A member of the United States National Polo Team from Aiken was killed Thursday in an accident on Interstate 76 in Milton, Ohio.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol identified the man as Will Tankard, 30, of Aiken. Earlier this year, Tankard traveled to Chile as a member of the United States National Polo Team that played in the 10th Federation of International Polo World Polo Championship.
Tankard was heading east on Interstate 76 in a F-350 pickup truck that was hauling 10 thoroughbred horses in a trailer, according to Ohio Highway Patrol.
Tankard's pickup hit a car while making a lane change. The pickup rolled on its side, struck a bridge and then hit a semi-trailer truck that had been slowing down in the right lane. The interstate was shut down for more than four hours, according to troopers.
Seven of the horses survived the wreck and are being kept at a farm in Ohio, according to police. A dog that was in the passenger compartment of the pickup with Tankard also died in the accident.
Tankard played his first chukker of polo at the age of 5, according to biographical information that appears on the United States Polo Association's website.
While a teenager playing arena polo in Texas, Tankard led his Fort Worth team to National Interscholastic Championships in 2002 and 2003. After Tankard received a polo scholarship from Texas Tech University, he helped the squad there become the only Texas Tech sports team to ever earn a national championship in 2006.
Also in 2006 in Texas, Tankard played on the winning team in the prestigious 12-goal Triple Crown of Polo outdoor tournament.
More recently, Tankard enjoyed success as a member of various teams that captured tournaments in Aiken and Massachusetts. In Argentina, his squad won the 12-goal Copa Garzaron in La Pampa at the famous Chapaleufa Polo Club.
Tankard had a 3-goal outdoor handicap and a 4-goal indoor handicap.
Dede Biles contributed to this story.
Will Whaley is the crime and courts reporter with the Aiken Standard.