Nov 04, 2019
Courtesy of the Federation of International Polo
It is with the greatest sadness that we report the passing of Guillermo "Billy" Steta on Friday, November 1, 2019.
As a young boy, Steta was introduced to polo and began playing at the Jalapa Polo Club soon after. As he grew older, he could be found training at Tecamac Polo Club as well as many other Mexican federated clubs.
Steta had an illustrious career in polo, he was President of the Federacion Mexicana de Polo from 2011 to 2019 and was a member of the Federation of International Polo (FIP) Council of Administration as well as Zone A Director and FIP Ambassador.
A highly respected and keen player Steta participated and organized several FIP Ambassador’s Cups and took any opportunity he had to play the sport he loved. As a member of the United States Polo Association, he proudly competed in multiple tournaments in Santa Barbara and San Diego.
““Billy was always a distinguished polo representative at all international events, including FIP World Championships and several Ambassador’s Cups in many different countries. He served as an outstanding president of the Federacion Mexicana de Polo for several years. Thanks to his guidance and leadership Mexican polo has grown nationally and internationally. He was kind off the field and a true polo gentleman in competitive polo. He will be missed by the USPA and the entire polo community.”” – USPA CEO Bob Puetz
He represented the Mexican polo team on various fields all around the world, including the United States, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, India, Spain, Panama, Barbados, Canada, England and Germany. Steta was an inspiration, bringing positivity to every situation. His numerous polo accomplishments include champion of the Ambassadors Cup (Argentina and Mexico), Agua Alta Cup (Careyes Polo Club, Guadalajara, Jalisco) and Sonata Cup (India), as well as winning the Tecamac Challenge Cup (Mars Camp) for three consecutive years. His persistence and support of polo in Mexico revived the sport in his home country and serves as part of his legacy.
“Billy was an exceptional person, loved by all and was truly a great friend to me. He was the best mounted player in the city of Mexico and he even had his own horse breeding operation. He gave his life to polo and received so much from the sport we all love. May you rest in peace, my good friend Billy.” – Memo Gracida
The polo community will miss his extraordinary sportsmanship and his authentic love for the game. He will also be sorely missed by his friends and all who encountered his great sense of humor and generous hospitality, a true gentleman of our sport.
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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