N O V E M B E R 2 01 7
GSA prevails in East Coast Open
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CONTENTS N OV E M B E R 201 7
VO L . 21 ,
FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
26 Surf not turf
6
Ivy League rivals battle on the beach
30 GSA wins Greenwich by Gwen Rizzo
Association News
USPA Bulletin Club Spotlight
14 Instructors Forum
Youth prevails in East Coast Open
by Tom Goodspeed
36 Hawaii Life by John Kent
16 Equine Athlete
Island’s culture enhances all-pro match N O V E M B E R 2 01 7
GSA prevails in East Coast Open
NO. 3
OUR COVER Henry Porter helps GSA win the East Coast Open in Greenwich Photo by: Marcelo Bianchi
by Denise Boehler Polo Scene News, notes, trends & quotes
18 22 24 40
Team USPA Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Polo in the Pampas
42 60 61 62
Polo around the Globe Calendar Marketplace Yesteryears
by Ernesto Rodriguez
46 Polo Report
EPoNA prevails in Karen Carra Memorial
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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
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©Copyright 2017 by USPA Global LLC. No part of this issue may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic or electronic process without written permission of the publisher. Paul Brown illustrations are ©2016 and are reprinted by permission of Paul Brown Studios, Inc., P.O. Box 925, Hedgesville, WV 25427. Subscription rates: $48/one year, $82/two years. Other countries (air mail), $81 drawn on U.S. bank/one year, $148 drawn on U.S. bank/two years. (GST:134989508). Subscription problems call (561) 968-5208. VOL. 21, No.3 POLO Players’ Edition (ISSN #1096-2255) is published monthly by Rizzo Management Corp. 6008 Reynolds RD, Lake Worth, FL 33449 for U.S. Polo Association, 9011 Lake Worth RD, Lake Worth, FL 33467. Periodicals postage paid at West Palm Beach, FL and additional mailing offices. (USPS: 079-770). POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Polo Players’ Edition, 6008 Reynolds RD, Lake Worth, FL 33449. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement No. 40612608. Canada Returns to be sent to Imex Global, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2.
4 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Meeting Recap The USPA board of governors, committees, subsidiary boards, club delegates, members and staff met in the Pacific Northwest circuit in Stevenson, Washington, Sept. 27-30 for the 2017 USPA Board of Governors and Annual Member Meeting. A cocktail reception kicked off the week’s events on Wednesday evening at the Skamania Lodge against a beautiful Colombia River Gorge backdrop. Two days of committee meetings and staff presentations preceded the fall Board of Governors and Annual Member Meeting that concluded Saturday afternoon with a lively reception at Sean Key’s Hidden Creek Polo Club in West Linn, Oregon. USPA Chairman Joseph Meyer’s announcement to dedicate more time to his new startup and subsequent decision not to run for a third term resulted in a shift in many leadership positions in the governance of the association. The following members have been installed as officers on the USPA board of governors: Chairman Chip Campbell, Secretary Stewart Armstrong, and Treasurer Sam Ramirez Jr. Tony Coppola prevailed over Tom Gose in an election for president. Following recommendations from the Board and Staff Development Committee and newly-elected Chairman Chip Campbell, the board unanimously voted to have Robert Puetz installed as CEO. The newly-formed Executive Committee consists of the officers listed above as well as Paul Jornayvaz, Dan Walker, Maureen Brennan, Stephen Orthwein Jr. and Tom Gose. Newly-elected governors at large were installed including, Peter Rizzo, Chrys Beal and Charles Smith; Robert Jornayvaz III, Avery Chapman and Dale Smicklas stepped down from their previous positions. Following the results of the presidential election, the new board was required to fill vacancies for 6 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Tennessee) Green Country (Mounds, Oklahoma) San Diego Surf (Del Mar, California) Seneca (Poolesville, Maryland)) Spokane (Spokane, Washington) Member polo clubs moving provisional in 2018: Central Oregon (Bend, Oregon) Oak Brook (Oak Brook, Illinois) Spa City (Gansevoort, New York)
to
New associate member club for 2018: Monte Carlo (Country of Monaco) Chip Campbell, right, will replace out-going Chairman Joe Meyer, left.
governors-at-large. Nominations were made and the board elected Tom Gose and Mike Carney into the final two positions. Immediately following the conclusion of Saturday’s Board of Governors and Annual Member Meeting, former Border Circuit Governor Dan Coleman submitted his resignation to Campbell who then appointed Tony Yahyai as the interim Border circuit governor. Aside from a reorganization of the leadership, there were many important items accomplished at the meetings. The board approved the member club actions listed below and the 2018 budget with a stipulation of a five percent decrease in the total budget. Member polo clubs moving to active in 2018: ATX (Manor, Texas) Bend (Bend, Oregon) Bloomfield (Saratoga Springs, New York) Commonwealth (Paris, Kentucky) Congressional (Poolesville, Maryland) Cypress (Lake Worth, Florida) Farmington (Farmington, Connecticut) Flying Cow (Wellington, Florida) Franklin Polo Academy (Franklin,
Individual committees and LLCs also presented the board with updates, future initiatives and requests: The Arena Committee reported that arena polo is strong within the United States and looks forward to the widespread use of women’s arena handicaps and the newly awarded intercollegiate/ interscholastic tournaments (refer to Tournament Committee for further details). The Armed Forces Committee has added Jake Flournoy as co-chair with Karl Hilberg. The committee also gave an update on funds available for clubs that wish to host circuit and national Armed Forces tournaments. The committee reported that they have recently entered into discussions with Mark Bellissimo on the potential for Armed Forces players to compete at Tryon Resort in Mill Spring, North Carolina. The Board and Staff Development Committee received funding from the board in the amount of $25,000 to hire an outside professional on governance to aid association structure and facilitate discussion on governance issues. Leighton Jordan and Peter Rizzo were installed as committee co-chairman.
The Club and Membership Administration Committee voted to endorse Polo Development’s club tiering process to be adopted for evaluating all member clubs. The board endorsed the Constitution Committee’s recommendation for changes to the constitution for the upcoming year. The Equine Welfare Committee received approval of the new Equine Drug Testing Procedures. While the drug testing procedures themselves are not new, a thorough and detailed description of the process was approved by the board. Dr. Mike Manno was selected to replace Mark Sedacca as committee chair. The committee also voted to endorse The Right Horse Initiative, a program funded by the WaterShed Animal Fund, a division of the Arnall Family Foundation dedicated to improving the lives of companion animals. The goal is to massively increase the number of successful horse adoptions in the United States by working together to reframe the adoption conversation and shatter the stigma surrounding horses in transition.
Joseph Meyer will replace George Dill as chair of the International Committee and Chuck Weaver as chair of the Nominating Committee. The board approved an optional set of tournament conditions for alternative format arena polo (beach, snow and stadium polo, etc.) put forth by the Arena Rules Subcommittee of the Rules Committee so clubs may sanction these types of tournaments with the USPA. The board also approved proposed changes to the Arena, Outdoor, International and USPA rules. Chris Green was selected to replace Tom Gose as committee chair. Safety Committee A motion passed that as of June 1, 2020 the protective helmet required for players must be NOCSAE-approved.
The National Handicap Committee now has an online recommendation process for club delegates to submit their recommendations.
Tournament Committee A new national tournament entitled the USPA Women’s Arena Handicap was awarded to Virginia Polo Inc. (Charlottesville, Virginia) for 2017. The National Arena Amateur Cup was awarded to Lakeside Polo Club (Lakeside, California) for 2017. The board also approved the creation of two new circuit tournaments: a Circuit I/I Alumni Tournament, and a Circuit I/I JV and Club Level Tournament. Following much discussion, the Butler Handicap, C.V. Whitney, USPA Gold Cup and U.S. Open Polo Championship will move from 20-26-goals to 18-22 goals beginning in 2019. The U.S. Open Polo Championship was awarded to International Polo Club (Wellington, Florida) for 2019-2021.
The board approved the High Goal Committee’s revised High Goal Committee Guidelines, which will allow three professionals and three team owners to serve.
The Women’s Committee reported that the 2018 Woman of the Year nominations will be open to all USPA members. The committee also presented the board with an update on the
The Finance Committee recommended to the board and the board supported the recommendation to reduce the 2018 budget by five percent and the 2019 budget by 10 percent over the 2018 budget.
Women’s World Cup to be played in Denver, Colorado, next year between USA, Argentina, England and Jamaica. The board approved the Umpires, LLC Board Member and Annual Terms, and Graham Bray was approved as a new board member. Marketing, LLC updated the board on the USPA documentary as well as discussed success with livestreamed and televised broadcasts, commercials and vignettes. Marketing, LLC also added Scott Devon, Rosemary Wayman, Melissa Ganzi and Chris Green to its board. Polo Development, LLC added Julio Arellano and Tommy Wayman to its board. Kris Bowman stepped down as a regular board member but was approved as a non-voting ex-officio. The board approved presented changes to National Youth Tournament Series tournament conditions. USPA Global Licensing The board welcomed new Chief Operating Officer Michael Prince who attended all four days of meetings and activities. CEO David Cummings updated the board on financial, marketing and legal matters relating to the U.S. Polo Assn. brand. The next board of governors meeting will take place April 21, 2018, in Wellington, Florida.
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
Nine I/I tournament managers, shown here with Ryan Murphy of Harvard Polo, met at Harvard Polo & Equestrian Center for a weekend of training.
YPO Looking to improve your game? The Young Player Outreach program is planning advanced clinics for the upcoming winter season. Participants must be between 16-19 years old with a minimum A outdoor handicap. For more information or to apply please contact Amanda Snow by email at: asnow@uspolo.org.
Team USPA Team USPA members are settled down across the country for the fall season in Houston and Midland, Texas; Aiken, South Carolina; and Lexington, Kentucky. Team USPA members also spent the first two weeks in October training at Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, Florida in preparation for the FIP Championships in Sydney, Australia. USPA Player Development would like to thank Team USPA for volunteering at NYTS tournaments across the country this year as umpires, coaches and All-Star Committee members. 8 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
PDI 2018 Is your club ready to apply for PDI? Polo Development Initiative 2018 applications are now available online at uspolo.org and poloskilz.com. Completed applications are due December 31, 2017. The USPA’s Polo Development Initiative program is a reimbursable program offering financial awards to USPA clubs and polo schools wishing to develop new sustainable initiatives. Detailed PDI guidelines and conditions can be found on the same websites as the 2018 application. Further questions can be directed to PDI Coordinator Elizabeth Hedley by email at ehedley@uspolo.org.
Get Ready—Middle School Polo The middle school polo season is in full swing! Tournaments run until the end of November. To catch a tournament near you, visit the USPA website (uspolo.org) for times and locations.
Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Game Ready! Fifty-six intercollegiate players from three different universities participated in the USPA clinic program the weekend of September 25. USPA clinician Cindy Halle lead the charge at Harvard University and UMASS, while USPA clinician Josie Vidic was at Montana State. Josie reports that Montana State has the largest number of freshman trying out for polo in its history!
Managers II Boot Camp For the second year, the I/I team selected nine I/I tournament managers—both new and returning—to participate in a weekend of training to prepare for the 2018 tournament season. The group met in Boston, Massachusetts, to take advantage of the MSPCA’s Equine Ambulance and Safety Training course. Participants from California, Texas, Oregon, Maryland, and Colorado began their training at Harvard Polo & Equestrian Center to begin the weekend’s training.
DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS
USPA Umpires, LLC
USPA Umpires, LLC honored fallen hero Capt. Derek Argel through the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors At Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club in Carpinteria, California, Aug. 6. TAPS offers compassionate care to all those grieving the death of a loved one serving in our Armed Forces. Since 1994, TAPS has provided comfort and hope 24 hours a day, seven days a week through a national peer support network and connection to grief resources, all at no cost to surviving families and loved ones. On Nov. 1, 2013, teams4taps was launched—an initiative to create meaningful opportunities for families of the fallen to engage with the teams they cheered for with their fallen hero. Former official Bob Delaney, NBA’s vice president of Referee Development and Performance, introduced USPA Umpires, LLC to TAPS after an umpire meeting with 25 USPA professional umpires at the Lake Worth, Florida, offices in the spring of 2016. The NBA, along with many other sport associations, bring a TAPS family to a sports event where the family is introduced to the officials and then watches the game. USPA Umpires, LLC teamed up with TAPS to bring the surviving family of Argel to its first polo game. Argel’s mother Debra Argel-Bastian, step-father Todd Bastian and family friend Carol LaRue were treated to the 2017 Engel & Volkers America Cup final. It was a spectacular day at the club, with the sport of polo gaining three more fans.
Umpire manager Maggie Mitchell, left, with Deb Argel-Bastian, Todd Bastian and Carol LaRue at a match at Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club in Carpinteria, California.
Argel, a special tactics officer assigned to the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Florida, perished on May 30, 2005 in the crash of an Iraqi Air Force SL7 reconnaissance transport plane. Tragically, Argel was participating in an operational mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom when the aircraft crashed in the Divala Province of Iraq about 80 miles northeast of Baghdad. Argel was born in Lompoc, California, and attended Carrillo High School where he played water polo and was named 1994 league MVP. He continued his water polo career at the United States Air Force Academy. Upon graduation in 2001, he entered into the Combat Control training pipeline, earning the red beret of a special tactics officer in 2003. Following his graduation from Class 06 of the Advanced Skills Training course at Hurlburt Field, Argel was assigned to the 23rd Special Tactics
Squadron, making his first operational deployment to Afghanistan and Iraq. Argel’s awards include the Bronze Star with Valor Device, the Air Force Achievement Medal, The National Defense Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Medal. Umpire Manager Maggie Mitchell, along with USPA umpires Julian Appleby and Fergus Gould, joined the TAPS participants on the field, answering questions about polo and celebrating the life of Argel. “Having come from a military family myself, I am very grateful for the chance to give back to the Armed Forces,” said Mitchell. “On behalf of USPA Umpires, LLC it was an honor to work with the TAPS organization and bring the ArgelBastain family, the loved ones of a fallen American hero, to their very first polo game.” To learn more about TAPS, please visit its website at taps.org. POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 9
California Polo Club Los Angeles, California
MELISSA RATH
Located 15 minutes from Hollywood, California Polo Club is a prominent Pacific Coast polo club. Situated in Los Angeles County’s San Fernando Valley and surrounded by the Transverse Ranges mountains, it offers a nearby country escape in contrast to the high-stress, busy lives of many of its members. Its outstanding polo school, home to no less than 150 students, has produced many talented players over the past two decades. A solid club league with a variety of traveling tournament options, combined with a turnkey and amazingly affordable boarding facility, have given rise to a burgeoning club in a thriving metropolis. “Being in L.A. helps, it’s a huge city, so we have a large population to pull from,” said CPC instructor Kirsten Ludwig. The majority of its referrals come by word-ofmouth, and most of those who join are
usually friends of members from outside of polo. The overarching factor that sustains its membership, however, is horse ownership. The CPC club format is comprised of four levels: beginners, coaching chukkers, intermediate (biweekly coaching chukkers with a 2- or 3goal professional on each team) and club level. Once members make it to the club
level they are expected to buy their own horse. Fortunately, almost all of the students who go through the program have purchased at least one horse. In fact most, according to Ludwig, have bought two or more. In response to the high demand for polo lessons, a team of six instructors are available at CPC including Ludwig, Max Duarte, Ismael Molina, Jessica Bailey, Elizabeth Humphreys and 6-goal arena professional and 2011 U.S. Arena Open Polo Champion, Domingo Questel. “We have many instructors, and different instructors have different styles, but we are very supportive of each other. It’s nice to have different instructors because different people learn different ways. Ultimately the goal is to have students buy horses and get playing and that helps everyone,” Ludwig explained. The flexibility of the instructors
Participants and their families at California Polo Club’s weekend tournament closing ceremonies
10 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
LOVIVE LAVERDURE
California Polo Club has a regulation-size arena, a hitting cage and stabling for 60 horses.
from other polo schools, however, is its rigid testing system. In order for members to advance between the four club levels, CPC has devised a testing rubric in an
LOVIVE LAVERDURE
combined with its 30-horse string of polo school horses allows lessons to be held six days a week. What sets California Polo Club apart
Club instructor Domingo Questel works with a student on her nearside shots.
effort to quantify student’s efforts and track polo skills and strategy. Created and put into use a little over a year ago, the testing was spearheaded by Ludwig, a postdoctoral cancer researcher at UCLA by day. “We took the USPA standards for what a -1, 0 and 1 should be able to do and actually wrote a test,” Ludwig said. “We get a group together, usually three or four people who want to test for the same area, and we ask them to perform a series of tasks. The testing is based on a point system. If they can do it on the first try, they receive three points, two points on the second try, one on the third attempt and zero points if it is not completed. “At the end of the test, we add up the points and if they receive above an 80 percent they pass and can graduate to the next level.” Available to the students beforehand, this testing procedure has produced a more goal-oriented student body. “Every time people go out for a lesson they have a goal. All of the students want to graduate and move on to the next level. We have gotten really positive POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 11
12 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
MARYANN FRAGODT
feedback from it, really positive,” said Ludwig. The testing times are public knowledge and more advanced players typically come to watch and cheer on aspiring students. In this way students feel included in the club community before they are officially part of it. Pass or not, everyone is invited to the celebration afterwards. For students who do not pass on their first try, it gives them specific skills to work on. CPC participates in the Pacific Coast Arena League, which features five Southern California arena clubs, including Central Coast Polo Club (San Luis Obispo), Orange County Polo Club (Coto de Caza), Poway Polo Club (Poway) and San Diego Polo Club (Rancho Sante Fe). Echoing collegiate polo, once a month all participating clubs travel with a team to a designated club for a weekend of tournament play. Established in the early 2000s at the Orange County Polo Club by club manager Heather Perkins, CPC competed in the tournament for many years, took a break for a few years and returned to the excitement in 2016. “The students love it!” exclaimed Ludwig. “It is geared for the students. This way they get to meet the other clubs and players. Interestingly, when they play tournaments not against our club members, we found that really promotes horse buying. Playing in that sort of thing is the number one motivator for students to purchase a horse.” Not to be underestimated as solely an arena facility, CPC works in conjunction with many neighboring polo clubs to offer its members the best that California polo has to offer. During the summer polo season, CPC organizes club outings to play at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club (Carpinteria) and Will Rogers Polo Club (Pacific Palisades). California Polo Club manages and operates the polo school at Empire Polo Club in Indio during the winter season from December to April. A perfect segue to get CPC arena members to grass polo, Empire Polo Club has weekend long 1-goal tournaments. Thanks to the efforts of club president and founder Rodney Fragodt, in his donations of both time and trailer, CPC has the capacity to haul 30plus horses to an outing.
Melissa Rath and Katty Wong duel on the grass at Empire Polo Club in Indio.
This infrastructure allows CPC members the ability to play polo on the perfectly manicured grass fields at Empire without the headache or financial commitment involved in organizing transportation or grooms. CPC members merely take the scenic two-hour drive south to show up and play. This has been an incredibly fruitful system. Last year a CPC student put in both a 4- and an 8-goal team at Eldorado Polo Club (Indio) and another CPC graduate moved on to play in an 8-goal tournament at Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club, where he recently relocated. Over 25 percent of CPC members and volunteers are highly-educated, holding Ph.D.s. “They have jobs and very stressful jobs and coming out to the barn is cheaper than therapy. Well, I mean it’s probably not cheaper than therapy, but it’s probably more effective,” joked Ludwig. “I think what makes CPC so special is that everybody—the founders, the coaches—none of us make our living at CPC, so it takes the pressure off of us. Everyone who is here and who is doing it, is doing it for the love of the sport, not to pay our mortgage.” Dependent on the work of many
volunteers, California Polo Club makes polo affordable. All aspects of polo are carried out in-house, and the club has created a broader sense of the California polo community through easily accessible tournaments at nearby clubs. CPC is welltuned to the demands of a sustainable polo future through horse ownership. “I have been all over this country and all over this world with polo clubs, and CPC in particular is about getting people playing the sport and moving them up to where they can support a 4- or an 8- or even a 12-goal team. That’s everyone’s goal,” said Ludwig. An exceptional environment for the growth of new players, CPC covers all the bases. A hop away from the bustle of the city with extensive country trails to hone riding skills, the club offers a regulationsize arena, fully-enclosed hitting cage, stabling for 60 horses, complete board, exercise, grooming and training services and an Argentine-style barbecue area. What more can you ask for? To learn more about California Polo Club, go to californiapoloclub.com and follow it on Facebook @CaliforniaPolo and Instagram @californiapoloclub for up-to-date information on tournaments and events.
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HIT MORE SERGIO LLAMERA
Finding the Right of Way will get you to more balls
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mateur players often hear teammates yelling for them to take their man, get with their man or get with someone or they might ask who they have in terms of riding with an opponent. Unfortunately, none of these utterances include the phrase we all want to hear most: hit the ball! But, they have more to do with hitting the ball than some think. Taking your man or going to an opponent has to do with polo’s golden formula: Man + Line = Ball. You might wonder why there is so much emphasis on covering an opponent when the real reason most players are on the field is to have some fun galloping around on the back of a horse while hitting some balls. Unless you are stick and balling, there are three or four opponents that want to do the same thing. So, if you’d rather hit the ball then watch an opponent hit the ball, there is a very defined criteria. Know the ever-changing line of the ball, the right of way associated with the line of the ball and the players established along the right of way. The fastest horse may get you to the ball first, but if you are not aware of the LOB, ROW or which players are established along the ROW, it might get you into trouble. I often joke about players being like Labradors—they see the ball and run after the ball. That simple philosophy is so easy, but there are dozens of roadblocks (rules) that do not allow for it. Once you accept there is more to the game than seeing the ball and running to it, you are on your way to being able to make more plays with fewer whistles. Simply put, the LOB is the current or most recent path of the ball. The player who is parallel to the LOB with the ball on his offside, usually traveling in the same direc14 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Sticking with an opponent can be a solid strategy.
tion as the ball, is in the ROW. So, how does a player get on the ROW? Think back to when you were first learning how to play and were instructed to get on the beginner train. The engine is those players up front trying to hit the ball. The remaining players get in behind on passenger cars waiting for the players in the engine to miss. When a player gets his chance at the ball and misses, he circles back to the caboose. Players in each car move up, getting closer and closer, until it is their turn in the engine. As you begin playing with better players, you are usually told to stay up (which is sometimes a nice way of saying just stay out of the way). In certain scenarios, if you stay way downfield, have some understanding of the LOB and are blessed with a teammate who can hit a long ball accurately, you may be gifted with opportunities that you don’t even have to really work for. Eventually, an opponent will notice you way upfield and ride you off or hook you before you are able to get to that long pass. So, whether you are in a level of polo that
offers long passing plays, are on the beginner train or a mix of the two, you will come to realize the best way to get to the ROW and have a shot at the ball is to be able to effectively mark your opponent first. Once you are aware of the current LOB and see players start establishing themselves on the ROW, determine which of the following positions you should take: • stay on defense • go up for a pass • get behind those going to the ball • stick with an opponent Notice ‘go to the ball’ was not one of the options. All of the four options offered require you to identify your nearest opponent. If you take the first option and decide to stay back on defense because the other team is about to hit a long ball in the area of the field you are in, try to determine where the ball is being hit to so you can be close to where the LOB is going to be with respect to your nearest opponent, assuming there is an opponent in the area. Get to that opponent sooner rather than later. Put yourself at an
advantage to him before the next ball is hit. If possible, position yourself with the opponent on your nearside, with your leg a tad ahead of his when you make contact. This will leave you free to hit on your offside. Another school of thought is to ‘own the inside of the field’ on defense. That refers to making contact with your opponent on his nearside when he is approaching the goal from the right side of the field, while making contact with him on his offside when he is approaching the goal from the left side of the field. If you are making contact on your opponent’s nearside, you will be forced to hit on your nearside if you get to the ball. A more important consideration is having advantage of your opponent, whichever side that happens to be. As I wrote last month, prior to making contact with an opponent, adjust your speed, angle and position, using less angle the faster you go. Be more active with your outside leg, encouraging your horse to push with its body, rather than only using the reins to drive the horse’s head into an opponent while making a ride-off. Use your outside leg, adding pressure by either squeezing or kicking for a less responsive horse, to get the horse to push more weight into the other horse. Make contact with your leg slightly ahead of your opponent to steer him away from the new LOB. This legwork (pun intended) will increase your odds of being on the right path to the next ROW. Even if you never get a chance at swinging at the ball, you’ll have done the next best thing—keeping your opponent from getting to the ball. Just sticking with an opponent can be a solid strategy. You can learn more about natural movement and flow on the polo field by staying with someone who is a little more experienced than you. Better players anticipate play development and spend less time racing to where the ball used to be, something novices often do. Less experienced players, with little play anticipation, may not react until the ball is hit. They may even collide with more experienced players who change
direction as they see a play developing before the ball is even hit. When your team is on offense and your teammates are all ahead of you, you may decide to ‘close the back door.’ By being the last player, you are the first line of defense if the other team gets control of the ball and turns it back towards you. If that happens, ride off the first opponent coming your way and hopefully put yourself in a good position to make a backshot. Generally, it is better to turn and travel toward the goal your opponents are attacking rather than meeting the play. If the play is for your to go up for a pass, move into the best position to be closer to the LOB once the pass comes. This means determining the approximate distance of the pass by considering if the hitter is generally strong or weak. Don’t get too close to the hitter in a way that could block his shot and don’t get in front of players traveling at a faster speed, which will likely draw the umpires’ whistles. Position yourself at an advantage to any opponent in the area. If you are comfortable making nearside shots, you are at a distinct advantage since you can handle the ball no matter what side the opponent is on. If you are unable to get in position to accept a pass, nor are you able to go back to defend, get in behind others going to the ball. If the hitter is in front of you, it is seldom a good option to race past him unless he is slowing down along the sidelines or boards. If he is already on the run, get in behind on a similar path. If he misses, is ridden out or gets hooked, you may be next at bat. Don’t just follow other players hoping for a chance to hit. Increase your odds of getting to the ball by adjusting your approach to take out a nearby opponent or at least getting an advantage on him. Many times players just run downfield in a set of two with the players negating each other. This is better that not being with an opponent, however, the preferred position is to gain advantage on your opponent before he gets the advantage on you. When following the play,
have your mallet up and ready to swing. Too many players miss opportunities simply because they were not ready to swing. There are times when someone hits a long ball in front of you and there are no opponents anywhere close. Or you might be following the pack when everyone goes over the ball. These are precious gifts for you, but don’t count on them. If you want to increase the number of hitting opportunities you receive without being whistled, work on positioning and getting advantage of your opponent before you ever get to the ball. That is how the better players do it. Tom Goodspeed is a renowned polo instructor, coach and horse trainer. He achieved a 5goal handicap outdoors and 9 in the arena. He can be reached at polotom@usapolo.com.
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POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 15
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BY DENISE BOEHLER
DREAM HORSE Horse lover lucks out when a Thoroughbred proves unsuitable for original purchaser
I
was 25 years old, living on Chicago’s Near North Side. My life was all about horses. Horses galloping on polo fields, horses trotting along Pearson and Michigan Avenues on Chicago’s Gold Coast, pulling carriages I drove behind. Some horses I dreamed of owning someday, others I did. Every moment spent not with them I spent thinking about them. On weekdays at 5 p.m., I bolted for the elevator in that Prudential Building where the law firm held its offices, ran to the car and drove out to the polo club for the evening. What else was there, I believed, but finding ways for horses to fit into my work and play life? It was in these summertime days she came into my life. Jezebel, a 4-year-old black pedigreed Thoroughbred. Fresh from the racetrack. Not fast enough to win, place or show. Someone had pulled her, introducing her to green polo fields instead. Someone hung the polo mallet in her stall, took her to the practice fields daily, taught her to be unafraid. She was well on her way to becoming a seasoned polo pony. And she’d wound up at the very polo club I belonged to. I say that because it’s the one I worked at since my summertime high school days. It was owned by a real estate developer, who I’ll call Ronald H. Purportedly, he’d made his fortune by turning the cornfields of a working class suburb into cheap strip malls and drivethroughs. Despite our obvious disparate backgrounds, he always was kind to me. After graduation, I stayed on to become a player’s partner. The polo club was small, maybe 20 members. The price of admission was $2500 each season, on top of stabling your numerous horses. The sport of kings. 16 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Denise was able to purchase Jezebel on a payment plan after the mare didn’t work out for the original buyer.
In exchange for membership, including ground fees and stabling, my partner and I traded odd services—flipping burgers at clubhouse parties, driving golf carts to round up winning players at the trailers for photos, mixing Pimms’ Chukkars for wealthy attendees. It seemed a modest price for the opportunity to play on the same polo fields I’d worked on since my high school days. We had a few grade horses (mutts, in canine terms) on which we played on the same fields as the paying members. It was a handmade “string” of polo ponies, but I was enthralled for the opportunity to play at all. Who else gets to have that in life? Jezebel was rumored to have cost Ronald H some $20,000. Horses of her quality were well out of my grade-horse budget. But the value of a horse is like everything else: it’s the value to the rider. And for Ronald H, Jezebel’s value decreased each time he fell off her back and onto those verdant polo fields. Thoroughbreds are full of fire. For him, she was far too much blaze.
It was somewhere between the third and the seventh fall I had the idea that I could have her for my own. So I raised the possibility one summer afternoon with my then-partner outside the tack room of our rented barn. Eager to teach me one more lesson of life, he dived into the art of horse trading: Just go up to him, ask him, he motioned with his elbow. “How? Ask him, how?” “You say,” he smiled, “You say, Hey mister, How much you gotta get for that horse?” I shuddered. I was intimidated and afraid of Ronald H. He was the guy other players lost to on purpose in Sunday games. The guy that his groom, Guillermo, ran to hand a mallet to as he cantered off the fields. He was the one driving the Rolls Royce convertible after the games with a victory lap, a beautiful woman warming the passenger seat. And these fields, they were the fields of my childhood. My father was an immigrant machinist bringing home $250 a
week to pay for our rented apartment. My mother saved $20 a month to buy me velour tops from JCPenney. But as I was moving deeper into life and wanted more. The polo fields and all the horses galloping upon it were fast becoming the fields making my dreams. When I’d worked there in high school, I had managed by the grace of life and the energy of determination to find myself a job at the polo club. One summer Saturday afternoon, I’d walked in with my friend, Nancy, after peering through the slats in the wooden fence looking for a job. I’d heard it was possible to start out hot-walking—cooling down horses after playing on the polo fields—and maybe even become a groom. I wanted to do anything with horses that would bring me money. The man who’d later become my partner gave me a job immediately. For a teenage girl, hot-walking gorgeous, sweaty
Thoroughbreds fresh off the polo fields beats chasing any guy, any day of the week. The game of polo itself is one of the most rigorous and demanding sports of all the athletic equine events. A typical game consists of six periods, 7 minutes each, 2 minutes in between. The field is the size of 10 football fields combined. The horses go from cantering to galloping the entire time. They come off the field heaving and sweating. They require cooling down the way any athlete needs cooling down after a hard workout. After games they enjoyed full-hose baths. Non-game days, they’re cantering along in workout arenas, enjoying short-work and full-on heats. For a girl in love with horses who couldn’t afford any of her own, I was living my dreams. Six years on after high school, I was hot-walking my own polo ponies, shortworking and galloping around the fields
to leg them up for the games I myself would play with a string of grade horses that were the best I could afford. So it wasn’t without a small measure of trepidation, that I decided to approach Ronald H about his $20,000 polo pony. Jezebel’s Thoroughbred bones, porcelain delicate legs and silken jet-black coat drew me into something larger. In her, I saw more of myself. With her, I said, I could find that missing piece for which I longed. Even more, I could feel seen. On her back, I felt, her speed and beauty would make a statement to others. While they had the means, I had something else money could just not buy—an alliance of horse and rider so well matched they formed one image. On her, I would never feel lessthan, ever again. I wanted that oh-so-fine horse for my (continued on page 58)
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 17
POLO SCENE N E W S
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NO T E S
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T R E N D S
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Q U O T E S
SHORT COURSE
St. Croix Polo Club hosts polo clinic
ROBIN SANCHEZ arrived at Ameritina Polo
Farm, home of the St. Croix Polo Club, in Baldwin, Wisconsin to host a polo clinic in August. This was the second clinic Sanchez has hosted at the club and according to club member Linda Chacholiades, she did not disappoint. “Robin is a stellar clinician; down to earth, easy to talk to and able to address everyone’s polo questions both on and off the field. She is an engaging speaker and her love of polo and horsemanship is clearly evident,” said Chacholiades. Over the course of the weekend, she worked with longtime members of the club as well as hosted a beginner’s clinic. She also worked one-on-one with several club members to address specific questions regarding swing mechanics and horsemanship. The Chalk Talk portion was full of important Students line up for the throw-in during the polo clinic with Robin Sanchez in Wisconsin. information for players at any level. She explained penalties and game strategy, how to be effective day, the entire club had improved tremendously and were during knock-ins and positioning on the field to facilitate playing much more streamlined, communicating with each successful team playing. “She explains strategies with clear and other more effectively, and better avoiding the dreaded fouls. vivid imagery, often using metaphors to “She took the time to blow the further enhance player understanding,” whistle and talk us through said Chacholiades. “What impresses me many plays; she told us what was the most with Robin is her ability to good, not good and offered explain the process of any given topic clarification on how to better within polo. If you ask a question, she react during each specific play,” answers fully and without hesitation. She said Chacholiades. has ‘been there-done that’ and “I personally had many understands the traps the newer players horsemanship questions and often fall into and was able to give us tips Robin has now worked with me on how to avoid common fouls of the and two of my horses game.” specifically to address our During coaching chukkers, she was needs. I am truly grateful for able to give all players attention, address her wisdom since all guidance their strengths and weaknesses and offer she offered to me was spot-on, solutions to all. They not only played, but and time with my horses always also devoted time towards penalty shots improves after listening to so everyone could practice their hitting. Robin’s advice. We are already What a treat for the club to be able to looking forward to the next time Sanchez worked with longtime members one-on-one to benefit from her expertise! By the second address specific questions, as well as beginners. Robin is able to visit our club!”
18 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
GALA LA BAMBA
Club raises much-needed funds for Opera House Theater
NEWPORT POLO in Portsmouth, Rhode Island raised
Mexican team was headquartered. Then, guests moved on to Rosecliff for a reception on the terrace with Gala Ambassadors $32,000 for the Opera House Theater, a new record in Dorienne and Mohammad Farzan, project architects from fundraising from the club’s annual black tie charity gala. Opera House Theater, and polo ambassadors Mary Marwick Gala la Bamba received over 400 guests in glamorous and Peter Jenkins from the Newport Polo Club, where an culturally-inspired enchanting panorama black-tie attire for a Gala la Bamba guests, dressed in culturally-inspired of gardens and twilight black-tie attire, enjoyed dining and dancing. night of exquisite ocean views drew gourmet cuisine, guests out onto the dancing and heartlawn in costume. warming philanthropy. As the colors of The event also dusk faded, guests welcomed international adjourned for a seated guests of gourmet dinner in the honor—members of the gilded ballroom Mexican polo team—at adorned in the colors Rosecliff, one of of the Mexican triNewport’s famed color. Live musical Bellevue Avenue entertainment from mansions. Decades by Dezyne Funds from Gala la added to the magic, and a whirlwind Live Auction was called by Bamba, and other donations this year are doubling their Emlen Drayton, who offered up the night’s crown jewels. impact through an awarded matching grant program. The Blackstone Catering’s chef created the Mexican-inspired Opera House Theater renovation team is hoping for an early hors d’oeuvres, three-course dinner and dessert station. Après 2018 grand reopening as it continues its capital campaign. dinner guests joined the party to heighten the competition in The sold-out affair began with a pre-gala meet & greet silent auction bidding and enjoy refreshments and dancing cocktail party on the decks of the newly opened Regent under the spell of the 10-piece orchestra until the stroke of Cocktail Club at Gurney’s Newport Resort & Marina, where the midnight.
IN STITCHES
OLO HAS ALWAYS been considered a smart game but now Cirencester Park Polo Club in the U.K. has been given a fashionable new look thanks to the town’s tailor, Barrington Ayre. Polo Manager Tim Keyte and assistants Kim Croutear and Gemma Potter have been given bespoke tweed jackets, while the tailor has also designed and made a new official club blazer as well as a Most Valuable Player jacket that is framed and placed in the club house. “The club blazer uses the clubs official and famous colors,” said principle Barrington Ayre tailor Tom Wharton. “It is a purple and black striped jacket with a special lining that we have designed especially for them. Tom was invited by the club to present a blazer to the Best Player in the recent Jerudong Trophy, which went to 10-goaler Juan Martin Nero. Polo Manager Tim Keyte said, ‘‘We are thrilled to partner with the town’s Barrington Ayre tailors, aligning our two very traditional, British and local Cirencester brands and bringing a new look to the polo.
PAUL NICHOLLS
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Club gets style makeover
Principle Barrington Ayre tailor Tom Wharton and polo manager Tim Keyte unveil the club’s new Most Valuable Player jacket.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 19
UNTIL NEXT YEAR
Wyoming club bids farewell with season awards
THE FLYING H POLO CLUB in Sheridan, Wyoming capped off its summer season with a Cowboy & Indian farewell party and end-
of-season awards. It was a great end to another successful season. Craig Duke was honored as the Skeeter Johnston Sportsman of the Year, an award sponsored by Davis & Cannon with Headen Heaphy, Codie Henderson, Holly Tysse, Kim Cannon, Ben Reiter and Charlie Hart. Amateur Player of the year went to Tom Gose, an award sponsored by The Johnston Family. The Johnstons also sponsored Pro Player of the Year and the Bob Tate Best String, with both awards going to Julio Arellano. The Glen Hart Horse of the Year, sponsored by Wildlife Resources, went to Mario, a horse played by Miguel Novillo Astrada and owned by G-String Polo.
Jimmy Newman and Craig Duke
Jimmy Newman and Julio Arellano
Jimmy Newman and Tom Gose
TEST SITE
Girls’ school pilots injury prevention program for polo players
WITH MORE THAN 2.6 million children under the age of 19
being treated for sports injuries each year, more attention has been turned to how to avoid preventable injuries among young athletes. USPA Polo Development, LLC., is working with Garrison Forest School—one of only two girls’ schools in the United States to offer polo—to pilot a new exercise program focusing on injury prevention in youth, collegiate and professional athletes. Director of The Sports Medicine and Movement Lab at Auburn University Gretchen Oliver, Ph.D., FACSM, ATC, is testing the exercise program at Garrison Forest to examine new ways to offer performance feedback to athletes who may be at increased risk of injury. Through research that the Sports Medicine and Movement Lab collected on over 90 collegiate softball pitchers on pain history and pitching mechanics, Polo Development has discovered that the muscles engaged through the softball pitch are similar to
20 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
those engaged during the polo swing. Working in conjunction with The Sports Medicine and Movement Lab and Garrison Forest’s Director of Polo Jenny Schwartz, who graduated from GFS in 2011 and is the youngest USPA Certified Polo Instructor in the country, the GFS varsity polo players are completing a sixweek exercise, riding and swing program that incorporates video markers and analysis that Oliver will conduct. Based on the results of the Garrison Forest program, Polo Development hopes to expand the program to schools nationwide to improve player development and establish injury prevention protocols. Schwartz, who is also helping to develop the USPA Player Performance Analysis program, uses an iPad and the Coaches Eye App to track and analyze players’ progress. The hope is that the research conducted at Garrison Forest, whose Varsity team won the Girls’ National Interscholastic Championship in April, will have implications on player development of athletes on both polo and softball teams in the years to come.
MATCH MADE IN POLO
Former intercollegiate players tie the knot
P
OLO PAIR WESTON ROGERS and Coryelle Scott held their wedding at the Spokane Polo Club in Spokane, Washington, July 22. The couple first met while playing intercollegiate polo for the University of Idaho and Washington State University, respectively, where the closeness of the two college teams and their enthusiasm for the sport of polo brought them together. Ponies and polo have been a constant in the couple’s lives ever since, and the pair continue to play at the Spokane fields each summer. When planning their wedding, the two could not envision holding the celebration anywhere else. After a beautiful fieldside ceremony at the clubhouse, Weston jumped on a horse to play a fun game with a team comprised of his father, Kevin Rogers; groomsman, Elliot King; and club pro, Coki Sanchez-Duggan. The Groom’s team faced off against a team of close friends: PNW Circuit Governor Sheryl Sick and fellow Spokane Polo Club members Catlin Dix, Cody Dix Harris and TJ Elordi.
TEAM TONY
OVER 400 GUESTS attended the Team Up for
Tony benefit polo tournament final hosted by Oak Brook Polo Club in Oak Brook, Illinois, Sept. 17. Nearly $25,000 was raised in support of Tony Sekera’s recovery. Sekera was seriously injured while stick and balling in Aiken, South Carolina, on June 2. He flipped off the horse after it stumbled, fracturing his C4 and C5 vertebrae with devastating spinal cord damage. “Tony and I experienced an amazing and overwhelming outpouring of love and support from everyone at the event, bolstering our determination and outlook for his future,” explained Tony’s wife Cindy Engdahl Sekera. To donate to Tony’s Go Fund Me page, visit gofundme.com/tony-sekera.
Coryelle threw in the first ball to start the game. Guests enjoyed the match along with appetizers and cocktails. The match was a first for many of the guests, but Elizabeth Holson was on hand to announce the game, answer questions for all, and encourage everyone to partake in the traditional champagne divot stomp at halftime. The match was fun for all, but in the closing seconds the groom took the ball toward goal, putting it through the uprights—a perfect ending for such a memorable game. The game was immediately followed by the reception under a tent alongside Field 1, where the menu was created to reflect Weston and Coryelle’s love for traditional Argentine asados including tri-tip and chimichurri. The entire wedding beautifully intertwined the couple’s love, passion for polo, and their home at the Spokane Polo Club together. In a moving toast from the bride’s brother he explained, that this was the place they love with all of the people they love, which is what made this the perfect way to celebrate the polo pair.
PARKER’S POLO MINUTE BY PARKER SCOTT
If you cannot recognize your own fouls, your game will not improve. A great way to improve in this area is to umpire as much as possible SanDiegoPolo@hotmail.com
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 21
Time to reflect Newest members look back on their first year 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 • Photos by David Lominska/polographics.com
With a dynamic group of members, the Team USPA program is tailored to provide personalized mentoring and training for each individual while also covering a broad range of topics applicable to all players, instructors and managers in polo. Each player completes a core curriculum in the first year consisting of umpire training, equine welfare and a Polo Business 101 course in addition to mentored playing and training opportunities. Amanda Snow, director of player development, sat down with the five players who were selected to join Team USPA in January 2017 to hear about their first year in the Team USPA program. The wide variety of talents, career goals and backgrounds represented by this group of Team USPA members highlights the importance of Team USPA’s new three-track training program. By first completing the core curriculum and working closely with a mentor in the first year, Team USPA is able to help guide each member down a successful career path in polo.
22 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Juddy Carlton hails from the Bluewater Creek Polo Club in Rogersville, Alabama. With a slight southern drawl, Carlton expressed how the program has exceeded his expectations thus far. “Everyone in the program has been so willing to help, not only the people who work with Team USPA, but the older Team USPA members really go out of their way to lend advice and answer questions. Team USPA immediately helped me get a spot on a team in Houston and I had an amazing experience there. I am looking forward to becoming a certified polo instructor and hopefully mentoring with a higher-rated player.” Carlton will be part of the first group of Team USPA members to complete the CPI certification.
Marissa Wells came up through the intercollegiate/interscholastic arena polo program and is currently a member of the Texas A&M Women’s Intercollegiate team. Of all the new members of Team USPA, Wells has traveled to the most clubs in the past year, playing at Myopia Polo Club, Maryland Polo Club, Virginia International, Houston Polo Club, San Diego Polo Club, Empire, Eldorado, Columbine Polo Club, Texas A&M Polo Club, Santa Barbara Polo Club, Saratoga Polo Club, and Santa Maria Polo Club. Even with a busy school schedule, she managed to squeeze in a month-long mentorship with veteran Team USPA member, Felipe Viana at Myopia Polo Club, and participated in the umpire intensive boot camp in Aiken, South Carolina. This month, Wells will represent Team USPA in the program’s first ever USPA U.S. Women’s Open team in Houston, Texas.
At 7 goals, Santi Torres is undoubtedly talented on the field, but he applied to Team USPA looking for off-thefield mentoring and training opportunities. Torres quickly got to work after tryouts searching for a local business to help co-sponsor a team for the $50,000 National 12-Goal tournament held at Grand Champions Polo Club. “Playing the $50,000 with four Team USPA members has been my favorite part of being in the program so far. Participating in competitive tournaments is the best way to get seen and ultimately get a job. Looking for sponsors and pitching the team was a great learning experience for us. We all really appreciated the support shown to us by County Line Feed and Team USPA.” This summer, Torres served as a mentor for the Young Player Outreach program held in Sheridan, Wyoming. “I learned so much from older players helping me when I played junior polo as a kid. I really enjoyed the opportunity to teach and mentor these players,” said Torres. Weekly practices with the YPO group and a NYTS qualifier tournament rounded out his experience in Wyoming. When asked what he is looking forward to in the coming year he eagerly responded, “Organize another Team USPA team for a tournament! I also am excited to help teach more clinics this year in Wellington and hopefully other places as well.”
After joining Team USPA, Matias Gonzalez jumped headfirst into completing his umpire requirement, attending a multi-day umpire intensive boot camp in Aiken, South Carolina. Becoming a certified umpire is one of the core requirements of the Team USPA program. With many of the players traveling to smaller clubs throughout the summer, being able to jump in and umpire games when needed has proven to be an essential skill for all players in the program. As a 2-goal player, the future looks bright for Gonzalez, known amongst friends as ‘Colo’ for his fiery red hair. “I loved playing in the National Youth Tournament Series program and now I have the opportunity this coming year to volunteer and give back as a part of Team USPA. I met quite a few older Team USPA members at NYTS events. They were always part of the committees or out on the field umpiring. It’s pretty cool to see how the programs work together.” Gonzalez will participate in the twoweek FIP training program in Wellington, Florida before heading to Australia in search of the elusive FIP Championship title.
Matt Coppola grew up in Wellington and has been climbing the ranks as a professional player the past several years. Coppola spent July and August playing with Restoration Hardware under the guidance of mentor Adam Snow in the Santa Barbara 16-goal season. “Playing in Santa Barbara was a great experience. Having Team USPA support my mentorship and playing with Adam really made a difference for me as a professional. I was able to play in higherlevel competitive polo and Adam was there every step of the way coaching the team and me personally,” said Coppola. Coppola also participated in the $50,000 National 12-goal tournament with Torres and will be traveling to Argentina following the Houston season to prepare for the winter.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 23
Thank you! Passion. Dedication. Excellence. For the love of the game
W
ith the new I/I season underway, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the volunteers that make the I/I program run. The I/I program is run as a committee structure, with Chairman David Wenning at the helm. There is an overarching committee of 23 members and several additional sub-committees underneath it. Subcommittees include the Executive Advisory Board, the National Host Tournament Committee, the Intercollegiate Scholarship Task Force, regional host tournament committees, a Parent Sub-Committee, and the I/I Equine Welfare Committee, to name a few. The following is a small introduction to a handful of our committee members. I hope you have the opportunity to visit with them at an upcoming event. And to all of our volunteers, thank you for your time, dedication and passion to our sport and the next generation!
MO PETKOV
BY AMY FRASER
the reins as chairman of the I/I program in 2015. Q: What does the I/I program mean to you? The I/I program allows kids to be introduced to the sport of polo at any age, starting with middle school through college. Our great coaches help them develop their playing skills and learn the rules of the game. Additionally, they learn the importance of teamwork, horsemanship and respect for coaches, officials and our spectacular equine partners.
Robert Lyn-Kee-Chow
David Wenning
24 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
ERIN ECKERT
Long Meadow, Massachusetts Chairman, I/I Program David was first introduced to polo when his two children, Mike and Kristen, began playing polo at Shallowbrook Polo Club under the guidance of the late Hal Vita. It wasn’t long before David joined in the fun and began playing himself. And, he admits, was quickly getting surpassed by his son. David was a committee member serving on the Northeastern Regional Host Tournament Committee, then served as a member of the National Host Tournament Committee before taking
Aiken, South Carolina Member National Host Tournament
Committee and Southeastern Regional Host Tournament Committee Robert began playing polo at age 15 in Jamaica, and later expanded his playing by managing polo clubs and umpiring across the country. During his time in Virginia, he began playing and umpiring at the Virginia Polo Center where he began his interest in the I/I program. Robert can be found all across the country throughout the I/I season umpiring and mentoring youth. Q: How does your roll as an I/I umpire help you as a member of the NHTC? Seeing and meeting many of the players and programs through umpiring in the I/I program gives me a different perspective on the game, and gives me a better understanding of players’ and coaches’ dilemmas.
Melanja Jones
Santa Barbara, California I/I Executive Advisory Board Melanja brings her expertise of polo and passion of I/I to the I/I Executive Advisory Board. She is a first generation polo player who got her start in polo while in school at Colorado State University. Melanja continued to pursue polo as a career and has been a club manager at top USPA member clubs around the country, including the International Polo Club, Capital Polo Club and currently the Santa Barbara Polo Club. Q: Colorado State has been, and still is, a student-run program. How have your experiences managing top polo clubs around the country guided you as a member of the I/I Committee?
When I was a student in the CSU I/I program, I was fortunate enough to be club treasurer and the experience I gained through that applied all the way up to the level of managing high-goal polo. I am eternally grateful to I/I polo for those early lessons in management and what a polo community can be. The basic principles of sound club management are the same at all levels of polo and I am grateful for the opportunity to give back to the I/I program. I/I was essential in my own professional development and I am mindful that it is an important incubator for the next generation of polo players in all my input with the I/I Committee.
Q: What is your favorite memory as an I/I volunteer? My favorite memory as an I/I volunteer was when I took an interscholastic team over to England to compete in their Pony Club tournament series. The combination of international travel and competing as a team was an amazing polo experience for them and for me as their coach.
Sheryl Sick
STEPHEN SMITH IMAGINARE CO.
Host
Liz is a first generation polo player who got her start at Yale University. By sophomore year, Liz was running the Yale program, which gave her the experience to begin coaching at Garrison Forest School in Maryland. After a bit of
Tom Wisehart
Denver, CO Central Regional Host Tournament Committee, I/I Scholarship Task Force
Seattle, Washington I/I Executive Advisory Board
Liz Brayboy
Harwington, Connecticut Northeastern Regional Tournament Committee
joining the I/I Committee? I am most excited about the opportunity to be a part of the I/I program as intercollegiate polo kicked off a passion that has taught me invaluable life lessons and shaped who I am in many ways. This opportunity is a great way for me to stay involved and give back in an advisory role.
ELIZABETH HEDLEY
DAVID LOMINSKA/POLO GRAPHICS
a hiatus, Liz got back into polo when she began coaching the Yale Interscholastic team. She was appointed to the Northeastern Regional Host Tournament Committee in 2014 and also expanded her committee service to the USPA Women’s Committee.
Sheryl got her start in polo at Washington State University, where she answered an ad in the school newspaper for ‘horse polo tryouts.’ She credits her men’s team that, at the time, all came from outdoor polo backgrounds for giving her a great foundation to learn the game. Post-graduation, her career in technology took Sheryl all over the country where she continued to find avenues to play, and is currently based in Seattle, Washington. Sheryl is a recent addition to the I/I Executive Advisory Board, and also serves on the USPA board of governor’s as the Pacific Northwest circuit governor. Q: What are you most excited about
Tom is a first generation polo player who got his start at the University of Connecticut. After graduation, he attended law school at Michigan State University where he started the Michigan State Polo Team, which still thrives today. Giving back to the I/I program is a passion of Tom’s, as he is not only a member of several I/I committees, but is also a USPA certified umpire and spends his weekends and vacation traveling about the country umpiring I/I events from prelims to nationals. Q: Why do you do what you do? If it wasn’t for the I/I program I would have never been introduced to polo. The I/I program provided an opportunity to learn to play polo with peers and in a friendly sportsman-based environment. I owe my exposure to polo to the I/I program and I want others to have the same opportunity. By volunteering on the committee and umpiring, that is the best way to help the I/I program to succeed. POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 25
Ivy League rivals battle on the beach
T
eams from Harvard and Yale took to Rhode Island’s sandy shores to compete in the inaugural Ocean House Beach Classic.
and inspiring setting. For the players, the day was even more special thanks to the efforts of everyone involved. Due to logistical issues, which included the Harvard polo trailer becoming stuck in the deep sand for the better part of an hour, requiring the ponies be led by hand on public roads to Ocean House, Harvard and Yale teams tacked up their horses and geared up together on a lawn in front of the hotel
with collaboration rarely seen before a rivalry match. The rivalry between these two renowned Ivy League colleges dates back more than 100 years, and is one of the oldest and fiercest of any college rivalry in the country. Playing on sand provided new challenges to both teams in an unchartered territory at this new setting. The teams walked to the water’s
IMAGES OF POLO
More than 600 guests and spectators enjoyed the inaugural Ocean House Beach Polo Classic on Sunday, Sept. 10. Harvard University claimed the victory with a 5-3 win over Yale University while kicking up sand among the sea spray. The event was produced by Cavison Polo Group in partnership with Ocean House, the luxurious Relais & Châteaux seaside resort in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, which provided an ideal relaxed
26 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
MACKENZIE HORAN
Surf not turf
ALEX GORGI
FRANCESCA DOLNIER
edge with their horses in order to accustom them to the sea before the game, and agreed that the losing team would go into the waves after the match, still wearing their whites and exclusive polo neck jerseys. Before the match, Crocker Snow, Harvard Polo coach and veteran foreign affairs journalist who was first introduced to the rivalry as an ice hockey player during his undergraduate years at Harvard, briefed guests on the basics of polo rules accompanied by a demonstration from the Harvard and Yale polo captains. Harvard and Yale’s horses and riders charged along Watch Hill’s stunning, sandy waterfront before an enthralled crowd, with Ocean House framing the picturesque scene in the background. Swiss watchmaker Carl F. Bucherer’s logo took pride of place on the event scoreboard, which declared the Harvard University victory after a vigorous afternoon match commentated by Englishman William Crisp, former polo
The polo event was played in front of the historic Ocean House, an iconic seaside resort.
player and author of “A Guide to Polo Commentary.” Yale and Harvard both started the game off strong, hungry to secure their team’s name on the sterling silver bowl to serve as the trophy of the classic in years to come. Teams scored two goals apiece in the
first chukker even while trying to acclimate to the novel playing surface and the mechanics of the field. The sand was deeper than expected, and the horses had to labor to gallop on the sinking footing. The ball was also slightly larger and lighter than a standard arena ball. By half-time, both teams had a better idea of what they were up against, and the game could begin in earnest. The second half saw much more aggressive game play and players were able to give those present a taste of what polo is all about: the horses, teammates, great effort, dedication, skill, and, of course, the ball finding its way into the goal. By the awards ceremony, Harvard had prevailed over Yale and Harvard men’s captain William Lobkowicz was named MVP, while one of Yale’s ponies was Best Playing Pony. “For the Harvard team, and I’m sure for Yale, it was a special day of white sands, blue sky and fresh sea in abundance, along with sweaty polo players and ponies,” said Snow after the
The crowd steps back as the action gets close.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 27
MICHAEL LE
MACKENZIE HORAN
Lilly Pulitzer was a sponsor, and fittingly, many guests wore signature Lilly dresses.
Harvard coach Crocker Snow gives his team some pointers.
on Sunday. Land Rover, the official vehicle of the Ocean House Beach Polo Classic, sent their newest release, the Range Rover Velar, which nearly attracted as much attention as the Harvard and Yale ponies on the beach. Mizzen+Main, our men’s style sponsor, designed ‘throwback’ jerseys from its performance fabric button downs. The button-down collar was originally called a ‘polo collar’ and was worn exclusively by polo players in England in the late 19th century. Brooks Brothers took note of this style and brought the influence to the American
MICHAEL LE
first Beach Polo Classic. “It was a brand new and fun experience for all our players and horses to play the sport we love before an attentive crowd many of whom were seeing it for the first time. That we prevailed against an ancient rival made it a touch better. Thanks for the Ocean House for hosting it.” Sponsors, including Ocean House, Land Rover, Lilly Pulitzer, Tiffany & Co., Veuve Clicquot, Whispering Angel, Stubbs & Wootton, Lila Delman International Real Estate, KEEL Vodka, Mizzen+Main, Citizens Bank Wealth Management, Carl F. Bucherer, Barton & Gray Mariners Club, and HHH
Properties, and their guests were spotted on the sidelines cheering for their favorite team. That included HHH Properties, which hosted prominent guests and Yale dignitaries in their centerfield cabana as they cheered on their alma mater. “Ocean House was proud to be the host and scenic setting of this prestigious and dynamic event,” said Daniel A. Hostettler, president and group managing director of Ocean House Management, LLC. “The Ocean House Beach Polo Classic was a natural fit for our guests who value bespoke, unique and memorable experiences.” A fleet of boats spectated from 100 yards offshore, including guests from the maritime sponsor Barton & Gray Mariners Club, a fractional Hinckley Yacht charter service. “We are honored to bring teams from Harvard and Yale together to compete and face each other in a new venue for the noble sport of polo,” said Cavison Polo Group co-founder Steven Edward Courville. KEEL Vodka teamed up with Lilly Pulitzer and Cavison Polo to serve up 1,200 of the event’s signature cocktail. Magnums of Veuve Clicquot were being popped in every patron cabana and Chateau D’Esclans’ Whispering Angel Rose was flowing at the Ocean House
Harvard, led by MVP William Lobkowicz (far left), edged Yale 5-3. The Harvard name will be etched in the Tiffany & Co. Ocean House Beach Polo Classic Revere Bowl. It will be housed at Ocean House.
28 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
SEAN BURKE
public in the 1890s. Representatives from Tiffany & Co., donning white gloves, delivered a stunning sterling silver ‘Revere Bowl’, proudly engraved with ‘Ocean House Beach Polo Classic’, to the triumphant Harvard Polo Team at the prize giving ceremony. The annual trophy will soon have the Harvard name etched in it before being returned to the Ocean House, where it will be housed. Land Rover, a brand with a rich history of supporting the sport of polo, gifted the best playing pony, a pretty chestnut, with an embroidered horse blanket to commemorate the event. Lobkowicz., a legacy senior at Harvard and son of Prince William Lobkowicz of Czech Republic, was awarded a Lila Delman International Real Estate MVP polo shirt. “We were thrilled to welcome the most iconic rivalry in collegiate sporting history, in the most iconic venue New England has to offer, supported by some of the most iconic brands on the market today,” said Cavison Polo Group cofounder, Sean Burke. After the photographs and the handshakes it was time for a dip in the ocean, and Yale was not alone: members of both teams tore off their boots, raced
FRANCESCA DOLNIER
USPA Governor-at-Large Steve Armour bowls the ball in to start the action.
The ponies were walked down to the water to get them used to the sound of the lapping waves prior to the match. This Yale pony was later named Best Playing Pony.
down the beach and into the sea spray, washing off the sweat of a long but exciting day as the waves knocked them down. The wetness of the jerseys masked which stripes were crimson and which were navy. The celebrations continued at Lilly Pulitzer’s new seaside Watch Hill store. A portion of the proceeds from the
shopping event were donated to the selffunded Harvard and Yale Polo Clubs. Plans are already underway for next year’s event. Francesca Cornero, Harvard Class of 2018, contributed to this article. From Mexico, she is a member of the women’s varsity team. POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 29
GSA wins Greenwich Youth prevails in East Coast Open By Gwen Rizzo
A
team of up-and-coming players, led by veteran Matias Magrini, came away with a victory in the season finale East Coast Open held at the Greenwich Polo Club in Greenwich, Connecticut.
30 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
MATIAS BIANCHI
Four teams, rated from 17 to 20 goals, competed over two weeks for a chance at raising the coveted Perry Trophy. GSA (Global Student Accommodation) included Henry Porter from Britain and Victorino ‘Toro’ Ruiz Jorba from Argentina, both 18 years old, Argentine Santino Magrini, 15, and his father Matias Magrini. The young men played together earlier this year, along with 18-year-old Juan Martin Zubia, capturing three 12-goals: the $50,000 National 12-goal, the Sieber Memorial and the Limited Edition 12-goal Series Handicap. The team got off to a great start in the opening match of the East Coast Open tournament against Audi’s Chris Brant, Nick Manifold, Mariano Aguerre and Mariano Gonzalez. GSA began with a three-goal handicap, but costly mistakes early in the game gave Audi three opportunities from the penalty line, which they seized on to level the score. Ruiz knocked in a field goal that was matched by Gonzalez to even the score at 4-4 to end the first chukker. The mistakes continued into the second with Audi capitalizing on three penalties, including a Penalty 1. Porter made two successful runs to goal and
Audi’s Mariano Gonzalez flinches as GSA’s Toro Ruiz necks the ball in the final of the East Coast Open.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 31
32 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Annabelle Gundlach was back in the saddle for the East Coast Open after fracturing four bones in her back at the start of the season.
Monty Waterbury Cup, she broke four traverse processess—the bony projections off the side of each vertebrae where spinal muscles and ligaments attach—falling down stairs. Her doctors told her to stay off horses for six to eight weeks. Intent on salvaging at least part of her summer polo season, she set her sights on getting healed up in time to compete in the East Coast Open, set to begin nine weeks later. With plenty of physical therapy and personal training she was back on a horse in three weeks preparing for the tournament. Her team finished up the Monty Waterbury with a substitute and took the title. Next up was the Silver Cup. She had several options to consider: pulling her team, getting a substitute or offering the team to another patron. Gundlach said, “I put every option on the table. I wasn’t going to pull out because that’s not really my style and none of this was [my teammates’] fault. We had another option of bringing in some Argentine 2-goal player ... that’s really like a 4, and doing it that way, and actually I offered the team to Maureen Brennan but it didn’t work out for her ... but at the same time, I was like, maybe there’s something better to do.” Gundlach explained that she had met Joe Manheim, the patron of the Work to Ride team in the Monty Waterbury and Silver Cups and a board member of the Work to Ride program, in Argentina a year ago. He introduced her to Lezlie Hiner and showed her a video on the program. “I was blown away by the operation,” said Gundlach. Gundlach decided to call Hiner to see if she had anyone from the program that could fill in for her in the Silver Cup. Hiner recommended Shariah Harris, who had played on her interscholastic team, had been to Argentina and played in some faster polo on the grass and was now attending Cornell University on a well-deserved scholarship. For Gundlach, she liked the idea of giving back and doing something good better than winning at all costs. “For me it was really important that people recognize there are other options if something goes wrong,” explained Gundlach. “Instead of just pulling out a team
CHICHI UBINA
Two years ago, after winning a 16-goal tournament, Annabelle Gundlach sat down with her pro, Brandon Phillips, to map out their future polo plans. Gundlach explained, “ ... I started in the sport for fun, but really, I always love to use the Winston Churchill aspect of the sport which is, polo is a passport to the world. With that we played in Germany, [and] I was invited to play in Africa. I made tons of new friends I probably wouldn’t have otherwise. So, in that vein, I call it check-the-box polo. Where would be a really great place to play? One of them obviously is in my backyard, Field 1 at IPC.” IPC had just been sold to Mark Bellissimo and rumors abounded regarding the club’s future. The club was holding 20- and 26-goal polo, so that became Gundlach’s aim. “It started with, OK, we don’t know what’s going to happen at IPC. We better hurry up and let’s do this,” said Gundlach. “The first thing we knew is I was going to have to up my string. ... The second thing we obviously had to figure out was what’s the best stepping stone to get there ... so we decided to play in Greenwich. [We] didn’t have to have the winning team, but needed that kind of experience and Greenwich was the perfect venue.” The spring before the first 20-goal in Greenwich, Gundlach and Phillips went to Los Machitos, Mariano Aguerre and Nick Manifold’s breeding farm in Argentina. They focused on finding horses to be competitive. They prepared to play at IPC with Aguerre as team captain. After the Greenwich season, they decided to round out the team with 6goal Kris Kampsen. The team played the month of November in Argentina to get some experience, which Gundlach said was invaluable. The team got its chance on IPC’s Field No. 1 earlier than expected, in the final of the Herbie Pennell Cup on New Years Day. “We were all laughing because we were like, OK, well, can we go home now? Are we done yet? Checked the box!” quipped Gundlach. “It was an amazing experience. The learning curve was ridiculously steep but it was an incredible experience.” Gundlach says she is in a really nice position and happy with her string now. “I’m at least at the point where I can say, if I find something that’s better than my worse horse [or] better than my best horse, that’s where I am.” After a fun season, Gundlach was looking forward to another season at Greenwich. She got there in May and it was rainy and cold. Phillips was still in Florida so she called him to say mentally she needed to get on a horse. She went over to the barn to ride with a friend, who she put on a normally quiet mare that you need to kick to make go. The horse was acting up and the one Gundlach was riding was quiet so she offered to switch. Gundlach adjusted the stirrups for herself but they were a bit too long and wouldn’t go up any more. She got on anyway and on the cold, miserable day, the horse spooked at something, and with all four feet in the air did a 180. Annabelle fell to the ground and broke her hand. Determined to play the start of the season, Gundlach started getting injections in her hand. But after only the second game of the
MARCELO BIANCHI
Temporary setback
or this or that, there are ways to do it that benefit everybody involved. It’s giving back, it’s beneficial. It helps me, it helps the organization, it helps the person. It’s a wonderful collaborative effort.” Gundlach reached her goal to be ready to play the East Coast Open. In the end, the team settled for winner of the consolation match in that event. Gundlach, Phillips, Kampsen and Aguerre will again train in Argentina this fall to get ready for the 20-goal winter season at International Polo Club. Opportunity knocks Harris was on the road traveling with Team USPA from Aiken, South Carolina to Sheridan, Wyoming when her phone rang. “I got the call while we had just stopped at the check point in Denver, Colorado. Another call came again within a few hours confirmed for the tournament and I was on the next flight out of Denver back to Philadelphia the next morning,” she explained. She says she couldn’t believe it when she first found out she was being invited to play, and she screamed into the phone jumping up and down. “I’m sure people gave me weird looks but I didn’t care! I was so happy I would get a chance to play with and against people I admire in the sport. I was in shock,” she said. Harris stayed in Greenwich for about two and a half weeks. “We had dinner all the time with my teammates and also the other players in the tournament. It was really nice to have those dinners to get to know what [the players] were like off the field. Fortunately, I was able to ride and exercise a good amount. I got to exercise some of Kris and Brandon’s horses, and we had a few practices,” she explained.
Shariah Harris, playing for Annabelle Gundlach, runs to goal while teammates Joao Ganon and Brandon Phillips hold off opponents.
Gundlach had leased horses from Matias Magrini for Harris to play but with her interscholastic and intercollegiate experiences, she said it wasn’t hard getting used to them. “... I always had to ride and play new, unfamiliar horses. Adjusting to the speed was a bit difficult. Watching how it flows in the videos is nothing compared to when you’re actually on the field. Everything flies by so fast so you always have to be ready for anything and think 10 steps ahead,” said Harris. “The speed is the most fun part. You are almost never standing still or going slow, and the horses are amazing.” Harris says she got a lot of helpful encouragement from her teammates. “All of my teammates were extremely helpful,
encouraging and pushed me to make plays, which I appreciated a lot. Even some of the other players helped to direct me, especially in practices. Everyone was very helpful,” she explained. “I was extremely nervous, more so than I usually am when I’m going into games. The nerves disappeared a bit after I started getting more comfortable with my teammates though.” As if playing in high-goal polo wasn’t enough, Harris didn’t realize she was also making history as the first black woman to play highgoal polo. “Honestly, when it hit me that I would be playing in this tournament, I didn’t give much thought to the fact that I would be the first black woman to do so. I just knew this was a childhood dream that was finally happening. After I started realizing that I was making history, I was proud that I would be the one to start something that will hopefully promote more women of color or women to adopt the sport or at least peak their interest,” said Harris. “I had a lot of mothers coming up to me, telling me that I was an inspiration to their daughters and then getting a chance to meet their daughters, who were really excited to get a picture with me. It was all a bit overwhelming to be honest, but opened my eyes to how people are starting to look up to me now.” What advice would she give others pursuing something they love? “I would tell them to keep pursuing what makes them happy. If it’s difficult to achieve then that makes it all the more worthy of pursuing,” says Harris. “My mom always tells me that nothing good in life comes easy and I’d like to think that’s a saying that I’ve shaped my life around and I would encourage others to do the same.” Harris got started in the sport at 8 or 9 years old, almost by accident. “My mom had gotten lost in [Philadelphia’s] Fairmount Park and made a wrong turn, which led her to the barn of the [Work to Ride] program. When we saw the horses, we wanted to go inside, and my mom actually met Lezlie Hiner, the director of the program, got applications for my brother, sister and I and we all applied. A few months later, we were accepted into the program.” She says what drew her to the sport was watching the older boys in the program practice and play. “I was drawn into how physical the game looked, and to see how much fun they were having whenever they played. I decided that I wanted to be like them and play, so Lezlie started teaching me.” The program has offered Harris many great opportunities. “My most memorable moment in the sport was when I got to travel with two of the boys that I looked up to in the program, Kareem and Daymar Rosser, and my older sister, She’Ree Harris, to play in the Unicef tournament in Nigeria when I was in ninth grade. It was my first time being out of the country, which made it very memorable. We also won the tournament, which was the icing on the cake,” explained Harris. If given the opportunity to play high-goal polo again, Harris says she would jump at the chance. She would also like to compete one day with Adolfo Cambiaso. Shortly after the Greenwich tournament, Harris was back to Cornell where she is an animal science major. She is also captain of the school’s women’s polo team so she will continue to compete in the sport.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 33
MATIAS BIANCHI
GSA’s Matias Magrini gets by Audi’s Francisco Mera in the final of the East Coast Open. Magrini was later named MVP of the match. Mera was filling in for an injured Nick Manifold.
Ruiz split the uprights to knot the score at 7-all at the end of the chukker. The young guns got their act together in the next two periods, scoring a combined six goals while Matias Magrini closed the back door on Audi to take a 137 lead. The teams matched goals in the fifth before Audi rallied, outscoring GSA 3-1 in the sixth, but GSA held on for the 16-12 win. Audi rebounded in its next game, edging Postage Stamp Farm (Annabelle Gundlach, Brandon Phillips, Miguel Astrada, Kris Kampsen) 12-11. It was the first game back for Postage Stamp’s Annabelle Gundlach, who was out for most of the season with injuries (see sidebar). Audi’s Nick Manifold was injured in the first game of the East Coast Open and was replaced by Francisco Mera for the rest of the tournament. Mera struck first but Brandon Phillips responded for PSF. Adding insult to injury, shortly after the game got underway, Gundlach was drilled with a ball just above the elbow. After a moment or two to shake it off, Gundlach was back in the game. Aguerre and Gonzalez shot to goal, giving Audi a 31 lead after the first seven minutes. Audi doubled PSF’s score in the second and third chukkers (6-3, 10-5). PSF fought its way back with a pair of unanswered goals in the fourth. Audi outscored it 2-1 in the fifth, but PSF rallied for three 34 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
unanswered goals in the sixth. Still it fell short and Audi had the narrow victory. GSA’s next win was courtesy of Hublot (Bash Kazi, Marcos Garcia del Rio, Tomas Garcia del Rio, Tommy Biddle). GSA led after each chukker until the fourth, when Hublot caught up, 8-8. GSA took a 12-11 lead in the fifth and increased it to 13-11 for the win. Hublot notched its first win with a 9-7 defeat of PSF. While Hublot led 6-2 at the half, PSF outscored Hublot 5-3 in the second half. Still, Hublot was able to hold on for the win. With the preliminary games completed the teams faced off in the semifinals. PSF faced GSA, while Hublot faced Audi. GSA began with a three-goal handicap and doubled it within the first seven minutes. PSF got on the board in the second chukker, but GSA matched it. GSA’s Toro Ruiz sunk a Penalty 4 in the third and Kris Kampsen added two goals for PSF, ending the half 8-3 in favor of GSA. PSF rallied in the second with six goals but GSA added another five keeping it comfortably ahead 13-9 at the bell. In the other semifinal, Audi took on Hublot, which began with a two-goal handicap. The teams traded goals in the first and Gonzalez added a pair of unanswered goals in the second, tying the score at 3-3 at the end of the second. Audi added three more in the third, while Hublot was silenced to end the half 6-3.
Audi increased its lead to five in the fourth. Hublot scored its second goal in the fifth, but Audi responded with two more. Hublot added three goals in the sixth but it was too little, too late. Audi won 10-7, advancing to the final against a tough GSA squad. The final was a rematch of the opening day game when Audi fell to GSA. But, this time, it was a much different game. Audi was better prepared and it showed. GSA started with a three-goal handicap, but was held to just one from the field. Mariano Aguerre put Audi on the board in the second, while GSA was shut down. GSA turned the tables in the third, shutting down Audi and scoring two more to end the half ahead 6-1. Audi came back in the fourth with three in a row, including two open-goal penalties to come within two, but a goal by Santino Magrini put GSA ahead 7-4. Gonzalez sunk another Penalty 2 in the fifth, but Ruiz scored two in a row for GSA. A determined Audi got back in the game, scoring two quick goals. Ruiz sunk a Penalty 3 to keep a three-goal spread. Audi jumped right back in with two more to come within one but time wasn’t on its side and GSA held on for the win. Santino Magrini was on the team that won last year (along with this year’s opponent Mariano Aguirre). Matias Magrini was named MVP and Machitos Tere, owned and played by Mariano Aguerre was named Best Playing Pony. PSF ended on a good note after getting its first win in the Tommy B. Glynn subsidiary final against Hublot. Hublot held a 6-4 lead at the half but PSF knotted the score in the fourth. It took a first-time lead in the fifth scoring three goals to Hublot’s two. PSF scored three more in the sixth while Hublot was held to one giving PSF the 13-9 victory. Usually, one team seems to dominate a polo season but this year was different when one patron decided not to play and other patrons switched teams from tournament to tournament. Peter Brant’s White Birch team, led by his longtime pro Mariano Aguerre, is always the team to beat. Brant hung up his mallets this year, however Aguerre joined forces with Joseph Manheim on the Work to Ride-Los Machitos team. The team played in the
PETER MICHAELS CHICHI UBINA
Above: GSA’s Henry Porter, Santino Magrini, Toro Ruiz and Matias Magrini won the East Coast Open. Below: Work to Ride’s Joe Manheim, Mariano Aguerre, Nick Manifold and Mariano Gonzalez won the USPA Silver Cup. Peter Brant, far right, and kids from the Work to Ride program help celebrate.
Monty Waterbury and the Silver Cup, before Chris Brant took over Manheim’s place for the East Coast Open wearing the Audi jerseys. Chris Brant played in the Monty Waterbury as Airstream, a team Mike Davis took over in the Silver Cup and East Coast Open under the Hublot name. Chris Brant sat out the Silver Cup. In the Monty Waterbury, Work to Ride was caught in a three-way tie between Postage Stamp Farm and Airstream after
all finished with 2-1 records. A fourth team, Mike Davis’ Cavalleria Toscana, finished 0-3. The Cavalleria team played under the Hublot name for the Silver Cup and Bash Kazi took Davis’ place for the East Coast Open. Postage Stamp and Airstream advanced to the final of the Monty Waterbury with Postage Stamp ultimately prevailing 9-7. The Silver Cup was played the first two weeks in July. The first game pitted PSF
against Work to Ride-Los Machitos. While PSF struggled to reach the goal, WTR led the day finishing on top, 11-8. WTR took its next game against Phoenix, but it was much closer. Phoenix began with two goals and led the first two chukkers. WTR took the lead in the third, 8-7, and held a one-goal lead to the end, 11-10. Phoenix counted its first win over PSF, 9-8. PSF tallied five goals from the penalty line in a choppy game. Phoenix led 5-3 at the half. Postage Stamp took the lead, 7-6, but a strong sixth gave Phoenix the win. WTR took on Hublot in game four, winning the match, 9-8, with more than half its goals scored from the penalty line. Hublot fell in its next match, this time to Phoenix 6-5. Toro Ruiz and Matias Magrini scored three each in the win. Hublot rebounded in its next match, this time against PSF. A hungry Hublot led 40 after the first seven minutes. PSF chipped away at the deficit, coming within two at the half, 6-4. It trailed by just a goal in the fourth and fifth but Hublot increased the lead to two to ensure the 119 win. The final had Work to Ride-Los Machitos taking on Phoenix, which began with a two-goal handicap. WTR overcame the handicap midway through the second but Magrini scored to keep Phoenix on top 3-2. Aguerre scored a lone goal in the third to level the score at 3-3 at the half. Aguerre traded goals with Ruiz in the fourth but a Penalty 3 conversion by Mariano Gonzalez put WTR on top 5-4. The teams traded goals in the fifth and again in the sixth leaving WTR narrowly ahead 8-7 at the final bell. Aguerre scored a game-high six goals. Ruiz, who led Phoenix with three goals, was honored with the MVP award and Aguerre’s Machitos Melody, a mare from his breeding program, was named Best Playing Pony. In the subsidiary, Hublot edged PSF 13-11. The teams were knotted at 3-3 after the first chukker before PSF narrowly edged ahead 6-5 at the end of the second. A strong third chukker put Hublot up 106 at the half. PSF scored four open-goal penalties in the second half, along with a field goal, but three tallies by Hublot kept its head above water, allowing it to take the 13-11 victory. POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 35
Hawaii life
Island’s culture enhances all-pro match By John Kent
T
MARELLA PHOTOGRAPHY
DARRYL OUMI/GETTY IMAGES FOR HAWAII POLO PRODUCTIONS
DARRYL OUMI/GETTY IMAGES FOR HAWAII POLO PRODUCTIONS
eam Kea narrowly edged Team Ele’Ele 3-2 in the Kahala Hotel & Resort Hawaii Invitational of Polo, presented by Cartier at the Honolulu Polo Club in Hawaii, Sept. 16
Kea’s John-Paul Clarkin avoids a hook on his way to victory in the all-pro match.
Traditional Pa’u riders—women wearing long, colorful skirts–performed prior to the match.
As the eight hand-selected all-pro players from around the world landed on Honolulu’s Waimanalo polo field by way of Hawaii Polo Life helicopters courtesy of Makani Kai for the historic Kahala Hotel & Resort Hawaii Invitational of Polo, presented by Cartier, there was a huge sense of excitement and anticipation across the lush land of the Honolulu Polo Club. The coveted field, sponsored by Hawaiian Airlines World Elite MasterCard, was nestled below the towering Ko’olau mountain range with stunning Teslas glimmering in the countryside sunlight. Both teams, Kea and Ele’Ele, appeared perfectly prepared and 36 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
balanced with a game that promised a mixture of flair up front being consolidated by big hitting game winners at the back. The much-anticipated historic all-pro match led with a Hawaiian cultural
Kea John-Paul Clarkin Simon Keyte Santi Torres Gaston Gassiebayle
Ele’Ele Luis Escobar Jeff Hall Mariano Gracida Inaki Laprida
Henna is applied to a women in one of the many tents set up in a shopping area.
opening ceremony featuring Hula Halau Ka Lehua Tuahine led by Kumu Hula Kailihiwa Vaughn; Leiala Cook Pa’u Riders accompanied by a performance of Pomaikai Lyman who also sang Hawaii Pono’i (composed by His Majesty King David Kalakaua in 1876 honoring King Kamehameha I, founder of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1810), and the National Anthem led by powerhouse singer Tioni Sam Sing. From the ball roll-in, done by former Governor John David Waihee III, it was the Hawaii Polo Life Team Kea (led by JohnPaul Clarkin) who were quickest to settle. The innate understanding between the two
DARRYL OUMI/GETTY IMAGES FOR HAWAII POLO PRODUCTIONS
NANO’S POLO MALLETS
Grammy award-winning producer and singer songwriter Damon Elliott introduces his mother, Dionne Warwick, a five-time Grammy Award winning music legend who headlined the post-match concert.
same way as the first, with Santi Torres and Gaston ‘Mono’ Gassiebayle having plenty of chances to impress, picking up the backhands of Keyte and Clarkin for Kea. A goal for Torres and then a wonderful cut shot from Clarkin meant they went into the third with a 3-1 lead. From there on, the form of the game began to shift, with team Kea thereafter struggling to get the ball out of its own half.
TRAVIS K. OKIMOTO
New Zealand internationals Clarkin and Simon Keyte at the Back made it almost impossible for either Iñaki Laprida or Nano Gracida to force their way through. And though the first chukker ended level at 1-1, through goals from Clarkin and Luis Escobar, it was certainly Hawaii Polo Life Ele’Ele (led by Escobar) who had the work to do. The second chukker went much the
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A red carpet reception kicked off the event at the Kahala Hotel & Resort.
(800) 903-NANO (6266) Tel: (561) 793-4911 Fax: (561) 793-4714 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 37
DARRYL OUMI/GETTY IMAGES FOR HAWAII POLO PRODUCTIONS
DARRYL OUMI/GETTY IMAGES FOR HAWAII POLO PRODUCTIONS
DARRYL OUMI/GETTY IMAGES FOR HAWAII POLO PRODUCTIONS
Hula dancers from Halau Kalehua Tuahine performed fieldside before the match.
Taking control for Ele’Ele in particular was Escobar, whose passes to youngsters Gracida and Laprida started to stretch apart the Kea defense. Jeff Hall also showed why he is known as one of the fiercest competitors in the sport, not giving the whites any time to settle on the ball. Despite the pressure, it took until the fourth chukker for them to finally break through, and when they did it was only by a moment of magic from Laprida, slotting the ball home from a full 150 yards. The game then went into the last chukker with just one goal separating the sides, and 38 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
PHIL STARR
Kea’s Santi Torres, John-Paul Clarkin, Gaston Gassiebayle and Simon Keyte celebrate with representative’s from Pommery Champagne after winning the Hawaii Invitational of Polo.
The players arrived to the match via helicopter.
Kaleponi Ka’ahu performs a call to nature to open the match.
spectator commentary around the ground was focusing on the possible comeback. There would be no more goals in the game though. Despite the relentless nature of the Kea attack throughout the fifth chukker, it could not pierce the wall of white-shirted defenders. All the players spoke after the match of the exciting nature of the game despite the relatively low score of 3-2. The fact that it was played under the accreditation of the All Pro Polo League only added to this, with the open nature of these rules adding to the speed of the affair. The
MARELLA PHOTOGRAPHY
VIP guests were treated to an array of delectable Hawaiian flavors.
chase down style penalties also caused some of the most breathtaking moments of the game. Both teams gathered in the winner’s circle for the award presentation surrounded by community, statewide polo club members, socialites and endless photographers. The winning cup went to Kea, with each member receiving Cartier Tank Solo Timepieces, while Ele’Ele team members each received Santos de Cartier Cufflinks. Speeches and pictures were conducted with Chris Dawson, founder and president of the Hawaii International Polo Association, event chairman Paulo Skellon, honoree Greg Pietsch for his grandfather Charlie Pietsch, corporate sponsors, players’ families and Miss Hawaii USA Julie Kuo. A magnum bottle of Cartier Brut Cuvee Champagne uncorked with celebration of the historic event. Proceeds from the Hawaii Invitational of Polo will benefit the 501-3c Hawaii International Polo Association’s mission to celebrate polo’s unique history in Hawaii dating back to 1880; establish an equine retirement program for polo ponies; and develop Hawaii’s at-risk youth via horsemanship clinics. POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 39
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BY ERNESTO RODRIGUEZ
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SEASON PREMIERE Argentine polo opens with many new features PHOTO BY SERGIO LLAMERA
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he arrival of the 2017 Argentine polo season brought with it an expanded format with 10 teams in Palermo, rule changes, plans to look for ways to make the tournaments more of a show and the arrival of Bob Jornayvaz and his Valiente team in the Jockey Club Open. Eduardo Novillo Astrada’s appointment to lead the Argentine Polo Association generated a small revolution in a sport that has become stagnant. True to his promises, the brain of the La Aguada team’s coup d’état included working with the main clubs to put together a schedule in the southern spring with many novelties. Most notably, he increased the number of teams participating in the Argentine Open, the most important tournament on the planet. Of the eight that took part in the last decades, the number was extended to 10, something that was celebrated by the lower-rated squads because it will allow them to plan a season from September to December. It was not as well received by some, like 10goal Facundo Pieres, who understands games between the lowest- and highestrated teams will likely have very lopsided scores. The other criticism from Ellerstina’s crack was that with 10 teams, when dividing the participants into two divisions, you get an uneven number (five) in each division, leaving a free date for one team on each side. The only tournament of the Argentine Triple Crown (including the Tortugas, Hurlingham and Argentine Opens) that will not be modified in number—for now—will be the Tortugas Country Club Open, which will have six teams between 31 and 40 goals. 40 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
American patron Bob Jornayvaz joined Cambiaso to enter teams in the San Jorge and Jockey Club Opens. The team won both events.
The teams will be La Dolfina, Ellerstina, Alegría, La Aguada Las Monjitas, Yatay and La Irenita. The event, which La Dolfina has won the last four years, started on Tuesday, Sept. 19 and its final, for the Emilio de Anchorena Cup, was played Saturday, Oct. 7. In parallel, four quartets from 29 to 32 goals played for the Remonta y Veterinaria Trophy to define the order of entry to the next two Opens. The teams inscribed are Albertina Abu Dhabi, La Dolfina II, Chapaleufú and La Equina Los Machitos. The second event is one of the oldest on the planet, the Hurlingham Open, which will introduce 10 teams in its 124th edition. Ellerstina will try to retain the title achieved in 2016 in this competition. The first throw-in was Tuesday, Oct. 10, and the final of the tournament, located to the west of the
capital, was scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 28. Some of the qualifying matches were played in the fields the AAP has in Pilar, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. Almost without rest teams will begin focusing on Palermo as the most important worldwide club competition comes to life. Not only will the format of 10 teams be new, but some matches will be played at night (the AAP is testing different lighting options) and shows and attractions are planned for each game date. La Dolfina will try to raise the most desired trophy on the planet for the fifth consecutive time. Thus, for almost a month, from Saturday, Nov. 4 to Saturday, Dec. 2, the eyes of the planet will focus on the two most famous playgrounds of Buenos Aires. The changes are not just about scheduling and number of participants but also include regulatory reforms. In
Hurlingham and Argentine Opens Tortugas Open La Dolfina:
40
Ellerstina:
39
Adolfo Cambiaso David Stirling Pablo Mac Donough Juan Martín Nero
10 10 10 10
Pablo Pieres Gonzalo Pieres Facundo Pieres Nicolás Pieres
9 10 10 10
Alegría:
35
La Aguada Las Monjitas:
32
Guillermo Caset Hilario Ulloa Facundo Sola Frederick Mannix
9 10 8 8
Alejandro Novillo Astrada Eduardo Novillo Astrada Miguel Novillo Astrada Ignacio Novillo Astrada
Yatay:
31
La Irenita:
Valerio Zubiaurre Cristian Laprida Joaquín Pittaluga Ignacio Laprida
7 8 8 8
Juan Ruiz Guiñazú Juan Gris Zavaleta Clemente Zavaleta Matías Mac Donough
Remonta y Veterinaria Trophy La Dolfina II: Albertina Abu Dhabi: 32 Francsico Elizalde Ignacio Toccalino Santiago Toccalino Alfredo Cappella Barabucci
Chapaleufú:
8 8 8 8
30
Alberto Heguy Ezequiel Martínez Ferrario Julián de Lusarreta Eduardo Heguy
7 8 7 8
Guillermo Terrera Diego Cavanagh Alejo Taranco Ignatius Du Plessis
8 8 8 8
32 8 8 8 8
30 8 7 7 8
La Equina Los Machitos:
29
Pascual Sáinz de Vicuña Rodrigo Ribiero de Andrade Mariano Aguerre Rodrigo Rueda
6 8 8 7
San Jorge Open Valiente La Dolfina:
28
Indios:
Bob Jornayvaz Diego Cavanagh David Stirling Adolfo Cambiaso
1 7 10 10
Alberto Heguy Ezequiel Martínez Ferrario Julián de Lusarreta Jorge Monsegou
La Natividad:
28
La Esquina: Segundo Miguens Matías Benoit Juan Gris Zavaleta Martín Tassara
27 7 8 7 5
24 4 6 8 6
Santiago Cernadas Bartolito Castagnola Eduardo Novillo Astrada Bartolomé Castagnola
6 6 8 8
Jockey Club Open Valiente La Dolfina:
31
Tortugas:
Bob Jornayvaz Adolfo Cambiaso Juan Martín Nero Pablo Mac Donough
1 10 10 10
Isidro Strada Juan Ruiz Guiñazu Juan Martín Zubía Jerónimo del Carril
6 8 6 6
La Dolfina Oriental:
28
La Dolfina Brava:
25
Pablo Spinacci Gastón Laulhe David Stirling Gastón Urturi
6 6 10 6
Diego Cavanagh Guillermo Terrera Tomás Lalor Baustista Arrastúa
order for the game to be more active, Triple Crown matches will not only limit
26
7 8 6 4
the time teams execute penalties (20 seconds) but throw-ins will be eliminated.
When the ball goes over the sideboards, the team that hit it over will be penalized, giving the opponent a free hit from the spot it went out. The amount of chukkers will vary. Although seven chukkers will continue to be played in Tortugas Open matches, the Hurlingham Open matches will decrease from eight to seven. Argentine Open matches will remain eight-chukkers. In all cases, each chukker will be six minutes long instead of the historical seven, with the usual extra 30 seconds. In addition, to make the game more open, penalties will be given to players attempting to block the ball carrier. Participants in the Hurlingham and Argentine Opens will earn points for wins: 100 in the first tournament and 150 in the second. The two teams with the lowest points at the end of the season will automatically lose the benefit of playing next year’s Triple Crown. The team with the third lowest points will play a match against the champion of the Cámara de Diputados Cup before the end of the year, with the winner earning a place in the 2018 Triple Crown. In addition to the new modifications, there were also new players on the court. American patron Bob Jornayvaz, with a 1goal handicap, was a member of Valiente La Dolfina (along with Diego Cavanagh 7, David Stirling 10 and Adolfo Cambiaso 10) forming a 28-goal team. This quartet played at the San Jorge Military Club Open, the tournament that opens each season and this year attracted three other squads: La Natividad, Indios and La Esquina. Jornayvaz made a second bet, but this time even higher: he joined Cambiaso, Juan Martín Nero and Pablo Mac Donough to put together a team of 31 goals seeking the title of the Jockey Club Open, facing three quartets from 25 to 28 goals: La Dolfina Oriental, Tortugas and La Dolfina Brava. In both cases, Jornayvaz and Cambiaso’s team prevailed (See full results in next month’s issue). Is Jornayvaz’s participation the first stop on the way to Palermo? POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 41
The home team, CBC Sport/Elite Horse & Polo Club, won the 5th CBC Sport Arena Polo World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan over Azersun/ Evviva Polo Club (St. Moritz, Switzerland) with a very clear 11½-5 victory. The winning team was led by 4-goal Elchin Jamalli who was named MVP of the tournament. Arena championship features U.S. team The teams played in PHOTOS COURTESY TONY RAMIREZ/WORLDPOLO front of an enthusiastic crowd that enjoyed an awesome polo weekend with fast and exciting matches. The venue was upgraded this year with a significantly larger VIP area and a new look. Argentinean fashion brand La Martina was once again the official supplier, providing jerseys, gear bags and other prizes. In the subsidiary final for the third place, Improtex Motors/ Grand Champions Polo Club (Palm Beach, USA) prevailed over Pasha Private Banking/Monte-Carlo Polo Team (Monte-Carlo, Monaco) 6½-3. The tournament kicked off with a team presentation at the JW Marriott Absheron in Baku, Thursday, Sept. 7, where the four international polo teams from 10-12 goals were introduced to the local and international press. Teams and sponsors enjoyed a warm welcome from organizers Bahruz Nabijev, from the Equestrian Federation of
DESTINATION: AZERBAIJAN
The teams line up on the grass arena field.
42 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Britain’s Chris Hyde bounces the ball on the end of his mallet to the delight of spectators.
Azerbaijan Republic, and Reto Gaudenzi. The matches were played at Elite Horse & Polo Club’s grass arena. The first matches were played the next day when CBC Sport/Elite Horse & Polo Club, coached by Argentinean Lala Laplacette, downed Improtex Motors/Grand Champions 11-5. The next match was tighter with Azersun/Evviva narrowly edging Pasha Private Banking/Monte Carlo 8-7. Announcer Jan-Erik Franck said, “The
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
S P O T L I G H T
A CBC player shows some fancy mallet work in the match against Azersun.
Azeri team has played incredibly good. They have gone through a schooling process within the last years, and the hard work paid off. While we saw them strong, but still rough around the edges last year, they are now in shape to enter any arena in the world and a be a strong team based on their handicap. “The American team could not find its rhythm straight from the beginning. Melissa Ganzi played well, scored one goal and was involved in preparing others. “In the second game we saw a tight fight. Pasha was chasing their opponents from the beginning but Azersun, with a very strong Martin de Estrada, did everything right: timing, strategy and a perfectly precise team play made them the winner in the end.� The second round of matches pitted Pasha Private Banking/Monte Carlo against Improtex Motors/Grand Champion. Improtex prevailed to advance to the subsidiary. Then Azersun/Evviva took on CBC Sport/Elite Horse. CBC Sport advanced to the final, while Azersun took on Grand Champions for the subsidiary. CBC Sport provided live coverage of all the matches on Azeri TV with millions of viewers. That night players and guests enjoyed a Baku Moritz Night Polo Party at the Elite Event Hall in Baku. Gaudenzi introduced the unique party last year, bringing
Dancers entertain the spectators prior to the match.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 43
together Baku and his birthplace, St. Mortiz, Switzerland. The legendary Badrutt’s Palace Hotel in St. Moritz teamed up with Elite Horse & Polo Club to cater the event. For the second year, the event was the highlight of the social program. It featured an impressive range of artists, as well as the Symphonic Orchestra of Azerbaijan In 2013, the unique sport of polo was brought back to Azerbaijan, as one of its origin countries, where the traditional polo version Chogãn was played over the centuries. The tournament was launched under the motto “polo is coming home” and is now at a point of huge international interest and awareness. “Due to the fact, that Azerbaijan State and the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, have paid great attention to the development of sports in our country, we are now facing a formation of vertile conditions—also for the sport of polo. The victory of the Azeri team at the Arena Polo Championship in 2015 was the first continental championship in the sports history of Azerbaijan. I would like to express my deep gratitude to all sponsors and organizational staff who supported the
Improtex Motors Grand Champions Polo Club: 11 Melissa Ganzi 1 Juan Bollini 7 3 Tito Gaudenzi
Pasha Private Banking Monte Carlo Polo Team Rommy Gianni Chris Hyde Giles Greenwood
CBC Sport Elite Horse & Polo Club: Elchin Jamalli Rashad Hasanov Ali Rzayev Amil Namazov Tarlan Gurbanaliyev
Azersun Evviva Polo Club: Zhanna Bandurko Raya Sidorenko Martin de Estrada Santiago de Estrada
1 1 4 7
The home team CBC Sport’s Elchin Jamalli, Rashad Hasanov, Ali Rzayev, Amil Namazov and Tarlan Gurbanaliyev won the CBC Sport Arena Polo World Cup.
tournament and worked with great energy and competence in order to present the competition on the highest level,” said Gen. Elchin Guliyev, president of ARAF.
Improtex Motors/Grand Champions Polo Club’s Melissa Ganzi stops the back shot of a CBC Sport player. Ganzi’s team prevailed over Pasha in the consolation.
44 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
4 2 1 1 2
12 2 9 1
Organizer Reto Gaudenzi said this year’s event was the best yet. “Polo nation Azerbaijan is about to become a new polo force in Europe. We are very much looking forward to next year’s CBC Sport Arena Polo World Cup Azerbaijan and are excited to host the European Polo Championship on grass in 2020.” Christian Dunkelberg kept time, and umpire Marcello Garrahan kept the peace on the field. Thanks to Guliyev and his visionaries of a new polo era in his country, the modern sport of polo was raised from zero to a remarkable international level in Azerbaijan during the last five years. After hosting the first ever FIP Arena Polo European Championship in 2015, and following the success of CBC Sport Arena Polo World Cup, the vibrant city of Baku has been awarded the FIP Grass Polo European Championship in 2020. Two full-size grass polo fields have been built in Azerbaijan to add to the current facilities.
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POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 45
POLO REPORT DISPATCHES FROM THE WORLD OF POLO EASTERN
DEENA JIH
EPONA PREVAILS IN KAREN CARRA MEMORIAL
Paigahs’ Akemi Tinder leans on EPoNA’s Claudia Tobler while Robyn Nietert follows closely behind.
W
omen polo players summited a West Virginia mountain for the second annual Karen Carra Memorial Women’s Arena Tournament held at Mountain View Polo Club in Charles Town, West Virginia, Sept. 10. Three teams, Paigahs (Akemi Tinder, Jessica Henwood, Shamsiya Shervani), Mountain View (Sierra Goff, Willow Longerbeam, Lea Jih-Vieira), and EPoNA (Robyn Nietert, Marisa Bianchi, Kerry Roche, Claudia Tobler) donned
46 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
pink on themselves or their ponies in memory of Mountain View member, Karen Carra, who always adorned herself in pink on the polo field. A lover of outdoors, Carra, 54, died in November 2015 following a hang gliding accident. Mother Nature blessed the club with a gorgeous day for the tournament. After a fierce round robin in the club’s arena, EPoNA took the trophies home. Marisa Bianchi of EPoNA was named
MVP and her paint pony Picasa was best playing pony. Winners received beautiful bracelets designed by Kerry Davis that displayed various charms representative of Karen’s life passions, of which there were many. Carra’s husband of 30 years, Matthew Graham, hosted the tournament. It was thanks to him and the club’s many volunteers that made the tournament a success.
R E P O R T
DEENA JIH
P O L O
EPoNA’s Robyn Nietert, MVP Marisa Bianchi, Kerry Roche and Claudia Tobler, holding Bianchi’s Best Playing Pony Picasa
DRAGONFLY TRIUMPHS IN SPORTSMANSHIP CUP
Centauros/Dragonfly was all the buzz in the final of the 6-10 goal USPA Sportsmanship Cup held at Virginia International Polo Club in Middleburg, Virginia, Sept. 9. Centauros/Dragonfly (Andy Hertneky, Wendy Andrews, Juan Sanchez, Tano Vial) edged Greenhill (Cristina Parr, John Gobin, Marquitos Bignoli, David Greenhill) 10-8. Greenhill began with a three-goal handicap but Tano Vial put the first field goal on the board for Dragonfly. Vial added another goal in the second chukker, but Bignoli responded with a Penalty 2 conversion for Greenhill. Hertneky knocked in a goal to end the second with Dragonfly closing in 4-3. Greenhill increased its lead at the half, 5-3, after David Greenhill scored a lone goal in the third. Sanchez and Vial each tallied to briefly tie the score before Bignoli found the uprights to put Greenhill narrowly ahead, 6-5. Sanchez drove to goal in the fifth to knot the score before Vial tipped the scales in Dragonfly’s favor. Sanchez struck again to put Dragonfly up by two, 8-6. Bignoli responded to keep Greenhill in the game going into the final chukker, 8-7. The last chukker was an all-out battle, but Vial made the difference, driving in a pair of goals while Greenhill was held to one from Bignoli. Dragonfly
Dragonfly’s Tano Vial, Juan Sanchez, Wendy Andrews and Andy Hertneky won the Sportsmanship Cup at Virginia International.
went home the winner, 10-8. Marcos Bignoli, who led Greenhill with five goals, was named MVP, and Pasarela, bred, owned and played by Tano Vial, was Best Playing Pony. The previous month, Beverly Greenhill had the 11-8 win over Centauros Dragonfly in the 8-10 goal USPA Independence Cup. In the final, Greenhill (David Greenhill, Tenzin Tognini, Tolito Ocampo, John Gobin) began with a twogoal handicap and Ocampo added two more. Dragonfly (Wendy Andrews, Maria Ottonello/Julia Smith, Juan Sanchez, Tano Vial) shot back after Sanchez sunk two penalty conversions. Ocampo and Sanchez matched goals in the second, but Greenhill gained ground in the third when Tognini and Ocampo tallied unanswered goals to end the first half with Greenhill ahead 7-3. Dragonfly benefitted from the halftime break, and came back out better organized. Smith found the mark, then Vial, then Sanchez to come within one goal, 7-6. Ocampo split the uprights to keep Greenhill ahead 8-6. Vial and Ocampo traded goals in the fifth but Greenhill was unable to gain any more ground. Ocampo scored a pair of goals in the sixth to increase the lead to four. Dragonfly fought back but only Sanchez was able to hit the mark, leaving Greenhill the winner 11-8. Tolito Ocampo, who scored eight goals for Greenhill, was MVP and
Marcada, owned by Beverly Equine and played by Ocampo, was Best Playing Pony of the afternoon. Greenhill also came away the winner in VIP’s 4-6 goal, played Sept. 16. The tournament final was played as a round robin. Dragonfly (Andy Hertneky, Meghan Burggraaf, Juan Ghirlanda, Juan Sanchez) met Greenhill (Rebekah Pizana, David Greenhill, Marquitos Bignoli, John Gobin) in the first round. Dragonfly began with a half-goal handicap and Sanchez added to it with the only goal of the first chukker. Gobin and Bignoli fired back in the second, combining for three goals. Sanchez added another but it fell just short as Greenhill took the round 3-2½. Dragonfly took on Speedwell (Nicole Watson, Jason Paterniti, Julia Smith, Martin Estrada) in the second round. Speedwell began with a half-goal handicap, and Estrada added to it with a pair of goals. Sanchez out did that with three tallies to give Dragonfly the 3-2½ edge after the first seven minutes. Sanchez wrapped goals around one from Watson in the second to solidify the 5-3½ win. Greenhill faced Speedwell in the last round. Bignoli shot out of the gate with three quick goals while Speedwell was silenced. Watson added a goal to Speedwell’s half-goal handicap in the second, but Bignoli shot back. Estrada finished out the scoring but it was too little, too late. Greenhill won the round
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 47
P O L O
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Beverly/Greenhill’s John Gobin, Tolito Ocampo, Tenzin Tognini and David Greenhill won the USPA Independence Cup.
Victoria Grace presents trophies to Greenhill Winery’s Marquitos Bignoli, David Greenhill, Rebekah Pizana and John Gobin.
Ace Sportswear’s Maureen Brennan, Julia Smith, Maddie Grant and Demitra Hajimihalis won the WCT Flight A.
Glee, owned by Goose Creek and played by Julia Smith, was Best Playing Pony in Flights A and B. Smith was MVP in both flights.
4-2½ and the title. MVP Pro went to Juan Sanchez, while MVP Amateur went to David Greenhill. Marcos Bignoli’s California was Best Playing Pony. The club held a WCT Qualifier in mid-August. In the 16-goal A Flight, Ace Sports (Maureen Brennan, Demitra Hajimihalis, Maddie Grant, Julia Smith) overcame Salty Beacon (Kaila Dowd, Sofia Bignoli, Meghan Burggraaf, Julia Steiner) 8-6. Salty Beacon got on the board with a pair of goals by Dowd in the first chukker. Smith matched those in the second, converting two Penalty 2s. Steiner struck for Salty Beacon, giving it a 3-2 lead. Grant knotted the score in the third but Steiner put Salty Beacon back on top. Smith tied it up and Grant gave Ace Sports the edge. Burggraaf found the uprights to knot the score at 5-5 going into the final period. Smith
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turned it on in the fourth with a hat trick, including a Penalty 2 conversion. Steiner fought back with a Penalty 2 conversion of her own, but Salty Beacon ran out of time and Ace Sports had earned the win. Julia Steiner was MVP and Glee, bred and owned by Goose Creek Polo and ridden by Steiner, was Best Playing Pony. Flight B was played as a round robin. In the first round, Apes Hill (Linda Williams, Savannah Hussey, Julia Smith) took on VI Polo (Pam Patton, Cristina Parr, Katie Mitcham). Parr put VI Polo on the board early in the first but Smith responded. Mitcham scored two in a row before Smith added her second goal keeping it close, 3-2, in favor of VI Polo. Smith stole the show in the second with four in a row to put Apes Hill ahead 6-3. A Penalty 2 conversion by Mitcham
edged VI Polo closer but it ran out of time and Apes Hill was the winner. VI Polo met Maryland Rebels (Tracey Godey, Marissa Wells, Kelly Wells) in round two. VI Polo began with a fourgoal handicap, but Rebels wasted no time overcoming it, hammering in seven goals before coming up for air. Mitcham put the first field goal in for VIP to end the first 7-4 in favor of the Rebels. The second chukker wasn’t much better, with mother and daughter duo Kelly and Marissa Wells slamming in five goals. Parr responded with a single goal, leaving Rebels the 12-5 winner. The final round saw Maryland Rebels take on Apes Hill. Maddie Grant took over for Williams on Apes Hill, which began with a two-goal handicap. Rebels leveled the score early in the first. but Smith shot back with three in a row. Rebels added two more to keep it close,
PAT MICHAELS
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Seneca’s Wayne Briere, right, challenges Donatelli Equine Vet’s Nico Eurnekian in the USPA Sherman Memorial held at the Seneca Polo Club in Poolesville, Maryland.
5-4. Kelly Wells tied the score, then gave Rebels the lead. Smith shot back again with a pair of goals. Wells got in the last word to tie the score at 7-all, which is how it ended. Apes Hill was named the winner, Maryland Rebels was runner-up and VI Polo took third place. Julia Smith was named MVP once again and Glee took its second Best Playing Pony blanket.
DONATELLI EQUINE WINS SHERMAN MEMORIAL
Donatelli Equine Vet took home trophies in the USPA Sherman Memorial arena tournament played at Seneca Polo Club in Poolesville, Maryland, Sept. 17. Three teams competed in round robin play over two days to determine a winner. On the first day, Seneca Polo (Nick Balogh, Charlie Muldoon, Wayne Briere) took on Destiny Polo (Phillip Miles, Mauricio Diaz, Joe Muldoon) in round one. Briere struck first, working to negate the two-goal handicap given to
Destiny. Diaz responded, sinking a Penalty 2, then scoring from the field to jump ahead 4-1. The teams matched each other in the second chukker, but Seneca was unable to overcome the first chukker deficit. Seneca stayed up to face Donatelli Equine Vet (Javier Donatelli, Damian DiClaudio, Nico Eurnekian). This time, Seneca began with a handicap goal, which Eurnekian matched. Muldoon put Seneca briefly back on top, but DiClaudio had the answer. Eurnekian scored another and a Penalty 1 gave Donatelli a 4-2 lead. Muldoon sunk a penalty before the chukker ended to keep it close. Muldoon tied the score early in the next chukker, but Eurnekian had the answer with a pair of goals to give Donatelli the 6-4 win. The last round to finish out the day pitted Donatelli against Destiny, which started with three handicap goals. Eurnekian sunk a penalty to put Donatelli on the board, then followed with a pair of field goals. Donatelli found the uprights and Eurnekian scored again, putting Donatelli ahead 5-
R E P O R T 3. Diaz sunk a pair of penalties and Joe Muldoon scored to give Destiny the 6-5 lead. The next chukker had each Donatelli Equine player finding the goal before Diaz sunk a penalty for Destiny. Eurnekian and DiClaudio added goals to go up 10-7. Diaz answered with a pair of penalty conversions and a field goal to end the game knotted at 10-all. Destiny Polo lead with 17 total goals, while Donatelli had 16 and Seneca, 8. The teams continued the action the next day. First up was Seneca Polo against Donatelli Equine Vet. It was a battle throughout with Donatelli outscoring Seneca 7-4 in the first seven minutes. Donatelli ensured the victory by adding four more in the second chukker while holding Seneca to one. Donatelli stayed up to meet Destiny Polo. Donatelli kept its momentum, slamming in five goals, while holding Destiny to a single tally. Donatelli couldn’t be stopped, amassing six goals, including a two-pointer from Eurnekian. Destiny’s struggles continued as it hit the mark just two times. Destiny took on Seneca in the last round of the day. Seneca doubled Destiny’s score, 6-3, in the first chukker. Destiny slowed the bleeding in the last chukker, holding Seneca to one while scoring two but the damage was done and Seneca took the round 7-5. Donatelli Equine Vet finished on top with 28 goals, Seneca was runner-up with 24 goals and Destiny was third with 11 goals.
MARINES ARE
MILITARY CHAMPS
Virginia Polo Center in Charlottesville, Virginia, hosted the U.S. Military Polo Championships Oct. 6-8. Playing for the U.S. Navy team were Cmdr. Karl Hillberg, Lt. Cmdr. Andrea Logan and Lt.j.g. Vicky Frederichs. The
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Marines Chris Jones, Jake Flournoy and Shannon McGraw with event organizer Steve Walsh
Air Force team was the same as last year’s lineup with former Sgt. Peter Rizzo, former Sgt. Rob Phipps and former pilot 2nd Lt. Jonathan Burrows rounding out the airmen. For the Army team, it was the return of Maj. Mark Gillespie and former paratrooper Sgt. Paul Knapp. New this year was former Sgt. Larry Williams from the Virginia Beach polo club. The Marines fielded its strongest team to date with former Capt. Jake Flournoy, Sgt. Chris Jones and newcomer Capt. Shannon McGraw. In the first match Marines’ Chris Jones and Jake Flournoy quickly established control over the eager but under-gunned Navy team. The Marines led by two after the first chukker and extended the lead to six, 8-2, at the half. The Marine team remained strong, finishing out with an 11-5 win. In the second game, Army stayed out in front of Air Force, principally on the play of Knapp and his ability to keep control of the ball and dribble through a field of defenders. Army led 7-3 at the half. Air Force came back, closing within one in the third chukker but Army held on for the 9-8 win. The following day, an introduction to polo clinic was held for active duty military members with some eight men and women attending over four hours. All got instruction with foot mallets, on the wooden horse and finally mounted in the arena with other military players
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Peter Rizzo, far right, presents trophies to the Chilean team’s Mike Yermakov, Rob Phipps, Sam Rider, Jake Flournoy and Chris Jones.
keeping the ball moving during a short scrimmage at the walk and trot. All the participants were hooked and hope to continue with their polo training! Later that day, the Copa de Amistad was played on the polo center’s outdoor field. A U.S. military team, composed of active duty, reservists, retired and former military players, took on a Chilean Army team. Three of the Chilean players were unexpectedly called away for contingency operations, leaving Special Forces Reservist Capt. Sam Rider alone. The teams were reshuffled and the match got off. Flournoy, Phipps, Jones and Navy Lt. Cmdr Mike Yermakov joined Rider for the Chilean team. Fredericks, Logan, Burrows, Gillespie and Knapp represented the U.S. The Chileans got on the board early with quick goals by Flournoy and Jones. Rider added two more in the second ending the half 4-0. The U.S. turned up the intensity, but despite its best efforts, it fell to Chile 6-0. A frustrated Gillespie summed it up best. “We could just not control the ball long enough to get it into position to score, hence the final result.” Sunday morning saw Air Force defeat Navy 16-11 in the consolation match. Navy, despite hard play by Frederichs and Hillberg, was unable to overcome the masterful mallet work of Rizzo and scoring prowess of Phipps. The final had the Marines against
the Army and was the toughest contest of the tournament. Flournoy added a two pointer to the Marines’ two-goal handicap in a matter of minutes. Jones also added to the score as the Marines closed out the first half ahead 13-5. Army’s Knapp and Gillespie scored in the third, however their efforts were matched with four goals by Flournoy and Jones, ending the match 21-9. Overall, the matches saw a continuing improvement in the level of play from the previous year. The Virginia Polo Center and its polo director Lou Lopez showcased first-class facilities and superb strings of horses to create a truly memorable event for all who participated. —Steve Walsh
MARYLAND TAKES WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT Maryland came out on top of a threeteam roster to win the USPA Women’s Tournament at Tinicum Park Polo Club in Erwinna, Pennsylvania, August 25. It was the fourth year in a row Maryland took the title. Teams included Arby Dobb, with Teresa King from Aiken, South Carolina, Pamela Flanagan from Chicago, Illinois, and club members Victoria Halliday and Val Washington. The team was sponsored by Greg Krug and Mike Brady, who continued their
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Maryland (white), Fox Hollow (red) and Arby Dobb (kneeling) competed in Tinicum’s Women’s Tournament. Maryland won.
long tradition of supporting women’s polo by covering traveling expenses, while Tim Cheromcka generously donated his wonderful string of ponies for the games. Fox Hollow included Belinda Brody, playing at the club for the first time, joining Cheryl Arnold, Audrey Van Luvanee and Kirstan Lamont. The team was sponsored by Joe Gantert. Brody provided entertainment for everyone, demonstrating how she has trained one of her horses to lay down on command. Maryland included Kelly Wells and her students, the Grant sisters (Maddie, Sophie and Abbey), sharing two positions while club member Ann Oniskey rounded out the team. In the end, Maryland went home with the trophies. MVP went to 14-yearold Sophie Grant, while Van Luvanee’s Paloma and Belinda Brody’s Peanut shared Best Playing Pony honors. The Sportsmanship Award went to Val Washington. Games were umpired by Dennis Santana and Domingo Guerrero. Gantert also sponsored the Fox Hollow team in the B Flight, played Aug. 18. Fox Hollow tied Brook Hollow, 3-3. Carol Hail was MVP. Arnold organized the tournament, designating a week to women’s polo to accommodate both an A and B Flight,
R E P O R T
January Farms (white) and the winning Peace Dale (blue) with Arby Dobb sponsors Mike Brady and Greg Krug (center)
and holding A Flight games on Friday and Saturday. This allowed visiting players an opportunity to enjoy their stay. Washington held a party Friday night at her Stars Aligned Farm. New and old friends gathered around candlelit tables near the pool, which reflected a partly cloudy but still starry night. Salads and barbecue filled the kitchen and overflowed on to the patio. The lively gathering, set against the remote background of empty pastures and dark woods, was a get together to be long remembered. A month earlier, the club held the consolation and final of the USPA Arby Dobb Cup. Spectators enjoyed the double header under the cool shade of tents on a hot summer day. The consolation between Arby Dobb and Brook Hollow was played first. Arby Dobb began with a handicap goal, which was quickly neutralized by Juan Vidal’s two shots. Richard Weidel scored Arby Dobb’s first field goal in the second chukker to knot the score at 2-2. Weidel and teammate Nick Feldman found the uprights for Arby Dobb, while Maximo Puch answered for Brook Hollow. Feldman struck to put Arby Dobb up by two in the waning minutes of the last period but Puch and Vidal connected with the goal in the nick of time to level the score before the bell. The game ended with the teams tied.
January Farms and Peace Dale took to the field after the club’s traditional Champagne toast. After 3-goal Leandro Berrios knocked in six goals for Peace Dale, the team went on to win 9-2 over January Farms. Nick Wayland scored a pair of goals in the third and John Kriege scored in the last chukker for the win. January Farms’ goals were scored by Billy Paterniti and Erica Lipton. Berrios was named MVP for his efforts and Paterniti’s Durbin was Best Playing Pony. Dennis Santana and Steve Conroy umpired, while Mike Simpson served as referee. NORTHEASTERN
AITHON SECURES BETHPAGE MATCH Aithon defeated Tupungato 6-5 in the final moments of a match, which was part of Meadowbrook Polo Club’s Bethpage Polo in the Park series in Long Island, New York, Oct. 1. Aithon (Hal Lehr, Keith Hart, Esteban Scott, Francisco Ayala) got off to a good start, with Lehr making a run from the first throw-in and passing to Hart, who scored from 60 yards. Tupungato (Luis Rinaldini, Emma Joinnides, Juan Redlich, Felipe Tro) traded goals with Aithon
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Aithon’s Keith Hart, Hal Lehr, Esteban Scott and Francisco Ayala won the Oct. 1 Bethpage Polo in the Park match over Tupangato.
throughout the second and third chukkers, ending the half with Aithon ahead 5-3. The 450 spectators in attendance enjoyed the traditional divot stomp before the teams came back out on the field for the second half. A pair of goals by Redlich and one by Joinnides gave Tupungato the advantage in the fourth. Lehr and Ayala struck in the fifth to tie the score at 5-5 going into the final chukker. The teams battled it out in the last seven minutes, but it was Ayala who got the game winner in the final moments. It was a wonderful Sunday afternoon of polo. The teams shook hands and greeted the crowd before returning the ponies to the trailers. After, players and spectators gathered in the VIP tent.
SHEKOMEKO GRABS MACTAGGART VICTORY
Shekomeko edged Smithfield 11-10 in the final of the 8-goal Tracey Mactaggart Challenge Cup at the Mashomack Polo Club in Pines Plains, New York, September 10. Shekomeko (Guy Merison, Oscar Monzón, Tavi Usandizaga, Oli Merison) gave Smithfield (Craig Collen, Jared Sheldon, Bauti Crotto, John Klopp) a handicap goal to begin.
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Shekomeko’s Oscar Monzón, Tavi Usandizaga, Oli Merison and Guy Merison (not shown) won the Mactaggart Challenge Cup.
Sheldon struck first and Crotto converted a Penalty 2, adding to the team’s score. Usandizaga and Monzón found the uprights to get in the game. Monzón tied the score at 3-3 early in the second but goals by Sheldon and Crotto put Smithfield ahead 5-3. A pair of goals by Usandizaga in the third, added to a goal by Monzón, gave Shekomeko a brief 6-5 lead, but Crotto’s aim was deadly as he scored his third penalty conversion to knot the score at 6-6 at the half. Oli Merison, Usandizaga and Monzón scored in the opening minutes of the fourth to take a 9-6 lead, but another Crotto penalty conversion and a Sheldon goal kept Smithfield within one, 9-8. Monzón increased Shekomeko’s lead, but the third time was a charm for Crotto as he converted a Penalty 4 after missing two other opportunities from the 60yard line. In the last seven minutes, Sheldon shot through a goal to tie the score at 10-10. Both Crotto and Usandizaga missed Penalty 4s, that would have given their team the edge, but Oli Merison didn’t miss on a drive to goal to secure the hard-fought win. Oli Merison was named MVP for his efforts and Usandizaga’s Chapista was named Best Playing Pony. In the consolation Tracy Mactaggart Handicap final, Hawk Hill’s Phillip Mactaggart, Adam
Justin, Santi Gomez Romero and Gringo Colombres downed Stone Rows’ Frank Evans and Drew Fairclough, Drew’s father Andy Fairclough and brother Brian Fairclough. PAC I F I C C OA S T
ACME SNARES TWO VICTORIES Acme Elixirs came away with two 8goal titles in Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club’s Fall Series. Four teams competed in the first event and six teams rounded out the second. Acme Elixirs (John Ziegler, Jim Wright, Max Menini, Leandro Floccari) cruised through the USPA Presidents Cup qualifying rounds with ease, emerging with an undefeated 3-0 record. Klentner Ranch (Luke Klentner, Dayelle Fargey, Jesse Bray, Justin Klentner) played in a virtual semi-final game against Farmers & Merchants Bank (Jenny Alter, Warwick Prendiville, Santi Wulff, Henry Walker) to secure its position in the final. In the final played Sept. 19, Klentner Ranch and Acme Elixirs battled for six straight chukkers. After being defeated by Acme Elixirs earlier in the tournament, Klentner Ranch adjusted its strategy to better
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DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS
DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS
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Acme’s John Ziegler, Jim Wright, Max Menini and Leandro Floccari won two 8-goals in Santa Barbara’s Fall Series.
the match and was awarded with the MVP Award and a Best Playing Pony blanket for his mare, Chocolata. In a repeat of the previous final, Acme Elixirs faced off against Klentner Ranch. After falling short to La Herradura on Saturday, Klentner Ranch found itself tied with Twin Palms in record after three rounds of tournament play. Twin Palms’ Graham Bray was beaten by his son Jesse Bray on Klentner Ranch in a tie-breaking penalty shootout. DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS
match its opponent. After receiving a goal on handicap, Acme Elixirs took charge on the scoring front, quickly adding to its tally. Klentner Ranch rallied back, tightened up its defense and began chipping away at the lead established by Acme Elixirs. After a fifth chukker comeback led by Bray for Klentner Ranch, it appeared to be anyone’s game. Menini quickly fired back up in the final chukker and pushed Acme Elixirs ahead for the victory 12-10. Menini was named MVP for his dominant performance in the final match. Jesse Brey’s Lexy was awarded Best Playing Pony. Jim Wright spoke highly of his teammate Menini. “Maxi came out on fire today and pushed us to a win. Klentner Ranch is always a tough team to play against and they had a great game.” Earlier in the day, five teams participated in the popular Pro-Pool League. The Barossa team (Jef Graham, Cory Williams, Jonathan Burrows, Jesse Bray) won the weekendlong tournament. Two weeks later, on Oct. 3, Acme Elixirs proved to be unstoppable, winning its second consecutive 8-goal final, the USPA Von Dornberg Stick & Ball Wickenden Cup. Menini showed his talent with the ball and his impressive string of horses throughout
La Herradura’s Meghan Gracida, Hope Arellano, Malia Bryan and Gillian Johnston won Santa Barbara’s Women’s Tournament.
Acme Elixirs’ Max Menini was MVP in both 8-goal finals.
The first three chukkers of the final were tight and tough. After a scoring drought in the first chukker, both teams slowly began adding ticks to the scoreboard. Acme Elixirs established an early lead in the second and third chukkers. Eager to put Klentner Ranch back in the scoring
game, Bray punched through a Penalty 5 from the center to bring the team within two goals at halftime, 4-2. Acme Elixirs fired throughout the fourth chukker and once again pulled away from Klentner Ranch. A heavily guarded Menini relied on his young teammates, Wright and Floccari, to push the ball forward. A difficult, angled tail-shot by Menini added to the team’s offensive momentum. Klentner Ranch fought back in the final two chukkers, but time was limited. Luke Klentner played an integral role in its defensive effort, nailing several back shots downfield to his teammates. Fargey and Bray worked to get the ball down to the Klentner Ranch goal, but continually found themselves covered by the opposition. Acme Elixirs claimed its second 8-goal tournament of the season with a resounding 12-6 victory. In other action, La Herradura surfaced at the top of a four-team roster in the Women’s Tournament on Sept. 26. Several injures whittled down the teams, but the remaining four began with the semifinal round. Central Coast/Santa Barbara (Cory Williams, Hayley Heatley, Megan Judge, Melanja Jones) collected the first win of the day against Zegers Electric (Mia Bray, Kathrine Campos, Roxy Keyfauver, Michelle Huber). The second matched featured a high-flying La Herradura (Meghan
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Melanja Jones presents the Last Chance trophy to California Polo Club’s Alejandro Nordheimer, Kirsten Ludwig, Kim Garsed and Troy Crumley.
Gracida, Hope Arellano, Gillian Johnston, Malia Bryan) overcoming a defensive Dec My Room (Molly Agee, Kendall Plank, Claudia Uretz, Hannah Heitzig). La Herradura went on to victory after defeating Central Coast/ Santa Barbara in the final. Gillian Johnston was MVP and Meghan Gracida’s Mafia was Best Playing Pony. The Sportsmanship Award went to Hayley Heatley. A big thank you to Safari Royale and Horse Coin Jewelry for supporting the event. The club’s fall season wrapped up with the Last Chance Tournament, played in conjunction with the Polo & Wine Festival. California’s Troy Crumley, Kim Garsed, Alejandro Nordheimer and Kirsten Ludwig faced Pasadena’s Alex Poole, Tom Schuerman, Antonio Juarez and Jeff Scheraga in the final. The Last Chance tournament is a club favorite, featuring competitive teams, lots of laughter and a fun party to conclude the season. California got off to a hot start, scoring five goals in the first two chukkers. Pasadena trailed, but held its ground, slowly gaining traction as the game progressed. Pasadena took control of the match in the third chukker, scoring three consecutive goals and tying the score at 5-5. A final goal by each team in the fourth left the score tied at the end of regulation
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Oak Brook’s Jim Drury played in Chicago’s International Polo Series against a British team. The Oak Brook team held on for the 8-6 win after a late Wales’ team rally.
time. California clinched the win when Nordheimer scored his 60-yard penalty during the tie-breaking shootout. MVP honors went to Kirsten Ludwig and Figurine, owned by Leigh Brecheen and played by Antonia Juarez, was Best Playing Pony. In the consolation, Gipsy Farm defeated Barrossa. CENTRAL
OAK BROOK TAKES INTERNATIONAL CUP Chicago, Illinois’ Oak Brook Polo Club closed out its regular season with a defeat of Great Britain in the club’s International Cup, also played as the Prince of Wales Cup, Sept. 10. “This was a match we’ve been looking forward to all season, the return of the Brits, and it measured up in every respect,” explained Drury, patron of Oak Brook Polo Club. “High speed, intensely competitive and wonderful camaraderie between our teams. I was pleased to accept their gracious invitation to host our team in England next season, for a rematch.” The International Cup was inaugurated in 1986 when the British team, captained by Prince Charles, played against Oak Brook. Today, HRH
The Prince of Wales serves as the nonplaying patron of the Wales Polo Team that was comprised of Victoria Grace, Orlando Camus, Niall Donnelly and Peter Webb. Oak Brook’s team included Drury, Mariano Gutierrez, Tomas Obregon and Horacio Onetto. Gutierrez was the first to score for Oak Brook followed by Obregon, who fired one in within the first three minutes of play. The Wales teammates, still getting used to their borrowed mounts, replied with two goals from Donnelly. Gutierrez pulled off a nice neckshot goal in the last minute of play to end the chukker 3-2, Oak Brook. Camus had a couple of runs to goal but was quickly shut down by Oak Brook’s defense of Drury and Onetto. Wales had several long shots on goal, only to miss by inches but Webb finally got one through from a strong wormburner 70 yards out. Onetto replied with one he tackled from Webb mid-field. The chukker ended with Oak Brook ahead 4-3. Onetto scored three goals added to a Drury tally to end the third 8-3. Wales closed in with goals by Camus and Webb to come within two, 8-6, but ran out of time, leaving Oak Brook the winner. Reute Butler and Nicholas Vangel presented The International Cup to the Oak Brook Polo Team. Onetto’s Vera was Best Playing Pony and Peter Webb was named MVP.
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Arden’s Fine Jewelers’ Laura Willson, Chavelo Briones, Paige McCabe and Luis Saracco won The Villages season-opening 6 goal.
FLORIDA
ARDEN’S SHINES IN FIRST TOURNEY
After enthusiastic crowds watched two matches come to thrilling and bizarre endings on Friday, the finale of The Villages 6-Goal Cup on Sunday, Oct. 1 capped the opening weekend of the fall season at The Villages Polo Club in The Villages, Florida, with exciting action of its own. Arden’s scored three times against Citizens First in the fourth chukker, utilizing the pivotal period of play to bust open what had been a close match throughout the first half. Arden’s took a 4-3 lead into halftime, after a first half of play that included three ties and four lead changes. Out of the intermission, the purpleclad Arden’s squad stretched its lead to 7-3, scoring three times in the first 4:42 of the fourth chukker. Laura Willson started the run for Arden’s just 45 seconds into the period when she put her pony in the right spot to redirect a clearing attempt and score. Midway through the period, Paige McCabe swiped the ball from underneath the mallet of Joe Watkins and tallied yet another goal. Arden’s would tack on its third goal just 56 seconds later, as Briones scored
R E P O R T
Fross & Fross’ Mikhal Newberry, Cathy Alba, Hutch Radcliff and Francisco Bilbao won the UnitedHealthcare 6 goal.
off the ensuing throw-in. Briones and Saracco put to rest any hopes of a Citizens comeback, as the duo scored on consecutive shots spanning the fifth and sixth chukkers, respectively. The nine-week polo season began Sept. 29, with Arden’s Jewelers claiming an 11-9 preliminary round win over City Fire, scoring three goals in the final chukker of play. The second match then featured a 10-all tie at the conclusion of regulation, which was completed through a heavy downpour, reducing visibility and forcing a coin-flip to determine the winner in lieu of overtime. The bizarre, yet fair and agreed upon solution eventually led to the coin flipping the way of Citizens First, who advanced to Sunday’s championship match. Local polo fan and enthusiast Ann Wasman said she was amazed at the resolve of the players and officials to continue to play through the heavy rain on Friday, as the determination to finish the match left a lasting impression on the sport’s longtime supporter. “(It was) a Villages’ polo experience unlike any I’ve seen in my nine years of watching,” Wasman said. “It was an amazing tribute to our players, ponies, umpires, announcer and fans—totally mind-boggling.”
The following week, it was only fitting Francisco Bilbao rode a horse named Noche, the Spanish translation for “night” during the final chukker of the United Healthcare 6 goal. Because when it mattered most nobody could really see him. The Argentinian native was a blur atop his black mare as he struck four goals in the sixth period to lead Fross & Fross to 10-9 victory over UnitedHealthcare. Trailing 9-6 entering the last chukker, Bilbao began his scoring run as he outraced Franky Llosa to a loose ball and tallied what was his then-third goal of the match. On the ensuing throw-in, Fross & Fross gained possession and went on the offensive once again, with Bilbao eventually streaking toward the goal posts. Jamie Mirikitani attempted to hook Bilbao, deflecting the ball skyward before Bilbao swung and hit the ball in midair to send it through the pipes and cut the deficit to 9-8 with 2:23 left. Bilbao then pulled the match even at 9-9 with an unguarded 30-yard penalty shot with just under 90 seconds to play. The game-winner evolved from the subsequent throw-in, as Bilbao swooped out of the pack and jolted behind the defense for a breakaway, slicing the ball over the goal line just as
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Audi’s MVP Marc Ganzi scored a game-high six goals, including the winning shot in overtime to win the Tackeria Cup.
the final horn blared. Bilbao’s run came on the heels of a UnitedHealthcare 3-0 advantage in the fifth chukker of play, with Llosa scoring twice including an impressive 75-yard shot from a difficult angle and Casey Hoskins tallying what was his team-high fifth goal in the losing effort. The two offensive runs for each team in the final two chukkers came in stark contrast from early on, as the two teams swapped the lead five times through the first four periods of action. —Cody Hills
AUDI CAPTURES SEASON OPENER
Audi rallied in the final chukker to win the Tackeria Invitational seasonopener at Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, Florida, Oct. 1. Scoreless in the fourth chukker and trailing 9-7 going into the sixth, Audi (Marc Ganzi, Jason Crowder, Brandon Phillips, Carlitos Gracida) outscored Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, Andres ‘Lala’ LaPlacette, Pablo Dorignac, Juan Bollini), 3-1, to tie the game, 1010, in regulation time. Marc Ganzi converted a penalty to clinch the win in overtime. Ganzi scored a game-high six goals including three penalty conversions and was selected MVP. Moonquartz, owned by
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USPA CEO Bob Puetz presents the U.S. Trust Cup to Casablanca’s Mike Azzaro, Grant Ganzi, Jason Crowder and Cacho Galindo.
Santa Rita Polo Farm and ridden by LaPlacette, was Best Playing Pony. Casablanca jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening chukker with both goals from LaPlacette. Audi came back with Ganzi scoring two in the second. Three more Audi goals from Ganzi, Phillips and Crowder gave Audi a 5-3 halftime lead. After a few halftime adjustments, Casablanca shut out Audi, 4-0, with three goals from Grant Ganzi and one from LaPlacette to lead 7-5 after the fourth chukker. Audi found its offense in the fifth chukker with goals from Marc Ganzi and Phillips but Casablanca maintained its two-goal advantage with goals from Grant Ganzi and Bollini. Marc Ganzi sparked Audi’s rally in the sixth chukker, opening with a quick goal to trail, 9-8. Phillips tied the game with 5:08 left and gave Audi a 109 lead with another goal at the 3:01 mark. After Phillips missed an insurance goal, LaPlacette tied the game as time ran out. The following week, Casablanca had the win in a spirited round-robin over Audi and Team USPA to capture the U.S. Trust Cup. Nine chukkers were played to determine the champion after heavy rains cancelled the qualifying round. In the opening round robin, Team USPA (Matias Gonzalez, Jesse Bray, Jimmy Wright, Felipe Viana) and
Casablanca (Cacho Galindo, Grant Ganzi, Mike Azzaro, Jason Crowder) finished deadlocked at 4-4, followed by Casablanca roaring back for an impressive 7-3 win over Audi (Kris Kampsen, Guille Aguero, Marc Ganzi, Brandon Phillips). Audi bounced back with a 5-3 victory over Team USPA. Casablanca’s Mike Azzaro was MVP. Aventurada, a 5-year-old mare played by Marc Ganzi and owned by Santa Rita Polo Farm, was Best Playing Pony. In the opening round, Team USPA jumped out to a 3-0 lead with two goals from Bray and one from Wright. Ganzi tied the game with two Penalty 2 conversions and a goal from the field. Azzaro scored in the final chukker to give Casablanca the lead with 3:10 left. Two minutes later, Bray tied the game. In the second round, Casablanca and Audi took turns exchanging the lead four times in the first two chukkers, before Casablanca outscored Audi, 3-0, to take a 7-3 win. In the last three chukkers, Audi took an early 2-0 lead with goals from Aguero and Ganzi. A goal from Phillips early in the second chukker gave Audi a 3-0 advantage. Team USPA started playing catch-up late in the second chukker to trail, 4-2. A Penalty 3 conversion from Ganzi put the game away, 5-2, with 1:43 left in the game. All season matches are livestreamed worldwide on ChukkerTV. —Sharon Robb
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POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 57
(continued from page 17) very own. So I stepped forward one Sunday afternoon, as Ronald was coming off the polo field in the wake of the game. As he trotted past our barn, I skipped in his direction: Mister H! I tripped running after him, my polo boots stiff. I was wondering … I had heard … I was maybe thinking …Were you ever thinking … of selling that horse? He pulled up short on the reins. Jezebel threw her head to the left, catching him off guard. He pulled back too hard. She had a butter mouth. Ronald’s hand was meant for a mule. Dancing off to the side, she trotted in place. Excitement, fear and wanting combined in the moment. Tears welled up in my eyes. This was my chance. Ronald shifted off to the left side of the saddle, losing his balance. He caught himself, reining her back in my direction, but not before she’d spun a complete, dizzying circle. Her nose touched my mouth. I took in the scent, her white, foamy sweat. Her suchness, that very scent, uniquely hers. She was still hot from the fields. Hot air breathed in my nose. We exchanged inhale-exhales for a moment. She was checking me out. Horses familiarize and inform through scent. They are masters of the process, detecting, discerning, deciding. Giving it off, navigating by it. Each inhalation informs choice of movement, fight or flight. Waves of wind blowing into nostrils communicates all they need to know. They take in their world one breath at a time. My beginning love affair with Jezebel was interrupted by the continual exchange with the very man I needed to talk out of her: “Who told you that?” He seemed offended. I shrank back in humility. Had I crossed some line? Guillermo? I offered. I think maybe it was Morrie. I’m not sure … The height of my nervousness expanded with every sentence. “I thought you were hard up for mon58 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Denise Boehler, second from left, with Jezebel after a Sunday match.
ey,” he reeled. “I made you guys a deal, in exchange for ground fees, for stabling. Are you telling me you can afford more, and just didn’t say?” he demanded. Blood filled my face. I was embarrassed. I didn’t have much money. I was working two jobs, my then-partner, barely one. He’d nary a dime and I had little more. He was that older guy, the one driving a rusted Cutlass Supreme he’d bought for $50, then promptly backed it into a tree in a self-proclaimed blitzed moment one fine Sunday afternoon, dramatically denting the trunk forever. An otherwise handsome, charming and dynamic personality, he was also the guy teaming up with a girl 25 years his junior, the one who had been his groom, the one now working 70 hours a week while he spent his mornings drinking 20 ounce cups of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee—heavy cream, no sugar—driving around that same dented Cutlass Supreme listening to Morning Edition on NPR. He followed it up with a stroll through the Lincoln Park Zoo for mornings on end, watching the sea lions splash in the center, while his partner answered the phones, typing endless legal documents for fledgling Korean lawyers at an international law firm. No, my then-partner didn’t have a dime to contribute towards Jezebel, nor to a shoe to put on her fine Thoroughbred
foot. It was my debt to incur. But I was more than willing. I don’t—addressing any misunderstanding before it grew—I could make payments. I was sinking. My hope of having this horse were evaporating with each pause. But then, something happened. Something she did, or a moment he had. Somewhere, he realized he was more than happy to give up this one, the one leaving him more off the saddle than on. The one prancing endlessly, for the energy coursing was more than for the asking. He dismounted in that unceremoniously, yet ceremoniously Ronald, kind of way. Ronald always came off a horse by throwing his right leg right over her hind quarters, but before he could get his left foot loose from the stirrup his boots caught and the stirrup leather twisted. She danced the opposite direction sending him landing promptly on his rear end. I reached down to offer a hand, but he recovered his dignity from efforts his own. Dusting off his Sunday whites, he uttered: “$4,000. You can make payments … Give me a check for $800 next week. I stood silent, Jezebel’s reins in hand. $4,000. $4,000. Alright, I agreed. Thank you. Ronald turned on his worn Argentinian custom polo-booted heels and left, walking up to his own private barn. Motioning to Guiller-
Denise, right, and a friend take Jezebel and a stablemate out for a leisurely ride.
mo to go retrieve his saddle and bridle, Guillermo ran back down promptly after with her halter in hand for exchange. Loosening her girth and handing him Harold’s saddle, I walked her into a freshly bedded sawdust stall in our rented barn. I breathed into her nose as she rubbed her sweaty, white-starred face on my back. Back then, polo fields, as the one she spent her summer days on, saw mostly appendix horses, a blend of quarter horse and Thoroughbred. Their tougher legs, thicker barrel chests, beefy hind ends endure where more delicate ones fail. Simply, with horses as with dogs, mutts are sometimes better than purebreds. The stress and strain of any polo game, the quick starts, rapid stops, the flat-out galloping across mowed fields in pursuit of a plastic ball at the asking can create wind puffs and bow delicate tendons. The trotting, legging-up conditioning goes on for weeks before any season’s opening. Strength of legs is a major aspect of a polo pony’s fitness. I played every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday game I could on the back of Jezebel. Her body flew through the air one moment, stopped on a dime at the flick of my wrist, turning in the opposite direction the next. She leaped from the start of any period by the subtle nudge of my heel at her side, sprawled her jet-black
body as length would allow at every rise of my own body forward. On her I made every play a young athletic polo player dreamed to make. The game is always 70 percent horse, 30 the rider. Having a fine Thoroughbred as she was like having a Lamborghini on a racetrack. Life was possible in full technicolor dream. In winter months, I stabled her at the carriage barn in Old Town Chicago in lieu of compensation for driving carriages downtown. I rode her in the tiny arena after everyone else had left, bridle-less and bareback. She responded to my body movements for forward and onward, slow and stop, the way a dressage horse responds to its artist. Trainers watched her from afar in silence. I drank in every moment like it would be my only one. I would have my dream horse for only two years from that exchange with Ronald H. The bones of a Thoroughbred break easily. Far more delicate than those of other breeds, their legs are not nearly as thick in diameter. Horses evolved to land literally on just one toe. For an 800-pound horse, that’s 200 pounds per. The more delicate the horse, the more carefully you must mind the legs. My time with her drew abruptly to a close one summer sunset-filled Sunday evening. The intense passion with which she exploded into her days lost out to the
fragility of her rear leg. It was a wrong turn she took, a moment checked, turn left, let’s go this way, stop for the last time. I heard it snap underneath me on that green polo field. Jumping down, I watched as she stood, just then, holding it up in air. I was sickened in the way only a young girl drowning in love for her horse can be sickened. It was over before I hit the ground. She bowed her head to me. Oddly, she never screamed or whinnied, the way many horses would. I took in her silence, hugged her neck, and screamed for help to the barns far away. It would be a cold and windy two-hour ride down to the equine clinic in southern Illinois in a borrowed horse trailer far from the polo fields. I held onto her tightly the entire way. When we arrived at the clinic, the veterinarian ran to the trailer to help us walk out. I knew that for her, the journey was one-way. Her leg is broken in two places, the veterinarian informed after X-rays. Her anklebone is shattered. It’d take months of stall-rest, suspended in a sling and thousands of dollars to have her come out to be a brood mare, he offered. I knew what I would say before he finished. It was over, my time with my dream horse. I would never lope across those green polo fields on her silky back again. In the moment of loss, time slows. Moments in the night last forever. In reality it was likely only moments as well, when I took off her halter for one last time and hugged her sleek neck, breathed into that velvet brown muzzle. Fingering her delicate mane, I whispered in her ear. She bowed her head to me, one final time. I walked out of the clinic, leaving her to the fates of medicine and the peace she would have thereafter. Every time a horse I’ve loved dies, all the horses I have ever loved come back to life to die just once more. It’s in the unfolding of life that I can ever open again to let another back in. There have been others since her that have come and gone. None though as special as that u dream horse that was once mine. POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 59
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O C T O B E R 18 - N OV E M B E R 5 USPA Bronze Trophy (8-12) New Bridge, Aiken, S.C. O C T O B E R 2 3 - N O V E M B E R 14 Copa Camara de Diputados (24) Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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NOVEMBER Adolfo Cambiaso’s La Dolfina team hopes to win its 11th Argentine Open Victory.
O C T O B E R 2 8 - NOV E M B E R 5 USPA North America Cup (20) Grand Champions, Wellington, FL N OV E M B E R 1 - 10 Copas Provincia Y Jose Reynal (19-23) Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina N O V E M B E R 1 - 11 Copas Estímulo Y Cacique (4-12) Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina N OV E M B E R 1 - 13 Copa de Oro Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina
NOV E M B E R 5 2nd Annual Boots & Bikini Cowgirl Polo WCT Wicked Wahine Tournament 4-8 Women’s Challenge 0-4 Maui, Makawao, HI
N O V E M B E R 1 - 14 Copas Guillermo Sojo Y Alfredo Lalor Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Hall of Fame Cup Prestonwood, Oak Point, TX
NOV E M B E R 1 - 2 3 Copa Valentin Caset y Juan Cavanagh Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina
NOV E M B E R 5 - 12 North America Cup (16-20) Grand Champions, Wellington, FL
NOV E M B E R 3 - 5 WCT Ladies Tournament New Orleans, Folsom, LA
NOV E M B E R 5 - 2 0 Umpire Clinic Cornell, Ithaca, N.Y.
NOV E M B E R 4 USPA Interscholastic Qualifier Poway, Poway, CA
N O V E M B E R 9 - 11 Clinic with Robert Lynn Kee Chow Maui, Makawao, HI
Fall Festival Palm City, Boynton Beach, FL
Victory Cup ATX Polo, Manor, TX
Fross & Fross Tournament (8) The Villages, The Villages, FL
NOV E M B E R 4 - 5 Middle School League Prestonwood, Oak Point, TX
N O V E M B E R 11 - 1 2 Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championship Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ
Fall Tournament & End of Year BBQ Mountain View, Mountain View, WV
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N O V E M B E R 8 - 19 USPA National 20-Goal Grand Champions, Wellington, FL
N OV E M B E R 10 - 12 Polo Gear Challenge Cup (12-14) Grand Champions, Wellington, FL
USPA Arena Youth Tournament Maui, Makawao, HI
NOV E M B E R 4 - D E C E M B E R 2 Argentine Open Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina
NOV E M B E R 8 - 12 U.S. Open Women’s Handicap Houston, Houston, TX
N OV E M B E R 10 Fall Fandango Arena Event Two Wishes Ranch, Lockhart, TX
KAYLEE WROE
Performing Arts Center Tourney (8) The Villages, The Villages, FL
NOV E M B E R 7 - 12 U.S. Open Women’s Championship Houston, Houston, TX
Middle School League Central Coast, Los Osos, CA The Women’s Open in Houston will see some of the top women players in the sport.
I/I Invitational Polo Tournament Prestonwood, Oak Point, TX
DAVID SIEBERT
MARKETPLACE
The Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championship in Scottsdale, Arizona will once again feature numerous polo matches, cars, fashion, pets and equestrian demonstrations.
N O V E M B E R 11 Turkey Leg Cup Triangle Area, Hurdle Mills, NC Interscholastic Polo Marlan Farm, Freeland, Maryland NOV E M B E R 12 Kalipo Cup Maui, Makawao, HI N O V E M B E R 14 - 2 2 National Twenty Goal (16-20) Grand Champions, Wellington, FL N O V E M B E R 17 - 19 Arden’s Women’s Tournament The Villages, The Villages, FL N OV E M B E R 18 Interscholastic Polo Triangle Area, Hurdle Mills, NC UT Polo Cup & Chili Cook-off Dallas, Red Oak, TX N O V E M B E R 1 8 - 19 USPA Teddy Roosevelt Tournament Two Wishes Ranch, Lockhart, TX
Middle School League Gardnertown, Newburgh, NY
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N O V E M B E R 19 Turkey Bowl County Line, Kyle, TX
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N O V E M B E R 21 - 2 5 Copas Jorge Donovan Y Miguel Pando Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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N O V E M B E R 21 - 2 6 Copas Javier N. Astrada y Juan Sauro Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina NOV E M B E R 2 2 Orlando Garrido Memorial (1) Azteca, Phoenix, AZ NOV E M B E R 2 3 - D E C E M B E R 3 Cowdray Park Polo Cup (16) Copa Julio Novillo Astrada (20) La Aguada, Open Door, Argentina NOV E M B E R 2 4 - 2 6 The Villages Family Feud Tournament The Villages, The Villages, FL NOV E M B E R 2 5 Legends of Polo Carlos Gracida Mem. USPA International Cup Grand Champions, Wellington, FL
Middle School League Houston, Houston, TX Note: All dates are subject to change. “USPA” refers to tournaments sponsored or sanctioned by the United States Polo Association.
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HITCHCOCK’S DESIRE International team for 1928 was chosen after much consideration and many practices
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evereux Milburn, the mighty galloper, having laid down the mantle of American polo leadership, partly because of a crash over jumps, and partly, I suspect, to give the younger men a chance, the burden is assumed by one of the ablest and most picturesque characters in sport, young Tommy Hitchcock. The burden will be a heavy one, for there is to be met this year in defense of this country’s polo supremacy probably the most dangerous team of twolegged and four-footed players that ever came to these shores, the splendid sportsmen from the Argentine. There will have to be a new Big Four built around Hitchcock, and while, of course, there is a selection committee, there is little doubt that the new defenders will be molded close to Tommy’s heart’s desire. And that heart’s desire is the biggest Big Four that ever took the field for the United States. A large order that—but the young Hitchcock is accustomed to large orders. The testing is already underway, and will continue until the eve of the big matches in September. So there is plenty of time in which to solve the problem both of men and mounts. No man at this writing has the remotest idea of what the final selection will be, but there is much to be said about the known candidates, all of whom have reputations only slightly less distinguished than those of their great predecessors. It is possible, too, that a young collegian of the type of Forrester Clark, of Harvard, will make a great bid such as that of Winston Guest a year ago. If you get a close-up of Tommy Hitchcock, you will be looking into a somewhat 62 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Louis Stoddard stands with Averell Harriman, Tommy Hitchcock Jr., Malcolm Stevenson and Winston Guest, the team in the first two matches of the International Championship.
whimsical face—a face that sometimes, and even in the stress of terrific action, can assume the bland and inscrutable expression of whichever happens to be your own favorite Buddha. Even at the full gallop there is nothing in that face to furnish the slightest clue to the intentions or ultimate destination of its wearer. In which respect it is utterly unlike the countenance of Millburn, his great predecessor. Milburn’s face in action is expressive to the last degree; Tommy’s face expresses absolutely nothing. From which one might get the false impression that Hitchcock, Junior, was not a born leader. He is just that. The fact that in most of his public appearances in this country he has been under the direction of either Milburn or, another veteran, Louis E. Stoddard, one of the craftiest Backs in the game, has caused the average observer to lose sight of the fact that he
once lead a team in the Olympics in excellent fashion, and that he has occasionally turned in a very fine performance at Back himself. It is perhaps improbable, but quite possible that he might care to run the new Big Four from Back. Of the old team there remain in addition to Tommy himself at No. 2, Watson Webb at No. 1, and Malcolm Stevenson at No. 3. Whether Webb and Stevenson will seek places and win them with the new combination remains to be seen, but it is quite possible that Stevenson and Webb will step down. The combination of Stevenson at No. 3 and Milburn at Back was the greatest defense the game has seen, and Stevenson was particularly clever in covering Milburn when the latter chose to storm through to the attack. It may be decided that better results can be gained by building up a new pair for the second line as a pair.
The lefty J. Watson Webb (about to hit the ball) played No. 1 for the old team. Tommy Hitchcock (directly behind him) also played on the team. The Sands Point Club put on matches every Sunday for the Big Four aspirants to be tested prior to the team being named.
In the front line it may be recalled that Hitchcock has been very effective with Averell Harriman, Elmer Boeseke, Eric Pedley, James C. Cooley, Winston Guest, or Capt. Wilkinson out forward. The No. 1 in front of the hard-hitting Hitchcock needs to be finely mounted, so that he can get way out on the end of Tommy’s feeding shots, which means speed, and must be an extremely accurate short-distance shot both fore and back. When it comes to riding off the opposing Back, Guest’s size and weight make him quite a factor. But in the modern game, American style, and realizing on Hitchcocks’s feeding strokes, the No. 1 usually is more concerned with ‘slipping’ the opposing Back than with riding him off. Should Tommy decide to place himself elsewhere, Winston Guest is unmistakably a No. 2 of international caliber. There are also available at No. 1 ‘Laddy’ Sanford and Capt. Charley Gerhardt. If ‘Mike’ Stevenson decides to abandon a trial for No. 3, there is Cheever Cowdin on whom to rely. Cowdin showed last year that he was at the top of his game after years of effort, and after a long setback because of serious injury. He is a splendid horseman and a master of deft strokes all around his mount. I must say I am one of
those who are greatly taken with Cowdin’s play. Captain Peter Rodes is a coming No. 3 of the hard-riding, hard-hitting type, with a cold head and a fiery heart. The No. 4 or Back position is a very real problem. By tradition, an American international Back is a tremendous hitter and a fine field general. It is possible, of course, to handle the generalship from No. 3, as was the case when Harry Payne Whitney put together the first and, in the opinion of the veterans, the only Big Four. In view of this, the statement I am about to make may appear rather startling, since it is about a young man who does not impress the average polo follower except in flashes. This was Bobby Strawbridge. However, I studied his play carefully last year, especially his dependability and range, working now and then with diagrams, with the result that, in my judgement at least, and on the full season’s play, he was the most consistent Back in action, not even excepting Milburn. Milburn’s genius, of course, led him to many moments of play that no other man has equaled in my experience, but the very fury of his attack occasionally led him into errors. Strawbridge has had splendid coaching by his father, who was a severe taskmaster, and later by Milburn,
who can teach as well as he can play. Furthermore, he filled in successfully, even brilliantly, at No. 3 when Stevenson was hurt in a match against Great Britain. This ability to play a fine No. 3 would be an added asset, making it possible for him to go up into the fracas readily when covered by his own No. 3. If Strawbridge puts on another season like the last, I believe that he will get into at least one of the international matches. I have spoken of Forrester Clark. Here is a possibility, to be sure, at least as a substitute. He is a tremendous hitter, a fine horseman, strong at riding off, and a keen student of the American generalship. Certainly he is a great future prospect, even if he does not make it this year. With his six feet seven inches of height, and 200 pounds when down to riding weight—he rows in the Harvard crew at 205—he is a great smotherer of the opposing No. 1. Among the other candidates of whom we shall see a great deal are Harold Talbott Jr., steadily improving; Frederick H. Prince Jr., a high-class veteran Back; Rodman Wanamaker, who has turned in some fine backfield play; and Morgan Belmont, who, when in the mood, plays tremendously at Back or at No. 1. If he decides this season to make a real effort, rather than an POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 63
The International Championship of 1928 between the United States and Argentina was held at Meadow Brook Polo Club in Westbury, New York. The U.S. won two of three games.
obliging appearance in the Open Championship, he will be hard to stop. It is in him to be one of our greatest. This is not the whole list, but will do for the time being. A great deal of credit is due the Sands Point club for putting on, on Sundays on the splendid field at Port Washington, polo matches in the course of which every aspirant for the Big Four will be seen in action. This is to go on all summer, and, of course, soon after they arrive the men from the Argentine will also be seen there. They will furnish color enough in their own right to fill out anybody’s Sunday afternoon. The real polo devotee who misses his Port Washington Sunday afternoon misses both a game and a picture. Argentina’s string of mounts, another gorgeous assemblage from the pampas, is already here, and the players will be along in July. American polo followers will be glad to know that ‘Jack’ Nelson and Lewis Lacey are both coming, together with A. H. Kenny, a new visitor from Buenos Aires, John Miles, and the massive Manuel Andrada. For the benefit of Jerseyites and Philadelphians, I may say that they will have an opportunity to see the invaders in their home territory. There’s a possibility of Narragansett, too. I am giving away no secrets, either, when I say that the men 64 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
who learned their horsemanship as boys chasing ostriches are quite determined to win the big matches whatever they do prior to that time. About that ostrich experience (and the birds were not sticking their heads in the sand at the time) and the consequent phantom touch on the reins—ah, another time.
Epilogue It was the first time since 1921 that the U.S. side found it necessary to fill more than one place in its line-up by other than veterans of previous contests of this class. It was also the first time in 14 years that an International match was played by our side two years in succession. Both teams had team selection problems. The Big Four finally came together with W. Averill Harriman at No. 1, Tommy Hitchcock at No. 2, Malcolm Stevenson at No. 3 and Winston Guest at Back for the first two games. The U.S. side won the first match 7-6 before falling to Argentina’s A. Kenny, J.D. Nelson, J.B. Miles and Lewis Lacey 10-7 in the second match. Earl Hopping took over for Stevenson in the third match. Hopping was put in the No. 2 spot and Hitchcock moved to No. 3. The greatest crowd ever known turned out in overwhelming numbers for the final match, which the changed United States team rode to a clean-cut 13-7 victory. Harriman led the U.S. scoring with four goals.
In the final match of the International Championship of 1928, USA’s Tommy Hitchcock Jr., on Tobiana, slaps a rather high hook on Argentina’s J.B. Miles. USA won the match 13-7.
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