Prince William? Prince Harry? Who Will You See At The First Annual Polo Party: Horses & Horsepower? (Prince Harry Is In Arizona After All . . .)
November 5th at WestWorld of Scottsdale. 1p. Gates open at 11:30am for the Olive & Ivy Champagne Lounge. For tickets please go to www.thepoloparty.com.
Leave it to Prince William to put a handsome modern face on an ancient sport. Thanks to a slew of celebs in tow at the world’s top polo events -- along with the occasional brush with royalty, like the prince’s appearance at Santa Barbara’s big polo event this past summer -- there’s been renewed interest in this classic pastime from a whole new generation that’s dazzled by Hollywood starlets decked out in designer gear (and glamorous hats!) for a day of champagne and socializing at the polo field.
Scottsdale’s about to get its own taste of this high-style world on November 5, when The Polo Party: Horses & Horsepower comes to Westworld for an action-packed afternoon presented by The Arizona Polo Club, The Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction, and The Arabian Horse Association of Arizona.
Along with the pageantry of the polo match itself, expect plenty of stylish guests in the Turf Paradise Club and VIP tents, food from Old Town favorites Chef Eddie Matney and Jimmy Woo’s Sushi & Asian Bistro, high-energy tunes from DJ Mr. P-Body, and a display of exotic cars that’ll double as a preview for January’s big Barrett-Jackson auction.
Never been to a polo match? Sure, it’s steeped in tradtion, but it’s also quite a thrill, according to Bill Clark, President of The Arizona Polo Club. In fact, he happened to be in Santa Barbara for Prince William’s much-celebrated appearance, and he’s got the skinny for Arizona Foothills:
So we heard you actually got to see Prince William in action at a polo match. Where was it?
It was at the Santa Barbara Polo Club in late July, and it was a tournament with a charity benefit. Somehow they managed to wrangle Prince William to attend, and then he decided to play!
How was the match?
It was actually a round-robin tournament with three teams, and Prince William played really well. He did exactly what a good player does -- sometimes polo is about being a team player. It involves a little grace. You’ve gotta be persistent and have humility. He made about four goals, and his team won. It was really fun to watch!
Sounds great! Tell us about the atmosphere that day.
It was a beautiful setting with the mountains up behind the field. It started off as a typical Santa Barbara day -- it was foggy, and then it cleared up. There was a large crowd, too, and it was no doubt because Prince William was there. I’d say there were almost as many media as regular visitors -- all the major news networks showed up.
Do you think Prince William is helping to bring more people to the sport?
Most people’s experience with polo begins and ends with Pretty Woman. The reality is, even though it has a long history as a sport, most people have never seen it. But when a guy like Prince William comes around, people who’d never be interested come out. Who knows? Maybe two or three people step down out of the crowd and want to try polo lessons -- that would be our reward.
How long have you been playing?
This will be my 18th season. I started off back in 1993 when I walked into a tack store and saw a flyer for polo lessons. Before long, I was hooked. It’s a big commitment, but it’s really exciting. When kids talk about extreme sports, I like to say, “Polo’s been extreme for 2,000 years.”
The Polo Party takes place on November 5 at Westworld, located at the 101 and Frank Lloyd Wright Road. Gates open at 11:30 a.m. Visit www.thepoloparty.com to purchase tickets.
