LIFE AFTER I/I Texas Arena League Robin Sanchez
Texas Arena League (TAL) will be starting
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its third year in 2020. In its beginning seasons, over fifty percent of the players in the League are current or former I/I players. Texas Arena League provides fun and competitive arena polo during the winter in Texas. Teams and players come from all around the state and beyond; Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico and Arkansas. There are 0- to 3-goal and 3- to 6-goal divisions and teams get points from their games at each location based on win, loss, or tie to decide overall league winners. Points are also awarded for Most Valuable Player, Sportsmanship and Best Playing Pony for end of league awards. For 2020, TAL is adding a 6- to 9-goal division, a C flight for new/ beginner players and a High Point I/I Alum award. There is also a great list of award sponsors, including U.S. Polo Assn., Catena USA, Nutrena, Jackrabbit Tack, Pro Chukker, Galvin Agency – American National Insurance, Superior ABOVE: Texas Tech alum Mark Osburn was awarded the Fan Favorite in the Texas Arena Equine Sports Massage Therapy, Royal Legaue. LEFT: Pete Blake (Fort Worth IS, Texas Tech) and Loreto Nativiad (Midland IS), B Threads, Coldiron Cattle Company, engage in some fun competition. PC: David Murrell Elite Motion, and Culture-Hype. Texas Arena League is played over four different than college polo because you don’t have to go to class weekends at three locations around the Lone Star State the next day!” Amanda Massey says with a smile. “It’s all – Two Wishes Polo Club in the Austin area (Lockhart, the friends that you played Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Texas), East Texas Polo Club at Legend’s Horse Ranch polo with plus new people. We all come together to play in the Dallas area (Lockhart, TX), and Midland Polo Club arena polo and have fun.” Amanda played for both the in West Texas (Midland, Texas). Some players and teams Fort Worth girls’ interscholastic team and Texas A&M. play throughout the entire league and others will come to Omar Polio, who started polo in college and is a recent one event that is closest to them. graduate, played on the Legend’s Horse Ranch team at “Brady Williams and I came up with the idea for Texas Two Wishes Polo Club during TAL. “When I started in Arena League because we missed that fun, camaraderie, the polo club at Texas A&M my senior year, one of the and travel that were such a big part of college polo,” first things I was told was that once you get into polo, it says Megan Flynn. “The League has grown exponentially becomes an addiction. They weren’t lying!” he laughed. every year. With the amount of interest we have for 2020, “After graduating, I knew I had to find a way to stay we are expecting around 90 players for the upcoming involved in this amazing sport and the Texas Arena League season,” Flynn continued. has given me that opportunity. The League has made “If you haven’t experienced Texas Arena League, it is better arena polo accessible to members who wouldn’t normally I/I MAGAZINE - 2020
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