Polo: work begins before entering arena

By Emily Neumann













Polo players have quite a bit of work to do even before they enter the arena. Dr. Jim Dinger, coach of the UConn polo team, weighed in on what it takes to ready a pony for the game.

Some of the equipment for polo ponies is standard for regular riding:

- A saddle pad is placed on the horse's back. Whether or not a pad or blanket is used is up to the rider.

- Polo ponies are then outfitted with an English saddle, which is slightly longer than a standard saddle. The extra length is designed to compensate for the rider's constant movement.

- Next is the bridle. The type of bridle used depends on the horse. In the case of Spider, this 20-year-old gelding, Dinger uses a gag bridle.

In addition to standard equipment, polo ponies wear a few additional items:

- Their legs are wrapped with cloth polo wraps to prevent damage from mallets.

- Some polo ponies, including the ponies at UConn, wear bell boots around their hooves. These prevent the horses from catching the heels of their front feet with the toes of their back feet as they run. Polo ponies are built for speed, so bell boots are necessary for most of these horses.

- Dinger said players also tie up their ponies' tails so the tail doesn't get tangled in the swinging mallets. In general, the horse's mane is also shaved, according to Dinger.

The tack for each horse costs thousands of dollars, and every pony has its own equipment.

If a horse is limping or bobbing too much, the rider must remove all of the tack and start over on another horse. Dinger said lame horses still run even if they are injured, so each player has a responsibility to recognize the symptoms that indicate the horse is in pain before they take them into the arena.

Polo fan base not enormous, but enthusiastic

Click the pic at right to view a YouTube video of the UConn women's 2008 championship game.

"We love an audience and the cheering just gets our adrenaline pumping," - UConn polo player Kaila Dowd

By Kierstin Wesolowski

A crowd comprised of about 30 people arrived at Horsebarn Hill arena just before the start of a 3 p.m. polo match. Friendly chatter that sounded like a buzzing beehive filled the once-quiet arena. The unexpected blare of the announcer's voice over the loudspeaker interrupted the conversations.

The crowd then abandoned its previous discussions and focused its attention on the players before them.

Yale's player introductions were met with polite applause, typical of a golf match. However, the UConn players' introductions were barely audible through the cheers and whistles emanating from the stands.

Although the bleachers may not overflow with fans, the enthusiastic cheers gave the impression of a football stadium filled to maximum capacity.

"We love an audience and the cheering just gets out adrenaline pumping," player Kaila Dowd said. "A general misconception is that you must be quiet and classy at a polo match, but in reality when we are playing, we're screaming and yelling. So we love to get the feedback from the fans."

The fans seemed to be aware of the players' enjoyment of the ear-piercing noise level. UConn's more than 10-point lead did little to satiate the fans' desire for victory. Each additional goal increased the cheers another octave. Shouts of "shoot now," and "the ball is behind you," continually rang out from the stands.

"My two boys love watching the game," Ana Fidantses said.

She and her twin 4-year-old boys, dressed in matching UConn Husky T-shirts, had seen their first polo match during UConn's open house Oct. 25. They enjoyed the game so much, the family returned three weeks later to see another match.

Fidantses and her sons arrived considerably earlier than the other fans. The boys snacked on cupcakes she purchased at the bake sale in the foyer of the arena and seemed entranced by the prancing horses.

"They like everything about it: the horses, the painting of the lines, the track tour and, of course, the game itself," Fidantses said.

Fidantses' two boys stood on the bleachers with their hands in the air, fists pumping. They jumped up and down and squealed with joy at the conclusion of the game.

UConn was victorious.

Snapshot of a game

By Brittany Perotti

Thud. Bang. Slap.

The players slam against the boards. Their mallets crash into each other with a clank. The sound of quick-clopping hooves pounding against dirt rings off the metal walls.

The arena smells of wet dirt - a testament to the pre-game ritual of watering down the field. The watering prevents dust from choking horses and players.

The giant animals - from bays to chestnuts - crash into each other, sandwiching players and ponies to the wall.

"It's hockey on horseback," says University of Connecticut polo coach James Dinger.

A fresh set of horses is rotated in for the next chukker. The riders and horses line up on either side of the midpoint of the field. The horses flip their lips and blow air through their noses.

They are impatient to start.

The umpire, also on horseback, stands in front of the pack - six players total. The ball, no larger than a softball and made of now-dirtied white leather, is in his hand. It is pounded by the 160-gram mallets throughout the game.

The umpire tosses the ball with a quick, snapping underhand motion. It rolls to the ground.

The game begins.

In no more than a few seconds, the race is on. The players lean over the horses, looking as if they are going to fall off. Somehow, they hold on with their legs.

The players dash toward the goal. They hold wooden mallets up high in their right hands as they race after the ball. They hold the reins in their left hands. Their bodies bob and flow with each stride of their horses.

A metal cage protects their faces as they shout to their teammates over the noise of the horses' heavy bodies pounding the dirt.

They prepare to hit the ball. Their mallets swing in a clockwise motion around their arms. Smack. The ball crashes into the boards with a thud.

The horses are excited by the game. Their heads thrash wildly.

Assistant coach Marc Tufts assures spectators that the horses love crashing into each other. Their energy betrays their 20 years of age, a fairly advanced age for a horse.

Spectators' shoulders tense. Their eyes are wide while they watch, letting out an "ooooh" each time the horses slam into each other. Sometimes, the onlookers hold their breath.

National champion banners hang around the arena. Last year's has not yet been displayed.

The players chase down the ball, bodies leaning over like jockeys. They are playing in the widest arena in New England.

This is UConn polo.

The polo workout? Ride, ride, ride

"The more you ride, the better and stronger you will get," - Coach James Dinger

By Lindsey Itzkowitz

The polo players ride around the indoor arena. A young man in a navy blue shirt hangs off of his horse, clinging on with his left hand. He strikes the ball with a mallet held in his right hand.

He rides and swings again.

How do polo players develop such skills?

University of Connecticut polo coach James Dinger says: "The ideal way to get into shape for polo is to consistently ride. The more you ride, the better and stronger you will get."

Gym workouts and running also are great ways to build strength and endurance.

But ...

"The best thing a player can do is ride a horse," Dinger said.

Likewise, UConn polo player Michael Wenning said, "The more lower body strength you have, the easier it is to stay on the horse. The best way to develop [this] necessary lower body strength is to ride a horse as much as possible."

Wenning said accuracy in hitting the ball is more important than the power behind it.

"The best players are not the ones with a hard power shot, but rather players who are perhaps not as strong, but have great techniques," he said.

Teammated Michael Mizrahi agreed.

"A polo swing is primarily about technique and precision, followed by strength that can be added once technique is down pat," he said.

Information on the website woodmallets.com says the average polo mallet ranges from 160 to 205 grams, or about a third to a half pound, with an average length of 52 inches. The weight and height varies for each athlete.

Each polo player also has an individual fitness routine. When Wenning is not riding, he said he kayaks and bikes to strengthen both his arm and leg muscles.

"I don't know how many other polo players use these two activities for training," he said. "But for me, these two activities are more exciting than lifting weights in a gym."

Mizrahi said that he's focusing on his flexibility.

"To be a great player, you need to be able to make the shots that others can't and that opponents won't expect you to make," he said. "This can mean that your body will be twisting and turning in different ways."

Dinger said: "There are textbooks with certain exercises on how to get into shape for polo."

Players have their own methods and know what works best for them.

"If you're in shape, you're in shape," he said.

Meet a team member

By Ashley Owens

Name: Michael Mizrahi

Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.

Age: 18

How old were you when you started playing polo?
I started riding at Jamaica Bay Riding Academy, on the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn. It's one of two barns/riding facilities in Brooklyn. I grew up there from a very young age and started to ride there at age 6. When I started playing polo, I started traveling out to Long Island to do so. I was invited by Belinda Brody, who rode at the same barn as me in Brooklyn. I was hooked at first sight.

Is Brooklyn known for polo?
In the summer season (May to September), Long Island is one of the biggest polo destinations in the country, along with Santa Barbara. Long Island has some of the highest goal polo (high levels of professional polo) played in the country - up to 20-goal. There are four to five big polo clubs on the island today, with Bridgehampton being the most prestigious, followed by Southampton polo club, Meadowbrook polo club (the club I play at), and others. In the 1930's, Long Island was "Polo Capital of the World" - drawing crowds as large as 100,000 for large games such as the Open and 30,000 to 40,000 on a typical Sunday afternoon from New York City.

When did you join the UConn team?
The moment I stepped foot on the UConn campus! I'm at college to get an education, but I'm at UConn specifically to play polo.

Who are your inspirations?
I think most polo players would automatically say Adolfo Cambiaso - as he is THE best player in polo, undisputed. I'd say, just to have a slightly different answer, that I'm inspired by other intercollegiate players who are simply amazing players. I think this is better inspiration because I know that I can get to that level realistically at some point in the next four years.

Who is your favorite horse to ride?
For the moment I'd say Fortunera. I don't believe she's anyone's favorite pony. She's not outstanding, but she's always there for you for a good ride. You know when a polo pony is thinking for you/with you, and it's a great feeling.

What is one interesting quirk about you that others may not know?
I guess I'm a bit of a tech geek, though I'd say most people who know me well know that.

Meet a team member

By Ashley Owens

Name: Mike Wenning

Hometown: Longmeadow, Mass.

Age: 21

How old were you when you started playing polo?
I began playing polo when I was 13. I started when I was watching my sister take a riding lesson. The owner of the stable (who would later become my coach throughout high school) took me aside and told me I should try polo. Once I tried it, I loved the sport and have continued playing ever since.

When did you join the UConn team?
My freshman year.

Who are your inspirations?
Hal Vita has been a coach and mentor for me both on and off the field since I met him back when I was in middle school. Before I met him, I really wanted nothing to do with horses at all, but once he started teaching me polo, I became addicted to the sport. Also, he was the one who encouraged me to go to UConn, as he was the one who started the program here.

My family has also been quite helpful and supportive in polo. Between making hotel arrangements, driving to games, helping to provide food for after the games with the other parents, and videotaping games for later review, they have always been supportive of polo.

Do you plan to pursue polo professionally?
While I always hope to be involved with polo (especially teaching/coaching kids), I do not plan to pursue polo professionally. Instead, I hope to pursue a career in business.

Who is your favorite horse to ride?
Julietta (winner of the best playing pony award) is my favorite at the UConn barn. She's quick, fast turning, and easy to control. We generally do not pick the horses we ride for practices or games. For games, we must be able to ride all the horses (especially because when we travel we must ride the opposing school's horses). The horses we ride in practice are on a rotating assignment so everyone learns to ride every horse.

What is one interesting quirk about you that others may not know?
Before I played polo, I was involved with martial arts for 12 years.

Meet a team member

By Ashley Owens

Name: Belinda Brody

Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.

Age: 20

How old were you when you started playing polo?
I began playing polo when I was 17 years old. I started after my English riding (jumping and such) trainer decided to try to rekindle her love with her old favorite sport and brought me along with her. This was something that truly changed my life for the better. After the first time I was hooked forever!

When did you join the UConn team?
My freshman year, 2006.

Who are your inspirations?
Sunny Hale, American 3 goal Olympic medalist; and Adolfo Cambiaso, Argentine polo player. Sunny for being the highest rated woman in polo and Cambiaso simply for being the best in the world and inspiring to watch.

Do you plan to pursue polo professionally?
Professionally as in my play, yes, but not as a polo professional. I plan on trying my luck in the horse industry, training, buying and selling polo horses. Although going pro is not a bad idea either.

Who is your favorite horse to ride?
My favorite horse to ride in the UConn polo barn is Marcos. He is a talented athlete who has played in the highest levels of polo, the likes of which I am lucky to watch at this point. He knows the game better than I do and he teaches me while helping me become a stronger player with each ride. While we do not get to pick our horses, everyone has horses that they get along with better than others. A good team will match the riders and horses based on how they play with each other.

What is one interesting quirk about you that others may not know?
I used to be on the cast of the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" in New York City.

Playing safe with a 1,500-pound animal and a mallet

By Samantha Henry

An 850- to 1,500-pound animal, a mallet, a whip and a leather ball all colliding in the same corner of an arena sounds dangerous. With the proper precautions, however, polo players turn this tornado into a structured and orderly competition.

Dangers of the game: Falling of the horse. Getting hit by the stick or ball. The inherent unpredictability of horses.

Belinda Brody and Kaila Dowd, members of the University of Connecticut club polo team, talked about the importance of safety and how the team stays protected.

What equipment do you wear for protection?
Both the horse and rider wear protection. The rider wears a helmet with either a metal face mask or protective sports goggles to protect the head and face. We also wear boots made of thick leather to protect our legs and thick leather knee pads to cover knees during the hard bumps in the game.

What equipment do the horses wear?
One of the most common misconceptions about polo is that the horses get hurt a lot, but what people don't see is that most polo players are far more concerned about the safety of their horses than the safety of themselves. Regardless, there is a great amount of strain put on the horses and it takes a very talented animal to play.

This is why polo ponies are considered some of the most athletic animals. A lot of work goes into getting the horses ready and in shape for the season and there are a lot of precautions that are necessary while doing so. Their legs are the most delicate and require the most protection. Every game we wrap all four legs with fleece polo wraps, and on the fronts we also put on additional tendon boots of hard plastic and bell boots on their hooves.

Are you given a list of safety measures when you first start playing?
The whole game of polo is more or less a list of safety measures and rules. Some are more complex and hard to understand than others. All are made up for the general safety of the horse and rider. When a player begins polo, they are given the most basic set of rules to ensure their safety, as well as their mounts' in the slow level of polo they are playing in.

What are some hazards to be aware of while playing?
Every horse is different, with different personalities, abilities, speeds, mentalities and ways of thinking. This is why, to be a good polo player, you must not only have the hand-eye coordination, ball handling and dribbling skill and overall technique and strategy, you must also have the riding ability. This is for obvious reasons. Falling off your horse is always a long, hard fall and should be avoided at all costs. There are many ways falling could occur, especially when five other riders are galloping around full speed and without someone to control the horses.

A good rider can feel everything that is going on underneath them. He or she can anticipate the horse's next move while trying to find the individual rhythm of every horse he or she gets on. When you are playing, the four players' riding skills become a key factor to winning a game.

If the ability to ride is not up to par, playing in a full-speed game would be extremely dangerous. Although, just being an experienced rider does not eliminate all risks. Common fouls called during a game are "dangerous riding," which is riding into a play and putting someone or some horse in a dangerous situation.

"Dangerous mallet" is either taking a full swing without enough room, or swinging into a pony. "Boarding" is when one player tries to ride another player off the ball and bumping them (a form of checking) into a wall. A "sandwich" or "2 on 1" foul is exactly how it sounds - two players on one player.

All these fouls cause danger, but are avoided at all costs. There is definite room for error and the game can get rough, but we keep it clean and as safe as possible for everyone and our horses.

Polo team hits the road without horses

By Christina Griffin

Walk into the University of Connecticut horse barn and get a sense of all that goes into the upkeep and use of the polo ponies. All around the horses are saddles, bridles, bales of hay and a wide variety of equipment needed to tack up before a polo match.

While athletes in other sports throw their uniforms and equipment into a gym bag when their team travels, just how does the polo team travel as far as Virginia with their hay-burning, four-legged pieces of equipment?

Bottom line: they don't.

When the team plays an away game that is not part of a tournament, it uses horses provided by the opposing team. The team does bring some hay and grain from its home barn as a way of subsidizing the cost of supplies for the home team, but the UConn polo ponies stay in Storrs.

The one exception is when the team travels to a central location for a tournament. In that case, all teams bring their own horses. The UConn horses are then towed by a pick-up truck in a trailer that holds eight equines.

Is it fair to use horses ridden and trained by competitors? As with other sports, there are rules set in place that make it fair for everyone. Caitlin Tufts, a freshman on the team, showed a chart in the UConn barn that determines who gets to ride which horse during practices and home games.

Players rotate throughout the game to keep the players on the home team from dominating the game with a horse they always ride for practices and games.

For example, Tufts said she and Mo work well together. But if they were allowed to play together all the time, it would provide them an unfair advantage. By rotating riders among the horses, she and Mo are not a team for an entire game.

Traveling without the horses is one of the few ways the polo team saves money. The sport, which costs each player $70 a week just for practice time, is very expensive. Tufts explained that when the team flies to games, it often plays more than one team in a particular area to help cut costs. This also allows the team to advance faster because it will play multiple schools in the same week.

Polo requires not only physical and emotional dedication, but also a financial dedication only a horse-lover would understand.

Meet a team member

By Lindsay Fetzner

Name: Caitlin Tufts, freshman

Hometown: Quyon, Quebec, Canada

Position: #3 - defense

How did you first get involved in polo?
My whole family is from Canada and both of my parents are veterinarians. They got offered jobs at Cornell University and we moved there when I was in middle school. I met my best friend there and she happened to be the Cornell Polo coach's daughter. I have been riding my entire life and so had she, so naturally we began playing polo together.

Describe your accomplishments with polo since you started playing.
I was on Cornell's Interscholastic Polo Team. We went to the Women's Polo National Championships every year, placing from fifth in the country to second. I was captain of the team all four years of my interscholastic career.

How many years have you played polo?
I have been playing five or six years.

Did you come to UConn specifically to play polo?
I got recruited by UConn to play polo. The UConn polo team has won the National Championship the past four years in a row for intercollegiate polo. I only applied here and to Cornell. I was not recruited for Cornell and it is a much harder school to get into, so unfortunately, I did not make it in.

Who is your favorite horse?
My favorite horse at UConn is Mo because he's a really good defensive horse and that is the position that I play.

What is your favorite aspect of playing polo?
Winning!

Tell one interesting, fun fact about yourself.
I'm bilingual in french and English.

Thanks and congratulations

Polo assistant coach Marc Tufts


Thanks to those who helped provide information for this blog:

UConn Polo Coach James Dinger
Assistant Coach Marc Tufts
Polo team members
Tom Hopkins Studio -- photos

We congratulate the UConn polo team on its great record. The women's team has won the National Championships for four consecutive years. The team has also been reserve champions on numerous occasions and both men's and women's teams have made it to the Final Four many years.

Thoroughbreds and Quarter horses perfect for polo

By Michelle Firestone

The air at Horsebarn Hill Arena, home to the University of Connecticut's polo teams, is pungent with manure, dirt and other country scents.

This is the home of UConn's equestrian teams, including polo.

The UConn polo program uses mostly Quarter horses and thoroughbreds. Thoroughbreds are best known for their racetrack prowess, but one weakness of the breed is its temperament.

"They are high-strung horses," said James Dinger, coach of the men's and women's polo teams.

Quarter horses are a second popular breed for polo. Known for their gentle dispositions, they also are the speediest horse over a quarter-mile, but do not have the stamina of thoroughbreds.

"A weakness of this breed is that they are slower than thoroughbreds," Dinger said.

Training a polo horse is a lengthy process. Beginning at age two, the horses learn the basic skills of walking, trotting, cantering and galloping on command from a rider. They also are taught to stop and turn on command and to be ridden under saddle.

"You have to teach the horse these things and more before it can be taught polo," Dinger said. "You have to teach it to be a good citizen."

It takes an average of two years to train a polo horse.

Various forms of equipment are used to control the horses. The bit is a metal piece attached to the reins and the bridle. It is put in the horse's mouth and is used by the rider to communicate with the animal. The lead rope and halter are used by the handler to lead or tie the horses.

Dinger said five or six of the teams' horses aren't currently playing and two or three of them are being trained. Horses are typically trained for polo by the age of four or five. The two horses bred by the team were finally trained at the age of 10.

"They didn't get trained as quickly as I would have liked," Dinger said.

With the exception of two horses trained by the team, the rest of its 23 horses were donated. The horses are trained before being given to the team, but must be conditioned to play polo. Some of them have played polo in the past.

"When someone gives us a horse, it takes three weeks to a month to get it in shape," Dinger said.

Recruiting not allowed, necessary for polo team

By Daniella Henry

"No need to recruit" seems to be the name of the game for the University of Connecticut Polo Club.

As a club sport, UConn cannot actively recruit players as do NCAA sports, but according to freshman and club president Michael Mizrahi, UConn really doesn't have to work hard to attract players to the team.

"Recruitment is on autopilot," Mizrahi said. "Because of our reputation, people want to come here."

The minuscule size of the polo community in general and the even smaller size of the collegiate polo community make college recruitment unnecessary. For example, as a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Mizrahi played polo all through high school as part of the U.S. Polo Association's interscholastic program. During that time, he familiarized himself with most of the players who play along the East Coast.

The USPA intercollegiate polo is really just a continuation of interscholastic polo, Mizrahi said.

"We know who's on the market," Mizrahi said.

He can recite the names of prospective teammates, along with their strengths and weaknesses on the field with nonchalant ease.

According to Assistant Coach Marc Tufts, Yale, Cornell, UConn and the University of Virginia are the "four major polo schools on the East Coast." Out of those four, Cornell is the most aggressive in terms of recruiting because of the school's NCAA membership, but Mizrahi pointed out, polo players "still have to have the grades to get into Cornell."

Students who decide to attend UConn have some NCAA benefits. They have four years of sport eligibility and can decide to be "redshirted" for a season to prolong their college polo careers.

The size and laid-back nature of UConn polo helped Mizrahi make up his mind. Cornell's program is very intense, he said. He likely would not have played his first two years there, if he had attended college there.

UConn can attract good players, he said. UConn's polo club has a rich history and produced many of the most famous polo players today, such as Tom Goodspeed, who once held the highest goal handicap at 10; and Hal Vita, who founded the UConn polo club in 1969.

The rich history will continue.

"I can tell you the freshmen coming in next year and they haven't even applied yet," Mizrahi said.

It's a horse's life on Horsebarn Hill

By Elena Diaz

It's 7 a.m. Time for feeding.

A healthy portion of vitamins and grains in pellet form is waiting to be poured into the feed bins inside the stalls for the University of Connecticut polo horses' breakfast. Sparkling, 5-gallon jugs of water also stand ready for the herd.

The horses need just a few hours of sleep each night, so they are wide awake in time for breakfast. They've got a busy day ahead of them and lunchtime isn't until 3 p.m.

A collage of deep browns, duns, chestnuts and even gray and white spotted horses line the stalls in the stable on Horsebarn Hill. Their Herculean strength is evident in their muscles, which contrast with their soft, smooth, buttery fur and coarse manes.

The horses play and practice polo for many hours each day. They get aggressive workouts while training with the UConn men's and women's polo teams. Galloping up and down the indoor arena, the horses receive great cardio workouts during these team practices. They also spend some more relaxing time in the arena when newcomers are introduced to the sport.

Meg Dinger, instructor for the beginner polo class scheduled each Monday evening, said the horses know when a rider is inexperienced in the sport and will pick up the slack.

"We chase the balls -- that's what we do," Dinger said, speaking for the horses.

UConn polo horses are considerably old by some polo standards, having reached what Dinger calls their "geriatric" age. The team depends almost exclusively on donated horses for the program and often it receives horses when others label them "too old" to compete any longer.

"Twenty-five is considered old," Dinger said. "Mo is pushing 20."

Mo, a polo favorite, is one of the largest of the herd of 14 horses in the program.

Saturday is the only day the horses get to rest and not play polo. They are put out to pasture on the sprawling hillsides, where they peacefully graze away the day.

Polo at UConn has long history

Having the arena was like building a field of dreams. -- Coach James Dinger

By Kimberly Primicerio

It's a brisk autumn day. A student jogs on Horsebarn Hill Road. The student passes the green rolling hills, the barren trees and, most importantly, the horses.

Chestnut, gray spotted and black beauties stand peacefully in the fields or in their stables. The student may not think twice about the horses or why the animals reside at the university, but several of these equines are ridden for their talent in playing the game of polo.

Even with a championship team, many University of Connecticut students are surprised to hear UConn has a full-fledged, well-managed polo club team.

The men's polo intercollegiate club was organized by Hal Vita in 1969 and the women's team was organized in 1976. Vita is responsible for bringing indoor polo to New England. He donated his expertise and time to start up the program at UConn. Vita also owns 22 acres of land that makes up the Shallowbrook Equestrian Center in Somers, Conn.

The UConn club, for both men and women, began as a student-run group. Members took care of six or seven horses that were either leased or donated to the university, Coach James Dinger said.

Dinger has managed the polo teams since 1986, after former coach Kevin McBride decided to call it quits. Dinger is a UConn professor and volunteers his time to instruct the team.

Today, there are 23 horses used for UConn polo. Most of them are donated to the university and cared for by hired farm employees. Students are no longer purely responsible for looking after the horses.

It wasn't until 2001 that Dinger's "big day" came. The university had built the team an indoor polo arena. Until then the team practiced and played outdoors during most climates, including harsh winter weather.

Dinger said students would have to bring their horses up icy, snowy hills to the outdoor ring. At the end of a practice, members had to lead their horses back down to the stables in the dark.

"Having the arena was like building a field of dreams," Dinger said.

Not only did the new Horsebarn Hill Arena benefit the team, but more students also became interested in playing polo at UConn.

Even before the indoor arena was built, the team had already won six national championships. Three were obtained by the men and three by the women.

"The team is the most successful sport on campus," Dinger said. It's won 10 overall championships to date.

Why isn't a talented and successful team more popular on campus? Students and even some faculty don't know the university has horses, Dinger said.

"People have this perception that polo is only for rich people or for people who know how to ride," Dinger said. "Most people don't even know what polo is."

The coach believes that there are so many clubs on campus, that possibly this one just gets overlooked.

History engulfs Horsebarn Hill. The management works hard to keep the arena looking good. Skilled students practice often to keep up their success.

And the next time a student jogs, perhaps he or she will see the horses and realize the animals are talented stars, not just lovely farm animals.

Did you know? Some fun polo facts

Click the pic to see a YouTube video of camel polo

by Justin Verrier

From the beginning
The exact origins of the game of polo are unclear, but it was first played in Persia some time between the sixth Century BC and the first Century AD.

In its early years, the game was used to train some of the top royal cavalry units.

Manipur
The British are credited with popularizing the sport and making the game mainstream, but it was in Manipur, India that athletes first played a similar game called "Sagol Kangjei" or "Pulu" in the Middle Ages.

Around the world
Despite boasting the only professional league that features 32 teams, polo is not as popular in the United States as in most of the 77 countries in which the sport is active.

The sport is no longer featured in the Olympics, but did enjoy a 39-year run there from 1900 to 1939. It was, however, played in the 2007 Southeast Asian games, known more commonly as SeaGames.

Lefties not welcomed
In 1975, left-handed players were ruled out for safety reasons. Today, polo must be played right handed, although there still are three lefties on the world circuit.

Polo is not just for horses
In India, Thailand and other Asian countries, players ride atop elephants and camels, while currently in northern Europe and even in the United States, players sometimes ride on bicycles on asphalt courts.

Following a half-time show at a Minnesota Vikings game, a league of four segway-driving polo clubs was created. They now play in San Francisco and other parts of California.

Other variants include canoe, golf cart, BMX, yak and water polo.

Polo arena requires careful maintenance

By Valerie Calderon

It's an hour before the start of a polo match. The dim lights come on in the polo arena as University of Connecticut polo coach James Dinger starts to prepare the facility for the game.

The polo arena on Horse Barn Hill has white walls lightly lined with dust. Small metal pipes criss-cross above the ring.

"The biggest problem we have here is dust," Dinger said.

To combat the dust, the rink is watered. The overhead pipes are sprinklers and can water the dirt inside the arena in three minutes.

"If you don't water the rink, it turns into a dust bowl," Dinger said. "This isn't good for the horses or the players."

In the winter, the pipes sometimes freeze. Watering the rink with a hose by hand can take two to three hours to have the same effect as the sprinklers.

After watering, the rink is dragged. A tractor with a metal spiral attached to the back levels the dirt so polo balls don't get stuck in divots. It is dragged in such a way to pack the dirt. Packed dirt is preferred for polo play. The arena is also dragged at half time during each match.

Before the game, the goal and boundary lines also must be drawn onto the dirt, a process called lining.

"Whoever is available will help line the field," Dinger said. "If the guys are playing, the girls will line the field or vice versa. It no one else is available, the coaches will do it."

Whoever is in charge of lining will go into the rink and set the lines for foul shots, the goal, and half court. Lime creates the white lines.

Rope netting drops down before the game to protect fans from stray polo balls. The scoreboard flickers on for testing. The balls are placed in the arena. At least two balls are on the field at all times, but four or five are available just in case.

The arena is finally prepared and the horses and players take the field.

Photo credit: UConn animal sciences dept.

Of horses and huskies

by Melissa Bishop

There are 18 University of Connecticut horses in the campus polo barn. But only two are native "Huskies."

Jed and Twister, both thoroughbred-cross geldings, were born and raised at UConn, the home of the Huskies. Each are now 10 years old and stand about 15 hands tall. They share the same sire, but were bred from different dams.

Twister had a rocky history on campus. His birth led to complications. His mother developed colic, or sharp pains, in her stomach. A change of diet necessitated by the colic led her to stop milk production. The colic proved fatal to the mare and Twister's health worsened.

"We kept him in the barn where everyone could see him," Polo Coach Dr. James Dinger said.

Dinger saved Twister's life by hand feeding him every four hours.

Although many suggested the colt be euthanized, Dinger stood by him and saved his life.

Twister was not always appreciative, however. He was not the friendliest horse growing up. Players again wondered whether he should stay at the UConn barn as for years he terrorized students and was not even trained for riding.

"He used to chase you out when you went into his stall," Dinger explained.

Five years and four championships since then, however, his image has changed.

"Now, he's playing pretty nice polo," Dinger said.

The other UConn native in the barn is Twister's step-brother Jed, who also has a special connection to the coach. Students named the horse after Dinger. The letters J.E.D. are Dinger's initials.

Polo player Jeff Scheraga said both are now fairly advanced horses. He prefers Jed over Twister.

"Jed can be good in the right hands," he said.

Jed was a favorite last year, Dinger said. He was raised entirely by students. A flashy horse, Jed sports a coat of gray with white spots, but he was born jet black.

Some of the horses that are donated to play polo are as old as 20. Jed and Twister, at half that age, have plenty of playing time ahead.

True Huskies, Jed and Twister, who were part of the 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 National Championship teams, are looking for a five-peat.

Photo credit: Ashley Owens

Coach's love rooted in Lone Star State

I used to enjoy all the different major sports. Now, just horses, riding and taking care of them. -- Dr. James Dinger

By Julie Stagis

Dr. James Dinger's love for horses was born deep in the heart of Texas. When he was a young man, Dinger was drafted into the Air Force after graduating with a bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Maryland. He was sent to Texas. Having watched too many cowboy movies, Dinger said he believed "anyone in Texas ought to have a horse."

So, in 1964, he bought one and trained it. From there, a lifetime love affair with everything horses took hold.

He soon forgot about his sociology degree. His newfound affinity for horses grew into a career as an animal sciences professor and University of Connecticut polo coach.

When Dinger arrived in Connecticut in 1977 as the head of the horse program, students were afraid he would eliminate the polo program because he was new to the school.

"So, they got me to like polo," Dinger said.

The team has grown significantly since he began coaching in 1986, from six leased horses to 24 donated horses and 50 players.

"The biggest single source of growth was the construction of the arena, which was completed in '01," he said. "It's easier to get good players [now]."

Dinger lives in Willington and has two children, Daryl and Meg. Meg Dinger is a two-time polo All-American who helped bring the UConn team to championships in 1996 and 1997.

The coach finds most of his time is now devoted to horses.

"I used to enjoy all the different major sports," he said. "Now, just horses, riding and taking care of them, take up most of my time."

Dinger, who returned to Maryland for his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in animal science, is now faculty adviser for the horse program at UConn.

He doesn't mind spending so much time in the arena. He started playing polo as soon as he arrived at UConn more than 30 years ago.

"I had never seen it before," he said of the game. "I learned a lot about it by doing. I still enjoy it."

Dinger said he loves the speed and adrenaline rush of polo. Plus, it combines two of his great loves - horses and competitive sports.

"When you show horses, you just go around in circles," he said. "Polo is a competitive sport. You have yourself to manage and the horse to manage. It's also a game you can play for a long time. I went out and saw a team with an 11-year-old, a 20-year-old and even a 60-year-old. Everyone's having fun."

Welcome

Hello. This will be the blog where our magazine journalism class will post its stories, video, photos and related links for its UConn polo assignments. We'll try to make this a great looking and informative site.