From the Publisher
ANY GIVEN SUNDAY
Terry Duffy tduffy@palmbeachmedia.com
22
PALM BEACH ILLUSTRATED
B
Lila Photo
I am a polo fan. My love for the sport first took hold at Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington when I watched polo greats Nic Roldan and Sugar Erskine jump their mounts full gallop over the sideboards in front of me, mallets cracking for control of the ball. Out of the play now rushing toward goal, both riders checked, turned, and sped back into the fray. Everything about the sport—the speed, the players’ skill, the horses’ agility, and the danger—happened in that moment fewer than three feet from where I sat. I’ve been hooked ever since. Now, most every Sunday from January to April, you can find me perched along the backfields or roaming the grandstands of the International Polo Club Palm Beach. The ponies, the players, and the fans represent a wandering tribe ever seeking the perfect climate for play. None, of course, more perfect than the paradise we enjoy here in South Florida. Players from around the world come to compete, but also to relax and enjoy “winter” in Palm Beach. Who could blame them? In the United States, the Palm Beaches have emerged as the winter home of equestrian sports. Hunter jumpers, dressage, and polo each represent very different yet interconnected equine disciplines. Years of training, drive, and focus bring riders of all skill levels to the arenas and fields that dot the western reaches of Palm Beach County. We are fortunate to enjoy such a concentration of talent and the economic impact such sports engender. Beyond the fields of competition, horses are also good for the soul. Our marketing manager dedicates her time to Hand of Hope Center in Palm Beach Gardens, where programs include therapeutic riding for disabled individuals of all ages. Palm Beach Illustrated supports and promotes the activities of the Polo Players Support Group, which provides needed assistance for seriously injured players and grooms. Sturdy mounts help shoulder the load carried by many in our community. Never rode a horse before? Not a problem—I’ve only been on three in my lifetime. At the arenas or on the pitch, I encourage you to discover what I found on the polo field six years ago. Whether you ride or simply take in the spectacle, horses will get into you. They certainly got into me.
e sure to follow our PBI polo team this season at the International Polo Club Palm Beach: Jared Zenni (3) Jesse Bray (5) Facundo Obregon (6) Nacho Badiola (6)