The perfect summer afternoon embraced All Charity Day on Sunday, July 17th hosted by Newport Polo in support of 25 civic and charitable non-profit organizations and their missions with a 4-chukker match, a dog parade, and other afternoon activities. Excitement was an all time high with over 1500 spectators coming to support their favorite charities, most of whom were experiencing their first polo match. Over $34,000 was raised and the proceeds are still being tallied.
Spectators were in attendance in support of the Alzheimer’s Association, Aquidneck Island Robotics, Boys Town New England, Children’s Wishes, Community Art Collaborative, Community String Project, Greenlock Therapeutic Riding Center, John Clark Senior Living, John P Burke Fund, Junior League of Boston, Junior League of Rhode Island, Melville Parent Teacher Group, National Grace Foundation, NE Basecamp, Newport YMCA,Portsmouth Dog Park, Portsmouth Historical Society, Portsmouth Public Library, Rhode Island Federation of Garden Clubs, San Pancho Animales, Society of Women Engineers, VFW N. Kingstown, VFW Portsmouth, Visiting Nurse and Hospice, Westplace Animal Sanctuary, and the Women’s Resource Center.
Spectators enjoyed the Patio Bar throughout the afternoon as they served classics from Veuve Clicquot Champagne, Santa Margherita Wines, and Stella Artois. For those craving summer flavors, new cocktails from Goslings were in high demand. The Pro Shopwas bustling with action as newcomers clamored to purchase merchandise, sportswear, and gear to represent Newport Polo and the Newport International Polo Series.
At 5PM the match promptly began with the umpires, Minnie Keating and Oskar Monzon, leading the two teams onto the pitch for the coin toss. Following the coin toss, commentator Dan Keating announced the teams for the match. In white were the Hotshots with Sammi Leach at #1,Marguerite McGill at #2, Catie Reed at #3, and Roger Souto at #4. Wearing yellow were the Masters with Peter Jenkins at #1, Felipe Rojas at #2, Laurel Howe at #3, and Lucio Chavez at #4. Following the Star Spangled Banner and the announcing of each charity and their mission, the match began.
The match started at a quick pace with an early goal from Leach to push to the Hotshots into the lead. Minutes later Reed scored her first goal of the match deepening the lead for the Hotshots. The Masters, however, pushed back with a goal from Jenkins to round out the first chukker of the match. The second chukker was dominated by the Masters as Howe scored her first goal of the match followed by Chavez to bring the Masters to a lead at the end of the second chukker and to bring the score to 3-2.
Half time arrived quickly which meant the half time divot stomp to level out the field for the final two chukkers of the match. This also meant the annual Portsmouth Dog Park Dog Parade. Owners and their dogs started near the grandstands and made their way along the length of the the field while their furry friends paraded alongside them enjoying some time in the spotlight.
In the third chukker both teams fought hard to battle towards goal with another clean execution from Chavez followed by a retort from Reed. The fourth and final chukker was a dogfight as the Hotshots tried to regain their ground. Success came quickly in those last seven and hlaf minutes asReed scored her third goal off a Master’s penalty followed by a goal from Souto to bring victory to the Hotshots and a final score of 5-4.
After the match the Hotshots and the Masters made a lap around the field shaking hands with the players in the Newport Victory Salute, a favored tradition to celebrate the players. Following the salute, spectators enjoyed their night at the Patio Bar, shopped more at the Pro Shop, and watched the sunset in their chalet and tailgate spots rounding out a successful charity match.
Live audiences can enjoy the Newport International Polo Series polo matches every Saturday as they have for 31 years to witness the timeless sport unfold on the manicured, emerald green at Glen Farm, home of the Polo Series, in a classic exhibition of horsemanship and valor, with host, the Newport Polo Club, where the home team – Newport/USA – meets challengers each season from around the world as well as teams representing major US cities and regional rivals in one of Newport’s unique traditions and renowned attractions.
The Polo Series is scheduled to continue every Saturday through September, with 6 remaining international teams, 4 city challengers, a Pro-Am and more. The schedule of teams is subject to change without notice, as per RI State mandates and US travel bans which may impact travel and Adult Sports. Stay current with the 2022 team lineup & stats, latest news, events, and more by e-scription to the Gameday Briefing (sign up) and weekly eMagazine (sign up). Both subscriptions are private and spam-free.
The Polo Grounds’ favorable proximity to the shores of the island’s Sakonnet east passage provides reliably cool coastal effects, moderating afternoon temperatures and providing a dependable breeze for the late afternoon polo matches all summer. Minutes from the bustling Newport waterfront, the International Polo Grounds are located on the acreage of Glen Farm, 250 Linden Lane (off of Rte. 138) in Portsmouth, RI. This bucolic setting is the last 100 acres of a pre-colonial settlement from the 1600’s that became the Town of Portsmouth’s original gentlemen’s farm, an 800-acre manorial estate established during a Gilded Age movement of retreat from the high life into pastoral country acres, to become the future home of polo in the next century. Its classical 19th-century stone barns and its park-like grounds were rehabilitated by Polo Series founder, Dan Keating in the early 1990’s and continue to thrive as an equestrian & community recreational property, and home of the Polo Series.
The Newport International Polo Series is proud to roll out its 2022 sponsors including Brenton Hotel, BD, TD Bank, Turkish Airlines, Modern Luxury Boston, Herb Chambers Exotics, Vanderbilt International Properties, Hotel Viking, Santa Margherita Wines, Providence Diamond, Veuve Clicquot, Clarke Cooke House, Atria Senior Living, US Polo Association, Stella Artois, Goslings, ROCKSTAR Limo, and Classical 95.9 WCRI; and promotional partners including Newport Helicopter Tours, The Cocktail Guru, Newport Jaguar Tours, International Tennis Hall of Fame, Newport Mansions, Newport Classical, Island Surf and Sport, Newport Picnic Co., Northeast Equestrian Life, Newport Vineyards and Audrain Automobile Museum.
“Our sponsors have been with us since the beginning. Without their support, the Series would not be as extensive as it is,” explains Dan Keating, Polo Series founder.
This is the 31th season of the Newport International Polo Series, which has hosted teams from 36 nations including, Colombia, Ireland, Germany, Spain, England, Argentina, France, Egypt, India, Australia, Costa Rica, Ghana, Canada, Chile, Jamaica, Nigeria, Portugal, New Zealand, Barbados, Scotland, South Africa, Hungary, Dominican Republic, Netherlands, Kenya, Brazil, China, Italy, Mexico, Sweden, Singapore, Monaco, Morocco, Peru, Poland, Switzerland and Colombia.
Gilded Age Legacy. Polo is, without a doubt, the oldest ball game in the world today. First recorded in the 6th-century B.C. when the Turkomans beat the Persians in a diplomatic tournament, the alluring game caught on with equestrian royalty and cavalry, and took off with globalization, withstanding the tests of time. Arriving on Newport’s shores during the Gilded Age, the sport had evolved for nearly 2500 years, steeped in tradition, captivating newcomers like Newport’s summer sporting set who embraced the new pastime, establishing America’s first polo club in 1876. A charter member of the United States Polo Association, the club today is still a trailblazing model polo club, hosting the Newport International Polo Series public exhibition matches, supporting philanthropic causes, organizing tournaments, polo club member services, and polo instruction year-round. Experience the king of games in its American landing at Newport Polo.