Winter 2022/2023 Issue

The News East Coast Horse Owners Need To Know OUR TH YEAR 1 3 - PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT 280 LANC., PA 17604 Vol. 29 No. 10 Winter 2022/2023 (Continued on page 6) Inside... By Suzanne Bush September 24 was a historic day for Philadelphia. It was the culmination of nearly a year of planning, to bring the first Philadelphia Polo Classic and the Sport of Kings to Fairmount Park. There were rows of pristine white tents set against an almost too-blue sky, and beautiful horses and polo-themed cocktails and fancy hats and well-behaved dogs and kids chasing each other around the tents and across the field. There was the renowned Argentine polo star Nacho Figueras, along with Kareem Rosser, a polo phenom from West Philadelphia. And there were earnest young men and women, eager to take the field on behalf of Work to Ride (WTR), the legendary haven where they first fell in love with horses. Inspiration is the Point To say that WTR has saved lives is an understatement. But it is also what the organization’s founder, Lezlie Hiner, set out to do more than 30 years ago. She turned her love of horses and her innate “mother hen” instincts into a program that has wildly surpassed the humble confines of the Chamounix stables, WTR’s home. Hiner’s vision of a place where kids from under-served and often violent neighborhoods could feel safe has inspired many kids to believe in themselves and in a future not limited by their pasts. “It both changed and saved my life,” Rosser says. “It showed me there is life outside the place where I grew up.” WTR partici- pants are required to work at the stables in exchange for riding lessons, and to keep their grades up in order to stay in the pro- gram. They’re also expected stay involved with the program after they “graduate” at 18. Philadelphia Polo Classic Brings High Goal Polo to the City of Brotherly Love Rosser, now a board member of WTR, a financial analyst and an author, chairs the non-profit organization’s capital campaign, and led the planning for this event. He has known Figueras for years, and Figueras has been a staunch supporter of WTR. He got involved immediately when Rosser first conceived the idea of showcasing WTR’s players in iconic Fairmount Park. Proceeds from the sold-out Philadelphia Polo Classic, sponsored by Mars Equestrian and B&D Builders, benefit WTR. Rosser says the capital campaign’s goal is $10 million, and they’ve raised $8 million already. The money will pay for critical improvements to Chamounix’s aging facility. Rosser is a compelling and passionate booster for WTR, and his memoir, Crossing the Line: A Fearless Team of Broth- ers and the Sport that Changed Their Lives , is an unflinching account of growing up in an often chaotic and violent home, discovering a most unlikely refuge in the stable at Chamou- nix and defying the stereotypes pasted onto kids growing up in poverty. “It’s an organization that turns dreams into reality,” he says. His book is an inspiring read, as well as a tutorial about polo. As the Eagles’ mascot Swoop danced and posed with the people coming to watch the polo matches, there were three women who came to Fairmount Park on a mission. “We are part of a book club,” Linda Pace explained, “and we chose this book to read back in February. Marc Harris, playing for team Johnson & Johnson (right) carries the ball while Esteban Penados (left) playing for team Work to Ride tries to block his shot with a hook. Both are Work to Ride graduates who played in the first game of the Philadelphia Polo Classic, which J&J won 7-4. Photo credit: Taylor Ejdys Holiday shopping made easy! … pgs. 8-13 Get ready for winter with our guide … pgs. 14-20 New Zealand’s Tim Price wins MD 5 Star … pg. 21 ...and much more!