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FeedThe Perfect Match
Photo By: LYNN BREMNER
This month, Empire Polo Club revives its polo operation after more than a dozen years of loaning its fields to Eldorado Polo Club and being known primarily as the venue for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
Owner Alex Haagen III has invested in the fields and spectator facilities to create a comfortable environment for the public and players. Now he wants people to know that polo is accessible. Admission is free, attire is casual, and plenty of people at the venue (including the announcer) will gladly explain the rules of the game.
The season begins Jan. 7 at 6 p.m. (of the club’s seven fields, two are lit for night play), with happy hour beverage service. The “official” opening day is Jan. 9, with a hat contest (most traditional and most creative). Thereafter, polo matches with professional players from around the world take place every Sunday through March 27, as well as the Friday evenings of Feb. 4 and March 4.
Spectators can bring their own chairs and blankets and tailgate along the east side of the main field or sit in grandstands on the west side of the field. Fieldside boxes can be purchased for a day or the season. The club also offers a social membership program that includes VIP spots for tailgating and fieldside seating areas.
If you want to try the world’s oldest team sport firsthand, Empire Polo Club also offers lessons for children and adults.
On the last Sunday of the month, following the matches, attendees can dance to a DJ spinning the hottest tunes at the Date Shed, Empire Polo Club’s new nightlife venue. Open to the public, the Date Shed features live music on Friday and Saturday nights.
Empire Polo Club
81800 Avenue 51, Indio.
1-760-393-7298
www.empirepolo.com
