WEST PALM BEACH, FL and PARIS, FRANCE, Aug 9, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - U.S. Polo Assn., the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), and the Polo Club du Domaine Chantilly were proud to present the Paris Games Polo Challenge 2024, a tribute match between the USA and France on Wednesday, August 7. Defending its win from 100 years ago in 1924 Paris, the USA Team defeated France in a hard-fought game that ultimately ended in a score of 10-7.
USA Team
The Paris Games Polo Challenge 2024 was a sanctioned tribute match between the USA and France, in partnership with the Federation of International Polo (FIP), the Federation Française de Polo (FFP), and the USPA. This historic match, which received unprecedented media coverage for its significance, was the centennial celebration and tribute to the last time France hosted the Olympics, exactly 100 years ago.
Fans around the world can capture the greatest moments from the memorable centennial match this Sunday, August 11, on ESPN2 at 10 a.m. ET.
The Game
On the pitch representing the United States were Quinn Evans (1), Hope Arellano (3), Nicolas "Nico" Escobar (5), and Cody Ellis (5), with USPA Polo Hall of Famer Julio Arellano as Coach and Luis Escobar as Assistant Coach. Representing France were Elena Venot (2), Dorian Bulteau (3), Julien Reynes (4), and Clément Delfosse (5), with Clément Delfosse as captain, alongside National Coach Matthieu Delfosse.
The Paris Games Polo Challenge came to a breathtaking conclusion, with the USA overtaking France in a score of 10 to 7, confirming the Team's 100-year triumphant history. Clément Delfosse of France opened the scoring with a breakaway, and Quinn Evans of the USA quickly matched him in the first chukker. At the third chukker, the score was 5-5 before the USA took the lead in the fourth, with Nico Escobar catapulting the USA Team to win 10-7.
The USA Team received custom-designed gold medals with the Paris Games Polo Challenge logo, and the France Team received custom logo silver medals, as well as other gifts.
The MVP of the game was Escobar who scored nine goals for the USA Team, an award that was presented by J. Michael Prince, President and CEO, of USPA Global, the company that manages and oversees the global, multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand, alongside Patrick Guerrand-Hermès, founder of the Polo Club du Chantilly and descendant of the Hermès luxury brand family. The Best Playing Pony Award was won by Amapola, a 12-year-old chestnut mare played by Escobar, which was presented by Stewart Armstrong, Chairman of the USPA.
In a rare sport where men and women play on the same international teams together, the Paris Games Polo Challenge featured 21-year-old Hope Arellano for the USA Team, who is currently the only U.S. women's 10-goal handicap player and the winner of the 'ultimate' women's tournament, the Women's Argentine Open. Playing for the France Team was 7-goal player Elena Venot, who is a two-time winner of the female Open de France, a 2023 Polo Nations Cup winner, and a 2024 Polo Nations Cup finalist.
Equestrian events at the 2024 Paris Olympics are having a ‘moment,' generating sell-out crowds at Versailles where the competitions have taken place. The excitement has grown around the world as Germany, Denmark, and Great Britain won Team Dressage Gold, Silver, and Bronze respectively; Great Britain, United States, and France medaled in Team Jumping; and Great Britain, France, and Japan took home Gold, Silver and Bronze in Team Eventing.
The Celebration
More than 2,000 fans attended this notable Olympic-inspired polo game, including Olympic Committee members, Olympic athletes, members of multiple equestrian federations, influencers, and celebrities. All rushed the field for the half-time divot stomp to help repair the field and to receive a complimentary glass of champagne and commemorative hat. Other highlights of the very special Olympic tribute day, beyond the obvious athleticism of the USA and France Teams, included a glamorous red-carpet entrance, as well as a VIP post-game party featuring a traditional Argentinian grilled asado meal and international specialty food in honor of both the USA and France.
The History
France was in fact seeking redemption at the 2024 Paris Games Polo Challenge for the VIII Olympiad which was held in Paris for the second time in the modern era. On June 28, 1924, in St. Cloud, France, before the official opening ceremony, the match between the United States and France took place. It ended with France losing 15-1. USA concluded the overall tournament with the silver medal, losing to Argentina, who remained unbeaten and took home Olympic gold. The last Olympics to include polo was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany.
With the 2024 Summer Olympics taking place in Paris from July to August and equestrian events concluding on August 6 at Versailles, U.S. Polo Assn. invited sports fans to continue the equestrian celebration with polo, just 40 minutes outside Paris city center at the Polo Club du Domaine Chantilly. Chantilly is the home of the Great Stables of Prince de Conde and Chateau de Chantilly, and is, of course, the namesake of Chantilly lace, the famous silk laces that date back to 17th century France. The city also features Europe's largest racehorse training centers, with 2,800 horses trained daily on grass and sand track facilities, as well as a racecourse that hosts the classic and renowned Prix de Diane.
"History has been made today with the support of so many, and the USPA is grateful for the opportunity to be part of such an incredible event and partnership with FIP and FFP," said Stewart Armstrong, Chairman of the USPA. "This was a hard-fought game by both USA and France teams and though only one winner can ultimately prevail on behalf of the USPA, I congratulate both teams for their outstanding efforts today."
The Brand
"The Paris Games Polo Challenge 2024 was a once-in-a-lifetime event with the USA and France Teams in a very special and historic competition that has brought the fast-paced sport of polo to sports fans in Chantilly, Paris, and around the world," said Prince. "U.S. Polo Assn. was proud to partner with the prestigious Polo Club du Domaine Chantilly and to support bringing the FIP, FFP, and the USPA together for only the second time in 100 years."
"U.S. Polo Assn. congratulates both the USA and France Teams for their incredible athleticism and commitment to the sport throughout this remarkable event," he added.
As the Title and Apparel Sponsor, U.S. Polo Assn. provided apparel for the USA and France Teams with performance jerseys, practice jerseys, and an assortment of U.S. Polo Assn. custom-designed country apparel to wear off the field, featuring the global sports brand's iconic double horsemen logo. Both Teams wore custom USPA Pro whites. U.S. Polo Assn. also provided saddle pads, as well as groom and staff outfitting for the Polo Club du Domaine Chantilly. VIP gifts for the event included limited edition Paris Games Polo Challenge 2024 caps, scarves, or pocket squares, as well as U.S. Polo Assn. branded duffle bags.
About U.S. Polo Assn. and USPA Global
U.S. Polo Assn. is the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), the governing body for the sport of polo in the United States and one of the country's oldest sports governing bodies, founded in 1890. With a multi-billion-dollar global footprint and worldwide distribution through more than 1,100 U.S. Polo Assn. retail stores as well as thousands of additional points of distribution, U.S. Polo Assn. offers apparel, accessories, and footwear for men, women, and children in more than 190 countries worldwide. A recent, multi-year deal with ESPN to broadcast several of the premier polo championships in the world, sponsored by U.S. Polo Assn., has made the thrilling sport accessible to millions of sports fans globally for the very first time.
U.S. Polo Assn. has consistently been named one of the top global sports licensors alongside the NFL, NBA, and MLB, according to License Global. In addition, the sport-inspired brand is being recognized around the world with awards for global growth, expansion, licensing, and digital growth. Due to its tremendous success as a global brand, particularly in the last five years, U.S. Polo Assn. has been featured in Forbes, Fortune, Modern Retail, and GQ as well as on Yahoo Finance and Bloomberg, among many other noteworthy media sources around the world.
For more information, visit uspoloassnglobal.com and uspashop.com, and follow @uspoloassn.
USPA Global is a subsidiary of the USPA and manages the global, multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand. Through its subsidiary, Global Polo Entertainment (GPE), USPA Global also manages Global Polo TV, which provides sports and lifestyle content. For more sports content, visit globalpolo.com.
About The Federation of International Polo
The Federation of International Polo (FIP) is the international federation representing the sport of polo, officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee. The FIP was founded in 1982 by representatives of eleven national polo associations, and it represents the national polo associations of more than 80 countries. Its principal aim is to enhance the international image and status of polo.
In addition to organizing international tournaments, the FIP develops international tournaments for children, conducts umpiring and coaching seminars, encourages participation in the sport at all levels and ages, and makes the international rules of polo through a cooperative agreement with the Asociación Argentina de Polo, the Hurlingham Polo Association of Great Britain and Ireland, and the United States Polo Association (USPA). Visit fippolo.com.
About the French Federation of Polo (FFP)
The Fédération Française de Polo (FFP) was created to make polo accessible to all, to promote the sport throughout France, and to support the common interests of its member clubs in every way possible. The FFP organizes national and international polo competitions and championships, sets the technical rules for competitions by harmonizing them with foreign rules, and organizes the training and teaching of the equestrian discipline. Today, the FFP has over 30 affiliated clubs and more than 800 players within its organization. For more information, please visit francepolo.com.
About the United States Polo Association®(USPA)
The United States Polo Association (USPA) was organized and exists for the purposes of promoting the game of polo, coordinating the activities of its Member Clubs and Registered Players, arranging and supervising polo tournaments, competitions, and games, and providing rules, handicaps, and conditions for those tournaments, competitions, and games including the safety and welfare of participants and mounts. Founded in 1890, the USPA is the national governing body for the sport of polo. The USPA is currently comprised of almost 200 member clubs with thousands of individual members and oversees 40 national tournaments. For more information, please visit uspolo.org.
Contact Information
Stacey Kovalsky, VP Global PR and Communications, skovalsky@uspagl.com, +001.561.790.8036
Shannon Stilson, VP, Sports Marketing & Media, sstilson@uspagl.com, +001.561.227.6994
Related Images
SOURCE: USPA Global Licensing Inc.