The Polo School At International Polo Club Opens Doors In 2018 A new feature has been added to the grounds of the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Opening this winter to students of all ages, riding levels and disciplines is the Polo School at IPC. The program currently has six polo ponies available for lessons seven days a week by appointment. Ponies are stabled on-site at IPC and lessons will take place on one of the practice fields located near the barn. To celebrate the launch of the school and to promote the sport of polo, introductory lessons are half price. Lessons are offered at an hourly rate, and packages of ten lessons are available at a discount. Lesson instructor Gates Gridley has been playing polo for more than 17 years and has competed around the world. He spent four years learning from former 7-goaler Joey Casey, where he broke yearlings, trained green horses and played competitively. Gridley was also instrumental in bringing Gladiator Polo to the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, N.C., after the concept was created and launched in January 2017 in Wellington by Mark Bellissimo, managing partner of Wellington Equestrian Partners.
Bellissimo’s motivation behind Gladiator Polo was to broaden the reach of equestrian sports to fans and enthusiasts of action-packed, mainstream sports such as hockey or football. Following its success in both Wellington and North Carolina, Bellissimo is now motivated to grow interest in polo through the new Polo School at IPC. “It has always been, and remains, our intention to make polo more accessible at all levels,” Bellissimo said. “We have made great strides in 2017 with the introduction of Gladiator Polo, as well
as the Polo School at Tryon Resort. We are excited to bring this success back to Wellington with the implementation of the Polo School at IPC. We believe that it is imperative that the International Polo Club, home of the U.S. Open, has a lesson program.” Rates for lessons are $150 per hour, or a package of ten lessons can be purchased for $125 per hour. An introductory lesson costs $75. For more information about the school, visit www.internationalpoloclub.com or contact Gridley at (203) 232-6935 or jgridley@ equestriansport.com to book a lesson.
To celebrate the launch of the school and to promote the sport of polo, introductory lessons are half price.
wellington the magazine | january 2018
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