Association News

COVID-19

Due to the health concerns related to the COVID-19 outbreak, on Monday, March 16, the United States Polo Association made the difficult decision to postpone the three remaining Intercollegiate/Interscholastic tournaments: Northeastern Intercollegiate Regionals, National Interscholastic Championships and National Intercollegiate Championships. The association looks forward to rescheduling these events later in the year.

Furthermore, on Saturday, March 21, the USPA determined it was in the best interest of health and safety for players, their families and team organizations, fans and all the people that help to put on USPA polo events, to cancel the balance of the 2020 Gauntlet of Polo winter season and the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship. The USPA anticipates rescheduling the balance of the 2020 USPA Gold Cup and the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship in late January 2021 prior to the start of the 2021 Gauntlet of Polo. The association will consider the feasibility of rescheduling the 2020 U.S. Open Polo Championship, as well as options for changing the handicap level of the pre-Gauntlet tournaments next winter.

Equine Welfare Tip Line

An anonymous tip line has been established for reporting equine abuse and neglect. The USPA Equine Welfare Committee encourages anyone making a report to first reach out to local authorities, such as animal control or the police, to report the issue. If you would like to also report to the USPA, please provide as much detail as possible. If you prefer to remain anonymous, please leave as many details as possible on the voice mail. Be sure to include the city and state the horses are located in, as well as the name of the person responsible for them, if known; how many horses are involved and any information you think is pertinent.

DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS.COM

If you are willing to be contacted for additional information, you may leave your name and phone number, which will be kept confidential. The anonymous tip line number is (866) 563-5534. Reporting forms can also be found online at uspolo.org and may be sent by email to equinewelfare@uspolo.org.

Host an Umpire Clinic

Once it is deemed safe to do so, USPA member clubs are encouraged to host umpire clinics to refine the skills of club umpires and to review USPA rules, rule interpretations and their implementation. The USPA Umpires, LLC will schedule an instructor to teach both outdoor and arena clinics based on their availability. The Umpire Clinic/Rules Review Program is a service the USPA Umpires, LLC provides to all USPA member clubs.

Umpire Clinic Requirements and Guidelines • Programs are instructional and oriented toward improving the skill and safety levels of all participants. Programs are generally applicable to a broad range of participants. Programs may require certain levels of riding experience for safety. • USPA Umpires, LLC will arrange for a qualified instructor to teach at the level of your clinic. • Clubs will be invoiced $700 for each clinic. This fee covers the instructor’s fee, airfare, transportation and lodging. • To allow for lower airfares and help with the availability of an instructor, a minimum of four weeks’ notice is required when requesting a clinic.

• All attendees seeking certification in the clinic must be current members of the USPA. This membership requirement assures Participant Excess Liability Insurance coverage. • An umpire clinic and a PUMP/8 tournament may coincide; however, the club will be invoiced for both an instructor and a professional umpire. • USPA Umpires, LLC is available to discuss special circumstances or programs, which do not fit the standard package.

For further assistance, please contact Bradley Biddle at bbiddle@uspolo.org.

Polo Varsity Letter

The application deadline for the Intercollegiate/ Interscholastic program’s Interscholastic Polo Varsity Letter is fast approaching and will close Friday, May 15. The Interscholastic polo program is a competitive league in which high school students play against other polo teams in their region and across the country. Players must meet their school’s academic standards in order to compete. Students who receive the varsity letter have shown their commitment to both academic and polo excellence through their time commitment and level of play. Applications are now open for all interscholastic players who met the following requirements this past I/I season.

Interscholastic Varsity Letter Requirements

A player must meet the following requirements to be eligible to receive varsity letter recognition: • Completed IS Polo Varsity Letter Application • Currently in grade 9-12 • Active member of an existing interscholastic program • Meet all USPA IS eligibility requirements • Played in at least four regular season Interscholastic games during the current I/I season • Played in a preliminary, regional and/or national tournament during the current I/I season • Logged a minimum of 100 hours of riding, stick and balling, practice, and/or game time • Approval and confirmation from your interscholastic coach confirming the completion of all requirements.

Those who submit a completed application and meet all of the above requirements will be awarded a varsity patch for the initial year, a letter of recognition from the United States Polo Association and subsequent pins for each additional year earned.

KAYLEE WROE

you receive when you join the USPA: • USPA member card and decal • Player handicap • Eligibility to compete in USPA tournaments • Subscription to “This Week in Polo” email • Subscription to Polo Players’ Edition magazine • USPA Rulebook • USPA Annual Blue Book • Clinics and Instructors Forums • Personal Excess Liability Insurance • Accidental Death and Dismemberment and Excess Medical Insurance • 25% discount on U.S. Polo Assn. and Nantucket Whaler • Savings on nationally known products through NTRA Advantage, including John Deere, UPS, Sherwin Williams, Red Brand, Suncast Commercial, Office Depot and Big Ass Fans • Extra discounts for USPA members, including Legacy Building Solutions, Daktronics and TentCraft

Questions about membership benefits? Email our Membership and Handicap Director Lindsay Dolan at ldolan@uspolo.org. •

Published by the United States Polo Association Offices at 9011 Lake Worth Rd., Lake Worth, Florida 33467 • (800) 232-USPA Chairman: Stewart Armstrong President: Tony Coppola

Secretary: Charles Smith Treasurer: Steven Rudolph Chief Executive Officer: Robert Puetz

The National Intercollegiate and

Interscholastic Championships will be rescheduled later this year.

Intercollegiate Scholarships

Are you a current intercollegiate or senior interscholastic player who is planning to play on an intercollegiate polo team? Six $4,000 scholarships are available through the USPA Intercollegiate Scholarship program. Requirements can be found on uspolo.org. Applications will be accepted April 1-June 1. Contact Amy Fraser at afraser@uspolo.org for more details.

Interscholastic Varsity Letters

If you are an interscholastic player who competed in the I/I tournament season this year, along with completing 100 hours in the saddle, participating in four I/I games and are in good academic standing, you are eligible for an Interscholastic Varsity Letter! For more information on the program and application, please go to the interscholastic program page on uspolo.org or contact Ali Davidge at adavidge@uspolo.org.

Middle School Host Sites

Do you have a group of players in grades 5-8? Make sure to let us know if you are interested in hosting a middle school tournament! The Middle School program runs from August to December at clubs all across the country. If you are interested in hosting a tournament, contact Emily Dewey at edewey@uspolo.org.

National Championships

Due to the health concerns related to the COVID19 outbreak, the USPA has made the difficult decision to cancel the National Interscholastic Championships and the National Intercollegiate Championships. We look forward to rescheduling these events later this year. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we prioritize the health and safety of our student players, coaches, umpires, partners, staff and everyone who helps put on these events. •

Bob McMurtry Shaping the future of Chicagoland

JUDITH COLEMAN

Hooked on polo after only six weeks of lessons, USPA Central Circuit Governor Bob McMurtry’s passion has led him to play a key role in shaping the trajectory of the game in his hometown.

A visionary for the highly-successful Chicago Polo Association (which grew out of similar regional cooperation efforts in the Southwestern Circuit), McMurtry has worked tirelessly for two years to fuel substantial growth and increase participation, his efforts drawing players both locally and nationally to the flourishing regional hub.

Receiving his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Northern Illinois University, McMurtry relocated to Dallas, Texas, to work for Texas Instruments on classified military radar programs, infra-red night vision systems and missile guidance. Seeking to advance his career, McMurtry pursued law school, moving his family to Austin where he graduated with honors from the University of Texas School of Law.

Returning to the Windy City where he has remained for the past 28 years, McMurtry’s affinity for polo is evident on the Chicago-based Windridge Farm hunter/jumper facility run by his daughter

Bob McMurtry

Taylor and her mother Jennifer. In addition to hunter/jumper facilities, Windridge features a polo field, indoor polo arena and a 58-stall polo barn.

Dedicated to the service of polo through multiple committees, he was recently appointed as Polo Development Initiative chairman, tasked with carrying on the legacy that Denny Geiler established with over a decade in the position. A family-man at heart, McMurtry maintains a close relationship with his daughters Erin and Taylor, living with his oldest daughter Erin and her family and encouraging Taylor in her career in professional show jumping. Sitting down with McMurtry during the Board of Governors and Annual Member Meeting, he recounted the story of his unexpected entrance into the polo community, which transformed his life and led him to the USPA.

What is your equestrian background and how did you become involved in polo?

I had little-to-no equestrian background 15 years ago when I began playing polo, but my daughter and her mother, Jennifer, are both equestrians. Jennifer has been riding since she was a child and our

Del Walton, Dean Kleronomos, Bob

McMurtry and

Charles Todd won the 2018 Wine Down

Wednesday Cup.

youngest daughter, Taylor, knew she wanted to be a professional show jumper at 10 years old. We homeschooled her all through high school so she could compete year-round and she had the opportunity to work with and for many top trainers, including several Olympic medalists. She even spent a year in Belgium. Jennifer manages Windridge Farm and Taylor is head trainer and continues to compete at the Grand Prix level.

In 2004, I happened to be with Jennifer and Taylor shopping at a tack store. Looking for something to do, I was reading the bulletin board and I saw an ad that said if you can sit on a horse we can teach you to play polo for free. I jokingly said to Jennifer this was something she could get me for Father’s Day that wouldn’t cost me a penny.

Unbeknownst to me she took down the number, signed me up for lessons and six weeks later I was hooked! Excited for the next step, I asked the polo instructor at the Barrington Hills Polo Club school how to continue and was told if I wanted to play I would need to buy a horse. Just two weeks later, I found myself in Florida where I bought three polo ponies and shipped them home. At the time, I didn’t have a truck and trailer so someone would pick me and my horses up and take me to polo each time I wanted to play. I progressed from club chukkers to the 8-goal and 12-goal leagues in three years, still playing two of those first three horses I bought.

Tell us more about the three horses that started your polo career.

I was very much a beginner when I bought my first horses, having only taken six weeks of polo lessons. I purchased an old mare named Coca that had played everything and was a fantastic teacher. Not only did I learn to play on her, but my daughter and son-in-law did as well. The only stipulation when I bought her was that when I was finished playing her, she had to be returned to her original owner so she could retire at the farm.

I bought another horse named Angus at the same time, which I rapidly outgrew in that first year. The third horse, Don, was well above my riding ability. But, Jennifer and Colleen Smith, Don’s owner, said take him home for the summer and at the end if I liked him I could buy him and if not I could ship him back. I ended up loving Don and I played him in the 8 goal for years, retiring him in Aiken.

What attracted you to the role of circuit governor?

I was attracted to the role because I am passionate about polo and growing the sport. Former Central Circuit Governor Britt Baker asked if I would be interested in the position, and I spoke to Chuck Weaver and others about the role. I was told that I would meet great people, develop lifelong friendships, hear interesting stories and learn about the work of the USPA, which I was not very

familiar with when I first accepted the role.

Since joining, I’ve found what they told me to be incredibly true. The association is made up of an amazing group of people, and it’s unbelievable how much the USPA does. I had no idea until I went to my first Board of Governors and Annual Member Meeting and heard about all the work that the committees and volunteers do. It’s an honor to be part of our organization.

What have you accomplished for the Central Circuit that you are most proud of?

In 2018, after several years of planning and lobbying the local clubs, we formed the Chicago Polo Association, which includes six USPA member clubs, 14 polo fields and private facilities, and seven arenas, five of which are covered, year-round facilities. What we are really trying to do is revive polo in the greater Chicagoland area. We have over 130 members in the Chicago area, but prior to the CPA, they were isolated within their own clubs and there wasn’t a lot of interaction. The goal of the CPA is to bring all those players together to offer a variety of polo options. Currently, we have two polo schools (North and South), a 0- to 3-goal, fourchukker league, and in 2019, we formed the Chicago Polo 8-goal League that hosted five tournaments, featuring four to five teams each and as many as eight to 10 pros.

We also had 12-goal match games, three USPA women’s tournaments and five USPA arena tournaments. The CPA’s goal is to continue to bring all those players together, organize practices, take advantage of all the great fields and arenas available to us and make sure there are options so that the members can play where, when and at whatever level they want. Like most of the USPA, our player demographic includes men, women, young and old players. One challenge we face is many of our sponsors currently carrying the burden of the 8- and 12-goal leagues are getting older and we need to bring more new people into the sport to make polo sustainable, both by increasing the number of players and bringing in younger players.

We also have a great venue in Oak Brook Polo Club [Oak Brook, Illinois], which attracts a large, regular spectator base on Sundays and is doing a great job with marketing and social media. We need to keep drawing people out to that venue and the other public venues to get more exposure to the sport and bring in new players. We have several new sponsors this year and we have new players that bought horses in year one. They are going for it and jumping in with both feet.

We have an exciting plan for the 2020 CPA season. We will be offering both 12-goal and 8-goal league play. We will have multiple women’s tournaments, arena tournaments, a low-goal fourchukker league, youth polo and multiple polo schools. And, we will be hosting the 2020 National Youth Tournament Series Championships with the final being played at the historic Oak Brook Polo Club.

What plans do you have to improve service to the Central Circuit?

I haven’t done a great job of traveling within the circuit to visit member clubs due to the fairly significant time commitment dedicated to getting the Chicago Polo Association going in 2018 and 2019. I have played in Milwaukee [Wisconsin], Minnesota and Peoria [Illinois], but I don’t travel as much as I should. I have a new lieutenant governor, Randy Caldwell, who I’ve tasked with visiting clubs to get the USPA word out. He’s a relatively new player, playing for a few years in Chicago at the lower levels, but he’s enthusiastic about his role within the association.

Why are you so passionate about polo?

When I discovered polo 15 years ago, I gave up all my other hobbies. I think what drew me first to polo was the adrenaline rush and the thrill factor of the sport. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, the adrenaline rush is still there every time you step onto the field. Once you become involved you find out that it’s a sport of continual learning. The better you get, the more strategy you can put into your play and your horse selection. The horses are such an important part of the experience that you can’t help but to be passionate about them.

For me, the most important thing, aside from the adrenaline rush, is the social aspect of the game. Polo is also about the people you meet and the comradery you build before and after the game. If I just showed up to the field, played and jumped into the car and went home, I wouldn’t love it as much as playing, then hanging out afterwards for an asado and a beer while talking with people about polo and their lives. It’s the comradery and friendship you get from the sport that makes it the lifestyle that it is.