They say that you can force a person out of polo, but you can’t force polo out of a person. Something similar happened with Susanna Håkansson, a Swedish citizen, who took charge of the circumstances and changed them in order to keep polo in her alive and flourishing.

 

Though an avid rider from the very beginning with loads of show jumping and eventing experience under her belt, Susanna remained a stranger to the pleasures of the game of Kings for a long period. It was only when she started  dating Alberto Zuluaga, a Colombian polo player and moved to Colombia that she got introduced to the game of Polo. Being a proficient rider, it didn’t take her long to master the ball control on a galloping horse. The challenging nature of the game along with ever changing dynamics hooked her for good and she soon found herself making a mark during competitive chakkars. Her polo journey so far was like a dream run.

 

Unfortunately, this dream run didn’t last long. As her relationship ended, so did her stay at Colombia. She was happy to be back in Sweden, but there was one problem. Polo was non-existent in southern Sweden. Having tasted the blood, it was difficult for her to live without Polo. Soon enough, her desire to feel the adrenaline rush made her create a way when there was none. Destiny got her in touch with Niels Dreyer, who shared the same enthusiasm and within no time, the first polo club in the south of Sweden by the name “Blommerod Polo Club” came into existence.

 

She was pleasantly surprised with the response she got from the community. The club was an instant

hit and soon it had sufficient members to keep it afloat and thriving. It became the rendezvous for  the polo enthusiasts to get together and constructively dissolve their off-office hours. All the polo aficionados of the southern Sweden became a big happy family. They regularly got together for fun polo chakkars, followed by a ride into the nearby lake to cool off the horses, and then to have a good social get together where they endlessly discuss every shot, missed ones more than the otherwise, in detail over wine and dinner.

 

Polo, beyond any doubts, is a time-consuming game. After having struggled for some time to strike a balance between her passion and her family, Susanna decided to change her approach towards the problem. Having full faith in the seductive powers of the sport, she introduced her husband to the thrills of the game. Sure enough, instead of just Susanna, now her entire family became a regular sight on the polo ground.

 

As per her, “Polo is such a family-oriented sport and the kids (7 years and 7 months) love to be in the stable with us and on the field when we play. We spend a lot of time together as a family and build memories for life. In addition, Polo has made me very relaxed in my motherhood and I don’t get stressed over nonsense. It literally keeps you grounded when in between chukkas you have to change diapers! Overall Polo has taught me the essence of collaboration both within my family and in my work as a computer programmer. It’s an outlet that seriously reduce the amount of stress that builds up due to everyday life. “

 

Well, none of us polo players can disagree with that, can we?