Filipina polo player Nicole Eusebio-Fulgencio may have come up just short of victory with the Global All Stars.
Still, her standout performance in Malaysia earned for herself the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award — a breakthrough the Philippine National Federation of Polo Players hopes will bring the sport closer to more Filipinos.
Representing the Philippines in the Global All Stars team during the June 27-28 SEA Games pre-test match at the Kuala Lumpur Polo Club, Eusebio-Fulgencio emerged as the best player on the field after leading a multinational squad composed of players from Australia, Pakistan, Singapore, and the Philippines.
The exhibition match, staged as a curtain-raiser for Malaysia’s women’s polo season, also served as a test event ahead of the 34th Southeast Asian Games, where organizers are exploring the inclusion of an all-women’s polo competition.
“It means everything,” said Eusebio-Fulgencio after receiving MVP honors.
“I started learning to ride when I was 8, and by 12 I was holding a mallet, never imagining I could go beyond Bulacan, Manila, and Batangas. And there I was playing on an international stage and being named MVP. But beyond the personal milestone, what matters most to me is putting Philippine women’s polo on the ASEAN map. If my game can show even one woman that she belongs in a male-dominated sport, then this win is so much bigger than me.”
Despite playing together for the first time and riding borrowed horses, the Global All Stars built a commanding early lead behind Eusebio-Fulgencio, who scored the opening goal before setting up another score.
Malaysia eventually rallied to snatch the match in the closing seconds after converting a penalty, but Eusebio-Fulgencio’s all-around display earned her the tournament’s top individual honor.
For PNFPP president Pedro Roxas II, the recognition validated the steady progress of Philippine polo, particularly its women’s program.
“What Nicole has done is show that not only is women’s polo relevant in the Philippines, but also at a competitive level,” Roxas said.
“Besides representing our country, winning the MVP award is an achievement we can all be proud of. To be able to shine without prior practice with the team and being on borrowed horses is extremely impressive.”
More importantly, he believes performances like Eusebio-Fulgencio’s can help reshape the public perception of a sport that has long been viewed as exclusive and inaccessible.
“The federation hopes that by showing that our athletes can be successful, it can attract more interest and help grow the sport that we all love,” he said. “Nicole has shown that we are competitive and can fight to be the best. Showing up on short notice, outside of the main polo season, and then being the best player on the field is incredible. It speaks to her talent and game sense.
“We have shown the other participating nations that the Philippines has the talent to take them all on.”
The federation also intends to capitalize on the momentum by creating more overseas opportunities for Filipino players.
“As a federation, one of our primary goals is to find and create new opportunities for our players to continue growing and be competitive against other nations,” Roxas said.
According to PNFPP secretary-general Camila Lastrilla-Curto, Eusebio-Fulgencio’s participation was part of the federation’s long-term effort to provide international exposure, particularly during the Philippine rainy season when domestic polo activity slows down.
“Malaysia is one of the strongest polo nations in Southeast Asia and will host the 2027 SEA Games, so competing there is strategically important for our national program,” Lastrilla-Curto explained.
She said the opportunity was made possible through the federation’s partnership with the Royal Malaysian Polo Association and the Kuala Lumpur Polo Club, with support from Agha Khan and Deborah Boittreau.
