Brooke USA’s 4th Annual Ponies & Pearls

Name: Brooke USA’s 4th Annual Ponies & Pearls
Start: 2025-10-19T15:30:00-04:00
End: 2025-10-19T16:30:00-04:00
Location: New Bridge Polo and Country Club

Schedule

Sun Oct 19 2025 at 03:30 pm to 04:30 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

New Bridge Polo and Country Club | Aiken, SC

Brooke USA Foundation’s (Brooke USA) Aiken Regional Advisory Council will host the invigorating 4th annual Ponies & Pearls during the USPA Northrup Knox Cup® 8 Goal polo match and VIP celebration. Returning to the New Bridge Polo and Country Club Ponies & Pearls-An Equine Celebration honors the enduring bond between people and equines from working fields in the developing world to communities here at home.
Presented by devoted Brooke USA supporters and equine advocates Lynne Rubino and Melinda Shambley the 4th annual Ponies & Pearls carries a fundraising goal of $40000. The
event will showcase an exhilarating polo match from the exclusive New Bridge Argentine-style clubhouse VIP area paired with exceptional culinary offerings local favorites and signature cocktails. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Great Oak Equine Assisted Programs with the balance supporting Brooke USA’s global initiatives to improve the lives of working equines and their communities.
Guests including men will also enjoy the excitement of a silent auction and for added enjoyment craft a stunning floral arrangement at the bouquet bar enhance their style with a new look from the hat bar or peruse the annual fashion show styles featuring local boutiques all while sipping a signature cocktails from Tito’s Handmade Vodka or a refreshing mimosa from the Sister’s Bubbly Buggy . A special treat Brooke USA Equine Friends Kate the Black Burro and her companion Lola will be in attendance serving beverages to VIP guests and accepting donations to improve the plight of working horses donkeys mules and the livelihoods of caregivers.
"While Ponies & Pearls was not held last year Brooke USA redirected its efforts to relief initiatives for Hurricanes Helene and Milton raising $24000 to support communities in urgent need” said Katie Roth Chair of Brooke USA’s Aiken Regional Advisory Council and a Board member of the Lexington KY-based organization. “That experience reinforced the meaningful role Brooke USA can play in times of crisis. We are proud to bring the event back this year uniting our community to celebrate and support working equines both locally and around the world."
“Ponies & Pearls has become a cherished tradition in the Aiken community and we look forward to an inspiring celebration of philanthropy and community” said Emily Dulin CEO of Brooke USA. “By standing together in support of working equines and their caregivers—both across the developing world and here in the United States—we can create a lasting impact on the lives of these animals and the people who depend on them for survival.”
Returning and new sponsors for Ponies & Pearls include Aiken Audiology as Cele-Bray-te Women sponsor; Icon Global Real Estate as MVP Player sponsor; Barb Gould Uskup
and Carolina Real Estate Company as Raise Your Glass sponsor; Gold Wowie CBD as Best Playing Pony Sponsor; Aiken Saddlery as Bubbly Buggy sponsor; and Evello Med Spa as Beauty with Purpose sponsor. Several other sponsorship opportunities are available for Ponies & Pearls. Each opportunity offers unique benefits for businesses and individuals alike. Individual tickets are $110 each. Complete details and purchase options can be viewed at BrookeUSA.org/events.

Chaired by Roth Brooke USA’s Aiken Regional Advisory Council is comprised of Aiken residents Jillian Barrett PhD Amy Brooks Joanna Caldwell Robin Clark Amy Doremus Nancy Goldmark Cathy McHugh Abigail Pait Bronwyn Pait Shelly Schmidt and Lynn Straumann.

###
About Brooke USA Foundation (Brooke USA): The mission of Brooke USA is to significantly improve the health welfare and productivity of working horses donkeys and mules and the people who depend on them for survival worldwide. We are committed to sustainable economic development by reducing poverty increasing food security ensuring access to water providing a means to education and raising basic standards of living through improved equine health and welfare. We accomplish this by raising funds and responsibly directing them to the areas of greatest need.
Brooke USA strives to alleviate the suffering and vulnerability of developing communities by funding and implementing programs that improve the quality of life and health of working equines and thereby positively impacting their economic sustainability protecting the planet ensuring gender equality and guaranteeing life on land resilience. We want to see healthy happy people and equines that work in partnership to achieve sustainable local economies.
www.BrookeUSA.org