The C.V. Whitney Cup opens the Gauntlet of Polo, the three-tournament series that functions as American polo’s Triple Crown. Named after Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, a towering figure in American sport and thoroughbred racing, the tournament has been played since 1927. It is the first of three consecutive 22-goal events at the USPA National Polo Center in Wellington, Florida, with opening matches beginning February 11, 2026 and the final scheduled for March 1.
The format combines league play with a knockout phase, spread across 6-chukker matches. Teams compete through round-robin fixtures before advancing to elimination rounds. The 22-goal handicap limit means each four-player roster must not exceed a combined rating of 22, placing it at the top tier of American polo. While the Argentine Triple Crown operates at 40 goals with 8-chukker matches, the C.V. Whitney Cup represents the pinnacle of competition in the United States.
Wellington, Florida sits in the America/New_York timezone. During February, that means UTC-5 (Eastern Standard Time). A 13:00 throw-in is 19:00 in London, 20:00 in Central Europe, and 03:00 the following day in Tokyo. For viewers in Argentina, where many competing players are based, a 13:00 start translates to 15:00 in Buenos Aires.
The C.V. Whitney Cup serves as the form guide for the entire Gauntlet season. Teams that perform well here carry momentum into the USPA Gold Cup and U.S. Open. Several of the world’s top players compete in Wellington during the American season, including Adolfo Cambiaso, Poroto Cambiaso, and Polito Pieres, before returning to Argentina for the Triple Crown later in the year.
Winning the Gauntlet, all three tournaments in a single season, remains one of polo’s rarest achievements. The C.V. Whitney Cup is where that pursuit begins.