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TO N Y R A M I R E Z / I M A G E S O F P O LO
his studies while improving his riding on a daily basis. ‘I received
tutoring in several subjects, including maths and English, but in
addition to this my tutor helped me to understand the importance
of my education, and also took a practical approach to my learning,’
he says. ‘As a result, I feel I have become adept at managing the
logistical side of my polo career.’
Charlton explains that his tutor instilled in him the invaluable
qualities of commitment to his education alongside commitment
to his chosen career, self-belief and the importance of good and
effective communication skills. ‘First, my tutor was a super person
and enjoyable for me to work with, and secondly, by starting very
early in the morning, I was able to ride and practise every day even
in winter,’ he explains.
McCullagh became a tutor straight out of university and, in his
first year, got two boys into Eton. The irony, he admits with a laugh,
is that he now runs an agency so discerning that he wouldn’t have
taken his younger self on as a tutor.
‘This is the really important thing that a lot of people don’t get
about tutors,’ says McCullagh. ‘They’re not teachers. They don’t have
formal qualifications. About a quarter of the tutors that we work
with are qualified teachers, and it actually doesn’t make them better
tutors. It’s just a sort of tick box for some parents. Because if you’re
living with a family, travelling with them, or even just going to see
