Polo Field

Polo Field. . Brackenridge Park Was Established on the east bank of the San Antonio River in 1899. It was not until 1915 that the city was given additional property to extend the park west of the river. The new park land, located between the river and Upper Labor Acequia, had been farmed since the 1700s. After George Brackenridge donated this large, flat field to the city, it was used for over fifty years by the San Antonio Polo Club for competitions that attracted some of the world's best players. Other equestrian groups, including the Sheriff's Mounted Posse and San Antonio Charros, sponsored events at adjoining facilities, and private stables provided horses for riders to explore the park's bridle trails. The polo field was also used as a driving range as golf gained in popularity, and by the late 1980s polo was no longer played here. Still known informally as the Polo Field, the area is used as a public driving range and by First Tee, a program that teaches golf to inner city youth., Captions , Left: A private stable was constructed near Brackenridge Park in the 1930s, and generations of riders explored park trails until the stable closed in 1999. These riders cooled off in the San Antonio River during the summer of 1938., Lower Middle: Promoting traditional horsemanship skills that originated in Mexico, the San Antonio Charro Association often held exhibitions at their arena in Brackenridge Park., Lower Right: Cowboy humorist Will Rogers, seen here in 1931, was one of many notable visitors to San Antonio who played polo in Brackenridge Park., Courtesy: Light Collection, University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Collections.