The Ambassadors’ Cup Invitational Polo Match presented by Celebrity Cruises, will be the inaugural event of the polo season at Morven Park on June 18.
Played on the Morven Park Polo Field, the match will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Chief of Protocol trophy, originally created by the U.S. State Department as a tool of international diplomacy.
The trophy was created in 1972 by Ambassador Marion Smoak, then Chief of Protocol of the United States. An avid polo player, Ambassador Smoak sought to create an opportunity for friendly international exchange, inviting teams from other nations. Over the ensuing years, it evolved into an exchange between Great Britain and the United States, attended by the diplomatic corps.
Players will compete on a grass field covering about 300 yards by 150 yards, with the chukkers (or playing periods) sponsored by 2022 Gold Sponsors Celebrity Cruises, AMJ Financial Wealth Management, Climatic Heating and Cooling, Lauten Design and Construction and Salesforce Inc.
Gates open at 10 a.m., with pre-show entertainment featuring the Loudoun Hunt Hounds, a trick riding performance by KJM Enterprises and carriage-driving demonstrations by the Piedmont Carriage Club and the USEF Developing Driving team. The match begins at 11 a.m.
Halftime will include the classic divot stomp, one of the oldest traditions in this Sport of Kings sponsored by Veuve Clicquot, and the awarding of prizes for Best Tailgate, the Snazzy Hat Award sponsored by Carter Braxton Properties, and the Dapper Dresser Award sponsored by Clegg Chiropractic.
“We are looking forward to welcoming the community to this inaugural event in beautiful Morven Park. It promises to be fun, fabulous and a new experience for many — I can’t wait to see who wins the best tailgate and fancy hat contest,” said Stacey Metcalfe, Morven Park’s executive director and CEO.
Ambassadors Cup car passes and tailgate passes are on sale now at PoloInThePark.org and at InsideNoVaTix.com.