Myopia Polo Magazine 2016

2016 myopia polo magazine since 1888 / myopiapolo.org

2016 myopia polo magazine

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contents

2016 myopia polo magazine

4 / captain’s letter 72 / tribute: Bob daniels

54

8

30

44

features

agenda

style

myopia

54 / the history of polo

8 / 2016 Schedule

28 / tailgating

38 / myopia polo club

From the Asian Steppes to the fields of North America, polo remains the Game of Kings. by bill burke 62 / along for the ride

A visual chronicle of the most thrilling moments of Myopia’s 2015 season. photographs by andrew katsampes 68 / the cyril harrison cup

On August 30, 2015, a large crowd gathered at Gibney Field to witness Del Ranch face off against Longmeadow/ Pony Up in the annual 8-goal tournament.

2 myopia polo 2016

10 / the players

A rundown of the Myopia Polo players. plus Polo 101: Glossary, rules, teams and tournament highlights.

24 / rules of the game

The rules of polo are simple and are designed to keep the game flowing and to protect the players and horses from injury. Here, we present a rundown of the violations.

26 / Youth polo

The National Youth Tournament Series Championships are coming to Myopia this summer.

Take your tailgating game to a new level.

30 / accessories

Simple summer watches.

32 / food + drink

The ultimate gear to entertain in style.

34 / women’s fashion

Make the perfect statement with these necklaces.

Member enthusiasm keeps the country’s oldest polo club thriving after 126 years.

42 / u.s. polo association

The United States Polo Association: 126 years of innovation, inclusion, tradition.

44 / Legacy

Will Tankard, 1984–2015.

36 / scene

Myopia Polo personalities snapped out and about, supporting their beloved sport, and celebrating major milestones and achievements.

ON THE COVER Barrett Coke playing for the Coke family’s Chanticleer Farm polo team, which won the Chairman’s Cup for the second year in a row. Barrett was a three time all-star Northeast National Youth Polo Player and winner of the 2015 National Youth Tournament Series Championships.

Photograph by Andrew Katsampes

photographs, from left, the museum of polo and hall of fame; andrew katsampes; glenn scott; elizabeth hedley

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captain’s letter this summer marks the 128th season of polo on myopia’s gibney field—a remarkable tradition

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and one that we are pleased to share with you, our supporters and spectators, every Sunday from early June to late September. We have an active season planned—including national tournaments such as the 12 Goal Chairman’s Cup in July and the 8 Goal Forbes Cup in August.

We are also proud to host over, Labor Day weekend, the Finals for the National Youth Tournament Series. This event will showcase some of the country’s top young players. Myopia’s own Barrett Coke was on the championship team last year, and in previous years Simon and Johann Colloredo-Mansfeld and Justin Daniels have competed at the finals. We will also host international matches for the Harvard team and Team USPA—as we have done in recent summers.

I am pleased to report that Kim Maguire, who has supervised our operations for the past two summers, is now our manager responsible for overseeing all polo activity.

I am also pleased to have Federico Wulff working with us to develop our younger and novice players and coordinate our tournament activity.

Myopia Polo would not be a success without the efforts of our dedicated staff and volunteers. In particular I’d like to thank our volunteer leadership, which includes Nick Snow, Peter Poor and Dave Strouss—long-time Myopia polo players and committee members as well as Denny Ryus who oversees all of our marketing, our treasurer, Stephen Willet and our most senior committee member Dan Sears for all the work they do behind the scenes.

In closing I would like to pay my respects to two very important members of our polo community that I am sad to report died in the past year—Bob Daniels and Will Tankard. These gentlemen meant a great deal to all of us here at Myopia. Will played on our family team, Black Oak, for six seasons—and during that time he and his girlfriend Samira Waernlund became members of our family. Bob Daniels played here at Myopia for over 35 years and notably played during that time with his six sons. His family team, Pony Express, won many of our signature tournaments. We have tributes to each in this magazine.

We encourage you to follow Myopia Polo throughout the season. Updates on schedules, games and lessons are on our website, myopiapolo.org, or by calling 978-468POLO. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Best wishes,

Jerry Enos Painting is a licensed Home Improvement Contractor: HIC #172761)

Franz Colloredo-Mansfeld, captain/myopia polo

Rob Karosis Photography

r e si de nt i a l com m e r ci a l i nt e r i or de si gn

2016 myopia polo magazine editor

Bill Burke design director

Robert F. Parsons Seven Elm sevenelm.com image specialist

Adam DeTour contributing artists

Elizabeth Hedley, Andrew Katsampes, David Lominska, James Nelon, Bob Packert, Lysa Pelletier, Glenn Scott, Suzanna South contributing writers

Bill Burke, Jeanne O’Brien Coffey, Nick Snow

myopia polo committee

Franz Colloredo-Mansfeld, Captain of Polo Kim Maguire, Polo Manager & Equine Welfare Committee Chairman Nicholas B. Snow, USPA Northeastern Circuit Lieutenant Governor & Polo Committee Member Federico Wulff, Tournament Manager David Strouss, USPA Delegate & Tournament Committee Representative Stephen L. Willett, Treasurer Dan H. Sears, Club Representative Peter Poor, Official Announcer & Tournament Committee Representative Anastasia Nickerson, Corporate Sponsorships Terri Campbell, Polo Committee Michael D. Ryus, Marketing Director website

myopiapolo.org facebook & twitter

Myopia Polo

President/Publisher

Sharron McCarthy

myopiapolo.org

Advertising Sales Representative

Talman Hauch 617-921-7033 talhauch@gmail.com

Use your smart phone to scan this QR code and go directly to the Myopia Polo website.

Creative Director

John Goodwin Production Manager

Jodie Hall Office Manager

Mista McDonnell Proofreader

Liisa Rajala subscriptions

For additional copies or subscription customer service, email kgagnon@mcleancommunications.com published by

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McLean Communications, Custom Publishing A Division of Yankee Publishing, Inc.; Dublin, NH 150 Dow Street Manchester, NH 03101 603-624-1442 mcleancommunications.com

POLO magazine is published for Myopia Polo by McLean Communications. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in the magazine; McLean Communications is not responsible for errors or omissions. © Copyright 2016, McLean Communications. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of McLean Communications is prohibited.

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serving

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by appointment only

Welcome to the 2016 Season Match time is 3 p.m. on Sundays on Gibney Field.

Gates open at 1:30 p.m. schedule subject to change

may 29 Opening Day jun 5 Joseph. F. Poor Memorial jun 12 C.G. Rice Cup jun 19 Captain’s Game jun 25 Charles F. Coles

Memorial Cup

jun 26 Agassiz Club Cup Finals jul 3 USPA Harrison Cup 8-Goal jul 10 USPA Harrison Cup

8-Goal Finals jul 15 Myopia Polo Club Polo Ball

(Donald Little Memorial) jul 17 USPA Chairman’s Cup

8-12 Goal

(Windrush Cup) jul 21 Tuckerman Cup 4-Goal jul 24 USPA Chairman’s Cup

8-12 Goal Finals jul 3o Tuckerman Cup 4-Goal jul 31 William Tyler Tankard Cup

(MGH Fundraiser) aug 7 USPA Forbes Cup 8-Goal

(McLean Comm. Cup) aug 14 USPA Forbes Cup 8-Goal aug 21 USPA Governor’s Cup

6-Goal Finals (Neil Ayer Cup) aug 28 Crossman Cup 2-Goal sep 1–4 USPA NYTS Championships sep 11 sep 18

sep 3 oct 2

Cohiba Cup Harvard Invitational (Wilmington Trust) Captain’s Game Last Chukker Cup

8 myopia polo 2016

Tournament Schedule JUN Agassiz Club Cup 24-26 JUl 1-10

10th Harrison Cup 8-Goal entry date: friday, june 24

JUl National Youth Tournament Series 2-3 entry date: friday, june 24 JUl Chairman’s Cup 8-12 Goal 15-24 entry date: friday, july 10 JUl Tuckerman Cup 4-Goal 21-30 entry date: friday, july 15 jul 31

William Tyler Tankard Memorial

aug 5-14

Forbes Cup 8-Goal

aug 12-21

Governor’s Cup 6-Goal

entry date: friday, july 22 entry date: friday, august 5

aug Crossman Cup 2-Goal 19-31 entry date: friday, august 12

photograph by andrew katsampes

ag e n da

the players

Polo Patrons and Captains The people who make polo at Myopia possible.

franz colloredomansfeld

terri campbell

bill coke

dami belardinelli

barrett coke

hamilton coke

2016 polo patrons Erica Ames, Neil Ayer, Helen Ayer, Randy Ayer, Doralynne Bibby, Mary Blair, Stephen & Taryn Burr, Terri Campbell, Russell Clark, Charles Coles, Franz ColloredoMansfeld, Susanna ColloredoMansfeld, Sandy Dunstan, Mary Ann Esdaile, Sissi Finn, Jacek Grotnik, Patricia and Gary Johnstone, Christopher Jones, Josh Lerner, Kurt & Jackie Miller, Mike & Linda Noll, Rodney & Jane O’Connor, Don & Aimee Pitman, Scott Pugh, Deidre Quirk, Joshua Regula, Carlos Riva, Evan Rochman, Amanda and Scott Roberts, Dan Sears, Stonewall Farm, Tracy and David Strouss, Tamara Thorne, Robert & Lois Whidden, Stephen Willet

captains of myopia polo, past and present Captain Franz grew up riding

and hunting with Myopia. He has won the Myopia Hunter Trials numerous times. Over the past decade he has enjoyed playing polo with his children.

He is the Captain of Myopia Polo and the sponsor of the Black Oak Polo team. Franz runs an international real estate investment firm based in Boston. A rated

dami belardinelli Dami was born and raised in Pilar, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

With a handicap of 0, he has played professionally in the U.S. in Pennsylvania and South Carolina, and in Jamaica as well.

Dami’s passion for horses started when he was three years old at his family’s farm. He played in the 2015 summer season, winning the Tuckerman cup with Pony Up and the Crossman Cup with Longmeadow.

terri campbell Terri is now a regular at Myopia, after playing in Newport

10 myopia polo 2016

for 10 years. She has played in tournaments in Chile, Ireland and South Africa, and competes at Gulfstream Polo Club in Florida in the winter. When she’s not with the ponies, she is a portfolio manager in Boston. -1 goal

Barrett Coke A Myopia player since the age of 12, Barrett (19) is passionate about the sport. Last season, Barrett was honored to have been chosen as an all-star National Youth Polo Player for the third time. He went on to win the National Youth Polo Championships in Denver, CO, playing on the Northeast regional team. Barrett plays for the Coke family’s Chanticleer Farm Polo Team. They had a great season winning the Chairman’s Cup for the second year in a row. He loves competing alongside his father and brother. An avid sports enthusiast, Barrett plays soccer, squash, lacrosse and loves freestyle skiing. Barrett graduated from Brooks School in North Andover, MA in May. 1 goal

Bill Coke An intense and competitive athlete, Bill has played polo at Myopia for more than 20 years.

The sponsor of the Chanticleer Farm Polo Team, Bill is known for his powerful and spirited defensive play. He is thrilled to play with his sons, Hamilton and Barrett. A managing director with JP Morgan, Bill lives in Topsfield with his wife, Wendy, and sons Hamilton and Barrett. A rated

Hamilton Coke An engaged and skilled player on his family’s Chanticleer Farm Polo Team, Hamilton is a computer engineering student at Santa Clara University Engineering School in Silicon Valley, CA. Hamilton is happiest when freestyle skiing, mountain biking, surfing, playing rugby or lacrosse and programming the next big app. A rated

Carlos Coles A resident of Wenham who has played polo for more than 35 years, Carlos learned the game from his father Charlie—a Myopia equestrian legend. A

Franz Colloredo-Mansfeld

2011 (co-captain)–present W. Albert Ellis 2009–2010, 2011 (co-captain) Lyle Graham 2001–2008 Michael S. Fawcett 1996–2000 Neil St. John Raymond 1986–1996 Robert A. Wilkinson 1981–1983 Donald V. Little 1968–1981, 1983–1986 Neil R. Ayer 1960–1967 Forrester A. Clark 1937–1940, 1946–1959 Fredrick H. Prince, Jr. 1924–1925 Fredrick Ayer 1921–1923, 1929–1936, 1941–1945 Neil W. Rice 1920 Henry P. McKean, Jr. 1919 Charles G. Rice 1918 James H. Proctor 1917 Q.A. Shaw McKean 1916, 1927–1928 Quincy A. Shaw II 1914 Dudley P. Rogers 1908–1912, 1915, 1926 F. Blackwood Fay 1902–1903, 1907, 1913 Rodolphe L. Agassiz 1893–1901, 1904–1906 R. M. Appleton 1891–1892

joseph f. poor memorial june 7, 2015 Stage Hill def. Del Rancho 18-9

Tournament photograph by Andrew Katsampes

Franz ColloredoMansfeld

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ag e n da

the players

Polo 101

rules of the game and a few other basics.

glossary johann colloredomansfeld

simon colloredomansfeld

annie colloredomansfeld

seppi colloredomansfeld

justin e. daniels

big hitter and very competitive player, he plays with speed and abandon. After spending a number of years playing for multiple sponsors at Gulfstream in Wellington, Vero Beach, and Ocala, FL, during the winter months, Carlos is rededicating his efforts to the continued growth of Myopia Polo. His work with younger generations helps feed Myopia Polo and the USPA with new sponsors. His 12-year-old daughter Padan is becoming quite the equestrian, with interests not only in polo but three-day eventing with her OTTB, Bravo Blue. 1 goal (out) 2 goals (arena)

Annie ColloredoMansfeld Annie is a rising junior at Groton School where she is a varsity cross-country runner and rower. She is an accomplished young rider and has competed in three-phase events in Massachusetts and Vermont. The past few summers, she has been playing with her family and has joined the junior program at Myopia. B rated

12 myopia polo 2016

Johann ColloredoMansfeld

Simon ColloredoMansfeld

Johann is a rising senior at Harvard and is the captain of the Harvard Polo Team. Over the past three years, Johann has played in tournaments in China, Italy and France.

In 2013 Johann was selected for the U19 National Championship Tournament Team for the Northeast. Johann is a graduate of the junior polo program at Myopia and plays for the Black Oak and Myopia teams in the summer. 1 goal

Simon is a rising sophomore at the University of Virginia where he plays on the polo team—one of the country’s top rated college programs. In 2013, Simon was selected for the U19 National Tournament Team for the Northeast. A naturally talented horseman, Simon is a graduate of the junior polo program at Myopia and plays for Black Oak and Myopia. 1 goal

Seppi ColloredoMansfeld Seppi grew up riding and playing polo with Myopia.

Seppi is a former three-year captain of the men’s Yale Polo Team. He has played in tournaments throughout the Northeast and in England on historic Guards Field at Windsor.

Seppi was also a rower and a member of the Yale Lightweight Crew Team. Seppi now lives in New York City and works in the real estate development business. 1 goal

benji e. daniels A summer resident of Ipswich, Benji, 16, also attends St. Andrews High School in Boca Raton, FL, where he just finished his sophomore year. He has been playing youth polo in Wellington on the Pony Express Polo team under the watchful eye of Tomas Goti and Julian deLusaretta, who have taught him well. Benji is calm, cool and collected on the field, where he has continuously improved his ability to take the man and hit a solid backhander.

His ball control and smooth swing seem to improve with each tournament he plays. 0 goals

Approach Shot: A long shot taken to get the ball close to the opponent’s goal.

Back shot: When a player hits the ball backwards, can be played on both the nearside and the offside.

Boards: Wooden barriers placed alongside a polo field to keep the ball in the playing area.

Bump: When two riders come into contact with each other, with the objective of knocking or pushing the other rider off the line of the ball so they are unable to hit it.

Also called a ride-off.

Center line: Middle of field where the ball is thrown in after each goal.

Crossing: When one rider cuts across another player’s right of way.

Cut shot: When a player makes a stroke that is at an angle to the direction in which he or she is riding.

Divot Stomp: A halftime tradition in which spectators enter the field to stomp divots made by the horses back into the ground.

Drive: A player hitting the ball either forward or backward along the same parallel line the horse is taking.

Forehand: When a player hits the ball forward, can be played on both the nearside and the offside.

Free Hit: For certain rule violations, a player will be allowed a free and uncontested hit at the ball.

Goal: When the ball crosses between the two goal posts, resulting in a score.

Hook: A defensive tactic used when a player makes contact with an offensive player’s mallet before it hits the ball.

Knock In (a.k.a. Hit In): When the offensive team hits the ball »

6-Goal Governor’s cup final July 12, 2015 Del Rancho def. Longmeadow/Giddy Up 8.5-7

Tournament photograph by Andrew Katsampes

carlos coles

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ag e n da

the players

francisco “pancho” eddy

whitney ellis

lyle graham

albert ellis

jonathan graham

grace grotnik

Polo 101, cont. over the back line wide of goal.

The defending team then plays the ball from the point at which it went over the back line.

Line of the Ball: The path along which the ball travels after a hit, this line extends beyond the ball as well. line judge: Assists the umpires by signaling whether the ball went between or outside the goal posts.

Neck Shot/Tail Shot: The former is played under the horse’s neck; the latter, beneath and behind the tail.

Offside/Nearside: When seated on a horse, the offside refers to the player’s right side, and the nearside refers to his or her left side.

Tack Time: Stop in play called by umpire if a player’s tack is broken.

Tailgating: One of the most celebrated polo pastimes, complete with picnic baskets, gourmet snacks, and plenty of beverages.

Throw-in: When an umpire bowls the ball between teams to start play.

positions A summer resident of Ipswich, Justin, 17, lives in Wellington, FL, and attends St. Andrews High School in Boca Raton, where he will be a senior. He has been playing polo for more than seven years, and is an excellent rider with a hard-hitting sense of urgency on the field. Justin was selected to play on the first-ever USPA National Youth Tournament for the winning Florida team in 2013. 5 goals

landen e. daniels A summer resident of Ipswich, Landen, 13, is the youngest of six polo-playing brothers.

He has made quite a name for himself among the polo community in Wellington, FL. An accomplished soccer player, Landen plays travel soccer when he is not on a horse.

Playing polo for seven years (two years without a mallet), Landen has developed a keen understanding of where to be on the polo field—both defending as well as making key offensive plays. His hitting is

14 myopia polo 2016

surprisingly accurate. Landen’s potential as a polo player is demonstrated every time he plays competitively in kids’ polo or in six goal competition matched against an opposing young player. B rated

Marc Daniels Marc has played at Myopia for many summers on his father’s Pony Express team. Marc is a very talented player and has been instrumental in Pony Express sucesses. He resides in New York City. 2 goals

Francisco “Pancho” Eddy An Argentina native, Pancho spent summer holidays flyfishing in San Martin de los Andes, where he met Chuck Elmes of Blue Sky Polo Club, a meeting that lead to a job playing polo in the U.S. In addition to Myopia, where he plays with Rick Salter, Pancho has played in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Florida. He consistently finds success at Myopia and has captured every major tournament at the club over

the past five years, thanks to his accurate passing and shots on goal. 4 goals

Albert Ellis An experienced horseman, Albert grew up hunting and three-day-event riding at Myopia before becoming a polo player. Albert served as polo captain from 2007-2011 and has been a longtime fixture on the Myopia fields.

He lives in Gloucester with his wife, Anne-Seymour, and their three daughters, Isabella, Caroline and Jane. 1 goal

John Ellis John is new to the sport of polo but brings a wealth of equestrian experience to the playing field. He resides in Gloucester with his son, Maverick, and is excited about whacking the ball around at Myopia this summer.

B rated

Whitney Ellis Whitney will be returning to the fields of Myopia this summer. He has come back to his roots here on the North Shore

A polo match pits two teams of four against each other. The players on each team are numbered 1 through 4, with each number representing a general role as follows: 1. Goal Scorer. This player pushes forward aggressively and seeks openings into which teammates can hit. This player also marks the opposing team’s number 4, or Back.

2. Energizer. The Energizer is always involved in play while quarterbacking the offense and neutralizing the opponent’s top player.

3. Field Captain. The Field Captain typically is the best player on the team and directs the flow of the game.

4. Defender. The Defender plays at the back of the game to prevent » the other team from scoring.

8-12 goal chairman’s cup final July 26, 2013 Chanticleer/Pony Up def. Pony Express 13-12

Tournament photograph by Andrew Katsampes

justin e. daniels

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the players

Polo 101, cont. handicap descriptions.

Jacek “yaz” K. grotnik

bob mehm

olivia mehm

Every player on the field carries a handicap from -2 to 10 goals based on his or her skill level and horsemanship, as determined by a national handicap committee.

A handicap of 10 represents the top of the game.

the rules Object of the Game. The objec-

kimberly maguire

max mehm

kurt miller

tive of the game is simple: Score as many goals as possible and win by outscoring the opposing team.

Playing the Game. Because polo involves horses that weigh thousands of pounds, all moving at high speeds toward the same ball, the concept of “right of way” is the most important concept in the game of polo and is designed to keep the game safe for both horse and rider.

Right of Way and Riding Off. The rider who is following

tomas goti Hailing from Argentina, Tomas is the highest rated player at Myopia at 6 goals. He will produce some of the best moves out on the fields this summer, on horses that have come through the Pony Express breeding operation. 6 goals

Jonathan Graham Having started polo in Myopia’s junior program, Jon has played on his father Lyle’s Wintercreek team, captained the Colorado State University team, and played professionally in Aspen and on the East Coast. One of the biggest hitters at Myopia, Jon is always a threat to score from the middle of the game. 2 goals

Lyle Graham A former Myopia captain, Lyle has been an active player for the last 35 years (28 seasons

16 myopia polo 2016

at Myopia) on the family’s Winter Creek team and played competitively at a 5-goal USPA handicap. Taking a sabbatical from horses and polo, Lyle focuses on family activities, farm projects, boating, and motorcycling. He lives in Rowley with his wife, Donna, and sons, Jon and Ian.

grace grotnik Grace, a student at Ipswich High School, first picked up a mallet at 2 years old at Myopia.

At age 10 (now 14), she began to play and has since played polo on grass, in the arena and on snow. At 13, she was picked as a USPA Northeast Region Middle School All-Star. Later that year, she played as an alternate for the Polish National Women’s Polo Team at a snow polo tournament in the Tatra Mountains of Poland. Her efforts in breaking a tie resulted in the Polish Women sweeping the tournament and an MVP title. Grace plays for her family’s Husaria Polo Team, the Myopia Coaching League and the Stage Hill Rough Riders

Interscholastic Polo Team.

When not on the polo field, Grace enjoys soccer, track and skiing. myopia coaching league

Jacek “Yaz” K. Grotnik Yaz started playing polo after a Sunday visit to Gibney Field over 25 years ago and has since played across the U.S. and internationally, in various low and medium goal tournaments up the 14 goal level. He was Captain of the Polish National Polo Team at the 8th Manipur International in India and represented the USA Team in their win of the 2015 Bukovina Polo Snow Masters. He lives at Husaria Farm in Ipswich and is a patron of Myopia Polo and the Husaria and Ipswich Polo Teams. Yaz is an advisor to the Stage Hill Rough Riders Interscholastic Polo Team and a USPA Certified Umpire. 1 goal

kimberly maguire Kimberly started her polo career in 1996 as Byfield Polo’s first youth player. After a short hiatus from polo to attend

will tankard memorial august 2, 2014 South America def. Team USPA 9-8

Tournament photograph by Andrew Katsampes

after stints in Ireland, getting his Master’s degree in English, and in New York, pursuing journalistic and literary endeavors. 1 goal

the ball on its exact line, or who has the least angle to reach the ball and is taking it on the offside without committing a foul, has the right of way. A rider can be ridden off the ball. Riding off is also allowed even if the other player is not playing the ball. But riding off is not allowed if the rider comes in to the other rider at a dangerous angle. When one rider rides off another, he or she is not allowed to hit, strike, or push off with the hand, forearm, elbow, or head, but he or she is allowed to push off with the upper arm. A rider is not allowed to grab another player, their equipment, or their horse. A rider is not allowed to weave back and forth in front of another rider, thus forcing the other rider to change the speed at which he or » she is riding.

We’re proud to support our community.

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the players

mike noll

marcos onetto

alyson poor

reed miller

bryan parrott

amanda poor

university, she has returned to Myopia for her third year.

Kimberly has achieved a USPA Level 1 Certified Polo Instructor and enjoys playing and coaching with the Myopia Coaching League. a rated

Bob Mehm Bob is a former 3-goal player and is in his 34th season of polo. This year, he has played in major cups in Dubai, Thailand, Switzerland, the U.K., Nepal, the Caribbean and at Myopia. He lives in Geneva, Switzerland, where he plays at the Vetey Polo Club, and looks forward to competing this summer in Europe and at Myopia, as well as playing with his children, Max and Olivia. 1 goal

Max Mehm This year marks Max’s second season at Myopia. Last year, Max played the Coach’s League on Harvard horses, and competed in the NYTS tournament. He will play at his home club in Geneva, Switzerland, in June. Max studies at the

18 myopia polo 2016

Fessenden School in Newton, where he competes in soccer, squash, and rowing. B rated

Olivia Mehm Olivia has played several seasons at Myopia Polo as a junior player and will join the junior program after her warmup in June at her home club in Geneva. Olivia studied at Deerfield Academy, where she founded an interscholastic polo team. She competed on the cross-country, squash and tennis teams. B rated

Kurt Miller A veteran Myopia player, Kurt brings steady play and hardriding style to the game. During the winter, he often plays in Chile, where many of his horses are from. Kurt’s wife Jackie is actively involved in planning events for the club.

They live with their children in Hamilton. 0 goals

reed miller Reed is a third generation Myopia polo player. He grew up around the Myopia polo

fields watching his father, Kurt, play, as his grandfather played before him. He began playing with Myopia’s Junior program a few years ago. Last year, Reed played alongside his father, on their Longmeadow Team, and won his first tournament. He looks forward to joining forces again. This year, at age 14, Reed is participating on the USPA Interscholastic Team, Stage Hill Rough Riders. He is passionate about the sport. He also enjoys soccer and golf and his studies in math and sciences. myopia coaching league

mike noll A lifelong competitive athlete, Mike’s passion for horses began at an early age. His family owned thoroughbred racehorses in Pennsylvania and Florida. Mike is the founder and CEO of Hamilton Capital Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm. B rated

marcos onetto Based in Aiken, South Carolina, Marcos has been playing

Polo 101, cont.

Crossing. It is cause for a foul should a rider cross another rider in the right of way, if they come close enough to be dangerous, or cause a rider and horse to slow up. A rider in possession of the ball can’t be crossed.

Hooking Sticks. A rider is allowed to hook another rider’s stick, as long as he or she and the ball are on the same side of the opponent’s horse and the rider is about to hit the ball. A rider is allowed to hook another rider’s stick if he or she is directly behind an opponent, but the stick must be below the level of the opposing rider’s shoulder.

Stick Misuse. 1) A rider may not reach across or under an opposing rider’s horse to hit. 2) A player is not allowed to use a stick in an unsafe way or in a way that obstructs or hinders another rider or horse. 3) A rider is not allowed to hit the legs of an opposing player’s horse.

Ball Out of Play. A ball is out of play when: 1) It is hit over the boards or sidelines. 2) The ball is hit over the back line by the opposing team.

Stoppage of Play. An umpire will stop play if: 1) A rider is hurt or a horse is injured. 2) A rider loses his or her helmet, provided that no team will gain from a stoppage of play. 3) A horse’s equipment becomes damaged, presenting potential danger to other horses or riders. (Play is not stopped if a rider falls off his or her horse and is uninjured.)

Fouls and Penalties. Umpires decide the severity of fouls and which penalties are appropriate. Therefore, one particular foul does not have a specific penalty associated with it. Below are penalties listed in the order of their severity. Team captains »

8-goal forbes cup final august 16, 2015 Black Oak/Chanticleer def. Del Rancho/Giddy Up 11-10

Tournament photograph by Andrew Katsampes

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the players

peter poor

neil “jed” raymond, jr.

steve rudolph

estanislao “estani” puch

thomas rizzo

rick salter

here at Myopia for the past two seasons. Rated at 4 goals, Marcos is a speed demon on the field with a fast group of horses. He won the Cyril Harrison 8-Goal and Chairman’s Cup 12-Goal last year. 4 goals

Amanda Poor

Bryan Parrott

Peter Poor

A large animal veterinarian used by many Myopia players, Bryan has played off and on for the past 14 years, splitting his time between Byfield Polo and Myopia. He brings a competitive edge to the field and has found success in most of the tournaments in which he has competed. 1 goal

Peter Poor has played polo at Myopia for 55 years, and his two daughters also play.

Peter runs Stage Hill Polo School in Newbury and is the Northeast Region Governor for the USPA. He has been a central figure at Myopia in many capacities and is the announcer of Sunday games.

Alyson Poor Alyson’s career with animals started at age seven, when she began riding and playing polo at her father’s polo school in Hamilton. Alyson also competed in show jumping and fox hunts from time to time. This past year, Alyson graduated with a degree in animal science from the University of Kentucky, where she also played on the polo team. 0 goals

20 myopia polo 2016

Myopia’s highest handicapped woman, Amanda is an avid athlete from Ipswich.

A Merrimack College grad, she plays for Stage Hill, as well as at Myopia. 0 goals

0 goals

Estanislao “Estani” Puch With a handicap of 3 in Argentina and 2 in the U.S., Estanislao has played at Myopia for the last seven years.

He divides his time between the U.S. and Argentina, where he runs El Rincon del Polo Club & School outside Buenos Aires in the winter months.

2 goals

Neil “Jed” St. John Raymond, Jr. Jed grew up playing polo with his dad, former Myopia captain Ted Raymond, for Maplecroft Farms, and has played in the U.S., Argentina, and the U.K. Jed is a graduate of Middlebury College and Harvard Graduate School of Design. A gifted athlete, he excelled in lacrosse, which he played professionally after graduation. 2 goals

thomas rizzo Tom has been playing polo for four years and riding for six.

He is looking forward to playing in the Myopia Coaching League again this year. He is an engineer by day and a pilot and sailor by weekend. b rated/ myopia coaching league

Polo 101, cont. are the only players who can discuss issues that arise during a game with an umpire.

Penalties. 1) A goal awarded to the team that has been fouled.

Given for the most dangerous fouls. 2) A free hit given to the fouled team, taken from 30 yards from the front of the goal. Given for dangerous fouls. 3) A free hit given to the fouled team, taken from 40 yards from the front of the goal. Given for less dangerous fouls. 4) A free hit given to the fouled team, taken from 60 yards out. Given for moderate fouls. 5) A free hit for the fouled team, taken from where the foul occurred. This penalty is given for mild fouls. 6) Same as above, but the free hit is taken from the center of the field. 7) A 60-yard hit taken opposite from where the ball crossed over the back line; this is given for a defender hitting the ball over their back line.

the myopia polo teams Black Oak: The family team of the Colloredo-Mansfelds, Black Oak is anchored by Will Tankard and a rotating roster of family members.

Blackburn Sunset: The Berube family team played competitively at Myopia last season.

Chanticleer: The Coke family team has competed successfully since the 1990s at Myopia and at Aiken.

Del Rancho: Dave Strouss’s team has successfully competed at every level of Myopia Polo, including winning the 12-goal championship.

Giddy Up: Relatively new to Myopia, Terri Campbell’s team is becoming a force to be » reckoned with.

8-goal cyril harrison final august 30, 2014 Del Rancho def. Longmeadow/Pony Up 9-7

Steve Rudolph In his fifth season at Myopia, Steve is lifelong New Englander, residing in Newburyport with his wife, Sarah. When not playing polo, Steve is a strategy consultant to telecommunications and media companies in the U.S. and Latin America. B rated

Tournament photograph by Andrew Katsampes

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the players

Polo 101, cont.

EFG: Bob Mehm’s team and employ-

crocker snow, jr.

dave strouss

rob wilkinson

nick snow

anna weinburgh

federico wulff

Rick Salter Rick started playing polo at Myopia in 2001. He plays nearly year-round, as he owns a farm in Aiken, SC, and plays in Florida during the winters and Argentina in the fall. Unfortunately, Rick is undergoing rehabilitation on his knee, keeping him off the field this season. A rated

Crocker Snow, Jr. Myopia’s senior polo veteran, Crocker started playing in college during the rebirth of polo at Myopia in the early 1960s and has played ever since, broken only by years living abroad. Crocker has played in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America.

Once rated at 4 goals, he now typically plays the back position and is co-coach of Harvard’s polo team. 1 goal

Nick Snow The highest-rated home-grown player at Myopia, Nick played with his father and older brothers as a teen and later captained Harvard’s polo team. A big hitter and good horseman, Nick was named to Team USPA and represented the U.S. in the

22 myopia polo 2016

FIP World Championships in Argentina. 4 goals

Dave Strouss A regular at Myopia since 1994, Dave learned the game from his father, Bud. His team, Del Rancho, won the Governor’s Cup 6-goal and Cyril Harrison 8-goal last season. Myopia’s delegate to the USPA, Dave lives in Ipswich with his wife, Tracy, and two daughters. 1 goal

anna weinburgh Anna started riding when she was five years old and playing polo when she was nine under the tutelage of Peter Poor. She made her Myopia debut in 2014.

Anna will be a sophomore at Hamilton-Wenham High School this fall. She has her heart set on becoming an equine vet. She’ll be playing this summer on her family’s Fetlock Futures team.

Rob wilkinson Federico Wulff grew up playing polo in Buenos Aires, Agrentina and is a knowledgeable tactician of the game.

He has traveled throughout the U.S. playing extensively

philip zocco

in Aiken, SC, Wellington, FL and Colorado. This is Fede’s ninth season at Myopia and his second year coaching and developing Myopia Coaching League’s beginner, intermediate and youth players. Fede will be assisting in managing all Myopia Polo tournaments for the 2016 season. 3 goals

Federico Wulff Federico grew up playing polo in Buenos Aires and is a knowledgeable tactician of the sport. He has played extensively in Aiken, SC, as well as in Colorado and Florida.

3 goals

Philip Zocco Recipient of Myopia Polo’s 2015 most improved player and sponsor of team Georgetown Door & Window, Philip returns for his eighth season at Myopia. Combining his natural athletic abilities, team sport presence (developed through years as a Scholastic and Intercollegiate hockey player) and a love for horses have contributed to raising his level of play and overall passion for the sport of polo. A rated

er, EFG has sponsored teams around the globe—and now, at Myopia.

Firehouse Subs: Richard Salter’s team has been a highly successful team at Myopia and in Aiken.

Homewood: The Riva family team, Homewood is led by brothers Nick and Christian Riva and has won numerous championships at Myopia.

Little Bow/Big Four: The Ellis family team, Big Four draws on the Ellises’ origins in Western Canada.

Big Four won the top championship—the 12-goal Chairman’s Cup—in 2010.

Longmeadow: Kurt Miller’s team, Longmeadow has had a long run at Myopia dating back to the 1980s.

Maplecroft: The Raymond family team, once led by Ted Raymond, a former Myopia Polo captain, is now under the leadership of Ted’s son, Jed. Pony Express: The Daniels family’s team, Pony Express competes at the highest levels of polo in Florida and at Myopia.

Seagulls: The Snow family’s team, now led by Crocker Snow, has perhaps the longest and most storied history at Myopia.

Stage Hill: The Poor family team, led by Peter Poor and now including Alyson and Amanda, Stage Hill is going on 55 years with Myopia.

Winter Creek: The Graham family’s team, led by former Myopia Polo captain Lyle Graham, has had a 28-year run at Myopia.

Myopia Coaching League members Leslie Milne, Stephen Burr, Rich Burke, Michele Steyck, Tom Rizzo, Patricia Johnstone, Francoisa Martinolle, David Dunstan, CC Jenkins, Grace Grotnik, Reed Miller, Matt Roque, Kirstin Costa, Lisa Ott de Bruin

junior players CC Jenkins, Grace Grotnik, Chase Brown, Stephen Burr, Kate McCaughey, Bronwin Chandler, Anna Noll, Annie Veeder, Reed Miller, Matt Roque

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rules of the game riding, rough or abusive play, improper use of the mallet and unsportsmanlike conduct.

Dangerous situations and injuries usually result in a violation of the rules, and it is the responsibility of the two mounted umpires and the referee on the sidelines to maintain order on the field.

DANGEROUS RIDING

A foul that occurs when a player executes an improper or dangerous ride-off, zig zags in front of another player traveling at speed, slides across the back legs of another player’s horse close enough so there is a risk one or both horses could trip, rides an opponent across the right-of way of an oncoming player at an unsafe distance, deliberately rides his horse into the swing of another player, or generally exhibits a disregard for the safety of other players or their horses.

IMPROPER USE OF THE MALLET

A foul occurs when a player executes an improper hook, such as high hook (above the shoulder), a cross hook (from the other side of the horse) or a slash hook (excessive force); or uses a mallet in a way that endangers his mount, an opponent, an opponent’s mount, an umpire or a spectator.

PENALTY

The rules of polo are simple and designed to keep the game flowing and to protect the horses from injury.

The result of a called foul or infraction of the rules. The umpire imposes a penalty to either compensate the other team for the loss of advantage or to sufficiently penalize the fouling team for a rule violation that did not cause a disadvantage to the opponent, such as unsportsmanlike conduct. Penalties range in severity from taking possession of the ball from a team and bowling it in to ejecting a player from the game.

APPEALING FOR A FOUL

FOUL

RIGHT-OF WAY

Trying to influence the call of an umpire, most often done by lifting the mallet up in the air. Appealing for a foul is itself a foul, though seldom called.

A foul is an infraction of the rules.

The most common types of fouls are right-of-way infractions, walking the ball, turning the ball, dangerous

The right-of-way is best thought of as a highway, with the line of the ball creating the center line. The player traveling in the direction of the ball,

Law and Order

24 myopia polo 2016

photographs by andrew katsampes

A ball is out-of bounds, also known as out of play, when it crosses a boundary of the field, either an end line or sideline. Unlike most other sports, a player or horse may cross out-of-bounds and even make a play on the ball while out-of-bounds, so long as the ball remains in-bounds. Play only stops when the ball crosses out-of-bounds.

with the ball on hisoffside and at the least angle to it, generally has the right-of-way over the other players.

When the player’s progress to the ball within that right-of-way is improperly impeded, a foul is called. Examples of right-of-way violations include entering the right-of-way at an unsafe distance or speed (comparable to cutting in from an onramp while driving too slowly), crossing over the line of the ball in front of someone on the right-of-way, stopping on the ball or one player meeting two.

ROUGH OR ABUSIVE PLAY

A foul that occurs when a player abuses his horse, another player or another player’s horse. This can include seizing or striking with the hand, elbow, head, mallet or whip.

SAFETY

A foul that occurs when a defending team hits the ball over its own

end line. When a safety occurs, the attacking team is awarded a Penalty 6, which is a defended penalty shot from 60 yards out and perpendicular to the end line at the spot the ball went over the end line.

TURNING THE BALL

Technically known in the USPA rules as a Quick Line Change, turning the ball is when a player slows down dramatically and changes the line in a very small space. When defended, this is a foul. Until recently, this rule was rarely enforced. In the last several years, all three major associations have begun enforcing the rule to create a more open and flowing game. To distinguish between running a turn, which is not a foul, and turning the ball, which is a foul when the player is defended, you must look at the distance between the player with the ball and the defender. When running a turn, the distance between the two

players does not close. When turning the ball, that distance closes quickly and is therefore considered unsafe.

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT

A foul which occurs when a player uses vulgar or abusive language; is disrespectful to another player, coach, umpire, or spectator; argues with an umpire; delays the game by feigning injury or requesting an unnecessary tack time-out; or appeals for a foul, especially by windmilling his mallet.

WALKING THE BALL

Carrying the ball while slowed down to a walk. In outdoor polo, this is a foul for delay of game. When called, it results in a throw-in at the spot of the infraction.

In arena polo, the player must maintain “reasonable pace” when along the wall. There is no rule governing pace in the arena when not along the walls.

Compiled from USPolo.org.

2016 myopia polo 25

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youth polo

The Next Generation

The NYTS Championships are coming to Myopia this summer. / by Bill Burke

some of the most talented young polo players in the nation are headed to South Hamilton, as the United States Polo Association’s National Youth Tournament Series holds qualifiers and its championships at Myopia Polo Club this summer.

The NYTS qualifier will be held on Saturday, July 2; the qualifier finals the next day, on July 3; and the USPA NYTS Championships will be held here from Sept. 1-4.

The National Youth Tournament Series (NYTS) was established in 2013 and was the first series for youth players to compete against their peers at the local level, with the additional opportunity for players to advance on a national level.

Players from Myopia have done well in the past, with at least one advancing to the National Championships each year. Myopia’s Barrett Coke, a student at the Brooks School in North Andover with 1-goal rating outdoors, has competed in the NYTS since it started in 2013, including at the national championships in San Diego in 2014 and as a member of the Zone 4 (Eastern and Northeast Circuits) Championship team last year.

Having grown up learning polo at Myopia, and now living in Hamilton, NYTS program director Amanda Snow is excited to host the Championships in the Northeast.

26 myopia polo 2016

“Myopia has a long, strong history of youth polo and has produced top professional players,” Snow says. “Their presence nationally at the NYTS Championships shows that continued trend.”

Snow attributes Myopia’s strong youth program to its long legacy of enduring family teams.

“Much of that success is owed to the family nature that Myopia nurtures,” she says. “Many of the youth players start because they have a parent involved or came to a match with their family. It is a great family sport, both as a player and off the field as a spectator.”

Clockwise, from top, Barrett When Coke (green) marked by selecting from Conrad Kissling; Coke with the top young Coach Nick players in the Snow; the 2015 winning team: country, USPA Coke, Marissa Wells, George Polo weighs Hempt and attributes such Tommy Huber. as sportsmanship, horsemanship, teamplay and playing ability.

“It can be a hard balance for some players, but this program weighs sportsmanship and horsemanship very heavily,” Player Development Coordinator Liz Holson says. “Occasionally outstanding, talented players miss out on being named as an All-Star because they had a bad attitude or poor horsemanship.”

All players in NYTS must be under 19 as of January 1 of the current year, and while there is no age minimum, all players photographs by elizabeth hedley

Lake Legal LLC must be rated as B-level tire country, from ages nine players by their home club to 19, will be here participatand the USPA Handicap ing in the tournament.”

Committee. The ages at Spectators at the qualifithe National Championers and the championships ships tend to trend slightly can expect to see outstandhigher, but all still fall uning polo. Host clubs across der the under-19 category. the country rank the NYTS Myopia’s Nick Snow, a games as some of the best Team USPA member who they see all year. Part of the coached the championship reason is that the youth team last year and will be players, organizers say, rise coaching again this year, to the occasion. says that the familial aspect “The youth players genis a great draw for younger erally have a more expeplayers, but, as with any rienced adult on the field sport, “you’re really going with them, helping to keep to enjoy it the most, and rethe ball moving – but there ally improve, when you’re is none of that at NYTS,” playing with kids who are Holson says. “These youth your own age.” players are completely “It’s more of a game dependent on themselves. when you’re young,” Snow The games in the champisays. “All of the difficulties, onships will be incredible. and the details of making These players know what things happen, just disapis on the line and really pear when you get a bunch come together to strateof kids out there playing gize and play the best polo they can – sometimes together. That was really with teammates they have the driving force behind never met before.” this. We just want to get more kids playing with and Aside from the prestige and experience of competagainst each other, and ing at such a high level, the hopefully improving.” players can also expect to Myopia is also home to outstanding instruclearn a great deal from the experience. tors, Holson says. Along “They learn so many with Snow, Myopia Polo Manager Kim Maguire is things – having that one of the first of USPA’s responsibility as a young Certified Instructors. person builds so much character and sense of re“For the USPA to pick sponsibility, it carries over Myopia and to have it here is huge,” Maguire into other areas it shows in the says. “It’s countrycalendar and classroom, in a job, wide recognition saturday, july 2 and USPA recogniat home, and in USPA NYTS tion, which is great. their friendships Qualifier sunday, july 3 Some of the best throughout their USPA NYTS lives,” Holson says. players in the enQualifier Finals september 1–4

USPA NYTS Championships

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Any Given Sunday

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Daines & Hathaway leather travel flask, $385, The Andover Shop; Lexington Kentucky Bourbon, $29.99, Butcher Boy Market. —Lysa pelletier/team artist representative

Where to buy it? See page 40.

28 myopia polo 2016

photograph by glenn scott

BLISS SALON

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accessories

About Face

Four time-keepers with simple leather bands that are equally at home with a white or black face.

Clockwise, from left: Estate Omega Moonphase Triple Date Wristwatch (circa 1940s), $2,750, Springer’s Jewelers; Cartier Square-faced Wristwatch, $6,750, Royal Jewelers; Raymond Weil Wristwatch, $1,350, DeScenza Diamonds; Bertucci’s Titanium Wristwatch, $229, Farley’s of Newburyport. —lysa pelletier Where to buy it? See page 40.

30 myopia polo 2016

photograph by glenn scott

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food & drink

Time to Tailgate Tailgating at Myopia isn’t just an excuse to eat and drink—it’s a chance to entertain in style.

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1. Kentucky barrel stout, $13.99 for four, Butcher Boy Market.

2. Vintage picnic basket, $135, Canal Street Antiques.

3. Eloise horse hair pillows, $250 each, Savoir Faire Home.

4. Piarossini sun hat, $20, Rose & Dove. 5. Pendleton travel blanket, $219, Farley’s of Newburyport. 6. Pia Rossini canvas bag, $58, Rose & Dove. 7. Wine glasses, $14.99 each, Rose & Dove. 8. Fire Steed pinot noir, $10.99, Butcher Boy Market. 9. Vintage wooden trivet, $20.00, Canal Street Antiques. 10. Johnston’s of Elgin wool plaid blanket, $225, The Andover Shop. 11. Vintage tailgate chair, $250.00, Canal Street Antiques. —lysa pelletier Where to buy it? See page 40.

32 myopia polo 2016

photograph by glenn scott

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accessories

Talia Don teardrop gem wrap necklace, $2995, Royal Jewelers.

Bella Stella handwoven beaded tassel necklace, by Carol Buccieri, $150, Bella Stella Beads.

The Camden twist rope necklace, $100, Springers Jewelers.

Nocturne stone drop necklace, $220, Dresscode.

LOLA pendent necklace, $55$175 per pendant, Helen Thomas.

Floral statement necklace, $128, J.Crew.

Bella Stella handwoven beaded gold floral necklace, by Carol Buccieri, $225, Bella Stella Beads.

The Perfect Statement

Even though these styles are minimal in design, they make just as much of a splash. —lysa pelletier

Where to buy it? See page 40.

Alex Sepkus necklace set with diamonds and sapphires, $30,625, Springers Jewelers.

34 myopia polo 2016

Yellow gold aquamarine and diamond necklace, $35,000, Springers Jewelers.

photographs by glenn scott

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scene

Having a Ball

Members of the Myopia Polo community gathered together to celebrate.

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the annual myopia polo ball july 26, 2015

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1. Jacqueline, Reed and Kurt Miller. 2. C.B. Scherer, Isabella Ellis and Amanda Snow. 3. Anna Weinberg and Gabrielle Bernstein.

4. Katelyn and Lyle Graham and Franz Colloredo-Mansfeld.

5. Linda Weinberg and Michael Noll.

6. Gary and Patricia Johnstone.

7. Nicholas Snow, Negro Aguero and Franz Colloredo-Mansfeld.

8. Anne and Franz ColloredoMansfeld. 9. Brownin Chandler and Benji, Justin and Landen EckboDaniels. 10. C.B. Scherer, Rich Burke and Nicholas Snow. 11. Estani Puch, Terri Campbell and Michael Mars.

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photographs by james nelon

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䠀䄀圀吀䠀伀刀一䔀 䠀伀吀䔀䰀

㄀㠀 圀愀猀栀椀渀最琀漀渀 匀焀甀愀爀攀 圀攀猀琀Ⰰ 匀愀氀攀洀Ⰰ 䴀䄀⸀ 㤀㜀㠀⸀㠀㈀㔀⸀㐀㌀㔀㠀 眀眀眀⸀栀愀眀琀栀漀爀渀攀栀漀琀攀氀⸀挀漀洀

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Myopia Through the Years

Member enthusiasm keeps one of the country’s oldest polo club thriving after 127 years. / by Jeanne O’Brien

Myopia is the oldest polo club in the United States, having hosted polo matches and related events for 126 years.

38 myopia polo 2016

ith a storied history dating back to the late 1800s, when the sport was introduced to the U.S., Myopia is one of the oldest active polo clubs in the country. While enthusiastic spectators arrive on Sundays in SUVs instead of horse-drawn carriages, not much else has changed at Gibney Field, where players have been swinging mallets since 1887.

1887-1930: polo frenzy grips north shore elite As polo traveled up the coast from New York, Randolph M. “Bud” Appleton, who played on the Harvard Polo Team, encouraged a few enthusiasts to knock a ball around at Gibney Field in 1887. The following summer, more than 200 people traveled by carriage to

watch players scrimmage and listen to a performance by the Salem Cadet Band. Although a witness to that event declared that “the best playing was done by the band,” Myopia was emboldened by their popularity and issued a challenge to the Dedham Country and Polo Club, igniting an intense rivalry that was to last almost 50 years.

In 1890, when the United States Polo Association formed, Myopia joined as a charter member. Five years later, the young Hamilton team competed in the Senior Championship, the equivalent of today’s National Open, and took the top prize. Ties to the Harvard Polo Team, which are still strong, grew in 1907, when the team started practicing at Gibney Field; it was there that it defeated Yale during the country’s first formal college game.

Pictures from those early days showed the sidelines crowded with carriages and parasols. When automobiles first appeared on the scene, they were segregated to one corner, so as not to scare the horses.

1930-1958: the lean years Cars soon became an accepted fixture on the sidelines, but the Great Depression and World War II brought growth of the sport to a virtual standstill; polo was simply too expensive during those years. Loath to give up the game entirely, some players took to bicycle polo to keep costs down, but even that disappeared when news of Pearl Harbor was brought to a group of bicycle poloists on the Myopia club practice field in 1941.

1958-1990: the glamour years It took years after the war for polo to regain momentum in South Hamilton, but the youthful energy of players like Adam Winthrop, Crocker Snow and the late Don Little—the latter of whom organized impromptu matches during his time as a B-47 bomber pilot at the Strategic Air Command Base in Tucson, AZ—inspired veteran players like Tim Clark, C.G. Rice and Neil Ayer to retake Gibney Field, which had been turned into a hay field. Polo became so popular that members, many of who had demanding weekday jobs and could only play on Sundays, were inspired to build an outdoor arena so they could also play on Wednesday nights.

The arena, built entirely by the players using timbers from a torn-down dancehall in Peabody, became the site for several national tournaments.

Hollywood discovered Myopia in 1967. Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway shot polo scenes for The Thomas Crown Affair, which tells the story of a jaded Boston play-boy who robs a bank for kicks (in addition to playing at Myopia).

The money from the two-week experience enabled Myopia to build a 24-stall polo barn, still in use today.

A year later, the Myopia team was invited to play in Iran, the birthplace of polo, as part of that nation’s 2,500th anniversary celebration, according to the book “Myopia: 1875-1975,” compiled and edited by Edward Weeks. As the book notes, “Each player chose three [Arabian stallions] »

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A polo team at Myopia in the club’s earlier days. Myopia has hosted royalty, screen stars, and other luminaries.

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from an original string of 30, and began to get accustomed to the [pebble] field…the steady diet of lamb kebab, vodka and Caspian Sea caviar, and the hot desert air.”

In the 1970s, an Iranian team visited Gibney Field, as well as teams from New Zealand, Pakistan and Argentina. The resurgence of polo on a national level, combined with the inspiration of Myopia captains like Ayer, Little and Michael Fawcett, attracted more players and more teams. The annual Forbes Cup, a New England championship game generally played against Fairfield, CT, gained a strong following during this time, as did the renowned East Coast Open, at the 20-goal level, which attracted 11 teams at its height, with top high-goal players and enthusiastic crowds.

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tainship of leaders like Neil Raymond, Rob Wilkinson, Lyle Graham, Albert Ellis and, currently, Franz Colloredo-Mansfeld, Myopia Polo has achieved a storied place on the polo scene. Further accolades have come to the club through a solidified relationship with Harvard Polo and the great honor bestowed upon Adam Snow, who achieved the USPA’s cherished 10-goal handicap—only the second Myopia-trained player to do so.

In 2013, the club sent many local players to intercollegiate, national and international tournaments. The club has also placed emphasis on horse welfare. Above all, Myopia remains dedicated to introducing young players to the honorable sport of polo.

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m yopia

u.s. polo association

Clockwise, from bottom left: H.L. Herbert, the first chairman of the USPA; Mary Duncan Sanford and Babs Tyrrell-Martin, Westchester Cup, 1939; Stuart Iglehart, Meadow Brook Club, 1939; Marjorie LeBoutillier, Bostwick Field, 1935; Pacific Coast Open, 1929.

The USPA

126 years of innovation, inclusion, and tradition. / by Bill Burke

with a history dating back thousands of years, Polo is considered the oldest team sport in known history.

The innovations of the past century, however, have molded it into the fast-paced, exciting game we recognize today. What was once a contest where eight or more players would gallop up and down the field for the better part of an afternoon has evolved into a focused, precise sport that highlights horsemanship, physical prowess and sharp, team play.

Much of the credit for that organizational transformation—at least in the U.S.—belongs to the United States Polo Association (USPA).

Over dinner one evening in New York City in 1890, H.L. Herbert, John 42 myopia polo 2015

Cowdin and Thomas Hitchcock formally create the Polo Association—now the United States Polo Association.

The group is made up of seven clubs and is headquartered in New York. 100 handicaps are assigned to members, including future President Teddy Roosevelt. Herbert is elected chairman—a post he would hold for the next 31 years.

The first U.S. Open Championship is played in 1904 and the legendary American team that would become known as the Big Four (Harry Payne Whitney, Devereux Milburn, and Larry and Monty Waterbury) defeats England to win the Westchester Cup. Under the USPA’s guidance, the

sport continues to see a growth in popularity throughout the U.S., necessitating expansion south and west. In the 1920s, crowds of more than 35,000 people gather to watch major tournaments, and players begin numbering their jerseys 1-4 to designate position and role. The Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame says that, during this era, it was estimated that there was an annual need for more than 63,000 polo ponies.

Women begin to make their mark in the 1930s, as Cornell fields an intercollegiate women’s team, and a group of Army officer’s wives form the “Whippettes.” The Pacific Women’s Polo Association is formed in 1934. Women now make up 40 percent of the USPA’s membership.

The 1940s sees a slowdown in the growth of the sport, with record keeping suspended during World War II. The sport’s recovery takes hold over the next 20 years, as the popularity of Arena Polo grows and a surge in the top ranks sets the stage for growth in the decades to come.

The fashion world adopts the polo image, high-goal polo is recognized as one of the fastest-moving and exciting spectator sports in the world, and the Palm Beach Polo and Country Club opens in 1979—becoming the foremost center for international high-goal polo. In the 1980s, USPA membership reaches an all-time high.

As the millennium draws to a close, the USPA evolves from an all-volunteer organization to one employing a full administrative and executive staff. Broadcasting and streaming tournaments, using drones and instant replay have all become a normal part of this traditional sport. Today, the USPA includes nearly 300 member clubs in 13 geographic circuits around the United States and oversees 40 national tournaments.

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m yopia

legacy

Will Tankard

Myopia loses a true “Son of Polo.”

Remembering Will Tankard, 31.

will tankard lived by a motto that defined him: “Any day playing polo is a good day.”

And to those who knew him, any day playing polo with Will was that much better. His infectious passion for polo, horses and the people involved in the sport emanated from this easy going and personable young man.

Will, 31, died, along with his loyal Boston Terrier, Chewy, and three of his polo ponies (Teacup, Merlen and Red) in a truck-and-trailer accident in Ohio. He was on his way to the Myopia Polo Club to play the month of August last summer. Seven of his horses survived the accident after significant recovery time both in Ohio and back in Aiken, SC. There was an incredible amount of support provided by the polo community that has been instrumental in the horse recovery and continued care for those in need.

Will was truly a “Son of Polo.” His father, Bill, and mother, Katherine » 44 myopia polo 2016

photograph by elizabeth hedley

m yopia

legacy

or “Cissie,” were involved with the sport in Nashville, TN, where he was born. A dedicated and caring horsewoman, Cissie’s polo pursuits took her from Knoxville, TN to Huntsville, AL and then to the Maryland Polo Club.

It was there that Will had his first real taste of the work, but also the rewards, of polo after Cissie broke a clavicle and young Will was charged with all the riding responsibilities for nearly a month.

Will continued to hone his skills in the arena at the PTF training facility in Brushy Creek in Texas, where Cissie took over as lead instructor in 2000, and went on to win two interscholastic championships, in 2002 and 2003.

Of Will’s upbringing, Cissie commented, “They say it takes a village to 46 myopia polo 2016

raise a child. Raising a child as a single parent in the polo community has been one of the most incredible experiences. I think Will took the best of everybody that ever helped him.

I think he made me a better person and I think he made a lot of the other people who knew him better people, and it’s because he was raised by this village, this polo community.”

Texas continued to be a big part of Will’s life as he attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock, graduating with a degree in agricultural economics in 2008.

In 2006, he won the national intercollegiate championships with Tech, his third IS/II Championship, with close friend Pete Blake. Also at Tech,

Samira Waernlund first came into his life. She too had a passion for polo and horses — they were captains of the men’s and women’s teams at the same time. It was a relationship that resurfaced after college, as they went on to build a life in polo together, settling down on a farm in Aiken, SC. Will loved his work. There was no place he would rather be than on horseback. There was a time, however, when Will was not fully involved with polo. After college, he took a job selling insurance in Texas.

“That life was not for him and we easily convinced him to come play a 6-goal at Myopia with myself, his mom, my dad, as well as Franz and Seppi Colloredo-Mansfeld.” Nick »

Photographs by Elizabeth Hedley, Suzanna South (2), and D. Salfia

Clockwise from top left: Will in action; 2014 Team USPA winners against Argentina; Will and longtime partner Samira Waernlund; Will on Gibney Field in 2013; 2012 Chairman’s Cup winners; Will and fellow Team USPA members before the match.

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Snow said. Before long, Will left the insurance business and was putting together a string with some of Cissie’s great horses including Reggae, Harley and Fahrenheit.

Will would go on to be a central feature of the Black Oak family team in years to come, playing with all five Colloredo-Mansfelds.

His list of polo Will and Nick Snow before the 4-2 American victory in last year’s Team USPA vs. South America contest. accomplishments is impressive. At Las Colinas, he won the Triple Crown of polo and USPA Western Regional, among others. In Aiken, he won the 12-goal Copper Cup in back-to-back years (2012 and 2013) with All-American teams. In Argentina, he won the 12-goal Copa Garzaron during a season he spent playing “La Pampa,” and at Myopia he won the 12-goal Chairman’s Cup and Governors Cup. Will also represented the United States on many different occasions.

He was selected to Team USPA in 2010, won the Bryan Morrison Cup in 2014 in England, and recently competed on the U.S. team in the FIP World Championships in Chile this past March.

It was no coincidence that his teams found success.

Will was one of those players you always wanted on your side because he made everybody around him better. His natural love for the sport combined with his positive attitude and team-oriented approach lifted those he played with. Will always tried his hardest and strived to make both himself and his horses better. His form and style were beautiful to watch and his ball striking—forward, backward, offside and nearside—was incredibly crisp and consistent. He never rushed his plays, letting the game come to him. He was a fierce competitor, but managed to stay calm in the heat of the game and was always the first one to shake your hand and say “good game,” win or lose.

Even spectators could spot Will’s growing skills in the heat of a match.

“You could see his development through the years,” Myopia Polo Manager Kim Maguire said. “He became such a classic no. 4 player. He started to really flow with the horse, and his technique with the swing was beautiful. He was a master of strategy, which came from play» ing all over world with high-rated players.” photograph by suzanna south

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In addition to being an accomplished player, Will had a passion for training young horses and learning horsemanship. He wanted to understand how the horse thought. He was motivated and would frequently experiment with various techniques and equipment to improve both his playing and green horses. Will and Samira would spend hours discussing how to manage their string and train their green horses, such as recently made “Teacup,” who was lost in the accident. He had a knack for getting the most out of each horse and there is no doubt that those same character traits that made him loved by people went for horses as well.

Will was a natural rider who looked more comfortable on horseback than on his own two feet. “I remember one specific game playing against him when we jumped the It was no coinboards chasing a ball and his cidence that his horse’s back-end slipped to the teams found ground with the crowd gasping success. Will in the background,” Nick Snow was one of those said. “On top of his horse’s players you ears, Will somehow managed always wanted to stay on, jumped back over on your side the boards, brought his horse because he made around to meet me, stole the everybody around ball, ran it the length of the field, and hit a near impossible him better. cut shot to win the game in overtime on Gibney Field. It was one of the most amazing goals I have ever seen.”

Will did not have to be on horseback to enjoy polo.

He especially loved playing bike polo on Powderhouse Field in Aiken. He also enjoyed pick-up soccer, chainsaw work on his farm, barbecuing with friends, and rooting on the Dallas Cowboys on Sundays in the fall.

He loved Texas Pete hot sauce and while Stella was his go-to brew, he could never pass up a good IPA and his favorite was Ipswich Ale. Anybody who knew Will, knew Chewy, his Boston Terrier, who could be heard coming from a mile away.

The high-goal international match between Argentina and the USA that Will was meant to play, just four days after his accident, took place as scheduled, at the insistence of Will’s mother Cissie. It was this level of polo that Will desperately loved to play and he had been instrumental in the first international game the year prior. All of the proceeds from the gate went to the care of Will’s horses as well as donations collected field side. This mid-season exhibition game will be played as the Will Tankard memorial to honor a talented, hard-working and compassionate polo player who was taken too soon.

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Myopia Polo 2016 The History of Polo a timeline / page 54

Along for the Ride photo essay / page 62

The Cyril Harrison Cup

tournament spotlight / page 68

photograph by bob packert

53

the history of polo

Some of the earliest records refer to polo being played in China, centuries ago, when the sport served as military training or to prepare for the hunt.

The word “polo” derives from the Tibetan term for ball, “pulu.”

From the Asian Steppes to the fields of North America, polo remains the Game of Kings. / by Bill Burke 54 myopia polo 2016

55

Polo in America Opposite page, from top: the 1928 Cup of the Americas, held at the Meadowbrook Polo Club and pitting the United States against Argentina, drew more than 100,000 spectators during the golden age of the sport. Publisher James Gordon Bennett is credited with helping to bring the sport of polo to the United States. The fast-paced arena polo, seen here played outside, helped spread the popularity of the sport. The sport continued to grow in popularity through the 1930s, with crowds topping 30,000 spectators gathering to watch matches. The winning Oak Brook polo team at the 1960 U.S. Open, just outside of Chicago, Ill.

56 myopia polo 2016

thundering hooves shake the grounds at Gibney Field as riders pursue one another, long-handled mallets rising and falling as the ball rockets down the oldest active polo field in the nation. An assemblage of spectators made up of devotees and the curious closely watch the action, its twists and turns taking place at blinding speed, driven by players whose skill has been honed over years of training.

It’s a typical Sunday at Myopia during polo season, where the day centers around a contest steeped in tradition and largely unchanged from the earliest forms of the sport. Save for a few obvious anachronisms, it just as easily could have been a scene playing out on the steppes of Central Asia thousands of years ago.

“pulu.” Still others say it may have evolved from the Afghan sport of buzkashi.

Whatever its origin, its purpose was both pragmatic and functional. Superior horsemanship was a vital skill throughout the Central Asian steppes, where it oftentimes meant the difference in battle or on the hunt. According to the Polo Museum and Hall of Fame, mounted nomads in Central Asia played a version of polo—part sport and part training for war—with as many as 100 men on a side.

“It all started 2,600 years ago in Persia,” says Brenda Lynn, director of development at the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in Lake Worth, FL. “It’s commonly thought that it developed for armies to hone their skills of war. And while there is some dispute, most people feel it started as a military exercise.”

The earliest recorded evidence reveals that polo spread from Constantinople to Persia to Asia, following nomadic migration between 600 B.C. and 100 A.D., and was referred to in Persian, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese and Byzantine languages.

The oral history of polo includes a possibly apocryphal story wherein the Persian King Darius sent a chaugan stick and ball to Alexander the Great—inferring he should stick to games rather than entertain designs of political and military conquest. It did not have its intended effect. Legend has it that Alexander replied “the ball is the earth and I am the stick.” He went on to oversee the building a massive empire—most assuredly from horseback.

Modern polo

The Genesis of Polo

While riders have been pursuing the sport at the South Hamilton grounds since 1887, the American game is comparatively young. Polo, whose birth predates even written history, is said to have its origins in a game called “chaugan” that was played by Persians more than two centuries ago, while the Chinese claim a form of the sport was played even earlier. Some of the earliest written records referring to polo come from China: the word “polo” derives from the Tibetan term for ball,

Records indicate that polo likely next moved across the globe from Persia and into India.

It’s there that the modern game—the polo that enthusiasts have embraced and pursued across generations—began to take shape, and from there spread globally. India saw some form of polo starting in the 13th century; it took hold and flourished there for the next 400 years.

According to the Federation of International Polo, the first polo club—Calcutta Polo Club—was formed by British soldiers

photographs courtesy of the museum of polo and hall of fame, lake worth, fl

the history of polo: A timeline 600 B.C.: The earliest form of polo is played in the Persian Empire.

1862: The world’s oldest active polo club, the Calcutta Polo Club, is established.

1868: The oldest polo club outside of India, the Malta Polo Club, is founded.

1874: The Hurlingham Rules are codified, limiting the number of players on a team to five, instituting the offside rule.

1879: The first official polo match is held in Argentina.

1876: A group of players establish the first formal club in the U.S., the Westchester Polo Club, at Jerome Park race track in New York.

1887: Myopia Polo Club, the oldest active polo club in the U.S., is founded.

1888: Handicaps and player ratings are introduced to polo in the U.S. 1900: Polo is added as an Olympic sport, until 1936.

1910: India and England add handicaps and player ratings.

1915: The Indoor Polo Association is established.

1922: The Argentine Polo Association is established.

1926: The 1926 Open pits the Hurricanes against Argentina as more than 30,000 spectators look on.

1928: More than 100,000 people witness the Cup of the Americas at Meadowbrook.

1967: The USPA moves its headquarters from New York to Oak Brook, Illinois.

1982: The Federation of International Polo is established.

and tea planters at Silchar, west of Manipur, in 1859. Just a few years later, British Army and Naval officers stopping off in Malta on their way home from India established the Malta Polo Club. Though it had captured the imaginations of horsemen for centuries, polo was now poised for global expansion.

The game galloped into England atop military mounts in the mid-1800s, when

Bengal Army Lt. Joseph Ford Sherer took part in a match while in India. Referred to as “Joe Sherer, the Father of Modern Polo,” he brought a team to Calcutta known as the Band of Brothers. Another of the early British polo pioneers, John Watson, also came to the game while stationed in India. So when the first recorded polo game in England took place in 1869 at Hounslow Heath, (referred

1986: The USPA moves its national headquarters to Lexington, Kentucky.

1990: The Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame is founded.

2005: The Women’s Championship Tournament is created.

2013: The National Youth Tournament Series is established.

2016: There are more than 275 polo clubs registered with the USPA, with more than 4,500 members. Myopia hosts the NYTS Championships.

2016 myopia polo 57

Women in Polo From left, Women began making their mark on the game as it grew in popularity through the 1930s. Frances Post, sister of Polo Hall of Famer, William “Billy” Post, was married to Dicky Santamarina, breeder of the famous “Santamarina Greys.”

Women competed throughout the evolution of polo in the U.S., and have become one of the fastest growing divisions in the sport.

58 myopia polo 2016

to as “hockey on horseback”), it was embraced wholeheartedly.

Among the more notable early adopters was Winston Churchill. A fierce competitor, Churchill came to the sport while a young cavalry officer. Despite suffering a serious shoulder injury while going ashore in Bombay, he was known to strap his arm to his side in order to continue pursuing his sporting passion.

Polo spread into Malta by 1868, England a year later, Ireland in 1870 and Argentina in 1872. Irish ranchers introduced the sport to the horse-mad culture at Shennan’s Estancia, where it flourished. To this day, Argentina— the home of the gaucho—remains a polo hotbed, boasting the highest number of tengoal players in the sport. Every December, tens of thousands of people gather to attend the Argentine Polo Open Championship in Buenos Aires.

“In Argentina, they made it their national sport,” Lynn says. “Polo there is like football is here in the U.S. Their national heroes are polo players like our football stars here. I don’t know why they embraced it so, but they have.

Argentina has been such a horse culture for such a long time, whereas here, horses are more recreational. Because there’s more of a horse culture in Argentina, there are large ranches there, large spreads of land with a lot of country to raise the culture on. I think that’s why it’s surviving so strongly as a sport there.”

Polo in America

In 1876, a newspaperman from New York City happened upon his first game of polo while in England. When that publisher, James Gordon Bennett, returned home, he brought with him a copy of the Hurlingham rules, mallets, balls and a passion for the sport. In his book, “A History of Polo in the United States,” Horace A. Laffaye says that Bennett threw a dinner at his home on 5th Avenue and 38th Street in New York City, with the expressed idea of introducing polo to the United States.

Not long after, an indoor game was mounted at Dickel’s Riding Academy. With spring, came a move outdoors to a field in Westchester County. As the warmer months took hold, so, too, did polo fever. Newport, R.I. hosted its first contest that summer, and from there the game spread throughout the country.

According to the Polo Museum and Hall of Fame, there were seven clubs in the U.S. by 1890, and within a year the number grew to 12—all of whom helped to form the earliest organized polo federation in the country: the Polo Association, known today as the United States Polo Association (USPA). Rules were standardized and the popularity of the sport grew. By the dawn of the 20th century, there were 23 polo clubs in the U.S. The sport continued to gain in popularity, and by the 1930s, crowds of more than 30,000

the pull of the ponies There is an almost mythical allure to the sport of polo, and much of that draw can be attributed to what many consider to be the best athletes on the field: the horses.

Often afforded nearly as much of the spotlight as the riders, these four-legged athletes gallop at top speed, cut sharply and turn on a dime. They are strong, beautiful and the best among them show a drive and willingness that help them stand out.

What is it about polo that captures people’s imagination?

“It’s the horses, for sure,” says Brenda Lynn, director of development at the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in Lake Worth, FL. “When kids come in [to the museum], they want to know all about the horses.”

There are a number of horses that

have come to some renown due to their abilities on the polo pitch, many of which are recognized by the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame, but there’s one in particular that captured the imagination of Lynn: Gay Boy. A Texas cow pony sent east in the 1920s, rancher Will C. Gay gave what Hall of Fame administrators now call “a gift to the game of polo” in the horse, which was a half-thoroughbred gelding with a white blaze down his “wise and sensible head.” Considered the greatest polo mount of his day, Gay Boy was known for his remarkable speed, and his unforgettable play in the 1927 International matches that pitted the U.S. against Great Britain. In those matches, Gay Boy ran in two chukkers in the first match and three in the second,

Gay Boy with J.A. Crawford, left, and in the prime of his career in the 1920s.

and was ridden by polo Hall of Famer Malcom Stevenson, who described the horse as “supreme among ponies.” His strength, stamina and willingness made his reputation, and he was also played

by Hall of Famers Robert Strawbridge Jr. and Tommy Hitchcock Jr.—appropriate, because Lynn describes Gay Boy as “the Tommy Hitchcock of polo ponies.”

Sadly, his career was cut short by an unexpected and strange accident. In 1928, Gay Boy was standing in a stall at Meadowbrook when an airplane crashed into the building, killing him.

“Just 20 minutes later he would’ve been out to play,” Lynn says of the timing of the Meadowbrook crash.

The accident made worldwide headlines. He was an inductee in the Hall of Fame’s “Horses to Remember” in 2006.

2016 myopia polo 59

the famous faces of polo Winston Churchill: Churchill initially took up polo as a young officer in the British cavalry in the late 1890s. He suffered a shoulder injury while in India, but insisted on continuing to play.

He strapped his arm to his chest and took to the field as often as possible. He played—an intense competitor—until 1927, when he retired from the sport at age 52.

Walt Disney: Walt became interested in polo in the 1930s, and put together a team that included his brother, Roy. He bought four polo ponies in 1934, and was described as being “an aggressive” player. His love of the sport extended to his studio, which produced the animated “Mickey’s Polo Team” in 1936.

His career was relatively short, ending after an on-field injury in the late 1930s.

Tommy Lee Jones: A Harvard alum with a well-known love of the sport, Jones is an accomplished player who spends as much time as possible honing his skills. The Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning actor fields two teams, breeds polo horses and engages family, friends and opponents on his polo fields.

George Patton: Arguably one of the United States’ finest military generals, Patton was an avid polo player. He served in the cavalry at Fort Sheriden until 1911, where he kept a stable of polo ponies. He was an accomplished equestrian, and approached the polo field with the same zest as he approached the battlefield.

Will Rogers: Humorist, social commentator, cowboy—and polo player. Rogers was an enthusiastic participant, and today the Will Rogers Polo Club bears his name.

Theodore Roosevelt: The 26th president of the United States was a renowned sportsman and outdoorsman who embraced “the strenuous life”, which included, among other pursuits, boxing, tennis, hiking and polo. He was even assigned a handicap in the early days of the U.S. Polo Association in the late 1890s.

Spencer Tracy: The rugged actor was an active polo player, involving his young son and his wife in the sport. He often took part in celebrity matches with the likes of Walt Disney and Will Rogers.

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spectators would gather at matches at the Meadowbrook and Westchester Polo Clubs.

It was introduced as an Olympic sport in 1900, and remained that way until 1936. The three-game Cup of the Americas in 1928 drew more than 100,000 spectators, signaling a high point of the golden age of polo in the U.S. Personalities like Cecil Smith, considered America’s first polo pro, began to rise.

Smith, a Texas ranch hand who was eventually ranked as a 10-goal player, worked his way up through the ranks to become one of the most sought-after players on any team— if only, the Hall of Fame points out, to avoid the possibility of having to play against him. As for Smith, he deflected much of the spotlight to the game’s mounts. In Laffaye’s “Profiles in Polo,” Smith is credited with attributing 75-80 percent of the game to the

horses, saying: “You can’t hit the ball if your horse can’t get you to it.”

As its popularity grew, women began to make their presence known in the sport.

Cornell fielded an intercollegiate women’s team, and a group of U.S. Army wives formed their own team known as the “Whippettes.”

In 1934, the Pacific Women’s Polo Association was formed.

The sport took a back seat to global conflict during World War II, but saw a resurgence in the 1960s and 1970s. Professionals, trainers and corporate sponsorship have helped it grow even more as the development and expansion of youth polo secures the future of the sport. And as it has since the sport first came to the United States, Myopia has been involved. In 1970 there was an international contest against a visiting team from New Zea-

land. Other noteworthy matches at Gibney Field include a Junior Westchester Cup game, Young Britain vs. Young Myopia in the 1980s, and numerous thrilling sudden death overtimes in the 20-goal East Coast Open.

Today, women make up the fastest growing division of polo. They’ve created their own tournaments, compete in high-goal events and are becoming recognizable ambassadors for the sport. Players like Sunny Hale, who organized the Women’s Championship Tournament in 2005, are helping to grow the sport.

Myopia has played a lasting role in the propagation of the sport, and has helped it endure through the years. Its members have come together on Sunday afternoons for generations, keeping the game alive and helping it to grow.

“It’s certainly one of the iconic clubs in the U.S.,” Lynn says.

Part of its lengthy history and its prominence in the propagation throughout the U.S. is the fact that polo, especially at Myopia, is a familial pursuit. Fathers, sons, daughters, grandparents and cousins ride together, or against one another, passing along the skills and the disciplines necessary to ride into the future of the sport.

The mantra, “two heads, four legs and one heart,” is often used to describe the connection between horse and rider on the pitch, but there is a famous verse etched into a stone tablet next to a polo ground in Gilgit, Pakistan that may best summarize polo’s allure to its many devotees: “Let others play at other things. The king of games is still the game of kings.”

Cecil Smith Opposite page, Cecil Smith, on left, considered one of the country’s first polo professional, competes here against fellow Polo Hall of Famer William “Billy” Post II at Meadowbrook. This page, clockwise from top left, Smith, second from right, worked his way up from a Texas ranch hand to one of the most soughtafter players in the country.

Smith, far left nearest boards in the white helmet, battles during a polo match. While Smith, second from left, became known for his great polo skills, he attributed much of the success of the game to polo’s great mounts.

Smith, second from right, is widely considered to be one of the United States’ first polo professionals.

2016 myopia polo 61

along for

a visual chronicle of the most thrilling moments of myopia’s high-flying 2015 season. / Photographs by Andrew Katsampes

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the ride!

2015 Forbes Cup 6-Goal Tournament. Del Rancho/Giddy-Up (green) defeated Longmeadow/Pony Up (red), 8-7, on Gibney Field, on August 9, 2015.

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Alon g fo r t he r i d e 2015 Cyril Harrison 8 goal tournament.

Del Rancho (green) defeated Giddy Up (white), 11-9, on Winthrop Field, on August 28, 2015.

2015 Forbes Cup 8 goal Final. In overtime, Black Oak/ Chanticleer (white) defeated Del Rancho/ Giddy-Up (green), 11-10, on Gibney Field, on August 16, 2015.

2015 Forbes Cup 8-Goal Tournament. Black Oak/ Chanticleer defeated Longmeadow/Pony Up (white), 10-7, on Gibney Field, on August 14, 2015.

Opposite page, right, from top, 2015 Will Tankard Memorial International. South America defeated Team USPA (red), 9-8, on Gibney Field, on August 2, 2015.

2015 USPA Governor’s Cup 6-Goal Tournament.

Del Rancho (green) defeated Longmeadow/ Giddy Up (white), 8.5-7, on Gibney Field, on July 12, 2015. 2015 USPA Governor’s Cup 6 Goal Tournament. Longemadow/Giddy Up defeated Pony Up/Chanticleer (red), 13-7.5, on Gibney Field, on July 3, 2015.

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2015 USPA Governor’s Cup 6-Goal Tournament. Pony Up/ Chanticleer (white) defeated Black Oak (green), 10.5-10, on Gibney Field, on July 5, 2015.

Opposite page, top, from right, 2015 Cyril Harrison 8-Goal Tournament. Del Rancho defeated Giddy Up (white), 11-9, on Winthrop Field, on August 28, 2015. 2015 Will Tankard Memorial International. South America (light blue) defeated Team USPA (red), 9-8, on Gibney Field, on August 2,

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alo ng f o r the r ide

This photograph and right, top and bottom, 2015 USPA Chairman’s Cup 8-12 Goal Tournament. Pony Express (blue) defeated Longmeadow (white) 11-9, on Gibney Field, on July 17, 2015.

tournament spotlight

The Cyril Harrison Cup

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on august 30, 2015, an exceptionally large crowd of spectators gathered at gibney field to witness del rancho face off against longmeadow/ pony up in the annual 8-goal tournament. photographs by

andrew katsampes and james nelon

2016 myopia polo 69

T

the gray days leading up to the Cyril Harrison Cup cast some doubt onto whether or not the finals would even be played. Rainy, wet weather had left Gibney Field soupy for several days, but by the time the 3 p.m. start time arrived on a comfortable Sunday late last August, the sun had baked the grounds dry and conditions were ideal for the annual 8-goal tournament.

An exceptionally large crowd of spectators gathered to witness Del Rancho face off against LongMeadow/Pony-Up—both of whom fielded top-notch players. Announcers Peter Poor and Ethan Galis kept the large crowd engaged in the fast-moving play as the scoring began quickly.

Del Rancho’s purple and green are colors steeped in rich tradition through team sponsor Dave Strouss’s family. Strouss has now played at Myopia for more than 20 years.

The LongMeadow/Pony-Up team came together through two team sponsors—Kurt Miller (Longmeadow) and Rick Salter (PonyUp). Kurt has played at Myopia for 50 consecutive years and is looking forward to adding his son Reed into the Longmeadow mix this year. Rick, who has played at Myopia for many years and always brings a competitive team, is known for his quick horses and strategic play—something that became apparent as the match wore on into the afternoon.

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2015 Cyril Harrison 8-Goal Tournament final. Del Rancho (green, Nick Snow, pictured) defeated Longmeadow/Pony Up (white), 9-7, on Gibney Field, on August 30, 2015.

Del Rancho’s Strouss, C.B. Scherer, Tony Vita and Nick Snow jumped out to an early lead, scoring with a quick goal from the throw-in in the first chukker. Vita also provided a strong presence by keeping LongMeadow/Pony-Up’s fleet-footed Federico Wulff at bay, leaving Snow open to drive the ball down field. Strouss added a goal in the fourth while being ridden off hard toward the clubhouse end by Rick Salter.

In the first half, Federico Wulff’s speed prevented a sure goal by Nick Snow, who drove the ball hard. Wulff caught up just before the goal judge, clearing the ball before it crossed. Not long after, Tony Vita picked the ball out of the air off of a strong Rick Salter shot at midfield.

LongMeadow/Pony-Up’s side—Salter, Miller, Federico Wulff and Pancho Eddy came out strong in the second half. Pancho played the classic no. 4 back, keeping a cool head and drawing Del Rancho into more than a few penalty fives. Federico played strong, scoring two goals in the six chukker, bringing the score closer.

Tony Vita steamed down the line again and again, as Federico maneuvered well with teammates to draw close to Del Rancho.

Wearing his traditional no. 4 jersey, Nick Snow played an inspired game for Del Rancho, scoring seven of his team’s nine total goals, earning the MVP for the day. In the end, the green and purple of Del Rancho bested the white and red of LongMeadow/Pony-Up by a score of 9-7, and took possession of the Cyril Harrison Cup. Accolades were distributed evenly among both teams: Federico’s horse Codicia won Best Playing Pony. USPA umpires for the day Sian Joseph and Estani Puch were assisted by Third Man Negro Aguero.

to u rnament s p otlight

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tr ibut e

Bob Daniels put together his Pony Express operation throughout the 1980s, traveling to Argentina to purchase his first horses and constructing his farm here in Ipswich—as well as in Wellington, the polo capital of North America.

Bob Daniels

Myopia loses a longtime champion and leader in Bob Daniels, 74.

bob daniels was a stalwart of Myopia polo for over three decades.

Polo was always a family affair for Bob, who raised all six of his sons to be accomplished players on the wellknown Pony Express team. Sadly, Bob died this past March in a polo accident sustained while playing on his own in Wellington, FL, during a 12-goal tournament. He was 74.

Stadium flags at the USPA Gold Cup final at International Polo Club Palm Beach were flown at half-staff in Bob’s honor, just days after the accident. All six of his sons—Kenny, Greg and Marc as the older set and his three youngest, Justin, Benji and Landon, all top junior polo players encouraged by their father—rode out to midfield with a riderless horse led by his top pro and coach, Tomas Goti.

Beyond having a deep passion for polo, Bob was a savvy businessman.

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Straight out of MIT, he established Project Software & Development (PSDI), which developed and supported enterprise asset maintenance software. A classic startup, the company was originally based in Cambridge. As it grew, it relocated to Bedford, Mass. PSDI went public in 1994, eventually changing its name to MRO and Software, and was acquired

by IBM in 2006.

Bob and his Pony Express family have been a vital part of Myopia polo over the last 35 years. He purchased his first horse, “Big Bird,” from Terry Snow, and never looked back in his passion and commitment to the game after that. Within a few shorts years, he played in the 20-goal East Coast Open and went on to compete for 16 consecutive years (1983-1998).

He captured the title in 1988 with a 6-5 win over Excalibur, alongside his teammates Raul Roldan, Gonzalo

Heguy and Segundo Ortiz. Bob has since participated in every club tournament, big and small, thereafter, as well as hosting numerous practices on his field and asados at the barn for the Myopia Polo community.

Bob put together his Pony Express operation throughout the 1980s, traveling to Argentina to purchase his first horses and constructing his farm here in Ipswich— as well as in Wellington, the polo capital of North America. More recently, he purchased land in Aiken, SC, which he has used as a turnout facility. Raul Roldan, Bob’s longtime professional player/manager and member of the Myopia Polo community, was central in establishing the Pony Express operation around the country. More recently, Tomas Goti has been Bob’s right hand man on all things polo, as well as starting a breeding operation in Argentina of which Bob was very proud.

The USPA released a litany of achievements during his long and distinguished career: Bob competed for 16 consecutive years (1996-2011) in the U.S. Open Polo Championship with Pony Express, making it to the finals at Palm Beach Polo & Country Club in 1999. His horse, Lupe, was also honored with the Willis L. Hartman Trophy for Best Playing Pony. Bob was a member of the high goal committee, served on the board of the Umpires LLC, and supported the National Youth Tournament Series in which all of his younger sons participated. Justin won the Championship in 2013.

Some of Bob Daniels’ most cherished moments were spent playing polo with his sons and watching them grow in the sport. Many at Myopia will remember him the way he celebrated his 70th birthday, playing on his own field with all six sons—a very fitting feat by a remarkable man.

photographs, from left, david lominska; andrew katsampes

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