The Polo Report
By Steve Crowder

Today is the 13th day of March, 2011, and it has been a little over 30 years since Florida Polo changed to what it is today. I have no doubt that two people made it happen … John T. Oxley and Bill Yulvisacker. It will forever be the change that made it what it is today. A whole different world.

Today I was at IPC (International Polo Club)  just standing around talking to a very popular Polo Player, Julian Hipwood, when I looked up and the two most important polo pros were chatting nearby. I thought back and in their time it was really these two who changed the game and the way polo is played worldwide.  In 1980 neither were 10 goals, but they would be and they could have been 20 goals to the World of Polo as it is today. Their names are Gonzalo Pieres (GP) and Memo Gracida. These two players changed the face of the game. Sure it took John T. and Bill Y. to fix it, but when Peter Brant hired GP it became a new world for polo.  Steve Gose of Texas brought Memo Gracida in and it was a whole new world and we never looked back.  John T.  brought class and style to the game with the Boca Stadium.  Bill Y. brought Luxury and finesse to what it is today. These two Men GP and MG brought the athletes to the game with speed and discipline never seen before and it has never gone back to the days of cowboys on horses having a good Sunday afternoon. These men help make polo  a SPORT with speed, Pros and they made it a  business with money beyond our dreams. Things like 10 horses per player, 2 grooms or more, gym classes, fans to dry horses and keep them cool,  custom mallets, plastic balls, pro-umpires, stretching fitness, etc.  All of these changes came because these two men made it a business and for better or worse it is what it is today.  I am glad they did it myself.  Polo is a lot better than punching cows or herding sheep. Thank you Gentleman!!

Today was a great day for polo as 4 games were played in the 26 goal Gold Cup. Two were not very important as both were for finishing the leagues. Pony Express and Piaget and Orchard Hill and Faraway. One was sort of fixed I think … Lechuza and Los Monjitas, as both were going through to the next round anyway.  It came down to Audi vs. the Hawks and it was a Pieres day.  The battle of brothers Mannix’ vs. Pieres was on. The Pieres side as Audi went away with a pretty big win and a trip to the semis where they will meet Los Monjitas and brother Facundo.  Zacara will deal with Lechuza … all of this happens on Wednesday at the ultimate spot of POLO today , the International Polo Club (IPC).  IPC was designed and built by John Goodman, where class and style is present everywhere.  It is just what John T. and Bill Y. wanted this sport to be and guess what? Gonzalo and Cecilia Pieres have 3 boys playing in the Semis.

On the West Coast today I have no results thus far, but will get them to you as soon as we hear them. For some reason it has never reached the level of the East coast in the West. Fred Mannix of Calgary, Canada, who is the patron of the Hawks here in Florida, tried to make it better.   Now Alex Haagen III  has taken up the reins to make it a new world out West. So maybe soon we will see it happen.

See ya at the semis.