CHANTILLY, France — The Open de France Féminin, the crown jewel of women’s polo, concluded at the historic Chantilly Polo Club with Team Samasphere making history as the first squad to carry the Haitian flag into the tournament.
Led by Haitian-American trailblazer Kitana St. Cyr, Samasphere battled through a fierce field of eight elite teams, ultimately falling 5–7 to Augustinus Bader in Sunday’s championship final. Though they came up just short of the title, the team’s runner-up finish marked a monumental achievement for Samasphere and its founder, Sandra Saint-Hilaire—the first Haitian-American to own a team in any Polo Open.
A Team Rooted in Legacy and Pride
Proudly sponsored by Haitian brands Kreyòl Essence and Bohio Brand, Team Samasphere embodies a blend of excellence and cultural pride. The roster included:
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Kitana St-Cyr 🇭🇹 — handicap 0
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Megan Kawohl 🇩🇪 — handicap 0
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Fatima Balzano 🇦🇷 — handicap 6
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Hope Arellano 🇺🇸 — handicap 10
From September 16 to 21, Samasphere delivered a string of dramatic performances. Their journey featured a 7–6 quarterfinal win over Rouge Absolu, followed by a 6–5 overtime thriller against BazarChic EN Polo, where Balzano and Arellano combined for six goals in the semifinal.
Kitana St. Cyr: Haiti’s Polo Pioneer
At the heart of Samasphere’s campaign was Kitana St. Cyr, the 29-year-old from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, who played in the crucial No. 3 position. Her defensive tenacity and seamless transitions helped propel the team to its historic final.
St. Cyr, one of the first Haitian women to compete at polo’s elite level, has long carried her culture as a source of strength. “Being Haitian is my superpower,” she declared earlier this year—a mantra reflected in her journey from learning to ride horses as a child to competing at one of polo’s most prestigious tournaments.
A Defining Moment for Women’s Polo
Though Samasphere fell short in the final, their performance was a breakthrough moment for both the team and the sport. Their run not only cemented their rising dominance but also signaled the arrival of new voices and cultures in the global polo conversation.
For St. Cyr, Saint-Hilaire, and their teammates, the runner-up finish is not the conclusion—it is a bold statement that Team Samasphere is here to stay and to continue redefining the landscape of women’s polo.
