November 2018 Polo Players' Edition

N O V E M B E R 2 01 8

Audi prevails in East Coast Open

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CONTENTS VOL. 22,

N OV E M B E R 201 8

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

28 A&K Again Courtesy United States Polo Association

6

History repeats itself at U.S. Open alumni match

30 Family Fortune by Gwen Rizzo

Association News

USPA Bulletin Club Spotlight

12 Instructors Forum

Brant team brings home East Coast Open

by Mason Wroe

34 True Blue by Crocker Snow

16 Equine Athlete

Oxford University takes top spot in Atlantic Cup

18 22 24 40

N O V E M B E R 2 01 8

Audi prevails in East Coast Open

NO. 3

by Heather Smith Thomas Polo Scene News, notes, trends & quotes

Team USPA Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Polo in the Pampas

by Ernesto Rodriguez

OUR COVER Audi’s Chris Brant shoots at goal with Iconica’s Maureen Brennan hot on his heels.

Photo by Marcelo Bianchi

42 Polo around the Globe 60 Yesteryears 64 Calendar 46 Polo Report Oak Brook wins Prince of Wales Cup

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OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN SIGNED COLUMNS ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHORS AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE PUBLISHERS OF THIS MAGAZINE.

2 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

THE

OFFICIAL MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE

UNITED STATES POLO ASSOCIATION

Editor & Publisher

GWEN D. RIZZO

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4 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Arena There is money remaining in the Arena Committee budget and there are a list of tournaments that can still receive funding. The committee discussed seeking a new location for the 2019 U.S. Open Arena Polo Championship. The 2018 National Arena Delegates Cup was scheduled to be played at Las Canchas Polo Club in Guatemala, but it is unable to host.

Armed Forces The Armed Forces Committee is proud to announce that at least 21 percent of USPA membership has military family ties. This percentage is likely low as a significant number of the membership’s military ties are not accurately reflected in the USPA membership database. Members, or those in their immediate family,

6 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

UNITED STATES POLO ASSOCIATION

Meeting Recap The board of governors, committees, subsidiaries and staff met in Oak Brook, Illinois, Sept. 19-22, for the USPA Board of Governors and Annual Member Meeting. The week began with the chairman’s cocktail reception hosted at Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse and was followed by two days of committee meetings and presentations at the Hyatt Lodge at the McDonald’s Campus.

On Thursday evening, the board, members and guests were treated to the premiere of the new U.S. polo documentary film. Friday night, the Polo Training Foundation hosted the Intercollegiate/ Interscholastic Awards Reception at Ditka’s Restaurant. The USPA board of governors meeting took place Saturday morning followed by a board of governors polo game at Oak Brook Polo Club. The week culminated in the U.S. Open Polo Championship Alumni Match graciously hosted by Oak Brook Polo Club.

Please see the following for a recap of the week’s events. The full recap can be found on uspolo.org.

Members of the board of governors met at the USPA fall meetings in Oak Brook, Illinois, held from Sept. 19-22.

who have served in the military of any country meet the military family criteria.

If your profile does not reflect your military family tie, please contact Membership and Handicap Manager Lindsay Dolan at ldolan@uspolo.org to amend it.

Clubs interested in hosting a circuit military event may submit an application to their circuit governor. Clubs interested in hosting the 2019 Outdoor National Commander-in-Chief Cup must submit an application to the USPA Tournament Committee immediately for approval.

Two circuit events a year qualify for a $1,250 marketing reimbursement and the Outdoor National Commander-in-Chief Cup qualifies for a $2,500 marketing reimbursement. Clubs interested in hosting a circuit or national event can search for qualifying team members in the USPA membership database by circuit or club with the three listed military categories (affiliation, service and branch).

Audit Gene Burk will term-limit out from the Audit Committee in April; therefore, the

Nominating Committee will consult with members of the Audit Committee for a replacement.

Board and Staff Development The committee reviewed and discussed completed, ongoing and upcoming tasks.

If requested, the committee will create a job design for any new positions. Diversity was the main topic of discussion, with human resources attorney Rob Hudson in attendance. The committee has been tasked with creating an equal opportunity employment policy, which will be submitted to the Executive Committee when it is completed.

Club and Membership Admin The committee’s Club Information Update Policy was approved by the board.

The policy puts into writing the way a club can update basic information, along with procedures for changes to the club name and delegate.

Provisional member clubs to become fully active for 2019:

• Arizona Polo Club (Scottsdale, Arizona) • El Caso Ranch Polo & Equestrian Center (Quemado, New Mexico) • Oxford Polo Club (Lady Lake, Florida) • South Padre Island Polo Club (South Padre Island, Texas) Club Circuit Changes Springfield Polo Club–CA (West Saint Paul, Manitoba, Canada) will move from the Pacific Northwest Circuit to the Central Circuit.

Constitution Charles Smith was approved by the board to serve as co-chair for the Constitution Committee alongside Paul Jornayvaz.

As recommended by the Constitution Committee, the amended and restated constitution was approved by the members (delegates), in an effort to run the association more efficiently and for the benefit of all members. Also recommended by the committee, the restated and amended by-laws, code of conduct and Disciplinary and Broadcast Rights and Title Sponsorship Policies were approved by the board.

The changes are intended to streamline the USPA’s governing documents, thereby making them easier to read and easier to comply with; eliminate inconsistencies and ambiguities within the existing documents; and incorporate certain substantive changes that were discussed and approved by both the Constitution Committee and board of governors.

Please visit uspolo.org for the newlyapproved amended and restated constitution, by-laws and policies.

Equine Welfare Immediately following the spring meetings, the Equine Welfare Committee discovered the lab that had been selected for equine testing was suspending its animal testing program; therefore, the committee contracted a new lab, Industrial Laborato-

ries. The USPA resumed testing in August 2018 at the Pacific Coast Open semifinals at Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club in Carpinteria, California. The results were received quickly, and all were negative.

Plans are to continue gradually increasing the testing throughout the remainder of 2018.

The Equine Welfare Committee will be launching a trial anonymous tip line to report equine neglect or abuse. The number will be available in the coming weeks and disseminated in the weekly member email and on uspolo.org. This is in addition to the anonymous reporting form for abuse and neglect found on uspolo.org.

The committee will work with the Polo Development team to ensure Certified Polo Instructor candidates do not have any previous or existing issues with equine welfare abuse.

Executive The committee met to review a presentation by Global Licensing regarding a name for the high-goal tournament series.

Finance The board unanimously voted to approve the 2019 budget with minor modifications to be made. The overall budget will remain within the $11 million budget subsidy cap approved by the board at the 2018 spring meeting.

The budget includes a new program for tournament prize money. Clubs hosting USPA national or circuit tournaments can apply for up to $25,000 in matching funds. Applications will be forthcoming.

High-Goal The High-Goal Committee election is approaching in December to add members to the board.

Horse Registry The committee has been approved and the board is seeking candidates to chair the newly-formed committee.

International The committee would like to see international events receive more funding, as well as a permanent funding source to support select international competitions, such as the Federation of International Polo World Cup, Westchester Cup, Cup of the Americas and Camacho Cup. USPA Chairman Chip Campbell suggested using the dividend money received from Global Licensing to fund an account for international events for the future.

The fund could also work with the American International Polo Foundation to match funds so the AIPF is still able to take donations.

The International Committee is working with the Finance Committee to develop a plan, which will be presented at a special board meeting to be held in the near future. International competition is integral to increase awareness of the U.S. Polo Assn. brand, which provides a substantial sum to the association from Global Licensing.

The Westchester Cup will be held in the United States in 2019. Multiple locations were discussed, such as Sheridan, Wyoming, however it was decided to hold it in Florida after the winter high-goal season.

December 10 is the deadline to confirm with FIP whether the USPA will host the 2020 FIP World Cup. Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, has graciously offered to host the event at its facility near Palm Springs, California. The max budget request will be $2 million (primarily for horse rentals). The presented motion for a Published by the United States Polo Association Offices at 9011 Lake Worth Rd. Lake Worth, Florida 33467 (800) 232-USPA

Chairman: Chip Campbell President: Tony Coppola Secretary: Stuart Armstrong Treasurer: Sam Ramirez Chief Executive Officer: Robert Puetz

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 7

one-time expense of $2 million outside the budget was tabled, pending a report by the Finance Committee on how to handle the dividends in order to create a fund.

National Handicap The committee met on Wednesday, Sept. 19. Handicap changes can be found on uspolo.org. As a component to the newly restated and amended governing documents, the board approved an Updated Handicap Policy, which can be viewed on uspolo.org. Additionally, Stephen Orthwein Jr. will step down as chair of the committee and Chris Stratemann will take over the position. Tom Goodspeed will be named as the Arena Handicap Committee chair and Maureen Brennan as the Women’s Outdoor and Arena Handicap Committee chair.

Nominating Pursuant to the restated and amended constitution, the board elected the new seven-member Nominating Committee (Paul Jornayvaz, Denny Geiler, Erica Gandomcar-Sachs, Bill Kirton, Bob McMurtry, David Wenning, Liz Brayboy). The next obligation of the Nominating Committee is to propose officers and governors-atlarge by May 2019. The Audit Committee will select a member of its committee as the non-voting chair of the new Nominating Committee.

Rules As recommended by the Rules Committee, the board of governors approved various changes to the USPA Outdoor and Arena Rules and Tournament Conditions for 2019. A summary of the changes is located on uspolo.org.

Safety The committee is commissioning Dr. Stephen Duma to analyze current equestrian helmet standards, including NOCSAE to ensure the association is utilizing the best standard available. The committee also plans to work with both the 8 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Hurlingham Polo Association and the Argentine Polo Association to move towards requiring the same standard universally.

USPA Chairman Chip Campbell has tasked the committee with reaching out to other organizations, such as the United States Equestrian Federation, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Professional Bull Riders, Inc., to analyze their helmet requirements and enforceability. Findings will be presented to the board at the April meeting.

The committee has created a statement encouraging players to wear helmets whenever mounted and will work with legal council to finalize it. It was suggested that the committee look into the cost and benefit of clubs having defibrillators on the field and the possibility of the USPA providing this equipment to clubs.

Strategic Planning The board approved the Strategic Planning Committee goals meant to improve the sport and the association. The four goals include applying fiscal management at all levels while creating and preserving an endowment to ensure financial stability for the long term; improving polo through better administration of rules, tournaments and handicaps; utilizing the network of clubs to produce better tournaments, in collaboration with Global Licensing, to increase spectator interest in the sport while attracting potential new playing members and new customers for the brand; and providing programs that will facilitate entry into the sport for uninitiated, enhance the skills of young professionals and ultimately produce the best high-goal professional polo players in the world.

Tournament The committee is working to create a template to help evaluate national tournaments and use this as a tool when awarding tournaments to clubs. The committee discussed awarding national tournaments

for two to three years, which would give clubs the continuity to market the events.

Women’s Polo The committee reported that the number of women’s tournaments have increased already for the year. Nearly 40 percent of the total USPA membership is female, with women representing the majority of the student member category.

The inaugural East Coast Women’s Open was held at Westchester Polo Club (Newport, Rhode Island) and Myopia Polo Club (South Hamilton, Massachusetts) over the summer. Subsequently, the Pacific Coast circuit has proposed a Pacific Coast Women’s Open, with the same format, to be hosted in the summer of 2019.

The 2018 U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship will take place at the Houston Polo Club (Houston, Texas) in November and then will be moved to the International Polo Club Palm Beach (Wellington, Florida) for 2019.

Communications Department In its second year, The USPA Polo Network has livestreamed 124 games and will finish out 2018 with approximately 140 total games. Total unique viewership is at 803,289 across four platforms: uspolo.org, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. The average number of unique viewers per game is 6,478 and the network reached a peak live viewership of 21,136 for the U.S. Open Polo Championship final.

It was a historic day for the network on Sunday, Sept. 2, with five games livestreamed from three different states all in different time zones. Polo fans were able to watch the East Coast open (Greenwich, Connecticut), NYTS Championship (Columbine, Colorado), and Pacific Coast Open final (Carpinteria, California).

ChukkerTV and the USPA communications team have worked diligently over the past two years to elevate the fan experience on the USPA Polo Network through improved graphics, statistics, interviews, horse information, tournament and club

UNITED STATES POLO ASSOCIATION

history, and much more.

The USPA has produced several club commercials in 2018 and have a couple more slated for the end of the year. There is a benefit program for clubs with the USPA matching up to $6,000 to produce a one minute or three-minute club video. In addition to club videos, the USPA has produced two “Learn to Play” commercials, a short film on the National Intercollegiate Championships to highlight the intercollegiate program and a Polo 101 video to be released in October.

The Communications Department saw room for improvement in the club map, which helps members and fans of the sport find active member clubs. The former map was limited, and the improved map offers three search options: all member clubs, interscholastic clubs and intercollegiate clubs.

In order to leverage thousands of daily website visitors to learn more about USPA member clubs, the Communications Department created individual club profiles. Club profiles provide an equal opportunity for clubs to showcase what they have to offer, while at the same time branding clubs with best practices in mind. Users can easily navigate from the “Learn to Play” page, tournament calendar and club landing page on uspolo.org.

Similarly, the Communications Department is always searching for new and innovative ways to connect with untapped demographics. Social media influencers, primarily on Instagram, are increasingly more prevalent in online marketing as a large-scale version of peer recommendations and a more organic way to reach a new following.

The USPA partnered with Jennifer Sims (@StyledEquestrian), an equestrian fashion blogger and hunter-jumper now learning to play polo, for the Pacific Coast Open at Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club. A truly authentic relationship, with over 45,000 followers, she has a strong voice as a mother, a wife and a former model for 10 years. The feedback and

Sheryl Sick, Denny Geiler, Steve Orthwein Jr., Maureen Brennan and David Ragland listen intently during the board of governors meetings.

influence she received has been exponential. The combined Instagram reach between Jennifer and the USPA was over 65,000, plus one of her giveaway winners was an eventer that also had a following of 30,000, which pushed the total audience to 95,000. The goal is to form a lasting relationship with Jennifer and continue to promote her polo journey.

Marketing, LLC The documentary “The Perfect Match” is finished, and was screened on Thursday, Sept. 20. The response from the audience of board members, members, staff and committees was very positive and exciting for the future of the documentary. The Marketing, LLC and USPA Global Licensing are exploring different options for sale and distribution of the film.

Polo Development, LLC Team USPA Team USPA members have had a successful year on and off the field. Highlights include Jared Zenni winning the U.S. Open Polo Championship, and three Team USPA members winning the Pacific Coast Open.

In May, 11 new members were added to the program. Currently, the program is going through strategic planning discussions including: lowering the age requirements for applications in order to allow

younger players to join and establishing more training opportunities in Argentina.

Team USPA members Jesse Bray, Remy Muller, Geronimo Obregon and Julia Smith will spend two months in Argentina this fall to play and train with Alfonso Pieres and his sons. Each will have a string of eight horses and play three times a week. The horses will be available if the members play in tournaments as well.

Club and Membership Development The Polo Development Initiative awarded $662,000 to polo clubs and schools in 2018 and the board approved the same funding amount for 2019. Dec. 31 is the deadline to apply for 2019 funding.

A strategic planning committee has been formed that will investigate a number of items including: tracking horse ownership as an evaluation metric; allowing for long-term capital improvements and multi-year awards; and increasing the maximum amount awarded to above the current $10,000.

Intercollegiate/Interscholastic The I/I Program presented 10 new USPA Intercollegiate Scholarship Awards for the 2018-2019 academic year. These 10 join the existing award recipients from previous years, for a total of 23 student athletes awarded a USPA ScholarPOLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 9

ship for the upcoming school year, totaling $92,000, going directly to the student’s tuition.

The USPA Middle School League kicked off in late September with the first tournament hosted at Lakeside Polo Club in Lakeside, California. A total of 14 tournaments have been scheduled across the country and Canada for this fall season.

The 2019 I/I Tournament Conditions, which included changes to best playing pony awards, adopting an inclement weather policy and changing the format of the National Intercollegiate Championship to a six five-minute chukker format, were presented for approval.

Looking forward to the upcoming I/I season, there are many new interscholastic and intercollegiate teams including seven new college programs that have joined or rejoined the USPA, including George Washington University (Washington D.C.), Georgetown University (Washington D.C.), the University of Guelph (Ontario, Canada), Point Loma University (San Diego, California), the University of North Texas (Denton, Texas), the University of South Carolina—Aiken (Aiken, South Carolina) and the University of Arkansas (Fayetteville, Arkansas).

Junior Polo The board approved the revised USPA National Youth Tournament Series conditions under “Specific Tournament Conditions” outlined by the Junior Polo NYTS Subcommittee. The conditions allow a four-team tournament to take place in one day; provide the option of a round robin; require overgirths in all I/I polo; and allows the Selection Committee to place a wild card on a zone team if a certain zone does not have enough participants.

NYTS Championships were held over Labor Day Weekend at Columbine Polo & Equestrian Center, LLC (Littleton, Colorado). Highlights from the championship were a first-ever win for the Central Zone, and the launch of the 10 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

USPA Chairman Chip Campbell presents a bronze to Mark Sedacca in appreciation of his service as Midstates Circuit Governor.

all-female division called “Girls All-Star Challenge.”

Umpires, LLC To date the Umpires, LLC has 25 professional umpires. Collectively, there are 208 certified outdoor umpires and 111 arena umpires, and the LLC is on track to umpire over 2,500 games by the end of the year.

So far in 2018, Umpires, LLC sent professional umpires to 97 USPA clubs and to 11 foreign or private clubs. This fall, 10 clubs have contracted with Umpires, LLC to have one or more umpires at their clubs.

There have been a total of nine umpire clinics held this year: seven clinics in the U.S. and two clinics in Canada.

Clubs hosting a USPA circuit or national event, 8 goals and under, can get a professional umpire for their tournament for a $500 fee. Umpires, LLC will pay for the umpire’s salary, hotel, airfare and car rental. Clubs can request an umpire for up to three events per year.

The Umpire Reimbursement Program, also known as UMP, was budgeted $78,000 for 2018. Funds are divided among the 13 circuits based on membership. Clubs can request partial reimbursement if they have hired a USPA certified umpire at their clubs. The deadline for applying for reimbursement is November 30.

Global Licensing, LLC USPA Global Licensing, LLC President & CEO Michael Prince reported that the U.S. Polo Assn. brand reached $1.6 billion in global retail sales in 2017 and has delivered approximately 20 percent growth in 2018. The brand now has a presence in 166 countries and has opened 1,031 monobrand retail stores globally, resulting in U.S. Polo Assn. having one of the largest store fleets of any international apparel brand in the world.

U.S. Polo Assn. was also recognized as No. 42 of the top 150 global licensors in License Global magazine, passing other iconic brands such as Coca-Cola, PGA Tour and the National Hockey League.

Finally, the Westchester Cup received a record 2.3 million viewers and the U.S. Open reached another record 2.3 million viewers, exceeding the prior year broadcasts by 100 percent as the company targets seven million broadcast viewers in 2018 and over four million social media followers globally.

Deferred Business A governor-at-large vacancy was created when Stephen Orthwein Jr. accepted his election to Florida Circuit Governor.

The vacancy may be filled in the future in accordance with the approved restated and amended constitution.

Intercollegiate/Interscholastic The 2018-2019 I/I season is here! To see the list of teams that will be competing, view this month’s I/I ad (page 45) or the I/I pages on uspolo.org.

This is the final call for all I/I teams to apply for the Start-Up & Enhancement Fundraising Grant! If you are looking to host a fundraiser to benefit your I/I team, fill out the application at uspolo.org by Dec. 1.

Reminder to all teams: The $800 entry fee is due Dec. 1.

Make sure to check out a list of teams competing during the I/I season.

National Youth Tournament Series The 2018 NYTS was a huge success.

To begin scheduling 2019 NYTS events contact Amanda Snow by email at asnow@uspolo.org.

Certified Polo Instructor Program Are you a polo instructor? With over 100 certified and honorary instructors, the USPA CPI program continues to set the standard for polo teaching professionals. For information on becoming a certified polo instructor please visit uspolo.org and contact Jess Downey at jdowney@uspolo.org.

Intern Program Are you interested in pursuing a career POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 11

JIM BREMNER

MIKE RYAN

Keep an eye out for Maryland as it looks to defend its interscholastic championship in 2019!

in polo? Are you a recent college graduate interested in getting involved in the polo industry? Do you want to learn more about running a club or polo school from knowledgeable professionals? If any of these sound like you, the USPA internship program might be a great fit!

We are here to help connect young aspiring polo professionals with successful clubs and managers. We have opportunities ranging from bigger to smaller clubs across the country for an array of experience levels. If you are interested, email Ali Davidge at adavidge@uspolo.org to learn more about the opportunities available.

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SCHOOLING HORSES Make the most of your horses by putting the time into them

12 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

KAYLEE WROE

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veryone is always trying to find that next machine, the next $100,000 horse. Why not maintain the good horses you have? Put more emphasis on maintaining your horses and keeping them playing well versus continually getting rid of horses because they aren’t going well.

You know the adage ... you are only as good as your worst horse. If you take the time and put in the effort, you can often improve a horse that isn’t going as well as you’d like.

Work with your farriers, vets, local horse trainers or anyone that can help to figure out why a horse may not be going well. A lot of times, a horse may be hurting, can’t physically do what you are asking of it or may not understand what you are asking of it.

Not everyone has the knowledge and experience to school horses so don’t be afraid to ask for help from someone more knowledgeable. There are so many knowledgeable horsemen that have so much to give, so find them, ask for help and try to learn from them. If you don’t know what you are doing, you can make your horse even worse.

Every player has a different approach to schooling horses. I try to maintain my horses and have a nice string for a long period of time to play year-round. I prefer to ride singles rather than taking my horses on sets. Riding singles allows you to lope circles to the right and left, helping to build muscle faster. It also allows you to catch something that feels a little funny or if the horse is just not as sharp and supple as you want. In sets, horses often pull you around and can develop bad habits.

If you can’t ride every horse every day, rotate which horses go out on sets and

Mason Wroe often works his horses in an exercise bridle and western saddle. This gives the horses different pressure than polo equipment. Wroe warns not to overdo it when schooling.

which are ridden single.

My young horses and made horses are ridden the same. Obviously, the made horses move better and are further along so they can do things better.

I like my horses all to feel the same. If you’ve got horses of all different shapes and sizes they may not move exactly the same, but try to ride them the same. Ask for things the same way. Over time, the horses will listen to your cues and respond in a similar way.

The level of polo you play won’t have too much of a bearing on how you school your horses. In higher-level polo, it is a more open, flowing game so you aren’t stopping as much. Instead, you are banking the turns and staying with the man. It is more about speed and lateral movement. In lower-goal polo, you may want to practice stopping more because you will do more of that in the game.

There is only a few differences in schooling based on the position you play.

NANO’S POLO MALLETS For example, the No. 4 generally hangs back and when someone hits a big ball, he will run to it. But then he will usually check down and wait for his teammates to get in position before he hits it. So, a No. 4 might school his horses so he can keep them calm, cool and collected while working on 40-yard sprints.

In contrast, a No. 2 is in there fighting and mixing it up with everybody so if I was playing No. 2, I’d school my horses to work on getting from A to B quick, and back again.

When I school my horses, I always have a target and a goal. I ride straight at the target and not let the horse stray. I ride with a lot of leg contact and when I get to the target, I’ll back the horse up a few steps to get it on its hind quarters, then make a nice roll-back to the right or left.

This allows the horse to get its hind end underneath itself, helping to build strong hind quarters, and use its hind end to pivot around.

A fence can be used to direct a horse.

You can use the fence instead of your hands to help stop the horse and teach it to turn left or right. You are still guiding the horse with your body but you don’t have to use your hands as much.

I like to keep the horse collected and listening to my legs and body. Some people just go out and hit the ball up and down the field. I like to hit off both sides of the horse, hit under the neck, swap leads, then maybe make some figure eights. And, I use my eyes. Someone once said your eyes are your third hand. Where your eyes go, your body follows and where your body goes the horse follows. Look where you are going and go.

Most days, I ride in a snaffle bit and a western saddle. It is important to change up bits and even saddles to give the horse different pressure. When I am getting ready for a game during the season, more often than not, I’ll ride in their polo bridles and saddle.

Be careful not to overdo it with horses.

That is something we all fight with and try

to improve upon. Just like human athletes, it is about listening to their bodies.

Sometimes, if you are hurting or sore, you don’t need to go to the gym, and it is the same with horses. If you are constantly asking your horses for a movement, maybe stops and roll backs, constantly nagging them, the horses can become defensive.

You don’t want to keep picking at them.

You also have to be mindful to settle for little tries, especially with younger horses.

If you want the horse to stop and turn 180 degrees, first start with a 30-degree turn, then a nice 90-degree turn, then 125degree before you get to 180-degrees. It is just a building block. If all you do is ask for 180-degree turns repeatedly, the horse will think he has to do that every time. So, when you want him to go 90 degrees, he won’t know how to do that.

Reward the horse for trying and putting in an effort. It is all about how you ask the horse to do things and the communication between the horse and rider.

Keep the horse willing to do things you are asking of it, almost like it is her idea.

If a horse begins to become sour, do something else. Don’t ever underestimate the power of a trail ride. There are a lot of horses in polo that aren’t broke. They play polo, but that is all they can do. You see a lot of horses come out of places like Wyoming, where people have cattle farms.

These horses work on the farms as well as play polo. It is important sometimes to take horses and do something different, just go ride or walk around.

Too often we try to make then bigger, stronger, faster, quicker … A lot of times, mental exercise is just as good as physical exercise.

There was a guy out in Oklahoma who would sit on his horses outside a pond and fish. The horse just had to stand there while he would fish, cast and reel in. You might look at that and say, what is that good for? If there is a penalty or somebody’s got to run off the field and your (continued on page 14)

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(continued from page 13) horse is bouncing all over the place, it is wasting energy. If the horse can stand quietly, it relaxes.

A horse that is burnt out, frustrated or not understanding what you are asking, is different than a horse that is being asked the right way, but just doesn’t want to do it. That type of horse may need to be asked in a different way. Know your horse’s limits so you can determine how much pressure to put on it. Some horses may never be comfortable playing polo no matter how hard you try. In these cases it is best to find the horse a new job.

Sometimes you can even ruin a horse that is doing everything right. The horse may do things so well, you move them along too fast and all of a sudden, they are burnt out or broken down because they have done too much, too soon. And a horse that can spin around on a dime, stop and roll back is making movements that can take a toll on its body if it is doing it repeatedly, so be mindful not to overdo it.

Off-season: A lot of people don’t like to turn horses out for an extended period of time because they think the horses will deteriorate. Instead they will turn them out for no longer than two weeks and always keep them a little fit. Older horses especially benefit from staying somewhat fit rather than being turned out for extended periods and letting them lose all their muscle.

Older horses that may have a little arthritis often benefit from staying somewhat fit all the time but spending more time outside rather than in a stall so they can keep walking around. This helps prevent legs from stocking up and getting stiff and sore.

I always think why not get my young [horses] up and get some of those that aren’t going well and use the time away from polo to work on them. I will sometimes even take my main horses and go play green horse polo on them because it is just slow, boring polo. There is no pressure so you don’t have to go out there stop, 14 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

turn and get to every ball.

I will go out and cruise around and if the horse is ready, I may pick a spot on the field and say, OK, we are going to shut down at this spot. We are not passing that line. We are going to shut down, roll back to the right and fire out of here. Then you can let them relax a bit. It is all about showing the horse that this is what I am going to ask of you. I want you to be able to do it, and stay relaxed, calm, supple and smooth. Then I’ll go back to cruising for a while and can ask again in a little bit.

The idea is to work the horse when there is no pressure. That way when you move the horse into more competitive polo and ask it to make the same moves, the horse will think it is a breeze because it has done it all before.

If the horse is doing what you ask well, increase the speed. Get them up to threequarter speed doing the same exercises.

You don’t want to move the horse into competitive polo, and all you’ve ever done with it was cruise around in circles playing keep away.

[With the young horses] its OK if they don’t do it all correct right now. Hopefully you are building on something so when the tournament comes around, they’ve improved from the previous season and are making better, softer moves on the field.

Pre-season It is very important to prep the horses properly because what you don’t want to have happen is you are getting ready those first couple of practices … you go out there and you steal their confidence. You might get after them and could possibly mess them up or hurt their confidence for the entire season. You always want to keep them soft, supple and having confidence in the movements that you are asking and what they are doing.

When I say soft and supple, I don’t want my horses to make hard moves or hit the ground hard. I work on where they are placing their feet and their movements. If the horse is constantly hitting the ground hard, like from slide stopping, pivoting and turning or just being tense, over time

that is a lot of wear and tear on it so the horse won’t last as long.

During season Once the season starts, I don’t do too much because my horses play two or three times a week. Here in Texas, my horses go outside in a big pasture so I usually ride them single. It could be as little as a fiveminute ride. I lope them around both ways, and if they are leaving and stopping soft, putting their feet in the right spots, that’s good and I’m on to the next horse.

You don’t want to overdo it with an older horse but at the same time, these older horses are often your more reliable horses that you tend to ask more of in a game. I want them to be fit and ready so I usually work them the same as a younger horse.

If the horse isn’t playing well, I may take the horse out of my main string and put it in my practice string. The horse will keep getting ridden single, getting worked but playing practices so there is less pressure on it. When it starts performing better and feeling better, then I can put it back in my playing string.

When I get my horses ready for a game, I like to make sure they are sharp. I may let them stretch out a little bit, stop and turn left, then stop and turn right. If the horse does those things perfectly, then we are done and are ready to go. Don’t keep schooling the horse because you don’t want to mess up a good thing.

Some horses that tend to be fresh or get a little broncy might benefit from five minutes of schooling before you head to a game. A horse that needs to wake up a little bit might benefit as well. All horses are different so find what works well for each of your horses.

A lot of times less is more. I like to turn my horses out, let them roll around and adjust themselves, get dirty and just be horses. If you do the work in the off-season, it will carry over once your season starts.

A professional 4-goal player, Mason Wroe is a member of Team USPA. He has competed in all levels of polo up to 20-goals. He is currently based in Cat Spring, Texas.

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USPOLO.ORG POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 15

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BELLY BURN Feeding horses to help prevent or treat ulcers

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any athletic performance horses develop ulcers in the digestive tract, partly due to stresses of unnatural environment, increased exercise and athletic competition, unnatural diet, etc. Stress can lead to gastric ulcers in horses just as it does in humans. Strategic feeding management can help minimize the incidence and severity of ulcers.

Dr. Stephen Duren, Performance Horse Nutrition, says that in the past people thought only in terms of gastric (stomach) ulcers, but we now realize there can be colonic ulcers as well. Studies at University of Tennessee and at University of Kentucky, using ponies with cannulas (openings into the digestive tract) enabled researchers to sample material in the stomach and colon, and measure some of the changes that can occur.

“The initial thrust of early ulcer research was to find drug therapies and acid blockers that would help with the medical side of treatment. But along with the medical side, we also need to be aware of what we should do from a feeding standpoint, to reduce or help heal the condition, or prevent ulcers in the first place,” says Duren.

“Many ulcers occur in high-level athletes, for two reasons. First, we change their diet. As the horse goes from a pasture or relatively sedentary life to an active athletic career, training for peak performance, his diet must change in order to provide the needed energy. He can’t get enough calories for the increased work, just by eating forages, to fuel his energy requirements as an athlete. So we feed different ingredients that provide those calories,” he explains.

16 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

“This change in diet may cause ulceration because the main buffer for acid in the stomach is saliva. The horse produces about twice as much saliva eating hay (which takes longer, and also requires more mixing with saliva) than eating grain. The very nature of that new diet takes away some of the protection in the stomach,” says Duren.

Horses at pasture are least prone to ulcers because they graze more or less continuously. Thus they are producing saliva almost continuously. “Acid in the stomach is produced on a continuous basis, so the constant eating is a help,” he says.

Horses in strenuous sports are fed grain meals, and allowed to pick at hay in between. Though they usually have hay in front of them all the time in their stalls, they are not engaged in steady feeding like a horse at pasture. “Even though they have hay in front of them they may be resting, or not interested in eating

enough hay,” he explains.

We generally think of ulcers as a problem in racehorses, but there is significant incidence of ulcers in nonracing performance horses because those horses are also in stalls and have no pasture turnout. “Access to pasture may not fit into the management or schedule of those performance horses,” says Duren. Ulcer incidence may not be as high as in racehorses but is still a common problem because of stall confinement and the high concentrate diet.

Horses are not like humans in how their digestive system works. “We salivate when we eat, and enzymes are produced when food enters the stomach. Horses’ stomachs produce digestive acids all the time. So if the horse has an empty stomach, he is at risk for ulcers,” says Duren.

Feeding a lot of grain is detrimental, however. “Large grain meals may be

Performance horses are susceptible to ulcers due to the stresses of limited turnout, trailering, increased exercise, competition and grain diets.

fermented in the stomach. There are some bacteria in the stomach that produce acids that further drive the acidity. Diet is definitely involved in ulcers,” he says.

There are also other issues that may predispose a horse to ulcers, such as use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Any additional stresses may be contributing factors, such as transportation—hauling to competitive events.

The other major cause of ulcers is intensive exercise. The horse’s stomach lining contains glandular tissue (mucusproducing glands) that help protect against the effects of stomach acid, but the top part of the stomach is not as well protected. There are fewer glands in the lining in the upper portion of the stomach. “When a horse begins exercise, the diaphragm and movement of the internal organs actually compress the stomach, and this pushes acid from the buffered area up into the non-buffered area,” says Duren.

“This is what causes some of the ulceration in the top portion of the stomach. The compression of the stomach during exercise moves more of the stomach contents—and acid—into that unprotected region. So diet and exercise can both precipitate ulcers. It’s no wonder that athletic horses have ulcers,” he says.

Training or exercise workouts in the early morning can be detrimental because the horse’s stomach is relatively empty and creating acid. When you exercise the horse—especially at a gallop— the stomach is compressed by the abdominal muscles and other organs and the acid gets moved up into the top portion. One of the management tools for ulcer prevention is to not exercise the horse until he has had something to eat.

Diets to minimize ulcers “The first strategy people utilized for diet management was to try to mimic pasture, and feed grass hay,” says Duren.

“We thought that if horses had access to

Horses produce saliva, the main buffer for stomach acid, when eating hay.

A 1000-pound horse requires a minimum of 15 pounds of hay per day.

grass hay they would chew it more than they have to chew grain and thus be able to buffer ulcers, with the additional saliva. But researchers at University of Tennessee and Kentucky and at Texas A&M discovered that alfalfa hay was more efficient in buffering against stomach ulcers than grass hay. This is because of the higher level of calcium in alfalfa. The protein and calcium both act as potential buffer for the stomach acid,” he explains.

“So now it’s widely practiced to feed some alfalfa, but feed a small amount early in the morning and have it already in the stomach when horses go out in the morning and work. Even though trainers always preferred to have their horses exercise on a relatively empty stomach (no big meals before a workout or competition), most trainers are adding some alfalfa to the diets, feeding it in the morning before the horses are exercised.”

Grain has been the mainstay of athletic horses’ diets, but if very much grain is fed it can potentially be fermented in the gut, which is not healthy. Many trainers now feed more non-grain energy sources, such as fat.

“Fat slows the rate at which the stomach empties, and this keeps more material in the stomach longer. Fat is also a great energy source. Another grain substitute is beet pulp, a fibrous feed. The horse doesn’t have to chew it more, but it’s not fermented in the stomach. This

energy source gets fermented in the hind gut and produces additional calories for the horse,” he explains.

Hard-working horses need as much forage as they can eat (especially the hyper, finicky, horse that may only pick at his feed). Horses need a minimum of 1.5 percent of their body weight daily. A 1000-pound horse would thus need 15 pounds of hay as a bare minimum. Most people increase the grain ration for horses that are working hard. But the more grain a horse eats, the less hay he may consume. The amount of grain in the total diet is a big part of the equation, regarding ulcers.

There are many good strategies to prevent or try to heal ulcers but some of these management tactics—like more turnout time and grazing—are hard to fit into the life of an athlete and many trainers don’t have that option. “More frequent small meals can help, rather than large concentrate meals. Keeping hay in front of horses all the time is a good plan, along with feeding alfalfa hay certain times of day, and using a grain concentrate fortified with other energy sources besides the sugars,” advises Duren.

Research on supplements Frank Andrews, DVM, MS, DACVIM (continued on page 38) POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 17

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BOLLYGOOD! Event raises funds for Indian charity

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MICHELLE OEIL

education and clean water access in rural India during its recent U.S. polo tour. The event was held at Newport Polo in Newport, Rhode Island. Combined fundraising efforts organized by Newport Polo yielded over $4,000 donated to the Shivrati Trust and Water Wisdom Foundation, organizations championed by the India Polo Team’s captain, Maharaj Raghay Raj Singh Shivrati of Udaipur.

A Friday, Sept. 14 evening reception, dubbed Bollygood, at Newport’s Merrilton Estate welcomed the international guests of honor, greeted by an enthusiastic entourage in the colors of India. Notables, including Stacie Mills and Sharon Cameron, ushered in Newport’s smart set. A Carnegie contingent came all the way from the Portsmouth enclave, while New York City was represented by Caesar Anquillare and guests, joined by members of the Newport Polo Club and the evening’s hosts Mary Marwick and Peter Jenkins. Attendees enjoyed a menu of Indian hors d’oeuvres and extraordinary libations created by The Cocktail Guru, while Singh invited supporters to visit A special field-side lounge was created for attendees to enjoy the match.

Funds raised support education and clean water in rural India.

India and explained the ongoing conservation and education efforts in rural Rajasthan.

The following day, a record mid-September throng assembled at the Newport Polo grounds to cheer on both teams as a wellprepared USA squad from America’s original polo club held the home-field advantage against India, packing two millennia of game tactics from the land of polo’s origins, to compete across six chukkers in the Newport International Polo Series.

A special field-side lounge was created for India’s Raj Jain high fives fans after the match between attendees to take in the USA and India at Newport Polo in Newport, Rhode Island. match, sponsored by The Cocktail Guru, to fund the Shivrati Trust and Water Wisdom Foundation.

The audience cheered throughout the close contest. As the clock wound down, Bollygood hosts Mary India just edged the victory to finish its U.S. tour on a high note.

Marwick and Peter Jenkins Through its 27 year history, Newport Polo’s charitable initiatives have helped raise over $1,366,880 for civic and charitable organizations. Initiatives include the annual International Polo Charity Ball, benefit matches and ticket donations for the Newport International Polo Series.

MICHELLE OEIL

RODRIGO FERNANDEZ

OVER 100 LOCAL SUPPORTERS turned out to embrace the Royal India Polo team’s humanitarian mission to support

POLO BUSINESS U.S. Polo Assn. official apparel sponsor of China Open

USPA GLOBAL LICENSING INC., the official licensing arm

UNITED STATES POLO ASSOCIATION

the first global brand to relocate its Chinese operations to the city of Changshu, also known globally as “Apparel City,” of the United States Polo Association, along with its China into its new home in the Changshu licensing partner, Yicai Brands Brand Operations Center. The Management, was the official operations center specializes in apparel sponsor for the China product design, research & Open Polo Tournament, said to be development, marketing, social one of the largest and most highmedia and e-commerce. profile international polo “With our amazing partner, tournaments in China.

Yicai, U.S. Polo Assn. is building a The event took place on Sept. 30 significant brand presence in at the Tang Polo Club in Beijing, China while also driving between teams from Brunei, tremendous long-term growth. We England, Malaysia and China. It is are also excited to be the official the fourth year the U.S. Polo Assn. apparel sponsor for the prestigious has sponsored the tournament.

U.S. Polo Assn. sponsored the China Open Polo Tournament for the fourth year.

China Open Polo Tournament. This will U.S. Polo Assn. provided offical jerseys be another opportunity to build global for players and uniforms for event staff, brand awareness while also engaging authentically connecting the brand and consumers and sports fans in the sport the sport for consumers and sports fans and lifestyle of polo in one of the most across mainland China.

Marissa important markets in the world,” said Wells, With a global footprint exceeding $1.6 USPAGL president & CEO, J. Michael billion in retail sales and a brand Prince. presence in 166 countries worldwide, Yicai President, Justin Xu, said, “We China has become a major growth market are proud to be part of U.S. Polo Assn. for U.S. Polo Assn. as the brand targets $2 and are excited about building the billion in global sales. The brand plans to brand and our long-term growth have over 300 U.S. Polo Assn. retail stores opportunities in China. We are also in China over the next five years, honored to be a major sponsor for the representing one of the largest retail China Open Polo Tournament footprints for an international apparel recognized as one of the most brand in the Chinese marketplace. prestigious polo tournaments in China.”

In early 2018, U.S. Polo Assn. became

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POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 19

SILVER JUBILEE Club celebrates 25 years of fun

THE TINICUM PARK POLO Club in Erwinna, Pennsylvania,

D. JEAN VERGARA

MICHAEL GREEN

Tinicum (Christopher Gerberding, Richard Weidel, Mark Mulligan, Leandro Berrios). celebrated its 25th anniversary with a black-tie affair and an Egypt began with a one-goal handicap and went on to score international polo match. Founding member and club manager three more in the first chukker, but Tinicum shot back with five Hesham El-Gharby began planning the celebration 18 months goals in the next two chukkers. Egypt struck again to knot the earlier as a way to thank the long list of polo enthusiasts score at 5-5, setting up an exciting final chukker. Egypt responsible for the more than two decades of growth, good times hammered in two more goals before and good polo.

Berrios found the target but time It began with a gala, which rolled ran out for Tinicum and Egypt had out the red carpet to guests, including the 7-6 win. members of the Egyptian National The match was umpired by Polo Team and their families, Dennis Santana and Marcos Bignoli. continuing the reciprocal visits the In addition to the main game, the clubs have made over the years. club commemorated another Guests were greeted at the door by important aspect—introducing youth a life-sized statue of a polo pony, to polo. Second generation players, courtesy of club member Al Gillen. As some no taller than a mallet who guests made their way inside, the halls grew up on the sidelines among the were decorated with silver, flowers and polo trailers, teamed up with new club memorabilia, including trophies, youth players for a fun chukker, team jerseys, photos of members who Mohamed Hassan of the Egyptian National Polo Team tries to offering a glimpse of the club’s had passed away and club programs keep the ball from Tinicum’s Leandro Barrios as he closes in. future. from each year.

The week continued with parties, get-togethers and games, A slide show, put together with hundreds of photos, including one mixing the Egyptian players and the club’s large proceeded speeches by El-Gharby and other founding members contingent of women players. including Marianne Yost. After, guests enjoyed dinner before The anniversary celebrations helped raise $100,000 to dancing the night away to music by The Big Chill. improve the field and enhance the spectator experience.

The next day, despite rain, fans lined the field and filled large Tinicum Polo Club is located between the steep cliffs and tents for the International Friendship Match. The Egyptian wild, scenic Delaware River. It has become a household name in National Team (Mohamed Hassan, Adel Aboushadey, Marawan the area and is now the largest club in the Eastern circuit.

Mastafar, Mohamed Rashad, Mohamed El Shamy) took on

The 25th Anniversary Celebration Match trophy presentation included the Tincicum and Egyptian National teams as well as youth polo players. With them are Hesham El-Gharby and USPA’s Jess Downey, center, and Marianne Yost, far right.

20 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

SEASON’S BEST Flying H recognizes club members

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LYING H POLO CLUB in Big Horn, Wyoming, finished out its summer season in early September with a Disco Fever Costume Party, a Cowboys & Indians Farewell Party and a yearend awards celebration. The award winners included Curtis Pilot, Miguel Novillo Astrada, Steve Krueger, Roni Duke and Julian de Lusarreta’s Platinda.

Skeeter Johnston Sportsman of the Year Roni Duke. The award was sponsored

by Davis & Cannon

Skey Johnston and Gillian Johnston present Pro Player of the Year to Miguel Novillo Astrada.

Skey Johnston presents the Best String of the Year blanket to Steve Krueger

Jimmy Newman presents Amateur Player of the Year to Curtis Pilot.

Skey Johnston and Cale Newman present Julian de Lusarreta with a new bridle for his Horse of the Year, Platinda.

Frankie Bilbao showed he has skills beyond polo as he knocked out a few tunes on the piano.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 21

Polo partners The horses that make the players The United States Polo Association established Team USPA in 2009 to grow and sustain the sport of polo by identifying talented young American players and providing opportunities to grow their abilities.

By Hayley Heatley

You will often hear players repeat the mantra that horses are 75, 80, even 95 percent of the game. Upon hearing this fact, spectators and newcomers to the game often seem surprised, nodding their head slowly and asking, “So, how many horses does each player actually own?”

While the number varies from player to player, it is undeniable that horse flesh can make or break an up-andcoming player. Horse management is paramount to succeed at any level of polo, but becomes especially important to young professionals as they break into the exclusive high-goal tournaments.

The professional playing members of Team USPA spend countless hours training and schooling their partners in the sport while constantly searching for the next horse to improve their string.

Meet some of the superstars owned by Team USPA members: Cambalache Age: 11 Years Owned by: Geronimo Obregon, 4 goals Obregon bought this half American Thoroughbred, half Argentine polo breed from Cuko Escapite and quickly fell in love with the gelding’s style.

“He is super smooth to check and go.

You sit in the saddle and he stops, stops, stops and then you squeeze and he is ready to go. He is always there when you need him,” said Obregon.

Cambalache’s quick movements complement Obregon’s handy work with the ball, making them an unstoppable 22 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Cambalache

combination. The horse was awarded Best Playing Pony in the 2017 Texas Open.

Grey Goose (Out of Place x Dark Kristin) Age: 9 years Owned by: Felipe Viana, 6 goals Grey Goose is an American Thoroughbred hailing from Iowa. Known as Goose at the barn, she has become a standout for Viana since he purchased her in Illinois in 2016.

“She has amazing speed and a winning personality,” said Viana. Goose earned a Best Playing Pony award during the 2016 12-Goal Season in Santa Barbara.

MC Adele (Riojana Riverdance) Age: 6 years Owned by: Matt Coppola, 4 goals

x Grey Goose

great chukker and I love the way he runs,” said Caset.

The gelding was recognized as Best Playing Pony in the 2016 Pacific Coast Open final under Caset and the 2018 12-Goal USPA Intra-Circuit under Peke Gonzalez.

Venice

DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS

DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS

MC Adele

Mercedes Age: 8 Years Owned by: Remy Muller, 3 goals Mercedes is an OTTB from Tom Gose.

She raced twice in Louisiana before being purchased by Carlos Ramirez, who then sold her to Gose. Muller bought her as a 5-year-old in 2015.

“My favorite thing about her is her incredible mouth and handle. I can go anywhere on her. She gives me a lot of confidence,” he said.

Chelo Poncho

Mercedes

Coppola’s homebred MC Adele made waves in the 2018 February 12-Goal at Grand Champions Polo Club, leading to her being named Best Playing Pony of the tournament. Coppola credits her agility, quickness and soft mouth with his success on the field.

Chelo Poncho (Boina x El Sol) Age: 10 Owned by: Costi Caset, 5 goals “Chelo Poncho plays his heart out on the field. I can count on him for a

Venice Age: 9 Years Owned by: Jesse Bray, 6 goals Jesse and his father, Graham, found Venice at a Thoroughbred training track as a 2-year-old and quickly realized she had potential to excel on the field. She played her first year of 16-goal polo in Santa Barbara at 6 years old and went on to play the winter season in Florida under Jesse. The leggy bay mare won Best Playing Pony in the 2018 Pacific Coast Open.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 23

Keep in touch I/I alumni have many options for staying in the game

BY EMILY DEWEY • PHOTOS BY RUTH WITMER

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hroughout the years, I/I has been one of the largest sources of new players being introduced to and learning the sport of polo each year. Eighty percent of I/I players are first generation polo players that get their first taste of polo through interscholastic and intercollegiate competition. Add in the relatively new middle school league, and we are getting a start on our future all-stars even earlier.

Now that we have a few years of data accumulated from the popular middle school league, we are able to track our youth players up the ranks, from middle school to interscholastic, through collegiate polo, all the way through college graduation. Although it won’t be until 2023 until our first middle school players get their collegiate degrees, we continue to focus on how to grow on the I/I alumni front.

Five years ago, in an attempt to keep I/I players involved post-grad, as well as bring back players who had hung up their mallets, the National I/I Alumni Tournament was born. The Feldman Cup, named after the Feldman family from Baltimore, Maryland, that donated the trophy, first ran in conjunction with the 2014 National Intercollegiate Championships to help get the program off the ground.

To this day, the requirements stay the same: you must be an I/I alum and a member of the USPA. Additionally, a core value to the program is to

24 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Cornell alum Morgan O’Brien

encourage past I/I players to give back to the program. In order to qualify to play in the Feldman Cup you must have done one of the following: competed in an I/I event in the last calendar year; coached an I/I team; umpired at least three I/I

regular season or tournament games; managed a tournament at an I/I event; or donated to an I/I program.

Instead of paying the $100 entry fee to the USPA, it is sent as a donation to an I/I program of the player’s choice. To keep the costs down to the alumni and encourage participation, the USPA covers all tournament costs, including renting the arena, hiring certified umpires, and providing awards and trophies. In turn, the players are only responsible for mounting themselves, by either bringing their own horses or leasing horses—bridging the gap between college polo and club polo.

This year, the Feldman Cup was brought back to the Northeastern Region and played for the first time at the Bloomfield Farm Polo Club in Saratoga Springs, New York, home to the Skidmore Intercollegiate team.

Three teams competed in a roundrobin format for this year’s bragging rights, and it was the home team, Bloomfield’s Morgan O’Brien (Cornell), Will Orthwein (Skidmore) and Tabitha Orthwein (Skidmore) that took the championship.

For second place honors, a University of Connecticut alumni team comprised of Rory Torrey, Megan Schultz and Rachel Ward competed against the Melinda’s Prospect team of Anna Winslow (Cornell), Aaron Schneider (Skidmore) and Frieda Witmer (Skidmore), ending in a tie.

Keeping alumni involved is a feat in itself for a college program. We

encourage teams to keep an alumni database of contacts, reach out to them with news, host alumni tournaments and engage an existing fan base.

Social media makes it easier than ever for alumni to stay connected with teams, but it is also important for teams to reach out to their alumni and get them involved. The most successful alumni stories are those of recent grads who can’t afford to start their careers, own six horses, a truck, trailer, and hire a groom to care for their horses while they are at work all day, but they are still staying involved by either coaching, managing or umpiring and trading off for riding and playing time.

Some players dedicate their free time working with local USPA clubs to keep their hands in polo, and in turn their work has paid off by being extra bodies at practices or games. For most, staying involved with polo post-grad is not as easy as playing polo in college, but you get what you put into it. Yes, the college programs need to step up and offer alumni tournaments, but alumni need to offer to help put it on, organize games, organize players, get in contact with past teammates and give

Bloomfield’s Morgan O’Brien, Will Orthwein and Tabitha Orthwein won the Feldman Cup.

Skidmore players helped out at the match.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 25

UCONN alum Rachel Ward

UCONN alumni Rory Torrey and Megan Schultz

back to the program.

Of course, the USPA offers support in this area. The I/I alumni circuit tournament, which can be hosted by any USPA member or collegiate club, was launched this year. Just as with any USPA circuit event, there is no cost to the club to sanction it and the USPA supplies free trophies. The tournaments are also eligible for umpire support if they meet certain requirements. They are sanctioned USPA events, which get published in USPA media outlets and in the annual Blue Book. Additionally, there are up to $1,000 in funds available from the I/I program for college teams to put on a fundraiser, and alumni events are one of the most successful and profitable fundraisers teams can put on.

Top that off with the additional support from the alumni coming back to play—think buying themselves and their whole family merchandise—and teams can bank some serious bucks.

Not having any alumni is not a valid excuse. We hear all the time that a team is only a few years old, and has no alumni yet. You can open it up to all alumni! Even if you have a lot of your school’s alumni in the area, opening it up to all alumni players in the area will only increase your pool of support.

With summer polo over and I/I season in full swing, now is a great time to get reintroduced to the sport if you

UCONN’s Rory Torrey, Megan Schultz and Rachel Ward

26 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Skidmore’s Clarita was Best Playing Pony.

Umpire Tom Wisehart

Melinda’s Prospect’s Anna Winslow, Aaron Schneider and Frieda Witmer

are taking a hiatus. If you are playing regularly and just want to get connected with your old team or a local team, please reach out to us—we’d love to hear from you.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 27

A&K Again History repeats itself at U.S. Open alumni match Words and photos courtesy United States Polo Association

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oming together to celebrate the 40th anniversary since the last playing of the U.S. Open Polo Championship at Oak Brook Polo Club in Oak Brook, Illinois, alumni from past U.S. Opens took to the field to honor the historic final played on Sept. 10, 1978.

MVP Del Walton outmaneuvers Luis Escobar in the U.S. Open alumni match in Chicago.

28 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Joel Baker, Jim Drury, Peggy Drury, Luis Escobar, Martin Estrada, Mike Azzaro, Marci Puetz, Bob Puetz, Joe Muldoon, MVP Del Walton, Carlucho Arellano and Martin Ravina. Michael Butler is sitting in front.

This year’s match, played on Sept. 2, was closely contested as players, donning replicas of the historic Abercrombie & Kent and Tulsa team jerseys, battled throughout four chukkers. Abercrombie & Kent ultimately claimed the narrow victory, 7-6. It was not only a repeat victory for the team in yellow, spectators were in awe of the identical score from four decades prior.

Hundreds of spectators flocked to celebrate a successful end to Oak Brook’s 2018 summer season and to welcome some of polo’s legendary former and current professional polo players in the United States. The afternoon’s festivities began with an on-field rally and showcase of vintage Ford Model T cars driven by members of the Model T Club of America. The vehicles also took part in the opening parade featuring anthem singer Erika Barrett, followed by the Culver Academies Mounted Color Guard and Abercrombie & Kent (Carlucho Arellano, Joe Muldoon, Martin Ravina, Del Walton) and Tulsa (Mike Azzaro, Joel Baker, Luis Escobar, Martin Estrada) polo teams.

Capturing two goals each by the end of the first chukker, both teams demonstrated their offensive prowess early on with all four scored from the field. Rendering Abercrombie & Kent completely scoreless in the second, Tulsa’s Hall of Famer and seven-time U.S. Open winner Mike Azzaro continued his powerful drives to goal, scoring two consecutive goals to double up the tally 42 by halftime.

Without the luxury of time to make up ground with the shortened four-chukker format, Abercrombie & Kent retaliated first to open the third with a goal by Martin Ravina. Responsible for all of Tulsa’s goals so far, Azzaro answered back with his fifth goal of the day to maintain the two-goal lead. Despite Del Walton finding his mark between the posts to close the third, Tulsa retained their position by a small margin headed into the final chukker 5-4. Determined to reclaim the title not only for themselves, but to honor the winning team of the 1978 match, Abercrombie & Kent met Tulsa with three goals to one in the fourth, to replicate the final score, 7-6.

Guest of honor, Michael Butler, son of Oak Brook Polo Club founder Paul Butler, presented The Butler Handicap Trophy to the Abercrombie & Kent polo team. Barrington Saddlery awarded Best Playing Pony to Pac-Man ridden by Carlucho Arellano and owned by John Greene. Most Valuable Player was presented to Abercrombie & Kent’s Del Walton. Village of Oak Brook Trustee Edward Tiesenga thanked the USPA on behalf of the Village.

Returning to play at Oak Brook for Abercrombie & Kent was particularly nostalgic for USPA Executive Director of Services, Carlucho Arellano, because of his personal connection to the club. “It was really special for me to go back and play where I first started playing polo professionally and to be able to participate in a match as significant as this one,” Arellano said. “To play in the U.S. Open Polo Championship Alumni Match and to have the score come out the same as it did 40 years ago felt like a special event. It was great to see all of my old friends, and it was even better to see how polo in Chicago is thriving.”

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 29

Family fortune Brant team brings home East Coast Open Words by Gwen Rizzo • photos by Marcelo Bianchi

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hris Brant continued his family’s success in the East Coast Open after his Audi team edged Iconica on Sept. 9 at the Greenwich Polo Club in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Established in 1978 by Donald V. Little Sr. at the Myopia Polo Club, the East Coast Open was played at the club for 25 years, until 2003. In its inaugural year, it was played at the 14- to 18-goal level but was increased to 16- to 20-goals the following year.

In 2005, the tournament moved to Greenwich Polo Club in Greenwich, Connecticut, where it has been played ever since. Peter Brant’s White Birch team won the tournament for the first five years it was played in Greenwich. In 2010, Tupungato took the title. White Birch won it four more times before Marc Ganzi’s Audi team got its name etched on the historic Perry Trophy in 2015. White Birch defeated Audi the following year, 30 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

the last time Peter Brant played.

Last year, GSA (Toro Ruiz, Santino Magrini, Matias Magrini, Henry Porter) won the title. This year, Ruiz joined Peter Brant’s son Chris Brant’s Audi team, while Matias Magrini joined Maureen Brennan’s Iconica team. Two other teams completed the lineup: Annabelle Gundlach’s Postage Stamp Farm and a Work to Ride team. The fact that half of the teams this year were led by women is testament to the growing number of women players at every level of the sport.

The tournament was the finale of Greenwich’s summer season, which was unseasonably wet. Still, games got underway as scheduled on Aug. 26 with Iconica (Maureen Brennan, Peke

Gonzalez, Mariano Gonzalez, Matias Magrini) up against Postage Stamp Farm (Annabelle Gundlach, Brandon Phillips, Lerin Zubiarre, Tomas Garcia del Rio).

Iconica jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first seven minutes and held a three-goal lead through the first half, ending 6-3.

Postage Stamp fought back in the second half, tying the game 7-7 entering the final period. Goals by father and son, Mariano and Peke Gonzalez, in the sixth secured the Iconica victory, 9-8.

The next day, Audi (Chris Brant, Toro Ruiz, Mariano Aguerre, Joaquin Panelo) faced Work to Ride (Daymar Rosser, Pedro Gutierrez, Gringo Colombres, Tommy Biddle). Audi quickly overcame the two-goal handicap given to WTR and

Audi’s Mariano Aguerre, riding Melody, gets off a shot on the bumpy field in the third chukker when the teams were knotted 3-3. He is flanked by Iconica’s Peke Gonzalez, left, and Mariano Gonzalez, right. Audi’s Chris Brant and Joaquin Panelo follow close behind.

exploded in the third chukker with four goals to take a 7-4 halftime lead. Audi kept up the pressure through the second half to win, 12-8.

The second round was played on Aug. 30 with Postage Stamp enjoying its first victory, 13-7, over WTR. Iconica trailed Audi for most of its game, but came alive in the sixth with four tallies to narrowly win, 12-11.

Round 3 was played a few days later on Sept. 2 when Audi amassed a five-goal lead at the half, 9-4. Postage Stamp chipped away at the deficit, coming within one, 9-8, at the end of the fifth, but Audi increased its lead to win, 11-8.

Iconica took its third victory with a 1310 defeat of WTR. Iconica trailed at the half, 7-6, but a strong fourth chukker gave it a three-goal advantage, which it carried through to the end.

Iconica met WTR again in the semifinal round. Iconica again trailed at the half, 7-5, but it tied the score in the fourth, 7-7. WTR gave a valiant effort, keeping the game level until the final

period, when Iconica slammed in three goals in a row. Colombres scored one more for WTR but it wasn’t enough and Iconica advanced to the final, 11-9.

In the other semi-final, Postage Stamp held a narrow 8-7 advantage over Audi at the half. Audi edged ahead in the fifth, 10-9, after holding Postage Stamp scoreless. Postage Stamp briefly tied the score, 10-10, early in the sixth, but Audi answered with a pair of goals to take the win and the other spot in the final.

The final was set for Sept. 9, setting up a rematch of the second-round game between the two teams. Forecasters were calling for heavy rain in the area for the afternoon. To avoid a possible cancellation, the final was moved up by two hours. Despite the cloudy skies, hundreds of spectators kept the mood bright, as they enjoyed the action from the Players’ Lounge and field-side tents.

Audi wasted no time as Ruiz, aboard his quick bay mare Eleanor, outran Magrini for the first goal. Ruiz switched horses before slamming in his second

goal in a row, all within the first three minutes. Panelo followed with a Penalty 3 after Magrini got caught in a melee late in the chukker. Peke Gonzalez nearly stopped the ball in the goal mouth, but the ball hopped over his mallet. Iconica was having some trouble completing plays and failed to tally in the first.

Panelo jumped out of the opening bowl-in to start the second on his quick gray mare, Stella, but the ball went just wide. Iconica was doing a better job breaking up Audi’s momentum, with Brennan on her gray gelding, Cinco, helping with defense and Magrini and Mariano Gonzalez working well together.

Panelo and Stella had another great run later in the chukker, but Panelo broke his mallet. Aguerre, riding his red roan Pistolera, carried the ball to goal but it was kicked wide. With just a minute and a half left in the second, Gonzalez put Iconica on the board with a Penalty 2 just inside the post. With 40 seconds left, Aguerre turned in front of Magrini, setting up Mariano Gonzalez for a Penalty POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 31

Peter Orthwein, far left, presents Joaquin Panelo’s Penelope with the Best Playing Pony blanket. With them is Benjamin Panelo, second from left and Horacio Arrua, far right. Joaquin Panelo also took home MVP honors.

4. The penalty conversion put Iconica back in the game.

Early in the third, Magrini passed to Mariano Gonzalez who split the uprights to tie the match, 3-3. Then, Peke Gonzalez got around Aguerre on his black horse Melody and headed to goal.

Mariano Gonzalez took over and carried the ball but it took a bad hop and went just wide. With just over two minutes left, Panelo broke the tie with a Penalty 4 high over his opponents’ heads. A minute later Ruiz, with Peke Gonzalez hot on his heels, finessed the ball through the goal.

With time running down, Peke turned on a Magrini backshot, knocking the ball out of the air and escorting it through the goal. The first half ended with Audi ahead 5-4.

The rainy summer had taken its toll on the field, leaving the usual level, green surface scarred and lumpy. The halftime divot stomp helped, but it proved to be only a temporary fix.

Ruiz jumped on the ball out of the opening throw-in to blow by Peke Gonzalez and increase the Audi lead early in the fourth, but Magrini quickly answered, finding the bullseye. After several miss-hits by Audi, Mariano 32 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Audi’s Chris Brant comes in to hook Iconica’s Maureen Brennan.

Gonzalez hit the target with a nearside in traffic to tie the score, 6-6. Brant had two goal attempts but couldn’t connect.

Panelo put Audi on top with a Penalty 4 through the posts. With seconds on the clock, Aguerre threaded the needle from

a difficult angle a few foot off the backline, a shot umpires confirmed to begin the fifth, for an 8-6 Audi lead.

Aguerre shot through another seconds into the fifth. Brant, who couldn’t seem to buy a goal, missed yet another, but

USPA CEO Bob Puetz congratulates Audi’s Toro Ruiz, Chris Brant, Mariano Aguerre and Joaquin Panelo after their East Coast Open victory.

Ruiz made up for it with a neckshot into the target, increasing the spread to four.

Magrini got something going for Iconica after hopping on a pass from Mariano Gonzalez to split the uprights.

Soon after Iconica sent the ball toward the goal. Panelo tried to defend, turning the ball in front of the goal mouth, only to have it bounce between the posts, scoring for the other team and cutting Iconica’s deficit to two to begin the final chukker, 10-8 in Audi’s favor.

Coincidentally, it was the same exact score the teams held to start the sixth the last time the teams met. In that match, Iconica allowed Audi just one more goal while slamming in four to take the win, so Iconica couldn’t be counted out. Peke

Gonzalez admitted the last win against the tough Audi squad had a lot to do with luck. This time, luck didn’t seem to be on their side.

Some of the best horses were back on the field. Peke Gonzalez counted on his fast gray Azúcar and Mariano Gonzalez came out on Ballerina, both for second appearances. It started out promising when, with just over 5½ minutes in the sixth, Mariano Gonzalez muscled past Aguerre and Ruiz, guiding through a sure goal. But in another stroke of bad luck, the ball took a hop into a horse’s foot just before the goal line, remarkably bouncing parallel to the goal and just around the outside of the post.

Brant also continued experiencing

misfortune, carrying the ball close to goal several times, hitting all the difficult shots on both sides of the horse, only to have the ball skirt the goal time and again.

With less than two minutes on the clock, Peke Gonzalez guided the ball to within inches of the center of the goal only to have the horse kick it sideways, sending it just wide, something he likely couldn’t duplicate if he tried.

Thirty seconds later, he picked up the ball after it hopped over his dad’s mallet about 25 yards from the goal and with Panelo defending, sent it through the posts. The umpires blew the whistle, penalizing Panelo for fouling and giving Iconica a Penalty 1—a goal and a mid-field free hit. It was just the break the team needed but down to the last 30 seconds, everything would have to go their way to tie the match.

Their luck was short-lived as Aguerre intercepted the ball, backing to Panelo, who, riding Lucky Five, took the ball to the other end of the field. He shot on goal with Magrini defending but the ball still found its way through the post as time expired.

Audi hung on for the 11-9 victory.

Joaquin Panelo—flawless from the penalty line, converting three goals and scoring one from the field—was named MVP and his bay mare, Penelope was named Best Playing Pony, an award presented by Peter Orthwein. It was Panelo’s second East Coast Open appearance and first win.

A humbled Panelo said winning MVP felt amazing but gave his team just as much credit. “I just went out there to help my team and went to every ball like it was the last. I guess everyone saw that and it feels great,” he told the USPA. It was back-to-back wins for Ruiz as he faced Magrini, last year’s teammate, in the final. “It’s tough, it’s alway tough,” he admitted. “[Magrini] gave me horses and both teams had the same chances, but I’m happy we won.” Ruiz was high-scorer of the match with five goals to his name.

Aguerre, who has won the tournament numerous times with Peter Brant, was happy to have won it with Chris Brant. “It was a great game to play and an awesome tournament to finish up the season,” he told the USPA. POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 33

True Blue

Oxford University takes top spot in Atlantic Cup

by Crocker Snow

T

he Atlantic Cup competition pitted England’s Cambridge and Oxford Universities against Harvard and Yale Universities in seven matches played over four fall days in Massachusetts.

34 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

JACQUELINE MILLER

T

he Atlantic Cup competition between the college polo teams of Cambridge, Harvard, Oxford and Yale has, as many polo championships have, been a bit on again, off again over the years. Started between Oxford, Cambridge and Yale originally with mixed teams and featuring mostly arena polo, it was expanded with Harvard and evolved to mostly outdoor polo in recent years.

Harvard hosted the cup in late September this year at the Harvard Polo & Equestrian Farm and the adjacent Myopia Polo Club in South Hamilton, Massachusetts.

The tournament included seven fourchukker games over four days, three in the Joe Poor outdoor arena due to damp weather and the four final games on Myopia’s fine Winthrop and Gibney Fields.

The host team won three games, including a nail-biter 5-4 bonus game against an Oxford alumni team, but was defeated by Oxford, winner over the last three cup tournaments, by a goal, 4-3, in the final before a large and often boisterous Sunday crowd.

The horse logistics for seven games over four days was challenging to say the least. Some 16 Harvard horses and 10 Yale horses did yeoman’s work, supplemented by several horses loaned

by Myopia polo captain Franz Colloredo-Mansfield, Harvard team vet Bryan Parrot, and with Mark Tashjian from Boston Polo and Estani Puch of El Rincon del Polo pitching in.

The tightly competitive final was a key, of course. But the preliminary quarter- and semi-final games, complete with good sportsmanship and horsemanship among mixed teams, is likely what most players and spectators will mostly remember.

A New England Indian Summer fall day, clear and unseasonably warm, blessed the Sunday final. The crowd was large (several Myopia regulars

Left: Harvard women’s captain Eliza Bird with Harvard’s Best Playing Pony Bonilla

Ten-goal Adolfo Cambiaso has been winning in the Texas Polo Luxe Edition Saddle for eight seasons everywhere he plays: Florida, England and Argentina

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JACQUELINE MILLER

Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge and Yale teams celebrate after participating in the Atlantic Cup at Myopia.

ISABELLE BLAIR

Harvard’s Carlos Roca de Togores beats Oxford’s Tim Revell to the ball in the final.

36 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Dear all, As the dust begins to settle and all are (hopefully) suitably recovered, it now only remains to say a huge congratulations to all involved on pulling off what has been the most successful Atlantic Cup tournament to date.

The sheer work that went in to hosting this tournament should not be underestimated and it is, in the most part, thanks to the determination and efforts of Harvard Polo, Myopia Polo, and the many partners, alumni, and parents ...

The nearly week-long schedule provided a whole array of activities for the students besides just the polo and après-polo, with the HBS case study and tour of the Athletics Department of particular note. The finals day itself drew significant crowds, perhaps exceeding 1000, judging from the cars parked along the boards, and it was a true celebration of shared legacy and history, helping to raise the profile of student polo.

An often overlooked aspect, the tournament is not only a sporting competition, but strives to foster connections and lifelong friendships between the top institutions and university brands in Britain and the U.S. and we can all certainly say this was the case this year.

Many thanks to all those that made this tournament possible through their efforts and generosity, in true American style.

The bar has been set very high for future installments of the Atlantic Cup, so Brits, take note!

Best, Issa Dasu Patel

called it the biggest crowd they’d seen for a decade). A contingent of the Myopia Hunt and Hounds, the Harvard Marching Band and a polo pony parade of all participants headed by Land Rovers, one of the game sponsors, highlighted the halftime intervals between the consolation final, won by Yale, 5-4, over Cambridge, and the Harvard-Oxford final.

Lively commentary by former Oxford captain and self-elected Atlantic Cup historian Issa Dasu Patel, along with USPA umpire Ronnie Hayes kept the action going.

Of course, the action wasn’t all on what the British call the “pitch.” Endof-day festivities included several nearby New England towns and eateries, including Ipswich’s True North brewery, the 100-year-old Woodman’s of Essex for fried clams and lobsters, a farm barbecue and a well-toasted gala dinner at the Myopia Hunt Club.

Appropriate to the occasion, an alternative experience took place in a Cambridge classroom where Harvard Business School professor Josh Lerner (a Yale graduate) supervised a shortened case study on the business development of tournament sponsor La Martina. The players participating reviewed a 12-page briefing of the case ahead of time to assure informed discussion about whether La Martina should keep to its core polo business or evolve into more and more lifestyle clothing merchandise. The majority opted for sticking to polo gear over getting into a much more competitive space.

At the end of the Atlantic Cup day, the Oxford team, headed by captain and tournament MVP Charlie Hitchman, won the silver. Happily, Harvard’s Bonilla, a 14-year-old barrel chested gray that originally came to the Harvard string from Long Island polo player Ignacio Gaffney, was awarded the Best Playing Pony honors after six chukkers over four days. It was fitting not only for her performance but also for all the Harvard horses and players who did so much of the heavy lifting.

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POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 37

(continued from page 17) (Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Louisiana State University) has been working on ulcer research for more than 25 years— first at University of Tennessee, and now at LSU. “Some of the things we’re looking at are feed supplements that may help horses with ulcers. One of these is Sea Buckthorn berries,” says Andrews.

Pharmaceutical treatments (like omeprazole) for ulcers are expensive and also reduce acidity of the stomach—which may adversely affect digestion. There is increased interest in use of herbs and berries that may have therapeutic qualities. Berries and pulp from the Sea Buckthorn plant, for instance, are a rich source of vitamins, trace minerals, amino acids, antioxidants and other bioactive substances that seem to help in treating mucosal injuries, burns, bedsores/ pressure sores and stomach/duodenal ulcers in humans and rats. A feed supplement containing Sea Buckthorn berries may help in treatment and prevention of gastric ulcers without altering gastric juice pH. “We’ve been looking at this natural omega-complex and in one of our studies we evaluated whether it was effective in treatment and prevention of gastric ulcers in horses,” explains Andrews. This study was done with eight horses. Each treatment phase (60 days) consisted of a control group that received feed only, and a treatment group that was fed the supplement twice daily mixed with grain.

“The treatment phase was immediately followed by a prevention phase that consisted of intermittently feeding the horses to simulate a typical management scenario. Endoscopy was then performed, to check each horse before the treatment period, again on day 30 and on day 60, and following the intermittent feeding period (day 67). Gastric ulcer scores remained the same in horses that received the supplement, whereas ulcer scores increased in the untreated control group during the same period. Though the supplement did not significantly 38 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

An endoscope, a long tube fitted with a light and camera, is inserted into the stomach through the nostril and throat to enable the vet to look for ulcers. At a scoping event for polo ponies in Wellington, Florida, in March 2010, half the horses scoped had ulcers.

decrease the ulcer scores, they either stayed the same or improved in seven of the eight supplemented horses.

“We found that feeding this supplement, does help keep ulcer scores from getting worse, so we feel this product has the potential to prevent the worsening of ulcers in horses that are housed in stalls and stressed,” says Andrews.

“These types of supplements may be helpful to prevent ulcers from recurring after successful treatment with omeprazole (GastroGard paste). We put horses that had chronic ulcers on this supplement and it seemed to help,” he says.

“Our research is focused on natural products to help keep ulcers from recurring. From laboratory studies we know that GastroGard paste (omeprazole) is the gold standard for ulcer treatment,” says Andrews. If horses have ulcers you have to get them healed before you can rely on a preventative.

“Using a pharmaceutical agent like GastroGard (FDA approved for treatment of gastric ulcers in horses) is important, but we realize that keeping horses on anti-ulcer medication for the rest of their lives has economic as well as possible health implications, since it alters the pH

of the stomach long-term. Many people are on ulcer medications long-term and can never seem to get off them. Our goal is to find ways to manipulate the horse’s diet and find natural supplements that can help keep ulcers from returning, by coating the stomach or stimulating the body’s own healing mechanisms. These might also protect horses that don’t have ulcers—and keep them from getting ulcers.”

Probiotics “Another thing we’ve looked at is use of probiotics that contain bacteria such as lactobacillus and acidophilus,” says Andrews. “We did a study with a microbiologist and equine clinicians at the University of Queensland in Australia and found that ulcer scores decreased in horses fed a high-grain diet when they were given oral probiotics as well as antibiotics. The times we recommend antibiotics are when a horse has ulcers that just don’t heal, even with GastroGard. Some of the research in rats suggests that if there are bacteria involved with the ulcer, they inhibit healing. When you give antibiotics and kill the bacteria within the ulcer, it can then heal,” says Andrews.

When probiotic preparations are used,

they also enter the ulcer bed and inhibit the bad bacteria and facilitate healing.

“It’s not as effective as antibiotics, but more effective than no treatment,” he explains.

Ulcer medication “Not all formulations of omeprazole are equally effective,” says Dr. Carol Clark, Peterson and Smith Equine Hospital, Ocala, Florida. “Compounded omeprazole (though cheaper) is generally not as effective as GastroGard. The buffering mechanism is a proprietary technique that is not easy to accomplish.

The company that created GastroGard worked hard to make sure it happens, and this is what makes the drug more active and effective. At best, you get only 25 percent efficacy from compounded or generic forms. If you are using the whole tube you get some benefit for prevention because it only takes a quarter dose for prevention. If you are trying to treat ulcers, however, generic products won’t work very well,” she says.

“The other important thing about using omeprazole is timing, especially when giving the low dose for prevention.

That quarter dose will not suppress acid very long, but it does work long enough to assist in prevention. Thus we want to time it so it’s given on an empty stomach, so it’s on board and active before the horse starts exercise. During exercise the stomach is compressed by the abdominal contents. The stomach juices are pushed upward and come in contact with the upper non-glandular part of the stomach that doesn’t have acid protection. If the stomach contents are acidic, this is more harmful, so we want to give the GastroGard or UlcerGard two to four hours before a training workout. You pay a lot of money for the product, and properly-timed use can greatly enhance the benefit from it,” says Clark.

Ulcers in young horses Clark says young foals are much less at risk for ulcers, especially the classical gastroduodenal ulcer disease, than older

foals. “But if they have a painful condition early in life that requires pain relief via non-steroidal drugs (such as for an infected joint), those are the foals I would consider putting on ulcer prevention medication. And if foals get sick any time between 2 weeks and a year of age, ulcer prophylaxis is important. A sick foal—whatever it is sick with—could benefit from ulcer prevention,” says Clark.

“That’s when we see gastroduodenal ulcer disease in foals, and it’s different than the older-horse ulcers. Often in young foals it is glandular rather than the non-glandular ulcers we see in adult horses. In foals it may involve the stomach but also in many cases includes the first part of the small intestine, the duodenum. This can result in strictures and be very serious. Often they get a chronic form of ulcers with delayed gastric emptying, esophageal reflux, and sometimes secondary liver dysfunction.

Foals with ulcers can also suddenly rupture and nobody even knew they were sick,” she says.

“The biggest difference between young foals less than 6 months of age and the older horse—or even the young adult horse—is that young adult horses don’t generally get the glandular disease. Then as we look at yearlings and at 2-year-olds going into training, these youngsters are much more at risk for non-glandular disease,” says Clark.

“However, many of these youngsters are also being treated with NSAIDs for various reasons. This puts them at risk for glandular disease, not only in the stomach, but also in the hindgut. Many youngsters, especially those being prepped for sales, get too many NSAIDs and possibly even steroids. Colonic ulcers are harder to actually see (than gastric ulcers), but what we do see is low protein levels. Due to the ulcerative colitis, often in the right dorsal colon, these horses are low on protein. It may not be enough to need plasma, but it’s an indication that the horse is not handling the NSAIDs,” she says.

This can vary a lot with the individual horse. “Some horses can be given NSAIDs long-term and not show any drop in protein, while others are very sensitive to these drugs—and the hindgut is just as sensitive as the stomach. Sometimes those horses have intermittent diarrhea—which is rarely a symptom of gastric ulcer disease. It can be a symptom of hindgut ulcer disease, however. It is not a symptom of gastric ulcers in adult horses but can be a symptom of gastric ulcer disease in a young foal. Anything that causes abnormalities in the small intestine can cause intermittent diarrhea in the foal.”

Young horses getting ready for sales or being pushed in training should probably be maintained on some sort of ulcer prevention. There are other things that can reduce the risk for ulcers, such as limiting NSAID use. “It’s also wise to limit the times a horse has no feed in front of him. Horses need something in their stomach. If they do have to go without feed, limit those times to less than four- hour periods,” says Clark.

Young horses transitioning from the farm to a training facility face many changes—in environment, diet, etc.—and have more stresses, including transport.

Owners and trainers need to be proactive in making this transition as easy as possible and not just rely on preventative medications like omeprazole.

“We can do a lot more ulcer prevention in sales prep youngsters and horses in training than we can do for very young foals. If a sick foal is over 2 weeks of age, you probably should have it on ulcer prevention, but beyond that there is not a lot we can really do. If they are sick, we can try to keep them from getting ulcers during that time. We can’t do much in the way of diet manipulations.

Until they are weaned, they are on a milk diet, which is great, but once they go into the real world and start learning their job, their normal management is changed a lot. That’s when ulcers tend to happen in young adults, and it is our goal to try to improve that situation.”

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 39

P

O

L

O

I

N

T

H

E

P

A

M

P

A

BY ERNESTO RODRIGUEZ

S

DREAM RIDE SERGIO LLAMERA

Robert Jornayvaz takes his turn on the podium in Argentina’s high-goal

T

La Dolfina Valiente’s Juan Martin Nero, Adolfo Cambiaso, Diego Cavanagh and Robert Jornayvaz

I’ve never lived before. I play as much as I can, and playing here was a real pleasure,” said Robert after the experience, with the joy of having scored a goal in the final match. “It was a huge difference playing this level rather than the American 26 goals, mostly because here, in Argentina, they are all pros and SERGIO LLAMERA

he bet of Bob and Robert Jornayvaz is paying off. The challenge initiated in 2017 to help their Valiente organization, based in Colorado, mix with teams of more lineage in Argentine polo continues fulfilling objectives guided by 10-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso, the strategist outside the court and the talent inside the field.

In the first season, triumphs came in the San Jorge and Jockey Club Opens with Bob as the team’s No. 1. This year, his son, Robert debuted in the most competitive polo on the planet.

The La Dolfina Valiente quartet was completed with Diego Cavanagh (veteran of the triumph in San Jorge one season ago) and another freakishly good player, 10-goal Juan Martín Nero.

“I’m very happy about living this incredible experience, playing polo at this place and at this speed is something that

Adolfo Cambiaso’s Lapa clone, Lapa 07, was the Best Playing Pony.

40 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

it’s a lot faster and precise game. It’s not hard to play with these amazing players.”

On Tuesday, Sept. 4, the first throw-in was launched, opening the 51st edition of the San Jorge Military Equestrian Club Open. In the fields of La Dolfina, located in Cañuelas (45 miles southwest of Buenos Aires), La Dolfina Valiente appealed to the locality to amply exceed La Virgencita, 9-5, while at the Argentina’s Polo Association complex in Pilar (35 miles northwest of the capital city), Indios, the team founded by the Heguy family, narrowly beat La Dolfina Brava, 12-11.

The final for the Duke of Edinburgh Trophy was held on Saturday, Sept. 8, at Palermo’s Field No. 1. La Dolfina Valiente was superior from the beginning.

La Dolfina Valiente got fast advantages in the initial chukker (3-1) that gradually was stretched with what was produced in each period until completing the seven episodes with a wide victory of 12-4.

It was a meeting with a small number of fouls (only nine), which allowed the

29

Indios:

Rob Jornayvaz Diego Cavanagh Adolfo Cambiaso Juan Martín Nero

1 7 10 10

Alberto Heguy Jorge Monsegou Juan Gris Zavaleta Pedro Falabella

La Dolfina Brava:

25

La Virgencita:

27 7 5 8 7

24

Agustín Nero Pablo Spinacci Gastón Laulhé Gastón Urturi

4 6 8 6

Col. F. Reyes Carrere Cup La Natividad Miraflores: 15

La Mariana:

16

Horacio Henry Alejandro Granados Bartolomé Castagnola Jr. Lucas Torales

Rafael Grozovsky Santiago Catani Juan Ignacio Merlos Juan Cruz Merlos

Agustín Marcos Guillermo Terrera Alejo Taranco Bautista Arrastúa

La Natividad 30 Yardas: Martín Scortichini Ignacio Velasco Gallo Camilo Castagnola Javier Guerrero

4 8 8 5

2 1 6 6

15 2 3 6 4

change in minutes. So, you cannot wait for three chukkers to have the chance to have the climate in your favor.”

These criticisms caused that rule to be set aside before the next high-goal tournament, the Jockey Club Open.

On the closing day in Palermo, the Colonel Francisco Reyes Carrere Cup, in which four quartets of up to 16 goals entered, was defined on Field No. 2.

In the definition, two variations of La Natividad, the team founded by

San Jorge El Aduar: Daniel Ruiz Edgar Echezarreta Andrés Crespo Manuel Crespo

1 2 7 6

15 1 2 5 7

Bartolomé “Lolo” Castagnola, faced each other. On one side was La Natividad Miraflores with Bartolomé Jr., Lolo’s eldest son; on the other, La Natividad 30 Yardas, with Camilo, the youngest in the family. The fraternal duel was in the hands of La Natividad Miraflores, that won by a wide score of 14-5 after completing the seven regulation chukkers. For Bartolito, it was the third celebration in a row in the Carrere Cup competition.

SERGIO LLAMERA

members of La Dolfina Valiente to put many polo pony clones into play. In fact, the best horse of the final in the view of the Breeders Association was the mare, Lapa 07, a Lapa clone, property of Adolfito Cambiaso.

For his part, Juan Martín Nero won the MVP award. As Cambiaso said in the podium: “We fulfilled the two goals of this tournament: to start up the organization for the Argentine season and get Robert to get his dream of playing in Palermo. We feel very good because the Jornayvazs are friends, in addition to being patrons.”

The San Jorge Open not only offered challenges to the novel American player, but the AAP used this traditional competition to evaluate four new rules: 1) Change of sides at halftime instead of the usual after each goal scored to facilitate the understanding of the game for those who are not regular spectators.

2) Establish a limit of six fouls per player, per match. Any player who exceeds that number leaves the field, being replaced by a substitute for the team.

3) By replicating the international rule of whipping—in a continued effort to unify the regulations worldwide–and to protect the horses, the whip cannot be used unnecessarily or excessively; Any excess whipping will be punished with a penalty.

4) Players are allowed to hit the ball with any part of the body once per play. If someone hits the ball his body more than once, he will be charged with a penalty.

Of the four rules, the most criticized by the players was the first, for the lack of habits. As Nero explained, “It was tough to get used to the side change. I was a little bit disoriented. Having changed after each goal since I started playing as a child, it was not easy to adapt in a single tournament. You have to [consider] you play outdoors in an open field, so wind and sun are important factors that

San Jorge Open Valiente La Dolfina:

Diego Cavanagh breaks his mallet trying to keep the ball away from Juan Gris Zavaleta.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 41

The Federation of International Polo held its 12th European Polo Championships at the Villa A Sesta Polo Club in Tuscany, Italy, Sept. 20-30. Ten teams played off for the Quantocoin Cup. Another four teams played off in a women’s division.

Located in the heart of Italy wins FIP European Championships Chianti Classico, the Villa PHOTOS BY CYMON SKINNER A Sesta Polo Club is situated within a 2,700acre wine and olive oil producing farm set in the enchanting Tuscan countryside. The club includes three regulation polo fields and a practice field overseen by Argentine field expert Alejandro Battro. The club also has 180 permanent stalls and room for another 280 temporary stalls as needed.

DESTINATION: ITALY

The club includes three regulation-size polo fields and stabling for 180 horses.

42 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Founded in 2000, the club is managed

by Argentine Juan Luciano Bozzi, who also provides polo lessons along with pro Eduardo Menendez.

The festivities got underway with players taking part in a parade through the streets of Arezzo’s historical center all the way to Piazza Grande. Spectators applauded the players along the way and

the players spent a long time in the historical square after lining up to salute the crowds, attracting the attention of passers-by and tourists trying to get closer to the horses and riders.

The matches began on Sept. 20 with Italy taking on Spain in the first match.

With the teams tied 2-2 after the first period, Italy jumped ahead 4-2 in the second. Spain came back within a goal in the third, 5-4, but a pair of goals by Nicolas Lopes Fuentes in the last chukker gave Italy the boost it needed for the 7-5 win.

Next up, Azerbaijan faced Netherlands. Netherlands led 2-1 after the first chukker, but wouldn’t reach the goal again until the last period.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan racked up goals to take the 7-3 win.

The spread was even larger in Germany’s match against Switzerland.

Germany led 2-1 after the first and 6-2 after the second. It kept up the pressure in the second half, amassing seven more goals while holding Switzerland to two for a 13-4½ Germany win.

The final match of the day had France topping Slovakia, 5-1½. After a scoreless first period, France took a 2-1½ lead, which it increased to 3-1½ then 5-1½ for the win.

After a day of rest, the teams came back for Round 2. In the first match, Azerbaijan defeated France 8-4.

Azerbaijan held a 6-1 lead in the first half and carried the momentum to the end.

In Game 2, Ireland made its debut against Netherlands. After a 1-1 first chukker, Ireland jumped out front 6-2 in the second chukker. Netherlands rallied in the second half, topping Ireland 5-1, but a half-goal handicap given to Ireland pushed it ahead for the narrow 7½-7 win.

Italy earned its second victory after trouncing Austria in its debut. Italy dominated from the first throw-in, taking a 4-0 lead in the first chukker and 7-0 lead at the half. It coasted to a 3-2 second half tally for the 10-3½ victory.

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

The FIP’s 12th European Polo Championships were held at the picturesque Villa A Sesta Polo Club in Tuscany, Italy.

Spain came back from its narrow firstround loss to defeat Switzerland, 9-7½.

After another day of rest, Ireland faced France. Ireland jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and increased it to 4-1 at the half. France rallied in the second half, outscoring Ireland 4-3 but it wasn’t enough to erase its first-half deficit.

Ireland won 7½-5.

Azerbaijan then took on Slovakia.

S P O T L I G H T

Italy’s Tomas Joaquin, Gualtiero Giori, Nicolas Lopes Fuentes and Martin Joaquin won the championship over Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan dominated the first half, outscoring its opponent, 7-1. Slovakia fought back in the second half with six tallies, but Azerbaijan added four more to take the 11-7 victory.

The following day, Italy and Germany battled it out. Germany took an early lead but Italy came back with the 3-2 edge by the half. Italy increased its lead to 5-3 in the third. Germany outscored

The teams paraded through the streets of Arezzo’s center all the way to Piazza Grande.

They spent a long time in the historical square, saluting the crowds and posing for photos.

Italy 2-1 in the final chukker but fell just short of tying, 6-5.

The next match had Spain topping Austria 9-5½. Austria led 3-2 after the first but was silenced the next two chukkers for a 8-3 Spain lead. The teams traded goals in the last period, keeping Spain ahead for the win.

On Wednesday, Sept. 26, over 80 people, including players coaches, managers and organizers, traveled to Rome to attend a papal audience in Piazza San Pietro. With the large number of Argentines in polo, the chance to be in the audience with Pope Francis was welcomed with great enthusiasm.

Later that day, Ireland crushed Slovakia, 12-3½. Ireland led from beginning to end, holding an 8-1 advantage at the half and 10-3 in the third.

The Netherlands vs. France match was much closer with Netherlands jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the first seven minutes. France responded with three unanswered goals in the second for a 4-3 halftime score. The teams traded goals in the third for Netherlands to maintain the one-goal lead. Netherlands edged France 3-2 in the fourth, ending with Netherlands ahead, 8-6.

The following day, Switzerland got the best of Austria, 7-5. Switzerland led 5-3 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 43

Germany’s Laura Gissler-Weber, Eva Brühl, Maria-Luise Haupt and Sabrina Bosch defeated defending champion Italy in the women’s division of the European Championships. In the consolation, Netherlands got the best of France.

at the half and held on for the win. Later, Germany defeated Spain, 7-5. Germany outscored Spain by a goal in each half.

Azerbaijan got the best of Ireland with unanswered goals in the first and last period. The teams matches goals in the middle chukkers, putting Azerbaijan ahead 5-3½, and giving it its fourth win.

Netherlands dominated Slovakia 83½. Jose Santamarina scored the only two goals for Slovakia, the rest coming from handicap.

The last day of playoffs had Germany beating Austria, 9-6½. Germany overcame the one-and-a-half goal handicap given to Austria by the second period and carried the lead until the end.

Italy narrowly defeated Switzerland, 54½, in its final match. It took Italy all four chukkers to overcome the one-and-a -half goal handicap to get the edge.

In the consolation match for third place, Ireland took full advantage of the half-goal handicap it received to defeat Germany, 5½-5. Germany scored just a single goal in the first three chukkers but 44 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

rallied in the fourth, scoring four more before running out of time.

In the final, Italy jumped out to a 3-0 lead over Azerbaijan in the first seven minutes. The teams traded goals in the second but Italy turned up the pressure in the third with three goals by Nicolas Lopes Fuentes while holding Azerbaijan to just one. Azerbaijan outscored Italy 21 in the fourth but it was not enough and Italy took the 8-4 win. Fuentes was highscorer with six goals for Italy.

It was the second win for Italy after it defeated England in 2005 in Amsterdam.

For the second year, a ladies division was held with four teams competing: France, Netherlands, Germany and Italy.

The action got started on Sept. 25, with Netherlands besting France 4-2, while Germany trounced Italy, 11-3½.

Two days later, Italy redeemed itself with a 7-1 defeat of Netherlands while Germany overcame the two-and-a-half goal handicap given to beat France 6-4½.

Germany enjoyed its third victory and advanced to the final after holding

Netherlands to a single goal (added to its handicap) to win, 6-3½.

Defending champion Italy earned the other final spot after getting the best of France, 7-3. Italy led 3-1 at the half and increased the lead in the second half for the win and the right to advance.

In the match for third place, Netherlands ousted France 9½-3. In the final, Germany overcame the two-and-ahalf goal handicap in the first seven minutes. It held Italy scoreless in the first half while racking up six goals. It went on to outscore Italy 3-2 in the second half for the 9-4½ win.

A prize giving ceremony was held following the finals of both divisions.

U.S. Polo Assn., the official brand of the USPA, partnered with Eurosport and Dsport to broadcast the men’s final on October 8. In addition, U.S. Polo Assn. provided tournament jerseys for the teams and umpire shirts for umpires as well as apparel for event staff. An onsite pop-up shop was also available for polo fans.

Italy: Gualtiero Giori Tomas Joaquin Nicolas Lopes Fuentes Martin Joaquin

8 1 0 3 4

Azerbaijan: Ali Rzayev Elchin Jamalli Fabian Bolanteiro Agustin Kronhaus

8 0 2 3 3

Spain: Javier Cunill Alfonso Figar Antonio Ayesa Nicolas Ruiz Guiñazu

8 0 1 3 4

Switzerland: Sacha Pictet Martin Luginbühl Tito Gaudenzi Simon Luginbühl Fabian Pictet Juan Zavalia Paunero

7 1 2 2 2 1 1

Netherlands Philip van der Kloot Meijburg Philip de Groot Tomas Ussher Aki van Andel Jim Souren Savine van der Kloot Meijburg

8 1 1 4 2 1 1

Germany: Niclas Sandweg Caesar Crasemann Caspar Crasemann Niklas Steinle

France: Pierre Hamelin David Amar Louis Jarrige Florent Garaud

8 1 1 3 3

Ireland: Stephen Hutchinson Creighton Boyd Michael Henderson Max Hutchinson

0 0 4 3

Women’s Teams Netherlands Julia Hiebeler Brenda de Boer Savine van der Kloot Meijburg Stephanie Haverhals

11 2 2 3 4

Germany: Sabrina Bosch Laura Gissler-Weber Marie-Luise Haupt Eva Brühl

12 0 3 3 6

8 1 3 3 1

France: Latitia Macaire Lavinia Fabre Romane Jamet Charlotte Garaud

12 3 3 2 4

Slovakia: Ivan Weiss Justo Santamarina Ramon Santamarina Jose Santamarina

3 0 0 0 3

Italy: Ginevra Visconti Maria Vittoria Marchiorello Costanza Marchiorello Ginevra D’Orazio

11 1 3 3 4

Austria: Benedikt Kernes Robert Kofler Walter Scherb Martin Bleier

4 0 1 1 2

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 45

POLO REPORT DISPATCHES FROM THE WORLD OF POLO CENTRAL

JAN SALAZAR

OAK BROOK WINS PRINCE OF WALES CUP

Oak Brook’s Horacio Onetto outpaces Wales’ Roddy Matthews in the Butler International and Prince of Wales Cup.

O

ak Brook Polo Club in Oak Brook, Illinois, hosted its third and final match of its International Polo Series, Sept. 9, by defeating Centtrip Wales in a four-chukker bout to narrowly win the prestigious Butler International & Prince of Wales Cup by two goals, 7-5.

Despite a dreary weather forecast, hundreds of spectators came out to welcome HRH Prince of Wales’s polo team back to Oak Brook. Performing “God Save the Queen” was Celtic Piper

46 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Christopher Coomes followed by the U.S. national anthem by tenor Christian Kerr and violinist Cara Schlecker.

The International Cup was inaugurated in 1986 when the England team, captained by Prince Charles, played against Oak Brook. Today, HRH The Prince of Wales serves as patron of the Wales Polo Team that was comprised of Ricky Cooper (captain), Roderick “Roddy” Matthews, Peter Webb and Niall Donnelly. Oak Brook’s team, led by team patron and captain Jim Drury,

included Mariano Gutierrez, Tomas Obregon and Horacio Onetto. Todd Rackley and Jack Murphy served as umpires while Rob Wilkinson was announcer.

“Myself and Prince Charles are thrilled to see this relationship and friendly match reemerge to become an annual fixture on the team’s calendar,” said Cooper. “Last year’s visit was a memorable experience and we’re honored to be invited back for a rematch for the coveted Butler

R E P O R T

JAN SALAZAR

P O L O

Oak Brook’s Mariano Gutierrez, Matias Obregon, Horacio Onetto nd Jim Drury won the international match in Chicago.

International Cup. We have put together a competitive team to provide a challenge in this year’s match-up,” said Cooper prior to the match.

The first chukker got underway with the traditional ball roll in. Matias Obregon (substituting for Tomas Obregon) was the first to score for Oak Brook followed by Onetto. Webb scored one for Wales to close out the first chukker 2-1 in favor of Oak Brook. In the second, Onetto was the first to score with Donnelly from Wales answering to end the first half with Oak Brook maintaining the one-goal lead, 3-2.

After an entertaining and festive divot stomp, the second half of the match got off to a quick start. Wales’s Cooper scored first followed by Webb to take the 4-3 lead over Oak Brook. Oak Brook’s Gutierrez and Obregon answered back with their own goals to reclaim the lead and end the third chukker 5-4. In the fourth and final chukker, Obregon expanded Oak Brook’s lead to two before Webb answered back to bring Oak Brook’s lead back to one. Gutierrez scored an ensurance goal for Oak Brook to end the match.

Nicholas Vangel presented The Butler International & Prince of Wales Cup to the victorious Oak Brook Polo Team. The Best Playing Pony blanket was awarded to Gin, owned and trained

by Derek Berg of Black Berg Ranch, and presented by Monica Gully of

Debra Napp, far right, presents trophies to Island House’s Segundo Merlos, MVP Peter Holowesko, Toro Ruiz and Emma Joinnides.

Barrington Saddlery. Wales’ Peter Webb was named MVP. Illinois State Representative Deanne Mozzachi welcomed the Wales players on behalf of the state of Illinois while gifts were presented to both teams from Ogilvy Saddle Pads, Ted Baker London and Newcastle & Strongbow beers. A special presentation, featuring an autographed jersey, was given to Karl Muarer and his son Dominic for their friendship, support and dedication to the Oak Brook Polo Club and team.

Drury said,” We are thrilled to have the Wales team return to Oak Brook for a second straight year. The old days of Oak Brook Polo have reemerged and reestablished the club as a place for international polo competition.”

Immediately following the match, there was a party and meet & greet with the teams at Gibson’s Bar

and Steakhouse.

The international series also featured matches from Jamaica, India and Mexico.

The club, 17 miles from downtown Chicago, celebrated its 96th season this year.

NORTHEASTERN

ISLAND HOUSE TAKES

JERRY NAPP MEMORIAL Island House bested Meadowbrook 9-7 to take the title in the Jerry Napp Memorial 8-goal Cup at Meadowbrook Polo Club in Old Westbury, New York, Sept. 1.

Island House included Emma Joinnides, Segundo Merlos, Toro Ruiz and Peter Holowesko, while Meadowbrook had Glen Lostritto,

MVP Peter Holowesko holds off Juan Redlich, allowing Emma Joinnides to get to the ball. Juan Martin Zubia, far left, waits for a chance to pounce.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 47

R E P O R T

MILAGROS MARTINEZ

ERIC SCHNEIDER

P O L O

Agucho Zavaleta, Matt Coppola, Shane Finemore and Juanse Olivera won the 8-goal Tracey Mactaggart Challenge Cup.

Mrinal Dansignhani, Juan Redlich and Juan Martin Zubia.

Island House got off to a strong start after Joinnides and Ruiz tallied two goals each and Merlos tapped in another. Meadowbrook’s Zubia put two in and Dansingani notched another to stay in the game. Island House held the 5-3 lead at the half.

Redlich traded goals with Merlos in the fourth.

Redlich brought Meadowbrook within one in the fifth when he notched a goal then scored a Penalty 2. One by Ruiz kept Island House on top, 7-6. With Meadowbrook on its tail going into the sixth, Island House pulled out all the stops. Merlos scored, then Joinnides to pull ahead by three, 9-6. Meadowbrook fought back, with Redlich finding the mark but the team ran out of time and Island House held on to the win.

Peter Holowesko was named MVP and Cordobesita, owned and played by Emma Joinnides, was Best Playing Pony. Joinnides also went home with a gift certificate for scoring three goals, the most scored by an amateur. She matched goals with Merlos and Ruiz, while Redlich led his team with four.

The awards, donated by Bob Ceparano, were presented by Napp’s widow, Debra.

After the match, Redlich and Pedro Gutierrez traded in their polo mallets for barbecuing tools as they prepared an amazing asado.

48 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Poland’s Maciej, Pawel and Mariana Olbrych and Jakub Czekaj slipped past USA, 7-6, in Newport’s International Series.

GARDENVALE BEST IN MACTAGGART CHALLENGE

NEWPORT WRAPS UP INTERNATIONAL SERIES

Gardenvale got the 10-7 edge over Hawk Hill in the 8-goal Tracey Mactaggart Challenge Cup, Sept. 9.

Hawk Hill (Keko Magrini, Agustin Bottaro, Dylan Rossiter, Phillip Mactaggart) charged ahead in the first chukker with two unanswered goals by Rossiter. Gardenvale (Shane Finemore, Juanse Olivera, Matt Coppola, Agucho Zavaleta) got on the board with goal by Coppola in the second. Both teams missed Penalty 4s but Coppola nailed one in the third. Olivera also hit the mark on a run downfield, but a Penalty 1 for Hawk Hill, followed by a field goal and Penalty 2 conversion by Rossiter kept Hawk Hill out front 5-3 at the half.

Zavaleta opened the scoring in the fourth, but Rossiter answered back to maintain the two-goal lead.

Gardenvale leveled the score in the fifth when Coppola wrapped goals around one from Magrini and Olivera tallied another. Hawk Hill was out of bullets in the sixth chukker while Finemore put Gardenvale on top.

Coppola split the uprights and a pony goal ensured the Gardenvale victory.

Keko Magrini’s bay Cara Pálida was Best Playing Pony and Agucho Zavaleta was MVP. Six teams were divided into two brackets, playing off over two weeks.

Newport Polo in Newport, Rhode Island celebrated the 27th season of its International Polo Series. The series included eight international teams, including Poland, which made its debut on opening day, June 2.

Poland (Mariana Olbrych, Jakub Czekaj, Maciej Olbrych, Pawel Olbrych) outlasted USA (Minnie Keating, Sam Clemens, Rory Torrey, Peter Friedman), 7-6, in a close match.

Each week, pre-game ceremonies included the raising of the visiting team’s flag and singing of both team’s national anthems followed the introduction of players.

In the Poland vs. USA match, Torrey opened the scoring but Czekaj quickly responded, ending with the first chukker knotted 1-1. In the second, Clemen found the mark only to be answered by Mariana Olbrych.

Maciej Olbrych’s first goal put Poland ahead 3-2. Torrey and Maciej Olbrych traded goals in the third, ending the half with Poland leading, 4-3.

USA regrouped at the half and Torrey came back into the game fired up. He scored a hat trick to put USA ahead 6-4. Czekaj knocked one in for Poland to cut the gap to 6-5 at the end of the fourth. The fifth proved to be a defensive battle with Poland trying to

R E P O R T

RODRIGO FERNANDEZ

RODRIGO FERNANDEZ

P O L O

USA’s Dan and Minnie Keating, Michel Nseir and Heather Souto and Ireland’s Paul Ronan, Siobhan Herbst, Mark Stone and Colm Kelleher

regain the lead. Neither team was able to reach the goal, leaving USA ahead by one going into the final chukker.

It didn’t take long for Mariana Olbrych to even the score, 6-6, in the sixth. With the teams continuing to battle for control as time was winding down, Czekaj split the uprights to secure the win for Poland.

After each international match, teams celebrated with traditional savory foods native to the visiting team’s country.

On June 19, USA bested Scotland, 7-4. Despite galloping attacks by both squads, USA (Minnie Keating, Heather Souto, Dan Keating, Jim DeAngelis) and Scotland (Mike Christopherson, Jamie Douglas, Hiro Suzuki, James Douglas) were unable to reach the goal in the first 14 minutes.

USA’s Michel Nseir, Minnie Keating, Dan Keating and Peter Friedman soundly defeated a Moroccan team.

Minnie Keating and DeAngelis finally broke the stalemate in the third to end the first half with USA ahead, 20. Suzuki put Scotland on the board early in the fourth, but Dan Keating answered. Suzuki and Dan Keating exchanged goals in the fifth, bringing Scotland within one, 4-3.

Dan Keating extended USA’s lead to two early in the sixth, but Suzuki brought Scotland back within a goal, 5-4. Minnie Keating and Souto slipped the Scottish defense to hit the target and secure the USA victory, 7-4.

The action continued into July when Italy (Raimondo Visconti di Modrone, Curzio Recchi, Matteo de Paolis, Paolo di Campello) got the best of USA (Roger Souto, Michel Nseir, Sam Clemens, Peter Friedman) in a tight 8-7 win, hoisting the trophy for

the first time in seven appearances.

Friedman got the scoring started but di Campello had the answer to end the first seven minutes in a 1-1 tie. Di Campello scored a lone goal in the second to put Italy in the lead, but USA was just warming up and Clemens hammered in three goals in the third, added to one from Nseir to put USA comfortably ahead, 5-2, at the half.

The halftime break stopped USA’s momentum, allowing de Paolis to pull Italy within one at the end of the fourth, 5-4. Recchi leveled the score, 55, early in the fifth, but Clemens immediately reacted to put USA back on top. Di Campello split the uprights to even the score at the end of the fifth. De Paolis put Italy ahead for the first time since the second chukker. As time was winding down, it seemed as

TWO EVENTS AT SOUTHAMPTON POLO CLUB IN NEW YORK

La Magnolia’s Anne Byers, Alex Natella, Lucy Millard and Ali Bailey (not shown); VanLith Ranch’s Jessica Sailer, Catie Stueck, Carolina Falcone, Lilliana Falcone; and the winners, Genghis Khan’s Tiamo Hudspeth, Summer Beinhorn, Camille Beinhorn, Catalina Hayata, of Southampton Polo Club’s Ladies Tournament on Sept. 9.

La California’s Kevin Hamilton, MacKenzie Weisz, Segundo Merlos and Marcos Garcia del Rio won the 8-goal New York Cup, 11-8, over Aliano Palmers.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 49

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RODRIGO FERNANDEZ

RODRIGO FERNANDEZ

P O L O

Jamaica’s Conrad Chin, Brandon Richards, Shane Chin and Hamish Wates defeated the USA team.

though Italy had the win, but with less than 30 seconds left, Clemens knotted the score at 7-7, forcing a penalty shootout.

The teams chose a representative for the shootout, Friedman for USA and de Paolis for Italy. It took two rounds before de Paolis scored to put Italy on top.

On July 21, USA (Minnie Keating, Michel Nseir, Heather Souto, Dan Keating) took on Ireland (Paul Ronan, Siobhan Herbst, Mark Stone, Colm Kelleher).

Ronan put Ireland on the board but Minnie Keating responded to keep the score level. Herbst began the second with a goal for Ireland but Nseir and Dan Keating responded to give USA a narrow lead, 3-2. Souto extended the lead in the third with a lone goal, ending the first half with USA ahead, 4-2.

Souto continued to pressure Ireland, scoring early in the fourth before Ronan answered for Ireland.

Dan Keating added one more to double up Ireland’s score, 6-3. Herbst found the mark to end the fourth, 6-4. Stone tied the score in the fifth, but the father/daughter duo of Dan and Minnie Keating gave Ireland the onetwo punch to put USA ahead 8-6. In the sixth, Stone brought Ireland within one, but could get no closer. USA held on for the 8-7 victory.

In early August, USA, with Peter

50 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

England’s Matt Jones, Garrie Renucci, Stephen O’Kane and Jimmy Wood narrowly fell to USA in England’s 26th appearance.

Friedman taking over for Heather Souto, crushed Morocco (Imad Ounnisi, Karim Drif, Taissir Kadiri, Nour-Dean Anakar), 9-4.

Dan Keating was the only one to find the goal in the first seven minutes.

Friedman took over in the second with back-to-back goals. Kadiri finally put Morocco on the board, ending the second trailing 3-1. But Morocco was starting to find its rhythm and unanswered goals by Drif and Ounnisi knotted the score at 3-all at the half.

USA benefited from the halftime break and came out firing. Nseir scored a pair of goals and Dan and Minnie Keating each scored to put the team up 7-3. Friedman stretched the lead to five before Kadiri found the mark for Morocco. Nseir scored the only goal of the sixth to give USA the victory.

A few weeks later, USA had a tougher time against a talented Jamaican team. Jamaica (Conrad Chin, Brandon Richards, Shane Chin, Hamish Wates) gained an early lead on USA (Michel Nseir, Minnie Keating, Dan Keating, Jim DeAngelis) but held on for the win.

Unfamiliar horses loaned to the Jamaican’s didn’t slow them down one bit as Conrad Chin, the youngest player, struck first followed by his uncle Shane Chin, who converted a penalty.

Wates added his two cents with a pair of goals to go up 4-0. Dan Keating and

DeAngelis cut the deficit in half before DeAngelis swapped goals with Richards for a 5-3 Jamaican lead. Wates added another early in the final chukker.

Minnie Keating shot back with a pair of goals to bring USA within one. Conrad Chin claimed the last goal to ensure the 7-5 win.

England embarked on its 26th campaign against USA over Labor Day weekend. Jet-lag, followed by an allnight tour of the Newport social scene left the English players (Matt Jones, Garrie Renucci, Stephen O’Kane, Jimmy Wood) with ‘thick’ heads that even a ‘builder’s team’ couldn’t clear!

This left the team still shaking off the previous night’s follies when the umpires threw in the first ball.

USA (Minnie Keating, Michel Nseir, Heather Souto, Rory Torrey) took advantage with Torrey scoring the first goal. Souto followed to close the first chukker 2-0. A penalty conversion by Torrey and back-to-back goals by Souto in the second increased the lead to 5-0.

As halftime closed in, Wood finally got England in the game with a pair of penalty conversions, but Torrey answered with one of his own for a 6-2 score.

Souto increased the lead to five early in the second half. Soon after, Wood found an opening and raced to goal but Keating responded to close the chukker 8-3. England came alive in the

RODRIGO FERNANDEZ

P O L O

RODRIGO FERNANDEZ

take a 1-0 lead.

Singh increased the lead with a penalty conversion and a field goal, but Torrey and Souto struck for USA to come within one, 32. The excitement escalated in the third when Torrey tied the score on a penalty conversion, then took the lead India’s Raghav Raj Singh, Mahesh Parmar, Raj Jain and Kailash Parmar defeated USA in Newport’s International Series. with a field goal.

Singh responded fourth with Wood scoring a hat trick, with a goal to tie the score 4-4. while holding USA to one for a 9-6 USA Early in the second half, Singh took lead. Wood and Renucci closed the gap back the lead with a penalty to one early in the sixth. Torrey conversion. Torrey knotted the score at increased the USA lead, but O’Kane 5-5 to end the chukker. A defensive brought it back down to one, 10-9. battled ensued in the fifth, but Singh Time ran out for England and USA was able to breakthrough the USA’s hung on for the win. defense to grab the lead, 6-5.

The International Series concluded Singh increased the lead to two with USA (Minnie Keating, Heather early in the sixth, 7-5. Friedman kept Souto, Rory Torrey, Stephanie Still, USA in the game with a goal, but time Peter Friedman) going up against India ran out and India had the win.

(Kailash Parmar, Raj Jain, Mahesh All the visiting teams enjoyed tours Parmar, Raghav Raj Singh), Sept. 15. It of the City by the Sea, including stops was the third time these two teams have at the Newport mansions, boat show, met.

International Tennis Hall of Fame, as The teams jumped right out of the well as paddle boarding, Secret Garden gate with runs to goal but only Mahesh Tours and sightseeing courtesy of Parmar found the target for India to Scooter World.

India’s Raj Jain and Kailash Parmar double team USA’s Rory Torrey.

R E P O R T ROCKY MOUNTAIN

MANDARINA TRIUMPHS

IN TRIPLE CROWN OF POLO First-year team Mandarina won the biggest prize of the summer polo season at Aspen Valley Polo Club in Carbondale, Colorado, Sept 2.

The foursome of Sarah Magness, Melissa Ganzi, Alejandro Novillo Astrada and Juan Bollini won the coveted Triple Crown of Polo with a thrilling 7-6 victory over Woodrow Farm (Leigh Brecheen, Marc Ganzi, Nic Roldan, Tano Vial) in the season finale.

Longtime player and U.S. Polo Association Secretary Stewart Armstrong was selected Most Valuable Player of the season for with his consistent play and strong defense during the summer season.

Music, a 5-year-old Thoroughbred dark bay mare, was chosen Best Playing Pony. She was played by Alejandro Novillo Astrada, trained by Tiana Smicklas and owned by Wellingtonbased Santa Rita Polo Farm.

Argentine 8-goaler Alejandro Novillo Astrada was named match Most Valuable Player.

Basalt, a 6-year-old dark bay mare (by Quarzo out of Shekankipper), played by Marc Ganzi and owned by Santa Rita Polo Farm, was selected the American Polo Horse Association best registered horse of the game.

The APHA was created in 2006 by Hall of Famer Sunny Hale to recognize polo ponies in America and encourages events that showcase them and hardworking, dedicated grooms.

In the championship final, Melissa Ganzi led Mandarina with a game-high five goals including the game-winner.

Magness and Novillo Astrada each had one goal.

For Woodrow Farm, Brecheen and Roldan each had two goals and Ganzi and Vial each had one.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 51

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CHIARO FOTO

CHIARO FOTO

P O L O

After a 3-3 halftime defeated La Karina (Alejandra score, Roldan scored the De la Vega, Brian Boyd, only goal in the fourth Carlitos Gracida, Nacho Novillo chukker to give Woodrow Astrada), 11-10.

Farm a 4-3 lead. Mandarina Dorignac scored a teamfound its offense in the fifth high five goals for Los Amigos chukker, outscoring and was selected MVP for the Woodrow Farm, 3-0, to take subsidiary game. Foster had a 6-4 lead going into the three, Armstrong scored two final chukker. Ganzi’s final and Lalor added one. For La goal in the sixth gave them a Karina, Novillo Astrada scored 7-4 advantage. Woodrow a game-high six goals. Boyd had Mandarina’s Sarah Magness, Juan Bollini, Alejandro Novillo Farm tried to rally with two two and De la Vega and Gracida Astrada and Melissa Ganzi won the Triple Crown of Polo. goals but ran out of time. each scored one goal.

This is the first season Los Amigos came from players are competing for the coveted Merlos, Mike Azzaro, Tommy Biddle, behind to tie at halftime and outscored Triple Crown of Polo. The Triple Adam Snow, Nic Roldan, Matias La Karina, 5-2, in the fourth and fifth Crown of Polo Denver was won by Magrini, Jeff Hall, Mariano Gonzalez, chukkers for a 10-7 lead going into the Scone (David Paradice, Agustin Nero, Michel Dorignac and Kris Kampsen. sixth. La Karina came back with three Agusto Gomez Romero, Guillermo The Triple Crown of Polo, an goals from Novillo Astrada but ran out Terrera). The Palm Beach edition is set ESPN2 television series, was created in of time. Foster’s last goal turned out to for Grand Champions Polo Club on 2005 by David McLane, known for Pro be the game-winner.

Nov. 14.

Beach Hockey, Women of Wrestling Earlier in the week, Mandarina Designed by Tiffany & Co., the and Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, to (Sarah Magness, Melissa Ganzi, Nacho magnificent trophy is comprised of help promote polo in the U.S. The Novillo Astrada) defeated Casablanca three separate trophies that fit perfectly spectacular trophy was created for the (Carlitos Gracida, Ailsa Currier, Juan together to create an entire polo scene event that had stops in Sarasota, Dallas, Bollini), 13-11, to capture the USPA that is breathtaking in sterling silver.

Santa Barbara and Aiken during its Rocky Mountain Circuit Arena The winning teams’ names will be heyday.

Congressional Cup at the club’s inscribed on the trophy and added to In the Just For The Love Of It Cup, outdoor arena. an impressive list of teams that feature Los Amigos (Pablo Dorignac, Stewart Magness scored a game-high eight several top players including Sebastian Armstrong, Lucas Lalor, Paul Foster) goals and Ganzi added four. The team received one goal on handicap. Bollini and Currier each had four goals and Gracida had three.

—Sharon Robb PAC I F I C C OA S T

UCLA/LUCCHESE TOPS IN PRESIDENTS CUP

Mandarina’s Alejandro Novillo Astrada interrupts Woodrow Farm’s Nic Roldan’s swing in the final of the Triple Crown of Polo.

52 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

UCLA/Lucchese came away with the Jackson Hole Horse Emporium USPA Regional Presidents Cup at Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club in Carpinteria, California, Sept. 24.

UCLA/Lucchese (Conrad Kissling, Matt Walker, Agustin Molinas, John Muse) pushed Barrossa/STG (John Ziegler, Jef Graham, Max Menini, Francisco Guinazu) into sudden death

R E P O R T

DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS

DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS

P O L O

UCLA/Lucchese’s Matt Walker, Agustin Molinas, John Muse and Conrad Kissling won the regional 8-goal Presidents Cup.

overtime after being deadlocked in the last two chukkers.

Menini got the ball rolling and went on to score three goals in the first 14 minutes, setting the tone for the remainder of the match. A combination of long passes, fast horses and relatively few fouls called kept the game moving at a fast pace.

Kissling scored three times added to a 40-yard penalty conversion from Walker in the first half for Lucchese.

Goals by Guinazu and Ziegler in the third chukker gave Barrossa the narrow edge, 5-4, at the half.

Guinazu and Kissling traded goals in the fourth, allowing Barrossa to maintain the edge. Molinas ramped up his offensive efforts with back-to-back goals, giving UCLA/Lucchese a firsttime advantage. Menini ended that by easing one through the uprights to tie the score at 7-all. The teams worked hard to gain the advantage in the sixth period. Guinazu sunk a 30-yard penalty to give Barrossa the lead, but Walker responded in-kind, ending regulation play knotted at 8-8.

The high energy of the players was evident as the ball was bowled in for the overtime chukker. UCLA/Lucchese secured the ball but a miscue left its fate up in the air. Not long after, 18-year-old Kissling rocketed a shot down field, finding Molinas who ran the ball through for the golden goal.

Kissling admitted he felt the

Barrossa/STG’s Jef Graham, Francisco Guinazu, Max Menini and John Ziegler won the Travel Associates Harry East Memorial.

adrenaline pumping as he passed to Molinas. “It was an incredibly hardfought match that lasted until the very end. Barrossa gave us an incredibly hard time throughout all seven chukkers, but we focused and tried to stay very disciplined at the end. Fortunately, we were able to come out with the win,” he said.

Molinas was named MVP and Menini’s mare, Chocolata, was awarded Best Playing Pony honors.

In addition to the finalists, the tournament included two additional teams in Farmers & Merchants Bank (Henry/Dan Walker, Warwick Prendiville, Santi Wulff, Mateo de Paolis) and Klentner Ranch/Hidden Creek (Bayne Bossom, Luke Klentner, Jesse Bray, Sean Keys).

Another four teams competed in the Travel Associates Harry East Memorial, with the final played on Oct. 1.

Newcomer Cancha de las Estrellas (Sarah Siegel-Magness, Joe Henderson, Leigh Brecheen, Mariano Fassetta/Juan Curbelo) took UCLA/Lucchese’s place, while Klentner Ranch had a slight change with Piers Bossom taking over for Sean Keys, and Omar Mangaji replacing Mateo de Paolis on Farmers & Merchants Bank.

In the semi-final round Klentner Ranch fell to Barrossa in overtime. With Bossom on the team, the average age of Klentner Ranch players fell to just 17½ years! On the other side, Farmers &

Merchants Bank advanced to the final by defeating Cancha de las Estrellas.

In the final, Farmers & Merchants Bank established an early lead over Barrossa. Wulff drew first blood, scoring from the field to start the match, quickly followed by a goal from the penalty line

by Walker. A goal each by Menini and Guinazu tied the score at two goals each.

Wulff struck again, scoring his second goal in the chukker to put FMB up 3-2.

Guinazu answered back, tying the score at 3-3. A whistle halted the game’s momentum, giving Wulff a 60-yard penalty shot and another mark on the board. Guinazu and Walker each scored once more before the chukker closed, giving FMB a one-goal lead.

Barrossa took advantage of its speed in the third chukker and overcame FMB’s lead, tying the score at six goals each before halftime.

Spectators were treated to a fantastic second half of play with minimal fouls and fast, open polo. Barrossa and FMB each scored three goals from the field in the fourth chukker. Guinazu and Wulff each had six goals credited to their name in the match before the start of the fifth chukker.

Menini took control of the ball at the onset of the fifth chukker and scored three consecutive points for Barrossa. A valiant defensive effort held FMB scoreless, 12-9.

FMB rode into the final chukker ready to fight back against a strong

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 53

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KEL CASEY PHOTOGRAPHY

KEL CASEY PHOTOGRAPHY

P O L O

Porsche San Diego’s Melissa Ganzi, Alejandro Novillo Astrada and Juan Bollini won the Polo America Beach Polo Cup in Coronado.

Menini/Guinazu combination. Wulff and Walker scored a combined three goals, but a goal each by Graham and Guinazu secured the victory for Barrossa, 14-12.

Guinazu was named MVP and his mare, Anna, was named Best Playing Pony. Guinazu purchased the unbroke mare in Texas in June 2015. Shortly after, he went to San Diego to play his first season in the U.S., where he began working Anna under saddle.

“I have had almost five strings since I have been in the U.S., and she has been in every one of them. She was treated badly by the previous owner, but within the first year she became a sweetheart and loves being hugged on and pet. Anyone can ride her, from a beginner to a kid or a pro. She is super smooth, handy, balanced, athletic, quick and very pretty. As she has always been with me in this country, Anna is the pampered girl of the barn,” he said.

PORSCHE DRIVES AWAY WITH BEACH POLO CUP

With a new lineup, Porsche San Diego defended its title Sept. 9 at the third annual Polo America Beach Polo Cup at the iconic Hotel Del Coronado in Coronado, California.

For the second year in a row, Porsche San Diego (Melissa Ganzi,

54 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Viejas Casino’s Alfredo Bigatti slaps a hook on Porsche’s Alejandro Novillo Astrada during Beach Polo in Coronado.

Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Juan Bollini) won the coveted beach polo title with a 10-6 victory over Viejas Casino and Resort (Marc Ganzi, Alfredo Bigatti, Pablo Dorignac).

Argentine Alejandro Novillo Astrada of Porsche San Diego was named Most Valuable Player after his outstanding play.

The Flexjet Best Playing Pony was 8-year-old bay mare Quilmas, played by Juan Bollini in the fourth chukker.

The Best Playing Pony blanket was presented by actor Sterling Jones.

Melissa Ganzi scored a game-high eight goals as Porsche San Diego led the four-chukker game from start-tofinish. Bollini and Novillo Astrada each had one goal. Bigatti scored a team-high five goals and Ganzi added one goal for Viejas Casino and Resort.

Porsche San Diego led 2-1, 4-2 and 6-5 before Ganzi put the game out of reach with three goals in the final chukker.

In the subsidiary game, Aspen Valley Polo Team (Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Alfredo Bigatti) won with a 6-5 victory over U.S. Polo Assn.

(Chevy Beh, Nacho Novillo Astrada, Carlitos Gracida).

In Friday’s opener, Porsche San Diego advanced into the championship with a win over U.S. Polo Assn. On Saturday, Viejas Casino and Resort defeated Aspen Valley Polo Club.

—Sharon Robb

EASTERN

BAREFIELD CLINCHES GERALD BALDING TITLE

Barefield (Adam Lipsome, Mark Mulligan, Marcos Onetto, Hernan Tasso) edged New Hope (Rhea Lowenthal, Tim Cheromcka, Dennys Santana, Pelon Escapite) in the 8-goal Gerald Balding Memorial Tournament at Brandywine Polo Club in Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania, Sept. 3.

Tasso got the scoring started with a goal in the opening minutes. Escapite responded and Santana sunk a Penalty 4 to put New Hope on top, but Lipsome leveled the scored at the end of the chukker. Escapite knocked in back-toback goals in the second but Barefield kept it close with a goal by Onetto.

Escapite doubled up Barefield’s score, 63, with lone goals in the third.

Barefield came back from the halftime break fired up. Tasso hit the mark four times (two penalties) before coming up for air. Then Onetto took over, sinking a pair of goals to take a convincing 9-6 lead. Onetto started off the fifth with another goal but New Hope benefited from penalty opportunities. Escapite was deadly from the penalty line, sinking three of four opportunities. Tasso found the mark on a Penalty 3 to keep Barefield ahead, 11-9.

R E P O R T

ELIZABETH HEDLEY

ELIZABETH HEDLEY

P O L O

Barefield’s Adam Lipsome, Mark Mulligan, Marcos Onetto and Hernan Tasso won the Gerald Balding Memorial at Brandywine.

Ravina, Charly Quincoces).

Ravina got things moving with first a Penalty 4 conversion, then a Penalty 3 conversion. Escapite responded in the second chukker with a Penalty 3. He missed the target with a Penalty 4 but made up for it with a field goal to knot the score at 2-2.

O’Flynn O’Brien put OneMagnify back on top ending the second, 3-2. The teams battled for control in the third period.

Quincoces extended OneMagnify’s lead, but goals by Santana and Escapite leveled the score, 4-4.

Ravina got in the last word to put OneMagnify ahead, 5-4.

OneMagnify sat down while

Dovecote/Red Maple (Tommy Huber, Nate Berube, PJ Orthwein, Tom Huber) faced New Hope. Tommy Huber struck first but Santana and Escapite responded to put New Hope ahead. Tom Huber split the uprights in the second chukker and Berube sunk a Penalty 2 to take the lead. New Hope couldn’t reach the goal in the second and third chukkers while Berube and Tom Huber tallied again in the third to take the 5-2 advantage.

The last round of the day pitted Dovecote against OneMagnify.

Quincoces scored the only goal of the first with a Penalty 2 conversion. Ravina found the mark in the second with a run ELIZABETH HEDLEY

The final chukker was riddled with even more fouls. Escapite sunk a Penalty 2 and Santana scored from the field to level the score at 11-all. Onetto briefly put Barefield back on top but Escapite connected with a Penalty 3 to tie it up at 12-12. Onetto found an opening and gave Barefield the advantage once again and a Penalty 3 conversion by Tasso sealed the deal for Barefield, 14-12.

Escapite was named MVP for his efforts and Tasso’s Dalmiro was Best Playing Pony. Dalmiro is out of Tasso’s Dalma by Chalo Compinche, a stallion owned by former 10-goaler Bartolome “Lolo” Castagnola.

The tournament is named for Britain’s last 10-goal player, Gerald Balding (1903-1957). He reached the pinnacle of the sport in 1939 after representing England in the 1936 Westchester Cup and the U.S. in the Cup of the Americas the same year. He went on to win the Coronation Cup (1951), the Hurlingham Champion Cup (1930), the U.S. Open (1935, 1936), Roehampton Open and Junior Cups, to name a few.

A few weeks earlier, three teams played off in a round robin played over two days for the 8-goal Polo Ponies Memorial tournament.

In the first round on Day 1, New Hope (Ann Oniskey, Tim Cheromcka, Dennys Santana, Pelon Escapite) took on OneMagnify (Denis O’Flynn O’Brien, Cathy Whitman, Martin

Dovecote/Red Maple’s Tommy Huber, Nate Berube, PJ Orthwein and Tom Huber won the 8-goal Polo Ponies Memorial.

New Hope’s Pelon Escapite gives his all trying to stop Barefield’s Hernan Tasso, riding Best playing Pony Dalmiro, in the final of the Gerald Balding Memorial.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 55

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to goal but Dovecote responded with a Penalty 3 from Orthwein and a field goal from Tom Huber. Ravina put OneMagnify ahead with a pair of Penalty 4 conversions. Orthwein split the uprights in a last-ditch effort but time ran out for Dovecote and OneMagnify held the 4-3 advantage.

The teams were back at it the next day, picking up where they left off. The first round was a continuation of the match between New Hope and OneMagnify, with OneMagnify holding a narrow 5-4 lead. Three-goal Gabi Caro took over for Charly Quincoces, taking the No. 3 position on OneMagnify while Ravina moved to Back. Rhea Lowenthal played the second chukker for Onisky on the New Hope team.

SOUTHEASTERN

CHAPEL HILL TRIUMPHS IN SUMMER LEAGUE

Triangle Area Polo Club in Hurdle Mills, North Carolina, had a busy summer despite dodging persistent rain.

Hickory Furniture Mart (Brayden Foster, David Brooks, Bella Hamon) topped Surface 678 and WCHL 97.9 to take the USPA Arena Constitution Cup in July. Chris Wolf’s Heguy was Best Playing Pony and David Brooks was named MVP. Chapel Hill (Jordan Lee, Banks Holcombe, Katy Hayward) edged three other teams in a rain-shortened summer league with victories over Carrboro and Raleigh, only losing a shootout to Durham.

The club sent a ladies team to Columbus Polo Club in Frazeysburg, Ohio, playing two matches and having a great time. The club also traveled to Darlington Polo Club in Darlington, Pennsylvania, for Friday night under the lights. A large tailgate crowd came out and great fun was had by all. The teams played again the next morning.

56 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Ravina sailed a Penalty 4 through the posts to start the scoring. Escapite responded with a Penalty 3 conversion to maintain the one-goal difference, 6-5.

New Hope came into the second chukker with a whole new energy.

Santana ran to goal to tie the score then Escapite guided a Penalty 4 through the post to take the lead. Escapite found an opening and put the ball through the post while OneMagnify was silenced. A Penalty 4 by Ravina put OneMagnify back in the game but Santana and Escapite again combined for three tallies while shutting down any OneMagnify drives for the 11-7 win.

The second round was a continuation of the Dovecote vs OneMagnify match, which had

OneMagnify leading 4-3. Dovecote soon changed that with a pair of goals by Orthwein, including a Penalty 2, to take the 5-4 lead. Dovecote continued to be in control with Orthwein (Penalty 4), Berube and Tom Huber all finding the goal, while OneMagnify was scoreless.

Tom Huber opened the sixth with another goal to take a 9-4 lead. Ravina answered back with a goal and O’Flynn O’Brien slipped one through the posts but ran out of time. Dovecote won 9-6.

The last round had Dovecote starting with a three-goal head start over New Hope. Both teams each had a win under their belts so the winner would take the title. Tommy Huber scored to increase the lead to four. Santana was quick to respond and Escapite followed with two Left: Triangle’s Tatiana Wolf, Leslie Brooks, Tammy Havener and Peggy BaronAntolin played in Ohio.

Middle: Chapel Hill’s Jordan Lee, Banks Holcombe and Katy Hayward (not shown) won the summer league.

Bottom, left: Chris Wolf, Jordan Lee, Leslie Brooks and David Brooks played at Darlington Polo Club in Pennsylvania.

Bottom: Hickory Furniture Mart’s Brayden Foster, David Brooks and Bella Hamon KATY HAYWARD

P O L O

P O L O

USPA Governor Sheryl Sick presents trophies to Seattle Polo’s Colby Smith, Cameron Smith, Robert Payne and Dan Juarez.

in a row to come within one, 6-5. Tommy Huber scored early in the second but Santana responded with a Penalty 3 conversion. Tom Huber missed on a Penalty 4 but found the uprights with a field goal to take an 8-6 advantage into the final chukker.

It was an all-out battle with a determined Escapite scoring from the field, then from the 30-yard line to knot the score 8-8. Orthwein put the game back in Dovecote’s favor with a Penalty 2, but Escapite answered with a run to goal for the tie. A whistle gave Orthwein a free hit from the 60-yard line. He didn’t disappoint, giving Dovecote the 10-9 edge. Time ran out on New Hope as Dovecote hung on for the win.

Tommy Huber was named MVP and Ravina’s Licenciada was Best Playing Pony.

PAC I F I C N O R T H W E S T

SEATTLE POLO TAKES GOVERNORS CUP

The home team topped the 6-goal division of the Pacific Northwest Governors Cup played at the Seattle Polo & Equestrian Club in Seattle, Washington, this past summer.

The tournament, the highlight of the club’s summer, was played at several different levels to allow for maximum participation. The 6-goal and 3-goal

R E P O R T

Dix Farm’s Brandon Alcott, Catlin Dix, Cody Dix and Suzy Dix won the 3-goal division of the Pacific Northwest Governors Cup.

divisions included two teams each, while the 1-goal division had four teams. A Champions League match included newer players to the sport.

Players came from clubs all over Washington, Oregon, Utah, British Columbia and Idaho to participate.

After the games, everyone enjoyed a field-side dinner and music from Seattle’s own Bootleg Sunshine Band.

In the 6-goal final, Seattle (Colby Smith, Cameron Smith, Rob Payne, Dan Juarez) took on LaGrande Polo (Jason Larvik, Segundo Bengolea Lalor, Lucas Reid, Ryan Prather).

In a slow start, Reid put LaGrande on the board in the first minutes of the game, a shot that went unanswered.

Seattle came alive in the second with Cameron Smith sinking back-to-back goals. Payne followed up, sandwiching goals around one from Lalor to put Seattle ahead, 4-2.

Payne started off the scoring in the third to increase Seattle’s lead. Reid and Lalor shot back with goals of their own to bring LaGrande within one, 5-4, but Payne wasn’t finished. He slammed in two more to give Seattle the 7-4 victory.

In the 3-goal, Spokane-Dix Farm (Suzy Dix, Catlin Dix, Cody Dix, Brandon Alcott) crushed Utah Polo (Heidi Reid, Tye Reid, Logan Joseph, Lindsay Moors), 10-2 in four chukkers.

Alcott put Dix Farm on the board early in the first period, but Joseph responded with a Penalty 2 conversion.

Alcott sunk a Penalty 3 and scored from the field to put Dix Farm ahead 3-1 after the first seven minutes. Cody Dix scored a lone goal in the second.

Catlin Dix stole the show in the third with two goals in a row, while all other drives failed to reach the target. Dix Farm kept up the pressure in the last period with each teammate finding the mark. Utah continued to struggle around the goal until Tye Reid split the uprights for the final goal of match.

The 1-goal had Maserati of Kirkland (Rebecca Foltz, Susan Stovall/Gratia Brown) Curtis Lindahl, Juan Semper) topping Bend Polo (Katey Kelley, Sheryl Sick, Henri Du Toit, Lee Robinson), 105 in the final.

Semper struck first but Du Toit was quick with the reply. Semper scored again, but Du Toit had the answer, ending the first level at 2-2. Semper sunk a Penalty 2 early in the second and Lindahl split the uprights before Du Toit converted a Penalty 3. Lindahl made another nice run to goal to end the second with Maserati ahead, 5-3, at the half.

Kelley found the mark in the opening minutes of the third but Semper took advantage of Bend’s mistakes. He converted a pair of Penalty 2s and scored from the field to put Maserati in the lead, 8-5. Another Penalty 2 conversion and a field goal increased Maserati’s lead, 10-4.

Robinson hit the target late in the

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 57

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P O L O

Johnny McFarlane, president of St. Ann Polo Club, congratulates Shane and Kurt Chin, Fred Farquharson and Frank Hart.

LAURA CHIN

Maserati of Kirkland’s Susan Stovall, Gratia Brown, Juan Semper, Rebecca Foltz and Curtis Lindahl won the 1-goal in Seattle.

game, but it wasn’t enough and Maserati took the 10-5 win.

In the Champions League, participants included Brian Lee, Jenna Cretsinger, Kaisa Lindgren, Arsalan Deliri, Rene Skaggs, Avery Skaggs, Bob Grant and Kiya Gere.

INTERNATIONAL

BLACK TEAM SECURES PALMARIUM VICTORY

Black came away the winner over Blue in the high-goal section of the Palmarium Family Tournament played at the St. Ann Polo Club in Drax Hall, Jamaica, July 24-Aug. 4.

Palmarium Black included Ramon and Andy Vernon with Andy’s sons Rory and Kyler, along with Kurt Chin.

Palmarium Blue had Jose Lartirigoyen, James Robertson, Shane Chin (subbing for John Byles), Zachary Byles and Fred Farquharson.

A senior player was matched with a junior player to umpire the chukker they did not play in. Blue jumped out to an early lead when Andy sat out the first chukker, but he scored three goals in the second chukker while Jose sat out.

Both teams ran up and down the field in the third, but Jose dominated on Best Playing Pony Shelley, owned by John Byles.

Play continued to be tight in the

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Blue’s James Robertson handles the bouncing ball as Black’s Jose Lartirigoyen moves in to defend in the final of the high-goal section of the Palmarium tournament.

fourth chukker, ending with the teams tied at 7-all going into the last chukker.

Much of the momentum was lost due to fouling, with the umpires going to the third man several times. The teams each found the goal once to knot the score at 8-8. With 20 seconds left, Palmarium Black sealed the win. Zac Byles was named MVP after making fast attacking plays while holding his man aggressively in defense.

In the low-goal section, Paul Chin and his son Conrad, Rachel Turner and Troy Brennan took on Andy Vernon and sons Rory and Kyler, and Andrew Lewis. Paul Chin scored four goals on Best Playing Pony Serenity in the first

chukker to take a 4-1 lead. The teams traded goals in the second to keep a three-goal spread, 5-2. The Vernons turned it around in the second half to tie it all up and force overtime. The teams both squandered opportunities in the long and exciting overtime chukker until 15-year-old Conrad Chin scored the game winner.

The second match proved to be more balanced, although a strong team of brothers Shane and Kurt Chin, along with teenagers Frank Hart and Fred Farquharson had the edge over John G. Byles and his kids, Fabiana and Zachary, and James Robertson. Kurt Chin dominated with four goals and

R E P O R T

LAURA CHIN

P O L O

Top row: Rory and Ramon Vernon, Kurt Chin, Johnny McFarlane and Kyler and Andy Vernon; Bottom row: Shane Chin, Jose Lartirigoyen, James Robertson, Fred Farquharson and Zachery Byles Juan Pablo Butler

Farquharson backed him up with two goals. The Byles where held to two goals

by John and his daughter Fabiana.

This set up what promised to be a competitive Chin final with Palmarium White’s Shane and Kurt taking on their brother Paul’s Palmarium Gold team.

High scorers in the semis, Paul and Kurt where held scoreless in the closely contested final match, but their teammates picked up where they left off. White defeated Gold, 4-2.

Farquharson, with two goals including a spectacular Penalty 4, was named MVP. Shane Chin scored the other two goals, both Penalty 2s, for White. Turner scored both goals (Penalty 2s) for the Gold team.

Don’t see results from your club?

Submit league or tournament results, including a write-up or score sheets, along with a game schedule with scores noted, a roster of all teams that participated and high resolution photos with identification.

Results can be submitted via email to gwen@poloplayersedition.com.

For questions, contact Gwen via email or by phone: 561-968-5208.

OBITUARY

JUAN PABLO BUTLER

Polo lost a personage on August 14.

Juan Pablo Butler—player, breeder and friend to horsemen in Argentina and the United States—succumbed to melanoma in Buenos Aires on Aug. 14.

Born to Dr. Lorenzo Butler and Selva Schroeder de Butler in Buenos Aires on Oct. 27, 1954, Juan learned to ride on his family’s Estancia La Mercedes in Canuelas where he played at Club de Polo El Chaparral.

Following his marriage to Ana Igartua, he moved to Azul where he played for Club de Polo Calvu Leovu.

From 2003, Juan divided his time between La Mercedes where he bred horses for polo and for driving, and Rochelle, Virginia, where he organized and played summer polo at Willy von Raab’s Oldford Farm.

More than a tactician, Juan schooled players of all ages in competition informed by camaraderie; and in eating, drinking and singing well after play. He made

teammates and opponents his friends.

Juan leaves six children, Juan Manuel, Nicolas, Anita, Santiago, Mariano and Barbara; and three grandchildren, Ramon, Mia and Alfonso. He is missed, however, by many more.

The following (translated from Spanish) was read in the family crypt on the occasion of Juan’s burial. The writer is 19-year-old American Clayton Cady Kiyonaga, who learned polo, and more, from Juan Butler: I do not know if you know it, but you changed me. I was a normal gringo, and you turned me into an Argentine gaucho. You taught me to play polo, ride horses, roast meat and, most important of all, drink maté.

All those things are fun, but now, with your absence, I am realizing the true reason for which I had so much fun forming these habits with you.

They are customs that will accompany me for the rest of my life.

But the meat will never come out so juicy and tasty, and the maté will never have that perfect combination of bitterness and sweetness—for one reason only—because you are u missing.

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FULL CIRCLE Back to the future: Arena polo on the East Coast

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n the October 2016 issue of Polo Players’ Edition there was a fascinating article entitled “Building Walls, Arenas may be the answer to polo sustainability.” In the piece, the author, Peter Rizzo made a convincing case that there was no better place to learn to ride or to play polo than within the confines of an enclosed space, such as a polo arena. An arena can also showcase fast and furious polo competition with spectators or potential players getting a chance to watch the action up close.

Ironically, we may very well be coming full circle with arena polo in the long history of the game in the United States.

After all, the conventional storyline runs that polo was brought to our shores from England in the winter of 1876 by James Gordon Bennett where the first games were played indoors in the Dickel’s Riding Academy in New York (although the preeminent polo historian Horace Laffaye suggests the sport may actually have been introduced into our country years earlier by some Englishmen in Texas).

Although these initial American polo forays were held indoors in 1876, once the weather warmed up, play quickly shifted outdoors, first to Jerome Park and then a year or two later to the original Polo Grounds. Periodic attempts at arena polo were undertaken intermittently in the early 1900s in the New York area at places like Tchchor Grands’ Sale & Riding Academy, the Brooklyn Riding & Driving Club and Durland’s Riding Academy but met with only limited acceptance.

A more ambitious effort to promote the game occurred in 1910 when the National Indoor Polo Association was launched. However, this consortium of 60 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Opened in 1916, Yale Armory had a 220-foot by 100-foot playing surface as well as stabling for up to 120 horses. The facility had a nearly 100-year-old existence, having closed in 2009.

clubs was short-lived and it really wasn’t until the formation of the Indoor Polo Association of America (IPA) in 1915 by George Sherman and others that arena polo finally gained some traction. In many respects, the period that ensued from 1915 until the outbreak of the Second World War was to emerge as the First Golden Age of Arena Polo.

To a great extent, the higher-profile indoor polo being played during these interwar years—as well as in the immediate postwar period—revolved around an extensive network of military armories that honeycombed a good portion of the northeast and the upper midwest portions of the country. These were supplemented by a number of riding halls and other facilities.

Among the armories, undoubtedly, the most famous and one of the most active was Squadron A in Manhattan located at Madison Avenue and 94th Street. Over time, Squadron A arguably was to gain pride of place as the doyen of indoor polo

venues and would establish for itself a role similar to that of the renowned Meadow Brook Club as its outdoor counterpart of the game.

Built in the late 1800s in the style of a 14th-century French fortress, Squadron A ranked as one of the largest and most impressive armories in the United States.

Among its many attributes that made it ideal for indoor polo were its substantial stabling facilities and its huge 300 feet by 180 feet “drill room” with a dirt floor.

Although somewhat limited, the arena did offer very good seating, particularly with its raised grandstands along the two long sides. Thus, it was no surprise that Squadron A attracted quite a loyal following to its numerous games over the years.

A staple on the New York sporting scene were its Saturday night events, which started promptly at 8:30 p.m. and where tickets could be purchased at fairly reasonable prices (e.g. $1.25-$1.50). The sophistication of the operation was further evidenced by the sale of large and

The gothic-revival style Riding Hall at West Point was so big (580 feet by 125 feet), polo was played using outdoor rules, with a backline and goal posts away from the end walls.

elaborate programs that often rivaled those available at many famous outdoor polo clubs!

Over its lifetime, Squadron A often served as the host for many of the

nation’s most prestigious indoor polo tournaments such as the Open Championship and the Class A, B, C and D Championships. In addition, the Indoor Intercollegiate and Interscholastic

The Saxon Woods Polo Club and the Ramapo Valley Polo Club women’s teams played an official match at Squadron A in 1934.

Championships were often contested there. The armory also orchestrated the first International Championship match between England and America for the John R. Townsend Challenge Cup in 1923 in a competition that would not be held again until 2004!

The armory also holds the distinction of presenting the first women’s polo game in New York when it brought together in February 1934 teams from Saxon Woods in White Plains and Ramapo Valley in New Jersey. As Dr. Laffaye noted: “Although not officially sanctioned by the Indoor Polo Association, the game took place with the implicit support of the IPA.” It cannot be emphasized enough that for the era, this was a fairly bold move coming from a very prominent governing body.

Another major milestone in the armory’s history was that it was the very first polo organization of any kind in America to initiate live television broadcasts of its games. Starting in late February 1952, POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 61

Polo was played in the cavernous Convention Hall in Atlantic City. It’s playing surface was 300 feet by 160 feet. Games in the 1930s drew large crowds.

the DuMont Television Network, using a crew of 18 men and 3 cameras beamed matches directly from Squadron A every Saturday night from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The shows were not only extremely well received

by people at home but also helped to draw more fans to the games themselves (see PPE, December 2013).

Indoor polo continued at Squadron A until at least the late 1950s. In the mid-

Elston Combs, Buddy Combs and Billy Foales at the Red Bank Armory in Red Bank, New Jersey. The armory was built in 1914 and featured a 100 x 144-foot equestrian riding hall.

62 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Built in the late 1800s, Squadron A ranked as one of the largest and most impressive armories in the U.S.

1960s most of the armory was demolished save for the elaborate facade, which still stands today as a testament to a bygone age.

Besides Squadron A, New York City also boasted of two other armories that arranged indoor polo games, one belonging to the 101st Field Cavalry in Brooklyn, Squadron C (which often co-hosted the early rounds of the national championship games) and the other belonging to the 105th Field Artillery in the Bronx.

Although the latter seemed to be the largest of the three New York armories with also the best surface, it was considered to be too far off the beaten track and was further handicapped by its very limited seating capacity.

There were also a number of other armories that dotted the East Coast where indoor polo was pursued. For example, Boston had the Commonwealth Armory, which enjoyed a lively winter season typically stretching from late December or early January until mid-March. In addition to the military teams, Harvard regularly played there as well among the civilian squads. New Jersey also sported a bevy of armories where indoor polo was featured such as the Red Bank Armory in Red Bank, the Essex Troop Armory in Newark, the Troop G of the 102nd Caval-

ry Armory in Westfield and the 112th Field Artillery Armory in Trenton (which incidentally took the Lawrenceville School under its wing).

In Philadelphia there was “The Armory” at Lancaster Avenue and ThirtySecond Street where military teams as well as ones from the University of Pennsylvania engaged in indoor polo. The Armory also gained fame for holding a series of practice matches for the English team during their aforementioned 1923 visit for the Townsend Cup. In addition to the general military armories and the riding halls, special mention should also be made of the indoor facilities at the private college level. Among the Ivy League schools, the granddaddy of them all was the Yale Armory which was opened in 1916. It was initially used for a cavalry regiment during the First World War and subsequent to the conflict was made available for indoor polo at the university. The armory had a playing field measuring 220 feet by 100 feet as well as stabling for up to 120 horses at the outset.

The armory enjoyed a long and illustrious existence, only closing in 2009.

Among other Ivy League institutions, Princeton had its “Riding Hall” which was shared by both the school's polo team and its ROTC unit, while Cornell also had its own riding hall beginning in 1931, which was only replaced in 1988 by the Oxley Equestrian Center.

Several of the military academies also had indoor arenas. Both Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont and the Pennsylvania Military College in Chester,

Pennsylvania had their own riding halls.

But the most significant one was the Riding Hall at the United States Military Academy. Built on a breath-taking bluff overlooking the Hudson River, the gothic-revival style Riding Hall at West Point was monumental in every aspect.

As testimony to the vastness of the place (580 feet by 125 feet) is one anecdote from an interview I had with Tommy

Glynn in the early 1990s when I was writing an article for the USPA intercollegiate program.

At the time, Glynn remarked that when he was on the Harvard polo team competing against the USMA in the Riding Hall in the late 1920s, it was almost like playing outdoors given the enormity of the place. Glynn’s observation was corroborated by a vignette in a 1933 issue of Polo magazine: “At West Point where the riding hall is nearly 600 feet long, the game is played with outdoor rules, using

a back-line and goal-posts away from the end-walls.” In a similar vein, the highly respected polo journalist, Robert F. Kelley reinforced this impression in an earlier article (1931) in The Sportsman: “The huge riding hall at the military academy makes an entirely different style of play possible and reacts against visiting teams quite often.”

In reviewing military institutions, I would be remiss if I didn’t give recognition to the Culver Military Academy (now the Culver Academies) in Culver, Indiana. This wonderful secondary school started playing polo in its magnificent 200 feet by 95 feet Riding Hall (now the Vaughn Equestrian Center) during the winter of 1925-1926. Culver would eventually go on to distinguish itself by winning more USPA interscholastic championships than any other institution.

Special mention should be made of some alternative methods in arena polo that were undertaken beyond the armories and riding halls in the years before the war. From a 1935 postcard, I came across a polo game being played before a robust crowd in the cavernous Convention Hall in Atlantic City (300 feet by 160 feet). I also happened upon a rare program from 1937 for one of many outdoor evening polo matches being staged in the Victor McLaglen Stadium in Los Angeles under the auspices of the Southern California Nite Polo Association. I also have programs from 1941 for arena polo at both the Jackson Crispin Farm in Berwick, Pennsylvania, and the Joy Farm in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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S E P T E M B E R 1 - NOV E M B E R 1 Keleen and Carlton Beal Cup (12-16) Houston, Houston, TX O C T O B E R 9 - NOV E M B E R 3 Hurlingham Open (40) Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina O C T O B E R 15 - N OV E M B E R 1 National Copper Cup (8-12) New Bridge, Aiken, SC O C T O B E R 2 3 - NOV E M B E R 3 Delegates Cup (4-8) Houston, Houston, TX O C T O B E R 2 4 - NOV E M B E R 4 Aiken Fall Cup (2) Aiken, Aiken, SC NOV E M B E R 1 - 4 USPA Fall Plates Grand Champions, Wellington, FL NOV E M B E R 3 - 4 Fall Tournament Mountain View, Charles Town, WV USPA Women’s Challenge (5-10) New Orleans, Folsom, LA N O V E M B E R 3 - 17 USPA National Twenty Goal (16-20) Grand Champions, Wellington, FL

NOV E M B E R 4 Women’s Charity Polo Tournament New Orleans, Folsom, LA N O V E M B E R 6 - 11 U.S. Open Women’s Championship U.S. Open Women’s Handicap (0) Houston, Houston, TX

MIDDLE SCHOOL LEAGUE NOV E M B E R 3 - 4 Garrison Forest, Owings Mills, MD N O V E M B E R 1 0 - 11 Prestonwood, Oak Point, TX Central Coast, Los Osos, CA N O V E M B E R 17 - 1 8 Houston, Houston, TX DECEMBER 1-2 Buffalo, Wainfleet, ON, Canada

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N O V E M B E R 1 0 - 11 Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championship Westworld, Scottsdale, AZ

Six polo matches will be held over two days, including an international match and battle of the sexes. There are also fashion shows for humans and dogs, a rugby match, car show, horse show, as well as food, spirits, music and shopping. What more is there?

N O V E M B E R 7 - 11 Family Tournament Aiken, Aiken, SC NOV E M B E R 8 Polo Clinic Legends Horse Ranch, Kaufman, TX N O V E M B E R 8 - 11 Polo Gear Challenge Cup Grand Champions, Wellington, FL N O V E M B E R 9 - 11 Arena Admiral Chester Nimitz (0-3) Farmington, Farmington, CT

Fall Fandango Arena Constitution Cup (-3-3) Arena Sportsmanship Cup (-3-0) Arena Women’s Challenge (-3-3) I/I JV & Club Level Tourney (0) I/I Alumni Tournament Legends Horse Ranch, Kaufman, TX N O V E M B E R 1 0 - 11 USPA Constitution Cup New Orleans, Folsom, LA N OV E M B E R 10 - D E C E M B E R 15 Argentine Open (40) Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina N O V E M B E R 11 Masters Cup (0-4) Mauna Kea, Kamuela, HI N OV E M B E R 13 - 18 USPA PTF Seniors Tournament (0-4) Houston, Houston, TX N O V E M B E R 14 The Triple Crown of Polo Grand Champions, Wellington, FL

N OV E M B E R 15 - 18 Pedro Morrison Memorial Grand Champions, Wellington, FL N O V E M B E R 17 - 1 8 USPA Sportsmanship Cup New Orleans, Folsom, LA Teddy Roosevelt (0-4) Texas Military, Poteet, TX N OV E M B E R 18 Women’s Challenge (-1-4) Mauna Kea, Kamuela, HI NOV E M B E R 2 4 Legends of Polo Gracida Memorial The International Cup Grand Champions, Wellington, FL NOV E M B E R 2 4 - 2 5 Thanksgiving Cup New Orleans, Folsom, LA NOV E M B E R 2 5 Sportsmanship Cup (0-4) Mauna Kea, Kamuela, HI DECEMBER 1-2 Desert Challenge Arena Tourney Empire, Indio, CA DECEMBER 2 Amateur Cup (0-4) Mauna Kea, Kamuela, HI DECEMBER 8-9 Coyote Cup Arena Tourney Empire, Indio, CA DECEMBER 9 Players Cup (0-4) Mauna Kea, Kamuela, HI D E C E M B E R 1 5 - 16 Jackalope Cup (4) Empire, Indio, CA Linfoot Clinic Eldorado, Indio, CA D E C E M B E R 21 Women’s Challenge WCT Eldorado, Indio, CA DECEMBER 22-23 Holiday Cup (4) Empire, Indio, CA DECEMBER 30 Herbie Pennell Cup International, Wellington, FL