Level field

She is also among a handful of women players in India. “There are only three women registered with the Indian Polo Association out of 400 players from all over the country,” she says. “Maybe this is because polo is a tough sport and lots of players are from the army.” But Barbe’s own story shows that more girls on the saddle could wield the mallet with ease. All they need is a love for the game,and adventure is just waiting to happen.

“Three years ago,I thought that accepting a posting in India was just another crazy idea,” says this 36-year-old Frenchwoman. “I settled down in Delhi and then went looking for a riding club as I love horses.” She discovered the Army Polo and Riding Club and became a polo addict. “I enjoyed the game so much that I started practising on weekends. Soon,I was playing polo even on weekdays,fitting in morning sessions before rushing to work,” she says.

In the absence of any real polo training,she relied on tips from friends on positions and how to hit the ball. A polo clinic conducted by the club in 2007 helped her understand the rules of the game. The same year,she started playing in low-goal tournaments,taking the boys by surprise. “They were not always used to seeing a woman among them but were finally quite nice with me. But playing with the boys was not easy for me,I was conscious of being a burden on the team and making mistakes,” she says.

When she couldn’t hit the ball as hard as the men,she made up with her dexterity with riding. “I have been riding for 20 years and am not scared of speed,” she says.

Barbe must have done something right because she was part of the winning team in two of the three tournaments she played that year. Ever since,she has been getting stronger on the field. She played four official tournaments this year as an amateur and three exhibition matches. And when the polo season resumes in February,she will be back on the saddle,aiming the ball at the goal. Women,care for a ride?