Tag Archives: Chip McKenney

GPL Founder Chip McKenney to Be Honored Saturday at Compete Sports Diversity Awards

Chip McKenney, founder of the GPL. Photo: Scott Fisher.

WELLINGTON, FL – November 12, 2014 – Chip McKenney, CEO and President of the Gay Polo League and Phelps Media Group International CEO, will be honored Saturday night at the Compete Sports Diversity Awards Dinner in Tempe, Ariz.

McKenney is being honored as Compete Magazine’s 2014 Sports Pioneer for “paving a significant path in the sports community through his leadership of the Gay Polo League and his participation in the sport of polo.”

Compete Magazine is the global leader in sports diversity media. Compete Magazine, founded in 2006, is the world’s first and only LGBT sports diversity media company.

The magazine’s Sports Diversity Awards honor deserving athletes, individuals and organizations who fulfill Compete’s mission of uniting gay and straight communities through sports.

McKenney heads an impressive list of honorees that also includes former NFL player and LGBT advocate Esera Tuaolo; LPGA pro Sue Wieger; WNBA champions Phoenix Mercury; Arizona State University and Storm Bowling Products.

“I am very honored to receive this award,” McKenney said. “So many people have and continue to help build the GPL so this award is for all of us.

“LGBT athletes make a difference,” McKenney said. “I’m very proud of all the GPL members who have the courage to play polo as self-identified LGBT people.”

The gala event is co-hosted by Compete Magazine CEO Eric Carlyle and Blake Skjellerup, 2010 New Zealand Olympic short track speed skater and LGBT sports advocate.

The VIP reception is 6-7 p.m. followed by the main event at 7:15 p.m. Both events will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton.

VIP tickets are available for $250 and include the VIP reception. General admission tickets are $135 which includes dinner. For more information call 480-222-4223.

The Wellington-based Gay Polo League, created by McKenney in 2006, is an international organization and only organized gay polo league in the world.

Players of all ages, backgrounds and skill levels travel from all over the world for not only the competition but camaraderie. GPL players come from several countries including France, England, Argentina, South Africa, Canada and Australia.

The Gay Polo League recently made history when it made its debut in the fourth annual Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships: Horses & Horsepower last month in Scottsdale. The event is America’s most attended polo event attracting 15,000 polo fans to the Omni Scottsdale Polo Field.

The Gay Polo League’s flagship event is the International Gay Polo League Tournament Week which celebrated its fifth anniversary in April with a record five teams in Wellington.

The event was live-streamed worldwide for the first time and featured in a 15-page spread in Polo International Magazine, polo’s premier magazine.

Behind McKenney’s tireless efforts, attendance at the International GPL Tournament has grown from 1,500 in its inaugural year to more than 5,000. Spectators have grown so interested in the sport several have taken polo lessons and attended other polo games.

“I am hoping we will build every single year to make this special,” McKenney said. “I can’t wait to see where we are in ten years.”

McKenney is a lifelong horseman with extensive show experience in the jumper division and is also a rated polo player.

Sharon Robb for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12230 Forest Hill Blvd.
Suite 214
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
www.phelpsmediagroup.com

Cedar Crest Stables Wins Founders Cup at 5th Annual International GPL Tournament

Cedar Crest Stables’ MVP Chip McKenney on his way to score one of his seven goals during round robin play. Photos by Scott Fisher.

Chip McKenney Named MVP

WELLINGTON, FL – April 6, 2014 — For the third consecutive year, Cedar Crest Stables captured the Founders Cup Saturday at the 5th Annual International Gay Polo League Tournament at Grand Champions Polo Club.

Cedar Crest Stables (Jed Pearsall, Phil Tremo, Chip McKenney, Miguel Novillo Astrada) defeated Gordon W. Ross Team ReMAX (Mark Bennett, Frank Galdon, Gordon W. Ross, Alejandro Novillo Astrada), 3-2, in round-robin play for the subsidiary title.

The Founders Cup is presented in honor of Chip McKenney, the founder of the GPL.

In the championship final, RBC Wealth Management (Rafik Boughadou, Dan Haynia, Jean-Marc Herrouin, Nic Roldan) won the Senator Cup with a 5-3 victory over Phelps Media Group (Gina Padilla, Ezequiel Ortiz Berne, Talbot Logan, Juan Bollini).

In other round-robin games, Cedar Crest Stables defeated JP Morgan (Brad Henry, Liz Ryan, Jack Hoffman, Joey Casey), 5-2, with McKenney scoring all five of his team’s goals. Henry and Hoffman each scored a goal for JP Morgan.

Gordon W. Ross Team ReMAX defeated JP Morgan, 4-3, behind two goals by Galdon. Bennett and Ross each scored one. Ryan led JP Morgan with two goals and Henry added one.

In the Cedar Crest Stables-Gordon W. Ross Team ReMAX final round robin game, Cedar Crest Stables jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Tremo converted a 30-yard penalty shot that hit the goal post but broke the line for a goal.

Gordon W. Ross of Team ReMAX scores a goal off a neck shot
Gordon W. Ross of Team ReMAX scores a goal off a neck shot

Ross scored back-to-back goals to tie the game at 1-1 on a neck shot at the 3:08 mark and at 2:48 on another neck shot for a 2-1 advantage.

After McKenney missed a goal attempt early in the second chukker, he scored his first goal of the game on a back shot at the 6:19 mark to tie the game at 2-2.

Ross came up with an outstanding defensive play when he backed another McKenney goal attempt out of the goal mouth area with four minutes left. A minute later, however, McKenney came back to score his second goal of the game to clinch the win for his team.

McKenney was named Most Valuable Player of the Founders Cup. McKenney scored seven goals in round-robin play and played well defensively.

“I am thrilled,” McKenney said. “Yesterday, I played poorly and today I made a comeback. I just felt like I was on from the minute I got onto the field. I think I just felt confident going onto the field. I was determined to really play better and play well.”

McKenney jelled well with his teammates including Jed Pearsall, making his GPL tournament debut, and pro Miguel Novillo Astrada, a 10-goal rated player in Argentina.

“Everything worked out with the team,” McKenney said. “My team jelled. We had never played together as a team before yesterday so we were kind of missing each other, missing that rhythm and today it all came together.”

Cedar Crest Stables was one of a record five teams competing in the two-day tournament that was live-streamed by PoloNow Network.

Jack Hoffman of JP Morgan hits the ball past defender Gordon W. Ross as Team ReMAX pro teammate Alejandro Novillo Astrada looks on
Jack Hoffman of JP Morgan hits the ball past defender Gordon W. Ross as Team ReMAX pro teammate Alejandro Novillo Astrada looks on

“I am thrilled Cedar Crest Stables won again because Cat has been supportive of our event since Day 1 and this is the first time I got to play on her team,” McKenney said. “I am very pleased that we won our division and I got the MVP in her honor. This is a big shout out to her.”

McKenney, founder and Executive Director of the Gay Polo League, was competing in his fifth GPL tournament. He was among six players who have played all five tournaments. The others were Dan Haynia and Jean-Marc Herrouin of RBC Wealth Management, Gordon W. Ross, Jack Hoffman of JP Morgan and Talbot Logan of Phelps Media Group.

About the Gay Polo League:
GPL is a community that shares a love for adventure, fun and the challenging sport of polo. GPL is committed to providing members with an enjoyable, supportive and competitive experience.

GPL represents a wide range of ages, backgrounds and skill levels. GPL trains and competes in mainstream matches and events while sharing enthusiasm for the sport, to change perceptions about our community.

For more information about GPL, visit www.gaypolo.com.

Rebecca Walton for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd #105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com

Chip McKenney Joins Phelps Media Group International

McKenney (pictured competing in the Amateur-Owner Jumpers) brings to the CEO position a knowledge and passion for multiple equestrian disciplines. Photo by Cathrin Cammett.

Wellington, FL – March 8, 2014 – Phelps Media Group International (PMG), a leading media company focused on national and international equestrian sports, announced today that Chip McKenney has joined the firm as Partner and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

McKenney comes to PMG from Troika Design Group, a brand consultancy and creative agency specializing in entertainment and sports media where he was Chief Operations Officer (COO) for over 10 years. Prior to joining Troika, McKenney held the COO position at View Studios in Hollywood, CA. He earned a law degree from Whittier College School of Law.

“Chip’s executive background and organizational leadership experience give him the perfect skills for the CEO role,” said Mason Phelps Jr., Founder and President of PMG. “He has designed and integrated strong teams at multiple media companies during different stages of company growth. I am excited about Chip’s ability to help our company and clients build high performance leadership teams and cultures of success.”

McKenney is a lifelong horseman with extensive show experience in the jumper divisions. He is also a rated polo player.

McKenney playing in the Gay Polo Tournament at Grand Champions Polo Club. Photo by Mark Finerty.
McKenney playing in the Gay Polo Tournament at Grand Champions Polo Club. Photo by Mark Finerty.

“Building corporate infrastructure to support the expansion of Phelps Media’s client services is very exciting to me,” McKenney said. “Phelps holds a unique position in global media dedicated to equestrian sports, and I am thrilled to be a part of this organization’s future.”

MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd #105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com