hurlinghampolo.com
TA L K
28
E Y E O N T H E P R I Z E
As the USPA lowers the handicap level and introduces prize money, causing
a renaissance of the game, Darlene Ricker explores how it will affect the sport
U S PA , D AV I D LO M I N S K A
Despite concerns that having two leagues
may splinter participation and trigger the
demise of high-goal polo in Wellington,
the season spurred excitement that resulted
in a renaissance of polo. It turned out to
be the proverbial win-win situation, with
more teams (25 in all), more jobs for
players, more sponsors, more games and
more prize money – a combined total
of $1.375 million.
‘More polo is good for the sport; period,’
says Dale Smicklas, commissioner of the
World Polo League (WPL).
Nearby clubs shared Wellington’s boon. Port
Mayaca’s 22-goal series attracted players
such as Jesse Bray, a season standout who
also competed at IPC and the WPL.
His games never overlapped, but
spectators had some decisions to make. In
Wellington, the Sunday afternoon games were
3pm at IPC and 4pm at WPL. But with both
leagues’ networks and ESPN Deportes live
streaming and posting game videos online, it
was easy to keep up-to-date on everything.
‘I think the 22- and the 26-goal
complement each other. They each have
their own niche,’ says SD Farms patron Sayyu
Dantata, who entered teams in both levels.
For the first time ever, Dantata played 26
goals with Adolfo Cambiaso as a teammate
and won the WPL All Star Challenge Draw.
‘Playing in two leagues is fun, but it takes
its toll on you,’ says Dantata. After playing
18 chukkas in 24 hours (two games and a
practice), he says, ‘I slept 11 hours straight!’
Annabelle Gundlach, patron of Postage
Stamp Farm, says the 22-goal at IPC had
‘unbelievable competition,’ noting that
some players brought their top horses from
