JOE DAWSON

YOUNG RIDER: Dan Caldwell plans to make polo a career.bbPhoto: JOE DAWS

It's the sport of royalty played by a Whitford teenager.

Young horseman Dan Caldwell, 16, is the youngest player at the Auckland Polo Club to compete in senior games, coming up against international players from the UK and Argentina.

It's good training for the Macleans College student who plans to make a career out of playing the sport favoured by such illustrious chaps as princes William and Harry.

While most of his contemporaries are happy with the usual Kiwi sports of rugby, soccer and cricket, Dan prefers something with a few more elements.

"It's like rugby on horses with a bit of hockey thrown in," he says. "The adrenalin rush is huge, it's just so fast compared with other sports."

It's not a sport for anyone, with excellent horsemanship a prerequisite for potential players.

"It's quite difficult to get into without being able to ride.

"I started riding when I was seven, doing pony club, but when I was 12 or 13 it wasn't fun any more so I stopped.

"My parents were keen for me to get back into it and encouraged me to try polo.

"I didn't want to go back to show jumping but polo seemed the most fun."

That was three years ago and now Dan is hooked.

"It was a big shock playing the first game. It's not aggressive but there's a lot of contact, the horses bump and you hook sticks.

"But it's a lot of fun."

The polo season is six months long with professional players spending half the year in one place and the other half in another polo playing country.

It's a lifestyle that appeals to Dan and one that is not out of reach – some of the world's top players are still in their teens, he says.

"I'll try to turn pro before school ends, but we'll see what happens."

And playing at the Auckland Polo Club, where he also works during summer, lets him talk with some of the country's best players.

"There's a really good club atmosphere out here."

New Zealand's top polo players will compete in the finals of the BMW NZ polo open this Sunday.

Gates open at the Auckland Polo Club on Clevedon-Kawakawa Bay Rd at 10am, with the grand final at 3.30pm.

General admission car pass is $30. Visit www.aucklandpolo.co.nz for details.