POLO REPORT DISPATCHES FROM THE WORLD OF POLO SOUTHWEST
DAVID MURRELL
COAST GUARD WINS TEDDY ROOSEVELT
David Crea holds steady while under pressure from Phillip Kampshoff. Chris Ballard and Minerva Lemesoff follow behind in the final of the Teddy Roosevelt tournament at Two Wishes Ranch.
T
HE CENTRAL TEXAS Polo Association hosted the USPA Teddy Roosevelt tournament Nov. 21-22 at its Two Wishes Ranch in Lockhart, Texas. The tournament, played annually since 2013, is the oldest named USPA military tournament. Initially played in the arena, it transitioned to outdoors about five years ago when it was played at the Houston Polo Club. The timing of the event in mid-November generally draws about six teams and this time was no exception.
48 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
USPA military tournaments require one player on each team to have a tie to the military. Due to the on-going pandemic, the tournament qualified for the USPA incentive program, which provides a professional umpire, prize money and trophy reimbursement. This year, the teams represented the Navy, Marine Corps, two Army teams, Air Force and Coast Guard. Players came from Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and Houston areas to
participate. The first round was played as two round robins. Coast Guard (Minerva Lemesoff, David Crea, Tom Crea, Jack Crea) edged Navy (Joss Leufrancois, Mike Lancaster, Nadir Khan, Zoe Lehmer), 3-2½, in round one of the first game. Marine Corps (Kitana StCyr, Ariel Mancebo, Lance Stefanakis, Carlos Ramirez) doubled up Navy, 31½, before falling to Coast Guard, 4-1. In the next game, Air Force (Ismael Vazquez, Jessica Mignone, Javier
