2024 USPA Western Challenge

Congratulations to Brookshire Polo Club for winning the 2024 USPA Western Challenge!!

MVP: Toro Ruiz

BPP: Don Ercole Pili, owned and played by Toro Ruiz pictured with grooms, Jorge Rusi and Luciano Fenocchio

Final Score:
Brookshire Polo Club (11) def La Elina (9)

Winning Team: Brookshire Polo Club
(L to R) Scott Wood, Tommy Alberdi, Quinn Evans, Toro Ruiz

Welcome to our first 12 Goal tournament this Spring Season! We have 6 teams playing in the USPA Western Challenge. Please see the Draw and Schedule below:

Tournament Format: 
 - Two brackets of 3 teams each
 - Teams play cross bracket (3 games)
 - After Bracket play, teams are ranked 1-6 based on win/loss records
 - Top 2 records advance to the finals

Tied Records:
 - If 2 teams have tied records, and they played each other, then the tie is broken by who beat who
 - If 2 teams have tied records, and they did NOT play each other, then the tie is broken with a shootout (1 player from each team)
 - If 3 or more teams have tied records, then the tie is broken with a shootout (1 player from each team)
 - The remaining 4 teams that do not qualify for the finals, will play consolation match games

Optional Tournament Conditions:
 - Fair Play Possession
 - Defended penalty 3's
 - Substitutions - more details at the bottom of the page
 - Courtesy Changes will only be granted in case of extreme heat or humidity, or after an extended period of inclement weather that has prevented the teams from properly preparing their horses.  

Consolation Games:
Live Play Blocking Rule - HPC has agreed to try out the new “live play blocking” rule for our subsidiary and consolation matches only. This is a rule that is expected to improve the game and we would like to have input on its ultimate acceptance in 2025. (More details at the bottom of the page)

Reminders:
 - Teams higher in the draw will choose jersey color
 - Spare changes at end lines only
 - Penalty 3's will be defended.
 - All players are required to wear a helmet that passes the NOCSAE ND050 Standard Performance Specification
 - All players must have USPA Dues paid
https://www.uspolo.org/association/membership
 - All players must have signed a HPC release form for this year
 http://houstonpoloclub.com/hpc-release-form/
 - Anyone on horseback must wear a helmet (spareholders, grooms, etc)
 - All dogs on leashes at all fields
 - Both teams need to provide 2 umpires horses each game

Bracket 1
A. Eureka (0,3)
B. La Elina (2,1)
C. Tonkawa (2,1)

Bracket 2
​D. Old Pueblo (1,2)
E. BTA (1,2)
F.  Brookshire Polo Club (3,0)

SCHEDULE  
Sunday April 21
Exhibition Game (does not count towards tournament)
​La Elina (9) def Eureka (8)
5:00pm @ HPC - Farish
Umps: H. Bray / R. Hayes
Timer/3rd Man: K. Krueger

Wednesday April 24
Old Pueblo (9) def Eureka (8) 
5:00pm @ New Pueblo - Lower
Umps: E. Ezcurra / R. Hayes
3rd Man: Flaco
Timer: K. Krueger

Friday April 26
BTA (10) def Eureka (9)
10:00am @ New Pueblo - Upper
Umps:  R. Hayes  / E. Ezcurra
3rd Man:  H. Bray
Timer: E. Markell

La Elina (15) def Old Pueblo (9)
5:00pm @ BPC - 1
Umps: H. Bray / E. Ezcurra
3rd Man: J. Cernadas
Timer: K. Krueger

Brookshire Polo Club (9) def Tonkawa (6)
5:00pm @ BPC - 2
Umps: R. Hayes / Flaco
3rd Man:  V. Miller Jr.
Timer: E. Markell

Sunday April 28
Tonkawa (7) def BTA (5)
10:00am @ Tonkawa - Main
Umps:  H. Bray / E. Ezcurra
3rd Man:  A. Ara
Timer:  E. Markell

Brookshire Polo Club (13) def La Elina (7)
10:00am @ BPC - 1
Umps:  R. Hayes / Flaco
3rd Man:  H. Azzaro
Timer: C. Williams

Friday May 3
CANCELLED
Tonkawa vs Old Pueblo
La Elina vs BTA
​Eureka vs Brookshire Polo Club

Saturday May 4
La Elina (12) def BTA (10)
5:00pm @ New Pueblo - Upper
Umps:  K. Huddleston / M. Pascual
3rd Man:  E. Ezcurra
Timer:  E. Markell

Sunday May 5
CANCELLED
Tonkawa vs Old Pueblo
5:00pm @ Tonkawa - Wilson
Umps:  USPA / USPA
3rd Man:  C. Ellis
Timer:  K. Krueger

CANCELLED
​Eureka vs Brookshire Polo Club
5:00pm @ BPC - TBA
Umps:  USPA / USPA
3rd Man: T. Obregon
Timer:  E. Markell

Wednesday May 8
​Brookshire Polo Club (8) def Eureka (7)
10:30am @ Wharton
Umps:  K. Huddleston / M. Pascual
3rd Man: K. Decoite
Timer:  E. Markell

Tonkawa (12) def Old Pueblo (8)
4:00pm @ Tonkawa - Wilson
Umps:  M. Pascual / K. Decoite
3rd Man:  K. Huddleston
Timer:  K. Krueger

​Shootouts Following 4PM Game If Needed
Shootout Results:
1. La Elina - advances to finals
2. Tonkawa

Friday May 10
USPA Regional Classic - SW
Old Pueblo (7) def BTA (6)
10:30am @ New Pueblo - Lower
Umps:  K. Decoite / K. Huddleston
3rd Man:  M. Pascual
Timer: E. Markell

USPA Regional Classic - SW
Tonkawa (12) def Eureka (7)
5:00pm @ BPC - #2
Umps:  E. Ezcurra / K. Decoite
3rd Man:  M. Azzaro
Timer: E. Markell

USPA Western Challenge Final
Brookshire Polo Club (11) def La Elina (9)
5:00pm @ BPC - #1
Umps:  K. Huddleston / M. Pascual
3rd Man:  C. Ellis
Timer: K. Krueger

TEAMS
Brookshire Polo Club
Scott Wood  0
Quinn Evans  1
Tommy Alberdi  4
Toro Ruiz  7
Handicap -- 12

BTA
*Kelly Beal  0
*Cody Ellis  5
Vaughn Miller Jr.  3
Mason Wroe  4
Handicap -- 12
*sub: KC Krueger 2
*sub: Shane Rice 3

Eureka
Rene Campos  0
Jorge Cernadas  4
Alvaro Ara  4
Marcos Alberdi  4
Handicap -- 12

La Elina
Bobby Gerry  0
Joao Aranha  2
Toto Obregon (Tomas)  4
Pipe Marquez  6
Handicap -- 12

Old Pueblo
Leigh Anne Hall  0
Harrison Azzaro 3
Mike Azzaro 4 (3 on May 1)
Jeff Hall  6
Handicap -- 13 (12 on May 1)

Tonkawa
Jeff Hildebrand  0
Marcos Bignoli  3
Jack Kiely  4
Santi Zubiaurre  5
Handicap -- 12

OUTDOOR RULE 2a: Substitutions
(i) If during bracket a game of a tournament, a player is hurt DURING a game, a player (with equal or lesser handicap) in the same tournament can finish the game. BUT for all games following, only eligible substitutes (players not in the tournament) can sub. This will apply to players with handicaps from B to 10 goals to help teams when they are playing on remote fields. 

(ii) After bracket play, so either in Quarterfinals, Semifinals or Finals, if a player is injured or ill and can't start or becomes injured during game, an eliminated player of equal or lesser handicap may substitute for that game and/or the remainder of the tournament. An eliminated player is someone who has completed their final game in that tournament.

RULE 26A – IMPROPER BLOCKING + Live play blocking
During the execution of a knock-in, Penalty 5.a or 5.b, or a free hit resulting from a ball hit out of bounds, an offensive player may not block a defensive player from marking the offensive player’s teammate who has a play on the ball (i.e., set a pick on the defending player). 
At all other times, when a player in possession of the ball either stops or reduces his or her speed to a slow canter or walk, no teammates of the player in possession may block a defending player within two horse lengths of the player with the ball from making a play on that player or the ball. 
When an offensive player improperly blocks a defensive player, the Umpires shall call a foul and award an appropriate penalty. Improper Blocking may or may not constitute Dangerous Riding, and result in a yellow or red card under Rule 33, depending on the degree of danger as determined in the discretion of the Umpire.