NEWS

Over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, members of the Gay Polo League (GPL) gathered at Palm City Polo Club for a three-day polo clinic, which featured instruction from professional polo players Mike Harris (3), Joey Casey (4), Hector Galindo (5) and Jeff Blake (6).

The clinic ran from Friday to Sunday, with each day providing participants the opportunity to fine tune their techniques on the polo field under the instruction of the professionals. Participants ran through a number of practice drills and game-play situations on Friday and Saturday, which culminated in a final round robin match to test their skills on Sunday.

After the clinic on Friday, the Wellington Hospitality Group catered a beautiful Friendsgiving meal for the players and their guests. The table was gorgeously set with a natural, rustic fall theme, and the guests raved about the food.

In addition to Friday's festivities, the attendees and their guests were treated to an Argentine asado on Saturday night. Casey, who owns and operates Palm City Polo Club, said he was thrilled with the enthusiasm of the group throughout the course of the clinic.

"This is a bunch of eager, great people," Casey said. "It's a lot of fun to teach them. Between the players and the professionals, we had a really great crew doing this clinic. All the drills we did will really help the players on the polo field, and it was nice to see everyone's confidence grow as we practiced."

Among the clinic's participants was Chip McKenney, the founder of the GPL. An experienced horseman, McKenney founded the GPL in 2006 after a successful amateur jumper career. In its 10 years of operation, the GPL has expanded into an international presence, with tournaments held in Argentina and Florida.

McKenney said of the weekend's clinic, "The GPL Thanksgiving Polo Clinic at Palm City Polo Club is like a boot camp for polo. We covered all aspects of polo, from basic riding skills to lectures on winning and game strategy. Each year, the attendees are challenged and educated about the sport of polo in a fun and informative way. This year, Joey Casey along with a group of top polo professionals like Hector Galindo, Jeff Blake and Mike Harris shared their knowledge, experience and passion for polo with us. It was such a privilege!"

The Gay Polo League is a 501(c)3 organization that aims to provide the LGBTQ community with the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to participate in a unique sporting activity, promote participation in amateur competitions, as well as foster, develop, support and recognize sportsmanship, fellowship and goodwill among all members.

More About the Gay Polo League:

GPL is a community that shares a love for adventure, fun and the challenging sport of polo. GPL is committed to providing members with an enjoyable, supportive and competitive experience. GPL represents a wide range of ages, backgrounds and skill levels. GPL encourages LGBTQ polo players to compete in mainstream polo matches and special events as an effective way to change perceptions about our community.

For more information about the GPL, please visit www.gaypolo.com.