Estancia Los Potreros

Estancia Los Potreros and Prima Polo

Beginning October 2011, we are thrilled to be starting an association with Prima Polo to run polo holidays at the estancia from October through to March. Under the expert guidance and instruction of Juan Manuel Pizarro, guests will have the chance to improve and hone their polo skills, at possibly the most unique polo destination in Argentina, whilst soaking up the scenery, culture and hospitality for which Estancia Los Potreros is famed.

 About Prima Polo

Prima Polo is based during the British summer months from Silver Leys Polo Club in Bury Green. It offers a range of services for polo players and those wishing to learn, including livery, pony breaking and schooling, polo lessons and pony hire and sales. During the British off season, Prima Polo is based from Córdoba in central Argentina, running polo holidays from Estancia Los Potreros.

 Juan Manuel Pizarro (Humi)

Virtually born on a horse, Humi started playing polo in Argentina from an early age, and first played polo in the UK in 1999 for the high goal Metropolitan Polo Team. In 2001, he became a professional horse trainer and polo player based in Kenya and playing in Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa and Tanzania. In 2007 he returned to Argentina, when the relationship with Estancia Los Potreros first began, managing the estancia’s polo and trail riding activities. He returned to the UK in spring 2008, playing at Silver Leys Polo Club as a freelance professional, before becoming Polo Manager for Silver Leys in 2009.

Humi now runs Prima Polo in tandem with managing Silver Leys Polo Club in the summer season, returning for the winter season to his home in the hills of Córdoba in Argentina to run polo holidays and spend time on his hobby of ‘natural horsemanship’ horse breaking.

Many of our guests will already have met Humi, both on and off the polo ground, and we are sure most would agree that he is an inspiring coach and horseman.

‘Have you ever had that feeling when you have just come back from a fun, challenging at times and sweaty day out on a horse in the high rocky hills, and you walk into a dining room with a table set for all the guests for dinner? Dinner was amazing. You move in front of the blazing fire with a cup of hot and refreshing tea. Talk for a while with the other guests, learn more and more about people. Everyone gets tired, says goodnight and heads back to their rooms. Walks into the room and gets a flash of relaxation from the clean tidy room, cleaned kindly by one of the staff, and also how warm it is with the fire on. You look at your bed and say to yourself oh can’t wait to get in there and go to sleep and especially the little toffie caramel treat sitting there and a hot water bottle tucked into your bed. You hop into bed and think wow I had an amazing day and I know I will have another tomorrow. Fall asleep with happy thoughts.

Thank you so much to all the staff. I had the time of my life’

Sophie, 12, 29/09/10

On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

A vulture in a pear tree

On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Two labradors

And a vulture in a pear tree

On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Three lemon balms

Two labradors

And a vulture in a pear tree

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Four English guides

Three lemon balms

Two labradors

And a vulture in a pear tree

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

FIVE NAPKIN RINGS

Four English guides

Three lemon balms

Two labradors

And a vulture in a pear tree

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Six chukkas playing

FIVE NAPKIN RINGS

Four English guides

Three lemon balms

Two labradors

And a vulture in a pear tree

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Seven guests a-swimming

Six chukkas playing

FIVE NAPKIN RINGS

Four English guides

Three lemon balms

Two labradors

And a vulture in a pear tree

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Eight staff siesta-ing

Seven guests a-swimming

Six chukkas playing

FIVE NAPKIN RINGS

Four English guides

Three lemon balms

Two labradors

And a vulture in a pear tree

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Nine horses prancing

Eight staff siesta-ing

Seven guests a-swimming

Six chukkas playing

FIVE NAPKIN RINGS

Four English guides

Three lemon balms

Two labradors

And a vulture in a pear tree

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Ten foals a-frolicking

Nine horses prancing

Eight staff siesta-ing

Seven guests a-swimming

Six chukkas playing

FIVE NAPKIN RINGS

Four English guides

Three lemon balms

Two labradors

And a vulture in a pear tree

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Twelve gauchos galloping

Eleven pasos paso-ing

Ten foals a-frolicking

Nine horses prancing

Eight staff siesta-ing

Seven guests a-swimming

Six chukkas playing

FIVE NAPKIN RINGS

Four English guides

Three lemon balms

Two labradors

And a vulture in a pear tree

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Twelve gauchos galloping

Eleven pasos paso-ing

Ten foals a-frolicking

Nine horses prancing

Eight staff siesta-ing

Seven guests a-swimming

Six chukkas playing

FIVE NAPKIN RINGS

Four English guides

Three lemon balms

Two labradors

And a vulture in a pear tree

This month we feature wines from “Bodega El Esteco”.   This winery is situated in the province of Salta in the north of Argentina.   If the wines are available wherever you are in the world try Elementos-Torrontés or Don David-Malbec.  Happy Christmas!

Hughie Arbuthnott and Clare Hilton are coming out to spend the season working with us, by then they will have just got married and embarking on a new chapter in their lives here with us at Los Potreros.

Clare has been working in the travel industry in the UK for the last five years. She has helped run the Latin American department of Tim Best Travel, sending clients all over South America. She has travelled extensively all around the continent for Tim Best Travel and lived for a year in Mexico. She is an excellent rider, although the Criollo and the Hunter are slightly different!

Hughie was raised in Spain and has worked since he was seven with his parents running their holidays from their home in Andalucia. He lived in Chile for a year and has also travelled around South America. He has spent the last four years in the British Army serving in Iraq, Kuwait, Cyprus, Canada, Germany and the UK. He played polo for the Army and has ridden all his life and is enjoying the new challenge of teaching Clare to play.

They come with a wealth of different experiences, a passion for Argentina, travel and asados! They will be arriving with us in the New Year.

We were just heading out on a ride yesterday on some of our fabulous Pasos when we realised that all of the horses were related and couldn’t resist a photo opportunity! All are either related to Mariscal, a legendary stallion from some years ago, or the very wonderful mare Dina, who went to her happy grazing ground in the sky earlier this year. Their legacy lives on – once ridden, forever smitten! From left to right:

Negro El Once – son to Mariscal, daughter to Dina

Picasita – daughter to Mariscal, daughter to Dina, full sister to Negro 11

Barry – son to Mariscal

Sol – son of Dina

China – daughter of Dina

Chilenito, Tosco, Soldado, Cuervo – all sons of Sol, so grandchildren of Dina

Just when we thought that the fire season was over a lightning storm (with no rain) started a fire on the south side of the farm.

A quick reaction by all, including the fire fighting planes of the province, reduced the fire to a minor problem this time. Some fences and 50 acres of our farm were burned but all aminals were safe.

We are not sure what the army helicopter was doing though!

Well, Los Pots did not win this time round. However, fun was had by all. Eight guests accompanied us on the second day and lots of champagne was drunk to celebrate a 4-3 victory.

The next tournament is at Estancia Los Potreros on the last weekend of October! (weather permitting).

The rains have finally come.  We had a huge thunder and lighting storm last night.  Just at the wrong time!!!  No play today.  All matches have been rescheduled for tomorrow, Monday bank holiday,  Christopher Columbus Day. 

A memorable victory!!! Lou´s team win 4-3.