K N (Ken) Peake
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Ken Peake was a Champion polo player from the 1930s. He was Captain and wearer of the number 3 vest winning the Savile Cup, the oldest New Zealand sporting trophy, in 1936, 1937 and 1938, as well as the Australasian Gold Cup in 1938.
He had excellent horsemanship skills and an outstanding knowledge of the game which was reflected in his 10-goal handicap.
He served as President of the New Zealand Polo Association.
In 1989 a former top New Zealand polo player was attending a tournament and commented on New Zealand player Graham Bray “until I saw Bray in action, I had never seen any New Zealand player come within cooee of Ken Peake. Everything he did was quick, decisive and right. But he still wouldn’t have footed it with Ken Peake.”
Ken Peake’s fame rests principally on the hat-trick of Savile Cup wins and in particular on his play – the play of a genius – when New Zealand won the Gold Cup in Sydney in 1938. Grudging admiration from an Australian who at that time said ‘Ken Peake was one of the greatest players ever seen in Australia.’
His achievements are as follows:
- 1935 Runner up in Savile Cup.
- 1936, 37 & 38 Member of the Cambridge team that won the Savile Cup.
- 1938 First ever New Zealand handicaps, Ken was placed on a 10 – the highest.
Bob Nolan had the next highest handicap of 8.