The Eldorado Polo Club’s Pro Pool – envisioned and started by Polo Manager Graham Bray – started on the first weekend of January play, with games on Saturday and Sunday. The first game was played on the Cantina field for the lunch crowd and featured professional players John Eicher at three goals and four goal Joe Henderson.
The intent of the play is not for the professionals to play to win the game for the players, but for them to help the players to win for themselves in a tournament format. It is also worth noting that the Eldorado Pro Pool fee includes the professional and the teams are put together by polo club management.
With Eicher and Henderson directing traffic, the pool members were responsible for ‘getting it done’ on their own and it was up to them to make the plays for themselves. If you want to win – you have to make it happen. The professionals will help with direction and the odd set-up, but it’s pretty much up to you – and you will learn how to play polo.
With the success of the first weekend, the second weekend once again featured Eicher with four goal Mattthew Gonzales stepping in for Henderson. Eicher was joined by Virgil Kyle, Ryan Robertson, and Susan Adams. Jennifer Alexy, James Kidd, and Mike Ward saddled up with the always entertaining Gonzales.
The play during the second series was noticeably improved over the first weekend as the players not only were hitting the ball with more authority, but their defensive play was much better. Players who couldn’t, or wouldn’t hook during the first weekend were able to make that defensive play because they had been shown how to place themselves correctly in order to do so. It was, as well, very obvious that the participants were starting to ‘read’ plays because of the input of the ‘mentors’. “If you want the ball – get to a spot where I can hit it to you”.
During the second series, with Sunday’s contest back at the Cantina for breakfast in an announced game, Gonzales and crew – playing as Hacienda de la Trampas – were victorious over Eicher and his OC Polo foursome, by a two game total count of 10 – 7.
Eldorado’s Pro Pool has started, and early participants not only have learned, but they have done so during tournament play because they played with professionals who are there to improve their polo – and have fun while doing it. If you’re going to travel to the Desert for a weekend or two, think about the Pro Pool at the Eldorado Polo Club. In order to facilitate the experience, please sign up by noon on Thursdays (760) 342 2223.
Tony Gregg