In 2014, the USPA began the process of purchasing the Polo Skilz Network from Kim Snider. Since then the Polo Development LLC has been brainstorming and implementing the reboot of Polo Skilz. Polo Skilz 2.0 features video content from leading polo professionals utilized by players from across the world. New features on Polo Skilz 2.0 include: a community blog, an active Facebook page and the continual effort to add content-rich material to the site.
The Polo Development LLC team will be utilizing the Polo Skilz site as the central resource center for all things Polo Development. Additionally, Polo Skilz will be another platform for interaction amongst the polo community. The Polo Development Team considers Polo Skilz 2.0 to be an exciting moment in today’s polo world. Along those lines, myself and Ali Davidge, who has been working on the site for the past six months, would like to share with the polo community our top ten exciting things going on in the sport of polo.
- USPA hit 5000 members: The USPA hit the 5000 member mark for the first time in the history of the association.
- New CEO of USPA: Mr. Huyler came aboard as Chief Executive Officer of the USPA after serving 5 years as the Chairman of the I/I program. Under Mr. Huyler’s direction College Scholarships for polo players came into effect, a middle school league was created, and the program grew by over 30%.
- Team USPA comes in 2nd at FIP: Team USPA members represented the USA in the FIP World Championships this year.
- I/I Polo Recovery Rate Testing: I/I Polo along with Colorado State University have launched a study into the effect of chukker lengths and breaks on horses in the arena.
- Certified Polo Instructors (CPI) Program Launch: The Polo Development LLC will be launching the CPI program December 2015. The CPI program will focus on certifying the top instructors in the country along with educating all instructors on how to best serve their students.
- NYTS Championships: The Cecil Smith Cup was played for in the Rocky Mountain Circuit at Columbine Polo and Equestrian Center. The NYTS Championships is one of them most exciting outdoor tournaments in the US
- Eastern Circuit Youth Polo: George Hempt and Tommy Huber won the Open Interscholastic National Championship as members of Westshore Polo Club and Marissa Wells won the Girls Interscholastic National Championship as a member of Maryland Polo Club. All three represented the Eastern Circuit as NYTS Champions
- Team USPA 5 goalers: As of January 1st, 2016, Team USPA will have two 5 goalers in the program in Felipe Viana and Jesse Bray. Felipe and Jesse both represented the US and Team USPA on the Silver Medalist FIP team
- Off the Track Thoroughbreds in Polo: Polo is represented as a marquee discipline at the Retired Racehorse Retraining Project’s National Makeover Contest at the Kentucky Horsepark
- I/I to Club Polo: The Polo Development Team is committed to providing I/I players with opportunities to Intern at various polo clubs across the country; advancing their networking within the polo community and providing club’s with young and talented individuals to champion the development of the club