Malibu morning picture of the day - Monday, September 22, 2014

Good morning family, friends, and gentle readers,

Here's a clear blue sky to start you off this week. It's only supposed to get up to mid-70s here on the coast today. If you want to play hooky and hit the last hurrah of the dying So Cal summer, this would be a good day to do it.

Looks like a lot of days last week hunh?  Here's an alternative view--I like the flashing highlights of Malibu Lagoon from the surface below.

Looking from one end of a polo field to the other.

Hope you had a relaxing or productive weekend. The Center for the Arts at my employer-school held its annual fundraising event. Last year and this year the event was an exhibition polo game. One of our regents is a major member of the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club and helped to organize the event, which is one of his passions. I asked the Events Office if I could be a volunteer worker for the event just so I could get a glimpse of the scene and see what a polo game actually looked like.

The first thing that gets to you is the scope and immense size of the field that is required on which to stage a polo game. It has to be big enough to allow horses to run at full speed. In this first picture I am standing on the end of one of two fields. The small white trapezoid off-center to the left is the scoreboard and to its left is a large multi-horse trailer.

I was assigned to help sell raffle tickets. It's the closest thing we could do to allow for betting on outcomes. It all supports the program of bringing kids from neighboring schools to see matinee performances of the various touring acts that come through our arts program.

Picture taking after the divot stomping.

The game they put on for us was abbreviated. Their periods of play are called "chukkers." They played a game of four chukkers, but I was told it normally runs to six. So this game ran for about a half-hour whereas a full game goes about 45 minutes. The clock keeps ticking and is only stopped for injuries. They can line up several ponies for play, but in this game, All four team members on each team stayed on the same animal for the game.

At halftime, the tradition is such that spectators are served champagne and they all go out on the field and stomp down the divots that the ponies have kicked up. If you accidentally step on a road apple, it's considered good luck.

I suspect if you are into riding horses and are the competitive action type, once you have mastered riding, you start to think, "OK, what else can I do on this horse? Ah! Polo!" The teams were made up of players who ranged in age from teenagers to a near-septuagenarian, so it's enjoyed by a wide range of (I assume rich) people. There was a girls class going on on the other field while we were here.

It's quite an exciting scene. If you ever have an opportunity to check a game out, it's quite an experience.

I was standing and walking about for hours that Saturday. My knees are still complaining to me. Have a wonderful week. Check in everyday for your picture. I'll be here.

Love,
Pops