Purpose: To provide the opportunity for four competitive professionals to play any U.S. Gauntlet tournaments as a team in 2024 with no patron as a player.
Background: The La Elina Polo Team began playing in the USPA Gauntlet of Polo in 2022 as an informal partnership between Bobby Gerry and Jared Zenni. The idea was to give four competitive professionals the best chance at winning the tournament by not having a playing amateur on the field for the team. The idea worked well as La Elina made it to the Finals of the U.S. Open in 2022. The plan was repeated the following season and La Elina made it to the quarterfinals of the 2023 U.S. Open. In October of 2023, Jared Zenni decided to switch to the Cessna team for the 2024 Gauntlet season leaving Bobby Gerry to continue to provide the opening for four competitive professionals at La Elina.
The reason this is a terrible idea for pros:
• There are no salaries provided at this time. (Hopefully in the future.)
The reason this is a great idea for pros:
• There is no amateur on the team which in turn gives the four pros the best chance of winning.
Details: La Elina will support a competitive 4 pro team entering the USPA’s 2024 Gauntlet of Polo by covering the tournament entry and umpiring fees for a 4 pro team. It is important that any professional player contemplating such an opportunity fully understands the commitment required before pursuing a position on the team.
On January 4, 2024, La Elina must pay the full, non-refundable tournament entry fees for the Gauntlet tournaments. These fees are expensive, and the January 4th payment deadline is significantly in advance of the dates that each of the Gauntlet tournaments actually commence.
Since these fees are non-refundable, any player wishing to fill a spot on a La Elina team must sign a binding contract to play for the team. Once under contract, the player will be required to repay their pro-rata share of La Elina’s tournament costs plus a fee should they decline to play the tournament(s) they selected to play or should they become injured before or during any tournament(s) they selected to play and thereafter decline to provide an equivalent handicap substitute player.
If a player feels they should not be obligated to sign a contract, then such a player is looking for a free option opportunity and must look elsewhere. No fee will be paid to the USPA for any tournament without 4 players in place, each with signed contracts in advance of the payment deadline of January 4th.
Professional players who contemplate joining the La Elina program will not be permitted to sell a playing position on the team to a paying patron. Such an action violates the purpose of the La Elina program which is to provide the opportunity for four competitive professionals to play Gauntlet tournaments as a team.
While these requirements at first glance may appear onerous, the requirements exist to protect funds from unnecessary loss. If the requirements were not in place, it would likely be more advisable and more efficient for the paying sponsor to withdraw the equivalent cash amount from the bank to donate to the Polo Players Support Group 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization.
Player inquiries:
Jeff Hall
email: hjeffpolo@aol.com
WhatsApp: +1 713 545 2057
Team Roster History
U.S. Open 2022
1. Juan Martin Obregon
2. Geronimo Obregon
3. Facundo Obregon
4. Jared Zenni
U.S. Open 2023 (also Gold Cup and CV Whitney Cup)
1. Matt Coppola
2. Nico Escobar
3. Jeff Hall
4. Jared Zenni