IT’S the ultimate playground for high society, where horses and hunks collide in a whirlwind of glamour and drama.
But polo isn’t just about horsemanship, with hefty egos and even heftier bank balances, and dashing players earning “rock star” status among swooning, Chanel-clad admirers.
But it’s not just the athletes stealing hearts – there are whispers of crafty stable boys posing as players to bed lusty, gullible fans, too.
Prince Harry’s new Netflix documentary POLO – which has been dubbed “boring” by critics – focuses on the sport’s traditions, but Montecito socialite Kiki Astor has revealed the raunchy real-life antics that didn’t make the cut.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun from Montecito, California, she says: “Polo is a hyper-sexual sport. Everyone is having affairs.
“There is a lot of sex.
“You have macho men, many of whom are gorgeous and Argentinian, thundering around on horseback holding big mallets playing a game which is fast and dangerous.”
Kiki, author of the polo-themed bonkbuster Stick & Ball, draws inspiration from the scandalous experiences she witnessed in her formative years while traveling the globe, following polo matches.
Her book simmers with “sexual shenanigans”, blending high society allure with off-field drama.
“I grew up obsessed with polo,” she continues. “I had crushes on all of the players – including Adolfo Cambiaso.”
Kiki developed a “geographically-confused” accent from living in various places, blending French, English, and American influences.
Her early exposure to Greenwich Polo Club shaped her life-long love for the sport – and its players.
The 51-year-old writer – who currently spends polo season Sundays at the Santa Barbara club, which costs $10,000 (£7,904) to join and charges $200 (£158) a month – describes the lifestyle as a mixture of glamour and guardedness.
“Every woman fantasises about snagging a polo player,” she continues. “Beautiful women fly in from all over the world dressed up to the nines to try and get one but their glamorous wives and girlfriends watch them like hawks.
“Stable boys can be very enterprising, some pretend to be polo players so they can bed glamorous fans – I have heard bawdy whispers of that happening a lot with women who are from out of town and aren’t privy to this world.
“No one really looks at what goes on behind the scenes. But it’s quite fascinating.
“You’ve got all these beautiful barns, trailers, clubhouses, stands, and even the scoreboards, where I have heard of hanky panky going on.”
Prince Harry’s documentary focuses on Wellington, Florida, the new polo capital of the US, where elite players like rising star Timmy Dutta compete in high-stake tournaments in the winter.
Known for its prestigious equestrian culture, Wellington offers a unique backdrop for the five-part series, contrasting Harry’s usual venue, the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club.
Kiki recently visited Wellington where she saw extravagant polo barns, including that of Timmy Dutta, valued at around $25 million (£19.8m).
“The attraction to polo players isn’t just about how sexy they are,” she continues. “But the sheer wealth they represent.”
It can turn into Ascot with glamorous women in the toilets with polo players – or their filthy rich fathers
Kiki Astor
The series has been produced by the Sussexes’ Archewell Productions as part of their reported £80 million deal with Netflix.
Another prominent storyline in the series is a father-son polo rivalry, but Kiki says this is a common dynamic in the sport.
She explains that polo dynasties often see family members competing against each other, with the sport’s fluid team structure making such rivalries less dramatic compared to football.
“The fluidity also translates to the personal lives of younger players changing teams and sexual partners frequently as part of the high-society polo world.
“But once they are established, many become well-known breeders of pricey ponies and will protect their image of family men raising a dynasty of players.
“It’s quite normal for these dynasties of polo players and their cousins,” she reveals. “And then they’ll also have all the different dramas going on in the family feud.”
Kiki, a married mum of two, says polo players stand out in equestrianism due to their combination of control over large animals, fearlessness, and physical prowess.
“They’re these big, centaur-like creatures who have control over massive beasts, and keep going, even after dramatic falls,” she says. “Some have even lost an eye but remain irresistibly sexy.”
She adds: “Years of riding give them a bow-legged swagger that oozes sex appeal. And in those tight white jeans, they’re utterly irresistible.”
While other sports focus on precision, Kiki reveals polo is all about speed and fearlessness, doing whatever it takes with the thing between their legs to “get it in” – sparking fantasies of off-field skill.
Women are drawn to polo players who are undeniably sex gods…but the stable boys are probably more giving, shall we say
Kiki Astor
“These men are going at it really fast,” she laughs, adding that women can’t help but imagine how those talents would translate in the bedroom.
However, like most fantasies, the reality often falls short.
“Women are drawn to polo players who are undeniably sex gods,” she continues. “But their inflated egos often leave women wishing for more effort when it comes to their personal performance in the bedroom.
“The stable boys are probably more giving, shall we say.”
Kiki tells how women are also attracted to the luxury trappings which come with snagging a polo player.
“Many of these families are super rich,” she continues. “Breeding the horses themselves. They’ve got these huge estancias-properties.
“I mean. Imagine you’ve got this god on the polo field coming to you and saying, ‘Come to my giant ranch in Argentina.’
“Who could resist that?”
While affairs are rife in the polo world, the tight-knit community keeps things discreet – unless one’s had a little too much to drink.
“Many are having affairs but they’re subtle about it,” she continues. “They are careful in front of their wives and girlfriends.
“Although if there’s a special party at the polo club and one’s been downing a lot of champers, it can turn into Ascot with glamorous women in the toilets with polo players – or their filthy rich fathers.”
At a recent polo match in Montecito, Kiki overheard Argentine wives and girlfriends mocking LA Instagram girls who tried to flirt with their men.
They laughed at how desperate the women appeared, noting that there’s an unspoken code within the polo world.
Kiki points out that the wives are fiercely competitive, both on and off the field, and that crossing them would be a “bad idea”.
“These wives are formidable,” she continues. “Many of them are, you know, champions themselves, or wealthy themselves.”
Despite the glamour around the sport, Kiki is not convinced the show will be an enduring success.
“It feels like Harry is clutching at straws,” she adds. “If he doesn’t focus on the sex side of things, then you’re left with a show about privileged people playing an elitist sport, which few people are interested in.”
Kiki Astor’s book Stick and Ball is out now
