March 2021 Polo Players' Edition

MARCH 2021

La Indiana Prevails In 2020 Gold Cup $5.00 US/$5.50 Canada

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CONTENTS

P L AY E R S’ E D I T I O N

M A R C H 2 0 21

VOL. 24,

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

26 Harmony by Gwen Rizzo

Players benefiting from Yoga practice

6

Association News USPA Bulletin

30 Going for Gold

10 Instructors Forum

34 Taking the Crown by Lucas Noel

12 Ask an Umpire 14 Equine Athlete

La Indiana picks up its first Gauntlet title

By Cindy Halle

El Overa 27 UAE defends Women’s Open title

By Alice Gipps

38 Mouthpiece by Gwen Rizzo

18 Polo Scene

Handcrafted bits add to horses’ comfort

News, notes, trends & quotes

MARCH 2021

22 Polo Development 24 Intercollegiate/Interscholastic 42 Polo in the Pampas

OUR COVER

La Indiana Prevails In 2020 Gold Cup

NO. 7

by Lucas Noel

La Indiana’s Nico Escobar was an integral part of the 2020 Gold Cup victory.

58 Calendar 60 Yesteryears

Photo by David Lominska/ Polographis.com

46 Polo Report

Design for the People Takes Women’s Challenge

$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

Ready for Action

P L AY E R S’ E D I T I O N THE

OFFICIAL MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE

UNITED STATES POLO ASSOCIATION

Editor & Publisher

GWEN D. RIZZO

Contributing Editors

HEATHER SMITH THOMAS, ALICE GIPPS, LUCAS NOEL, C. MAYBE ORTIZ, SARAH EAKIN

Editorial Board BOB PUETZ, TONY COPPOLA, TOM BIDDLE, DAWN WEBER, AMI SHINITZKY Art Director DAVID BEVERAGE Prepress THE OVID BELL PRESS #LIVEAUTHENTICALLY | @USPOLOASSN

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VOL. 24, No.7 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).

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4 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

U S PA B U L L E T I N

National Youth Tournament Series Jump on the opportunity to host a National Youth Tournament Series Qualifier tournament this spring or summer and watch an increase of youth participation at your club! Create relationships with players in your region while hosting a competitive tournament. A rewarding experience, NYTS Qualifier tournaments provide young players an opportunity to compete with and against their peers. Additionally, you will have a chance to see your club represented at the championship level.

For USPA outdoor clubs in good standing, the NYTS program supplies a branded poster to promote the event, assistance with day-of tournament coordination, trophies and support in planning the event. Players interested in participating in a NYTS tournament are encouraged to contact their local club. The NYTS schedule will be updated weekly as tournaments are approved on uspolo.org. For more information, please contact NYTS@uspolo.org.

Allied Services Cup Played for the first time in 2021, the Allied Services Cup is one of two new national armed forces tournaments. Texas Military Polo Club (Poteet, Texas) will have the honor of hosting this inaugural arena event.

The event will be for teams 2- to 5-goals. Four to six teams are expected to compete, representing the U.S. Joint and Allied Services military teams.

Tournament fees are $300 per player.

Preliminary games will be played on Saturday, June 5. Championship and consolations matches will be played on Sunday, June 6.

Team entries can be submitted by email to Karl Hilberg (karlhilberg@gmail.com), no later than June DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHNICS

Team USPA Are you a young polo player looking to take your career to the next level on Team USPA? The Team USPA application will close on Monday, March 15.

Players applying to the Team USPA program must demonstrate their commitment to polo and have clear and specific goals related to their career.

Selection criteria will include playing ability, horsemanship, improvement potential, attitude and work ethic. This program identifies talented American polo players who are committed to pursuing a career as a polo professional and who are on track to achieve an outdoor handicap of 5 goals by the age of 22.

Opportunities to apply for training in Argentina and grants designed for unique player development will be available to help advance a player’s level of play as well as customized training opportunities organized by the Team USPA Committee. The application is available at uspolo.org under the Team USPA program page.

Host a NYTS tournament qualifier this spring or summer.

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DAVID MURRELL

U S PA B U L L E T I N

14. All horses are required to have proof of a current negative coggins test.

Due to COVID-19, all players should maintain proper COVID-19 protocols, including social distancing, wearing face masks and washing hands.

These protocols are subject to change based on current national, state and county regulations.

Tournament conditions include: • Players are required to have served in the military of any country to participate (active duty, retired, honorably discharged).

• If there is an insufficient number of players meeting this criterion, a military family member of any country can then participate.

• There will be a bowl-in at the center of the arena after a goal is scored.

• There will be a shootout in the event of a tie.

San Antonio International Airport is the nearest airport. There are numerous hotels in the San Antonio area within 30-45 minutes of the polo venue. There are also hotels on the city’s Riverwalk.

Spotlight on Savings USPA Members have access to savings on many nationally known products, including up to 50% discount at Sterling Cut Glass and Prize Possessions, two trophy suppliers trusted by USPA members and USPA member clubs. As industry leaders in personalized awards and trophies, both companies

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The inaugural Allied Services Cup will be held at Texas Military Polo Club in Poteet, Texas.

have a commitment to quality and take pride in their workmanship.

No project is too big or too small! With a range of prices perfect for any budget, shop online at both Prize Possessions and Sterling Cut Glass and choose from hundreds of items for any occasion. From a variety of trophy types and award bowls to wine carafes and jewelry boxes, create and engrave with the support of team members who provide convenient and reliable shopping experiences.

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

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 7

U S PA B U L L E T I N

Intercollegiate Season Canceled Due to university restrictions on travel and competition for USPA intercollegiate programs, the Intercollegiate/Interscholastic National Host Tournament Committee has made the difficult decision to officially cancel the intercollegiate tournament season. It is the USPA’s sincere hope that students and their families stay healthy, positive and safe.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to I/I staff and leadership at any time if you need assistance. Stay informed of additional opportunities for intercollegiate teams on uspolo.org.

Varsity Letter If you are an interscholastic player who competed in the I/I tournament season this year, along with completing 100 hours in the saddle, participating in four I/I games, and staying in good academic standing, you are eligible for an Interscholastic Varsity Letter!

Please note: In the event a team is not able to complete the four regular season games requirement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students may 8 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

apply for a varsity letter waiver. Waivers can be submitted via your coach directly through email to I/I staff explaining the hardship. I/I staff will review and send to the committee for final approval.

Scholarship Program Are you a current intercollegiate or senior interscholastic player who is planning to play on an intercollegiate polo team? Six $4,000 scholarships are available through the USPA Intercollegiate Scholarship program. Requirements can be found on uspolo.org. Applications will open in April. Contact Amy Fraser at afraser@uspolo.org for more details.

I/I Photos Wanted I/I Program officials are working on a project to collect I/I photos from both past and present. If you have any photos you would like to share, please email them to Ali Davidge at adavidge@uspolo.org.

Please note, some photos will be used on social media and must portray safe riding and horse handling practices.

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INSTRUCTORS FORUM

Back on Track Execute offside backs with power and direction

By Cindy Halle

A strong and well-placed offside back shot can be a great pass to a teammate, a shot to prevent an opponent’s offensive drive or even an opportunity to score a goal. Most players find this to be one of their strongest and most comfortable shots but I often see amateurs struggling with a few of the basic concepts needed to properly execute this shot. Although I teach the straight back shot first, a tail shot or an open (away) back shot tends to be much more useful in an actual game as they change the line of the ball, turning defense into offense by setting up your teammate with a well-placed pass.

Everything in polo starts with your position in the saddle. In order to hit properly, you need to ride properly. The polo seat is a light seat with the grip on the thigh and knee, weight in the heels and torso slightly forward of vertical. Carry your mallet up with the handle somewhere between your chest and

Putting your thumb on the back edge of the mallet handle helps position the mallet head correctly, and increases power.

your navel. A mallet resting high on your shoulder is not ready for any shot and will contribute to late preparation and swings.

You can break the offside back shot into three parts: The initiation of the swing , the swing and the follow-through. I find amateurs often make some common mistakes in all three of these phases and I’ll address them one by one. (I am not going to cover any sort of wind-up for the back shot as I teach the basics first. Also, in the arena game, which I am usually teaching, I find you usually don’t have time for a wind-up).

Don’t make the mistake of looking under your arm at the ball. There will be no way for your arm to follow through and your swing will lack power.

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Initiate the swing To initiate the offside back shot, be slightly out of the saddle and turning your left hip slightly towards the front of your horse. Putting slightly more weight into your right stirrup and slightly turning your shoulders, you will reach forward and to the right of your horse’s right ear. You will have a slight bend in your right elbow as you raise the mallet head. Hold your mallet in a plane parallel to your horse’s spine with that plane out away from your horse so you do not hit your stirrup or horse. (A frequent error I see

ALEX PACHECO

INSTRUCTORS FORUM

Look over your shoulder at the ball as opposed to under your arm.

is starting the stroke with the mallet hand close to the horse’s ears—obviously this makes it impossible to move the mallet in a straight line.) As you start to put more weight to the right keep your rein hand centered or even to the left to keep the horse straight. Keep the heel of the mallet head towards the ground at the height of the stroke initiation.

One common mistake I see is many amateur players, so focused on making sure the ball will be hit with the correct or ‘back’ side of the mallet head, turn their wrist down so their palm is facing up at the top of the stroke, which turns the mallet head 90 degrees from where it should be. Starting in this way takes away all of your power as you are no longer using your bicep (usually the strongest muscle in your arm) and you lose the momentum of a relaxed mallet head hitting the ball. Also, this mistake puts a bend in the right elbow, making it nearly impossible to follow through.

To fix this I offer up the option to utilize a trick Mike Conant taught me a few years (actually a few decades) ago. I find this trick is especially helpful for younger players or those who do not have much arm strength. Rotate your grip slightly so your thumb is actually on the narrow side of the mallet to help “push” the mallet in the correct way with the heel of the mallet head toward the ground. Whether or not you use this technique is personal preference but in all cases the mallet head must begin its down-

Don’t turn your wrist so your palm is facing up. It will turn the mallet head 90 degrees in the wrong direction.

(continued on page 56) POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 11

ASK AN UMPIRE

Master the rules Variances, tournament conditions and more

By Dana Fortugno

What are variances and tournament conditions and how do they interact with the rules? I have made a living in several different industries in my lifetime.

I have worked in polo, in law and in law enforcement.

I have worked for others in a new job and I have worked for myself in my own practice. Whether it was a new job or a field where I created my own job—it’s all the same. What’s all the same? The learning curve.

When you start a new job, you hear your new coworkers talking about the company and how it operates, or the regulations of the job, and it all seems so alien at first. I never understood what exactly they were talking about or how it worked and so forth.

Before attending professional school, I would just listen and pick up what I could, but I was quiet enough where nobody would suspect I didn’t know what was really going on. You know, skate by for a while. It’s no fun and can be very stressful.

12 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Professional school taught me to master what is before me as soon as possible. Once I was the master of my material—I’m good—I get it, lets work. I never started another practice or took another job without being the master of my area—never. I also never felt insecure again. In one job, the company structure was so wacky, I had to draw flow charts and interview multiple people at the top to figure out what in the world was going on. After I did that, I kept that flow chart as a cover to all my reports, and everyone who I worked with appreciated that flow chart. It had never been done before and nearly the entire staff and board didn’t really know how we operated until I took the time to figure it out. This is a long way to say, the rules in polo are no different. I am going to start you off in a general sense and you can dig deeper from there. Master the rule book concepts and you will find the answers to all polo mysteries—it’s all in there.

The rules are what govern the game. On-field or off-field application, the rules determine what we can and cannot do. All games have rules, hence the term ‘game.’ Love and war have no rules, but they are not games either. In the rule book, there are rules for lots of things, primarily the outdoor polo rules and the arena polo rules. Both are games, each with a unique set of rules. Within these rules, the people hosting the tournament, or the Host Tournament Committee, have some choices at different levels of polo. They can choose, for example, to have undefended Penalty 3s or defended Penalty 3s in certain levels of polo. There are a handful of these choices to be made. The Host Tournament Committee makes these elections (choices) before the tournament is held. Once the elections are made and the tournament begins, that’s it, those are the rules of the tournament for all games in the tournament.

Can rules vary between tournaments? Of course they can, if the HTC makes different elections within the rules.

We just spoke about elections that can be made

ASK AN UMPIRE

within the rules. Those types of elections are always going to be available to one degree or another and need to be understood by the HTC. What about elections that are not available in the rules? Can a HTC make up stuff? The answer is a conditional yes, if it’s in the best interest of the sport and only for certain things but not all things. How do you know the difference? Keep it simple. If you want to do something that is not in the rules then you can apply for a variance. A variance is an approved rule deviation you can apply for at least 10 days before the tournament. It is either granted or denied on paper (e-paper works) by the USPA. Each variance is a unique flower and granted only for a specific tournament. It must be applied for and granted in order to become a rule of the tournament. There is usually a very good reason for the variance, and that reason is usually in line with the objectives of the rules. In order to get one of these, you must pick the rule you want to vary and spell out how you want it varied, then submit it to services for review and ultimately a decision.

What about tournament conditions? These are rules (rule variances) that are already pre-approved by the USPA. All the HTC has to do is elect one of these and then it becomes the rule for the tournament. It is easier than a variance and better thought out because it has been debated and often already tested. Each tournament condition is unique and specific and must be followed as written unless

you wish to apply for a variance instead. I’m not going be specific about the new tournament conditions, but I am happy to turn you on to them so you may decide for yourself what you like and what you don’t. This year is one of the most progressive and exiting years (since the introduction of the drone) for tournament conditions. I’ll give them to you like lunch specials: • We have a fair play throw-in tournament condition that allows the umpire to award ball possession to the team disadvantaged by a whistle.

• We also have live play review on an I-pad for the third man. He may review anything in slow motion etc. to help get the call right. I like this one because it reduces errors and complaints.

• We have an alternative to the three-quarter rule in 4- to 6-goal polo. This can come in handy depending on your players’ ratings.

• We have live-play improper blocking. It’s like regular improper, but during play. That’s kind of cool if your club suffers from ball-hog syndrome.

My point is the rules are not just what you read in the outdoor rules or the arena rules, they are in Tournament Conditions, NYTS tournament conditions, I/I tournament conditions and even can be varied. Look over these lonely parts of the rule book and really give your next tournament some thought. You can make your tournament more progressive or more classic depending on your unique club culture.

• POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 13

E Q U I N E AT H L E T E

Hands-on Equine athletes benefit from sports massage Words and photos by Alice Gipps

A horse that spends time in a pasture can roll and stretch out its muscles.

Over the last 10 years, there has been a significant increase in polo players taking their own game preparation, as well as recovery from training and competing, seriously. Now it’s time to focus on the horse. Consider anything less than maximum performance a sign to investigate the reason why.

Sports massage therapy is becoming considerably more popular for the equine athlete. There is scientific evidence to show it can relieve tense or sensitive muscles, enhance performance and produce relaxation. It is not a cure-all but it certainly can help, and it is an excellent diagnostic tool to assess the overall condition of the horse’s body. Other than when affected by trauma, accident or illness, most soft tissue problems are accumulative, and anyone who has experienced muscle spasm or knots will know how it can affect attitude and performance.

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Knowing that 60% of the horse’s body mass is made of muscle, the whole body is interconnected and the body responds to stress by hyper-contraction, therefore it follows that muscular tension-related problems are more common than we realize.

A horse in pain will adapt their movement to protect sore muscles resulting in a loss of freedom of movement as other muscle groups overwork to compensate, which can lead to more long-term serious issues.

The aim of a sports massage therapist is to release the muscles and restore the horse’s freedom of movement, which enables recovery. Skilled therapists can detect and act on subtle changes at an early stage. They can reduce muscle tightness, which leads to an increased range of movement; relax muscle spasms; enhance tone and increase circulation.

E Q U I N E AT H L E T E

Better circulation promotes healing by increasing the flow of nutrients to the muscles and reducing inflammation.

Once you understand free motion and pay attention to the early warning signs, it will help avoid major issues. Incorporating massage into a regular training program is beneficial as it can help prevent injuries and also give an even greater range of movement, which then enhances performance. Even a minor lengthening of stride is an advantage for horses at the top level in any sport in terms of speed and agility.

There will be a root cause behind muscular tension. It may be a one-off incident, such as pulling a shoe, which wrenches muscles in the shoulder, or it can be something on-going such as a poorlyfitted saddle, which over time, restricts shoulder movement. Contrary to common belief, tight muscles cannot easily release themselves over time. A horse that lives out at pasture can roll and stretch-out, which can help but one kept in a stall has less chance to stretch.

The foreleg flexor tendons are extremely susceptible to strain and are one of the most prevalent causes of severe and debilitating breakdown in polo. While it is vital to pay attention to the tendons of the horse, very few people keep an eye on the muscles of the foreleg, which make the tendons work. Tendons only have 10% elastic properties, so 90% of movement must come from the associated muscles. Tightened muscles are shortened muscles due to the fibers held in a greater state of contraction, meaning they cannot release completely or as quickly to their full 90%, reducing flexibility, which then transmits to other muscle groups.

Therefore, a horse that is constantly being used with tight shoulders will transfer the tightening to the muscles of the upper foreleg and eventually to the tendons. Knotted tissue, no bigger than the end of your thumb, may be affecting the muscle or joint ligament, rendering them unable to perform their normal function. The greatest point of stress on the horse’s leg comes when it rolls forward on the foot and the flexor tendon comes into play. At this point of motion a fraction of an inch of inflexibility can be the difference between safety or injury, especially at speed.

Pulling back on the halter is another example. It damages poll muscles, which in turn can shut down the neck, affecting front-end movement if untreated.

The scapula is attached by muscles, not bone, so if the shoulder muscles are tense the horse then becomes heavy with a short stride. Horses carry 70% of their body weight on the front end, so when they cannot move freely and stride out when asked to perform, they start to compensate behind, leading to problems such as sore hocks.

Often the outwardly visible symptoms, indicating tension before a more serious physical problem shows, may get overlooked or dismissed as nonurgent as horses in demanding sports such as polo, racing, eventing and endurance will still perform relatively well at the top level. Also, performance

Sabrina Teater demonstrates a front leg stretch (above) and a back leg stretch (below).

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

Sabrina Teater discusses how saddle fit can restrict shoulder movement during an Equissage course in California.

Sabrina demonstrates a massage technique on muscles at the base of the neck.

Natalie Teater explains the muscles of the hind end.

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horses usually enjoy their job so much they will continue without showing serious discomfort until a debilitating injury shows up, which can drastically reduce their sporting lifespan. Decreased performance, subtle lameness, stiffness, feeling flat, fading early, resisting one direction, switching leads, refusing the proper lead or holding the head to one side are all early warning signs something is not quite right.

You can greatly increase the chances of your horse having a long working career if these small things are looked into and the root cause of the issue addressed early on. Therapist April Love says, “Keeping the horse from compensating can add another 10 years on to their working life.” That is a considerable extension considering most polo ponies often peak in their career at around 12 years old.

Sports massage therapists will take into account the overall environment the horse lives and performs in, but also conformation, shoeing, dentistry and how the tack fits. They may well need to inter-link with other professionals in a team effort to restore optimum health for the individual. They may refer another therapist, saddle fitter, body worker, farrier or vet if they feel there is an underlying cause of a problem that needs addressing to assist with the massage to restore full function.

The only professional who can legally diagnose a problem is a veterinarian. Always remember there are times when you should not use equine massage therapy, such as when the horse has a raised temperature, pregnancy, heart conditions, malignant cancer, skin conditions, broken bones, infection or nervous conditions. Massage therapy is never a substitute for veterinary care.

Sports massage therapy sessions may last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. The horse will start to relax, lick, chew and yawn, which are all signals of a release. If a horse is very sore it may at first be very reactive and object until it realizes the relief that follows. Horses in high-level work, with structural issues or healing from injuries may need up to three massage sessions in the first week, two the week after and then once a week until they recover. If the problem is muscle related, massage will help and if a mysterious lameness is muscular it will be apparent by week two of this plan. If there is a persisting problem, then it should be referred back to a vet or possibly an alternate equine therapy such as osteopathy or acupuncture. Aftercare will require either a brisk walk in hand or light ridden exercise to stretch the muscles so they return to their normal function. The exercise will be advised by the

E Q U I N E AT H L E T E

therapist depending on the findings. Access to plenty of fresh water is vital.

When seeking a competent equine sports massage therapist it is wise to consult your vet for recommendations or look up a certified therapist.

One source of qualified equine sports massage therapists is Equissage, founded in 1989 by Mary Schreiber, originally a certified human massage therapist. After witnessing firsthand the effectiveness of working on her own horses, Mary set up the Equissage certificate program in Equine Sports Massage Therapy in 1992. Since then, over 10,000 Equine Sports Massage Therapists have graduated from all over the U.S. and 19 different countries around the world.

One of Mary’s top graduates was Sabrina Teater, who Mary endorsed and chose to take Equissage from Virginia on the East Coast to California on the West Coast where she set up a family business. Now her daughter Natalie also helps with the teaching.

Teater says, “Horses give us their heart. I feel keeping them comfortable and free of pain is our responsibility. Just like us, when we are in pain we don’t want to work, and we can get pretty grumpy too. It’s all a misunderstanding. I feel it’s my duty to make sure as many people as possible begin to ask

themselves, what is the horse trying to say? If we come from that question, perhaps we would hear them. Many times they are in pain and the only way for them to tell us is with body language—rearing, bucking, biting or kicking. They’re not nasty or mean, they’re often just misunderstood. I’ve seen these expressions of pain simply go away after only one to three massages. It’s pretty cool to be able to do that for them. It fills my heart.”

•

Sixty percent of the horse’s body mass is made of muscle and the muscles are all interconnected.

Horses carry 70% of their body weight on the front end. If they cannot move freely and stride out when asked to perform, they will compensate, leading to other problems.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 17

POLO SCENE

N E W S • NO T E S • T R E N D S • Q U O T E S

BEST AND HEAD BRIGHTEST Club recognizes members Subhead with year-end awards

THE TINICUM PARK Polo Club in Erwinna, Pennsylvania, celebrated the end of the 2020 season with year-end awards for its members.

Those honored include Clint Nagel Equine Welfare award winner Dennis Santana; Owen O’Hanlon Best Groom award winner Lizzy McPherson; Dr. Billy Linfoot Most Improved Player Meg Mullin; and Club Best Playing Pony Shorty, owned by Barclay Knapp.

Clockwise from top left: Meg Mullin; Dennis Santana; Lizzy McPherson; and Shorty, owned by Barclay Knapp and played by Leandro Berrios.

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POLO SCENE

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AUDIO SERIES Polo podcast features industry leaders

OUTSIDE THE BOARDS recently released the first podcast episode in its inaugural season.

The podcast was created with the goal of introducing listeners to people, places and stories, and providing a unique behind-the-scenes perspective of the sport of polo that breaks all the common stereotypes. Guests discuss key issues affecting the sport today and the constructive sharing of ideas, insights, solutions and best-case studies for the purpose of advancing polo globally. The podcast will have honest conversations with polo industry leaders, enthusiasts and awe-inspiring people who make this sport great and fun to be around.

“The Podcast is one of multiple platforms Outside The Boards is producing with the goal of educating, entertaining and popularizing the sport of polo. We are going to pull back the curtain and introduce listeners to the people, places and lifestyle that make the king of sports so great,” says OTB founder and podcast host, Danny O’Leary.

Outside the Boards Podcast Season One includes eight, 60-75 minute-long episodes, featuring interviews with well-known personalities and industry leaders. The podcast will be distributed and accessible on popular podcast host sites, including Apple, Spotify, Google and others. Listeners can also subscribe at outsidetheboards.com.

POLO SCENE

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Q U O T E S

SECOND CAREERS Thoroughbred polo horses honored

THE THOROUGHBRED INCENTIVE PROGRAM recently honored six Thoroughbreds that have excelled in second careers as polo horses. Created in 2011, T.I.P. recognizes and rewards the versatility of the Thoroughbred through sponsorship of Thoroughbred classes and high-point awards at sanctioned horse shows, year-end performance awards, a recreational riding program and non-competition awards. The polo horses were honored in one of six categories.

“Our inaugural class of winners of our polo awards demonstrates the success Thoroughbreds can have as polo horses,” said Kristin Werner, senior counsel of The Jockey Club and coordinator of T.I.P. “When individuals are considering careers for their Thoroughbred beyond the racetrack or breeding shed, we hope they add polo to the long list of potential disciplines in which their horse can excel.”

As part of T.I.P.’s effort to encourage the retraining of Thoroughbreds for careers playing polo, it will be offering awards at up to 50 USPA tournaments this year, including the National Arena Amateur Cup at Legends Polo Club in Kaufman, Texas.

“Thoroughbreds are proven talents on the polo field, and we are excited to expand our partnership with T.I.P. to reward these athletes,” said USPA Polo Development, LLC. Executive Director Justin Powers.

For more information about the T.I.P. program, go to tjctip.com or The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program Facebook page.

Stephanie Massey Colburn and Rocket Dolly with a student

Women’s Polo Horse: Stephanie Massey Colburn’s Rocket, registered as My Mom’s Pretty.

“In my heart, Rocket is the best polo horse; she is brave, courageous, fast, strong, dedicated and completely in tune with her rider,” explained Colburn.

20 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

DAVE MURRELL

Lesson Horse: Laura Goddard’s Dolly, registered as Little Doll. She has been a lesson horse for nine years.

“Dolly continues to be one of our staple beginner horses and has traveled to play USPA arena tournaments, field tournaments and USPA interscholastic games across three states,” Goddard said. “Dolly’s calm temperament, endless patience and athleticism are a perfect fit for our polo school.”

POLO SCENE

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NO T E S

High-Goal Horse: Nic Roldan’s 11-yearold Cubana, registered with The Jockey Club as Total Regs. “Cubana is a key horse in my string and a bit of a favorite in the barn due to her super kind demeanor,” Roldan said.

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T R E N D S

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Q U O T E S ENRIGUE URDANETA

N E W S

Cubana

Zachary Cobbs and Annie

Interscholastic Horse: Sherry Sheldon Gibson/Polodeo Ranch LLC.’s Annie, registered name Grada a Annie. “Annie is an exceptional multilevel equestrian athlete. She tops the charts with her speed, agility and her intuition regardless of which level rider she is carrying. Annie is the best babysitter for beginning riders while effortlessly transitioning to a skilled polo player,” said Zachary Cobbs, an interscholastic player.

Wendy Stover and Wild 2 Me Daniel Arnold and Cajun Colonel

Low-Goal Horse: Cheryl Arnold’s Cajun Colonel, played by her son Daniel.

“Cajun Colonel embodies what amazing athletes Thoroughbreds are and demonstrates how the breed can successfully transition off the track to becoming winners on the polo field,” Daniel said.

Arena Polo Horse: Wendy Stover’s Wild 2 Me. Stover purchased her as an unraced 2-year-old.

“She has excellent bloodlines, and she can play both arena and grass polo with equal prowess,” Stover said. “I can always count on her to give me an awesome chukker.”

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 21

P O L O D E V E L O P M E N T, L L C

2020 NYTS Florida prevails in Cecil Smith Cup

By Hayley Heatley • Photos by David Lominska/Polographics

The rivalry between the Eastern Region and the Florida teams continues. At the 2019 NYTS National Championships in Aiken, South Carolina, a determined Eastern team edged out Florida to secure its win. On its home turf, Florida came back with a vengeance, sweeping the semi-final and final of the 2020 championship with ease.

Port Mayaca Polo Club and International Polo Club Palm Beach provided world-class facilities for the prestigious tournament. The Florida team (Finn Secunda, Landen Daniels, Hope Arellano, Jack Whitman), coached by graduating Team USPA member Jared Zenni, had not played together before the tournament and relied on a fundamentally simple game plan. Its first match in the semi-final against the Central Region allowed the team to find its rhythm.

After seeing Winston Painter score multiple goals within a chukker during the semi-final round against the Western Region, Arellano knew the team’s strategy needed to focus on neutralizing him. The Florida team’s man-to-man strategy

22 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

proved to be successful, solidifying its Cecil Smith Cup victory on International Polo Club Palm Beach’s Field No. 1, 10½-4.

The consolation final, played between the Western and Central Regions, exemplified the fastpaced open play encouraged by the coaches on both sides of the match-up. Vance Miller III led the Central Region team to its third-place finish in the tournament.

Hope Arellano, named Matthew Cohen MVP, celebrated her first Cecil Smith Cup victory.

“It feels amazing to win the rematch against the Eastern team. Everyone knew it was going to be a really difficult game and they are all friends of ours, so it was a lot of fun,” Arellano said.

Finn Secunda, the youngest player on the field at just 13 years old, played with mature confidence throughout the tournament. USPA Chairman Stewart Armstrong presented Secunda with the Horsemanship Award.

Alea Crespo was recognized for the Sportsmanship Award. First-time Championship

P O L O D E V E L O P M E N T, L L C

participant Crespo reflected on her experience.

“I thought this would be a great opportunity for me to learn and experience more, and I’m so happy that I said yes,” she explained.

Best Playing Pony honors were awarded to

Pérsico, an 8-year-old chestnut gelding played by Eastern’s Winston Painter in the third chukker.

Bred by Ellerstina in Argentina, Pérsico is the offspring of two top bloodlines (Penca/Cassino).

“I played Pérsico in the third chukker of the Central’s Vance Miller tries in vain to catch Florida’s Jack Whitman in the semi-final.

Western: Alea Crespo Niklaus Felhaber Colby Smith Riley Jordan Coach: Felipe Viana

Central:

Lily Lequerica Grace Parker Lance Stefanakis Vance Miller III Coach: Geronimo Obregon

Florida:

Eastern:

Finn Secunda Jack Whitman Hope Arellano Landen Daniels Coach: Jared Zenni

Sophie Grant Hunter Van der Burgt Winston Painter Aiden Meeker Coach: Costi Caset

(continued on page 57)

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 23

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

All in the family Parents, siblings and friends enjoy Gardnertown Polo

By Ali Davidge

Gardnertown’s Winston Painter holds out Houston’s Grayson Price while turning the ball in the 2019 National Interscholastic Championships.

There are not many competitive sports you can play with your parents and siblings. Polo, however, is one of the few. No one knows or does family polo better than Gardnertown Polo Club located in Newburgh, New York. In a normal year, not filled with social distancing and crowd control, you can walk into the bustling barn and be met with friendly faces and a plate of food being pushed into your hands. During I/I weekends, while parents and friends catch up on all of the latest goings-on, one eye is kept on the arena in case it is necessary to duck out of the way of an errant ball. The short sticking between teammates and younger siblings is happening even when there isn’t a match being played.

24 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

The club was started in 1990 and is owned and run by Bill and Tricia Dencker. It has grown into a Northeastern I/I destination over the years. While the Denckers started off their adventures in the equine industry primarily as a show and lesson barn, they were quickly brought into polo when one of their English riding clients showed up dressed to start a chukker and intent on learning the game.

Bill, always up for a challenge, dove in and quickly started learning about polo. Thirty years later, the Denckers are now proud owners of a thriving arena program and competitive interscholastic squad.

One of the most unique aspects of Gardnertown is not only the family atmosphere, but how many of their members are actually just that—family.

Last fall, the Denckers and company decided to host the Turkey Cup, a 6-goal tournament played over the long Thanksgiving weekend.

The tournament included teams where coaches were playing with and against current students, graduated players competing with younger siblings and parents mounted up to play with their children.

Among the many familiar I/I faces were four sets of families competing. The Chaux brothers were both in town for the holiday from their respective colleges and played on a team together. The Dencker boys decided to team up as well, with I/I regular John and football-star-turned-polo-player Will, joining in the fun. The Painter siblings, Winston and Saralyn, paired up on the same team. And last but not least, a full team of Gimonets, consisting of Guillaume and daughters Hortense and Celeste, rounded out the family ties in the tournament.

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

Bill Dencker, Winston Painter, Vlad Tarashansky, Saralyn Painter, Erin Elmore, Mary Duncan, Elizabeth Leudesdorff, Pierre Chaux, Matteo Chaux, Joe Post, John Dencker, Chris Green, Will Dencker, Celeste Gimonet, Hortense Gimonet and Guillaume Gimonet competed in the family fun Turkey Cup.

While not able to compete at the Turkey Cup, the Sayagos, Krieges, Wallaces and Scotts round out the polo families that call Gardnertown home. Each family has found its own unique path into the polo world. Some, like the Krieges and Scotts, had parents who played and then brought their children into the game. Others, like the Painters, started playing together at the same time.

While the Turkey Cup was not their first time playing together, the Painter siblings were able to enjoy playing on the same team for the weekend instead of their respective I/I teams. Both Saralyn and Winston have been club members for over eight years. They got started after Winston and their father, John, were showing horses at the Gardnertown facilities and saw the mallets hanging on the wall. Intrigued, they decided to give it a try.

John and the family continue to enjoy the club, however the atmosphere created by all involved has been a real driving factor in the fun and success of the program.

“We have a lot of family memories playing together at Gardnertown. There is also a lot of continuity in the families involved in the program. You really get to know one another and it’s a great environment for the kids,” John explained.

The Denckers were in for a treat as well that weekend as it was John and Will’s first time playing on a team in a competitive tournament

atmosphere. Their Dad watched proudly as the brothers found their rhythm in the arena.

“It’s a fun time. I’m 68 and get to play polo with my two sons, It’s a fantastic experience,” Bill said while discussing the weekend. The boys and Bill were able to play together last Father’s Day on the grass, a first of many more he hopes.

After the fun had by all at Thanksgiving, the Denckers decided to embrace the holiday theme and gather their players, mentors, friends and families after Christmas for another inter-club weekend. “We have a lot of fun together,” Bill explained when asked about the holiday tournaments. “It’s like an extended family.”

In a year where there is a lot of uncertainty and change, it is nice to know that Gardnertown and many clubs like it are keeping the polo magic and family fun alive.

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Matteo Chaux, Chris Green and Will Dencker

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 25

Harmony Megan Llambias is offering horse yoga to a group of interscholastic players.

Players benefiting from Yoga practice

By Gwen Rizzo • Photos by Kaile Roos Photography

Yoga combines relaxation, meditation, breathing and exercise to harmonize the body, mind and environment. Practiced for thousands of years, Yoga has become popular over the past few decades as people began focusing more on healthy living.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, research has shown possible benefits of yoga for several aspects of wellness, including stress management, mental health, promoting healthy eating and activity, sleep and even balance. Further studies show yoga can be beneficial for some pain management, weight loss, anxiety and stress. In fact, the American College of Physicians recommends yoga for first-line treatment of low-back pain.

Megan Greene Llambias first did yoga at just 11 years old when she went to wilderness camp in Minnesota. “We would wake up really early, at sunrise. They had this big platform and we would do sun salutations, then run and jump in the lake,” she explained. About 10 years later, she was at Lewis and 26 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Clark College in Portland, Oregon, during the yoga boom in the ‘90s, so she decided to try a couple of classes. “It wasn’t really until I had an injury from a snowboard accident that I started to take it more seriously,” Llambias admitted.

Now, some 30 years later, Llambias is a yoga practitioner after completing over 600 hours of formal training, including multiple teacher trainings, participating in retreats and doing selfstudy with her mentor.

The daughter of polo player John Greene, and wife to 5-goal polo player Marcos Llambias, Megan is building a business teaching yoga to several polo players and their family members as well as others in the local community.

It all started about three years ago when Llambias, Haley Heatley and Shelley Heatley put together a group in Santa Barbara via WhatsApp. The club graciously allowed Llambias to use its fields for classes and it evolved from there.

“At first a lot of women were coming. Then a

couple of players started coming, beginning with Juan Monteverde. Yoga was part of his exercise routine so he started coming and really enjoyed it.

He was the gateway for more male players to feel comfortable,” explained Llambias. “I started offering a class that was just for them and it began to grow. And it’s taken me a while to navigate because with the polo schedule people commit and then things change.”

Her classes average about eight people. She recently added online classes, which she admits has been a learning curve. Online classes are beneficial to those who can’t make a class since they are recorded and can be accessed later. It also is an opportunity to meet and help more people who may not be local. She also does private sessions both online via Zoom and in person. Still, she prefers the more intimate setting of in-person classes where she can go a little deeper with the students. Many of the students love the camaraderie of getting together and chatting before and after the classes.

Llambias often hears the same complaints from not just polo players, but equestrians in general: tightness in the hips, soreness in the lower back and overcompensation of certain muscles.

“We are multi-dimensional beings, so if someone has a physical ailment, it’s an opportunity for them to slow down, go inwards and really feel what’s happening,” Llambias said. “With mental agitation or stress, [yoga] is a beautiful modality for people to connect with their breath and movement. My classes are very much breath oriented. It is funny because sometimes people come and are like, ‘oh, my hips are super tight’ and then they realize that after participating in deep relaxation in the class, the physical ailment goes away. Maybe the root of the suffering was that they weren’t able to relax, so they were gripping and holding their muscles. So, yoga works in many different ways.”

Llambias had designed a general yoga sequence with equestrians in mind. She begins with warming up the body with sun salutation. Then, for back soreness, she might do a forward fold, which is great for the lumbar spine. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) is helpful for the hips and abductors. She also likes doing a warrior series (a total body workout) for strength and exercises to open the chest to help with better posture. She integrates restorative yoga for the final relaxation of her classes using bolsters (yoga pillows or supports). With one bolster to help prop up the spine and another under your knees, the body can relax, allowing the shoulders and chest to open and the lumbar spine to release.

Fred Mannix uses this pose to strengthen hip flexors, quads, glutes and psoas. Lifting the arm helps open the chest, and strengthen and stretch shoulder joints.

Megan gives a private lesson to Jazmin Trotz.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 27

Jenny Alter’s Scout joined in on some yoga fun with Megan.

Megan’s husband, Marcos does a low lunge after a match.

She recommends using props, like straps, blocks, bolsters, blankets and eye pillows to help you go a lot deeper. “We are in California, so there is lots of sunshine, which is great, but eye pillows help block out all the light and calm the nervous system. When I teach at sundown, it gets cold when the sun goes down so blankets help keep the body warm, allowing for a deeper relaxation,” she explained.

If you haven’t tried yoga before, sometimes starting out is the hardest part. No matter how fit you are, you can always get started somewhere.

Llambias recommends starting small by committing to a 10-minute morning practice. “If you can be disciplined about just that, it is an amazing start,” she said. “I’d rather have people do 10 minutes daily

28 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

then an hour one day and 20 minutes the next.”

Llambais explained that Yoga is not a work out, it is a ‘work in.’ You are working with your breath, getting stronger and stretching, ultimately linking the mind, the body and the breath.

Everyone’s bodies and fitness levels are different so when you are doing yoga exercises, if it doesn’t feel safe, Llambias says to back off. “We all have different occupations and we hold stress in different places. I usually show three different versions of the same posture ... so people can feel their own limit.

The props are helpful too. When something is uncomfortable or painful, it is really important to honor it and back off,” she explained. “Someone may be super fit but may not be able to do the breathing. There is always a way to challenge yourself. If you don’t have as much strength, I can always give them something else to work with.”

When Llambias works with the players, she notices differences between off-season and during the season. “As season heats up, I notice layers of stress in the players’ bodies. They are just so busy and concerned, thinking about a tournament, their horses that may be lame and the mind can begin to spiral,” she said. “They are incredibly fit, but it is an opportunity to get them balanced and grounded.

When they relax, the body can begin to repair itself.”

Julio Arellano, who suffered a traumatic brain injury two years ago when a horse flipped over on him, has been doing yoga with Llambias and says it has helped him a lot.

Monteverde also swears by Llambias’ classes. “I am more focused, more present and more healthy, for sure,” he said. “It is great.”

Llambias has also been working with Bonnie Magill’s interscholastic polo team, doing yoga on horseback. With a lifelong background with horses, Llambias adapted her own yoga program to do with the horses. The students start on the ground, doing centering and breathing exercises before getting on the horses to do some yoga.

“For me, yoga is an intimate look into ourselves.

I start there and explain how it is important to be balanced yourself before you get onto an animal and ask it to do different things. It’s about getting clear in your own head, getting stable, then connecting to the animal. Then, we move into connecting with teammates,” she explained.

She said the interscholastic girls were very receptive to it, including one girl that had some resistance at the beginning. In the end they all really had fun and she is working with them

Props, such as eye pillows, blankets and bolsters, can help you get a deeper relaxation.

again this year.

“When I taught them last year, it was before a big tournament so we talked about getting clear what their intention was for the tournament and for each other. Some of the girls were anxious so we did some breath work and then talked about the yoga relationship so each of them were in alignment with each other and were embodying teamwork on and off the field,” said Llambias.

“We also talked about the connection to the horse. I ... [compared it to] how you can’t get angry and jump in a car and go drive. It’s dangerous because you are not centered and not making good decisions,” she continued. “We talked about how important it is to be very clear and connect to the

horse. Whatever you bring with you when you get on is going to be part of your experience on the field.”

This mindfulness works for all polo players.

Llambias believes being aware and observing your thoughts all day has such a huge impact on what’s going to happen on the field.

“Most times we are very much focused on outcome and who wins. I work on team building and camaraderie, and get these young athletes to really turn inward,” she said. “I try to take the approach of inner work and what they can do when they are not on the field.”

Llambias has even dabbled in goat yoga after requests from a lot of women. Former player Dina Stuart breeds goats so she supplied the goat portion. While it was fun, Llambias admits it wasn’t really about the yoga.

“You get a bunch of people together and goats climb all over you. It’s playful and you laugh,” she said. “It’s really therapeutic and funny when they start eating your hair and nibbling your toes!”

For now, Llambias is enjoying helping out those in the polo community. She continues to study and work with those that are interested.

If you are feeling a little stiff, sore, stressed or even dealing with some types of pain, you may want to give Yoga a try. Llambias is available for private and group lessons for all ages. She can be reached via Instagram or Facebook: Yoga Apres Polo.

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Santi Trotz, Inaki Laprida, Juan Monteverde, Jazmin Trotz and Matias Zavaleta attend Megan’s Yoga classes.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 29

Going for Gold La Indiana picks up its first Gauntlet title

Jeff Hall was MVP in the 2020 Gold Cup final.

30 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

La Indiana’s Polito Pieres, Nico Escobar, Jeff Hall and Juan Cruz Marcos DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS.COM

ALEX PACHECO

After an 11-month delay, La Indiana finally closed out the 2020 Gauntlet of Polo season with a USPA Gold Cup victory, Feb. 14. The team ousted defending champion Pilot in the semi-final and downed Daily Racing Form in the final to take the title and the $100,000 prize money.

The Gauntlet of Polo includes the C.V. Whitney, the Gold Cup and the U.S. Open, all played at the 22goal level.

The tournament got underway on February 23.

2020 with 14 teams in contention. The teams were divided into four brackets. La Indiana topped Bracket I with a 2-1 record; Pilot went undefeated, topping Bracket II; Las Monjitas (2-1) led Bracket III; and Dutta Corp. finished undefeated at the top of Bracket IV. These teams advanced to the quarterfinals along with three teams with 2-1 records: Santa Clara, Park Place and Patagones. The remaining spot was filled after Daily Racing Form, Tonkawa, Coca Cola and Equuleus, all with 1-2 records, had a shootout. Jared Zenni advanced DRF after scoring all of his shots.

About that time, COVID-19 was starting to take hold around the country. International Polo Club closed its doors to the public, limiting entrance to club members, game officials and teams and their staffs.

Pilot (Curtis Pilot, Lucas Escobar, Gonzalito Pieres, Facundo Pieres), Las Monjitas (Camilo Bautista, Mackenzie Weisz, Francisco Elizalde, Pelon Stirling), DRF (Costi Caset, Agustin Obregon, Jared Zenni, Tommy Collingwood) and La Indiana (Michael Bickford, Jeff Hall, Polito Pieres, Santi Gomez Romero) emerged from the quarter-finals, advancing to the semi-final. The teams that did not make the quarter-finals played a consolation match on March 17. The same day, the USPA announced it was suspending all USPA events for 14 days but a few days later, the balance of the Gauntlet of Polo season was canceled, including the Gold Cup semi-final and final and the entire U.S. Open. It was the first time since World War II that the Open wasn’t played.

Players made their way back to Florida by the end of the year to prepare for the 2021 Gauntlet of Polo, but first the 2020 Gold Cup needed to be completed.

“Last year when the tournament was canceled due to COVID-19, I didn’t know if we were every going to get here,” Hall said.

Unfortunately, Los Monjitas patron Camilo Bautista was unable to compete this year, so Melissa Ganzi replaced him in the semi-final. The team came with a new line-up of 10-goalers Pablo Mac Donough and Juan Martin Nero and 2-goaler Marc Ganzi.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 31

DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS.COM

DRF’s Jared Zenni tries to shake a persistent Nico Escobar in the final of the 2020 Gold Cup.

Melissa Ganzi recently overcame breast cancer so the players wore pink armbands in the semi-final games in her honor. The first semi saw Melissa, playing her first competition post-treatment, and the Las Monjitas team take on Daily Racing Form, the only team to play with last year’s line-up. The teams started out slowly with each team tallying just once in the first. Las Monjitas got a one-goal edge in the second, but DRF caught up to end the half level, 5-5.

Las Monjitas again went up by one before DRF knotted it back up in the fifth. The teams were still tied with under a minute left when Zenni found the goal to win the match for DRF. The other semi-final pitted La Indiana against Pilot, the team that won the inaugural Gauntlet of Polo. That season, Pilot went 16-0 for the season. In 2020, Pilot kept the momentum, winning all its preliminary games in the first leg, the C.V. Whitney

32 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Cup, to advance to the semi-final. It faced La Indiana and for the first time in Gauntlet play, lost the match. This season, the teams were facing each other once again. Both teams had slightly different lineups—Keko Magrini taking Lucas Escobar’s place and Nico Escobar taking Santi Gomez Romero’s place.

Additionally, Michael Bickford was unable to play so he was replaced by young hotshot Juan Cruz Marcos.

“I wish Santiago [Gomez Romero] was here because he helped us get to the semifinal and it’s too bad he couldn’t be here,” Hall said.

A confident La Indiana jumped out to an early 31 lead. The teams matched goals—including a pair of Penalty 1s for La Indiana—in the second and third, allowing La Indiana to carry the two-goal advantage into the half. A strong fourth increased the difference to four. Pilot rallied in the fifth to come back within two. Pilot scored three goals in the final

ALEX PACHECO

period, while holding La Indiana to one. But La Indiana’s third Penalty 1 tipped the scales, allowing it to advance, 16-15.

A few days later, La Indiana met Daily Racing Form in the final. Bickford was still not able to play, so Marcos again filled in for him, however Marcos had played so well in the previous game, his handicap was raised from 2 to 3 goals. That meant La Indiana, now 23 goals, would have to give DRF a handicap goal. Zenni struck first, sinking a Penalty 2 to add to it. Escobar, kicked off the scoring for La Indiana and got the team on a roll. It was one of numerous key plays Escobar made.

Escobar said, “I have a really good relationship with Polito and Jeff, and they both help me out a lot.

I’m learning so much from them, like how to keep myself 100 percent focused throughout all six chukkers of the game and not to get distracted.”

La Indiana went on to score eight times in the next two chukkers, leaving DRF in its tracks, 9-2.

Coach Tincho Merlos seemed to motivate DRF at the halftime break and it came out scoring three

goals while holding La Indian to one. It was still trailing 10-5 when La Indiana hammered in four goals in the fifth. Obregon found the goal and a trio of Penalty 3 conversions over the last two periods was not enough to dig DRF out of the hole it was in.

La Indiana had the 14-9 win. Jeff Hall was named MVP. “All of us try so hard. We train and are working at the barn every day,” Hall explained. “I take it very seriously, so it’s always a great feeling to be recognized for all the hard work [I] put in.”

Polito Pieres’ Machitos Pangia (Durazno x Pandora) was Best Playing Pony. The 8-year-old bay mare was played in the crucial fifth period. “Last year, the USPA did a horse feature on Machitos Pangia and this year she won her first Best Playing Pony award, so I’m really happy with her,” Pieres said.

Daily Racing Form didn’t go home empty handed.

The runner-up took home $25,000 in prize money.

Nine teams are competing in this year’s Gauntlet of Polo, which began with the C.V. Whitney Cup on Feb. 17.

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Julio Arellano presents Best Playing Pony prizes to Polito Pieres’ Machitos Pangia.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 33

Taking the Crown El Overa 27 UAE defends Women’s Open title

By Lucas Noel • Photos by Sergio Llamera

El Overo’s Hazel Jackson-Gaona, Lia Salvo, Millie Hine and Clara Cassino

34 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

For the second year in a row, El Overo Z7 UAE won the 4th Argentine Women’s Open. With a great afternoon from Lía Salvo, it defeated La Dolfina Brava again in the final match on Dec. 19, by a comfortable 11-4 in eight chukkers on Palermo’s Field 2.

The last two versions of the Argentine Women’s Open have been a real change as to who went home wearing the crowns. In the first two editions, the queens were undoubtedly La Dolfina Brava with their titles achieved in 2017 and 2018. Last year, El Overo finally managed to reverse its luck and lift its first trophy in Palermo. And in this last season, the team integrated by Clara Cassino, Millie Hine, Hazel Jackson-Gaona and Lía Salvo extended its hegemony with great sufficiency, even greater than what it had shown the previous season.

“This year we enjoyed it in a different way. Last year, we had another pressure because we had lost the finals and we were much more nervous. This

year we didn’t, it was more enjoyable … We trusted in what we had been doing and in the final match each one of us knew what she had to do on the pitch,” explained Cassino after the second consecutive success.

The game that defined the title, which ended 114, had a similar development to the 2019 final (10-5).

With Lía Salvo as a figure emerging from the back of the field, the match was under control from the very beginning. Solid in defense and accurate in attack, the back of El Overo took the reins not only of her horses, but of the duel itself. She stood out for her performance, and was the top scorer of the afternoon with seven goals—the seven goals that ultimately marked the difference between one team and the other as well as the maximum advantage in a final since this championship began.

“We had a season from low to high. We knew that they were going to come strong because they know

Mia Cambiaso challenges Clara Cassino in the final.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 35

Zone 1

El Overo 27:........................ 33 Clara Cassino .................................8 Hazel Jackson-Gaona ..................10 Lia Salvo ......................................10 Millie Hine .....................................5

Zone 2

La Dolfina Brava: ............. 28 Mia Cambiaso ...............................7 Milagros Fernández Araujo ...........7 Candelaria Fernández Araujo ......8 Fatima Balzano ..............................6

Don Urbano Nearside: ...... 21 Rebecca Walters ..............................5 Maitena Marre ..............................5 Sol Lopez Llames ...........................6 Camila Rossi ..................................5

Los Sauces: ........................ 25 Jeanine Hugo Menendez ...............5 Milagros Sanchez ...........................7 Jazmin Dupont ...............................5 Marianela Castagnola .....................8

Araucaria: .......................... 17 Vernonica Magnasco .....................4 Lucy Bowman ................................4 Sofia Lorenzo ................................5 Marina Galarza ..............................4

El Metejon: ........................ 17 Annabel McNaught-Davis................5 Stephanie Haverhals ......................4 Sofia Sciutto ...................................4 Mercedes Prario..............................4

Mia Cambiaso takes off on a fast horse while Clara Cassino tries to stay with her.

how to put their horses very well for the final in Palermo. It was a challenge. We always start off with nerves, but it worked out. We had a good first chukker, also a good second one, then we had a downturn, but we were able to overcome it. I am happy with this team, I cannot ask for more. Playing with my three friends, whom I see playing and realize how impressive they are. I see them from behind the pitch and I’m thrilled by the plays they make,” expressed a fascinated Salvo after the victory.

36 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

With more tactical order, better game distribution and decision making, the champion went to the halftime break up, 6-2. (Milagros Fernández Araujo scored one for the other team in the second). For the second half, La Dolfina Brava tried a change of positions, putting Mía Cambiaso at No. 1 and Fátima Balzano at No.3, but still did not achieve the expected result and never found a way to take control of the ball from the El Overo girls. By the sixth chukker, the champions had already taken the maximum advantage, 9-2, and were still in full power of the actions.

A difference was also established in terms of horse strings. And a clear indication of this disparity was Hazel Jackson-Gaona, who concluded with Willi Tiki Arriabata and Future Laguna recognized by the Argentine Polo Association and the Argentine Association of Polo Horse Breeders, respectively.

“Horses are the most important thing for me.

Arriabata is a 7-year-old mare and she is a machine.

She is a little girl with a fantastic brake and turn.

And Lucas Monteverde (team coach) used to play Laguna here in Palermo. She is explosive, and is one of the best horses that I have ridden in my life,” said Jackson-Gaona.

It is worth mentioning that La Dolfina’s horse string played simultaneously with two teams in Palermo: the Cámara de Diputados Cup and the play-off with one squad and the Women’s Open with another formation. Few organizations in the world can carry out such an undertaking.

This championship meant the second title for Lía Salvo, Clara Cassino and Hazel Jackson in four Opens played, and the second of two for the British Millie Hine. The team’s success at defending the title came with three more handicap goals for the quartet, who now have a 36-goal women’s rating thanks to Hine being raised from 5 to 7 and Cassino being raised from 8 to 9. Other notable handicap changes were Sol López Llames going from 6 to 7; and Paola Martínez going down from 8 to 7.

Hine’s happiness was undeniable, “This year, we had an impressive team system, organization and horses. What we have achieved with Hazel is impressive for English polo. I’m confident that it will make the girls in England even more eager to keep playing. In Argentina, for example, today there are already thousands of local girls playing in each tournament held by the AAP.” For their part, Mía Cambiaso and the sisters

Game 1: La Dolfina Brava 22 El Metejon 1 Game 2: El Overo 27 UAE 18 Araucaria 2 Game 3: Los Sauces 14 El Metejon 1 Game 4: Don Urbano 13 Araucaria 4 Game 5: La Dolfina Brava 8 Los Sauces 3 Game 6: El Overo 27 UAE 15 Don Urbano 3

Quarterfinals: Araucaria 1, Los Sauces 15 Don Urbano 12, El Metejon 2 Semifinals La Dolfina Brava 7, Don Urbano 6 El Overo 27 UAE 14, Los Sauces 3 Final La Dolfina Brava 4 El Overo 27 UAE 11 Scoring by chukker: 2-0, 3-1, 5-1, 6-2, 7-2, 9-2, 9-3, 11-4

Milagros and Candelaria Fernández Araujo continue with two titles in four Open disputes, while Fátima Balzano, who scored three of her team’s goals, failed to be champion in her second attempt.

The top scorer of the tournament was Maitena Marré, who played with the Don Urbano Nearside team. She amassed 23 goals, beating Candelaria Fernández Araujo (who scored a penalty in the final) by three and Lía Salvo, the top scorer in the short history of the championship.

Six formations between 17-33 goals (women’s handicaps) participated in the competition, which began on Dec. 7. It was made up of the best players from Argentina, Holland, England and South Africa. For the second year, the U.S. didn’t have a team competing.

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Lia Salvo backs the ball while Fátima Balzano presses for a foul.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 37

Mouthpiece Handcrafted bits add to horses’ comfort

By Gwen Rizzo

John Barker grinds down the rough edges on a bit in his New York workshop.

38 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Bits have been used in horses almost as long as humans have had a relationship with them. While bits initially controlled the horse using pain, technology has come a long way. Today’s bits are not meant to be painful. On the contrary, if the bit is causing pain, it should not be used. And rather than being used for control, bits are used to communicate with the horse.

“The bit helps guide the horse into knowing what you need it to do,” explained bit maker John Barker.

“In theory, you could throw any bit in the horse’s mouth, but if the rider isn’t experienced enough, the horse reacts to that because it doesn’t understand what it needs to do.”

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to bits.

When choosing a bit consider the ability of the rider, how sensitive the horse is, the type of training it has had and what it will be doing. It is best to keep it simple to begin with and add to it as needed. But even a light bit in the hands of an inexperience rider may still be uncomfortable for the horse.

Bits work in a variety of ways so it is important to understand how your horse moves to determine the type of bit for it. No two horses are the same so it is best to fit each bit to the individual horse. And a horse’s mouth may not even be asymmetrical.

Generally, bits put pressure either on the tongue or on the bars of the jaw. Tongue pressure encourages the horse to drop its head, while bar pressure encourages the horse to lift its head.

These head movements should not be exaggerated. If your horse is throwing its head up or down, something else may be going on. Have your horse’s mouth examined by a vet or horse dentist to be sure there are no sharp points on the teeth or cuts, bruises or other injuries to the cheeks, tongue, jaw, palate or lips. If your horse is leaping, resisting

turning or not stopping when you pull on the reins, have the mouth examined as well as other areas of the body, such as the back, hocks or feet.

The key is a bit should not be uncomfortable to the horse. If it is, it is the wrong bit. The attention to comfort is what led Barker to create bits for riders in multiple disciplines across the country.

In polo, the most common types of bits are the gag and the pelham, but there are numerous variations of both. Additionally, there are a plethora of nontraditional type bits players may use.

The gag puts more pressure on the bars, while the pelham puts pressure on the tongue and the bars as well as the poll (top of the horse’s head). Gags are hinged in the center with a ring on each end. A rope cheek piece goes through the center of each ring.

The larger the ring, the more leverage you have.

The pelham (see top right) comes as a straight piece or with a raised area in the middle (port) with a metal piece on each side. The part of the side piece from the bit to where the cheek piece attaches is the purchase and the part from the bit to the lowest ring is the shank. The larger the shank, purchase or port, the more leverage you have. Pelhams also have a chain that attaches to the lowest rings and goes behind the chin. The larger the chain, the more comfortable it is. The chain should lie flat against the chin. If the chain is twisted, it can add pressure and may pinch.

Both gags and pelhams are available with a variety of spinners, rollers or plates. They can also be made of different materials, including stainless steel, brass, copper, sweet iron, vulcanized rubber, hard plastic or ever leather. The materials have different uses. For instance, rubber and brass can dry out the mouth, while copper and sweet iron encourage the horse to salivate.

Bits work together with the pieces of the bridle and the reins. In polo, with very few exceptions, two reins are used. Draw reins help to collect the horse, pulling its nose back so it shortens its stride when asked to slow. A nose-band can be thick or thin and made of rope or smooth leather. A drop nose-band (which goes below the bit) is used with some bits to help keep the horse’s mouth closed, however it is important that it is not too tight. A horse needs to be able to slide its jaw to one side when turning.

Bits can be factory made or custom made. The ones you buy off the shelf in the store can work fine however, be careful when purchasing some of the inexpensive bits. If you are looking for a bit with a copper piece, it might be stainless steel with a copper coating that will eventually wear off. The bit

Pelhams come with different size shanks and ports. This ‘happy mouth’ has a rubber bit.

Bits are available with a variety of options and materials.

A three-ring double twisted Barry polo bit. Putting the reins on the lower rings gives more leverage.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 39

John Barker works on each bit, making sure the welds are not noticeable and there are no rough edges.

might also have sharp edges.

Custom bits are generally better made, using solid materials so if you purchase a copper bit, it will be solid copper and not just a coating. (The shanks and rings on the outside are always made from stainless steel.) The custom bit maker handles each bit, taking care to correct any inconsistencies and grind down any sharp edges. It is the attention to detail that makes all the difference.

Some of the unique and well-made bits that were used years ago are hard to find. A custom bit maker can usually reproduce some of these old gems. A good bit maker can also modify bits and make bits specifically for a horse’s needs.

Barker makes bits out of his workshop in Pawling, New York. While growing up in New Jersey, he helped his pilot father build an airplane. He enjoyed welding and building so he decided to go to welding school when he graduated from high school. After, he moved to New York and while looking for a job, he happened upon a listing in the phone book for a local welding shop. He called and ended up getting a job there. It turned out the shop was owned by Ray Maheu, a bit maker who also started his career in the welding business. A horseman, Maheu began making

40 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

bits for a variety of disciplines and his business grew.

Barker worked alongside him, learning about the different bits and how each one works. “When it comes to training, Ray is one of the top [guys]. He is a big Western guy and does cutting, reining and team penning,” said Barker.

“I worked for Ray for about 15, 20 years,” Barker continued. At that time, Maheu was making bits for Jay Shuttleworth, a Grand Prix trainer. Maheu’s focus was on the Western bits, while Shuttleworth focused on the English bits.

“Jay was in Florida for the winter shows so Ray would weld the bits and send them to Jay to grind, polish and finish them,” explained Barker.

Eventually, Barker went into business making bits for Shuttleworth. “I started making bits for him on my own in 1996 or ‘97 up until about 2010. That’s when the economy blew up and nobody was buying bits,” said Barker. “Jay was getting on in age so he ended up retiring.”

According to Barker, the pair came up with some unique bits that became popular. Barker would create Jay’s designs. “There’s a bunch, like the full Segunda. Jay came up with that and there was a cutoff one with a low port. It doesn’t go completely around the tongue. Instead, it goes halfway. Jay came up with that design in 2000,” said Barker.

Barker continued making bits for a variety of tack shops. Ana Al Issa Martinez, co-founder of Philip Alexander Custom Bits, had seen some of his bits and appreciated the craftsmanship. She reached out to him and the two began working together.

“Our mission is to preserve the dying art of handcrafted bits. Craftsman like John Barker often go unnoticed,” said Martinez. “Our goals is to design new and improved polo bits, which have a more gentle and humane approach to horsemanship.”

The pair recently launched a new website and Martinez said former 10-goaler Mariano Aguerre has been brought in as an adviser.

Barker also does a lot of repairs and modifications to bits. “Old bits will get holes after a while from wear. I can fix those holes and make it new again,” he said. “It is way cheaper than buying a new bit.

And if someone has something like a loose ring and they want a Kimberwick, I can do that.”

Barker said the pandemic has made him busier than ever. With many of the shows and tournaments canceled, a lot of riders were practicing and training at home so they were all calling for bits. He has been supplying bits to players in New York, Kentucky, Argentina and Arizona.

If someone is looking for a custom bit, they can

send Barker a picture of what they are looking for along with dimensions.

Barker recently recreated a bit into a much smaller version for a polo player who was looking for a bit for his daughter’s small pony. Barker can even add decorative features. He can also polish up older bits, making them look new again.

For a pelham, riders can send the length of the shank, the width of the mouth and the size of the bars. For a snaffle they would need to send the size of the bars.

The size of the horse’s mouth is important. A bit that is too big will slide around and can cause discomfort. One that is too small might pinch the sides of the mouth or rub the cheeks, tongue or bars.

You can measure your horse’s mouth with an inexpensive plastic bit sizer. It has measurements on it like a ruler and slides into the horse’s mouth where the bit usually rests, in the gap between the upper and lower jaw. A common misconception is that the larger the bit, the gentler it is. However, if the bit is bigger than the gap between the two jaws, it will create pressure on the jaw and won’t allow the horse to close its mouth all the way.

Barker described what goes into making a bit, such as a snaffle: “The bars can go anywhere from a quarter inch up to a half inch. Once they tell me the size of the bars they want, I bend up all the snaffle rings and put them together. I cut the bars and pick off all the pieces at the end, then cut the tubes and take the bars off the inside and outside.

After that, its bending and welding, then grinding, finishing and polishing. You have to grind it down so you can’t see the weld but not so much that it is weak,” he said.

Barker estimates he’s made over 100,000 bits over the past 30 years. “A custom bit can help you work less, and give the horse a better fit,” Barker said.

“None of my bits will ever cut the tongue or the gums. [Cheaper] bits are mass produced, the don’t even bend them. They forge them out of molds.

Nobody is spending time to make sure they aren’t going to cut the horse.”

Martinez added, “Custom bits are becoming less common and harder to find as people reach for manufactured bits you can find on almost any shelf.

Not only are these bits uncomfortable and confusing for the horse, they are completely devoid of the craftsmanship meant to go into them.”

Barker hopes to help keep horses comfortable.

“Bits have been around forever. Pretty much every design has been thought about and tried. It’s really what works and what doesn’t,” he said.

•

A two-ring polo snaffle.

Custom-made bits can be ordered to a fit a specific horse’s needs.

The two-piece Barry bit comes in a variety of styles from gags to this three ring.

Examples of the many different options of snaffle bits

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 41

P O L O I N T H E PA M PA S

Winds of change Teams regroup in preparation for next Triple Crown

By Lucas Noel • Photos by Sergio Llamera

Adolfo Cambiaso said farewell to longtime teammates Pablo Mac Donough (below) and Juan Martin Nero.

The pair will join RS Murus Sanctus.

A new La Dolfina without its Fab Four, Ellerstina’s thirst for victory, a threatening RS Murus Sanctus, the personal challenge of Cambiaso’s son and the competitiveness of the Castagnola brothers. There are still many months to go, but this fall’s Triple Crown has already started in Argentina.

Still far from spring in the southern hemisphere, far from Tortugas, Hurlingham and Palermo, today we are still far from the best polo in the world.

However, the next Triple Crown in Argentina began almost at the same time that the last Argentine Open ended. While the champagne celebrating La Dolfina as champion in La Catedral and La Dolfina Brava as winner of the play-off was still cold, the handicap modifications determined by the Argentine Polo Association designed a new panorama, and in the days that followed, the movement of pieces that has already radically changed the scene in recent years.

The first change to be seen was in La Dolfina itself. Adolfo Cambiaso announced he wanted to play with his namesake son (known as ‘Poroto’). Not many polo players in the last 40 years were able to enjoy that wonderful family experience. Only Horacio

42 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Antonio and Alberto Pedro Heguy, Horacio Araya, Héctor ‘Cacho’ Merlos and Gonzalo Pieres have lived that privilege. Of all of them, the only one who could be champion was Araya, who in 1983 was consecrated together with son Benjamín Araya playing for Coronel Suárez II. Further back in time, Juan Carlos Harriott achieved it no less than eight times with Juancarlitos, but this pairing of father and son is the exception rather than the rule.

Cambiaso intended to play with his son in Palermo this year as he did in Tortugas and Hurlingham in 2020. Last year, it was a forced situation due to the injury of Juan Martín Nero. But for this season, Cambiaso wanted to make it official. Even if that decision meant disintegrating one of the best formations of all time (if not the best). Not even being three wins away from Juancarlitos Harriott’s record of 20 Palermo titles made him deviate from his next step.

However, it was ‘Poroto’ himself who caused his father to change his plans. With his La Dolfina Brava team, Poroto won the Cámara de Diputados Cup and then beat Cría Geté in the play-off to earn his own place in next season’s polo elite.

P O L O I N T H E PA M PA S

La Natividad’s Ignatius Du Plessis, Polito Pieres (recently lowered to 9), and Barto Castagnola will remain together this year, along with Jeta Castagnola (not shown).

“I want to play the Open with this team.

We are friends and we get along very well,” Poroto explained, minutes after achieving his ticket to the Triple Crown. At 15 years old, he will become the youngest player to do so. His father knew then he would have to look elsewhere to replace Nero and Pablo Mac Donough, who will join RS Murus Sanctus in what is undoubtedly the most important transfer of all.

In 2010, Nero and Mac Donough arrived from Ellerstina and formed the only team in history to match Coronel Suárez. A decade ago, Cambiaso had eight Palermo titles (five with La Dolfina) and one Triple Crown (with Ellerstina in 1994). After partnering with Nero and Mac Donough, today he has 17 Palermo titles (14 with La Dolfina) and four Triple Crowns, three of them in a row (2013-2015). Nero and Mac Donough reached 11 Argentine Opens and four Triple Crowns, including one when they were with Ellerstina in 2010. For his part, Pelón Stirling has a mark that anyone would envy: he played Palermo 12 times and lifted the cup nine times.

The French Corinne Ricard, owner of RS Murus Sanctus and businesswoman of the Pernod Ricard group, achieved what the Colombian Camilo Bautista, patron of

After winning the Camara de Diputados Cup and the play-off, Poroto Cambiaso and his La Dolfina Brava team earned a spot in the Triple Crown. At just 15 years old, Poroto was raised to 8 goals.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 43

P O L O I N T H E PA M PA S

Las Monjitas, could not do twice: get Nero. The best back in the world, now 39 years old, had always chosen to give continuity to his link with La Dolfina, leaving aside the tempting economic proposal.

Already without the Dream Team, La Dolfina will be renewed with Francisco Elizalde, who left RS Murus Sanctus and was promoted to 9 goals, and Diego Cavanagh, also 9 goals and who was captain of La Dolfina Polo Ranch, the second team of the Cañuelas club.

“Diego is [like] a brother. I chose him because of that,” explained Cambiaso, who played several times with him abroad and won the British Open with him and the Next Generation team. With the 38-goal quartet decided, it appears Cambiaso will remain at No. 1, Elizalde will play No. 2, Pelón Stirling will play No. 3 and Cavanagh will occupy the back position.

Since its first match, RS Murus Sanctus, with its brand-new 39-goal handicap, will be aiming to seek immediate titles. But there is still not a minor detail to know: how will the players settle on the field? Nero as back and Mac Donough as No. 3 seems the most logical thing to do. Sola will probably start as No. 1 and Sapo Caset will play as No. 2, although they can also try reversing those attacking roles.

Ellerstina has shown strong performance in Hilario Ulloa’s first year in the line-up. Winner of

Sapo Caset, below left, remains with RS Murus Sanctus. He and Facu Sola will be joined by Juan Martin Nero and Pablo Mac Donough, making the team one of the highest-rated. Tincho Merlos, below right, is being lowered to 7 goals.

Notable Handicap Changes On the rise: 8 TO 9 Juan Britos Jr. Camilo ‘Jeta’ Castagnola Francisco Elizalde Guillermo Terrera Jr. 7 TO 8 Jerónimo Del Carril Santiago Loza Isidro Strada 6 TO 8 Adolfo ‘Poroto’ Cambiaso Jr. 6 TO 7 Segundo Bocchino Rufino Bensadón Tomás Beresford Felipe Dabas Manuel Elizalde Mariano ‘Peke’ González Jr. Facundo Obregón.

Going down: 10 TO 9 Pablo Pieres 8 TO 7 Julián De Lusarreta Matías Mac Donough Frederick Mannix Jr. Agustín ‘Tincho’ Merlos Sebastián Merlos Alejandro Novillo Astrada Joaquín Pittaluga Valerio Zubiarre Jr. 7 TO 6 Bartolomé ‘Lolo’ Castagnola Mariano González Ignacio Heguy Ricardo Mansur Luis P. Martins Bastos Juan Ignacio ‘Pite’ Merlos

44 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

P O L O I N T H E PA M PA S

Ellerstina’s Nico Pieres, Gonzalo Pieres, Hilario Ulloa and Facundo Pieres will remain together, hungrier than ever to win the Argentine Open.

Tortugas and Hurlingham, the team was one chukker away from beating La Dolfina in the Palermo final match. Without any change, its path will be one of consolidation, and it will be a favorite in its longawaited search for the highest place of all on the podium of La Catedral.

The rest of the protagonists also have many pending issues to resolve. La Natividad will surely seek revenge with the same line-up after a discreet year, with two of the young stars of the moment: the brothers Camilo and Barto Castagnola. Polito Pieres, who suffered a drop in his appreciation from 10 to 9 goals, will also face a personal challenge.

La Aguada and La Ensenada have parted ways.

The Novillo Astrada organization has not yet decided if it will present a team. This would be quite an absence since it has been present in the Triple Crown uninterrupted since 2003. La Ensenada, on the other hand, will go it alone with the youth of Juan Britos, Alfredo Bigatti, Juan Martín Zubia and Jerónimo del Carril. And on the last days of January, La Irenita confirmed its presence with its reformed team of with Santiago Loza, Segundo Bocchino, Ignacio Toccalino and Isidro Strada.

A different high handicap season is already on the horizon, with more distributed aspirations. Four very strong teams will participate for 2021, but none will have a 40-goal handicap, that perfect rating that La

Confirmed line-ups Ellerstina: ...........................39

Facundo Pieres ...............................10 Hilario Ulloa ..................................10 Gonzalo Pieres Jr. ............................9 Nico Pieres .....................................10

RS Murus Sanctus: .............39

Facundo Sola ...................................9 Guillermo “Sapo” Caset ...............10 Pablo Mac Donough........................10 Juan Martín Nero ...........................10

La Dolfina: .........................38

Adolfo Cambiaso ............................10 Francisco Elizalde .............................9 David “Pelon” Stirling ..................10 Diego Cavanagh ................................9

La Natividad-Monjitas ........36

Camilo Castagnola ..........................9 Polito Pieres .....................................9 Bartolomé Castagnola Jr. .................9 Ignatius Du Plessis ...........................9

La Ensenada: ......................33

Juan Britos ........................................9 Alfredo Bigatti ...................................8 Juan Martín Zubia ............................8 Jerónimo Del Carril ..........................8

La Dolfina Brava:............... 33

Adolfo “Poroto” Cambaiso ..............8 Alejo Taranco.....................................8 Guillermo Terrera .............................9 Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade.............8

La Irenita: ..........................31

Santiago Loza ....................................8 Segundo Bocchino ............................7 Ignacio Toccalino .............................8 Isidro Strada ......................................8

Dolfina displayed until this year. Between a tight schedule, stands without an audience and the end of the Fab Four of Cañuelas, the 2020 season was full of peculiarities, but without a doubt, this year promises bigger emotions.

• POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 45

POLO REPORT DISPATCHES FROM THE WORLD OF POLO PAC I F I C C OA S T

KERRI KERLEY

DESIGN FOR THE PEOPLE TAKES WOMEN’S CHALLENGE

Santa Barbara’s Cory Williams chases La Herradura’s Dayelle Fargey in the B Flight final of the Women’s Challenge at Eldorado Polo Club.

T

HE ELDORADO Polo Club in Indio, California, kicked off its season in late December with the Women’s Challenge. Twelve teams played off in one of three flights over two days. In Flight A, three teams battled it out in a round robin, with scores carrying over from the first day to the second.

In round one on the first day, JC Polo (Jemma Contreras, Meghan Gracida, Erica Gandomcar-Sachs, Dayelle Fargey) edged M1 Financial

46 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

(Malia McCoy, Kate Weber, Jennifer Luttrell-Bernardoni, Jennifer Alexy), 3-2. M1 then narrowly fell to Design for the People (Catlin Dix, Mia Bray, Anna Coscia, Audry Persano), 2-1. In the last round, Design for the People took a strong, 4-1, lead thanks to an all-around team effort.

JC Polo hung on to its one-goal lead over M1 Financial through the second day, 4-3. Scoring remained a premium in the M1 vs Design for the People game. Coscia scored the only

goal to give Design the 3-1 win. With M1 suffering two losses, it was out, making the last round a virtual final.

Design for the People was in an enviable spot with a three-goal lead to start. J.C. Polo needed the win, while Design for the People could take first place with just a tie. Fargey narrowed the gap to one, 4-3, but Persano persisted, scoring back-to-back goals for the 6-3 win.

Aside from the trophies, Design for the People won the $2,500 prize

R E P O R T

KERRI KERLEY

KERRI KERLEY

P O L O

money. Persano also went home with the MVP title and Inky, a horse she played was Best Playing Pony. Owned

by Catlin Dix, Inky was rescued from a horse auction.

B Flight had five teams competing. The elimination rounds saw Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club (Judith Baker, Cory Williams, Mia Bray, Melania Jones) advance to the final with a round-robin victory over Zephyr (Elizabeth Humphreys, Katy Escapite, Kristina Karailieva, Megan Flynn) and Sutter Buttes (Bonnie Magill, Madelyn Cobb, Cybele Jordan, Elise Pardue). La Herradura (Meghan Gracida, Dayelle Fargey, Maggie Papka, Rose Brownridge) earned its spot in the final with a win over La Fortuna II (Elise Bigelow, Shannon Mendez, Caroline Anier, Micaela Saracco).

Gracida was not able to play the final so Kim Kelly and Catlin Dix played two chukkers each as her substitutes. With the teams starting out on equal footing, Kelly and Williams traded goals in the first. Williams counted back-to-back goals in the second for a 3-1 advantage. But Fargey shot back with three in a row to take the narrow 4-3 lead at the half.

Fargey increased the difference early in the third, then traded goals with Jones, for a 6-4 advantage.

Fargey kept up the pressure, increas-

La Herradura’s Rose Brownridge, Maggie Papka, Catlin Dix and Dayelle Fargey won B Flight of the Women’s Challenge.

ing the difference to three, 7-4, but Jones and Bray fought back with goals of their own. Time wasn’t on SBPRC’s side and La Herradura hung on for the win and the $2,500 prize money.

Fargey was high-scorer with six goals and was named MVP. Marcial Socas’ Flipper, played by Williams, was Best Playing Pony.

Four teams competed in C Flight.

GK Polo (Lauren McIntire, Kathrine Hill, Claire Bailey, Jessica Keneally) advanced to the final with a 6-1 win

over Rancho Del Sol (Julie Reeske, Tennyson Hamir, Gillian Young), while Yolo Polo (Libbie Fogel, Olympia Granger, Jennifer Sims, Loren Gibson) got the best of Camp Polo (Sally Camp, Alex Bryant, Alisha Clark, Becky Schaller), 6½-4.

GK Polo shut out Yoko Polo in the final, 3-0, with Keneally, McIntire and Hill contributing goals. Hill was named MVP and Keneally’s Corky was Best Playing Pony.

The season continued with the 8goal Mack and Madelyn Jason MemoGK Polo’s Lauren McIntire, Katherine Hill, Claire Bailey and Jessica Keneally won C Flight of the Women’s Challenge.

KERRI KERLEY

Design for the People’s Audrey Persano, Catlin Dix, Mia Bray and Anna Coscia won the A Flight of the Women’s Challenge.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 47

R E P O R T KERRI KERLEY

KERRI KERLEY

P O L O

Madelyn Jason Cobb, center, presents the Jason Memorial trophy to Ryan Robertson, Ryan Kerley, Jimmy Wright and Ulysses Escapite.

KERRI KERLEY

rial. The final saw JC Polo/Folded Hills (Christopher Busch, Jemma Contreras, Jesse Bray, Bayne Bossom) face Bush League (Ryan Robertson, Ulysses Escapite, Jimmy Wright, Ryan Kerley) in a high-scoring match not decided until the last two minutes.

Sherman struck first, collecting a well-placed pass and carrying it to goal. Robertson retaliated with a Penalty 3 conversion. Busch sunk a Penalty 4 and Bossom found the goal on a run to put JC/Folded Hills up, 31. Robertson narrowed the gap to one, but Bray replied to maintain the

Madelyn Jason Cobb presents Jimmy Wright the MVP Prize in the Mack & Madelyn Jason 8-Goal at Eldorado.

48 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Chogan/K2’s Dayelle Fargey, Tim Rudy, Kim Kelly and Sy Zahedi won the World Gym Tournament at Eldorado.

two-goal lead, 4-2. Busch League dominated the second, flipping the two-goal advantage to lead, 6-4, after unanswered goals by Robertson, Kerley and Escapite. Kerley notched another in the third to increase the lead to three, 7-4. Bray traded goals with Escapite and Wright, keeping the difference three, 9-6, at the half.

Wright and Kerley struck again in the fourth, but back-to-back goals by Bray negated their efforts. Bray converted an open-goal penalty early in the fifth, however Escapite got it back and Robertson nailed one from the field. Bossom scored a penalty and Bray scored from the field to get back within two. Wright traded goals with Busch to end the chukker, 14-12.

Bossom brought the team within one early in the sixth and Bray knotted it up. After all their hard work, the team caught the umpires’ whistles and Bush League was awarded a penalty, which Wright hit long and true to win the match, 15-14.

Wright was name MVP for his heroics. Bush League Farms’ Mamba, played by Escapite, was Best Playing Pony.

Chogan/K2 surfaced at the top of the World Gym tournament, sponsored by the Uretz Family.

Chogan/K2 (Sy Zahedi, Kim Kelly, Dayelle Fargey, Tim Rudy) and La Fortuna (Elise Bigelow, Carlos Rivas,

Caroline Anier, Luis Saracco) came out of bracket play unscathed and met in the final.

Rudy added to Chogan/K2’s halfgoal handicap early in the opening chukker. Saracco converted an open goal penalty and Bigelow followed with a goal. Rudy converted an opengoal penalty of his own then scored from the field, giving Chogan/K2 the 3½-2 lead after one. The team’s lead increased with a Penalty 1. Anier traded goals with Kelly to end the half with Chogan/K2 ahead, 5½-3.

Rudy turned up the heat in the third, scoring three goals while La Fortuna was held to one from Rivas.

In the last chukker, La Fortuna came out strong and Chogan/K2 had trouble adjusting. La Fortuna capitalized on Chogan’s mistakes, with Saracco converting a Penalty 3 and 4. The team was then awarded a Penalty 1 and Saracco hit the mark on a run downfield to bring the difference to a half-goal, 8½-8. With less than a minute left, Saracco was given another Penalty 4 opportunity for the win, but luck was not on his side, and the ball went wide. Chogan/K2 had held on for the narrow win.

Tim Rudy took MVP honors and Dalma, owned by Igor Seyranov and played by Saracco, was Best Playing Pony.

--Tony Gregg

P O L O

Luna’s Jennifer Alexy, Diego Larregli, Jimmy Wright and Leigh Brecheen won the 8-goal Coachella Cup final at Empire.

LUNA PREVAILS IN COACHELLA CUP Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, held its 8-goal Coachella Cup on Jan. 10. The final saw Luna (Jennifer Alexy, Diego Larregli, Leigh Brecheen, Jimmy Wright) defeat BFBST/LC Design (Julie Fernandez/Liz Cunningham, Max Menini, Jared Sheldon, Jennifer Sims), 10-7.

The first half was a low-scoring affair, with just a single goal scored in each of the first three chukkers. Menini converted a Penalty 4 to get the scoring started in the first period. Alexy responded in the second with a run to goal. Wright added a field goal in the third, ending the half, 2-1, in favor of Luna.

The flow of the game picked up in the second half thanks to back-to-back goals by Larregli. Wright picked up on Larregli’s energy, adding a field goal.

Menini scored his second goal but Alexy quickly responded. Sheldon got in on the fun, hitting the target to keep BFBST/LC Design in the game. Luna now confidently led, 6-3.

Menini cut the deficit in the fifth and a Penalty 2 conversion brought BFBST/LC Design within one, 6-5.

With BFBST/LC Design closing in, Wright sunk a Penalty 4 but Sheldon responded to keep it close, 7-6. Luna came back in the final chukker with

R E P O R T

La Salle’s Bob Gray, Luis Saracco, Topo Mendez and Micaela Saracco won the 4-goal Stagecoach final.

renewed energy. Larregli split the uprights, then Alexy scored. Wright put in another to increase the lead to four, 10-6. BFBST/LC Design had trouble finding the goal until the No. 1 capitalized on a pass but it wasn’t enough, and Luna took home the trophies with the 10-7 victory.

The same day, La Salle (Mica Saracco, Topo Mendez, Luis Saracco, Bob Gray) got the best of Mother Chukkers (Sukey Forbes, Nick Fernandez, Ale Gonzalez, Nicolas Maciel) in the 4-goal Stagecoach. Mendez was first to find the goal but the team caught the umpires’ attention, giving Mother Chukkers chances from the penalty line. Gonzalez sunk a Penalty 2, then Maciel capitalized on a Penalty 4. Gonzalez scored another from the field, and before you knew it Mother Chukkers was on top, 31½. Unfazed, Mendez scored a Penalty 3, then a field goal to give La Salle the narrow, 3½-3 lead. Gonzalez took back the lead to end the half with Mother Chukkers on top, 4-3½.

Luis Saracco traded goals with Gonzalez and Maciel in the third to maintain the difference. The last chukker saw a total team effort from La Salle.

Gray closed the back door while Mica Saracco, Mendez and Luis Saracco sent the ball through the posts. Gonzalez squeezed in a goal for Mother Chukkers but it wasn’t enough and La Salle had the 8½-7 win.

NORTHEAST

POLO GIRLS TRIUMPHS IN WOMEN’S CHALLENGE Boston Polo Girls crushed Boston Polo Open in the 0- to 6-goal Arena Women’s Challenge at Boston Polo Club in Georgetown, Massachusetts, Jan. 10. Five teams competed in the event.

The first match had Boston Polo Open interscholastic team against Boston Polo Club. The Open team (Emerson Bruce, Lily Wachtel, Brynn Whitten) began with a four-goal handicap and added to it with goals from each of the players. Meanwhile, Boston Polo Club (Kathy Reagan, Ula Green, Aurelia Rus) overcame the handicap it gave with Green scoring twice and Rus four times, ending the chukker with the Open team holding a 7-6 advantage.

Bruce and Wachtel increased the lead to 11-9 with two goals each while holding Boston Polo Club to three from Green.

Bruce and Wachtel kept up the pressure, adding four goals each in the next two chukkers. Green tallied once and Rus three times, but it wasn’t enough and Boston Open took the 19-14 win to advance to the final.

The second match was a round robin between Boston Polo Girls, Dana Hall and Parchment. Boston Polo Girls

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 49

P O L O

R E P O R T

Boston Polo Club Polo Girls’ Ari Dogani, Yiyi Wang and Julia Schaefer won the Arena Women’s Challenge.

(Ari Dogani, Yiyi Wang, Julia Schaefer) showed their strength right out of the shoot against Dana Hall (Amelia Thomas, Addie Graves, Bentley Bassick) in Round One. The 1-goal Dana Hall team began with a four-goal handicap against the 5-goal Boston Polo Girls team. Dogani added three quick goals early in the chukker. Schaefer picked up where she left off, scoring a pair of goals. Dogani added another before Schaefer shot through several more, taking an 11-4 lead. The Polo Girls kept up the momentum into the next chukker with all three players getting on the board, increasing the lead to an astounding 18-4.

Boston Polo Girls took on Patchwood (Rhea Vendt, Zita Lazzarini, Val Greco) in Round Two. Patchwood received a three-goal handicap and focused on hanging on to it with strong defense. While it was able to slow down Boston Polo Girls, it was still outscored, 5-1, ending the first chukker, 5-4. Vendt hit the mark in each chukker, but Dogani was on fire, scoring eight goals added to two from Schaefer for a 15-5 victory. With two wins under its belt, Polo Girls advanced to the final.

The last round pitted Dana Hall against Patchwood. Dana Hall began with a one-goal handicap and that was all it would see in the first, while Vendt hammered in three for Patchwood. The

50 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Walker Alston Financial’s Joaquin Arguello, Lauren Sterr, Wes Alston (with Penelope) and Trey Crea won the Congressional Cup.

next chukker was much closer. Houston tallied three but Vendt added four, giving Patchwood the 7-4 win.

The consolation had Dana Hall up against Boston Polo Club in Round One. Boston Polo Club powered ahead, 8-2, in the first chukker thanks to the combined efforts of Green and Rus. Houston and Graves put three goals on the board in the second, but Green matched it and Rus added another for the 12-5 victory. Round Two saw Boston Polo Club dominated Patchwood, 15-4.

Vendt and Greco each scored for Patchwood in the first, but Green hammered in six and Rus one for the 7-3 lead.

Boston Polo combined for eight goals in the second while allowing only one from Greco for the win.

Patchwood bounced back in the next round against Dana Hall. Graves and Houston scored three times added to a handicap goal but Vendt and Greco struck five times for the lead. Dana Hall was silenced in the next chukker while Patchwood added six goals for the wide 11-4 win.

The final was a whirlwind as the teams flew around the arena scoring at will. Boston Polo Open got off to a great start when Sophia Piper struck first and Wachtel scored another, added to a fourgoal handicap. Schaeffer put Boston Polo Girls on the board, but Piper shot back. Dogani and Wang sandwiched

goals around one from Bruce for the 83 lead. Boston Polo Girls were just getting warmed up, catching fire in the second. The team went on a scoring spree, adding eight goals while holding Boston Polo Open to two and taking a narrow 11-10 lead.

Boston Polo Girls kept up the pressure in the second half with Dogani and Schaeffer combing for 19 goals while Whitten snuck in one. The final score was 30-11 for the Polo Girls.

SOUTHWEST

ALSTON FINANCIAL ACES CONGRESSIONAL CUP The San Antonio Polo Club hosted the minus-2 to 2-goal Southwest Circuit Congressional Cup, Dec. 5-6, on its newly rebuilt field at the historic Retama Polo Grounds in San Antonio, Texas. Four teams vied for the $2,500 prize money, available as part of the USPA’s Covid club tournament stimulus.

In the first semi-final, Crea Brothers (David Crea, Jack Crea, Tommy Crea, Lauren Carson) doubled up Camp Stewart (Al Bueno, Matthew Linson, Pat Helmsley, Kerstie Allen), 6-3. In the other semi, Walker Alston Financial (Lauren Sterr, Wes Alston, Diego ‘Joaquin’

P O L O

Tom Crea’s Mandy Wirth was Best Playing Pony in the Southwest Circuit Congressional Cup at Retama Polo Club in San Antonio.

Arguello, Trey Crea) had a tough time eliminating San Antonio Polo/Shweiki Media (Amanda Massey, Patrick Macleod, Gal Shweiki, Lalo Ramirez) in a 7-6 squeaker.

As is often the case in South Texas, the weather made a dramatic turn the next day, changing from cold and windy to downright hot for the final match between Crea Brothers and Walker Alston Financial, both rated 2 goals.

Veteran Tommy Crea led things off, scoring a lone goal in the first seven minutes. Texas A&M student Arguello put Walker Alston Financial on the board in the second, which went unanswered, ending the half level, 1-1.

Jack Crea and David Crea scored to put Crea Brothers ahead in the third but Arguello went on a shooting spree in the last chukker, giving Walker Alston Financial the narrow, 5-4, lead.

Arguello was MVP and Tom Crea’s Mandy Wirth was Best Playing Pony.

The club’s new regulation-size field was made possible by a partnership with the Real Life Community Church, which purchased much of the land that once saw numerous U.S. Opens and international events in the 1970s and early 1980s. Pastor Sean Azzaro, brother to former 10-goaler Mike Azzaro, recently returned to the game and is a member of the San Antonio Polo Club.

—Ursula Lipari

R E P O R T

Estancia’s Ray Rafool was MVP in the Beetlejuice Cup at Sunset Polo Club in Loxahatchee, Florida.

FLORIDA

ESTANCIA TOPS BEETLEJUICE CUP The Sunset Polo Club in Loxahatchee, Florida, got off to a great start with the Beetlejuice Cup, Jan. 5-9.

Three teams rounded out the tournament.

In the first match, Arcus/Tuff Rider (Stan Vukmer, Timmy Sharma, Matias Sosa, Omar Sosa) narrowly fell to Estancia (Matt Lamarr, Ray Rafool, Gussie Busch, Nico Harriott), 4½-4. The difference was the handicap given to Estancia to start the game. Sharma countered the handicap with a Penalty 2 conversion in the first, the only score of the chukker. The team was unable to capitalize on a second Penalty 2. Omar Sosa found the goal in the second but Harriott sunk a penalty and then scored from the field to take a 2½2 lead at the half.

Busch started the scoring in the third chukker but Vukmer countered with a

Penalty 2. Sharma gave Arcus/Tuff Rider a short-lived lead in the last chukker.

Soon after, Harriott took back the lead for Estancia. Arcus/Tuff Rider had two more opportunities from the penalty line but were unable to convert them and Estancia held on to the win.

Arcus/Tuff Rider took on Escorihuela Gascon (Cayden Borda, Kim Fiorino, Javier Herrera, Carlos Gonzalez) in Game 2. Escorihuela began with a 1¼ handicap and Herrera added to it Cayden Borda pilots Beetlejuice Cup Best Playing Pony Curiosa at the Sunset Polo Club.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 51

R E P O R T ALEX PACHECO

ALEX PACHECO

P O L O

Greenhill’s Lucio Ocampo, Justo Maurino, Milo Dorignac and William Ballhaus won the Stephen Orthwein Memorial.

with a penalty conversion. Meanwhile, Arcus/Tuff Rider struggled to get past the Escorihuela defense. Omar Sosa put Arcus on the board in the second.

Omar’s son Matias followed with a goal of his own. Fiorino hit the mark with a Penalty 2 conversion, but Omar Sosa responded with another to keep it close, 3¼-3, at the half.

Sharma sunk a Penalty 2 in the third, the only goal of the chukker, giving Arcus a first-time lead. Matias Sosa extended the lead with a shot to goal. Herrera quickly responded and Gonzalez added another to take back the lead. A Penalty 2 by Vukmer put Arcus ahead again, but some bad luck changed the whole game. Omar Sosa’s horse turned quickly, unseating him.

He fell on his shoulder and was unable to continue. Two-goal Juan Villamil came in to replace him, but the one-goal difference between the players meant Arcus had to give Escorihuela another handicap goal. That was all Escorihuela needed to put it ahead by a quarter of a goal, 6¼-6, for the win.

The final pitted Escorihuela against Estancia. Busch got the scoring going with back-to-back goals. Borda put Escorihuela on the board with a Penalty 3 conversion. Each team had chances with open-goal penalties, but failed to convert. Busch scored again in the second and Harriot followed

52 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

SD Farms’ Sterling Giannico, Peco Polledo, Carlitos Gracida and Sayyu Dontata won the Palmetto Challenge at Port Mayaca.

with one of his own while Escorihuela was silenced, ending the half with Estancia ahead, 4-1½.

Escorihuela was unable to get past the Estancia defense, while Busch tallied again to increase the team’s lead.

Busch finished it off with two in a row in the fourth. Gonzalez converted a Penalty 4 for Escorihuela, but it wasn’t enough, and Estancia took the win, 7-2½.

Ray Rafool was named MVP and Curiosa, played by Cayden Borda, was Best Playing Pony.

GREENHILL SUCCESSFUL IN ORTHWEIN MEMORIAL The Stephen Orthwein Memorial Cup saw Greenhill Stables and Postage Stamp Farm, both undefeated in their brackets, come together in the 8-goal final at Port Mayaca Polo Club in Okeechobee, Florida, Jan.30. Six teams competed over two weeks.

In a very fast-paced final, Greenhill (Rebekah Greenhill, Lucio Ocampo, Justo Maurino, Milo Dorignac) came out strong to lead 6-3 at the half.

Rebekah Greenhill was replaced by William Ballhaus, while KC Beal filled in for Annabelle Gundlach. Postage Stamp (Annabelle Gundlach, Brendon Stenzel, Brandon Phillips, Leon Schwenke) was able to rally, tying the game at 7-all and forcing overtime.

After almost six minutes of overtime play, MVP Lucio Ocampo scored from the field to seal the victory for Greenhill Stables. Postage Stamp Farm’s Cassie, played by Leon Schwenke, was Best Playing Pony.

To get to the final Greenhill edged Mt. Brilliant (Hutton Goodman, Bo Goodman, Julian Daniels, Kako Basualdo) and Prestige Worldwide (Nick Barry, Will Johnston, Keko Magrini, Steve Orthwein), while Postage Stamp topped Dutta Ranch (Tim Dutta, Chase Butler, Del Walton, Timmy Dutta) and El Cid Polo (Allyson Poor, Jason Wates, Marcos Onetto, Cecelia Cochran).

Another six teams lined up for the 14-goal Palmetto Challenge, Jan. 16-30.

SD Farms (Sayyu Dantata, Carlitos Gracida, Peco Polledo, Sterling Giannico) topped Zone B after defeating Bushwood (Mike Davis, Santino Magrini, Kris Kampsen, Stevie Orthwein) and Cacheko Polo (TBA, Keko Magrini, Matias Magrini, Ignacio Arbelbide).

Zone A wasn’t as clean cut. Banks Mill Feed (Hope Arellano, Lucas Arellano, Geronimo Obregon, Jared Zenni), G-String Polo Ponies (Gillian Johnston, Nico Saenz, Julian De Lussaretta, Jack Whitman) and Barbarossa Leather (Gussie Busch, Leo Mandelbaum, Henry Porter, Whistle Uys) tied on win-loss record and needed a penalty shoot-out between representatives of the three teams to determine the winner. Tommy

R E P O R T

CHUKKER TV

CHUKKER TV

P O L O

Scone’s Adolfo Cambiaso, Peke Gonzalez, Poroto Cambiaso and David Paradice won the 22-goal Sterling Cup at Grand Champions Polo.

ALEX PACHECO

Biddle clinched the penalties for Banks Mill Feeds, sending it to the final.

In the final, SD Farms had a very strong first half, taking an early lead, going into the half 6-3 and maintaining the lead through the fifth chukker. It started the last chukker ahead of Banks Mill Feeds, 9-5. An awesome performance by the Banks Mill team, including two great goals by Geronimo Obregon on Best Playing Pony Chala, forced overtime, 9-all. In overtime, Peco Polledo converted a safety to win the game,

Banks Mill Feed’s Tommy Biddle runs with the ball in the Palmetto Challenge.

Dundas’ Robert Zedda, Mariano Fassetta, Fran Spinacci and Sarah Siegel-Magness took the Aspen Valley 8-goal Cup title.

10-9, for SD Farm. Sayuu Dantata Jr., who scored three field goals for his team, was named MVP.

SCONE VICTORIOUS IN STERLING CUP A balanced Scone team came away the winner in the 22-goal Sterling Cup at Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, Florida, Feb. 7. The first high-goal tournament of the season attracted six teams competing over two weeks.

The final pitted Scone (David Paradice, Adolfo Cambiaso, Poroto Cambiaso, Peke Gonzalez) against La Indiana (Jeff Hall, Michael Bickford, Polito Pieres, Nico Escobar).

Milo Dorignac filled in for Bickford on the La Indiana side. Escobar struck just 30 seconds into the match, but a minute later he caught the umpires’ whistles setting Gonzalez up with a Penalty 2, which he easily converted. Dorignac found the uprights and Escobar followed with another goal, but Scone was

awarded another Penalty 3, which Gonzalez eased through the posts.

Scone continued to benefit from La Indiana’s mistakes in the second chukker with Gonzalez converting two more open-goal penalties, to take a 4-3 lead. Adolfo Cambiaso passed to Poroto who threaded the ball through the posts from 60-yards out. Escobar responded with a tally, but Adolfo Cambiaso and Gonzalez each scored to give Scone a 7-4 lead. Poroto Cambiaso traded goals with Hall and then with Escobar. A Penalty 4 conversion by Pieres late in the chukker cut the difference to two, 9-7, at the half.

La Indiana rallied in the second half, with Escobar bringing the team within one. La Indiana was awarded another Penalty 4, giving it a chance to tie the match, but the ball went wide.

Cambiaso found the goal and Poroto followed with one of his own to increase the lead to 11-8. Poroto added another early in the fifth, but La Indiana mounted its comeback, scoring back-to-back goals to cut the deficit to two, 12-10. In the last chukker, Cambiaso got by Escobar to tally another but Pieres and Dorignac answered with goals to come within one, 13-12. La Indiana struggled to hit the target while Cambiaso added another goal.

With just over 30 seconds left, La Indiana was awarded a penalty, which Pieres converted, but time was not on

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 53

CHUKKER TV

P O L O

R E P O R T

Milo Dorignac challenges Poroto Cambiaso in the final of the Sterling Cup,

its side and Scone took the 14-13 win.

Adolfo Cambiaso was MVP and J5’s Dolfina Paloma, played by Adolfo Cambiaso, was Best Playing Pony.

In other action, Dundas (Sarah Siegel-Magness, Fran Spinacci, Mariano Fassetta, Robert Zedda) defeated Bushwood (Nick McClelland, Nick Manifold, Kris Kampsen, Michael Armour), 12-9, in the final of the Aspen Valley 8-goal on January 30.

Dundas began with a one-goal handicap and Zedda quickly added to it.

Armour put Bushwood on the board and Kampsen followed with a Penalty 3 conversion to tie it up, 2-2. Fassetta found the mark late in the chukker to put Dundas back on top. A Penalty 2 conversion from Kampsen leveled the score, but Fassetta gave the lead back to Dundas. A lone goal by Zedda in the third kept Dundas ahead, 5-3, at the half.

Magness converted a pair of Penalty 2s in the fourth, but goals by Manifold and Kampsen kept the difference two, 7-5. Fassetta capitalized on a long pass from Zedda, who followed with an impressive shot to goal to increase the lead to 9-5. But Bushwood fought back.

Armour found the goal and Kampsen converted a Penalty 3 then shot one in

54 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

from the field to bring the team within one, 9-8. With Bushwood closing in, Dundas sprang into action. In a matter of minutes, Fassetta, Spinacci and Magness had all reached the goal, giving the team a comfortable 12-8 lead. Neversay-die Kampsen hustled in one more goal before time ran out with Dundas ahead. Zedda was MVP and J5 Matilde, played by Zedda, was Best Playing Pony

BEVERLY POLO WINS YLVISAKER CUP The third time was a charm for Beverly Equestrian in 18-goal play at International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington, Florida, as it captured the Ylvisaker Cup. Earlier, the team fell to Palm Beach Equine in the opening Bobby Barry Cup final then failed to reach the final in the Joe Barry Cup. The season opened Jan. 3 with the Bobby Barry Cup. Palm Beach Equine (Costi Caset, Robi Bilbao, Gringo Colombres, Scott Swerdlin) defeated Beverly Equestrian (Bill Ballhaus, Lucas Diaz Alberdi, Tolito Ocampo, Hilario Figueras), 13-11. Beverly Equestrian got off to a good start with Ocampo adding two tallies to the twogoal handicap it received. Colombres

scored to put Palm Beach Equine on the board. Figueras traded goals with Bilbao in the second to maintain the three-goal difference. The third belonged to Palm Beach Equine as Bilbao and Colombres found the mark and the team received a Penalty 1 while holding Beverly to one from Figueras, just enough to keep it on top, 6-5, at the half.

Another strong chukker for Palm Beach Equine in the fourth allowed it to take a first-time lead, 9-7. The team increased that to 12-9 in the fifth.

Colombres scored his sixth goal in the final chukker. Beverly fought back with Ocampo and Figueras bringing the team within two but time ran out with Palm Beach Equine the winner.

Gringo Colombres was MVP and his Dolfina Ninjera was Best Playing Pony.

Beverly then faced a pair of fatherand-son duos in the 18-goal Joe Barry Memorial final, Jan. 17. Three teams played in the event over two weeks. In the first match Beverly Equestrian edged Palm Beach Equine, 12-11. Beverly Equestrian began with a 2-goal head start and added to it to lead, 7-4, after the first 14 minutes. Palm Beach Equine leveled the score in the third to end the half, 7-7.

Palm Beach Equine took a one-goal lead after the fourth and fifth but Beverly Equestrian made up the difference to level the score and force overtime.

Tolito Ocampo scored the golden goal less than 30 seconds into extra time for the win.

The next game had Santa Clara (Keko Magrini, Lucas Escobar, Luis Escobar, Matias Magrini) take on Beverly Equestrian. Similar to its previous game, Beverly Equine led by three after the first two periods before its opponent tied the game at 7-all. The teams stayed knotted at the end of each chukker in the second half, requiring overtime to determine the winner. This time, it was Keko Magrini to win the match for Santa Clara.

Santa Clara faced Palm Beach

R E P O R T

ALEX PACHECO

ALEX PACHECO

P O L O

Joaquin Panelo, Bill Ballhaus, Tolito Ocampo and Hilario Figueras won the Ylvisaker Cup at International Polo Club.

Equine in the last preliminary match.

Palm Beach Equine led 6-3 after the first two chukkers and held a narrow, 7-6, lead after the first half. Costly mistakes in the fourth by Palm Beach Equine allowed Santa Clara three chances from the 30-yard penalty line, which Lucas Escobar took full advantage of. Added to a pair of field goals, he tallied five goals that period while Palm Beach Equine was silenced. Palm Beach Equine rallied in the fifth to come within one, 11-10. Lucas Escobar split the uprights on a run downfield early in the sixth but Colombres countered with a Penalty 4 conversion.

Lucas Escobar struck again and Matias Magrini scored, giving Santa Clara the 14-11 win.

With two losses, Palm Beach Equine was eliminated, leaving Santa Clara to face Beverly Polo in the final.

Diaz Alberdi was injured when his horse slipped along the boards with Diaz Alberdi falling on them, breaking his ribs. Unable to continue, Peke Gonzalez took his place. The teams were even after the second and third chukkers before a scoreless fourth for Beverly Polo allowed Santa Clara to forge ahead after two Penalty 2 conversions from Lucas Escobar. Keko Magrini and Tolito Ocampo traded Penalty 4s in the fifth but a field goal from Luis Escobar increased Santa Clara’s lead to three, 8-5. Keko Magrini shot in

Santa Clara’s Keko Magrini, Lucas Escobar, Luis Escobar and Matias Magrini won the 18-goal Joe Barry Cup.

back-to-back goals to double Beverly’s score, 10-5. With little time left, Ocampo converted a Penalty 4 and Figueras handled a Penalty 3, but time ran out with Santa Clara ahead, 10-7.

Keko Magrini was MVP and Beverly Equestrian’s Yatay Shazam, a pretty chestnut played by Tolito Ocampo, was Best Playing Pony.

In the last 18-goal of the season, the Ylvisaker Cup, Beverly Polo faced Aspen (Lucas James, Keko Magrini, Stewart Armstrong, Ignacio Arbelbide), edging it 11-10 in the first game.

It fell to Tamera (Alejandro Poma, Diego Cavanagh, Lucas Escobar, Luis Escobar) in its next game, 14-10, then to Palm Beach Equine, 11-9. Beverly and Tamera were tied in win-loss records and played a semifinal to see who would advance. Beverly dominated the match, downing Tamera, 11-5.

On the other side, Palm Beach Equine had its ups and downs as well.

It downed Tamera, 10-7, then fell to Aspen, 10-8. Its defeat of Beverly secured its place in the final, where it would face Beverly once again.

Beverly’s Lucas Diaz Alberdi was still out with his earlier injury. This time he was replaced by Joaquin Panelo. Beverly began with a two-goal handicap but Caset opened the scoring to quickly cut the difference. Ocampo answered for Beverly to keep a two-goal spread, 3-1. Colombres and Caset tied

the match early in the second, and a Penalty 3 conversion by Caset gave Palm Beach Equine the edge. Panelo tied it again and back-to-back goals by Ocampo gave Beverly the two-goal advantage. Caset scored his fourth goal to bring Palm Beach Equine within one, 6-5. The third chukker was a foul fest. After a few spot hits, Beverly was awarded first a Penalty 3, then a 2, which Figueras easily sunk. Ocampo then scored from the field, then converted a Penalty 4, doubling up Palm Beach Equine, 10-5. Palm Beach Equine was award two open-goal penalties and Caset converted both, keeping the team in the game, 10-7, at the half.

Beverly kept up the pressure, adding two goals in the fourth while holding Palm Beach Equine scoreless.

Caset cut the deficit in the fifth, while the team shut down Beverly. Leading 12-9, Beverly increased the difference in the final chukker with a Penalty 2

by Figueras. Colombres responded in kind, but Figueras then converted a Penalty 3. Ballhaus found the uprights but Colombres had the answer. Time ran out on Palm Beach Equine and Beverly celebrated the 15-11 win.

Caset was high-scorer with eight goals in a losing effort. Hilario Figueras was named MVP and Ocampo’s One Juliana was Best Playing Pony. Ballhaus received the 18-goal Sportsmanship Award.

•

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 55

INSTRUCTORS FORUM

(continued from page 11) ward trajectory with the heel of the mallet towards the ground. As the mallet head tracks towards the ball it will naturally straighten out as it draws even with your body to have the full mallet head hit the ball just slightly in front of or at your stirrup.

Another common error I see is players looking at the ball under their armpit as opposed to over their shoulder. Looking over your shoulder is crucial in order to hit the offside shot. Looking under your armpit prevents you from pretty much any follow through as it puts your arm in a bent position. In this bent position, your arm cannot continue following through in any sort of straight path. It’s imperative to look over your shoulder at the ball. This also helps the rest of your body get into the correct position naturally. As you hit the ball keep your head down and your eyes on the ball.

The swing Often, players find themselves losing their left stirrup during the offside back shot, either as they hit the ball or during the follow-through. This is because they are not rotating their left knee and thigh into the saddle and keeping weight in the left Good follow-through after hitting the ball allows you more power and better direction.

56 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

stirrup. This results in the left leg going back, the toe coming down and the weight in the stirrup diminishing, resulting in the player losing his stirrup, falling back in the saddle and feeling uncomfortable taking the shot. Keep gripping with both knees and thighs and push out into your left stirrup to counter balance the weight of your upper body shifting to the right. You need a solid riding platform to be comfortable, proficient and strong in hitting this shot.

The follow-through The follow-through of the offside back shot is where you get your power and direction on the ball.

As you strike the ball, continue that momentum through the ball and follow through completely with your mallet, twisting your core and extending your right arm to follow the mallet’s path. Make sure you maintain your grip and balance in the saddle so you do not fall back into the seat and possibly pull the horse in the mouth. The easiest way I find to get players to follow through is to emphasize following the shot with their eyes—if their eyes follow then the shoulders and torso tend to follow as well. The follow-through is also important in directing the ball where you would like it to go. With no or little follow-through the ball is likely to pop up and/or be misdirected.

I like to tell amateurs to drive the horse forward a stride or so and then always turn their horse away from the back shot after they have hit it. This forms good habits and keeps the horses (blessed school horses, especially) from cheating and drifting over the ball beforehand. I emphasize they look back before they turn as well. I’ll save for another time what playing scenarios they can safely turn over the line or when they should just keep going straight, for example to stay back.

Every player is unique in their build, strengths and weaknesses and prior riding or athletic experience, so teaching someone how to hit a polo ball is not a one-fits-all lesson plan. However, there are basic principles of physics to hitting the ball with the mallet that can’t be avoided. Therefore, it is important when teaching, learning or trying to improve how to hit the offside back shot to emphasize correct riding position and a solid hitting platform. Start the stroke with the mallet head in the correct orientation and in a plane away from your horse, look over your shoulder at the ball (not under your armpit) and follow through completely. Following these instructions will make this one of you most comfortable and strongest shots.

•

P O L O D E V E L O P M E N T, L L C (continued from page 23)

MVP Hope Arellano

Semi-final: Eastern defeated Western, 10-5½ Florida defeated Central, 13-4 Consolation final Central defeated Western, 6-2 Final Florida defeated Eastern, 10½-4

semifinal against Western and scored six goals in that one chukker,” Painter said. “He’s an absolute machine. He has tons of power, brakes well and is everything you can ask for in a great horse.”

Although the 2020 National Youth Tournament Series Championship was initially scheduled to be held at Oak Brook Polo Club (Oak Brook, Illinois) last year, the teams were thankful they were still able to participate in the tournament at a later date.

“It’s a great tribute to everybody—the players, organizers, committee, clubs and horse providers—to be able to put on this event,” said USPA CEO Robert Puetz. “I’m so happy that we could give this opportunity to the kids to play on outstanding fields both at IPC and Port Mayaca Polo Club.”

•

Winston Painter takes off with the ball, flanked

by Niklaus Felhaber and Colby Smith.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 57

CALENDAR

F E B R U A R Y 17 - M A R C H 7 C.V. Whitney Cup (22) International, Wellington, FL

MIKE RYAN

March

Sadly, the National Intercollegiate Championships have been canceled for the second year in a row.

F E B RUA RY 18 - M A RC H 7 The Founders Cup WPL, Wellington, FL F E B R U A R Y 19 - M A R C H 5 Governors Cup (6) Hobe Sound, Hobe Sound, FL F E B RUA RY 2 6 - M A RC H 7 USPA Congressional Cup (4, 8) Empire, Indio, CA USPA Spreckels Cup (2, 8, 12) Eldorado, Indio, CA MARCH 2-6 Women’s Tabebuia Cup (18-22) Women’s Shady Lady (12-14) Port Mayaca, Okeechobee, FL M A R C H 2 - 14 Santa Rita Abierto Grand Champions, Wellington, FL M A RC H 3 - 13 Constitution Cup (6) Sarasota, Sarasota, FL M A R C H 3 - 21 Palm Beach Open WPL, Wellington, FL MARCH 3-28 PBC Sports Commission Cup (4) International, Wellington, FL MARCH 4-27 USPA Presidents Cup (8) Live Oak Challenge (14) USPA Butler Handicap (18) Port Mayaca, Okeechobee, FL MARCH 5-7 Western Open Regional led Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, CanceCA Central Interscholastic Regional celed Brookshire, Brookshire, CanTX Southeast Interscholastic Regional ed Virginia Polo, Charlottesville, CancelVA Northeast Girls’ Regional Gardnertown, Newburgh, ncNYeled

Ca

58 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

MARCH 5-29 Tackeria Challenge (8) International, Wellington, FL M A R C H 6 - 17 Nat’l Inter-Circuit Championship (12) Sarasota, Sarasota, FL MARCH 6-20 George Brown Cup (6) Hobe Sound, Hobe Sound, FL MARCH 7 Molly’s House Charity Benefit Port Mayaca, Okeechobee, FL MARCH 9-27 The Power Horse Invitational (16) The Limited Edition 8 Goal Madelon Bourdieu Memorial (6) Top Pony 12 Goal Grand Champions, Wellington, FL M A R C H 1 0 - 21 U.S. Open Women’s Prelim games Port Mayaca, Okeechobee, FL M A RC H 10 - 2 8 USPA Gold Cup (22) International, Wellington, FL M A R C H 1 2 - 14 Western Intercollegiate Regional Central Coast, Los Osos, CA eled

Canc

Central Intercollegiate Regional Legends, Kaufman, TX celed

Can

Northeast Intercollegiate celed CanRegional Cornell, Ithaca, NY Southeast Intercollegiate Regional led Can Virginia, Charlottesville, VAce M A R C H 1 2 - 21 Champions Cup (8) Empire, Indio, CA USPA Rossmore Cup Skins (12) Eldorado, Indio, CA M A R C H 1 3 - 21 Lions Cup (4) Empire, Indio, CA USPA Governors Cup (6) Amateur Cup (2) Eldorado, Indio, CA M A RC H 15 Buzz Welker Memorial (Jr) Yunghanns Charity Challenge (Jr) PTF, Wellington, FL M A RC H 18 - 2 8 Sportsmanship Cup (6) Sarasota, Sarasota, FL M A R C H 19 End of Season Bash & Grooms’ Race Eldorado, Indio, CA M A R C H 19 - 21 Texas Arena League Two Wishes, Lockhart, TX

CALENDAR

April MARCH 20 U.S. Open Women’s final International, Wellington, FL M A R C H 2 0 - 31 National Commander-in-Chief Cup (12) Sarasota, Sarasota, FL M A R C H 21 - A P R I L 3 Masters Cup (6) Hobe Sound, Hobe Sound, FL MARCH 22-28 National Interscholastic Championship anceled Brookshire, Brookshire,C TX M A R C H 2 4 - A P R I L 17 Triple Crown of Polo WPL, Wellington, FL

DAVID LOMINSKA

MARCH 27- APRIL 3 Constitution Cup (6) Costa Careyes, Jalisco, MX

A P R I L 1 - 17 The Black Olive (8) Mayaca Challenge (18) Port Mayaca, Okeechobee, FL

APRIL 1 8 - M A Y 1 La Dalila Cup (6) Hobe Sound, Hobe Sound, FL

APRIL 1-30 Allied Services Cup (5) Texas Military, Poteet, TX APRIL 2-4 Linfoot Clinic Port Mayaca, Okeechobee, FL A P R I L 2 - 18 Horseware Challenge (8) International, Wellington, FL APRIL 2-30 Gen. George S. Patton Jr. (4) ATX, Manor, TX APRIL 3 NYTS Tournament Port Mayaca, Okeechobee, FL

M A R C H 3 0 - A P R I L 17 Pedro Morrison Memorial (16) Grand Champions, Wellington, FL

A P R I L 4 - 17 George S. Patton (4) Hobe Sound, Hobe Sound, FL

M A R C H 31 - A P R I L 4 Women’s Championship Tourney Final Grand Champions, Wellington, FL

A P R I L 5 - 11 National Intercollegiate Championship anceled CVA Virginia, Charlottesville,

M A R C H 31 - A P R I L 17 Stefano Laviano Cup (6) International, Wellington, FL

A P R I L 13 - M AY 2 5 Jake Kneece Memorial (4) Aiken, Aiken, SC

M A R C H 31 - A P R I L 1 8 U.S. Open Championship (22) International, Wellington, FL

A P R I L 15 - M AY 15 Continental Cup (12-16) Grand Champions, Wellington, FL Facundo Pieres will be back leading Pilot in the U.S. Open.

A P R I L 21 - 2 5 Beach Polo World Cup WPL, Miami Beach, FL A P R I L 13 - M AY 2 5 NYTS Aiken, Aiken, SC APRIL 24-25 Arena Amateur Cup (3) Westchester, Portsmouth, RI APRIL 24-MAY 9 USPA Sportsmanship Cup (6) Aiken, Aiken, SC APRIL 28-MAY 1 Arena Sportsmanship Cup (3) Triangle, Hurdle Mills, NC A P R I L 2 8 - M A Y 16 Regional President’s Cup (8) Houston, Houston, TX A P R I L 3 0 - M A Y 31 Amateur Cup (4) Two Wishes, Lockhart, TX

Note: All dates are subject to change.

“USPA” refers to tournaments sponsored or sanctioned by the United States Polo Association.

Signifies prize money available.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 59

Y E S T E RY E A R S

Wealth and fame Mdivani brothers find money, love and polo

By Gwen Rizzo

ARCHIVO GBB/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

Serge Mdivani and actress Pola Negri arrive in New York, June 6, 1928. He left her after she lost her fortune in the 1929 stock market crash.

Fleeing Georgia after the Soviet invasion in 1921, the Mdivanis first traveled to Europe before coming to the United States. The patriarch, Gen. Zakhari Mdivani and his wife Elizabeth, brought their five children to Paris. With little money, the teenage children—three boys and two girls—had to work odd jobs to help support the family.

60 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

As the children became adults, it seems, working did not appeal to them. Lavish lifestyles did, however.

At some point, the sons added the title prince to their names, while the sisters added princess.

Apparently they had been well-educated, first in Russian, then in Poland, where their father served as a commandant. Their knowledge, added to their ‘titles,’ charm and good looks made up for their lack of finances. Instead of careers, most of them opted for pursuing rich and famous spouses. They soon became known as the Marrying Mdivanis. A 2016 article in Los Angeles Magazine called them the original Kardashians.

The oldest, Nina was the first to find a spouse. She married lawyer and Stanford professor Charles Huberich in 1925.

Shortly after arriving in Europe, brothers David and Serge moved to Massachusetts to attend Phillips Academy in Andover, thanks to Z. Marshall Crane from the Crane Currency paper empire. Crane was a longtime family friend and frequent visitor to Mdivani’s mansion in Georgia. Within two years, the pair had a falling out with Crane and moved to New York. They eventually moved to Oklahoma to briefly work in oil fields. David then met and married silent film star Mae Murray in 1926.

It was Murray’s fourth marriage. Born Marie Adrienne Koenig, as a teenager she worked as a housekeeper for polo player Harry Payne Whitney to support her family after her father died. Later, as a successful actress, she was known as ‘The Girl with the Bee-Stung Lips.’ Once married, David became her manager. He convinced her to end her contract with MGM, which she did. She was then essentially blacklisted in Hollywood. She eventually went broke and David divorced her.

After working in the oil fields, Serge moved to Los Angeles. He met and married actress Pola Negri but when she lost her fortune in the 1929 stock market crash, Serge divorced her.

EVERETT COLLECTION HISTORICAL/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

The youngest, Isabelle ‘Roussie’ became a sculptor.

In 1928, she married Spanish artist Josep Maria Sert.

Alexis, the youngest son, reportedly attended Cambridge University in England, and was captain of its polo team. It was there that he befriended James ‘Jimmy’ Van Alen II. After getting to know the well-todo family, he eventually married Jimmy’s sister Louise Astor Van Alen in 1931.

Serge married his second wife, opera singer Mary McCormic. The marriage lasted only two years. After McCormick filed for divorce, she told the Syracuse Journal, “I paid for everything we had. He never had a penny; never did have and never will have. When his father, a grand old gentleman, died, he and his brother said they were going to Europe, to the funeral, to return in three weeks. My oil company in Venice, California, went broke, and we found Serge had cashed a $10,000 check on our joint account, leaving $67 in the bank. And then he didn’t go to Europe to the funeral at all! He played around New York having a good time.”

At the same time, David’s marriage to Murray was over. The brothers apparently tried to get a settlement under California law making community property divisible 50-50.

The brothers had leased lots in oil fields (their spouses both claimed they provided the funds for the leases) and secured investors for their new company

Barbara Hutton with husband, Alexis Mdivani at a polo match at Roehampton, England, June 16, 1934.

SMITH ARCHIVE/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

Y E S T E RY E A R S

Pacific Shore Oil, raising some $200,000. When they finally struck oil, investors sued for unpaid royalties claiming the brothers were instead paying themselves large salaries. After their divorces in 1933, they were indicted for embezzling $30,000 from the company.

The trial ended in a hung jury and despite the state threatening to retry them, instead it dropped the charges.

Alexis was also on to his second wife. He married Woolworth heir Barbara Hutton in 1933. The socialite, known as the “Poor Little Rich Girl,” was introduced to Alexis by his sister Roussie. The two siblings apparently came up with a scheme for Alexis’ wife to walk in on him seducing Hutton so he could divorce Louise and marry Hutton. It worked and the two were married in grand fashion in Paris in front of 800 guests.

An article in the New York Times indicated the bride’s father had allotted $1 million for the 1933 wedding. Hutton gave Alexis $50,000 to purchase bridles and saddles for his polo ponies as a groom’s gift. One of the ponies was a gift from his former sister-in-law Negri. His father-in-law had also provided him a $1 million dowry.

After the wedding, Alexis began donating money to several Georgian charities. Apparently, his new wife wasn’t on the same page with his charitable contributions. That, and the considerable amount of time he spent playing polo, led to his divorce. By the time the two parted ways two years later, his dowry was used up. After, Alexis spent the summer with his siblings in Spain where Roussie’s husband had built her a palace. He was rushing to the train station when

Louise Astor Van Alen arrived in Southampton, New York, heavily veiled after her husband, Serge Mdivani was killed in a polo accident.

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

PICTURELUX/THE HOLLYWOOD ARCHIVES/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

Rudolph Valentino, far left, hosted the wedding of Mae Murray and David Mdivani (far right) in Beverly Hills on June 27, 1926. Pola Negri, second from left, later married David’s brother Serge Mdivani.

David Mdivani in Paris, France, 1935.

KEYSTONE FRANCE/GAMMA-RAPHO VIA GETTY IMAGES

he lost control of the Rolls Royce given to him by Hutton, hitting a tree and rolling it several times.

Just 30, he died in the accident and his passenger, Baroness Maud Thyssen, was thrown from the wreckage and was critically injured.

Despite their divorce, upon learning of his death, Hutton referred to him as her lovely prince.

Coincidentally, Hutton went on to marry six more times, with husbands including two more princes (Igor Troubetzkoy and Pierre Doan), Cary Grant and polo player Porfirio Rubirosa, who also died in a car crash. Soon after Alexis’ death, his first wife announced she was going to marry his brother Serge, setting off a scandal in her part-time residence of Newport, Rhode Island.

Just five weeks after marrying Louise, and eight months after Alexis’ death, Serge Mdivani was playing on a rain slicken field at the Gulf Stream Polo Club in Delray Beach, Florida. He swerved in front of Cecil Smith, who was running full speed down the line.

Serge and his horse fell to the ground. When Serge started to get up, he was kicked in the head by his horse, killing him almost instantly. He was 33.

62 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

A story in the Miami Daily News the following day said, “Mrs. Mdivani, who stood like a statue in a pouring rain while ambulance attendants worked over the body of her husband, was understood to have broken once she was in the privacy of her mother’s home, where open grief, according to the Van Alen code, was first permissible.”

An obituary in the April 1936 edition of Horse & Horseman read: Serge Mdivani Georgian Prince Dies at Polo Less than nine months after his sporting brother died in an automobile accident in Spain, Prince Serge Mdivani met violent death too. He fell with his mount during the course of a polo match on Phipps Field, outside of Palm Beach, Fla., on March 15, and was kicked in the head as he tried to rise. Death was caused by a cerebral hemorrhage.

There was no more enthusiastic polo player than Serge Mdivani, and he made up in energy and interest what he lacked in skill. He was not a good player by any stretch of the imagination, and he was an exceedingly hard man to mount, for he was well over 6-feet tall and weighed more than 200 pounds. Yet he wanted to play good polo, wanted to play at least as

VICTOR CONSOLE/ANL/SHUTTERSTOCK

Y E S T E RY E A R S

Alexis Mdivani at Paris Bagatelle Polo Club in 1931.

Serge Mdivani in 1936, shortly before his death.

At over 6-feet tall and 200 pounds, Serge Mdivani was hard to mount.

POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 63

CENTRAL PRESS/HUTTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES

SMITH ARCHIVE/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

Y E S T E RY E A R S

Alexis Mdivani, captain of the Los Diables Polo Team, receives the cup from Sheikh Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah after beating Kashmir in the Invitation Tournament at London’s Ranalagh Club, July 10, 1935.

well as his brother Alexis, who had a handicap rating of 5. He took chances, therefore, in games in which the pace really was too swift for him at his present rate of development, because he was determined to play the game he loved at top speed with the best of them.

At the time of the accident, Mdivani was playing No. 1 for a team called the Georgians, after his native state in Imperial Russia; on the team with him were Michael Phipps, Cyril Harrison and the younger Earle Hopping. Opposed to him were the Texans, consisting of C.B. Wrightsman, W.G. Reynolds, Cecil Smith and Robert Bullock. Mdivani’s rating was 0; with the exception of Wrightsman, handicapped at 3 but experienced in fast company, there wasn’t a player in the match who wasn’t rated at 5 or more.

Serge Mdivani will be missed in polo circles, both in California and in the East, not only because of his tremendous interest in the game (he had planned, for example, to take a team to England this spring and to offer, in this country, a valuable cup in memory of his brother), but also because he was very good company, charming, genial and possessed of a keen sense of humor.

Only recently Serge Mdivani had been married to the former wife of his dead brother; she witnessed the tragic accident. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to her and his many friends in other parts of the country.

Apparently, half of Serge’s estate went to his widow, while the other half was equally divided between his three surviving siblings. David, the only surviving brother, wasn’t happy with his share and sued Serge’s widow to no avail.

64 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N

Alexis Mdivani and Barbara Hutton in London, October 1934.

The family tragedies didn’t end there. Roussie was said to be closest to Alexis. After his death, she fell into a deep depression. After cruising the Mediterranean on a sailboat she had christened Saint Alexis. she contracted tuberculosis and died. She was 32.

David then tried suing Roussie’s widower for her jewelry, but that too failed. Meanwhile, David’s ex-wife sued him for child support for their son, Koran.

During one hearing, he was unable to make it to court because he was bedridden with an injured leg suffered while playing polo. He had sent his ex-wife a total of $1,500 in the six years since the divorce. David had plundered the once wealthy actress’ fortune and she lived in poverty for most of her life.

The following year, he lost 10 teeth during a polo match after being hit by a teammate’s mallet at the Riviera Country Club, where he and Serge had both been members. (Alexis had been a member of Rhode Island’s Westchester Polo Club). In 1944, he married Virginia Sinclair, the daughter of oil magnate Harry Sinclair. She was 15 years younger than him. They separated after a dozen years. In 1959, she filed for divorce. David later sued Virginia Kent Catherwood for $1 million dollars, claiming she had alienated the affections of his estranged wife. He eventually dropped the suit. The divorce was finalized in 1964. He died of a heart attack in 1984.

Nina divorced Huberich after 11 years of marriage.

A year later, she married Denis Conan Doyle, the son of Sherlock Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

After Denis’ death, she became executor of Arthur Conan Doyle’s estate. She later married Denis’ secretary Anthony Harwood. She died in 1987.

•

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