It took an extra chukka and a spot penalty in sudden death, but Park Place are the 2025 USPA Gold Cup champions. On Sunday at the National Polo Center in Wellington, they beat Coca-Cola 10-9 in a final that neither side deserved to lose.
The match
Both teams arrived undefeated, and the final followed that script. Park Place led 7-5 at half-time, but Coca-Cola’s Pablo Polito Pieres brought his side back with a field goal and a penalty at the end of the sixth chukka to level the match and force a seventh. In the sudden death period, Park Place won it with a spot penalty.
- Park Place: Andrey Borodin (patron), Louis Hine, Hilario Ulloa and Mariano Peke González Jr.
- Coca-Cola: Gillian Johnston, Lorenzo Chavanne, Pablo Polito Pieres and Julian de Lusarreta
Hine takes the honours
Louis Hine, a 19-year-old Englishman, was named Most Valuable Player, which will delight British polo fans. He has been one of the success stories of the Florida season. Hilario Ulloa captained the side, and Peke González was awarded the best playing pony for his grey horse, known as 5.
The Gauntlet’s second leg
The Gold Cup is the second tournament of the Gauntlet of Polo, following the C.V. Whitney Cup, which La Dolfina/Tamera won on 23 February. It ran from 27 February to 23 March. The Whitney winners, with Adolfo Cambiaso, will not have long to rest, because the U.S. Open Polo Championship begins on Wednesday and runs to 20 April.
The final also leaves the American season nicely poised. Park Place have shown they can win the big matches, Coca-Cola have now been runners-up in both the Whitney and the Gold Cup, and La Dolfina/Tamera will want to add the U.S. Open to their Whitney Cup.
We will have a closer look at the U.S. Open next week.
Sources: Town-Crier, Park Place win the USPA Gold Cup, USPA, Gold Cup 2025
