Chicago Be
ach Polo 2010 World Cup
Hit Big and Polo Life deliver the first Chicago Beach Polo World Cup
September 10-12, 2010
Chicago, IL (June 28, 2010) – For the first time in Chicago, a new thunder will roll onto the sands of Lake Michigan. Hit Big, in tandem with their production partner, Polo Life, will create the first-ever Chicago Beach Polo 2010 World Cup on North Avenue Beach on September 10-12, 2010, where renowned polo players from Chicago and around the world will compete in a custom built arena three football fields in length.
Regarded as one of the most unique and glamorous events, this luxury affair will undoubtedly attract Chicago and Midwest guests and draw spectators from across the globe to experience the excitement of the “sport of kings.”
Polo Life of Miami, Florida, has produced the prestigious Miami Beach Polo World Cup since 2005. In their sixth year, the Polo Life team will deliver another high profile beach polo event in Chicago, marking the Chicago Beach Polo World Cup as a sister event.
Chicago Beach Polo is the brainchild of Marcos Lopez an avid polo fan and player, was looking for a way to re-introduce the sport back into the Chicago community. Lopez approached Hit Big as an event producer and now his dream is becoming a reality.
“Hit Big is thrilled to be delivering this event to Chicago with our partner Polo Life.” David Fitzgerald, Hit Big Director of Operations, explains. ”Beautiful horses, North Avenue Beach, the spectacular Chicago skyline – what a great combination. Our plan is for the Chicago Beach Polo Cup to be a destination for world travelers, enjoyed by Chicagoans and ultimately woven every year into the fabric of Chicago’s History.”
“When speaking with friends and fellow players, I knew Chicago was going to be a great place to bring polo,” Lopez added. “It’s really been here for a while, just hibernating. The City of Chicago and the surrounding suburbs used to have a lot of competitive players, games, and fans. We just want to bring that back come September.”
BEST BUDDIES ILLINOIS
Chicago Beach Polo 2010 World Cup is proud to support their official charity partner, the Best Buddies® Illinois chapter. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to creating opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
Best Buddies Illinois’ programs currently impact 75 middle schools, high schools, and colleges throughout the state, providing over 3,000 students with structured and sustained one-to-one relationships. In addition, our adult programs serve almost 1,000 individuals. For more information on Best Buddies, please visit: www.bestbuddies.org.
CHICAGO POLO HISTORY
From the inception of the Chicago Polo Club formed in 1895, the Chicago area had a love affair with this noblest of horse sports. Chicago-area polo clubs quickly sprang up in Evanston, Lake Forest, Cary and Barrington. Adopted by the U.S. Army and the Illinois National Guard, the sport was often played indoors at the old Armory on Chicago Avenue and the 124th Field Artillery Armory on Wentworth Avenue, which also hosted the National Championships. During the celebration of the International Exposition in 1933, the top polo players in the country were assembled to play one another in a best-of-three East-West series on the polo fields at Onwentsia with the game broadcasted live around the world.
Revered polo names in Chicago history include; Co. R. R. McCormick, Nathan Butler Swift, Lawrence Armour, Leonard Florsheim, Stanley Field, Charles Glore, the Kraml family, Paul Butler, Michael Butler, Jim Hannah (father of actress Darryl Hanna) and many more.
CHICAGO BEACH POLO TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Matches will begin on Saturday, September 11, 2010. Below please find a tentative schedule of events to take place for the Chicago Beach Polo 2010 World Cup:
Friday, September 10th, 2010
7 p.m. – 10 p.m. – Press conference with polo players & kick-off party
Saturday, September 11th, 2010
10 a.m. – Gates open (tickets to be sold at the gate and in advance)
11:00 a.m. – Noon – Opening ceremonies
Noon – 6:00 p.m. – Match play begins
Match #1 – women’s team 1 vs. women’s team 2
Match #2 – men’s team 1 vs. men’s team 2
Match #3 – men’s team 3 vs. men’s team 4
Match #4 – men’s team 5 vs. men’s team 6
7:00 p.m. –10 p.m. – Cocktail reception
Sunday, September 12th, 2010
10:00 a.m. – Gates open
11:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Match play begins
Women’s Championship Game
Men’s 3rd Place Match
Men’s Championship Match
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Trophy ceremonies
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Farewell party
General Admission tickets are $25 and VIP tickets are $150.
RULES OF BEACH POLO
Beach polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team.
Each team consists of three players and their mounts, or horses. Riders score by driving a small inflated leather ball through the opposing team’s goal using a long bamboo-handled mallet. The compacted sand surface measures approximately 100 yards by 50 yards, and is enclosed with sideboards measuring up to five feet in height to keep the ball in play. Matches consist of four seven-minute periods, dubbed “chukkers.” At the end of the four periods, the team with the most goals wins.
ABOUT CHICAGO BEACH POLO 2010 WORLD CUP
The Chicago Beach Polo 2010 World Cup is the brainchild of Marcos Lopez and Hit Big Sports, LLC. Hit Big then engaged Polo Life of Miami, Florida, which produced the Miami Beach Polo World Cup since 2005, and a sister event of Chicago Beach Polo World Cup, to deliver yet another high-profile polo tournament. This luxury affair will draw esteemed polo players, celebrities, and professionals from around the world and provide Chicago a unique look at the esteemed “sport of kings.” Chicago Beach Polo World Cup 2010 will take place at Chicago’s renowned North Avenue Beach September 10-12, 2010. For more information, please visit: http://chicagobeachpolo.com/.
ABOUT HIT BIG
Hit Big is an event marketing company specializing in event solutions that maximize consumer brand experiences. We create unique brand experiences through innovative marketing tactics, turnkey event management services, and flawless production. Hit Big successfully propels some of the world’s most valuable brands while creating lasting impressions with their consumers. Hit Big is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. For more information, please visit: www.hitbig.com.