Some kind of polo king

01 Jul, 2018 - 00:07 0 Views
Some kind of polo king

The Sunday Mail

Ralston Muchoko
THEY call polo the game of kings but Smart Kuusawa is no king, he is just a farm labourer who tends to horses at Sambok farm in Marondera.

Among Kuusawa’s main wishes are buying a cellphone that is Whatsapp enabled and doing well at next week’s Carrick Ambassador Cup.

The 28-year old is one of very few black polo players in the country and is determined to prove that the sport is just not for the elite.

“There is a belief that polo is for the wealthy but look at me I am not wealthy but play the game alongside the rich white guys every weekend and enjoy it so much,” Kuusawa told The Sunday Mail Sport last week.

“Most people I meet wonder how I am able to survive in such a white dominated environment but the truth is that the love for polo brings us together, it makes us one. This is a sport that is fun and would like to urge my fellow black Zimbabweans to try it out. Trust me once you fall in love with it you won’t want to go for a day without having a run.”

Kuusawa’s life revolves around Sambok farm. His parents worked there, he was born there, attended Manhoro Primary which is premised at the farm and when financial challenges barred him from furthering his studies he got a job at the farm.

One of his duties was tending to horses including those used when playing polo. Kuusawa grew interest in horses as well as polo and his employers, a consortium of farmers, helped fuel the passion.

“The guys who own this farm got someone to teach me the sport and also bought me kit,” he revealed.

To date the man who took up the sport as a pastime has an impressive haul of 32 trophies, picked at tournaments played locally as well as the region.

“When I started out it was just for fun but now I am out to be the best player I can be,” said Kuusawa who does business for Thornpark Polo.

“I am grateful to my employers because they give me access to their horses. In this game of polo the horse plays 80% of your game and you play 20%.”

Kuusawa credits the good relations he has with horses for the amazing strides he has made.

“The trick is in understanding the horses and I am blessed in that regard because I work with them everyday and we understand each other.

“When we go for matches it becomes a simple matter of taking my good relationship with the horse into the field of play,” he said.

During the week Kuusawa trains for an hour and travels to Harare every weekend for matches.

Yesterday he used the Lately Marvin Polo Cup at Harare Polo Club for fine tune for the Ambassador’s cup.

“The Ambassadors cup is a big one, everyone wants to win but I am confident that my team will win it,” said Kuusawa.

 

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