Pony Club Polo Crosse Championships

For a week in July we provided limited assistance to the Old Dominion Region polo crosse team, The Destroyers, at the U.S. Pony Club annual Polo Crosse Championships.  These games were held as a part of a larger Festival for Pony Club members that included a wide variety of horse related events.  These events covered a spectrum that ranged from a quiz competition that tested knowledge of equine anatomy, training, gear and everything else horse related to dressage, show jumping, and of course, polo crosse.

Polo crosse is a combination of polo and lacrosse.  Played on horseback, the riders attempt to score by tossing the ball from their racket into the  space between the goal posts.  Each team has just three players.  There is one who can score, one who can assist but not score and a defender.  Combine this with a rule book that defines where the rackets can be swung and where the riders can go and where the shots at goal can be taken to produce a game of both strategic and tactical moves that are often fast moving.

The week was spent at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY.  This 1200 acres is devoted to all things equine.  Museums trace the history of race horses, carriage and drayage horses, cowboy horses, and the support teams of farriers, leather smiths, and veterinarians.  There are several large, huge actually, indoor and outdoor arenas supported by elaborate barns and housing facilities for the animals.  The park is also home to a world class cross country course.   Having this festival at this facility and being able to show in a world renown facility was indeed a great experience for the pony club members.

The trip to Kentucky was not without excitement.  One of our caravan, the one hauling the horses naturally, suffered tire blowouts;  another, us towing the house trailer, experienced difficulty climbing some of the seemingly endless steep grades through West Virginia (I need more power!).   The stay at the campground adjacent to the Horse Park proved to be enlightening.  The campsite equipment of people attending the Pony Club Festival ranged from tents to horse trailers with human housing built in to expensive motorhomes and every type in between.  The day for most started before daylight and ended at dusk.  Caring for animals proved to be as time consuming and difficult, if not more so, as caring for humans. 

The photos below show only a small slice of the facility and campground.  Since we did not have the time to visit all of the museums, I suspect a return visit is in order.  

preparation for the trip from Virginia to Kentucky started early in the dark of the morning. Loading horses was the most difficult.  They knew that a long trailer trip was in the offing.

Not just horses but a lot of tack and gear and feed was needed.

Humans are also treated to accommodations.

the first of the two flat tires allowed a rest stop for lunch.

Finally, arrival at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Camp for the humans

Morning mist covers the open fields near the camp.

Entrance to Alltech Arena where some events and ceremonies are held.

The scale of the arena is best seen from a distance.

The inside arena is spectacular.  Large enough for major horse events with seating for thousands.

just one of over 50 huge barns at the Kentucky Horse Park.  Home for the horses.

Stalls for the horses.  Participants were responsible for setting up and maintaining this area without adult supervision or participation.

during the  opening ceremony each group walked in to the main arena.  This is the Old Dominion group.

The Old Dominion Region was well represented by about 18 participants in a variety of events including Polo Crosse.

Over view of the 1100 Pony Club members who attended this annual festival and competition.

The polo crosse team from the Old Dominion Region. from left in Photo: Mikaela Mayner riding Whinnie, Brooke Decant on Pockets, Lise Mychaleckyj on Dolly, and stable manager, Ashton Case with Angel.

On the toss out all the riders compete for the ball.

sometimes the toss out looks chaotic.

And at others only the attackers compete.

defender and attacker compete for position and possession.

GOAL!

At the end of the Chukka riders thank the referee and each other for the competition  then leave to tend to their animals.

What do you do before the awards ceremony?  Play catch with your friends using the polo nets, what else?

Six teams of players and awards

The expansive grounds of the horse park are what you might expect for a Kentucky horse ranch.

Other events in other arenas included show jumping.

The dressage practice rings can accommodate several riders during the warm up to competition. 

 

 

   

The Rolex Arena is home to world class competitions. This is the main arena which is only a part of the Rolex complex.  There is an exceptional cross country course that completes the area.  The jumps on the cross country course can be as tall a 6' and involve water hazards or elevated or depressed landing areas.  This opportunity for young riders to compete on a world class course provided one of the many thrills.

The smaller jumps on the Rolex Course were often a challenge for the riders.

The park has daily show that feature a variety of horse breeds not normally seen.  These shows are presented in costume and include narrative that describe the horse and its background.

The Park has several memorials to outstanding race horses including this one for Secretariat.  There are also many tributes to the trainers and handlers of race horses.

Lexington Kentucky is the home of Henry Clay, Kentucky representative  to congress,  who was dubbed the "Great Pacificator," for his efforts in brokering important compromises  on the slavery issues facing the nation. Henry Clay was admired and consulted by Abraham Lincoln. 

One of the innovative features of the Clay home is the gas lighting and cooking that was provided by means of  a system which included an underground tank of liquid gas over which a fan blew air so that the fumes would be forced into a system of pipes feeding the fixtures in the house.  There was no mention of explosions using this. 

Kentucky is also know for producing some great bourbons.  A visit to this state would not be complete without a tour of a distillery.  This is one of AlTech's distilleries. AlTech, as you will recall,

is a major sponsor at the Kentucky Horse Farm.

New barrels of bourbon waiting transport to the aging cellars. The used barrels are used again to ferment and flavor beer which is also a part of the distillery/brewery production.

Our tour guide "Robert, but just call me Bob".  He makes an excellent Irish Coffee.

On our trip through West Virginia coal veins such as this one were evident at many of the cut away banks along the freeway.  Actually freeway is  not correct since there were two sections that charged a toll.  Small toll of only $2.50 but a toll nonetheless.