"Legacy in the Saddle: How the Moscow Polo Club Shapes Culture and Builds the Future"

— At that age, you see everything differently. I was born in America, went to school there. New York was the only home I knew and was attached to. I was raised in a Russian family, speaking Russian. I understood that we weren’t American and were in the U.S. temporarily. We returned in 1996, during a difficult time for Russia. I was surprised that there was always an armed person nearby accompanying me. But at the same time, I interacted a lot with Russian drivers—and that was very interesting.

The challenge was that I had to change schools frequently: I studied for half a year at a Russian school, then we moved to London for a year, where I enrolled in an international American school, and in 1998, we returned to Russia again. We only went to New York for a month in the summer—to visit my grandmother. So, moving to Russia gave me the ability to feel at home in different places. This experience helped me easily find common ground with people from different cultures. For example, at 19, I went on my first independent trip—to Argentina for three months, where I learned Spanish.

— I had already been playing polo since 2003, since the opening of the Moscow Polo Club. And the trip to Argentina was a continuation: to learn Spanish, to grow in polo. I spent most of my time at the stables, not at the university. Many of the people I met there, I am still friends with, and we sometimes meet as families.

— I am undoubtedly proud of my ancestors. And I am proud of my father, Alexey Rodzianko, who built a brilliant career. But I believe relying solely on aristocratic roots is a mistake. It’s wonderful to have an example from the family tree: it inspires and motivates, but it shouldn’t define one’s entire path.

What matters to me is the family endeavor. I enjoyed building the culture of polo together with my father. It felt good both to play alongside him and to argue with him on the field. And then to get in the car with the feeling that everything said remained there. These childhood memories of the stables also brought me closer to my younger sister. I hope other families, too, can find their own value in this.

— My life is sports. It involves intense exertion, risk, and discipline. But at the same time, my family is by my side—I spend time with them and take them on trips. This year, I even brought my eldest son along—he's seven years old. For me, sports are an example I want to set for my children.

— When I was growing up, my classmates would go to their dachas on weekends. But our family would go to the stables, take the horses, and ride into the forest. Those were my fondest memories. I became a director because I was afraid this way of life would disappear. I wanted to preserve it and pass it on. When I first graduated from university in the U.S. with degrees in Business Administration and International Business, I tried to apply theoretical models. At first, I was frustrated: I expected everyone to perform as perfectly as I would myself. Later, I realized everyone has their own limits. From that period of micromanagement, some workflows remain that still serve as our foundation. Now, I no longer need to demonstrate how to adjust a lawnmower—everything runs as it should.

— Polo is an extremely expensive sport because it requires vast land for just a few players. Beyond money, it demands time and the right approach. It’s also a long-term process: a horse takes seven years to mature, and it took us ten years to bring the fields up to international standards. That’s why I believe there is beauty in every aspect of the club. People visit and say they feel transported to another world.

— It all starts with selection. Sometimes mares are brought specifically for breeding. Last year, I brought a stallion from Argentina, and now the first foals have arrived. Then everything progresses gradually: 11 months of gestation, six months by the mother’s side, a year and a half of childhood. At two to three years, we begin ground work; at four, we introduce the mallet. By five, it’s a full season; by six, the horse is ready. It’s very much like preparing a child for school: step by step.

— I want the sport to grow in Russia. We have everything: land, culture, people. Polo can thrive here. But we must remember: this is a sport of long-term horizons. We are not just building fields—we are building a culture. And that is the true legacy.

— The most noticeable change: initially, the club consisted almost entirely of expats. Today, the only expats left are my father and me. The quality of the fields has also transformed. We used to play in indoor arenas, then on leveled fields. Now, we play at Tseleyevo Golf & Polo Club, where everything is designed to high standards, and over ten years, we’ve brought the fields up to international level. We started with 25 horses from Argentina; today, we have around a hundred. A fourfold growth over twenty years is a significant achievement. If we maintain this pace, the future looks promising.

Author: Vera Kantor

— I was a teenager and didn’t think much about it. I was more into hockey. But in polo, I found what I loved about hockey: speed, contact, teamwork. The difference was that after hockey, I could barely move, while after polo, I felt a pleasant fatigue, lightness in my body, and clarity in my head. When I first started, I thought I would never work in this field: it seemed that if a hobby became a profession, it would quickly grow boring. At that age, my understanding of sports was superficial. But with each year, I discovered new facets: managing the club, developing the academy, international connections—and my own growth.