Polo Becomes Official Discipline of the U.S. Pony Club
U.S. Polo Association and U.S. Pony Club working together
to get young people in the game
The U.S. Polo Association (USPA), polo’s national governing body, has announced that the sport will be officially recognized as a discipline of the U.S. Pony Club (USPC) during the 2012 USPC Annual Meeting and Convention next week in New Orleans. An official resource activity for the USPC since 1980, polo has built a strong foundation to support the new collaboration and its long-term objective to develop horsemanship interest in youth.
The joint venture between USPA and USPC has been years in the making and the Lexington-based entities will work closely together in a cross-promotional effort to attract young riders to both organizations. The USPA and USPC are excited about this unique collaboration and the opportunities it presents for young equine enthusiasts to play polo and take advantage of everything America’s first team sport has to offer.
“We have a solid infrastructure in place and feel polo can offer an overall great experience for the U.S. Pony Club and its members to help develop their horsemanship skills,” said USPA CEO Peter Rizzo. “We are grateful to the U.S. Pony Club for helping us make polo more accessible to young riders everywhere as our sport grows and continues to expand in popularity.”
“We are thrilled to officially include polo as one of the U.S. Pony Club equestrian disciplines,” said USPC CEO Kevin Price. “As with all riding competitions and activities supported though Pony Club, the sport of polo provides members with an opportunity to demonstrate their horsemanship and sportsmanship in a structured competitive environment.”
In celebration of this special partnership, the USPA plans to offer a free introductory membership to Pony Club members and is currently working with its member clubs and other polo entities to offer educational clinics this year for Pony Club chapters located around the country including the Lexington area. The USPC has a great track record of success in teaching riding, safety, and horsemanship skills – all important building blocks for learning to play polo.
For more information on U.S. polo, visit www.uspolo.org. For more details on the U.S. Pony Club, visit www.ponyclub.org.