Oct 14, 2024
American women are increasingly leaving their mark on international polo, with recent performances in Argentina's prestigious women’s tournaments highlighting their growing influence. Among the standout players are Tennyson Barclay Hamir and Megan Manubay, two American polo players who recently competed in the esteemed Copa Myriam Heguy.
Both Barclay Hamir and Manubay’s performances in Argentina playing alongside some of the best players in women’s polo underline the rising strength of American women in the sport. Their success is part of a larger movement with figures including 10-goaler Hope Arellano* leading the charge. As American women continue to compete at the highest levels globally, their influence in international polo is only set to grow.
Barclay Hamir, a rising young talent, recently clinched the Copa de Oro while playing for Ellerstina La Lupita (Hazel Jackson, Lupita González, Juana Deramo), securing an impressive 11-7 victory over San Diego Fundación Shoonem (Martina Braun, Pauline Schär, Justina Condomi Alcorta, Lia Salvo). Barclay Hamir's growth reflects the development of her skills, particularly following her win in the National Youth Tournament Series (NYTS) Championship Hale Family Cup, the premier youth polo competition in the United States.
Can you tell us more about the Copa Myriam Heguy?
“The Copa Myriam Heguy is one of Argentina's most prestigious women’s tournaments, organized and hosted by the Argentine Polo Association [AAP]. Each year, it attracts over 10 teams. This 15-goal series provides unmatched levels of competition with the best players from all over the world.”
“Competing in the Copa Myriam Heguy was a great learning opportunity for how to improve my polo and learn from the best. With an amazing team with me, it could not have been more rewarding.” – Tennyson Barclay Hamir
Who were your teammates for this tournament?
“This October, I had the opportunity to play alongside Juana Deramo and Hazel Jackson. I had been working with Juana for nearly a year to find a tournament to play in together, so when she told me that we could do this one, I was ecstatic.
To be able to compete in such an important championship with Juana was amazing. This incredible team provided me with invaluable information on strategy, horsemanship and everything in between. The knowledge that comes from playing alongside one of the best players in the world is unmatched. Hazel brought an entirely new level of intensity to the games and was a wonderful coach both on and off the field.”
How did your team prepare for the tournament?
“Throughout the tournament, our team reviewed video footage of our games, had strategy discussions and worked hard to improve our cohesiveness as a group. Our work resulted in a victory in the finals, broadcast live on ESPN Argentina.”
Megan Manubay recently took home the Copa de Plata. Competing for Los Sauces La Monarquía (Colette Sandhu, Dayna Waechter, Milagros “Mili” Sanchez), they secured a narrow 12-10 victory against La Ensenada Camp Polo (Suzanne Duncan, Juana Pando, Olivia Merlos, Milly Hine). Manubay’s development from show jumping to polo demonstrates the adaptability and determination of American women in the sport.
How did it feel winning the Copa de Plata?
“I thought it was a great game. I'm so happy we won. It was tight the whole time. We're happy that we played well and came out on top.”
Can you tell us more about your background?
“I grew up show jumping. During the pandemic, I was looking for a way to meet new people, so I started taking polo lessons first in Cincinnati and then at Brandywine Polo Club [Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania]. I just took off from there.”
“The level of polo here is incredible. Everybody is well-mounted, and everybody hits the ball. It was so fun to test my skills out here. It pushes you to get better.” – Megan Manubay
How do you feel competing in the Copa Myriam Heguy?
“Everybody is well-mounted [and] has great skills. It's so fun to test your skills out here because you feel like you have a lot to learn every time you go out there. It pushes you to be a better player. My horses were good. It was our first tournament back this season, so they're all a little fresh. But they were great and so much fun to play.”
What's next for you?
“I will play the La Fija tournament in November. I just came from Europe, [to] Argentina and [then] Mexico’s La Monarquía World Tour!”
*Hope Arellano is an Active Team USPA Member. Team USPA is a USPA program designed to enhance and grow the sport of polo in the United States by identifying young, talented American players and providing mentored training and playing opportunities leading to a pool of higher rated amateur and pro players and the resultant giveback to the sport of polo.
Effective Date: Saturday, May 16, 2020
The suspension of USPA Tournaments and Events will be lifted for USPA Member Clubs in locales where hosting polo matches and tournaments is permitted under applicable state and local laws, executive orders and similar decrees. The USPA Member Clubs in these locales are encouraged to follow all such requirements of their state and local authorities with respect to polo operations. In addition, we also encourage all USPA Member Clubs to take the precautions recommended by the CDC. We are preparing a detailed list of best practices for USPA Member Clubs as they return to hosting USPA Tournaments and Events and plan to circulate these guidelines within the next week. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and will notify you if we determine a different course of action is necessary.
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