The Japan Times - U.S. Polo Assn. and ESPN Champion the Iconic USPA Gold Cup at the USPA National Polo Center, Hosted by Legendary Commentator Chris Fowler

WEST PALM BEACH, FL / ACCESS Newswire / April 7, 2026 / U.S. Polo Assn., the official sports brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), proudly supported the USPA Gold Cup® at the USPA National Polo Center (NPC) in Wellington, Florida on April 5, 2026, Easter Sunday in front of a record crowd at the U.S. Polo Assn. Stadium Field.

Photo Credit: Augustina Fonda

As the second most prestigious tournament in the United States and a critical leg of the Gauntlet of Polo®, the USPA Gold Cup brings together the sport's top players and elite equine athletes in one of the most competitive and anticipated events of the winter polo season, leading up to the U.S. Open Polo Championship®.

Further elevating the tournament's global stage, the USPA Gold Cup Final was hosted by legendary ESPN commentator Chris Fowler and broadcast across multiple ESPN platforms, bringing one of the sport's premier championships to millions of sports fans worldwide. Fowler was joined alongside veteran broadcasters Kenny Rice and Polo Hall-of-Famer Adam Snow. Additional distribution of the tournament Final can be found on Global Polo's YouTube channel. Check local listings for specific airtimes.

USPA Gold Cup® Final at a Glance:

• Final Matchup: Pilot (#1 Curtis Pilot - 0, #2 Mackenzie Weisz - 6, #3 Lorenzo Chavanne - 7, #4 Camilo 'Jeta' Castagnola - 10) vs. La Dolfina Scone (#1 David Paradice - 0, #2 Rufino Merlos - 6, #3 Jesse Bray - 7, #4 Poroto Cambiaso - 10)

• Date: April 5, 2026

• Location: USPA National Polo Center, Wellington, Florida, on the U.S. Polo Assn. Stadium Field

• Final Score: 10 (Pilot) - 6 (La Dolfina Scone)

• MVP: Lorenzo Chavanne (Pilot)

• Best Playing Pony: V8 Tyson, ridden by Lorenzo Chavanne

• Best Playing Pony, Argentinian Bred: Open Texas, ridden by Lorenzo Chavanne

• U.S. Polo Assn. Sportsmanship Award, Presented by YETI: Curtis Pilot (Pilot)

• Charity Beneficiaries: Replay Polo (La Dolfina Scone) and Work To Ride (Pilot)

• Broadcast: ESPN Platforms (Hosted by Chris Fowler with Kenny Rice and Adam Snow), and Global Polo YouTube

• Game Highlights: Pilot versus La Dolfina Scone is a rematch game from the 2023 USPA Gold Cup, where La Dolfina Scone took the victory. In 2026, these two teams are the youngest to compete in USPA Gold Cup history, with both featuring a family-legacy player on their rosters. Pilot was down 2-5 at halftime but did not let La Dolfina Scone score in the 4^th or 5^th chukkers. MVP Lorenzo Chavanne scored 6 goals throughout, pushing Pilot ahead in the second half to seal Pilot's third USPA Gold Cup victory.

As the official sports brand of the USPA, U.S. Polo Assn.'s presence was felt both on and off the field throughout the tournament. In addition to the U.S. Open Polo Championship taking place on the U.S. Polo Assn. Stadium Field at NPC, featuring the brand's iconic Double Horsemen logo, U.S. Polo Assn. outfitted all on-site NPC staff and offered its performance jersey program to all teams competing in the Gauntlet of Polo.

Off the field at the USPA Shop at NPC, the sports brand enhanced the spectator experience by hosting immersive retail activations, including a Tyrus and Georgie Murdoch children's book signing, Easter-themed tote bag screen printing, a live violinist, and complimentary chilled Limited Edition U.S. Polo Assn. Rosé wine tasting. In addition to posing at the branded U.S. Polo Assn. selfie wall or grabbing a bite at the traditional Argentine Asado area before the game, spectators also experienced the traditional halftime divot stomp dressed in vibrant Easter outfits, where U.S. Polo Assn. models connected with guests and created interactive social media moments, adding to the vibrant atmosphere of championship Sunday.

"The USPA Gold Cup represents the pinnacle of high-goal competition leading into the U.S. Open Polo Championship, showcasing the extraordinary talent, teamwork, and athleticism that define the sport at its highest level to a global audience on ESPN," said J. Michael Prince, President and CEO of USPA Global, the company that manages the multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand. "U.S. Polo Assn. is proud to support this historic tournament and to continue creating inspirational moments between the sport of polo and fans around the world."

"Congratulations to both teams on what was an epic game in front of a record crowd," Prince added.

Featuring many of the world's most accomplished players, the 2026 USPA Gold Cup once again delivered an exceptional level of competition, with 10-goal players such as Hilario Ulloa, Adolfo and Poroto Cambiaso, Tomas Panelo, and Jeta and Barto Castagnola taking the field, alongside standout talents including Polito Pieres (9-goal), Jesse Bray (7-goal), Rufino Merlos (6-goal), Mackenzie Weisz (6-goal), and young star power Timmy Dutta (4-goal).

Established in 1974, the USPA Gold Cup remains a cornerstone of the American high-goal polo season, marking the 2026 tournament the 52^nd USPA Gold Cup and a defining moment on the road to the U.S. Open Polo Championship, played April 1-26, 2026, at NPC.

The USPA Gold Cup also served as a key platform for U.S. Polo Assn.'s new global polo shirt campaign, An Icon Born from the Game, celebrating the origins of the iconic essential from the sport of polo to wardrobes around the world. By activating the campaign at one of the sport's most prestigious tournaments, U.S. Polo Assn. connected fans, players, and consumers to the polo shirt's authentic DNA, bridging sport and style in a way that reinforces heritage and modern style.

About U.S. Polo Assn. and USPA Global

U.S. Polo Assn. is the official sports brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), the largest association of polo clubs and polo players in the United States, founded in 1890. With a multi-billion-dollar global footprint and worldwide distribution through more than 1,200 U.S. Polo Assn. retail stores as well as thousands of additional points of distribution, U.S. Polo Assn. offers apparel, accessories, and footwear for men, women, and children in more than 190 countries worldwide. The brand sponsors major polo events around the world, including the U.S. Open Polo Championship®, held annually at NPC in The Palm Beaches, the premier polo tournament in the United States. Historic deals with ESPN in the United States, TNT and Eurosport in Europe, and Star Sports in India now broadcast several of the premier polo championships in the world, sponsored by U.S. Polo Assn., making the thrilling sport accessible to millions of sports fans globally for the very first time.

U.S. Polo Assn. has consistently been named one of the top global sports licensors in the world alongside the NFL, PGA Tour, and Formula 1, according to License Global. In addition, the sport-inspired brand is being recognized internationally with awards for global growth and sport content. Due to its tremendous success as a global brand, U.S. Polo Assn. has been featured in Forbes, Fortune, Modern Retail, and GQ as well as on Yahoo Finance and Bloomberg, among many other noteworthy media sources around the world. For more information, visit uspoloassnglobal.com and follow @uspoloassn.

USPA Global is a subsidiary of the United States Polo Association (USPA) and manages the multi-billion-dollar sports brand, U.S. Polo Assn. USPA Global also manages the subsidiary, Global Polo, which is the worldwide leader in polo sport content. To learn more, visit globalpolo.com or Global Polo on YouTube.

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For Additional Information, Contact:

Stacey Kovalsky - VP, Global PR and Communications
Phone +001.561.790.8036 - E-mail: [email protected]

Shannon Stilson - VP, Sports Marketing and Media
Phone +001.561.227.6994 - E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE: U.S. Polo Assn.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

Y.Hara--JT