T ALL IN THE FAMILY
here is a good reason that Houston Polo Club is the largest club in the country per playing members: the club strives to provide a polo experience for every age group and skill level. As a result, the Houston polo community is more than just the high-stakes Sunday polo that brings crowds into the stands. The daily culture of the club is made up largely of families who love horses, love the sport, and make the world of the polo club central to the health and happiness of their families.
The Fridge Family The first time Charles Fridge was invited to the Houston Polo Club over a decade ago, he got on a wooden horse in the hitting cage. Convinced that he was wasting that swing on golf, the folks at the club convinced him to get on a horse and try his hand at polo. He admits that he was hooked right away: “Having played ball sports my whole life, the moment I managed to hit a ball on a moving horse it became such an overwhelming addiction that I have not picked up a golf club since.”
Charles Fridge, Tejas
Charles promptly attended Polo School with Mark Prinsloo, and within a year, started training with a pro. He bought horses, rented a ranch, and trained with Argentine pro Daniel Fernandez.Within four years, Charles was playing at the 12-Goal level, where he was awarded the MostValuable Amateur Award for the Fall 2011 season.
Christian, Danielle, Carter and Charles Fridge
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Since purchasing their own ranch, polo has become a way of life for the Fridge family. Charles’ wife, Danielle, stick and balls and plays ranch polo with the family, but Charles admits that most of her time is taken up getting the family to practices and games: “As she often says, she is too busy raising four boys. The guys all have time to practice and play polo, and she has to raise all of us, including me.”
HOUSTON POLO CLUB