THE EFG COACHING SCHOLARSHIP – ARGENTINA FEBRUARY 2014 - By 2Lt Jess Wood RA
The recently revived Royal Artillery Polo Team has been developing well over the last two seasons. 2013 saw three team members (Maj Rob Skeggs, Capt Nick Watson and 2Lt Jess Wood) selected to play for the Army against the RAF in the Sassoon Cup, which was retained by the Army. Following the success of the season, it was proposed by the Army Polo Association (APOLOA) that the Royal Artillery Polo Team should go on an intensive training camp in order to further develop our playing skills.
After 4 wet, cold months without any polo it was time to dust the mildew off our boots and start looking forward to two weeks back on the pitch. On 1 February 2014 six enthusiastic members of the RA Polo Team arrived in theatre eager to play as much polo as possible. For the duration of our stay we were based at La Tarde Polo Club which is in the small village of Thomas Jofre. La Tarde thoroughly spoilt us with well trained ponies, amazing food, two swimming pools, and most importantly excellent instruction from the owner Juan Martin Sarli and his long term friend Nacho, playing off 3 and 1 goals respectively.
With stick and ball in the morning and instructional chukkas in the afternoon, the first few sessions took their toll on those who may have been a little less than ‘riding fit’, resulting in a few aching muscles! With no polo for four months we were all feeling quite rusty and the first few stick and ball sessions were filled with shouts of frustration, wayward balls, the occasional wayward pony, and one wayward jockey. Thankfully, under Juan and Nacho’s careful instruction everyone rapidly got back into the ‘swing’ of things, aided by extra coaching in the stick and ball cage, the benefit of which was shown by Col Dickie Winchester who practiced for at least an hour every day until he was dispatching well aimed shots all over the field. Afternoon chukkas gave us the opportunity to develop our team play, understanding of tactics and the rules which seem so simple discussed round a whiteboard off the pitch but seem to take second place to getting mallet to ball in the heat of battle!
Unfortunately for us we did not have the constant sunshine that we were hoping for. The torrential rain that had been affecting the UK boarded the next flight and followed us to Argentina (it must have taken a direct flight as it arrived just before us), and so on a few occasions we were unable to play as the pitches were too wet; cue the inevitable and slightly tiresome ‘water-polo’ jokes! With the pitches out of use, Juan had to be inventive with alternative training options for us, and he did a great job. We went on hacks across the Pampas which were great for building up our riding fitness. We attempted to herd horses, and practised riding off in novel fashions one of which involved being chased round a field whilst the opposition tried to remove a bandage from your belt. The best alternative activity to polo had to be learning to play the national sport; pato. A sport so violent that it has been banned several times in its history and, in 1796, a Catholic priest insisted that players who died in knife fights started in the heat of the game should be denied Christian burial. It’s a very fast moving game with lots of changes in direction which improved everyone’s riding off, falling off and removed any nerves we may have about crashing into ponies at the full gallop.
Even though the weather was not perfect for our entire time, it was a thoroughly worthwhile trip. Being able to dedicate two weeks to training and development was a great opportunity. We are all looking forward to the 2014 season where, hopefully, we will be able to publicly demonstrate the value of the training in the numerous Inter Services and Army tournaments.
The tour would not have been possible without the support from a number of different people for which we are very grateful: EFG Private Bank, Maj Gen David Cullen, the Combined Services Polo Association, Lt Col (Ret’d) Simon Ledger and the Army Polo Association, the Army Sports Lottery and Maj Rob Skeggs for organising the trip.
