Polo Scene

FOR DECADES, OCALA, FLORIDA has been best known as a Thoroughbred racing and breeding paradise. With its rolling hills and gentry manor, Ocala has recently drawn horse lovers of various disciplines, leading to the growth and repurpose of locally-bred Thoroughbred horses. Incredible personalities, intuitive learners and eye-catching athleticism make the Thoroughbred phenomenal in every equestrian sport.

The Florida Horse Park annually hosts the Thoroughbred Transformation Expo organized by Run for the Ribbons Charity, giving owners and trainers the opportunity to show off their majestic animals in disciplines beyond their original racing careers. During this year’s expo, the facility was jammed packed with Off-The-Track-Thoroughbreds participating in dressage, jumping, barrel racing, freestyle riding and polo. Riders of all ages and levels competed to be the best in their division.

The polo division was set up with several polo pros and longtime patrons of the game, with competitors showing off their abilities and horsemanship skills. The players and horses were judged on playing ability as well as their ability to execute a set of drills as a team. With such a tough field of competition, my 12-year-old Thoroughbred mare Kherianna’s Hope (barn name Snickers) and I stepped onto the field with high hopes and an incredible bond.

I originally fell in love with the horse in Wellington years ago at my first Women’s tournament with Sunny Hale. Unfortunately, Snickers got lost in the selling and trading of performance horses that so often occurs. I was told she had been relocated in the upper East Coast and my parents ordered me to stop pestering them about her.

Years later, my Dad learned of her location by chance and made his move. On Christmas Eve, Snickies was loaded onto the trailer and headed for our farm, St. George Plantation just outside Ocala. When I first saw her that Christmas morning, I was so shocked and almost did not recognize her. Snickers and I became better acquainted and bonded at an even deeper level, as I spent as much time with her in the paddock and stall as I did on her back. We swam in the lake, went trail riding in the woods and orange groves, and our mornings were filled with sets and stick and ball sessions. Lessons turned into practice games and finally tournaments. I played Snickers without hesitation and learned I could always rely on her to get me to the play. Months before the expo, Snickers was diagnosed with a corneal abscess that became extremely difficult to heal. Six months of administering medications and several surgeries later, Snickies was healed. We were finally ready to compete again. On the first day of the expo, competitors were given a set of drills to showcase their horses’ abilities, while on the second day, those abilities were showcased in a game. The competition was fierce but the connection I have with Snickers brought me confidence and joy. Win or lose I was going home with Snickers, which is better than any trophy or title. After the game, we made our way to the arena. Snickers and I had won No. 1 Best in Show! Exhausted but euphoric, we trotted to the stage to accept the ribbon and give a backstory on Kherianna’s Hope, the best friend, teacher, and teammate a girl could possibly ask for. —Ava-Rose Hinkson

BEGINNING THIS MONTH, all players in any USPA event or club event are required to wear helmets that meet the NOCSAE ND050 Standard Performance Specification. Helmets that meet the Safety Equipment Institute NOCSAE ND050 standard will have a logo attached to the outside of the helmet. Do not remove this logo.

As of press time, only two helmets—Casablanca NEU and Charles Own Sovereign—meet the NOCSAE ND050 standard. Coincidentally, these two helmets also pass the standard required by the Hurlingham Polo Association, the governing body for the sport in England.

Helmets from other companies are currently being tested and the USPA will update the approved helmet list when those helmets have met the standard.

Facemasks can be attached to an approved helmet provided they are deemed an authorized accessory by the helmet manufacturer. If you attach a facemask that is not the helmet manufacturer’s authorized accessory, it will void the NOCSAE certification for that helmet.

The USPA is not directly affiliated with any helmet manufacturer. Manufacturers set their own pricing and may offer discounts to USPA members, youth players and for bulk orders. Please contact manufacturers directly for more information. Helmets may be purchased directly from the manufacturer or through authorized retailers. Some helmets are available off the shelf, while custom design orders can take 4 to 6 weeks or more.

If a player is not wearing an NOCSAE ND050 certified helmet during a match, the umpire shall remove the player from the game and give a delay of game penalty to the player’s team. The removed player may return to the game if a NOCSAE ND050 certified helmet is worn. Please refer to the rule book to read Rule 4 in its entirety.

Happy New Year

We wish you all the best health, happiness and polo in 2021!

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM of Polo and Hall of Fame in Lake Worth, Florida, recently announced the newest inductees. For over three decades, the museum has hosted an annual black tie gala in mid-February to honor each year’s inductees. The gala, which regularly sells out, is the museum’s largest fundraiser each year. Due to the global pandemic, this year’s ceremony will not be held, however the current plans are to honor the inductees next year. Congratulations to the following inductees:

Julio Arellano

Hall of Fame

Julio fought his way to the top echelon of polo, rising to a 9-goal handicap in 2003, and maintained a 7- to 9-goal handicap for decades. He competed in and won the top American competitions, including three U.S. Open Championship titles (1992, ’95 and 2010), the Gold Cup, C. V. Whitney, Monty Waterbury, Northrup Knox, Silver Cup, Butler Handicap and more. In international competition, he twice represented his country in the Westchester Cup and played in the 1997 Coronation Cup. Three horses he owned and played were awarded the Hartman Trophy for best playing ponies of the U.S. Open (Mulan-2001, Malia-2005 and True-2010). Arellano is being recognized, not only for his skill as a player and horseman, but for his efforts to give back to the sport as a sought-after coach and in service to the USPA. He was twice elected to the board of governors and is currently serving as a Governor-at-Large. Julio has also been a mentor to many up-and-coming-players, including his siblings, as well as his own children.

CRUDEN HELEN

John F. “Jack” Ivory (1924-2004)

Hall of Fame

Jack started playing polo at the age of 10, then, like most American poloists of his generation, he put his polo career on hold after enlisting in the war effort. After the war in 1946, Jack became captain of the team known as the Ivory Rangers. In 1955, he attained a 7 goal handicap, a rating he maintained until 1971, while also making a reputation as a handy 8-goal player in the arena. Throughout the 40s and 50s as a hard working polo professional, he played nearly non-stop polo while owning his own club and managing and co-managing several other polo clubs. During that time, he played for the West in the 1947 East-West Series, and won two National Senior Indoor Championships. The versatile Jack Ivory wore many hats. He trained horses, instructed, conducted polo clinics and served on various USPA committees in the 50s and 60s. His passion for the sport also drove him to do as much as he could to promote it, which he did by contributing to numerous publications and making appearances on radio and television.

Paul Wollenman Iglehart Award A veterinarian for the past 45 years, Paul has cared for some of the nation’s finest polo horses. Known for his sound and practical advice as well as ingenious solutions to complicated injuries, he has spent most of a lifetime striving to improve the care and welfare of the horses that make polo possible. In his free time, he enjoyed the sport personally as an amateur player, reaching a 2-goal handicap. He has worked in an advisory capacity for the USPA’s Equine Welfare Committee and mentored Team USPA and National Youth Tournament Series participants. In that capacity, he has given lectures and taught young players on horse care in Sheridan, Wyoming, in addition to helping with their veterinary needs.

Bert Beveridge (1902-1987)

Iglehart Award

Starting in polo in the 1940s, Beveridge was committed to the sport for 30 years. He founded Boca Raton Polo Club with his brother A. D. Beveridge and rejuvenated San Antonio Polo Club in the early 1950s. Beverage sponsored teams in the U.S. Open, Silver Cup, Butler Handicap, Inter-circuit and Twelve Goal as well as others, helping invigorate the sport while giving several noted players their start in polo. Attaining a 3-goal handicap, he notched wins in the Silver Cup (1960, 1961), the 1957 National Handicap, the 1953 12-goal Inter-Circuit Cup and was a finalist in the U.S. Open. Additionally, he served on the USPA board of governors from 1953 to 1957. His son, Robert D. Beveridge was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

Silverada

Horses to Remember

Originally named High Hope Silver, the stunning gray Thoroughbred mare was foaled in 1990. She was out of Current Hope by Flower Pot. A racing career was not in the cards for her and she was purchased by Judith Baker, who started the handy mare in polo. She caught the attention of noted polo professionals, trainers and players alike. Vicki Armour was impressed with the mare and arranged for Raul Roldan to try her for Bob Daniels.

Bob purchased her for himself and renamed her Silverada, but she had caught the eye of 10-goaler Gonzalo Heguy who asked to play her in the East Coast Open. She won Best Playing Pony in the 1994 East Coast Open and the 1996 Sterling Cup before gaining international acclaim. Heguy took the mare to Argentina, playing her three chukkers in the 1996 Argentine Open. The petite powerhouse earned the Lady Susan Townley Cup for Best Playing Pony of the Argentine Open as well as an award for best type mare and was part of the string that won Heguy an award for best mounted player.

Little Mary

Horses to Remember

Little Mary was one of two mares August Belmont loaned to the American team during the 1909 international matches against Great Britain. Played by Larry Waterbury, the American team went on to win both matches. A grand looking pony, there was certainly nothing diminutive about her. She was a good-sized mare, standing well over 15 hands and up to any weight. Played prior to any known awards being established, she was cited by experts of her era as among the three greatest polo ponies of that time. She was immortalized in the famed Haseltine bronze “The Big Four” that depicts Waterbury on Little Mary along with the other team members and their famed mounts. This sculpture is used as the emblem for the Museum of Polo.

TICO’S FAMILY BAKERY in Glen Rock, Pennsylvania, is now offering an opportunity for intercollegiate and interscholastic teams to raise money for their clubs. The bakery makes Whoopie Pies, an oversized cake-like sandwich filled with fluffy crème. After ordering, customers can select the USPA interscholastic or intercollegiate club of their choice on the checkout page. The selected club will then receive 10 percent of the profit from the sale.

Tico’s Family Bakery was founded by Holly Holleran, the former coach of Skidmore College Polo Club and Virginia Polo, Inc. The whoopie pies are based on recipe’s from Holleran’s grandmother, dating back to the 1930s. Featured in New York Times, the whoopies are available in four packs or by the dozen in flavors including chocolate, peanut butter, pumpkin and red velvet. They are shipped nationwide via FedEx in decorative gift boxes with handwritten gift notes.

Taking advantage of the fundraising opportunity, Work to Ride’s interscholastic program has already raised much-needed funds this year. The Tico’s 10% program is available year-round. Tico’s ships delicious, gourmet whoopie pies for any special occasion, including care packages at school, birthdays, holidays or as business gifts.

Interested interscholastic and intercollegiate teams can visit Tico’s website, ticoswhoopies.com or contact Holleran at 877-TICO-LUV (842-6588); or by email tico@ticoswhoopies.com for more information on the program.

The global pandemic has been difficult for some of the school programs. Some schools are not allowing club sports or organizations to be active. In these cases, polo programs have come to a screeching halt. Without polo being played, some clubs are not receiving student dues to support their programs and can use any help they can get. If you can, contact the school program of your choice to offer support, whether it is to donate equipment, supplies, feed or best of all, cash. Some schools have come up with creative ways to fund raise. Tico’s whoopies is another way to help out. So, you can order a sweet treat for yourself or for someone else and help an intercollegiate or interscholastic team at the same time. How sweet is that? •