NATIONAL ARENA COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF CUP
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Polo has a rich history in the military. In 1896 the U.S. Army based at Fort Riley, Kansas, took up the game. In addition to improving the riding skills of cavalrymen, polo taught leadership, teamwork and strategy. West Point next introduced polo in 1901. By 1914 there were 17 Army posts playing polo. In 1928, the U.S. Army team made it to the U.S. Open Polo Championship final, and there were Army polo teams across the U.S., as well as in the Philippines and Panama. The other military branches, Air Force, Marines and Navy soon followed suit, and today there are inter-service matches held all over the country and international military matches contested worldwide.
The National Arena Commander-in-Chief Cup was created in 2017 by the USPA Board of Governors and the USPA Armed Forces Committee to be awarded and played beginning in 2018. The Central Texas Polo Association (CTPA) hosted the first National Arena Commander-in-Chief Cup at Two Wishes Polo Club in Lockhart, Texas, over Memorial Day weekend in 2018.
Leading the competition, Army has captured three National Arena Commander-in-Chief titles (2018, 2021, 2023), followed by three branches including the Air Force (2019), Marine Corps (2020) and the Navy (2022), displaying the breadth of participation amongst multiple military arms.
In 2023, the sixth edition of the National Arena Commander-in-Chief Cup culminated in a "battle in the saddle" between two military titans. Two-time victors Army (Captain Patrick Shanahan, Lieutenant Colonel Amos Peterson, Cadet Grace Beck) returned to reclaim the title and faced off in a rematch against defending champion Navy (Lieutenant Commander Sang Yi, Lieutenant Michael Muldoon, Petty Officer Second Class Alex Jenkins). In a physical match, Army edged out the competition in the third chukker to steal the lead and defeat Navy 9-8. Read article here.
Uniting once more in Northern Virginia, this year's National Arena Commander-in-Chief Cup will be hosted by Army Polo Club with games taking place at Great Meadow (5089 Old Tavern Road The Plains, Virginia). Four branches will compete for the coveted bronze trophy including Army, Army Air Corps, Marines and the Navy.
For the championship final on Sunday, October 13, gates will open at 12:30pm ET. The schedule includes a Veterans Stadium Opening Ceremony and Veterans Chukkers followed by the National Arena Commander-in-Chief Cup and the General George S. Patton Jr. (non-USPA tournament). Featuring a wine and cocktail bar, picnic catering options, an energetic halftime show and awards ceremony, enthusiasts of all ages are encouraged to celebrate the competitive spirit and traditions of military polo. Tickets start at $20 and are available for purchase here.
Army Polo Club will be taking advantage of the USPA's Tournament Support Program (TSP) for the National Arena Commander-in-Chief Cup, which provides eligible USPA Member Clubs with waived tournament fees, trophies or trophy reimbursements, one professional umpire and $2,500 in prize money at no extra cost.
The USPA originally created the Tournament Stimulus Package (TSP) to help member clubs host USPA events when the United States was emerging from the first wave of the COVID-19 crisis. The USPA wanted to continue to support member clubs with TSP benefits in 2022. Therefore, it extended and expanded TSP under a new name - the Tournament Support Program. Each USPA Member Club can obtain TSP benefits for two USPA events, with the option of a third under specific circumstances.
Photo: 2023 National Arena Commander-in-Chief Cup Champions: Army - Lieutenant Colonel Amos Peterson, Cadet Grace Beck, Captain Patrick Shanahan. ©Tony Gibson
