By Connie Atkinson
Each year Corky and Kathy Linfoot put on a polo Tournament for children 15 years and younger in honor of Billy Linfoot, Corky’s father who played polo as a renowned 9 goal player. The Tournament was held at the beautiful, lush Santa Barbara Polo fields. Empire’s polo playing children were eager to take to the road and travel to their first away junior tournament.
Garrett and brother Grant Hartzel-Russell
Nine children under the supervision of Connie Atkinson from Empire Polo Club, located in Indio, CA, headed to Santa Barbara to participate in the tournament. Garrett and his twin sister, Anna Margaret Hartzel-Russell played in the lead line division. Alyssa Garcia and Ella Bonilla played in the Hand-canter group and Eleanore Smith, her older sister, Cameron Smith, and Grant Hartzel-Russell, Alex Payone and his cousin Santiago Payone competed in the fast “Rock and Roll” game.
Stepping up …
The playing divisions left out the walk/trot category and some of the kids had to be moved up to the faster divisions of canter and the “Rock and Roll” teams. Corky called the night before we left and asked if any of our kids could participate in the faster groups since they wanted to build 6 teams for the “Rock and Roll” divisions. Two players from Empire, Alex Payone and Santiago Payone were already scheduled to play in this bracket, but the other players had never participated in a fast game the way Santa Barbara players are known to play.
Ella Bonilla and Alyssa Garcia were slotted to play in the walk/trot division, but they were bumped up to the canter bracket. Their playing and riding skills were truly tested when each of them played a running game for two chukkers, making it a real nail-bitter for the parents on the sidelines. Play, they did, and we couldn’t be prouder.
For the Rock and Roll group, Empire placed three other players in this division. Each Empire player was strategically put on different teams, leveling out the strengths of all 6 teams. For Eleanore, Cameron and Grant, they participated in the fasted chukkers they have never played in their polo experience. Mounted on horses that have only played at a hand canter in their retirement years, the kids were a bit overwhelmed as their fellow players whizzed by them up and down the field.
While watching the game from the sidelines, Claudia Uretz said “Sometimes slow and steady wins the race.’
Our Empire kids have proved this to be true on many occasions during the chukkers, especially when the play turned, both offensively and defensively. At the back of the pack, they were the first ones to the ball to either back it or hit it up to their teammates. In many instances, the faster players missed the ball only to have it hit up to them by a “slow and steady” player. It was obvious our Empire kids could hit the ball and knew the play. One thing about polo that always comes into play … the handiness and speed of the horse is something that really makes a difference in the game.
The opportunity to participate in the Billy Linfoot Memorial Tournament has been a huge inspiration to our Empire kids. They were greatly impressed by the riding and playing abilities of the junior players who came to play from all over the United States. Our players had a wonderful time and they are all very grateful for this playing experience.
With a whole year of practice, we hope to return next year bigger and better than ever. For all of us kids at Empire Polo, thank you Corky and Kathy!!