Under the summer sun at Glen Farm, Newport Polo welcomed Team South Africa back to the Newport International Polo Series on Saturday, August 8, for the nation’s fifth campaign against Team USA. Part of Newport Polo’s 150th Diamond Jubilee season, in partnership with Aston Martin Boston and presented by Turkish Airlines, the afternoon renewed one of the Series’ longest-standing international rivalries with a match that ultimately required sudden-death overtime to decide a winner.
The day’s Surf & Safari theme brought a touch of South African inspiration to the sidelines, where guests embraced the occasion through fashion, décor, and spirited tailgates. Judges made their way around the field throughout the afternoon in search of the Stella Artois Best in Show, recognizing the party that best brought the theme to life.
Around the grounds, the match-day experience extended well beyond the field. Guests explored boutiques from Newport Fine Linen, Simply Chickie, The Hat Social, and the Newport Polo Pro Shop, while the Aston Martin DBX was on display courtesy of Aston Martin Boston. At Dillon’s Patio Bar, the Galloping Elephant served as the Drink of the Day alongside Stella Artois on draft, specialty cocktails, boutique wines, and Veuve Clicquot Champagne. Food trucks filled the West Lawn with offerings from Newport Chowder Company, Brie & Honey, FYR Grill, Hometown Poke, Little Fish, Wiener Wagon, Sweet B’s Donuts, Jai Coffee, and Ben & Jerry’s.
The afternoon also welcomed Modern Luxury Boston Common for its annual Newport summer experience at Polo, adding to the festivities surrounding the international match. Guests from Foxwoods Resort Casino, Vanderbilt International Properties, Dillon’s, and other special parties also gathered along the sidelines for an afternoon of polo and summer celebration.
Representing Team USA were Cole Kinsella at #1, Dan Keating at #2, Rory Torrey at #3, and Minnie Keating at #4. Team South Africa fielded Stuart Odell at #1, Tigger Bryden at #2, Caleb Bryden at #3, and Luke Barnard at #4.
Before the opening throw-in, Francesca Purcell, Director of Marketing, and Janelle Driscoll, Group Publisher of Modern Luxury Boston Common, joined the teams at centerfield for the ceremonial coin toss. Oscar “Oski” Monzon and Anna Dwyer served as the day’s umpires as the two international rivals prepared to meet once again.
From the opening throw-in, it became clear that neither side intended to give the other much room to breathe. Caleb Bryden opened the scoring for South Africa, but Rory Torrey quickly answered for USA, leaving the rivals level at one goal apiece after the first chukker.
The pattern continued into the second. Bryden again found the goal for South Africa, only for Torrey to respond for the home side. Two chukkers into the contest, the teams remained deadlocked at 2–2, setting the tone for an afternoon defined by one answer after another.
USA broke the pattern in the third when Minnie Keating struck to give the home team its first advantage of the match. South Africa’s response came through Bryden, who scored twice before the horn to complete a three-goal chukker and swing the lead back in South Africa’s favor, 4–3.
Bryden continued his dominant performance after halftime, scoring the lone goal of the fourth chukker and stretching South Africa’s advantage to 5–3. With two periods remaining, USA suddenly found itself needing to erase the largest deficit of the afternoon.
South Africa appeared ready to pull away when Bryden struck again in the fifth, his sixth goal of the match. But USA refused to let the visitors out of reach. Torrey delivered his third goal of the afternoon before Luke Barnard answered for South Africa, sending the match into the final chukker with South Africa holding a 7–4 advantage.
With the Liberty Bowl on the line, Team USA mounted its comeback.
Torrey struck first in the sixth to begin closing the gap before Dan Keating added another, bringing the home side within a single goal. Torrey then delivered again, completing the three-goal rally and tying the match at 7–7. After six chukkers of back-and-forth international competition, regulation ended exactly where the afternoon had begun: with nothing separating the two teams.
With the first goal determining the winner, both teams returned to the field for sudden-death overtime with no margin for error. This time, it was South Africa’s Luke Barnard who delivered. Barnard found the decisive goal to end the match and secure an 8–7 overtime victory for South Africa, bringing a dramatic conclusion to the nation’s fifth campaign at Newport Polo.
Bryden’s six-goal performance powered South Africa throughout regulation, while Barnard accounted for the team’s remaining two, including the overtime winner. On the USA side, Torrey led the comeback with five goals, including two in the sixth chukker, while Minnie Keating and Dan Keating each contributed a goal to force the match beyond regulation.
Following Barnard’s sudden-death goal, players and spectators gathered at centerfield for the trophy presentation hosted by Veuve Clicquot Champagne. Dan Desrochers of Foxwoods Resort Casino joined the teams to present the USA vs. South Africa Liberty Bowl, first established in 2007, as South Africa celebrated its dramatic 8–7 overtime victory.
The celebration continued at Dillon’s Patio Bar, where guests were invited to join the players for a complimentary champagne toast in the Modern Luxury Lounge, bringing another afternoon of international competition to a fitting close.
South Africa’s overtime victory added another chapter to a rivalry that has been part of the International Polo Series for nearly two decades. From Bryden’s six-goal performance to USA’s three-goal final-chukker comeback and Barnard’s sudden-death winner, the fifth meeting between the two nations delivered a thrilling finish worthy of Newport Polo’s historic 150th season.
Along with Aston Martin Boston, the Polo Series is proud to welcome partnerships with Brenton Hotel │ Turkish Airlines │ Foxwoods Resort Casino │ TD Bank │BD │ Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers │ Vanderbilt International Properties │ Hotel Viking │ Hammetts Hotel │ Newport Harbor Island Resort │ Forty 1° North │ Veuve Clicquot Champagne │Modern Luxury Boston │ Providence Business News │ Penelope Bourbon │ Clarke Cooke House │ RISE │The Macallan │ Brugal Rum │ Highclere Castle Gin │ Surfside │ Kadeema Rentals │ Spirit Water │ Absolut │ Codigo 1530 Tequila │ Gooseneck Vineyards Prosecco │ Chateau Sainte Marguerite Rosé │ Atria Senior Living │ Stella Artois │ A1 Roofing & Construction │ Grieco BMW │ Kinsella Building Co. │ ROCKSTAR Limo │ Classical 95.9 WCRI │ Cointreau │ Visit Jamaica │ Mt. Gay Silver Rum; and promotional partners including The Cocktail Guru │ Newport Jaguar Tours │ Sailing Yacht Tree of Life │ Island Adventure │ Cocoa & Co │ International Tennis Hall of Fame │ Newport Vineyards │ Elizabeth in Newport │ Newport Mansions │ Sea Newport │ Adventure Kiteboarding School │ Newport Kites │ Newport Classical | Discover Newport.