Facilities
Uitgedacht's polo facilities are unique. Over the past few years there has been extensive investment in polo infrastructure, including two full sized polo fields, an arena polo field, a two kilometre exercise track and a beautiful wooden horse. The setting for the A field is one of the most spectacular in the country, at the head of a valley with a bass-filled dam at the southern end and views of mountains to the north. This field was planted in 2004 and is now well established. Uitgedacht is frequently complimented on the quality of this field's playing surface. We have recently fully boarded this field. The B field, situated a little further down the valley, is still under construction. We expect this field to be playable in 2011. The arena field is one of a handful in the country and offers the excitement of the different game in the smaller enclosed area. It is also a useful facility to tune your riding skills as well as to school young ponies. The wooden horse (in fact mostly made of sandstone from the farm), charmingly set under a thatched roof overlooking the arena field, is an invaluable aid to perfecting your stroke play. Our wooden horse is a rather quirky thing of beauty.
Your polo day
We aim to give you a complete polo experience while you are with us. We tailor the programme to suit guests' requirements and skill levels. A typical day starts with tuition in the morning led by one of our polo coaches. This includes a combination of stick and balling with the ponies, learning schooling techniques, honing hitting skills with foot mallets or on the wooden horse and absorbing the finer points of the game in theory sessions. We also feel that every polo player should be given the opportunity to understand the basics, namely how to tack up a polo pony, the merits and demerits of different bits, how to tie a tail, how to do a bandage. So for those that want it, we offer this tuition too. After a rejuvenating lunch, we put the lessons into practice during chukkas. Local players often come and join in our afternoon practice chukkas. Then it is time to wind down over a drink and look forward to dinner. To broaden the experience we sometimes take guests to play practice chukkas at nearby polo clubs.
We have an exceptional team who are dedicated to bringing on the ponies and improving your play. Overall responsibility for the farm, the lodge and polo lies in the hands of Dianne Osler. Polo has been a way of life for her family since the game began in South Africa. She is ably assisted by a team of 15 people. Tshidiso Meshake, a one goaler, is the senior player and coach amongst the permanent staff on the farm and has long experience in coaching guests. Matthew Pohl, a three goaler, who comes from one of the leading polo families in South Africa, is a visiting coach on the farm and is a member of Uitgedacht club. He is well known internationally as an excellent coach, player and polo manager, as well as for his ability to choose and make polo ponies. Helgard du Preez, a local farmer and a two goaler, is also a visiting coach on the farm. We have a network of other polo professionals who look forward to coming to coach at Uitgedacht and play in tournaments with guests. Our grooms have been around horses almost since they were born. Most of them are players in their own right and all are used to assisting players of all levels either while learning on the farm or competing in tournaments.
Your polo kit
Guests are expected to bring their own polo kit. We do however understand that some guests prefer not to travel with polo mallets, so school mallets are available for hire. We do sometimes have polo equipment for sale, whether locally made polo boots, clothing, stick bags or mallets, nestling amidst pilchards, condensed milk and baked beans in the farm shop. Stock is restricted so if you wish to buy something it is best to let us know before you arrive so that we can let you know whether or not we have what you want already on the farm, or if we can source it before you arrive. It is essential that guests bring their own polo helmets.
Poloafrica is fully equipped to support guests who want to compete in tournaments, whether individual players or teams. Depending on your requirements (and the constraints of the South African polo tournament schedule) we can organise your tournament entry, a professional polo player to lead the team, other team members, ponies, transport to the tournament, and your accommodation. A few days practice on the farm before the tournament for you and your team mates to get to know the ponies is the ideal way to prepare for it.
