The Polo Report
By Steve Crowder

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon at the gorgeous grounds of Empire Polo Club, high-goal polo returned to the desert for one day.  It was the Polo d’Elegance Charity Polo Match featuring two, 18-goal polo teams.  The Face of Polo, Nacho Figueras, was captain of the Beverly Hills Polo Team.   He lights up any room or field just by being there. We did not reach ten thousand people, which I think was very odd considering the event it was,  but that’s Polo.  the higher priced tickets were sold out.  The cheap seats were very sparse.  Maybe there should be no cheap seats even though it was for a great cause, Boys and Girls Club.

From left to right: Trinity, Marcelo Abbiati, Jose Donoso, Juan Jamarillo, Rick Paicius. Beverly Hills Polo Team – Bash Kazi, Mariano Fassetta, Nacho Figueras and Kris Kampsen.

Regardless of the number of spectators, the event was fun and  the game was fast on a very good field.  There were a lot of goals scored with two very competitive and generous Patrons who sponsored each of the two teams.  Empire’s own Rick Paicius  sponsored the Trinity team (Rick Paicius, Juan Jamarrillo, Marcelo Abbiati and Jose Donoso).  Newport Beach, Florida, New York player  Bash Kazi sponsored the Beverly Hills Polo Team (Bash Kazi, Kris Kampsen, Nacho Figueras and Mariano Fassetta). Both patrons had lots of help.  Rick had the Chilean connection with the 7-goal Jose Donoso and the smoking speed ball Juan Jamarillio backed up by Canadian Marcello Abbiati. Bash came to the field with a star-studded lineup. The face of Polo, Nacho and the speedster Fast-etta known as Mariano Fassetta. They were backed up by “Big Bird” aka Kris Kampsen of Palm Beach FL.

Nacho had a fantastic game, pouring in a lot of goals and making some huge passes to Fassetta and Bash.  but it was Rick who stood out and waging his own war.  He made goals from wherever to keep the game close with some amazing runs. All in all it was a very fun game on a picture perfect day for Polo.  The Polo d’Elegance was the first of an annual event.  Be ready for # 2 as like everything Al Haagen does it  well and it WILL BE BETTER NEXT YEAR. That is a guarantee.

Most of these players, all but 2, had never played here before nor had they ever seen the facilities.  The players were in awe of how amazing Empire Polo Club is.   You can expect a whole lot more Polo headed this way very soon. It was a very fun day for both the fans and the Polo community and we would like to thank a few people who made it all happen.  Thank you to Judith Baker for putting the horse part on schedule,  LYNN BREMNER who never stopped moving as she put in all the time to get Players, Patrons,Horses and all while doing her regular job of press and promotion. She was AWESOME.  Bianca Nolasco for her work in organizing the event and handling all of the players travel reservations. Thank you to Siri from the main office, Tony Schieffer, David and Vicente for the pristine field and event set-up.  Thank you to “The Voice”  Kevin Ittig for his efforts, Graham Bray for scheduling where we could use his players as well and all the other people who took a chance.  And most of all Thank you to the Players who flew here to do it for expenses as they volunteered their time.  THANK YOU to the Patrons Rick Paicius and Bash Kazi who made it happen.  And last but not least, THANK YOU to the HAAGENS, AL AND ALEX , who know there was nothing they cannot make happen and it will be there tomorrow.

Thanks to all I was glad to be a part of it and I do Know it will get so much bigger.

AFTER ALL THIS THERE IS ONE MORE THANK YOU:

NACHO FIGUERAS … You are the future of POLO.  Without you we would be going the way we were in 2007, which is South and I do not meant to Argentina. You are THE FACE OF POLO, but you are also the reason there is a face with your amazing skill to make it happen. People love you.  Yes, you are Pretty, but you are so real.  No one doubts you because you are REAL in all sense of the word. I do not think there was one person there from 4 years to 80 who did not know your name … well  at least your first name “Nacho.”  I was there for noon game today (Sunday)  and they were looking for NACH. Ralph Lauren was a genius and now we know why. THANKS!!!

Down South in Palm Beach a Desert Rat made it. One of the five Pee Wee Polo players from the desert,   Santi Torres,  is playing  for Captain Bob Jornayvaz of Valiente.  They won the 2013 USPA GOLD CUP 26-goal Championship and Santi Torres was MVP of the finals playing with the King of Polo Adolfo Cambiaso, who just proved he is still king of the hill in South Florida.Valiente stepped on Zacara by 4 to win it all. The U.S. OPEN starts this Thursday. Maybe we will have a Desert Rat in there as well as they are there with Santi and the Mannix Boys, Fred and Julian, as well as Jeff Hall and Jason Crowder.  Stay tuned.  It will be fun.

see ya