Continuing their impressive run of victories in multiple polo tournaments around the world so far in 2026, Standing Rock has retained its winning streak by claiming the 49th Milford New Zealand Polo Open in a close game that saw both teams fighting hard right to the end of the sixth and final chukka.
The Milford NZ Polo Open final is the social and sporting event of the summer, set in the picturesque Clevedon countryside at Auckland Polo Club. Featuring top class polo action, fashion and hospitality, all in front of a large, glamorous crowd, the NZ Open showcases the nation's best polo players and international professionals competing for one of NZ's oldest and most sought after polo trophies.
With the score even at 7-7 at halftime, it was anyone's game in the first half, and the intensity continued into the second half with the score at 10-10 going into fifth chukker. However, the Standing Rock team of Steve Urquhart, Pierandrea Müller, Jimbo Fewster and JP Clarkin turned the game around and dominated the fifth chukker, scoring 4 unanswered goals, before sealing the final result at 16 - 13 in their favour. Jimbo Fewster delivered a stand-out performance, scoring an extraordinary 12 goals to earn the Most Valuable Player title.
This momentous high-goal victory comes two years after Standing Rock won the low-goal New Zealand Open in 2024.
