Middle Tennessee Pony Club
Pony Club Polo Clinic
June 9, 2013
USPA Instructor Brandon Alcott
The Middle Tennessee Pony Club hosted a USPA polo clinic on June 9th at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, TN. Although many hopeful participants were unable to attend due to the tragic death of a Pony Clubber in another local club, 8 pony clubbers (ranging in age from 9-17) attended.
For two of the participants, it was their first introduction to the sport. The others had attended a previous polo clinic. The Pony Clubbers came from backgrounds in Games, Polocrosse, and Eventing, as did their horses.
Instructor Brandon Alcott started the clinic unmounted, reviewing the basics for those who had been previously introduced to the sport, while giving the two new participants a bit of a crash course to get them up to speed. Fortunately, it was a very talented group of riders, and they had a fantastic group of horses and ponies who took to the sport immediately!
Photo Credit Steve Bishir
Brandon got the participants on horses for the afternoon, working on polo equitation, the four basic swings, and rules. After a few drills, Brandon concluded the day with a scrimmage. Some of the players were even able to carry the ball the length of the arena at a canter!
The clinic participants left being VERY excited about polo, and want to continue playing. They are hoping to form an interscholastic team this fall, and some of the older participants showed interest in intercollegiate polo. More importantly, there seems to be a lot of parental support for polo in the Nashville-area Pony Clubs, and they are hoping to host a Pony Club Polo Rally in late summer or fall!
Clinic Action