Ricky is a great polo player, totally focused on the sport, but when a drunken accident destroys his life he must fight to rise to the top again and win back the love of his life. When Ricky's wife Chessie leaves him because he neglects her in favor of his sport he ends up getting drunk and going to reclaim his son, ending up in a terrible accident that kills the two year old boy and lands Ricky in prison.
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On his release Ricky is at rock bottom, dreading seeing Chessie with her new husband, the incredibly rich, polo playing tycoon Bart. When they do meet, Chessie taunts Ricky, saying that she will only return to him if he reaches a handicap of ten and wins the highest polo prize, the Westchester Cup. This is a pretty impossible task, but gives Ricky something to live for although he has no money for a polo team, or players to play with him.
While in prison Ricky had befriended a rock star, Dancer Maitland and when they meet up after being released Dancer decides he wants to play polo, and fund Ricky's team, writing a new album to make some money, and calling the team Apocalypse. Ricky agrees, and the two begin to build up the team as Dancer learns to ride.
Perdita is in school at the start of the story, and worships Ricky from a far from his famous polo star days. Her mother, Daisy, rents a house from Ricky after her husband leaves her and Ricky sees Perdita riding one of his horses and decides to give her a job and train her up for his polo team. Perdita is spoiled and her bad behavior brings Ricky and Daisy together as they attempt to deal with her tantrums, eventually sending her to a polo range in Argentina to work with one of Ricky's old friends
Apocalypse gradually grow into a strong team, with Ricky and Perdita being joined by an Argentinian player, Angel, and Luke who is the son of Bart, the man that Chessie left Ricky for. Luke is kind, gentle and patient, never accepting money from his father he is a good influence on Perdita and falls in love with her, but she is oblivious, only having eyes for Ricky so Luke begins to date an old flame again. Ricky is spending more time with Daisy, enjoying her undemanding companionship and the comfortable home she has made from his cottage.
Apocalypse eventually win the Westchester Cup, and Ricky achieves his handicap of 10, meeting the terms of Chessie's challenge, however when she returns to him, he realizes that it is Daisy that he really loves and proposes to her. Perdita is initially mad at her mother, but then realizes she isn't actually that upset and her feeling s for Ricky have become more fatherly. However, the news that Luke is to marry devastates her and she runs to find him in Argentina, riding across the pampas and begging him to give her a chance instead, which of course he does.
Best part of story, including ending:
I love all of the polo action, especially the characters of the horses
Best scene in story:
I like the scene when Ricky realizes that he doesn't want Chessie back after all, but is in love with Daisy
Opinion about the main character:
I think Ricky is hard on Perdita at times, and I like her spirit and determination in a male dominated sport
