t has been said that polo is an

addiction, with poverty the only cure and sometimes that doesn’t even help! Three back surgeries now prevent me from playing more than an occasional club chukker near my Santa Barbara home. I miss it. Good tournament polo is the most fun of any sport I’ve ever played.

olo is the only contact sport

with no distinction given between men and women. For the first few years, I played polo almost exclusively with men. At first, some felt the game was too dangerous and were reluctant to let a woman play. However, once I had taken off with the ball and scored against them a few times, they forgot about any differences between us. I always made a point of not asking for any special treatment. Polo is a tough, competitive endeavor. There is no room for doing anything but giving your team 110% effort at all times - no whining, no complaining. The game is a real test of organization and fortitude - both on and off the field - which is why the U.S. Army used polo for Officer’s Training during the early part of the last century.

hen the ball is thrown in at

the opening bell, you must be mounted, physically and mentally ready for war. At that moment, all the training, trucks, trailers, lining up of teams, rating shenanigans, pony conditioning, tack, mallets, team jerseys, etc. fade into the background. The thrill of teamwork in a great polo game, win or lose, is incredible.