The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-01-24

Wnlcn Is undoubtedly one OF the cleV-
crest and speediest polo ponies in the
world"
An instance which happened berore
the writer's own eyes may be mention
ed. The Meadowbrook men were plav-
an officer who was hard up sent his
best pony over to Harry Rich (who
is horse dealer by trade, though he
played No. ! in the English team
against America in the second match),
n the hope that one of the Americans
would buy it. Rich drew ]. NJ Water
oury's attention to the pony, and af-
ter this American player had ridden
s for part of the game, he finished by
,uying the pony for $2,625.
Miller Brothers Not Sportsmen.
While no one has ever objected to
the brothers Miller executing their
deals" they brought matters to
crisis last summer by refusing to lend
Unless c. D. Miller was chosen in the
English team. This action naturally
aroused a great deal of indignation in
al the clubs, and the question of
whether English polo should be gov
srned in such an unsportsmanlike man
ner at once became widely discussed.
The Hurlinghame club tried to pla-
cate it's critics by inviting the other
eading clubs-Roehampt and Rane.
agh, as well as the Army and County
Polo assOciatlon-to send representa-
tives to a meeting to choose the seq
the club made sure that it would have
a majority on the committee, Ranelagh
refused, so that the English team was
really chosen by Maj. F. Egerton
Green, manager of Hurlinghame: Capt.
E. D. Miller and C. D. Miller of Roe
hampton.
| Polo players have now decided to
end the domination of dealers who, If
not cleared out of the game entirely,
! certainly will not be allowed to govern
| it as they have hitherto done
birmingham Manager Bury.
| Even Maj Egerton Green, whose po-
sition as manager of the birmingham
club makes him the official chief of
English polo-for the. birmingham
rules govern the game-has not hest
tated to make money by selling his
best ponies when fancy prices were Of
fered; and his trading and the COM
mercia1 propensities of the Millers
combined with their refusal to lend
ponies, have all tended to bring Hur-
| bingham down from it's high estate
Players now demand that all future In
tternational matches between England
and America shall be arranged and
managed by board of control, which
will be responsible for selecting the
team, and also getting together the
best ponies in the British isles Need
less to say, Ranelagh is strongly in
favor of this new departure, and in
discussing the question with the writer
a few days ago prominent member,
and player, of the Ranelagh club said:
1.-The question of how our matches
with America will be managed is very
important. In fact, the whole future OF
polo in England is really affected by it.
The Ranelagh club has long been OF
the opinion that everything connected
with these contests should be placed
in the hands of a properly constituted
board of control. It would represent al
sections of players, and it's sole object
would be to choose the best men and
secure the best ponies
"This would settle the pony difficult
ty at once; for, naturally, those who
had appointed the board would be
anxious to assist it's members, and
there is not a player in England OF
ireland who would not willingly lend
his best ponies to men who were chosen
on their merits as players to represent
England against America.
Horse Dealers Too Active.
But when we find horse dealers
practically telling the Hurlinghan
club that they won't lend them their
ponies unless a certain person is chos-
en- in the team, it is about time some
drastic measures were taken to alter
this state of things.
"The Nottingham club is largely de-
|pendent on gate money; and this fact
frequently must influence the commit
tees decision. 1t is the knowledge tina,
such is the case that makes so many
of us anxious to have an independent
body to deal with international con-
tests.
Polo has spread so rapidly In recen,
Il 4 he.