Polo in Poolesville

It may be the “Sport of Kings,” but other than Prince Charles, I don’t know anyone who plays. Or how, for that matter. So the prospect of learning more about the sport of polo and seeing an international competition in my home state was entirely too intriguing to miss. That’s why, the week before the equine event most associated with Maryland, I journeyed to Poolesville (Montgomery County) to catch a few chukkers and find out why it is so popular here.

The event was the annual America’s Cup of Polo, held May 8-9 for the first time at the Capitol Polo Club. The Range Rover-sponsored tournament matched a US team against a contingent of Australian all-stars, but participants in the various exhibitions were from all over the world. So were the spectators, many from embassies and international corporate sponsors.

The America's Polo Cup is a philanthropic event, benefiting Journey for the Cure Foundation, and supporting science grants and cancer research. Because modern polo has its origins in the cavalry of the British Commonwealth, international competitions traditionally have a strong military presence.

(Polo was also part of the US army training regimen. George Patton swung a mean mallot and kept a string of ponies when he was stationed at Camp Meade in 1919.)

The US Polo Cup always includes a salute to the military, an impressive part of the festivities. What it doesn't include are coolers or infield volleyball games. This new addition to Maryland equestrian competition is distinctly different from the one running at Pimlico next week.

The first eye opener of the day was the venue. The Capitol Polo Club is located near Poolesville, a little northwest of the Washington Beltway. The park is nearly 600 acres of fields and wooded terrain, part of an equestrian conservation trust. (More on EPIC later) The multi-purpose facilities include three full size polo fields, an outdoor arena, indoor arena and impressive grandstand and clubhouse.

With floating flags and billowing tents, it looked like the tournament grounds at Camelot. Alas, unlike Camelot, rain was permitted to fall and the mud factor was rather intense. Another good reason to have the military around. The ever-resourceful Coast Guard dispatched their chopper. The hovering Zamboni smoothed the playing surface, blew out the bogs, and demonstrated rescue at sea maneuvers prior to the main event. Semper Paratis, indeed.

Despite soggy conditions, the exhibition matches (round robin chukkers among US teams) and the tournament were played before an enthusiastic crowd, where the US defeat the Aussies 4-2. The Beautiful People (and hopefully the handy Coast Guard) will be back next year when the US takes on India. (I don't remember reading this in Rudyard Kipling, but evidently India was a real polo powerhouse during the Empire days.) However, you don't need to wait until next year to capture the flavor of this elegant event.

Media coverage:
MAY 16, 8:00 PM - Prime Time half hour special

Check it online:
http://www.americaspolocup.com/theevent.php

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Facts about Polo:
Polo was once an Olympic sport, last played in the 1936 Berlin games.

Sorry, southpaws, Polo is a right-handed sport. You can swing on the left side of the horse, but the mallot must be held in the right hand. No switch-hitting.

What’s a chukker? A segment of a polo match. There are three chukkers, consisting of seven minutes, in a match.

Where to See it in Maryland:
Polo is played throughout the year. Capitol Polo Club hosts three seasons of polo. In the Spring and Fall they play arena polo, and late spring/summer they play the full grass grounds Beginning in June, the club practices on the grass on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Every Sunday they host a match at 3:00pm, which is open and the public is encouraged to attend

Why Maryland?
Large military presence, international community, and agricultural/equestrian heritage. Polo requires large tracks of flat terrain, and these elements exist in the Washington metropolitan area.. (Polo is also popular in Northern Virginia, and is played on the National Mall in DC.)

Can I Play?
If you’re willing to take lessons. Polo isn’t exactly a pick-up sport and most of us never get any closer than a Ralph Lauren logo, but Maryland has more than one training program. Capitol Polo Club has a beginners program. Check it out at: http://www.capitolpolo.com/
More advanced training is available at Red Eagle Ranch at: http://www.redeagleranch.com/

NEXT WEEK: Grinding with Gatorade