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hurlinghampolo.com
TA L K
L I G H T S , C A M E R A , A C T I O N
Film director Philip Selkirk talks about his latest project –
The Perfect Match
– a
documentary exploring the history of polo in the United States
My passion for polo kicked off in 1999, when
I was invited by friends to receive my very
first lesson, in Fréjus on the Côte d’Azur. With
the first chukka, I was hooked. Fast-forward
many years and, after having made several
films about adrenaline-driven sports, I was
convinced a never-before-made film about
polo – one of the fastest ball sports in the
world – ought to be made.
My friend Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers,
current president of the Federation of
International Polo, introduced me to the late
Steve Orthwein – polo legend, former
president and chairman of the United States
Polo Association. Both gentlemen agreed a
film about polo in the US was overdue and
necessary. The USPA’s board of directors
felt the same and commissioned my New
York-based film factory, Selkirk Pictures
& Enterprises, to produce a comprehensive
80-minute feature documentary on the topic.
Entitled
The Perfect Match – The History
of Polo in the United States
, the documentary
celebrates the history of the game,
champions the passion of its players and
entices newcomers to get involved. Charting
polo’s 140-year history – from its origins in
Persia to its arrival on New York’s shores via
England – the film focuses on the sport’s
rich history and strong following in North
America, and the families who’ve supported
the pastime through the decades.
Interweaving anecdotes and images of
key players, some of the greatest US polo
players – such as Nic Roldan, Jeff Hall, Mike
Azzaro and Sunset “Sunny” Hale – as well as
the best from Argentina – Adolfo Cambiaso
and Facundo Pieres – explain why, for them,
there is nothing better than polo.
C L A U D I A S U I C A P H OTO G R A P H Y
