I WOKE UP EARLY HAD BREAKFAST AND TUNED IN TO POLOLINE.TV. and well should have went to the gym, well I did do that in 1976 and I did not like it so never went back. The finals today were like that I may never go back in the UK early it was not unexpected but the truth is Money Talks and it did today again as there was no doubt who had the horses and power for not only one but 6 chukkars, would have it been different with RH or La Indiana probably but guess what they did not get there and El Remanso did and they deserved it. In the finals it is always Horses you may have 10 but one is the best and down the line no matter how many you have but when you have 20 great ones the 6th is well very good. That is what is hurting Polo today and England is the only Country trying to improve there home grown people. The rest of the World just says ok and this does not improve POLO and defintley is a minus to the better Polo which brings the Sport up.
Javier Tanoria a former Argentine pro has the right idea you play 6 chukkar Polo with 6 horses for the whole game, this makes it more even and a much better sport for everyone the Patron becomes part of the game and there is a reason to play other than the trophy . No one will run 7 minutes he will have to pass and make it a team sport. Look at Baseball they set a spending limit and WHAT Happened the Yankees became a normal team, and we seen small spots like Cincinnati,Kansas City , Oakland win why they equalized. Polo is not that way at this level look at next year in the USA rumor is Facundo and AC will play together well that will draw a lot of competition ! First when we first agreed to 26 goal Polo the vote was yes but if 8 teams enter now they get 3 and still do it. WHY? Money talks and worse than that we may have 2 Americans out there but they will hit the ball maybe 2 times because they are paying for it or did not hear leave it.
Out West in the SB Skene Finals it was not just money it was a Patron scoring more goals than the other team in first 5 chukkars as Klentner ranch swallowed up Santa Rosa and Justin K did his job well and was huge on the field at the same time. This is what Polo is all about and the only way people will continue to spend the big money on these teams. Because it is big money even at 12 goal level because of cost the pros need 10 to 12 horses 2 grooms a double shoeing feed and stabling bill and add housing in places like Palm Beach and Santa Barbara the pro needs a big working family or a lot of money because we do not adjust to the world of making Polo fun. I am not saying Polo is going to be cheap it never will be, but nor are many Hobbies but the Patron must enjoy and obviously many are not as you can see from the teams today versus 10 years ago .
Look at the UK they were able to field a home gown team to make it to the finals of the biggest tournament in Europe because they have rules that protect there players you have to have English Players and might be reason they have so many good players, they get a chance to play. Here in US we help get them to two goals dump them they starve to death and get another job. WHY they have no chance or opportunity to get better because they have no protection and absolutely no chance to compete. I think Edwardo Astrada is a great move for Ar. Polo Ass. and I see already he is moving to take the heat off limits in some countries but the simple truth is not anyone can play polo in Ar. There are very few poor Polo players come out of Ar. if they do they are grooms mostly who make it here or around the World and very few of them most have a relative or a friend here loaning them horses and playing for expenses and the American or local rival cannot afford to do this as him horses and groom have to eat.
see ya