Learn to Play Polo
Want to learn to play polo?
Want to learn to play polo?
Many of our Twin City Polo Club members evolved from just being a polo spectator at one of our matches or a fellow equestrian from a different equine discipline or just knew a friend who played polo. Private polo lessons are available at the Twin City Polo Club taught by our excellent instructor Gaston Raimondo. If you are interested in taking a private lesson with Gaston, he can be contacted via our Contact page.
Twin City Polo - Polo School
The Twin City Polo Club welcomes you to our sport and announces the 2024 Polo School. Our first formal polo school started in the summer of 2005 and many of our early students are playing polo today.
We understand that there is a progression from beginning polo to playing in games. That’s why we offer different levels of training. Our school offers beginners training in basic polo skills. Those skills center on the horse, the equipment, riding, using the mallet, and understanding the rules. Our students progress to school practice games to club tournaments and acquiring the U.S.P.A. polo handicap. Horses will be provided for all participants.
New for 2024, the Our School consists of two levels. Our “Introduction to Polo” consists of classes each Wednesday at 6pm in the summer. Beginning Students sign up for “Intro to Polo” for the June Session, July Session, and August Session. Students that have already taken polo school lessons can sign up for School Practice Games (SPG) each Friday at 6pm for the June, July, and August Session. We have suitable horses and tack for all students.
Professional polo player Gaston Raimondo is the chief instructor and has been running the Twin City Polo Club School since 2005. Gaston was born and raised in Argentina where he grew up playing polo. Gaston moved to Minnesota in the 1990’s and has played professional polo all over the U. S., Europe and Canada.
Click here to watch our video: https://youtu.be/bpwg_uVbz6c
For more information about the Twin City Youth Polo School, please contact Gaston Raimondo at 763-392-5373 or click here to send an email.
Sign up for polo school at: 2024 Twin City Polo Club School (signupgenius.com)
Polo School Overview
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The School is located at the Twin City Polo Club at 6721 Turner Road, Maple Plain MN 55359
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The ability to ride a horse is a pre-requisite for our Polo School.
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This year we will run two different levels each month, level 1 is Intro to Polo, and level 2 is School Practice Games. Each Session is about a month long, will have 4 dates and 3 classes guaranteed.
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Through experience, we know that rain will prevent us from riding a few times each month, that’s why we have created extra time to get the guaranteed classes in.
- "Intro to Polo” classes will run every Wednesday at 6pm.
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"School Practice Games” will run every Friday at 6pm.
- There is a max of 6 students that can sign up for each session.
- Students sign up for either Intro to Polo or School Practice Games for the month Session.
School Schedule for 2024
The June Session
Intro to Polo: Wednesday June 5, 12, 19 and 26. 3 classes guaranteed.
School Practice Games Friday June 7, 14, 21, and 28. 3 classes guaranteed.
The July Session
Intro to Polo: Wednesday July 3, 10, 17, and 24. 3 classes guaranteed.
School Practice Games Friday July 5, 12, 19, and 26. 3 classes guaranteed.
The August Session
Intro to Polo: Wednesday August 7, 14, 21, and 28. 3 classes guaranteed.
School Practice Games Friday August 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30. 3 classes guaranteed.
TCPC School Costs
School Costs: Students sign up for Sessions. Each Session has 3 classes guaranteed and is limited to 6 students per session. There is a total of 6 sessions offered this summer.
- Intro to Polo Session, 3 classes guaranteed, $400.
- School Practice Games Session, 3 classes guaranteed, $550.
A student that is available for the dates above could conceivably take the June Intro to Polo for $400, then take the July Intro to Polo for $400, and then take the August School Practice Games for $550. You may sign up for 1, 2 or all 3 sessions. By signing up for one or more Sessions, you become a school member of the Twin City Polo Club. Payment is required before each new session starts.
Polo School Details
The ability to ride a horse is a pre-requisite for this program.
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Suitable horses and tack will be provided for participants along with mallets and other equipment as needed. We have school horses for all students. Students are expected to bring and use their own riding helmet and boots.
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Instruction will be provided by the club chief instructor as well as additional club members, and polo professionals.
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Instruction will include history of the sport, the rules of polo, riding polo style, hitting, team work and practice chukkas – both mounted and unmounted instruction.
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School Costs: Students sign up for Sessions. Each Session has 6 lessons and costs $650. You may sign up for 1, 2 or all 3 sessions. By signing up for one or more Sessions, you become a school member of the Twin City Polo Club. Payment is required before the session starts.
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There is a $100.00 deposit required to hold your spot
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Students are required to sign the Twin City Polo Club waiver.
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There is no substitutions and no refunds.
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A membership in the United States Polo Association is required. Sign up here https://members.uspolo.org/signup/
Learn About Polo
Below are terms you will hear during a typical polo match
| Term | Definition | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BALL | The polo ball is made of solid, hard plastic and measures 3 to 3-1/2 inches in diameter weighs 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 ounces. | ||||||||||||
| BUMP | A player is permitted to ride into another player so as to spoil his shot. The angle of collision must be slight causing no more than a jar. The faster the horse travels, the smaller the angle must be. A good bump can shake your dentures loose. | ||||||||||||
| CHUKKER | Also called a period. There are six chukkers in a polo game (four in arena polo) each lasting 7 minutes (at the 6-1/2 minute mark, a single horn signifies thirty seconds left-at 7 minutes, a double horn ends the chukker). | ||||||||||||
| FIELD | What the match is played on. It measures 160 yards wide by 300 yards long and is so large that 10 football fields can fit within it. | ||||||||||||
| GOAL | Any time a ball crosses the line between the goal posts, it is considered a goal regardless of whether a horse or a mallet cause the ball to go through. In order to equalize wind and turf conditions, the teams change sides after every goal scored. | ||||||||||||
| HANDICAPS | All registered players are rated on a scale of -2 to 10 (the higher the better). The handicap of the team is the sum total rating of its players and in handicap matches the teams with the higher handicap gives the difference in ratings to the other team. For example, a 6-goal team will give two goals to a 4-goal team. There are only a handful of 10-goal players in the entire world. Although the word "goal" is used after the digit, it bears no relation to the number of goals a player might score--only his ability. | ||||||||||||
| HOOK | A player may spoil another's shot by putting his mallet in the way of the striking player. A cross hook occurs when the player reaches over his opponent's mount in an attempt to hook; this is considered a foul. | ||||||||||||
| KNOCK-IN | Should a team, in an offensive drive, hit the ball across the opponent's backline, the defending team resumes the game with a free hit from their backline. No time-out is allowed for knock-ins. | ||||||||||||
| MALLET | Also known as a "stick". The shaft is made from a bamboo shoot, and the head from either the bamboo root or a hard wood such as maple. These vary in length from 49 to 53 inches and are very flexible in comparison to a golf club or hockey stick. Contrary to popular belief, the long edge of the mallet is used to strike the ball, not the small ends, which would similar to croquet. | ||||||||||||
| NEAR SIDE | The left hand side of a horse. | ||||||||||||
| NECK SHOT | A ball which is hit under the horse's neck from either side. | ||||||||||||
| OFF SIDE | The right hand side of a horse. | ||||||||||||
| OUT OF BOUNDS | When a ball crosses the sideline or goes over the sideboards, it is considered out of bounds and the umpire throws in another ball between the two teams at that point. No time-out is allowed for an out-of-bounds ball. | ||||||||||||
| PENALTY | These are identified by numbers 1 to 10.
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| PONY | What each player rides, although the title is somewhat deceiving. They are actually "normal" size horses, usually thoroughbreds who used to race. They are typically trained at a very young age to play polo and can continue playing into their teens. On average, a player uses 5-6 ponies per match. | ||||||||||||
| POSITIONS | Each of the four players plays a distinctly different position. Since polo is such a fluid game, the players may momentarily change positions, but will try and return to their initial assignment. No. 1 is the most forward offensive player. no. 2 is just as offensive but plays deeper and works harder. No. 3 is the pivot player between offense and defense and tries to turn all plays to offense. No. 4, or the back, is the defensive player whose role is principally to protect the goal. Typically, the player positions add up 5 when two opposing players defend each other (the No. 4 will defend the No. 1, and so on) | ||||||||||||
| SPUR | Players wear them on the heels of their boots and use them to urge their horse forward. The rowels (the piece at the end of the spur) must be smooth though, with no sharp corners. |