PTJan/Feb 2010 p48-49 Game YC JM PJ MB 21/1/10 17:22 Page 3
Your game The knowledge
Vital riding and playing tips from Jamie Peel, three-goal pro and 2008 Gold Cup winner
Where’s a man to go
to earn a winter crust?
AskJamie
Photog Dear Jamie
r
aph b
What a great column, with some good, sensible
advice. We have a pony of yours, Serena, which your
y Br
ett O’Callaghan
father has kindly loaned to us for my son Toby. We
have had her for six months and Toby is getting on
well with her. He plays most weekends and she has
adapted well to playing in the arena. She is very
England’s Tom Morley and Nina Clarkin fight it out on opposite sides in the final of the 2009 New Zealand Open
sweet and seems happy; she is also a great ride-off
machine, and not much gets past her!
F
or young pros, making a summer pay can get your costs covered and get some well Toby does have some issues turning Serena
be hard enough, so getting organised for earned beer money! sometimes, and she is not always as agile as he’d
the winter is even more challenging. The It is similar in Australia, where there are
like. Can you suggest any schooling exercises that
problem for British pros is that wherever they go some top organisations to work for. You can
might help with this? Thank you very much for
allowing us to use her: she is a great addition to
they will earn less than they do in the UK. earn more in Oz and there are opportunities to
Tobys' string.
Locations such as Dubai, Thailand and play in a higher standard of polo.
America are usually the best earners. There are Young pros must always be pushing
Bob Edmondson
not that many opportunities themselves to improve and get
but if you can find a way in, it
New Zealand is
to the next level. Argentina is
Dear Bob
can be very profitable and undoubtedly the number one I am by no means an expert when it comes to
provide you with the funds to
always popular
location to improve but it is
horses but what I have learnt is that if you are
pay for the wintering of your also the hardest place to get
struggling with something, go back to basics.
own ponies and start-up costs
with young pros Start working at a walk and build up from there,
organised. Unless you are there
for the new season.
who want to
trying not to rush her.
with a sponsor then earning is
When turning, the horse will always follow its
New Zealand has always
invest in horses
next to impossible so really
nose, so make sure you have the nose pointing in
been very popular with young you are investing your own the direction you want to go. Use your reins and
pros who want to invest in money and time in your career.
legs to help the pony. Work her in a tight area so
horses. In New Zealand there are many There are many places for young pros to
as to test her. It might also help to experiment
thoroughbreds that have not made the grade choose from and it is up to them to decide what
with using different bits.
for racing but can be retrained for polo. They they want to achieve from their time abroad
Do you have a question for Jamie Peel about any
are cheap to buy and with hard work through before picking the destination. But if you can aspect of the game, from riding and schooling to
the winters you can produce polo ponies at far balance your winter with bringing in money as
hitting and tactics? Or do you want Jamieto ask
less cost than you can do at home. If you are well as gaining valuable experience, this will
another player a particular question? Write to
working for someone at the same time you can help you to move on up. F
jamesmullan@polotimes.co.uk
Jamie
Jamie asks…
asks...MarkTomlinson
How can a young English pro get organised
in winter in Argentina?
MARK, THE SIXpasto lar-GOAL England playgo = long grerass, replies: should put the development of their own string to stuck on a ‘countryside’ estancia, where young horse
“First, remember that the best players, horses and one side and concentrate on ‘hooking up’ with a top chukkas will not really help you develop as a player:
polo are in Argentina during October, November and player who is in the Open. This might involve starting Pilar or elsewhere on the Buenos Aires circuit is the
December. There is nowhere at this time of year at the bottom, serving mate or cleaning boots, but place to be.
that even comes close to what you can see and the benefits of being with a nine- or 10-goaler are “If unluckily you aren’t given good horses and polo
experience there. huge. Just to listen and watch can be an inspiration to play, the mere fact that you have formed an
“It takes time to create an organisation of your to any young player. allegiance with a top player can only help your career.
own: even a millionaire couldn’t do it overnight. When “Ideally one can find a position as a ‘piloto’, which And working for a top player doesn’t mean you can’t
buying horses you certainly don’t want to rush as involves playing the second or third/younger string of work on your own organisation. Once this base in
this will increase the chance of mistakes. a top player. This usually ensures a decent standard Argentina has been established then one can
“When starting in Argentina I think young pros of horse in a good level of polo. Try to avoid being gradually develop one’s own string without any rush.”
www.polotimes.co.uk January/February 2010 49
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