Gladiator Polo™ Rider Spotlight: Kris Kampsen

Sep 14, 2017 - 11:48 AM

The Gladiators are coming! Each Gladiator Spotlight will feature one of the players who will be competing during Gladiator Polo™  presented by Coca-Cola on September 16th at Tryon International Equestrian Center! Meet one of our Gladiators, Kris Kampsen, who will play for Team Spartanburg, sponsored by Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport.

krispolo1-571x800
Photo by ChiChi Ubina

Q: Where are you from originally?

A: I was born in Tampa, FL.

 

Q: When did you start playing polo?

A: I played in my first tournament when I was 9-years-old and then I moved to Palm Beach, FL when I was 15 to go professional and start playing high goal polo.

 

Q: Who is your favorite polo pony and why?

A: I have a mare named Soleil, and she was amazing. My first year in high goal she played two chukkers for each game and she was just awesome. I retired her, and then a few years later I brought her back out and she was amazing. She was just as good then as she was before retirement. She had already had a baby for me and everything, and I brought her out of retirement for that one tournament. She’s awesome.

kris kampsen
Photo by Katerina Morgan

 

Q: Where is your favorite place to play polo?

A: I mean I love to be home in Wellington, FL playing. My wife and my kid and I live there.

 

Q: Have you ever played arena polo before?

A: I have, I am co-title record holder with my team for the US Open three years in a row. That was only ever done by one other team since the 1930’s.

 

Q: What is the difference between field polo and arena polo?

A: It is a completely different game. On the field there is more steady passing, you’re opening the game and slowing it down. Arena polo for me is more like ice hockey. There is great passing, but you are using the boards and the walls. You are using more power than finesse.

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Photo by ChiChi Ubina

 

Q: What are you most excited about for Gladiator Polo?

A: It’s something new and something fun. I enjoy playing arena polo and I have put a lot of effort into trying to be good in the arena. The arena at Tryon looks huge! It looks great!

 

Q: What’s your favorite drink?

A: Unsweetened iced green tea.

 

Q: What song or playlist are you currently listening to?

A: I listen to Howard Stern.

 

Q: If you didn’t play polo what would you do instead for fun?

A: I enjoy golf, and now that my kid is ten months old I enjoy hanging out with my kid all the time.

Kris-Kampsen

Q: Who is your favorite superhero?

A: Ace Ventura

 

Q: Favorite dessert?

A: Red Velvet cake. I am from the south, and it is such a southern thing.

 

Gladiator Polo™ Returns to #TIEC September 2017!

Schedule –  $120,000 Battle for the Carolinas Fall Series

Saturday, September 16th: Battle for South Carolina – Greenville vs. Spartanburg

Saturday, September 30th: Battle for the Carolinas Championship – Asheville vs. SC Winning Team

Click here to purchase Asado tickets for Saturday, September 16th. Adult tickets are $40.00 and a table of six is available for $400.00. 

To see more photos from the June 24th Gladiator Polo™ match presented by Coca-Cola, click here. 

To read about the game and the more than 10,000 fans that attended the match, click here. 

Want to see the BRAND NEW promo video? Click here. 

Like the official Gladiator Polo™ Facebook page here. 

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