This year, Wilson says, the events will host the well-heeled and VIPs, as well as a much bigger space for general admissions - such is the demand.
Celebrities said to be in attendance in Auckland include former All Black Dan Carter, who is a shareholder in Urban, designer Karen Walker, The Hits’ Matty McLean and ZM’s Clint Roberts, who is part of an all-star DJ line-up, including General Lee, Dick Johnson and GetSet.
Interestingly, two up-and-coming players in the F3 Internationals, NZ’s Greta van den Brink, 24, and Australia’s Anna Dowling, 20, don’t just come from renowned polo-playing families; their families are both high-flyers in the poultry world.
The Karaka-based van den Brink family are pioneers in the NZ poultry market and last year were valued at more than $400 million on the NBR Rich List.
The rural southern New South Wales-based Dowling family owns Enviroganic Farm, said to be Australia’s leading organic chicken and turkey producer.
Van den Brink’s father, Tony, is president of the Auckland Polo Club and her mother, Christine, is an established horsewoman.
“I grew up at polo. It’s always been in my life but I did not start playing properly until I was 20,” van den Brink tells Spy.
“It’s a special sport that my whole family is involved in - my brothers, my nephew and my dad all play.
“It’s a big part of my life. I feel hugely lucky that my love of horses and team sports has resulted in the opportunity and privilege of playing this amazing game.”
Outside polo, van den Brink is an actress working in film and television and has recently started making music. She says her confidence in horse riding helped translate her skills to become a successful stuntwoman.
Over the past three years, van den Brink has had stunt jobs on the productions of Cowboy Bebop, Sweet Tooth, Evil Dead Rise and The Rings of Power.
Dowling’s mother, Sonya, and father Angus are coming to cheer her on throughout her Godzone polo tour. Both played polo and have been huge supporters of her four brothers and her in the game. She is very grateful to her parents for allowing her the opportunity to follow her dreams and turn polo into a career. She lives and breathes polo, mucks in and trains horses and her next step is to establish herself on the English women’s circuit.
“It is hugely exciting to be touring New Zealand and representing Australia,” says Dowling.
“This is my first year playing in the Australian Women’s team which is a huge achievement for me and something I have been working very hard towards.”
“My main goal will be to enjoy every minute and I’m looking to learn everything I can from my two team-mates, who are very experienced players,” she says.
Dowling says she and her team-mates are coming to New Zealand to win.
“I think we have a very strong team and look forward to taking the trophy home with us.”
Dowling confesses she hasn’t played the faster form of F3 before and she is looking forward to soaking up the atmosphere.
“It’s going to be a buzz,” she says.
Van den Brink also loves the atmosphere the Urban provides. She says the 3-on-3 players in a smaller space makes for a faster game and highlights the importance of working well as a team.
“I love the atmosphere of playing inside the boards - you can really feel the crowd - they are about as close to the action as they could get without being on the horse,” says van den Brink.
Next year the new format test series of F3 events will premiere in cities throughout Australia.
