Calgary Polo Club
T
he Calgary Polo Club is one of the oldest polo clubs in North America, established in 1890 by A. E. Cross, who was also one of the founders of the Calgary Stampede. Not only did the club survive two world wars and the Great Depression, it thrived. The early years were a whirlwind of matches played by pioneer ranchers, military men and charismatic oil and gas titans. One of the new cattle kingdom notables, Colin
LEFT: The Calgary Blues polo team with DK Yorath, JB Williams, James B Cross and FM Pardee, circa 1930. Photo source: University of Calgary Archives and Special Collections RIGHT: The Palmer Family and Team Blizzard, winners of the JC Palmer Memorial
28 \ THE SPORT OF POLO IN CANADA
Ross, received gushing coverage from the Los Angeles Times while he played tournaments across North America in 1907, writing him up as the millionaire polo player with the unbeaten team. Female members have been encouraged throughout the club’s history. During the 1920s, the women’s team travelled to New York for the first international women’s tournament. In 1992, member Julie Roenisch made history as the first woman to play in the U.S. Open. As the city of Calgary grew and developed, the polo club moved from Elbow Park, to a location in Hillhurst and
