Junior Polo
Sussex Polo Club is a place for all the family to come together as spectators or participants. Families and parents can simply relax and watch the polo or perhaps even encourage their child’s first equestrian steps. Many of today’s top UK professional polo players started through the Pony Club.
Stagshead Trophy 2011: View Video of Terence Lent, 13, playing in the HPA Young England match at Ham in August 2011
Pony Club Polo
Sussex Polo Club hosts the Old Surrey & Burstow (OS&B) Pony Club which has produced three of the UK’s winning Junior polo teams for the last three years. Lessons usually take place on Friday evenings and in school holidays through the summer season.
Children’s polo is also a great social activity where all levels and abilities can be catered for and like minded friends are made for life. It also provides a venue for competition and a sense of achievement and all the valuable positive lessons that go with it. For instance, in 2008 the OS&B Pony club won the Jorrocks UK Championship for the second year running and were also asked to lead the parade at Cartier in front of the Queen which was a great honour.
In 2009, the Pony Club celebrated its 50th Anniversary of polo at Cowdray Park on Sunday 9 August. All of the Pony Club teams from across the UK travelled across the country to play the preliminary rounds which culminate in the finals on the hallowed “Lawns 1” at Cowdray Park Polo Club where the Old Surrey & Burstow Handley Cross team swiped the ‘silver’ for first place. The team comprised of local players (L to R) Alice Walsh, Terence Lent, Harry Hickmet and Emily Collins all aged between 11 and 13 years old.
There are presently over 500 children around the UK aged between six and 21 playing Pony Club polo. For more information on the OS&B Pony Club Polo please contact Mrs Liz Wicks on 07803 702234. There will be a junior polo match at the Terence Lent Trophy family fun day on 29 August. Spectators are always welcome, please call the Polo Office for details: 01342 714920.
Junior Academy
Following on from the phenomenal success of our young players at the Cowdray Pony Club Championships , Sussex Polo is delighted to introduce a new level of polo aimed at our up and coming junior members – The Junior Academy.
Starting in the 2011 summer season, the Junior Academy will be held on select Sunday mornings and set dates throughout school holidays. The Junior Academy has been designed to develop the talents of the polo players of the future. Sussex Polo is the only club inSussex to focus on the needs of the younger members. The 2-hour sessions will incorporate one hour of junior instruction followed by one hour of instructional chukkas.
Cost is £20 per junior member.
Right: Toby Addison wins the Rupert Thornloe Memorial Cup in 2010. You can read about his pledge to fill his enormous cup with cash in aid of the Welsh Guards Afghanistan Appeal in our Press & Media pages.
Read about one of our young players in The Polo Magazine Autumn 2010
