Mon 20th Apr 2026The U.S. Open Polo Championship Semi Finals Are Set Coca Cola, BTA, Pilot and La Dolfina Tamera through to knock out stages
The U.S. Polo Open Championship is reaching its climax after an exciting week of polo action. The third and final leg of The Gauntlet of Polo series has reached the Semi Finals stages and with three matches remaining of the season there are just four teams left in the running to take the ultimate title of the US high goal season.
Coca Cola and BTA each qualified for the Semi Finals directly from the league stages, both finishing with 3-1 win-loss records and winning their brackets after the final league games were played on Thursday 16 April. Coca Cola beat C.V Whitney Cup winners, The Dutta Corp, 16-13 to take their spot in the Semis, winning Bracket II while BTA had a tough, one goal win over Clearwater to win Bracket I and secure their Semi Final place.
A penalty shootout was required to determine the last two “Quarter Finalists” after they all ended on 2-2 records and it was DUS, La Dolfina Scone, La Dolfina Tamera and Pilot who were triumphant, moving through to play off for the second two Semi Final spots on Sunday 19 April in two “mini Quarter Finals”.
First up it was Castagnola vs Castagnola as DUS took on USPA Gold Cup winners, Pilot. Things started evenly, but Pilot began to dominate in the third, pushing the DUS side onto the defensive and beginning to ease away on the scoreboard. Their fate was sealed when a mega final chukka saw Pilot outscore DUS 6-1 to take the win and continue their quest for a second Gauntlet of Polo title. Pilot will play Coca Cola at 11am (EST) on Wednesday 22 April.
Next up, another family affair saw Father and Son Cambiaso battle it out for the final place. Not surprisingly, things were evenly matched throughout but an unfortunate fall in the fifth led to Scone’s patron David Paradice headed to hospital where he luckily recovered quickly. He was replaced by Maureen Brennan, but the disruption clearly shook the La Dolfina Scone side who gave up a one goal lead in the last to fall behind 12-11 by the time the final bell went. La Dolfina Tamera took their place in the Semis and will play BTA in the second match of the day at 4pm (EST) on Wednesday 22 April at The National Polo Center.
The U.S. Open Championship Semi Final Teams:
Coca-Cola (22): Gillian Johnston (1), Alfonso Pieres (5), Pablo ‘Polito’ Pieres (9) & Julian de Lusarreta (7)
Pilot (23): Curtis Pilot (0), Mackenzie Weisz (6), Lorenzo Chavanne (7) & Camilo ‘Jeta’ Castagnola (10)
BTA (23): KC Krueger (1), Steve Krueger (5), Ignacio ‘Nachi’ Viana (7) & Tomas Panelo (10)
La Dolfina/Tamera (23): Alejandro Poma (2), Sterling Giannico (3), Diego Cavanagh (8) & Adolfo Cambiaso (10)
Photograph: Tomas Panelo celebrates as BTA are through to the Semi Finals. By Agustina Fonda
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