The Polo Report
By Steve Crowder
Just when it looked like the end of the Canadian money train was out, it was not. With Northern Blizzard losing to Diamond Dave’s Los Banditos it looked like Canada would finally be stopped in the big money tournaments. Gordon Ross and his Re/Max team with a sub were not to be denied. They took home 37,500 in the big one at Empire Polo Club in the 6-8 Goal Champions Cup. I hear it was a very exciting game and went to OT. Re/Max Team included Mr. Speed aka Gordon Ross and Jared Sheldon along with Luis Saracco and Miss Dayelle Fargey. They were able to stop the Wolf (Ashton Wolf) and Eric Hammon in this one along Mr. Gould and Chad Bowman of Texas. Next door it was Speed Fassetta (Mariano Fassetta) and Jesse Bray moving down the line hard and fast with Dave Dollinger. They swept 4 of the 6 skins and the overall win as well. The Governor’s Cup went to San Francisco’s Domrey, Champ Ross with Juan Jo Gonzalez, Taylor Freeman and Doug Blumenthal. The big 4-goal money tournament, the Lions Cup, was taken as well by a Canadian from way up Northby the name of Ross Adams. He played with another big fellow Kimo Huddleston along with Lady Lacey Safanovs and Peter Blake. They stopped defending Champ Charlie Peteresen, Remy Muller and two Little Ladies Carol Lessine and Emma Stachowicz.
It was a huge day for the desert polo scene as Empire VIP was sold out (and has been for several weeks) and a huge General Admission crowd lined the east side. There was also a big fan base at Eldorado. One thing for sure is we just need more players and horses and this could become the venue we need for Polo to return to the big time.
I think it would be an amazing time for the new owners at Eldorado (Goldenvoice) to look at a joint effort with Empire Polo Club. Maybe this is an idea … Let Graham Bray manage all the high-goal polo creating the highest level possible in the desert. It could be 14- or 16-Goal to start. Give these teams (if we could get maybe 6 or 8 teams the first year) the 4 best fields between both of the clubs and the featured games at Sunday Polo. Then filter it down to next level maybe 8- to 10-Goal. They would play on the second level of polo fields. Then 4-goal for all other fields except for a pro pool weekend deal where visiting players as well as beginners can learn the game or just play family-friendly polo.
I think it could work. The desert season would have the best fields and polo in Feb. and March and lay low in January. In January, use only the main grounds and fields for Sunday matches. Next year in 2015 that would give you 9 weeks of fantastic polo and if you want to have week off, that still gives you 8 weeks with a break for fields and horses first weekend of March. Using each main ground for only 1 game on that Sunday … just a thought.
I still see only 40 % of the polo that used to be played in the desert, so I know it can happen. There are at least 6 more fields now and a half million more people in the area. They have it all right there in Indio, CA. The King of grand appearances and the Lion … Alex Haagan, III, who will make all of it look grand and a true show place. This suits the new owners-style (Goldenvoice). Any improvements made to the polo grounds makes it an even better destination and facility for their shows (Coachella Music Fest. and Stagecoach). We should all say adios to the old bunkhouse mentality we all used to love. “Go West” will be the buzz WORD in polo.
Down South the U.S. OPEN started and Mr Mannix as in Julian Mannix had his first win today.
see ya