Women’s US Open polo finalists prepare for gametime

Preparation is everything when it comes to the most important tournament of the year for female polo players. Today, Hope Arellano captains La Fe Eastern Hay in the finals of the US Open Women’s Polo Championship as they take on Buena Vibra at the National Polo Center on U.S Polo Assn. Field One. The build up for Hope and her teammates included a pre-match workout with trainer India Parker Smith.

“I think it is very important to find a good trainer that you feel confident in,” said Hope, who trains several times a week at her barn in Wellington, with India. “It has a huge impact for me to train before and during the season.”

Recovery is part of the process – especially after a hard match like this week’s semi final game that saw La Fe defeat North Star 11-9 in a close run match. “The stretching and the mobilizing is to basically open up the joints and create a full range of movement through the joints,” said India. “And this reduces injury and then also creates more power through the shots and more control in the saddle.” 

Hope worked out this week with teammates Naomi Tachibana Marlough and Fatima Balzano with India bringing out resistance bands for stability work. “This just engages the glutes, back muscles, shoulder muscles, and then again gives more stability through the swings and the movement of polo,” India said.

India works with equestrians from different disciplines and has several clients from the show jumping and dressage worlds. She has tailored Hope’s workout to meet the specific physical demands of polo.

“We do strength work for the whole body. We begin with movement for the balance of polo but we do lots of core so that protects the back,” India said. “This again, provides more control in the saddle and a better connection with the horse. Obviously you’re moving around in the saddle rotating and moving away from the centre of the horse. So you have to be strong in those movements especially when the mallet is stretched out.  So it covers every aspect of the movements when they’re in the saddle.”

Hope, 21, has youth on her side but understands that she cannot take that for granted. “Working with India ensures that I reduce my risk of injury,” she said. “And helps me to prepare for the ride offs and the hooks.”

Hope is not so much the rule as sometimes the exception in seeing the importance of a fitness regime. “Hope is young but she knows it is important to workout,” India said. “I see some young people saying ‘I’m fine, I don’t need to do that.’ But I always tell them, if you don’t do anything now, in 20 years’ time, you will feel 10 times worse than if you didn’t do it.”

U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship – 3pm at the National Polo Center.

TEAMS:

Buena Vibra (22) 

1. Guiliana Tarazona (2)
2. Valentina Tarazona (2)
3. Candelaria ‘Cande’ Fernandez-Araujo (9)
4. Milly Hine (9)

La Fe Eastern Hay (22)

1. Naomi Tachibana Marlough (2)
2. Pamela Flanagan Devaleiz (4)
3. Hope Arellano (10)
4. Fatima Balzano (6)