Butch Stewart
Handicap Rating
Biography
Butch Stewart was the defining patron of Caribbean polo, a Jamaican entrepreneur and philanthropist whose resources and enthusiasm were instrumental in establishing Chukka Caribbean Adventures and bringing polo to a wider audience across the English-speaking Caribbean. The founder and chairman of Sandals Resorts International — one of the most successful hospitality brands in the Caribbean — Stewart brought his characteristic energy and ambition to polo, funding the development of polo facilities in Jamaica that gave the sport a foothold in a region where it had previously existed only in the most limited form. He was closely associated with Chukka Cove Farm and equestrian centre in St Ann, Jamaica, which became one of the Caribbean's best-known polo and equestrian venues and a key stop on the international polo travel circuit. Stewart himself played polo and maintained an active interest in the sport throughout his life, hosting visiting polo professionals and international players at events that combined high-quality polo with the luxury resort hospitality his Sandals brand was known for. His contribution to Caribbean polo was not merely financial but cultural — he helped create a context in which polo was seen as a natural part of the Caribbean luxury experience, raising the sport's profile across a region with relatively little polo tradition. Butch Stewart passed away in January 2021, leaving behind a transformed polo landscape in Jamaica and the Caribbean.
Career Highlights
["Founder of Sandals Resorts, one of the Caribbean's largest hospitality companies", "Principal patron of Chukka Cove Farm and polo in Jamaica", "Brought international polo professionals to the Caribbean", "Helped establish polo as part of the Caribbean luxury tourism experience", "Created infrastructure for polo in Jamaica that had not previously existed"]
Player Details
Country
Jamaica
Association
JPA
Handicap
1 goal(peak: 2)
Status
Contemporary Player
Connect with polo players
Join PoloConnect to see member profiles, chukka history, and connect with players at this club.