P O L O I N T H E PA M PA S
Polo Zoom Polo4Pro clinics adapted in times of COVID-19 By Lucas Noel
Matias Maiquez with a student
Martin Orozco
Nine coaches formed a group, developing a unique proposal. Polo4Pro brought together the first instructors certified by the Argentine Polo Association to provide clinics on various topics of the game and give life to a solid and broad base for teaching polo. But the social, preventive and mandatory isolation in the face of the pandemic that plagues the world led them to have to reform their methodology. Now, every Friday through the Zoom platform, the instructors present a new way of offering their knowledge about horse riding, breeding, training, the best way of taking penalties and various general concepts. Agustín ‘Tino’ and Miguel Bourdieu, Justo Del Carril, Raúl Laplacette, Matías Maiquez, Santiago Marambio, Santiago Novillo Astrada, Martín Orozco and Eduardo Amaya reveal the success of these virtual meetings that have almost become a live TV show. How does a polo clinic adapt to a Zoom class? Although clinics are face-to-face, technology helped us transform it into a zoom class. The eight of us who are in Argentina and Negro (Eduardo) Amaya, who is in Houston, got together and talked about it with the aim that the class serves the listener and can incorporate knowledge. It grew so much we are convinced it will not die when everything returns to normal. These classes are really useful and will continue after the pandemic. They will not be weekly, maybe they will be monthly. But there is going to be an entertaining program
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coming from the stables aimed at amateur polo. These zoom sessions have given us the opportunity to talk about technique, tactics and the game itself. Polo4Pro is a group of players with different handicaps who have different views and who want to share that diversity. There is no pride among the nine of us. The group is heterogeneous and the challenge is that the new player can receive at least one of the nine opinions and positions that we offer. Was the growth and adherence expected? Eduardo Amaya: We have had a very good impact. We are very happy with what is happening. People now have more time to sit and listen. Pay more attention to our recommendations on how to make a horse walk better, how to care for it, etc. There is the guy who lives abroad, who can send us a video for analysis and feedback. Technology gives us that possibility and we are taking advantage of it. Will you be able to offer clinics again by the end of the year when polo can be played in Argentina? Raúl Laplacette: We estimate Polo4Pro face-toface clinics will return at the end of September, when the Argentine Polo Association enables tournaments to be held, according to the government’s directives from the Ministry of Health. At this moment, there are locations where polo training is allowed according to sanitation protocols. What would the protocol be like to carry out clinics with all the health precautions? Raúl Laplacette: Since the Covid-19 pandemic, classes will be held according to a protocol to avoid contagion. The use of a face coverings, maintaining a social distance of [over 6 feet], frequent handwashing and surface disinfection will be required. We count in our favor that classes are held outdoors and in open spaces with few students. Tell me about the instructor certification course that gave life to Polo4Pro? Santiago Novillo Astrada: The course for instructors was an initiative of the president of the Argentine Polo Association, Eduardo Novillo Astrada, who realized our country lacked an
