The Polo Report
By Steve Crowder
Aug. 26th 09
Over the next week I intend to let you all know a little bit of what I know of the people who make it happen here in SANTA BARBARA POLO Club. They are called the “Patrons” and they pay the way in the world’s fastest team sport. Most of the time the owner or Patron owns the race car, race boat, race horse, baseball team, basketball team , football team or soccer team, but the patron never competes in these other sports, he or she just watches. In polo you are one of the four players on your own team. This is what makes polo the king of sports, not the Sport of Kings, even though many kings have played it. It is one of the most dangerous, fastest and most exciting things you can do and most cannot afford it or feel the will to try it. You have to be rich to afford it and you have to love DANGER and SPEED.
The first Patron we will meet is:
GONZALO AVENDANO 1 GOAL (this is a type as he should be rated 3-goals)
Gonzalo is from Argentina and makes me want to cry. Twenty years ago Joe Barry, Artie Cameron, Rege Ludwig and I started Pee Wee Polo. The theory was teach young kids to play and help them to reach 3 or 4 goals by the time they were in their senior years so they could go to college and keep up with the game. If they were not good enough, they would have a plan to fall back on. Well it was a mistake of the century. They all did well and 2 went to college of the first 12 juniors we taught. They could have played polo anyway as they had the money to go either way . . . follow a polo career or go to college. All this ties in to this story because Gonzalo was a young man who was rated 4-goals and time to turn it up and support himself. His Father was ready for him to hit the Cattle Ranch and Gonzalo was not. Somehow he decided if I cannot be a good polo pro and make lot’s of money I need to be able to play when I want to and not worry about the rest. And that is hat he did. He learned the banking business, was very successful and sucked it in. For 15 years he stayed focused on what he needed to do and that was to make money. And he did. Gonzalo never rode a horse or went to polo during this time, he just worked. When he had the dollars he returned to polo. This sounds easy, but think about it. After 15 years of busting your butt to make money are you going to think “I want to do something this wild and crazy.” I would guess NO Way! Well Gonzalo did come back to polo and because he has been very successful he is also street or barn smart about organizing his polo. He has a brother who has undoubtedly been very involved as well. He has a gorgeous sister, who knows polo too. It still remains the fact he is just what we preached to Pee Wee Polo and he did it. Gonzalo has one of the best-organized polo operations in the World. He has won in Spain, Argentina and now adds the USA to his trophy table by winning in Palm Beach, FL and California this year. Gonzalo maybe older, but there is not a kid here or anywhere as good as he is at 1 goal. He is also a very nice person. Good Luck! Yes, good luck you already beat us. Hope to see you in the finals.
ANDY BUSCH 4-GOALS
Born and raised in St. Louis, Mo. Andy grew up a Busch on Budweiser. He is a big man and he is a very fit man. Andy loves to swim and hike and has killed off most old pros with his daily workouts. He was ahead of his time as now most do it the same these days. He has always had the name, but he has not been a polo man all his lifeas Adolphus, his older brother who was the King of Polo for a while with his Michelob Teams. When Andy got into the game he got into it after he was educated and had been to the office. He knew management and he knew what he wanted. This never had an “L” in it as in “losing.” He was very competitive by a family of 3 brothers, who are all tougher than most normal humans. Andy knew what he had to do to be successful at polo. Andy and brother Billy separated from the wings of Adolphus and went their own way and became a very successful two patron combo for many years. They won almost all the Major tournaments in America from the top to the bottom including the U.S. OPEN and 20-goals in and across America and a few 22-goals tournaments along the way. Andy broke away from the Missouri mud about 5 years ago and calls Santa Barbara home now. He is really the only hometown team here in Santa Barbara Polo Club and he has a dandy if they play like they did on Sunday as they gave the defending Champs Audi a bonafide spanking.
TOMORROW WE WILL MEET TWO MORE MEN WHO MAKE IT TICK.
See ya.
Steve – I think it’s great that you’re profiling SB sponsors. But don’t forget about us down in SD. Those are some of us who’ve done more for West Coast polo than just spend a lot of money on a high goal team. SDPC promotes itself to audiences across the board, has a great polo school, and members that play for the love of the game. SDPC has sponsors like Ron Bonaguini, Suzanne Figi and Chris Collins who have been around pretty much since the club’s inception. There’s Colleen Wilson, the Obregon twins, Dina and Joseph Stuart who all are part of the core of the club. Chris Maloney returns year after year to lead the gang while his wife, Laura, still helps with social functions. And his sister, Kelly, has stepped up to the higher goal, and also supports the club via her aesthetic and social involvement. Not to mention Chris’ saving La Quinta polo club (which I think is now called Twin Palms at La Quinta). Or Graham Bray. Or Heather. I think, at it’s core, SDPC is a grass-roots club with a profile. Our highest tourneys may only be 12-goal, but we keep coming back. Isn’t that what it’s all about? Playing for the love of the game? Not always champagne and megabucks, bragging rights, or to be written up in Polo Magazine, but maybe those of us who keep coming back year after year, improving our game, and playing not for glory but for the rush, the horses, the competition, the love of the sport, maybe we’re what polo is all about.
Tomorrow I’ll be back at the barn, practicing/playing as I do 5 days week, brushing out my paint (despite “Mike”;s comments, and taking pride in my 0-goal status. I’ve earned it. Thanks, hon. You’ve done a lot for West Coast polo. Just don’t forget about the rest of us who love it as much as you do
If Chris M. or Graham Bray send me a press release or info. on the new club status and details about their up coming season I can do an article about it on PoloZONE.com. I would love to get some good coverage of the “new” Twin Palms @ La Quinta.
Uhhh, Kelly nice commentary/plug for yourself and family. You might as well just say “look at me, look at me”. …and thank you Steve for giving us the insider on the SB Patrons!