Long Island, NY (PRWEB) April 08, 2014 -- The history of polo is well documented for its popularization in New York. Long Island’s polo clubs, including: Meadowbrook and Bethpage State Park’s polo field were integral to its exposure. The locations, along with Country Farms in Medford, are responsible for its resurgence. Country Farms is currently the home of the United States Arena Open Polo Championships, Meadowbrook is the oldest polo club in the United States and Bethpage Polo at the Park is the largest polo event facility near Manhattan.
Robert Ceparano has more than three decades of experience in equestrian sports. He has watched interest in the sport vary throughout that period, but locally, interest has only grown. In the last year, the number of attendees has risen from hundreds to thousands for the annual four-month season of Bethpage Polo at the Park.
Ceparano was awarded the lease for the Hickok polo fields from the Polo Training Foundation in January. The fields are located in Old Westbury where the Meadowbrook Polo Club has resided for decades. Multiple locations allow him to support interest in the sport year-round. “I love polo. I want people to give it a chance, and keeping the events affordable is the way to do that,” said Ceprano. He has dedicated his professional life to introducing the sport to younger audiences, as well as teaching the sport to athletes. About the mission, he says, “People read about polo and have always associated with royalty. Most people don’t realize that polo originally was a training exercise for the military. Even as the sport became more popular, it was still inaccessible. Most people couldn’t afford to buy a horse, let alone learn to ride one. Today, you can rent a horse, you can learn to ride, and you can learn the fundamentals to play.”
Ceparano has used a combination of digital and traditional marketing tactics to help publicize the Bethpage events and attracted the attention of sponsors, such as: The United States Polo Association. Word-of-mouth, entertainment value, and the increased popularity of polo players like Nacho Figueras keep the sport growing. “There’s a lot of reasons to love the sport, but if someone needs just one, it is a family-friendly Sunday afternoon,” Ceparano said.
For more information or media inquiries, contact: Vanessa Ferrelli, at 424-256-9375.
Vanessa Ferrelli, myEPK Media, http://www.myepkmedia.com, +1 (424) 256-9375, [email protected]
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