Summer 2009

hurlingham polo association magazine

SUMMER ISSUE JUNE 2009

SUMMER 2009

SBU DUMA: GREAT EXPECTATIONS [South Africa] SILK OF THE GODS [Loro Piana’s vicuña wool] HISTORY LESSON [National Museum of Polo] BLACK SUNDAY [US Open tragedy] COVER/cg.indd 1

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Proud sponsors of: Away team, Cartier International Polo, London Cambridge team, Varsity Polo England team, 2008 FIP World Cup, Mexico EFG Bank team, Palm Beach Season EFG Bank team in Outback 40 Goal Challenge Cartier International Polo 2008, Shanghai Scandinavian Polo Open JLC Polo Masters, Veytay Switzerland Verbier Polo Cup, Switzerland

Photo: David Lominska

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hurlingham [ contents]

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SUMMER ISSUE JUNE 2009

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Ponylines

News from around the polo world, plus interviews and the Chief Executive’s column

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Talk

Pony Challenge, Sallie Anne Lent, James McBride, Adolfo Cambiaso and Black Sunday

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SBU DUMA: GREAT EXPECTATIONS [South Africa] SILK OF THE GODS [Loro Piana’s vicuña wool] HISTORY LESSON [National Museum of Polo] BLACK SUNDAY [US Open tragedy] COVER/cg.indd 1

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On the cover: Sbu Duma at the Inanda Club in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Profile

John Tinsley, chairman of the Hurlingham Polo Association’s International Committee

26 Talent COVER IMAGE ANDY SMITH LILA PHOTO / WWW.LILAPHOTOS.COM, FROM THE POLO LIFE BY KRISTY FURGIUELE

A young black South African is taking the polo world by storm

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Style

From near extinction to the thriving marketplace: Loro Piana and luxury vicuña wool

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Literature

Luisa Miguens discusses the inspiration behind her book on Argentine polo

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Heritage

USPA’s Museum of Polo wears many hats

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Action

Reports and pictures from across the globe, including the Westchester and Camacho Cups, Florida High Goal and 40-Goal, Hurtwood, Ellerston, Cortina, Hickstead, Nations Cup and Miami Beach polo

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Archive

George Smith Patton Jr, war hero and one of the US Cavalry’s best polo players

2/6/09 15:48:52

Roderick Vere Nicoll Publisher

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Since I wrote to you in the Spring issue, much has happened in the polo community. In Ponylines, Marc Ganzi is the one to watch having won the US Open and been named MVP in the C V Whitney final. Quite an accomplishment when the super talented Pieres brothers and Juan Martin Nero are on the field. In April, Virginia Polo triumphed in the men’s and women’s Intercollegiates and at the end of May, Prince Harry made his first official overseas visit – taking some time out to play polo at Governors Island, just off Manhattan.

The most difficult task of playing an International is sourcing decent horses. In Talk, Sarah Eakin recounts how the England team gathered 100 horses in a military-style operation to play in the Westchester. Herbert Spencer interviews John Tinsley who has made the HPA’s International program a great success on the field and for the coffers of the organization. Sam Morton describes the scene of Our Black Sunday and asks how the polo community can recover from the tragic loss of over 20 ponies from an improper mixture of supplements.

In features, we meet Sbu Duma of South Africa. Does he have the talent and the drive to climb to the top of the professional polo world?

He is certainly being given much support and opportunity. Sbu will be playing in England this summer so have a look and decide for yourselves.

The USPA Polo Museum is unique. It is the only museum in the world dedicated to the sport. You will learn how it first started and how it was instrumental in staging the Westchester.

In the Action, most of the events took place in Florida and at the International Polo Club in Palm Beach. Alex Webbe reports on the high goal where Audi won the CV Whitney and the US Open. You will read about the 40-goal challenge and the long-term involvement of Michelob and Adolphus Busch. Then there are the internationals: the Westchester and the Camacho Cups on grass, the Byran Morrison at Hickstead in the Arena and finally the Nations Cup at Palermo. We also visited the Hurtwood Masters where one lucky winner scooped a $100,000 prize.

Have a look at hurlinghampolo.com. We will be covering most of the High Goal in the UK, events in France, the Pacific Coast Open and other items of interest.

Putting Hurlingham together is like playing a game of polo. It is a team effort and there is a great deal of work involved. I would like to take this opportunity thank all the people who bring Hurlingham to life!

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, no responsibility can be accepted for any errors or omissions. All the information contained in this publication is correct at the time of going to press.

The HURLINGHAM Polo Association magazine (ISSN 1750-0486) is published by Hurlingham Media. The magazine is designed and produced on behalf of Hurlingham Media by Show Media Ltd. It is published on behalf of the Hurlingham Polo Association by Hurlingham Media. The products and services advertised are not necessarily endorsed by or connected with the publisher or the Hurlingham Polo Association. The editorial opinions expressed in this publication are those of individual authors and not necessarily those of the publisher or the Hurlingham Polo Association. The magazine welcomes feedback from readers: hurlinghammedia@hpa-polo.co.uk

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Sally Jones is a writer/broadcaster and was Britain’s first networked woman TV sports presenter, presenting BBC Breakfast and Olympic coverage in the Eighties/ Nineties. A former Real Tennis world champion, she covers many sports including tennis, eventing, show jumping and polo which she played at Oxford University.

Joe McInally arrived in Australia 18 years ago from Scotland. After discovering polo 10 years ago, he expanded his repertoire to specialise in photographing and writing about Australian polo. Joe lives in Brisbane, Queensland and travels to cover polo in different states in Australia. Joe has covered FIP World Cup tournaments in New Zealand and France.

Andy Smith is an editorial and commercial photographer based in the UK. He specialises in environmental portraiture and works for magazines, charities and agencies. He photographed Sbu Duma in South Africa and Argentina for the Maybach Foundation and is working with Lucky Horse Shoe Productions on a book and documentary project about polo.

Luisa Miguens, the daughter of a polo player, has been immersed in the sport since early childhood.

In 1968 she married Gonzalo Tanoira – a 10-goal handicap – and accompanied him all over the world in the name of polo. Passion & Glory, her first book, is a homage to his memory.

Luisa has two daughters and three polo-playing sons.

HURLINGHAM MAGAZINE Publisher Roderick Vere Nicoll Executive Editor Peter Howarth Editor Arabella Dickie Deputy Editor Herbert Spencer Contributing Editor Sarah Eakin Editor-At-Large Alex Webbe Designer Zai Shamis Hurlingham Media 47-49 Chelsea Manor St, London SW3 5RZ +44 (0) 203 239 9347 hurlingham@hpa-polo.co.uk www.hurlinghampolo.com

SHOW MEDIA Editorial Managing Director Peter Howarth 1-2 Ravey Street, London EC2A 4QP + 44 (0) 203 222 0101 info@showmedia.net www.showmedia.net

EDUARDO GRUNBERG

foreword

contributors

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TITANIUM CASE, SAPPHIRE CASE BACK, AUTOMATIC FLYBACK CHRONOGRAPH, 880P PIAGET MANUFACTURE MOVEMENT, DUAL TIME ZONE, DOUBLE BARREL, BALANCE WITH SCREWS, 100 METERS WATER RESISTANT, RUBBER STRAP.

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ponylines [news] All the latest polo news and much more

LILA PHOTO / WWW.LILAPHOTOS.COM

ONE TO WATCH: BEST AMATEUR Amateur player Marc Ganzi, 37, won two of America’s only three 26-goal tournaments and was runner-up in the third at International Polo Club Palm Beach this year. As the 1-goal patron of Audi, Mark not only captured the CV Whitney Cup but was also named Most Valuable Player of the final after scoring two of his team’s goals. Mark’s Audi lost in the final of the Gold Cup but then went on to win the US Open Championship, the greatest prize of all. His Florida successes came after he scored a hat-trick in summer polo on the West Coast in 2008, winning all three of the 20-goal tournaments at Santa Barbara Polo Club.

He is co-founder, with his polo-playing wife Mellisa, of Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington and is founder and CEO of Global Towers Partners in Boca Raton.

Mark took up polo at Eldorado in 2001, following in the footsteps of his father.

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5/6/09 12:55:48

hurlingham [ ponylines]

Chief executive

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Having suffered two pretty difficult seasons weather wise, 2009 looks like it is going to be a long hot summer. As difficult to predict as the weather is the effect of the credit crunch on polo. High goal has stood up well for this season but entries have suffered across the board in the early part of the season. However, the migrant system has led to the delayed arrival of several grooms so this may also have been a factor influencing the slow start. It is hoped that the move of the Warwickshire to 20 goals in August, along with the Challenge at Cowdray and Beaufort 20 goal tournament, will extend the high goal season.

The Westchester was obviously a huge success but credit must go again to the members of the England team that played in the Copa de las Naciones at Palermo. With limited sponsorship from the HPA the team got itself organised and mounted and the players proved that they were very competitive at an international level.

The appointment of Howard Hipwood as an independent adjudicator of the umpiring in the 22 goal and the decision of Stewards to have professional umpires for all of the 15 goal and the semis and finals of the Victor Ludorum 8 goal, is a demonstration that the HPA acknowledges that the umpiring is a key part of the game which can’t be left to find its own way forward.

The last months have sadly had their tragedies in both human and horse terms.

Firstly, David Heaton-Ellis lost his fight against motor neurone disease and our sympathy goes out to Sophie and Geordie, his wife and son. David, determined that some good should come from his illness, founded the Heaton-Ellis Trust to raise money to fund research at Kings College Hospital into the causes of the disease, in the hope that a cure can be found.

The second tragedy was the 21 horses of Lechuza Caracas that died from an overdose of selenium in Florida. The investigation is ongoing but it is clear that someone made a terrible mistake. This tragic accident has raised the issue of polo pony welfare and the use of vets from overseas who are not registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. The RCVS are happy with the HPA rules and regulations as they stand but we will review them once the investigation is complete.

If we do have a long hot summer, it will be interesting to see if irrigated grounds influence entries. Let’s hope it is hot enough to be able to answer that question.

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PONY ENDOWMENT FUND

DOUBLE VICTORY

Charlottesville, VA, April 6, 2009 – Virginia Polo, Inc., the organisation which supports all polo activity at the University of Virginia, recently announced the establishment of the Rodger and Bobo Rinehart Polo Pony Endowment Fund. The endowment memorialises the late Rodger and Bobo Rinehart, who were instrumental in the foundation and development of this premier collegiate polo facility since the Fifties. The proper care of the numerous polo ponies owned by Virginia Polo was one of the Rineharts’ major interests and concerns.

Income from the endowment will be used to help support the cost of maintaining the ponies that Virginia Polo owns.

The Fund was started by lead gifts from Debby and Mark Pirrung, Class of 1973, and Dick ‘Remo’ Riemenschneider, Class of 1959. Mr. Pirrung and Mr. Riemenschneider are former members of the University of Virginia Polo Team and recipients of the hospitality and kindness of the Rineharts.

Donations (cash or securities) to the Fund are tax deductible and multi-year pledge payments are accepted. Contact: Dick Riemenschneider 001 703 777 1403, Virginia Polo 001 434 979 0293, or visit www.vapolo.org/ponyfund.html The Virginia Polo Center, 1082 Forest Lodge Lane, Charlottesville, VA 22903.

Fourteen teams, seven men and seven women, competed at the National Intercollegiate Tournament held April 7-11 in Charlottesville, VA. Only two universities have ever won both the men’s and women’s tournaments in the same year – UVA and UC Davis. This year, the final matches proved to be very competitive.

No.1 seated Cornell women with an undefeated season came up two goals short of the no.2 ranked University of Virginia women.

With a final score of 19-17, Captain Cristina Fernandez lead her team to victory by scoring nine goals, one of which was a two-pointer sealing the deal for Virginia in the last period.

Fourth year Leah Hall followed with five goals and first year recruit Emily Dameron stepped up scoring five goals as well.

The undefeated and no.1 ranked University of Virginia Men faced-off against the undefeated, no.2 ranked and two-time defending national champs from Texas, A&M. The UVA Team captained by second year Joevy Beh led at the half by one goal. After a strong third period, Virginia outscored A&M 6-3 and took a four-goal lead. First year recruits CB Scherer and Mauricio Lopez fought hard contributing six and seven goals respectively to Joevy’s seven goals to win 20-17.

Women’s Team alternate Sybil Greenhalgh and Men’s Team alternates Strother Scott and Mauricio Diaz also provided support.

RETRAINING OF RACEHORSES Owners of polo ponies that started their career on the racetrack have a chance to win £10,000 in prizes from Retraining of Racehorses (RoR). The charity is offering a first prize of £5,000 to the ex-racehorse judged to be the most successful on the polo circuit. Two runners-up prizes of £2,500 will also be awarded. The prizes are open to any polo pony that has raced in the UK and is registered with RoR. They will be judged on their polo performance past and present, with their racing record also taken into account. If the owner did not produce the horse, 20 per cent of the prize money will go to the person who did, to reward those that have retrained ex-racers. To have their horses considered, owners need to register them at www.ror.org.uk – and to submit a performance record, with details of past tournaments and achievements and future plans. RoR will also be giving £500 to the club that signs up the greatest number of ex-racehorses – relative to its membership. The prizes will be presented at the pre-Cartier Day HPA dinner on 23 July.

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hurlingham [ ponylines]

CHUKKAS

DESERT OASIS

No credit crunch in the English high goal.

There are 18 teams in the Queens Cup and 17 in the Gold Cup. Cowdray raised the entry fee by 20% to £17,500 – that’s pricing power in a recession! On the other hand, Sotogrande with an entry reservation fee of €45,000 has five teams confirmed and another five possible for the high goal in August!

Dubai’s boutique Desert Palm Hotel – owned

by Ali Albwardy, patron of the Dubai Polo Team – is rapidly becoming a Mecca for polo enthusiasts, with its four championship polo fields, viewing pavilions and riding school. It has hosted the Cartier International Polo Challenge for the last four years and in January inaugurated the Desert Palm Nations Cup, featuring world number 1 Adolfo Cambiaso.

The hotel has 26 rooms, villas and six spas and offers camel riding and racing plus the chance to play golf, drive dune buggies, fly Micro Lites over the desert, try indoor snow skiing and take helicopter or dhow tours of Dubai.

Contact: peter@equuspassport.com

Speaking of Palermo, Chapaleufu I is back with Bautista Heguy, Sapo Cassett, Hilario Ulloa and Francisco Narvaez. Pelon Sterling is joining Chapaleufu II alongside the Eduardo, Pepe and Nachi Heguy.

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Cartier is celebrating its 25th year of sponsoring the International Day at Smith’s Lawn. Arnaud Bamberger, Cartier’s managing director in the UK was awarded the Lifetime Achievement award by the HPA at the Audi Polo Awards. In April, Arnaud was made Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur by the French government.

POLO COMES TO BATH! One of the world’s oldest sports came to Bath on Saturday 23rd May giving both residents and visitors a truly memorable day. The all-day event took place at the Bath Racecourse and was organised by local events and hospitality company VU Limited. The Bath Racecourse was filled with approximately 1,200 visitors who were entertained with various activities, food stalls and three thrilling polo matches: The Battle of the Sexes Match, an exhibition match and a Bath Spa v London Varsity Match. For The Battle of the Sexes Match, The Longdole Polo Club compiled an 8 goal men’s team to rival the 8 goal ladies Diamond International team.

The club was quietly confident that they could muster a team brave and skilled enough to beat the plucky ladies foursome, made up of Lucy Taylor (1 goal), Emma Tomlinson (2 goal), Nina Clarkin (3 goal) and Tamara Vestey (2 goal). Nevertheless, this successful ladies team was once again able to dominate over and beat an all male side. In a game where strength dominates, this was quite an achievement. The ‘Game of Kings’ was enjoyed by a large number of Bath visitors – many of whom had never been to a polo match before. Their children were entertained by the children’s activities while parents enjoyed the spectacle and thrill of polo for the very first time. Local organiser Victor Ubogu of VU LTD said: ‘It was always our aim to create a day for all and we were delighted to see so many families enjoy the polo.’ Bath Polo is fixed to be an annual event for everyone’s social calendar. The next date is already set for Saturday 22nd May 2010.

On May 5th 2009 ESPN aired a 13-minute show on the pony tragedy at IPC in Palm Beach. There were interviews with Peter Rizzo, Stephen Scott, Jimmy Newman and John Wash. Without exception, all interviewed sounded and looked like seasoned TV presenters. It is very well done and can be seen on www.hurlinghampolo.com

In the UK, the one tap now applies in any direction provided that the player is being challenged and was at a walking pace. The 30 yard penalty is now undefended. The player has to have the intent to score with one hit for penalties on or within the 60 except for a spot within the 30. These changes have speeded up the game and during the first two rounds of the Queens Cup over 90% of the games have been won by a goal

‘Tom Barrack - Queen’s Cup winner and runner up in the Gold Cup 2008 - has written a cheque to save Michael Jackson’s Netherland from the bailiffs. Perhaps we’ll soon be seeing the King of Pop stick and balling!’

For more information on hurlingham magazine, visit www.hurlinghampolo.com

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THE LOVE OF MY LIFE Pony’s name Age Sex Colour Height Origin

Help for Heroes Solitaire 28 Mare Dark Brown 15.1h Thoroughbred cross

Sol (stable name) was purchased by the Royal Naval Polo Association in 1990 and was part of their team for seven years. She helped them win the coveted Services Inter Regimental Trophy in 1995. I bought her shortly after and ever since she has continued her association with the Armed Services, raising awareness for the Help for Heroes charity and for veteran horses.

Although retired, Sol continued to play polo, hunt and has recently started her third career in showing. Help for Heroes kindly gave permission for their name to be used when she competed in special Veteran Horse Society showing classes last summer. Since June 2008 she has been Show and Veteran Champion three times, narrowly missing the chance to go to the Olympia Horse Show by just one place.

Everything about Solitaire is character.

She’s inquisitive, loving and always pushing boundaries without actually causing trouble.

We still stick and ball and hack whenever she gets bored, yet although ridden at home she is shown in hand. Indeed, Sol is so competitive under saddle that she cannot be ridden in classes without trying to ‘ride-off’ the other horses – not very popular with non poloplaying riders! MOIRA WATSON www.helpforheroes.org.uk; www.veteran-horse-society.co.uk

PAUL CLAYDEN PHOTOGRAPHY

Ellerston has sold close to 100 ponies – its entire English string and the rest from Australia. Nothing under five years old was sold so it will only take them a few years to be back with a full string. Many of the ponies were bought for Palermo. It will be interesting to see in whose strings the famous KP brand ends up in.

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The Warwickshire Cup 2009 (18 ~ 20 goals) he historic Warwickshire Cup will once again be played for Cirencester Park Polo Club this summer. One of the oldest and most coveted of trophies within British polo, the tournament has been repositioned in the high goal calandar, to elongate the high goal saeson as a pre cursor to patrons moving to Deauville and Sotogrande. Traditonally part of the the high goal 'triple crown' the tournament also now has an exciting link with the Deauville Gold Cup.

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Contact the Polo Office on 01285 653225 or email info@cirencesterpolo.co.uk For Clubhouse Restaurant Reservations call 01285 851780 or 07803 038508

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The Warwickshire Cup tournament will take place between 21st July and 9th August 2009, with entries closing on 7th July. This year sees a renewed festival atmosphere with a variety of entertainments throughout the tournament, for players as well as spectators.

For entries, tickets or further information about the Warwickshire Cup please contact the polo office.

CIRENCESTER PARK

POLO CLUB 4/6/09 10:38:16

hurlingham [ ponylines]

GREEN AND SERENE Coworth Park – Dorchester Collection’s new country house hotel which is set to open in Summer 2010 – will be one of the UK’s most environmentally-friendly hotels through the incorporation of renewable and low energy technologies. The hotel, which is set in 200 acres of parkland, will have 70 rooms, with 30 in the main house and 40 in

the converted stable block and cottages. It will also have an underground spa and equestrian centre with 40 stables, two polo fields and a practice field. ‘We seized upon the opportunity to introduce some of the latest zero carbon technologies’ says Christopher Cowdray, Chief Executive of Dorchester Collection. ‘Guests will be able to enjoy the ultimate luxury at Coworth Park while helping to look after the planet at the same time.’

HOOKED ON POLO Thai resident Harald Link is owner of the Thai Polo Club, Vice President of the Thailand Equestrian Federation and President of the South East Asian Equestrian Federation. An avid fan of polo, he began playing in his early 40s and currently owns near on 70 ponies.

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Since discovering polo 10 years ago I have played together with players of many different nationalities from the lowest to the highest handicap and on a number of continents.

I have learned that knowing someone off the field does not mean that you know him on the field. And I have learned that the polo community loves to share and be together.

I am so impressed when it seems that everybody I ask for help in improving Thai Polo and Equestrian Club is willing to do so.

I started playing after attending a clinic of Hugh Dawnay’s in Bangkok. Later the rest of my family also became interested. My brother, sister and I started dressage and show jumping during our high school years while growing up in Hamburg and my parents were both riders in their youth.

My most rewarding experience in polo has been to be able to play with my family and friends as well as to make new friends and all the while keeping fit and learning something new. I enjoy feeling very alive and close to my teammates and horses when I play.

I love learning and so the opening of the Rege Ludwig School at the Thai Polo and Equestrian Club during our season was important to me as is having Andrew Hine as a friend and consultant in developing our club and getting consultation by Ellerston to make our fields better.

We try to make the Thai Polo and Equastrian Club a home away from home experience for families and individual players and by having the Polo School we are looking to have players come from all over the world to Thailand and enjoy the Thai hospitality and the great weather in the winter. We try to have great fields, good horses, polo at many levels and to get all equestrians to mix and try the other disciplines. We have a youth program for kids of all ages and want to train Thai to become horse trainers, polo instructors and eventually have a Thai team participate at the FIP world Championship.

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PRINCE HARRY IN NEW YORK During his first formal visit to the US, Prince Harry took to the field in the second annual Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic. The event, which took place on the scenic Govenors Island on 30th May, coincided with the 400th anniversary of New York and opening day of the Governors Island season. Nick Roldan captained Harry’s team while Nacho Figueras lead the opposite playing side, Black Watch. Event proceeds will benefit Sentebale, a US-based charity that supports at-risk children in Lesotho, Africa. It was co-founded by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso Bereng Seeiso of Lesotho in honour of their mothers. ‘This iconic event will help raise awareness for our organisation,’ said Sentebale’s Chairman Charles J. Denton.

UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE Sunday 7th June 2009 will see the annual Varsity Polo Match returning to Kirtlington Park Polo Club with student and friends of both Oxford and Cambridge Universities enjoying a day of polo, picnics and a pitcher or two. The first polo match between Oxford and Cambridge Universities took place on Bullingdon Cricket Grounds in November 1878. The following summer the first Varsity Polo Match was played at Hurlingham Polo Club and is one of the oldest fixtures in the Western World’s polo calendar. The annual Varsity Polo Match has been played annually since then, breaking only during World Wars. During this time there has been a number of distinguished players on both sides, notably Claire (nee Lucas) and Simon Tomlinson, Brigadier Reddy Watt playing for Oxford, HRH the Prince of Wales and Antony Embiricos (of the Gold Cup winning Tramontana team) in Cambridge light blue.

Over recent years there has been an increased interest in the Varsity Polo Match with the day enjoying an enhanced profile within both Oxford and Cambridge

Universities and the polo world at large. The 2009 Varsity Match is sponsored by Bicester Village with EFG Group sponsoring the Cambridge team. Both university clubs are looking forward to working with these new sponsors to maintain the momentum that has developed over the past couple of years. The aim is to create a day where, in the delightful setting of Kirtlington Park Polo Club, the integrity of this long-established match will be able to prevail.

As has been the case in previous years, the Old Blues (ex Cambridge and Oxford students) will also play on Varsity Day and guests will have the opportunity to show off their bicyclepolo skills. Dress code is summer smart with a pair of Jimmy Choos on offer for the most enthusiastic divot-treading lady. The series currently stands at 53 matches to 52 in Cambridge’s favour, come and see whether Oxford can close the gap.

Varsity Polo 2009 sponsored by Bicester Village will be played at Kirtlington Park Polo Club, Kirtlington, Oxfordshire OX5 3JQ on Sunday 7th June, with the grounds opening at 12.30pm and the polo starting at 2pm. Visit www.varsitypolo.co.uk where the ticketing information will be available in the near future.

4/6/09 10:52:10

DAVID LOMINSKA/WWW.POLOGRAPHICS.COM / JAB PROMOTIONS (JAMES MASON AND ANTONIO SALGADO) , BETH ARKIN

AUDI AWARDS

SADDLE UP WITH…

Top players and patrons from around the globe gathered on 18th May for the 2009 Audi Polo Awards, hosted by comedian Rory Bremner and Australian TV’s Hamish McLachlan.

Over 350 distinguished guests from the sport descended on London’s Park Lane Hilton, to honour the 2008 season’s most outstanding players, performances, teams, and patrons as well as ponies. Top heroes from this ‘Oscars event for polo’ included The Julius Bar Victor Ludorums: 18-goal winner Enigma (pictured above), Gonzalito Pieres (Polistas Most Outstanding High Handicapped Player) and England player James Beim who scooped three accolades. ‘This is the pinnacle of recognition any player can expect off the field and James’ achievements this year richly deserve these awards,’ commented John Tinsley, chair of the International Committee for the Hurlingham Polo Association. £80,000 was raised in aid of the David Eaton Ellis Trust.

NICOLAS PIERES Nationality Argentine Age 18 Handicap 6 in England, 7 in Argentina and the USA Nico cites the biggest influences on his polo career as his family. Starting with his father, former 10-goal great Gonzalo, as well as his mother and two brothers. He credits his father ‘because he was a genius inside the polo field and outside too.’ He said that his father understands the game of polo differently from others. He credits his mother because he said that she supported the whole family and their passion for the game with no complaints.

Finally he credits brothers Facundo and Gonzalito because in his words ‘they are two really good 10-goal players, and if I can’t learn from them then I can’t learn from anyone.’

When are you going to join Ellerstina?

I don’t know yet, but I have to improve lots of things to be part of that team.

THE PALM OPENING

BLAKE BEATS VENUS

The Palm, co-owned by Wally Ganzi (above, top right) and Bruce Bozzi, will open its first UK restaurant mid-June 2009 in Belgravia, London. The interior design will echo The Palm’s informal style with the menu bearing the hallmark USDA prime aged steak and jumbo Nova Scotia lobsters. Steaks and seafood were not part of the original Palm in New York but began out of an effort to cater to its clientele of artists and writers.

Every time a customer asked for a steak, founder John Ganzi ran up Second Avenue to a butcher shop, bought a steak and cooked to order. Today, The Palm runs its own meat wholesale company although the restaurant still honors its Italian roots.

On 29 March 2009, the winners of the Annual Sports Awards were announced during the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame Induction Banquet in West Palm Beach. Professional polo player, Jeff Blake, beat five-times Wimbledon champion Venus Williams and baseball star Chris Volstad to win the prestigious Professional Athlete of the Year trophy. Blake – considered one of the most talented players in polo – has won MVP honours in almost every major United States Polo Tournament, including the prestigious Stanford US Polo Championship in 2008. He was recently raised from 6 to 7 goals in the US.

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What is it like to be the youngest of such a dynasty?

For me it is an honor to be part of this big family and also to be part of this big organisation that is Ellerstina. I was born into this Pieres family, so polo was one of the first things that came to mind. I started riding when I was four and played in my first tournament when I was six. By then I knew that this was my life and that I loved this sport.

Who will you play with during the Argentine season?

This season I am playing with the same team I tried to qualify with last year. The team is Marcos Di Paola, Alejandro Agote and Magoo Laprida.

Will they qualify for the Open next year?

I hope this year we can play in the Open.

Last year we couldn’t reach the Open but we won the Camera with the same team.

We are all friends and have a lot of fun playing together.

5/6/09 10:58:19

hurlingham [ talk ]

The English team with its support group

meeting the challenge Sarah Eakin explains the demands of finding horses for the British team when they competed in the Westchester Cup 14 The challenge of finding horses for the Westchester Cup – in a matter of days – is a bit like Lance Armstrong running around France just before Le Tour, trying to find bikes for his entire racing team. And in the case of polo, as with cycling, having the requisite contacts and resources to hand doesn’t always solve the problem.

The British players – Luke and Mark Tomlinson and James Beim – who flew to Florida to line up against the Americans for the Westchester Cup, brought their sticks, their boots, their whites and a small but experienced support crew. They also brought hats and T-shirts that were well received and worn with pride by the grooms tending the numerous horses that were loaned or leased that day. What they didn’t have were horses…

On the ground was a man with 20 year’s experience in the international arena – Julian Hipwood – longtime captain of the England team and appointed Master of the Horse.

But as he and others in the British camp would point out, there are vast differences between a foreign team finding horses to take on England for the Cartier International (played annually at Guards Polo Club) at the end of the English high goal season, where players usually have horses at hand, and the task that faced the visitors in finding horses in Wellington.

‘Speaking from experience, many of the players [during Cartier] are better mounted than us,’ said Luke. ‘If they weren’t out

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mounting us it would be very close.’ The Westchester campaign involved trying some 100 horses in the quest to find a quality string for the 28-goal game.

‘I had a lot of support,’ said Hipwood, who was chosen to help, given his extensive knowledge of the Wellington polo scene and available local horses. ‘The foreign patrons and players were very helpful. I never pushed them but asked them to lend perhaps just one – or to let the players try four – and then pick just one to play.’

What initially made the game a reality for Luke was the comfort that the fourth member of the British team, Eduardo Novillo Astrada, had the ability to call on the resources he already uses in Florida, playing for Camilo Bautista’s Las Monjitas. ‘They had sufficient horses for one-and-a-half players, so we had to find mounts for twoand-a-half players after that. It would not have been a realistic game without Eduardo on Camilo’s horses,’ he said.

After 10 days of searching and playing some two practices a day, the team explored generous offers of loan horses from Audi

‘The Westchester campaign involved trying out some 100 horses in a quest to find a quality string’

patrons Melissa and Marc Ganzi, as well as possibilities from a wide variety of sources.

Some individual horses were loaned based on personal friendships. ‘Pelon’ Stirling loaned horses to Mark and orchestrated his string at the field as one of several ‘volunteers’ appointed to oversee each player’s horse line-up during the game.

Some were leased, including several horses that Luke played belonging to Memo Gracida and a ‘really nice horse’ that came from Max Secunda. In other cases, it was a question of pursuing friendships and asking nicely.

Beim has much international playing experience, including representing Britain in New Zealand and South Africa.

‘Obviously in England it’s very good, as I am reasonably well mounted there, but in New Zealand and South Africa you’ve just got to ask friends and everyone you know. In many cases people like to see you play their horses. They like to see them go and see if they can compete…’

Also relying on the loan of saddles, Luke admitted to being particularly ‘finickity’ about finding designs he felt comfortable with. Horses were a different matter.

‘It’s not so much a problem that they’re not yours,’ said Luke. ‘It’s a problem to get the quality of horses to play 30-goal polo, because they are so few and far between and simply not available.’

This summer, the players will be back on home turf for the Cartier International. But unlike in Florida, the ‘visiting’ Argentinian team will hardly be at a disadvantage.

‘Right now, it looks as though the team will include Adolfo Cambiaso and Facundo Pieres,’ said Beim. ‘There is no doubt that they will be really well mounted. Everyone knows that we will certainly have our work cut out. But as ever, we are more than ready for the challenge!’

4/6/09 09:49:48

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28/5/09 11:10:25

hurlingham [ talk ]

Sallie Anne with husband Duane and son Terence

16

field of dreams Sallie Anne Lent created The Sussex Polo Club in an effort to capture the congenial atmosphere of Argentine farm polo

Lying in a hammock, while soaking up the Argentine sunshine and waiting for chukkas to begin – I’m starting to remember why, six years ago, I was seduced into recreating this polo lifestyle in Sussex! Polo is so addictive that you only remember the highs and forget the lows. A key low being that the UK is wet and cold for 150 days of the year, so someone has to trudge through fields in Dubarrys or shovel endless poo to enable you to play once the sun shines again.

But right now I’m in polo paradise in a small town called 25 De Mayo, populated by two 10 goalers and the UK’s Tomlinson family. We are taking our annual pilgrimage to the El Casal Polo Estancia, the place where our dream began. Owned by the Raschia Grau family there are ponies, dogs and kids everywhere – a real family atmosphere.

Argentine laughter fills the warm air, while our guests play polo in an inclusive and relaxed environment. No pretence, airs or graces. Just pure farm polo at its best.

This inclusive feeling is what I wanted to recreate back home within a club – where the whole family could play in tournaments ranging from -6 to 4 goals, all in the same

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weekend. I must have even been harbouring a secret ambition to one day become a pushy pony club mum, provided our young son might get over his fear of horses and be able to join in!

In starting up a club, we were aware we had to make it easy for new players. So with the help of my husband, Duane, we set about providing a full service, including sale and rental ponies, HPA instructors and on-site full livery with Argentine grooms.

We organised sponsors, put teams together and even made and laundered the Patrons bespoke team shirts.

Six years and six-figure investments later, we have achieved the polo club that I dreamt of. We have grown from just one pitch to four, and have enough acreage to allow all the ponies to graze as nature intended

We set about providing a full service, including ponies, instructors and Argentine grooms

throughout summer. As well as hosting over 70 playing adult members, plus the old Surrey and Burstow Pony Club, we also have many junior members. Thanks to the Pony Club our son, Terence, has also taken up the sport and shows a real talent (thank the Lord because his maths indicates he will not be a rocket scientist.) His team won the UK Jorrocks Championships and led last year’s parade at Cartier. How great is that? Plus we all get to play polo together every summer!

Starting a polo club is not for the fainthearted. You need a network of dedicated staff and the ability to plough through endless paperwork involving work permits, public liability insurance, health and safety and employment law. If you’re looking to make a buck then take up lap dancing, as there’s absolutely no easy money to be made in polo. Only start a polo club for the sheer love of the sport and the ponies. You have been warned!

Well my name is being called: ‘Sallee!

Ees time for chukkers’ (I have learnt to translate Spanglish) and so I will now step down from hammock onto pony. I cherish these moments, as soon I will be too old and creaky to play polo with my family and friends. But I sleep well, knowing that we have enabled our son – and countless others – to live the dream on an achievable budget for at least a few months each summer.

That’s what it’s all about in the end – living the dream when, where and while you can! www.sussexpolo.co.uk

27/5/09 15:52:14

Come and spend a Polo Weekend at the Polo Club SaintTropez – Haras de Gassin (on all weekends in March, April, May, June, September and until mid-October): Helicopter, taxi, car rental with or without driver, Hotel, Beach, Lunches, Restaurant outings, night clubs, polo lessons, practises, games, matches and children horse riding lessons available…

Let’s get fascinated by the passion for Polo…

So as to satisfy the Polo enthusiasts, who are steadily growing in number, the Polo Club Saint-Tropez – Haras de Gassin is one of the rare Polo Clubs in France to have its own Riding School and Polo School, for both novices and confirmed players. The lessons are given by world famous professional players. The official equipment and the pony will be at your disposal for you to learn the basics, the fundamental rules and the specific shots of this sport. Then you will practice on horse back on the field and quickly have the opportunity to join a team in a tournament or just to be initiated and entertained.

It is your turn to play!

It is also a prestigious venue to hold important events such as gala dinners, products launches, seminars, exhibitions, fashion shows, new car presentations, film productions, parties, weddings, any equestrian event imaginable, especially in our brand new event area which can hold up to 500 guests.

The Polo Club Saint-Tropez – Haras de Gassin is unique in France; it is a peaceful and enchanting retreat for even the most demanding of people. Located in Gassin, one of the most beautiful listed villages of France, nested between vibrating Saint-Tropez and the languishing beaches of Pampelonne, the Polo Club Saint-Tropez – Haras de Gassin is a very breathtaking experience. This splendid and forceful place emanates a soft plenitude.

Saint-Tropez Polo Club: Elegance & Prestige It provides 2 tifway polo fields meticulously maintained to ensure an ideal terrain for matches, a stick and ball exercise area, a main course and a training course. The stables can comfortably accommodate up to approximately 500 horses.

The roomy and tastefully furnished club-house, fronted by a large terrace, is a wonderful place to watch matches.

Splendidly nestled in the haven of peace, La Table du Polo, the restaurant of the Polo Club Saint-Tropez – Haras de Gassin, offers all sensual pleasures: the refined and inventive cuisine, the privilege of this exceptional venue, the magnificent scenes of the polo tournaments.

All those who have a passion for this universe are contented and find everything they could wish for at the Polo shop: a complete collection of clothes in the colours of the Club, especially designed by several famous labels (jackets, polo shirts, sweaters, trousers, famous Argentine players’ berets…).

In addition, candles, china, table and household linen, and many other articles are the joy of all creators of ambiance, who are anxious to revive the magic times spent here.

The Polo Club Saint-Tropez – Haras de Gassin organizes

international tournaments at various handicap levels as well as practice matches, each season, from March to late October. They draw a large audience with many VIP guests and important personalities.

The Club can provide you with a high level personalized service in an intimate location. The exquisite atmosphere, the pleasant venue, the adequate infrastructures make the Polo Club Saint-Tropez – Haras de Gassin one of the most prestigious and appreciated Club in Europe.

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POLO CLUB SAINT-TROPEZ Route du Bourrian | 83580 Gassin (Saint-Tropez) Tel. : +33(0)4 94 55 22 12 Fax : +33(0)4 94 56 50 66 contact@polo-st-tropez.com www.polo-st-tropez.com

5/6/09 09:42:28

hurlingham [ talk ]

James McBride (age four) in front of his father at Windgate Polo Club Britoria, South Africa, 1968

18

his life’s work James McBride proves how polo can open doors to any city and culture around the world

According to Winston Churchill, ‘the best passport into this world is a good polo handicap.’ As managing director of The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel, the legendary New York hotel, as well as an avid polo player, James McBride would be inclined to agree with this statement. As an hotelier who has worked across the globe, McBride has found that it is his passion for polo and his commitment to playing consistently that has brought him more friendship and success than any other skill or pursuit.

First introduced to the sport by his father Alan, who played at the Inanda Polo Club, McBride played foot and bicycle polo as a child in South Africa. When he began playing polo at the age of 10, he was immediately taken with the energy and social nature of the sport. Though not always the strongest on the field, he relished the instant bond that was formed between him and his teammates and continued to enjoy the sport until he started his career in the hospitality industry after graduating from university.

As is too often the case, work and obligations took precedence over childhood

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passions and polo ceased to be an important part of McBride’s life as he began to build a career in the luxury hotel industry.

Joining the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, McBride worked in Boston and San Francisco before moving to the Big Island of Hawaii where he visited the Waikiki Polo Club.

Upon meeting the late Tommy Harris at the club, McBride determined that he should develop a Ritz-Carlton Polo Team. Drawing such players as Stuart McKenzie and Zulu Scott Barnes, the team was an immediate success. Having rediscovered his passion for the game, McBride became involved with planning polo events throughout Hawaii, California and even Aspen with Barry Stout.

Life in the travel industry is never stationary and soon McBride was tapped by the Ritz-Carlton in Singapore. Moving to Asia he joined the Singapore Polo Club and found that the commonality of sport transcended any cultural differences between his teammates, quickly forming deep friendships with players such as Wee Tionhan, Asad Jumabhoy and Bob Mehm who now plays in Geneva. A Singapore RitzCarlton team was founded and this tradition continued as McBride’s career took him to

Polo has been James McBride’s passport and has helped him gain success around the world both personally and professionally

Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, London and Washington D.C., where he played one of the last games on the mall with his close friends Charlie Muldoon and Dave Polin. McBride came to rely on polo to allow him to enter any city or culture and find common ground.

His life has proven the wisdom of Churchill’s words, as polo has truly been his passport and helped him gain success in each of these locations both personally and professionally.

Moving from London to The Carlyle on the Upper East Side of New York City, McBride was introduced to the Mashomack Preserve Club in Pine Plains New York by his good friend and fellow polo player Bruce Colley. With the help of Duke Buchan and John Klopp, McBride and Colley formed The Carlyle Polo Team and the hotel quickly became the unofficial headquarters for New York’s polo players, who now frequent the restaurant and Bemelmans Bar. Despite McBride’s contentments in New York he still travels regularly, recently taking The Carlyle team to Rio De Janeiro to visit the city and to challenge friends Daniel Klabin and Jose Antonio Magalhaes Lins to a match.

With his son, Sterling, now nine years old, McBride has begun to push him to take up polo. Just as his father introduced him to the sport, McBride longs to teach Sterling the sport which has given him so much. Though he has taken him to matches and played together, McBride says his son is more attracted to soccer and dreams of playing for Chelsea. Though McBride has petitioned his son, explaining that polo will help him later in life, he admits that he wouldn’t be disappointed if he became a footballer, ‘then he’d be able to pay for my polo.’

5/6/09 10:59:00

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28/5/09 11:08:45

hurlingham [ talk ]

10 20 21

when talent meets opportunity Excitement is mounting over the forthcoming Coronation Cup on July 26th at Guards Polo Club between England and Argentina, who will be captained by undisputed world number 1 Adolfo Cambiaso, 34. After years of opting to play mainly high-goal tournaments and championships, it is a welcome return to international duty for the charismatic Argentine. To provide a level playing field for his English opponents, he has agreed to

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be part of a 26-goal side, rather than the 40-goal lineup his nation could field, thanks to its fabled strength in depth. Although he usually prefers to let his polo do the talking, Cambiaso agreed to a rare interview at his Dubai Team’s English base at Holyport, Berkshire, to talk about his thoughts on the future of the game and how much he is looking forward to the Coronation Cup. ‘It is always emotional to play in Argentina’s colours,’ he grinned. ‘To play in

that light blue shirt and do your best when you’re playing for your country, it is a wonderful thing. Internationals like this one are very good, because everything that shows how exciting and competitive polo gets, helps bring it to a wider audience.

When we played in Argentina during the very successful Nations Cup against England (see page 48), Brazil, and the Rest of the World, we got very good coverage, and polo needs that. Polo at this level deserves it.’

ALICE GIPPS

Argentina captain and world number 1, Adolfo Cambiaso, talks polo, charity and more with Sally Jones

5/6/09 11:12:46

Who do you see as the rising stars of the two nations, and who is the best of the new crop of players?

‘I have been playing with many of the young guys who are coming through, including several up-and-coming English boys. Mark and Luke Tomlinson play a great game and James Beim too. As for Argentina, there are so many good young players. The best?

Maybe Polito Pieres [Pablo Pieres Jr], who I think has a great future.’

Do you see any chance of the revival of the old Copa de las Americas, between Argentina, inaugurated in 1928 and last contested in the 1980s?

‘I think it would be great if more top American players came through and they revived the Copa, but the problem at the moment is Argentina has 40 goal teams and if we picked our top people, it would be very one-sided. If you play in an Argentinian shirt, you want to put out your strongest side. It would be frustrating that some of the top players in the world could not play, as other teams cannot field a strong enough handicap team to compete with us.’

‘I just try to clear my mind, to get myself at the best level I can and focus on winning.

Nothing but that’ Is it frustrating to have to restrict Argentina to a 26-goal side for the Coronation Cup? ‘No, not at all. The game will be good: hardfought, good for the spectators and the Cup is a big event with a lot of excitement around it. I always feel that when I play in England, there’s a great sense of excitement because the crowds are very knowledgeable and I always find them very supportive.

They seem to appreciate the exciting, hardriding style of players from Argentina as well as the skills of the top English players.

It’s a privilege and thrill to play in front of thousands of people, in major championships and internationals, especially in England where the atmosphere is often electric.

A lot of people will be there and with the Argentina side against England, interest is at an all-time high. I am so looking forward to captaining the side and playing alongside my team-mates Facundo Pieres, also a 10-goaler and two excellent 3-goalers, Martin Valent and Gustavo Usandizaga.’

But is it just a ritzy social occasion and a festival of corporate hospitality?

[Cambiaso smiles diplomatically, well aware of polo’s cachet even among those who

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wouldn’t know a chukka from a chimpanzee.]

‘Some people go and enjoy the game, others know nothing. For them it is just about drinks with friends or watching celebrities. But some that go along for drinks then begin to learn more about the game, and perhaps start playing. In the last five years around the world more and more people are playing but polo is still missing out on the TV and media coverage it should have. It is building up but slowly. Our mission should be to get more and more polo onto TV, so everyone can learn to understand and love it.’

From left: Adolfo, Martin Valent and Tariq Albwardy at the Queen’s Ground, Guards Polo club

What is your opinion of the format of Polo in the Park at the Hurlingham Club which is trying to get polo to a wider audience via TV? ‘It is merely an exhibition, but it is not the true reflection of the sport. Any media coverage that promotes or endorses polo: TV magazines, newspapers, as long as it shows polo in a positive light, it is all good for the sport. I’ve done 10 TV interviews at least in the run-up to the Coronation Cup and this shows how interest is building up over our country playing against England.’

As well as promoting the game in more out-of-the-way places, including Thailand, Cambiaso is also a tireless worker for charity and for the underprivileged, particularly children. In the UK alone, he has raised over a million pounds for British charities including Childline, the NSPCC and the Prince’s Trust, but typically refuses to take any personal credit for this.]

‘I support an Argentinian based children’s charity called “Ideas Del Sur” and this is one of the most important charities for me. We play a fund-raising match at Ham Polo Club, partnered with the watch firm Jaeger-Le Coultre, in aid of it. It is a really enjoyable way to help the children. It is part of our mission statement for me and my teams, wherever we are playing round the world, that what we take out of polo we must put back into society. It is always a huge pleasure to do the work for these charities. We are just so lucky to be able to play the sport we love and raise money while we are doing it.’

How tough has it been to stay at the top for the best part of two decades?

‘As a young player, I didn’t think about being top in the world. That was never my aim. I just try to clear my mind, to get myself at the best level I possibly can and to focus on winning. Nothing but that.’

[These may be fateful words for England’s ambitious line-up, come Coronation Cup day.]

5/6/09 09:59:14

hurlingham [ talk ]

black sunday The tragedy of 21 horses dying after a fatal supplement injection devastated the US Open. Sam Morton asks how the polo community can recover from its monumental loss

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Nothing really prepares you for what happened at the semi finals of the US Open in April 2009; the horror of 21 horses dropping at our biggest polo tournament of the year. Young equestrian athletes cut down in their prime. It is our Black Sunday or 9/11 in polo. There are lots of rumours flying around which don’t really change the end result.

After the first horse began to wobble after being led off the trailer, dozens of polo people; grooms, umpires, photographers and vets who arrived at International Polo Club early for the semi-final game, scrambled to save lives, but there was nothing they could do. One witness told me there were roughly 20 people around each horse trying to do something, anything.

People who work behind the scenes in polo learn to work fast. We pride ourselves on it. Horses are tacked up, stripped and washed in minutes. At the US Open this year and at any Florida function all winter, there are people from all over the world in the

polo community. Since the late Seventies Wellington, Florida has been the Mecca for winter polo in the world. When horses began to drop, South Africans, Argentines, French, Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, Brazilians, Costa Ricans, Cubans, and several other countries worked shoulder to shoulder with the best horse vets in the world to save lives; they were scrambling as one at a moments notice.

I can tell you no one could have worked faster in any sport, equestrian or human, and for that I am extremely proud to be part of it. When it became obvious that the polo team, Lechuza Caracas, would not be able to mount a team, the polo team Isla Carol

People scrambled to save the horses but there was nothing they could do

DAVID LOMINSKA/WWW.POLOGRAPHICS.COM

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3/6/09 12:40:47

Carnations dropped into the

THE TRAGEDY UNFOLDS

pond at the IPC in remembrance of the ponies that died

mounted a substitute team in little over an hour. I’m not sure people realise what went into that.

You have to focus on something good when something like this happens. How the Audi sponsors, the Ganzis, offered Lechuza horses to continue the tournament. How some of the press in Palm Beach rose above the finger pointing and showed some compassion to a community that was devastated. We don’t need anything else right now. Anything that needs to get done will surely be dealt with soon enough.

Right now there are a lot of people that need to heal.

Grooms, sponsors, vets, players, photographers and spectators are all bonded by a passion for horses. It’s who we are as a community. The last time we were brought together was the herpes virus scare in Wellington a few years back. Wellington is a small town in Florida with 15,000 horses in a two mile square. The largest horse show in the world sits across from the largest polo

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club in the country. Sunny Hale called a meeting at the Players Club for the polo community to address concerns with the state vet. I sat in a room and looked at pros, blacksmiths, grooms, vets, owners and fans of polo that pulled together for the love of our horses and I think it was probably the first time I truly thought about being part of a community that bridged nations from all over the world. I was proud then and I am proud now.

The Thursday following Black Sunday during the semi finals of the Open, people dropped carnations in the pond around the number one field at International Polo Club around where the tragedy occurred. Many who were there stayed back because it was too emotional while many others came to support those who lived through it.

On Sunday 26 April, before the final match, three jets buzzed the field. It looked to me like there were two corporate jets and a military jet, which was fitting. I was in the old Palm Beach Polo barns and there was not a horseman in polo within a mile around who did not feel the souls of those horses when those jets passed.

In Plains Indian society, less than 200 years ago, it was believed that when a man dies, his horse would accompany him in the next life. That’s how much horses were deeply involved in their life and in a way they are that much a part of our lives in polo.

Every polo player, groom, owner, trainer and fan of the game feels the pain right now. We are deeply hurt and saddened as a people over the loss of our horses. To Lechuza we send our condolences.

God bless the souls of our horses that run with the angels now.

My horse fights with me and fasts with me because if he is to carry me into battle, he must know my heart and I must know his or we shall never become brothers. I have been told that the white man who is almost a god, and yet a great fool, does not believe the horse has a soul. This cannot be true. I have many times seen my horse’s soul in his eyes.

Plenty Coups Chief of the Crow Sam Morton is the author of Where the Rivers Run North. His second book, The Land of the Horse; The Art and Photography of Absaraka will be published in July.

By Alex Webbe Sunday 19 April 2009 Twenty-one Lechuza Caracas polo ponies in Wellington are given an injection of Biodyl substitute, a dietary supplement not approved by the FDA, that was ordered by a veterinarian.

The supplement is utilised to help horses recover quicker from exertion. Following the pre-game injections, and as the horses are being loaded into the trailers for the trip to IPC for a polo match, two horses that were not well are held back by the vet.

After the 15-minute trip to the IPC, a mare is found dead in one of the trailers, disoriented horses begin to unload from the trailers. The first horse falls, then another. Volunteers join the hastily organised fleet of veterinarians in a futile effort to save the horses.

An ice truck backs up to the site where the animals are being assisted.

Bags of ice are placed on the horses to lower their temperatures as IVs are attached in an attempt to slow down their heart rates and fight whatever is causing the ponies to collapse.

One by one, the horses die. Mini Bank, the 2009 Best Playing of the recently completed Gold Cup, is the first to go. Within hours 20 horses are dead.

Abrigadita, a 13-year-old Bay mare, the sole survivor, dies at midnight at the Palm Beach Equine Clinic, bringing the count to 21. The polo community is in shock.

Monday 20 April Veterinarians at state facilities in Kissimmee and Gainesville receive the carcasses of the fallen horses and begin to determine what has caused the death of the horses.

Tuesday 21 April The USPA retains a Washington DC public relations firm to deal with inquiries regarding the association and its position on the tragedy.

Wednesday 22 April The US Open semifinals are postponed until Thursday.

Thursday 23 April Franck’s Pharmacy of Ocala, Florida takes responsibility for the improper mixture of a supplement injected into the horses. A memorial ceremony follows the second semifinal match.

Friday 24 April The executive board of the USPA takes all jurisdictions regarding drug testing policies and appoints its own ‘research committee’ to ‘review the forthcoming results from the civil authorities conducting the formal investigation.’

Tuesday 5 May Team manager Esteban Scott reveals the sorrow surrounding the loss, saying: ‘it was a scene from hell,’ while USPA executive director Peter Rizzo is brought to tears. An uncommonly high amount of selenium is named as the toxic substance responsible.

3/6/09 12:41:01

hurlingham [ profile ]

world class As chairman of the Hurlingham Polo Association’s International Committee, John M Tinsley is flying the flag for world-class polo, says Herbert Spencer ILLUSTRATION PHIL DISLEY

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At the dawn of the 21st century, high-goal competition between national polo teams was in the doldrums. The venerable Westchester Cup between the USA and Great Britain had been played for only twice since the war and had not been hosted in the US since 1939. The Copa de las Americas between Argentina and the USA and the Camacho Cup between Mexico and the USA had not been played for in decades. There were occasionally test matches between nations in South America, Australasia and South Africa, but they were few and far between.

In England the only ‘international’ was the Coronation Cup at the annual Cartier International of the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA). England had played a succession of countries since the HPA’s international day was inaugurated in 1971, but the home team’s win-loss record was not impressive.

That was before John M Tinsley came on the scene. In 2000 he became chairman of the HPA, also serving as chairman of the association’s International Committee, a post he still holds today. Over the past decade, from the time John became responsible for its international activities, the HPA has led the way in the growth of internationals among the major polo-playing nations. Not only that, but England’s own national polo team has gone from strength to strength and is now the most professionally organised squad of any representing a country anywhere in the world and it is winning the majority of internationals it plays at home and abroad, both at high-goal and lower levels. John will tell you that the HPA’s leadership in the field of international competition has been a ‘team effort’, but in reality he has been the key man, the prime mover and shaker.

John Macfarland Tinsley was born on 8 August 1941 in Essex. His father had become a land agent after the war and when John was 21 gave him a 350-acre farm in Lincolnshire.

Not content with just farming, however, John also went into business and built a Glasgow firm into a public company listed on the stock exchange, enabling him to buy more land.

‘My heart was always in the country,’ he says, ‘so I would spend three or four days a week in the city and three or four at home in Lincolnshire. I had ridden all my life and in the winter might hunt as much as four days a week, with the Quorn or Belvoir.’

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John took up polo around the time he married his wife Judy, an Australian ballerina who immigrated to the UK to dance with the Royal Ballet. ‘In 1970 Colin Seavill invited some of us to knock a ball about on a farm,’ he says. ‘John Hine, father of Andrew who was England’s captain and now the England team manager, had started playing a couple of years earlier and helped spark my interest.

I joined the newly-formed Rutland Polo Club near my home and have never looked back.’

He shared his Branston team with his son George, who achieved a 2-goal handicap.

Having eventually relinquished control of his Glasgow company, John has concentrated upon managing his many thousands of acres of agricultural and wilder land in England and Scotland as well as commercial and residential properties throughout the

John M Tinsley has been the prime mover and shaker in making England’s national polo squad the most professionally organised squad in the world country. His main home is Ashfield House at Branston near Lincoln where he has a private polo ground. His pride and joy, however, is his Corrybrough estate in the Scottish highlands, where there is no polo but excellent salmon fishing, deer stalking and pheasant and grouse shooting.

‘I used to keep records of all the pheasant and grouse I’ve bagged,’ John says, ‘but I stopped counting when I reached 250,000.’

When he took up the reins as HPA chairman in November 2000, John was a 0-goal amateur player at Rutland, one of the country’s smaller low-goal clubs. Once a twogoal player, he has competed in 28 countries.

‘Although I was a low-goal and mediumgoal competitor,’ he says, ‘I’d seen enough polo around the world to realise that there is a tremendous amount of high-goal talent out there and that countries like England, the US, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Australia,

New Zealand, and South Africa all had enough higher-rated players to put together national teams of around 25 goals or more and to play one another in internationals.

That’s why I volunteered to head our international committee, to see what I could do to encourage such competition.’

John got a real baptism of fire in his first year as HPA chairman. ‘The foot-and-mouth epidemic in 2001 devastated the farming community and hit all the country pursuits and sports,’ he recalls. ‘The HPA kept polo going only by instating strict hygiene controls at all the clubs and stables. What did hit us, however, was the closure of Guards Polo Club for that season to protect the deer in Windsor Great Park. We had to move our international day down to Cowdray Park and Cartier withdrew their sponsorship for a year because of the change in venue. It was a great day at Cowdray, but the HPA’s income was substantially reduced.’

Meanwhile John began turning his attention to the international scene. ‘It was obvious,’ he says, ‘that staging more internationals here and making the England team more professional would require significant additional funding, so we began looking for more corporate sponsorship.’

In 2003 Audi UK signed up to sponsor the England team in three home international tests, injecting a welcome £100,000 into the sport. This support has continued and this year Audi, despite the recession, has agreed to again renew its sponsorship with £125,000 plus the loan of six cars for the team.

‘We also have additional funds to top up Audi’s contribution, for example when we send England teams overseas to play,’ says John. ‘Our annual Cartier International now brings in more than £300,000, of which £160,000 went to the Polo Charity Trust with the rest available as required for financing our international efforts.’

‘This funding has enabled us to put together the kind of professional team organisation one sees in other sports,’ says John. ‘Last year the support team included Andrew Tucker as chef d’equipe, manager Andrew Hine and coach Javier Novillo Astrada. We have also brought in trainers for physical fitness and sports psychologists to work on mental attitudes. I know of no other national polo team in the world with such a holistic approach to team excellence.’

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For John, the culmination of 10 years leading the HPA’s international efforts came when England defeated the USA Although England had a reasonable supply of young players with handicaps of 5, 6 and 7 for high-goal competitions, John says, ‘they lacked the opportunity to gain enough high-goal experience in our short 22-goal season.’ So, as international chairman, he first experimented with a grant of £5,000 to England player Tom Morley to help him spend the winter months in Argentina. This led to the HPA’s present formal programme of subsidising pros from the England squad, up to £10,000 each for several players training and playing at a higher level in Argentina.

‘This has paid off,’ says John, ‘with England players increasing their handicaps – and winning tournaments in Argentina.’

In 2008 England teams won seven of their eight internationals at home and abroad, playing at different handicap levels against Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, India, Italy and a Southeast Asia squad in Thailand. In the 8-goal European Championship of the Federation of International Polo (FIP) in Germany, England swept the boards.

For John, however, the culmination of his 10 years leading the HPA’s international efforts came this year when England defeated the USA in a revival of the Westchester Cup rivalry, the oldest and most famous of all contests between countries, dating back to 1886 (see The Action, page 48).

‘When the US Polo Association (USPA) issued the challenge,’ John said, ‘we responded with enthusiasm. Julian Hipwood, who was a 9-goal player and England captain for 20 years before he moved to the States, agreed to act as our master of horse and did a great job sourcing ponies in Florida together with our team members through their contacts with other players there. The Ganzis (prominent American team patrons) were particularly generous in offering mounts.

‘Our whole support team made the trip. So did David Woodd, the HPA’s chief executive, along with our current chairman, Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers, and three former chairmen: me, Mark Vestey and John Tylor.

‘I don’t want to take anything away from our American hosts,’ says John Tinsley, ‘but it was obvious that the HPA is light years ahead in the way we approach international competitions and the support we give our teams. It was a great day and a tribute to those who have worked hard to put England at the forefront of international competition.’

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hurlingham [ talent]

new kid on the block A young black South African polo player is proving that hard work can triumph over adversity, writes Sally Jones

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It sounds like an incredible, post-apartheid fairytale: a young black South African from a disadvantaged background is spotted as a talented horseman and, thanks to a whole series of ‘good fairies’ plus his own dedication, is given the chance to make it as a high-goal polo player in perhaps the most elitist arena in sport. As a work of fiction, most would reject it as too far-fetched.

However Sbu Duma is busy trying to live that dream, for real, urged on by a string of benefactors and mentors, passionately committed to seeing him succeed, not just for himself but also to send out a message to the underprivileged and aspirational of every race: that South Africa is changing and if you work hard enough, anything is possible.

But how much of this is clever marketing and a triumph of hope over the hard reality of international polo? Certainly Sbu, (short for Sbusisu) a likeable 23-year-old 2-goaler with a fearless, hard-riding style, has so far enjoyed an extraordinary career trajectory of rags to, if not riches, at least astounding opportunity. The son of a humble stable hand on the Maritzdaal Farm at Dargle, in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, Sbu’s natural riding ability was spotted when he was nine by the farm owner, the late Dave Kimber, himself a keen polo player. The young Sbu received coaching, support and encouragement at the nearby Lions River Club, followed by a grant from the South African Polo Association in 1999. Two years later, he began representing

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Sbu Duma (left) with his father, Thembinkosi, at home in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

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hurlingham [ talent]

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the South African schools international polo side with notable success and during a tour to Britain was even presented with a trophy by princes William and Harry, one of the greatest moments of his life.

Via his South African mentors, successful goldsmith Dieter Rowe-Setz and his wife Josie, Sbu who initially received only a basic education at the local farm school, took an equine management qualification. This was designed to give him a fall-back position in case of injury or if he simply fails to make the grade in this competitive world where money and ponypower are just as important as talent.

Further opportunity knocked last year when he was accepted onto polo enthusiast Uli Schmid-Maybach’s Maybach Foundation’s mentoring programme designed to give talented youngsters facing adversity the funding and support to fulfil their potential and act as a role model to others. The programme which runs at least until next spring is providing around $100,000 a year for Sbu’s training, travel and expenses, plus a small stipend as he plays and trains around the world with the Argentine professional Federico Bachmann, his current polo mentor.

The results so far have been encouraging: last year he won the Most Valuable Player award when his team won the All Africa Cup at Inanda in Johannesburg; an emotional and historic moment as it was the first victory for an all-black South African team.

‘All the staff and the grooms were standing around the field and everyone was

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‘I’ve learnt about tactics, not just hitting the ball but how to win matches and be a good member of your team’ crying with joy,’ recalled Josie Rowe-Setz, one of Sbu’s most passionate supporters.

‘It was an extraordinary achievement and meant so much on so many levels.’ In March he spent several weeks at Adolfo Cambiaso’s La Dolfina ranch where he and Federico played in the side that won the prestigious Safiro Cup, an eye-opener for the inexperienced youngster whose dream is to represent South Africa at senior level.

‘I am grateful for all the chances I’ve had’ he says, a huge smile lighting up his mobile face. ‘In Argentina I saw the game played at a higher level than in South Africa. I’ve learnt about tactics, not just hitting the ball but how to win matches and be a good member of your team. Federico is a great coach. He has taught me: “Play the man first and then the ball. You play for position and then the ball will come to you” and it is like seeing the game in a new light.

It has been great, playing alongside him.

The Safiro Cup was a huge moment. In the final I broke my goal record. I scored 9 and we won 13-4.’

That winning streak has continued. Early in May, playing for Federico’s Easy Polo Team in St Tropez, he won the

Hippocampus Cup for 12 goal sides, beating Dusseldorf 6 - 4.5 in the final and finished as top scorer. But just how good is he?

Federico Bachmann is in no doubt about his potential: ‘Sbu has a lot of raw talent and a very good attitude,’ he enthuses. ‘He’s got guts, character and he steps back for no man.

Yes it’s hard for him. He has come from his home to Argentina and Europe. It is another world. He is a shy guy and he must have been homesick, coping with a new language and meeting many new people but he has a big smile, a marvellous spirit and everybody likes him.’

Walter Grindrod, Chairman of the South African Polo Association also acknowledges Sbu’s talent and, crucially, his symbolic importance as potentially South Africa’s first black high goal player.

‘Sbu has been very successful at schoolboy level and he is working very hard to reach the next stage of his game. Given the legacy of apartheid, it would mean an enormous amount to our association, to our longstanding sponsors BMW, and to the game as a whole to have such an inspiring role model: a boy from a deprived background, making a breakthrough in a seemingly privileged sport like polo. It would show the sort of strides we’re making in trying to widen access to it to include people from all races and backgrounds.’

However Peter McCormack, polo director of Ham Polo Club and world number 1 Adolfo Cambiaso’s spokesman sounds a note of caution ‘I watched him play in Argentina,

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1 Training at home in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa 2 Sbu shows off his raw talent and positive attitude on the field

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looking good as he scored 9 goals in the Safiro Cup final and there’s obviously a lot of ability there but he’s still a raw diamond that needs polishing before he becomes a real player on the world stage.’

Another Argentina-based player who asked not to be named was less bullish.

‘We have a lot of grooms that look amazing when they’re stick-and-balling, but put them in chukkas and they look lost.

Sbu has natural ball skills and he’s hugely determined but he’s not a totally instinctive horseman. For a lot of his life, if you were talking in Formula 1 terms, you’d say he’s been the mechanic around horses rather than a driver, so now he’s got the opportunity to “drive the car”, he faces a very steep learning curve to try to match the standards of all those hundreds of talented South Americans who’ve been playing good quality polo almost as soon as they could walk.’

Federico Bachmann, however, is convinced that with his impressive humility and balanced attitude, Sbu can indeed negotiate that learning curve: ‘He is working, working with the ponies all the time and he is a fast learner because

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‘It’s important now, that Sbu’s developed and mentored in the right direction. His destiny is in his hands, but also in the hands of others’ this is what he wants to do.

‘At the moment he is mainly an attacker; that is where the less experienced players tend to be put and he scores a lot of goals.

But he will also be learning the more complex skills of a defender. This summer he will probably work with the Italian patron Alfio Marchini’s Loro Piana team in England, learning his craft, riding different ponies and picking up tips on match tactics as well as just riding and hitting. Then hopefully next season he will get some games for them. I want him to go on to someone with the funds and the experience to take him further than I can.’

The SAPA’s Walter Grindrod, too,

acknowledged the financial obstacles involved in taking Sbu to the next level but claimed these were not insurmountable.

‘Yes, it’s an expensive sport’ he admitted but once a professional team picks a talented player, they provide good-quality ponies and pay their expenses. It would be a proud day for us if Sbu reached the standard to represent South Africa. We’d only pick him on merit, not tokenism: he wouldn’t want that and neither would we. However we run teams for younger, up-and-coming international players and if Sbu becomes a competitive 4-goaler, we’d be delighted to select him for these events and of course we’re keeping a close eye on his progress.’

Peter McCormack made an impassioned plea for the youngster’s talents to be given full rein: ‘It’s really important now, that Sbu’s developed and mentored in the right direction. To a certain extent, his destiny is in his hands, but also in the hands of others. It’s not fair to put him on a gravy train and then stop that train before he has the chance to fulfil his potential. If they want the black community to start playing polo, and everyone, particularly Adolfo [Cambiaso] is thrilled to see such an inspirational guy come and play from South Africa, they’ve got to let him develop and that means financial backing. He’s made a great start. Now he needs support and opportunity from people with the means.’

As a potent symbol of the changing times in South Africa, Sbu is beginning to garner ever-higher levels of media coverage.

A film crew is currently charting his progress for a documentary to be screened next year and whether or not he ultimately makes the grade as a high goaler, the sheer volume of interest this moving story is generating should ensure priceless publicity for any well-heeled patron willing to put his hand in his pocket to fund the next stage of his development. Given Sbu’s progress so far and, more cynically, his growing value as a hot media property, it could be money well spent. How this simple, unsophisticated young man would cope with the daunting prospect of stardom, however, remains to be seen.

1/6/09 11:25:45

hurlingham [ style]

a good yarn How fashion house Loro Piana helped the world rediscover the luxury of vicuña wool from Peru, by Melanie Vere Nicoll

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Locals gathering the vicuñas in the Peruvian highlands

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In a recent statement to a documentary producer, Pier Luigi described the depth of his feelings saying that ‘if you see the eyes of a vicuña it is very difficult not to fall in love because it is such a sweet animal and lives in this unreal, peaceful landscape.’

The highland vicuña, found at the most extreme altitudes of the Peruvian Andes, is a slender llama-like creature who has been on a roller-coaster ride towards extinction since the fall of the Incan Empire.

BRUNA ROTUNNO

It turns out that polo ponies are far from Loro Piana’s only four-legged interest. While patron Alfio Marchini may rhapsodise about his team’s string, the Italian luxury brand’s owner Pier Luigi Loro Piana feels equally strongly about the vicuña that live high in the Peruvian Andes. So strongly in fact that he and his brother Sergio have established a 2,000 hectare nature reserve named after their father, Franco Loro Piana, for the protection and preservation of the endangered animal.

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Prized for its soft downy fleece which in turn produces the most luxurious wool in the entire world, the vicuña were revered by the Incans and at one time numbered nearly two million in population. Its fur was considered so precious that only members of the Incan royal family were allowed to wear the soft warm robes and ponchos produced by the weavers. These aristocratic robes were renowned for being so fine they could be balled-up and fit into the palm of a hand. The vicuña were regarded as sacred by the Incans who believed that by caring for the animal population they could win the favour of the all-important sun gods who would in turn endow the earth with light, warmth and fertility.

To harvest the precious fur, the Incans took part in a ritual ceremony called the Chaccu which could involve up to 30,000 men spread out over miles of the Peruvian highlands. They would gradually surround the herd and then drive them into an enclosed area where they would be sheared.

Older males would be killed while females and younger males would be released back into the Andean pampas.

The vicuña population thrived from the 14th to the 16th century, protected and greatly valued as they were by the Incans.

However, with the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadores led by Francisco Pizarro in 1532 the fortunes of the vicuña took a serious turn for the worse. The animals’ soft downy under-fleece – known as the silk of the new world – became highly sought after in the old world and could not be exported fast enough to satisfy European demand.

Prized for its soft fleece which produces the most luxurious wool in the world, the vicuña were revered by Incans

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Slaughtered in increasing numbers and unprotected by the Incans who’s culture had been decimated, the breed teetered on the brink of extinction until 1824 when Simon Bolivar was named governor of Peru and introduced a ban on the killing of vicuña.

In 1908 the plight of the vicuña worsened when the belief spread throughout the fashion world that by wearing different layers of lightweight wool one could enhance one’s health by allowing the skin to breathe more freely. Layers of the finest vicuña wool were used as insulation by explorers to the North Pole and were worn by ladies on safari in Africa. However, this was only one factor in the increased demand. By the Fifties the highly recognisable vicuña coat with it’s soft golden colour and smooth flawless lines had become all the rage among fashion cognoscenti worldwide. So desirable were these vicuña coats that one was known to cost the then US Chief of Staff to Eisenhower his job as he accepted one in exchange for political favours and then failed to admit it.

As the demand for vicuña fleece continued unabated, the slaughter continued. Tragically, it was quicker and easier to kill rather than shear the live animal and poaching of the increasingly rare vicuña continued. By the early Seventies the Peruvian government recognised that unless action was taken to find a way to motivate the local population to protect and breed the vicuña, they would become extinct. The sad reality was that having numbered in the millions during the days of the Incan Empire, the population had dwindled to a mere 5,000, placing them at the top of the endangered species list.

In the early Eighties, inspired by their passion for the finest raw materials and a desire to bring the ‘silk of the New World’ back into the marketplace, the Loro Piana brothers made their first contact with the Government of Peru and the indigenous highland population responsible for the breeding of the vicuña. Having formed a

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Loro Piana had a desire to bring the ‘silk of the New World’ back into the marketplace viable partnership, by 1994 the government saw its way clear to allow the reintroduction of the legally sheared fibre from live animals back into the world market. The high value attributed to the fleece has become a primary economic resource for the people which contributes to an added incentive to protect and increase the herd. Today the species live happily on the Cordilleras and continue to be an important and valuable source of income for the highland people.

Early summer is shearing season high in the Pampas. The Chaccu ceremony which reflects the influence of both the Incans and

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1 The Loro Piana polo team 2 Finished product: the Loro Piana vicuña label 3 A lone herd of vicuña in the Peruvian Andes 4 Alfio Marchini 5 Owner Pier Luigi Loro Piana greeting the Negro Mayo community president 6 A tight line of locals encircle the wild vicuña herd 7 Local dancers at the

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Chaccu ceremony

the Conquistadores, still takes place today and happens roughly every two years. A rope – often over a mile in length – is carried by hundreds of farmers who encircle the wild vicuña and herd them into an enclosure to be sheared and then released much the same as in the days of the Incan Empire.

The capture, which takes all morning, involves approximately 200 vicuña who each produce a mere 250 grams of the fibre. To put the rarity and value of this fleece into perspective, the shearings of six vicuña are needed to make one sweater and 36 are needed to produce one coat. The vicuña fleece, once harvested, is seldom dyed as it already possesses its unique golden colour, easily recognisable in numerous photographs of polo players accepting trophies post-match, the coat draped with effortless elegance over their shoulders. In a truly triumphant conservation story and in less than 30 years the population of the vicuña species has grown from a handful

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to well over 150,000 animals – pulling the vicuña from the edge of extinction back to the thriving market.

For the moment the future of the vicuña seems secure. At the same time it isn’t hard to imagine which team in polo would emerge victorious, if alongside Best Playing Pony a trophy were introduced for Best Dressed Pony. If you happen to find yourself in the Loro Piana pony lines, the horse blankets might surely merit a second glance.

5/6/09 11:01:10

hurlingham [ literature]

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sporting treasures

Luisa Miguens shares her inspiration behind her book on the history of Argentinian polo, Passion & Glory

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In 2002, when my husband Gonzalo Tanoira was president of the Argentine Polo Association, Esteban Kenny – son of the 1924 polo Olympic champion, Arturo Kenny – asked me if our Association would be interested in writing a book about the long history of the game in Argentina. He had pictures to share and plenty of documents that spanned one century of Argentine polo.

Gonzalo encouraged me to write the story.

Long conversations between us began to give shape to the book: it should be a sepia and black and white picture book, a collection of pictures from polo families throughout the century; a story not only about the great stars and the high goalers, but also the average player in the country: his family, his farm, his club. Gonzalo was convinced that polo in Argentina is what it is due to the early

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1 Les Diables Bleus Team: Guy Wildenstein, Ezequiel Fernandez Guerrico, Juan Jose Alberdi

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and Delfin Rueda, in good company at a trophy presentation 2 Cowdray, 1978. HRH The Prince of Wales and Eduardo Moore enjoy a polo exhibition together 3 Olympic Games in Berlin, 1936. The Argentine team wins the Olympic medal for the second time after beating the Mexicans (15-5) 4 Julio Menditeguy and his groom prepare the pony list 5 Venado Tuerto, 1936. Marjorie Duggan de Kenny (second from right) enjoys a match with friends. She was Luis and Pepe Duggan’s sister and wife of Arturo Kenny, Olympic medallist in Paris, 1924 (in back row with glasses)

starting age of players, the fantastic polo lines in horse breeding, the polo families in the country, the clubs in the interior and the provinces, and the many other factors that turns an Argentine player into an internationally recognised figure.

The first match was played in Argentina in 1875, so the start of the book was easy to decide. That first century was celebrated by our Polo Association with what was called ‘the match of the century’ in 1975 – the first time Argentina had eight 10–goal players.

This would be the date that would draw the book to a close. Gonzalo told me he had been part of the end of the amateur players in the high goal handicap in the late Seventies, so it was possible to end the book at the moment those winds started to change.

This was the main object of Passion & Glory:

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1 New Delhi, 1950. The Maharajah

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Sawai Man Singh of Jaipur shakes hands with Pandit Nehru 2 Cairo, 1955.

Carlos Miguens relaxing in the sun 3 Attaching the number to the shirt. Jorge and Gonzalo Tanoira, 1969 4 A.A.P. Pilar, 1979. Javier Novillo Astrada throws the ball to, Santiago, Miguel, Julito and Eduardo (Jr) Novillo Astrada 5 Adolfo Cambiaso and Martina Estrada, three years before their son Adolfito Cambiaso was born. He would become the undisputed heir to Juan Carlitos Harriott

to show how the first Englishmen played in Argentina at the end of the 19th century, how – after the fields were emptied as the Englishmen went to war – the Argentines started to play, travelling abroad in the Twenties and competing and winning against the top teams in England and the US, how

Passion & Glory is not just a book about polo, it’s about the spirit that underlies the game

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polo became so popular in the Forties and finally, how the Argentines climbed to the top under the leadership of the unrivalled Juan Carlitos Harriott.

After my husband´s untimely death, I continued the job of compiling the book on my own. There were many useful volumes in which I could search for information, as well as magazines and archives. Nevertheless, the most valuable help came from more than one hundred polo families that I interviewed and whose treasures they shared with me.

Passion & Glory is a book not only about polo, but also about the underlying spirit beyond the game – it is about families,

forming friendships, camaraderie and gentlemanship, about travelling around the world playing polo, about the gallant riders from the pampas.

I was lucky to be part of this story. Lucky to share 36 years of my life with a man who was considered to be one of the players who lived the transition from amateur to professional polo, and who opened markets and frontiers for many, but always preserved what he held sacred in his beloved sport.

I hope this book will bring good memories to all English players who have been so important to us and have shared their love of the sport over the course of a century.

2/6/09 15:56:57

hurlingham [ heritage]

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Philip (left) and Stewart Iglehart

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your history

MUSEUM OF POLO

America’s National Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame makes the sport more accessible to the public, says Herbert Spencer

The success of America’s National Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in reviving the Westchester Cup international in the US this year, has highlighted the fact that the museum is the world’s only institution where members of the public can see an extensive collection of objects and memorabilia reflecting the history of the sport.

Much of polo’s heritage lies hidden from public view, in numerous private collections.

A number of impressive, more ancient artefacts relating to the game can be seen in some of the world’s leading museums, such as the British Museum and Victoria & Albert in London and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC. But the Museum of Polo in Lake Worth, Florida, remains the only one dedicated entirely to preserving the rich history of the sport, albeit devoted almost exclusively to modern polo in the US. This unique museum was the brainchild of four polo-playing friends: Philip L B Iglehart, a former 9-goal player (brother of 10-goaler Stewart) who revived Florida’s old Gulfstream Polo Club; Hugh Jeremy

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Chisholm, a Wall Street banker who had left New York to ranch out West; George C Sherman Jr, a former chairman of the US Polo Association (USPA); and Leverett Miller, a Florida racehorse breeder who is a grandson of 10-goaler Harry Payne Whitney.

Leverett, the only survivor of the four and now an active 77 years of age, remembers when they first discussed the idea ‘around 1981’ over lunch at his Peter Dinkels restaurant in Palm Beach. None of the men were major polo collectors he says, ‘although I did own a copy of Herbert Heseltine’s famous bronze of America’s “big four” 40-goal

The National Museum of Polo was first incorporated in 1984 as a non-profit educational charity with ‘501’ status

team. We all agreed at the time, however, that an effort should be made to preserve the sport’s heritage.

‘Philip was the driving force behind the museum concept and it became his passion during the last years of his life,’ Leverett recalls, ‘but it would be 16 years before we found a permanent home.’

The National Museum of Polo was first incorporated in 1984 as a non-profit educational charity with ‘501’ status allowing donations to be deducted from taxes. Its first board consisted of Iglehart, president; Miller, vice-president; Sherman, chairman; George Haas Jr, treasurer; Wade Byrd, secretary; S K ëSkeyí Johnston; and William Sinclaire. Sadly, Jeremy Chisholm died in 1982, followed by Sherman in 1986 and Iglehart in 1993.

Polo was booming on Florida’s Gold Coast in the mid-eighties. Bill Ylvisaker’s big Palm Beach Polo & Country Club (PBPCC) was at the height of its popularity, with the American arm of the international jewellers Cartier one of its major sponsors.

Jeremy Chisholm’s widow Jeanne ran a

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small gallery beneath PBPCC’s stadium. In 1986 Ralph Destino, CEO of Cartier Inc in the US, commissioned Jeanne to collect polo memorabilia for a retrospective exhibition, “Polo in America”. With Jeanne, Philip Iglehart and Destino as the curators, it was first shown in a marquee at PBPCC before moving to Cartier’s store on Worth Avenue, the famous upscale shopping street in Palm Beach. Then in June 1987, Cartier expanded and remounted the exhibition in a monthlong show on the second floor of their flagship Fifth Avenue store in New York.

‘It was a mammoth task tracking down enough items to make the exhibition meaningful, from an aesthetic as well as historical, point of view,’ Jeanne recalls, ‘but we got a lot of help from a number of wellknown players and polo families such as Cecil Smith, George Oliver, the Hitchcocks, Whitneys and Butlers.’

By the time the collection had reached Cartier’s Manhattan store in 1987, it had grown to well over 200 items. A star exhibit was Cartier’s own little golden-winged horse ‘Pegasus’, first created in 1926 as a polo prize in England and now presented to the Most Valuable Player of the Coronation Cup international in the UK. ‘After the Cartier exhibition’ says Jeanne, ‘we went back to the people who had loaned items asking if they would donate them to the polo museum. Happily most agreed.’

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For four years, from 1988 to 1991, a small museum exhibition was housed in rented space adjacent to the offices of the USPA in the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. The museum’s Hall of Fame began to mark the USPA’s centenary in 1990. The first inductees that year were 10-goalers Tommy Hitchcock, Stewart Iglehart, Devereux Milburn, Robert Skene and Cecil Smith. The following 58 Hall of Fame inductees were all Americans – until 2008 – when Argentine Gonzalo Pieres became the first foreign player to be so honoured. The 2009 inductees were former American 10-goaler Owen Rinehart and the late Gonzalo Tanoira of Argentina.

‘The Lexington site failed to attract much attention’ says the Museum of Polo’s current director George Dupont, who first became involved with the project in 1988.

1 The main building 2 Founder, Hugh Jeremy Chisholm 3 From left: George DuPont, Brenda Lynn and John Walsh

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1 A display case from the original exhibition in 1987 2 Stephen A. Orthwein, Chairman of the Museum Board 3 From left: Cecilia and Gonzalo Pieres with Museum Director Melissa and her husband Marc Ganzi 4 Founder

MUSEUM OF POLO

George C Sherman

‘So we began looking elsewhere, considering Westbury in New York and Aiken in South Carolina. We settled on Florida because of the big winter season there.’

Today’s National Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame finally opened its doors in 1997 in a one-story, purpose-built building at 9011 Lake Worth Road near Gulfstream Polo Club – not far from the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Leverett Miller, who trained as an architect, provided the concept.

The 10-acre site, part of which was donated

by Iglehart, and the building, cost a total of £1.3 million.

In 2000, the museum inaugurated its annual ‘Horses to Remember’ award that, over the past decade, has honoured such great and deserving ponies as Tommy Hitchcock’s Tobiano, Cecil Smith’s Badger and Bonnie J and John Oxley’s Burrito and Woody D (aka Stormy). The following year the museum added its Philip Iglehart Award for Lifetime Contribution to the Sport of Polo.

In the award’s second year the single honouree was not a pony but a groom and trainer, the African-American James Rice.

Starting his career grooming for a mere 50 cents a match in Houston, Texas, Rice eventually rose to fame helping Cecil Smith to train ponies.

Last year the museum opened a $400,000 extension, which it rents out as office space

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to the USPA and the association’s official publication, the Polo Players Edition.

The museum has two full-time employees: George Dupont, executive director and his wife Brenda Lynn, director of development. Stephen A Orthwein, a former USPA chairman, is the current chairman of the board.

Orthwein admits that the museum still struggles financially, despite having recently benefited from a million dollar endowment from the Oxley Foundation, matching money raised by the museum through donations and various fund-raising activities.

‘It costs us $180,000 a year in just operating costs,’ he says. ‘We are only allowed to spend the income from and 10% of any capital growth of our endowments.’

The National Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame had high hopes of raising more money from its historic revival of the Westchester Cup, but corporate sponsorship fell through and profits only totalled some $30,000.

‘Otherwise the Westchester was an outstanding success. I think it definitely helped to raise the profile of the museum, as well as that of international polo in the US,’ says Orthwein.

‘So much so, that we are now looking at the possibility of organising another international next year, perhaps between the USA and Argentina.’

Despite having recently benefited from a million dollar endowment from the Oxley Foundation, the museum still struggles financially

5/6/09 09:22:00

For the Beginner & the Best Since 1890, the United States Polo Association has been committed to providing membership services to polo players and polo clubs across the country. Polo is a powerful combination of horse and rider, embodying breathtaking skill, fierce determination, gracious sportsmanship and, above all, a tradition unique to the world of equestrian sports.

Join today and belong to a dedicated group of men and women who are members of the USPA.

Visit us at www.uspolo.org Jeff Blake is a USPA Player Member rated at 6 goals and MVP of the 2008 Stanford U.S. Open Polo Championship.

Membership Benefits: • Player Handicap Rating and membership card • USPA Polo Plus Discounts on products/services including John Deere, Sherwin-Williams, UPS & more • Insurance coverage: $1 million excess participant liability • Monthly subscription to Polo Players’ Edition magazine

4037 Iron Works Parkway Suite 110 Lexington, KY 40511

Hurl_Summer_USPA.indd 1

• USPA Yearbook & Member Directory • Rules and Rules Interpretation Guide • Services including club development, umpire and player clinics, interscholastic/ intercollegiate polo and more • Online access to handicaps and membership info

Membership Information 800.232.USPA or uspa@uspolo.org

4/6/09 10:39:38

the action [drama] Catch up with all the latest action from around the world

Above Gonzalito leads the pack in the finals of the US Open

44 International Polo Club

51 Hickstead

58 Nations Cup

47 Florida

52 New Zealand Diary

60 Italy

48 Westchester Cup

54 Australia

62 Miami

56 Hurtwood

63 SUPA

LILA PHOTO / WWW.LILAPHOTOS.COM

An extended season and additional 20-goal tournament sets the stage for the IPC

Adolphus Busch announces the end of an era for Michelob Polo

The series is reignited with a vengeance following England’s hard-fought victory

50 The Camacho Cup

More than 4,000 fans watch as Mexico triumphs over America with a one-goal lead

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England takes revenge on the US to win the coveted Bryan Morrison Memorial Trophy

Clare Milford Haven shuns jet lag for a week of partying and polo with the Kiwis

Joe McInally reports on the crown jewel of Australian Polo

With a prize of $100,000 up for grabs, the stakes were high at this year’s Polo Masters

Jorge Andradas interviews players from the Palermo Polo fields in Buenos Aires

A week of high-class polo and glamour from the frozen surface of the Misurina Lake

It’s all sun, sea and sand at the first annual South Beach Women’s Polo Cup

Colleges compete for the prestigious La Martina Arena Championships

5/6/09 12:57:26

hurlingham [ action ]

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International Polo Club The revival of a century-old international series, an extended season and an additional 20-goal tournament set the stage for the International Polo Club’s 2009 season in Wellington, Florida. In spite of the economic woes suffered throughout the ranks, the polo action at IPC carried on with an earlier start and a later close to its 2009 season.

The Joe Barry Memorial tournament kicked off the season on January 5, attracting seven teams. Players on the field included 9-goaler Mike Azzaro, 8-goalers Carlos Gracida, Julio Arellano and Sapo Caset as well as 7-goalers Owen Rinehart, Sugar Erskine, Luis Escobar and Toto Collardin.

The parity of teams was evident from the opening game, with the most one-sided game in the tournament being a 13-9 win by Kelly Beal’s BTA team over a Lucchese foursome backed by the fabled Texas bootmaker of the same name.

BTA scored wins over Bo Goodman’s Mt. Brilliant team and Patagones before meeting and beating Tommy Lee Jones and his San Saba team 13-10 in the finals.

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Mt. Brilliant snuck past EFG Bank 13-12 in the subsidiary Bobby Barry Cup. By the time the Ylvisaker Cup rolled around two more teams had joined the field. Melissa Ganzi rode in with her Audi team while Victor Vargas began playing with his Lechuza Caracas side.

In some of the closest competition in years, Mt. Brilliant scored successive wins over Lechuza Caracas and San Saba before getting the best of a very talented Patagones squad in the finals, 10-9. Lechuza Caracas came back to wrestle a hard-fought win from EFG Bank in the finals of the consolation George Haas Cup. An interesting aspect of the tournament was how closely the games were contested.

Over the course of twelve games, eight of them including both finals, were decided by a single goal, and four of those one-goal games were decided in sudden-death overtime.

A third 20-goal tournament was introduced to the IPC schedule in the form of the Philip Iglehart Cup, named after the legendary gentleman/polo player who was instrumental in the creation of the new Gulfstream Polo

Club and the Museum of Polo.

The same nine teams battled for the trophy and the parity of teams was highlighted once again. This time Gonzalo Avendano’s Patagones team would go undefeated, scoring its fifth victory in the tournament finals against Lechuza Caracas, 9-8 in overtime. Mt. Brilliant suffered injuries to its players and horses and after two successful tournaments was eliminated from both the Iglehart Cup and the subsidiary, Herbie Pennell Cup. In a low-scoring game, San Saba defeated Isla Carroll 5-3.

Even more competitive than the Ylvisaker Cup, 13 of the tournament’s 22 matches were decided by a single goal. Seven of them, including both finals (Pennell and Iglehart) were decided in overtime.

The match that had the largest international impact had to be the February 19 game between Patagones and Lucchese.

With Lucchese ahead 9-6 in the fifth chukker, Mike Azzaro was involved in a horrendous on field accident that resulted in a broken collarbone for the 9-goaler that would

LILA PHOTO / WWW.LILAPHOTOS.COM

Despite the economic slowdown, the polo season at IPC proved to be as thrilling as ever, writes Alex Webbe

5/6/09 12:57:55

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DAVID LOMINSKA/WWW.POLOGRAPHICS.COM

Even more competitive than the Ylvisaker Cup, 13 of the tournament’s 22 matches were decided by a single goal

1 Facundo and Nico Pieres celebrate the winning goal 2 Patrons, Victor Vargas (in white) and Marc Ganzi, had an intense rivalry in the 26-goal

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not only keep him from competing for the US team in the upcoming Westchester Cup, but sideline him for the balance of the season.

Interestingly enough, 8-goaler Julio Arellano, an alternate on the US Westchester Cup team suffered a broken hand while practicing with the team just a week earlier.

The injury ended Arellano’s season as well.

For the fifth consecutive year, IPC hosted the Outback 40-Goal Challenge. Hampered by fewer teams and thus fewer 10-goal players, the show still played on (see p47).

A week after the Outback 40-Goal match, the United States played England in a Westchester Cup. England scored a 10-9 win (see p48).

With the entry of the 26-goal competition, so came a new group of high-goal players.

Ten-goalers Facundo Pieres, Juan Martin Nero, Pablo MacDonough and Mariano Aguerre saddled up for the C. V. Whitney, the single elimination opening tournament of the 26-goal season. Once again, the performances of the evenly matched teams were reflected in the match scores.

With a field of seven teams (down from 11 teams in 2008) and seven games, four of them were decided by a single goal and three of them, including the final, were decided in sudden-death overtime.

A strong Audi team rode onto the field with Marc Ganzi, Facundo Pieres, Gonzalito Pieres and Fred Mannix, Jr. Audi opened with wins over White Birch and Zacara before getting past Lechuza Caracas, 8-7 in the finals.

Audi team captain, Marc Ganzi, was named MVP while Victor Vargas’ nine-year-old gray mare Julieta ridden by Juan Martin Nero received Best Playing Pony honors.

Black Watch fielded a team in the 2009 USPA Piaget Gold Cup that consisted of four professionals. Fred Mannix, Jr. was replaced on the Audi team by the youngest Pieres brother, 6-goaler Nicolas Pieres. Mannix joined Nacho Figueras, Sugar Erskine and Luis Escobar on the newly created Black Watch team.

Audi and Lechuza Caracas opened the Gold Cup as the favorites but as Audi struggled to get past Pony Express, 12-11, Lechuza Caracas fell to Black Watch 10-9.

Lechuza fought its way back into the title hunt with wins over Las Monjitas and Pony Express. Audi took care of Zacara in an 11-8 win and allowed Orchard Hill to win a ‘no consequence’ game from them before the semi-finals.

Lechuza Caracas managed to get past Pony Express in the semi-finals by the narrow 8-7 margin while Audi earned its way into the USPA Piaget Gold Cup finals on the strength of a 10-8 win over Black Watch.

In one of the most exciting games of the year, Lechuza Caracas atoned for its C. V. Whitney championship loss to Audi by taking the final match 11-10.

Juan Martin Nero’s eight-year-old Chestnut mare Mini Bank won Best Playing Pony honors while Nicolas Espain, who scored the final goal of the match for Lechuza Caracas, was named MVP. Open competition seemed to have two early frontrunners in Audi and Lechuza Caracas. Audi had flexed its muscles in winning the C. V. Whitney Cup with an 8-7 win over Lechuza Caracas while Lechuza came back to take the USPA Piaget Gold Cup from Audi in an 11-10 final.

The Open began with a steadily improving Orchard Hill team downing Pony Express 13-10 followed by Audi’s decimation of Zacara, 15-8.

White Birch needed a sudden-death overtime period in which to beat Lechuza Caracas, 12-11 while Las Monjitas rode past Black Watch 9-7.

Audi and White Birch remained unbeaten after Audi dispatched Orchard Hill in a 10-8 contest while White Birch needed another overtime period in which to take care of a stubborn Black Watch foursome.

Lechuza got back into the winning column with a 10-8 win over Las Monjitas and Pony

1/6/09 10:56:29

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Skydivers, a passover by jets and a flood of media set the scene for the 2009 US Open Championship

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the first chukker and led 5-1 after two.

Audi came alive in the third period with three goals from Facundo Pieres and a single goal from brother Gonzalo Pieres, but two goals from Adam Snow kept Las Monjitas on top, 7-5 at the end of the first half.

Defences tightened in the fourth chukker with a sole penalty goal being recorded by Facundo Pieres, cutting the Las Monjitas lead to a single goal, 7-6 to end the chukker.

‘I knew we could do it,’ said a weary Facundo Pieres following the match, ‘I knew that if we just continued to play our game we would win,’ he added.

Eduardo Novillo Astrada broke loose for a goal and Las Monjitas seemed to regain momentum, but it was short-lived. A penalty allowed Facundo Pieres another penalty shot, which he converted to keep Audi within a goal at 8-7.

The sixth chukker was played at flat-out speed. Long passes, hard ride-offs and expert clearing shots set the tone for the game at that point.

With 1:12 left on the clock, Facundo Pieres broke through the Las Monjitas defence to score the tying goal.

A brief intermission was followed by a sudden-death overtime period in which it was Facundo Pieres who broke through the Las Monjitas defense one last time to score the

winning goal for Audi.

Facundo Pieres led all players in scoring with seven goals, but for the first time in Open history the MVP was jointly awarded to two 1 players, Adam Snow and Eduardo Novillo Astrada. Eduardo Novillo Astrada’s nine-yearold gray mare Slecha was named Best Playing Pony.

1 Madonna at IPC with Nacho Figueras 2 Eduardo Novillo Astrada was joint MVP of the final and was raised to 10 goals 3 Scoreboard during the finals of the Piaget Gold Cup

LILA PHOTO / WWW.LILAPHOTOS.COM

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Express redeemed itself in a 12-10 win at the expense of Zacara.

Audi kept its winning ways going with an 11-9 victory over Pony Express for a perfect 3-0 record and a berth in the semi-finals while Zacara bounced back from a rocky start with a 13-11 win over Orchard Hill. The win, however, came at a price. In order for Zacara to stay in the running for a spot in the semifinals it needed to beat Orchard Hill by three goals. In the final chukker, Zacara patron Lyndon Lea suffered a fall and was removed from the game (broken collarbone). Mariano Gracida took his place but in spite of a lastsecond shot by Carlos Gracida that missed by inches, Zacara and Lyndon Lea were out.

For all intents and purposes the US Open field was narrowed to seven teams. That was when the absolute bottom dropped out.

Shortly after arriving on the grounds of the International Polo Club in preparation for the 3pm game, the Lechuza Caracas horses began to exhibit unusual behavior that included dizziness, disorientation and an inability to stand. Before the day was over, 21 horses had died (p22).

Lechuza Caracas and Zacara dropped out of competition leaving a field of six teams.

Two, Black Watch and Pony Express would meet in the Hall of Fame Cup and the remaining four would face-off in the semifinals of the US Open.

Kris Kampsen came aboard to fill out the Black Watch lineup with Fred Mannix, Jr. leaving town, but a determined Pony Express team persisted until it secured an 11-10 overtime win.

In the semi-finals Las Monjitas made its way into its second consecutive US Open finals on the strength of a 12-10 win over Orchard Hill while Audi handed White Birch an 11-10 beating to secure its spot in the big game.

Skydivers, a passover by three jets and a flood of media who had assembled to check the pulse of a polo community who had recently suffered its greatest loss, set the scene for the 2009 US Open Championship.

IPC claimed a record crowd, approaching 4,000, as Las Monjitas and Audi prepared for the season’s final high-goal match.

Facundo Pieres scored seven goals in the finals of the United States Open polo championship, but none was more important than his last goal as his overtime score provided Audi with a sudden-death 9-8 overtime win over a demoralized Las Monjitas team.

With a crowd of over 4,000 on hand, Las Monjitas jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after

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5/6/09 12:58:02

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Florida

DAVID LOMINSKA/WWW.POLOGRAPHICS.COM

Michelob Polo – the end of an era, reports Sarah Eakin This year’s Outback 40-goal Challenge at International Polo Club, Palm Beach to benefit the Polo Player’s Support Group heralded the end of an era in American polo.

After a 12-11 win for Michelob Ultra over opponents EFG Bank in the annual game that raises funds for injured players and members of the polo world, Adolphus A Busch IV announced the end of a polo dynasty that has played a significant role in the nurturing and development of American polo.

‘We’ve been here for 25 years,’ said Busch who founded Team Michelob in 1984. ‘It has been a wonderful ride. I hope American polo can continue to count on the support of sponsors like Michelob. And I encourage all to support the Polo Players Support Group in its important endeavours to provide benefit to members of the polo community in need.’

Since founding Team Michelob in 1984 Busch has embraced American polo. Known as Team America for Busch’s preference for hiring home-grown talent, the list of players that have donned the Michelob shirts reads like a list of America’s top professionals from the past 25 years including Mike Azzaro, Tiger Kneece and Philip Lake. Sometimes with more than one Michelob team in the roster the string of victories include the Sunshine League at Royal Palm Polo, two World Cups and the USPA Gold Cup hosted by Palm Beach Polo, the International Open at Palm Beach Polo (with two Michelob teams in the final) and numerous others nationwide.

‘Adolphus gave many young American players a great deal of support in the sport of

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polo, including myself,’ said Eakin, a former 6-goal player linked with Michelob for some 20 years of his career. ‘Going to this year’s Hall of Fame dinner for Owen [Rinehart]’s induction turned out to be a great Team Michelob reunion. It was sad that Bobby Barry was not there since he too was such a prominent player on the Michelob teams.’

Adolphus donated $25,000 to the Polo Player’s Support Group in Barry’s name after his death last summer and challenged others to match it. For years Michelob has been a major sponsor of the 40-goal benefit.

Whichever team wins, the real triumph is in the money that is raised to support players in need such as Rob Walton – a former 8-goal American pro now confined to a wheelchair after a polo accident 14 years ago.

Aside from the sponsorship on the polo field – and Adolphus actively participated as a 3-goal player until a back injury sidelined him from polo in 1991 – Busch underwrote an ESPN-production in 1983 and 1984 to film three of the major high goal finals at Palm Beach Polo. He also personally underwrote the Media Room and Polo Video for the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame.

He has continued the family environmentalist traditions sinking a reef of the coast of South Florida to create marine habitat and appearing in the media last year to highlight the flood problems caused by overdevelopment in St Louis, Missouri, his home town. Busch has pursued sustainable energy options on his farm using substantial solar panels to power his home.

In polo he has left his mark – 29 players and grooms were set to benefit from the 40-goal challenge. Busch will continue to support the game, if no longer under the banner of Team Michelob. ‘Even though I don’t play myself, I still have many friends in polo and it is still a game close to my heart,’ he said.

The winning goal for Michelob Ultra in this year’s 40-goal was planted by Pablo MacDonough. ‘This game is fun to play and I hope the people enjoyed it,’ he said.

MacDonough is one of many players who have taken the field to aid their colleagues.

He was joined by Mariano Aguerre, Lucas Monteverde and Mike Azzaro. EFG Bank lined up a full 40-goal team of Agustin Merlos, Gonzalito Pieres, Facundo Pieres and Sebastian Merlos.

‘It has been a wonderful ride. I hope American polo can continue to count on the support of sponsors like Michelob’

1 Adolphus Busch as a player 2 The winning team, from left: Mike Azzaro, Lucas Monteverde, Mariano Aguerre and Pablo MacDonough with Tim Gannon (centre) and Adolphus

1/6/09 10:59:32

hurlingham [ action ]

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Westchester Cup England could not be beaten at the Westchester Cup as luck, skill and determination provided a winning formula, writes Alex Webbe

A backhander by Luke Tomlinson ended up being the game winner with James Beim’s mallet swishing over the top of the ball as it carried through the goalposts. Initially believed to be Beim’s goals, the pockets of British spectators broke out in wild cheering when England went up 10-9 with less than three minutes left to play.

‘I’d like to take credit for it’ said Beim after the game, ‘but I believe it was Luke’s goal.’

‘I actually believe that the English were better mounted’ remarked Julian Hipwood, the veteran former English captain who arranged horses for the visitors. The English string slowly took shape, built around nearly threedozen horses offered to them by Wellington resident polo player Melissa Ganzi. Eduardo Novillo Astrada had a string of his own in residence at the Las Monjitas stables so it was up to Hipwood to find enough additional horses to make the English competitive.

A series of ‘practices’ were arranged so that Beim and the Tomlinson brothers could get some sense of what they might have available to them. In the end they turned to polo legend Memo Gracida from whom a lease was arranged for an additional 11 horses.

In spite of the inroads made in the horse acquisition circle, the odds were definitely against the visiting Brits. That was until

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Thursday, February 19 when America’s highest rated player, 9-goaler Mike Azzaro, was involved in a violent crash on the field during a 20-goal tournament game. Azzaro suffered a broken collarbone that eliminated him from the US team just 48 hours before game time.

With no time to practice with the team, 8-goaler Jeff Hall took to the field with the Americans and England’s chances changed.

‘We couldn’t beat them with Mike (Azzaro)’ said England’s coach Javier Novillo Astrada.

‘I was just hoping that we could keep it close.

There was no way we could beat them if Mike were playing.’

The United States took the field with a 30-goal team instead of the 31-goal alignment that it had planned, but it was radically different in composition than the one it had previously assembled.

England received one goal by handicap and was the benefactor of a penalty conversion by

In spite of the inroads made in the horse acquisition circle, the odds were definitely against the visiting Brits

Mark Tomlinson and a goal from the field from Beim, but appeared much quicker than the Americans. The United States got a single penalty goal to end the period trailing 3-1.

Aggressive play in the defensive end of the field resulted in fouls by the English. Roldan converted two attempts to penalty shots to tie the game at 3-3. Moments later, Mark Tomlinson scored his first goal from the field to take back the lead, and brother Luke scored on a Penalty 2 to end the chukker with a 5-3 lead. Luke Tomlinson connected on a Penalty 3 shot in the third chukker for a three goal, 6-3 advantage before Hall scored his first goal of the game. The US team limped off the field trailing 6-4 and the English were elated.

When the Americans returned to the field they had moved Hall to the Number 2 position.

‘We needed someone who was going to be more aggressive up front’ said Rinehart.

‘I initially had Jeff (Hall) at Number 2 but changed the lineup just before the game.’

And the lineup change was a boon to the Americans.

Goals from Blake and Hall tied the game at 6-6. A score from Mark Tomlinson gave the lead back to England, with Roldan scoring the final goal of the chukker to knot it up at 7-7.

Blake opened the fifth chukker with a go-ahead goal for the United States but Luke

DAVID LOMINSKA/WWW.POLOGRAPHICS.COM

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With minutes left to 2 play, Luke Tomlinson refused to be denied and managed to drive the ball through the goal Tomlinson answered with a goal a moment later. Roldan put the US up once again with his fifth goal of the match but Mark Tomlinson answered with a penalty goal to end the chukker in a 9-9 tie.

Both defences tightened in the final chukker. A rush in one direction, a clearing defensive shot and then a rush in the other direction. Both teams struggled, scrapped and fought for each and every possession. With less than three minutes left to play, Luke Tomlinson refused to be denied and managed to drive the ball through the goal posts on a well-placed backhander. England took a precarious one goal lead, 10-9.

Having taken possession following the ensuing throw-in, England drove toward the US goal. The Americans broke the ball loose however and began a drive toward the English end of the field, but the sound of the bell saved them from any further damage.

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The English had managed to travel thousands of miles, organise a makeshift string of high-goal ponies and beat the Americans in their own backyard.

The international series had been re-ignited with a vengeance and there was a great deal of enthusiasm to keep it going.

The Hurlingham Polo Association and the USPA found a common ground with the success of the match and players on both sides gave a sigh of relief when the final bell sounded. The English had won but the 123-year-old series was far from over. Before the trophy was re-crated (a function that was done by the players themselves) to be shipped back to England, plans were being made to play it again. The rotation agreed to by both national ruling bodies meant that the countries would take turns hosting the match. Now, if Azzaro is healthy when the Americans next come to England…

1 Nicholas Roldan chased by Mark Tomlinson in white 2 MVP Luke Tomlinson 3 Pelon Sterling (right) discusses pony lists with Mark Tomlinson 4 ‘Edward’ Novillo Astrada, who only has an English passport

27/5/09 18:32:48

hurlingham [ action ]

The Camacho Cup Julio Gracida’s switch to forward position made the Americans raise their game, reports Alex Webbe.

But not enough to win…

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Tommy Biddle followed by Kris Kampsen

Six chukkers of the most exciting polo in the history of The Villages Polo Club earned these players an ovation Gracida, a member of the two previously successful Mexican teams. ‘We moved Julio (Gracida) forward and told him and Pelon (Escapite) to push the front end, and allow Memo and Carlos to work in the middle.’

The switch immediately worked in Mexico’s favour. Following a penalty by the USA (a bump behind the saddle) and ensuing penalty conversion by Carlos Gracida, Escapite scored again, followed by a goal from the field from Carlos Gracida that tied the game at 8-8.

Gobin punched the ball through the goal posts to put the United States up 9-8, but it would be a short-lived advantage.

Mexico came right back with Escapite’s third goal of the game to even it again at 9-9.

Carlos Gracida added another goal from the field for a 10-9 edge. With time running out in the fourth chukker, Biddle scored his third goal of the game to end the period tied at 10-10.

Biddle continued his brilliant performance by scoring the first goal of the fifth chukker.

Arellano took the following throw-in 150 yards for a goal and the USA had a 12-10 lead.

Julio Gracida and Biddle exchanged goals, followed by two penalty conversions from Carlos Gracida, resulting in a 13-13 deadlock.

‘I didn’t know if we were ahead or behind,’

said an exhausted Carlos Gracida after the game. ‘I was forced to work very hard today,’ he added, ‘they are a very good team.’

Kampsen put the United States ahead with a single goal in the sixth, but Carlos Gracida came right back and tied it at 14-14. Gracida added yet another goal on a penalty, putting Mexico ahead 15-14 before Arellano evened it at 15-15 with a couple of minutes to play.

Gobin stole the ball from Memo Gracida at the Mexican end and headed toward the goal from 70 yards out, when a miscue relieved him of the ball. Memo Gracida jumped on it and carried it down the field toward the US goal.

Gobin came up with the ball once again and attempted to pass it across the goalmouth toward Biddle. A waiting Memo Gracida intercepted the pass and with 48 seconds on the clock, carried it toward the goal, where he scored for the 16-15 Mexican victory.

‘If we just had a couple of faster horses toward the end,’ said Gobin post-match. ‘We left everything we had on the field,’ he added.

Six chukkers of the most exciting polo in the history of The Villages Polo Club earned these players an ovation. Carlucho Arellano’s mare, Java, was named Best Playing Pony, while Carlos Gracida was named MVP.

DAVID LOMINSKA/WWW.POLOGRAPHICS.COM

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Disparagingly referred to as ‘the replacement players’ in some polo circles, a handful of overlooked American poloists packed up their horses and drove three hours north of Wellington, Florida to The Villages Polo Club.

Created in a retirement community of more than 70,000 residents, a beautifully constructed two-sided polo stadium sits astride two best-looking fields in the country.

The team’s mission? To engage in battle with Mexico in a resurrection of the international series between the USA and Mexico: the Camacho Cup. Named after General Avila Camacho, Mexican President from1940 to 1946, and an avid polo player, the cup was inaugurated in 1941 as a perpetual challenge trophy and has been played for eight times, with the United States maintaining a 5-3 advantage.

The US team was to be led by 9-goaler Mike Azzaro. That was until February 19 when, America’s highest-rated player was involved in a violent crash on the International Polo Club fields. Azzaro suffered a broken collarbone that eliminated him from not only serving as captain of the US Camacho Cup team, but also took him off the US Westchester Cup team – just days before the scheduled match.

The US team received two goals by handicap (agreed by both teams) but got a shot in the arm in the opening minute when Biddle broke through the Mexican team, carrying the ball more than 150 yards for a goal. Scores from Arellano and Kampsen were answered by a single penalty conversion by Carlos Gracida, and the teams left the field after the opening chukker, with the US on top of a 5-1 lead.

Julio Gracida got on the scoreboard for Mexico in the second chukker, followed by success from Gobin and Arellano as the US polo team took a 7-2 lead.

‘Julio and I were nervous in the opening chukkers,’ admitted Escapite. ‘Our horses were a bit flat and we just weren’t in the game.’

Following a beautiful save in front of the US goal in the third chukker by Biddle, Carlos Gracida converted a second penalty shot and quickly added another from the field. Biddle came back with his second goal of the game, before Escapite cut the US lead to three goals at the end of the first half, 8-5.

‘We changed the lineup a bit for the second half,’ said Mexico’s coach, Ruben

1/6/09 11:01:24

Nacho Gonzalez on the ball with Shane Rice in pursuit

Hickstead

© TONY RAMIREZ – WWW.IMAGESOFPOLO.COM

Another great win against the US gave Brits the coveted Bryan Morrison Memorial Trophy at the All-England Polo Club, Hickstead

Roles were reversed earlier this year when England took revenge and beat the USA 15-9, to win the Bryan Morrison Memorial Trophy, in the second annual arena international test match of the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA) at the All-England Polo Club, Hickstead.

It was the second time in less than six months that national arena teams of the two countries had clashed. In the September 2008 revival of the 1921 Townsend Cup at Great Meadow Polo Club in Virginia, it was the USA that triumphed over England, after the latter lost their star player to pre-match illness.

When the two countries met again at Hickstead, not only was the Bryan Morrison International the highest rated arena match ever played in England – at 20 goals – it also saw the two teams evenly matched in player talent and pony power. Russ Sheldon from California, the USA coach, expressed thanks for the ponies loaned, through the HPA’s arena committee chairman, Michael Amoore.

The USA team was appropriately representative of coast-to-coast arena polo in America: Skipper Billy Sheldon, handicap 7, is from Southern California; Shane Rice, 8, hails from Texas; and Charlie Muldoon, 5, comes from Maryland on the East Coast. All were

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Officials said that future internationals would be at an even higher level than Hickstead – rising to 24 goals or more veterans of winning teams in the USPA’s national arena championships.

Nacho Gonzalez led the England team, at handicap 9 the highest-rated player in the match. He was joined by Howard Smith, 6, and Ryan Pemble, 5. Jonny Good was the England coach. In a seesaw first chukker, the Yanks drew blood with a penalty conversion by Rice, but by the end of the period it was all tied up at 3-3. By half-time however, the home team had secured an 8-5 advantage. England increased its lead to 12-6 in the third chukka and, at the final bell, were winners at 15-9.

Greta Morrison – widow of the late Bryan Morrison, ‘godfather’ of UK arena polo – and HPA chairman Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers led the prize presentations. England’s Ryan Pemble, who scored six of the team’s goals, was named Most Valuable Player. Shortly after

the international, the HPA raised Pemble’s handicap from 5 to 6 goals. The Retraining of Racehorses Best Playing Pony prize went to Heidi, owned by John Horswell and played by Howard Smith.

Thanks to Subaru’s sponsorship, Hickstead had extensive TV coverage, with 16 prime time transmissions and repeats on Sky TV. Dr Phillip Karber, chairman of the arena committee of the US Polo Association (USPA), said that US clubs would be ‘experimenting for a year’ with two of the HPA’s arena rules that speed up action in a three-man game: hitting in after a goal score, rather than returning to centre for a throw-in, and a hit from the spot, rather than a throw-in when the ball is hit out.

Karber also said that the USPA was looking to challenge England in another running of the Townsend Cup in the US later this year, and that the USPA would welcome a return match for the Bryan Morrison international in England in 2010. HPA arena chairman Amoore welcomed these proposals, adding that HPA would respond positively.

Both officials said that future arena UK vs US internationals would likely be at an even higher level than Hickstead, rising to 24 goals or more – equivalent to 32 goals on grass.

1/6/09 11:03:29

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New Zealand Diary From chukkas to koalas, Clare Milford Haven enjoys the challenges of an unforgettable trip to New Zealand

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Saturday, 7th February A 24-hour flight is a daunting prospect but thanks to Singapore Airlines and their new Airbus 380, our day in the sky is suddenly looking up. We try their ‘Suites’, which are like being incased in a very comfortable pod. After some food, a glass of champagne and half a sleeping pill, I drift into a semi-comatose state.

Sticky and Wendy Glue greet us at Auckland airport with a Porsche Cayenne, courtesy of the main sponsors of the New Zealand Open.

Defying jetlag, we head straight to Kihikihi Polo Club for the International Polo Test between New Zealand and Argentina.

An imposing line-up of Kiwis consisting of JP Clarkin, Tommy Wilson, Simon Keyte and Sam Hopkinson face a lesser-known team of Argies. The visiting team delivers some impressive play and by the final chukka are four goals up. The game is passionate, with some heated discourse between players, umpires and crowd members. ‘Control your timper!’ shouts one spectator when the opposing No. 3 disputes a foul. By the end, the Kiwis creep up and a winning goal secures them the cup. After recuperating in the shade, we head off to spend our first night at the Formosa Golf Club.

Sunday, 8th February There’s no rest for the wicked. Play six chukkas to test horses for the Open and then go in search of new lodging. I discover an enchanting converted wool shed at Crabtree Farm run by Marcia Savage. Marcia, otherwise known as ‘M’, is charmingly eccentric and woos us with homemade cakes.

In a second, our bags are packed and we move in with the soothing strains of Vivaldi and a glass of local red lulling us into the sleepy atmosphere of Clevedon.

Monday, 9th February Another six chukkas but twice the speed as we play against the Stella Artois team: George, JP, Nina and Craig Wilson. Rain beckons but we head for lunch at a café overlooking Maraetai Beach. Jetlag begins to take its grip, as does the streaming cold caught en route. I crash.

Tuesday, 10th February Trip into Auckland to gawp at the Louis Vuitton boats in the harbour. Lunch at La Bocca in Parnell Market before heading back

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Georgina and Emelia Forsyth sheltering from the rain

to Clevedon and George’s first game. Bump into Lanto Sheridan, Marcus Beresford, Tom Morley, and Ross Ainsley. Georgina and Emelia Forsyth (Cody’s girls) are delightfully mischievous and help plan my saddle blankets and bandages for the following game. Stella Artois win by seven goals and celebrate at Lawrence and Di’s house with tequila shots.

Wednesday, 11th February ‘M’ collects fresh croissants and the morning newspaper on her vespa. The New Zealand Herald’s front page proclaims ‘WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS KOALA’, picturing Sam, the koala who somehow survived the Australian bush fires, with only superficial burns – and became an overnight YouTube sensation. After lunch we head to Fisher Field to play our first match against Team Blundell, a four-man team of locals. Despite closing in on them at half time, the heat is draining and we lose by three goals.

JP Clarkin still smiling after being hit in the face

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George and Clare Milford Haven in Auckland Harbour

‘Sticky’ Glue, George and Clare Milford Haven, Tony van den Brink, Mitty and Cody Forsyth

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From left: Sam Hopkinson, JP Clarkin, Tommy Wilson and Simon Keyte

It’s been a hectic week, but I’m sad to leave this beautiful country and its uncomplicated people

Thursday, 12th February Drive to Maraetai Beach for some pasta before George’s game against Rodd & Gunn (Tom Morley, Ross Ainsley, Sam Hopkinson and Ross George.) The match is disasterridden for our Stella Artois team: Craig Wilson loses a horse to a heart attack, JP gets hit in the face and needs 10 stitches, and they lose by three goals. Fortunately, they still make the semis. Our game is thankfully less intense than yesterday’s. We win by three goals and are placed in the semis against George’s team!

Friday, 13th February Visit ‘Anje’s Beauty Biz’ on North Road for some pampering, before being glamorously collected by Tony van den Brink’s helicopter and whisked to Waiheke Island for lunch at Te Whau. We feast on fresh crab and tuna, while downing the local ‘cab sauv’. Evening drinks at the club, where the local celebrities (all three of them) arrive in a stretch Hummer wearing dresses resembling handkerchiefs.

Have to drag George away.

Saturday, 14th February A cold and wet Valentine’s Day. Due to Sunday’s scheduled final we still have to play our semi-final against the Stella Artois team.

Despite losing by two goals we feel we gave them a good run for their money. The second semi-final is between Team Blundell and Rodd & Gunn. The latter win, giving us a great

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Aeriel view of Waiheke island

Clare Milford Haven looking hot and bothered after a game

final to look forward to tomorrow. I leave early to wallow in a hot bath.

Sunday, 15th February Finals day. We have our subsidiary final against Team Blundell, who we beat by a couple of goals – then it’s off to meet our sponsors, Mumm champagne, for a drink.

Everyone brings something to the table: salads and platters of cheese, not to mention coolers stuffed with beer, local wines and champagne. Entertainment includes a race between a Porsche Cayenne and Cody astride Banderas. The final is a memorable game with a stunning end-to-end goal by Nina and

JP’s unforgettable two goals from the halfway line. Nina’s safety shot to the boards in the final seconds saves the game from going to an extra chukka. Sam Hopkinson wins MVP and JP’s ex-polocrosse mare deservedly gains Best Playing Pony. After the formalities, many head to Ross Ainsley’s for a fancy dress party.

I crash out.

Sunday, 16th February Homeward bound. I climb the hill opposite and look down at the stunning view to the sea. Bid a tearful farewell to Marcia. It’s been hectic, but I’m sad to leave this beautiful country and its uncomplicated, friendly people.

27/5/09 18:33:59

hurlingham [ action ]

Australia The highlight of the Australian polo calender lives on, writes Joe McInally, as rumours of its demise prove unfounded

The rumours can now officially be put to rest as it has been confirmed that Ellerston will continue well into the future

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played by Matt Grimes. Eynesbury beat Wastecorp to win the subsidiary final. The follow-on tournament, the JD MacLeod Cup, was contested between five teams and was rated as a 14-goal.

This tournament was one of the closest of tournaments I have seen in seven years, with three of the five teams jockeying for the final two spots. Garangula had to beat Eynesbury in the last day of the preliminary games to go through to the final. Eynesbury could lose this game and still go through but Ellerston White needed Eynesbury to win for them to make the final. Garangula ended up winning 12-10 so the same two teams, Garangula and Eynesbury, would be meeting again in the final.

The Eynesbury team was made up of James LeHardy (5), Ruki Bailieu © (7) with his two cousins Ed Goold (4) and newcomer to polo William Goold (-2). Ed and William are brothers. The Garangula team was made up of Guy Schwarzenbach (1), Jack Archibald

(2), John Paul Clarkin (8) and Simon Hill (3).

This final of the J.D. Macleod Cup was a fast and furious affair with Eynesbury taking the lead through Ruki Baillieu after two minutes of play. The first chukka ended 3-2 in favour of the Eynesbury team. Garangula struggled to find the form they had in their previous games and would continue to chase the Eynesbury lead. They came close in the second chukka at 5-4 but Eynesbury was a much better team on the day and finished the final chukka 12-10. This was the same score line as their final preliminary game but only to the opposite teams.

Ed Goold was awarded the Most Valuable Player. Champion Pony was awarded to Locket played by Ed Goold. Thailand beat Ellerston White to win the subsidiary final.

The presentation was an unforgettable occasion with Stuart and June Gilmore presenting the trophies. Stuart and June arrived at Ellerston 22 years ago during the

JOE MCINALLY PHOTOGRAPHY

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Ellerston is nestled in the Upper Hunter Valley in New South Wales and is the crown jewel of Australian Polo. This would be my seventh year covering the Ellerston tournaments and I was starting the 12-hour drive from my base in Brisbane, Queensland, after hearing the rumours that the Kerry Packer Challenge Cup and JD MacLeod Cup were to be the last Ellerston tournaments to be played at the world-class polo complex for two to three years.

The handicap levels for this year’s tournaments were lowered to 12 and 14 goal.

Due to the lower goal tournaments and perhaps also due to the economic environment there were more local Australian players in the teams with no high-goal South American players taking part this year.

The teams for the first tournament, The Kerry Packer Challenge Cup, were keen to win the prestige piece of silver. The goal rating for this tournament was rated at 12-goal, in which eight teams were taking part. The semi-finals, finals and subsidiary finals are always played on the renowned, world-class Home Field.

Ellerston White and Pitchfork made their way through the qualifying rounds to make the final. The Ellerston White team consisted of Neil Craig (2), Matt Grimes © (4), Jared McHardy (4) and Jeff Fisher (2). The Pitchfork team consisted of Tim Clarke (1), Robbie Archibald (6), Andrew Hine © (6) and Rick Mitchell (0) This game was a true example of 12-goal polo. There were no goals scored in the first chukka and it ended with Ellerston White leading by their one goal handicap start.

Pitchfork were finding it hard to find some rhythm in their play and Ellerston White managed to get up 5-1 at the end of the third chukka. It was starting to look like Ellerston White would run away with the game when Pitchfork finally gelled and found the form that got them through to the final. Pitchfork managed to pull the score back to 7-4 in the fifth chukka, but unfortunately they had left it a bit too late. Ellerston White took the trophy by beating Pitchfork 8-6.

Matt Grimes was awarded the Most Valuable Player and was well deserved.

Champion Pony was awarded to Crinkle

1/6/09 11:04:56

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start of construction and are now retiring. Ros Packer presented Stuart and Jim Gilmore with two of Kerry’s favourite jackets. It was a very emotional, heartfelt speech and I don’t think there was a dry eye on the polo field. Stuart and June are moving to Beaudesert in Queensland and will be living just around the corner from their son, Glen.

The rumours can now officially be put to rest, as confirmation from the Ellerston Polo office is that the Ellerston tournaments will be continuing well into the future. Everyone at Ellerston is now making plans to prepare for the Ellerston Spring Trophy tournament being played in October.

These rumours certainly caused a major scare in the polo community here in Australia.

The loss of the excellence of Ellerston polo, fostered by both Kerry and James over the last 20 years, would have been sorely missed by the Australian and world polo communities alike.

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1 Ruki Bailieu and Guy Schwarzenbach battle for the ball in the JD MacLeod Final 2009 2 Winners of the Kerry Packer Challenge Cup 2009: Jared McHardy, Jeff Fisher, Gretel and Erica Packer, Matt Grimes © (with sons Jack and Cody) and Neil Craig 3 Tears all round as Mrs Ros Packer presents retirement gifts to Stuart ‘Griz’ Gilmour and wife June

1/6/09 11:05:43

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Hurtwood

I had hoped for a slightly less damp start to the 2009 polo season, to lift my spirits in these economically challenged times, but it was not to be. However, the standard of polo I witnessed on Sunday 17th May at Hurtwood did much to brighten my mood.

One thing has become clear; the one tap rule is working, both teams really hit the ball, passing it to one another and making the umpires’ job much easier for it. The resulting flow of play was a joy to watch for those spectators who had braved the elements.

Six teams started in this year’s 18-goal Masters tournament; the first high-goal foray of the season. With a prize of $100,000 up for grabs, there was much to play for. For the Madams Farm team, the prize money would have been especially welcome. According to Alan Kent, whose son John played on the

The one tap rule is working, both teams hit the ball, passing it to one another and making the umpires’ job easier

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team, patrons at the farm ‘clubbed together to stump up the £4,000 entry fee to help out some of the pros there who were finding work a bit slow due to the credit crunch. The deal was, in lay terms, ‘no win, no fee’. Sadly for them they didn’t win, although up until the last half of the final chukka they were leading Polonetworks by a goal.

At the start of the final chukka, Jamie Le Hardy, a player to watch this season, scored off a 30 yard open goal penalty. No sooner was the ball thrown in, than he was off again, scoring from a sublime under-the-neck shot to level the scores to nine apiece. It was a near-perfect back-hand by Nick Britten Long that set Henry Brett on a blazing trail towards goal. With no other players in sight, a much improved Brett hammered home what turned out to be the winning goal for Polonetworks.

Henry Brett is almost unrecognisable on the field. He has grown and matured as a player under the watchful eye of Polonetworks Chairman and Patron, Richard Britten Long.

‘Henry is constantly bringing on horses, which are a credit to him,’ says Richard. And according to Richard he is really working at his game. ‘Henry is certainly playing as a six gaoler should every match,’ he notes. Brett has

the potential, if his form continues, to make a re-appearance in the England squad.

The Polonetworks team has been long in the planning, and even declined the offer of a coach, because they were so confident with each other and knew they played well together. With regards to his teams’ impeccable behaviour on the field, Richard says it is down to the large monetary fines he imposes on his players for technical fouls or inappropriate behaviour.

‘I impose cash fines for technicals and general bad behaviour on the field,’ says Richard. ‘My players know I enforce it ruthlessly, because there is no excuse and no place for that sort of thing on the polo field.’ This is also practised by several other high-goal patrons and can only be beneficial to the sport.

However, Mr Britten Long is also known to be extremely generous to his players. ‘The Polonetworks team will be getting around 95% of the $100,000 winnings. They were paid professional fees on top,’ he says.

If this is the standard of polo we are going to see this season, then I think the sport should be very proud of itself and it should prove to be a season to remember.

ANDREW TOBIN

Antje Doel reports from Hurtwood, where the one tap rule and prize money motivated six teams to compete in an unforgettable tournament

4/6/09 10:54:38

1 Henry Brett on the ball with

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Richard Le Poer on his hip 2 The winners from left: Nick Britten-Long, Jamie Le Hardy, Henry Brett and Roddy Williams with Lucy Northmore of Polonetworks

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4/6/09 10:00:14

hurlingham [ action ]

Adolfo Cambiaso receives the trophy from Frankie Dorignac, outgoing President of the Argentine Polo Association

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NATIONS CUP

After edging Brazil 10-6 in the final, Argentina obtained the first edition of the 26-28 goals Nations Cup, played in April at the Palermo Polo fields in Buenos Aires. England and Rest of the World completed the teams in the tournament. It was a huge success, primarily due to the level of polo, the organisation, the thousands of spectators who enjoyed the action and the duels against the different countries - considered with the United States (who did not play) to be the best in the world.

England opened the championship facing Brazil in what was one of the best encounters played at ‘the Cathedral of Polo’. The match could be divided into two different parts: up to the end of the first half, the English squad dominated play putting up convincing teamwork to lead 9-4. From the start of the fourth chukka, Brazil came from behind, led by Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade and managed to get ahead with just minutes to go. But Luke Tomlinson equalised 14-14 with a 40 yards penalty. Then it was the same Ribeiro de Andrade who gave his team the 15-14 victory through a place penalty in an extra chukka.

In the second match, Argentina had to work hard for their 12-10 victory against Rest

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England opened the championship facing Brazil in one of the best encounters at ‘the Cathedral of Polo’ of the World, which marked Adolfo Cambiaso well during most of the game. Nevertheless, when Adolfo managed to overcome his markers he made the difference for his team scoring decisive goals or leaving the ball for his team-mates Pieres or Ulloa to score them.

The next day, again showing good polo, Brazil defeated Rest of the World 11-8 to qualify for the final. As happened in their opening game, Ribeiro de Ardrade was the play maker but all his team-mates performed well, helping him in defense and scoring the goals – as was the case with Ganon who scored five to be the top scorer of the match.

Despite their mediocre performance, Argentina gained a 12-8 victory against England to decide the Championship against Brazil. Cambiaso, with a back pain, had to be

replaced at the end of the fourth chukka by Bartolome Castagnola when the match was tied 6-6. But La Dolfina’s back encouraged his team-mates and in the last two periods they overcame England which, as happened against Brazil, lacked finish.

The local team put up their best performance in the decisive match of the tournament to gain a deserved 10-6 victory against Brazil. Argentina took the lead from the start and increased it progressively, dominating the action and the score.

Cambiaso, recovered from his injury, shone again and was the soul of his team, but Ulloa, Pieres and Usandizaga helped him, playing excellently. On the other hand, Brazil could not repeat former performances as they were overcome by their rivals’ best play, also individually.

In the preliminary game, without any chances, England downed Rest of the World 12-11 in an extra chukka with a goal scored

by Luke Tomlinson.

Everybody was happy after the final as it was an excellent tournament (see the players’ opinions opposite) which will probably be repeated next year.

MELITO CEREZO

Jorge Andrades finds out what happened when England, Brazil, Argentina and the Rest of the World met on the field to compete for the coveted Nations Cup

5/6/09 11:03:24

NATIONS CUP The players’ verdicts on the Nations Cup and the teams that played in the tournament

JAIME GARCIA HUIDOBRO (REST OF THE WORLD) Did you like the tournament?

We lost every match we played and so we could not make any conclusion about the Championship but to improve our work. The tournament was good, funny and friendly. It would have been great to play for my country, Chile, but we could not. It was a political decision but I speak about polo, not politics.

Would you play it again in the future?

Just for Chile. I felt I played for nothing…

How was your team?

I feel we had good and bad periods. For example, against Argentina we could have won the match in the last chukker.

Who was the best player of the tournament?

There are various players playing over their handicaps, such as ‘Calao’ Figueira de Mello.

RODRIGO RIBEIRO DE ANDRADE (BRAZIL) Did you like the tournament?

The organisation was great. It was really amazing for us to play it.

Would you play it again in the future?

We made a great effort to bring horses from Brazil and we hope to play the Cup again.

How was your team?

We had just one practice before the start of the tournament and we did not make a good start in the first four chukkas against England.

But then we found our play and despite being the lowest handicap team, I think we put up good performances and reached the final.

Who was the best player of the tournament?

Usandizaga did not play three goals handicap!

He is more! With Cambiaso over 10 and Usandizaga over three, Argentina stole the cup!

HILARIO ULLOA (ARGENTINA) Did you like the tournament?

I think this tournament is good for polo.

I enjoyed it very much. I hope there will be more Nations Cups in the future, with more handicap too. It is a great idea. We saw good polo and the games were close, which helps. If we had been very superior, no one would like to play in Argentina in the future.

Would you play it again in the future?

It will be amazing!

How was your team?

We had a mediocre start then improved against England and finally had a good final against Brazil.

Who was the best player of the tournament?

Adolfito! But the revelation was ‘Polito’ Pieres.

LUKE TOMLINSON (ENGLAND) Did you like the tournament?

We could see good polo but basically it was a great experience for the English team. It was spectacular playing in Palermo for my country.

Would you play it again in the future?

I should be very pleased to play again for England here in the future.

How was your team?

Polo is not an easy sport. You must get your rhythm progressively. If we play this cup again we will come with better horses and organisation. We’ll try to win and thus we need to practice more all together.

Who was the best player of the tournament?

I liked Rodrigo Andrade. He was perhaps the best mounted. But Cambiaso is a phenomenon.

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TEAMS Brazil: José Eduardo Kalil 5, Joäo Paulo Ganon 7, Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade 8, Luiz Carlos Figueira de Mello 6. Total: 26.

England: James Beim 7, Mark Tomlinson 7, Malcolm Borwick 6, Luke Tomlinson 8. Total: 28.

Argentina: Pablo Pieres jr.7, Hilario Ulloa 8, Adolfo Cambiaso 10, Gustavo Usandizaga 3. Total: 28.

Rest of the World: José Donoso (Ch) 7, Julio Gracida (Mex) 6, Jaime García Huidobro (Ch) 8, Martín Zegers (Ch) 6. Total: 27.

4/6/09 10:07:54

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Italy Cortina Winter Polo on Snow celebrated its 20th anniversary in style, reports Tony Ramirez

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1 Dario Musso heads the attack in the final, aided by patron Rommy Gianni 2 View of the field on the frozen Misurina Lake with the polo village and Dolomites in the background 3 Francisco Menendez ‘flies’ over the frozen lake 4 Tatu Gomez Romero shows off his ball control in front of the polo village 5 Patrons Dmitry Vozianov and Alessandro Pastorino concentrate on the actions of their team in the subsidiary final for the Sky Pass World Cup

3 ©TONY RAMIREZ/WWW.IMAGESOFPOLO.COM

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It was back in 1989 that four friends – three Romans who shared a passion for polo, and the owner of the historic Hotel de la Poste, which is still the club house for the event – decided that polo could be played in the Dolomites at Cortina d’Ampezzo – in winter.

At the time, the tournament was played on Lake Landro, between Cortina and Dobbiaco.

Situated in the shadow of the steep walls of Monte Cristallo, the only facility for the public was an Alpine military tent, in which the sole refreshment was an excellent mulled wine.

You need three things to turn a polo tournament into an excellent polo tournament: ‘thoroughbred’ players and horses, a truly special playing field and well-tested, careful organisation. In 2002, with the involvement of new organisers, Maurizio Zuliani and Claudio Giorgiutti, a successful ‘format’ was created, welcoming new, important sponsors. But the spirit remains the same: the desire to play in a sea of blinding white, the air thin in your throat, man and horse sweating together – not to win fame, or a war – but simply to win.

Cortina has grown immensely over the years and has gained its place among the best in the international winter polo calendar. The tournament celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, with a week of top-level polo and a glamorous social scene on the snowcovered frozen surface of the Misurina Lake.

Surrounded by the immaculate peaks of the Sorapis and Cristallo mountains and the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, this is a spectacular location at an altitude of 1800 metres.

The 15th to 21st February saw five high-goal polo teams, with players from Italy, Argentina and Russia competing to win the coveted Cortina Winter Polo Audi Gold Cup 2009 on frozen Lake Misurina. It was the Audi and Malo teams that found themselves in the final after 10 matches.

Luca D’Orazio’s Malo team began stronger and finished the first chukka with a 3-1 lead.

The second chukka saw Audi´s Dario Musso controlling the ball as he found the way to the goalposts, with the help of fast play from Matias Torres Zavaleta. Within five minutes, Audi tied 3-3 and then after one goal by each team the score went to 4-4.

In the third chukka, Audi hit first but it was Malo´s Manuel Carranza and Juan Manuel Gonzalez who helped Luca d’Orazio take a 6-5 lead, before Darío Musso and Rommy Gianni scored to gain an 8-6 advantage.

Eduardo Menendez converted a penalty shot in the last chukka, closing the gap to 8-7, which was quickly answered by Audi to gain a 9-7 lead. Malo did their best to tie 9-9 by the end of regulation time with another penalty conversion by Eduardo Menendez. A penalty

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from the spot converted by Dario Musso in extra time gave Audi a 10-9 victory.

Prior to the final, the subsidiary Sky Pass World Cup was won by Cortina Polo Club, defeating Hotel de la Poste 3½-2.

Eduardo Menendez was awarded MVP, Luca D’Orazio received the Best Italian Player award and Gama, owned by Luca D’Orazio and played by Eduardo Menendez, took the BPP honours.

The tournament came to an end with the customary gala dinner at the Polo village, followed by a spectacular fireworks display.

Cortina has grown immensely over the years to gain its place in the international winter polo calendar

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1/6/09 11:07:06

hurlingham [ action ]

Miami Women’s polo proved a big hit on Miami’s South Beach, writes Alex Webbe, as excited spectators enjoyed a great day out

A successful debut of women’s polo took place on the sands of Miami Beach’s trendy South Beach

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Brazilian Team W (Paula Chermont, Livia Torres and Chris Habib) play against team Pink Polo

Miami Beach Polo World Cup Following Thursday evening’s press conference at The Setai Hotel, six teams took the beach for the fifth staging of the Miami Beach Polo World Cup. Melissa Ganzi and a realigned Audi team stood to defend its 2008 title while strong lineups from Black Watch/Nespresso (Isabella Wolf, Nacho Figueras and Kris Kampsen) and Bombay Sapphire (Lance Vetter, John Gobin and Luis Escobar) had their eyes on the La Martina Cup in the world’s highest rated beach polo tournament.

The VIP tent offered open bars featuring Grey Goose and Bombay Sapphire mixtures and gourmet food prepared by the China Grill Management group and Miami Camacho Cigars for the more discerning cigar aficionados.

Not limited to those bearing the $150 VIP tickets, three quarters of the arena was open to the general public and attracted surfers and sunbathers alike.

‘I didn’t know what was going on,’ said Miami Beach resident Doug Shipp, ‘I was taking my son to the beach when we saw

the horses,’ he added. ‘After my son saw the action, we never left the arena.’

Spectators were clothed in everything from swimming suits to sun dresses as team after team entered the arena. Early favorites Black Watch/Nespresso and Bombay Sapphire each scored two wins going into the final day of play.

The title match proved to be the game of the series as John Gobin scored the winning goal for Bombay Sapphire with 12 seconds left in regulation play for the 7-6 win.

Gobin accounted for four goals in the course of the final game and was named Most Valuable Player in a vote by the players.

His 12-year-old Chestnut mare, Reina, received Best Playing Pony Honors, which were presented by American Polo Horse Association president, Sunny Hale.

Luis Escobar seemed to be in charge of spraying champagne all over his teammates as trophies were being presented.

‘You bet we’ll be back next year,’ said Lance Vetter who won his first championship after participating in the tournament every year since its inception.

FROM THE POLO LIFE BY KRISTY FURGIUELE

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In a bit of a twist to the five-year-old theme that created the Miami Beach Polo World Cup, the people at The Polo Life and Act Productions added a women’s tournament to the polo activities on the beach in an effort to attract additional players, spectators and sponsors. Their efforts were amply rewarded.

The First Annual South Beach Women’s Polo Cup attracted a total of eight teams and 26 players to one of the most successful debuts of women’s polo in the world on the sun-soaked sands of Miami Beach’s trendy South Beach.

Using the World Cup’s ocean side stadium to mount an eight-team, two-bracket competition that showcased every one from Sunny Hale, Alina Carta and Abby Riggs to a team from Brazil in the one-day event, the success of the event was far more than its producers had ever imagined.

‘We were looking at getting two or three women’s teams to play an exhibition match on the sand,’ said Bruce Orosz, president of the Polo Life LLC and local event company ACT Productions, ‘what we got was more than we had hoped for.’

The eight teams competed in a series of two-chukker ‘matches’ that allowed for a title game in each bracket.

The Equus team of Sunny Hale, Kathleen Gannon, Kate Griffin and Julia Charquero took top honors in the A Bracket by sneaking past a determined Pali Capital trio (Charquero and Griffin split chukkers) while Nespresso (Laura Grindley, Isabella Wolf, Cariane Hoffie and Sabine Schaffer) downed Bombay Sapphire 5-1 in the finals of Bracket B. Pali Capital’s Alina Carta was selected MVP of Bracket A while 18-year-old Isabella Wolf of Nespresso picked up MVP honors in her bracket. John Gobin’s Wisteria was selected at the Best Playing Pony. Wisteria was ridden by Kathleen Gannon.

‘This is just the greatest experience ever,’ said Amy Goodson of Stallwatch/Grey Goose.

The excitement generated by the women players just heightened the enthusiasm of the crowd as players and horses continued to play.

‘This was the most fun I have ever had,’ said Stallwatch’s Laura Willson.

27/5/09 18:36:47

SUPA

MICHAEL CHEVIS

Somerset played host to a veritable university challenge when students from 27 colleges arrived in the county to compete for the prestigious La Martina Arena Championships, reports Chloe Anson Thursday 12th February saw 94 teams from 27 universities descend upon Hand Equestrian Centre in North Somerset for the annual La Martina Arena Polo Championship.

This SUPA hosted tournament is the largest Arena Polo Tournament in the world and encourages teams of all abilities to enter, from beginners through to experienced players. This year the tournament was expanded to host a special tournament for SUPA Alumni and Graduates, sponsored

by Lycetts. Over the four-day extravaganza, 188 chukkas were played by 290 players, with more than 500 spectators on Saturday 14th. The players even defied traditional superstitions when, on Friday 13th, 56 chukkas were successfully played without any mishaps!

Players truly adopted the mantra ‘work hard, play harder’ on Valentine’s evening, moving on to a brilliant Official Player’s Party hosted by Bristol University, where various inflatables kept the revellers amused.

This year also saw a tournament specifically for agricultural colleges, sponsored

by NFU Mutual and played for in the first round of the beginner’s section. Despite a stiff challenge from newcomers Berkshire College, Harper Adams took the title with a score of 5-0. The Harper Adams team had 21 new members joining in September and hoped that with the influx of new talent they stood a good chance at the Beginners 1 title. They proceeded to overcome Bristol in a tough

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final. The strong London side played with flair, winning the Novice title over Warwick.

However, it was later awarded to Warwick on a technical matter, while UWE B retained the Novice 2 title from last year. Nottingham and Warwick joined to take the Combined Title, despite St Andrews and Brockenhurst College proving themselves tough competition with St Andrews’ Flo Barrow deserving special mention for her playing throughout the combined team section.

The intermediate final was between Oxford and the title-holders, Bristol. For most of the final, Oxford led with two goals from Tom Mayou who had been on superb form, scoring goals for Oxford throughout their matches.

Bristol got one back with seconds to spare in the final chukka, however, only Oxford’s Fernando Balzaretti succeeded in scoring a penalty to win the title.

The Open title was a closely fought and gripping encounter between Exeter and Oxford Brookes. The Exeter team was anchored on the eight-year playing partnership of Rory Horne and Brook Bishop.

Throughout the three chukkas there was never more than one goal separating the teams and had it not been for the bell, Oxford Brookes’ final attempt on goal would have forced penalties. The Bailey’s trophy for the Most Valuable Player was awarded to Oxford Brookes player Ahmed Tiwana, while James White of UWE won the MVP Roxton award for

Over the four-day extravaganza, a total of 188 chukkas were played by 290 players, with more than 500 spectators in attendance on the Saturday the Intermediate after a superb display in all his matches.

SUPA was established in 1991 as a central point of reference for Polo at a school and university level. Despite not being perceived as a traditional student sport, university polo defies stereotypes, with more than 1500 students at 48 universities and colleges in the UK playing at university level. SUPA organises tournaments, helps with financial support and promotes the development of young polo. It supports the sport throughout both the summer and winter programmes at regional tournaments, as well as the National Arena Championships.

This year saw record entries and the introduction of an inaugural SUPA alumni tournament. An eventful and memorable weekend was had by all.

1/6/09 11:08:52

hurlingham [ archive ]

generally speaking Patton the war hero was also an experienced and respected polo player, reports Herbert Spencer

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Patton in Hawaii, 1933

Patton drove fast, expensive cars, taught himself to fly and sailed his own boat to Hawaii when posted there against Pancho Villa in Mexico.

When Patton represented the USA in the Olympics’ first modern pentathlon at Stockholm in 1912, it was his use of a .38 calibre military revolver, rather than the usual .22 target pistol, that cost him a medal.

He excelled in the horse, sabre, running, and swimming sections, but in pistol shooting was ruled to have once missed the target, despite arguing that the crucial shot went unrecorded through the large holes blasted in the bullseye by his .38 slugs, and so only came in fifth in the pentathlon.

Despite his penchant for profanity and four-letter words, Patton was also fond of prayer. One night, before an important polo match, Beatrice found him on his knees, his polo helmet and stick laid out on the bed. Was he praying for victory?

‘Hell no,’ he replied, ‘I’m praying that I do my best.’

Ironically, it was Patton himself who drove the changes that led to the demise of army polo, which had been based largely upon the horse cavalry. He was the first officer in the newly formed US Army Tank Corps in World War I, and he campaigned tirelessly between the wars for the mechanisation of the cavalry, arguing that armour was the future of land warfare.

General George Patton came through his brilliant World War II tank campaigns unscathed, only to die in a minor road accident in 1945. One can safely surmise that ‘Old Blood and Guts’ would have much preferred to fall in battle – or on a polo field.

MUSEUM OF POLO

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George Smith Patton Jr, one of World War II’s most colourful and acclaimed generals, was also one of the US Cavalry’s best known polo players – a hell-for-leather competitor who took the field against such greats as Tommy Hitchcock and W. Averell Harriman.

Patton was born in 1885 to a well-todo California family that originated in Virginia, tracing its ancestry back to George Washington. The year after graduating from West Point in 1909, where he learnt his polo, the young Patton married into a rich Massachusetts family. He was one of the wealthiest army officers of his time, with the means to indulge his passion for horses, including a fine string of polo ponies that he could not have afforded on his cavalry pay.

George, his wife Beatrice and their three children were all accomplished equestrians.

They engaged in steeple chasing, show jumping and fox hunting on horses trained

by Patton himself and were part of the active social scene of these sports, in addition to the polo circuit. He drove fast expensive cars, taught himself to fly and sailed his own boat to Hawaii when posted there.

Wherever Patton was stationed during his army career, his horses went with him. Between the wars he played at Meadowbrook on Long Island, Governor’s Island in New York and on the Mall in Washington DC. He achieved a 4-goal handicap and was, on occasion, captain of the US Army polo team, competing in major tournaments such as the US Polo Association’s Junior Championships.

During World War II, General Patton became a bit of a dandy in cavalry jodhpurs, riding boots and highly polished battle helmet (risking attention from German snipers) and with what some press accounts called a ‘pearl-handled revolver’ at his waist.

‘IVORY-god-f***ing-damn-handled!’

Patton corrected. ‘Only a pimp in a New Orleans whorehouse or a tin-horn gambler would carry a pearl-handled pistol.’ Patton owned a variety of side arms, from snubnosed .38s to a .357 Magnum. As a young lieutenant in his first battle experience, he carved two notches in his Colt .45 after a shoot-out during a punitive expedition

1/6/09 11:16:54

THE HURLINGHAM POLO ASSOCIATION would like to congratulate

on its 25th Anniversary of at Guards Polo Club on Sunday, 26th July, 2009

The Prince of Wales’ Team v Hurlingham for the Golden Jubilee Cup at 11.00am

England v Argentina for the Coronation Cup at 3.15pm Park Gates open at 10.00 a.m.

Thanks are also due to Audi sponsors of the England team, and for their continued support of the England Team to; Crew Clothing, Tony Lutwyche Bespoke Tailoring, De Vere Hotels and Tony Pidgley This year Argentina are fielding Adolfo Cambiaso and Facundo Pieres - two of the best players in the world

England will need your support!

Book online at www.guardspoloclub.com Ticket Office number: 01784 437797 Guards Polo Club, Smith’s Lawn, Windsor Great Park, Egham, Surrey TW20 0HP

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28/5/09 11:09:54