APRIL 2021
P L AY E R S’ E D I T I O N
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CONTENTS
P L AY E R S’ E D I T I O N
A P R I L 2 0 21
VOL. 24,
FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
24 In living Color
6
Online gallery features the next masterpieces
30 A Leg Up
by Gwen Rizzo
Park Place squeaks out C.V. Whitney Cup win
36 Riding the Wave by Gwen Rizzo
Hawaii Polo Life Captures 2020 Women’s Open
NO. 8
Association News USPA Bulletin Horse feature
12 Instructors Forum By Rege Ludwig
14 Ask an Umpire 16 Equine Athlete By Heather Smith Thomas
18 Polo Scene
News, notes, trends & quotes
APRIL 2021
TION P L AY E R S’ E D I
OUR COVER Focal Point Alexey Klimenko oil on canvas, 2020
Polo Art
Courtesy of katerinamorgan.art
20 Polo Development 22 Intercollegiate/Interscholastic 40 Polo in the Pampas by Lucas Noel
55 Calendar 58 Yesteryears 44 Polo Report
Old HIckory Bourbon Aces USPA Butler Handicap
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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
P L AY E R S’ E D I T I O N THE
OFFICIAL MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE
UNITED STATES POLO ASSOCIATION
Editor & Publisher U.S. POLO ASSN. CONGRATULATES C.V. WHITNEY CUP ® FINALISTS TEAM PARK PLACE AND TEAM SCONE
GWEN D. RIZZO
Contributing Editors
HEATHER SMITH THOMAS, ALICE GIPPS, LUCAS NOEL, C. MAYBE ORTIZ, SARAH EAKIN
Editorial Board BOB PUETZ, TONY COPPOLA, TOM BIDDLE, DAWN WEBER, AMI SHINITZKY Art Director DAVID BEVERAGE Prepress THE OVID BELL PRESS # L I V E A U T H E N T I C A L LY | @ U S P O L OA S S N
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©Copyright 2021 by United States Polo Association.. 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 ©2018 and are reprinted by permission of Paul Brown Studios, Inc., P.O. Box 925, Hedgesville, WV 25427. Subscription rates: $45/one year, $78/two years. Other countries (air mail), $78 drawn on U.S. bank/one year, $144 drawn on U.S. bank/two years. (GST:134989508). Subscription problems call (561) 968-5208. VOL. 24, No.8 POLO Players’ Edition (ISSN #1096-2255) is published monthly by Rizzo Management Corp. 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, 9011 Lake Worth RD, Lake Worth, FL 33467. 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
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Helmet Mandate Due to continued manufacturing delays caused by the global pandemic, a number of players have yet to have their helmet orders fulfilled. Further, these orders were not likely to be fulfilled ahead of the March 1 effective date. As a result, USPA Chairman Stewart Armstrong, with the consent of the Executive Committee, issued a rules variance to further delay enforcement of the NOSCAE helmet requirement until May 1. It is hoped this will provide enough time for everyone who ordered helmets that pass the NOSCAE ND050 Standard Performance Specification to get their helmets. While enforcement of the NOCSAE helmet requirement is temporarily delayed, the USPA strongly encourages any members who already have helmets that meet the NOCSAE ND050 Standard Performance Specification to wear such helmets. The USPA will continue to monitor the situation and update the membership as needed. Gator Grand Prize Winner In 2020, USPA member clubs were eligible to win a John Deere TS Gator through the USPA Polo Plus Discount Program. The association offered a John Deere Grand Prize to the USPA member club with the highest cumulative Discount Program dollar
amount spent by its members during the year. Second and third place were also eligible for prizes. In addition, all USPA members that utilized the discount program with any of the participating companies were entered into a drawing for a $500 Tackeria Gift Certificate. Please join the Association in congratulating all of the winners below: Grand Prize John Deere TS Gator: Grand Champions Polo Club (Wellington, Florida) Second Place: Beverly Polo Club (The Plains, Virginia) Third Place: Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club (Carpinteria, California) $500 Tackeria Gift Certificate: Darin Bankhead (Lakeside Polo Club, Lakeside, California) Spotlight On Savings USPA members have access to savings on many nationally known products, including Daktronics, a world leader in designing electronic scoreboards, programmable display systems and large-screen video displays. The company was started in 1968 by two South Dakota State University electrical engineering professors in an effort to provide graduates with job opportunities. Since then, the company has installed some of the world’s largest video scoreboards and has been recognized for their outstanding dependability and continuous product improvements. With over 50 years of experience, Daktronics is unmatched when it comes to innovative design and customer satisfaction. Daktronics is offering a discounted club price. Take advantage of your USPA membership and enhance the polo experience at your club. Fox Sports Interview USPA Chairman Stewart Armstrong was featured on “The Icons with Rick Horrow,” a syndicated show that aired nationwide on the Fox Sports Network and presents a combination of long-form interviews with defining figures in sports. The show also takes a deeper look at the $1.3 trillion sports industry as well as the $12 billion yearly business of sports philanthropy. The monthly series premiered on Saturday, Feb. 20, and will run throughout the year. Previous Icons have included Nick Saban, Cal Ripken Jr., Dick Vitale, Bill Walton, Curtis Martin, Scott Hamilton, Lyn St. James and others. Upcoming episodes will feature former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, Orlando Magic Co-Founder Pat Williams and Willie
6 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
U S PA B U L L E T I N
O’Ree, the first black player in the NHL. “The business of sports has matured into more than a trillion-dollar industry and has evolved over the last 50 years in a way no one could have imagined,” said Rick Horrow, co-executive producer and host of the show. “Every month, we step behind the scoreboard and take an inside look at those who have a profound influence on sports.” “The Icons with Rick Horrow” is executive produced by Horrow Sports Ventures and produced by Emmy Award-winning V2 Content Studios. Together, they have been profiling the stories behind the positive impact of sports since 2017, with shows airing over 4,400 times on the Fox Sports/Sinclair family of regional and national networks. USPA Life Previews The fact that U.S. Polo Assn. is an authentic, sport-inspired brand is one of the most meaningful differentiators in the retail and fashion marketplace. U.S. Polo Assn. continues to look for
the best ways to tell the brand story and to seek opportunities that are a good fit in this regard. One of those “good fit” opportunities was partnering with the Super Bowl, which happened for the first time last year with great success. Last year’s commemorative issue pre-sold 1 million copies and ultimately sold out, with online views at the highest rate in the history of the program. This year, the brand again had the honor to be featured in Super Bowl LV’s print and digital program, with the ad displayed among some of the top brands in the world. This year’s Super Bowl program is again expected to be downloaded by millions, as 96 million viewers around the world watched the game and all its festivities. The brand is using this exciting, global platform to launch USPA Life, U.S. Polo Assn.’s long-term sustainability initiative. The brand wants consumers across 180 countries to know the company is working to improve its global footprint while making products that are not only innovative and fun but have a feel-good factor when wearing them. U.S. Polo Assn. will fully launch the USPA Life initiative by April through marketing, digital and public relations efforts, highlighting: • Sustainable polo shirts for men, women, and kids • Denim made from recycled water bottles • Recycled packaging for products • High quality recycled yarns • Sustainable products in the upcoming Spring Collection. This is the first time the brand is taking a truly global and holistic approach to maximize impact. The brand continues to tell the story of its authentic connection to the sport and advance its global presence. Now, U.S. Polo Assn. will be able to tell a story of innovation and sustainability. Published by the United States Polo Association Offices at 9011 Lake Worth Rd., Lake Worth, Florida 33467 • (800) 232-USPA Chairman: Stewart Armstrong President: Tony Coppola Secretary: Charles Smith Treasurer: Steven Rudolph
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 7
U S PA B U L L E T I N
National Youth Tournament Series Empire Polo Club (Indio, California) hosted five teams at the first NYTS qualifier tournament of the year. Held in conjunction with the Margery Magill Memorial Junior Tournament, young players from California enjoyed a fun weekend of polo, ice cream trucks and camaraderie. The Empire Polo Team (Tennyson Hamir, Elise Pardue, Rosie Gonzalez, Ajay Moturi) won the tournament over A+ Welding (Ana Sophia Wolf, Piers Bossom, Helena Bache, Nicholas Fernandez). Piers Bossom, Lars Neumann, Taylor Olcott, Elise Pardue, Caroline Mathews, Ajay Moturi, Nicholas Fernandez and Liliana Gonzalez were All-Stars. Rubio, owned by Central Coast Polo Club and played by Taylor Olcott, was Best Playing Pony. Club Challenge Cup The New Bridge Polo Club in Aiken, South Carolina was the first of the interscholastic teams to host a Circuit Level I/I Club Challenge Cup. Four teams battled it out over the weekend. The Aiken Youth Girls team (Summer Kneece, Robyn Leitner, Reagan Leitner) emerged victorious. If you are interested in hosting a Circuit Level I/I Challenge Cup please contact Amy Fraser at afraser@uspolo.org. Polo Alumni Network Are you interested in connecting with teammates and mentors from your past collegiate polo days? Maybe you are looking to donate a pony to a collegiate team. Or perhaps you are graduating and looking for internship opportunities at clubs across the country. You can do all that and so much more by connecting with polo alumni near you! The Club & Sustainability Alumni Engagement Committee has been working on several projects to help polo alumni connect with members and clubs across the country. The first initiative being launched is the Polo Alumni Network, a LinkedIn page for polo alumni and current players to network and build their connections in the industry. Join the 8 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
page and invite teammates and friends to join! Go to LinkedIn.com and search Polo Alumni Network. National Alumni Tournament The Feldman Cup, the I/I program’s National Alumni Tournament will be held April 23-25 at the Legends Polo Club. To qualify, you must have played on either an intercollegiate or interscholastic team. To find out more head over to the I/I page on uspolo.org or contact Amy Fraser at afraser@uspolo.org. National Championship Postponed The USPA National Interscholastic Championship, originally scheduled for March, has been postponed. There is a projected timeline to host the tournaments in May. Exact dates, location, and participating teams will be announced at a later date. To stay informed you can check out the uspolo.org website or contact Amy Fraser at afraser@uspolo.org. Varsity Letter If you are an interscholastic player who competed in the I/I tournament season this year, along with completing 100 hours in the saddle, participating in four I/I games, and staying in good academic standing, you are eligible for an Interscholastic Varsity Letter! Go to uspolo.org or contact Ali Davidge at adavidge@uspolo.org. In the event a team is not able to complete the regular season games requirement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students may apply for a varsity letter waiver. Submit waivers via your coach directly through email to I/I staff explaining the hardship. I/I staff will review and send to the committee for final approval. Scholarship Program Are you planning to play on an intercollegiate polo team next season? Six $4,000 scholarships are available through the USPA Intercollegiate Scholarship program. Requirements can be found on uspolo.org. Applications will open in April. Contact Amy Fraser at afraser@uspolo.org for more details.
U S PA B U L L E T I N
A Tried and True Mare Julian De Lusarreta’s Willow
Bred with careful consideration by the notable GString breeding program, 13-year-old Willow (King’s Gent x Nave) has channeled her spunk as a quality young horse into a solid polo career with Julian ‘Negro’ de Lusarreta. Purchased from Gillian Johnston as a made horse in 2019, Willow found her way into the 8-goaler’s hands as a consistent addition to his growing string. Although on first glance not a flashy mare, Willow is much more than what she appears. Her uncomplicated and straight-forward nature make her highly desirable for the demands of professional polo competition. Distinguishable only by a small white marking on her forehead and the Flying H brand on her left shoulder, the bay is prized for having an incredibly soft mouth, an invaluable attribute in crucial plays. Sensing her natural ability as a young horse, experienced trainer Brendon Whittle is witnessing Willow excel into her full potential as she embarks on her fourth season with Coca-Cola’s De Lusarreta in the Gauntlet of Polo. We spoke to both De Lusarreta and Whittle, who has run Johnston’s green horse program for over two decades, for more insight on Willow then and now. Tell us about her sire and dam. Brendon: Her sire is King’s Gent who belonged to renowned American breeder and trainer Julie Boyle. Willow’s dam, Nave, came from Miguel Novillo Astrada and was one of the best horses Gillian ever owned and played. She still has Nave as a broodmare. Miguel bought Nave in Argentina and played her in the U.S. Open Polo Championship, and Gillian played her in the tournament as well. Willow is a very well-bred horse as both her parents were very good polo horses. What was Willow like as a young horse? Brendon: She was raised on the Flying H Ranch [Sheridan, Wyoming] and she went through a lot of ground work, the same process that all our horses go through. I follow the Brannaman method so the horses get a good base on them. Willow was started
DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS.COM
by United States Polo Association
by Paul Van Dyke, who we send our young horses to for 30 days before starting to ride them. Willow always showed a tremendous amount of potential and spunk. When we first started riding her she sometimes wanted to buck but as she got older she became more mature. She had a bit of sass to her, which was great as a young horse.
Julian De Lusarreta, right, enjoyed Willow his first year playing with Coca-Cola in the 2017 26-goal.
How did you get started in polo? Julian: I started playing polo when I was 6 years old in my hometown of Coronel Suárez, Argentina. POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 9
U S PA B U L L E T I N
had an unbelievable mouth, soft and responsive. You can develop suppleness to some degree but Willow had a really good mouth from the get go. Do you have a favorite playing memory on her? Julian: The first year I played her in two chukkers in the 2017 Ylvisaker Cup final that we won with Coca-Cola. I also played her in two chukkers of the 2017 USPA Gold Cup final against Valiente and she did great. In important games I always bring her out in two chukkers.
Jullian De Lusarreta, second from left, won the 2016 U.S. Open with Steven Van Andel’s Orchard Hill team.
When I finished school, I started working with Bautista Heguy and began traveling when I was 22 or 23. I first came to the United States to play mediumgoal polo for Pony Express with Bob Daniels, and after that I started coming every year. My first high-goal opportunity came in 2015 when I played the 20-goal season with Villa del Lago. Then the following year, I went on to play 26-goal polo with Orchard Hill and we won the 2016 U.S. Open Polo Championship. How did Willow come to be in your string? Julian: I played Willow my first year with CocaCola in 2017. Then in 2019, when I played with them again I decided I wanted to buy her because she was one of the best horses in my string. I asked Gillian [Johnston] if I could buy Willow and since she was not playing her, she sold the mare to me. What is Willow’s greatest strength on the field? Julian: Her mouth is unbelievable, you can stop her in two meters [just over six feet]. She’s not the fastest horse but her mouth is amazing and she’s a machine! Overall, she’s a really nice horse, very comfortable to sit on, a good size for polo, and it’s easy to train and work with her. Brendon: The thing that stuck out to me the most about Willow as a young horse was her mouth. She
10 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Does her age effect her when you bring her out in the season? Julian: I help her out a little bit by not playing her at the beginning of the season. I typically save her for the USPA Gold Cup and U.S. Open Polo Championship, but last year we couldn’t play the full season because of COVID-19. This year I decided to start her early and play all three tournaments of the Gauntlet of Polo, but normally I save her for the last tournament. What’s her personality like on the field versus at home? Julian: She gets a little nervous like any of the other horses on the pony line because she knows that she’s about to play, but she doesn’t change too much. She is a little lazy when going on a set, but she gets along with the other horses and is no problem at all. What are your plans for her after the season concludes and in the future? Julian: After the Florida season, she’s going to Bendabout Farm in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and she’ll rest all year until next season. I’ve only played her in the states, but my idea is to take her to Argentina hopefully next year. I would like to play her one or two years there and then retire her as a broodmare. Before Gillian sold Willow to me she took one embryo and used Hilario Ulloa’s Mesquite as the stud so she does have one baby. Willow’s daughter is named Virginia and she is a 2019 chestnut filly. Look out for Willow competing for Coca-Cola in the U.S. Open Polo Championship, the final event of the Gauntlet of Polo. All Gauntlet of Polo games will be livestreamed on Global Polo TV. •
DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS.COM
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Julian De Lusarreta and Willow
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 11
INSTRUCTORS FORUM
Polo Chameleons Positions and responsibilities constantly change By Rege Ludwig
A relatively common misconception within the world of polo is that the number on your shirt is the position you should be in. As an absolute, nothing could be further from the truth. The game of polo
Correct Position / Wrong Number
12 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
is a team sport, and as such, each player must be ready to adjust positions relative to where their teammates are positioned at any given moment. Because the direction, speed and intensity of the
INSTRUCTORS FORUM
game is constantly changing, it does not make sense that any player can stay in an assigned position throughout the game. The fact of the matter is, the players of a team are constantly changing positions either intentionally and inadvertently. A common causative factor for a player having changed position is that he or she has been passed by a teammate. When that happens, each affected teammate should develop a slightly different style of playing that will accommodate the new position. Being in a different position does not mean you are out of position. It means you are attending to the responsibilities of the new position you are in at that moment. And, if you are passed again by another teammate, you are, again, in a different position and should be attending to the responsibilities of that different position. To know what position you are in at any given moment, use the counting method for determining that. To use the counting method effectively you must know two things: 1. What mode of play is your team in at the moment—offensive or defensive? 2. How many teammates are in front of you at that moment? For example, if your team is playing in the defensive mode, and there are two teammates in front of you, you are in the defensive No. 2 position. If, however, your team is playing in the offensive mode, and there are two teammates in front of you, you are in the No. 3 offensive position. A critical factor of playing really well is to know what position you are in at any given moment, and fulfilling the responsibilities of that position while you are in it. (See diagram, opposite page). Relative to fulfilling the responsibility of any positions, be aware that each position has an offensive and a defensive responsibility associated with it and those responsibilities should be responded to differently. For instance, when in the offensive mode, try to get away from the opposing player to become a viable option for a pass of the ball. Contrastingly, when your team is playing in the defensive mode, be as close as possible to the opposing player to decrease his chances of becoming a viable option for receiving a pass. Position No. 1 Contrary to popular belief, the major objective of the No. 1 is not to score goals. It is more to nullify the opposing back’s efforts of preventing your team from scoring.
Defense As a defensive No. 1, you are the last player of your team following the play down field. As such, be constantly aware of where the opposing back is, keeping in mind it is not necessarily the player with a No. 4 (No. 3 in the arena) on the shirt. Be aware of when your team is about to go on the offensive. Under those conditions, do a final check as to where the opposing Back is relative to where you think your teammate will be hitting the ball. You might have to make one last defensive maneuver to keep the opposing back from getting to that area of the field first. Once you have made sure the opposing back cannot get to where the ball will be going, your job is to get away from the opposing player to become a viable target of a pass. Offense You are the player leading the offensive drive to goal. Under that circumstance your primary objective is to keep the path of the ball to goal as unobstructed as possible within the area of the field that you are responsible for. To accomplish that, focus on the opposing back so as to not allow that player to get anywhere near where the ball will be going. Keep in mind that any time the opposing back hits the ball within your area of the field, you screwed up, big time! Position No. 2 The No. 2 is the workhorse of the team and as such, should be directly involved in most plays the team executes. The No. 2 goes to the opposing player aggressively under defensive circumstances, and leaving equally aggressively under offensive circumstances. The No. 2 should always be pushing, leaving no time to relax when the play is active. I remember telling a client many years ago that the most beneficial thing a No. 2 can do is to go as hard as possible throughout the game. The No. 2 must be unrelenting in the pursuit of the opposing player, so much so that the opposing player is wondering from what possible direction you can hit them from next (maybe down from the sky or up from the ground). My friend did that in his next game, and claims he had the game of his life. Defense When playing No. 2 defensively, your main job is (continued on page 56) POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 13
ASK AN UMPIRE
Listen up Don’t ignore signs something is not quite right By Dana Fortugno
I am going to make a departure from my usual rules chat to share a personal health scare I recently experienced. At 51 years old, I have had the pleasure of meeting many polo players and also many civilians (non-polo folk). I always had my polo acquaintances growing up but I also hung out with many non-polo friends as well. I even married a non-polo person. I have noticed a difference over the years between these two groups. Polo players think they are invincible. Like most polo players, I tend to ignore subtle signs from my body that something may be wrong. Instead, I self-diagnose, trying to come up with a reason why things may not feel just right. Growing up, my family members never let an injury, no matter how serious, stand in the way of playing polo. In the mid-1980s, the combined ratings of my dad, brothers Gene and Paul and I totaled 12 goals. It was
Dana started feeling tightness in his chest when he was out running. Healthy and fit, he figured it was probably nothing.
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the perfect combination to compete in a 12-goal tournament. It just so happened there was a 12-goal Father & Son Tournament. It was a rare event that we would fit the rating to play as a family. Unfortunately, my father broke his right arm a couple of weeks before the first game. But, like most polo players, he thought he was invincible. He wasn’t going to let a broken arm stop him from playing in the tournament. He had the horse vet cut his cast down so he could hold a mallet. My brothers thought they were just as invincible. Another time, one of my brothers hurt his back. The doctor told him to rest for five weeks, then follow his pain level before resuming physical activity. The solution in our house was instead of following his doctor’s advice, he took a painkiller and used a tight back brace so he wouldn’t miss a 22-goal game we were scheduled to play in. These memories are abundant in my family and the stories of polo players defying their doctors’ orders or self-treating are endless. Why is that? My theory is polo players can do something that most people cannot—ride a horse while hitting a small ball at speed and using strategy. It’s really amazing but does that mean we are better than the others? Of course, we are! Also, playing a polo game is often painful in some way (you get a bit in the back, sores inside your knees and so on). We learn to live with a certain amount of pain, knowing it will pass in a few days or so, but we’re going to keep playing anyway. Are we really better than other humans or did we just learn and train until we could play polo? You decide. I know my answer and I found it out the hard way. I don’t play anymore but for the last 25 years I have run 3 to 5 miles most mornings and work out at a gym for an hour or more on most days. Additionally, I eat healthy and keep my weight in a very healthy range. Of course, I’m not like other humans, eating fast food and sitting around allowing myself to get out of shape. Not me—I was as fit as I could get and loved it. All true and I am proud of it.
ASK AN UMPIRE
Dana was in surgery 24 hours after being diagnosed.
Now for the part I’m not so proud of. You need to hear this, even if it’s shameful for me. A year ago, I began to experience mild chest pain during my morning runs. My first thought was gas, my second thought was anxiety as my mom has just passed the week before and my third thought was, who cares. I’m tough, I’ll just run through it. Like I had learned to do growing up, I took option three and pushed myself through the sensation. It got worse as the months passed. Rather than going to a doctor, my solution was to talk to other polo players and get their support that it’s nothing, maybe exercise-induced asthma or maybe I had Covid-19, didn’t know it and it was long-term damage. I was just guessing. My advisers were not doctors but who needs a doctor anyway? I didn’t want a doctor telling me not to do what I wanted to do. I bought an over-the-counter inhaler called Primatene Mist with its active ingredient basically pure adrenaline. I didn’t read the packaging, I just sucked it in and ran. It was indescribably uncomfortable, yet I kept doing it for about a week. Then I began having some real pain during my runs and a little bit during the day as well. Finally, after about nine months of this my wife made me see a doctor, a cardiologist. He did some tests, and you could say it wasn’t great. I had almost a complete blockage of my major blood vessels that service my heart. I would need open-heart surgery right away. When the doctor told me I needed a quadruple bypass, I told him he must be mistaken. He had the
wrong guy. It couldn’t be me for many reasons and I gave him my reasons. I was sure something like this couldn’t happen to someone who was fit and healthy. He told me it was mostly my genetics. I was in surgery less than 24 hours later. I was scared, upset and shocked. I was also lucky that I never had the heart attack most people do in my condition. My doctor calls me his ‘miracle patient’ because I should have died of a massive heart attack months ago. Lucky me. The surgery went well. The recovery is still going well. I have a reasonable shot at a normal life span now. I can’t tell you how happy I am to be alive and to have caught this in time. This time, I will follow my doctor’s advice. Why am I telling you all this—to further my embarrassment? Nope, not at all. In fact, I prefer to be private about these matters. I’m sharing this story with the hope that after reading this you will go see your doctor if you have
Dana is recovering well after open-heart surgery.
any kind of symptoms that are unusual for you. Do not ignore it! I’m sorry to tell you this, but polo players are not as tough as they think they are. No one is, not even Navy Seals (they just don’t mind dying as much as the rest of us is my guess). Be smart (unlike me) and pay attention to your body. No one knows what’s happening inside their body unless they get it checked out. Please. • POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 15
E Q U I N E AT H L E T E
Off feed Reasons vary why horses sometimes stop eating By Heather Smith Thomas
Now and then a horse suddenly stops eating, doesn’t clean up his last feeding, or just picks at his food. There can be various reasons why horses go “off feed” so it’s important to find out what’s wrong, in case it is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. Reasons for anorexia Dr. Kathleen Crandell, Equine Nutritionist, Kentucky Equine Research, says there are many things that might make a horse stop eating. “It could be something that affects the horse’s ability to taste or smell, or decrease his ability to chew, or to digest food,” she says. A horse that is moderately constipated/impacted may not feel like eating much, even though he is not showing signs of colic. “Horses might stop eating if they are in pain, stressed or nervous. If something has changed in their circumstances or environment they may not be interested in eating. This might happen if they lose a stablemate or have moved to a new location and are not happy in their new environment, or don’t like their stablemate. Mental stress can affect appetite,” she says. Pain can be an appetite suppressant. The horse is more focused on the discomfort than wanting to eat. “Dental issues, gum disease, tooth loss, etc. could be a factor, if it hurts to chew. Ulcers in the mouth can also be painful,” says Crandell. If you watch the horse try to eat, you might be able to tell that there’s a problem. “Inflammation or abrasions in the esophagus can make it uncomfortable to swallow. Horses that have choked might have residual damage in the throat (irritation, swelling or even some permanent scarring) that makes it hard for them to swallow,” she explains. Certain neurologic diseases like rabies and tetanus (lockjaw) impair the muscles of the head and throat and inhibit swallowing, and the horse is unable to eat. Lack of appetite can be associated with disease or fever. Some disease conditions will have other obvious signs; the horse may be dull instead of alert, or reluctant to move, or coughing, or have a runny nose. But the first thing you might notice is that he 16 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
didn’t clean up the last feeding, or isn’t interested in the feed you are currently giving him. “Horses with diarrhea may not have much appetite. There are also certain illnesses like liver disease, kidney disease, etc. that cause suppression of appetite,” she says. Overwork can also cause a horse to lose interest in eating. “As a horse gets fitter and fitter he may not want to eat as much. Lack of appetite can be due to over-training, and we see this fairly often in endurance horses, or any sport where horses are worked hard,” Crandell says. Anorexia can be due to physical causes, mental causes, etc. but sometimes refusal to eat is due to the food itself. It might smell different or have a different taste or texture. A flake of hay might be moldy or have a small animal baled up in it. Hay might contain foxtail awns, cheat grass seeds, or other sharp seed heads that poke the mouth. If they get embedded in the tissues they might make the mouth sore or create a painful abscess. “Grain may be refused if it is old, stale, moldy or contaminated. Some horses are picky and don’t want to eat it if there is too much fat or salt added--if you added a fat supplement, salt or electrolytes, for instance.” If you added anything to the feed, like a supplement, the horse may not eat it. Adding anything to the grain may “turn off” a fussy horse. He may not clean it up, or might not eat any of it. “If you feed too much grain and not enough forage, this can also affect a horse’s appetite because the excess grain can cause a pH imbalance in the hind gut and too much acidity,” Crandall says. Grain meals that are too large may also satiate a horse and he won’t eat all of it. Some horses are fussier than others and may refuse certain feeds that others will eat. “Normally horses have a good appetite, however, if it’s something they like. If a horse stops eating or gets picky in situations you would not expect, there is something wrong.” Even with a picky horse, you generally know what he does and doesn’t like and if he stops eating the things he likes, you know there’s something wrong. “Appetite regulation is controlled by hormones in the body. There is a neural component. There are also certain nutrient signals, and sometimes some
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seasonal effects. When there is abundance of food in summer and fall the horse tends to eat as much as he can, to be prepared for the coming winter when there might be a lack of food. Then the body becomes more efficient in winter to try to make it through the leaner times when there might not be as many calories available. In cold weather, however, horses crave more roughage because fermentation of fiber in the hindgut helps keep them warm.” If a horse goes off feed when he normally should want to eat a lot, this is definitely a sign of some kind of problem. What to do If a horse isn’t eating well, and you suspect a physical problem or illness, consult your veterinarian and get help with diagnosis. Once your vet figures out what is wrong, a specific treatment may be needed. Then the next step is to try to encourage the horse to eat. “Green grass is often the best feed to tempt him. Horses rarely refuse green grass unless they are sick. If the horse is refusing to eat the grass hay or any hay that he normally eats, you might try tempting him with some alfalfa hay or peanut hay because these are things that horses really like. You can offer a different type (or better quality) of grass hay. If the horse has been eating stemmy timothy, try a soft orchardgrass or something finer and more palatable,” Crandell suggests. Fine, high-quality alfalfa is also relished by most horses. “With grain, you could offer smaller meals instead of large meals, fed more frequently so the horse isn’t overwhelmed with so much food at once. He might clean it up better. Usually we recommend not making abrupt changes in feed, but if the horse isn’t eating, you have to try something else. You might need to give something different one day, and something else the next, just to see if you can tempt them to eat.” Feeding behavior may need to be addressed. “If there are several horses in a group and the dominant one pushes a timid one away, sometimes that timid one will just give up and not even try to come to the feed. If this is the problem, you may have to remove that horse and feed him separately,” Crandell says. He may need to be moved temporarily into a different pen where he is still near his buddies so he doesn’t feel isolated, but he can safely eat without fear of being chased away. “Being herd animals, the flip side is also a factor in horse’s eating behavior, and you can use their group mentality to advantage when trying to tempt a horse to eat. If one is eating, they all want to eat; if
one is grazing, they all tend to start grazing,” says Crandell. They mimic herdmates because that’s the safe thing to do, as a herd. You can make sure the horse has company, with the other horses around him providing an example—eating their meal. Horses are social eaters. “If a horse is off feed, the old traditional bran mash is a good thing to try, because this is something horses tend to enjoy eating. Soaking bran in hot water and letting it cool to a comfortable temperature is generally the best way to feed it, and you can also add molasses, corn syrup, honey, chopped up carrots or apples, applesauce, or apple juice—whatever your horse might like. Sometimes a little bit of apple cider vinegar added to the grain will stimulate appetite,” she says. “Horses tend to like molasses, so sweet feeds might be eaten more readily than a pelleted feed and might perk the appetite a little. Adding molasses to whatever they generally eat might also help,” says Crandell. Certain supplements may also stimulate appetite. “The B vitamins can help, especially thiamine and niacin, and B12. A supplement containing B vitamin complex might be beneficial for the horse with suppressed appetite. Brewer’s yeast is high in B vitamins. Probiotics and prebiotics are another option, especially if the problem is hindgut imbalance,” she says. “If the horse has ulcers or is prone to ulcers, medications like omeprazole may help, or even an over-the-counter stomach buffer. If the problem is in the hindgut there are also some hindgut buffers that might help. In some situations your vet might prescribe an appetite-stimulating drug like benzodiazepine (used in human medicine as tranquilizers or anti-anxiety medications),” she says. If the problem is over-training or overwork, the solution is to give the horse some time off from work and then gradually get him back into training again. It might be the horse is overtired from one hard day and is off his feed the next day and then bounces back, or it may be a cumulative thing after a season or training period of hard work—peaking at a high level of fitness and then going too far beyond it. The main thing is to pay attention to your horse and try to figure out why he is not eating. •
Consult your veterinarian for a diagnosis when your horse won’t eat. After, try a better quality hay, like alfalfa, or green grass to help stimulate the appetite.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 17
POLO SCENE
N E W S • NO T E S • T R E N D S • Q U O T E S
ALL WITH HEADPEDRO Family continues to Subhead ask for prayers for young son
EDUARDO HEGUY’S son suffered a serious fall while playing in La Pampa in early February and had to undergo surgery after fracturing his skull. His condition is delicate, but the evolution has been good. As usually happens in the summers of Intendente Alvear, a town located about 180 kilometers from Santa Rosa, capital of the province of La Pampa, a small family polo tournament was taking place between the Heguys and some friends. The second match was being played at the Chapaleufú Club when suddenly 11-year-old Pedro Heguy went to the ground without being able to get his feet out of the stirrups to get away from the horse, which is what is sought in these situations. His head hit the ground hard. He was initially taken to the Hospital Reumann Enz before being transferred to the Molas de Santa Rosa health center. His accident took center stage with the logical concern of knowing about his condition. Pedro is the son of former 10-goaler Eduardo “Ruso” Heguy and grandson of Alberto Pedro Heguy, two illustrious names in Argentine sports. The young player suffered a double fracture at the base of his skull and underwent surgery to decompress hematomas caused by the impact. He was kept in a medicallyinduced coma in intensive care until he was finally airlifted to the Hospital Austral, in the town of Pilar in the province of Buenos Aires, where he continues with his rehabilitation and is subjected to daily monitoring. Meanwhile, through social networks, prayer chains continue to be called, a contribution that has gone viral and has been bringing a lot of energy to the family. Ruso Heguy himself has recognized it in several videos that he uploads to his Instagram and Twitter accounts, always with the message, “Keep praying, it gives us a lot of strength.” On more than one occasion, he has been moved by the massive support he received along with his wife, Paz Manau, and the rest of one of the most emblematic families of Argentine polo. “We are very grateful for all the energy that you’ve sent us. There Pedrito Heguy are millions of messages and it is impossible to answer them all, but we are eternally grateful. Paz and I are optimistic, we know it is a long process, but soon we will have him awake,” said Ruso Heguy. This bad moment the Heguy family is going through comes a month after Alberto Pedro Heguy celebrated his 80th birthday at the Anay Rucá ranch, which belonged to Don Antonio Heguy (Pedrito’s great-grandfather), with most of the family, including his four children (Ruso, Alberto Jr., Ignacio and Tomás) and 11 of his 13 grandchildren, among them Pedrito. Alberto Pedro was champion of the Argentine Open 17 times and was a member of the mythical team of Coronel Suárez together with his brother Horacio Antonio and with Juancarlitos and Alfredo Harriott. On the other hand, Eduardo Heguy was quadruple champion of the Palermo Open with Indios Chapaleufú II, together with his brothers Alberto Jr. and Ignacio, and holds the record for participation in the event with 31. In recent times, he was coach of the Las Monjitas and RS Murus Sanctus teams. The polo world is with Pedrito and confident in his full and speedy recovery. —Lucas Noel
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POLO SCENE
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EHV-1 Monitor horses for clinical signs of disease
EQUINE HERPESVIRUS (EHV-1) outbreaks around the country and in Europe have everyone on high alert to prevent the chance of even more widespread exposure. As of March 10, there were confirmed cases in Florida, California, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Michigan, Washington and Canada. According to the American Association of Equine Practioner’s Equine Disease Communication Center on Facebook, “Although there is no evidence the EHV-1 outbreak in Europe is linked to the cases in Florida, because horses from Europe are commonly imported into the United States, horse owners should increase monitoring of any horses that have recently traveled ... or were exposed to horses that have traveled.” EHV-1 is spread from horse to horse through contact with nasal discharge or spread as aerosol droplets. Horses can also contract the virus by coming into contact with contaminated surfaces such as stalls, water, feed, tack, trailers, grooms, etc. The AAEP recommends monitoring horses for clinical signs and taking temperatures daily if horses have attended an event in an area with infections. Immediately isolate any horse showing clinical signs; handle and treat infected horses last. Contact your veterinarian to come up with a plan and establish communication with all parties involved. Increase biosecurity measures. Minimize the use of shared equipment (brushes, buckets) and tack to avoid cross-contamination. Make sure your horses are up to date on vaccinations. Implement movement restrictions if needed. For up-to-date information on specific areas, go to equinediseasecc.org.
SOUTHWEST CIRCUIT AWARDS Congratulations to two worthy recipients
TWO INDIVIDUALS were recently released recognized in the Southwest Circuit. Ignacio “Nacho’ Estrada received the 2020 USPA Southwest Circuit and I/I Central Region Sportsmanship Award. Nacho participated in polo events all over the circuit and beyond, always with a smile on his face and willing to lend a hand. His Legends Polo Club not only hosts the Texas Arena League but also USPA intercollegiate and interscholastic polo events and the National Arena Amateur Cup. All this in addition to the polo school he runs. Dr. Stephanie Massey Colburn received the 2020 USPA Southwest Circuit Clint Nangle Equine Welfare Award. A veterinarian, Stephanie has been promoting the welfare of horses not only through her practice but also through her personal horsemanship. Her mare Rocket has gained notoriety around the country as an amazing and well-cared-for “mature” OTTB polo horse. • Karl Hilberg with Nacho Astrada
Karl Hilberg congratulates Dr. Stephanie Massey Colburn. POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 19
P O L O D E V E L O P M E N T, L L C
Next chapter Dutta prepared for season with training and new horses By Hayley Heatley • Photos by David Lominska/Polographics
Timmy Dutta, currently holding a 4-goal handicap, continues to learn the high-goal ropes while competing in this year’s Gauntlet of Polo held
at International Polo Club in Wellington, Florida. As a member of the Aspen/Dutta Corp team, Dutta plays alongside USPA Chairman Stewart Armstrong, Gringo Colombres and Lucas Diaz Alberdi. Dutta began this season playing the Butler Handicap 18-goal tournament at Port Mayaca and an 8-goal tournament with his dad, Tim Dutta. The father-andson duo call Port Mayaca Polo Club home. Dutta enjoys the atmosphere and ability to play on a consistent basis at the club. “I am proud to call Port Mayaca my home club. There is polo every day and the club is going in a fantastic direction,” he said. Coming in to the season Dutta knew the trio of tournaments in the Gauntlet— the C.V. Whitney, Gold Cup and U.S. Open Championship—would require him to be at the top of his game. Dutta’s preparation included a three-month stint working with 16-time U.S. Open Championship winner Memo Gracida in Mexico after a season in Kentucky. “Memo helped me get in the right mindset to play the Open. After Mexico, I went to California with him and managed the barn and played at his ranch. It helped me get a good foothold in the barn and prepared me for running a barn to play the Open. It is the next chapter in my education. To win games, you have to win them before you enter the field. The first step is in the barn,” he explained. Dutta hopes to capitalize on the success he and teammates Diaz Alberdi and Columbres experienced in 2019. The three players executed a winning strategy, Dutta trained with bringing home titles in the Herbie Memo Gracida to learn Pennell, Joe Barry and Ylvisaker Cups. to win games before Former 7-goal player Stewart Armstrong entering the field. adds experience and discipline to the mix for this year’s 22-goal season.
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P O L O D E V E L O P M E N T, L L C
Finding the right horses has been crucial in Dutta’s improvement as a player. His preference for Thoroughbreds with heart and power is evident on the field. Dutta says to keep an eye out for his two standout horses this season. “Watch for Diamante and Mr Musty. I usually play Diamante in the second and sixth chukkers. She is a 9-year-old Thoroughbred mare. Mr. Musty is another special horse. He is a palomino and really stands out on the field,” he said. Sired by Open Sunset and out of Martina, Mr. Musty has been a staple in Dutta’s string. “Mr. Musty will bulldoze through the pack. He does not shy away once you make contact with
another player. He’s a complete horse, he has the heart, power and speed,” he continued. Joining the string this year are Rosie, a 6-yearold from Texas and Cece, a 7-year-old from Argentina. Dutta continues to focus on improving his string to give him the most playing opportunities. Dutta has some advice for young players. “Never give up on your dreams, even if they seem too big. Work ethic is very important. Show the world you want it and karma will hopefully give it to you. Polo is a challenging industry. It can put you down sometimes, but you have to come back even stronger,” he said. •
Dutta reaches to hook Facundo Pieres in last year’s Gauntlet of Polo. POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 21
I N T E R C O L L E G I AT E I N T E R S C H O L A S T I C
Adjustments I/I program modifications help teams through pandemic By Cindy Halle, I/I Tournaments & Regular Season Committee Chair
Interscholastic students at Garrison Forest in Maryland stayed active with some cross training.
“Think outside the box”, “Be creative”, “Let’s make lemonade out of lemons” are all phrases the staff and leadership of the Intercollegiate/ Interscholastic program have been saying at nearly every one of their weekly meetings. This year has seen challenges due to the pandemic that have necessitated creative and new solutions to keep the I/I clubs and teams viable and as active as possible. Assistance began in the summer with staff jumping in to help with the USPA Equine Welfare Relief Program. I/I clubs were eligible to apply for support to help cover their horses’ feed costs. In the fall, members of the different I/I committees discussed topics typically out of their scope, but the pandemic brought new challenges sharply into focus: restructuring tournaments and games to make them COVID safe, creating an online way for the colleges to compete and helping clubs with lowcontact fundraising. Although limitations on competing were placed on most of the college teams by their institutions, the interscholastic division saw
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record numbers of participation this year with 53 teams planning to compete in the tournament season. The amount of club participation alone was astounding compared to last year with six more teams planning to compete; three of them from clubs that had never fielded interscholastic teams before. The Middle School League also allowed for 69 individual players to compete in 11 tournaments across the county last fall. To make paperwork less complicated for IS teams to compete, necessary forms were pared down to a minimum and deadlines were pushed back to give teams more time to contact their school officials in order to have documents signed. The minimum game requirement for tournament qualification was waived, although games were encouraged if they could be played safely. The option to not use split strings for games in order to reduce contact points between teams was also introduced for regular season games. The requirements to earn a varsity letter were altered to allow players to still earn the award in the event state and local restrictions didn’t allow them to compete in games. “Ask the Expert” and rules reviews were scheduled through Zoom to encourage interaction out of the saddle. Staff helped suggest and promote new fundraising ideas for clubs, and coaches did their best to keep kids engaged, practicing and competing. The I/I Committee opted to play more tournaments with fewer teams playing at each one, while trying to make them as local as possible to the teams competing. Further, game times were spread out throughout the day to reduce extra contact between players and officials. Unfortunately, most of the colleges and universities had playing and travel restrictions put on their clubs and teams, leaving only a handful of teams able to compete this year. The I/I Committee had to make the very tough decision to cancel this year’s intercollegiate season due to the lack of team availability. In the event that restrictions are loosened or lifted this spring, college teams do have the ability to host club- or circuit-level tournaments, which I/I will be able to support. Staff has still been checking in with IC programs frequently to assess their
I N T E R C O L L E G I AT E I N T E R S C H O L A S T I C
abilities to move forward through the pandemic and is working with teams to make sure their ponies are being cared for. Even with many clubs not having the ability to travel or host other teams, some programs have been able to at least practice and keep their ponies up, while others have turned out or returned loaned ponies. Still additional programs are utilizing the ponies for club and interscholastic teams. A creative and fun way to keep the intercollegiate teams engaged has been the brainchild of I/I Director Amy Fraser, who created a “Virtual Tournament of Champions,” which is loosely based off Harry Potter’s Tri-Wizard tournament. It is an online competition between teams to test rules knowledge, polo skills and team spirit. Teams compete regionally in three tasks, including a live Zoom Quiz Bowl, a foot mallet Tiki Tiki Challenge and a live Foot Mallet Penalty Shootout. Regional points are awarded for team standings after each task and bonus points can be earned through social media posts and engagement goals. There are participation awards and prizes for each task as well as regional awards. The winner of each region will advance to the National Level Tournament, which will be another set of three tasks. It has been fun watching the teams compete through this platform and see the team spirit alive and well in these students and IC programs. Another new initiative is slanted towards keeping our I/I alumni connected on LinkedIn. Ali Davidge and the I/I Alumni Engagement Committee have launched the “Polo Alumni Network” in an effort to reach out to former players with the goal of facilitating professional connections and opening up a forum to share and help fellow alumni within the sport. Clubs, players, coaches and alumni are encouraged to use the platform to share current program information, post job opportunities within the sport, facilitate horse and equipment donations and try and build an evolving network of polo enthusiasts. The interscholastic season was advancing into the tournaments with only a few hiccups when the COVID-19 case surge came in January, bringing with it a barrage of state and local restrictions on youth sports, competitions and especially tournaments. The I/I staff has been monitoring all of the state and local situations, which seem to change almost daily. I/I Tournament Director Emily Dewey has become quite the COVID restrictions expert! Taking all of this into account, we are optimistic I/I teams will still be able to compete against each other in some way, shape or form in order to progress towards a National Interscholastic
Tournament in both the Open and Girls’ Divisions. Keeping all of our I/I programs and teams viable this year will serve everyone well moving forward into the next season. We look forward to having the pandemic behind us and returning to a more normal I/I season in ’21-’22, especially for our intercollegiate teams. We appreciate all of the many volunteers who comprise the three I/I sub-committees and lend their ideas and energy to supporting our players and programs. We all firmly believe the I/I program is an integral building block to create and train USPA players who are well versed in sportsmanship and horsemanship, and who love the game of polo and want to continue to play in their adult life. •
Amy Fraser kept collegiate teams engaged with a Virtual Tournament of Champions, including a live Zoom Quiz Bowl.
Michigan States shows some team spirit during the Southeastern Regional Quiz Bowl.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 23
Online gallery features the next masterpieces Polo photographer Katrina Morgan recently launched an online gallery, katerinamorgan.art, dedicated to modern polo and equestrian art. Last year, Morgan transformed her high-goal polo photographs into beautiful Italian-made silk scarves, which she sells on her website katerinamorgan.shop. After the global pandemic hit, she added fashionable polo face masks. But she wanted to do more. Morgan began her career working for Brazilian polo player Jose Eduardo Kalil and his Sao Jose polo team. That led to her photographing the best polo tournaments at the most important clubs in Argentina over 10 years ago. She went on to cover Canadian polo player Frederick Mannix and his Alegria team in the Argentine Triple Crown. “It was an unforgettable time,” she said. “Most recently, I have had the honor of working for the
Katerina Morgan wears a silk scarf inspired by her polo photographs.
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Royal Brunei Polo Team. I am very grateful to all of my clients and friends. [The opportunities] completely changed my life and got me involved in this fantastic polo world.” Morgan has never played polo, but learned polo photography can be just as addictive. “Polo is a very fast and surprising sport. It requires fast reactions. I observe a lot of horse and player movements,” she explained. “Even after years of experience and thousands of hours passed on the polo fields, I still get surprised with the action captured by my photos and incredible moments that happen in the match. It is one of the reasons why I love this amazing sport.” Morgan also always loved art and enjoyed visiting the best museums in places such as New York City, London, Paris and Madrid. These visits inspired her to study different themes with art. Over the last decade she has taken drawing classes and completed various other art-related courses. Most recently, she completed, with distinction, an Art Business Certificate through Christie’s London. The online gallery allowed her to combine her two loves. Morgan currently represents 20 international artists, including the Russian-born Alexey Klimenko, who painted our cover art. Klimenko began a career in IT and telecommunications before devoting his life to fine art. He uses a special oil technique, imitating a slightly coarse and worn surface on canvas. After moving to France, his artwork has been exhibited several times. “Horses have always been great companions to man. Throughout history, these noble and elegant animals highlighted their owner’s class status and power,” Morgan explained. “I want to keep this tradition by offering interior horse images, but in a contemporary style. Clients can appreciate equestrian masterpieces from a new generation of artists.” Morgan is always looking for new talent, but only considers works from full-time equestrian artists who have their own unique styles. They also have to have an education in art and their works have to have been exhibited in the past.
Her own work is not included in the gallery, however she allows some of the artists she represents to use her polo photos as inspiration for their art. Her experience with photography has also been useful for showcasing each artist’s work. “It is very important to have great images. When purchasing art online, buyers can’t appreciate the artwork the same way they do seeing it in person. The images have to present the artwork with as much detail as possible,” she explained. Her online gallery now includes over 200 works of art, valued at about $1 million. The artists also work with commission orders, and have the capacity to create drawings and paintings as well as exclusive
projects, such as monumental bronze sculptures and wall murals for hotels, offices or even private residences. “These artists have worked their whole lives, studying and dedicating a lot of time to expositions,” Morgan said. “It is very important to help connect exceptionally talented people with collectors and art lovers. Of course, it is prestigious to have paintings and sculptures of old masters from past centuries, but living contemporary and talented artists need to support themselves so they can create new masterpieces. I admire those who dedicate their lives to creating amazing new works and I want to help them as much as I can.”
Ayala Polo Club Salvador Fernandez Oliva, bronze sculpture, 2020 “This artwork was inspired by Katerina Morgan’s polo photographs,” Olivia said. “I have followed her photography for a long time and love the expressions and essentials she catches from this amazing sport.”
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Focus Yutao Ge, oil on canvas, 2021 This work was inspired by polo during the Han Dynasty, which developed strongly under the Tang Dynasty. Its movements are elegant, chic and intense. “Using Cubist expression techniques makes the image full of vitality, a performance showing people chasing the fluid lifestyle,” said Morgan. “The artist used the combination and contrast of the Han Dynasty horse model and the Trojan horse to increase interest.”
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Powerful Shot Luci Maclaren, oil on linen, 2020 This work is based off one of Katerina Morgan’s photos of Juan Jauretche competing in the Argentine Open in Palermo.
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Tactics Robert Hettich The German-based Hettich is deeply fascinated by the sport of polo. Its explosive power in movement sequences and dynamic swiftness match his expressionist painting style. He has always occupied himself with horses and landscapes throughout his career, which has included numerous exhibitions. “Robert seems to indulge in a certain representational fury and expository rapture, which enables him to incorporate the animals’ impetuous energy during the painting process,” said Morgan.
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Accumulation of Power Tianyin Wang charcoal on paper, 2021 This work was inspired by one of Katerina Morgan’s polo photographs from the Argentine Open in Palermo.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 29
A Leg Up Park Place squeaks out C.V. Whitney Cup win
DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS.COM
By Gwen Rizzo
Jack Whitman, 16, scores the golden goal in his first high-goal tournament.
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The first leg of the Gauntlet of Polo went to Park Place, as it handed Scone its first loss of the season in an exciting overtime final of the C.V. Whitney Cup on March 7, at International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington, Florida. The tournament got underway on Feb. 17 with nine teams divided into three brackets. The teams played within their bracket, and after bracket play, teams were ranked one through nine with the topranked team advancing to the semifinals. The remaining eight teams played one more game with the top three teams moving on to the semifinal. Incidentally, defending champion Las Monjitas did not enter this year. Pilot, which was unstoppable on its way to champion of the inaugural Gauntlet of Polo in 2019, was eliminated in the semifinal last year. This year, it couldn’t seem to get started as it fell to Tonkawa twice, once during bracket play and again in third-round action, knocking it out of contention. Tonkawa, on the other hand, played well but was eliminated in a shootout to determine ranking. La Indiana and Scone were the only teams to win both bracket games. La Indiana won a shootout between the teams, putting it into the semifinal. Scone played a third game, defeating Aspen/Dutta Corp., 12-9, to earn its spot in the semis. A shootout between the other winners of the third-round games (Coke, Tonkawa and Park Place) was held with Coke and Park Place earning the remaining two semi-final spots. In the first semifinal, Coca Cola faced Park Place. After a slow start, Park Place got rolling, doubling up Coca Cola to end the second (4-2) and the third (6-3). It scored another six goals in the next two chukkers while Coca Cola was held to a pair of Penalty 3s. Coca Cola rallied in the final chukker,
Ulloa sent straight through the posts. Gonzalez put Scone on the board but Whitman answered right back. Gonzalez struck again, ending the first, 2-2. The teams battled back and forth in the second. Ulloa missed a Penalty 4 attempt halfway through the chukker. Then Adolfo Cambiaso made a nice run to goal with Britos nipping at his heels. A last push by Adolfo looked like a sure goal, but Britos caught up to the ball and backed it out. Poroto was there to send it through the goal for a 3-2 lead. The third was more back and forth, with both teams dealing with a heavily pitted field, making clean hits difficult. With just under three minutes gone, Scone was awarded a Penalty 4, which Adolfo capitalized on for a two-goal advantage. A minute
They faced Scone’s David Paradice, father-and-son duo Adolfo and Poroto Cambiaso and Peke Gonzalez. The scoring began about four minutes into the first when a Scone player unintentionally ran into Ulloa. Park Place was awarded a Penalty 4, which
later, Adolfo was unable to convert another Penalty 4. Soon after Coppola carried the ball downfield before leaving it for Ulloa, who found the goal with a deep neck shot. Coppola came out of the throw-in with the ball and made a long shot to goal, but it went wide. With the momentum on Park Place’s
GLOBAL POLO ENTERTAINMENT
outscoring Park Place 4-1, but it was too little, too late. Park Place advanced 13-9. In the next semifinal, Scone met La Indiana, with both teams undefeated up to that point. Scone jumped out to an early two-goal lead, increasing it to three (7-4) at the half. It had more than doubled La Indiana in the next two periods, leading 13-6 going into the last chukker. La Indiana picked up two goals in the last seven minutes but it wasn’t enough and Scone advanced on the 13-8 score. The highly-anticipated final was held four days later. Sixteen-year-old Jack Whitman was in the saddle for Park Place patron Andrey Borodin, as he had been throughout the tournament. Behind him was Juan Britos, Hilario Ulloa and Matt Coppola.
Juan Britos reaches out to stop Poroto Cambiaso. Hilario Ulloa and Peke Gonzalez follow close behind.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 31
Park Place’s Jack Whitman, Juan Britos, Hilario Ulloa and Matt Coppola DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS.COM
side, Ulloa ran to goal. He was being ridden hard by a persistent Gonzalez but was able to get off a nice deep neck shot just before the back line, threading the needle and tying the match, 4-4, to end the half. The battled continued into the second half. Adolfo managed to carry the ball through heavy traffic with terrific support from his teammates to find the goal and take the lead, 5-4. Ulloa answered back with a goal with Adolfo following close behind. Ridden hard by Whitman, he was hung him up just long enough to prevent him from stopping the goal. A minute later, Adolfo saved another goal, backing it out of danger but Whitman was there and sent it through the posts, fouling a Scone player. The goal didn’t count and Scone was awarded a Penalty 4, but Adolfo again sent it wide. With less than 30 seconds on the clock, Adolfo passed to Poroto who cut the ball to goal for the 6-5 advantage. Just 20 seconds into the fifth, Gonzalez ran to goal closely marked by Britos. Gonzalez took the ball on the nearside, outran Britos and necked it directly between the posts. Britos responded, picking Adolfo’s pocket and sending the ball to goal. Two minutes later, Ulloa converted a Penalty 4, awarded to him after being sandwiched between Scone players, tying the score at 7-all. With under a minute left in the chukker, Coppola got out front and took a pass from Britos. The ball took a bad bounce, getting away from him, but Britos was there to push it between the posts. For the first time, Park 32 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS.COM
Stewart Armstrong congratulates Hilario Ulloa and his Best Playing Pony Lavinia Heroica.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 33
ALEX PACHECO
After four years with Park Place, Hilario Ulloa was happy to share a tournament title with the team.
Place led at the end of a chukker, 8-7. This seemed to motivate Adolfo, who took the ball out of the opening throw-in, sending it to goal, but it hit the post. Britos cleared it, passing to Ulloa, who took it around the corner then left it for Britos but as Ulloa went to take off for the pass, his horse’s back foot step on its front shoe, jerking to a stop and catapulting Ulloa over the handlebars. The tough-asnails Ulloa was back on in a matter of minutes, ready to go. After a throw-in at the spot, Ulloa got the ball back but his pass was intercepted by Adolfo who shot
34 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
to goal, knotting it back up at 8-8. Park Place got the ball back but Adolfo cleared it from the mouth of the goal. The teams battled around until Ulloa got the ball, found a clearing and broke the tie. A Penalty 4 conversion by Adolfo tied it up again. With 1:24 left, Gonzalez muscled his way to goal for the 10-9 lead but Park Place pressed harder. The ensuing throw-in was momentarily delayed while Adolfo changed horses. When the umpire threw the ball in, Britos got it but didn’t hit it cleanly. Coppola was there to assist, sending it to Whitman who got off a centering shot
ALEX PACHECO
by the goal but it was cleared by Adolfo. Ulloa got it, but the Scone players were marking up and making it difficult. He passed it to Britos who tried to send it to goal but the ball bounced behind him. Ulloa was following and grabbed the ball, angling a neck shot through the posts to tie the score and force overtime, beating the clock by seconds. After a short break, the teams came back for sudden death. The teams brought out their best horses and were fired up. Two minutes into the chukker, Poroto shot to goal, but the ball went wide. A minute later, Adolfo was fouled and Scone was awarded a mid-field Penalty 5. His shot was stolen by Coppola, under heavy pressure from Poroto but the ball got away from him. Ulloa was following and fired to goal but his shot went wide to the right. Both teams were marking their opponents closely, keeping anyone from getting in more than a shot or two. With just under three minutes left, Adolfo knocked in, but the ball was picked up by Ulloa at midfield. Coming across the field he necked it by the boards, reaching Whitman, who picked it up without missing a beat, making a great approach shot. His second shot was golden, crossing the goal line for the win. It was an incredible ending to one of the best games of the season. Both teams played their hearts out and it easily could have gone either way. There wasn’t a player on the field that didn’t earn his keep. Ulloa thought the team played amazing and couldn’t say who played best. “You just have to say the team played amazing. There were turns were Matt played great, then Juano and Jack scored the goal was amazing. It was a super team effort,” Ulloa said. “I have been working four years with Park Place. We lost two finals of the Queen’s Cup and it was tough on me. I wanted to win a tournament with Park Place and luckily after hard work results came.” Whitman, who scored the first and last field goal for his team, was named MVP. It was quite an accomplishment for someone playing in his first high-goal tournament. Rated .5 (0 in high goal where half goals aren’t recognized), he came up through interscholastic polo and has competed in NYTS, most recently winning the 2020 Cecil Smith Cup with the Florida team in January. He also won a few 6-goal events in Aiken last May. After scoring the game-winner, he said, “[It was the] goal of a lifetime, game of a lifetime, opportunity of a lifetime!” Britos remarked, “He’s a great kid all around. He rides well, plays well—he’s the whole package. Today he scored a goal, which I’m sure he’ll never forget for the rest of his life!”
Best Playing Pony honors went to Hilario Ulloa’s 8-year-old homebred Lavinia Heroica, a thirdgeneration playing mare making her debut in the 22 goal this season. “I played her grandmother when I was 1 goal until I was 9 goals,” said Ulloa. “I played her for nine consecutive years in the Open and then I played her daughter for four or five years in the Argentine Open. This is the third generation I’m able to play so my family and I are really happy.” Rather than the winner-take-all concept in previous years, the prize money was split with Park Place taking home $100,000, and Scone taking $25,000. Also new this year, USPA Global is donating $5,000 to the finalists’ charities of choice. Park Place chose to split the $5000 between Polo Players Support Group and Replay Polo, while Scone chose Polo Players Support Group to receive its $5,000. •
Hilario Ulloa gets off a deep neck shot, despite pressure from Peke Gonzalez, to tie the match at the end of the third.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 35
Riding the Wave Hawaii Polo Life captures 2020 Women’s Open By Gwen Rizzo • Photos by David Lominska
Nina Clarkin filled in on the Hawaii Polo Life team, helping it win the 2020 Women’s Open.
36 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Hawaii Polo Life defended its title in the 2020 U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship, Feb. 27 at International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington, Florida. The tournament was postponed last March due to COVID-19. When the tournament began, eight teams were divided into two brackets, with preliminary matches played at Port Mayaca Polo Club in Okeechobee, Florida. Defending champion Hawaii Polo Life returned with half of its lineup: Mia Cambiaso and Pamela Flanagan. The 2018 champion, Rocking P also returned with half of its lineup in Bridget Price and Hazel Jackson, one of only three 10-goal women players worldwide. Rocking P and Cowdray Vikings were the only teams to go undefeated and participated in a shootout to determine first and second place going into the semifinals scheduled for March 19. Hawaii Polo Life and BTA/The Villages also had a shootout to determine third and fourth place heading into the semis. Hawaii Polo Life won the shootout so it was scheduled to face Rocking P while BTA/The Villages would go up against Cowdray Vikings. That was until coronavirus suddenly ended the season. Unfortunately, a year later, two of the semifinalists forfeited, leaving Hawaii Polo Life to face BTA/The Villages. Hawaii Polo Life came in with two new players: Delores Onetto (0) took over for Sierra Dunbar (2), while 10-goal Nina Clarkin filled in for Candelaria Fernañdez Araujo. The all-American BTA/The Villages squad (Kylie Sheehan, Paige Boone, KC Krueger, Tiffany Busch) remained intact. Clarkin flew in the day before the final. “I arrived yesterday, stick and balled and then came to play today, so it wasn’t ideal, but I was given amazing ponies and when you play horses of that quality it’s very easy to just get on,” she said. That left the team without time to practice, however Clarkin, Cambiaso and Flanagan have played together before. Onetto was playing at this level for the first time. “I only truly started playing polo about two years ago so I don’t have much experience in fast-paced games like this,” Onetto said. “This win is just so surreal for me—to be put on a team like that, to even be considered. I was grateful to actually be playing with these wonderful women and it’s an experience I’ll never forget.” Hawaii Polo Life got off to a strong start in the first when Clarkin, returning to playing after having her third child, converted a Penalty 3, then followed with a pair of goals. BTA got on the board with a Penalty 2 conversion by KC Krueger, but the team struggled
Hawaii Polo Life’s Delores Onetto, Pamela Flanagan, Mia Cambiaso and Nina Clarkin
Chrys Beal presents Tiffany Busch the MVP prize.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 37
Mia Cambiaso tries to keep the ball on the field while being ridden hard by Kylie Sheehan.
to get past the Hawaii defense. The struggles continued into the second chukker, while Hawaii capitalized on BTA’s mistakes with Clarkin converting back-to-back Penalty 2s. The first half ended with Hawaii ahead, 5-1. “We knew that they were going to come in really hard, so our plan was to play as hard as we could and get as many goals on the board in the first half, Flanagan explained. “Since that team has been playing a lot together, and they know each other well, we knew they were going to reorganize and form a new strategy at halftime to come back stronger in the second half.” Krueger sunk a Penalty 2 early in the third, but Clarkin responded with a field goal. BTA-The Villages began to find its rhythm in the fourth after Krueger converted her third Penalty 2. Boone followed with a run to goal and Busch added another, bringing the team within one, 6-5, but time was not on its side and Hawaii Polo Life rode the wave to victory.
38 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
“This win is a really big deal for us and especially for our corporate sponsor Hawaii Polo Life,” Flanagan said. “Coming out of nowhere and winning in 2019, it’s really special to have back-to-back titles, so winning for Chris [Dawson] means more to me than anything else.” Tiffany Busch was named MVP. “It is a true honor to be named MVP for such a prestigious tournament,” she said. “I look forward to continuing with this team through the next few tournaments, I feel we will only get stronger!” Mia Cambiaso’s 11-year-old Dolfina María was named Best Playing Pony. Her father, 10-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso played the mare a week later in the C.V. Whitney Cup final. Five teams are slated to play in this year’s Women’s U.S Open Championship. BTA/The Villages will remain together. Ten-goaler Hazel Jackson will join Hawaii Polo Life, taking over for Clarkin, who will play for Dundas. •
Bracket I
MVP Tiffany Busch
Bracket II
Rocking P Bridget Price Audry Persano Milly Hine Hazel Jackson
22 3 4 5 10
Cowdray Vikings Lila Pearson Clara Cassino Seppe Mia Novillo Astrada Gillian Johnston
22 2 7 7 6
Dundas Sarah Siegel-Magness Sarah Wiseman Hope Arellano Erica Gandomcar-Sachs
22 2 8 7 5
San Saba/Polo Gear Grace Mudra Dawn Jones Lia Salvo Clarissa Echezarreta
22 2 6 8 6
Hawaii Polo Life 22 Sierra Dunbar 2 Pamela Flanagan 4 Mia Cambiaso 8 Candelaria Fernández Araujo 8
BTA/The Villages Kylie Sheehan Paige Boone KC Krueger Tiffany Busch
22 5 5 6 6
Mint Eco Car Wash Catlin Dix Cecelia Cochran Isabelle Parsons Lottie Lamacraft
Iconica Maureen Brennan Milagros Sánchez Meghan Shader Malia Bryan
21 5 7 4 5
22 4 5 7 6
Mia Cambiaso’s Dolfina María was Best Playing Pony.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 39
P O L O I N T H E PA M PA S
The chosen Diego Cavanagh accepts invitation to join La Dolfina By Lucas Noel • Photos by Sergio Llamera
Adolfo Cambiaso was looking for the best player in the world necessary for the renewal of La Dolfina, and Diego Cavanagh was the answer. Cavanagh accepted the challenge of helping to transform the team from Cañuelas. At 34 years old, Cavanagh is experiencing the most important challenge of his career. The opportunity was perhaps unthinkable until the news of the departures of Juan Martín Nero and Pablo Mac Donough became known, but more than logical if one takes into account that not only was he already a player of the house, but he was the captain of La Dolfina Polo Ranch, the second formation of the
Cañuelas organization. Along with Guillermo Terrera, Alejo Taranco and Juan Britos the team was on the verge of eliminating Ellerstina and playing its first final of the Palermo Open last season. Hierarchy is certainly not lacking in Cavanagh and this year he will have his personal revenge under the leadership of Adolfo Cambiaso, with whom he has already shared teams and conquests of titles in the two most transcendental scenarios outside Argentina. Wearing Valiente jerseys, they won the USPA Gold Cup and the AllStar Challenge, the first tournament played by the World Polo League. They also succeeded at the
Being asked to play with Adolfo Cambiaso and La Dolfina is a dream of a lifetime for 9-goal Diego Cavanagh.
40 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
P O L O I N T H E PA M PA S
Adolfo Cambiaso has helped Diego Cavanagh become a better professional, be better organized and better with his horse care.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 41
P O L O I N T H E PA M PA S
Pelón (Stirling) and Adolfito Cambiaso, who is a living legend, is impressive. It is the best thing that can happen to you in the sport. I am very grateful, I have a lot of enthusiasm and I am full of energy to face this project with everything. From the outside, it seemed like a logical call since you are the captain of La Dolfina Polo Ranch team. Did you feel that way too? Honestly, I didn’t see it as something logical. Maybe outsiders have seen it that way because, as you say, I’ve been in La Dolfina for a long time. But they were going to try to put together the best possible team and there was a wide range of players to choose from. That is precisely why I am very grateful to my teammates for choosing me, for giving me this opportunity and for trusting me. It is going to be a special year, a unique opportunity and I have to make the most of it. You are joining the only team in history to fight head-to-head for the title of best of all to Coronel Suárez. How much pressure does that put on you? La Dolfina is one of the best teams in history and is the best of the last 20 years. Adolfito has dominated polo for the past two decades. He has remained for many years as No. 1. I was lucky enough to play with him a bit already, get to know him and become friends with him. It’s a double pleasure to play with him now. I am very happy. Each player on the team will bring his best horses. The team will then determine what works best for the team.
British Open with Dubai in 2014 and Next Generation last year. The new team will also include Pelon Stirling, who has been with La Dolfina since 2011. Together with Francisco Elizalde, the two new members of the Argentine multi-champion team have 9-goal handicaps. That drops La Dolfina from 40 goals to 38, placing it in the middle of a group of teams with similar chances to fight for the Triple Crown titles, especially in Palermo. One goal above will be Ellerstina and RS Murus Sanctus, both 39, and La Natividad will be threatening with 36. I spoke with Cavanagh earlier this year to ask about the opportunity. Is this the opportunity of your life? Obviously, as a professional, passionate about polo and sports, being invited to play at La Dolfina is a unique opportunity. It is a club that is already historic in polo, and playing with teammates like
42 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
How has the personal and professional process of sharing a team with Cambiaso been from winning the British Open with Dubai in 2014 to Next Generation in 2020? From the first time I played with him until today, he has changed my life with the way I think and my professionalism. The way I organize my stable has changed, I have learned about horses, and I have learned about polo. I have learned many things beyond playing that are not in what one can see on the field, but are in the daily life of a professional polo player—how to plan, how to get to a game well, how to prepare the horses during the week, many things. I was lucky enough to share daily life with him and learn how he thinks and that changes your head and helps you grow. I value a lot, not only playing, but the time I can spend in the stable having some maté with him. What did leaving the La Dolfina Polo Ranch team mean to you? There was a lot
P O L O I N T H E PA M PA S
of chemistry between you and your teammates. It was hard because we had been together for several years. I think we had done very good campaigns, we had been growing every year and were improving. We also had a great time on and off the field. In that sense I am a little sad, but it was an opportunity that I really couldn’t say no to. We are all friends and they understood me.
years and I feel very comfortable and confident playing the Lapa clones.
What was the first thing you talked about with Francisco Elizalde when your incorporation to La Dolfina was confirmed? Obviously, the first thing you talk about is that you can’t believe it, how happy you are, how impressive it is and that it’s the dream you’ve had since you were a kid. But right away you start to think about horses, about organizations, about how to prepare yourself as best as possible to face this new challenge.
Many sportsmen usually say that it is as rewarding as it is complex to play alongside a megastar due to the magnitude of his figure. Does the same thing happen when you play with Cambiaso? It is not difficult to play with him. On the contrary; playing with him increases the probability of winning. The results are better, your organization is better, many matches with him are won a little bit easier. On the field it is very simple and you adapt quickly. Obviously, you put personal pressure on yourself because you never know when will be the last time you will play with him and you put pressure on yourself because you want to perform well, you want to take that opportunity as something unique because you don’t know if it will be repeated. Cambiaso always wins everything, so when you play with him you are not satisfied with reaching a final. Perhaps in other organizations they are content with that. Not with him, with him it’s win or win. •
And as for horses, are you going to play any of Adolfo’s horses in the Argentine Triple Crown? Each [player] is going to put the best that he has and we will see what is best for the team. If there is a mare of mine that fits a teammate better, I will gladly give it to him and I believe that the rest will also do the same. I really like the Lapa [clones]. I have been lucky enough to play them for the last few
Have you already talked about positions on the field? We talked a little bit about it. Thinking out loud, I will probably start as Back, Pelón will lag a little behind his usual position and will be No. 3, Fran will be No. 2 and Adolfito as No. 1.
Diego Cavanagh, far right, has been captain of the La Dolfina Polo Ranch team for the last several years.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 43
POLO REPORT DISPATCHES FROM THE WORLD OF POLO FLORIDA
OLD HICKORY BOURBON ACES USPA BUTLER HANDICAP
Postage Stamp Farm’s Mariano Aguerre catches up to Old Hickory Bourbon’s Stevie Orthwein in the 18-goal USPA Butler Handicap final at Port Mayaca Polo Club.
O
LD HICKORY BOURBON prevailed in the 18-goal USPA Butler Handicap at Port Mayaca Polo Club in Okeechobee, Florida, March 5. Eight teams were divided into two brackets with teams playing the other teams in their bracket over three weeks. After preliminary matches, Postage Stamp Farm met Palm Beach Equine in the semifinal, while Santa Clara and Old Hickory battled in the second semifinal. Old Hickory and Postage Stamp advanced to the final.
44 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
The final was a rematch of a preliminary game, which narrowly went to Postage Stamp (Annabelle Gundlach, Facundo Obregon, Mariano Aguerre, Sterling Giannico), 9-8. Old Hickory (Lucas Escobar, Matias Magrini, Santino Magrini, Stevie Orthwein) began with a one-goal handicap after Keko Magrini took Lucas Escobar’s place. Old Hickory Bourbon benefited from a Penalty 1 early in the game, but Postage Stamp Farm received its
own Penalty 1 minutes later. Foul troubled continued into the second chukker as Old Hickory converted a Penalty 2, the only goal of the second to take a 3-1 lead. The first field goal wasn’t scored until the third chukker when Aguerre found the target. The teams traded goals to end the half with Old Hickory ahead, 5-4. Old Hickory shut Postage Stamp Farm down in the next 14 minutes while hammering in five goals.
P O L O
R E P O R T
Old Hickory Bourbon’s Stevie Orthwein, Santino Magrini, Matias Magrini and Keko Magrini won the Butler Handicap.
BTA’s Kelly Beal, Juan Martin Obregon, Steve Krueger and Nacho Badiola won the 14-goal USPA Heritage Cup.
El Cid/The Villages’ Paige Boone, Cecelia Cochran, Jason Wates and Nick Johnson won the 8-goal Woodcock Challenge.
Hawaii Polo’s Dolores Onetto, Pamela Flanagan, Mia Cambiaso and Hazel Jackson won the Tabebuia Cup women’s tourney.
Postage Stamp rallied in the last period, scoring four goals but two more tallies from Old Hickory insured the win, 12-9. Santino Magrini celebrated his fourth Butler Handicap title. His brother Keko shared the victory the past two years and this year his father Matias got to celebrate with them. “I’m having a blast playing with my boys. They are playing amazing and I enjoyed it a lot,” Matias said. “Stevie was great offensively and he played outstanding too. Also our horses played very well. They are in perfect shape.” Stevie Orthwein, who was named MVP, was happy to add his name to the trophy. His father won it in 1975 and ‘79, and his brother, Robert won
it last year. “We really came together as a team over the tournament,” Stevie said. “At times we all individually played well, but today we got our system going and really worked well together.” Mariano Aguerre’s 12-year-old chestnut mare Machitos Chela earned Best Playing Pony honors. “She is a full sister of Machitos Jazzita, so genetically she’s my best,” Aguerre said. “She has a great amount of power and control.” In the 14-goal Heritage Cup, it was BTA (Kelly Beal, Steve Krueger, Nacho Badiola, JM Obregon) that rose to the top of a 10-team roster to take the title. The team defeated Iconica/Copperline (Ben Ketchum,
Magoo Laprida, Robi Bilbao, Maureen Brennan), 9-6, in the semifinal to advance to the final against Postage Stamp Farm (Annabelle Gundlach, Santino Magrini, Brandon Phillips, Mariano Gonzalez). In the final, BTA came out swinging, amassing a 6-4 lead after the first 14 minutes. BTA kept up the pressure, holding PSF to just two more goals, while slamming in four more of its own to win, 10-6. Steve Krueger was MVP and Santino Magrini’s Open Phuket was Best Playing Pony. Play continued with 8-goal action in the Woodcock Challenge. El Cid/Villages (Paige Boone, Jason Wates, Nick Johnson, Cecelia Cochran) edged Skaneateles (Marty Cregg, Cesar Jimenez, Costi Caset,
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 45
R E P O R T CANDACE FERREIRA / GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO
CANDACE FERREIRA / GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO
P O L O
Santa Rita’s Juan Martin Zubia, Torito Ruiz, Pacito de Narvaez and Alejandro Novillo Astrada won the $100,000 World Cup.
Valentino Echezarreta), 8-7, in a tight match. The teams were neck and neck throughout the game, knotted at 6-all going into the last chukker before El Cid/Villages pulled ahead for the win. Jason Wates was MVP and Valentino Echezarreta’s Tramposa was Best Playing Pony. In the Tabebuia Cup women’s tournament, Hawaii Polo Life (Dolores Onetto, Pamela Flanagan, Mia Cambiaso, Hazel Jackson) doubled up BTA/The Villages (Kylie Sheehan, Paige Boone, KC Krueger, Tiffany Busch), 6-3 in the final. The match was played in a constant drizzle, but the ladies didn’t let that stop them. Both teams were strong in the first half, with BTA/The Villages holding a 3-2 halftime lead. A tight defensive battle ensued in the third chukker before Hazel Jackson leveled the scored going into the last chukker. Hawaii Polo Life came out in the fourth with two field goals and an open-goal penalty while holding BTA scoreless for the win. Hazel Jackson was MVP, while Paige Boone’s Capita was Best Playing Pony. In the consolation, Iconica (Maureen Brennan, Clara Cassino, Milly Hine, Anna Coscia) edged Polo Gear Coffee Company (Danielle Lussi, Dawn Jones, Izzy Parsons, Gillian Johnston), 5-4.
46 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Dundas’ Sarah Siegel-Magness, Oscar Taylor, Mariano Fassetta and MVP Robertito Zedda won the Limited Edition 12 Goal.
SANTA RITA BANKS $100,000 WORLD CUP Santa Rita topped an eight-team roster to win the bounty in the $100,000 World Cup at Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, Florida, Feb. 30. The tournament is open to teams from 0 to 40 goals and is played on handicap. Teams from 16 goals to 25 goals entered the event. The 24-goal Santa Rita team (Pacito de Narvaez, Torito Ruiz, Juan Martin Zubia, Alejandro Novillo Astrada) gave the 22-goal Richard Mille team (Marc Ganzi, Jeta Castagnola, Poroto Cambiaso, Lolo Castagnola) two goals to start. Novillo Astrada wasted no time, scoring the first goal just 35 seconds into the match. He followed with another to negate the handicap given to Richard Mille. Ganzi sunk a Penalty 2, but Zubia and Ruiz answered with goals to take back the lead. Cambiaso evened the score at 4-all with a run to goal late in the chukker. Novillo Astrada converted a Penalty 3 and Zubia found the mark with a big shot at the 100-yard line. Thirteen-yearold De Narvaez, playing his first highgoal event, got in on the action, picking up a pass and slipping it through the posts. Lolo Castagnola struck for Richard Mille to keep the team in the game, 7-5. Zubia scored, then passed to
Novillo Astrada to add another goal, putting Santa Rita ahead by four, 9-5. Jeta Castagnola tallied just before the chukker ended, with Santa Rita ahead by three, 9-6. Novillo Astrada kept up the pressure in the second half, scoring less than a minute into play. Jeta Castagnola cut the difference back to three, but Zubia sunk a Penalty 4 to stretch it to four. Jeta Castagnola converted a Penalty 2 but Ruiz answered with a goal. Jeta sunk another Penalty 2, but this time, de Narvaez had the answer, ending the fourth chukker, 13-9. Fouling mistakes gave Santa Rita two more penalties, which Zubia easily converted. Jeta Castagnola scored from the field and converted a Penalty 4, keeping the difference at four, 15-11. Novillo Astrada converted a Penalty 2 in the sixth. Jeta rallied, scoring a Penalty 2 then back-to-back field goals but ran out of time. The match ended with Santa Rita holding on to the 16-14 lead. Santa Rita took the $100,000 prize. Juan Martin Zubia was MVP and his Matina was APHA Best Playing Pony while Cambiaso’s Millionaria was Grand Champions’ Best Playing Pony. In other action, Dundas captured the Limited Edition 12 goal final. Four teams played out over two weeks, with the top two teams moving on to the final. La Portola (Mark Urdahl, Ciro Desenzano, Carlitos Gracida, Michel Dori-
R E P O R T
CANDACE FERREIRA / GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO
CANDACE FERREIRA / GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO
P O L O
Bushwood’s Nick Manifold, Michael Armour, Nick McClelland and Kris Kampsen won the Top Pony 8-goal at Grand Champions.
gnac), Dundas (Sarah Siegel-Magness, Robertito Zedda, Mariano Fassetta, Oscar Taylor) and Dundas II (Cable Magness, Geronimo Obregon, Juan Cruz Marcos, Juan Martin Obregon) were tied on win-loss record with each sporting 2-1 records. A shoot-out put Dundas II and La Portola in the final, however a scheduling conflict forced La Portola to forfeit, allowing Dundas to advance. Due to a handicap increase for Juan Cruz Marcos, Dundas II finished the tournament as a 13-goal team and gave Dundas a one-goal headstart to begin the final. It was mother against son as Sarah Siegel-Magness faced Cable Magness. Sarah converted a pair of Penalty 2s to add to the handicap goal in the first, while Dundas II was limited to a field goal from Juan Martin Obregon. The second chukker saw Juan Martin Obregon jump out of the throw-in to score, followed by a goal from Geronimo Obregon. Minutes later, Marcos gave Dundas II a 4-3 lead. Another Penalty 2 by Sarah knotted the score and Taylor gave Dundas back the lead. Geronimo Obregon scored a lone goal in the third to level the score, 5-5, at the half. Dundas was awarded a Penalty 1 early in the fourth and Sarah added another Penalty 2. Taylor shot in a goal from the field to give Dundas a quick three-goal lead in the fifth. JM Obregon cut the difference to two on a Penalty 4 conversion. Taylor hit the mark to increase the lead
Richard Mille’s Paco de Narvaez, Marc Ganzi, Jeta Castagnola and Pablo Mac Donough won the WPL All-Star Challenge.
back to three. JM Obregon converted yet another penalty and a run from Geronimo cut the difference to one with one more chukker to go. JM Obregon knotted the score early in the sixth chukker but Dundas turned up the heat, with Fassetta and Taylor finding the mark to secure the 11-9 win. Robertito Zedda was MVP and J5 Equestrian’s Dolfina Secuaz, played by Zedda, was Best Playing Pony. Play continued with the Top Pony 8goal. Bushwood (Nick McClelland, Nick Manifold, Kris Kampsen, Michael Armour) got the best of Ellipse Polo (Pancha Terrera, Baldo Palomeque, Robi Bilbao, Louis Devaleix) in the final. The first chukker was limited to a goal from each team, with Palomeque putting Ellipse on the board, and Kampsen putting Bushwood on the board. The two swapped goals in the second, with Ellipse gaining a 3-2 edge. Ellipse was silenced in the third, while Kampsen added a penalty conversion and a field goal to end the half, with Bushwood narrowly ahead, 4-3. In the second half, Bilbao tallied a field goal to knot the score but Kampsen responded to put Bushwood back on top, 5-4. Kampsen found the target with a Penalty 4 conversion then scored from the field. A pair of penalty conversion from Bilbao brought Ellipse within one, 7-6. Kampsen and Bilbao traded Penalty 4 conversions before Manifold extended
Bushwood’s lead to two, 9-7. Ellipse rallied in the final seven minutes with Bilbao and Palomeque scoring to tie the match at 9-9. Ellipse’s aggressiveness caught the umpires’ attention and Bushwood was awarded a Penalty 3. Kampsen, who was high scorer with nine goals, easily converted it to give Bushwood the win, 10-9.
RICHARD MILLE WINS ALL-STAR CHALLENGE Richard Mille took the title in the World Polo League’s All-Star Challenge on the Grand Champion’s polo fields in Wellington, Florida, Feb. 20. Seven 26-goal teams competed in the event. The final came down to Richard Mille (Marc Ganzi, Jeta Castagnola, Pablo Mac Donough, Paco de Narvaez) and Hawaii Polo Life (Chris Dawson, Jejo Taranco, Poroto Cambiaso, Adolfo Cambiaso). Poroto started the scoring with a run to goal directly out of the first throw-in. Adolfo scored another later in the chukker. Mac Donough responded with a run to goal to put Richard Mille on the board. Poroto got the first goal of the second before his cousin Jeta Castagnola scored back-toback goals to knot the score at 3-all. Poroto responded in the third with a pair of goals, while Richard Mille was silenced to take a 5-3 lead into the half.
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Citizen’s First Bank’s MVP Ava Hinkson, Paige Boone, Nick Johnson and Frankie Bilbao won The Villages’ season opener.
Penalty conversions by Ganzi and Castagnola tied the match in the fourth. Two more penalty conversions gave Richard Mille the lead. Taranco added a goal for Hawaii Polo Life to keep the team close, 7-6. Castagnola got out front of the pack to split the uprights, increasing the lead early in the fifth. Mac Donough turned up the heat scoring a trio of goals. Another penalty conversion by Ganzi ended the fifth with Richard Mille doubling up Hawaii Polo Life, 12-6. Mac Donough scored early in the sixth. Hawaii Polo Life continued to struggle to find the goal, but with just under three minutes remaining, Taranco split the posts. Dawson added another with under a minute left, but Richard Mille cruised to the 13-8 victory. Pablo Mac Donough was MVP, Poroto Cambiaso’s 7-year-old mare La Dolfina Volaris was the Argentine Polo Association Best Playing Pony, Paco de Narvaez’s Clavel was WPL Best Playing Pony and Mac Donough’s Irenita Rastrojera was APHA Best Playing Pony.
CITIZENS FIRST TAKES VILLAGES 8-GOAL OPENER Citizens First Bank came away the winner in the season-opening 8-goal tournament at The Villages Polo Club in The Villages, Florida, March 7.
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H2P’s Emily Andre, Molly Agee and Sydney Morris won the 2020 3- to 6-goal Arena Constitution Cup at Poway Polo Club.
Citizen’s (Ava Hinkson, Paige Boone, Nick Johnson, Francisco Bilbao) spent Fross & Fross (Lord Lyall, Chavelo Briones, Brad Limehouse, Tony Vita), 11-6, in six chukkers. Hinkson got the scoring started, followed by a goal from Paige Boone. Fross & Fross couldn’t break through the Citizen’s defense until the second chukker. Johnson opened the scoring in the second before Vita shot through two in a row to put Fross & Fross on the board. Bilbao scored to put Citizens ahead 4-2. Boone scored two in the third, but Limehouse answered with two goals in the last two minutes of the half to keep it close, 6-4. Another scoreless chukker for Fross & Fross allowed Cititzen’s to bank three more goals in the fourth. Fross & Fross stopped Citizen’s momentum in the fifth but was only able to scored one goal, leaving the teams separated by four, 9-5. Johnson scored twice in the opening minutes of the sixth. Limehouse answered with a goal but it wasn’t enough and Citizen’s had the win. Ava Hinkson, who scored three goals and assisted on two others, took MVP honors and Nick Johnson’s F1 was Best Playing Pony. “This is such a special place for me, and that makes it really special to have a day like I did today,” Hinkson said. “It makes such a difference to be part of a team that can use all four players ...”
PAC I F I C C OA S T
H2P DOMINATES CONSTITUTION CUP The 2020 3- to 6-goal Arena Constitution Cup, postponed last year due to COVID-19 restrictions, was held Feb. 16-23 at Poway Club Club in Poway, California. Each of the three participating teams included players from the club’s interscholastic teams. Additionally, Molly Agee and Garrett Bankhead, engaged to be married, played on separate teams. The bride-to-be’s team prevailed. Played as a round robin over two days, Polodeo Ranch (Jasmine Lu/Remi Glasgow, Sean Cochran, David Teater) faced Poway Polo (Zachery Cobbs, Gillian Young, Garrett Bankhead) in round one. Polodeo Ranch began with a half-goal handicap, but Bankhead’s first goal negated it. Cochran responded to restore the lead. Bankhead sunk a penalty then scored from the field, added to a goal from Cobbs, while silencing Polodeo Ranch, to win 4-1½. Polodeo than met H2P (Emily Andre, Sydney Morris, Molly Agee). H2P slammed in eight goals in a row before taking a breath. Glasgow scored for Polodeo Ranch to end the first 81½. Polodeo slowed the bleeding in the
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second chukker, limiting H2P’s scoring to four goals, while Teater scored a penalty with a two-pointer. H2P had the 12-3½ win. Poway and H2P battled in the third round. Morris converted a penalty with a two-pointer and Agee followed with back-to-back goals. Bankhead put Poway on the board to end the chukker, 4-1. Morris started the next chukker with a goal, but Bankhead turned up the heat, scoring two field goals and a two-point penalty to level the score at 5-all. A week later, the teams met again. The powerhouse H2P team met Polodeo Ranch in the first round. Agee slammed in four goals, while Morris tallied three in the first seven minutes. Cochran added to Polodeo’s half-goal handicap in the second but four more points from Agee and one from Morris ended the battle with H2P ahead by a wide 12-1½. Polodeo Ranch faced Poway in round two. Bankhead and Young combined for five goals while Polodeo was held to a pony goal. Bankhead scored four unanswered points in the second to end with Poway on top, 9-1½. The final round pitted Poway against H2P. Agee hammered in six points in the first, while Bankhead led his team with four. Agee didn’t let up, pounding in three more in the second, while Poway was kept from reaching the goal.
Domino/LC Design’s Nicolas Maciel, Grant Lockhart, Liz Cunningham, Max Menini and Bonnie Magill won the 8-goal Pro Pool.
H2P finished on top with 38 goals over two days, taking $1200 in prize money. Poway took second place with 22 goals and $800 in prize money, while Polodeo Ranch had eight goals and took $500. Agee led all scorers with 25 goals in the tournament. Bankhead finished second with 19. They are sure to be the next polo power couple.
LA FORTUNA/BLAZERS SECURES AMATEUR CUP La Fortuna/Blazers defeated Hanalei Bay to take the 4-goal USPA National Amateur Cup at Empire Polo Club in
Indio, California, Feb. 7 Hanalei Bay (Krista Bonaguidi, Ryan Kerley, Rob Payne, Cacho Galindo) got on the board with a Penalty 1 early in the first. La Fortuna/Blazers (Elise Bigelow, Pat Powell, Kyle Fargey, Luis Saracco) answered back with a Penalty 2 conversion from Saracco. Payne added another for Hanalei for the 2-1 lead. La Fortuna benefited from a Penalty 1 early in the second and Sarraco traded goals with Galindo (Penalty 2) to knot the score at 3-all at the half. La Fortuna blazed ahead in the third with Saracco and Fargey combining for three unanswered goals. Fargey Cacho Galindo and Kyle Fargey sword fight in the Amateur Cup final.
JIM BREMNER
La Fortuna/Blazers’ Elise Bigelow, Kyle Fargey, Pat Powell and Luis Saracco won the 4-goal USPA National Amateur Cup.
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Hanalei Bay’s Cacho Galindo, MVP Ryan Kerley, Krista Bonaguidi and Rob Payne III won the 4-goal USPA Gen. George Patton Jr. Cup.
converted a Penalty 2 early in the fourth. Hanalei fought back, with Kerley and Payne tallying goals but the team ran out of time with La Fortuna/Blazers ahead, 7-5. Saracco was named MVP and Robert Payne III’s Lupita was Best Playing Pony. The same afternoon, Domino/LC Design (Nicolas Maciel, Grant Lockhart, Liz Cunningham, Max Menini, Bonnie Magill) won the 8-goal Pro Pool over Luna/O Bar (Susan Wise, Robert Payne II, Jennifer Alexy, Diego Larregli). Luna got off to a good start with Wise and Alexy’s goals answering one from Lockhart. Alexy and Lockart traded goals in the second, keeping Luna on top, 3-2. Domino/LC Design took over in the third with Lockhart and Menini combining for three unanswered goals to take the 5-3 lead into the half. Domino kept up the pressure in the fourth with a lone goal. Luna shot back in the fifth with Alexy and Payne scoring, while Domino was silenced. Domino responded in kind in the final chukker to insure the win, 8-5. Two weeks later, Hanalei Bay and La Fortuna/Blazers met again, this time in the final of the 4-goal USPA Gen. George Patton Jr. Cup final. But this time, it was a much different game. Galindo put Hanalei on the board early in the first and Payne sunk a pair of Penalty 2s before Saracco put La For-
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B League’s Quinn Kyle, Virgil Kyle, Pelon Escapite and Alejandro Gonzalez (not shown) won the Coachella Valley Officer’s Cup.
tuna/Blazers on the board. Payne and Galindo struck again in the second while La Fortuna was held to a Penalty 3 conversion by Fargey, ending the half with Hanalei holding a 5-2 lead. Hanalei held steady in the second half with the team focusing on defense, allowing Payne to score four more goals. La Fortuna/Blazers was held to a pair of Penalty 2s, keeping Hanalei Bay ahead, 9-4, for the win. Ryan Kerley was MVP while Payne’s Hermana was Best Playing Pony. The team went home with beautiful Rich Roenisch bronzes, a check for $2,500 from the USPA’s COVID-19 stimulus program and $3,000 from Patton Legacy Sports.
B LEAGUE CAPTURES 8-GOAL OFFICERS CUP B League brought its A game in the final of the Coachella Valley Officer’s Cup at Eldorado Polo Club in Indio, California, Jan. 24. B League (Quinn Kyle, Joe Henderson, Pelon Escapite, Virgil Kyle) met JC Polo/Folded Hills (Christopher Busch, Bayne Bossom, Jesse Bray, Jemma Contreras). Alejandro Gonzalez took over the reins for an injured Joe Henderson in the final. Bray struck first but Quinn Kyle had the answer. Quinn scored again in the second, while JC Polo was unable to
find the target. JC Polo made up for it in the third with Bossom and Bray scoring while holding B League to a single goal from Escapite, to level the score at the half, 3-3. B League shot out of the gate after the half, with Escapite scoring a trio of goals. Quinn Kyle took over where he left off, adding two more. Bray tallied for JC Polo to end the chukker with B League leading 8-4. Bray and Bossom traded goals with Gonzalez but a Penalty 1 for B League gave the team a five-goal lead going into the final chukker, 11-6. Undaunted, Bray went to work, chipping away at the deficit with three goals. Quinn Kyle put through another goal for B League, allowing it to celebrate the 12-9 victory. Gonzalez was named MVP and Mancha, owned by Justin Klentner and played by Bray, was Best Playing Pony. In the 4-goal Coachella Valley Officer’s Cup, Antelope Jr. (Piers Bossom, Ian Schnoebelen, Grant Palmer, Bayne Bossom) charged ahead of Alpha Omega (Nico Nierenberg, Vladimir Rivkin, Leadro Floccari, Erik Wright) in the third chukker to win. Alpha Omega began with a halfgoal handicap, but Schnoebelen countered with a goal to open the scoring. Wright responded to put Alpha Omega back on top. Wright padded the lead with a lone goal in the second, ending the half ahead, 2½-1.
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Karlene Garber, center, presented Antelope’s Grant Palmer, Wesley Bryan, Jimmy Wright and Santi Trotz the Beal Cup trophies.
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Dre Salas, center, presents trophies to Antelope Jr.’s Grant Palmer, Ian Schnoebelen, Bayne Bossom and Piers Bossom at Eldorado.
Fish Creek’s Kelsea Mannix presents trophies to Antelope’s Grant Palmer, Geoff Palmer, Lukitas Criado, Jimmy Wright and Santi Trotz.
Antelope Jr. must have gotten some inspiration at the half, as it came out firing on all cylinders. The Bossom brothers tallied as did Schnoebelen to jump out front, 4-2½, catching Alpha Omega off guard. Wright dug in, finding the uprights with a lone goal in the fourth, but it wasn’t enough and Antelope Jr. hung on to the narrow 4-3½ lead for the victory. Baine Bossom was MVP and Geoff Palmer’s Baya, played by Grant Palmer in the first, was Best Playing Pony. Play continued with the 12-goal USPA Carlton & Keleen Beal Cup. The final saw Antelope (Grant Palmer, Wesley Bryan, Jim Wright, Santi Trotz) take on Cavallo Ranch (John Bickford, Alejandro Gonzalez, Toto Obregon, Max Menini). It was a close match throughout,
Freddy Mannix, far right, with B League’s Quinn Kyle, Virgil Kyle, Pelon Escapite and Alejandro Gonzalez after their 8-goal victory.
with Wright trading goals with Obregon and Menini in the first seven minutes. Neither team could reach the goal in the second. Trotz split the uprights in the third, but Obregon responded with two in a row for the narrow, 4-3, lead going into the halftime break. Wright leveled the score early in the fourth and Bryan and Obregon traded goals to keep it even. Bickford and Palmer swapped goals in the fifth chukker, maintaining the tie, 7-all, going into the final seven minutes. The teams wrestled for control, fighting hard to keep the other team from scoring. But Cavallo Ranch caught the umpires’ attention and Antelope was awarded a Penalty 2. Wright had no trouble splitting the posts to give Antelope the win, 8-7. Hall of Famer Karlene Beal Garber
was on hand to present the awards to the winning team. Wright, who led his team with four goals, was MVP and Santi Trotz’s Sopressa was Best Playing Pony. Antelope rode the momentum into the 12-goal USPA Fish Creek Constitution Cup final on Feb. 21. Lukitas Criado took over for Bryan. The team dominated Sapa (Igor Seyranov, Bayne Bossom, Marcos Alberdi, Jesse Bray) in the first half, 5-1. Alberdi struck first, scoring in the opening minutes of the first chukker, but Wright responded. Antelope shut Sapa down in the next two chukkers, while Palmer, Criado and Wright combined for four tallies. Criado and Trotz scored in the fourth to increase the lead. Sapa managed to get another tally when Alberdi
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Dre Salas presents trophies to Bob Gray, Luis Saracco, Topo Mendez and Micaela Saracco in the final of the 4-goal Fish Creek Cup.
found the mark. That seemed to help Alberdi find his rhythm. He scored two more in the fifth added to one from Bossom while Bray closed the back door, allowing only one goal from Criado. Alberdi came back even stronger in the sixth, with back-to-back goals early in the chukker to bring the team within one, 8-7. Wright saved the day for Antelope with a picture perfect Penalty 4 conversion. Alberdi wasn’t about to give up and with just six seconds left, split the uprights, but Antelope had hung on to win, 9-8. Lukitas Criado was MVP and Alberdi’s Lola was Best Playing Pony. Fish Creek’s Kelsea Mannix was on hand to present the trophies. The 8-goal section of the Fish Creek tournament saw B League (Quinn Kyle, Virgil Kyle, Pelon Escapite, Alejandro Gonzalez) in its second final, this time against Evergreen (Tom Sprung, Charlie Caldwell, Carlitos Galindo, Ruben Coscia). B League had an easy time of it, shutting out Evergreen in the first half, while amassing eight goals, three from Quinn Kyle, four from Escapite and one from Gonzalez. Evergreen rallied in the fourth with Caldwell striking first, followed by Coscia. Escapite added another for B League for a 9-2 lead. Coscia tried to chip away at the deficit, scoring four goals in the last seven minutes, but
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Escapite added another and Quinn Kyle added two goals to keep B League comfortably ahead, 12-6, at the horn. Quinn Kyle was named MVP and Galindo’s Kahuna was Best Playing Pony. Fish Creek’s Frederick Mannix presented the awards, including Rich Roenisch bronzes to the winners. The 4-goal section of the Fish Creek tournament saw La Salle Properties (Bob Gray, Micaela Saracco, Topo Mendez, Luis Saracco) take on Persyst/K2 Polo (Nico Nierenberg, Kim Kelly, Dayelle Fargey, Tim Rudy) in the final. A defensive battle in the first chukker limited the scoring to one from Luis Saracco. He scored again early in the second with a Penalty 4 conversion before Fargey put Persyst/K2 Polo on the board with a Penalty 3 conversion. Saracco struck again and Mendez ran to goal ending the second, 4-1, in favor of La Salle Properties. Rudy scored early in the third, jumping on a well-placed tail shot from Fargey, but Saracco and Mendez combined for three in response. Saracco scored his sixth goal in the fourth, a Penalty 4 conversion. Fargey added another for Persyst/K2 Polo, but it was too little, too late as La Salle celebrated the 8-3 win. Luis Saracco was MVP and his pretty chestnut mare, Lady was honored as Best Playing Pony.
Chuck Wright
OBITUARIES
CHUCK WRIGHT Charles Edward Wright passed away in San Antonio, Texas, Oct. 29, 2020. He was 82. Born July 5, 1938, in Detroit, Michigan, he was welcomed by his sisters, Janet Lee and Mary Lou. I arrived a year and a half later. Chuck’s life had three stages: before polo, with polo and after polo. Before polo, Chuck was very strong and selfmotivated. Our parents divorced in 1944, and we lived with our mother. For several summers we went to our maternal grandparent’s diary farm in the north part of the Michigan thumb. Our grandparents were deceased so the farm was run by our aunt and uncle. The farm’s two horses would pull wagons on the farm and into town when needed. Chuck and I would sit on the horses in their stalls at lunchtime. He always got the taller of the two. Chuck could draw pictures of the horses’ heads that were exceptional, and I thought he might take up drawing as a profession. When Chuck was around 12 years old, a friend of his told him about the Ivory polo grounds approximately one and a half miles from our home. He said we could earn $1 to $5 a night
P O L O Gay; sisters Janet Lee Allen (George), Mary Lou Baerlin (Martin); brother Dennis Wright (Denise); nephews and nieces Terry and Kathy Allen, Mark Baerlin, Gretchen McDaniel (Jack), and David and Amy Baerlin, Danielle Bell, Damon and Shamika Wright, Vicky Kapcio, Cindy Littlejohn and Chrysta Bell Zucht, and many grand and great grand nephews and nieces. —Dennis Wright
KAITLYN YOUNG
walking hot horses after they had been ridden in polo games. Chuck and I started walking the hot horses on a regular basis, but Chuck was offered a job by Hank Evinger, (brother of Dutch Evinger). He cleaned the barn and exercised the horses. Chuck had found his true vocation. After high school, Chuck worked for a tool and die company, which included taking care of the owner’s polo ponies. From there, Chuck became a polo professional, working for different players, including Ray Harrington, W. L. Hartman and others. Eventually he became manager of the Houston Polo Club, under Will Farish. He reached a 6-goal handicap and played in many locations and tournaments. In the late 1960s, he married Gay Zucht, who just happened to live next door to the legendary Cecil Smith. I am sure there are many people that love horses and polo as much as Chuck did, but none more than he did. During conversations with Chuck, it was clear he had three loves in the following order, Gay, family, horses and polo (horses and polo could be of equal status). Chuck planned for a post-polo career as a pilot and had a pilot’s license. Unfortunately, a polo accident during an Easter Sunday game in Boca Raton, Florida, in 1977 took both careers away from Chuck. Although he was able to do things before, it was August 1977 when he recalled “waking up” at the TIRR Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation and Research hospital in Houston, Texas. A head injury left his right leg less than adequate for walking, let alone riding at his previous skill level. Over the years it slowly became worse until he was wheelchair bound for his last few years. Still, his love and passion for polo never diminished and he enjoyed watching the livestreamed games on his computer. Chuck is survived by his beloved wife
David Gonzalez
DAVID GONZALEZ David E. Gonzalez passed away Dec. 6, 2020, in Prineville, Oregon. He was born Aug. 16, 1946 in Carpinteria, California and was brought up at the Santa Barbara Polo Club. Joel Baker has known Gonzalez since 1962. Baker said Gonzalez started hot walking horses for Gary Wooten in the early 1960s before working for Lance Reventlow. “He worked for Lance Reventlow until Lance retired from polo. Lance had two young homebred horses David was starting so Lance gave them to him,” Baker remembers. “Those horses went on to become two of the best horses in America in the late 1970s and early ‘80s. I believe Tommy Wayman borrowed those horses for several major tournaments like the U.S. Open.” David became a phenomenal rider
R E P O R T and was considered by many to be one of the best polo horses trainers in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Gonzalez’s son David, a horse dentist, said his dad’s favorite all-time horses were Lady Gee and Revy. Wayman played both of them in a 40 goal at Retama. “They were his pride and joy. A lot of people wanted to buy them but he refused to sell them,” David Jr. said. Gonzalez became a 3-goal player and won the Pacific Coast Open with Las Tejas in 1975 and with Maui in 1981. “David and I spent three months in Mexico City, playing in the Mexican Open and their high-goal in 1976. He was not only an amazing horseman, but he was a great teammate. He was very easy to play with, always hustling,” said Baker. “In the early 80s, we spent a lot of time together while he lived in the Santa Ynez Valley until he bought his place in Oregon. “He encouraged me not to castrate a young colt I had. I player that colt in a number of Pacific Coast Opens and a U.S. Open up until he was 22 years old. He was the grandfather of Chocolate, the Best Playing Pony in two Argentine Opens under Cambiaso. I never would have kept that colt as a breeding stallion if not for David.” Harley Stimmel spent a lot of time with David in the ‘70s and ‘80s at Eldorado Polo Club in Indio, California. “He had the unique combination of California Vaquero traditions and English polo. Although he played in English polo saddles, he remained true to his cowboy style with Luchesse hightop cowboy boots and Bayers custom stainless steel spurs. He trained horses in an A fork Western Saddle,” Stimmel said. He used an array of Western-style bridles and bits, all custom-made with split-eared headstalls hand-tooled by the Davis family in Tucson, Arizona. They were paired with long split reins. He liked to ride young horses in a snaf-
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fle, two handed with a firm but smooth hand. “We used to joke about the ‘bit of the week.’ Sometimes it was double twisted wire snaffle, and sometimes it was a broken snaffle with three keys hanging on a ring in the center. It all depended on what was best for the horse,” Stimmel recalls. “Once a horse got going well, he would transition to a Spanish-style spade bit for upper-level schooling. Almost all his made horses played in double bridles or pelhams. They were handy, very broke and highly-sought after.” Gonzalez served as a mentor to many in his own way. “There’s a Ray Hunt quote, ‘... if you see a horseman getting a lot done without making a lot of visible effort; then grab a hold of his/her shirttails and don’t let go.’ It is totally appropriate to apply this quote to David Gonzalez,” said Stimmel. He was so gifted, observant and had such a fine-tuned feel for a horse. But, he wasn’t much for explaining things. He wanted budding trainers to learn by observation, trial and error and by giving horses lots of time to mature and learn without forcing them. He would spend years if necessary riding and waiting until a horse felt right to him. When he was done with their training, they would be so mentally mature, they would pretty much go straight to the polo field because he hadn’t mentally stressed them. Stimmel gave one example when they were both in Indio. “There was one winter in which he ‘allowed’ me to assist with riding three or four green horses on a regular basis,” he said. “I had been finishing the day riding a real nice green Thoroughbred mare. I’d been having trouble changing leads with her for several weeks and on this day, we were getting nowhere fast.” Gonzalez, done for the day, was hanging out with a group in the shed row. A fire was going, meat was cooking and libations were beginning to
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flow. Stimmel decided to ask for advice rather than continuing to add fuel to his horse-training fire. David asked what was up and Stimmel explained that every time he would change directions and ask for a lead change, the mare anticipated it by dropping her inside shoulder, raising her head and cross firing. Stimmel was surprised when Gonzalez asked to get on the mare and despite the difference in stirrup lengths, he planted his feet slightly braced and forward toward the horse’s elbows. “He backed her up a step or two, then quietly eased her into a lope headed straight down the dirt alleyway (at least a football field and a half long) between the uncovered shed rows on either side. When he got to the end, he stopped, rocked her back on her hind end, then offset her 180 degrees back towards me in a straight lope,” Stimmel recalled. “As he came back, he glided left to right then right to left, every time getting a nice, smooth lead change. It was effortless!” He went back and forth three times before doing a relaxed but firm stop, backing up, getting off, handing the mare to Stimmel and saying, “Okay, your turn!” Stimmel was speechless. “He set the standard as a mentor by demonstrating true dedication to horsemanship, placing the mental and physical well-being of his horses before his own,” Stimmel said. Still, if he saw you making a mistake, he was not shy about telling you. Most times it was for being too forceful. Gonzalez also had an amazingly consistent work ethic. He could be seen riding every day but Monday. He would play the ones that were ready and then ride singles all day long. On weekends, while tournaments were being played, you could see him galloping young horses around the field, the horse wearing a stock saddle and a snaffle bit, or a spade on the more broke horses. “He would go up and back along the
end lines, then gallop back along the sidelines, and again to the end lines,” Stimmel said. “He’d gallop the length of the end line, halt, back up, spin around, jump out on the opposite lead and do it all again.” He might stop, set his reins down and allow the horse to take in the action before going back to get on another horse. He always kept four or six made horses he had raised in case he had a playing job. If he didn’t have a playing job, he’d loan them out. “The only trouble was they were so handy, quick and athletic,” Stimmel quipped. Stimmel remembers the always humble Gonzalez relating the story of being hired to play in the Silver Cup. “His team told him to get on his ‘good’ horses and mark the opposing No. 3, who was riding green 4 year olds. This happened to be Carlos Gracida. David said he got on his good horses and went out to play but ‘couldn’t find the amazing No. 3 on his 4-year-old horses!’” When he had a playing job, he’d ride all his green horses after the game. He’d be out riding until dark, sometimes still wearing his polo whites with his shirt tail flying out the back as he galloped by. John Donaldson also remembers Gonzalez fondly. “He did not have to be nice to me. He just took me under his wing and added a lot of stabilization to my life at the time,” he recalled. David Jr. remarked, “My dad wanted to own a ranch and breed horses. I grew up around horses but not polo. I thought everyone did things the same way. I realized they don’t and later recognized the talent my dad had. He was really patient with horses.” Gonzalez is survived by his daughter Christina (Steve); and sons David (Julieann), Edward, and Gus (Shelby); seven grandchildren; 10 siblings, including polo playing brothers John, Chava and Mondo; and numerous nieces and nephews, including polo players Juan Gonzalez and Matthew Gonzalez. •
CALENDAR
l ay A p rAi lp/r iM M A R C H 21 - A P R I L 3 Masters Cup (6) Hobe Sound, Hobe Sound, FL
APRIL 3 NYTS Tournament Port Mayaca, Okeechobee, FL
APRIL 1 8 - M A Y 1 La Dalila Cup (6) Hobe Sound, Hobe Sound, FL
M A R C H 2 4 - A P R I L 17 Triple Crown of Polo WPL, Wellington, FL
APRIL 3-4 Masters Cup (4) Arizona, Casa Grande, AZ
A P R I L 21 - 2 5 Beach Polo World Cup WPL, Miami Beach, FL
MARCH 27- APRIL 3 Constitution Cup (6) Costa Careyes, Jalisco, MX
Easter Matches New Orleans, Folsom, LA
M A R C H 3 0 - A P R I L 17 Pedro Morrison Memorial (16) Grand Champions, Wellington, FL M A R C H 31 - A P R I L 4 Women’s Championship Tourney Final Grand Champions, Wellington, FL M A R C H 31 - A P R I L 17 Stefano Laviano Cup (6) International, Wellington, FL M A R C H 31 - A P R I L 1 8 U.S. Open Championship (22) International, Wellington, FL A P R I L 1 - 11 Constitution Cup (6) Sarasota, Sarasota, FL A P R I L 1 - 17 The Black Olive (8) Mayaca Challenge (18) Port Mayaca, Okeechobee, FL APRIL 1-25 Monty Waterbury (20) Port Mayaca, Okeechobee, FL APRIL 1-30 Allied Services Cup (5) Texas Military, Poteet, TX APRIL 2-4 Linfoot Clinic Port Mayaca, Okeechobee, FL A P R I L 2 - 11 Regional Classic (14) Sarasota, Sarasota, FL A P R I L 2 - 18 Horseware Challenge (8) International, Wellington, FL APRIL 2-30 led ce(4) Gen. George S. Patton CanJr. ATX, Manor, TX
Arena Challenge Cup Willow Bend, Little Elm, TX A P R I L 4 - 17 George S. Patton (4) Hobe Sound, Hobe Sound, FL A P R I L 5 - 11 Sportsmanship Cup (2) Sunset, Loxahatchee, FL A P R I L 6 - 10 Semana Pascua Tournament Tomas Elliot Clinic Costa Careyes, Jalisco, MX A P R I L 7 - 10 Sunset Polo Open Sunset, Loxahatchee, FL A P R I L 10 23rd Spring Fling Dallas, Red Oak, TX A P R I L 1 0 - 11 NOPC Spring Classic New Orleans, Folsom, LA Spring Fling Arena Challenge Willow Bend, Little Elm, TX A P R I L 13 - 2 5 Jake Kneece Memorial (4) Aiken, Aiken, SC A P R I L 15 - M AY 15 Continental Cup (12-16) Grand Champions, Wellington, FL A P R I L 17 - 1 8 I/I JV & Club Level Tournament Lakeside, Lakeside, CA Southern Hotel Cup New Orleans, Folsom, LA A P R I L 17 - 2 5 Early Bird Chukkers Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, CA
APRIL 23-25 NYTS Aiken, Aiken, SC The Feldman Cup Legends, Kaufman, TX APRIL 24-25 Arena Amateur Cup (3) Westchester, Portsmouth, RI USPA Mardi Gras Cup (2) New Orleans, Folsom LA Linfoot Clinic South Bay, Gilroy, CA APRIL 24-MAY 9 USPA Sportsmanship Cup (6) Aiken, Aiken, SC APRIL 28-MAY 1 Arena Sportsmanship Cup (3) Triangle, Hurdle Mills, NC A P R I L 2 8 - M A Y 16 Regional President’s Cup (8) Houston, Houston, TX Regional President’s Cup (8) New Bridge, Aiken, SC APRIL 29-JUNE 20 Spring Pro-Pool League Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, CA APRIL 30-MAY 9 Folded Hills Pope Challenge (12) Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, CA A P R I L 3 0 - M A Y 31 Amateur Cup (4) Two Wishes, Lockhart, TX Note: All dates are subject to change. “USPA” refers to tournaments sponsored or sanctioned by the United States Polo Association. Signifies prize money available.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 55
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(continued from page 13) to pester, bother, intimidate, hound and irritate the opposing player (No. 3 outdoor/No. 2 arena) to prevent that player from getting possession of the ball. I don’t mean for that to sound like that is all the defensive No. 2 has to do because, that, in and of itself, is a more-than-formidable task.
the ball will be going. More than any of the other positions, the offensive No. 2 should be ready to switch to the defensive mode of thinking and reacting before the team loses possession of the ball. Keep in mind, every second or inch lost by you is a second or an inch gained by the opposing player (No. 3 outdoor/No. 2 arena).
Offense The offensive responsibilities of the No. 2 begin the moment your team is about to gain possession of the ball, which does not suggest it will be you hitting the ball. Perhaps you will be harassing the opposing player to keep them from getting to where
Position No. 3 The No. 3 is considered to be the playmaker of the team (outdoor), and as such must gain possession of the ball. Therein lies the responsibility of the No. 3 defensively in the outdoor game; become the No. 3 offensively.
Diagram A
Defense You cannot allow the opposing player to control you to the point of your not obtaining possession of the ball. Therefore, you must be quite strong in your defensive maneuvering of the opposing player (No. 2 outdoor/No. 1 arena) prior to your becoming the No. 3 offensively. Not only does the defensive No. 3 need to know where their opposing player is, they should know where the opposing players are relative to their teammates. Offense Of the four players on a team (outdoor), the No. 3 offensively should be the player making the fewest mistakes, the most observing and correctly calculating player and the team’s most accurate passer of the ball. When offensive No. 3s are planning their next moves, they must do so with the knowledge of where the line of the ball is, where the goal is, and where each teammate is relative to their opposing players. Typically, the No. 3 should hit short- to mediumlength passes, and once the pass has been made, follow their teammate in support. Never should the offensive No. 3 hit the ball hard and/or long to where the ball is turned over to the other team. Back Position (No. 4 outdoor, No. 3 arena) The Back is the last player on a team with a chance of keeping the opposing team from scoring. That is important from the perspective that a team does not win a game by how many goals they score, but by how many goals they prevent the other team from scoring. There is an unwritten understanding that most
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back shots should be tail shots. The reasoning for ball will be going. The offensive Back should always that is to increase the difficulty of the opposing be observing where the opposing No. 1 is relative to players from entering the right of way safely. I canwhere the ball may be going. not argue with that philosophy; however, from my perspective of understanding playing polo, every Correctly Positioned back shot should be evaluated on its own merits, Being correctly positioned is a matter of: which could suggest a back shot different than a tail 1. Knowing where you are on the field relative to shot. Many times, an open back shot serves a better your teammates. purpose. There are even occasions when a straight 2. Knowing what position you are in back shot could be the shot of choice. However, I (offense/defense) at any given moment. readily concede that, most back shots (offside/near3. Fulfilling the responsibilities of that position side) should have some degree of angle to them. for as long as you are in it. • Of the players on a team, the Back is the player that can least afford to not hit the ball. That is true because any shot missed by the Back provides the opposing team Diagram B with an easier shot toward goal. The nearside back shot is one of the more difficult shots to execute; however, the nearside back shot should be worked on until it is not difficult to execute. That is true because when hitting the ball on the nearside, you are not interfering with an opposing player who is preparing to hit the ball on their offside (Diagram A). Whereas, if you are intending on hitting the ball with an offside back shot, and you enter the ROW in front a player hitting the ball on their offside, you are increasing the risk of your fouling (Diagram B). Defense The defensive Back is the player leading the team downfield defensively, and should always be positioned between the ball and the goal in order to be on the LOB when the ball comes. Before executing a back shot, the defensive Back should be aware of where each teammate is, or will be, when the ball is hit. Additionally, the defensive Back should be aware of where the opposing player of each teammate is before releasing the ball to any teammate. Offense The offensive Back is the last player of a team following the play downfield. The offensive Back should be analyzing when the opposing team will be hitting a back shot, and figuring out where the POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 57
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Unsung hero The Army’s role in women’s polo in America By Dennis J. Amato
Pansy Ireland and others at the Troop A Armory in Cleveland, Ohio, circa 1930.
I have been fascinated and quite impressed by the flurry in recent years of a series of books chronicling, during the Second World War, the efforts, often heroic, of female intelligence operatives in such roles as cryptanalysts, espionage agents and even saboteurs. Among the bestsellers have been Liza Mundy’s Code Girls (2017), Larry Loftis’ Code Name: Lise (2019), Lynn Olsen’s Madame Foucarde’s Secret War (2019) and Sara Rose’s D-Day Girls (2020).
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These works record in detail the distaff side’s significant wartime successes, including helping the Allies break the Japanese “Purple” code and in misleading the Nazis about the true location of the D-Day landing (“Operation Fortitude”). Their achievements contradict the conventional narrative of such prominent war historians as Max Hastings who characterized the role of female agents in British intelligence as “romantic twaddle.” Ms. Rose counterpunched by saying “twaddle matters … The
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framing itself hints at the original sin of women at war. See it as a rhetorical game: It silences women’s stories while privileging everything else in a conflict. Were it not for oral histories, most of women’s history would be lost forever.” In my research and articles since 1994 about early women’s polo in America, I have encountered the same type of bias and barriers for my topic that Sara Rose has confronted for hers. As time goes by, I keep finding that women’s polo was much more extensively played in our country before World War II than has generally been acknowledged. Finding empirical evidence though to support my theory has been an ongoing challenge since so little of it actually exists. For example, the marvelous magazine, The Sportsman, has but two small photographs and no articles on the entire topic in its 10,000 or more pages spanning its lifespan from 1927-1937. Its counterpart, The Sportswoman (1924-1936), is a relatively unheard of periodical with only a few known extant sets and, according to one historian, this monthly primarily focused on sports that were considered “appropriate” and not “manish” for middle and upper-middle-class female athletes such as field hockey, ice skating, tennis and golf. Polo clearly did not meet these lofty criteria for inclusion. On the other hand, I would quickly concede that Peter Vischer’s original Polo magazine (1927–1935) has been an invaluable, although a somewhat limited source on women’s polo before the war. Beyond magazines, I have had to rely on a wide variety of alternatives such as newspapers (mainly The New York Times), postcards, advertisements, photographs with their teletype summaries pasted on the back, fleeting references in books (with the exception much later on of Horace Laffaye’s A History of Polo in the United States [2011] and Colleen McInerny Meager’s ground-breaking The Golden Age of Women’s Polo, 1934-1941 [2016]). Oral histories have been extremely limited as most of the key players were unfortunately long gone before I put pen to paper and none as far as I know has left recorded memories. Furthermore, my previous investigations on early women’s polo in America mostly highlighted the stories of such illustrious personalities as Mrs. Thomas (Louise) Hitchcock, Eleonora Sears, Marjorie LeBoutillier, Mrs. Spencer (Louise) Tracy, Marion Hollins, Mrs. William (Frances) Wood, Pansy Ireland, Leone Hart and Dorothy Wheeler (see Polo Players Edition, May and June 2013). The media of the day tended to have a somewhat hypnotic attraction to the well heeled or in the parlance of the day, the “smart
set” who also happened to engage in the sport. Ironically, the very women who gained a certain level of fame for playing polo in the interwar years came from the same social strata that the aforementioned magazine The Sportswoman seemingly felt strongly should not engage in the sport at all! In more recent years, however, I kept noticing quite a number of one-off photographs that appeared on eBay showcasing women polo players at a number of colleges and at various Army installations. Most, if not all of these women were fairly unknown and that is where the rub is: no one
really cared about these inconnues as evidenced by the photos themselves rarely, if ever selling. In spite of the relative obscurity of these individuals, my working assumption for this article is that in the interwar years, the American Army played a more important role in championing women’s polo among this largely forgotten group than has generally been appreciated but that their efforts have never been appropriately recorded. We certainly know of the enormous contribution of the U.S. Army to American polo in general. At its zenith in the 1920s and 1930s, as many as 1300 or more military men through the Army Polo Association were playing the game at some 50 forts and a score of armories spread across the United States. Arguably, the citadel for Army polo was Mitchell Field in Westbury, Long Island, which was adjacent to the famed Meadow Brook Club. A cooperative arrangement certainly existed between the two facilities. For example, Mitchell Field often provided support such as stabling, as well as, I believe, even lodging at times for the grooms of the
Girls and boys play a practice match at the Black Horse Armory in Chicago in 1936.
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Women from Philadelphia playing polo in the late 1920s at the 103rd Regiment Armory. Several of these women likely were coached by Capt. Goodyear and played against a Baltimore team, mauling it 15-0.
visiting teams for the highly visible and hugely popular international matches that were held at Meadow Brook. Not only did the Army play extensively within its own ranks but it also competed within the USPA orbit, including entries into the National Twelve Goal Championship, the Twelve Goal Inter-Circuit Championship, the Junior Championship and even the United States Open Championship. In addition, during these interwar years, there was a medley of major international Army matches against British, Mexican and Argentine military teams. Furthermore, the Army pretty much oversaw most intercollegiate polo through its on-campus ROTC programs. Moreover, such military academies as West Point, Norwich University, the Pennsylvania Military College and the New Mexico Military Institute were perennial competitors during this era within the intercollegiate circuit, while such secondary military schools as the Culver Academy and the Manlius School, along with the civilian Lawrenceville School under the tutelage of the 112th Field Artillery of
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Trenton, distinguished themselves within the interscholastic ranks. Last but not least, special mention should be made of Captain Wesley White who was the doyen of USPA umpires during his long and distinguished career. And his book, A Guide to Polo Umpires, remains a classic to this day. The role of the Army in women’s polo is substantially more difficult to trace. While I probably have in my collection some 40-50 Army polo programs (e.g., Outdoors: Governors Island, NY; Fort Hamilton, NY; Carlisle Barracks, PA; Fort McPherson, GA; Fort Sam Houston, TX; Fort Bliss, TX, Fort Sill, OK; and Fort Snelling, MN & Indoors: Squadron A, NY; Squadron C, NY; 124th Field Artillery Armory, IL; Chicago Avenue Armory, IL; Commonwealth Armory, MA and The Armory, PA), not one contains a reference to a women’s polo match. This statistic is not all that surprising as these programs only covered games among Army officers. Also, over the years, I have bid on quite a few of these elaborate yearbooks that a number of the forts
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published. Facing stiff competition from a gaggle of very enthusiastic “militaria” collectors, I was regrettably always outbid on these annuals. Nevertheless, I seriously doubt that any of these yearlies made mention of women’s polo since none of it was “official.” We do know for a fact that notwithstanding these programs’ and yearbooks’ omissions, women’s polo at the minimum was played at a number of Army armories during the interwar years, including at least those in New York, White Plains, Trenton, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Cincinnati (see PPE, November & December 2018). Notably, the prestigious Squadron A in New York gained fame (or notoriety for some) in 1934 by presenting a very high-profile women’s indoor polo game when it brought together teams from Saxon Woods in White Plains, New York and Ramapo Valley in New Jersey. Although it was not officially sanctioned by the governing body at the time, the Indoor Polo Association of America, it took place with its implicit blessing to all intents and purposes. For this era, this was a fairly bold move coming from a very prominent polo organization. We also know that in at least one case, the 124th Field Artillery Armory in Chicago on occasion staged
“juvenile polo games” between girls and boys. To what degree the armories, beyond merely letting their facilities be used, more broadly provided mounts, stabling and formal instruction to the female players is not known, but I would hazard to guess that their hospitality also encompassed some of these courtesies.
A March 1939 program had an announcement for a juvenile polo match at the 124th Field Artillery in Chicago.
Women’s teams from the Saxon Woods and Ramapo Valley Polo Clubs played a sanctioned match at Squadron A in New York in 1934.
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Capt. W. R. Hamby bowls in the ball for Mrs. Nicholas to give her the needed practice in all kinds of polo shots.
Likewise, it is quite possible that the Army rendered similar services to women outdoor players at the various colleges where it maintained its ROTC presence. After all, unless you were perhaps a Phipps, Firestone, Guest, Whitney or another highsociety scion, you most likely didn’t have but a couple of your own polo ponies at best as a collegian but relied on the Army for your horseflesh. It was typically through the U.S. Army Remount Service that most of the ROTC programs were provided with horses along with stabling on campus. Beyond mere conjecture, however, we do know of specific examples of direct Army-support of women’s outdoor as well as indoor play. An early illustration is provided in a very lengthy article in the June 1929 issue of Polo. The author, Mrs. T. J. Randolph Nicholas writes: “On a cold and rainy day in November 1925, a group of eighteen young women met in Col. Ola W. Bell’s office, headquarters of the Third Corps Area in Baltimore, Md. Something new in the way of sports was attempted: polo. They came in fear and trembling, those who could ride and those who had never been on a horse, those who had
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seen polo played and mostly those who had not, society women and those not in the register. All were eager to try the game.” Col. Bell then introduced the highly-motivated players to Capt. W. R. Hamby who would serve as their coach. In his opening remarks, Capt. Hamby noted that a women’s team in nearby Washington, D.C. had put out a nationwide challenge to other teams and he personally hoped to coach a group from Baltimore to pick up the gauntlet. Col. Bell suggested that practice initially be held in their armory while the weather was still chilly and to use the Third Corps Area’s ponies up to the time when the Maryland ladies could acquire their own mounts. Practice began the following week but surprisingly outdoors on the parade ground despite Bell’s advice. But play soon moved indoors until around the end of March when it then shifted to weekly outdoor practice sessions. When the weather then turned cold in the fall, the women resumed their indoor practice in the armory. That late fall or early winter, the Baltimore contingent faced their first outside competition
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against a team from Philadelphia coached by another Army officer, Capt. George A. Goodyear. In a match held at the 103rd Regiment Armory in Philadelphia before a gallery of 500 spectators, the Baltimore squad was mauled 15-0 by their hosts. Mrs. Randolph, who by this juncture was elected President of the newly formed Maryland Women’s Polo Association, attributed the defeat to a trifecta of shortcomings: a “lack of experience, teamwork and ponies.” Despite their setback, the Baltimore women, encouraged by Capt. Hamby and assisted by Maj. Karl C Greenwald at times, persevered and in the following spring took on a team from Chestertown, Maryland. In a three-game series, the Baltimore foursome emerged victorious 7-2, 5-2 and 6-3. As a result of their tremendous progress, Capt. Hamby felt that his team was now ready to accept the challenge from the Washington players who most likely were coached by another Army officer. In the first game held at Atamasco Field, Baltimore won 30 but then succumbed 3-1 in the second match held at Potomac Field. This split decision was indeed a major accomplishment for these Maryland novices. Shortly thereafter, Capt. Hamby charges faced a men’s team from the Green Spring Valley area and scored a 2-1 win! The Baltimoreans continued their active involvement in the sport in games against both women and men. Of special mention was an indoor match against a very strong Cincinnati team at their hometown armory. While the visitors lost 8-4½, the match was characterized as “the fastest and best women’s game ever played in Cincinnati” by Capt. R.O. Baldwin, which seems to further confirm my contention above that the Army did at times provide active assistance to women’s indoor play on a much broader basis than previously recognized. The Baltimore women’s polo group would continue their passion for the game for some time to come and would even organize the Junior Polo Club of Maryland to introduce young girls and boys to the sport. In summary, the Army can be credited for launching a group of Baltimore women on a successful trajectory in polo besides helping develop female players in Philadelphia and probably in Washington, D.C. and Cincinnati as well. Another example of women’s polo at a military base is provided by a single photograph in one of Polo’s monthly “Pictorial” features in 1929. The caption simply reads: “Mrs. Blink Drummond of the Very Active Ladies’ Team at Fort McPherson in Atlanta” who is seen executing an offside forehand shot. Beyond this teaser, frustratingly no other
Mrs. Blink Drummond of the very active ladies team at Fort McPherson in Atlanta.
details are forthcoming on either Mrs. Drummond or on women’s polo at this renowned Georgia fort. As indicated earlier, I have come across a number of other photos over the years of women polo players at other Army forts with annotations on the back typically limited to just name, place and date. In hindsight, I mistakenly passed on the opportunities to purchase these prints for my collection but hopefully, as often happens, these items will be relisted at some point on eBay. An additional indirect military connection is also worth citing. Fort Concho was a famous military outpost in San Angelo, TX that was established in 1867 and was comprised of at least 40 buildings spread over 1600 acres. It was built “to protect frontier settlements, patrol and map the vast West Texas region, and quell hostile threats in the area.” However, in June 1889, the fort was deactivated as its mission was largely completed and the complex was passed into civilian hands where it was used for a wide variety of purposes. One of these activities was polo, which was played on the base’s former parade grounds. POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 63
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Mary Lee, Ernie Mertz, Louise Lee, Mallie Jones, Lydian Hall and Audrey Appelt take a break from action to pose before the Fort Concho commissary.
Among the beneficiaries of the game were women players. According to Polo magazine in its August 1989 issue: “San Angelo was ahead of its time in another way too. During the 1920s, when a relatively small number of women played polo, the Southwest had several distaff teams in competition. The women … at Fort Concho played regularly in the San Angelo area, and some of them traveled to San Antonio to play.” At this time, the neighboring town only had the small San Antonio Polo Club with seven listed members (Polo Association Yearbook, 1922) and the much larger military facility, Fort Sam Houston, which had a substantially more active polo program. It is quite possible that the San Angelo women may have played at this fort, although admittedly this currently is a pure personal supposition without any concrete corroboration. However, there is one specific case that has come to light where Fort Sam Houston apparently did in fact step up to the plate in promoting women’s polo. In late 1934, a contingent of seasoned California female players embarked on a two-week, 3,500 mile “barnstorming” tour through Texas and Arizona to engage in a string of exhibition matches. As a scheduled game with the University of Texas’ women’s team was rained out, the severely
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disappointed college squad from Austin at their own initiative decided to travel to San Antonio, the Californians’ next stop. In Louise Tracy’s own words in the June 1935 issue of Polo: “Here they [the coeds] pleaded their case so fervently that Capt. C.G. Baldwin arranged to mount us all for a short game. Again, we had a great crowd, better than at most of the men’s games, they told us. Capt. Baldwin told me that interest was amazing; he admitted he had been dubious at first as to the possible amount of interest, and could not see what the whole thing would profit either of us. But, he said, that from the first announcement, it had built steadily.” In closing, I would just stress that the foregoing summary was by no means intended to be definitive in memorializing the role of the U.S. Army in the development and spread of women’s polo in America before World War II. Quite the contrary, as I view this article as merely the initiation of and perhaps a catalyst for further pursuit on an important, yet largely ignored and meagerly documented subject. Undoubtedly, there is more to the story to be told but that awaits further discoveries on my part as well as hopefully input and insight from others so that future accounts will consist of far less speculation and even more substance. •
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