New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-30
Now Realizes That United
States Can Furnish Team
Equal to Worlds Best.
MUCH RELIANCE ON PONIES
Extraordinary Efforts Being
Made to Strengthen Stud
That Will Be Brought to
This Country in May.
Lr-om ~ rrlhune.s corresronlc-t.l

AN that is best i'm the game of polo. the
triumph Of America has been like a pebble
m the shoe Of the British polo players
conscience And when the pebble expand
ed I'm 1911 with the second American vic
tory there was something akin to weeping
and wailng and Enashng Of teeth I'm the
home camp. for IL WAS then that there
came full realization % the antiquity OF
the methods prevailing in English polo.
il is not denied that polo has made i'm
mensc progress in England since its intro
duction from the last some forty-odd
years ago. but il was left To Harry Payne
Whitney and his valiant henchmen to
leach England lesson she has before and
after the memorable year of 1909 learned
on other playing fields apart from polo.
Briushers now know that they lulled
themselves into a false sense Of security.
hence the intensity Of the rude awakening.
They failed TO realize that America, too.
was progressing. and the fun realization
came too late. Il was for ell the world
like locking the stable door after the
horse had bolted. By that time the Amer
lean team had secured the handsome cup
that adorned the Nottingham sideboard
and so unexpected that the carping critics
searched around for scapegoats and this
provided temporary balm for the smit-
ten until the wound was reopened when
once again an English challenging team
suffered defeat in 1911. But good came
out of the evil.
America taught England that she was
becoming effete and her polo methods
cramped and useless by her allegiance 10
the offside rule. Now that this has been
wiped out Of the laws and regulations it
Is generally conceded that the play of
Englands teams has improved both in
effect and from the spectacular point OF
view IL is believed here that had Cap
tain Hardness Lloyd and his men been
better mounted in 1911 the cup would
have been brought back TO England but
England sent Lloyd's team out poorly
equipped as il vas. and tine lesson was not
lost on England
The Nottingham authorities had failed
10 get the ponies, and at one time ii
would not have been easy to name man
with the wealth and enthusiasm of Harry
Payne Whitney to step in where the gov
ernng body had failed. But the oppor-
tunity created the man. and the Duke
OF Westminster undertook the task Of
eCuipping the next English team with the
best ponies at his command and the hest
he could secure. He was the one man
capable Of undertaking such task.
lie had number of brilliant ponies in
his Eaton Hall stud al the time he made the
offer, which birmingham gladly accepted,
and since that time the string has been
considerably augmented. IL is probably
not a matter Of any consequence TO the
duke that his voluntary undertaking will
cost him thousands Of dollars. but apart
from the question Of finance II is his
splendid sporting spirit which appealed so
Iotently. Himself sound player. he is
vet not of that vaingloriOus type OF
sportsman who would demand quid pro
quo for his expenditure in the shape of a
place on the team and all its attendant
honor and glory. Indeed. it is now GER
tain that he will not lie even able 20 ac-
company the team across the Atlantic,
fact which is to be deplored. for Il Is felt
that the sporting spirits Of America would
have been only too glad TO hail the OPP
portunity 10 show their appreciation OF
his good work
He has not made any stipulations iii re-
sard TO the composition of the team be
yond accepting the proof Of last seasons
play that the Old Cantabs four was the
best nucleus upon which to build. AS
result OF that he invited the Cantab quar-
tet. W. s Buckmaster. +. NJ Freake.
Lord Wodehouse and Captain @. Belville.
en- bloc They readily accepted and the
duke then placed the venture in the hands
Of Mr.. Buckmaster without any reserva-
ton, and commissioned Captain l.. ID.
Miller 10 take control of the ponies.
For months past Captain Miller has
been doing his best to augment the Eaton
Hall stud. and his task has been no sine
cure Even now il is believed that the
team Will not have all the mounts OF the
class that is necessary. though there is
high promise in several immature ponies
that will be taken 10 Piping Rock for the
practice games. II came az some sur
prise when the habtues of birmingham
and Ranelagh recently heard that not
half of the forty-three ponies in the Eaton
Hall stud We're eligible. and at the mo-
ment of writing only twenty have been
selected.
played in America in ,l9ll: Royal Dia-
mond Unknown and Ariel played by
Cecil Nickalls last season: FREELY and
Midge played by Captain Hardness Lloyd
IN 1909; Pretty Boy. played by Captain
Noel Edwards: Selma. a California pony,
played by Lord Rocksavage and Captain
Cheape last summer; Sprite. gray pony.
played by Captain Cheape in England.
Love Charm and Twenty Seven, played by
{. Nickails: Nu.meg. played by Captain
Cheape In America; Harkaway and Polar
Star. played by Captain Ritson; Countess
and Oriente. two Of Mr.. Trails best
ponies. and CaD.n Girl and Miss Ann
To this list OF Eaton Hall candidates
must be added three of Mr.. Buckmaster'
match ponies, Irene. Meteor and Pick
innie: +. ~. Freakes five ponies. Hidden
Star, Polly, Molly Beech. Harmless and
Glimmer. and possibly Miss Temple, II
Captain Cheape decides to take his won
others that Captain Ritson has sent from
India with a view TO having them sent TO
America. and Captain Belville purposes
taking three of mis- own ponies and Lord
Wodehouse two.
Thus there are thirty-six ponies ready
for shipment. but this is the absolute
minimum equipment. anG maybe a small
percentage Of these will be found unfit for
service. Such news is not soothing TO the
English mind. and il has come us a shock
70 ind that out Of the enormous number