POLO SCENE
N E W S • NO T E S • T R E N D S • Q U O T E S
ON HEAD THE LINE Young player createsSubhead polo-inspired street fashion
A YOUNG POLO PLAYER recently launched a clothing line based on the sport he loves. Named
Aleem Siddiqui, 13, plays on Battlefield Park’s interscholastic polo team.
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Chukker, the brand provides modern street wear that not only aims to help introduce people to the sport of polo but also to help improve society. Aleem Rahman Siddiqui started playing polo four years ago at Battlefield Park Polo Club in Gainesville, Virginia, after several years of riding lessons. “My mom went to a boarding school that had a polo program and she introduced me to horses and riding when I was 7,” he explained. “She took me to Battlefield Park Polo where I met Ms. Dori Burner. After lessons I would watch the polo team scrimmage in the outdoor arena. I kept working on my riding skills and decided that I would also like to play.” When he was 10 he played his first game against a Work to Ride team. Unfamiliar with the Work to Ride program, he started reading about it and talking to the kids on the team. Siddiqui, now 13, participates on an interscholastic team in the fall and winter. In the summer he plays at the Great Meadow Polo Club in The Plains, Virginia. Last year, Siddiqui decided to create the brand. “I started Chukker in 2020 to provide modern apparel and bring more awareness to the sport,” he said. “I like to make designs that appeal to polo players and enthusiasts as well as those who haven’t been introduced to the sport.” Siddiqui’s first design was the He came up with a few design conanatomy of polo (above). More recently, he has added some cepts that would help people underwhimsical designs (below). stand polo better. “My first design was the anatomy of polo. In this design, I created a diagram of the horse, player and equipment,” he said. “It wasn’t as whimsical as some of my recent designs but I thought it was important for people to understand the basics.” Not only does he want to attract more people to the sport, Siddiqui wants to improve access to polo for all players. After learning about the Work to Ride program, he decided to support it. “I soon realized what an amazing program Ms. Lezlie [Hiner] has started and how many children she had impacted. When I started Chukker, I felt compelled to help support the program in any way possible,” he said. With that in mind, he has pledged to donate 10% of annual profits to Work to Ride. For more information or to purchase, go to chukkerofficial.com, and follow on Instagram and Twitter.
