Mike Azzaro -- Rising to the Top

Mike Vogel | 3/1/2005

Mike Azzaro's a rarity: An American-born master at polo. At 39, he's been riding since he was 3. His father, a Chicago nightclub owner, moved the family to Texas in 1979 to be close to an expansive polo center there. Azzaro came up through the pro ranks, working odd jobs, riding low-caliber horses. He says it made him a better horseman, taught him a strong work ethic and heightened his hunger to excel. Only when he became an elite eight-goaler could he afford "superb" horses. And horses, he says, are 80% of a high-rated pro's game. Now, as a 10-goaler, the top of the sport, he has 20 top polo ponies on his Texas ranch.

He comes to Florida from December to May. Polo isn't a horse ride to riches. Like all pros, he's paid by patrons, the amateur riders who pay pros to lead and play for their teams. "They're good athletes, but they're businessmen. It's their hobby," Azzaro says. "They're not getting anything but being competitive and trying to beat other competitive teams."

Truthfully, though, wouldn't he rather play in a 40-goal game against none but the world's best, as he does while in Argentina in corporate-sponsored games? "It's definitely exciting and fun," he says, but if he misses a shot there, his teammates will get it. Pro-am play has the heightened challenge of being coach and tutor. "You have to rise up, and your ability has to be at its max. You have so many different angles you have to cover."

Azzaro would love to see more spectators at matches. Polo is cheap to watch and "it's a great picnic afternoon for the family. The players and organizations are very open to people coming up and asking questions. There's not a snobby attitude at all in polo."

If he stays healthy and keeps winning, Azzaro could still be playing in his mid- to late-40s. A year ago, he was hurt in an on-field collision and herniated a neck vertebra, losing 95% of his strength in one hand for months. He missed a game, then adjusted his playing style to compensate. "I've been very fortunate and blessed. God has kept me safe on the field."

Tags: Southeast