Polo is a club sport at University of Michigan. See schedule for games.
on Polo Zone
Read this article by Lynn Bremner in PoloZone about the costs and salaries of pros and grooms.
Reasonably priced hand-made polo
bridles from Dominican leather.
Play in women's polo in 2009 at Casa de Campo, a 5-star resort that offers Pete Dye golf, elegant spas, good food, beach, shooting range, clay court tennis. You are invited to play! more
Pony pre-chukker at W.Palm Beach 1/2008
Indoor? Outdoor?
What's the difference?
Paul Wheaton, DPC pro:
Arena polo is simpler to learn because the bigger ball makes an easier target. Indoor walls also help players learn skills without worrying about control issues with the horses. Play is quicker indoors, too, because of the small indoor arena size. An outdoor arena is the size of three football fields. (A regulation field is 160 yards by 300 yards. - Editor)
.Indoor vs. outdoor:
George Kuper DPC member:
“It’s indoor polo, remember, which is a lot different than what I’m used to playing. I’ve pretty exclusively been an outdoor player. I’m accustomed to the larger field and the long gallops. Indoor is not like outdoor because the action doesn’t stretch out and flow. It’s a stop and go, body contact sport, more so than outdoor. It’s a different game but it's lots of fun." |
Want to play in the Caribbean
visit Casa de Campo
U of Michigan polo
begins its winter indoor season with a Varsity scrimmage on January 17th. Scheduled games include Skidmore, U of Kentucky, Purdue, Harvard, Mass., and MSU, plus Regionals in March.
Riverbend Photo shoots outdoor equestrian sports
The three biggest countries in polo withdraw from the FIP -
from Horse and Hound October 30, 2009
Argentina, the US and now the UK polo associations have withdrawn from the Federation of International Polo (FIP) following disagreements with its chairman Patrick Guerrand-Hermès.
Described by polo insiders as "the biggest thing to hit polo in decades", the three countries represent more than half of the world's amateur and professional polo players.
"It is with the deepest regret that we three associations have resigned from the FIP," said a spokesman speaking on behalf of the three.
"We believe strongly in the concept of a global body to represent the sport of polo in international forums, but we have been disappointed by the unwillingness of the current president to take on board or even discuss the concerns of ourselves and others.
The withdrawal of the Asociación Argentina de Polo (AAP), the US Polo Association (USPA) and the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA) has been followed with the resignation of a number of key officials within the FIP — which appears to be rapidly imploding.
Guerrand-Hermès has been chairman of FIP since 2005, and is seen by many as a relative newcomer to the sport.
Detroit vs. Grand Rapids, Women's Tournament, September
See gallery of 8-goal polo at Detroit Polo Club
Watch 8-goal polo arena-side on August 23rd at Detroit Polo
located at US 23 and M59. Visit the Detroit Polo Club site for times - check the hotline on Sunday for latest start times as weather and transportation from distant places may modify start times. Planned start time is 2:00.
This tournament is a fundraiser for the 7-11 Franchisee Employee Scholarship Fund. Call Sponsor Larry Penzien 248-766-9002 for details.
HATS from the Detroit Polo Club Sunday polo in August
Junior player in a USPA tournament in June, 2009, DPC
Polo Season begins in Detroit and Grand Rapids 2009
college polo on May 30
club polo practice on May 31
Detroit vs Grand Rapids, June 7, at Detroit
Detroit vs Grand rapids, June 13, at Meadowview
Congressional Cup (USPA) 0-2 Goal, June 20-21, at Detroit
Meadowview Cup played in Grand Rapids. This indoor arena match ended winter intercollegiate polo season for Michigan teams. The trophy goes to 3-member team Paul Knapp, Sarah Knapp and Olivia Fajen.
Pologringo.com plans summer of videos: Editor Caleb Smith says, "Training videos are something I'd like to work on this summer. I plan to do some basic videos on how to wrap a pony's legs, how to tie a tail, how to hold the mallet when off-the-ball, etc. and I'm hoping to work with Detroit pro Paul Wheaton to get some video of some of the more advanced concepts. Should be great."
U of Michigan team spends winter break in Florida.
polo match against Michigan State and University of Kentucky
February 6-7 in Milan
email for directions and details: julias@umich.edu
Luck and hard work: U of Michigan Polo Team has been invited to Florida over the university's winter break to play in W. Palm Beach as guest of Detroit Polo Club member. They've been practicing all January evenings in the cold in an indoor in Milan. Please come watch them play against
Four Michigan women play polo in Dominican Republic, November
Gallery of shots from Polo Tournament and game chukkers
Women's Caribbean Polo site
David Yuschak trying out Detroit's wooden horse.
The MEADOWVIEW polo club will be hosting a NEW PLAYER POLO CLINIC at their new outdoor arena in Lowell, MI on October 3, 4 and 5. Meals will be served EACH DAY to all participants and WILBUR O’FARRELL (USPA PTF) will help conduct the clinic along with the Meadowview staff.
DPC and MEADOWVIEW welcome any out of town players or spectators. Their Web sites are www.detroitpoloclub.com and www.meadowview-farm.com .
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT J. HUTCHESON, jerry@detroitpoloclub or call (248) 854-7725. Thank you for your help and cooperation.
Detroit v Toronto in a friendly 3-goaler, August 31 gallery
For a review of Polo at the MSU Pavilion
September 11, 2008 at 7:00 p.m.
Intercollegiate: MSU vs. U of M
Professional: Detroit Polo Club vs Grand Rapids Polo Club
General Admissio $10.00.
All proceeds benefit the UM and MSU teams
For tickets: Lauren 231-463-6666 or email laurenlo@umich.edu
Polo match draws nearly 5,000 spectators to Traverse City venue.
U of M and MSU teams played polo at Horse Shows By the Bay in Traverse on Friday.
Horse Shows by the Bay in beautiful Traverse City, MI hosted its first-ever polo match Friday, August 1, between the co-ed polo teams of University of Michigan and Michigan State University. The match, held in the brand new Team Elmer’s grand prix ring at Flintfields Horse Park, ended in a tie 10-10.
Approximately 5,000 polo enthusiasts crowded into the V.I.P. tents and grassy hills surrounding the grand prix ring to watch the competition. Spectators dressed up to support their favorite teams and came with blankets, flags and college gear of all kinds. Everyone was in good spirits and cheered on their teams even when a short burst of rain blew through.
Along with the polo match, the show hosted a best hat contest sponsored by Meadowview Farm and The Johnson Family of Grand Rapids. The contest awarded a total of $500 in prize money to the following winners: Carrie Gunst of Hartford, WI for Most Over the Top, Lauren Gonzales of Traverse City, MI for Best Team Spirit MSU, Mark Shyman of Miami Beach, FL for Best Team Spirit U of M, and young Justin Edick of Traverse City, MI for Silliest.
the match was a first, not only
for the horse show, but for the teams and players as well. The event
was held as a charity exhibition between the two schools, with the
proceeds to raise funds for both teams.
Dear Prospective New DPC Member,
We are planning a SEASON KICK-OFF this Saturday, June 28, at 10:00 AM. All new players & interested riders should be there. Meet other DPC players, grooms, ride and have some fun!! The Cleveland 'Derry Heir' team will also be in and a match is scheduled for the afternoon.
If you have not signed up with Harold Kalt (our treasurer) you should do so quickly. Normal membership rates are $3500 and with $2000 being the least expensive rate. We have instituted a 'one-time offer' for a reduced first year new player membership fee. The 'Two Chukker Bronze New Player ' rate is only $1200 for the entire 2008 season. Player is limited to 2 chukkers of play in weekday games and practices. They are not eligible for tournaments and must be actively taking lessons or participating in Novice chukkers. This should fit all of the new members quite well. Please call me with any questions right away.
Get your Detroit Polo Club season under way officially. Welcome aboard!! See you on Saturday at the polo grounds.
Best regards,
Jerry Hutcheson
Detroit Polo Club
POLO COMES TO TRAVERSE CITY, AUGUST 1
Traverse City's world-class equestrian event, Horse Shows by the Bay, will bring the sport and spectacle of polo to Traverse City. The region's first ever polo match will be a charity exhibition between the University of Michigan and Michigan State University co-ed polo teams on Friday, August 1, at 6 p.m. The event will raise funds for both teams.
The polo match is open to the public and tickets can be purchased at the door for $5.
The event will be held in the new Grand Prix Show Jumping Arena at Flintfields Horse Park on Bates Road in Williamsburg, the site of the three-week long Horse Shows festival to be held July 16-August 3.
Commenting on the special announcement, Horse Show Organizer Alex Rheinheimer said, "This event is going to be a spectacle in every sense. We're delighted to be working with both Michigan State and Michigan to build an event that will include sporting competition, high fashion, the rivalry of Michigan and Michigan State, and more. We're looking forward to a fantastic evening."
Additional horse show information can be found by calling 231.267.3700 or by visiting www.horseshowsbythebay.com.
Detroit Polo - a Tournament every weekend in June and July
Detroit Polo Club
Sunday Games at 2:00
Tailgate fieldside with family and friends
Join our novice league every Saturday at 11am. Meet new people and enjoy the beautiful fields and horses at the club!
Private and Group lessons are also underway,
Tuesday to Sunday all summer!
Learn How to Play Polo
Detroit Polo Club 2008 clinic April 12-13
at U of M Polo Team's winter home, Cedar Ridge Equestrian Center
5425 W. Waters Road, Ann Arbor, 48104.
Quality instruction, trained polo ponies, reasonable fees.
Instructors:Paul Knapp from Grand Rapids,
assisted by DPC members and the UofM team
Time: noon - 4:00
fee includes student membership in USPA, certified polo instructor, a quality and safe polo horse, tack, mallets, balls, videos and written pamphlets, et cetera. Bring boots and hellmet if you have them and wear jeans or riding pants.
All clinic participants will receive basic game knowledge, horsemanship & tacking, strategy & safety training, polo riding skills, hitting practice, classroom work & and each participant will receive mounted instruction. CLiNIC REGISTRATION and more information at the Detroit Polo Club website www.detroitpoloclub.com, by writing jerry@detroitpoloclub.com or by
phone at (248) 684-5200. Individual and group polo riding lessons and instruction will also be available.
U.S. Polo Association ® National Intercollegiate Championships
LEXINGTON, KY- POLO IN THE PARK Bring your friends and family to learn about polo and ponies at the Kentucky Horse Park Arena, April 5th for The United States Polo Association® (USPA) National Intercollegiate Championships! Ten to twelve teams from universities and colleges nationwide will make the trip to the Bluegrass to participate in the competition.
This year’s event is also expected to draw polo enthusiasts from around the country and will be an event the entire family can enjoy. According to Ed Armstrong, USPA Tournament Director, “This will be an educational and entertaining evening for anyone who loves horses. There will be plenty of action in the arena, entertainment between games and fun for the kids who will be able to get up close and personal with the ponies after the match.”
Women’s Final: 5:00 p.m.
Men’s Final: 7:00 p.m.
Times subject to change so please visit www.uspolo.org for updates.
The MICHIGAN STATE POLO TEAM and the UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN POLO TEAM had a great match at the beautiful MSU Livestock Pavilion arena in East Lansing, MI before a raucous crowd of almost 500 fans, friends & parents on January 12, 2008. The teams were: For MSU – NICOLE WOZNIAK, KELLI SMITH (C), MICHELLE SAHM with alternates KRISTEN KEYE and STEPHANIE YORK. UM had – JULIA SCHROEDER, KAT HEGGEN (C) and LAURA CHESS. Les Johnson & Christian Tennant were Umpires with George Kuper third man. Jerry Hutcheson was announcer/commentator.
Both teams played well and very marked improvement was noted in the UM captain Kat Heggen. The first chukker was a seesaw battle but the 2nd & 3rd chukkers highlighted the outstanding quickness and hitting skills of UM’s Heggen and Chess. Chess dislocated a thumb in the 2nd but taped it and continued with unfettered determination. She is also a member of the UM Boxing Team - a tough young woman who is enrolled in the UM Pre-Med program. The final score was UM 16 and MSU 6. Both teams are beginning to supply Michigan polo clubs with enthusiastic & skilled players. The MSU program has 50 + members and UM 20+.
The final match of the season at Detroit, September 23, featured players from Detroit, Grand Rapids and Toronto. A 4-chukker, fast-paced game ended in a shoot out. All the horses were too tired for anything else! Photo gallery.
Join Detroit Polo in winter indoor play and watch MSU and U of M students play January-March.
If anyone knows of an indoor arena for the U of M team to play near Ann Arbor, please email UofM Polo Arena 2007
Another chance to learn polo this summer:
Tom Goodspeed, former 9 goal arena player, and Lou Lopez, coach of University of Virginia and the PTF, will be the featured instructors for the week long clinic and tournament in Atlanta GA, August 6th - 11th. Students will start with mounted and unmounted instruction and finish the week in an arena tournament. Also, there will be an audience participation rodeo (a PTF fundraiser), a wild stallion breaking demonstration and more during the week. Housing and horses cost $2,000 dollar/ participant. Tournament only fees are $500 per person. Single entries accepted. For info, call the PTF at 1-888-783-7656.
For your information, in our region there are several polo clubs: Detroit, Cleveland, Ligonier, Barrington, Chicago International, Naperville, Old Oak Brook, Chicago and more! See the USPA list
USPA National Intercollegiate Championships
at the Horse Park - Final Placings:
Women: U of Connecticut 13- U of Virginia 11
Men: Texas A&M 18 - Westmont 12
13 teams advance from across the country to the playoffs. The matches will be broadcast worldwide on ESPN and ESPN2 as part of the Triple Crown of Polo Championship series.
|
Men:
Cornell
Oregon
State
New Mexico
State
Texas
A&M
U of Connecitcut
U
of
Virginia
Westmont
College
|
Women:
Cornell
Eastern Oregon
Calif.
Polytechnical
Texas Christian
U of Virginia
U of Connecticut
|
This year's event is expected to draw polo enthusiasts from around the country and will be an event the entire family can enjoy. According to Ed Armstrong, USPA Tournament Director, "This will be an entertaining evening for anyone who loves horses. There will be plenty of action in the arena, entertainment betweengames and food available throughout the event."
Last year's National Intercollegiate Championships were hosted by Cornell University. Cornell has one of the oldest established collegiate polo programs, as well as one of the best collegiate records of all time. This year, Cornell is bringing both a men's and women's team to vie for the coveted title. Texas Tech University took home the 2006 trophy for the men's division, but was unable to advance this year, leaving the door open for another school. The University of Connecticut women's team prevailed in 2005 and 2006 making this year's advance a chance for a "three-peat" performance, if they can get by a very competitive field.
Tournament coverage will be provided by the Triple Crown of Polo Productions® to later air on ESPN2®. The event is being sponsored by two Lexington based Thoroughbred farms, Mt. Brilliant and Warhorse Place along with other polo entities including the Polo Training Foundation, the North American Polo League, Equisure Insurance, U.S.P.A. Properties, International Polo Club Palm Beach, Eques, Ltd., and La Martina Saddlery.
Admission to the all polo games is free. For information about the event, please contact Ed Armstrong, USPA Tournament Director at (800) 232-USPA (8772) ext. 15 or via e-mail at earmstrong@uspolo.org.
The official artist for the Triple Crown of Polo is LeRoy Neiman. Go to his website and see some very interesting pictures of horses and horse sports.
Can't make it to the Caribbean this winter? Try indoor polo in S. Lyon.
Peter Q. Cumming is the polo instructor at the Winter POLO Academy. The classes began January 1st in South Lyon, funded by a USPA grant as part of a national program to bring along new players. His assessment of the program so far:
"We've met scores of people interested in riding and learning to play polo. From 1st time riders to experienced equestrians trying to add a little sport to their life. The U of M team is blossoming as well, with access to horses and polo daily, I feel like they are part of something new. I am very impressed with their diverse depth in athleticism and horsemanship. This opportunity to put U of M, DPC and the USPA together is invaluable."
Polo Player and Detroit Polo Club member George Kuper tells us about the indoor instructional program in S. Lyon.
“I was there one Saturday in January to do some work. The Detroit Polo Club members have been coming out and cleaning the place up, making it ready for polo and so on since September. So I was there doing some chores and watching. They had 7 or 8 horses out in indoor arena. There were enough people to be riding all of them. Some of the riders were students from the University of Michigan polo team. There were a few Detroit Polo Club people around. It was actually a very active place. So I told Peter that I wanted to get on a horse and see how it felt again - I hadn’t been on a horse since the season ended in the fall. Peter offered to fit me in on Sunday even though I wasn’t technically a student. I was inspired by watching on Saturday.
Detroit Polo Club member George Kuper gives us a look at high goal Coach Peter Q. Cumming.
"I had a great time on Sunday. Peter is a hell of a good coach. The program is not really for people like me who are already players. It’s really set up to bring beginners on. So while it’s not set up to entertain old players, it’s okay if there’s a spare horse around and there’s no student or recruitee. I think then it’s okay to get in a ride. And for me, it was really useful. He sees things that are old habits that need to be corrected. He teaches you new things.
“Peter is a former high goal player from Grand Rapids and he’s played all over the world. He got out of polo for a while because he started a family. He has small kids as well as another job altogether aside from polo. And yet he’s getting back into the game by teaching the instructional program. I guess you never lose your interest and he’s able to work around his busy schedule and find time. He travels from Grand Rapids three days a week to the South Lyon facility.
“I would recommend this instructional program to everyone wanting to learn. It’s also geared for varying degrees of horsemanship skill. The better the horse skills a student brings the more rapidly the game skills are picked up. It’s really for everyone who wants to give polo a try. And Peter’s sensitive to the skills people bring to the game and sorts people out well.”
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January 2007
Can't Make it to the Caribbean this winter to play polo? Try indoor polo at Detroit Polo Club's facility in South Lyon.
For many years, indoor polo was played in Michigan only in Grand Rapids but beginning January 1, Detroit Polo Club began hosting instructional polo at a leased facility on 3500 Seven Mile, near Rushton Road, in South Lyon.
Paid for by a USPA Polo Training Foundation grant of $10,000 to the Detroit Polo Club, the winter’s offerings help players gain skills and introduce new players to the sport.
Regular instruction and play will run through March under the guidance of Detroit Polo Club members. Instructors will come from both Detroit and Grand Rapids Polo Clubs. There’ll be quiet horses to learn on in an indoor arena, foot mallets for practicing field strategies, a wooden horse to practice strokes, and video replay. Instruction will be offered to groups of four. First lessons are free. Call Michigan State U player Em Paltow at 517-303-1606 for details on lessons and setting up times. For information about polo in Michigan and the U.S., visit these sites: Detroit Polo Club http://www.detroitpoloclub.com/ and United States Polo Association http://www.us-polo.org/
Interview with Emmilyn Paltrow, MSU Animal Science graduate of MSU, former MSU polo player, currently running a polo barn in Florida; grant writer for the Detroit Polo Club’s recently acquired $10,000 grant.
Detroit Polo Club approached me. It was Merle Jenkins, super polo mentor for everyone, and Chet Redula, Club President, who asked me about putting the grant together. They didn’t have the time and I did. I brainstormed with Jerry Hutchinson and Sandy Weiler and we came up with the basics for how we’d run the program and based it loosely on other programs such as that of the Santa Barbara Program. We really needed to make a change in our Detroit program and we decided this indoor program was our best option for encouraging new members. We wanted to create an indoor teaching program this winter and also something that would help the U of Michigan team. At MSU, we have a lot of horse interest because it’s an agricultural school but U of Michigan isn’t. They’ve had a hard time getting off the ground and keeping it rolling.
The base we chose for this winter program is in South Lyon. It’s good for MSU, Detroit Polo, U of M and many in southeast Michigan wanting to learn about polo. When we wrote the grant we included U of Michigan specifically. We though with this winter program that we’d have more horses to go around, and it would bring them a coach - they’ve never had a coach since they started four years ago. They’ll have the same instructor as we use at MSU. His name is Peter Cummings. He’s a former high goal player who quit playing, had a family and wanted to get back into polo in some capacity.
MSU’s program has been around a while but Michigan’s started only four years ago. Kat Hagen started the U of M club when she was a freshman. She’s been the president and coordinator of the effort at Michigan since it began. Kat told Em Paltrow that U of M this year has a membership of 12 girls, on average. Their horses are mostly leased from GR and Detroit polo.
The farm we’ve leased in South Lyon is a dressage barn and we’re sharing the space and working our program around their program. The Clubs brought in all the horses in now to the South Lyon barn. We had a lot of people excited to get started. They rode the horses a bit before starting classes.
The contact that for people interesting in learning about the winter program is Jerry Hutchinson. He’s a great communicator with people anyhow and he follows up with people and encourages new members and people to get started. The contact email is DetroitPoloSchool@hotmail.com
The winter program is for polo players, for those interested in learning and for those who want to learn to ride in order to play polo. If you aren’t comfortable on a real horse, there’s a wooden horse. There are foot mallets and you can learn that way. Emily Messenger, who owns the Red Horse Dressage, can give some basic riding lessons on polo ponies. This will help people learn to ride. The barn: 3500 Seven Mile, South Lyon, 48178.
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