The Polo Report
By Steve Crowder
Russ Sheldon, Buffalo Ranch Arena Tournament. Photo by Lynn Bremner.
I am very sad to say Russ Sheldon passed away today. He was at home, doing what he does best, getting horses ready for the kids to learn and play polo. This is a huge loss to the USPA and magnifiethat by 10 on the loss to Southern California polo community. Russ ran Poway Polo Club, which was a feeder club to so many other clubs in this area. Through Poway Polo Club he made many of the players in Indio, San Diego and Temecula Polo Club. He still had a strong program going in Poway.
I never knew Russ as well as his son Bill and Grandsons Shane and Jared, but I always knew he was 100 % behind them. Ran ran a Utility Co. for a day job, but since I have known him back about ’89, he has been involved in Polo 100 % when not working. Russ was King of Cowboy Polo for years and then when Del Mar (San Diego Polo Club) opened they came over to play arena polo. It was dangerous as they had 55″ to 60″ mallets and knew how to use them. It scared the “you know what” out of us when the cowboy polo players swung at the ball. In ride-offs, they knocked the snot out of you on bumps with horses big enough to pull a plow. It did not take long for them to change over to arena polo. Russ’ son Billy changed and became a weekend warrior wanted everywhere, but Russ had him working. Billy still made the USA World Cup team and Grandson Jared should have been there this year.
The main thing we all know about Russ was if you wanted to play polo you could. He did not care if you could give him a dime, but if you really wanted to play, he would make it happen. Russ took pride in Poway Polo Club aka Poway Valley Riders Association. They have a Rodeo, polo club and other riding programs. Russ was also a Cowboy at heart. They would have a Fair and Russ was also an AG Man, they had Polo and Russ was also a Polo Player. I think he probably was responsible for more new USPA Members over the last decade than any other club in the USPA. They will really miss him. Russ was a very big cog in the USPA and he did get it done. He helped everyone and never said a thing. If you paid him fine, but if you did not just appreciate it. There were two men who build Polo in Ca. and the other is Rodney Fragodt at California Polo Club. These Men are the reason we have new people in the game today.
Who will fill RUSS SHELDON’S BOOTS? NOBODY.
We will miss you big time Cowboy, Construction guru, Polo Player. So will the City of Poway, the USPA and most of all the CALIFORNIA POLO Community.
see ya.