The Newport International Polo Series welcomed Jamaica back to BD Field on Saturday, August 22 for another chapter in one of the Series’ longest-running international rivalries. With Visit Jamaica serving as Match Sponsor and Hotel Viking as Official Lodging Sponsor, the afternoon brought the spirit of the island to Newport as USA and Jamaica met for the historic Liberty Bowl.
The celebration began the evening before, when David Dent and his wife, Asia, hosted the Jamaican Welcome Party at Newport Harbor Island Resort. Players, supporters and friends of Newport Polo gathered Friday night to welcome the visiting team and kick off the international weekend before competition moved to BD Field on Saturday.
USA took the field in navy with Roger Souto, Rory Torrey, Oscar Monzon and Minnie Keating. Jamaica’s roster featured Zac Byles, Caleb Bryden, David Dent, Shane Chin and Craig Russell, with Dent taking the field in the opening chukker before Chin later joined the Jamaican side.
Jamaica wasted little time getting on the board. Caleb Bryden opened the scoring in the first chukker, giving the visitors an early 1–0 advantage.USA answered in the second when Oscar Monzon found the goal, leveling the match at 1–1 and setting the stage for a high-energy third period.
Jamaica broke the game open in the third chukker. Zac Byles struck first, followed by another from Bryden, before Craig Russell added his first goal of the afternoon. USA’s Rory Torrey answered to keep the home side within reach, but Jamaica emerged from the period with a 4–2 advantage.
The two sides traded goals in the fourth. Torrey struck again for USA, while Russell answered for Jamaica, preserving the visitors’ two-goal cushion at 5–3.
Jamaica then delivered its strongest offensive stretch of the match in the fifth chukker. Russell led the charge with two goals, while Bryden added another to complete a three-goal period for the visitors. The unanswered run pushed Jamaica ahead 8–3 heading into the final chukker.
USA came out firing in the sixth chukker, determined to close the gap. Minnie Keating struck first for the home side, setting the tone for an aggressive final push. After Shane Chin answered for Jamaica, Rory Torrey delivered twice in quick succession, giving USA three goals in the final period and putting pressure on the visitors through the closing moments.
Jamaica’s lead from the middle chukkers ultimately held, but USA finished with its strongest offensive stretch of the match, battling through the final horn before Jamaica secured the 9–6 victory and the Liberty Bowl. The Best Playing Pony Award was given to Frijole, owned by Dan Keating.
Beyond the action on the field, the afternoon embraced the spirit of Jamaica throughout the grounds. Guests arrived dressed for the Tiki Chic Stella Artois Best in Show, while Match Sponsor Visit Jamaica brought a taste of the island to the sidelines.
A full lineup of food vendors added to the match-day experience, including FYR Grill, Sweet B’s Donuts, Ben & Jerry’s, JA Patty Son Ah Rise, Newport Chowder Company, Brie & Honey, and La Costa Lobster & Tacos, giving guests plenty to enjoy between chukkers.
One lucky fan from Westerly, Rhode Island had even more reason to celebrate after being selected as the day’s door-prize winner. Courtesy of Match Sponsor Visit Jamaica, the winner received a four-day, three-night stay at Princess Senses The Mangrove, an adults-only, all-inclusive beachfront retreat in Jamaica featuring a Platinum Junior Suite and elevated resort amenities.
The ceremonial coin toss was presented by Jay Sheldon, General Manager of Hotel Viking, while Matthew Blake, Business Development Manager, USA for Visit Jamaica, joined the post-match trophy presentation. From Friday evening’s welcome celebration to Saturday’s final chukker, the weekend showcased the longstanding connection between Newport and Jamaica both on and off the polo field.
With another USA–Jamaica showdown in the books, the Newport International Polo Series now turns its attention to Newport vs. Palm Beach on Saturday, August 29. Guests are invited to dress in their Worth Avenue Whites and return to BD Field for another highly anticipated summer matchup.
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.