90 SIDELINES JUNE 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
By Danika Rice
You wouldn’t often expect
the revered finesse often
associated with polo as the
“Sport of Kings” to coincide
with the rustic attitude of
today’s modern cowboy; but
in the East Texas town of
Fulshear, polo and rodeo
co-exist in both a figurative
and literal marriage. Under
the lights of an indoor arena,
two goal professional polo
player Kristy Outhier rides
alongside husband and
professional cowboy Mike
- she on an elegant, polo-
playing Thoroughbred, he
on his roping Quarter Horse.
As the busy spring season
begins in Houston, Texas at
the nation’s largest polo club,
Kristy prepares her horses,
and herself, for another
season of “playing with the
boys” as one of Houston’s top
local professionals. Sidelines
caught up with Kristy to talk
about family, horses, cowboys
and the sport that has captured
her heart.
Is it difficult to balance polo
and family?
To be a woman pro is even
harder I think because I am a
mom and a wife and it is a big
balancing act between trying to be a good polo player and
trying to do well by my family. Any woman can attest to the
time and effort it takes to be a mother of two small kiddos and
also to be a wife. I think the husband is more time consuming
than the kids! Haha, just kidding!! I am just so honored every
day when I go bed to think that I play polo for a living.
What is it like being a professional woman player in a
male dominated industry?
The business is so competitive. I prefer men’s polo, so
to compete at their level you have to keep a tight lip and try
your hardest. Males dominate this sport because it is a very
intense, aggressive, quick and tough sport. You have to have
incredible strength and endurance to complete six chukkers,
working your butt off as a pro. I usually get the hardest job of
marking a man rated much higher than I am...but I just love
the game. I get excited and pumped every time I am on the
field in tournament. I am lucky that I started polo after great
women like Sue Sally [Hale] and many others who paved
our way. I really have never had any trouble being a woman
player. I think you either get ignored, or they come at you like
an equal. It is a great sport.
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Polo
Kristy Outhier Plays With the Big Boys!
Has your husband’s rodeo
career infuenced or changed
your riding, playing or approach
to polo and horses?
Mike’s rodeo career and
upbringing has defnitely
infuenced my polo. He has made
me much tougher, but also much
more grounded. Rodeo cowboys
never quit and they face life and
death everyday and are respectful
of that. They are big Christians
and therefore have a bigger
picture than just the “game!” Mike
is an incredible horseman who has
been infuential to me and he is
also an incredible competitor that
has, I believe, made me a stronger
player. He is always telling me to
go faster and be tougher! The
greatest thing about Mike is we
have a great family and life outside
of polo. We are able to appreciate
our time in polo because we step
away from it quite often.
Who has been your biggest
infuence, on or off the polo
feld?
Adam Snow will forever and
always be my biggest infuence
on the feld. I was lucky enough
to play for him in Aiken years ago
and his mental approach to the
game is something I use always.
But I learn something from every
great player I have been lucky
enough to play with. My Mother
and Father are my biggest infuences off the feld. They are so
supportive in their own ways! I hope to be the wonderful mother
and wife my mom is, and be as kind and wise as my father when
I grow up.
Most memorable polo game you’ve played?
The US Open, I substituted Steve Van Andel of Orchard Hill with
Sugar [Erskine], Julio Arellano, and Eduardo Heguy. We won the
semi fnals in OT, which is a blur; but I remember every second of
the fnals against Cambiaso and Outback.... it was really fun. No
words were said, we just hauled butt the whole time. We were on
the old feld one of PBPC. It was cool.
What’s the most important part of polo to you?
To me, I love the horses most. It is awesome to raise one, train
it and play it. But, really the competitive polo is still my favorite.
I just love the game. I am lucky to have a great family to come
home to so I don’t go too crazy! You really do need to leave it all
on the feld. You should try to play as clean and well as possible.
Your horses work so hard for you, you shouldn’t try to put them in
harm’s way. But, again, polo is a great sport and we are all lucky
to have it in our lives.
Winning Women! (left to right) Kristy Outhier, Sunny
Hale, Dawn Jones (wife of actor Tommy Lee Jones) and
Maureen Brennan, winners of the 2011 US Women’s Open
Championship in Houston, Texas