Along the Sideboards
By Alex Webbe
November 2, 2009
The biggest news in the last week on the international front has to be the secession of the Hurlingham Polo Association, The Argentine Polo Association and the United States Polo Association from the FIP.
The disagreement with the FIP seems to have rested with the philosophy of the Chairman, Patrick Hermes, and his failure to communicate effectively with the “big three”. A constant effort to return polo to the Olympics (a feat that will never be accomplished for a number of reasons), a dispute over a doping policy and a disregard for the branding of tournaments, players and competitions was the final death knoll.
One might also question why, after 28 years the FIP was unable to coordinate a set of international Rules that would be shared and instituted by all member countries.
The move by the “big three” removes any legitimacy of the FIP, and reduces its international world cup series to nothing more than a charade. It is expected that there will be a great deal of fallout in the FIP’s meetings, scheduled to take place in Buenos Aires later this month. Good luck, Patrick.
Seasonal rains have once again delayed the Argentine Open season with La Aguada waiting to meet a modified Ellerstina team in the Hurlingham Finals. Following his ouster from competition following two yellow cards, Juan Martin Nero will be replaced in the finals by 8-goaler Matias MacDonough. A bit of a shame that with two 40-goal teams in the Hurlingham Open competition, neither will take the field for the finals.
The bigger story might be the participation and play of Javier Novillo Astrada, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor earlier in the year and was forced to sit out the English season. It has to be nothing short of miraculous to see him not only returning to the highest level of polo competition in the world, but to be carrying his 9-goal handicap as well.
Much to the enjoyment of its capacity 1,500 spectators, The Villages Polo Club of Central Florida just hosted its first women’s polo tournament. “The largest crowd to witness women’s polo in American history”, touted The Villages following the three-day event. The combination of Sunny Hale and MVP Paige Boone led the home team from The Villages to an exciting 7-4 win in Sunday’s finals. Plans are already underway for next year’s WCT Women’s World Cup.
Marc Ganzi’s GTP Polo team scored an 8-7 overtime win over Boca Developers in the finals of the 2009 US Trust Cup at the Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, Florida Sunday afternoon as their fall season of medium goal polo continues. The home Grand Champions team downed Audi 12-11 in the consolation finals with Ruben Gracida scoring the winning goal.
Tom Uskup carried home his second major trophy of the year with Foxdale/MavOffice.com’s 12-11 overtime win over John Flournoy’s Upatoi Green team Sunday afternoon in the finals of the USPA Knox Cup in Aiken, South Carolina. Earlier in the season Uskup had captured the USPA Silver Cup.