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Original poster

Polo, the elite and mysoginy

64 replies

CrackersAndMarmite · 10/12/2024 16:57

So I sat down to watch the new Haggs and Merry Netflix show 'Polo'. I managed about 25 minutes I think before I was sooooo bored I had to turn it off.

Anyway, when watching it all I kept thinking about was how mysoginy is just so massively perpetuated by the elite. The programme was all about the rich male oligarch/oil tycoon/CEO types. No women's team represented - future episodes seem only focussed on male teams too from my brief look at what's to come.

The men all have their picture perfect little blonde wifey's who look after the babies and children and home and are expected to fawn over these men's (not as nice as they think) bodies. Meanwhile, these men pour millions into a sport that seems to be about appearances more than actual passion. They use horses as their play thing.

I just felt a bit sick watching this programme as it really made me think about how the upper classes/elite are everything that is wrong with the world, yet they run it. The mysoginy, the arrogance, the splashing of millions on a sport when there are people starving, the expensive cars and private jets guzzling fuel and gushing out pollutants.

I don't often give much thought to the super rich, but watching this made me feel really really angry. While millions of people around the world are suffering famine, war, death, cost of living crises, homelessness, struggling to put food on the table, these rich men are prancing about spending millions on simply having fun, while wifey attends to their every whim and they do what the hell they like regardless of climate concerns, animal welfare concerns etc..

AIBU to think the elite are everything that is wrong with the world. If they could use their millions to support homelessness, support those undergoing war and famine, raise awareness of women's rights (instead of walking about with the trophy wife attached to their arm leading us back to the 50s), and take action on climate change, the world would be a far far far better place. ...

(Sorry I don't know if I spelt mysoginy right!)

OP posts:
akkakk · 10/12/2024 18:02

the rules of polo are all in the favour of the pony being protected - any risk of injury to a pony and the match stops - risk of injury to a player - crack on...

yes, sure there will be some participants who don't treat animals well, but the vast majority do - even for the uber-wealthy a top polo pony is probably £100k - £250k - they get looked after...

the costs are interesting - it is one of the few sports played at international level where the players share the costs - not sure of current costs but it used to be £5-£10 to get a car of up to 5 spectators into most normal clubs (outside the big ticketed matches) - pull up at the side of the pitch and sit on your car with a picnic while top world players are on their ponies at up to 40mph right by you...

compare that to the cost of 5 people going to watch a football match where the players are paid millions - polo as a spectator is a far more accessible sport (not as a player though!

It is also one of the most exhilarating sports you can play I have done serious skiing / raced yachts / raced cars / etc. - but 8 ponies at 40mph trying to ride each other off the line is just an amazing experience...

Original poster
CrackersAndMarmite · 10/12/2024 18:01

TheSecondMrsTanqueray · 10/12/2024 17:40

No, OP, I'm pointing out that you're being misogynistic talking about women, wives and mothers, that way.

The men all have their picture perfect little blonde wifey's who look after the babies and children and home

I was aware of what you were suggesting ...

OP posts:
Original poster
CrackersAndMarmite · 10/12/2024 18:01

Itsalwaysfools · 10/12/2024 17:43

A top class high goal match with the top ranking players in the world is phenomenal to watch but then that's true of most sports when you watch the world class players, athletes etc. That said, it's incredibly brutal on the ponies. The vast majority are treated as tools/equipment and the abuse of them would shock most people to the core. Just one small example. The ponies are typically exercised with the groom riding one and leading a few on either side. Any ponies that refuse to do this/lag behind/snatch the rein and run off are tied to a tractor and dragged along until they learn to keep up and 'behave' themselves.

😥😮that's so sad. How could people.treat animals like this? Well I guess some might be the same bunch of entitled elites that are also big on fox hunting so we wouldn't expect much else. But still...

OP posts:
Itsalwaysfools · 10/12/2024 17:43

A top class high goal match with the top ranking players in the world is phenomenal to watch but then that's true of most sports when you watch the world class players, athletes etc. That said, it's incredibly brutal on the ponies. The vast majority are treated as tools/equipment and the abuse of them would shock most people to the core. Just one small example. The ponies are typically exercised with the groom riding one and leading a few on either side. Any ponies that refuse to do this/lag behind/snatch the rein and run off are tied to a tractor and dragged along until they learn to keep up and 'behave' themselves.

MissyB1 · 10/12/2024 17:42

TheSecondMrsTanqueray · 10/12/2024 17:40

No, OP, I'm pointing out that you're being misogynistic talking about women, wives and mothers, that way.

The men all have their picture perfect little blonde wifey's who look after the babies and children and home

or maybe OP was just stating a fact?

TheSecondMrsTanqueray · 10/12/2024 17:40

No, OP, I'm pointing out that you're being misogynistic talking about women, wives and mothers, that way.

The men all have their picture perfect little blonde wifey's who look after the babies and children and home

Jewell25 · 10/12/2024 17:37

I agree. It’s such a niche sport & so abusive towards animals that I have zero interest in watching it. It just looks like rich men showing off. There are far more interesting things to watch.

Original poster
CrackersAndMarmite · 10/12/2024 17:31

akkakk · 10/12/2024 17:27

The only really big bucks in polo is what is spent on running a team...

when I was last playing (c. 18 years ago!) the costs were roughly:

  • grass roots polo you needed a couple of ponies at c. £10k each + stabling + mileage to transport them + player memberships + match fees etc. - realistically £40k-£50k p/a if you didn't have a farm to put the costs through...
  • mid-goal polo - budget £100k - £150k p/a
  • high-goal polo - budget £1.5m+ p/a

you don't play polo to make money unless you are an Argentine when alongside football it is still seen as one of the routes out of poverty...

The polo I played was predominantly men, but plenty of women also playing - look up the Tomlinson family - Claire the mother was a powerhouse in the polo world - then the tomlinson kids - they set up Beaufort polo club where I was a member (alongside Guards)

Show quote history

Thanks! V interesting! (Slightly wow at the Costs involved!!!)

OP posts:
devildeepbluesea · 10/12/2024 17:29

Agree with akkakk (although I used to watch at Ciren Park!)

Also Polo operates a handicap system, meaning less good players play against world classers. Means also that women can play against men.

akkakk · 10/12/2024 17:27

CrackersAndMarmite · 10/12/2024 17:02

Thanks. I wonder if it's like football, where the big bucks are in the mens competitions?

Show quote history

The only really big bucks in polo is what is spent on running a team...

when I was last playing (c. 18 years ago!) the costs were roughly:

  • grass roots polo you needed a couple of ponies at c. £10k each + stabling + mileage to transport them + player memberships + match fees etc. - realistically £40k-£50k p/a if you didn't have a farm to put the costs through...
  • mid-goal polo - budget £100k - £150k p/a
  • high-goal polo - budget £1.5m+ p/a

you don't play polo to make money unless you are an Argentine when alongside football it is still seen as one of the routes out of poverty...

The polo I played was predominantly men, but plenty of women also playing - look up the Tomlinson family - Claire the mother was a powerhouse in the polo world - then the tomlinson kids - they set up Beaufort polo club where I was a member (alongside Guards)

Original poster
CrackersAndMarmite · 10/12/2024 17:05

TheSecondMrsTanqueray · 10/12/2024 17:04

picture perfect little blonde wifey's

That's pretty misogynistic.

Exactly.. (the point of my wording!)..

OP posts:
TheSecondMrsTanqueray · 10/12/2024 17:04

picture perfect little blonde wifey's

That's pretty misogynistic.

Original poster
CrackersAndMarmite · 10/12/2024 17:02

devildeepbluesea · 10/12/2024 16:59

Polo is a mixed sport - I used to watch a lot of it and lots of women played.

Totally agree on the rest of your post though.

Thanks. I wonder if it's like football, where the big bucks are in the mens competitions?

OP posts:
devildeepbluesea · 10/12/2024 16:59

Polo is a mixed sport - I used to watch a lot of it and lots of women played.

Totally agree on the rest of your post though.