They’re a royal household in the sport of kings.
Professional polo player Juan Redlich is having a summer time to bear in mind on Long Island, driving facet by facet with his son, Juancito, as the 16-year-old strives to comply with in his father’s footsteps — or, rather, hoofprints.
“I am 47, I don’t know how many more years I will play,” Juan, a member of LI-based Steel Polo, advised The Post.
“We share every day together. … So for me, this is the biggest gift that life has ever given.”
Juancito Redlich, 16, with his father, Juan Redlich, during polo follow at Meadow Brook Polo Club in Old Westbury, N.Y. Redlich is from Argentina but comes to Long Island every summer time to prepare to become a skilled Polo player, following in the footsteps of his father. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
The father-and-son teammates hail from a farm in the flat and inexperienced Venado Tuerto — a passionate polo city situated about 4 ¹/₂ hours northwest of Buenos Aires, Argentina — where they play during the South American summer time, which spans from December to February.
“My father taught me a lot of stuff about horses, the relationship with the grooms,” said Juancito, who is still studying English and makes use of his time on LI to enhance.
“We’re in the field all day to practice, to ride, and I learned a lot from him.”
The polo patriarch added that their home nation is ecstatic over the improvement of a household dynasty, and it reveals when they take on massive tournaments in the capital metropolis and elsewhere.
“They get very excited about us, about what my son is doing,” said Juan, who first came to Long Island as an 18-year-old and took a job caring for horses during the summer time months.
Juancito Redlich Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
Greener pastures
Since then, the Redlich household has spent its days having fun with the magnificence of the North Shore, normally from June to September, in Huntington.
Juancito and his dad sometimes prepare and play weekly at the free-to-attend Thursday “sunset” night matches at Meadow Brook Polo Club in Old Westbury, as effectively as at Sunday’s “Polo at The Park” at Bethpage State Park, and often at other matches in the tri-state space.
Juan, or “Johnny Juan” as announcers call him at the weekend match, is a crowd favourite at Bethpage.
Given the sport’s advanced nature and the bodily limitations of the animals, the matches require jockeys to substitute their horses through each of the normally 4 to eight chukkers, which each lasts 7 ¹/₂ minutes.
Sending a horse from Argentina prices upward of $12.5K per animal, and the expense lands on each particular person player with assist from sponsors, according to a handler acquainted with the state of affairs.
Juancito Redlich rides during polo follow. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
“We flew nine up for this summer. They just got here the other day,” said Juan, who counseled his son’s dealing with of the creatures.
“He’s very natural with the horses. … I never saw him fighting with a horse or making one tired. He brings out the best in them.”
Not horsing around
Juancito has beloved horses since he was a little boy driving in the fields of Argentina.
The teen athlete, who also performs soccer and rugby, drew nearer to polo during the pandemic’s isolation interval, as driving was one of the few alternatives to get contemporary air.
Since then, Juancito said he naturally underwent his father’s tutelage, but rapidly confirmed his own moxie while saddled up.
“I can say one thing, from the beginning he was a very natural rider,” according to Juan.
Juancito Redlich and father Juan during polo follow. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
“I never tried to push him to play polo because I think he has to choose whatever makes him happy.”
Now, Juancito goals to refine his sport over the next two to three years, including finesse, coordination and putting energy to show why he deserves a shot in the execs and at main tournaments.
Long Island’s Constitution Cup, a two- to three-week match that started this week, is the perfect platform to showcase weeks of improved play, he said.
“If it doesn’t work out, I want to go to college for agriculture and have a Plan B,” said Juancito, who is fond of his virtually solely polo-dedicated summers on Long Island.
“But no matter what, I want to work with horses for the rest of my life.”
For now, however, the objective is putting while the mallet is sizzling.
“I want to be a better player,” he said. “Doing this with my father pushes me to be my best.”
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