New Zealand is broken up into two different islands; The North Island and the South Island. The North Island is home to volcanoes, vast forests, and lakes that travelers from around the world come to visit. The South Island is divided by the Southern Alps, with mountainous terrain covering almost three quarters of the island. Despite the vast array of differences that make each island unique, both the North and South Island are home to incredible polo facilities and tournaments.
The North Island: Destinations and Activities
Wellington, New Zealand is the capital city of New Zealand. Wellington is located in the southernmost part of the North Island on the Cook Strait. One of the best ways to view everything the city has to offer is by enjoying a ride on the Wellington Cable Car. Beginning in Lambton Quay and ending in a lookout that overlooks the entire city, there is no better way to see all that Wellington has to offer. Another, more interactive activity in Wellington is a visit to Hannahs Laneway. Located in the heart of the city, Hannahs Laneway is an incredible display of the best local, gourmet flavors represented by eateries like the Leeds St. Bakery and the Wellington Chocolate Factory.
The Bay of Plenty is made up of endless acres of orchards and gardens, which are perfectly complemented by its world famous beaches. The Bay of Plenty has more than 125 kilometres of coastline that attracts veteran suffers year round and inspires many visitors to learn the sport.
The South Island: Destinations and Activities
Fiordland was carved from glaciers over 100,000 years ago. This breathtaking location is an incredible combination of waterfalls, rainforests, and mountain ranges that all surround deep, black fjords, which can be kayaked or enjoyed via eco-tours. Home to the Fiordland National Park, Fiordland is a nature lover and hiker’s paradise. The National Park has three of New Zealand’s “great walks”, which includes the Milford track that takes adventurers through a 53 kilometer hike ending at New Zealand’s tallest waterfall.
The village of Mount Cook rests at the base of Aoraki, the highest mountain in New Zealand. The entire village is surrounded by the Southern Alps and the Tasman Sea rages only 44 kilometers away, which makes Mount Cook an unforgiving and beautiful wilderness that is highly susceptible to rapid weather changes. Although many travelers visit Mount Cook to attempt to summit the mountain, visitors can also enjoy this destination’s beauty through guided tours in small planes and helicopters.
Polo on The Islands
Auckland, also known as the City of Sails, is the largest city in New Zealand and is located on the North Island. Located in Clevedon, in the southeast of Auckland, is the Auckland Polo Club. The club has two of its own fields and access to many of the surrounding polo fields in the area. Although polo is practiced year round at the club and multiple tournaments are hosted from December through April, the Auckland Polo Club’s most highly anticipated event is the New Zealand Polo Open. This year the Auckland Polo Club hosted its 47th New Zealand Polo Open. Winning this tournament is the one of New Zealand’s oldest and most coveted awards in polo, and this year the honor went to Team Brinks in a nail biting finish at 9 goals to 8 against Team Ecogas.
Christchurch, located on the east coast of the South Island, is one of New Zeland’s larger cities and the largest city on the South Island with a population of about 370,000 people. Within the bustling city that surrounds the Avon River is the Christchurch Polo Club. This premier polo club of the South Island has two different grounds with one being positioned just to the west of the Southern Alps. The Christchurch Polo Club supports the Christ’s College Polo Team and competes as a polo school in many of the major tournaments across New Zealand.
Written in collaboration with Lily Brennan