Joy Countess du Lau d’Allemans named President
of International Beach
Polo Association
The IBPA has a new president. After two years of working hand in hand with
the International Beach Polo Association, Joy Countess du Lau d’Allemans has
been named president and Chief Operational Officer, it was announced.
Initially enticed to join the international body in an
effort to coordinate charitable efforts with global beach polo eventsLive and to
assist in branding opportunities, the association decided to take advantage of
a broader scope of talents offered by her.
“Joy has a long association with horses,” said IBPA Chairman
Alex Webbe, “and has been fascinated by the game of polo since her childhood on
her family ranch in Texas. It was only a
matter of time before she found herself swinging a mallet from the back of a
galloping thoroughbred,” he added.
“She’s enjoyed matches from St. Tropez to Buenos Aires to
the Palm Beach,” Webbe said, “but it wasn’t until she saw her first beach polo
event that she understood how powerfully the game could be presented to the
general public.”
“It’s one thing to be racing down the field at a full
gallop, feeling the wind in your face and the power of the horse underneath you
while you chase the ball,” she said, “but the smaller arena-like setting of
beach polo and the relaxed ocean-side setting make it an ideal vehicle with
which to educate the general public about this great sport,” she said.
“When you are literally yards away from the play you have the opportunity
to see the expressions on the faces of the players as they struggle for control
of the ball. You see every muscle of
these powerful animals flexing as they carry riders into one play after
another, stopping, turning and accelerating on the beach so close to the
spectators that they could actually touch them as they race by.”
Joy will be focusing on coordinating assistance and support
for emerging beach polo eventsLive around the world in an effort to grow the sport
and introduce the game of polo to a larger audience.
“Our feeling is that the game will gather popularity as more
people that are exposed to it,” she said.
“The key is bringing the sport to populated areas that can accommodate
the beach polo game, allowing larger audiences access to this great sport. The spectacle of beach polo serves as a
vehicle to introduce the game to the masses in a relaxed but upscale
setting. We have seen it work in
England, Spain, Australia, Argentina, Uruguay, Germany, Italy, and so many
other places, with the sport of polo being the ultimate winner,” she added.