Nowadays most people probably associate the word "polo" with a popular clothing brand than a living sport. In fact, the world’s oldest team sport, an ancient game that was first used to improve the riding skills of cavalrymen in Asia, is alive and well on the East Coast. In nearby Manchester, Vt., an amateur polo league was formed three years ago and matches have been played all summer at the Hildene Meadowlands off Route 7A.
This Saturday is the championship game in the Equinox Cup series. The winning team will be awarded $1,000 as well as the cup by the series’ sponsor, The Equinox Inn. Rick Baum, a veterinarian from Arlington, Vt., a member of the local Equinox Polo Team and the president of the Equinox Polo Committee, said this year’s polo series has drawn a number of quality clubs from the Northeast, bringing in competitors from Maine to Connecticut to Lake Placid, N.Y.
"We started three years ago here with practice games between the local clubs," said Baum. "But with the number of clubs in the region, and the quality of our facility here in Manchester, we’ve drawn some real competitors and raised the level of play." The competition has become so fierce that Baum’s hometown team, the Equinox, lost in the semifinals earlier this month. Equinox had won the championship last year. "Unfortunately, I’ll be refereeing Saturday’s game instead of playing," said Baum.
If you’ve never seen a polo match, you’re missing a true spectacle. On a playing field nearly three times the size of a football field, two teams of four battle out to score as many goals as they can, in much the same way as hockey players on the ice. Atop thoroughbred horses and holding long mallets, players try to carve the perfect pathway, without being nudged aside, bumped or having the ball stolen by the other team. Not only does the sport require grace and control of the horses, but in the fast, chaotic exchange it requires anticipation, seeing ahead of the field where the ball may be headed. Unlike hockey, there is no goalkeeper.
Polo is a gentleman’s sport, and in this country it saw its Golden Age in the 1920s among the estates of Newport, R.I. and Long Island. Played in six seven-minute periods or "chukkers," in each period a horse may run up to three miles, and needs to rest before getting back out to the field. Therefore, many series players bring their own "fleet" of several horses to the match.
Baum said the horses used in polo are called "polo ponies," but they’re really thoroughbred horses or crosses that are just a notch below the speed of a racehorse. He said polo ponies must be fast, but also agile and quick to turn.
Because of the large discrepancies between players, even on the amateur circuit, polo has its own handicap system. Each player is rated for his skill, and assessed a handicap ranging from -2 up to 10, the handicap assessed to only a handful of the world’s best players. When the match is over, the handicaps for each team are added or subtracted in to the final score.
Baum said the two teams competing this weekend, UBS Paine Webber from Scotia, N.Y., and La Victoria, sponsored by a California company but part of the Green Mountain Polo Club, have outstanding players. On UBS, Wayne Kant is a "two-goal player," referring to his handicap, and Wayne Gass, a player who travels throughout the East Coast playing as a free-lancer, has a one-goal handicap. The standout on La Victoria is Travis Scales, whose five goals in the semifinals knocked Equinox out of the running. Scales was awarded the National High School Player of the Year by the USPA two years ago, and Baum said Scales is headed for the "minor leagues" of professional polo. Baum noted that because of the handicap system, "you see much more interplay between professionals and amateurs than you do in most other sports."
The Equinox series has built up a reputation already in the polo world. The trade publication, The Sideline News, featured them on its front cover last year. "We’re known for our very good sportsmanship; the games have been clean with very few penalties." The USPA lists about 225 amateur clubs, representing more than 3,000 players.
"It’s a good place to have a picnic and watch an interesting sport," said Baum. "It’s been a big draw for families."
In Saturday’s game, riding for LaVictoria will be captain Karl Pfister and teammates Jerry Perry, Jim Lanzillo, Lee Delaney and Scales. The UBS Paine Webber team will be staffed by captain Jackie Moody as well as Eddie Lopez, Kant and Gass.
In addition to watching this sport, spectators are encouraged to bring their most creative tailgate picnic, with a prize awarded to the best and most unusual picnic. The Hildene Meadowlands are located on River Road in Manchester Village, Vt. Gates open at 1 p.m. for picnicking, match at 2 p.m. Admission is $5 per person, or $12 per car. Match is canceled for unsafe playing conditions only with rain date the following Sunday. For more information, call (802) 362-1788.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Berkshire County Homes Celebrating Holiday Cheer
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
There's holiday cheer throughout the Berkshires this winter.
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
We asked the homeowners questions on their decorations and why they like to light up their houses.
In Great Barrington, Matt Pevzner has decorated his house with many lights and even has a Facebook page dedicated to making sure others can see the holiday joy.
Located at 93 Brush Hill Road, there's more than 61,000 lights strewn across the yard decorating trees and reindeer and even a polar bear.
The Pevzner family started decorating in September by testing their hundreds of boxes of lights. He builds all of his own decorations like the star 10-foot star that shines done from 80-feet up, 10 10-foot trees, nine 5-foot trees, and even the sleigh, and more that he also uses a lift to make sure are perfect each year.
"I always decorated but I went big during COVID. I felt that people needed something positive and to bring joy and happiness to everyone," he wrote. "I strive to bring as much joy and happiness as I can during the holidays. I love it when I get a message about how much people enjoy it. I've received cards thanking me how much they enjoyed it and made them smile. That means a lot."
Pevzner starts thinking about next year's display immediately after they take it down after New Year's. He gets his ideas by asking on his Facebook page for people's favorite decorations. The Pevzner family encourages you to take a drive and see their decorations, which are lighted every night from 5 to 10.
In North Adams, the Wilson family decorates their house with fun inflatables and even a big Santa waving to those who pass by.
The Wilsons start decorating before Thanksgiving and started decorating once their daughter was born and have grown their decorations each year as she has grown. They love to decorate as they used to drive around to look at decorations when they were younger and hope to spread the same joy.
"I have always loved driving around looking at Christmas lights and decorations. It's incredible what people can achieve these days with their displays," they wrote.
The Wilsons' invite you to come and look at their display at 432 Church St. that's lit from 4:30 to 10:30 every night, though if it's really windy, the inflatables might not be up as the weather will be too harsh.
In Pittsfield, Travis and Shannon Dozier decorated their house for the first time this Christmas as they recently purchased their home on Faucett Lane. The two started decorating in November, and hope to bring joy to the community.
"If we put a smile on one child's face driving by, then our mission was accomplished," they said.
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
click for more
