Polo Times Pony Powers

February

Height: 15.2hh Age: 12-years-old Colour: Bay Sex: Mare Owned and played by: Ben Malasomma Tournament: The Assam Cup Final at Rutland Polo Club

Where is she from/breeding? She is a retrained racehorse.

How long have you had her? I purchased her from Black Bears about two years ago.

What are her strengths? Her strengths are speed and agility.

How has she gone this season? This season she has been amazing.

Has she won any other Best Playing

Pony Awards? It’s her first pony prize this season but she got a couple last season.

What are your plans for her in the future?

I have no plans with her at the moment – I just want to keep enjoying playing her.

Photograph by Natalie Crouch

Does she have any special quirks? No quirks just grumpy. Describe her in three words? Fast, grumpy, greedy.

Baila Conmigo

Height: 15.1hh Age: Eight-years-old Colour: Sorrel Sex: Mare Owned and played by: Owned by Santiago Araya Snr and played by Santiago Araya Jr Tournament: The Eduardo Moore Final at The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club

Where is she from/breeding? She was bred in Argentina (embryo) at Cahuelhue. Mare is Propina (played by Santiago Araya in The Argentine Open and sire is Tango (played by Benjamin Araya in The Argentine Open).

How long have you had her? I have had her since she was born.

What are her strengths? She has very nice curves and also power when you need it.

How has she gone this season? Very well, especially in higher levels of polo.

Has she won any other Best Playing

Pony Awards? She has won some BPP awards in Argentina, but this is the first one in the UK.

Photograph courtesy of RCBPC

What are your plans for her in the

future? Hopefully we can play together as much as possible.

Does she have any special quirks?

She hates puddles.

Describe her in three words? She is amazing.

Doc The Eagles

Height: 15hh Age: 11-years-old Colour: Chestnut 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 goal season.

How long have you had her? We have had her from day dot!

What are her strengths? Her explosive acceleration without you realising!

How has she gone this season? So far, so very good.

Has 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. son’s A string - he’s a year younger than she is!

Does she have any special quirks? No – she is very straightforward.

What are your plans for her in the

future? She will most definitely be on my Describe her in three words? Small, explosive, clever.

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.

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!