Sports
Park Place Wins 2023 U.S. Open Polo Championship
The 2023 U.S. Open Polo Championship has come to a close, marking the end of a record-breaking season at the sport’s premier destination in Palm Beach County, Florida. Park Place emerged victorious over Valiente, lifting their first-ever U.S. Open Championship title with a score of 12-11, in front of a record attendance at the USPA National Polo Center.
The Polo Championship is recognized as the most prestigious tournament in the United States and showcases some of the world’s best polo players and equine athletes. This year’s tournament was historic and memorable, with more than $200,000 awarded to finalists in the 2023 tournament season.
In the action-packed final game, which was interrupted by heavy downpours on Sunday, April 23, and finished on Monday, April 24, Valiente, led by Adolfo Cambiaso, played Park Place, led by Hilario Ulloa. The game was neck and neck, where ultimately Park Place prevailed in the closing minutes of the sixth chukker. Ulloa received a pass from teammate Juan Britos and ran the ball up the field to put his team up by one, guaranteeing the win. This amazing play gave Park Place their very first U.S. Open Polo Championship title with a final score of 12-11, taking home $100,000 in addition to the highly coveted trophy.
This U.S. Open final marked the end of the first full season at NPC since its landmark purchase by the USPA in the Fall of 2022. The U.S. Polo Assn., the official brand of the United States Polo Association, donated to the finalists’ charities of choice, including the Homes for Horses Coalition, Replay Polo, and Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center, among others.
“We are proud to partner with the United States Polo Association, the National Polo Center, ESPN, and Palm Beach County to increase exposure and create more fans for the sport of polo, locally and around the world, where the U.S. Polo Assn. brand is available,” says J. Michael Prince, President and CEO of USPA Global Licensing Inc.
The 2023 polo season proved to be both a record-breaking and unforgettable season, with exciting and high-profile polo events ranging from the XII Federation of International Polo (FIP) World Polo Championship and the historic Westchester Cup to the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship and the U.S. Open Men’s Polo Championship, among many more great games.
In conclusion, the 2023 U.S. Open Polo Championship was a great success, with record-breaking attendance and a thrilling finale. The tournament showcased some of the best polo players and equine athletes in the world, and the U.S. Polo Assn. demonstrated its commitment to the sport by donating to worthy causes. The season was a testament to the popularity of polo, and it is sure to attract more fans to the sport in the future.