The Staff
At Black Bears Polo Club we are fortunate enough to not only have a wealth of experience and expertise amongst our staff - whether that be on a permanent or seasonal basis – our team is also blessed with a 'can do' attitude and an attention to detail that ensures that Black Bears Polo Club deservedly enjoys its reputation as being amongst the finest polo clubs in the UK.
Rob Cudmore – Polo Manager
A third generation polo player and former Australian international, Rob Cudmore brings a wealth of his experience to the role of Polo Manager at Black Bears. Responsible not only for the Black Bears ponies but also for the smooth running of all the polo that takes place at Lower Bolney Farm, his twenty eight years in the business of running polo clubs and teams stand him in very good stead as he steers Black Bears along its transition from private polo facility to one of the biggest and most prestigious clubs in the UK, with a huge number of players based on site, and tournaments every weekend across the levels.
Lisa Hughes – Operations Manager
Although Lisa’s background is in hunting and eventing rather than polo, she hugely appreciates being in an office surrounded by the hustle and bustle of a busy polo yard – especially when the setting is as beautiful as Lower Bolney Farm. Tasked with the smooth running of the facility she is always on the end of a phone or email ready to resolve any problem that may occur – and with a colossal number of people and horses on site and a busy schedule it is inevitable that there are issues to be resolved on a daily basis!
Sam Gravestock – Young Horse Trainer & Driver
Sam is a very versatile member of the team! He has the job of riding the young horses and helping to turn them into civilised polo ponies, but is also responsible for driving the Black Bears ponies to tournaments. When he is not doing that he is to be found either on a tractor carrying out routine paddock maintenance, or fixing and repairing something around the property.
Sarah Sharpe – Polo Office Administrator
Every busy office needs a Sarah to keep them well organised! With wide-ranging experience across a variety of different industries Sarah is more than able to keep the wheels turning in a calm and efficient manner. New to polo, she is getting up to speed remarkably quickly and is looking forward to watching some polo in the summer.