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Batavia Polo ClubAbout BPC & Polo - Introduction |
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"It's absolutely the greatest game in the world"Interview with Peter Alexander, passionate polo-player and BPC Member | ||
| Please tell us about your first introduction to the game of polo... | When I was growing up there were always animals around including horses. I had owned horses previously but had been away from them for about 10 years. I had taken some polo lessons in the United States but didn't have or make the time available to go forward. After being in Indonesia for one year my Doctor told me I needed to do something about stress. At about the same time I heard about Polo here from a business colleague. He took me out to the club and I was hooked. There is nothing in the world that compares to playing this game. When you start you think I will never be any good at this. It just takes a little time and effort. The people I started with were friendly, helpful and very patient with me. I always try to do the same with new players. I've been playing now for 9 years and I've been in Indonesia for almost 10 years so the two are forever linked. I have no regrets about the time I spent on polo or the people that I have spent that time with. | |
| How often do you play? | Every chance I get. Usually every Saturday and Sunday. If for some reason I don't feel like getting out of bed, my 7 year old daughter who has fallen in love with horses, makes sure that I get up and moving. | |
| What attracts you in the game? | The horses and the action. It is an incredibly fast paced game that requires full concentration while playing. You can't be worried about business or other commitments. It is high-speed chess with an incredible aerobic workout. The competition is also fantastic. It is a thinking game. If you can think, anticipate, and react faster than your opponent you have a better chance of winning. It's a physical game, but you don't necessarily have to be big and strong to succeed. I once played against an Argentine pro with 7 goal handicap in the UK who was barely 158 cm and maybe 50 kgs. He easily rode off guys who weighed twice as much and were a lot taller. We have had several women players start here in Indonesia who have gone on to play all over the world. I also like the sound of the horses hoofs when they are all racing about. | |
| What do you like better: polo or horses? | The horses. The horses are the heroes of the game. When you get a good one it is truly amazing. The good ones understand the game. My first horse was one of two teachers I had that really taught me how to play. She knew when I was doing something wrong and wouldn't let me do it. But I don't want to underrate the game either. I have been fortunate to have been able to play polo in Australia, the USA, UK, Malaysia, and Brunei. I have played with Princes in England with teams flying in by helicopter and Rolls-Royces driving around and stockmen in Australia who drive up in battered old trucks and unload some of the most beautiful horses you can imagine. The polo community is a wonderful group of people who share a common interest and open their arms to like-minded people all over the world. It is absolutely the greatest game in the world. | |
| You have 3 horses of your own here at the BPC stables. Where did you buy them? | I have two horses from Australia and one from New Zealand. I bought them here in Indonesia. Some were brought in to support our club and then sold. Others were bought in by a group of people. Things are a little different now. Horses can be found locally that can be trained, but that can be a longish process. Other avenues for importing trained horses such as Brunei, Singapore and Malaysia have opened up that make it much easier to find decent horses. | |
| For those readers who consider buying a polo pony; how much would a polo pony cost nowadays? | The sky is the limit. Like so much all it takes to play good polo is time and money. For a while you could get the horse almost for free from some regional clubs, if you were willing to pay for the quarantine and transport costs. Generally a decent horse can be found for less than US$4000, including transport and vetting. Of course, some people have been known to spend upwards of US$100,000 for a single pony. Like so many things, it's not the upfront costs that get you; it's the long-term maintenance headaches. Luckily, here at the Batavia Polo Club, we are blessed with excellent grooms who take wonderful care of our mounts. | |
| What are the advantages of having your own horses? | Consistency. If you are trying to learn the game, you need to limit the number of variables that you have to deal with. When I first started playing, I counted something like 28 different things you had to do to hit the ball well, excluding the horse. If you are trying to learn to do all these things, it is that much harder if you are also dealing with a new horse every time. Also, once you start playing, having a feel for how your horse is going to react to a given situation, what your horse's weak and string points are, can be a significant factor in beating your competitor. Training the horse also becomes an element that I appreciate. If I could, I would love to be able to spend a couple of hours each day just schooling horses, but I don't think my company would appreciate that. | |
| Could you tell us about the (short) history of the Batavia Polo Club? | BPC was started to meet the needs of Polo players and their families here in Indonesia. Many of us learned the game here, bought horses here and wanted to play in a club with an open casual atmosphere. We love the game and everything about it. Peter Duncan has done an incredible job in bringing this group together and linking us up with Bapak Zakir at the Jagorawi Golf & Country Club. We have the beginnings of something truly great here. It's important to note families. We encourage riding for the kids and non-polo players in a relaxed, no stress environment. We've been able to establish some trails that travel through this beautiful JGCC garden that surrounds us. I personally feel that it is important for the kids to get out of the Jakarta city environment and have a space where they can run around. No TV, no computers, just good old-fashioned outdoor exercise. | |
| What are the plans of the BPC for 2003 and 2004? | Well obviously what you see now is very much a work in progress. Considering when we started and the financial constraints we have, we've come amazingly far in a very short period of time. We have three fields established, a practice field, an arena field (that we will play the tournament on) and a full size field. Because of the long dry season this year we have delayed the planting of grass, but by this time next year, this place will be carpeted green. It will easily surpass the playing facilities in Singapore. We are working hard to attract new members and have set up several programs that will give people an introduction to horses and the sport of polo at a reasonable cost. We are looking at various avenues for bringing in more horses and expanding our facilities, but sedikit-sedikit, step by step. | |
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| Introduction | Polo Ponies | Polo Rules | |
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