The definition of ERA is an extended period of time that is reckoned from a specific date or a point in the past. That was Royal Palm Polo and the Oxley Era. Since the mid to late 60’s Royal Palm Polo has been Oxley. Mainly John T. Oxley. He is in the Polo Hall of Fame here in the U.S. and he should be in Argentina as well. Oxley is the single person most responsible for high-goal polo in America in the last 1/2 century. He saved high-goal polo in the U.S. just because he had it back then. Otherwise it would have become extinct.

Oxley was also was the first big-time patron to bring International players to the U.S.A. back in the late 60’s. He brought the “MAN” Juan Carlos Harriot, winner of 20 Argentine Opens and the player of that time. It opened the door for today’s polo. Without Oxley’s help, polo in the U.S. would most likely not exist. Oxley also brought Gonzalo Tanoria into U.S. polo, bless his soul, and the Hipwoods. There are so many foreign players who Oxley helped and it was through Oxley that they came to be here. Maybe they would have anyway, but he is the one individual who made it happen.

Oxley built the first super stadium in polo in 1979, after he moved the Royal Palm Polo Club to his land on Clintmoore road. His Club had the first underground irrigation, the first high-goal leagues including the Sunshine league and the first money game which was the 100,000.00 Gold Cup. So many great elements of polo started at Boca or Royal Palm Polo Club.

Oxley had influence the people who later made the change in the polo format at Gulfstream to high-goal. He also influence the local guys who became famous including: Willis Hartman, who the MVP pony is named after, Wild Bill Ylvisacker, who built Palm Beach Polo which grew polo 10-fold and Steve Gose, who built Retama. He was the only stop from October until August if you wanted to play high-goal polo. They had the Open in Oakbrook and Boca in the winter, otherwise it was whatever you could muster at home.

Oxley was not a horseman per say, but he knew good horses and he knew good horses won polo. He strived to make the best. Oxley had a super horsemen to help him do it including: Kay Collee and Joe Casey. They built strings which built players all at one time. If you could be mounted by Oxley, you knew you could go up a goal. He built stars with horses. Casey went from 1 to 6, Gonzalo from 7 to 10, Ernesto from 7 to 10, Carney, Seiber, Barry and many others improved because of the horses from Oxley. Oxley had ungodly good ones from Stormy to Flash, Burrito, Wee Legend, Cat a Joy, Squealer, Slappy and on and on the list could continue.

Boca won every polo tournament in America, some 16-goals and above, I am pretty sure if they played for it. However, time changes and John T. Oxley did not always change and money was not social to him, but Polo was. He would not become the social butterfly and in the end it was the reason Boca lost its glory. People wanted the hype, the press, the glamour and Oxley wanted good horses, good polo and good fields and did not care what else was needed. He would never change and he did not.

Boca/Royal Palm Polo Club featured the Gold Cup, the U.S. Open and the 40-goal. All the good polo was there at one time, but it was polo without the bulls_ _ _ _. Oxley did not need it.

Oxley played until his 80’s and won much more than he lost and rode very good horses. However, like most things in life, things change. Boca/Royal Palm Polo Club did not. The Club outlasted all others. Royal Palm Polo Club lasted two times as long as Retama, Oakbrook, Long Island, Palm Beach Polo, Kentucky Horse Park and Willow Bend, but in the end it became old. Without Oxley, who is no longer with us, it had no steering wheel so it stopped. When this happens a Club arrives at its end. The land will become houses, yards and schools. It will be like N.Y. the Polo grounds without Polo.

Oxley saved it for 50 years, but in his end it ended. It is sad, but that is how life can be. Oxley was the Secretariat of Polo and his Club, Royal Palm Polo, was the place. It just became too much in value and time took it away.

I remember so many faces in Boca/Royal Palm Polo Club from my first year in 1975. The Seibers, Carneys, Waymans, the Barrys, Wighdahls, Uihleins, Ylvisakers, Fortugnos, Beveridges, Hap Sharp, Russel Firestone, Guiterrez’, Gracida’s, Pablo Rincon Galardo, Gonzalo Pieres, Tanoria’s, Gomez’, the Corey’s, Dix’s, Waltons, Eakin Hipwoods, Beals, Herndon, Albert, Robert Graham, Hartmans , Adolphus Busch, Elefendi’s, Armstrongs, Brinker, Johnston’s, Casey’s and so many others. We had a blast at Royal Palm Polo Club in Boca.

Such great memories we had there. Thank you John T. Oxley! I will say goodbye as the fields at Royal Palm Polo close, but I will never forget you or the amazing times we had there! Hats off to Royal Palm Polo, John T. Oxley and those beautiful memories. – Steve Crowder.