From polo novices to mentors in 10 months: Hong Kong graduates ready to groom next generation of riders

Most of them had never been on a horse before. One year later, they are ready to help groom the next generation of Hong Kong polo players. Players from the first Hong Kong Beginners Polo Cup are no longer rookies after going through a rigorous 10-month training programme that included monthly trips to Thailand or Tianjin, China, where the tournament took place in October. Their escapades have inspired more Hongkongers to take up the sport and chief organiser Andrew Leung is gearing up for the next round in his quest to increase the popularity of polo in Hong Kong. “The Hong Kong Beginners Polo Cup was an absolute success,” said Leung, who learned the game in England and returned to the saddle four years ago after a two-decade absence. “All of the Beginners had the time of their lives and most importantly there were no injuries sustained by horse or rider. I sense that an unshakeable bond of respect and friendship has been forged between all of the participants involved, as we all trained together in preparation for the event for one whole year. “Through friends, acquaintances and the media, there have been many beginners that have expressed a genuine interest to participate in the next Hong Kong Beginners Polo Cup in October 2019. I am therefore currently organising the monthly beginners’ polo schedule for 2019. “Last year’s beginners will be trusted to support and introduce the sport to the 2019 beginners. Not only is polo a great sport, it is also a giving sport that creates everlasting friendships.” Leung, the son of former Hong Kong racehorse trainer Stephen Leung, brought together a motley crew of beginners whose 10-month programme culminated in the Beginners Cup at the Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club. For many, it was a life-changing experience. Financial Express investment adviser Michael Li said the polo adventure was like a journey back to his younger days. “It help bring back all the happy and fond memories from playing sport from my childhood. The last 20 years has been dominated by my career and my family so to have a new focus in learning a new sport helped awaken the sporty and competitive side of me, which I found extremely satisfying and fun.” Li finished up with the Most Valuable Player award and remembers being overwhelmed by nerves when taking a penalty with his side 1-0 down. “It felt like the longest five seconds of my life and all I could remember was praying that my horse wouldn’t bolt off in the wrong direction. Luckily I hit the ball cleanly and watched it sail in between the goalposts. This gave me the confidence to score another three penalties in the final and while we lost to the better team, I did manage to walk off with the Most Valuable Player Award.” Jon Rees, a teacher at International College Hong Kong, said playing polo took him out of his comfort zone. “It gave me the chance to do something that I never thought I could,” he said. “Playing a match with seven other riders bombing around you is an exhilarating experience and gives me the confidence to go forward in life knowing that I can take on all manner of other challenges that might come along.” Taylor Hui, a lawyer with Deacons, was one of the few who had past riding experience but started playing polo two years ago. “Polo is the most exciting team sport I have every played. It is like playing field hockey or sometimes golf on horseback. After the 2018 experience, I have decided to ride more regularly.” Jackie Wang, who started playing two years ago, took pride in leading her own team for the first time. “The most memorable moment was playing the ladies tournament,” she said. “It was a physically and emotionally demanding but extremely fulfilling experience for me as it was the first time I formed my own team instead of sharing one with another patron. “I took a fall during the tournament and fortunately got up right away with minor injuries. The experience taught me a lot about resilience and grit. I’m confident 2019 will bring even more memorable polo moments.” For Gary Sze, the moment that seized him was before the tournament when all that he had trained for was actually happening before him. “I do think about polo a lot these days. I am in love with polo. Perhaps, it is my passion for this exciting sport or just the athlete in me,” he said. “To me, the most memorable moment was the parade before each match. We were on the horses and each player was announced and introduced by the official match commentator to the spectators in the stadium. “I think at that moment I finally realised that I was actually playing a real polo match in a polo tournament.”

From polo novices to mentors in 10 months: Hong Kong graduates ready to groom next generation of riders

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}The inaugural Beginners Cup has changed the lives of those who learned to ride and play from scratch as they pass on their knowledge to a new batch

The inaugural Beginners Cup has changed the lives of those who learned to ride and play from scratch as they pass on their knowledge to a new batch