Blog Layout

What to Expect in your First Polo Lesson

June 15, 2014

f we’ve said it once we’ve said it a million times—“Anyone can play polo.” It’s true!


Contrary to what you might expect, you don’t have to be an advanced rider to saddle up one of our polo ponies. Beginners do just fine! Believe it or not, there are no prerequisites for getting started, just the desire to play the most exhilarating sport in the world. At the Denver Polo Club, we believe that no matter where you came from or how you got here, you have what it takes to play the Sport of Kings and we want to show you how!


So what can you expect to learn at your very first polo lesson?

“We work from the ground up,” says Erica Gandomcar-Sachs, owner of the DPC and a global polo champion. “We’ll give you a crash course in polo that includes the basics: riding, game strategy and rules, and we teach you the four basic shots – off-side forward, off-side back, near-side forward and near-side back.”

Believe it or not, after just one lesson, many students will be ready to jump into a chukker! You might not be galloping full speed right off the bat, but you’ll move forward more quickly than you thought possible.


The club, which hosts its outdoor (grass) season between June 1 and Aug. 31, welcomes new students to polo and thus, new players to its teams all year long. Join us in April and May for arena lessons and again after the outdoor season in September and October for great post-season lessons.

“We want to break down the barriers,” Erica says of bringing the sport of polo to the masses. Although the sport is often thought of as accessible only to an elite—and rich—few, we’re working hard to ensure anyone who wants to try it can do so.


To schedule a lesson or for more information, call us at (303) 791-7656.


Share it!

Closing Day 2025

September 18, 2024
We wrapped up the 2024 season with a bang on Sunday, September 15th.

2024 Disco Sunday

August 15, 2024
There were epic moves...and grooves

2024 Colorado Heroes Day and Centennial Cup

July 3, 2024
We celebrated July 4th on June 30th with polo, Westernaires, a concert and more.

2024 Season Opener & Celebration of the Horse

June 4, 2024
We kicked off the season with a bang!
A woman in a pink dress and pink hat is walking in a field.

2023 Season Closer and Bubble Bash

September 18, 2023
September 17th’s Bubble Bash was our biggest Sunday Funday yet, and we were thrilled to see familiar faces and make new friends as well.
A woman is taking a picture of another woman holding a disco ball.

2023 Disco Sunday - You looked so fly

August 27, 2023
Denver Polo Club’s Disco Sunday Funday was a blast, and we loved seeing you. In addition to three polo matches, the Rolls Royce Club ushered in players for the main polo match with a parade of classics and contemporary beauties.
Two people are riding horses and holding flags in a field.

2023 Colorado Heroes Day & Centennial Challenge

July 7, 2023
Celebrating Independence Day by honoring our military members is a tradition at Denver Polo Club, This year, we expanded the honors to include Colorado’s first responders.
A man is riding a horse on a polo field.

2022 Centennial Challenge & 4th of July Tailgte

September 15, 2022
Denver Polo Club’s 2022 Centennial Challenge featured two divisions—the Senior’s Cup and the Midlife Crisis Cup, with some exciting polo throughout this light-hearted tournament. In addition to the players, spectators went home with some titles as well.
Two people are riding horses on a polo field.

High Rastas Win the Mile High Women's Invitational

August 31, 2022
It was a weekend for women at Denver Polo Club, rounding up the 3-day Mile High Women’s Invitational with the High Rastas triumphing over Le Fe in a 4 to 3 win. Brandy, owned by Audrey Robertson, took home Best Playing Pony Annie Gottwald earned MVP Bill and the Girls took home Best Tailgate Chris Matheson earned best dressed High Rastas 6g Sue Wates 1g Kelly Wates 0g Annie Gottwald 0g Erica Gandomar-Sachs 1g Le Fe 8g Pamela Flanagan 4g Ali Van Huesen 0g Audrey Robertson 2g Savanna Kronich 2g
A group of men are holding up a trophy in a field.

UBS Presents Governor's Cup and Sunday Funday

August 3, 2022
What a day! We had a blast on Sunday, August 7th during the final match of the 2022 Governor’s Cup. UBS, Mira Vista/Wicked Windy Ranch, Coors and Colorado competed for the title, with UBS name prevailing over Coors in a 8 to 6 win. The intense final match up between UBS and Coors went back and forth through all four chukkers with Mark Wates scoring the final goal to send UBS on top. Luke Clarke (UBS) was named MVP after being an integral member of his team throughout the whole tournament scoring multiple goals and assists. Erica Gandomcar’s bay mare Mercedes was named Best Playing Pony. Craig Russell played the mare saying she was wonderful to play and you could tell she loved the game. Also on tap were ponies (big and small) mingling with the crowd, Palomino Pony cocktails (a Pimm’s Cup) and commemorative mugs from the Nearside Bar. Thank you to everyone who came out to play with us! UBS - 8 Maurice Nissam (-1) Steven Schaef (0) Luke Clark - MVP (2) Mark Wates (2) Coors - 6 Kathy Coors (-1) Cecily Coors (-1) Jason Wates (3) Craig Russell (1.5) sub. John Hardee (1) Best playing pony - Mercedes Runners Up Mira Vista/Wicked Windy Ranch: Penny Smith (-1) Victor Vargas (-1) Ruben Coscia (4) Fede Ceballos (2) Colorado: Audrey Robertson (-1) John Hardee (1) Bruce Gottwald (-1) Santi Torres (6) \We loved meeting everyone! One of the best parts about hosting Sunday Funday is getting to know everyone who came out to enjoy the day with us. See the gallery below for scenes from the party, and don’t miss the remaining Sunday Fundays this season: Sunday, August 28: Mile High Women’s Invitational Finals Sunday, September 4: Senior’s and Mid-life Crisis Cup Finals Sunday, September 18: Survivor’s Cup Finals
Two people are riding horses and holding flags in a field.

Polo: What it takes

June 15, 2014
What does it take to play polo? In two words, guts and class. It takes guts because not just anyone can fly across a sports field of largest dimensions on a half-ton, living powerhouse. Not just anyone can maneuver for position at high speeds and stay focused on one small ball amid the pounding of hooves and contenders’ shouts. Not just anyone can play golf during an earthquake. And that’s kind of what polo is like. Polo is fun. It’s camaraderie and laughter. It’s a rush. But it’s a rush because there’s risk involved…like rock climbing or sky diving or parasailing or skiing a double black. Of course it doesn’t start out that way. If you’ve never been on a horse before, we won’t make you gallop around swinging wildly at the ball. We’re not that extreme. But chances are if you want to play polo, you’re a certain kind of person…and you’ll get there eventually. Polo players are adventurous. They’re extreme and competitive yet still playful. They’re the kinds of people who are successful everywhere they go, because they have that inner drive to win that you either have or you don’t, but they’re also aware of the people around them and can work with a team. They ride in the spirit of the hard-charging warrior, but they care about living things and living, period. Which brings us to our point about class. Polo is the world’s oldest team sport and as such carries a rich legacy of tradition, style and sophistication. This isn’t street ball, folks. Played around the globe in some of the world’s most remarkable ancient civilizations, polo has an air of international grandeur. And brought to the Western world by the upper echelons of the British cavalry, even U.S. polo still has a tint of the English gentleman about it. Like maybe Downton Abbey’s Lord Grantham might show up at any minute. In that vein, polo players value a certain level of collegial esteem, and a consciousness of safety and rules. That doesn’t mean, however, that they’re snobbish. A more friendly, fun bunch you’ll never meet. Being snobby isn’t classy. Class means getting back up when you get thrown. It means being considerate and lending a hand to a competitor who needs help. It means having fun but never in an unkind way. It means respecting rules and safety guidelines. Class means having the guts to play your heart out and still lose gracefully. If you’re a person with guts and class who’s up for an exhilarating new challenge, give us a call at 303-791-7656.
Share by: