2020 Polo Classic Presented by MARS EQUESTRIAN™
Middleburg, VA – August 21, 2020
The National Sporting Library & Museum (NSLM) is excited to announce that its 2020 Polo Classic Presented by MARS EQUESTRIAN™ will take place on Sunday, September 13th at Great Meadow in The Plains, Virginia.
This event will feature two top tier polo matches, the Founders Cup and the Mars Cup, and a parade of the Orange County Hounds. Bring your canine companions as they are invited to participate in the Dog Divot Stomop Sponsored by NUTRO™ where they will have the chance to win Best Turned Out!
The format of the event will differ from years past, and has been planned with the safety of spectators, players, sponsors, and NSLM staff as the top priority. In lieu of the Founders Pavilion and standard tailgate options, two tailgate packages will be available for purchase. Both tailgate packages will be fifteen feet wide, accommodating a maximum of six guests. A twelve-foot gap will be left between each tailgate to ensure proper social distancing between each party.
We ask that all guests remain within the boundaries of their tailgate during the matches. Included with each tailgate package is a commemorative picnic basket and gourmet lunch for six, two bottles of sparkling wine from Bouvet Ladubay, and two bottles of wine from Greenhill Vineyards. Though a six-foot table with linen and six chairs will be provided, NSLM encourages spectators to bring additional décor for a chance to win our Best Tailgate Award.
General Admission tickets event will be available for $10.00 per person as opposed to the per vehicle ticketing system used last year. Capacity will be limited and tickets will not be available for purchase at the gate. They must be purchased prior to August 24 and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. We ask that all General Admission ticket holders maintain a safe 6-foot distance between themselves and members of other parties.
As the sole fundraising event for the National Sporting Library & Museum each year, the Polo Classic supports everything we do. From exhibitions to educational programs to preservation of our collections and more, your ticket purchase helps us fulfill our mission: to preserve, promote, and share the literature, art, and culture of equestrian, angling, and field sports. Additionally, this year a portion of proceeds will be shared with local food banks to support our community members who have experienced loss and hardship from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tickets for the NSLM’s Polo Classic will be available July 15 – August 24 online or by calling the NSLM at 540-687-6542 x35. Due to capacity limits and social-distancing guidelines, please note that there are limited number of tickets available for the event.
Please note that anyone who exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 will not be permitted entry to the event.
Cover artwork: Andre Pater (Polish/American, b. 1953), Last Chukker, 1986, oil on canvas, 42 x 44 inches, Private Collection