Over Labor Day Weekend, Polo America and Hotel Del Coronado joined forces to bring the polo event of the season to the locals of San Diego. In a city praised for its beautiful beachfront homes and sandy white shores, the picturesque peninsula of Coronado Beach experienced a one of a kind event that the Destination Luxury team was honored to be a part of.
Fifty horses competed over the weekend with polo players from the United States, Mexico, Switzerland, and Argentina. The second annual event on Coronado’s private beach also featured a host of other elegant features including fashion modeling, boutiques with designer clothing, jewelry and more.
Polo players walking into the arena. Photo courtesy of Polo America.
The three-day event began Friday on 1st of September and kicked off with the Porsche Million Dollar Road Rally. As the evening approached, the main event began, along with the skydiving show and men’s fashion contest. Guests were then invited to the cocktail reception to celebrate the success of the opening day.
In Friday’s match Porsche San Diego went against U.S. Polo Assn. resulting in a win by Porsche San Diego. Saturday saw a victory for Westime who went up against Aspen Valley Polo Club. On the final day, Aspen Valley Polo Club and U.S. Polo Assn. played in a preliminary game, which US Polo Assn. won 5-3. Porsche San Diego and Westime competed in the finals where Porsche San Diego came out on top.
The food on the beach.
Polo America sprouted from the mind of founder Randy Russell and began its journey in 1989. The Destination Luxury team sat down with Russell as he shared further insight on the company and upcoming events for the future. Not only has Polo America been a successful endeavor over the last 28 years, it is “the largest marketing firm in the nation, specialized in polo.” Over the years the company has begun a semi-annual magazine, had sponsorships with various luxury brands and has hosted a plethora of polo events in the U.S.
Some of the Destination Luxury team with Polo America team.
The entire weekend at Coronado upheld an atmosphere of frivolity and sophistication where onlookers could view the sport, enjoy the ocean backdrop and peruse through the many activities and VIP experiences Polo America had to offer. Randy Russell explained, “You really need to create an atmosphere where you can play host to hundreds and hundreds of people. You have to have that kind of interaction.” The upscale cocktail parties and shopping opportunities with brands like Porsche, Schubach Aviation, and Silver Seas Yacht can attest to Russell’s ability to bring an amazing interactive experience to all the guests at Polo America’s events.
Caricature of polo players. Image courtesy of the artist, Joe Tracy.
“Our next big event in Las Vegas.” Russell shared. “We rented the Star Nursery Polo Field at San Boyd Stadium. Polo has never been played outdoors in Las Vegas.” Sin City will experience a whole new way to play as Polo America takes over. The field is an impressive size of 15 acres and the company will have it for the next three years to continue bringing the sport to the desert.
The Porsche and Westime team take the step-and-repeat.
For those wondering if Polo America only hosts events in a specific region, they will be pleased to know that Russell and the company have made it a point to hold events all over the country. Past locations have included Dallas, Chicago, Houston, Denver, and Phoenix, just to name a few. Be sure to look out for the Polo America Classic that will touch down in Indio, California this coming spring. Style and sport always go hand in hand with Polo America and isn’t something you’ll want to miss.
Destination Luxury is excited to announce its partnership with Polo America for the Las Vegas event. To learn more about upcoming events, visit the Polo America website.
All photos courtesy of Polo America.