What Supa does

SUPA (Schools and Universities Polo Association) is a UK registered charity (No. 1150236) and private limited company (No. 05491501) founded in 1990 to develop and promote polo within education. It operates an annual membership model (£65 standard, £40 for HPA club members) covering public liability insurance up to £10m per incident through Liberty Mutual, alongside tournament entry fees (£65-£80 per person) for Junior Schools, Senior Schools, Ladies Schools, Universities, and Seniors Open Arena divisions. The organization is run by approximately six volunteers under Chairman Nigel Mercer, with section managers for each educational tier and a Communications Manager, Membership Registrar, and SAPA Manager.

SUPA's customer base spans junior schools (ages 8-13), senior schools, ladies schools, and universities across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Ireland, with named member institutions including the University of Brighton, University of East Anglia, University of Essex, Exeter University, University of St Andrews, University of Sheffield, University of Portsmouth, and University of Kent. Over 70 active venue clubs support the network, and primary venues include Rugby Polo Club and Cirencester Park Polo Club. The SAPA subsidiary extends reach into international alumni polo with early matches involving Brazil and the USA.

SUPA's technology layer centers on a bespoke automated tournament management system hosted on the PlayPolo app platform (launched February 2023), providing real-time chukka numbers, scores, and team progress to spectators, team managers, and horse hirers. Revenue derives from three streams: recurring membership fees, transactional tournament entry fees, and corporate sponsorship from partners including Chestertons Polo in the Park, HMA Tax, Worshipful Company of Saddlers, Black Hound, Prestige & Village, United Polo App, and Polo Times. The organization holds associated membership in the Hurlingham Polo Association, the UK governing body, which sanctions tournaments and provides coaching and rule enforcement.

Name

Supa

Legal name

Schools and Universities Polo Association Limited

Website

https://supa.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SUPA (Schools and Universities Polo Association) is a UK registered charity that runs a membership-based polo programme for junior schools, senior schools, ladies schools, and universities across the UK and Ireland, organizing sanctioned tournaments, bundled public liability insurance, and a digital tournament platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Amateur Sports Association / Youth Polo Programs

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Amateur Sport Governing Bodies & Federations (National/Regional) (MPAKACAD)

Keywords

• School polo programs
• University polo membership
• Student sports association
• Polo tournament organization
• Youth polo development

Headquarters

HQ city

Amersham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Technology or R&D, Others, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees for players. Standard membership is £65.00 per year. HPA club members receive reduced rate of £40.00. Membership includes public liability insurance coverage and access to all SUPA events and tournaments.
2. Tournament Entry Fees: Entry fees for national and regional tournaments. Junior Schools, Senior Schools, and Universities tournaments cost £65.00 per person. Seniors Open Arena tournaments cost £80.00 per person. Additional late entry charges apply.
3. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship from organisations including Chestertons Polo in the Park, HMA Tax, Worshipful Company of Saddlers, Black Hound, Prestige & Village, United Polo App, and Polo Times.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SUPA provides annual memberships to students in UK schools and universities, granting access to organized polo tournaments, championships, and coaching pathways. Membership includes public liability insurance (up to £10 million per incident) and entry into national and regional tournaments at Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, and Open levels. The organisation also runs a dedicated tournament information platform (PlayPolo App) that delivers live chukka numbers, scores, and team progress to spectators and participants.

Product overview

SUPA (Schools and Universities Polo Association) offers a unified membership-based service for students in UK schools and universities to participate in polo. The core offering consists of SUPA Membership, which includes public liability insurance and access to organized tournaments. Tournament Entry is available for Junior Schools, Senior Schools, Universities, and Seniors Open Arena divisions. The PlayPolo App serves as the digital platform for tournament information and real-time event updates. The organization also facilitates international opportunities such as the PV Youth Dubai Cup partnership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SUPA Membership Annual membership providing public liability insurance coverage, access to SUPA events and tournaments, and entry into the UK school and university polo community for students at all skill levels.
• Tournament Entry Entry to SUPA-organised national and regional polo tournaments including Junior Schools National Championships, Senior Schools National Championships, Universities National Championships, Ladies Schools Championships, and Arena Championships at Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, and Open levels.
• PlayPolo App Interactive tournament information platform hosted on the PlayPolo app that provides real-time access to chukka numbers, scores, team progress, and results for spectators, team managers, and horse hirers at SUPA events.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hundreds of schools and universities participate
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Chestertons Polo in the ParkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sponsor providing event sponsorship and promotional support for SUPA activities. Chestertons Polo in the Park is London's premier polo event held at Hurlingham Park.
• HMA TaxminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional services firm providing sponsorship support to SUPA.
• Worshipful Company of SaddlerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHistoric livery company supporting polo development. Has donated equipment prizes such as knee pads to young players.
• Black HoundminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSports equipment company providing sponsorship and prize donations for SUPA events.
• Prestige & VillagecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational real estate agents offering significant youth development opportunities including training trips to Dubai at Al Habtoor Polo Club for selected SUPA players.
• United Polo AppcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing the PlayPolo app platform which hosts SUPA's automated tournament system for real-time tournament information.
• Polo TimesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPolo media publication providing sponsorship support and media coverage for SUPA events.
• Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK governing body for polo. SUPA is an associated member. HPA provides coaching guidance, rule enforcement, handicap systems, and sanctions SUPA tournaments.
• Cirencester Park Polo ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium polo venue hosting SUPA Senior Schools National Championships. Provides world-class facilities for the inaugural U18's National Polo Gala.
• Glion Institute of Higher EducationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSwiss luxury hospitality university sponsoring the Senior Schools Glion National Arena Championships. Provides prize presentations and promotional support.
• Al Habtoor Polo ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDubai-based polo venue partnering with Prestige & Village and SUPA for youth development trips, providing coaching and competition opportunities.
• Rugby Polo ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome venue for University Summer Nationals and Senior Schools National Arena Championships. Provides facilities, camping, and social infrastructure for major events.
• Pony ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganisation supporting youth pony activities. SUPA works closely with Pony Club and HPA on tournament scheduling and player development pathways.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/supa

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Supa