Fri 16th Oct 2015Inductees Announced for Polo Hall of FamePolo Players and Ponies to be Celebrated in February 2016
The voting has concluded for the much-awaited Museum of Polo's Hall of Fame Inductions for the coming year. The Chairman of the nominating committee for the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame, Dr. Horace Laffaye, is pleased to announce the approval of the following individuals to be inducted in February 2016: Hector Galindo, William “Billy” Post, Richard Riemenschneider, Russ Sheldon and the polo ponies Toy Moon and Califa. Hector Galindo was at his pinnacle as a 9 goal player and has raised the winning trophies of numerous major American tournaments, including the 30 Goal World Cup, the Silver Cup four times, the 26 goal Hall of Fame Cup, and the C. V. Whitney. Galindo was also a winner of the Polo Excellence Award in 1999. William “Billy” Post, an 8 goal player in the early decades of last century, had notable wins in the most important contests of the era, both in the U.S. and abroad. However, with his career cut short at the onset of WWII, he continued his interest in horses in other ways and became a successful breeder and trainer of racehorses. Iglehart Award winner Richard Riemenschneider will be honoured for his dedication to the sport since 1949. An early champion of polo in Virginia, "Remo" continued his service to polo as a driving force within the F.I.P and by serving with the USPA as a Governor, Treasurer, Executive V.P., President and eventually as its Chairman. Most recently, Riemenschneider became the current Chairman of the Polo Training Foundation. Russ Sheldon will be presented with The Iglehart Award. For over 25 years Russ has dedicated countless hours to the sport. He started Poway Polo Club and was a champion of grass roots polo in California, as well as being a passionate promoter of arena polo. His contribution to the USPA Intercollegiate-Interscholastic program and the initiatives which he put in place will continue to benefit the sport for decades to come. The polo mare, Toy Moon will be honoured as one of the Horses to Remember. Bred in Hawaii (circa 1931) by Walter Dillingham, she made her way to the mainland and into the string of Hall of Fame member Elbridge “Ebby” T. Gerry. Toy Moon was played with distinction, winning the coveted Prince Friarstown Cup two years in succession, in 1940 and 1941. This cup was awarded to the best playing mare considered most suitable to produce polo ponies, with the judges making their decisions based on her play in both the U.S. Open and Monty Waterbury Cups. She was recognized by the experts of the day as one of the great polo ponies of her era. Califa, a bay gelding foaled in 1996, is the durable war-horse played by Mariano Aguerre in many memorable contests. Gathering a number of Best Playing Pony Awards along the way, he was recognized as Horse of the Year in 2006. He will now become one of the Museum of Polo's Horses to Remember. The induction ceremony, a gala event, will be held at the Museum of Polo, Florida, on Sunday 12 February 2016. If you would like to join in the celebration you may purchase dinner tickets up to a week in advance. Reservations are $200 each (tax deductible portion $100). Contact Brenda Lynn at the Museum of Polo, by calling (561) 969-3210 or (561) 969-7015 or click here. Photograph: William “Billy” Post, an 8 goal player from the 1930s, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Courtesy of The Museum of Polo |