新澳门六合彩内幕信息

The Polo Player

On weekends in the summer, Professor Paul Griffin plays polo.

Two photos, each of a man in polo gear riding a horse. On the left, he is holding the reins with one hand while the horse is trotting. He looks over his right shoulder and holds a polo stick in his right hand. In the photo on the right, the horse is running toward the camera. He holds the polo stick upright and the white ball can be seen midair in the foreground.
Graduate School of Management Professor Emeritus Paul Griffin plays polo every summer in Santa Rosa. (Courtesy)

On most days you鈥檒l find Paul Griffin studying the finer points of accounting and financial theory. He鈥檚 an emeritus distinguished professor at the Graduate School of Management and an international expert on corporate financial reporting, accounting practices, and other key issues in finance.

But come weekends in the summertime, he鈥檚 riding with mallet in hand while competing at the Wine Country Polo Club in Santa Rosa. Griffin, 78, is a longtime enthusiast of all-things equestrian. He鈥檚 played polo for the past 25 years, drawn to the sport for its excitement, traditions and tight community.

鈥淭o me, it鈥檚 one of the most exciting sports you can engage in,鈥 said Griffin. 鈥淭he rule book in polo is like the size of Encyclopedia Britannica. There鈥檚 no shortage of learning and becoming better over time.鈥

He owns six horses that range in age from early-teens to mid-20s. They hail mainly from Argentina and are bred for success on the polo field, where agility, stamina and fearlessness are keys to winning a match. Playing polo is a physical feat, both for the rider and the pony. As a break from writing academic articles, Griffin said he also enjoys publishing polo stories in local and national sports magazines. 

鈥淪ome people don鈥檛 realize the extent of high-risk in the sport,鈥 said Griffin. 鈥淏ut if you play by the rules, you can be safe. It鈥檚 demanding, but if you maintain your body and exercise it鈥檚 fine. Most of game is in the horse, not the rider.鈥

Griffin noted the long history of polo at 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis and successes on the field. In 1975, 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis became the national intercollegiate indoor polo champion after defeating Yale with a score of 15-12. He said it鈥檚 common to find someone with a 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis affiliation on the polo circuit.

The polo season is now on hold until next summer when play commences at his club. He said he intends to participate as long as possible. After all, according to Griffin, polo is more of a lifestyle than a sport.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a passion,鈥 said Griffin. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just us playing a game. We really do socialize a lot and that element is international. You can go to a polo club anywhere in the world and they welcome you like a brother or sister. It鈥檚 a very welcoming sport.鈥 

Primary Category

Tags