US Polo Association
The United States Polo Association (USPA) is the national governing body for the sport of polo in the United States.
Established in 1890, the USPA provides resources to over 4,500 individual members and 250 polo clubs across the U.S. and Canada, including 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. The first chairman of the USPA was H.L. Herbert (1890-1921). The first chief executive officer was Peter J. Rizzo (2011-2015).
The USPA has established a number of programs for new players to learn the sport in the U.S. including Regional Polo Centers and clubs that host schools and lessons across the country. In 2010, the USPA created Team USPA, a program to enhance and grow the sport of polo in the U.S. by identifying young, talented American players and providing mentored training and playing opportunities leading to a pool of higher rated amateur and professional players. The organization also coordinates youth polo programs and competitions through Interscholastic/Intercollegiate polo and Pony Club.
In 2012, “60 Minutes” aired a special feature on polo’s resurgence in America and included several interviews with dedicated players and ambassadors in the United States. The segment highlighted one of the USPA’s specialty programs, Work to Ride www.worktoride.net, which is dedicated to helping inner-city youth in Philadelphia through polo and other equine activities.
The U.S. Polo Assn. brand is the official brand of the USPA. The Association's trademarks and logos worldwide are managed by USPA Properties, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the USPA.
Profits generated by USPA Properties, Inc. through the sale of U.S. Polo Assn. brand products directly support the USPA and its various programs. Since incorporation in 1981, U.S. Polo Assn. has reached total global retail sales in excess of $1 billion. These revenues provide benefits for the Association's player members, support training centers for interscholastic and intercollegiate polo competition and fund programs in umpiring, competition and equine welfare.
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Polo is perhaps the oldest organized sport of any kind, according to some historians, as written references indicate that Alexander the Great (356 – 323 BCE) knew of the game. It was first played in the United States in 1876, introduced by James Gordon Bennett, Jr. (May 10, 1841 – May 14, 1918), who had first observed the game played in England. Bennett came to be known as father of American polo as it was he who assembled the players, knowledge, equipment and Texas horses to play the first loosely structured matches in the United States. During that winter of 1876, the first game was held indoors at Dickel’s Riding Academy in New York and the first formal U.S. club was established, the Westchester Polo Club.
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