The 2024 Autumn Arena Season kicked off in style under postcard-perfect New England skies, as players and ponies returned to Newport Polo’s arena after a successful grass season. The USPA NE Circuit Sportsmanship Cup, held October 19-20, featured four teams blending seasoned pros with rising stars from across the Northeast. With a competitive lineup and an electric atmosphere, the stage was set for an epic showdown. 

USPA Circuit Tournaments provide the perfect stage for players to extend their season post-grass and take advantage of ideal autumn conditions in New England. 

Newport Polo staff and volunteers assembled early for the final preparations, marking the arena, firing up the scoreboard, spreading banquet tables with beverages and a lunch buffet, and posting the matchups on the leaderboard around the arena as supporters gathered for the official competition to begin, and players and grooms prepared the ponies. 

USPA certified umpire Rory Torrey called the teams to the arena for the start of the semi final rounds. The random draw to seed the Semi-Finals pitted Kanga Manga in black, comprised of Touba Ghadessi at the #1 position, followed by Dan Kinsella at #2, and Megan Shulz anchoring the team at #3, against opponents Mad Mouse Polo in grey/pink with Minnie Keating at #1, Todd Plummer at #2, and Finn Guenther at #3 for the opening Semi-Final I match. Mad Mouse came out swinging, racking up 6 unanswered points by halftime to Kanga Manga's 1 before the bell sounded.  The second half raised both teams to equal productivity as Kanga Manga staged a fierce comeback unloading 5 points including a 2-pointer by Schulz, and 2 more in the final chukker, but Mad Mouse padded its lead over the second half with 5 additional points to maintain the lead throughout, and gave up no penalty points in the 11-8 win to advance to the Finals in the next round of competition.

The second game of the day was Semi-Final II pitting Newport Interscholastic (IS) in red against Newport seniors in white jerseys. Newport IS would start with a 1 point handicap, fielding Hanalei Streuli at the #1 position, Jair Zenteno at #2, and Anna Dwyer holding down #3. Their opponents in white were Leslie Streuli at #1, Dan Keating at #2, and Aurelia Rus at #3. The opening chukker was thrilling, as the teams scored alternating points, including 2-pointers by each side, and a lead change that carried through the first half with momentum in Newport senior's favor. Though Newport seniors continued the shelling, Newport IS did not relent either, and stayed within a small margin of the lead, and in the final chukker overcame the gap to take the game into a triple overtime penalty shootout! All players from both teams took 2 rounds of shots from the 25, then 1 round from the 15 yard line before Newport seniors broke the tie to advance to Sunday's Final. 

Between matches players and spectators gawped at spectacular blue ocean views and colorful Autumn foliage on the balmy weekend. In the evening, a super hunter's moon guided players to the downtown Newport destination - Clarke Cooke House for the Westchester Polo Club's annual sell-out Players Dinner on Newport's scenic harborfront with plently of commaraderie and laughs recounting the chukkers of the day and the past season. 

On Sunday, Kanga Manga returned to the ring to battle Newport IS for 3rd place in the Consolation round, dominating the 4-chukker contest from start to finish, including a 2-pointer by Zenteno, to handily take the Bronze. 

As the dust settled after the consolation matches, it was time for the Finals at midafternoon with Mad Mouse Polo receiving 1 handicap point at the outset against Newport, yet had a slow start and trailed through the first half with only one field goal, while Newport racked up 6 points.  Bursting with goals in the second half, Mad Mouse launched its comeback, and held Newport scoreless in the final chukker, but fell short as Newport hung on to win 9-8 to earn a place in history as the champions of the 2024 Sportsmanship Cup.

Winner's trophies and the perpetual cup were hoisted by the winning Newport team, and Aurelia Rus was named MVP of the tournament! Best Playing Pony was awarded to OverDrive ridden by Minnie Keating. Teammates and family congregated along the pony lines to celebrate the competitive weekend and perfect weather with friends and family - a brilliant formula to transition into the Autumn arena season of 2024!

 

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Photos: John Lincourt Photography

 

 

 

 

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About Newport Polo:  Newport Polo is the home of the Westchester Polo Club, America’s first polo club est. 1876, and a charter member of the United States Polo Association, offering public exhibition matches, polo club membership, and polo instruction year-round. The founding members, who hailed mostly from Westchester County, NY, established the club's summer headquarters and polo grounds in Newport, RI where its members annually convened for summer recreation. The original club, based in Newport, is credited for organizing the world's first international polo competition, the Westchester Cup, and remained active until 1929. The Westchester Polo Club was revived in 1992 by President and current USPA Delegate, Dan Keating. Known today as Newport Polo, the Club supports a vibrant polo training program, developing players in weekly polo lessons with open enrollment for new players, as well as membership for club chukkers and tournaments in spring, summer, and autumn. Click Here to read & subscribe for the weekly polo schedule with opportunities to play for all levels!  Newport Polo is also home to the Brown University Polo Team, and the Newport Varsity & JV Interscholastic Teams. Newport Polo also hosts the Newport International Polo Series, a popular summer exhibition series held annually on Saturdays, June - September.