Polo For Bear

By Katie Roth | Photos by Shelly Marshall Schmidt

On Sunday, June 5, 2022, the polo community came together to show their support for one of Aiken’s favorite polo families, the Coscias. “Polo for Bear” was a special fundraiser at New Bridge Polo & Country Club to benefit the Bear Coscia Medical Fund. Bear is the 3-year old son of Ruben and Anna Coscia. Ruben is a professional polo player and member at New Bridge, and Anna has played in women’s and mixed tournaments as well. In May, Bear spent twelve days in the hospital with a ruptured appendix, which led to further medical complications, and several trips to the emergency room.

VIP guests arrived to see the New

Bridge Clubhouse interior and lawn elegantly decorated in black and white and accented with adorable polar bears. The festivities began with a signature drink of spiked strawberry lemonade and passed hors d’oeuvres as everyone took their seats to watch the exciting all pro 18 goal game. As the players were introduced at the start of the match, Bear rode in the saddle with his father and there was not a dry eye in the house. Bear’s sister Azul was also in attendance, providing support for her big brother.

The clubhouse lawn gave over 250 VIP guests the perfect view of the exciting game. The field sidelines were also full of festive tailgates. All proceeds from admission tickets went to the Bear Coscia Medical

Fund to help the family with medical bills.

Playing for Cooper Home & Stable/ Tipler Law were Alan Martinez (5), Ruben Coscia (4), Marcos Onetto (4), and Dennys Santana (4), facing off against Pelon Escapite (6), Adam Snow (4), Willie Hartnett (4), and Flaco Lisazo (3) for Field One. It was a fast, exciting four chukker game, instead of the traditional six chukkers. There was also a special twist of a two-point line during the match. Cooper Home & Stable/ Tipler Law came out on top 11-4, but if you asked any of the pros, they were all playing for Bear that night. Ruben Coscia was honored with Most Valuable Player, and Dennys Santana’s “Wanda” was named Best Playing Pony.

VIP patrons were also offered the opportunity to bid on players during the Calcutta for the long-ball contest. The patron who had the winner of the competition got half of the prize pool, while the Bear Coscia Medical fund got the other half. Justin Pimsner won the highest

bid on Dennys Santana, who also launched the longest ball in the contest. Justin and his wife Mary Guynn generously donated their half back to the Bear Coscia Medical Fund.

Lizzie Longears, the working donkey from Black Burro Events, was a helpful addition to the cause, taking donations in her saddle bags for the Bear Coscia Medical fund both on the clubhouse lawn and in the tailgate area. No one could resist her!

Guests were served an authentic Argentine asado (grilled steak, chicken and chorizo with salad and bread) for dinner and there were a variety of coveted items to bid on in the silent auction.

Polo for Bear was presented by BlackBerg Ranch. Platinum sponsors included: Field One, Cooper Home & Stable/Tipler Law, Dollamor Farm, Adams Farm, and Hit Air. Gold Sponsors included: UnStable Polo Team, John Humphries, Polo Players Support Group, Cummings Insurance, Goldman’s Clearing and Site Work, Overbrook Polo, Triple C Polo, Foxdale Equine, Broken Taco Polo, SIG Polo, LBL Polo, Cooper Home & Stable, C and C Services, Jane and Jerry Mount, Mid State Roofing, Frank Mullins, and the Meeker Family. Special thanks to Southland Farms, Tyler Press, Powell Asset Protection Agency, AllStar Tents and Events, Security Federal Bank, flowers by CWS Farms and all of the great volunteers for their hard work.

The entire event was organized in only twelve days by the amazing Polo for Bear planning committee members; Stacie Simpkins, Steve Tipler, JD Cooper, Haley Bryan, Raza Kazmi, Katie Roth, Parker Scott, and Nelson Tamargo.

Polo for Bear was very successful, raising $71,800. In the event there are excess funds not needed by the Coscia family, the committee is planning to segue into a new charity to aid the polo community with a fundraiser on a yearly basis. When the community rallied together to help one of their own in need, who could have guessed that young Bear would be the catalyst to create a new charity that would give others hope for a bright future as well.■