USPA and U.S. Polo Assn. to Air Major U.S. Polo Tournament on CBS Sports

West Palm Beach, Florida, April 21, 2017 (Newswire.com) - The United States Polo Association® (USPA), the governing body for the sport of polo, and its official apparel brand, U.S. Polo Assn., will host the U.S. Open Polo Championship® at the International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC). Spanning a three-week period with six teams vying for the most prestigious trophy in U.S. polo competition, the tournament’s final event will showcase the world’s top-rated players in a 60-minute television broadcast on CBS on April 30, 2017, at 2 p.m. EDT.

The national television audience will see the final match between defending champion Orchard Hill and 2015 U.S Open champion Valiente, as well as a recap of the entire tournament.

"We're proud to once again have present the U.S. Open, which we feel is one of the great events in sports. We're also thrilled and delighted to be joined by CBS for a great broadcast that will carry the sport to millions of viewers."

Joe Meyer, Chairman, Unites States Polo Assn.

The U.S. Open is the final leg of the 26-goal tournaments held during the Florida High-Goal Winter Season, which is the highest handicapped polo played outside of Argentina, and regularly attracts the top players in the world and some of the largest crowds in polo. IPC is expecting more than 10,000 attendees for the final event.

“We’re proud to once again present the U.S. Open, which we feel is one of the great events in sports,” said Joseph Meyer, chairman of the USPA. “We’re also thrilled and delighted to be joined by CBS for a great broadcast that will carry the sport to millions of viewers.”

The official partners of the U.S. Open Polo Championship will also be in attendance, including media sponsor Town & Country, automobile sponsor Karma Auto, private airline sponsor NetJets and jewelry sponsor Lugano Diamonds. Each partner has individual activations around the event that showcase experiences for business executives and polo aficionados.

Though the focus is always on the game, the USPA and IPC continue to elevate the polo experience to make every game an event to remember. Guests will enjoy many luxurious perks, including a Gipsy Sound Revolution concert, kids zone for children, free ice cream pops and champagne during halftime, The Veuve Clicquot Champagne Garden and various tastings at the Ketel Kitchen.

For more game coverage, live action and compelling polo content for all fans, please visit the USPA Polo Network at http://www.uspolo.org.

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About the U.S. Open Polo Championship 

Considered to be the most prestigious polo tournament in the United States, the U.S. Open Polo Championship is the apex of the 26-goal tournaments held during the Florida High-Goal Winter Season, which regularly attracts the top players in the world and some of the largest crowds in polo. The U.S. Open Polo Championship dates back to 1904, when it was first played at Van Cortlandt Park, New York, and has been hosted at the International Polo Club Palm Beach since 2004. To read more about the tournament and its rich history, click here.

About the Teams

Orchard Hill will return to IPC as the defending champion. Prior winner Valiente will look to reclaim their title after defeating finalists Orchard Hill in 2015. Other previous winners competing this year include Coca-Cola (2002) and Audi (2009). They will be joined by Flexjet and tournament newcomer Travieso.

Orchard Hill will return with team owner Steve Van Andel and top-ranked 10-goaler Facundo Pieres, who will be joined by new additions Polito Pieres and Jota Chavanne. Julian de Lusarreta, a member of the 2016 Orchard Hill team, will be playing for Coca-Cola this year.

Valiente and team owner Bob Jornayvaz return 10-goal superstar Adolfo Cambiaso to the line-up after playing without him in the 2016 U.S. Open Polo Championship. Diego Cavanagh and Matias Torres Zavaleta round the team out; they have already won the 2017 C.V. Whitney Cup and USPA Gold Cup®.

Many other recognizable names will be playing, including top-rated American players Nic Roldan and Julio Arellano, Marc and Mellissa Ganzi, Gillian Johnston, Sebastian Merlos, Miguel Novillo Astrada, Mariano Gonzales, Magoo Laprida, and Teo Calle, who will be making his U.S. Open Polo Championship debut. For full team rosters, please visit http://www.uspolo.org. 

About the United States Polo Association®

The U.S. Polo Association (USPA) was organized and exists for the purposes of promoting the game of polo, coordinating the activities of its member clubs and registered players, arranging and supervising polo tournaments, competitions and games, and providing rules, handicaps and conditions for those tournaments, competitions and games, including the safety and welfare of participants and mounts.

Founded in 1890, the USPA is the national governing body for the sport of polo. USPA is currently comprised of almost 300 member clubs with thousands of individual members and oversees 40 national tournaments.    

About U.S. Polo Assn.

U.S. POLO ASSN. is the official brand of the UNITED STATES POLO ASSOCIATION (USPA), the non-profit governing body for the sport of polo in the United States since 1890. All U.S. POLO ASSN. product is the official product of the UNITED STATES POLO ASSOCIATION.

U.S. POLO ASSN. products enjoy worldwide distribution through independent retail, department, online and U.S. POLO ASSN. stores, selling clothing for men, women and children, as well as accessories, handbags, luggage, watches, shoes, home furnishings and more.

USPA Global Licensing Inc. (USPAGL) is the for-profit subsidiary of the USPA and the exclusive worldwide Licensor for the USPA’s global licensing program in more than 135 countries.

About Town & Country

Town & Country has chronicled American life since 1846, always putting an emphasis on people of style and accomplishment who give something back to the world, whether in service, philanthropy or creative endeavor. Combining the highest level of reporting with the very best photography, Town & Country is an acute observer of the broader social landscape, documenting notable weddings and parties, chronicling the pastimes and passions of leading figures and families everywhere, and casting an anthropological eye on the lives of the rich and powerful. The magazine is a trusted source of privileged information, taste and unpretentious fun – in short, an irreplaceable guide to the very best that the world has to offer. Town & Country Weddings, established in 2003, and the newly revived Town & Country Travel, are published biannually. Town & Country is published by Hearst Magazines, a unit of Hearst, one of the nation’s largest diversified media and information companies. With 21 titles in the U.S., Hearst is the leading publisher of monthly magazines in terms of total paid circulation (AAM 2H 2014), reaching 78 million readers (Spring 2016 MRI/GfK at 79.5 million) and 54 million site visitors each month (comScore), with a social media following of 115.5 million. Follow Town & Country on Twitter at @TandCMag. 

About Karma Auto

Karma Automotive is a U.S. manufacturer of luxury plug-in hybrid vehicles. Unapologetically conspicuous in their beauty. Uncommonly light in their footprint. Designed, engineered and assembled in Southern California. 

About NetJets

NetJets Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company, is the worldwide leader in private aviation with the largest and most diverse private jet fleet in the world. NetJets celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2014, having been established in 1964 as the world’s first private jet charter and management company. In 1986, NetJets pioneered the concept of fractional aircraft ownership—offering individuals and businesses all the benefits of whole aircraft ownership and more, at a fraction of the cost. Today, NetJets offers a full range of private aviation solutions, including fractional ownership, leasing and jet cards, through businesses bearing the NetJets®, Executive Jet Management®, and Marquis Jet Card® service brands in North America and Europe. Twitter: @NetJets; Instagram: NetJets

About Lugano Diamonds 

Lugano Diamonds, established in Israel as diamond cutters, opened its first retail location in Newport Beach, California, in 2005. Moti Ferder, President and Design Director, incorporated his vast knowledge in the diamond industry and transformed Lugano into an international jewelry brand with creative wearable works of art. The Lugano Salons are a testament to the very core of the Lugano experience: exceptional, warm, inviting yet still modern, the atmosphere makes one’s visit memorable. The company controls all facets of jewelry production from origin to design and sales, which allows Lugano Diamonds to provide the very best quality at a great value. Their unique designs can be found only at Lugano's salons, or by appointment at your home, office or hotel suite. In 2013, Robb Report honored Lugano Diamonds with a Best of the Best award for its use of zirconium in jewelry. Robb Report again recognized Lugano’s remarkable designs in 2014, featuring a trio of colorful necklaces comprised of rare gemstones in the publication’s coveted Ultimate Gift Guide.

For more information about the tournament/players, please contact Bob Puetz, Executive Director, USPA Services, [email protected], 760-861-0477

For more information about broadcast or sponsorships, please contact Shannon Stilson, Director of Global Broadcast and Events, [email protected], 904-466-8492

For more information about the International Polo Club Palm Beach, please contact Darlene Ricker, International Polo Club Palm Beach, [email protected], 310-210-4004

Source: U.S. Polo Assn., United States Polo Association, Town & Country