26 / SCENE Save the date for the 2025 Myopia Polo Ball
HISTORY
30 / U.S. POLO ASSOCIATION The history of the United States Polo Association
31 / TROPHY SPOTLIGHT
Myopia’s newest cup comes from India’s Mayo College
32 / THE HUNT
34 / PROFILE Polo energizes Kurt Miller for six decades.
63 / TRIBUTE
Remembering Peter Poor, a giant of the game.
The cornerstone to the event is the hounds
AGENDA
5 / 2025 SCHEDULE
6 / THE PLAYERS A rundown of the Myopia Polo players
18 / LAW & ORDER The rules of the game plus Polo 101
20 / INSIDE UMPIRING Meet Brent Mirikitani plus Game Play
28 / EQUINE CARE The importance of hands-on care
FEATURES
40 / MYOPIA’S LEGACY
There’s a tradition of high-quality polo here by brion o’connor
46 / LIFE OF A POLO PONY
Great horses are the critical component to successful polo teams by brion o’connor
52 / TOURNAMENT SPOTLIGHT
A roundup of the exciting 2024 season
ON THE COVER: The Husaria Seagulls take on Del Rancho/Express in the Cameron Forbes Cup Finals in 2024. Photograph by Jacqueline Miller
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CAPTAIN’S LETTER
Dear Myopia Polo members, patrons, supporters and friends
This is a special year for polo at the Myopia Hunt Club, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2025. Polo has been played for 138 years at Myopia, making it one of the oldest polo clubs in America.
Throughout its long history, Myopia has strived to maintain high-quality polo at all levels, whether in Myopia’s golden era of hosting the highest goal tournaments in the region, or the current era of hosting six midand low-goal tournaments, a woman’s challenge tournament and a national youth qualifying event.
Myopia Polo’s nearly 50 members regularly play practices and Sunday captain’s matches on our five outdoor fields. Our newcomers learn and improve their skills in our coaching program, which is in the capable hands of longtime Myopia player and instructor Amanda Roberts this year.
This year’s magazine focuses on what continues to make Myopia Polo special for its players, patrons, sponsors and spectators for nearly a century and a half of its existence. Our equine feature this season focuses on our local farriers, who literally keep the shoes on to allow us to play.
In addition, special tributes in this year’s magazine are for two legendary Myopia players, Peter Poor and Kurt Miller. Peter, who sadly passed away in December, was a great player, mentor, teacher and, most of all, a friend to me and so many throughout the polo world.
Our other legendary player, Kurt Miller, recently hung up the stirrups (mostly), having played polo for 55 years at Myopia. Kurt was a super competitor; we have had many memorable ride-offs, but best of all have been the post-match drinks together and friendship after all these years!
My job as captain has been made so much easier by the efforts of our remarkable staff, Myopia’s grounds crew and many volunteers. Our manager, Erica Kratz, runs all operations at Myopia Polo, from overseeing field preparation and repair, communications to members, to organizing and running all matches. Myopia is fortunate to have one of the top groundskeepers, Jonathan Wilbur, maintaining
its polo fields and grounds. Our volunteers, including announcer Patricia Johnstone, photographer Jackie Miller and marketing team Marlene Pippin, Cathy Taylor and Denny Ryus are instrumental in making polo work at Myopia.
Supporting my polo addiction, my role as captain and new position as the U.S. Polo Association governor of the Northeastern Circuit is my wife, Tracy Strouss, and daughters Samantha and Caroline. Tracy also hosts the historical Myopia Polo Ball, which should not be missed. I also wish to acknowledge my teammates on the Del Rancho Polo Team over the past 30 years, including CB Scherer, Nachi Viana, Sam Clemens, the Colloredo-Mansfeld clan and many others.
Please join us on Sunday afternoons from June 1 to Oct.12 at Myopia’s historic Gibney Polo Field. If you can’t make Sundays, pull your car up field-side late Friday afternoons in July and August for exciting tournament matches. For information on the schedule of matches, lessons and Myopia Polo membership, visit our website, myopiapolo.org, call 978-4868-POLO or visit us on Facebook and Twitter.
Best Regards,
Dave Strouss, captain, myopia polo
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Brion O’Connor
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Jacqueline Miller
CREATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR
Jodie Hall
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Christian Seyster, Nicole Huot
MYOPIA POLO COMMITTEE
David Strouss, Captain of Polo
Erica Kratz, Polo Manager
Amanda Roberts, Coaching League Manager
Michael D. Ryus, Marketing and Design Director
Terri Campbell, Polo Committee & Equine Welfare Committee
Kurt Miller, Polo Committee Member
Jacqueline Miller, Polo Committee Member
Jacek Grotnick, Polo Committee Member
John Ellis, Polo Committee Member
Neil Raymond, Jr., Polo Committee Member
Carl “CB” Scherer, Polo Committee Member and USPA delegate
Patricia Johnstone, Official Announcer
Tracy Strouss, Chair, Polo Ball
WEBSITE: myopiapolo.org
FACEBOOK & TWITTER: Myopia Polo
VICE PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER
Ernesto Burden
MANAGING EDITOR, CUSTOM PUBLICATIONS
Sarah Pearson
ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER
Jessica Schooley
603-345-2752, jessicas@yankeepub.com
PROOFREADER
Amanda Andrews
SUBSCRIPTIONS
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2025 MYOPIA POLO MAGAZINE
Welcome to the 2025 Myopia Polo Season
JUNE
Corporate Season Sponsors: Apparel Sponsor:
150th Championship Match
As part of the Myopia Hunt Club’s 150th anniversary celebration weekend, an exhibition polo match will be held June 22.
Teams for the exhibition match will be comprised of professional and well-known players with connections past or present to Myopia.
The game will serve as a conclusion of an array of anniversary events, including a lecture by Gil Hanse on June 5 on the Myopia Golf Course, an evening of Myopia’s history on June 12, a family pool party on June 20, and tennis and golf tournaments on June 21.
The evening before the polo tournament will be the Grand Celebration with cocktails on the infield, followed by dinner and dancing to the music of Beantown.
AGENDA the players
DAVID STROUSS
CAPTAIN Dave has played polo most of his life and has been a member of Myopia Polo since 1998. He is now captain of Myopia Polo and serves as the club’s delegate to the United States Polo Association. He is the sponsor of the Del Rancho Polo team, which has successfully competed in tournament play at Myopia, including winning the 2020 national Chairman’s Cup with co-sponsor Black Oak. Dave lives on his farm in Ipswich with his wife, Tracy, and is a partner at a law firm in Boston. 0 GOAL
STEPHEN BURR
Stephen has played polo for about nine years, predominantly at Myopia Polo Club, but also has had the privilege of playing polo in Aiken, South Carolina, and Bighorn, Wyoming. Polo has become a family affair for Stephen and his sister, Juliet, who grooms for him. He is a recent graduate of Northeastern University and founder of a garden design and installation firm, Stephen’s Gardens. 2 GOALS
TERRI CAMPBELL
Terri is a regular at Myopia after playing in Newport for about 10 years. The sponsor of the Folly
Fields Polo Team, she has played in tournaments in Chile, Ireland and South Africa, and competes in Florida in the winter. When she’s not with the ponies, she is an investment manager in Boston. -1 GOAL / 1 (WOMEN’S)
ANDREW CARLETON
Andrew is returning to the Myopia Polo scene with his family. He learned the game while participating in the coaching league. Andrew lives in Hamilton with his wife, Jennifer, and three children, Drew, Taylor and Gwendolyn. NR
DREW CARLETON
Drew has been playing polo for more than two years. He practiced with the Crimson Interscholastic Team before officially joining. He then played in the spring as well as in the Myopia Coaching League. He played in youth tournaments at Myopia and got a taste of playing on Gibney Field at the end of the outdoor season. Drew is looking forward to getting back out on the grass this summer. Drew is a sophomore at St. John’s Prep. He enjoys lacrosse, tennis and skiing. -1 GOAL
TAYLOR CARLETON
Taylor began playing polo a few years ago in the coaching league. He has also just completed his second season with the Crimson Interscholastic program. As a fifth-grader, he was not able to compete in any matches but will be one to keep an eye on in a couple years when eligible. Taylor attends Cutler School in Hamilton, plays lacrosse, and enjoys skiing and mountain biking.
JAMES COATES
James Coates joined Myopia last year from the U.K. where he completed university and played in the varsity match for Oxford. He’s a -1 on grass and lives in the Fenway area.
BARRETT COKE
A Myopia player since the age of 12, Barrett is passionate about the sport. Barrett was a threetime all-star National Youth Polo player, and in 2015 he went on to win the National Youth Polo Championships in Denver, Colo., playing on the Northeast regional team. Barrett plays for the Coke family’s Chanticleer Farm team. 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, Mass. 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 J.P. Morgan, Bill lives in Topsfield with his wife, Wendy, and his sons. RATED A
HAMILTON COKE
Hamilton is an engaged and skilled player on his family’s Chanticleer Farm Polo Team. He graduated from Santa Clara University Engineering School, where he studied computer engineering, and now works for Skydio as a software engineer. Hamilton is happiest when freestyle skiing, mountain biking, surfing, playing rugby, lacrosse and programming the next big app. RATED A
TERRI CAMPBELL
DAVE STROUSS
STEPHEN BURR
ANDREW CARLETON
DREW CARLETON
JAMES COATES
TAYLOR CARLETON
BARRETT COKE
BILL COKE
HAMILTON COKE
ANNIE COLLOREDOMANSFELD
Annie is a graduate of Harvard University and now works at Cambridge Associates. She is an accomplished 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 them at Myopia. 0 GOAL / 1 (WOMEN’S)
FRANZ COLLOREDOMANSFELD
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 sponsor of the Black Oak Polo team. Franz runs an international real estate investment firm based in Boston. 0 GOAL
JOHANN COLLOREDOMANSFELD
Johann is a graduate of Harvard University, where he was captain of the Harvard Polo Team. Over the past six years, Johann has played in tournaments in China, Italy and France. In 2013, he was selected for the U19 National Championship Tournament Team
for the Northeast. Johann plays for the Black Oak and Myopia Teams. 1 GOAL
SEPPI COLLOREDOMANSFELD
Seppi grew up riding and playing polo at Myopia, playing for his family’s Black Oak Polo Team. Seppi graduated from Yale University where he was a three-year captain of the men’s polo team. Seppi remains actively involved in the Yale Polo program and currently serves on the board. Seppi lives in Boston with his wife and son, and works for an international real estate investment firm. 0 GOAL
SIMON COLLOREDOMANSFELD
Simon is a graduate of the University of Virginia, where he played on the polo team in 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
BENJI E. DANIELS
A summer resident of Ipswich, Benji played youth polo in Wellington on the Pony Express Polo team under the watchful eye of Tomas Goti and Julian deLusaretta. 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. 1.5 GOALS
JUSTIN E. DANIELS
A summer resident of Ipswich, Justin has been playing polo for more than a dozen 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. 2 GOALS
LANDEN E. DANIELS
Landen is the youngest of six polo-playing brothers. He has made a name for himself among the polo community in Wellington, Fla. Landen plays travel soccer when he is not on a horse. Playing polo for 12 years (two years without a mallet), Landen
has developed a keen understanding of where to be on the polo field. Landen’s potential as a polo player is demonstrated every time he plays. 1.5 GOALS
MYRENDA DING
A current student at Harvard Business School, Myrenda is the founder and co-president of the HBS Polo & Equestrian Club and captain of the HBS Polo team. In addition to playing in Boston, she is also part of the City Hookers, an all-women polo team based out of NYC. Other than playing polo, her favorite thing is traveling (to play polo) and her favorite polo club is Val de Vie in Paarl, South Africa.
ARIADNE “ARI” DOGANI
Ariadne Dogani is a rising senior at UNH studying animal science and business. She founded and captains the UNH Polo Team. Ari plays year-round at Kingswood Polo Club where she also teaches riding and polo. She competes in tournaments across the Northeast. A lifelong equestrian, she has competed in show jumping and is a classically trained pianist and violinist. 0.5 GOAL / 4 (WOMEN’S)
JUSTIN E. DANIELS
SEPPI COLLOREDOMANSFELD
JOHANN COLLOREDOMANSFELD
ANNIE COLLOREDOMANSFELD
FRANZ COLLOREDOMANSFELD
SIMON COLLOREDOMANSFELD
ARIADNE DOGANI MYRENDA DING
DAVID DUNSTAN ALBERT ELLIS
AGENDA the players
DAVID DUNSTAN
David first started playing competitive polo in college for the Cornell Big Red in 2007. David worked his way up to the varsity squad from 2010-11. He has since enjoyed playing both indoor and arena polo in the Northeast. It was a love of working with the horses that initially drew David to the sport, and he currently keeps his two horses in Rowley. When not on horseback, David can often be found fishing from his kayak. RATED A
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 first played polo at Myopia at age 12, but foxhunting and eventing became his primary equestrian interests. Having played a handful of seasons over the years, highlighted by participating a few low-goal tournaments, John now returns to play with his son Maverick. -1 GOAL
MAVERICK ELLIS
Mav began riding almost before he could walk. He has been hunting with Myopia since 2019. He has played interscholastic arena polo for three years as well as grass polo with Myopia. When he has time, he actively participates in the Myopia Driving Club. Maverick began playing polo in fall of 2021 with the Harvard Crimson Interscholastic Program. He has played with the Myopia Coaching League, and two years ago he played in his first tournament and Captains games. Maverick attends Berwick Academy in South Berwick, Maine. -1 GOAL
WHITNEY ELLIS
Whitney returned to the fields of Myopia two years ago with a return to his roots on the North Shore after stints in Ireland, getting his master’s degree in English, and in New York, pursuing journalistic and literary endeavors. 2 GOALS
AMY GATLIN
Amy has been playing polo off and on for eight years, starting as a beginner with Boston Polo Club. She became a licensed riding instructor in 2017 and has been instructing polo beginners ever since. She is a therapist and adjunct professor at Endicott College in Beverly, Mas-
sachusetts. Currently, she lives in Gloucester with her husband and two young children.
-1 GOAL / 1 (WOMEN’S)
LYLE GRAHAM
Captain of Myopia Polo from 2000 to 2008, Lyle held a 5-goal USPA rating. Forming both the Starpatch and Wintercreek Farm teams to compete at Myopia, polo was a foundational activity for the entire family. Personal highlights were the amazing polo pony experience, player associations and tournament participation at Myopia and host clubs. Now retired from playing polo, life activities are focused on family, grandchildren, hobbies, life on the farm and supporting the Myopia Polo tradition.
JAMES GRAYKEN
James has been playing polo for nine years. He started his polo career at a club just outside London. He has been an active participant of Myopia Polo, playing in the junior program and with the Stage Hill/Myopia Interscholastic Polo Team. James is a competitive player who is eager to learn, and plans to play polo through college and for the rest of his life.
2025 MYOPIA POLO TEAMS
KINGSWOOD: The team of Ari Dogani, a rising star in Boston and Florida polo, teaming with Longmeadow and professional players Federico Wulff and Ernesto Trotz.
BLACK OAK: The ColloredoMansfeld family team, Black Oak is features a rotating roster of family.
DEL RANCHO: David Strouss’s team has competed at every level of Myopia Polo.
FOLLY FIELDS: Terri Campbell’s team has become a force to be reckoned with, having previously won the Governor’s Cup 6-goal as well as the Tuckerman Cup 4-goal.
HUSARIA: The Grotnik family team features Yaz, Gracie and Augie Grotnik playing with 4-goal pro Manu Mazzocchi.
LONGMEADOW: Kurt Miller’s team, Longmeadow, now with son Reed playing alongside pro Federico Wulff, has had a long run at Myopia dating back to the 1980s.
PONY EXPRESS/ BLACKBURN FARM: The Daniels family’s team, Pony Express, has teamed up with Blackburn Farm, competing at the highest levels of polo in Florida and at Myopia.
SEAGULLS: The Snow family’s team, managed by Crocker Snow Jr., has a long and storied history with Myopia. Reconstituted last year, the Seagulls had a strong showing with wins of the 2024 Chairman, Harrison and Forbes Cups.
STAGE HILL: The Poor family team, including Alyson Poor and Amanda (Poor) Roberts, is going on more than 50 years with Myopia.
AMY GATLIN
JOHN ELLIS
MAVERICK ELLIS
WHITNEY ELLIS
LYLE GRAHAM
JAMES GRAYKEN
WILLIAM GRAYKEN
AUGUSTUS “AUGIE” GROTNIK
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William’s polo career began nine years ago. Prior to polo, he had been riding for almost three years. His family often went to see polo, and as he watched, he fell in love with the game. He and his brother James were offered the opportunity to ride a polo pony and discovered how different they were from the horses they were used to riding. Since then, he and his brother have taken regular polo lessons in addition to horse-riding lessons.
AUGUSTUS “AUGIE” GROTNIK
Augie started playing polo at the end of 2017, and has several seasons under his belt with the Stage Hill and Myopia Interscholastic Polo Team. He has played polo on grass and in the arena in Arizona, Florida and New England. Augie attends New York University. 0 GOAL
GRACE ELLEN GROTNIK
Grace played on the Myopia Interscholastic Varsity Team and was awarded the Sportsmanship Award in 2017 and All Star in 2018 at the USPA Preliminary Regionals and at the BTC NYTS in Arizona. Grace was also presented the Dr. Billy Linfoot Award and named the Most-Improved Club Player at
Myopia in 2016. She has won several medium-goal women’s tournaments. Grace attends Southern Methodist University and enjoys skiing, soccer and tennis. OUTDOOR 3, ARENA 4 (WOMEN’S) GOAL
JACEK
“YAZ” K. GROTNIK
Yaz started playing polo after a Sunday visit to Gibney Field nearly 30 years ago, and has since played across the U.S. and internationally in various low- and medium-goal tournaments up to the 14-goal level. He was captain of the Polish National Polo Team at the 8th Manipur International Tournament in India, and represented the USA Men’s Team in their win of the 2015 Bukovina Polo Snow Masters. In 2016, his team won the USPA Border Circuit Amateur Cup. He lives at Husaria Farm in Ipswich, and is a patron of Myopia Polo and the Husaria Polo Team. Yaz is the team advisor to the Stage Hill and Myopia Interscholastic Polo Teams and a USPA Certified Umpire. 0 GOAL
ROBERT GUTTMAN
Bob Guttman, at age 71, began playing at Myopia at the end of the 2022 season. He has played and coached as a riding instructor at Stage Hill Polo for about 40 years.
He is known locally in Gloucester as a harbor swimmer and to a smaller group there as a writer experimenting on themes of courage that we all implicitly inherit from those who have come before, including our relationship with horses. -1 GOAL
TRISTAN HANLEY
Tristan grew up around the polo fields in Southern California before moving to Hong Kong and London where he spent the summers in Sotogrande. He later rode gymkhana in high school and naturally gravitated towards the polo scene in New England after moving to the East Coast. His aim is to one day be a 4-goal player like his father once was. Tristan currently works in investment banking in downtown Boston.
PHOEBE INGRAM
Phoebe came to the U.S. in 1996 from the U.K. and started playing polo at Myopia in 1997. She gained a 1-goal rating and won the East Coast Open at the 20-goal level and the 16-goal level and played in several successful seasons in Florida in the winter with her Mirage team. She continues her interest in and connection to polo by umpiring games. 0 GOAL / 2 (WOMEN’S)
PAST MYOPIA POLO TEAMS
BLACKBURN SUNSET: The Berube family team played competitively at Myopia.
CHANTICLEER: The Coke family team has competed successfully since the 1990s.
Bob Mehm’s team and employer, EFG has sponsored teams around the globe, and now at Myopia.
GALAXY POLO: The Grayken family team, with James and Will Grayken, is successfully competing in Myopia’s 8-goal tournaments, and were winners of the 2021 Harrison Cup.
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.
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 UP: Richard Salter’s team has been a highly successful team at Myopia and in Aiken, S.C.
WINTER CREEK: The Graham family’s team, led by former Myopia Polo Captain Lyle Graham, has had a 28-year run at Myopia.
ROBERT GUTTMAN
JACEK “YAZ” K. GROTNIK
GRACE GROTNIK
TRISTAN HANLEY
PATRICIA JOHNSTONE OBINNA KANU
PHOEBE INGRAM MAX MEHM
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AGENDA the players
PATRICIA JOHNSTONE
Patricia has had a lifelong passion for horses, which spurred a love for the sport five years ago via Stage Hill Polo. Now she and her husband, Gary, owners of Stones Throw Farm in Ipswich, are enthusiastic supporters of all aspects of the game. She is actively involved in the Myopia Coaching League, Winter Arena League and a supporter of the Myopia Polo Interscholastic Team. -1 GOAL / 0 (WOMEN’S)
OBINNA KANU
Obinna is an MBA student at Harvard Business School. He has been playing polo on and off for about 8 years. He got into polo because he always loved horses and grew up in Jos, Nigeria, which has a large polo culture. He also has an uncle who plays.
MAX MEHM
Max began playing polo at the age of seven in his hometown, Geneva, Switzerland. He participated in the Myopia’s junior summer polo programs, and later played for Myopia’s Interscholastic team. Max captained the varsity squash team at Dennison University. He lives in Montevideo, Uruguay, where he works for an international commodities trading company.
OLIVIA MEHM
Olivia began polo at the age of 11 in her hometown, Geneva, Switzerland. During the summers, she played in Myopia and Harvard’s junior programs. She was the captain of the Deerfield Academy Interscholastic Polo team. Olivia is an avid tennis player, golfer and marathon runner. She lives in Singapore where she works in international finance.
ROBERT MEHM
Robert was introduced to polo by his father at Myopia in 1979. Along with his brother, Ted, they formed the West Hill Polo Team. Robert has played polo in more than 30 countries from Brazil to Brunei, India, to Indonesia. He is also a two-time Nepal World Elephant Polo Champion. A former 3-goaler, Robert now has a 1-goal arena, and a 0-goal outdoor handicap. 1 GOAL
CHELSEA MESSINGER
Chelsea began playing polo in college at Yale, where she competed on the intercollegiate women’s team. Over the past decade, she has played internationally in China, Malaysia, Pakistan and Canada. Chelsea has played at Myopia since 2019 and competes throughout the Northeast in both women’s and mixed polo.
She lives and works in Boston as a physician. 0 GOAL / 2 (WOMEN’S)
KURT MILLER
A veteran player and horseman at Myopia, Kurt brings steady play and formidable competition to the game. During the winter, he often plays in Chile, where many of his horses are from. Kurt was inspired to follow in the footsteps of his father, who also played at Myopia. This summer, Kurt looks forward to another year at Myopia and joining forces with his son, Reed, on their Longmeadow Team. Kurt’s wife, Jackie, is an active committee member and photographer for Myopia Polo. 0 GOALS
REED PARKER MILLER
A third-generation Myopia player who grew up around the Myopia Polo fields watching his father, Kurt, play as his grandfather played before him. He began with Myopia’s Junior program and Stage Hill Polo. At age 13, Reed played alongside his father on their Longmeadow Team, and won his first USPA tournament. He played on the Myopia Varsity Interscholastic Team and received an All-Star at the USPA Prelim Regionals. In 2019, Reed won the USPA National Youth Tournament Series (NYTS) in Aiken as well as
CAPTAINS OF MYOPIA POLO, PAST AND PRESENT
David Strouss
2021-PRESENT
Franz Colloredo-Mansfeld
2011 (CO-CAPTAIN)–2020
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
OLIVIA MEHM
CHELSEA MESSINGER
ROBERT MEHM
KURT MILLER
BRYAN PARROTT
REED MILLER
ALYSON POOR
ESTANISLAO “ESTANI” PUCH
AGENDA the players
other major tournaments, including Myopia’s Chairman’s Cup 8-12 goal. Reed continues a family tradition of traveling to South America to play polo. 1 GOAL
BRYAN PARROTT
Bryan Parrott, DVM, owner of Parrott Equine Associates LLC, has been practicing equine veterinary medicine for nearly four decades, and loves the sport of polo and the horses that play. Bryan played polo for 28 years, starting in the coaching league in 1995. As co-founder of the Myopia Equine Welfare Committee, Bryan’s mission is the health and well-being of the horses.
ALYSON POOR
Alyson’s career with animals started at age 7, when she began riding and playing polo at her father’s polo school in Hamilton. Alyson graduated with a degree in animal science from the University of Kentucky, where she also played on the polo team. She is a licensed riding instructor and has traveled all over for polo including Argentina and Jamaica. 0 GOAL / 4 (WOMEN’S)
ESTANISLAO “ESTANI” PUCH
With a handicap of 3 in Argentina and 2 in the U.S., Estani has played
at Myopia for the last 11 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. 1 GOALS
ESTANI JAMES PUCH
Estani James is a third-generation polo player, following the steps of his father, Estanislao, and grandfather, Maximo. He loves horses and helping to develop new players at the Myopia Polo Club and at his family’s estancia “Calchaqui” in the pampas of Argentina. Estani is a member of the Crimson-Harvard interscholastic varsity polo team. Estani is an honors student at BC High and also plays for the men’s soccer team. 0.5 GOAL
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
ROBIN REYES
Robin Philip Reyes, age 12, started swinging a polo mallet on horseback when he was just 5 and debuted at Myopia Sunday games when he was 10. Robin plays arena polo with the local Crimson Interscholastic Polo Team during the fall. He encourages more kids to take up the sport. He loves playing polo and works hard so he can play. He helps his father, the assistant coach of Harvard Polo, on the farm throughout the year and can often be seen working as a flagger at Myopia during the tournament games. Robin has won numerous All-Star and horsemanship awards in the USPA I/I Middle School League and NYTS tournaments. In 2024 he received the USPA 5th High Point award.
THOMAS RIZZO
Tom has been playing polo for more than a decade and riding for longer. He is an engineer by day and a pilot and sailor by weekend. -0.5 GOAL
AMANDA (POOR) ROBERTS
Amanda has been playing polo since she learned to walk. She learned from her father, Peter Poor, at his successful polo school at Stage Hill Polo. Amanda plays around the country in many women’s tourna-
JUNIOR PLAYERS
BOYS
Victor Vorbrodt
Nick Zaragoza
Eric Vorbrodt
Drew Carleton
Maverick Ellis
GIRLS
Alexis Atkinson
Skylar Bell
Novah Wali
Alessandra O’Keeffe
Finn O’Keeffe
Jaya Khurama
7TH GRADE AND YOUNGER
Blake Bell
Robin Reyes
Taylor Carleton
MYOPIA COACHING LEAGUE MEMBERS
Alexis Atkinson (Junior)
Skylar Bell (Junior)
Andrew Carleton
Taylor Carleton (Junior)
Jaya Khurana
Francoise Martinolle
Leslie Milne
Alessandria O’Keefe (Junior)
Finn O’Keefe (Junior)
Novah Wali
Nick Zaragoza(Junior)
THOMAS RIZZO
NEIL “JED” RAYMOND, JR.
BRYNN ROBERTS
STEVE RUDOLPH
ROBIN REYES
ESTANI JAMES PUCH
AMANDA (POOR) ROBERTS
AURELIA RUS
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AGENDA
the players
ments. She is the Northeast Circuit Handicap Chair of the USPA Women’s Handicap Committee. She lives in West Newbury, Mass., with her husband, Scott, her two step-children, Garret and Brynn, and her son, Mason. Amanda is the highest-rated Women’s player at Myopia. 1 GOAL / 5 (WOMEN’S)
BRYNN ROBERTS
Brynn started polo in the fall of 2017. She learned to play from her stepmother, Amanda Poor Roberts. She quickly advanced and now plays regularly with the Stage Hill Polo Club and Myopia Polo Club.
STEVE RUDOLPH
In his 12th season at Myopia Polo, Steve is a 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. -0.5 GOAL
AURELIA RUS
Aurelia has been a playing member at Myopia since 2019. She first learned to play polo while attending Cornell University, and picked it up again with Stage Hill Polo in 2015 after relocating to Boston. Aurelia lives in Medford. -0.5 GOAL
LIZ SAWICKI
Liz started playing polo with Stage Hill Polo in 2021. She has played in 4-goal tournaments and women’s tournaments. Liz lives on the North Shore with her husband and daughter. When they are not at the polo fields, Liz and her family enjoy surfing and snowboarding. -1 GOAL / 0 (WOMEN’S)
C.B. SCHERER
C.B. joined Team USPA in 2010 and now works in finance in Boston, but continues his passion for polo and teaching at Myopia. A third-generation polo player from Florida, C.B. played for the UVA squad and was a three-time Men’s National Intercollegiate Champion. In 2012, he was a finalist at the East Coast Open on the Airstream Polo Team, a Harrison Cup winner and MVP and winner of the Eduardo Moore 12-goal. 2 GOALS
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 homegrown 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 FIP World Championships in Argentina. 4 GOALS
ROB WILKINSON
Rob, a former captain of Myopia Polo, was an active player at Myopia for more than 25 years. He has been an enthusiastic rider for many years and enjoys riding and fox hunting with the Myopia Hunt. Rob is president of New England Trust Services and lives in Topsfield with his wife, Darlyn.
Players who need to update their biography are encouraged to fill out the form at nhmagazine.com/ myopia-polo-bio-questionnaire.
MYOPIA POLO COMMITTEE
David C. Strouss, Captain Terri Campbell
Andrew Carleton
John Ellis
Jacek K. “Yaz” Grotnik
Jacqueline C. Miller
John Kurt Miller
Neil Raymond, Jr.
Michael “Denny” Ryus
MYOPIA STAFF AND GROUNDS CREW
MYOPIA POLO MANAGER:
Erica Katz
STAFF: Finn Brophy
Jackson Courtney
Ian Coffey
Aidan Analoro
Cameron Taylor
Wyatt Arvanites
Joe Hughes
Patrick Driscoll
NORTHEAST EDUCATION
CONSORTIUM SOAR: Ian Graham
Jack Foley
Paul Sylvestre
MYOPIA EVENTS & MARKETING: Cathy Taylor
CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP
Marlene Pippins
GROUNDS SUPERINTENDENT: Jonathan Wilber
STAFF:
Cyle Machia, assistant superintendent
Ben Ayer, assistant superintendent
Quintin McCartney, head mechanic
Noah Tuomi, assistant in training
Jim Gower, seasonal mower
ROB WILKINSON
CROCKER SNOW, JR.
NICK SNOW
LIZ SAWICKI C.B. SCHERER
photograph by jacqueline miller
AGENDA the rules
Law and Order
Rules are designed to keep the game moving and protect players and ponies from injury. Tuckerman Cup
OBJECT
OF GAME
Score as many goals as possible and win by outscoring the opposing team.
APPEALING FOR A FOUL
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.
FOUL
A foul is an infraction of the rules. The most common types of fouls are right-ofway infractions, walking the ball, turning the ball, dangerous riding, rough or abusive play, improper use of the mallet and unsportsmanlike conduct.
DANGEROUS RIDING
A foul which 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 that one or both horses could trip, rides an opponent across the right-ofway of an oncoming player at an unsafe distance, deliberately rides their horse into the swing of another player, or generally exhibits a disregard for the safety of other players and/or their horses.
IMPROPER USE OF 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 their mount, an opponent, an opponent’s mount, an umpire or a spectator.
PENALTY
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. In order of severity, there are potential penalties: 1) A goal and a penalty 5.b hit is awarded to the fouled team. 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 fo q1 uls. 5) Two types of free hits: 5.a from where the ball was fouled and 5.b from the center of the field. This is for
mild fouls. 6) A safety, or where the ball is hit from a spot 60 yards from the end line opposite where the ball crossed the end line, but no more than 40 yards from the center of the 60-yard line.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
The right-of-way is best thought of as a highway, with the line of the ball creating the centerline. The player traveling in the direction of the ball, with the ball on their offside 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 on-ramp 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 their horse, another player or another player’s horse. This can include seizing or striking with the hand, elbow, head, mallet or whip.
SAFETY
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, 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 considered unsafe.
UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT
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 wind-milling their 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.
IMPROPER BLOCKING
A recent update to Outdoor rules will prohibit blocking in live play. In addition to prohibiting blocking on set plays, the rule now states that during live play, when a player in possession of the ball either stops or reduces his or her speed to a slow canter or walk, no teammates of the player in possession may block a defending player within two horse lengths of the player with the ball from making a play on that player or the ball.
Compiled from USPolo.org.
Polo 101
POSITIONS, GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND A FEW OTHER BASICS
POSITIONS
A polo match pits two teams of four players and their ponies against each other. The players on each team are numbered one through four, 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 No. 4, or Back.
2. ENERGIZER. The energizer is always involved in play while quarterbacking the offense and neutralizing the opponent’s top player.
GLOSSARY
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 (A.K.A. RIDE OFF): 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.
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 they’re riding.
DIVOT STOMP: A halftime tradition in which spectators enter the field to replace 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.
directs the flow of the game.
4. DEFENDER. The defender plays at the back of the game to prevent the other team from scoring.
HANDICAP DESCRIPTIONS. Every player on the field carries a handicap from -2 to 10 goals, based on their skill level and horsemanship, as determined by a national handicap committee. A handicap of 10 represents the highest ranking in the game.
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 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 their left side.
TACK TIME: Stop in play, called by the umpire, if a player’s tack is broken.
THROW-IN: When an umpire bowls the ball between teams to start play.
DMeet Umpire Brent Mirikitani
uring a polo match, the safety of the eight players, their ponies, coaches and spectators is maintained by three umpires. Two main officials are mounted, with a third on the ground to weigh in if there’s disagreement.
“As officials, our goal is we want to keep everybody safe,” says Brent Mirikitani, a U.S. Polo Association (USPA) umpire of 10 years. “Players and horses: the number one concern is keeping everybody safe on the field.”
Mirikitani, a Canadian, grew up playing polo with his brother, Jamie, at the insistence of his stepfather. He started out riding young horses for Carlos Galindo, and his career took off leading to playing in the Pacific Coast Open, Silver Cup, the Canadian Open as well as touring in South Africa, Barbados, Australia and Mexico. His playing career spanned 25 years.
“At a lot of the clubs that I played at, during times that I wasn’t in the finals, they would ask me if I’d umpire,” he says. “It just became a natural fit. I always really enjoyed it and took it seriously.”
Mirikitani took up umpiring full-time in the fall of 2015.
“I went over the rule book over and over again,” Mirikitani says. “Then I worked with all the umpires. And you learn something from everybody.”
Polo competitions shift around the country as the seasons change. Mirikitani has been umpiring matches for Myopia Polo during the summer since 2023. He starts the year at a club in Florida from January through March. April to early June, he’ll be in Aiken, South Carolina. For a short stint in June, and again in September, he works at the Mashomack Polo Club in New York.
Jamie Mirikitani is an umpire now, too. The brothers occasionally cross paths in their work, sometimes at Myopia or Florida, and they go to Mashomack together.
“We love umpiring together,” Mirikitani says. “The chemistry is great.”
While a day at the polo field may be filled with levity for spectators, for Mirikitani and his fellow umpires, it’s an analytical business.
“We, all of us, work hard and take it very seriously,” he says. “We definitely have people to answer to, and we’re under a microscope.”
During a match, umpires are focused on fouls that should be called and non-calls where they should not be blowing the whistle.
“At the end of the day when we’re debriefing, the biggest thing for me personally would be going through in my head and hopefully not having missed too many fouls,” Mirikitani says.
GAME PLAY
OBJECT OF THE GAME. It’s 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, “right-of-way” is the most important concept in the game, and is designed to keep both horse and rider safe.
RIGHT-OF-WAY AND RIDING OFF. The rider who is following 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, they’re not allowed to hit, strike or push off with the hand, forearm, elbow or head, but they are allowed to push off with the upper arm. A rider isn’t 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 they’re riding.
CROSSING. A foul will be called if a rider crosses another rider in the right-of-way, if they come close enough to be dangerous, or causes 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 they 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 they are directly behind an opponent, but the stick must be below the level of the opposing rider’s shoulder.
STICK MISUSE. A rider may not reach across or under an opposing rider’s horse to hit. 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. 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 it is hit over the boards or sidelines, or is hit over the back line by the opposing team.
STOPPAGE OF PLAY. An umpire will stop play if a rider is hurt or a horse is injured; a rider loses their helmet, provided that no team will gain from a stoppage of play; or a horse’s equipment becomes damaged, presenting potential danger to other horses or riders. Play is not stopped if a rider falls off their horse and is uninjured.
FOULS AND PENALTIES. Umpires decide the severity of fouls and which penalties are appropriate. One particular foul does not have a specific penalty associated with it. Below are penalties listed in the order of their severity. Team captains are the only players who can discuss issues that arise during a game with an umpire.
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AGENDA sidelines
Polo watching dos and don’ts
You’re guide to enjoying Sundays at Myopia Polo
While spectators may not get to ride the ponies, they are still an important part of the game: cheering on their favorite team, meeting players from near and far and partaking in beloved traditions like stomping divots.
DO
ARRIVE WITH TIME TO SPARE: Matches begin at 3 p.m., but the 1:30 p.m. gate opening leaves plenty of opportunity to pack a picnic to enjoy while tailgating. Be sure to come closer to the opening if you don’t have a reserved tailgating spot for the season.
PREPARE FOR WATCHING: A sturdy chair will make watching the match that much easier. You may also wish to bring binoculars or a camera with a telephoto lens.
PACK YOUR FAVORITES: Charcuterie, cheese and crackers, fresh fruit, pastries and sandwiches are popular options that are easy to eat outdoors. Don’t forget to bring plenty of drink options, including water, soda, wine or beer. There is no concession stand, so bring a mix of beverages that are social and hydrating.
EMBRACE THE AESTHETIC: While traditions have eased on attire required for spectators, women wearing summer dresses and men in lightweight pants and linen jackets are typical. If you’d like to sport a fedora or a fascinator, you’ll be in good company. However, polo shirts and shorts are becoming more common. Wear shoes that are comfortable and safe for walking on the grassy field. Don’t neglect to bring sunglasses or a hat that shades your eyes.
MAKE THE DAY SPECIAL: While you certainly can enjoy the day eating lunch off a napkin, little touches like a linen tablecloth, fresh flowers or a vintage picnic set can enhance the experience.
photograph by jacqueline miller
DON’T
IGNORE SAFETY RULES: Respect the white lines and stay a safe distance away. This ensures the fun continues and spectators, players and ponies can enjoy the day. Listening to the announcers and officials will teach you much about polo.
FORGET THAT NEW ENGLAND WEATHER IS UNPREDICTABLE: Myopia Polo’s season runs from June to October, which means days could be blisteringly hot or near-freezing. While excessive rain may cancel a match if field conditions are poor, you should be prepared for an array of conditions. A pop-up canopy can help keep your party cool on sunny days and dry on dreary ones. Particularly in the early spring and fall, bringing a jacket or layers can help mitigate temperature variations. Don’t forget sunscreen and bug spray, too.
LEAVE REFUSE BEHIND: Bring a trash bag with you, as spectators must pack out anything they bring in.
ALLOW YOUR DOG OFF-LEASH: While canine spectators are welcome, they must be restrained. After all, thousandpound horses are competing on the field and pups shouldn’t be running under hoof.
MISS THE TAILGATE CONTEST: On Sept. 28, participants who sign up at the gate will compete by decorating their vehicle and tailgate following the theme. Judges consider adherence to theme, food and beverage options and décor in their rankings.
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MYOPIA scene Myopia Polo Ball
A Mid-Summer Classic
For most of the summer, Myopia Polo players are competitors. But for at least one night of the season, during the Myopia Polo Ball, they put down their mallets for an evening of camaraderie with family, friends and opponents.
The ball has been a tradition of the season for more than 40 years. It was started by Judith and Donald V. Little Sr., who was Myopia’s captain in the 1970s and ’80s. They envisioned it as an opportunity to socialize and build sportsmanship.
In recent years, the ball has been organized by Tracy Strouss, wife of current captain David Strouss.
“It is important to me to keep this tradition going,” she says. “It is really important to bring everyone together during the polo season.”
Guests enjoy cocktails on the veranda before heading inside the club house for the formal dinner. Strouss says a longer cocktail period allows everyone to mix and mingle. The evening concludes with dancing. A live band will provide entertainment.
“What I love is seeing all the players singing and dancing,” she says. “There was no room left on the dance floor.”
This year’s theme aims to blend a vintage polo vibe with Latin American influences. Strouss says she’s worked hard to refine the event to please longtime members as well as the players, who are often a younger crowd.
Last year’s event had a fantasy vacation vibe, reminiscent of the Amalfi Coast. Lemon and Aperol spritzers welcomed guests, and there was a spectacular gelato cart.
“People really enjoy this event,” Strouss says.
“ It is really important to bring everyone together during the polo season.”
Tracy
Strouss
2025 MYOPIA POLO BALL
SATURDAY, JULY 12, AT THE MYOPIA POLO CLUB HOUSE
INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT MYOPIAPOLO.ORG. Suggested dress code includes tuxedoes or formal wear for men and elegant ball gowns or evening dresses for women.
David Strouss, Myopia Polo Chairman, and Tracy Strouss, Polo Ball Chairwoman
The Importance of Hands-on Care AGENDA equine care
Sunday afternoons, when polo takes center stage at Myopia’s Gibney Field, the center of attention is the ponies and the players. But polo is a rough sport, and the rest of the week, away from the spotlight, it’s the job of dedicated grooms and farriers to care for these hardworking ponies.
“The importance of having a good groom and a good farrier cannot be overstated,” says Erica Kratz, Myopia’s polo manager. “These horses are athletes, and without them in tip-top shape both mentally and physically, it’s impossible to compete well.
“We owe the entire game to these horses, so the least we can do for them is ensure their physical and mental well-being,” Kratz says. “Good grooms understand this and take pride in their work serving their horses as best they can. Even better grooms understand their role in keeping the horses mentally fit in addition to physically fit.”
Terri Campbell, a Myopia member and chairwoman of the club’s Equine Welfare Committee, agrees.
“For the health and well-being of the horses and rider, having someone who is closely watching every day for changes in behavior, in eating, in the amount of manure produced, in the condition of the skin, in the condition of the tack, makes the difference between a mediocre string of ponies and an outstanding one,” Campbell
says. “It isn’t just good for the horses, but well-cared-for horses will reduce veterinarian expenses.”
It’s a taxing job that, for most, is a mix of vocation and avocation, says Betty Muise, a member of Myopia Polo’s Equine Welfare Committee and a groom for four decades.
“Obviously you need to really love the animals to do a job like this,” Muise says. “They depend on you for everything. I love just being around them. And then to see them on the field is amazing.
“This job is not for everyone. The hours are long, and the pay isn’t usually great. But to be outside with these amazing horses is a dream, and I am so glad I have been a part of it for all these years,” she says. “I had a palm reader look at my hand once and she said, ‘You have calloused hands, but I can’t find your work line.’ She was kind of baffled. I said I work with horses, but it’s more of a lifestyle than work. It’s what I would do even if I was rich.”
The work of the grooms and farriers (craftsmen who trim and shoe a horse’s hooves) is vital because they ensure the ponies recover properly, and are ready to play the next match day. That’s a 24/7 commitment.
Abel Aguerro, a native of Argentina who runs the Folly Fields polo operation and has been affiliated with Myopia for 25 years,
photograph by jacqueline miller
Hardworking polo ponies get pampered with snuggles off field.
says: “Every day they need to eat, you need to clean the stalls, they need to be exercised, take care of their legs, keep bugs away, provide blankets when it’s cold. You think about what they need every day, depending on their health and on the weather.”
“It’s important to find someone who truly loves the animals to provide good, consistent care. It makes a huge difference in how happy the animals are,” Aguerro says. “Horses will remember someone who treats them badly, and it takes a long time to establish trust. So every day matters, every interaction matters.
“You need to know the horse — each one is individual,” he says. “It’s like a family; you take care of one another. You need to take care and be watchful of the horse, and the horse will take care of you.”
“Taking care” of the ponies is at the heart of the job. Work begins immediately after a match, with a cleaning and inspection for injuries.
“Players have to have a good relationship with their horses, and farriers have to have good relationships with the horses, too,” says Dennis Carrión Díaz, who started grooming ponies as a 17-year-old in the Dominican Republic, and has worked at Myopia since 2003. “If there are problems, farriers have to be able to look at the horses in conjunction with the vet.”
“If there’s a sick horse in the middle of the night, you have to be there taking care of it, calling the vet, watching it,” Carrión Díaz says. “My normal day starts around 6 a.m., when I come to the barn to feed and take care of the horses, then exercise them. We generally finish up morning work around 10 or 11, and then take a lunch break. The afternoon depends on if we have a practice or a game in the afternoon.
“If there’s no polo, I usually get into the barn around 3 p.m. and stay until around 6 p.m.,” he says. “I don’t use a checklist for the horses, but since I work with them every day, there are things I’ll notice. The maintenance of the horses is very important, and you get to know each one of them thoroughly.”
Establishing a routine keeps the ponies comfortable and relaxed. Every day, they receive appropriate medical attention, including horseshoe inspection and, if necessary, repair or replacement. As a pony ages, it requires a trained eye to determine if its feeding and training regimens need adjustment.
“Older horses may need changes to their diet and more or less exercise, depending on the horse,” Aguerro says. “They are individuals, and you need to tailor the care to the horse.”
Carrión Díaz also notes that daily training is usually recalibrated depending on the time of the year. Pre-season is more low-key, with exercise regimens designed to bring the ponies up to game fitness.
“Normally, at the beginning of the season, it’s a different workout than when the horses are in shape,” he says. “We
start off easy after they’ve had a long vacation, just like people getting back into exercising after a long break. The age doesn’t matter, because we have to keep them in shape.”
In season, the ponies need time to recuperate after matches, while maintaining their strength and cardiovascular levels.
“Mondays are typically a day off or an easy day for grooms, and the horses get that day off,” Muise says. “The horses are looked over and legs wrapped if they need it. They wind down in the paddock eating their hay.”
“Usually, the player will let me know if their horse was hit by a ball or mallet, but I hose them off after they play and check them out that way,” she says. “I usually check before they play to make sure everyone still has shoes on. The horses get new shoes about every five or six weeks.”
Likewise, Carrión Díaz says grooms won’t exert the ponies
on “off days,” but will keep them moving. “We work them, both in singles or in a group, called ‘sets,’ in which we ride one horse and lead other horses along with us while riding so that we exercise a group of horses in one go,” he says.
By mid-autumn, the ponies finally have time to rest and recharge their batteries.
“At the end of the season, the horses get to rest by hanging out in large fields, and often no one rides them for a couple of months,” Aguerro says. “It’s their vacation.”
Conversely, grooms rarely take a vacation, often moving south during winter to continue their work. Because working with the ponies is where their hearts are.
“The biggest reward when I work with horses is when my boss or a professional player says my horses went perfect,” Carrión Díaz says. “So that’s my reward: watching the horses work and do everything perfect. There’s nothing better than that.”
Abel Aguerro runs the Folly Fields polo operation, and has been affiliated with Myopia for 25 years.
HISTORY
The USPA
More than 130 years of innovation, inclusion and tradition
Polo is considered one of the oldest team sports in recorded history, dating back thousands of years. The innovations of the past century, however, have reshaped the sport into the fast-paced, exciting game we recognize today.
What was once a contest featuring eight or more players galloping 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 intricate team play. Much of the credit for that organizational transformation — at least in the United States — belongs to the U.S. Polo Association (USPA).
In 1890, during a dinner in New York City, H.L. Herbert, John Cowdin and Thomas Hitchcock formally created the Polo Association, now known as the USPA. The group was made up of seven clubs and was headquartered in New York. One hundred handicaps were assigned to members, including future President Teddy Roosevelt. Herbert was elected chairman — a post he would hold for the next 31 years.
“The USPA, our governing body, was developed as an old boys’ club,” Leight-
on S. Jordan, former USPA Northeastern Circuit governor, told the audience at a Myopia Polo Ball several years ago. “In the 1890s, players realized they needed an organization to set the governing rules of play.”
“This newly formed group funded the USPA management when it was short of cash,” Jordan said. “They did what they had to do to keep the sport alive. Over time, they assigned circuit governors to help manage the sport across the country. They all put their own funds in to oversee the sport.”
The first U.S. Open Championship was 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) defeated England to win the Westchester Cup.
Under the guidance of the USPA, the sport grew in popularity throughout the
U.S., expanding south and west. In the 1920s, crowds of more than 35,000 gathered to watch major tournaments, and players began numbering their jerseys 1 through 4 to designate their position and role. According to the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame, there was an annual need for more than 63,000 polo ponies during this era.
Women began making their mark in the sport during the 1930s, as Cornell University fielded an intercollegiate women’s team, and a group of Army officers’ wives formed the Whippettes. The Pacific Women’s Polo Association was formed in 1934. Women now comprise 40% of the USPA’s membership.
The 1940s saw the growth of the sport slow, with record-keeping suspended during World War II. The sport’s recovery took hold over the next 20 years, as the popularity of Arena Polo grew and a surge in the top ranks set the stage for expansion. The fashion world adopted the polo image, high-goal polo was recognized as one of the fastest-moving and exciting spectator sports in the world,
and the Palm Beach Polo and Country Club opened in 1979, becoming the foremost location for international high-goal polo. In the 1980s, USPA membership reached an all-time high.
As the millennium drew to a close, the USPA evolved 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 sport.
Today, the USPA includes nearly 300 member clubs in 13 geographic circuits around the U.S. and oversees 40 national tournaments. The organization continues to play a vital role in promoting and developing the sport, including through programs like Regional Polo Centers and clubs that host schools and lessons across the country.
“The USPA’s aim is to provide support to the clubs,” Jordan said. “Not how to manage the clubs or how to grow players. They tried this for years, and it did not work. They now recognize that they must find ways to help the clubs do what they do best.”
achievement
MAYO COLLEGE, AMJER POLO CUP
by Brion O’Connor
Though members of the Mayo College polo team from Ajmer, Rajasthan, India, departed the United States last September with a scintillating 5-4 victory over Harvard University at Myopia’s Gibney Field, they left a shining silver memento of their visit: the Mayo College, Amjer Polo Cup.
The two squads faced off in the 12th annual Harvard Invitational Cup challenge match on Sept. 22, with Mayo College, playing atop Harvard ponies, scoring just 45 seconds before the final bell to break a 4-4 deadlock.
Mayo College was the 12th different international college to visit since Harvard Polo’s global challenge
began in 2013. Teams participating in the annual match have come from the Netherlands, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, China, Guatemala, the Philippines, South Korea and New Zealand. Those teams will have their names engraved on the Amjer Polo Cup, which is housed at Myopia’s clubhouse.
Like Myopia, Mayo College — India’s oldest military college — is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. Mayo officials have extended an invitation to Harvard for a return match in India this November.
Photograph by Jacqueline Miller
The Mayo College team of Ayaam Ali, Divyraj Singh Rathore, Jaivir Singh Nagra and the captain Pranav Kapur with a representative from Clarke, which sponsored the match.
The Hounds of the Hunt
by Brion O’Connor
It is a quintessential Hamilton image and one of the most entertaining sights on the roads and trails that circle the venerable Myopia Hunt Club. Dozens of white-and-brown hounds, tails up and wagging furiously, bounding joyfully along in a large pack, guided by several handlers atop their steeds. It’s a scene that Myopia Huntswoman Samantha “Sam” Stevens cherishes.
“The hounds are the hunt,” says Stevens. “Without them, we would just be on a trail ride. The hounds are the cornerstone of any fox hunt. Without their noses and voices, it would be a very different activity.”
But few spectators know the long history of the canines that have helped define the hunt club since it relocated to Gibney Farm in Hamilton in the late 1800s. And few know the level of train-
ing required to make them a successful hunt pack.
“The hounds are indeed residents of the historic kennels at Myopia,” says Franz Colloredo-Mansfeld, master of the hunt (along with joint masters Wendy Wood and Olaf Krohg). “The kennels are at the heart of our campus, and when on the porch of the clubhouse or walking toward the polo fields, you can occasionally hear the hounds calling to each other. It’s a reminder of the history of our club, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year.”
The Myopia kennels, situated near the club’s roundabout driveway, house 12½ foxhound couples.
“Hounds are always counted in pairs, and referred to as a ‘couple,’ ” says Stevens. “Our hounds range in age from 5 months to 8 years old. They’re all considered America crossbred foxhounds, and contain genetics from English lines,
Penn-Marydel lines. We will soon be importing from the United Kingdom to improve the quality of our pack, as well as diversify our breeding program.
“Nearly all fox hunts get hounds one of two ways: breeding or drafting,” she says. “Drafting is a program where one hunt will give another hunt a few hounds that weren’t working for their program. This allows us all to keep our kennels from becoming inbred, as well as offering a hound a job that they may prefer. Some hounds don’t like to hunt live, but may excel at drag.”
All of the Myopia hunts are “drag” hunts. And while the hounds aren’t chasing real foxes, the exceptional preparation they’ve received is evident.
“The current pack is remarkably well trained,” says Colloredo-Mansfeld. “We’re now fortunate to have a group of hounds that works well together, responds promptly to voice commands from Sam and her team, avoids interactions with wildlife and other dogs that we may encounter when out in the woods.”
“These are wonderfully good-natured animals, and they’re happy in the
by Shawn Tinkham
Photographs
Myopia’s Huntswoman is Samantha Stevens aided by Masters of the Hounds Franz Colloredo-Mansfeld, Wendy Wood and Olaf Krohg.
kennels and when doing their jobs,” he says. “I give full credit to our professional team, now ably led by Sam, and the groundwork laid by Philip Headdon, our previous huntsman.”
Training begins the moment a hound arrives at Myopia, or if a product of one of the club’s litters, once it’s mobile. When sizing up each puppy, Stevens says she’s looking for good conformation: upright feet, a deep chest, strong hindquarters and a good voice. The most important trait, she says, is “biddability,” or how receptive a hound is to training.
“Before hunting, we want the hounds to have an excellent recall, be comfortable in the pack — and know their position within it — and be physically ready for the job, mentally and physically fit,” says Stevens. “All of the hunt staff help with training each hound, so that as a pack they all respect the whole team.”
Stevens’ “team” includes four key members. Chery Victoria, the kennelsman, is in charge of daily kennel maintenance, countryside maintenance and overnight monitoring of the hounds, and is ably assisted by Samantha King. Sarah Jacobson and Devon Sorrentino, the “whips” who manage the hounds when hunting, take part in the hounds training and countryside maintenance. Stevens, as huntswoman, walks, trains and feeds the hounds daily, organizes hunting routes,
and assists with landowner relations.
Stevens acknowledges that there is “an ebb and flow” to the hounds’ training. The staff purposely doesn’t adhere to a strict schedule, so the hounds don’t lapse into a regular routine, resulting in a more adaptable pack.
“For me, the hardest part of training the hounds to be successful hunters is balancing maintaining a hound’s biddability while also keeping the spark of their distinct personalities thriving,” Stevens says. “It can be hard to do with the whole pack, since each hound needs something slightly different. So knowing each individual hound and figuring out how to get them to work to their full potential is definitely one of the difficult parts of the job.
“Sometimes you have to give them the chance to work through ‘how to hunt’ on their own without human interference, because the majority of the hound’s job is away from humans,” she says.
“They need to be able to think independently, and make good choices when they’re out of sight of the team.”
In addition to the staff, the Myopia hounds “absolutely learn from each other, for better or worse,” says Stevens.
“That’s a cornerstone of their training — stay with the group.”
The Myopia pack is divided into three groups. The front-runners are those hounds most driven to track and stay on the scent, says Stevens, while the middleof-the-pack hounds excel at following. Then there’s the back of the pack, hounds that are either uninspired or slowing down due to age and not interested in hunting anymore.
“The back-of-the-pack hounds are usually ones that we are keeping an eye on to see if it’s time for them to retire to a local sofa,” says Stevens.
Most Myopia hounds, however, are most content when they’re cared for and when they’re working. “Regular outings and hunting result in healthier and better-trained hounds,” says ColloredoMansfeld.
“This is an activity that can be allconsuming,” he says. “We have a six-week spring season and a 10-week fall season, and there are also hound exercises during the summer. This keeps our team busy, and provides many opportunities for members of the hunt to enjoy being with hounds.”
That, says Stevens, is the greatest reward of working with these animals.
“Watching the hounds once they’re cast is life changing,” she says. “Their working to find the scent and giving tongue is like nothing I can describe. You’re cruising along on your horse, watching them through the woods, and you can just tell when they hit” the scent, says Stevens. “One of the front runners will speak, and all the other hounds start heading towards that first strike hound, then they all start to give tongue, and now you’re flying to keep up with them. It gives me goosebumps every time.”
The hounds excitedly explore the Grand Allee Castle Hill on the Crane Estate.
The hounds’ kennels are at the heart of Myopia’s grounds.
PROFILE
by Brion O’Connor
KURT MILLER
Six Decades in the Saddle
Kurt Miller has always been attracted to activities that tapped into his large adrenaline reserves.
After prep school, he moved halfway across the country to attend a Babson College satellite program in Eureka, Kansas. He befriended a few crop-dusting pilots and learned how to fly the open-cockpit planes. Despite getting a lucrative job offer from the owner of a cropdusting outfit, Miller returned home to complete his degree and went to work for his father, Clifford Miller. But Miller was still focused on adventure, evidenced by his penchant for sports cars, motorcycles and skydiving (more than 200 jumps so far).
Along the way, he was invited by a college friend to visit Myopia. Though the polo season had ended, Miller was intrigued. His father had played polo at
Myopia and Dedham in the 1930s, but his career was cut short by a car accident.
“He was in the hospital, and my mother sold all the horses and all the bridles,” says Miller.
But Miller’s mother took a more lenient approach when her youngest son decided to play.
“We all know the injuries and how we can get hurt in this sport so quickly,” he says. “But when I started playing polo, my mother was thrilled because I gave up skydiving and the motorcycles and all of that.”
Miller acknowledges there were many factors that drew him to polo. First, it’s a true team sport that adults can continue to play well into their 50s and 60s, if not longer, often against much younger opponents. That has allowed Miller to play with his son, Reed Parker Miller, now 23, who recently earned a master’s degree
from Keene State College.
“Try to find a sport that you can play with your son. It’s so hard to get going in any sport,” Miller says. “You might be able to play golf with your son.”
But golf was too sedentary for Miller. The physicality of polo gripped Miller when he was in his late 20s, and never relented. “It’s so exciting,” he says. “It’s a very tough sport.”
Now at 86, his career as the longestactive player in Myopia history spans almost 60 years. He has played under nine Myopia polo captains and witnessed a seismic change in the sport as it’s played at Myopia, evolving from a hobby for well-heeled local sportsmen to a high-goal international pastime dominated by professionals from around the world.
“It’s better polo, but it’s much more expensive,” says Kurt, who has sponsored the Longmeadow team since 1971. “When I started, there was
no polo school, there was no coaching league. Nobody was going to teach you polo.
“I lived in Cambridge, so I’d get up at five in the morning, drive out to Canton, and I’d take an hour riding lesson,” he says. “Then I’d drive back to Cambridge, change, and go to the office. I did that for a couple of months, then came up here to see if I could find somebody to get me into polo.”
Miller met Charlie Coles, who introduced the eager neophyte to Neil Ayer and Donald V. Little Sr. “One day, Don Little says to me, ‘You might think about joining the club. Do you know anybody?’ And I said, ‘Well, I don’t, but my father played up here, with Tim Clark, and he used to stay at the Ayers’ place.’”
“Don says, ‘Why didn’t you tell me this two years ago?’ ” says Miller. “He called Jim Mosely and said, ‘You’re going to sponsor Kurt Miller along with me.’ ”
Soon after joining Myopia, Miller bought his first two ponies. The games were four chukkers. Miller would play one horse in the first and third chukker, and the other horse in the second and fourth chukker.
“Then Don Little moved it to a six-chucker game; that was the problem for me,” says Miller, noting he needed more ponies. “Now, I finally had to get a trailer.”
Those earlier games were more informal.
“When Kurt started, it was local, with the local guys playing,” says his wife, Jacqueline “Jackie” Miller. “There were no pros here. You played with and against your friends.”
Little would choose teams much like sandlot baseball or pick-up basketball. Years later, Myopia tournaments became high-goal affairs. Members like Miller were encouraged to sponsor their teams and recruit talented
professionals from around the country and polo hot spots like Argentina. That also meant acquiring more talented ponies.
Miller made almost three dozen trips to Chile, to the farm of Jose Antonio “Tono” Itturate, to bolster his string of ponies. The first was harrowing.
“I get on the plane in Miami, hoping I’ve done the right thing,” he says. “The plane lands in Peru in the middle
Eventually, he developed a full string of six competitive ponies, which he’s maintained over the decades.
That string had to be revitalized with the Millers’ son, who joined the fray. Though they tried to steer their son toward pursuits like tennis or golf, Reed Miller proved to be cut from the same cloth as his father. “My dad never got the chance to play on the field with his father, and I had always watched him play,” he says. “I had no doubts I would
of the night to refuel. These guys get on the plane with machine guns, and they start yelling at us. And I don’t speak Spanish. The whole airport is black. I was terrified.”
Undeterred, Miller completed the trip, and returned to Chile almost every February over the next four decades, playing for several weeks and sampling different ponies. Then he’d purchase a single horse to bring home.
be playing with him.”
The first time the Millers teamed up for a tournament, Reed was only 15. They won the whole thing.
“My dad encouraged me to ride with him and practice as much as I could when I was younger,” he says. “He told me, over his 50 years, he can’t remember all the games he has won and lost, but has so many memories of the fun playing, the social community
Kurt Miller traveled to Chile to acquire some of his polo ponies.
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and the personal connection with the horses.”
Miller’s other children — Beth, 50; Lindsey, 49; and Colby, 30 — all have tried riding and watched polo matches, but didn’t take as much to playing like their dad and youngest brother.
Miller credits Lester Crossman and Federico Wulff, Longmeadow’s longtime pro, with improving in his game. That was especially true of the tactical side of polo.
“Lester came to me and said, ‘You know, you’re getting to be a pretty good player, but I want to give you a couple of tips. Stop chasing the ball. Instead, be aware of where the players are. You’re not keeping track of what’s going on,’” he says.
“If you keep track of all the players in the field, you can stop chasing them all.”
Still, if Miller had a single defining trait, it was his toughness. By his count, Miller has broken more than 50 bones in his body, more than half occurring during polo matches. He’s had his lumbar and cervical spine fused. This past March, he had one of his knees replaced.
“Nobody really knows quite how Kurt does this,” Jackie says. “Everybody says Kurt is kind of an icon in the sense of his fitness level.”
She recalls a conversation with Del Rancho’s David Strouss, Myopia’s captain. “Dave said, ‘Jackie, I can’t get out of polo until Kurt does. I ache all over and it’s killing me, but I just don’t want to bow out before Kurt stops,’ ” she says.
Strouss can attest to Miller’s trademark tenacity. “Kurt is all polo,” he says. “He is, without doubt, the toughest, most competitive player I have ever known.”
“Longmeadow versus Del Rancho became almost an obsession for the two of us, with the competition often beginning right after a season ended when we would race to assemble the best team to win tournaments in the next season,” he says. “But I could always enjoy a drink after a match, field side or at the bar, with the man for whom I had the utmost admiration.”
While Miller relinquished his sponsorship spot on Longmeadow to Reed in 2021, he still saddles up for practice and stick-and-ball sessions.
“The time I played on the field with my father was over before I even realized how special it was,” says Reed. “We played together for a few years until I took over when my father retired from competitive playing.”
Though he’s admittedly slowed down, Miller says he has absolutely no intention of hanging up his mallets anytime soon.
photograph by jacqueline miller
Ignacio “Nachi” Viana, a 7-goal professional who has been playing at Myopia since 2019.
For all but 12 of the Myopia Hunt Club’s colorful 150 years, polo has been a featured attraction, drawing players, ponies and spectators from around the globe.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JACQUELINE MILLER
by Brion O’Connor
MYOPIA’S PROUD LEGACY OF
QUALITY POLO
hether featuring 20-goal polo when Myopia first hosted the prestigious East Coast Open in 1909 and then from 1978 to 2003, or mid-goal polo in more recent years, Myopia has strived to make the polo experience at every level exceptional,” says David Strouss, captain of Myopia Polo. “I know when I ride out on these historic fields to play surrounded by the Myopia Hunt Club’s beautiful grounds, there is no other feeling like it.”
The club’s rich polo past is mirrored in the names of the fixtures dotting the Myopia calendar: Rice, Poor, Ayer, Agassiz, Tuckerman, Harrison, Little, Crossman, Forbes and O’Connor.
“The numbers of players and teams speak for themselves about the competitiveness of polo at Myopia,” says Strouss. “In 2024, no less than eight teams played in Myopia’s Tuckerman Cup 4-goal, while four and five teams played the same month in Myopia’s 8-goal Harrison and National Chairman’s Cup.”
Strouss represents a long list of polo captains who have helped shepherd the game through good and tumultuous times. Myopia member Terri Campbell says, “The strength of any organization is reflected by its leadership, and we have been fortunate to have committed captains at Myopia.”
“Strouss has provided amazing stewardship of Myopia Polo, especially through his
commitment to higher-goal tournaments and expanding the number of fields available to play,” says Campbell. “Each year, we have increased the number of teams playing and new players joining the sport.”
“And it was under the prior captain, Franz Colloredo-Mansfeld, that many of the beginner and intermediate programs were established,” she says. “These programs help to build a pipeline of players moving up the ranks to be able to play in the higher-goal tournaments. It’s a multiple-year commitment to make lasting, positive changes.”
A consistently high level of play exemplifies the club’s enduring polo tradition.
EARLY MATCHES
Polo, locally, dates back more than a century. Shortly after Myopia’s 1883 relocation from Winchester to Gibney Farm in Hamilton, the “sport of kings” was introduced to the hunt club. Longtime member and journalist Crocker Snow Jr. reported that Marshall Abbott, in his memoir, “Myopia Songs and Waltzes,” claimed the first exhibition match in Massachusetts was played at the Gibney Farm field in 1888. In 1907, Harvard faced Yale at Myopia in the nation’s first collegiate polo match.
In Edward Week’s 1975 “Myopia: A Centennial Chronicle,” Snow Jr., wrote that local teams competed against squads from Dedham and The Country Club, among others.
“ The numbers of players and teams speak for themselves about the competitiveness of polo at Myopia.”
Dave Strouss
Manuel Mazzocchi with the Folly Fields/Stone’s Throw team was named most valuable player of the 2024 Tuckerman Cup.
During those early years, polo was “crashing, bashing madness on horseback,” wrote historian Joseph E. Garland in his book “The North Shore.” One Myopia veteran, James H. Proctor, “proudly displayed in his home a mallet with his two front teeth embedded in it,” wrote Garland.
“ From the early days of Myopia Hunt Club, Myopia Polo drew upon the rich equestrian traditions of the local families. There was never any shortage of competition.”
Lyle Graham
The rough-and-tumble game was an immediate sensation. Several intrepid horsemen at Myopia — led by Randolph M. “Budd” Appleton, Myopia’s first polo captain who played for Harvard — embraced the sport.
In 1890, the U.S. Polo Association launched, with Myopia a charter member (the only charter club active at its original location).
Polo flourished for its first two decades.
Five years later, a young team from Myopia traveled to Brooklyn, New York, to compete in the Senior Championship, the equivalent of the National Open today. The Myopia foursome captured the club’s first national championship with its victory over a favored Rockaway side.
“The first years of the 20th century were the tuxedo time of Myopia Polo, with throngs of the well-heeled turned up at Gibney Field in carriages and sipped tea under parasols over Sunday afternoon, as the athletes sweated on the field of play,” wrote Snow Jr. in a 1988 issue of POLO magazine. “Rodolphe ‘Dolph’ Agassiz was rewarded with a coveted 10-goal rating, the only Myopia player ever to achieve this status.”
“Agassi and R. Gould ‘Bobby’ Shaw, who reached nine goals, helped capture a second national championship in 1904,” wrote Snow
Jr. “Myopia had become a focal point of American polo.”
Sadly, the country’s entry into World War I eclipsed this game’s early prominence.
“By the 1920s, as American polo entered a gallop and featured the likes of Tommy Hitchcock and the famous 40-goal dream team, Myopia Polo gradually slowed to a canter,” wrote Snow Jr. “Medium-goal polo became the norm, good exercise and fellowship the primary attraction.”
The sport suffered during the Great Depression, but Myopia Polo roared back several years later, with the club’s top team winning the inaugural Forbes Cup, and groundskeeper Ticky Dane painstakingly nurturing Gibney Field back to health.
Following a break during World War II, Myopia Polo regained momentum, led by members such as Adam Winthrop, Crocker Snow Sr. and his son, Crocker Jr., future USPA president Donald V. Little, Forrester “Tim” Clark, C.G. Rice and Neil Ayer.
Clark, captain of the Forbes Cup-winning team, heard about a disbanding Army cavalry unit and “bought, sight unseen, a boxcar of 17 horses, picking a few for himself and hoping to pass the others to friends,” wrote Snow Jr.
Myopia’s post-war polo renaissance was further enhanced by the arrival of Cyril Harrison, an 8-goal player and one of the finest polo instructors of his time. The sport became so popular that the Crossman brothers built an outdoor arena, named after Joseph Poor, in 1960 to allow mid-week games under the lights. During one oppressively hot Sunday match that year, Poor, suffering from heat prostration, fell from his horse. He never regained consciousness.
Fresh mounts ready on sidelines during Crossman Cup.
THE GOLDEN ERA
Hollywood stopped by Myopia in 1967 with Steve McQueen portraying a crooked millionaire playboy chased by insurance investigator Faye Dunaway in “The Thomas Crown Affair.” The $10,000 windfall from the film shoot enabled Myopia to build a 24-stall polo barn, which is still used today.
In 1969, Myopia coach Mike Andrews helped relaunch the Harvard Polo Club. Through the 1970s, teams from Iran, New Zealand, Pakistan and Argentina all visited Gibney Field. The resurgence of polo on a national level, combined with the encouragement of Myopia captains like Ayer, Little and Michael Fawcett, attracted more players and teams. The Forbes Cup, a New England championship game generally played against Fairfield, Conn., gained a strong following, as did the renowned 20-goal East Coast Open.
In 1975, in Weeks’ centennial chronicle, Snow Jr. wrote: “Myopia Polo has had its peaks and valleys in the last 100 years, but at this writing, the air is quite rarified indeed. The surplus of players and ponies, their range in ages and abilities, and their enthusiasm suggest that this intoxicating condition may last for quite some time to come.”
Since 1990, Myopia Polo has achieved a storied place on the polo landscape, regionally and nationally. Further accolades have come to the club through its relationship with Harvard Polo and the exploits of Hamilton native Adam Snow, who achieved USPA’s esteemed 10-goal handicap, and 8-goal professional Nic Roldan.
“I grew up playing kids’ polo at Myopia. It was a combination of my dad (Crocker Snow Jr.) and Doo Little and Mike Andrews coaching us,” says Adam Snow. “Out of that group of 12 kids, three of us went on to play professionally. One of the greatest thrills of my life was playing tournaments in Florida with my brother, Andrew, and Phillip Lake. I was able to win tournaments with Andrew and Phillip at the 22- and 26-goal level. For little old Myopia to be the root of that kind of highgoal success in the mecca of polo in the United States is pretty significant.”
Captains such as Little, Neil St. John “Ted” Raymond, Rob Wilkinson and Fawcett were instrumental in advocating for higher-goal polo at Myopia, says Strouss. But when times changed, and Myopia no longer had the infrastructure and teams for that standard, the efforts of Lyle Graham, Albert Ellis and Colloredo-Mansfeld paved the way for competitive polo at the mid- and low-goal level.
“From the early days of Myopia Hunt Club, Myopia Polo drew upon the rich equestrian traditions of the local families,” says Graham, who served as captain from 2001-08. “There was never any shortage of competition.
“The game evolved, and soon outside clubs started to visit, compete, and we were off to having rated players,” he says. “Collaboration led to better organization, polo ponies and the goal level of the games. Myopia has always had a baseline level of 4- to 8-goals, which
Top right: Kingswood follows the ball in the preliminaries for the Chairman’s Cup.
Bottom left: Husaria Seagulls and Del Rancho Express played in the Forbes Cup finals.
“ Successful tournament polo requires three main features: great fields, skilled and experienced management, and professional umpiring. Myopia Polo is fortunate to have all three.”
Dave Strouss
eventually moved up to 12 and ultimately the golden era of 20-goals. After the ‘high-goal era,’ the club settled back into its core roots of 4- to 12-goal polo, and remains one of the strongest, most historic clubs in the Northeast.”
POLO’S EVOLUTION
In short, the combination of legacy players and new blood has always fueled Myopia’s sterling reputation. Over the past decade, the club has sent numerous local players to intercollegiate, national and international tournaments. Since 2017, Myopia has hosted roughly 20 USPA tournaments, more than any other club in the Northeast. The club has also continued to host numerous National Youth Tournament Series qualifiers, plus youth and coaching leagues.
“What has been keeping polo going for 138 years at Myopia has been successful developmental programs,” says Strouss.
“In the more recent past, Myopia started its Coaching League for new and developing players to learn the game in its arena and outdoor fields with licensed instructors,” he says. “In the offseason, many young Myopia players continue to develop playing arena polo in the Harvard Crimson Interscholastic Polo Program run by Myopia player Jacob ‘Yaz’ Grotnick.”
The club’s welcoming attitude can also be seen in more women and girls participating, including the three daughters of longtime
member Peter Poor, the son of Joseph Poor and founder of Stage Hill Polo School, who passed away last December. (See “Remembrance, page 63.) Poor’s daughters — Jennifer McLeavy, Amanda (Poor) Roberts and Alyson Poor — have all achieved considerable success in the sport. Roberts, in addition to taking over her father’s polo school, is also taking the reins of Myopia’s Coaching League, succeeding the talented and capable Estanislao “Estani” Puch.
“If we want to grow the sport of polo, it’s crucial to have a variety of tournaments and games for all,” Roberts says. “Women’s polo is the fastest growing segment of polo in the USPA. ...
The Coaching League is crucial to the success of Myopia Polo as a whole. It contributes to a diverse field of players, and is a nice segue from beginner riding and polo to a bigger field and faster play.”
Campbell says the Coaching League reveals Myopia’s commitment to expanding the game. “We always look forward to new players coming into the sport,” she says. “It isn’t just at the younger ages of interscholastic or intercollegiate level. Many new players start in their 30s and 40s.”
When Campbell first began to play polo in 2001, there were mainly higher-level games.
“When I returned to the club in 2010 to play in a tournament, there was a wide range of levels of play,” she says. “The beginner player program was more built out, plus mid-level play with 2-goal and 4-goal tournaments, and higher 8- to 12-goal tournaments. It’s great to have the range of levels so players are constantly challenged.”
The increasing role of women playing polo at Myopia will be underscored the first weekend of September, when the club hosts the U.S. Polo Association’s Northeastern Circuit Women’s Challenge.
SETTING THE STAGE
The quantity and quality of polo at Myopia also require the meticulous care and expansion of the club’s facilities.
“Successful tournament polo requires three main features: great fields, skilled and experienced management, and professional umpiring,” says Strouss. “Myopia Polo is fortunate to have all three of these key ingredients.”
The club’s primary tournament polo pitch, Gibney Field, coupled with Winthrop Field and the Joseph Poor Memorial Arena, stands as a testament to the club’s dedication to the sport. A new pitch, the Neil R. Ayer Polo Field, completed in the fall of 2022, plus Raymond Fields and Bird Field in Ipswich, all supplement that heritage.
“I always bear that in mind, when I’m working on them, that these are a piece of history,” says Jonathan Wilber, Myopia’s grounds
Husaria Seagulls played a close match against Del Rancho/Glen Farm in the Chairman Cup finals.
superintendent. “I try to put my heart and soul into really making sure that we can keep both of them in the best shape possible. ... It’s like a family atmosphere here, and we take a great deal of pride in what we do in terms of being stewards of these historic pieces of property.”
Together with polo manager Erica Kratz and her crew, Wilber and his staff maintain three grass polo fields that cover 30 acres. The reward, says Wilber, is creating an atmosphere where players and spectators can appreciate a bygone era.
“There’s a feeling that when you cross into Myopia property, that you’re going back in time,”
he says. “It’s a very nostalgic feeling. It’s a good feeling to have.”
“The future of polo at Myopia is very bright,” says Strouss. “When I took on the role of captain, my chief objective was to maintain polo at the high level it has been. This was challenging, as there is an increasing demand for playing lower-goal polo. I believe Myopia has met this challenge by being able to expand to accommodate lower-goal polo tournaments and adding a women’s tournament, while maintaining its major 8-goal level tournaments and fun club polo throughout the season.”
The Myopia Coaching League helps introduce young people to the sport.
POLO PONY THE LIFE OF A
by Brion O’Connor
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JACQUELINE MILLER
Above: Ignacio “Nachi” Viana, a 7-goal professional, has been affiliated with Myopia Polo since 2019. Right: Ignacio “Nacho” Arbelbide, a 5-goal professional, walks his horse to the field.
Every polo player, at every level, from weekend amateurs to top professionals, has heard the question dozens, if not hundreds, of times: What is the single most important element of a polo team? Their response is almost always the same.
t’s the ponies.
“The ponies are everything,” says Ignacio “Nachi” Viana, a native of Uruguay and 7-goal professional who has been affiliated with Myopia Polo since 2019. “I personally play polo because of the horses. It’s what I enjoy the most of the sport. They are very noble animals that are ready to give their all once they enter a field.”
These majestic creatures, typically standing at 16 hands and weighing between 1,000 and 1,200 pounds, can make the ground shake. And for every player on the pitch, there’s often a string of ponies — ranging from four in low-goal matches to 12 at the highest levels — that will compete during a 6-chukker match.
“When we’re preparing for a game, we’re preparing the four human athletes as a team, as a cohesive unit,” says Adam Snow, the most decorated polo player to ever come out of Myopia, achieving a 10-goal rating during his career. “Then you’re also preparing the six to 10 horses that you’re planning to get on the next day. And you’re treating each of those as individuals, trying to have them on the top of their game.”
Snow’s comment speaks to the intricacy, and number of moving parts, that every player contends with. Rick Bostwick, owner of Bostwick Polo LLC, who played professionally for four decades, says “the bond between horse and rider is unique, as both athletes must work together to be competitive, successful and safe.”
“Given that a player generally requires a minimum of six ponies, therein lies the challenge of polo that isn’t evident in other equestrian activities, where the horse and rider compete individually in each respective competition,” says Bostwick, who competed often on Gibney Field, winning three East Coast Opens. “For many players, winning the Best Playing Pony award is the most meaningful outcome of a tournament.”
So what does the life of a competitive polo pony look like, from birth to retirement? The answer, not surprisingly, is complicated.
ORIGINS & BREEDING
Players will either breed their own ponies or, more likely, purchase them. Almost all ponies have some thoroughbred pedigree, and many can trace their lineage to Argentina. Bostwick says that the lineage reveals the sport’s international footprint.
“Polo is played across the globe, and several countries produce some of the top-quality horses: United States, Argentina and New Zealand, to name a few,” he says. “I have bred Argentine and American thoroughbreds to produce the best qualities of both breeds.
“Polo follows the sun, meaning that horses go from place to place to where polo season is open,” Bostwick says. “After the season at Myopia, some teams and players go to Aiken, South Carolina, or directly to Wellington, Florida.”
According to Viana, the breeding of polo ponies is “similar to any other horse breeding.”
“In polo, you try to combine between the mare and the stud,” he says. “If your mare is a big one, you will probably look for a smaller stud. Or if your mare had a lot of power but lacked handle, getting a very handy stud should help to have a good combination.”
Acknowledging there is a hint of alchemy to his craft, Bostwick summarizes his approach succinctly: “Breed what you think is the best of the best, and hope for the best.”
“Most of the successful organizations in polo have their own breeding operations,” he says. “Having a pipeline of good horses from the same bloodlines allows for a team and players to have access to a continuous flow of superior horses.”
Snow says he and his wife, veterinarian Dr. Shelley Onderdonk, once bred ponies at their New Haven Farm
Players swap ponies between chukkers.
“The horse gets broke around 3 or 4 years old, and it takes a process of around three years to have it play at the highest level.”
Ignacio “Nachi” Viana
in Aiken, S.C., but they realized it was difficult to compete with Argentine facilities, where breeding horses is less expensive and has less bureaucracy to deal with.
“In order to make (breeding) a business in this country, you need to be selling all your best horses,” he says. “It came to a point where I wanted to enjoy my favorites and not have to sell them.”
Many of Snow’s best ponies have come through polo trainers, following a short stint in racing. He notes that one of his favorites, Pumbaa, was a racehorse bred by a racehorse sire from a racehorse mare.
“She was bred for polo, so she never saw the racetrack,” he says, adding that most of his top ponies “had that American thoroughbred blood. Several of them did see the racetrack, but then went on to have great careers in the polo world.”
Snow began buying ponies from polo trainers, who purchased horses every year off the track and trained them for the game.
“I was always looking at those horses because I trusted the quality,” Snow says. “If they were quick and easy and fun to play, you knew they had the class to play any level of polo.”
once told him: “It’s hard to play bad on a good horse.” Viana, echoing a similar sentiment, says: “The better horses you can get, the easier the sport is to play.”
While all polo ponies have to be athletic, they must be incredibly versatile. Straightahead speed is vital in a game that features long sprints on a 10-acre field. But that’s just one element of a multifaceted physical profile.
“For a good polo pony, you look first of all for handling,” Viana says. “Having a good mouth, being able to stop at any given point, is definitely the most important. Then you look for more personalized things, for example, a horse that has good speed, or that is comfortable to hit the ball.”
Bostwick, who has bred polo ponies for a decade but has bought and sold horses for 40 years, says: “An exceptional horse exhibits athleticism, calm temperament, agility and a super mouth.”
“Polo requires horses to go from 40 miles per hour to zero and then turn and accelerate while remaining balanced,” Bostwick says. “They must be bold as they bump other horses. As a general rule, thoroughbreds, because of their stamina and speed, are the best horses for higher level polo — bigger lungs and hearts pump blood and transport oxygen.”
While the route that each pony takes to a particular team may be circuitous, most share similar characteristics that players, breeders and trainers look for.
PHYSICAL ATRIBUTES
In “Winning with Horses,” a book he wrote with his wife, Snow says 10-goal player Alfonso Pierres
Snow says, from a physical perspective, he wants a wide pony with a low headset that’s evenly balanced. “My favorite stop feels like when you land on a runway and they throw the jet engines in the reverse, and you just feel yourself lowering into the ground,” he says. “That’s what a wonderful stop feels like on a polo pony.”
“You want a horse that makes the ball easy to hit,” Snow says. “Some of them can run like the wind, but the ball looks like aspirin. You want one that’s fast enough but gives you the ball looking like a beach ball. It’s how smooth they are.”
THE BRAIN GAME
There’s the mental aspect. Excellent polo ponies typically have the same cerebral attributes as human champions: the ability to anticipate, to “see” the game.
“One of my favorite definitions of confi-
Dennis Carrión D´ıaz, a groom at Myopia since 2003.
THE LIFE OF A POLO PONY
dence came from a sports psychologist, Bob Rotella, who said that confidence is playing with your eyes,” Snow says. “When you’re on a good enough horse, you feel like you can play with your eyes. You can ride with your eyes, and you’re going where you’re looking.”
It’s not uncommon to hear top players talk about a prized pony that “thinks” this intricate game the same way they do.
“It’s knowing the game,” Snow says. “I really believe that. The great ones love to play the way humans do.”
Meanwhile, Viana says he prefers ponies with an edge, or a competitive streak. “In my case, I look for horses with attitude, horses that, when you know you need them, they are ready to go,” he says.
Viana also notes that top polo ponies tend to be “very smart, and they keep improving until they are 10 or 11 or older. Then they just keep whatever level they’ve got to for the rest of their polo career.”
The mental aspect is so crucial, says Bostwick, that dealers make a concerted effort to match ponies with buyers, knowing that certain pairings simply won’t produce a productive relationship. “Generally, a player will want to try the horse and play a practice and game to see if the horse is a good fit,” he says.
THE NEXT LEVEL
Finally, there are the intangibles. Polo ponies must combine all these traits with an ability to work seamlessly with riders. Great polo pairings share an almost telepathic connection. When asked what attributes of a pony are most important, Snow’s comments take on a Zen-like quality.
“I’m looking for a horse that puts a smile on my face,” he says. “And the thing that put a smile on my face is feeling flowy with a horse, where everything is smooth. So rather than going from first to fourth gear, we can go through the gears on the way up, and through the gears on the way down.”
In essence, Snow says he wants the pony’s reactions to be so quick that it feels like they’re thinking as one.
“In the most competitive matches, even though I’ve put all this time and effort into my horses, I need to remind myself that I need to let go and play and almost forget about it and trust the connection that we’ve built over time and play by instinct and by feel,” he says.
“You just have these layers of trust that are built on the foundation, and they let you play with your eyes and be spontaneous out on the field. The best horses give us all the options — you can run, you can stop, you
“Polo
requires horses to go from 40 miles per hour to zero and then turn and accelerate while remaining balanced.”
Rick Bostwick
Polo ponies must work seamlessly with riders. Great pairings share an almost telepathic connection.
Having a pipeline of good horses from the same bloodlines allows for a team and players to have access to a continuous flow of superior horses.
Adam Snow
can turn, you can go by somebody, you can fake going by them, create space behind them.”
DEVELOPMENT
Of course, a pony can possess all these characteristics and still fall short of its potential if it isn’t raised properly. Nurturing a top-flight polo pony requires patience. There’s simply no way to expedite the process.
“To make a good horse, you need to respect their stages,” Viana says. “The horse gets broke around 3 or 4 years old, and it takes a process of around three years to have it play at the highest level.”
During the first year of being broken, while its mind and body are still maturing, a pony is learning the rudimentary aspects of the game. Once a pony completes that initiation, “you have the second phase that is introducing it to the field, to the mallet, to interact with many other horses,” Viana says.
“It’s a long process, because if you rush it, you might cook your horse, meaning that it might get a little crazy, and unfortunately it’s very hard to go back if that happens,” he says. “Once the horse is 6, turning 7, you can start pushing it, finally playing him harder.
“It’s very important to take your time for everything, because any bad step can have big consequences,” he says.
Bostwick says that the development stage is crucial in determining whether
a pony has the right mix to play a sport as rough and tumble as polo.
“Being aware of and balancing each horse’s limitations and talent capacity are key to my training approach,” he says. “Not all horses take to polo, and may never overcome their fear or hesitation. They’re good candidates for other jobs, such as jumping or Western competitions.”
The central theme of proper development, says Snow, is “to lead your horse and to take your time.”
“You’re trying to look at things from their perspective, and you’re trying to introduce things gradually to them,” he says. “It’s a natural horsemanship. A theory I like is trying to make good things easy, and bad things hard for them to do.
“You want to work with them, not against them,” Snow says. “That’s the best way to develop the partnership. So when it’s crunch time in a big competition, you know that they trust you completely and you trust them completely.”
TRAINING & CARE
The three most important aspects of caring for a polo string, says Bostwick, are a quality diet, appropriate exercise and proper rest.
“The care for polo ponies is quite different from the care of equine athletes in other disciplines,” he says. “Given the speed, intensity and agility required, horses need interval and endurance training in addition to playing practices and games. Many players use various therapies after playing, such as MagnaWave (a Pulsed Electromagnetic Field technology used to stimulate cellular repair), icing, bandaging with liniment, acupuncture and chiropractic treatments.”
Furthermore, players and trainers emphasize there is no “one size fits all” method of training ponies.
“Every horse is a unique individual just the way every human athlete is a unique individual,” Snow says. “It really depends on the horse you’re working with. The youngest horse that I ever threw straight into 26-goal polo was 6 years old, and she never looked back. Hale Bopp was as good that first day as she was when she was 18 and close to retirement. But she was a freak.”
A pony cools off with a spray down after a hard day of playing.
Snow says his wife has guided his approach to training ponies.
“Shelley’s a very empathetic person, very ethical, but she’s also competitive,” he says. “When she was caring for the horses that I was playing with at the highest level, she really wanted them to do well. And she really wanted to give them everything back at our farm.
“Her philosophy, which I adopted, was that we give them everything away from the field so that you can ask everything of them on the field,” Snow says. “I feel like that’s fairly consistent with the human athlete that is going to treat themselves well and do all the training and nutrition required to compete.”
FINAL CHAPTERS
Polo ponies, like any athlete, eventually play their last match. Players, if they’re attentive, will realize when that time comes because the horses “will tell you,” Snow says.
“I start looking for signs,” he says. “Some horses get a little flat-footed in the throw-in. They don’t want to jump out anymore. They might get chicken on dumps. They’ve lost a little speed as they get older, but that’s OK because everything still feels easy.”
The key, says Snow, is to recognize “when it stops feeling like fun. They start feeling like they’re walking on eggshells, or they’re sour about going on the field or getting really nervous at the trailer. That’s when they’re at an age where retirement is in the back of the player’s mind.”
THE LIFE OF A POLO PONY
Female ponies — the gender of choice for most polo players — might be retired to become brood mares. Others, depending on their personality, may have a second playing career. Experienced steeds are often matched with younger riders, beginners or even older riders, since they can still enjoy the game but at a more relaxed pace.
“Some of the ponies really enjoy it. They’re like, ‘OK, I can lope around like this all day long. No one’s going to ask me to explode and run flat out for 300 yards,’” Snow says. “Some of them are too nervous for the kids to play. But others, you almost can see them smiling, ‘OK, I got this. And this is fine.’ ”
Likewise, Viana says: “What makes older ponies particularly well suited for beginners or for lower-goal polo is that the horses are still very good. That means you’re taking very good horses to play where they are still comfortable.”
Bostwick agrees, adding: “An older polo horse is a better fit for a newer player. And the horse can teach its humans a lot.”
Other ponies may stop competing altogether, and may simply participate in riding lessons for horse enthusiasts. Others may find a home with therapeutic programs.
“Some of them, we just retire 100% and say, ‘You’ve got a home for life.’ Which is great,” Snow says. “When it’s time to put them down, it’s very sad. But when they might have a recurring infection, or they might have trouble getting up off the ground where horses like to lie down in the sun, you just know it’s time to let this one pass on. We bury those ponies on the farm, and I plant trees over them ... as a reminder.”
“Every horse is a unique individual just the way every human athlete is a unique individual”
Adam Snow
After retiring from a life of polo, elder horses may continue to help teach the next generation of riders or relax on the beach.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JACQUELINE MILLER
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
Every match at Myopia Polo Club is an event, but none more thrilling than the finals of its higher-goal cups, where the atmosphere is festive and the competition fierce.
This year, as in the past, many of the final matches were decided by a mere few goals.
“This shows how incredibly competitive tournament play is at Myopia,” says Myopia Polo Captain David Strouss.
Despite the close scores, in 2024, one team managed to edge ahead in three of the highest goal tournaments, including the Chairman’s Cup. The Husaria Seagulls unseated last year’s defending champions, Del Rancho/Glen Farm. With an early offensive edge, the team scored points in each of the six chukkers.
The team also claimed victory in the Forbes and Harrison Cups.
“Like any sport, tournaments are often the highlight of the season and involve the most competitive matches,” Strouss has said. “Everything is left on the field in the Sunday finals of the major tournaments at Myopia.”
The Folly Fields/Stone’s Throw and Kingswood teams earned wins on the polo field.
“It was a tough match, as all finals matches are,” said Terri Campbell of Folly Field’s of the popular Tuckerman Cup 4-Goal.
The Mayo College team from India, riding loaned horses and missing their usual coach, beat the Harvard College Team by one goal in the Harvard Invitational. Mayo’s visit was the 12th different international college team to participate in the annual challenge. International teams have come from the Netherlands, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, China, Guatemala, the Philippines, South Korea and New Zealand. This year marks the 150th anniversary of Mayo College, which has formally invited the Harvard team to participate in Ajmer, India, in November.
Husaria Seagulls took on defending champions Del Rancho/Glen Farm in the Chairman’s Cup final.
TOURNAMENT SPOTLIGHT
CHAIRMAN’S CUP
WINNING TEAM: The Husaria Seagulls (Grace Grotnik, Stephen Burr Jr., Valentino Echezarreta and Manuel “Manu” Mazzocchi) were undefeated in the final against defending champions Del Rancho/ Glen Farm (Sam Clemens, David Strouss, Carl “CB” Scherer, Ignacio “Nacho” Arbelbide, alt. Dennis Carrion-Diaz), 15-12.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Ignacio Arbelbide
BEST PLAYING PONY: “Antu Walung Peruana,” owned by Nachi Viana
FINAL: HUSARIA SEAGULLS, 15; DEL RANCHO/GLEN FARM, 12
Winning Team: The Husaria Seagulls Manuel “Manu” Mazzocchi, Stephen Burr Jr. , Grace Grotnik, and Valentino Echezarreta, with Yaz Grotnik and Taryn Burr.
WINNING TEAM: The Husaria Seagulls (Grace Grotnik, Stephen Burr Jr., Valentino Echezarreta and Manuel “Manu” Mazzocchi) got the win in a tight match against Kingswood/Longmeadow (Emerson Bruce, Reed “Parker” Miller, Federico Wulff, Ernesto “Rulo” Trotz), 12-11.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Manuel Mazzocchi
BEST PLAYING PONY: “Easy Dance,” owned by Federico Wulff
Winning Team: The Husaria Seagulls Stephen Burr Jr., Grace Grotnik, Valentino Echezarreta and Manuel “Manu” Mazzocchi
WINNING TEAM: The Husaria Seagulls (Grace Grotnik, Stephen Burr Jr., Valentino Echezarreta and Manuel “Manu” Mazzocchi) notched a win against Del Rancho/Heritage Farm (David Strouss, Justin Daniels, CB Scherer and Tommy Huber) in the finals, 13-11.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Tommy Huber Jr.
BEST PLAYING PONY: “Pamela,” owned by Manuel Mazzocchi
Winning Team: The Husaria Seagulls Manuel “Manu” Mazzocchi, Stephen Burr Jr., Grace Grotni and Valentino Echezarreta.
FINAL: HUSARIA SEAGULLS 13; DEL RANCHO EXPRESS 11
GEORGE S. PATTON JR. CUP
WINNING TEAM: Kingswood’s team (Emerson Bruce, Ariadne Dogani, Federico Wulff, Ernesto “Rulo” Trotz) earned a decisive victory over Blackburn (Walter Eayrs, Landen Daniels, Benji Daniels and Justin Daniels), 15-6.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Ariadne Dogani
BEST PLAYING PONY: “Telmo,” owned by Federico Wulff
Winning team: Kingswood’s team of Emerson Bruce, Ariadne Dogani, Federico Wulff and Ernesto “Rulo” Trotz.
NORTHEASTERN WOMEN’S CHALLENGE
FINAL:QUEENSWOOD 4.5; KINGSWOOD JUNIORS 3
WINNING TEAM: Queenswood (Victoria Zeuner, Isabelle Poniatowski, Ariadne Dogani and Amelia Caflisch) claimed the figurative tiara against Kingswood Juniors (Brynn Whitten, Brooke Henehan, Sammi Iahn and Emerson Bruce), 4.5-3.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Ariadne Dogani
BEST PLAYING PONY: “Galguita,” owned by Emerson Bruce
Winning team : Queenswood with Victoria Zeuner, Isabelle Poniatowski, Ariadne Dogani and Amelia Caflisch
WINNING TEAM: Folly Fields/ Stone’s Throw (Terri Campbell, Manu Mazzocchi, CB Scherer, Aurelia Rus, and Tricia Johnstone) took on Pony Express (Rehan Kumble, Alexis Atkinson, Benji Daniels, Landen Daniels), 8-6.5.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Manuel Mazzocchi
BEST PLAYING PONY: “Maca,” owned by Pony Express
Winning Team: Folly Fields/Stone’s Throw with Manu Mazzocchi, CB Scherer, Tricia Johnstone, and Aurelia Rus.
TOURNAMENT SPOTLIGHT
CROSSMAN CUP
FINAL: KINGSWOOD(2) 12, STAGE HILL 4.5
WINNING TEAM: Kingswood 2 (James Thames, Brynn Whitten, Mariangela Amenduni, Estani Puch Jr. and Ernesto “Rulo” Trotz) stayed ahead of Stage Hill (Elizabeth Sawicki, Tom Rizzo, Kirsten Costa, Amanda Roberts and Ruben Coscia), 12-4.5.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER:
Rulo Trotz
BEST PLAYING PONY:
“Flo,” owned by Ruben Coscia
Winning Team: Kingswood 2 with James Thames, Brynn Whitten, Mariangela Amenduni, Estani Puch Jr. and Ernesto “Rulo” Trotz
HARVARD INVITATIONAL
WINNING
TEAM: The Mayo College team from Ajmer, Rajasthan, India was cheered by Indian spectators from New England to overcome riding on loaned Harvard horses. The game was tight, but Mayo came back with 2 goals in the last chukker to win. Mayo’s visit was the 12th different international college team to participate since the challenge started in 2013, 5-4.
MOST
VALUABLE PLAYER: Pranav Kapur
BEST PLAYING PONY: “Beau” owned by Harvard
FINAL:MAYO COLLEGE, 5; HARVARD COLLEGE 4
WInning team: The team from Mayo College, India, edged past the Harvard Team in the Harvard Invitational.
TRIBUTE
by Brion O’Connor
Remembrance
Polo was Peter Poor’s Life
Polo is a sport of passion, and no one embodied that passion more than Peter F. Poor. “My dad’s life was dedicated to polo in every way possible,” said Alyson Poor, the youngest of his daughters. “He lived it, breathed it, and went to bed thinking about it.”
Amanda (Poor) Roberts, the middle daughter, said her father needed the sport, “and polo needed my father.”
“My father had a kind heart. He really cared for the horses above all else,” said Roberts. “He loved them like family. Not only did his family history with polo facilitate his fondness of the sport, but also his love for horses and love for sports in general.”
Poor, an Ipswich resident, passed away of renal failure in late December, at the age of 74. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Sharon, and three daughters, Jennifer McLeavy, executive director of the Polo Training Foundation; Amanda, Myopia’s
Coaching League director who will assume management of Poor’s Stage Hill Polo School and Club; and Alyson, a licensed polo instructor and runs Stage Hill South in Florida; as well as several grandchildren.
“Peter was devoted to his wife, daughters and Ipswich life,” said Lyle Graham, former Myopia Polo captain. “They were always together and a fun group to catch up with. Locally, it was hard to go to the Hart House, Choate Bridge Pub or the Whittier without finding Peter holding court. If he had any worries, he didn’t carry those around. He was always extending a hand of welcome and good cheer.”
Among her many recollections of her
father, Roberts said she thought one of his most precious moments was when he and his three daughters were “all on the main Sunday field, Gibney Field, as a team.”
“We wore the old Stage Hill Polo team uniforms,” she said. “I’ve never seen him more proud.”
Outside of Ipswich, Poor was an immense figure in the greater polo community — a prominent player and announcer at Myopia Polo, a member of the U.S. Polo Association (USPA) for more than 55 years, and a circuit governor for the USPA for more than a decade. Poor began playing polo at age 6 when his father Joseph Poor put a mallet in his hand at Myopia Polo Club. Tragedy struck four years later when his father was fatally stricken during a match at Winthrop Field. (The arena across Route 1A bears his name.)
“He saw his father die of a heart attack on the field at Myopia while Peter was flagging in the end zone,” said longtime friend Steve Rudolph, a Myopia member. “For some, this would have turned them against the sport. For Peter, it drove him
Clockwise from top left: Peter Poor with his daughters on their polo ponies, with wife, Sharon, on grass; Poor’s contributions to the sport include serving as USPA Northeastern Circuit Governor from 2002 to 2019; Poor congratulates a Stage Hill player; the teams of the 2014 Joseph Poor Memorial Cup.
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to continue his father’s legacy.”
Myopia’s club instructor at the time, Cyril Harrison, took Poor under his wing, and the youngster fell in love with the game, eventually earning a 4-goal handicap. As a player at Myopia Polo Club and the now-defunct Gulfstream Polo Club in Lake Worth, Fla., Poor regularly competed in both outdoor and arena events. At Myopia, he competed in the East Coast Open numerous times, as well as 6-, 8and 12-goal tournaments. Among the many titles he won were the 12-goal Inter-Circuit and the National Sherman Memorial.
“Peter always had a retrospective story, tale or joke about Myopia Polo and the sport in general,” said Graham. “We could be in the lineup for a throw-in or a time-out in a heated match, and he would chime in with a laugh-out-loud comment to keep the fun on the field. I loved his stories of the old-school local personalities and traditions that created the unique nature of Myopia equestrian activities.”
Poor’s greatest contribution to the sport may well be Stage Hill in Newbury, named after his parents’ horse property, which he founded in 1983. In the past four decades, the program has introduced hundreds to the sport.
“He cared passionately about polo, and through Stage Hill started a lot of beginners with their first mallet to hit their first balls, often at a trot,” said Crocker Snow, a longtime Myopia member. “His priorities in polo were family, Stage Hill, Myopia, and the U.S. Polo Association. (They were) all important to him, but in that order.”
His daughters agreed that Stage Hill is their father’s true legacy, revealing a deep commitment to welcoming newcomers. Poor kept his rates as low as possible and provided students the opportunity to do grooming or barn work to compensate for playing time.
“Nothing made him happier than seeing people play polo,” said Alyson Poor.
Likewise, Rudolph said: “You can’t play a game at Myopia, and often far beyond, that doesn’t have someone playing that Peter started in polo. He loved the game for all of the reasons that are obvious: it’s fast, competitive and adrenalin-filled.”
“But Peter also loved the sport from reasons that weren’t
as obvious,” he said. “While on the surface, Peter was very ‘old school’ in many of his views. He also once said to me that he loved polo because it was ‘the great equalizer: whether you have money or not, you’re a man or a woman, short or tall, Black or white, if you can ride and hit a ball off a horse, that’s a real talent. If you can’t, it’s pretty obvious right away.’ ”
Poor made his greatest impact, said Rudolph, “in the ‘quiet hours,’ far from the glory of the high-goal season or the thrill of an end-to-end run to goal. I have personally seen how he made polo accessible to people from every imaginable background, from teachers and retail workers to doctors, lawyers and business people.”
“The majority of Peter’s clients at Stage Hill, however, were those that would not otherwise have the means to play polo,” he said. “For them, Peter did the work, day in and day out, to customize a situation that kept them playing.”
David Strouss, Myopia Polo captain, had been out of polo for many years after starting his legal career before meeting Poor and resuming his polo pursuits at Stage Hill.
“Once I met Peter, I was permanently hooked on polo,” said Strouss. “For the past 40 years, Peter has been my friend, teammate and advisor at Myopia.
“Peter’s contributions to polo both regionally and at Myopia have been invaluable, whether by leading his polo team on the field, serving on the Myopia Tournament Committee where his fairness and knowledge of the game helped in countless ways, by his colorful announcing of Sunday matches or by bringing in so many new players into the sport,” he said. “Peter’s lifelong involvement with polo at Myopia will never be forgotten.”
Rudolph, now treasurer of the USPA, has known Poor for more than 15 years.
“He had a heart of gold,” said Rudolph. “He could sometimes have a gruff exterior. Underneath it all, he was all love for his students, his horses, his daughters, and his family. He gave chances to people and horses that needed a second chance when no one else would. He wasn’t always perfect. He was human, but he cared deeply. And it showed.”
Clockwise from left: Amanda Roberts dances with her father at her wedding; Peter Poor with grandson Mason Joseph Roberts; Alyson Poor, Sharon Poor, Amanda Roberts, Peter Poor and Jennifer McLeavy.
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