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El Venado Polo School

Overview

This beautiful working estancia is just two hours from the centre of Buenos Aires and is the perfect place to learn or perfect your polo skills with real professionals. You can experience authentic Argentina here, focusing your stay around polo but still taking time to enjoy some trail rides, meet …

Highlights

  • Private polo lessons with amazing facilities
  • Play four chukkers a day with rated professionals
  • Daily cocktail hour with new friends
  • 2500 acres of prime grasslands to ride
  • Luxury accommodations with pool, fast Wifi and laundry

Essential Facts

  • 1 itinerary available
  • Max 10 riders per group
  • Average of 2 - 4 hours riding per day
  • Weight limit: 90kg / 198lbs / 14st 2lbs

Description

This beautiful working estancia is just two hours from the centre of Buenos Aires and is the perfect place to learn or perfect your polo skills with real professionals. You can experience authentic Argentina here, focusing your stay around polo but still taking time to enjoy some trail rides, meet the cattle and relax when not in the saddle. Polo lessons are provided in English and the estancia is home to around 200 polo ponies with mounts for all standard of player. No previous riding experience is needed, they welcome all levels.

El Venado is owned by Federico Cendoya, a 5-goal polo professional who has more than 30 years experience. For over 20 years he played as a resident professional in Pennsylvania (USA) but he has also played in the UK, France, Germany, Nigeria, Brazil, Peru and Ecuador! He specialises in teaching this fantastic sport to beginners, focusing on technique and position, riding confidence and perfecting your mallet swing. Fede's polo school is the only one in Argentina open all year round and its exceptional facilities include 2 regulation-sized polo fields, an all-weather polo arena and a wooden polo horse so that you can continue to learn even on rainy days.

The two-house hacienda has all the modern conveniences to bring about a comfortable holiday including a swimming pool, fast WiFi and a laundry service. Guests are served traditional Argentine meals including appetisers and drinks. The estancia has been in the family for four generations and is family-owned and operated. English-speaking family members live on the ranch and often accompany guests on non-polo activities. You are sure of a warm welcome.

Horses & Riding

Tack

Polo saddles.

Horses

Polo ponies.

Riding

There is 1 itinerary:

  • Polo Holiday is a based ride

Ages

Children are welcome to ride (within reason).

Health

General good health and fitness recommended.

Weight

90kg / 198lbs / 14st 2lbs

Food & Accommodation

Food

All meals are included with your stay and served with local drinks. The food is traditional Argentine in style. Breakfast includes coffee, juice, toast, cereals and fruit.

Lunches and Dinners are cooked meals eaten as a group - an example dinners could be home-cooked empanadas and pizza served with local wine. Prior to dinner there is a cocktail hour!

Accommodation

Estancia El Venado is a working ranch which comprises 2500 acres of prime grasslands. It was built in 1878 and has been a family-owned establishment for four generations.

The two-house hacienda provides a good level of comfort with modern conveniences. There is a swimming pool for guest use, fast wifi and a laundry service. Between the two houses there are seven guest rooms and six bathrooms.

Itineraries

Polo Holiday Standard accommodation.

Other Activities

Optional extras available on request: spanish lessons, tango lessons, massages.

Travel

Airport transfers from and to Buenos Aires are included in the price of the package with no time restrictions. The estancia is approximately 2 hours from the centre of BA.

Itinerary & Pricing

Day 1 - Arrival

Riding: No riding.

The estancia is only two hours drive from Buenos Aires and airport transfers are included with no time restrictions.

Days 2 to 7

Riding: 2 - 4 hours

A rough outline of each day is as follows:

Morning Breakfast and Instruction - you will wake up at a time that suits you and will meet up at the breakfast table for coffee, juice, toast, cereals and fruit. When ready, you will walk over to the stables to mount up and head to the field for some stick and ball practice and your polo lesson. You will work on perfecting your techniques, taking personalised coaching and tips from the professionals.

Breakfast: approximately 08:30 - 10:30, Instruction: approximately 11:00 - 12:30. 

Afternoon Lunch and Siesta - a traditional Argentine lunch is served as a group with time to discuss the day's activities. All meals are taken together as a group with Federico, his wife Ines and some of the polo pros so single guests are never left to feel lonely. After lunch there is time to sit by the pool, take a walk, enjoy a siesta or just to recharge before the afternoon polo game.

Lunch: approximately 13:00, Siesta Time: approximately 14:00 - 17:30. 

Practice Chukkas and Cocktail Hour - you will head to the polo field in the late afternoon for practice chukkas and to continue your instruction. Between each chukka you have time to go through each play with your pro - they will be happy to explain rules and strategy. When you get back to the main house for a shower, the smell of home-cooked empanadas and pizza under the galleria may greet you. You will come together again to enjoy dinner, delicious Argentine wine and to relax and share your stories of the day.

Chukkas: approximately 17:30, Cocktail Hour and Snacks: approximately 20:00, Dinner: approximately 21:00. 

NB. For those guests who want to hack out or help with cattle - cattle work is only available when there is work to be done, which is not everyday, but the staff do ride in the mornings before polo (to check the herds) and guests often go with a gaucho or two to do this.

Day 8 - Departure

Riding: No riding.

Transfer to the airport for your flight home or onward travel.

Experience Beginner / Intermediate / Experienced

All levels are catered for. No previous riding experience necessary.
Minimum group size 1
Maximum group size 10
Departure windows

At any time during: Jan. 1, 2024 - April 30, 2024  (Flexible arrivals/departures)

At any time during: Jan. 1, 2025 - April 30, 2025  (Flexible arrivals/departures)

Pricing

2025
Rider, normal season (January - April 2025)		 £2225 $2800 €2680
2025
Non-playing companions (January - April 2025)		 £1110 $1400 €1340
Included 7 nights accommodation in your own room, all meals, drinks with meals, Buenos Aires airport transfers at set times, daily private polo lessons, four chukkas per day with rated professionals, stick and ball practice, trail riding/cattle work, laundry, swimming pool, wifi
Not included Flights, travel insurance, tips, optional Spanish lessons, tango lessons, massage and other personal expenses.

Extras

2022/2023 - Shared Room Discount 5% discount for guests sharing a twin/double room
Note: All programmes and itineraries are weather dependent; in the face of adverse, or unexpected, weather conditions reasonable attempts will be made to provide equivalent riding. All programmes are accurate at the time of writing. However, the team may adapt or modify details, whilst aiming to provide a similar experience.