International and Local Polo Players Kick Off 2014 Season with Opening Day at the San Diego Polo Club

Opening Day at the San Diego Polo Club reached a record breaking 3,200 attendees on Sunday, June 1, 2014. Polo fans and San Diego socialites flocked to Rancho Santa Fe for two thrilling polo matches, a fashion show, live DJ and plenty of people watching.

 

Land Rover of San Diego brought in a fleet of gorgeous 2014 Range Rover Evoques and Range Rover Sports, which was the main focal point during the fashion show & presenting ceremonies.

The well-dressed attendees enjoyed mingling in the Polo Pavilion presented by Riviera Magazine, watching the match from the VIP tent, toasting champagne glasses in the garden section and bumping into friends in the general admission area.

We had a few craft cocktails on draft, including a strawberry rhubarb Woodford Reserve julep and Herradura Tequila Flor de Paloma, two of our favorites. Guests also enjoyed an assortment of spirits, local craft beer, hand selected wines, and of course, champagne!

Our Sunday Polo Kitchen is presented by The Wild Thyme Company, offered plates to share (their cheese plate is delicious) or more traditional sandwiches, salads (another favorite is the beet caprese salad) and daily specials.

Their food is both classic and trendsetting while maintaining the highest standards of culinary excellence with an emphasis on seasonal options. The full menu can be seen online here.

Land Rover of San Diego’s Sales Guide, Matt Deep threw in the ceremonial first ball to kick off the 7-goal polo match. Team Rancho Santa Fe battled it out against team Del Mar.

Mia Bray (subbing for Colton Bancroft), Kimo Huddleston (subbing for Ashton Wolf), Graham Bray and Mike Manno made up team Rancho Santa Fe (6-goal team). New to SDPC, Emma Stachowitz, Jennifer Alexy, and John Eicher joined resident player Diego Cossio to make up team Del Mar (7-goal team). Because team Rancho Santa Fe is 1-goal lower than team Del Mar, a point is put on the board in favor or the lesser team.

Things started off slowly in the first half with two points for each team. Both Kimo Huddleston and Mia Bray scored for Rancho Santa Fe. John Eicher and Diego Cossio scored for Del Mar. Mia Bray and Graham Bray both scored  in the second half, pushing their team into the lead. Jennifer Alexy scored one in the 4th chukker and Diego Cossio scored two more in the 5th and 6th chukkers. Although each team scored the same amount of points, Team Rancho Santa Fe was crowned victorious due to the lesser handicap.

 

During intermission, Raina Leon Style & Design presented the 2014 Opening Day Fashion show, featuring local boutique, Van de Vort. Sunglasses were provided by another locally owned brand, RAEN. Men’s fashion was sponsored by J.Hillborn.

 

After the fashion show, the feature match began with the parade of teams led by Matt and Patrick of Land Rover San Diego. Nationally acclaimed and Grammy Nominated Songtress, Sacha Boutros sang our National Anthem.

Sacha impressed the crowd with her amazing vocals.

Riviera Magazine’s partners threw in the first ball to kick off the 3pm match.

The 3pm match was between sponsors Woodford Reserve and Herradura Tequila. Ellen Greenhill, David Samaniego, Christopher Collins Jr, and SDPC president, Chris Collins made up team Woodford Reserve. Ramon Richard, Roberto Estudillo, Diego Velarde and Topo Mendez made up team Herradura Tequila.

The first chukker started off hot with 3 goals on the board for Woodford Reserve, scored by David Samaniego (2) and Christopher Collins Jr (1). Both Ramon Richard and Diego Velarde scored for team Herradura. Christopher Collins Jr. kept up the momentum by scoring an additional two in the second chukker. Topo Mendez scored 1 for his team. By the 3rd chukker, the score was 6 to 4 in favor of Woodford Reserve.

During half time, guests were encouraged to step onto the grass for the traditional champagne divot stomp presented by Korbel California Champagne.

Flutes of Korbel Brut Champagne and Korbel Rose Champagne were served from the backs of four beautiful Land Rover Evoques by our Van de Vort models.

Team Herradura Tequila increased their defensive strategy and didn’t allow team Woodford Reserve to score any in the 4th chukker, while Diego Velarde put one through the goal posts. In fact, their defense was so effective, team Woodford Reserve was not able to score for the remainder of the game. Team Herradura Tequila kept posession of the ball. Ramon Richard scored another goal and Diego Velarde scored two more for his team. Diego Velarde had the most goals on the afternoon: 5. Team Herradura Tequila beat Woodford Reserve 8 to 6.

Publisher of Riviera Magazine, Jessica Cline, joins winning team Herradura Tequila on the trophy deck to present trophies.

Sponsor, Armando Flores of Charco Design & Build poses with team Herradura Tequila before giving away an authentic Woodford Reserve polo jersey to a lucky fan.

 

With a San Diego’s beautiful people, it’s no wonder Opening Day at the San Diego Polo Club is such a fashionable affair.

DJ Here kept the party going by spinning beats until dusk.

Although we celebrated Opening Day at the San Diego Polo Club on June 1, the fun doesn’t stop. Join us every Sunday until the end of September for action-packed polo and family-friendly fun! See the schedule for more details.

Opening Day Sets the Pace for 2013 Polo Season

Sunday, June 9th marked the 27th Opening Day and 107th season of Polo in San Diego.  With record breaking attendance over 2700, guests enjoyed the day with two exciting polo matches, great food, champagne and craft cocktails, and live music.

Season sponsor, Land Rover of San Diego and Porsche of San Diego added to the lavish luxury of the afternoon by displaying brand new vehicles for guests to enjoy.  Both owners, Jason Puga and Joe Allis, enjoyed the afternoon with guests.

RIVIERA magazine, official media sponsor of Opening Day, hosted a private party in the North Pavilion and they decked out their space with Pow Wow Vintage furnishings and décor.

Best Beverage Catering Company stepped it up a notch with 2 “Craft on Draft” cocktails and a range of spirits made with fresh fruit and herbs.  In addition, guests were presented with samplers of Korbel’s California Champagne during the infamous Pretty Woman Divot Stomp.

The action started at 1pm with a close match between Twin Palms/San Fernando versus Hanalei Bay/San Judas.  Our charity partner, Dress for Success San Diego’s Executive Director Sylvia McKinney  threw in the first ball.  Mariano Fassetta was the high scorer with 4 goals, and led Hanalei Bay/San Judas to victory.  Mayor of Del Mar, Terry Sinnott presented trophies to the winners.

Next up was the Max Mara Fashion Show presented by RIVIERA magazine.   MaxMara 2013 Collections embodied tailored sophistication re-interpreted with tasteful elegance that epitomizes modern femininity to the fullest.

The Feature Match began with an elegant Parade of Teams led by two stunning, white luxury vehicles, the Range Rover Sport and Porsche Cayenne.  Craig Johnson sang a wonderful rendition of the National Anthem, and RIVIERA magazine’s Hernholm Group threw in the first ball.  Sycamore/Monteverde took on Star Meadow/Adeptus and the game was a close one!  All tied up in the 5^th chukker, Colton Bancroft of Star Meadow/Adeptus put in the winning goal in the 6^th chukker.  Publisher of RIVIERA magazine, Jessica Cline presented trophies to both teams, and Adeptus Nutrition’s Colleen Wilson won Best Playing Pony for her polo pony, Leo.

DJ Beatnick rocked the 7^th Chukker After Party and Uber of San Diego made sure we all got a safe ride home!

Thanks to all of our sponsors, players, fans, employees and supporters!

Willis Allen Memorial Cup Finals

The Willis Allen Memorial Cup Final this past weekend, Sunday August 26, was a heart-felt and reverential way to honor the club’s “Founding Father,” Willis Allen.  The San Diego Polo Club also hosted special guests from Ivy Leagues across the nation in an Alumni appreciation day.  Schools in attendance included Harvard, MIT, Georgetown, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Brown, Cornell, Princeton, Oxford, Yale, and Cambridge.

The club’s luxury car sponsor, Land Rover of San Diego, was also present Sunday and was featured in the Polo Pavilion showcasing four of their most coveted models including the timeless Range Rover, Land Rover LR4, Range Rover Sport, and the new 2012 Evoque.  During the divot stomp, polo enthusiasts were treated to first class service while being served Korbel’s Sweet Cuvee champagne from the tailgate of the 2012 full Range Rover.

At intermission, SDPC was elated to have Rebecca Ridgon and her boyfriend David Blake who performed an enthralling and captivating dressage demonstration.  The United States Dressage Federation has recognized Ridgon’s excellence as a rider on numerous occasions making her the USDF bronze, silver, and gold medalist recipient.  In addition, Ridgon trains and campaigns her horses for the Grand Prix.  Blake has also been recognized by the USDF receiving the bronze, silver, and gold medals on a horse he trained himself.  Ridgon and Blake had the entire polo venue spellbound with their astounding horsemanship and meticulous performance that sent shivers down the spines of onlookers.

Musical talents this past Sunday included the Bill Magee Blues Band and national anthem singer Briana Robell.  Robell is the 2012 Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of San Diego as well as the inductee into the national Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society.

Starting off the day were the teams of San Fernando and West Coast Aero Space who took to the field for the three-goal match.  Scoring the first goal of the day was the San Diego Polo School’s very own Amir Mojaver.  By the end of the first chukker, San Fernando had the lead, 4:2.

In the second chukker, Kimo Huddleston proved himself to be the MVP of team West Coast Aero Space as he scored three consecutive goals.  In fact, Huddleston was responsible for all five goals for team West Coast Aero Space wrapping up the second chukker at San Fernando 6, West Coast Aero Space 5.

The third chukker was a gripping one as both teams fought to prevent the other from scoring.  In an impressive demonstration of teamwork and athleticism, San Fernando and West Coast Aero Space proved they were forces to be reckoned with.  In the end, team San Fernando persevered scoring one goal by Roberto Estudillo.

The fourth chukker began with a goal by Kimo Huddleston of West Coast followed by a goal by Diego Velarde of team San Fernando.  While Huddleston scored all seven of the goals for his team it was ultimately San Fernando that took the win-8: 7.  Enraptured by their win, team San Fernando tipped their helmets to the audience and road by the VIP tent in a victory lap, elating the crowd.

We had a surprise guest this weekend, Mr. Memo Gracida, one of the best polo players of our time, graced the fields on Sunday at the San Diego Polo Club.  Gracida has won 16 U.S. Opens, more than any other player in history.  He held a 10-goal handicap for 21 years, has won every important tournament, and is the Polo Hall of Fame.  It was quite an honor to have Memo Gracida throw in the first ball of the Willis Allen Memorial Finals.

The second match of the day featured the 10-goal teams of Trinity and Twin Palms/Starmeadow.  Chris Maloney, of team Twin Palms/Starmeadow, scored the first goal.  Maloney’s goal was quickly answered by team Trinity who went on to score three consecutive goals with the help of Rick Paicius and Tim Rudy.  In the second chukker, both teams scored three goals apiece making the score Trinity 6, Starmeadow 4.

While the score remained neck-in-neck throughout the third chukker, Twin Palms/Starmeadow took advantage of the fourth chukker to pull themselves into the lead.  Demonstrating excellent defense tactics, Twin Palms prevented Trinity from scoring the entire fourth chukker while scoring three goals for themselves.  At the end of the fourth chukker, Trinity had eight points while Twin Palms had 10.

The sixth chukker proved to be the most riveting of the day leaving the crowd on the edge of their seats.  Arthur Cameron and Mariano Gutierrez of team Trinity scored two goals for their team pulling Trinity in the lead 12:11.  With 28 seconds remaining in the match, Gaston VonWernich scored a goal for Twin Palms/Starmeadow tying up the score at 12 points.  Adding to the excitement, a foul was called on VonWernich’s play and neither umpire (Mike Kerley or Kimo Huddleston) could come to an agreement.   The dispute between umpires led them to usher in the “third man” for a verdict.   In the end, VonWernich’s goal was taken away from team Twin Palms giving team Trinity the win in an engrossing match of polo- Trinity: 12, Twin Palms: 11.

Join us this Sunday, September 2, for our annual White Party! SDPC will also feature season sponsor, Hoehn Jaguar complete with an all white fleet of luxury vehicles.  Also, look forward to our elegant fashion show that will both emphasize and encompass this season’s new trends and inspirations.

Woodford Reserve Polo Classic

      

       This last Sunday, July 15^th marked the celebration of the Woodford Reserve Polo Classic.  Woodford Reserve hosted VIP members and guests in the Polo Lounge treating guests to an assortment of tantalizing specialty Woodford cocktails.  The lounge was adorned to reflect the brand’s signature colors of rich browns and glowing oranges and was complete with lounge furniture so that VIP guests could watch the action-packed polo matches in the epitome of comfort.

      In addition, the San Diego Polo Club and Woodford Reserve teamed up with the Del Mar Race Track.  The Club gave away tickets for Opening Day at the races to anyone who purchased a Woodford crafted beverage.  Woodford Reserve also offered tastings to Sunday’s polo enthusiasts including drinks by the names of Spreckles and Hair of the Horse, names that embody the polo spirit.

      Land Rover of San Diego, another sponsor of the 2012 San Diego Polo Season, was also featured last Sunday.  The Range Rover that was on display emanated both polo luxury and comfort and epitomized the ultimate car to tail-gate in on Polo Sundays.

      Intermission between polo matches featured the engaging Ballistic Racers Flyball Team.  Flyball is a captivating competition involving two teams of dogs that participate in a relay race involving agility, collaboration, and astounding training.  This is truly a sight to be seen. 

      Polo Sunday kicked off with a match at 1PM featuring the teams of Starmeadow/Adeptus and San Judas/La Pasion.  In chukker one, Diego Cossio of San Judas/La Pasion was first to score. By the end of the first chukker, San Judas/La Pasion was in the lead with three points to Starmeadow/Adeptus’ one point scored by Colton Bancroft.

In the second chukker, Joseph Stuart brought Starmeadow/Adeptus back with a goal.  In the third chukker, the women on the field took charge with both teams scoring a goal a piece-Colleen Wilson for Starmeadow/Adeptus and Tracee Brunetti for San Judas/ La Pasion.

San Judas/La Pasion took the opportunity to pull ahead in the fourth and fifth chukkers with two goals scored by Tracee Brunetti and one by Gaston Von Wernich.  In the fifth chukker, Graham Bray scored a goal for Starmeadow/Adeptus.

Going into the sixth and final chukker, Starmeadow/Adeptus had four points while San Judas/La Pasion was in the lead with eight points. While Diego Cossio of San Judas/La Pasion scored a goal in the last chukker, Starmeadow/Adeptus fought to the very end scoring three goals between Joseph Stuart and Graham Bray.  The sixth chukker proved to be an exciting conclusion to this action-packed match with San Judas/La Pasion taking the win with nine points to Starmeadow/Adeptus’ seven points.

      In the second polo match of the day, the teams of Hanalei Bay and Woodford Reserve took to the field in a fierce competition of skill and riding.  In the first chukker, Mike Kerly of team Woodford was the first to score.  Mariano Fassetta, of Hanalei Bay, came back to score two goals while Mariano Guteriez of Woodford tied up the first chukker-Hanalei Bay 2: Woodford 2.

The second and third chukkers were met with equal talent on behalf of both teams. Between the two chukkers, Mariano Fassetta and Ron Bonaguidi scored one goal each for Hanalei Bay, two points that were matched by Mariano Guteriez of Woodford Reserve.   By the end of the third chukker, Hanalei Bay was in the lead with 5:4.

The match between Hanalei Bay and Woodford Reserve took a turn in the fourth chukker as team Woodford sprang ahead scoring four goals.  Woodford Reserve player Ellen Greenhill scored two goals during the fourth chukker, followed by fellow teammates Bryon Ward and Mike Kerley.

In the fifth chukker, Hanalei Bay’s Mariano Fassetta answered Woodford’s lead by single-handedly scoring three goals for Hanalei Bay bringing them back into the game.  The fifth chukker came to a gripping conclusion with both teams tied at eight points.

The sixth chukker proved to be the most momentous as both teams exemplified skilled horsemanship and teamwork.  The match began with a goal for Hanalei Bay by Mariano Fassetta.  Mariano Guterriez tied the chukker by scoring a goal for Woodford Reserve.  The action-packed matched came to a close with Fassetta’s goal giving the win to Hanalei Bay with a final score of Hanalei Bay 10: Woodford Reserve 9.

      If you missed this cup hosted by Woodford Reserve, join us on September 16 for the Herradura Cup featuring their one-of-a-kind tequila.  This event happens to fall on Mexican Independence day and is sure to be one of the many highlights of the 2012 Polo Season.