The Polo Report by Steve Crowder

April 22, '03 - U.S. OPEN ARENA STYLE

Poway may be hard to find on the map, but when it comes to indoor polo or cowboy polo you will find it quick. The teams from Los Angeles found out as well as San Francisco during the U.S. Open Arena Finals. (From left to right: Billy Sheldon, Cary Burch, and Shane Rice of Polo Dude from Poway CA)

The Old Boys from Poway just keep making them. Shane Rice is Sheldon, that's Billy Sheldon's nephew. The interscholastic Sheldon is Jared, Billy's son. Intercollegiate Sheldon is Danika Rice, Billy's niece. The Seniors player Sheldon is Russ, Billy's Dad and in Ladies polo the Sheldon is Sherry, who is Billy's sister. So Sheldon does have a major impact on indoor polo and that's the way it is. Cary Burch might have had an idea that would be the case when he hired the Sheldon clan to play in the 2003 U.S Arena Open on April 19th. He provided his own fire as Poway rolled to the big Silver Cup in the L.A. Equestrian Center last Sat. night. Poway (12-goal team) beat a team, a much higher rated team (18-goal team from San Francisco), soundly as J.P. Theriott and his gang did have some bad luck. Hard charging and probably the gun on the team David Abrahms suffered a broken hand and it was all over for the Bay Boys as they could not stop the SHELDON Express.

Abby Riggs and the lovely Jessica Bailey with Paige Beard brought home the silver in the Women's Final. They showed their way to a non-stop express of their own. They can ride and they are easy to look at.

Well done by all!

Notes: Poway played San Francisco on Thursday in first round and won 14-12. San Francisco played Cal Polo on Friday and won 19-14. Poway beat San Francisco in the finals 14-12.

Polo Dude (Poway) -Cary Burch, Shane Rice and Billy Sheldon. Santa Paula (San Francisco) -JP Theriot, Dave Abrams and Facundo Goti. Cal. Polo (L.A.)-Domingo, Miguel Torres and Ronnie Hayes.

April 14th. '03 Well it might have been an all male final in the south of Florida, but it was an all women's final at 2 p.m. in Indio. The ladies had field 1 all day Sunday and they did it well. The B Flight was O.T. Miss Goodbody from Arizona (Terese Volmer) came blowing by in the O.T. The First Lady of polo Miss Sue Sally Hale p buried it in the goal for a big win to take the Purple to the Winners Circle. In the A Flight it was a barn burner as Kate and the Cowgirls ran into a French Kiss (Caroline Anier) and a wee Rhi finding themselves on the wrong side of the Angels and took the cup home. In the MENS Only it was 3 boys and a Canadian General (Lee Pettigrew) showing the older men not to get in the road. Canadian Mike Weir wins a golf tournament, the Masters, the Canadians will win at polo. The last 2 times it was the Big Mac (Fred Mannix) winning for Calgary, but today it was General Lee taking control with Mighty Mike Matz and Little Joe Stuart with the new star on the block Juan Jo (13 year old Juanito Gonzalez )carrying the flag down victory lane. Look out, you may be punished for winning. It is California law to win and be rewarded by handicap punishment even if it's the Irish Cup.

See ya.

young Americans from becoming polo players. WELL DONE C S P E A R RANCH.

See ya.

April 9th. '03 - The Fearsome Foursome from north of the border, but a little from the West coast are in the Semis at the Open in Florida. Despite a loss to the mighty White Birch, playing with 4 pros, they still could not take the Wolf Pack out as Frederick Mannix, Jr. and Danny Boy (Daniel Roenisch) did their part well and kept the Millarville fight alive. Now they are one of the final four in the U.S. Open. It does not get much better than that, but just one more will be so much better. Then there are only 2. We are all pulling for them as two Western U.S. teams take on each other Millarville plays C-Spear Ranch of Parkman, Wyomingwith the famous Tommy Boyle at the helm. Another Pee Wee polo player from Eldorado by the name of Jeff Hall is the head hit man for C-Spear. On the other side it's Isla Carroll of Houston, TX taking on the South Americans from Venezula, LeChuza. It should be fun. It's only 3,800 miles away, so go there and have a South Florida day in West Palm Beach. The fields in Boca are not quite as nice as Eldorado, so they need some time to get them right for Sunday. You can take the redeye on Delta or American from Los Angeles. They both arrive at 6 AM to 6.30 AM and its just a 20 minute drive to the Everglades Field. If you just have to come home, catch the 7:30 PM home. You will be back in Los Angeles by 11 p.m. so be there.

See Ya.

Crowder Polo Report Archives '02-'03

March '03|Feb '03|Jan '03 |Dec. '02
|Nov. '02|Oct. '02 | Sept. '02 |
Aug. '02 |July '02 |June '02 |
May '02 |April '02 |March '02 |
Feb. '02 | Jan. '02

April 13th. '03 - Outlaw Tommy Boyle. The way it is Tommy Boyle from Parker, WY is King of Polo. His C-Spear Ranch Team won the U.S. Open. They had the former head Eldorado Pee Wee Polo Player Jeff Hall as their head hit man. He was the main reason the Wolf Pack (Millarville) did not get to the finals. Jeff was also the "man" when it came to putting 10-goalers on the sidelines. It was Jeff who had the job of removing them. He did not play against Cambiaso, but the rest will sign his ticket as one bad dude to get around. Jeff did it again today as he sent Pita Merlos to the sidelines and stopped all chances of Lechuza when he put Pita in his pocket. C-Spear buried Lechuza and made them wish they were back home in Venezula 24 hours ago. C-Spear did the American version of Flamingo Cha Cha on Lechuza, 13 to 4 at the start of the 6th. They finished at 14 to 7, so just maybe the Wolf Pack may have been the second best team at the U.S. Open. Tommy and his boys from downtown took apart everyone who came to town in the 2003 high-goal season in Florida. He had a little old in Carlos Gracida, a little new in Jeff Hall and a token Argentine who was also MVP, Matias Magrini. Tommy is a fired up old outlaw from the hole in the wall country, showing the boys from down South it ain't all there. As for the second year in a row, it was 3 North Americans at the victory table. It was quite a feat for the North Americans, even with the USPA Handicap committee doing their best to prevent

The Gringo Challenge by Steve Crowder. - I really believe in the young North American polo players. I believe the top 6 players under the age of 21 in North America can beat any under 21 team in South America on split strings. 4 Games in South American and 4 Games in North America. Same umpires, same horses. All we need is some sponsors. We will beat them. If tied we will flip for home of the 9th game. WE ARE NOT RUNNING !! - Steve Crowder