Neil Egerton (The Edge) served 12 adrenalin fuelled years in the Royal Marine Commandos, before pursuing his other true passion – action sports photography. That was 30 years ago.
Having covered almost all sports imaginable, from lawn mower racing in Sussex to the World Aerobatic Championships in South Africa, Neil’s sports photography has taken him far and wide, covering local and international events, including The Commonwealth Games and two Olympics.
Twenty years ago, he was struck by the combination of the skilled horsemanship and unquestionable grace that can be found on every polo pitch and in every polo match across the globe. It was and remains an inspiration in his endeavour to capture the ‘sport of kings’ – illustrating the magic and mystery in an honest and representative exposure.
He has travelled around the world with this wonderful sport. From the hallowed green fields of the English countryside to the sun-drenched pitches in Australia and Spain and beyond, to the snowy grounds of Switzerland and China.
He has been privileged to capture the flair of many of the greatest polo players of our time including Adolfo Cambiaso, Piki Alberti and JP Clarkin, to have been asked by HRH Prince Charles to take the first polo images of the young royals Prince William and Prince Harry, to spotting new talent and capturing their development as they have progressed from grooms to players to forces to be reckoned with, including the exceptional Alicia Gariador.
Neil gave his time to the British military charity Help for Heroes as their official photographer at the Warrior Games in New York and Chicago, supplying images to raise awareness of our wounded veterans. As an ex Royal marine who saw many years of active service, this is a charity that is close to Neil’s heart and a way in which he felt he could give something back to those who have bravely served their country.
“The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit and freedom.“ Sharon Ralls Lemon
by Thomas Wirth
Images © NEIL EGERTON, POLOARTIMAGES.COM
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