PRESS RELEASE
USPA Gold Cup Coming!
City of
Aiken, South Carolina
May 23, 2005
Few cities have the privilege of hosting a major sporting event,
and Aiken can consider itself among those select few
municipalities.
The
2005 USPA Gold Cup is taking the area by storm, and New Bridge
Polo and Country Club and Langdon Road Polo Club will feature
the highest level polo offered in the United States this fall.
The 26-goal event is sure to send ripples throughout the
community and already has started to create a buzz of
excitement. The two clubs will also host the tournament in 2006.
"This is a great day for Aiken as a
community," said Fred Cavanaugh, mayor of Aiken. "This is a
great milestone. Aiken is home to the oldest polo field in the
United States, Whitney Field. The USPA Gold Cup represents the
importance of polo and other equestrian events to the area."
Sunday afternoon at New Bridge Polo and
Country Club a press launch for the tournament was conducted,
and spectators and guests had the opportunity to enjoy a 16-goal
polo match as part of the New Bridge Invitational Tournament.
"I think the tournament is going to provide
the area with a terrific economic boost," said Ronnie Young,
Aiken County Council chairman. "The equestrian community is
flourishing in Aiken, and the tournament demonstrates that."
The community known for its diversity in
equine activities continues to capture the public's imagination,
and the Gold Cup is sure to offer a plethora of opportunities.
"The main objective was to pull everyone
together, and get the whole community behind us," said Todd
Stilp, USPA Gold Cup event coordinator. "Aiken becomes a festive
hub of activity during Masters week, and with the USPA Gold Cup
in town it will have that same atmosphere for an entire month.
This will give people an opportunity to experience the charm and
uniqueness of Aiken."
Many of the world's best players will
converge on Aiken, making for a memorable experience for not
only the players, grooms and spectators, but for the city in
general as they will reap the benefits of a tournament that's
sure to leave a lasting impression.
"It's a great opportunity to see the best
polo in the world," said Skipper Perry, state representative.
"This is as good as it gets."
The global impact of the event is sure to
provide the community with an international flavor, showcasing
the area's wealth of natural resources and abundance of charm
and its exceptional quality of life. Adolfo Cambiaso considered
by many to be the best polo player in the world is expected to
participate.
"It's wonderful to be included in an event
like this," said Pompeyo Carlos Layus, Consul General of
Argentina. "The USPA Gold Cup is an outstanding tournament and
this is a great opportunity for Aiken. Polo is a very important
activity in Argentina, and we're very fortunate to have many of
the sport's outstanding players. We're very supportive of Aiken,
and the New Bridge Polo and Country Club, and we're sure the
Gold Cup will be a tremendous success."
As summer winds down all attention will
turn to New Bridge Polo and Country Club and Langdon Road Polo
Club as the provisional schedule for the USPA Gold Cup Draw and
Press Launch is slated for September 7, adding to the momentum
of the tournament that possesses a powerful and storied history.
"Obviously this is a big day for Aiken polo
and the New Bridge Polo and Country Club and Langdon Road Polo
Club," said Sarah Eakin, communications director , USPA Gold Cup
and New Bridge Polo and Country Club. "This is one of the
biggest tournaments in the world, and it's coming to our part of
the country. This speaks volumes for the future of polo in
Aiken."
The
tournament will feature spirited competition and provide
spectators with an irresistible impulse that only the sport of
polo is capable of producing.
The USPA awarded the tournament to Aiken,"
said Tom Biddle, Sr., USPA president. "New Bridge Polo and
Country Club has developed a wonderful facility, and there's a
great spirit of cooperation between all of the polo clubs."
The significance of the tournament has
brought people from all over the community to take part in an
event that's inspiring enthusiasm. And as Aiken grows, the
importance of the community as an equine center is sure to
flourish because of events like the USPA Gold Cup.
"Aiken is a very unique town,
and it's a tribute to Aiken to host the Gold Cup," said Russ
McCall, New Bridge Polo and Country Club president and
co-founder during the press conference panel presentation. "The
Gold Cup will get bigger every year, and this year's tournament
will feature many of the best players in the world."
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THEY MEET ON THE POLO FIELDS. BUT THEN DOESNT EVERYBODY.
- SUSAN BARANTES
