Penny Hannon recently resurrected a 1956 Santa Barbara Polo Club program—a perfect snapshot of Carpinteria history inside and outside the polo field. Advertisements from local businesses fill the 32-page publication, along with images of polo and descriptions of the sport. Hannon’s copy is covered in signatures from the best players of the time.
Hannon’s life intersected with polo when she befriended the daughter of John Stringer, a professional player and regular at the club. Susan Stringer drove a yellow corvette to the area from Los Angeles, and would spend weekends with Hannon hanging around the polo club. The teens got into games for free (though they only cost 50 cents). A highlight of the scene, Hannon recalled, was being allowed to cool off the horses between chukkas (quarters).
To learn more about Carpinteria’s unique and interesting past, visit the Carpinteria Valley Museum of History, open Tuesday through Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. at 956 Maple Ave.