NEWS

Arena polo was in the spotlight last week with the Bryan Morrison Trophy and the Intercollegiate Challenge Cup, two of the most coveted international arena tournaments. USPA Arena Polo Umpire Director Bradley Biddle travelled to England with the U.S. teams and spoke with CLICKPOLO after the prestigious events about the future of arena polo.

What was the overall experience for the United States teams?
"Both matches were very competitive. The USA collegiate team got off to a slow start, but slowly gained on the English team throughout the match, which allowed the opportunity to win the game in the last chukker. Both teams played very classic-style arena polo, which made for an open match and a highly dramatic finish.

The Bryan Morrison Trophy was a nip-and-tuck game up until the last two minutes. The USA team did a very nice job of spacing out and establishing positions. Unfortunately, being down towards the end, we started taking some chances and it created some openings for the English team to score.

The overall experience for both teams we brought over was fantastic. Many thanks to the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA) and the Schools and Universities Polo Association (SUPA) for making our trip top-notch. The arenas, horses, and social gatherings were excellent. I hope we can return the same hospitality when we host the Townsend Cup next year."

What do these types of games mean for arena polo in America?
"These games mean a lot because they give us the opportunity to compete against England, who are as organized in arena polo as we are. The collegiate players get to make new relationships with players outside of the country and compete in a different atmosphere.

The Bryan Morrison Trophy is very important because it showcases the best of the best in arena polo. I don’t believe that there has been an organized match in the world at the 24-goal level in the last 10 years. It gives young players an event to strive for coming up through the ranks, and hopefully, we can create more high-level events throughout the U.S. in the future off of successes like this."

How is arena polo today in America, and more specifically I/I polo?
"Arena polo has seen massive growth over the last five years. We are at approximately 100 tournaments played throughout the year, ranging from 0 to 15 goals. This doesn’t even include the I/I, which has an additional 30 tournaments a year. We have various arena leagues around the country, bringing new people into the sport, and those have become massive events. Polo clubs are building and restoring arenas at a rapid pace because they see the idea of bringing new people into an enclosed space as a safe environment to introduce the sport.

The I/I has always been the big staple of arena polo. We have over 100 teams competing starting this week at the high school and collegiate levels throughout the country. This will culminate with national tournaments in March and April. Our collegiate level most years showcases teams that can be as high as 12 goals. You would be amazed at how many American players that compete at the highest levels on the grass played I/I at some point in their careers.

All of this has also created the opportunity for the Umpires, LLC to create an arena umpire division which I head. We have 25 professional arena umpires that do the majority of arena tournaments in the country. I believe through the various rules changes we’ve made over the last five years, we have created a safer, more flowing game. The stigma with the arena is physicality and roughness. We are trying to alleviate that without losing the rich tradition of the sport to create an environment where every player feels safe and can contribute."

How do you see arena polo in the future?
"I see a continued expansion for arena polo. The economics of the sport get more expensive every year. The idea of having a couple of horses to play this sport versus six or more brings an entirely new group of players into the game financially. The arena leagues that we have, showcasing 40 teams [or more], prove that. Hopefully, as I said before, we can create a higher level of arena games through various stimulants (prize money, sponsorships, etc.) and also create professional tournaments and leagues to continue to help expand the sport and give the younger generation an avenue to get to the highest levels.

I am also very excited about the FIP Arena Invitational that will take place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in May of this year. 12 countries were sent invitations and, hopefully, we can create a system just like the outdoor FIP World Championships in the future."