Black Diamond Polo Club

The Black Diamond Polo Club is a unique, family-oriented club set in the beautiful foothills of the Canadian Rockies in Black Diamond, Alberta. The club first opened in 1999 after Rob Peters had the vision of starting a polo club that would attract and welcome members from all backgrounds who may have thought polo was beyond their reach. The goal was to extend the member base and ensure polo’s broader participation in Western Canada.

The Black Diamond Polo Club is a one-field club with a field-side clubhouse. Games are enjoyed on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from mid-May through mid-September, and the focus is on fun, lower-goal, family-oriented polo. There are typically barbeques hosted after most days of play.

At Black Diamond, many members are fortunate to have horses appropriate for new players, and they are always keen to help attract newcomers to the game. The

LEFT: Rob Peters, Founder of Black Diamond and Will Schneider, 3rd generation player RIGHT: Stephen Cobb, retired President of Black Diamond Polo Club

Black Diamond Polo Club

players source their horses through a variety of methods: approximately two thirds choose to buy “made” horses while the remaining members choose to start their own, either off the track or through breeding. For new players, lessons are available, and Black Diamond has slower chukkers and green horses. Club chukkers vary from a zero to 4-goal level of play.

FACILITIES, MAINTENANCE & MANAGEMENT

The club has an exercise track and paddocks to support members who choose to board their horses, but approximately half of members trailer them in from their nearby ranches. Players are fortunate to have access to the beautiful Black Diamond Land & Cattle Ranch where they can exercise their horses or enjoy trail riding. Many of the horses are multi-dimensional, as members will often use them for trail rides, jumping on the fall hunts or rounding up and roping cattle at brandings.

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The club is supported through a mix of avenues and has a strong volunteer component. While the members participate in running, planning and managing club operations, maintenance of the field is provided by Black Diamond Land & Cattle, the Peters family ranch where the club is located.

CLUB TOURNAMENTS

The Black Diamond Polo Club hosts a number of tournaments and matches throughout the summer, including the Polo Canada Tournament (co-hosted in July with the Calgary Polo Club), and the USPA NYTS tournament. The Benson’s Best match, named for Rob Peters’ late grey and favourite horse, is held annually in August, while the club’s signature tournament takes place on Labour Day weekend.

Players typically travel from all over Western Canada for this signature event, which includes a zero-goal flight named for Loretta Thomson and a 4-goal flight named for Bill Leslie. Bill was the original

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Players are fortunate to have access to the beautiful Black Diamond Land & Cattle Ranch where they can exercise their horses or enjoy trail riding.

1 Dylan Foster at Bar U Ranch 2 Father-daughter team Mackenzie and Dan Brewin 3 Benson’s Best Winners Walker Watt, Sebastian Ayciena, Stephanie Davidson, Dan Brewin and Laura Hutton 4 David Watt, Mackenzie Brewin, Walker Watt and Stephanie Davidson 5 Greg Schindel, Brittany Wise, Jack and Jessica Schneider in the Bill Leslie Memorial Tournament 6 Rob Peters’ family playing polo on his birthday at his field at Rocky Mountain Ranch 7 Ruth Peters after her game

Black Diamond Polo Club

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club manager of Black Diamond Polo Club, known for his ability to get new players to try their hand at the game back in the early days. Loretta was a Western Canadian: a polo player, a passionate horse lover, and an amazing woman who passed away too soon while playing the sport she loved. She adored grey horses and always wore pink. Winning a pink Black Diamond Polo Cap is now a coveted prize!

Meanwhile, Black Diamond players also travel to other clubs for their signature events; this is a big effort as often the drive can take between eight and 15 hours— with horses in tow. But travelling to other clubs and hosting players during the summer is not only for the love of playing polo, but for the camaraderie and life-long friendships that have been fostered.

A FAMILY CLUB

Back Diamond has a strong family focus to it, with several families that play together. This family focus was something Rob Peters instilled from day one. Rob’s wife Ruth, his children and grandchildren, are all keen members of the Black Diamond Polo Club, as are the Brewin and Watt Families. In fact, it is uncommon to have players on the field who aren’t related to each other.

There is also a strong focus on junior polo at the club, as many of the youth players spent their summers playing polo and subsequently working there. Mackenzie Brewin, Matt and Will Schneider have each played in the East and West Polo Canada tournaments, as well as Black Diamond’s USPA NYTS qualifier tournament, along with Grace Tanton.

Members are involved on many levels, whether it’s lending a horse to attract a new player, organizing a tournament, coaching or managing. Walker and Selina Watt are not only valued club players, but they are also equine veterinarians.

The Black Diamond Polo Club has raised awareness for the sport within the community by inviting members of the media to a “Learn to Play Polo” day. This effort has led to coverage in print, radio and even on TV. Some of the members also appeared in an episode of “Heartland”

Members are involved on many levels, whether it’s lending a horse to attract a new player, organizing a tournament, coaching or managing.

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involving polo in the storyline. Mackenzie Brewin, Dylan Foster, Will Schneider, Walker Watt, Leslie Tims and Brittany Wise were all cast as stunt riders, while Jack Schneider both rode and had a speaking role in the episode.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

Along with playing in Canada, Black Diamond players have played throughout the world. Stephen Cobb, past president of the club, learned to play in the British Military. In the winter, some members have gone to Indio, California, and Costa Careyes, Mexico, while others have travelled further abroad to Barbados, Argentina, Ghana and New Zealand.

Through hosting players from South Africa, a number of Black Diamond’s players were lucky to travel there for a ladies tournament. Members were treated to an amazing trip, touring the beautiful South African countryside and city of Johannesburg.

Back at home, the Black Diamond Polo Club has become much like a summer cottage for its players. It offers a beautiful setting in the Alberta Foothills for members and visitors to enjoy. The friendships that have been formed through the game of polo, both at home and around the world, are the greatest gift the sport has provided.

The Black Diamond Polo Club has become much like a summer cottage for its players.

1 Spectators look on at the Bill Leslie and Loretta Thompson Memorial Tournament over Labour Day weekend 2 Marty Wales and Jack Schneider colour commentary 3 Junior polo clinic