Seventh Annual International Gay Polo Week Attracts A Global Audience To Wellington Story by Jamie Saults | Photos by Liz Lamont
By moving the annual International Gay Polo Tournament to the International Polo Club Palm Beach two years ago, founder Chip McKenney expanded Wellington’s global reach beyond the polo mecca of Argentina, which has made the community its seasonal base for many years. As the popularity of the tournament and social event-packed Gay Polo Week grew, word spread to regions of the world not normally associated with polo. Recent participants have come from Russia (including the president of the Moscow Polo Club), France (including the top-rated female pro), Canada, Algeria and Australia, as well as from
more than a dozen states spanning California to Maine. The allure of the seventh annual International Gay Polo Tournament, presented by Discover the Palm Beaches and the Palm Beach County Sports Commission is its uniqueness. The week, which takes place from March 31 through April 3, melds a serious high-
intensity sport with lighthearted fanfare — a combo not frequently seen. “For me, the most fun thing was being able to play polo with different people with a fresh perspective,” said professional polo player Nic Roldan, who competed in the tournament for five years. “It’s as much fun on the field as off it. How often do you get to play a game and find yourself surrounded by drag queens at halftime?” Organized and produced by the Gay Polo League, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, the annual tournament and social events attract a widely diverse group from the lesbian, gay,
Mark Bennett, Caroline Anier, Joey Casey, Misha Rodizanko and Mason Phelps on the field at last year’s tournament.
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