Saratoga Polo School Holds Inaugural Tournament At Its New Facility in Stillwater, New York.

Laurie Scott, Mary Flaherty, Dean Goodermote, Mario Dino

Stillwater, NY —  Saturday June 20th and Sunday June 21st, the students of the Saratoga Polo School played their first tournament of the season. Due to Covid 19, the teams were kept to 3 players and limited to students of the school, but the play was fast and fun.

Taylor Palacios and Mary Flaherty playing hard at Saratoga PoloTournament

Four teams played over the weekend. The two top teams played for the championship on Sunday at noon. At the end of the 4 chukkers the Saratoga Polo School team was victorious. Players Laurie Scott, Mary Flaherty, Dean Goodermote, along with coach Mario Dino, were awarded the 1st place plaques.

PJ Rosecrans, Taylor Palacios, Jonathon Hays

The second place team consisting of PJ Rosecrans, Taylor Palacios and Jonathon Hays received the silver medals. Rosecrans was also awarded the Most Valuable Player award. “I was a Lacrosse player in college, so I picked up the mallet and was able to hit pretty well from the start, but playing at this speed, on a horse, adds a whole new level of difficulty. It’s incredibly fun and the people I play with make me always want to come back and learn more,” said Rosecrans. The Best Playing Horse award went to, Rabbit, ridden by Palacios.

Taylor Palacios and Rabbit

Professional Polo Player Mario Dino is originally from Argentina, but now resides in Stillwater, New York and Wellington, Florida. Dino has been in the Saratoga Springs area for over 12 years, but now has found a permanent home just steps from the White Horse Farm where the Saratoga Horse Show is held. “We bought the farm at 72 Brick House Road last fall and just opened this Spring.  We are working hard to turn the farm into an ideal place for the ponies to live and for the players to come and enjoy themselves,” said Dino.

Polo ponies enjoying their turnout field

“We have teams and horses for every level of player,” said Dino. “Many of our players come from different disciplines in the horse world. We have hunter riders, barrel racers and reining riders, who wanted to try something new and we have people who played team sports and never rode before. A few lessons and some practice and they all take to polo like ducks to water and love the game.”

You can follow Saratoga Polo School at:
Instagram
Facebook
Website

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR