Sporting Road

When we are in Paris, we often make a trip over to Hermès, which was founded in 1837 as a Paris harness workshop, and it quickly became synonymous with the equestrian world, producing saddles, harnesses, and other riding equipment. Horses have stayed central to the house ever since — for six generations, the horse has guided the company, and the saddle-making workshop at 24 Faubourg Saint-Honoré remains its reference profession.  I picked up a bottle of it's first scent for men, Equipage, and we promptly named our polo team after the inspiration we felt by this word, meaning "team," back in 2004.   And, in 2026, we don't have to make the trek to Paris anymore, as Hermès has a store in Denver now, with one saddle in the shop.   Ok, well, it's not going to replace the flagship store in Paris anytime soon.  But it is a local source now for my favorite scent, Equipage by Hermes.  Too bad they don't have the saddle shop like they do in Paris.  Oh well, at least they have Equipage, which is my favorite scent, so much so that we named our polo team after it. There are a few variations of the Equipage line, as the scent has been around since 1970, such as the square bottle with the black cap and white dot is the older version made between 2003 - 2013. The one on the right with the lantern cap is the newer version from 2013 onwards.   There is an older bottle from 1970-2022 and it is said that this version of Hermes Equipage is the best.  I have vintage bottles of Equipage, as well as a bottle with the white dot. Although the

Levi Strauss & Co. doesn't have a specific tradition tied to polo, but there's a horse connection (Ride & Tie, plus the "Two Horse" trademark logo on their jeans, which is about two horses pulling on a pair of pants to show durability).   Plus, a lot of guys wear polo jeans for playing polo, as before modern breeches and jods made specifically for polo, such as those by Ono Polo, there were elephant ear breeches in white, used for polo and hunting, and in between there were white Levi's.

Kazu Oba Potter, Sculptor. Born in Kobe, Kazu Oba spent his early years in Japan. He moved to Colorado in the 90's and has called the Boulder area home ever since. He has continued to travel throughout the world for assistantships, workshops, and exhibitions. Kazu apprenticed under two masters, Jerry Wingren, a sculptor in stone and wood, then another master Takashi Nakazato, one of the world's most renowned potters from Karatsu, one of the ceramic centers of Japan. Kazu's pottery is dedicated to functional, everyday ware to be used in home. His background as a chef distinctly influences his work, as he maintains a constant focus on the relationship between his pots and the food that will occupy them. https://www.obaware.com/  

Field Ethos magazine was co-founded and is co-owned by Donald Trump Jr. and outdoor media veteran Jason Vincent, who serves as the CEO.  I just recently started subscribing and, wow, I love it.   I have written and photographed for a number of sporting magazines, and I have a lot of friends who do so professionally or semi-professionally.   Just when you thought that no one reads anymore, here's the magazine that will prove why it is still worth it. This month's featurs is on the Ta'sheer (also known as the "fire dance" or "gun-jumping") is a centuries-old traditional Bedouin war dance native to the Taif and Mecca regions of western Saudi Arabia. Historically performed by tribal warriors to build morale before battle and intimidate enemies, it is now a celebrated heritage ritual performed during major holidays like Eid al-Fitr, as well as at weddings and festivals.  The dance is a highly synchronized feat of athleticism and precise timing.  Performers use traditional muzzle-loading rifles called Al-Maqmanad are loaded with blank gunpowder—they contain no actual bullets or projectiles.   Performers dance barefoot in traditional attire, executing a tight, vertical bounce with their knees held close together. As the rhythm of traditional war drums builds, the dancer leaps high into the air.  At the absolute peak of the jump, the performer twists, aims the rifle straight down, and fires directly into the ground. This creates an instantaneous, gravity-defying explosion of sparks, flames, and thick white smoke directly beneath their feet. In case you were wondering like I was, yes it's the same Bedouin as in Star Wars.  George Lucas designed the Tusken Raiders (or Sand People) in Star Wars based directly on the Bedouin, nomadic Arab peoples of the