U S PA B U L L E T I N
Detroit Horse Power Program exposes students to horses Photos by John Turney
The organizations hope to capitalize on the momentum created by the event and replicate it in other locations, spreading the love and awareness of polo across the country.
Spearheaded by the USPA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, in partnership with the Detroit Polo Club (Howell, Michigan), U.S. Polo Assn., Michigan State University and University of Michigan, a pilot event with Detroit Horse Power introduced 10 local high school students to the sport of polo. The perception of polo as being inaccessible is one of the main topics the DEI Committee hopes to tackle. “We want children, young people and adults throughout the country to know, no matter where they come from, whether that be urban or rural, that polo is an option,” said Dale Johnson, DEI Committee member. To facilitate this, the committee began brainstorming ways to increase access to horses in areas across the country. Johnson’s enthusiasm for the initiative led him to reconnect with Detroit Horse Power and its founder David Silver. Partnering with the USPA and an established USPA member club with infrastructure in place proved to be a successful way to host community events introducing 12 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
the sport of polo. The USPA DEI Committee, led by Chairman Agapito Morgan, aims to replicate the success of this pilot event with Detroit Horse Power at other locations across the country. Johnson believes looking to other sports associations like the NFL, MLB and NBA will help the sport of polo understand where to best position itself for the uniqueness of the sport and the community. “We want to be part of the larger conversation and change the perception of polo,” Johnson said. “Playing sports equips young people with the tools to come out of more challenging environments. Polo allows people to work with a team and build a lot of different leadership skills.” The short format introductory curriculum created by Anu Joshi and Detroit Polo Club’s director Emmalyn Wheaton was designed to be easily replicated and adapted to best fit the needs of the students and the facilities of a local club. Following several meetings outlining the goals of the DEI Committee, Johnson saw an opportunity to
