082019 boatinternational.com
PHOTOGRAPHY: BRETT WINTER LEMON; GETTY IMAGES; ALAMY; ADOBE STOCKCASA DE CAMPO
Dominican RepublicCredentials: With three playing fields and a large string of polo ponies,
this tropical corner of the Dominican Republic is an equestrian nirvana.
The Argentinian god of these pancake-flat fields and immaculate stables
is former ESPN polo commentator Fernando Arata. Its verdant tropical
setting adds to its allure and its fields are surrounded by millionaires’
mansions that have some of the best views of the action.
Watch to watch: The Caribbean nation has had form in the sport for
more than half a century, but in 2018 it introduced a high-goal polo
season – the Polo Challenge. Set to return next spring, it promises a must-
watch event every weekend for a month. The new series has attracted
some of the world’s best (10-goal handicap) players, including Juan Martín
Nero from Argentina and Uruguayan David Stirling.
Donkey work: Want a taste of polo at a slightly slower speed (and closer
to the ground)? Casa de Campo has a herd of donkeys that can be enlisted
for light-hearted stick-and-ball tournaments.
Cowboy kicks: Riders seeking a more adventurous equestrian
experience can head to Rancho Peligro – 4,000 hectares of back
country owned by Casa de Campo – and ride through rolling green hills
alongside wild buffalo.
Best by boat: Where the Chavón River meets the Caribbean Sea, Marina
Casa de Campo can accommodate yachts of up to 76 metres and is
perfectly positioned to access prime sportfishing waters.
casadecampo.com.doPOLO PARLANCE
Handicap: Each player is given a
handicap from -2 to 10 (the higher
the number, the better the player).
All four players’ handicaps are added
up to form the team handicap.Casa de Campo
Resort & Villas boasts
golf, tennis, shooting,
sailing, fishing and a
host of watersports
as well as polo198