Brandywine Polo Club 2013 Program

Fun

Family

Friends

2013 SeasonEstablished 1950

Brandywine Polo Club Brandywine Polo Club

4 Brandywine Polo Club


1218 Doe Run Road

Coatesville, PA 19320

Phone: (610) 380-9909

[email protected]

PHOTO BY ELISABETH W. HARPHAM/EQUIDIGITAL.COM

www.brandywinepolo.com 9

Contents10 Brandywine Polo Club

Feat

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Departments

Photo Gallery

14Returning toBrandywine

Robin BostwickBy Kate McClung

18Alumni

SpotlightFreddie Fortugno

By Ericka Fuchsloch

36Game Rules

The View from the Striped Shirt

By Lt. Col Steven L.Walsh USMC (ret)

Cover Photos By1. Dawn Corbets2. Alix Colman3. Jim Graham

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11 Letter From the Board

12 Social Members andTrophy Donations List

30 2013 Polo Players

33 2013 Season Schedule

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20 Club Lifestyles 22 Tailgate Members 26 Philly Style Cup28 Friday Nights Under the Stars 34 Tournaments of 201238 Mother Nature Not Fair! Polo School Barn Damage, April 201346 Livin’ the Vision & Season’s End

Also in this issue... 12 Voice of Brandywine Polo 24 Tailgate Recipes37 The Game 40 History of Polo 42 Polo Gear

23

The Art ofTailgatingBy Sarah Doheny


or over 2,500 years, summer months have been filled with the sounds of horses’hooves thundering down Polo fields. Polo is the oldest team sport in the world anddates back to at least 600 BC, before the written record. Polo dates from beforeAlexander the Great, and before China’s Great Wall. Most of Polo’s history was

documented in Asia until the British brought it to the Western world in the mid 1800’s,then on to the United States in 1876 (the year Custer made a questionable decision), andfinally arrived at Brandywine in 1950. This long history has resulted in traditions that areintegral parts of Polo, but as Heraclitus wrote, at a time when Polo was probably alreadybeing played, “the only thing that is constant is change”.

This year we have seen tremendous change at Brandywine but the tradition of the gameremains strong and the club will continue to grow and be successful as long as people continue to embrace that tradition whether as players or supporters, and to quote a moremodern man, and one who I suspect may have watched a Polo match or two, and certainly a man that believed in fair play, Mahatma Gandhi stated, “Be the change that youwish to see in the world”.

Tradition is everywhere before you at Brandywine. The names themselves, Chukka andPolo, both have ancient origins. The horses’ tack is little changed in thousands of years.The horses themselves are descendents of crossbreeding of English mares and Arab stallions and Argentine Thoroughbreds and Criollo crosses. The Manau Cane root mallets,(though for truth in advertising, the author does own one fiber cane mallet, which maymake me a philistine), the leather knee pads and boots, the helmets based on the Britishpith helmets, even the name of our premier tournament at Brandywine, the GeraldBalding, comes from a great player from the 1930’s.

One of the most important traditions of Polo is sportsmanship, on and off the field. At one time sportsmanship was even part of the rating system for a player. The moderngame developed under the Victorian principles of fair play, which require gentlemanlymanners, unobtrusive umpires, and calls that must not be questioned. These principlesare codified in the rules by which no player may appeal in any manner to the umpire fora foul, except for the team captain who may politely discuss matters with the umpire. Wemust expect and contribute to this sportsmanship and tradition.

We may be insignificant in the grand history of Polo, but we all embody and carry forward the tradition of the game whether we are players (experienced or novice), spectators, grooms, vets, farriers, breeders or trainers. We hope that this year Polo atBrandywine will continue to embody tradition and sportsmanship. What is certain is thatthis summer and hopefully for many more, there will be the sound of horses’ hoovescharging down a sunny, grass field playing Polo.

Thank you for your contribution. Meo regno pro equus.

The Board of the Brandywine Polo Club

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This year marks the 6th season havingBradley Hendrix as our announcer. His endless energy, knowledge of thesport, upbeat personality and uniqueannouncing style have endeared Bradleyto casual fans and seasoned playersalike. “I am honored to be announcingPolo again and look forward to providinganother year of fun and excitement.” “I try every match to give an overview of the rules and basic play so that even first time guests can understand andappreciate the game.” Bradley is a local dj and hosts several quizzo/trivia gamesat area venue’s and also dj’s weddings,benefits, special events, etc. Feel free to stop by the announcer stand and say hello!

“TheVoice” of Brandywine

Polo

Social Members:The Liz & Mike McKee Team, Coldwell Banker Preferred

Keith PensionLei & Kent CochranBrushwood Stable

Winner of free social membership draw from Willowdale: Jim Graves

Banner Sponsors:Oxford Feed & Lumber/Brandywine Ace Pet & Farm

PurinaBrushwood Stables

National Bank of Malvern B&D Builders EBY Trailers

Trophy Donations:Unionville Saddle Shop

Two Best Playing Pony Coolers

Jay GingrichWooden Grooming Box


Brandywine Polo Club Program2013 SEASON

Board of DirectorsScott Brown, Tim Jones,

Nicholas Place, Kathy Fowser Whitman

AdvisorsW.B. Dixon Stroud, Jr., Louis Micolucci

Advertising & Sponsorship SalesKathy Dress / Dress Media

Program CoordinatorCindy Buchanan

Graphic DesignHarvey Walls

Contributing PhotographersJim Graham, Dawn Corbett,

Ericka Fuchsloch

For information about this program, please contact the polo office or [email protected]. For advertising inquiries contact Kathy Dress at

[email protected] or 610-589-0066.

Brandywine Polo Club232 Polo Road

Toughkenamon, PA 19374

Mail: PO Box 568Unionville, PA 19375

Main Office: [email protected] us on Facebook.comwww.brandywinepolo.com

All product and company names are trademarked or copyrighted by their respective owners. All rights reserved.

www.brandywinepolo.com

Established 1950

Proud Member Since 1951


his summer the Brandywine Polo Club isgoing back to its roots, in a way, as RobinCarroll-Bostwick joins the club as the PoloSchool Manager. Looking back on the club’s

rich history, you will find that Carroll grew up at theBrandywine Polo Club, while her dad Del Carroll,played at Brandywine during the 1960s through theearly 1980s. Del Carroll was Brandywine’s highest ratedplayer at 9 goals, a level that is rarely seen by manyclubs, and played with many of Brandywine’s familiarnames. During this time, Robin was living upstairs atthe old clubhouse at Brandywine Polo and working forplayers like Richie Jones and Dixon Stroud.

Today you can look back to see that Robin has managed a number of clubs around the country, playedwith some of polo’s best players, and is responsible forthe development of many new polo players andpatrons. However, the plan wasn’t supposed to be forRobin to become an avid polo player. Her father hadplans for her to enjoy other aspects of horsemanship,perhaps on the racetrack, as he followed the popularidea at the time that women had no place on the polofield. Robin had other intentions, as she swung up ontoa polo pony and cantered onto the Brandywine Polofields before a Sunday match, mallet in hand. As manydaughters do, Robin knew how to convince her dad tofollow her way of thinking, and Robin knew Del Carrollbelieved, “ If you are going to do something, do it rightor don’t do it at all.” With that philosophy in mind,

Del’s support to help Robin improve soon kicked in, asRobin began her polo career with the support andadvice of her father.

Robin later moved to Florida to further her career,playing with and managing some of the great polo players, including Alfonzo Pieres, Benjamin Arya, andPaul Fortugno. During this time, Robin became a 1 goalplayer, and married Ricky Bostwick in 1987, whosefamily owned Village Farms Polo Club in Gilbertsville,New York. The direction of her career changed in 1999,when Robin began managing Aiken Polo Club, a clubthat was beginning a downhill slide and needed revital-ization. After a successful renewal of the program, com-plete with the arrival of the USPA 26 goal Gold Cup toNew Bridge Polo, Robin moved onto other challenges.Over the years, she also managed the Mypoia Polo Cluband Southampton Polo Club, and helped to bring innew teams and tournaments, improve field manage-ment, cultivate social events, and teach new playersthe rules and riding skills. An advocate of the sport,Robin’s passion for polo has clearly shown in her work.

The Brandywine Polo Club is excited to have Robinonce again join the club and bring her skills and lessonslearned to our membership. Equally, Robin is excited toget back to Brandywine and help a new class of poloplayers to “learn and understand the rules, the game,and horse.” Look for Robin at the club’s Friday nightand Sunday matches and please give her a warm“Welcome home!”

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Returning to BrandywineBy Kate McClung

Her father had plans for her to enjoy other aspects of horsemanship,perhaps on the racetrack, as he followed the popular idea at the timethat women had no place on the polo field.




to Scott & Kathy Brown

and all affiliated with

Brandywine Polo Academy

for many years of polo,

laughs and friendships.

Many Thanks

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t’s not all about winning it’s about camaraderie,the lifestyle, and meeting people. Don’t forget tohave fun!”

Alfred E. “Fred” Fortugno of Cochranville, PAfirst came to a polo match at Brandywine in 1957; heliked what he saw and decided to try the sport of polo.He was already an experienced rider of hunters andjumpers and quickly became one of the clubs mostactive players and biggest supporters.

Fred tackled polo just as he approached becoming alicensed pilot and “The Mushroom King.” He earned acommercial license with multi-engine and instrumentratings for light aircraft, and became president of thelargest mushroom canning company in the U.S. –Oxford Royal Mushroom Canning Co.

“You know, if you want something badly enough andyou make up your mind, 9 chances out of 10 you willget it. In 1948 when I took over this company I neverdreamed we’d be number 1 in the nation in the cannedmushroom business.”

Fred’s passionate participation in and enthusiasticcontributions to the sport of polo have spanned fourdecades. He reached the rating of 2 goals and for morethan 30 years he had served as USPA Eastern Circuit

governor since 1972, continuing his stewardship of thegame by serving on the USPA Nominating, Constitutionand Executive Committees.

“Other guys talked about their ratings and I made upmy mind to get to be the best I could. I set a deadlineand made it.”

Fred played in the ’72 26-Goal Sunshine League and16-Goal League, the 1977 U.S. Open Championship andwon the ‘77 Monty Waterbury Cup and the Delegate’sCup, ’80 Bronze Cup, ’90 National Copper Cup as wellas five Eastern Circuit 12-Goal titles and the GeraldBalding Tournament. On February 16th, 2007, Fred wasinducted into the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame inGulfstream, Florida. He was awarded the IglehartAward, given to those individuals who have provenexceptional life time contributions to the sport of polo.

Fred is well-known for his sportsmanship and encour-agement, both here and abroad, through gestures suchas mounting numerous international teams from over-seas and lending horses to the players at Brandywine tokeep polo going there after a tragic fire killed manyponies. In addition to raising a daughter and three sonswho are accomplished players, Fred was always readywith a kind word of encouragement, a steady horse ora sympathetic ear after a win or a loss. Generations ofplayers credit Fred for starting, mentoring and sustain-ing their interest in polo including Cindy Buchananand Crosby Wood.

Fred lives in Wellington, Florida with Linda Clark atthe Palm Beach Polo and Country Club. He continues tomaintain his “Mallet Hill” farm and polo field inCochranville, Pa. Mallet Hill has seen many fabulousdays of polo that won’t be forgotten. Fred’s youngestson, Dana is married to Justine and practices law inTennessee. Son Gene is married to Mia with one child.They also live in Florida. Fred’s son Paul, father oftwins Christina and Andrew, died in 2008 from heartfailure. Christina is in college, foxhunts and shows horses. Andrew is at U.VA where he plays polo. Fred’sdaughter Karen has two daughters, Kim and Jenniferand they live in Colorado.

“IFred Fortugno By Ericka Fuchsloch

Fred and his dog, Ripper. Fred and his airplane.Fred Fortugno and Jullian Hipwood.

Left to right: Dixon Stroud, Fred Fortugno, and son’s Gene & Paul Fortugno.

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1. Carlos Martinez-Baez 2. Melissa Harrington 3. Seth Howe and Betsy. 4. Mikaela Gioconda

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5. Tommy Ezcurra and Denis F. O’Flynn O’Brien 6. Melissa Harrington7. Jake Brown and Brandon Kircher; 8. Kathy Fowser Whitman

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Photos by Ericka Fuchsloch


t’s that time again, as we gear up for the upcomingseason. Time to get myself psyched up as I thinkahead to all the Sundays that I need to plan for. Beingan event coordinator has its advantages.

To study the Art of Tailgating, my research revealed that inIndia there were the equivalent of tailgates at polo matchesthousands of years ago; who knew? This also brings to mindEnglish country house weekend luncheons, field side forfortification of the participants in the grueling event; finechina, crystal and linens carefully packed into fabulousleather cases with elegant tailored fittings secured for travel; huge hampers stuffed to the brim with meats,cheeses and fruits in gorgeous containers with wonderfuldrinks and spirit burners at the ready to heat up thesavories. In the hands of a capable household staff, it wentoff like military maneuvers performed by a small army.

Not to worry, it is not so daunting a task and really can bequite simple. Like, an elegant basket for two with yourfavorite prepared foods paired with a simple bottle of yourfavorite beverage. It is seriously all about the fun of breaking bread between friends and family. One hint: don’ttake it too seriously. It is not brain surgery, it’s creating anatmosphere for the day, a celebration of sorts whether it isfor 2 or 200 of your closest friends. Friends do seem to multiply when a good party is rumored on the grounds ….

I enjoy planning parties, it’s how I was raised; my motherwas the grand dame of parties. I begin preparations the daybefore, organizing the food, the cooking and then plating.One eats with his eyes first, so be creative. I use vintageglassware found in my travels. Mix and match your plates,don’t be shy! Look through the house and see what can holdbeverages. My favorite to hold wine bottles is a charmingchamber pot – it starts a conversation with new friends andalso evokes memories of seeing them at your grandmother’shouse. I trust you do know what a chamber pot is?

We use martini glasses for fried hot peppers and shot glasses for sauces. It’s fun to stack glasses for visual impact.Cheeses are arranged on slate boards that we have foundand bleached. I write out the cheese names in chalk. A simple 99¢ baguette, flowers are placed in anything I canfind, from salad dressing jars to old stemware to logs hollowed out. You can see how easy it is to create a day fullof fun and memories on the cheap!

So let us get tailgating!

Past Remembered ~the Art of TailgatingBy Sarah Doheny

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Sarah Doheny at her table.

Polo en Blanc Day.

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Rec

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Tailgate Recipes

Crab Dip

Yield: 6 cupsIngredients2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened.1 (4.5 oz.) can chopped greenchilies, drained.1 cup seeded and chopped tomato.1 small clove garlic, minced.1/4 to 1/2 cup whipping cream.2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce.1 teaspoon hot sauce.1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper.1/4 teaspoon salt.1/4 teaspoon pepper.1 lb. fresh jumbo lump crabmeat,drained.Garnish: chopped fresh parsley.

Preparation

Combine first 11 ingredients in

a large nonstick skillet; place

over low heat, and cook, stir-

ring constantly, until mixture is

smooth and bubbly. Gently fold

in crabmeat. Spoon into serving

bowl, and garnish, if desired.

Serve with French bread slices

toasted with Casino Butter.

Mini Bacon,Tomato, & BasilSandwichesYield: 12 appetizer servingsIngredients9 slices ready-to-serve bacon,halved.1/2 cup shredded Parmesancheese.1/3 cup mayonnaise.1 garlic clove, minced.9 slices extra-thin white breadslices.3 plum tomatoes, sliced.12 fresh basil leaves.

Preparation

1. Heat bacon according to

package directions until crisp.

2. Stir together cheese,

mayonnaise, and garlic.

Spread mayonnaise mixture

evenly onto 1 side of each

bread slice. Layer 3 bread

slices, mayonnaise sides up,

with 3 bacon slices each.

Top bacon evenly with 1 bread

slice, tomato slices, and basil.

Top each with remaining

bread slices, mayonnaise sides

down. Cut each sandwich into

quarters.

Checkerboard Cheese SandwichesYield: 80 mini sandwichesIngredients1 (10 oz.) block extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated.1 (10 oz.) block Swiss cheese, grated.1 1/4 cups light or regular mayonnaise.1 (4 oz.) jar diced pimiento, drained.1 teaspoon dried onion flakes.1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper.20 thin white bread slices.20 thin wheat bread slices.Garnishes: grape tomatoes & black.olives, secured with wooden picks.

Preparation

Stir together first 6 ingredients.

Spread half of mixture evenly

on half of white bread slices;

top with remaining half of

white bread slices. Spread

remaining half of mixture even-

ly on half of wheat bread slices;

top with remaining half of

wheat bread slices. Remove

crusts with a serrated knife; cut

each sandwich into 4 squares.

Arrange, stacked in pairs, on a

serving plate in a checkerboard

pattern, alternating white and

wheat. Garnish, if desired.

Frozen Lemonade SlushyYield: Serves 8Ingredients1 large lemon1 2/3 cup superfine sugar3 cups cold water1 1/4 cups lemon juice

Preparation

Combine one thinly sliced

lemon and 1-2/3 cups superfine

sugar in a bowl; mash with a

spoon. Add 3 cups cold water

and 1-1/4 cups lemon juice; let

stand for 5 minutes, stirring

occasionally. Strain. Puree half

of lemon juice mixture and 4

cups ice in a blender until

smooth. Pour into 4 chilled

glasses; repeat.

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Photos by Andre Flewellen Photography


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1. Concert goers enjoy some great tunes under the stars. 2. Opposite page: Bronze Radio Return performs.

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VENDORS INCLUDE:Galer Estate Vineyard & Winery, Twin Lakes Brewing Co., and Carolina Pit Stop BBQ.

TICKETS: • Kids 16 and under enter FREE.• Adult single ticket $20 online.• Adult single ticket $25 at the gate.• Group pass $60 per car, online or at the gate.

(must have 3+ people in the car) • Season pass $100 online or at the gate.

Fridaynightsunderthestars.com

Gates open at 5:00 and intra-club polo matches begin at 5:30pm.

Music starts around 7:30pm (after polo matches conclude).

Both event-specific tickets and season passes cover access to thegrounds, music, parking and polo matches.

Food and beverages are not included in the ticket sale.

Visit our website for details and information.

2013 Concert Schedule May 31 2uesday Nite Band

June 7 The Griz Band

June 14 The Pharmers

June 21 61 North

June 28 Taproom Trio

July 5 The Bullets

July 12 Ryan Tennis

July 19 Beaucoup Blue

July 26 The Nines Funk Band

Aug. 2 The Dupont Brothers

Aug. 9 2uesday Nite Band

Aug. 16 Spokey Speaky

Aug. 23 New Sweden

Aug. 30 Casey Alvarez

Sept. 6 Rain DateSept. 13 Rain DateSept. 20 Rain Date

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2013 ClubM30 Brandywine Polo Club

1. Ricardo Barros 2. Cindy Mason Buchanan 3. Robin Carroll-Bostwick 4. Avery S. Chapman 5. Devin Cox 6. Jessica Dublin 7. Nicolle DuHamell 8. Lory Eighme 9. Tommy Ezcurra 10. Kathy Fowser-Whitman 11. Ericka Fuchsloch 12. Mikaela Gioconda 13. Melissa Harrington 14. Seth Howe 15. Juan Martinez-Baez 16. Kate McClung

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Memberswww.brandywinepolo.com 31

17. Joel McKeever 18. Louis Micolucci 19. Denis O’Flynn O’Brien 20. Jessica Oehler 21. Alexander Place 22. Nicholas Place 23. Patricia Sertich 24. Bruce Sibson 25. Dixon Stroud26. Brian Sweeney 27. Ellen Tracey28. Brendan Walsh29. Johanna Walters

*Brian Griffin - no photo

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2013SeasonAll Friday matches start at 5:30 unless specified otherwise.All Sunday matches start at 3:00 unless specified otherwise.All dates and times are subject to change, please visit www.brandywinepolo.com or call 610-268-8692 for updates.

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Date Club Matches Sponsor

May 27 Opening Day Match (Memorial Day) �

June 2 Sunday Polo �

June 9 Chester Co. Hospital Cup Chester Co. Hospital

June 15 3-6 goal Circuit Arena Final �


June 23 McHugh Tournament Final �


July 7 Mixed Couples Tournament Final �

July 14 Jockey’s Polo Cup Chasin for Chalfin

July 21 Philadelphia Cup �

July 28 Challenge Cup Tournament Final �

Aug 4 Sunday Polo �

Aug 10 6-9 goal Arena Delegates Cup Final �



Aug 24 Polo Ponies Tournament Final Wasmer Schroeder Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Sept 1 Gerald Balding Tournament Final �

Sept 8 Paoli Cup Paoli Hospital

Sept 15 UK Combined Services Team �

Sept 22 Sunday Polo �

Sept 29 Closing Day / Richie Jones Memorial The Jones Family

Date Friday Night Polo

May 31 Friday Night Polo

June 7 Friday Night Polo

June 14 3-6 goal Circuit Arena Prelims



July 5 Friday Night Polo




Date Friday Night Polo

Aug 2 Friday Night Polo

Aug 9 6-9 goal Arena Delegates Cup Prelims




Sep 6 Friday Night Polo



Sep 27 Friday Night Polo Un

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2012Win34 Brandywine Polo Club

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PHOTOS 1,3 THRU 10 BY ERICKA FUCHSLOCH

PHOTO BY DENIS F. O'FLYNN O'BRIEN

nnerswww.brandywinepolo.com 35

1. VFMA cadet singing “The National Anthem.” 2. Richie Jones Memorial 3. USA vs. Argentina - left to right: Brendan Walsh, Jake Brown, Juan Martinez-Baez and Mauricio Diaz. 4. Brandywine Polo wins the Fred Peterson 8 Goal: Juan Martinez-Baez, Omar Sosa, Justin Flood, Kathy Fowser Whitman. 5. Paoli Hospital Benefit - front row left to back row: Mary Salinas, Juan Martinez-Baez, Omar Sosa, Betty Moran, Peggy Mason, Cindy Buchanan, Kathy Fowser Whitman, Carol Rabe Palmer, Lynn Fry. 6. Chasin for Calfin - left to right: Nicholas Place, Thomas Escurra, Kathy Fowser Whitman, Omar Sosa. 7. Polo Ponies Memorial - left to right: Livin’ the Vision: Jesus Onterveros, Dennis O’flynn O’Brian, Thomas Escurra, Scott Brown, Kate McClung; Maryland polo: Tommy Huber, Sara Orthwein, Pj Ortwein, Tom Huber. 8. Women’s Tournament: Devin Cox and Ericka Fuchsloch. 9. Team Maryland with tournament sponsors Dress for Success. 10. Gerald Balding Tournament - left to right: Livin’ the Vision: Scott Brown, Brandon Kirchner, Jake Brown and Jesus Ontiveros. 11. Philly Style Cup.

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ver wonder about the two riders on the fieldwith the striped shirts who try to bring someorder and control to what some would consider organized mayhem on horseback?

The men and women who serve as the umpires of thegame are a key and integral part of polo, vital to safe,organized and fair play.

Like any organized sport, the rules of polo haveevolved over time; in the case of polo that time wouldbe about 2500 years. Polo was first played with 8-12players per side when it was first adopted by in the1850s by British cavalry officers serving in what todayis northern India as a means to hone their riding anddecision making ability. The rules were subject to liberal interpretation and there was no requirement tohave an mounted umpire, but rather an two “officials”each nominated by the playing teams who would oftenstand on the sidelines. When the British added yet evenmore rules to the game, it became apparent that theumpires would need to be mounted to cover the entireplaying field (300/160 yards).

Today, the rules of polo call for two mounted umpireson the field and a “third man” or referee on the sidelines located in a position where he/she canobserve the play and act as deciding authority on anydisputes between the two umpires on the field as itcomes to infractions. However, the rules do allow forthe “third man” to be mounted as well. Most often giventhe requirement for additional horses, this practice is seldom observed.

The primary purpose of the umpires is to ensure thesafety of the horses, players and spectators. To that the

umpires and referee are, as it is stated in the polo guide,“the absolute game authority from the time is scheduled to play until it is concluded. The umpiresand referee conduct the game, apply the rules of playand refer to the committee questions which cannot be resolved on the field.” This is accomplished by combination of three fundamental elements all officialsmust have to be successful on the field:

• Knowledge of the rules: Obtained by extensivestudy, attendance at umpires clinics sponsoredby the USPA and a yearly exam all certifiedumpires are required to pass with a minimumscore of 95%.

• Knowledge of approved procedures: In addition to a rock solid knowledge of the rules, apolo umpire must follow certain strict proce-dures to properly officiate a polo game. Theseinclude positioning on penalty hits, emergency procedures, qualifications of substitutes, etc.

• Field judgment: A polo umpire must be able to develop and apply subjective field judgment thatis critical in being a successful umpire. Whileanyone can memorize the rules and procedures,the ability to think quickly, in the saddle andreact in the correct manner is field judgment.

In the end, the players, all of whom play with passion,want the outcome of the game to be decided by the better prepared and better playing team, not by theumpires. If you think you may have what it takes to bean USPA umpire visit the USPA at WWW.USPOLO.ORGand click on Polo 101 for information.

The View fromthe Man in theStriped Shirt

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Black (shirt) mayhit white (shirt)and force himacross the line ofthe ball and thentake possession.

Black may bump white atright angles inscrimmage or in fencing for the ball at slowpace and no foulwould be calledbecause therewould be no realdanger.

Two players riding at a ball inthe open mustboth give way tothe left and takethe ball on theright side.

In a bump or ride-off, blackwould commit afoul if at theinstant of contactblack’s mount’sshoulders wereahead of those ofthe white man asin diagram.

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By Lt. Col Steven L. Walsh USMC (ret)


The Game

ach polo match consists of 4 to 6 chukkers (periods) that last seven and a half minuteswith a warning bell at seven minutes and afinal bell thirty seconds later (unless a team

scores after the warning bell which stops the chukkerimmediately). The game is played on a field with goalposts on each end. The players try to hit the ballbetween the posts (no matter how high), to score onepoint. After each goal, the teams change sides. Twomounted umpires accompany the players, (four oneach team in outdoor polo, three on each team in arenapolo) and a “third man” sits near the middle of the fieldto referee in case of a disagreement between themounted umpires. The whistle is blown to indicate afoul, and stops the clock. At the end of the chukker, theplayers change horses.The Players

Each team consist of four players.#1) An offensive player#2) The offensive midfielder#3) The pivot, often the highest rated player#4) The defensive backEach player is expected to cover his or her man

(or woman) who is the numerical opposite on the field.Note: In arena polo, each team consists of three play-

ers.Polo Ponies

The horses traditionally called ponies, are welltrained equine athletes. Able to stop and turn on adime, they are considered faster than racehorses overshort distances. Polo ponies are the most essential partof the game.

Handicaps

“A polo handicap is your passport to the world.” – Sir Winston Churchill

In polo, a handicap is required and considered a goodthing. Players are rated from minus two to ten. Ten isthe best. Each team’s handicap is the sum of the play-ers’ handicaps. In an Open tournament, teams play “onthe flat” meaning that no scoring advantage is given tothe weaker team. In a handicap tournament, points aregiven to the weaker team based on the difference ofhandicaps between two teams. For example, if a sixteengoal (handicap) team plays against a seventeen goal(handicap) team, then one point is awarded on thescoreboard for the sixteen goal team at the start of thematch.Fouls (See below)

To the layman, fouls in polo are very hard to see. Evenprofessionals have a hard time, but one can usually tella foul by listening to the players after the whistle blows.A foul is basically a dangerous play, mostly stemmingfrom crossing in front of the man with the ball. Whenthe ball is hit, it creates an invisible line and the players must follow it as if they are driving on a make-believe road. Each time the ball changes direction, theroad changes as well. Penalty shots are awardeddepending on where the foul was committed, or uponthe severity of the foul. Lines on the field indicatewhere midfield, sixty, forty and thirty yard penaltiesare taken from. If the ball is hit past the back line by adefending player, a sixty-yard shot facing the spotwhere the ball went across the line is awarded.

E

At slow pace,black could crosswhite and no foulwould be called.At full speed, the20 feet would notbe a safe marginand the crosswould mean apenalty againstblack.

Even though theangle may beslight, black maynot cross the lineof the ball if thepace is fast.

It is not necessaryfor black to comeparallel with whitebefore bumping.Black may bumpwhite at full gallopat an angle not toexceed 45 O.Beyond 45 O therewould be gravedanger of a fall.

Or he may, asshown, come infrom an angle, parallel to the lineof the ball, and play as indicated if he can do sowithout interferingwith white’s mount.If he should crossthe line to the dotted position, itwould be a foul.

Mother Natu38 Brandywine Polo Club

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Photos provided by Martha Fuller Photography for these pages only. Any reproduction of thesephotographs is strictly prohibited without written permission from Martha Fuller Photography.


olo is thought to have originated in China andPersia around 2,000 years ago. The name ofthe game may well come from the word“pholo” meaning ‘ball’ or ‘ballgame’ in the

Balti language of Tibet.The first recorded game took place in 600BC between

the Turkomans and Persians (the Turkomans won). Inthe fourth century AD, King Sapoor II of Persia learnedto play, aged seven. In the 16th century, a polo ground(300 yards long and with goalposts eight yards apart)was built at Ispahan, then the capital, by Shah Abbasthe Great.

The Moguls were largely responsible for taking thegame from Persia to the east and, by the 16th century,the Emperor Babur had established it in India. (It hadalready long been played in China and Japan, but haddied out by the time the West came in contact withthose countries). In the 1850s, British tea planters dis-covered the game in Manipur (Munipoor) on theBurmese border with India. They founded the world’sfirst polo club at Silchar, west of Manipur. Other clubsfollowed and today the oldest in the world is theCalcutta Club, founded in 1862.

Malta followed in 1868 because soldiers and naval officers stopped off there on their way home from India. In 1869, Edward “Chicken” Hartopp, of the 10th Hussars, read an account of the game in The Field magazine while stationed at Aldershot and, with fellow officers, organised the first game. Then known as “hockey on horseback,” it was played on a

hastily-rolled Hounslow Heath where a shortlist ofabout 10 rules was also hastily assembled.

But, it was John Watson (1856-1908), of the 13thHussars, who formulated the first real rules of the gamein India in the 1870s. He later formed the celebratedFreebooters team who won the first Westchester Cupmatch in 1886. He was a key player at the All IrelandPolo Club which was founded in 1872 by HoraceRochfort of Clogrenane, County Carlow.

The first polo club in England was Monmouthshire,founded in 1872 by Captain Francis “Tip” Herbert(1845-1922), of the 7th Lancers, at his brother’s estate atClytha Park, near Abergavenny. Others, includingHurlingham, followed quickly.

Handicaps were introduced by the USA in 1888 andby England and India in 1910.

The first official match in Argentina took place on 3rdSeptember 1875. The game had been taken there byEnglish and Irish engineers and ranchers.

In 1876, Lt Col Thomas St.Quintin, of the 10thHussars, introduced the game to Australia. He is credit-ed with being the Father of Australian Polo. Two of hisbrothers stayed on there as ranchers and helped thegame to develop. In the same year, polo was introducedto the USA by James Gordon Bennett Junior who hadseen the game at Hurlingham during a visit to England.

Today, more than 77 countries play polo. It was anOlympic sport from 1900 to 1939 and has now been recognized again by the International OlympicCommittee.

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A Short History of Polo

“Let other people play at other things — the King of Games is still theGame of Kings” – Inscribed on a stone tablet beside a polo groundSouth of the fabled silk route from China to the West.



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is required equipment most commonly made ofreinforced, padded plastic with a cloth covering. They are modeledafter the pith helmets the British wore in 19th Century India. Modernhelmets are designed to fend of flying balls and to protect the head ifthe player should fall off.

The Polo Helmet

is made of rootmanau cane. It can bend quite a bit giving it a fair amount of“whip” during a hard swing. The head is made of tipa, a veryhard wood. Both sides of thehead are used to strike the ball.

The Mallet

sports the colorof the team and the number ofthe player’s position (from 1 to 4).

The Team Jersey

provide protection from flyingballs and rough ride-offs.

Knee Pads

controls the horse. Poloplayers use many different kindsof bit. This one is called a “Gag.”

The Bit

is made of hardplastic that dents a bit eachtime it is hit.

The Ball

are special lightweight horse shoes made of iron. Polo plateshave an inner rim and an outer rim, with the inner rim slightly higherthan the outer rim, making it easier for the hoof to pivot in all directions.

Polo Plates

fastens tothe girth and keeps the saddlefrom slipping backwards.

The Breast Plate

is the leather strap that runsfrom the noseband to the girth, and keepsthe horse from raising its head too high.

The Martingale

provide support totendons and ligaments as well asprotection from flying balls andstray mallets.

Leg Wraps

PoloGear

PHOTO BY JIM GRAHAM

JimGrahamPhotography.com




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Documents

Brandywine Polo Club 2013 Program