In Kingsland’s home nation of Norway, you’d be forgiven for not knowing that a polo club happens to exist here - and as luck would have it, it’s located only a half an hour drive from our very own Kingsland headquarters!
Established in 2013, The Norwegian Polo Club is a project of love created by Thea and Nick May, who decided that instead of traveling abroad for polo, why not bring it to Norway?
The Norwegian Polo Club is very much a family affair. Thea doubles up as groom and managing director, while Nick can often be found out on the pitch teaching riders - ranging from beginners to the more seasoned polo players.
Their kids are also very much involved in the daily runnings of the club and regularly help out in lessons and the larger events that the club runs.
But not simply content with being the first polo club in Norway, the family decided to make history yet again in 2017!
Already experienced in the world of breeding polo ponies back in England, it seemed about time that Norway’s first and only polo club also brought into the world the first polo pony born on Norwegian soil. Fast forward to June 2018, and Norway welcomed its very first Norwegian bred polo pony.
Named after a close friend to the family - former captain of the Australian National Polo Team and former Polo Manager of both Guards Polo Club and Ellerston, Glen Gilmore!
Glen Gilmore the Pony was born in late June 2018 and was jokingly named after Gilmore so that “Glen the Human” could ride “Glen the Pony” on his next visit to Norway.
And now that Glen is three years old, he’s now coming up to an age where he can begin training to be a ridden polo pony!
Hopefully the two Glens will soon get the chance to meet, and perhaps this may even kick off the stallion’s career as a top-class polo pony!
I know what you’re thinking! What makes a good polo pony? One that could be the face of polo in Norway?
Well, there are many aspects that go into raising and training a pony which is a perfect fit for polo. While it doesn’t necessarily come down to breed (one of Norway’s polo ponies is a Welsh Cob x Arabian!), certain characteristics lend themselves to a good polo pony.
Good speed and endurance (traits commonly found in Thoroughbreds) lend themselves well to polo, and according to Nick and Thea, Glen seems to be showing all of the characteristic traits that you could often only dream of!
While The Norwegian Polo Club might be Norway’s first and only polo club, and Glen Gilmore may be the first Norwegian-born polo pony, he is not the only one. This year, the polo club welcomed their second Norwegian homebred, Vincent, a colt sired by Glen Gilmore himself! Norway may be new to the world of polo, but it’s making strides and making history one pony at a time.
If you want to follow Glen the Pony’s journey, check out his Instagram, @theglengilmoreshow, and The Norwegian Polo Club Instagram, @thenorwegianpoloclub, for updates on the club and their other ponies!