Northern Ireland Polo Club Spotlight

The Club has access to a two mile stretch of beach

Photography courtesy of NIPC Club Members

Northern Ireland Polo Club Spotlight Club Address & Contact Tyrella House, 90 Clanmaghery Road, Tyrella, Downpatrick. Club Secretary: Nicky Wilson (info@northernirelandpoloclub.co.uk) Polo Manager: Jamie McCarthy (info@northernirelandpoloclub.co.uk) Polo School and Pony Hire: Mary Minarikova, Seahorse Polo (seahorsepolo@gmail.com)

Q: What year was the Club founded & by who? The Club was revived in 1994, Northern Ireland Polo Club (NIPC) re-established polo in Northern Ireland after the demise of the Ulster Polo club following WWII.

Q: Any highlights for 2021 season?

The Club will be providing an exhibition match for the first time at the Annual Balmoral Agricultural Show, the show is held over five days with an average footfall of 120,000 visitors.

Q: Any Club improvements you’d like to

highlight? Last year we received a grant from HPA to install water at the polo field which we are absolutely delighted about, as are the ponies! We’d like to say a huge thank you to HPA.

Q: What are the Club’s plans for the

future? In partnership with Seahorse Polo, our resident polo school, our current focus is to make polo more accessible. Seahorse Polo has helped increase our membership by 64% since 2017. We are now proudly the largest Club in Ireland. We will continue to focus on grass roots polo both through polo experience days and coaching.

Q: Top Club alumni achievements?

Ross Ainsley, Stephen Hutchinson, Max Hutchinson, Patrick Heffron and Creighton Boyd.

Facilities Answer

Clubhouse No Pony Hire (+ number of ponies available) Yes, six Wooden Horse No Coaches/Instructors Yes, two HPA Instructors Livery Exercise Track Indoor School Yes Yes, two miles of beach! No

Stables to Hire No

Turn out Fields Yes

Arena Size of Arena (in metres) Grooms’ Accommodation No N/A No

Number of Members Number of Grounds 2021 Fixtures 36 Two Annual club tournament 24 – 25 July 2021, other small in-club tournaments are held throughout the season

Q: Anything else you would like to

include! NIPC is located in one of the world’s most naturally beautiful settings at Tyrella, County Down. Against the magnificent back drop of the Mountains of Mourne the club resides beside the sands of the award winning Tyrella beach providing a vista second to none!

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