Air Force Swoops in to Win the First Inter-service Military Polo Tournament
Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force join forces to benefit the Semper Fi Fund
The Air Force polo team prevailed last weekend with a hard-fought win over the Army polo team in the finals of the historic first Inter-service Military Polo Tournament, hosted by the Poway Polo Club in Poway, California. The four teams, representing four branches of the U.S. Military and comprised of both on-duty and former military servicemen from around the country, competed in a fierce round-robin format. In the first round of matches, Army took the win over the Marines and Air Force overcame the Navy pitting Army against the Air Force in the finals on October 9 with the Air Force winning the trophy and bragging rights.
The fundraiser event raised nearly $15,000 for the Semper Fi Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides immediate financial support for injured and critically ill members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families.
According to USPA Executive Director and former Air Force Sergeant Peter Rizzo, “We are excited about the opportunities that are associated with military polo in America. With the support of the polo community and our Armed Forces, we can make a positive impact on servicemen, their families and the local communities.”
The team rosters included the following players:
Air Force
Sergeant Peter Rizzo
1st Lieutenant Jonathan Burrows
Second Sergeant Gary Knoll
Sergeant Rob Phipps
Army
Captain Parker Scott
Major Mark Gillespie
Staff Sergeant Stefan Banks
Marines
Lt. Colonel Dean Daggett
Lt. Colonel Steve Walsh
Commander Dan Prim, Jr.
Captain Ted Gildred
Navy
Commander Steven Smith
Commander Karl Hilberg
Lt. Commander Andrew Hochhaus
“We are so grateful for this tremendous effort and the outstanding success of the first inter-service military polo match,” said Wendy Lethin, Senior Director-Community Outreach, Western Region. “This event and its supporters signify what the Semper Fi Fund is all about – staying faithful to our country and to those that serve it.”
The United States Polo Association is also taking notice of the event and has recently announced the creation of an Armed Forces Polo Committee to assist in future event coordination as well as sanctioning and fundraising efforts related to inter-service military matches that would take place across the country.
About U. S. Polo Association
The U.S. Polo Association was organized and exists for the purposes of promoting the game of polo, coordinating the activities of its Member Clubs and Registered Players, arranging and supervising polo tournaments, competitions, and games, and providing rules, handicaps, and conditions for those tournaments, competitions, and games including the safety and welfare of participants and mounts. For more information, please visit, www.uspolo.org.