Just as Netflix announced its new documentary titled Polo would be dropping this December, the Harriman Cup Polo Match celebrated its 40th anniversary. This very important milestone match was between alumni from Yale University and the University of Virginia and took place on Saturday, September 14, 2024, at Bethpage Polo at the Park.
The Harriman Cup spectators
Established in 1984, The Harriman Cup has commemorated the life of diplomat, polo player, and former New York Governor Averell Harriman for the last four decades. The non-profit organization is dedicated to promoting the sport of polo and supporting the collegiate polo programs at UVa and Yale. In fact, it’s the oldest alumni polo match in America and has raised over $1 million for the schools’ undergraduate polo teams.
I went to a small school in Pennsylvania where our marching band was more impressive than our Football team and we certainly did not have a Polo program. Since moving to New York City I’ve tried to broaden my horizons and after attending several Polo matches in the tri-state, I’ve discovered it’s quite an addicting sport to watch. This particular event was no different and the energy was palpable. Both teams were impressive in their whites as they rode and played their hearts out from the first chukker to last.
The Harriman Cup
Spectators from both schools and fans of Polo showed up in their Polo best. From impressively large lats to men in their jackets and women in summer dresses, the sidelines are as much of a show as the sport. The Harriman Cup had a VIP tent with open bar and food along with front-row viewing options. There were also smaller tents that were occupied by graduates of the two schools. Arriving early from the Metro North Transit, we got to meet the players and polo ponies before the main show began. Eyes are truly glued to the Chukkers as players guide their horses across the field.
The Harriman Cup
If you’ve seen Pretty Woman you’ll remember the scene where the crowd partakes in the traditional Pivot Stomping mid-match. We lived out our very own Julia Roberts moment, elegantly hopping the fence as the polo players rode to the grooms and replaced the divots created by horse hooves. After the match was over a more rowdy party began with a DJ spinning the remainder of the afternoon.
The Harriman Cup
Team Yale was the 2024 winner of the Harriman Cup and Leila Chang received the year’s Chevy Beh MVP Award presented by the US Polo Association. Admittedly, after attending the Harriman Cup I’m even more excited to watch the upcoming show that will document the Polo’s elite athletes who devote their time to the historical sport and of course the specific skills required to succeed at a high level.
This year, the organization also honored the founders of the Harriman Cup with the 2024 Harriman Cup Award. The founders are Tom Shuman, Zene Colt, Dick Cawley, Mike McGhee, Mike Schram, Molly Baldrige, Bill Ylvisaker, Lou Lopez, Steve Orthwein, Sandy Carden, and John Harris.
The Harriman Cup
