I am delighted that KL Academy of Polo has secured the services of Mr Christopher Ladbrook to teach riding, jumping and equitation at the Royal Selangor Polo Club. Chris is an old friend – he moved to Malaysia, from Wellington, New Zealand, around the same time I moved to Kuala Lumpur, from Singapore, in 1994.
We both jumped in the World Cups and all the big shows in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand at the time. It was quite a circuit in those days. Chris and I even helped each other occasionally in the warm-up rings.
This photo (pic right), copyright of Equestrian.Com.My, was taken by Natasha Mustapha, back in 2000. In it, Chris is jumping Sprite, a school horse he bought for the Selangor Polo & Riding Club (RSPC’s name at that time). Chris jumped Sprite in all the 1.30 classes, and a few CSI-W FEI SEA World Cup Jumping League classes.
I jumped a riding school horse, Une Des Pipet, in the 2001 SEA Games, and won a CSI-W World Cup with her in 2001. As far as I know, Chris and I are the only riders to have jumped riding school horses in World Cup classes. It is either a skill, or a special kind of crazy.
Chris has it. He is a special guy. Not only is he very knowledgeable, he has a way with words. If you have ever had a lesson with Chris, you will know what I mean!
Chris coached the Malaysian National Eventing Team that went to the 1998 Asian Games in Saraburi, Thailand. Tunku Nazroff was one of his team riders, aboard Sprite. The Eventing Team took silver at the 2001 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, with Chris again the national coach. In 2013, Chris went one better, winning gold as the dressage coach at the Myanmar SEA Games. As a coach, Chris has also been to many SUKMA Games with teams and individual riders in recent years.
Chris is engaged by KL Academy of Polo and is not a freelance instructor, but an instructor on our panel, taking classes booked directly with KLAP-RSPC. Chris replaces Amir Zulkifle, who left us at the end of January.
Chris will take lessons booked by KL Academy of Polo, on:
- Wednesday Afternoons
- Thursday Afternoons
- Saturday Mornings
- Saturday Afternoons
I hope you will all welcome Chris Labrook back to RSPC. He started with us on Wednesday 24th February, 2021.
For more information or bookings (Members only during CMCO), please WhatsApp +60 11-1638 3835 or email: admin@klacademyofpolo.com
