horse transport
POLO PONY JET SET
It is not just the human stars of the sport that fly around the world in first-class comfort ; the equine elites have the option to turn left on the plane too ! Guards Polo Club ’ s vet Holly Baird MRCVS finds out how these superstars travel Pictures by International Racehorse Transport and Nic Roldan
Passport ? Check . First Class Ticket ? Check . Custom-made trunks laden with designer clothing ? Check . Hand-crafted leatherwear ? Check !
One could be forgiven for thinking this is the checklist of an international supermodel preparing to fly into town for London Fashion Week . This list , however , is for a far more exclusive traveller . These voyagers are touching down at Heathrow for a different , yet equally glamorous reason – they are the polo pony jet set .
A handful of elite ponies travelling the world to play polo in the highest rated international tournaments . From the estancias of Argentina to the palmdotted fields of Florida , the rolling hills of Australia ’ s Hunter Valley to our very own Smith ’ s Lawn , these ponies are accumulating more air miles than many of their human counterparts .
One well-travelled pony is Nic Roldan ’ s Illusionada . With an 8-goal handicap , Nic is America ’ s highest rated polo player and Illusionada is the stalwart of his string . Described by Nic as a “ rockstar ” and his “ uber-spare ”, this stunning chestnut mare began playing last year in Palm Beach , where she competed in the US Open . In April , she and five stablemates travelled from Miami to London , the final destination being the West Sussex stables where she was based for the summer . Once settled , Illusionada began preparation for the Queen ’ s and Gold Cups , with Nic playing for La Indiana .
Memorably , Nic was riding Illusionada when he scored a superb under-the-neck goal at the end of the third chukka in the final of the Gold Cup , levelling the game just before half time . The completion of the 2016 UK high-goal season then saw her board another flight , this time bound for New York .
High-goal big guns , King Power , also have a multitude of high-flying ponies . At the front of the check-in queue with her frequent flyer gold card is Open Katrina .
108 guards polo club official yearbook 2017