Shelby's Social Diary

The best private party of the summer? Santa Barbara polo a sweet diversion forHouston expats

His team won the Bombardier Pacific Coast Open and she co-hosted a lavish partyfor the polo teams.
Photo by Baron Spafford
Houstonians Sandi and Bill Nicholson spun Texas magic at their Solana estate inMontecito, Calif., where two Ferrari FFs greeted guests.
Photo by Baron Spafford
Guests at the Bombardier table at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet club seasonfinale.
Photo by David Lominska
Photo by Baron Spafford
Photo by Baron Spafford
Photo by Baron Spafford
Photo by Baron Spafford

And you thought that Aspen, Nantucket and Pebble Beach had the lock on the hearts of well-heeled Houstonians. Say hello to the luxe environs of Santa Barbara/Montecito where more than a few of our seasonal expats pass much of the summer.

As the Santa Barbara polo season came to an end over the holiday weekend, the Lone Star influence was clearly felt during the Bombardier Pacific Coast Open Finals at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club. Texans on the whole prevailed as John Muse of Dallas led his Team Lucchese to tournament victory, beating out the Andy Busch team that included Houston seven-goal player Jeff Hall. (Busch is great-grandson of Anheuser-Busch founder Adolphus Busch.) That victory was the third in a row for Team Lucchese and the first time for a threepeat in the 103-year history of the tournament.

Sandi and Bill Nicholson gave "the best private party of the summer at their fabulous Solona estate," an evening honoring Santa Barbara polo players and Montecito friends.

Among Houstonians taking in the excitement of this final round of polo, as guests of Bombardier, the luxury private jet manufacturer, were Bombardier jet owner John Eddie Williams and wife Sheridan plus Carol and Mike Linn, Karen and Mike Mayell and Carolyn Farb.

Front and center throughout the polo season was former Houstonian, Dallas resident Charles Ward, managing partner of Idea Works, Inc. Ward summers in this swank California playland, where he exercises his renowned talents as wealth marketing guru. That debonnaire gent maintains an occasional presence on the Houston scene, often accompanying Carolyn Farb.

Ward reports that earlier in the polo-centered activities, Houstonians Sandi and Bill Nicholson gave "the best private party of the summer at their fabulous Solona estate," an evening honoring Santa Barbara polo players and Montecito friends. Ward adds that the season ended with a spectacular party hosted by Houstonian Scott Wood, who heads ERG Team and is president of ERG Resources. Look for this event to become a highly-touted tradition across the polo-infused landscape.

(You might recall that the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club hosted British royals last summer. Shortly after their marriage in 2011, Prince William and Kate were guests at the club, where the prince played in the Foundation Polo Challenge.)

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Public memorials and services set for 'Houston's anchorman' Dave Ward

Photo courtesy of Dave Ward

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ABC13 anchor emeritus Dave Ward died on December 13 at age 86.

Members of the public are invited to pay their respects to the longtime newsman at visitations and funeral services this week. Plans include:

Wednesday, Dec. 17: Ward will lie in repose from 11 am-6 pm at the Crimestoppers of Houston Dave Ward Building, 3001 Main St., Houston, TX 77002.
Thursday, Dec. 18: Public visitation open to all at George H. Lewis & Sons Funeral Directors at 1010 Bering Dr., Houston, TX 77057 from 11 am-2 pm and 4-8 pm
Friday, Dec. 19: Funeral service open to the public at 12 pm at St. Martin's Episcopal Church at 717 Sage Rd., Houston, TX 77056.

ABC13 will carry the funeral live on television and streaming platforms.

For more than 50 years, Dave was Houston's anchorman. He began each newscast with his signature line, "Good evening, friends." That's how the legendary newsman felt about the viewers who shared his love for the city he was so proud to call his home.

His name was David Henry Ward, but he was known to thousands of Eyewitness News viewers simply as "Dave." Born in Dallas in 1939, Dave grew up in Huntsville and began his radio career with KGKB Radio in Tyler while attending college. Three years later, he joined the staff of WACO Radio as a staff announcer and quickly climbed to Program Director the following year.

Dave moved to Houston in 1962, where he worked for KNUZ Radio as a News Reporter and News Director for four years. He made the move to Channel 13 in 1966 as the station's only on-the-street news reporter and photographer, coming "inside" in early 1967 to anchor Channel 13's weekday 7 am. newscast.

Later that year, he became the first host of the wildly popular "Dialing for Dollars" program, which later evolved into "Good Morning Houston." Houston viewers flocked to see him and hear him, and by January 1968, Dave became the anchor of Eyewitness News at 6 and 10 pm.

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Read more about Dave Ward’s life and legacy, with video, on CultureMap's news partner, ABC13.com.

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