Club news: Lesley Ann Masterton Fong Yee says that once again Jamaica will be blazing trails in women's polo. They hosted a Tri-Nation tour the third week of January in which women's teams from the USA (Karen Reese, Erica Gandomcar, Cecelia Cochran and Fiona Eagle) and the UK (Rosie Ross, Lucy Taylor, Diana Jack and Sophie Kyriazi) took on the Jamaica team (Lesley Fong-Yee, Rachel Turner, Michele Subaran, Nagina Newman and Anna Dougall). The girls toured the three main clubs around the island. Lesley admitted she was worried about the island-touring logistics, but it all worked out in the end.
Kris Bowman, the USPA National Club Development Director says that the USPA has received 80 applicants for Team USA. Time is now for selecting the 20 new Team USA members who will be invited to attend a three day intensive polo clinic and try-outs at IPC February 12 - 15th. Additionally, 6-8 kids will be selected to be mentored over the summer by top polo professionals such as Adam Snow, Owen Rinehart, Julio Arrellano, Tommy Biddle and many more. The remaining participants will be invited to attend other intensive polo clinics throughout the summer.
Catching up: Party animals Frank and Josephine D'Ameilo threw a great birthday party for Connie Francis at their home at the Palm Beach Polo and Country Club for over 60 guests. Frank Stallone and Kathleen attended along with members of the International Polo Club.
Polo player and POLO Ralph Lauren model Nacho Figueras was spotted on Oprah recently, and did a wonderful job of telling the world about the sport. He makes an excellent ambassador for us - and proved to be a good sport in more ways than one.
The sixth annual Hilton Head/Savannah Equestrian Exposition will be held Sunday, March 21 at Rose Hill Plantation. Since its inception six years ago over $150,000 has been raised for charity. The event features polo, barrel racing, jumping, fox hunting demonstration, dressage, carriage driving and flat racing. For further information on the event or for sponsorship and advertising opportunities, call 843.689.9669, 843.815.5400 or 912.925.3400.
Congratulations to Julian Hipwood, who will be inducted into the Polo Hall of Fame on Friday, February 12th; the posthumous inductee is Argentine player from the 1920s, Lewis Lacey, and posthumous Iglehart Award Winner for outstanding lifetime contributions to the sport of polo "Big Joe" Muldoon, living Iglehart award winner Dave Rizzo and Horses to Remember, Red Ace and Khaki. The 21st Annual Hall of Fame Awards Gala will be held at the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in Lake Worth, Florida. The festivities for the induction gala will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a Cocktail and Champagne Reception and Silent Auction. A seated dinner follows, capped off by the awards presentation and dancing afterward. The Master of Ceremonies for the induction awards presentation will be polo player and star of American's Most Wanted, John Walsh.
Congratulations to Mariano Aguerre and his magnificent Califa, named the 2009 Registered American Polo Pony of the Year. Mariano, his grooms and all the White Birch squad should be very proud of this award, and especially the mare that won it.
Dena Miller took us at our word when we sent out a desperate plea for news - she reported that yes, they did get a new doggie85. (something we always ask about, along with new wives, pickup trucks and babies). The adorable toy Maltese arrived in time for Christmas! "The kids take turns sleeping with him," Dena says. "Sparky's a rescue, and was a mess. Santa found him in the North Pole a few weeks before Christmas and dropped him in our back yard since elves were too busy making toys to care for him. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!"
Passing: The polo world lost a number of its stalwarts in December, among them Tom Oxley, who died in his home surrounded by his family on December 17 at the age of 65. Tom played arena polo, and on the grass for almost two years Tom, his brother, Jack and father, John were an unstoppable team at polo tournaments nationwide. Tom became the Voice of Polo at Royal Palm Polo, a position he held for thirty-five years
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