December 2021 Polo Players' Edition- Thank You!

Thank You!

Player Development Committee Chairs Appreciated

By United States Polo Association

Alongside volunteer committee members, the Player Development Committee and Subcommittee chairs had a busy and successful year. Looking forward to 2022, the committees will continue to collaborate to provide training and playing opportunities for young USPA members.

Mason Wroe—Team USPA

Mason Wroe, a native Texan and 4-goal player, participated in the Team USPA program and was a member of the 2011 USA FIP team as well as a 2015 silver medalist on the USA FIP team. As a professional, Wroe has competed and won tournaments at the highest levels including the Joe Barry Memorial and Iglehart and Ylvisaker Cups. During his college career at Texas A&M, Wroe took home the national championship title in 2007. His wide range of experience both on the field and coaching led him to Sarasota Polo Club where he resides as the head polo professional during the winter months. Wroe’s intimate knowledge of the current professional polo climate and experience with high-level training have been invaluable to the new direction of the Team USPA program.

Tiger Kneece—Junior Committee

Tiger Kneece is a former 7-goal player who now resides in Aiken, South Carolina horse country. During his 25-year tenure as a professional polo player, Kneece won the coveted U.S. Open, Gold Cup, Monty Waterbury, Silver Cup and Copper Cup. His talent on the field led him to playing opportunities across the globe including Canada, Mexico, England, Switzerland, Germany, South Africa and Australia. Kneece excels at training polo ponies and runs a polo school aptly named Polo Adventures.

Kneece and his wife, Susie, work in tandem running the Aiken Polo Club as polo manager and director of marketing. He has played an active role in the NYTS program, hosting one of the largest qualifier tournaments each year in Aiken and working as a coach at the NYTS National Championship. Aiken Youth Polo is home to a girls’ and open high school team, a men’s and women’s USC Aiken team and a group of younger players coming up in the ranks. Kneece looks forward to working with the Junior Committee to encourage young players to stay involved in the sport long term.

Carolyn Stimmel—Young Player Opportunity Grant Subcommittee

Carolyn Stimmel was introduced to polo at a Joel Baker and Corky Linfoot clinic held in the California desert in 1983. Shortly after, Stimmel met her future husband and professional polo player Harley Stimmel. As the family expanded to include four boys, their passion for the sport grew. Dinnertime conversations include training techniques and hitting pointers among the group. Working together to train and tune up their horses is a family affair.

Stimmel fondly remembers the intercollegiate/ interscholastic years as she spent many hours teaching, coaching and traveling with her boys to

games and tournaments all over the country. As a player herself, Stimmel is encouraged by the rapid growth of women’s polo in recent years. Her expertise in training, horsemanship and experience with youth polo have been an asset to the development of the YPO program.

Chrys Beal—NYTS Subcommittee

Chrys Beal picked up a mallet and began playing polo in Midland, Texas, in 1999 after watching her husband, Kelly Beal, and his father, Carlton Beal, play for over 20 years. Currently, Beal plays in Houston, Texas, and Big Horn, Wyoming.

Beal has been an active volunteer with USPA for many years and across several divisions. She currently serves as a governor-at-large, and member of the Women’s and Safety Committees. She is former chair of the Junior Committee and is the current chair of the NYTS Subcommittee. Developing the NYTS program has been a highlight of Beal’s tenure with the Junior Committee.

“The opportunity to give young polo players an opportunity and structure to play has been the greatest highlight of my years with the USPA,” reflected Beal.

Beal accomplished one of her long-term goals for the NYTS program in 2021, welcoming four girls’ teams and four open teams to the NYTS National Championship in Chicago, Illinois. Beal looks forward to continuing to improve the NYTS program going forward.