Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world, is experiencing a professional sports explosion. The city has football with the Las Vegas Raiders, hockey with the Vegas Golden Knights, and basketball with WNBA team Las Vegas Aces. And now, there’s polo, too, thanks to the Las Vegas Polo Classic.
Polo America, the largest polo-marketing firm in the country, has acquired the fifteen-acre grass field known as Star Nursery Field at Sam Boyd Stadium to play the first outdoor polo game. On April 14th and 15th 2018, sixteen polo players and one hundred horses will provide edge-of-your-seat excitement.
The players and their mounts are traveling across the world from Argentina, United States, Mexico, and Canada. Each day they will play two games at 12:00 and 2:00 PM. To accommodate them, the Star Nursery Field will be transformed into a polo field 300 yards long where several thousand attendees will be pampered with two days of polo, fashion, gourmet food, and drink.
The polo field will be filled with luxury VIP tailgating tents in Millionaire’s Row. In the center of Millionaire’s Row is the Polo Village that will feature sponsor boutiques and displays. Attendees will be able to purchase anything from a new wardrobe, Range Rover, or even a private jet. Fashion is a major part of polo from the attendee’s attire to the Grayse formal runway show that will be featured between the two polo games each day.
Festivities also include the skydivers, traditional champagne half-time divot stomp, hat contest, Land Rover Million Dollar Road Rally, tailgating contest and much more.
For those who aren’t familiar with the sport, announcer Tony Gregg will provide an explanation of the rules. The best way to describe polo is hockey on horseback. There are four players on each team, two mounted officials, and a third man who serves as referee off the field. Each period of play, or chukker, last 7 minutes 30 seconds. The players must change horses after each chukker. The object is to score goals by hitting the ball between the goal posts.
The equipment used in polo hasn’t changed much in over a century. Polo mallets are still made of bamboo, while polo balls were once wood and are now plastic in most countries. The tack is English and helmets have improved immensely over the years — they are far safer today than just a few decades ago.
Polo America is offering a unique way to watch the polo game with your friends. Over fifty front row, VIP tents offer privacy as well as the opportunity to mingle in the Polo Village. Between the two polo games, all VIP attendees can catch a formal runway show by Grayse, a modern collection of specialty separates designed to dress women who love the quality, luxury and style.
If you plan on attending this event and want to tailgate, Millionaire’s Row will be the place you want to be.When purchasing a tent, the package could include a Gourmet Wicker Picnic Basket. These baskets include cheese, charcuterie, baguettes, olives, nuts, honeycombs, wasabi peas, dessert, wine and much more. VIP Tailgating Tents have options available for both small and large parties. If you want more information about Millionaire Row, you can visit the Polo America website.
For people who have always wanted to learn to play polo, they will have their chance. California Polo Club will have horses and instructors on the field before and after the games for lessons. The cost is $225 per person. If interested, call (760) 668-6093 for lessons.
For more information, please visit www.poloamerica.com/las-vegas-polo-classic.
All photos courtesy of Polo America