Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 January 1917 — CALLED POLO MOUNTS [ARTICLE]

CALLED POLO MOUNTS

New Nomenclature Adopted by National Horse Show. ■ a Association Raised Height Limit to Conform With Requirements of Army—Problem of Supply Is Thereby Simplified. “Polo mounts,” not “polo ponies” as of old, was the caption over the competitions that most interested followers df the galloping game in the prize lists for the thirty-first national horse recently held at Madison Square Garden. It was at the prompting of William Hazard, secretary and treasurer of the Polo association arid president of the Rockaway Hunting club, that the new nomenclature has been adopted by the National Horse Show association committee. He requested that the term “polo mounts” be substituted for “polo ponies” In the prize list and catalogue hereafter. There are two classes for polo mounts, respectively, for light and heavyweight mounts. In each the judging will be for manners, handiness and conformation, and the owner or a polo club member must be in the saddle. At the annual meeting of 1914 the Polo association voted to raise the height limit, mainly to conform with the requirements of the army and thereby simplify the problem of a government supply of mounts for army players. The new rule was: “Mounts—The height of mounts shall not exceed 15.1 hands.” Subsequently, a letter of explanation was sent broadcast to the editors and authorities j>f the newspapers by R. F. Herbert, suggesting the word mounts be used hereafter instead" of ponies. The increase in height, besides making it easier to obtain lightweight army remount's availiible for polo, ended the many confusions due to the use of mounts that were palpably beyond the old 14.2hand limit. v