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Y.A. Teitelbaum for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
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Photo Credit: Polo at the Washington International Horse Show. Photo©Diana DeRosa. Photo may be used only in relation to this PMG press release.
Exhibition Polo Match Features Teens from Renowned Work to Ride Program at 2006 Washington International Horse Show
Washington, D.C. – October 27, 2006 – An exhibition indoor polo match, featuring a quartet of well-known players from the popular Great Meadow Polo Club in Virginia, as well as two teenagers from the renowned Work to Ride program, took place at the 48th annual Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) tonight at 7:30 p.m.
Debbie and Alan Nash of Warrenton, VA, formed the nucleus of the Ambassador’s Cup team. Over the last five years, their Tiger team has won more tournaments than any other couple in the United States.
Co-captaining the Courage Cup Team were Doug Barnes and Kelly Elliott, who operate “Destination Polo,” the riding academy and polo school associated with Great Meadow Polo Club in VA. Elliott is the first woman to play in the Ambassador’s Cup. Barnes was on the National Championship Texas A&M polo team and has won many U.S. Polo Association national titles, including the U.S. Arena Open.
Kareem Rosser, a 13-year-old eighth-grader who attends the Valley Forge Military Academy on scholarship, and John Field, a 14-year-old freshman at World Communications Charter School in Philadelphia, represented the Work to Ride program. Rosser was voted an All-Star at the U.S. Polo Association Eastern Regional Interscholastic Tournament in 2005 while Fields is captain of his team.
Founded in 1994 by Director Lezlie Hiner, Work to Ride (WTR) is a tremendously successful 501(c)(3) program that aids disadvantaged youth through constructive activities centered on horseback riding. The program accepts male and female students between ages 7 to 18 and relies on the support of the general public for the majority of its operating funds. Integral to the WTR concept is the use of horses as a means of engaging young people in wholesome activities. WTR provides youngsters with a positive outlet for their energy and an alternative to negative “street” activities.
Following the match, Andrea Rogers, President and CEO of the Courage Cup, presented the Work to Ride program with a generous check to support their continued progress. Dr. Phillip Karber, President of the Great Meadow Polo Club and Chairman of the U.S. Polo Association (USPA) Marketing Committee, awarded them with the national annual Polo Recognition trophy for their positive contribution to the image of polo in America.
Indoor polo, in a stadium or arena, is a uniquely American game, with the first match played in the U.S. in 1876 and, as the cousin of traditional outdoor polo, it is played at dozens of colleges around the country. Because of the smaller space, indoor polo illustrates a unique combination of riding styles to achieve agility and acceleration. This condensed version of the sport provides a spectacular and exciting spectator experience.
Photo Credit: Polo at the Washington International Horse Show. Photo©Diana DeRosa. Photo may be used only in relation to this PMG press release.
