The Gay Polo League is a worldwide organization of LGBTQ polo players with members in 15 countries.

History

It was founded in 2006 by polo player Chip McKenney.[1][2][3] It is headquartered in Wellington, Florida.[1]

The league has been designated by the United States Polo Association (USPA) as a polo club.[2] It has organized clinics and social events at Eldorado Polo Club, Empire Polo Club, Menlo Polo Club, San Diego Polo Club, Santa Barbara Polo Club, and Will Rogers Polo Club in Los Angeles.[2] Recently, the Polo League has held events celebrating their pride as well as their love for the sport at the International Gay Polo Tournament [4] hosted at the National Polo Center (formally International Polo Club Palm Beach.)[4] The league has also produced GPL polo events in Argentina, England and France.

Since 2010, the league has organized an annual International Gay Polo Tournament.[3][5][6] The tournament took place at the Grand Champions Polo Club, owned by Melissa and Marc Ganzi, until 2014.[5][7][8] In 2015, it moved to the International Polo Club Palm Beach.[9] During the tournament, each team is joined by a high-goaler.[10] For example, in 2010, eight-goal Nic Roldan joined one of the teams.[10]

The GPL is a 501(c)(3) designated organization and has made charitable contributions to the Wellington Rotary Club, Compass, Palm Beach County chapter of the Human Rights Council,[6]SAGE and onePulse Foundation.

References

  1. 1 2 Gay Polo League Tournament Moves To International Polo Club Palm Beach Archived 2015-02-03 at the Wayback Machine, Hurlingham Media, 26 September 2014
  2. 1 2 3 Deborah Deutsch, Chip McKenney, Founder of the Gay Polo League, On How the League Was Born Archived 2015-02-03 at the Wayback Machine, Equestrian Quarterly, November 14, 2013
  3. 1 2 Nadia Sorocka, Gay Polo Tournament returns with high-goal pros, stylish tailgating, Sun-Sentinel, April 10, 2013
  4. 1 2 "International Gay Polo Tournament". The Palm Beaches Florida. 2016-11-01. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
  5. 1 2 Gay Polo League to make Wellington debut at tournament, Sun-Sentinel, March 31, 2010
  6. 1 2 Gay Polo League ready to step up second annual tournament, Sun-Sentinel, March 30, 2011
  7. ↑ "Grand Champions Polo Club: International Gay Polo League Tournament". Archived from the original on 2015-02-03. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  8. ↑ Palm Beach, Florida: International Gay Polo Tournament
  9. ↑ Gay Polo League: The Event
  10. 1 2 Alex Webbe, Gay Polo League Florida debut draws big crowd; Equestrian Life wins, Palm Beach Daily News, April 3, 2010
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