Established 1950
2017 Season
Brandywine Polo Club
Contents
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4 Board of Directors Message 5 2017 Brandywine Polo Sponsors 7 Polo Gear 9 “The Voice” of Brandywine Polo 11 Understanding the Team 12 Learn to Play Polo! 15 2017 Season Schedule 19 2016 Season Scrapbooks 28 Polo Glossary 29 Polo Rules Simplified 34 History of the Sport 36 Tournaments 40 2017 Club Members 43 Social Members
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Check the Deli Kiosk for Details! COVER PHOTO: JOHN PLECENIK PHOTOS: SHIRLEY ZWICKER, UNITED STATES POLO ASSOCIATION
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Brandywine Polo Club
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Board of Directors Message
2017 Brandywine Polo Sponsors
Dear members and fellow polo enthusiasts,
We would like to thank the following sponsors for their support of our 67th season of polo:
Welcome to our 67th season at Brandywine Polo Club – we’re looking forward to another great season of polo. This season we have several new playing members and many new social members. In fact, due to the increased social membership base, we’ve created a social membership committee to help with tailgate orders, social member questions and creative ideas to engage the social membership base at the club. We thank Kimberly Zellers, Heather Conway and Moira O’Neal for volunteering to take on this critical task. In addition to our traditional tournaments, we will bring back the Mason-Dixon Cup, with the finals taking place on Sunday, June 25. This 8-goal tournament will bring an elevated level of polo and excitement to the club and we are really looking forward to it. We also have tournaments throughout the season, culminating with the Polo Ponies Memorial and Gerald Balding in late August and early September. Lastly, we want to thank all of our volunteers who turned out this year at our annual cleanup day. The grounds look outstanding, and the fields and the arena are ready to go.
Title Sponsor Landhope Farms
Pavilion Sponsor Malvern Federal
Match Sponsors Chester County Hospital, The Jones Family, Koncordia Group, Malvern Federal, Ronald McDonald House of Delaware Red Shoe and Brew
Advertising & Banner Sponsors B&D Builders, CalAtlantic Homes, Cardinham Killigrew, Eastern Horticultural Services, E. Braun Farm Tables, Holly Peters Oriental Rugs & Home, Houppette Cosmetics & Accessories, Janssen’s Market, The Max Motel, Meadow Springs Farm – Hicks Brothers, M.H. Eby Trailers, The National Bank of Malvern, Progressive Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, Union Park Jaguar
Cheers to another great season of fun and polo! Dixon, Lisa, Lory and Nicholas
Supporting Members Richard Bickel, Greg and Cecille Brant, Frederic Claghorn Jr., Heather Conway, Sarah Doheny, Steven Funk, Phil and Betsy Gotshall, Eric and Linda Johnson, William Knox Jr., Cheryl Lamoreux, Allerton Farms (Elizabeth Mehl), Moira O’Neal, Stevi Richards and Steve Stackhouse, Eric Roman, Lisa Scott, Bill Todt, Sharleen Walters, Timothy Wilkens, John Winterbottom, Harry and Shirley Zwicker
PHOTOS FROM TOP: 1 AND 4 BY JOHN PLECENIK; 2 AND 3 BY ERIC NALPAS
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Brandywine Polo Club
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Brandywine Polo Club Program
2017 Season Board of Directors Lory Eighme, Nicholas Place, W.B. Dixon Stroud Jr. Lisa Scott
The Max Motel
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Advertising & Sponsorship Sales Lisa Scott Program Coordinator Ricardo Barros
Polo Gear
The Polo Helmet is required equipment most commonly made of reinforced, padded plastic with a cloth covering. They are modeled after the pith helmets the British wore in 19th-century India. Modern helmets are designed to fend off flying balls and to protect the head if the player should fall off.
The Mallet
The Team Jersey
is made of root manau cane. It can bend quite a bit, giving it a fair amount of “whip” during a hard swing. The head is made of tipa, a very hard wood. Both sides of the head are used to strike the ball.
sports the color of the team and the number of the player’s position (from 1 to 4).
Contributing Photographers Ricardo Barros, Jim Graham, Elaine J. Kucharski, Eric Nalpas, John Plecenik, Tisa Della-Volpe, Shirley Zwicker For information about this program, please contact the polo office or info@brandywinepolo.com.
The Bit Knee Pads
Brandywine Polo Club 232 Polo Road Toughkenamon, PA 19374 Mail: PO Box 568 Unionville, PA 19375
provide protection from flying balls and rough ride-offs.
Main Office: 610-268-8692 info@brandywinepolo.com www.facebook.com/BrandywinePolo www.brandywinepolo.com @Brandywine_Polo All product and company names are trademarked or copyrighted by their respective owners. All rights reserved. www.brandywinepolo.com
controls the horse. Polo players use many different kinds of bits. This one is called a “Gag.”
The Breast Plate fastens to the girth and keeps the saddle from slipping backwards.
The Martingale The Ball is made of hard plastic that dents a bit each time it is hit.
is the leather strap that runs from the noseband to the girth and keeps the horse from raising its head too high.
Established 1950
Proud Member Since 1951
Polo Plates
Leg Wraps
are special lightweight horseshoes made of iron. Polo plates have an inner rim and an outer rim, with the inner rim slightly higher than the outer rim, making it easier for the hoof to pivot in all directions.
provide support to tendons and ligaments as well as protection from flying balls and stray mallets. PHOTO BY JIM GRAHAM JIMGRAHAMPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
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Brandywine Polo Club
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MARSHALLTON in Historic WALK Marshallton Village
Photographic challenges accepted.
“The Voice” of Brandywine Polo
Ricardo Barros.com
This year marks the 10th season with Bradley Hendrix as our announcer. His endless energy, knowledge of the sport, upbeat personality and unique announcing style have endeared Bradley to casual fans and seasoned players alike. “I am honored to be announcing polo again and look forward to providing another year of fun and excitement,” Bradley says. “I try every match to give an overview of the rules and basic play so that even firsttime guests can understand and appreciate the game.” Bradley is a local DJ and hosts several Quizzo/trivia games at area venues and also DJs weddings, benefits, special events, etc. Feel free to stop by the announcer stand and say hello!
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Brandywine Polo Club
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109 South Broad Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348 • 610.444.6032 • www.hollypeters.com
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PHOTO BY RICARDO BARROS
Understanding the Team A team consists of four mounted players, which can be mixed teams of both men and women. Each number assigned to a player has certain responsibilities:
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is the most offenseoriented position on the field. This position generally covers the opposing team’s Number Four.
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Brandywine Polo Club
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has an important role in offense, either running through and scoring themselves, or passing to the Number One and getting in behind them. Defensively, they will cover the opposing team’s Number Three, generally the other team’s best player. Given the difficulty of this, it’s not uncommon for the best player on the team to play Number Two so long as another strong player is available to play Three.
3
is the tactical leader and must be a long powerful hitter to feed balls to Number Two and Number One as well as maintaining a solid defense. The best player on the team is usually the Number Three player, usually wielding the highest handicap.
4
is the primary defense player. They can move anywhere on the field, but they usually try to prevent scoring. The emphasis on defense by the Number Four allows the Number Three to attempt more offensive plays, since they know that they will be covered if they lose the ball.
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Brandywine Polo Club
Learn to play
POLO!
o A safe but exciting introduction o o o o
for the beginner. Affordable. Convenient. Professional instruction. Horses with an understanding temperament provided.
ILLUSTRATION BY DIXON STROUD
PHOTO: JIM GRAHAM
Brandywine Polo Club
How to Make a Polo Pony
Orientation to Polo • During this fun introductory course, we will lead you in a group lesson with other new players through a graduated program covering the rules, tactics, polo swing and riding skills on a polo pony geared to your level of riding experience, from the occasional rider to the experienced rider of all ages. • You will be introduced to proper mallet strokes on our wooden horse! You’ll practice your malletwork under the careful watch of our qualified instructor. • You will be mounted on quiet, safe horses matched to your abilities. First you’ll focus on polo riding, then on hitting the ball. After successfully moving, stopping and turning your pony, you’ll “stick and ball” at your own pace in our arena. End with a tournament! • Join us, have fun!
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FORMAT: 4 sessions plus a tournament OR 3-day weekend clinic. Class size limited to 10; first come, first served.
By Dixon Stroud
REQUIREMENTS: Riding helmet, boots (tall boots or paddock boots) and gloves (golf, baseball or polo gloves). Mallets will be provided.
You have to find a horse with the proper conformation, where one part fits smoothly into the next, said polo pony trainer extraordinaire Roper Morrow. No pig eyes, U-shaped necks or hooves splayed outward, which causes one leg to clip the other. It is OK to be slightly pigeontoed. You find out what kind of mind the pony has after handling and riding.
AFFORDABLE: $400 CONTACT: Lory Eighme Tel: 610-310-0931 Email: info@brandywinepolo.com 232 Polo Road Toughkenamon, PA 19374 www.brandywinepolo.com PRIVATE LESSONS AVAILABLE
Brandywine Polo Club
We will assume the pony has learned the prerequisites: basics of neck reining, stopping and turning. Then comes time in the saddle with a polo mallet, but without the ball for a month. Touch the mallet to the horse and swing on both sides, under the neck and behind the tail and look the pony in the eye when doing so if the shot warrants. The pony does look at his rider, and this is not such a well-known fact.
www.brandywinepolo.com
To get used to close contact, ride two ponies side by side, stirrup to stirrup, and slightly push or bump the other pony, doing so on left and right sides. To overcome fear of another pony coming head-on, a technique is to have two ponies face each other. Both go right for 360 degrees then face each other again before moving over and passing side by side left to left. Then practice so ponies pass right to right. Playing a practice game at ¾ speed is a technique used by Argentines. The premise here is that once a horse plays in a faster game, his mind is ready for the speed. I once had a pony I bought that I always played in slow polo. I played him fast in a tournament in Fairhope, Alabama. He was brilliant. Thereafter, I could never stop him. Confirmation, gentle handling and patience are key.
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2017 Season Schedule
Grounds Maintenance
Divot Stomping For 20 YearS!
All Friday matches start at 5:30 unless specified otherwise. All Sunday matches start at 3:00 unless specified otherwise. Schedule subject to change. Visit www.brandywinepolo.com or call 610-268-8692 for updates.
EastErnHs.com
Garden Care
Opening Day Match: Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, 3PM Residential Care Estate Care
Seasonal Containers
Call uS toDaY! 610-268-5240
Eastern Horticultural Services PO Box 426 Toughkenamon, PA 19374
Turf Care
Majestic Hardscapes
Friday Night Polo
Sunday Polo May 29
Opening Day Match – Memorial Day
June 2
Grass Polo
June 4
Grass Polo, Sponsor: Ronald McDonald Red Shoe and Brew
June 9
Grass Polo
June 11
Grass Polo: Chester County Hospital Cup
June 16
Grass Polo
June 18
Grass Polo
June 23
Arena Prelims
June 24 —Saturday – 0–3 Goal Arena Tournament Final June 25
8 Goal Mason Dixon Cup Tournament Final/New Garden Airport Balloon Festival
June 30
McHugh 4 Goal Tournament Prelims
July 2
McHugh 4 Goal Tournament Final
July 7
Grass Polo
July 9
Grass Polo
July 14
Grass Polo
July 16
Grass Polo
July 21
Arena Prelims
July 22 —Saturday – Arena: 2–4 Goal Tournament Final–USPA Tournament July 23
Grass Polo
July 28
Grass Polo
July 30
USPA/WCT Women’s Tournament Final
Aug 4
Landhope Prelims
Aug 6
4–6 Goal Landhope Challenge Cup Final
Aug 11
Grass Polo
Aug 13
Grass Polo
Aug 18
Grass Polo
Aug 20
Grass Polo/New Garden Air Show
Aug 25
Polo Ponies Prelims
Aug 27
Tournament: USPA 6–8 Goal Polo Ponies Final, Sponsor: Koncordia Group
Sept 1
Gerald Balding Prelims
Sept 3
6–8 Goal Gerald Balding Tournament Final
Sept 8
Grass Polo
Sept 10
Grass Polo
Sept 15
Grass Polo
Sept 17
Grass Polo
Sept 22
Grass Polo
Sept 24
Grass Polo
Sept 29
Grass Polo
Oct 1
Richie Jones Memorial Match, Sponsor: The Jones Family
Tournaments and Special Events
New Garden Airport Balloon Festival June 23–25
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Brandywine Polo Club
www.brandywinepolo.com
0–3 Goal Arena Tournament Final, June 24 8–Goal Mason Dixon Cup Tournament Final, June 25 McHugh 4 Goal Tournament Final, July 2 2–4 Goal Arena Tournament Final, July 22 USPA/WCT Women’s Final, July 30 4–6 Goal Landhope Challenge Cup Final, August 6 USPA Polo Ponies Memorial 6–8 Goal Final, August 27 Gerald Balding 6–8 Goal Tournament Final, September 3 Richie Jones Memorial Match, October 1
New Garden Air Show August 20
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Snort: My Favorite Horse
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PHOTO BY ERIC NALPAS
S
Snort turned fast, accelerated quickly and could run with the speediest. I always played him in the fifth or sixth chukker, when the polo match hung in the balance. Either I would get a chance for a shot on goal or thwart the opposition from scoring. Another of Snort’s quirky ideas was jumping the white lines marking polo field boundaries. Maybe he thought 16
Speedy, powerful, intuitive and intelligent, Snort was a great horse. He earned his pension. I was pleased to let him enjoy it for 15 years. And I also like to remember him for his quirkiness – whether pouncing on the ball, following a rugby game or simply poking his head through an interesting hole in the fence. Brandywine Polo Club
g n i fo r k o o s l o l
Polo Ice hockey Ballet & Dance Theatre Weddings & Events Portraits www.brandywinepolo.com
ct io n
Then came the polo mallet – and the ball – which he attempted to pounce on with his front hooves whenever it appeared in front of him. He may have had some quirky ideas, but soon Snort was a most valued pony in my string.
One of the pastures near my house doubles as a rugby field. The Brandywine Rugby Club uses it for its games. Well, after playing Snort for 15 years, I eventually put him out to pasture there. That rugby pitch is also white lined, with two teams moving left or right during the course of the match. Snort would follow along the sidelines, moving up and down with the play, but never stepping onto the field. This was an unusual spectacle for everyone, including the contestants. But I understood Snort’s perspective. He respected that white line on the rugby field just as he had that on the polo field – and infamously robbed me of my goal.
Photographing interesting people everywhere!
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Snort arrived in West Grove, Pennsylvania, taking in his new home. A liver chestnut, 15 two hands, stocky and with a big motor, Snort was seven-eighths Quarter Horse with a touch of Thoroughbred. Curious and playful, he took to neck reining easily.
it was a physical barrier, like a fence. One time, with the ball sitting on that line between the goal posts, I was just about to score when Snort leapt over the line. I missed the ball by at least a foot! To my chagrin, Lionel Macaire then carried the ball the length of the field to score in the opposite goal.
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nort poked his head through the rough-hewn boards just as my cousin Peter Milliken clicked the shutter in far-away Montana. That photo was my long-distance introduction to a horse that would soon win my heart. Still a three-year-old residing on the E/L Ranch, Snort was then being trained by Louis Vero, a man known for his innate sense for horses. I bought him then and there.
ILLUSTRATION BY DIXON STROUD
Just a gi r
DIXON PLAYING IN 2017 SARASOTA TOURNAMENT
w w w .TisaDe l laVo l pe .c o m fa ceb oo k .c o m /t isa.d e l lavo l pe 3 02-9 8 1 -61 8 4 t isa@ud e l.e d u 17
2016 Season Scrapbook
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Line of the Ball
Describes a shot in which the ball is hit in the opposite direction from how the horse is traveling. A backhand can be taken on either the offside or nearside and may be “tailed” or “cut away.”
The mallet is used to hit the ball. A mallet is generally between 49 and 54 inches long. The cane is traditionally made from root manau cane, although some players, especially arena players, may use canes of a fiberglass composite.
Cut Shot A shot or swing in which the ball is hit at an angle away from the horse. Typically a cut shot refers to a forehand, while a backhand is more often referred to as away.
Foul
Hook To use your mallet to impede the swing of an opponent. For a player to execute a proper and legal hook outdoors, the opponent’s mallet must be below his shoulder when hooked. Otherwise, a foul is called for a “high hook.” In both outdoors and the arena, the player hooking must be on the same side of the opponent’s horse as the ball or directly behind. You cannot reach over, under or across an opponent’s horse to execute a hook. If you do so, a foul will be called for a “cross hook.”
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To have an opponent under your control to prevent him or her from making a play against your team.
Nearside A shot in which the ball is hit on the left side of the horse. A nearside shot may be either a forehand or backhand. A nearside forehand may be hit straight or at an angle under the horse’s neck, called a “neck shot,” or away from the horse, also called a “cut shot.”
Neck Shot Describes a shot in which the ball is hit on either side of the horse, at an angle, under the horse’s neck.
Ride Off A maneuver in which two players, traveling parallel and at the same speed, come together at the horses’ shoulders to attempt to move the other to gain or keep possession of the ball.
Right of Way
or
f
A foul is an infraction of the rules. The most common types of fouls are right-of-way infractions, walking the ball, turning the ball, dangerous riding, rough or abusive play, improper use of the mallet and unsportsmanlike conduct.
Marking a Man
The Right of Way is a zone of safe passage. Players on the Right of Way are entitled to proceed without risk of collision. Other players can only enter or cross the Right of Way when it is safe to do so. Who is entitled to the Right of Way is initially determined by each player’s position relative to the Line. Once a player assumes the Right of Way, he or she is automatically entitled to a safe exit from the Right of Way. This may mean that a second player up field, who has just deflected the ball and created a new Line, must wait for the first player to pass and clear the old Right of Way before pursuing the ball he or she just deflected. The Right of Way is not to be confused with the Line of the Ball. Brandywine Polo Club
th e
S p ec By Ricardo Barros
Illustrations by Ricardo Barros www.brandywinepolo.com
o t ta
RICARDO BARROS
A period in a polo game, similar to innings or quarters in other sports. Typically, there are six chukkers in a game, although it is common to see four-chukker games at lower handicaps and in the arena. In outdoor polo, a regulation chukker can be as long as 7 minutes and 30 seconds. At the 7-minute mark, a 30-second warning horn is sounded, indicating 30 seconds remain. Play stops when the ball is hit out of bounds, touches the sideboards or the 30 seconds expire, whichever occurs first. The clock stops running for penalties, making the actual time that elapses during a chukker longer than the 7 and a half minutes on the clock.
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Chukker
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Mallet
fi e
Backshot or Backhand
S s i e m l u p
Po l
Polo Glossary
The Line of the Ball, or “Line,” is the straight path traveled by the ball at any instant, extended forward and backward from the ball. A player’s claim to hit the ball, or to address an opponent, is affected by the player’s position relative to the Line. A new Line is formed with every deflection of the ball. This constantly changing reference requires players to make complex, split-second decisions throughout the course of play.
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A grass polo field is 300 yards long by 160 yards wide. Goals are scored when the ball passes between the goal posts at either end. Whenever goals are scored, the teams switch ends and attack in the opposite direction.
Game-Watcher Tips • A match consists of six chukkers, each 7.5 minutes long. At the 7-minute mark, a bell or horn sounds to indicate only 30 seconds remain in the chukker. The chukker ends when the 30 seconds elapse, when the ball hits a sideboard or goes out of bounds, or when a goal is scored. • Each team consists of four mounted players. There is no goalie in polo.
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• Polo ponies are actually horses, but they are referred to as “ponies.” Each player rides several ponies during a match, changing them frequently to give every pony a rest. Generally speaking, any one pony plays a maximum of two chukkers in a match. Some players play eight to 12 ponies in a single match. • All polo players must hit the ball with the mallet in their right hand, including left-handed players. A stroke on the player’s right side is known as an “off-side” stroke. A stroke on the player’s left side is known as a “near-side” stroke. The ball is hit with the side of the mallet, not the mallet’s point, as in croquet.
The LOB changes whenever the ball’s course changes, such as when the ball is hit by another player or bounces off of a pony.
The ROW is a zone of safe passage. If a player is in the ROW, he or she has a right to proceed straight ahead without the risk of collision. It is a foul to impede the progress of a player entitled to the ROW. Other players in front of an advancing player in the ROW must yield their position if there is the slightest risk of a collision. In polo, a foul is called when the umpire perceives the risk of collision, regardless of whether physical contact is actually made. Other players can only enter or cross the ROW when it is safe to do so.
The LOB is the line traveled by the ball projected forward and backward at any moment.
• The rules of polo are written to promote safety of both player and pony in a fast, exciting and competitive environment. Toward this end, the two principal concepts governing the game are the Line of the Ball (LOB) and the Right of Way (ROW). • With certain restrictions, it is permissible to hook an opponent’s mallet as he or she strokes at the ball. It is never permissible to strike any pony or other player with a mallet.
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• Rule infractions incur penalties, and these may range from a free hit at the ball to a direct shot at an open goal. An egregious foul may warrant the ejection of a player. • Two mounted umpires control the match on-field, and a “third man” referee off-field resolves the call, should the two umpires disagree. • For an animated nine-minute video by the author expanding upon the illustrations in this article, visit www.ricardobarros.com/polo.
ELAINE J. KUCHARSKI
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Brandywine Polo Club
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The ROW is not to be confused with the LOB and does not depend on who last hit the ball.
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11 6 Generally speaking, a player following the exact LOB and carrying the ball on his or her off side will almost always have the ROW.
When two players are approaching the ball from opposite sides and both are on the LOB, both players are required to stroke on their off side such that the LOB lies between them and there is no risk of collision. In this case, both players have ROW.
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7 Generally speaking, when two players are approaching the ball from opposite directions, the ROW belongs to the player who is following the ball.
10 The LOB is constantly changing in a game. The zigzagging ball creates a new LOB and the opportunity for a new ROW with every deflection. When the ball is deflected to create a new LOB, the old ROW doesn’t just disappear. Players on the old ROW must be given the opportunity to safely clear the old ROW before another player asserts his or her right to claim the new ROW.
Under certain circumstances, it is permissible to ride off an opponent. Safety concerns dictate that contact must be made with the horses shoulder to shoulder, with the ponies moving at comparable speeds, at a narrow angle appropriate to the speed at which contact is made, and neither pony may be knocked off balance. It is an egregious foul to make a pony stumble or to knock a player to the ground.
9 When two players are following the ball, the ROW belongs to the player with the least angle to the LOB.
Brandywine Polo Club
www.brandywinepolo.com
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competitive team sport while galloping on the back of a powerful horse? In the sport of polo, people and their equine partners come together to play an exhilarating game that showcases amazing equine and human athleticism in an adrenalinepumping experience. Men, women and children are all able to play together as an equine teammate is an amazing equalizer.
History of the Sport Polo, one of the oldest equestrian sports in the world – also referred to as “The Game of Kings” – is full of thrills, teamwork, technique and true sportsmanship. The game is played at intense high speed, requiring peak athletic conditioning of both horse and rider. Today, the level of play and the amount of polo being played are the highest in the game’s history, generating rapid global expansion in participation and spectatorship.
First recorded history of polo in China and Persia.
PHOTO BY ERIC NALPAS
1862
1876
1886
1888
1859
Oldest existing polo club in the world is founded, the Calcutta Polo Club.
1900s
1910
1915
1930s
1973
British officers stationed in India set up the first polo club of modern times, the Silchar Polo Club.
1900 – 1939
Polo is played in the Olympics (1900, 1908, 1920, 1924, 1936).
Polo player handicaps are introduced in England and India.
1904
In New York City, the USA team defeats the British team at the first U.S. Open Polo Championship.
2000s 2004
The International Polo Club at Palm Beach opens, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Open Polo Championship.
James Gordon Bennett, Jr., wealthy New York Herald newspaper publisher, brings polo to New York from England and helps establish the Westchester Polo Club, the first polo club in America.
The Indoor Polo Association is formed for arena polo and later becomes part of the U.S. Polo Association. The polo ball used for arena polo is not less than 12.5 inches nor more than 15 inches in circumference.
The USPA officially challenges the Hurlingham Polo Association of England to the Westchester Cup, making the historic duel the first time it is played in America for 70 years.
Great Britain beats the U.S. team in the first Westchester Cup match at Newport, Rhode Island.
Crowds in excess of 30,000 regularly attend matches at the Meadowbrook Polo Club on Long Island in New York.
1940s
1890
A system of player handicaps is introduced by the USA.
Elizabeth Daily, Sue Sally Hale, Virginia Merchant and Jorie Butler Richardson are among the first women assigned USPA handicaps.
The United States Polo Association (USPA) is created.
1981
The licensing program for the United States Polo Association is formed to manage its trademarks and promote the sport of polo.
1975
1982
1919
The ‘40s see a resurgence in polo, especially in Texas, where cowboys have taken readily to the sport.
2009
2010
2014
2015
Height restriction on polo “ponies” is abolished.
2008
www.uspolo.org
For more information or to learn to play today, please visit www.uspolo.org or call the United States Polo Association at 800.232.8772.
600 B.C. 1800s
If you have ever watched polo, you may think it looks difficult to learn. On the contrary, polo is a sport that can be enjoyed by everyone. With the help of Certified Polo Instructors, polo schools and USPA clubs, people from all walks of life are able to learn one of the oldest team sports played today.
After a hiatus of 13 years, England defeats the USA in the international Westchester Cup, winning by one goal and taking the historic trophy home once again.
The official Team USPA training and mentoring program kicks off with auditions in Florida for young American men and women polo players.
Ami Shinitsky publishes the precursor to today’s Polo Player’s Edition magazine, the official publication of the USPA.
The USPA introduces the addition of women’s handicaps for female members to enhance the level of women’s polo competition by converting standard handicaps.
The Federation of International Polo (FIP) is created to promote the return of polo to the Olympics.
1895
The height limit for polo ponies is raised from 14.0 hands to 14.2 hands. (A hand is the equestrian term for a horse's height and equals 4 inches.)
1989
The USA polo team wins the FIP World Cup in Berlin. The team: Julio Arellano, John Wigdahl, Horton Schwartz, Charlie Bostwick.
1990
The U.S. Polo Association celebrates its 100th birthday.
The 125th anniversary of the USPA is commemorated with nationally televised and live-streamed major tournaments throughout the United States, a national competition for creation of the 125th logo and USPA heritage–inspired products around the world recognizing the milestone.
1994
Certified professional umpires are developed to deal with the increase in professional players.
1997
The Polo Museum and Hall of Fame opens its doors in Lake Worth, Florida.
2016
The USPA, in conjunction with the Argentine Polo Association, Hurlingham Polo Association and Federation of International Polo, creates a set of International Rules, specifically for high-goal polo. CONTENT PROVIDED BY: USPA
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Tournaments
0–3 Goal Arena Tournament
Left to Right: Kareem Rosser Marc Harris Malachi Lyles Daymar Rosser June 25, 2016 PHOTO: LORY EIGHME
Work to Ride
McHugh Tournament
Left to Right: Erika Fuchsloch Demitra Hajimihalis Juan Martinez Baez Javier Bustos July 3, 2016 PHOTO: JOHN PLECENIK
Ace Sportswear
PHOTO: JIM GRAHAM
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Brandywine Polo Club
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WCT/USPA Brandywine Women’s Tournament
USPA Polo Ponies Memorial Tournament
Left to Right: Left to Right: Cindy Halle Posey Obrecht Liv Stringer
Facundo Retamar Marcos Onetto C. J. Martin Sarah Runnells Martin
July 29, 2016
August 28, 2016
PHOTO: LIV STRINGER
PHOTO: JOHN PLECENIK
Bad Ass Polo
Taylor Hill Farm
USPA Landhope Challenge Cup
USPA Gerald Balding Tournament
Left to Right:
Left to Right:
Jesus Ontiveros Jacob Brown Laura Brown Brian Griffin
Jesus Ontiveros Jacob Brown Juan Martinez Baez Demitra Hajimihalis
August 7, 2016
September 4, 2016
PHOTO: SHIRLEY ZWICKER
PHOTO: JOHN PLECENIK
Trinity Capital Markets 38
Ace Sportswear/Livin’ The Vision Brandywine Polo Club
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2017 Michael Bucklin*
Belinda Brody*
Brook Burke
Jose Cervantes
Shaun McCauley*
Joel McKeever*
Denis O’Flynn O’Brien*
Jesus Ontiveros*
PHOTO: HEATHER PEZZOTTI
Ricardo Barros
PHOTO: TISA DELLA-VOLPE
Club Members
Pablo Perego*
Nicholas Place*
Lisa Scott*
Juan Martinez-Baez*
Dixon Stroud*
Ellen Tracey*
Juan Vidal*
Brandywine Polo Club
www.brandywinepolo.com
Lory Eighme*
Kathleen Fowser*
Ericka Fuchsloch
Steve Funk
Melissa Harrington*
Philip Higgins*
Kirk Hoffman*
Simone March
PHOTO: TISA DELLA-VOLPE
Nicolle DuHamell
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Pat Sertich*
Not Pictured: Don Aiken Trevor Brant Carly Costello Carter Costello Martha Fuller Martine Garzaron Demitra Hajimihalis* Justin Hall Bryan Kepner Meryl Kern Nidish Mada Manuel Ontiveros* Avajolie Sill Patrick Tell Victor Verano * Denotes Full Member.
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T HE 26T H A NNI VERSA RY RUNNING OF T HE
SUNDAY, M AY 13, 2018
FIRST TIME EVER: • The $100,000 Steeplechase Challenge • Ladies Side Saddle Race Over Fences
GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS:
A Mother’s Day Tradition
$30 per person in advance, $40 per person race day. Children under 12 are admitted free of charge. For more information, call 610.444.1582 or go to www.willowdale.org. Races run rain or shine.
PHOTOS: SHIRLEY ZWICKER
Social Members
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM GRAHAM
Not all the action happens on the field — our Social Members are busy on the sidelines with tailgates, barbeques, refreshing drinks and lots of friendly conversation. We have a roving team on the lookout to welcome first-time visitors, but if you have a question before you’re found, feel free to ask any one of us. Many thanks to Shirley Zwicker, equestrienne extraordinaire, for sharing these pictures. “Swirley” is also a passionate camera bug. You’ll find other samples of her imagery within these pages, including the Degas-like photograph underlying our 2017 season calendar!
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Fluid Motion, Stilled. Polo is a game of movement, speed and grace. Horse and rider arc through space and time in pursuit of an elusive advantage. While the final score may determine any one game’s outcome, the true goal for player and spectator alike is beauty in the sport. Photographer Tisa Della-Volpe shows us that polo is more than a sequence of events frozen in time. Rather, it is more like a dance, where all moments are connected and one blends into the next. These dancers balance skill against risk in an enchanting, impromptu, unscripted choreography. PHOTOGRAPHS BY TISA DELLA-VOLPE.
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Brandywine Polo Club
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Master Photographer Polo is a challenging sport to photograph. Thoroughbreds race on a pitch six times the size of a football field. Sometimes they are too far for a good picture, other times too close. Eight players chase a ball the size of a lemon. One reaches it first, but what are the chances that none of the other seven obstructs the photographer’s view? The action is lightening fast. A photographer can’t wait to see the optimum moment – she or he must anticipate that moment before it arrives. (More than one of us has found only the tail end of a horse in a purportedly “great” action shot just taken.) And we haven’t even begun to address visual composition. At Brandywine we are fortunate to have several highly talented photographers work with us. You see their imagery in this magazine. Yet even among these pros, there is one who is the acknowledged Master. Jim Graham’s work is distinctive. His trademark qualities: capturing action at its very peak, in crisp, clean focus and within a delicately balanced composition that is informative about the unfolding play. It should come as no surprise that Jim’s work has been published in Sports Illustrated, and that he has been twice nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in photography. Brandywine Polo Club is very proud to include Jim Graham’s photographs in our magazine.
PHOTOS: JIM GRAHAM
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Brandywine Polo Club
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Arena Play This program that you hold in your hands was probably given to you on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, when we play grass polo at Brandywine Polo Club. Were you to visit us on a Wednesday night, you would see us play in the arena. Arena and grass polo are very similar, with a few notable differences. Arena polo is played in a much smaller space, so the action tends to be quicker. Inflated leather balls are used, and teams consist of three players a side. Like grass polo, a goal is located at either end of the field. But arena play is constrained by a wall at the perimeter. This both complicates the game and enhances its excitement. You will see galloping players chase a shot headlong to the wooden barrier – then turn away at the last possible moment. “Oohs” “Aahs,” and words of encouragement come from spectators positioned just a few feet away. The thundering players may pass, but chances are in a few moments, they’ll pass by again. In fact, regardless of where the ball is in the arena, action is never far away. John Plecenik, a near-professional photographer, has honed his skills to capture polo’s excitement in the arena as well as on the grass. John is a regular at all our games. You’ll rarely see John at Brandywine without a camera in hand – unless the match is completed, or he is on call as our resident EMT. PHOTOS: JOHN PLECENIK
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Brandywine Polo Club
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ILLUSTRATION BY DIXON STROUD
2017 Maryland Hunt Cup Results
LEARN TO PLAY USPOLO.ORG
By Dixon Stroud
None of us got it right. Only the two long shots finished, and a tight finish it was, with Derwin’s Prospector edging Drift Society in a thrilling stretch battle. The accomplished French jockey Gonzague Cottreau and Derwin’s Prospector landed second over the last, passed Drift Society mid-stretch and held on. The field was decimated starting at the third fence. Senior Senator, last year’s winner with Eric Poretz, struck the fence hard and went down. De Chera was interfered with on landing, and off went Bethany Baumgardner. Meanwhile, Great Halo ran up the fence, unseating Trevor McKenna. At the fourth, Super Saturday and Roger Quinlan followed a loose horse along the fence and off the course. The massive sixth claimed Jennie Brannigan riding Joshua G. and Casey Pinkard on Terko Service. Both girls hit the ground hard in front of a large crowd seated above the fence and below the woods. Concussion and injured ribs and collar bone for Casey, a concussion for Jennie. Now it was a field of four. And it remained that way until the 10th, where Old Town lost rider Max Kendrick. So a field of three continued on with riderless Old Town in tow. Old Town popped over the sturdy 12th fence at a trot and jumped the 13th before running off the course.
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The three remaining continued on in a tight pack, over the 20th, across Tufton Avenue and on to the 21st, which is a water jump, an innocuous jump that has claimed many riders over the years. This year Old Timer lost McLane Hendericks there. And so only two finished. It seems the true meaning of the Maryland Hunt Cup (MHC) is that it is the official declaration of spring in the Worthington Valley, just West of Baltimore. Regardless of the weather or fashion guidelines, the local schools emit beautiful young ladies classically dressed in Lily Pulitzer shifts or the current fad of rompers accessorized by colorful wellies. The gents stick to the classic button-down shirt and occasional tie or bow tie with khaki shorts or slacks. By the way, these fashions never change. MHC racegoers continue with this costume well into their 70s. Corn Hole is a popular diversion for many of the younger set. The many attendants and police cheerfully assist in the parking and monitoring behavior. They have great patience. The rowdies are expelled, though. Waiting in the queue for the necessary, some of the young enthusiasts were overheard discussing the program 60 minutes filmed of the MHC. One stated to the other that surprisingly, the program mostly discussed the horses and riders. Each declared that was unusual. If asked their perception of the MHC, they would have expressed that the MHC was the first good party of spring. Brandywine Polo Club
There is nothing else like it. Where else can you play a competitive team sport while galloping on the back of a powerful horse? In the sport of polo, people and their equine partners come together to play an exhilarating game that showcases amazing equine and human athleticism in an adrenalinepumping experience. Men, women and children are all able to play together as an equine teammate is an amazing equalizer. If you have ever watched polo, you may think it looks difficult to learn. On the contrary, polo is a sport that can be enjoyed by everyone. With the help of Certified Polo Instructors, polo schools and USPA clubs, people from all walks of life are able to learn one of the oldest team sports played today. For more information or to learn to play today, please visit www.uspolo.org or call the United States Polo Association at 800.232.8772.
www.brandywinepolo.com
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