Stanford U.S. Open Championship Schedule Released; First Games Are Thursday, March 30; Final is Sunday, April 23 at International Polo Club Palm Beach

 WELLINGTON, FL (March 20, 2006) – The first-round schedule for the Stanford U.S. Open Championship, the most prestigious polo tournament in North America, was released Monday by International Polo Club Palm Beach Polo Manager Jimmy Newman. All games are expected to be played on International Polo Club’s seven fields with featured games every Sunday at 3 p.m. on Stanford Field.

The first games will be played on Thursday (March 30) when 2005 finalist Skeeterville plays Mokarow Farms at 1 p.m., followed by Las Monjitas against BTA at 3 p.m.

The 13 teams were divided into three divisions at a draw on Sunday night. Division I has five teams and will play within the group. Division II and Division III have four teams each and will play each other. The top eight teams will advance to the quarterfinals no matter what division they are in.

Defending champion White Birch, led by the strong combination of 10-goaler Mariano Aguerre and 9-goaler Lucas Criado, plays its first game on Saturday at 11 a.m. against 2005 semifinalist Bendabout, which also won the 2002 U.S. Open title as Coca-Cola.

Without a dominant team like White Birch was in 2005 when it lost one game en route to winning three 26-goal championships, the 2006 Stanford U.S. Open title seems like it could be won by anyone.

The Stanford U.S. Open is the culmination of the ultra-competitive winter polo season and covers the first four Sundays in April. The final, on Sunday, April 23 at 3 p.m. on Stanford Field at International Polo Club, expects to draw more than 7,000 spectators. 

The quarterfinals are scheduled for Sunday, April 16 with the semifinals set for Wednesday, April 19.

Historically, the U.S. Open has always been the grand prize of polo in North America. It is one of only four tournaments played at the 26-goal echelon, the highest-rated tournament in the United States. The others are the Hall of Fame Cup and the C.V. Whitney Cup, both also played at International Polo Club Palm Beach in 2006, and the USPA Gold Cup, being played in Aiken, South Carolina later this year.

The first U.S. Open title game was played in 1904 at Van Cortland Park in New York City where the Wanderers defeated the Freebooters 4 ?-3, the lowest scoring final in the history of the tournament.

“I think that the 2006 U.S. Open is going to be very competitive and exiting,” said White Birch 10-goaler Mariano Aguerre. “The most important players and patrons are going to be there, because with the Argentine Open and the British Gold Cup, these are the most prestigious tournaments in the world. Since we are almost the same team that won it last year, I think that we are one of the teams to beat, but that doesn't mean that everybody is out to get us.”

That’s what makes it is so difficult to repeat as champion of the most prestigious and toughest tournament in North America; something that hasn’t been done since Tim Gannon’s Outback Steakhouse accomplished the feat with a three-peat beginning in 1999.
  
 Stanford U.S. Open Championship Schedule
 
 
Thursday March 30th          1pm                      Skeeterville v. Mokarow Farms
                                          3pm                      Las Monjitas v. BTA
Friday March 31st               1pm                      San Saba v. Orchard Hill
                                          3pm                      Isla Carroll v. 3rd CV Whitney
Saturday April 1st               11am                    White Birch v. Bendabout
                                          1pm                      2nd CV Whitney v. Pony Express
Sunday April 2nd                 12pm                    Skeeterville v. Las Monjitas
                                          3pm                      Mokarow Farms v. 1st CV Whitney
Tuesday April 4th                11am                    Isla Carroll v. Orchard Hill
                                          3pm                      San Saba v. Pony Express
Wednesday April 5th           1pm                      White Birch v. 3rd CV Whitney
                                          3pm                      2nd CV Whitney v. Bendabout
Thursday April 6th               1pm                      Skeeterville v. 1st CV Whitney
                                          3pm                      Mokarow Farms v. BTA
Saturday April 8th               11am                    San Saba v. Bendabout
                                          1pm                      2nd CV Whitney v. 3rd CV Whitney
                                          3pm                      White Birch v. Orchard Hill
Sunday April 9th                 10am                    Skeeterville v. BTA
                                          12pm                    Las Monjitas v. 1st CV Whitney
                                          3pm                      Isla Carroll v. Pony Express
Wednesday April 12th         11am                    Isla Carroll v. Bendabout
                                          1pm                      San Saba v. 3rd CV Whitney
                                          3pm                      2nd CV Whitney v. Orchard Hill 
Thursday April 13th            11am                    BTA v. 1st CV Whitney
                                          1pm                      White Birch v. Pony Express
                                          3pm                      Mokarow Farms v. Las Monjitas           
 

International Polo Club
Palm Beach