SILK ROAD Polo Featured At Smithsonian Festival By Dante Tedaldi (l-r) The Muldoon Family in front of the Washington Monument: Joe Jr., Mary Louise, Charlie and Joe III. After more than two years of intensive planning, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival The Silk Road: Connecting Cultures, Creating Trust was held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C from June 26 and through July 7, with polo presented by the Potomac Polo Club each Saturday and Sunday. An arena-sized playing area with stadium seating was set up directly in front of the US Capitol on the Mall. The stage was set for an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for players and spectators alike. The festival celebrated the living traditions of the historic Silk Road lands by bringing together over 350 artisans, craftspeople, musicians and dancers together – such as silk weavers from China, Central Asia and India; Chinese and Turkish porcelain makers; paper makers from Italy, Japan and China; and courtly music ensembles from Azerbaijan, Iran and Uzbekistan. More than 1.3 million visitors, the most in the festival’s 35-year history, passed through the exhibits and many thousands had the opportunity to watch polo exhibitions by the Potomac Polo Club, said Smithsonian Institution spokeswoman Vicki Moeser. The Smithsonian Institution Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and National Park Service were quick to recognize the tremendous excitement and historical perspective that would be derived from professional polo exhibitions. Polo is thought by some to have descended from buzkashi – the national sport of Afghanistan, a rough-and-tumble horseback sport that began in Central Asia more than 2,000 years ago. Others believe that the son of the last Sasanian Persian emperor who settled in Chang’an in the 670s introduced polo to China. At the height of the Tang dynasty in the 8th century c.e., aristocratic Chinese men and women took delight in playing polo, recorded on many beautiful and detailed paintings that survive to this day. Regardless of its exact origins, experts agree that polo originated along the Eastern end of Silk Road and eventually was brought to the West as trade increased between the two. For this reason it was natural that polo would be part of the living arts exhibited at the festival. The Potomac Polo Club The organizers from the Smithsonian did not have to look far to invite the Potomac Polo Club to bring in a mix of talented players capable of putting on an exhibition worthy of such a massive and prestigious event. The Potomac Polo Club was founded in 1951. Frank Stallone (Sylvester’s father), Frank Willson and Bob Beer, got together and built an arena on a piece of property owned by Dick Moran, in Potomac. And inadvertently, they created the "toast of the town." Complete with box seats, an announcer and weekly cocktail receptions, there was no better Friday evening entertainment anywhere. Under the tutelage of Vinnie Rizzo and Dave Widener, a 2-goal player from South Carolina, polo skill increased and the need for an outdoor field became apparent. After five years of playing in an arena, it was time to move out into the wide-open spaces. Tommy Dowd, a lawyer and aspiring player, owned the adjoining property to the Moran estate. With the help of 17 stockholders, the first outdoor field was built and played on faithfully until 1980. After decades of continuous growth at the low goal level Joe Muldoon, Jr. became the catalyst in the 1980s to bringing a higher level of polo to Potomac, Maryland. Throughout the 1980s the Muldoon family pushed the club to even higher levels even as they competed as a family team (with the patriarch Joe Muldoon, Jr, sons Charlie and Joe III and daughter Mary Louise Muldoon) throughout the top tournaments along the East Coast and internationally. The Potomac Polo Club continues to be owned and operated by the Muldoon family. Over the years the club has attracted many high-goal and international players from countries such as Argentina, Canada, Chile, England and Mexico, as well as celebrities for scheduled Sunday matches, receptions and parties – many of which benefit charities, non-profit organizations, and other worthy causes. Participation by the Potomac Polo Club in the Silk Road event was consistent with the club’s long history of community service and promotion of the sport of polo. The Silk Road Polo Exhibitions Each Saturday and Sunday of the Silk Road event, for two weekends, the Potomac Polo Club put on four-chukker exhibitions in front of thousands of newcomers to the sport as well as polo fans. This venue provided a unique opportunity for the announcers and players to explain the origins of polo, techniques used, equipment, and rules of the game as well as answer innumerable questions from interested spectators. Without a doubt, the experience was rewarding and memorable to the thousands of visitors who had the opportunity to squeeze into the stands and along the sidelines to watch polo up close and personal. The entire Muldoon family team hit the playing field, albeit split among opposing teams. During the exhibition games, Charlie Muldoon often deliberately hit the bouncy arena ball off the playing field and into the stands, to the delight of the spectators who jumped to catch the ball and then tossed it back to the umpire. At other times he and his older brother Joe III would loft a ball downfield to the mouth of the goal to the collective cheers from the huge crowds. True to the ancient Chinese tradition of women playing a prominent role alongside men in polo, Mary Louise Muldoon and Christine Montgomery kept the games competitive. Mary Louise even managed to direct a well-placed offside neck shot into a television cameraman’s lens, which made for an amazing series of almost 3-D footage on that night’s evening news broadcast. Eye-Opener For The Public Coverage of the polo exhibition was excellent with reviews and photos contained in the local papers, including the Washington Post and a cover story and photo of Joe III on the Monday morning edition of the Washington Times Weekend. Coverage on each of the networks’ local news shows ensured that the event reached as many residents and visitors to Washington DC as possible. The Potomac Polo School, at Red Eagle ranch, operated by Mary Louise received a considerable number of calls from spectators who caught the polo bug. Indeed, just one week after the last exhibition Mary reported that the entire Sunday morning beginner’s class was filled with new students ready to take the plunge into the world of polo. Clearly, the exhibition was an incredible chance to take polo to the masses and let everyone enjoy the sport for the rare pleasure that it can provide. It seems certain that as a result of the exhibitions many eyes were opened to the sport with nothing but positive impressions and memories taken from the experience. Moreover, quite a few new devotees were gained from the many thousands of people that watched the four games during the Silk Road event. Kicking up some dust: Mary Louise followed by Charlie, Joe III and Christine Montgomery Photos by Sebastian Lezica Players Charlie Muldoon Joe Muldoon, Jr. Joe Muldoon III Mary Louise Muldoon Dave Pollin Christine Montgomery Jim Lewis Dan Calhoun Announcers Val Baliad Dante Tedaldi  Want to see more stories and photos, check out the Tack shop directory where you can pick up a copy of Sidelines. Or call 561-790-6506 for a subscription.

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