Horsing Around in Jamaica

I thunder along on my trusty mount, Slick, and take aim, swinging the mallet over my head. I lower it with a swoosh and – bam! – send the ball flying. We speed up, Slick and I, for a second strike. But as I lean down to hit the ball, gravel sprays in all directions, and the ball, well, it’s still sitting there in its spot. I pull Slick around and come back at my target. Again. And again.

Let’s call that first hit a lucky strike; I quickly discover that polo is easier said than done. Before coming to the Half Moon Equestrian Centre in Montego Bay for my introductory polo lesson, I’d thought, If Prince Charles can do it, so can I. The truth is, this ancient team sport – the earliest recorded game took place 2,600 years ago in Persia – requires not only stamina and flexibility but also lightning-speed reaction and superb hand-eye coordination. The basic rules of the game: Three or four players per team use long-handled mallets to drive a wooden ball into the goal of their opponents. My opponent seems to be the ball itself.

Before my lesson, I met with Trina deLisser in her trophy-filled office. (She’s won a slew of stadium jumping events.) She owns Slick and the other 20-odd horses at the Half Moon Equestrian Centre. Housed in a whitewashed colonial-style barn, the centre offers everything from polo lessons to jumping and dressage. Pretty unusual, considering most resorts only offer horseback rides down by the beach, if that. As my session with Slick drew closer, deLisser must have noticed trepidation in my eyes. “You’ll be fine,” she said. “Polo is a fun sport.” Really? “Ya, mon,” she assured me as I put my helmet on and walked past the airy stables to the mounting block.

Now that I’m on his back, Slick is confused by my attempt to learn new tricks and, perhaps, the profuse cursing. I was an avid rider in my youth, a regular at both jumping and dressage, but now my instructor, Kirk, is showing me how to manoeuvre the horse with just one hand. (In dressage and jumping, both hands hold the reins; here I need one to swing the mallet.) Once I’m able to turn Slick around – not quite on a dime, but well enough – I set out after the ball. Mostly, it just lies there on the ground, but in the end I manage to chase it around the arena. Twice. First walking, then trotting and then, yes, cantering. I toss the mallet over my shoulder, stand up in the saddle and send a telepathic challenge across the Atlantic. Watch out, Prince Charles.

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Swing towns

Where else to go for polo fun.

Hawaii
At the Hawaii Polo Club on the Oahu coast, start on terra firma by learning the basics before mounting your horse and trying your hand at the Sport of Kings. Afterward, take a dip in the calm waters or head to the bar to mingle with some of the state’s best players. 

68-585 Farrington Hwy., Waialua, 808-224-9310, hawaiipolo.com

Argentina
Just outside of Buenos Aires, a drive lined by 100-year-old trees leads to the estate of horse breeder Alejandro Staudt, also a world-renowned polo player and trainer. Alejandro Polo offers customized vacation packages for players of all levels. Get the complete polo experience, equine rubdown included.

Estancia La Julia, Villa General Belgrano, alejandropolo.com

France
Join a beginners’ weekend at the Saint-Tropez Polo Club to learn the fine art of handling a mallet while manoeuvring a horse. Afternoons are best spent at the Table du Polo, taking in an international tournament match as you savour beef tagliata on the patio.

Route du Bourrian, Gassin, 33-4-94-55-22-12, polo-st-tropez.com