Polo is a generational sport, one where it’s not uncommon to view several players with the same last name playing together or against each other. Since children of polo families are normally brought up within the world of horses, many learn to ride before they can walk. With this in mind, photographer Susan Egan aimed to highlight the polo player’s legacy off the field, by showing today’s pros with tomorrow’s players. “In an effort to create a visual cohesiveness that spanned beyond the fact that I was shooting athletic professionals with their children, the barn environment became the obvious and natural choice for a location. Stables, in general, afford the natural lighting situation of open shade I find most complimentary for portraiture.” It is also a location players are comfortable and familiar with, and it enabled Egan to incorporate horses into the shot whenever possible.

“I requested the players choose their best-looking and most affable horse to pose with. Raina, John Gobin’s mare [featured here and on the cover], was a shining star in her own right.” Egan says she appreciated the tenderness and patience each player displayed with his children. “I found it refreshing to see this other dimension to their personalities, a softer side rarely seen on the competitive polo field.”

Egan was born and raised in the Connecticut River Valley and started riding horses at the age of 9. She has a background in dressage, but played polo at the University of Connecticut. She now works as a commercial and fine-art photographer, based in New York City but can be found in South Florida during the winter months. You can view more photos at www.susaneganphoto.com.