I n d i a 2 0 1 3
THe British Polo Day INDIA presented by
In association with
for the benefit of
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Dear Guests, Welcome to Jodhpur, a city synonymous with polo, for the third British Polo Day India, presented by Land Rover in association with Taj Hotels, Resorts & Palaces. Lord Louis Mountbatten played his first game of polo in Jodhpur when he accompanied Edward, The Prince of Wales, on his 1921-1922 tour of India and the Far East. Mountbatten had to step in at the last minute to replace an injured player and although he only hit the ball three or four times he wrote in his diary: I’ve gone absolutely dippy about polo, which in my opinion is the best game in the world.” He in turn, taught his nephew, Prince Philip, who taught his son, Prince Charles, who in turn taught Princes William and Harry. This is just one example of the many ways that India and Great Britain have been connected with polo ever since the revival of the sport in the nineteenth century. The seeds of polo in Jodhpur were sown in 1889 when Sir Pratap Singh, younger brother of the Maharaja and Prime Minister of Jodhpur State, invited Col. Stuart Beatson of the Bengal Lancers to help him raise the Jodhpur Lancers. Polo was played for the first time here and we are delighted to be continuing that tradition with the British Army team once again playing the Presidents Bodyguard. Another key fixture this weekend is Eton v Mayo College. Eton’s connection with India goes back centuries. Eleven viceroys of India have been educated at Eton as well as five Governor-Generals and three High Commissioners, and of course, His Highness The Maharaja Gaj Singh II Of Marwar-Jodhpur whose kind patronage of this event we are indebted to. Mayo College is also known as the “Eton of India” and has a long friendship with its British counterpart. Mayo beat Eton in the first year, Eton settled the score in the second year, so there is everything to play for this year! The third match sees Oxford travelling out to play Jodhpur. His Highness matriculated from Oxford and we welcome these three teams that have such strong connections with India and Jodhpur. This weekend’s events follows the successful polo tour of the Royal House of Jodhpur that played at the British Polo Day Charity Cup in Great Britain this summer. The success of the tour matched the success of previous Jodhpur tours to England in the early twentieth century. We are delighted to be continuing these old traditions, we thank all our partners for making it possible and hope, above all, that you have a great weekend! The British Polo Day India Committee
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Although the ancient sport of polo began in Persia and China many centuries ago, the British reinvented the modern game in the Nineteenth Century. Sir Winston Churchill, one of the greatest proponents of the game, once famously said “a polo handicap is a passport to the world� and polo is still thriving everywhere it is played, from Argentina to New Zealand. British Polo Day carries on the tradition of the British playing polo against friends in a host of different countries around the world.
www.britishpoloday.com
Specialists in Contemporary Equestrian Paintings and Sculptures
The Osborne Studio Gallery, 2 Motcomb Street, London SW1X 8JU Tel: 020 7235 9667 Fax: 020 7235 9668 Email: gallery@osg.uk.com
www.osg.uk.com
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Timetable Friday 13th December 2pm : Gates Open
4pm : Oxford vs. Jodhpur
5pm : Prize Giving Ceremony
8pm : Palace Drinks Party Umaid Bhawan Palace
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Timetable Saturday 14th December 9am : Explore: “......from the bastions of the Jodhpur Fort one hears as the gods must hear from Olympus...” - Aldous Huxley 2pm : Gates Open
2.30pm : Ladies Camel Polo
3.30pm : Eton/British Schools vs. Mayo College
5pm : Prize Giving Ceremony
5.30pm : High Tea
9pm : Mehrangarh Fort Dinner
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Timetable Sunday 15th December 9am : Explore “ Englishman and Rathore, brothers in sport, ride o’er, the sandy plain of of Jodhpore” 2pm : Gates Open
2.30pm : Cavalry vs. Guards Camel Polo
3.30pm : High Tea
4pm : British Army vs. The President’s Bodyguard
6pm : Prize Giving Ceremony
8pm : Reception & Zaeem Jamal Fashion Show Umaid Bhawan Palace Loud Auction for the benefit of : The Indian Head Injuries Foundation & Head Injuries Through Sport (HITS)
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Astrid harrisson Well known for her striking photographic portrayals of horses and the cultures in which they subsist, Astrid Harrisson presents a set of commanding images from her ‘Black’ collection alongside vivid illustrations of horse power in her ‘Blue’ pieces on metal. The powerful rhythm of these works mimic Astrid’s understanding for her equine subjects. Devoted to a career in close proximity to the horse, Astrid is as much at home on a ranch in Argentina as she is cruising coastlines of Northern Iceland or celebrating a feisty fiesta in rural Spain. From the foothills of the Andes to the plains of America’s Wild West and the remotest mountains of Mongolia, Astrid traverses the globe in a bid to understand more about horses and their magnificent native territories. Astrid shares her discoveries through her sensitive documentations, some of which can be found in her recent book ‘The Majesty of the Horse’, a collaboration with renowned British author Tamsin Pickeral, published in the UK by Harper Collins. Graduating in 2002, Astrid’s career pathway ultimately returned her focus to the horse - a life-long passion consequentially finding expression through her work; within the vast boundaries of this niche, Astrid is building a solid International reputation for her talents behind the lens and for her empathy with her subjects. Every new commission sees Astrid achieve something new, something a little different. Through both digital photography and graphic illustration, her resulting works are, more often than not, stylised, contemporary pieces of art. www.astridharrisson.com (left) “Statue” (Below) Lusitano Stallion “Rustico” Photographed in Holland, 2010 for the cover of The Majesty of the Horse (UK Edition)
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Jeremy Houghton Akin to a number of interesting artists Jeremy Houghton also studied law prior to embarking on an art career. He joined the art world initially as Head Of Art at the International School of Cape Town and, on returning to his Cotswold studio, became one of his generation’s most prolific and collectable artists. Since 2005, when his full time painting career began, he has achieved some notable achievements and commissions. He was the official artist for London Fashion Week in 2007, officially painted HM the Queen in 2009, and has had solo exhibitions at some of the world’s premier galleries: The Saatchi Gallery (London), The Everard Read Gallery (Johannesburg) and The Visual Arts Gallery (Delhi) amongst others. He was one of the official artists for the London 2012 Olympic Games and is currently a resident artist at Highgrove Estate. Through diverse portfolios, Houghton’s work is an aesthetical study of relationships, creating works which embrace the pleasure of seeing. The conservation of balanced connections between man and nature is the inspiration behind his work, and how they can be portrayed from different visual, social and environmental angles. Old photographic negatives provide the starting point for each piece of work. Tone and form are then used to portray movement and space, purposefully distanced from time. (Below) “On the Attack” Original Watercolour Featured in charity auction
www.jeremyhoughton.co.uk
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Rules of Polo 1
The blue player has the line, and at fair speed the orange player would be crossing the line without sufficient safety margin, resulting in a penalty against white.
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When travelling in the same direction the orange player may draw level with blue and then force him across the line and take possession of the ball without committing a dangerous foul.
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Two players riding for a ball from opposite directions in the open must both give way to the left and take the ball on their right or offside.
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Even at a far lesser angle the orange player would still be crossing the line if he continues in that direction, and committing a dangerous foul.
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The orange player may move in parallel with the line and play a shot providing he can do so without interfering with the blue’s mount or causing him to check back. If white would cross the line to the dotted position it would be a foul.
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When two players are approaching a ball in the open from different directions, the player (orange), with the line of the ball on his offside, right hand side, has right of way.
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The Land Rover Cup Oxford vs Jodhpur The Yuvraj Shivraj Singh of Jodhpur Cup Eton/British Schools vs Mayo College The Hackett Trophy The British Army vs The President’s Bodyguard Most Valuable Player Sponsored By Ettinger Best Playing Pony Sponsored By Justerini & Brooks
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Presented by His Highness The Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Marwar-Jodhpur Presented By His Highness The Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Marwar-Jodhpur Mark Cameron Presented By His Highness The Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Marwar-Jodhpur Venetia Hoare Presented By Robert and Jane Ettinger Presented By Chadwick Delaney
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Teams and Players Oxford
Jodhpur
Justerini & Brooks
TAJ
1. Stuart Wrigley
(0)
1. Mr. Vinod Kumar
2. Jacqueline Hooper
(0)
2. Kr. Vishwaraj Singh (0)
3. John Harris
(2)
3. Th. Digvijay Singh (0)
Bk. Claire Tomlinson
(0)
Bk. Kr. Yogeshwar Singh (1)
TOTAL 2
TOTAL 1
Eton/British Schools
Mayo College
Jaeger Le Coultre
Charles Russell
(0)
1. Raj Madha
(-1)
1. TBC
(-2)
2. Will Ramsay
(1)
2. Maharaj Raghavraj Singh
(2)
3. Sam Browne
(1)
3. R.K.K.V. Singh
(3)
Bk. George Meyrick
(5)
Bk. Kr. Lokendra Singh
(3)
TOTAL
6
TOTAL 6
British Army
The President’s Bodyguard
Hackett
Oxford Group Holdings
1. Mr Paddy Selfe
(1)
1. Col TS Mundi
(0)
2. Mr Sam Browne
(1)
2. Nb Ris Jasmail Singh
(0)
3. Capt Jack Mann
(2)
3. Kuldeep Singh
(1)
Bk. Capt Robert Freeman-Kerr
(1)
Bk. Dhruvpal Godara
(4)
TOTAL 5
TOTAL 5
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Oxford The Oxford University Polo Club was founded in 1874, three years after the introduction of polo to Britain, by undergraduates from Christ Church and Brasenose Colleges, led by Mr. Walter Long (later Viscount Long of Wraxall and First Lord of the Admiralty). The first match was held on the 1st of July 1877, and was contested by its two founder Colleges amid considerable pomp and ceremony. The great success of that day encouraged the players to establish a Varsity match with the Cambridge University Polo Club. This Varsity match is the oldest polo fixture in the western world and was first played at the Bullingdon Cricket Ground in Oxford on the 27th of November 1878. It is the oldest continuing polo fixture in the western world. During the late sixties and early seventies, polo at Oxford enjoyed a purple patch, winning the annual match eight times in a row. Many of the players from this period are now well-known figures in the polo world. General Sir Redmond Watt played off a two-goal handicap while at university and subsequently became the highest rated Old Blue after the war when he peaked at five-goals
OXFORD
1. Stuart Wrigley
(0)
2. Jacqueline Hooper
(0)
3. John Harris
(2)
Bk. Claire Tomlinson
(0)
TOTAL
2
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Jodhpur In 1889, Sir Pratap Singh, younger brother of the then Maharaja and Prime Minister of Jodhpur State, invited Col. Stuart Beatson of the Bengal Lancers to help him raise the Jodhpur Lancers. It was with the Englishman that polo came to Jodhpur in its modern form. Only four years later, the Jodhpur Team brought home its first trophy, The Rajputana Challenge Cup of 1893. In 1897, when Sir Pratap traveled to London for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, he took his polo team along, the finest Indian team during those years. The Jodhpur team went from success to success and in February 1922, Jodhpur beat Patiala in Delhi to become champions of all India. It was a match often described as the finest ever. A crowd of over a hundred and fifty thousand people, which included the future KingEmperor, the Viceroy, Sir Pratap himself, and fifty Maharajas watched spellbound. Crushed by defeat, the magnificent Bhupinder Singh, Maharaja of Patiala, let his horses loose in the crowded by-lanes of the capital and ordered his team to burn their sticks. They never entered the field again‌
JODHPUR
1. Mr. Vinod Kumar
(0)
2. Kr. Vishwaraj Singh
(0)
3. Th. Digvijay Singh
(0)
Bk. Kr. Yogeshwar Singh
(1)
TOTAL
1
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History of Jodhpur Polo Miniature paintings in the Mehrangarh Museum reveal that the Rathores first played polo with the Mughals but it did not become a passion until much later in the Nineteenth Century. It was in 1889, to be precise, that Sir Pratap, younger brother of the Maharaja and Prime Minister of Jodhpur State, invited Col.Stuart Beatson of the Bengal Lancers to help him raise the Jodhpur Lancers. And it was with the Englishman that polo came to Jodhpur in its modern form. The Rathores took to it like fish to water; here was a splendid substitute for war. The blood-rushing charges, the all-or-nothing riding-off, the frantic change of horses - it was all there. Only four years later, the Jodhpur Team brought home its first trophy, The Rajputana Challenge Cup of 1893. That team, captained naturally by Sir Pratap himself, included Beatson, Harji (Thakur Hari Singh, the great horseman), and Thakur Dhonkal Singh, the latter rated by many as one of the finest exponents of the sport ever. In 1897, when Sir Pratap traveled to London for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, he brought his polo team along, who were amongst the very first Indian teams to travel abroad, and for that matter, the very first foreign teams to invade England. They won many matches there, at Hurlingham and Ranelagh, and returned with their reputation enhanced; the finest Indian team during those years. It was not surprising then that the 4th Hussars’ Regimental Team, determined to win the prestigious Inter-Regimental Cup of 1899, decided to spend a few days training in Jodhpur with Sir Pratap before the tournament. Playing at the No.1 position for the 4th Hussars was Lieut.Winston S.Churchill who wrote excitedly to his mother on 11th January 1899 from his regimental headquarters in Bangalore, “…I am going next week to Madras to play polo…the week after that where we all stay practicing for the Tournament with Sir Pratap Singh…” But misfortune struck in Jodhpur. On the 9th of February Churchill wrote to his brother Jack (John Strange) from the Rose-Red House, nearly in tears, “I am staying with Sir Pratap Singh. All the rest of our team are here and everything smiled till last night; when I fell downstairs and sprained both my ankles and dislocated my right shoulder…” Such was Sir Pratap’s and Dhonkal’s instruction, however, that the 4th Hussars did in fact go on to win the tournament, the injured young Winston scoring three goals of four. On 1st December 1921, however, when young Lord Mountbatten galloped on to the Chammi Ground for his first game, he was amazed at the standard of play. A member of the Prince of Wales’ Staff he wrote in his diary, “Jodhpore, Thursday 1st Dec…This day is a red letter one for me, as besides getting my first pig, I played in my first game of polo. In the last chukker, to my own intense surprise, I actually hit the ball three or four times! Anyway I loved it…” In February 1922, Jodhpur beat Patiala in Delhi to become champions of the whole Indian continent. It was a match often described as the finest ever. A crowd of over a hundred and fifty thousand people, including the future King-Emperor, the Viceroy, Sir Pratap himself, and fifty Maharajas, watched spellbound as the Jodhpur Team; Thakur Prithi Singh of Bera (Sir Pratap’s daughter’s son), Thakur Dalpat Singh of Rohet, Ram Singh and Rao Raja Hanut Singh (Sir Pratap’s third son); scored in the last minute of the last chukker to win. Jodhpur thus avenged in style their defeat years earlier at the hands of Patiala. The magnificent Bhupinder Singh, Maharaja of Patiala, let his horses loose in the crowded by-lanes of the capital and ordered his team to burn their sticks. They never entered the field again… That victory was only the beginning- ‘”Indian Prince With Four Wives And Seventy Ponies Storms London” screamed English headlines as Maharaja Umaid Singh (1918-1947) arrived in England early in the summer of 1925. The first assertion was incorrect (the Maharaja was the first Marwar ruler to marry only once), but the ponies were certainly there; and mounted by an extremely talented quartet that included Rao Raja Hanut
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Singh (playing at a handicap of 9 and already rated as one of the finest in the game) Thakur Prithi Singh, Thakur Dalpat Singh, Ram Singh and an Englishman, Capt.A.H (Bill) Williams. Described in the Tatler as “Hot as Mustard”, the Jodhpur Team had a most wonderful season, beating every team there was to beat, including the U.S.Army; and winning the Hurlingham Champion Polo Cup and the Roehampton Open Polo Cup among many other lesser trophies. Only the Indian summer of 1933 was hotter than that of ’25 as Rao Raja Hanut returned to England with his younger brother, Rao Raja Abhay Singh, in the Jaipur Team that year. Polo was, in fact, Jodhpur’s gift to the Maharaja of Jaipur, the suave Sawai Maan Singh II, popularly known as the dashing Jai. Many years earlier, after ensuring Jai’s succession to the Gaddi of Jaipur, Sir Pratap had dispatched Dhonkal to Jaipur to teach him polo. The old man had done well but it was only after the young Maharaja’s double marriage in Jodhpur (Maan Singh II married Umaid Singh’s sister and niece many years before he married the beautiful Ayesha of Cooch Behar) that Jaipur polo really took off. In a Rajput home there is none more privileged than the son-in-law and Maan Singh II returned to Jaipur with, as he desired, not only sixty of the finest Jodhpur ponies and the Rathore Master-of-Horse, M.Amar Singh, but also the legendary brothers (Hanut and Abhay were married to daughters of the late Maharaja of Jaipur, Sawai Madho Singh II). The Jaipur Team, which even sported the Jodhpur Colors, green and gold, is a part of polo history. A cartoon in the Punch magazine said it all, illustrating them on an elephant, scattering frightened English teams about! Talented Jodhpur players now found places in all the prominent teams of the late twenties and thirties; among them the royal teams of Bhopal, Kashmir, Kishengarh and Alwar. Indeed, it was a hallowed tradition; the all conquering Maharaja of Alwar’s quartet that took home the magnificent Delhi Durbar Cup in 1911 had two Jodhpur players, Rao Raja Amar Singh and Moti Lal. The famous Kishengarh team was powered by another Jodhpur player, Baney Singh. It was Jodhpur everywhere. So much so that a Nawab from Hyderabad was heard complaining one sunny afternoon in Delhi, “Polo players seem to spring up like bloody mushrooms in Jodhpur!” Sadly it all ended with the outbreak of the Second World War. The Jodhpur Lancers however, stubbornly continued to play whilst waiting to be mechanised in Risalapur (now in Pakistan). “In fact,” recalled M.Prem Singh, grandson of Maharaja Takhat Singh’s son Bhopal Singh, “we won the Championship there beating well known teams like Probyn’s Horse.” M.Prem Singh (7), along with M.Jabbar Singh (8), also Takhat’s descendant, Hanut’s eldest son, Rao Raja Bijai Singh (7) and Thakur Kishen Singh Bhati (5) were the most accomplished of Jodhpur’s third generation polo players. Jabbar, at his prime an 8 goaler, the highest post independence Indian player, also remains the only Indian to play in the Argentine Open. Bijai and Kishen were part of the 1957 Deauville Coupe d’Or winning Indian team with Hanut and the Maharaja of Jaipur; three Jodhpur players out of four. Three other Jodhpur players have held aloft the World Cup; Prem, who, in fact, was the first to win it in 1953; Rao Raja Hari Singh, Hanut’s second son; and M.Jabbar in 1968. Hanut, of course, won it three years running, in ’55, ’56 and ’57. Of the seven Indians who have held aloft the Gold Cup, six hail from the desert kingdom. Rao Raja Hanut Singh continued to field his own team, Ratanada, with two of his sons, and, on one occasion, a grandson. Ratanada, named after a part of Jodhpur, won almost every tournament in India for many years. They were finally beaten in the sixties by the Indian Army, with the veteran Hanut in his sixties too. The victorious quartet led by another Jodhpur player, Colonel Thakur Kishen Singh…who also happens to live in Ratanada. His Highness The Maharaja Gaj Singh II has always taken a keen interest in equestrian sports and nurtured an ambition to re-establish Jodhpur as a premier centre of equitation and polo. In pursuit of this goal in 1993 he re-launched the Jodhpur team, which has since made its mark on the Indian polo scene. Excerpts from ‘The House of Marwar’ by Kanwar Dhananajaya Singh. Roli Books, 1994.
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Eton/British Schools
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Eton is intrinsically linked with both polo and India. Eleven viceroys of British India were educated there (including Lords Dufferin, Curzon and Linlithgow), as well as five GovernorGenerals and three High Commissioners after independence. The first Etonian linked with the subcontinent seems to have been the seventeenth-century diarist John Evelyn. Later, another Etonian founded R. Thomas and Co, a firm involved in the indigo and jute businesses in Calcutta. As well as His Highness The Maharaja Gaj Singh II Of Marwar-Jodhpur, who attended the school in the 1960s, Maharajah Duleep Singh’s two sons (Princes Victor and Frederick) were at Eton in the 1870s, and many more Indians since. Lord Curzon, when Viceroy, initiated the first “Fourth of June” dinner for Old Etonians, a tradition revived by Roddy Sale for the many Old Etonians living in India in the present day. On the polo field, Princes William and Harry are perhaps the most well known but Eton has produced many fine players, including Luke Tomlinson, Captain of the England Polo Team and a 7 goal player.
ETON
1. Raj Madha
(-1)
2. Will Ramsay
(1)
3. Sam Browne
(1)
Bk. George Meyrick
(5)
TOTAL
6
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MAyo COLLeGE Mayo College was founded by the 6th Earl of Mayo, who was Viceroy of India from 1869 to 1872. The founder’s intention was to create an Eton of India and it has fulfilled those ambitions creating one of the most exclusive private boarding schools in India. The 1st Earl of Lytton, Viceroy of India, said in a speech on campus in 1879: “What was most needed for the education of India’s young rulers and nobles was an Indian Eton. Ajmer is India’s Eton and you are India’s Eton boys.” To this day the Rajasthan school maintains an exchange programme under which Mayo pupils study at Eton and Etonians spend gap-year time teaching at Mayo. The famous Mayo Coat of Arms was composed from the design furnished by Mr. Lockwood Kipling, a former Principal of the School of Arts, Lahore and father of the famous Rudyard Kipling. Mayo College has always produced strong polo players, including Lokendra Singh Ghanerao, Captain of the Indian Polo Team at the World Cup and Apji Vijai Singh who represented India in Polo tournaments in Australia, Brunei, Nigeria and USA. MAYO
1. TBC
(-2)
2. Maharaj Raghavraj Singh
(2)
3. R.K.K.V. Singh
(3)
Bk. Kr. Lokendra Singh
(3)
TOTAL
6
An architectural gem in the heart of Leicestershire, Belvoir Castle is one of the country’s most atmospheric buildings, making it the ideal location for a broad range of events and activities. Belvoir Castle offers guests a prestigious location for a wide array of celebrations, especially private parties. Gothic architecture and regency features frame the Castle’s expansive entertaining spaces and large parties are offered the grandeur of the State Dining Room with its open fires and ornate dÊcor. Smaller parties can choose the more intimate Shoot Room which has the benefit of an adjoining sitting room for guests to retire to and enjoy their own private drinks cabinet. At Belvoir Castle, everything is bespoke and tailored to the needs of their client, ensuring a successful event. The dedication of the team and the sheer unrivalled beauty of the castle and grounds make it one of the most iconic destinations in the country. For more information about creating a special occasion please contact Helen Himmons Tel: 01476 871031 hhimmons@belvoircastle.com
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Join the british polo day around the world As British Cavalry Officers travelled the four corners of the earth, they learnt to play and love polo, spreading the game from Argentina to Australia. Polo is thriving everywhere it is played. British Polo Day celebrates the heritage of the game in each country, reviving some of the old rivalries whilst bridging cultures in a quintessentially British Day. www.britishpoloday.com British Polo Day Abu Dhabi, 22nd March 2014 British Polo Day Dubai, 28th March 2014 British Polo Day Morocco, 19th April 2014 British Polo Day USA, 31st May 2014 British Polo Day United Kingdom, June 2014 British Polo Day Russia, July 2014 British Polo Day China, September 2014 British Polo Day Australia, October 2014 British Polo Day Mexico, November 2014 British Polo Day India, December 2014 Brazil, South Africa and South Korea to be added in 2015/16 If you would like to attend a British Polo Day, please email: britishpoloday@abercrombiekent.co.uk
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Geroge Meyrick playing for The British Exiles at British Polo Day China 2012
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The British Army As history has shown, polo and the Army are intrinsically linked. The modern Army still actively promotes polo. The Army Polo Association (APOLOA) was founded in 1998 to coordinate and encourage polo in the Army, both at home and abroad. The APOLOA runs the Inter-Regimental which is the oldest Polo tournament in the World. This tournament focuses on the highest standard of military polo and looks to encourage all Regiments/Services to enter. Spread over 3 weeks and 3 rounds, the final is played at Guards Polo Club on The Queen’s Ground on a Sunday in June. Often quoted as the sport ‘played’ by kings, Hackett’s association with polo is well known and immortalised in the now iconic Hackett Polo Shirt. From humble beginnings of providing shirts for the Guard’s Polo Team, Hackett has made a welcome return to the polo field by becoming the sponsor of the British Army Polo Team. ARMY
1. Mr Paddy Selfe
(1)
2. Mr Sam Browne
(1)
3. Capt Jack Mann
(2)
Bk. Capt Robert Freeman-Kerr
(1)
TOTAL
5
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President’s bodyguard The President’s Bodyguard is an elite household cavalry regiment of the Indian Army. It is senior-most in the order of precedence of the units of the Indian Army. The primary role of the President’s Bodyguard is to escort and protect the President of India which is why the regiment is based in the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi, India. It is equipped as a mounted unit, with horses for ceremonies at the presidential palace and BTR-60 vehicles for use in combat. The personnel of the regiment are also trained as paratroopers and nominally are expected to lead in airborne assaults in the role of pathfinders. The President’s Bodyguard was raised by Governor Warren Hastings in Sep, 1773. Hastings handpicked 50 troopers from the ‘Moghal Horse’, which was raised in 1760 by local sirdars, Sirdars Mirza Shahbaz Khan & Sirdar Khan Tar Beg. In the same year, Raja Cheyt Singh of Benaras provided another 50 troopers that took the strength of the unit to 100. The first commander of the unit was Capt. Sweeny Toone, an officer of the Honourable East Indian Company (HEIC).
PRESIDENT’S BODYGUARD
1. Col TS Mundi
(0)
2. Nb Ris Jasmail Singh
(0)
3. Kuldeep Singh
(1)
Bk. Dhruvpal Godara
(4)
TOTAL
5
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Cavalry & Guards The Cavalry & Guards Club is a gentleman’s club in Piccadilly, London. It is open to officers who had served in one of the Cavalry or Guards regiments of the British Army. The present club was formed by the merger of the Cavalry Club and the Guards’ Club in 1976. Begun by Captain Weatherall, 20th Hussars, in 1907 this prestigious club has been occupied by The British Army for over 100 years and has strong links to the ancient sport of Polo. Man has ridden camels almost as long as it has ridden horses, so it was only natural that after horse polo was developed camel polo followed. Today we welcome teams from The Cavalry & Guards regiments of The British Army who had camel units in Africa and Asia during the nineteenth century. Camel polo was pioneered at British Polo Day Dubai in 2010 and was picked up by CNN and broadcast globally. Its success has continued and it is now a staple in the UAE. We are delighted to continue this tradition in India.
CAVALRY
GUARDS
“A LEGEND IN MOVEMENT” Certain legends draw their strength from their age. Frozen in the past, immobilised forever, they speak only of the past. But sometimes, the magic is so great that a strange phenomenon takes place: the legend lives, breathes, mutates, becomes more beautiful, all the while retaining its aura. A long time ago, back in 1931, in a dusty vortex and to the accompaniment of horses’ hooves hammering, an idea was born: a watch with a dial that could protect itself from shocks, all the while offering a personalised engraved case-back. Eighty years later, the Reverso has progressed from watchmaking icon to cult status. The Reverso is so unique that with the passing of time, it has been made in many other guises without losing its essence. Today, wearing a Reverso from the current collections on your wrist is an entry to an exclusive world – not only in terms of watchmaking history, but above all to a universe of technical perfection and aesthetic refinement. By inventing the Reverso, a small group of men with great imagination and innovative spirit did far more than create a simple reversible case. They gave birth to an emotion which has lasted more than 80 years, and designed a watch whose endless possibilities are still being discovered. The Reverso’s strength lies both in its past, but just as much in its future. Jérome Lambert, CEO Jaeger-LeCoultre
A Tribute to 1931 Reverso, the definitive Polo Players watch by Jaeger-LeCoultre.
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History of the Game Polo is perhaps the oldest game in the world – having been played over 2500 years ago - and is truly international. The name polo is said to have been derived from the Tibetan word “pulu”, meaning ball.
Ancient Polo
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n 600 BC the first recorded game of polo took place between the Turkomans and Persians. The Turkomans won. Polo began as a training game for cavalry units, usually the King’s Guard or other elite troops. To the warlike tribesmen, who played it with as many as 100 to a side, it was a miniature battle. Persian literature and art give us the richest accounts of polo in antiquity. Ferdowsi, the famed poet-historian, gives a number of accounts of royal polo tournaments in his 9th century epic, Shahnameh (the Epic of Kings). In the earliest account, Ferdowsi romanticises an international match between Turanian force and the followers of Siyâvash, a legendary prince from the earliest centuries of the Empire. The game spread into North India. In fact Sultan Qutb-ud-din Aibak, the first Muslim Emperor of North India, actually died accidentally in 1210 playing polo.
From Persia, in medieval times polo spread after the Muslim conquests to the Ayyubid and Mameluke dynasties of Egypt and the Levant, whose elites favored it above all other sports. Notable sultans such as Saladin and Baybars were known to play it and encourage it in their court. Polo sticks were features on the Mameluke precursor to modern day playing cards. Polo was passed from Persia to other parts of Asia including the Indian subcontinent and China, where it was very popular during the Tang Dynasty and frequently depicted in paintings and statues. The Moguls were largely responsible for taking the game from Persia to the east and by the 16th century the Emperor Babur had established it in India. Polo was revived in Japan by the 8th Shogun, Tokugawa Yoshimune (1684-1751) and was played until early 20th century. It was the favourite sport of the last Shogun who surrendered power to the Emperor in 1868.
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Sir Winston Churchill Old Harrovian
The Prince of Wales in Jodhpur 1922
Modern Polo The modern game of polo, though formalised and popularised by the British, is derived from Manipur (now a state in India) when British tea planters discovered the game in Manipur (Munipoor) on the Burmese border with India and eåstablished the first polo club in the world at Silchar, west of Manipur in 1862. In 1869, Edward “Chicken” Hartopp, 10th Hussars, read an account of the game in The Field, while stationed at Aldershot, and, with brother officers, organised the first game known then as “hockey on horseback”- on a hastily-rolled Hounslow Heath against The 9th Lancers. The 1st Life Guards and the Royal Horse Guards were quick to follow suit on grounds at Hounslow and in Richmond Park; and then on a small ground near Earl’s Court known as Lillie Bridge. The first polo club in England was Monmouthshire, founded by Capt. Francis “Tip” Herbert, 7th Lancers, at his brother’s seat, Clytha Park, near Abergavenny in 1872.
In 1875, the first official match in Argentina took place on 3rd September, where the game took place between English and Irish engineers and ranchers.
Prince Philip playing polo
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Sam Churchill P h oto g r a p h e r
Sam grew up in London, and studied War Studies at Kings College London followed by an MA in Acting at Drama Centre. Sam honed his photography skills in the air, during his time as official photographer of the University of London Air Squadron, where he once found himself in the rear turret of a Lancaster bomber snapping Spitfires. Sam first met Edward Olver when he was trotting down the Kings Road, leading a procession of 20 troopers in full ceremonial dress, and Sam was in RAF uniform with camera in hand. Traffic in central London came to a standstill as an impromptu photo shoot took place, and thus a friendship was formed that has gone from strength to strength which has seen Sam become a permanent fixture on The British Polo Day team. Sam has travelled around the world with The British Polo Day, but rates India as the most photogenic country on earth, and is delighted to be back in Jodhpur. Sam Churchill www.samuelmchurchill.tumblr.com If you would like a bespoke photobook of your weekend in Jodhpur please contact : sam@britishpoloday.com
14 Dec 2013 - 15 Jan 2014
Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur (India) Curated by Nupur TRON
Ecologists since the 15th century
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Ecologists since the 15th century by FRANCK VOGEL Bishnois have made wildlife and environment protection their daily leitmotiv.
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or over five centuries, men and women living in the Thar desert in Rajasthan, India, have been willing to give their lives to protect wild animals and trees, living with them in total harmony after considering them as members of their family. Recognized as the world first ecologists, the Bishnois, which means 29 in local language, are following the 29 rules established in 1485 AD by guru Jambheshwar. This followed an apocalyptic environmental vision that showed mankind slowly digging its own grave. Many individuals, from various casts, have joined this movement. Today over 600,000 Bishnois are fighting to preserve nature and wildlife in the Thar desert.
The 29 Bishnoi principles The 29 principles that led to the Bishnoi name: “Bish”, for twenty, in local language, and “Noi”, for nine.
1. To observe segregation of the mother and newborn for 30 days after delivery (to prevent infection to the mother and the baby during a stage when both are highly susceptible to outside infections). 2. To keep woman away from all activities for 5 days during her menstrual periods (to provide compulsory rest to the woman). 3. To take an early morning bath every day. 4. To maintain both external and internal cleanliness and remain content (good intentions, humble behaviour, good character,...).
FRANCK VOGEL
Born in 1977, he is based in Paris. Franck Vogel works as a freelance photojournalist on social and environmental issues for the international press (Paris Match, GEO, Le Monde, Stern, NRC Weekblad, Animan, Discovery magazine…). He is ambassador for Green Cross France, Mikhaïl Gorbatchev’s NGO for environment.
www.franckvogel.com
14.Do not lie. 15.Don’t indulge in any unnecessary / wasteful debates. 16.To fast and mediate on a new moon night. 17.To recite the holy name of Lord Vishnu. 18.To be compassionate towards all living beings. 19.Do not cut the green trees, save the environment. 20.To crush lust, anger, greed and attachment.
5. To mediate twice a day at dawn and dusk.
21.To only take food cooked by one’s self, or by a religious / pure person.
6. To sing the Lord’s glory and recite his virtues every evening.
22.To provide a common shelter (Thhat) for goat/sheep to avoid them being slaughtered.
7. To offer daily oblation to the holy fire with a heart filled with feelings of welfare, love and devotion.
23.Don’t sterlize bulls.
8. Use filtered water, milk and carefully cleaned fuel/ firewood (to prevent killing or burning insects).
24.Don’t use opium. 25.Don’t smoke and use tobacco.
9. Watch your speech. Think before you speak.
26.Don’t smoke and cultivate cannabis.
10.To be forgiving in nature.
27.Don’t drink alcohol.
11.To be compassionate.
28.Don’t eat meat or non-vegetarian dishes; feed and protect wildlife.
12.Do not steal. 13.Do not condemn or criticize.
29.Don’t use blue coloured clothes (in ancient India, the blue color used to be obtained from indigo trees; blue is also the color of death).
Exhibition curated by Nupur Tron “BISHNOIS” by Franck Vogel The book is available in Fine Art, Book, Magazine and iPad Edition on www.blurb.com The Fine Art Edition is limited to 500 copies (98 pages, 11,8’’x11,8’’)
Supported by HP Designjet Printers
In association with British Polo Day.
Walpole is the not-for-profit making organisation that furthers the interests of the British Luxury Industry by harnessing and sharing the collective knowledge, experience and resources of the membership. In partnership with over 170 of the most exemplary British luxury brands including Backes and Strauss, Church’s, Gleneagles, Guards Polo Club, Hackett London, Johnstons of Elgin, Quintessentially and Smythson and cultural bodies such as the V&A, Hurlingham Polo Association and the Royal Opera House. Our remit covers a range of activities including cross-industry networking, business development, Government lobbying and thought-leadership. Walpole continues to foster entrepreneurs and emerging talent with our Brands of Tomorrow and Crafted Mentorship programmes. For more information, please go to www.thewalpole.co.uk or call +44 207 873 3790
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Global Philanthropy Partners RUNNING TOTAL - $548,055 USD raised to-date In countries all over the world, polo has a long history of raising significant funding for worthy causes. Wherever possible, British Polo Day is entirely committed to bringing to bear the full weight of our partners, network and creative talent to this end. In partnership with our host in each case, British Polo Day divides the fund raising proceeds from charity auctions and raffles that are held at any event between local and British charities. In so doing, the polo ties between two nations are reinforced further through shared philanthropic aims. The Indian Head Injury Foundation (IHIF) was founded by His Highness Maharaja Gajsingh of Marwar-Jodhpur in February 2007 and it began in a very modest, unassuming way: “A father concerned for his injured son. This is a story that can be understood by all peoples of all nations.” Since then, the Foundation has remained focused on its mission – to build a comprehensive system in India for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury, and to provide neuro-rehabilitation to such patients. Head Injury Through Sport (HITS) was founded by Sandra Cronan, Greta Morrison and Francesca Schwarzenbach to help those who have suffered head injuries through sport and to further the work of The National Brain Appeal, a charity dedicated to raising much needed funds for The National Hospital of Neurology and Neurosurgery, London. British Polo Day is committed to raising significant funding for these two charities year-onyear – both founded for personal reasons on behalf of those who endure head injuries – and would urge guests to bid freely and generously during Sunday’s Loud Auction in aid of these aligned causes. The British Polo Day India Fundraising Committee
map of jodhpur
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British Polo Day - Places of Interest
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Fort Mehrangarh & Museum
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Umaid Bahawan Palace
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The Polo Ground
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BRITISH POLO DAY PERSONALITIES Robert Ettinger Presenting - Most Valuable Player The elder of two sons, Robert entered the family business in 1980 and took over the reins from his father in 1990. Since then he has been committed to building Ettinger as an internationally recognised brand whilst maintaining its crucially important UK design and manufacturing base and top quality products. In 1996, the company’s status was further enhanced with the appointment of the Royal Warrant to HRH the Prince of Wales. Internationally, the company is expanding into new markets each year, its online shop (www.ettinger. co.uk) is selling to a growing number of customers from around the world and this year the company has expanded its UK factory to cater for this growing international demand. Ettinger is looking forward to celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2014.
Will Ramsay Player - Eton/British Schools The founder and CEO of the Affordable Art Fairs worldwide. Raised in Scotland, he attended Eton College and Newcastle University. Prior to working in the art world, Will served in the British Army for 5 years, leaving as a Captain. In addition to organising art fairs, multi-tasker extraordinaire Will has numerous projects on the go – Chairman of YPO’s Art Network, setting up a hydroelectric business, running a farm, author, bagpipe player, amateur jockey, the face of a Blackberry advertising campaign, a “Creative Titan”; as well as being married and father to 4 daughters. Who said you can’t do it all?!
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Claire Tomlinson Player - Oxford Claire Tomlinson was brought up in the world of polo. Her father ran the Woolmers Park Polo Club and she first started playing polo seriously at Oxford University, where she captained the Oxford University Mixed Team and the English Woman’s Polo Team. In 1986 Claire attained a 5-goal rating – the highest handicap ever reached by a woman – and throughout her polo history has played all levels of competitive polo from low to high goal, all over the world. Claire is the Chairman of the Beaufort Polo Club, which she reestablished in 1989, and is also a Senior HPA Approved Coach. Alongside her role as an England Team Coach, she coaches and trains young and old polo players alike. Claire has coached the English team to many successes, most notably when England beat Argentina in April 2002.
Astrid Harrisson British Polo Day Artist in Residence Astrid Harrisson is an award-winning horse photographer and artist known for her ability to capture the essence of her subjects in her work. Her fine art pieces sell to a global audience whilst private commissions take her around the globe. Astrid’s vision is simple and clear – one of empathy, intrigue and spirit. The compassion Astrid has for her subjects is evident in every image, her talents behind the lens perhaps second-place to the sense of intimacy and nostalgia she evokes through her works. The combination of digital processing methods and interesting printing materials is what continues to absorb Astrid – she is currently exploring printing original pieces onto recycled metals and handmade Indian cotton rag. Astrid collaborated with British author Tamsin Pickeral to produce a book entitled “The Majesty of the Horse”.
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