Christopher Dawson is a polo player, business professional, and the owner of the Hawaii Polo Life (HPL) brand. Founded by Dawson in 2012, HPL brings together the essence of Hawaii and the spirit of polo. Dawson’s brand promotes the spirit of the horses, the outdoors, and the Hawaiian “aloha.”
Using his brand as a platform for young, talented athletes, Dawson has supported notable young polo players such as Mariano “Nano” Gracida, Tommy Collingwood and Jero del Carrilin at all levels of polo to 22-goal and above. Dawson has yet again put his support behind a women’s team for the 2020 U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship™. Supporting a women’s team for the first time in 2019, Dawson’s combined efforts with horsepower provided by J5 Equestrian, resulted in a win for Hawaii Polo Life in their debut year over Cabo Wabo 10-5. Coming together to defend their 2019 title, the 2020 Hawaii Polo Life team will be comprised of two returning players and two new teammates: Mia Cambiaso, Pamela Flanagan, Sierra Dunbar and Cande Fernandez Araju.
“Corporate sponsorships are hard to find in polo, especially in women’s polo,” Pamela Flanagan commented. “Hawaii Polo Life is unique in that it is a true and complete corporate sponsorship. Sometimes corporate sponsors support in smaller, yet still meaningful ways, by providing shirts or jeans for example. HPL is different, they are behind us 100%, and without HPL we wouldn’t have a team. I hope to see more corporate sponsors like HPL in the future.”
Hawaii Polo Life’s Mia Cambiaso prepares to make a shot during the 2019 U.S. Open Polo Championship™ Final. ©David Lominska
Women’s polo is the fastest growing segment of the sport in the United States. “For me it’s not all about the number of views or online hits my ambassadors get, it’s about who they are as people,” Dawson remarked. “It is about aligning my brand values with the individuals’ values. These players are not only talented, they are humble, intelligent and driven. They are role models, and they are exactly the kind of people I want representing my brand. Women’s polo is growing every day and I want Hawaii Polo Life to be a part of that movement.”
Dawson’s brand is more than just an apparel line, it is a platform for the polo athletes. The brand aims to reflect the polo lifestyle, but in a different way. “Polo is such a multifaced sport, I want to capture and expound upon the elements that drew me to the sport, and what drew these athletes to this sport,” Dawson said. “Our focus is to embody the spirit of the horses, the competition, the community, camaraderie, the elements I consider to be the core of polo.”
Hawaii Polo Life will compete in the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship™ beginning on Wednesday, March 11, and will be livestreamed exclusively on Global Polo TV. Please register at GlobalPolo.com for free access. Also, follow Hawaii Polo Life on Instagram at @HawaiiPoloLife or visit their website at www.HawaiiPoloLife.com.