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Polo Girls Hit South Beach for the Miami World Polo Cup
Story and photos by David Bowling
Playing in the sand is a little slower and causes some sore arms but Julia Charquero, Libby Scripps, and Melissa Hornung love playing here. It’s South Beach!
These three international acclaimed polo players not only compete but are ambassadors for women’s polo.
Julia Charquero, winner of last years Miami Beach Polo World Cup Tournament has been playing since she was 10 years old. She travels the world teaching women about polo and is also a jewelry designer.
Libby Scripps, whose former stepfather, Bill Ylvisaker founder of the Palm Beach Polo Club has been playing since she was 7. Libby is the founder of Polo Girls, which she created to help raise money for scholarships for women’s polo players. She is also a TV Producer and Philanthropist.
Melissa Hornung is an artist and professional polo player. She has been commissioned for her fine art for over 15 years with clientele spanning from LA to NYC. Melissa also produced the Polo Girls calendar.
I’ve never met anyone more passionate about what they do than these three women. In a game where you could, and some have been killed, they thrive on the total concentration it takes to compete and stay safe.
One of the surprising aspects for me was that the teams continually change. The girls are team mates one day, and play against each other the next. Teams are chosen for each match. I said that I think people would follow the sport with more passion if they had a particular team to root for. Libby agreed.
The main thing the girls want to convey is the misconception that you have to be rich to play polo. The Mecca for polo is here in South Florida in Wellington. For a mere $50 you can take a polo lesson and the horse (polo pony) is provided for you. It’s not even necessary to have riding experience.
These girls are out to make a difference in the sport of women’s polo. They are beautiful, ambitious, and I can’t wait to see their next match.
Hope you’ll be there too!
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