This review is for the Sunday polo match. I have no information regarding trail rides and polo lessons.
What a great way to spend a Sunday. Â We arrived around 130 for the match that starts at 2. Â There was a wedding reception going on during the match, which took up a good portion of the clubhouse area. Â We paid the money for the day pass to the clubhouse. Â We were disappointed that we could not sit at the tables. Â I tried to contact the club beforehand to reserve a table through the directions on their website, but no one returned my call. Â It would have been nice to place our drinks somewhere, but we were able to move chairs into the tented area near the tables, so it ended up not being too bad.
The game started a little late, but once it began time flies by. Â It was a beautiful relaxing day with friends. Â The food trucks there change each week, but there is food available. Â Make sure to bring lots of cash if you intend to buy food and drinks in addition to your entry fee. Â Next time, I would like to just rent some tailgating equipment and post up near the field. Â Sitting in the clubhouse doesn't really have any perks if you have the equipment to host a decent tailgate (alas we do not). Â The clubhouse had a nice bathroom compared to porta potties. Â The toiled was still one they would use in a porta potty, but at least it was built into a permanent structure with running sinks. Â
If you intend to just sit by your truck, make sure to bring an awning, a grill, and beach chairs. Â You also want to show up pretty early because you would rather be on the side by the clubhouse. Â There are no speakers on the other side and you can only cross when they stop to switch sides.
I can't wait to go back with friends and some good tailgate equipment.
I just wanted to share my experience doing the Sunset Horseback ride. I really can't remember the name of our tour guide... I think it was Matt?? I'm bad with names. But the point of the story. He gave a great tour... my friend and I had a great time. We got lucky because we were the only two that signed up that night for the sunset ride. I would recommend this ride! And just as a side note- The tour guides should be able to ride bareback! It would fit the scene much more appropriately... laid back... on the beach... Â And for those who are wondering how much you actually ride next to the beach.. its about half of the time....
Review Source:Want to live like the 1% and go to a high class event? Well then come to the Hawaii Polo Club! Every Sunday during they have horse polo matches.
Now I know what your thinking. Polo?! So we come wearing classy dresses and floppy hats. And you drink champagne and smoke cigars huh? Sad to say thats not what you get to do here. You can redneck it up and come here in a truck or car park at the sidelines and have a grand ole time.
Bring your grill,booze, umbrella and some sunblock!!! You can drink here because you are on private property. When I came here we brought a cooler full of drinks, a grill, three trucks and played music. This is hawaii's reason to tail gate. Â Some come grill out and get your drink on.
Oh wait I probably should talk about the actual grounds. They do have porta potties. So be ready to go in there. Also there is a fee to get in its 8 dollars for military. I'm not sure how much it is regularly. They also do have food trucks. To be completely honest i'd rather have the food we grilled than the food that was in the trucks. It didn't look that great!!
Also it is a full polo match which means horses and real polo players. This isn't a men's only game there are females who play this game also and they are pretty awesome. To be completely honest, I had no idea what was going on, I was having more fun tail gating and drinking with my friends than watching the game. The match ended up taking about 4 hours. But those 4 hours flew by.
If your looking for a family friendly activity on a Sunday thats outside go to this polo match. It's cheap, outside and family friendly!!
I signed up for a polo Lesson with a buddy to see what our money was going to buy us. A lot of places will charge you 60+ bucks to have horseback riding lessons and the whole hour ends up in a walkathon even if you've had previous riding experience. I understand everyone rides differently and the instructors want to get a feel for the riders before they give them too much liberty. After all, their horses and equipment are at risk, too. However Devon, the instructor, made the lesson fun and educational for my friend and I and we had a BLAST. It was SO much better than a trail ride and it was an excellent workout. He taught us the basics of polo, recapped on riding posture and etiquette, and at the end of the lesson my friend and I got to play a one on one amateur polo game with each other. Lots of laughs, smiles and giggles. The horses are well behaved and used to the game so they are very tolerant. Don't expect to canter on the first lesson. But don't worry, it doesn't matter, you'll be having too much fun anyways. Devon took a picture of us by the beach on horseback to put the cherry on top of a perfect day. My friend and I went to the beach to cool off afterwards. Needless to say, best day ever and I couldn't find a better place to spend my money. I'm definitely going back and making this a new hobby.
Review Source:I was skeptical but wish I had gone long long ago. Polo is seasonal during the summertime so check the schedule otherwise you'll just drive past a big open field with a bleacher stand and wonder if this is the right place. And I have never heard of anyone going for horse back riding...don't think I would recommend it?
But polo! Think huge open field lined with trees and up against the beach. You need to get all your friends together and coordinate a pot luck. Bring your food, tables, chairs and beach stuff too. Definitely go early because you pay per car and drive up under the trees. If you get there late you will have to park on the road and walk and that defeats the whole purpose of tail-gating out of the back of your car or truck. You better pack light if you get there late.
I'm not even sure I know any of the rules of polo at all. But we sure have a grand old time sitting in our beach chairs, sipping on drinky drinks and munching and hanging out all afternoons. This is the life, let me tell you.
Numerous attempts to contact this company to use my Groupon ended in failure. I left a message numerous times and also worked with a Groupon representative to contact the site coordinator directly to schedule. I never received a call back and was refunded graciously by Groupon for the inconvenience.
The professionalism of this company is quite a disappointment and I do not wish to do business with them at all in the future. This is one company I highly DO NOT recommend.
In Mokuleia, the sun sets by appointment: at 1:00pm, 2:30, and again at 4:00. OK, not really, but those were the times I was offered when booking the "Sunset" Trail Ride with my Groupon at Hawaii Polo Club.
There were aspects of the activity that were very good and but some that definitely need improvement--as other reviewers have noted, the overall experience is a mixed bag.
The original date we booked our reservation, we were stranded roadside on the way over, just a few miles away, with a broken-down vehicle. They could've insisted we forfeit the ride per the terms of the Groupon deal, but they didn't, they graciously allowed us to reschedule, and we are very grateful to Gina for that.
Both times we scheduled our "sunset" ride, we were offered afternoon times, never an evening slot. Also, the advertised "60-90 minute" ride turned out to be 45 minutes.
Anyway, we were asked to arrive 30 minutes early to fill out paperwork, gear up, and hear riding instructions. Upon arrival, we waited an hour before signing a waiver and mounting up. The orientation consisted mainly of hearing about how lucky we were to get the Groupon deal, how fortunate we were to be riding genuine polo ponies, how amazing it was that we were in a relatively small group, that the voucher did NOT include gratuity, and so forth. Spare me....
The ride itself was beautiful and mostly beachside; the parts that were slightly mauka were hot and dusty, although views of the nearby Wai'anae Range were lovely. Our riding instructor, Adrianna, was very nice and laid back but did not attempt to serve as "tour guide." She kept us to a stately pace with one very brief, controlled trot in the middle.
The polo ponies were reasonably responsive, although they definitely exhibit trail horse behavior such as attempting to grab mouthfuls of grass along the way, walking nose-to-tail (and resisting moving outside that formation), etc.
Families of younger children or those with weak stomachs should be forewarned that the ride passes a local nudist beach. This is not a hangout of the young and beautiful (they never are, are they?). One moment you're looking at a scenic tableau of ocean, sand, and shoreline, and the next...surprise!
Hawaii Polo Club is a stone's throw from Dillingham Airfield. It was fun to watch dozens of skydivers jumping right overhead, plus see the glider and other light aircraft. Overall, fairly enjoyable, but with some adjustments it could be truly outstanding.
On most Sunday afternoons, April through September, you will find a great time at the Mokuleia Polo field on Oahu's North Shore.
Attending a polo event here is essentially what you make it. Â You can pay to be a part of the club and have access to the VIP area with civilized seating and assigned tables under a nice big awning (floppy hats and polo shirts are not included- bring your own), or you can just show up as you are and park along the sidelines (if you get there early enough) and just sit on the grass and take in the game.
There are usually vendors set up, everything from Acai Bowls (very tasty) to craft-vendors (I've seen leather goods and painters) from the nearby mildly eclectic and eccentric town of Haleiwa. Â They also will usually have food of some sort, and of course, a bartender tends bar near the VIP tent, so you can always get a Mai Tai or Beer or even Champagne if they have it (although they do close as soon as the last match is over if my memory serves me correctly).
The vibe is laid back and relaxed, and with the beautiful azure ocean in the foreground and the green lush mountains in the background of the field abuzz with fit horses and riders playing Polo, it's quite an experience. Â Especially because you can sit (or park) essentially right on the sideline, and nothing compares to the feeling of 8 or 10 horses at full gallop passing within feet of you as they are literally jockeying for position to smack a small white nylon plastic ball down the field.
It's kind of exhilarating (and potentially hazardous) when the gaggle of horses and riders comes rushing down the sidelines at full gallop.
A few tips:
1. Â Get there early. Doors open at Noon and matches usually start at 2, but the sidelines fill up quickly.
1.5.  Bring Lawn Chairs or a Blanket to sit on  (and even an awning if you have one)
2. Â Sit on the mauka (mountain) side. Â The ocean side has no services, and you have your back to the water, and you can't always hear the announcer (although I've heard they've moved speakers to the water side) I still prefer the mountain side, it's closer to the bar anyway. :)
3.  Bring a cooler full of drinks and food  (but remember you don't have to- if you are just showing up unprepared, you can still have a good time because you can buy most everything)
4. Â Meet your neighbors. Â There are some very interesting folks that attend these events.
5. Â Bring your dog, as long as it is well behaved and doesn't bark too much.
6. Â Learn the basics of the game of polo. Â Fairly straight-forward, but because of the beautiful location and scenery, the actual game is usually just an afterthought. Â They go very quickly too, and if you don't know what is going on, may just seem like a bunch of horses and riders hitting a ball around.
7. Â Bring your swim suit. Â Like I said, you can make it what you want. Â I usually enjoy a few beers, some hot food, and a dip in the ocean.
8. Â Share with your neighbors.
9. Â Stick around for the after party. Â Glenn Mercante (the promoter) usually has a band or two lined up to play afterwards, and the mauka sideline turns into a big freaky dance floor... and I do mean freaky. Â The interesting Maui / Eccentric North Shore Haole set seems to thrive in this environ when a little liquid courage is fuel for the dancin' fire... no offense intended of course to those Mauians that may take their dancing seriously, but some of the stuff I've seen reminds me of the grainy footage of Woodstock '69 with a little scent of pakololo sometimes wafting through the air. Â It's a good vibe though, and fun to watch, if not participate if the weirdos aren't carrying on too much on the dance floor if you know what I mean.
10. Â Have fun! Â This is an Oahu only experience, and I recommend it to anyone and everyone that is looking to get out in the sunshine, enjoy socializing and hanging out on a Sunday afternoon, and most of all be safe! Â (Don't drink and drive home!)
Aloha
In lieu of the CMYE coming up at this venue, I was reminded that I didn't write my reivew of my Memorial Weekend romp at the Polo Fields!
I went for the first time, the Sunday before Memorial Day weekend and it was a very windy, busy and fun day. I've never been before so I honestly couldn't tell you who won BUT the company was great, beautiful backdrops and just a lovely day out in nature. I don't think I could go out here every weekend but once or twice a season would suffice for me as its too far and is a bit of a production to set up etc. I mean you could just show up but what fun is that? You need shade, a grill, football to throw around and lots of folks to have fun I think. Otherwise, you're gonna be sitting there listening and watching everyone else with their set ups having fun.
Pros:
-Big open field, lovely ocean/beach back drop so one could go swimming or play by the ocean if the game isn't enticing, so bring your swim gear/sand toys!
-Dog / kid friendly....lots of dogs out there too!
-Live music at the end of the games
-BYO...everything! Food, shade, chairs, grill, sporting equipment....
-Live polo without the pretension
Cons:
-If you're not familiar with polo, read up on it as you're not gonna hear or understand what's happening as there's just a lot going on around you.
-Informal "sport" atmosphere; depending on where you sit or park on the field, we couldn't hear the PA system or see the scoreboard so that added to the clulessness of the sport for me.
-Can be super busy on the sidelines. People are basically partying/drinking doing other things on the side so better to bring your own party to this event.
-$10/person (and not car)...you're paying for the location really
-Was SUPER, SUPER windy that day (not sure if that's the norm of this side of the island)
-Porta-potty, no real restrooms, however...the porta-potty was clean and bearable that day.
Tips: Go early to lock up your spaces, seems parking next the ocean is preferred too as the beach is literally steps behind you. Bring your own shade, it can and will get hot out there. It was great we had a football and mits/baseball to throw around, and bubbles and a ball for our kid to play with out in the field as there's quite a bit of downtime before and between matches. Â
It was younger crowd out there Memorial Weekend, so the ambiance totally  reminded me of tail gating at a college football game on the mainland. Take that info an run folks....
I attended a match one Sunday for an article I was writing for Hawaii Business Magazine (July issue) I brought along my husband and two close friends. We all loved it.
We were given two VIP tables; one in the VIP tent and one along the sidelines - we were press so they don't do this unless you want to pay VIP prices for a table 250-300 memberships (Good deal compared to other clubs)
Attending as a regular guest is great too because you can bring your own food and drinks and all you have to pay for is parking.
The field is literally steps from the beach so bring your suit and pack towels.
For special events, contact Glenn Mercante from Event Attainment Hawaii - he really knows how to make these polo games memorable. Great way to show guests or family members who are visiting a good time, for cheap - or just a really nice get away from the city.
Review of the "Oceanfront Sunset Horseback Trail Ride"). Agreeing with one of the other reviewers definitely a mixed bag. It was definitely very hard to find, but my wife had made reservations a couple of months in advance so contacting them wasn't really an issue for us. Â We had such a hard time finding it though that when we got there, there was nobody to great us, and we thought we'd missed the ride! Â It turns out they were just running late coming back which was a major relief. Â
There was a young gal who worked there who had a couple of dogs with her. Â She was very nice, and was great to our kids. Â When the main gal who runs the place got there though, she was interesting...
The trail was fine, and we did get to ride by the beach for a bit, so I can't really complain about that part of it. Â The kids had fun, and I would have said basically horseback riding was a success. Â The part that really floored us was when we got back, the main gal walked us towards our car and basically was harassing us to make sure we tipped enough!!! Â She was actually trying to tell us how much we were supposed to tip, how much it cost to have extra help for our kids, etc. Â Very unprofessional, and we most certainly will not use them again. Â Ridiculous...
(Review of the sunset trail rides)
If I hadn't had a groupon and had paid full-price for this, or had driven far to get there, I would have been much more upset. Â Luckily, my group had rented a house literally down the street, and had 50% off groupons, so it wasn't too much of a waste. Â We had a bit of trouble finding it even though we were staying down the street, because there are two polo clubs next to each other, but that isn't necessarily their fault. Â When we called for reservations, we were only offered times that were nowhere near sunset, so it ended up being an afternoon ride. Â We were also lectured on how proper the environment was, how amazing the horses were, and how privledged we were to be invited to ride there. Â I'm sorry, but if you're offering a groupon, you aren't that exclusive. Â Upon arriving, we received another lengthy lecture about how lucky we were and how these were not trail-ride horses, they were athletes. Â I grew up riding and showing- I've had everything from 40-year-old swaybacked mares to 5-year-old just-retired race horses. Â These were trail ride horses. Â They ambled a long at a slow pace- we never even so much as walked quickly, let alone trotted or cantered. Â They knew the path, which was at times pretty, but at times very dusty and thorny. Â They knew if their rider would let them get away with eating, and would stop and munch as often as they could get away with. Â They weren't sensitive to your instruction- they walked in a straight line after the leader and ignored everything you told them, unless you took a firm hand and weren't shy with pulling the reins or kicking. Â We felt very talked-down to by the woman in charge of the trail-ride, although we did get to meet the owner and she was the sweetest old lady you could meet. Â We were repeatedly bragged to about how Obama and foreign dignitaries had ridden here, but instead of impressing me, that made me lose respect for Obama and foreign dignitaries. Â I'm sure seeing a polo match here would be a fun experience, but the trail ride was horrible. Â It was not "sunset" as described. Â It was not "proper" as described- we all took the time to dress nicely as requested, and were greeted by a woman in a tank top and shorts with a messy ponytail. Â These horses were not "athletes" as described, they were trail-ride horses you'd find anywhere else. Â It wasn't exactly an "ocean-front" ride as described, - although we did pass the ocean, most of the ride was through a thorny, dusty meadow. Â I really dislike giving a one-star review, but can't justify anything higher.
an excellent day!
we had the chance to ride some incredible polo ponies-- well behaved and agile. although relaxing, the trail ride was a tad boring, but beautiful. The horses were actual polo ponies, which was a relief although I did have to ride in a western saddle which I went into kicking and screaming.
the scenery is the ocean and mountains. And we were graced by rainbows. it was so nice and so wonderful.
I played polo in college and worked at the Cincy polo club, so it was a throw back to the old days for me... and the owner allowed a little extra fun for us! there will be more about this experience on <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmtbchick.com&s=e784a9381127d1892f29875c53a84278c723160b2e3d9c3b1f32092ee2b6f5e4" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://mtbchick.com</a> in a week or so, so stay tuned!
(Review of the "Oceanfront Sunset Horseback Trail Ride"). In a nutshell: Mixed bag. The place is hard to find and hard to contact. The staff was at times somewhat unprofessional and rude, at other times quite friendly. The ride itself has gorgeous parts and quite annoying parts...
Signing up was a hassle. Called one number, only to be referred to another number (BTW, leaving a voicemail is no simple task, you have to listen to about 2 minutes of commercials every time). They day of, when we called the new number, we were referred back to the original one. Confirmation/follow-up was slow. Finding the place is difficult, as the one marked gate appeared to be locked. We essentially had to go in the backroad, guess where to go in, and were greeted by barking dogs. Once we found the place, they were sitting around shirtless and were surprised that we showed up. They were pretty friendly however, and showed us where to move our car. As it turns out, the gate had a lock/chain wrapped around it but simply required an unclipping. Hard to figure that out when you're not even sure if you're at the right place...
We were instructed to show up at 4:00 for a 4:30 ride, but we ended up not meeting til 4:45 and departing a little after 5:00. I'm not exactly expecting clockwork, but a 30-45 minute delay made all our rushing a bit pointless. The ride itself was decent. The trail alternated between beautiful (walking through beach sand dunes, feet from the water!) to annoying (trodding through thorny bushes, enveloped in a dust cloud - bring sunglasses and something to cover your mouth).
The ride was almost exactly an hour, and is easy enough if you pay attention and can be firm with an animal. Kind of boring if you've been on a few rides before, but some of the views are wonderful. BTW, it's called a "Sunset" ride but you may or may not end scheduled for that time of day...After returning to the club, the lead rider kept bugging us for tips, saying that Groupon "suggests you give a tip", but that's not really true. After giving her a $5, she replied with "That's a start". Sorry, I'm a good tipper, but only if you earn it. The rest of the staff was kind however. When it started to rain, one gave his jacket to my girlfriend :) I'd give him a $10 if I could find him personally. Many thanks to him...
Sunday afternoons on the North Shore of Oahu are no longer reserved solely for the beach and surfing!  Instead, the thundering sound that you hear may not be the crashing of the surf on golden sand but the pounding of horse hooves on the polo field!  The Hawaii Polo Club season is open!  Every Sunday from April to September you can come watch the "sport of kings" at the polo field in Mokuleia (near Dillingham Airfield past Waialua).  The gates open at 12:00 p.m. and the matches start around 2:00 p.m., just after the parade of ponies.  Two polo games are played each Sunday with an entertaining halftime show between them which usually includes skydivers and other exhibitions that will keep everyone in your family thoroughly entertained.  Following the main match, live entertainment continues the celebration until dusk.  This season the club hosts teams from China, Philippines, and  Argentina among others.  It's a bit of a drive to the "Country" from the south side of the island so plan accordingly.  The location of the field right next to the beach, though, makes for an extraordinary and unique backdrop for the afternoon.  There is a small fee to enter (discounts available for military with ID) and park.  Plan on arriving early if you want a spot next to the field where you can tailgate and get a good vantage point for the matches.  The club now has speakers on the ocean side of the field so if you park or sit there, you can now listen to the announcers call the game.  Thankfully, they seem to realize that not all of the spectators  know the rules of polo, and they explain most of what is happening as the match progresses.  There are food and drink stands located near the announcers stand on the mauka (mountain side) of the field.  There are port-a-johns scattered around the field which seemed to be relatively well maintained for the general admission crowd.  If you are members of the club or pay to sit in VIP seating there are facilities available specifically for you near your seating area.  If you don't plan on arriving until closer to starting time, we recommend you bring your beach chairs or blanket to sit on.  There is plenty of room around field and near the announcers stand for the whole family.  Besides the thrill of seeing the horses and skydivers, what made this event really special for children was the players who took the time before and after matches and between chukkers to talk to the crowd and let the children touch the horses and pose for pictures.  Toddlers and up will enjoy the excitement and festive atmosphere of the whole afternoon.  If your family enjoys the sport, wants to learn it, or you are just looking for something a little different to try then this is well worth your time and we enthusiastically recommend it.
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