Polo umpire

Pete Wright, chief umpire for the HPA, on chasing the perfect game and players who break the mould

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My mother’s family were equestrians, and there were always horses and ponies around when I was growing up. My uncle Peter Hervey became a successful three-day eventer, and was reserve for the 1968 Olympics. My own first real pony was an old grey called Veuve Clicquot, a lovely old gentleman who had been there and done it with the HH branch of the Pony Club.

Polo didn’t come into my life until I was about 14. Dad was commanding officer of the cavalry at Tidworth and so was in charge of the Tidworth polo club. He went on to become chairman not just of Pony Club polo but also of the HPA (Hurlingham Polo Association).

Polo hooked me completely from day one. I started playing on my Pony Club event horse, Binka, who was much better at hunter trialling. He hadn’t cottoned on to stopping and turning, but at that stage you ride whatever you have.

I turned pro when I left school and got to four goals, which meant I could make a decent living and played all over the world. I was still playing competitively when I made the decision to switch to umpiring exclusively. It was the last day of the season at Cowdray, and I walked off the field and said, “That’s my last polo game.” People said I was mad but I’d had a good career, and I was being asked to umpire more and more.