When most people hear the word polo the first thing that comes to mind is fashionable clothing with a pony on the left chest. But the company icon derived its classy image from the sport of polo and the culture that surrounds it. The Vero Beach polo community is small in stature but its modest numbers are belied by its immodest approach to educating and embracing young players new to the game.
Vero Beach High School junior Blake Ashcroft has been riding horses since the age of 7 but wanted something more so she took up the game of polo and has loved every minute on the field.
“I love the speed of the game and the adrenaline rush,” Ashcroft said. “I got tired of riding around in a little arena. I knew some people that played and I figured I would try it and I became addicted to it.”
Veteran polo player Max Secunda is the head coach of BG Polo and Equestrian’s polo program and Ashcroft said he is the main reason she has been able to pursue her desire to play polo. “Max has had the most influence on me. He gave me a chance four or five years ago when I started. He supplied me with really good horses and has been encouraging me and making me better from the start.”
Polo is a team sport and Ashcroft plays on a variety of teams every Sunday at the BG Polo and Equestrian complex, but she said the most important member of any team is not the player as much as her horse.
“The horse depends on the player’s preference. Some players prefer a quicker thoroughbred others like a horse that is more maneuverable,” Ashcroft said. “Some players have several different horses they ride during one match. I have one horse I have developed a special bond with and I feel that’s more important. It’s funny because when I let other people ride my horse she hates it and is really horrible to them. It’s kind of embarrassing for me because I’m always telling people how sweet she is to ride.”
Ashcroft is one of a few women that has started and continued to play a sport that is predominantly played by men, but she has accepted and adapted to the challenge. “Since I’m a girl, it’s like ten times harder for me to be at the same physical level as a guy because most men are stronger,” she said. “We have to use more finesse and a big challenge is trying to perfect my swing and hit the ball as far as the men do.”
High School athletes that play more conventional sports practice every day after school to win games and have fun and so does Ashcroft. “Taking care of the horses on a daily basis is important and that way I can tell if my horse is fit enough to play,” Ashcroft said. “For me developing a daily relationship with your horse should be the foundation of good polo. Being around the horses is therapeutic and [I enjoy] the adrenaline and the speed [of the matches] . . . it’s so much fun – just the best feeling in the world!”