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CONTENTS
P L AY E R S’ E D I T I O N
AUGUST 2020
VOL. 23,
FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
30 Ride On by C. Maybe Ortiz
6
NO. 12
Association News USPA Bulletin Player spotlight
From bikes to horses, athlete is all in
34 Energy in the East by Sarah Eakin
12 Instructors Forum
After 70 years, club gaining momentum
by Nick Rennekamp
14 Ask an Umpire 16 Equine Athlete AUGUST 2020
18 24 28 40 OUR COVER
Polo Development Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Polo in the Pampas by Lucas Noel
Brandywine board member Michael Bucklin leads the field in Landhope Cup action. Photo by Elizabeth Hedley Brandywine Polo Celebrates 70 Years
by Heather Smith Thomas Polo Scene News, notes, trends & quotes
58 Yesteryears 1922
62 Calendar 42 Polo Report GK Farms Triumphs in Women’s Event
$5.00 US/$5.50 Canada
2 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN SIGNED COLUMNS ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHORS AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE PUBLISHERS OF THIS MAGAZINE.
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
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 Advertising & Editorial Offices USPA Member Subscription Inquiries (800) 232-8772 OR FAX (888) 341-7410 ldolan@uspolo.org
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©Copyright 2020 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. 23, No.12 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
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Equine Heat Index Warning Heatstroke is a potentially deadly condition that can come on suddenly with little warning. Heatstroke occurs when heat production outpaces heat loss. A horse’s normal temperature is 100 to 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures beyond 103.5 challenge its metabolic processes. Beyond 105 degrees, a horse may show signs of subtle incoordination or lack precision and regularity in its paces. The horse may be fretful and irritable, less attentive and sluggish in its work. If
its temperature stays over 105 for longer than a few minutes, the horse’s sweating mechanism starts to shut down, and it loses interest in eating and drinking. All that internal heat dulls its brain’s cognitive functions, leading to disorientation. If the temperature is not brought down within five to 10 minutes, or if it rises to 108 or beyond, the horse likely will collapse, suffer convulsions and die. At temperatures over 111.2 degrees, tissues can literally break down. Heat production, even during gentle exercise, can increase by 10 to 20 times over resting values. Sprinting results in an increase of 40 to 50 times over resting values. At work levels of 150 heartbeats per minute, a horse’s temperature will go up 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit every three minutes. Working your horses in a steamy climate significantly increases their susceptibility to heatstroke. High humidity compromises the evaporative process because up to two-thirds of the heat-releasing sweat will roll off of the horse’s body before it can evaporate and cool the horse. This means efficient sweating is not always synonymous with efficient cooling. The following rule of thumb has been devised as a guide. If the sum of the temperature and humidity is: 6 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
•Less than 130—no problem; •Greater than 150—use caution, especially if the humidity is greater than half of the total; •Greater than 180—use extreme caution, since normal cooling is almost ineffectual and horses may resort to panting. Submit Tournament Results Is your club hosting a USPA tournament? The USPA would like to promote polo being played across the country at all levels in our weekly newsletter. If you have a results article from a recent tournament you would like to submit, please email the text and photos to Jewel Connelly, communications coordinator, at jconnelly@uspolo.org by Friday at 5 p.m. ET for consideration in the following week’s newsletter. Additionally, please email your USPA tournament’s result photos, including winners, Most Valuable Player and Best Playing Pony, to Jenny Hudson, website administrator, at jhudson@uspolo.org for inclusion on the website’s tournament calendar. National Arena Amateur Cup With the Texas Arena League, Pacific Coast Arena League and other arena leagues gaining momentum, arena polo is looking up for 2020. More polo arenas are being built and improved thanks to the USPA Polo Development Initiative; polo school students are being gradually introduced into the sport through arena tournaments; while seasoned players are enjoying the quick play that arena polo provides. In 2019, the USPA announced the new format of the National Arena Amateur Cup. Individuals competing in national, circuit and sanctioned USPA arena events will earn points based on the number of teams in the tournament and their team’s standing within that tournament. At the beginning of July, 21 USPA arena tournaments had been played, with participants representing 17 USPA member clubs, with many more tournaments on the calendar to qualify for NAAC points. The NAAC Committee tallies points for the individuals once clubs submit tournament results to the USPA. Players with the highest points will be eligible to play in the National Arena Amateur Cup being held at Orange County Polo Club in Silverado, California, in November 2020. To view your standing on the 2020 National Arena Amateur Cup leaderboard, visit uspolo.org and click on the association tab. If you are interested in raising your points level or competing in the NAAC, encourage your club to host USPA arena events, look for a USPA arena tournament near you or consider traveling to one of the arena tournaments where horse leasing is available.
U S PA B U L L E T I N
In addition to NAAC points, circuit and national arena events are eligible for: • COVID-19 Tournament Stimulus Package • Trophies and/or trophy reimbursement from USPA • Arena Incentive Program Reimbursement Funds • Exposure through the USPA weekly e-blast “This Week In Polo” and Polo Players’ Edition magazine with the submission of a write-up and photos. Member Club Map The United States Polo Association is excited to announce the new USPA member club map has launched with expanded functionality, a faster loading time and a more user-friendly experience. With the help of auto-suggest capabilities, visitors may now search by location or by a USPA member club name. Using the zoom tool located at the bottom right of the map, visitors can click and drag to discover the various pins scattered across the map and watch the search results adjust accordingly. Click on a pin to see a club’s address and club details, as well as a phone number or to get directions. You may notice the search results also provide the opportunity to see a club’s profile, address, distance from your location and the option to get directions. Use the filter capabilities on the search results for a more unique and specialized search. Learn more at uspolo.org/clubs and find a club near you today. Spotlight On Savings USPA members have access to savings on many nationally known products, including an up to 50% discount at Sterling Cut Glass and Prize Possessions, two trophy suppliers trusted by USPA members and member clubs. As industry leaders in personalized awards and trophies, both companies have a commitment to quality and take pride in their workmanship. No project is too big or too small. With a range of prices perfect for any budget, shop online at both Prize Possessions (prizepossessions.com) and Sterling Cut Glass (sterlingcutglass.com) and choose from hundreds of items for any occasion. From a variety of trophy types and award bowls to wine carafes and jewelry boxes, create and engrave with the support of
team members who provide convenient and reliable shopping experiences. Gator Giveaway In 2019, grand prize winner Houston Polo Club (Houston, Texas) racked up the highest dollar amount in the USPA Polo Plus Discount Program with a spending total of $219,000, bringing home a John Deere TS Gator. In Houston, the 13.5 pony power and 900-pound towing capacity was quickly put to work fixing fields, carting equipment and dragging arena footing. Nicknamed Monstruo Verde, the Gator has become a favorite piece of equipment. This year, USPA member clubs will once again be eligible to win a John Deere TS Gator. The USPA member club with the highest cumulative USPA Polo Plus Discount Program dollar amount spent by its members during 2020 will receive the John Deere TS Gator Grand Prize. Second and third places will also be eligible for prizes. In addition, all USPA members that utilize the discount program with any of the participating companies will be entered into a drawing for a $500 Tackeria Gift Certificate. Participating companies include: John Deere, Sherwin Williams, UPS, Nationwide, Redbrand and Office Depot. USPA members are eligible for significant savings from these companies through NTRA advantage. To enjoy the benefits of one-stop buying, call toll-free at 866-678-4289. • Published by the United States Polo Association Offices at 9011 Lake Worth Rd., Lake Worth, Florida 33467 • (800) 232-USPA Chairman: Stewart Armstrong President: Tony Coppola Secretary: Charles Smith Treasurer: Steven Rudolph Chief Executive Officer: Robert Puetz 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
dates in the coming weeks. All information will also be posted on the I/I page at uspolo.org. If you are interested in starting an interscholastic or intercollegiate team, please contact Ali Davidge at adavidge@uspolo.org to get started. Starting an Interscholastic Team Are you interested in starting an interscholastic team at your club? If you are, make sure you check out the “Starting an Interscholastic Polo Team” guide on the uspolo.org bookshelf. The I/I staff is here to help and more than happy to walk you through the requirements and steps to becoming a full-fledge interscholastic team. For more information, please email Ali Davidge at adavidge@uspolo.org.
Equestrian and Polo Center of Boston’s Elizabeth Owen competed in the 2019 National Interscholastic Championships.
Middle School Host Sites Do you have a group of players in grades 5-8? Make sure to let us know if you are interested in hosting a Middle School tournament! The Middle School program runs from August to December at clubs all across the country. If you are interested in hosting a tournament, contact Emily Dewey at edewey@uspolo.org.
Intercollegiate/Interscholastic I/I season kicks off Sept. 1. I/I Teams make sure to keep an eye out for start of the season information! You will be receiving emails on requirements and 8 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
National Championships rescheduled The USPA National Intercollegiate Championships, originally scheduled for April, will now be hosted Oct. 20-25 at the Virginia Polo Center. Qualified teams include University of Virginia Men & Women, Cornell University Men & Women, Texas A&M University Women, University of North Texas Men, Southern Methodist University Men, University of Kentucky Women, Point Loma Women and Oregon State University Men. The USPA National Interscholastic Championships, originally scheduled for March, will now be held Nov. 18-22 at the Houston Polo Club/Brookshire Polo Club. Open Teams include Gardnertown, Houston, Rancho Naranjo, Central Coast and Maryland Polo Clubs. Girls’ Teams include Aiken, Maryland , Houston, Maui and Boston Polo Clubs.
NYTS Thanks to this year’s NYTS host clubs for helping create a memorable season. While there were many challenges and roadblocks to overcome, we appreciate the effort taken to provide a safe environment for youth players. From facemasks to very distanced photographs, the 2020 NYTS season will be one to remember. •
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Liz Brayboy Taking the reins as incoming I/I chair
iscovering a lifelong affinity for polo through the Intercollegiate/Interscholastic program at the historic Yale University, Liz Brayboy brings both passion and decades of expertise to her newlyappointed role as I/I chair. Coaching for a year at Garrison Forest School before going on to receive her MBA from Columbia University, Brayboy returned to invest in her alma mater’s program as a beloved coach, alumni advisor and board member. A first-generation polo player, Brayboy experienced firsthand the accessibility to the sport I/I provides, playing all four years and managing the club program for three. Following the sudden passing of former I/I Chairman David Wenning in November 2019, the USPA I/I Committee identified Brayboy as a champion for the program and restructured leadership to unveil three condensed subgroups: Tournaments & Regular Season, Funding & Awards and Program & Club Sustainability. Supported by subgroup chairs Cindy Halle and Miranda Luna, Brayboy is leading the way with many strategies to achieve longevity for I/I programs. Originally from upstate New York just outside of Saratoga, Brayboy now lives in Connecticut with her husband, only half an hour away from Yale polo club’s facility. In addition to trail riding with her two retired polo ponies, playing golf and biking, Brayboy continues to stay active on the field, playing at Giant Valley Polo Club (Hamden, Connecticut) during the summer. Drawing upon her years of professional consulting and notable success revitalizing Yale’s polo program, Brayboy’s commitment and depth of knowledge are the ideal combination needed to strengthen the future of the I/I program. Stevie Orthwein, chairman of USPA Polo Development, LLC. said, “Liz is one of the hardest working volunteers in the USPA. Her passion for and experience with I/I polo make her the clear choice to lead the program. She has a great understanding of the I/I ecosystem and its strengths and challenges as well as a clear vision of where the program needs to go to keep it viable and growing in the future. I have
D
no doubt that I/I will thrive under her leadership.” USPA Northeastern Circuit Governor Leighton Jordan echoed those sentiments. “The USPA and the I/I program could not have a more qualified, dedicated and knowledgeable leader than Liz Brayboy. As president of Yale Polo she was instrumental in bringing Yale Polo & Equestrian Club back from the brink of losing its polo program to now running a very successful, healthy polo program. She knows firsthand what it takes to manage and grow I/I programs no matter what condition they are in. The I/I program is in very capable hands with Liz,” he said.
How did you become involved in polo and transition into coaching? Growing up I had always ridden horses, and during the summers I played at Owl Creek Polo Club, which was run by Paul Kant, Skidmore Polo’s coach at the time. My brother, who was a graduate student at Yale University, introduced me to his friend who POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 9
DEBBIE NAPP
U S PA B U L L E T I N
back. Seeing I/I polo, not only as the future of polo, but also the past, helps frame my perspective.
What was the thought process behind the structural change to I/I leadership?
Liz Brayboy is an active member of Giant Valley Polo Club in Connecticut and travels for tournaments on occasion.
was already playing at the club my freshman year. I played all four years at Yale and my sophomore year I took on managing the program and ran it through my senior year. After graduating with a bachelor’s in psychology, I briefly coached at Garrison Forest School before moving to New York City to attend Columbia Business School. Returning to the Yale program over two decades ago, I started helping out with the interscholastic team as a club member. When Yale decided to close the armory, I was involved with helping to find a new location at an off-campus western reining and roping facility where I was an interscholastic and beginner instructor. We have been at our current location for almost six years and I am now president of the board.
What does I/I mean to you? I would never have had the opportunity to learn how to play the game if it hadn’t been for intercollegiate polo and that’s where I/I shines. It allows people to get involved in polo who would never have the resources or access to play otherwise. As the manager of Yale Polo, I worked with board members George Haas and Bill Ylvisaker and learned a lot about the history of polo from Yale alumnus Jimmy Mills, who played with the Igleharts, Phipps and Winston and Raymond Guest. This helped me understand the role of intercollegiate polo as a backbone for the USPA and polo in the United States and really led me to be passionate about the program at Yale. Steve Orthwein Sr., who I worked with as part of our board, gave a significant contribution to help Yale buy the facility where we are located now. He was such a great mentor to me in working with the USPA and understanding that loving the sport means also taking the time to give 10 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
A strategic planning group of six to seven people was put together to address the needs of I/I. The role of chairman, which David Wenning had taken on, was a really large role and a lot for one person. What we wanted to do was look at how we could streamline the committee structure and create something that is easier to manage instead of the former structure of nine subcommittees. We now have three segments: Tournaments & Regular Season (Cindy Halle), Funding & Awards (Miranda Luna) and Program & Club Sustainability (Liz Brayboy). Cindy [Halle] and Miranda [Luna] have worked a lot together and Miranda is from the West Coast, representing the perspective of a younger demographic. The idea is that the three subgroup chairs will work together as the leadership and I will be the point person as I/I chair.
Why did you decide to accept the position as the new I/I chair? With the proposed restructuring of the I/I Committee into subgroups the role of I/I chair becomes more manageable than in the past. Having support from two knowledgeable chairs like Cindy Halle and Miranda Luna should allow for more time to set direction and address some of the key issues facing I/I polo at this time. While I will be the point person for the board and management, this structure and the terrific USPA staff members should make for a more streamlined operation.
What qualities or experiences from your past make you most suited for the position? When I graduated from business school, I went to work for a bank, an insurance company and then for Deloitte, consulting for 10 years as a project manager. After leaving Deloitte, I went out on my own as a consultant and I worked with a couple of startup companies. I’ve also done a lot of consulting with large corporations and my role often is to be a project manager and facilitator. I think a lot of what I/I needs right now is leadership and facilitation, which is the ability to identify what needs to be done and in certain cases delegate and in others drive it. We have an excellent group of staff and chairs and I believe we’ll have a good set of committees so we need to keep them all driving towards our goals. I’ve also done a fair amount with the USPA. I’m
LEZLIE HINER
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Liz Brayboy, second from left, takes the field with her team at Skaneateles Polo Club in Skaneateles, New York.
on the Board and Staff Committee, I’ve been part of the Regional Host Tournament Committee and now the National Host Tournament Committee, and part of the USPA Polo Development, LLC Advisory Board. Because I have been involved with many groups and regularly attended the USPA meetings, I have fostered valuable connections with the governors and leadership in order to effectively communicate and execute our goals.
What do you hope to accomplish or improve for the future of the I/I program? One goal would be better visibility and integration of I/I within the overall USPA. Those of us who are part of I/I love it and are passionate about it, but we need to do a better job of figuring out how to introduce people to I/I and what the innovation points are. Another goal is figuring out how to increase the number of I/I alumni involved with the USPA on USPA committees. We do not want to lose players completely after college, but instead position them to become involved again later in life. We need to capitalize on the passion of the players and parents and both the Funding & Awards and Program & Club Sustainability subgroups are expected to tap into recent I/I alums to participate in the decision making and direction-setting process. One of the goals of the I/I leadership is to encourage participation in the broader USPA by recent alumni, not just as players, but as volunteers contributing to
the success of the organization. There are a lot of hard-working volunteers involved with the USPA and we feel this is an excellent way to introduce I/I graduates to opportunities to serve. The third piece is addressing the current concerns that people have about the impact of COVID-19 on polo programs. Some of our priorities have shifted based on how each collegiate club has been affected, and we are reviewing on a case-by-case basis which clubs will need advice or support navigating during this time.
What would you like the membership to know as you step into the position? This really is a new role as I/I chairman. The streamlined committee structure, addition of two chairs to support the ongoing activities of I/I and the experienced staff should allow us to drive the understanding and shared passion for I/I throughout the larger USPA. I particularly wanted to be in charge of the Program & Club Sustainability subgroup because it gives the leadership an opportunity to take a new focus. I will receive valuable input from both Tournaments & Regular Season and Funding & Awards subgroups that know what the issues are, which I can then use for strategic planning. I want the membership to understand that I/I represents both the future and the history of the sport in the United States. It is our job to ensure that others see this as clearly as we do. • POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 11
INSTRUCTORS FORUM
In hand Use your reins to effectively communicate with the horse by Nick Rennekamp
I can’t keep my mouth shut any longer—this has been driving both me and horses alike crazy for years. I’m talking about how we hold reins for polo. Communication with horses has changed in the last 15 years, but lateral movement remains one of the most important things for a great polo horse. I want everyone reading to know that there are many effective ways of holding reins, but I’m going to focus on three main ones. The most popular, which was introduced around 15 years ago by Argentines, is what we’ll refer to as the “popular style.” Here, the rein hand is held upright with the top (draw/straight/snaffle) reins together between the thumb and index finger. The bottom (curb/gag) reins are together between the index and middle fingers.This method is great for a
12 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
horse that sticks its nose up or over-flexes, because the rider can easily adjust the top or bottom reins with the index or middle fingers and the thumb on the mallet hand for more top or bottom reins. With this style, the reins are usually the same distance from the rider’s hand to the bit on each side. Pro Fernando Maciel Talavera once told me the reason pros teach people to hold the reins in the popular style instead of the western or cavalry style is because then they won’t be able to play the $7,500 horses, only the $25,000 horses! Long ago, Memo Gracida told Fernando to forget everything he heard about how to hold his reins and the cavalry style was the way he was going to hold them from now on. Fernando still holds them that way today. The other two methods I’m going to focus on are the “cavalry style” and the “western style.” The cavalry style was used almost exclusively in the old days so soldiers could guide and control their mounts with one hand and use a pistol, sword, spear or other weapon in the other. Here, one rein sits between each finger with the top left rein around the pinkie. The rider’s palm faces down, and the end of the reins exit between the index finger and thumb. This style usually has the top reins on the outside and the bottom reins in the middle. The cavalry style is still used by many trainers and polo players today—Memo Gracida and Julio Arellano are two great horsemen who come to mind. To make effective turns with this style, the rider turns his hand clockwise or counterclockwise as his arm moves to the right or left, thus giving the horse a signal through direct rein pressure to turn. Hence, the horse leads with its nose for a faster, smoother, more well-balanced turn. With the western style, the rider holds the right top rein over the index finger and the left top rein between the index and middle fingers. The right bottom rein goes between the middle finger and ring finger, and the left bottom goes between the ring and pinkie with the ends trailing out the heel of the hand. This is the style top reining and cow horse trainers have used for years. This style used to be hugely popular among Argentines as well, before the popular style came into play. With both the western
INSTRUCTORS FORUM
and cavalry styles, the rider can let the horse know instantly that they are making a turn by twisting the hand clockwise or counterclockwise—in essence tipping the horse’s nose the direction they are going. Both styles make it easier for the horse to quickly understand which direction they are going in. Billy Wayman once explained to me the difference between the cavalry and western styles. The cavalry style gets the job done, and is especially great for stronger horses—if you’re trying to pull a boat onto shore, you’re going to use a fist and give it a good tug. But, if you’re feeling a fine piece of silk or satin, you’re going to rub the material between your index finger and thumb as you would with the western style. Both Billy and Tommy Wayman preferred the western style for more sensitive horses. They were famous for the quality of their ponies. The western style allows you to give a horse a little bit of direct reining, if needed. For example, if you are riding a green horse, or your horse has its nose off to the left, you don’t have to reach up with your mallet hand to adjust the reins. If you want to go right, just squeeze the fingers together on your right rein, while letting the left rein slide through your hands a bit, even just a quarter inch or so. This will make the right rein a bit shorter than the left rein. It is a little more difficult to make any adjustments without using your mallet hand with the cavalry style. What I’m getting at with all these rein explanations is the quicker your intentions are communicated to the horse, the quicker your horse will be able to turn. Any variation of the western or cavalry method helps the horse to turn because it’s leading with its nose. Another important issue with making turns is safety. If the horse is leading with its nose, its eye is going to be there also, therefore, if somebody is running towards you wide open and looking over his shoulder, the horse can anticipate and help avoid a potential crash. These are living, breathing, intelligent animals who can help protect us and themselves on a fast-paced polo field, as long as they know where they are going. If they are leading with their poll and nose turned the opposite way, they won’t be able to see that freight train coming towards them! It can seem easy for us to understand our horses, but helping them to lead with their nose makes it so much easier for them to understand us. • POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 13
ASK AN UMPIRE
Rules 16, 21 and 22 To count, a game must be played to its conclusion
Haley Heatley
This month Hayley Heatley has a question. Hayley was born in Houston, Texas, but raised in Wellington, Florida. She and her sister are fourthgeneration polo players on their dad’s side. Hayley’s mom also plays polo and is currently working on a little Quarter Horse project. Riding has always been a part of her life, but Hayley’s skills reach beyond the polo field. She is an accomplished tennis player, lacrosse player and cheerleader. She cheered at Southern Methodist University, where she not only played polo under the coaching of Tom Goodspeed, she also got her degree in biological sciences and Spanish language as a President’s Scholar (a unique and very prestigious designation). When Hayley wasn’t at polo, she worked in a virology lab and really enjoyed learning the ins and outs of cell culture and the process of publishing a paper. She considers herself a lifelong learner. Hayley is a far stretch from a nerd, but you know it’s in there when she tells you her newest foal is named Pencil after her love of all things stationary. She loves to hike in Santa Barbara, California, with her huge dog, Remi. Although Hayley’s forever club is The Outback 14 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Polo Club because of her dad, Phil Heatley, and her godfather, Tim Gannon, she now makes her home the Santa Barbara Polo Club, in Carpinteria, California. The Santa Barbara Polo Club is where she met her fiancé Jesse Bray. She first came to Santa Barbara in 1997, but her dad had been coming there on and off since 1967. She loves living at the club and being so close to the mountains and the beach. Santa Barbara Polo Club is nestled between the mountains and the beach on the Pacific Coast. This club has a long and rich history, far too long to do it justice here. It offers all levels of polo and even hosts the Pacific Coast Open. It not only has pristine grass fields, it also has a polo arena along with tennis, swimming, stabling—you name it. For more information on the Santa Barbara Polo Club please visit its website: sbpolo.com. Hayley’s question: If a game must be suspended due to lighting or bad weather, does it have to be finished or can the umpire call the game after a certain number of periods have been played and produce a winner? Hector Galindo has been a professional umpire for over five years. His primary focus is high-goal
ASK AN UMPIRE
Rule 16—Games Any game shall be played to its conclusion unless suspended and abandoned as provided in Rule 22.g.
Rule 21—How Play is Interrupted k. Suspension of Game. The Umpire may suspend the game in the event of darkness, inclement weather, or any other reason which the Umpire(s), Referee and Host Tournament Committee believe to be in the best interest of the game.
Rule 22—How Play is Resumed g. A suspended game shall be resumed at the point at which it was suspended as to score, period, and position of the ball at the earliest possible time, to be decided by the Host Tournament Committee. If a suspended game is determined to have no conceivable effect on the outcome of the event, the game may be abandoned by a decision of the Host Tournament Committee. *Only a portion of these rules are listed. To read the rules in their entirety, go to uspolo.org*
Tournament Committee to suspend the game for safety and other reasons. Rule 22 says when you finish the game you must resume the game where it left off (obviously). It goes on to allow the Host Tournament Committee to abandon the game if the game is meaningless to the event. That is all that is in the rules.
Hector Galindo
SHELLEY HEATLEY
polo. His extensive polo experience is a valuable asset to the umpire program. A former 9-goal player, Hector had an amazing professional playing career for over 37 years. He was also a world-class polo pony trainer. He has played and won almost all the major highgoal tournaments, including the World Cup (30 goals), the USPA Gold Cup (26 goals), the C.V. Whitney Cup (26 goals), the USPA Silver Cup (20 goals) five times, the USPA North America Cup (20 goals), The Pacific Coast Open (20 goals) two times and the America Cup (20 goals). Hector was inducted into The National Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in 2016 and won Player of the Year presented by this magazine in 1999 as well as the 2016 PTF Umpire of the Year award. Fun fact about Hector is that he is one the most humble, authentic and kind humans on the planet. Hector’s answer: What an interesting question Hayley, thank you. I’ve been in polo too long and there have been so many recent rule changes that I’m not sure. I want to say long ago, after so many periods we could call the game and produce a winner, but I can’t remember, so I looked it up and here’s what I found. There are three rules at play here: Rule 16, Rule 21 and Rule 22. Rule 16 and Rule 22 are cross referenced but not Rule 21. Rule 16 says games must be played to their conclusion, so the simple answer to your question is yes, the game must be finished. Rule 21 allows the umpires and the Host
If you’re playing a unique type of tournament, I always suggest checking the tournament conditions part of the rule book for any further information specific to your event. In summary, you must finish the game if it matters. I hope that helps!” • 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
Time for healing Rehabilitation for tendon injuries includes light exercise By Heather Smith Thomas
THERE ARE several rehab protocols that can be helpful with soft tissue injuries to slowly work the horse back into exercise and gradually increase the exercise and loading of the tendons so they can have good prognosis. Often these healed tendons don’t look very good cosmetically, especially the older injuries that have some residual swelling or thickening, but they may still be able to do their job.
With strict stall rest, an injured tendon will not heal as well or be as strong as it would with proper mild exercise.
“A large factor in treatment success is a progressive rehabilitation program with controlled exercise,” says Dr. Olivia Rudolphi (Noble, Illinois). “It’s important for these horses to work their way back to full exercise gradually, but I’ve found that you need to keep them moving versus just standing in a stall. Ideally, not only for physical but also the mental state of the horse, doing a couple short sessions daily enables them to maintain body condition and strength as well as help prevent adhesions from forming. If a horse is just standing around in a stall and not moving at all, sometimes this can make it worse,” she explains. With strict stall rest the injured tendon will not heal as well or be as strong as it would with proper 16 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
mild exercise. “There must be a certain degree of controlled exercise and rest to aid in fiber alignment so we don’t end up with a restrictive area and weaker tissue,” says Mills. Some owners/trainers ask how long it will take for the horse to be able to come back to work, but this depends on the horse and the injury—the location of the injury, severity, and how compliant the horse is during the rehabilitation phase. Some horses don’t do well mentally in confinement with only controlled exercise. “The remodeling phase may take six to 12 months, and by the time you get to the end of it, the tendon strength will be about 80% of what it was before the injury. If the horse goes back to a strenuous career there is some risk for re-injury. It will never be as strong as is it was originally,” she says. When bringing a horse back into work it should be done gradually. “When these horses are not given the opportunity to rest and regenerate we see more injuries,” says Mills. You walk a fine line and have to adapt the rehab for each horse, trying to strengthen the regenerating tissues without tearing them down. It’s always case-by-case regarding recommendations for treatment and rehab. “We also want to serially monitor these horses with periodic imaging, often with ultrasound, to have an objective measure of improvement. Ultrasound is generally done every 60 to 90 days to evaluate improvement. This can help us determine when we might be able to increase the amount of exercise, or when the horse can have some turnout time. We can then gradually move the horse to a bigger enclosure when he is able to handle it,” she says. She does not outline a treatment or rehab protocol the same for every horse. The guidelines must be flexible and fit that particular case. “A horse may go to a rehab facility where there will be a variety of therapies available, and spend four to eight months there, before getting back to some early riding work,” says Peters. Treatments available include underwater treadmills, cold therapies and spas, laser treatment, ultrasound, pulse magnetic field treatments, etc.
E Q U I N E AT H L E T E
A gradually-increasing exercise program can keep strengthening the tendon without creating more damage by doing too much too soon. “By the time a horse tells us the leg hurts, there is damage done. This is the most difficult aspect in terms of rehab on any injury—being able to monitor and determine whether the exercise is enough or too much. You want to put some load on those tissues as they heal, to ensure a more normal healing process, and a more functional healing, but at the same time you don’t want to overdo it and break down those tissues,” he says. We walk a fine line on rehab exercise and it may be a little different for each horse because each injury is different. This is the challenge for bringing these horses back to work—determining the proper rehab process and gradually-increasing exercise load. We want the horse to get back to the previous level of work, but must do it in a way that takes enough time to be successful. Tendons are attached to muscles--attaching the muscle to the bone. If you can keep the muscles strong, and keep everything strong around that tendon, this gives the tendon more support. Many tendon injuries are due to fatigue when the horse is working. When the muscles get tired, the tendons take more load and more stress. If you can keep the
It might take six to 12
horse fit and the muscles strong, there’s less risk for months, depending on tendon injury. And when coming back from an the horse and the injury, before the horse can injury, you want to rehab the horse with controlled come back to work. exercise, rather than letting the horse run and buck and possibly reinjure that tendon. Cassells says that if you have the option of keeping the horse in a stall and gradually increasing the exercise with hand-walking, treadmills, etc., this is (continued on page 56)
Bowed Tendon One of the most common types of tendon injury is bowed tendon, caused by excessive strain. There are two tendons located behind the cannon bone--the deep digital flexor tendon and the superficial digital flexor tendon, one behind the other. These tendons are covered with a sheath and lubricated with synovial fluid. If the → tendons and/or sheath and/or attachments are injured or torn, swelling is caused by → hemorrhage and inflammation. The swollen area is hot and painful and the horse is quite lame. → If the superficial digital flexor tendon is injured and not properly treated, it can become permanently thickened due to scar tissue within the tendon and surrounding tissues/tendon sheath, and the adhesions that form--often binding the tendons together and/or to the sheath. This creates a bowed appearance in the otherwise straight tendon. The bow can be high (just below the knee or hock), middle, or low (just above the fetlock joint). The middle area is most often injured--where the tendon has the smallest diameter. Severe injury may involve the whole length of the tendon. Bowed tendon injuries are more common in front legs than hind legs. Common causes are inadequate fitness conditioning and muscle fatigue at the end of a long chukker, race, workout or competition. When the muscles become tired they cease to contract in perfect synchronization and then some of the strain (that is usually taken up by the more elastic muscles) falls upon the less elastic tendons. Horses most likely to bow a tendon during strenuous exertion are horses with long pasterns, long toes, horses that are not in condition for the work, horses in rigorous training or doing strenuous exertion, or horses too heavy for their tendon structure. The horse may bow a tendon while running hard, galloping uphill, turning quickly, bucking, or suddenly accelerating to full speed. A severe blow to the tendon (such as the horse striking it with another foot) may also create enough damage to result in a bow. 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
HEAD FROM THE BOTTOM UP Subhead Polo program helped player beat the odds
POLO PLAYER HOLLY HOLLERAN text KAREEM ROSSER says death at an early age and prison was inevitable until he met Lezlie Hiner, who runs the Work to Ride program at Chamounix Equestrian Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s Fairmount Park, located in the city’s poorest neighborhood. The nonprofit program offers riding and polo lessons in exchange for working in the stables. Participants are required to keep a C grade-point average and Hiner helps with homework. Rosser wanted to tell his story about growing up in the Work to Ride program so he decided to write a book. “I just hope we can continue to share out story with the world ... not just people in Philadelphia or in the states, but I want this to be known across the globe,” Rosser said. Rosser grew up in West Philadelphia, a neighborhood known as “The Bottom,” better known for its poverty and violence than for its success stories, After his two brothers came across the Work to Ride stable while riding bikes, they decided to join the program. Kareem and young brother Daymar joined them soon after. While the older two ultimately decided not to continue, lured by the streets, Kareem and Daymar excelled. Letting the boys join the program took a leap of faith. Rosser admits his mother got pushback from friends and family who were concerned she was just letting the kids ride horses with ‘some strange lady’ she didn’t know well. “Her intuition and her gut feeling said it was the right thing for us to do, and she was right,” Rosser explained. “She is very proud and extremely happy. She always says it is one of the best decisions she’s ever made, to let us go and start riding.” The Work to Ride Program offered Rosser and his brother chances to see other parts of the country and the world. “I was never satisfied and happy with my upbringing and all the things that surrounded me. [What] I grew up involved in was not always a pleasant feeling. Watching the day-to-day struggles for my family and the people around me, motivated me to not want to live that life and fall victim to the drugs and violence,” Rosser said. “That pushed me and I think I can say for Daymar it was the same. And being exposed to the polo world, our exposure to outside of our community drove us to stick with it because we saw what was on the other side if we worked hard. Visiting the Hamptons and these world-
18 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
POLO SCENE
class facilities just really motivated us to do well.” Kareem and Daymar went on to lead a Work to Ride team to a National Interscholastic Championship in 2011. Kareem also earned the PTF Player of the Year award that year. Daymar led the team to the championship the following year. Both brothers went on to pick up National Intercollegiate Championships—Kareem with Colorado State in 2015, when he was named Intercollegiate Player of the Year, and Daymar with Roger Williams in 2017. Both brothers also excelled academically, earning scholarships to the prestigious Valley Forge Military Academy before attending and graduating from college. Earning a degree in finance at CSU, Kareem Rosser returned to Philadelphia to accept a job as a financial analyst at an asset management firm. In addition, he is currently serving as executive director of a non-profit fundraising arm called Friends of Work to Ride. He is helping raise funds to expand and improve the Work to Ride facilities. Fifty percent of the proceeds from book sales will go to Work to Ride. “My greatest vision is to see [Work to Ride] serve more kids. ... We currently don’t have the facilities and staff to help the number of kids we want to help,” he said. “To see it triple or quadruple in size would be one of the greatest things we can do. There are kids with their hands out and families that need the help. If we can figure out how to reach more kids, it would mean so much to me and just be a very impactful thing. As long as I am around, I will try to make sure Leslie’s vision can live on and it’s still going strong when she’s not here.” While Work to Ride has been featured on HBO Real Sports, 60 Minutes, Sports Illustrated, as well as in other media, Rosser says the book was a way to tell the whole story. “[The book] was much easier because it is so hard to capture everything in 15 minutes or in a few pages in a magazine or in the papers,” he explains. “I wanted to be able to tell everything. ... I’m sure people already appreciate what Leslie has done, but I think they’ll definitely appreciate her much more after learning the real struggle and not just some highlights of what was covered on HBO or 60 Minutes or in Sports Illustrated.” Rosser’s favorite part of the book is the lead up to their championship game. “Winning the championship and falling a few times before is my favorite part, really the ending, because it sums up everything we went through, our struggles before persevering and achieving our end goal,” he said. He hopes the book will inspire others. “[My message is] to be resilient and persevere, taking advantage of opportunities when doors are opened and also, just don’t ever give up,” he said. “There are so many instances when I could have just said, screw it, and turned to the streets like some of my family members and friends that I grew up with. Continue to have an optimistic view when things don’t really look positive. “We really struggled at Work to Ride in so many ways, just the organization itself and our own personal struggles. You have to figure out how to persevere and don’t look back, look forward.” The book is set to release on Feb. 9, 2021 from St. Martin’s Press. It is now available as a pre-order for $28.99 on Amazon. It is already listed as a best seller and is getting great reviews. “‘Crossing the Line’ is bursting with heart and compassion and love of sport. Kareem Rosser is a remarkable athlete with a remarkable story; I knew I needed to bring his story to readers everywhere the moment I heard about it,” said Sara Goodman, editorial director at St. Martin’s Press.
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POLO SCENE
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SCHOOL’S OUT Graduate taking gap year for polo studies
MARTIN PEREZ RECENTLY graduated from high school in San Diego, California. Before heading off to university, he has decided to take a gap year to get some intensive polo training in Argentina. Perez was born in Los Angeles to Argentine-born parents Joaquin and Isabel De Sio Perez. Both studied in the U.S., Joaquin earning an MBA and a PhD from the University of Chicago and Isabel earning a law degree in California. Joaquin works in international investment banking while Isabel practiced international business law in Europe, the U.S. and Latin America. The family moved to Argentina when Martin was 6 months old. “We decided to go to Argentina for a few years so that he would be fluent in Spanish and learn to appreciate the Argentine culture,” Isabel explained. “As it turned out, we kept putting off the return to the U.S., which did not happen until he turned 16.” In Argentina, he attended St. Andrews Scots School, where classes were taught in both English and Spanish, so Martin is fluent in both. While there he played soccer and rugby, practiced judo and snowboarded. When a polo club opened close to where they lived, he began taking polo lessons. The family moved back to the U.S. so Martin could finish high school and prepare for college. He enrolled at a demanding private school in San Diego and joined the Lakeside Polo Club’s varsity interscholastic polo team. He easily adapted, maintaining good grades while excelling at polo, earning a varsity letter. After finishing his sophomore year, he wanted to play in the Pacific Coast Arena League so his parents bought him two horses, Kat and Shakira. Eager to learn all he could, he also attended a clinic at the University of Virginia; a PTF clinic with Joe Henderson and clinics with Corky Linfoot and Rege Ludwig. At the end of the summer, he earned the league’s Overall Champion 18-and-under. His last two years of high-school, Perez was taking a full load of classes, including four AP Classes, and earned a 4.4 GPA. In addition, he continued on Lakeside’s varsity team, which won the Western regional during his junior year—with Perez earning a spot on the All-Star team—and the team made it to the regional final in his senior year. Perez also played in the NYTS qualifier at Indio. earning AllStar status. More recently, Perez competed in the Polopalooza youth tournament at Lakeside. Perez’s Poway team won the A Flight and Perez was named MVP. He was accepted at Haverford College near Philadelphia where he plans to study Political Science and Economics/Business. But first, he will take a gap year to enhance his polo training in Argentina before interning at a company in Italy, provided it is allowed with the global pandemic. He hopes to start an intercollegiate team at Haverford and is working with an Argentine pro to purchase and sell polo horses. “Martin loves the game of polo especially due to its complexity, for the team play, as well as the close proximity with horses,” Isabel explained. “In his spare time, Martin reads on his history specialty of WWII, plays chess and spends time with his Golden Retriever, Lord.”
20 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Answers on page 55
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 21
POLO SCENE
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ITS A WRAP Polo inspires fashion designers
POLO PLAYER Danielle Travis says she was tired of getting sick after flying to women’s polo tournaments throughout the U.S. She believed the hacking, coughing and sneezing from other passengers was causing her illnesses. Typically, a few days after traveling, Travis would develop a sinus infection. She loved traveling, but did not enjoy getting sick. She felt miserable while competing, which hindered her performance on the field. In 2016, she created her The Barrier Method, a cloth face wrap to filter out airborn germs. The reuseable and washable masks are made of Chitosanté, a material made from recycled crab shells off the coast of Alaska that is said to inhibit the growth of odor-causing bacteria. Made in the USA, Travis says the masks are anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and anti-fungal. In addition, they wick moisture, are eco-friendly and UPF 50. Now that many states are requiring people to wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19, The Barrier Method masks are more useful than ever. Travis is offering USPA members a 10% discount with the code: Polo10. For more information, go to thebarriermethod.com. Polo has also inspired polo photographer Katerina Morgan to start her own fashion brand. “Since my childhood, I have dreamed about having my own clothing brand, but destiny drove me to another way towards my dream. I studied engineering, and worked in marketing and advertising until 10 years ago when I got into polo photography,” she explained. For a long time, Morgan thought about how she could use her polo images until she came up with the idea to create silk scarves. It allowed her to put together her love of polo, photography, art and fashion, while making a difference in the history and growth of the sport. “In my scarves, I try to show elegance and refinement, all qualities of polo combined with modern and original images,” she said. The scarves are produced and manufactured in Lake Como, in Northen Italy. Made of highquality silk with hand rolled edges, the scarf collections feature the likenesses of high-goal players like Adolfo Cambiaso, Pablo Mac Donough, Polito Pieres, Cubi Toccalino and Clemente Zavaleta. The Simpor collection is dedicated to Her Highness Princess Azemah, the only woman player in Brunei. “All the polo players I took pictures of to create my designs were happy to be part of my project. My team and I are confident about the future, and we would like to expand production and offer many other classy items with polo images,” said Morgan. For more information, or to purchase, go to katerinamorgan.shop. 22 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
POLO SCENE
MAN OF THE YEAR Polo player raises money for charity
WHILE MANY PLAYERS were catching up on movies while in lockdown during the pandemic, Grant Ganzi made good use of the time to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. His efforts earned him the title of LLS Man of the Year Palm Beach. The Lynn University senior, third-generation polo player, and The Polo School’s USPA delegate reached out to one of the most generous communities in sports, as well as family and friends to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Palm Beach chapter. Ganzi rallied in his 10-week fundraising efforts to forge ahead of other candidates to secure the title. Ganzi raised a total of $149,063. The total raised by all candidates was $670,848. Ganzi’s goal was to raise $75,000, which he highly exceeded. “I surpassed my goal and I’m surprised I was able to. There were moments in my campaign where I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to reach my goal,” he said. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is at the forefront of the fight to cure cancer. They are the largest nonprofit dedicated to creating a world without blood cancers. Since 1949, they’ve invested nearly $1.3 billion in groundbreaking research, pioneering many of today’s most innovative approaches. In the 30 years of Man and Woman of the Year fundraising campaigns, LLS has raised $380 million.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 23
P O L O D E V E L O P M E N T, L L C
Summer season NYTS qualifiers played at three venues By Hayley Heatley
Though masks are now a common sight and handshakes and high-fives are discouraged, players and parents maintain cheerful attitudes across the country as the summer season begins. Several USPA outdoor clubs have hosted NYTS Qualifier Tournaments while abiding by all USPA and local guidelines. Houston Polo Club Houston, Texas Bill Fick Ford Ashvath Bhatia Charlie Fridge Christian Fridge Niklaus Felhaber
Vintage Polo’s Grace Parker, Isabel Artzer, Lily Lequerica and Vance Miller won the NYTS Qualifier in Houston, Texas.
Horsegate Francesca Felhaber Joe Bob Lequerica Johann Felhaber Lance Stefanakis
Vintage Polo Grace Parker Isabel Artzer Lily Lequerica Vance Miller Game Results Bill Fick Ford 2, Horsegate 1 Vintage Polo 2, Horsegate 1 Vintage Polo 4, Bill Fick Ford 1 Best Playing Pony Lily Lequerica’s Willow All-Stars Lily Lequerica Niklaus Felhaber Vance Miller Lance Stefanakis Joe Bob Lequerica Roseland Polo Club Crozet, Virginia Cushman & Wakefield/Thalhimer Daniel Arnold Brock Bromley Abby Irwin Zac Coleman Flow Automotive Ava Nunes Virginia Gwinn Owen Halliday Reagan Leitner Acme Stove & Fireplace Stuart King Cate Godey Alea Crespo Robyn Leitner Game Results Cushman & Wakefield/Thalhimer 1, Flow Automotive 0
24 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
P O L O D E V E L O P M E N T, L L C
Acme Stove & Fireplace 3, Flow Automotive 2 Acme Stove & Fireplace 2, Cushman & Wakefield/Thalhimer 1
Vintage Polo’s Grace Parker
Best Playing Pony Robyn Leitner’s Kachina All-Stars Reagan Leitner Robyn Leitner Zac Coleman Alea Crespo Virginia Gwinn Gardnertown Polo Club Newburgh, New York Gardnertown Connelly Cashen Nico Diaz Alberdi Elizabeth Leusdorff Jonathan Wallace Barton Farm Eduardo Palacios-Garcia Vlad Tarashansky Matteo Chaux Max Gundlach Game Results Gardnertown 6, Barton Farm 5 Best Playing Pony The Alberdi family’s La Mancha, played by Nico Diaz Alberdi All-Stars Nico Diaz Alberdi Matteo Chaux Max Gundlach Eduardo Palacios
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No polo, no problem! Polo drills to work on while confined to home Are you stuck at home? Polo may not have resumed in your area but there are things you can do to stay fit and sharp. Riding and playing polo work important core muscles, including the back, pelvic and abdominal muscles. Keep these important riding muscles in shape and improve your coordination, balance and stability at home. Having a strong core allows a rider to stay centered over the horse and maintain balance while executing shots POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 25
P O L O D E V E L O P M E N T, L L C
and riding off other players. Many exercises that target riding muscles can be done at home without any equipment. Lunges, squats, planks and jumping jacks are easily completed in a small space. If you are currently in an area that is not able to resume competitive play, but you are able to ride safely, turn off the Netflix and hop in the saddle. Think beyond a normal stick-and-ball session and incorporate drills to improve your hitting accuracy. Riding patterns encourage focus and increase your connection with the horse, enhancing your ability to execute plays and rate your speed during a match. Pick a Ball Drill The Pick a Ball Drill can be done in the arena or on the grass. This drill focuses on riding at speed, executing a shot on goal, then quickly collecting the horse back up before turning and progressing to the next ball.
26 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
To set up this drill, place eight to 10 balls spaced evenly along the midfield line. If you are doing this drill on an outdoor field, don’t use the entire field; create a smaller area using cones as goals. Procedure: 1. Start at one end of the field (or arena) and approach the first ball on your offside at a canter or faster. 2. Without slowing, make a full swing and aim for the goal. 3. Upon reaching the corner, collect your horse and ride through the turn, accelerating out of the turn to the original speed. 4. Approach the second ball and take this shot on the nearside, now aiming for the opposite goal. 5. Repeat these steps with the remainder of the balls until you reach the other side of your designated space or far wall of the arena.
P O L O D E V E L O P M E N T, L L C
6. If you miss at any point, continue riding through the course. The Pick a Ball Drill was created by Cindy Halle and can be found in the “Drills, Drills, Drills� book produced by USPA Polo Development. USPA Riding Pattern The USPA Riding Pattern (right) challenges riders to execute the foundational movements used in polo within a confined area.
NYTS Eligible Players: Capture a video of yourself completing both of the above drills and tag @uspoloassociation #NYTSDrillsChallenge to receive an NYTS hat.
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Rich Roenisch Walking R Holdings Box 113 Longview, Alberta, Canada T0L 1H0 ph/fax (403) 652 4053 email: walkingr@xplornet.com
www.richroenisch.com (Front section of) "BANKS OF THE BOW"
L36" x W19" x H24 Detail of maquette for monumental sculpture "By the Banks of the Bow" (by Rich Roenisch and Bob Spaith). Total of 15 horses in full maquette. Limited edition of 20
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 27
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
Building blocks I/I develops new committee structure By Amy Fraser
Liz Brayboy, center, competes in an arena event a Gardnertown Polo Club in Newburgh, New York.
I/I to one of the three. A chair was appointed to each of the three subgroups and one of the three chairs was assigned the role of I/I chairman. The three chairs, along with two coaches’ representatives, will serve as the I/I Leadership Group. The coaches’ representatives will also take on a slightly new look, with one interscholastic coach and one intercollegiate coach. The two-year term, rotated basis and voting procedure will remain the same. After identifying the three main focus areas of I/I, the committee looked at identifying key roles within each of the three subgroups. For example, it invited a representative from the Arena Rules Committee to sit on the Tournaments & Regular Season subgroup and someone with business experience on the Funding & Awards subgroup. Liz Brayboy accepted the position of I/I chairman and will lead the Program & Club Sustainability sub-group. Cindy Halle was appointed as lead to the Tournaments & Regular Season subgroup and Miranda Luna will take on the Funding & Awards subgroup. Each of the subgroups have been populated by both past and new committee members, with the total number now at 18, plus the two coaches’ representatives. In the search for the new chairman of the I/I program, many qualified names came to mind. The volunteer job, unfortunately, was too big for many to be able to take on. Enter the I/I Strategic Planning Committee, comprised of a group of individuals from across the country and differing areas within I/I. Its focus was to streamline the work of the volunteers and pare down the number of committee members, which had reached 27. Looking at the program as a whole, there was a clear breakdown of three areas, each with its own focus: tournaments and regular season, funding and awards, and program and club sustainability. It wasn’t long for the new format to take shape. The committee started with naming these subgroups and assigning the different programs within
28 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Liz Brayboy I/I Committee chairman Program & Club Sustainability chair Most recently, Liz has been serving on the National Host Tournament Committee as the Northeastern Regional Host Tournament Committee representative and is an active member of the board at Yale Polo & Equestrian Center. Liz first got her start in polo at Yale University and went on to run the program there in her later collegiate years. She played in the summers with the Owl Creek team in the Saratoga, New York area. After graduation, she took on a coaching role at Garrison Forest School, before relocating back the to the Northeast. In addition to Yale, Liz also plays at
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
Giant Valley Polo Club in the summer. “This really is a new role as I/I chairman. The streamlined committee structure, addition of two chairs to support the ongoing activities of I/I and the experienced staff should allow us to drive the understanding and shared passion for I/I throughout the larger USPA. “I particularly wanted to be in charge of the Program & Club Sustainability subgroup because it gives the leadership an opportunity to take a new focus. I will receive input from both Tournaments & Regular Season and Funding & Awards subgroups that know what the issues are, which we can then use for strategic planning. I want the membership to understand that I/I represents both the future and the history of the sport in the United States. It is our job to ensure others see this as clearly as we do,” explained Brayboy. Cindy Halle Tournaments & Regular Season chair Cindy started playing polo at UC Davis and captured University four Women’s of Virginia MenIntercollegiate Championship titles, ultimately acquiring 3-goal arena and 2-goal outdoor handicaps. She moved east to run and coach the polo program at Garrison Forest School in Maryland in 1986. Cindy plays summer polo with the Maryland Polo Club and has competed all over the U.S., as well as in Argentina, India and Ireland.
Cindy Halle
Miranda Luna
She believes in personal development through sport and keeps sportsmanship, teamwork and horsemanship at the core of her coaching. “The I/I program is where many players are introduced to the sport of polo. They not only learn to play the game but gain valuable life experiences and lifelong friendships. I want to do what I can to bring the best opportunities and experiences to our I/I players. David Wenning had a wonderful vision for the I/I program and we will do all we can to continue the great work he did,” said Halle. Miranda Luna Funding & Awards chair Miranda got her start in polo the way many players do, with an introduction through intercollegiate polo. Miranda was one of the founding members of the UPENN intercollegiate team and has kept polo as a mainstay in her life. After graduating, she moved to Seattle, Washington, for work, but continued to stay involved with polo by managing I/I tournament events and serving on various I/I committees, including the Western Regional Host Tournament Committee and the National Host Tournament Committee. She now has a full string of ponies and plays at various clubs in the Pacific Northwest. Luna said, “I/I is an invaluable launchpad for a number of polo careers. What I love most about players that started in I/I—and there are many in the Northwest—is that they’re the first ones to jump in and help others, even decades after they last had to jump into the arena for a quick tack fix. I couldn’t be more excited about what is to come, and helping grow the program.” • POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 29
Ride On
Kakuy Repollo conferred with Eduardo Perez from the driver’s seat of the fourwheeler.
By C. Maybe Ortiz
Competitive cycling and polo share a number of similarities: participants interact in herds where mistakes by those nearby can cause mighty messes; one must remain vigilant for drunks, dogs and children who might stray onto the field of competition; and “No train, no gain.” Eduardo Perez brought his sense of discipline and determination from his years of professional bike racing to the game of polo. Born in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1967, Perez played the standard youth sports, including baseball, football, soccer and tennis but found a fondness for distance running in high school. As a freshman at Florida State University, he decided to follow his uncle’s adventures into professional cycling, receiving a racing bike for his 19th birthday. The hills of Tallahassee serve as spring
30 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
COURTESY EDUARDO PEREZ
From bikes to horses, athlete is all in
training for the East Coast cycling circuit, so Perez joined the line-up. He turned pro after college and moved to Boulder, Colorado, as a member of the West Coast squad of the team sponsored by BandAid. In his 20s, Eduardo Perez raced professionally for six years.
“I was a pretty good climber,” responded Perez, adding that he was taller at 5 feet, 11 inches than most racers. He spent a half a dozen years on the circuit, racing as an amateur in Spain in the summers where he regularly visited his grandparents throughout his youth. In 1990, a confident kid named Lance Armstrong moved up from winning the junior competition and Perez had to try to outlast him on the hills. “Like polo, you really have to love it!” observed Perez, who still takes extended bike trips around his rural Georgia neighborhood. He also works out regularly on his wooden horse, complete with net, blanket and a braided tail. After his racing career, Eduardo Perez settled into acceptable corporate ventures. He worked for an international company that handled the pool filters for the Olympics in 1996 at Georgia Tech. By the turn of the century he had chosen Atlanta as the best business location and combined his early training in visual arts with a major in international affairs to create a specialized advertising agency. The partnership line-up has evolved since 2003, but Perez remains the spiritual leader of pm3 (see polo jerseys), a major player in reaching the Spanishspeaking consumer. Their clients include NAPA,
Eduardo Perez on his new Argentine mare Nevada
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 31
ALEX PACHECO
Eight playing ponies (and one retired) live an idyllic life on the former hay fields at Eduardo Perez’s farm in Monticello, Georgia.
Aiken Saddlery owner Amy Hebert helped pm3/Lauburu’s Alejandro Alvarez, Eduardo Perez, Justin Pimsner and Lou Berizzi celebrate their 2018 Dogwood Cup victory in Aiken. With them is Kim Mullins and Peter Christensen of Taylor BMW.
Comcast and the Georgia Lottery. Though Perez didn’t write this line, pm3’s website features the thought, “There are 58 million Hispanics in the USA with $1.7 trillion in purchasing power. That’s a lot of queso, and if your business is hungry, we’ve got the chips to dip into this market.” So Eduardo Perez not only maintains dual citizenship in Spain and the USA but he becomes bicoastal, living in California and working in Atlanta. On vacation in England in 2015 his wife suggested they take a polo lesson at Cirencester. They had attended some benefit matches in California, but Eduardo had minimal riding experience. The rest is remarkable history. Perez found Topo Mendez and played some arena and grass chukkers in San Diego. Soon they were off to Argentina. By that same winter of 2015/16, Eduardo Perez joined the club at Eldorado (Indio, California) and purchased some ponies. The Argentine sense of adventure figured in to his decision to pay the $10,000 entry fee for the 8-goal Champions Cup at nearby Empire Polo Club. He had 7 goals worth of talent willing to play for free for the chance at the $30,000 prize. They got trounced in the first match, but their play improved and a penalty shoot-out among the three 1-2 teams put them in the final. Perez’s pm3 squad left it all on the field in an overtime loss, but at least the entry fee was covered by the $10,000 prize for the red ribbon. By the middle of 2016, Perez moved to Atlanta, playing some chukkers with the Union Hill group
32 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Alyssa Park assisted in spreading the word at Aiken Polo Club about Pet Releaf products.
north of the city before falling in with the downtown crowd at Dolph Orthwein’s field and Jolie Liston’s Atlanta Regional Polo Center arena. Due to his pleasant approach to the game and his willingness to support area charities, Perez has been chosen to play in a number of the huge benefit matches that Atlanta dresses up for annually. Aiken also lured Perez to play with Justin Pimsner, Marcos Onetto and Scott Brown in Wagener Polo’s USPA Masters Cup 6-Goal in 2016 on the
JIM BREMNER COURTESY EDUARDO PEREZ
Eduardo Perez in 2016 on Amy, one of his still-favorite horses.
exceptional fields at New Bridge Polo. They used the “Lauburu” team name, incorporating the traditional Basque four-pronged cultural symbol, which, like a four-leafed clover, encourages good luck. Perez went on to win with Pimsner in the Dogwood Cup at Aiken Polo in 2018. The tournament fields at Aiken’s three clubs are less than three hours from Perez’s farm in Monticello, Georgia. But Perez had not forgotten the good times he had in the desert. He decided to play again in Indio in March of 2017 and Lou Berizzi, whom he had met in Aiken, was just the guy to take his horses for the long haul. Berizzi continues to assist Perez on special assignments, including fencing parties on the Georgia spread.
Two years ago Perez purchased 67-acres of hay fields in Tricia Yearwood’s hometown. He remodeled the ranch-style house and had a 12-stall Morton barn constructed with a bathroom and spacious tack and feed rooms. Both the aisles and stalls are covered with rubber matting and polo player Carlos Leguizamon installed one of his Be Fly Free systems. The separate equipment garage includes an apartment for the horse caretaker. Perez is particularly pleased with the progress that he and his horses have made under the guidance of Kakuy Repollo, an Argentine trainer who has worked for a number of the high-goal teams in Florida. They have a long stick-and-ball field just a short walk through the woods. In addition to farm improvements, another project that has tapped some of Eduardo’s attention is Pet Releaf products. About five years ago, Perez invested in his Florida State friend Steve Smith’s company to market CBD oil edibles, creams, pastes and liquids for dogs and horses. Smith flew in from Denver in June for a presentation at Aiken Polo. Perez will continue to promote the products in his Equine Releaf polo jerseys. Eduardo Perez has come a considerable distance from his days of hitting the ball in the park in California on his mountain bike to his role as an active team sponsor. He’s a prime candidate for Bill Matheson’s internationally competitive bicycle polo team, but let’s hope that both forms of the sport can remain on his extensive schedule. •
On his first trip to the trophy stand, Eduardo Perez collected major silver for pm3/ Lauburu’s second place performance with Doug Blumenthal, Rodrigo Salinas and Francisco Guinazu in the $30,000 Champions Cup 8-goal at Empire Polo Club.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 33
Energy in the East
34 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
After 70 years, club gaining momentum By Sarah Eakin Photos by Elizabeth Hedley
Area players are more excited to play in the leagues because the club’s service has improved. Nate Berube and Will Green are shown here.
Polo is not immune to the impact of world events. Polo clubs are constantly forced to ride the high and low waves of the economy and today tackle the constraints put on summer seasons by the advent of the new coronavirus and yet, against those odds, one East Coast club is thriving. This year Brandywine Polo Club celebrates 70 years of existence and its membership is booming. “We have the most individual USPA members in the Eastern Circuit (48),” said Michael Bucklin, a member of the club’s board of directors. (Brandywine has also accrued the most new USPA members in the Eastern Circuit this year.) “And what we are seeing is a new-found momentum, the increased numbers of polo school members stepping up to full grass membership.” Brandywine appears to be something of a poster child for the USPA’s Polo Development Initiative. It
has benefited from the program with funds matched in investment in the refurbishment of the club’s arena, which is sponsored and named after Malvern Bank, a financial institution focused on supporting the equestrian community up and down the East Coast. The PDI has also enabled the club to extend a working relationship started last season with 4goaler Martin Estrada, who has transformed the polo school, which itself dates back to 1963. “Clubs do well if they are constantly reinventing themselves in some capacity,” said Justin Powers, executive director of the USPA’s Polo Development Initiative. “Brandywine has the training tool—arena polo—and a lot more four-chukker polo, which is a good shift in the sport to allow more people to play without having to make a bigger commitment. Also, Brandywine is now very much a turnkey facility—arena, stabling, fields—these turnkey facilities are fewer and far between at clubs. They
The club is attracting more sponsors and spectators to its picturesque venue.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 35
The club’s two-contact rule for pros allows amateurs more participation in practices and games.
Matching funds from the USPA’s PDI program allowed the club to refurbish its arena last season.
also have a really good team there, between Elizabeth [Hedley] and Martin [Estrada]. They have a strong board, that meets regularly and is working towards a sustainable future. We’re starting to see the fruits of their labor.” Hedley was brought in by club president and longtime benefactor of Brandywine Polo Club, Dixon Stroud three years ago, bringing with her a track record of marketing clubs throughout the USA. “We knew Brandywine had the history of polo here and the ability to attract players from a number of states,” said Bucklin. “Elizabeth has been able to help bring the club back up to its heyday and attract more spectators and sponsors. She has definitely gotten us back on the map.” Hedley’s initial impression of the club was
The club has been successful at recruiting area riders from other equestrian disciplines by offering quality horses.
summed up in one word: Rudderless. “The club wasn’t growing its polo,” she said. “It wasn’t reinvesting in its facilities and it wasn’t finishing its season in the black. More importantly it didn’t have a clear vision for the future it deserved.” It was Hedley who talked Estrada into bringing his talents to Brandywine to resuscitate the club. Estrada, who is well known for his polo academies in Florida, admitted, “I was challenged. I brought 14 head of horses and two 2-goalers with me and then we just rebuilt the whole thing from stalls to fields, the arena, the bathrooms and even the office. That was very scary the day that I arrived in June 2019.” “He was impressively determined,” said Hedley. “[He was] dedicated and laser-focused on the club’s foreseeable future.” It was Estrada’s tailored approach to bringing new players into the sport that worked so well for the 36 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Rich History Club has seen talent and tragedy One of the oldest polo clubs on the East Coast, Brandywine Polo Club is located on 122 verdantly wooded acres, among the rolling hills of Southern Chester County. The picturesque venue includes acres of flat, green fields surrounded by viewing berms and trailer parking with shade trees for the ponies to relax under during matches. Located near Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. the club was started in 1950 by James McHugh, and became a USPA club in 1951. Iconic players, such as Ray Harrington, Gerald Balding, George “Frolic” Weymouth and Cyril Harrison have galloped across the club fields over the years. In 1956, a club team won the U.S. Open Championship with a team of William Mayer, Clarence Combs, Ray Harrington Jr. and D. Raworth Williams. The same year, a Brandywine team of Stanley Taylor, Mayer, Harrington and James Kraml Jr. won the National 20-goal. The club has also suffered its share of tragedy, with 18 horses lost to a barn fire in 1966, after the clubhouse was struck by lightening, igniting a fire that spread to two nearby barns. Then-club manager Bobby Connors was able to lead nine of 27 horses to safety. Some of the ponies had to be sent to the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center for treatment of severe burns. Since then, the club has held an annual Polo Ponies Memorial tournament in honor of the ponies that were lost. The barns were rebuilt thanks to overwhelming support from the community. But tragedy struck again in 2013, when a barn roof was torn off after being hit by a tornado. A large piece of the roof damaged the arena wall and announcer’s stand. Total damage was $100,000. Once again, the community stepped in to help, raising about 25%, while the club’s board picked up the remainder of the tab. The repairs were completed in 2014 and additional stalls were added. Just last year, thanks to matching funds from the USPA, the club refurbished its arena.
Top: Brandywine’s Stanley Taylor, William Mayer, Ray Harrington and James Kraml accept the National 20-goal trophy from Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Uihlein in 1956. Above: Brandywine’s William Mayer, Clarence Combs, Ray Harrington and Raworth Williams won the U.S. Open in 1956. Left: A 2013 tornado damaged barns and the arena.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 37
Martin Estrada has resurrected the polo school, which dates back to 1963.
Marketer Elizabeth Hedley has gotten the club back on the map.
Longtime club benefactor Dixon Stroud
club. He started playing four-chukker games some 22 years ago when he launched the Palm Beach Academy, an approach that raised eyebrows from the old school players, but suited new ones. He also created a two-contact rule for the professionals, downsizing their role and elevating that of the amateurs on the field. His theory has more than one practical benefit. “First, with four chukkers you can play two games on the field,” he explained. “Second, players don’t tear the field up as there is less stopping.” While the pros have to play smarter, the twocontact rule gives the upcoming player (Estrada chooses not to call them beginners, which he thinks can prove demeaning) more participation in the game. “They want to be safe, have fun and improve,” he said simply. He likens a polo club to a restaurant and when he first arrived, he realized that Brandywine did not have a good menu. “My recipe works,” he said. “If the ambience is good, the service is good, they will come back and bring a friend. The formula is really simple.” Brandywine’s menu has since been revised so that rather than simply catering for visiting teams to play, win and leave in highly-competitive tournaments, it is offering lower-goal tournaments and incorporating the two-contact rule to entice polo school members out of the arena and onto the grass. “Last year I was trying to find some members from the club to play in four- and six-goal tournaments,” Estrada explained. “They said to me that they prefer not to play because they have more fun playing the practice chukkers. I told them, you play. If you have fun, you pay the entry fee. If you don’t have fun, you don’t. They were excited to play
38 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Hedley’s marketing efforts include engaging with spectators and encouraging them to post on social media.
in the leagues that I created. The reaction is good when the service is good.” “It’s working,” Bucklin concurred. “People see that polo is a fun sport, they join the school or do a couple of lessons or jump in the coaching lesson to get a real feel for what it’s like to stick and ball and play a bit of polo. The idea is to run them through the school and teach them horsemanship, how to tack up a horse, take care of a horse. Some people stay in the polo school and some become full members pretty quickly.” The introduction of behind-the-scenes skills into the polo school is another aspect of Estrada’s MO. “We try to be non-elitist with the emphasis on skills and not just the ability to hit the ball. To hit the ball, you have to get to it. To get to it, you have to be able to ride a horse. And to be able to ride a horse on the polo field, you need to know how to take care of a horse off it,” Estrada said. The club sits in the heart of horse country in
The club is a turnkey facility with an arena, stabling and fields. It is inviting for spectators and players alike.
Pennsylvania’s Chester County and has been successful lately in recruiting new members from other disciplines, such as hunter/jumper and eventing. Part of the appeal is Estrada’s insistence on providing newcomers with great horses. “They [hunter/jumpers and eventers] know what is a good horse. So you attract them with a good horse,” he said. “They take one lesson and they just keep coming back. When people take a lesson on a nice horse, nice mallet, nice saddle, nice field they are coming back. People know what is good.” Over the course of its lifetime, Brandywine Polo Club has overcome its fair share of obstacles—not least a tragic barn fire in 1966 and a vicious tornado in 2013. But this, the commemorative 70th year, sees the club rising to meet the new challenges imposed in 2020, in growing its membership and teeing the club up for a longterm future. With 100 stalls, four polo fields, new footing in the Malvern Bank Arena, exercise track and affordable local
housing, as well as Estrada’s seasoned expertise, Brandywine is ready. “I would love to see continued growth of the club, as we continue to stand on our own two feet,” said Bucklin. “Our ultimate goal is to make sure Brandywine is going for the next 70 years.” •
The club’s school not only teaches polo, but also horsemanship and horse care.
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
Pandemic polo How the Argentine season will look is still unknown By Lucas Noel
SERGIO LLAMERA
Argentine Polo Association President Eduardo Novillo Astrada, a former 9 goaler
In pursuit of certainties in an unclear time, Eduardo Novillo Astrada describes the schedule and details of the next Argentine season, as well as his vision and changes the AAP will evaluate postquarantine. What we do know is La Dolfina will try to achieve its eighth consecutive title in the Abierto Argentino; Ellerstina trusts in the entry of Hilario Ulloa—taking over for Polito Pieres—to challenge the reigning champion; that Polito Pieres joins La Natividad to enhance the rush of the Castagnola boys. We know there are several players who have already formed new teams (see list opposite page) and there are some pieces of the puzzle the Triple Crown’s protagonists have yet to solve. In fact, the last two teams in the line-up for the Triple Crown’s final two segments will come from the qualifier tournament (see teams, page 57). We know all that, but the coronavirus pandemic has cast doubt on how the most important polo season in the world will take place. To know reliably how deeply affected the calendar
will be, the most rigorous voice is, obviously, the president of the Argentine Polo Association, Eduardo Novillo Astrada. What are the expectations for the stilluncertain season today? I think we will be able to play the season. The issue will be whether it is with or without an attendance. We will see at what time of the season it can be incorporated. I hope that Palermo can be played with people in the stands. Tournaments played abroad will end a little bit later and, considering that all the players are coming back and they won’t be here, maybe we can delay the season by a couple of weeks, to the end of September. We are already planning to finish the Abierto closer to Christmas, but I think we will be able to get ahead. The unknown will be sponsors, income and attendance. It is going to be a difficult year. What are the possible schedule changes you are considering? Can the Triple Crown change its format for 2020? Yes, we have two or three alternative plans in case the tournaments have to be delayed or condensed. Today, we don’t want to say anything because I don’t think it’s time, but they are being contemplated. Are you evaluating applying temporary rule changes like England did? So far, we have not taken into account the rules topic. We have been looking at how England works. We have not discussed or debated it. When the time comes, we will see what can be applied and we will also listen to the players who come from England to see what they think of those changes. But for now, in Argentina, we have not talked about these rules changes. Would these types of measures be taken up with the players or would the decision be solely made by the AAP? All these measures are taken along with the players, but it also depends on the political context. How will the AAP and satellite polo
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
SERGIO LLAMERA
Hilario Ulloa joins brothers Gonzalo, Facundo and Nico Pieres on Ellerstina.
OPEN TEAMS La Dolfina Adolfo Cambiaso David Stirling Pablo Mac Donough Juan Martín Nero
40 10 10 10 10
Ellerstina Facundo Pieres Gonzalo Pieres Jr. Hilario Ulloa Nicolás Pieres
39 10 9 10 10
La Natividad Las Monjitas Camilo Castagnola Pablo Pieres Bartolomé Castagnola Jr. Ignatius Du Plessis
36 8 10 8 9
RS Murus Sanctus Facundo Sola Francisco Elizalde Guillermo Caset Jr. Alfredo Capella
35 9 8 10 8
La Dolfina Polo Ranch Guillermo Terrera Diego Cavanagh Alejo Taranco Juan Britos Jr.
33 8 9 8 8
Los Machitos Agustín Merlos Ignacio Toccalino Mariano Aguerre Santiago Toccalino
31 8 8 7 8
La Irenita Martín Podestá Juan Martin Zavaleta Facundo Fernández Llorente Juan Martín Zubía
30 7 8 8 8
La Ensenada-La Aguada Segundo Bocchino Alfredo Bigatti Matias Torres Zavaleta Jerónimo del Carril
29 6 8 7 7
businesses in Argentina be affected commercially by this pandemic, even if this quarantine has been overcome by the time the season begins? It can affect us a lot. The sponsors are going to be badly hit, they are going to cut budgets. In any case, several of them told us they are still contemplating our project because it is at the end of the year and there are many possibilities that can be achieved. The bright side about the polo satellite industry is that it is exportable. I think it is still the place to come. November and December is winter in the northern hemisphere, so people are going to come. Perhaps, they will start coming a little later than usual, but that is why we are going to have to be prepared—don’t close December, don’t close January, try to be open all year round.
chain is affected. Let’s hope we recover quickly and that it is a matter of time and circumstance and not permanent.
You belong to a traditional family of polo horse breeders. How much have horse sales been affected? It was affected because there are always horses already stipulated in the spring to travel in the fall that did not travel. Some contracts were respected and others were not, with all the valid understanding for what happened. Why are they going to take horses that they can’t use? And there were other agreements that were made in February or March with horses ready to travel and that have not traveled. It affected us all. The fall season is always a good time to sell a horse and it could not be sold and now it is yet to be confirmed how the spring season will unfold. Like everyone, the entire industry, the entire
The AAP has always carried out various activities during the Abierto, which will be conditional this year. How do you imagine Palermo will be? It is a difficult subject to imagine. We are making alternative plans. We hope that we can do something with 50 or 60% of the people. We are not going to be able to do the massive events that we have done in recent years and we would have liked to do. But with a little pay-per-view television, with capacity at 50 or 60%, with well-organized social distancing … I think
Can the lack of competition prior to the Triple Crown affect the horses? It varies a bit on the new horses that good players ride during the fall season. They were not able to work them that little bit and have them better for the high season. In the other horses, it does not vary much because the times are similar.
(continued on page 57) POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 41
POLO REPORT DISPATCHES FROM THE WORLD OF POLO GREAT PLAINS
GK FARMS TRIUMPHS IN WOMEN’S EVENT
Sisters Audrey and Carly Persano combined for 10 of GK Farm’s 14 goals in two Women’s Challenge Event matches in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Audry Persano was named MVP.
T
HE Tulsa Polo Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in conjunction with Front Row Promotions, LLC, hosted the Women’s USPA Challenge Event, a WCT Qualifier and part of the USPA Women’s Mid-Continent Series, at the Oxley Field in Mohawk Park, June 2728. About 300 people were in attendance for the finals at the Oxley field. The event drew four teams in the 8to 10-goal Flight A and another four teams for the 0- to 4-goal Flight B. Play got started in Flight B with Mas Fina
42 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
(Angie Bailey/ Sarah Powers, Karen Summers, Karson Bizzel, Stephanie Colburn) taking on NWA Polo Club (Verity Cameron, Noel Dallison, Ann Heidemann, Samantha Leach). Mas Fina got on the board after Bizzel shot through the first goal and followed with a Penalty 3 conversions. NWA reached the goal in the second with a shot from Leach, ending the half, 2-1, for Mas Fina. The third chukker was a defensive battle with no balls crossing the goal
line. Heidemann broke the drought in the fourth, but Colburn responded with a Penalty 3 conversion to take back the lead. Heidemann wasn’t finished and put the tying goal on the board to end the match, 3-3. Sharon Avery signaled the end of the match using a bell from the first horse-drawn fire wagon in Tulsa in 1905 when the fire department started. In the 1930s, Duke Merrill purchased the bell for use at polo. Merrill gave the bell to Avery around 1966.
P O L O
Raeann Magill, Audry Persano, Carly Persano and Jessica Kennelly won the A Flight of the Women’s Challenge in Tulsa.
The other Flight B match saw Forty Flowers (Maleigha Dawn Cook/ Morgan McBride, Matille Drury, Lara Semmelmann, Kirstie Allen) take on JD Polo (Kitana St-Cyr, Danny Gibson, Ekaterina Kotova, Kelly Coldiron/ Megan Flynn). Allen quickly put Forty Flowers on the board with a flurry of goals in the first seven minutes while JD Polo was silenced. The second chukker was not much different as Drury, Semmelmann and Allen extended the Forty Flowers lead to 7-0. JD Polo was able to stop the bleeding in the third while Flynn shot through a penalty conversion and StCyr followed with a field goal. Allen shot back in the fourth with three in a row, while JD was again silenced, giving Forty Flowers the 10-2 win. NWA met Forty Flowers in the final. Allen again struck first, but Leach quickly responded for NWA, ending the first, 1-1. Allen scored a lone goal in the second, and Semmelmann tallied the only goal of the third, giving Forty Flowers a 3-1 lead. Leach scored early in the last period to bring NWA within one, but Allen sunk two in a row to put the game out of reach, 5-2. In the consolation, Mas Fina ousted JD Polo, 8-1. Colburn led Mas Fina with half the team’s goals. In Flight A, River Ranch (Anne Branscum, Winifred Branscum, Tess
R E P O R T
Tantrum Polo of Dallas’ Lisa Yansky, Melanie Pugmire Myr and Wyatt Myr won the Arena Amateur Cup in Arkansas.
Sabatini, Kerstie Allen) faced GK Farms (Jessica Kennelly, Audry Persano, Carly Persano, Raeann Magill) in the first preliminary. River Ranch began with a two-goal handicap. GK Farms shot out of the gate with a pair of goals from Carly Persano. Audry Persano and Magill scored two each in the second to end the half, 6-2. Audry Persano tallied her third goal and Kennelly her first to increase the lead. Winnie Branscum traded goals with Audry Persano in the fourth, to end with GK Farms firmly on top, 9-3. The other preliminary saw CCC Ranch (Kelly Coldiron, Roxy Keyfauver, Megan Flynn, Carol Farnsworth) take on Texas Christian University (Athena Malin, Danika Rice, Stephanie Colburn, Morgan McBride). TCU received a one-goal head start, which Keyfauver quicky neutralized. Malin sunk a Penalty 3 conversion in the second to keep TCU ahead, 2-1, at the half. Keyfauver and Colburn traded goals in the third and Flynn swapped goals with Rice in the final chukker, allowing TCU to hold on to its handicap goal for the 4-3 win. Flight A final had GK Farms up against TCU. Carly Persano overcame the one-goal handicap given to TCU in the first. Kennelly added another in the second, while TCU was unable to reach the goal, giving GK Farms a 2-1
lead at the half. A Penalty 2 conversion by Audry Persano, which she followed with a field goal, gave GK a comfortable 4-1 lead. Carly Persano scored midway through the last period. Rice put through a penalty conversion but it wasn’t enough and GK Farms had the 5-2 win. Circuit Governor David Ragland and sponsor Robert Merrifield, owner of Polo Grill, were on hand for the trophy presentation. Audry Persano was named MVP and Megan Flynn’s buckskin, played in the third period, was named Best Playing Pony. In the consolation, River Ranch overpowered CCC Ranch, 7-4. After the matches, Joel Koester from the Tulsa Sports Commission made a presentation to Danny Gibson and Kelly Coldiron, recognizing the club as having an emerging sport in the area once again.
TANTRUM POLO WINS ARENA AMATEUR CUP NWA Polo Club in Northwest Arkansas held its first USPA outdoor event on its newly-boarded grass arena. The club received a PDI grant to help fund the construction and complement its access to a nearby covered arena facility where it has hosted woman’s arena and interscholastic
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 43
P O L O
R E P O R T
Shweiki Media’s Trey Crea, Gal Shweiki, Lauren Sterr, Ursula Lipari and MVP Gilberto Dominguez Jr. won the Patton Cup.
and intercollegiate events. Four teams entered the 0- to 3-goal Arena Amateur Cup, competing over two days, July 11-12. The grass arena is large and the ends are open so the tournament committee sought recommendations from players and guidance from USPA certified umpire Robin Sanchez on appropriate rules and procedures. The teams played with stadium polo balls, executed penalty shots from 15 and 25 yards and took knock-ins as needed. The format worked well and produced exciting games. Tantrum Polo of Dallas (Wyatt Myr, Melanie Pugmire Myr, Lisa Yansky) defeated Tulsa Polo (Greg Summers, Kelly Coldiron, Samantha Leach), 12-7 in the final. Leach scored several key goals in both games, earning her MVP honors. Wyatt Myr’s Quarter Horse mare Whiskey was Best Playing Pony. In the consolation match, two NWA Polo Club teams met. A young talented Triple B team (John Hand, Hannah Banderob, Jair de la Pena, Noel Dallison) fell to NWA Polo (Robert Koehler, Don Gruntmeir, Kenneth Williams, Verity Cameron), 7-5. Cameron, a Bentonville transplant from England who is an avid horsewoman accomplished in dressage and eventing, won the Tulsa’s MVP Samantha Leach stops a breakaway from Tantrum’s Wyatt Myr in the final of the NWA Arena Amateur Cup.
44 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Shweiki Media’s Ursula Lipari shakes loose from Forty Flowers’ Jessica Mignone in the final of the Patton Cup.
Sportsmanship Award. Club President Kevin Gardner and Secretary Susan Koehler helped organize the event. SOUTHWEST
SHWEIKI MEDIA TOPS GEORGE PATTON CUP The San Antonio Polo Club in San Antonio, Texas, proudly brought the sport of polo back to the old historic Retama Polo Grounds on a reconditioned field with the George S. Patton Cup over Memorial Day weekend. Four teams filled the rosters. The semifinal rounds pitted Forty Flowers (Lara Semmelmann, Jessica Mignone, Jack Crea, Roni Panzarini) against Real
Life (Patrick Hensley, Wes Alston, Patrick MacLeod/Georgia Stone, Sean Azzaro/Mike Azzaro) and Shweiki Media (Ursula Lipari/Lauren Sterr, Trey Crea, Gilberto Dominguez Jr., Gal Shweiki) against Hill Country Marines (Silas Jeeper Ragsdale, Matthew Linson, Hunter Hudson, Rowan Neidinger/ William Askins). Shweiki Media and Forty Flowers prevailed, advancing to the final. In the final, Gal Shweiki put his team on the board early in the first. Trey Crea followed with two in a row to increase the lead to 3-0. Forty Flowers struggled to reach the goal in the first half. Panzarini put it on the board in the third but his goal was neutralized later in the chukker when a pony kicked in a goal for the other team. The teams battled in the final seven
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minutes with Panzarini striking twice, but his efforts were matched by Dominguez, giving Shweiki Media the 6-3 win. Dominguez was named MVP and Trey Crea’s Nugget took Best Playing Pony honors. The winning team took home $2,500, part of the USPA’s Covid-19 stimulus program. In the consolation match, Real Life crushed Hill Country Marines, 8-1. Georgia Stone was MVP.
JD POLO TRIUMPHS IN USPA AMATEUR CUP The Central Texas Polo Association hosted the USPA Amateur Cup at Two Wishes Polo Club in Lockhart, Texas, June 13-14. Held in two flights, the 2-goal AFlight had four teams, while B-Flight had two teams. Due to the heat, A-Flight games were played with teams alternating chukkers, so match one teams played chukkers 1, 3, 5 and 7, while the second match teams played chukkers 2, 4, 6 and 8. “This adapted format was great for summer polo in Central Texas,” said Kanthaka’s Jessica Mignone. “Early games with alternating chukkers beat the heat, allowing the ponies and players to rest, stay in good health and player their best polo.” The game between JD Polo (Zoe Lehmer, Trey Crea, Jack Crea, Javier
The USPA Amateur Cup B-Flight went to Dani Gibson, Ismael Vasquez, Agustin Arrayago and Kitana St-Cyr.
Insua) and Two Wishes (Tres de la Paz, Quequi Garcia, Mike Lancaster, Ariel Rodriguez) was close throughout. The first chukker was scoreless. In the second, each scored three with JD Polo making two from the field and converting a Penalty 3 while Two Wishes scored three from the field. The third saw both teams scoring two goals with each converting a penalty shot and making one from the field. However, in the final chukker, it was JD Polo who came out strong defensively, holding Two Wishes scoreless while scoring one to take the win 6 to 5½. The match between Kanthaka (Sylvia Kampshoff, Gal Shweiki, Jessica
Mignone, Philipp Kampshoff) and Forty Flowers (Lara Semmelmann, Kerstie Allen, Chris Ballard, Roni Panzarini) was not as close. In the first chukker, each team scored a goal, but it was all Forty Flowers after that, scoring one in the second and two in the third to take the win, 5-1½. The format remained the same for Sunday when the consolation and final were held. The consolation match between Two Wishes and Kanthaka was back and forth. Kanthaka missed twice in the first two minutes before Two Wishes’ Garcia hit a beautiful centering shot to Lancaster who scored the first goal with DAVE MURRELL
JD Polo’s Jack Crea, Javier Insua, Trey Crea and Zoe Lehmer won the USPA Amateur Cup’s A-Flight.
JD Polo’s Zoe Lehmer hangs tough despite losing her stirrup and challenges Forty Flowers’ Roni Panzarini.
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Burkelo Polo’s Pelon Escapite, Charlie Caldwell, Jack Whitman and Rich Burke won the USPA Masters Cup in Aiken.
3:32 remaining. The second chukker was similar to the first with both teams shooting at goal and missing, including the best shot of the tournament when Shweiki, deep in the left corner, played a near-side neck shot to goal, missing by inches. Finally, Mignone scored to tie the match at the end of the second chukker. The third chukker saw each team shoot on goal twice to no avail, however, with only 15 seconds left in the chukker Garcia gave Two Wishes the lead. The last chukker had Philipp Kampshoff scoring his first goal of the game in the first 30 seconds, quickly matched by Two Wishes’ Rodriguez scoring his first goal just a minute later. A costly mistake by Two Wishes gave Kanthaka a Penalty 3 and Sylvia Kampshoff converted it for the win. The championship match started with a bang for Forty Flowers as Panzarini scored two goals in 59 seconds and Semmelmann closed out the chukker with a goal with only three seconds remaining. The second chukker was a complete reversal as it was JD Polo charging out the gates with Trey Crea and Insua each scoring two goals, to end the half with JD Polo leading 4-3½. Allen started the second half, scoring within the first 50 seconds, but she was quickly matched by Insua. Miscues by JD Polo allowed Panzarini to convert
46 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
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Adam Snow’s Kombucha, played in the fourth period of the Masters Cup final, was Best Playing Pony.
a Penalty 2 and a Penalty 4, giving Forty Flowers the 6½-5 lead. In the final chukker, it was JD Polo’s turn to take advantage of mistakes by Forty Flowers. Penalty 2 and 3 conversions gave JD Polo the narrow victory, 7-6½. Trey Crea was named MVP; Pixie, a 17-year-old OTTB owned by Keala Panzarini and played by Roni Panzarini was Best Playing Pony; and Ariel Rodriguez earned the Sportsmanship award. In B-Flight’s Saturday game it was Texas Yellow Jackets (Kitana St-Cyr, Dani Gibson, Ismael Vazquez, Agustin Arrayago) dominating JD Polo (Ahmed Elsherbiny, Ekaterina Kotova, Jose Velez, Taimur Zeb/ Javier Insua) with a 4-1 win. However, in Game 2, both teams played each other much closer with Texas Yellow Jackets scoring one in the first and second chukkers and JD Polo scoring one each in the third and fourth chukkers. So, it was Texas Yellow Jackets winning the match with a better win-loss record. Kotova was MVP; Jose Velez was given the Sportsmanship award; and Shawn Gibson’s Torcasa, played by Dani Gibson, was Best Playing Pony. “The Amateur Cup was the highlight of, what was by all definitions, a very unique spring season. The players and their mounts came together from across the region to engage in friendly competition, all while adapting to and
respecting COVID-19 safety guidelines,” explained Forty Flowers’ Christopher Ballard. “The tournament was a testament to the passion of the players, grooms and spectators in Central Texas, and bodes well for the resiliency of our sport. We’re grateful for the guidance and support of the USPA in assisting us with hosting another great tournament.” SOUTHEAST
BURKELO PREVAILS IN MASTERS CUP Burkelo Polo won the 6-goal USPA Masters Cup final at Wagener Polo Club in Wagener, South Carolina, June 10. Five teams played off over two weeks to determine a winner. Burkelo Polo (Rich Burke, Pelon Escapite, Andrew Scott, Jack Whitman) got off to a good start, defeating La Bourgogne (Stuart Campbell, Luis Galvan, David Meunier, Winship Rees), 7-5. Jimeni Farm (Hope Arellano, Summer Kneece, Kim Snider, Adam Snow) topped Left Field Farm (Louis Berizzi, Nate Berube, Ruben Coscia, Kevin Stevens), 8-6½ in Game 2. Farmer RD Polo (Ariana Gravinese, Dan McCarthy, Marcos Onetto, Jesus Ontiveros) won its first game, 6½-5, over
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Michelle Raab presents $2,500 to Congressional Cup winner, Cooper’s JD Cooper, Lucas Arellano, Amy Cortazar and Ruben Coscia.
Field Farm, 7-6; and Jimeni Farm ousting Farmer RD Polo, 9-5½. The final game down to the undefeated Burkelo Polo and Jimeni Farm. Charlie Caldwell filled in for Andrew Scott on Burkelo Polo. Snow tallied for ALEX PACHECO
La Bourgogne, while Burkelo Polo picked up its second victory, this time over Left Field Farm, 10-4½. Play continued with Farmer Rd crushing Jimeni Farm, 7½-2; Left Field Farm edging La Bourgogne, 6½-6; Burkelo topping Left
Congressional Cup MVP Ruben Coscia with his family and Best Playing Pony Maleca
Burkelo Polo’s Charlie Caldwell holds out Jimeni’s Hope Arellano, allowing teammate Rich Burke a free rein in the final of the Masters Cup.
Jimeni, adding to the team’s half-goal handicap early in the first. A Penalty 2 conversion by Escapite put Burkelo on the board and Caldwell followed with a field goal. Escapite sunk a Penalty 6 in the opening minutes of the second, only to be answered by Arellano and Snow, for a 3½-3 lead at the half. Another safety conversion by Escapite and a goal from Caldwell were sandwiched around a goal from Arellano giving Burkelo a slight edge going into the last chukker. Escapite and Arellano traded Penalty 2s in the first few minutes. A substitute that filled in for Snider after the game began scored to give Jimeni back the lead, but the team was caught by the umpire’s whistle giving Escapite a 60-yard free hit. That was all he needed to clinch the 7-6½ victory for Burkelo Polo. Snider was named MVP Amateur and her Houdini was Best Playing Pony Amateur. Escapite was MVP Pro and Snow’s fourth period Kombucha was Best Playing Pony Pro. The USPA Congressional Cup was just as close. Six teams competed from May 27-June 6. In the opening game, La Bourgogne (Stuart Campbell, Luis Galvan, David Meunier, Winship Rees) edged Cooper Home & Stable/Hyder Park (Lucas Arellano, JD Cooper, Amy Cortazar, Ruben Coscia Sr.), 6½-5. Farmer RD Polo (Ariana Gravinese, Dan McCarthy, Marcos Onetto, Jesus
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Ontiveros) started with a 6½-6 win over Burkelo Polo (Rich Burke, Pelon Escapite, Andrew Scott/Charlie Caldwell, Jack Whitman) and Cooper Home & Stable/Hyder Park picked up its first win, 9-3½, over Hardscrabble (Polo Baez, Henry Lampton, Mason Lampton Jr., Eddy Martinez). Play continued with La Bourgogne topping Jimeni Farm (Hope Arellano, Summer Kneece, Kim Snider, Adam Snow), 8-6; Burkelo Polo handing La Bourgogne its first loss, 10-9½; and Cooper Home and Stable/Hyder Park defeating Farmer RD Polo, 7-4½. Last round games had Jimeni Farm topping Hardscrabble, 6-4½, then falling to Farmer RD Polo, 6½-3, while Burkelo Polo doubled up Hardscrabble, 8-4½. Cooper Home & Stable/Hyder Park met Burkelo Polo in the final. Arellano sunk a Penalty 2, added to a half-goal handicap to get Cooper’s scoring started. Burkelo shot back with goals from Whitman, Caldwell and Escapite to take the lead at the end of the first. Whitman scored another early in the second, then traded Penalty 2s with Arellano. Cooper rallied in the third when Arellano and Coscia combined for a trio of goals while Burkelo was silenced, to edge out front, 5½-5. The final seven minutes was a battle with each team shooting at goal three times to no avail. Cooper hit the mark
48 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Adam Snow’s Kombucha was Best Playing Pony for the second time this season, this time in the Pete Bostwick Memorial.
and Caldwell answered, leaving Cooper ahead, 6½-6 at the bell. JD Cooper was named MVP Amateur and Caldwell’s third period gelding, Joseph, was Best Playing Pony Amateur. Coscia was MVP Pro and his third period mare, Maleca was Best Playing Pony Pro.
OUT EAST CAPTURES BOSTWICK MEMORIAL Out East topped six teams to capture the 8-goal Pete Bostwick Memorial at New Bridge Polo and Country Club in Aiken, South Carolina, June 11-21. Out East’s Tommy Biddle comes in to stop a drive from Foxdale’s Adam Snow.
The teams were divided into two brackets, each playing the teams in the opposite bracket. The top two teams played off in the final. After more than a week of playoffs, Out East (Hope Arellano, John Humphreys, Lucas Arellano, Tommy Biddle) faced Foxdale Equine/ Mid State Roofing. (Robyn Leitner/ Reagan Leitner, Julian Daniels, Adam Snow, Hugh Worsham). Biddle wasted no time putting Out East on the board and Lucas Arellano followed with a goal of his own, while all of Foxdale’s drives were turned away. Hope Arellano put in a Penalty 2 in the second and her brother followed with KATIE ROTH
Out East’s Hope Arellano, John Humphreys, Lucas Arellano and Tommy Biddle won the Pete Bostwick Memorial and $2,500.
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Winship’s Warriors’ Ruben Coscia, Trevor Reeves, Jack Whitman, Reagan Leitner and Robyn Leitner won the Constitution Cup.
Mapogo/Cavalia’s Ari Fletcher, Jack Whitman, Trevor Reeves and Dennys Santana won the Players Cup at Aiken Polo Club.
WINSHIP’S WARRIORS ACE CONSTITUTION CUP
the fifth, keeping Out East ahead by four, 10-6, going into the final period. Not a team to give up easily, Foxdale came alive in the last seven minutes with Snow tallying back-to-back goals and Daniels adding one of his own but the team ran out of time with Out East ahead, 10-9. Hope Arellano was named MVP and Snow’s Kombucha was Best Playing Pony for the second time this season.
Peach Tree/ Soleada’s Marcos Onetto, riding Best Playing Pony Leona, holds off Winship’s Warriors Jack Whitman in the Constitution Cup final.
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his second goal to go up, 4-0, before Daniels put Foxdale on the board late in the period. Hope Arellano and Humphreys increased the lead early in the third before Biddle traded goals with Daniels, ending the half with Out East out front, 7-2. Daniels sunk a Penalty 3 in the opening minute of the fourth and Biddle matched a pair of goals from Snow. Biddle and Snow swapped goals again in
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The Aiken Polo Club in Aiken, South Carolina, held two USPA events early this summer. The 2- to 6-goal Constitution Cup saw seven tough teams playing off from May 22-June 7. The playoffs saw Peach Tree/Soleada (Ariana Gravinese, Marcos Onetto, Randy Rizor, Dennys Santana) defeat Mullins Land (Frank Mullins, Horacio Onetto, Justin Pimsner, Matt Sekera), 85, to start the matches. Sig Polo (Wesley Bryan, Willie Hartnett, Aiden Meeker, Mandeep Singh) defeated Panakeia (Chase Butler, Jewel Gregoncza, Whistle Uys, Del Walton), 7-6, in Game 2, before Winship’s Warriors (Ruben Coscia, Winship Rees, Trevor Reeves, Jack Whitman, Reagan Leitner, Robyn Leitner) defeated Brookland/ La Bourgogne (Stuart Campbell, Luis Galvan, David Meunier, Thomas Ravenel), 10-6. The playoffs continued with Equine Releaf (Jhonny Alvarez Delrosario, Chilo Cordova, Pedro Lara, Eduardo Perez) narrowly edging Peach Tree/Soleada, 7½-7. Panakeia picked up its first victory, crushing Brookland/La Bourgogne, 11-3. Mullins Land also won its first game, defeating Equine Releaf, 7-6½. SIG Polo got its second win, this time over Winship’s Warriors, 7-4, before falling to Winship’s Warriors, 6½-2. Lastly, Peach
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Antelope Jr.’s Bauti Von Wernich, Felipe Vercellino, MVP Grant Palmer and Juan Monteverde won the Pope Challenge.
Tree/Soleada edged Panakeia, 9-8. Winship’s Warriors battled to the final where it got the best of Peach Tree/ Soleada, 10½-3. Ruben Coscia was MVP and Marcos Onetto’s big chestnut mare, Leona was Best Playing Pony. Earlier, Mapogo/Cavalia topped five teams in the 4-goal Players Cup, held from May 16-24. Games began with Mid State Roofing (Hope Arellano, Lucas Arellano, Reagan Leitner, Robyn Leitner) doubling up Brookland Plantation (Jhonny Alvarez Delrosario, Josh Escapite, Luis Galvan, Thomas Ravenel), 8-4. Lauburu/Hyde Park (Chilo Cordova, Amy Cortazar, Pedro Lara, Eduardo Perez) picked up an early win, 6½-4, over La Bourgogne (Charlie Caldwell, Stuart Campbell, David Meunier, Winship Rees), and Mapogo/Cavalia (Ari Fletcher, Trevor Reeves, Dennys Santana, Jack Whitman) downed Brookland Plantation, 9-5, and La Bourgogne, 6-4. Playoffs continued with Lauburu/Hyde Park falling to Mid State Roofing, 7½-4, and Mapogo/Cavalia, 8-3½. Brookland Plantation edged La Bourgogne, 5-4, but got edged by Mid State Roofing, 7-6. The final game saw Mapogo/Cavalia outscore Mid State Roofing, 6-4. Mapogo/Cavalia’s Dennys Santana was MVP and his Perla wore the Best Playing Pony blanket home.
50 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Dundas’ Sarah Siegel-Magness, Juan Cruz Marcos, Santi Torres and Mariano Fassetta won the USPA Intra-Circuit tournament.
CALIFORNIA
ANTELOPE JR TAKES CA’S POPE CHALLENGE There was a big lead-up to the 12-goal Folded Hills Pope Challenge final at the Santa Barbara Polo Club in Carpinteria, California. With eight teams playing off over two weekends, Antelope Jr. topped Bracket II while three teams had to shootout to determine the Bracket I winner. Bracket I’s Antelope (Geoff Palmer, Santiago Trotz, Jimmy Wright, Maco Llambias) overcame BenSoleimani.com (Ben Soleimani, Tommy Alberdi, Iñaki Laprida, Leon Schwencke) and Dundas II (Cable Magness, Jason Crowder, Geronimo Obregon, Jake Klentner) to earn a spot in the final against Antelope Jr. (Grant Palmer, Juan Monteverde, Felipe Vercellino, Bauti Von Wernich). The final started slowly until Llambias put Antelope on the board halfway through the first chukker. Grant Palmer quickly rebutted it to keep it level. Strong defense and clean play allowed only one goal from Antelope Jr. and one foul in the second. A pair of penalty shots and a field goal from Llambias put Antelope ahead, 4-2, at the half. Antelope Jr. leaped back in control with five goals in the third, including a
coast-to-coast run by Vercellino on Best Playing Pony Sandunga and another from 60 yards out. Antelope tried to turn it back around in the fifth chukker with a goal from Wright, but Antelope Jr. charged ahead with two more to lead, 9-6, going into the last chukker. The teams swapped goals in the last seven minutes, including an impressive cutshot from MVP Grant Palmer, maintaining the three-goal difference, and giving Antelope Jr. the 11-8 win. “It was a very physical game. By continuously passing the ball up the field we were able to stretch our opponents and come out with the win,” said Grant Palmer. Despite playing without spectators, all players brought their best. Antelope Jr. played the most cohesively and reaped the rewards. The teams got right back at it the following weekend for the USPA Intra-Circuit tournament, held over two weeks. Antelope Jr. held its momentum, meeting an undefeated Dundas (Sarah Magness, Mariano Fassetta, Santi Torres, Juan Cruz Marcos) in the final. Monteverde struck first, putting Antelope Jr. on the board, but Dundas fired back with a hat trick. Monteverde tallied again, but was met with back-toback goals from Torres, who was just back after an injury, to close the second, 5-2, in favor of Dundas. Monteverde
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Dundas’ Juan Cruz Marcos was MVP in Santa Barbara’s 12-goal Intra-Circuit Cup. It was the first tournament he played the U.S.
sunk a Penalty 2, but Dundas shot back with another three goals to end the half ahead, 8-3. Monteverde kept Antelope Jr. in the fight with a Penalty 4 conversion in the fourth, but in doing so was like poking a sleeping monster. Once again, Dundas responded with three more, maintaining its steady, upward trajectory with undeniable strategy, concentration and determination. Vercellino managed to tally a pair of goals in the fifth, but Dundas responded with three goals to lead 14-6 going into the final period. Two more goals hammered in by Torres put the game out of reach. That didn’t stop the never-say-die Monteverde who launched in three goals of his own in the waning minutes. Dundas went on to win the match, 16-9. “Our strategy was simplicity. Our game plan was playing man-to-man and making sure we each worked together to clear the space to make runs to goal,” explained Sarah Siegel-Magness. “While defense was our first priority, we then transitioned to a strong offense.” Responsible for five of Dundas’ total goals, Juan Cruz Marcos was named MVP. It was his first 12-goal tournament and his first season playing in the United States. Cypress, bred and owned by Valiente and played by Torres, was Best Playing Pony. The grey mare is out of Magnolia by River Dance. A spare, she
Wrightway’s Gregory LaBlanc, Elizabeth Mansfield, Eric Wright and Michael Downing won the Pacific Coast Players Cup.
made four appearances throughout the game. In addition to the trophy, the winners went home with $2,500 in prize money—part of the USPA’s COVID-19 polo tournament stimulus package. The team elected to pass the winnings on to its hard-working grooms. Season awards were also presented. Dundas II’s Cable Magness was honored with the Season Sportsmanship award; Leon Schwencke won Best String; and Geronimo Obregon was Season MVP. —Cory Williams
WRIGHTWAY SECURES PLAYERS CUP IN CALIF Wrightway Polo settled at the top of a three-team line-up for the Pacific Coast Players Cup played in a round-robin format over two days from June 26-27. On the first day, Casa Socas (Jascha Kaykas-Wolf, Kathryn McKegney, Marcial Socas Jr., Rafael Hernandez) faced Tevis Ranch Polo (Angus Harris, Hassan Khan, Richard Mansfield, Will Harris) in Round 1. Angus Harris began the scoring, but Socas quickly answered to keep it close in the first chukker. Mansfield and Will Harris each scored in the second, while holding Casa Socas to a single goal to win the round for Tevis. It was the first tournament father and son Will and Angus Harris played together.
Casa Socas stayed up to take on Wrightway (Elizabeth Mansfield/Jocelyn Leufrancois, Michael Downing, Erik Wright, Gregory LaBlanc) in Round 2. Socas traded goals with Wright in the first and Downing in the second, ending the round in a tie. Wrightway then went up against Tevis Ranch, pitting husband and wife, Richard and Elizabeth Mansfield against each other. Wright scored the only goal in the first period and Downing and Elizabeth Mansfield scored two more in the second to take the win. The teams came back the next day to continue with the previous-day’s score. Tevis shut out Casa Socas in the first round with goals by Richard Mansfield and Will Harris. Wrightway came in for Round 2 and took control of Casa Socas. Wright scored twice and Downing once while Casa Socas was quiet. Socas tallied two in a row in the second chukker while Wrightway was scoreless, but it wasn’t enough and Wrightway won the round. The last round was between Wrightway and Tevis Ranch, with Wrightway leading, 3-0. Once again, Richard Mansfield and Will Harris combined for three goals but penalty shots by Downing and Wright kept Wrightway out front for the win. Wrightway was the winner, Tevis Ranch was runner-up and Casa Socas came in third.
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Gussie Busch helped Spindrift defeat La Karina, 8-5, in the Red match, all part of the Independence Cup celebration.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN
SPINDRIFT BEST IN INDEPENDENCE CUP The Aspen Valley Polo Club in Carbondale, Colorado, kicked off its summer season with three hard-fought matches, all part of the Independence Cup celebration. Despite the lack of spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no shortage of excitement at the McClure River Ranch. The first match of the day saw Seminole Casino (Melissa Ganzi/Riley Ganzi, Alejandro Foster, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Juan Bollini) best Los Amigos (Paul Foster, Vinny Sangaline, Horacio Heguy, Juan Martin Nero), 13-10, in the Blue match. The ladies made a spectacular showing with Alejandra Foster scoring the first goal of the match and ending the play with a total of seven goals. Melissa Ganzi and daughter Riley, splitting chukkers, scored two and four goals respectively. Sangaline scored nine of Los Amigos’ 10 goals. The White match had Richard Mille (Marc Ganzi, Grant Ganzi, Pablo MacDonough, Juancito Bollini) beating Michael Bickford’s La Indiana (Michael Bickford, Stewart Armstrong, Polito Pieres, Nacho Badiola), 11-8.
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La Karina’s Nic Roldan tries to drag the ball across the line while being pursued by Mountain Chevrolet’s Michael Payne.
Bollini was hot out of the gate, scoring his first of five goals early in chukker No. 1. He repeated the play later, scoring just moments into the fourth period. The team also benefitted from the great teamwork of father and son Marc and Grant Ganzi, as well as four goals from Mac Donough. In the final Red match, Spindrift (Gussie Busch, John Bickford, Nic Roldan, Tincho Merlos) ousted La Karina (Brian Boyd, Alex Gooding, Pablo Spinacci, Nacho Novillo Astrada), 8-5. Boyd was injured in the second chukker and was replaced by Harrison Azzaro, who showed his mettle with an impressive 120-yard goal in the fourth. Best Playing Pony of the afternoon when to Sofia, a pretty chestnut mare owned and played by Mac Donough. Play continued with Casablanca defeating La Indiana, 8-6, to capture the ChukkerTV Challenge, July 13. Casablanca (Marc Ganzi, Grant Ganzi, Polito Pieres, Juancito Bollini) got started with Bollini making a spectacular coast-to-coast run for the first goal. Play was tight during the first half as La Indiana’s (Michael Bickford, John Bickford, Nacho Novillo Astrada, Jared Zenni) strong defense kept Casablanca away from the goal. Casablanca had plenty of chances to pull ahead on penalty shots, but missed three, ending the half trailing, 4-3.
Bollini tied the match early in the fourth as a light shower offered some relief from the heat. Three penalty conversions put Casablanca ahead, 7-4, going into the final period. La Indiana cut the deficit to just one before a stirrup-less John Bickford made a heroic run to goal but couldn’t finish it off, giving Casablanca the win. Polito Pieres was named MVP and Cruella DeVille, a gray mare owned by Santa Rita and played by Nacho Novillo Astrada, was Best Playing Pony. In the consolation Just for the Fun of It Cup, La Karina (Brian Boyd, Carlitos Gracida, Nacho Badiola, Nic Roldan) defeated Mountain Chevrolet (Michael Payne, Alex Gooding, Tincho Merlos, Pablo Spinacci), 12-9. In the consolation Just for the Love of It Cup, La Elina (Bobby Gerry, Horacio Heguy, Pablo Mac Donough, Stewart Armstrong) defeated Los Amigos (Paul Foster, Juan Martin Nero, Toro Ruiz, Peter Holowesko) and Seminole Casino (Vinny Sangaline, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Juan Bollini, Alejandra Foster) with an impressive 18 total goals. Scores were combined from Friday’s round robin. Little Nell, owned by Santa Rita and played by Horacio Heguy, was Best Playing Pony and Stewart Armstrong was named MVP. —Rebecca Baldridge
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Cessna’s Gonzalo Tevis, MVP Nico Saenz, Camp Campbell and Mia Astrada won the Oliver Wallop Cup at Flying H.
PAC I F I C N O R T H W E S T
CESSNA SOARS IN OLIVER WALLOP CUP Cessna got off on the right foot during Flying H Polo Club’s (Big Horn, Wyoming) summer season, winning the opening Oliver Wallop Cup on July 4. Cessna (Mia Astrada, Camp Campbell, Nico Saenz, Gonzalo Teves) took on BTA (Chrys Beal, KC Krueger, Steve Krueger, Miguel Astrada) in the final. Cessna began with a handicap goal and Saenz added to it to kick off the scoring. Mia Astrada added another before KC Krueger put BTA on the board, ending the first, 3-1. Teves scored a lone goal in the second, and Mia Astrada and Campbell scored in the third while BTA came up empty. The half ended with Cessna ahead 6-1. BTA made a comeback in the fourth, capitalizing on penalties. Miguel Astrada hit the mark with a Penalty 4 and KC Krueger shot through a Penalty 3. Steve Krueger added a field goal to bring the team within two, 6-4. Saenz split the uprights in the fifth. A minute into the chukker Mia Astrada collided with Steve Krueger, causing his horse to fall. Krueger was replaced by Shane Rice and Astrada was set down for two minutes after receiving
R E P O R T
The Villages’ Pite Merlos, Frankie Bilbao, Paige Boone and Roni Duke won the Cloud Peak Cup.
double yellow cards. Miguel Astrada converted the resulting Penalty 4 for BTA, but Teves got in the last word to increase the Cessna lead to 8-5. BTA was unable to reach the goal in the final seven minutes while Saenz split the uprights on a Penalty 6. Campbell converted a Penalty 3, giving Cessna the 10-5 victory. Nico Saenz was the Wendtland & Wendtland MVP and Krueger’s OnStar was the Wendtland & Wendtland Best Playing Pony. In the consolation Canyon Ranch Challenge, Jan Pamela (Wayne Garrison, Sugar Erskine, Will Johnston, Hector Galindo) defeated Bendabout (Tom Sprung, Gillian Johnston, Carlitos Galindo, Julian De Lussaretta), 10-8, while Parrot Heads (Roni Duke, Harry Caldwell, Lucio Benedit, Pite Merlos) edged The Villages (B. Craig Duke, Jeff Blake, Frankie Bilbao, Paige Boone, Will Johnston), 11-10, in the consolation Canyon Ranch Classic. Cessna (Harry Caldwell, Jeff Blake, Gonzalo Teves, Chip Campbell) made it to the final of the Cloud Peak Cup the following week, this time against The Villages (Roni Duke, Paige Boone, Frankie Bilbao, Pite Merlos). The first half of the match was riddled with fouls. Campbell began the scoring with a Penalty 2. Boone responded with a Penalty 2 of her own and Merlos sunk a Penalty 4. Blake and Caldwell tal-
lied in the second and Boone tied it up, 3-3, with another Penalty 2. Bilboa scored The Villages’ first field goal, but was answered by another Campbell Penalty 2 conversion. Boone scored her third Penalty 2 before Merlos and Bilbao scored field goals to end the half with The Villages moving ahead, 7-4. Boone and Blake traded goals early in the fourth. Boone followed with another Penalty 2 and a field goal, while Merlos added another goal to increase the lead to six, 11-5. Bilbao and Merlos sandwiched goals around one from Teves in the fifth to widen the gap. Cessna outscored The Villages 2-1 in the final seven minutes but it was too little, too late and The Villages hung on to the 14-8 win. Paige Boone was high-scorer with six goals and was named The Conners and The Musselmans MVP. Pite Merlos’ grey Pite Gucci was The Conners and The Musselmans Best Playing Pony. In the consolation Cloud Peak Classic, Bendabout (Mia Astrada, Gillian Johnston, Lucio Benedit, Julian De Lussaretta) edged Evergreen (Tom Sprung, MVP Will Johnston, Carlitos Galindo, Miguel Astrada), 10-9. In the Cloud Peak Challenge consolation, Jan Pamela (Wayne Garrison, KC Krueger, Sugar Erskine, Hector Galindo) slipped Clearwater (Chrys Beal, Camp Campbell, Nico Saenz, Steve Krueger), 10-9.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 53
P O L O
R E P O R T
OBITUARIES
KIM SNIDER
CHRIS COVATTA
Kim Snider died July 5 at her home in Aiken, South Carolina, due to complications from dementia. She was 57. Most people spend their entire life searching for their desir de la vie (desire for life). Kim Snider found hers in the spring of 1994 in the sport of polo. Leaving the legacy of Polo Skilz in her wake, the years leading up to that were the catalyst for combining her love of polo and her insatiable thirst for
Kim Snider
knowledge of it. Kim learned to play polo in Dallas with Bill Walton at the famed Dallas Polo Club. Scott Lancaster was her mentor and first pro and provided her the opportunities to quickly climb the polo ladder of success gauged by playing in competitive 12- and 16goal polo in a very short period of time. Kim played all over the U.S., consuming polo like a free diver breathing in that last breath of air before a recordbreaking dive. She was impassioned and focused on learning and competing at an unrelentless pace. Riding the rollercoaster of the start-up tech world, she found herself back on the ground floor, but this time, of her own company. Making a disciplined and heart-wrenching decision to put polo aside to focus on her fledgling business, Snider Advisors, she vowed that someday she would pick up where she left off. In 2009, she and her husband, Jim
54 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Hughes were able to sell the business and move to Aiken to pursue her dream of building a polo farm and Polo Skilz Network, an online video training platform. Kim set about filming renowned polo professionals willing to share their knowledge and training philosophies until she had captured every major leading professional in the sport. In 2014, the USPA purchased Polo Skilz Network for its members to utilize. Kim also realized her goal of building a polo farm and stayed committed to her personal polo achievement to the very end, competing in a 6-goal tournament and finishing in the final weeks prior to her death. Kim was diagnosed far before she let on that she was battling this life altering disease. She is survived by her husband, James “Jim” Hughes; her mother, Annabelle (Melvyn) Goodman; siblings, Jill (James) Brewer, Robin (George) Simkins, and Allen (Stephanie) Goodman; aunts and uncles, Franklin “Bud” Holcomb, Henry (Laura) Holcomb, Bruce (Regina) Goodman, Harlan Goodman, and Ellin (Lewis) Blumenthal; as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Second Wind Dreams, the Hitchcock Woods Foundation or your local animal shelter. —Kris Bowman
MIKE SPARKS Michael Roy Sparks Sr. died June 11, in Arlington Heights, Illinois. He was 80. A Chicagoland native, he went on to become a prominent real-estate developer, avid polo player and fox hunter. Mike was president and founder of Sparks & Associates, Inc., the industry leader in multi-family property development and corporate housing. He founded the 12 Oaks Polo Club and was a member of Fairlane Farms Polo Club. He attained a 3-goal rating and played
Mike Sparks
in various tournaments, including the U.S. Open and Continental Cup. In 1982, he won the Butler Handicap. Mike was preceded in death by his father Charles Roy Sparks, mother Mary Walsh and brother Charles Patrick Sparks. He is survived by a sister Geraldine Kosartes and his five children: Michael Sparks Jr., William Sparks, Mary Kathryn Sparks, Caroline Paige Sparks and John Robert Sparks. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his honor to the Museum of Polo.
BILLY THOMAS Longtime polo player, supporter and friend William D. Thomas passed away June 20. He was 68. Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Bill earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from East Stroudsburg University. He was the owner of Camp Curiosity, Curiosity Shoppe and Toddler Center. “Billy the Hammer,” a nickname he earned for his whaling offside forehand shot, helped bring polo to the area in the early ‘90s, first as a founding member of Bucks County Polo Club and later as an early member of Tinicum Park Polo Club. Billy was an active Tinicum Polo board member, serving as president for multiple years. He remained devoted in the proceeding decades to improve the clubs and
Billy Thomas
make polo accessible to anyone interested in hitting the ball, riding horses and most importantly, having fun in the process. On the field, on the sidelines and behind the scenes, Billy was a gentleman and friend who quietly helped the club prosper. Always ready to lend a hand or add an appropriate one liner to make people laugh, Billy exuded goodwill and good times with his debonair character. Many of the contributions he made over the years were made in a consistent, silent, steady manner and remained largely anonymous. However, as discreet as Bill chose to remain in his charity to polo, the circus-sized tents for big matches, which he loaned free of charge and later donated to the club, were too large not to be noticed and recognized as a not-so-subtle gesture from Bill. A plaque in his honor will be placed on one of the tents given to the club by Bill. With his reliable smile and sense of humor, Billy was a fixture at the club who will be greatly missed. He is survived by his wife, Ellen; son Jeremiah (Caitlin); stepchildren Eugene Leffever (Cheryl) and Jeannette Dellaripa (David); sisters Joan Burns (Denis) and Gail Hagerty; brother Robert Thomas Jr. (Sandra); five grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Better Way Farms. •
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 55
E Q U I N E AT H L E T E
Benefits of Ultrasound Dr. Mark Cassells (Homestead Veterinary Hospital, Villa Ridge, Missouri) has been practicing for more than 20 years, and says one of the best things that has happened is improvement in our ability to catch tendon injuries early, with ultrasound. “The ultrasound technology and equipment has gotten better every year, so we are able to pick up subtle lesions earlier than we could before. We can catch them before there is so much damage. The other benefit is that we can monitor these lesions with ultrasound after treatment, to see how they are doing. Treatment might be regenerative therapy with stem cells, PRP etc. We can monitor that lesion with better accuracy and see how it’s healing—much better than we could 10 or 15 years ago,” Cassells explains. Another reason he likes to use ultrasound is that when a horse is put into a rehab program and you start increasing the work load, the tendon can be readily monitored. “Even though the horse may be performing well and is acting OK, we still need to see how the structure is handling the work. Is the tendon holding up or are we starting to see more signs of lesions?” Ultrasound is a way to make sure that the horse is not being pushed too hard. This gives a person more confidence about stepping up to the next level. You are always walking a fine line, trying to strengthen the structure as it heals, rather than tearing it down.
(continued from page 17)
Controlled exercise, such as using an automatic walker, helps the horse mentally as well as physically.
helpful. “Controlled is the key word. You can’t just give the horse four months of rest and then suddenly go back to work. There needs to be a program that fits the horse and the situation, and the rider’s level of capability.” An overactive horse is not helping itself. “When you take that horse out of the stall, it wants to run and buck, and lunging is not recommended for rehab in tendon repair. The important thing is safety 56 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Ultrasound technology helps pick up even subtle tendon injuries, as shown here.
first—for the rider, the handler, and the horse. It doesn’t do anyone any good if the rider gets bucked off and the horse is running around in the pen as fast as it can,” he says. It is important, however, to keep the horse in some type of exercise, whether hand walking or tack walking a couple times a day—getting outside the stall multiple times. This helps the horse mentally as well as physically and keeps the muscles stronger. “If it’s a novel experience for the horse to go outside the stall, the horse will go crazy, so you need to utilize some form of controlled exercise, and a way to monitor the rehabilitation program,” says Cassells. Every horse is different. “Some heal faster than others, but typically tendon injuries take six to eight months, if not longer, to get back to a full level of work. Tendons take longer than bones to heal, and the rule of thumb is that it takes one month per letter. Bone takes four months to heal, tendons take six months and ligaments eight months. It’s an easy way to remember it, and ligaments are the slowest to heal—because there is less blood supply to a ligament. The tendon at least has muscle fibers with blood in them at that end. It varies, of course, depending on where the injury is. If it’s up near the muscle it might heal faster than if it’s in the middle of the tendon where there is no blood supply.” •
P O L O I N T H E PA M PA S
(continued from page 41)
we will be able to do something good. It will make us adapt to what is happening, to the new times and to use our imagination a lot. Hopefully, we can copy some good things from others who have held events of this magnitude before us.
ALICE GIPPS
What is certain today is discarded tomorrow. This is how this pandemic, which affects even the smallest
SERGIO LLAMERA
Polito Pieres will leave his cousin’s Ellerstina squad, taking up a position with the young, talented Castagnola brothers on La Natividad.
Qualifier Tournament detail of our daily life, has treated us. The Abierto Argentino is not exempt from this rule. But at least its timing, at the end of the year, could mean that the sound of sticks hitting balls imply that we are, once and for all, beginning to overcome this nefarious virus. •
La Esquina Pascual S. de Vicuña Juan García Grossi Bautista Bayugar Lucas James
28 6 7 8 7
Cría GT Joaquin Pittaluga Cristian ‘Magoo’ Laprida Valerio ‘Lerin’ Zubiaurre Iñaki Laprida
32 8 8 8 8
Alegría Raúl ‘Gringo’ Colombres Sebastián Merlos Ezequiel Martínez Ferrario Fred Mannix
30 7 8 7 8
Los Machitos II Genario Ringa Lucas Díaz Alberdi Victorino Ruiz Jorba Martín Aguerre
28 7 7 7 7
Coronel Suárez Ignacio Negri Felipe Vercellino Marcos Araya Diego Araya
28 7 7 7 7
La Irenita II Santiago Loza Tomás F. Llorente Jr. Juan Ruiz Guiñazú Pedro Falabella
29 7 7 8 7
La Dolfina’s Juan Martin Nero, Pablo Mac Donough, Pelon Stirling and Adolfo Cambiaso remain the team to beat in the Argentine Triple Crown. POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 57
Y E S T E RY E A R S
A very good year Argentines play stormy summer series in U.S. in 1922
fitted polo clubs in the United States. A splendid plot of land was secured and three fields were laid out. A clubhouse was included in the plans to meet the needs of members, and there was capacious stables and an abundance of room for grooms and other employees. The main entrance to the property was a center gate, which will give access to the field. The games may be viewed from the cars of the club members or from the clubhouse’s pavilion roof. This is to be built as a stand and seat about 1,500. Plans include room in the stable for about 100 ponies. They will have quarters, which are equal to the best private stables and none of the owners will feel backward about quartering his string at the club. The property is about nine miles from the city, located on a cement road, which is the latest of its kind to be built, and the members will have easy travel over it to the playing fields. Although the International Cup, which lies in the field of competition between Great Britain and the United States, was not challenged for under the agreement between the two countries this year, there was an element of international competition, which probably created as much sustained enthusiasm for polo as the cup competition. The Argentine team, made up of capital players,
The indoor game was spreading as quickly as the outdoor version. The Cincinnati Polo Club was resurrected after a new arena was built and more ponies were secured.
Polo, in a general way, never produced a more entertaining year for its players and the public in this country than it did in 1922. Increased interest in all outdoor games and sports was characteristic of the season, but polo thrived proportionately more than it had in preceding years. The number of beginners doubled, the number of skilled players was maintained at a maximum, the game became stronger in the army, and the entrance of colleges into the field opened a new avenue of interest and a new source of popularity. The spread of the indoor game followed step for step with that of the outdoor. The expansion of polo included Detroit, which made plans for one of the most beautiful and best
58 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Y E S T E RY E A R S
after thoroughly defeating the best of England, arrived in the United States to play in a series of tournaments. The United States cup players were placed on different teams that there might be an equalization of strength, and finally played an impromptu international match in which three of the United States cup winners of 1921, with a substitute who took the place of Mr. Stoddard, competed against the champions of South America, and won. The final game, played under most discouraging weather conditions, finished with a drive on the part of the Argentine players that compensated for the terrific drenching that both they and the spectators received as a succession of fierce squalls broke in from the ocean over the field at Meadow Brook. Indeed, the only drawback throughout the continuous series of competitions, which included the National Open Championship on the field of the Rumson Country Club in New Jersey, the Bala Cup games at Philadelphia and the subsequent adjournment to Meadow Brook, was the inclemency of the weather. On the first day of the Herbert Memorial Series at Rumson, a gray morning, with clouds driving here and there and the wind capriciously boxing the compass, finally advanced its way into a stormy afternoon, the gale veering into the southwest and bringing up a thrashing storm, which converted the carefully prepared field into a quagmire at those parts of it where the ground was soft. Lightning flashed and thunder rolled, and the rain fell in solids rather than in drops. Yet the polo committee did not abandon the tournament for the
Plans were released for three fields to be built in Detroit, along with a 1,500-seat clubhouse, stabling for 100 ponies, and housing for grooms and employees.
cup, and though the first game was much belated, the Argentines and the Orange County four played on the sodden turf and the Argentines were defeated. The handicap against them was severe, and they were being initiated under conditions, which were exceedingly adverse to them. They had been playing in England on turf that was baked by a scorching sun in the season of a drought, and had been hitting balls that carried for long distances with great velocity. Suddenly they were asked to put forth their highest degree of skill on a surface of muddy turf, so saturated with water because of the recent rainfall that it spurted up in little fountains as the ponies raced back and forth, with their hoofs acting as plungers. To add to the adverse conditions it began to rain again while the
Meadow Brook’s Skiddy Von Stade, Tommy Hitchcock Jr., E.C. Bacon and Devereux Milburn won the Herbert Memorial.
The Open Championship was held at the Rumson Polo Club in New Jersey. Fierce storms passed through during some of the matches, lighting up the sky and soaking players and spectators.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 59
Y E S T E RY E A R S
Argentina’s David Miles (with his leg still bandaged after being injured), J.D. Nelson, John Miles and Louis Lacey won the Open Championship.
Charles Cary Rumsey, who was playing for the Orange County team, was killed in a tragic car accident during the series.
game was going on. The Argentine players pluckily held to the task of trying to bring the score to parity, with a hope for victory; but the Orange County four, which played admirable polo under such conditions, started out with assurance and refused to be closed upon. The winning of the game by the Orange County four possibly took away a little of the public interest in the outcome of the series for the Herbert Trophy,
as everyone was anxious to see the visitors in the semi-finals or the final instead of witnessing an elimination in the very first round. If that were the case then polo and the Rumson Club are more to be congratulated in view of the general interest, which was manifest up to the final match of the tournament. Seven teams, rated from 23 to 31 goals, competed
60 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
in the single-elimination tournament played with a handicap. Orange County met Meadow Brook, which received a bye, in the first semi-final. The 31-goal Meadow Brook team was too much for Orange County, even with the 6-goal handicap. The other semifinal had the 23-goal Flamingo against the 31goal Shelburne. Flamingo held on to most of the 8goal handicap to defeat Shelburne, 12-7. Flamingo received an 8-goal handicap in the final but narrowly fell to Meadow Brook, 12-11. The open championship was played for the second week of the Rumson season, and in this event the Argentines overwhelmed the various clubs of the United States and captured the trophy which is emblematic of the championship of the United States. By doing this they proved their excellence, as insisted upon by the English critics of polo, was not a matter of over-estimation. During this series the weather was not always of the best. In one game, which was played upon Field No. 2 at Rumson, a scenic surrounding was supplied by the elements which never is likely to be forgotten by those who were present. During the play on the field a thunderstorm, with the vivid lightning so often shown in the sky near the ocean, began to make in the south. Soon there was another in the west, and then came a third, with a succession of flashes and sparks of huge length darting from the north—a tremendous display that awed some of the spectators and frightened the more timorous. To complete the circle, a fourth storm began to make toward the ocean in the east; and the polo players, as the overhead turmoil grew more and more frantic and threatening, during several of their shots were literally within a circle of dazzling fire, deepened by a chorus of roaring and rumbling as the thunder added to the confusion. Ultimately there was another downpour of rain, soaking players and spectators alike, the latter being in an unprotected stand on the field. Played on the flat, the Open Championship saw the same seven teams, this time played on the flat. Argentina received a bye to the semifinals and ousted Shelburne, 12-6. Meadow Brook, downed Orange County, 7-4, to advance. In the final, after a 6-4 halftime lead, Meadow Brook was so thoroughly outplayed, it became evident that only a realization of the superhuman would carry them through to what might even approximate a tie. In the end, Argentina doubled up Meadow Brook, 14-7, for the win. After the game, Argentina’s David Miles, who was injured during the game but insisted on playing with his leg swathed in bandages, was lifted from his pony by enthusiastic spectators who had witnessed an
Y E S T E RY E A R S
More people attended the Monty Waterbury Trophy and special matches at Meadow Brook because of better access to transportation.
admirable exhibition of polo skill by a temporarily crippled player, and in spite of his protests carried him to the clubhouse. Four days later, the teams took up the battle for the Bala Cup, offered by the Philadelphia Country Club and the Bryn Mawr Polo Club. Eastcott defeated Orange County, 12-7, in the first semifinal. Meadow Brook overwhelmed Argentina, 15-4, in the other semifinal. Miles had not yet recovered from his injury and was replaced for the game. The final game was abandoned by the Meadow Brook squad after the tragic death of Orange County’s Charles Cary Rumsey, who was killed in an automobile accident. Eastcott was to be awarded the trophy by default but refused it. It was later agreed the trophy would be decided the following week in a preliminary match between the two teams in the Monty Waterbury Trophy. Eastcott prevailed, 14-10. The Meadow Brook season, which followed that of Rumson, was attended by greater numbers because of better facilities for transportation. It concluded the contest for the Monty Waterbury Trophy and the special matches between the United States and the Argentine four. Argentina, again without Miles and on borrowed ponies to save its strings for the international matches the following week, succumbed to Shelburne, 13-5, after receiving a bye to the semis. Eastcott edged Meadow Brook, 11-10, in the other semi. The final pitted Shelburne against Eastcott in a close match with the former taking the 7-6 edge. In
one of the most exciting games of the season, Robert Strawbridge came through for Shelburne, deciding it for his team by his good work at No. 4. For Eastcott, Maj. Lockett gave one of the finest exhibitions of defensive work at back. Repeatedly he checked the advance of the Shelburne squad and but for his admirable following of the ball and turning shots, the score by Shelburne might have gone into two figures. The special international matches between the U.S. and Argentina were played in early October. Two days before the first match, U.S. (Lewis Stoddard, Thomas Hitchcock, J. Watson Webb and Devereux Millburn) played a practice match against the Flamingos. Stoddard and the Flamingo’s F. H. Prince collided in the goal and had to leave the match. Stoddard’s injury kept him from playing in the international matches, and he was replaced by J.C. Cooley. Miles was back in the saddle for Argentina, and seemed no worse for wear. The U.S. won the first match, 7-4. Meadow Brook fell heir to the unsettled weather that had made New Jersey so damp, and the final day of polo gave players and votaries such a drenching as none of them may have had in years. Despite the weather, the match was played due to the large crowd that had arrived from the city to see the match. With pools of water on the field and trailing, 5-1, the Argentines rallied in the last 14 minutes, 3-0. Lacey missed a sensational shot that would have tied the score but fell just short, 5-4. • POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 61
CALENDAR
August J U LY 2 4 - AU G U S T 7 Masters Cup (0-6) NYC, Patterson, NY
SCHEDULES ARE VERY LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED DUE TO COVID-19. PLEASE CHECK VENUES FOR UPDATED INFORMATION.
J U LY 2 4 - AU G U S T 9 USPA Silver Cup (16) Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, CA J U LY 2 5 - AU G U S T 2 David L. King Memorial (2-4) Roseland, Crozet, VA J U LY 2 6 - AU G U S T 2 Amateur Cup (-4-0) Congressional Cup (0-2) Central New York, Cortland, NY
Sportsmanship Cup (0-4) Skaneateles, Skaneateles, NY AU G U S T 1 - 15 Regional President’s Cup (4-8) Toronto, Markham, Ontario AU G U S T 2 Cecil Smith Cup Oak Brook, Oak Brook, IL Archie MacCarty Cup Flying H, Sheridan, WY ML Bar Ranch Trophy Big Horn, Big Horn, WY
J U LY 2 8 - AU G U S T 2 Women’s East Coast Open (14-20) Westchester, Portsmouth, RI
A U G U S T 2 - 16 National Eight Goal (4-8) Beverly, The Plains, VA
M A Y 3 0 - S E P T 19 Saturday 2 Goal Mashomack, Pine Plains, NY
J U LY 2 8 - AU G U S T 2 3 Cartier Queen’s Cup (22) Guards, Windsor, Surrey, UK
AU G U S T 4 - 18 Crossman Cup (2) Myopia, South Hamilton, MA
J U LY 1 - AU G U S T 1 National Arena Chairmans Cup (9-12) National Arena Challenge Cup (3-6) Great Meadow, The Plains, VA
J U LY 2 9 - AU G U S T 1 Bozeman Trail Cup Flying H, Sheridan, WY
AU G U S T 4 - 2 2 Duke of Sutherland Cup (18) Cowdray Park, Midhurst, Essex, UK
J U LY 2 9 - AU G U S T 9 Briarcliff Cup (4-6) Mashomack, Pine Plains, NY
AU G U S T 5 - 8 Gallatin Ranch Cup Flying H, Sheridan, WY
J U L Y 31 - A U G U S T 2 Sunny Hale Legacy WCT (12-14) Brandywine, Toughkenamon, PA
AU G U S T 5 - 10 Presidents Cup (4-8) Tinicum, Erwinna, PA
J U L Y 31 - A U G U S T 9 Sportsmanship Cup (4-8) Morgan Creek, Yorkville, IL
A U G U S T 5 - 16 USPA Forbes Cup (4-8) Myopia, South Hamilton, MA
J U L Y 31 - A U G U S T 16 Masters Cup (0-6) NYC Polo, Patterson, NY
AU G U S T 7 - 9 Landhope Challenge Cup Brandywine, Toughkenamon, PA
J U LY 2 - AU G U S T 2 2 Rincon League (6-8) Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, CA J U L Y 21 - A U G U S T 1 The Ladies 18-Goal (8-12, 12-18) Cirencester Park, Gloucestershire, UK J U L Y 21 - A U G U S T 2 Chicago International Las Brisas, Elgin, IL Apsley Cup (18) Cirencester Park, Gloucestershire, UK J U L Y 21 - A U G U S T 8 Harrison Cup (15) Cowdray Park, Midhurst, Sussex, UK Duke of Wellington (12) Guards, Windsor, Surrey, UK J U LY 2 2 - AU G U S T 2 Constitution Cup (2-4) Roseland, Crozet, VA J U L Y 2 2 - A U G U S T 16 USPA Eduardo Moore Invitational (8) Mashomack, Pine Plains, NY
62 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
AU G U S T 1 Mashomack Family Day (40) Mashomack, Pine Plains, NY AU G U S T 1 - 2 NYTS Myopia, South Hamilton, MA 0- to 2-Goal League Will Rogers, Los Angeles, CA AU G U S T 1 - 9 Governor’s Cup (4-6) Denver, Littleton, CO
High Alpine Cup Aspen Valley, Carbondale, CO AU G U S T 8 Linfoot Memorial Youth Tourney Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, CA AU G U S T 8 - 15 Congressional Cup (0-8) Bliss, Levering, MI Polo Match & Cocktail Polo Hamptons, Bridgehampton, NY
CALENDAR
August / September AU G U S T 9 BTA Beal Family Cup Big Horn, Big Horn, WY A U G U S T 1 0 - 16 Ladies Polo Festival (12-18) RCB, Windsor, Berkshire, UK A U G U S T 11 - 16 Silver Cup Deauville, Deauville, France A U G U S T 11 - 2 3 Cheltenham Cup (12) Cirencester Park, Gloucestershire, UK A U G U S T 11 - 3 0 Royal Windsor Cup (15) Guards, Windsor, Surrey, UK AU G U S T 12 - 15 Bradford Brinton Memorial Cup Flying H, Sheridan, WY AU G U S T 12 - 2 3 Governors Cup (0-6) Lexington, Versailles, KY AU G U S T 12 - 3 0 USPA Mactaggart Challenge Cup (8) Mashomack, Pine Plains, NY
AU G U S T 15 President’s Cup (4-8) Tinicum, Erwinna, PA EPoNA Inter-Academy Cup Congressional, Poolesville, MD A U G U S T 1 5 - 16 10th Dog Iron Cup (1) Will Rogers, Los Angeles, CA USPA/PTF Seniors NWA, Gravette, AR Arena Adm. Chester Nimitz (0-3) Arena Constitution Cup (3-6) Poway, Poway, CA Players Cup El Caso, Quemado, NM
Players Cup (0-4) New Mexico, Sante Fe, NM AU G U S T 2 3 Sheridan Shoot-out Cup Big Horn, Big Horn, WY
AU G U S T 2 5 - S E P T E M B E R 6 John Prestwich Cup (12) RCB, Windsor, Berkshire, UK
Big Horn Polo Club Cup Big Horn, Big Horn, WY
A U G U S T 19 - 2 2 Flying H Cup Flying H, Sheridan, WY
A U G U S T 14 - 16 Governors Cup (0-6) Seattle, Enumclaw, WA
A U G U S T 19 - 31 USPA Amateur Cup (0-2) USPA Governors Cup (6) Myopia, South Hamilton, MA
A U G U S T 14 - 3 0 USPA Pacific Coast Open (16) Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, CA
AU G U S T 2 2 - 2 3 Sportsmanship Cup (1-3) Seneca, Poolesville, MD
A U G U S T 16 Chicago Polo Open Oak Brook, Oak Brook, IL
A U G U S T 1 3 - 16 Masters Cup (4-8) Morgan Creek, Yorkville, IL
A U G U S T 14 - 2 3 Players Cup (0-4) Calgary, Okotoks, Alberta, Canada
A U G U S T 21 - S E P T E M B E R 14 Intra-Circuit Cup (8-12) Beverly, The Plains, VA
AU G U S T 2 4 - S E P T E M B E R 6 Challenge Cup (18) Cowdray Park, Midhurst, Essex, UK
AU G U S T 18 - 2 9 Guards Ladies Charity Polo (12-18) Guards, Windsor, Surrey, UK
Mount Sopris Cup Aspen Valley, Carbondale, CO
Rocky Mountain Open Aspen Valley, Carbondale, CO
AU G U S T 15 - 3 0 Gold Cup Deauville, Deauville, France
AU G U S T 13 - 15 Lamborghini Las Vegas Polo Classic South Point Casino, Las Vegas, NV
Players Cup Twin City, Long Lake, MN
Women’s Challenge (0-6) Arranmore, Oswego, IL
AU G U S T 2 0 - 2 3 Women’s Challenge (8-12) Roseland, Crozet, VA A U G U S T 21 - 2 2 Masters Cup (0-4) Cerro Pampa, Petaluma, CA A U G U S T 21 - 2 3 Polo Ponies Memorial (6-8) Brandywine, Toughkenamon, PA
AU G U S T 2 6 - 3 0 Constitution Cup (4-8) Las Brisas Farm, Elgin, IL AU G U S T 2 8 - 3 0 Gerald Balding (6-8) Brandywine, Toughkenamon, PA Congressional Cup Congressional, Poolesville, MD Carbondale Classic Aspen Valley, Carbondale, CO AU G U S T 2 9 Women’s Challenge Cup (8-12) Tinicum, Erwinna, PA International Cup Franklin, Nashville, TN AU G U S T 3 0 Illinois Players Cup Oak Brook, Oak Brook, IL BHPC Veterans Appreciation Summer Finale Cup Big Horn, Big Horn, WY
Note: All dates are subject to change. “USPA” refers to tournaments sponsored or sanctioned by the United States Polo Association.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 63
CALENDAR
September AU G U S T 3 0 - S E P T E M B E R 13 East Coast Open Greenwich, Greenwich, CT
SEPTEMBER 5-20 Chantilly French Open Chantilly, Apremont, France
SEPTEMBER 24-27 Amateur Cup (0-2) Fairfield, Haysville, KS
AU G U S T 3 0 - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 Sportsmanship Cup (2-4) Roseland, Crozet, VA
SEPTEMBER 6-8 Women’s Pacific Coast Open (16-20) Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, CA
SEPTEMBER 24-OCTOBER 8 Regional Classic (10-14) Houston, Houston, TX
SEPTEMBER 1-6 The Triple Crown of Polo Aspen Valley, Carbondale, CO
S E P T E M B E R 8 - 13 NYTS Championship Oak Brook, Oak Brook, IL
SEPTEMBER 25-27 George S. Patton Jr. (0-4) New Orleans, Folsom, LA
National Arena Delegates Cup Commonwealth, Paris, KY S E P T E M B E R 1 - 15 Sportsmanship Cup (6-8) Nashville, Nashville, TN S E P T E M B E R 1 - NOV E M B E R 1 Keleen & Carlton Beal Cup (12) Houston, Houston, TX S E P T E M B E R 2 - 13 Fall Classic (4-8) Mashomack, Pine Plains, NY S E P T E M B E R 2 - 16 Amateur Cup (2-4) Lexington, Versailles, KY SEPTEMBER 3-7 Governors Cup (0-6) Arranmore, Oswego, IL SEPTEMBER 4-6 Women’s Pacific Coast Open (18-22) Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, CA SEPTEMBER 4-OCTOBER 4 Kentucky Cup (12-14) Mt. Brilliant, Lexington, KY SEPTEMBER 5 Camacho Cup Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, CA SEPTEMBER 5-6 Arena Women’s Challenge (6-12) Lakeside, Lakeside, CA Masters Cup (0-2) South Bay, Gilroy, CA SEPTEMBER 5-7 Don King Days Big Horn, Big Horn, WY
64 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
SEPTEMBER 9-OCTOBER 4 Pro-Pool League Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, CA S E P T E M B E R 10 - 2 7 Northrup Knox Cup (8-12) New Bridge, Aiken, SC S E P T E M B E R 11 - 2 0 Intra-Circuit Cup (8-12) Oak Brook, Oak Brook, IL SEPTEMBER 12-20 Regional President’s Cup (4-8) Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, CA
George S. Patton Jr. (0-4) Congressional, Poolesville, MD Arena Sportsmanship Cup (0-3) Triangle, Hurdle Mills, NC Equitana USA Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY SEPTEMBER 25-29 Chris Brant Cup (0-4) Tinicum, Erwinna, PA SEPTEMBER 25-OCTOBER 12 Governors Cup (0-6) Houston, Houston, TX
S E P T E M B E R 13 National Sporting Library & Museum Polo Classic Great Meadow, The Plains, VA
SEPTEMBER 26 Ride to Thrive Polo Classic Great Meadow, The Plains, VA
S E P T E M B E R 13 - 2 6 Constitution Cup (4-8) Mashomack, Pine Plains, NY
SEPTEMBER 26-27 Arena Challenge Cup (0-3) Orange County, Silverado, CA
S E P T E M B E R 16 - 2 7 USPA Masters Cup (6) Wagener, Wagener, SC Alan Corey Cup (4) Aiken, Aiken, SC S E P T E M B E R 16 - O C T O B E R 3 National President’s Cup (4-8) New Bridge, Aiken, SC S E P T E M B E R 18 - 2 7 Officers Cup (4-8) Nashville, Nashville, TN S E P T E M B E R 18 - 2 9 Masters Cup (0-6) Houston, Houston, TX S E P T E M B E R 21 - 2 7 Butler International (10-12) Oak Brook, Oak Brook, IL
Arena Sportsmanship Cup (0-3) Barrington Hills, Wacounda, IL SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 4 USPA Wickenden Cup (8) Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, CA S E P T E M B E R 2 9 - O C T O B E R 11 USPA Governors Cup (6) Aiken, Aiken, SC Wagener 4 Goal Wagener, Wagener, SC S E P T E M B E R 3 0 - O C T O B E R 18 USPA National Copper Cup (8-12) New Bridge, Aiken, SC Note: All dates are subject to change. “USPA” refers to tournaments sponsored or sanctioned by the United States Polo Association.