114 SIDELINES FEBRUARY 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Continued on page 128
P
O
L
O
By Danika Rice
The majesty of our equine athletes, the intensity of a fnal
match, the elation of a game well played……these are the
moments which matter the most and the images that polo
photographers strive to capture from the sidelines of polo
felds around the world. Splitting his time between the felds
of Argentina and Wellington’s International Polo Club Palm
Beach, polo photographer Mark Crislip has made a career
of capturing these moments. A player himself, Mark has
created a distinctive and extremely personal style with his
work behind the lens. With a knack for capturing emotional
highs and the fuctuating intensities during the high-goal
seasons both here and abroad, Mark is becoming a
prominent fgure on the polo scene. Sidelines caught up
with Mark in Argentina during the opening matches of the
Argentine Open to visit about his passion for polo and
notable subjects captured by his lens.
Sidelines
:
What do you love most about playing polo?
MC:
Without a doubt what I love most about polo is
the sense of pure excitement that courses through your
entire body when you’re with your mount and racing down
the pitch. Speed is mixed with danger and it produces
emotions that are very primal. It’s not a feeling that I’ve
ever felt playing any other sport. I remember the frst time I rode a
roller coaster as a child. At frst I was scared to get on and then as
it lurched forward I was terrifed. I wanted to get off but of course
I couldn’t. Before I knew it everything was happening at once.
Things were zooming as we were tossed left then right, up then
down. I was hanging on barely in control and the sensation was
amazing. Getting off, I was laughing uncontrollably. Everything
tingled. I wanted to do it again! Playing polo is the closest thing
I’ve come to in recapturing that feeling as a child.
Sidelines
:
What is the most meaningful polo location to you?
MC:
That’s an interesting question. I would have to say the
Hurlingham Club in Argentina. It’s such a beautiful venue with
so much history and the Hurlingham Open takes place just as the
weather is on the cusp of warm and cold. The fowers are starting
to bloom and the late games end as the sun sets behind the brick
scoreboard. The combination of a crisp early evening, beautiful
grounds, crimson skies and the best players in the world makes
for some spectacular opportunities for shots.
I remember semis there in 2010: La Dolfna against a strong La
Aguada team. Cambiaso’s team as a whole was in turmoil and
two of the players, Lucas Monteverde and Lolo Castagnola, were
out; Lucas because of penalties and Lolo because of the fu. I
was standing with the petiseros (grooms) and with replacement
players; La Dolfna was losing badly (12-5 I believe) late in the
game. Cambiaso looked beaten, down such an impossible
defcit. Then after a cloudy day the sun peaked out of the west
and Cambiaso put his head down and did nothing for about 30
seconds. And then the most amazing thing happened. Cambiaso
looked out onto the feld, grabbed his mallet, went out for the
seventh and scored a couple of quick goals. He came in to
change horses and you could feel a buzz in the air. Could it be?
A couple more goals and the petiseros were starting to go crazy.
“Vamos Loco!! Vamos Loco!!” He scored goal after amazing goal
and in just two chukkers tied the score and scored the winning
goal in overtime as darkness descended upon the feld. It was
electrifying. Magic always seems to happen at Hurlingham.
Sidelines
:
Outside of polo, what other interests and hobbies do
you have?
A Visit with Mark Crislip
“Flying Pigtails.” Shot during the 2010 Ladies Polo World
Championship at Puesto Viejo Polo Club in Cañuelas,
Argentina. The shot shows Yamila Natacha Ruano of
Chapaleufú II in a preliminary round matchup against
Chapaleufú I. A number of Argentine women players
sport extremely long pony or pigtails, with braids reaching
all the way down to the belt.
“Samurai.” Adolfo Cambiaso slashes at the ball during the fnals
of the 2011 Tortugas Open, the frst leg of the Argentine Triple
Crown.