Our Black Sunday
By Sam Morton
“Nothing really prepares you for what happened Sunday; the horror of over twenty horses dropping at our biggest polo tournament of the year. Young athletes cut down in their prime. It is our Black Sunday or 9/11 in polo. There are lots of rumors running around which doesn’t really change the end result. Lots of horsemen who happened to be there scrambled over to help but there was nothing they could do. One witness told me it looked like there were twenty people around each horse trying to do something, anything.
“People who work behind the scenes in polo learn to work fast. We pride ourselves on it. Horses are tacked up, stripped, and washed in minutes. At the U.S. Open Sunday, and at any Florida function all winter, there are people from all over the world in the polo community. For over an hour, South Africans, Argentines, French, Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, Brazilians, Costa Ricans, Cubans, and several other countries, worked shoulder to shoulder with the best horse vets in the world to save lives. They were scrambling as one, at a moment’s notice. I can tell you no one could have worked faster in any sport, equestrian or human, and for that I am extremely proud to be part of it. The polo team, Isla Carol mounted a substitute team in little over an hour. I’m not sure people realize what went into that.
“Grooms, sponsors, vets, players, photographers and spectators are all bonded by a passion for horses. It’s who we are as a community. The last time we were brought together was the herpes virus scare a few years back. I sat in a room and looked at pros, blacksmiths, grooms, vets, owners and fans of polo that pulled together for the love of our horses and I think it was probably the first time I truly thought about being part of a community. I was proud then and I am proud now.
“In Plains Indian society, less than two hundred years ago, it was believed that when a man dies, his horse would accompany him in the next life. That’s how much horses were deeply involved in their life, and in a way they are that much a part of our lives in polo. I can tell you every polo player, groom, owner, trainer and fan of the game fells the pain right now. We are deeply hurt and saddened as a people over the loss of our horses. To Lechuza we send our condolences.
“God bless the souls of our horses that run with the angels now.
“Gotta go.”
“My horse fights with me and fasts with me because if he is to carry me into battle, he must know my heart and I must know his or we shall never become brothers. I have been told that the white man who is almost a god, and yet a great fool, does not believe the horse has a soul. This cannot be true. I have many times seen my horse’s soul in his eyes.
-Plenty Coups Chief of the Crow”
Sam Morton
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It’s fantastic that the people of Polo reacted like this in a time of need and as you can see they did. All the crap about Lechuza Polo is just that. Lechuza probably runs one of the best barns in the nation. Victor Vargas is first class anywhere in the World and he loves this sport. Steven Scott knows polo and has one of the top stables anywhere in the World. Most people could live with their horses and be comfortable. If it was a mistake by the barn it was a mistake by someone else. They would not feed or give any horse something like this. This tragedy suggests either a manufacturer made a mistake, just as Tylenol did a ways back, Baby formula or peanuts which was more recent. Or it could be someone was just trying to murder some innocent animals. It was a mistake and a huge one. Felix Crespo did not know it like the peanuts company did. You give a friend one to taste and see how he was the next day? Then eat them, NO? It would be like buying super vitamins, giving them to your donkey to see if they work and then using them yourself. We buy things because we assume they are what we paid for and usually they are. Steven and Victor were not doing some cheap deal I can guarantee you they just did not get what they paid for. Or someone was trying to ruin their lives, and that is what we will soon know.
The BS all over is just that . . . BS so far. Nobody knows that much, but in the end it will be a bad batch of electrolytes, vitamins, b12 or some other item or a cold blooded killer who tainted the product on purpose. So be cool. Things are bad enough with this loss of the four-legged players who always stand by us. It hurts the people who were really hit hard VV, SS, FC and the many people involved in their high-class facility. I feel for them and the horses not the fools on paper.
See ya and thanks SAM MORTON that was GREAT.
Horses are spiritually much more evolved than us. They have huge hearts. They are healers. They know that death is not the end. They can come right back and be horses again. They know and are grateful that everyone there on Sunday tried to help them. They remember past lives. They will not forget who you are and what you did for them.
I sincerely hope that, if this was no accident, that those involved receive a just punishment.
It’s time animals had a voice.
My sincere condolences to the Vargas team and thier barn members.
Pamela Foster
Intuitive Animal Healer
I am an outsider of polo yet this event and the actions of others brings out the best in humanity which I am an insider. Im thankful to my friend for sending this info to me. I extend my deepest sympathy to all.
The tears from the polofamiliy all over the world is with the horses.
Regards Tina
Thank you Sam for this article. We are one big family..right or wrong, we try to pull together and this tragedy prooves that. I am so hopeful that this was indeed an accident.