Polo fundraiser set this weekend

By Melinda L. Lucas

The 36th annual Polo on the Prairie fundraiser benefitting cancer research and patient programs at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center will take place at the Musselman Brothers’ Lazy 3 Ranch on Saturday, April 30.

Tickets to the event must be purchased in advance, and range in price from $25 for children 12 and under to $125 for adults, or more for those willing to sponsor a player or a team. To see if tickets are still available, call 866-262-9029, ext. 3 and leave a message, or send an email to events@md anderson.org.

The activities begin at 4:00 p.m., with the championship polo match starting at 4:30 p.m. weather permitting.

Entertainment begins at 7:00 p.m., featuring Country Hall of Fame artist Martina McBride.

Joe Allen’s Pit Bar-B-Que will cater the meal, and the evening will end with a fireworks finale, weather permitting.

Polo on the Prairie is an annual event that celebrates the equestrian team sport to raise funds benefiting MD Anderson. Players travel to Albany from all across the U.S. and abroad, donating their time and bringing equipment, horses, and support staff to play on a hay field transformed into a polo field.

This multigenerational tradition began 36 years ago after an MD Anderson Board of Visitors member turned her passion for polo into a fundraising event. To date, Polo on the Prairie has raised more than $8.4 million to support MD Anderson’s cancer research and patient care initiatives.

The event’s success relies on the generosity of volunteers, organizations and donors.