The Polo Player

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

  • by Chris Macias
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’ll find Paul Griffin studying the finer points of accounting and financial theory. He’s 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’s 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’s played polo for the past 25 years, drawn to the sport for its excitement, traditions and tight community.

“To me, it’s one of the most exciting sports you can engage in,” said Griffin. “The rule book in polo is like the size of Encyclopedia Britannica. There’s no shortage of learning and becoming better over time.”

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. 

“Some people don’t realize the extent of high-risk in the sport,” said Griffin. “But if you play by the rules, you can be safe. It’s demanding, but if you maintain your body and exercise it’s fine. Most of game is in the horse, not the rider.”

Griffin noted the long history of polo at UC Davis and successes on the field. In 1975, UC Davis became the national intercollegiate indoor polo champion after defeating Yale with a score of 15-12. He said it’s common to find someone with a UC 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.

“It’s a passion,” said Griffin. “It’s 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’s a very welcoming sport.” 

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