Newport Polo Club wrapped up the 2025 USPA Northeast Circuit Women’s Challenge with grit, grace, and girl power in full force. The four-day showdown — featuring two flights (6–9 Goal & 0–4 Goal) — brought together eight teams from across the Northeast in New England’s largest women’s arena tournament, sanctioned by the USPA and officiated by professional umpires.

From Thursday’s opening chukkers to Sunday’s final whistle, the action was fierce. The B-Flight took the field first with back-to-back semis and finals under the lights, followed by the A-Flight’s weekend clashes, all in all 24 players and 60 ponies delivered fast-paced play, fearless riding, and pure determination — in pursuit of the Women’s Challenge trophies and prize purse. It was a tournament that showed, once again, the unique blend of camaraderie and competition that is unmistakably female.

B Flight:

Handicap: 0 – 4 goal

Host Club: Westchester Polo Club – Newport County, Rhode Island | Nov 6-7, 2025
Final Score: 12 – 11 | Winner: Newport (Rebecca Atkinson, Laura Snydacker, Anna Dwyer)
MVP: Rebecca Atkinson
Best Playing Pony: Pacman ridden by Amy Wright
Runners-up:
2nd Place: Wire Road (Amy Wright, Darlene D’Arrezzo, Megan Schulz)
3rd Place: The Avery (Gabrielle Tigan, Meg Stowe, Ava Richard)
4th Place: Tenacious Divas (Danielle Diamond, Abby McElroy, Hanalei Streuli) 

The tournament’s B Flight (0-4 goal) games took place on Thu/Fri evening, Nov. 6-7 during colorful twilights as the waning Beaver Moon rose over the Sakonnet River and the glow of the arena lights. A random draw was held the weekend before to determine opponents in the opening rounds. Semi Final I pitted Wire Road in yellow jerseys with Amy Wright, Darlene D’Arrezzo, and Megan Schulz against The Avery‘s Gabrielle Tigan, Meg Stowe, and Ava Richard in gold jerseys. The Avery’s opening chukker set a fast pace until Wire Road found their footing and overtake their opponent by the 2nd period, but the Avery shook them off to tie and lead again by halftime, then gave up 2 unanswered goals to trail in the 3rd period, but clawed their way back to tie the score during the 4th chukker, until Wire Road dug deep for 2 more points, earning the hard fought win, 1-1, 3-4, 5-4 and 8-6 to advance to the Championship. 

Semi Final II was the second game on Thursday, pitting Tenacious Divas’ Danielle Diamond, Abby McElroy and Hanalei Streuli in blue jerseys against Newport’s Rebecca Atkinson, Laura Snydacker, and Anna Dwyer in red. What started out a game of defense in the first period, Newport broke the ice with a single point, giving way to back-n-forth scoring, lead changes and ties throughout the second chukker for a 3-3 tie at halftime, repeated in the 3rd period with a 1 point lead for Newport, but the Divas tenaciously used their last breath to took the lead in the final period but Newport pressed on with 3 more goals for the win, 1-0, 3-3, 6-5, 9-7 to earn the other berth in the Championship.

The Final rounds on Friday night began with the Consolation match for 3rd place in which The Avery got out to an early lead over Tenacious Divas, 3-1, then racked up 6 more points in an explosive 2nd chukker including a pair of 2-pointers by M Stowe for 9-2 score at the half, but Tenacious Divas lived up to the name by outscoring The Avery 4 goals to 2 in the third chukker and 5 goals to 3 in the 4th period with a valiant comeback in the second half to give The Avery a run for bronze and pewter finishes, 3-1, 9-2, 11-6, 14-11.

The Championship brought out Wire Road swinging from the throw-in for 2 quick points that sparked a 5 point spree by Newport including a 2-pointer by A Dwyer, for a score of 2-5, followed by silence from Newport in the 2nd period as Wire Road showered 4 unanswered goals to retake the lead 6-5 by halftime; another 2-pointer by Dwyer started a productive 2nd half enroute to reclaiming the lead 9-8, with goals and lead changes throughout the 2 periods to conclude with an 11-11 tie in regulation play, leading to a Penalty Shootout in overtime, with Newport‘s Atkinson the lone scorer breaking the tie under pressure for the Championship finish.

Winners Trophies were presented to Newport, and MVP honors went to Rebecca Anderson, while the Best Playing Pony was Pacman ridden by Amy Wright. 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 | Nov 8-9, 2025
Final Score: 10 – 8 | Winner: Newport (Marilyn Bruno, Aurelia Rus, Anna Dwyer)
MVP: Aurelia Rus
Best Playing Pony: Lady Overdrive ridden by Minnie Keating

Runners-up:
2nd Place: Mad Mouse (Kat Thomson, Amy Wright, Minnie Keating)
3rd Place: Tenacious Divas (Hannah Stowe, Ryan McNeilly, Hanalei Streuli)
4th Place: The Avery (Ava Richard, Touba Ghadessi, Megan Schulz) 

Bright sunny weather and mild temperatures greeted the A Flight teams and supporters on Saturday for stiff competition and ideal conditions. 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 comprised of a spectrum of talent, from top first-year caliber to pro level players in an action-packed tournament with plenty of two-point opportunities and buzzer beaters to rack up points. USPA Professional Umpire Juan Carlos Gonzales 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 Mad Mouse’s Kat Thomson, Amy Wright and Minnie Keating in pink against Tenacious Divas in blue, fielding former and current interscholastic stars Ryan McNeilly, Hannah Stowe and Hanalei Streuli. The teams were equal in handicap and raring to go in what would be a double-digit barn burner. Both teams came out swinging, with the Divas racking up 3 goals against Minnie ‘Mad Mouse‘ Keating’s 2-pointer in the opening chukker, 2-3, then a 4-point gain by Mad Mouse (2 points on penalty conversions) took the lead despite 2 goals from Tenacious Divas for a score of 6-5 at halftime, but the Divas regrouped for 3 consecutive goals to take a brief lead in the 3rd period yet Mad Mouse rallied to tie the game 8-8, and then kept up their momentum, exchanging goals with the Divas, but outscoring with 4 more points to the Divas‘ 2, to win 12-10 and advance to the Championship. 

Semi Final II pitted Newport’s Marilyn Bruno, Aurelia Rus and Anna Dwyer in red jerseys against The Avery’s golden roster of Ava Richard, Touba Ghadessi and Megan Schulz. Adding to Newport’s 1 goal for handicapping, The Avery opened and closed the first chukker with goals, but in between, Newport added 4 points including a 2-pointer by A Dwyer and a Penalty 1 to lead 5-2, then scoring leveled to 2 points apiece in the 2nd chukker, for a score of 7-4 at the half; The Avery picked up the pace in the 3rd period with 3 goals to Newport’s 2, but the tide turned in Newport’s favor in the final period adding 2 more goals to The Avery’s 1, for an 11-8 Newport victory and berth in the Championship on Sunday. 

Saturday’s mild sunshine gave way to a cloudy Sunday with afternoon rain imminent, causing the Final rounds to begin early, starting with the Championship match between Mad Mouse and Newport. With teams of even handicap, A Wright was first to light up the scoreboard with a 2-pointer, which led to equal back and forth scoring by each side, for a 3-3 tie, and equal efforts in the next period, until a costly Penalty 1 gave Mad Mouse the advantage, 5-4 at halftime, but Newport tied the score at 6 all in the 3rd period, and continued outscoring Mad Mouse 4 goals to 2 in the final chukker, for a 10-8 First Place finish while 2nd Place went to Mad Mouse.

With the weather still dry, the Consolation went forward, between Tenacious Divas and The Avery in a battle for bronze and pewter. The Avery with its 1 goal handicap advantage, broke out of the starting gate to produce 6 points including a 2-pointer by M Schulz and a Penalty 1, countered by a field goal plus the handicap point for the Divas who trailed 2-6, but found their footing with a 2-pointer by H Stowe as each team contributed points for the 5-7 halftime score, leading to another 2-pointer by teammate R McNeilly in a 4 point rally to take a 9-7 lead, at a pace which continued in the final period with 3 more points to only 1 for Newport, for the 12-8 bronze finish for Tenacious Divas and pewter finish for The Avery.

During the Trophy Presentation, Prize Money was divided between 1st and 2nd Place finishers, and Winners Trophies were presented to Newport.  MVP honors went to Aurelia Rus, while the Best Playing Pony, Lady Overdrive – ridden by Minnie Keating – was blanketed.

USPA Northeast Circuit Arena Polo 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 compete 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