Never have enough of?

For some women, it’s shoes.

For Noelani Picollo, it’s horses.

The Waialua High junior has three … for now. Dulce and Lex are quarter horses, Lawliet is a thoroughbred.

Picollo isn’t expecting a fourth for her birthday next month. But her Sweet 16 party will include some of her favorite things: Horses and polo.

She is the youngest — and likely the only female — playing for the five-member USA Hawaii team against the Nine Dragon Hills Polo Club from China. The U.S. Polo Association-sanctioned international match is Oct. 7, Picollo’s 16th birthday, and quite the present for someone who has only been playing polo for two years.

"I’ve always liked riding and being around horses," Picollo said. "What I like about polo is being able to go really fast.

"And getting to play China on my birthday is pretty exciting."

Picollo began riding at age 5, around the time her family moved here from California. Her involvement in a 4-H Club included grooming horses and led to rodeo competition, where her favorite event was poles.

Making the move to polo was as easy as making the drive from Waialua to Mokuleia. It didn’t take long to get there.

"One of my friends was grooming for one of the polo players," Picollo said. "She invited me to come along and I started helping out with the grooming.

"Then we started playing a little after we were done, hitting balls. The hardest part is the timing; there’s a lot of it. I’ve been lucky that a lot of the players give me tips like where to position myself when taking the different types of swings."

It requires dedication — during the five-month polo season she rides six days a week — and a commitment that leaves little room for normal high school activities.

"It is pretty different," she said. "I don’t get to hang out too much with friends, but they think what I do is cool.

"And I have my horses. They are my friends."

Adriana Picollo said it’s been easy to support her daughter’s passion.

"She really likes it," Adriana Picollo said. "It’s a good sport and it does have the potential for her to get a college scholarship.

"Horses are an expensive hobby, but it’s been worth it."

One of Noelani’s mentors has been Mike Dailey, Hawaii Polo Club president and third-generation polo player.

"She’s already a strong horsewoman and she’s athletic; that’s a good combinational," Dailey said. "She’s been riding a long time, and that is part of why she has progressed very quickly.

"She absolutely has the potential to play intercollegiate and beyond. All the intercollegiate players don’t have the polo background when they get to college. They learn it when they are in school. But somebody like her, with the strong riding and strong polo background, is going to do very well."

There are nearly 30 colleges that field polo teams, for both men and women. Noelani Picollo is looking at Texas A&M and Cornell, where she can combine polo with her other goal: to become a veterinarian.

"I’d encourage other girls to try the sport," she said. "It’s really exciting and it’s cool that it doesn’t matter what gender you are. It’s about ability and working together as a team.

"It’s a beautiful game."

The four-man Nine Dragon Hills Polo Club team will be joined by one of the top players from Malayasa, Chevy Beh. The four-goaler captained England’s Wellington College for three seasons and was an intercollegiate all-star at the University of Virginia along with Hawaii Polo Club’s Devon Dailey, Mike’s son.

REC CENTER

Mokoli‘i Classic Saturday at Kualoa

The inaugural Mokoli‘i Paddle Classic/Paddling for Possibilities, a fundraiser for Assistive Technology Resource Centers of Hawaii, will be held Saturday at Kualoa Regional Park.

The event features competition in stand-up paddleboard, paddleboard and OC1 relay on courses that circle Mokoli‘i (Chinaman’s Hat). Walk-up registration will be accepted starting at 9:30 a.m. through the 11:30 a.m. opening ceremony. Competition begins at noon.

Money raised will be used to purchase assistive technology, such as wheelchairs, smart pens and iPads for Hawaii residents with disabilities.

» mokoliirace.com.

Pool team finishes fifth

Poolplayers in Paradise, captained by Steve Van Ness, finished fifth out of 256 teams in the masters division of the APA 9-Ball Team Championships last month in Las Vegas.

The team, which included Hank Kuhn, Ryo Yokawa and Steven Weakly, earned $1,200. It was the best finish of the eight Oahu American Poolplayers Association entries at the national championships.

» oahu.apaleagues.com

Ciletti, Mizutani win two EXCA divisions

Jaime Ciletti and Haven Mizutani both won two divisions at last Saturday’s Carolyne Lazar Extreme Cowboy Association Hawaii Regional at Kawailoa Ranch.

Ciletti, riding Mele, took both the youth and non-pro titles, and finished as the season’s overall winner in both. Mizutani was aboard Zion in winning the green horse division and rode Scarecrow in the novice division; she finished as the season’s points leader in green horse and was second to Karen Sbarbaro in novice.

Greg Smith earned the Trophy Saddle as the high-point winner for the season, followed by Ciletti. Smith took the top two spots in the pro division Saturday as well as overall, finishing first on Jane and second on Libby.

Other regional winners were Emma Thomas, young guns, and Brandi Pontin, ride smart. Other overall season winners were Gianna Sbarbaro, young guns, and Pontin, ride smart.

» extremecowboyassociation.com.

Baxter, Lenny win Florida SUP races

Maui’s Connor Baxter and Kai Lenny continued their dual for the stand-up paddler world title when both won races at last weekend’s Cocoa Beach (Fla.) Paddle Classic.

Baxter, coming into Saturday’s long-distance as world No. 1, overcame large surf, strong offshore winds and an elite field to win the challenging long-distance race. He finished seventh in the sprint portion, slipping to No. 3 overall.

Lenny won Sunday’s sprint race in epic surf conditions en route to placing first overall. He took over the world leaderboard heading into next month’s Stand-Up World Series Championships at Turtle Bay.

» standupworldseries.com.

World Vintage Rugby Carnival in Hawaii

Forty-five teams from 16 countries will be competing at Kapiolani Park when the Hawaii Harlequins host the fifth World Vintage Rugby Carnival Sept. 23-30.

This is the first time the biennial event is being held in the United States. Previous stops were in Ireland, New Zealand, Argentina and South Africa. It is an "old boys" tournament with divisions in over-35 and over-45.

Daylong play begins at 9 a.m. and is scheduled for Sept. 24, 26 and 28.

» vintagerugby.com.

Scott Simpson will host free golf clinic

Former Kailua resident Scott Simpson, the 1987 U.S. Open champion, will host a free clinic at Ko Olina on Wednesday, from 4-5 p.m. on the driving range.

Kapalua’s Jerry King and Punahou boys coach Matt Pakkala will also be involved in the clinic, which is part of a TaylorMade Demo Day and Trunk Show that runs from 3-6 p.m. The latest equipment from TaylorMade, adidas and Ashworth will be available to sample. There will be fitting appointments every half hour. To make one, call 676-5300.

The first 150 to register for the clinic —at koolinagolf.com/scottsimpson — will get a tee gift. Outfits from Ashworth and adidas, worth $300, will also be given away to one man and one woman.

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