The All Pro Polo League (APPL) travelled to Brazil to share its concept with players, club directors, and President of the Brazilian Polo Federation, Jose Klabin. Co-Founder Justo del Carril flew to Helvetia Polo Club, which lies less than 100 km from the city of São Paulo, to share Javier Tanoira’s vision. The weekend kicked off with an introductory presentation at the club, where Del Carril answered questions and reiterated that the league was about creating an entertaining, dynamic spectacle. Two 18-goal games were then played on Saturday and Sunday.
“It was a fantastic experience, enjoyed by everyone on and off the field,” shared Sylvio Coutinho, President of Hevetia Polo Club. “I hope that we can host more APPL exhibitions. Ideally, we would organise a tournament during the Brazilian high season, which starts in April and continues until the end of July.” The positive attitude from the players left an impression on Del Carril, who was “pleasantly surprised by how well the Brazilians understood the concept, the new rules, and the overall spirit of the league.”
Tanoira echoes Del Carril’s sentiments: “I went to Brazil a couple of years ago and I knew straight away that it had potential there. I hope to continue to work with the Brazilian players moving forward, as I think Brazil is a key place for the All Pro Polo League. The league aims to help international players improve, and we would be thrilled to encourage the growth of Brazilian polo.”
Sao Martinho:
Chico Junqueira
Fernando Pelosini
Sylvio Coutinho
Cachico Bastos
Helvetia:
Roberto Souza Aranha
Pedro Zacharias
José Klabin
José Meireles
Flamboyant:
Gui Ribeiro
Carlinhos Mansur
Cachico Bastos
Eduardo Parisi
Casa Verde:
Robertinho Aranha
Xande Junqueira
Xandy Mello
Gaston Otamendi
Photo credits: 30jardas