Clive Thabo Dube
Sports Reporter
WHEN one mentions farmers league, many will envision cows, pigs, goats, maize, sorghum and so forth.
Actually Farmers’ League refers to the game of Polocrosse, commonly known as Polo.
The unique sport is played on horseback and was first introduced in Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) in 1948. The Sourthen African country has grown to be one of the ‘big 8’ nations that play the sport, with nations like South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the UK, Zambia and USA who also play the horseback game.
The Farmers League originated in Australia dubbed ‘King of the one horse sport’.
In Zimbabwe generally, agricultural farming is the backbone of the country but Polo players own less or no horse at all. This has seen Polocrosse suffer in development.
The Polocrosse Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) chairman Phillip Whaley said there is a small horse industry in the country which hinders the sport to strive. The King of the one horse sport is still at amateur level.
“Pollocrosse is big in Australia because there is huge farming and horse industry there but in Zimbabwe it’s relatively small. We only have about 80 players, It’s hundred percent amateur. There is no real scope or appetite for it to go professional in Zimbabwe.” He said.
Pollocrosse was hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic and the sport lacks financial backing from the Government thus is failing to in place programmes, and initiatives to grow.
However, Whaley revealed that PAZ is putting in gallant efforts to start up a full calendar season this year.
In an interview with Zim GBC News, the PAZ chairman told this publication that despite the fact that the equestrian discipline introduced to the country 75 years ago, only a few take up the sport professionally.
“It is one of the true remaining amateur sports though sometimes youngsters come and try polocrosse from other equestrian disciplines such as show jumping, polo, gymkhana or just basically people who own horses who would like to try out something new.” Said Whaley.
“We hope to have a full club season and try to pick up numbers post covid. A number of people gave up during covid so we will try to get them back into the sport but a lot of people took financial strain during covid and are struggling to get back on their feet economically.” He added.
The clubs will include Borrowdale (Harare), Bulawayo, Marondera and Chipinge. Other provinces like Gweru and Victoria Falls have also shown interest in coming on board.
The Club League calendar is still going finalization processes.
Meanwhile the other PAZ activities held this year will include an Easter event which will ran from 7- 10 April, the Independence competition which was played on the 18th of April. During the same month, the first tournament will be held in Harare on 29 and 30 April re
spectively. The Borrowdale Open is slated for 27 and 28 May in Harare, and Bulawayo will play host to the Bowser Tournament on 8- 9 July. The Nationals/Presidents Cup will be held in Chipinge on 13- 14 August.