Polo Times Pony Powers

Caesar

Height: 15.1hh Age: Eight-years-old Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Owned and played by: Owned by Jim Gilmore played by Jake Daniels Tournament: The Balaclava Trophy at Druids Lodge Polo Club

Where is he from/breeding? Casa x Clarin – Jim Gilmore’s breed from Australia.

How long have you had him? Jim has had him since birth, I’ve been riding him for five years.

What are his strengths? He’s extremely soft across the neck, very smooth, has lovely and efficient power, extremely correct and has the capacity to play a lot of polo with a beautiful mouth and sides that are never ending.

How has he gone this season? This has been his best season to date.

Has he won any other Best Playing Pony

Awards? No, this is his first.

What are your plans for him in the

future? Jim will eventually want to sell him, however I hope that day never comes. He’s

Photograph by Andrew Yates Photography

a horse that brings me so much happiness just seeing his happy, naughty face in the stables every morning. Regardless of how great he is to play, he is even more fun to have around the barn. I don’t think I can ever love a horse as much as I do Caesar. If I could, I’d have him live in my garden.

Does he have any special quirks? A few, although nothing like he did when he was young. He was a lot of fun when he was young and can still make me concentrate pretty hard when he’s fresh at the start of the season. If he could, he would get away with not doing anything at all. He stops on set twice every morning to do a poo and would rather sleep and eat than do anything else. He has a true strong character that would exist in any circumstances he was put in. He’s a horse that will ruin your morning by stopping on set, but if you had to ride a horse to war, you’d absolutely want Caesar.

Open Callaway

Height: 15hh Age: Eight-years-old Sex: Mare Owned and played by: Owned by Matias Machado and played by Adolfo ‘Poroto’ Cambiaso Jnr Tournament: The Indian Empire Shield at Guards Polo Club

Where is she from/breeding? Open Callaway is from the Ellerstina breeding.

How long have you had her? I brought her over from Argentina in 2019 when she was six-years-old.

What are her strengths? She is physically strong, fast and handy.

How has she gone this season? She has been very important this season, she did very well in the Semi Finals and Finals, especially in the last two games of the Indian Empire Shield.

Photograph by ©www.imagesofpolo.com

Has she won any other Best Playing

Pony Awards? She won the Polo Times Best Playing Pony the first year I brought her over (in 2019), which was also in The Indian Empire Shield! Last year, we didn’t play much because of Covid-19.

What are your plans for her in the

future? To help us win many more tournaments!

Rayo Chalina

Height: 15.1hh Age: 11-years-old Sex: Mare Owned and played by: Gustav Rausing Tournament: The Even Keel Foundation Charity Match at Beaufort Polo Club

Where is she from/breeding? She was bred by Alejandro Novillo Astrada out of Rayo Gringo x Open Chalita.

How long have you had her? I only bought her in July last year.

What are her strengths? I’d say she is strongest laterally with a very soft mouth.

How has she gone this season? She started off well this season and is only getting better – the more she plays the better she feels!

Has she won any other Best Playing

Pony Awards? She won BPP at Black Bears a week after this one.

What are your plans for her in the

future? I’m planning on continuing playing her in the coming years and possibly taking an embryo from her at the end of the season.

Does she have any special quirks? She’s not particularly quirky – she is very correct on the field and is a pleasure in the stables!

Describe her in three words? Point and shoot!

KnowledgePony Power

Doc The Eagles

Height: 15hh Age: 11-years-old Colour: Chestnut Lovelocks Cubic Sex: Mare Owned and played by: Nico Fontanarrosa Tournament: The Eduardo Rojas Lanusse Cup Final at Beaufort Polo Club Where is she from/breeding? She is the first prodigy of the Doc Polo Breeding line based at Estancia El Rocio in Argentina. Her sire is Espi Brad Pitt (by the famous Pucará), who has given many of his offspring the noticeable white markings – keep an eye out for Doc Argentino with Louis Hine this high Charlie Hanbury’s Lovelocks Cubic has goal season. won not one but two Polo Times Best How long have you had her? We have had her from day dot! Playing Pony awards this season, in The What are her strengths? Her explosive acceleration without you realising! Phoenician Cup at Guards Polo Club and The How has she gone this season? So far, so very good. International Test Match at Beaufort Polo ClubHas she won any other Best Playing Pony Awards? Yes – She won BPP in The

Howard Hipwood 8 Goal Victor Ludorum at The Royal County of Berkshire and The Budgett Everett 6 Goal Victor Ludorum at Kirtlington Park Polo Club and quite a few others locally at Kirtlington. What are your plans for her in the future? She will most definitely be on my son’s A string - he’s a year younger than she is! Does she have any special quirks? No – she is very straightforward. Describe her in three words? Small, explosive, clever.

Photograph by JRidley Art & Photography

Lovelocks Cubic

Height: 15.2hh Age: Six-years-old Colour: Bay Sex: Mare Owned and played by: Charlie Hanbury Tournament: The Phoenician Cup Final at Guards Polo Club Where is she from/breeding? She was bred in Argentina at Lovelocks, out of an Australian mare called Metrical and by Open Nueva York. How long have you had her? I’ve had her since birth.

What are her strengths? She’s a very clever mare and is very comfortable to hit from. She also has a very quick turn of foot. How has she gone this season? I bought her over in March this year and she is constantly improving. Has she won any other Best Playing Pony Awards? No, not before. What are your plans for her in the future? She is a very clever mare and continues to improve, so I hope to see her playing the top level with a top player at some point.

Photograph by ©www.imagesofpolo.com

Does he/she have any special quirks? She is quite a spooky mare so likes to be in a routine and know her surroundings. Describe her in three words? Comfortable, clever, quick!

www.polotimes.co.uk Height: 15.2hh PT July2021 Inners.indd 59Age: Six-years-old

Colour: Bay

Sex: Mare

Owned and played by: Charlie Hanbury

Tournament: The International Test Match at Beaufort Polo Club

Polo Times, July 2021

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02/08/2021 16:01