62 SIDELINES JUNE 2014
FORHORSEPEOPLE • ABOUTHORSEPEOPLE
Lake, 10, is a big-strided Thoroughbred. She’s fast, loves to
run and is Carly’s favorite horse to hit off. Zippy, 9, is a big All-
AmericanQuarter Horsemarewho playswith heart and can out-
bump every horse out there. “I just needmore time tomake Lake
andZippy,” Carly said. “I’mgoing toTexas inMaywithmy horses
–my father is driving withme – and I’ll get to work with Charles
Smith, a former 7-goaler who’s on the USPA committee, for a
month. I’ll be leggingupmyhorses, stickandballing, getting them
ready for when Charles and I trailer them toWyoming in June to
meet upwith the rest of TeamUSPA for clinics,matches, working
withmyponies, gettingmyumpire rating–everything. I’ll be there
until August 11when I have to gohome to get ready for school.”
Carly describes herself asmore of a defensive player. “I really
love bumping – Hal taught me how to bump and how to hit
someone hard. I don’t let anyone pushme around out there,” she
said. “I like toplayon theoutside, #3, so I canpassoff theball and
set up theplay to helpmy team to score.”
Carly’s primary mentor Hal continues to influence her even
though he passed away in 2011. “I knew Hal all my life, since
I was born – he was like a grandfather to me,” said Carly. “He
taught everything todowithhorses at Shallowbrook, but he loved
polomost of all. He brought polo toUConn and coached the first
intercollegiate team and they won the national title. Hal always
believed inme.When Iwasdown, hemademebelieve inmyself.”
Carly’s goal is to become one of the topwomen polo players in
America. She wants to train green horses, build her own string,
learn more about breeding, and immerse herself in the whole
training and playing process. There’s a lot of work involved, but
she isn’t afraidof the bumps along theway.
“Hal told me when things get hard, work harder,” Carly said.
“He taught me discipline, on and off the field, and showed me
that dedication is the key to success. Hal has been my biggest
inspiration. He toldme I could be one of the top women players.
Honestly, making Team USPA is a dream come true. It’s the
opportunity of a lifetime.”
About TeamUSPA: In 2010, theUnitedStatePoloAssociation
developed Team USPA, a program designed to remedy the
decline of young Americans in the sport of polo by providing
exceptional male and female players ages 18-23 from across the
USA with unique training, mentoring and playing opportunities.
Formore information, visit
.
By LaurenR. Giannini
Carly Persano was born into a horse-loving, polo-playing
family, regulars at Shallowbrook Equestrian Center in Somers,
Connecticut, where the lateHal VitaSr. taught horsemanshipand
polo. Carly started riding at 5, but Hal wouldn’t let her play polo
until she was strong enough to hold a mallet. She champ at the
bit for five years.
“I worked really hard at the barn to build upmy strength,” Carly
said. “My father andolder sister playedand I grewupgrooming for
themandwatching themplayat Shallowbrook. I finallygot to start
playingwhen I was 10.”
When Carly played United States Polo Association (USPA)
Interscholastic polo on the Shallowbrook team, she earned
five All-Star Awards. In March 2013, Carly and the UConn-
sponsored girls team earned their first-ever USPA Interscholastic
Championship bywinning a hard-fought titlematch 17-16 against
defending champion, Maryland. In the fourth chukker’s final
moments, Carly scored, tying thegameand forcing the shoot-out.
UConn converted two shots to Maryland’s one, and Carly was
named to theAll-Star team.
Now 19 and a UConn freshman, Carly studies animal science
and plays on the intercollegiate polo team, coached by Jon
Nicholson. She admitted being a little surprised when she made
Team USPA the first time she applied, but her interscholastic
record speaks for itself. She enjoyed every minute of winter
breakwhen the short-listedapplicants congregated inWellington,
Florida, for thefinal tryouts,which included lotsof practical testing
situations, clinics, games, evaluations and interviews. “I learned
somuchabout poloandhorses that week– it was theexperience
of a lifetime,” Carly said.
Carly, like everyone else on TeamUSPA, iswilling to travel for
polo. “One of my
biggest challenges
has been getting
enough opportuni-
ties to play,” she
said. “My horses
arestill greenand I
don’t want to push
them hard and risk
asking too much
from them too
early.”
e
Polo
CarlyPersano:
WhenThingsGet
Hard,WorkHarder!
CarlyPersano
Photos byKayleeScherbinski
Carly inactionon
the polo field.
