The Watering Hole, Ponies & Pearls, and Divertimentos & Dressage Debut in 2023
In typical Brooke USA Foundation’s (Brooke USA) innovative and creative style, the organization brings to Wellington three events never seen before in The Village. After creating the highly recognized Brooke USA’s Sunset Polo® & White Party more than seven years ago, the Board of Directors determined that an overhaul was due, allowing Brooke USA to create events that appeal to different demographics and raising money for different projects supporting working horses, donkeys and mules, and the people they serve across the globe.
Emily Dulin, CEO of Brooke USA, noted, “we felt it was the right time to launch some very different events that would attract not only our loyal supporters but a brand-new group of friends. We have always been celebrated for our innovative approach to fundraising and this new strategy allows for our expansion and thus, to help more people and more animals.”
The first event in the line-up is The Watering Hole, a pool party on Monday, February 6 at the National Polo Center. Crowds of riders who normally take Mondays as a day to rest will enjoy a fun-filled day of pool and poolside activities, entertainment with DJ Lexey, and food, and drinks throughout the day. The Watering Hole is sponsored by Human Touch, OnCourse Consignment, Cugini Winery, Celebrity Cruises, Equisite, Poll to Tail Magnawave, and Project Florida. Poolside Cabanas of eight, VIP Tables of six, Chaise Lounges for two and general admission are available at $3,000, $1,500. $1,000 and $100, respectively. Cabanas include two bottles of wine, one bottle of spirits, beer and mixers with a designated server and additional VIP food and are the best buy for a group of friends wanting to party together; only three remain available.
In addition to the pool-based setting, guests will have the opportunity to “sip & shop”, enjoying some of the “coolest” brands in the Wellington and Palm Beach area – La Enovese Designs, Palm Harbor Boutique, Kai Lassen, Caryna Nina, Sofie’s Boutique, Veltri and Equine & Design. The pièce de resistance is an auction of chance and select silent auction items, featuring the leading companies in Wellington, all members of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. The “sip” part of the “shop” is sponsored by Celebrity Cruises and Hotels at Sea, featuring Oasis Celebration Rosé.
The Watering Hole is brought to Wellington thanks to a committee of extraordinary organizers chaired by Ash Atkinson and Morgan Measey with Brianne Link, Kaela Genovese, and Robert Reyers. This event will help provide water to equine in far reaching areas across Ethiopia. To ensure your spot by the pool, only 300 people will be allowed, visit www.brookeusaevents.org.
Brooke USA’s second event is Ponies & Pearls, already a success in Aiken, SC, and serving as a celebration of Women’s Polo and benefiting female empowerment programs across Kenya. To be held on Sunday, March 19 during the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship Final at the National Polo Center, sponsors, to date, include presenting sponsor Celebrity Cruises/HotelsatSea.com and Gill Johnston. Few sponsorship opportunities remain available.
Just before the polo match, guests will enjoy meeting Fredred Valdivia, Director of Brooke Latin American & Caribbean who is making the trek from Nicaragua to share some heartwarming stories from rural communities across the region.
Reminiscent of polo elegance, Brooke USA is asking guests to wear polo chic and ladies are encouraged to wear a hat and boast their pearls. A hat competition with winners announced at the end of the afternoon and an exclusive silent auction will serve as fun activities for everyone to look forward to. The event chairs – Lisa Bair, Gill Johnston and Lisa Spoden – have been diligently working with the Katie Roth, founding chair of Ponies & Pearls and the original event mastermind for Brooke USA. The event logo was created by Heidi Caldwell Design of Newman, GA. To learn more about this event, please visit www.brookeusaevents.org.
And, lastly, Divertimentos & Dressage offers a dressage musical freestyle to a live symphonic orchestra. On Thursday, March 23 at Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center, spectators will be overwhelmed by the beauty of this event when horses, orchestra and guests literally share the arena. To date, Brooke USA Ambassador JJ Tate, Jim Koford, and Allison Kavey will be riding. More riders will be joining the show over the next couple of weeks.
Chairs Selma Garber and Margaret Hamilton Duprey are in full planning mode for Divertimentos & Dressage which Brooke USA has successfully held in The Foothills of North and South Carolina for three years, thanks to its creator, founding chair and Brooke USA Board member Sally Frick. To learn more about Divertimentos & Dressage, contact a Brooke USA representative directly at Kendall.Bierer@BrookeUSA.org.
“As we make progress with each one of our very special events, we will disclose more information. Part of the fun is to highlight one event at a time and share updates with our friends. With The Watering Hole in less than three weeks, we want to ensure that attention is driven to this new event,” stated Kendall Bierer, Brooke USA’s Donor Relations Officer, who liaises with all planning committees and serves as the point of contact for attendees. To stay abreast of all event developments, visit Brooke USA’s social media at www.facebook.com/brookeusaonline or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/brooke_usa.
About Brooke USA Foundation (Brooke USA): The mission of Brooke USA is to significantly improve the health, welfare and productivity of working horses, donkeys and mules and the people who depend on them for survival worldwide. We are committed to sustainable economic development by reducing poverty, increasing food security, ensuring access to water, providing a means to education, and raising basic standards of living through improved equine health and welfare. We accomplish this by raising funds and responsibly directing them to the areas of greatest need.
Brooke USA strives to alleviate the suffering and vulnerability of developing communities by funding and implementing programs that improve the quality of life and health of working equines and thereby positively impacting their economic sustainability, protecting the planet, ensuring gender equality, and guaranteeing life on land resilience. We want to see healthy, happy people and equines that work in partnership to achieve sustainable local economies.
For more information, contact:
Emily Dulin
305-505-6170
Emily.Dulin@BrookeUSA.org
Kendall Bierer
561-309-9873
Kendall.Bierer@BrookeUSA.org