Pebble Hill Classic honors polo pioneer Pansy Poe at all-women tournament

Special to the Tallahassee Democrat
·3 min read

The Parker Poe Charitable Trust will present the Pebble Hill Polo Classic, Saturday, March 18, at Pebble Hill Plantation in Thomasville, Georgia.

The event is being held in honor of the late Elisabeth “Pansy” Ireland Poe, last mistress of Pebble Hill Plantation, and the first woman in the United States to earn a handicap rating with the United States Polo Association (USPA), more than 50 years before women were allowed membership in the organization.

Pebble Hill Polo Classic at Pebble Hill Plantation in Thomasville , set for Saturday, March 18, 2023, is being held to honor the late Elisabeth “Pansy” Ireland Poe, who was the first woman in the US to earn a handicap rating with the United States Polo Association in 1925 —this was 47 years before women were allowed membership in the USPA.
Pebble Hill Polo Classic at Pebble Hill Plantation in Thomasville , set for Saturday, March 18, 2023, is being held to honor the late Elisabeth “Pansy” Ireland Poe, who was the first woman in the US to earn a handicap rating with the United States Polo Association in 1925 —this was 47 years before women were allowed membership in the USPA.

The young Elisabeth Ireland (later Poe), registered with the USPA using only her first initial and last name. She played on men’s teams against men and was a powerful player, earning a handicap rating of “1,” before it was discovered that she was a woman. She was then stripped of her USPA membership and her rating. Women were not allowed membership in the USPA until 1972. Poe died in 1978.

In deference to Poe, all of the players in the Pebble Hill Polo Classic will be women from throughout the southeastern United States. “We believe this is the perfect way to honor Mrs. Poe’s contributions to the sport of polo and the women who came after her,” said Pebble Hill Plantation’s Museum Curator, Lori Curtis. “She was a trailblazer for the sport for other women and she deserves to be recognized for her contributions to the sport.”

In addition to exciting polo action, the Pebble Hill Polo Classic will feature live music, pony rides, a special children’s area with activities and art projects led by the Thomasville Center for the Arts, food trucks, fun halftime games, and the time-honored tradition of stomping of the divots. The Live Oak Hounds will lead off the festivities with a parading of their beautiful pack of foxhounds.

The Parker Poe Charitable Trust will present the Pebble Hill Polo Classic, Saturday, March 18, at Pebble Hill Plantation in Thomasville, Georgia.
The Parker Poe Charitable Trust will present the Pebble Hill Polo Classic, Saturday, March 18, at Pebble Hill Plantation in Thomasville, Georgia.

“This is truly a family event, with something for everyone,” said Lori Everett, Pebble Hill Plantation’s Development Director. “Proceeds will all benefit the Pebble Hill Preservation Fund, which helps maintain our 3,000 acres of wildlife habitat and more than 60 historic structures. We appreciate the support of our community and our sponsors.”

Gates will open at 10 a.m. on the day of the event, with festivities kicking off at 11 a.m. Polo event attendees may also tour the “Trailblazer for Women’s Polo” exhibit in the Elisabeth Ireland Poe Gallery before the polo match begins and after it has ended on the day of the event. The exhibit highlights Poe’s 20-year polo career and her contributions to the sport.

The Pebble Hill Polo Classic on March 18, 2023, is being held in honor of the late Elisabeth “Pansy” Ireland Poe, last mistress of Pebble Hill Plantation, and the first woman in the United States to earn a handicap rating with the United States Polo Association
The Pebble Hill Polo Classic on March 18, 2023, is being held in honor of the late Elisabeth “Pansy” Ireland Poe, last mistress of Pebble Hill Plantation, and the first woman in the United States to earn a handicap rating with the United States Polo Association

There are VIP passes available for the event and these passes include access to a sponsor-only are with reserved seating and complimentary food and beverage. General admission tickets are also available. There is limited bleacher seating for general admission attendees, but folding chairs and picnic blankets are welcome. There is an extra fee for bringing your own cooler (glass containers are prohibited).

Food and drinks will be available for purchase. For more information on what to expect, what to wear, to purchase VIP passes, general admission passes, and cooler fees, visit pebblehill.com.

If you go

What: Pebble Hill Polo Classic

When: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, March 18

Where: Pebble Hill Plantation, 1251 US Highway 319, Thomasvilla, Georgia

Tickets: $50 per car; pebble-hill-plantation.ticketleap.com; learn more at pebblehill.com

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Pebble Hill honors polo pioneer Elisabeth Poe with tournament