W.L. (Willis) Hartman

Willis Hartman’s legacy is substantial and his contributions are numerous. From his home base in Wichita, Kansas, his words of guidance and support have influenced the careers of many amateur and professional players. His true passion was the improvement and development of better polo ponies. To honor the contributions made by the ponies, in 1965 he established the Willis L. Hartman Trophy to recognize the winner of the Best Playing Pony of the U.S. Open.

Willis helped guide the establishment of several important polo centers, including the Tulsa Polo Club, the Broad Acres Polo Club in Norman, Oklahoma, and the Royal Palm Polo Club in Boca Raton, Florida. For over a decade he served as a USPA Governor. He loved the sport so much, he personified the notion that age is but a state of mind, playing the game well into his 80s.

Willis Hartman with his notable string of ponies