YOUTH OLYMPIC SUMMER GAMES With contributions from the United States Polo Association
The United States Polo Association and U.S. Polo Assn. supported four youth players as they traveled south of the equator to Buenos Aires, host of the 2018 Youth Olympic Games (YOG)—and Houston Polo Club was proud to have two of our young players on Team USA. The Youth Olympic Games serve as an innovative platform to test new disciplines. Being accepted as a showcase sport is a step forward for polo as it positions itself for another Olympic bid in the future. The Argentine Polo Association (AAP) organized a week-long program in conjunction with the Youth Olympic Games Committee to highlight the sport of polo and provide a training opportunity for international junior polo players. Demonstrating the international reach of polo, junior competitors from 10 countries including the United States, Colombia, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, England, Scotland, Australia, Argentina, Pakistan, and Switzerland mounted up for the exhibition match. Among the four young players chosen to represent the USA were Houston Polo Club players Grace Mudra and Grayson Price (joined by teammates Grant Palmer and Winston Painter). Coached by Lucas Criado and Santiago Trotz, test matches in Pilar and Bueno Aires led up to the showcase game on October 7 on Palermo’s Field 1. “Playing at Palermo was one of the biggest highlights of my trip,” says Grayson Price. “It is amazing to be able to play on that big of a stage.” In additional to time spent in the saddle, Adolfo Cambiaso and the Pieres family opened up their farms for the group of young players to get a glimpse of the inner workings of a high-goal operation and breeding program. Grayson says that meeting these legends and touring the farms at Ellerstina and La Dolfina were unforgettable experiences. Grace Mudra highlights that the experience was as amazing off the field as on the field: “I have learned so much, not only about polo, but the different cultures involved in polo. Getting to come together with people from these different countries was an amazing experience that I am so grateful to have had.” Grayson is also grateful for the lasting connections he made with other youth international players:“We would spend every day with the players from the other countries and go out together to eat at night. I keep in touch with players I met through social media—it’s cool to see what everyone is doing in polo around the world.” Several players attending the Youth Olympic Games received support from the Young Player Opportunity (YPO) Fund. The fund was created in April of 2018 by the USPA Junior Polo Committee to assist youth players seeking opportunities to improve in the sport of polo.
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