NEWS

Representing the highest level of arena polo in the United States, the final showdown for the U.S. Open Arena Polo Championship presented by U.S. Polo Assn. pitted Fawkes Polo (Ian Schnoebelen, Jared Sheldon*, Miguel Torres Jr., sub. Jack McLean) against Texas Aggies (Zak Coleman, Christian Aycinena, Will Mudra, sub. Shane Rice) on Monday, December 16, at Brookshire Polo Club (Brookshire, Texas). Resilient in the face of adversity after Torres Jr. was sidelined by injury, Fawkes Polo relied on adaptability and perseverance. Substitute McLean stepped in to help execute a dominant second half, securing the U.S. Open Arena Polo Championship and $30,000 in prize money.

Dominating play in the first chukker, the Texas Aggies capitalized on missed penalty opportunities by their opponents. Three goals from Coleman fueled an impressive 5-1 offensive onslaught. Fawkes Polo struck early in the second period with a goal from Torres Jr., but a two-player collision resulted in his third yellow card of the match, forcing him to sit out for four minutes. Despite being shorthanded, the Schnoebelen and Sheldon duo held their ground for the remainder of the chukker, keeping the score within reach at 5-10 heading into the break.

“When your back is against the wall, you either step-up or you don’t,” Sheldon reflected, “and I think Ian and I did a good job of playing hard. Caviar, the grey mare—I wasn’t supposed to play her then, but as soon as that happened, I switched onto her, and she gave me a lot of control and confidence.”

Returning to the arena to begin play in the second half, the first of two substitutes entered the action, with McLean filling-in for Torres Jr. from an injury sustained in the second chukker. Originally competing with Dallas Polo Club (Will Walton, August Scherer) and falling to Fawkes Polo in the first semifinal in overtime, McLean was back in the arena, this time for the team in pink. A familiar face alongside Sheldon and Torres Jr., McLean represented the USA in the 2023 FIP Arena World Polo Championship in Argentina. “It’s so fitting, that with me, Miguel and Jack getting a silver medal in Argentina [after] losing in overtime- Miguel and I were calling this, ‘The Redemption Tour,’” Sheldon shared. “We were going to have to finish it off, and to have Jack be the one that comes in for Miguel, just made sense! It was really cool in that aspect.”

Sharing his thoughts on the moment he entered the game, McLean expressed, “I think they know how I play, and I have a good sense of how they play. Jared reorganized the team; Miguel was playing more back, and Jared said, ‘I’ll shift to the back and put you forward.’” Making an immediate impact, McLean and Sheldon worked in tandem to generate an offensive swing to bring Fawkes Polo back within three goals, trailing 9-12.

Facing injury challenges of their own, 8-goaler Rice entered the competition in place of Aycinena for the team in maroon. As both sides adjusted to new lineups, a resolute Fawkes Polo seized its first lead of the match, edging ahead 13-12 by the end of the third chukker. Fawkes Polo’s relentless determination proved decisive in the final minutes. Each player in pink found the goal, with three standout contributions from an unstoppable McLean, paving the way for a commanding 21-13 victory.

Scoring six goals in two chukkers of play, Jack McLean was named Most Valuable Player. “It was a wild game,” reflected McLean, “amazing players and amazing teammates, I’m so grateful to them for believing in me, [and] putting me in there.” The Sportsmanship Award was presented to Bar-Spur’s Mark Osburn for his continued positive attitude, fairness and support for his peers.

Maywest (Noel x Seventy West), a 14-year-old mare owned by Chloe Torres was named Best Playing Pony. Played in the second chukker by Torres Jr. and in the third by McLean, Maywest made a lasting impression with little arena experience. “I’ve only played her in the arena maybe three or four times before this, in practices, but now these last few games, she knows what’s going on,” Torres Jr. noted. The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program Best Playing Pony was awarded to Sombra (K. P’s Rocket), played by Bar-Spur’s Chad Bowman and Patrick Uretz* and owned by Gaston Raimondo.

Substituting for the first time in an arena high-goal game, McLean credited his experience playing Intercollegiate/Interscholastic (I/I) polo with the University of Virginia (Charlottesville, Virginia). “You have to jump in and play horses you don’t know, so the I/I program does a great job teaching you how to ride [unfamiliar] horses—you have to jump on and play. Miguel had amazing horses and made it easy for me.” Sheldon added, “The horses Miguel gave him, for me, that was the game changer. Jack could go anywhere. The horses [and] his reach with it, he was hard to stop.”

Summarizing Fawkes Polo’s unwavering attitude in the final, Schnoebelen simply stated, “Anything can happen in the arena […] we did it the hard way. We were still in it; it didn’t matter how many goals we were down.”

The U.S. Open Arena Polo Championship presented by U.S. Polo Assn. is now available On-Demand. Guest commentator and arena legend Tom Goodspeed joins the broadcast alongside USPA Polo Network’s Toby Wayman, providing in-depth knowledge and insights into the sport.

*Jared Sheldon and Patrick Uretz are Team USPA alumni. 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.

All photos courtesy of ©David Murrell.