Newport Varsity Locked In for Championship Run

Newport’s varsity squad has put in the sweat equity all year, grinding through relentless training and putting in the hours both in the saddle and behind the scenes as polo grooms. Their commitment to horsemanship and precision play has set them up for a high-stakes tournament season, with a single goal in mind—a ticket to Nationals.

The road to glory starts with the Northeast Circuit Prelims in Newburgh, NY, where it's win or go home in a fierce single-elimination showdown against regional powerhouses Greater Niagara, Toronto II, UConn, and Yale Polo Ranch in the opening rounds, with Regionals (East Kingston, NH) waiting on the horizon.

“We’ve got a strong shot at taking Prelims and punching our ticket to Regionals,” says Head Coach Minnie Keating. “There are teams at Regionals that we’ve already beaten, so if we play our game, in theory we have the ability to go all the way to Nationals.”

If Newport advances, the final proving ground will be at Nationals in Indio, California, where the nation's best from its four circuit zones will battle for the ultimate prize. But first, they’ll need to outplay familiar foes at Regionals, including Gardnertown, Harvard, Kingswood, Toronto I, and Yale Varsity.

With grit, talent, and a championship mindset, this Newport squad is locked in and ready to ride. The road to Nationals starts now.

Newport Polo currently hosts a co-ed Varsity team as well as a co-ed Junior Varsity training program through the Spring, Summer and Autumn. For more information, visit the Lesson Information pages at www.nptpolo.com.

"We strive to produce a well-rounded player, with not only a focus on creating players on the field with an emphasis on horsemanship and sportsmanship, but a strong emphasis in the classroom as well” explains Amy Fraser, Director of Interscholastic/Intercollegiate Programs for the United States Polo Association.

“The I/I program focuses on creating passionate and dedicated polo players both on and off the field, supported by a variety of opportunities from earning a varsity letter, international tournament play, to equine education and much more.”

I/I Polo is played in the arena under the USPA Official Arena Rules. The USPA runs over 30 I/I Tournaments each season and currently spends approximately $15,000.00 on each of those tournaments. The USPA will arrange for a suitable host site, USPA certified umpires, tournament managers, horses to mount all teams, tournament awards, and other equipment for running matches at all USPA I/I Tournaments. Tournament All-Stars, Sportsmanship Recipients, Horsemanship Recipients, Best Playing Ponies and Best Playing Strings are recognized at all USPA I/I Tournaments.