USPA NE Circuit Arena Women's Challenge

The 2024 Autumn Arena Polo Season reached its zenith in mid-November with 20 players responding to the call to compete in the 6th annual United States Polo Association (USPA) Northeast Circuit Arena Women's Challenge to exceptional late New England autumn weather conditions throughout the 4-day event.  Players and ponies from four states made their way to Newport Polo's arena training center in Newport County to compete in one or both flights of the competition, the only USPA arena tournament held in the Northeast this Autumn. The teams were comprised of elite professional, amateur and up-and-coming talent from the region, creating an exciting atmosphere of camaraderie and sportsmanship on and off the field. 

B Flight:

Handicap: 0 - 4 goal

Host Club: Westchester Polo Club - Newport County, Rhode Island | Nov 7-8, 2024
Final Score: 13 - 12 | Winner: Newport (Carol Gaudrea, Marilyn Bruno, Ula Green)
MVP: Marilyn Bruno
Best Playing Pony: Tracy ridden by Megan Schulz

Runners-up:
2nd Place: Tenacious Divas (Laura Snydacker, Leslie Streuli, Megan Schulz)
3rd Place: The Avery (Ava Richard, Hanalei Streuli, Anna Dwyer)
4th Place: Fighting Ladies (Amy Wright, Stephanie Coyne, Andrea Logan) 

The tournament's B Flight (0-4 goal) games took place on Thu/Fri evening, Nov. 7-8 under the lights. A random draw was held earlier in the week to determine opponents in the opening rounds. Semi Final I pitted Newport in red-jerseys with Carol Gaudrea, Marilyn Bruno and Ula Green against The Avery's Ava Richard, Hanalei Streuli and Anna Dwyer in gold jerseys. Newport's opening chukker set a fast pace but The Avery made a strong come-from-behind to catch up by halftime, and in the second half tied the score, then exchange lead changes twice before Newport narrowly edged out the victory, 5-1, 5-4, 8-6 and 10-9 to advance to the Championship. 

Semi Final II was the second game on Thursday, between Fighting Ladies Amy Wright, Andrea Logan and Stephanie Coyne in pink jerseys battling Tenacious Divas Leslie Streuli, Laura Snydacker and Megan Schulz in blue uniforms. What started out neck-and-neck ultimately led to a scoring dual between Logan and Schulz, with the latter being a notch more productive each period, including a 2-pointer, to tally up 3-6, 5-9, 7-11 and 8-14 for Tenacious Divas' win, earning its berth in the Championship.

The teams enjoyed a game film review afterwards to prepare for the Final rounds on Friday night, which began with the Consolation match for 3rd place in which The Avery held a steady lead over Fighting Ladies throughout the 4-chukker contest to clinch a 17-1 bronze finish.

The Championship brought out Newport against Tenacious Diva, each chomping at the bit from the throw in, with each team's anchor player unloading goal after goal into double-digits including two 2-pointers by Green. Trailing in the first, Newport finished with a 1-point lead at halftime; then both teams doubled down in the 3rd chukker but remained deadlocked, until Green's second 2-pointer was the nail in the coffin as the minutes ran out in the final perod, 2-5, 6-5, 10-10 and 13-12, earning Newport 1st Place and Tenacious Divas 2nd Place podium finishes.  

Winners Trophies were presented to Newport, and MVP honors went to Marilyn Bruno, while the Best Playing Pony was Tracy ridden by Megan Schulz. The mood was high as players adjourned to the fireside for a BBQ celebration.

A Flight:

Handicap: 6 - 9 goal

Host Club: Westchester Polo Club - Newport County, Rhode Island | Nov 9-10, 2024
Final Score: 20 - 7 | Winner: Stage Hill (Emma Ortega, Kirsten Costa, Amanda Poor)
MVP: Ava Richard
Best Playing Pony: Lucy ridden by Amanda Poor

Runners-up:
2nd Place: Wire Road (Ava Richard, Andrea Logan, Megan Schulz)
3rd Place: Synergy Solutions Today (Christine Bowden, Anna Dwyer, Minnie Keating, Launi Perrault, alt.)
4th Place: Stone's Throw (Laurel Howe, Aurelia Rus, Ula Green) 

Bright sunny weather greeted the A Flight teams for both weekend days of stiff competition. Photographer John LIncourt was on hand to capture the excitement, and Club members and trainees came out in numbers to volunteer and cheer on the 4 teams led by professional players. USPA Professional Umpire Stanley Feldman was flown in to officiate, assisted by Chris Fragomeni and Amy Garrison. A random draw held earlier in the week determined the matchups in Saturday's opening rounds. 

Semi Final I pitted Wire Road Polo in orange jerseys with Ava Richard, Andrea Logan and Megan Schulz against Stone's Throw Farm's Laurel Howe, Aurelia Rus and Ula Green in the color purple. With both teams handicapped at 7 goals, the 4 chukkers played out in a thriller. Just as Stone Throw's Rus and Green began to notch out an early lead, Richard racked up a 2-pointer and go-ahead goal to change their plans, and were left to hustle up a final point just to level the score by the halftime intermission, 3-2 then 6-6.  Wire Road gave up a couple of costly penalty points in the 3rd that eliminated their gain from Schulz's 2-pointer to trail 8-10, but the tables turned in the last period as Stone's Throw gave up 4 penalty conversion points despite a 2-pointer of their own, to see its 1-point lead in the waning minutes get hurdled with Schulz's 2-point penalty 4 conversion (a new arena rule option that was in effect) to claim the 14-13 win and advance to the Championship. 

Semi Final II pitted Stage Hill's Emma Ortega, Kirsten Costa and Amanda Poor in pink jerseys against a Synergy Solutions Today roster of Christine Bowden/Launi Perrault (alternating), Anna Dwyer and Minnie Keating in maroon uniforms. The opening chukker foreshadowed the dead heat that would carry through, as both teams doubled up on goals; Stage Hill's lower team handicap included 2 points, for a 4-2 score. Synergy Solutions overtook its rival with a succession of goals including a 2-pointer, but Stage Hill added its own 2-pointer to level the score at 7-7 before the halftime break. Successful scoring drives persisted for both teams in the 3rd period, exchanging leads and ties but giving Stage Hill a narrow 11-10 advantage from a penalty 2 conversion goal. Only 2 more points were scored by either side through the 4th as the clock ran out on Synergy Solutions' final drive, 13-12 earning Stage Hill the berth in the Championship on Sunday.  

The Final rounds on Sunday began with the Consolation match competing for 3rd place in which Stone's Throw Farm took on Synergy Solutions Today in a barn burner.  With 2 handicap points on the board, the next 3 points went to Stone's Throw before Synergy Solutions's Dwyer came to life with 2 field goals plus a 2-pointer, to trail 5-4. While Dwyer continued to score in the 2nd, teammate Keating contributed with a 2-pointer and go-ahead goal to take the lead, with only a single point for Stone's Throw now trailing 8-6.  Both teams came out swinging for multiple goals the second half, moving the needle to 11-10 with Synergy still on top. In the final chukker, Synergy racked up 7 unanswered goals including two 2-point penalty 4 conversions before 3 field goals by Stone's Throw to decide 3rd Place for Synergy Solutions Today, 18-13.

The highly anticipated Championship brought out Wire Road against defending champions, Stage Hill who's anchor, Poor captained its young squad and led a scoring drive that dominated the match. The first chukker ended 7-2 and the second chukker ended 14-5. The second half of the contest was more of the same, with 14-5 after the 3rd chukker, and 20-7 for the championship victory, and 2nd Place for Wire Road in their podium finishes.  

Prize Money was divided between 1st and 2nd Place finishers, and Winners Trophies were presented to Stage Hill.  MVP honors went to Ava Richard, while the Best Playing Pony was Lucy ridden by Amanda Poor. The jubilation moved to the fireside for a celebration.

USPA Circuit Tournaments present an ideal forum for regional competition for polo players looking to continue their season of competitive polo after the grass season has ended, while outdoor conditions remain well-suited to travel and play outdoors during the 4QTR of the year in New England.  

Check out match photos! Tournament video footage can be found on 

Photos: John Lincourt Photography + Laura Snydacker

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About Newport Polo:  Newport Polo is the home of the Westchester Polo Club, America’s first polo club est. 1876, and a charter member of the United States Polo Association, offering public exhibition matches, polo club membership, and polo instruction year-round. The founding members, who hailed mostly from Westchester County, NY, established the club's summer headquarters and polo grounds in Newport, RI where its members annually convened for summer recreation. The original club, based in Newport, is credited for organizing the world's first international polo competition, the Westchester Cup, and remained active until 1929. The Westchester Polo Club was revived in 1992 by President and USPA Delegate, Dan Keating. Known today as Newport Polo, the Club supports a vibrant polo training program, developing players in weekly polo lessons with open enrollment for new players, as well as membership for club chukkers and tournaments in spring, summer, and autumn. Click Here to read & subscribe for the weekly polo schedule with opportunities to play for all levels!  Newport Polo is also home to the Brown University Polo Team, and the Newport Varsity & JV Interscholastic Teams. Newport Polo also hosts the Newport International Polo Series, a popular summer exhibition series held annually on Saturdays, June - September.