Sue Ellen

From her birth in 1990, the dark bay Thoroughbred mare Sue Ellen was destined for greatness. She was bred, raised and trained by horseman and Hall of Famer Tommy Wayman, and her dam was the great Little Lou De, a mare honored in the Hall of Fame in 2008. Possessing great power and speed, but also handy, quiet and relaxed, Sue Ellen played with finesse.

“If a horse’s worth is accounted by the total goals of players who have ridden her, Sue Ellen may be just about the best horse ever to play polo,” said Tommy Wayman, referring to the nine 10-goal players who have chosen to play her.

When Sue Ellen was a four-year-old, her ownership passed to John Goodman, patron of the Isla Carroll team. And Wayman adds, “She probably contributed more to the Isla Carroll success than any other horse over there.”

In 2001, she was sold to Mariano Aguerre, and next to Black Watch patron Neil Hirsch, whose team member Gonzalo Pieres, Jr., played her in the 2006 U.S. Open.

A former 7-goaler and breeder of polo ponies, Joey Casey, said of Sue Ellen, “She does everything with ease. She is good enough to get along with almost anyone, and many good players have played her. Sue Ellen is similar to another great horse from years ago, owned by the late John Oxley, called Cat-A-Joy… they both have that great, calm disposition and an exceptional mind… They never waste energy on nervousness, so they always have energy left to play a second chukker. That is what separates the good horses from the great horses.”

Now retired, Sue Ellen is grazing happily in Argentina, owned by Nacho Figueras and producing foals which he hopes will be of equal greatness. In 2014, he said, “I have a big breeding operation here in Argentina: Right now I have more than 500 horses. I have different favorites for different reasons, but if I had to name one I would say the most special horse is Sue Ellen. She is a mare that was bred by one of the best American players in the history of our sport, Tommy Wayman. Her mother was the best playing pony in the U.S. Open, her grandmother was the best playing pony in the U.S. Open, and she was the best playing pony at the Queen’s Cup in England and the Gold Cup in America. She has been breeding for five or six years now.”

Watercolor portrait of Sue Ellen (Top Photo) by artist, Melinda Brewer; www.poloart.ca