UC Ranch Properties is a title sponsor of Glenwood Springs CO historic polo cup
UC Ranch Properties Sponsors Historic Devereux Cup Polo Match
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO – History is kept alive with the conclusion of the historic Devereux Cup polo tournament at the Stout Ranch south of New Castle, Colorado, with UC Ranch Properties as one of the two title sponsors. Though officially it was the 19th Annual Devereux Polo Cup, the sport was originally established in the Glenwood Springs area by Walter Devereux, who first came to Aspen in 1883. He made himself wealthy by several patents on smelting silver ore, and then turned his eye to Glenwood Springs, 40 miles northwest of Aspen on the Roaring Fork River.
In 1885, Devereux spent the princely sum of $125,000 to buy the land surrounding the world-famous hot springs in Glenwood. Devereux built the Hot Springs Resort and the Hotel Colorado above it, then brought electric power to the town with a hydro turbine from the Colorado River. He needed a good manager to handle all these operations, so he hired one Hervey Lyle, who was an accomplished polo player. Devereux and Lyle founded the Glenwood Polo and Racing Association, which hosted its first polo matches in 1890.
Barry Stout, a former professional polo player, is a passionate advocate of the sport and has been a major force in honoring the polo tradition in Western Colorado. From his ranch on a high mesa southwest of Glenwood Springs, Barry hosts the Devereux Cup on the Stout Ranch on an annual basis. In fact, Teddy Roosevelt not only visited Glenwood Springs and stayed in the Hotel Colorado, he hunted trophy mule deer and connected with a trophy buck on the Stout Ranch. Roosevelt was also a polo player.
“Spencer Jordan was the man who connected us with polo,” says Gary Hubbell of UC Ranch Properties. An Accredited Land Consultant, auctioneer, and managing broker of United Country Colorado Brokers, Gary’s team of 11 agents sells ranches, farms, wineries, vineyards, hunting land, country estates, and luxury homes across Western Colorado. “Spencer is one of my agents, and his father, Leighton Jordan, was instrumental in founding the Saratoga, New York polo club and the Greenwich, Connecticut polo club. Spencer invited us to a couple of matches and we were hooked!”
Gary’s passion for horses is well known. Together with his wife, Doris, he founded OutWest Guides in Marble, Colorado, which is known for providing top-quality horses for guests to ride on day rides, summer pack trips into the Maroon Bells/Snowmass Wilderness, and week-long elk and trophy mule deer hunts. “At one point, we were running 47 head of mountain horses,” Gary recalls. “We have owned around 325 horses all told,” he recalls. “Quarter horses, paints, Arabians, draft crosses, even thoroughbreds. We love ‘em all. The idea of playing the sport of polo on horseback is very appealing to us. And polo fans are the kind of people for the types of properties that we list and sell.”
This year’s event showcased a thrilling competition between the sponsored UC Ranch Properties team and the Land Rover Roaring Fork team. The match was shortened by a sudden thunderstorm with nearby lightning bolts that made the polo pitch wet and slippery, with the Land Rover USA team in the lead. “One of our players, Santiago Torres, is a top United States polo player,” says Gary Hubbell, “and I wish we could have played the final couple of chukkers. I think we could have won.”
The UC Ranch Properties group was well represented with Gary and Doris Hubbell and their son Jake Hubbell, ALC; Spencer Jordan; and broker associate Dan Vigeant. Spencer was scheduled to play in the match but a back injury precluded his participation. “We’re already looking forward to next year!” Gary Hubbell reports. “And I may have to take some lessons with Barry. I’ve always wanted to play in a polo match—it’s on my bucket list. Maybe this is my chance!”
About UC Ranch Properties: UC Ranch Properties is an international company with 550 offices across the United States and Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, Canada, and Australia. United Country Colorado Brokers (UCCB) is the local Roaring Fork Valley UC Ranch Properties affiliate, with agents across the Western Slope, including Loma, Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, Montrose, Delta, Hotchkiss, Basalt, and Aspen. UC Ranch Properties represents buyers and sellers in the acquisition, development, and preservation of legacy properties, including mountain recreation ranches, hunting land, production agricultural farms and ranches, luxury mountain estates, and ski properties.
With an unwavering commitment to delivering superior service and industry expertise, UC Ranch Properties continues to play a vital role in shaping the landscape of Western Colorado. Led by esteemed broker, auctioneer, and Accredited Land Consultant Gary Hubbell, UC Ranch Properties is dedicated to preserving the region’s rich heritage while embracing the future of land management and real estate. For more information, visit www.aspenranchrealestate.com or www.UCRanchProperties.com .
