The Polo Report
By Steve Crowder
Many of you do not know Brian Murphy, but if you did, you would understand as I will tell you a story. Brian Murphy was about 42 when I met him. He was a builder of luxury homes in Rancho Santa Fe – Del Mar area near San Diego, CA. I was putting on a clinic at the Horse Park and Brian was one of the participants. During the first hour, even though he was 20 years older than 90 % of the participants, I knew this man would play polo and he did.
Brian was very athletic and so damn tough. He could have been 18. He had his own ideas about the sport. Brian wanted to play, but as most beginners, he wanted young and new horses. Brian grew up in Illinois and Kansas City, so he knew a lot of people with horses and ordered some from friends. He hired a Jumper trainer to make them and was on his way. Brian joined San Diego Polo Club and started the game.
One weekend, he came to Santa Barbara with us. Artie Cameron had polo everyday at his ranch, so I signed Brian up and gave him about 6 horses 14 and older from Bob Fell and Eric Friden. He played very well and had a lot of fun. This changed his tune … “ok,”he said, “buy these horses and bring them to Del Mar.” We did, all for about 20 grand total. We played one of the first years in SD, a 4-goal tournament with Brian and 2 Fridays. We won every game by 6 goals or more. Brian Murphy had the bug, he was hooked on polo. We went to Indio that year and played 6- and 8-Goal and won three of the tournaments. Murphy, at 40+ went from -1 to 0. Within 3 years Murphy was 3-goals and won the 12-goal Speckles Cup. Whatever he played in, he did it while working 6 days a week. He also never rode another green horse and never had a bad horse for more than one game.
We went on a Summer trip in the early 90’s from SD to Norman, Tulsa, Kansa City, St. Louis, Kanakee his home town, Oakbrook, Naperville, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Jackson Hole, Sun Valley and won all but one game. We 100’s of friends playing all games. The team was Murphy, Paula Baxt, me and someone from the last club we were at. It was A TRUE POLO TOUR.
Then about 3 years later, around 1997, in a 12-goal game in Indio at El Dorado, a tragedy happened. It was a polo crash. Murphy went down and hit hard. I think because of a bad helmet, he suffered an injury that never went away. Murphy had taken off a new helmet at 1/2time because it was very wet and used his old one and then the accident happened. I have no idea if this is right, but I think it was.
Murphy was not only a good polo player for his age and limited riding experience, he was also a man you knew would help you no matter what. Murphy would always have your back and share his wisdom to make it work. Or be just as happy to say that it was a stupid idea.
He would have been right 99% of the time. The sad thing is that for the last 18 years, we have hoped it would change, but it never did. Maybe it is a God sent that the Lord took him away to a better place.
BRIAN MURPHY will leave his mark on polo. He is the Grand Father of the Julio and Megan Arellanos amazing family of Polo’s Young Guns. I know in my heart he has been trapped for a long time and he deserved to get away. SO LONG TO THE BEST MAN I EVER KNEW.
Back to polo this month …
Around the World in polo it is Valiente and King Power meeting in the semis of the Gold Cup. This will be a war between 3 of the best in the World and really 4 when you add Nero, even though he is not rated 10 this year.
lA INDIANNA takes on Lyndon Leas Zacara in the other one and features only one 10-goaler, Pablo Mac Donough. There are some very hungry young guns including American star Nic Roldan, so even at home you can see it live on the Polo Channel.com all lowercase and you will not have to be in the rain.
In Connecticut there will be a finals in the Butler at Greenwich. In the West it is the Silver Cup getting underway in Santa Barbara. They have former 10-goal star, Adam Snow, in the mix. Also … please check outAdams Book “POLO LIFE.” He wrote it with his wife and they do know POLO LIFE.
There is lots of action in Portland, as Sean Keys gets all kinds of attention at the new Portland Polo Club. It is an amazing place to be this summer. Calgary and the amazing club at Sheridan are also moving along. You cannot go wrong coming West for Summer Polo.
see ya MR. MURPHY.