Welcome to Pete’s Blog-in-the-garden PBITG.com, reinvented.   It was originally styled as a polo blog, and polo will naturally feature in this blog as that is the equine sport I am most involved in now, as a player, tournament organiser and administrator, FIP Ambassador and Tournament Director (TD), and Assistant Director for Zone D of the Federation of International Polo.  I ran the FIP Snow Polo World Cup for six years, and all editions of the FIP Super Nations Cup too.  In addition, I was the executive secretary of the Royal Malaysian Polo Association, running the RMPA International League from 2005 to 2018.  I played polo in a World Cup in Jaipur myself and in two South East Asian Games, 24 years apart.

My equine life hasn’t been limited to polo. As a showjumper I was a founder and jumped in the South East Asian League of the FEI World Cup Jumping.  I jumped at two Asian Games, finishing 7th at best.  At one point I had a showjumper in France and was ranked #168 in the world.  I still enjoy showjumping as an FEI International (Level 3) Course Designer, and occasionally as a reluctant coach.

I rode over 200 flat races and was champion amateur jockey, so there might be the occasional reference to horse-racing.  I also won a SEA games gold in Eventing.  And also rode dressage in a South East Asian championships.  I was a Pony Clubber and have qualifications as a equestrian instructor.

I have been in the saddlery trade since 1987.  If you see a bit of Zack’s Tack in this blog, I make no apologies – I am the Managing Director, and yes, there will be some reference to our products and what exciting things we are doing.  Zack’s Tack is about saddlery, horse feed, equine and polo team management, bloodstock, event management and designing showjumping fences.

I am also the Managing Director and Chief Riding Instructor of the Kuala Lumpur Academy of Polo, which operates the polo and riding schools at the Kuala Lumpur Polo Club (formerly known as The Royal Selangor Polo Club.)  Kuala Lumpur Academy of Polo is a company that specializes in high quality polo coaching in Malaysia.

Activities are coaching polo, riding for polo and equestrian sports, running co-curricular activities for a number of schools, coaching of polo from ages 6 up, organizing riding and polo clinics, horse shows, polo tours, continued equine education and academy management. We lease polo ponies for our members to play in club polo and tournaments.

KL Academy of Polo has also affiliated our youth activities to The Pony Club (UK), and ran the 1st Malaysia Youth Polo Tournament, leading us to be recognised by the Malaysia Book of records.  We run pony club rallies and camps at the Kuala Lumpur Polo Club, and for schools in Malaysia. We also coach school-children from various international schools and support the Riding For The Disabled Association of Malaysia.

As a blogger, I started Equestrian.Com.My in 1999, and it has evolved into PBITG.  I enjoy writing, and literature, and have written for The Business Times (Singapore), Hurlingham Polo (United Kingdom), Guide to Malaysia, and many other publications.  I have also authored a biography for Mr K Venga: From Ordinary to Extraordinary.

My blog postings will include reference to all of this, from time to time.

You are welcome to make comments when I post my articles to PBITG’s page on Facebook.  They don’t always have to be the politically correct ones. If you wish to disagree, please do so. I value discussion and I am always learning from it.