Sunny Hale Explained

Sunset "Sunny" Hale (December 30, 1968, Carmel, California – February 26, 2017, Norman, Oklahoma) was a professional polo player and one of the few women to play on pro teams consisting almost entirely of men.[1]

In 2000, she was on the winning team in the U.S. Open Polo Championship, becoming the first woman to do so.[1] At the time of the 2000 championship, she outranked 96 percent of players in the world, including men.[2]

Described as "the most famous female polo player in the world", Sunny was active in developing women's polo.

Sunny's mother, Sue Sally Hale, competed as a polo player in the 1950s and '60s disguised as a man and is credited with breaking the gender barrier in the sport.

Sunny Hale was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in 2012.[3]

Death

Sunny Hale died at age 48 from complications from breast cancer on February 26, 2017.[4]

Notes and References

  1. News: Fabrikant. Geraldine. On Horseback, Mallet in Hand, Breaking Barriers for Women. December 22, 2013. New York Times. December 10, 2013.
  2. Web site: Howley. Elaine. Sunny Hale Rules the Game of Queens. espnW. ESPN. December 22, 2013.
  3. Web site: Braschayko. Karen. Dream Jobs: Professional Polo Player Sunny Hale. Equitrekking. December 22, 2013.
  4. News: Sunny Hale, top-ranked polo player of peerless style and audacious speed, dies at 48. March 2, 2017. The Washington Post.