Polo Debuts in the Lehigh Valley!

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa. - Sept. 24, 2015 - PRLog -- .Equi-librium is excited to announce that there will be a demonstration polo match on Sunday, September 27, 2015, at Braden Airpark in ForksTownship, Northampton County.

This will be the first time ever that polo has been played in Lehigh or Northampton counties. Most polo in the region is played south of the Valley at Tinicum Park or the Bucks County Horse Park, in Hunterdon County, western New Jersey, or Mechanicsburg in Central Pennsylvania.

This “sport of kings” is similar to a soccer or field hockey game, except that it’s played while the team members are on horses. The Royals in England play polo, but so do the masses. And all over the country it’s become a fun outdoor event to observe. Over 500 people are expected to attend the Sept. 27^th match at Braden Airpark.

Real estate developer Mark Mulligan, an avid polo player who is doing the renovation projects for the Simon Silk Mill and the Governor Wolf Building in Easton, approached Equi-librium almost three years ago, offering to put on a demonstration match in order to help the non-profit organization raise money to support its programs, along with the opportunity to “bring polo to the Valley.” It has taken that long to find a suitable location, which is a field to the west of the landing strip at Braden Airpark.

“There is not much flat, grassy space in the Valley that is not used for agriculture or well-manicured soccer fields, neither of which lend themselves well to horses running around after a ball,” said Cheryl Baker, Equi-librium’s CEO. “A regulation polo field is actually 300 yards long X 160 yards wide (approximately 10 acres). The Braden field was a great option for this type of event.”

Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority, which has partnered with Equi-Librium as the host sponsor is providing access to the field as well as many services in order to make the event successful. “We are excited to be able to host such an event at Braden Airpark”, said Charles Everett, Executive Director.  “Staff has been working diligently to provide the best conditions possible for Sunday’s event, including mowing, filling in any imperfections in the field and preparing for the amount of visitors organizers expect to see on Sunday”.  The polo match at Braden is another effort the Authority has made to enhance their community engagement program and remain a loyal neighbor to Lehigh Valley residents.

The two four-person polo teams are being sponsored by Air Products and 4 Winds Concrete.

The gates open on the 27^th at 11:00 a.m. and the match will start at 1:00. General admission tickets are $35 per person; children under 12 are free. A VIP tent will offer refreshments for those paying $150, and many sponsors will be setting up tailgating spaces and small tents along the sides of the field.

Tickets may be purchased online at http://www.equi-librium.org or at the gate on the day of the event. There will also be a vendor tent, a children’s activity tent and food trucks on hand. During the intermission, the attendees will be encouraged to help “stomp the divots” in the field made by the horses.

About Equi-librium: Formerly a program offered by Easter Seals under the name of RISE (Riding Instruction for Special Equestrians), Equi-librium was founded in 2001 and each week provides therapeutic riding and carriage driving programs to approximately 100 children, youth and adults with special needs ranging from autism and cerebral palsy, to stroke symptoms, MS and social-emotional/behavioral challenges like ADHD. Participants come from primarily Lehigh, Northampton and Monroe counties, both as individuals referred by physicians, therapists and psychologists, as well as in groups from other human service agencies and educational organizations.  The benefits of horse therapy include improved balance, muscle tone, attention to detail, confidence and fun, all leading to a higher equality of life and greater productivity.

Equi-librium is the only Premier Accredited Center of the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) International organization in the region, and the only one to offer both riding and carriage driving in the Commonwealth. It is also an Education Improvement Organization, so designated by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development as part of its Educational Improvement Tax Credit program. It is also a Partner Agency of United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley.

For more information about Equi-librium, please go to http://www.equi-librium.org.