„As much polo as you can take“ – this is the slogan of the La Tarde Polo Club. The guests at La Tarde Polo Club can take as much time as they want for practising polo. Juan Martin Sarli: “We want to offer our guests as much polo as possible. It is very important for us to give them the opportunity to improve their way of playing and to see them satisfied. We try to find the personal strengths and weaknesses of each of our guests and then adapt their training program to what they individually need.”
Juan Martin Sarli is 33 years old and an enthusiastic polo player (hdc +4). At La Tarde Polo Club he works as a coach, a horse breeder, a veterinarian and director. His father Alfredo founded the club in 1991. He is 66 years old and a former polo player and horse breeder himself. Today Alfredo runs the club with his son Juan Martin and his wife Monica, who is 64 years old. He also has three daughters, all currently living in Buenos Aires.
Family is of great importance at the La Tarde Polo Club. Juan Martin Sarli: “La Tarde is a family business. This is a huge advantage. On the one hand it is a real pleasure to work with the family. On the other hand we can always speak to each other honestly.” Working on a long-term basis is very important to the family. “A family business is not about quick profit, but about to build up something for the next generation. Horse breeding is also a long-term investment. This goes well together.”
The team of La Tarde Polo Club does everything imaginable to make the guests feel totally comfortable and attends to their wishes. The guests really feel at home at the club due to the warm and honest atmosphere. At La Tarde Polo Club, guests are no strangers, they are part of the family. The festive table at the clubhouse is the place where everybody comes together to eat breakfast as well as lunch and dinner. An Argentine cook presents the best Argentine food.
Most guests stay for two weeks. This gives them enough time to improve their polo skills, to get to know the Argentine way of life and also to make a trip to Buenos Aires or to the surrounding countryside. The customers come from many different countries: Malaysia, Australia, England, Liechtenstein, Sweden… And the family environment at the club makes it really easy to get into conversation with the other guests and to socialize – the club is sometimes even the starting point for lasting friendships.
At La Tarde Polo Club guests have the opportunity to improve their play considerably. The team is specialized in understanding what their guests want and need. Some guests just want to improve their play, and some want more competition. Still others want to spend relaxed holidays with their family and friends and while playing little bit of polo. No matter what kind of wishes the guests express: The training is adapted to everyone individually. If, for example, someone wants to gain experience in tournaments, the club will organise more tournaments.
The slogan “As much polo as you can take” is not just an empty word. Juan Martin Sarli tries to offer as much polo as possible to his guests by means of training, tournaments and modern assistive equipment. At La Tarde Polo Club, the day begins with two hours of Stick & Ball. Juan Martin Sarli (hdc +4) and two more coaches (hdc +1 and hdc +2) accompany the training lessons. Following a collective lunch, in the afternoon four to six chukkas are played along with the Argentine club members and professional players. Subsequently a meeting takes place to talk about the line of attack during the match, about what worked well and what has to be worked on the next day.
Most guests are rather tired after such a day on horseback. Who still wants to play more polo can get some extra polo training. The club provides, for example, the possibility to practise in one of the two Sticking Cages of the club under the guidance of the coaches. Each weekend the club organises a tournament, including players and clubs coming from the immediate vicinity, so the guests can gain experience in playing tournaments. During these tournaments the latest technical devises are used. Since lately, the club films his guests using GoPro cameras and drones. After the match, the coaches and the guests come together to watch the videos and discuss the mistakes as well as possibilities to improve the play. And for each guest a movie is provided to be taken home in memory of their polo holidays a La Tarde Polo Club.
The Sarli family wants to offer their guests next to the best polo holidays and the most effective polo training, also the best polo ponies. For many years, Juan Martin Sarli and his father Alfredo are breeding polo ponies. The guests also benefit from the breeding program. They have the opportunity to buy embryos, which are educated and trained at La Tarde Polo Club. At a later time, the guests can transfer their horses home or – if they want to have horses in Argentina as well – can accommodate them at La Tarde Polo Club.
The whole Sarli family is famous for its hospitality and works until all guests are totally satisfied. Juan Martin: “I love to see the guests having a good time and to see them improving their polo skills. This always makes me very proud and happy. Especially when the guests recommend our club. Because this means that they had a good time at our club.”
The family environment, the many possibilities for practising polo and the fantastic location are the reason for La Tarde Polo Club being a special polo location. The Sarli family leads the club lovingly and with much blood, sweat and tears – and guests can feel that. Whoever has been at La Tarde Polo Club wants to come back. Not only to play polo, but also to meet friends.
About La Tarde Polo Club
The La Tarde Polo Club is located about one hour from Buenos Aires and 30 minutes from Pilar. The estate covers 180 hectares and includes three first class polo fields, 120 polo ponies, 60 horseboxes and two Sticking Cages. In addition the club offers its guests a luxury clubhouse, 12 private cottages, two swimming pools, sauna, gym and spa as well as a bar and a gift shop.
Originally the Sarli family comes from Buenos Aires, where they ran several super markets and travel agencies. Even back then Alfredo, passionate about polo and horses, bred polo ponies and searched for a place to train them. Then he found the former cattle ranch including a restaurant at the gates of Buenos Aires and in 1991 decided to use this place to build the La Tarde Polo Club. Ten years ago his son Juan Martin extended the club to a holiday accommodation – being the first one to offer polo holidays for tourists in the region of Buenos Aires.
The name “La Tarde” in Spanish means sunset and afternoon. The club is called like this because it offers a fantastic view of the sunset. The clubhouse has been built so that the guests can sit there in the evening and enjoy the panoramic view of the landscape and the sunset of Argentina.
For more information please visit www.latardepolo.com
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