So far the only star I see from 2018 is the Tournament committee did get 1 for dropping the Big ones to include a few more Americans to the game of Polo in the USA now 22 goals and 16 teams instead of 26 and 3 teams good work.. Now is the time for the young Americans to grow and the only way that can happen is the US Polo Association open a venue that will work for these Ladies and Men of the future. There are two ways to look at it in my mind if the new mode is to have only the rich play Polo leave it the way it is and it will fall even farther into a deep black hole as none of the young rich are joining in the way it is now in the US . We do not have new Patrons on the horizon like we once did. WHY? For the most part in my opinion it is competition like 2 decades ago we had many new wealthy players and they were players the Armstrong’s Busch’s, Uihlien’s, Gose’s, Orthwein’s,Johnston’s ,Goodman’s to name a few and they were all players because it was team sport and they wanted to compete and did not just buy a trophy we always had a few who tried but seldom did now there is not many who care to continue as the only thing they get to do with there right hand is write checks not hit the ball or even try too. These Families and many more people like the Oxley’s, Holden’s , Peter Brant ,Pete Baldwin, Seth Herndon , Tim Gannon ,Walkers , Wilson.s all were a part of making American Players be better and become Professionals who could compete World wide. WHY they got to play and had jobs to grow , that’s why we had players who came up the ranks not because of money but help from Patrons who also grew at same time pros like Red Armour Julio Arellano the Barrys Joe ,Roy, Bobby Joe Wayne Blakes, Biddle , Mike Carney,Joey Casey , Hector Galindo , Jeff Hall, Tiger Kneece,, Owen Rinehart, Roldan, Jake Sieber, C Smith,the Waltons Tom Wayman and the last 2 10 goal players from US Adam Snow and Mike Azzaro 1988 and 2003 that shows where are Association is leading us 5 players to go above 7 in this Century some of these had money but most just got the chance from Patrons who wanted to compete themselves and did it . The way I see it we need to follow the English they are producing there own and it is working they even Won the British Open against all odds with a Brit Team. This would be impossible to do here We do not have enough young players to do it . WHY we have all these programs to help Players get started and then once they get to 2 goals dump them on an Open Market with no horses no job and worse than all no way to get a chance to make it if they do not have someone to write a check . The English figured this out and protected there young players by making them have them on ever team . Sure they were taken to Argentina or Australia and trained but it would be same here and even better because they can play year around in the U.S. Also cut the cost of the game by simply reducing number of Horses per player in a game an idea brought up by Javier Tanoria an Argentine Player who should be in charge of Polo Worldwide in my opinion he thinks to the future . United States Polo Association has all this money they say and I guess are saving it for, it sort of like Gov Brown out here in Ca. big surplus but no roads no education and no water but has a surplus ?? Polo has no building blocks no USPA fields but we saved that money instead of buying IPC or the Refuge 15 years ago but they do have cash!! Now build American Players and still save your money Limit horses make American players 2 on ever team and 4 goal or less have to be Americans and maybe we will be better in World Competition than US Soccer Teams. There is no doubt many smart people out there and some are the young Players coming up give us your ideas. Will write them up. There is no reason GRINGOS CANNOT PLAY POLO if they get a chance !!!!!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR
see ya