Two new polo schools have been set up to cater for the burgeoning number of budding polo players.
The Hampshire Polo School was launched a few weeks ago at South Wonston Farm, Winchester, run by Hurlingham Polo Association-accredited instructor and professional polo player Sean Wilson-Smith.
“I hosted a taster day for students at Winchester University recently and I’m going to teach from one-hour lessons to five-day courses,” said Sean.
And Chris Townsend, who owns equine supplement company Feedmark, has set up the Norfolk Polo Club at Langley Abbey, Norwich, with the aim to encourage people who have never ridden before to try polo.
The school has around 20 ponies of varying standards and a full-time Argentinian coach, Pali Brizuela.
He told H&H: “I had a go and loved it, but there were no polo facilities in Norfolk.”
A spokesman for Polo Networks said: “There is more demand with people taking up polo as a hobby. It’s fantastic news that training centres are making it more accessible.”
• For more information visit www.hampshirepoloschool.co.uk and www.norfolkpolo.co.uk
This article was first published in Horse & Hound (14 October, ’10)
