Polo on the Prairie: Back in the saddle May 3
MD Anderson News Release April 22, 2014
West Texas fundraiser celebrates 28 years of support for UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
MD Anderson News Release 04/22/14
Polo on the Prairie returns to Albany, Texas, for another year of polo with a purpose. Proceeds will benefit Â鶹ӳ» MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Players from seven states and four countries will descend on Lazy 3 Ranch¡¯s hayfield-turned-polo-field for a thrilling, U.S. Polo Association-sanctioned tournament, donating their time and bringing their equipment, horses and support staff at their own expense.
Following the championship match, guests feast on a Texas-size chuck wagon barbecue dinner before two-stepping to the rugged, country-rock tunes of the Turnpike Troubadours, a band recently featured in Live Nation¡¯s Top 10 ¡°Ones to Watch.¡± The evening ends with a spectacular fireworks finale.
What started as a passion for MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors (BOV) member Mary Anne McCloud, of Eastland, is now a longstanding fundraiser for MD Anderson. With last year¡¯s record-breaking donations of more than $400,000 and this year¡¯s contributions of $334,000 so far, Polo on the Prairie has raised more than $5 million to support the institution¡¯s cancer research and patient care initiatives.
McCloud¡¯s son-in-law, Henry Musselman, of Midland, continues to open his ranch to six polo teams and 1,200 spectators for one purpose: to end cancer. He and his wife, Melinda, lead a team of more than 100 volunteers who donate their time and financial resources toward this single goal. Also a BOV member, Musselman and his three children regularly hop in the saddle and play in the tournament as well.
¡°The Musselman and McCloud families and everyone who attends Polo on the Prairie play a significant role in our mission to end cancer,¡± said Ron DePinho, M.D., president of MD Anderson. ¡°Our many successes, including our ranking as the top cancer center in the nation, are greatly assisted by this generous support.¡±
Individual tickets, $75, are available at 866-262-9029 or at events@mdanderson.org. Tickets will not be available for purchase at the event.