Coast to coast
Players and grooms exercise ponies in the Pacific surf near Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club
With the summer season in full swing across North America, the focus of the high-goal game moved from East to West
the 20-goal Robert Skene Trophy tournament. Geoff Palmer’s Antelope defeated Michael Hakan’s Duende 14-11 in the final. The tournament is named after the late, Australian-born American t was by coincidence that two edly forced postponement of partly the same as it had been in 10-goaler Bob Skene and his of the most important high- matches between the five teams Florida, with 10-goaler Mariano widow, Elizabeth, was on hand to goal tournaments in entered in the East Coast Open Aguerre and young Julio Gracida, present the prizes. the USA were scheduled and there were few people there 3, as key players. Brant played off Antelope’s 10-goal star, Adam for the same week, thousands of to watch Brant’s own White 4 and Miguelito Torres, 2, was Snow, was the high scorer in the miles apart on the Atlantic and Birch team prevail over Larry added to make up the 20-goal final with 6 goals, closely folPacific coasts. Austin’s Endeavor Capitol 15-9. squad. lowed by teammate Joseph Stuart The 20-goal East Coast Open Brant was on a high after Aguerre and Gracida shared with 5. Stuart was named Most was played at Greenwich Polo winning the 26-goal US Open the scoring honours with seven Valuable Player and Snow’s black Club in Connecticut. Greenwich Championship in Florida in goals each, and Julio was named mare Hale Bopp won Best Playwas founded in 1984 by highApril. Having won every other Most Valuable Player of the final. ing Pony. Santa Barbara, founded goal patron Peter M. Brant on major high-goal tournament dur- Aguerre’s mare Criollita won the in 1911, is one of the oldest clubs his vast Conyers Farm residential ing his long career, it was his first Best Playing Pony prize. in the USA and one of the most estate and plays a split season, US Open victory, although he Across the continent in Calibeautiful, with tree-covered hills early and late summer. himself did not play in the final. fornia, at Santa Barbara Polo & on one side and the Pacific Ocean This year heavy rains repeatWhite Birch’s line-up was Racquet Club, six teams entered on the other. ■
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