Polo is increasingly affordable to watch, has become more accessible, and has never been more popular, as Rebecca Kent discovers.

There has been a push in recent years to broaden the appeal of Polo, not only in South Africa, but also on a global level. It has long been regarded as a game for the landed gentry.
However, driven by aggressive marketing, arena polo – which is played on a smaller field and with only three, rather than four players per team – is being frequently staged to appeal to the masses.
The Gaucho International will have the very dynamism that South African Polo Association (SAPA) hopes will boost participation rates of the sport in the Rainbow Nation.
SAPA is making a concerted effort to increase the uptake of polo. Currently the participation rate hovers around 500 players divided up into 40 clubs across the country. “We want to grow the number to 2000 and hopefully in next four-to-five years,” says Clive Peddle, at the head of SAPA.
As well as a broad push to draw more women into the sport, the association is focussing its efforts on grassroots development. Unlike England, South Africa doesn’t have pony clubs to nurture young talent. So, it has been plucking budding talent from schools across the country, specifically in Johannesburg, KwaZulu Natal and Plettenberg Bay.
The kids are trained up with a view to turning professional.
“We have instituted a coaching programme to get kids interested or kids with talent to start playing and we also plan to roll this out to schools, where there has been little take up,” says Peddle. “Because of the cost people see it as an inaccessible game, but we would help by lending them a pony at clinic. If a child shows talent, we’d try to make the cost reasonable for them.”
For the past 15 years, the association has been trying to develop the game among underprivileged black children. It has a budget of R200,000 a year to offer bursaries. However, each child must show academic commitment before they are ‘rewarded’ with a horse, mallet and all the necessary equipment.
When they’ve finished school, they are encouraged to join a club, which can further assist their development.
The success of this scheme is difficult to measure. But Sbu Duma, 23, the son of a groomsman, has offered hope. Duma’s talent was sustained and he is now being trained among the best in the sport in Argentina and England.
You’ve got to hand it to SAPA for its aspirations. Introduced to South Africa by the British during the Boer War, the entertainment value has not wavered.
“Crowd numbers have been growing, which is heartening. It’s a great game. You can bring a picnic and enjoy a day out. Plus, tickets don’t cost more than the price of a rugby ticket,” says Peddle.
“We don’t want people to think this is an elitist sport. You can meet the players and they are all nice. Polo is one of the most exhilarating games in the world. Just get on a horse and it won’t be long before the bug bites.”


From South Africa Magazine, Issue 10.