DECEMBER 2021
Rocking P Rolls to Texas Women’s Open Victory
$5.00 US/$5.50 Canada
Coming Early 2022 IMPROVING POLO SKILLS By Rege Ludwig Have you ever considered what the horse is going through to play the game with you? Are you aware of how to help the horse play more effectively for you? Both topics are discussed in the book and associated booklets on The Polo Style of Riding. They are also demonstrated in the videos dealing with The Polo Style of Riding.
In a game, have you ever wondered what position you are in at any given moment, or what the objective of that position is? Both are described in the book and booklets associated with Polo, Strategy of the Game.
Do you know what the Plane of Swing is, or what the significance of it is relative to the direction of the hit? Those details are described in the book and associated booklets on Hitting the Polo Ball. They are also demonstrated in the videos on Hitting the Polo Ball.
More information can be found on my website RegePolo.com
CONTENTS
P L AY E R S’ E D I T I O N
D E C E M B E R 2 0 21
VOL. 25,
FEATURES 28 Party On!
NO. 4
DEPARTMENTS Photos by Steve Hooper & Bruce Yeung
6
Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships celebrate 10 years
USPA Bulletin Detroit Horse Power
32 Queens of the Court Photos by David Murrell
14 Instructors Forum
Rocking P wins Texas Women’s Open
36 Taking a Shot
Association News
By Erik Wright
16 Equine Athlete
Photos by David Murrell
Ketel One Botanical captures U.S. Open Women’s Handicap
By Heather Smith Thomas
18 Polo Scene News, notes, trends & quotes
DECEMBER 2021
Rocking P Rolls to Texas Women’s Open Victory
24 Polo Development 26 Intercollegiate/Interscholastic 40 Polo in the Pampas
OUR COVER
by Lucas Noel
Bridget Price and KC Krueger ride hard in the Texas Women’s Open. Photo by David Murrell
62 Yesteryears 64 Calendar 44 Polo Report Guerreno Leads In 6- and 12-Goal Events
$5.00 US/$5.50 Canada
OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN SIGNED COLUMNS ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHORS AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE PUBLISHERS OF THIS MAGAZINE.
2 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
P L AY E R S’ E D I T I O N THE
OFFICIAL MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE
UNITED STATES POLO ASSOCIATION
Editor & Publisher
GWEN D. RIZZO
Contributing Editors
HEATHER SMITH THOMAS, ALICE GIPPS, LUCAS NOEL, C. MAYBE ORTIZ, SARAH EAKIN
Editorial Board
ROBIN SANCHEZ, TONY COPPOLA, TOM BIDDLE, DAWN WEBER, AMI SHINITZKY
Art Director DAVID BEVERAGE Prepress WALSWORTH Advertising & Editorial Offices USPA Member Subscription Inquiries (800) 232-8772 OR FAX (888) 341-7410 ldolan@uspolo.org
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©Copyright 2021 by United States Polo Association.. No part of this issue may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic or electronic process without written permission of the publisher. Paul Brown illustrations are ©2018 and are reprinted by permission of Paul Brown Studios, Inc., P.O. Box 925, Hedgesville, WV 25427. Subscription rates: $45/one year, $78/two years. Other countries (air mail), $78 drawn on U.S. bank/one year, $144 drawn on U.S. bank/two years. (GST:134989508). Subscription problems call (561) 968-5208. VOL. 25, 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.
4 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Over 30 years of providing q y equipment and service qualit
EEquipment, i t tack, t k mallets, ll t barn supplies, ffeeed, supplements – Everything for the horse and rider Locat ated at at Santa Baarbara Polo Club (Carpinteria) & Eldoorado Polo Club (Indio) www.jhh . e.com | 760 7 342 2212 | jhhepolo@ggmail.com |
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U S PA B U L L E T I N
For the first time in over a year, the United States Polo Association assembled in person for the Fall Committee, Board of Governors and Annual Member Meeting. The meetings took place at the Boar’s Head Resort in Charlottesville, Virginia, Oct. 27-30. Chairman Armstrong welcomed attendees at the chairman’s cocktail reception Wednesday evening to kick off the meetings and events for the week. Thursday and Friday were packed with committee and LLC meetings. Approximately 100 volunteers, staff and guests attended the meetings, and Zoom links were provided to the membership for those unable to attend in person. The annual member meeting took place Friday where club delegates voted on the proposed changes to the constitution. That evening, an awards ceremony co-hosted by the Polo Training Foundation and the USPA was held at the Virginia Polo Center. The board met early Saturday for the board of governors
development of arena polo over the last few years. This year, 97 USPA arena tournaments were awarded. There has been a 42% increase in arena tournaments from 2020 to 2021, and all national arena tournaments have been awarded for 2021 and 2022. The Arena Committee presented on the new programs and series that had been developed. The board approved the new mission statement for the Arena Committee below: The United States Polo Association Arena Committee, as the successor of the Indoor Polo Association, is the primary advocate for arena polo in the United States. Through partners and programs, we develop and enhance national and circuit tournaments and arena leagues nationwide; expand the quantity and quality of national and international arena competition from the low goal to the high goal; and promote player and spectator awareness and engagement through promotion and special events to highlight arena polo as an exciting and competitive sport. Armed Forces Retired Army Maj. Mark. Gillespie, Armed Forces Committee chairman, reported the success of military events played this year, and highlighted the National Arena Commander-in-Chief Cup played at Virginia Polo, Inc. (Charlottesville, Virginia) and the inaugural Allied Services Cup hosted by Texas Military Polo Club, LLC (Poteet, Texas). This year, 31 USPA armed forces events were awarded, including all national armed forces events. A motion was passed to recognize members of the state defense forces in the USPA armed forces framework. These members will now be eligible to serve as a military qualified player in circuit and national armed forces events.
Mary Muldoon makes a presentation on equine emergency preparedness during the Equine Welfare Committee.
meeting. Following the board meeting, guests returned to the Virginia Polo Center to watch the governor’s match followed by an intercollegiate game between the University of Virginia and University of Kentucky men. It was a spectacular week filled with energy, passion and support for the sport. A brief breakdown of the committee meetings can be found below: Arena The Arena Committee highlighted the growth and
6 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Audit Tim Kelly, Audit Committee chairman, presented the Audit Committee report and the board approved the report as presented. Board and Staff Development Peter Rizzo, Board and Staff Development Committee chairman, presented a summary of committee accomplishments. The board approved the new mission statement for the BASDC below: The USPA Board and Staff Development Committee provides advice and support to the Association’s Board of Governors, Executive Committee and management, including the COO. The
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Members of the USPA board of governors got together in Charlottesville, Virginia, for the fall meetings.
BASDC will offer recommendations or endorsements relating to the consistent use of generally accepted best corporate practices, policies and procedures. BASDC’s primary advisory purpose includes review Board approved HR policies and procedures; ongoing Staff professional development and succession; and Organizational Charts. When requested by Board or Staff leadership, the BASDC will provide feedback and recommendations regarding Board and Staff matters, questions, concerns and opportunities. Club and Membership Administration Steve Armour, Club and Membership Administration Committee chairman, presented a report noting eight new approved clubs in 2021 and five terminated clubs due to inability to meet membership requirements. A brief discussion was held on the proposed change from “social nonplaying” membership to “non-competing” membership, which will include insurance. The board approved a pro-rated half-price membership starting this year to any first-time members joining after Sept. 1 each year. The committee spent the remainder of the meeting discussing plans for proposed circuit realignment. A discussion was held about putting a plan in place to evaluate circuits more regularly, including quantifiable reasons for realignment, in the future. Constitution The Constitution Committee met and discussed the proposed changes to the governing documents. The delegates approved all proposed changes to the constitution at the annual member meeting. The
board approved the presented changes to the by-laws. Summaries of the constitution and by-law changes can be found at uspolo.org. The board also approved the president of services revised job description along with administrative updates to the Disciplinary Procedures Policy. Equine Welfare Mike Manno, Equine Welfare Committee chairman, provided a brief overview of the proposed Equine Drugs and Medications Rules. The committee meeting included three presentations. Mary Muldoon presented a very informative PowerPoint on equine emergency preparedness called “When the Stuff Hits the Fan, Have a Plan!” Lindsay Dolan made a presentation on horse body conditioning scores with example photos for each score, including appearing and disappearing saddles and girths to demonstrate how horses often look different with tack on. Finally, Neil Agate provided a great overview of the Retired Racehorse Project. Finance The Meketa Investment Group discussed the portfolio and the overall performance to date. The board approved the 2022 budget as presented. High-Goal The board approved the recommended changes to the High-Goal Committee policy, which will be available to view in the 2022 rulebook. Rules The board approved changes to the outdoor rules, POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 7
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America and Silver Cups to be played at the 14- to 18goal level for 2022. The Tournament Committee and the board approved revisions to the Tournament Stimulus Program. The full new policy may be viewed on uspolo.org. Adjustments to the Prize Money Matching Program were also approved and may be seen on uspolo.org. Women’s The USPA Women’s Committee announced that nominations for this year’s Louise Hitchcock Woman of the Year Award are open to the entire membership. Nominations close Monday, Jan. 31, 2022. The committee also discussed the possibility of adding a minus-1 handicap to the women’s handicap scale with limitations. The committee will discuss this topic in more detail during the next meeting. It was also reported that 45 USPA women’s events were awarded this year.
Chairman Stewart Armstrong welcomed attendees at the chairman’s cocktail reception.
arena rules and tournament conditions. The summary of the outdoor rule changes can be found on uspolo.org. Safety An update was made on the status of helmets that pass the NOCSAE standard. To date there are three helmets that pass the standard: Casablanca, Charles Owen and Instinct. A report was made on the 2020 Injury Reporting survey, which was answered by 49 members. The results provided a number of demographical and statistical information regarding injuries in the sport. It was suggested that the committee re-open discussion on an Inclement Weather Policy to provide clubs with information regarding when to postpone games. Another suggestion was made about looking into when a player should return to play after a head injury. A recommendation was made for the committee to investigate policies in other sports. Tournament The Tournament Committee and board approved three national tournament applications for 2022. The National Arena Amateur Cup was awarded to Legends Polo Club (Kaufman, Texas). The National Arena Challenge Cup was awarded to Orange County Polo Club (Silverado, California). The Monty Waterbury was awarded to Port Mayaca Polo Club (Okeechobee, Florida). The Tournament Committee approved an adjustment in the goal level for the 8 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Umpires, LLC The USPA Umpires, LLC made a presentation and gave a report on the initiatives, use of technology, the areas of focus and the plans for the future. The Umpires, LLC highlighted the success of the Tournament Stimulus Program and discussed the growth and development they have witnessed in arena polo. Polo Development, LLC The Polo Development, LLC staff and committee chairs prepared a presentation deck highlighting their efforts in Intercollegiate/Interscholastic polo, Team USPA, Junior Polo, and the Polo Development Initiative. Over the past three to four years, various programs that make up Polo Development went through strategic planning iterations. The presentation looked at the impact of those changes on the polo community and discussed the next steps for Polo Development. Highlights included: the launch of Division 1 and Division 2 tournament levels for intercollegiate polo; the addition of a full, four-team female division at NYTS Championships; various Team USPA members and alumni participating in fall training in Argentina, including four playing in the Cámara de Diputados; and almost $4 million worth of club infrastructure projects from 2019-2021 partially supported by the PDI program. New Business Chairman Stewart Armstrong recognized Erica Gandomcar-Sachs, Tony Yayhai, Bob McMurtry, Trey Schott and David Ragland for their valuable
U S PA B U L L E T I N
contributions as circuit governors and thanked them for their volunteer work. Armstrong welcomed Jorge Vasquez (Midstates Circuit) and Mike Carney (Great Plains Circuit) as new circuit governors. The board approved the appointment of Erica Gandomcar-Sachs and Bob McMurtry to fill the two governor-at-large vacancies. The board approved Clifton Yandell to fill the vacancy for the Central Circuit governor. Tony Coppola was reappointed as president of
Services. The board approved a new Executive Committee to consist of: Chairman Stewart Armstrong, President Tony Coppola, Secretary Charles Smith, Treasurer Steve Ruldolph, and Paul Jornayvaz, Steve Orthwein, Chrys Beal, Daniel Walker, Tom Gose, and Mike Carney as ex-officio members. The board appointed a new Nominating Committee in accordance with the constitution. All of the committee chairs and LLC committee chairs were reappointed.
PTF/ USPA Awards Ceremony On Friday evening, the USPA and PTF jointly hosted their annual awards ceremony, emceed by Tony Coppola. The event took place at the Virginia Polo Center—Beh House. Gordon Burrows, former UVA president, welcomed the group. Awards followed as shown below: Photos By Rob Garland
Daniel J. Wallace Jr Intercollegiate PTF Award Sherry Sheldon Gibson presented the award to Molly Agee
Clint Nangle Award Dr. Mike Manno, far right, presented the award to Peter Rizzo, second from left. With them is Lindsay Dolan and emcee Tony Coppola.
General Patton Award Mark Gillespie presented the award to Dan Keating
I/I Service Award Billy Matheson and Liz Brayboy presented the award to Lou Lopez
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
Intercollegiate PTF Award Daniel Walker presented the award to Charlie Walker (not shown), who accepted the award virtually.
Louise Hitchcock Woman of the Year Cecelia Cochran presented the award to Erica Gandomcar-Sachs
Lynn Thompson Interscholastic PTF Award Emily Dewey presented the award to Sophie Grant
Rob Rinehart and Nancy Schlichting made a special presentation to Richard Riemenschneider (not shown) with the Virginia Polo Cavalier Award.
Russell A Sheldon Jr. Interscholastic PTF Award Chris Green presented the award to Winston Painter
Tom Hughes Award Fergus Gould presented the award to Tom Gose
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 Operating Officer: Chris Green
10 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Polo Development Initiative The Polo Development Initiative 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 intent of the PDI Grant Program, which is a reimbursable grant-based program, is to support thoughtfully presented applications for PDI funding that address specific, club-based, sustainability needs. Grant awards will be made in support of a specific purpose that addresses those needs, including, but not limited to: • Advancing the sustainability and growth of club membership, taking into consideration club capacity and the available polo facilities. • Improving the quality of the polo-playing experience. • Promoting the development of the sport of polo. The 2022 PDI application process is open until Jan. 31, 2022. For guidelines or to apply, visit the Polo Development Initiative page on uspolo.org. I/I Deadlines USPA membership renewals are due Jan. 1 for intercollegiate teams. All other eligibility paperwork and your final score sheets are due on Feb. 1. All eligibility paperwork, as well as the tournament entry fees, are due Dec. 8 for interscholastic teams. USPA membership renewals are due Jan. 1. Two regular season qualifying game score sheets are due on Jan. 5. Please contact Ali Davidge at adavidge@uspolo.org with any questions. Middle School Tournaments Do you have a group of youth players from fifth through eighth grade? If so, sign up now to host a middle school tournament at your club! Middle School Tournaments are now happening year round, so your club can choose the season that works best
Membership renewals for intercollegiate and interscholastic teams are due Jan 1.
for it. Contact Emily Dewey at edewey@uspolo.org for information or to secure your tournament date. Players and parents: middle school tournaments are being added to the website as they are scheduled, so please check out our current list on the intercollegiate/interscholastic pages at uspolo.org to find one close to you! I/I Fundraising Program Is your I/I club planning on hosting a fundraiser this year? If so, make sure to check out the updated Fundraising Program. The Fundraising Program now consists of a two-tier system that allows you to apply for up to $2,000 in fundraising reimbursement. Additionally, the program offers staff and committee support during the planning process and the opportunity to increase your revenue. To learn more about the program please check out the new guidelines and the evolving ideas document at uspolo.org. Please note the fundraising deadline is rolling and open to both interscholastic and intercollegiate teams. If you have any questions about the fundraising program please contact Ali Davidge at adavidge@uspolo.org. 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
Detroit Horse Power Program exposes students to horses Photos by John Turney
The organizations hope to capitalize on the momentum created by the event and replicate it in other locations, spreading the love and awareness of polo across the country.
Spearheaded by the USPA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, in partnership with the Detroit Polo Club (Howell, Michigan), U.S. Polo Assn., Michigan State University and University of Michigan, a pilot event with Detroit Horse Power introduced 10 local high school students to the sport of polo. The perception of polo as being inaccessible is one of the main topics the DEI Committee hopes to tackle. “We want children, young people and adults throughout the country to know, no matter where they come from, whether that be urban or rural, that polo is an option,” said Dale Johnson, DEI Committee member. To facilitate this, the committee began brainstorming ways to increase access to horses in areas across the country. Johnson’s enthusiasm for the initiative led him to reconnect with Detroit Horse Power and its founder David Silver. Partnering with the USPA and an established USPA member club with infrastructure in place proved to be a successful way to host community events introducing 12 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
the sport of polo. The USPA DEI Committee, led by Chairman Agapito Morgan, aims to replicate the success of this pilot event with Detroit Horse Power at other locations across the country. Johnson believes looking to other sports associations like the NFL, MLB and NBA will help the sport of polo understand where to best position itself for the uniqueness of the sport and the community. “We want to be part of the larger conversation and change the perception of polo,” Johnson said. “Playing sports equips young people with the tools to come out of more challenging environments. Polo allows people to work with a team and build a lot of different leadership skills.” The short format introductory curriculum created by Anu Joshi and Detroit Polo Club’s director Emmalyn Wheaton was designed to be easily replicated and adapted to best fit the needs of the students and the facilities of a local club. Following several meetings outlining the goals of the DEI Committee, Johnson saw an opportunity to
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expand the Detroit Horse Power students’ exposure to another equestrian discipline and connect with the local polo community. Detroit Horse Power students are regularly exposed to dressage, equitation and hunter jumper activities in partnership with local barns, but the program had not yet established a close relationship with a polo organization. The USPA’s close relationship with Detroit Polo Club and recent work with Johnson helped foster the connection with Detroit Horse Power and develop this introductory event. Wheaton, worked closely with Joshi and Nicole Bird to create a curriculum that would provide a lasting impression on the students both on and off a horse. Since many of the participants do not have access to a horse on a daily basis, U.S. Polo Assn. provided foot mallets for them to take home. “We are going to show a bunch of the [program] volunteers how to use foot mallets so they can do little foot mallet games at home,” Wheaton explained. “They can go to a park in Detroit and cruise around with the foot mallets, even though they won’t have a horse to jump on.” The interactive curriculum for the day included three stations: hitting cage, foot mallets and a mounted portion, which allowed students to hit a ball off a horse. Several University of Michigan and
Michigan State Polo team members put their youthful energy to use, manning the foot mallet and hitting cage stations. Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Program Manager Emily Dewey was also on-site to help guide the students through the activities. Students who felt comfortable riding were assigned a pilot and a horse to help get the feel of hitting the ball while mounted. After getting hands-on experience, the students were able to watch the first game of the USPA’s Midstates Circuit Arena Master’s Cup while participating in a Q&A. For student Elijah Anderson, the event was his first exposure to the sport of polo. His initial impression that he would not enjoy it was quickly reversed from the moment he picked up a mallet. “I had so much fun and definitely want to do it again,” Anderson exclaimed. When comparing polo to other equestrian disciplines, he proudly described it as a 100 out of 10! Anderson’s overwhelmingly positive experience is reflective of Detroit Horse Power’s hope for introducing students to a game they may not have considered otherwise. “It’s good to try something new,” Anderson said reflecting on the experience. “You know that new thing can turn out to be one of the best things you [have] ever done. That’s exactly what happened to me.” (continued on page 60
Several University of Michigan and Michigan State Polo team members put their youthful energy to use, piloting participants to help them get the feel of hitting the ball while mounted.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 13
INSTRUCTORS FORUM
Operator error Common mistakes and how to correct them By Erik Wright
In my 25-year career as a polo instructor and coach, my focus has been on clients who are new to polo and will be playing amateur polo from never having ridden to intermediate-level polo. From the first lesson, my teaching strategy aims to identify and avoid mistakes common among amateur players and shorten the learning curve toward consistent and sustained improvement. In this article, I want to show how recognizing and correcting these mistakes is a shortcut to improving your game. The No. 1 thing players can do to improve their polo almost instantly is to use two hands on the reins. Most errors in individual player skills require a great deal of time and effort to correct. Using two hands on the reins is one of the few exceptions to this rule and provide one of the rare moments of instant gratification to be found in the sport. Once it becomes habit, it will almost instantly double your ability to stop and turn, plus using two hands squares your body up in the center of the horse and dramatically improves your body position and balance in the process. Another very common mistake I see players make is playing too fast or outside their ability to stay in control. Consciously avoid playing faster than your ability to control. We all love speed and that is why a lot of people play, but you still have to stay within the framework of your own skill set. There is no point running to a ball faster than your ability to hit the ball, only to arrive at the ball and miss. We call that marking yourself, meaning, you are so obviously playing outside the realm of your ability, that it isn’t necessary to attempt to mark you. Don’t be that player. Understand there is an inverse relationship between speed and control so players must learn to stay within their own individual capabilities and the capabilities of the horse they are riding. A lot of players only have two speeds—full stop and full go. I call it levering. The lever is either at dead stop or pegged on full steam ahead. I like to think of riding your horse at speed more like driving a stick shift. You’ve got 10 gears. Play 90% of your polo in the sixth- or seventh-gear range. If we stay in sixth or seventh gear then we can maintain a nice balance 14 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
between control and speed—fast enough to execute and keep up, but still under control. To be clear, I’m not advocating to just play slowly. What I am saying is that you have to put both yourself and your horse in a framework where you are in control and not exceed that framework. Make your plays correctly and under control, and then add speed as you are able to demonstrate consistent performance at each increasing level. There is no bigger cliché in the sport than watching a player run out of control to nowhere and accomplish nothing when they get there. Work hard not to be that player. Just by concentrating on using two hands and playing within your ability fixes about 75% of player mistakes. That said, here are a few more common errors that, if corrected, can dramatically improve your polo. Another common mistake amateur players make is attempting to dribble the ball too much. When it comes to my teaching programs, I emphasize back shots and full shots in low-goal polo and discourage excessive dribbling. Amateur players watch high-goal players dribbling without taking into account the decades of time and effort that enable the better players to execute short plays proficiently. Most amateur players aren’t able to execute a turn play effectively, and therefore the most likely result is that they are going to lose the ball and thereby lose possession for their team. As a coach, I have a very systematic, coordinated approach, preaching back shots and full shots in low-goal polo that lead to effective play. The back shot is a much quicker and simpler way to set up the rest of your team and turn from defense to offense. In lower- and intermediate-goal polo, when you turn the ball, you are most likely going to confuse the other players on your team, which leads to chaos, and results in poor play. If your team knows you are going to consistently play a back shot, it is truly remarkable how quickly they will turn for the back shot and win plays on a fast break. When you are on offense and dribble, the defense collapses on you quickly because you inevitably slow down to execute the dribble play. Now you are left trying to dribble through four pairs of legs versus
INSTRUCTORS FORUM
taking a shot when you have an open shooting window—be it a pass or a goal shot. It is also much easier for you to be ridden off at a slower speed and lose the play that way. Limiting dribble play offers alternatives that put you and your team in position to execute winning polo plays. For instance, when going to goal, take full shots. If you are inside the 60-yard line, shoot on goal. Worst case, you set up a knock-in for the opposing team where typically the best player on the other team is off the field bringing the ball into play, and your team then has the benefit of time to regroup and set up your defense. Even if you miss the goal, over time, if pulling the trigger inside the 60 becomes a habit, the goal shots are going to start going in. If you dribble or try to take that extra shot, the window closes and you create a much more difficult shot for yourself. On defense, unless you have absolutely no option, back the ball. If you turn the ball on defense and lose possession, usually that is going to mean you’re in your half of the field. If you are playing Back, you are responsible for being the last line of defense. If you attempt to turn it and lose it, the most likely result is a goal scoring opportunity for the opposing team. There is most certainly a place for a short game. But in lower- to intermediate-levels of polo, the back shot is much simpler and devastatingly more effective. A lot of players and coaches talk about man-lineball. That is a great theory and a basic tenet of our sport. I like to add to that concept there are no free polo balls, you have to go and fight for them. When you are starting out, you get a lot of balls hit to you in space and that’s a great starting point in the beginning. But, at some point you need to do more than just stay up front and wait for the big pass. To get to the next level in your polo you need to start working harder and go and earn your own polo balls. Put an opposing player on your hip and start creating your own plays and opportunities. Another common mistake for amateur polo players is not practicing riding skills away from games. If you can’t get to the ball, you can’t hit it. If you can stop, turn and get back to the ball consistently more than your opponents, you are going to win more plays, more chukkers and more polo games. There is no better feeling than riding well in a chukker, and no quicker way to improve your on-field performance. When you are playing, you don’t have time to be thinking about the mechanics of your riding or your swing, the sport is too fast and doesn’t allow for it. For consistent improvement on the field, make the time to work hard on your riding and hitting skills away from the field. It will pay huge dividends in the long run.
I also advocate for taking lessons from an instructor or player you respect on a consistent and continuing basis. No matter how long you’ve been playing, anyone can benefit from lessons. Even an experienced player can benefit from a good coach making corrections and eliminating errors. I’ve been playing this game for 32 years and I still take weekly lessons and learn something every time. Off the field, the most common mistake I see is attempting to cut corners either with time or money. Polo is expensive so in our program, we have done our best to create a broad ladder of time and money through leasing and custom programs tailored to each client’s needs and goals. With just a 10 to 15% cost differential it is possible to add much more value and the result can be a much better experience for you and your ponies, and that translates to a much higher value for your money. That goes for horses, fields, pros or tournaments. Set a budget for your polo, and most importantly, understand the difference between cost and value. You can enjoy the full season with sound horses or you can go the cheap route and lose half your string because they are not being taken care of properly. Find a program that works for you and pay for it. In polo, if you think a good deal is too good to be true, I can assure you it is. No matter what, there is a cost threshold below which you cannot take care of your livestock properly with the end result being more injuries to your livestock and you. When we are talking about horses, there is no question you should spend money on having good horses, even if that means you end up having two good horses instead of four mediocre horses. It costs the same to maintain a horse you love as one you hate to play. Buying horses is the cheap part. Proper care and maintenance is the expensive part. Lastly, use two hands! I can’t say it enough. I have students that come off the field and say they had trouble stopping and my first question is, ‘did you use two hands?’ It might feel a little awkward to start out, but once they figure out how to get their hand in the right spot, all of a sudden they are making stops or turns they never thought they could make. I have played a lot of different sports in my life and without question, polo is the hardest by far. Consistent, concerted effort and discipline is what is required to improve. Play smart, practice with intent and you will become a player that other players want to play with. Good luck and I hope you put a few of these tips into practice and improve your polo! • Erik Wright is a USPA Certified Instructor as well as a USPA Instructor Certifier based in California. POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 15
E Q U I N E AT H L E T E
Pinching pennies Horse-keeping on a tight budget By Heather Smith Thomas
In a shaky economy and rising costs, horse owners try to find ways to trim expenses. Dave Freeman, PhD (Professor Emeritus, Department of Animal Science, Oklahoma State University) says that over the years he received many calls from people wondering what they could do to save money. “Most people didn’t want to hear my first words of advice. The easiest way to reduce costs is reduce your number of horses.” Most horsemen prefer to look at other ways to address budget challenges. The place to start is to figure out where money is spent, looking at areas of waste, duplication, unnecessary purchases, etc. There are numerous ways to save money without compromising the health and care of your horses, but you have to first know where the money is going. Reducing Feed Costs There are several ways to shrink the feed bill. You can reduce waste, buy more wisely, and extend your pasture. Dr. Bob Mowrey, (Professor Emeritus, North Carolina State University) says that if you use round bales, you could switch to wrapped bales, to protect them from moisture and spoilage. After unwrapping, feed them in an enclosed structure like a run-in shed, or use a hay tunnel or cover over the round bale feeder to keep them dry while they’re eaten. “A hay tunnel is a patented polyethylene product
You can save money by buying hay directly out of a field, and there is always savings when buying hay in large quantities.
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we tested at NC State. Using a front-end loader on a tractor, or a spear attached to a 3-point hitch on the rear PTO, you can lift a small round bale and shove it into this container, which protects it from rain and mold,” says Mowrey. Horses eat from both open ends. This allows more horses to have access to the hay at once and cuts feed loss and wastage from the typical 30% wasted (when feeding round bales) down to less than 5% waste per bale. If you don’t have equipment to deal with round bales, a spear can be added to the top of a box blade. “Most farms have a tractor blade attachment for scraping the road, plowing snow, etc. and you can put the spear on this. The box blade acts like a catch on the bottom of the bale and the spear is mounted on the top of the blade. Most small 30-horsepower tractors, like people use for pulling a manure spreader or blading the road, can move a small round bale on a front-end loader or 3-point hitch. You can’t lift it very high to stack the bales, but can move them around,” explains Mowrey. Bob Coleman, Equine Extension Specialist (Department of Animal Science, University of Kentucky) says that using hay feeders helps control waste, compared to just dumping the bales out in the pen or pasture. “Studies at Texas Tech showed that horses utilize
E Q U I N E AT H L E T E
35% more from a feeder, versus no feeder, especially in a protected area like a shed,” he says. Even more is wasted if the bale is outside, subjected to spoilage from weather. Without a feeder, horses pull hay from the bale, step on it, and then won’t eat it. “Another thing you can do is feed only the amount they need,” says Coleman. The average 1000pound horse requires 2% of his body weight in forage (20 pounds) daily. You can’t regulate intake with big bales fed free choice, but you can when feeding small square bales, by figuring weight of the bales and daily feeding the proper amount. Many people overfeed. If they have two horses, and 60-pound bales, they often think it’s easier just to throw a bale to the horses rather than taking time to portion it out or make it last, says Coleman. But when money is tight, taking time to figure each horse’s needs becomes higher priority. “Is an hour of your time worth saving hay at $300 per ton? Some people feed concentrates to try to extend their hay, but this only works if you can control hay intake,” says Coleman. If you use round bales in a feeder, you may have to make them clean it up. Some horses will eventually eat the hay they’ve stepped on but some are fussier and if they are hard-keepers and fussy they may start to lose weight. “The biggest problem with round bales is how to control consumption. This can be difficult,” he says. There are pluses and minuses to using large bales and this is one of the drawbacks, since most horses tend to be gluttons and eat more than they need.” Another way to save feed costs is for several horse owners to go together and form a co-op to buy hay or commercial bags of feed in bulk, at lower prices by the ton (rather than by the bale or sack), and share shipping expenses. If you don’t want to deal with big round bales, and must use the more expensive small square bales, it pays to buy large shipments, or buy it directly out of the field. “If you contract 1000 bales out of the field, this works better for the producer and you can often pay a lower price,” says Freeman. You and your neighbors can get together and haul it. There are people who buy in bulk (at lesser cost) and turn around to sell hay at higher price to horsemen who only want 10 bales. There is always a savings when buying hay in large quantities. “Consider building a pole barn to store hay,” says Mowrey. “If you can buy hay $2 to $2.50 cheaper per bale in summer out of the field—versus paying more
in winter, this savings will build a barn. Thirty years ago a horse breeder in North Carolina was using 90 tons per year. Hay at that time was $1.50 per bale out of the field versus $3.50 or more during winter. He paid for construction of his hay barn in less than two years, just from savings on hay.” A small operation could justify a smaller shed to store 20 to 40 tons of hay--a year’s supply for six to 10 horses that don’t have pasture. A hay shed doesn’t need sides—just a roof with enough width to keep moisture from running down the sides of the stack. “A co-op could contribute to building a large hay barn, where hay for farms in your neighborhood could be stored,” says Mowrey. This can be a business investment for the farm that owns the land where the shed is built, leasing out space to other horse owners. If you are shipping it in, hay can go to one location to be unloaded. “This makes it cheaper (per ton) than buying small amounts from a middleman, and you can split the hay with your neighbors,” says Coleman. Working together can often save money, and pooling can create alliances and friendships. This can be a positive spin-off from hard times. Neighbors can create a buying co-op. “Horse owners could pay their hay money to the co-op, and one check from the co-op could pay for hay,” says Coleman. This arrangement might be more attractive to a hay dealer or hauler than having 10 people show up with 10 checks. Freeman says the level of success in any
Keeping hay out of the elements will save a lot of money over time. Using square bales rather than round bales is easier to portion.
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POLO SCENE
N E W S • NO T E S • T R E N D S • Q U O T E S
RACING HEAD TO POLO Two polo entries crowned Subhead champion at TB Makeover
CANTER CLIX
MAKING UP for lost time, the Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover was back bigger and
CANTER CLIX
Mike Groubert and That’s My Bertie were the 2020 champions in the polo division.
Benjamin Lynch and Ramses won the 2021 championship in the polo division.
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better than ever after COVID-19 forced a postponement of the 2020 edition. Taking place at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, Oct. 12-17, both 2020 and 2021 competitions were held, with champions crowned for each year. Competitors, 12 years or older, choose an off-the-track Thoroughbred to train in one of 10 disciplines. Trainers can register as a professional, junior or amateur. Horses must have raced on or after July 1 of the previous year. Training for the horse’s second career cannot begin before Dec. 1 of the previous year other than up to 15 allowable rides or training sessions, introducing discipline-specific skills. Over $100,000 in prize money is offered in the competition, with a champion crowned in each discipline. The 10 champions compete for the overall Thoroughbred Makeover champion. In the polo competition, four horses were initially entered for the 2020 edition, including Sara Kolenda’s Barwin; Willowbrook Polo’s That’s My Bertie; John Van Schaick’s Avabella; and Courtney Asdourian’s Quiet Dillon. In the end, Avabella was withdrawn and Quiet Dillon was sold prior to the competition, leaving just two. The win went to Willowbrook Polo’s That’s My Bertie (Baptistry - Fat Cat Bertie, by Tactical Cat), a 4-year-old Ohio-bred dark bay mare, trained by Mike and Andrea Groubert. The mare also was named Top Team horse. “This is our second year at the RRP Thoroughbred Makeover as a team, but we produce our horses together at home,” said Mike Groubert. “It’s a good feeling to finally win it!” Lindsey Partridge’s gray Kentucky-bred mare, Thunderous Affair was the overall 2020 Thoroughbred Makeover Champion. The pair competed in both freestyle and competitive trail. Willowbrook Polo also had two of the seven entries in the 2021 edition: Flugel Binder and Honest Gal. Other entries were Benjamin Lynch’s Ramses; Graci Brush’s Whateverusaydear, Lori Summers’ Hot Wine; Mary Wright’s Family Ties; and Miguel Questel’s Oxbow Flows. Entries were tested in both short work and stick and ball, with the top scoring horses advancing to a two-part final performance. Lynch’s Ramses (Pioneer of the Nile - Dancing House, by Tapit) received the highest score to take the polo division championship. Bred by Godolphin in Kentucky, the 3-year-old bay gelding also was named Best Conditioned and Lynch was named Top Amateur. A University of Kentucky graduate, Lynch was pleased with the gelding’s performance. “It’s been a great time having him. He’s a really easytempered horse,” he said. “It was wonderful for Godolphin to give him to me, and he was actually bred at Stonerside Farm where I work.” Donna Verrilli’s grey Maryland-bred gelding Forthegreatergood, ridden by Laura Sloan, was the overall 2021 Thoroughbred Makeover Champion. The pair competed in field hunters.
POLO SCENE
HEAD OLD ISSubhead NEW AGAIN Magazine revamp to debut in 2022
THE TRIANGLE AREA POLO CLUB text text AFTER 25 YEARS, Polo Players’ Edition is returning to its roots, taking its original title, Polo. It is also
D. JEAN VARGARA
undergoing a major redesign and changing its frequency. The new-and-improved magazine will debut in 2022. The longest running polo publication worldwide in the history of the sport, it is distributed in 17 countries and, as the official publication of the USPA, it goes to every member, as well as other fans throughout the world. It is available in both print and digital editions. What makes the magazine unique is that, by-and-large, the stories are written by horsemen and polo players. Rather than focusing only on the glitz and glamour associated with just a very small segment of the sport, it covers all aspects of the sport from low goal to high goal. It has been listed as one of the top member benefits in several USPA surveys. In an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, the magazine will go from being published monthly to bi-monthly, with its first issue debuting in February. The magazine will include more pages and, though the design will be updated, we will continue to chronicle tournament victories, as well as include useful articles on horse care, field care, youth polo, polo news and how-to articles and in-depth articles on major events, players, clubs and more. Polo magazine launched in May 1975 by Ami Shinitzky. In March 1995, he was looking to move on so he hired Peter Rizzo as associate publisher and Gwen Rizzo as editor-at-large and schooled them in publishing a magazine. Peter Rizzo had been a contributor dating back to the first issues when he was attending George Washington University. In November 1995, Peter took over as editor and publisher. Shinitzky’s involvement with the magazine came to an end in 1997 when John Goodman’s Westchester Media bought the rights to Polo. Under Westchester Media, Polo was transformed from a magazine for polo insiders into an upscale lifestyle magazine with only a garnish of polo—less for the people on horseback as for the people under big hats in the stands. Polo in its new form was published from October 1997 until October 1999, when, after lengthy court battles with Polo Ralph Lauren, it closed its doors. While Polo became the lifestyle magazine, a monthly players’ edition carried the torch from Shinitzky’s original magazine. The first issue of Polo Players’ Edition was printed in September 1997, with Peter as publisher and Gwen as editor. Gwen was promoted to editor and associate publisher in August 2002 and finally to editor and publisher in June 2004. In 2012, USPA purchased the naming rights to Polo and Polo Players’ Edition from Westchester Media, with Gwen Rizzo publishing it as an independent contractor. Polo will now be part of the USPA’s Communications Department to closer align its coverage and consistency. Gwen Rizzo will continue as editor & publisher. The USPA is also working on a searchable digital archive of all issues of Polo and Polo Players Edition that will be available to all members in the near future.
Gwen Rizzo will continue on as Polo editor & publisher.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 19
POLO SCENE
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A MASTERPIECE Historic polo field returns to the players
THE OAK BROOK POLO CLUB in Oak Brook, Illinois, recently announce it has entered into a long-
Oak Brook Polo Club will return to its original Cecil Smith Field next summer.
term agreement with the Village of Oak Brook to move and host polo operations and competition on the Cecil Smith Field (Field No. 2) beginning summer 2022, which marks its 100th season. Located on Butler National Golf Club’s practice golf range, the field is widely known in the sport as a historic and beautiful space. Polo club founder Paul Butler called the field a masterpiece in a 1962 Sports Illustrated article. Some of the sport’s most legendary and best players have competed on this storied pitch. Tucked away on The Village of Oak Brook’s Sports Core property, the field is the highest point in Oak Brook and is lined with large oak trees older than the field itself. During the height of the recession in 2009, the club struggled to find an organizer and as a result, the Village agreed to allow target golf greens to be installed on the field. This forced polo to be played on the Prince Wales of field (Field No. 1), which also operates as the Oak Brook Golf Club’s practice range. Even when an organizer returned in 2010, nothing changed. In the early 1990s, the polo community demoted Field No. 1 to a practice field due to flooding and costly repairs as a result. The conditions greatly affected polo for the next 12 years from an unsafe and unrepairable field to numerous canceled matches and seasons. “The future of polo in Oak Brook greatly depended on the club’s move to Cecil Smith,” explained club President Jim Drury. “Polo now has a brighter future on and off the field as we continue to work on returning our club to its original glory while ushering in a new generation of fans, players and new ideas. And what greater time for this to occur than on the eve of Oak Brook Polo Club’s 100th Anniversary. Village founder Paul Butler would be thrilled and overjoyed to see polo return to its ‘masterpiece field’ and original home for Sunday polo festivities.” Oak Brook Polo was privatized from the Village of Oak Brook in 2016 and is led and supported by Drury, whose passion and ongoing commitment to polo is what has kept the sport alive in Chicagoland for so long. It is one of the nation’s oldest polo clubs in operation today and the fourth oldest sports property in Chicago. With many iterations over the years, the first season dates back to 1922 when polo visionary Paul Butler first established the Oak Brook Polo Club. He expanded his polo operation to 14 fields, plus built the necessary stables to serve visiting teams. Eventually, Oak Brook became one of the polo capitals of the world with Butler’s son, famed producer Michael Butler, and daughter, philanthropist Jorie Butler Kent, acting as the club’s stewards through the years. The summer seasons were not only the stomping ground for celebrities and notables alike for decades, but also the destination for American polo players and enthusiasts. Oak Brook was often referred to as “The Town That Polo Built.”
CORRECTION In our story on the Westchester Cup in our last issue we incorrectly wrote Pelon Escapite’s family is from Argentina. His family is from Mexico. We regret the error.
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POLO SCENE
HOSPITAL HELP
AFTER A YEAR’S hiatus because of the pandemic, the Summer Polo Benefit
NIC TININENKO FOR CHUKKER TV
Aspen Valley Polo Club raises $500k for local foundation
at Aspen Valley Polo Club raised more than $500,000 for the Aspen Valley Hospital Foundation. The club’s summer marquis event, hosted by owners Marc and Melissa Ganzi and Aspen Valley Hospital, held the capacity to 200 VIP attendees adhering to COVID safety precautions, but still managed to raise the second highest total since the event was created in 2016. “That was kind of a surprise,” said Deborah Breen, Aspen Valley Hospital Foundation president and CEO. “At one point when we were planning this early-on I was thinking, let’s not lose money. We didn’t know how many people we were going to be able accommodate or how many people would be willing to come to an event while we were still grappling with COVID and still are. “We were just delighted that people stepped up in such a big way and helped out,” Breen continued. “As per usual the players just jumped in, in a great way. Nacho Figueras was great. He auctioned himself off three times and brought in $60,000 alone. Nic Roldan also did a package where he offered to do a private lesson for up to six and a champagne picnic with them. They were just great. “We had a couple of trips that sold, including a trip to Bordeaux (France), that was the top auction item and sold for over $16,000. We had some other great packages from a lot of businesses. The community really stepped up to support some great sponsors, including Gucci and Lugano Diamonds. It was just a really great community event.” Guest auctioneer John Sarpa, chair of the Aspen Valley Hospital Foundation board of directors, served as emcee. The fun, day-long event was held Aug. 22 during the finals of the Rocky Mountain Open, won by Casablanca (Marc Ganzi, Grant Ganzi, Gonzalito Pieres, Torito Ruiz), and Carbondale Classic, won by White Claw (Waqqas al-Siddiq, Vinny Sangaline, Gonzalito Pieres, Nacho Badiola). It was a winning combination of polo, sponsors, donors and live auction between matches raising much-needed funding for hospital projects. Alpine Bank and Vectra Bank were the event’s top two sponsors. Martin Engineering, Crown Chocolate, The Steadman Clinic and Steadman Philippon Research Institute and Lugano Diamonds were major supporters. Several other businesses and individuals provided special underwriting support. Guests in the field side VIP tent enjoyed a lavish menu prepared with white-glove service and impeccable attention to detail by Caribou Catering. The Aspen Valley Hospital Foundation, now in its ninth year after being formed in 2012, is a non-profit solely focused on encouraging philanthropic support for the current and future needs of Aspen Valley Hospital. Breen was named the foundation’s first president in January 2013 after working in the philanthropic field for 17 years. “It just continues to grow and gain traction, and we are thrilled to be a part of it and honored to be working with the Ganzis,” Breen said. “They always go above and beyond. They are so gracious and welcoming.” Five years ago Breen and Event Chair Melissa Ganzi decided to turn the Community Day, celebrating its anniversary, into something special with a “build it, they will come” mentality. —Sharon Robb
Guest auctioneer John Sarpa and Hospital Foundation President and CEO Deborah Breen
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 21
POLO SCENE
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GROUNDBREAKING Work to Ride arena to be completed by 2023
RECENTLY, Work to Ride, a nonprofit organization that provides horsemanship education and
A rendering of the new Work to Ride equestrian arena that is slated to be completed by 2023.
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equine sports training to youth from under-resourced communities, hosted a groundbreaking ceremony and launched the public phase of its $8 million capital campaign to renovate The Chamounix Equestrian Center in Fairmount Park. The organization announced that it has already raised over $5.4 million for the project, which will update its existing outdoor riding arena and create an indoor equestrian arena for local, regional and national equestrian events. . Lezlie Hiner, WTR founder & executive director, told event attendees, “The Work to Ride barn has been a home away from home for young people from nearby dense urban communities for nearly 30 years. They have learned to ride, worked hard for the privilege, and have opened up amazing new possibilities for their lives.” She continued, “The proposed indoor arena and renovations will allow us to expand our program to reach even more young people who can benefit from the experience.” Kareem Rosser, a board member and alumnus of Work to Ride told guests, “This program is absolutely life-changing. Students who participate not only grow as athletes but develop life skills and lessons that follow them into adulthood.” Now a financial analyst, Rosser participated in Work to Ride as a young boy and used the skills he acquired to become 2015 Polo Training Foundation Male Intercollegiate Polo Player of the Year. He tells the story of his remarkable polo journey in his recently published memoir, “Crossing the Line: A Fearless Team of Brothers and the Sport that Changed Their Lives Forever.” Rosser shared the WTR board’s vision for the program. “Beyond serving the youth of Philadelphia, our dream is that our demonstration program will inspire others to provide similar offerings so that one day every city will have its own Work to Ride program.” The McCausland Foundation is one of several leadership donors to the project. Peter Ernst, president & CEO of the McCausland Foundation said, “The McCausland family has been honored to support the Work to Ride program since 2017. We were delighted to hear of the plans for the new facility and the ways that this campaign will enable many more children to experience the benefits of Work to Ride for years to come. Congratulations.” WTR is one of only a handful of programs throughout the country that use equine sports to improve the life prospects and outcomes of urban youth. Recent success stories include 2016 graduate Shariah Harris, who received a scholarship to Cornell University and in 2017, became the first African American female to play 20-goal polo; and Daymar Rosser, who with his teammates at Roger Williams University, won the 2017 USPA National Intercollegiate Polo Championship. Founded in 1994, WTR has impacted the lives of hundreds of kids through its year-round, evidenceinformed, equestrian programs that promote discipline, self-esteem, motivation, social development, life skills, academic achievement and physical fitness. Student participants work to clean and maintain the stables and care for the horses in exchange for lessons in various equine sports, of which polo is a perennial favorite. Three WTR players made history by becoming the first all-Black team to win the National Interscholastic Polo Championship in 2011. To donate go to: worktoride.net.
POLO SCENE
BRAY BABY Congratulations to Hayley and Jesse Bray, who welcomed their first child, Dorothy Lily, on Oct. 19, in Santa Barbara, California. She weighed in at 6 pounds, 9 ounces and was 19.5 inches long. Mom Hayley is USPA player development program manager, while dad Jesse is a professional 6-goal player. Grandparents on each side, both polo families, are thrilled with the new bundle of joy.
FAMINE TO FEAST
WrightWay Polo instructor Elizabeth Holson checks out field conditions at Cerro Pampa Polo Club after 9 inches of rain.
For the past three years, Cerro Pampa Polo Club in Petaluma, California, has been dealing with drought conditions, requiring water to be trucked in to irrigate the polo field. That all changed on Oct. 24 when 9 inches of rain fell, turning the field into a lake. Despite having to cancel the last weekend of polo for the season, the rain was most welcome after three years of drought.
CLUB CANCELS SEASON Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, recently announced via email to its players and members that it entered into a long-term lease with Coachella Music Festival, the company that puts on the Coachella and Stagecoach Music Festivals, effective Nov. 1. After almost 40 years, the club, which had a full schedule of leagues planned for this winter, will close its doors effective immediately. Sadly, the club’s 16 grass polo fields will no longer be used for polo. The club also includes an arena, three exercise tracks and stabling and turnout for hundreds of horses.
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
Thank you! Player Development Committee chairs appreciated By United States Polo Association
Alongside volunteer committee members, the Player Development Committee and Subcommittee chairs had a busy and successful year. Looking forward to 2022, the committees will continue to collaborate to provide training and playing opportunities for young USPA members. Mason Wroe—Team USPA
Mason Wroe, a native Texan and 4-goal player, participated in the Team USPA program and was a member of the 2011 USA FIP team as well as a 2015 silver medalist on the USA FIP team. As a professional, Wroe has competed and won tournaments at the highest levels including the Joe Barry Memorial and Iglehart and Ylvisaker Cups. During his college career at Texas A&M, Wroe took home the national championship title in 2007. His wide range of experience both on the field and 24 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
coaching led him to Sarasota Polo Club where he resides as the head polo professional during the winter months. Wroe’s intimate knowledge of the current professional polo climate and experience with high-level training have been invaluable to the new direction of the Team USPA program. Tiger Kneece—Junior Committee
Tiger Kneece is a former 7-goal player who now resides in Aiken, South Carolina horse country. During his 25-year tenure as a professional polo player, Kneece won the coveted U.S. Open, Gold Cup, Monty Waterbury, Silver Cup and Copper Cup. His talent on the field led him to playing opportunities across the globe including Canada, Mexico, England, Switzerland, Germany, South Africa and Australia. Kneece excels at training polo ponies and runs a polo school aptly named Polo Adventures.
P O L O D E V E L O P M E N T, L L C
Kneece and his wife, Susie, work in tandem running the Aiken Polo Club as polo manager and director of marketing. He 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. Aiken Youth Polo is home to a girls’ and open high school team, a men’s and women’s USC Aiken team and a group of younger players coming up in the ranks. Kneece looks forward to working with the Junior Committee to encourage young players to stay involved in the sport long term.
games and tournaments all over the country. As a player herself, Stimmel is encouraged by the rapid growth of women’s polo in recent years. Her expertise in training, horsemanship and experience with youth polo have been an asset to the development of the YPO program. Chrys Beal—NYTS Subcommittee
Carolyn Stimmel—Young Player Opportunity Grant Subcommittee
Carolyn Stimmel was introduced to polo at a Joel Baker and Corky Linfoot clinic held in the California desert in 1983. Shortly after, Stimmel met her future husband and professional polo player Harley Stimmel. As the family expanded to include four boys, their passion for the sport grew. Dinnertime conversations include training techniques and hitting pointers among the group. Working together to train and tune up their horses is a family affair. Stimmel fondly remembers the intercollegiate/ interscholastic years as she spent many hours teaching, coaching and traveling with her boys to
Chrys Beal picked up a mallet and began playing polo in Midland, Texas, in 1999 after watching her husband, Kelly Beal, and his father, Carlton Beal, play for over 20 years. Currently, Beal plays in Houston, Texas, and Big Horn, Wyoming. Beal has been an active volunteer with USPA for many years and across several divisions. She currently serves as a governor-at-large, and member of the Women’s and Safety Committees. She is former chair of the Junior Committee and is the current chair of the NYTS Subcommittee. Developing the NYTS program has been a highlight of Beal’s tenure with the Junior Committee. “The opportunity to give young polo players an opportunity and structure to play has been the greatest highlight of my years with the USPA,” reflected Beal. Beal accomplished one of her long-term goals for the NYTS program in 2021, welcoming four girls’ teams and four open teams to the NYTS National Championship in Chicago, Illinois. Beal looks forward to continuing to improve the NYTS program going forward. • 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
Welcome! Two new intercollegiate polo programs established By Emily Dewey
LARRY JOHNSON
knew that we couldn’t miss the opportunity. What are you most looking forward to in joining the I/I program? We are looking forward to competing against other intercollegiate teams! Since we all played in I/I throughout high school, the opportunity to play in college will allow us to grow as players and competitors in a familiar environment. Joining the I/I program also means polo players applying to college will have UC Davis on their radar. We hope that more players will consider joining us at UC Davis now that polo is back!
UC Davis Davis, California Sutter Buttes Polo Club Coach: Bonnie Magill
Lili Gonzalez and Marisa Carelli (shown above) competed against each other as interscholastic players, and have now come together, along with Maya Tantuwaya, to resurrect the UC Davis team. Gonzalez explains how they joined forces: How did you get started? What sparked the interest? All three of us [Marisa Carelli, Lili Gonzalez, Maya Tantuwaya] come from an interscholastic polo background, so when senior year of high school rolled around, we only had one thing on our mind when picking out colleges—polo! Unfortunately, UC Davis has been without an official polo team for some time. But when Marisa found out that we would be joining Maya, a fourth year, we all knew that this was the year Davis polo was coming back for good. The stars had aligned for us and we 26 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Words of advice to other schools starting programs? Have perseverance and be resourceful! Starting a club at a university can be a daunting process in terms of navigating school policies and paperwork, but don’t be discouraged. When it comes to gathering the support and resources needed to run a polo club, networking is key. Once we started posting online about our return to I/I polo, we were met with overwhelming support from Davis alumni. Our alumni have been our cheerleaders and have graciously donated their time, expertise, and polo equipment to help us succeed. I would also suggest that any starting club take advantage of the many USPA grants and programs for I/I players. What do you want future recruits to know about your school and team? UC Davis is ranked No. 4 out of all public universities in the United States by Forbes Magazine. It is also home to some of the best undergraduate agricultural programs in the country and the best veterinary school in the world. The polo program at UC Davis began in the 1970s and is the alma mater of some big names in polo, such as Cindy Halle, Erik Wright, Jessica Bailey and the Walton brothers. UC Davis used to be a powerhouse in I/I polo, and we intend to carry on that tradition. Applications to UC Davis don’t close until Nov. 30, so there’s still time for graduating seniors to apply!
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
Trinity University Austin, Texas San Antonio Polo Club Coach: Pat MacLeod
play with some who have played a long time, as well as beginners like them. They all seem to look for each other. The camaraderie between the teams has been fantastic.
How did you get started? What sparked the interest? Our mission is to keep polo going in San Antonio. We have an interscholastic team and wanted to introduce more young players to the game. Our club has had many alumni from Trinity University through the years. We decided to reach out to Trinity University. Ironically Paul Wright, a staff member at TU and son-in-law of Roy Barry, approached us around the same time to inquire about starting a university team.
Words of advice to other schools starting programs? It always helps to have a core group of great kids that are very enthusiastic. As our club provides all horses and tack for the team, it was easy to get a group of about 20 to start. The core group is eight players. It’s also very important to have a university that believes in our mission. They have been very helpful in everything we are doing.
What are you most looking forward to in joining the I/I program? The I/I program provides a great system to get clubs together to work and play. Great organization and staff makes it possible for our team to be part of something much bigger. Our kids get to meet and
What do you want future recruits to know about your school and team? We are all one big family and everyone will get to play. Our club members welcome all the I/I players and we have Novice Cup matches and coaching chukkers all the time. We want you to play, not watch other people play. • POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 27
Party On! Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships celebrate 10 years Photos by Steve Hooper & Bruce Yeung
Jared Sheldon and Nic Roldan battle in the Molina Cup.
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The supersized Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships: Presented by Talking Stick Resort, wrapped up its 10th Anniversary on the polo field at WestWorld of Scottsdale, Oct. 23, with a celebration of new teams, new victories and new attendees. More than 12,000 fans turned out for the event that welcomed teams from Arizona, Aspen Valley, Argentina, Colombia, as well as Wellington, Florida and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Ticket revenue increased this year more than 180% compared to 2019. The numbers were a pleasant site for The Polo Party’s Title Sponsor Bentley Scottsdale, which returned for its 7th year. “The festivities and the enthusiastic crowds were an incredible sight to see on Saturday,” said Beli
other top players from around the world. Sponsored by Edmiston, Aspen Valley—the nation’s fastest growing polo club—won an unprecedented sixth title Saturday in front of the largest crowd of the day. The team of Grant Ganzi, Melissa Ganzi and Nic Roldan/Juan Bollini defeated La Mariposa Argentina Polo Club (Martin Morey/Keri McKeone, Mariano Darritchon, Jared Shelton), 9-6, to win the coveted Molina Cup in the featured match. Trailing by two goals at the half, Aspen Valley rallied in the second half. Starter Nic Roldan, injured while hiking in the mountains, was unable to play in the second chukker and was replaced by Bollini. Melissa Ganzi scored four goals, all from the
Merdovic, GM of Bentley Scottsdale. “It’s a strong indication that the Valley and polo fans are ready to get out again and that they did by enjoying a great day of polo and luxury.” Among the new attractions were a complimentary zip line that greeted guests in the parking lot for an enjoyable ride to the front entrance and a morning beer festival, featuring specially selected collections of stouts, sours, porters, ales and others, that greeted polo goers upon entry into the all-day event. The event featured four great matches with top players, including polo legend Nic Roldan as well as Melissa Ganzi and son Grant Ganzi, along with
field, and was named MVP. “It’s always fun to play with my mom,” said Grant Ganzi, brand ambassador for Casablanca, who also scored four goals, all on penalty shots, including a 60-yarder. “It’s nice to always play with her and even against her.” Aspen Valley Polo Club’s sister club, Grand Champions Polo Club, based in Wellington, Florida, with KC Schmeits, Vinny Sangaline and Juan Bollini also came up big with a 7-3 victory over Bogota (Diego Flores, Robert Herrero, Andres Camacho). Bollini scored five goals, including three penalty shots, and Sangaline added two goals.
Grand Champions’ Vinny Sangaline knocks the ball out of the air in the game against Bogota.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 29
A contestant in the Canine Couture Dog Fashion Show Jet Set Polo’s Julia Kline
More than 12,000 fans attended the event at WestWorld of Scottsdale.
In other games: Arizona Polo Club (Abi Slater, Vinay Bangalore, Alejandro Pompo) defeated Medellin Polo Club (Courtney Parker/Natalie Camacho, Felipe Ochoa, Stephen Bentz, Emilio Urrea), 11-5; and Santa Fe, New Mexico (Jerome
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Drake, John Welsh, Jared Sheldon) defeated Jet Set Polo (Julia Kline, Leigh Medaris, Dayella Fargey), 6-5. Aspen Valley Polo Club’s Melissa Ganzi says Scottsdale’s extravagant Polo Party has helped increase polo’s exposure and popularity.
Abi Slater handles the bouncing ball.
“I think anything that gains traction for the sport and brings more eyes or more views in today’s world with digital and social media is good for the sport,” Ganzi said. “I hadn’t played in front of a crowd like that in a while,” she continued. “It was a great event. I was happy to be out there and happy to play. I had a fun time playing in front of a fun crowd. They did a really good job this year.” The sport of polo is always the centerpiece of The Polo Party. Event founder and Scottsdale public relations executive Jason Rose continues to raise the bar every year since he started the event in 2011 and this year was no exception as many new sponsors joined the festivities like Draft Kings, Go Puff and Cayman Islands. In addition to polo, fans enjoyed rugby and lacrosse matches and the favored Canine Couture Dog Fashion Show presented by Lugari Pet Salon; the World’s Longest Catwalk Fashion Show on Grass produced by Phoenix Fashion Week; a preview of Barrett-Jackson’s 2022 Car Collector Scottsdale Auction; and halftime performances by the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show. •
Jared Sheldon keeps the ball from Juan Bollini, who took over for an injured Nic Roldan in the Molina Cup.
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Queens of the Court Rocking P wins Texas Women’s Open By United States Polo Association • Photos by David Murrell
MVP Mili Sanchez, on Best Playing Pony Pro London, shoots to goal while being challenged by Engel & Völkers’ KC Krueger.
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Concluding an exceptional weekend of elite women’s polo in the Houston area, the Texas Women’s Open final, Nov. 14, featured undefeated Engel & Völkers Houston (Grace Mudra, Lily Lequerica, KC Krueger, Sarah Wiseman) against Rocking P (Bridget Price, Summer Kneece, Maitena Marre, Mili Sanchez), a team they had defeated previously in open play. After giving up a three-goal lead in their first-round loss to Engel & Völkers Houston, Rocking P was in search of redemption, preparing tirelessly for their second opportunity in Sunday’s final. “We probably watched the film six times and said, ‘if we play them again, we’re beating them,’” Bridget Price stated. Ultimately Rocking P’s preparation and determination came to fruition on Farish field at Houston Polo Club in Houston, Texas, as they claimed the trophy, 6-5½. Showcasing a youthful line-up of four players all aged 21-and-under, Rocking P entered the rematch against Engel & Völkers Houston with half goal on handicap, but fell victim to a slow start. Running downfield on the opening play of the game, Krueger left the ball in the goal mouth for Lequerica to take the shot and give Engel & Völkers Houston the early lead. For the second consecutive play, Krueger and Lequerica’s connection resulted in a goal, leaving Rocking P trailing by two before two minutes had come off the clock. Settling in, Rocking P found the scoreboard on an impressive hook and back shot from Kneece, who was playing women’s high-goal for the first time. “These ladies are so good,” Kneece said. “I feel like I’m learning from the best players, every single one of them.” Facing a 4-1½ deficit at the end of the first chukker but armed with a renewed defensive focus, Rocking P held Engel & Völkers Houston off the score sheet in the second chukker, allowing them to cut into the lead before the end of the half. Despite missing two penalty attempts, Rocking P came within two after Sanchez shot through traffic to leave the score, 4-2½, entering halftime. Determined to make their comeback attempt, Rocking P raced out of halftime with the guidance of coaches Tiger Kneece and Marcos Villanueva and the strong play of Marre and Sanchez. “Maitena and I can do a lot because we know each other from Argentina,” Sanchez said. “We play together a lot and have the confidence to tell each other things so it’s very good.” Sanchez contributed back-to-back goals, including a run off a pass from Marre, allowing Rocking P to
hold their first lead of the game with the handicap advantage, 5½-5. Rocking P turned their attention to the fourth chukker, hoping for a different outcome than their previous contest against Engel & Völkers Houston. For nearly four minutes of play, all eight players were closely marked with their defenders consistently on their hips to maintain the half-goal difference in favor of Rocking P. Running down the left side of the field on London, Sanchez raced past her defender and completed the goal to extend Rocking P’s lead to one and a half. Not looking back for the remainder of the game, Rocking P secured the 6½-5 victory to claim the Texas Women’s Open. A mainstay in women’s polo, Rocking P was set to compete in the 2020 U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship semifinals before COVID-19 postponed the remainder of the tournament. They also opted out of the 2020 edition of the Texas Women’s Open. “We took a break last year because of COVID-19,” Price explained. “Rocking P’s been in the tournament pretty much every year so when we came back I got to play with great teammates.” Her father Carl added, “My daughter Courtney [Price] has won this tournament and now it’s
Rocking P’s Summer Kneece gets to the ball just ahead of Engel & Völkers’ Grace Mudra.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 33
Engel & Völkers’ Lily Lequerica, riding Best Playing Pony Amateur Mike, holds off Rocking P’s Maitena Marre while moving the ball downfield.
Bridget’s turn. It’s the best feeling ever!” Assembling the team was a challenge after travel restrictions from England and a broken ankle led to Marre and Sanchez traveling from Argentina. “We talked to Tiger and planned it last year [with Summer Kneece], and got Maitena and Mili from Argentina, which was really thrilling because not a lot of girls from Argentina have come down before,” explained Bridget after the victory. Rocking P mounted three of their players with nine homebreds. “We have been breeding for a while and selling horses here in Texas,” said Villanueva, who, aside from a coach, is manager of Rocking P. “We knew we had the horses, and the girls were playing great.”
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Joining the team for the first time, and instrumental in bringing Marre from Argentina, Sanchez spoke to the experience of joining the Rocking P team. “I’m very grateful to Rocking P, Marcos Villanueva and the whole organization who first had this in mind,” Sanchez said. “This is the first time I have played here in Texas and the truth is I’m very happy because the Texas Women’s Open is a very good tournament and it’s great to compete with friends.” Making a two-day trip, Summer Kneece brought her own horses after a successful Aiken season. “We were lucky because Aiken’s season had just ended,” Tiger Kneece explained. “All the horses were
fit, they were already playing and we just packed them up and brought them.” At just 16 years of age, Summer Kneece has had an exceptional year, winning the Girls’ National Interscholastic Championship, National Youth Tournament Series Girls’ Championship and now the Texas Women’s Open. “It means a lot because I’ve seen Rocking P play in this tournament for years, and to be on the team and win is a wonderful opportunity and experience!” Summer Kneece exclaimed. Scoring four goals, including three during Rocking P’s run in the second half, Sanchez was named Most Valuable Player. “The strategy was creating space and it was essential to go in with a lot of fire because it was a very difficult game,” Sanchez said. “We were unlucky at first, but I don’t know if we changed anything because we improved minute by minute.” Best Playing Pony Professional honors were presented to London, an 11-year-old homebred mare owned by Rocking P and played by Sanchez in the third and fourth chukkers. Sanchez was able to score the impressive goal in the fourth chukker on London which secured the victory. “This is the second time she’s won Best Playing Pony here in the women’s tournaments,” Carl Price
said. “Sarah Wiseman played her the first time she was named Best Playing Pony.” Best Playing Pony Amateur went to Lily Lequerica’s 13-year-old gelding Mike, bred by LA Waters Quarter Horses and registered with AQHA under the name Charro Cowboy. Finished by Lequerica’s horse-trainer parents CJ and Sheila Lequerica, Mike has been a part of the family since Lequerica was a young girl. “He’s always been my No. 1 and I always play him in the fourth” Lequerica said. “Mike has the best mouth and he’s very chill. Every time I go to a man, I’ve never lost a ride-off on him.” Taking a moment to relish their victory, the Rocking P champions will quickly move into their next endeavors with Sanchez and Marre traveling back to Argentina to prepare for the Women’s Argentine Open, where Sanchez will play on La Irenita alongside American Hope Arellano. Bridget Price will move right into interscholastic play next weekend. “It’s one thing after another, so we’ll shut down until after Thanksgiving and then immediately start practice for arena polo,” Carl Price said. “But tonight we’ll celebrate this accomplish with an asado with [Engel & Völkers Houston] and have a great time.” •
Rocking P’s Maitena Marre, Mili Sanchez, Summer Kneece and Bridget Price won the Texas Women’s Open.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 35
Ketel One’s Athena Malin, Carter Nix, Stephanie Colburn, Joanie Jackson and Tiamo Hudspeth celebrate their U.S. Open Women’s Handicap victory.
Taking a Shot Ketel One Botanical captures U.S. Open Women’s Handicap By United States Polo Association • Photos by David Murrell
Overcoming 11 competitive teams in preliminary play, a semifinal injury and last-minute strategy and roster adjustments, Ketel One Botanical (Tiamo Hudspeth, Stephanie Massey Colburn, Carter Nix, Athena Malin, sub. Chloe Torres, sub. Joanie Jackson) persevered to reach the U.S. Open Women’s Handicap final hosted by Houston Polo Club in Houston, Texas. Losing Athena Malin early in the semifinal match, Ketel One Botanical pivoted with Chloe Torres, and narrowly prevented an overtime chukker on a Penalty 2 from Tiamo Hudspeth to advance. Switching gears with Joanie Jackson taking over for Torres in the final, Ketel One Botanical met T Squared Energy (Emma Tooth, Grace Parker, Carin Middleton, Kaile Roos) Nov. 13 at Brookshire Polo Club in Brookshire, 36 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Texas. Preventing their skilled opponents from making a single field goal throughout the duration of the final, Ketel One Botanical rode away with the smooth victory, 5-½. Despite defensive pressure by T Squared Energy that started off with half goal on handicap, Ketel One Botanical was able to establish an early lead in the first chukker which they carried on throughout the remainder of the final. Proven to be solid from the penalty line and opening the scoring with a quick penalty conversion, team captain Hudspeth served her team well as a strong Back. “I was playing a forward position, but I decided to change it up when Joanie subbed for Athena, since she’s a little more of an offensive and forward player,” Hudspeth explained. “Joanie, Carter and Stephanie
just attacked, circled behind and I kept the back door shut and just kept trying to hit it up to them.” Falling into place on the field, Jackson picked up the ball left behind by Hudspeth and made a drive toward the posts. Although losing possession, Nix followed her up to complete the play and end the first with a field goal. Missing several penalty conversion opportunities, T Squared Energy struggled to land on the scoreboard as Ketel One Botanical breathed a sigh of relief. Each side showcasing excellent defensive skills, the scoreboard remained unchanged headed into halftime 2-0 in favor of Ketel One Botanical. Returning for the second half hopeful to make a turnaround, T Squared Energy’s penalty difficulty persisted when a Penalty 4 attempt bounced off a horse’s hind leg. Although consistent defense from both teams kept the scoreboard relatively low, Ketel One Botanical found an opportunity to slip from the tight pack and add another to the tally. Taking the ball behind Tooth, Colburn gained possession and quickly ran between the goal posts halfway through the third. Propelling Ketel One Botanical forward in the fourth chukker, Colburn remained the only player to score in the second half, her offensive momentum continuing all the way through the final seconds of regulation. “We were definitely on our stronger horses in the second half and were able to push through a little
faster and control the game better,” Colburn said. Jumping on a breakaway on Romeo, Colburn flew down the field ahead of Tooth to extend the lead. Now with the trophy plainly in sight, Colburn once again gained control of the ball and turned to run uncontested to goal as the clock ran out, sealing the win 5-0. “I think a big part of being successful in this tournament is just having a really well-balanced, talented team,” Colburn said. “Tiamo has so much horsepower and both Athena and Carter came all the way from California to play with us. Not only our team, but everyone put so much into this tournament and it means a lot to come out on top.” “I’m so happy we got the win for Athena!” Jackson exclaimed. “Her and I won the U.S. Open Women’s Handicap together in 2019 with BCI/Sullivan Group so it was fun to come back and win it again.” Although having to adjust to two substitutes unexpectedly during the tournament, this was not the first time the team’s original lineup had been altered. Hudspeth was originally asked by Carol Farnsworth to put a team together, but unfortunately Farnsworth broke her ankle in October. “A month out we got Meghan Gracida as a replacement, but two weeks before the tournament she found out she wasn’t able to make the dates,” Hudspeth said. “She and Memo [Gracida] still supported us and they’ve been coaching us through
Joanie Jackson and her Best Playing Pony Montana get out in front of Emma Tooth in the final.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 37
Governor-at-Large Steve Armour, Jenny Vargas, MVP Tiamo Hudspeth, Ketel One’s Sara Arias and Brooks Ballard
it. Then we got Athena and she got horses from the Millers, which we were really grateful for, and flew in last minute, practiced with us and has just been a gem.” Winning her first U.S. Open Women’s Handicap was extra special for Nix as she was able to do so with teammates she has always admired. “I’ve watched Tiamo play for years and I’ve always looked up to her as an idol in polo,” Nix shared. “I saw Stephanie when she played in India and I was like, ‘this woman is so cool.’ They’re players I’ve seen on the USPA’s Instagram. The fact that Tiamo reached out to me this summer and asked me to play, I immediately said, ‘Yeah! I’ll figure out the rest of the details, but yes, I’m in!’ Dayelle Fargey recommended me to this team so I owe all of this to her. It was so cool to play with and against people I’ve looked up to for so long.” Convinced to try polo by her cousins Molly and Louisa Musselman (Midland Polo Club), Nix immediately made the switch from jumping to polo after taking her first lesson in high school with Sunny Hale. Taking a gap year after her sophomore year to pursue polo, Nix is seeing the fruits of her labor. “Last year this was just a dream,” Nix said. “This past year I’ve worked really hard and I’ve groomed for several different pros. Some told me, ‘you’re always going to be a groom, just go back and finish college.’
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And here I am winning the U.S. Open Women’s Handicap on my first try so it feels really good!” Entering her junior year at Cal Poly, Nix has continued her intercollegiate career. Competing in the Texas Women’s Open with Tiamo Hudspeth for Anthonie’s Market Grill/ Lockton, Jackson was a logical choice to join Ketel One Botanical in the handicap final due to her history with the teammates. “I’ve played with Carter in the past on Houston Polo Club’s interscholastic team so I’ve played a lot with her and Tiamo,” Jackson said. “I’ve never played with Stephanie before, but I think because of my experience playing with those two and Stephanie being so easy and keen to do anything, we all just gelled.” Winning back-to-back titles, Colburn was equally happy to reunite with Hudspeth for their second U.S. Open Women’s Handicap win. “We first won this tournament nine years ago and it was a lot of fun playing and winning together again,” Colburn shared. “It’s been a really fun year since I have all my horses stabled with Tiamo [at San Ysidro Polo]. We’ve been preparing for this tournament together the last few months.” Best Playing Pony Professional honors were presented to 11-year-old Pringa, a McFaddin mare played by Hudspeth in the fourth chukker.
Tiamo Hudspeth and Sierra catch some air in the semifinal.
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Purchased and finished at San Ysidro Polo, Pringa is owned by Austin Beinhorn and San Ysidro. “Pringa was one of the prospects purchased by the ranch from a local Texas breeder,” Hudspeth said. “We got her when she was 5 years old and she’s been an anchor in this tournament since we’ve owned her. I’ve owned one of her full siblings and the ranch has also purchased several of her siblings that have been in the barn at different times and were sold. Pringa is the one we’re never selling. She’ll live out her days with us. We plan on taking some embryos from her this coming spring.” The Best Playing Pony Amateur blanket was presented to Montana, a chestnut mare played by Joanie Jackson in the fourth chukker. Sporting a flaxen mane and tail, Montana was purchased from Horsegate Ranch almost two years ago. “Montana’s a machine and an absolute unicorn,” Jackson gushed. “You get on her and you can play better. She makes getting the ball so easy and she’s so level. In the barn she’s very sweet and easy
going. As soon as you walk in the barn she is looking for treats. She’s one of a kind for sure.” Converting 78% of her penalty shots throughout the tournament, Hudspeth was named MVP. “This is the tournament I work all year round to prepare for. Along with the Texas Women’s Open, it’s the most important tournament of the year for me,” Hudspeth explained. “I think it’s an amazing opportunity to showcase women’s polo and to play on amazing fields with really good horses and women’s players from all over. The camaraderie between all these women is amazing.” Coming out on top in a field of 11 tough teams is no easy feat, yet Ketel One Botanical banded together and overcame every obstacle in its way on the journey to victory. “It was a little overwhelming. Anything can happen with so many good players, talented horses and the organizations that back them,” Colburn said. “It’s a very competitive tournament and it means a lot to have made it this far and be able to call ourselves champions.” •
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P O L O I N T H E PA M PA S
A Warrior Returns Triple Crown pre-season unites feuding families By Lucas Noel • Photos by Sergio Llamera
Fran Elizalde comes up short trying to hook Poroto Cambiaso in the San Jorge final.
The Argentine spring season began in early September with a special story. A triumph mixed the return of one of the most winning names of this century in Palermo with representatives of the new blood rising in the most important polo of all. Bartolomé ‘Lolo’ Castagnola was back to La Catedral at the age of 51 to share a team with his son Bartolomé Jr., his nephew Adolfo ‘Poroto’ Cambiaso and ‘Lukin’ Monteverde, son of Lucas Monteverde, a friend and former partner at La Dolfina. The combination was a resounding success for La Natividad in the 53rd Open of the Club Hípico Militar San Jorge—the San Jorge Open, a competition that inaugurates the high-goal season. “It had been five years since I last played and the truth is that I had planned not to play anymore, but
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doing it with the boys is a lot of fun. I didn’t want to come because I was out of shape, but they insisted and I came. I’m very happy. Coming back to Palermo and playing with them was a pleasure,” confessed Lolo once the tournament was over. In the team’s debut, they won 14-10 against La Dolfina BP, a line-up that included Adolfo Cambiaso, Diego Cavanagh, Alejo Taranco and Malaysian patron James Beh. The match was characterized by the amusing duels between the Cambiaso father and son and the crosses between the brothers-in-law Adolfo and Lolo, who shared several years and titles playing together on La Dolfina, but then distanced themselves when the Argentine multi-champion was reorganized. Castagnola and Cambiaso had been like brothers
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La Natividad’s Lukin Monteverde, Poroto Cambiaso, Barto Castagnola and Lolo Castagnola won the San Jorge Open.
since childhood, and became relatives in adulthood when Castagnola married Camila Cambiaso, Adolfo’s sister. As teammates, they won seven Palermo Opens. According to Adolfo, they drifted apart more than 10 years ago when he stopped playing with Lolo on his team. Cambiaso, arguably the best polo player in the world, founded La Dolfina in 2000 when he and Castagnola left Ellerstina. Eventually, Cambiaso made the decision to dispense with Castagnola and Monteverde and bring in Pablo Mac Donough and Juan Martín Nero. According to Lolo, the breakup was due to “things that go beyond polo, not because of a team. And he knows it well.” They stopped seeing each other even though they are relatives and neighbors. At different times in the last decade, both were asked if they ever got together to share an asado after the traumatic separation. The common answer was always negative. Last year, in the middle of the pandemic when both were about to travel to England for the British season, they played two practices together with their children and gave each other the talk they should have long ago. Lolo told the newspaper La Nación how that conversation went. He said, “There were no insults, no recriminations. I told him that I was talking to him for Poroto, for my children, for the family relationship. We are already grown up, they have the whole future ahead of them.” Cambiaso, for his part, recognized the need to
mend fences, saying in part, “We are better; there is a kind of rapprochement. Let’s say it’s like a step forward.” However, the relationship between them still has a huge wall in between. The wounds caused 10 years ago in a stable in Santa Barbara, when Cambiaso confirmed to Castagnola that for 2011 there would be a new La Dolfina line-up, are not yet completely healed. This is the root of why it was so important to see them together, laughing on a polo field, sharing a tournament with their children. In the match that defined the title, La Natividad was even more forceful than in its debut. Although La Dolfina Doctor 2U (Joevy Beh, Tomás Panelo, Francisco Elizalde, Facundo Sola) started the match with mobility and concentration, the cast in green jerseys was able to impose its hierarchy. After a first chukker in which La Dolfina led, La Natividad turned the score around in the second period and managed to take a wide advantage of seven goals by the fifth chukker. The performance of ‘Barto’ Castagnola, author of eight goals and top scorer of the tournament with 13, was outstanding. He multiplied in attack, took advantage of every opportunity he had to increase the difference and showed why he is considered one of the great prospects of Argentine polo. Although LD Doctor 2U tried to recover in the last period and delivered a great display of commitment in their attempt to turn the tide, nothing could take away the justice of winning the POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 41
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MVP Barto Castagnola, right, gets by Hilario Ulloa in the Jockey Club final.
Duke of Edinburgh Cup for La Natividad. The tournament was also very important for the aforementioned Malaysians James and Joevy Beh, father and son, who played two very good matches and were close to Barto in goal scoring: Joevy, second with 11; and James, 65 years old, third with 10. At the awards ceremony and after the words of the president of the Argentine Polo Association, Delfín Uranga, James received a plaque of appreciation for his contribution to polo. But, obviously, he was not the only one honored. Among the horses, Dolfina Melina, ridden by ‘Lolo’ Castagnola, was awarded Best Playing Pony of the final by the AAP; while the Argentine Polo Horse Breeders Association’s blanket for Best Registered Polo Argentino Product went to Chalo La Niña Loli, ridden by ‘Barto’ Castagnola. A few days later, action began in the Campeonato Abierto Del Jockey Club De Buenos Aires—the Jockey Club Open. The eventual winners started playing together when they were 13 and 14 years old in the U-18 category. They quickly managed to stand out as the most prominent names of their age group. And in the run-up to the kick-off of the Argentine high-goal 42 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
season they have taken another step towards the next level: to be a reality in the polo elite. The fresh, renewed and vibrant polo of La Ensenada made its debut three years ago. And this year, it conquered its first title. For Juan Britos, Juan Martín Zubía and Alfredo Bigatti, the 17-12 victory over La H in the final of the Jockey Club Open is undoubtedly the most important success in their young careers. It is so because of the conquest of the cup itself and because of the magnitude of the rival they overcame in the final, a line-up that included the Ulloa brothers and Gonzalo Pieres Jr. And although La Ensenada’s Bartolomé Castagnola Jr. had already won the Queen’s Cup and the British Open, he can place this victory together with the Republic Cup in his trophy cabinet in Argentina. In 2018, La Ensenada made one of the most resounding appearances by pulling off the surprise in Palermo, coming from the qualifier and achieving permanence for the following year. The team formed by four rookies between 19 and 28 years old dazzled with a showy and dynamic game. In 2019, it suffered from changes in its members. The foursome was broken with the departure of Britos to play for La Dolfina Polo Ranch and last
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year, only Del Carril remained from the original lineup. Then appeared the figure of Bigatti in an alliance with La Aguada to try to recover the performance that had given them such good results. Things have changed and for this year the three youngest players were reunited, with Bigatti in place of Facundo Fernández Llorente. The objective was more daring: to challenge the hierarchy of Ellerstina, the aura of La Dolfina, the experience of RS Murus Sanctus and the explosion of La Natividad, all of whom were competing. “Compared to the big teams, we lack experience and horses, but what we don’t lack is desire. With what we have of horses and trying to organize ourselves as well as possible, each one on our own, we will try to get to those important matches as well as possible to give a fight to anyone,” Britos told the press as soon as the award ceremony was over, still holding the cup in his hands and with a smile tattooed on his face. This Jockey Club Open was a clear demonstration of what teammates can do when they are in tune with each other. Winning a competition where Adolfo and Poroto Cambiaso, Facundo Pieres, Juan Martín Nero, Pablo Mac Donough, Guillermo Caset, Facundo Sola and Hilario Ulloa also performed is a formidable demonstration of strength. And one detail should not be overlooked: La Ensenada was in the same bracket as La Dolfina and Ellerstina. The team began their campaign with an 11-8 defeat at the hands of an Ellerstina team that included Facundo and Nicolás Pieres, Mackenzie Weisz and Matías Torres Zavaleta. But, they were able to recover with a 12-8 victory over La Dolfina (Poroto Cambiaso, Diego Cavanagh, Alejo Taranco, ‘Lukin’ Monteverde), a win that definitely boosted their self-confidence. In the last match for the bracket, La Dolfina turned around an adverse score by achieving a 7-2 partial in the last two chukkers to beat Ellerstina 139. The five consecutive goals for the team from Cañuelas, three of them by Monteverde, not only made it impossible for Ellerstina to reach the final, but also relegated it to third place in the group. Finally and by goal difference, it was La Ensenada (+1) who qualified for the decisive match. A true wink of fate. The final against La H (Salvador, Carlos and Hilario Ulloa and Gonzalo Pieres Jr.) was extremely complicated. Early on, La Ensenada seemed to be asleep, with little attitude, slow to react and touching the ball a lot to try to position themselves offensively. It paid dearly, taking an initial disadvantage of 6-1.
However, its recovery was remarkable. It gradually reduced that huge five-goal margin and by the fourth chukker it led 8-7 thanks to a penalty by Zubía. From then on, it was unstoppable. The sixth period was an exhibition by Castagnola, who scored four of six unanswered goals to enter the last chukker with the cup practically in their pocket. Its fast game, encouraged by the drive of Bigatti and the offensive ability of Castagnola, ended up defining the duel with a final score of 17-12. So categorical was the difference that even the four goals La H managed to score in the last chukker did not put at risk the superiority of La Ensenada. Barto Castagnola took home the lion’s share of awards. He was MVP, his Anabel was Best Playing Pony and his El Overo Maravilla was Best Polo Argentino Bred. Gonzalo Pieres Jr. took the Fair Play Award. This title with three members of the team that will play the Triple Crown (Jerónimo Del Carril will recover the place he gave to Castagnola) allows them to hope for something more than being considered as the ‘promising’ team. Nevertheless, in the run-up to the start of the Argentine high-goal season, they have taken another step towards the next challenge: to be a concrete threat in the polo elite. •
Juan Britos, Alfredo Bigatti, Juan Martín Zubía and Barto Castagnola (front) won the Jockey Club Open.
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POLO REPORT DISPATCHES FROM THE WORLD OF POLO
KARL KNAPP
CENTRAL
GUERRENO LEADS IN 6- AND 12GOAL EVENTS
Alfredo Guerreno won the 12- and 6-goal flights of the USPA Sportsmanship Cup and the 6-goal Constitution Cup. Additionally, he was named MVP twice.
T
HE CHICAGO Polo Association held a full season of competitive USPA tournaments at several different levels. The events were held at one of eight clubs that make up the association, including Arranmore Farm, Barrington Hills, Blackberry, Chicago International, Las Brisas, Morgan Creek, Oak Brook and Peoria/Bettendorf Polo Clubs. The action began with the 0- to 3goal Arena Amateur Cup final July 24
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at Barrington Hills Polo Club. Lakewood (Rachel Lewenauer, Joan Brugue, Paul Nourbash) edged Lydia Farm (Megan West, Emily Smedlund, Ryann Ray), 6-4, for the title. Brugue led Lakewood with four goals. Nourbash and Lewenauer each scored once. Barrington Hills took third place over ILM. The event was also a celebration for John Rosene’s 81st birthday. The next day, five teams competed
in an NYTS qualifier. The teams were divided into two brackets. In preliminary rounds, Las Brisas (Robby Mooney, Brianna Jordan, Dolores Onetto, Grace Mudra) advanced to the final over Oak Brook Polo Academy (Chuck Cunningham, Ramon Caro, Robby Pizarro, Josh Escapite) and BCI (Sean Murphy, Cara Kennedy, Winifred Branscum, Woods Kemmler), while Oak Brook Polo/Due West (Inez Onetto, Kelsey Bray, Madison
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Lakewood’s Rachel Lewenauer, Joan Carlos Brugue and Paul Nourbash won the USPA Arena Amateur Cup.
Oak Brook/Due West’s Will Mudra, Kelsey Bray, Madison Jordan and Inez Onetto won the NYTS Qualifier.
Oak Brook’s Brianna Jordan, Inez Onetto, Dolores Onetto and Jenna Davis won the Woman’s Challenge final.
Beaver Creek’s Gonzalo Novillo Corvalan, Alfredo Guerreno, Chris Vangel and Lindor Novillo Corvalan won the Sportsmanship Cup.
Jordan, Will Mudra) advanced over Beaver Creek/Font Polo (Bella Vangel, Hayden Boeh, Maximo Font, Aiden Meeker). In the final, Oak Brook came on strong right from the start, holding Las Brisas silent for the first half, while Will Mudra and Bray combined for three goals. Madison Jordan added one before Grace Mudra put Las Brisas on the board in the third. Grace Mudra followed with another goal in the fourth but her brother Will Mudra struck for Oak Brook. Brianna Jordan ended the scoring but it wasn’t enough and Oak Brook took the 5-3 win. Brianna Jordan, Madison Jordan, Will Mudra, Aiden Meeker, Grace Mudra, Josh Escapite, Ramon Caro
and Kelsey Bray were named all-stars. Meeker’s Jasmine took Best Playing Pony honors. Six teams competed in the USPA Women’s Challenge final. Oak Brook (Inez Onetto, Dolores Onetto, Brianna Jordan, Jenna Davis) topped St. Louis / Barrington (Kendra Pannhausen, Kelsey Bray, Megan West, Amanda Bray) and Flying Changes/ILC (Katie Berger, Jennifer Leffingwell, Samantha Falbe, Emilia Malvicino) in Bracket I, while BCI/IEPM (Paige Billek, Cindy Apitz, Cara Kennedy, Grace Mudra) topped Go Polo (Frances McGinley, Ryann Ray, Madison Jordan, Courtney Rohs) and Beaver Creek (Caroline Stauffer, Adrienne Purves, Bella Vangel, Meghan Okerlund) in Bracket II.
Oak Brook began with a half-goal handicap. A defensive battle ensued, leaving the teams off the scoreboard in the first chukker. Mudra broke through Oak Brook’s defense in the second chukker before Davis responded to put Oak Brook on the board, ending the first half 1½-1. Davis went on a scoring spree in the third, tallying three in a row to jump ahead, 4½1. Inez Onetta found the mark in the fourth while BCI/IEPM continued to be kept off the board. Oak Brook took the 5½-1 win. Inez Onetto was MVP and her Paulina was Best Playing Pony. On Aug. 29, Beaver Creek (Chris Vangel, Gonzalo Corvalan, Alfredo Guerreno, Lindor Corvalan) defeated Oak Brook (Toto Obregon, Mariano
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 45
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Morgan Creek/ Good Thunder’s Bill Patterson, Tod Rackley, Alfredo Guerreno and Dean Kleronomos won two 6-goal events.
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with four goals in the last two chukkers, while Brinker Hill was held to one. Guerreno was high-scorer and earned MVP honors, while his Estrella was Best Playing Pony. The tournament was played as Team Up for Tony, a fundraiser for Tony Sekera, who was injured in a riding accident in 2017 that left him paralyzed from the chest down. For the second year, $50,000 was raised for Sekera’s long-term care thanks to the USPA’s matching funds prize money. Winners in both flights donated their prize money. Morgan Creek/Good Thunder also prevailed in the final of the 6-goal KARL KNAPP
Gutierrez, Horacio Onetto, Jim Drury) for the USPA Sportsmanship Cup title. Beaver Creek began with a handicap goal, which Onetto quickly matched to open up the scoring. The Corvalans and Guerreno all responded with goals to take an early 4-1 lead. Onetto slammed in a Penalty 4 early in the second, but Lindor Corvalan shot back with three in a row, including two penalty conversions. Gutierrez finished the chukker with a goal, leaving Oak Brook trailing, 7-3. Onetto traded goals with Guerreno in the third ending the half with Beaver Creek doubling up Oak Brook, 8-4. Onetto went into overdrive, scoring three goals in the fourth, but Lindor Corvalan and Guerreno tallied to stay in control. Lindor Corvalan traded goals with Drury in the fifth and Obregon traded goals with Guerreno in the sixth, keeping Beaver Creek on top, 12-9, for the win. Lindor Novillo Corvalan was MVP and Alfredo Guerreno’s big chestnut mare Shakira was Best Playing Pony. In the 6-goal B Flight of the Sportsmanship Cup, Morgan Creek (Bill Patterson, Tod Rackley, Alfredo Guerreno, Dean Kleronomos) defeated Brinker Hill/ Sanfilippo (Kelcey Roberts, Lisa Sanfilippo, RJ Roberts, Pedro Manion, Lindor Novillo Corvalan), 7-5. Brinker Hill led 4-3 at the half until Guerreno came through
Las Brisas’ Matias Obregon, Juan Martin Obregon, Juan Gutierrez and Larry Aschebrook won the 12-goal Constitution Cup.
Constitution Cup on Sept. 14. They played Las Brisas (Jennifer Leffingwell, Chris Vangel, Gordan Wallace, Juan Martin Obregon). Morgan Creek gave Las Brisas a half-goal handicap but Guerreno’s two goals in the first went unchallenged, putting Morgan Creek in the lead. Neither team reached the goal in the second, ending the half, 2-½. Rackley increased the difference in the third but Obregon answered back with two, coming within a half goal. Guerreno’s lone goal in the last chukker sealed the deal for Morgan Creek/Good Thunder. Alfredo Guerreno was MVP and Grace Mudra tries to get past Chad Bowman in Chicago.
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SHELLEY HEATLEY
DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS.COM
P O L O
Rancho Polo/Chogan’s Torrey Ripinsky, Jason Crowder, Ale Gonzalez and Sy Zahedi won the JHHE Wickendon Cup.
Juan Martin Obregon’s Pantera was Best Playing Pony. In the 12-goal Constitution Cup, Las Brisas (Larry Aschebrook, Juan Martin Gutierrez, Juan Martin Obregon, Matias Obregon) edged Polo Park Zurich (Richard Harris, Pedro Manion, Toto Obregon, Mariano Gutierrez), 9-8. Las Brisas led 3-2 after the first seven minutes. It maintained the difference when Juan Martin Obregon traded goals with Mariano Gutierrez in the second. Juan Martin Obregon scored twice in the third but was countered by three tallies from Polo Park Zurich, that tied the match, 6-6. Matias Obregon took over in the fourth, scoring a hat trick while Polo Park Zurich was silenced. Toto Obregon and Mariano Gutierrez scored in the fifth and final chukker, while holding Las Brisas scoreless, but the team fell just short and Las Brisas hung on for the win. PAC I F I C C OA S T
RANCHO POLO WINS PC PRESIDENTS CUP Rancho Polo/Chogan (Ale Gonzalez, Sy Zahedi, Jason Crowder, Torrey Ripinsky) topped Klentner Ranch (Justin
Cheval Athletics/SBPRC’s Mia Bray, Cory Williams, Elise Purdue and MVP Judith Baker won the women’s tournament in Santa Barbara.
Klentner, Jacob Klentner, Jesse Bray, Dominique Mielle/Tony Uretz) in the USPA Regional Presidents Cup. In the first chukker, Crowder put three goals on the board added to one from Zahedi to take a quick 4-1 advantage. The team kept up the pressure to maintain the lead. Held scoreless from the field in the first half, Klentner stayed within reach after Bray converted four penalties. The half ended with Rancho ahead, 9-5. Klentner tried to close the gap in the second half, but Rancho Polo continued to answer back. Bray managed to bring the team within two goals going into the final chukker. He converted his final penalty in the sixth, but it wasn’t enough, and Rancho Polo/Chogan was the winner, 14-12. Crowder was high-scorer with 10 goals on the day and was named MVP, while his 9-year-old mare Fanta was Best Playing Pony. The team also won $2,500 in tournament stimulus prize money from the USPA. Action continued with the Cheval Athletics Women’s Invitational, with three teams battling for the title on Oct. 5. Cheval Athletics/SBPRC took an early lead in the first game. Despite a valiant effort from Gipsy/World Gym the team was eliminated while Central Coast and Cheval met in the final. In a defensive battle, Cheval held a two-
point lead until the final chukker. Sierra Dunbar brought Central Coast within one with only a few minutes left. In the final moments of the game, Bray capitalized on a spot hit, passing to Judith Baker who rode out the line to pick up a Penalty 1 for Cheval. The team made the most of the center hit that followed, scoring with seconds to go to win by three. Judith Baker was MVP and Mia Bray’s Gossip was Best Playing Pony. Baker said, “I feel so honored to be selected as MVP for this tournament. I am very lucky to be able to play in my late 70s, let alone be getting on the trophy stand! I have many great supporters in my teammates and friend, George Dill, for mounting me on such safe, nice horses.” The same day, FMB Too!/Seattle challenged Rancho Polo/Chogan (Ale Gonzalez, Sy Zahedi, Jason Crowder, Torrey Ripinsky) in the Jackson Hole Horse Emporium Wickenden Cup. FMB Too!/Seattle (Will Busch, Cameron Smith, Santi Wulff, Henry Walker) started out on fire. However, Rancho Polo/Chogan changed the tide in the fifth chukker when Gonzalez hopped on Best Playing Pony, Pumba, and scored back-to-back goals to end on top, 12-10. The season ended with the appropriately named 1-goal Last Chance
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 47
R E P O R T
DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS.COM
P O L O
Seattle’s Taylor Olcott, Felipe Vicente, Cam Smith, Dayelle Fargey won the Last Chance Cup.
Cup. Eight teams played off over two days. Defending champion World Gym and challenger Seattle Polo both showed dominance in the opening quarterfinal games. Moving with confidence into the semifinals, both teams won their match-ups with ease. In the end, Seattle Polo proved too tough to beat. In the first of two chukkers, Seattle shut out World Gym, 4-0. Tony Uretz scored a tricky goal at the start of the second chukker to put World Gym on the board, but Seattle answered back with two more to take the 6-1 lead. Cameron Smith was MVP and Santi Wulff’s Peticion, played by Melanja Jones, was Best Playing Pony. In the consolation Second Chance Cup, Klentner Ranch took home the trophies with a shootout win in the semifinal and a close win against Central Valley in the final. FLORIDA
GALAXY SHINES IN SEASON-OPENER A near-capacity crowd took in the season-opening tournament final, with Galaxy Home Solutions swiping an 8½-8 victory over UnitedHealthcare in the pro-pool event at The Villages Polo
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Galaxy’s Mike D’Ambrose, Roberto Narvaja, Brad Limehouse and Charly Quincoces won Week 1.
Club in The Villages, Florida, Oct. 3. The 6-goal pro-pool continues each week through Nov. 21. Galaxy (Mike D’Ambrose, Roberto Narvaja, Brad Limehouse, Charly Quincoces) was shut out by UnitedHealthcare (Ava Hinkson, Meghan Okerlund, Cruz Bilbao/Mateo Bilbao, Frankie Bilbao) in the first chukker of the final, while Cruz Bilbao cruised to goal twice. Mateo Bilbao scored early in the second before Quincoces scored Galaxy’s first goal, added to a half-goal handicap. Okerlund scored for UnitedHealthcare to end the second ahead, 4-1½. Narvaja and Limehouse traded goals with Hinkson and Cruz Bilbao in the third to end the first half with UnitedHealthcare ahead, 6-3½. Okerlund increased the difference early in the fourth, but a goal by Limehouse and two from D’Ambrose brought Galaxy within a half-goal, 76½. Cruz Bilbao tallied a lone goal in the fifth. A pair of goals by Narvaja, while UnitedHealthcare was held at bay, gave Galaxy the win. Mike D’Ambrose was MVP. In the consolation, Arden’s Fine Jewelers (Cameron Smart, Midge Ellison, Alfredo Guerreno, Tony Vita, Kim Smith) and Citizens First Bank (Loryn Butterworth, Miguel LisPlanells/Irene Lis-Planells, Paige Boone, Nick Johnson, Lou Pendas)
tied 8-8, which is where it was left. Citizens First Bank (Midge Ellison, Michael Payne, Alfredo Guerreno, Charly Quincoces) got the best of Fross & Fross Wealth Management (Jimmy Wetter, Meghan Okerlund, Paige Boone, Tony Vita) in Week 2. Guerreno started off the scoring and was followed by a goal from Quincoces. Vita answered back with two in a row to end the first tied, 2-2. Okerlund put Fross & Fross ahead with back-toback goals before Ellison and Payne struck to knot the score, 4-4. Vita and Payne traded goals in the third to end the half even, 5-5. The back-and-forth continued in the second half. Vita scored in the first minute of the fourth and Wetter followed up with another, but Guerreno matched them both. Payne got in the last word to give Citizens a narrow, 87, advantage. Fross & Fross leveled the score in the fifth after Okerlund and Vita scored while holding Citizens to one from Quincoces. Citizens turned up the heat in the last period with Guerreno, Payne and Quincoces finding the mark. With a three-goal deficit and time running out, Boone scored her first goal, but it wasn’t enough and Citizens banked its first tournament title of the season. In the consolation, Arden’s Fine Jewelers (Mike D’Ambrose, Casey
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Citizens First Bank’s Midge Ellison, Michael Payne, Alfredo Guerreno and Charly Quincoces won The Villages pro-pool Week 2.
The Villages Insurance’s Alfredo Guerreno, Paige Boone, Midge Ellison and Jimmy Wetter won Week 3.
Fross & Fross’ Juan Valerdi, Charly Quincoces, Petra Sobotova, Lou Pendas and Thom Fross won the fourth Pro-Pool event.
Citizen’s Miguel Lis-Planells, Roberto Narvaja, Horacio Lizaso and Frankie Bilbao finished out October with a win.
Hoskins, Brad Limehouse, Nick Johnson) edged The Villages Insurance (Ava Hinkson/Lou Pendas, Loryn Butterworth, Diego Diaz, Frankie Bilbao), 8½-8. Midge Ellison was MVP and Michael Payne’s Silverado, an 11-yearold gray gelding, was Best Playing Pony. Week 3 saw The Villages Insurance (Jimmy Wetter, Midge Ellison, Paige Boone, Alfredo Guerreno) down Galaxy Home Solutions (Michael Payne, Meghan Okerlund, Brad Limehouse, Nick Johnson), 11-6. The action began with Limehouse and Payne sandwiching goals around one from Guerreno. Ellison and Johnson swapped goals in the second, keeping the game level, 3-3, after two periods.
Payne broke the tie in the third. With just over two minutes left, The Villages Insurance shot back with goals from Boone and Ellison to take a 6-4 lead into the half. Galaxy was unable to dig out of the hole it was in during the second half. Wetter split the uprights while Galaxy was held off the board until late in the fourth, when Johnson scored. The Villages Insurance defense clamped down in the fifth, while Ellison and Guerreno increased the difference, to take a 9-5 lead into the final chukker. Wetter added to the difference early in the sixth. Limehouse found the target at the halfway mark but Boone ended the scoring, leaving The Villages Insurance ahead for the win. Jimmy Wetter was MVP and F1, an
8-year-old gray gelding owned by Nick Johnson and played by Paige Boone, was Best Playing Pony. In the consolation, Fross & Fross (Lou Pendas, Ava Hinkson, Chavelo Briones, Frankie Bilbao/Cruz Bilbao) edged UnitedHealthcare (Mike D’Ambrose, Miguel Lis-Planells, Tony Vita, Charly Quincoces), 6-5. On Oct. 24, Arden’s Fine Jewelers (Midge Ellison/Cameron Smart, Lord Lyall, Roberto Narvaja, Alfredo Guerreno) fell to Fross & Fross (Thom Fross, Petra Sobotova, Lou Pendas, Charly Quincoces, Juan Valerdi), 10-8. Arden’s began with a handicap goal but Fross neutralized it just two minutes into the match. Narvaja and Ellison responded to take a 3-1 lead after the first seven minutes. Fross & Fross
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Brooke Hindle presents Fall Classic trophies to Seminole Casino’s Jason Crowder, Melissa Ganzi, Brandon Phillips and Juan Bollini.
evened the score in the second with unanswered goals by Sobotova and Quincoces. Valerdi struck in the third with the only goal of the chukker, ending the half, 4-3, for Fross & Fross. Narvaja leveled the score early in the fourth and goals by Smart and Valerdi later in the chukker kept it tied, 5-5. Guerreno shot through backto-back goals in the fifth but Valerdi tallied to keep it close, 7-6, going into the last period. Fifteen seconds into the sixth, Quincoces tied the score before Valerdi put Fross & Fross on top. Smart answered but a penalty conversion by Valerdi gave the team back the lead with just over two minutes remaining. Seconds later, Quincoces struck again, giving the team the 10-8 advantage. The Fross & Fross defense went into overdrive, turning back all of Arden’s runs, and hanging on for the win. Alfredo Guerreno was named MVP and Valerdi’s 14-year-old chestnut mare Emmy was Best Playing Pony. The month of October wrapped up with Citizens First Bank (Miguel LisPlanells, Roberto Narvaja, Horacio Lizaso, Frankie Bilbao) taking down UnitedHealthcare (Liv Berube, Paige Boone, Nate Berube, Charly Quincoces), 14-12. Lizaso got Citizen’s started, bookending goals from Quincoces and
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La Indiana’s Luis Escobar, MVP Jeff Hall, Matthew Gonzalez and Dulio Diaz won the Tackeria Invitational at Grand Champions.
Boone, but UnitedHealthcare’s onegoal handicap kept it on top. All eyes were on Bilboa in the third as he ran from end to end, scoring three in a row and putting Cititzens on top, 5-3. Bilboa added another in the third before Boone and Quincoces fought back to within one, 6-5, at the half. Quincoces turned up the heat in the second half, scoring twice in each of the next three chukkers but Bilboa and Lizaso kept pace, keeping UnitedHealthcare from making any gains. Meanwhile goals by Narvaja and LisPlanells found the mark. Boone struck for UnitedHealthcare but it wasn’t enough and Citizens took the win.
SEMINOLE CASINO ACES FALL CLASSIC IN FLORIDA Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, Florida, opened its fall season with five teams competing in the Fall Classic. The fall season gives American players that don’t have a chance to go to Argentina an opportunity to keep playing year-round. Only two of the 20 players were not U.S. citizens, boding well for American polo. In the first semifinal match, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek (Melissa Ganzi, Jason Crowder, Brandon Phillips, Juan Bollini) defeated La
Indiana (Matt Gonzalez, Peke Neutzet, Jeff Hall, Luis Escobar), 10-8. The second semifinal pitted World Polo League (Teo Calle, Juancito Bollini, Kris Kampsen, Tommy Biddle), Newport (Gene Goldstein, Grant Ganzi, Nic Roldan, Nick Manifold) and NetJets (Marc Ganzi, Sugar Erskine, Pablo Spinacci, Leo Mandelbaum) in a round robin. World Polo League edged Newport, 7-6; Newport slipped NetJets, 5-4 and NetJets stunned World Polo League, 6-3, in the clincher. In the final, Seminole Casino led 94 early in the sixth chukker and held off NetJets for a 9-7 victory. After the first half ended 4-4, Seminole Casino outscored NetJets, 4-0, in the next two chukkers to take an 8-4 lead going into the last seven minutes. NetJets rallied with three goals while holding Seminole to one, but Seminole held on for the win. Brandon Phillips was MVP just months after having back surgery, following a fall last February. In the subsidiary final, Newport clinched the title with a 3-2 overtime victory over La Indiana. Manifold scored the game-winner at the 4:02 mark and was named MVP. In other rounds, Newport and La Indiana both edged World Polo League. The following week, four teams lined up for the Tackeria Invitational.
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Georgette Escobar presents trophies to Zahedi Chogan’s MVP Tommy Biddle, Brandon Phillips, Jason Crowder and Sy Zahedi.
In preliminary games, La Indiana (Matthew Gonzalez, Dulio Diaz, Luis Escobar, Jeff Hall) held off Zahedi Chogan (Sy Zahedi, Pablo Spinacci, Juancito Bollini, Jason Crowder), 9-8, while Roxbury Raiders (Josh Silverman, Nick Manifold, Brandon Phillips, Tommy Biddle/Dominic State) defeated Loudmouth (Andrew Seibert, Santos Bollini, Sugar Erskine, Kris Kampsen), 11-8. In the final, La Indiana rallied in the second half to defeat Roxbury Raiders, 11-9. Trailing by two goals early in the game, La Indiana found its groove early in the third quarter when Hall tied the game, 5-5, at the 4:55 mark. Three minutes later, Escobar scored to enable La Indiana to take the lead for the first time. The second half was all La Indiana with Hall opening the fourth chukker scoring off a broken play to extend the lead to 7-5. Cold shooting and penalties hampered Roxbury Raiders, that never came within two goals and trailed by as many as four (11-7) with 4:14 left in the game. Jeff Hall was MVP and Nick Manifold’s Wendy was Best Playing Pony. In the subsidiary, Loudmouth defeated Zahedi Chogan, 10-8. After a 5-5 first half, Erskine broke a 7-7 tie with 23 seconds left in the fourth
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Zahedi Chogan’s Jason Crowder puts the pressure on La Indiana’s Matthew Gonzalez in the final of the Fall Plates trophy.
chukker when he lofted the ball past defenders for an 8-7 lead. Loudmouth never relinquished the lead with Siebert scoring the last two goals for his team and Zahedi adding one. The third week had four teams competing for the Fall Plates trophy. In an exciting final, Zahedi Chogan (Sy Zahedi, Jason Crowder, Brandon Phillips, Tommy Biddle) defeated La Indiana (Matthew Gonzalez, Marc Ganzi, Luis Escobar, Jeff Hall), 11-10, to capture the title. In one of the best finals in club history, the well-matched teams battled back and forth. Zahedi Chogan had a two-goal lead (5-3) going into the third chukker. After that, it was anybody’s game with 6-6, 7-7 and 9-9 ties at the end of the third, fourth and fifth chukkers. The game’s outcome came down to the final 4:52. Phillips gave Zahedi Chogan a 10-9 lead when he won the throw-in and raced downfield to score. Crowder then came up with a big defensive play, stopping Escobar’s goal run. With 3:51 left, Zahedi Chogan fouled, giving Ganzi his seventh opportunity to convert an open-goal penalty, tying the game at 10-10. With 2:41 on the clock, it was Phillips again fighting for possession on the end line. Biddle read the play well and forced a La Indiana blocking
penalty. Phillips converted the 30-yard penalty, to give his team an 11-10 lead. In the final two minutes, Crowder came up with two key defensive plays to stop scoring threats and Phillips ran out the clock. Tommy Biddle, who will be inducted into the Polo Hall of Fame in February 2022, was MVP. Biddle said, “I’m happy to be playing here with a bunch of good players. We’re not difficult to play with, we all play simple polo. I’m just happy we won.” Sy Zahedi said, “It’s such a pleasure to play with this caliber of players on both sides.” In the semfinals, Zahedi Chogan advanced into the championship with a 9-8 victory over Newport (Gene Goldstein, Sugar Erskine, Leo Mandelbaum, Juan Bollini) and La Indiana defeated HL Polo (Harry Landy, Kris Kampsen, Pablo Spinacci, Juancito Bollini), 13-11. Newport won the subsidiary with a 5-3 victory over NetJets (Larry Austin, Santos Bollini, Grant Ganzi, Nic Roldan/Pablo Spinacci) in the third and deciding round of a round robin. In other rounds, Newport edged HL Polo (Harry Landy, Kris Kampsen, Juancito Bollini, Santi Toccalino), 5-4, and NetJets and HL Polo tied 4-4. —Sharon Robb
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R E P O R T KAYLEE WROE
KAYLEE WROE
P O L O
Vintage Polo’s Joe Bob Lequerica, Lily Lequerica, Cody Ellis and Jimmy Seward won the USPA Masters and Delegate’s Cups.
SOUTHWEST
VINTAGE POLO TAKES TWO 6-GOAL USPA CUPS Vintage Polo rose to the top of a nineteam lineup to win the 6-goal USPA Masters Cup title at Houston Polo Club in Houston, Texas, Sept. 23. Vintage Polo (Joe Bob Lequerica, Lily Lequerica, Cody Ellis, Jimmy Seward) took on BCI/CW Petroleum (Cara Kennedy, Chris Williams, Chad Bowman, Mason Wroe) in the final. Vintage Polo took advantage of BCI/CW Petroleum’s foul trouble, as teammates Joe Bob Lequerica and Cody Ellis converted their penalty shots to earn a 2-1 lead after the first chukker. Vintage Polo shut down BCI/CW in the second, while Joe Bob Lequerica extended the lead to 3-1 at the half. Williams scored early in the third, but Ellis answered back to keep the difference two going into the final chukker. BCI/CW rallied in the last seven minutes with Williams, Bowman and Wroe tallying to take a first time lead. With little time left, Ellis ran the ball from the throw-in to tie the score and force overtime. Joe Bob Lequerica scored the gold-
52 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
ML Bar’s Abbey Benton, Drew Luplow, Fox Benton, Cody Ellis and Joe Wayne Barry won the Taub Memorial and the Texas Open.
en goal just two minutes into sudden death to give Vintage Polo the win. The win earned Vintage Polo teammates beautiful belt buckles and $2,500 in prize money thanks to the USPA’s tournament stimulus. Chad Bowman was MVP and Wroe’s Catwalk was Best Playing Pony. In the Bill Fick Ford subsidiary final, Rocking P (Bridget Price, Grayson Price, Tommy Costello, Marcos Villanueva) defeated Bearsden/ Plank Companies (Carol Farnsworth, Kendall Plank, Joe Wayne Barry, Nicolai Galindo), 5-2. Vintage Polo held the momentum into the USPA Delegates Cup, again topping nine teams. After three weeks of competitive play, Vintage was undefeated and faced Rocking P (Bridget Price, Grayson Price, Tommy Costello, Marcos Villanueva), with the second best record, in the final. Penalties for each team factored heavily in the opening chukker. Despite Penalty 5 opportunities for Rocking P for both teams along with a Penalty 3 for Vintage Polo, neither team could convert, ending the first scoreless for both teams. Bridget Price scored first, tallying in the second chukker, followed by her younger brother knocking in a Penalty 3.
Costello scored once more for Rocking P to take a three-goal lead before Ellis was finally able to find the goal for Vintage Polo. Villanueva’s Penalty 4 conversion took Rocking P into the half with a 4-1 lead. Seward struck early in the third with back-to-back goals to bring Vintage within one, 4-3. The offense continued to materialize with Ellis finding the goal twice, followed by a third from Seward. A Penalty 1 awarded to Vintage Polo pushed the team into the lead, 7-4, moving into the last chukker. Unable to mount an offensive push in the second half, Rocking P’s strong second chukker resulted in their only scoring as Ellis knocked in the last goal of the match for Vintage Polo to secure the 8-4 victory. Lily Lequerica earned MVP honors while her Blade was Best Playing Pony Amateur. Jimmy Seward’s Farolito was Best Playing Pony Pro. In 8-goal action, teamwork made the dream work for ML Bar Ranch as it secured the win in the USPA H. Ben Taub Memorial Cup presented by Bentley of Houston. ML Bar Ranch (Fox Benton/Abby Benton, Drew Luplow, Joe Wayne Barry, Cody Ellis) started the final with a 1-goal handicap, making Horsegate/Tonkawa (Jeff Hildebrand, Lance Stefanakis, Jimmy
R E P O R T
KAYLEE WROE
KAYLEE WROE
P O L O
Tammy Livingston, center, presents trophies to Pegasus/Propaganda’s Vance Miller, Nick Cifuni, Mason Wroe and Paul Hobby.
Seward, Shane Rice) even hungrier to get on the scoreboard. Rice did just that, as he intercepted a ML Bar Ranch knock-in, tying the score at 1-1. However, Barry scored his first goal of the game to reclaim a 2-1 lead. In the second chukker, Rice tied the score by converting a safety. ML Bar Ranch would not back down, as Abby Benton converted an open goal penalty shot and Barry added his second goal of the game to make it 4-2. ML Bar stretched the lead to four in the middle of the third chukker, but Rice converted a pair of penalty shots to cut the difference to two, 6-4, going into halftime. ML Bar Ranch kept its focus as it held Horsegate/Tonkawa scoreless in the fourth chukker while extending the lead 7-4 going into the fifth chukker. The teams traded goals in the fifth before ML Bar Ranch jumped ahead by six at the middle of the sixth chukker. Horsegate/ Tonkawa made a late rally, adding three goals but ran out of time. ML Bar Ranch enjoyed a comfortable 118 win. Joe Wayne Barry was MVP while Shane Rice’s Summer was Best Playing Pony Pro and Lance Stefanakis’ Dominga was Best Playing Pony Amateur.
Chrys Beal, Halle Garrus and Kelly Beal with Beal Cup winners: BTA’s Steve Krueger, Nicolai Galindo, KC Krueger and Alyson Poor.
ML Bar Ranch (Fox Benton/Abby Benton, Drew Luplow, Joe Wayne Barry, Cody Ellis) made it to the final of the next event, the Livingston Memorial Cup. This time it faced Pegasus/ Propaganda (David Andras/Vance Miller, Paul Hobby, Nick Cifuni, Mason Wroe). The score stayed close throughout the first half with ML Bar Ranch maintaining a one-goal lead, 5-4, as the teams took a break for halftime. Entering the fourth, Pegasus/Propaganda started firing on all cylinders, tying the score, 5-5, and holding ML Bar Ranch scoreless. Cifuni scored three goals in a row at the beginning of the fifth chukker, but Ellis and Barry split the posts to stay in the game, trailing 8-7. As the sixth chukker began, Cifuni scored his sixth goal of the day, followed up by Wroe scoring from the field, giving Pegasus/Propaganda a 10-7 lead. ML Bar narrowly missed two shots on goal allowing Pegasus/Propaganda to come away with the 10-7 win. Cifuni was MVP and his Memphis was Best Playing Pony. ML Bar hoped to take home its second title, facing off against BTA (Steve Krueger, Nicolai Galindo, KC Krueger, Alyson Poor) in the final of the 8-goal USPA Keleen & Carlton
Beal Cup. ML Bar Ranch came out firing on all cylinders. Receiving one goal on handicap, Ellis added two more goals to claim a 3-0 lead early in the first chukker. BTA’s Steve Krueger was able to sneak one goal in for his team, but Barry responded with a goal, keeping the three-goal lead, 4-1, going into the second chukker. ML Bar Ranch held BTA scoreless, while Barry scored his second goal of the game, giving his team a 5-1 lead. Galindo’s 60-yard penalty conversion gave BTA the momentum and KC Krueger scored one goal from the field to end the half trailing 5-3. Ellis kept the pressure on, scoring his third goal of the game, but Galindo and Steve Krueger answered with a goal apiece to bring BTA within a goal. Ellis converted an open-goal penalty late in the fourth to maintain a two-goal lead. Ellis tallied again early in the fifth before BTA came alive with Steve Krueger and Galindo scoring three unanswered goals to tie the game at 8-8, going into the sixth chukker. Steve Krueger gave BTA a first-time lead early in the chukker with a penalty conversion, but Ellis was quick to respond to level the score yet again and force overtime. BTA managed to
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 53
R E P O R T
ALEX PACHECO
ALEX PACHECO
P O L O
LBL Polo’s Hardy Pemberton, Alison Patricelli, Alan Martinez and Trevor Niznik won the USPA Masters Cup at Wagener Polo Club.
sneak the ball out the back of the first throw-in as Steve Krueger made a run towards goal but the ball bounced, and he had no choice but to leave it for Galindo who scored a nearside shot to win the game, 10-9, for BTA. Steve Krueger was MVP and Cody Ellis’ Ginger was Best Playing Pony. While ML Bar was denied a second title in the Beal Cup, it got another chance in the Texas Open. ML Bar finished preliminary games tied with Pegasus/Propaganda and Tonkawa/ Horsegate, all with 2-1 records. But a shootout put ML Bar in the final. It would face BTA that had gone undefeated in preliminary play. In an exciting match, ML Bar got the 10-9 edge to win the title. Cody Ellis was MVP and Steve Krueger’s gray mare Jolie was Best Playing Pony. SOUTHEAST
LBL POLO TRIUMPHS IN USPA MASTERS CUP LBL Polo led an eight-team line-up to win the 6-goal USPA Masters Cup final at Wagener Polo Club in Wagener, South Carolina, Oct. 31. The tournament was also played as the Eloy Escapite Memorial.
54 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Michelle Raab and David Meunier with La Bourgogne’s Ariana Gravinese, Hardy Pemberton, Trevor Niznik and Alan Martinez.
After 10 days of playoff games, LBL Polo (Alison Patricelli, Hardy Pemberton, Alan Martinez, Trevor Niznik) led Bracket A, while Farmer Road (Harry Caldwell, Charlie Caldwell, Marcos Onetto, Dan McCarty) led Bracket B, with the teams meeting in the final. Farmer Road kept LBL Polo off the board in the first chukker, while Onetto sunk a Penalty 4 and McCarty shot in a field goal. Martinez put LBL on the board early in the second, but Onetto responded. Niznik and Martinez converted Penalty 3s to end the half knotted 3-3. LBL managed to overtake Farmer Road in the third chukker when Martinez sunk a Penalty 4 then split the uprights on a run downfield. A Penalty 1 for Farmer Road kept it close. The final chukker saw Martinez increase the difference to two but Onetto found the mark to cut the difference. The teams’ defenses clamped down, with neither team able to reach the goal. LBL Polo hung on for the 6-5 victory. Charlie Caldwell was named MVP Pro, while Dan McCarty was MVP Amateur. Charlie Caldwell’s Joseph was Best Playing Pony Pro and Alison Patricelli’s Dahlia was Best Playing Pony Amateur. Aside from the trophies, LBL Polo went home with $2,500 in prize money thanks to the
USPA tournament stimulus program. The previous month, La Bourgogne (Ariana Gravinese, Hardy Pemberton, Trevor Niznik, Alan Martinez) defeated Orchard Pond/Un Sta Ble (Mary Phipps, Del Walton, Sterling Giannico, Chase Butler), 8-6, in the 6goal USPA Constitution Cup. In the final, a Penalty 2 converted by Giannico got the scoring started. He followed with a field goal, while La Bourgogne struggled to get through the defense. Martinez changed that in the second with back-to-back goals. Niznik put La Bourgogne in the lead but Walton leveled it and Giannico’s Penalty 4 conversion put Orchard Pond back on top, 4-3 at the half. Martinez and Giannico swapped Penalty 3 conversions and Martinez scored from the field to tie the scoring going into the last period, 5-all. Martinez struck again but Giannico was quick with the answer. Niznik took over, shooting in two in a row with little time left. Orchard Pond/Unstable was unable to recover and La Bourgogne went home with the win. Trevor Niznik was MVP-pro while Ariana Gravinese was MVP-amateur. Gravinese’s Jada was Best Playing Pony-Amateur, while Sterling Giannico’s Tequila was Best Playing PonyPro.
R E P O R T
KATIE ROTH
SHELLEY MARSHALL SCHMIDT
P O L O
LBL Polo’s Jack Whitman, Alison Patricelli, Trevor Niznik and Alan Martinez won the 8-goal series at New Bridge Polo Club.
LBL SWEEPS NEW BRIDGE 8 GOALS
Echezaretta to sink a Penalty 2. Niznik answered with a field goal, but another LBL error allowed Collingwood to capitalize on a Penalty 4. Fouls continued to be an issue when Skaneateles converted a pair of open-goal penalties in the second. Martinez converted a Penalty 2 for LBL and Whitman and Niznik found the target, tying up the game 4-4. Echezaretta scored a pair of field goals in the third, but Martinez matched them to keep the game tied, 6-6, at the end of the first half. Martinez and Echezaretta traded penalty conversions in the fourth. Echezaretta shot one in from the field,
ALEX PACHECO
LBL Polo wrapped up a successful fall season of 8-goal polo at New Bridge Polo Club in Aiken, South Carolina. It took home trophies in all three of the club’s 8-goal tournaments in October and November. LBL (Alison Patricelli, Jack Whitman, Trevor Niznik, Alan Martinez) met Skaneateles (Marty Cregg, Valentino Echezaretta, Tomy Collingwood, Cesar Jimenez) in the final of the Copa de Plata. LBL was caught by the whistle early in the match, allowing
MidState Roofing’s Robyn Leitner, Brinkley Erb, Reagan Leitner and Hope Arellano won $1,000 in prize money presented by Russ McCall.
MVP Trevor Niznik leans in on Valentino Echezaretta in the final of the Copa de Plata.
but a Penalty 1 for LBL kept the teams level, 8-8. Martinez went on a scoring spree in the fifth, tallying three in a row, including a pair of Penalty 2 conversions. Collingwood scored before the chukker ended to keep the game within reach. The light shined on Niznik in the final period as he ran to goal three times. Collingwood split the uprights again, but it wasn’t enough and LBL had the 14-10 win. Trevor Niznik was named MVP and his Ryan was Best Playing Pony. A few days later, LBL met Un Sta Ble (Chase Butler, Hope Arellano, Del Walton, Lucas Arellano) in the final of the National Presidents Cup. Un Sta Ble began with a handicap goal and Walton and Lucas Arellano added to it to take an early 3-0 lead. Martinez put LBL on the board with a Penalty 4 conversion and Whitman scored to keep it close, 3-2. Hope Arellano scored a Penalty 2 in the second, then followed it with a field goal. Martinez scored a Penalty 2, ending the chukker with LBL trailing, 5-3. LBL owned the third as Martinez scored two more penalties and Niznik found the mark while Un Sta Ble was held scoreless, ending the half with LBL ahead for the first time, 6-5. Un Sta Ble fought back in the fourth, shutting down all of LBL’s dri-
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
ves while Butler and Hope Arellano scored to get the lead back, 7-6. LBL bounced back in the fifth. While silencing Un Sta Ble, Niznik ran to goal. Then Martinez converted a Penalty 4 and followed with two field goals to take a 10-7 advantage. Un St Ble rallied in the last period when Walton scored. Hope Arellano scored back-to-back goals to level the score, 10-10, with time winding down. Niznik came through in the end with the game winner, earning him MVP honors for the second time. Alan Martinez’s Phoenix was Best Playing Pony. A few weeks later, LBL took the USPA Association Cup. This time it faced Sig/Chukkers of Hope (Deep Singh, Malia Bryan, Matt Coppola, Willie Hartnett). Coppola struck first but LBL’s answer was in triplet. Martinez scored a pair of open-goal penalties and a field goal to take a quick 3-1 lead. Niznik scored from the field but backto-back goals from Coppola brought Sig within one, 4-3. Coppola kept up the pressure in the third, scoring another pair while LBL was shut down, ending the half with SIG narrowly ahead, 5-4. In the fourth, Coppola wrapped goals around one from Martinez. But, Martinez and Niznik struck again to knot the score. Hartnett made the most of a safety to put SIG back on top, 8-7. Martinez got LBL back in the lead with a pair of goals while holding SIG scoreless but a Penalty 1 for SIG put the teams on level ground heading into the final seven minutes. LBL managed to keep SIG away from the goal while Martinez sunk a Penalty 2 then followed with a field goal. Niznik sealed the deal with the final goal giving LBL the 12-9 win. Martinez was named MVP and his Phoenix was named Best Playing Pony for the second tournament in a row. In other action, MidState Roofing
56 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
(Brinkley Erb, Robyn Leitner, Reagan Leitner, Hope Arellano) crushed Roseland Polo (Kaylin Bender, Summer Kneece, Maddie Grant, Sophie Grant), 11-3½, in the final of the Women’s Challenge. The final proved to be the Hope Arellano show. Though she was playing No. 4 she repeatedly pushed forwarded, scoring 10 goals, including four Penalty 2s. Robyn Leitner scored the only other goal. Arellano’s teammates assisted with strong defense, keeping Roseland off the board until the fourth period. Kneece scored twice and Bender once, but the damage was done and MidState was the winner. Hope Arellano was MVP and Sophie Grant’s Ace was Best Playing Pony. OBITUARY
ADIE VON GONTARD Adie von Gontard, who was active on and off the polo field for decades and was one of the sport’s colorful characters, died Oct. 1. He was 96. “We have lost a great fan, player, terrific supporter and lifetime contributor. We are all lucky to have had him on and off the field. We will miss you my friend,” Leighton Jordan, the USPA’s Northeast circuit governor said of von Gontard, who once held the same position. Von Gontard’s playing career stretched some 35 years. It included the final season at Blind Brook in Purchase, New York, in 1967 and the inaugural season at Greenwich, Connecticut in 1981. His career’s top victory came in 1952 when he played No. 2 on the Blind Brook team that won the National 12-goal. He was one of the scorers in a 6-5 victory over Fairfield. For Blind Brook, Tommy Glynn (the first Iglehart Award winner) was at No.
1, Cyril Harrison played No. 3, and the Back was Jack Crawford. Teams that von Gontard played on won Northeast circuit titles, and the Forbes Cup for the New England championship. An undated article is headlined, “One Polo Rider Paces Two Victories” and reports von Gontard having, a marathon performance in a charity doubleheader at Ox Ridge. “First von Gontard helped Westport snap Ox Ridge’s undefeated streak at six wins, 8-6, in a game limited to six chukkers. Then, in the second game he came right back and scored four goals to pace the Greenwich Pitchforks to a 126 triumph over Fairfield.” One night at Squadron A he tallied 11 goals, and scored 14 in a game in Virginia. Polo was always a family affair. His son Adie III was a teammate for many years. “We loved playing with each other. We always had a great time together. He would play 2. I started at Back and got to be 4 goals and then played 3. He would play with me, but never against me. That’s the kind of man he was,” he said. Daughters Eugenie and Vicky took care of the horses. “Dad would say, ‘work hard or look pretty.’ We had a lot of responsibility but the world was our oyster. We would travel to Chicago for the East--West game. We got to see the country through polo,” said Vicky. “We would travel to and from the games on the horses. It was an hour trip,” Eugenie added, “Often we would stop for ice cream on the way home. It was a great life, always an adventure.” Their mother watched all the games. According to Vicky, she had an eye to buy the best polo ponies. “My love for polo was created by my family, the Busches, Orthweins, Reisingers,” Adie von Gontard once said. Friends frequently helped hot walk their horses, but they were not paid.
P O L O In fact von Gontard charged them $1 per horse for their labor! The elder von Gontard used his gift of gab to recruit helpers. One was cousin Peter Orthwein, who was recruited for a match at Myopia. “Adie told me his knee wasn’t feeling so good and he wanted me to play for him. I put on my white breeches and went to Massachusetts with him. We got there and he said he was feeling a little bit better and would I groom for him for one chukker. Then he said it would only be for one half,” Orthwein laughingly recalled. “I told him I would only play until we were losing. Well we never trailed!” The St. Louis club was where von Gontard first played. He played there with his brother (Hall of Famer Paul) competing in low goal. Playing at Georgetown University he developed a passion for collegiate polo, which he carried with him all his life. After moving to Greenwich, von Gontard played at the Squadron A Armory in New York City. He once explained the games as fun and rough and tumble. Then, von Gontard met Fred Collins who invited him to play at Blind Brook, near Greenwich. Von Gontard and his Greenwich Pitchforks team were mainstays at the club. The team was named for the Pitchfork Land and Cattle Company, of Guthrie, Texas, owned by his wife’s family. He and Marie “Mamie” Williams were married for 69 years. Following Blind Brook’s closure, he played at the Fairfield County Hunt Club in Westport, and the Ox Ridge Hunt Club in Darien, both in Connecticut. Von Gontard played for the Pitchfork team in Texas and Oklahoma. “It was four on a team inside. It was like hockey, you had to wait for the ball. You couldn’t cross the line,” he once said. Internationally he played in Montreal, Jamaica and Mexico. Von
Gontard also competed in the Cup of the America’s games in Argentina, where he recalled playing against some generals. While a fierce competitor, it wasn’t all about winning. Sitting in a trophyfilled den he stated, “Some of the most fun I had were practice games in Ox Ridge’s indoor ring. The idea was to play the game. I made so many friendships with players that went beyond polo. There were hunting trips, weekend parties with friends that I have to this day,” he said weeks before his death. “He wanted to win but not at all costs,” stated the younger von Gontard, who noted his father was imperturbable on the field. “He never got mad on the field. He never cursed. Afterwards he might say, ‘We lost because of the umpires.’” Following the 1981 season, he retired, saying it was because he could no longer bounce. Up until the day he hung up his at age 56, he retained a handicap of 4 goals. Quarter horses from Pitchfork were his mount of choice. “We trained them ourselves,” noted Adie III “We took ranch horses and made them polo horses.” Off the field von Gontard contributed a heartfelt devotion to polo. He was a governor of the USPA’s Northeastern circuit in 1967-1968. As chair of the association’s Communications Committee, he served as manag-
R E P O R T ing editor of the USPA’s newsletter, and was a charter patron of the Polo Training Foundation. In 1962, von Gontard was a founding member of the Metropolitan Polo Group whose stated purpose was to encourage and promote a high level of polo participation by players and spectators alike in the metropolitan area. Von Gontard later headed the organization. In addition, he was an A umpire. Following his retirement, von Gontard often attended games at Greenwich. Jordan recalled, “He knew all the players, their handicaps, everybody on the field. Adie was the one who would watch the game from the sideline and comment on every player, every play and on the umpiring. He was very keen with a great knowledge of the game.” Von Gontard noted changes in polo since his playing days. “We would hit long balls.Today they dribble between riders. But don’t print that for a few years because I’ll get in trouble,” he joked. “It’s gotten more professional. Polo was more of a society game. You only had one pro, now you have three. But it’s also a lot better.” He noted another difference was players mostly made trips to other clubs or they came to his. “Now they play each other at one club,” he said. Father and son are pictured on the cover of, and inside “The Evolution of Polo” by the late Horace Laffaye at a practice game in the 1970s with Bill and Billy Ylvisaker. The von Gontard men, and Bennie Gutierrez, were the models for one of the first advertisements of Polo Ralph Lauren, galloping their horses. The elder von Gontard also was pictured playing on his horse in an advertisement for Kidder Peabody. Von Gontard always displayed elan. His sense of humor was illustrated by a sign on the front of his barn office: “Manure out back. B.S. inside.” —Peter Herman •
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 57
E Q U I N E AT H L E T E
Pasture grazing is the most cost efficient way to feed, and using rotational grazing can greatly extend the pasture.
(continued from page 17) cooperative venture depends on how you do business. “A partnership is only as strong as the desire of the various parties to get along together. In tough economic times, many people will change their attitudes and not be so competitive or so selfish about their own needs. They can get together and have a good time. They can all go haul hay out of the field, for instance,” says Freeman. Maximize Pasture Letting horses harvest forage by grazing is the most cost efficient way to feed. “Subdividing pastures and using rotational or controlled grazing can greatly extend it,” says Mowrey. “On a normal growth period in North Carolina we have grazing for about 10 months by doing this. The cost of pasture is often less than the cost of hay,” he says. “Here, our dependence on hay can be reduced to two to three months of the year. If you inter-seed winter annuals and have a mixture where some paddocks are planted to warm season grasses and some to cool season grasses, you can have a yearround grazing plan and only need to feed hay for two
Reducing the Herd “We may not need all the horses we have, but it can be difficult to sell one, in an over-supply market,” says Freeman. “It’s not as hard to sell a horse if it’s usable. It’s very hard, however, if you never got around to training it; you can’t even give away a horse that’s not rideable.
58 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
to three months, unless you’re in a drought,” he says. The horse is much more efficient grazing it, than if you try to harvest it as hay. On a farm that has large areas fenced, just subdividing and using a pasture management plan like rotational grazing or controlled intensive grazing can greatly extend the grazing. On a small acreage where there’s not room for permanent pasture divisions, you can put in temporary step-in posts and tape electric fencing, and move the tapes to rotate the grazing areas every few days, forcing the horses to graze everything down (including their least favorite plants that they would ordinarily leave ungrazed) before moving them, and giving the rest of the acreage more time to regrow. This can improve the health of the pasture (longer recovery times) and produce more forage. In some areas of the country hay prices are extremely high, especially with freight added on. Hay-growing regions that are in a drought may also be short on hay and the price is even higher. Thus it pays to extend grazing as much as possible. If you can manage your land more intensively, fertilize appropriately, and let horses harvest the forage themselves (managing pastures for their forage and nutritional value rather than just as turnout areas), this saves a lot of hay expense. A person can ask local Extension people for advice on soil tests and fertilizing. “Fertilizer is expensive so you need to fertilize at appropriate rate and at the proper time,” says Coleman. “Make a plan. If it’s not the optimum time to spread fertilizer, don’t spend the money.” Horses are efficient harvesters. The cost of putting up hay keeps increasing. If you mechanically harvest it, you also lose more nutrients. Maximizing pastures is often a better choice. Consider Options There are dozens of little ways to save money, adding up to large savings over time. “Pay attention to
If you want to reduce your herd to reduce expenses, develop a horse someone will want to ride. The strength of the market is in top-end show or performance horses and broke horses that anyone can ride. If you have some unbroken horses and are complaining about expenses, find a way
to get them broke, because you won’t be able to sell them any other way,” he says. A good, usable gelding may not be worth quite what you hoped he would bring, but someone will buy him. If he’s 5 years old and barely halter broke, no one will want him.
E Q U I N E AT H L E T E
Turning Negatives into Positives Freeman says that when times are people are getting out of the horse or tough you often find more bargains if farming business or can’t make a you shop around. For instance, you payment on that piece of equipment. might be able to pick up a low-mileage Dealerships may be reducing inventory tractor more cheaply than you could a on new equipment. Now might be the few years ago. There are opportunities opportunity to purchase that manure in some areas because many people spreader you never thought you could bought things they could not afford afford,” says Freeman. There are and are now selling them, or dealers always positive sides to a negative situation, and in times like these we are taking them back. “You may be able to purchase an need to think positive. Necessity can help change our equipment upgrade, because some
catalog sales, advertising fliers, or coupons at the feed store. If something you need comes up on sale, that’s a better time to buy it. Some businesses reduce inventory by lowering prices; if you shop around you might find things you can afford,” says Coleman. Sometimes financial crunches are also times of opportunity. “It all comes down to having a plan, thinking about what you really need or don’t need, and becoming a conscientious consumer. There are consumer reports on many things, and people often take advantage of that, but when it comes to their horses they tend to spend more than they need to, and should be more money conscious,” says Coleman. Many horse associations have partnerships with companies that offer savings to their members, like the USPA’s Polo Plus program. Members can save on farm equipment, paint, fans and more. Freeman says a huge amount of money is often spent on things that have no bearing on horses’ health and well-being. “We buy many things to satisfy human desires. When you decide to trim expenses, write down everything you purchase. In one column list things you buy for the health and well-being of the horse, and be honest about it—his food and shelter,” he says. It’s also important to keep up with vaccinations. The costs of treating a disease (or possibly losing a horse to illness) could be far greater than the expense of the vaccine. In another column list things that only pertain to your interests with that horse. “This is the hard part to cut out, but most horsemen will realize these are not necessities. Back in the old days we didn’t have all these gadgets and products and still enjoyed our horses and took good care of them,” says Freeman. Other ways to cut costs include figuring ways to keep your old equipment functional, or buy used items, if
focus, and some of the new ways we’ll do things actually turn out well. Just because we do some things differently doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not a good thing. People who have horses may do more with their horses now, instead of being involved with more expensive hobbies or recreations. This is why we have horses, to use and enjoy, and they can be good for our mind and spirit in hard economic times.
something new is out of your budget right now. Horsemen who go to competitions are looking at traveling less, or closer to home. Reducing travel costs by sharing trailer space has been done in many sports for a long time. This will obviously continue, but now we may see more people doing it. Other ways you might save is to plan ahead and work with your neighbors on things like farrier visits. “If a farrier comes to an area where there are several owners, and each of you have one to three horses, it can be a better trip for him to do them all at once than coming for just one client,” says Coleman. The farrier might come more readily, especially if you can have the horses in one place, in a safe area to work, and somewhat out of the elements because this saves travel time and fuel costs. A person can also work together with friends and neighbors when purchasing other bulk items besides hay—such as fencing materials. There are many ways to save a little money. •
It is important to keep up with vaccinations. The cost of treating a disease could be far greater than the expense of the vaccine.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 59
U S PA B U L L E T I N
The interactive curriculum for the day included three stations, including the hitting cage.
(continued from page 13) The impact Detroit Horse Power has on local youth is evident. Kaira Clayton, another Detroit Horse Power student and event participant, acknowledged the positive impact the program has had. “I’ve met so many amazing people [through
For student Elijah Anderson, the event was his first exposure to the sport of polo.
60 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
DHP],” Clayton detailed. “They have helped me with a lot of things in life. I don’t know what I would do without them in my life.” The work of Detroit Horse Power and Silver, who serves as executive director, are making consistent strides in the community. Beginning in the developmental Teach for America program, Silver’s lifelong mission to expand opportunities for underprivileged youth began to take shape as he taught fourth and fifth grade students. As he built his skills as a budding teacher, Silver’s conversations with his students led him to question where he had acquired life skills such as perseverance, confidence and empathy. He found himself consistently referencing experiences from his childhood around horses. Growing up in an equestrian family, Silver competed in hunter jumpers and three-day eventing, and worked for Olympian Boyd Martin. “It felt very mismatched for me,” Silver explained. “My Detroit students largely had never seen a horse. The kind of life-changing effects and bonds that you form with a horse and the ways that they can equip you with skills to overcome adversity were not something [my students] could access.” This realization led Silver to found Detroit Horse Power in 2015 as an outlet for instilling the positive
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Far left: Students practiced their mallet skills on the ground with DEI Committee member Dale Johnson. Left: Detroit Polo Club Director Emmalyn Wheaton worked closely with DHP to create a curriculum that would provide a lasting impression on the students both on and off a horse.
skill development he had access to growing up as a result of horses. Detroit Horse Power aims to teach the “PERCS” framework through teachable experiences at partner barns throughout Detroit and surrounding areas. Perseverance, empathy, responsible risk-taking, confidence and self-control are all skills demonstrated by the equine community on a daily basis but may not be specifically articulated. Silver emphasized the program’s intention to provide this demographic of youth with access to horses to build their internal tool kit in powerful ways. Next on the agenda for Detroit Horse Power is the construction of a permanent home within city limits. As a post-industrial city with a changing cityscape, whole blocks and neighborhoods have been leveled and cleared. Detroit Horse Power secured a large piece of vacant land, formerly home to a school campus. Through a partnership with the public school district, Detroit Horse Power has an agreement to reactivate the land for use as an urban equestrian center in the coming years. When the project is completed, Silver acknowledged it will be a landmark on a national scale—14 acres dedicated to an equestrian center in the heart of Detroit. Detroit Horse Power is currently working on a site plan and
fundraising for their capital campaign with a goal of opening in 2023. Having a location within city limits would remove some of the geographic and time limitations often faced by the program when traveling to barns outside the city. Wheaton noted that it would be a great opportunity for Detroit Polo Club to partner with the program. Horses could be brought into the city for a few hours and provide the students with easier access closer to school and home. Reflecting back on the PERCS framework, Silver pointed out the many ways the new facility and the potential for partnerships through polo could further the student’s progress. “There are very few interpersonal team sports with horses,” Silver commented. “Polo creates the opportunity for students to collaborate, have empathy for both their horse and teammates and to have empathy for an opposing team. This is just the beginning, but I’m really excited about the life lessons and opportunities that polo could unlock for our students.” Together the organizations hope to capitalize on the momentum created by the event and replicate it in other locations, spreading the love and awareness of polo across the country. • 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
Improvement needed Lack of good ponies worrying polo men Adapted from Bit & Spur, March 1911
Players ambitious to enter important events have to face the serious proposition of obtaining fast, weight-carrying, well-trained mounts. That a player is no better than his pony is most certainly true in regard to polo, especially so in these days when games are played at top speed and only great big 14.3 or 15-hand Thoroughbred or three-quarter-bred ponies are considered good enough for really first-class matches. Men who are ambitious to play in important tournaments in this country have to face the allimportant necessity of obtaining fast, weightcarrying, well-trained ponies. Since polo was first started in 1876, in the states, the solution of this very important problem has been left practically to a handful of dealers who have been fairly successful in providing a good second-class pony. They have been entirely unable to find ponies of international or even first-class quality with the exception of a very few individuals whose prominence in the game was almost entirely due to the player and the thorough schooling these ponies were given after they left the hands of the dealers. If the dealers were only able to find the material it would not be such a serious matter, but the very small percentage of first-class ponies put on the market is very discouraging. However, taking into consideration their want of knowledge of the game, their lack of opportunity to school their ponies in games of any description, and their lack of capital, it is surprising that they are as successful as they have been in the last 10 years. Great Deal of Expense The expense of getting together a bunch of 30 or 40 ponies is very great. In the first place, it means that at least 150 ponies must be purchased originally and after an expensive ‘trying out’ at least two-thirds will be found lacking for one reason or another and not good enough to ship for sale. These undesirable ponies will be sold probably at a loss, in addition to the expense of their keep during the trying-out process. When the dealer has his string of ponies ready to offer to players he has the terrible expense of 62 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
keeping them in shape and condition at Eastern rates in most instances. Taking into consideration loss in transit and sick ponies, either eventually unsold or ‘given away’ in an auction, the dealer, with absolutely no exception to my knowledge, makes no more than a hand-to-mouth living out of this branch of the horse business. Polo is necessarily a rich man’s game and a player should not stop at a stiff but fair price for a high-class pony, because they are very few and far between and are the result of months of ‘looking for’ and buying scores of medium-class ponies. Not only should he give the dealer his price for his pony during the season, but he should not neglect to buy a really first-class pony at any time of the year, as these ponies are invaluable to a man who aspires to play in good company and are not always to be picked up when desired. There is in England a Polo and Riding Society formed for the purpose of improving and establishing a breed of ponies suitable for polo. Necessarily this meant many years of perseverance and hard endeavor before results could be seen, but it is generally admitted by polo men in England that it has gone a long way toward improving the standard of ponies fit to play, and that in the last few years there have been quite a number of registered, polo-bred ponies played in the most important games. Two of these ponies represented England in the last International Cup games. England Will Not Sell A similar society might be formed in the states with good results, but it would be many years before much improvement could be noted and would necessitate the importation of polo stallions, a most expensive and most difficult thing to do, as English breeders would be very chary of parting with these extremely profitable and not easily found ponies. It was only possible, it will be admitted, to regain the American Cup by the judicious buying of noted English ponies (by English, of course, I include ponies bred in Ireland), but Mr. Whitney or any one else will find it extremely difficult to purchase the same class of pony in England as long as the cup
Y E S T E RY E A R S
remains in America, or as long as there is any possibility of getting or keeping possession of the cup by the purchase of English-bred ponies. No polo player in England will sell a possible international pony to an American, and no English dealer will dare to risk losing his trade in England by catering to American sportsmen with this issue in view. Therefore, it is now up to the polo players of America to devise some way to improve the standard of American-bred ponies. Polo players need no instruction as to the type and quality of pony necessary. They are quite alive to the qualifications to be desired, but almost without exception not the slightest attempt has been made by polo men to breed ponies in a systemic manner to produce ponies with substance and speed at about the regulation height. As a matter of fact, the only possible method at the present time is to breed a Thoroughbred stallion to a polo pony mare, but a very large percentage of the ‘get’ is over height, and only a small percentage of the foals that are of the right size have the disposition and conformation to become polo ponies. Establishing A Breeding Farm The game is becoming more popular every year and it is absolutely necessary for a few men who have the sport at heart to get together and establish a breeding farm for the purpose of improving the
Henry Halff’s Midland,
breed of polo ponies. It will be more or less of an Texas, breeding ranch expensive undertaking for a few years, but the only was one of a few successful poloalternative is that the players of this country will producing have to rely upon England and Ireland for their establishments. Two best ponies. ponies from this farm To establish such an undertaking would require were played in the half a dozen stallions of the desired polo type, and international series and a few hundred acres in Virginia, for instance. There a number were shipped to Europe. would be no difficulty in getting a good selection of mares for breeding purposes. Every polo man in this country would be only too glad to sell or even offer his mare ponies for such a purpose after they have fulfilled their usefulness on the polo field. Numbers of polo ponies that have, through accidents or for other reasons, been thrown on the markets to become wasted on the streets in hucksters’ wagons and so forth, might be utilized for experimental breeding. Eventually it would be possible to breed almost to a certainty the type of pony desired, but in the meantime even the ponies that proved oversize or under-fitted to become polo ponies for one reason or another, could be sold at a profit as park or hack ponies. Those that proved to be of the right material would be offered for sale in the same manner as would the stock of any horse dealer. The principle of the organization would not be to breed ponies solely for the use of the instigators, but on such a large scale that a great number of players would find it possible to replenish their stables from this source. • POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 63
CALENDAR
December/January N O V E M B E R 8 - D E C E M B E R 11 Women’s Argentina Polo Open Pilar, Buenos Aires, Argentina N O V E M B E R 1 0 - D E C E M B E R 11 128th Argentina Open Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina DECEMBER 3-4 Congressional Cup (4) River Bend, Wellborn, TX
Christmas Arena Challenge Greater Niagra, Wainfleet, Ontario DECEMBER 27-29 Arena Constitution Cup (6) Gardnertown, Newburgh, NY D E C E M B E R 2 8 - JA N UA RY 2 Congressional Cup (8) Costa Careyes, Jalisco, Mexico
DECEMBER 3-5 U.S. Open Arena Championships (20) California, Los Angeles, CA
D E C E M B E R 3 0 - JA N UA RY 2 USPA Women’s Challenge (10-12) Women’s Pacific Coast Open (14-16) Eldorado, Indio, CA
DECEMBER 4 Christmas Polo Cup (3) Dallas, Red Oak, TX
D E C E M B E R 31 Amateur Cup (0-2) Maui, Makawao, HI
DECEMBER 4-5 Intra Club Matches New Orleans, Folsom, LA
JA N UA RY 2 Iglehart Cup (18) IPC, Wellington, FL
USPA Women’s Arena Challenge (12) Lakeside, Lakeside, CA DECEMBER 5 Polo in the Country for Operation Toybox Hawaii, Waialua, Hawaii USPA Sportsmanship Cup (2-4) Arizona, Casa Grande, AZ D E C E M B E R 11 Champions Tournament (2) Arizona, Casa Grande, AZ D E C E M B E R 11 - 1 2 Western Regionals Orange County, Silverado, CA Arena Sportsmanship Cup (6) Rancho Naranjo, Santa Teresa, NM D E C E M B E R 1 3 - 16 Nations Cup Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina D E C E M B E R 16 Linfoot Polo Clinic Eldorado, Indio, CA D E C E M B E R 1 8 - 19 St. Regis World Snow Polo Rio Grande Park, Aspen, CO
64 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
J A N U A R Y 2 - 16 Joe Barry Memorial (18) IPC, Wellington, FL JA N UA RY 5 - 2 9 The Wanderers Club Cup (4) IPC, Wellington, FL JA N UA RY 6 - 3 0 International Cup (8) IPC, Wellington, FL J A N U A R Y 7 - 16 USPA Mack & Madelyn Jason Mem. (8) World Gym Tournament (4) Eldorado, Indio, CA USPA George S. Patton (4) Hobe Sound, Hobe Sound, FL JA N UA RY 7 - 3 0 Gold Coast Feed Challenge (6) IPC, Wellington, FL JA N UA RY 12 - A P R I L 13 Polo School Women’s League Grand Champions, Wellington, FL J A N U A R Y 1 3 - 16 20th Bendura Bank Snow Polo Münichauer Wiese, Reith bei Kitzbühel
JA N UA RY 13 - 3 0 SAO Memorial Family Cup (8) Mayaca Challenge (14) Port Mayaca, Okeechobee, FL J A N U A R Y 14 - 17 Masters Cup (8) La Herradura, Santa Ynez, CA J A N U A R Y 14 - 3 0 Aspen Valley Cup (8) Grand Champions, Wellington, FL JA N UA RY 15 - F E B RUA RY 6 Ylvisaker Cup (18) IPC, Wellington, FL J A N U A R Y 16 - F E B R U A R Y 1 2 Outback Invitational (16) Patagones, Wellington, FL JA N UA RY 18 - 3 0 The Sterling Cup Grand Champions, Wellington, FL J A N U A R Y 21 - 2 3 Polo & Balloon Classic Agua Caliente Casino, Rancho Mirage J A N U A R Y 21 - 3 0 USPA Coachella Valley Officers Cup Eldorado, Indio, CA USPA Constitution Cup (4-6) Hobe Sound, Hobe Sound, FL JA N UA RY 2 4 - 2 9 Eloy Escapite Memorial (2) Sunset, Loxahatchee, FL JA N UA RY 2 5 - F E B RUA RY 12 Limited Edition 12 Goal The Metropolitan Cup (6) Grand Champions, Wellington, FL JA N UA RY 2 8 - 3 0 Texas Arena League Brookshire, Brookshire, Texas 37th Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz, Switzerland
Note: All dates are subject to change. “USPA” refers to tournaments sponsored or sanctioned by the United States Polo Association. Signifies prize money available.
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