112 SIDELINES OCTOBER 2013
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
membership, but once the news broke, pressure was brought to
bear. Sue Sal received her membership card in 1972. “I think the
men were afraid they were going to have a lawsuit, because she
had played with the men for 20 years,” Colleen said.
Through the years, women have proven that they are fiercely
competitive and as tough as good boot leather. “In 1942 the other
women and I played against the Argentines for three months – our
men had all gone off to serve in World War II and there weren’t
many left to field a team,” recalled Colleen. “I was 16. I loved it.”
In 1947 the war brought polo to a screeching halt. Dorothy
Wheeler went to Washington, D.C. to the Red Cross and offered
the U.S. Women’s Polo Association as a Women’s Mounted
Corps. “We trained, went on maneuvers at Tevis Ranch and put
the stokes basket stretcher on the horses,” Colleen said. “We
were sure the enemy was going to bomb us and we wanted to be
The National Champs.
The McInerney
sisters, Colleen
and Elaine (on
the right).
ready to save the pilots.”
That was the end of polo for the duration of the war, and the
love of Colleen’s life was killed in battle when she was 19. “John’s
family gave me a beautiful diamond and sapphire ring,” said
Colleen. “Eventually I married, moved away, and had children.
That husband was not into horses and I did not ride again. He
passed 15 years ago. I wear John’s ring on my left hand to this
day. You never get over your first love, but I guess horses were
my first love. I never got over them either, especially Sleepy. I
think my greatest accomplishment during my polo career was
training horses to play polo.”
When Colleen’s book
Golden Age of Women’s Polo 1934-
1941
is available,
Sidelines
will let you know. It contains 100 rare
photos and a chapter on Hollywood and the missing history of the
women pioneers.
After World War II began, Argentine polo players
stayed to play polo against the women at
Pogonip Polo Club. Shown here, Fernando pours
champagne for Colleen, far right, holding the horse.
