Intercollegiate/Interscholastic

Senior living

High schoolers qualifier for NIC in their last year

By Haley Heatley

Matteo Chaux

For high school seniors across the country, the United States Polo Association National Interscholastic Championship marks the culmination of months and years of hard work and practice. With a mix of the players planning to play at college in the fall and others taking a pause in their polo, the national games are fueled by excitement, tough competition and an unrivaled camaraderie.

The 2020 United States Polo Association National Interscholastic Championship is currently postponed, but the accomplishments of the six graduating seniors who made it to the final tournament must not be overlooked.

Meet the seniors of the 2020 National Interscholastic Championship:

Matteo Chaux

Gardnertown Polo Club Team Coaches Bill Dencker and Danny Scott

Chaux expressed interest in riding and tried his hand at polo for the first time at Gardnertown Farms. His first passion was for horses, but as time went on his love for the sport began to grow. After his first year playing, Chaux traveled to Estancia Don Manual in Cañuelas, Argentina. After a few days in the saddle, polo quickly became the only thing he wanted to do. Chaux plans on attending Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City to study fashion design. Though there is no polo at FIT, Chaux will continue to play club chukkers at Gardnertown and travel to Florida to play when he is able.

Joanie Jackson

Houston Polo Club Girls’ Team Coach Mark Prinsloo

Jackson’s journey to polo began in the saddle. After riding for many years at the Houston Polo Club, Jackson quickly became a polo player through the well-developed step-up program created by Prinsloo. Jackson has been a member of the Houston Polo Club Girls’ Team for six years. She intends on attending Texas A&M University and continuing to play polo.

Cara Kennedy

Houston Polo Club Girls’ Team Coach Mark Prinsloo

Kennedy grew up riding but began to lose interest as she approached middle school. A lucky meeting between Joanie Jackson and Kennedy at summer camp turned the tables. A persuasive Jackson convinced her newly-found friend to join her at polo school in the fall. Kennedy went on to play for the Houston Polo Club Girls’ Team for six years. She plans on playing with the intercollegiate team at Texas A&M where she will attend college in the fall.

Houston Polo Club’s April Galindo, Joanie Jackson, Grace Mudra, Coach Mark Prinsloo, Cara Kennedy, Bridget Price and Steven Armour. Jackson and Kennedy are seniors.

Alana Benz

Maui Polo Club Team Coach Herman-Louis Decoite

Benz’s lifelong passion for riding began in the hunter jumper arena but slowly morphed into an obsession for polo. At age 13, she took a polo lesson to try her hand at a new equestrian activity and immediately fell in love with the sport. Benz has been a member of the Maui Polo Club Team for five years. She plans to continue playing polo in college at the University of Virginia.

Taylor Palacios

Gardnertown Polo Club Team Coaches Bill Dencker and Danny Scott

Palacios was introduced to polo by Mario Dino at the Saratoga Polo Club where he played with the Bloomfield Polo Team. Palacios and Matteo Chaux played against each other since Middle School, but as seniors found themselves donning the same Gardnertown jersey. Palacios is currently waiting to hear from several universities with polo programs and is eager to continue playing.

Niklaus Felhaber

Rancho Naranjo Team Coach Yvonne Golston The Felhaber family shares a passion for polo.

Niklaus Felhaber began playing polo after his uncle acquired a polo club in El Paso. Felhaber began playing at Rancho Naranjo before joining the Prestonwood Team. He recently rejoined his family on the Rancho Naranjo Team while finishing out his final year in the interscholastic program. Felhaber will attend Blinn College in the fall.

Senior Alana Benz and her parents

Gardnertown’s Bill Dencker, Taylor

Palacios, Vlad Tarashansky, Jonathan Wallace, Matteo Chaux and Danny Scott. Palacios and Chaux are seniors.

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES!

Most fun opponent

Chaux: The most fun opponent this year has been the Cornell men’s team. We played them three times this year and every time was better than the last. The horses are amazing, and I can’t complain about the heated arena. The game is always fast and the players are very competitive. There is a lot to learn from after every game.

Kennedy: We frequently play against the Houston boys’ team for practice. Over the years it has turned pretty competitive and entertaining.

Pre-game prep

Kennedy: I like to spend time with the horses. After tacking them up, I usually have a snack and hang out at the chairs to calm down.

Benz: I listen to music, braid my hair and drink a lot of caffeine! Then I will warm up and stretch.

Palacios: It is very important to me that before every game my boots are cleaned and polished. It is equally necessary to have maté with my teammates and friends before my games. It’s a nice relaxing ritual. Usually, my whole team will do these two things together.

Felhaber: Get a good night’s rest and a good breakfast.

Favorite place to travel to play

Palacios: Playing in the Northeast, you’re forced to play most games in the cold so it’s always fun to go and play in the heated arena at Cornell along with using their very talented string of ponies.

Chaux: I loved going to Texas last year and playing. The arena is much larger than what I am used to and being in Texas makes everything better. You also get to spend a lot of time with your teammates and the other teams, which I enjoy just as much as the competition.

Felhaber: Prestonwood Polo Club

Kennedy, Jackson and Benz were all in agreement as to their favorite place to play: ERG!

Favorite team horse

Chaux: My favorite team horse is Minga. She used to be Chris Green’s horse, and I had the privilege of riding her during most of the summer and this season. In my opinion, she is the best horse on and off the field. She does everything you want her to do and puts everything into the game.

Prestonwood’s coach Vaughn Miller, Niklaus Felhaber, Johann Felhaber and Vance Miller. Niklaus Felhaber is graduating this spring.

favorite horse of mine to play in the arena is Oso. Even though he’s pretty big, he’s very handy and has a big bump. He’s a really fun horse to play.

Kennedy: Luna is my favorite horse because she’s super handy and I can always trust her.

Benz: My favorite horse is my horse named Liko. He is pretty big but very fast, quick and agile for his size. Liko is very strong in ride-offs and so smooth going flat out.

Felhaber: Colibre, he has the heart of a champion.

Favorite part of playing I/I tournaments

Palacios: When playing I/I you become good friends with your team as well as your opponents. It becomes your family. I enjoy spending time with the other teams both on and off the field.

Benz: My favorite aspect of attending and playing an I/I tournament is the ability to travel with my team and test ourselves against the other best high school teams across the nation. I love the challenge of playing on a different field and riding different horses.

Chaux: The competition is my favorite aspect of attending and playing in I/I tournaments. Nothing makes me more nervous and excited as competing with really competitive teams. I also love riding different horses. You find some of the best horses in I/I tournaments, and the best part is, the next time you play against that team, you already know exactly which horses you want to ride.

Funny I/I memories

Kennedy: We have a tradition where the whole team has to jump in the lake at ERG when we win an I/I tournament. Most of the time it’s freezing!

Benz: At regionals this year, our first game got rained out so we had to drive two hours to a different area the next day to play a round robin final. We were pretty stressed but just blasted music the whole ride, sang along and had a lot of fun. We were so excited for the game by the time we got there and we won!

Palacios: At our first regionals at UConn, all of the teams hung out together at the hotel and ordered Chinese food. We had a great night spending time with the other teams. We woke up the next morning to play and found out one of the players had food poisoning! The food poisoning was not funny, but ever since then we all have a good laugh, suggesting that we would get him some Chinese food. •