ALL GO POLO ON SNOW

By Susan Redstone

Crestview crunches Land Rover

Beneath the stunning backdrop of Aspen mountain and a town lit for Christmas reveling, even a heavy snow storm could not dampen the determination of  L’Hostaria, Land Rover, Roaring Fork Polo Team and Crestview Farms who battled out the two-day tournament for the Ninth World Snow Polo Championship in Aspen, Colorado, December 20-21.   The first semi final matche took place on Saturday,  with team Land Rover, headed up by 7-goaler John Gobin in a 2-2 tie against Roaring Fork led by 7-goaler Luis Escobar and the 5-goaler host of the competition, Barry Stout. The Roaring Fork team sportingly allowed team Land Rover to proceed to the finals the following day. Alan Meeker’s Crestview Farms team with 6-golaer Alan Martinez and 4-goaler John Eicher played L’Hostaria second and came out triumphant with a 4-3 win. In the finals on Sunday, under a perfect bluebird sky, Crestview dominated Land Rover with an 8-5 win, with Martinez scoring five goals earning him the Loro Piana Most Valuable Player gift to add to his Catena watch, the official Snow Polo timepiece and awarded to players on the winning team. The Most Valuable Pony award was given to Cherry Berries, the bay mare ridden in the final by Martinez  and owned by Barry Stout.

In true Aspen style, a slew of parties dotted the weekend, creating a truly convivial tournament, keeping the activities off the field as lively as on. Spectacular skiing conditions made the weekends activities jam packed and back to back – with players jumping off skis and on to ponies and as fast their legs could carry them. The Ritz-Carlton sponsored party at The Aspen Gallery at Highlands to benefit the Windwalker Theraputic Riding Program drew a huge crowd of horse lovers, beyond Colorado’s Polo scene. And the greet-the-media night at host hotel The Limelight Lodge preceded an Italian evening at sponsor L’Hostaria restaurant. Snow polo in Aspen wouldn’t be complete without the Saturday night supper at the  iconic Caribou Club, and this year’s meal was an elegant and sumptuous affair and a fitting social finale.

Said Barry Stout, whose Roaring Fork Polo Club hosted the event, and who provided all the horses that live year round at his Stout Ranch, at 8,000 ft. “There’s no place in the world like Aspen to do snow polo. This year we had the biggest crowds yet.” The town known for being a celebrity favorite didn’t disappoint. Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright who was in town for her book signing graciously presented the trophies and prizes on Sunday afternoon before everyone departed happily for the Christmas holiday with snow filled memories. Soon after, heavy snow resumed falling once again and due to a truck break down, the hospitality tent, once the weekend’s field-side heated headquarters imploded the next morning under two feet of snow!

For more information about the upcoming 2009 Tenth World Snow Polo Championship go to www.worldsnowpolo.com Or call 970-566-0818