Score 2019

Page 1

2019



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CONNECTING, CAPTIVATING, AND CELEBRATING CHICAGO WITH CONSCIOUSNESS.

Michigan Avenue Magazine Proudly Supports Chicago Polo MICHIGAN AVENUE MAGAZINE

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F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N R E G A R D I N G A D V E R T I S I N G A N D P R O M O T I O N S , P L E A S E C O N TA C T U S AT 3 1 2 . 2 7 4 . 2 5 0 0 | M I C H I G A N AV E M A G . C O M

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CON T E NTS 14 Welcome A welcome message from James Drury and Michael Butler

19 The Playbook The 2019 Chicago Polo season playbook lays out the season schedule (20), as well as the Chicagoland players, (22), pros (24), teams (26) the rules, and clubs (32).

28 Anatomy of Polo Team

44 Polo: A Spectator Sport Everything you need to know about watching polo: from seats to food and drink to fashion tips.

54 CompaĂąeros de Armas: Oak Brook & Mexico A look at the long history and connections between Oak Brook Polo Club and our Mexican brothers in arms.

Our Spectator Guide breaks down all you need to know to enjoy the Sport of kings.

66 Profiles in Polo

36 Ask a Pro

important perspectives in our polo community: the pros, the players, the sponsors, and the fans.

Oak Brook pros Toto Obregon

and Horacio Onetto answer our spectator questions about the Sport of Kings.

The thrill of polo, from four

74 Polo Inspired Polo style that celebrates the good things in life.

84 Color in Emerald A peek back into the vaults at a profile of Oak Brook from the 1977 issue of Score.

100 Gallery The power, the pagentry, friends and family, fashion and fun that made up the Oak Brook Polo Club’s 2018 polo season.


M I C H I G A N A V E N U E 3 1 2 7 8 7 7 7 7 9  O A K B R O O K C E N T E R 6 3 0 9 2 8 1 0 0 8  D A V I D Y U R M A N . C O M


OAK BROOK POLO CLUB

Honorary Chairman: Michael Butler President: James Drury Managing Director: Daniel O’Leary Managing Supervisors: Judith Coleman, Hollis Onetto, Pam Snyder Jocelyn Donnelly, Executive Assistant Polo Announcer: Rob Wilkinson Public Relations: Daphne Oritz Digital Media: Brittany & Ashley Hill Photography: Karl Knapp, Jan Salazar, Bari Baskin, Paolo Cascio, Judith Coleman Field Manager: Sean Creed Media Partners: The Doings Oak Brook, Michigan Avenue Magazine, Make It Better, Hinsdale Magazine, Country Magazine, JWC Media OBPC Board of Advisors: Michael Butler, Beverly Taylor, Roger Taylor, John Baar, Donna Bettin, Sean Creed, Karl Maurer, Kathleen Maher, Tod Rackley, Rob Wilkinson SCORE MAGAZINE Editor & Publisher Emeritus: Michael Butler Score Magazine Editor & Publisher: Lisa Muirhead, Poise Publications Score Magazine Art Director: Leigh McKenzie, Hinge Design Score magazine copy editors: Tom Penner (Firefly Communications Experts), Megan Kozminski (Spur Media Inc) Cover photo by Jan Salazar Pantone 1795 C CMYK 9/99/95/1 Pantone Black C CMYK 0/0/0/100

Contributors: Michael Butler, Jorie Butler Kent, Norma Cooke, James Drury, David Irwin, Grace Mudra, Pam Mudra, Tomas Obregon, Horacio Onetto, Miguel Gomez de Parada, Lisa Pope, Don Smith 4/c Logo

4/c Logo w/ subhead

Special recognition: George Alexander, Larry Aschebrook, Reute Butler, Jorie Butler Kent, Norm Canfield, Norma Cooke, Stewart Diamond, Cindy Engdahl, Samantha Falbe, Pamela Flanagan, Clifton Yandell, John Greene, Angelo Kleronomos, Dean Kleronomos, Jan-Dirk & Frauke Lueders, Horacio Onetto, Tomas “Toto” Obregon, Mariano Guiterrez, Riccardo Ginex, Shannon Greene Robb, Liz Hancock, Gopal Lalmaiani, Steve Mansmith, Bob McMurtry, James Nagle, Bob Puetz, Anna Majus, David Rolewick, Todd Schweich, Tony Sekera, Chris Vangel, Chicago Sports Commission, Chicago Tribune, DuPage Convention & Visitors Bureau, Oak Brook Golf Club, Oak Brook Sports Core, Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce, Time Stops Photography, Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame, United States Polo Association, Village of Oak Brook Trustees Black Logo w/ subhead

K/O Logo w/ subhead

Village of Oak Brook President: Gopal Lalmalani, MD, MBA Village of Oak Brook Trustees: John Baar, Moin Saiyed, Philip Cuevas, Edward Tiesenga, Michael Manzo, and Asif Yusuf, Printed in Canada by Transcontinental Printing ©2019 Pineoak Partners. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part of any material in the magazine is expressly prohibited.


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W E LCO M E | OAK BROO K P OLO CLUB

T

he historic Oak Brook Polo Club c e l e b ra t e s o u r 97 t h ye a r b y welcoming world-class local and international polo players to our fields. It is with great privilege that I welcome you to experience the magic, pageantry, and thrill of world-class local and international polo during Oak Brook Polo Club’s 2019 season. The tradition of Sunday polo at Oak Brook has been one of incomparable fun and excitement, the likes of which you may never have experienced—and will certainly never forget! This season, the Oak Brook Polo Club will host nine Sunday Polo matches on the legendary Prince of Wales field. Highlights will include the return of our popular Horses & Horsepower and Horses & Hops themed events as well as newcomers Horses & Harleys and Sips & Saddles. The success of our International Polo Series continues. It will showcase two international match-ups featuring teams from Mexico and Prince Charles’ Wales Polo Team. The teams will compete for Oak Brook’s most revered trophies, including the Butler Challenge Cup and the coveted Butler International Cup. This season will mark the return of the Mexico Polo Team. Mexico introduced polo in 1881, the same time Chicago saw its first polo match. From the 1950s to the late 1980s, the Mexican Polo Team made annual pilgrimages to Oak Brook, with some of polo’s most iconic players, including brothers Memo and Carlos Gracida and Antonio Herrera. We are also thrilled to host Prince Charles’ Wales Polo team for the third straight season: a storied and fan-favorite tradition and match-up at Oak Brook.

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I am excited to announce that the Oak Brook Polo Club will be hosting two prestigious 8-Goal tournaments, the newly formed Oak Brook Polo Open and the prestigious Chicago Polo Open. An 8-goal Polo League has been created to accommodate growing interest from local and out-of-state team patrons who are committed to an organized and more experienced level of polo competition. The Oak Brook Polo Club has a vested interest in the growth of polo throughout Chicagoland and the Western Suburbs. This league and level of interest is a product of Oak Brook Polo’s success in providing a safe and competitive place to play. This success has also contributed to the formation of four local 12-goal teams and the re-establishment of the R. R. McCormack and Cecil Smith Cups, both high-goal tournaments. I am honored to act as a steward for the traditions that make Oak Brook Polo Club so unique in the world, and to champion the resurgence of our city as an international polo hub. Working with a superb team and new strategic partners, my aspiration is to make the incredible sport of polo more accessible to the people of Chicago. The Oak Brook Polo Club team is excited to provide the opportunity for our guests to learn, and enjoy, this game while preserving our club’s historic legacy for many years to come. See you at the field,


C

oming from a family with a background in the paper industry, I always had a great interest in publishing. I enjoy really good high-class entertainment, and after all, that is what publishing is! In my time spent in England, I admired the design aesthetic of beautiful magazines like Vogue and Queen (which eventually became Harper’s Bazaar). When I was managing Oak Brook, I had the inspiration to build Score into a publication that our guests would want to take home with them and keep on the coffee table. I worked with local artists to develop the cover art and illustrations, and worked closely with my art directors to create a magazine that would convey the lifestyle at Oak Brook. When Jim Drury and Danny O’Leary approached me about once again making Score the face of the Oak Brook Polo Club during its summer season, I was delighted to collaborate with the team on content and layout, to once again create a magazine that represents the polo lifestyle that has been such an important part of my life. Score magazine celebrates the Oak Brook Polo Club’s roots, explores the international polo partnerships that we have built over the decades, and shares the spirit of polo that we continue to promote and advance throughout greater Chicagoland. I hope that you enjoy the new Score magazine and welcome us once again into your home as a keepsake of your summer at Oak Brook.

Michael Butler Michael Butler, Publisher Emeritus of Score magazine

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THE PLAY B O OK


SC H E D U L E

THE OAK BROOK POLO CLUB IS CHICAGO’S HOME FOR THE SPORT OF POLO AND IS ONE OF THE OLDEST POLO CLUBS IN THE U. S. STILL IN OPERATION TODAY. THIS SEASON, JOIN THE NEARLY 10,000 POLO FANS, PLAYERS, AND PROS FROM ACROSS THE U.S AND THE WORLD WHO WILL JOIN US FOR CHICAGO’S OLDEST SUNDAY TRADITION AND THE WESTERN SUBURBS’ BEST-KEPT SECRET.

OAK BROOK POLO CLUB SUNDAY POLO SEASON From: June 9–September 22 Regular Schedule: Gates open: 1 PM | Match starts: 3 PM

TICKET & EVENT INFORMATION www.oakbrookpoloclub.com To explore Oak Brook’s spectator experiences, see page 44.

June 9: June 23: July 14: July 28: August 4:

August 18: September 8: September 15: September 22:

Oak Brook Polo Season Opener Horses & Horsepower Butler Challenge Cup Polo for Conservation Gibsons Oak Brook Polo Open Village Appreciation Day R. R. McCormick Cup Jaguar Concours, Cats & Ponies Soirée Drake Challenge Cup Horses & Harleys

Heineken Chicago Open Cup Horses & Hops Butler International Cup Diapers & Divots Cecil Smith Cup Sips & Saddles Illinois Players Cup Team Up For Tony Sekera

For a complete list of Chicago Polo Season scheduled tournaments and events outside of Oak Brook, visit www.chicago-polo.com.

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Oak Brook scheduled public games. The Oak Brook Polo Open and Chicago Polo Open tournaments to be held at other venues. Please visit www.oakbrookpoloclub.com for updated events and tournament information. 21


CHI CAGO POLO PL AYI N G ME MB ERS

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George Alexander

John Greene

Peter Alworth

Juan Martin Gutierrez

Alfredo Aubone

Mora Hearne

Kelly Aubone

Macee Hughes

Tomas Aubone

Katie Johnson

Sandy Barbier

Les Johnson

Greg Beemster

Adam Kaminski

Jose Blanco

Kris Kearns

Kelsey Brazik

Olivier Kerdiles

Juan Caset

Nadir Khan

Freddie Castro

Angelo Kleronomos

Mark Cope

Dean Kleronomos

Laura Cunningham

Dick Kuhn

Jim Drury

John Kuhn

Shannon Eldridge

Scott Lucas

Samantha Falbe

Jan-Dirk Lueders

Pamela Flanagan

Frauke Lueders

Carlitos Font

Anna Margalef

Memo Font

Ed McKinley

Katie Fricke

Bob McMurtry

Bob Fury

JC McWilliams

Douglas Giebel

Emily Meyer

Nina Gowl

Luke Misukanis


Seth Misukanis

Juli Shirey

Len Monson

Whitney Siebens

Jack Murphy

Scott Silver

Julie Murphy

Dariana Slater

Timmy Murphy

Mariana Solari

Tony Natale

Nicholas Srivastava

Bill O’Leary

Jennifer Tempel

Aden Oduwa

Charles Todd

Alexandra Osborne

Jack Treacy

Emma Pieper

Griffen Tuftie

Peco Pugliese

Chris Vangel

Adrienne Purves

Whitney Vogt

Gaston Raimondo

Chuck Weaver

Bill Read

Megan West

Frances Reback

David Wigdahl

Tucker Reback

Rob Wilkinson

Dean Regas

David Wolf

Tracy Regas

Cindy Wozniak

Tracy Riff

Bill Wrigley

Geri Ryan

Clifton Yandell

INTERNATIONAL/ VISITING PLAYERS MEXICO POLO TEAM Miguel Gomez de Parada Antonio Madrazo Pedro Montoya David Statton WALES POLO TEAM Ricky Cooper Roddy Matthews Niall Donnelly Richard Blake-Thomas Andrew Blake-Thomas Pete Webb

Jim Sanfillipo Matt Sekera Tony Sekera

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PROS OAK BROOK POLO TEAM PROS

Horacio Onetto Buenos Aires, Argentina Outdoor Handicap: 4 Arena Handicap: 6

Tomas “Toto” Obregon Buenos Aries, Argentina Outdoor Handicap: 4 Arena Handicap: 4

Mariano “Guti” Gutierrez Buenos Aries, Argentina Outdoor Handicap: 4 Arena Handicap: 6

IN THE SPORT OF POLO, PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS BRING THEIR TALENT, CAREFULLY TRAINED STRING OF HORSES, AND EXPERIENCE TO THE TEAM. TEAM SPONSORS WILL HIRE PROFESSIONALS TO PLAY ON THEIR TEAMS AND HELP TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS ON THE FIELD. MANY PROS TRAVEL ACROSS THE COUNTRY OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR AND PLAY FOR DIFFERENT SPONSORS AT DIFFERENT CLUBS, DEPENDING ON THE SEASON. 24


CHICAGO POLO PROS

Matias Obregon (4) Home club: GoPolo

Maco Llambias (4) Home club: Arranmore Farm + Polo Club

Pedro Manion (4) Home club: Chicago Polo

Tod Rackley (2) Home club: Morgan Creek Polo

Lindor Novillo Corvalan (4) Home club: Sanfilippo Estate

Anthony Garcia (5) Home club: Passion for Polo

Matt Sekera (2) Home club: Chicago Polo

Juan Martin Gutierrez (2) Home club: GoPolo

Billy Mudra (3) Home club: Chicago Polo

Mariano Obregon (7) Home club: Chicago Polo

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201 9 OA K B R O O K P O LO TE AM

Home Home A A

Away Away A A 26


2 01 9 S P O NS OR AN D OPPOSI N G TE AM J E R SEYS

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ANATO MY O F A P O LO T E A M

POLO IS A UNIQUE SPORT IN THAT THE TEAM IS COMPOSED OF BOTH HUMAN AND EQUINE ATHLETES, AND PLAYERS OF A GREAT RANGE OF ABILITIES PLAY ON THE FIELD TOGETHER. EACH TEAM IS COMPOSED OF A PATRON, WHO IS THE FINANCIAL BACKER OF THE TEAM, UP TO THREE PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS, AND A STRING OF UP TO EIGHT POLO PONIES PER PLAYER. PAT R O N S In the ecosystem of a polo team, the patron (pronounced pa-trön), also called the sponsor, is the financial backer of the team, which is often named after the patron’s house or company. The patron is a passionate amateur player, usually rated up to 2 goals, who hires polo pros to round out their team and coach their game. Polo gives patrons the opportunity to not only compete in a sport they are passionate about, but, unlike other sports team owners, they also play alongside the professionals. Patrons create opportunities for professional players to play with different teams and build their experience on the field, and they contribute to the dynamism of a team’s skill set in game play. PROS Polo pros are hired by a patron to play on their team and help the patron develop their game. If there is more than one pro on a team, one is chosen as the team captain to lead the team strategy. Some professionals work with one patron long term and become their polo manager, developing their game, team and string of horses, while others travel around the country (and the world), following the polo seasons and working for different teams throughout the year. Polo pros usually have handicap ratings of 2–10 goals. POSITIONS The players each have a number on their jersey (from 1 to 4) that designates their position and strategy on the field. Player 1 is an offensive position that acts as the goal striker. Player 2 is also a forward but will sometimes have to jockey back to defence. Player 3, often the best player on the team, drives the plays forward toward the goal. Player 4 is a defensive player whose main job is to prevent the opposite team from scoring.

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PONIES Polo ponies are thoroughbreds or part thoroughbred and part quarter horse, selected for their agility, speed, endurance, and intelligence. It takes up to three years to train a green pony, and their polo careers can last over 15 years. Because polo ponies run an average of 1–2 miles, often at full speed, during a single chukker, players should have a string of at least one pony per chukker.

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THE R UL E S An outdoor polo match is played on a 300 x 160-yard (9-acre) field — approximately the size of nine football fields. A polo game begins at center field when the umpire throws the ball into play. Each game is divided into 7-1/2-minute periods called chukkers. A low- or medium-goal game has four chukkers and a high-goal game has six. With horses galloping at full speeds of up to 35 mph, the rules in polo focus on the safety of the players and the ponies. Fouls are called by two on-field umpires. The severity of each infraction determines the level of penalty awarded.

Right of way/line of the ball: Once a ball is hit, its trajectory establishes the line of the ball. The player closest to the ball with the narrowest angle has the “right of way.”

Crossing: If a player crosses the line of the ball close enough that it is dangerous or approaches the on-line player at too sharp an angle, the umpire will call a foul and penalty shot.

If a player comes from behind and passes a player with the right of way, they may not cross the line of the ball if it will create a dangerous situation.

Players can receive a foul if they approach their opponent’s pony at an unsafe angle or if they are too far ahead of the player’s pony in their approach.

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Ride-off: The objective of a ride-off is to prevent an opposing player from taking a shot or to drive the player off the “line of the ball” by pressing the shoulder of one pony into another.

Hooking: A player can hook another player’s mallet to prevent them from hitting if they are on the same side as the ball or directly behind the opposing player. The player may not reach over, under or across any part of the opposing player’s pony. When hooking, the stick must be lower than shoulder height.

GLOSSARY OF POLO TERMS Appealing: Players express their desire for a foul by raising their mallets overhead. Overzealous appealing is frowned upon. Backshot: This backhand swing sends the ball in the opposite direction to change the flow of play. Bowl-In/Throw-in: The umpire starts or resumes play by rolling the ball down a lineup of the players. Knock-In: If a team hits the ball across their opponent’s back line, the defending team gets a free shot from the back line. Near Shot: Shot from the left side of the pony.

Neckshot: Shot made by hitting the ball under the pony’s neck, Off-Shot: Shot from the right side of the pony. Penalty: Numbered from one to 10, a penalty awards a free shot to the fouled player from a set distance determined by the severity of the foul. Safety: When a defending player hits the ball across his own back line. Also known as Penalty 6. Tack: All of the equipment used on the pony. Tailshot: Shot made by hitting the ball across the pony’s tail.

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THE C LUB S

C H I C A G O P O L O A S S O C I AT I O N Chicago Polo is comprised of six USPA-recognized polo clubs, 12 polo facilities and over 130 registered USPA playing members. Together, the group runs two polo schools, 15 grass polo fields and seven indoor/outdoor polo arenas, five of which are year-round arenas. Some clubs welcome the public to Sunday matches and select tournaments, while others offer a venue for safe and competitive tournament and league polo for the community’s players and students. OAK BROOK POLO CLUB Oak Brook, IL Founded in 1922 by businessman Paul Butler, the club is one of the oldest polo clubs in the U.S. and was once the epicenter for elite professional polo and other prestigious polo tournaments. For decades, the club has been a popular Sunday tradition and social scene known for entertaining celebrities, dignitaries, royalty and Chicago’s distinguished. Today, the club plays on the Prince of Wales Field adjacent to the Butler National Golf Club. Located 17 miles straight west from Chicago’s Loop, the club hosts regular Sunday matches that attract thousands of fascinated spectators who marvel at the athleticism and majesty of the sport. W I N D R I D G E FA R M Bolingbrook, IL Located 30 minutes from downtown Chicago, Windridge Farm is an equestrian hunter jumper facility with polo benefits. The facility has two indoor arenas, two outdoor arenas, and

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one polo field on the 60-acre property supporting both the equestrian and polo programs. Windridge Farm offers its boarders exceptional, individualized equine care. Windridge Farm provides a goal-oriented lesson program taught by experienced professionals. They welcome, and are qualified to train, riders at all levels, from beginner through Grand Prix. A R R A N M O R E FA R M + P O L O C LU B Oswego, IL Situated on 300 acres of family-owned and operated land, Arranmore is home to some of the most pristine fields. Each summer, the club hosts players from around the world who are drawn by a shared passion for the sport. Located 40 minutes from downtown Chicago, the club has held private polo matches since 1999 and opened its gates for the club’s first public polo matches in 2015. Its summer calendar also includes a series of outdoor music concerts, festivals and charity events. Arranmore is also a working polo farm including six stables, large pastures, a clubhouse, and a historic farmhouse.


F O N T FA M I LY FA R M Plano, IL Font Family Farm was established in 2008 with the purpose of learning, improving, and playing polo, and providing the community with riding, horsemanship, and stabling opportunities. The club’s facility includes an outdoor polo field, one outdoor arena, an indoor polo arena, 40 horse stalls, and turnout paddocks. They are committed to welcoming newcomers to the exciting family of polo lovers who cherish the game. BLACKBERRY POLO CLUB Batavia, IL The Blackberry Polo Club was organized on George and Barb Alexander’s Lake Run Farm in Batavia, Illinois in 1986 as a venue for recreational polo. Practice sessions and matches with visiting teams, followed by a gathering under the trees with a nearby smoking grill and cold keg are the Blackberry tradition. The club hosts numerous league tournament matches, including a USPA National Youth Tournament Series and a Polo Training Foundation Seniors’ Tournament each summer season. GOPOLO Bolingbrook, IL From April until October, Windridge Farm is the summer home of GOPOLO. Polo professionals Matias Obregon and Certified Polo Instructor, Juan Martin Gutierrez, run the GOPOLO school, catering to new and amateur players. GOPOLO offers a polo school with group lessons, private lessons, horses for lease, and everything you need to get started as a new player. To continue beyond the polo school, GOPOLO hosts club-level 4-chukker tournaments for -2 to 1 goal players throughout the summer and early fall. When you are ready to step up, GOPOLO can find the right polo pony for you.

MORGAN CREEK POLO Yorkville, IL The Morgan Creek Polo Club was founded in 1995 by Angelo Kleronomos and his son Dean Kleronomos. The 200-acre horse farm in rural Oswego, Illinois, has two polo fields, an indoor arena, clubhouse, player and groom apartments, 40 stalls, 10 large turnouts, and a galloping track. Morgan Creek teams have participated in 8–22 goal polo in Wellington, Aiken, Oak Brook, and Chicago. Angelo and Dean have played internationally in Canada, France, Germany, and Argentina. DUE WEST POLO Oswego, IL The Due West Polo Club was established in 2002 by Clifton Yandale. The 35-acre farm’s polo field serves as a practice field for players and teams in the area. People from the Chicago polo community assemble at Due West on Tuesdays for casual practice chukkers to get some time in on the field and to socialize with others in the polo community. The club also serves as a field for tournament competition. Friends and family dot the hill overlooking the field, and players will often stay after the game to grill and take in the incredible sunset before heading home. PA S S I O N F O R P O L O Barrington Hills, IL Frauke and Jan-Dirk Lueders caught the polo bug in 2013. They eagerly sought out a place to develop their skills and their string of horses and purchased what is now the Passion for Polo Farm in 2013. They have recently completed construction on the only regulation-size indoor polo arena in the Midwest. They have also developed a full-size outdoor grass field where they will host friends, develop their Passion for Polo team and compete in regular tournaments in Chicago and in neighboring states.

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HORSES & HORSEPOWER SEASON OPENER 12-GOAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH SUNDAY, JUNE 9 GATES OPEN: 1PM | MATCH STARTS: 3PM

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ASK A P RO

WE ASKED TWO OF OUR OAK BROOK PROS, TOMAS OBREGON AND HORACIO ONETTO, TO ANSWER OUR MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PLAYING THE SPORT OF KINGS. How long does it take to train to be a polo pro (and when do you start training)? This is a hard question, because everyone is different. Also, you keep training and learning all your life. For me, I grew into it. I started playing when I was 13, but my whole family plays polo: my father was a pro, my uncles and cousins also play polo. How many horses do you own? Currently, I own 10 horses. Two of them are being trained, and the other eight, I play in polo matches. I bring at least six horses to each polo match to play, and up to 10. Why do you play with different teams instead of on just one team like other professional athletes in team sports? Polo pros are independent contractors, so we go where we are going to be paid to play. We follow the different seasons in different regions. For example, in the summer, I play at Oak Brook and in the winter season, I play in Florida.

Tomas Obregon

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How many professional players play on a team? Why are they not all professional players? In Chicago, we play with one sponsor and three pros. The number of pros on the team depends on the level you are playing. At 12-goal and above, you play with three pros and a sponsor; for 8-goal, you play with two pros and two sponsors; and for 4-goal, it is one pro and three sponsors or amateur players. When you are traveling all over the country (or world) to play, how do you transport your horses? I travel with a 12-horse truck and trailer. It takes me 2 days to go to Chicago from Aiken, SC. I travel with my groom in the truck and the family follows in the car. When I play international games, the organizer there will mount us with ponies. We get to practice with them one time in a practice game, and then you play the game. You have to adjust pretty quickly. But it is the same when we host international players here. How many games do you play in a polo season? It depends on the club where you are playing and how long their season runs. For example, this year, in the spring season in Aiken, SC, I played 12 games in four tournaments. In a tournament, there can be up to four games and the finals. This summer in Chicago, we are scheduled to play in nine tournaments between June and September.

Horacio Onetto

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Polo:

A SPECTATOR EXPERIENCE

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P

olo ponies thunder down the field at speeds of up to 35 mph. Glass in hand, at field level, you marvel at the sport’s athleticism and horsemanship: adrenaline-pumping action, the best of Chicago’s food and drink, sideline festivities, hobnobbing with the players after the match. At Oak Brook, spectating is a sport! From the sidelines and stands on the immaculate fields of Oak Brook Polo Club, you will not only witness world-class polo, each Sunday Polo event brings a host of experiences. Throughout the day, look forward to Best Hat and Best Tailgate contests, the Mallet Challenge, on-field car shows, local beer and wine tastings, signature cocktails, charity events, fashion and, of course, Champagne divot stomps. Each Sunday match has its own theme (see the schedule on page 20), and each theme offers its own unique curated experience.

L AW N G U E S T Cost: $12 per person Perks: Umbrella picnic tables and standing umbrellas available first come first served.

S E AT I N G Polo’s roots may be regal, but the beauty of polo at Oak Brook is that you can make it as casual or as posh as you wish. With much of the seating at polo games fieldside, you can opt for a picnic, tailgating out of a truck or classic car, a simple snack under an umbrella, or an even more elaborate curated affair in the Saddle Club & Polo Lounge or one of our fieldside tents or skyboxes. “At Oak Brook, we strive to make polo accessible to everyone and create polo experiences that meet the interests of our spectators,” explains Danny O’Leary, Managing Director of Oak Brook Polo Club. “Want to be Pretty Woman for a day? We have that. Want to wow your date with sophistication? Polo is perfect. Want an afternoon out with the family? Pack a picnic. Want to celebrate a birthday, retirement or engagement? Pop open the champagne. Want to reward coworkers or impress your clients? You’re the best boss ever. Want something more laid-back and intimate? Fill your car with friends or family, tailgate fieldside, lay out a spread, and watch great polo in a more laid-back atmosphere.” 45


TA I L G AT I N G Cost: $60 per vehicle/VIP tailgate: $75 Perks: Park your vehicle onsite and fieldside, dress up your tailgate to compete in the “Best Tailgate” contest for cool prizes.

S A D D L E C LU B R E S E R V E D TA B L E S Cost: $350 for up to 8 people Perks: Enjoy a private table with umbrella, a complimentary bottle of Champagne, Score magazines, one field parking pass and attentive waitstaff.

SADDLE CLUB & POLO LOUNGE Cost: $50 per person Perks: Tables, lounge furniture and grandstand seating. Dress up, wear your derby hat and compete in the “Best Hat” contest.

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D R A K E C H A M PA G N E BRUNCH & SADDLE CLUB Cost: $108 per person (children 7–12: $20 for brunch) Perks: Fill up on a Champagne brunch at the Drake Oak Brook Hotel before the match, then attend seated at tables, on lounge furniture or in grandstand seating. Dress up and wear your derby hat and compete in the “Best Hat” contest.


SMALL FIELDSIDE TENTS Cost: $675/up to 20 people per day Perks: Premium fieldside seating with a banquet table, linen, identifying signage, 20 garden chairs, a dedicated server, a complimentary bottle of Champagne, Score magazines, one field parking pass. B U T L E R PAV I L I O N Cost: $3,600/up to 120+ people per day Perks: Premium fieldside seating with banquet round and cocktail tables with linen, 100 garden chairs, Score magazines, multiple field parking passes.

LARGE FIELDSIDE TENTS Cost: $1,600/up to 50 people per day Perks: Premium fieldside seating with a banquet table, linen, identifying signage, 20 garden chairs, a dedicated server, a complimentary bottle of Champagne, Score magazines, one field parking pass.

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FOOD AND DRINK Once you have chosen your vantage point, your next decision to make is your food and drink of choice. If you are planning a picnic or tailgate, you can have some fun with it: choose a theme and challenge your friends to bring the best on-theme food and outfits. We scan the tailgaters every week to find the most creative group of the day. If coming up with a fully planned menu is not your style, peruse the week’s food trucks to choose your epicurean adventures on the fly or choose a themed picnic from one our preferred food vendors. You are welcome to bring cold non-alcoholic beverages in your cooler, but please leave the alcohol to us. Outside alcohol is not permitted on the grounds. We offer conveniently located walk-up bars and drink carts throughout the grounds, offering everything from ice-cold beer to wine and Champagne to signature cocktails. If you are a fan of our local breweries, don’t miss our Horses & Hops Beer Festival (August 18); likewise, wine lovers shouldn’t miss the first inaugural Sips & Saddles (September 15). S P E C TAT O R T I P S With contributions from David Irwin and Lisa Pope • Dress comfortably in the heat of summer and wear a fancy hat. Choose flats or wedges for the divot stomp, and wear something you won’t mind spilling Champagne on. Don’t forget your sunglasses! • You can bring a full picnic, a small cooler of snacks, or nothing! There are food trucks, walk-up bars, and drinks carts throughout the grounds. 48

T O E AT:

Gibsons Bar & Brill Labriola Café Stan’s Donuts Toasty Taco Toasty Cheese Best Truckin’ BBQ Aztec Daves Standard Market Roka Akor

TO DRINK:

Pimm’s Chukker (Boodles Gin) The Polo Pony Heineken

J California Cuvée J Vinyard Brut Rosé 1800 Margarita

• Quench your thirst with a Pimm’s Chukker. • When stomping divots, watch your step by balancing yourself with a glass of Champagne. • Check out the “Spectator Guide” and “Polopedia” sections of the Oak Brook Polo Club website before heading out. They are simple one-pagers that will familiarize you with the sport in about 10 minutes. • Ask a seasoned polo fan who knows the game to share a quick primer before the match. Polo fans love to share their passion and knowledge. • Swing by the Drake before (and after) to grab a drink. It is both kid friendly and adult friendly. • Don’t forget to watch the match! It’s amazing that many people actually miss a good bit of the on-field action because of all the fun they are having with their friends on the sidelines. The competition is fierce, and the fast-paced action is absolutely thrilling.



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R.R. McCORMACK CUP 12-GOAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH SUNDAY, JULY 28 GATES OPEN: 1PM | MATCH STARTS: 3PM

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Oak Brook vs. Morgan Creek activities

Jaguar Concours de Elegance Car Show, Best Hat Contest, Best Tailgate Contest, Mallet Challenge presenting partners

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Michael Butler in Mexico

54


Compañeros de Armas:

OAK BROOK & MEXICO

With special contributions from Michael Butler and Jorie Butler Kent

W

hen Paul Butler established Oak Brook Polo Club in 1922, he set out to make his club an international destination. In its 97 years, the club has hosted polo teams from six continents, but one of the most enduring relationships is between Oak Brook and Mexico. Polo traveled to Mexico soon after it hit the United States. After catching a match in Newport, Manuel Escandon-Barrón, the Marqués de Villavieja, brought polo to Mexico City, where it was predominantly a sport for the upper class and military training. Mexican teams started traveling internationally to play in the early part of the 20th century, but the sport really picked up steam in the 1920s, following the Mexican Revolution.

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Miguel Gomez de Parada and his Mexican Team at Oak Brook

THE BUTLER CONNECTION The bonds between Oak Brook and its Mexican compadres took root when the first Mexican team won the U.S. Open. In 1946, the Gracida family had already established their reputation as a family of polo juggernauts. The team that took the U.S. Open that year, made up of Gabriel Gracida Jr, Guillermo Gracida Sr, Alejandra Gracida, and Jose Gracida, also has the distinction of being the only team of brothers to ever win the Open. 56

That year, Michael Butler, son of Oak Brook’s Paul Butler and an accomplished polo player (among many other hats, including that of producer of the Broadway classic Hair), was in his early 20s. The Gracida’s team was heading to Oak Brook after the U.S. Open, and before they arrived, Michael got a call from his father. “I had spent a lot of time in Mexico, so father called me and said, ‘Michael, the Mexican team is coming here, and, by all reports, they were treated as grooms in


New York. Would you please take care of them?’ I came and took care of them (got one of them out of jail, and so forth), and they ended up staying at our house for the entire summer.” In addition to the Gracidas, Jesus “Chucho” Solórzano, the legendary Mexican matador who also happened to be an accomplished polo player, became fast friends with the Butlers. These links would solidify the connection between Mexico and the Butlers that spans decades. Legendary Mexican player, Antonio Herrera, also had an important connection to the Butler family. Antonio was trained by Guillermo (Memo) Gracida Sr in Mexico and was the best Mexican player in the era leading up to the Gracidas’ international domination. His skill as a 9-goal pro caught the eye of Jorie Butler Kent, Michael’s sister, also an accomplished polo player, horsewoman, and breeder. In addition to managing the Oak Brook Polo Club for 13 years, Jorie was coach and co-patron with her husband Geoffrey Kent of the Rolex/Abercrombie & Kent polo teams. Antonio was their pro when the team won two U.S. Open titles (1978 and 1981), two of their three Butler Handicaps (1983 and 1984), and the USPA Gold Cup (1978). MEXICO AND OAK BROOK As Michael Butler became more involved in Oak Brook, co-managing the club with Jorie in the 1950s, he strengthened the club’s international ties. In the 1970s and 1980s, he kept the connection strong with an annual International Polo Series invitational. “Memo Sr and I became very close friends,” says Michael Butler. “I went back to Mexico many times. My father and I, and later my son, played polo all over the country. I took a team down to play in Querétaro for a

Paul Butler in Mexico

year and spent two years in Careyes, the most beautiful spot in the country. I have said it many times: if I had to be confined to one country, it would be Mexico. I love the people, and I love the family scene.” The strength of these relationships meant that Oak Brook drew some of the best Mexican polo players in the world to its fields. In addition to the generations of Gracidas and Antonio Herrera, the fields have been graced by Mexican greats such as Javier Olazabal, Julio and Beto Muller, General Cruz Prada, countless members of Chucho Solórzano’s extended family and long-time friend of the club, Miguel Gomez de Parada. Miguel Gomez de Parada was a talented star in Mexican polo when he was first invited to play at Oak Brook by Michael Butler’s pro, Valerio Aguilar, in a tournament in 1990. Trained by the legendary Memo Gracida Sr, Miguel played his first professional game with Carlos Gracida in 1988 at the age of just 17. After making the Oak Brook connection in 1990, Miguel has returned to Oak Brook every year to enjoy the competitive polo and the people. “It is great to have played at Oak Brook for a long time,” says Miguel. “I see old friends—guys I have seen and played with for years. The fields are very good at 57


Ambercrobie & Kent win the US Open: Owen Reinhart, Jeffrey Kent, Jorie Butler Kent, Michael Butler, Antonio Herrera and Stuart MacKenzie

Oak Brook, and the competition is very good. We are playing 10- to 12-goals, so it’s very competitive. They used to come and play in a tournament every year in Careyes in the winter, and now have been inviting a lot of our guys to play in Chicago.” Miguel will bring the Mexico International Polo Team from Escuela Polo de Mexico back to Oak Brook on June 23 to 58

compete for the prestigious Butler Challenge Cup. Miguel is quick to note that , though they come for the competitive polo, it is not just the challenge on the field that bring them back every year. “Oak Brook has a very nice group of people that likes to have fun at polo,” says Miguel. “That was a teaching of Michael Butler. He found out how to make polo a party.”


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BUTLER CHALLENGE CUP INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH SUNDAY, JUNE 23 GATES OPEN: 1PM | MATCH STARTS: 3PM

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profiles I N P O LO

Polo is a game for people who love horses and adrenaline, whether they are on the field or watching

from the stands. The polo experience is multifaceted: it can be played on immaculate royal fields, with princes and princesses counting among the players, or it can be played on a cropped field of grass, with pickup trucks backed up to the edges, tailgates populated with family, friends and neighbors. A sport this diverse has a place for anyone interested in being a part of the community, from the pros and players on the field to the spectators and sponsors who show up to support their teams. Here are just some of the people you will meet at Sunday Polo at Oak Brook.

THE PRO: HORACIO ONETTO Polo runs in your family — can you tell me a bit about your upbringing around polo? I grew up playing with my father in Argentina. I started learning when I was maybe 11 years old and started playing professionally when I was 17. Where do you currently play when you are not in Oak Brook? Right now, I am playing in Palm Beach, Florida in the winter. I have also played in Sarasota, and I like to play in South Carolina, where I live. I travel with my wife and two daughters, who are 14 and 17. They play a little bit of polo now too.

66

What sets Oak Brook apart from other clubs? I have a lot of history here in Chicago. My wife is from Chicago, so it is nice that we can come here in the summer and we can be with family. I also really like playing with Jim Drury, who I have played with for the last three years. What is your most memorable game? My most memorable game at Oak Brook was the first game I played in Chicago, which was a long time ago. I was just a young player and played my first game as a pro here. What do you love about the game? I love the horses, the adrenaline, the competition—everything about it!


THE PLAYER: GRACE MUDRA Your parents are both deeply involved in polo: did you have any choice but to play polo? When I was little, my parents tried to keep me away from the barn, but I always wanted to be with the horses! So it was definitely my choice. I started riding when I was 2 or 3 and started polo as soon as I could hold a mallet my dad cut down for me, when I was 4 or 5. What was it like growing up in a polo household? Every summer we would leave and go somewhere to play polo, but otherwise, we were in Houston. In the summer, now we come to Chicago. It is wonderful being in a different environment, and meeting new people each summer is a really great experience. What was it like to compete on the U.S. polo team in the Youth Summer Olympics in Argentina? Going to Argentina to play in the Youth Summer Olympics was one of the best experiences I have ever had. It was mind-blowing what goes on down there. Everybody plays polo in Argentina. There are fields everywhere; there are horses everywhere. If you want to play, you play. I met polo legend Lucas Criado, and we went to Adolfo Cambiaso’s barn. I met and competed with players from Switzerland and the U.K., and a bunch from Argentina. The play was really competitive and tough. All of us were really fighting and put everything out on the field. It was great. What are your plans for polo? For the spring and fall seasons, I will be in Houston, and then I will play in Chicago in the summer. Winter is always for the Interscholastic league. We had an amazing Houston team this year: I went to Nationals with April Galindo, Bridget Price, Joanie Jackson, and Cara Kennedy. We worked hard for it. What advice would you give someone who wants to play polo? Ride as much as you can. You can learn everything else, but if you are a good rider, it gives you the solid base to build and improve your skills. It takes time to improve your technique. You need to get out there and experience it.

Grace Mudra

Horacio Onetto

67


The Merrill Lynch Polo Team

THE SPONSOR: DON SMITH & LISA POPE, MERRILL LYNCH How long has Merrill Lynch been a polo sponsor? Merrill Lynch was a supporter and sponsor going back to the 1980s. Additionally, we’ve seen a few of our local Merrill Lynch Advisor teams individually support the sport and Oak Brook pretty consistently in recent years. Corporately, we decided to support our Chicago area advisors and their clients and guests by exploring a partnership with Oak Brook in 2015. What is it about polo that appeals to Merrill Lynch as a partner? When you meet the players and the pros, you realize that it is a lifestyle, and it is in alignment with the type of lifestyle our clients lead. The patrons are similar to the clients we have at Merrill Lynch. It also gives us and our clients an opportunity to meet with other sponsors. We are pleased to have the opportunity to be a part of it. 68

We like to offer clients and prospective clients unique experiences that they would not normally have were it not for their relationship with a Merrill Lynch advisor. Many of our clients discover the excitement of the game, and it is the first time they have engaged with a sport like this. We have had clients that have opted to come back and take a polo lesson or bring their kids out for a day to learn more about the sport, beyond the day of the event. In addition to Oak Brook in Chicago, we’ve hosted Polo events over the last few years at Arranmore Farms in Oswego, “Polo in the Pines” in Atlanta, and we’re exploring events in Los Angeles and Houston currently. What makes the Oak Brook polo experience special? Oak Brook has a degree of history and a legacy that speaks to its validity as an organization. There are players, fans, and other supporters that have been involved with Oak Brook for


10–15 years or more, and it is fantastic to meet those loyal fans during the matches. Additionally, Dan O’Leary has been an outstanding partner in helping craft an experience for our team and their guests each season. The Oak Brook team has been completely flexible, accommodating, creative, and responsive to any and all planning ideas or concerns we’ve had. The proximity of the field to the city has also been an added convenience for our guests. Do you have a favorite player or event? We love ALL of the teams and players and completely admire their athleticism, sheer bravery, and passion for the game! The players are an absolutely fabulous and unique group of personalities, and getting to spend time with them (and their horses) pre- and post-match has been a phenomenal experience for our advisors and guests. They are so friendly and so engaging. Of particular note are also the number of female players on the field. As far as a particular event, for a car nut, “Horses and Horsepower” is a great event. The people that we invite love to see those Maseratis out on the field, and then paired with the team parade, the whole experience is very memorable. THE FAN: DAVID IRWIN How did you hear about polo at Oak Brook? I have been a polo fan now for about 12 years. When I moved here, I sought out a local club, and I first heard about Oak Brook Polo Club through their social channels. I live in Willowbrook, so I was happy to find that there was a club so close. It is such a great activity to do with my sons. They are 10 and 7, and they just love it. They have been going their whole lives. It’s a great day to spend outdoors, and we get to see the horses up close. What is special about Oak Brook? Oak Brook is an immersive experience. Because we are there every week, the boys have gotten to know the players, the team captains, and Jim Drury. From the vendors to the players to the crowd, it is a great place

The Irwin boys meet the players

to spend the day if you are looking for something fantastic to do. We are there almost every Sunday; if there is a Saturday match, we go both days. I’d encourage people to add it to their weekend agendas. How do you watch the game? We have done it all: we’ve tailgated; we’ve done the picnic. The last couple of times, the kids wanted to go to the Saddle Club, which is always a blast. What is it about the polo experience that keeps you coming back? It’s a friendly, communal place to be. There are few sports where you can be so close to the action—to be right up close to the field and see the horses gallop by. It is a very personal experience. We get to talk to the polo players afterward, and the kids always buy a polo ball for all the players from both sides to sign. It’s a really great family-friendly event. 69


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DRAKE CHALLENGE CUP 12-GOAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES SUNDAY, AUGUST 4 GATES OPEN: 1PM | MATCH STARTS: 3PM

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POLO I N SP I R E D TED BAKER STYLE FOR HIM AND HER His and hers polo style from Ted Baker. For him, a Kernalj debonair slim wool suit jacket for field-side lounging. For her, Luluuu’s elegant textured dress coat for the Champagne divot stomp. www.tedbaker.com

2019 FERRARI GTC4 LUSSO The all-wheel drive four-seater Prancing Horse creates a powerful sense of motion, and the twin taillights pay homage to the great Ferrari’s of the past! A limitless array of personalization choices available at Continental Ferrari in Hinsdale. www.continentalautosports.com CELEBRITY EDGE BY CELEBRITY CRUISES From the incredible new Magic Carpet to the private plunge pools in our new two-story Edge Villas, we have designed a unique outward-facing ship that breaks from traditional design. Aboard, you’ll feel more connected with the sea and the places you’ll visit from our Edge Staterooms with Infinite Verandas, to our reimagined terraced pool deck that offers even greater views of the destinations and shimmer of ocean. www.celebritycruises.com HEINEKEN ZERO For those who want the thirst-quenching refreshment of an ice-cold beer on the sidelines without the alcohol, Heineken is proud to deliver Henekein 0.0. Twice brewed and fermented with Heineken’s unique A-yeast from natural ingredients, our gentle alcohol removal and blending achieve a fruity flavor with slight malty notes. www.heineken.com 76


THE U.S. POLO ASSN. OFFICIAL POLO The official apparel supplier for the United States Polo Association is built on authenticity, heritage of the sport and the classic American aesthetic. The polo shirt offers a piece of the sport with its honest approach in design and functionality. https://uspoloassn.com 2019 LAMBORGHINI URUS Lamborghini Urus is the world’s first Super Sport Utility Vehicle, in which luxury, sportiness and performance meet comfort and versatility. Urus embodies the characteristics of multiple souls: sporty, elegant and off-road, and has a suitability for everyday driving in a range of environments. www.lamborghinigoldcoast.com HÄSTENS VIVIDUS The Bed of Kings. Hastens has been the official supplier to the Swedish Royal Court for three generations. The Vividus is the most luxurious in the Hästens collection, handmade from beginning to end with unmatched levels of support and comfort. Schedule a private appointment today to try the Vividus at Chicago Luxury Beds. www.chicagoluxurybeds.com J VINEYARDS & WINERY CALIFORNIA CUVÉE The inaugural release of our vibrant and approachable California cuvée opens with a pop of tart pineapple and orange blossom on the wonderfully aromatic nose. The palate is lively and rich with layered notes of Asian pear and honeysuckle, overlaying hints of fresh mandarin peel and marzipan before a zesty, focused finish. Grab a glass for your Champagne divot stomp or sip on the sidelines! www.jwine.com 77


POLO I N SP I R E D 1800 SILVER TEQUILA RESERVA Made from 100% Weber blue agave, aged for 8–12 years and harvested at their peak. The double-distilled 1800 Silver is blended from a special selection of white tequilas. The result is a smooth, clean and balanced taste with hints of sweet fruit and pepper. www.1800tequila.com

PORSCHE TAYCAN The Taycan is an all-electric sports car with a range of over 300 miles, produces over 600 horsepower and can accelerate from 0-60 mph in under 3.5 seconds. True sports car performance naturally requires more than just power; it also requires a lightweight concept with optimal weight distribution and a low center of gravity. In addition to performance, the Taycan sets the stage for tomorrow with its design and technology, providing answers to the question of the sports car of the future. www.westmontporsche.com

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is a proud sponsor of the Oak Brook Polo Club

Photo: Mike Mantucca | Pioneer-Press

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HEINEKEN CHICAGO OPEN CUP 8-GOAL CHAMPIONSHIP & CONS0LATION MATCHES SUNDAY, AUGUST 18 GATES OPEN: 1PM | MATCH STARTS: 3PM

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Horses & Hops Beer Festival match up

8-Goal Championship Match activities

Horses & Hops Beer Festival, Best Hat Contest, Best Tailgate Contest, Mallet Challenge presenting partners

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color it E MERAL D A link to our past: an article from the 1977 edition of SCORE Magazine.

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or polo players in England it’s Windsor; in Argentina, Palermo. But, for American players, the magic name is Oak Brook. Polo thrives there. It has a home and a guardian. When old Meadow Brook became a victim of expressways and urban development, Paul Butler, with much foresight, saw to it that no roads would encroach on his green oasis, so close to rapidly expanding Chicago. Picture yourself on a flat, level plain that stretches out for as far as the eye can see. Entering the outskirts of Oak Brook, the plain is suddenly interrupted by majestic office buildings lifting their storied facades into the air. And what a sight they make. Their clean, flowing lines bespeak a timeless design; a visual impression that is quite futuristic. The contrast between the soaring heights of these impeccably designed edifices and the stark open-

ness of the Midwestern plains gives one a feeling of spaciousness and freedom not generally associated with most planned communities. Located almost adjacent to this superb business site, the International Sports Core is, on the surface, its antithesis. There are trees, acres of green turf, narrow country lanes that wind through the property, and beautiful, narrow-planked fences that remind one so much of Old Meadow Brook. But, in fact, the well-ordered existence of Oak Brook carries over into the design of the International Sports Core. From the beginning, every facet of planning and organization at Oak Brook has been carefully supervised by Paul Butler. Starting in the early 30’s, Butler acquired land adjoining property already owned by his father with the intention of eventually developing it into a planned community. Years before any of his 85


contemporaries, Butler (an avid sportsman in his own right) realized how important the creation of recreational areas would be to the future community of Oak Brook. Hence, the present-day existence of the International Sports Core. As with all the projects with which the Butlers are involved, Oak Brook and the International Sports Core reflect their refined good taste and inherent understanding of the importance of organization. Along with his son and daughter, Michael and Jorie, Paul Butler continues to carefully evaluate the Sports Core’s (and Oak Brook’s) future growth and development based on his original concepts. What is the International Sports Core? Polo players the world over know the Sports Core as the bastion of high-goal polo on the North American continent. With some of the finest and best-kept playing fields in the world, the Sports Core has done much for the game of polo. Along with the Oak Brook Polo Club, the Sports Core (as its name suggests) offers a large diversity of sports facilities. 86

Coming from Oak Brook Center, the Butler National Golf Club, an exclusive men’s club, is the first facility to meet your eye. Entering the impressive clubhouse from the circular drive, the first sight to greet your eyes is a wood-panelled foyer. Dating from the twenties, it was originally part of the Oak Brook Polo Club, and in some respects is reminiscent of an English club. Stepping out of the clubhouse, the first tee of the Butler National course is the point of departure for the most difficult golf course in the United States. With an incredible length of 7,325 yards, the Butler National Championship Course is rated at 78.2 by the USGA. Its long fairways and exquisitely manicured greens are highly lauded by golf’s top professional players. The late spring sees the Butler National come alive with the playing of the Western Open, American golf’s second oldest tournament. Played before crowds that number in the six-figure category, the Western Open attracts major professional golfers from all over the world. Crossing the expansive polo fields that crisscross the Sports Core, you come upon what is probably the most exquisite building on the property, the Bath and Tennis Club. Situated on a small lake, it gives the double impression of, on the one hand, a beautifully executed Japanese fortress, and on the other, a very modern, functional meeting place that epitomizes Paul Butler’s concept of controlled sophistication. The Bath and Tennis clubhouse, in the Japanese and Scandinavian traditions, is an integral component of its surrounding environment—a superior example of the harmonious melding of East and West.


And, of course, the International Sports Core is polo. Home of the Oak Brook Polo Club, and some of the finest polo in the world, Oak Brook is the “Mecca” of American high-goal polo. Originally conceived by Paul Butler’s father, Oak Brook Polo Club consisted of one field and eight players when started over sixty years ago. For thirty years now, the Core has been the site of numerous high-goal tournaments, including the National Open, U.S. polo’s most prestigious tournament. A polo facility par excellence, the Sports Core presently boasts eight polo fields, stabling for over 350 horses, and an impressive seasonal schedule geared to all levels of competition. The two major fields, the Pan American and the International, are equipped with grandstands, lavatory facilities and, of course, the flat, perfectly conditioned turf that has become one of Oak Brook’s best-known trademarks. To give you an idea of the enormity of the Sports Core, one section is made up of six polo fields butting at different angles. Believe it or not, in this one part there is more than enough open ground to allow medium-sized planes to take off and land (not a few of the attendees at Polo Week arrived in their own private aircraft). Oak Brook and the International Sports Core were all I had heard and expected them to be. As an initiation into the inner sanctum of high-goal polo, there is no better place to “take your vows.” But, even beyond its important relationship with polo, the International Sports Core is an integral part of life in Oak Brook—fulfilling that community’s needs in a most unique fashion.

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WELCOME TO T H E OA K B ROOK POLO 2 01 9 SE ASON

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n behalf of the Board of Trustees and the residents of the Village of Oak Brook, it is my honor to welcome everyone to Oak Brook for an afternoon of Polo. We also extend our appreciation to Pineoak Partners for continuing to bring quality polo matches to our fine community. Oak Brook polo is a unique event that is tightly woven into our community’s history, and it is because of the consistent support of the Village, several sponsors and supporters that you are able to enjoy the renaissance of polo—the oldest team sport in the world. Founded in 1922 by Paul Butler, the Oak Brook Polo Club is one of the oldest polo clubs in the country. An avid polo player, Mr. Butler fulfilled his dream of creating a world-class polo facility in the serene pastoral setting of the village that was later to become incorporated as Oak Brook. From the early days to the present, visiting teams have come from all over the world to play on Oak Brook’s immaculately groomed field. Throughout the season, the Polo Club will act as a host to international visitors to offer you the finest in polo competition. We hope you will take time to look through this magazine, as it includes background on the sport of polo, historical information, and information from sponsors and supporters. Polo is an incredibly thrilling sport to watch. Horses and riders thunder across the polo field, creating excitement the first time and every time you watch it. Spectators are always welcome. Gather your family, friends and business associates and rediscover Oak

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Brook’s treasured gem—the exciting sport of polo! We hope you enjoy your time at today’s polo matches. As you may know, Oak Brook is a premier community, with spacious, prestigious residential areas, and a beautiful commercial district. While you are here, I hope you would take advantage of our world class Oakbrook Center Mall and visit the high-end retail stores as well as the wonderful new restaurants we have. Just this past year we opened Rock Sugar, Roka Akor and Beatrix. Please feel free to extend your visit and stay at one of our seven premier hotels. To learn more about Oak Brook as a place to live, work, play, shop, dine, and stay, visit www.oak-brook.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Thank you for making the 2019 season a success

Gopal Lalmalani Mayor, Village of Oak Brook


The Village of

Oak Brook Summer Events

Oak Brook, Illinois was established in 1958 by Paul Butler as an idyllic oasis just 20 miles from downtown Chicago.

JUNE Movies on the Lawn at Oak Brook Center Wendesdays, 7–9 pm Roald Dahl’s Matilda: The Musical Runs till June 23 @ Drury Lane Theatre 51st Annual Father’s Day Classic Car Show June 16 @ Oak Brook Center A Walk the Park Wine Tour June 27 @ Central Park West Free Summer Concert Series: Dancing Queen June 27 @ Central Park Performing Arts Pavilion The Glorious Fourth: A historic look at the 4th of July June 27 @ Kline Creek Farm

JULY Movies on the Lawn at Oak Brook Center Wendesdays, 7–9 pm Taste of Oak Brook: Food, fun & fireworks July 3 @ Oak Brook Sports Core And Then Where Were None July 12–September 1 @ Drury Lane Theatre Free Summer Concert Series: The Sting Rays July 11 @ Central Park Performing Arts Pavilion Central Park events: www/obparks.org/special-events Drury Lane Theatre: www.drurylanetheatre.com

Free Summer Concert Series: The Flat Cats July 18 @ Central Park Performing Arts Pavilion Free Summer Concert Series: Cadillac Grove July 25 @ Central Park Performing Arts Pavilion Team Dri Tri: Half marathon event July 27 @ Central Park Family Recreation Center Registration info: mdelgado@obparks.org

AUGUST Free Summer Concert Series: Pirates Over 40 August 1 @ Central Park Performing Arts Pavilion National Night Out: Free Family Event August 6 @ Central Park Movies on the Lawn at Oak Brook Center August 7, 7–9 pm Mutt Miler, sponsored by Hinsdale Animal Hospital August 16 @Central Park

SEPTEMBER Autumn FestL Live music and family-friendly events September 21 @ Central Park The Color Purple: The Musical September 13–November 3 @ Drury Lane Theatre

Kline Creek Farm: www.dupageforest.org/kline-creek-farm Oak Brook Center: www.oakbrookcenter.com


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BUTLER INTERNATIONAL CUP INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 GATES OPEN: 1PM | MATCH STARTS: 3PM

theme

Diapers & Divots match up

Oak Brook vs. Wales Polo Team activities

Model T On-field Car Show, Best Hat Contest, Best Tailgate Contest, Mallet Challenge presenting partners

Jackson Chance Foundation, Model T Ford Club of America, Perillo Chicago, Hinsdale Living, Merrill, Better

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CECIL SMITH CUP 12-GOAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 GATES OPEN: 1PM | MATCH STARTS: 3PM

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Sips & Saddles Champagne & Wine Festival match up

Oak Brook vs. Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse activities

Wine & Champagne Tastings, Best Hat Contest, Best Tailgate Contest, Mallet Challenge presenting partners

The Wine Cellar Group, Jordan Winery, Gold Coast Bentley, Hinsdale Living, Gold Coast Lamborghini, Better


Hello, Oak Brook. The Wine Cellar Outlet Oak Brook is NOW OPEN and we’re excited to bring you handcrafted wines at unbelievable prices! At The Wine Cellar Outlet, we strive to provide a passionate, fresh and approachable store in which to browse and sample a wide selection of top-rated, outstanding value wines. Shop our Cellar Collection: • An extensive variety of unique wines • Boutique-style, exceptional quality wines from family-run vineyards all over the world • Mix & match Cellar Select, Cellar Premium and Cellar Ultra wines and receive up to 45% off every day! We are big believers in trying before you buy. If you’re not sure what you want, or just interested in trying something new, our tasting bar is open for complimentary samplings of our premium wines every day!

The Wine Cellar Outlet Oak Brook | Oak Brook Promenade 3021 Butterfield Rd, Ste-100, Oak Brook, IL 60523 (630) 320-2305 | Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 11am-6pm

OUTLET Hear what customers are saying about The Wine Cellar Outlet: My favorite wine store. Unique selections [...and] frequent specials. - Google Review They have a great variety of international boutique wines to discover. At their prices, I feel more confident trying new things. - Google Review


THANK YOU TO OUR 2019 SEASON AND EVENT PARTNERS WHO HELPED MAKE THIS SEASON A SUCCESS!

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GET IN THE GAME! START TAKING POLO LESSONS TODAY Chicagoland’s polo instructors offer group and private lessons for all players, from the beginner just learning to ride to up-andcoming players looking for coaching to take them to the next level. Our instructors provide everything you need to get started and build your polo game: • Horses • Tack • Polo equipment • Two arenas and a full polo field

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT BOOKING A POLO LESSON, CONTACT: Pam Mudra at 979.270.2860 or pam@chicago-polo.com

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POW E R

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PAG E N T RY

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FRIE N DS A N D FAM I LY

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FAS H I ON A ND F U N

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ILLINOIS PLAYERS CUP

0-4 GOAL CHAMPIONSHIP & CONSOLATION MATCHES

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 GATES OPEN: 12PM | MATCH STARTS: 1 PM & 3 PM

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Team Up For Tony Sekera match up

0-4 Goal Championship & Consolation Matches activities

Best Hat Contest, Best Tailgate Contest, Mallet Challenge presenting partners

Lithoprint, Chicago Polo Association, Napleton Westmount Porsche


Proudly Supporting Oak Brook Polo Congratulations on another successful season

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CHICAGO POLO YOUTH DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE: POLO, YOUR NEXT GREAT SPORT

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n partnership with the United States Polo Association (USPA), the Chicago Polo community is searching for the next generation of polo players! We are excited to offer interested students from grades 5–12, ages 10–18, the opportunity to learn and play competitive polo with their peers. This unique opportunity will give students exposure to horses and the necessary education and skills to learn the sport of polo in a safe and fun environment. Students are invited to attend a series of workshops designed to introduce interested players and parents to the sport through classroom instruction, demonstrations, and basic horsemanship and polo training taught by local professionals and instructors. Upon completion and level of interest, students will have the opportunity to participate in a number of USPA and Chicago Polo youth development programs and compete on a circuit and at the national level against other players from surrounding states.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS: • National Youth Tournament Series • Middle School Polo Leagues • Interscholastic Polo Leagues For more information about Chicago Polo’s Youth Development Programs, please contact Pam Mudra at 979.270.2860 or pam@chicago-polo.com.

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