Pedro Orellano

San Diego Polo Club Visits Desert Polo Clubs

San Diego Polo Club Players and Members headed out to Indio, California for a weekend of polo, socializing and fun!

Some of us kicked off the weekend stick and balling on Friday evening at Eldorado Polo Club with Kyle Fargey.  The rest of us headed out on Saturday morning to participate in a group lesson with Erik Wright of Wrightway Polo.

Ken Vallens

Jessica Summer & Joan Burton

After a couple chukkers at Empire Polo Club, we headed over to the Cantina at Eldorado Polo Club for lunch.  We enjoyed a professional polo match from the patio of the Cantina… wow, what a view!

To end the day, we celebrated at Empire Polo Club‘s Blue and White Argentine themed party.  Guests were encouraged to dress in the country’s colors.  Fire pits kept us warm as we watch the Argies cook up the traditional asado meal.  We ran into San Diego players Miguel Guiterrez, Mariano Gutierrez, Rick and Robin Paicius, Graham Bray, Jesse Bray, Nourdean Anakar, Colleen Wilson, Ellen Greenhill, Kimo Huddleston and his family, Billy Ramos, the Brumby Family, and Erik Wright and his family.  San Diego members danced the night away!

Colleen Wilson, Madeline Gere, Nourdean Anakar, Heather Chronert, Lindsey Chronert

Mercedes Mafara & Holly McGlinn

Lindsey Chronert & Mercedes Mafara

Sonya Berg

Madeline Gere & Darlene Leivonen

Jessica Summer, Amy Irving, Brenda Phillips, Holly McGlinn, Linda Drabova, Angessa Hughmanick

Linda Drabova, Jessica Summer & Angessa Hughmanick

Amy Irving, Holly McGlinn, Mercedes Mafara

Debbie Bray, Graham Bray, Colleen Wilson

Sunday morning we met at Eldorado Polo Club and had a fantastic lesson with Kyle Fargey.  We were split into teams and played a few coached chukkers.

Linda Drabova, Amir Mojaver, Amy Irving

Holly McGlinn

Calvin Dalton, Holly McGlinn, Linda Drabova, Paul Morriseau, Amy Irving, Mercedes Mafara, Amir Mojaver

We finished off the day with lunch and Sunday Polo!

Angessa Hughmanick & Calvin Dalton

Jesse Bray, Alvaro Tadeo, Mariano Fassetta, Ron Bonaguidi (Hanalei Bay from San Diego!)

Photos Courtesy of Jim Bremner, Amy Irving & Lacey Winterton.

San Diego Polo Hits the Desert for Opening Weekend- Are you IN?

Alright, San Diegans, you have waited long enough.  We have teamed up with the Eldorado Polo Club and Empire Polo Club to bring you a fabulous Opening Weekend in the desert!  Mark your calendars for January 6-8 and find out more details below.

Surrounded by snow-capped mountains and lush green fields, the Indio, CA is a perfect winter polo destination.  The best part is, you’ll know these guys!  A lot of our members truck their horses and teams out to Indio for the season to participate in matches, and come back in late spring to play in San Diego.

If you are interested in participating in lessons, please see the lessons and prices marked in red and contact Lindsey for more details.

Here are the weekend details:

When:  Opening Weekend- January 6-8, 2012
Where: Indio, CA.  Empire Polo Club & Eldorado Polo Club
Everyone is responsible for his or her own transportation and hotel reservations.

FRIDAY, January 6, 2012- arrival in late afternoon/evening

• Check into Preferred Hotel- Indian Palms Resort; SDPC and EPC has a special rate of $119/night (2 night min, no cancellation) or $149/night (2 night min, 7 day cancellation).
• Other Hotel Options: Embassy Suites $119/night or La Quinta Resort $170/night- use EPC code.

SATURDAY, January 7, 2012

• 10am- 12pmMorning Intermediate Polo Lesson from Kimo and Erik Wright from Wrightway Polo at Empire Polo Club- $125 (arrive 15 minutes early)
• 1:00pm Lunch at The Cantina at Eldorado Polo Club (Polo Match starts at 12 & we are able to sit on the patio and watch- see above photo).
• 6:30-11:30pm -Blue & White Argentine themed Party at Empire Polo Club (dressy casual); dinner and draft beer included, cash bar; must RSVP to Lindsey@SanDiegoPolo.com by January 1, 2012 – $15 for non-players

SUNDAY, January 8, 2012

• 10am Lesson from Kyle Fargey at Eldorado Polo Club- $95
• 12:00pm Sunday Polo Match at Eldorado Polo Club (drinks and buffet lunch available for purchase)
• 2:00pm Sunday Polo Match at Empire Polo Club & Hat Day  (drinks and casual lunch available for purchase)

Depart Sunday evening or Monday morning.

If you are interested in “Stick & Balling” or using Eldorado Polo Club’s Hitting Cage, it is $125/hour for an individual or $85/hour with group.

More information about Opening Weekend Events at Empire Polo Club, click here.

RSVP to Lindsey at events@sandiegopolo.com by January 1, 2012.

Good Advice

The San Diego Polo Club Property Update

After 25 years of Polo in the San Dieguito Valley, the City of San Diego has decided to put out a request for proposal to all interested groups for the next lease on the Polo Club grounds. Unfortunately, this could be a challenge for us to keep the polo property as an equestrian facility.

The good news is that we will have a 2012 Season.

Your support is needed. Please email us for more information: events@sandiegopolo.com

Dia del Sol Benefits United Cerebral Palsy

Colleen Clayton, Andrene Dziubinski, Francine Miley

The women from The Beach and Country Guild really know how to throw a fundraiser!  Based in Rancho Santa Fe, the Beach and Country Guild has over 100 dynamic women who work hard to support our community through various charity events, including the annual Dia del Sol to benefit United Cerebral Palsy (UCP).  They have raised over $2 million in the past 11 years alone!

The event was held right in our backyard at the Grand Del Mar Resort, the only 5 star hotel in Del Mar.  Guests checked in and perused the silent auction tables.  Among the tables were gift certificates to Nothing Bundt Cakes and Dolce in the food and wine section, catered dinners and playhouse tickets in the dining and entertainment, spa packages in health and beauty, birdhouses in the home and garden, a Bret Boone signed baseball in the sports and entertainment, and fun items for pets and kids.

A special table set up for the Fund-A-Toy Program displayed interactive and colorful toys for the children of UCP.  There is a toy library right here in San Diego, which allows the children of UCP to rent out a learning toy to the family for 2 weeks.  ”This allows each child to work on visual, hearing, physical and cognitive abilities.  Plus, all kids love a new toy every few weeks,” says UCP representative Mary Krieger.  Guests could spend as little as $25 and purchase a toy for the UCP Library, an easy option for anyone.

Style booths included Links of London, Kate Spade, Karen Miller, Nicole Miller, Jo Malone, Goga by Gordana.  A percentage of items purchased went to UCP.

Next up was the UCP Childrens Fashion Show sponsored by Nordstrom, Fashion Valley.  The kids rocked the stage!

Guest speaker, Jessica Smith, got on stage and spoke to the audience about what it is like to have cerebral palsy.  ”You can’t help the body you’re born in, but you have your mind, soul and spirit.  Those are the things that matter,” Jessica said.  Jessica had both hips removed and participated in the fashion show in previous years.  After having a shoulder surgery, she was diagnosed with leukemia.  That afternoon, she shared she has been in remission for 2 years!  After hearing her moving words, the audience stood and clapped at the inspiring woman she has become.  Although Jessica was born with CP, she hasn’t let it control her life.  She leads a more inspiring and accomplished life than many of us.

A live auction of a few big ticket items came after Jessica’s speech.  Trips to Napa Valley, Golf & Spa Getaway, Luxury Retreat it Baja, 7-night Mediterranean Cruise on an exclusive yacht, and Dinner for 6 Prepared by the RSF Fightfighters, a crowd favorite!

The Beach and Country Guild finished up the event with a fashion show, highlighting Lilly Pulitzer, Hugo Boss, Kate Spade, Nicole Miller, and GOGA by Gordana.  To really top it off, the male models poured champagne on their last walk down the runway.  The women loved it!

Gordana, her husband, guest and Mary Ellen Wengler

Melissa Brewster, Sophia Alasdek, Kim Smart

Real Living’s Dixie Courtney and Susan Williams.

On behalf of the San Diego Polo Club, we want to say thank you to the Beach and Country Guild and all those who help to make Dia Del Sol successful every year!

All photos by Siegel Thurston Photography.

5 Reasons to Attend a Polo Match in San Diego

Some people like to describe the game of polo as hockey on horseback. No ice of course, but this is a rough and tumble sport where the crashes between competing players are every bit as fierce as those between skaters chasing a hockey puck. Yet polo has the added dimensions of elegance and beauty, found as polo ponies of every hue make quick work of an area nearly nine times larger than a football field. Watching these powerful animals—and the players aren’t bad, either—while sitting in the California sunshine is just one reason to attend a San Diego polo match.



Take Part in Tradition 


It is rather amazing that a sport originating in Persia, now called Iran, is here in San Diego. First played in the 5th century BC, polo has found a welcoming home in this major southern California city. The agreeable weather offers a playing season that lasts from early May until the end of October. Even if you choose not to play, you can still take part in the game. The horses’ hooves and the mallets take a toll on the polo field. It is traditional for spectators to take part in the “divot stomp” at half-time. This involves walking the field and stomping down the loose pieces of turf back in their holes. The San Diego Polo Club has personalized this tradition by pairing it with Korbel California Champagne.

The Wardrobe – See and Be Seen

The Kentucky Derby has its southern belle charm and England’s Royal Ascot is a parade of hats and upscale attire. Attending a polo match in San Diego means a trip to the local shops in Del Mar or La Jolla to find a light and airy, yet fashionable, new outfit. Some luxury San Diego apartments have shops and services on their ground floors, which are always a great idea when looking for proper polo attire, as some of the best outfits are from small, hole-in-the-wall boutiques. However, ditch the high heels; they’ll only get stuck in the grass. Bring sunscreen, sun hats and a pair of designer sunglasses. For men, jeans and khaki pants are cool, comfortable and classy when paired with polo shirts and a lightweight blazer. It pays to look your best while walking the field, champagne glass in hand, as you efficiently stomp down those divots. All that California sunshine could have you thinking about moving to closer to the San Diego Polo Club, so be sure to meet one of the local apartment brokers during the divot stomp and find out what apartments are available in San Diego.

For the Love of the Horse


People who love horses just can’t get enough of them. Going to watch polo in San Diego is one way to see these athletic creatures in action. Most of the polo ponies in San Diego are thoroughbreds or quarter horses and privately owned. That means these horses are tall, long-legged beauties built for speed. To prevent injury from an errant mallet swing or speeding ball, the owner will wrap the horses’ legs in protective padding. The horses are the heart of the game and they are well cared for and cherished accordingly.



Contribute to Charity

A typical San Diego Polo season allows fans the chance to take part in a number of special events. One example is the Father’s Day “Cigars & Cars” celebration that highlights two of dad’s favorite pleasures. Other special events include the annual White Party, where guests are encouraged to wear the traditional polo color before Labor Day and a biplane fly-in showing off antique planes. The planes arrive the Saturday before the match and leave late Sunday, allotting airplane enthusiasts plenty of time to get a good look. A portion of the proceeds from these and other events goes toward a number of charities. Among them are TERI, TROTT, WILDCOAST, San Diego Opera, and San Diego Symphony. Also on the charity list is Saving Horses, out of Alpine, California. This group helps rescue abandoned and abused horses.

Family Fun


Kids are welcome at polo matches, even those who may not be all that fond of horses. While the big draw is the game, the San Diego Polo Club also sets up a special children’s area complete with a bouncy castle, face-painting artists and special booths selling snow cones. Relax on blankets or lawn chairs, maybe even play a game of catch before the game starts—far away from the field, of course. Musicians add atmosphere and concession stands offer tasty treats. It’s not surprising that many visitors to the area do an impromptu San Diego apartment search after finding such a family-friendly venue. Bring lots of sunscreen and enjoy a fun-filled Sunday at the polo match. But remember: If you just can’t stand the thought of leaving San Diego, keep your eyes and ears open; one of the local apartment brokers could be sitting on the next picnic blanket over.

This guest post article was written and provided by Martha Keagan who is a freelance writer, full time mother and part time real estate and San Diego apartments broker.

Eat it up.

What are your thoughts?  Consumerism in it’s literal context.

Happy Anniversary, Riviera Modern Luxury!

Neon pink lights, 2 shiny Ferraris and Riviera Magazine hostesses greeted the guests at 7th Anniversary of Riviera Magazine, one of the SD Polo Club‘s favorite media partners!  Held at the Museum of Contemporary Art in charming Little Italy, 2 of the exhibit rooms were open for the guests to peruse.  The main attraction was a vibrant room with animated floral art projected on the walls, created by Jennifer Steinkamp.

Riviera had a DJ spinning electic jams, 3 food stations to reflect the trio of local chefs that make up Campine Catering, and a full bar specializing in craft cocktails.

Neiman Marcus stole the show with a twist on the typical fashion show.  Models showed off the new fall fashions on glowing cubes, slowing circulating all of the season favorites.  We saw a lot of purple and deep red, furs, colored tights, blocked patterns, animal and paisley prints, plus sequins and shine!

Snake Oil Cocktail Company served up an array of elixers, from the sweet, celebratory “Birthday Cake” made with Pink Pigeon Rum, sweet cream and fruit to the refreshing cucumber, gin and ginger cocktail.  Snake Oil is a San Diego based company.  We had the pleasure of meeting the owners at a small farm located just behind the Polo Club.

Campine Catering hosted three food stations spotlighting each chef: Brian Malarky of Burlap and Searsucker, Anthony Splurgin formerly of Waters Catering, and Antonio Friscia of Stingaree.  WOW!  We can’t wait to attend more events with the Campine trio.

Publisher, Jessica Cline, and Marketing Manager, Stefanie Leatherman were gracious hosts.  Big thank you to Riviera Magazine!  The San Diego Polo Club had a fantastic time!

Photos from Campine Catering, Snake Oil Cocktail Co., TheMediaBuyLine.com, & San Diego Polo Club

Southwest High School Comes to SD Polo!

Last Friday, we entertained about 20 ASB students from Southwest High School.  We took a tour of the polo property, learned how to care for a horse, explained the rules and the history of polo, and then let the kids try it out for themselves!

Each student sat on Cilantro, one of our sweet school horses.  Being so close to a horse and sitting on one was a first for many!

Next, we played with some foot mallets and Kimo, one of our Polo School instructors, helped the kids learn to hit the ball.

We finished up their visit with the Spreckels Cup semi-finals, autographs from the players and lunch!  We had such a fun time with the ASB students!  Thanks for coming out!