Will (Form 5) began his polo career on Teddy, one of his hunting ponies, when he was only eight. Keen to pursue this sport, he started playing polo with the Crawley and Horsham Pony Club.
Initially he played Jorrocks (6-U11), then moved on to Handley Cross (9-U14) and is now playing at Surtees level (9-U14).
In 2016 he won the Pony Club Tic Tac Trophy for the Best Playing Pony and Rider Combination.
Will’s neighbours, Jack and Ralph Richardson, are both professional polo players who represent England. They have been fantastic mentors to Will and he often practices polo with them.
Whilst playing for HPA (Hurlingham Polo Association) Hipwood level last year, Will was spotted and asked to join the Young Development Pathway.
He was then invited to train at The Kurland Polo Club in Plettenberg, South Africa, for ten days before Christmas 2016. This was a great experience, under the guidance of the renowned Buster MacKenzie.
There were four boys in the group; they trained and played every day, then took part in a Polo Parade on their ponies through Plettenberg. Will returned to the UK with lots of exciting stories, including being woken up by baboons banging on his bedroom door and finding a Puff Adder in the garden!
With four polo ponies of his own, Will is really looking forward to next season, having kept his eye in by playing Arena Polo at Hickstead over the Winter. A highlight of last season was playing at the grounds of the Black Bears and King Power Polo Teams. His Polo Handicap is currently -2.
