NEWS

The Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame is honored to announce that it has been gifted two magnificent new acquisitions! The first is an original 1904 U.S. Open Polo Championship® trophy. Referred to by The Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame curators George Dupont Jr. and Brenda Lynn as the “holy grail” of polo, it was unexpectedly delivered to the Museum early last week. Transported in an unassuming brown cardboard box, Lynn (Director of Development) was shocked as she uncovered the historic artifact. “It brought me to tears. There is only one other time I have ever been this excited,” exclaimed Lynn.

This particular trophy was awarded to Mr. C. Randolph Snowden, a member of the winning Wanderers team that defeated the Freebooters by a score of four and a half goals to three in the first U.S. Open Polo Championship® held in Van Cortland Park, New York, on September 20, 1904. Among the names inscribed on the trophy are polo greats such as J.E. Cowdin, J.H. Waterbury Jr., Lawrence Waterbury, Devereux Milburn, R.L. Agassiz, Foxhall Keene and Joshua Crane Jr. One of only two known trophies of its kind in the world, and with only four total commissioned, the other two remaining trophies have yet to be discovered. “They could be in someone’s basement or attic and they don’t know what it is,” said Lynn. It should be noted that before being put on exhibit, the trophy will need to be cleaned and restored and an individual case constructed. Donations are being accepted for this cause, as well as for other exhibit improvements. The Museum aims to debut the trophy in February 2017.

Not to be overlooked, a 1952 Richard Stone Reeves painting – a portrait of amateur player James McHugh – accompanied the 1904 trophy. This remarkable painting is a meaningful addition to the Museum’s collection as it is the second Richard Stone Reeves painting received within the past month.

Funded entirely on donations, the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. For more information, please visit their website www.polomuseum.com.

All Photos Courtesy of the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame.