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C L I V E B E N N E T T ; TO N Y R A M I R E Z / I M A G E S O F P O LO. C O M
a specific handicap for playing in women-
only tournaments. This means more evenly
matched games and more competitive
women’s polo.
‘Polo is a sport where men and women
play together as equals and that is
undisputed,’ continues Clarkin. ‘We are rated
together on the same handicap system and
play together. However, the top male player
has ten goals and the top female player
historically had five goals.
‘This is due to the physiological
differences between men and women: men
are stronger and this is an obvious advantage
for the sport. Women can play competitively
which leads to huge variations between
players rated the same,’ explains the HPA.
The new system brings the English players in
line with the ladies handicap system already
established in America, Canada, Italy,
France, Singapore and Argentina.
The world’s foremost female player,
Nina Clarkin, currently has the highest
Hurlingham women’s handicap of 10.
She says, ‘With the introduction of women’s
handicaps, the sport has continued to
flourish and enjoyed greater exposure and
coverage, allowing it to develop and grow’.
Under this new system, players retain
their regular handicap but also hold
Lila Pearson (second from left),
vice president of Cowdray Park
Polo Club with her team,
Cowdray Vikings
at any level, but we will never be as strong as
the men. We have different strengths and
I hope that there will be more young women
playing to higher levels in the future. The joy
of the [regular] handicap system means we
can compete evenly with the men and enjoy
this wonderful, unique sport.’
As a whole, women’s polo is rapidly
gaining popularity around the world, with
international ladies tournaments in
Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, America,
Argentina and Australia.
Lila Pearson is vice president of Cowdray
Park Polo Club, the home of the British
Ladies Polo Championship, which takes
