Thomasville Scene Summer 2023 | Page 11

Because it was the first time the event had ever been hosted , the Classic only featured two polo teams this year .
The teams assigned themselves names based off of Poe , with the winning team named “ Ain ’ t no Pansies ” and their competitors called “ When it rains , it poes .”
According to Communications Coordinator Kim McCray , the event could not have gone better .
“ We had the live oak hounds here to do the parading of the hounds , she said . “ We had such an excited crowd and fun activities for the kids . Everything just went really smoothly .”
The day boasted a crowd of nearly 500 individuals , with something for everyone , from pony rides to polo watching and a live band .
Attendees could also visit the Main House , where the Elisabeth Poe Women in Polo exhibit was on display .
McCray said an estimated 200 people were able to see Poe ’ s original uniform and medals from her polo matches that day .
Following the event , McCray and her board discussed how the event could become something crowds look forward to annually , while still staying true to Poe ’ s roots .
“ We talked about adding male polo teams at the meeting , but we really just don ’ t know yet ,” Mc- Cray said . “ March is Women ’ s History Month and since the whole event is to honor her ( Elisabeth ) it generated so much excitement , that we ’ ve already had people ask to come back .”
McCray did say they ’ ve also discussed having additional matches next year instead of just one to accommodate more female players , turning it into a tournament .
Even if the Classic was a tournament next year , McCray said it would still be a one-day event .
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