Tom Hughes has passed away
I am sorry to say news is Tom Hughes passed away last week around 78 to 80 and You may have known him and maybe not.
Tom was a very good friend or your worst enemy but it was not like you did not know .If you did not know you were lost not him because he was pretty much point blank no maybe’s.
Tom was involved in Polo thru the Oakbrook Polo club as long as go as the late 70’s I think when I met him . There were so many stories about Tom no telling what was real from Mobs in Chicago to POLO and Jumping all I know is he was a hustler and he never stopped trying to improve something from a fence to a Mansion he would have an idea how to make it better . Tom was involved in the Jumper World when I first met him and apparently had some good ones but he got into Polo and was very successful as a player for
his age he went to 4 goals maybe 5 on some horses most people would quit before they stepped aboard actually it was my first chance to play because of Tom he was playing for Jack Oxley in Boca Raton in 1975 and could not be there for practice and nobody would play his horses andthe boss said do you want to try them , I said sure did not know how to play but it was the opening
and I will never forget it . I knew nothing and the horses not much more so you might say we were dangerous. Harold Barry telling me to get out of the road Billy Wayman saying you are going to kill someone but it was a hell of a lot of fun .SO THANKS TOM I am still poor and in Polo but I have seen most of the World and had a hell of a lot of fun.
Tom was known as tough as he was bad but I do not know about bad as he helped a lot of people and
He loved Polo and he was involved in a lot of things that happened to improve it mainly in the last Two decades Professional Umpires he made it happen. I did not always agree as ever umpire came from Lakeworth, Fl and no matter how many reviews you went to the umpire was right but it was the
system we now have today and it made the game better I am sure and a heck of a lot less work for the
Pros . Tom always had an idea to improve Polo and he worked hard to make it happen and I think he was trying to make it better at Sarasota at the time of his passing by creating multi club competition which I am sure is a great idea .
Tom was somebody everyone knew back a decade or so and really no one knew him for sure . I know the Buschs and Uihliens were big supporters of him and most people thought he was from Chicago as the stories went but I think he was really from just down the road in Simi Valley, Ca. Not sure but he told me that once on a horse buying trip but never how he got to Chicago but that was Tom just what he thought you might need to know no more no less.
The main thing about THOMAS HUGHES he never seen a good Woman or Horse he did not WANT.
He had both some awesome Wives and some very good horses over the years .
SO LONG MR HUGHES THOSE OF US THAT KNEW YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU !
See ya
