Presentation ceremonies at the 2013 USPA International Cup match between Chile and the United States in Wellington, FL. (Photo by Alex Pacheco)
In one of the best kept secrets in polo it has just been learned that the United States will be playing an International Test Match against Chile Sunday, March 30th at the San Cristobal Polo Club in Santiago, Chile.
Representing the United States are Adam Snow (6), Tommy Biddle (6), Hector Galindo (5) and Nick Snow (4). Chile will be fielding a team comprised of Antonio Pereira (6), Cote Pereira (4), Martin Zegers (6) and Matias Vial (6).
The US team may be a little long of tooth with former 10-goaler Adam Snow, former 9-goaler Hector Galindo and former 8-goaler Tommy Biddle having seen better years, but their experience can’t be questioned.
It should be noted that there was an International Chile vs. the United States match for the USPA International Cup at the Grand Champions Polo Club Late last fall (the second in an annual series that kicked off with an England vs. USA game in 2012).
Representing the United States in that 20-goal game were Marc Ganzi, Carlitos Gracida, Nic Roldan and Jeff Hall. Chile fielded a team led by Matias Vial, Jose Antonio Iturrate, Juan Sanchez and Max Silva. The United States won 13-8 with Nic Roldan being named MVP.
Over the years there has been a famine in the area of high-goal international polo competition by the United States. The revival of the Westchester Cup was a step in the right direction, but the Camacho Cup (Mexico vs. USA) and the Cup of the Americas (Argentina vs. USA) have slowly disappeared from the polo scene.
The Argentines claim that the United States will never have a team with a high enough handicap to challenge them for the cup again (last played in 1980) while the Camacho Cup was shelved again after the 2009 match (the last time it was played before that was in 1988).
China has taken the lead in creating international competition with the Snow Polo World Cup and the Super Nations Cup, and although they attract top international talent, it isn’t truly international play when the visiting teams don’t have their own horses under them.