The Polo Report
By Steve Crowder
Two men in two different sports so similar … Adolfo Cambiaso and Peyton Manning. They do, however, have some very similar paths. It was just two years ago when we all believed it was time for a change in polo. Whoa there people, it maybe a new chapter , but it is the same old book. La Dolfina went one better than the Broncos with Manning and they won it all.
Here were two men, who had been at the top of the food chain in their sports for a while. Both had been on top and were changing teams and getting on up in age for Superstars athletes, but we now know it was not their opinion. They just found a new role and replaced their kingdom with a few more horses. Adolfo Cambiaso became, in my opinion, the biggest horse operation on the planet. Peyton just put some new horses alongside as well and started ticking again. Cambiaso added 2 men or 1/2 a team and holy toledo did he make the new blood like vanish. Cambiaso heads to #19 in a row down south in Argentina in the big show. Peyton made the Broncos’ leaders look like geniuses with a march down memory lane that has not stopped yet. Now has more of everything on the field than anyone else except Super Bowls. I would have to say today they are STILL THE KINGS.
Down south where they head toward the Daddy of them all at Palermo. It is La Dolfina way out in front so far, but there is a little push from Mr. Mannix and a band of speed called Alegria, who is skipping the Hurlingham Tournament with a broken finger, but still moving in the right direction. They got by Mirmar and Cambiaso and camp wrecked someone. Read about in Mr. Webbes story right here on PoloZone where you can find it all.
Here in the U.S. it is Houston moving at a fast pace and lots of action in Aiken, SC and Point Clear, AL as well as the Giant little Club called the Villages in North Fl. The Winter looks to be picking up as California has two superstar clubs making headway side-by-side in the desert WHERE YOU CANNOT GET A BETTER DEAL for winter Polo and NO Rain. These Clubs are awesome and IPC is looking to have a full plate again.
Next Summer it is now official … Santa Barbara will not have 20-goal polo as the top looks to be 16-goal with a slim chance of 20 ending the season. The hope is to rebuild a new life here as we have withered away to a remnant of the past as new blood has failed to surface here. We have more new fields and better weather than anywhere on the planet. We may never see a 10-goal player again and the 20- goal was pretty high up on many polo peoples summer agenda. We have not had many teams the last couple of years at any level, but rumor is we may have 8 teams in the 16-goal and that might make me a believer. We shall see.
I believe we need someone to make Santa Barbara socially acceptable to the Patrons. It is obvious Soto Grande and the UK understand this with 12 to 20 high-goal teams and a lot of weather issues in Uk and 90 + weather in Spain. Lets think about bringing the Face of Polo “Nacho Figueras ” or someone who sparks the public’s interest as we all know the games whether soccer, football or polo are really just events to gather people. Some come to watch the sport, but most come to be seen and be there as it is an event. We need to be that place. Look at Will Rogers 2 weeks ago. There were 6,000 people at a practice game but it was a show run by people who know press and how to organize events. No matter how many people tell me oh the crowd does not matter … it is not true. People love to be watched and they will be watching because that is what people do. Otherwise there would be no sports events. I do think we need a change and that is the problem. I do not see it happening . DO YOU?
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