That’s the bottom line. Forget the fact that they operate no legitimate national association of their own (only a creation that would allow them to compete in the FIP) or that they rely upon the USPA for handicaps and rules. Forget that a number of Canadians have served, and continue to serve on many of our committees or host some major USPA tournaments, in the world of international polo, and in an effort to save jobs for American professionals we are considering cutting the cord with our northern neighbors.
The fact that this potential move would affect less than a half dozen professional polo players matters not at all as the USPA will work tirelessly to ferret out any non-US professionals.
Does it matter if they are residents? No. Does it matter that they are married to US citizens or pay their taxes in the USA? No.
The point being made by the USPA is, although we have been your lifeblood for decades, we’re going to cut you loose to prove a point. That point is “Canadians are foreigners”!
We’re sorry if you’re offended or that we have been happily taking your money as members of the USPA without helping you to grow into an association of your own. We’re sorry if we never prepared you for this day or are comfortable as we continue to take money from you-you’re foreigners!
We just can’t have three or four Canadians coming to America to take the jobs of our professionals. Argentina? That’s a different question. But Canada, it’s full of foreigners.
