Oct 21, 2024
On Sunday, October 20, the finale of the USPA Women’s Arena Open hosted by Orange County Polo Club in Silverado, California, pitted Wild Dog Polo (Jade Hiltbrand, Stephanie Colburn*, Tiamo Hudspeth*) against defending champions OC Polo (Kasey Morris, Mila Slutzky, Marissa Wells*). Leading the team in pink, Wells aimed to secure a prestigious three-peat for OC Polo. However, an early lead by the challengers, along with strong team chemistry, propelled Wild Dog to the USPA Women’s Arena Open victory.
“[We] allowed each other to commit to plays knowing the other two would have our backs. […] We played a very team-based game. We didn’t have one player that could make or break the game. We trusted each other, we tried to really hard to work for each other.” – Wild Dog Polo’s Tiamo Hudspeth
Seizing control early in the match, OC Polo’s Morris opened scoring with a goal, followed by a two-pointer and Penalty 4 conversion from Wells, creating a 4-1 advantage for the home team. Mounting a fierce comeback in the second chukker, Wild Dog Polo erupted with all three teammates contributing to the scoreboard. Finding the goal mouth in rapid succession, Wild Dog Polo held 9-goaler Wells to just one goal to take a narrow 6-5 advantage moving into the break.
Detailing the strategy required to contain Wells, Hudspeth shared, “We knew going into this game that Marissa was going to be a beast out there and give it all she had. We knew we were going to have to be disciplined about going to her and really staying with her if we found ourselves next to her, and then allowing the other two to handle the ball. Whoever found themselves with Marissa was supposed to stay with Marissa and allow the other two to work with the ball.”
Wells kickstarted the second half with an equalizing goal, but Wild Dog Polo swiftly regained momentum and was back on the attack. Colburn capitalized in open play and Hudspeth delivered from the penalty line, keeping the pressure on their opponents. As the chukker came to a close, Morris struck once more narrowing OC Polo’s deficit to just two goals, 9-7, heading into the final chukker. A back-and-forth battle ensued in the fourth, and despite two goals from Wells, Colburn’s heroic final effort with less than 30 seconds remaining secured Wild Dog Polo's 12-10 victory.
Leading Wild Dog Polo with seven goals in the final, Stephanie Colburn was named Most Valuable Player. Reflecting on their team chemistry throughout the tournament, Colburn stated, “This is a huge accomplishment. We’ve been working so hard. This is a team that we put together and have all made sacrifices to make this happen and work well together. Tiamo and I have been playing together and against each other for years, and first time playing together in the arena, we’re really excited.” The Sportsmanship Award was presented to Mila Slutzky for her continued positive attitude, fairness and support for her peers on and off the field.
Best Playing Pony was awarded to Sevens, a 6-year-old mare played in the first and third chukkers, owned by Colburn and recently purchased from Hudspeth. Speaking to Hudspeth’s passion for training polo ponies, Colburn shared, “We brought six horses to this tournament from Texas […] four of the six, she trained all the way through, that played today. Those horses are just amazing and that’s her skill set.” Identifying Wild Dog Polo’s string as key to their victory, Hudspeth expressed, “We really had to trust ourselves and the horses we brought. They were a huge contribution to us winning and being able to hold onto our lead. […] I think us knowing we had the horsepower and just getting gritty with it—that was the turning point for us.”
The USPA Women’s Arena Open is now available On-Demand.
*Stephanie Colburn, Tiamo Hudspeth and Marissa Wells are Team USPA alumnae. 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 ©Tequila Sunsets Photography.
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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