Polo Returns to Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club for 115th Season

Sunday kicked off the 2026 season of “Polo in Paradise” at the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club. The main event was the first 12 Goal match of the JHHE Pope Challenge tournament: Folded Hills versus Klentner Ranch.   

This year marks the 115th season of polo at the club, and “each season, we are proud to welcome both longtime patrons and new guests to experience the excitement of polo in one of the most beautiful settings in the world,” said David Sigman, general manager of the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club. 

Gates opened to spectators at noon, with BBQ smoke and the smell of brisket wafting through the air. Sunday tickets start at $35 for general grandstand seating and complimentary valet parking with access to the Polo Grill, Sunday BBQ, and multiple bars. At 3:30 p.m., the stands were buzzing as the ball was thrown in, marking the start of the match.

Will Busch, number 2 on team Folded Hills, was out in full swing, cheered on by his soon-to-be wife, Christina Tebbe, and their wedding party under their field-side reserved tent. The couple had their rehearsal dinner at the club and got married the next day at the Tebbe family estate in Montecito. Despite the cheering squad, Folded Hills was ultimately defeated by Klentner Ranch in an exciting match. 

From May through October, the fields will see mid- and high-level polo play with a 12 Goal Series (May-June), 16 Goal Series (July-August), and an 8 Goal Series (September-October). The higher the goal number, the higher the team’s handicap, and the better the players will be. 

“There’s truly nothing like a Sunday afternoon at the Club,” said Sigman.