The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1913-07-25
Z

" kings, polo is the sport of
millionaires. Any king
even though he may
be an insignificant Indian
"a potentate or a ruler of a
Balkan state, with a peck
etbook of slim proportions, may own a
racing stable, but only a man Of great
wealth can afford to maintain a big
string OF polo ponies. For race horses,
II they are fast, can earn their keep
and make profit for their owner. But
polo pony is nothing but an expense
from the day he is bought until the
day OF his death. The only thing he
can earn is a modicum OF glory and a
few cups which as a rule do not cost
as much as his saddle and bride. From
this 1t may be CLEANED that between
racing and polo there Is a distinction
with difference. Harry Payne Whit
ney spent $4,000 on the international
polo series Of games played at Meadow
brook, L. |. The duke of Westmin-
ster's expenses for the polo challen-
gers amounted to 100000. All this for
the sake of a silver trophy worth
$4,000
The cost of polo depends largely
upon the inclination and desire of the
poloists to spend money. Some men
can enjoy the sport at an outlay of a
few hundred dollars a week, while 9TH
ers will spend as many thousands.
II. l. Herbert, chairman of the Polo
association, recently said in reference
to the cost Of polo: 1T all depends on
how much a man wishes to spend on
the game. One man may be satisfied
to own and maintain three ponies,
while another will want at least thirty
at his command. The expense Is much
like that of the opera. One man can
enjoy 1t for dollar, while 1t will cost
another thousands for a box"
Harry Payne Whitney and the duke
Of Westminster own and keep in train
ing the largest string OF polo ponies
in America or England. The mainte-
nance OF these ponies costs them
thousands Of dollars each year. They
are the financial backbone Of the
sport in this country and abroad.
Both enjoy the sport thoroughly, and
as they are experts at the sport the
money that they spend yearly is to
them but a trivial matter.
But for their generous support of
the game there would not have been
any international matches during 1909,
1911 and 1918. Mr.. Whitney supplied
the "sinews of war" which sent abroad
in 1909 the American team, of which
he was the captain. 1t was his outlay
OF money and purchase of many great
polo ponies that enabled the Ameri-
cans to win the cup which the Eng.
lishmen had won and kept for % years.
This year the duke of Westminster
betrayed the expenses Of the English
challengers. Until he came to the
financial rescue the English players
had abandoned all hope of bringing the
ponies over here to play for the trophy.
Whitney and the duke of Westmin-
ster each own 80 polo ponies. They
hire trainers to develop the speed of
the ponies and teach them the elemen-
tary parts Of the game. The salary of
these trainers is $4,000 each. In addi-
ton to that there are big corps OF
stable lads to support, for the attend
ants not only receive salaries ranging
from $25 to $40 month, but in addi-
ton are allowed their lodging and
board This. with the cost of food,
saddles, brides, bandages, lotions,
medicine and the attendance of a vet
Urinary costs many thousands Of dol
lars. A good polo pony these days
costs many thousands of dollars. In
many respects his value is as great as
race horse, though his earning ca
pacity is considerably less than that OF
the latter. The best ponies are bred
in Ireland and England, but OF late
years the ponies bred in Texas, Cali
fornia and the Hawaiian islands are
equal, II not superior. to the foreign
bred horses.
There is now such a great demand
for polo ponies that they are specially