By Caroline Blang

Youth polo continues to grow and evolve in the U.S. The USPA at large and its devoted members, players, coaches and staff are taking the initiative to develop new programming in support of youth polo. The National Youth Tournament Series is just one of many opportunities for junior players to get involved in, but it is uniquely organized to promote introspective personal growth in addition to player development.

“NYTS helps cultivate better players and better humans in society through horses, peers and mentors. The heartbeat of our program is teaching life skills,” says Beth Supik. Supik’s involvement with youth spans umpiring, I/I and NYTS tournament management.

NYTS differs from I/I because players enter qualifier tournaments as individuals. By design, the program forces junior players to have confidence, be outgoing, travel to new places and play with unfamiliar teammates. It teaches juniors to learn how to build team cohesion from the ground up. Additionally, the series is an opportunity to learn composure in a formal setting.

Supik said, “Many of the host clubs showcase the youth games on their main fields that draw large crowds of spectators.”

For many players, learning to play under pressure, working with nerves and displaying maturity in front of the polo community has led to amazing opportunities. Juniors like Naomi Tachibana Marlough and Hanan Fadil, for example, demonstrated integrity and good character, landing them spots on the La Fe team in the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship last spring in Florida.

Perhaps one of the most special parts of NYTS is watching the juniors’ life stories unfold over the years. As younger players first start out in the program, they may struggle with being the weakest player on a team, but as they get older and move up in the program, they eventually become leaders, helping teach the next group coming in.

“It’s inspiring to be surrounded by people who can take constructive criticism and turn it into positive action,” Supik said. Supik has first-hand knowledge, having competed in interscholastic polo. She was part of the first all female team to win the Open National Interscholastic Championship in 1998 when she was playing for the Garrison Forest School team. She lights up thinking about how far girls’ polo has come since her victory.

She identifies a short list of female players who have acted as trailblazers, making the sport more accessible and welcoming to young girls: Sunset “Sunny” Hale, Hope Arellano, Hazel Jackson, Kelly Wells, etc. Supik said, “They’re not just talented women who blazed the trail by being successful in their own, personal polo careers, they want to and are giving back to younger girls. That’s the diesel power to it.”

The USPA’s Junior Committee, NYTS subcommittee, and Young Player Opportunity subcommittee meet regularly to discuss current and future opportunities for junior players. Much of that discussion revolves around training availability in the U.S. and Argentina, as well as the best ways to support player advancement. With a lot of crossover between NYTS and I/I tournament managers, USPA staff is able to keep a pulse on trends and challenges in the youth polo space. Youth polo remains strong in the U.S. and the USPA looks forward to continuing and advancing developmental programs for young players.

This article is reprinted with permission from Polo Magazine ©.

You can find more interesting articles in our section on Health & Education and Riding Disciplines.

You've watched cartoons about horses as a kid, read books about these beautiful creatures, and dreamed that one day… What? Why has that day still not come? Maybe horses no longer inspire you. But more likely you just don’t know where to start. You’re not a kid anymore, which means you have a bunch of important business to take care of. What you don’t have is time and money for unusual hobbies. Nevertheless, let’s take a look at the most promising opportunities to learn horseback riding in the US. If you have been waiting for a sign this may be it!

Aloha Riding Lessons

Already sounds interesting, right? Here professionals combine riding and horsemanship lessons according to the highest standards. Such an approach helps them keep learners safe and provide horses with the best-quality care. If you have already set riding goals, this place is a perfect choice. Simultaneously, joining the community may help you realize what you truly enjoy. ARL has a wide range of students, which means you won’t feel uncomfortable as a beginner. Experts also come here to train and improve their skills for showing or college.

Even if your mind is set on competition, you can’t skip the part with horse care and managing. Everybody must learn the basics to go on, and this is for the best! You’ll gain invaluable experience learning how to care for your horses, which can be a bit more sophisticated than exploring how to make a reflection paper in college, for example. And, of course, besides being an endless inspiration source, working with horses can become a great meditation opportunity. Here, you can leave your routine worries behind and live in a beautiful moment.

ARL tries hard to combine standard practices with an individual approach. Daily instruction, clinics, and camps are meant to cover horsemanship as a whole, without leaving any nuances without attention. You can visit their website to discover more details, book services, or ask questions in a chat. The services include evaluation lessons, fall break camps, family classes, and monthly riding lesson subscriptions. Situated inside the Koko Crater and Botanical Gardens, ARL provides first-class facilities for students of all levels.

Traditional Equitation School

Our next destination is located at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. Established in 1981, this is the oldest riding school in this area. Like Aloha Riding Lessons, Traditional Equitation School offers a wide range of services for learners of all levels. Let’s examine some points in detail.

• TES organizes private and group lessons. You’ll deal with well-trained school horses either way.
• TES Horse Camp is available to children ages 6-12 during school breaks. This is a perfect opportunity to move from studies to active rest.
• Children also can enjoy a birthday party at the same location.
• Special attention deserves a Girl Scout and Boy Scout badge program. During two hours scouts can grasp the basics of horseback riding, safety, equipment, and barn chores.
• TEAM TES is an initiative allowing students to compete against other riding schools even if they don’t own a horse.
• Nevertheless, some trained horses are for sale.
• You can contact TES if you already own a horse but require additional guidance. Here you can get full-service horse care, including feeding and exercising.

TES provides helpful videos for those willing to repeat the theory. They also cover most of the controversial points in the FAQ section. For instance, the school clarifies the location, reminds learners of the need for reservation, and reassures them that riding experience is not necessary. Restrictions exist: riders must be at least 4 years old. TES explains the weight limit and the regulations regarding clothes. All learners must wear helmets even if they are interested only in having fun. Remarkably, TES trained several actors who had to deal with horses in their shows.

Working with horses is definitely not a cheap hobby. TES explains this point further by stating that keeping horses in a city is highly challenging. The school has monthly expenses that cover rent, vet care, grooming, supplements, and all types of equipment. It doesn’t work on Mondays to let horses rest after the busy weekends. After all, the well-being of horses and learners is the school’s priority.

California Riding Academy

Last but not least, this school provides the same services as our previous picks. However, its website immediately grasps visitors’ attention with a section that encourages newbies to meet horses. “We love horses, and we treat them with great care. We welcome you to visit them”. Here, you can click on photos of Lady Godiva, Humphrey Bogart, and other horses and ponies that make California Riding Academy such an exciting place. At first sight, there’s nothing revolutionary about creating such a section. However, it demonstrates that CRA highly values a personalized approach. Every horse and every rider are equally special. Success is a result of their common effort and dedication.

Wrapping up

Already feel inspired to turn your dream into reality? That requires extra effort and resources. However, as you see, you can tailor horseback riding training according to your current abilities and objectives. This can be a one-time experience just for fun. You can also join a school and try competing with others. Multiple initiatives will welcome you even if you don’t own a horse. So set your goals, join the community, and find inspiration in a pretty unusual hobby!

There are more informative articles in our section on Riding Disciplines.

In the early 1920s, one of the most important polo pony breeding operations in Argentina was Estación Chapadmalal. Established by Miguel Martinez de Hoz, his philosophy was to use small Thoroughbreds in the production of polo ponies. The farm included 110 broodmares, 22 of which were selected because of their bloodline’s smaller size.

“From these, I am trying to breed my future polo pony sires. A difficult job, I tell you; but with time and patience I hope to succeed,” wrote Martinez de Hoz, in a May 1922 article in “The Polo Monthly.” “Big horses have been bred from the Arab, so why should we not breed small ones? After all, the big 16.2-17 hands Thoroughbred was bred from an Arab, who is a pony!”

The Martínez de Hoz family were Spanish merchants, arriving in Argentina’s Río del Plata in the late 18th century. José Alfredo Martínez de Hoz had no children of his own so he sent for his nephew Narciso Alonso de Armiño to help with his business. Grateful for the opportunity, Narciso adopted his uncle’s last name. Narciso began purchasing farm land in the area. Later, his son José Toribio Martinez de Hoz followed suit, amassing so much land, they were one of the country’s most prominent landowning families.

Their estancia, Chapadmalal was located about 255 miles south of Buenos Aires, and just 15 miles away from the resort town of Mar del Plata. It encompassed over 63,000 acres.

José Toribio Martinez de Hoz co-founded the Rural Society to represent Argentine landowners, serving as its president until 1870. It is the same Rural Society that today holds annual livestock shows, which many of the polo players participate in with their prized polo prospects.

When José Toribio Martinez de Hoz died prematurely, his widow moved with their two sons, Miguel Alfredo and Eduardo Antonio Justo, to England.

After completing school there, Miguel Martinez de Hoz returned to Argentina. Without anyone looking after the land, sections of it were in poor shape when he arrived. He sold off some land and added other parcels. He built fencing and barns and purchased horses, cattle and sheep to breed. Influenced by his time in Europe, he hired an English architect to design a Scottish castle for his family, accompanied by beautiful landscaping, mirroring the finest English gardens.

As motor cars became more widely used, and the need for draft horses dwindled, Martinez de Hoz focused instead on breeding Thoroughbreds.

He continued to travel to England, and often competed there with some of his prized carriage horses. Gay Boy, a champion harness horse, was bred at Chapadmalal. For some time, Martinez de Hoz ran the London-Guildford coach with horses bred at his breeding farm in Argentina.

He also played polo in England and France, and served on the Editing Committee of The Polo and Riding Pony Society in London.

A report in the June 1918 “The Polo Monthly” noted that King Alfonso of Spain had recently purchased four Argentine polo ponies from Miguel Martinez de Hoz.

“We may be sure that any ponies of Mr. de Hoz’s breeding will be bred on good lines, for he does not go in for poor pedigrees. In fact, he has some of the finest examples of many breeds of stock at his stud farm, and the production of polo ponies is an interesting side line which he has recently taken up,” the report said.

“Mr. de Hoz, who before the war often drove his coach to Ranelagh and Hurlingham, will be remembered as the purchaser of Craganour for 30,000 guineas immediately after that horse’s sensational disqualification from the Derby. The purchase has proved a great financial success.

“Mr. de Hoz has recently bought Botafogo, the best racehorse of his time in the Argentine, the price being £40,000 down and the right on the part of the vendors to send two mares to the horse each season free of charge for five years. This establishes a new record price for Thoroughbred horses.”

Read more: Las Pampas Ponies - Argentine stud farm bred smaller polo Thoroughbreds

by Liz Houley-Glassman

In January 2023 our small barn of adult ammies unexpectedly found ourselves scrambling to find a new home for our 13 horses. We landed in a great little barn with great bones, but it had not been occupied in several years. After the epic move, we all caught our collective breath to assess and learned that there were very few existing jumps.

Since I am widely considered the “Ms. Fix It” at the barn, I took on the job of building jumps. It was and remains a true labor of love and a constant source of inspiration. My phone is filled with screenshots of ideas for jumps.

I started building truly basic jumps and have expanded since. I have a few rules and fun tips.

• Use pressure treated lumber for every project
• Sand/Stain or paint to keep in good condition. Use decent quality exterior paint and always check the “oops” section of Lowes for mistake outdoor paints and stains
• Store all of your projects off the ground when not in regular use
• Buy a mix of high and low end (Michael’s on sale and Dollar Tree) fake flowers in the same color scheme to decorate
• Look for wooden pallets getting tossed out. They are your best friend and make a great construction base
• Make sure that you keep all of the jumps secure and safe (no exposed nails or screws)
• Cut, sand, or round off any sharp corners on jump bases so you get less mashed if you fall into it
• Measure twice and cut once
• Always predrill into your wood with a smaller drill bit than the screw you are using. Screwing into raw wood can split it
• Make the most of found items. I would love to only use 10’ round wooden poles but they are very costly and almost impossible to source where I live so I used many old 10’ PVC pipes that were lying around. I sand them and paint them Landscaping timbers are a great option to use as poles too. They are only 8’ long but the bright side is that they force you to ride “straight”. They fit well in our smaller ring and are pretty darn solid so if your horse gets wise to the lightweight PVC poles add these poles into the mix
• Always add a small base or feet to the jump fillers so they blow over less
• A great “cheat” shortcut is to buy the easy up jump “pin-less” jump track and pins. The best price I have found by far is on Schnieders website. The track also enabled me to use 2” x 4” wood vs the 4” x 4” for standard bases Name your jumps with barn mates help. When I had some left over half round pieces from the stone wall I thought they would make cute fillers. We collectively decided between “fruit slice and planets”. Fruit slices won out. Some of our other creative jump names are “Lilly” (as in Pulitzer), Daisy, Red Door, Piano, Green Fuzzy and the self-evident “roll top, stone and wagon wheel”
• I personalize and add a stamp of our “Artemis” barn logo on every piece I make
• Each jump starts with a sketch and a general plan of attack

How to tips on some of the specific jumps

Plain skinny standard

The build description below sounds so much more complicated than it is but here goes.

I bought 2 – 4”x 4” x 10’ and cut them into two 5’ tall pieces. I created a “pinwheel” pattern for the base fanning it around the 4”x 4” standards with 4 – 16” sections of a 2” x 6”. I suggest using 9” long carriage bolts/nut to really secure the base long term.

While building you can “tack it” together with screws to hold it while drilling through the all the base layers for the permanent connectors, I suggest an electric drill for this part of the job because it’s work getting though 8 inches of pressure treated lumber to reinforce with the carriage bolts.

Drill 2 holes on opposite sides of the base to create a total of 4 holes. Space the 4 drilled bolt holes (2 on each side) to that they cross but don’t cut into each other’s bolt path. Cut the excess bolt length and tighten to secure with a ratchet.

I drilled jump cup holes every 3” starting about 18” high about the base. Make sure these are straight and test with an actual jump cup with pin to make sure they work.

Basic Pallet Jump/Filler

The “Green Fuzzy” jump is made of 2 back-to-back (double wide” pallets with cheapo amazon “boxwood panels” wrapped around it. I cut the pallets down to the height of the jump. There is a logical cutting pattern to each pallet. I think they are 2’3”). I tossed or reused the parts of the palettes I cut off.

The fuzzy poles are made of 8’ landscape timbers wrapped with cut sections of a cheapo 5’ x 8’ astroturf rug. The Astroturf is carefully secured with 1” long lathe screws.

The Piano jump combines two pallets lengthwise and extra pallet wood was added in a random pattern and painted black and white.

Rainbow uses two palettes for the base and new solid 1” x 3” sections. Primed and painted. We added glitter to the paint to the top of the jump because our trainer’s young daughter wanted us to.

Every pallet jump has evenly drilled holes at the top so we can easily insert our flowers.

Read more: If You Build It, They Will Jump…!