OklahomaHorses Magazine January 2023

14 OklahomaHorses • January / February 2023 horseback, but when the game is played in- doors, teams are restricted to three players each. The ball is hit with a mallet and can be played only right-handed. A polo match lasts one to two hours and is divided into periods known as chukkers (or chukkas) of seven-and-a-half minutes each. International polo games consist of four to eight chukkers, but four chukkers are standard in the United States. Because of the strenuous nature of the game, players often ride a different horse in each chukker or at least alternate two horses. Polo Gear and Horses Polo players have specialized gear and equipment designed specifically for the game. They use polo saddles which are sim- ilar to an English saddle and wear special helmets which often include face masks to protect them from flying balls. If they don’t use face masks, protective eyewear is required. Players wear special leg protection and knee guards, and horses wear boots or leg wraps on all four legs for protection. Double reins are used for added control, along with a martingale and pelham bit. Polo mallets vary in length and weight, de- pending on the player and the horse’s size. Because of their stamina, thoroughbreds are most commonly used for polo, although quarter horses are used at some of the lower levels of the sport. Oklahoma Polo Players Four years ago, Bobbi and Blake Brush moved from Washington to Oklahoma, where they started Grand Central Stables and Polo Club in Haskell. The family has a long history in the sport, with Bobbi’s father playing and encouraging her to participate from a young age. Bobbi played professionally in leagues all along the West Coast in her younger years. Now she and Blake have passed on their love of the sport to their two daughters, Gracie, aged 20, and Birdie, 12. The Brush family makes a living training and selling polo horses and now has about 50 head. The Brushes have many return clients and have sold top-level polo horses to players all over the world. They also give riding and polo lessons to all levels of riders. “I have a knack for getting people excited about the game,” said Bobbi. “It’s not only my passion but our way of life. I just love the speed and adrenaline of the sport, as well as the horsemanship.” Greg Summers is club manager, coach, and trainer at Tulsa Polo Club. He got his start in the game when he moved to Oklahoma in 2000 and met a Bixby couple who trained and sold polo horses. When the couple retired, Summers moved onto their place and took over the polo club. He hasn’t looked back since. “What I love about polo is that it’s a thinking game,” said Summers. “It’s both physical and mental, and it captures your whole interest.” Jenn Stewart is a newer polo player with the Oklahoma City Polo Club, which boasts 15 members aged between 25 and 70. Stewart recently moved to the Oklaho- ma City area from Denver, Colorado, and after a friend invited her to watch the sport, she wanted to learn to play. Stewart’s first full season was 2022, but she intends for there to be many more. “There are so many things I enjoy about polo. The horses are incredible, the team aspect, the competitiveness, and the cama- raderie…. The best part is, you don’t have to own a horse and all of the gear to get started,” said Stewart. Oklahoma polo teams often travel to surrounding cities and states to play in tournaments. During the winter, some players relocate to warmer areas such as Florida, California, or Jamaica to play. “Every polo club is extremely welcoming, and I’ve met people from all around the world,” said Stewart. Bobbi Brush echoed the same thing, stating, “The game of polo is such a great atmosphere. We’re really just one big family.” Oklahoma polo games will start up again in May and continue through November, with clubs hosting games and fundraising events. The players invite everyone to come watch and join in the fun! At a fund-raising event at Grand Central Stables, players fromTulsa Polo Club, Arrowhead Polo Club, Oklahoma City Polo Club, Northwest Arkansas Polo Club, and the OSU team join the Grand Central Players. Photo courtesy of Bobbi Brush.