DELEGATES MEETING
APRIL 3, 2010
Eldorado Polo Club
Attendance: Heather Schuberth, Domingo Questal, Jef Graham, Katie Graham, Tracy-Jane Dawson, Dan Deibel, Erik Wright, Jan Hart, Graham Bray, Cambria Smith, Denny Geiler, Hal Swanson
The meeting was called to order by the chairman, Denny Geiler
Primary Goal: The chairman announced that the primary goal of the Delegates Meeting is to share ideas and help grow the sport of polo. The Delegates Meetings would be open to all USPA members but only delegates or their appointees would have voting power. The primary goal of each meeting is that each attendee would have something positive they could incorporate at their club to help their club grow.
The meetings would generally have three parts. The first part would be USPA news. The second part would be a topical discussion of a particular method or technique which would help a polo club grow its membership. At this meeting the topic would be marketing. The third element would be reports from the various clubs.
USPA NEWS
Team USA: Almost 30% of the individuals selected for Team USA were from the Pacific Circuit, including Jared Sheldon, Nick Morrison, Nicolai Galindo, Carlitos Galindo, Chris Collins and Collin White. In fact the cover of the most recent Polo, Players Edition magazine is a photo of Chris Collins and Jared Sheldon.
USPA Networking Day: For the first time ever, officials from the USPA presented a Networking Day at Eldorado Polo Club that was attended by more than 50 people. Ed Armstrong, Kris Bowman, Steve Lane and Danny Schegara made presentations of the various USPA and Polo Training Foundation programs that enhance the sport of polo and help the clubs grow.
Polo Development Initiative: The chairman stated that the USPA is using some of the funds derived from the licensing revenue to help clubs grow at the grass roots level in two ways. Club Funding provided up to $10,000.00 to any USPA Club to support any program that would help that club increase its membership. The types of programs that qualify are marketing, advertising, expanding a schooling program, website development, etc.
The second method is the establishment of Regional Polo Centers that would promote programs for the development of the various clubs within their region. Examples are polo clinics of all types that are open to anyone in the polo community, lending of school horses to help another polo club improve their lesson program and development of polo professionals and managers that can move on to other polo clubs or create new polo clubs. Erik Wright’s club is the first club to receive that designation in the Pacific Circuit.
Those attending were encouraged to have their clubs apply for Club Funding.
USPA Drug Program: A discussion of the workings of the new USPA Polo Pony Drug Program was discussed. More information is provided on the USPA Website and the Pacific Circuit Website.
USPA – US Pony Club Joint Committee: A new USPA committee has been formed in order to liaison with the US Pony Club administration. Katie Graham said that she was on the board of directors of the Pony Club in the San Francisco area and volunteered to be on the USPA Pony Club Committee. It was reported that Russ Sheldon of the Poway Polo Club has been co-operating with the Pony Club in Poway and has gained three new members.
USPA Women’s Committee: The Women’s Polo Tournament Association had a qualifying tournament in conjunction with the Debbie Dollar Tournament at the Eldorado Polo Club that was attended by more than 70 participants. Sunny Hale of the WPTA said that they were considering having an arena championship in conjunction with their grass program and that Megan Judge of the Central Coast Polo Club had volunteered to host a qualifying match.
New Polo Clubs in The Circuit: The chairman announced that there are two arena clubs under development in the Pacific Circuit. They are:
Temecula – Mike Farah of the Celebrity Foundation 4 Children
Half Moon Bay – Square Peg Foundation
MARKETING IDEAS
Website Development:
POLO 101: The chairman handed out an information sheet about POLO 101 which has been developed by Lynn Bremner and supported by various polo clubs within the circuit. The concept of the website is to attract individuals that are not presently involved in polo but would like information. It will have sections about watching your first polo match and will include where to find a polo club, what to wear and some data about the rules. In addition, it has sections on the first polo lesson. It will cover where to take the lesson, what to wear and what to expect.
All USPA clubs are given free listings on the site. In addition, Lynn Bremner is available to provide services in helping clubs develop their own web site. She will assist in connecting that website to other polo websites and to the social networking systems of Face Book, Twitter, etc. Clubs can also purchase banner advertising. Contact Lynn Bremner (lynn@polozone.com) or 760-619-2401. Click here for more details.
Pacific Circuit Website (www.pccpolo.com): Each club in the circuit is listed on the Pacific Circuit Website and that website is available for posting club stories, news releases, event calendaring, etc.
“First Lesson Free” Program: There was discussion about the benefits or liabilities of offering the first polo lesson for free. Graham Bray said that the program is successful at the San Diego Polo Club. They have a free group lesson once a month. It is well attended. Heather Schuberth of the Orange County Polo Club found that many people who signed up for a free lesson didn’t show up. Her Club offers a monthly Beginners’ Polo Clinic where they charge $90. Their philosophy is that they want the Club’s resources to be spent on people who are serious about beginning polo. The prospective students have not had any reluctance for paying a fee. In addition, the monthly lesson is well attended and creates income for the club. They have been successful in selling the attendees books of future lessons.
Other Successful Marketing Tips: Others said that offering a polo lesson to be auctioned at charity events has been successful in getting new students. Also having a drawing for a free polo lesson at polo games and events can create a list of potential polo students. Presentations to schools and service clubs have been successful in generating spectators, students and charity events.
CLUB REPORTS
At this point in the meeting there was not time for Club Reports.
The meeting was adjourned. The next Delegate’s Meeting will be at Santa Barbara Polo Club at 9:00 AM on Sunday, August 29, 2010. It is the same day as the finals of the Pacific Open. The topic will be polo schools.