PTJan/Feb 2010 p10 - 11 News YC.MBqxp.qxp 22/1/10 15:44 Page 3
A mock-up of how the action might look with the Ahu Tahai statues as a backdrop
Is this polo’s most
exotic location yet?
PREPARATIONS ARE underway for a Benkö, editor of the Chilean magazine
historic polo match this year on Easter Revista Polo Chile.
Island in the south-eastern Pacific Already players and patrons from
Ocean, to be run alongside an Uruguay and Brazil have registered their
endurance riding event. Organisers of interest in the match, on 20 November.
the event Cristián Benkö, a Chilean At US$4,785 (just under £3,000) for an
polo enthusiast, and endurance expert all-inclusive four-day luxury package,
Luis Enrique including a spot
Opazo have
The horses are of
on one of the
negotiated Criollo origin – and teams and a day’s
permission to
the first on the
50km endurance
use the island’s ride around the
“ancestral
island were brought
island, though
fields”, with a
by British merchants
hardly budget, PT
backdrop of thought it was
ancient statues, and will welcome two surprisingly reasonable. Those willing to
three-a-side teams in November. fork out will also gain full bragging
Easter Island sits 2,180 miles (and rights and some sensational photos. For
a four-hour flight) from the Chilean family and friends, and other intrepid
coast, making it one of the world’s non-playing spectators, the trip costs
most isolated inhabited islands. It is a S$1,785 (£1,100).
World Heritage Site, widely famous for Organisers hope the launch will be
its 887 monumental statues, known as the start of polo “proper” on the island,
“moai”, and is home to less than and their long-term aim is to teach the
5,000 people. Its underlying geology is islanders and their horses the game.
one of extinct volcanoes.
◗ For more email
All in all, it may not seem an
info@endurancex.com; for player
obvious choice for polo. However, there
enquiries email cbenko@
are 4,000 horses on the island, mainly revistapolo.cl; and for hotel enquiries
of Criollo origin – though the first
email reserve@hotelhangaroa.cl
horses there were introduced by British
wool merchants – and
about the right size for
polo. Organisers plan to
send a team of trainers,
grooms and vets to the
island to get them ready.
And the players? “This
is for people who want a
new adventure – the place
is utterly amazing,” says
www.polotimes.co.uk January/February 2010 11
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