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The International Polo Cup, also called the Newport Cup and the Westchester Cup is a trophy in polo that was created in 1876 and was played for by teams from the United States and England. The match has varied in length over the years from a single game to the best of three games. In 1886 it was decided to make the polo match a continuing competition. There were a total of 12 matches conducted between 1886 and 1939 between the two countries. The tournament was revived in 1992. the last match was held on July 28, 2013 at Guards Polo Club.
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History
The cup was first awarded to the team of Sir John Watson in 1876 in Newport, Rhode Island. The cup was later purchased by a subscription and presented to the Westchester Polo Club in 1886. It was won again in 1886 and 1902 by English teams from the Hurlingham Club. In 1909 James Montaudevert Waterbury, Jr., Lawrence Waterbury, Harry Payne Whitney and Devereaux Milburn formed a team, dubbed the Big Four, that won the cup from the English. The same team was successful in 1911 and 1913, but lost the cup to England in 1914. In the 1920s and 1930s, the Westchester Cup was the most anticipated event on the sporting calendar in the United States.
Winner
The cup has been won a total of 10 times by the United States and 6 times by England, including the initial 1876 match. The match was suspended in the 1940s due to World War II and was not revived until the 1990s.