Dallas photographer Rebecca Welter was understandably disappointed when her photos from Polo on the Lawn and Polo for the Planet were missing her photo credit. Rebecca is a good sport, and cheerfully submitted this photo, one of her favorites, and by george, it’s running with her credit this time! Photo definitely by Rebecca Welter
Club News: Everyone on the west coast is all atwitter when the news that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were scheduled to be in Santa Barbara July 9th for the Foundation Polo Challenge, a charity event benefitting The American Friends of the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry, and the Polo Training Center, Santa Barbara. It’s being billed as California’s ‘social event of the decade’, and tickets are, um, a bit pricey. It will also be a celeb-studded afternoon with celebrities including David Beckham, Oprah Winfrey and Sylvester Stallone in attendance.
In early June, Brookshire Polo League merged with Houston Polo Club, creating the largest playing membership in a single USPA club. As a part of that merger the Houston Polo Club will present the U.S. Women’s Open as a part of the 17th Annual Ladies Championship Tournament. Last held at Empire Polo Club in Indio, California in 1990, the Women’s Open will feature some of the world’s top women players competing at the 4-6 goal level. The tournament has been awarded to the Houston area after a 21-year hiatus, and will also be recognized as Houston’s sixth WCT Qualifier Tournament. The week’s events will kick off on November 6th with the 3-6 goal Cowgirl Cup, which serves as a “warm up” tournament to the US Women’s Open. Later in the week, in addition to the U.S. Women’s Open, the Brazos Cup (also a WCT Qualifier) will host teams at the 0-2 goal level, and the Farish Cup will offer 0-goal polo for those newer to the sport.
On June 5th, the annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic returned to Governors Island, with proceeds going to help rebuild Haiti. Movie star Hugh Jackman acted as Master of Ceremonies!
June 18th was a busy polo charity weekend as well, as Infiniti presented its annual Chukkers for Charity in Nashville at Riverview Farm, benefiting the Rochelle Center and Saddle Up! Toronto also hosted its annual Polo for Heart benefit, raising money for heart and stroke related research and charities. Prior to that, the Menlo Polo Club held its second annual USPA Ladies Tournament in Atherton, CA, with proceeds benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
USPA welcomes two new intercollegiate polo clubs, as Texas State University Polo and Brown University Polo Club join the ranks of college competition this year!
New York’s Polo at the Park is back! Country Farms Polo Club will host matches at the historic Bethpage State Park on Long Island every Sunday through October 15…..last year Gene Evans made a remarkable impression on the park crowd as his horse bucked him off and then ran across the golfing greens that surrounded the field. It was an entertaining Sunday afternoon, to be sure.
We hear the rumor that Sunny Hale and Randy Travis are doing some scheming on details of putting together a Western / Polo Triathlon in the near future. Sunny says one twist to the Sidelines template might be having the cowboys ante up to a charity for use of a western saddle!!
Condolences on the passing of Edgar Cato, father of Christine Cato of Brigadoon Polo in Aiken.
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