USPA Communication

This page tracks the USPA’s communication with La Elina during the Gauntlet of Polo.

Jimmy Newman cell: (561) 202-5185
Haley Bryan cell: (803) 215-3577
DeeDee Connell cell: (requested)

 

Date: Thu, Mar 23, 2023 at 9:57 AM
Subject: US Open Draw Tomorrow Tonight! Please RSVP
From: Jimmy Newman, NPC Polo Director; Haley Bryan, NPC Polo Manager

To the teams playing the 2023 US Open,

Please be reminded that the draw for the 2023 US Open is today, Thursday March 23 at 7 pm at the tent at the Mallet Grille. Please let us know who will attend from your team. The Polo Club at NPC will have membership cards available for players to use the Club for the remainder of the season.

Also, please note that Polo Operations plans to start the US Open games on Monday March 27.

Format and roster attached.

Thank you!

US Open Format 2023.pdf
US Open Rosters 2023.pdf

 

 

Date: Fri, Feb 3, 2023 at 8:01 AM
Subject: Horse Health Documents
From: Jimmy Newman, NPC Polo Director; Haley Bryan, NPC Polo Manager

The National Polo Center(NPC) requires proof of current vaccinations and current coggins for teams to be eligible to play. There are a few ways in which to submit this information. There is the NPC Horse Health document attached (see link at bottom of this message), or there is an Equine Passport available from your veterinary provider.

Each team will need to provide the attached Horse Health Document or a passport for EVERY horse they plan to have on the property. This includes any spares, horses being tried, umpire horses etc.

You will notice that the form requires a signature of a federally accredited veterinarian. One signature from a veterinarian for a string is acceptable if signature accompanies the documentation. If you elect to vaccinate your own horses, it is up to you to acquire veterinary verification for your vaccines.

Vaccination Requirements:

  • Rhinopneumonitis: Within six months of the first game. Any date after September 15, 2022 is acceptable.
  • Equine Influenza: Within six months of the first game. Any date after September 15, 2022 is acceptable.
  • Streptococcus Equi – (Stangles): Not required but highly recommended. Within six months of the first game. Any date after September 15, 2022 is acceptable.

Each team will also need to provide a current Coggins that has detailed drawing or photograph for every horse.

1. All horses must have a current coggins – within one year. If your Coggins are current but expire during the season they are fine but it is necessary to renew them on or before the date they expire. For example, if your horses coggins are dated March 1, 2022, you can present your current ones, then later present to IPC the renewed version once acquired.

2. The USDA import form that test for Coggins – Piro – Glanders upon import is not an official recognized Coggins test with state accession number and suitable for IPC records. Newly imported horses will need to be retested and given an appropriate Coggins certificate with an accession number signed by a federally accredited veterinarian.

This paperwork or passport (copies please, originals can be stored at manager’s/owner’s discretion) must be brought in or emailed to the NPC polo operations no less than five days before your team’s first game. A member of the NPC polo office staff must sign off on each form. We will scan your documents and return them to you, we will NOT keep your documents or passports.

The forms or passports will be returned to STAY WITH THE HORSES. Players/grooms/team managers need to be prepared to show the paperwork or passports (copies not originals) at games. NPC will randomly check Horse Health Documents at every game. NPC staff will compare the paperwork to what has been submitted and that horse descriptions match. Any horse that does not have the required paperwork will not be eligible to play and asked to leave the property.

Horse Health Form 2023.pdf

Horse Health Form 2023.docx

 

Date: Thu, Feb 2, 2023 at 7:56 PM
Subject: Notes to Gauntlet Teams
From: Jimmy Newman, NPC Polo Director; Haley Bryan, NPC Polo Manager

To the teams playing the 2023 CV Whitney Cup,

Please find the attached schedule and rosters for the 2023 CV Whitney Cup.

CV Whitney Cup 2023 Schedule.pdf

CV Whitney Cup 2023 Rosters.pdf

 

 

Date: Wed, Feb 1, 2023 at 3:48 PM
Subject: Notes to Gauntlet Teams
From: Jimmy Newman, NPC Polo Director; Haley Bryan, NPC Polo Manager

Looking forward to the CV Whitney Draw tomorrow at 6:30 pm at the 7th Chukker. The format is attached. Please also note the following policies and procedures:

All players at NPC must submit their horse health documents before playing. A detailed email including all the requirements will be sent separately.

AFTER EACH TEAM ENTERED IN ANY NPC EVENT OR SERIES OF EVENTS SUBMITS ALL OF ITS HORSE HEALTH DOCUMENTS, it will be eligible to receive 10 Green Seat tickets for each Sunday game played in the Event or Series of Events it is playing in. (These 10 Green Seat tickets will be in addition to the 15 Green Seat tickets that each team playing in a Sunday game will receive for that game for its for spare horse holders and extra game help.) Teams are responsible for picking up these 10 Green Seat tickets from the Polo Office in the USPA ASSN Clubhouse no later than the Friday before the Sunday game that they apply to.

All players must have a 2023 USPA handicap. Please remember to renew: www.uspolo.org/membership. If you have questions, please contact USPA Membership Director Lindsay Greenway: 561-345-1913 or lgreenway@uspolo.org. There are still several players who have not paid their 2023 dues. There will be a USPA representative at the draw to help as well.

For Sunday 3:00 PM games, each team is normally presented by a mounted flag carrier. The team flags are provided by the teams. If your team needs a flag, please let me know and I can send you the specifications.

Please note that NPC cannot accept outdates. If your team has conflicts, we will do our best to try to work with them, however we cannot promise that any or all outdates can be accommodated.

Each team is expected to have a light and a dark set of jerseys. According to USPA Rule 4: EQUIPMENT: b. Players shall wear jerseys which distinguish the players on one team from the players on another. If the colors of two teams competing in an Event are so alike as to lead to confusion, the team lower in the draw shall be instructed to play in some other color.

Before each game, DeeDee Connell will contact teams to assign their trailer parking area and jersey colors. DeeDee email: ddconnell@fiberpipe.net

Teams are expected to provide three umpire horses for each game. If you need to rent umpire horses, we can give you some providers. Teams are expected to bring the umpire horse to the umpires, usually stationed behind the announcer wagon. Horses should be tacked as though for a game including at least front bandages or boots.

All teams will be billed for an umpire and medic deposit. This will be for the minimum number of games. Your team will be responsible for any additional games and will be billed accordingly. This is part of the team fees and is required even if your team brings your own additional medic.

NPC will not have a veterinarian at all games, teams are expected to bring their own vet or have one on call. There will be a trailer at each game to assist in transport of any injured horse if needed.

 

 

Date: Thu, Jan 26, 2023 at 10:25 AM
Subject: CV Whitney Cup Format and Draw
From: Jimmy Newman, NPC Polo Director; Haley Bryan, NPC Polo Manager

To the teams playing the 2023 CV Whitney Cup,

As a reminder, the draw for the 2023 CV Whitney Cup is on Thursday February 2, 2023.

It will be at 6:30 pm in the Seventh Chukker.

The format for the CV Whitney Cup is attached.

Please let me know if you have any questions or need any additional information.

CV Whitney Cup Format 2023.pdf

Thank you!
Haley Bryan
email: hbryan2485@aol.com
cell: 803 215-3577

 

 

Date: Tue, Jan 17, 2023 at 11:44 AM
Subject: Memo concerning Gauntlet of Polo Procedures, Rules, and Optional Tournament Conditions
From: Jimmy Newman, NPC Polo Director; Haley Bryan, NPC Polo Manager

We are sending you this memo to inform you of the procedures, Rules, and Tournament Conditions that will be used in the 2023 Gauntlet of Polo tournaments.

Polo Fields: The Gauntlet tournaments will be played on the fields at the USPA National Polo Center – Wellington (NPC) and the Isla Carroll East and West fields. Decisions concerning the field to be used for any game will be made by NPC Polo Director Jimmy Newman in consultation with NPC Field Superintendent Drew Summerill. NPC Polo Operations, LLC reserves the right to use appropriate outside fields if adverse weather or field conditions make that necessary. Team sponsors who own private fields may play on their fields if the opposing team sponsor agrees.

Formats and Schedules: The format for the C.V. Whitney Cup is attached.

  • As the format document states, the C.V. Whitney dates are February 12-26.
  • The C.V. Whitney Draw will be held on February 2.
  • The formats and draw dates for the USPA Gold Cup® and the U.S. Open Polo Championship® will be announced later.

Livestreaming and On-Demand filming:

  • IPA/Dartfish will be filming every game in the Gauntlet tournaments for USPA Umpires LLC.
  • Team Sponsors may contact Dartfish concerning access to their videos if it is desired.
  • The USPA Polo Network (using IPA/Dartfish) will livestream the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals of the C.V. Whitney Cup and the USPA Gold Cup, and all games of the U.S. Open Polo Championship.
  • The USPA Polo Network reserves the right not to livestream games that are not played at NPC or Isla Carroll if technical issues make livestreaming impractical.

Rules: The Gauntlet tournaments will be umpired by USPA Professional Umpires provided by USPA Umpires LLC. With some exceptions, noted below, the games will be played under the attached 2023 USPA Outdoor Rules and Tournament Conditions, which we urge you to review and become familiar with because there are important changes for 2023. Of special interest are the following rules:

  • USPA Outdoor Rule 1.c, on page 1 of the attached USPA Outdoor Rules, now requires that teams have complete rosters on file at the time of the draw to receive the “roster protection” provided by the rule.
  • USPA Outdoor Rule 1.f (the “American Rule”), on page 2 of the attached USPA Outdoor Rules, has been substantially revised, and should be carefully reviewed because it controls the number of Registered Player Members each team must have. Rule 1.f now states that any substitute for a playing sponsor or a designated sponsor for all or part of any game must be a Registered Player Member.
  • USPA Outdoor Rule 2.a, on page 4 of the attached USPA Outdoor Rules, has been substantially revised and now prohibits injury substitutions by players who have or are playing in the Event for another team. (Please note that Optional Tournament Condition XIII will not be applied to modify Rule 2.a in the Gauntlet tournaments.)

Rule options: The following rule options will be applied in the Gauntlet tournaments:

  • Alternative Rule 26.h: “Riding off a player from the same side on which he or she is hitting or preparing to hit the ball is allowed unless the player initiating the ride-off creates danger as described in Rule 26.a.”
  • Penalty 3s will be undefended.

Rule variances:

  • USPA Outdoor Rule 3.g will not be applied in the Gauntlet tournaments. Any injury substitution must fully comply with USPA Outdoor Rule 1.f (the “American Rule”).

Optional Tournament Conditions:

  • Optional Tournament Condition IX (Fair Play Throw-In) on page 23 of the attached USPA Tournament Conditions will be applied in the Gauntlet Tournaments.
  • Optional Tournament Condition XIV (the “Buzzer Beater”) on page 28 of the attached USPA Tournament Conditions will be applied in the Gauntlet Tournaments in place of USPA Outdoor Rule 14.b.

Instant Replay Procedures:
The following variances from Tournament Condition VIII (Instant Replay) at page 20 of the attached USPA Tournament Conditions will be applied in the Gauntlet tournaments:

  • There will not be an Instant Replay Official (“IRO”) in the Gauntlet tournaments. The Referee (Third Man) will perform the duties of the IRO.
  • When Gauntlet games are not livestreamed (in the preliminary rounds of the C.V. Whitney Cup and USPA Gold Cup), each team will be allowed one challenge per game and one challenge per overtime. Teams will only be allowed to challenge goal calls and safety calls. They will not be allowed to challenge foul calls or ball placement decisions.
  • When Gauntlet games are livestreamed, each team will be allowed one challenge per game and one challenge per overtime. Teams will be allowed to challenge foul calls, ball placement decisions, goal call, and safety calls.

Host Tournament Committee: The Gauntlet Host Tournament Committee is Chris Green, Tom Gose, Chris Stratemann, Tommy Wayman, and Jimmy Newman.

Attachments: