P O L O D E V E L O P M E N T, L L C
Meet the players NYTS Championship Cecil Smith Cup By Hayley Heatley
Eastern’s Reed Miller, Parker Pearce, Aiden Meeker and Winston Painter won the 2019 Cecil Smith Cup. Meeker and Painter are competing again this year.
The 2020 National Youth Tournament Series Championship was not immune to the cancellations caused by COVID-19. Originally scheduled for Sept. 8-13 at Oak Brook Polo Club in Oak Brook, Illinois, the USPA determined there were too many factors impeding its ability to host a safe and memorable event at that time. The USPA was able to reschedule the event for Jan. 12-15 at the Port Mayaca and International Polo Clubs.
Western Region
Alea Crespo splits her time between Aiken, South Carolina, and Wellington, Florida. Her favorite horse is a chestnut gelding named Petaco. “He is a big teddy bear who will do any trick for a handful of grain. He is an incredible polo pony who enjoys fighting for a good ride off and it’s easy to tell how much he loves the game.” Crespo also enjoys playing softball.
22 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Sixteen players divided into four teams competed for the USPA Cecil Smith Cup. These players have been recognized for their exceptional talent, leadership, horsemanship, sportsmanship and ability to work as a team. A girls’ championship will not be held this time. Current plans are to hold a 2021 NYTS Championship in Chicago in September. The teams for the 2020 championship are as follows:
Colby Smith was introduced to polo through his father’s Seattle Polo & Equestrian Club. Learning to ride young horses and working on horsemanship has been a foundational part of Smith’s connection with polo. His first homebred Thoroughbred, Aspen, is an all-around horse that plays polo and is a great ranch horse. Aside from polo, Smith has a passion for working on cars and is
