in 2002. La Fe and Dutta Corp boast a unique advantage, with both teams competing with identical 2023 rosters.
Additionally, four 10-goalers — Hilario Ulloa, Facundo Pieres, Poroto Cambiaso and Adolfo Cambiaso — will compete, representing the highest level of the sport. 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. As in 2023, Poroto will play for La Dolfina, while his legendary father, Adolfo, will compete for Valiente.
Teams competing in the full Gauntlet of Polo are: Coca-Cola with Gillian Johnston, Kristos “Keko” Magrini, Pablo “Polito” Pieres and Julian de Lusarreta; Pilot with Curtis Pilot, Santos Merlos, Facundo Pieres and Santiago Torres; Dutta Corp with Timmy Dutta, Joaquin Avendaño, Mariano “Nino” Obregon Jr. and Tomas Garcia del Rio; Park Place with Andrey Borodin and Hilario Ulloa; La Fe with Louis Devaleix, Lucas Diaz Alberdi, Francisco Elizalde and Roberto Bilbao; La Dolfina with David Paradice, Rufino Merlos, Poroto Cambiaso and Tomas Panelo; Tamera with Alejandro Poma, Segundo Saravi, Matias Torres Zavaleta and Diego Cavanagh; and Valiente with Bob Jornayvaz, Mariano “Peke” Gonzalez Jr., Paco de Narvaez Jr. and Adolfo Cambiaso. The Clearwater team with Chip Campbell, James “Jared” Zenni, Lucas Criado Jr. and Raul “Gringo” Colombres will compete in the USPA Gold Cup and U.S. Open Polo Championship.
The 2024 Gauntlet of Polo will serve as the premier spectacle of the NPC season. The three-part series will begin Feb. 9-25 with the C.V. Whitney Cup, continue with the USPA Gold Cup from Feb. 23 to March 24, and conclude with the U.S. Open Polo Championship from March 22 to 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 the 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 will be broadcast exclusively by the USPA Polo Network. Livestreamed games will be available at www.uspolo.org, as well as across multiple USPA social media platforms.
In addition to livestreaming on USPA Polo Network, Global Polo Entertainment and USPA Global Licensing have extended their historic relationship with ESPN through 2024 to bring the finals of the top U.S. polo events to ESPN platforms.
Tickets for Sunday brunch and stadium seating for all Gauntlet of Polo tournaments on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One can be purchased at www.nationalpolocenter.com.