OCTOBER 2021
P L AY E R S’ E D I T I O N
The anatomy of a high-goal polo organization
$5.00 US/$5.50 Canada
Coming soon ... Polo Educational Program
Lu Rege
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From my 40-plus-year experience of teaching polo, I have developed an educational program that will help you improve your game. My efforts at teaching polo have not been to make improvement easy, but to make it certain. Within this educational program, my intention is the same. Regardless of your playing experience or handicap rating, this program is the tool that can help you achieve improvement. Consider, when you are playing the polo horse more efficiently, hitting the 12 shots of polo with more consistent accuracy and executing the strategy of the game more effectively, other players will be wondering how you did it and want to be the polo player you have become. This instructional package contains: 1. Four books of approximately 100 pages each A. An Overview B. The Polo Style of Riding C. Mechanics of Hitting D. Executing the Strategy 2. Approximately 25 booklets of about 10 pages each, describing how to hit each one of the 12 shots of polo. The other booklets describe how to most effectively ride, control and play the polo horse. 3. Approximately 25 videos demonstrating what is described in the booklets
The instructional package will be available for purchase in early 2022.
CONTENTS
P L AY E R S’ E D I T I O N
O C T O B E R 2 0 21
VOL. 25,
FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
26 Park Place Photos and text by Alice Gipps
6
A detailed look at running a large polo organization
NO. 2
Association News USPA Bulletin Harvard Polo
34 Clean Sweep Photos by Shelley Heatley
14 Instructors Forum
Klentner Ranch dominates Santa Barbara high-goal season
By Rege Ludwig
36 East & Wet Photos by Peter T. Michaelis
16 Equine Athlete
Rain dampens ECO action in Greenwich
By Heather Smith Thomas
18 Polo Scene BER
News, notes, trends & quotes
2021
22 Polo Development 24 Intercollegiate/Interscholastic 38 Polo in the Pampas
TION P L AY E R S’ E D I
OUR COVER The anatomy of a high-goal polo organization
by Lucas Noel
Andrey Borodin and his Park Place teams compete in the U.K. and the U.S. Photo by Alice Gipps
58 Yesteryears 64 Calendar 42 Polo Report Landhope Prevails in Polo Ponies Memorial
$5.00 US/$5.50 Canada
OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN SIGNED COLUMNS ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHORS AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE PUBLISHERS OF THIS MAGAZINE.
2 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
P L AY E R S’ E D I T I O N THE
OFFICIAL MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE
UNITED STATES POLO ASSOCIATION
Editor & Publisher
GWEN D. RIZZO
Contributing Editors
HEATHER SMITH THOMAS, ALICE GIPPS, LUCAS NOEL, C. MAYBE ORTIZ, SARAH EAKIN
Editorial Board
ROBIN SANCHEZ, TONY COPPOLA, TOM BIDDLE, DAWN WEBER, AMI SHINITZKY
Art Director DAVID BEVERAGE Prepress WALSWORTH Advertising & Editorial Offices USPA Member Subscription Inquiries (800) 232-8772 OR FAX (888) 341-7410 ldolan@uspolo.org
General Subscription Inquiries 9011 LAKE WORTH RD, LAKE WORTH, FL 33467 (561) 968-5208 gwen@poloplayersedition.com
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©Copyright 2021 by United States Polo Association.. No part of this issue may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic or electronic process without written permission of the publisher. Paul Brown illustrations are ©2018 and are reprinted by permission of Paul Brown Studios, Inc., P.O. Box 925, Hedgesville, WV 25427. Subscription rates: $45/one year, $78/two years. Other countries (air mail), $78 drawn on U.S. bank/one year, $144 drawn on U.S. bank/two years. (GST:134989508). Subscription problems call (561) 968-5208. VOL. 25, No.2 POLO Players’ Edition (ISSN #1096-2255) is published monthly by Rizzo Management Corp. for U.S. Polo Association, 9011 Lake Worth RD, Lake Worth, FL 33467. Periodicals postage paid at West Palm Beach, FL and additional mailing offices. (USPS: 079-770). POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Polo Players’ Edition, 9011 Lake Worth RD, Lake Worth, FL 33467. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement No. 40612608. Canada Returns to be sent to Imex Global, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2.
4 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
DAVID MURRELL
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Karson Bizell and Kirstie Allen competed in a Mid-Continent Women’s Polo Series event in August.
Women’s Series The Mid-Continent Women’s Polo Series continues through November. In the series, individuals gain points toward end-of-year awards by participating in select tournaments. Points are based on the amount of teams and a team’s finish in the tournament with additional points for Most Valuable Player and Sportsmanship Award winners. Catena USA is the high-point individual sponsor with a gorgeous Swiss-made watch awarded to the winner. Additional prizes go to second, third and fourth place high-point players at the end of the year. Contact the host club to enter and follow the series on Facebook (@USPoloAssociation) and Instagram (@uspoloassociation). Upcoming events: •Texas Military Polo/Central Texas Polo Association (Poteet, Texas) Oct. 16-17/Arena/7-10 goal •Legends Polo Club (Kaufman, Texas) Dates TBD/Arena/Goal Level TBD •Houston Polo Club (Houston, Texas) Nov. 914/Outdoor/Multiple Levels—Texas Women’s Open (16-20 Goal) & U.S. Open Women’s Handicap (8-12) High School Sports Polo Awards The USA TODAY High School Sports Awards, 6 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
presented by U.S. Polo Assn., the official brand of the United States Polo Association, were recently awarded to the nation’s top athletes in a first-of-itskind, national student awards show, which aired on Thursday, Aug. 5. As part of the partnership with U.S. Polo Assn., the ESPY-style award show included, for the first time, the country’s top female and male athletes in the sport of polo. Unlike many sports, female and male polo players of all ages play on the same fields together, and at all levels, including professional. In addition, many of today’s great polo players began in their youth, like those recognized at this special award event. The USA TODAY High School Sports Awards, hosted by Michael Strahan and Rob Gronkowski, along with red carpet hosts DJ Khaled and Charly Arnolt, featured top professional athletes like Aaron Rodgers, Shaquille O’Neal, Kerrie Walsh Jennings, Chipper Jones, Laurie Hernandez and many others. USA TODAY High School Sports Awards—one of the most extensive high school sports recognition programs in the country—honors talented high school athletes, coaches and teams. This year, 104 regional and statewide programs culminated to set the stage for the first ever national show,
DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS.COM
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Mackenzie Weisz, who competed in the Gauntlet of Polo, won the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards in the boys’ polo category.
highlighting more than 1,000 honorees in 27 sports categories from 50 states, all vying for the opportunity to be named the top athlete in their sport. The regional honorees and winners were revealed in June and state winners were announced in July. Winners from the state level, chosen from a base of more than 60,000 student athletes and 24,000 schools, made up the honorees for the national show. All honorees received a special gift box from USA TODAY with commemorative items, including a keepsake co-branded trucker hat from U.S. Polo Assn., the show program and other sponsor gift items. The national award winner in the girls’ high school polo category was Hope Arellano, featuring finalists, Sophie Grant and Summer Kneece. The national award winner in the boys’ high school polo category was Mackenzie Weisz, featuring finalists Lucas Escobar and Winston Painter. “On behalf of U.S. Polo Assn., I’d like to congratulate all of the participating athletes and recognize the outstanding winners,” said J. Michael Prince, president and CEO of USPA Global Licensing, the worldwide licensor of the multibillion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand. “It’s been an honor for U.S. Polo Assn. to be the presenting
sponsor for this star-studded event where we had the tremendous excitement of introducing the sport of polo to this year’s roster of awards. As an authentic, sport-inspired global brand, we love the opportunity to support up-and-coming student polo players as well as the amazing athletes from so many other sports.” Finalists and winners for the category of polo were selected through a stringent process that was conducted by the USPA and included a committee of internal experts and a diverse group of representatives from within the USPA, Polo Training Foundation and the Interscholastic/ Intercollegiate Committee. Ultimately, the winners were selected for being the highest performing and most qualified candidates. “The USPA is proud to have this opportunity to be included in this prestigious student athlete recognition event and to be able to put forth our best student polo players from around the U.S. on this stage,” said Stewart Armstrong, chairman of the USPA. “It’s the USPA’s mission to support youth polo players through our interscholastic and intercollegiate programs, and we hope to see these deserving athletes on the professional stage in the coming years. Congratulations to all!” Among the other 27 sport categories for these POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 7
DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS.COM
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Hope Arellano took the win in the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards girls’ polo category.
elite high school athletes, coaches and teams were baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, gymnastics, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, track and field, tennis, volleyball, wrestling and more. The national broadcast showcased stories and highlights of the nation’s top athletes in each sport and their stellar performances from the past year. “We were thrilled to partner with a sportinspired brand like U.S. Polo Assn. and to include polo in our awards this year,” said Crystal Costa, the program’s event director. “Polo is an amazing sport that many people don’t get a chance to see in person. It’s great that we can draw more attention to the sport of polo by including it in an event of this stature for such deserving kids.” The on-demand awards show can be viewed at Global Polo TV and at USA TODAY, USA TODAY News and USA TODAY Sportswire channels, available on Amazon Fire TV, the Roku Channel,
8 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Samsung TV Plus and most Smart TVs. It is also available on Amazon Prime Video Direct and at SportsAwards.USATODAY.com. Fall Meetings The United States Polo Association is pleased to announce that the USPA Fall Committee, Board of Governors and Annual Member Meeting will be taking place in Charlottesville, Virginia, from Oct. 27-30 at the Boar’s Head Resort. Tucked in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Boar’s Head Resort is the perfect blend of relaxation and fitness, offering everything from tennis and golf to nature trails and an all-new spa. Just two miles away from the University of Virginia, the resort maintains strong ties with the UVA Cavaliers and the historical city of Charlottesville. The Charlottesville Albemarle Airport (CHO) is the closest airport to fly into and is a 20-minute drive to the hotel. The Richmond International Airport is the closest major airport and it is a 90-minute drive to the hotel. The USPA Fall Committee, Board of Governors and Annual Member Meeting provides USPA members with the opportunity to audit committees and become more involved with the governance and future direction of the association. Providing an optimal setting to network with clubs across the country, the fall meeting is a forum for members to share opinions, ask questions and receive advice. The USPA encourages members to represent the interests of their club and meet with circuit governors and USPA staff. To assist with expenses a $1,000 travel reimbursement stipend is available to all club delegates, and lunch is provided for all members in attendance. In addition to the meetings, events over the weekend include the USPA/Polo Training Foundation Awards Ceremony on Friday, Oct. 29 at the Beh House at Virginia Polo. The USPA and Virginia Polo are planning several arena events and other activities to recognize local polo clubs. Circuit Governor Elections The USPA is pleased to announce the results of the circuit governor election. The association sincerely appreciates the volunteers and clubs for their participation. The results are as follows: Border Circuit* Central Circuit** Eastern Circuit—Joe Muldoon Florida Circuit—Stephen Orthwein Jr.
DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS.COM
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Pamela Flanagan wears a Casablanca NEU and Hazel Jackson and Dolores Onetto wear Instinct Askari helmets—all NOCSAE compliant.
Great Plains Circuit—Mike Carney Hawaiian Islands Circuit—Bill Kirton Mid States Circuit—Jorge Vasquez Northeastern Circuit—Leighton Jordan Pacific Coast Circuit—Dan Walker Pacific Northwest Circuit—Sheryl Sick Rocky Mountain Circuit* Southeastern Circuit—Billy Raab Southwestern Circuit—Paul Jornayvaz The term for circuit governors will begin on Saturday, Oct. 30. Please reach out to director, Governance and Operations, Lindsey Ebersbach at lebersbach@uspolo.org with any questions or concerns. *In the Border and Rocky Mountain Circuits, no candidate was nominated within the nomination period by the required minimum of two club delegates. The constitution states that if no candidate in a particular circuit is nominated within the applicable nomination period by the required minimum of two club delegates, the chairman of the association shall select an individual to serve as the circuit governor of such circuit, subject to approval of the board of governors.
**The circuit governor candidate in the Central Circuit did not receive the required majority of votes entitled to be cast by the delegates in order to be elected. The constitution states that if no candidate in a particular circuit receives the majority of the total number of votes during the election period, the chairman of the association shall select an individual to serve as the circuit governor of such circuit, subject to approval of the board of governors. Newest Compliant Helmet Instinct officially introduced a third NOCSAE compliant helmet to the market: Instinct Askari. Currently Casablanca NEU, Charles Owen Sovereign and Instinct Askari are the only helmets that pass the NOCSAE ND050 standard. The USPA will continue to update the membership as it becomes aware of additional helmets on the market that meet the standard. Published by the United States Polo Association Offices at 9011 Lake Worth Rd., Lake Worth, Florida 33467 • (800) 232-USPA Chairman: Stewart Armstrong President: Tony Coppola Secretary: Charles Smith Treasurer: Steven Rudolph Chief Operating Officer: Chris Green
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 9
LARRY JOHNSON
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Clubs can hold middle school tournaments anytime throughout the year.
Scholarship Winners Congratulations to the following Intercollegiate/ Interscholastic players that were awarded USPA Intercollegiate Scholarships—Vlad Tarashansky (University of Virginia), Olivia Reynolds (Texas A&M University), Elizabeth Leudesdorff (University of Connecticut), Grayson Price (Texas A&M University), Taylor Nackers (University of Kentucky) and Ella Horton (University of Idaho). Requirements for application include playing at least two years of interscholastic polo, competing on an intercollegiate team, a 3.0 GPA, two letters of recommendation and a short essay. Recipients are selected based on horsemanship, sportsmanship, playing ability, contribution to the sport, academic excellence and character. The funds awarded to players are paid directly to the student’s institution for their tuition and are renewable for up to four years. Congratulations to our outstanding student athletes, and good luck to them in their college careers! Middle School Tournaments Do you have a group of youth players in 5-8th grade? If so, sign up now to host a middle school tournament at your club any time throughout the year. Contact Emily Dewey at edewey@uspolo.org for more information. Players interested in participating in a Middle School League tournament, go to uspolo.org to find a tournament near you. 10 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Ask the Expert Thank you to all of our guest presenters on the I/I Ask the Expert Summer Series: Cristina Fernandez, Will Orthwein, Tab Orthwein, Jenny Schwartz, Bridget Davidge, Branden Van Loon and Beth Supik. If you are interested in watching any of the Ask The Expert videos, check them out on uspolo.org! Intent to Compete All teams planning to compete in the 2021-2022 Intercollegiate/Interscholastic season, remember to submit the Intent to Compete form by Oct. 6. Please note this is just the preliminary information and divisions can be changed if needed before the final December deadline. To fill out the Intent to Compete form, please visit the I/I page on uspolo.org. I/I Clinics The I/I clinic program is now open for I/I teams to apply for reimbursable funds up to $1,500 to host a clinic this fall. To learn more about the program, please contact Amy Fraser at afraser@uspolo.org. I/I Magazine Would you like to submit an ad for the I/I magazine? Contact Amy Fraser at afraser@uspolo.org to learn more about the rates and requirements for ad submission.
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Harvard Polo Partnership Serves American Heroes By United States Polo Association • Photos by Amy Trytek
Possessing the flexibility and patience necessary to teach both first-year undergraduates and varsity intercollegiate players, the Harvard Polo string’s adaptability has earned it a new assignment: therapeutic horses to military service members. Although COVID-19 brought the intercollegiate season to an abrupt halt in 2020, it simultaneously served as a springboard of opportunity, bringing Harvard Polo coach Crocker Snow’s long-awaited dream to fruition. Serving in the Navy during the Vietnam War, Snow initiated a partnership between the intercollegiate team and Homebase, a local Boston-based organization, which treats veterans and active service members with PTSD and related invisible wounds from war. Each event run entirely by current Harvard student and alumni volunteers since its inception in August 2020, Homebase weekends at Harvard have proven in a short period of time to be just as transformative for volunteers as for veterans. “It’s extremely rewarding to share the Harvard polo ponies with people who can really benefit from them. To be able to share each horse’s unique personality as well as its physical abilities is a privilege and I’m certain it’s good for my own well-being too,” said Albany Mulholland, Harvard alumnus ‘12 and British Army veteran. Piloted in the fall of last year and resuming this past summer, Homebase weekends are all about giving service members a much-needed respite from the intensity of therapy sessions while introducing them to polo at the Harvard Polo & Equestrian Center located in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. Every other Saturday welcoming a new cohort of seven to 12 men and women (all branches) halfway through Homebase’s two-week Intensive Clinical Program, volunteers use Harvard polo ponies, including Pretty Bird Woman’s T-Bird, to teach skills such as tacking up and riding. “The horses are still in playing mode, but they just know how to adjust to the veterans,” said Harvard polo alumna and volunteer Danielle Lussi. “It’s so incredible that they can be ready to perform at their
best on a Sunday game, but are really relaxed the day before with the veterans.” Standing calm and quiet to be brushed one day and switching gears for a competitive game the next, the Harvard horses are the perfect ambassadors for the sport for people of all ages, skill levels and backgrounds. While a full schedule of guided activities is provided for the day, the Harvard volunteers always allow for flexibility to adjust the plan based on the group. “Each group is different and you have to be sensitive,” Snow emphasized. “Our role is not to add to the treatment they are receiving, but instead give them a relaxed weekend.” Each at different stages of the recovery process and utilizing the farm as an outlet to decompress, veterans are encouraged to participate as much or as little as they feel comfortable. “Frequently, some of the veterans arrive tired and less than enthusiastic but as soon as they touch the horses, they are keen to learn and connect with them,” explained Mulholland. “Everyone who comes is treated as an individual so some will be stick-andballing by the end of the day while others are content
Capt. Joel Silva shares a moment with Yahtzee.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 11
U S PA B U L L E T I N
Harvard alumna and volunteer Danielle Lussi demonstrates how to wrap a horse’s leg.
to watch the horses graze and [simply] appreciate their beauty.” Retired Capt. Joel Silva (U.S. Army) said, “I had no idea going into the day that I would build relationships with some amazing people who helped restore my faith in humanity and allowed me to trust. Amy [Trytek], Danielle [Lussi], Martin [Luginbühl], and Chelsea [Messinger] have become my newest friends, along with Yahtzee of course. They are not just friends though, they are my polo family.” After introductions and a brief farm tour, participants are broken up into small groups before heading out to collect a few horses from the paddock and learn how to tack up for a game. “A lot of the veterans really love the brushing element of it,” Lussi shared. Starting with an exercise bridle and working up to a full bridle with draw reins and polo wraps, veterans are consistently noted for immediately picking up each new skill after only one demonstration. “It’s quite fascinating; everyone’s been very attentive,” Lussi commented. “They learn so quickly. You explain how to do something once and typically they can already replicate it shortly after.” Harvard alumna and former team captain Marion Dierickx added, “I think because of their military background they pay close attention and internalize instructions really well, so we are able to do a lot in a short amount of time and it goes very smoothly. Personally, I find it very rewarding to see what we can accomplish over the course of one weekend with them.” Choosing from activities, including hiking, farm
12 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Veterans learn skills such as how to tack up.
improvement duties such as mending fences, or rolling bandages on the hillside, participants are given the freedom to decide how they would like to spend their time and at what pace. Although Harvard Polo is associated with an ivyleague university and by nature viewed through a lens of privilege, the hard-working student athletes are challenging outside perceptions. “Our farm is nice, but some of the facilities could use some maintenance and we work our butts off,” Dierickx said. Transitioning after lunch into riding for the remainder of the afternoon, the participants tack up a new group of horses and focus on learning the basic skills in the arena. “Lately, the groups that have been doing well, we’ve taken on a short trail ride, which has always been a hit,” Lussi said. “We walk through the woods and pass a neighboring field full of rescue donkeys.” “Some show up to the farm having a certain expectation about what Harvard polo may be, but the reality is vastly different. We are very much a working, hands-on program and they walk away from this experience having a changed perception of polo,” Dierickx explained. Often presented with situations they weren’t anticipating, the volunteers themselves are learning as they go, adjusting to the needs of each participant as
U S PA B U L L E T I N
their eyes are opened to the effects of trauma. Working with a woman suffering shortterm memory loss, Lussi was initially caught off guard when asked to repeat a horse’s name several times. “I was a little bit unprepared for that because my first experience was with a group who remembered every detail,” she said. “You begin to realize if a participant is asking the same question multiple times maybe they don’t want to tell you that they suffer from short-term memory loss. Not wanting to embarrass anyone I continue to remind the group about the correct way to do something, for example rolling each wrap.” Gradually gaining a more heightened sensitivity to both disclosed and undisclosed conditions, the volunteers and Harvard Polo string have also helped many people begin to overcome their fear of horses. “We have this really sweet, old gray mare nicknamed Granny and she’s helped at least four or five people I’ve worked with,” Lussi mentioned. “She just stands there so quietly and the veterans ended up hugging and riding her. It was really sweet.” Assessing each individual’s level of comfort, the volunteers have succeeded in creating a safe and enriching experience for everyone. Bringing people together during an especially difficult time, Homebase weekends have served as the
bridge between two worlds, allowing both to come away with a better understanding of each other. Although the volunteers are not able to fully relate to what their visitors have gone through, the brief interactions have been no less fulfilling. “Helping people overcome fear has been the most rewarding part for me—figuring out who is hesitant and showing them we have very sweet polo ponies that will look after them,” Lussi said. “Also, to just be there to listen to their stories if they want to share or just standing there in silence brushing the horse together—it’s a special experience.” Dierickx added, “Especially during the COVID-19 shutdown when this program started, I felt very isolated and disconnected, so being able to contribute and feel like I was making a difference was very therapeutic for me.” Leaving a lasting impression on certain participants, the experience has even inspired several to seek out equestrian facilities and polo clubs once they return home. “I’ve found that people who want to stay in touch often send me pictures of them riding,” Lussi said. “It’s incredible how the horses changed their life in one day!” Silva said, “In one weekend a new polo fan was born.” Mutually beneficial in more ways than one, Harvard Polo’s initiative has paved the way for many people’s lives to be impacted for the better through the therapeutic power of polo ponies. Learn more about Homebase’s various programs at homebase.org. •
Above: Participants are treated as individuals. Some will be stick-and-balling by the end of the day. Left: Everyone involved benefits from the Harvard Polo and Homebase partnership.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 13
INSTRUCTORS FORUM
Gripping detail How you hold the mallet affects your swing By Rege Ludwig • Illustrations by Jean Abernathy
Be aware of how your hand is placed on the mallet handle because that placement influences the effect of how you use the mallet to hit the ball. More specifically, be aware that at no stage within the swing process should you be holding the mallet handle with a tight fist grip, because a fist grip produces a significant negative effect on the hitting process.
restricted wrist. The third negative effect appears during the follow-through. Because the mallet head must be moved back toward the plane before it contacts the ball, the tight fist grip probably still exists at the point of contact with the ball. The restricted wrist movement reduces the energy released into the ball.
The Fist Grip The fist grip renders the wrist to be ridged and stiff, thereby, decreasing the necessary suppleness of the wrist with which to control the swing of the mallet (see diagram below, left). Compared to the more desirable and softer openhanded grip, the fist grip causes the mallet handle to have been pushed back onto the web between the thumb and the index finger. With that having happened, the mallet is now almost perpendicular to the hand. That, in turn, causes the mallet head to move out and away from the plane of the swing and the ball. At that point, the mallet head must be moved back to the plane before contacting the ball, which is difficult to accomplish with a tight and
The More Open-Handed Grip Lay the mallet handle diagonally across your hand, with the completely flat side of the handle in contact with the palm of your hand (see diagram below). The significance of the diagonal angle across your hand is that it offsets the angle of the cane passing through the mallet head. That offsetting angle allows the mallet head to be flush with the ground at the point of contact with the ball. If your hand were open, the cane side of the handle should be approximately parallel to the line running down and across the palm of your hand from the bottom and outside edge of the index finger to the pads of muscle located at the base of your thumb. When gripping the handle in that manner, that same
The Fist Grip
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The Pistol Grip
Mallet positioned diagonally across the palm
INSTRUCTORS FORUM
A fist grip
cane side of the handle will fit snugly onto the pad of muscles at the base of the thumb. Let the end of the mallet handle rest from a half-inch to an inch from the bottom of the pad of muscles at the base of the little finger. Index Finger The majority of the pressure of the handle on the index finger should be on the large knuckle at the top of the downswing, on the middle knuckle at the point of contact with the ball, and on the small knuckle throughout the follow-through. This makes the index finger, by far, the most critical finger with which to hold the mallet handle. Position the narrow side of the handle to be just on the forward side of the smallest knuckle of the index finger. Hold and squeeze the handle with the index fingertip as if it were squeezing the trigger of a pistol (see middle diagram on the previous page). Press the middle knuckle firmly against the palm side of the handle. Rest the cane side of the handle firmly in the cradle between the front and outside edge of the large knuckle of the index finger and the inside edge of the knuckle in the middle of your thumb (see diagram on right). Middle Finger The middle finger is the strongest single supporting finger, therefore wrap it around the handle to where the most narrow portion of the knife-edge side of the handle is positioned between the first and middle knuckle of the middle finger. Press the middle fingertip firmly onto the middle portion of the fingertip side of the handle. The Ring and Little Fingers Do not over squeeze the handle with the ring or little fingers. The grip with these fingers is mainly supportive.
An open-handed grip
A tight ring or little finger creates restricted movement of the wrist. Keep the narrow side of the handle on the line of the joint of the middle knuckle on your ring finger and between the first and middle knuckles of the little finger, positioning the tip of the little finger in the groove of the wide portion of the handle. The Thumb The thumb is close to being equal in degree of importance to that of the index finger. The principal function of The Cradle the thumb is to squeeze, or pinch, the mallet handle onto the index finger throughout the swing process. Press the front inside edge of the knuckle in the middle of the thumb firmly onto the back and inside edge of the handle. By doing so, a cradle is created where the cane side of the handle rests and is carried. The opposing, or pinching, forces of the thumb and the index finger are more than important to have a secure grip on the handle throughout the entire swing process; those strong pinching forces are absolutely crucial. That is true because the strongest pinching force you can create with your fingers to hold the mallet securely in your hand is between the flat side of the tip of your thumb and the forward side of the middle knuckle of your index finger. Because of that, your thumb should be positioned on the back and inside edge of the mallet handle and pointing down toward the forward hitting side of the mallet head. • 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
Floods, fires and wind How to prepare for natural disasters By Heather Smith Thomas
hand, and easy-to-access phone numbers for veterinarians and for people who might be able to help transport your horses—especially if you don’t have a trailer, or just a two-horse trailer and six horses to evacuate. “Part of the planning is to figure out how you can get the horses quickly out of your place,” says Moore.
Don’t underestimate the power of Mother Nature. Heed warnings and be prepared.
No one wants to envision what might happen to their horses if suddenly faced with a flood, hurricane, tornado, wildfire, earthquake or some other natural disaster, but in some parts of the country these devastating events are a reality of life. Horse owners need to be prepared, and have a plan for dealing with these possibilities. Where you live will make a difference in what you prepare for. A horse owner in the Rocky Mountains won’t need to worry about hurricanes or tornadoes, but might be threatened by raging wildfire on any dry year. Rustin Moore, DVM, PhD (Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ohio State University) says it pays to have a plan. “If you live where flooding or hurricanes might occur, or fires occur with regularity, you need a plan in your mind or written down so you don’t have to do a lot of thinking during an emergency. There may not be much time to figure things out, so you need an exit strategy—a plan for how to get out, safely, with your animals, and secure your place against whatever disaster you may be dealing with, before you leave,” he says. He suggests having basic first-aid supplies on
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Don’t Wait Be mindful of weather predictions and other situation reports. Tornadoes can pop up swiftly, but hurricanes, floods or wildfires usually give some lead time to get out of their way. If there’s an out-ofcontrol fire in your area and the forecast is for high winds, take heed. A fire can travel dozens of miles very fast if there is wind. “Don’t wait until the last minute, thinking that the fire won’t get to your place or might be diverted another direction, or that a hurricane will miss you or be less powerful than predicted,” says Moore. “This is what happened with Hurricane Katrina. People had plenty of time to get out, but ignored the warnings until it was too late. Part of the issue was unpredictable things, like the levees breaking, causing flooding. The hurricane itself wasn’t actually as bad as they thought it would be, but the flooding was disastrous,” he explains. Dennis French, DVM (College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois) says it’s important to have your trailers functional and serviced and ready to go at a moment’s notice whether to take your own horses somewhere or to help rescue other horses. “In our experience with hurricane Katrina when I was in Louisiana, some volunteers brought trailers that weren’t safe. A horse stepped through the floor of one trailer,” says French. You can’t just grab an old trailer that’s been sitting somewhere unused and expect it to be ready to go. Be prepared ahead so you can load and evacuate horses quickly. This means having horses trailertrained. Like a fire drill for school children, horses need to know what to expect and you won’t waste precious time trying to load a reluctant horse. John Madigan, DVM, UC-Davis, says that if there’s a warning about a flood, fire or some other
E Q U I N E AT H L E T E
impending disaster and you are notified that it is out of control, early evacuation could be very important, even if you are not sure where you will go. “If you are in an area at risk, simply leave that area and then use communication sources like the radio, texting or social networking to find out where you could go with your animals.” You may save your horses’ lives by leaving early so they won’t be in the middle of a serious problem. Sometimes people wait too long, hoping the fire or flood won’t reach them, and then it’s too late. “Some people try to first get all the information about where they could go, but the first thing to do is get out of harm’s way and then decide where you can go,” says Madigan. Stranded “Have a plan for yourself and your family,” says Dr. Rebecca McConnico, Louisiana Tech University. “Then you can make a plan for how you’d care for your animals. You want a first aid kit and enough supplies for several days,” she says. In some situations, you might not be able to leave home right away. “Maybe the roads are closed, or a train is derailed and blocking the only exit, or there’s a flu outbreak in people (or COVID restrictions) and they’re not letting anyone go anywhere. Humans will be cared for first, and there might be food drops for people, but animals might not be cared for until the human needs are met. Do you have enough feed and clean water for X amount of days for your horses?” she asks. “You can obtain plastic 50-gallon barrels to fill with water when you might need water for your horses (or your family) for a week or so. You could fill those as soon as you realize you might need some uncontaminated water,” she says. Store hay off the ground if you know there will be a flood. You need a plan for what you might be able to quickly do to ensure the horses have feed and water. “Some people think they need to stockpile grain, but horses don’t need grain as long as they have hay. If there’s no hay available, they could live on a commercial “complete diet” product, which many feed companies market,” says McConnico. Madigan says you should always have supplies and food on hand for at least two or three days for you and your horses. A small generator could be very important if you have no power and can’t pump water from a well for the horses. Many people are affected secondarily (even if their area was not flooded or burned, or buried in heavy snowfall), if they don’t have power.
Wildfires can move or change direction quickly. Practice diligent preventative measures and have an evacuation plan in place.
Different kinds of disasters pose different kinds of problems. “Here in California earthquakes are common. This usually involves structural loss, and the secondary problem is loss of power and water,” says Madigan. It’s always wise to have a plan for what you would do in this situation. Wildfires Horse owners in arid regions must be prepared for fires, especially if property is adjacent to forested or un-grazed public land or to neighbors with forest or un-grazed pastures with lots of dry grass. It is crucial to practice diligent preventative measures on your own property, and have a plan for evacuation if wildfire cannot be halted before it reaches you. Brush control is important, along with making sure there are no dense stands of trees near buildings. Dry vegetation is your greatest danger. During a drought it may be impossible to keep your pastures watered, but you can try to keep things green around your house and barn or mowed or grazed to where there is not enough dry fuel to carry a fire. Mow weedy pastures before the weeds get dry. Remove all debris and dead or dry plants within at least a 30-foot radius around any buildings. Metal roofs, metal fencing material, etc. are the safest construction in an arid climate. Buildings should not be close together; open space between them may keep fire from jumping from one to another. Roadways should be at least 10 feet wide (18 feet is better) to provide access for fire-fighting equipment, with adequate turn-around areas. Have adequate water sources for fighting fire. (continued on page 54) POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 17
POLO SCENE
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HEAD SUM PRINCELY Subhead Charity event raises nearly $3.5 million for children
SENTEBALE ISPS HANDA POLO CUP 2021
SENTEBALE hosted the Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup at Aspen Valley Polo Club in Carbondale,
Top: Prince Harry scored two goals in the charity match in Aspen, Colorado.
SENTEBALE ISPS HANDA POLO CUP 2021
The Sentebale Team included Prince Harry, Riley Ganzi, Nacho Figueras and Grant Ganzi.
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Colorado, Aug. 19. The event raised nearly $3.5 million in critical funding for the organization’s core mission to support vulnerable children impacted by extreme poverty, inequality and the HIV/AIDs epidemic in Southern Africa. Under guidance from a leading epidemiologist and in coordination with the local public health department, a reduced version of Sentebale’s annual charity match took place for the sole purpose of raising vital funds to support Sentebale’s work. The game was kept under wraps and not publicized for security reasons. This year’s Polo Cup, together with a generous donation from the Duke of Sussex, will allow Sentebale to operate at full scale, meaning more children and young people across Lesotho and Botswana will receive essential support, care, and build skills to be more resilient and self-sufficient in the future. The Duke of Sussex joined his close friend and Sentebale Ambassador Nacho Figueras and siblings Grant and Riley Ganzi for the Sentebale team. They battled it out in a round-robin against Royal Salute (Kevin Schmeits, Waqaas Al-Saddiq, Brian Boyd, Gonzalito Pieres) and U.S. Polo Assn. (Sarah SiegelMagness, Cable Magness, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Stewart Armstrong). The matches were umpired by Gaston Dorignac and Jack McLean. Sentebale finished in first place with Prince Harry contributing two goals. Figueras wrote on his Instagram account, “How lucky I am to be able to ride along with you in your mission of making the world a better place for people not as fortunate as us. It is your commitment and passion to give back that is my inspiration.” Prince Harry also pledged $1.5 million from the proceeds of his upcoming book to Sentebale. The tell-all memoir is set to be released by Penguin Random House in 2022. Prince Harry co-founded Sentebale in Lesotho in 2006 in memory of his late mother Prince Diana. The Duke is living in California with his wife Meghan Markle after quitting his royal duties. Markle did not attend the polo match. This was Prince Harry’s first public appearance since the birth of his daughter, Lilibet Diana in June.
POLO SCENE
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FUN IN THE SUN Lasting memories made at junior polo clinic
EVERY AUGUST for the last 10 years, Kelly Wells has hosted a junior polo clinic at her Marlan Farm in Freeland, Maryland. This year, about a dozen kids enjoyed a weekend filled with traditions and events that Wells and the kids look forward to summer after summer. Wells’ son Brennan Wells, home for summer break from the University of Virginia, and Madelyn Blum helped out with the kids. Participants enjoyed meeting new friends and teammates, scrimmaging, competing in a talent show, and playing capture the flag and foot mallet mania. The kids also enjoyed hanging out with the ponies and relaxing around the fire pit, making S’mores. This year, the clinic was supported by the Polo Training Foundation and USPA intercollegiate/interscholastic polo program.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 19
POLO SCENE
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POLO HERITAGE Book celebrates polo in all its forms
AN ILLUSTRIOUS and storied history accompanies the sport of polo, spanning continents, cultures
Her Highness Maharani Gayatri Devi of Jaipur—Ayesha to her friends—with First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy during the latter’s visit to Jaipur in 1962.
ALINE COQUELLE
Below, right: The inaugural Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic on Governor’s Island, 2009.
GETTY IMAGES
Below, left: Aiken Cura, one of Adolfo Cambiaso’s most famous stallions, at Palermo, 2006.
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and classes. One of the world’s oldest team sports, it evolved from the training of cavalry units in Asia. It is no surprise polo is a favorite among the British royal family and counts Winston Churchill and Gen. Patton among its devoted followers. Delving deeper into polo’s heritage reveals the diverse community that has made it a global pastime. “Polo Heritage,” a 300-page hardcover book, guides the reader on a journey from Mongolia to Mexico, from Barbados to Pakistan, and inside the most prestigious tournaments on grass, sand or snow. Traverse the historic polo grounds in India, become immersed in the high society of British polo and learn about the Argentinian polo culture that has produced some of the best polo families in the world. An introduction by legendary polo player Nacho Figueras is accompanied by 300 illustrations, including Aline Coquelle’s original photography offering a modern, authentic perspective on the spirit of polo. With a degree in art history and anthropology, nomadic Parisian photographer Coquelle has always traveled the world—she has lived and worked in Central and South America, Asia and Africa. Coquelle often works with silver film in order to keep alive the magic of old-time photography and her gelatin silver prints are sought by collectors worldwide. Her other polo books with Assouline are The Cartier Polo Games (2006) and Polo: the Nomadic Tribe (2009). The book is scheduled for release this month. For more information go to assouline.com.
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BON VOYAGE Themed polo ball raises funds for schools and families
THE COMEBACK TOUR for Newport Polo’s 20th
COCOA & CO
annual International Polo Charity Ball was a smash hit, shattering the past polo ball record in total fundraising, this year benefiting the Jeffrey Osbourne Foundation. Over 400 generous and fun-loving attendees heralded the evening’s success, exceeding $80,000 in fundraising for the foundation’s mission to support initiatives and organizations that keep music and the arts in our public school systems and provide food, shelter and a haven for families and children in need. Anticipation was at an all-time high, following a COVID-induced postponement of the original 2020 event date, as the sold-out guest list held on to their tickets for an extra year to join the celebration. Gaiety commenced at the evening’s first port of call on the Newport waterfront for a meet & greet reception at The Brenton, where honorary gala ambassador, Jeffrey Osborne, glad-handed party-goers and highlighted the impact his organization has in Rhode Island to an enthusiastic guest list. Then, the ship cast off for its next destination—the famed Rosecliff mansion—where a red-carpet entrance felt like a walk-of-fame as Grammy-nominee Osborne once again greeted arrivals and posed for pictures in the iconic marble foyer. Guests of honor, the Dominican Republic polo team held court below the terrace, alongside Newport Polo ambassadors, Meg and Jeremy Stowe. All the while, photographer Cocoa & Co captured the magical moments in progress. Tropical chic, vintage glam and nautical couture were on full display, as the creative black-tie theme opened a plethora of options for statement attire as the promenade moved to the terrace where jewels of land and sea awaited in the curated silent auction. Dominican-themed libations were poured by renowned mixologist, The Cocktail Guru, as yet more photos ops from the Sundeck overlooking the Rhode Island Sound were put to full use. Sounds of the perennial favorite musical ensemble, Decades by DeZyne, called the party to order in the grand ballroom to get to the heart of the evening. As the inspired three-course Dominican dinner menu was laid out by expert Blackstone Caterers, Newport International Polo Series founder Dan Keating inaugurated the main event with his welcome remarks and introductions. A cameo performance by Jeffrey Osborne brought the house to its feet with his hit single “On the Wings of Love.” Then, Sotheby’s master Hugh Hildesley presided over the whirl-wind live auction of oncein-a-lifetime experiences, including a private dinner and concert with Jeffrey Osborne. Competitive bidding ended the live auction while guests circled with dessert for a final chance at the silent auction bounty before the band struck up to fill the dance floor until the stroke of midnight. Docked once again, the evening’s finale landed at Bannister’s Wharf for the last dance at the famous Clarke Cooke House Skybar. •
Jeremy Stowe and Meg Stowe with Grammy nominated Jeffrey Osborne
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
Teams announced NYTS Championship taking place in Chicago By Hayley Heatley
The National Youth Tournament Series National Championship, hosted by the historic Oak Brook Polo Club and the Chicago Polo Association in Illinois, features four teams competing for both the NYTS National Championship Cecil Smith Cup and the NYTS Girls’ Championship. As the NYTS program has grown over the past eight years, NYTS Chair Chrys Beal set a goal to introduce and expand a girls’ division. The USPA was proud to host four girls’ teams at the championship level this year. Open teams were paired with a Girls’ team for the week and attended team meetings and each other’s games to further promote camaraderie and increase coaching and learning time. The 2020 NYTS Championship featured a rematch between the Florida region and reigning 2019 champions, the Eastern region. Florida secured early control of the game and raised the Cecil Smith Cup in its home region with a 10½-4 victory. At press time, the NYTS National Championship semifinal games were being held Sept. 10, at Arranmore Polo Club in Oswego, and Las Brisas Polo Club in Elgin, with the final on Sept. 12 at Oak Brook National Championship Team Western
National Championship Team Central
Riley Jordan, .5 Eldorado
Piers Bossom, .5 Will Rogers
Grace Mudra, 0 Arranmore
Will Mudra, -.5 Arranmore
Will Schneider, -.5 Black Diamond
Quinn Kyle, 0 Eldorado
Lily Lequerica, 0 Houston
Lance Stefanakis, 1 Houston
Coach: Ulysses Escapite
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Polo Club in Oak Brook. The Open division was comprised of four teams: Eastern, Central, Western and this year, the fourth team included four players selected based on handicap and eligibility to create a wild card team. Among this year’s competition was active Team USPA member Winston Painter, representing the Eastern region. The results will be in next month’s issue. Established in 2013, the NYTS program provides outdoor clubs the framework for hosting USPAsanctioned tournaments. Players age 19 and under holding a minimum -1 goal handicap are eligible to participate, allowing youth players the opportunity to compete against their peers. A unique and crucial step in developing a young player, the program instills valuable lessons about being a team player, while improving a participant’s polo game. At each qualifier, NYTS all-stars are named for their exceptional horsemanship, sportsmanship and skill, both on and off the field. Players nominated as all-stars are eligible for selection in their respective zones for the National Championship Cecil Smith Cup and NYTS Girls’ Championship. •
Coach: Patrick Uretz
P O L O D E V E L O P M E N T, L L C
National Championship Team Eastern
National Championship Team Wild Card
Sophie Grant, 1 Aiken
Landen Daniels, .5 Myopia
Vlad Tarashansky, 0 Meadowbrook
Taylor Palacios, 0 Spa City
Winston Painter, 1 Gardnertown
Aiden Meeker, .5 Crestview
Josh Escapite, 0 Aiken
Daniel Miranda, 0 Maui
Coach: Tiger Kneece
Coach: Tomy Alberdi
Girls’ Teams (Woman’s Handicaps) Pink
Reagan Leitner, Madison Jordan, 3 2 Aiken Maryland
Robyn Leitner, 3 Aiken
Kelsey Bray, 1 St. Louis
Yellow
Grace Fleishmann, 2 Maryland
Gracie Brown, 3 Bluewater Creek
Sunny Diller, 3 Maui
Sophia DeAngelis, Brianna Jordan, 1 1 Yale Maryland
Coach: Ulysses Escapite
Coach: Patrick Uretz
Blue
Purple
Taylor Olcott, 2 Central Coast
Maya Miller, 2 Maui
Coach: Tomy Alberdi
Caroline Mooney, 1 Franklin Polo Academy
Summer Kneece, Caroline 3 Matthews, 2 Aiken Sutter Buttes
Saralyn Painter, 0 Gardnertown
Elise Pardue, 2 Empire
Coach: Tiger Kneece
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
Student excellence USPA Intercollegiate Scholarship winners announced
Congratulations to recipients of the USPA Intercollegiate Scholarships. Requirements for application include playing at least two years of interscholastic polo as an active USPA member; competing on an intercollegiate team; 3.0 GPA; two letters of recommendation; and a short essay. Recipients are selected based on horsemanship, sportsmanship, playing ability, contribution to the sport, academic excellence and character. The funds awarded to players are paid directly to the student’s institution for their tuition and are renewable for up
to four years. Congratulations to these outstanding student athletes and good luck to them in their college careers! These athletes join Annie Ebersold, Jack McLean, Sydney Weise, Brennan Wells, Frieda Witmer, Cory Williams, Lila Bennett, Parker Pearce, Vance Miller, Nick Paciorek, Jasmine Umrigar, Lea Ji-Vieira, Patricio Fraga-Errecart, Hannah Reynolds, Elizabeth Owens, Grace Mudra, Grace Grotnik, Samantha Leach and Kaylin Bender as award recipients for the 2021-2022 school year. •
Grayson Price
Olivia Reynolds
IS Team: Houston Polo Club IC Team: Texas A&M University Year in School: Junior Major: Petroleum Engineering What I/I means to you: To me, being in I/I means playing the sport I love with people my age who feel the same way. It has always been a dream to play intercollegiate for Texas A&M ever since I first started practicing against them back in interscholastics. Now, with the help of this scholarship, this dream has come true. Thank you to the USPA for this incredible opportunity.
IS Team: Garrison Forest School, Maryland Polo Club IC Team: Texas A&M University Year in School: Sophomore Major: Animal Science What I/I means to you: I began I/I polo at a very early age and I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything in the world. There are three major elements that make the I/I program exceptional to me. First, I/I has given me not only a national family, but a global one. Second, it has also given me the tools to become a better horsewoman. And finally, it has given me the exposure to different professions that are involved in polo and has pushed me to pursue a career as a large animal vet. These three elements combined have shaped me into the person I am today.
Fulshear, Texas
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Westminster, Maryland
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
Ella Horton
Taylor Nackers
IS Team: OC Polo Club IC Team: University of Idaho Year in School: Freshman- University of Idaho Major: Animal and Veterinary Sciences What I/I means to you: My favorite part of I/I was the opportunity to ride so many different horses and make long-lasting friendships. I will always cherish my interscholastic years and the people I met. I/I polo helped me grow as a polo player and a person.
IS Team: Hillside Polo Club IC Team: University of Kentucky Year in School: Sophomore Major: Equine Science and Management What I/I means to you: I/I polo has helped me to develop my skills as a polo player and to build relationships with people across the country who share the same passions as I do!
San Clemente, California
Germantown, Wisconsin
Elizabeth Leudesdorff
Vlad Tarashansky
IS Team: Gardnertown Polo Club IC Team: UCONN Year in School: Freshman Major: Animal Science on a pre-vet track What I/I means to you: I/I means being able to share my passion for polo and horses with an amazing group of people in a fun and competitive manner.
IS Team: Gardnertown Polo Club IC Team: University of Virginia Year in School: Freshman Major: Engineering What I/I means to you: I am very honored to have received this scholarship. Interscholastic polo has been a major part of my life. This award will allow me to continue my polo journey through university.
Little Neck, New York
Lloyd Harbor, New York
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 25
Park Place A detailed look at running a large polo organization Photos and text by Alice Gipps
Open Clarisa is the first horse Park Place purchased from Ellerstina.
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Growing up on the outskirts of London, Ash Price first experienced polo at Ham Polo Club during a school-work placement when she was 15 years old. This led to an opportunity during her gap year to travel to Argentina to help Robert Graham and Will Healy with their breeding operation, while also learning to play. They helped her find her feet in the polo world, and now, aged 31, she manages Park Place, one of the largest high-goal polo operations, for patron Andrey Borodin, and has her own string of ponies. Who have you worked for prior to Park Place? What was your role? In 2010, aged 20, I worked as the assistant polo manager at Beaufort Polo Club with the Tomlinson family. At the end of that season, realizing university was not quite where I wanted to be, I took up a position working with Andrew Hine. Via my contract with Andrew, I was very fortunate to work with a number of incredible people, including Princess Azemah and Prince Mateen Bolkiah (Brunei/ MB Polo team) and Harald Link (Thai Polo team), and through my contract with Polofix (polo events, sponsorship consultancy and management agency), I worked on a variety of events such as The Polo
Awards, England Internationals and a number of Royal Charity Polo Days. I met Andrey Borodin at his first polo lesson in 2012, which is where my journey with Park Place began. Where is Park Place based in the U.S. and the U.K.? In 2019, we bought what was formerly Lechuza Caracas in Wellington, Florida. We have undertaken a large amount of renovation work on the property since we acquired it, including the addition of a new 26-stall barn this summer. The current turnout facility for all of our U.S.-based horses is in Kentucky, however last year we bought a 375-acre farm in Aiken, South Carolina, which is being developed for breeding and turn out. Aiken is very well set-up for making young horses, which is the primary reason for choosing the location. In the U.K., our main base is at Park Place Estate in Henley-on-Thames, and for the last five years we have kept our overflow of horses 10 minutes away at Black Bears Polo Club and winter the horses at a farm in West Sussex. How many horses does the operation have worldwide?
Ash has a string of her own. This group is now retired, but she has several amazing playing geldings—all former high-goal ponies.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 27
Park Place has over 200 horses worldwide and oversees another 70 horses owned by the professionals.
That’s an amazing question as I have stopped counting! Factoring in all of the playing ponies and those involved in the breeding operation, Park Place owns around 220 horses worldwide and we oversee another 70 horses owned by the professional players for the team—so close to 300 horses worldwide to keep track of at this point in time!
personal strings are usually selected by Argentine 5goaler Francisco Lanusse, who pilots for him and has a very good sense of what he is looking for. Most of the pro strings are selected by the professional players in the team—mainly Facundo Pieres, Hilario Ulloa and Juano Britos, subject to which country the horses are destined for and who will play them.
How many horses are there in the U.S. and the U.K.? Do any fly back and forth to play the seasons? Focusing solely on the playing horses, we have a bigger base in England as the team has been competing here for longer. Park Place must own approximately 80 playing horses in England and 60 in America. We played our first U.S. high-goal season in 2019, so we are still a relatively new team in Florida. A few horses fly between the U.S. and U.K. each year, but we don’t tend to double up on seasons with many of the horses.
How do you make decisions about which horses play where and who plays which horses? I keep lots of lists! I am very fortunate to work with some incredible professionals, many of whom have had multi-year contracts with Park Place. With such a tight-knit team, it is very easy to have honest and open discussions about which horses go where and who plays who, to ensure everyone is happy and on the same page and we utilize our horsepower to the best of our ability.
Where did the horses come from and did you help select them? The majority of the horses have been bought in Argentina, some in England and America but many of those have originated from Argentina. Andrey’s 28 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Tell us about Park Place’s breeding and training program. England’s climate is not the most suited to making young horses as you battle against unfavorable weather conditions for so many months a year and there is very rarely a community of people nearby
soundness and well-being of the horses. I am probably slightly biased in saying this, but having been an established organization for a few years now, we have also built up a great team of grooms who really know the horses in their string and understand the intensity of the season and how to best manage the horses through it. We also have some incredible pilotos who are appointed to a string of horses with one player and focus their energy on a select group of horses. This way, each horse gets the attention and individual treatment it deserves, and its daily activity is managed according to what it needs to keep it in optimum playing condition. I also tend to be planning a week in advance at all times to manage practices around games to best suit the horses’ requirements. I find communication and forward planning to be an absolute necessity in an organization this big!
who you can arrange young horse practices with. This makes it hard to play consistently through the year and balance training and rest periods for the horses while they are young. It is hard for a horse in England to gain the same amount of experience as its Argentine counterpart, where they can be produced to play the Open at 6 or 7 years of age. Our idea is to move the whole breeding operation to the U.S. but continue to breed from our best mares in the U.K. using OPU/ICSI and send frozen embryos to the U.S. to foal there. We started doing a small number of embryos in the U.K. a few years ago with the first two foals born here in 2017, and in the last 12 months we have started breeding in the U.S. as well. The horses bred in England have been broken-in here, but the idea with our farm in Aiken is to do everything from foaling to breaking-in and young horse training there. To further supplement the breeding program, we are also cloning some of Andrey’s personal favorite mares. How do you keep track of the horses so they are not over- or underplayed, they get the rest they need, etc.? We have a team of vets who work with us internationally and do a fantastic job managing the
Does Andrey get attached to some of the horses? Does he have favorites? One of the qualities I love about Andrey is the importance he puts on every single horse in the organization. It is incredibly refreshing to work with someone who values his best playing mare the same way he values an older horse whose job might be to be the nanny of the weanlings, for example. I truly admire how much he cares for each horse, but if he had to pick one favorite, I believe it would Latía Repetida (Open Sunset x Open Entrometida). We played one season of 12 goal in Florida in 2017 and Hilario very kindly lent her to him for one practice when she had just turned 6 and he fell in love and bought her. She came to England that season and is known for being his best mare here. I could very easily name more of his favorites, but the majority of his top mares have all come from Ellerstina, an organization we have a very established relationship with, and we have been fortunate to buy some incredible horses from them over the past five years. What happens to the horses once they have finished playing? Park Place is quite a new organization in the grand scheme of polo teams, so we haven’t yet had to retire many. Some of Andrey’s first ponies bought in the earlier years (2014/ 2015) have retired to the field and live very happily in the paddock. Other younger horses that may have had an injury and are not suitable to play anymore, we have used as recipient mares for the breeding program. So far we haven’t ever sold a horse! How many grooms are there in the POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 29
Ash hands Andrey a mallet. He is riding his favorite mare, Latía Repetida. Ash first met Andrey when he took his first polo lesson almost 10 years ago.
operation and where are they from? I would say that 98% of our organization is Argentine. There is one group of grooms for the U.S. and another group for the U.K. and the head groom of each string usually does both seasons. Each groom tends to work with four to five horses and generally in a season we will have around 20 grooms based with us. How do you manage the many different personalities? Once you know and understand the different personalities, it gets easier to manage groups and try to pair people who work well alongside one another. While I do not speak Spanish completely fluently, I have learned a significant amount on my journey through polo, which I feel has been paramount to doing this job. I didn’t feel I could earn the respect of the grooms without making any effort to speak Spanish and I wanted them to feel that they could speak honestly and openly with me about any issues that might arise during the season, which requires clear channels of communication. Does everyone basically get along or are there conflicts? Generally speaking, we have very few conflicts
30 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
within our team, thankfully! If there is a conflict it tends to be between the players, pilotos, coaches or personal trainers about who lost a bet and has to buy the next asado or picada! Are some pros more difficult than others? I have been exceptionally fortunate with the teams we have had and the professional players who have been based with us because generally speaking, they are a dream to work with. Like in any team, you get to know the personalities within it and how different people respond to different situations and you adapt to work around that. I cannot say I have ever worked with a pro that I would call ‘difficult.’ Some can be more particular than others about certain details, but on the whole, I have really enjoyed working with every player that has played for Park Place. I try to ensure things run smoothly for them and that their families are comfortable and have everything they need. If they have all the tools they need to play polo and their horses, grooms and family are happy, you don’t generally see the difficult side to any of them! Is there anyone within the organization
who has helped grow Park Place? Park Place wouldn’t be what it is today without a number of key people that have all contributed in various ways to the growth of such a big team. From grooms to pilotos, vets, drivers, groundsmen and personal trainers, there is a very long list of names who should be recognized as being important members of the team. Hilario Ulloa and Juano Britos have been two key figures in my journey with Park Place. They have been instrumental in building the team and our horsepower and they are like brothers to me after spending so much time together. Federico Gonzalez Bergez is my longest standing teammate who I have worked with since the very beginning of Park Place (and even before that, going back to Beaufort Polo Club). Facu Pieres has been an incredible captain and is going into his third year with us. I have only the best things to say about him and his brothers (Gonzalito and Nico) who have both worn the Park Place shirts. Gonzalo Pieres and the whole Ellerstina organization have also been incredibly supportive over the years. Do you get just as much joy out of a win or disappointment with a loss as the players?
How so? Yes, I think if anything, I suffer more on the sidelines sometimes! Being so invested in this team for so many years and having met Andrey when he took his first polo lesson nine years ago, it has been an incredible journey to grow everything that Park Place now is and look back at where we started. When we win, it means the world to me and when we lose, I share the same sense of sadness and disappointment as the players. Everyone in the team does their part outside of the field to ensure the horses and players are at their best, to endeavor to lift a trophy, so when it doesn’t come together, I really empathize with how everyone in the team is feeling. I feel particularly disappointed for Andrey because he has given so much to polo and he has given jobs to so many people. He has supported the sport in a way only a handful of other patrons have, and I know how disappointing it is for him if we don’t win, but we have had some great successes in just a few years, and I hope there are many more to follow! What are the teams biggest achievements to date? This year, we won the new 22-goal tournament at
The Park Place team secured wins in the C.V. Whitney Cup in the U.S. and The Talacrest Prince of Wales Cup in the U.K. this year.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 31
Above: Juan Britos and Hilario Ulloa compete with Park Place in the U.S and U.K. Ulloa is playing his stallion Machitos Mesquite, who is now in the U.S. and has been used for Park Place breeding. Above, right: Facundo Pieres has been playing with the organization for three years now.
the end of the U.K. season–The Talacrest Prince of Wales Championship Cup and the C.V. Whitney in the U.S. Last year, we won the Prince of Wales Trophy at RCBPC in England and we have had a number of successful seasons, but without quite lifting the trophy. Our first year of high goal was 2018 and since then we have made three Queen’s Cup finals in England, and Gold Cup quarters and semis twice. This year, we made the semis of the USPA Gold Cup and final of the U.S. Open in Florida. We had success with the medium goal in England too, winning the infamous Royal Windsor Trophy and the 18-goal Victor Ludorum Series. When did Andrey’s daughter Varvara start playing, and when did she start entering teams in the ladies high goal? Varvara (or V as she is known to many) is 15 and a very keen show jumper too. She started learning to play in 2015 and competed in her first season of ladies 18 goal in 2020. This year, she played three ladies 18-goal tournaments and one ladies 22-goal tournament at Cortium, and to date, she’s made every semi-final or final. She juggles show jumping and polo around one another and has plans to keep doing both!
32 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Has she competed in the U.S. as well as the U.K.? V hasn’t played anything yet in the U.S. because the Florida season somewhat clashes with her U.K. school commitments but as she gets older, I’m sure that might change! She was only 6 when I first met her so it has been amazing to watch her journey and see her progress and improve! Has Park Place confirmed its teams for the 2022 high-goal season in the U.S. and U.K.? If so, what will the lineups be? Still work in progress! But the U.S. season will be Hilario Ulloa, Juan Britos and a 3-goal American player with Andrey. In the U.K. we will have two highgoal teams: Park Place (Andrey Borodin, Facundo Pieres, Fran Elizalde, Will Harper) and Park Place Vaara (Hilario Ulloa, Juan Britos, a 4 and a 0 TBD). What does managing a large polo operation entail? What is a work day, week, month or year like for you? This could be a very lengthy answer! There is a huge amount of detail that goes into trying to manage a large, international polo operation, but I try to focus on having a reliable, trusted team around me so
everyone can fulfill their specific role for the team. But, I believe a lot of the success lies in the small details. For instance, I sit with the boys and make them do the forecast for the week ahead to know which days they will ride and which days they want to practice around our games so I can make a plan for the fields—where we play, when we need to irrigate, [aerate], etc. The field is of huge importance to the success of the team and the soundness of the horses, so I put a lot of time into trying to ensure our fields are always as well maintained as possible. Many hours of my year are spent in front of the master white board doing lists; planning a couple of days in advance to see which horses need to play when; and ensuring none overplay and everything that needs to play, gets to play. I also ensure we put the same importance on the girls’ teams as the boys’ teams and make sure they get team practices when needed too. I am also very picky about truck and trailer lists and make sure I know which horses are going to games or practices offsite. That includes making sure we have enough spaces on the trucks for the horses that need extra space to travel comfortably and arrive safely at the field. The office side of my job is as important as being in the barn. Some of my duties include finalizing
contracts for players and members of our team, arranging winter training plans for the players where required, arranging all of the obvious logistics such as visas, airfares, accommodations, cars, etc., and ensuring all of the monthly invoices from the teams’ expenses and salaries are presented and paid in a timely manner, just to name a few examples! We also have some big property development works underway, which take up a large amount of my time. There are different requirements for each property but my involvement ranges from reviewing engineering plans and surveys, to siting the location of roads and paddocks, development of polo fields and renovation and construction of barns, arena and exercise tracks, etc. Plus, alongside that, there is our breeding project, which includes planning mare and stallion combinations, shipment of stallions/frozen semen to the U.K. or U.S. to try and improve the combinations we can do, sourcing suitable recipient mares, making decisions about where to locate the horses at various stages of the project (foaling, weaning, training, etc.) and making decisions on breakers and trainers to work with us. I could continue but that is probably more than enough examples of what the job entails! •
Juan Britos (above, left, battling with Facundo Sola) will play with the Park Place team in 2022 in the U.S. along with Hilario Ulloa, Andrey and a 3-goal American.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 33
Clean Sweep Klentner Ranch dominates Santa Barbara high-goal season Photos by Shelley Heatley
MVP Jesse Bray and Best Playing Pony Disney
Klentner Ranch ended the 16-goal season at Santa Barbara Polo Club in Carpinteria, California, with wins in all three main events: the Robert Skene Memorial, the USPA Silver Cup and the Pacific Coast Open. After defeating Farmers & Merchants Bank in the finals of the first two events, Klentner Ranch faced the team again, this time in the semi-final of the Pacific Coast Open. In the semi-final, Farmers & Merchants jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first period, but four goals by 8-goal Santi Toccalino in the second helped Klentner level the score. The game was riddled with fouls,
34 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
making it difficult to get a flow going. Ten open-goal penalties were awarded between the teams and Farmers & Merchants Bank players received seven yellow cards and a red card in the match. Klentner led 8-6 going into the half. In the fourth, Toccalino was injured when he collided with Matt Walker and had to be replaced by Tomas Garcia Del Rio, who had been playing for Antelope, which was out of contention. The line-up change didn’t slow the team down a bit. It went on to outscore Farmers & Merchants Bank, 10-4, in the second half to advance to the final. In the other semi-final, BenSoleimani.com faced Lucchese. Both teams were 2-2 before the game began. BenSoleimani.com had Ryan Kerley filling in for Ben Soleimani, who was sitting out after apparently receiving a red card in a previous game. Despite the team line-up change, Bensoleimani.com controlled the game throughout and played well as a team. It advanced with a 13-7 score. In the final, Garcia Del Rio was still in the saddle for the injured Toccalino, however, he fit nicely into the team, having a similar playing style as Toccalino. It was another foul-riddled match, with Garcia Del Rio pounding in three goals in the first and one in the second—all but one penalty conversions. Meanwhile, BenSoleimani.com was unable to get on the board. Alberdi sunk a penalty in the third but Bray and Garcia Del Rio added penalty conversions of their own. Wulff scored from the field late in the chukker to end the half, 6-2, in favor of Klentner. BenSoleimani.com cut the difference to two, 7-5, in the fourth. Garcia Del Rio sunk a Penalty 2 early in the fifth but Alberdi answered with a pair of penalty conversions to bring his team within one. A short field goal by Garcia Del Rio late in the chukker made the difference two going into the final seven
Klentner Ranch’s injured Santi Toccalino, Jesse Bray, Tomas Garcia Del Rio, Jake Klentner and Justin Klentner celebrate their third Pacific Coast Open victory.
minutes. Bray split the uprights in the sixth to increase the lead but another pair of open goal penalty conversions by Alberdi brought BenSoleimani.com back within one with just 37 seconds on the clock. The teams came back to the throwin with time slipping away. Bray shot out of the line-up with the ball. Wulff looked to the umpires for a foul, but there was no whistle and Bray was by himself headed to goal. Bray sent the ball between the posts with just two seconds on the clock. It was the third PCO title for the team. Bray was awarded MVP and his 15-year-
BRACKET 1
old gray mare Disney wore the Best Playing Pony blanket home. Bray also received brand new halters and lead ropes, the award for Best String of the Season. “To receive Best String of the Season means a lot to me, and it’s probably my favorite award to win,” Bray said. Other awards included Best Argentine Bred horse, which went to Ben Soleimani’s Machitos Abeja, played by Iñaki Laprida. Santi Toccalino was awarded the Robert Skene MVP of the Season for his dominating performance throughout the summer. •
BRACKET 2
Farmers & Merchants Bank Danny Walker Lucas Criado Lucitas Criado Matthew Walker
16 2 7 4 3
Klentner Ranch Jake Klentner Santiago Toccalino Jesse Bray Justin Klentner
16 1 8 6 1
Lucchese John Muse Facundo Obregon Jeff Hall Kristos Magrini
15 0 6 6 3
Antelope Grant Palmer Santiago Troz Tomas Garcia del Rio Segundo Saravi
16 1 4 8 3
Santa Clara Luis Escobar Nico Escobar Lucas Escobar Federico Escobar
15 5 5 4 1
Bensoleimani.com Ben Soleimani Tomas Alberdi Iñaki Laprida Santiago Wulff
16 0 4 7 5
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 35
East & Wet Rain dampens ECO action in Greenwich Photos by Peter T. Michaelis
MVP Hilario Ulloa led Ellipse with 10 goals in the final.
The 20-goal East Coast Open, scheduled for Aug. 29-Sept. 12, at Greenwich Polo Club in Greenwich, Connecticut, was hampered by persistent rain. The highest-rated event played this summer drew four teams. The first game between Audi and Gardenvale got off on schedule, with Gardenvale prevailing, 10-8. The next day Ellipse beat Palm Beach Equine, 11-8. As these games were played, Hurricane Ida was slamming into Louisiana with 172 mph winds and rain. Over the next few days, it slowly moved toward the Northeast. As remnants of the storm passed through Connecticut on Sept. 1-2, it caused
36 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
widespread flood damage, leading the governor to declare a state of emergency. Two games originally scheduled for Sept. 2 were understandably canceled. Fields were still not dry enough days later. Finally, to keep as close to schedule as possible, organizers decided to skip to the next round and play at Mashomack Polo Club in Pine Plains, New York, on Sept. 7. In those games, Audi edged Palm Beach Equine, 11-10, while Gardenvale slipped Ellipse, 9-8. The winners of these games played the losers of the other game in the semifinal round. Entering the semifinals, Gardenvale was undefeated, 2-0; Ellipse and Audi each were 1-1; and Palm Beach Equine had yet to count a win, 0-2. That all changed in the semis. With even more rain, the Greenwich fields were still not dry enough to accommodate two games. The first semifinal match was played at Mashomack on Sept. 12, while the second game was played later that day on Greenwich’s Field One, giving the Sunday crowd its first and only glimpse of East Coast Open action. And what a treat they were in for. In a closely contested first game, Palm Beach Equine Clinic handed Gardenvale its first loss, 9-8, to advance to the final. The next match, perhaps the best of the tournament, pitted Ellipse against Audi—three-quarters of the defending champion White Birch team. Ellipse led 2-1 in the first chukker before the teams knotted at 4-4 in the second. Ellipse jumped out front 8-5 to end the first half. Starting the second half, Peke Gonzalez singlehandedly connected with five goals, including three penalty conversions, while Ellipse was silenced to give Audi the 10-8 advantage. The teams matched goals in the fifth to maintain the two-goal spread. Matt Coppola tied the match in the sixth after backto-back goals with almost four minutes remaining.
NANO’S POLO MALLETS
CUSTOM MADE MALLETS
Ellipse’s Robi Bilbao, Matt Coppola, Hilario Ulloa and Louis Devaleix celebrate their East Coast Open win in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Fighting for control, neither team could reach the goal until Gonzalez shot through his eighth goal with 1:21 left. After winning the ensuing throw-in, it looked like Audi would cruise into the final, but Bilboa managed an incredible back shot. With no time to waste, Ulloa met it, turning his horse on a dime to head toward goal. Joaquin Panelo caught up with him so he passed the ball to Coppola who knocked it out of the air and placed it in front of the goal. With 10 seconds left, Ulloa finished it with a nearside tap, forcing overtime. Thirty seconds into sudden death, Coppola intercepted a back shot from Mariano Aguerre. Moving it forward, he stabbed the ball out of the air, then hit it on the bounce through the posts to win. The final was played two days later.
Palm Beach Equine began with a handicap goal and added to it in the first to lead, 2-0. The game began to bog down with penalties in the second. Ulloa put three goals in for Ellipse, but two goals from Palm Beach Equine kept it on top, 4-3. Ellipse took the lead in the third with three goals while holding Palm Beach Equine to a Penalty 2 conversion. A still moist field was tearing up, leaving it pockmarked and slowing down the play. In the next two periods, Ellipse outscored Palm Beach Equine, 3-2, with all five goals coming from the penalty line. The teams traded goals in the last chukker to give Ellipse the 11-9 win. Ulloa was high-scorer with 10 goals, including seven penalty conversions, earning him MVP. Gringo Colombres’ Coquito was named Best Playing Pony.•
Ellipse Louis Devaleix Roberto Bilbao Hilario Ulloa Matthew Coppola
20 0 5 10 5
Audi Chris Brant Joaquin Panelo Mariano Aguerre Peke Gonzalez
20 0 6 6 8
Palm Beach Equine Scott Swerdlin Dylan Rossiter Lucas Diaz Alberdi Gringo Colombres
19 0 5 6 8
Gardenvale Shane Finemore Cristian Laprida Jr. Pedro Falabella Felipe Viana
20 0 8 6 6
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P O L O I N T H E PA M PA S
Seeing green After success abroad, Polito Pieres sets his sights on Argentina
After winning the 2020 USPA Gold Cup (played in March 2021) and reaching the semifinals in the 2021 Gold Cup and the U.S. Open with La Indiana in Palm Beach, Pablo ‘Polito” Pieres went on to reach the final of the British Open and win the Queen’s Cup with UAE. Polito is continuing his campaign abroad, competing in Sotogrande while already planning Argentina’s high-goal season with La Natividad. His performances, statistics and titles promise an auspicious Triple Crown in Argentina. After your seasons in Palm Beach and England, where are you in your career? In a very good moment. The truth is that in the United States, I had one of the best seasons of my career. Then, England was the icing on the cake, it was amazing. We started with a lot of complications with problems with horses, COVID, field issues, everything. We got the toughest group of all, in England’s toughest year and we ended up winning the Queen’s Cup. It was a dream final against Cambiaso’s Scone. I was even happier to have done it with my cousin Tomy [Tomás Panelo], Maitha [Mohammed Rashid Al Maktoum] and Tomy Beresford, who is a great teammate as well and one of the best players out there. Afterwards, it seemed like we weren’t going to get through our group in the Gold Cup because we had already given most of our horses a lot of activity and suddenly we found ourselves in the quarterfinals. We won that game (13-9 against Park Place), we won the semifinal (12-10 against Great Oaks) and ended up in the Gold Cup final. [It was] a dream season where we almost did a ‘double’. I believe that on the last day we were a bit hurt by the rain and the horses, which had already suffered a long season and were not in their best shape. Why do you say that the title in the Queen’s Cup was the most important of your career? Why is it more important to you than the 2012 Gold Cup? It is one of the most important for the players and for the entire UAE organization because we suffered a lot at the beginning: the horses arrived late, we 38 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
ALICE GIPPS
By Lucas Noel
couldn’t play because the field was very wet, we had some cases of COVID, the group we [drew] was very strong, [and] Maitha fell. There were many adversities and when you start winning in spite of that, it is much more enjoyable. And also to end up beating the team of Poroto and [Adolfo] Cambiaso in the final of the Queen’s Cup adds a lot of prestige. It is very enjoyable that it was against the best player in the world. When it comes to the game analysis, does having beaten Poroto and [Adolfo] Cambiaso in the final add to the achievement? Exactly. Poroto played at an impressive level in the United States. Obviously the fact that it was against them both adds a lot. They came from winning the U.S. Open. It’s always nice to win a tournament against one of the best teams.
DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS.COM
P O L O I N T H E PA M PA S
Polito Pieres won the 2020 Gold Cup and made it to the semifinals of the 2021 Gold Cup and U.S. Open with La Indiana.
Tell me a little bit about the experience of playing with Sheikha Maitha, whom I imagine to be very competitive due to her Olympic background (she competed in taekwondo at the 2008 Beijing Games). She is amazing. She is a horse fanatic and with Lucas [Monteverde] they created a fabulous organization like UAE, with very good people. On the field she is impressive, very competitive and very winning. I was really surprised. I had played with her in Dubai and it had not gone well for us. We didn’t win many matches, but she still behaved very well with me, with a huge heart. This year was totally different. We did very well. She is a winner. In the big games, where we had to play well and win, she had a different attitude. She understands a lot about polo, so it was a pleasure to play and enjoy the English season with her on the field. There were a couple of patrons who played better than her, but with her winning mentality and positive attitude she performed better than many. Everything she achieved is well deserved. Today, with many months to analyze, why did La Natividad’s past season in Argentina fall so far short of its own expectations? People may have expected La Natividad to win the Argentine Open, but the reality was that we were a
team in its first year and we didn’t have many horses. And Palermo is won with horses. The game we had to win, we won [12-11 vs. Murus Sanctus]. And then we were caught by an unbeatable La Dolfina and we suffered a tough day. I believe that this year we are going to be better. We have grown as players and as a team and we already know that we can work together. All four of us will be in Cañuelas this year, so I think it will be good and positive. Did it play against you that there was so much talk about you guys in the preview? Barto [Bartolomé Castagnola Jr.] and Jeta [Camilo Castagnola] are still young. Yes, of course. They need to gain experience in Palermo. Abroad it is very different from the Argentine Open. You have to catch the rhythm of Argentina, which is not easy. But the boys are already older, they are really good and when they tune in to the Argentine rhythm they will be lethal. We have to enjoy them. Were you satisfied with your and Jeta’s positions at No. 1 & 2? Generally, both of you are No. 1s. The truth is that we were very happy the day against Murus Sanctus. In that game, we showed great polo and Jeta and I played very well. We are POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 39
SERGIO LLAMERA
P O L O I N T H E PA M PA S
La Natividad’s Nachi Du Plessis, Polito Pieres and Barto Castagnola have invested in horses to up their game in the Argentine Triple Crown.
going to try to repeat what we achieved that day. If we can do it, we will be a team with a lot of attack and a lot of goals. You spoke several times about the horses and that they were not as they should have been. Please explain. I had bought 10 horses from Las Monjitas and I had several of my own. And the boys grew up a lot and they had tournaments in the United States and in England. The truth is that it is very difficult to be organized in three countries. It all happened to them suddenly because of how well they were playing and maybe they ran out of horses in Argentina. It is difficult and you pay for it against organizations like Murus Sanctus, La Dolfina and Ellerstina. [Those teams] spend a lot of money and have a lot of breeding. It’s hard to compete. But this year the guys spent a lot, they bought a lot, so they are going to be much better. Nachi [Ignatius Du Plessis] and I are still spending on horses, so I think we are all on the same wavelength now to ride the best we can in Argentina. You made a big investment and are also developing your breeding program. How is this personal project going? It’s nice because I’m a fan of playing with a good mare. If it’s not from my breeding, I don’t mind so much. Obviously, it’s more enjoyable if it’s from your breeding and you played the mother, but it’s very difficult to get good horses. It happens to the best organizations that have to keep buying horses from elsewhere. It happens to them, so imagine all of us 40 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
who get much less. Wherever a good mare appears, I try to buy her. What is your analysis in the preview of this Argentine season? Is Ellerstina a step up, as everyone predicts? If so, who comes in the second step? Which team can be a surprise? Ellerstina is one step higher because of their horses, which are at another level. I was there and I tell you it’s incredible. They put out 30 7-year-old horses per season. It’s crazy how well they do things with the horses. They are favorites because of that and because they are playing well too. But it’s going to be even. Murus Sanctus is also a great team. La Dolfina is La Dolfina and we have our own thing too. Then I think there are several teams that are good. La Ensenada is very interesting. It is going to be the most competitive year. It will be very nice to enjoy it on the field and for all the spectators in general. During these past few weeks, Polito’s guns have begun to turn and aim at the Argentine Triple Crown. Very good performances in the United States and England are perhaps auguries for the most important moment of his professional year. Last season was a year where La Natividad learned a lot. It has been said that defeats are the best of teachers. The raw material of the Castagnola brothers, the offensive voracity of Polito himself and the presence of Du Plessis at Back will be a concrete threat in Tortugas, Hurlingham and Palermo. The four La Natividad players in their green jerseys are already on their way. •
POLO REPORT DISPATCHES FROM THE WORLD OF POLO
EAST
ELIZABETH HEDLEY
LANDHOPE PREVAILS IN POLO PONIES MEMORIAL
New Hope’s Dennys Santana keeps the ball out of the reach of Landhope’s Francisco Llosa in the final of the Polo Ponies Memorial.
F
OUR teams competed in the 8-goal USPA Polo Ponies Memorial at Brandywine Polo Club in Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania, Aug. 27-29. In the end, it was the home team, Landhope, that took home the trophies. The tournament is played in honor of 18 polo ponies that were lost in a 1966 fire, started by lightning striking the clubhouse and spreading to two barns. An additional seven ponies were injured while nine others were led to safety. The memorial tourna-
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ment has been played ever since. This year’s games began with New Hope (Ann Oniskey, Pelon Escapite, Dennys Santana, Tim Cheromcka) getting the best of Dovecote (CJ Martin, Nate Berube, PJ Orthwein, Tom Huber Sr.), 11-9. Later in the day, Landhope (Michael Bucklin, Martin Eddy, Francisco Llosa, Sterling Giannico) defeated Barefield (Sam Clemens, Mark Mulligan, Jake Brown, Alan Martinez), 14-12. Preliminary winners Landhope
Farms and New Hope met in the final. Landhope Farms began with a onegoal handicap, but it was negated by Santana, who scored the first goal. Escapite sunk a Penalty 4 to put New Hope ahead, but Bucklin slipped the ball between the posts to tie the score at 2-2 after the first seven minutes. Landhope turned up the pressure in the second period with Llosa sending the ball to goal and Giannico following with two in a row, while New Hope was silenced, giving Landhope a 5-2
R E P O R T
ELIZABETH HEDLEY
P O L O
Landhope Farms’ Michael Bucklin, Sterling Giannico, Martin Eddy and Francisco Llosa won the USPA Polo Ponies Memorial.
advantage. The difference was cut to one early in the third when Santana and Escapite each converted a Penalty 2, but Llosa and Giannico responded with field goals to take a 7-4 advantage into the half. Unanswered goals by Eddy and Giannico in the fourth increased the difference to five at the end of the fourth period. Oniskey scored New Hope’s first second-half goal, but Eddy and Llosa shot back to increase the difference to 11-5 going into the final period. New Hope kept fighting. Santana and Escapite found the target in the sixth, while keeping Landhope Farms off the board, but it wasn’t enough and Landhope took the 11-7 win. Aside from the trophies, the team went home with $2,500 in prize money thanks to the USPA’s tournament stimulus. The runners-up didn’t go home empty-handed, taking $1,000 in prize money from OneMagnify. Martin Eddy was MVP Pro, while MVP Amateur was shared by Tim Cheromcka and Michael Bucklin. Sterling Giannico’s Revancha was Best Playing Pony. In the consolation final, Barefield crushed Dovecote, 16-7. Sam Clemens and Alan Martinez lead Barefield with five goals apiece. Clemens contribution included four goals in the last period.
Army’s Mark Gillespie presents the Patton trophies to Little Fork Rangers’ Danny Coleman, Dan Coleman and Sophia Doble.
LITTLE FORK RANGERS TAKES PATTON TOURNEY Four teams battled it out in the Eastern Circuit Gen. George S. Patton Jr. tournament at the Army Polo Club in Chetwood Park, The Plains, Virginia, Aug 24-26. Played in a pro-am format, this was a first USPA tournament for many of the Army and Navy players from the Army Polo Club as well as youth players on the Liberty Hall and Wakefield Country Day School teams. Little Fork Rangers (Dan Coleman, Danny Coleman, Sophia Doble) advanced over Army-Gold (Mark Gillespie, Abigail Irwin, Lizzie Keys) in Game One. Goals by Dan and 11-yearold Danny Coleman in the first chukker were answered by Irwin and Keys. Dan Coleman sunk a Penalty 2 in the second period and Doble found the mark with a two-pointer, while Army was held to a goal from Gillespie. Dan Coleman and Gillespie traded goals in the third. Dan Coleman kept pressing, wrapping goals around one from Irwin to seal the 8-5 victory. Game Two had Navy (Alex Jenkins, Mallorie Marquis, Beth Byles, Abigail Gage) advance over Army-Black (Amos Peterson, Riley Johnson, Raeann Bruton), 16-11. Jenkins and Peterson swapped goals in the first period, but Jenkins was just warming up and shot
through four tallies in the second. Meanwhile, Peterson added two and Bruton one to keep it close, 5-4. Army Black took the lead in the third when each of the players scored from the field and Bruton converted a pair of penalties. Marquis and Jenkins each tallied for Navy to stay in the game, trailing 9-7. The tide changed in the fourth when Jenkins connected five times, including with a pair of twopointers, added to a goal by 11-year-old Marquis. Army benefited from a Penalty 1 and a Penalty 3 conversion, but the damage was done, and Navy took the win. In the final, a Penalty 2 by Navy’s Marquis started the scoring. Little Fork’s Doble shot back with two in a row before Dan Coleman struck. Sixteen-year-old Doble and Dan Coleman each added another to take a 5-2 lead. Jenkins and Dan Coleman battled it out in the second with Jenkins adding six points to Coleman’s four. Navy narrowly trailed, 9-8, going into the half. The teams matched each other in the third, maintaining the one-goal difference going into the final period. Jenkins knotted the score, 12-12, early in the period but that seemed to motivate Dan Coleman who scored four goals, one a two-pointer, to jump ahead 17-12 for the Little Fork Rangers’ win. In the consolation, Army Gold
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 43
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Hotels at Sea’s Tareq Salahi, Tolito Ocampo and Marcos Bignoli Jr. won the Arena Chairmen’s Cup at Twilight Polo in Virginia.
edged Army Black, 14-13. Irwin put Gold ahead with give points in the first chukker. Peterson scored twice for Black to get in the game. Black rebounded in the second with Peterson adding two and 16-year-old Bruton tallying three, while holding Gold to a pair of goals by Sang Yi, who split chukkers with Gillespie. Sixteen-yearold Keys, who gave up eventing for polo, drew a Penalty 1 for her team. Gold narrowly led, 8-7, at the half. Three goals by Irwin in the third were matched by Peterson and Bruton to keep the difference just one, 11-10. The teams matched each other goal for goal in the final seven minutes, leaving Gold on top by one, 14-13. Irwin’s Venus wore the Tri-County Feeds, Fashions, Finds’ Best Playing Pony blanket home. Coach Dan Coleman was especially proud of his students that competed in the tournament. His son Danny Coleman had many assists in the win, Bruton scored five penalty shots including three Penalty 3s and Marquis made a pair of penalties.
HOTELS AT SEA SAILS IN CHAIRMEN’S CUP Twilight Polo Club in The Plains, Virginia, held the National Arena Chairmen’s Cup, Aug. 28-Sept. 4. Four teams competed in the event.
44 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Bill Ballhaus’ Yatay Alcon, played by Tolito Ocampo, was Best Playing Pony in the Arena Chairmen’s Cup.
Game one saw Liberty Hall (Dan Coleman, Zak Coleman, John Gobin) overcome Parkgate Polo (Emmie Golkosky, Marissa Wells, Brennan Wells), 18-15. The game was paused for lightening in the first chukker and continued the next day at the Twilight Arena in Middleburg. The teams were knotted 3-3 after the first seven minutes. Liberty Hall gained the 8-5 advantage in the second with two goals by Zak Coleman and two from Gobin, one a two-pointer that was scored right out of the line-up. Parkgate was held to a pair of goals from Marissa Wells. In the second half, the Wells siblings pounded in four goals, three of those two-pointers. Gobin added four goals and Zak Coleman a single tally to keep the narrow lead going into the final chukker. Brennan Wells leveled the score with a Penalty 2 conversion early in the chukker. But Liberty Hall fought back with each of the players getting on the board. Wells struck again but Gobin responded with a twopointer. In the closing minutes Marissa Wells slammed in a two-pointer but Parkgate Polo came up short and Liberty Hall advanced. A few days later, Pineapples & Pussycats (Audrey Wilde, George Krabbe, Lucio Ocampo) faced Hotels at Sea (Tareq Salahi, Hilario Figueras, Marcos Bignoli Jr.) Pineapples & Pussycats began with a two-goal head-
start and each of the players got on the board in the first. Figueras and Bignoli countered with a combined five goals, two of them two-pointers, to tie the score, 7-7, at the end of the chukker. Both teams counted six points in the second to end the first half, knotted at 13-all. The teams continued to be in lockstep throughout the third, with each counting four points, entering the final chukker 17-17. Hotels at Sea kept up the pressure while Pineapples & Pussycats lost momentum. Each of the Hotels at Sea players contributed to the four points scored. Ocampo added one from Pineapples & Pussycats, giving Hotels at Sea the 21-18 win. Bignoli led the scoring with 11 points. The final promised to be an actionpacked battle and it didn’t disappoint. Tolito Ocampo took Figueras’ spot and promptly put defending champion Hotels on the board, but Zak Coleman shot back adding to the handicap goal Liberty Hall received. Gobin got in on the action, shooting a two-pointer. Bignoli and Ocampo hit the mark in response but Gobin shot back with another two-pointer. Bignoli and Gobin traded penalty conversions and Gobin added one last goal to double up Hotels, 8-4. Bignoli and Ocampo combined for five points in the second but Gobin added two more and Zak Coleman
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Taylor Hill’s Brooke Burke, Sarah Martin, Katie Mitcham and Cindy Halle won the A Flight of the Women’s Challenge at Tinicum.
one. Liberty Hall held a 11-9 lead at the half. The second half saw Liberty Hall increase its lead in the third thanks to goals by Zak Coleman and Gobin, while Hotels was held to three tallies. Hotels shut down Liberty Hall in the final period, allowing just a single goal by Zak Coleman. Ocampo and Bignoli capitalized on Liberty Hall’s mistakes, converting three penalties, while Ocampo scored one from the field to knot the score at 16-all. With just 45 seconds left, Bignoli connected with a
Arby Dobb B’s MVP Livia Iocona, Gwen Rizzo and Rebecca Linke won B Flight of the Women’s Challenge. Sierra Walt is not pictured.
Hail Mary shot giving Hotels at Sea the 18-16 victory. John Gobin was named MVP after scoring 21 goals throughout the tournament. Bill Ballhaus’ Yatay Alcon (Martineta x Ellerstina Picaro), played by Tolito Ocampo, was Best Playing Pony. In the consolation, Pineapples & Pussycats led the entire game over Parkgate Polo. Brennan Wells led Parkgate with 11 points in a valiant effort, but Ocampo was high-scorer with 13, ably assisted by six points
from George Krabbe. Marissa Wells tallied one for Parkgate. After leading 4-3 in the first chukker, Pineapple increased the lead to 11-6 at the half after pounding in seven goals to Parkgate’s three. Krabbe and Ocampo combined for four goals in the third, while holding Parkgate to two from Brennan Wells to lead 15-8 going into the final chukker. The Wells siblings combined for four goals in the last period, but Ocampo responded with five individual tallies to ensure the victory, 20-12.
TAYLOR HILL ACES WOMEN’S CHALLENGE
Marcos Bignoli finds a clearing in the final of the Arena Chairmen’s Cup at Twilight Polo.
Taylor Hill Farm topped five teams to win the Women’s Challenge Cup at Tinicum Park Polo Club in Erwinna, Pennsylvania, Aug. 20-21. The theme for the event was “Kick It for Cancer.” Preliminary matches began with Taylor Hill Farm (Brook Burke, Sarah Martin, Katie Mitcham, Cindy Halle) crushing Arby Dobb (Sue Spencer, Sue Guggenheim, Ashley Mackenzie, Kathy Fowser), 12-3. The next match was played in a round robin format. In the first round, Stars Aligned (Sami Iahn, Val Washington, Laura Willson, Cheryl Arnold) shut out Weidel (Erica Ames, Sarah Weidel, Shariah Harris, Anna Palacios), 3-0. Willson was injured in
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Weidel’s Mark Mulligan, MVP Joaquin Arguello, Rich Weidel and Trevor Reeves won the regional President’s Cup.
D. JEAN VERGARA
the match and was replaced by Ashley Mackenzie. Stars Aligned stayed up to face Duende (Ann Oniskey, Josephine Taylor Hill’s Brook Burke gets pushed off the ball by Stars Aligned’s Cheryl Arnold, riding Best Playing Pony Leandro, owned by Tim Cheromcka. Sami Iahn, left, follows.
46 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Hawkwood’s Barclay Knapp, Meg Mullin, Leandro Berrios and Talha Chaundry won the Sportsmanship Cup at Tinicum Park Polo.
Dorsey, Lindsey Morris, Liv Stringer Berube). Duende shut out Stars Aligned, 2-0. Duende faced Weidel in the final round and Weidel prevailed,
4-2. The teams each finished with 1-1 records, but Stars Aligned advanced with the most net goals. Weidel defeated Arby Dobb, 6-1, and Duende, 4-2, in a round-robin consolation match. Duende beat Arby Dobb, 7-0, for second place. The final between Stars Aligned and Taylor Hill Farm followed. With Willson back in the saddle, Stars Aligned began with a handicap goal, but Halle neutralized it early in the first. She followed with a Penalty 2 conversion and Mitcham scored from the field, giving Taylor Hill a 3-1 lead at the end of the first. Willson scored a lone goal in the second, while Taylor Hill was shut down, ending the half 32 in favor of Taylor Hill. Arnold split the uprights early in the third to level the score, but Burke broke the tie and Mitcham gave Taylor Hill a two-goal advantage, 5-3. Halle found the mark but Iahn countered with a Penalty 3 conversion. Burke got in another goal before time ran out with Taylor Hill Farm comfortably ahead, 7-4. Katie Mitcham was MVP and Tim Cheromcka’s Leandro, played by Cheryl Arnold, was Best Playing Pony. In B Flight action, Arby Dobb B (Gwen Rizzo, Sierra Walt, Rebecca Linke, Livia Iocona) faced Tinicum (Victoria Halliday, Carol Hails,
P O L O
Arby Dobb’s MVP Daniel Arnold, Cheryl Arnold, Gwen Rizzo and Kevin McCarthy took home the Founders Cup trophies.
Nadinia Delirippa, Lisa Singer/Robyn Belluardo). Tinicum led 2-0 in the first half before Arby Dobb B rallied, tying the score, 2-2, in the third and doubling up Tinicum, 4-2, in the last period for the win. Livia Iocona was MVP and Dream Catcher, owned by Dave Russek and played by Carol Hails, was Best Playing Pony. The previous week, Weidel (Mark Mulligan, Joaquin Arguello, Rich Weidel, Trevor Reeves) held on to its onegoal handicap it started with to take the President’s Cup final over New Hope (Ann Oniskey, Rhea Lowenthal, Luis Echezarreta, Marcos Bignoli Jr., Tim Cheromcka). The final began with Arguello finding the goal first, adding to the handicap goal. Bignoli responded, wrapping goals around another from Arguello to end the first, 3-2, in favor of Weidel. New Hope was kept off the board in the second while Rich Weidel added a goal and Reeves added two, increasing the lead to 6-2. Bignoli converted a Penalty 2, then shot in one from the field, while Weidel was silenced in the third. The half ended with Weidel holding the 6-4 lead. Early in the fourth, Arguello increased the difference to three, but Bignoli added back-to-back goals to bring his team to within one, 7-6. Arguello sandwiched goals around one
R E P O R T
Founders Cup MVP Daniel Arnold at Tinicum Park Polo Club in Erwinna, Pennsylvania.
from Bignoli in the fifth and Mulligan found the mark to give Weidel a comfortable three-goal lead, 10-7, going into the final chukker. With just seven minutes left, Weidel worked hard to hang on to the lead but it began to catch the umpires’ attention. New Hope converted two of three open-goal penalties, leaving the difference just a single goal. Bignoli kept nipping at Weidel’s heels, eventually tying the match at 10-all. Arguello prevailed in a penalty shootout, giving Weidel the win. Bignoli was high scorer of the afternoon, scoring all his team’s goals. Arguello, who scored five goals in the match, was MVP, while one of Bignoli’s pretty bay mares was Best Playing Pony. Action continued with four teams vying for the USPA Sportsmanship Cup title, beginning on Aug. 31. In the first semifinal, Tinicum (Carol Hails, Gwen Rizzo, Allen Medina, Gabriel Maldonado) fell to Wackers Brewery (Kyra Kepner, Bryan Kepner, Katie Mitcham, Juan Martinez Baez), 4-3. In the second semifinal, Hawkwood (Barclay Knapp, Jim Koslovski/Meg Mullin, Leandro Berrios, Talha Chaudhry) narrowly edged Stars Aligned (Stavros Lampeas, Abdullah Chaudhry, Val Washington, Dennis Santana), 5-4½. In the consolation, Tinicum came
from behind to defeat Stars Aligned, 43, in the last 34 seconds. In the final, Hawkwood began with a half-goal handicap and Knapp added to it with a field goal. Baez put Wackers on the board to end the first chukker, 1½-1. Hawkwood owned the second, with Berrios and Knapp adding one each and Chaudhry contributing two. Meanwhile, Wackers was held to a Penalty 2 conversion from Mitcham, ending the half with Wackers trailing, 5½-2. In the third, Baez handled a Penalty 4 with expert precision and Mitcham did the same with a Penalty 3. Kyra Kepner scored from the field to bring the team within a half goal, 5½-5. Later in the chukker, Berrios shot in a field goal to increase the different to one and a half, heading into the final seven minutes. Baez found the mark early in the fourth and Mitcham followed with a goal to take the lead, 7-6½. It looked like Wackers Brewery would be celebrating soon, but with time winding down, Berrios sent the ball through the posts for the narrow victory, 7½-7. Juan Martinez Baez was named MVP and Leadro Berrios’ Burrita was named Best Playing Pony. Another four teams lined up for the Founders Cup. The first semifinal match saw Arby Dobb (Cheryl Arnold,
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Blackberry’s Tod Rackley, Mark Weidman, Joe Messer and Jeff Boeh receive the Wigdahl trophy from David and Everett Wigdahl.
Daniel Arnold, Gwen Rizzo, Jim Koslovski) advanced over Tinicum (Talha Chaudhry, Abdullah Chaudhry, Sue Spencer, Victoria Halliday), 5-2. In the second semi, Bombardier (Jose Cervantes, Brook Burke, Ann Oniskey, George Daniello) narrowly edged New Hope (Tim Cheromcka, Val Washington, Rhea Lowenthal, Meg Mullin), 5-4. Arby Dobb and Bombardier faced each other in a low-scoring final. Bombardier began with a half-goal handicap before Rizzo got the scoring started with a Penalty 2 conversion for Arby Dobb. Daniel Arnold followed with a field goal, carrying the ball through heavy traffic, while Bombardier was kept off the board. The first chukker ended 2-½. A defensive battle ensued with neither team able to break through their opponent’s defense. Cervantes, supported by his team, ended the drought in the third with a nice shot through the posts to bring Bombardier within a half-goal, 2-1½, with seven minutes left. It was anyone’s game and the closely matched teams continued to battle, neither able to reach the goal. Time ran out and Arby Dobb hung on for the win. Daniel Arnold was named MVP and Jose Cervantes’ horse was Best Playing Pony.
48 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Beaver Creek’s Gonzalo Novillo Corvalan, Alfredo Guerreno, Chris Vangel and Lindor Novillo Corvalan won the Chicago Polo Open.
CENTRAL
BLACKBERRY CAPTURES WIGDAHL MEMORIAL Blackberry Polo Club in Batavia, Illinois, held its annual PTF/USPA seniors tournament, with teams playing off for the coveted Thomas J. Wigdahl Memorial Trophy in early August. Rain delays trimmed four teams to three, leaving the teams to battle it out in a round robin. The first round saw Blackberry (Joe Messer, Tod Rackley, Mark Weidman, Jeff Boeh) take on Due West (John Kuhn, Clifton Yandell, Bill O’Leary, Bill Patterson, Shannon Eldridge). Rackley’s lone goal was enough to give Blackberry the win. Due West prevailed in the second round, this time against Morgan Creek (Keith Gray, Douglas Giebel, Len Monson, Dean Kleronomos). O’Leary scored twice and Eldredge once to give Due West the edge. Blackberry defeated Morgan Creek, 4-2, in the final round to claim the trophy, presented by Tom’s son David Wigdahl and grandson Everett. In addition to the PTF contribution made by all participants, the winners’ $2,500 prize money was donated to the PTF.
BEAVER CREEK WINS CHICAGO POLO OPEN Beaver Creek secured the Chicago Polo Open, beating rival Oak Brook in the final at Oak Brook Polo Club in Oak Brook, Illinois, Aug. 15. It was the third time these teams faced each other this season. Prior to the match, a special ceremony was held to remember player and umpire Chadwick “Chad” Kraml, who passed away in early June at the age of 54. Members of the Chicagoland polo community, friends and family attended a memorial service complete with the traditional riderless horse. Speeches were given by friends and players Douglas Giebel and George Alexander, who presented Chad’s mom Diane Kraml and his fiancée Kerry Alexander with a bronze horse statue. After, the players were led onto the field with a pair of Bentley convertibles, carrying CBS Chicago anchor Ryan Baker and National Anthem singer Lisa Thomen of The PriSSillas. Beaver Creek (Chris Vangel, Alfredo Guerreno, Lindor Novillo Corvalan, Gonzalo Novillo Corvalan) began with a one-goal handicap, which Vangel added to in the first. Oak Brook (Jim Drury, Tomas Obregon, Horacio Onetto, Mariano Gutierrez),
La Karina’s Nic Roldan, Marc Ganzi, Brian Boyd and Sugar Erskine won the season-opening Independence Cup at Aspen Valley Polo.
got on the board late in the chukker when Onetto connected with the goal. Lindor Corvalan traded goals with Onetto before Vangel and Guerreno split the uprights. Obregon tallied late in the chukker, leaving Beaver Creek ahead, 5-3. Oak Brook rallied in the third with Obregon and Onetto scoring two each, while holding Beaver Creek to one by Guerreno. Oak Brook led 7-6 going into the half. A lone goal by Gutierrez in the fourth increased the Oak Brook lead to two, 8-6. Corvalan responded in ANDREW MEIER
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NetJets’ Michael Payne, Alex Gooding, Nacho Figueras and Sugar Erskine won the ChukkerTV Challenge.
kind in the next chukker, bringing Beaver Creek within one, 8-7, going into the final period. Guerreno struck early in the chukker to level the score and Lindor Corvalan followed with a goal to take the lead for the first time since the second chukker. With time winding down, Gutierrez split the uprights to knot the score but Gonzalo Corvalan got in the last word to give Beaver Creek the 10-9 win. Tomas Obregon was name MVP, while Lindor Corvalan’s Palmera was Best Playing Pony.
Beaver Creek’s Lindor Novillo Corvalan and Tomas Obregon mark each other closely in the Chicago Polo Open.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN
NETJETS CRUISES IN THREE ASPEN TOURNEYS The picturesque Aspen Valley Polo Club in Carbondale, Colorado, celebrated a competitive season with over a dozen tournaments played from the beginning of July through early September. Played on the club’s beautiful fields with the majestic 12,965-foot summit of Mount Sopris as a backdrop, fans enjoyed watching the action with the largest number of high-goal players gathered for summer play in the U.S. The season began with five teams vying for the Independence Cup in early July. La Karina (Sugar Erskine, Brian Boyd, Marc Ganzi, Nic Roldan) defeated Casablanca (Govinda Quish, Grant Ganzi, Toro Ruiz, Pablo Spinacci) and McClure River Ranch (Lauren Sherry, Alex Gooding, Nacho Figueras, Nacho Novillo Astrada) in a round-robin final for the title. La Karina doubled up McClure River Ranch, 8-4, in the first round. Casablanca defeated McClure River Ranch, 5-2, in the second round, meaning the winner of the third round between La Karina and Casablanca would take the
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Tonkawa’s Jeff Hildebrand, Grant Ganzi, MVP Torito Ruiz and Jimmy Seward captured the Basalt Handicap at Aspen Valley Polo. NICK TININENKO FOR CHUKKERTV
NICK TININENKO FOR CHUKKERTV
Becky Schmeits presents Casablanca’s Lauren Sherry, Alex Gooding, MVP Torito Ruiz and Grant Ganzi with the Craig Sakin trophy.
Rancho Los Amigos’ Paul Foster, Juan Bollini, Alejandro Novillo Astrada and MVP Gussie Busch celebrate the Emma Challenge win.
trophies. The closely matched teams ended in a 3-3 tie. La Karina was declared the winner on net goals. Nic Roldan was named MVP. Six teams lined up the following week for the ChukkerTV Challenge. Net Jets (Michael Payne, Alex Gooding, Sugar Erskine, Nacho Figueras) edged Victory Polo (Alejandra Foster, Kevin Schmeits, Grant Ganzi, Nic Roldan), 7-5. Michael Payne was MVP and Nacho Figueras’ Man Ray was Best Playing Pony. Seven teams competed in the next tournament. Casablanca (Lauren Sherry, Alex Gooding, Torito Ruiz,
50 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Santa Rita’s MVP Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Alejandra Foster, Lauren Sherry and Tomas Pieres with NetJets’ Lindsay Fausnaugh
Grant Ganzi) came out on top in a 9-8 overtime match against Victory Polo (Kevin Schmeits, Marc Ganzi, Nic Roldan, Stewart Armstrong) in the final of the Craig Sakin Memorial. Torito Ruiz was MVP and his Pili was Best Playing Pony. Tonkawa earned a victory in the Basalt Handicap on July 26. Tonkawa (Jeff Hildebrand, Jimmy Seward, Toro Ruiz, Grant Ganzi) beat La Karina (Brian Boyd, Gussie Busch, Nic Roldan, Marc Ganzi), 13-10. Toro Ruiz was MVP, while Jeff Hildebrand’s 16year-old Debutante was Best Playing Pony.
The action continued into August with Rancho Los Amigos (Gussie Busch, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Juan Bollini, Paul Foster) slipping NetJets (Alejandra Foster, Vinny Sangaline, Nacho Figueras, Pablo Spinnachi), 8-7, to capture the Emma Challenge. Gussie Busch was MVP. Santa Rita (Alejandra Foster, Lauren Sherry, Tomas Pieres, Alejandro Novillo Astrada) enjoyed its first tournament title, beating Victory Polo (Kevin Schmeitz, Vinny Sangaline, Nic Roldan, Horacio Heguy), 8-5, in the High Alpine Cup. Alejandro Novillo Astrada was MVP.
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NICK TININENKO FOR CHUKKERTV
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Casablanca’s Marc Ganzi, Grant Ganzi, MVP Gonzalito Pieres and Torito Ruiz won the Rocky Mountain Open over Tonkawa.
Play continued in the Mount Sopris Cup. NetJets (Govinda Quish, Gussie Busch, Pablo Spinacci, Juan Bollini) doubled up Sopris Mountain Ranch (Lauren Sherry/Jack Whitman, Alex Gooding, Nacho Badiola, Tomas Pieres), 8-4, to earn the trophies. Gussie Busch was MVP and Santa Rita’s Silver Peak, played by Pablo Spinacci, was Best Playing Pony. In the Rocky Mountain Open, Casablanca (Marc Ganzi, Grant Ganzi, Gonzalito Pieres, Toro Ruiz) picked up its second title of the season, downing Tonkawa (Jeff Hildebrand, Jimmy Seward, Nic Roldan, Nacho Novillo Astrada), 10-6. Gonzalito Pieres was MVP and Jimmy Seward’s 7-year-old Ladybug was Best Playing Pony. Tonkawa (Jeff Hildebrand, Marc Ganzi, Gonzalito Pieres, Juan Bollini) edged NetJets (Alejandra Foster, Gussie Busch, Nic Roldan, Nacho Figueras), 9-8, to win the WPL Triple Crown of Polo-Aspen. Gonzalito Pieres was MVP and Santa Rita’s Cruella de Vil, played by Pieres, was Best Playing Pony. It was the second time the pair took home the honors. NetJets (Brian Boyd, Pablo Spinacci, Nacho Figueras, Juan Bollini) flew away with its third title of the season, besting Quite on Z (Alecia Seidler, Victoria Seidler, Gussie Busch, Toro Ruiz,
Tonkawa’s Marc Ganzi, Jeff Hildebrand, Gonzalito Pieres and Juan Bollini won the Aspen leg of the WPL Triple Crown of Polo.
Alejandro Novillo Astrada), 8-4, in the Silver Queen Invitational. Brian Boyd was MVP and Santa Rita’s 8-year-old Channing Tatum, played by Juan Bollini, was Best Playing Pony. PAC I F I C C OA S T
POLO PONY RESCUE WINS IN CONGRESSIONAL CUP The OC Polo Club (Silverado, California) was proud to host the USPA Pacific Coast Circuit Congressional Cup over two consecutive weekends in August. At OC Polo Club, we believe in the spirit of playing hard and giving back, in doing what you love and helping others in the process. With four teams playing for charity and competing for top honors, each team was able to walk away with prize money for their chosen charity. Teams represented the non-profit 501(c)3 charities Polo Pony Rescue, Red Bucket Equine Rescue, Surf and Turf Therapy and Hitching Post Ministries, all equine focused in nature and located in California. The final saw Polo Pony Rescue (Heather Perkins, Mila Slutzky, Derek Wall) face Red Bucket Equine Rescue (Spencer Hurtt, Fawn Rinalduzzi,
Heather Perkins, Derek Wall and Mila Slutzky won $1,000 for Polo Pony Rescue.
Colleen Newton, Tom Rath, Danielle Slutzky). It was a very close and exciting match for players and spectators alike, but in the end, Polo Pony Rescue prevailed, 12-10. The winning charity received $1,000, while runnerup received $750. Colleen Newton was MVP and Denny Geiler’s handsome Atticus, played by Heather Perkins, took Best Playing Pony honors. In the consolation, Surf and Turf Therapy (Lauren Helpern, Blake Bertea, Dave Myrick) edged Hitching Post Ministries (Bekah Segien, Mila
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 51
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Polo SF’s Tomas Ussher, Leandro Floccari, Vladimir Rivkin and Jennifer Putnam won the Pacific Coast Governors Cup at Wine Country.
Herrera, Robert Hasman, Matt Corodimas). The winner took $500 while runner-up earned $250. Lauren Helpern was MVP and Matt Corodimas’ Diego was Best Playing Pony. OC Polo Club and its members are looking forward to a great year of tournament play.
POLO SF TOPS GOVERNORS CUP Throughout the season, 5-goaler Martin Tassara and his string of turbocharged imports from Argentina proved nearly unbeatable. The Pacific Coast Governor’s Cup, held at the Wine Country Polo Club in Santa Rosa, California, Aug. 14-15, was another test of Tassara’s remarkable run of success. Four teams lined up for the two-day event. La Fortuna (Hugo Alesina, Luis Saracco, Micaela Saracco, Vineet Sharma) faced Trione (Hank Bailey, Carlos Rivas, Martin Tassara, Henry Trione) in the first game. Trione took the early lead, scoring three goals in quick succession in the first chukker. Saracco led La Fortuna’s rally, tying the score at the beginning of the fourth chukker. Late in the chukker, Tassara sent a 100-plus-yard shot to Bailey, who scored to win the game, 5-4.
52 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Parrot Head’s Roni Duke, MVP KC Krueger, Alfonso Pieres and Pite Merlos won the Bradford Brinton Memorial..
In the second game, PoloSF (Leandro Floccari, Jennifer Putnam, Vladimir Rivkin, Tomas Ussher) took on Wine Country (Paul Griffin, Paddy O’Brien, Tommy Reinsos, Ignacio Saracco). While the score was even, 22, at the end of chukker two, Polo SF ended on top, 5-4 to advance. In the final, Trione went ahead, 20, early with near-perfect passes from Tassara to Bailey. Just when it seemed Trione would continue its unbroken record, PoloSF evened the score in the third. In the final chukker, Putnam waited downfield, unmarked for a passing shot. It came and within seconds he hurtled the ball straight between the posts for the 3-2 win. Players gathered under the tent for trophies and awards presented by club president Paul Griffin. Tassara’s Lucifer was Best Playing Pony. Earlier, La Fortuna edged Wine Country, 4-3, in the consolation.
Parrot Heads (Roni Duke, KC Krueger, Alfonso Pieres, Pite Merlos) defeated The Villages (Frankie Bilbao, Paige Boone, Wayne Garrison, Carlitos Galindo), 12-9, in the Bradford Brinton Memorial final on Aug. 14. KC Krueger was MVP and Wayne Garrison’s Chiquita was Best Playing Pony. The following week, Clearwater (Camp Campbell, Steve Krueger, Felipe Marquez, Kelly Beal) topped the Bozeman Trail Cup. It overcame Evergreen (Phillip Higgins, Miguel Astrada, Tom Sprung, Alfonso Pieres), 8-6. Miguel Astrada was MVP and Marquez’s W was Best Playing Pony. The season concluded with the Flying H Cup. The Villages (Gonzalo Teves, Adam Snow, Will Johnston, Paige Boone) edged Coca Cola (Lucio Benedit, Gillian Johnston, Miguel Astrada, Craig Duke), 8-7. Gonzalo Teves was MVP and Gillian Johnston’s Footloose, played by Miguel Astrada, was Best Playing Pony.
PAC I F I C N O R T H W E S T OBITUARY
FLYING H WRAPS UP BUSY SUMMER SEASON
LYNN THOMPSON
Polo continued through August at Flying H Polo Club in Big Horn, Wyoming.
Polo lost a dear friend in Lynn Thompson, July 27. She spent her final days in an assisted living center in
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KAILE ROOS PHOTOGRAPHY
KAILE ROOS PHOTOGRAPHY
P O L O
Clearwater’s Camp Campbell, Steve Krueger, Felipe Marquez and Kelly Beal won the Bozeman Trail Cup.
Chico, California. Danny Scheraga shared the following: I first met Lynn at the 1989 Western Intercollegiate Regional Tournament held at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. Lynn had recently retired as a proof reader at Stanford, and had also become an avid polo player. She got her start attending a Rege Ludwig clinic at UVA and joined the Menlo Club and the Horsepark arena club where she quickly became a huge supporter of the Stanford Polo Club. She traveled to the Western Regionals mainly to support the Stanford Polo Team. Dan Colhoun, who was chairman of the USPA Intercollegiate Committee, and I, then director of Intercollegiate-Interscholastic Polo, met her that weekend, and it wasn’t long before Lynn extended her support of college and high school players nationally. Lynn was soon attending nearly all regional and national tournaments, and was the official score keeper at these events for over 20 years. She also
The Villages’ Adam Snow, Gonzalo Teves, Will Johnston and Paige Boone won the Flying H Cup.
kept score at her home clubs and often could be seen with her score sheets on the sidelines of the South Bay Club in Gilroy, California, and many others. She soon became involved in polo from the club to the national level. For the USPA, she served on the Intercollegiate / Interscholastic (1990-2014, co-chair 2001-2003), Equine Welfare (2005-2012) and Women’s Committees (2013-2021). Additionally, she was the delegate of the Horse Park Polo Club (1992-2019). She also served on the PTF board of directors (1994-2020) and chaired the Intercollegiate-Interscholastic PTF Award Selection Committee. In 2001, she received the PTF Volunteer of the Year award. It was impossible not to love Lynn. You always felt like she was your biggest fan. She loved to stay with friends and was easy to have as a guest. She traveled light, usually with a back pack and, in the early years, a camera bag. While visiting, she never passed a thrift store and would usually buy the clothes she needed for that trip. If she liked what she bought she simply mailed it back home so she wouldn’t need a suitcase. Traveling to the snowy Northeast, she would leave winter clothing where she stayed and was able to skip the thrift store on her next trip. Over the years, I watched her go
from a rented house in Portola Valley to building a gorgeous modern house along a creek in Menlo Park. I last visited her at her assisted living center in the fall of 2019. Everyone loved Lynn and she loved everyone. I hesitate to single out any particular individuals, but there are three that held a very special place in her heart as confidants, friends and advisers. Dr. Bruce Wells was I/I co-chair with her for three years and had a great working relationship and friendship with her as they navigated the nooks and crannies of the I/I program. Lynn was really impressed with the Work to Ride Program, and she and [its founder] Lezlie Hiner became lifelong friends. When Cissie Jones took over Brushy Creek, she and Lynn became fast friends and would share their ups and downs regularly. The PTF board of directors recently renamed the PTF Interscholastic Female Player of the Year award after Lynn. A zoom call is planned for friends to share favorite memories of her. Look for more information about the call on PTF and USPA sites or email me: dannypolo@aol.com. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be sent to The Polo Training Foundation, 852 E Road, Loxahatchee, FL 33470. •
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Make sure trucks and trailers are serviced, filled with fuel and at the ready. Have an exit strategy for getting your horses to safety quickly.
(continued from page 17) The fire department probably can’t save your barn and buildings if all you have are hydrants for watering horses. An irrigation mainline, or a pond/stream that could be pumped from, are preferable. If fire is approaching but not yet dangerous enough for evacuation, keep your yard and buildings watered down to prevent the chance of ignition from drifting embers. Have an evacuation plan for your horses. Do you have enough trailers to get them all out in a hurry? A neighborhood network is helpful. Keep trailers and trucks serviced and ready to go. Select possible evacuation routes ahead of time, and have a plan for where you might go—to a holding area or facility— with your horses. Have extra halters and ropes, and make sure they are cotton; nylon will melt in high heat and cause serious injury. Take along wire cutters, a crowbar, first aid kit, buckets, flashlight and batteries, gloves, boots, towels (for possible use as blindfolds), and wet down the horses’ manes and tails if possible. If you have to leave quickly, without your horses, turn them out into a big pasture; don’t leave any animals in barns or small pens. Evacuating If there is need for immediate evacuation—an impending hurricane, a swiftly approaching wildfire, 54 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
an approaching flood (from a massive rainstorm upstream) a chemical spill or some other man-caused accident, and you were told you had only X hours to get out—think about what you would do. “Would you have enough gas in your vehicles, would you be able to hook up your trailer, would your horses load?” asks McConnico. Make sure you have enough halters and lead ropes. “Depending on the state you live in, make sure you have up-to-date health papers and Coggins test,” says Moore. “In a disaster situation these regulations may be waived, but you should always have the paperwork ready, and know where it is—with all the other things you might need at a moment’s notice,” he says. McConnico points out that it is important to keep horses’ vaccinations up to date, and Coggins information current. “Maybe you are a month overdue with this, and then suddenly find you have to evacuate your horses and take them to a certain place that won’t let them onto the property unless you can show that they’ve been vaccinated or have a current negative Coggins test. It is best to have this done on schedule,” she says. It is wise to keep up with vaccinations because your horses will be exposed to other animals in this scenario. There is also risk for injury if your horse has to fend for itself during a period of time, so tetanus vaccines should also be current. You want your horses to be in the best situation possible, to
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If you have to leave horses behind, it is generally safer to leave them outside rather than in a barn or small paddock where they might get trapped.
survive whatever may happen. If you might have to haul horses, always have at least a half tank of gas in your truck. “If you head out with horses, have supplies at hand that you can take along—a bale of hay, buckets, a hose, wire cutters, etc. and make sure you can take care of yourself and your horses if you have to take them somewhere else—where there might not be any facilities or tools available,” says Madigan. “If you go to an empty fairgrounds and there are no hoses or buckets, you might not have a way to water your horse. Don’t assume someone else will have all these things,” he says. Every plan will be different, depending on where you are located, and your own situation. “Two adjacent farms could have very different situations,” says Moore. “One has a trailer and one doesn’t. One has a dozen horses and the other has one horse. Evacuation plans must be customized, and people should give this some thought ahead of time.” There may be specific things you’d need to consider. “If you live in an area more prone to hurricanes than fires, leaving the horses behind or not may vary, and where you leave them may also vary,” says Moore. Horses Left Behind “Part of being prepared, if you might have to leave your horses, is to make sure they will have water for several days” says Moore. “The feed is not as important as water, but it would be helpful if they
have access to hay or pasture versus locked in a stall with nothing to eat, but drinking is the most important,” he says. French says that even five to 10 gallons of water might help a horse survive longer than if it had none at all. People also wonder whether it is better to leave their horses indoors or turn them out. “One of the things we learned, dealing with hurricanes (when I was at Louisiana State University), whether to leave the horses indoors or turn them out in the face of a storm, is that turning them out is probably better. There’s always the risk that a tree might fall on them, but they wouldn’t be trapped in the barn. This would also apply in a flood,” he says. The horses would be able to find high ground if they are loose. If they are in a barn they may be trapped, and drown. If a wildfire sweeps through your place, they might also be safer in an open pasture than trapped in a barn or small paddock. What’s best may vary with each situation. In most situations, horses are better off outdoors. “If you can turn them loose with some sort of identification they have a better chance than confined in a barn,” says French. Some owners may be reluctant to turn them loose, but it might save their horses. Horse ID If you have to leave your animals behind, it’s helpful if they have permanent identification such as POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 55
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Identify Resources Ahead of Time Rebecca McConnico says the first thing horse owners should do is find out what the risks might be in their area, and make a plan to deal with possibilities. “Identify your resources for situations that might affect you. A lot of information will come from communicating with people in your area to find out what your resources are as a family, as a barn, or local group,” she explains. “The people who live in southern California and other arid regions that deal with wildfires usually have a plan because they’ve been through it before,” she says. After having gone through any kind of disaster, you have more idea about what to do for the next one. But communities that haven’t dealt with this need to make a plan. “We encourage people to have a partner to work with in case of disaster. A stable owner should have a partner barn; a veterinary practice should have a partner practice in the same town and another one in a different region in case of a widespread disaster. We try to keep the organized resources within one state, if possible, so we don’t have to worry about interstate agreements or memorandums of understanding, or horse travel between states,” she explains. “You need a plan within your community and within your state. Maybe a tornado takes out your barn and there are several horses injured but you also have 20 other horses that now suddenly need a place to live. If you have a partnering network with another barn or two, you could farm out horses to those barns to be cared for until you get back on your feet again and take them back. The buddy system is something people can relate to; they start thinking about other people they can count on. You never know when you might need that kind of support,” says McConnico.
Identify resources for situations that might affect you. Find places that might take your horses in an emergency evacuation.
a tattoo or brand. “If they don’t have any identification, many people use spray paint or livestock markers (paint sticks used at an auction) to put temporary ID information on the animals before turning them loose,” says French. “It’s a great idea to put a phone number on the horse’s side, but use the number of a friend or relative outside your area. When we were working with rescued horses from Katrina, if they had the home phone or cell phone we couldn’t reach the owners because there was no phone or cell service. You need to use the number of someone who can be reached,” says French. “Another thing that helped us identify horses was working with local veterinarians. Often they would recognize a certain horse and point us toward an owner. Microchips are a good idea, and some states are using these. This makes it a lot easier to track down an owner,” he explains. After hurricane Katrina and Rita, some people just picked up loose horses and took them home. “Most owners wanted their horses back if they could be located and rescued,” says French. “There are many humane groups, however, who take skinny horses and use them as poster children for promoting their own agenda. We had to use security forces a few times because there were
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people trying to steal horses to take back to their humane group and feed them up (to get before and after pictures) to show what a wonderful job their organization is doing. A disaster brings out the best in people and the worst in people. There are always some who take advantage of a situation,” says French. Madigan says it’s crucial to have each of your animals identified, even if it’s just something you can clip to the halter or around the horse’s neck. “It also helps to have a photo of the animal, in case you have to drop the horse off somewhere, and somebody asks you to prove it’s your horse when you come back. If there are 2000 horses at a fairgrounds, it’s good to have a photograph of you with your own horse. Even just a digital image of you and your horse can make a big difference,” he says. Horses in Louisiana are all required to have permanent ID—which can be a microchip, lip tattoo or a brand of some sort. “Not every facility has microchip scanners,” says McConnico. “If the microchip is on a Coggins form, you should be able to track it through your state veterinarian’s office— if they logged in everything. When dealing with Katrina we had many rescued horses with microchips, but we couldn’t just send the USDA the
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Preparedness Planning John Madigan helped write the AAEP’s Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Guidelines (which can be viewed on the AAEP website). He says UC-Davis also has publications to help educate horse owners about disaster preparedness. “We train first responders in emergency and disaster situations, to help them deal with horse and livestock evacuations in wildfires and other emergencies. We help people plan prevention strategies, emergency response, hurricane rescue of horses, emergency animal sheltering, dealing with loose livestock running through towns, etc. We advise people on how to contain these animals, and on chemical capture methods (tranquilizer darts, etc.) if they don’t have people available who are trained in capturing loose animals,” he says. “We have a list of things we recommend for hurricane, flood, fire, etc. With some planning and preparation, many things go more smoothly. Everyone should have a family plan. We worked with the state of California, making sure that when they had Preparedness Weeks and planning meetings that animal components were included.” People need to have an idea where they would meet later if they have to leave home. “They need to know about facilities that are on high ground in case of flooding. Families need to talk about how they will meet up later, how they will communicate when phones and cell phones don’t work. It’s wise to have an out-of-state contact—a phone number of someone who can be a communication source if local phones are down,” says Madigan. Just knowing about places you could take horses (in emergency evacuation) is important—like a fairgrounds or racetrack that might be able to house extra horses. Being able to take care of yourself for a day or two without outside help is also crucial if it might be awhile before you or your animals could be rescued. Find out where the closest large animal technical rescue people are located. Even if you have an isolated incident like a horse falling into a swimming pool, or through the ice on a pond, or in a accident in which they get covered with gas or diesel or exposed to toxic chemicals—you might need emergency help. There are people who can help in times of crisis with horses. “Some have gone through training for handling horses in these situations. Much of our problem-solving involves networking, finding the people who can help,” says McConnico. “It’s amazing how networking, and using social media to network, can help—and this also applies to disaster assistance when horse owners need help with equine rescues.”
microchip number of a horse and have them tell us the owner because some had never been logged into the database,” she says. “If you are evacuating and leaving animals behind, you could put a band around the horses’ pastern, with your phone number or contact information for a family member who lives somewhere the cell phones might still be working, or where someone could get a text message to them saying they found your horse. You can also use clippers to make numbers in the horse’s hair. Spray paint works well, and isn’t toxic because it’s just on the hair and doesn’t get down to the skin. This is probably the quickest and cheapest way to identify your horse,” says McConnico. “Down here, many people put horses on levees to graze. During a hurricane, people might evacuate and leave the horses behind—spray-painting their name and contact information on the horses. You can braid a luggage tag (with contact info) into the mane, but often it gets pulled out. Halters could have information written on them, but if you leave halters on horses they may get caught on something, yet someone might need a halter to restrain the horse if they do catch it,” she says.
Communication Connections Madigan says it’s important to find out where to get information. There may be a horse evacuation group or community organization that has a Facebook page where you could see what facilities, roads etc. are open and which ones are closed. “Communication via social networks has proven useful. Some phone services will be down but you will often still have texting capabilities, so it helps to have a phone that will do that—and be able to charge it when you are out of power,” he says. “What’s your plan for communication if cell phones and electricity aren’t working?” asks McConnico. “In Hurricane Katrina we didn’t have any way to communicate. In any large-scale disaster you might be unable to use cell phones. Texting worked a little, in our situation, but you can’t always count on it, either. If the electricity is out and you don’t have a battery, then what do you do?” she asks. “In situations where there is no form of communication you might use On-Star satellite communication, to collect information needed and to get word out that there’s a horse or 50 horses that need assistance, or that there’s someone available who could provide assistance,” says McConnico. • POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 57
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Memory fields Players reminisce about their PCO victories By Megan Kozminski for the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club
Vic Graber, John Stringer, Dick Walker and Hershall Banham compete in 1954.
In honor of 110 years of polo in Santa Barbara, we uncover some undocumented memories behind the prestigious Pacific Coast Open tournament. The memories from the field, the team dynamics, the opponents, the ponies, and ultimately, the win. Based on interviews with past winners, we shed new light on the exciting unwritten memories of players who battled in tournament finals to win the ultimate: their names forever etched onto the prestigious PCO trophy.
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A Polo Passport A native of Hawaii, Ronnie Tongg caught the polo bug at a young age from his father Ruddy, who had a vision of polo as a passport to the world. The 1962 PCO was one of Tongg’s first big wins alongside his mentor Billy Linfoot, the legendary Bob Skene, and Ronnie’s childhood friend from Hawaii, Harold Merck. Later that same year, the team of Ronnie, Billy and Bob traveled to Chicago and won the U.S. Open—with Roy Barry Jr. playing
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instead of Harold and Tony Veen as their horse transport manager. “Billy Linfoot was a great team general, and a lot of credit goes to him for our wins,” reflects Ronnie. Billy and Ronnie won the PCO again in 1966 alongside Bill Atkinson and Tom Hughes. “Bill Atkinson was a bit unorthodox, but he played a great back. And Tom Hughes was a charger up front,” Ronnie says. Ronnie notes that between 1961 and 1966, Santa Barbara had the best nucleus of high-goal polo players anywhere in the U.S., with Skene at 10 goals, Billy Linfoot and Roy Barry Jr. at 9 goals, and himself, Bill Atkinson, Bud Linfoot and Alan Scherer at 6 goals. Come 1977, the PCO tournament handicap was lowered as fewer high-rated players were available to play, and Ronnie Tongg pulled together a lastminute entry. “The son of a good friend of mine from the Manila Polo Club, Iñigo Zóbel, decided to come play and I let him decide about the team jerseys. He wanted to wear something fun and different, so we wore Mickey Mouse shirts. Our team ended up winning—it was a surprise to everyone!” he says. Golden Games & Gambles Corky Linfoot was a freshman in college in 1968—he wore bell bottoms, sported a long, shaggy hairstyle, and considered shoes to be optional. At the same time, he was a natural horseman and a talented young player. The Greenhill team needed a No. 4, so Billy Linfoot enlisted his son Corky on horses supplied by their generous teammate Hap Sharp. “Harold liked to have fun with me,” admits Corky, “and he declared that if we won the tournament, he got to cut my hair however he pleased.” Two weeks later, after securing the 1968 PCO, Harold sent Corky to his favorite barber who sheared Corky’s long locks down to the bare skull. Harold gave Corky another special bonus for his efforts in the game: a little Argentine mare that was one of Corky’s very first ponies. A few years later, Corky Linfoot received a phone call from Bob Skene: “Corky, I just broke my arm and I need you to come play for me—the semis are on Friday.” Corky boarded a plane and arrived to replace Skene in short order, joining the team alongside
When Iñigo Zóbel came from the Philippines to play with Ronnie Tongg in the 1977 Pacific Coast Open, they decided to do something fun and different for team jerseys so they wore Mickey Mouse shirts. The team ended up winning.
After winning the Palm Beach Open and the U.S. Open in 1979, Corky Linfoot was a bit horse-short for the Pacific Coast Open, playing with Retama. One horse ran him into a goal post leaving him with a lump on his head. The team still won.
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F.D. Walton said playing with Daniel Gonzalez in 1986 was like playing football with Tom Brady. Walton scored six of the team’s seven goals, thanks to passes from Daniel. The team included Daniel’s son Mariano Gonzalez and Glen Holden.
After a devastating loss in the 1996 PCO final, Pat Nesbitt and his Windsor Capital team were determined to win. The underdogs faced Tim Gannon’s Outback team. Playing hard, Windsor Capital ultimately prevailed.
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Antonio Herrera, who they warmly referred to as the “Golden Mexican” because of the sizable gold chain and cross perpetually adorning his neck. Rated 6 goals at the time, Corky and the 9-goal Herrera had a strong lead going into the final chukker. This lead was a blessing in the end, remembers Corky. “There were a few minutes left and Antonio is off his horse, walking the field near the 40-yard line, while the game is on! His gold chain and cross broke and he got off to find it, without finishing the game first. Luckily, we got the win, and he also found his golden treasure,” he explains. In 1979, Corky Linfoot achieved big wins in the Palm Beach Open in Florida and the U.S. Open in Texas and had limited horsepower remaining for the PCO final in Santa Barbara. But he pulled together a string and joined the Retama team alongside Tommy Gose, Mike Conant and Carlos Gracida. In the final, Corky was mounted on a lessthan-impressive pony named Bobcat Bernie. “The pony had no run, and was almost no help to me on the field,” he remembers. After an uneven ride-off, Bobcat ran Corky straight into a goal post, leaving him on the ground with a melon-size contusion forming on his left side. Corky finished the game and his team secured the win. The infamous Bobcat Bernie did not make any subsequent appearances on Field 1. Best Ponies & Big Hitters In 1984, Fred Mannix’s Fish Creek team included Joe Barry, Rob Roenisch, and Kenny Fransen. It was the first time Fred played with the big hitting Joe Barry. “Joe hated hitting Penalty 4s at the south end of the field because his balls always ended up on the freeway causing a screech of tires. At the north end, the penalty shots always ended up traveling through condominium windows!” Fred recalls. One of Fred’s best chukkers was on a pony named 011 (Oh Eleven), a Tommy Wayman horse who went on to teach all the Mannix kids how to play. Fred’s eldest son Frederick was there to witness his dad’s first PCO win, although he was only a few months old at the time. In the 1985 PCO final, the Old Pueblo team was the reputed underdog: John Hall, Corky Linfoot, and Mike Conant signed up Kevin Ittig to join their team, although Kevin had limited high-goal experience at the time.
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The Santa Barbara polo fields have seen Pacific Coast Open action for 110 years.
“Kevin was light on speed in his string, so I lent him one of my talented go-to ponies, Constant Comment. In the practice game, all I can hear Kevin saying is ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa’ and he returned her to me shortly after the chukker. A little too much fire he complained! Somehow our long-shot team managed to win. My wife Kathy likes to remind me that our team was not a natural fit, but Mike and I adapted well and made a success of the team by working together,” remembers Corky. Around the same time, Glen Holden was in search of a 9-goal player for his Gehache team. He reached out to friends in Argentina, who highly recommended Daniel Gonzalez. Daniel and his family made their way to Santa Barbara and he and Glen became excellent teammates and lifelong friends. “I am lucky to have played with him and have his expertise in finding talented horses in Argentina. I am also grateful that Daniel introduced me to Alfonso Giannico, who was my longtime horse trainer and polo manager,” Holden says. Holden claims his best chukker in the 1986 PCO final was on a mare named Rotunda, who he almost sold less than a year prior because she was such a handful on the field. But Alfonso convinced Glen to keep the mare while he invested months of training into her.
“As it turns out, Rotunda became one of the best horses that I played in my lifetime,” Glen admits. F.D. Walton describes his 1986 PCO experience with the Gehache team akin to playing football on a team with Tom Brady. “Daniel Gonzalez was that good at passing up the ball. I was lucky to join such an organized and seasoned team. Daniel put me at No. 1, which had not always been my favorite position. But I had great players behind me,” Walton says. Walton relied on a string of ponies that he trained himself to mount up against some of the best players in the U.S. that Sunday afternoon. In an attempt to keep up with his older brothers, he had started training horses when he was just 12 years on the family ranch in Modesto. Walton’s horsemanship and sensibility near goal made up for his lack of experience in high-goal polo. Gehache put a lot of faith in Walton and he really delivered, scoring six of the team’s seven goals to win. “I’m glad that I made good on the great opportunity that Glen Holden offered to me—it was a team and a game of a lifetime,” he says. The following season saw Maui secure the PCO win, with Joel Baker, Bill Mayberry and Peter Baldwin, recruiting a young Joe Henderson from his arena polo success out onto the grass. “It was a really hard game. Joel Baker had great POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 61
DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGRAPHICS.COM
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Mike Hakan, Francisco Lanusse, Santi Trotz and Mariano Gonzalez’s game day routine included eating breakfast at Stacky’s, sitting at the same table each time. When the table was taken the morning of their PCO final, they asked the occupants to move to another table. They complied and the superstitious team went on to win.
knowledge of high-goal polo, so we deferred to him and he led us to victory. It was one of my very first wins on the grass,” remembers Henderson. His best chukker that afternoon was on a horse from Scott Cunningham, a mare named Trixie who almost flipped over on him the first time he tested her breaks. “Everyone presumed Corky’s great mare Equal Rights would get the Best Pony prize. I was surprised and thrilled when they gave the prize to my Trixie instead!” he says. The Fish Creek team qualified for the final of the 1991 PCO, although Mannix was absent for many of the games with his wife Li-Anne expecting their son Julian in Calgary. Mannix put his groom Julie Roenisch in to play on his behalf during the qualifying games. “Fred never hesitated to put me in, and neither did Julio [Zavaleta]. They could have found some 1goal superstar kid, but they always went with me instead,” remembers Roenisch. Mannix flew down from Calgary in time to play in the final game, but he refused to do so. He called Julie over and said, “I’m not going to play, you got us to the finals, I want you to go play.” Roenisch not only had the backing of her boss, but many other players were also supportive of her game. “I never felt like I was treated differently by the men in the tournament. I was just another player 62 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
The historic Pacific Coast Open trophy was made by Shreve & Company at a cost of $4,000 for the Coronado Country Club in 1908.
out there on the field. My teammates and also Bob Skene were always very encouraging and gave me helpful advice about my games,” she says. Roenisch was the first woman to win the PCO and went on to become the first woman to play in the U.S. Open in 1992. Winning Traditions Pat Nesbitt recalls a devastating loss in the last 30 seconds of the PCO final in 1996. Come 1997, his Windsor Capital team fought their way through the tournament, and were determined to get the win. When JW Hall was injured in the semi-finals, the team enlisted Matthew Gonzalez as a substitute. “Matthew was a great all-around player and was instrumental in our win,” Nesbitt says. Windsor Capital faced Tim Gannon’s Outback team in the final, whose winning streak stretched back three tournaments. “We weren’t supposed to win,” suggests Nesbitt.
However, Outback reportedly hosted a team party the night before the final—maybe in anticipation of the trophy. Nesbitt recalls, “Our team fought hard to get to the final and weren’t taking anything for granted. We wanted the win and played hard to get it. And they might have been a little tired from their previous night’s festivities!” Duende team patron Mike Hakan fondly recalls perpetual excitement that surrounded the annual PCO calcutta throughout the ‘90s. “Every year, on the final day of the America Cup, the winner would open up the clubhouse bar in celebration. Then as the champagne flowed, each team in the tournament would be auctioned off. There was a lot of jostling and joking among the teams and players, but there was a pretty serious side to it as well,” Nesbitt remembers. Hakan’s Duende bought their own team in 1998, and reportedly “made out like bandits” with the calcutta pot after their win. Santi Trotz describes the Duende team (he, Francisco Lanusse, Mariano Gonzalez and Mike Hakan) that year as “the greatest of friends.” The foursome was very superstitious and maintained a regular game-day routine of eating breakfast at Stacky’s down the street in Summerland. Sitting at the same table each morning, the team would go over their horse lists and prepare their game strategy. When the day of the PCO final came, the team arrived at Stacky’s and found their usual table taken. They were accustomed to waiting for it to clear occasionally, but this day the customers did not seem to be in a hurry to leave. “After waiting 15 minutes, I walked over to the table and explained to the people sitting there that it was our team table. We had a big final that day and we had to eat at the specific table because we could not break our routine. They laughed at us but picked up their things and moved to a different table. We won that day!” Trotz says. Building the Win Mike Conant, who claimed an epic total of six PCO wins, reflects on his success with a quote from Santa Barbara legend Vic Graber: “The game of polo is played on horses.” With these sage words in mind, Conant always arrived to games with more horses than he needed, including some extra to share with teammates if required. “In 1990, there were 10 tournament games and
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then a final. We had to make sure to keep our best horses sound and ready for the final game, and not run them down during the qualifiers. We watched the other teams and their lineups, and we were smart about which horses we played in each game,” he explains. Conant’s best advice in becoming a polo champion: Build your win with your string. More recently, a team with superb horsepower claimed both the 2017 and 2019 PCO titles: Farmers & Merchants Bank. Their first win in 2017 ended in a dramatic fashion, playing almost two full overtime chukkers. Team owner, Dan Walker, reflected on their celebration. “I was so exhausted I could hardly enjoy the after-party. But in 2019, my adrenaline was so high that the after-party started as soon as we got off our horses and continued until the next morning. Our 2019 team earned the nickname Band of Brothers as our lineup changed almost weekly due to injury,” he says. The FMB team earned its way to the 2019 final winning most of their games by a strong margin but found themselves in an unusual position down, 8-5, in the final chukker of play. “We fought back, scoring four unanswered goals. It was an amazing win that I’ll never forget,” he recalls. •
Farmers & Merchants Bank’s Lucas Escobar, Felipe Vercellino, Lucas Criado and Danny Walker played almost two full overtime chukkers in the 2017 PCO victory. Walker remembers being so exhausted he hardly enjoyed the after-party.
POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N 63
CALENDAR
October S E P T E M B E R 15 - O C T O B E R 3 Copa de Plata (8) New Bridge, Aiken, SC SEPTEMBER 20-OCTOBER 1 New Bridge Ladies Invitational (10-14) New Bridge, Aiken, SC S E P T E M B E R 2 2 - O C T O B E R 10 USPA National Copper Cup (12) New Bridge, Aiken, SC SEPTEMBER 23-OCTOBER 9 Masters Cup (2-6) Houston, Houston, TX SEPTEMBER 24-OCTOBER 3 Presidents Cup Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, CA SEPTEMBER 25-OCTOBER 3 JHHE USPA Wickenden Cup (8) Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, CA S E P T E M B E R 2 6 - O C T O B E R 10 USPA Governors Cup (6) Aiken, Aiken, SC SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 3 Arena Women’s Challenge Commonwealth, Paris, KY OCTOBER 1 Nat’l Arena Commander-In-Chief (8) Virginia, Charlottesville, VA OCTOBER 1-3 Smithfield/Shekomeko Open Mashomack, Pine Plains, NY Ladies Invitational (12) Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, CA OCTOBER 2 Buckeye Cup Play Polo, Westerville, OH Frisco Fall Challenge (6) Prestonwood, Oak Point, TX OCTOBER 2-3 Sportsmanship Cup (2) CTPA, ATX, Manor, TX Sportsmanship Cup (0-4) South Bay, Gilroy, CA O C T O B E R 2 - 31 Arena Challenge Cup (0-3) Twilight, The Plains, VA
64 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
OCTOBER 3 Charles Hart Cup Columbus, Granville, OH USPA Paigahs Seahorse Cup (2) Mountain View, Charles Town, WV OCTOBER 3-4 USPA Women’s Arena Handicap (15) USPA Women’s Arena Open (18) Virginia, Charlottesville, VA OCTOBER 6-24 National Presidents Cup (8) New Bridge, Aiken, SC O C T O B E R 8 - 10 Last Chance Tournament (1) Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, CA National Sherman Memorial (6) Boston, Georgetown, MA O C T O B E R 9 - 10 Gen. George S. Patton Jr. Cup (0-4) New Orleans, Folsom, LA Constitution Cup (0-2) San Antonio, San Antonio, TX Oak Bend Farm Classic (2) CTPA, Two Wishes, Lockhart, TX Arena Amateur Cup (0-3) San Antonio, San Antonio, TX O C T O B E R 10 17th Annual Skull Valley Tourney Van Dickson Ranch, Skull Valley, AZ KeLeen and Carlton Beal Cup Houston, Houston, TX O C T O B E R 1 0 - 17 Arena Championship (12) Denver, Littleton, CO O C T O B E R 1 3 - 17 Fall Classic (14) Grand Champions, Wellington, FL O C T O B E R 13 - 2 3 Masters Cup (0-6) Midland, Midland, TX O C T O B E R 1 3 - 31 USPA Bronze Trophy (12) New Bridge, Aiken, SC
O C T O B E R 1 5 - 17 Arena Sportsmanship Cup (3) Seneca, Poolesville, MD O C T O B E R 15 - 2 4 Women’s Challenge (0-10) Yale, Bethany, CT O C T O B E R 16 - 17 Women’s Challenge (8) CTPA, Texas Military, Poteet, TX Arena Sportsmanship Cup Barrington Hills, Wacounda, IL O C T O B E R 2 0 - 31 Masters Cup (6) Wagener, Wagener, SC Tackeria Invitational Grand Champions, Wellington, FL OCTOBER 23 Polo Scare & Pumpkin Carve (3) Dallas, Red Oak, TX OCTOBER 23-24 Players Cup (0-4) River Bend, Wellborn, TX O C T O B E R 2 5 - N O V E M B E R 14 Continental Cup (12-16) Grand Champions, Wellington, FL OCTOBER 27-30 USPA Annual Meeting Boar’s Head Resort, Charlottesville, VA O C T O B E R 27 - NOV E M B E R 7 USPA Association Cup (8) New Bridge, Aiken, SC O C T O B E R 2 9 - 31 Constitution Cup (0-6) Prestonwood, Oak Point, TX OCTOBER 30 Alqimi Halloween Cup Congressional, Poolesville, MD O C T O B E R 3 0 - 31 All Saints Eve Cup (0-2) CTPA, Two Wishes, Lockhart, Texas
Note: All dates are subject to change. “USPA” refers to tournaments sponsored or sanctioned by the United States Polo Association. Signifies prize money available.
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