Polo on the Prairie fundraiser tops $1.1 million with country music superstar Martina McBride
May 10, 2022
Medically Reviewed | Last reviewed by an MD Anderson Cancer Center medical professional on May 10, 2022
Flooding, rain and a global pandemic have kept polo off the field at Musselman Brothers¡¯ Lazy 3 Ranch in Albany, Texas since 2019, but the West Texas tradition returned with full fanfare April 30, welcoming multi-Grammy? nominee Martina McBride to the stage and raising $1.15 million for Â鶹ӳ» MD Anderson Cancer Center.
¡°It was wonderful to welcome friends from all over the state back to Lazy 3 Ranch,¡± said Henry Musselman, a Midland native and member of the MD Anderson Board of Visitors. ¡°Everyone enjoyed a great game, a phenomenal show from Martina McBride and, most importantly, learned about the lifesaving patient programs and research taking place at MD Anderson ¨C our nation¡¯s top-ranked cancer center.¡±
The 36th annual Polo on the Prairie featured a U.S. Polo Association-sanctioned tournament played on a hayfield that was converted to a polo field at the ranch. Following the championship match, attendees feasted on a Texas-size chuck wagon barbecue dinner before enjoying a private country music concert featuring McBride. The evening ended with a spectacular fireworks finale.
The evening before the main event, polo players, MD Anderson faculty and members of the host committee were treated to a Friday night fish fry featuring Texas country music legend Robert Earl Keen. This special stop on Keen¡¯s final tour gave guests an opportunity to speak with MD Anderson faculty and learn more about the institution¡¯s mission to end cancer. To date, Polo on the Prairie has raised more than $9.5 million for patient care, research and education initiatives at MD Anderson.
"The generosity of the Musselman family and all of our friends in West Texas stretches far beyond a polo field," said Darrow Zeidenstein, Ph.D., senior vice president and chief development officer at MD Anderson. "Thanks to the contributions of so many, we can make a lasting impact on our patients, their families and cancer patients around the world."