THE Philippine flag will fly for the first time at the 2025 US Open Polo Championship when Rep. Mikee Romero and his Globalport Polo team take on the world’s best in Wellington, Florida.
Globalport will be making history as the first polo team based in Asia to compete in this championship that takes place from March 24 to April 20, 2025.
The team’s qualification signals the growing influence of the Philippines in international polo and is expected to bring new excitement to the sport in the country and the Southeast Asian region.
Big honor
It will not be the first time Romero will play under the Philippine tricolor. He has represented the country in several international polo competitions, but it will be the first time he plays in the sport’s biggest stage.
“It’s a big honor for me to represent the country in this US Open,” said Romero, who will be serving out his third term as 1-Pacman party list representative this year. “While qualifying for the US Open is accomplishment enough, we hope to make an impact on the competition as we mount a challenge on the dominance of the established powers of the polo world.”
Globalport Polo enters the 2025 competition with a formidable lineup spearheaded by one of the best players in the world — Argentina’s Barto Castagnola.
Ranked No. 2 globally, Castagnola comes off an impressive victory in the Argentine Open and the UK Gold Cup. His experience and skill will be invaluable to the team, which also includes 17- year-old prodigy Beltran Laughle, a 6-goaler who is making a name for himself as one of the sport’s most promising young talents.
Rounding out the team is Lucas Alberdi, an American-born player known for his strategic approach and solid performance on the field.
The US Polo Open is the most prestigious polo tournament globally, boasting a rich 120-year history. Held annually in Wellington, the 22-goal competition attracts the world’s finest polo players.
The 2024 US Polo Open championship, which served as the backdrop for the Netflix series Polo, has generated widespread interest in the game.
The series, produced by Prince Harry and Meghan of Sussex, UK, offered an inside look into the intense competition and drama surrounding the event, further cementing the US Polo Open’s reputation as the sport’s premier showcase.
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