This is a loss to Polo in the USA for many reasons. Stevie was a Man among all of us, the Old and the New, he seen it all and he knew it was what it is not what it was. Unlike many, he accepted it and tried to fix it and had ways to make it happen. It will not, because he was injured a while back, and now is gone, but he probably had a plan to bring Polo back to the US side of things, as he did in St Louis, building the best field, making it happen, and then building Port Mayaca to what it is today.
Stevie was never thought of as a Patron, even though he often was. He was just a tough player and always worth his rating in whatever level he played. He asked for nothing and dang sure gave nothing on the field except good ol’ fashioned hustle. He made the most of his Horses and he raised them as well and he got bucked off more than 99% of the Patrons in Polo because he did it his way. He seldom or never asked a groom to get on a horse he wouldn’t, just the way he was tough but not showing it, just get it done. The other side of him was leading – he knew what we needed and he worked at it, trying to make it better for all and he did, but he never got the help he needed from within our OrG, to make it work. Make US POLO better. All I can say we will and do miss this MAN. So LONG SIR
Now about Polo. I have been gone awhile. I live in one of the top 3 zip codes in America and you would think I live in Trinidad, instead of Colorado where they have phones and internet. Actually we do, it just does not work that often lately, but we are on the mend and guess what? It is raining here again and not 2 inches in 25 minutes but 2 inches in 5 days. So we will have Polo here in Santa Barbara and could be the best in many years. We have lost a lot of Patrons due to well old age but now have plenty of new blood and some interested Newcomers who want to enjoy paradise in the Summer Months and they have the right idea there is no place like it ANYWHERE PERIOD. July and August are impossible to beat. Fields fantastic, weather unbelievable, fun, clean city – a paradise for Wife and Children – how do you beat it? U do not .
Around Polo down South it is the Valiente show as they continue to conquer and now divide into Valiente and Colorado using few Americans so in many ways doing little for our sport unlike old days when Patrons brought in a foreigner to beef up or lead a team but kept the game on our land, for our land. They have removed that from the sport and made it by wallet is bigger move on or out, and most did, trying to compete, not that anyone really does anymore. This is not doing anything for US POLO in anyway and it is time for the Young Players to step up and say so and the USPA to see this is not helping anyone who lives here or pays Taxes here. We have become the foreign aid of South America. With no thought of expanding US POLO for US POLO PLAYERS. Like American Soccer we cannot compete if our youth have no chance to compete at this level. And look at the rosters, there are very few ANYWHERE ON IT.
I think going from 26 to 22 is a great help but like the UK we need to add Americans to the teams. How else will they ever get to compete at these levels? Just a question – if you have an answer? SEND IT
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