Norman Butler (polo)

Norman Frank Paul Butler (December 2, 1918 – October 8, 2011) was an American polo player and thoroughbred breeder.

Early life and education
Norman Frank Paul Butler was born to Paul Butler and Sarah Anne Josephine (née Rooney). The Butler family founded Butler Paper in Chicago in 1841, and Butler Aviation in 1945,  as well as the village of Oak Brook, Illinois including the Oak Brook Polo Club in 1922 and Butler National Golf Club in 1972.

He attended Hodder Place, Downside School and Stonyhurst College in Lancashire, England. He later studied Modern Greats at Oriel College, Oxford University.

During WW2 he served as a Lieutenant (USNR) with Squadron VB-107, which was based in Natal, Brazil and Ascension Island. He was decorated three times, with the Air Medal, Bronze Star and Presidential Unit Citation.

Career
From 1948 until 1960 he worked as a director in the Butler Paper and Butler Aviation companies, and founded Butler S.A. (South America). It was also during this time that he played polo in England, Argentina and the United States, notably on teams including Maharaj Prem Singh and Cecil Smith as well as playing opposite Prince Philip at Cowdray Park.

In 1960 he bought Kilboy House in County Tipperary, Ireland. As a thoroughbred breeder in 1972 he won the classic Irish 1,000 Guineas and the Irish St. Leger as well as the Pretty Polly Stakes with his horse Pidget, trained by Kevin Prendergast and ridden by the jockeys T. P. Burns and Wally Swinburn. Other notable horses included Pabui (winner of the 1974 Criterium di Roma at Capanelle) and Kilboy. His horses raced in Ireland, England, Italy and France. He also worked with Vincent O'Brien and John Magnier among others. He later sold Kilboy House to Tony Ryan, founder of Ryanair.

He was a member of Buck's Club and the Corviglia Club.

Personal life
In 1948 he married Pauline Winn, daughter of Lady Baillie and the Hon. Charles John Frederick Winn (son of Rowland Winn, 2nd Baron St Oswald), of Leeds Castle in Kent. They had two children together, Sandra Butler (b.1949) and Paget Butler (b.1953). They divorced in 1958.

In 1959 he married his second wife, the Hon. Penelope Dewar, daughter of Lord Forteviot, owner of Dewar Whiskies in Scotland. They had three children together, Paul Butler (b.1960), Tiggy Butler (b.1961) and Sean Butler (b.1963). They divorced in 1977.

In 1981 he married his third wife Baroness Gabriella Gröger von Sontag, fashion editor of German Vogue, daughter of a German banker and Director of the Dresdner Bank. They had one son together, Patrick de Butler (b.1986).