It is very easy to tell that Polo runs through the veins of Janek Gazecki. His passion is clearly evident when he talks about the sport which he has dedicated his life to. Gazecki’s event, Polo in the City, is now a renowned event which has been duplicated around the world. Polo in the City is an event which runs throughout the cities of Australia and aims to bring the sport to the forefront of everyone’s radar. Land Rover is proud to team up with Polo in the City as a major sponsor and bring spectators a day comprising of Polo matches fashions on the fields, DJ’s, food and drinks. The main attraction of the day, and one which keeps everyone captivated, is the Polo matches themselves.
Spectators are commonly blown away by the calibre of the players, with many not knowing that Polo is a contact sport with players travelling up to 50km/hr whilst tackling each other on horseback. This year, Polo in the City will continue to hold two exhilarating matches throughout the day. In conjunction with the polo matches, there will be fashions on the field for men and women sponsored by Politix and Chadstone respectively. The Somersby Lounge is a new addition to the Polo in the City this year, and it provides ticket holders with a chance to meet the players, enjoy a DJ and watch the game from the comfort of a shaded lounge.
Janek Gazecki’s main aim of Polo in the City is to keep the focus on the game. Gazecki has spent his life playing the sport and loves it. He could not understand why no one was watching Polo matches, therefore, his creation for the Polo in the City events were born. The sport started off as an exercise for the Persian cavalry and has evolved into the sport that we see today. For Saturday’s event, the type of Polo played is called Urban Polo, which simply creates a game that all viewers can enjoy. However, the crux of the game is still evident with four players per side. Gazecki insists that Polo is not simply the famous images of Prince Harry and James Packer, but rather, it is a fast-paced sport with every match producing a range of different dramas. The Polo that will be played on Saturday has been adapted into a spectator sport with the pitch size decreased to ensure that you are captivated by every moment of the matches.
For the future, Gazecki is amid exciting talks to create a world circuit event, with legitimate national teams playing around the world. Janek Gazecki has revolutionised the game of Polo so that everyone can enjoy the sport as much as he does. Land Rover’s Polo in the City is shaping up to be an extraordinary event not to be missed out.
Photo credits: Karon Photography and Lucas Dawson Photography