Polo Has A Long History In Allamuchy Township

I attended “The Allaquest Classic Polo Match'”‘, held at the Gibbs Farm located along Long Bridge Road, Allamuchy, this past weekend. I became quite interested after a read the poster in advance: Spring Valley Pony Club & Spring Valley Hounds present ‘The Allaquest Classic Polo Match’ Grayfields vs Gibbs Farms. Join us for an afternoon of high energy competitive polo, elegant mid-field turnout & family friendly socializing. Bring your silver & centerpieces to compete in our Most Elegant Mid-Field Turnout Competition. Come dressed to impress with your finest fascinator or most charming chapeau for our Best Hat Contest.”

WHAT GREAT EVENTS! I hope my photos and movie clips do justice!

A little background. This event also celebrates the Memory of the late Frank Gibbs and late Chris Prant. Two Allamuchy gentlemen, who loved their homeland, with its beautiful Open Spaces, AND, who celebrated and shared, that Open Space with others through their love of horses and equestrian events!

Can you believe it? Within Allamuchy Township’s borders there are TWO officially certified Polo Fields! They are literally next door neighbors!

The activities covered a wide range of fun family activities along with, as stated above, high energy competitive polo, AND, “to boot” this was all done, with a touch of elegance, just as if we were back in the old days!

The polo game ended in an eight to eight this past Saturday. How appropriate for a neighborhood rivalry and the first game of a new annual event! Guess we will have to come back next year and see who gets the first win!

Did you know that every 15 minutes the game stops and the players all get new horses The retired horses get a cool down shower and a nice rub down! The game is an hour long, so lets see, doing a little math here 4 players to a team – 2 teams = 8 horses. Four intermissions to swap out horses = 32 horses!! NO WONDER I observed so many large horse trailers pulling in and on site!

I would be remiss not to give credit and a Thank You to Kris Gibbs and Maryann Gibbs for creating this event! Remembering the lives of Frank Gibbs and Chris Prant, AND, carrying on their legacy of sharing Open Space through equestrian activities.

Historical Note: Polo has been a part of Allamuchy Township’s history. Going back several generations The Rutherfurd and Stuyvesant Families played polo. Visit Rutherfurd Hall’s dining room and there is a large photo from 1890 above the fireplace with Winthrop Rutherfurd and his brother Rutherfurd Stuyvesant, all decked out in their polo clothes, taken at Newport, Rhode Island.

Please visit my Flickr site for more photos and videos of today’s celebration and polo match – https://www.flickr.com/photos/charliefineran/albums/72177720301993820

Please visit my Flickr site for more equestrian activities conducted by the late Frank Gibbs, Master Horseman, throughout Allamuchy Township’s beautiful Open Space.

Spring Valley Hounds – Hunter’s Pace | Flickr