RIDERS WE LOVE
LIVING THE SWEET LIFE
Who is Sugar Erskine?
For some, the‘ American Dream’ means opportunity and prosperity. For Stuart‘ Sugar’ Erskine it meant he got to play polo every day of his life. When the necessary evil of school had passed, he journeyed west and has never looked back. By Roger Westbrook
he small town of Fawn Leas just outside Wartburg, from where he hails, is a far cry from the Lone Star State of Texas, USA that Stuart‘ Sugar’ Erskine now calls home. At the tender age of just 12, Stuart had an encounter with famed 10-goaler,‘ Smokin’ Joe’ Henderson, who told of a land of brave and free that played polo every day and all year round. It seemed too good to be true. South Africa’ s May to September – weekends only – were not enough for the young Maritzburg College boy and he, like so many others in history, was sold on that proverbial American dream.
It wasn’ t always to be polo, however. The sport in South Africa, while popular in its own right, does not enjoy the exposure it earns in North and, more so, South America. Stuart, like many other boys, was going to follow in the footsteps of his father and become a sugarcane farmer. Not all would have been lost; what better marketing ploy for the sugarcane industry than a farmer called‘ Sugar’? But it wasn’ t to be and the name in fact has nothing to do with the sweet perennial grass. When asked of the nickname’ s origin, Stuart claims,‘ I used to mumble“ Stuart” and the Sugar kind of evolved from that, but the more I think about it, the more I think Cris Zimmerman just thought I was sweet.
‘ I left high school and two days later I was on a plane to an Argentinian farm where I would start work on my way to the USA. Cris was an Argentine working on that farm, and he played a key role in my polo journey.’
Above: Stuart beats a ride-off at the Ylvisaker Memorial Cup against Gateway Merchants. Below: Stuart with his wife Brigitte and sons, Ashe and Caiden.
Polo has been in the Erskine family for generations and Stuart expects it will be in time to come. His earliest memory of the sport has him sitting in the back seat of the car chewing on his dad’ s helmet strap. He remembers plenty of excitement – possibly tension – and some very salty leather. His great grandfather played and his father, Andrew, and uncle, Stephan, represented Noodsberg, Mooi River and Karkloof through four decades, claiming the South African Open Championship no less than eight times. And now, across the Atlantic, Stuart’ s sons Caiden( 11) and Ashe( 7) are getting involved. Like any open-minded father, he will allow them to make their own decisions on their future in the sport and will no doubt support them either way. He says,‘ They are just starting but it’ s up to them. Golf clubs and soccer boots don’ t eat oats.’
For Stuart it’ s polo for life. He started playing at just nine and it has now been a little more than 30 years in the saddle, having represented Noodsberg, Isla Carroll, Coca-Cola and Indios Chappalafue. He has also represented Audi and Grant’ s Farm for whom in respective years he claimed the silverware at the prestigious Pacific Coast Open. He believes he will continue to play the sport until he drops. Until that fateful day, Stuart is fortunate enough to have the support of his wife, Brigitte, who is also from a polo playing family and understands the love for the sport and the ponies as well as the lifestyle that comes with it. The hours, the travelling and the time away from the family.
Brigitte went to Girls High School right across the road from Maritzburg College. In a twist of fate, the two met in Florida years later and the rest is history. While Brigitte has her hands full with the two »
BMW INTERNATIONAL POLO 53