Polo with a purpose

The ponies were ready, the mallets were swinging and the Lowcountry community turned out for a good cause as the Rose Hill Charity Polo Match returned Oct. 25.

Hosted by Equus Charities of the Lowcountry at the Dr. Sandy S. Termotto Polo Field at Rose Hill Plantation, the afternoon featured a match between the Rose Hill and Equus Charities polo teams, an exhibition by Rancho Lodazal, vendors and spectators gathered to enjoy the sport known as the “Game of Kings.” The event benefited the Lowcountry Autism Foundation.

The event benefited the Lowcountry Autism Foundation, which provides resources, educational guidance, advocacy and programs for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families. The foundation also helps connect families with local services and is working to add equine-assisted therapy to its programs.

That goal made the partnership a natural fit for a day devoted to horses and helping others.

Emily Termotto-Trott, speaking on behalf of Equus Charities, said the foundation hopes to launch its equine therapy program by early 2027.

“We cannot be more thrilled to help them with that,” she said.

The foundation currently serves more than 5,000 families across the region, including families as far north as Charleston, according to Termotto-Trott.
The community turned out in force, with Termotto-Trott estimating that more than 1,200 spectators attended the match.

“We’ve got a wonderful crowd out here,” she said during the event.
Vendors also contributed to the charitable effort, with each donating 10% of sales to charity.

Between the polo action, the Rancho Lodazal exhibition and the gathering of spectators along the sidelines, the afternoon offered another chapter in Rose Hill’s longstanding polo tradition.

Equus Charities has continued its fundraising efforts through seasonal polo events. Its spring match on April 12 benefited Heroes on Horseback with a $5,000 donation.

The next charity polo match is scheduled for April 4, 2027, when the spring event returns.

For now, the fall match is in the books, with the Lowcountry Autism Foundation at the center of an afternoon of polo and community support.