Will Tankard, of Aiken, is in Chile as a member of the United States national polo team that will begin play Wednesday in the 10th Federation of International Polo World Polo Championship.
The squad is known as Team USPA, and it was put together by the United States Polo Association.
The competition, which started Tuesday in Santiago, has a field of six teams that were divided by random draw into two brackets. Chile, Pakistan and England are in Zone A, and the United States, Argentina and Brazil are in Zone B.
The United States will face Chile Wednesday and will take on Brazil on Thursday.
Under the tournament's format, each team is playing the other two squads in its bracket during the first round. The two teams in each bracket with the best records will advance to Saturday's single elimination semifinal round. The final is scheduled for Sunday.
Tankard, who has a 3-goal handicap, is one of Team USPA's seven members. All are under the age of 30. Tankard is 29.
"We have a strong bracket with Argentina and Brazil, but to be honest, all of the teams are going to be tough," Tankard said. "It is the World Cup. It would reduce the experience if we played anyone that wasn't competitive."
The World Polo Championship began in 1997 and is held every three or four years.