Out here in SB it was the Presidents Cup first round and it The return of the Lady B putting Film Fiance in the W section as they blew by Gypsy Farm and head to a big one tomorrow as they take on Klentner Ranch and the Cowboys of KR just stomped all over the Boots of Lucchese with a 2 Patron team as Jessie all day Bray seems to be the AC of SB lately as he has not lifted his mallet off of his shoulder in the 6th chukkar yet and I hear Justin stopped to have a glass of water not sure it was that bad or good but barn rumors. Anyway tomorrow is another day and it will be Klentner vs Film Fiance and Gypsy vs Lucchese so @ least one will have a W for the weekend .
Back East In Greenwich it is a big day as Audi and Mr Ganzi try to defend there Title of defending champs against none other that Peter Brant and White Birch it is on TV live and it does not have AC but they do have Hillario , Sebe Merlos ,Nick Roldan and Mr Agurrie so it will be balls to he walls POLO watch it and then head over to the club it is East Coast time for that one .
Sad news latley a little behind on it but we lost some good people Tom Akers of Kentucky passed away lately and was well known as a horse trainer and lots of low goal polo around the Country . Todd Zeller a super groom out of Oak-brook area in Chicago who spent several years on the West coast also passed away a while back sad to hear these things and just very recent a South Carolina boy who moved west named David Flowers who was always the life of a conversation was killed in an auto accident back in the Carolina’s so sad to hear we are not growing that fast in this sport to lose so many.
If you are close to Portland,Or. you can bet you will never have so much fun as you will at Sean Keys club called Hidden Creek it will be awesome and I am sure as much fun as San Diego Polo where they will be smoking Sunday as well these places bring POLO to the PEOPLE . All of the clubs in the USA should take a class not from the USPA but from Lyndsey Clorhnet in San Diego maybe polo would really grow .
WE have a reasonable association that represents the Sport of Polo but they have no and I mean no inclination to improve Americans in the sport of Polo.
Why :
They bring a great program to start young people and then drop them off the cliff as there is no protection at all so they finish program no horses no money no job no more POLO. Also if you look at all the People they consider students take a closer look 95 % are Polo kids who would be there anyway but still the same problem no where to grow and no help to get there.
The UK seen this 20 years ago Jack Oxley said it then as well but we have some other mindset and it is absurd we now have 13 players 6 goals or above and 9 are 40 + yrs old and we want to be a part of it World Polo. We are not 1 player in UK high goal that is not a Patron and that was Nic Roldan and he proved he belonged there. I am sure some of the 20 to 30 year old’s could do the same but with our rules they do not even get to play in our top flight Polo. Sure the Big Patrons want to win NOW but if they had to use a young American or an American they would like England make it happen. They would use them they would learn and they would be very good quickly
Polo is a way of Life and you might read Adam Snows Book it tells the story and it is 10 times worse now. We put on a show with all are US BS but we take them nowhere. I also know I did not pay my dues this year after 27 years but I am not sure what and why I should. Who am I helping it is not Americans, We are so blind we avoid the Canadians as USPA members and the supposed reason is the Olympics but we invite everyone else to take our spots to improve. Look at East Coast Open US Open West Coast any majors and count young Americans , It seems to me we are called the USPA association not the us polo. Fix it 2 US players on ever team here in the US and sure some will say NO but they will be back if not no problem it will change .
Another problem solver and this is from an Argentine Player Javier Tanoria I think he is a genius and these 3 simple ideas change the game and make it a sport of Kings and the King of sports as Pat Nesbitt says.
# 1) 6 horses per game everyone Why ? It changes the game makes it a team game not a superstar game AC, Facundo whoever can not have 10 horses one better than the other they have to use the team so it is a game for a team not a blocking pact to free the big stick.
# 2) Delete throw inns one is all they have to start the game removes 25 % of fouls and problems . Which everyone knows as there is always a KI if you score and if not other team hits in in 99 % of practice games you play.
# 3) out of bounds other team hits it simple by mistake or to stop play it is other teams ball just like all other sports.
I know I am making a few enemies with this but I really do not care I have as many friends in Ar, as the US and Europe but I know we have 10 young players on the West Coast who could compete with anyone else and will never have the chance because our own Association will not support them .
