http://dardens.smugmug.com/gallery/3894448_zpvUT/ <p> On Sunday 25 November we attended two polo games, the HSBC Cup and the Chandon Cup, at the Palermo polo grounds. We were so lucky to get back to Buenos Aires just in the nick of time to see the culmination of the Argentine season by the<em> 114° Campeonato Argentino Abierto Movistar</em>. We have <strong>never</strong> before paid $100 per seat for a sporting event -- this one was worth at least that. And not least for the opportunity to see a cross section of fashionable Portenos at play. </p><p> Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra took the Chandon Cup by beating La Aguada Arelauquen 18-11, in what was to our uninitiated eyes the most exciting polo game ever. </p><p> Each player fielded up to twenty-two remarkable horses [yes, that is one rider for 22 mounts -- horses which are swapped in a couple of seconds of fluid movement from one saddle to the next]. The majority of these horses were identified as the Polo Argentino Breed, dryly described by the <a href="http://www.poloargentino.com/index2_ingles.htm">The Argentine Association of Polo Pony Breeders</a>' as follows: </p><p> <em>"This is how at the present time we have achieved a polo pony biotype that is highly efficient as regards its skills. </p><p> "The origins of this breed are to be found in the criollo (native) horses that already existed in the area and were used to play the game and which were selected for breeding. Simultaneously–and brought in specially by Anglo-Argentine players–the introduction of thoroughbred racehorses (S.P.C.) began, which accelerated crossbreeding and began slowly to absorb the original criollo. </p><p> "In time the Quarter Mile and Arab breeds were incorporated, though in a lesser degree, to make the most of certain special characteristics of each breed. This great genetic variability, added to a rigorous selection generated by the game itself and to the naturally favorable conditions of the area, are what make Polo Argentino unique in the world." </p><p> </em>Take a peek at the following photos of what we can only describe as "the dancing horses". Do you agree? </p> http://www.smugmug.com/img/feed-icon.png Year 2007 Wed, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 -0800 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:09:42 -0800 http://www.smugmug.com/ Copyright 2009, the copyright holder of each photograph. Some portions copyright SmugMug. All rights reserved. http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250064/226194448_oc4DZ-Ti.jpg http://dardens.smugmug.com/gallery/3894448_zpvUT/ http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226194448_oc4DZ <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a> </p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226194448_oc4DZ" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo"><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250064/226194448_oc4DZ-Th.jpg" width="150" height="112" alt="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:09:12 -0800 nobody@smugmug.com (Steve & Dorothy Darden) http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250064/226194448_oc4DZ-Th.jpg 2007-11-25 16:51:16 -34.57141167260000 -58.42704174780000 0 2c84aa7d3c38629054efe45fba0fa573 813e4a679b59e92c8d31a153a4d1eb11 c3a59a29efba21aa20b3fda30b0d4df0 1a6488dc8f27e80e171860632145db27 fbb7d01ec42589c29fdc5f7d5c9e89d9 6bd721c86302fddb2fda1c4c8c00bbba Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a> </p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226194448_oc4DZ" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo"><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250064/226194448_oc4DZ-Th.jpg" width="150" height="112" alt="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 horses, polo Steve & Dorothy Darden Steve & Dorothy Darden http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226193646_MdmAN <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a> </p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226193646_MdmAN" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo"><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250069/226193646_MdmAN-Th.jpg" width="150" height="112" alt="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:05:24 -0800 nobody@smugmug.com (Steve & Dorothy Darden) http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250069/226193646_MdmAN-Th.jpg 2007-11-25 17:26:39 f4ea800331d6d79aaea36bf5c228482f 089793669b894ee7938247549c315436 72d70f74380993c6863cb777aa7228a7 82028ba73a285803fbfb66bc71b3b040 36e06da792c790fd92cccc9710ac7f94 32280d7b185416457db895a9466417d3 Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a> </p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226193646_MdmAN" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo"><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250069/226193646_MdmAN-Th.jpg" width="150" height="112" alt="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 horses, polo Steve & Dorothy Darden Steve & Dorothy Darden http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226193767_bMtt8 <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a> </p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226193767_bMtt8" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo"><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250072/226193767_bMtt8-Th.jpg" width="150" height="112" alt="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:06:00 -0800 nobody@smugmug.com (Steve & Dorothy Darden) http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250072/226193767_bMtt8-Th.jpg 2007-11-25 17:29:25 53e94a45550f4cba86be16ebff9f02fb 24c4cc8b5ad62ad4e2033c34d672b3be 4163736f5dea25620e8402bb13927029 c459de5c2dace734aa4a8e3ca879c822 9121094378c1bec0e7b745d665d30236 4d9e42276bea9d2ac8414e9feca5fc16 Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a> </p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226193767_bMtt8" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo"><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250072/226193767_bMtt8-Th.jpg" width="150" height="112" alt="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 horses, polo Steve & Dorothy Darden Steve & Dorothy Darden http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226194539_bz6Lv <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a> </p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226194539_bz6Lv" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo"><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250091/226194539_bz6Lv-Th.jpg" width="150" height="113" alt="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:09:42 -0800 nobody@smugmug.com (Steve & Dorothy Darden) http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250091/226194539_bz6Lv-Th.jpg 2007-11-25 17:45:46 aa309e942ff03930f60e5cc13c2df104 e581afb2ffafd1f2ea813a7c2ec31948 56f39f5e31890f2d2787d6b17d40c883 0eaa12ecc87a002ca502919007bbf3ab b1fe7c1aecb190412340183f92adf866 9aaebe04f0d5947b076d7c5190bd53ea Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a> </p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226194539_bz6Lv" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo"><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250091/226194539_bz6Lv-Th.jpg" width="150" height="113" alt="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 horses, polo Steve & Dorothy Darden Steve & Dorothy Darden http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226193856_o3A6L <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a> </p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226193856_o3A6L" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo"><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250097/226193856_o3A6L-Th.jpg" width="112" height="150" alt="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:06:20 -0800 nobody@smugmug.com (Steve & Dorothy Darden) http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250097/226193856_o3A6L-Th.jpg 2007-11-25 18:01:28 6f9ec0b35308eff5d980b5c443fe8c90 6380af6981065a87ef1a24b1eda45ff3 ec240cb8ee701582e12eb92a94539a54 6d2b66ddd10745b51855a9d100a3e893 3026221e61b44ee3c9dff49cd3c9e0ed f009eae0ce293fc99c81dff4e6406fed Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a> </p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226193856_o3A6L" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo"><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250097/226193856_o3A6L-Th.jpg" width="112" height="150" alt="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 horses, polo Steve & Dorothy Darden Steve & Dorothy Darden http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226193952_XHaXk <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a> </p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226193952_XHaXk" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo"><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250099/226193952_XHaXk-Th.jpg" width="150" height="112" alt="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:06:48 -0800 nobody@smugmug.com (Steve & Dorothy Darden) http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250099/226193952_XHaXk-Th.jpg 2007-11-25 18:01:45 42d3c76a9d7731faafa91c2848da5270 ec2e12397f31f644b2d7ba1d4fc6946a c2686c68da4458dc5e52144284841d43 1f592d0b6af75b400fbba7d81080b571 f712c381bffbdb53bc03aeea7b6d80da 641d5473c3065661805fd013ae32c062 Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a> </p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226193952_XHaXk" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo"><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250099/226193952_XHaXk-Th.jpg" width="150" height="112" alt="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 horses, polo Steve & Dorothy Darden Steve & Dorothy Darden http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226194040_g93x3 <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a> </p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226194040_g93x3" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo"><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250150/226194040_g93x3-Th.jpg" width="150" height="113" alt="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:07:14 -0800 nobody@smugmug.com (Steve & Dorothy Darden) http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250150/226194040_g93x3-Th.jpg 2007-11-25 18:20:51 30afe24ecc4ff289cc6976a9e3fef75e 66a168aaf34e6d34254a2e9fd661c21c 2290bc5a8ad03b841c6788274740215d 1086d75079a9b077561a00a777cf4c5a b4bda791da94aa73cffe5318c71dc4b6 40c6a1e6af2504b8bf992d403ea6be85 Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a> </p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226194040_g93x3" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo"><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250150/226194040_g93x3-Th.jpg" width="150" height="113" alt="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 horses, polo Steve & Dorothy Darden Steve & Dorothy Darden http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226194160_AjAQe <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a> </p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226194160_AjAQe" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo"><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250151/226194160_AjAQe-Th.jpg" width="150" height="113" alt="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:07:44 -0800 nobody@smugmug.com (Steve & Dorothy Darden) http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250151/226194160_AjAQe-Th.jpg 2007-11-25 18:20:52 7bbbf557bff33a3c6c291277614405c5 b3458d1e696d47d42fda259543a4d0dd be80f878df4592e4b40f2f2ebd2b888b 0e3c88474a302bcd16ea2f3786c730c3 38a64f1fcba0f75ca9b78550c737181e 7ea0fe8e5d35b421380a6598a21b5a69 Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a> </p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226194160_AjAQe" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo"><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250151/226194160_AjAQe-Th.jpg" width="150" height="113" alt="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 horses, polo Steve & Dorothy Darden Steve & Dorothy Darden http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226194233_mMkh8 <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a><br />Several times we saw players mallet the ball on the fly. It looks nearly impossible on foot, but this class of player performs this feat at full gallop on horseback! And here we see TWO play ...</p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226194233_mMkh8" title="Several times we saw players mallet the ball on the fly. It looks nearly impossible on foot, but this class of player performs this feat at full gallop on horseback! And here we see TWO play ..."><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250152/226194233_mMkh8-Th.jpg" width="150" height="112" alt="Several times we saw players mallet the ball on the fly. It looks nearly impossible on foot, but this class of player performs this feat at full gallop on horseback! And here we see TWO play ..." title="Several times we saw players mallet the ball on the fly. It looks nearly impossible on foot, but this class of player performs this feat at full gallop on horseback! And here we see TWO play ..." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:08:06 -0800 nobody@smugmug.com (Steve & Dorothy Darden) http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250152/226194233_mMkh8-Th.jpg 2007-11-25 18:21:04 ba741372e300f0a2111290757d1d3f6f 86a67ccbcd2007fbdfe3022e54eb8aca 2490b4293d141b626166fbb5940da1f4 92b8bb5907e33d95c6b883af55ecf809 19b0e051ee395da4b2d0f749db6c1428 416dfc5b5a96304d2857d1bb266b191c Several times we saw players mallet the ball on the fly. It looks nearly impossible on foot, but this class of player performs this feat at full gallop on horseback! And here we see TWO play ... <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a><br />Several times we saw players mallet the ball on the fly. It looks nearly impossible on foot, but this class of player performs this feat at full gallop on horseback! And here we see TWO play ...</p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226194233_mMkh8" title="Several times we saw players mallet the ball on the fly. It looks nearly impossible on foot, but this class of player performs this feat at full gallop on horseback! And here we see TWO play ..."><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250152/226194233_mMkh8-Th.jpg" width="150" height="112" alt="Several times we saw players mallet the ball on the fly. It looks nearly impossible on foot, but this class of player performs this feat at full gallop on horseback! And here we see TWO play ..." title="Several times we saw players mallet the ball on the fly. It looks nearly impossible on foot, but this class of player performs this feat at full gallop on horseback! And here we see TWO play ..." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 horses, polo Steve & Dorothy Darden Steve & Dorothy Darden http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226194349_fVyh6 <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a> </p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226194349_fVyh6" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo"><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250155/226194349_fVyh6-Th.jpg" width="150" height="112" alt="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:08:43 -0800 nobody@smugmug.com (Steve & Dorothy Darden) http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250155/226194349_fVyh6-Th.jpg 2007-11-25 18:21:26 95fc4cc47b96a98239c48ef8d1346622 67fb7810bbcb2b1558660fbb42eed068 573ced848bbe502f698f11d1e5b88d5e e54d744d6c7027c5f6e5a8f5339f3c25 f430cc07034e133375484dc53e0e1ba5 2de6cddfb7ffc74cbd702a06fddac5f2 Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo <p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com">Steve & Dorothy Darden</a> </p><p><a href="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/3894448_zpvUT#226194349_fVyh6" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo"><img src="http://dardens.smugmug.com/Year-2007/Buenos-Aires/Dancing-horses-114th/200711250155/226194349_fVyh6-Th.jpg" width="150" height="112" alt="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" title="Steve & Dorothy Darden's photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> Year 2007 horses, polo Steve & Dorothy Darden Steve & Dorothy Darden