Peter Brant And Melissa Ganzi Highlight The 2026 Polo Hall Of Fame Ceremony
By Y.A. Teitelbaum
The polo world celebrated its legends, highlighted by Peter M. Brant and Melissa Ganzi, at the record-setting, sold-out 37th annual Polo Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Dinner on Friday, Feb. 13 at the Museum of Polo. More than 500 guests attended the ceremony.
Brant developed the powerhouse White Birch team and organization, which dominated high-goal polo in the United States for about 25 years beginning in 1979, winning 31 tournaments at the 26-goal level or higher. This spurred other teams to build and maintain a professional organization.
Brant thanked his family, his mentors, his players and staff during his illustrious 50-year polo career.
Despite his many victories, Brant explained how he thinks more about the horses in his career, “Not just mine, but my teammates and my opponents.”
He closed his remarks with, “I love this game.”
Melissa Ganzi, philanthropist, entrepreneur, club owner and high-goal patron, received the Iglehart Award for exceptional lifetime contributions to the sport.
Ganzi’s moving, prerecorded acceptance speech was the emotional highlight of the night.
“Giving back to polo is important to me,” Ganzi said. “It has been a privilege to be a part of the sport’s past, present and future.”
She accepted the award along with her husband Marc, and their children, Grant and Riley.
Billy Stevens, a terrific player in both the arena and on the grass, was also inducted into the Hall of Fame. Stevens, who turns 99 years old in two months, accepted his award with a video, as his wife, Ruth, and their sons, Charlie and Jimmy, attended the event.
Elisabeth “Pansy” Ireland Poe, a trailblazing pioneer who unofficially became the first woman player to obtain a handicap rating with the USPA in 1925, was inducted into the Polo Hall of Fame posthumously. Her great-niece, Nancy Ireland Stahl, accepted the award.
Equine advocate Clint Nangle was honored as the posthumous Iglehart Award recipient, and he was remembered as a caring, kind, dignified champion of the sport. Clint, a natural-born lefty who started in polo at Myopia in 1962, was always positive and passionate about doing what was good for the betterment of polo. His daughter, Dana Nangle Scott, and grandson, Sam Scott, accepted the award.
Well-respected Joe Casey Sr., the 2025 Iglehart Award recipient, attended the ceremony after missing last year’s event due to illness. Mike Carney accepted the award for Casey Sr.
The Horses to Remember honoree of the early pre-Hartman era was Citroen, the award-winning Argentine-bred chestnut gelding purchased by Robert Lehman. His son, Robin, and granddaughter, Morgan, accepted the award.
Longpocket, Billy Mulcahy’s raw-boned and wiry Australian Thoroughbred, was recognized as Horses to Remember, post-Hartman Award era. Numerous high-goalers, including Memo Gracida, Esteban Panelo, Piki Alberdi, Juni Crotto and Mike Azzaro, played Longpocket.
Wendy Hollander, Longpocket’s early groom and Mulcahey’s former wife, accepted the award.
The Polo Training Foundation (PTF) Player of the Year awards in the annual scholastic and collegiate awards were included for the first time.
The honorees were Zak Coleman of Texas A&M (Intercollegiate Stephen A. Orthwein Male Player of the Year), Alana Benz of UVA (Intercollegiate Daniel J. Wallace Jr. Female Player of the Year), Joe Bob Lequerica of Houston (Interscholastic Russell A. Sheldon Male Player of the Year) and Kylie Beard of Maryland (Interscholastic Lynn Thompson Female Player of the Year).
The event’s success was due to generous dinner sponsors Grand Champions Polo Club and Aspen Valley Polo Club, as well as major sponsors Olexa Celine, the Robert I. Goldman Foundation and U.S. Polo Assn.
Also supporting the event were Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and spirits from longtime sponsors Robert S. Lipman and Margaret Lipman Orthwein. Premium wine and champagne were supported by new sponsor Shelby Meisler and Inlet Harbour Liquors. Special thanks to Alex Pacheco Photography, Krystal Zaskey Photography and Chukker TV for their contributions.
The black-tie Hall of Fame Awards Dinner is the most important annual fundraising event for the museum, an independently run, not-for-profit organization.
Learn more about the museum at www.polomuseum.org.
