Burnt Mills Polo Club

Bedminster was once a major center for the sport of polo.  The Burnt Mills Polo Club was founded by W. Thorn Kissel (1885-1960) in Far Hills in 1929. Mr. Kissel served several years on the governing board of the United States Polo Association.

In 1930 the Burnt Mills Club bought Four Furlong’s farm on Burnt Mills Road in Bedminster, NJ, west of Airport Road, and three playing fields were laid out.  The club flourished in the 1930s and expanded their operations in 1932 to Schley Field (now River Road Park), north of Pluckemin. Teams from Whippany River, Rumson, and beyond came to play.

Discontinued during World War II, Burnt Mills Polo Club was reactivated in 1972. The matches were open to the public and often used as fundraisers for local charities.  The Kissel Memorial Match was held in 1973 and sanctioned by the United States Polo Association.  The club continued to hold matches into the 1980s at the Burnt Mills location.

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