Polo causes rift between father and son and then brings them together as ex-racehorse trainer, 71, rides again after 30 years

Stephen Leung Sik-lun had not ridden a polo pony for almost 30 years. He was also not too keen on his son, Andrew Leung, spending so much time playing polo – he felt he should be focusing more on his career as a lawyer.

Their diverging views caused a rift between father – an ex-racehorse trainer who worked with former Hong Kong champion Indigenous – and son. That was until a few months ago when the elder Leung read an article in a magazine about Andrew’s project – the Hong Kong Beginners Cup, in which a handful of absolute beginners would be given nine months to learn how to ride, hit a ball and finally compete in a fully fledged tournament.

“It was maybe because of my son,” said Stephen Leung, when asked why, at 71, he decided to climb on a polo pony again. “He started to play polo as a small boy under my influence in England. Now he is so devoted to this game and starting a beginner’s programme for polo in Hong Kong, so I said okay, I will support him.

“I haven’t ridden a polo pony for nearly 30 years,” added Leung, who would also ride trackwork for racehorses until 16 years ago. “I used to ride my stable horses every morning but riding trackwork is very different to riding a polo pony.

“Polo ponies do not rely on speed or that type of stamina. They only last for 25 minutes for a game and go at a slow speed, canter or slow canter. I’m 71 but because my son asked me, I decided to give it a try.”