On Top of the Polo World!!

Dominick's Steakhouse

If you love exotic cars, fashion, horses, and lifestyle the event to be at was the THIRD Annual Scottsdale Ferrari-Maserati Polo Championship Preview Party held at Dominick’s Steakhouse on Thursday, Sept. 5th.  The upstairs cocktail lounge and social area was an amazing backdrop to a very well attended event.  The highlights of the party were the guests of honor – the number one men’s polo player, Jeff Hall, and the number one women’s polo player, Sunny Hale.  Their passion about polo exuded from both of them as Polo has been a lifelong pursuit.  Jeff Hall said it best when he called Polo a lifestyle and not just a sport.

Left to Right - Jeff Hall, Denise Erickson, Sunny Hale

Jeff Hall is one of the most traveled players and has played in over 10 countries and so many tournaments, it was hard to come up with an exact number.  His most favorite place to play is Santa Barbara where he grew up.  Jeff’s knowledge and support of the polo industry is immense.  He shared about traveling with the horses nationally and internationally and training them.  Also we found out that his 2 1/2 year old son may someday follow in his footsteps.  He is looking forward to represent at the championship in November.  His continuing focus will be winning as much as possible and traveling to places such as Hong Kong for future events.

Sunny Hale is definitely a burst of energy and is a true advocate for paving the way for women in Polo.  She has been responsible for establishing a blueprint for other women to follow and truly enjoys the opportunity to represent as well as introduce polo to those who have not played before.   Like Jeff, the traveling, networking, and connections are major highlights of Sunny’s polo career.  Not only has Sunny paved the way for women, but she has established and founded the WCT (Women’s Championship Tournament) which along with another women’s league she formed, provides recognition of top women polo players from all over the world.  The WCT is dedicated to professionalism, good sportsmanship, and top-level tournament competition.

Nico, No 7 Print Campaign Men's Winner

The top polo players presence at this preview event and the upcoming championship represents the level of recognition the Third Annual Scottsdale Ferrari-Maserati Polo Championships: Horse+Horsepower has earned especially after last year having the biggest crowd for a one day polo event.  In addition to polo, the relationship with fashion is large especially because of the lifestyle aspect.  Phoenix Fashion Week partnered with the Championship last year and hosted one of the VIP tents.  So far this year, the tickets for the Volvo of Phoenix Lounge: presented by Phoenix Fashion Week  (Denise Erickson, from Volvo of Phoenix, pictured above & representing at party) are already sold out in what will evidently be another successful event in November.  Other representatives at the party included the No 7 Print Campaign Model winner, Nico, along with other models from Phoenix Fashion Week and Jani ModelManagement showing off the fashion styles of the polo lifestyle.

Phoenix Fashion Week representing at Scottsdale Polo Preview Party

For more information on tickets, schedules, and events go to www.thepoloparty.com

Polo Season Begins in Scottsdale This Saturday

Saturday, October 20th, 2012 at 10:00 am gates open to Arizona Polo Season at Westworld in Scottsdale.  This is the day of the Polo Championships presented by Scottsdale Polo Championships:  Horses and Horsepower.   I had the opportunity to interview Diego Fernando Florez, Club Manager of the Arizona Polo Club about the event this coming Saturday and the club.  Here's a summary of our discussion.

Why is it important to support Polo here in Arizona?

Polo is a unique sport that is a high end sport for high end brands. It is also a very family oriented sport. Its a different sport that can be enjoyed by many and is actually very accessible to those interested.  One of the programs they are working to develop is a low-income program for kids to learn how to ride horses and actually learn about playing polo. They specifically want to also target certain populations such foster kids who would not normally have access to these type of programs.

Who are the audiences or type of individuals that the Arizona Polo Club – Scottsdale are trying to reach?

The audience normally is comprised of individual spectators that love the sport, actual players, those that enjoy horsemanship and horses. Polo is a challenging sport and many who are sports oriented off the golf course and football field would appreciate this sport. Older individuals definitely can appreciate the sport for a great afternoon outing. They are really hoping to bring this sport to the youth and encourage more involvement from them through youth and interscholastic programs. Many times the matches are free and open to the public for them to see.

The Polo sport has been in Arizona for over 80 years and it has just been over the last two years that the club has really been working to develop the following with the help of the United States Polo Association. Currently they have over 2000 followers with 300 to 500 active regular participants / supporters locally. There are many at different levels of experience and ladies are the fastest growing segment as well. The common age range for individuals that start is around 32 – 37 where the individuals are looking to focus on the sport for the first time or are coming back to it after playing the sport in school or college.

What does the Polo Club in Scottsdale hope for as a result of the championship being held here?

They want everyone who participates to have a great experience with great Polo matches. They will also be hosting a clinic the next day on October 21st, to give individuals that would like to learn more about Polo and try it out and opportunity to talk and learn about it first-hand. They hope this will be an opportunity to educate potential students, players, and sponsors as well those whom can help to support and spread the word about what the Polo sport can do for the community.

In addition the Arizona Polo Club shares there are many ways to enjoy the sport here beyond the championshp such as with holiday parties and even corporate outings which is a nice way to treat customers and employees by taking them to a Polo Match.  Interested parties can contact Diego Florez at the club for hosting and coordination details.


What are the other big events for Polo here in Arizona besides the championship on October 20, 2012?

The Arizona Polo Club has developed a Polo Series of four (4) main events – besides the championship there is the Holiday Cup, Spring Sponsors and the Queen’s Cup on April 23rd, 2013. These represent the beginning, middle, and end of the season which runs from November to April.

The big matches on Saturday will be Arizona Polo Club and Colombia for the morning match, followed by Harvard University and Philadelphia’s Work to Ride. There will be numerous players to watch out and cheer for.

The final thoughts from Diego Fernando Florez, Club Manager of Arizona Polo Club Scottsdale are that you shouldn’t be afraid to come out and try the sport. They have available the Polo School that will help you learn everything you need to know about Polo. They will even teach you how to ride. It’s a great family friendly sport and wonderful way to spend your time during the season.

For more information on schedule, tickets, and programs can be obtained from the websites below:^{http://thepoloparty.com/ or http://arizonapolo.com/}