On April 19th at the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame Virginia Polo held a reception following the Spring Board meeting to honor the lifelong contributions of Earle Betts, UVA ‘72. Earle was presented with the Cavalier Award, an award given to people who’ve gone above and beyond in their dedication and support of the Virginia Polo Club.
Only four Cavalier Awards have presented to date. The award is not given annually, but only in exceptional circumstances when recognition is earned by an outstandingly devoted supporter of the club. Previously recognized alumni include Dick “Remo” Riemenschneider, Dan Colhoun, and Rob Rinehart.
Ever humble, Betts spoke of the community of alumni support that has built the Virginia Polo program, and how by combining their talents together they were able to build the now impressive program. He was quick to emphasize his contributions were merely part of a whole, and alone he would not have been as impactful.
Earle was selected for this prestigious award for the significant role he played in the growth of the Virginia Polo Club. Longtime friend and Director Emeritus Rob Rinehart presented Betts’s award and spoke of his impact on the club. “We were able to take a club that we said was founded on chewing gum and baling wire and really make it into something because we owned our property. One of the first people to come out and help, drive posts and put boards on the paddocks, was Earle, his brother, and his father. But he didn’t stop there.”
Rob continued, “The best gift we got from Earle was his thoughtfulness. Earle was perceptive enough to understand if we owned the property we could sell the building rights to the property. So Earle embarked on getting that done, and it was not easy, let me tell you that.” His thoughtfulness of selling the development rights on the land was a great source of support for the still developing Virginia Polo program, the proceeds doubled the fledgling Virginia Polo Endowment.
Among Betts’s many gifts are the Blue Barn in the driveway at Virginia Polo, the 7.3 diesel truck, and the Featherlite polo trailer.
Earle’s contributions through the last 50 years include his time, planning, a barn, truck, and trailer- all extremely important components of a polo farm- and much more. His guidance has steered the Board forward and his devotion has inspired others to find how they best can benefit the Polo Club.
Thank you Earle for your many years of support!
