Have you ever been to a polo match? I’m not talking about water polo, but polo as a team sport played on horseback. It’s understandable if your answer is no, as Cincinnati isn’t exactly a place normally associated with polo. However, on Saturday, August 23rd, the inaugural Cincinnati Cup Charity Polo Match will take place at the Kellogg Avenue Fields located at 4609 Kellogg Avenue.
The Cincinnati Cup is being hosted by the Leonidas Foundation, which was founded last year by the Leonidas family after their newborn daughter, Adeline, was hospitalized with a severe case of Entero Virus in the summer of 2013. She was admitted back into the hospital at seven days old, experiencing complete liver failure and a stage three brain bleed. Fortunately, with the help of the team at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Adeline was able to make a full recovery.
Hoping to find some way to give back, Chris Leonidas founded the Leonidas Foundation to raise money for infant and child research and care. As such, all proceeds from the Cincinnati Cup will directly benefit Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
We’re promised that attendees can expect an exciting day of high-quality polo with top players from around the country. There will also be pre-match events, a VIP tent, local food trucks and beverage vendors, a band, and some of Cincinnati’s best fashion. Above all, this will be a kid-friendly event. Tickets for general admission start at just $10 and can be purchased online at www.poloforbabies.com/tickets.html.
The festivities, including tailgating, will last from 1-9pm, with the polo match itself beginning at 4pm. You can visit www.poloforbabies.com to learn more about the event and catch up on your polo etiquette. For more information about the Leonidas Foundation and its mission, visit www.theleonidasfoundation.org.
Sounds like it will be a great time! So break out that fashionable attire, grab the kids, and get out there and take in something new while supporting a great cause!
Polo has a tremendous history supporting charitable causes through out the United States. In Indianapolis the Hickory Hall Polo club will, this year, have charitable matches to support 17 different non-profit charities while the Cincinnati Polo Club is also beginning to emulate their direction having just completed “The Galloping Pig” event in support of Dahani Jones’ Bow Tie charity.
Where else can you enjoy such a fast paced sport by tailgating field side and see extremely competitive players on magnificent horses thunder by at break neck speed while sipping your chilled mimosa and, at the same time, be supporting such a valuable asset to our community like “Children’s Hospital”. It doesn’t get any better than that.
I promise you that by the end of the day terms like “Chukker, divot stomping, right of way, ride off, and line of the ball” will take on new meaning and understanding. You will marvel at the horsemanship skills on display and gain an appreciation of the fast paced complexity of the game.
So, load up your car with all your tail gating stuff; bring your wine and food, tent or umbrella, chairs and tables and watch the oldest team sport known to man, right there field side with all your friends and neighbors. It will be a fantastic equestrian experience!