BS: What is wrong with polo?

Subject: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,Uncle Boko
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 06:00 AM

I am curious as to what it is that folks who post on forums have against the game of polo. No harm in that question is there?

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 06:10 AM

I didn't realise that folks who post on forums had anything against the game of polo. Perhaps they worry about the horses?

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: John O'L
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 06:10 AM

Each period of play is called a chukka.

Isn't that enough?

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,Black Hawk unlogged
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 06:14 AM

Its because a polo has no substance - OK outside but nothing in the middle. LOL

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 06:17 AM

When I had a girl friend who owned a horse, I always kept a few Polos in my pocket, as the horse loved them.
Perhaps I should get that horse to post her thoughts on here.
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 06:19 AM

I tried water polo but kept drowning the horses.

:D

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 06:37 AM

Do I hear Tommy Cooper revolving in his grave Dave?
G.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,Uncle Boko
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 07:09 AM

But why do the working classes scorn polo when at the same time worship football. There is a great amount of skill involved in riding at up to 40 miles per hour on a horse and controlling the chukka (ball) more, I'd wager than spitting! And of course music journalists out there, they speak properly don't they, and the Argentine Polo Players speak better English than many of the working class oiks here don'y they - maybe that's the problem - inni'!!

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,PMB
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 07:33 AM

GUB: perhaps it's something to do with that, with capital costs and costs of feeding, stabling, insurance, transport, medical bills and so on, only the fairly wealthy can own a horse at all, after they've bought the house and couple of SUVs. And playing polo without a horse is said to be rather painful, even more so than rugby league in slippers. And if you can afford a horse, it's likely to be little Diana who's riding it, and the biggest risk the insurance you can afford will allow is a little prancing over stripy broomsticks.

So perhaps the fact that you and your mates can play football with a minimum investment of four coats and a ball makes polo seem a little remote to those who would probably be told to get lorst even if they went along to watch. And the observation that the occupants of shiny 15 foot high 4x4s often pay less income tax than a phone centre slave might make their attitude a little less than warmly inclusive.

A little over 200 years ago, when the well- off of a nearby foreign land made tax- dodging and showing off an artform, some objectors eventually rewarded them with free cephalotomies. The way things are going, this history could repeat itself, the first time as tragedy, the second time on the Discovery Channel.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,Uncle Boko
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 08:00 AM

Yes but why the all the inverted snobbery about polo? - you only have to walk around the 20,000 crowds at Cowdray park and Guards to see many people from all walks of life having a damn good day out, without even a speck of trouble. Where are the music journalists today?

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 09:08 AM

Uncle boko is an arse, he only posts here because he's been banned by the BBC.

eric

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Rapparee
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 09:10 AM

I don't care for their clothes. Rather buy my stuff from Land's End.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,Uncle Boko
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 10:13 AM

"Uncle boko is an arse, he only posts here because he's been banned by the BBC".

And Folk Roots and TripAdvisor, all run by control freaks.

Eric the red - I appreciate your appreciation!!! See you at Guards on Sunday.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Captain Ginger
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 10:17 AM

I'm puzzled, I confess. Either Uncle Boko is a rambling simpleton or he's an unsubtle troll. Either way, I'm not sure of the relevance of his post. Typical of the riff-raff that wash up here after muddying other waters, I suppose...

As for polo, assuming Boko has the slightest interest in anyone's views or experiences (which I doubt), having stamped the divots down a couple of times myself I can see the attraction of the game for the players, but it's not a terrific spectator sport. And not one for southpaws - it's against the rules to play left-handed (perhaps understandably, given the risks). Other than disgruntled left-handers, however, I wasn't aware of any prejudice.
And the ball is called a ball, not a chukka, Boko.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Stu
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 10:30 AM

If we assume the demographic trend of Mudcat members broadly reflects that of the general population, then the reason many people might not be fond of Polo is because it's a game for toffs.

Now, I'm sure they all have a fine day out, enjoy Pimms and canapes on the bonnet of their 4x4 at half-time and quite rightly too, but most people don't have the money or mix in the same social circles as Polo people. It's just a bit of old-fashioned class prejudice - plenty of that on both sides of the great (financial) divide.

I've never seen a game of polo, but I'd rather watch the Villa any day of the week (although it's probably cheaper to get in to see a polo game than a premiership match - but then you're not likely to get a decent cup of Bov at half-time).

Bostin!

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: John Hardly
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 10:36 AM

thank god for jonas salk.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 10:48 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polo

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,PMB
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 10:52 AM

although it's probably cheaper to get in to see a polo game than a premiership match

Damn sight. £10 for two plus car parking, £20 odd pounds for special events. Still, the last I payed for a spectator sport was about £2.50 at Salford RL about 25 years ago.

I can't see why the local youths shouldn't take up motorbike polo though, they ride all over the place anyway and insurance shouldn't be a barrier, since none of them have registrations let alone licences. Maybe do it Afghan style with a dead goat, or pensioner.

No, it's the Politics of Envy, which is so much worse than the Politics of The Other Six Deadly Sins.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Wesley S
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 11:28 AM

There nothing wrong with Polo that a few good Texas rodeo riders couldn't improve upon. Polo as it's played now is just plain boring. Now if you were to play the game on wild mustangs instead of tame horses things would get interesting. Or if you insist on using the namby-pamby horses you use now the game could be spiced up by adding a wild bull to the field. With rodeo clowns. Maybe two or three longhorn cattle too. Or a greased pig. Now you've got a game that Americans would be willing to watch.

I'11 bet the sales of Coors Light would be astronomical.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,Uncle Boko
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 11:56 AM

Namby pamby horses - oh yeah, try telling that to Luke & Mark Tomlinson and some of the Argentine 10 goal players!!

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Wesley S
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 12:05 PM

OK - Maybe I should just call them "pretty".

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: mandotim
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 12:16 PM

Isn't polo the cissy, Westernised version of Buzkashi, the Afghan game played with a dead goat as a ball and no rules about not killing each other or other niceties like that? I'd make Buzkashi compulsory sport at all Public Schools, and for anyone earning over a given level. Increase Death Duties to 100% for the very rich, and bingo; instant wealth redistribution. Mind you, I was upset when they banned foxhunting; used to kill a dozen of the b+£$%@£ds a year.

I am currently licking the inside of my buccinator, by the way.
Tim :)

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Rapparee
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 01:01 PM

Play it with severed heads, the way it oughta be.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Wesley S
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 01:11 PM

The more I think about the greased pig the more I like it. The players could dive off of their pretty horses and catch the pig for extra points. It would leave the the team short a man for awhile but the extra points might be worth it. The player with the most extra points per game {lets call them "piggy points"} would win a big bag of pork rinds.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Rapparee
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 01:16 PM

Grease the horses and tack, too.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Wesley S
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 01:35 PM

Great idea. It's getting more interesting all the time.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 02:07 PM

There's nothing wrong with polo, but if participation were a prerequisite for developing an appreciation for a sport, polo would be appreciated by less than one per-cent of the population. Face it, there are only two ways to get to play polo: one can have enough money to finance playing the game oneself, or one can play for a benefactor or government subsidized team that's willing to put up the money.

There are other "elitist" sports, but one can learn them in decidedly non-elitist fashions. One can learn golf while working as a cart-boy, tennis by playing on public courts, and sailing on any variety of relatively inexpensive boats. But the only way to learn polo is to sit on a polo pony, and that seat doesn't come cheaply.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Metchosin
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 02:17 PM

Aw, the Americans are just pissed 'cause Canada cleaned their clocks and took the North American division this year.

However, if you are interested in a really expensive sport, try getting heavily into NASCAR. Come to think of it, aside from transportation, polo is pretty Green. LOL

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,ibo
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 02:35 PM

boring game played by boring toffs and watched by boring toffs,absolute rubbish

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Rapparee
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 03:44 PM

NASCAR: Expensive billboards burning petroleum by driving around in circles at a high rate of speed.

NASCAR fan: Someone drinking beer while waiting for a car wreck.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,Ms Penelope Rutledge
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 04:16 PM

There is nothing wrong with polo, you silly man! It's a noble and splendid game, appreciated by anyone with a modicum of good taste.

I know exactly what you're up to. You're just trying to stir up trouble between the commoners and the upper classes. You're an instigator. Go back to your darts and your soccer hooliganism. I'm sure your "mates" (such as "ibo" above) are missing you terribly...

* PR

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Cluin
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 04:20 PM

It stinks, that's what is wrong with it. Don't all those teenage boys who slather it on themselves in the morning before going out to highschool have the sense of smell they were born with anymore?

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 04:27 PM

On second thought, the fact that one must have money or connections to play polo is not the fault of the sport or its players at all, but due to the attitudes of typical horse owners toward the sport. There are plenty of people of moderate means who own horses, and there's absolutely nothing to stop them from playing polo just for the hell of it. All they'd need would be an empty pasture and a few pieces of equipment. No, the horses wouldn't necessarily be polo ponies, but the stock cars a few of my neighbors race at the local dirt track on Saturday nights aren't NASCAR machines either.

So why don't horse owners play polo for fun? Because of reverse snobbery. The horse owners themselves have let the wealthy co-opt what should be a popular horse sport. Middle-class horse owners don't play polo simply because of its upper-class associations.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,Ms Penelope Rutledge
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 04:34 PM

Brilliantly put, Bee-dubya-ell. You have hit the nail on the head.

* PR

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Rapparee
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 05:39 PM

Well, I'm going to try to start a polo club out here in Pocatello, Idaho. We got lots of horseflesh and riders; heck, some folks been ridin' since they was babies. Gonna use stock ponies and western saddles, of course. Do you think that mallet will git tangled in the lariat?

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Cluin
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 05:43 PM

Use a baseball, a ball-pein hammer and ATVs.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,Ms Penelope Rutledge
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 05:44 PM

I should think that with the wide open spaces out there in Idaho, Rapaire, you should have a perfect setting for some ripping games of polo.

* PR

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 06:58 PM

I've always enjoyed watching polo, but, like most spectator sports, it's best watched live. (Plus I haven't watched television since 1983.)

Used to watch the Milwaukee Polo Club -- very informal spectator seating. Bring your own lawnchairs, wine, lunch, etc.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: EBarnacle
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 09:38 PM

One of the beauties of polo is that there is a real chance that some upper class twit might get whacked severely and become injured to the point of becoming unable to reproduce.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Rapparee
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 09:55 PM

We're getting up a polo club out here. Nobody's quite sure of the rules so we're gonna start with croquet mallets and golf balls and play it on the soccer fields and use the soccer goals. Is there a goalie in polo, or should we just wing it?

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 10:47 PM

No, wait, wait! I've got it! A cross between polo and jousting! Percherons instead of polo ponies, full body armor, a lance in the left hand and a polo mallet in the other, maces and battle-axes at the ready in waist belts for hand-to-hand if unhorsed!

No, wait, wait again! Even better! A cross between polo and skeet! Each player has a mallet and a 12 gauge shotgun. If a team is on defense they can just blast hell out of the ball. Shooting a grounded ball merely results in a change of possession, but shooting a rolling or flying ball scores one point.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: EBarnacle
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 11:26 PM

Instead of shooting the ball, shoot at the person attempting to advance the ball to the goal. Remember that the point is to destroy twits.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,Ms Penelope Rutledge
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 11:28 PM

You're a real innovator, aren't you, Bee-dubya-ell? I think the medieval approach would make for splendid pageantry. I'm going to suggest it to the Twillingsgate polo club and see what they say. The 12 gauge shotgun variant sounds very North American, though. It wouldn't do in Shropshire or Kent. I imagine that's just how they would like to do it in Kentucky, from what I've heard.

Ebarnacle, you might be surprised to know that some of the upper class "twits" you refer to are seemingly unable to reproduce even without the severe polo whackings you suggest. I'm not sure if it's a problem of genetic nature or if it stems from acquired attitudes...but never fear, the present enormous advantage in numbers that your class holds over those in the upper echelons is in no danger of being diminished, particularly given the fact that most of you breed like stray cats.

* PR

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: John O'L
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 11:39 PM

"The Geebung Polo Club" by Banjo Paterson.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,Ms Penelope Rutledge
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 11:51 PM

Absolutely classic, John! Bravo!

* PR

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,Uncle Boko
Date: 25 Jul 07 - 04:39 AM

I've a much better idea, shoot at the working class oiks playing foo'baw, as they call it. Then force them all to take speech therapy.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Wesley S
Date: 25 Jul 07 - 09:15 AM

Bring your lunch. There are a lot more football players than there are polo players and fans put together. And you can include the namby-pamby horses too.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Rapparee
Date: 25 Jul 07 - 09:29 AM

Well, the Pocatello Pony, Polo and Potation Club had their first match last night and introduced a technique that will revolutionize polo. Bootheel McClyde got so caught up in the match that he roped the ball! Yes, the PPPP has introduced the use of the lariat to polo! There are two new positions, header and heeler, and they're experimenting with ball wrestlin', except they can't figure out what to tie up with a piggin' string.

The Club members are also considering changing the name of the sport to "Rodepolo" (pronounced "ro-DEP-olo") and possibly combining the game with bull riding and bronc bustin' and barrel racing.

They hope the Limeys English don't mind.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,ibo
Date: 25 Jul 07 - 10:44 AM

it would be better fun if you had to use the horses dicks to hit the ball with

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Wesley S
Date: 25 Jul 07 - 10:54 AM

Rapaire - Instead of roapin the ball have you considered catching it with a big bass fishing net?

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Greg B
Date: 25 Jul 07 - 10:56 AM

Here in my home of Bucks County PA, we have a polo grounds
right along the banks of the Delaware river, sandwiched
between river and hill. On weekends, a rather unpretentious
bunch of congenial folks come out and play a match.

Other congenial folks come out, bring picnic lunches, spread
out their blankets and enjoy the follies. Some bring vintage
cars. There's a bit of a competition for who can bring the
most extravagant picnic, but it's all in good fun.

Some time back, the local paper did a feature on the players.
By and large middle class folk, who in many cases don't own
the horses they ride on. Apparently a lot of horse owners aren't
crazy enough to play the game, and a lot of the folks crazy
enough to play the game don't have the means or urge to own a
horse.

I have the impression that the game is rather hard on the horses,
what with all the stops and sudden turns and such. But so are
pole-bending and barrel-racing and cattle-cutting in the Western
World, and so is steeple-chase and (to lesser extent) show-jumping
in the English world. All seem harder on the riders than on the
horses in many cases; all give the horses a purpose.

As to costs, experience tells me that a large breed dog is really
as expensive to keep fed and healthy as a hardy horse. Hay is cheap;
first-rate kibble is expensive. The vet costs the same either way,
only health insurance on a horse is far more obtainable. Now, if
you pay someone else to do all for your horse, that's an expense,
but that's a choice not a requirement.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,Uncle Boko
Date: 25 Jul 07 - 04:59 PM

We've just arrived back from our polo club and didn't notice any so called "toffs" there, just nice educated country folks. It's incredible how lefties have so many hang ups.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Rapparee
Date: 25 Jul 07 - 05:05 PM

Some cops stopped the rodepolo match some of the guys 'n' gals were holding up at the University's soccer field. Seems like they thought it might be fun to move the ball along with bullets from a Colt's .45 revolver.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 25 Jul 07 - 05:47 PM

That's the trouble with cops. No sense of humor and precious little imagination either...

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Rapparee
Date: 25 Jul 07 - 06:56 PM

It may also have been related to Slim whistling a jig while Rexy provided the reason for the cop to "dance."

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 25 Jul 07 - 07:01 PM

Prince Charles used to play polo. One day he hurt his hand and they took him to the nearest hospital - Queens Medical in Nottingham.

They cordoned off two floors one to keep him on the one below to keep his security staff on. he was there a week.

God knows how many operations were delayed and how much it cost the local health authorities to sort out his polo wound. Princess di came to visit him one day and there squadrons of coppers all over the hospital on full alert.

I'm sure its an okay sport, but it attracts some very dodgy people who piss most of the population off. the polo player in Howards Way turned out to be a villain as well.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: John O'L
Date: 25 Jul 07 - 08:36 PM

Kerry Packer played polo and he was a rich arsehole. I have nothing against rich people, but rich arseholes have greater scope for arseholery than poor ones.
"It's incredible how lefties have so many hang ups." No hang-ups, just clear vision obscured by poverty.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,sinky
Date: 25 Jul 07 - 09:08 PM

i have nothing against toffs,but come on,it is a bloody boring piss poor example of a sport.Its even worse than basketball where the only ability required is to be a fecking 7 foot freak.WHY dont they raise the basket another four foot and see how good they really are.Slam dunk my arse.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Rapparee
Date: 25 Jul 07 - 09:21 PM

You probably wouldn't like it if your ass was slam-dunked.

Not being one who watches sports much (I prefer to play than to watch) I find most of them to be bores. NASCAR is just cars driving around in a circle, polo is a bunch people abusing horses, dog racing is people abusing dogs, and most of the rest are people abusing themselves or others.

Golf is people abusing their balls.

Give me something to do, like shooting, fencing, archery, hunting, fishing, hiking, camping.... All of these are boring as hell to those watching, but exciting to those involved.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,ibo
Date: 25 Jul 07 - 09:34 PM

spot on Rapaire,couldnt have said it better myself

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: John O'L
Date: 26 Jul 07 - 04:21 AM

I agree too Rapaire. My son and I have just recently taken up archery and we love it. I can't imagine what it must be like to watch, but doing it takes you to a whole new world.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,Uncle Boko
Date: 26 Jul 07 - 04:51 AM

"polo is a bunch (of) people abusing horses" - what lefty rubbish are you talking here? What ignorance - polo horses are treated with the utmost care and respect.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 26 Jul 07 - 11:52 AM

Never, never make the mistake of taking every single word Rapaire says seriously, Uncle Boko. His central purpose in life is to make everyone's day a little more surreal. ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Rapparee
Date: 26 Jul 07 - 12:09 PM

In the US we don't eat horses....

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 26 Jul 07 - 01:01 PM

very wise, they might bite back

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Greg B
Date: 26 Jul 07 - 02:02 PM

One bit me a week ago Sunday. Didn't hardly hurt me, but he felt
real bad about it and has since been more careful of where his
mouth is when he chomps down. So it was worth it.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: sneeble
Date: 26 Jul 07 - 05:09 PM

I used to play polocrosse, as recreational fun. Fun, fast and takes a fair bit of skill to get a horse to chase after a ball the size of a tennis ball. It was a darned sight cheaper than the other equestrian disciplines I did.
Never saw any class distinction, as most people turned up in gumboots and jeans anyway with their old trucks. The worst offenders for being sucked into town and country fashions were the spectators who would come out from the city to watch and of course the odd girl who wanted to get a guy from the country (yep I have seen them - they are scary and single-mindedly aggressive).

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Greg B
Date: 26 Jul 07 - 06:04 PM

"the odd girl who wanted to get a guy from the country (yep I have seen them - they are scary and single-mindedly aggressive)."

ObFolk:

Oh I wish they'd do it now, oh I wish they'd do it now
I've got itches in me britches and I wish they'd do it now!

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Rapparee
Date: 26 Jul 07 - 06:48 PM

I'm a Horse Whisperer. A horse named Cheyenne bit my right arm and held on, his eyes looking at me like "What ya gonna do now, sucker?" I gently reached up, grabbed his right ear, and whispered, "Let go right now or I'll twist your f****n' ear off, you ^%#@*#*&$^!!!."

And he did let go.

You just have to know how to talk to them.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Greg B
Date: 26 Jul 07 - 07:18 PM

I can't imagine dealing with a biter, day in and day out. I want
the ones I can trust to park their nose on my 5 o'clock shadow
and enjoy the scratchiness, or to stick their nostril on my
lips and exchange breaths and thoughts for a couple of minutes.

(That's what 'horse whispering' actually is; horses are telepaths
and communicate with each other this way. If you don't believe me,
watch two horses put their nostrils together and breathe back
and forth just before they gang up on you with a brilliant plan
to get the better of you and make you spill a bucket of grain.
There's nothing unusual or fantastic about it.)

This afternoon, while the two horses were in a stall having finished
their grain and were munching on some hay, it still being 85 degrees
out, I was filling the water troughs out in the field. The stall door
was open to the field. I called the name of the 5-year-old Rocky
Mountain Horse who's just starting his training, but who seems to
like me for some silly reason.

He stopped eating, trotted outside in the heat and flies, came up to me and seemed to say 'So, whaddya need me to do, boss?'

Made my day.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Rapparee
Date: 26 Jul 07 - 09:44 PM

Well, in Cheyenne's defense he'd been moved to Maine from Montana and he wasn't my horse; I was just bein' friendly. I just kinda talked to him in the language I figgered he'd have heard in Montana. Bite left bruises for two weeks, though.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 27 Jul 07 - 06:32 AM

I think that most dislike of sports such as polo comes from the English socialist middle classes who think they ought to be working class, wouldn't be seen dead owning a house, and simply resent anybody who has money sufficient to fund polo.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: TheSnail
Date: 27 Jul 07 - 07:05 AM

simply resent anybody who has money sufficient to fund polo.

Fitzgerald: The rich are different from us.
Hemingway: Yes. They've got more money.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 27 Jul 07 - 07:39 AM

Ah, is it envy of the money, is it envy that people own their houses, is that what it is?

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 27 Jul 07 - 01:46 PM

look we don't demonstrate against it - we're simply not interested. why can't you live with our complete indifference?

Its for cavalry officers - most our Dads were in the PBI in the war.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Rapparee
Date: 27 Jul 07 - 02:04 PM

Hell, I was PBI during the Vietnam time. I know guys who are PBI now.

None of the PBI I knew and know gave much of a damn about polo.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 27 Jul 07 - 06:13 PM

"Its for cavalry officers - most our Dads were in the PBI in the war"

Inverted snobbery again, absolute rubbish - gente no como uno!

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 27 Jul 07 - 06:31 PM

I love those horse whispering stories! Great stuff. I bet they are telepaths.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 27 Jul 07 - 06:44 PM

gente no como uno!

its easy for you to say that....

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Amos
Date: 27 Jul 07 - 06:45 PM

Here in San Diego, just by UCSD, we have a whole plaze and research institute erected to the memory of Jonas Salk, who fought so hard to eradicate polo.

A

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 27 Jul 07 - 06:45 PM

I'll have the garlic bread

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: TheSnail
Date: 27 Jul 07 - 08:13 PM

Fairly non-descript little car. Don't know what all the fuss is about.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 03:37 AM

Traditionally in England, wealthy men, known as "patrons", fund polo teams. In a sport where players are ranked on a handicap system from -2 to 10, most patrons don't get much beyond 1, so they pay top dollar to play alongside the best – up to £250,000 per player for a three-month English season. It is like Roman Abramovich turning out for Chelsea. Like Abramovich, they want the best – and the best polo players, and their mounts, come from Argentina. There are ten 10-goalers in world polo and 16 playing off nine, all of them Argentinians. Of that 26, 24 are in England this summer playing "high-goal" polo, where the aggregate handicaps of the four players in the team have to add up to between 17 and 22 goals. In the case of Apes Hill, Luke and Mark are both rated 7 goals while Morley is one of the best 5-goal players in Europe. Those in the know say that Hitchman is under-handicapped at 3.

No all-English team has won the Gold Cup since the Duke of Edinburgh's Windsor Park amateurs in 1969, although the Tomlinson boys do know what it is like to win polo's top trophy. In 2003, they triumphed with an unfancied Anglo-South African team.

"That team was not as well-backed and mounted as this one," Luke says intensely. "We have to have a chance, but top players can be nothing unless they have top horses, which can cost around £70,000 each," he explains.

Each player in a top team needs perhaps ten horses to play a match of six seven-minute periods, known as chukkas. Players may change mounts twice or more per chukka. Some patrons supply all the horses; the Apes Hill boys buy and breed their own.

"Next to playing it's the most fun. Though you need to be really organised to be successful at this game," says Morley, who has to earn enough from playing fees and breeding to fund a back-up team of five. "Off the field, you spend your year organising and training your horses and going round the world to find mounts to improve your string." The quartet also spend a lot of time brushing up their patron contacts: "If you've had a good season, they come looking for you," says Hitchman, who plays winters in Australia and Barbados. "If not, you have to go hunting around a bit," he adds with English understatement.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,ibo
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 05:22 AM

a horse once whispered to me, GET THIS FAT RICH ARSEHOLE OFF MY BACK AND LET ME EAT SOME GRASS

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 05:26 AM

Oh Amos!

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 05:51 AM

Some grass under Beckam's boots once whispered to me - GET THIS FAT RICH ARSEHOLE OFF MY BACK,TEACH HIM TO SPEAK PROPERLY AND LET ME BREATH!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 07:07 AM

As that guy said in Amadeus, I can see you are passionate, but you don't convince......

I live in Nottingham, where is my nearest Polo Match?

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,ibo
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 08:31 AM

what,nottingham doesnt have a polo team,golly gosh how damn awful.I will be contacting the Windsors immediately old chap.Come to Middlesbrough,its common place around here.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 08:38 AM

Bonzo3legs - Did you just whip that bit of polo-journalism off the top of your head, or did you copy it without giving any credit where credit's due?

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 09:25 AM

they must be playing polo somewhere round here - otherwise they wouldn't have brought Prince charles to the Queens medical Centre.

Its not in Whats On in Nottingham guide - I can tell you that much. I would have noticed.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 09:29 AM

"or did you copy it without giving any credit where credit's due?"

Register and I'll find out!

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 10:04 AM

I would assume you already know ... don't you?

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 12:40 PM

What do you mean "I would assume you already know ... don't you? "

Sounds a little aggressive to me. Tone it down lad.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 01:01 PM

Aggressive? Maybe something's getting lost in the cross-pond translation - son.

What I mean is: surely you know whether the piece of writing in question is original or not, without having to 'find out'. But my point is, really, that you appear to have copied & pasted a piece of writing, and it would be good form to indicate where it came from. That's all.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 02:40 PM

Is it really, I had no idea. Here is the link

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/article2083698.ece?token=null&offset=12

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 02:41 PM

Hooray it works!

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 03:55 PM

Okay - now we're all happy.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 04:14 PM

But once on the internet is public domain, this side of the pond, and that's what counts here.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 04:18 PM

Oh - we're not all happy!

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 04:38 PM

Of course I'm happy - even happier when BBC6 music puts up the Fairport session from last night.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 05:21 PM

Okay, as long as you're happy, I'm happy - isn't that what I'm always telling you?

Or is that - wait - that's someone else - forget it!

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: gnu
Date: 28 Jul 07 - 05:45 PM

MARCO!

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jul 07 - 05:53 AM

See you at Cartier!!!

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 29 Jul 07 - 05:56 AM

See you at Cartier - champagne packed!!

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 29 Jul 07 - 06:39 AM

Just reading through the article you DO get a feeling, if one were to attend a polo match - there would be lots of pewople there you would really try to avoid, in the ordinary way of things.

Look at this thread - they are staying away in droves - just at the mention of the sport.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 29 Jul 07 - 04:24 PM

Well, it was a magnificent afternoon at the Cartier Polo day at Queen's Lawn in Windsor Great Park, with Chile beating England 9-8 - a very exciting game, and the Veuve Clicquot champagne, a present was wonderful. They certainly didn't stay away in droves, I heard 25,000 were there.

Subject: RE: BS: What is wrong with polo?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 30 Jul 07 - 01:40 PM

I forgot, the polo game will be broadcast on Sky, what ever that is next week!