Neku Atawodi

A Brief Introduction?.

My name is Uneku Atawodi, and I am a polo player and Equine Sports Scientist (BSc Hons)

How was Life Growing up?.and why Choose polo?.

Life was full of experiences, that I am blessed to say led me to polo. It’s a beautiful game, I love the horses.

How long have you been in this sport.. and What makes a Good Polo Player?.

Since I was 13. A good horseman, good hand eye coordination and a good team player.

What type of Horses do you Use in your sport?.

Polo Argentinos are the popular breed as they were specifically bred for polo by mixing positive traits of other breeds, such as the endurance of the Brazilian creole and the speed and agility of the thoroughbred. Many other breeds are used in polo however, it is not uncommon to see throughbreds, quarter horses and sometimes even mixed Arabs! It is a welcoming sport

Horse Riding is a Brave thing as many get scared of the speed..how does it make you feel?.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sIkKiIrwdTw

What has your experience been like working with horses everyday?.

A blessing to be able to spend time with animals I find so fascinating.
Working with horses is relaxing and the kids (www.ridetoshine.org) love them.

Describe Your Horse?.

What one? A polo game requires us to change horses per chukka, so many players will have more than one horse. It allows you a better relationship with multiple horses which is what makes it so great for a horse mad person like myself!.

How long does a polo Match Last for?.

A chukka is a period in the game that is 7minutes 30secs long, with a 30 second warning horn blown to signal a chukka coming to an end. Including chukka breaks and half time, a 6 chukka game can last 90minutes.

Why are there no Lefthanded Players?.

Same reason countries don’t allow left and right hand drives at the same time. It can be very unsafe and make sporting rules inconsistent. Most polo rules are designed to keep both players and horse safe.

Why are the Horses Tails Wrappped during a game?

Safety precaution, avoids the polo sticks getting caught in horse’s tails.

Do polo teams have coaches?

Most don’t as the play maker is usually playing in a game, but as polo evolves and teams get more strategic, many now do employ coaches. ‘Tom Goodspeed’ is a very good technical coach, and ‘Claire Tomlinson’ coached the British team, the coaches are mostly highly rated or formerly active players themselves.

Many teams now also employ fitness experts to train off the field and equine sports experts to keep the true stars of polo fit too.

What do they call the open play in Polo?

Do you mean “opening play?”…..Play commences when the ball is bowled in by the umpire, with both teams at the “line up”.  After a goal is scored, we change sides, a tradition some believe started to even out wind chances or avoid having one team facing the sun for a whole game, keeps it fair.

An “open” however is a game where teams with varying handicaps can play against each other.

Tell us About Neku Atawodi’s Polo School?

It isn’t launched yet. We will release all details once it is.

Where can we find you Online?.

 INSTAGRAM: @nekuatawodi