Miracles Happen

This is going to sound like a Reader’s Digest kind of story, and it is.

Three years ago to the day, at the age of 44, I suffered a major heart attack and nearly died.  It happened while playing polo. I had had a late-ish family lunch and had been drinking only an isotonic drink - no water. Two mistakes right there. I was playing 6 chukkas in a friendly but fast and furious game and after a couple of chukkas I felt a pain in my chest. Believing it to be indigestion or heart burn, I carried on playing.

Big mistake. An almost fatal mistake, actually.

I never finished the game. I came off the field in the final chukka unable to breathe. I was gasping for air as the heart worked overtime to send oxygen through my body. I fought like crazy just to stay conscious, to stay alive.  You go through different stages of disbelief, panic and prayer. Then you concentrate everything you have just to keep from blacking out. I’m not sure if I blacked out or not. I was in and out of consciousness. Half of those who black out don’t wake up.

When we realised I wasn’t going to die that first time around, I had a friend, Karen Gan, take me to University Hospital where I arranged to meet a doctor friend of mine on arrival. No ambulance and no call to Natasha because I didn’t want her to panic.  I was speaking to Dr Sargunan on our mobile phones as I walked into the Emergency Room at UH. He was trying to keep me calm and play down the situation. He told me not to worry because ”heart attack patients just don’t walk into hospital.”  Minutes later he joined a team of specialists battling to save my life as it was clear the heart attack was not yet over.

As you know, I survived, otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this. The doctors took some time to stabilise my crashing blood pressure, then injected an enzyme called Streptokinase into my bloodstream. It worked, clearing the main blockage. The doctors at UH did a great job.

The heart attack left 30% of my heart wall scarred, which means things don’t always work as efficiently as they used to. Getting fit and maintaining fitness seems to be one of them.  There was a period after the heart attack when something as easy as climbing the stairs in my house was nearly impossible to do without pausing to catch my breath.  I wasn’t sure I’d ever play polo again. SEA Games Polo? Well that wasn’t even conceived at that time, so I can tell you I’d have taken odds of more than a thousand to one against competing in a SEA Games again.

Dr Nik Isahak encouraged me to play recreational polo again though when he saw the frenetic action at the Malaysian Open later that year he declared he would never have let me if he had known it was such a physical game.

My old friend Dato’ Mohamed Moiz played my first tournament with me almost half a year later. I played it wearing a heart monitor. Even on beta blockers my pulse raced to 180 per minute before the match. I never told Dr Nik.

Sure, when you make it to the final of the SEA Games you want to win. Even against mighty Malaysia you’ve got to believe a miracle might happen. In my case, that miracle already did happen. I was a winner just being there.

Final Focus

Natasha arrived on Tuesday in time to watch the polo. On Wednesday we went to Horseshoe Point to watch the individual final of the showjumping. Natasha will stay at HSP to watch her Malaysian eventers compete, then returns to Bangkok in time or the final polo matches.

The showjumping final was a much better class than the team event, which I thought was ridden quite poorly for a small class. The individual final was bigger and a much better class. It was a pleasure to watch Qabil Ambak defend his showjumping crown in such a positive way. He is unbeaten in SEA Games showjumping over a six year period, and has won a total of nine gold medal, yet remains such a quiet, unassuming, modest young man. Many of the superstar riders who failed at these SEA Games will do well to emulate his humble but winning attitude.

Qabil is extremely focused. Something that the younger ones must learn to do. Watching riders chip, miss and lose their way isn’t thrilling to watch. It actually gets me a little angry watching them waste their talent, not to mention parent’s money, because they don’t know how to focus, visualise and execute.

Many of the coaches, like good horse dealers, are just cheerleaders. Riders are not well prepared if they ride into number 1 without impulsion or purpose. It is no use if the coaches cum horse dealers just tell them it was not their fault or that it was just bad luck or that they rode really well when they didn’t. If riders wish to be pandered to, they aren’t going to learn very much. Reality bites. They have to focus and execute their entire game better.

The Singapore polo team had to do that yesterday too. We had to beat Philippines to get into the finals because Indonesia lay down and quit like a bunch of pussies against Thailand. Two of the Indonesian players came off the field asking to be substituted. One had been hit in the meaty part of his shoulder, and the other claimed he had “chest pain.” Puh-leaze. Someone please tell them this isn’t the EPL where you go down with every tackle or the coach pulls you off because you’ve taken a knock. Polo is a very physical contact sport. If they don’t like it, they should take up tiddlywinks. Substitutions are supposed to occur only if a player is injured, not because the pussies don’t want to face their angry General when they screw up.

Because Thailand beat Indonesia for their second win of the qualifying tournament, if Philippines beat Singapore, the qualification for the final would be muddied because of the who-beat-who rules. While the officials went over all permutations of goal differences, we realised the simplest solution was to beat the Philippines and solve all equations for everyone by having 3 wins and 6 points. So we focused and executed. 10 1/2 - 1 against the Philippines. QED.

Singapore are in the final against mighty Malaysia. Thailand will play Philippines for the bronze medal. I’ve won gold and bronze medals at the SEA Games before, but never a silver, which we are now guaranteed. Guess what? I don’t really want one. In trying to trade up, we’ll have to try to bring the best game we have to make it a proper final. But we are under no illusions that it will be an incredibly tough game. For the next two days, till we get to the silver or gold podium, it is all about focus.

“I don’t know”

So we had a bit of a canter yesterday against Malaysia. Neither team showed what they can do. 8 - 2 1/2 is an awesome score when you have a second string team out there against what is virtually a full side from Singapore. We didn’t play well yesterday and I think we missed an opportunity to try a few moves that we might have perfected against Malaysia. I was quite disappointed with our game. The final is going to be a game of 90% damage control and 10% opportunity. If we get there.

The Philippines gave themselves a mathematical chance of making it to the finals by beating Indonesia yesterday. They need to beat us by something like 15 goals to take our place in the final if my math is correct.

The Indonesians were very poor against the Philippines. Having started so well against the Malaysians, they seem to have deteriorated with every game. They are well mounted on their own horses, yet lost to the Philippines who were mounted on borrowed 2nd, 3rd or 4th string shortlegged fatboys. Their supposedly tough guy facade was well and truly shattered when their No 2 took a mallet to the chest with 24 sceonds to go with the match lost. It looked a bit theatrical and he kept it up as he went off to hospital in the ambulance. I think he didn’t want to face an angry General as he had just allowed the Philippines to canter all over the field to score the winner. Three hours later he came back to the official hotel still clutching his chest and moaning like he’d just been shot. Perhaps he thinks he might have been.
I’d tell you his name if his teammates knew it. But they don’t know their names. During our match against them I got into the wars with this No 2. While we had a break I asked their No 3, what their No 2’s name was. His reply was, “I don’t know.” Thinking he had not understood me, I repeated my question in Malay. Again I got “I don’t know.” I then asked if he knew his own name, to which his stock reply was “I don’t know.”

There is a camaraderie amongst polo players. In better polo there is usually decent banter. You need some brains to play good polo. But if brains were dynamite, these guys couldn’t blow their noses.

Malaysia Versus Singapore Final Looms

Singapore got past Indonesia in another bruising battle. I have always maintained that low goal polo is more dangerous than high goal polo where the players are usually much better riders and players who know the rules. Today was another day of late hits, elbows, sandwiches, hooked reins, zig-zags and aggro. It’s a pity some of these teams learn the bad side of the sport before they learn to play the game.

It should have been an easy game, and at 3-1 up we let them back into the match with two penalties to tie it at 3-3. They could even have taken the lead but missed an open 40 yarder. We took it upfield and as play broke down I managed to hit a perfect backhand pass for Satinder to tap in. That turned the match and we ran out 8-3 winners.

In the second game Malaysia destroyed Thailand 14 - 3 1/2. Thailand were simply outclassed on horsepower and teamwork. Malaysia played as a team, but too often Thailand played to one man. He may be Top, but not today. The Malaysian players regularly play 14 goal polo in the RMPA International League and they recently spent month in Argentina honing their skills against 16 to 20 goal teams. This Thailand team, on the other hand, has concentrated their local polo on inviting teams to come and get whupped on borrowed horses. It is a scenario reminiscent of how equestrian sport used to be 12 years ago, when some countries made to move to events on our own horses, and left behind the countries that had kidded themselves into thinking they were good when all they could compete on was on home ground on their own horses, while lending the other countries their second, third or fourth string horses.

I am sure it has been an eye-opener for many of the countries as they thought they had good horses. It is no surprise the people making the most noise are the horse-dealers who have sold them the slow-pokes. The patrons who have bought the slow-pokes aren’t dumb. They know a slow horse when they finally see it get cantered past by a good horse. So no amount of shouting and screaming about the other teams is really going to deflect their attention from the fact that their own short-legged fatboys will never grow speed. No matter how much they paid for them.

On Tuesday Malaysia and Singapore will play some club chukkas. The result is inconsequential as Malaysia is already in the final and Singapore is almost certainly in the final because of the who-beat-who rule. Philippines would have to beat both Indonesia on Tuesday and us on Thursday to change that. I have a lot of respect for the Filipino players because I know what they are like on their own horses, but seeing as they are riding 2nd, 3rd or 4th string short-legged fatboys this week, they really have no chance.

The Malaysian machine has now scored 36 goals in 3 matches, an incredible average of 12 per game. It is amazing to consider as Malaysia has actually slowed their pace when they have had the match won. I play my polo in Kuala Lumpur so facing my club-mates on Tuesday and in the Final will at least be much safer matches. Malaysia are a superbly mounted team and are an incredibly hard team to beat, but at least I know they will not resort to dirty tactics.

A Winning Start

We finally got onto the SEA Games polo field, playing Thailand yesterday in our first match, and their second. Their confidence was high as they had beaten Philippines in their first game on Thursday. The homeys got off to a good start when they scored the first goal of our game. Thailand gave away a few too many fouls though, and it was the penalties that cost them. Once we got to 3-2 in the second chukka, Singapore were always in control, eventually winning 7-5.

It was a tough match, and I have the bruises to show for it. There was quite a bit of elbowing, and I got hit harder than necessary quite a few times. I also got hit hard behind the saddle in the 3rd chukka, and while it turned my horse, it was the aggressor who hit the deck. Too bad for him.

Perhaps they needed to be rough, as we seemed to have the horsepower to handle them. In a horse race, we always came out on top. Watching them on Thursday we had not rated their horses. We were correct in that assessment. Our horsepower may not be as good at the Malaysians but it was certainly better than Thailand’s. That was one of the surprises of the tournament, that Thailand wasn’t better mounted.

My horses on Cool Performer are going really well. I played Brook and Nata against Thailand, and both had very good chukkas, playing hard all the way through them. Nata was very quick, and I broke away from them quite easily when I hd the chances. Brook is a real warrior. What a horse. At 15 she must be one of the oldest ponies in these games, yet she gave me a monstrous chukka. She was actually too strong, and I know she will play even better for me as the tournament goes on. I’ve had a few problems with Mia taking a hard knock last Sunday, and I am worried about Djakarta’s near fore. Trinity has calmed down considerably on Cool Performer, and I got half a chukka out of her against Thailand.

Malaysia stick and balled to an 11 - 1 1/2 win over poor Philippines in the second match yesterday. The gulf in horsepower was too much to bear. Philippines had been given half a goal on handicap, and with a lead of 10 - 1/2, Malaysia was almost helping Philippines to score a goal. Antonio Veloso finally got one in the final chukka.

The Filipinos are all very decent players. If only they had brought their own horses they might have had a chance, but by leasing horses from Thailand they killed any chance they might have had of fighting for a medal in this tournament.
Singapore’s next match is on Sunday against Indonesia. We are no illusions - Indonesia may be the new boys to polo but it will be another tough match. Malaysia plays Thailand in the 2nd match. These two games are very important for teams with medal aspirations.

No rest for the wicked, as they say.

Malaysia and Thailand off to flying starts in the SEA Games

No real surprises in the first two matches as Thailand beat Philippines 7 1/2 - 2 and Malaysia blew past Indonesia 11 - 3 1/2. While Malaysia added to their reputation as red hot favourites in this SEA Games Polo Tournament, and Thailand as possible contenders for a place in the final, it might be premature to write Indonesia off. The Indonesians played tough game. Their marking was consistent, and they showed they could play the game. They were reasonably well mounted even if they could not match the Malaysians in that department. I rate the Indonesians as the dark horse of this tournament.

My Singapore team will have a very tough first weekend as we face first the Thai’s in our first match this Saturday, then we will have to play the Indonesians the very next day. The draw is such that we simply don’t get much rest.

The ground looked good, even if we thought it cut up a little more than expected. There were a couple of falls, but I’m not sure they were related to the going. We would prefer a good ground that will allow us to play and control the ball against the Thai’s and Indonesians.

Playing the Malaysians on Tuesday is another story. It will be very hard for any team to beat them. Saladin Mazlan had an outstanding game today. He scored in the first attack of the day, and although he wore the No 4 shirt, offered himself as an attacking option and broke through the Indonesian defense many times in the match. Tengku Shazril (Along) showed us some brilliant stickwork. He was phenomenally fast dribbling around from defense to attack, mesmerising the opposition with his skill. Hairezal made a few decent fouls but made up for it by riding off like a tiger. His game served to remind me of his Johor roots. Shaik Reismann had an assuredly mature game at No 3, controlling the match with aplomb.

I play with most of these guys year round, and I know their game. Having said that, I don’t know if it makes it any easier.

Moving to Bangkok

Asad made it to the final practice and so did Lawrence Khong, but Satinder stayed in Singapore to welcome his new twins who were born in USA a couple of weeks ago. So our full team practice was not really a full team. It gave me a chance to play with Lawrence and Ban Tong. Asad played very well, which will be necessary.

I had Dr Shane Ryan acupuncture some of my horses, and he stuck a needle in my neck as well. I had a photo taken of the needles in one of my horses and my neck, but my memory card did a dirty on me and I have lost half of my photos. I’m so sad. Shane also did some chiropraction work on them and especially Trinity improved from it.

Asad attended a briefing in Bangkok yesterday. Horses will all be marked with a red number, with a security photo taken with FIP Ambassador Peter Prendeville. Water is also being organised at the pony lines for all teams. The other reported rules were that substitutions can only be made if a player is injured, and ponies can play only one chukka, or if half chukkering, cannot play more than 7 1/2 minutes total.

This morning we travel to Bangkok and, on pain of expulsion from the games, move into Novotel Bangna. There is an opening ceremony at 2:00 p.m. at VRSC. The others teams are very kindly lending us horses to ride in it as ours won’t get to Bangkok till later today. Then Thailand plays the Philippines and Malaysia plays Indonesia.

At the SEA Games

I’m at the SEA Games, my 4th since 1983. It’s a bit of blast from the past. Everyone is walking around with accreditation tags and in National Team shirts. The Malaysians look great especially in their red and white EAM outfits. The Singaporeans are in red and white too, which would be perfect for me but I can’t blend in. I have no accreditation card and no gear. My team-mate Satinder was carrying an official bag with my uniforms and shirts up for me from S’pore. His flight is full of Singaporean SEA Games swimmers. Those chlorinated swimmers grab all the red team bags and take them to Korat. Including his bag and mine. Satinder has no clothes or personal effects, not even his disposable contact lenses. Luckily for him I use the same degree of contact lenses too and have the exact disposable lens he needs. Three days later we still have no accreditation, and the bags are still in Korat.

We play practice matches against a mixture of pros and players from Siam Polo Park and Polo Escape. Ang Ban Tong is the only No 1 player to come to the Pattaya this weekend, yet he arrives late on Saturday and decides not to play. My other team-mates Misrab Faizullah-Khan and Lawrence Khong are not here yet. Asad doesn’t get here till Tuesday, so the only actual practice the Singapore team will have as a foursome will be on Wednesday. We are off to a really good start of team practice.

Satinder Garcha and I get to play together for the first time, and it luckily enough it starts to click. We play a round robin against two other teams. We dispose of the mixed grill team. However, the two +3 Argie pros from Polo Escape give us a really hard time on Saturday. We turn the tables on them on Sunday and give them a hiding. They are quite depressed later at the Asado at Polo Escape.

Sisters Susy and Robin Lourvanij have set up a lovely place about 15 mins from Siam Polo Park and Thai Polo. Polo Escape is the 3rd polo set-up in polo-mad Pattaya. General Prabowo’s Indonesian Polo Team have based themselves at Polo Escape. Jagdeep Kairon has a Punjab Polo Team of himself, Qublai Alam, Ravi Rathore and Ahmed Tiwana - a 9 goal team – here just to give Indonesia match practice. They play in seclusion at Polo Escape, and we hear they play very well, giving the Punjab team a real game. The Indonesians are obviously well prepared after a year of training in Argentina. We are not taking them lightly and will not underestimate them. There will be no easy matches in this tournament.

Malaysia plays their practices with and at Thai Polo. Shaik Reismann, Saladin Mazlan, Tengku Shazril and Hairizal are said to be flying in match practice. They are the tournament’s red hot favourites.

Thailand’s coach Gustavo Yanet tells me the Thai team is in Bangkok but have finished their preparations for the SEA Games. It’s all very cagey. We have no doubt the Thai team are very well prepared, have home grown advantage and will be hard to beat. Gustavo comes to watch out match practice, skulking in the back of the clubhouse like a spy who has come in from the cold. He tries to feed us some story about not being allowed into Thai Polo by their security guards at the gate when he went in there to “see some horses.” It is a pretty sad story because there are no sentries at the Thai Polo gates.  There isn’t even a security post.

Two of the Philippines players have arrived and are trying the horses they will lease from VRSC. Being the only team on borrowed horses, they will have their work cut out for them.

We have one and only one actual practice, and hopefully it will happen on Wednesday. It is our only chance to train as a team. 0ver a year to prepare and yet our only practice as a team comes just 3 days before our first match. You’d never think it but there are those who think we are are well prepared.

The horses will go up to GCP on Thursday. We sit-out the first day as Thailand plays Philippines, and Malaysia plays Indonesia. Our first game is this Saturday against the homeys, Thailand.

Bring it on.