Kian Gadsby
Few sports carry the weight of history and prestige quite like polo.
The sport has been played for thousands of years, with origins dating back as far as Ancient Persia, and the game even earned the moniker, ‘The Sport of Kings,’ due to its popularity with monarchs.
However, in modern times the sport has stepped away from the sporting spotlight here in the United Kingdom.
With polo being a costly sport to participate in, as it requires maintaining a horse as well as specialist equipment, many simply can’t afford to compete. Further, its elitist reputation means that new athletes are deterred from trying the sport, as they assume that it’s not for them.
Despite these setbacks, the University of Nottingham Polo team has been thriving recently. They placed 5th at the National University Championships back in June, and they have continued to build for the future by successfully attracting new members.
To learn more about the modern reality of competing in this ancient sport, Impact interviewed Lara Cuthbertson, a third year Geography student and former University of Nottingham Sports Ambassador.
Getting Started in Polo
As polo is an enigma to even some of the most seasoned sports fans, you may be wondering how someone decides they wish to give it a try.
Lara started the interview by explaining that her route into the game began due to a love of horse riding, but she was inspired by the prosperous team at the University of Nottingham to finally give it a try.
“I started at university. I decided to take it up as I had ridden my whole life but wanted to try something different, and polo attracted me as it was so sociable, friendly and I love horses!”
When talking about Polo, the sport has a reputation amongst students for being both exclusive and expensive.
However, when challenged on whether this was a potential barrier for new students who wanted to try the sport, Lara explained that university was the perfect place to get into the game, as there are many ways of making the game affordable for everyone.
“Polo is classed as an exclusive sport because of its high costs, absolutely. However, what’s so great about university polo is these costs are heavily reduced, making the sport way more accessible and inclusive for students.
“The way university polo works, to make it so much cheaper, we include costs of kit, where we borrow and lend kit around the club, as well as have discount codes for those that want to buy their own kit.
“You do not need to own a horse, let alone a string of 4 horses, as our coach has a huge selection of ponies to try and choose from.
“Lessons may also seem expensive to some people, however the beauty of it is that it’s flexible to train, so there is no pressure to spend money on training, and therefore students can pick and choose when they would like to train.
“To enter tournaments, you also don’t need to train a certain amount which makes it way more stress free and less pressure financially.”
Looking at Last Season
When considering results, last season the Polo team didn’t perform as well as they would have hoped to after previous successes.
However, while the team had hoped for a higher placement, Lara says that she believes that some social aspects of the sport are more important than the results, and that the off-field experience more than made up for the result.
“In previous years we had come 1st/2nd but last year we placed 5th.
“That was disappointing, but at the same time I had the ultimate time. It’s a brilliant tournament over the weekend with lots of friends and socials!”
What’s it like to represent the Green and Gold?
For many athletes, wearing the University of Nottingham’s famous Green and Gold shirt is a huge honour when they step out onto the field.
When asked about how it felt to represent the university, Lara’s face lit up as she expressed how good it felt to wear the Green and Gold.
“Amazing! It’s great wearing the Green and Gold colours – the biggest university club, who do pretty well and have the most fun!”
Why Should You Try Polo?
As the interview neared its conclusion, Lara spoke on why people should get involved Polo, despite the high costs to compete.
Her response was emphatic, as she passionately explained why any prospective new members should join the Polo team.
“Give it a go! You absolutely don’t have to pressure yourself into thinking you aren’t good enough or haven’t been around horses before. We have so many non-riders who have just as good a time as I did and I made friends for life!
“It’s fast, an adrenaline rush, but also for complete beginners (ridden a horse before or not!). It’s full contact and overall so fun whether you win or not!
“Personally, I would say that it’s the best thing I’ve ever started, as I’ve made memories to last a lifetime!”
Whether you’re a seasoned rider or someone who’s never touched a saddle, Polo offers a brilliant opportunity to build friendships and join a passionate community.
Inspired to give it a go? Make sure to check out the University of Nottingham’s Polo Instagram page @uon_polo.
Kian Gadsby
Featured image courtesy of Lara Cuthbertson. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 1 courtesy of @uon_polo via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 2 courtesy of @uon_polo via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
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