The club goes back many years and the foundation players were mainly farmers who formed the original club. Around 18 years ago the club went into recession as older members retired from the game. Members from the Wellington region joined a Wellington club but the grounds were not large enough for the number of teams wishing to play, so they moved to the Whites' property at Matahiwi. The net result was a revival of interest in the game, the reformation of the club and a drive to encourage more Wellington players to join. And you don't need to own a string of horses to play polo.
Some players own at the most two horses and they manage extremely well.
Klingender, being a professional, relies on a team of 10 horses to work for him throughout the November to April polo season. He swears by the New Zealand thoroughbred for this highly-demanding team game. A growing number of New Zealand-bred thoroughbreds are being bought by overseas stables. The Argentinians, who are considered to be the best polo players in the world, are purchasing our horses for playing and breeding. Although polo horses are labelled ponies, in the strictest sense this no longer applies, but it's traditional to refer to them as such.