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Jaeger-LeCoultre Icons of Polo

Mr. Red Armour

Respect and Integrity

Photo: courtesy of The Polo Museum & Hall of Fame

PERSONAL DATA
Red Armour is an American former 9-goal player. He is married, and among his achievements during his polo career, he won the US Open (1974), Coronation Cup (1974), US Gold Cup (1975), Gold Cup and Silver Cup in Sotogrande, and he was inducted to the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in 1999. He also served as a governor and chairman of the Handicap Committee of the United States Polo Association (USPA).

What has been your most memorable moment in polo?

I guess one of them has been the end of my career, when I played with Kerry Packer, Gonzalo Pieres, and Gonzalo Tanoira in Palm Beach. Also, when we played with Bautista Heguy at the Gold Cup. The 20-goal season with Tanoira and 26-goal with Bautista. 
We won the first 20-goal and then we didn't play in the second because they raised Tanoira's handicap. He was 10 and we played the Gold Cup after that, but it was about playing with two other great players. Quite a thrill - Gonzalo Tanoira, Gonzalo Pieres and Bautista Heguy.
I guess another great moment was when we played the Americas Cup, not in Argentina, because we were not prepared at all, had no idea about what we were getting into. Then we played in Texas. I don't think we were more prepared, but it was a totally different game: 40-goal vs. 26, which was all we ever played. It was a totally different game. We played very well, and we were very competitive against one of the greatest team. The two Heguys. So I have to list that one too. Those were two memorable experiences that I was fortunate enough to live.

Which was your best horse and why?

I don't know what other people answered to that question but I've played for 30 -  35 years; 35 years as a professional. So I was fortunate enough to have more than one great horse. I would say probably one of the best horses I had was one called Matthew. He was the first I’ve ever bought when I went to England. I didn’t have money so I would play him in three chukkers at every important game. I used to have six or seven horses, but I only had one Matthew
Actually, I was being mounted while in England. But then this horse came along and I could buy him. He was very tall, like a monster! Matthew came from New Zealand, I played him for many years.
Then I shipped him back to the US and I played him all the American polo, like six or seven years. Then, he got arthritis and I had to stop playing him. Matthew probably meant much more to me because he gave me many good things at a time when I didn’t have enough money to buy the horses I needed to play the level of polo I was playing back then.
For me, Matthew was the one I had when I was starting and with him I raised from 4 to 7 goals.

Who did you have real pleasure to play with in your career?

First person would be Tommy Wayman.  We worked for John Reardon "Hap Sharp", we had a very good chemistry on the field and we always know where the other one was.
I would have to say Tommy, and then as I mentioned earlier, Bautista, Gonzalo Pieres, Gonzalo Tanoira, and Gonzalo Heguy as well. A real honor for me, we did so well, and we had a great chemistry right from the very first match. We all knew each other so well, we almost did any mistakes on the field.

What values and qualities does polo have as a sport that other sports don't have? 

Anytime you combine an animal with a human being, the relationship is based on controlling two minds. Polo is definitely very different to other sports. I’ve played American football, soccer, tennis, golf.  Some of them are team sports, and other just your individual ability. When you play polo, you have to combine two abilities, you and the horse.
If you take Cambiaso or any other of the great players, and put them to ride horses that aren’t that good, their abilities are not the same. I mean, their abilities are great, but the horse is so much a part of the sport, and you can be able to show your abilities if you have great horses. But you are competing against other teams in the same position, and maybe you were strong in the second and weak in the third chukkers. That’s when you play your best horses in the fourth, fifth and sixth chukkers. However, today there is not such a thing as a weak chukker. It’s a weak chukker, and the game is over, because these teams are all so well mounted, all four players in basically all levels of polo. But it’s just remarkable how many good horses are in polo. When we used to play, you could count the good horses on your fingers in the whole United States. And now, is really impressive to watch the horses, I love to watch the horses and how far they came.

What is the best thing that polo has given you both as a player and in life in general? 

If you enjoy doing what you are doing, they say it never feels like work. You enjoy every day, and any sport that involves a horse is a seven-day work. There’s no day off, and if you really don’t enjoy it, it becomes a hard work. I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy what I was doing. Otherwise, I’d feel it as going to work every day.


What story or memory you would like to capture for ever and engrave on back of the JLC Reverso watch?

I think the word I would use could be integrity. I think this sport and race car driving, think of high danger, there are between respect and integrity. Maybe I'll put both. 
Without the respect for your fellow player, you can cause damage. It’s permanently risky; it’s what they taught me, respect for my team mates, fellow players and the horse. There is a huge part of this game. You learn very quickly that without them you are nothing. And the integrity includes sportsmanship; taught me lessons that are useful every day. If you live your life with respect and integrity, on and off the polo field, I think you live a better life, a happier life.