13 Things You Might Not Know About Polo

 

The “sport of kings” remains a pastime with deep traditions. To celebrate the passion for polo as we welcome the International Polo Club Palm Beach’s “Lucky Season 13,” let’s explore the mystique and lesser-known facts that make this sport so special.

 

1. Giddy up girl power! Did you know that most polo ponies are female (mares)? Unlike most equestrian sports, polo is dominated by mares.

 

2. The average age of a seasoned polo pony is from 6 to 13. At age 14 or 15, the good mares are retired and sent to be broodmares.

 

3. The name polo is said to have been derived from the Tibetan word “pulu,” meaning ball.

 

4. Polo originated in southern or central Asia, most likely in Persia, the area now known as Iran. Its invention is dated variously from the sixth century to the first century.

 

5. Argentina is credited globally as the top polo nation, mainly because Argentina is notably the country with the largest number of 10-goal handicap players in the world.

 

6. Polo is a game of numbers. The playing field is 300 yards long by 160 yards wide, the approximate area of nine American football fields. Fully galloping horses travel at top speeds of 35 to 40 miles per hour, and a ball at full velocity reaches approximately 110 mph.

 

7. Having a ball! The modern outdoor polo ball is made of a high-impact plastic, but was previously made of either bamboo or willow root. It is approximately 3.25 inches in diameter and weighs about 4 ounces.

 

8. The term mallet is used exclusively in U.S. English; polo stick is the preferred term in British English, as the stick technically differs from a mallet in shape and usage. The ball is struck with the broad sides of the mallet head rather than its round and flat tips.

 

9. Yerba mate, the traditional green tea-like beverage of Argentina, has always had strong connections with the polo lifestyle through its gaucho origins and tradition of sharing. Mate is the national drink of Argentina and is still consumed by top professional players, such as Nacho Figueras and Adolfo Cambiaso. Drink up and pass the gourd!

 

10. Fancy footwork! Footwear is just as important to the horses as is it to the spectators. For horses, light shoes are a “polo shoe” with a rim on it to provide good traction so the horses can still maneuver easily. For games on heavier turf, rear shoes can be fitted with studs. Those would be grass studs, not Valentino Rockstuds.

 

11. Polo is a fast and risky game. The rules enforce safety for the human players and the equine players. Riders incur penalties for dangerous actions such as bumping another horse at a direct angle or moving a mallet too close to a horse’s front legs.

 

12. Right on! Polo is a right-handed sport. Left-handed people are not banned from the game. However, they must play right-handed. The banning of left-handed playing in a game of polo is for safety reasons in order to avoid the likelihood of a head-on collision between players.

 

13. Bald is beautiful! Polo horses are primped and preened, and don’t have a hair out of place. Before every match, their manes are shaved off (roaching) to avoid getting tangled in the reins or mallet. As with any girl growing out her hair, it will take about a year or more to return to a natural length.

The Mane Event: Creating Top Horse & Rider Pairings

 

Unlike most sports, polo depends on the symbiosis created between two breeds of athletes: the human mallet-swingers and their equine mounts — majestic steeds that carry them to glory during the high-goal polo season in Wellington. What does it take to make that happen? Wellington The Magazine caught up with polo star Jeff Hall to get a look into the daily life of top polo ponies.

Like every professional sport, it’s a high-stakes, intense and extremely competitive athletic endeavor. The international schedule — and rivalry  — requires diligent training to sustain stamina and prowess. These select athletes train hard, practice regularly, live a healthy lifestyle, work with trainers and specialists, and maintain their nutrition and diet to perform like machines for each and every match.

As competitors, polo ponies are elite athletes as much as any human polo player on the field. The horses are referred to as “ponies” even though they are full-sized horses, ranging from 14.2 to 16 hands high at the withers, and weighing 900 to 1,100 pounds. Most are Thoroughbreds or Thoroughbred crosses, and are considered “hot-blooded” horses, known for agility, speed and spirit.

Polo is a team sport, a partnership not only between players on the team, but also a special relationship between the players and their mounts. It is a synergy based on trust, strength, laser focus and preparation. Polo ponies are exemplary team players, and as such, are key to any polo team’s winning achievements.

Hall, a top American polo player, sports a 7-goal handicap. He has been playing professionally since age 12, and as a seasoned player and horseman, Hall provided keen insight into the daily lives of polo ponies.

Hall owns approximately 100 horses, most living at his ranch in Houston. Of those, about 20 horses make up his preferred string for polo matches and travel with him to Wellington, as well as tournaments across the country and the globe. Hall understands his horses’ skills and trusts them to be worthy allies on the field.

Of those 20 horses, eight high performers will accompany him regularly onto the playing field. As with any accomplished sportsman, the key to success is preparation and training. These horses are so well-conditioned, they can stop and turn on a dime to accommodate the dynamic play of the game. Horse and player become a competitive force of speed, fluidity in motion, strength and maneuverability.

The average age of a seasoned polo pony is 6 to 13 years. Younger horses, starting at about age 3, have to play polo to get better, and won’t play steadily until, according to Hall, they are “ready for the fire of the game.”

As horses mature into formidable teammates, the pressure and intensity of play increases with greater levels of accomplishment. “The horse shows you when they are ready for more action,” Hall said, explaining that until then, rookie horses play less stressful, early-season matches, often third chukker time frames for 4 to 5 minutes.

The entire string has a superlative care and wellness protocol. They are creatures of habit, and routine is paramount to their well-being and potential. “The horses are pampered and cared for better than 95 percent of the human population,” Hall said.

The grooms rise before daybreak to feed the horses. Each horse has its own specific feed preferences — a variation of grain, bran mash, corn, barley or sweet feed, plus vitamin supplements.

Horses are groomed and cleaned multiple times throughout the day — bathed, brushed, and faces and nostrils gently rubbed with oil. For game days, grooming and preparation begins three hours before the match and includes a “manicure” of hoof dressing for glossy, black hooves. With safety as a priority, tails are braided and manes closely cropped.

Housekeeping of the stalls is equally important, and the barn and stall areas are cleaned out and refreshed several times a day. The impeccable appearance of the horses is of paramount importance and a point of pride for the groom and the player. “Not an ounce of dirt or shavings will be left behind,” Hall stressed.

Game days and practice days are vigorous workouts for the team. Play hard and work hard are one in the same to a polo pony. A typical week comprises a practice day and two game days, with ample rest time in between. Practice days include a light walk in the morning and “on set” polo play of 8 or 9 chukkers in the afternoon, followed by a light snack of hay.

When outfitted with saddle, bridle and other gear, the horses are ready to go. They are high-performance animals and know that when they are saddled up, the game is on. There is a heightened sense of energy, and they are expected to do their jobs.

Leaving the field throughout the game or practice sessions, the horses are rinsed off, brushed and hot walked until their bodies cool down. Once the match is over, the horses are again pampered with rubdowns by hand or machine. Achy muscles and bumps and bruises are treated, while fluids and vitamin supplements are replenished, then they are bathed and stalled for the night. Some players even provide chiropractic services and equine massages for their string of horses.

As horses thunder down the field at top speeds of 35 to 40 mph, chasing a ball hit at 110 miles per hour, polo is recognized as an inherently risky sport, second only to race-car driving. As a result, teams have a private veterinarian on staff who makes the rounds every day, especially after games, to ensure that the horses are in top physical condition, treating any injuries or other issues that may arise.

By 7 p.m., the horses are fed and stalled, cleaned, blanketed and sometimes muzzled to prevent nibbling on barn shavings. At 10 p.m., grooms conduct final stall checks to make sure that the horses have finished dinner and are doing well. The horses will often lay down for a hard sleep. However, they can also rest while standing.

The grooms have the closest relationship to the ponies. They handle them the most and are hands-on all day. Nevertheless, when it comes to game time, nothing can break the bond of horse and rider — both have their eyes on the prize.

 

Polo A Year-Round Experience At Grand Champions

 

Saddle Sitters Changes The Child Care Experience In Wellington

By Jennifer Wood

While she is only 24 years old, Chayse Wachtel has more than a decade of child care experience. Paired with her lifetime love of horses, Wachtel has merged her passions to create Saddle Sitters, a new Wellington-based company catering to the equestrian industry by providing concierge child care.

By taking on the difficult parts of hiring, researching and payment, Saddle Sitters makes finding the right caretaker for your child a pleasant and fulfilling experience.

Wachtel noticed a need at horse shows, especially when she was a full-time nanny for a professional family at the Winter Equestrian Festival last season.

“I saw parents passing their children to grooms or to other parents there watching their own children show. I also saw a big need for teen chaperones for the older children traveling to the shows alone without their parents,” she recalled. “I truly believe that trainers should have one responsibility, and that is training the riders while they’re on their horses. Thousands of equestrians are coming and going from all over the world, in and out all day long, in Wellington. I saw a big need for professional childcare and chaperoning throughout the circuit to keep these children safe at all times.”

At the tender age of 13, Wachtel was a mother’s helper and weekend babysitter. For the past seven years, she has been a full-time nanny, working to help support her love of horses and riding.

“My favorite thing about taking care of children is the bond I make between myself and the children,” she said. “The excitement of when I walk in and the kids are running to jump in my arms really makes me feel like I have done my job the right way. It is the most amazing feeling in the world!”

Wachtel created Saddle Sitters in order to help families find reliable, trustworthy help, allowing professionals in the equine industry to relax in the saddle knowing that their child is safe. She finds care providers that are informed about the industry, knowing the unusual schedule and long hours that come with it.

All Saddle Sitters care providers are thoroughly screened via background checks, driving records and references. In addition, each caregiver is current on their pediatric CPR, AED and first aid certifications. Temporary, full-time or seasonal care professionals are available to work one-on-one with families for the full duration of a show and beyond. To ensure the safety of clients and care providers, Wachtel developed a security system that will allow parents to monitor their children and caretakers at any point during the day.

“What sets us apart is that we are dedicated to the equine industry,” she said. “We have a non-disclosure policy and understand the needs of parents who ride and work at the horse shows. But, of course, we can help any other family in need in the area. I take pride in helping families, and it is an honor that families trust me to help them.”

World Cup Of Wellington To Take Place At Deeridge Farms

By Rebecca Walton

In February, Deeridge Farms will be opening its gates for a brand new equestrian event in the Wellington community, the Wellington Masters.

Last year, when the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) launched the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping North American League, a conflict almost hindered the ability of Wellington to offer a leg of the competition. Fortunately, the Jacobs family was excited to step in and host a qualifier at their 300-acre estate in the heart of the equestrian community.

“When we heard that there was a strong possibility that the World Cup qualifier was at risk, we wanted to do something to ensure that it would stay here,” Lou Jacobs explained. “My family discussed how we could help, and we decided to host the event at Deeridge Farms. Now we are assured that this important Longines FEI World Cup Jumping North American League qualifier will remain in Wellington for the next three years. It is important to the community, competitors and enthusiasts that we keep it here.”

Wellington has the distinction of hosting top-tier equestrians competing at world-class levels. An annual event that brings these athletes together is the opportunity to qualify for the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final, an indoor championship that is considered one of the pinnacles of the sport.

“It’s exciting to use our family’s farm to host the best event possible for Longines FEI World Cup qualifier,” Charlie Jacobs said. “As a competitor, I am honored to be a part of this world-class event, and my family shares my commitment to preserving this class in Wellington.”

Deeridge Farms, owned by Jeremy and Margaret Jacobs, is a 300-acre oasis of serenity in the Village of Wellington. The Wellington Masters marks the first time that the property will host an event of this magnitude, and it promises to be a stunning location for the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping North American League Qualifier, which will draw the best athletes from North America.

The Jacobs family is looking to expertise from Stadium Jumping Inc., which they have hired to manage the event. With nearly 50 years of experience, Stadium Jumping has produced numerous qualifying classes and was the first equestrian event organizer to bring the World Cup Finals to the United States.

Together, the Jacobs family and Stadium Jumping are organizing the weeklong Wellington Masters from Thursday, Feb. 4 through Sunday, Feb. 7. The competition will be highlighted by the $100,000 Longines CSI 3* World Cup Qualifier on Sunday, and will additionally feature the $50,000 Longines Qualifier and the $35,000 Welcome Stake.

Other riders looking to participate will be able to compete in the $20,000 1.40m Open Jumper class and the $12,000 1.30m Open Jumper class. Gates will open at 11 a.m. for Sunday’s events, and spectators will be welcome with free admission and a $20 per car parking fee.

A total of 14 athletes from the new Longines FEI World Cup North American League will qualify for the prestigious Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final, which will take place March 23-28 in Gothenburg, Sweden. The top seven athletes from the U.S. East Coast and the top three from the U.S. West Coast, plus the two best-placed athletes from Canada and Mexico, will qualify for next year’s final alongside winners of 15 leagues around the world.

Moscow Polo Club Strikes International Alliance With A Local Polo Facility

By Darlene Ricker

An international mecca for polo, Wellington has long drawn players from across the world, especially, of course, from polo hotspot Argentina. This season its reach is expanding to embrace another part of the planet less well-known when it comes to polo: Russia.

Through the efforts of Misha Rodzianko and Joey Casey, the Moscow Polo Club has teamed up as a sister club with Palm City Polo in western Boynton Beach. For Rodzianko, who jets in regularly to train with Casey, that now means spending at least four months a year in the Wellington area.

The highest-rated polo player in Russia, Rodzianko is director of the Moscow Polo Club, the oldest and largest polo club in the country. His father, Alexis Rodzianko, the club’s president, purchased it in 2005. Misha Rodzianko adopted Palm City Polo as his U.S. home shortly after Casey opened the club in late 2014. While he found the facilities superb — which is saying a lot considering the number of top-notch polo clubs throughout the Wellington area — the real draw for Rodzianko was Casey, a widely respected former pro player.

The international handshake between the two clubs was a logical development, as they have numerous parallels. Both are a similar size in terms of barns, fields, arenas and other facets.

“Some of the horses in my barn in Moscow came from Joey in Florida,” said Rodzianko, whose father has brought his team to play in Florida for years.

This summer, Casey has been invited to bring a U.S. team to play in one or two of the Moscow club’s tournaments.

“For me, a sister club is a club with the same positivity about it,” Rodzianko said. “Our clubs have a very similar feel to them with a deep respect for the horses and the sport, and a very good and positive vibe between the players. For this reason, I recommend my players to play at Palm City, and I have received players in Moscow on Joey’s recommendation.”

A “huge factor” in Rodzianko’s ability to recruit new players for Moscow has been tutelage under Casey. “I learned more during two years with Joey than in 10 years playing polo before that. The most important thing I learned from Joey was his obsession with minimizing the risks and dangers of the sport, especially with new players,” he said.

Rodzianko’s experience with Casey came in stark contrast to his initiation into the sport as a boy in Russia. “My first time, I was given a polo mallet and a horse, and they said, ‘Go hit the ball.’ I fell off seven times the first day, but like any competitive 14-year-old, that was something I liked about the sport. I loved it. Just loved it! There was nothing like it!”

Born in the United States, Rodizanko spent a good part of his childhood in this country. But the first time he played polo here was seven years into his polo career, far from Florida. At a snow polo tournament in Aspen in 2010, he met some American players who recommended Florida to him.

“I saw the opportunity to consolidate my studies while continuing my favorite hobby,” said Rodzianko, who graduated from Lynn University in Boca Raton with a double major in business administration and international business.

He believes that his polo training at Palm City were crucial in gaining the skills he would later need to transform what was basically a family polo club into the largest one in Russia.

“Joey made quite an impression on me,” Rodzianko recalled. “He saw potential in me and helped me structure my game and correct my swing. Most importantly, he took me to the round pen, where I realized that I was only a confident rider and very far from a good one. Looking back, I can say with absolute certainty that I would not be the player I am today had I ended up at any other club. After spending one season with Joey, my handicap went up. Even the Argentine coaches at our club in Moscow were amazed that in just over four months I had returned a different player.”

Rodzianko’s fervent goal is grow the Moscow Polo Club to a point where the sport becomes large enough to support an industry around it in Russia. Expanding the global polo market also benefits places in the world where polo is already well-established, such as Wellington, he noted.

How might the alliance between the Moscow and Palm City clubs affect Wellington?

“It is difficult to say,” Rodzianko said, “but I would not take high-goal teams with Russian patrons off the table.”

McLain Ward Returns To WEF With His Eyes On Rio

By Julie Unger

Show jumping star McLain Ward entered the 2016 season with a singular purpose in mind. “There’s one goal: to win two gold medals in Rio,” the three-time Olympian said. “There are some steps along the way, but that’s the only goal on the radar.”

For most, the goal of winning individual and team gold medals would be a lofty one. For Ward, with an FEI Longines top 10 ranking as of December 2015, holding eighth place with only one American ranked higher, the odds of achieving his goal are good. In fact, they’re really good.

Ward has reached the sweet spot in his career, which has spanned decades. It has brought him numerous accolades, including everything from being the youngest rider to win the U.S. Equestrian Team Medal Finals and the United States Equestrian Federation Show Jumping Talent Derby (at age 14) to being the youngest rider, in 1999, after winning 13 Grand Prix victories, to pass the $1 million Grand Prix winning mark, to competing in 14 FEI World Cup Finals and more recent achievements, such as more than 20 first-place wins in 2015 alone.

His success at the moment is due not only to his innate talent, but also the combination of the right horse, the right rider and the right support team is in place.

Riding comes as naturally as breathing for the “almost third generation in horse sports” rider, whose father was a successful Grand Prix rider, and whose mother rode hunters and trained.

“It was kind of in the DNA. I was brought up in the environment of the farm,” he said. “It was the natural course.”

Ward had the opportunity, the ability, the raw talent and the passion.

“I guess it’s the only thing I’ve ever known, and it has been a wonderful life,” he said. “Horses have given a lot, and the people in the community have given a lot. It’s a blessed story.”

Each year, as he has for the past three decades, Ward travels from his home in New York to compete in Wellington at the world-famous Winter Equestrian Festival.

“We’ll use the events here at WEF to build up through the spring. These are obviously important events in themselves, and this is a great facility,” he said of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

The path to reaching the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Ward explained, starts with working backward and planning, having the horse priming at the right time, and everyone staying healthy.

In 2015, Ward met his goals, bringing him closer and closer to achieving his overarching 2016 goal.

“Winning the Pan Am Games was a huge goal,” he said. “Rothchild has been a huge partner of mine for a number of years. We’re coming into our ninth season this year, so we’re really proud to be able to do that and represent the country.”

Rothchild wasn’t the only mount to reach victory with Ward of late. HH Carlos Z, HH Ashley, HH Best Buy, Azibantos, Bueno, Adele and, last but not least, HH Azur, all have taken their turns receiving ribbons and placing.

“We also had a very successful year in the Grand Prix. We won a number of big ones and brought along HH Azure, the horse that we’re aiming toward Rio,” Ward said. “I think is a very exciting time in my career.”

HH Azur, a stunning chestnut Belgian Warmblood bay mare with a bright white blaze, hasn’t been selected by chance. There’s something extra special about her.

“She has more talent — that’s a combination of a lot of things, obviously — than just about anything that I’ve ever been around,” Ward said. “I think she’s uniquely special, and we’ll try to keep her healthy, fit and work backward from Rio.”

The two, HH Azure and Ward, took first place at the $50,000 Douglas Elliman Grand Prix, the Hampton Classic CSI 4*, the $400,000 Queen Elizabeth II Cup, the Spruce Meadows CSI 5* and the $50,000 Old Salem Farm Grand Prix in 2015, along with second place at the $100,000 Suncast 1.50m Final Winter Equestrian Festival CSI 5* and third at the $100,000 Empire State Grand Prix Old Salem.

Being great isn’t everything, though, when the goal is the Olympics.

“It takes an incredible amount of things. A brilliant, exceptional horse — which I’ve been lucky enough to have a few times in my career — but in particular, I think in this moment, a great team, not only of myself and my wife, but also the owners, the grooms, the manager, the blacksmith, vets, everybody. It takes an army to do this,” Ward said. “Really, this has been their life’s work. We really have a moment that’s come together here that’s something really special. If we all live up to what we’re supposed to be, we can all pull it off.”

Riding and competing are a lifelong passion for Ward, who competes in a sport where riders have just 15 minutes to walk a pattern before taking their turn at the gate. It takes work, practice and effort.

“Horse sports, at the highest level now, is the same as managing any other sports team,” Ward explained. “You can’t send the same pitcher to the mound every night. It’s no different in our sport. We’re lucky enough to have great support with owners, so we have several mounts that can compete at the highest level. We alternate them. We plan their year out pretty well in advance. We try to pick horses to use in particular venues that suite their strengths.”

For what would be Ward’s fourth Olympic Games — he competed in 2004 and 2008 with mount Sapphire winning the team gold medal, and in 2012 with Antares F, the timing is perfect. The stage has been set.

“The Olympics is specialized and high-level,” Ward said. “In the United States, where the sport is really strong, you have to have a really phenomenal horse to make the team. If you’re realistically thinking of winning a medal, it has to be a super horse.”

The learn more about McLain Ward, visit www.mclainward.com.

 

Wellington-Based Chukker.TV To Expand Its Reach

Story and Photos by Julie Unger

Michael Ferreira was working on his own Internet streaming service when he received a call three years ago from Melissa Ganzi of the Grand Champions Polo Club.

Ganzi wanted to merge the world of polo with the world of Internet broadcasting, and the two met to discuss how Ferreira’s startup could fit into the world of polo.

“We experienced the sport, and we instantly got hooked,” Ferreira said.

Ferreira, president and executive producer of Chukker.TV, worked with his team to create instant replay technology for polo umpires. A tech guy, and not an equestrian, Ferreira had to first learn about the sport. Originally, the new venture was called PoloNow.

“Then I came up with Chukker.TV. Anyone who knows polo knows chukker, because it’s the periods. Everyone knows TV. You either know right away what it is, or you’re going to ask,” he said.

After the branding was set, everything started moving quickly. They started small, with a few cameras, and kept growing.

“2015 was a really big year for us. We had the entire high-goal season at IPC [the International Polo Club Palm Beach], and we had Grand Champions’ spring, fall and winter seasons,” Ferreira said.

Ouside Wellington, the team traveled to Aspen to cover events at Ganzi’s Aspen Valley Polo Club and did tours with the United States Polo Association. They covered polo events at Saratoga in New York and the Greenwich Polo Club’s East Coast Open. “That really put us on the map,” Ferreira said.

After a year of strong growth, he has big plans for Chukker.TV in 2016.

“We’re a young company, really driven to give our viewers the best experience possible,” he said.

Ferreira’s team is made up of talented individuals, many of whom are not from the polo world, which makes them uniquely suited to create a way to engage both polo enthusiasts and polo newcomers.

Though this approach, they’ve engaged those who wouldn’t have otherwise known polo is such a popular sport with an international demand.

“Every broadcast, not only are we broadcasting live, but we’re live-tweeting,” he noted.

Ferreira is a technology enthusiast, utilizing state-of-the-art cameras and the newest drones available for capturing live aerial video of the games. The company designs and employs its own servers with the best technology available. They even broadcast in 4K.

“We did the U.S. Open in 4K,” Ferreira said. “No one’s doing that. Football’s not doing that; you can’t find 4K football.”

His goal to keep Chukker.TV on that cutting edge. “We’ve very much a tech company, as much as a broadcast company, which is important,” he said.

Ferreira recently chaired Flavors of Wellington and Winterfest 2014, both organized by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.

“It’s important to keep reminding the community that there’s more besides a shopping mall. A lot of people don’t realize that this is right here. I think that is my little mission for this year. To really promote that we have something awesome — not just polo at Grand Champions, but equine in general. We have such an awesome [equestrian] community,” he said. “Everyone should embrace it.”

Building upon its tech footprint, and becoming even more accessible, is on the 2016 agenda for Chukker.TV. They’re working with the USPA to gain access to even more clubs, venues and tournaments, to present more games to viewers.

“My only goal with Chukker.TV is to give my viewers a great experience. The more polo I can give them, from more places, not only here in the U.S., but around the world, the happier I get,” Ferreira said.

Right now, Chukker.TV can be found on Roku and Chromecast, and has an Android app. They’re working on getting into the Apple store, and there are many more innovations to be unveiled throughout the year. Through Roku, polo games can be seen on whatever size television is available.

Polo players have provided positive feedback from their families and friends, who may be in other countries and are now able to watch them play.

“The fact that you can share someone’s great success, an awesome game, something they really put their heart into, and they can cheer you on as it’s happening, that’s exciting to be able to give that to the players and their families,” Ferreira said.

Chukker.TV has brought the game from the field to portable technology and to the living room.

“We’re trying to put polo on the map. We have some cool new tech that we’re going to play with this year,” he said. “We’re going to keep pushing the ultra-HD envelope.”

Through the Chukker.TV app, users can access content and interact with Chukker.TV during the games. Fill out a simple form on the program and the announcers will receive it during the game and be able to answer questions and provide insight.

“We’re going to be on SmartTV soon,” Ferreira said. “We’re ready to expand to all of the outlets that go to the living room. This year, we’re going to saturate the market.”

Beyond polo, Chukker.TV’s technology lends itself to other sports, including show jumping and dressage, which is another avenue of future expansion.

To learn more about Chukker.TV, visit www.chukkertv.com.

 

 

Group photo:

Erik Ross, Arianna Delin, Michael Ferreira, Austin Sarmiento, Allyson Abrams and David Aedo.

 

Drone pictures:

Austin Sarmiento flies one of the Chukker.TV drones.

 

Xcelerate Wellington Aims To Boost Area Businesses

Story and Photos by Julie Unger

When CEO Aaron Itzkowitz and CFO Alan Berkun pitched their company Jinglz LLC to the judges at Xcelerate Wellington last November, they didn’t really know what might happen. As it turned out, they walked away with a $10,000 grant after winning the business competition created by the Young Professionals of Wellington to engage and stimulate the local business community.

The Jinglz idea was pitched to a distinguished panel of area business leaders, including Mark Bellissimo, CEO of Equestrian Sport Productions; Robbin Lee, CEO of Wellington Regional Medical Center; Wellington resident and Beebo inventor Martin Hill, who appeared recently on ABC’s Shark Tank TV show; and Jeff Brown, entrepreneur in residence at Florida International University.

“We’re so excited. The nature of the project may be simplistic in its concept, but what is being built, the platform behind it, is very technically complex. It’s also going to be about big data and scalability,” Itzkowitz said of Jinglz, an app that uses proprietary technology to ensure that users are more engaged with video advertisements.

It all started about two years ago, when Itzkowtiz’s son Yoseph was watching the Super Bowl, the commercials in between the game, and realized that there was an opportunity for a business idea.

“Advertisers pay a significant amount of money for their commercials to be played during commercial breaks,” said Itzkowitz, who has a background in marketing, sales and commercializing new ideas.

They discussed the potential of gaining feedback for advertisers as a means of targeting an audience, and the idea took off.

The program, an app for phones and tablets, allows the user to watch up to four commercials at a time and be entered into a jackpot where they are guaranteed to win money. The winnings come from the money that advertisers pay to join in the program. Currently, Jinglz is set up for multiple jackpot games, with drawings every hour, and the ability to increase the frequency as needed. “It only takes 30 seconds of time to enter into a jackpot,” Itzkowitz said.

The hourly jackpot could be $40,000. First prize might win $8,000, with multiple other prizes. “You’re guaranteed to win something,” he said. “It’s almost like a Robin Hood type of story.”

The advertisers pay to participate, and Itzkowitz expects advertisers to flock to Jinglz as they realize just how targeted the program is. The audience, in turn, receives financial compensation for their feedback. Referrals and contests are also going to be built-in ways for consumers to engage with one another. Eventually, the plan is to provide feedback to marketing companies, allowing them to better target their advertisements.

“People are inundated with advertising in all walks of life. Most of the time, the advertising is not relevant to them. As much as advertisers try to promote their brand, their products or their services to an audience, they don’t truly know their real audiences,” Itzkowitz said. “Our mission is to really connect advertisers to consumers.”

Jinglz creates a way for users to engage with advertisements. The beta version of the app is expected to be available in early 2016 and is limited to 2,000 participants. After beta testing has concluded, the app will be open to more users. In the meantime, Jinglz, a portfolio company working with Miami-based Rokk3r Labs, plans to start an internship program utilizing Wellington High School students interested in marketing, advertising and social media. Interested students should e-mail info@jinglz.com for more information.

For Itzkowitz, who has attended various competitions and pitches, the Xcelerate Wellington event was organized, professional and impressive. “It was a great experience, and we are very appreciative that we took first place,” he said.

Learn more about the Jinglz concept at www.jinglz.co.

Jinglz competed against three other companies — EnergyBionics LLC, InnateRX Inc. (Bridge Builder Docs) and Lotus Psychological Center/Psychological Wellness Center — for the chance to win the grant.

“Everybody has heard about Shark Tank,” Lee said. “And to do something in our local community like this is thrilling.”

The judges were looking for a company that would contribute to Wellington’s community and beat the odds to be successful.

“When you start analyzing patterns of behaviors and strategies around, how you take a concept to a reality is really exciting to me. I love to see how people think through it,” Bellissimo said. “A great company is a combination of a great idea, with great capital and the ability to build a great team. Those three components have to be in sync for it to work.”

Hill kept his focus on the community. “My biggest thing was to find someone who is going to bring something to Wellington,” he said. “It’s all about the community. I think that’s why the Young Professionals of Wellington was developed, to enhance the community and make this place even better than it is.”

The Wellington Plaza, Equestrian Sotheby’s International Realty, the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center and Rm5 Design sponsored the $10,000 grant prize.

Young Professionals President Meg Krueger was thrilled with the momentum generated by the event.

“It’s a win-win,” she said. “We can be a part of putting a great event on like this and maybe, hopefully, one of these businesses will use this money and one day become incredibly successful. That will help build Wellington. It will bring us together, but it also helps strengthen them.”

For more information about the program, visit www.xceleratewellington.com.

European Equestrian Brands Call Wellington Home

By Jennifer Wood

Equestrian sports have experienced a recent surge of growth and popularity throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. Similar to the celebrated equestrian events in Europe that have enjoyed mainstream prosperity for decades, North America is now following suit. Many facets of the equestrian community have fallen in line and taken a leap forward into a promising future.

In recent years, equestrian brands such as Kingsland Equestrian and Parlanti Boots — European household names in sportswear and riding gear — led the charge in making a pilgrimage to a welcoming North American market. Spotted on riders from amateurs to top-ranked professionals across the pond, Kingsland sportswear and apparel based in Norway, as well as Parlanti custom and ready-to-wear Italian boots and chaps, were previously absent from American retail spaces, aside from a nominal presence in a few select tack shops.

Thanks to brands like Kingsland and Parlanti blazing a path, other European-based brands took notice and also established headquarters in the United States. One of those innovative brands is KASK Italian helmets. KASK products first became popular among cyclists and downhill skiers, as well as in industrial safety, before recently breaking into the equestrian scene. The company not only developed its first-ever riding helmet, but also launched a global brand within the new niche. Alongside Kingsland and Parlanti, KASK now calls Wellington its North American home.

In an effort to dress the American rider from head to toe in some of Europe’s most successful fashion, tack and safety brands, these companies have chosen to set roots in Wellington. The firms are also spreading their message and gaining recognition by sponsoring brand ambassadors — from junior talent to some of North America’s brightest stars.

In 2007, Gianluca Caron — an Italian horseman with a passion for entrepreneurial opportunities at home in Europe — made a move to the U.S. with his eye on uncharted territory. While helping to make Parlanti a go-to brand of boots in the U.S. and beyond in recent years, Caron also aided in the spread of Kingsland’s overseas popularity, as well as the launch of KASK helmets. Caron serves as North American brand manager for all three companies.

Caron is pleased that the brands he led to North America are finding success in the sport.

“Equestrian sports are continuing to grow in this part of the world, which offers so much opportunity. We are seeing more horses, more riders, more spectators, and with that comes a bigger market and the perfect environment for emerging brands,” Caron said. “As a result, Kingsland, Parlanti and KASK have hit the ground running in North America.”

While sales may be the engine of Caron’s success, from the beginning his focus has been shared between revenue and the power provided by support from influential American riders. Sponsorships have become a driving force behind the promotion of all the products within his three brands.

With jumpers such as Candice King and Kent Farrington slipping into Parlanti boots, dressage phenom Laura Graves and young professional Reed Kessler sporting Kingsland gear, and the newly sponsored Andrew Welles and Spencer Smith wearing KASK helmets, Caron is cultivating a team of A-list ambassadors.

“Styles in horse sport are ever-changing. Improvements in safety, comfort and fashion are being made constantly,” said Welles, a jumper rider and KASK-sponsored athlete based in Wellington during the winter months.

According to Welles, the American market is anything but oversaturated, and the opportunity to be associated with new products was one he couldn’t pass up.

“Becoming a sponsored rider was an opportunity for me to be part of a new company that I believe is in this industry to stay,” he added. “I am proud to be a part of something so new and exciting in this country.”

With horse sports experiencing strong growth in North America, there are many equine-minded communities from coast to coast. There is no denying, however, that Wellington is the mecca of all things equestrian from dressage to hunters to show jumping and more. With the largest concentration of equestrians across an entire continent in Wellington during the winter, Caron saw it as a no-brainer to plant his headquarters here.

“There’s nowhere else where you can find an equine community with such a range as what we experience in Wellington,” he said. “Each of these brands speak to a variety of consumers, and in Wellington, we get direct contact with all of them.”

With year-round offices and a warehouse located in Wellington, Caron gave Kingsland, Parlanti and KASK a home base outside Europe as part of their global presence.

As the bustling 2016 winter circuit arrives in Wellington, Parlanti boots continue to be a top choice among show jumping, Kingland celebrates one year in North America and KASK prepares for its first season on the market.

Caron is looking forward to a successful show season. “I am confident that this winter will further cement these brands as global players within the equestrian industry,” he said.

Kingsland Equestrian, KASK and Parlanti products are available at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center throughout the 2016 Winter Equestrian Festival and the Adequan Global Dressage Festival. Look for their products in Vendor Village and find all three at Equis Boutique. To learn more, visit them online at www.kingslandstore.com, www.kask.it and www.passioneq.com.