The 2025 American Polocrosse Nationals brought together players, families, and horses from across the United States and around the world for an unforgettable weekend of competition, camaraderie, and celebration. Hosted at the beautiful McIntosh Reserve Park in Whitesburg, Georgia, teams camped along the scenic Chattahoochee River and competed across six grades under sunny skies, a light breeze, and comfortable low-70s temperatures — ideal conditions for both players and horses.
The weekend was filled with thrilling matches, heartfelt moments, and lasting memories. While there were a few somber reminders of how precious our equine partners are, the event showcased the best of polocrosse — teamwork, friendship, and deep respect for the horses that make it all possible.
National Results by Grade
A GRADE:
1st Place: TVPC 2nd Place: Alamo 3rd Place: CPC
Best #1: Trent Cocker Best #2: Haydon Shuttles Best #3: Rahul Desai Best Horse:Keystone Special (Rahul Desai) Best Conditioned Horse:Sandhaven Chanel (Braxton Hamlin)
B GRADE:
1st Place: Alamo 2nd Place: Lone Star 3rd Place: Minnesota
Best #1: Alan Duff Best #2: Madeleine Dekkers Best #3: Ian Duff Best Horse:Keystone Commander (Summer Weldon) Best Conditioned Horse:Patches (Kerstie Allen)
C GRADE:
1st Place: TVPC 2nd Place: Grand Bay 3rd Place: Sandie Creek
Best #1: Chandler Terry Best #2: Kendra Oliphant Best #3: Riley Wight Best Horse:Keystone Eclipse (Virginia Covert) Best Conditioned Horse:Sandhaven Layla (Chandler Terry)
D GRADE:
1st Place: Minnesota Polocrosse 2nd Place: Grand Bay 3rd Place: Heartland
Best #1: Luke Johnson Best #2: Becky Dekkers Best #3: Helen Duff Best Horse:Ben (ridden by Braelynn Cagle and owned by Karen Wiggins) Best Conditioned Horse:Buttercup (Hugo Arnold)
E GRADE:
1st Place: Heartland 2nd Place: Sandie Creek 3rd Place: Charlie Horse Mix
Best #1: Aubrey Arnold Best #2: Maddie Hostler Best #3: Rebekah Frye Best Horse:Carole (Hudson Wix) Best Conditioned Horse:Carole (Hudson Wix)
F GRADE:
1st Place: Minnesota 2nd Place: Sandie Creek 3rd Place: CPC
Best #1: Angela Camp Best #2: Garrett Wix Best #3: Marc Suarez Best Horse:Tilly (Krish Desai) Best Conditioned Horse:Tilly (Krish Desai)
Chukka & Chill Participants
Stacy Upshaw
Taylor Brown
Bastiana Rodebaugh
Jordana Hostler
Deb Zito
Elizabeth Walker
Chuckles Participants
Rose Jones
Kiren Desai
Simon Vallee
Liam Kleinschmidt
Spencer Kleinschmidt
Rotating & Special Awards:
Horse of the Year:Tilly (owned by Rahul & Sarah Desai) Essex All Blacks – The Friendship Cup: Lisa Poe The Paddy Memorial Trophy – Best Presented Team: CPC Tricia Cane Sportsmanship Award: Kat Liner Shelly Shearer Memorial Award – Best Playing Junior: Ian Duff U21 Best Rider Award: Juliana Cochran The Big Joey: Hudson Wix Umpire Appreciation Award: Cameron Firmin Coach of the Year: Gordon Duff Louie Memorial Award:Scotty (owned by the Carpenter Family) Special Mention – Top Umpire Volunteer: Paul Doelz Marilyn Murphy Award / Australian Stock Horse Breeder: Kellee Campbell for breeding the top-performing ASH, Sandhaven Chanel (owned by Sophia Solomon)
Special Presentation:
A heartfelt highlight of the weekend was when Dana Solomon presented a handmade quilt to Paul Johnson in appreciation of his long-standing support, dedication, and love for the sport of polocrosse.
Bomber Gold League MVP Awards (Sponsored by Bomber):
Youth Girl: Sarah McKeown Youth Boy: Ian Duff Adult Female: Sarah Desai Adult Male: Braxton Hamlin
Upper Senior:Domino – Megan Swift Lower Senior:Leggera – Juliana Cochran Junior:Butters – Hugo Arnold
Year-End
Upper Senior:Slay – Kevin Broadhurst Lower Senior:Leggera – Juliana Cochran Junior:Butters – Hugo Arnold
Eastern Zone Year-End Awards
Senior Male Champion: Rahul Desai Reserve Champion: Karl Balogh Senior Female Champion: Sarah Desai Reserve Champion: Sara Cifeli U21 Female Champion: Lilly Poe Reserve Champion: Mena Arnold U21 Male Champion: Hugo Arnold Reserve Champion: Garrett Wix Rookie of the Year: Dan Barfield
A Weekend to Remember
From the laughter around campfires to the thunder of hooves across the field, the 2025 American Polocrosse Nationals captured the very heart of our sport — friendship, fierce competition, and the unbreakable bond between horse and rider.
Congratulations to every player, horse, coach, umpire, and volunteer who made this year’s Nationals such a resounding success. Your spirit, sportsmanship, and love of the game continue to elevate polocrosse year after year.
Event Location: McIntosh Reserve Park – Carroll County, GA
The Election is complete with one nomination per position. Please congratulate and review the biographies of the newly elected board members, who will serve from 2026-2027. ⭐️ Vice President: Robbie Noiles ⭐️ Secretary: Kristy Gusick ⭐️ Mountain Zone Rep: Andrew Hatchett ⭐️ Board at Large #3: Patrick O’Reilly ⭐️ Board at Large #4: Stacy Upshaw ...
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