Credit: Polo Club Luxembourg
In the latest in a series of articles about sports clubs in Luxembourg, Chronicle.lu had the opportunity to speak with Valérie Fontaine, President of Polo Club Luxembourg, about the club and playing polo in the Grand Duchy.
The focus of this series is on sports which are less often covered in the news, yet have strong links with the international community in the Grand Duchy. Some are already well-established; others are relatively new.
Chronicle.lu: Why and when was your sports club established?
Valérie Fontaine: Polo Club Luxembourg Asbl was founded in 2004. It is the country's historic club.
Chronicle.lu: What are some of the links your club has with the international community in Luxembourg?
Valérie Fontaine: Polo Club Luxembourg is a very cosmopolitan club. Our members are English, Italian, French, German, Brazilian, Spanish, Argentinian... and of course, Luxembourgish. Our tournaments and events always bring together all the nationalities present in Luxembourg in a joyful atmosphere, around sport and the "buena onda" [Spanish for good vibes] that accompanies it.
Chronicle.lu: What activities does your club offer and who is your main target audience or age group?
Valérie Fontaine: The National Polo School welcomes beginners, riders or not (juniors over eight years old or adults) for lessons either in groups or individually. Matches take place every weekend, and we are fortunate to be able to play all year round thanks to the unique facilities in Luxembourg that we benefit from at the Ecurie de La Pétrusse in Merl, fifteen minutes away from the city centre. We play in the winter in a covered arena, while in season from May, we play in the grassy field.
For beginners, we offer a Discovery Package which includes four lessons and is a great way to get familiar with polo. Then, if the student wishes to continue learning the game, they can become a member of the club and progress very quickly.
Chronicle.lu: Do you offer different levels for beginners and experienced athletes?
Valérie Fontaine: Beginners and advanced players are welcome. We offer introductory courses for beginners and we also organise tournaments for all levels. We regularly welcome international professional players who share their knowledge with all our players. Advanced players also go out as teams to compete throughout Europe, Argentina...
Chronicle.lu: How has this sport grown in Luxembourg over the years?
Valérie Fontaine: Polo Club Luxembourg is happy to see young people trained in Luxembourg by our coaches, now participating in international tournaments. Our new students progress quickly and follow in the footsteps of their predecessors. We are proud to represent Luxembourg abroad in the world of polo and we have some great victories!
Chronicle.lu: What are some of the benefits of playing this particular sport?
Valérie Fontaine: Polo is a demanding team sport that requires many qualities that the player can develop over time. The physical commitment is important, we quickly get into the game. Skill, precision, reflection, endurance, speed and confidence are all part of polo. Without forgetting the wonderful relationship that can be established with the horses that bring so much satisfaction to players.
Chronicle.lu: What events, tournaments or competitions is your club participating in or hosting in the new year?
Valérie Fontaine: We organise Arena tournaments approximately every two months in winter. From April, we are travelling to Morocco for an extraordinary polo stay at the La Palmeraie Polo Club. This stay offers two tournaments, one for beginners (Rising Stars Cup) and another (Coupe du Luxembourg or Coupe Franco-Luxembourgeoise) for advanced players. This stay is organised in collaboration with the Chantilly Polo Club, the most renowned club in France.
The polo season in Europe starts in April. Our women's team will defend in France for the third consecutive year their title of champion of the Deauville Ladies Cup in August and will play the French Open in September. Two very prestigious, unmissable tournaments. Tournaments in Luxembourg will also be organised according to a schedule to be defined.
Chronicle.lu: How can someone interested in joining your club become a member? Are there any membership fees or other requirements?
Valérie Fontaine: The Discovery Package is recommended for beginners. Becoming a member is simple: you just have to pay the entry fees, the annual fee and then choose the courses or matches in which you wish to participate. All our prices are on the website: https://poloclubluxembourg.com/. For more information, you can contact info@polo.lu.
