PTJan/Feb 2010 p12-13 Herbert JM YC MB PJ 22/1/10 16:52 Page 3
Global view Comment
With Herbert Spencer, who has been following polo around the world for 40 years
It’s high time polo took pains
to be more image-conscious
rojecting a positive image upset Obama, left the Secret Service transgression will finally come into
P
of polo in the mainstream with egg on its face, and were subject effect in 2010-2011.
media is difficult even at to a Federal grand jury investigation The adverse publicity arising from
the best of times. As far as and hearings before the Homeland the Salahis’ involvement with polo
polo PR is concerned, the Security committee of the US Congress. could have been avoided had the USPA
year 2009 is likely to go down in history All the major American TV channels cracked down on them when they
as the game’s “annus horribilis”. In just covered the story and there were staged their first “America’s Polo Cup”
eight months, from April to November, countless reports and comment pieces in in 2007, falsely claiming that both the
polo got more worldwide coverage in the international mainstream media; the President of the United States and the
the mass media than in the past eight
years – and it was all bad publicity,
bringing the sport into disrepute in one
way or another.
First, in April 21 polo ponies died just The W
‘
ashingon Post assigned no fewer than 16 reporters
before a match in the US Open
Championship in Florida. The tragedy
and researchers to investigate the Salahis – including the
‘
became a major international story. An
publicity-seeking couple’s dubious polo endeavours
army of TV cameras, photographers and
agency and newspaper reporters Prince of Wales were “patrons” of
descended on the town of Wellington. Tareq Salahi’s unauthorised “USA v
The fact that the deaths were due to a England” event. Salahi, self-styled
botched batch of a compounded “captain of USA Polo Team”, then
substance rather than mistreatment was managed to talk the embassies of Italy,
not the issue. The bad publicity came Australia and India and such corporate
when the public learned that the US Polo sponsors as Land Rover and Cartier into
Association (USPA) had nothing in its supporting his annual “internationals”,
regulations about substance control or but polo insiders saw trouble brewing
drug testing for ponies. This brought from the start.
sharp criticism from America’s biggest Only after the White House scandal
animal protection group, The Humane did diplomats, sponsors and the USPA
Society of the United States. move to disassociate themselves from
Then, in October, the three largest President Obama Washingon Post assigned no fewer than Salahi’s dubious polo endeavours. The
national polo associations, representing
greets Michaele
16 reporters and researchers to USPA ruled that neither Salahi nor his
Salahi, as her husband
more than half of the world’s players,
Tareq looks on. The
investigate the Salahis – including their America’s Polo Cup “club” would be
resigned from the Federation of pair are behind polo activities. accepted as association members in
International Polo (FIP) in an acrimonious
‘America’s Polo Cup’
Could polo have avoided all this 2010. Yet Salahi’s website is still
dispute with the federation’s autocratic unflattering publicity? The cliché touting a “USA v India” match in June
president. Luckily the mass media gave “closing the barn door after the horse has and a “USA v Australia Rematch” in
this a miss, but specialist publications bolted” comes to mind. Melbourne in February.
and websites made much of the crisis. The USPA, lacking any professional PR Surely it is time for the polo world
Finally, in November, the publicity- support, reacted to the Florida pony to take a more professional and
seeking couple who organise the deaths by hiring a high-powered “crisis proactive approach to PR, anticipating
unsanctioned and over-hyped management” firm to try to explain possible trouble and taking whatever
Photog
“America’s Polo Cup” gate-crashed away its lack of substance control for action is necessary to protect the
r
aph b
President Obama’s first state dinner at ponies, with the association announcing image of the sport. F
y Samantha
the White House, creating a a study group to draft new regulations
◗ Do you agree with Herbert? Is it time
Washington security scandal that for equine welfare.
polo’s regulators took better care of its
Appleton
resounded throughout the world. The Substance control, drug testing of
image, or are they doing a good job ? Tell
exploits of Tareq and Michaele Salahi mounts and penalties for us by writing to letters@polotimes.co.uk
www.polotimes.co.uk January/February 2010 13
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84