The New York herald., 1922-02-12
Duke Of Westminster Buying
Ponies All Over World for
International Match.
ARGENTINE TEAM AFIELD
Will Try to Conquer England
This Year and Challenge L. :.
in 1923 if Successful.

Cable dispatches from Buenos Aires
have told of polo team representing
the Argentine Polo Federation sailing
for England to take part in the British
polo matches in May. and now comes
the news by way OF London that lf the
South American players are successful
at Huringham they expect 10 challenge
America for the International trophy.
lifted last season by the players from
the Meadow Brook Club on Ions Island.
While the Argentine horsemen were
preparing to invade England and later
the United States, British polo men have
not been caught mapping. as they were
when II. =. Whitney and his associates
from Meadow Brook challenged for the
International trophy in 1909. Col T.
Brown manager of the Hurllngham
Club, has just returned 10 London Dy
way of New York. after what was PROB
ably the most extensive trip ever under
takel: in search of polo mounts. His
hunt for horses took him from England
TO Buenos Aires and thence through the
Argentine Republic. where he visited the
leading estancios under the guidance OF
South Americas crack polo player j. ~
T. Trail. who accompanied the British
in 1914. After buying what he wanted
in the Argentine Col. Brown crossed the
Andes into Chile and came north py
steamer to California, where ne visited
a number Of the big ranches on Whlch
polo ponies and race horses are ralseu'
California Breeder Sells Six.
While in California the British polo
manager inspected the Beau Nalley
gu
z. @. McVitty, of Santa Barbara ana
Tas, HAMPTON, L. l., which Is given
over exclusively TO the breeding ana
developing of high bred polo stock.
Here Col. Brown selected six head or
broken polo ponies. which will be shipped
from California tomorrow on their long
tourney to England. They are scheduled
to leave New York on the steamship
Maine of the Atlantic Transport Line
sailing on Saturday of next week. When
Mr. Mcvtty received payment FOR
them he noticed that the draft was sent
.'by order of His Grace the Duke OF
Westminister," which showed that Col.
Browns long tour in search of ponies
was made in the interest OF the man
who Is understood to have financed the
defence of the International Cup last
season and who evidently is preparing
for a British challenge in the near fu-
ture II the players and ponies develop
in a way to warrant the move.
Besides being polo manager at Hur-
lingham, Col Brown is known as one of
the most finished horsemen in England
in the making of high bred polo
mounts He had charge of the condition
ing OF the British ponies last year for
the international matches In June and
he has developed and brought into the
game such noted equine players as En-
ergy Esmeralda, Snipe and many others
Of equal class.
Interest in Argentine Team.
Much interest is being created In
British polo circles by the invasion Of
England this season by another Argen-
tine team. This group, II is said, gives
every indication of being as formidable
as the famous wild Horse" team COM
posed of the Trail family that made
such a great reputation there a good
many years ago. They held their own
with some of the rbest teams in Eng
land. including the famous Cantabs,
under that most brilliant OF all British
players, Walter Buckmaster.
The Argentine team of this year in
cludes Lewis Lacey. goals; David
Miles. goals John Miles, goals, and
John Nelson, goals. These men are
all noted for their hard riding and clean
hitting abilities, and they are counted
on to make strong showing. Their
ponies have already reached London and
are reported to besa very fine lot.
The American polo horses-none Of
them Is under 1913 hands-purchased by
the Duke of Westminster are ready to
go right into fast tournament play, Mr.
McVitty says. All of them were bred
and developed at the Beau Valley Ranch.
Following are their pedigrees and de-
scrptions;
Tony uIustear,, b. g.. u hands, by Huston,
dam plymouth. by imp. Brutus.
Flash, ch. m, - hands. by Huston, dam
Tranquility, by imp. Kisnet.
Dorothy. ch. m. 143 hands. by Huston,
dam Maggie Hanford. by Iodowic.
Harry Weiss. b. g.. ij.1 hands. by Benroe.
dam the Weiss Mare.
Johnnie Dugan. b. g., ij.1 hands. by Chin
ney Sweep. dam Bellroe, by Benroe Wanby,
oh. e., 1J.1 hands.
Huston. the sire Of Tony. Flash and
Dorothy. is a full brother to Wyeth,
winner of the American Derby at Chi
cago for John A. Drake in 1902. Their
3 sire. Wadsworth was a son of Long
fellow. by imported bennington. Huston
is now nineteen years old. He is an
exceptional polo sire. Mr.. McVitty says.
two of the ponies taken to England last
season for the international matches
having been by him.
bennington Blood Best.
Ills owner. who has made a study
of the subject for more than a decade.
Is a firm believer In the value Of Lean
irgton blood and that OF other old time
long distance. level headed thorough
bred race horses for producing polo
horses OF the speed. endurance and
temperament demanded by the fast play
of to-day. There arc seven stations i'm
the stud at Beau Valley Ranch and six
or these are thoroughbreds. while ono
Is by a thoroughbred horse crossed with
the famous old California quarter horse
stock of Sleepy John. The six thorough
breds 90 back IN the direct male line
20 imported bennington, imported Or
monde, Salvador Hindoo and ST. Simon.
The sixty broodmares at Beau Valley
include many retired polo mares. while
the others were selected for conforma-
tion and disposition from the long dis
tance racing tsood for which California
has been famous since the days Of Bel
mont. Thad stevens. Lodi and Joe
Daniels.
Mr.. McVitty is optimistic concerning
the breeding OF polo ponies IL IS often
said that so few Of those raised ever
develop into good ponies that no breeder
can hope to make both ends meet but
he believes the contrary Is true when
tha breeder carefully selects his founda
tfon stock with an eye TO the strains