Interview with Alegra Gierke about the growth of the Mongolian Polo
What does it mean to be able to develop the sport in a place with so much history?
I think it’s something quite beautiful to have such a legacy with horseman ship in Mongolia as children are brought up on horses and it’s a way of life. Our legacy with polo is to give the people a different skill and style of horsemanship as the main sport with horses is endurance racing. Polo works on technical skills for both the rider and horse and gives an opportunity to play in a team etc.
In recent years, have women joined the sport? How do you see the future?
We have worked to bring up a generation of local women into polo and one way to carry on in the future is to make sure women keep playing. There are so many reasons for women to stop and I think the best thing that you can give them is the opportunity to carry on despite societal and life pressure to stop completely or step back.
What are the next steps for the growth of sport in the area?
An area of growth is definitely bring more women into polo. Through our Young Riders of the World Foundation we have a month-long summer camp for local children in the area (girls and boys) and they learn polo (tactics etc.) and this happens every year. Our current players who have graduated from the Kids Camp also go to New Zealand and play there and in the All Asia Cup under Mongolia which can always be expanded and worked upon
