By Steven Weisberg
Olga Dias with member Doug White
The annual Denver Polo Classic benefit put on by Denver Active 20/30 and sponsored by Schomp BMW expanded its opening Capital Grille Black Tie Ball to 1,050 people with tickets selling out two weeks in advance. The following two days of polo playing and socializing similarly hit records in the 1,200 range.
The Friday night ball held under the block long tent overlooking the polo fields initially benefitted from overcast skies but was buffeted by strong winds that were held at bay by transparent siding. By 730 p.m., it calmed down and Denver Active 20/30 President Brian McCleary was leading the hands-on effort to roll the sides up despite wearing a handsome tuxedo with orange tie and vest. As event chair David Sjerven addressed the crowd, past president Orlin Camerlo explained to The Villager that the record attendance required tremendous hustling during the last three months and was aided by an increase in new members who got results.
Event chair David Sjerven and Denver Active 20/30 President Brian McCleary on the first day of polo play. Photos by Steven Weisberg.
Denver Active 20/30 Secretary Julian Scurci said the organization’s collective excitement to support charter schools is part of their outreach to assist schools and related organizations that help at risk children. KIPP charter school Executive Director Rebecca Holmes and Development Director Mandy Hughes expressed their gratitude and fit right in with the predominately young crowd in their 20s to 40s.
Rebecca Holmes, Organization Secretary Julian Scurci and Mandy Hughes
The buffet dinner provided flexibility for the crowds’ socializing and roaming underneath the vast tent in semi-formal attire. The high-tech silent auction allowed people to check their items and bid on new ones without having to traverse the tent’s length to the silent auction area next to the entrance.
Andrea and Kelly Wooldridge attended their third year.
As dinner wound down, the live auction was led by Gary Corbett, who kept the auction amusing with statements. This year’s official artwork realistically depicted two polo players and horses in action by Colorado artist Neil Lillard, who grew up farming in the state and graduated from Colorado State University in construction management.
The following morning, sizable groups of people were already lined up to get into the tent to watch the first day of polo competition. The match between the Valiente and BKD 4-man teams was close until the end when the former attained a two-goal lead (13 to 11) anchored by a shot from Bob Jornayvz who hit his third open goal. The following match pitted Schomp BMW against Flagship Financial.
For more information, visit www.denverpolo.org or call 303 832 8390
