PONYLINES
NEIL HIRSCH A generous and passionate polo player and advocate for children, Neil S. Hirsch passed away on Thursday, 24 June, at the age of 73 after courageously battling an illness for two years.
LOVE OF MY LIFE BY TOMÁS PANELO
Neil revolutionised the trading of government, fixed income and foreign exchange securities by creating technology to collect and disseminate information not otherwise available to traders at the time. Starting Telerate when he was 21 years
P O N Y ’ S N A M E : A L B E R TA J U N I P E R SEX: MARE ORIGIN: ARGENTINA
old, he expanded the business into over 80 countries. Neil co-owned Black Watch polo team.
I got Juniper from a farm in Lobos, my hometown in
He founded the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls
Argentina. I saw her one day in a paddock and I really liked
Club in 2012. Donating $1.5 million dollars to
the look of her – she was long and looked powerful and very
fund the project, Neil worked tirelessly to provide
pretty. I said to the owner, Diego Vistalli, that I wanted to try
loving support to his “kids”, helping to provide
her. I played her in the first practice – she was heavy but she
thousands with after-school programmes.
was passing other mares and stopping. I really liked her action; really fast and not moving from the ground, so I thought if she could run like that unfit, hopefully by getting her fit and in good shape, she could do really well. I asked the owner to leave her with me for a few days, and since that moment, I haven’t wanted to get off her. I played her for two chukkas in every game in the Cámara de Diputados in Argentina last year. After that I flew her to Dubai to play in a few games of the Gold Cup there. Then I flew her to England, and this 2021 season it was amazing
IMAGESOFPOLO.COM; @DAVID LOMINSKA
what she did. The quality of horses in the UK season is really high and it’s really competitive. Everyone has good strings
THE POLO GRAND SLAM When Nicolas Pieres won the British Gold Cup
of horses, so it’s difficult to have a mare that stands out. Also, for a player of my handicap (6 goals going to 7) and
this year, he completed what Cucho Garrahan
starting my career aged 21, it’s really difficult to find mares
thinks is the Grand Slam of polo, with the
like that or have the chance to buy them. I think I was very
following tournaments: the Tortugas, Hurlingham
lucky I found her! She always gives one more run, and when
and Palermo Opens, the American Gold Cup and
the other horses are tired, this one keeps pushing and
US Open, and the Queen’s and Gold Cups. Only
running. I played her three times in every game of the Gold
11 players have won all of these: Gonzalo Pieres,
Cup. Every last chukka of the game I want to be on her. And
Carlos Gracida, Bautista Heguy, Juan Ignacio
she rises to important moments – I scored the winning goal
Merlos, Sebastian Merlos, Adolfo Cambiaso,
in the 7th chukka in two of the league games.
Juan Martin Nero, David Stirling, Facundo Pieres, Gonzalo Pieres (h.) and Nicolas Pieres.
She is one of those mares that won’t leave you in any play; even if she is tired, she will push harder and harder.
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