"More new blood - Less blue blood"

Newcomer Of The Year

Ben’s interest in polo started when he was ten years old playing around on a pedal bike hitting a polo ball with a hand stick! Luckily after two years Jane Tucker from West Somerset Polo Club came to the rescue and gave Ben a pony in order to have a proper go!

Ben progressed very quickly under the encouraging eye of Harry Tucker and age 12 he was presented with the “Best Under 16 Player” in the country. By the age of 13 Ben also turned his hand to Clay Pigeon shooting where he represented England in the Under 16 Section and was invited to train to represent England in the 2008 Olympics. However, aged just,14 Ben had chosen polo as his path of passion and continued his rise through the polo ranks by winning the “Best Under 21 Player” in the country at the age of 18.

In 2004 Ben started playing professionally at Edgworth Polo Club competing in -4 to 22 goal. In 2007 Ben’s Tiverton pony club Rendall team won the championships at Cowdray with Ben winning the “Best Rendall player of the Championships”.

We are very pleased to welcome Ben to the Sussex Polo team as one of our 1 goal polo professionals and junior instructors. Ben is also looking forward to the England Under 21 Polo Trials that he has been selected for this summer…watch this space.  

Caroline is a qualified HPA Instructor and 0-goal player, who comes to Sussex Polo having spent the past 3 years working for well-known international polo coach Peter Grace as Ascot Park ’s Polo manager and HPA coach.

She counts herself lucky as both a player and instructor to have also worked under several of the sport’s best teachers including four summers with Major Hugh Dawnay, author of ‘Playmaker Polo.’ Caroline has also been lucky enough to receive coaching from Rege Ludwig, and to assist John Horswell, Giles Ormerod and Eduardo Amaya.

Caroline has worked in polo for the past 11-years, as instructor, polo manager and groom, mainly in the UK and Ireland . She has also worked and played in Australasia , Spain , Zimbabwe , the US and Dubai. She regards the highlight of her own polo career as playing 15-goal chukkas in Argentina . After she overcame her initial terror at realizing she was the only player handicapped at less than four goals on the field, she received great acclaim for stopping a certain goal shot hit by 8-goaler JJ Brane by deflecting the ball with her bottom.

Harry Tucker - HPA Coach

Harry starting playing polo with the pony club for Quantock, Old Surrey & Burstow and Tiverton. Harry’s talent for polo was soon spotted and whilst competing at the National Pony Club Championships he was awarded a place on the HPA junior fast track programme held at Sotogrande. He went on to captain the Rendell team for Cowdray, and Langford for Tiverton, when he was honored to receive the Andrew Older Memorial trophy for the most promising player of the year.

Harry also captained the Millfield school polo team which qualified for the finals of the schools National championships and also went on to win the Arena national Championships at Ingelsham where he was awarded best senior player. Harry then went on to play International Polo against France playing alongside another slightly more famous Harry!!

Despite acquiring enough qualifications to attend University, Harry decided to pursue a career in polo. Harry started his professional career at Edgeworth, Beaufort and Binfield Heath Polo Clubs as well as a summer working for Andrew Hine. For the past three winters Harry has worked in New Zealand with the legendary Tony Devitch where he added to his polo skills by learning to make young polo ponies. Harry’s summers are now based at Sussex Polo Club where he can fully utilize his talents not only as the clubs 1-goal polo professional but also as an Umpire and qualified HPA coach. Anyone that has played alongside Harry will remember how his encouragement, determination and courageous play make him a great asset to any team.  

Caroline Giles - HPA Coach

Caroline Giles is a member of and HPA instructor for Sussex Polo club, playing of a zero goal handicap. Caroline was born into a polo playing family and started riding at the age of three in the New Forest . As a young player Caroline took advantage of the superb courses run by the pony club and received instruction from many world class players such as Hector Baranties. Whilst working her way through the pony club divisions Caroline was twice awarded the prize for Best Girl Player. Keen to continue fostering youngsters interest in the game, she is now very much involved in teaching and coaching within the pony Club.

In 1991 Caroline won a place on the English Ladies Polo Team and reached the finals against Boston , USA . It was Caroline's goal in the last minute of that match that secured England ’s 6-51/2 victory. Caroline also captained the Sussex Ladies team that won their league in the IWPA National Women’s Tournament in 2004 and was also awarded the prize for The Most Powerful player.