USPA announces top five selections for Equus & Co. Award
The United States Polo Association (USPA) has announced its final five nominees for the ‘Equus & Co. Award’, an honour which will be given to the best player of the USPA Team. This award usually goes to a player who shows the most dedication and loyalty
to the game of Polo, and serves to promote the sport in the country. The winner will be announced on 20 February, 2011.
The programme of the ‘USPA Team’ was started by the US Polo Association in order to dig out new talent, and provide opportunities for promoting the sport in the country. In a bid to train the USPA team, the association had organised competitions and sessions
with legendary and experienced polo stars from all over the country including Hector Galindo, Adam Snow, Owen Rinehart, Jeff Hall, Sunny Hale, Luis Escobar, Jeff Blake, Tommy Biddle and Julio Arellano.
The US Polo Association Team programme is basically meant for the development of the sport, and to improve the level of the game’s among youngsters. It also provides a vast range of opportunities to polo players for bringing their game up to international
standards.
The five finalists were selected out of 22 members by a team of experts and officials, who evaluated the communication skills, leadership qualities, field performance and involvement in ‘Team USPA’ projects. The Equus & Co. Award will be worth $5, 000.
The five final selections for the Equus & Co. Award are Nick Snow, Carlitos Galindo, Steve Kruger, Mason Wroe and Jake Stimmel.
Nick Snow:
Nick Snow is a four-goal handicap player from Wellington, who currently plays for Argentinean club Indios. He has also played for Myopia Polo Club in Boston, before leaving for Argentina.
Nick had been given the MVP award in the USPA Hitchcock Memorial Cup, and acquired the triumph in the USPA Hall of Fame Challenge held in Aiken. He has also qualified for the final competition in the Live Oak Challenge, held in Port Mayaca.
Carlito Galindo:
The second nominee for the Equus & Co. Award is Carlitos Galindo, who played a vital role in the success of his team in the Willis Allen Memorial Cup in San Diego, the Music City Challenge in Nashville and in the Park Polo in Lexington.
The 23-year-old polo player has acquired a three-goal handicap, and was also named the MVP in the San Diego tournaments. He also took part in the USPA Spreckles Cup earlier this year and put in an impressive display.
Steve Kruger:
Steve Kruger is the third finalist, who has had three-goal handicaps and acquired the USPA National Intercollegiate Championship three times for his team. He has also been named in the NIC-All-American Team Award in 2009 and 2010 consecutively.
He has also achieved Player of the Year award earlier this year in Polo Training Foundation Intercollegiate and earned MVP in the USPA Officer’s Cup. Steve was also victorious in the Coca-Cola-Cup and the Bob Tate Memorial tournament.
Mason Wroe:
Mason Wroe has a three-goal handicap, and has won the USPA National Intercollegiate Championship. He has also won the Best Player of the Year award in the Polo Training Foundation Collegiate back in 2007. Mason won the last edition of Polo Palm Beach Club,
and was also the MVP in the Prairie tournament.
Jack Stimmel:
Jake Stimmel has won many tournaments with his team including Bradford Brinton, Bozeman Trail Cup, and USPA National Copper Cup.
Director of the Team USPA Programme, Kris Bowman told the media, “The generosity of Equus & Co. has been overwhelming. This award will provide an instrumental backbone for the deserving winner, as they continue to grow as both a polo player and ambassador
for the sport.”
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