Northrup Knox Cup® 12-Goal
Tournament History
This magnificent sterling silver, double handled trophy was donated to the Museum of Polo by the Knox Family in memory of Northrup R. “Norty” Knox “for his lifetime achievements and his love of the sport” in May 2003 to be used as an award for a tournament to be played in his honor. According to the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame, “Born to polo, Norty could claim considerable achievements both on and off the field. The only amateur in the postwar era to reach an 8-goal rating, he captained the U.S. team in the challenge for the Cup of the Americas in 1965 and 1969, distinguishing himself as one of America's finest offensive players. Among his other accomplishments on the polo field are a National Twenty-Goal Championship, and a Butler Handicap title. In his many of years of service to the sport, including the chairmanship of the USPA (1966-1970), Norty insightfully championed the cause of low-goal players establishing the Twelve Goal and lower-goal Governor's Cup, along with the minus-one rating. These actions served well the subsequent resurgence of the sport.”
The inaugural year’s winner was New Bridge in 2003 comprised of Russ McCall, Kris Kampsen, Matias Magrini and Tommy Biddle. New Bridge would hold the title for three consecutive tournaments including back-to-back years in 2005 and 2006, defeating Dahlwood in each final game. Since New Bridge’s three-peat, no team has successfully managed to win two or more years consecutively. However, father-son duo Rick and Willie Hartnett garnered two wins in 2010 and 2014 for Winfield. Two members of the Museum of Polo’s Hall of Fame have been winners, Owen Rinehart and Adam Snow. While the tournament has always been held in Aiken, South Carolina—the Knox’s and all the old great polo families had homes there during the Spring and Fall—the tournament only recently moved to New Bridge Polo & Country Club in 2013. This year, three teams are vying for the trophy, none of which have ever won the title, guaranteeing a new Northrup Knox Cup® Champion.
Photo: 2015 Northrup Knox Cup® Champions: Crestview Genetics (Pedro Manion, Alan Meeker, Hugo Lloret, Thomas Biddle Jr.) presented by Linda Knox Mclean. ©Katie Roth
