Polo Lessons Offered

The Newport Polo Club announces the spring session of polo school, with classes for kids and adult beginners starting Saturday, March 24th. No prior experience or special equipment is required. Beginning classes take place indoors and emphasize safe horsemanship and effective mallet handling. Students in prior sessions have ranged in age from 10 to 78. Although polo has long been known as the Sport of Kings, classes at the Newport Polo Club are as affordable as piano lessons. An eight-week session is $320 (this works out to $40 an hour) and includes use of a polo pony and all necessary equipment.

The Saturday classes are taught by Dan Keating, a member of the United States Polo Association and a professional horseman for over a decade. Joining Dan as manager of youth polo is David Markell, whose three daughters, Georgia (12), Perry (13) and Elise (15), are all enthusiastic players. "Youth polo is the fastest-growing aspect of the sport" Keating said, "with girls vastly outnumbering boys. Our interscholastic team is currently all girls. The percentage of women playing the sport has also increased dramatically over the past ten years."

Newport Polo Club also provides intermediate and advanced players opportunities for indoor "chukkers" and instruction utilizing videotaping and chalk talks outlining the rules of the game and the development of strategy. The fastest team sport played, polo has a style and glamour unique in the sporting world. The Newport Polo Club also hosts teams from throughout the world each summer, who come to compete in the Newport International Polo Series, which attracts thousands of spectators every Saturday throughout the summer.

For more information, call the Newport Polo Club at 847-7090 or visit the website www.newportpoloclub.com