James Rogers (Will Rogers' great grandson),Marisa Brandin (Will Rogers' great granddaughter), Dennis Quaid, Bette Rogers-Brandin (Will Rogers' granddaughter), Mason Etcheverry, Meeghan Etcheverry and Jennifer Rogers-Etcheverry (Will Rogers' great granddaughter) during the Will Rogers Ranch Foundation's Dog Iron Polo Match & Champagne Brunch on August 15, 2010 in Pacific Palisades, California. The event marks the 75th anniversary of Will Rogers' passing. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)
I spoke with Jennifer Rogers this week – she is the great-granddaughter of Will Rogers (actor and Beverly Hills‘ first mayor). This weekend she will host, along with Dennis Quaid, Barneys New York, Veuve Clicquot and Max Studio, a polo tournamnet to raise money for the Will Rogers Ranch Foundation which provides extra funds for her great grandfather namesake park and polo fields in the Palisades – where I, and many of my friends, learned to ride.
EVENT UPDATE!!
The WRRF’s 1st Annual “Dog Iron” Polo Cup & Champagne Brunch was held at the Will Rogers State Historic Park in the Pacific Palisades, California. 300 guests gathered to celebrate the life and memory of Will Rogers with tribute events including: two polo matches (Barney’s New York vs. Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers and Fair Hills Farms vs. MaxStudio.com), a Veuve Clicquot Champagne Divot Stomp, the “Dog Iron” Polo Cup Awards Presentation, and guided tours of the Ranch House. Honorary co-chair Dennis Quaid—who rides his horse at the State Park on an almost daily basis—was onsite for a celebrity “Throw-In” of the game ball for the Dog Iron feature match between Fair Hills Farms and MaxStudio.com.
Will Rogers’ great granddaughter Jennifer Rogers-Etcheverry says, “Given the current budget crisis facing the state of California and its impact on our State Parks, our fundraising efforts are more important than ever. The funds raised from the “Dog Iron” Polo Cup and Champagne Brunch will help ensure that the scenic trails, the tours of Will’s historic home, and the equestrian atmosphere will continue to entertain and serve the public as they have for the last 66 years.”
Bette Rogers-Brandin (Will Rogers' granddaughter) with Dennis Quaid (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)
Already she has been able to use these funds to spiffy up the visitors center and adda gift shop, which will break ground this weekend.
The Will Rogers Polo Club has been playing polo almost every weekend from April through September for the past 60 Years. The historic polo field is the only polo field in Los Angeles and the Will Rogers Polo Club and California State Parks have worked extremely hard in keeping polo in Los Angeles.
The results from Sundays’ match are as follows:
Dog Iron Polo Cup Match #1 - Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers vs. Barney’s New York – Barney’s New York team won with 6 goals – team was: Leigh Brecheen 2 goals, Chuck Stanislawski, Ardeshir Rhadpour (4 goals, 4 defensive stops, also won for MVP), Joanna Wyszecki (0 goals). Pioneers defeated with 5 goals – team was: Erik Wright (2 goals), Soheil Goel (1 goal), Sean Goel, Malik Ibrahim (2 goals).
Dog Iron Polo Cup Match #2 - MaxStudio.com vs. Fairhills Farms - Fairhills Farms won with 9 goals – team was: Graydon Brittan 4 goals (Bella Doche-best pony), Erik Wright (5 goals, also won MVP), Brent Lantz, Gina Padilla. MaxStudio.com was defeated with only 8 goals – team was: Andrew Bossom (1 goal), Domingo Questel (4 goals), Bill Davis (3 goals), Hannah Taylor
So what’s next for Will Rogers polo?? You can always go to the free games on the weekend – the schedule is packed through October and can be seen on their website here: http://www.willrogerspolo.org/schedule.html
Trophies for the Will Rogers Ranch Foundation's Dog Iron Polo Match & Champagne Brunch on August 15, 2010 in Pacific Palisades, California.
And coming October 1oth, Nacho Figueras (captain of the BlackWatch team and the face of Ralph Lauren Fragrances) who has made it his quest to popularize the old sport of Kings, who along with Veuve Clicquot and Prince Harry, revived polo on Governors Island (a famed old polo haunt in Manhattan) will come to play a free 2,500 person exhibition match at the Will Rogers Park Will Rogers on October 10th, also sponsored by Veuve Clicquot. So far Prince Harry is not involved but he was also not on the roster the second year in Governor’s Island and did end up showing to support his polo pal Nacho.
“We are pleased to host Nacho Figuera on Oct 10! We have had many renowned polo players including Memo Gracida, not only play on our field but coach as well. We are proud to have amateurs, beginners, professionals all join us. And of course viewing the matches are always free to the public. So everyone please come and join us!” – Felice Densa, Will Rogers Polo Club
As one of the nation’s most beloved and adored Americans in the 1920s and 1930s, Rogers was an actor, cowboy, humorist, writer, entertainer and unofficial diplomat for the United States of America. Also an early supporter of aviation, he tragically died in a 1935 plane crash in Barrow, Alaska at the age of 55. That day, his loss was honored with radio and movie theaters going dark. In 1944, his wife Betty Rogers donated their Pacific Palisades ranch home to the state of California to serve as a public and lasting memorial to her late husband—now known as the Will Rogers State Historic Park, located at 1501 Will Rogers State Park Road, Pacific Palisades, California.
“Dog Iron” is the working brand for the Dog Iron Ranch in Lake Oologah, Oklahoma, the birthplace and childhood home of Rogers. When he set roots in California and developed the Will Rogers Ranch, he brought the “Dog Iron” brand with him and used it for all livestock and ranch activities. The historic polo field at his ranch home is the only grass polo field left in Los Angeles, and was graded by Rogers himself for friends to enjoy, including Clark Gable, Walt Disney, and Spencer Tracy.
For more information on The Will Rogers Foundation, please visit http://ww.willrogersranchfoundation.org or call (866) 988-9773.
Dennis Quaid
PACIFIC PALISADES, CA - AUGUST 15: A commemorative fly over by the Condor Squadron during the Will Rogers Ranch Foundation's Dog Iron Polo Match & Champagne Brunch on August 15, 2010 in Pacific Palisades, California. The event marks the 75th anniversary of Will Rogers' passing. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)
Here is the press release from Sunday …
Will Rogers Ranch Foundation Announces Tributes Marking the 75th Anniversary of Will Rogers’ Passing
Simultaneous Commemorative Moment with Fly Overs in Alaska, California and Oklahoma at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Sunday, August 15, 2010;
Dog Iron Polo Cup & Champagne Brunch with Honorary Co-Chairs Dennis Quaid and Diane Keaton;
Will Rogers State Historic Park Hosts New Visitor’s Center and Sales Area Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting
LOS ANGELES–(
EON: Enhanced Online News)–Sunday, August 15, 2010 marks the
75th Anniversary of Will Rogers’ Passing. As one of the nation’s most beloved Americans in the 1920s and 1930s, Rogers was
an actor, cowboy, humorist, writer, entertainer and unofficial diplomat for the United States of America. Also an early supporter of aviation, he tragically died in a 1935 plane crash in Barrow, Alaska at the age of 55. That day, his loss was honored with one hour of all U.S. media going dark (radio and movie theaters). In 1944, his wife Betty Rogers donated their ranch home to the state—now known as the
Will Rogers State Historic Park, located at 1501 Will Rogers State Park Road, Pacific Palisades, California.
The Will Rogers Ranch Foundation is commemorating the anniversary of Rogers’ passing with a series of tributes at the State Park, including:
For more information on event sponsorship or ticket sales, please visit willrogersranchfoundation.org or call (866) 988-9773.
The Will Rogers Ranch Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring the legacy of Will Rogers through interpretive activities and fundraising to assist in the ongoing restoration, rehabilitation, and preservation of Will Rogers State Historic Park.
Diane Keaton is an actress, director, producer, and author. She currently serves on the board the Los Angeles Conservancy and as a Trustee of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Wyatt McCrea is the oldest grandchild of the late actor Joel McCrea and his actress wife Frances Dee.
Jennifer Rogers-Etcheverry is a great grand-daughter of Will Rogers. Jennifer has been involved in the Rogers family business since 1991 and now serves as the family spokesperson and media contact. She travels throughout the year to promote the legacy of Will Rogers, including riding in the Rose Parade with “Sons and Daughters of the Reel West.” Jennifer is a founding director of the Will Rogers Ranch Foundation; is a member of Friends of Will Rogers in Claremore, Oklahoma; is an advisory board member for the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation; and is a long-time member of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. Five years ago, she founded her own almond company called “My Husband’s Nuts,” specializing in seasoned and candied almonds.
Trudi Sandmeier is the grand-daughter of Emil and Trudy Sandmeier, both of whom worked for the Rogers family in the ‘30s, living on the ranch. A native Angeleno and Pacific Palisades resident, she has a Bachelor’s degree in history from UCLA and a Masters degree in Historic Preservation Planning from Cornell University. She is currently employed as the Director of Education for the Los Angeles Conservancy, the largest local historic preservation non-profit in the United States and is on the faculty of the USC School of Architecture, Historic Preservation program. She serves on the board of the Will Rogers Cooperative Association and is a founder of the Will Rogers Ranch Foundation.
Brian Shea - A Pacific Palisades resident since 1950, Brian co founded the Palisades Will Rogers 5 & 10k Run in 1978 and has served as the Race Director every year since. The run has raised over $800,000 for the Palisades Optimist Club who supports the Boys and Girls Home in downtown Los Angeles and local charities. His is a First Vice President of East West Bank and sits on the Board and Advisory Board of Community in Schools Los Angeles West; is a member of the Saint John’s Hospital Audit Committee; is a Trustee Emeritus of Marymount High School; and is a Founding Board Member and Past President of Palisades P.R.I.D.E. (Click here to read a recent Palisades-Post article about Brian.)
Todd Vradenburg, Chairperson - Currently, the Executive Director of the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation, Todd oversees the Will Rogers Institute – a national health charity most known for their annual fundraising in movie theaters – and the Pioneers Assistance Fund. A Pasadena native, Todd attended San Diego State University, where he also played football. His non-profit experience includes the American Heart Association and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Todd is a founding member of the WRRF; is a past-president of the Pasadena Junior Chamber of Commerce; has been a board member and volunteer for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association (Rose Bowl Game and Rose Parade) since 1993; and is currently an Advisory Board Member to the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission. He is married to Ann and they have a daughter, Victoria and son, Brock.
