May 10, 2022
Polo on the Prairie fundraiser tops $1.1 million with country music superstar Martina McBride
BY Allison Schaffer
Flooding, rain and a global pandemic have kept polo off the field at Musselman Brothers’ Lazy 3 Ranch in Albany, Texas since 2019, but the West Texas tradition returned with full fanfare April 30, welcoming multi-Grammy® nominee Martina McBride to the stage and raising $1.15 million for The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
“It was wonderful to welcome friends from all over the state back to Lazy 3 Ranch,” said Henry Musselman, a Midland native and member of the MD Anderson Board of Visitors. “Everyone enjoyed a great game, a phenomenal show from Martina McBride and, most importantly, learned about the lifesaving patient programs and research taking place at MD Anderson – our nation’s top-ranked cancer center.”
The 36th annual Polo on the Prairie featured a U.S. Polo Association-sanctioned tournament played on a hayfield that was converted to a polo field at the ranch. Following the championship match, attendees feasted on a Texas-size chuck wagon barbecue dinner before enjoying a private country music concert featuring McBride. The evening ended with a spectacular fireworks finale.
The evening before the main event, polo players, MD Anderson faculty and members of the host committee were treated to a Friday night fish fry featuring Texas country music legend Robert Earl Keen. This special stop on Keen’s final tour gave guests an opportunity to speak with MD Anderson faculty and learn more about the institution’s mission to end cancer. To date, Polo on the Prairie has raised more than $9.5 million for patient care, research and education initiatives at MD Anderson.
"The generosity of the Musselman family and all of our friends in West Texas stretches far beyond a polo field," said Darrow Zeidenstein, Ph.D., senior vice president and chief development officer at MD Anderson. "Thanks to the contributions of so many, we can make a lasting impact on our patients, their families and cancer patients around the world."