Kelowna, British Columbia
By Susan Stovall

The Okanagan Polo Club hosted a nine team tounament the weekend of July 30, 31 and August 1under perfect weather conditions.  Grant Hardwick, Alex Wales and Dan Schailler are the owners of two great fields that border the Kelowna International Airport as well as stabling for more than 150 head of horses.   Players from Grand Prairie(Cled and Loretta Lewis, Ross Adams, the Sutherland family – Tyrell, Tia and Tel – Cheryl and Greg Schindel, Iyas Abbas, Craig and Kirk Nelson, John McArthur and club professional, Fernando Pliego) made the 14 hour road trip for this annual event.  Garret Smith and son, Spencer, of Winnipeg drove more than 20 hours to play and members of the Black Diamond Polo Club near Calgary, Jessica and Jack Schneider, Cathy Butler, Lee Nillson and club manager, Dyan Foster made the 8 hour trek, and Chad Howe from Saskatoon, who was voted MVP for the A Side,  brought his truck and trailer for the event. Jose Borbolla came in from Mexico to play and Scott Weir of the Toronto Polo Club was the official umpire for the tournament.    Just shows you how dedicated polo players are who want to have fun and support all the clubs.

Black Diamond members - l to r - Lee Nillson, Jessica and Jack Schneider and Dylan Foster, Polo Manager

Club President Shaun Flanagan and his wife, Jan, did all the arranging of the tournament as well as included a novice game all 3 days for the young layers whose families play polo. Parties every night and even the Snowbirds, who are comparable to the USA Navy Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds, made passes over the fields as the tournament was going on.  The Costa Careyes Polo Club gave a special certificate to the Most Amateur Valuable player of the tournament which was awarded to the Dan Schailler family – Dan, Diane and Joel.   Alex Haagen III and Polo Manager, Vicky Owens, of the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California awarded week long vacations to Spencer Smith of Winnipeg and the Alex Wales Family – for their fair play and contribution to the tournament.   Gratia Brown and Susan Stovall were the representatives for Empire and Careyes and presented the certificates to the winners.

Winners - Side B - l to r - Team Barski Christine Dalton, Juan Tadeo, Joel, Diane and Dan Chailler and Shaun Flanagan

The tournament had 6 teams in Side A and 3 teams in Side B.    Winners were decided by the best record.   The Pegleggers – Garrett and Spencer Smith, Isaais Palma-Franco and Chad Howe were the winners of the 4 goal division and Team Barski – Dan, Diane, and Joel Schailler and Shaun Flanagan won the 2 goal division.   After the trophy presentation a BBQ hosted by the club was attended by all to wrap up a super weekend.

Winners of Side A - The Pegleggers - l to r Isaais Franco-Palma, Chad Howe, Spenser and Garrett Smith

Spenser Smith with Susan Stovall - winner of Empire Polo Week

Chailler family receiving the certificate from Susan Stovall.