Sunday in the Park

• Why It’s Worth It  National Velvet stands the test of time -- appealing to all ages, to horse lovers and even sports fans -- it is included in the AFI's Top Ten list of classic titles.  The story encourages human kindness, passion and drive—some of the best qualities we want for our kids. Our nine-year old said that the film left her feeling good because “Velvet accomplished everything she set out to do.”
  
• Red Flags: It is a bit of a far-fetched story line for cynical modern audiences but most viewers will happily be swept up in the fantasy.
• Further Viewing: Other wonderful horse movies include Wild Horses Can't Be Broken, Black Stallion and Seabiscuit. National Velvet was remade with Tatum O'Neal in 1978 and reset in the US.
  

Our Tips for Talking with your kids about this Film:

• Cinema Savvy: Kids love child stars, and seeing the legendary Elizabeth Taylor as a young girl is a real draw. Take the opportunity to introduce them to her other films.
• Location Savvy: The film is based on the novel by Enid Bangnold, and meant to take place in fields of Sussex, England although filmed partly on the golf courses of Pebble Beach, California (Some golf holes are said to be evident in the background if you look closely).  Director Clarence Brown infuses the landscape with a windswept, open quality—we feel Velvet’s freedom and sense of majesty as she gallops through the field.
• Maternal Savvy: In the story, Velvet's mother is an extraordinary character, having won a prize for swimming the English Channel as a young woman; she encourages her daughter to reach for a lofty dream, as well. "Everyone should have a chance at a breath-taking piece of folly at least once in his life," Velvet's mother advises her young daughter as she primes herself against great odds to prepare for the country's most challenging race. Ask your own kids what their piece of folly might be one day.  

Our Buttery Bits of Wisdom about this Adventure:

• What Worked for Us: The games usually run for about three hours but only the most avid polo fans will want to watch the entire time. We enjoyed a leisurely tailgate picnic, walked the grounds, took in the sites, and did some people watching. We also brought along games, cards, and drawing supplies for our younger children.
  
• Before You Go: Many polo clubs have summer seasons that run from April to October.  Check your club's website for info on admission and parking. Many events cater to families and provide other activities for children to enjoy. Make sure to find out if food is available on site. We recommend bringing your own picnic lunch.
• POLO PRIMER:  Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is for a team to score the most goals by hitting the ball through their goal posts at the end of the ground.  Traditional polo is played on a large grass field of up to 300 yards long. Each polo team consists of four players and their horses.  It’s a tactical sport with offense and defense, fouls and penaltiesa, Games are played with a handicap in which the sum of the individual players respective handicaps are compared. The team with the lower handicap is given the difference in handicaps as goals before the start of the game. (This can make the game a little confusing to follow as an unsavvy spectator).
• A LITTLE POLO HISTORY: Polo is said to have originated in Persia/Iran and may date back to 6th century BC or even earlier. Its earliest incarnation was as a training game for cavalry units, usually the king’s guard or other elite troops. In time, polo became an Iranian national sport played extensively by the nobility, both men and women. Later the game moved to Asia, where various forms of the modern game emerged in a place called Manipur, now a state in India. The British formalized and popularized it into what it is today. Polo is now a professional sport in 77 countries, and is quite popular in South America as well. We are told that the best professionals now come from Argentina. Although the last Olympic polo game was in 1939, there is a World Polo Championship held every three years. Many polo clubs have cropped up in the United States.

Our City Editors' tips for enjoying this Popcorn Adventure around the USA:

• Anywhere: Google your city + polo club, polo matches.  Check the United States Polo Association to find polo clubs and matches near your city.
  
• Houston: The Houston Polo Club has just ended it's spring season, but offers polo lessons all summer long and Polo School in the fall. Classes for children and adults of all abilities are available. Be sure to check the website for the upcoming season's polo schedule. Tickets can be purchased online, with student rates of $10 per match.  Children under 12 are admitted free. Food and refreshments are available at the club. The “Children’s Chukker” play area offers the younger set a safe and fun place for entertainment during the matches, which last close to two hours. The club is located on 26 beautiful acres in the heart of the city and it offers a great way for people of all ages to unwind and enjoy this exciting sport!
  
• New York: Your family can enjoy Polo within a 90 minute drive from New York City at three well established Polo Clubs. in Upstate New York, Long Island and Connecticut. In Pine Plains, New York, located on a 1900-acre preserve is the Mashomack Polo Club which offers league polo from 4 goal to 12 goal and hosts various tournaments from June-September. Spectators are welcome to attend the matches and tailgate.  Long Island boasts the "oldest polo club" in the United States, the Meadowbrook Polo Club, located in Old Westbury, was established in 1881 and provides first class polo for players and spectators as well as hosting many high profile charity events and matches throughout the May through October season. Meadowbrook offers Sunday afternoon polo to the public at Bethpage State Park. The Greenwich Polo Club, in Greenwich, Connecticut, established in 1981, is the only venue for high-goal polo in the Northeast and offers public USPA high-goal polo matches on Sundays in June, July and September. Picnics are welcome.
  
• San Francisco: The Golden Gate Park Polo Fields are the setting for the annual Polo in the Park event. This is a charity event for the James S. Brady Therapeutic Riding Program, a non-profit equine therapy program for children with autism or other special needs. Children 12 and under are free, and adults tickets are $100. Lunch is included, as are music and performance events.  The Wine Country Polo Club has tournaments through October. Check their calendar for events and dates.  You can also check the listings on the USPA Pacific Coast Circuit website to find clubs near you.
  
• Washington, D.C:  The Great Meadow Foundation in The Plains, VA hosts Twilight Polo matches May 30 through September 5th every Saturday night.  Gates open at 6:30pm and admission is $20 per carload. You can buy tickets online or at the gate. Bring a tailgate picnic or purchase food from vendors on site.  Polo Bear is on hand for the kids to hand out goodies and after the matches a bubble machine cranks out millions of bubbles onto the field.
• Chicago: Sunday Polo at Oak Brook Polo Club is the premiere place to take in a polo match in Chicago.  The site of the historic Polo U.S. Open for 25 years, from 1954-1978, the Oak Brook Polo Club is considered one of the nation's finest polo clubs.  Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, and children under 12 and parking are free.