- 09:30
Eight months in the saddle, a gold medal around his neck: Lebanon now has its very first university polo champion in the UK. A journey fueled by passion, identity and ambition, this is the extraordinary story of Jad Achour. He spoke exclusively to This is Beirut.
It’s a historic first in Lebanese sports, and it has the refined taste of champagne popped on the sidelines of an English polo field. Just eight months after learning how to ride a horse, the spirited young Lebanese, Jad Achour, led his team from the University of Warwick to a gold medal at the prestigious 2025 SUPA Summer Nationals tournament. A stunning triumph in an elite sport that remains largely unknown in the land of the Cedars: polo.
A Lightning-Fast Rise on Horseback
Playing for Warwick’s B2 team, Achour faced fierce competition from top-tier teams like Durham, Cardiff and Nottingham. The result: three clear victories, dominant performances and a national university title won in style. While other Warwick teams stumbled in the knockout rounds, B2 galloped straight to glory. A direct line to the history books.
“Grass polo is another level entirely: bigger field, faster play, more intricate tactics. We only had a month to prepare, and it was during exam season. But my team was amazing. We supported each other, tested strategies, and our coach, Grant Collett, guided us perfectly,” he said. Still emotional from the experience, he added, “Lifting that trophy was surreal. But realizing I was the first Lebanese to win gold at the SUPA Nationals, that was unforgettable.”
A Lebanese Where No One Expected One
Polo, often seen as a sport for kings and leather-booted gentlemen, is nowhere to be found on Beirut’s dusty fields or in local sports coverage. And that’s precisely what makes Jad Achour’s achievement so striking. In record time, this novice rider became a playmaker, a strategist on horseback and an unexpected ambassador for Lebanon in a highly demanding and exclusive international arena.
Born in Beirut, Dreaming on Horseback
Born and raised in Beirut, and a former student of the Collège Protestant Français, Jad continued his secondary education in Paris at Lycée Pascal before settling in the UK. “My family is originally from Chaqra in the South. I carry that southern heritage proudly. No matter where I go, Lebanon is with me. It’s who I am.”
He just completed his first year studying Business Management at the University of Warwick. “What I love here is how they encourage you to step out of the academic box and try new things. I play tennis, golf, shoot, train in MMA… But polo, it just clicked,” he said.
Lebanese Polo Now Has a Name: Achour
That “click” happened during a night out in Paris at the legendary Polo de Paris, back when he was still in high school. “It wasn’t a match, but a rally party in this incredible setting. There was this blend of elegance, energy, horses, tension… I left thinking: One day, I have to try this sport.”
He made that dream a reality as soon as he got to Warwick. “I had never ridden a horse before. I signed up for the first beginner’s class—fearless. And after that first session, I just knew it was for me.” He trained weekly, joined the Riding Society and progressed fast. Really fast. “The hardest part was the riding itself—galloping, staying balanced, striking while staying in control… I had to build it all from scratch. But I was never afraid of horses, and that helped me improve quickly.”
His rise was so rapid, he competed in the Winter Nationals as a rookie and finished second. “That gave me the confidence. By the Summer Nationals, I was ready.”
His team is a diverse mix. “We were a Frenchman, an Iranian, a Chinese, an Indian, an Englishman and me, a Lebanese. A real mosaic. And that mix made us stronger,” he explains.
And before every match, he had an unexpected ritual, “I say a little prayer, then I listen to Ella elle l’a by France Gall. It calms me… and it works every time.”
To those who believe polo is inaccessible or irrelevant, Jad Achour just answered, with a mallet, a horse and a medal. The young Lebanese rider is a living promise: that even sports far from the local spotlight can stir national pride to the rhythm of galloping hooves.
A Polo Vision for the Future
But the story doesn’t end there. “I want to keep playing, in various divisions. And even after university—hopefully I’ll work in finance in London—polo will stay a part of my life. It’s not just a sport. It’s a mindset, a lifestyle.”
And as he looks to the future, his thoughts return home, “My dream is to open a polo club in Lebanon. A place where anyone can come and discover the sport, even if they’ve never ridden a horse before. It would be a cultural hub, a space for relaxation and sport, accessible to all. A destination, not just a field.”
His message to This is Beirut readers? Delivered with the quiet strength of someone with nothing left to prove:
“Lebanon is not a land of limitations. We are not defined by crisis. We are a people of talent, creativity and strength. No matter where you are, represent us with pride. Dream big. Don’t let anyone define your ceiling.”
Message received, loud and clear, both on horseback and in the heart.
Comments