Returning to Newport Polo for the first time since 2015, Team Brazil takes the field on Saturday, June 27, bringing one of the world’s most celebrated polo traditions back to the City-by-the-Sea. Renowned for producing some of the sport’s finest players, Brazil returns to challenge Team USA in an exciting international showdown celebrating elite horsemanship, sportsmanship, and the enduring friendship between two great polo nations. Following the final chukker, players and guests are invited to celebrate together après polo at Dillion’s Patio Bar.
José de Sá
José grew up riding from an early age and spent his teenage years competing in rodeos before first encountering polo at Cornell University, a sport he later returned to as an adult and has played continuously ever since. He has won multiple club‑level tournaments and competed internationally in both the United States and Argentina. A committed multi‑sport athlete, he was also a state champion in tennis, golf, and sailing in his youth. Outside of competition, he’s an avid soul surfer and recreational sailor, using time in the water as a relaxed counterbalance to the demands of polo.
Carlos Andrade
Carlos Andrade is originally from Rio de Janeiro and started playing polo at Itanhangá Polo Club, later moving to Indaiatuba, the heart of Brazilian polo. A pharmaceutical executive, Carlos shares with his daughter a strong passion for horses and the sport, and whenever possible they play together with friends from their polo community. He is enthusiastic about representing Brazil abroad and is truly happy to live this experience with the Newport Polo community.
Pedro Sampaio
Pedro Sampaio was also born and raised in Barretos, Brazil, where he started riding horses at a very young age and developed a lifelong passion for horses and breeding. With 2 goals handicap, he plays for São Pedro Polo Team, founded by his father, and has competed in tournaments across Brazil, Argentina, and at the Palm Beach International Polo Club in Florida. Alongside his polo career, Pedro works for an agribusiness company. Outside of polo, he enjoys competing in triathlons and marathons. He lives in São Paulo and recently celebrated his first year of marriage with his wife, Marina.
André Junqueira Franco
André Junqueira Franco comes from one of Brazil’s most traditional polo families. He started riding horses at just three years old and never stopped. Raised in Barretos (in the countryside of São Paulo), he has always been involved in his family’s agribusiness. Playing mainly alongside his father and brothers, he achieved a 3-goal handicap in 2008. That same year, he was part of the Brazilian team that competed in the World Polo Championship in Mexico, where they finished as runners-up. His international experience includes playing in countries such as Argentina, the USA, England, and Mexico. Beyond polo, he is an amateur tennis player and participates in local tournaments with his wife, Júlia. They live in São Paulo with their children, José and Luísa.
Representing one of the world’s premier polo nations, the Brazilians arrive with exceptional talent, generations of horsemanship, and a sporting tradition renowned for its flair, precision, and competitive spirit. Their visit also rekindles a remarkable historical connection dating to the summer of 1876, when Emperor Dom Pedro II captivated Newport during the very season polo first arrived in America, making this a fitting chapter in Newport Polo’s 150th Diamond Jubilee celebration.