HPA staff

Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers
Chairman

Son of an Australian Diplomat, Nicholas was educated at Christ Church in Western Australia and then worked for the Australian Government for a period before following in his Father’s earlier footsteps and joining the British Army. He attended both Mons and Sandhurst serving in the Royal Artillery in BAOR, Northern Ireland and Hong Kong. He retired from the Army after a knee injury and has since then pursued a career working with various Middle Eastern interests for the past 30 years. Currently running the London end of a UAE based oil, shipping and property group. Married in 1978 to Annie, the daughter of another army polo player, who remains his conscience, memory-bank and best friend to this day! No claim to have reached the exalted heights as an amateur player having only achieved a one goal handicap but still playing regularly at over 60 and passionate about both the sport and its history having played in over 20 countries around the world. Chairman of Ham Polo Club since 1995 and an HPA Steward since 1996.

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 over 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!

Milly Hodges and Sophie McPherson

Communications, Publications & Membership
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Milly played pony club throughout her teens and was 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 playing 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 took up her post with the HPA in 2002, and played off 2 goals until she 'hung up her boots' to start a family.

Sophie started at the HPA in November 2003. Having played polo since she was eight years old and having two brothers and a sister who play gives Sophie a solid background knowledge of the sport, she plays off a 1 goal handicap. Sophie lives in Chedworth with her husband and young son.

Amanda Eaton
Development, Coaching & Passports
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Amanda joined the HPA in February 2008 to cover Sophie's position whilst she was on maternity leave, she enjoyed the summer so much she decided to stay! She started playing polo with the Pony Club at the age of 13, played for a number of years at the Cambridge and Newmarket Polo Club and joined the HPA having spent a season as Polo Manager at Sussex Polo. Although having been involved with polo for many years she is predominantly from a hunting and racing background, she was a point to point jockey for four seasons and then went on to work Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's internationally renowned Godolphin Stables in both Newmarket and Dubai.