The Nasr Polo Grounds witnessed a historic event by hosting its first International Women’s Polo Tournament, 2017, from January 11 to 14. Among international polo players competed Hyderabad girls Rajvi Rao and Chaya.
The horse whisperer
Rajvi Rao, who trains on her own race horse Irish Whisky, loves the sport for her horse and adrenaline rush
One look at the 19-year-old and you will know how much she loves the sport. Confident, extremely fit and full of enthusiasm, Rajvi Rao has been training at the Hyderabad Polo and Riding Club (HPRC) and the Nasr Polo Grounds under her coach Steven Armour. The girl who pursues A.S. levels, IGCSE syllabus at the Jain International School, aspires for a career in publishing and a major in literature. An active blogger, Rajvi has read more than 700 books.
Rajvi practises for hours together and keeps herself fit through yoga and exercise. “My family has been very supportive. My mom has seen me fall from the horse many times, but she asked me to do it a few more times! I’ve been playing for a few months and the experience is surreal. I have covered almost all aspects of horse riding since I have my own race horse named Irish Whisky. I call him Scotch for short,” she smiles.
Rajvi Rao
Why polo? “For the horses, for sure! Also, the adrenaline rush. It is a great sport like golf but only faster. I look up to Indian polo player Rina Shah and many Argentine players,” she says.
On the tournament, she says, “Can you believe it? I have not trained for this tournament. I had taken a long break and have started playing just a couple of days ago. It is such a great experience to be a part of the tournament. During the first game, we made many fouls, but they taught us many strategies and we got better.”
Does she face any challenges? “There is always a little bit of fear blocking you, but you need to get out of it and enjoy the sport. The best part is the speed and team work with the horse.”
There are 800 polo players in the country, but only 20 are women. “The tournament is a huge thing for women players. The sport is very challenging and many women think that it is only for men. It’s time such stereotypical thoughts change. Women must take up the sport here like in other countries. Many also think that it is a sport for the rich; that mindset, too, should change,” she says.
It is important to communicate with the horses, says Rajvi. “You need to have basic riding skills. You should also work as a team with your horse. Both must be on the same page, but you must also not solely focus on the horse. It’s important to focus on the ball too. It is all about managing both.”
Polo in her blood
Born into a family of polo players, Chaya naturally became one herself
Twenty-year-old Chaya studied until seventh standard at St Mary’s High School, Mehdipatnam, and quit studies to pursue polo full time. She has been playing the sport for more than three years now, and trains young polo players. Multi-talented Chaya is also a professional athlete who has won many tournaments in the jump category too.
With her family into the sport, Chaya was naturally inclined to it as well. “I saw people practising at the HPRC and I instantly knew that I wanted to do this. My brother, a polo player, has also been an inspiration. I want to be the world’s best polo player and represent India at international tournaments,” she says.
Chaya practises for an hour in the morning and in the evening. “My family has supported me a lot. I started with cycle polo and then shifted to horse polo. I was excited when I got the invitation to play here. I’ve been practising hard for the tournament,” she says.
Chaya feels it is important to bond with the horses. “I love horses more than the sport! I talk to them all the time. I massage and clean them and feed them carrots. Horses are more beautiful than the humans I have met!”
