Kaia defeated Flying H 13-10 and ran out the champions of the Iglehart Cup, the third competition of the NPC 16-Goal Championship, following the final that took place on Tuesday March 17 at the National Polo Center, located in Wellington, Florida, United States. The tournament saw thirteen teams up to 16 goals, partake. Teams were split in three leagues.

The fourth and last tournament of the series, the Outback Cup, is set to commence on Wednesday March 18, prior to the big final of the NPC 16-Goal Championship, which is due on Sunday April 12, at the National Polo Center (NPC).

With regards to the match between Kaia and Flying H, the contest had a very balanced start, although with slight advantages for the former. However, things would change in the third chukka, when Kaia outscored Flying H 3-0 to step into half time 7-3 up. Kaia managed to seize the reins of the remaining chukkas, until the deal was said and done – 13-10 victory and the third cup of the NPC 16-Goal Championship.

IGLEHART CUP – FINAL – TUESDAY MARCH 17

KAIA 13-10 FLYING H

Kaia: Larry Austin 0, Lucas Criado Jr. 7. Torito Ruiz 7, Joao Pedro Souza Aranha 3. Total: 17.

Flying H: Will Johnston 1, Antonio Aguerre 3, Miguel Novillo Astrada Jr. 5, Miguel Novillo Astrada 7. Total: 16.

Score Kaia: 3-2, 4-3, 7-3, 9-5, 10-8, 13-10.

Umpires: Gastón Lucero & Guillermo Villanueva.

Third man: Martín Pascual.

PHOTO GALLERY by AGUSTINA FONDA

Iglehart Cup – Final – Kaia vs. Flying H, match photos

Iglehart Cup – Final – Kaia vs. Flying H, celebration and awards presentation

The Iglehart Cup is named after Philip L.B. Iglehart, who started to play polo as a boy, at Aiken Preparatory School in South Carolina; later, at St. Paul’s School in New Hampshire; and finally at Yale University, in Connecticut. Although he reached a 7-goal handicap, he left polo to pursue a career in business, and after a 20-year hiatus returned to reclaim his old rating, which he held for 13 years. Some of Iglehart’s accomplishments include a US. Open in 1953, leadership at Meadowbrook Polo Club in Medford, New York, and the creation of Gulfstream Polo Club (Lake Worth, Florida, now defunct). Iglehart was inducted into the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in 1993; he is not only a Hall of Famer but bears one of the Hall of Fame’s highest honors in his name. The Philip Iglehart Award was established in 2001 to acknowledge exceptional lifetime contributions to the sport.

IGLEHART CUP – Teams & Fixture

Cover photo by Agustina Fonda.