Polo and polocrosse have a place in New Zealand's rural and equestrian communities. Polo is concentrated in regions with pastoral farming traditions — Hawke's Bay, Manawatū, and other farming regions. Polocrosse has a strong rural community following. This guide covers the key grant funding sources for polo and related horse sports in New Zealand.
Polo New Zealand is the national governing body for polo:
- National championship events
- Club affiliation and standards
- International polo connections
Contact Polo NZ and your regional association for access to Sport NZ investment and national programme guidance.
New Zealand Polocrosse Association governs the sport nationally:
- National championships
- Club affiliation
- Junior polocrosse development
Polocrosse is popular in rural communities with horse sport traditions.
Sport NZ funds horse sports through Equestrian NZ as the primary horse sport body. Polo and polocrosse may access:
- Community sport participation investment through RSTs
- Niche sport investment for smaller sports
RSTs can fund polo and polocrosse:
- Equipment grants for clubs
- Junior development support
- Women's sport participation
Key RSTs for polo and polocrosse:
- Sport Hawke's Bay: Significant polo tradition in the region
- Sport Manawatū: Rural equestrian community
- Sport Waikato: Rural horse sport communities
- Sport Canterbury: Equestrian-connected rural areas
Gaming trusts fund polo and polocrosse clubs:
- Four Winds Foundation: Community sport organisations
- Grassroots Trust: Community and rural sport
- Pub Charity: Equipment and programme grants
- Lion Foundation: Club sport development
Gaming grant applications for polo and polocrosse typically cover:
- Equipment: Mallets, balls, helmets, protective equipment
- Facility improvements: Ground maintenance, fencing, stabling
- Junior development clinics and competitions
Polo and polocrosse have strong rural community connections:
- Community trusts: Rural sport investment
- Agricultural and farming community grants: Horse sport connected to farming heritage
- A&P shows: Connection to agricultural show networks
Junior development:
- Pony Club NZ: Junior riders often come through Pony Club
- Schools polocrosse: Rural schools with horse sport traditions
- Junior championships: State and national junior competitions
- Youth pathway: Development squads for talented young players
Women's participation:
- Women's polo: Growing women's polo competitions
- Polocrosse: Strong women's participation throughout the sport
- Sport NZ: Women in sport and physical activity grants
Infrastructure requirements:
- Polo fields: Large maintained grass fields — typically privately owned
- Polocrosse grounds: Club-owned or shared grounds with specific layout
- Stabling: Horse accommodation at the club
- Equipment storage: Mallets, tack, protective equipment storage
Local councils in rural towns sometimes provide ground lease support for rural sport clubs.
Lottery Sport funds community sport including niche and rural sports:
- Equipment and development grants for polo and polocrosse clubs
Strong applications demonstrate:
- Participant numbers: Players by age group, gender, and competitive level
- Rural community role: The club's social function in a rural community
- Junior development: Young players entering the sport
- Women's participation: Female players — a strength in polocrosse
- Equipment: Mallets, helmets, protective gear — justified per participant
- Facility condition: Ground and stabling needs with condition assessment
- Club governance: Financial health, affiliation to national bodies
- Community events: The club's role in rural and agricultural community life
Tahua's grants management platform helps polo and equestrian clubs manage grant applications across Sport NZ, gaming trusts, and rural community funders, tracking participation and facility outcomes that funders value.