NEWS

Making its debut at Port Mayaca Polo Club in Okeechobee, Florida, the brand new national USPA Women’s Gold Cup concluded on Saturday, January 25. Fielding four of six teams in contention for the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship presented by the Brad and Kathy Coors Foundation, the final of the 18- to 22-goal tournament pitted BTA/Lazy 3 (Jordan Fikes, KC Krueger, Maddie Grant, Malia Bryan, sub. Lily Lequerica) against North Star (Jennifer Buchan, Meghan Gracida, Micaela Saracco, Hazel Jackson). Leading throughout the contest, North Star’s control on both sides of the ball limited late pressure from BTA/Lazy 3 to earn the inaugural title.

Opening the scoring, North Star’s Saracco struck on a Penalty 2, followed by a field goal from Jackson for an early 2-0 advantage. Getting BTA/Lazy 3 on the scoreboard in the second chukker, Krueger found the posts in open play, but back-to-back goals extended North Star’s lead 4-1. Containing its opponents’ offensive efforts in the third period, Grant led the attack for BTA/Lazy 3 with a Penalty 3 conversion for the lone goal of the chukker. Even so, North Star held onto its advantage, doubled up on the scoreboard for a 4-2 lead at the half.

Emerging from the tents, Grant continued BTA/Lazy 3’s momentum, but a response from Gracida and Saracco capped off the scoring in the fourth period to end the chukker 6-3 in favor of North Star. Despite a substitution in the fifth chukker due to injury, with Lily Lequerica replacing Malia Bryan, Grant led the offense once more for the team in white, scoring two consecutive goals to bring BTA/Lazy 3 back within one. A final push from Jackson and Gracida, however, sealed the victory 8-5 for North Star.

Leading North Star with three field goals in the final, 10-goaler Hazel Jackson was named Most Valuable Player. Best Playing Pony was awarded to LAC Verso (Fábula x Machitos Líbano), a 14-year-old gelding owned by Maddie Grant. Played in the first half of the fourth chukker and as a spare in the fifth, Grant said, “He’s been my favorite horse and the top of my string for many seasons now. He usually plays two or three times in any given game for me and has done that for years. He is very complete, super explosive, handy, very comfortable and easy to hit the ball off. But the best thing about him is the confidence he gives me to make important plays and runs to goal.”

The U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship hosted by Port Mayaca Polo Club, begins on Tuesday, January 28, and will conclude Sunday, February 9, at the National Polo Center – Wellington (NPC) on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One. All games of the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship will be livestreamed on the USPA Polo Network.

All photos courtesy of ©David Lominska.