With the glint in her eyes, and the bright smile from ear to ear; Monique (my 13 year old daughter) was in Seventh Heaven standing next to and chatting with Eden, the youngest polo player on the British Exiles Team. You could see the young teen girl go from “gum drops” in her dreams to now Polo Players racing up and down the fields instead.
British Polo Day was celebrated in conjunction with the Beijing International Polo Open on Saturday September 17 at Sunny Times Polo Field. Sunny Times Polo Field is just 60 kilometers outside of Beijing in Yanquing County. The “royal families” of Beijing were out in style to celebrate the special bond between horse, man, and countries. The guests came dressed in elegant casual style and good ‘ole Saturday casual wear to watch world class polo matches featuring teams: Argentina, New Zealand, Piaget China and British Exiles.
Polo has been in China for centuries, but it took the British Calvary to spread it around to many countries and continents and making Polo the game of Kings. Polo is full of pomp circumstance, customs, with high society elegance and diplomatic relations running through its veins.
Bringing Monique to an event where the Nuevo Beijing rich and famous come to flaunt their new status, and the well-connected young aspiring socialites come to be seen and mingle with the entrenched socialites. It was an education like no other in people watching, learning the art of chit chat, and practicing her art of photography. Monique was “paparazzi” for the day, taking photos of whatever intrigued her about being at a Continental Polo Match.
By exposing Monique to all different types of people, and learning the art of “communicating” in a social but stature setting is priceless. She was able to chat with the young daughter of the Editor of China Vogue, a young hip 23-year-old intern from England, and Karen the Public Relations Director for the Intercontinental Hotel Beijing Financial Street. She saw, she heard, and tasted many new things. It was the experience of a lifetime.
