WELLINGTON, Fla., February 13, 2025--Summer Kneece, making her debut in The Polo School Women's Weekly Polo League, led Seahorse Polo to a 7-5 win over Victory Polo Wednesday at Santa Rita Polo Farm.
By Sharon Robb
Photos by Candace Ferreira
Seahorse Polo (Maggie Smith, Pearl Duncan, Summer Kneece, Valentina Villamil, Malicia von Falkenhausen) led from the opening chukker, but Victory Polo (Becky Schmeits, Ava Hinkson, Anna Palacios, Meghan Manubay, Julia Kline) made it interesting in the fourth and fifth chukkers scoring four unanswered goals.
Kneece, 19, who lives with her family in Aiken, S.C., is following in the footsteps of her father Tiger Kneece, a former pro and her coach. She started playing at age 5.
"It was kind of hard not to get into it because I was born into it," Kneece said. "My dad was a pro and I was surrounded by it my whole life. Growing up I tried a few different things like basketball and tennis, but polo was the one I liked the most and had to play. I want to be a professional polo player 100 percent."
Summer and her father have put together her string of horses, either ones he played late in his career or horses they found or made together. "I wouldn't be where I am without my parents, they taught me," Kneece said.
"Summer started playing really young when I was out in Wyoming," Tiger Kneece said. "It was all her choice. She was exposed to everything and she chose polo. She loved it. We have had our fair share of battles but she's still lets me be her head coach. She will by far outscore my career. She's much better than me."
Kneece plans to play as much polo as possible while in Florida. In addition to The Polo School Women's Weekly Polo League, she is playing games in the next WOW event and then heads to Sarasota to play in the 10- and 16-goal goal women's tournaments. She will return to Aiken for the season that begins in April.
"Today was a lot of fun," said Kneece, who hadn't played in two-and-a-half weeks. "All the ladies were so nice. It was a great way to get out there and move the horses around and shake the rust off."
When Tiger Kneece grew up playing polo there were very few opportunities for women to play. Today, the landscape is much different.
"You couldn't have had better timing in the likes of her little pathway in the career that she is choosing and how far and what's happening in women's polo, it's amazing," Kneece said.
Summer Kneece got the chance to watch the U.S. Women's Open final on Sunday with friends. She is more than grateful to be part of the increase and popularity of women's polo today. About 50 percent of USPA membership is women.
"Women's polo now is insane," she said. "When my dad was a pro there were very, very few women players. I am beyond excited about women's polo. To be down here and you see how much women's polo there is. It's a really cool thing to see."
Sea Horse Polo jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first chukker with back-to-back goals from Kneece and one from Villamil. Early in the fourth chukker Sea Horse Polo was cruising, 6-1, with 5:53 left before Victory Polo found its offensive spark with four straight goals to trail, 6-5, with 2:18 left in the game. Victory Polo attempted one last scoring drive with 30 seconds left before Kneece came up with the ball and scored with one second left for the insurance goal.
Kneece scored a game-high four goals for Seahorse Polo. Von Falkenhausen scored two and Villamil added one. For Victory Polo, Hinkson and Palacios each had two goals and Kline added one.
Ten players, some subbing in and out, competed over five chukkers. The teams were evenly-matched with players of all levels including 5-goalers Palacios and Kneece.
The world's oldest weekly women's polo league features players of all ages and skill level, giving them opportunities to play at the low and medium goal level. The league was created by Alina Carta, one of the highest ranked women in the U.S. in the 1980s, and Melissa Ganzi, Grand Champions Polo Club President, World Polo League co-founder and avid player.
The league, along with the April WCT Finals at Grand Champions, honors Sunny Hale, the all-time greatest women's polo player and Hall of Famer. The league annually awards SunnyShips, scholarships honoring the legacy of Hale. Hinkson, Hope Arellano, Alyson Poor and Malicia von Falkenhausen are among past recipients. All team entry fees from the weekly league benefit The Polo School, a stand-alone USPA-sanctioned club.
During the winter polo season, Grand Champions Polo Club, the nation's largest and most innovative USPA-sanctioned polo club cradled in the heart of the world's winter equestrian capital, hosts a wide range of tournaments: 6, 8, 12, 20, and 26-goal leagues, 26-goal World Polo League, The Polo School Women's Weekly Polo League, WCT Finals, several Polo Training Foundation junior tournaments, World Polo League Pride and Sunset Chukkers & Cocktails at both Grand Champions and Santa Rita Polo Farm.
Grand Champions and Santa Rita Polo Farm is the largest and most unique private 102-acre polo facility in Wellington with 212 stalls in nine self-contained barns, two tracks, five climate-controlled tack rooms, vet room, staff quarters, guest house and four polo fields with state-of-the-art underground irrigation and short work arena. The club has 10 well-manicured world-class fields at GCPC and Santa Rita.
Grand Champions Polo Club caters to men, women and youth polo players at all levels. Its' expert staff can customize a complete playing experience including horses, pros and certified umpires in addition to lessons and practice sessions as part of its' Polo On Demand program.
The Polo School, now located at the former Pony Express facility, operates in Wellington January through May and September through November. The stand-alone USPA-sanctioned polo club is dedicated to teaching polo to all ages, particularly grass roots youth. The Polo School has nurtured several junior, men and women polo players now playing in the pro and amateur ranks since its inception.
For more information on leagues or Polo School contact Juan Bollini at 561-346-1099 or Cale Newman at 561-876-2930.