THEIR aim is deadly and their ultimate goal is the Ladies Polo Open in Buenos Aires, Argentina, this December.
So who are this dynamic duo?
Ireland’s top lady polo players of course – Co Wicklow’s Siobhan Herbst and April Kent from Co Laois – who are making history representing Ireland in the prestigious event which is the highest level polo competition in the world.
“We have started a fundraising campaign to try and get an Irish team to the Argentine Open this December in Buenos Aires. It has never been done before and I’m very proud to be part of the team that will playing,” said Siobhan who is synonymous with Polo Wicklow, a club started by her father.
The first polo match in Europe was played in Co Carlow in 1872 and both Herbst and Kent are determined to reclaim’s Ireland’s place in the sport on the international stage.
The duo are intent on growing the number of ladies and children in Ireland’s polo ranks.
Siobhan and April are well known on the international circuit as they have played on ladies teams across Europe, America, South Africa, Australia and Argentina.
“Our life goal is to represent Ireland in the The Ladies Polo Open in Argentina,” says Herbst. “It is the World Cup of Ladies Polo and is the highest level you can get in this sport.
“Ireland produces some of the best thoroughbreds in the world, many being retrained from the track and going on to play polo at high levels. We have the horses, we have the horsemen and we have the ball skills – putting all this together we should be making more of a mark in the polo world,” explains Kent.
Many of the Irish polo clubs are now growing the sport by making it more accessible to people of all ages and demographics. The Irish Polo Foundation was set up in 2020 with exactly this in mind and to help spread polo all over Ireland, focusing on the younger generations and women players (check out www.ladiespolo.ie).
If you or your company can help with the fundraising drive of these two vibrant young women, they would love to hear from you, email siobhan.herbst@herbst.ie