TO BE HELD July 5, 2013 @ 6PM
Hosted by Great Meadows Polo Club’s Twilight Polo in the arena at The Plains, Virginia.
Great Meadows Polo Club
5089 Old Tavern Rd
On July 5, 2014, members of the Army and Navy are scheduled to come together to “Battle in the Saddle” to compete in an Armed Forces Polo Tournament at Great Meadows Polo in The Plains, Virginia.
The tradition behind the 20th annual Military Appreciation Night first began in 1994 during Great Meadow Polo’s inaugural season with the assistance of Mark Gillespie, (Major, U.S. Army, Retired) who is the founder of the Army Polo Club and captain of its Army team. “The Great Meadow Foundation and the Great Meadow Polo Club have always been great supporters of the nation’s Armed Forces,” said Major (Ret.) Gillespie.
From the Great Meadow Polo Club’s beginning in 1994, a Marine Corps flag has always flown over the arena in honor of Nick Arundel, who founded Great Meadow and once served in the U.S. Marine Corps. The tradition of a Twilight Polo night in honor of the Armed Forces continues this year with a charity match to benefit the Army Caisson Platoon’s Equine Assisted Therapy Program for Wounded Warriors. Military polo teams recently have been increasing the number of events they play to raise funds to support the military community. Military tournaments and military polo charity events have recently been held in locations across the nation to include Poway in California, San Antonio in Texas and Honolulu in Hawaii.
Funds raised at the tournament on the 29th at Great Meadow will benefit the Army Caisson Platoon’s Equine Assisted Therapy Program that is focused on helping wounded warriors. “The Army Caisson Platoon’s program uses horses to help Wounded Warriors regain their lost sense of balance and does wonders to counter the depression that often accompanies loss of limbs and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,” said Gillespie.
This year a military polo event will also be played on Sunday morning, July 6th on Great Meadow’s grass field to be followed later by a BBQ to cap the weekend’s events.
Although the gates normally open at 6:30 pm, due to the large number of military players expected to compete on July 5th, the first chukkers will begin at 6 PM. Admission for active duty and all military personnel who show a military ID card will be admitted free of charge. Picnicking on the polo grounds is both permitted and encouraged.
Army polo players on the move against Navy at Great Meadow Polo Club’s Arena.
Contact: Mark Gillespie
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tel. 703/298/6319
Email: Gillespie2@aol.com