WHITTIER TRUST SILVER CUP®
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The Whittier Trust Silver Cup has been called many names throughout its illustrious 124-year history. Originally established as the Junior Championship, it was first played in 1900. The 1935 Junior Championship boasted the largest field in the tournament’s history with 11 teams vying for the coveted trophy. In 1938, the Junior Polo Championship was renamed the National Twenty Goal Championship. The tournament took its present name, the Silver Cup, in 1974.
Repeat champions to earn the title in the 70s and 80s include Wilson Ranch (1976, 1978), Willow Bend (1979, 1985) and Retama (1980, 1981, 1984). Moving into the 90s and early 00s, preeminent winners include Chili's (1990, 1992), Bud Light (1998, 1999), Old Pueblo (1990, 2000), Isla Carroll (2003, 2005, 2006) and Goose Creek (2008, 2009).
Many winners of the cup hail from the Polo Hall of Fame—from J. Watson Webb and Tommy Hitchcock, to Robert Skene and Cecil Smith. In fact, no fewer than 50 Polo Hall of Famers have won the Silver Cup. Notable Hall of Fame inductees Ray Harrington Jr. and Charles Smith have each earned eight Silver Cup titles. 2023 Hall of Fame inductee Jeff Hall currently holds the record for most Silver Cup titles at 10, spanning from 1997 to 2022, including a dominant four-year run (2003-2006). Of note, four members of the Hall family have won the Silver Cup, including family patriarch John M. Hall, John W. Hall and Leigh Anne Hall, the first woman to win the title.
In 2020, the Silver Cup returned to the famed Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club (SBPRC) in Carpinteria, California, where it has since remained. Notable contemporary Silver Cup champions have included many Santa Barbara staples including Lucchese (2012, 2014, 2020), Farmers & Merchants Bank (2013, 2015, 2016) and Klentner Ranch, who earned the title in 2021 and went on to sweep the high-goal season at Santa Barbara. Following the success of Klentner Ranch's 2021 season, the title has changed hands twice more from BenSoleimani.com (2022) to Brookshire (2023).
In 2023, defending champions BenSoleimani.com (Ben Soleimani, Kristos "Keko" Magrini, Ignacio "Iñaki" Laprida, Rodrigo De Andrade) clashed against Silver Cup newcomer Brookshire (Scott Wood, Paco "Paquito" de Narvaez Jr., Mariano "Peke" Gonzalez Jr., Tomas Panelo). Dominating early, the challengers in orange established a formidable offensive rhythm to secure a 6-1 halftime lead. Despite BenSoleimani.com closing the gap in a breakout fifth chukker, Brookshire's unyielding play on both sides of the ball delivered the texan team a sterling 10-7 victory. Read article here.
Proudly returning to Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club for a sixth consecutive year, this year's edition of the Silver Cup will be played at the 16-goal level. Crowning a new champion, six talented teams will take to the field including 90210/Bentley Estates, Antelope, Carbenella Polo, Klentner Ranch, La Karina and Mokarow Farms.
Last competing in 2022, Silver Cup record titleholder Jeff Hall returns to the competition in hopes of capturing Mokarow Farms' first championship and an eleventh personal victory. Combining for three Silver Cup titles, Ben Soleimani (2022) and Ignacio "Iñaki" Laprida (2013, 2022) will reunite once more under the new moniker Carbenella Polo. Klentner Ranch aims to return to the podium for the first time since 2021, bringing back their championship roster with the addition of 6-goaler Ignacio "Nachi" Viana. 2020 finalists Antelope will strive to claim their first title, led by 2015 victor Felipe "Pipe" Vercellino. Rounding out the competition are newcomers 90210/Bentley Estates and La Karina, each hoping to make a splash and earn their first Silver Cup title.
The America Cup, a USPA national tournament will serve as the subsidiary to the Whittier Trust Silver Cup. Teams who do not advance to the semifinals of the Silver Cup will go-head-to-head to award the America Cup.
Highlighting the depth and skill of American talent, six members of Team USPA will represent five teams including Active Members Lucas Escobar (Antelope) and Kristos "Keko" Magrini (Carbenella Polo), alongside alumni Geronimo Obregon (90210/Bentley Estates), Santiago Torres (La Karina), and Jake Klentner and Jesse Bray (Klentner Ranch).
U.S. Polo Assn. will serve as the Stadium Sponsor and Official Apparel Brand for the 2024 Whittier Trust Silver Cup. U.S. Polo Assn. will be featured in multiple ways including stadium branding and apparel throughout the tournament.
Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club will be taking advantage of the USPA's Bridge to High Goal Initiative (B2HG) for the Whittier Trust Silver Cup, which provides eligible USPA Member Clubs three USPA Professional Umpires (two mounted officials and one third man) at 50% of the regular cost to the club.
The Bridge to High Goal Initiative (B2HG) has been created to support polo between 12 and 16 goals. The goal of the program is to build a bridge from low-goal polo to high-goal polo that provides a safe environment for competition which will allow for the cultivation of team owners and the advancement of aspiring professionals.
2023 Farmers & Merchants Bank Silver Cup Champions: Brookshire - Mariano "Peke" Gonzalez Jr., Paco "Paquito" de Narvaez Jr., Tomas Panelo, Scott Wood. ©David Lominska
