New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-04
Condition of American Ponies
Giving Deepest Concern to
Members of Team.
LACK COURAGE AND SPEED
Withdrawal of Buckmaster a
Disappointment to Both Fours,
and Gives Rise to Criti-
cism in England.


stamp IL as a GROWING achievement 10
be desired-which II IS. Polo officials on
both sides Of the Atlantic Ocean have
had reason TO indorse the declaration
that troubles never come singly. for what
with the great Walter 5. Buckmaster
Withdrawing from the English challeng-
ing team and the ponies down at Meado"
Brook. Long Island. all working off ana
out of condition. there has been suihcleh'
70 rack the stoutest nerves.
ON both sides, American as well as
British. there is nothing but disappoint-
ment over the Withdrawal Of Buckmaster
as captain Of the challenging team. For
a number OF years Buckmaster has stoou
at the topmast pinnacle of English polo
q peer at birmingham, and rated two
Goals better than any other player In the
kingdom. II has been said OF him by
Harry Payne Whitney, captain of the
American cup defending team. as well as
IL. /. Herbert. chairman OF the foio
Association, that for strategy. heau!
playing, riding and mallet work BUCK
master surpasses any player In the woriu
at the present day. That indeed Is high
Draise from qualified judges, and, conse-
ouently. the loss Of Buckmaster must 10
a degree cripple and. handicap the brltons.
While the reason for the withdrawal OF
Buckmaster is officially given as due 10
the injury he sustained 20 his right arm
In nractice A month ago. there Is no
secret made OF the fact that the reason
e deeper within the official circles OF
English polo Nottingham. when mas
r,,led the sport since 1915. and the newly
Instituted County Polo Association. com
nosed OF the younger and more progress
Give men in the sport, are at ODDS. Ihe
English sporting publications have been
euad with charges and recriminations' the
basis of which appears to be that II
nlaver is not a member at birmingham ne
stands little show OF figuring In the i'm
portant tournaments and matches' Ho
matter how good he may be.
Then another element, the fact that the
Duke Of Westminster is financing the
British team. has become an important
mart of the controversy abroad. the ouhe
IS an ardent sportsman He has been OF
the opinion all along, however that SO
long as ne was paying the piper he was
entitled TO say something about the
music That IS the cause for some OF the
harsh criticism meted out TO him IN
ENGLAND. because he is said to have urged
the apDointment Of f. NJ Freake to the
team. This Is said 10 have been against
the wishes Of Buckmaster. There mas
been a growing impression In England
that the old Cantab four, Of when oo'h
Puckmaster and Freake were members
was getting passe. and that with the
obolishment Of the offside rule. the Key
TO the Cantabs' playing. the combination
would be worse than useless
From the final nominations caoied
across the ocean last week 1t Is evident
that the duke has capitulated and that
Younger men are to bear the brunt OF tine
hattl. when the fours clash on the field
at Meadow Brook next month. AS the
tear, stands at this time Captain Leslie
81 George Cheape will play at No. ! ana
Cantain A. Noel Edwards will be at NO. =
and II Is worth noting here that these
are the Identical positions the two occu-
MED In the matches OF 1911. The com
hinaticn work OF the two was sensational
Captain Cheape fesding the ball up 10
Capta,n Edwards whose rough riding
aasbes swept the field, as he scored seven
nj the eight goals that the British team
MADE IN m. two contests The eighth goal
was scored DN captain C'+NNfN-
The changes in the challenging team ap-
near in the position at No. 3, which Is 10
r. Aued nv CAPTAIN r. G. Ritson. who Is
also to pilot the destinies OF the cup SEEK
,rs. and Captain Vivian Lockett Is 10 play
the important position OF back. II is more
than likely that the only reserve player
who will come over will be Loro Woue-
house who is said TO be OF the same oash-
ing. daredevil calibre as the four selected
FOR youth and activity. The entire team
u1ll sail aboard the Oceanic next Wednes-
Gay. May z.
Those who have been acquaintins them
selves with the condition OF the ponies Oh
the two teams express the opinion tha' the
Rritons are likely TO outshine the Anerl-
rams when Il comes TO mounts this year. IL
will ba remembered that the victory OF INC
Americans I'm the last cup matches was
attributed largely TO the superiority OF the
xvondeIfll string of ponies when hurry
Payne Whitney secured Tor his team 1ha'
yas two wears ago, and in the mean time
the Duke Of Westminster has been puf-
chasing ponies until no has string OF
twenty that will pivot on smiling anu
show speed at following the ball with any
,onies IN the world. Twenty other ponies
have been loaned for The cup matches'
and all sailed yesterday aboard the Min
peanolis for this country. They Will PROB
ablv arrive the latter part Of this week.
md will at once be taken down TO the
p,nine Rock Country Club, which viii De
the training ground for the Britons uhtii
thew face the four cup defenders al
Meadow Brook. Eight OF the ponies com
ing over played in the 1911 matches. ana
among the number Is the famous Energy
tbot ealloped so heroically through three
neriods with Captain j. Hardness Lloyd In
his riding off 10 make way for the goals
BY Captain Edwards.
ONLY a few days ago Harry Payne
whitney stated 10 one or the on
lockers at the practice games on
the Long Island field that the thins
that was worrying him most was 'he
,oor way In which the American mounts
wore working. The players, he said were
going even better than two years ago.
when they did not really get together
until the Britons gave them such scare
IN the first Of the cup contests. Then they
h,,ckled down and. helped by the superior
,tv OF their ponies, saved the cup WIN
the second game.
Tb. difficulty. It was pointed out. was
that few OF the mounts are small horses
The men use the mallet badly ana Win