Chukkers of Hope

THE 5TH ANNUAL

By Katie Roth Photos by Shelly Marshall Schmidt

Guests donned their best white attire and flocked to New Bridge Polo & Country Club for the return of the Chukkers of Hope White Party Polo Match on Friday, October 2, 2020. The event, held completely outdoors, proved to be a popular party option during the COVID 19 pandemic, and tickets to the clubhouse VIP area sold out prior to the event date.

Organizers orchestrated a COVID-safe event by offering complimentary face masks, hand sanitizing stations, premium self-parking (no valet), outdoor seating throughout the clubhouse gardens (6 ft apart), and event staff dressed in safety gear to serve guests.

As guests arrived, they browsed the impressive collection of horsepower courtesy of Car Cave USA and gathered on the white couches on the clubhouse lawn and nibbled on passed hors d’oeuvres.

One of the evening’s highlights was the specialty cocktail, The Paloma Lane, which featured Calavera Tequila, an unreleased handcrafted tequila owned by New Bridge member Scott Silver. Guests were also invited to taste samples of Calavera’s three varieties, Añejo, Reposado and Blanco.

The polo action began on championship field #1 as Guest of Honor Hannah Curry, Miss South Carolina USA, threw the ball in to start the highly competitive match in the prestigious USPA National Copper Cup® 12 Goal tournament. The two teams battled it out and scoring went back and forth, but SD Farms (Aiden Meeker, Trevor Niznik, Carlitos Gracida, Peco Polledo) inched past Hit Air (Jack Whitman, Justin Pimsner, Alan Martinez, Pelon Escapite) 12-11 for the win. MVP honors were awarded to Carlitos Gracida.

The colorful sunset over the New Bridge clubhouse added to the ambiance of the evening. Guests bid on sought-after

items in the silent auction such as luxury vacations, a custom pen, Hit Air vest, jewelry, and clothes from U.S. Polo Assn. They dined on an authentic Argentine asado, prepared by Pancho Ramirez and Omar Viale, and danced to the live music of DJ Kenny Ray.

The mission of the Chukkers of Hope White Party Polo Match is to bring awareness to important social causes through the sport of polo. The event supported St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and raised $32,000.■

Thank you to the following sponsors who made this event possible:

Apollon Wealth, SIG, Calavera Tequila, Hull Barrett PC, Car Cave USA, SC Health, Jacobs Land Management, Kenny Ray Personal Fitness, Hit Air, Quill Investment Group, Iron Feather Creative, South State Bank.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital | The dedicated people at St. Jude do great work to help prevent and find cures for diseases through research and treatment and at zero cost to patients. They also share their findings with organizations all over the world so “one child saved at St. Jude means thousands more saved worldwide.” Stjude.com