NATIONAL ARENA DELEGATE'S CUP
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The National Arena Delegate’s Cup, formally known as the National Arena Eight Goal, is a 6- to 9-goal national tournament. First played in 1975, Farmington (Owen R. Rinehart, Robert H. Rinehart, Raymond Nicoll) earned the inaugural title over Gone Away Farm 9-5. Played at multiple clubs throughout its history, notable contemporary winners include back-to-back champions Shallowbrook (1991, 1992) and Golden Zebra (2006, 2007). Hosted by Commonwealth Polo Club in Paris, Kentucky in 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2022, four different champions were awarded (Gainesway, W/M, Orea Polo, Commonwealth Polo) before the tournament was relocated in 2023 to Brookshire Polo Club in Brookshire, Texas, with Chandler Ranch earning the victory.
In 2024, the reigning champions, competing under a new moniker, Roxstars (Roxy Mounter, Megan Flynn, Shane Rice) went head-to-head against Bar-Spur LLC (Mark Osburn, Stephanie Colburn, Chad Bowman). Clinging to a one-goal lead in the fourth chukker, Mounter and Flynn ramped up their defense, enabling Rice to score four goals and secure the 17-13 win and back-to-back titles for the team in pink. Read article here.
The National Delegate's Cup joins the National Arena Bronze Cup and National Arena Chairman's Cup alongside multiple circuit events as part of the widely popular Texas Arena League (TAL). In its eighth year of competition, TAL is comprised of host locations Brookshire Polo Club, Legends Polo Club (Kaufman, Texas), Dripping Springs Ranch Park Event Center & Arena (Hays Country, Texas) and San Antonio Rose Palace (San Antonio, Texas), uniting arena players competing from the beginner to 12-goal level across the state.
Showcasing many familiar Intercollegiate/Interscholastic (I/I) and TAL competitors, six teams will battle for the National Arena Delegate's Cup, including Bar-Spur, Legends Polo Club, Prestonwood, PoloWeGo, Sullivan Group and TAMU Men. Reigning champion Shane Rice will attempt to earn his third consecutive victory (Legends Polo Club), with the remaining competitors vying for their first National Arena Arena Delegate's Cup title. Representing Team USPA is alumnae Stephanie Colburn (Bar-Spur) and Audry Persano (Sullivan Group).
Brookshire Polo Club will be taking advantage of the USPA's Tournament Support Program (TSP) for the National Arena Delegate's 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: 2024 National Arena Delegate's Cup Champions: Roxstars - Megan Flynn, Shane Rice, Roxy Mounter. ©David Murrell
