News

Polo horses head north of Peconics today

COURTESY PHOTO | Polo player and instructor Alberto Bengolea tests out the 4-H field in Riverhead.

Locally, polo is a sport usually associated with the Hamptons of the lower fork, but this weekend, North Fork residents will get the opportunity to experience royalty’s favorite horseback game right in their own backyards.

The first-ever Cornell 4-H Cup Charity Polo Benefit will take place this afternoon at the Dorothy P. Flint 4-H Camp off Sound Avenue in Riverhead. The match is being presented by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County, the nonprofit organization that operates the camp, to raise money to repair damage to the property caused by superstorm Sandy.

The Dorothy P. Flint 4-H Camp is the oldest 4-H camp in New York, established in 1924. It has been running summer programs that offer activities like arts and crafts, cooking, farming and horticulture, to young people in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

The storm damage at the camp is not covered by insurance, officials said.

“There has been about $100,000 worth of tree damage,” said Laura Hunsberger, Nassau County CCE’s executive director. “The insurance only covered the buildings that the trees landed on, but we’re worried about the trees or loose branches that could fall with another big gust of wind. Those aren’t covered and we want the camping season to be as safe as possible for the kids.”

One hundred percent of the proceeds from the event will go directly to the camp, and it’s hoped that enough will be raised to cover at least half the needed funds.

Ms. Hunsberger admits that a polo match is an interesting choice for a charity benefit on the North Fork. She said the idea came from a Nassau County CCE board member who knew a man, Alberto Bengolea, originally of Argentina, who has provided horses to the 4-H camp and teaches polo there in the off-season.

“It is definitely unique,” she said. “But it just all came together. It was at the right place and the right time, and the right people were interested.”

Over the past year the organization has been working to turn a former hayfield on camp property into the perfect polo field by filling in gopher holes and creating a usable flat surface.

The event begins at 1 p.m. and, aside from polo, will offer local food and wine, a silent auction raffles, activities for children and more, plus live music from jazz and blues artist Matt Marshak and Riverhead acoustic trio Spicy Tuna.

[email protected]