Polo match benefits local non-profits

If you're looking for something a bit different to wind up Quilt Show weekend, try heading out to Camp Fraley Ranch, east of Bend, on Sunday afternoon and take in a polo match.

The Pacific Northwest Polo Invitational is a charity match organized by the Cascade Polo Club. It's the first polo match held in Central Oregon, and has been eagerly anticipated by enthusiasts of the sport.

Club president Dan Harrison, of Sisters, said there's a two-fold reason for bringing polo to Central Oregon. One is to correct the image of polo as highfalutin, reserved for ladies in flowing summery dresses and gentlemen wearing, well, polo shirts.

At this match, said Harrison, "If you bring a blanket and a picnic, you're in."

The other is to provide a great afternoon of high-energy horsemanship with skilled players and great spectator appeal. The players, from across the Northwest, are affiliated with active clubs, and several are professional players. They'll bring a skill level not often found in non-traditional polo areas, such as Central Oregon.

Beneficiaries of the match are four local non-profits that reach different areas of the community. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Oregon, Sisters Folk Festival, Healing Reins and Equine Outreach will receive a portion of the admission fee.

The field at Camp Fraley Ranch, owned by Brad Fraley, has been painstakingly prepared over the past three years. A polo field is the largest in organized sport, at 300 yards long and 160 yards wide. Binoculars are recommended for viewing the details of what's happening on the field.

The two teams of four players each are contesting the first Rube W. Evans Memorial Trophy. Evans, a Texas cattleman who eventually settled in Central Oregon, passed away last year in Bend. According to Harrison, he was a loved and respected member of the polo playing fraternity, having played at major clubs around the country.

In addition to the match on Sunday, Cascade Polo Club is hosting a Polo Training Foundation clinic at the facility at Camp Fraley Ranch. Young players, mostly from intercollegiate teams, will come for the weekend clinic.

The Pacific Northwest Polo Invitational is being held at Camp Fraley Ranch on Sunday, July 11 at 2 p.m. Gates open at noon. Admission is $10, kids under 12 are free. Nominated charities benefit if attendees present a voucher of support. These may be obtained at various sites around town or at the gate. If you see information posted about the match at a business, ask for a voucher.

Camp Fraley Ranch is located at 60580 Gosney Rd., which is about three miles east of Bend off Highway 20; the ranch is just over three miles down Gosney Road.