Foothills Sentry - December 2024

Page 7 Foothills Sentry DECEMBER 2024 You can STOP THE SPREAD of the GOLD SPOTTED OAK BORER. People are a primary source of the spread of this invasive insect. Don’t move firewood. Buy it where you burn it. Information at ucanr.edu/sites/gsobinfo Canyon horse stable a mecca for polo By Carrie Graham Nestled in the quiet of Silvera- do, away from the hustle and bus- tle, lies an equestrian facility that is helping to keep a sport some might find obscure, not just alive, but thriving. That sport is polo. Orange County Polo Club, originally opened as Winston Polo Club at a stable in Anaheim in 1987, recently hosted the U.S. Polo Association’s Women’s Arena Open, the highest level of women’s arena polo in the coun- try. The club’s team, consisting of Kasey Morris, Mila Slutzky and Marissa Wells, placed first in the tournament the last two years, but was denied a third win by Wild Dog Polo at the end of the fourth chukker, or quarter. Different strokes Polo teams are made up of players with mixed skill levels, each with their own handicap, similar to golf. Wells has a nine- goal handicap out of a maxi- mum 10, making her one of the best women’s polo players in the country. Arena polo differs from tradi- tional polo in several key ways, the size of the playing field be- ing the most apparent. While traditional polo takes place on a 10-acre open grass field, arena polo is confined to about a tenth of that space, and is played on a dirt-floored arena, surrounded by four-foot-high walls. The small- er field means a smaller team, and those walls mean the ball is frequently ricocheting, making sheer horsepower less of a factor in a win. OC Polo offers classes, and also works with interscholastic and intercollegiate programs, which allow students at different education levels to compete in the sport, similar to other school sports teams. But unlike the aver- age school sports team, the mixed nature of polo teams give young- er players a unique opportunity to mingle with their adult peers. “The kids learn to talk about the sport and horses with adults who are their peers, so they ma- ture and learn to carry themselves in a way you don’t get with a lot of other sports,” says Heather Perkins, OC Polo manager. “It's not very often that a tenth grader can talk to a 60-year-old doctor or attorney like they're friends.” Camaraderie counts Perkins wishes more people took an interest in the sport. She says the club is more like a big family, with multigenerational many players. They host dinners and brunches weekly for club members to build on that family spirit, and even family members who don’t play still have a key role in the polo community. “It's the most fun thing you can do on a horse. Anyone can learn, you're not too old. I grew up rid- ing, started working at the polo club when I was 15, and gave my dad a gift certificate for a free lesson for his 50th birthday, even though he had no riding experi- ence. He’s still playing today at 73,” says Perkins. “Our focus is on safety and fun. It's not as dif- ficult as it looks.” Those interested in learning more, see ocpolo.com . Stable owners Denny and Joanne Geiler, left, with the winners of the 2024 Silverado cup, Jessie Schwartz, Spencer Hurtt and Dave Myrick (in green shirts) and Cathy Trope of Polo Pony Rescue. The competition raised funds for the rescue organization. OC Polo hosted the U.S. Polo Association's Women's Arena Open. Jennie Schwartz and Spencer Hurtt celebrate a win. Fawn Rinaiduzzi and Cassidy Geiler Allen Heather Perkins eyes the ball.