Clare Hudson is a polo player residing in the United Kingdom. Raised in Malaysia and Abu Dhabi, she is founder of the elite polo attire and equipment company Kit4Kings. Her favorite breed of horse is the British Thoroughbred…
Welcome Clare!
When was your first
encounter with a horse?
I was
aged 4, and that Christmas my father had given my sister and I riding lessons
at Kuala Lumpur's Polo Club.
When did you begin
playing polo?
Despite
learning to ride at a polo club and having weekly lessons for 8 years, I only
started playing polo once I got to University, aged 19. I had actually learnt
to play PoloCrosse out in Costa Rica during my gap year and was hooked and
wanted to continue but there was only a polo club at the university so I joined
that and haven’t looked back.
Tell me
about your polo team...
Surprisingly it is called Kit4Kings! There isn’t a set team, in terms of the players so I really work that out depending on the tournament level and horse power required to win. I have been fortunate to play with a great number of players, some who shout a lot and others that don’t, but all in all it is the most brilliant and fun sport.
Surprisingly it is called Kit4Kings! There isn’t a set team, in terms of the players so I really work that out depending on the tournament level and horse power required to win. I have been fortunate to play with a great number of players, some who shout a lot and others that don’t, but all in all it is the most brilliant and fun sport.
Do you ride/practice
daily?
I pretty
much ride daily in the summer, be it exercising the ponies or stick and balling.
I never feel like it is a chore but actually a lovely respite from work and the
stresses of the day.
What was
your motivation to begin Kit4Kings?
To be
able to work for yourself and make a success completely off your own back. I
studied law at University and during many placements in different firms, from
the magic circle companies to provincial family dispute firms, I realized that
it was a very negative environment what put me off joining it. Running your own
business has its ups and downs but at the end of the day if it works out it is
down to you and you are always forging positive paths to make it more and more
successful. In law you were always looking out to prevent the negative from
occurring and if it did to ensure you were covered against it. I also wanted to
be able to climb up the 'career ladder' based on my own results and not
predescribed number of years working in an industry before you are considered
eligible for an elevation in your position. I am a firm believer that results
should speak louder than age.
What has been the
biggest challenge you've faced in your career?
People
not taking you seriously due to being quite young and a female.
What does horsemanship
mean to you?
The
complete understanding of your horse at that moment you are competing on it.
You have to know when it is tired, due to being cold, over exercised, over fed,
under fed, has sore teeth or a sore back. There are many people who can ride
and say they are horse people but there are very few who are true champions of
it. It takes patience, time and fundamentally some people are born with it and
others not. You can only learn so much, the rest is either a part of you or
not.
Any advice for beginning
riders/polo players?
Have a
go. If you don’t try you won’t know what you are missing out on. Horses are an
amazing animal and can bring a great deal to your life.
Follow
Clare…
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