Ralph Lauren Polo Model & Professional Polo Player Nacho Figueras
to Compete in Charity Polo Match at Empire Polo Club 

Charity polo match to benefit The Boys & Girls Club of Coachella Valley

Click here to buy tickets.

Internationally recognized professional polo player and Ralph Lauren Polo model Nacho Figueras will be playing polo at Empire Polo Club on Saturday, March 23^rd, 2013 in the Polo d’Elegance Charity Match.   The theme of the event will revolve around horsepower, combining a blend of the elegant sport of polo with modern and vintage luxury automobiles.   This one-day event will offer spectators the chance to watch Nacho compete in a high-goal polo match while supporting a good cause, the Boys and Girls Club of Coachella Valley.

In addition to the horsepower on the playing field, The Thermal Club, a private motorsports facility, and Land Rover of Rancho Mirage will host a display of rare high performance cars during the event.  A select number of private car collections will also be on site, giving spectators a rare view of some unique automobiles.

Nacho Figueras may be best known internationally as the face of Ralph Lauren’s Black Watch collection and World of Polo fragrances. According to Conan O’Brien, “he’s one of the ‘greatest polo players in the world.” Oprah Winfrey calls him “one of the most handsome men in the world” while Lara Logan of 60 Minutes describes him as “the game’s greatest ambassador.”

“The success I have had with Ralph Lauren has given me more fame and publicity than polo has,” Figueras confesses. “So I am trying to use that publicity as a platform from which to promote the game I love so much, to make it more accessible to the general public,” he says, smiling.

Nacho’s participation in the Polo d’Elegance event supports his efforts to spread and popularize the game of polo and combines with his ongoing donation of time in support of charitable causes — two great reasons to show up at the Empire Polo Club on March 23^rd.

The Polo d’Elegance Charity Event is the coordinated effort of Empire Polo Club and Nacho Figueras.  A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Coachella Valley.

Event Details

Event:  Polo d’Elegance Charity Polo Match
Date:  Saturday, March 23^rd, 2013
Time: 4:00 PM ; Gates open at 3:00 PM

Cost:
General Admission $20 per car
Silver VIP Admission $25 per person
Gold VIP Access &VIP Lounge $75

Click here to buy tickets.

Location:  Empire Polo Club, 81-800 Ave. 50, Indio, CA  92201
Website:  www.PolodElegance.com
Charity:  Boys and Girls Club of Coachella Valley

Directions To Empire Polo Club

From I-10 take the Monroe St. exit and head south on Monroe St.  Turn right on Avenue 50.  The entrance for Polo d’Elegance will be the Empire Polo Club middle gate on Avenue 50. Follow the parking signs.

Empire Polo Club
81-800 Ave. 51
Indio, CA 92201
Tel. 760-393-7298

www.EmpirePolo.com
www.Facebook.com/EmpirePolo

Empire Polo Club Announces The 2013 Polo Season
Polo games every Friday night and Sunday afternoon
January 4th – March 31st, 2013

Sunday Polo at Empire Polo Club features two competitive polo games at 12:00 and 2:00 PM. There will be a complimentary champagne divot stomp during halftime of the second game sponsored by Veuve Clicquot.  Sunday Polo games are scheduled every Sunday through March 31st, 2013. General Admission is FREE and tailgating is also free on the east side of the field. The entrance for Sunday Polo games is on Ave. 50 between Monroe St. and Madison St.

“Friday Night Under The Lights” features one polo game usually 1 hour to 1.5 hours in length.  The games are held every Friday at 6 PM through March 29th, 2013.  The Friday night games rotate each week between the grass field #3 by the Rose Garden and Tack Room Tavern Restaurant to the indoor arena, located behind the Tack Room Tavern Restaurant.  The entrance for Friday night games is on Monroe St. at Ave. 51.

General Admission & VIP Seating
General Admission is FREE at all Friday night and Sunday afternoon polo games. Tailgating is also free and space is available on a first come, first served basis. Bleacher seating is also available in the General Admission area.

VIP seating is only available during Sunday Polo. The VIP seating area is located in front of the Olympic-peaked tents on the west side of the main polo field. VIP seating includes: tables, cabanas and group seating. VIP seats & cabanas can be purchased by the day or the season pending availability. Reservations for these areas are highly recommended. Food and beverage service is available on site during the Sunday matches.

2013 Season Highlights

Saturday, January 12th: USA vs. England in the Townsend Challenge Cup
The USPA Townsend Cup is a high-goal arena challenge game traditionally played between teams from the U.S. and England. This is the second time this prestigious event will be hosted at Empire Polo Club. Professional polo players are flying in from England and various parts of the U.S. to compete in this one-day event. General admission is free. The game begins at 6 PM on Saturday, January 12th and will be held in the Empire Polo Stadium. Click here for more details.

Saturday, February 23rd Rhythm, Wine & Brews Festival
The 2nd Annual Rhythm, Wine and Brews Fest will be held on Saturday, February 23rd, 2013 at the Empire Polo Club. The Festival will feature handcrafted wine and beer tasting provided by regional and national producers. Live blues and jazz music will be played throughout day. The Rhythm, Wines and Brews Festival will benefit the Casey Lee Ball Foundation. For more information on ticket prices and the event visit www.RWBFest.com.

Saturday, March 23rd Polo d’Elegance Charity Polo Match
Internationally recognized professional polo player and Ralph Lauren Polo model Nacho Figueras, has joined forces with Empire Polo Club and Autism Speaks to host the
1st Annual Polo d’Elegance Charity Polo Match and Gala on Saturday, March, 23rd, 2013. The theme of the event is Polo d’Elegance where the elegant sport of polo will be coupled with vintage automobiles and other luxury classics. For ticket prices and other event details please visit www.PolodElegance.com.

Sunday, March 31st, Champions’ Cup Finals and Closing Day
Join us for the grand finale tournament & closing day of the polo season. There will be more than $70,000 in cash & prizes awarded to the teams who are in the final round of the Champions’ 8-10 Goals Finals and the Lions’ Cup 4-Goal Finals.

2013 Season Schedule

January 2013
Jan. 4th Friday Night Polo Under The Lights (USA vs. CANADA)
Jan. 6th Sunday Polo – Opening Day & Hat Day
Jan. 11th Friday Night Polo Under The Lights
Jan. 12th U.S.A. vs. England (Saturday at 6 PM in the arena)
Jan. 13th Sunday Polo
Jan. 18th Friday Night Polo Under The Lights
Jan. 20th Sunday Polo
Jan. 25th Friday Night Polo Under The Lights
Jan. 27th Sunday Polo

February 2013
Feb. 1st Friday Night Polo Under The Lights
Feb. 3rd Sunday Polo
Feb. 8th Friday Night Polo Under The Lights
Feb. 10th Sunday Polo
Feb. 15th Friday Night Polo Under The Lights
Feb. 17th Sunday Polo
Feb. 22nd Friday Night Polo Under The Lights
Feb. 23rd Saturday – Rhythm, Wine and Brews Fest*
Feb. 24th Sunday Polo

March 2013
March 1st Friday Night Polo Under The Lights
March 3rd Sunday Polo
March 8th Friday Night Polo Under The Lights
March 10th Sunday Polo
March 15th Friday Night Polo Under The Lights
March 17th Sunday Polo
March 22nd Friday Night Polo Under The Lights
March 23rd Saturday – Polo d’Elegance Charity Match with Nacho Figueras **
March 24th Sunday Polo
March 29th Friday Night Polo Under The Lights
March 31st Sunday Polo/Champions’ Cup Finals and Closing Day

Sunday Polo Game Times: 12:00 PM & 2:00 PM
For Sunday games the entrance is on Ave. 50 between Monroe St. & Madison St.

Friday “Polo Under the Lights” game time is 6:00 PM
For Friday games the entrance on Monroe St. at Ave. 51.

General admission is FREE. Call for VIP rates for Sunday Polo.

*The Rhythm, Wine And Brews Fest is not a polo-related event.
For more information and ticket prices, please visit www.RWBfest.com

** The Polo d’Elegance Charity Match is a special event. For more information and ticket prices please visit www.PolodElegance.com.

Directions To Empire Polo Club

Sunday Polo Field
From I-10 take the Monroe St. exit and head south on Monroe St. Turn right on Avenue 50. The entrance for Sunday Polo games will be the Empire Polo Club middle gate on Avenue 50. Follow the parking signs.

Friday Night Polo
From I-10 take the Monroe St. exit and head south on Monroe St. Turn right at Ave. 51 located at the entrance to the Tack Room Tavern Restaurant parking lot. “Polo Under The Lights” on Friday nights will be held on our Rose Garden Field #3 or in the Empire Polo Stadium located on Monroe St. at Ave. 51.

Empire Polo Club
81-800 Ave. 51
Indio, CA 92201
Tel. 760-393-7298
www.EmpirePolo.com
www.Facebook.com/EmpirePolo

What to wear? This is one of the most asked questions by spectators. We suggest “hats and flats” as heels sink in the grass and the sun is always shining here in the desert. Polo is a casual affair at Empire Polo Club, so please wear whatever you feel comfortable in. You will see spectators wearing everything from shorts, jeans and flip-flops to sun-dresses, khakis and button down shirts.

For the second time in the history of polo in the desert, there will be a high-goal Arena Polo Game right here at Empire Polo Club. The United States Polo Association (USPA) has awarded the 23-Goal USPA Townsend International Challenge Cup to Empire Polo Club. The game will be played on Saturday, January 12th, 2013. This game represents the highest level of polo currently played on the west coast. If you were to compare polo to golf, the Townsend Cup would be PGA Tour level polo. Empire Polo Club and the local polo community are very excited to host such an historic event.

USPA Townsend Cup Arena Challenge Game – Saturday, January 12th, 2013
The USPA Townsend Cup is an arena challenge game traditionally played between teams from the U.S. and England. The game will be handicapped at 23-goals, which means that all of the player’s handicaps on one team, when combined, equal 23 goals. The higher the polo handicap is, the higher the skill level of the players and their team. A 23-Goal arena game is a rare opportunity and one that you won’t want to miss.

Professional polo players are flying in from England and various parts of the U.S. to compete in this 1-day event. The highest-rated arena polo player in the world is Tommy Biddle, rated 10-Goals. He will be representing the United States in this tournament and he is the U.S.A. Team Captain.

U.S.A. Team

Tommy Biddle (10)
Billy Sheldon  (7)
Rob Yackley (6)

England Team

Oliver Hipwood (7)
Max Charlton (7)
Sebastian Dawnay (8)

Event Details:

Event: USPA Townsend International Challenge Cup 23-Goal Arena Tournament
Date: Saturday, January 12th at 5:00 PM
General Admission: FREE
Location: Empire Polo Club Arena, 81-800 Ave. 51, Indio, CA 92201

Schedule:
5:00 PM: USA vs. England In The International Collegiate Challenge Cup
6:00 PM: USA vs. England 23-Goal Townsend International Challenge Cup

Food and beverage concessions will be available for purchase on site during the game. The Empire Polo Arena offers bleacher seating for spectators. All seats are General Admission, which is free and open to the public. There is no VIP seating at this event.

For more information about this event spectators can visit www.EmpirePolo.com.

Directions To Empire Polo Club
From I-10 take the Monroe St. exit and head south on Monroe St. The Club entrance is off of Monroe St. at Ave. 51. Follow the parking signs.

Empire Polo Club
81-800 Ave. 51
Indio, CA 92201
Tel. 760-393-7298
www.EmpirePolo.com

About Arena Polo
In arena polo there are only three players on a team and in grass polo there are four. The game is played in an arena, approximately 300 feet long by 150 feet wide, with walls all around. The playing surface is dirt. The chukkers (periods of play) are 7.5 minutes long and there are four periods in an arena game. The teams switch directions after each period of play.

Each player has a handicap between 0 and 10. The higher a players handicap, the better the player, which is the opposite of a golf handicap. The total handicap of the three players on each team is the handicap of the team. The term “handicap” is also referred to as goals. A 20-Goal Tournament means that the total handicap of each team cannot exceed 20.

What to wear? This is one of the most asked questions by spectators. Polo is a casual affair at Empire Polo Club, so please wear whatever you feel comfortable in. You will see spectators wearing everything from shorts, jeans and flip-flops to sundresses, khakis and button down shirts. The Townsend Cup will be held at night, so we suggest you dress warm and bring a jacket.

About The USPA Townsend Cup Arena Challenge
The Townsend Cup has been referred to as “The World Series” of arena polo and it represents the highest-level of international arena polo in a competitive format. The Hurlingham Polo Association is bringing the English Team to Indio, CA to compete against the United States Polo Association’s U.S. Team.

The Townsend Cup was first played in Manhattan in 1923 and featured two teams, one from England and one from the U.S. It was this historic match that spurred the growth and development of arena polo here in the United States. The Townsend Cup wasn’t played again until 2004 and then again in 2008 and 2011. The Townsend Cup is named in honor of John R. Townsend, a New York City social figure who was an active advocate for arena polo in the early years of its development.

Empire Polo Club is honored to host the USPA Townsend Cup on January 12th, 2013 and to be part of such an historic event. To continue the promotion and growth of arena polo here in the desert and in the United States, Empire Polo Club invites the public to join us in welcoming England to our county and to show support both teams as they compete for the title.

The John R. Townsend Challenge Cup: America vs. England
1923 America, A.W. Kinney, H.B. Blackwell, R.A. Granniss
2004 America, Tony Vita, Peter Daly, Michael Zeliger
2008 America, John S. Gobin, Adair Seager, Billy Sheldon
2011 America, John S. Gobin, Shane Rice and Tommy Biddle.

About Empire Polo Club
Established in 1987, Empire Polo Club is one of the largest polo clubs on the west coast with 12 polo fields and an indoor arena and a polo school. Polo is played Wednesday through Sunday, November through March 31st, 2013 with featured matches on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons.

To crown the final women’s tournament of the 2012 polo season, Empire Polo Club will host the 1st Annual National WCT Arena Finals. This tournament is part of a new “arena series” offered by the Women’s Championship Tournament (WCT).  In order to compete in the WCT Arena Finals you need to play in a WCT Arena Qualifier prior to the finals.  The WCT tournaments are USPA sanctioned events.

Spectators are welcome to join us on Friday, March 23rd at 6 PM and Saturday, March 24th at 6 PM for the WCT Arena Finals.  General Admission is free.  Beverage service is available on site during the game.  Bleacher seating is available at the Empire Polo Stadium located at 81-800 Ave. 51 off of Monroe St.

See attached flier for more details.