Performance Polo, a venture born out of passion for our sport, has unfortunately been forced into liquidation. This unravelling story is not just about business challenges but more so about a partnership that promised much but delivered disappointment, as we increasingly found ourselves up against “Ross will give me a better deal” almost every time we tried to sell the Ainsley saddles.
The journey began in 2014, during a polo tournament in Switzerland. It was here that I, an amateur polo player, met Ross Ainsley, an Australian polo player and horse breeder. Ross introduced me to his innovative polo saddle, which seemed to promise a change for the better for both players and our horses. Inspired by this promise, I launched Performance Polo in 2015, selling Ainsley's saddles as a side venture while maintaining my corporate job.
While the Ainsley Original saddle saw moderate success, the introduction of the MVP saddle in 2017 marked a turning point. We never expected the MVP to reach the heights that it has, but with the endorsements from world-class players like Pelon Stirling, Adolfo Cambiaso, and Facu Pieres it has in fact become a very successful polo saddle. Since the launch, we have jointly brought around 3,000 MVP saddles to the polo sport around the word. Initially, a large part of the promotion for the MVP via social media and investments in developing ambassadors was made by Performance Polo.
Initially, we had agreed what is considered a typical retail markup of 100%, which enables the retailer to fund marketing, sales, stocking and distribution. However, with the launch of an own web shop a couple of years later, Ainsley reduced the retail markup by one third, which by itself would have made it difficult for any retailer to maintain the same level or promotion as before. Additionally, Ainsley’s direct sales since then have been fuelled by discounts and freebees, which in many cases have forced Performance Polo to either match the discounted prices or forego the sale. And half price deals offered to pros in an attempt to gain access to their patrons, further cut into profit margins. As a retailer created to retail Ainsley products, these actions have strangled Performance Polo to the point of being unable to cover even our fixed costs.
Ainsley's decision to prioritize direct sales created a conflict with appointed retailers like Performance Polo. By offering significant discounts and free shipping, Ainsley effectively competed against its own retail partners. This strategy, while perhaps beneficial for Ainsley’s direct sales, undermined the viability of retailers who initially championed the MVP.
Reflecting on the journey, it's clear that the gentleman’s agreement with Ross was a critical mistake. The substantial investments made by Performance Polo, especially in promoting the MVP, were not protected by formal agreements, and this cost the business dearly when Ainsley shifted strategies without consultation.
As Performance Polo winds down, a word of warning to other retailers and customers: while the MVP remains a top-tier product, the business practices surrounding it leave much to be desired. Retailers should be wary, and customers should consider the true cost of a seemingly "better deal." The painful lesson here is that if something seems too good to be true, it likely is.
One final thought on polo saddles: I firmly believe that the MVP is the best polo saddle currently available. However, the MVP is still a traditional saddle, and I’m not really convinced that it meets the requirements posed by the special circumstances we face in polo, largely unknow in other equestrian sports.
First of all, most of us turn our horses out for long periods of time. As a result, their bodies and backs change significantly throughout the year. Secondly, the reality of polo grooming is that most polo grooms much prefer to work with a number of identical saddles (one size fits all), partly driven by tradition and partly driven by the pressure during games to tack up and off quickly and efficiently. Given these circumstances, most polo ponies likely play in saddles that either aren’t a great fit or a poor fit, potentially causing discomfort, pain or injury.
You might ask why the 10-goalers play in the MVP or in any other saddle. Aside from the fact that most of them look for sponsor deals (and are capable of playing extremely well in any saddle), most, if not all of them, prioritize what the saddles does for them (comfort, position, grip, etc.) rather than what they do for their horses (comfort, freedom of movement, weight, etc.). The explanation for this is that horses at this level of polo play in short bursts, rarely exceeding 7-8 minutes in the course of a game. Also, their horses are under constant veterinarian supervision, which means that they probably get injected with painkillers etc. more frequently than most polo ponies and they may be ‘benched’ sooner than most polo ponies if injuries are detected.
I believe that we can do better, but it requires us to develop polo saddles than can be easily and frequently adjusted for perfect fit and make their correct use as simple as possible for the grooms. This will probably require incorporation of innovation, materials and technologies from outside traditional saddle making, but our sport may never be big enough for anyone to justify the investment in the development of such saddles, but one can only hope.
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