US Polo Open Polo Championship pitting unlikely teams in Pilot, BTA

In this past week's semifinals, BTA knocked off La Dolfina Tamera, 16-10, to qualify for its first U.S. Open final appearance. BTA jumped out to a 4-0 lead and never relinquished it. La Dolfina Tamera came within one goal but could get no closer. KC Krueger, one of only two women players in the 11-team tournament, scored key goals including the final one, and defended Cambiaso well.

In the other semifinal, Pilot routed Coca Cola, 15-5. Pilot played its best game of the season to pull ahead to a 9-1 halftime advantage and maintained its relentless momentum in the second half.

Pilot has history in Gauntlet of Polo

Mackie Weisz of Pilot works the ball with Polito Pieres of Coca Cola in the U.S. Open semifinals.

Pilot is the only team to win the entire Gauntlet of Polo and winner-take-all $1 million in 2019 (with Matias Gonzalez, Facundo Pieres and Gonzalo Pieres Jr.). Curtis Pilot has also won three Gold Cups, two with Weisz, who then was playing with a broken bone in his left hand but is no longer wearing a cast or wrap. Weisz also won the 2022 U.S. Open with Pilot at age 19 as a 5-goaler. One of America's rising young stars also won the C.V. Whitney Cup with Las Monjitas as a 3-goaler in 2020.

Throughout the season Weisz has been playing well above his 6-goal handicap along with 18-year old sensation Lorenzo Chavanne, who is a 7-goaler destined to become 10 goals in the next two years.

After the U.S. Open, the Wellington-born Weisz and  youngest son of polo player Andres Weisz, will head to England, where he dominated last season.

Weisz said after one of his winning tournaments, "I'm just excited to play polo at whatever level. I try to translate everything over in all my years of playing. I have been able to play at a pretty decent level all my life which is good. I just try to take advantage of every opportunity that I have."

Chavanne was recently awarded Best String for the 2026 season. His string of eight horses have been instrumental in his team's success. His best horse, V8 Tyson, was Best Playing Pony for the Gold Cup and named 2026 Horse of the Year. His other horses are V8 Vespa, V8 Tuti, GT Shake, Open Texas, SA Baby Doll, Open Silaba and Chapaleufu Cabulera.

In the recent USPA Butler Handicap Final, Beverly Polo defeated Cielo Tequila, 18-11. Facundo Llosa swept MVP and Best Playing Pony honors with Open Topo.

The U.S. Open final will be livestreamed on the USPA Polo Network via watch.uspolo.org and major streaming platforms via pay-per-view. The final will also be available on multiple ESPN platforms, including ESPN2 in May.

U.S. Open Championship Final: Pilot vs. BTA

Sunday, 4 p.m., pre-game activities 2:30 p.m.

National Polo Center, 3667 120th Avenue South, Wellington

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Minus Cambiaso family, US Open finals will pit Pilot vs. BTA