After a decade of head-scratching from Stapleton residents wondering how such a well to do community could not have a polo club, Stapleton is finally getting what they have been asking for: a polo club (not water polo). “This was a no-brainer as far as we were concerned,” said new Stapleton Polo Club owner Benjamin Lowe. “I have worked in Polo Clubs throughout New York, as well as several in California, and I think we are about to build the most special Polo Club in the country right here in Stapleton.”
Lowe mentions that the Stapleton community is ripe for a great Polo Club. “First and foremost, the area has a lot of money,” said Lowe. “If you want to play Polo in this country, you must have a lot of money. And Stapleton has plenty of that. Secondly, you need to be pretentious, and believe you are better than other people. Another check in the plus column. Finally, you need to have some in shape people that aren’t quite athletic enough to be good at real sports, but could learn to ride a horse and swing a club. From what I have seen, there is plenty of that going around.”
When Lowe originally was looking for a place in Stapleton, he ran into the typical bumps with Forest City. “We were trying to purchase the area where the 26th Ave. Park was going to go,” said Lowe. “But, Forest City at the time was considering building some much needed youth baseball fields. We convinced them that the future was in polo, and not youth baseball. Most of the convincing was done with our wallet,” Lowe laughs. Lowe and the Stapleton Polo Club paid $22.6 million to own what was supposed to be the 26th Ave Park.
Lowe said that although some Eastbridge residents may be concerned about what is going on with the park, they will learn to love it. “It is a beautiful sport with beautiful animals,” said Lowe. “We will keep a clean facility and will treat the horses with the honor they deserve.” The Stapleton Polo Club will not officially be open until the fall of 2016, but those interested in joining should go to www.stapletonpoloclub.com.
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