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VPA POLO ROADMAP

5 Oct 2021

VPA POLO ROADMAP
1st October 2021

TRAINING
29th September & indicative 5th October
Greater Melbourne, Mitchell Shire & Latrobe
Outdoor facilities open for contactless recreation
Check in and polo practice must be contactless.
Masks carried but not worn while playing
Fully vaccinated: Outdoor personal training up to 5 cap. One or no vaccinated: 2 cap.
The government requires that evidence of clients’ full vaccination status must be confirmed by the personal trainer/coach for record keeping if engaging in outdoor personal training services in a group of five people. If you cannot sight the vaccination status of those you are coaching, you may only coach up to 2 persons. You may coach up to 5 people if you can verify their vaccination status.
You may ride your horse for your exercise, (once a day for up to 4 hours, and that 4 hour includes any time spent outdoors socialising in limited groups).
You cantravel more than15km from your hometo take care of your horse, but you should only travel as far and take as long as isabsolutely necessary.
https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/sport-and-exercise#can-i-attend-personal-training

Regional Victoria
Outdoor training with up to 10 people/trainer
Check in and polo practice must be contactless.
Masks carried but not worn while playing
Community sport: outside only, training only. Minimum number required for the sport, no spectators
26th October - indicative - 70% Fully Vaxed
Greater Melbourne & probably Mitchell Shire – could extend to other regional shires
Outdoor community sport open for training only (no competition)
Check in and polo practice should be contactless.

Regional Victoria
Community sport: outdoor only, training only (no competition).
Check in and polo practice should be contactless.
5th November – indicative only could be 12th November – 80% Fully Vaxed
Greater Melbourne – could extend to other regions
Community sport permitted indoors and outdoors with minimum number required,
Spectators’ public gathering limits apply TBA

Regional Victoria
Community sport permitted indoors & outdoors with minimum number required
Spectators’ public gathering limits apply Outdoor seated physical recreation and community sport: Fully vaccinated: Lesser of 25% or 5000 per venue
MATCHES – CALENDAR
It is hoped that polo competition outdoors would be allowed from November 5th but as we have seen in the past week this could get altered if the 80% fully vaxed requirement is not met or the hospitals are over run.
In addition, going into immediate competition when many players and horses have not been fully competition fit is a safety and horse welfare concern.
The VPA and its clubs will therefore be flexible with the calendar in November to ensure that players and horses have time to build up and will alter competitions as deemed necessary.
MELBOURE CUP – BORDER OPENING
We will run this important event later in November to allow players and horses to build up from previous competitions and in the hope that the border restrictions for interstate players have eased enough so they can travel in and out of Victoria.
SPECTATORS
It is unknown what spectator conditions will be in place by the Vic Gov (vaxed or unvaxed) and how we would be able to check them in or stop unvaxed entering if this becomes a directive.
VACCINATIONS
VPA wants to encourage members and their employees such as grooms to be vaccinated. However small sporting bodies have not been given a Government directive that all players and their teams must be vaccinated. Until we receive this directive, VPA will not be making vaccination a compulsory condition of entry or play.
COVID OFFICERS
Each club needs to advise the VPA of their covid officer before the season or your practice starts. They need to ensure at all training and competition:
QR code or sign-in check-in is used by everyone
Social distancing 1.5m & mask wearing while not playing is practiced
Plenty of hand sanitiser available.




Best wishes

Geoff Sinclair

VPA COVID Officer

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