The Polo Report
By Steve Crowder
There is nothing like the polo scene in the desert. The snow-covered peaks just miles away, lush green grass under your feet, clean air and the mercury between 72 F and 85 F on almost everyday during the polo season.
For polo it is the best climate. No rain, no bugs and 30 polo fields. All of this at 1/2 the price or better than our neighbors south and east of us. You know you will have 2 tournament games every week and some practice if you want. Nobody, and I mean nobody, can compare or compete with the beauty of Empire Polo Club! They have it all. Fragrant gardens, excellent service, huge crowds and it is so clean. Moms let the kids play on the ground. If you want to join the crowd talk to Tony Schieffer at Empire. This place is AWESOME!!
El Dorado is not as fancy, but it has a new look that is clean and green with lots of Polo. They also have a lot of fans who must be having fun to keep coming back week after week. It is show time in the Coachela Valley. Join the fun of the polo lifestyle!
On the field it is March Madness at its best. The money tournaments got started yesterday at both clubs. The Skins at Eldorado with 6 teams going for the big prize.
In Florida, the main thing that shows up is CANADA. In the south you have a big play from the desert. The Mannix boys, Fred and Julian, with two top teams Audi/Millarville. The defending Champs of the U.S. Open is Julian’s Alegria.
Out west even more as 2 of the Skins Teams arrive from the same place as the Mannix’s, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I think there are more Patrons from there than any city in North America.
In the first round it was Silent Chris Maloney and Twin Palms stopping the Colorado Cowgirl and Cotterel Farms. Daring David Dollinger the blazing guns of Los Banditos stopped the Lessine Machine called Edlweiss. The featured game was all Canadian. Little Giant Ron Mathison and Highwood taking on Northern Blizzard and Big John Rooney. It was a long day for the High Wood boys. The Blizzard came in hard, took a break and then blew in to finish the storm. Northern Blizzard, Los Banditos and Twin Palms go to 1 – 0. The next round is Friday.
Next door at Empire it is also March Madness as they gear up for the big money came called the Champions Cup. With a warm up again, well represented by Canadian Gordon Ross. He Captains his Re/max team. They were in the finals last year for about 60 g I think it was. This is Polo at its best. Maybe not the highest around, but very good and honest polo.
Down South it was the 26-goal Gold Cup, the second of the Triple Crown getting underway and 8 teams in this one at IPC. The Mannix’s had a great Sunday as Audi/Milarville, Fred’s team, stopped Engels and Volkers. Julian and Alegria were better than Los Mojitas and Coke stopped Lechuza. It was Facundo Pieres and Orchard Hill getting a big win over AC and Valiente. It is getting hot across the nation in polo, so be there. Wherever you are, if it’s warm, they will have POLO at it’s best.
see you at POLO
see ya