Professional teams from U.S., Argentina, England and Hong Kong to
compete in inaugural event
As polo continues to grow across the globe, powerhouse teams from the U.S. and three other countries have emerged to battle it out for top international honors in the inaugural Fortune Heights Super Nations Cup. The 24-goal handicap tournament will take place October 1-5 at China’s exclusive Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club and will feature world-class professional players from the U.S., Argentina, England and Hong Kong.
The Fortune Heights Super Nations Cup is being hosted by the Federation of International Polo (FIP) and the Tianjin Sports Bureau. Established in 1982, FIP aims to promote and enhance the sport of polo globally and unite international polo associations across the world.
The U.S. roster for the event includes well-known American pros Jeff Hall, Mike Azzaro and Kris Kampsen along with the young up-and-comer, Mason Wroe. The 27-year-old rising star, Wroe, is the youngest player on the U.S. team and a product of the U.S. Polo Association’s (USPA) premier Team USPA development program. With a mix of veteran leadership and youthful exuberance, the U.S. team exemplifies the current state of American polo as talent and involvement continue to increase.
“We’re honored to be involved in this event and we’re proud of this extremely talented American team,” said Peter Rizzo, CEO of the U.S. Polo Association. “It should be a great opportunity for us to showcase the sport and its expansion in the U.S. on various levels.”
In addition to its professional roster, the U.S. is sending a team of top youth polo players to compete against teams from Argentina, England and South Africa in the U16 exhibition tournament taking place in conjunction with the Fortune Heights Super Nations Cup. The U.S. roster for the event includes players J. Paul Meyer, Marcos Alberdi, Lauren Biddle and Agustin Arellano.
The teams were selected to play each other in a special drawing, which took place on September 4 in Tianjin. The USPA’s Governor At Large, Dr. Richard Caleel, was on hand for the U.S. drawing along with additional representatives from the other three participating countries. Both U.S. teams will begin play on October 1 as the professionals take on Hong Kong and the U16 team faces off against Argentina.
For event details including the schedule, visit www.supernationscup.com. For more details on international polo, visit www.fippolo.com.