T INICUM P ARK P OLO ’ S Emerging as a natural progression of the commitment of the young players to polo it took a series of fortunate events for the program to get off the ground. “ ” By Victoria Halliday Tinicum Park Polo Club Introduces I/I Program
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The home of the Tinicum Park Polo Team is Azra Equine Club in Allentown, New Jersey. Owned by clubmember and polo player Affan Iftikhar and managed by Hesham El- Gharby. The club’s recent move of its winter arena program to Azra Equine Club was a key factor in the successful start of the I/I program because of the ideal facilities for tourna- ment play. There is an outdoor and indoor arena and accommodations for spectators. The all-encompassing support of parents, an essential ingredient for a youth program to succeed, is no exception to the Tinicum Park Polo I/I Program. Cheryl Arnold, Daniel’s mother has applied her skills for organizing and scheduling games in assembling a full fall schedule of Home and Away Games. A particular challenge with the safety precautions related to COVID 19. Ayesha Chaudhry, Abdullah’s mother, who encouraged her sons to play at a young age, feels the experiences offered in polo provides chances to “seize the moment”. Meaning, it is important to learn to appreciate the fleetingmagic mo- ments that make life special, which is found in abundance in polo. The dedication of the Tinicum Park Polo Board to programs which support the growth of the club resulted in unani- mous votes to approve financial support to the I/I Program. The consistent upward mobility of the 27-year-old Club is due in part to a plan for growth and the future. They have embraced the I/I Program as a means of bring players into the game and supporting young people in learning how to play polo. Jawed BenMoussa joined the I/I Team after hearing about it when he was working at the club. When asked what he looks forward to the most about being on the team he said ”I am looking forward to learning, learning about polo”. Horses, the lifeblood of anything polo, came into play as a piece of the puzzle for the program to come together.
TinicumPark Polo Club in Erwinna, Pennsylvania announces its new interscholastic program and the start of their first I/I Open Polo Team. Initiated for the increasing number of young players in the club, the I/I Team has come together because of the ambition, competitive spirt and comrade- ship of a few young home-grown players. Team Members Owen Halliday 17, Abdullah Chaudhry 15, Jawed BenMoussa 15, and Daniel Arnold 13, have been practicing as a team since early October but have known and played together since an early age. Daniel, Owen and Abdullah are second generation polo players with parents who are long-time members of Tinicum Park Polo Club. Jawed entered the scene via polo lessons. Emerging as a natural progression of the commitment of the young players to polo it took a series of fortunate events for the program to get off the ground. Foremost, enough young players had to become old enough and practiced enough to be eligible to form a high school team. The family friendly atmosphere of Tinicum Park Polo Club helped foster this pursuit by encouraging youth to pick up foot mallets and participate in “kids chukkers’, a chukker for children on a short field at halftime. The club also hires youth to work at the games. Flagging and manning the score board has introduced a few to the field. Owen Halliday and Jawed BenMoussa work at the club as well as play, sometimes doing both the same day. The opportunities the USPA and the PTF offers youth created a horizon of competition, fun and comradeship that came into vision as the years went by. Daniel Arnold, a veteran of I/I Polo has played in the I/I Middle School League for the last few years. Winning the Championship in 2019 at the Aiken Polo Club and being awarded an All Stars in every I/I Middle School Tournament he has competed in, Daniel’s maturing to high school polo was instrumental in having the program at Tinicum Park Polo Club take off.
46 | Polo Life Magazine ® | 2021 | Tinicum Park Polo Club
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