No experience necessary to learn to play polo at Barrington Hills club

The Barrington Hills Polo School will launch its 25th annual Spring Polo School and reservations are being taken now.

The polo school is open to all ages, genders or levels of riding ability. Even students with no riding experience at all are welcome.

The school begins in April and the club provides polo ponies and all equipment for each student. According to the club, "Classes are taught by experienced players who are rated by the United States Polo Association (USPA)."

The Barrington Hills School is the only one of its kind in the Chicago area catering to beginners.

"We welcome people with limited budgets and limited horseback riding skills. Our school has achieved national recognition, and we've introduced hundreds of people to the sport of polo. For 2014, we've initiated a new Interscholastic program for kids 19 and under."

The Barrington Hills Polo School was created in 1990, when the club was seeking to build its membership.

"We learned that the best way to grow was to recruit beginners and teach them the game instead of competing with other clubs over more experienced players. We realized we had to show that polo is accessible and affordable for a wide range of people."

Today, most of the players in the club got their start in the club's Polo School, and "our students have gone on to play all over the world including the Queen's Cup and Coronation Cup in Great Britain."

The club stresses "You don't need a string of horses and an unlimited budget to enjoy playing polo. Some members don't even own horses, and many have only one or two ponies."

The Barrington Hills Polo Club's focus is on "friendly, affordable, recreational polo in a lighthearted, family-oriented environment." The club's slogan is "Polo among friends."

Lessons run 8:30 a.m. through 1 p.m. on Saturdays beginning in April. Students get to ride and play polo on the very first day regardless of riding experience. "Both men and women play polo and the club welcomes adults and juniors."

The Barrington Hills Polo Club uses the beautiful regulation grass polo field at Oakwood Farms in Barrington Hills and also plays year-round at its arena facilities in Wauconda.

For more information and a free polo school brochure, contact John Rosene at (847) 854-1415 or visit www.BarringtonHillsPolo.com.

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