Iconic Sports Brand Donates to Equestrian and Polo Charities Chosen by the Finalists
WEST PALM BEACH, FL / ACCESSWIRE / February 27, 2024 / U.S. Polo Assn., the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), was proud to again support the 2024 U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship®. The most prestigious cup in women’s polo in the United States ran from Feb. 3-23, 2024, with qualifying games played at Port Mayaca Polo Club, and the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship Final played once again on the U.S. Polo Assn. Field One at the world-renowned USPA National Polo Center (NPC) – Wellington on Feb. 23.
ESPN is broadcasting the Women’s Championship Final for sports fans around the world on ESPN News Thursday, Feb. 29, at 7 p.m. EST; check your local listings.
Beginning with eight teams, the most teams in years, the qualifiers brought that number down to two incredible women’s teams playing for the trophy – Buena Vibra and 90210. Ultimately, the championship trophy went to first-time U.S. Open winner Buena Vibra with a score of 13-11. It was a hard-fought game with a tie score down to the final chukker. Buena Vibra Team Captain Milly Hine, with an impressive eight-goal ranking, won the Game MVP, scoring 10 of the team’s 13 goals. In addition to Hine, the team consisted of Clara Cassino (8), Cory Williams (4) and Valentina Tarazona (1), Tarazona being the youngest player on a winning team at age 13. This was the first time for all players on Team Buena Vibra to win the Women’s U.S. Open.
"It’s an absolute dream. My team is incredible; we can’t believe it. None of us have played the finals, none of us have the experience of what it’s like to play on this field or against such a tough opposition," said Buena Vibra Team Captain and Game MVP Milly Hine (8). "We just decided let’s enjoy it, let’s just hope our horses are as well prepared as possible, and we did everything in our power to perform on this day."
U.S. Polo Assn.’s support of the most celebrated cup for women’s polo in the United States included donations of uniforms to participating teams with the iconic U.S. Polo Assn. double horsemen logo, as well as donations made to polo and equestrian charities selected by the finalists in the 2024 U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship. These included Replay Polo, selected by Buena Vibra, and Work to Ride, selected by 90210.
Unlike other team sports, women and men play polo together as equals, and approximately 40% of USPA club members are female. Women are, in fact, the fastest-growing segment in the sport of polo at the club and collegiate levels at more than 40% and 60%, respectively.
"The 2024 U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship is a showcase of women’s polo achievements," said J. Michael Prince, President and CEO of USPA Global, the company that manages and markets the multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand. "U.S. Polo Assn. is proud to support these outstanding female athletes in one of the high goal season’s most prestigious tournaments, highlighting some of the very best players in the sport."
"Adding the charitable component to this important polo tournament emphasizes our support of not only the women but the many polo and equestrian charities in need within our polo community," added Prince.
Ten-goal players in this year’s high-goal tournament were Hope Arellano, Nina Clarkin and Hazel Jackson. At an eight-goal rating, Mia Cambiaso played as well. Newcomer to the Women’s Open, Shariah Harris, a Cornell graduate and former Work to Ride program participant, was an exciting addition to the competition in 2024.
"It was an amazing opportunity playing in the Women’s Open. This time last year during the finals I just told myself that I’m going to play in this next year and someway, somehow, it all worked out and here I am," said Harris. "It was definitely a personal accomplishment and an honor to play with women of this caliber."
"I am always honored to compete against other amazing women polo players in the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship," added Arellano, professional polo player and U.S. Polo Assn. Brand Ambassador. "And I love being surrounded by those in the South Florida polo community who support women’s professional polo."
About the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship
The U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship® has a profound history dating back to the 1930s in California. The first women’s U.S. Open tournament was presented by the United States Women’s Polo Association (USWPA) in 1937 at the Golden Gate Field in San Francisco, California, in 1937. Women were officially welcomed into the United States Polo Association in 1972 with Sue Sally Hale becoming the first woman member. On the centennial anniversary of the USPA in 1990, a U.S. Women’s Open was officially sanctioned and held at Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. It was officially recognized as a national tournament in 2011 and has been hosted at the Houston Polo Club for the past seven years, becoming the largest annual women’s polo event in the United States.
About U.S. Polo Assn. and USPA Global
U.S. Polo Assn. is the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), the governing body for the sport of polo in the United States and one of the country’s oldest sports governing bodies, founded in 1890. With a multi-billion-dollar global footprint and worldwide distribution through some 1,200 U.S. Polo Assn. retail stores as well as thousands of additional points of distribution, U.S. Polo Assn. offers apparel, accessories, and footwear for men, women, and children in more than 190 countries worldwide. A recent, multi-year deal with ESPN to broadcast the premier polo championships in the world, sponsored by U.S. Polo Assn., has made the thrilling sport accessible to millions of households globally for the very first time.
U.S. Polo Assn. has consistently been named one of the top global sports licensors alongside the NFL, NBA, and MLB, according to License Global. In addition, the sport-inspired brand is being recognized around the world with awards for global growth, expansion, licensing, and digital presence. Due to its tremendous success as a global brand, particularly in the last five years, U.S. Polo Assn. has been featured in Forbes, Modern Retail, and GQ as well as on Yahoo Finance and Bloomberg, among many other noteworthy media sources around the world.
For more information, visit uspoloassnglobal.com and follow @uspoloassn.
USPA Global is the for-profit subsidiary of the USPA and manages the global, multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand, providing the sport with a long-term source of revenue. Through its subsidiary, Global Polo Entertainment (GPE), USPA Global also manages Global Polo TV, which provides sport and lifestyle content. A historic, multi-year, global arrangement between USPA Global and ESPN, now showcases many of the top championship polo games in the U.S., enabling millions of sports fans and consumers to enjoy the sport across ESPN’s broadcast and streaming platforms. For more sport content, visit globalpolo.com.
Contact Information
Stacey Kovalsky
VP Global PR and Communications
skovalsky@uspagl.com
+001.561.790.8036
Shannon Stilson
VP, Sports Marketing & Media
sstilson@uspagl.com
+001.561.227.6994
SOURCE: USPA Global Licensing Inc.
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