West Linn, OR (July 20, 2008) – Polo has long been a venue to raise money for charities of all kinds. The idea of polo itself as something different and most certainly interesting has drawn people to benefit events for many years and in doing so, has raised large amounts of money for organizations that make life better for those in need.
It therefore seemed natura,l with their Hidden Creek Polo Club coming together, that Sean and Gretchen Keys would soon use the Portland area facility to raise money for worthy causes. The first organization to benefit would be Portland’s Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and on Saturday, July 19, 2008, a sold out crowd looking very much the part, arrived to support the first ever full-service children’s hospital in the Pacific Northwest.
The invited gathering of over 300 was able to watch polo from probably the best viewing location in the United States – the very high berm on Hidden Creek’s Championship field. After the 4:30 match, dinner was served in an extremly large tent on the opposite side of the pitch with dancing and all that goes with such a party after that.
The game, between Hidden Creek and La Quinta, was won by the home bunch by a score of 7 – 5. Trailing by four (5 – 1) at half-time, La Quinta’s Jesse Bray got hot and scored four goals in the last three to make it close. In fact, the young Bray was the high scorer on the field. One on handicap made five.
Hidden Creek’s counters came from two goals apiece from Keys, Graham Bray, and Kevin Dix. Susie Dix added one to total seven.
With the success of first annual Doernbecher Chidren’s Hospital Polo Classic, officials of the Oregon Health & Science University indicated that the 2009 event would be much larger.
Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Classic
Hidden Creek (8) – Sean Keys 1, Graham Bray 5, Kevin Dix 2, Susie Dix.
La Quinta (7) – Eric Hammon, Dan Harrison 2, Kimo Huddleston 4, Jesse Bray 1.
Tony Gregg