Polo per un sorriso
May 25th began as a cold, windy and wet day in Pantano Borghese outside Rome at the Acquedotto Romano Polo Club www.arpc.it . This did nothing to dissuade fans and friends from attending the first ever “Polo per un Sorriso” match in favour of Operation Smile www.operationsmile.it
Over 500 tickets were sold (including pre-sales of 400 over the internet) and over 350 people brave the elements to see members of the Ferragamo family fight it out over a five chukker match against the Elser family (the hosts of the event).
On the championship-size field (280m*145m) both teams combated gallantly but fiercely ending up in a fair 6-6 tie. Salvatore Ferragamo and Marco Elser, respective captains of both teams, were interviewed by national TV after the event which raised over 40,000 € for Operation Smile’s new Casa del Sorriso. Its president is Santo Versace who has been a bit sponsor of the initiative.
Flaminia Cuturi and Alessandra Corrias, organizer of the event and President of Operation Smile Italia received enthusiastic support from Italian Aristocracy and other well-known polo fans; Mirko Bergamasco, captain of the Italian National Rugby team was so enthusiastic, he is considering picking up the sport once his rugby career ends.. Scores of counts, dukes and princes were present at the event, which was followed by a children’s drawing competition; each child had to bring a work of art depicting a smile (sculptures and drawings and paintings were brought by nearly 100 children.
The three judge panel formed by renowned artists Piero Orlando, Alberto di Fabio and art critic Angelo Bucarelli spent over an hour deciding on which prizes would be put on show at the new Smile House in Milan..