Don Corleone once said, "A man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man.". Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers argues real men spend time with their horses.
Last week I was lucky enough to meet with the Godfather of Polo himself, Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers , Chairman of the Hurlingham Polo Association at his wonderful office in Chelsea.
He spoke to me in great length about all aspects of polo from its history to the way junior polo is shaping up in the UK today. Truly an ambassador for Polo across the globe, it was my pleasure to be welcomed into his world.
His bronze pony statues were pretty neat too.
LP: Nicholas, please tell us a bit about the Hurlingham Polo Association and what it does.
NCD: The HPA is basically an association of clubs within the UK and Ireland, and many clubs in the commonwealth and Europe. This association is headed by a council and then you have the stewards and the clubs. We represent around 71 clubs in the United Kingdom and Ireland alone.
LP: How were those clubs founded?
NCD: It was founded back in 1869, and its headquarters were at the Hurlingham Club. It was set up to write the rules for polo after the sport was brought back from India by the British Army and subsequently disseminated around the world.
LP: Can you become a member of the HPA?
NCD: Currently you have to be a member of a polo club within the UK or Ireland or through a club in one of the commonwealth Nations to become a member of the HPA, then you will become one of the associate members of the HPA.
LP: I'm also aware you are associated with Ham Polo Club. Could you please tell us how you are involved with the Club.
NCD: Ham Polo Club is the last of 13 Polo Clubs that were in and around London, and we are quite proud of that.
We were established in 1926, and we have two grounds at the club, one in the park, and some stick and ball grounds as well. We have about 100 playing members, and a lot of social members and we play low goal polo for fun although we also have an eight and a twelve goal tournament every year.
LP: How often are you able to play polo yourself?
NCD: I play four times a week in the summer, subject to the weather.
LP: Fantastic! And aside from polo, what else are you doing?
NCD: I run the London office of an Oil and Shipping company based in the Middle East.
LB: Very busy then! So at the moment, UK polo is kicking off in a big way. Which are the main events in the polo calendar that you are looking forward to?
NCD: I think the finals of the Queens Cup at Guards Polo Club and the Gold Cup, which is of course the British Open, which is played down at Cowdray.
There are many other polo tournaments that are quite fun! Polo in the Park, which is a way of bringing polo to the public. It lets people see it, quite often for the first time which is great.
They had great success last year and I understand that this year’s event was even better.
LP: Is that an 'all weekend' event?
NCD: Yes, it was on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the 4-7th of June.
LP: Are there any key players we should be looking out for?
NCD: I think if you look at our lady players, as we were discussing before, they are very impressive. They played the two eight goal tournaments last year. Also James Beim and the Tomlinson brothers you always have to keep an eye out for. They are always at the top of their game.
LP: It could be said that polo was once viewed as an 'elitist' sport, but with events like the Cartier International Day and Mint Polo in the Park, it is allowing polo to become a lot more accessible. Why do you think that is?
NCD: I think it has been a long campaign to try and explain to people that is not quite as 'elitist' as they all believe it is. Traditionally, it was associated with royalty and wealth (and all the rest) but there are different levels of polo. Yes, if you want to play High Goal, which is the Formula One equivalent, it is quite an expensive sport to play. But, it is much less expensive down at the lower end and I think people are starting to realise that.
To me, it is the Great Grandaddy of all extreme sports, it's one of the oldest of all stick and ball sports, and when you look at the history of the sport, it dates back to around 600 BC in Persia. A lot of other modern stick and ball sports came from Polo. It is a very exciting combination of many different things; you have the horse riding, the team sport, the tactics, the striking of the ball.. I mean, there is nothing like it.
LP: Absolutely. And as we said before, polo can really be seen as a family orientated sport.
NCD: Yes, well people regard it as a sport, but I really regard it as a way of life.
It's much more than a sport, and it’s certainly for families, for kids and dogs etc.
You will find there are a lot of generations of polo players, where the Grandfathers, fathers and their children will play. It has become something that the family can play together, which is fantastic.
LP: What about Junior Polo in the UK as there seems to be a trend for that.
What can be said about the way the new generation has taken to polo?
NCD: It is something that is growing incredibly fast. Encouraged by Pony Club, and by the HPA as well, we tend to look at the people coming through for real talent, and then try and help them and assist them to realise that talent and to help them get better by sending them on courses and schemes. We often send them to Argentina to play with much better players, which is the only way they will improve. There is a real resurgence in schools as well. Schools polo has taken off incredibly, over the last few years, with the help of Schools and University polo Associations- all credit to them.
LP: You mention the school swap in Argentina, which kind of clubs are involved? How does it work?
NCD: A lot of people will go over there and book into an estancia, to play polo for a week or two weeks, while they are over there.. that is sporting tourism if you like.
What we do, is select some of the better players and send them to Argentine players, asking them if they will take this 'youngster' under their wing for six months, or four months, and get them into a higher grade of polo. This allows them to realise their full potential.
LP: That seems wonderful. How lucky to be playing in the sun every day!
NCD: So long as there is sun! Every time I've been there, they have rained off the final of the open.
LP: Oh no! Well let’s hope that doesn't happen in any of the major tournaments this summer in the UK!
NCD: I think we are a bit more used to playing in the rain over here.
LP: True.
LP: Well, it has been wonderful talking with you, thank you very much.
NCD: It has been my pleasure. Thank you.
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