Polo Gear Supports the 2007 Sidelines Equestrian Triathlon
Wellington, FL – November 13, 2006 – Gary Fellers, President of Polo Gear, and Janette Sassoon, Vice-President of Polo Gear, have been big supporters of the Sidelines Equestrian Triathlon since its inception. This year’s event will be held on January 6, 2006, at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club in Wellington, FL. The event raises money for the Equestrian Aid Foundation. The unique event teams a polo player, dressage rider, and jumper rider, and the three switch disciplines for a fun-filled competition.
Photo Credit: Gary Fellers and Janette Sassoon from Polo Gear. Photo © 2006 Jennifer Wood.
Polo Gear’s participation in the Sidelines Equestrian Triathlon came initially when Tim Gannon of Outback Polo approached the couple and asked them help out with the event. “We thought that the Sidelines Triathlon was a great concept,” said Fellers. “I have always felt that we have a lot to learn from other disciplines,” he added. “I have always been involved with dressage and polo, and I have an appreciation for the way that dressage work compliments the performance aspects of the polo ponies. I just thought that it was a great idea to bring the different communities together to begin with; to do something positive, fun, and to support a good cause.”
“It has always been something that we felt that we wanted to support. I have known Samantha Charles (Publisher of Sidelines Magazine) for twenty years, and we used to play polo together in Vermont,” Fellers recalled. “Both Sidelines and Polo Gear were started around the same time, and they have both grown together. Polo Gear is providing all of the shirts for the Sidelines Equestrian Triathlon, along with the Best Playing Pony Award and MVP Award.”
Polo Gear was started 14 years ago out of a love that Fellers and Sassoon had for the sport of polo. “My background is the ski business and the apparel business,” Fellers said. “I have been involved with the technical aspects of skiing, and I have always made my businesses around my sports activities. I have been an avid polo player for over twenty years and wanted to create quality technical products and to create a trademark associated with real polo.” Polo Gear started by making apparel for polo teams, and now also brings their products to a mainstream market.
The Polo Gear store has been in its current location for 11 years. It is in the Wellington Business Center, on the corner of Pierson and Fairlane Farms Road. They have complete design facilities and can cut sew and trim anything in-house. “If you can imagine it we can make it,” Fellers laughed. “A lot of the polo teams now are moving into the higher performance fabrics such as dry fit and cool max, and people are finding them more comfortable to compete in.” Polo Gear has the ability to start from bolts of fabric and custom design and embellish the clothing cut from it. They use different types of applications in a range of prices, including screening, heat sealing, sublimating and embroidery to embellish the material.
Besides clothing, the Polo Gear store sells everything that you might need for playing polo, from saddles and boots, to mallets and tack cleaning supplies.
“Polo is primarily a male audience, and when we went to equestrian shows, we quickly realized that it was almost all women,” Fellers recounted. “So I dragged Janette off of her dressage horses and put her to work designing a women’s line. Exciting things started to happen because Janette has a lot of artistic talent and background.”
“The new designs are whimsical,” Sassoon explained. “They are polo with an attitude.” The latest designs have all been Jeanette’s creations. She is a dressage rider and has trained to the grand prix level. She now trains polo ponies in dressage to enhance their rideability. “Before, the women used to buy the men’s stuff begrudgingly, but now they have options made just for them, cut to fit a woman’s body,” Sassoon remarked.
To place a custom order, you may call the store and create designs over the phone, or come into the office and work with Janette in person. Jumper, dressage and western barns have started wearing the clothing as a way to show their farm logo and team spirit. Saddle pads, jackets and shirts for grooms, parents and athletes are a few of the items that can be custom made at Polo Gear.
Look for Polo Gear’s new designs and fabulous products on the riders at the 2007 Sidelines Equestrian Triathlon, which is a great time at a great event for a great cause!
To Contact Polo Gear:
Polo Gear
3500 Fairlane Farms Rd.
Suite 15
Wellington, FL 33414
(561) 795-1719
(561) 795-1731 fax
www.pologearusa.com
salesteam@pologearusa.com
(888) PLA-POLO Ask for Kelly, Raik or Stephanie
Gary T. Fellers – President
Jeanette Sassoon –Vice President
2007 SIDELINES EQUESTRIAN TRIATHLON™ FAST FACTS
Event: Sidelines Equestrian Triathlon™ – January 6, 2007
Where: Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club in Wellington, Florida, at the Internationale Arena.
What: The Sidelines Equestrian Triathlon™ raises money for the Equestrian Aid Foundation, which is dedicated to helping all equestrians in their time of need. Last year’s event raised over $100,000. With the continued support of established sponsors and the addition of some new faces, we hope to raise this number significantly each season.
Highlights:There will be four teams with three top equestrian athletes, each comprised of one polo player, one dressage rider, and one jumper rider. The competition is run in three phases, and the expert of each sport does not compete in his specialty. The Sidelines Equestrian Triathlon™ has been a positive influence in our community and has forged some very solid friendships and created appreciation for horses and riders across the borders of the jumper, dressage and polo worlds.
General Information:
The Seventh Annual Sidelines Equestrian Triathlon™ has become the premier equestrian and social event during the early months of the Winter Equestrian Festival. It hosts some of the most successful equestrians in the world, including past Olympians and is appropriate for spectators of all ages. The social scene is always in high gear at this unique venue. This year the featured VIP tent will be sponsored by LaPeche Café and Catering with over two hundred attendees expected.
Hours:
1:00 p.m. Gate opens
2:00 Palm Beach Sheriff’s Posse Parade with all riders and horses
2:15 Dressage tests to music
(8 riders at 3 minutes)
2:45 Jumpers (60 second rounds)
(8 riders at 2-3 minutes)
3:15 Polo (4 chukkers at 5 minutes)
5:00 Awards presentation in VIP tent
5:30 Live Rider Auction
(Silent Auction throughout the day)
6:00 LaPeche Café and Catering dinner served in the VIP tent
General Admission: $10.00 Grandstand seating
Tickets may only be purchased by calling the EAF offices 1-800-792-6068 or purchased at the event.
VIP Seating: Dinner and cocktails are served on Saturday during and after the competition. Individual seats can be purchased for $175.00 in the VIP tent, which includes the live auction and dinner.
VIP Tables: VIP Tables (seats 8) in the front row are $1,200.00. Second row tables are $1,000.00, and third row are $900.00. Tickets are available by calling the EAF offices at 1-800-792-6068.
Parking: Free
Directions: >From the Florida Turnpike: Take Exit 93 – Lake Worth Road. Make a right onto Lake Worth Road and proceed west until the road ends (about 5 miles). Make a right onto South Shore Boulevard. Make a left at the first light onto Pierson Road. Make a left onto Equestrian Club Road, which is the first road on the left. The WEF Main Entrance is on the right-hand side.
From I-95: Take Exit 66 – Forest Hill Boulevard. Proceed West on Forest Hill Blvd. for about 11 miles. Make a left onto South Shore Boulevard. Make a right onto Pierson Road. Make a left onto Equestrian Club Road, which is the first road on the left. The WEF Main Entrance is on the right-hand side.
From Palm Beach: Go over the Southern Boulevard Bridge and proceed west on Southern Boulevard for about 14 miles. Make a left on to Route 441/SR 7. Make a right onto Forest Hill Boulevard. Make a left onto South Shore Boulevard. Make a right onto Pierson Road. Make a left onto Equestrian Club Road, which is the first road on the left. The WEF Main Entrance is on the right-hand side.
THE PALM BEACH POLO EQUESTRIAN CLUB 14440 PIERSON ROAD, WELLINGTON, FL 33414
Website: www.sidelinesnews.com, www.equestrianaidfoundation.org
Accommodations Hotels & Inns:
Hampton Inn & Suites Wellington
2155 Wellington Green Drive
561-472-9696
Hampton Inn at Emerald Dunes
2025 Vista Parkway
561-682-9990
Hampton Inn Lake Worth
8205 Lake Worth Road
561-472-5980
The Royal Inn
675 Royal Palm Blvd.
Royal Palm Beach, FL
(561) 793-3000
The Holiday Inn-Turnpike
7859 Lake Worth Blvd.
(561) 968-5000
(800) HOLIDAY
Hampton Inn – Airport
1505 Belvedere Road
West Palm Beach, FL
(561) 471-8700
The Gulf Stream Hotel
1 Lake Avenue
Lake Worth, Florida 33460
(888) 540-0669
RV Park RV Sales Of Broward
Gigi Stetler
(954) 583-3382
Airports:
West Palm Beach Airport, recommended 25 minutes to competition grounds
Ft. Lauderdale Airport 1.5 hours to competition grounds
Miami International Airport 2 hours to competition grounds
General Transportation Services:
Wellington Cab – Convenient transportation from your hotels, the railroad station or the airport. (561) 333-018Global Limousine – South Florida’s only guaranteed limousine/airport transfer service covering West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and Orlando. Go to www.globallimousine.net for information, prices, vehicles, discounts and bookings.
Tri Rail – Convenient rail shuttle service from West Palm Beach to airports in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale – Call 1-800-TRI-RAIL
Great Event – Great Cause – Great Time!
Put us on your calendar and call for reservations 1-800-792-6068