The Sportsmanship Cup galloped back into the arena, igniting Newport Polo’s Autumn Arena Polo season of competition with the 8th Annual Fall classic, an official United States Polo Association tournament among the Northeast Circuit of polo clubs. This legacy tournament is a player-favorite, still hot off the grass season and not ready to hang up their mallets. With bragging rights, prize money, and glory on the line, the chase was on, and the Newport club’s annual Players Dinner would add to the weekend festivities.

This year’s showdown expanded with a brand-new B Flight, giving rising stars their shot at the spotlight — each team captained by a favorite coach – on Wed/Thu. After a quick Friday breather, the A-Flight semifinals kicked off on Saturday, setting the stage for Sunday’s grand finale, where victors raised the perpetual trophy for its eighth podium moment at the awards presentation, all amidst classic New England autumn weather conditions throughout the 4 days of competition.  Players and ponies from throughout the Northeast were eligible, and teams from Newport quickly filled up four positions in each flight, played at Newport Polo’s arena training center, the only polo club to host a USPA arena tournament in the Northeast this Fall. The teams were composed of professional, amateur and up-and-coming talent, creating an exciting atmosphere of camaraderie and sportsmanship on and off the field. 

B Flight:

Handicap: 0 – 3 goal

Host Club: Westchester Polo Club – Newport County, Rhode Island | Oct 15-16, 2025
Final Score: 10 – 8 | Winner: Mad Mouse (Kat Thomson, Abby McElroy, Minnie Keating)
MVP: Kat Thomson
Best Playing Pony: Chorizo ridden by Danielle Diamond
Runners-up:
2nd Place: Brumbies (Rebecca Atkinson, Eric Schnieder, Danielle Diamond, Caleb Bryden)
3rd Place: Ngapuhi (Clayton Belgrave, Declan Jenkins, Stuart Odell)
4th Place: Newport (Mariah Woodward, Andres Arambel, Amy Wright, Dan Keating) 

The tournament’s B Flight (0-3 goal) games took place on Wed/Thu evening, Oct. 15-16 under the lights. A random draw was held the weekend before to determine opponents in the opening rounds. Semi Final I pitted Newport in white jerseys with Andres Arambel, Amy Wright and Dan Keating against Brumbies Rebecca Atkinson, Eric Schneider, Danielle Diamond and Caleb Bryden in red jerseys. Newport’s opening chukker set a fast pace but the Brumbies made a strong come-from-behind explosion to take the lead after halftime, and then hang on by a nose to narrowly edged out the victory, 4-1, 7-3, 7-8 and 10-11 in 4 periods to advance to the Championship. 

Semi Final II was the second game on Wednesday, pitting Mad Mouse’s Kat Thomson, Abbey McElroy and Minnie Keating in pink jerseys against Ngapuhi’s Clayton Belgrave, Declan Jenkins and Stuart Odell in yellow. What started out a strong opening lead by Mad Mouse, 3-0, changed sides when Ngapuhi went ahead 3-5 in the second, then 3-6 in the third chukker, but Mad Mouse unleashed a 4 goal blitz in the fourth to send the game to an overtime shootout tied 7-7, with Keating shooting the tie breaker to earn the other berth in the Championship.

The Final rounds on Thursday night began with the Consolation match for 3rd place in which Newport and Ngapuhi exchanged leads in the first half, 3-5, then 6-5, and tied in the third chucker, 7-7, then traded goal for goal in the dramatic 4th chukker with lead changes and ties, until finally the time ran out with Ngapuhi on top 10-9 to clinch a bronze finish.

The Championship brought out Brumbies against Mad Mouse, each swinging from the throw-in, unloading goal after goal, with Mad Mouse on top 2-3, then Brumbies with the go-ahead goal 6-5 before halftime. Brumbies kept up the pace for another period, 8-6 until Mad Mouse put it into overdrive 4 unanswered points earning 1st Place and Brumbies 2nd Place podium finishes.  

Winners Trophies were presented to Mad Mouse, and MVP honors went to Kat Thomson, while the Best Playing Pony was Chorizo ridden by Danielle Diamond. The mood was high as players adjourned to the fireside for a celebration.

A Flight:

Handicap: 0 – 3 goal

Host Club: Westchester Polo Club – Newport County, Rhode Island | Oct 18-19, 2025
Final Score: 10 – 8 | Winner: The Avery (Todd Plummer, Touba Ghadessi, Oscar Monzon)
MVP: Touba Ghadessi
Best Playing Pony: Beau ridden by Anna Dwyer

Runners-up:
2nd Place: Mad Mouse (Ava Richard, Anna Dwyer, Minnie Keating)
3rd Place: Newport (Stephanie Coyne, Chris Fragomeni, Dan Keating)
4th Place: Tenacious Divas (Leslie Streuli, Stuart Odell, Caleb Bryden) 

Bright sunny weather greeted the A Flight teams for both weekend days of stiff competition. Photographer John LIncourt was on hand to capture the excitement, and Club members and trainees came out in numbers to volunteer and cheer on the 4 teams led by professional players. USPA Professional Umpire John Bianco was flown in to officiate. A random draw held earlier in the week determined the matchups in Saturday’s opening rounds. 

Semi Final I pitted Tenacious Divas in blue jerseys with Leslie Streuli, Stuart Odell and Caleb Bryden against Mad Mouse’ Ava Richard, Anna Dwyer and Minnie Keating in the color pink. Advised by the USPA, the evenly matched tournament was played on the flat, in an action-packed thriller with continuous play, plenty of two-point opportunities and buzzer beaters! Both teams came out swinging, with Odell racking up a hat trick that included a 2-pointer, answered by 3 straight goals from Keating, until Bryden edged out the lead, 4-3. More points from Odell and Bryden (2) and a pony goal dominated the second period, before a closing goal by Keating for 8-4 at the end of the half. Momentum swung the other way in the 3rd period, when Dwyer added 2 goals, answered with a goal by Odell, but followed by a 2 pointer from Keating to close the gap, trailing 9-8. Bryden padded the lead with an opening point, but the Keating (2) and Richard managed 3 more points to win 10-11 and advance to the Championship. 

Semi Final II pitted Newport’s Stephanie Coyne, Chris Fragomeni and Dan Keating in red jerseys against The Avery’s roster of Todd Plummer, Touba Ghadessi and Oscar Monzon in gold uniforms. The opening chukker Keating and Monzon trading goals until 2 pony goals tipped the score in The Avery’s favor, 2-4. Monzon again contributed a point to open the 2nd period, but next came a rash of 3 goals by Fragomeni (2) and Keating before Monzon delivered another stroke to tie it, but Fragomeni had the last word, for a 7-6 lead. Newport padded its lead with 2 points before The Avery ignited a 7 point scoring spree by Monzon (6) including a 2-pointer and Ghadessi to take the lead 9-13. Two more points by Monzon sealed the deal, even though Fragomeni and Keating continued to score, Monzon added the final nail in the coffin for the 11-16 win and berth in the Championship on Sunday.  

The Final rounds on Sunday began with the Consolation match competing for 3rd place in which Newport took on Tenacious Divas in a barn burner.  Newport’s Coyne lit up the scoreboard with the first 2 goals, but Bryden put up 2 goals for Tenacious Divas, helped by a Penalty 1 automatic goal to take the lead until Fragomeni scored to end the period tied 3-3. Keating’s goal took the lead for Newport in the 2nd period, but Divas’s scoring by Bryden (4) and Odell took a giant lead, until Fragomeni and Keating trimmed it with points of their own, to trail 6-8 at halftime. Both teams went back to work in the 3rd chukker, exchanging goals, but Fragomeni and Keating doubled the pace of Odell and Bryden, to tie the score 10-10. And similarly in the final chucker Fragomeni (6) and Keating outscored Bryden (3) and Streuli to claim 3rd Place for Newport, 17-14.

The highly anticipated Championship brought out Mad Mouse against podium regulars, The Avery whose patrona, Ghadessi opened the match with a 2-pointer and 2 more field goals, supported by a penalty 2 conversion goal and field goal by Monzon while giving up an automatic Penalty 1 point plus goals from Dwyer, Keating who trailed 3-6. Monzon then traded a pair of goals with Keating and Richard in the 2nd period, to end the half leading 5-8. Dwyer converted a Penalty 2 for a point and together with Keating each added field goals while holding The Avery scoreless in the 3rd chucker, to tie the score at 8-8. Monzon’s 2-pointer and field goal opened the final period, padded with a goal by Plummer for the championship victory, 8-12, while 2nd Place went to Mad Mouse in their podium finish.  

Prize Money was divided between 1st and 2nd Place finishers, and Winners Trophies were presented to The Avery.  MVP honors went to Touba Ghadessi, while the Best Playing Pony was Beau ridden by Anna Dwyer. The jubilation moved to the fireside for a celebration.

USPA Circuit Tournaments present an ideal forum for regional competition for polo players looking to continue their season of competitive polo after the grass season has ended, while outdoor conditions remain well-suited to travel and play outdoors during the 4QTR of the year in New England.  

Check out match photos! Tournament video footage can be found on Photos: John Lincourt Photography + Marion Riddle