Historic event honors U.S. polo pioneer and raises money for collegiate polo teams
Professional Polo Player, Nic Roldan, to be honored with Harriman Cup Award along with David Walentas.
A polo tradition spanning a quarter-century continues as alumni from two of the nation’s most storied and successful intercollegiate polo programs battle it out once again at the 2012 Harriman Cup Polo Match. Former players from Yale and UVA will compete at noon EDT on Saturday, September 8 at The Meadowbrook Polo Club, the oldest club in the U.S., located in Old Westbury, Long Island, NY. The event is being help to support both schools’ undergraduate polo programs.
The gates officially open at 10:00 a.m. EDT and tickets will be available for purchase for $60.00 in advance of the event or $90.00 at the gate. Proceeds from the match will be donated to the Harriman Cup, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the sport of polo and supporting the collegiate polo programs at Yale and UVA. The organization has raised over $600,000 for the schools’ polo teams. Each year the lively event draws thousands of attendees of alumnus, friends and family, all looking to experience the polo action, tailgate festivities and the camaraderie that goes along with cheering on their schools.
At the event, top American polo player Nic Roldan and prominent real estate developer and Hamptons polo patron David Walentas will be honored with the Harriman Cup Award. They will join former recipients, polo star Nacho Figueras along with Meadowbrook Polo Club co-chairman Luis Rinaldini and chairwoman Julie Rinaldini. The Harriman Cup Award honors stellar individuals who have made huge contributions to the world of polo, and who embody the leadership, public service, and staunch advocacy and support for equestrian sports that were characteristics of Averell Harriman.
Harriman was a 1913 graduate of Yale and polo player who went on to serve as governor of New York, ambassador to Great Britain and the Soviet Union as well as U.S. Secretary of Commerce under President Harry S. Truman.
“The Harriman Cup is a great event as alumni from these two great polo programs always compete hard and put on a great show for spectators,” said Peter Poor, Northeastern Circuit Governor for the U.S. Polo Association. “With thousands of polo enthusiasts and fans in attendance each year, these schools really help showcase the spirit of our intercollege polo program, which is growing with new players and teams across the country.”
As illustrated in a recent in-depth feature on “60 Minutes” surrounding polo, the sport is experiencing a resurgence in the U.S. thanks to passionate ambassadors, top-notch training programs and facilities to go along with the games excitement and allure. Fueling polo’s growth, the USPA offers numerous programs for players to learn the sport, from Regional Polo Centers and clubs that host schools and provide lessons across the country to Team USPA’s premier development program, Interscholastic/Intercollegiate polo and specialty programs like Work to Ride targeted to help Philadelphia’s inner-city youth.
Harriman Cup Schedule:
10:00AM Gates Open
11:00AM Bike Polo Exhibition
12:00PM UVa vs Yale Alumni Polo Match
2:00PM Awards Ceremony
2:30PM East Coast Band Performance & Dancing
6:00PM Last shuttle bus back to Westbury LIRR station
| 2012 Team Rosters: | |
| TEAM YALE | TEAM UVA |
| Liz Brayboy | Lee Ann McCoy/Brian Stengel |
| Ross Prokopy | Tristan Phillimore |
| Chip Stiegler | CB Scherer |
| Jim DeAngelis | Nick Barry |
For more information on the Harriman Cup, visit www.harrimancup.org. For more information on polo in the U.S., or to get in on the action and schedule a lesson, visit www.uspolo.org.