The Allied Forces Foundation "SideXSide" Polo Challenge
To benefit the children of badly wounded British and American heroes,, the 1st Annual AFF Polo Tournament - the "SideXSide" Polo Challenge - was held on September 10, 2011 at Haviland Hollow Farm, Patterson NY.
The event included a VIP supporters' luncheon. The Allied Forces Foundation held the event with the endorsement of the British Memorial Garden Trust, Inc. The guest of honor was Danny Lopez, Her Majesty's Consul General in New York.
The Allied Forces Foundation, Inc. was established to serve the wounded from the conflicts initiated by 9/11. The foundation is run by British and American volunteers who gratefully donate their time and services for our wounded comrades. One of the aims is to contribute to the “Quality of Life” by raising and distributing educational scholarships to the children of the badly wounded. It is on this aspect that the polo event was focused.
The British Garden at Hanover Square, NYC, was formerly known as the British Memorial Garden and founded as a direct result of 9/11.
The mission of the Garden
is to develop and maintain a showplace garden reflecting the long
history, shared friendship and common causes and sacrifices of the
peoples of the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
With the motto “Reflect, Remember, Rebuild...”, The British Garden
celebrates the strong ties of the past and present, the hope for unity
in the future and a promise never to forget those whom we have lost
along the way. Visit www.britishgarden.org to learn more.
The Allied Forces Foundation is very grateful to Sam Ramirez Jr., owner of Haviland Hollow Farm, for his hospitality on the day. Visit Haviland Hollow Farm at www.nycpolo.com for more about this first rate polo venue.
The Allied Forces Foundation Pipes & Drums led the teams onto the field
Major (retd.) Stephen Cain, MBE welcomed guests, following which Meghan McDonald sang the anthems
Rich Terbrusch, AFF Director, played No.1 for Blackwatch
Danny Lopez, HM Consul General, with Rodney Johnson, MBE, Vice Chair of the British Memorial Garden Trust, Inc. and Mrs. Natalie Pray from Greenwich, CT
The ball flies in a chukka between Omega Watches and Maserati USA
The Allied Forces Foundation Pipes & Drums take the field
AFF DIrector Mark Beaumont with Dean Baer's paintings of 'TWIN TOWERS' (top), which is available for auction until the end of September, 2011 (see below) and 'SIDEXSIDE", the Tournament Award for the day
Omar Mangalji of Omega Watches in control of the ball, shadowed by Maserati USA players
The Allied Forces Foundation Pipes & Drums entertained guests between chukkas
Blackwatch clash with Omega Watches in exciting play
Sam Ramirez Jr., playing No.4 for Omega Watches and the host of the day
VIP guests in the luncheon tent
John Montgomery Beaumont - a possible future director of the AFF? - surveys the action on the field as his mother and sister talk with John Conlin of Gold's Dragoons in the background
The tournament was won by team Omega Watches. On behalf of the team, Sam Ramirez Jr. accepted a signed lithograph by artist Dean Baer entitled "SideXSide" from renowned concert pianist Elena Ivanina, as Stephen Cain, Executive Director of the AFF, looked on. Each team member receives a smaller edition, while the larger picture seen here will hang in the British Consulate in New York for the year
Photographs of the day by Mark Beaumont, Maryann Beaumont and Meghan McDonald