HPA staff

Ex-Director of The Dorchester Hotel for eight years.  Director of CCPC.  Trustee of The Polo Charity. Trustee of Starlight Children's Charity.  Clubs: Cavalry and Guards.  Turf.  Dracs - St.Moritz.  Hobbies: Polo, horse racing and countryside activities.

David Woodd
Chief Executive
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Born more than 50 years ago, David is married to Fra and they have two teenage daughters, Matilda and Tabitha, both of whom are at Marlborough and play polo. Educated at Eton and then Sandhurst, David followed his father into the 14th/20th King’s Hussars, and it is there he took up Polo.   Over the 24 years that he played he did thirteen seasons in Germany, five at Guards (of which he is a Life Member), five at Kirtlington and one at Cirencester. At the height of his game he reached a commendable handicap of four, and was in the Sladmore team that reached the finals of the Royal Windsor and won both the Harrison and County Cups in the same year. During his time in the Army, he also played in Hong Kong, Kenya, Zimbabwe, USA (East Coast and Florida), Chile, Argentina, Brunei, Jordan, Cyprus, New Zealand, India, and St Moritz. 

David resigned as a Colonel from the army in 1999 to join the HPA as Chief Executive. He now plays ‘at home’ only but when not working is seen regularly on the sidelines at Pony Club and SUPA tournaments quietly supporting his two daughters, three nephews and a niece, and the Marlborough teams.  Out of season, if not skiing or in Argentina, he has also be known to sport a shot gun on the odd occasion! Other interests include the Rules of Polo, The High Goal Programme and Insurance!
                                                                                                                                                          

Lucy Lewis
International, Finance & Events
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Lucy Lewis, married with one son. Born in Ireland 50 years ago into a hunting and racing family, the only connection she had with polo was that her father had played polo for Cambridge in America just after the war and her great great grandfather was a 7 goal player!  She worked in racing as PA to Peter Walwyn for 20 years, whilst also administrating the Lambourn Trainers Association and upon Peter's retirement she joined Oliver Sherwood for a couple of seasons.  After some smooth talking from David Woodd she was enticed into a change of scenery and she joined the HPA in 2001 and looks like being here until she is carried out in her coffin!  Lucy is also secretary for the Old Berks Point to Point and Hunt Race.

Milly Hodges

Communications, Publications & Membership
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Aged 10 the choice of cleaning tack or taking polo lessons was put to Milly one afternoon at Pony Club camp and as she says “therein lay a very expensive decision!”  

She played pony club throughout her teens, (having chosen the polo lessons over the tack cleaning!), and was then awarded an HPA scholarship to New Zealand where she worked for Nick Jones and the late Johnny Walker.  This was where the bug was really caught and her university years were spent scrimping and saving to play at Kirtlington and Cirencester.  In 1993 she went to Zimbabwe where she stayed for 5 years living and breathing polo with the well known Miekle family.  Upon her return she worked as Polo Manager for Binfield Heath and then took on a “grown up” job in London working in advertising for The Lowe Group and Octagon.  After four years in London and with some persuasion from the current Chief Executive Milly was encouraged to return to the country and took up her post with the HPA in 2002.  She currently plays at the Beaufort Polo Club off 2 goals.

Sophie McPherson
Development, Coaching &  Passports                                                      
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