Polo Scene

Tom Blake sings at the Polo for Life benefit at the Blake’s Pine Tree Farms.

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HEAD MUSIC TO THE EARS

Subhead Singers help raise money for childhood cancer

THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC has caused most everything to come to a screeching halt. But something that never stops is children needing life-saving treatment for cancer. Or parents fighting to make ends meet while making sure their children receive the required care. These things are challenging at any time, but the pandemic has made them even harder.

Like many non-profits, the pandemic has forced Polo for Life to look at new ways to raise funds as it remains steadfast in its commitment to help ease the financial burdens of families in South Florida struggling with a sick child.

The organization, founded by polo player Brandon Phillips, held a socially-distant musical event called Music Under the Stars, featuring musical performances by singer/songwriters Wynn Varble and Tom Blake at the Blake family’s Pine Tree Farms in Wellington, Florida. Over 120 people attended the event, enjoying food donated by Ford’s Garage and wines donated from Out East Wines, while listening to music and generously giving to help Polo for Live continue its mission.

Monies raised at the event enable Polo for Life to help support families of pediatric cancer patients meet their financial burdens and obligations. Since 2014, the organization’s marquis event, Polo for a Purpose, has raised over $1.8 million for the benefit of several local organizations, like Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation and Miami Cancer Institute, that provide financial assistance to families impacted by a pediatric cancer diagnosis, fund programs for patients and their families and support child life programs, which provide emotional and psychosocial support during and after treatment. Phillips is a cancer survivor himself.

“A large portion of Polo for Life’s donation will be allocated to Baptist Health Foundation’s COVID19 Emergency Relief Fund to immediately assist patients and their families,” said Miami Cancer Institute CEO Dr. Michael Zinner. “Their gift also will contribute to our state-of-the-art proton therapy program, which shows promise particularly in pediatric cancer patients.”

Most recently, Polo for Life reported it has directly helped five families by writing checks to cover one month of mortgage payments, seven months of rent payments, two car payments and a car insurance payment. But as you know, monthly bills never stop so neither does the organization.

To learn more about the organization or to make a donation, please go to the website at www.poloforlife.com.

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SWEET!

Fundraising opportunity offered by bakery

TICO’S FAMILY BAKERY in Glen Rock, Pennsylvania, is now offering an opportunity for intercollegiate and interscholastic teams to raise money for their clubs. The bakery makes Whoopie Pies, an oversized cake-like sandwich filled with fluffy crème. After ordering, customers can select the USPA interscholastic or intercollegiate club of their choice on the checkout page. The selected club will then receive 10 percent of the profit from the sale.

Tico’s Family Bakery was founded by Holly Holleran, the former coach of Skidmore College Polo Club and Virginia Polo, Inc. The whoopie pies are based on recipe’s from Holleran’s grandmother, dating back to the 1930s. Featured in New York Times, the whoopies are available in four packs or by the dozen in flavors including chocolate, peanut butter, pumpkin and red velvet. They are shipped nationwide via FedEx in decorative gift boxes with handwritten gift notes.

Taking advantage of the fundraising opportunity, Work to Ride’s interscholastic program has already raised muchneeded funds this year. The Tico’s 10% program is available year-round. Tico’s ships delicious, gourmet whoopie pies for any special occasion, including care packages at school, birthdays, holidays or as business gifts.

Interested interscholastic and intercollegiate teams can visit Tico’s website, ticoswhoopies.com or contact Holleran at 877-TICO-LUV (842-6588); or by email tico@ticoswhoopies.com for more information on the program.

The global pandemic has been difficult for some of the school programs. Some schools are not allowing club sports or organizations to be active. In these cases, polo programs have come to a screeching halt. Without polo being played, some clubs are not receiving student dues to support their programs and can use any help they can get. If you can, contact the school program of your choice to offer support, whether it is to donate equipment, supplies, feed or best of all, cash. Some schools have come up with creative ways to fund raise. Tico’s whoopies is another way to help out. So, you can order a sweet treat for yourself or for someone else and help an intercollegiate or interscholastic team at the same time. How sweet is that?

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LET THE GAMES BEGIN

Gauntlet kicks off this month

THE GAUNTLET OF POLO action gets started this month with nine teams competing for each of the three legs that make up the Gauntlet of Polo: the C.V. Whitney Cup, the USPA Gold Cup and the U.S. Open Polo Championship. The event features some of the best players in the world playing some of the best equine athletes in the world.

But first, the 2020 USPA Gold Cup, that was postponed as the semi-finals were set to begin due to COVID-19 last March, will be completed. Winner of last year’s C.V. Whitney Cup, Las Monjitas (Camilo Bautista, Mackenzie Weisz, Francisco Elizalde, Pelon Stirling) was on a roll last season, making it to the semi-finals of the Gold Cup. Unfortunately, last year’s team is unable to compete this year. Instead, Gracida Wine’s Carlitos Gracida, Juan Monteverde, Peco Polledo and Sterling Giannico, winners of last year’s $100,000 World Cup at Grand Champions Polo Club, will take it’s place, facing DRF (Costi Caset, Agustin Obregon, Jared Zenni, Tommy Collingwood). On the other side, La Indiana (Michael Bickford, Jeff Hall, Polito Pieres, Nico Escobar) will face defending champion Pilot (Curtis Pilot, Kristos Magrini, Facundo Pieres, Gonzalo Pieres Jr.).

Last year’s Gold Cup will be played from Feb. 10-14. Once that is finished, teams will focus on this year’s event. The C.V. Whitney Cup will be played from Feb. 17-Mar. 7; the USPA Gold Cup spans Mar. 10-28 and the U.S. Open Championship takes place from Mar. 31-April 18.

New this year, runners-up share in the $1 million prize money. The winners of the first two tournaments take home $100,000, while runners-up win $25,000. The winner of the U.S. Open takes home $200,000, while the runner-up takes home $50,000. Any team that wins all three events will receive a bonus $500,000 and be crowned Gauntlet Champion. USPA Global will make a $5,000 donation to the charity of choice of each finalist in the first two events. A $10,000 donation will be made to the charity of choice of each finalist of the U.S. Open.

The club is limiting spectators to members only, however games will be livestreamed on Global Polo TV. USPA playing members can watch for free. All others can purchase a subscription via globalpolo.com.

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SUPER HORSEWOMAN

Player recognized with award

POLO PLAYER and renowned horse trainer Judith Baker was recently recognized with the Sunny Hale Memorial Horsemanship trophy, a bronze trophy Eldorado Polo Club created to honor Hale, the highest-rated women’s player and a renowned breeder and trainer who lost her battle with breast cancer in 2017. The trophy recognizes women in polo that display great horsemanship skills, sportsmanship as well as special achievements in the sport.

This year, the club selected Judith Baker based on her multiple achievements this year. Most notably, a horse she trained, Silverada, was selected to be inducted into the USPA Hall of Fame Horses to Remember. Baker has dedicated much of her life to polo and continues to inspire people on and off the field. At 77, she is still an incredibly skillful player, playing high levels of women’s polo and big tournaments. The award was presented to Baker at the club at the end of the 2020 season. Unfortunately, due to the global pandemic, the presentation did not include spectators this season.

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