Association News

PLAYERS’ EDITION

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 ROBIN SANCHEZ,

TONY COPPOLA, TOM BIDDLE, DAWN WEBER, AMI SHINITZKY

Art Director DAVID BEVERAGE Prepress WALSWORTH

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©Copyright 2021 by United States Polo Association.. No part of this issue may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic or electronic process without written permission of the publisher. Paul Brown illustrations are ©2018 and are reprinted by permission of Paul Brown Studios, Inc., P.O. Box 925, Hedgesville, WV 25427. Subscription rates: $45/one year, $78/two years. Other countries (air mail), $78 drawn on U.S. bank/one year, $144 drawn on U.S. bank/two years. (GST:134989508). Subscription problems call (561) 968-5208.

VOL. 24, No.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.

Circuit Governor Election

Circuit governor elections will take place this summer. Please find an outline for the election process below. • All candidates must be nominated, regardless if they currently hold a circuit governor position. • Only delegates representing active member clubs are eligible to nominate or vote for a candidate. • Any individual receiving two or more nominations will be considered a candidate for the office of circuit governor. • All candidates must be registered players who are at least 18 years of age and registered with an active member club in the circuit as of June 1 of the election year. • Each delegate will receive the number of ballots set forth below based on the number of registered player members in the active member club the delegate represents:

Circuit Governor Election Timeline

Tuesday, June 1: Deadline for registered player count at active member clubs.

No later than Tuesday, June 8: the association will convey to delegates of each active member club in good standing as of June 1, with a copy to the incumbent circuit governor: • A list of the member club’s registered players who are at least 18 years of age and of record as of June 1 • A nominating form • A list of all active member clubs in the circuit as of June 1, including the name and address of each delegate

Tuesday, July 13: Nominations due Tuesday, July 20: Ballots sent to the delegates Tuesday, August 10: Ballots due Before Monday, August 30: Results announced

If you have any questions please reach out to Lindsey Ebersbach, lebersbach@uspolo.org.

Spotlight on Savings

USPA members have access to savings on many nationally known products, including up to 50% discount at Sterling Cut Glass and Prize Posessions, 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.

Best Playing Thoroughbreds

The USPA is partnering with The Jockey Club to

PAT MICHAELS

Remember to enter your tournament results on the member portal immediately following the completion of events.

provide Best Playing Thoroughbred awards for USPA tournaments. Players will be required to register their horse for a Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) number in order to be eligible. Clubs will apply, first come first serve, for 50 available awards. The winner information will be included in Bluebook tournament results and awards will be mailed to the club.

Eligibility: For purposes of eligibility for all T.I.P. awards, a Thoroughbred is defined as any horse that has been registered with The Jockey Club or a foreign Thoroughbred stud book recognized by The Jockey Club. An unregistered horse is not eligible for T.I.P. You must know your horse’s registered name to be eligible for T.I.P. (if registered but unnamed, must know YOB and dam’s name). For identification assistance and to check registration status, please log in at www.registry.jockeyclub.com.

In order to be eligible for a T.I.P. award, owners and riders must obtain a T.I.P. number. Apply for a T.I.P. number online at https://tjctip.com/APPLYTIPNUMBER. The T.I.P. number card should be provided to participating polo clubs as proof of eligibility.

To request this award, please email clubs@uspolo.org.

Tournament Results

Member clubs that have hosted a USPA tournament this year and have not yet entered tournament results, please do so immediately following the completion of the event.

All tournament results can be submitted electronically through the new tournament database. Once logged into the member portal and viewing one’s profile, club delegates can access the database by clicking on the tab titled “Tournaments.” The option to select “Tournament Application Form” or “Roster/Results Entry” will be presented.

Currently, only club delegates have access to the tournament database and only they have permission to submit tournament applications. However, if you would like to grant another person access to the “Roster/Results Entry” page, please contact Kaila Dowd at Kdowd@uspolo.org for assistance.

Heat Index Warning

Courtesy of Joshua Hall, DVM

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 their metabolic processes. Beyond 105 degrees, horses may show signs of subtle incoordination or lack precision and regularity in their 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: • 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.

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 EQUINE WELFARE HOTLINE (866) 563-5534

Callers can remain anonymous but are asked to provide as much information as possible, including location of horses and their owner’s name, if known.

NYTS

NYTS players across the country continue to impress, improving their skills and bringing a new level of excitement to summer junior polo. All-stars are named at each event based on horsemanship, sportsmanship, playing ability at current handicap and ability to play as a member of the team.

Tinicum Park: Abdullah Chaudhry, Daniel Arnold, Mosiah Gravesande, Samantha Iahn

Giant Valley: Daniel Arnold, Samantha Iahn, Sophia DeAngelis, Elizabeth Leudesdorff, Malachi Light

Midland: Lance Stefanakis, Francesca Felhaber, Trenton Werntz, Ulysses Escapite

Gardnertown: Vlad Tarashansky, Taylor Palacios, Matteo Chaux, Saralyn Painter, Malachi Light

Middle School League

USPA’s I/I Middle School League is open for business! Middle School tournaments can now be hosted year round by USPA clubs. The Middle School League is open to all players grades 5-8. Parents of interested students can check out the Middle School page at uspolo.org or email Emily Dewey at edewey@uspolo.org for more information.

I/I Season Kicks Off Sept. 1

I/I teams, keep an eye out for start-of-the-season information! You will be receiving emails on requirements and dates in the coming weeks. All information will also be posted on the I/I page at uspolo.org.

New Interscholastic Teams

Are you interested in starting an interscholastic team at your club? If you are, 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-fledged interscholastic team. For more information, please email Ali Davidge at adavidge@uspolo.org.

Varsity Letters

Congratulations to the 74 players who received their Interscholastic Varsity Letter for the 2020-2021 season! Players worked towards receiving their varsity letters by competing in tournaments and games, practicing and riding.

Round Table Discussion

I/I coaches, mark your calendars and join us in August for I/I round table discussions. We will be covering multiple topics coaches come across while running both interscholastic and intercollegiate programs. If you would like to sign-up, please keep an eye out for the online sign-up sheet or email Amy Fraser at afraser@uspolo.org.

Gardnertown hosted three teams in its NYTS qualifier.

Managing a polo club

Tools and tips of the trade

by United States Polo Association

DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS

Melanja Jones has been polo manager at Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club since 2015.

Involved in anything and everything from organizing draws and schedules to collecting tournament results and supervising facility improvements, each day in the role of a club manager presents its own rewards and challenges. Tasked with an endless array of responsibilities, a club manager’s levelheadedness and keen attention to detail is the secret to keeping a club running efficiently, drawing both new and returning players and spectators season after season. Working tirelessly behind the scenes year round to ensure each season runs smoothly, Haley Bryan (International Polo Club Palm Beach polo coordinator and club manager of New Bridge Polo & Country Club) and Melanja Jones (polo manager at Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club) manage the host sites of some of the USPA’s most publicized tournaments, including the Gauntlet of Polo in Florida and the Pacific Coast Open in California.

Sharing a common thread as Intercollegiate/ Interscholastic alumni from Colorado State University, their similarities extend to the same mentor, drawing upon the experience of working alongside legend Jimmy Newman to run other successful USPA member clubs across the country. Taking a summer opportunity to groom for Newman in college, Jones was eager to pursue polo after graduation, working for the famed women’s player Sunny Hale. Following a similar path, Bryan worked for the Upchurch family at Brushy Creek Polo Ranch in Texas for three years before diving into her first Florida high-goal season with former 10-goaler Adam Snow. Following a passion for the sport ignited in college, Jones’ and Bryan’s willingness to help wherever needed opened the door for their natural progression to club leadership.

Dedicated to creating a seamless onsite experience, Jones and Bryan have fine-tuned the routines, which allow their clubs to thrive. Working at IPC (Wellington, Florida) for over 10 years, Jones left Florida for a full-time position at Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club (Carpinteria, California) in 2015, where she now manages both outdoor and arena polo of varying levels. Dividing her time between Florida, South Carolina and Wyoming, Bryan’s years of experience range from high-goal all the way to youth polo. Delegating when necessary and leading with humility, both Jones and Bryan have taken the lessons learned in the early years of their career and adapted them into effective strategies, which have allowed their clubs to flourish.

How did you come to work for International Polo Club Palm Beach?

Melanja: Jimmy Newman got a new job at IPC when it was first started in 2002 and he called to ask if I could come help. Our office was a converted stall at Isla Carroll that first year. Flying H Polo Club had a lot of horses the next year, so I went back to Wyoming for a couple of years. Then one year Flying H didn’t have as many young

horses and Haley Bryan couldn’t come to Florida, so we switched again in the office.

The first few years I would go back to Sheridan, Wyoming, in the summer and I worked for a couple of different people riding green horses. Then Santa Barbara called Jimmy needing someone who was familiar with high goal and draws. About 10 years ago I started going to Santa Barbara in the summers instead.

Haley: Jimmy Newman is definitely a mentor to me, and I previously worked with him in Aiken, South Carolina. He hired me to run Rose Spur Polo Club (Woody Creek, Colorado) and we also worked together in 2005 and 2006 when the USPA Gold Cup was hosted at New Bridge Polo & Country Club (Aiken, South Carolina). In 2005, I went to Florida and worked with him for one season at IPC. After that I took a few years off and returned to Florida in 2008 to run Flying Cow Polo Club’s 12- to 14-goal pro-am league. I did timing and scoring at IPC and Melanja was still Jimmy’s righthand person at that time. I started doing the medium goal for IPC and helping out with the club so when Melanja went to work full time at Santa Barbara I stepped into her role and Jimmy and I have been working together ever since.

What is your biggest professional challenge?

Melanja: I think one of the things that is a delight and a challenge in polo is the wide array of personalities. As a polo manager, you have the opportunity to get really close to some fascinating personalities and by that same token, since these are all people who are here to play a competitive sport, sometimes it gets a little competitive off the field. It can be tough being in the middle of all the alpha personalities.

Jimmy always used to say, you can make some of the people happy all the time, but you can’t make all the people happy all the time. It’s important sometimes just to step back and remember things are not always personal and it’s just part of the job.

Haley: There is no way to make everybody happy. We try hard to keep everything fair and we’re as transparent as we can possibly be. We try to do everything by draw and we never give any advantage or favoritism to any particular person or team that is not earned by draw. Their schedules and needs are different and not everyone’s priorities are the same. In high goal some teams want the least number of games they have to play to reach the final and others want as many games as they can get. Often, the teams are not on the same page so you have to come up with something that is fair to all participants, even though it may not be exactly what everyone wants.

What qualities are vital to be an effective club manager?

Melanja: You have to really like polo to start with. That is actually one of the pleasures of my job because I get to see a lot of great polo and people learning to play and experiencing that enthusiasm for the first time. You also definitely have to be interested in engaging with people, and engaging with them as a salesperson. The challenge is switching back and forth between being a salesperson and enforcing the rules and good conduct, which are two very separate roles. You have to stay calm. Sometimes you have to accept that things are going to be a little out of your control and still be able to deal with it.

Haley: Having someone who is diplomatic, organized and detail-oriented is key. It’s helpful to have the type of personality or attitude that is willing to listen. You should be open-minded when communi-

INTERNATIONAL POLO CLUB PALM BEACH

Haley Bryan is polo coordinator for International Polo Club Palm Beach and club manager for New Bridge Polo and Country Club.