Robert Stuertzebecher

On October 4, 2003, Bob Struerzebecher was seriously injured while umpiring a polo match at the Polo America Convention held at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. The horse he was umpiring on spooked and Bob was thrown onto the hard packed surface, fracturing 6 ribs and seriously rupturing his spleen. He needed emergency surgery to remove his injured spleen.

Bob spent the next 16 days in the hospital. After release from the hospital, he spent another 8 days at the home of a friend, Ernie Darquea, before getting the OK to travel home.

Although the incision healed, recuperation was slow. He was finally able to start riding and teaching umpire clinics again in February 2004. He had to have an incisional hernia repaired in the spring, which luckily healed quickly.

Bob would like to thank the Polo Players Support Group for the help they gave him. "Your Group provided much needed financial assistance for me to get through those months following my accident. For that, I shall be forever grateful!"