Feb. 26th, '03: Fabulous February Flashes - There were some outstanding performances by many players in Feb. Here are my picks & congragulations: 4-goal Ford Trucks- and Randy Russel 40's gang including Juan Martin,Scott Cunningham, Jay and Tania Paneno. MVP on the team that lost the finals - Enrique Diaz.
8-goal Mercari - Lee Pettigrew and Smoking Joe Henderson had to share MVP with Rhi Hosea. They had help from the Palomino (Jason Crowder) and Chris Nevins did a fine job subbing. MVP on the team that lost - Ashton Wolfe
14-goal Fish Creek with Macho Man (Julio Zavaleta) made it happen, but Sunday it was the Midget (Tomas Pieres) and The Big Mac (Fred Mannix). They were both outstanding in the finals. The Big Mac made his own birthday present and the Midget was flying and his taco was a Dundee stick on Duende. The MVP from the team that lost the finals was Fati Reynot.
Today, Wed., is the skins draw which is set to blow out on Sunday. See ya
Feb. 24th, '03:Fabulous Feb Ends In 40's
It was not going to happen this weekend if you did not have some 40's on your team. On Sat. in the 40-goal at Boca Raton it was the old man Memo Gracida playing on the winning 40-goal team. In Indio, CA it was in the 40's. SMOKING JOE Henderson smoked Casa Blanca with the Canadian freight train Mercari. On Sunday in West Palm Beach it was in the 40's. Skeeter Johnson and Owen Rhinehart won the Hall Of Fame Cup with the Everglades. In the Desert in the 40's it wqas Julio Macho Man (Zavaleta) winning the Feb. 14-Goal goal league finals with Fish Creek. There is something to being in the 40's.
Well Feb. was great and Fish Creek is right back were they left off last Feb. The Big Mac (Fred Mannix) had a birthday and one hell of a game as they stepped on Duende. the overtime Kings of the month and it was no OT. The Canadians kind of owned CA this weekend. Just like 4 weeks ago, MR.MANNIX won in polo and Mike Weir another Canadian won in golf in the L.A. Open and Lee Pettigrew won the 8-goal. The games were quite a lot of fun this month as the Midget (Tomas Pieres) came back to get a bronze and he did. He flew by the Duende crowd and if he missed the Big Mac or Macho Man were feeding it back to him. They never said who was MVP, but it had to be the Midget. It was also in the 40's whth Randy Russell winning with Ford Trucks in the 4-goal finals. I hear it was also a very good Game with another Baby Macho Man, Julio's nephew Juan Martin Zavaleta. He is around 15 or 16. It all points to the graybeards now for a weekend and the start of the Skins this Friday.
Take a break or come and see them over 40 boys go.
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Saturday, Feb. 22nd, '03: Smokin Joe It Is
JOE MAY BE ABOUT TO LEAVE THE LAND OF THE BRAVE & FREE, but it won't be soon enough for the White House that Dudley built. The Canadian freight train (Mercari) took the only undefeated team downtown yesterday and give them a whipping. A wee little lady named Rhi was stuffing the goal as she was in the land of landing bombs and took them to the hoop often. The Little Lady scored four on the Wolfe who also played awesome. It was a very good game for both sides and no one could say goodbye until the final bell. Both teams had leads, but gave them back. Outstanding play by Mr. Pettigrew. Rhi was the deciding factor when it was all over. Joe was smoking as he won the throw-ins and then hit the bomb. Earlier in the morning he could not win the long ball contest. Joe only hit the ball about 127 yards during the contest, but at noon during the finals on the first # 5 the ball hit 2 feet from the goal rolled through 30 yards for a total of approx. 170 yards or so. Must have been the pressure of all 7 fans at the long ball contest.
The Casa Blanca team was undefeated coming into the finals, but so was Redwood just 24 hours before. Casa Blanca too 2nd place as Mercari is the champion team (Rhi Hosea, Jason Crowder, Joe Henderson and the captain Lee Pettigrew did it all)
In the 2 O'Clock we saw U.S.A. vs Great Britian. It was Mr. Busch being the hero as the US team won by a goal and were happy to hear the bell ring as it was a very determined band of Brits out to defend their Victory last year. This year it was the B Boys Bob Bradley and Busch as they had real estate tycoon Kim Kelly and PVG (Paul Von Gontard) closing the back door on the UK. The British B Boys Borwick and Bossom, who were supported by a flying Peter Hunter and Ms. Suzanne. It was a great day for polo and Sunday will be the same as The Big Mac sends the Green and Gold of Fish Creek after the Blue and Yellow of Duende.
Be there or be so s o r r y you were not. - Steve Crowder
Feb. 20th, '03:The Final 4 or 3
Friday is the day. Do you get to stay or do you play on Sat. or Sunday? Ît starts early at the Cantina Field, so you can have a breakfast burrito and sit back and enjoy as Mr. Clark and the Rollin Danny, with 4 flags flying, takes on the Canadian Lee's machine with the Palomino (Jason Crowder) and Wonder Woman Ms. Hosea. It should be fireworks. Also at 10:00 you can take your coffee and walk 200 yards and watch a big 4-goal semis with Dandy Dan and the Maze collection deal with Gentle George and Ms. Casey. There will be some collisions. Take on a quick lunch at one of the Cantinas and head for the International field as Mr. White sends the house to play a Melody with the Wyoming singing Cowboys and Paul Von Gontard of Melody Ranch. The other 1/2 of the final 4 in the 4-Goal is Ford Truck and Parklane, who meet on Sat.
The only 14-goal game that counts is at 2:30 and it is the Antelope, who took a thrashing from The Big Mac on Sunday, trying to beat Duende for the final spot on field 1 at 2:30 for the bronzes. If it is raining come Sat., there will be some tears seen on Sat. night.
Be there.
Feb. 18th, '03: Nature's Way
Friday and Saturday were won by Mother Nature as rain was the play of the day . We had to watch as she had her way with us last week. Sunday, however, was why people come to Indio, CA every winter. It was an
absolutely perfect day, as Tony says, and there were 30 games played between 10 a.m. and 2.30. So if you needed polo you got it and that's what Eldorado Polo Club can give you.
The Pee Wee and Jr. Polo programs are really going well. They play every Sat. and Sun. Come and see them at 9 a.m. on the field in front of the Cantina. It is really fun to watch.
Sunday started fast as Dandy Dan slid by Lisa Coffin's Park Lane. I believe they both go to the semis. Redwood continued to dominate as Mr. Clark did not get to play his buddy, the Silver Fox, as he is out with some Ribs. Playa Grande went up on Indutech and the Ambassador (Glen Holden) sent his son-in-law to work and he scored 7 goals to put out the lights on Cymric. Curt Hughes Dodge did it in O.T. and stopped Bilo Zariff, who is really fired up now and playing with abandon. Tiny Tom (and Cassidy West) slid by Desert Imaging.
In other 8-goal action the semis were set with Casa Blanca winning first in their bracket beating Mercari. They play Melody Ranch on Friday. Redwood who had a bye goes after Mercari for a trip to the top.
In the 14-goal Silver Bracket it was the Golden Falcon's rolling the Governor and Windsor Capital. Voyager stepped on the Carpets (Mansour). In the Bronze Bracket it was Fish Creek and the Big Mac (Fred Mannix) destroying the Antelope. Duende got to 1 and 1 by getting past Grants Farm in O.T.
Friday is big for many teams. Be there. -Steve Crowder
Feb. 10th, '03: 14-Goal, 8-Goal and 4- Goal Update.
Well Friday was the coldest day of the year and it was also the day of decisions for the 14 goal. You either went up or you went down. Antelope went up and Windsor did not. In the 1 O'Clock it was Mansour and Duende. Duende had it all until the end of the 6th and then Mansour made a big recovery to tie with 30 seconds to go verily misses to win and its o.t. and Duende sticks in thru 297 yards away to go up. So one bracket is set. Antelope and Duende are up and waiting for who? Fish Creek came from behind to surprise the Voyagers. The Golden Falcons did it to Grants Farm, so Fish Creek was in and after counting net goals in the 3 way tie Grants Farm was in by 1 goal. So Bad Brad and Grants Farm had Antelope at breakfast 10 a.m. on Sunday. It was a very good game and plenty of chances, but in the end it was Johnny on the spot Joseph Stuart getting the big play to put them 1 up and give G.F. a minus at the same time. It was the Big Mac and Macho Man putting a big crease in Duende with the Midget (Tomas Pieres) doing a lot of damage. Windsor and the Voyagers got it on at 2:00 and Silent Chris enjoyed his 40th with some amazing goals and play to help win in O.T. The Golden Falcons did it again and won by 1 over Mansour.
You might say the High-Goal, but if you were at Chris and Laura's 40th that was really high-goal. It was the best party I've been to here and they do know how to do. Happy 40's
8-Goal
Friday it was Redwood and Mr. Clark sending PVG (Paul VonGontard) and the Melody Ranch Boys singing a sad song. El Encanto with their new squad did summersaults on Springbok. Saturday stayed cool, but 8-goal was hot as Redwood was up early and done quickly with Gehache and finished before noon on Sat. to go 4 & 0. Cymbric got a rude surprise as Melody Ranch was not in a good mood on Sat. morning. P.V.G wanted to have lunch and he did, but it was Cymbric. Casa Blanca was looking for the party and tripped up for a while in the lettuce, but came back in O.T to put the Dill Pickle back on the lettuce and head to 3 & 0. At the same time it was Mr. Pettigrew (L.P.) doing the waltz on Los Mirasoles and it was Rhi Hosea signing the score card 5 times. When she turns she does burn. On Sunday it was the Silver Fox (Harry Collins) sitting down and to let Grandson Chris have a day and they ruined the Ambassadors day as they beat Gehache. The Rabbit, as Dempsey Mork calls him, has some bruised ribs and sat down. He was probably glad as he would have had a Hosea to catch and it's not a real easy act, even if she has a pony tail. They lost for the first time. L.P. and the Palomino (Jason Crowder) took Smoking Joe Henderson to 4 & 0. Casa Blanca recovered from the lettuce patch and danced on the Springbok.
Even though each team has 1 game to go, the final four are marked with Bronze after their standing.
4-Goal
FRIDAY is a slow day for the 4-Goal as they hide at work and Dandy Dan should have stayed there. The French Connection (Caroline Anier) with Miss Stovall did it again to the champions and beat them again. I think this is 2 out of 3, but they are 3 - 1 and Playa Grande is not. On Sat. Chase Creek with Ms. Hosea helping Dad beat Cellex, as Playboy was shooting someone ugly I am sure. Indutech got by Desert Imaging and Atlant ran into Jumping George and JHHE and came out in second place. Cassidy West and Tiny Tom got parked by Park Lane and on Sunday it was Curt Hughes Dodge running into a Ford Truck and not being Ram tough. The Dodge boys swept by Cellex C and it was Desert Image getting a bad look at Palm Desert on the cantina field. Ford Trucks pulled the JHHE chain too tight and took it away with the Wild Angels. The Canadian Colonel came out and jumped on Tiny Tom and sent them West. It was Atlant coming through with the 4 flags to stop Chase Creek in the showdown in front of the Clubhouse at high noon.
Feb. 6th, '03: You Do Or You Do Not.
You either win tomorrow or you do not move up in the bronze bracket. It is simple as that in the 14-goal. Tomorrow there are some big ones and some sad ones as they really do not matter. At 10 a.m. it does not
really matter as the Governor is going down and Mr. Palmer is going up in the 12.30 between Duende and Mansour. The winner gets a trip to the Roenisch show at 2:30 there is a little excitement as Grants Farm 1 - 1 needs to win and if Fish Creek wins there in. If they lose by 2 there's a problem. If Grants Farm wins against the 12-goal Golden Falcons then they are in. If Fish Creek wins or Voyager wins by 2 (as G.F. is + 1 and F.C. is +1) then Voyager would be -2 if they win by 2. F.C. would be -1 and Voyager would be 0 if G.F. loses and if they win, they are in. Windsor and Golden Falcons are out of the Bronze race, but not out of the silver run. The 8-goal heads into week 2 with a lot of ?'s. 4 teams have no losses and they meet Friday at high noon when John Clark's Redwood take on Melody Ranch. In the 4-goal Palm Desert goes for 3 straight with Dandy Dan as well as Ford Trucks and JHHE. Good luck. Come and see us. - Steve Crowder.
Feb. 2nd, '03: It was a 14 goal bonanza for some patrons in the desert. There was the Bob Hope Blimp spying on polo and golf. There were Canadians winning on the golf course and on the polo fields as Fred Mannix and Mike Weir both had their fans. They thundered to victory both coming from behind to seal the deal.
Fish Creek ran by the Golden Falcons on Friday and stopped Friday's big winners Grants Farm on Sunday by a goal. Fish Creek has started another streak after losing their first tournament in 3 years last week. Grants Farm beat up Silent Chris and the Voyager's on Friday with some high-end action by Andy Busch (AB). His first day in the desert was a big one and a hot one. Fast-etta (Mariano Fassetta) and A.B. combined with Bad Brad Schlei and Mariano Gutierrez to jump on them early and in the noon game when it got nice and warm, it was an unfit Mansour Squad getting drubbed by Antelope.
The 14 goal action continued when Duende won a squeaker over the Governor (Pat Nesbitt) and Mr. Bradley and then got tweaked by the Antelope on Sunday. Windsor ran into a new kid on the block on Sunday named Juan Martin Zavaleta. His Dad played polo and was 9 goals and won the Argentine Open. JMZ, Jr. is on his way. He just made 3 and he is flying down the field at the young age of 16. He looks a little bit like a very fast fly, but the boys in blue thought it was a bee as he stung them often. The Voyager's got back on Silent Chris' good side winning on Sunday. So after 1 weekend the 14 goal looks like this.
The 14 goal is only the beginning. There are 11 teams in the 8 goal and 12 in the 4 goal.
There were some very good games on Fri., Sat. & Sunday and there will be many more in the weeks ahead.
January 30, '03: The Polo Report by Steve Crowder - Fabulous February
It starts tomorrow and you cannot look back as it's time to shine or slime, but it is time. It starts early and it ends late, but the Cantina opens at 4 PM and Beverly is built to make it all look good. It's a brand new Champion Stone Canyon - Grants Farm with a new 1/2 taking on an old foe, The Voyagers with Silent Chris Maloney and boys. When you get done, just move a little and see the Governor (Pat Nesbitt) take on Mr. Haken. Or go to the Clubhouse and see Mansour take it to the Antelope and layback for ten minutes. Then jump on the middle field and see a whole bunch of Zavalata's have it out as the Golden Eagles find out about Fish, who may eat Eagles. The Big Zavaleta (Julio) is Fish Creek. He does have a Midget and 2 old mates and Big Mac is in town. This is high-goal for the day and the 8-goal goes as well. There are 11 teams to see if Casa Blanca can repeat. Harry Collins takes on PVG (Paul Von Gontard) early and John Clark looks for Dyan Pettigrew later and Lee Pettigrew digs in on Mr. Dill and his lettuce soon after and there is no chance of a friendly match on Jan. 31. Its time to see or seem and it has to be.
See ya at p o l o.
