The United States Polo Association has announced the four Americans who will travel to France this summer for the 2024 Paris Games Polo Challenge presented by United States Polo Association. The 14-goal test match between the USA and France, hosted by the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly, will take place on Wednesday, August 7, 2024. The event will be open to the public free of charge and broadcast globally on ESPN2.
The match is scheduled to occur after the equestrian events conclude in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics on Tuesday, August 6, at Versailles. The United States Polo Association has extended a warm invitation to USPA members and all sports enthusiasts to witness this display of international polo competition—an equestrian discipline that the Association hopes in the future may once again be part of the Summer Olympics!
The commemorative event, taking place just 40 minutes from the heart of Paris, in Apremont, is designed as a centennial celebration of the opening match of the 4th Olympic Polo Tournament at the 1924 Paris Games between the United States and France. The competition also offers a chance at redemption for France, which lost 15-1 a century ago. In 1924, the United States went on to win a silver medal, ultimately losing against Argentina 6-5 in the final. The American team consisted of Elmer Boeseke, Tommy Hitchcock, Frederick Roe and Rodman Wanamaker. Polo remained in the Olympic Games until 1936, when Argentina won the last Olympic Polo Tournament in Berlin. Neither France nor the United States sent a team to the Berlin games.
Quinn Evans, Hope Arellano, Nicolas “Nico” Escobar and Cody Ellis will represent the United States, with each team member bringing prior experience. The team will be coached by Polo Hall of Famer Julio Arellano.