U S PA B U L L E T I N
A gem of a polo pony Journey to the most exclusive string
UNITED STATES POLO ASSOCIATION
by United States Polo Association
Ruby was a star playing in NYTS, the women’s U.S. Open and the U.S. Open.
Capping off a diverse winter season as a late addition to Adolfo Cambiaso’s string and contributing to Scone’s U.S. Open Polo Championship victory, 11-year-old Ruby (Sorcerer’s Stone x Ineluctable) has been shaped by many talented American hands on her rise to the top. Sold to Cambiaso by Kylie Sheehan (facilitated by partner Gabriel Crespo) just after BTA/The Villages won the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship, Ruby immediately jumped into the 22-goal and effortlessly switched high-goal gears. Seamlessly transitioning between three players and styles of polo in one season, Ruby is the embodiment of versatility, competing in the 2020 National Youth Tournament Series Championship with Crespo’s 15-year-old daughter Alea; two U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championships with Sheehan and the Gauntlet of Polo with Cambiaso. A rare find 10 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
with qualities including extreme sensitivity, willingness and speed, Ruby has repeatedly dazzled in every string. Purchased off the track by Rodolfo Irigoyen, the bay American Thoroughbred (registered as Junes Ruby) was briefly played by Sheehan in Florida while on consignment with Crespo. Mounting himself for the inaugural Gauntlet of Polo, USPA Chairman Stewart Armstrong (then USPA Secretary) added Ruby to his Aspen string, the pair earning a Best Playing Pony blanket that summer. Gaining a strong foundation with an experienced horseman in tournaments including the 2020 Butler Handicap, Ruby became part of Sheehan’s string through a trade with Armstrong in early 2021. Naturally easy and lending herself well to women’s polo, Ruby pivoted from youth polo and carried Sheehan to consecutive U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship finals, playing nearly two full chukkers in the winning game. Her second mare sold to Cambiaso after only three years of running her own business buying and selling horses, Sheehan is particularly proud to have prepared Ruby for her debut in the iconic 10goaler’s string. Hitting her prime and showcasing her exceptional quality during the Florida season, Ruby’s high-goal career has accelerated quickly with plans to compete in the English high-goal season. Molding to every level with resilience, Ruby’s natural ability is without question, each experience offering her the growth necessary to excel at the highest levels of the sport. How did Ruby come to your string? Kylie Sheehan: I first met Ruby when she was 7 years old and I played her in a couple of 6-goal tournaments. When Stewart [Armstrong] decided to compete in the 2019 Gauntlet of Polo, Gabriel was helping him find horses to add to his string. He ended up buying Ruby and playing her that season with Aspen and then he took her to Colorado for the summer. Stewart didn’t play a lot of competitive polo in 2020 so Ruby ended up going
