USPA Chicago Polo Women's Challenge Cup Finals: Oak Brook vs. Beaver Creek

I was hoping to attend this but was not able to do so. In the future, my plan is to attend more in the region. I think it is helpful to watch how some of these games are played. The creation of higher levels of game play means familiarizing yourself with the rules. For people who live near these areas it is helpful to be involved in these clubs for learning and community involvement. Hopefully, I can develop a little community in Delta County area even if not as large or supported. Getting people together to play is a lot of fun.  

https://www.oakbrookpoloclub.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Just-For-Fun/Beaver-Creek-Polo-1463325143978248/

Escanaba Polo Mallet Co. Hosts First U.P. Polo Game

 

In the Month of August we had the very first polo game in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Four chuckers long and most of the fouls were not called. It was the very first time people played the game so it may have been more like practice but we muddled our way through anyway. Everyone had a great time and we plan on making it a more regular event. Some discussion on getting better to have a Humane Society fundraising event and teaching 4H children how to play. Another mentioned playing at next year's U.P State Fare and have a band afterward with a dance.  I can't imagine people showing up dressed up like the show Pretty Woman!

I'm not sure that we are at that level but it is certainly fun to think about. Yikes! I will do anything for a good cause and for good fun. If we raise some money for something worthwhile it will be a blast to participate in the betterment of the community. I guess that is what its all about fun, recreation, and doing good things. 

It also teaches people that there are many more sports beyond baseball, football and hockey. The area has cheap land and lots of horses but most riding is Western . So it is kind of cool having people engage in the fun of it and start to play. 

Some things we need some work on is leaning over well with balance and hitting the ball in a straight line. Likewise, we need to think about following the line of the ball so that safety improves. However, overall everyone did great job and by the end of the game a few were moving faster and hitting the ball more consistently. Two players dribbled half the arena and put the ball between the goal posts!  

Escanaba Polo Mallet Company donated the equipment and expertise to play the first game. Escanaba Polo Mallet Company is a good works establishment that donates much of its profits to orphans, children's enrichment, and horse rescue. They sell affordable polo mallets and clothing. 

How to Hold a Polo Mallet

It is important for new riders to know the fundamentals. Holding the mallet the proper way is important as it will impact your place, control and mastery of the ball during play. This video will give you the basics. Each time you go to practice ensure your mallet is set properly before playing. Eventually it will become second nature and you won't need to think about it. 

Moving Your Horse from Trail Riding to Polo Player

Bella is a beautiful half Arabian and American quarter horse that has power and intelligence unmatched in the area. She wasn't an easy horse to deal with. As a rescue that was almost starved to death by a son who inherited the family farm she wasn't expected to amount to much. Worse than the depletion of health at the time of rescue she was jumpy from abuse and even after extensive training she was still jump. So jumpy that the first owners returned her to the trainer because it was "too much horse". Yet Bella has survived and overcome her challenges and is now moving from the trail into polo riding. 

Its a different sort of expectation being a polo horse. In trail riding you want them to be desensitized so they don't bolt when they see things they don't like and polo horse must be further trained to move quick, have stamina, bump other horses and do things that a normal horse would never be expected to do!

While she is in the beginning of her training she has learned to move with a one handed rein, not be afraid of the polo mallet, and can take off on prompt. Easy to handle and pays attention to your slightest cue making moving during a polo game much more effective. Here are a few things I worked on with her. 

Desensitized: Continuous riding and making lots of noise around her until she calms down. 

Bite and Cue Training: Training her on subtle cues from body, bit, arm and legs that help her be responsive. 

Dominance Training: Winning her trust and then taking the dominant position with her by using firm commands with nice rewards. 

Consistency: Having other people ride her to allow her to become giving to many different mixed signals and to lower her nervousness. 

A Quality Day Trainer: Hired someone to day train her and ride here consistently in different environments to prepare her for more complex commands. 

She has more to go but is able to play polo at the walk and trot. Our next steps are to move to canter and then gallop. 

Polo Cocktails from the Pony Bar at Greenwich Polo Club

Most of the time we spend our time thinking about how to play polo but sometimes we are in the stands watching how the game unfolds.  People come for the lively atmosphere and because they enjoy the company of other polo enthusiasts. Refreshments are part of the experience. This video offers some cocktail suggestions from the Pony Bar at the Greenwich Polo Club. Enjoy!

Solid Video on Polo Basics

It is important for polo players to learn the basics and stay with the fundamentals. We may get better but you always want to check in on the basics as best you can. I found this short video and it has a lot of information you may want to review. If your new to the game this is definitely one you want to watch!

Supporting Orphans with Corporate Profits: Harness the Power of Your Network

We have a responsibility towards children in the world. Without a proper upbringing they will not grow to be healthy world citizens with a positive outlook on life. World poverty is a major issue but it is mixed with all the other issues that compete for our attention. I have a small mallet company called Escanaba Polo Mallet Co and I donate some of the profits to orphans, child enrichment and horse rescue. It is a little of a pipe dream but we hope to grow the company bigger and then sponsor an entire orphanage and supply the intellectual university talent to help these kids get the the best primary and then higher education possible to perhaps train them as managers at American companies in Mexico (or something like that). Just more of a direction among many to start walking but we will see what happens in the twist and turns of business and life.  If you like whats going on then get involved. 

HARNESS THE POWER OF YOUR NETWORK YOU NEVER KNOW WHO IS WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE UNLESS YOU ASK! The Coronavirus pandemic has significantly impacted our ability to hold in-person fundraisers and orphanage trips, which have been our primary means for fundraising. Thankfully, peer-to-peer online fundraising is an easy way to provide our extended networks with the opportunity to support the children and ensure that they do not go without!   Join our peer-to-peer fundraising campaign, it only takes a few minutes to create a fundraising page and share it with your network by email or social media! We are grateful to those that have created their fundraising pages and have started fundraising teams and everyone that has donated to this campaign! Your support and participation will help us ensure that hundreds of orphaned and abandoned children in Baja have food on their table, educational opportunities and a place to call home — because the only thing a child should worry about is being a child! CREATE CAMPAIGN HERE