Secrets of success

Ruki Baillieu on how La Indiana went from underdogs to superstars and reached the finals of both the Queen’s and Gold Cups

After experiencing a very successful 2016 with La Indiana, it’s great to be invited to reflect on the positives. We couldn’t have scripted a better first high-goal season.

There are many factors that make a great team. I’ve learnt that strong morale is critical to success. The chemistry within La Indiana spread across our entire organisation, from grooms to players, vets to managers. This made it a happy work environment for all involved. The leadership of Michael Bickford (above, right) was crucial in developing this magnetism. He communicated effectively, was always encouraging and set high standards of discipline in our game. I’d been working with Michael for several years to build La Indiana and one of my earliest suggestions was to buy some quality young horses, primarily for himself. During this period, I travelled extensively across the world to source the best animals I could find within our budget. By 2016, we had accumulated enough seasoned stock to have Michael seriously mounted and to supplement each player in the team with at least one horse. To ensure each player brought their best-available mounts, I travelled to the US and Argentina to select the horses that were to fly to England. I pushed hard for the guys to bring ‘complete’ horses — that is, ones that play well anywhere. After all, the conditions in the UK can vary enormously and you are competing there against the biggest organisations in the world. This was Michael’s first full season in the English high-goal. He asked me to put together a team that would be competitive and fun and that would utilise him. We had budget constraints, so had to make sure we invited players who were well handicapped but affordable. We fashioned a salary structure that would incentivise them and also paid a lot of attention to finding players with the right chemistry. Nic Roldan (above, second from right) and Agustin ‘Tincho’ Merlos (above, left) played together in the previous season in Florida. Nic pushes forward, making holes for Tincho, while putting pressure on the opposition no 3s. Having a balanced team allows Tincho the time he enjoys to play at his best. Julián ‘Negro’ de Lusarreta (above, second from left) started the season playing back and then evolved into a vital offensive tool for the team, as became evident in the Queen’s Cup finals. His ability to be optimistic and read the counter- attacks resulted in many goals. He’s a real talent and has everything it takes to be a serious high-goal player in the future. It was Juan Ignacio ‘Pite’ Merlos, our coach, who created our strategy and put together our game plans. Everyone bought into it, and it all came together on the field.

We rented the Little Todham barn, which is such a great place to house a team. You can play chukkas there, and the clubhouse is perfect for team meetings and barbecues. Having that facility was a vital part of our success because it created a happy environment where everyone could be together. As polo players know, what happens off the field is just as important, too.