DECEMBER 2020
P L AY E R S’ E D I T I O N
The sport’s top horses
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CONTENTS
P L AY E R S’ E D I T I O N
DECEMBER 2020
VOL. 24,
FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
28 Barrel O’ Fun by C. Maybe Ortiz
6
Association News
USPA Bulletin Player Spotlight
Players cowboy up for support group
32 Standouts by Jewel Connelly/United States Polo Association
16 Instructors Forum
Talented horses top players rely on
38 Central Hub
18 20 22 24 26 44
Chicago polo grows despite pandemic DECEMBER 2020
TION P L AY E R S’ E D I
by Rege Ludwig
Ask an Umpire Equine Athlete Polo Scene News, notes, trends & quotes Polo Development Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Polo in the Pampas by Lucas Noel
OUR COVER
The sport’s top horses
NO. 4
Polito Pieres on Machitos Pangia
59 Calendar 60 Yesteryears
Photo by David Lominska Polographics.com
48 Polo Report
Paigahs Seahorse takes Mountain View 2 goal
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OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN SIGNED COLUMNS ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHORS AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE PUBLISHERS OF THIS MAGAZINE.
2 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
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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. 24, No.4 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.
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Meeting Recap During the week of Monday, Oct. 5 through Saturday, Oct. 10, the USPA convened for the annual Fall Committee, Board of Governors and Annual Member Meeting. Due to the pandemic, the USPA decided to postpone the in-person meetings, which were set to be held in Mulvane, Kansas, at the Kansas Star Hotel. The virtual meetings gave a unique opportunity for USPA members to attend meetings they may not have been able to join in the past. The 16 committees met throughout the week from Monday through Friday, each hosting a Zoom meeting open to the committee members, board, staff and USPA membership. In addition, the USPA Umpires, LLC, Polo Development, LLC and communications/marketing gave hour-long presentations. During the annual member meeting on Friday, Chairman Armstrong presented his vision for the future of the association. In addition, the delegates received information regarding the proposed changes to the 2021 by-laws, rules and tournament conditions. The staff also disseminated some friendly reminders, including member benefits, the 2021 helmet mandate and the process for submitting tournament results. The following is a recap of the Saturday fall board of governors meeting with highlights from the committee meetings and division presentations: Mr. Smith, USPA secretary, ratified the previous actions of the board in his secretary’s report. Mr. Rudolph, treasurer, presented a brief financial 6 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
report and acknowledged the strong relationship with USPA Global Licensing. He indicated the USPA is in a solid financial position but must continue to remain vigilant in exercising prudence in spending. Arena Chairman Ms. Sanchez emphasized that arena polo is experiencing a boom with arenas located at 60% of USPA member clubs and 63% of the membership playing at clubs with arenas. Polo schools are able to increase volume, intercollegiate/ interscholastic teams and middle school competition are growing and arena leagues are gaining interest and attendance. The Polo Development Initiative arena improvements, coupled with the COVID-19 USPA Polo Tournament Stimulus Package, have increased the quality of and interest in USPA arena tournaments. Sanchez noted that after multiple requests, all 2021 USPA national arena tournaments have been awarded. Recently, Great Meadow Polo Club (The Plains, Virginia) played five national arena tournaments in a four-week period with huge success. At the USPA Women’s Arena Open held there, Lezlie Hiner was presented with the 2019 Russ Sheldon Award for outstanding contributions to arena polo. Armed Forces Mr. Hilberg, chairman, presented an overview of the military events that took place this year. The committee is exploring a partnership with the George S. Patton legacy sports organization. The board approved six motions from the committee, including two new national Armed Forces
U S PA B U L L E T I N
tournaments, one new circuit arena event and additions to the tournament conditions. Audit Member Mr. Stanislawski presented the committee’s report. There were no inquiries in the previous six months. Mr. Stanislawski noted that his personal term on the committee would be expiring in April and the committee continues to look for a replacement member who, ideally, would be a USPA member with a CPA degree. Board and Staff Development Mr. Rizzo, chairman, gave a summary of the committee’s annual accomplishments. It continues to work on various initiatives, including revising various policies. Mr. Zach Grob, currently also serving on the Young Players’ Committee, was added as a new member of the committee. Club and Member Administration Chairman Mr. Armour summarized the actions of the committee. The board approved a new mission statement for the committee which aligns with the new revisions to the by-laws. Constitution Chairman Mr. Jornayvaz outlined the revisions to the proposed 2021 by-laws, which include: the addition of a preamble; the addition of a provision describing the role and responsibilities of the USPA chief executive officer; updates to the Advisory Committee language; and additional language to clarify the timing and process of membership classifications. One significant change to the membership classifications is that effective Jan. 1, 2021, active member clubs must conduct annually a minimum of either four club events or two USPA events. Another notable change for 2021 is that a club (except for those that participate primarily in interscholastic polo at the high-school level) may only remain provisional for one year. The board approved the proposed 2021 by-laws. The committee also proposed amendments to the Polo Development, LLC and Umpires, LLC operating agreements. The board approved the revisions. Equine Welfare Chairman Dr. Manno gave an overview of the changes to the Equine Drugs and Medications Rules, which the board approved for 2021. Executive Committee Chairman Armstrong gave a brief overview of the actions of the committee since the April board of governors meeting. The board approved the ratification of those actions. Armstrong reported that with the approved budget Option One, the board had agreed to the extension of the Tournament Stimulus
Package through 2021. He presented the revised COVID-19 2021 USPA Polo Tournament Stimulus Package guidelines and the board approved. Finance Chairman Mr. Ramirez Jr. provided an overview of the recent committee meeting. He stated that the USPA’s investment portfolio is performing in accordance with the investment plan. Aaron Lally of Meketa Investment Group discussed the portfolio. The portfolio handled the 2020 first quarter correction well. There is potential for uncertainty through the end of the year, but the liquidity available allows for short-term action if needed. The committee recommended approval of the 2021 USPA annual budget and the international budget in the recent meeting. CEO Mr. Puetz stated that both budgets were widely discussed during the budget renewal process. Included in the 2021 budget is an extension of the well-received COVID-19 USPA Polo Tournament Stimulus Package. In the international budget, event planning and costs related to the FIP World Championships (previously scheduled for 2021) were moved to 2022 and will be presented to the board at the fall 2021 meetings. Funding for international events that were postponed due to the pandemic will remain in the investment portfolio. The board approved the 2021 operating budget and international budget. Handicap Mr. Carlucho Arellano, executive director of Services, spoke on behalf of the committee and summarized the proposed changes to the handicap policy. The changes include: allowing women’s 0-goal and arena -1-goal handicaps to change at any time; automatic adjustments to women’s handicaps based on changes in their mixed handicaps; a trigger for an automatic review if a player’s foreign handicap is 2 goals higher or lower than their USPA handicap; an increase in the number of at-large Arena Handicap Committee members from four to six (specifying that two at-large Arena Handicap Committee members shall be representatives from intercollegiate/ interscholastic); the ability to assign a women’s arena handicap automatically based on their women’s outdoor handicap; and updated language regarding the high-level outdoor disclosure for players who receive a handicap change after playing in a qualifying tournament. The board approved the proposed changes to the handicap policy as presented. International Chairman Mr. Hall led an hour-long meeting. The POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 7
KAYLEE WROE
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Incoming Women’s Polo Committee Chair Meghan Gracida
committee discussed the 2021 proposed international events, which include Polo in the Park, the postponed Women’s Nations Cup and other miscellaneous invitations.The United States has been invited to bring two teams (men’s and women’s) to compete in the 2021 Polo in the Park event, to be held at the historic Hurlingham Park in London, England. The USPA, FIP and their partners have all agreed to postpone the FIP World Polo Championships until Fall of 2022. Rules The committee welcomed new members Cecilia Cochran, Anna Winslow Palacios and Billy Raab. It proposed several substantive changes for 2021 to the outdoor rules, arena rules and tournament conditions that were approved by the board of governors: establishing forfeiture as the penalty for heel calk violations (OR 6a, AR 2e); clarifying that any “next game” suspension in a USPA event must be served in that or another USPA event (OR 33b-e); allowing team captains to question the score keeping or timekeeping in the final period until 15 minutes after the final whistle (OR 11c); clarifying that the arena roof structure is out of bounds (ARs 7, 9); eliminating the use of shootouts for seeding purposes (TC VI); enabling the use of Dartfish video for umpire reviews only (TC VII); and clarifying “calling the advantage” (OR 21b). 8 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
The committee also proposed, and the board approved, three new optional tournament conditions for host tournament committees to use in 2021 if they choose: an expansion of Outdoor Rule 26A that prohibits blocking in live play as well as on set plays; an alternative to the ¾ rule in USPA events with an upper-handicap limit between 4- and 6-goals that has been used successfully by many HTCs as a variance in 2020; and a “fair-play” throw-in to restart play when it has been interrupted unexpectedly to the significant disadvantage of the team in possession. Women’s Polo The committee had a productive first meeting under the leadership of new chair, Ms. Meghan Gracida. Ms. Gandomcar-Sachs presented the Women’s Tournament Reimbursement Program on behalf of the committee to the board. The board approved the reimbursement program. Young Players Under the leadership of chairman Mr. Thurston, the committee predominantly focused on diversity in USPA polo and how it could interact with other various committees of the USPA to cultivate diversity-specific initiatives. The board approved the national and sanctioned tournament applications as presented. Umpires, LLC The USPA Umpires, LLC gave a full report on the initiatives and areas of focus throughout the year, along with plans for the future. Umpires, LLC highlighted the success of the COVID-19 USPA Polo Tournament Stimulus Package, which has yielded 120 tournaments as of Tuesday, Oct. 6. Chairman Mr. Gose presented five points at the forefront of the USPA Umpires, LLC: recruitment and international recruitment; retention (contract labor/employee, bonus); training—outside monitors/regional managers; evaluations—game management, play calling, non-calls; mindset. The board ratified the actions of the Umpires, LLC, communications department & USPA Marketing, LLC Global Licensing, LLC Chairman Mr. Cummings opened the meeting by discussing the strong financial performance and health of USPAGL during these challenging times with COVID-19. He also mentioned how the retail and apparel industries have been negatively impacted with significant financial losses, store closures and layoffs. Cummings also thanked president and CEO Michael Prince and his team for
DAVID MURRELL
U S PA B U L L E T I N
The Umpires, LLC has seen great success with the COVID-19 Polo Tournament Stimulus Package.
USPAGL’s strong financial results and management of the crisis over the past year. Prince provided an update on U.S. Polo Assn. and the global impact of COVID-19. First, he thanked the USPA and the USPAGL board for their tremendous support during these unprecedented times. He mentioned that approximately 95% of the global business had reopened, the overall business was trending better than originally forecast in March and USPAGL would outperform the revised 2020 plan. The aforementioned positive financial momentum will result in higher revenues, lower expenses, higher gross profit and more USPA royalties. He noted this is occurring while many other apparel brands and retailers have incurred hundreds of millions of dollars of losses and closed thousands of stores. Prince also mentioned that USPAGL has worked very hard to manage cash flow, working with licensees, vendors and the USPA to ensure a longterm stable foundation and future. He shared that all licensees had paid USPAGL in a timely manner for the past seven months. He indicated retail stores were starting to rebound with outdoor locations doing better than malls. Also, USPAGL has been aggressively expanding its digital presence, launching nine e-commerce sites and 15 brand sites, which has doubled the e-commerce business and grown to almost 6 million social media followers worldwide.
He expects the holiday season will be challenging based on the tough economic environment and that more department stores and retailers will close their doors. This will result in e-commerce being more important than ever before, as will looking at new distribution channels for the future. Prince mentioned U.S. Polo Assn. remains on the offense with strong marketing, from global photo shoots and commercials on top-rated shows like Yellowstone to supporting the Silver Cup at Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club (Santa Barbara, California) and the Collegiate Partnership Program for intercollegiate polo clubs. Ms. Stilson, assistant vice president of marketing for USPA Global Licensing Inc., gave an update on Global Polo TV’s plans to transition to a subscription-based platform. Beginning Nov. 3, GPTV will roll out three polo passes ranging from $49.99-$175 for 2021 USPA live games. The premium polo pass, which has a value of $225, will be free to all USPA playing and lifetime members and the polo pass, which has a value of $75, will be free for all USPA social members. The Gauntlet of Polo Pass will include the top three USPA tournaments and have a value of $150. The goal is to continue to offer on-demand content, player interviews and horse stories for free to all current subscribers that are not interested in purchasing a polo pass. Currently, the platform has POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 9
U S PA B U L L E T I N
over 8,000 subscribers (25% of them USPA members) and has had high engagement during times of no polo. The Global Polo TV platform offers custom content offerings with USPA vault games, polo news and other inside polo stories. For more information visit globalpolo.com. The board of governors approved a motion from USPA Communications and Global Polo Entertainment to support changing the branding of USPA events on Global Polo TV from “USPA Polo Network” to “USPA Official Event.” For all USPA events hosted on Global Polo TV, the USPA will remain at the forefront of all references related to owning the events and have sign-off rights prior to usage. Polo Development, LLC Over the past year and a half to two years, the program’s committees have been going through program-specific strategic planning discussions and implementation. Key points of the strategic planning efforts, goals and objectives moving forward into 2021 and beyond were presented. The Polo Development Initiative Committee presentation homed in on the impact the PDI program has made on club infrastructure, specifically arena developments and enhancements. Moving forward, the PDI Committee, under the leadership of Chairman Bob McMurtry, will look to help support new strategic opportunities at the club level, such as instructor/academy development and the continual promotion of regional cooperative efforts such as the Chicago Polo Association. Team USPA Chairman Mason Wroe discussed how the program is on track after scaling down the number of participants in the program with a benchmark of achieving a 4- to 5-goal handicap by 21-22 years of age. During the summer, the committee began having discussions on a femalespecific development track and will begin the strategic planning process for this initiative in the first part of 2021. Junior Polo Committee Chair Ms. Chrys Beal briefly discussed plans to play the 2020 National Youth Tournament Series Championship in Florida in early 2021. The Junior Polo Committee continues 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
10 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
to work on plans for a junior U.S. Open Polo Championship. The board approved revisions to the NYTS tournament conditions for 2021. The Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Committee meeting was led by I/I Chair Liz Brayboy. She reviewed the I/I strategic planning process that occurred in the spring and summer and the outcome of a new I/I committee structure. The new structure includes three sub-groups, each led by its own chair: I/I Tournaments & Regular season, chaired by Cindy Halle; I/I Funding & Awards, chaired by Miranda Luna; and I/I Program & Club Sustainability, chaired by Brayboy. These three chairs, along with the two coaches’ representatives, make up the I/I leadership group. Halle reported on the I/I season as it related to COVID-19; the cancellation of both the National Interscholastic Championships and National Intercollegiate Championships; and the process and steps the committee and staff are taking for the 2020-2021 I/I season. Additionally, Halle reported on the educational outreach to the clubs that has been ongoing through the summer and fall. Lastly, Halle reviewed the 2021 I/I tournament condition changes and season addendum. Luna reported on the new I/I fundraising guidelines and plans for a second tier of fundraising grants available. Brayboy discussed the different working groups within the Program & Club Sustainability group, including alumni outreach, horse donation and rehoming, I/I value metrics and I/I club sustainability. The I/I Committee had a record number of attendees at the meetings. The board approved revisions to the I/I tournament conditions, along with the COVID-19 addendum for the 2020/2021 I/I season. New Business Armstrong reported that the chairs for the Armed Forces Committee, Safety Committee and Junior Polo Committee would be stepping down. He thanked Mr. Hilberg, Mr. Norregaard and Ms. Beal for their extensive contributions and leadership on their respective committees. The board approved the new committee chairs including: Mark Gillespie for the Armed Forces Committee; Dr. James A. Ulibarri for the Safety Committee; and Tiger Kneece for the Junior Polo Committee. Brayboy was appointed to fill the governor-at-large vacancy. The spring board of governors meetings will take place the week of Monday, April 12 through Friday, April 16, 2021, and each committee will have a virtual participation component.
MIKE RYAN
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Deadlines & Reminders A quick reminder that all I/I teams must secure a string of horses for tournament play. Tournaments will be played from early February to mid-April. Intercollegiate academic paperwork, coaching requirements and entry fees are due Jan. 15. Interscholastic paperwork, coaching requirements, and tournament entry fees are due Jan. 5. Make sure to renew your USPA player memberships for 2021 before participating in any games. If you need assistance completing the paperwork by the deadlines, please contact Ali Davidge at adavidge@uspolo.org. Funding Recipients The Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Committee is excited to announce the list of 2020 funding recipients: Cornell University, Harvard University, Montana State University, Morehouse College, Roger Williams University, Skidmore College, Stanford University, Texas Christian University, Texas Tech, University of Louisville, University of California Santa Barbara, University of Connecticut, University of Kentucky, University of North Texas, University of Texas, University of Virginia, University of WisconsinMadison, Westmont College, and Yale University. The Start-Up & Enhancement program is in place to help programs through providing reimbursable grants to clubs participating in the I/I program. For more information on the I/I Start-Up & Enhancement program please contact I/I Program Coordinator Ali Davidge at adavidge@uspolo.org. Fundraising The I/I fundraising application is open to all intercollegiate and interscholastic teams looking to hold a fundraiser to support their I/I team. If you are interested in applying for a reimbursement grant, please check out the Intercollegiate/Interscholastic page on uspolo.org for more details.
Polo Development Initiative The PDI grant program is designed to facilitate
the sustainability of polo by empowering clubs and polo schools with grant-based reimbursable awards. The success of the sport depends on the success of its clubs. The USPA 2021 PDI application guidelines and PDI application form will be available online at the uspolo.org website. All applications must be submitted online. The application deadline is Jan. 31, 2021. Please contact Pam Mudra by email at pmudra@uspolo.org if you have any questions regarding the PDI program.
All I/I players should renew their USPA memberships before participating in any games.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 11
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Sarah Siegel-Magness Zeroed in on polo by Jewel Connelly/United States Polo Association
As a woman who has experienced both walking the star-studded red carpet and being teammates with Prince Harry, Sarah Siegel-Magness has a spoiler alert for us all: nothing is better than the game of polo, not even the Oscars. Earning a well-deserved win in the 12-goal Pacific Coast Intra-Circuit Cup with her team Dundas in June, Siegel-Magness is solely focused on perfecting her game, leaving behind her Hollywood film career (Oscar-nominee for Best Picture for Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire) five years ago to commit everything to the sport. Fascinated with horses growing up in Colorado, but unable to be around them due to her father’s severe allergy, Siegel-Magness was first immersed in the sport via the vibrant polo community of Costa Careyes, Mexico, during her wedding in 2001. Returning over the years and eventually planting roots, mother and young son Cable began their polo journeys simultaneously, ushering in a new legacy of family polo. Now that the sport has captured her undivided attention, she weighs every potential business opportunity against her newest obsession, finding that most do not measure up or ignite the same level of passion. Training with the intensity and dedication of a pro, Siegel-Magness prepared in every way possible to carry Dundas’ winning momentum into Silver Cup competition at Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club in Carpinteria, California. Sparking her interest from the initial encounter, Siegel-Magness’ involvement with the sport began with spectating and awarding trophies at Costa Careyes. “I used to watch and think polo was such a majestic sport and I liked how fast the horses were moving, but the turning point for me came when I got on the horse and hit the ball,” Siegel-Magness said. Taking a single stick-and-ball lesson 10 years ago while in Mexico, she left feeling so inspired that she returned to Colorado and purchased all the necessary equipment, but never had the opportunity to play in the states. Determined to learn when the family bought a home in Mexico, Siegel-Magness 12 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
took up the reins and a mallet and never looked back. “For the last five years, polo has been my obsession and had 100% of my attention,” she revealed. “I directed and produced films and I had my own clothing company, but now every holiday revolves around polo. I gave up my entire professional life to learn to play because what I realized is if you want to be an exceptional polo player it has to be your entire life.” Unknowingly getting her start under one of the most recognizable players in the sport, Memo Gracida, Siegel-Magness spent her first two years learning from the polo legend who she met in Mexico. Later training with Joe Henderson, SiegelMagness’ world began to expand as she was introduced to the pro pool in Indio and polo in Santa Barbara. Described by many as one of the hardest working sponsors, male or female, in the game, Siegel-
Magness’ undeniable discipline and drive is fueled by her desire to make up for lost time. Driving three hours round trip almost daily from her home in Los Angeles to play one hour of practice in Santa Barbara, she is unfazed by the commute because she is both fanatical about polo and devoted to her family. Prioritizing team practices, Siegel-Magness seeks out every opportunity to learn more about the game from experienced individuals around her. “I practice penalties every day, I do not miss stickand-ball practice, doing drills or the hitting cage,” Siegel-Magness said. Spending five to 10 minutes in the hitting cage to warm up and running six miles before every game, Siegel-Magness’ routine helps her manage the pregame jitters (along with her polo pup companion, teacup schnauzer Rosie). Open to trying a variety of methods to improve her swing, Siegel-Magness has sought out ingenious tools from both the polo industry and others including an Equicizer weighted mallet (used in the hitting cage) and parachute made for golf clubs. “The weight on the mallet has really helped me follow through and feel where the momentum is,” Siegel-Magness shared. “The parachute functions to create resistance so the mallet moves slower and I have to work harder to do the swing.” Proactive in her pursuit, Siegel-Magness is constantly assessing her performance and reflecting on what she could be doing more effectively. “When I go to bed at night I’m rehashing my day of polo,” Siegel-Magness shared. “Even when I was on vacation after winning the 12-goal tournament, sometimes I couldn’t sleep thinking about what I could improve on because I love polo so much.” Intentional with her time and motivated to absorb as much as possible, Siegel-Magness makes it a point to utilize her teammates during stick and ball as well as the game. “I rely on each one of them to work with me in different ways,” she commented. “After watching our games we talk about what I did on the field and what my weaknesses are, and during stick-and-ball practice we focus on those areas.” Soaking up every ounce of time with her pros, Siegel-Magness works that much harder to ensure she is always in position to contribute to her team. Capitalizing on each of her teammates’ strengths, she often develops specific skills with an individual pro. “Each of my pros have a different perspective and I like that because one will see one thing I need to work on while another will see something else,”
DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS.COM
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Siegel-Magness explained. “Also, each of them are really proficient in one skill in particular, so I’ll work with one pro on penalties and another on ball control.” Ironically opting for individual sports, including gymnastics and ice skating growing up, SiegelMagness loves being able to rely on her teammates and the camaraderie which comes from embracing the team sport dynamic. Dedicating six days a week to her craft during the
Sarah Siegel-Magness played San Saba’s Tobi in the 2019 U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 13
U S PA B U L L E T I N
ASPEN VALLEY POLO CLUB
high-goal season at Santa Barbara, Siegel-Magness is thankful to share her love of the sport with both her husband Gary and now 16-year-old son. Playing polo in Colorado before they were married, Gary returned to the sport as a result of his wife’s deep passion to play the game, rounding out three of the five family members. “Just knowing we’ll spend time together stick and balling or during games guarantees a certain amount of family time every day and I love it,” SiegelMagness exclaimed. “Polo has brought our family together so much, and I’m the only mom who plays a sport with her son, who Cable knows, so we are on a different level of mom and son.” Playing with and against her son in Santa Barbara, Siegel-Magness has enjoyed watching him excel. His most recent success was winning the first 12-goal tournament at Santa Barbara post lockdown,
Sarah Siegel-Magness has played in everything from women’s, beach and mixed to arena and snow polo.
when he earned Most Valuable Player honors. Each parent preferring a different speed of polo, Cable also joins his father for games in Mexico where it all began. “It’s so fun to watch them play, I actually really enjoy being on the sidelines and not playing myself,” Siegel-Magness said. “My husband is very happy playing the more casual polo played in Mexico while I’m incredibly competitive and like to play higher-
14 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
goal polo.” Creating and sharing memories together all over the world through their polo connections, SiegelMagness and Cable have even played with Nacho Figueras in Rome and at high-profile Veuve Clicquot events. Born with a natural work ethic, Siegel-Magness has greatly appreciated connecting with the top highgoal organization Valiente and having the unique opportunity to be mentored by 10-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso in Denver, Colorado. “[Cambiaso] has been really helpful to me and definitely invested some time in helping me improve,” she said. Admiring Valiente’s mindset and their unflinching dedication to polo, Siegel-Magness has similarly adopted a Valiente mentality when it comes to her game. “In Santa Barbara you won’t see me socializing at the parties because I’m completely focused on getting better at playing polo and that’s what I love about Valiente,” Siegel-Magness revealed. “Everything is focused on polo, which is the way I like to do business.” Over the past year and a half, she has purchased many Valiente horses for both her and Cable’s strings, steadily switching out horses to keep up with her rapid growth and tournament level. Recognizing that just having exceptional horses would not be enough without a top-class regimen, Siegel-Magness credits her grooms who have kept them in peak condition. “I was lucky that the grooms who worked for Bob and Rob [Jornayvaz] worked for me this summer,” she said. “They work like clockwork and are so good at what they do. Having these professional grooms has taken our organization to the next level and I attribute a lot of the success to them.” Utilizing a Kraft Water Horse Walker for conditioning as well as Centurion Systems magnets to reduce inflammation, Siegel-Magness is always striving to be on the cutting edge of the sport to accelerate the process. Making a complete transition from knowing nothing about polo to balancing a fulltime polo career, this animal lover’s barn is home to more than just polo ponies, including three donkeys, three mini and one full-sized goats, three sheep, two mini ponies (Cookies and Cream) and the newest addition, Marty the baby zebra. Participating in all types of polo (including snow and beach), Siegel-Magness is also now a passionate advocate for arena and women’s polo, which have both helped her in mixed games.
“I had no idea how fun women’s polo is and how talented the women were until my first game,” SiegelMagness said. “Dawn Jones asked me to be on her team in the 2019 U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship and that was my first experience playing women’s polo, competing for the most prestigious cup!” Although the 2020 tournament was cut short, she has already put her team together for the 2021 season. Exposed to high-goal arena polo during a rainy winter season in Santa Barbara, Siegel-Magness discovered her obsession with the game and wished she had the opportunity to compete in college. “If I had more time and a dedicated string for arena it would be my ultimate goal to play both,” she said. “It’s a nice compliment to the field and my defense got so much stronger after I played in the arena.” As the only woman on the roster in the 2020 Silver Cup, Siegel-Magness is used to being one of, if not the only, woman on the field, but she is hoping to utilize skills from playing women’s polo to her advantage. “In women’s polo, you don’t rely so heavily on long passes,” she revealed. “A lot of times when the ball is dropped or a player gets taken out, the opportunity to gain possession comes so fast that you learn to be quicker at the short game, which in turn helps in mixed polo.” Taking safety just as seriously as she does her practice regime, Siegel-Magness believes that one of the most critical keys to longevity in the sport is the simple prevention of career-ending injuries. Never getting on a horse without an eventing vest and a mouth guard, safety gear is a number one priority for Siegel-Magness. Sporting a face mask, double knee pads, elbow pads and shin guards, she advocates for more players to take increased precautions, successfully convincing two of her pros to wear a vest and all to wear mouth guards. “The vest is a game changer; it covers your collarbone and prevents you from breaking it,” Siegel-Magness shared. “Also a mouth guard significantly reduces the chance of getting a concussion.” Acknowledging that often times players, including her son, would not willingly elect to wear more safety gear, she believes it would benefit not only the individuals, but the sport itself if it was to be required. “One thing I see with sponsors is they come in and get roped into playing at a higher level than they are ready for and then they get hurt,” Siegel-Magness said candidly. “To be able to sustain new players for
DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS.COM
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Sarah Siegel-Magness won the Intra-Circuit Cup at Santa Barbara with Mariano Fassetta, Santi Torres and Juan Cruz Marcos.
longer amounts of time you have to keep them safe.” Choosing to seize every day, Siegel-Magness has made a tremendous amount of progress in five short years (including starting her own USPA member club—Cancha de Estrellas Polo Club), but continues to be humbled every time she steps on the field. “Polo has taught me to have more patience,” she said. “Every time I play I realize how much I still need to learn, and patience comes with recognizing this sport takes time to get better. No matter how much you learn from others, time in the saddle and in the game is the best teacher because you have to experience each scenario for yourself.” Inspiring many of her friends who attend her games at SBPRC and are exposed to polo through her aspirational imagery on Instagram, SiegelMagness advises to start with a lesson, get educated about the sport before you begin and take it one step at a time. “I think the arena is a great place to start because it requires less horses,” she said. “Most people don’t have the luxury of time to devote to polo and that’s why I suggest the arena because its much less of an investment in time and money to begin there.” Setting her sights on the long-term goal, SiegelMagness has discovered the importance of daily disciplines and putting in the extra time that nobody sees is ultimately the key to lasting success. • POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 15
INSTRUCTORS FORUM
Swing time Generating power within the offside fore shot by Rege Ludwig
Relative to the mechanics of hitting the offside fore shot with power, I share with you an experience from which I gained tremendously while conducting a penalty lesson with Carlos Gracida. Before starting the lesson, I explained to Carlos my theory that there are two forms of upper body rotation to be used when developing power to hit an offside fore shot. I started out explaining how the torso should lean right and rotate clockwise to put the player out and over the ball. Then, the player should rotate their shoulders vertically around the spine to create torsion, or twisting, within the torso. Because the player’s shoulders are rotating vertically and parallel to the horse’s spine during the downswing, that torsion, or twisting, creates the potential of tremendous power that can be used within the downswing. Before I could get much further into that explanation, Carlos says, “When I want to hit an offside fore shot with power, I concentrate on pointing my left shoulder down toward the ball. Immediately, my mind started processing that thought. Wow, that is so simple; why did I not think of that? If you want to rotate your right shoulder back and up for the purpose of generating power; then, rotate your left shoulder forward and down toward the ball within the process of moving the mallet to the top of the downswing position. I remember telling Carlos, Wow, this is great; I know what to tell students who want to hit the offside fore shot harder—do like Carlos Gracida, point your left shoulder down toward the ball, so you can pull your right shoulder back, lift it up and rotate it within the shoulder socket. Doing so helps to generate the power needed to hit the offside fore shot harder. The fact of the matter is, the more power you want to generate, the more you should rotate your left shoulder down toward the ball to facilitate pulling your right shoulder back, lifting it up, and rotating it within your shoulder socket to create that power. That pulling back of your right shoulder, lifting it up and rotating it within the shoulder socket is not so different to throwing a baseball forward. 16 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
As the mechanics of the polo swing process would have it, pointing your left shoulder down toward the ball facilitates engaging your right shoulder in a manner that is similar to throwing a baseball. When your right arm and shoulder are positioned to throw a baseball right-handed, your left shoulder moves forward and down toward the batter. Coincidentally, your arm and right shoulder are positioned to initiate the downswing of the polo swing. The difference between the two being that when swinging the polo mallet, your torso is rotated laterally and is bending down and over the ball, which will have you swinging the mallet down; as compared to the more vertical and facing-forward throwing position of a baseball player. The arm and shoulder mechanics, however, are quite similar. As the mechanics of the polo swing process would have it, the farther down you point your left shoulder toward the ball, the greater the degree to which you can pull your right shoulder back, lift it up and rotate it within the shoulder socket. The greater the degree you can do each, the greater the power you will be generating for use within the downswing. A reasonable degree of vertical shoulder rotation for the offside fore shot is when your left shoulder is pointing down to between 4 o’clock and 4:30, while your right shoulder is pointing up to between 10 o’clock and 10:30. If you want greater power, get to where you can point your left shoulder down to 5 o’clock, while your right shoulder and mallet hand are pointing up to 11 o’clock. Both necessitate a reasonable degree of flexibility. And, both necessitate maintaining the stability of your hitting platform with a strong, constant and consistent upper leg gripping effort. Ideally, at the top of the offside fore shot downswing, you should be able to draw a line from your mallet hand to the front side of your left shoulder, with that line touching the back side of your right shoulder when your left shoulder is pointing to either 4 or 5 o’clock. I am compelled to tell you that maintaining a strong upper leg grip into your horse’s shoulders is essential to the purpose of generating power within the swing. That strong upper leg grip is equally
INSTRUCTORS FORUM
important to maintaining stability and control of the hitting platform from which that power is generated. Another factor to keep in mind when rotating your torso laterally and your shoulders vertically around your spine is that your mallet arm should not become straight within the process of moving the mallet back and up to the top of the downswing position. Causing your mallet arm to straighten before reaching the top of the downswing position produces the effect of restricting the movement of your right shoulder back, lifting it up and rotating it within the shoulder socket. That restriction, in turn, reduces the power that can be created for use within the downswing.
At the beginning of the downswing, with your mallet hand at approximately the 10 o’clock position, your elbow should be bent slightly to where there is an approximate 160-degree angle between your upper arm and lower arm (see illustration). With your right shoulder and mallet hand pointing toward the 11 o’clock position, there should be an approximate 150degree angle between your upper and lower arm. Your arm should not become straight, until it reaches the 9 o’clock position within the downswing, With your arm continuing to straighten up to the 9 o’clock position, you are generating even more power with which to hit the offside fore shot just a little harder. •
You are getting a reasonable degree of vertical shoulder rotation when your left shoulder is pointing down to 4 o’clock and your right shoulder and hand are pointing to 10 o’clock.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 17
ASK AN UMPIRE
Rules 25 & 26 Rule changes are made to improve the game By Dana Fortugno
Laura Willson
This month Laura Willson has a couple questions. Laura enjoys the polo lifestyle with her daughter Sienna Cabrera, and keeps a large string of horses, which she plays and trains. Born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, she has been playing actively for the past 15 years and has played all over the world. Laura finds a lot of satisfaction and team dynamics traveling and playing. She is an obvious animal lover, especially horses, and is very passionate about working with her horses. Laura, who has a half-goal handicap outdoors, plays at a variety of clubs in the summer. This summer she was at Sugarbush Polo Club in Shelburne, Vermont She recently purchased over 40 acres in Ocala, Florida, that she plans to turn into a polo club, offering a polo school, lesson program, polo events, horse sales and, of course, polo. The property is minutes from the newly-developed World Equestrian Center. Laura says she learned her teaching skills from renowned polo instructor Rege Ludwig. Although her new property is still a work in progress, it won’t be long before you see her website and hear the rumors about a great place to learn and play the best sport in the world. In fact, she already has 27 new students who are very interested in joining her new venture. Laura asks, “Why do the rules change so much and so often these days, and how does Umpires, LLC help with consistent umpiring across the country?” Umpire Brent Mirikitani is going to answer Laura’s questions. Brent was also born in Canada. He moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, when he was 5 years old. Brent grew up playing polo and surfing with his brother Jamie. He lives in Sarasota, Florida, with his
18 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
wife Robin. Brent played polo professionally for 25 years and reached a 4-goal handicap. He has played in Mexico, South Africa, Barbados, Australia, and all over the United States. When Brent finds the time, he enjoys surfing and traveling with his wife. Brent’s answer: Laura, that’s a great question. I hear comments about this issue all over the country. I can’t speak for the Rules Committee (they are the ones who do this) but I can give you my take on it. I did make some phone calls before answering your question to get the opinion of some who are more involved with the rules. The short answer is the rules change for the betterment of the sport. In polo, we are trying new things that seem to work well in other sports with the hope they will improve our sport. I am going to take an educated guess that there is also a deeper, more strategic reason. Thirty-plus years ago, the rules almost never changed. Polo back then was played in a style that was open and running with lots of passing of the ball. It was fun to watch, fun to play, and easily developed the talents of young players. Then, somehow, it changed in style. It went from open and passing to stopping and slowing with one player keeping the ball and using teammates to block defenders instead of passing the ball to them. This new style did a few things: One, it made polo terrible to watch. Two, it made polo less fun to play. Three, it stunted the growth of young talented players because they got used to blocking defenders instead of playing. This new hog-the-ball and block-style of play is detrimental to the long-term success of the sport for the reasons I just mentioned. Rules like “delay of game” and “improper blocking” are great examples of what we don’t want players doing anymore. These plays were not done much 30 years ago. For example, high-goal polo often comes to a complete stop (like a zero-goal game) but 30 years ago, that would never happen. If you noticed, there are fewer high-goal players today in their 20s than 30 years ago and the new style of play is the reason. Changing the rules to promote a better, more open, running and passing style of play has been one of the underlying reasons for so many changes. I may
ASK AN UMPIRE
Rule 25—Stopping on Ball c. Delay of Game: A player in possession of the ball, marked by approximately 2 horse lengths or less by an opposing player, must keep moving if he or she is neither being blocked nor ridden off and therefore has the freedom to continue along the Right of Way. Should the player in possession of the ball either stop or reduce his or her speed to a walk, he or she may tap the ball only once and thereafter he or she (or any member of his or her team) must, within 5 seconds, either hit away or run with the ball. An infraction of this rule will result in a penalty against the team in possession of the ball. *Only portions of Rule 25 are listed. To read the entire rule, go to uspolo.org*
Rule 26A—Improper Blocking During the execution of a knock-in, Penalty 5.a or 5.b, or a free hit resulting from a ball hit out of bounds, an offensive player may not block a defensive player from marking the offensive player’s teammate who has a play on the ball (i.e., set a pick on the defending player). When an offensive player improperly blocks a defensive player, the Umpires shall call a foul and award an appropriate penalty. Improper Blocking may or may not constitute Dangerous Riding, and result in a yellow or red flag under Rule 33, depending on the degree of danger as determined in the discretion of the Umpire.
be incorrect, but that’s my take based on what I have seen. Laura, your second question is just as interesting. I had to call one of our directors to make sure I was right in my thinking and I was. There are two parts to how we keep consistency in umpiring across the country. First, we actively ... training all the umpires with the same videos, policies and procedures, and at the same time. We meet weekly or more if we need to and discuss how we are calling plays. We use video to create a baseline on calling certain plays, so we all call them the same way. Our directors either watch our games in person or online and if they see a play that should be called differently, they call us right away and correct our judgment process. The theory is that if we all share the same judgment process, then we should all see the plays the same way. Of course, polo is a game of angles, and depending on your position (your view angle), you will see your version of the play. We do have procedures on field positioning, so that helps. We change umpire partners all the time and that helps us compare ourselves to another umpire and bring our judgment process back in line with each other. Additionally, we are moved around between states and across the country to umpire, so that helps with our consistency across the country. The clubs generally pay for our per-game services but they don’t participate in all the costs we incur for
training and moving around and so forth that further our qualities, like consistency. Second, what do we do to help with non-professional umpires and their consistency? Historically, umpires in different clubs across states would be as different as the accent they use to speak. Have you ever heard someone talk from New York as opposed to someone from Alabama? They sound different but they are speaking the same language. That’s what has been happening until now. We use the Pump8 and the TSP programs to send umpires at little or no cost to clubs to umpire with and for them. We work with local club umpires and through umpiring together, having a rules review and being present all weekend to answer questions, we are sharing and spreading our judgment across the country. This helps to keep the club umpires more in line with each other across the country. I have traveled to places I never knew had polo, and now, after we visit these places, they have the knowledge of how we call plays today. Our directors are always looking for better ways to accomplish the goal of consistency for us and for local club umpires, and they are always asking us for suggestions. In my opinion, this is working. •
Brett Mirikitani
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 19
E Q U I N E AT H L E T E
Under cover How to determine if horses need to be blanketed By Gwen Rizzo
A
trip out to the barn on a cold winter day may leave you wishing you had thrown on your warm boots or taken along a set of gloves. When you return to the warmth of your home, the redness on the tips of your nose and ears will eventually fade, but how do your horses tolerate such cold? Horses generally adapt to the cold as the temperatures gradually drop in the fall, growing a thick fur coat by the time the cold weather sets in. In most cases, this coat will act as insulation, fluffing up to trap body heat and keep them warm even in the harshest temperatures. However, not all horses are created equal, and there are several factors to consider when determining if your horses need a little more protection from the weather. Many players purchase horses from other states or even other countries. In Argentina, where many polo ponies are purchased, the seasons are opposite of ours. If you are lucky enough to go to Argentina and cannot resist bringing home a four-legged souvenir, you will have to make accommodations for that horse once it
20 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
arrives. December is the start of summer in Argentina, so the horse likely will have a very short coat. Even if it will be living in warm states like Florida or Southern California, the horse may need to be blanketed. If it will live in a cold, Northern state, it will certainly need to be kept blanketed throughout the winter. Even in warmer climates, temperatures sometimes fluctuate by 30 or more degrees in a day. Even horses that live there year-round cannot adjust that quickly. They may need an extra layer of protection to keep them warm during a cold spell. The type of cold should also be considered. The more wind involved, the colder it will feel. Moisture flattens out the horse’s coat, allowing heat to escape; so be sure to provide shelter for horses, allowing them to stay dry. Snow, on the other hand, can act as an additional layer of insulation, as long as it is not wet snow. Also consider how much time your horses spend in stalls and in what type of barn they are kept. An enclosed barn, filled with plenty of warm bodies, is certainly
E Q U I N E AT H L E T E
warmer than an open field. When the horse goes outside, it will need an extra layer for warmth. Horses that are kept fit and played during the winter months are often body clipped. These horses will most definitely need some extra layer of protection to stay warm when the temperatures drop. If your horses live in colder temperatures, it is advisable to only partially clip them, minimizing sweating so they can cool off quickly after playing, but still staying warm the rest of the time. There are many different clipping styles, including a full clip, when the entire coat is removed; a hunter clip, when the hair on the legs is left, along with the hair beneath where the saddle is placed; a blanket clip, which is similar to a hunter clip, except the area beneath the saddle is extended back to the horse’s rump; and a trace clip, which removes the hair from the bottom half of the body, but the hair on the legs and top half of the body—extending from the rump all the way up to the neck and head—is kept intact. Horses’ weight also comes into play when determining if they will need blanketing. Fat offers added insulation to keep them warm. Horses that have difficulty maintaining weight may need an added layer of protection. Heavy coats sometimes make it difficult to see if a horse is thin, so it is important to run your hands over the horse on a regular basis to keep track of its weight. Horses that are cold will shiver as a natural way to produce body heat, but will also burn fat. If they are too cold, they may not want to move around much, or may not even want to eat or drink. These are all causes for concern, since the horse’s delicate digestive system works best when the horse keeps moving, eats regularly and drinks plenty of water. Keeping horses comfortable and ensuring they are getting plenty of food and water will help prevent colic. After considering to what type of weather your horses are accustomed, how much fat they have, if they mostly live indoors or out and how thick their coats are, you may determine your horses need some blanketing. If so, you will then need to decide how heavy a blanket to get. It is best to have blankets of a few different thicknesses on hand so you can adjust to different needs. If necessary, you may also layer. Follow manufacturing guidelines when determining blanket fit. Blankets should neither be too big or too tight, the latter of which will inhibit movement. Adjust blankets specifically to each horse and check
blanketed horses at least twice a day to be sure the blankets have not shifted. Keep in mind, the added moisture from sweating can cause horses to get chilled, so do not leave blankets on without monitoring changing temperatures. •
@USPOLOASSN POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 21
POLO SCENE
N E W S • NO T E S • T R E N D S • Q U O T E S
RIDE HEAD TO THRIVE
T
SYDNEY SAWYER
SYDNEY SAWYER
HE NORTHERN VIRGINIA THERAPEUTIC riding program held its 14th Annual Ride to Thrive Polo Classic on Sept. 26 at Great Meadow Polo Club in The Plains, Virginia. The event was a huge success, raising more than $156,000 to support program operations. In order to comply with all safety standards and protocols for a safe, in-person fundraiser in light of COVID-19, this year’s event had to be completely reformatted and re-imagined to create a safe atmosphere. Attendance was limited to less than 200 guests, individual tents were limited to 10 guests and had a private space to allow for social distancing, the bar area was self-serve, boxed meals were served in place of plated meals and the number of restroom facilities were increased. Guests were treated to a beautiful afternoon of polo, food and drinks. Aside from polo, guests enjoyed music by Sweet Something Jazz and the Color Guard of St. Andrew’s Society of Washington, D.C. (accompanied by NVTRP military riders and NVTRP therapeutic riding clients) participating in a halftime quadrille—a choreographed drill pattern set to Katy Perry’s hit song, “Roar.” The event was co-chaired by Will Thomas, NVTRP board member and realtor, and Sherrie Beckstead of Lilijenquist & Beckstead Jewelers. Many individuals and local businesses donated approximately 160 items to this year’s live and online silent auctions, including trips, airline tickets, autographed sports memorabilia and more. Proceeds from the auctions totaled $58,000. In addition, Ric and Jean Edelman donated a successful $25,000 dollar-for-dollar match. The funds will help NVTRP provide equine-assisted activities to children and adults with disabilities, at-risk-youth and military service personnel and their families. Proceeds subsidize lessons and assist with general farm operations. Polo Classic sponsors included ITCON, AT&T, Gary Cubbage, The Peterson Family Foundation, Bentley, Alla and Barry Cline and Crescent City Charities.
22 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
SYDNEY SAWYER
Match raises funds for Subhead therapeutic riding program
POLO SCENE
WEDDING BELLS
P
ANNA DELORES
ROFESSIONAL PLAYER Jesse Bray married longtime girlfriend Hayley Heatley in an intimate wedding ceremony at the historic Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Montecito, California, Oct. 1. The couple, who met in 2013, had originally planned on a June wedding, however it was postponed due to COVID-19. Trying to schedule a wedding between the Santa Barbara, Argentine and winter polo seasons was challenging so they decided to just go for it. “The day Klentner Ranch won the Pacific Coast Open final, I decided why not plan a wedding in a month?” said Heatley. “It turned out to be the perfect decision for us. We had 42 people with us to celebrate, but felt the love from all of our family and friends who were unable to attend.” After the ceremony, guests enjoyed a dinner at Klentner Ranch. Heatley called it the best day ever. “Jesse and I met here in Santa Barbara, and since then I had dreamed of getting married at Klentner Ranch,” Heatley said. “I wore my mom’s dress for the ceremony, which was so special to me. We are so excited to officially join our two polo families together.”
ANNA DELORES
Two longtime polo families merge
Mia Bray, Graham Bray, Deborah. Bray, Jesse Bray, Hayley Heatley, Shelley Heatley, Lindsay Heatley and Phil Heatley
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
Taking the reins Tiger Kneece appointed Junior Polo Committee chair By Hayley Heatley
Tiger Kneece recently stepped into the role as Junior Polo Committee chair, a position previously held by Chrys Beal. After many years of service to the committee, Beal will now focus her efforts on continuing to grow the National Youth Tournament Series program. “Chrys Beal has done a phenomenal job laying the foundation for the Junior Polo Committee. Her enthusiasm for youth players has turned the NYTS program into one that kids across the country talk about. I appreciate her support and I am excited to continue to impact our young American players,” said Kneece. Kneece is a former 7-goal American player who now resides in Aiken, South Carolina’s horse country. During his 25-year tenure as a professional polo player, Kneece won the coveted U.S. Open, Monty Waterbury and Gold, Silver and Copper Cups.
Tiger’s daughter, Summer Kneece was MVP in the 2019 NYTS Girls’ Championship.
24 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Incoming Junior Committee Chair Tiger Kneece
His talent on the field led him to playing opportunities across the globe, including in Canada, Mexico, England, Switzerland, Germany, South Africa and Australia. Kneece excels at training polo ponies and hosts a polo school aptly named Polo Adventures. Introducing people to the sport of polo is one of the main focuses of his polo school. Kneece and his wife, Susie, work in tandem running the Aiken Polo Club, Tiger as polo manager and Susie as director of marketing. Tiger has played an active role in the NYTS program, hosting one of the largest qualifier tournaments each year in Aiken and working as a coach at the NYTS National Championship. His Aiken Youth Polo program has both a girls’ and open high-school team, both a men’s and women’s USC Aiken team and a group of younger players coming up in the ranks. The Junior Polo Committee will move forward with three focused initiatives: NYTS, the Young Player Opportunity Grant and Junior Player Development. Beal was instrumental in the development of the NYTS program and has pioneered its growth. Her drive to support young female players led to the addition of the all-girls’ division at NYTS National Championships in 2018. The NYTS subcommittee
P O L O D E V E L O P M E N T, L L C
Chrys Beal presents Sophie Grant Best Playing Pony honors for her horse Sydney at the 2019 NYTS Girls’ Championship.
has its sights set on expanding the National Championship event in the near future. Despite the challenges of 2020, there continued to be significant participation and enthusiasm from clubs and players. The Oak Brook Polo Club will host the 2021 NYTS National Championship event on its historic downtown Chicago field. The YPO grant is designed to provide support for young players seeking an opportunity to improve in the sport and play higher-level polo. American players have utilized the YPO Grant to play overseas and within the U.S. The YPO subcommittee, led by Carolyn Stimmel, aims to reopen applications in the near future. As part of Junior Player Development, Kneece will continue to work on an idea initiated by Beal. “It has always been my dream to have a Junior Open,” said Beal, “I feel that we are getting close to making it happen.”
Junior Committee Members Tiger Kneece, chair Bill Kirton Carolyn Stimmel Haley Bryan Brandon Alcott Nick Snow Margie Paur Alan Meeker Chrys Beal
Identifying and capitalizing on training opportunities in Argentina remains at the forefront of the committee’s agenda. Argentina provides many avenues for young players to play at a higher level than they are accustomed to. The height of the season in Argentina coincides with a slower time for polo in the United States. In addition to pursuing training in Argentina, the Junior Committee remains committed to encouraging the development of good horsemanship through existing programs, including I/I, NYTS coaching and YPO. Raising the level of horsemanship of young American players will, in turn, elevate the level of play. Kneece has looked outside of polo to other equestrian disciplines to see what has been successful in recruiting and retaining participants. “I believe we need to direct some of our focus on the middle-school-age players. I have found that this is the time when the parents and the kids are still exploring options for what sport to pursue seriously before entering high school,” said Kneece. “You will have hunter jumper or three-day eventer [riders] try polo, but it is difficult to get them to fully commit when they already are invested in another discipline.” By introducing players to polo at an earlier age, there is a great possibility of them engaging and committing to the sport. Through the various programs offered by the USPA, the Junior Committee hopes to make an impact in growing the USPA membership and elevating the level of young American polo players. • POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 25
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
More than sport Polo helps student overcome grief and fears By Stesha Payne
Stesha and daughter Kayci at regionals. Stesha says the polo community has welcomed them both with open arms.
Just over two short years ago, I found myself at the Michigan State University Polo Club’s tryouts at the recommendation of a friend. Riding was nothing new to me—although I was most comfortable riding western—but the word polo was a foreign taste in my mouth. I can remember being overwhelmed by the experience as I anxiously awaited my turn while I second-guessed my involvement in such a unique equine sport. My college career was already off to a late start. Although most people were oblivious to my differences, I was self-conscious about my decision to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science after a few years’ hiatus from formal education. Less than a year after graduating high school, I gave birth to my daughter. Just over a year after that, my fiancé committed suicide in our home. I continued to work for a while following that tragedy, until one day I was stuck in traffic on my morning commute. I knew that wasn’t where I needed, or wanted, to be, and when I finally arrived at work that day I put in my resignment notice. Once I got home, I applied to Michigan State University. My close friend Elly [Schwingel], who was on the varsity team of the Michigan State University polo club, convinced me to try out, and I was entirely skeptical considering I knew nothing about the sport. Realistically, I came from a 4-H foundation and polo seemed like such an unattainable sport; both physically and financially. To my surprise, the club was designed to allow members of all riding skill levels and financial abilities the opportunity to learn about polo and the horses involved. Despite having no prior polo experience, I made the varsity team and suddenly became submerged in the sport and some of the life it can offer. Personally, polo has been a bit of a lifesaver for me. It came right at a pivotal time in my life when I needed something to look forward to each day. Starting your college career can be daunting and mentally tiring, and the barn became a place of release and peace for me. Each practice presented something new I could work towards, and eventually I found myself working towards a healthier me outside of the barn too. The mental burdens that
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come with grief and a traumatic loss tried to keep me in bed many days, but the horses needed to be worked and I found my way to practice each time. My time spent in the barn led to stronger relationships with my teammates and coaches. When Elly found out that she was selected to compete in England for the USPA intercollegiate U.S.A. team, I knew I had to find a way to go and support her in the same way she had always supported me. So I faced my fears of flying and got on a plane for the very first time for eight long hours to England. The connections I made with the team, and becoming the unofficial cheerleader, are ones that will last me longer than the flight over there felt. Having the opportunity to absorb how their horsemanship and
Stesha says she now drives anywhere to find polo to watch, groom or play chukkers.
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
Stesha’s daughter, Kayci is often cheerleading from the side of the arena.
Time spent in the barn led to stronger relationships with teammates and coaches.
of her life is missing, polo helps to fill a void for both of us. Without polo, I would have never been brave enough to go on my first flight or confidently swing my leg over a horse I just met. The horse management skills I continue to learn are unmatched by those learned in a classroom, and even holding an executive board position for the club is preparing me for a future in leadership. To some, it’s just polo, but to me, it’s the exhilarating sport, the amazing people, the athletic horses and the incredible opportunities along the way. •
With a horse-riding background, Stesha made the varsity team.
styles of play may differ and exchanging greetings with fellow polo players across the pond was an experience that will remain unmatched. Since breaking the ice in my travels for polo, I have found myself driving anywhere to find polo to watch, groom for and even to pick up some chukkers. Each and every person I’ve met along the way has offered me a unique learning experience, and their kindness towards my willingness to learn is what helps fuel my fire to become a better polo player, horsewoman and advocate for all that intercollegiate polo can offer. Even though I am an intercollegiate player, I have a daughter and she is normally in tow with me to anything polo related. Through polo, my daughter and I have become a part of a bigger family than just the two of us and that is something I will be forever grateful for. Every club I have visited, especially the MSU Polo Club, has welcomed us both with open arms. Her early introduction to polo and its warm atmosphere continues to improve her confidence level, social skills and her interest in horses. Even though she is too young to know an important part POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 27
Barrel O’ Fun Players cowboy up for support group Photos and words by C. Maybe Ortiz
Using her smooth riding skills and natural desire to compete, Hope Arellano was able to bring organizer Chase Butler’s Poker Face home to victory. All the top riders were separated by milliseconds.
Much hooting and hollering was heard over on Big Tree Road outside of Aiken, South Carolina, on Saturday night, Oct. 17. The polo community gathered to encourage their favorite players as they put their handiest horses to a standard barrel racing course with an electronic timer. Chase Butler of St. Louis has been entering teams in Aiken polo tournaments for a couple of years. He partnered with La Bourgogne team sponsor David Meunier, spiritual leader of the recently opened Aiken restaurant La Parisienne, and Tim Zekany, 28 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
cancer survivor and owner of Big Tree polo farm and arena, to stage a casual night of friendly competition and outdoor dining, all for the benefit of Polo Players Support Group. Despite their packed schedules, a sufficient number of pros found a way to show up on a Saturday evening with one horse and the saddle of their choice. They figured they could handle three turns, a lead change and a run for home. However, even Pelon Escapite, who has lent his mighty stick to just about every tournament in town with the
exception of the NYTS, was The footing was an obvious challenged to remember the concern for event organizers. pattern. Others, including Originally the fundraiser had well-traveled racers, suffered been planned for the very the misfortune of a downed visible arena at New Bridge barrel in one or more of their Polo Club, which has been the two tries. excellent home of Tiger Polo Players Support Group is a The guys knew it was going Kneece’s Aiken Youth Polo 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization to be a rough night. They and the University of South that provides financial assistance to rightfully feared the Carolina Aiken intercollegiate seriously injured or ill members of experienced performances of squad. About a week before the polo community. the 100-pound (each) Leitner the event it was decided that To make a donation to this wortwins (profiled in the June the footing there would not thy cause, go to polosupport.com 2020 issue of POLO Players’ soften enough for barrel and click the Donate tab at the top Edition). Then there were racing and the location was of the page. numerous cowgirls, including easily switched to Tim Sydney Jordan and Belinda Zekany’s lighted space Brody, waiting in the wings. Jewel Gregoncza seemed designed for roping and other Western activities. The just too pretty to ride and play as well as she does. 60-acre Big Tree Farm, which includes a full-sized But Aiken players have learned to never discount polo field, 15-stall barn with apartment, and plenty Hope Arellano. Due to the frequency of her of turn-out, is on the market but Zekany commented, appearances in 4- to 8-goal tournaments, plus the “If I still have the farm next year, I’ll be happy to Women’s Challenge preceded by the NYTS event, host this event again.” Hope’s string was brushed with a bit of the soreness Most polo players get in line and stop jostling bug. Chase Butler simply said, “Will you ride if I give when asked to participate in a Polo Players Support you a horse?” Hope and Poker Face, a nice bald-faced chestnut recently purchased from Peter von Gontard, warmed up calmly enough, but when the chips were on the table, Hope brought the mare past the laser a half a second ahead for the win. Jewel and Ben Gregoncza then took second and fourth, both in Western saddles. A well-liked farrier and polo player, Ben elicited vocal support from the crowd but just missed the top three. Reagan Leitner buzzed around on her palomino paint Shorty for third while her sister Robyn and Kachina followed Ben’s time. Not all of the pairs were veterans of the arena. Some of the riders entered their horses just to see if they would do it, only to find that they wouldn’t. Even a stationary barrel can look scary under the lights. Two parent/child teams joined in the “Cowboy Up!” fun. Molly Smith, a talented 1-goal graduate of interscholastic competition, and her husband Jesus Ontiveros, an effective 2-goal player and trainer, have four active sons under the age of 10. Nine-year-old Alejandro Ontiveros smoothly outran some of the adults. In her boots, Molly trotted in the deep sand ahead of 4-year-old Frankie, who grinned the entire trip. Thadeus Nuttry, son of Southern Equine’s Dr. Jennifer Reda, was pulled around the arena by his dedicated father James Nanney.
Organizer Chase Butler and arena owner Tim Zekany
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Group benefit. Stan Thaemert claims he had fun zooming the tractor around the barrels in an attempt to level the playing field. Rob Yackley increased the level of excitement as he announced from the band’s low-boy trailer. Chase Butler’s friends Rose and Bill Cook came down from Franklin, Tennessee, to assist
Molly Smith Ontiveros, polo player and tireless mother of four vigorous boys, shared the joy with 4-yearold Frankie.
Polo player and favored farrier Ben Gregoncza received encouragement from the crowd in his fourth-place finish.
This was not Jewel Gregoncza’s first rodeo. She swept second place on the well-trained Bumble from the Gregoncza’s string.
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with the details, and their son A.J. took the opportunity to travel from his base at Fort Benning, Georgia, to help out. Chase set up a system for predicting the winner—money could be placed on one or more of the competitors with the pot split 60/30/10% to the
top three places. Most of these winnings were donated back to PPSG. The live band Third Time Charmers energized the crowd and Tito Gorosito and Gaston Rodrigues tended the fire for a polo-style barbecue pulled off with the help of David Meunier and his restaurant
crew. The general admission tickets were priced at only $10 (possibly more next year?) and over 130 of those were sold. Chase was pleased to donate more than $3,000 to PPSG and recommends this format as an entertaining fundraiser for both players and fans. •
Frankie Questel put his Elena, a Thoroughbred mare, through the paces.
Some players were challenged to remember the pattern, while others, including Del Walton, suffered the misfortune of a downed barrel.
Reagan Leitner took third on Shorty while her twin sister Robyn was not far behind on her paint mare Kachina.
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Standouts Talented horses top players rely on By Jewel Connelly/United States Polo Association Photos by David Lominska/Polographics.com
Machitos Pangia
Owned by Polito Pieres Peaking the interest of 10-goaler Polito Pieres with her impressive pedigree, Machitos Pangia catapulted her career as part of an elite string of equine athletes, quickly distinguishing herself to be one of his best at just 8 years old. Prized for her nimble athleticism and explosive acceleration, Machitos Pangia is the mare Pieres reserves for key plays in a tight game, especially adept at gaining momentum when the win is on the line. Handling on the field like a high-performance vehicle, she can effortlessly switch from incredible velocity to turning with pinpoint accuracy. Machitos Pangia matured her skills in the 2018 Tortugas Open, the first leg of the Argentine Triple Crown, before arriving stateside to compete for Aspen in the 2019 Gauntlet of Polo. Playing the game with signature grit and flair, Pieres ascended through the ranks, joining his cousin Facundo Pieres to achieve the highest rating in 2015 at just 28 years old. Always in search of exceptional horses to match his level, Pieres has found the ingredients present in Machitos Pangia, a bay equipped with every gear as he challenged his three cousins and Gauntlet rivals Facundo, Gonzalito (Pilot) and Nico Pieres (Coca-Cola). Sitting down with Polito Pieres earlier this year the USPA learned about the young horse’s natural talent and how Pieres’ keen eye for recognizing quality quickly blossomed into a solid partnership. What is her breeding? Machitos Pangia is by Durazno (Pucara x Guinda), a Los Machitos stallion, and out of Pandora, an American Thoroughbred mare that John Muse owned and Mariano Aguerre played in the Argentine 32 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Open in 2010. Muse purchased Pandora from Scott Devon in 2009. Todd Offen, who played for Devon and managed his string, found Pandora in Canada. Aguerre agreed to give Muse access to Durazno in exchange for allowing him to play Pandora in the Argentine Open. How did Machitos Pangia come to your string? I tried her in Argentina from Andres Weisz, John Muse’s operating partner in their joint breeding program in Argentina. When I first tried her, I loved her mouth and how sensitive she was. She stopped really well and although she didn’t run much, I knew she would run with me. She could stop really fast, so I didn’t care about the speed, but as soon as I got her I played a couple of practices and then she started running more. I played her in the Tortugas Open when she was 7 years old. She played in Argentina for a little bit and then I sent her to Florida. Last year she was one of my best horses. What chukker do you typically play her? I normally play her in the beginning of the game because she is amazing in the first chukker. I also want to save her for the fifth or sixth chukker. I always try to bring her out when we are losing, during a tied game or in the last couple of minutes because on her I know I can score a goal or make a nice play for my teammates. Does she have any other siblings who play? Machitos Petrus is a full sister who I play in the Argentine Open. Michael Bickford played Machitos Pontiac, a full brother of Machitos Pangia, in the Gauntlet of Polo. John Muse plays Machitos Prisa, another full sister to Pangia and played her in California this summer. Although Pandora passed
Polito Pieres and Machitos Pangia
away two years ago she has a number of other daughters who show a lot of promise and are still in training in Argentina. What are her best qualities on the field? She is a different horse from the rest of my string. Her mouth is amazing; when you pull her just a little bit she almost steps backwards. There was a goal I scored on her on Facundo [Pieres] during the first chukker of the 2019 USPA Gold Cup final, which has not happened many times. She stops and goes backwards, but she also has a lot of explosion. She is a mare I can count on to stop quickly, turn quickly, plus she’s fast and intelligent. She has many qualities that make a good horse.
Describe her personality? In the barn she is very quiet, but when you ride and play her she acts a little crazy, in a good way. At the beginning of the season in the first practices she likes to buck and jump when you start riding and she’s a little mean, but I think good horses are like that sometimes. She’s kind of a character. What are your plans for her future? In two years I could see her in Argentina playing with La Natividad. She is still young so for right now I plan to play her for a couple of years here in Florida. She had a long rest in Virginia and hopefully we can play the entire 2021 Gauntlet of Polo together. POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 33
Miguel Novillo Astrada and @One
@One
Owned by Miguel Novillo Astrada Becoming partners by pure chance, @One’s destiny was set before the mare was even born, granting Miguel Novillo Astrada the opportunity to develop the competitive talent of his beloved Manzanita in her progeny. Descending from a lineage of greatness with both racing and polo blood in her veins, Novillo Astrada’s @One is the result of a superior combination of bloodlines from around the world. Her mother, Manzanita, is a twotime Argentine Triple Crown winner. @One proved the quality of her pedigree at the early age of 6, winning Best Playing Pony at the 26-goal level during her first year in the United States. The promising odds working in Novillo Astrada’s favor, the now 9-year-old bay is both calm and collected in hand and easy to navigate on the field, making her one of the most reliable horses in the former 10goaler’s string. 34 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Broken at La Aguada, the family farm in Argentina, by Bucky Pistone, @One’s greatest asset is versatility at a high level. She has competed in tournaments such as the Copa Cámara de Diputados in Argentina, as well as the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship with Novillo Astrada’s daughter, Mia. Hoping to carry on the exceptional bloodline after her competitive career is over, Astrada sees many qualities reminiscent of her accomplished mother. Sitting down with Miguel Novillo Astrada, he spoke about his stroke of good luck in receiving @One, the mare who was seemingly destined to be a part of the current 9goaler’s Old Hickory Bourbon lineup in the Gauntlet of Polo. What is her breeding? @One is by Rayo Gringo and out of Manzanita. Rayo Gringo (River Slaney x Giusti) was a stallion who was playing in the Argentine Open, and we
thought it was a great opportunity to breed him with a good mare, which worked out really well. Ellerston Australia originally acquired Manzanita from New Zealand, and from Australia she went to England and then Argentina. We decided to breed Rayo Gringo and Manzanita because we already had some babies from Manzanita and River Slaney who were successful polo ponies. River Slaney (Irish River x Chancy Prospect) is an American Thoroughbred we purchased from Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida, and brought to Argentina. Gil Johnston was helping me search and actually found River Slaney. We were searching for a direct bloodline to Riverman, a wellknown American Thoroughbred stallion, but we couldn’t find one so that’s why instead we chose one from Riverman’s best sons, Irish River. How did @One come to be in your string? I played @One’s mother Manzanita in the Argentine Open in 2003 when my brothers (Javier, Eduardo and Nacho) and I won the Argentine Triple Crown with our team La Aguada. She was a spare I used throughout the game, but I was on her in the last few minutes of the Argentine Open final. Manzanita also won the Triple Crown with Gonzalo Pieres in 1994. When we were playing for Ellerstina, my brothers and I had the choice to buy a couple of horses and we picked her even though she was a little older. She ended up being a really good broodmare and there are many babies of hers that play in the Argentine Open. @One was the last embryo of Manzanita’s so my brothers and I had to draw a number (one through three) out of a hat to see who was going to keep that embryo. I picked number one so I decided that was going to be her name when she was born. Does @One have any siblings who play? I sold her half-sister Tentación, another mare out of Manzanita, to Will Johnston, who played her in the Gauntlet. My older brother Eduardo owns Wallaby, a mare he played in the Argentine Open for many years and a horse I also played a lot. My other brother Javier had another half-sister of @One named Rayo Mandarina, who was by River Slaney and out of Manzanita. She was one of his best mares for many years. When did you know she would be a great horse in your string? She was green, but she had potential and I already knew her bloodline really worked well from her
siblings. I was confident she was also going to be a really good horse, but she really surprised me. I started playing her when she was 5 in slower chukkers, and the first tournament I played her in was the Copa Cámara de Diputados that year. I was not planning to play her and although she was a little young for the 28-goal level she did great and from then on, she always played high-goal polo. I brought her from Argentina to the United States in 2016 and she played really well the same year. She was only 6 years old, but I played her in the 26-goal USPA Gold Cup and she did so well she won Best Playing Pony in the quarterfinals. What are @One’s strengths on the field? She’s very handy, quick and has a really good mouth. She is always ready to go and always plays the same—she’s a natural on the polo field. She is a mare that anyone can play. Gillian Johnston and my daughter Mia both play her, she is very easy. When I play her I feel very confident and safe. She is always really solid when she runs and is very strong even though she’s not tall. She is always with you, when you need to stop, she stops really well. Although she is not the fastest, her quickness gives you time to recover immediately if you make a mistake because she will do anything to get you back in any play. What chukkers do you typically play her? I always play her for a few minutes at the beginning of the game and then save her for the fifth and sixth chukkers. I either start on her in the last chukker or keep her as a spare because she is very quiet on the pony line. Usually I finish most of the game on her because she’s very reliable and very comfortable for me to hit penalty shots. What is your favorite playing memory on @One? In the USPA Gold Cup quarterfinal in 2016, I played her in the third and sixth chukkers. In the final chukker, I passed everybody and scored a very important goal. Also, during the 2019 U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship, my daughter Mia got possession of the ball, turned and ran out in front of everybody to score a great goal. What are your plans for her future? Hopefully in the next five years she will continue playing with myself, Mia or my son Miguel. After that I will definitely breed her because I think she has demonstrated how valuable her bloodline is. POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 35
Cali Marino
Owned by Tomas Garcia del Rio Showing tremendous potential as a young horse, Tomas Garcia del Rio’s rambunctious gelding Cali Marino has earned his place at the forefront of the 8 goaler’s string. Arriving from Argentina four years ago, the now 10-year-old Cali Marino has developed into Garcia del Rio’s top horse, garnering the Best Playing Pony blanket during the 2018 Silver Cup final at Greenwich Polo Club in Greenwich, Connecticut. Carrying the heart of a Thoroughbred champion and the recognition of the Ellerstina bloodline, Cali Marino has proved himself time and time again to be trusted with the outcome of pivotal games as a faithful sixthchukker horse. Started by Marco Luther and made by Carlos Rodriguez in Argentina, Cali Marino was refined and finished in the United States, playing 20- to 26goal polo. Counted upon to unleash undeniable power on the field with devouring strides, Cali Marino’s agility and endurance is the key to many victories over the last several years. Sitting down at Patagones’ Wellington-based barn earlier this year, the USPA spoke to Garcia del Rio about what ingredients his complete gelding possesses which make him such an asset in high-goal competition. What is his breeding? A homebred from Argentina, Cali Marino by Open Tintero (Open Sunset x Ellerstina Tinta), a stallion from Ellerstina, and out of Marinera [Spanish for sailor], a Thoroughbred mare I played for many years in Argentina. Marinera was very fast, strong and had a lot of stamina, and Cali Marino has similar qualities except he is even better. Marinera and Open Tintero were at the same embryo center, and since I didn’t have many other horses by that stallion I decided to breed them. He only has one sister, but she is a 2-year-old green horse that is just now being trained. When did you know he would be your best horse? I brought him over from Argentina as a green horse when he was 6 years old because he already looked like he was going to be a really good high-goal horse, and I finished him here in the states. He started playing 20-goal polo at Greenwich Polo Club when he arrived and he has been playing with me in Wellington, Florida, for the last four seasons. I knew he would be my best horse the first year I 36 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
brought him here. I played him for one year in Argentina when he was still green and he was very good, but when he arrived in the U.S., I realized he was going to be great. He already had all the qualities, but he was still a bit green when he first arrived. He just needed more playing experience and he became more developed once he got a bit older. What are Cali Marino’s strengths on the field? His best qualities are that he is very fast, strong and he doesn’t get tired quickly. In important games, many times I play him the entire chukker and he has the same power in the first play as in the last. He also has a great temperament, and he is very comfortable, calm and easy to hit the ball off of.
Tomas Garcia del Rio and Cali Marino
I’ve won a lot of games playing him in the last chukker, especially because he is a very good horse to defend on. It is quite hard for other horses to get by him. In every game, he is my best horse and he is very consistent, performing well nearly every time he plays. I want to play him as often as I can for as long as I can throughout his career. Describe his personality. In the barn he does whatever he wants, and everybody knows he is the best horse in the barn. Every day we go to the barn, the grooms and I visit his stall first to see how he is doing. At the field, he gets nervous and he moves around a lot. It is not easy because you need three or four
grooms to tack him up, but when he gets on the field, he is really calm, steady and easy-going. Which chukkers do you typically play him? Regardless if we are winning or losing, I always want to be on Cali Marino in the last chukker of the game. I try to finish the game on him because he is a horse I have a lot of confidence on and he is always very steady. He always plays the same in every game and he always performs well. He has been an important part of every game I’ve played in the last couple of years. What are your plans for him next year? He will be ready the 2021 Florida season.
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Central hub Chicago polo grows despite pandemic
Mariano Gutierrez and Tommy Collingwood battle in the Sportsmanship Cup final.
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While the global pandemic caused havoc in many polo seasons, shortening some while canceling others altogether, the Chicago Polo Association entered its third season with high expectations. It met its goals by further advancing its polo initiatives from 2019 and creating new ones for 2020. Chicago Polo is a collective, cooperative effort of seven area clubs, with a total of 15 polo fields, seven polo arenas and three polo schools. The clubs joined forces as a way to grow and develop the sport of polo in the greater Chicagoland area and establish itself as a regional asset for the USPA’s Central Circuit. The association was created to better optimize Chicagoland’s numerous polo activities, including practices, grass and arena tournaments, exhibition matches, and polo schools for the area’s more than 155 players. According to Chicago Polo Executive Director Pam Mudra, the schools have started 35 new players, which resulted in several horse leases and sales. “Chicago Polo has seen success from last year. We are continuing to gain momentum and increase participation at all levels of polo. This was the busiest summer polo season even during the COVID-19 shutdowns in the state of Illinois,” said Mudra. “When we started the Chicago Polo Association in 2018, we barely had enough player support for three 4-goal teams. This year we had three polo schools, a practice league, two women’s tournaments, NYTS, as well as 0-, 4-, 8- and 12-goal polo. We had visiting 8goal teams come in from St. Louis and Louisville that are making plans to come and play several tournaments with us next summer. We are the Midwest hub for polo and plan on making 2021 an even busier season,” she said. The season got off the ground in late July after receiving approval from state and local authorities. State guidelines limited capacity at the clubs to 20% while instituting social distancing and personal protective equipment mandates. Daniel OLeary, managing director of Oak Brook Polo, said, “There was a silver lining to the pandemic that only polo could achieve. We may not have been successful financially, but operationally and visibly, it was a massive success. It took a lot of educating and hard work to justify why polo is in a league of its own compared to traditional sports. We wrote the CDC guidelines for polo and hope others emulate our playbook and have as much success as we had.” According to Mudra, Chicago’s polo history dates back to 1879, when the first recorded match was played in Lincoln Park in Downtown Chicago. Over the next 140 years, the sport prospered in and
around Chicagoland with as many as 50 polo clubs hosting competitive, professional and amateur polo. Various well-known Chicago families were avid polo players and helped bring attention to the sport, including the Wrigleys, McCormicks, Armours and the Butlers. Chicago was also home to a number of notable and historic polo events, including the East vs. West
match that drew over 40,000 spectators to the Onwentsia Club in 1933; 24 U.S. Open Polo Championships from 1954 to 1979 at the Oak Brook Polo Club; and the first all-women’s polo club in the United States, the Naperville Women’s Polo Club in the 1980s. This year, the season was highlighted with 14 USPA tournaments, including NYTS, women’s, arena, and 8- and 12-goal level competitions.
MVP Grace Mudra pilots Best Playing Pony Thing 2 in the Women’s Challenge.
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Jaguar’s Seth Roy, Mason Phelps, Billy O’Leary and Eddy Martinez won the 4goal Buzz Cup Player’s Cup.
Robert’s Angels’ Minya Bulic, Robert McGinley, Megan West and Celia Strobos won the Arena Sportsmanship Cup.
12-goal League The newly-formed 12-goal league offered five tournaments, attracting four teams each. In the USPA Chicago Invitational Constitution Cup played Aug. 5, at Las Brisas Polo Club, G2 (Larry Aschebrook, Juan Martin Gutierrez, Juan Martin Obregon, Matias Obregon) defeated Las Brisas (Chris
Vangel, Pedro Manion, Lindor Corvalan, Miguel Gutierrez), 12-8. The teams matched each other early, allowing Las Brisas to hold on to a handicap goal it received. But, G2 dominated the rest of the match to win. Juan Martin Obregon’s eight goals earned him MVP honors and his Pantera was Best Playing Pony. Next up was the Chicago Polo Open, won by Good Thunder over Oak Brook (results in Oct. issue).
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The $2,500 Gen. George S. Patton Cup final was also played as the first game of the Butler International Cup (results in Nov. issue). The finals of both tournaments saw the same teams but with different results. The Patton final pitted USA (Toto Obregon, Mariano Gutierrez, Horacio Onetto, Jim Drury) against Argentina (Larry Aschebrook, Juan Martin Gutierrez, Juan Martin Obregon, Matias Obregon). Juan Martin Obregon put Argentina ahead early, but USA rallied to lead, 5-4, at the half. Juan Martin Obregon tied the score in the fourth with a Penalty 4, then added two more unanswered goals in the fifth to give Argentina a 7-5 lead, which it held until the end. Juan Martin Obregon was MVP and his Twister was Best Playing Pony. 8-goal League In the USPA Congressional Cup, Oak Brook (Aiden Meeker, Toto Obregon, Horacio Onetto, Tomas Aubone) defeated Sanfilippo/Aubone Towers (Keith Gray, Deigo Varela, Lindor Corvalan, Miguel Gutierrez), 9-6, at Arranmore Polo Club. The teams matched each other in the first 14 minutes but Oak Brook got ahead with a pair of unanswered goals in the third to take a 5-3 lead into the half. The teams mostly kept pace in the second half but the damage was done and Oak Brook prevailed 9-6. Onetto was high-scorer with five goals, including two penalty conversions. A few weeks later, G2 (Larry Aschebrook, Vaughn Miller, Jr., Juan Martin Gutierrez, Matias Obregon) got the best of Sanfilippo/Font (Maximo Font, Diego Varela, Lindor Corvalan, Miguel Gutierrez), 7-4, in the Gen. George S. Brown tournament played at Las Brisas Polo Club. G2 led 3-1 at the half. Sanfilippo managed to
briefly tie the score, but G2 regained the lead to claim victory. Miller was named MVP and Obregon’s fifth chukker pony was Best Playing Pony. The winners went home with trophies and $2,500. Five teams competed in the USPA Officer’s Cup, played from July 24-Aug. 2. Las Brisas (Mason Phelps, Larry Aschebrook, Juan Martin Obregon, Juan Martin Gutierrez) edged River Bend Farm (Parker von Gontard, Umberto Sanchez, Alfredo Guerreno, Peter von Gontard Jr.) in the semifinal, the second overtime match between the teams. Morgan Creek/Good Thunder (Bill Patterson, Tod Rackley, Tommy Collingwood, Derek Berg) edged Tower Warriors (James Sanfilippo Sr., Diego Varela, Lindor Corvalan, Miguel Gutierrez), 7-6, in the other semi. Good Thunder prevailed in a rain-soaked final that required a shootout to determine a winner. Six teams filled the rosters in the USPA $30,000 Sportsmanship Cup. The teams were divided into two brackets with the top two teams in each bracket moving on to the semifinals. In the first semifinal, Morgan Creek/Good Thunder (Bill Patterson, Tod Rackley, Tommy Collingwood, Cristobal Consigliere) defeated Las Brisas (Larry Aschebrook, Chris Vangel, Matias Obregon, Juan Martin Gutierrez), 7-5. The second semifinal between Oak Brook (Samantha Falbe, Toto Obregon, Mariano Gutierrez, Jim Drury) and PFP (Frauke Lueders, Andrew Garcia, Nino Obregon, Scott Silver) was canceled and Oak Brook advanced to the final. Penalty shooting accuracy was key in a choppy final. Rackley sunk three penalties and scored two from the field, while Collingwood helped out with
another four tallies to put Morgan Creek/Good Thunder in the winner’s circle. For Oak Brook, Obregon converted four penalties in a losing effort. Still, the match was close with the difference never more than two goals. Tommy Collingwood was MVP and Tomas Obregon’s M&M was Best Playing Pony. The final was played as part of the Team Up for Tony events, benefiting Tony Sekera. A longtime Chicago player, Sekera was left paralyzed from the chest down after a riding accident in 2017. An annual benefit for him raises funds to help with his long-term care. Area players are happy to participate to help their friend and hand over the tournament prize money. This year, the benefit raised $50,000, all prize money from two USPA events. Over $150,000 has been raised for Sekera over the past four years.
Robert Mooney, August Schneekloth, Aiden Meeker and Inez Onetto won the NYTS event.
6-goal Brinker Hill Farm (Kelcey Roberts, Christian Aycinena, RJ Roberts, Pedro Manion) doubled up Elk Grove /Sanfilippo (Courtney Rohs, Roueen Rafeyan, Lindor Corvalan, Adam Kaminski), 6-3, in the USPA $20,000 Master’s Cup at Oak Brook Polo Club. It was also part of the Team Up for Tony benefit. Seven teams, divided into two brackets, participated. In the final, Elk Grove/Sanfilippo had trouble getting started while Brinker Hill Farm was hot out of the gate. Aycinena found the target early in the first chukker. Kelcey Roberts converted a Penalty 2 and Manion added another field goal to go up, 3-0. Kelcey Roberts converted another Penalty 2 in the second and RJ Roberts shot one in from the field to take a comfortable 5-0 lead at the half. POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 41
ANDREW MEIER PHOTOGRAPHY
Tod Rackley, Tommy Collingwood, Derek Berg and Bill Patterson won the 8goal Officers Cup.
Elk Grove successfully shut down Brinker Hill in the third, but was unable to reach the goal. Corvalan came alive in the final chukker, scoring a trio of goals, including a Penalty 2. Manion responded with a Penalty 4 conversion before the final horn sounded, giving Brinker Hill the 6-3 victory. Corvalan was MVP and his Pico Blanco was Best Playing Pony. 4-goal Jaguar (Seth Roy, Mason Phelps, Billy O’Leary and Eddy Martinez) won the Buzz Cup Player’s Cup at Blackberry Polo Club in Batavia on Sept. 26. O’ League Blackberry Polo Club in Batavia hosted O’ League games in July, August and September. A visiting Grand Rapids team won the league in July. After the matches, players received trophies, took pictures then shared beer and burgers together. PTF Seniors Tournament Blackberry Polo Club in Batavia, Illinois, hosted the PTF Seniors Cup on July 17. Barrington Hills (Keith Gray, Roueen Rafeyan, Joan-Carles Brugue, Gaston Raimondo) topped Twin/Quad (Jeff Boeh, Clifton Yandell, Pete Alworth, David Wolf), 3-1. The $2,500 in prize money for the winners was
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generously donated to the Polo Training Foundation. NYTS Oak Brook (Robert Mooney August Schneekloth, Aiden Meeker, Inez Onetto) edged Beaver Creek, 6-4, in the National Youth Tournament Series. Despite rainy skies and wet conditions, the young players put on a great show of sportsmanship and talent. Women’s Tournaments In the USPA $2,500 Women’s Challenge, Oak Brook (Minya Bulic, Emily Smedlund, Dolores Onetto, Grace Mudra) edged Beaver Creek (Inez Onetto, Bella Vangel, Megan West, Zivile Rackauskas), 3-1, at Oak Brook Polo Club on Aug. 2. Five teams competed over two days. In the final, West was the first to strike in the first chukker. Mudra responded for Oak Brook in the second chukker. Mudra’s back-to-back goals in the third put Oak Brook up, 3-1. Beaver Creek was silenced for the remainder of the match, though it successfully shut down any more Oak Brook drives. Mudra, who scored all of her team’s goals was MVP and Thing 2, owned by Will Mudra and played by his sister Grace, was Best Playing Pony. Arena Robert’s Angels (Minya Bulic, Robert McGinley,
ANDREW MEIER PHOTOGRAPHY
Megan West, Celia Strobos) crushed ILM Environments, 13-3, to take the 0- to 3-goal USPA $2,500 Arena Sportsmanship Cup. In the 0- to 2-goal USPA $2,500 Arena Constitution Cup, played at Barrington Hills Polo Club, Lakewood (Minya Bulic, Joan-Carles Brugue, Celia Strobos, John Rosene) downed ILM Environments, 7-2, in the final. Four teams played off on July 25, with each match played as two chukkers. Mudra explained, “Moving into its fourth year, Chicago Polo will focus on continuing to build on the momentum established from the launch of the association and look to develop four key components of its program: starting new players; grow beginner and 4-chukker polo; continue to build upon Chicago Polo’s 6- to 8-goal and 12-goal leagues with local and
out-of-state teams; and hold arena polo seasons with the goal of establishing a strong interscholastic presence and winter arena league.” “It is exciting to see the cooperative effort between clubs, teams and facilities that have formed the CPA after three seasons. Its members grow more passionate and motivated every year to make it work and grow, while meeting the demands and needs of its multiple stakeholders,” said OLeary. “It is in no way an easy task and comes with its tensions. But those are easily outweighed and forgotten when we look at the growth at the end of every season. We come together more motivated to fix what went wrong and how we need to expand. 2021 is going to be big and 2022 is going to be even bigger.” For more information about Chicago Polo please contact Pam Mudra by email at pam@chicagopolo.com. •
Juan Martin Obregon races ahead while under pressure from Tommy Collingwood in 8-goal action.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 43
P O L O I N T H E PA M PA S
Let the games begin Argentina’s Triple Crown finally gets started By Lucas Noel • Photos by Sergio Llamera
Changes, injuries, controversies and a tight schedule—The Argentine Triple Crown begins without a crowd, but hotter than ever. It took a while to decide when, how and where the best polo in the world was going to be played. The Argentine government established a long quarantine to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and the return of sports competition was not one of its priorities. For this reason, it was not until the end of
Poroto Cambiaso, second from left, will be cutting his teeth in the Argentine Triple Crown at just 14 years old, the youngest player ever to take part.
October that the Tortugas Open was given the green light, which began Nov. 1 on the property the polo association owns in the town of Pilar and, logically, without an crowd. The Hurlingham Open will also be played in Pilar, while the Argentine Open will be played in Palermo. As soon as the official start date of the season was announced, the first dispute between La Dolfina and Ellerstina was made public and it was not exactly on a playing pitch. In view of Juan Martín Nero’s collarbone and left wrist fractures, Adolfo Cambiaso requested that his son be promoted from 4 to 6 goals and thus be able to play the trilogy of competitions. Normally, the governing institution of polo in any country evaluates the level of a polo player in its own tournaments and,
44 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
in the case there is a gap between the quality of his game and the formal valuation, it decides to change his handicap. No minor fact: Poroto did not play officially in Argentina in the last six months. “The AAP board approved the increase to 6 goals by Adolfo Cambiaso Jr., understanding that this exceptional increase does not mean any sporting advantage for the club he represents,” the entity announced its unusual decision and added, “This measure was taken with the power granted by article 9 of chapter 1 of the Technical Regulations of the Argentine Polo Association. Said article reads: In case of urgency, the handicap of the players may be modified at any time without proposal or report of the General Sub-Commission on Handicaps.” Eduardo Novillo Astrada, president of the AAP, justified the measure, stating, “This was an emergency and it seemed to us something good in a complicated year for polo. It is good news among the bad ones, good news for the sponsors, communication and show business. Poroto was seen playing in the United States and England, where he was also increased to 6. We believe that with this, La Dolfina does not take advantage because it does not play with a better polo player or an undervalued one. Poroto is playing that handicap or missing a bit. The change is not for the sport but for the non-sporting: it will be better for the sponsors, for the people.” So, is it marketing or sporting merit? Or both? The Pieres brothers have a totally opposite opinion. Gonzalo Jr. was categorical, “I find what the AAP does is very bad and very strange. They did not increase his handicap after the last season so he can be able to play in England. We are professionals and we make a living from polo. They hurt many teams, players and patrons who work and invest a lot. It is a lack of respect towards all players, clubs and polo in general. The AAP should represent all of polo, not just Cambiaso; that’s why it seems crazy to me, that’s why I think it’s crazy what they’ve been doing since December. Those who are in the AAP and do not agree with the decision should step aside and those of the Handicap Committee as well. Let them come out to explain how in December they voted for one thing and now in October for a
P O L O I N T H E PA M PA S
Argentine Open Nov. 28-Dec. 19 Ellerstina: .......................... 39 Facundo Pieres .....................................10 Hilario Ulloa .......................................10 Gonzalo Pieres Jr. ..................................9 Nicolás Pieres .......................................10
La Dolfina: ........................ 36 Poroto Cambiaso ....................................6 Pelon Stirling ......................................10 Pablo Mac Donough .............................10 Adolfo Cambiaso ..................................10 Juan Martin Nero..................................10 Alt. Rodrigo Andrade ..............................8 Alt. Iñaki Laprida....................................8
La Natividad-Las Monjitas. 36 Camilo Castagnola ................................8 Polito Pieres .........................................10 Bartolomé Castagnola Jr. .......................9 Ignatius Du Plessis ................................9
RS Murus Sanctus: ............ 35 Facundo Sola ........................................9 Francisco Elizalde ..................................8 Sapo Caset ...........................................10 Alfredo Cappella Barabucci ...................8
La Dolfina Polo Ranch: .... 33 Guillermo Terrera ..................................8 Juan Britos .............................................8 Deigo Cavanagh ......................................9 Alejo Taranco ..........................................8
Los Machitos: ..................... 31 Agustín Merlos .......................................8 Ignacio Toccalino ...................................8 Mariano Aguerre.....................................7 Santiago Toccalino..................................8
La Irenita: ......................... 30 Martín Podestá .......................................7 Juan Martín Zavaleta .............................8 Facundo Fernández Llorente ..................7 Juan Martín Zubía ..................................8
La Ensenada-La Aguada: .. 29 Segundo Bocchino ..................................6 Alfredo Bigatti ........................................8 Matías Torres Zavaleta ...........................8 Jerónimo Del Carril ................................7 *Plus top two teams from Qualifier
completely different [thing]. Everything is being handled very strangely.” Poroto Cambiaso, at the age of 14, made his debut in high-goal in the United States, where he won a pair of 26-goal tournaments in the World Polo League, before debuting in England’s high-goal, where he won the Gold Cup for the British Open and broke his father’s record as the youngest polo player to win it. La Dolfina planned to have the two Adolfo Cambiasos on the pitch to form a 36-goal quartet. The best player in the world was positioned at back and his son at No. 1. That was until Pablo Mac Donough injured his jockey muscle just before the start of the Tortugas Open. Rodrigo Andrade stepped in to replace him until he returned for the Hurlingham Open. And in the first game of the Tortugas, David Stirling was injured. He was replaced in the next games by Iñaki Laprida and hopes to be back for the Argentine Open games. Ellerstina, beyond the complaints, will also have to worry about the relocation of its teammates. With Hilario Ulloa joining the team, Gonzalo Jr. will move to No. 3 in order that Nicolás will move to back and Facundo to forward. The team from General Rodríguez also had a makeover of its uniforms and returned to its traditional blue. One of the most interesting formations to watch this year will be La Natividad. The irreverence of the Castagnola brothers, Camilo and Bartolomé Jr., showed last season they have no qualms about challenging the mighty, and the return of Polito
Johor Ellertina’s Nico Pieres, Hilario Ulloa, Gonzalo Pieres and Facundo Pieres model their new jerseys.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 45
P O L O I N T H E PA M PA S
Argentine Open Qualifier La Esquina: ........................ 28 Pascual S. de Vicuña ..............................6 Juan Garcia Grossi ................................7 Bauti Bayugar ........................................8 Lucas James ...........................................7
Cría GT: .............................. 32 Joaquín Pittaluga ...................................8 Cristian Laprida .....................................8 Lerin Zubiaurre .....................................8 Iñaki Laprida .........................................8
Alegría ............................... 30
RS Murus Sanctus’ Sapo Caset, Francisco Elizalde, Facundo Sola and Alfredo Cappella Barabucci
Gringo Colombres .................................7 Sebastián Merlos ....................................8 Ezequiel Martínez Ferrario.....................7 Fred Mannix............................................8
Pieres has made the team stand out with his 10 goals. Much is also expected of Murus Sanctus. The combination of Facundo Sola, Fran Elizalde, Guillermo Caset and Alfredo Cappella is promising because of their top-level backgrounds and the energy that characterizes the four when it comes to
Los Machitos II: ................ 28 Genaro Ringa ........................................7 Lucas Díaz Alberdi ................................7 Torito Ruiz ............................................7 Martincito Aguerre .................................7
Coronel Suárez: ................. 28 Ignacio Negri .........................................7 Felipe Vercellino ....................................7 Marcos Araya...........................................7 Diego Araya.............................................7
La Irenita II: ..................... 29 Santiago Loza ........................................7 Tomás F. Llorente Jr. .............................7 Juan Ruiz Guiñazú .................................8 Pedro Falabella .......................................7 *Top two teams play in the Argentine Open
La Natividad’s Jeta Castagnola, Polito Pieres, Barto Castagnola and Nachi Du Plessis
facing challenges. Nor should we rule out the functionality of La Dolfina Polo Ranch, the only line up that remains identical to last season and has Diego Cavanagh, who has not yet reached the ceiling of his performance. This Triple Crown preview has all the seasonings to be captivating. The lack of crowd will inevitably take away its atmosphere, but there are so many questions, it will be impossible to take your eyes off
46 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
it. Will Poroto Cambiaso be up to the demands? Will Nero and Stirling recover for Palermo for the last performance of La Dolfina? Will Ulloa be the name Ellerstina was waiting for so long to break the hegemony of the Cañuelas four? How far can the Castagnola brothers fight? How justified are the illusions deposited on Murus Sanctus? As always, speculation will die on the green grass. Due to time constraints, both the Tortugas (Nov. 1-10) and Hurlingham (Nov. 14-22) Opens were being played in a single-elimination format. The 10 teams competing in the Argentine Open will be divided into two brackets and the top team in each bracket will play the final. •
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PAIGAHS SEAHORSE TAKES MOUNTAIN VIEW 2-GOAL
Paigahs Seahorse’s Hugo Pasten makes working the nearside look easy, even as he is being challenged by Los Amigos’ Akemi Tinder. He is followed up by Kevin Yungk in the final of the 2-goal Paigahs Seahorse Cup.
T
HE Mountain View Polo Club in Charles Town, West Virginia, held its annual 2-goal Paigahs Seahorse Cup in the club’s arena. The tournament is generously sponsored by club member Shamsiya Shervani and her company, Paigahs Equestrian Gear. The match saw Los Amigos (Derek Wilson, Akemi Tinder, Sierra Goff) take on Paigahs Seahorse (Hugo Pasten, Kevin Yungk, Shamsiya Shervani/Willow Longerbeam). Los Amigos came out strong in the
48 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
first chukker, scoring five goals with only one answered by Paigahs Seahorse. But Paigahs came back to score six goals in the second, while shutting out Los Amigos to take a narrow lead. Paigahs continued to dominate in the second half, with Pasten striking 11 of the team’s 13 goals. He was named MVP for his efforts and his off-the-track thoroughbred, Rosie’s Nature, was Best Playing Pony. A few weeks earlier, the club held
its annual Karen Carra Memorial Women’s Arena Tournament. Due to COVID restrictions, participation was limited to four local teams competing in two flights. Matches were two chukkers each. In A Flight, Mountain View (Akemi Tinder, Sierra Goff, Mirta Capra) showed no mercy against Rebellis Farm (Kasey Morris, Willow Longerbeam, Claudia Tobler), shutting it out, 6-0. B Flight offered a much closer match with Old Farm Vet (Kija Wilson, Liz Zeller, Christina
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R E P O R T
SAFIYA NAWABZADA
KATIE ROTH
P O L O
Paigahs Seahorse’s Hugo Pasten, Willow Longerbeam, Kevin Yungk and Shamsiya Shervani won the Paigahs Seahorse Cup. Pasten’s Rosie’s Nature was Best Playing Pony.
Connelly) eking out a 6-5 victory over Mountain View (Shamsiya Shervani, Samantha White, Deb Fuller). Hugo Pasten umpired the matches. All participants received commemorative Karen Carra tournament wine glasses, shirts and bags of daffodil bulbs to plant. The tournament is held in memory of club member Karen Carra, who passed away in 2015, and is hosted by the club and Carra’s widower Matthew Graham.
Foxdale Equine’s Adam Snow, Nachi Viana, Julian Daniels and Hugh Worsham won the National Copper Cup in Aiken.
SOUTHEAST
NAIL-BITER FINAL IN NATIONAL COPPER CUP Foxdale Equine Veterinary Services outfoxed SD Farms in the final of the 12-goal National Copper Cup at New Bridge Polo Club in Aiken, South Carolina, Oct. 18. Four teams played off over two weeks. In the end, Goose Green/ Rebellis Farm’s Willow Longerbeam and Mountain View’s Akemi Tinder fight for the ball in the Carra Memorial.
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Hutchinson (Charlie Hutchinson, Will Green, Nino Obregon, Willie Hartnett) and Hit Air (Jack Whitman, Justin Pimsner, Alan Martinez, Pelon Escapite) were eliminated while SD Farms (Aiden Meeker, Sayyu Dantata, Peco Polledo, Carlitos Gracida) battled Foxdale Equine Veterinary Services (Hugh Worsham, Nachi Viana, Adam Snow, Julian Daniels) in the final. In a foul-filled match, Foxdale Equine Veterinary Services capitalized on SD Farms’ mistakes in the first 10 minutes with Viana sinking four penalties in a row. Then SD Farms took over with Gracida converting three penalties and the team benefiting from a Penalty 1. Gracida and Daniels swapped field goals, ending the first half level, 5-5. Viana tipped the scales in the fourth with a Penalty 2 conversion. A Penalty 1 in its favor gave Foxdale Equine Veterinary Services a two-goal lead. Dantata split the uprights with a field goal but it was matched by one from Viana, ending the chukker, 8-6. The teams traded goals in the fifth and Gracida scored to bring SD Farms within a goal, 10-9. The last seven minutes was a battle. In an effort to keep SD from scoring, Foxdale Equine Veterinary Services caught the umpires’ whistles and SD was awarded two Penalty 1s. But a Penalty 6 conversion from Viana and a field goal from Daniels allowed Foxdale Veterinary Services to hold on to the
Out East’s Hope Arellano, John Humphreys, Lucas Arellano and Tommy Biddle won the 8-goal Association Cup.
KATIE ROTH
lead, 12-11, for the win. Nachi Viana, who scored a gamehigh eight goals, including six penalty conversions, was MVP and Peco Polledo’s Paragua was Best Playing Pony for the second time this season. A week later, Out East (John Humphreys, Hope Arellano, Tommy Biddle, Lucas Arellano) defeated SIG
Foxdale Equine’s Nachi Viana challenges SD’s Carlitos Gracida in the Copper Cup.
KATIE ROTH
R E P O R T
KATIE ROTH
P O L O
Tommy Biddle was the Association Cup MVP and his Maleficent was Best Playing Pony.
(Deep Singh, Malia Bryan, Alan Martinez, Willie Hartnett) in the final of the 8-goal Association Cup final. Seven teams, divided into three brackets, played. Bracket 1 included Out East and Brookland Plantation (Thomas Ravenal, Justin Pimsner, Del Walton, Carlitos Gracida); Bracket II had Upatoi Green (Josh Escapite, Jake Flournoy,
Eddy Martinez, Jason Wates) and Cooper H&S/Peachtree (JD Cooper, Randy Rizor, Ruben Coscia, Marcos Onetto); and Bracket III included SIG, Triple Crown/La Bourgone (David Munier, Jack Whitman, Pelon Escapite, Luis Galvan) and Skaneateles (Marty Cregg, Cesar Jimenez, Whistle Uys, Dennys Santana). Bracket I and II played across bracket, while Bracket III played within the bracket. In the final, Hope Arellano struck first for Out East, but Singh answered. Biddle found the mark in the second but a Penalty 2 conversion by Martinez kept it level. Minutes later, Lucas Arellano tallied two in a row to give Out East a 4-2 lead. Hartnett traded goals with Biddle in the third to keep the difference two, 6-4, at the half. Biddle sunk a penalty early in the fourth, but Martinez answered. Biddle converted a pair of open-goal penalties in the fifth to increase the lead to four. Martinez sunk a Penalty 2 to cut the deficit to three going into the last period. The game was not out of reach by any means and SIG worked hard to catch up. Hartnett split the uprights with first a Penalty 3, then a Penalty 4, to come within one, 9-8, but a Penalty 4 by Biddle and a field goal by Hope Arellano sealed the deal for Out East, 11-8. Tommy Biddle was MVP and his Maleficent, a beautiful black mare, was Best Playing Pony.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 51
R E P O R T
Cooper Home and Stable’s Ruben Coscia, Trevor Reeves, Tommy Huber and JD Cooper won the USPA Masters Cup in Aiken.
KATIE ROTH
In the consolation, Upatoi Green defeated Cooper H&S/Peachtree, 12-8. Josh Escapite was MVP and Marcos Onetto’s Victoria was Best Playing Pony. Out East wasn’t as lucky in the Masters Cup final, Oct. 31. Up against Cooper Home and Stable (JD Cooper, Tommy Huber, Ruben Coscia, Trevor Reeves), Out East led in the first half, but Cooper evened the score in the second half, eventually taking the win. Biddle had complications from a fall he took in the Association Cup semi-final and was replaced by Julian Daniels, who scored for Out East after Masters Cup MVP Tommy Huber
52 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
KATIE ROTH
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P O L O
Hit-Air’s Jack Whitman, Justin Pimsner, Alan Martinez and Pelon Escapite won the 12-goal Bronze Trophy. With them is Marty Cregg.
Coscia sunk a Penalty 3 for Cooper early in the first to get the scoring started. Lucas Arellano followed with a Penalty 2 conversion. Coscia struck again to keep it level, 2-2. Daniels and Lucas Arellano repeated their efforts in the second, while Cooper came up empty. Lucas Arellano converted his third Penalty 2, but Coscia responded with two tallies to come within one, 54, at the half. Daniels increased the lead early in the fourth, but Coscia tied the match by chukker’s end. Coscia and Tommy Huber gave Cooper a brief two-goal
lead before a pair of penalty conversions by Lucas Arellano leveled the score once again, 8-8. Huber traded goals with Daniels but a Penalty 1 gave Cooper the narrow edge. Huber added another to lead, 11-9. With time winding down, Lucas Arellano split the uprights but Out East ran out of time and Cooper had the win. Tommy Huber was MVP and Ruben Coscia’s Baby India was Best Playing Pony. Play continued in the 12-goal Bronze Trophy on Nov. 1. Hit-Air (Jack Whitman, Justin Pimsner, Alan Martinez, Pelon Escapite) faced Brookland Plantation (Thomas Ravenel, Del Walton, Whistle Uys, Cody Ellis) in the final. Ellis was filling in for a stillinjured Tommy Biddle. Hit-Air hit the ground running in the first chukker with goals by Whitman, Martinez and Escapite. Walton added to Brookland’s handicap goal with a Penalty 3 conversion. The teams traded goals in the second and Hit-Air outscored Brookland, 2-1, in the third, ending the half ahead, 7-5. The teams matched goals in the fourth, but Escapite put in a pair of unanswered goals in the fifth, added to a Penalty 1. Ellis’ Penalty 2 was the only tally of the sixth, leaving Hit-Air on top, 12-5. Escapite was MVP and his Ruby was Best Playing Pony.
R E P O R T
DAVID MURRELL
DAVID MURRELL
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Women’s Challenge winner Elite Motion’s Samantha Rostek, Karson Bizzell, Amanda Massey and Stephanie Massey Colburn.
eventually prevailing. Legends went to the consolation. That evening the participants enjoyed delicious Wagyu brisket cooked in the smoker, courtesy of Tres de la Paz. Zoe Lehmer cohosted the gathering and Katerina Kotova, Kitana St-Cyr and Karl Hilberg helped cook. The final saw Elite Motion & Performance face Forty Flowers. Stover and Colburn led their teams through all four chukkers, but it was Elite Motion and Performance that got the edge. Colburn attributed the team’s success to its rotational strategy.
SOUTHWEST
DAVID MURRELL
ELITE MOTION ACES WOMEN’S CHALLENGE Central Texas Polo Association recently hosted the USPA Women’s Challenge at its Two Wishes Ranch in Lockhart, Texas. The event attracted 24 women, representing 12 clubs from as far away as California. Six teams played off over two days. In the first round robin, Elite Motion & Performance (Samantha Rostek, Karson Bizzell, Amanda Massey, Stephanie Colburn) overcame Star Ridge Honey (Dani Gibson, Samantha Leach, Tess Sabatini, Kerstie Allen) and Notorious P.O.N.Y. (Lexi Elder, Lauren Sterr, Georgia Stone, Jessica Mignone), to advance to the final. Star Ridge Honey beat Notorious P.O.N.Y. to advance to the consolation match. The second round robin saw Forty Flowers (Zoe Lehmer, Lara Semmelmann, Courtney Suess, Wendy Stover) advance over Ranch Hand (Clair Darnak, Calyste Hanks, Whitney Walker, Ally Vaughn) and Legends (Kitana StCyr, Katerina Kotova, Kaylin Bender, Megan Rohfls). The team defeated Ranch Hand but needed a single-player, six-round shootout to top Legends. Stover went head-to-head with Rohfls,
Karl Hilberg congratulates consolation winners Dani Gibson, Tess Sabatini, Samatha Leach and Kerstie Allen.
Stephanie Colburn was named MVP, Wendy Stover’s 13-year-old bay mare, Steely Dame was Best Playing Pony and Tess Sabatini received the Sportsmanship Award. The first consolation match had Star Ridge Honey, led by Kerstie Allen, dominate Legends, while in the consolation for fifth place, Ranch Hand topped Notorious P.O.N.Y. Action continued with the Sportsmanship Cup, Oct. 24-25. Four teams competed in the event. Two matches were played simultaneously, so Game 1 played chukkers 1, 3, 5 and 7 while
Forty Flowers’ Wendy Stover rides Best Playing Pony Steely Dame.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 53
R E P O R T DAVID MURRELL
DAVID MURRELL
P O L O
Quiet Creek Farm’s Ian Kosky, Olivia Reynolds, Hannah Reynolds and Joaquin Arguello won the Sportsmanship Cup.
DAVID MURRELL
Game 2 played chukkers 2, 4, 6 and 8. The first match had InterActive Polo (Jose Velez, Tres De La Paz, Ariel Rodriguez, Mike Lancaster) up against San Antonio (Patrick MacLeod, Gal Shweiki, Trey Crea, Jack Crea). De La Paz and Rodriguez struck early for InterActive. Trey Crea put San Antonio on the board midway through the second. Trey Crea and Rodriguez traded goals in the third and fourth but San Antonio wasn’t able to overcome InterActive’s early lead and InterActive took the 5½-4 win. In Game 2, Quiet Creek Farm (Ian
Tres de la Paz comes in to hook Joaquin Arguello in the Sportsmanship Cup.
54 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Battle Apps: JD Polo’s Jess Mignone keeps the pressure on Quiet Creek’s Hannah Reynolds. Olivia Reynolds provides back up.
Kosky, Olivia Reynolds, Hannah Reynolds, Joaquin Arguello) took on JD Polo (Chris Ballard, Jessica Mignone, Javier Insua, John Greening, Taimur Zeb). Insua got the scoring going with a worm-burner Penalty 4 through five horses. Hannah Reynolds converted a Penalty 3 to put Quiet Creek on the board. Insua sunk another Penalty 4 and Greening scored the first field goal to put JD up, 3-1. Quiet Creek, coached by Mike McCleary, rallied in the second half with Arguello tallying three in a row to take a narrow lead in the third chukker,
4-3. Early in the fourth, Ballard hopped on a pass from Insua to tie the match but Kosky and Arguello responded to take back the lead to win, 6-4. The consolation had JD Polo facing San Antonio. Greening and Insua put JD Polo on the board early in the first, but Shweiki scored the next three goals to give San Antonio the lead, 3-2. Insua responded, leveling the score at the end of two. Insua traded goals with Jack Crea in the third to keep it even. The teams traded goals again in the last chukker. When time expired the teams shook hands and left it tied, 5-5. Quiet Creek Farm dominated the final against InterActive Polo. Hannah Reynolds scored a hat trick in the first, including a Penalty 2, while InterActive was held to a Penalty 2 from Lancaster. Hannah Reynolds was on a roll and struck four more times while Kosky and Arguello added one each. Quiet Creek was anything but quiet, leading 9-1½ going into the final seven minutes. Olivia Reynolds and Arguello increased the lead in the final chukker. Rodriguez scored the last goal, but Quiet Creek had the 11-2½ win. Hannah Reynolds, who scored a game-high seven goals, was MVP and Ariel Rodriguez’s Vegas was Best Playing Pony. Jessica Mignone was named Sportsmanship winner and took home a new bridle.
P O L O
Loryn Butterworth holds onto the ball while under pressure from Frankie Bilbao at The Villages Polo Club.
FLORIDA
UNITEDHEALTHCARE TOPS PRO POOL TOURNAMENT With the most goals, UnitedHealthcare topped the 6- to 8-goal Pro Pool Tournament at The Villages Polo Club in The Villages, Florida, Oct. 11. Three teams competed in a round robin over two days, with scores carrying over from the first day. Citizen’s First (Ava Hinkson/Mateo Bilboa, Paige Boone, Nick Johnson, Charly Quincoces) carried a 5-3 lead over United Healthcare (Wadi Gomero-Cure, Lord Lyall, Tony Vita, Stuart Armstrong) into Day 2. Vita struck first but Boone responded to maintain the difference. Vita struck again and Campbell followed with one of his own. Hinkson got on the board but Lyall answered. Quincoces got in the last word, with Citizen’s holding on to a slight edge, 8-7. Hinkson and Boone traded goals with Vita and Campbell to keep the difference one, giving Citizen’s the win, 10-9. In the second round, The Villages Insurance (Loryn Butterworth, Miguel Lis Planells, Sergio Arias, Francisco Bilbao, Hunter Jelsch) led United Healthcare, 5-4, but United Healthcare turned the tables, with Vita and Campbell combining for three goals while The Villages
R E P O R T
Paul Wadsworth comes in on the nearside, but Sergio Arias has his mallet ready for the hook at The Villages.
Insurance came up empty. United Healthcare kept the momentum into the second chukker with Gomero-Cure, Lyall and Campbell tallying while The Villages Insurance was held to one from Lis Planells. Bilboa cut the deficit with a pair of goals early in the sixth but Vita put the final nail in the coffin with a goal at the 1:33 mark. United Healthcare won, 11-8. Citizen’s First was leading The Villages Insurance, 6-5, to start the final round. Quincoces traded goals with Bilboa, then Boone traded goals with Arias in the first chukker to keep the difference just one. Bilboa and Boone swapped goals in the second but The Villages took control in the third. Arias scored just a minute into play to knot the score, 9-9. The Villages Insurance did not want to lose any ground, so it successfully turned back all of Citizen’s drives, and with just under three minutes left, Lis Planells scored the golden goal to give The Villages Insurance the 10-9 edge. Though The Villages had won the battle, it hadn’t won the war. The teams each had 1-1 records, so in round robin play, you go to gross goals. United Healthcare led with 20, while Citizen’s was first with 19 and The Villages Insurance had 18. The next week, another three teams played off in a round robin. Galaxy
Home Solutions (Paul Wadsworth/Ava Hinkson, Paige Boone, Horacio Lizaso, Frankie Bilbao) topped Arden’s (Sergio Arias, Roberto Narvaja, Nick Johnson, Hunter Jelsch), 9-7. After trailing Arden’s 4-1 going into the third chukker, Galaxy began chipping away at the deficit, taking a 6-4 lead in the fifth and holding on to the difference to the end. Hinkson led Galaxy with a gamehigh five goals. Galaxy faced Fross & Fross (Miguel Lis Planells, Lord Lyall, Santiago Bermudez, Charly Quincoces) in the second round. It was a tight game throughout, with Galaxy narrowly leading 7-6 at the half. Fross & Fross began with a two-goal handicap and Lis Planells added to it a minute into the match. But Wadsworth and Lizaso knotted the score by the end of the chukker. Hinkson traded goals with Lyall and Bermudez in the second, giving Fross & Fross a slight edge, 6-5. Galaxy added a pair of goals in the third that went unanswered. Lyall and Quincoces wrapped goals around one from Wadsworth in the fourth, leveling the score, 8-8. The teams traded goals in the fifth and again in the sixth, ending the match tied, 11-all. The last round pitted Fross & Fross against Ardens. Fross & Fross again started with a two-goal handicap and
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 55
P O L O
R E P O R T
The Villages Insurance’s Liv Berube and Texas SBA’s Courtney Asdourian tangle in the Women’s Tournament at The Villages Polo Club.
Lyall and Bermudez added to it with three quick goals. Narvaja put Arden’s on the board at the one-minute mark. Lyall and Bermudez traded goals with Arias and Johnson in the second to maintain a four-goal difference. Arias and Johnson chipped away at the deficit with two unanswered goals, ending the half with Fross & Fross ahead, 7-5. Lyall scored in the fourth, but Arias and Narvaja leveled the score at 8. The teams battled for control in the last seven minutes with neither team reaching the goal until the last two minutes when Bermudez and Quincoces struck to give Fross & Fross the 10-8 win. Fross & Fross and Galaxy both had a win and a tie, but Fross & Fross had 21 gross goals to Galaxy’s 20, putting Fross & Fross in first place. Santiago Bermudez was named MVP and Lord Lyall’s Gloria was Best Playing Pony. The following week, three teams played off in the club’s women’s tournament, played in a round-robin format. Fross & Fross went 2-0 to take the title. In the first round, Fross & Fross (Ava Hinkson, Loryn Butterwoth, Maddie Grant, Paige Boone) took on Texas SBA (Mary Phipps, Kelly Beck, Kylie Sheehan, Courtney Asdourian). Texas began with a half-goal handicap but struggled to reach the goal. Meanwhile, Butterworth struck twice for Fross & Fross in
56 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Pumpkin Spice lines up against eventual winners Hocus Pocus’ Kelli Newton, David Myrick and Fawn Rinalduzzi at OC Polo.
the first chukker. Texas SBA stopped the bleeding in the second and Asdourian found the uprights, but Grant matched the goal. Boone scored in the final chukker and a pair of goals by Grant insured the win for Fross & Fross by a wide 6-1½. Texas SBA faced The Villages Insurance (Jewel Gregoncza, Louisa Huber, Sophie Grant, Liv Berube) in round two. Huber and Grant quickly overcame the half-goal handicap given to Texas SBA in the first. Asdourian shot back with a trio of goals to take the lead. Grant answered with just under a minute remaining and Gregoncza gave The Villages Insurance a 4-3½ lead in the third. Huber traded goals with Asdourian in the last period to keep it close until Grant scored and Huber tallied for the third time to give Villages Insurance the win, 7-4. The last round was a virtual final, with each team sporting a win. Hinkson struck first to put Fross & Fross on the board, but Gregoncza and Berube had the answer for The Villages Insurance. Hinkson and Maddie Grant kept up the pressure with each scoring two over the next 14 minutes while The Villages Insurance was silenced, giving Fross & Fross the 5-2 lead. The Villages Insurance fought back in the last chukker stopping all of Fross & Fross’ drives. Meanwhile, Berube hit the mark to
bring the team within two with 2:36 left. Time was quickly slipping away but the team wouldn’t give up. Sophie Grant split the uprights to come within one, 5-4, but with just 23 seconds remaining, that would be as close as the team would get and Fross & Fross took the trophies. PAC I F I C C OA S T
HOCUS POCUS SECURES USPA ARENA CHALLENGE Wrapping up the end of an exciting series of tournaments, the USPA Arena Challenge Cup recently took place at OC Polo in Silverada, California, Oct. 18-25. Four strong, determined teams came together to demonstrate incredible teamwork, creative costuming, and athletic polo ponies as they fought to claim the tournament championship for their respective charity. In the final, the two teams represented charitable organizations Surf & Turf Therapy and Polo Pony Rescue. SoCal Self Storage added $500 and $250 to donations so the charity of the winning team received $2,000 in prize money donation and the second place team received $1250. Now let’s meet those teams. In the
P O L O
Turkey Trotters’ Denny Geiler finishes off a goal in the USPA Arena Challenge consolation match against Guzzlin’ Gobblins.
green, we had the formidable Guzzlin’ Goblins (2 goals) comprised of Shelley Geiler, Blake Bertea and Mila Slutzky. Team Pumpkin Spice (0 goals) sported a strong statement in orange with Spencer Hurtt, Colleen Newton/Joanna Faulkner and Faris Hanna. Not to be outdone in blue were the determined Turkey Trotters (2 goals) with Denny Geiler, Bekah Segien and Serdar Celik. Last, but by no means least, were the
Cake, owned by Shelley Geiler and played by Bekah Segien, was Best Playing Pony.
R E P O R T
Hocus Focus’ Fawn Rinalduzzi races to the ball against Turkey Trotters in the USPA Arena Challenge Cup at OC Polo Club.
daunting gray team of Hocus Pocus (1 goal) with Kelli Newton, Fawn Rinalduzzi, and Dave Myrick. The first Sunday game promised to be filled with lots of goals and happy close family and friends who came out to support the players and ponies. The tournament got off to a great start with professional umpire Ronnie Hayes getting the first match off to an exciting start. First up was Guzzlin’ Goblins versus Pumpkin Spice, resulting in a very close game that came down to a few goals. The orange team was able to edge out the green team for a win of 13-11. Spencer and Shelley were the high scorers for their respective teams with big defensive plays between Faris and Mila while Blake, Colleen, and Joanna went head to head on the offense. Next up came the chukkers between Turkey Trotters and Hocus Pocus which proved to be an excellent match up. The gray team found their stride in the second half of the game and put some distance between the teams, taking the win at 16-8. Bekah and Kelli led their teams in terms of goals while Denny and Dave took top marks for hooking and Serdar and Fawn had some epic ride-offs. The following Sunday brought the excitement of the consolation game between Guzzlin’ Goblins and Turkey Trotters, which ended in a 14-14 tie. Mila walked away as the MVP of that
match while Cake, owned by Shelley and played by Bekah, took Best Playing Pony. Finally, it was time for the final match between Pumpkin Spice and Hocus Pocus which turned out to be a real nail-biter as the teams battled for the top score. The crowd went wild for each team as the score bounced back and forth from chukker to chukker. It was anyone’s game until the buzzer rang at the end of the fourth chukker and Hocus Pocus was able to grab the championship title with a close score of 14-13! It was a truly memorable game for both the spectator and player. As the prizes were handed out, Fawn took the MVP title for her excellent playing, and Joanna Faulkner’s Princesa was Best Playing Pony. The tournament concluded with a lot of celebration, many pictures and congratulations among all the players. While we all play together each week, the collective excitement and increased competitive spirit felt during each tournament really makes it a special experience. Many thanks to all the family, friends, staff and members who make these events so special. We would also like to thank the USPA, as this tournament was part of their COVID-19 relief program and added some fun competitive polo to our season. —Joanna Faulkner
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 57
DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS.COM
R E P O R T DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS.COM
P O L O
JC Polo’s Dayelle Fargey was MVP and her mare Ebony was Best Playing Pony in the USPA Women’s Invitational in Santa Barbara.
BFBST LAW CAPTURES JHHE WICKENDEN CUP
Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club in Carpinteria, California, finished off its regular season with three tournaments. Six teams competed in the Jackson Hole Horse Emporium Wickenden Cup and after the first two rounds, five out of the six teams remained eligible for the final. But as play continued, Rancho Polo (Jason Crowder, Piers Bossom, Bain Bossom, Torrey Ripinsky) and BFBST Law (Juan Curbelo, Cory Williams, Alejandro Gonzalez, Leigh Brecheen) were the only two standing, facing each other in the final. Crowder began the match, firing on all cylinders and scoring three goals in a row. Not to be outdone, Curbelo and Gonzalez shot back in the second, combining for six goals. Brothers Bain and Piers Bossom combined for three goals in the fouth, bringing Rancho Polo within one. However, BFBST Law kept the momentum going to take the win, 17-12. It was the fourth 8-goal win in a row for BFBST Law sponsors Cory Williams and Leigh Brecheen. Juan Curbelo was MVP and Alejandro Gonzalez’s mare, Dobel was named Best Playing Pony. The same day, the final of the USPA Women’s Invitational was held. The
58 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
No one could catch Tom Schuerman on Best Playing Pony Catch 22 as he scored the game-winner in the Last Chance Cup final.
tournament saw four 12-goal teams divided into two brackets battle over two days. JC Polo (Jemma Contreras, Maggie Papka, Taylor Olcott, Dayelle Fargey) and Luna Polo (Kaile Roos, Jenny Alexy, Sierra Dunbar, Jenny Alter) dominated their semifinal matches against SBPRC (Judith Baker, Cory Williams, Mia Bray, Melanja Jones) and Central Coast Polo Club (Megan Judge, Danielle Travis, Claudia Uretz, Elise Pardue). MVP Dayelle Fargey gave JC Polo a strong 7-1 lead at the half after coast-tocoast runs on Best Playing Pony Ebony. Alexy and Roos tried to close the gap but JC Polo took the 8-2 victory. The last week saw 12 teams in a 1goal played over two days. Eight teams played off in the Last Chance Cup, while four were in the Big Chance Cup. After four games on Saturday, World Gym, FMB/Folded Hills, Klentner Ranch and Seattle Polo moved on to the semi-final round of the Last Chance Cup. The semis were played as twochukker matches, with the winners moving on to a two-chukker final. World Gym (Tony Uretz, Tom Schuerman, Claudia Uretz, Melanja Jones) faced FMB/Folded Hills (Pat Ringer, Nico Peix, Will Busch, Henry Walker) in the first semi. The match ended tied, 2-2, requiring a shoot-out. Tony Uretz and Will Busch took the
shots, with Uretz putting World Gym in the final. In the other semi between Klentner Ranch (Elise Pardue, Mia Bray, Justin Klentner, Cearne Young) and Seattle Polo (Jess Dubin, Sheryl Sick, Cam Smith, Colby Smith), it wasn’t as close. Klentner showed its dominance with each player on the team finding the goal. The team advanced with a 5-1 win. World Gym and Klentner Ranch met in the final. A penalty conversion by Uretz put World Gym on the board first, but Klentner shot back with three goals to take a convincing lead. With just four minutes remaining, World Gym started its comeback. Tony Uretz perfectly executed a Penalty 4 to knot the match. Moments later, Tom Schuerman found a hole and made a run to goal on Best Playing Pony Catch 22. With just 20 seconds left on the clock, Klentner Ranch was unable to respond and World Gym took the title, 4-3. Klentner’s 15-year-old Elise Pardue, who was high-scorer of the match, was named MVP. In the Big Chance Cup, California Polo Club (Grace Mellis, Troy Crumley, Alejandro Nordheimer, Matt Schwartz) edged Casa Socas (Toto Socas, Simone Harper, Waqqas al-Sidiq, Timur Kotelnikov). Matt Schwartz was MVP and Toto Socas’ Patriota was Best Playing Pony. •
CALENDAR
D e c e m b e r- F e b r u a r y NOV E M B E R 2 2 - D E C E M B E R 3 National Delegate’s Cup (4-8) Houston, Houston, TX
JA N UA RY 1 - 10 Coachella Cup (8) Empire, Indio, CA
N O V E M B E R 2 9 - D E C E M B E R 19 Argentine Open Pilar, Argentina
JA N UA RY 2 - 10 Stagecoach Challenge (4) Empire, Indio, CA
D E C E M B E R 4 - 18 USPA Governors Cup (6) Hobe Sound, Hobe Sound, FL
Mack & Madelyn Jason Memorial (8) World Gym Tournament (4) Eldorado, Indio, CA
DECEMBER 5 Annual Christmas Polo Cup Dallas, Dallas, TX
J A N U A R Y 3 - 17 Joe Barry Cup (18) International, Wellington, FL
DECEMBER 5-6 Desert Challenge Arena Tournament Empire, Indio, CA
JA N UA RY 6 - 9 Beetlejuice Cup (2) Sunset, Loxahatchee, FL
Middle School League Liberty Hall, Rixeyville, VA Arena’s Women’s Challenge (2-8) Legends, Kaufman, TX Sportsmanship Cup (2-4) Arizona, Casa Grande, AZ Gen. George S. Patton Cup Two Wishes, Lockhart, TX Arena Admiral Nimitz (-3-3) Texas Military, Poteet, TX D E C E M B E R 11 - 1 3 Linfoot Polo Clinic Eldorado, Indio, CA D E C E M B E R 12 - 13 Coyote Cup Arena Tournament Empire, Indio, CA D E C E M B E R 16 - 19 Eloy Escapite Memorial (2) Sunset, Loxahatchee, FL D E C E M B E R 18 - 2 0 USPA Women’s Challenge WCT Eldorado, Indio, CA
JA N UA RY 12 - 2 4 S. Orthwein Memorial Family Cup (6) Port Mayaca, Okeechobee, FL J A N U A R Y 14 - 31 Palmetto Challenge (14) Port Mayaca, Okeechobee, FL JA N UA RY 15 - 2 4 USPA Sportsmanship Cup (4, 8) Empire, Indio, CA
F E B R U A R Y 5 - 21 The All-Star Challenge WPL, Wellington, FL F E B RUA RY 10 - 13 Sunset Polo Classic (2) Sunset, Loxahatchee, FL F E B R U A R Y 1 0 - 14 2020 USPA Gold Cup (22) International, Wellington, FL F E B R U A R Y 1 0 - 21 Iglehart Cup (18) International, Wellington, FL F E B R U A R Y 11 - 2 7 Mahogany Cup (18) Port Mayaca, Okeechobee, FL F E B R U A R Y 1 2 - 14 Texas Arena League Two Wishes, Lockhart, TX F E B R U A R Y 1 2 - 21 USPA Gen. Patton Jr. Tournament (4,8) Empire, Indio, CA Fish Creek Constitution Cup (4, 8, 12) Eldorado, Indio, CA
J A N U A R Y 16 - 2 4 Coachella Valley Officers Cup (4, 8) Eldorado, Indio, CA
F E B R U A R Y 17 - M A R C H 7 C.V. Whitney Cup (22) International, Wellington, FL
JA N UA RY 2 0 - F E B RUA RY 7 Ylvisaker Cup (18) International, Wellington, FL
F E B RUA RY 18 - M A RC H 7 The Founders Cup WPL, Wellington, FL
J A N U A R Y 2 9 - 31 Texas Arena League Two Wishes, Lockhart, TX
F E B RUA RY 2 6 - 2 8 Texas Arena League Two Wishes, Lockhart, TX
JA N UA RY 2 9 - F E B RUA RY 7 Carlton & Keleen Beal Cup (4, 8, 12) Eldorado, Indio, CA
F E B RUA RY 2 6 - M A RC H 7 USPA Congressional Cup (8) Empire, Indio, CA
USPA Presidents Cup (8) Empire, Indio, CA
D E C E M B E R 19 - 2 0 Jackalope Cup (4) Empire, Indio, CA
JA N UA RY 3 0 - F E B RUA RY 7 USPA National Amateur Cup (4) Empire, Indio, CA
DECEMBER 26-27 Holiday Cup (4) Empire, Indio, CA
F E B RUA RY 4 - 27 The Woodcock (8) USPA Heritage Cup (14) Port Mayaca, Okeechobee, FL
USPA Spreckels Cup (2, 8, 12) Eldorado, Indio, CA F E B RUA RY 27 - M A RC H 7 USPA Congressional Cup (4) Empire, Indio, CA 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 59
Y E S T E RY E A R S
Pure patriotism Polo guided early years of general’s illustrious career By Peter J. Rizzo
Gen. George Scratchley Brown
Polo helped instill the values of leadership, teamwork and daring into a young military brat who carried those qualities with him during an impressive military career, spanning over four decades, as a decorated war hero. Ultimately, his passion for polo did not withstand his strong allegiance to his country, and he went on to become the highest-ranking, most senior officer in the Armed Forces. George Scratchley Brown was born in Montclair, New Jersey in 1918 to Thoburn Kaye Brown and his wife Frances Katherine Brown (née Scratchley). The military family moved often, however, for many years his father was stationed in West Point, New York, where the first collegiate polo game was played in 1920. At the time, polo was played at almost every post in the Army. “Requiring intelligence in the horse as well as skill in the rider, polo is a sport particularly suited for the
60 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Army,” West Point’s yearbook, the Howitzer, stated. According to the book “George S. Brown General, U.S. Air Force Destined for Stars” by Edgar F. Puryear Jr., George and his brother learned to ride horses in riding classes offered by the military bases. While their father was stationed at West Point, the brothers would help exercise polo ponies. The pair began playing bike polo and eventually, horse polo. George honed his horsemanship skills and his interest in the sport grew. Brown’s daughter, Susanah Howland wrote, “... My grandfather TK was a cavalry officer and my dad and his brother spent their summers with their father while he engaged in cavalry exercises. My dad and uncle pretty much grew up around horses and riding. Theirs was not typical “riding lessons” at the post barn.” Brown decided he wanted to attend the U.S.
Y E S T E RY E A R S
Military Academy at West Point right out of high school, but his father convinced him to first attend a year of college. After graduating from high school in Leavenworth, Kansas, Brown enrolled in engineering courses at the University of Missouri. A year later, in 1937, he received a congressional appointment to West Point. While at West Point, George roomed with John Norton, who went on to become lieutenant general in the U.S. Army. George joined the academy’s polo team, which competed in intercollegiate championships—then played both indoors (for the Townsend Cup trophy) and outdoors (for the Gerry trophy). It was a good fit for the young man who enjoyed the competitive nature of the sport. He was known for his hard-riding but was never dangerous or unfair. He also enjoyed the social aspects of polo with the visiting teams and when the West Point team traveled. West Point earned an intercollegiate championship in 1938. The Howitzer described the season as a pitched battle between Army and Yale, with Yale finally striking out in the indoor: “As usual, the first game was with Squadron A of New York and as usual Army won. In this context and the two that followed, Captain Johnson tried various combinations of Christian, Boye, West, Milton and Brown in an effort to find a team that clicked. Against Pegasus, Metropolitan champions, Army met its first defeat. Then an overwhelming victory over Norwich pointed out the team that was to become intercollegiate champions: Christian, West and Boye.” Brown was listed as a substitute in the 1939 outdoor collegiate championships. West Point suffered an 11-3 drubbing by Yale, led by future Hall of Famer Alan Corey, in preliminary matches of the championships.
In the 1939 indoor season, Army, made up of Brown, Ted deSaussure and captain Ross “Rass Hoss” Milton—all sons of cavalry officers—defeated Princeton, 17-5. Milton was hospitalized a week later with pneumonia, knocking him out for the season. JV player Bobby Strong was called up to replace Milton. Princeton edge them 13-12 in overtime in the next game and they fell to Pennsylvania Military College, 11-9. The trio finally started playing well in its game against Cornell. Winning by a large margin in the early part of the game, the JV team was brought in to finish it off, 19-6. The varsity team displayed the same strength against Yale, racking up five goals before Yale
Brown was captain of the West Point team during his senior year.
Nelson Rockefeller and Gen. George S. Brown
Brown earned the Distinguished Service Cross after his leadership while bombing oil refineries in Romania.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 61
Y E S T E RY E A R S
George Brown and his West Point teammates
could get started. Yale trailed most of the game but rallied in the last period to force overtime. Army held on for the 12-11 win with each player scoring four times. Princeton went on to win the championships. In the 1940 outdoor collegiate championships, the West Point team defeated Harvard, 17-8, in its first match, but lost to perennial front-runners Princeton, 11-9, in the semi-final. With his natural leadership abilities on the field, it was no surprise when Brown was named team captain in his senior year. The team held its own against veteran teams, including those made up of West Point officers and others from ivy league schools and Squadron A Armory in New York City. West Point’s yearbook summarized the season: “The ... spring season delivered far too many slippery fields and Army only scheduled two games, Princeton and Harvard. The team of Ross Milton, Bob Strong, George Brown and Ted deSaussure had much fast practice, however, against the Gerry brothers highgoal team and against the West Point officers’ team. “The intercollegiates found the team commuting between West Point and Boston via airplane. Harvard was drubbed handily in the first round as Ted
62 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
deSaussure hit ten goals. Princeton proved too tough in the next round and the cadets were eliminated. The indoor season was eminently successful; only one game was lost and that to Princeton. PMC, with its hard-hitting Del Carrol (another future polo hall of famer) was met and defeated in a blaze of deSaussure-Brown glory. Cornell proved easy meat for the seasoned cadets and the advent of the intercollegiates found them the slight favorites over defender Princeton. As the tournament started, the trio took PMC again with Andrus doing some beautiful hitting. The finals brought Princeton who squeezed out a victory and retained the cup. In this tournament as throughout the season, Brown led the team with great distinction and his calm manner served to redeem many situations.” While at West Point, George met Alice “Skip” Colhoun at a party and later, they began dating, eventually marrying in 1942. Colhoun is the step-sister of polo player Dan Colhoun, a longtime committee member of the USPA’s Armed Forces Committee. George graduated from the academy in 1941. A description in his senior yearbook stated, “Brownie started out at the very beginning to make a success
Y E S T E RY E A R S
of his career as a cadet, and one needs only notice all those chevrons to see that his aims rang true. Being captain of the polo squad as well as regimental adjutant made him undisputed leader of that horsey group known as the station wagon set. The cavalry has never had a more loyal supporter than Brownie. His military record and his fame as a polo player should be a good indication of the fine cavalryman he is sure to make.” He had aspirations of joining the cavalry, staying close to horses, however it wasn’t to be. Instead, fate took him in a different direction ... up! “I’m not aware that Dad had the opportunity to play polo after he graduated from West Point, got his wings and went to war. My parents were married soon after his graduation and he went to England for 3 years a mere three months later,” Howland wrote. “When he returned there was no opportunity for horses although the ‘horse gene’ seems to have been passed on to my brother who has been a cowboy in New Mexico for most of his life and my daughter, GSB’s granddaughter, who is a competitive equestrian in the jumper ring.” After graduation, Brown began flight training in
Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He received his pilot wings a year later, in 1942, at Kelly Field in Texas. He was initially assigned to Barksdale Field in Louisiana, where as a member of the 93rd Bombardment Group, flew B-24 Liberators. After flying antisubmarine patrol in Ft. Meyers, Florida, he transferred to England, joining the Eighth Air Force. For the next 20 months, he served as commander of the 329th Bombardment Squadron, group operations officer and group executive officer. As the latter, he participated in low-level bombing raids of oil refineries in Romania from a temporary base in Benghazi, Libya. Several planes, including the group commander’s, were shot down or crashed. Brown, then a major, led the group back to Benghazi. The heroics earned him the Distinguished Service Cross. In May 1944, Brown was appointed assistant operations officer of the 2nd Air Division, and assumed similar duties a year later with Headquarters Air Training Command at Fort Worth, Texas. Brown joined Headquarters Air Defense Command in 1946, located at Mitchell Field, New York, as assistant to air chief of staff, operations, and later become assistant deputy for operations.
George’s yearbook stated he was the undisputed leader of that horsey group known as the station wagon set.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 63
Y E S T E RY E A R S
Brown said working with troops was similar to working with horses.
During the Korean War in July 1950, he became commander of the 62nd Troop Carrier Group at McChord Air Force Base in Washington, operating between the West Coast and Japan. During 1951 and the early part of 1952, he commanded the 56th Fighter Wing at Selfridge Air Force Base in Michigan; and in May 1952, joined Fifth Air Force Headquarters at Seoul, Korea, as director for operations. In July 1953, Brown assumed command of the 3525th Pilot Training Wing at Williams Air Force Base in Arizona. He entered the National War College in 1956, and after graduation in 1957, served as executive to the chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force. Two years later, he was selected as military assistant to the deputy secretary of defense, before becoming military assistant to the secretary of defense. He was promoted to brigadier general the same year. His career continued at a rapid pace as he repeatedly proved his mettle and ascended the ranks. In 1963, Brown became commander of the Eastern Transport Air Force at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey and a year later, was selected to organize Joint Task Force II, a Joint Chiefs of Staff unit formed at Sandia Base in New Mexico, to test military weapon systems for all branches of the military. During his career, George made the comparison between working with horses and troops. In both
64 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
cases, it is necessary to learn their habits, strengths and weaknesses, and spend time patiently training and conditioning them while building their trust. From August 1966 to August 1968, he served as the assistant to the chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, in Washington, D.C., until assuming command of the Seventh Air Force and becoming deputy commander for air operations, U.S. Military Assistance Command. He was responsible for all Air Force combat air strike, air support, and air defense operations in Southeast Asia. In his MACV position, he advised on all matters pertaining to tactical air support and coordinated the Republic of Vietnam and United States air operations. In September 1970, Brown, now a general, assumed the post of commander, Air Force Systems Command, headquartered at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Brown entered the national limelight after he was appointed chief of staff of the Air Force in 1973 and chairman of the Department of Defense Joint Chiefs of Staff a year later. As chairman, Brown spoke candidly, often expressing opinions on a number of highly controversial topics. In 1977, he was publicly critical of Congress, leading to calls for his dismissal. President Ford refused, saying he was an outstanding soldier. After a 40-plus-year career, he retired in June 1978 after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. He died later that year and was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. Upon his death, Secretary of Defense Harold Brown said, “This nation has lost a great patriot and an innovative chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was a pioneer as an Air Force officer. He was a sincere, straightforward and dedicated man. He was a friend.” An addition to the Distinguished Service Cross, his military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Silver Star, Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal and Army Commendation Medal. “... the medals were a by-product of his core belief in his duty and dedication to his men, service and country,” Howland wrote. He was inducted into The National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1985. The USPA honors Brown with the Gen. George S. Brown circuit tournament played at clubs throughout the United States. •
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