That's Hal Hall. But who's the other guy?

Auburn's Hal Hall will deservedly be honored April 13 when his Central Square marker is dedicated. Hall's list of accomplishments on the Western States Trail are legendary — starting with his first buckle at age 15 for completing the Tevis Cup ride between Squaw Valley and Auburn. By the time he was 17, he was riding the trail like a veteran and finished second. At the 1972 awards presentation, Hall — going into his final year at Placer High School — is seen in a photo discovered in the Auburn Journal archives that shows him being presented with the James Ben Ali Haggin Cup. The giant trophy has gone each year to to the finisher in the Top 10 whose horse is in the best shape at the end of the grueling endurance ride. Hall would go on to finish first in the 1974 endurance ride, repeat the feat in 1977 and make it a triple in 1990. He would also step up to receive the Haggin Cup two more times. He's finished more than 30 Western States endurance rides, in all. The man making the presentation isn't that well known to Auburnites these days — although the Tevis Cup bears the name of his grandfather, 19th century Wells Fargo bank kingpin and overall California mover and shaker Lloyd Tevis. The presenter is none other than Will Tevis — perhaps better known in horsey circles as "Mr. Polo." By the time this photo was taken, the younger Tevis was in his 80s but still known for his pre-Tevis ride cocktail parties at Squaw Valley the night before the big ride to Auburn. While the Tevis Cup represented a scenic retreat into the wilderness, Tevis was a millionaire San Francisco businessman who helped give the event wider exposure, using his contacts in the Bay Area media to create some buzz and using his ample family fortune to bankroll the Tevis Cup trophy. Behind that enthusiasm for a ride was a background in the equestrian world that included a record-breaking endurance ride and a solid reputation as a polo player. Back in 1929, Tevis bet Hollywood producer Hal Roach $5,000 that he could break the record for a 200-mile ride. Tevis would set that record on a special track set up at Dreamland in San Francisco. He gained the sobriquet "Mr. Polo" as a world-ranked player who helped make Palm Desert the polo capital of the world in the mid-20th century. Tevis also came from a family considered California royalty. His mother was the daughter of the 12th governor of California when it was still under Mexican rule. And his grandfather, Wells Fargo president from 1872 to 1892, is credited with rescuing the Pony Express from insolvency. Lloyd Tevis was also a partner with George Hearst — father of William Randolph Hearst — in highly lucrative gold and silver mines throughout the West. Will Tevis would die in 1979 and be hailed as one of the visionaries who helped get the Tevis Cup ride off the ground. And for a young Hal Hall, stepping up to receive an oversized trophy, 1972 was a memorable brush with California's beginnings. "Remember This?" and Gus Thomson can be reached at gust@goldcountrymedia.com or 530-852-0232. Thomson is a state and national award-winning reporter who writes for the Auburn Journal.