Power of Polo and Alabaré Partner on Residential Experience
Power of Polo and Alabaré Partner on Residential Experience
Power of Polo’s final residential experience of the year took place at The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club last week, in partnership with Cool Hooves Polo and generously supported by the ‘Polo for Heroes’ organisation. Eight participants completed the four-day course, brought together by the charity Alabaré, which provides support for vulnerable, homeless and marginalised people across the UK and has been a long-standing partner of Power of Polo.
The five military veterans and three young people, most of whom had never ridden before, underwent an intense four days of training and teamwork which culminated in a mini-tournament. In the words of Cool Hooves Polo’s head coach Miles Underwood, they “packed four months into four days!”
The week incorporated riding and polo basics, including ride-offs and key shots, work on the wooden horse, horse care and a veterinary talk, practice chukkas and much more, with a highlight being a trip to Guards Polo Club and a tour of the Royal Box. Even the regular downpours didn’t dim spirits, and the participants all enjoyed bonding with their ponies and pushing themselves to their own personal limits.
Jay, who was awarded the Best Horsemanship prize in the final day’s prizegiving, put into words what the course meant to him. “For me, personally, this has been a journey because I don’t have much resilience. I don’t get out and talk to people and I wouldn’t be here without the teams and charities who’ve supported me. I’ve learnt patience, resilience, horsemanship…it’s been incredible.”
Grace won the Most Improved Rider award and recognised the impact being around horses has had on her own outlook. “I’ve built a lot of self-confidence this week, doing things myself and pushing myself out of my comfort zone, rather than just sticking where I’m comfortable. It’s been really good for my anxiety and my mental health in general, and I’ve loved making a connection with my horse!”[1] [2]
Power of Polo is a unique national charity which aims to positively impact the lives of people facing social, economic or health challenges, utilising the sport of polo. It enables organisations such as The RCBPC to give something back to the wider community through their sport, providing the infrastructure needed to build programmes that support people from a range of backgrounds to change their lines – and their lives.
Power of Polo’s CEO Naomi Howgate was delighted with the success of the course. “This has been a brilliant week for all involved and we couldn’t be prouder of our Alabaré participants, who’ve achieved so much in just a few days. So many people are involved in a week like this, but I’d especially like to thank Cool Hooves Polo, the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club and Clare Dingwall from Polo for Heroes, who all enabled this week to happen. This is the final residential of 2024, but we have exciting things in the pipeline and we are looking forward to further growth, through partnerships with new charity partners, new polo organisations and new donors, which will help us to reach many more participants in 2025.”