NWA Polo League Unifies Corporate Power Players

A little after 6 p.m. on a Thursday, Manuel Gómez pulled his car into a grassy driveway about 5 miles northeast of downtown Bentonville, off Price Coffee Road. 

Late for polo practice, he bolted toward a small changing room on the horse trailer, and within a matter of two minutes emerged, having traded in his nice dress pants and shirt for standard polo attire: white pants, a red polo shirt and riding boots.

League manager and professional polo player Bob Koehler shouted for all players to get on the field, as Gómez quickly put on elbow pads, gloves and knee guards, and strapped on his helmet.

“It’s hard to make everybody happy,” Gómez said to a man who was tending to the horses.

Gómez had come straight from a meeting and was missing a business dinner for practice, he said.

As vice president of sustainability for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Gómez plays an integral role. Environmental issues are a key focus area for the world’s largest retailer, so the job keeps him busy, whether he is supervising its plan to procure 7,000 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2020 or co-hosting a Sustainable Products Expo for more than a dozen CEOs of the world’s most powerful companies.

Although the Northwest Arkansas Polo Club brings a level of accessibility to the sport, polo league play is not for those with a casual interest. However, for the players who have dedicated themselves to the hobby, the rewards far outweigh any issues with balancing work.

There’s nothing like the adrenaline rush that comes from riding fast and hitting the ball and the feeling of working together with your horse and the other players, Gómez said. “When you’re passionate about something, you make time for it.”

 

Polo Priority

Kevin Gardner, vice president of the NWA Polo Club, also has an influential job with Walmart, as the company’s voice on some of its most headline-grabbing subjects.

For years, Gardner served as the spokesman for international corporate affairs but recently took on a more global role, overseeing communications on sustainability, the Walmart Foundation and women’s economic empowerment.

“We stay busy around here,” he said. But polo is a priority for him, and he finds it fairly flexible, with practices falling after work and games on weekends.

NWA Polo Club is active mid-May through October. In addition to leasing horses for club members, the club offers lessons for players of any level.

League member Orla Engstrom has a high-demand job as plant operator at Carroll-Boone County Water District, which serves Eureka Springs, Berryville, Green Forest and Harrison.

Because she lives in Rogers, her job requires a 1½ hour roundtrip every day, but she carves out time for polo practices and games. “You just have to make the choice to commit to it.”

“It’s worth it,” she said. “I’ve made a commitment to myself, the horse and the team.”

 

Back on the Horse

Engstrom grew up riding in her home state of Texas. Most of the polo club members have horseback riding experience, although that is not a prerequisite for lessons, according to the website.

Gómez grew up riding in Mexico City and Gardner in New Mexico. 

Gardner even played for a brief stint on a polo team when he lived in Dallas, but he said that was not enough to count toward skills acquisition.

During his eight years in Northwest Arkansas, his equestrian hobby had fallen off, so when colleague Susan Koehler — Bob Koehler’s wife and co-founder/treasurer of the NWA Polo Club — approached Gardner about taking lessons and joining the club, “I jumped at the chance,” he said.

In addition to the opportunity to be around an animal he loves, Gardner appreciates the camaraderie of the game.

Several league members expressed their appreciation for the team aspect of polo, which is unique in the fact that the horses are also considered teammates.

Gómez moved to the Bentonville home office a few months ago, having worked with Walmart in Mexico and Central America for about 10 years. When Susan Koehler, senior manager of community involvement at Sam’s Club, mentioned the polo club, Gómez was enticed by the opportunity to be around horses and learn something new.

But also, as a former football and soccer player, he was excited to compete in a sport that is so team-oriented.

Engstrom agreed. “It’s such a team sport,” she said. “You could not do it by yourself.”

 

Newfound Confidence

Engstrom’s foray into polo began more than a year ago when she saw an ad for NWA Polo Club in a local publication.

She had not ridden as much in recent years, and an injury had made it painful to ride, but the distraction of the game, with the focus being on the ball, helped her tune that out.

To Engstrom, the game has been therapeutic, and it has helped her regain courage and provided her with a newfound confidence.

In part, she credits Rosie, the pony she rides. She brags on the beloved horse’s agility — “She goes after a ball faster than my jack Russell terrier,” she said — and appreciates the trust she has with the animal.

Bob Koehler trains the horses he leases to the club members, and Engstrom considers them to be well-trained athletes.

He owns 15 horses for polo that he either plays competitively or uses them as lesson horses. 

The league members also regard Koehler as an excellent teacher,

“Koehler is very knowledgeable and made it fun from the beginning,” Gómez said, appreciating the fact that he let the students/league members jump right in.

Engstrom comments on his ability to keep practices and lessons fun, while also providing helpful critique and coaching. “We all have jobs, so we don’t want to go to another one,” she said. 

 

Pro Polo

Koehler is well-respected by the polo community. A professional since age 25, he was the highest-rated polo player in Colorado for 16 years in a row, and he managed a polo club in Colorado for 16 years, with 160 horses and two full-sized polo fields and a practice field.  He has played around the world, including in Argentina, recognized as the mecca of polo.

He and his wife moved to the area last year for her job, and the couple made quick work of forming the NWA Polo Club, hoping to bring the horseback sport to Northwest Arkansas.

The league is the only one in Arkansas listed on the U.S. Polo Association’s website.

Except for Polo in the Ozarks, a fundraiser hosted by Life Styles Inc. for the past 25 years, the horseback sport has never had much of a presence in the state, but Gardner, for one, sees potential for that to change.

“The cost of land and the cost to keep horses is much cheaper here than any other metro areas I know of,” he said.

Gardner also pointed out fields can be closer to town than in other areas and the countryside is beautiful. And to him, that is part of the fun. 

 

Within Reach

However, perhaps the local presence of polo — dubbed “the sport of kings” more often than any other activity, save for horse racing — faces different challenges. It is often seen as a game with social and economic exclusivity, as it is viewed as expensive when played at a serious level.

But Koehler says avid golfers spend comparable amounts, and Gómez said, “Once you come close to the sport, it’s more accessible than you think.”

“And it’s great to be a part of a sport with such a rich history,” he said.

In addition, the team members say polo is an excellent physical workout, but also suitable for all ages. 

Other members of the NWA Polo Club include its president, John Wilson, principal of Wilson Consulting Group; Mark and Ann Killenbeck whose daughter Jessica also plays; Verity Cameron; and Robson Mccartney.

The league hopes to add more players, but it is also looking to draw in a crowd from throughout the community. It offers special tailgate Sunday matches four times per season, with the next one taking place Oct. 5 at noon, the season finale.