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POLO GUEST STORIES
TESTIMONIALS
Curious what it’s like to visit El Venado? Some of our guests have been kind enough to share their experiences.
Don’t forget, you can also check us out on TripAdvisor & Google My Business!
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This was my second trip to Argentina, and I was bitten by the polo bug. I wanted to learn as much as possible. As a complete beginner, I took a few lessons at home and then on the recommendation of my coach, ventured to El Venado where I learned so much from Fede! By the end of my stay, I had learned several different swings and was able to hit the ball at the canter – enough to practice what I had learned with the other riders for some practice chukkers! And this was all on a beautiful working estancia in the heart of the countryside.
Not only did I learn more about polo but I was also able to do some ranch riding and explore the surrounding farmland that has been in Fede’s family for generations. It was such a beautiful, tranquil atmosphere made all the more special by Fede and Ines’s warm welcome to their home.
Everyone was lovely, the horses were the absolute best – it was an amazing time and a place I am definitely looking forward to going back to!
Thank you so much for the last 10 days. It has been more than a holiday, it has been an experience I shall never forget. It was such a privilege to share your estancia with you and your wonderful family. What a beautiful place you have and the polo was first class. I really hope I can repeat the whole thing next year. Please give my regards to all the guys that I played the chukkas with, they were some great players and very forgiving of my shortcomings. They taught me a lot and your instruction really helped me improve my technique.
Katrina Lee, Australia.
“When I first came to El Venado in early 2018, I’d only been riding for a few months and definitely had no polo experience (plus somewhat terrible hand to eye coordination!). But my lack of experience wasn’t an issue at all. El Venado was absolutely fabulous for building up my confidence – such safe, sensible and smart ponies! I was challenged in a good way, and even got to play chukkas with more experienced players. The warmth of Fede and and Ines makes El Venado such a welcoming environment, and it was an added bonus to meet such interesting people from all over the world. I loved El Venado so much I visited twice in six months (even though I live in Australia!)… the only bad thing was leaving!”
Felix Sauvat, Switzerland
“I’ve been back to El Venado three times so far and every time feels like coming home (the only difference being the five star hotel service!). Coming with broken English, I was “only” looking to try polo – I never expected to improve my game so much, it even inspired me to start playing here at home. Fede’s ponies are just great, there is a pony to suit everyone from beginners to serious players. I also want to thank Ines and Fede for making the estancia such a nice environment. Through El Venado I have made friends from all over the world – UK, Canada, America, Australia, Pakistan – and found a new passion for the game. I wish to come back soon!”
El Venado is the best place to start your polo career and enjoy the feeling of a true Argentine estancia with remarkable hosts. The hospitality is absolutely one of the best among the polo estancias. Everybody wakes up noticing how well they slept since it is so quiet and the rooms extremely comfortable. The day just takes you from breakfast to polo to siesta to polo and drinks to bed. Stress does not exist. El Venado feels like your own Argentine family and a basis to make new polo friends every time again. The only downside is that every stay is too short.
“I contacted El Venado at the last minute while staying in Buenos Aires, because I wanted to get out of the city and try polo for the first time (I’d only ever been a groom). By 10pm that day, a car had picked me up and taken me to El Venado, where dinner and a glass of red wine was waiting. I relaxed right away and stayed that way for my entire stay! At El Venado, everything is taken care or, nothing is too much trouble. Fede, Ines and the staff are all so lovely. The other guests quickly became friends too, great as I was travelling on my own. And even though we had different levels of riding and polo experience, none of that seemed to matter and we all played together (as I learnt that’s often the case in polo games anyway). I loved playing polo and riding out across the pampas on some mornings and just being around the ponies (who were also incredibly well looked after, so good to ride, and patient with my mallet swinging “skills”). Thanks so much to everyone at El Venado.”
“This school, based in a third generation estancia south west of BA, offers a truly authentic Argentine cultural experience together with polo instruction and play at the highest level. Fede & Ines are gracious hosts. Their staff are infinitely accommodating. You can expect your game to improve significantly, no matter what your starting point.”
“Thank you so much for having me at El Venado in September/October. I had such a brilliant time and I really felt that my polo improved vastly! The coaching I received from both Julian and Fede was second to none! Your hospitality as-well was amazing and I really felt at home whilst staying with you. I really did not want to leave! I hope all is going well at El Venado, I see the photos uploaded to Facebook every so often and get pangs of jealousy and wish I could come back out! I had a most enjoyable time and learnt a lot. I hope to stay in touch with you all and please do let me know if anyone is coming over to England at any point as it would be great to meet up and catch up”
“Fede and Ines, Thank you so much for so graciously welcoming me into your home. I had a wonderful time and enjoyed every minute, both on and off the field. I loved being in the beautiful setting of the estancia, meeting your family, and gathering at the table. You have a terrific staff working for you; I felt well taken care of, and, certainly, well-fed! It is a shock to come back to reality! I look forward to returning next year, hopefully with both improved polo and improved Spanish! Until then, best wishes and much gratitude.”
“Thank you everyone at El Venado, for your hospitality and friendship. Julian and Alex for your patience and introducing me to the game, matte in the mornings and the late night bars of Pila! Stephie for your encouragement, Manolito for making me laugh (you can’t play pool, you can’t dance, but at least you plant trees in Pila!) Gonzalo for helping me with the horses, Oscar for the cold beer and great food and of course little Nazareno, all my gaucho friends and everyone else who made me feel at home. I had a great time!”
“El Venado is without doubt a very well run and beautiful polo estancia. The whole team is fully dedicated to ensuring that players, regardless of their ability upon arriving, improve considerably whilst out there. The atmosphere is professional and yet relaxed, and the accommodation is of excellent quality. I would definitely recommend el Venado to polo enthusiasts wishing to improve their skills!”
“I just wanted to say thank you again for another amazing stay at El Venado… I am now officially addicted to polo and cannot thank you and Julian enough for sharing your skills and in depth knowledge and passion for the game with me… As we talked about the other night around the fire and after another incredible asado (thanks Oscarcito!), sometimes we take for granted the simple things in life. I don’t think I could ever take for granted any time that I would have at El Venado… watching the fireflies in the trees on dusk, shooting stars in the clear skies at night, the sun setting over the wheat fields, mate in the afternoon with the Gauchos, empanadas and beers on the back deck in the afternoons, and of course the wonderful horses and afternoon chukkas on the polo fields. I could go on but I have to stop because it is making me too sad and I miss it more than ever. There is a big piece of my heart left at El Venado that will never be filled by anywhere else in the world. Gracias por todo, Fede. I cannot thank you enough. Warmest regards, besos y abrazos to everyone at El Venado
“It was at El Venado that I truly fell in love with polo. I had had odd lessons here and there, but never had I received such comprehensive and attentive instruction. Federico and Julian fine-tuned my swing to perfection and the progress I made in all aspects of the game during my weeks spent at the estancia was unbelievable. Polo apart, it is the characters of El Venado and the beauty and tranquility of the farm that make it such a special place. Federico and Inés welcome you into their home like family, and the staff are always cheerful and accommodating. Sitting on the verandah eating empanadas with various guests, family and friends after chukkas is, I know, a favourite part of the day for El Venado regulars and new guests alike. It is a rare unspoilt gem among the mass of commercialised polo schools in business today. Nowhere else would you play chukkas with the gauchos as they train the green horses and simultaneously give you expert instruction on your game. El Venado has become a home away from home for so many of the close friends I have made here. It is wonderful to arrive back and find that some of them will be staying at the same time as you again! I can’t bear to be leaving in a week’s time, but I am looking forward already to my return in December.”
“Beste Federico, andermaal bedankt voor een aantal hele toffe weken gevuld met polo, zon, lange gesprekken, het ontmoeten van diverse nationaliteiten en vooral veel gelachen. In Argentinië zijn er de laatste jaren meer en meer polo-scholen bijgekomen, maar ons inziens is de familiale sfeer waarin je tijdens een verblijf op El Venado wordt ondergedompeld onovertroffen! Ik hoop dat veel gasten uit Nederland en België de weg naar El Venado zullen ontdekken, wij kunnen het enkel maar aanbevelen. Daar onze eigen paarden tijdens onze afwezigheid van een maand aardig zijn aangekomen zullen we ons in elk geval de komende maanden niet vervelen 🙂 Hopelijk ontmoeten we elkaar binnenkort eens een keertje in België. Groetjes uit België, Harald & Diana Hochstenbach-Adriaensen, Retie.”
“Thank you so much for an incredible week. We had a fantastic time, in fact we wanted to tell the driver to turn around and go back once we got to BA. I can now officially say I am hooked on polo! I managed to score some goals in the games we played today and yesterday, and it’s a fabulous feeling! Tim has found a new best friend in Oscar and I think he has mastered the making of one perfect asado. We would adore to return soon.”
“I turned up at El Venado on my own at the end of February 2003. My sole intention was to spend a relaxing week and try my hand at polo before what I thought would be my “real” holiday – trekking on horseback in Patagonia. After three days at Federico’s beautiful farm that all changed. All my carefully laid holiday plans flew out the window. The notorious bug had bitten too deep and the passion for polo and this amazing country took hold. From the minute you meet Federico, you notice two things straight away; twinkly green eyes with a hint of mischief and the sense that good humour and fun seem to follow him everywhere. It’s down to Federico’s excellent polo coaching, his great friends who turn up for chukkas at 5pm sharp at the end of the day and the talented professionals who drop by – that five years on I’m still playing, have my own string of polo ponies and have returned to Argentina every year without fail.
Ines, Federico’s wife is an excellent hostess and guests are made to feel very much at home in the family house full of beautiful family photos, polo cups and a warm atmosphere. The asados and delicious three course meals are unbelievable and were it not for the polo, one would need to make plans for a new wardrobe! Guests come from all over the world and lasting friendships are quickly formed. For me, the best time of the day was always just after chukkas, relaxing in the late summer evenings a cool Quilmes in hand as the empanadas come steaming hot from the kitchen. It’s with great difficulty that you pull yourself away from the conversations and laughter to change before dinner!
If I have to think of my first trip to El Venado, the following comes to mind: polo with the gauchos; visiting the brood mares and their gorgeous little foals as Federico speaks with passion about his breed; fishing on horseback; playing pool in the village, stunning sunsets and lots of laughter…”
“For every polo player who is interested in a true master class in hitting the ball, a stay at El Venado with Federico Cendoya is not only a lot of fun, but also essential for taking your polo to the next level. That goes for both complete beginners and somewhat more advanced players. From my first day at El Venado I was happy to notice that Federico, as a 5-goal professional with many years of experience both playing and teaching polo, understands very well the needs of different levels of players and pays close personal attention to his students. His eye for detail and talent for explaining not only the ‘how’ but also the ‘why’ of what goes into a good polo shot, within days improved both my distance and accuracy considerably. Of course, it also helps that Federico’s two full sized polo fields in their super smoothness resemble pool tables. But, besides a learning experience, a stay at El Venado is also a great way to relax and enjoy a vacation on a truly beautiful estancia.”
“Life at El Venado is impossible to describe on paper. Calm but yet intense, cut of the world yet international and just amazing. The location is beautiful and there is no better scene than the sunset on the pampa while stick and balling of the perfectly maintain polo field. The staff is caring, present and extremely nice. Federico makes everything possible to make your stay unforgettable and to make you feel like a real friend. Time at El Venado makes you forget your classic everyday routine and brings a new relax vibe to it. I really can’t recommend El Venado enough as both a Polo school and vacation place.”
“I just got back to NY a couple of hours ago and I couldn’t wait to thank you again for a most exceptional stay at El Venado. You have created a most unique atmosphere, which delighted all of our senses. We enjoyed the warmth of your family style hospitality and felt most at home sharing delicious meals at your table. I also found the interaction with the other guests most fascinating and stimulating as El Venado seems to only attract interesting people with a common passion for adventure, exciting travels around the world, and horses. The El Venado grounds and the surrounding pampa was a true pleasure for the eyes. The trail rides through the magnificent landscape were unforgettable. I would recommend a stay at El Venado, not only of course to those with a passion for polo, but to anyone looking for a memorable vacation and in need of escape and adventure.”
“El Venado-one of the few special places in the world where reality truly exceeds one’s dreams. If paradise exists, whether you are looking for the ultimate polo experience or simply a fabulous, relaxing, true Argentine experience 5 star vacation, then El Venado is it. Time spent with the beautiful Cendoya family, surrounded by their grace and hospitality is a timeless treasure not to be missed, rather one you will feel compelled to repeat, as I have twice and hope to again every chance I get.”
“I have not stopped talking about my trip to Argentina, and most especially my experiences at El Venado. I tell all my friends that it is a trip very worth taking, and that everyone should definitely give it a try at least once in their lifetime (even from all the way over here in the Philippines). When Lorna suggested that we spend some time there to learn polo, well, to put in plainly, I thought she was nuts. Having not been on a horse in more than 20 years, it seemed overly ambitious, certainly dangerous, and perhaps beyond my physical abilities. But once I was there (and on an actual horse) I quickly realized that the point was for me to push myself into a totally unfamiliar realm, thereby discovering a part of me that I never knew existed. As it turned out, there was nothing at all to fear. So what if I am not really a polo player (and not even really a rider); just someone out for an unusual and exciting adventure? Under your thoroughly competent tutelage, I felt safe and looked after. If I have a chance to visit Argentina again, I promise you will see me! Given a choice between Tango lessons or Polo, there would be no contest! I a heartbeat I would choose to explore once again the heartland of Argentina’s estancias. I would seek out the vast grassy plains that seem to go on forever, and of course that wonderfully macho sport that made me feel – if only just for a few days – connected to the world in a whole new way. Thank you for your guidance, your hospitality, your friendship, and your good humor. I enjoyed myself immensely.”
El Venado Polo School is fantastic. The farm is beautifully maintained and the hacking through the estate is great fun. The horses are brilliantly looked after by the head groom Mauro and there were a number of school masters for me to ride. I had always ridden but not played polo before visiting El Venado. Fede spent time talking me through the basics of polo, adjusting my grip on the mallet and practicing my swing before then practicing on a horse! Due to the time spent learning the technique on the ground before practicing on a horse I was able to progress relatively quickly. Through Fede’s coaching and help I was soon hitting the ball in canter and practicing different swings. Fede spent time explaining the rules of polo and we watched a match on TV so I could understand the structure of the game. Needless to say I now have the ‘polo bug’ and will be returning to continue my training!
The accommodation at El Venado is lovely, the food is delicious and Ines and Fede go above and beyond to make you feel welcome and comfortable at their home. I would highly recommend Polo Days- it is truly an amazing experience!