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The Ultimate Polo Challenge, from Novice to Polo Player 

Welcome to the Polo Challenge 

Are you ready for an exclusive and transformative two-week experience?  This incredible training programme will immerse you in one of the world’s most exciting and seductive sports. Push yourself to the limits and step out of your comfort zone. Welcome to the Polo Challenge. 


Carefully designed by Christian Byrne, son of Powder Byrne founder Rory Byrne, and his team of polo professionals, the Polo Challenge is crafted to take individuals from complete novices to accomplished polo players in just two weeks. Based at Polo Valley in Sotogrande, Andalusia, one of Europe’s premier polo destinations, participants undergo intense training, learning the game from scratch under the guidance of world-class polo experts. 

The idea behind the Polo Challenge was to create a truly immersive polo programme where participants are entirely absorbed in the life of a polo player, with no excuses for not reaching their full potential.

Christian Byrne

The Experience 

To complete the two-week programme, you’ll have to overcome significant mental and physical barriers. With four hours of saddle time per day, you’ll push your body to its limits. You’ll study the game, learn about tactics and patterns of play, and conquer fears of galloping horses at 35 miles per hour while swinging a polo mallet towards the ball as you aim for the goal—this is polo. 

The reward for your hard work is extraordinary. The Polo Challenge culminates in a Grand Finale pro-am match on the championship polo fields of Sotogrande. Participants take to the field alongside professional players, competing in a highly competitive game of polo in front of their families and the glamorous summer crowds. 

Win or lose, participants finish the challenge with broad smiles and weary bodies. They’ve given their all during the most intense and immersive fortnight of their lives and emerge as accomplished polo players. Back at Polo Valley, Christian and his team host an awards ceremony and an Asado party to celebrate the players and their families. 

The Grand Finale pro-am match is the participants’ reward for two weeks of hard work. It’s an amazing feeling for them to take to the field and play alongside high goal professionals with their families cheering them on. The Asado party is our thank you to the participants, their families, and everyone who works hard to make the Polo Challenge a success.

Christian Byrne


My Challenge: Alec Dabell, Powder Byrne Client & Polo Challenge Participant 

Sunday, 6:30 am, the alarm went off. And thus, it began—the first full day of the Polo Challenge, a two-week intensive training that rivalled my Army days. 

Fortunately, the first day began gently with an hour of ‘Vinyasa flow’ yoga to ensure we were well stretched and limbered up for the day ahead. This was followed by a delicious breakfast, two hours of riding lessons, and our first ‘stick & ball’ session. 

The pace quickly picked up, and by Wednesday, the horse’s day off, we finally had a chance to catch our breath and tend to our tired, aching limbs. This break was exactly what we needed. 

Polo is a physically and mentally demanding team game. You need to build core strength, improve flexibility, work on balance and coordination, and always warm-up and warm down. 

In the second week, the dynamic shifted as we were divided into teams, gearing up for the ‘Grand Finale.’ 

Thursday’s practice match allowed for a rest on Friday before the Official Polo Challenge Pro-Am Match on Saturday. For many, it was the first real experience of playing polo at this level on a proper match ground, putting learned tactics into practice. 

The Big Day 

The essential morning stretching during yoga was followed by a glamorous trip to the Santa Maria polo ground in a fleet of Rolls Royces. We warmed up with real purpose, seizing the last chance to practice before the game. 

The match was exciting and dramatic. Horses galloped, mallets swung, interceptions were made, and goals were scored. In the end, we were all winners. We emerged as better players, both individually and as a team, with new friends and lifelong memories. 

My sincere thanks to everyone at Powder Byrne and Polo Valley for making this possible, and above all, to their wonderful ponies for making it happen! 

The Programme 

  • Dates: Week 1: mid-June | Week 2: mid-July | Grand Finale: end of July 
  • Polo Kit Included: Boots, helmet, polo whites, match shirts, and training kit 
  • Training: 4 hours of polo, riding tuition, and match practice per day 
  • Workshops: Daily sessions on game tactics, rules, and strategy 
  • Additional Training: 16 hours of yoga and strength training 
  • Accommodation: At the Polo Valley Guesthouse, just 65 steps from the main stables and training field 
  • Meals: Full board with poolside lunches and evening barn asados 

For more information and programme dates for the up-coming season, speak to one of our dedicated Travel Consultants at 0208 246 5300.