WEST PALM BEACH, FL / ACCESSWIRE / August 1, 2024 / U.S. Polo Assn., the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), and the Polo Club du Domaine Chantilly are proud to present the Paris Games Polo Challenge 2024, a tribute match between USA and France.
Who: U.S. Polo Assn. and the Polo Club du Domaine Chantilly present the Paris Games Polo Challenge 2024.
What: The Paris Games Polo Challenge 2024 is 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 is the centennial celebration and tribute to the last time France hosted the Olympics, exactly 100 years ago.
The event is free and open to the public, with champagne and commemorative cap giveaways at the halftime divot stomp.
When: August 7 at 5 p.m., CEST. The game will then air on August 11 on ESPN2 to a global audience.
Where: Polo Club du Domaine Chantilly, La Ferme d'Apremont, route de Verneuil, 60300 Apremont, France.
Why: With the 2024 Summer Olympics taking place in Paris from July through August and equestrian events concluding on August 6 at Versailles, U.S. Polo Assn. invites 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.
France will be seeking redemption at the Paris Games Polo Challenge 2024 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.
Representing the United States will be Quinn Evans (1), Hope Arellano (3), Nicolas "Nico" Escobar (5) and Cody Ellis (5), with each team member bringing extensive prior experience and big global wins. The team will be coached by USPA Polo Hall of Famer Julio Arellano. Representing France will be Elena Venot (2), Dorian Bulteau (3), Julien Reynes (4) and Clément Delfosse (5), all worthy competitors. Clément Delfosse will lead as captain, alongside national coach Matthieu Delfosse.
It's worth noting that each country will be presenting one of their federation's best female players, in a rare sport where men and women play on the same international teams, together. Playing for the United States is 21-year-old Hope Arellano, 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. On the French side is 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.
"The Paris Games Polo Challenge 2024 is going to be a thrilling, once-in-a-lifetime event for all to enjoy just outside of Paris, with the USA and France ready to compete and share the fast-paced sport of polo with the world," said J. Michael Prince, President and CEO of USPA Global, the company that manages and markets the multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand. "U.S. Polo Assn. is proud to partner with the Polo Club du Domaine Chantilly as the FIP, FFP and the USPA come together for only the second time in 100 years of Olympic history."
As the Title and Apparel Sponsor, U.S. Polo Assn. will be providing apparel for 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 will be wearing custom USPA Pro whites. U.S. Polo Assn. is also providing saddle pads, as well as groom and staff outfitting for the Polo Club du Domaine Chantilly. VIP gifts for the event will include limited edition Paris Games Polo Challenge 2024 caps, scarves or pocket squares, as well as branded duffle bags.
More highlights of the very special Olympic tribute day beyond the incredible athleticism of USA and France Teams include a red-carpet entrance, a half-time divot stomp with giveaways of commemorative hats and champagne, as well as a VIP post-game party featuring a traditional Argentinian grilled asado meal and international specialty food in honor of both USA and France.
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 11 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
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SOURCE: USPA Global Licensing Inc.
View the original press release on newswire.com.
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