NAPL-You’ve outdone yourself!

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Imagine the opportunity to stage a polo exhibition match in New York City accessible to the largest media market in the country-and blowing it!

That’s what happened on the opening day at Governor’s Island when two “NAPL” teams were supposed to stage an event with the support of Ralph Lauren, Veuve Clicquot and Asprey.

Early rains reduced the crowd to a couple of hundred hearty souls who were content to sip champagne and watch 2 on 2 polo for the first half of the game until a lost trailer of horses arrived.  We were told that Skeeterville (a defunct former member of the NAPL) and Black Watch would face off.  Instead we get Sleeterville-playing as Asprey- rated at seven goals with 2-goaler Will Johnston as the only member of the old Skeeterville lineup and 6-goaler Nacho Figueras as the only member of last year’s Black Watch team playing on a side rated at 10-goals.

Remember that the NAPL is promoting a “professional polo league”, but feels comfortable fielding an imitation of low-medium goal polo with two to three players on a side in an area about the size of a small arena.

There was a great deal of confusion surrounding the match, with no one seeming to know where goal flaggers were, a imer, a scorekeeper, and probably most importantly, some horses and players.

The initial reports on the event came out just a couple of days beforehand, and team lineups weren’t available until the day of the event (if you showed up).  No post game reports were forthcoming, and when a photo finally emerged-on the NAPL website-it only emphasized the lack of attendance and poor sponsorship coverage (for God’s sake, get a photo with one of your sponsor’s logos or names in it, maybe even manage to get some spectators in the shot!).

I am sorry to say, however, that what you’ve seen on Governors Island IS the best the NAPL can organize without the assistance of a facility like John Goodman’s IPC in Florida or the Johnston spread in Big Horn, Wyoming.

Thank you Ms. Kelley, if indeed you were the one in charge, the effort is evident in the product on the field.  I didn’t think it was possible, but the NAPL has hit a new low.

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Filed under Allison Kelley, Argentine Polo Association, Hurlingham Polo Association, International Polo Club Palm Beach, International polo Federation, Polo, Polo, Polo Training Fountaion, United States Polo Association, United States Polo Associction

Tags: NAPL, North American Polo League, Allison Kelley, Charles Smith, Governors Island, polo on governors Island, Ralph Lauren, Asprey, Veuve Clicquot