The Polo Report
By Steve Crowder
The 2014 Pacific coast Open may well be the last 20-goal polo tournament played in California. It is a bit sad, but it looks like the deal is done and 1915 will be 16-goal instead of 20. The thought is that it will bring more teams as only 4 are participating in the 20-goal this season and it will return to 20-goal in future. I am not sure, but as The Ump said in a late review “I doubt it as we can only get four, 12-goal teams and four 8-goal teams where is the future? It will be sad to see Santa B Polo lose its prestige and honor on the West Coast as the last high goal. We already saw Texas go under 20-goal for several years now and San Diego and Indio before those clubs. I think the writing is on the wall. Want to play great polo? Then you need to go to Florida or not and a little bit of Co. and NY.
California has the best weather, good fields (more now ) but we don’t have players. It is like it is fine with all involved. They do not see a reason to step it up. I do not think it is money, but I am sure it does enter the thought process when decisions are made. It costs a lot more to play in Fl., Soto Grande the UK than it does here. These other polo destinations don’t have this weather, but they do have something. What is it? Lifestyle, Management, Social or is it just not cool to come to California ? Three teams that have been here are continents away playing in Spain like Mansour, Valiente, Los Mojitas. It costs more to go to those destinations, so they didn’t leave because CA was too expensive. We do need to look in the mirror as Geoff , Pat, Glenn, Ken, Mike, John, Bud and Bob all locals are no longer playing and making it happen. It seems the attitude is to play family Polo and that is the norm now. Life changes they say and it has went upside down here.
Never the less, we have four teams here in the PCO and they are all good teams. Two have stood out thus far … ERG and Luccese, but it is Polo and one good day and they may not stand out. With four teams the room for error is small.. They pair-off well tomorrow as the two weakest teams meet and the two dominant teams will meet, so it may be a good run for all to see which teams meet on the 31st. It will be our final day of 20-goal polo.
Remember PCO is on Thursday and Sunday not Friday call 805 684 5819 for the schedule.
see ya