India 9 TH, 10 TH & 11 TH December 2011
2
Welcome Note Dear Guests, Welcome to Jodhpur, a city synonymous with polo. In 1889, 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. It was with this Englishman that polo came to Jodhpur in its modern form and this is what we celebrate this weekend with the main match: the British Army Polo Team v the Royal Jodhpur Polo Team. Another polo fixture this weekend steeped in history 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. Polo is an impressive sport to watch anywhere but it’s even more amazing when horses are replaced with elephants. Elephant polo is a game for the exotically athletic and the eccentrically intrepid and, with a nod to history, the Cavalry and Guards Regiments of the British Army will battle it out in a crunch match. 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. So one might argue that, but for Jodhpur, the course of history could have changed. Prince Charles has raised over $12m for charities through his polo matches and we are delighted to be continuing that tradition with a charity auction. As far back as 1874, a magazine reporting on the first polo match at the Hurlingham Club in London between the Royal Horse Guards and the 1st Life Guards noted that, “Popular as the game of polo has become, on no previous occasion has such an immense number of the fashionable world assembled for the ostensible purpose of witnessing a game.” The association between polo and style has continued and we are delighted to be showcasing Beulah, a new ethical British fashion label with links to India, not least because one of its founders, Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs is great-great-grandaughter of The Marquess of Reading, Viceroy of India (1921 – 1926). Britain and India have a rich and complex heritage that is today coming to life with a modern twist. While celebrating the best of the historical legacy, and learning from the worst, our aim is to bridge cultures and strengthen friendships through polo. We hope, above all, that you have a great weekend.
The British Polo Day India Committee Inside cover:- Alan Shawcross
6
The blue city Known as the "Sun City" or the "Blue City" due to the blue-painted houses that circle the Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur is the second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located 335 kilometres (208 mi) west from the state capital, Jaipur and 200 kilometres (124 mi) from the city of Ajmer. Jodhpur previously known as Marwar has a history that revolves mainly around the Rathore Clan. Rao Jodha, the chief of the Rathore clan, founded Jodhpur in 1459. During the British Raj, the state of Jodhpur was the largest in Rajputana. In 1947 India became independent and the state merged into the union of India and Jodhpur became the second city of Rajasthan.
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
Private Banking
We are delighted to sponsor the British Polo Day in India. The qualities of speed, precision and teamwork embodied in the world’s oldest team sport are attributes that we can certainly relate to at RBS Private Banking. RBS Private Banking can trace our origins as far back as 1692, when our group company Coutts & Co - the quintessential British private bank, first opened its doors for business in London. Over the centuries, we have managed the financial affairs of distinguished individuals across the world including many from royalty in India. In 1925, English dailies carried the headline “Indian Prince With Four Wives And Seventy Ponies Storms London” as Maharaja Umaid Singh arrived with the Jodhpur Polo team, which had swept all before it in India. Notwithstanding the inaccuracy of the headline, the team won many matches, beating the US army and winning the Hurlingham Champion Cup and the Roehampton Open Cup. Some of the members eventually went on to have relationships with Coutts. Today, as part of the RBS Group’s international private banking division, our focus is firmly on the future. Yet every day our long and rich history proves of inestimable value in our service to our clients. Because, above all, it is the length and breadth of our experience, that gives us an almost instinctive awareness of the very specific requirements and priorities of the world’s wealthiest and most demanding individuals. We hope that everyone associated with this event has a memorable experience and wish the teams the best of luck.
Shiv Gupta Head of Private Banking, India
Fortnum & Mason • Big Ben • Afternoon Tea • Changing the Guard • Bond Street The Grand National • Stonehenge • The Royal Family • • Wimbledon • The Tower of London • Harrods •
Polo
The Ritz
Buckingham Palace • Strawberries & Cream • Saville Row • Rain • The Houses of Parliament • Smoked Salmon • Tweeds * Roxtons Field Sports • Stately Homes
*Another Great British Institution
First Class Shooting and Fishing in the UK and around the World. Traditional British Service. By us. For you.
25 High Street, Hungerford, Berkshire, RG17 0NF www.roxtons.com info@roxtons.com +44 (0)1488 689788
12
0800 009988 | www.barbour.com
14
QUINTESSENTIAL BRITISH LUXURY SINCE 1934 Luxury leather goods and accessories hand crafted in the United Kingdom
Canvas and Leather Bags for the Elegant Traveller www.ettinger.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)20 8877 1616
15
16
The Itinerary British polo day india
Friday 9 th December 19:00 •
Barbecue and Cocktails - The Umaid Bhawan Palace Lawn
20:00 •
Jodhpur and traditional tailoring for all British Polo Day guests.
17
18
Saturday 10 th December 09:00 •
Explore
10:00 •
Private View in The Mehrangarh Fort: Historic photographs 1911 Durbar
Curated by Jessica Douglas-Home
11:00 •
Beulah London Fashion Shoot - The Mehrangarh Fort Ramparts
14:00 • Elephant Polo:
- Cavalry vs Guards - The Ladies Match
15:00 •
Eton College vs Mayo College
16:00 •
Umaid Bhawan Palace Polo Cup
17:00 •
Prize Giving
17:30 •
High Tea
18:00 •
Sunset
20:00 •
Mehrangarh Fort
23:00 •
Carriages
19
“......from the bastions of the Jodhpur Fort one hears as the gods must hear from Olympus...” - Aldous Huxley
20
21
sunday 11th December
09:00 •
Explore
14:30 •
Umaid Bhawan Palace Polo Cup
15:30 •
The British Army vs The Jodhpur Eagles
16:30 •
Prize Giving
17:00 •
High Tea
18:00 •
Sunset
20:00 • Banquet in The Umaid Bhawan Palace - Beulah Fashion Show 23:00 •
Carriages
“ Englishman and Rathore, brothers in sport, ride o’er, the sandy plain of of Jodhpore”
22
Beulah london The Blue Heart Campaign Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs and Lavinia Brennan With a heart to help women who had been caught up in the sex trade, Natasha and Lavinia spent two months in the southern slums of Delhi, Lado Sarai, working with an aftercare home called “Atulya”, literally meaning “woman without price; immeasurable; unique”. They helped look after girls who had come out of the sex trade, or who were living locally in absolute poverty, by spending afternoons with them in a local production unit. The aim was to provide these girls with a place of safe refuge and to give them the skills and tools they needed to become financially independent. These skills would also allow for the girls to provide for their families and give hope to future generations.
www.beulahlondon.com
23
24
The 1911 Durbar Through the eyes of Lilah Wingfield The 1911 Durbar surpassed all its predecessors in its magnificence. The first and only Durbar to be attended by the monarch in person, it celebrated both the second Coronation of the King (he had been crowned earlier that year in Westminster Abbey) and his enthronement as Emperor of India. At a time of anxiety in London about the permanence of British imperial rule, the elaborate week-long series of ceremonies was designed to reinforce — with a display of unparalleled grandeur and military might — the loyalty to the Crown of the Ruling Chiefs, the Nawabs and the Maharajas.
26
27
Centenary exhibition zanani deodi mehrangarh fort A Glimpse of Empire is the story of Lilah Wingfield’s journey to India in 1911. The twenty-three year old Anglo-Irish beauty arrived in Delhi for the Royal Durbar, where the new King, George V, was to be proclaimed Emperor to reinforce the loyalty to the Crown of India’s ruling Princes. For a fortnight of relentless ceremony, unheard of extravagance and imposing military spectacle, in the setting of a vast Tented City complete with its own farms, railway, telegraph and post offices, she meets many of the remarkable colonial characters of the day, including some of the foremost Indian Princes, vying to stage the most lavish display to prove their devotion to the Raj. Lilah’s diaries bring to life the contrast between her own aristocratic upbringing in Ireland, that she felt was unbearably claustrophobic, and the freedom of her experience over a few months in India that transformed her entire outlook. We hope that your experiences here in Jodhpur this weekend, 100 years exactly after Lilah Wingfield’s visit, leaves you with the same sense of freedom and clarity of spirit.
Curated by Jessica Douglas-Home
Rules of Polo 1
The blue player has the line, and at fair speed the white player would be crossing the line without sufficient safety margin, resulting in a penalty against white.
3
When travelling in the same direction the white player may draw level with blue and then force him across the line and take possession of the ball without committing a dangerous foul.
5
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.
2
Even at a far lesser angle the white player would still be crossing the line if he continues in that direction, and committing a dangerous foul.
4
The white 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.
6
When two players are approaching a ball in the open from different directions, the player (white), with the line of the ball on his offside, right hand side, has right of way.
29
Priceless
The Breguet Marie Antoinette Grande Complication pocket watch – reproduced from archival drawings after the original was stolen. History barely repeated.
THE WORLD’S FINEST LUXURY MAGAZINE, NOW IN INDIA
INDIA
BY INVITATION ONLY.
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 Singh (playing at a handicap of 9 and already rated as one of the finest in the game) Thakur Prithi Singh,
33 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 mechanized 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 center of equitation and polo. In pursuance 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.
Few things connect India like Kingfisher does.
www.flykingfisher.com
Elephant Polo
37
cavalry vs guards
Elephant polo is played in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Rajasthan and Thailand. Equipment consists of a standard polo ball and six to nine foot cane sticks (similar to bamboo) with a polo mallet head on the end. The pitch is three-quarters of the length of a standard polo pitch, due to the slower speed of the elephants. Two people ride each elephant; the elephants are steered by mahouts, while the player tells the mahout which way to go and hits the ball. 1. The game is played on a marked pitch of 100 metres by 70 metres, using a standard size polo ball. 2. The game will consist of two 10 minutes chukkers of playing time, with an interval of 10 minutes. The whistle blown by the referee stops and starts play. 3. The pitch will be marked with a centre line, a circle with a radius of 10 metres in the centre of the field, and a semi-circle, in front of the goals, with a radius of 20 metres, measured from the centre of the goal to form the D. 4.
Elephants and ends are changed at half time.
5. The complete ball must travel over the sideline or back line, to be out, and completely across the goal line to be a goal. 6. Both male and female players may play from either side of the elephant. Women may use two hands if they so wish but men must use only one hand, either the left or right hand. Care must be taken when changing sides of play, in order to avoid injury with the stick to other players, or elephants. When the Umpire/ Referee judge proclaims dangerous play has been committed, a spot hit shall be given to the opposing team. All defending elephants and players must be 15 metres from the spot. 7. Teams may bring additional players, reserves, to interchange with other members of the team. The changes, except in the case of injury where a replacement is needed, must be done at half-time when names will be given to the Referee, timekeepers/ commentators.
38
THE TEAMS AND PLAYERS ETON COLLEGE
MAYO COLLEGE
Ben Vestey
+3
1.
R.K.K.V. Singh
+3
Alex De Lisle
+3
2.
Kr. Lokendra Singh
+3
Guy Schwarzenbach
+2
3.
Mr. Ransher Singh
Tom Hudson
-2
4.
Mr. Vishwaraj Singh
+2 -2
TOTAL +6
TOTAL +6
THE BRITISH ARMY
THE JODHPUR EAGLES
Major Rupert Lewis
+1
1.
R.K.K.V. Singh
+3
Capt Ben Vestey
+3
2.
Kr. Lokendra Singh
+3
Capt Robert Freeman-Kerr
+1
3.
Kr. Niklendra Singh
+2
Mr Billy Jackson-Stops
+2
4.
Lt. Col. Mehendra Singh -1
TOTAL +7
TOTAL +7
39
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
Prince Harry and Prince Rashid at The British Polo Day Charity Cup 2011 British Polo Day Beijing 2011 British Polo Day Dubai 2011 British Polo Day Abu Dhabi 2011
42
The Regent 4452 281 ideal cut diamonds weighing 3.57 cts hand set in 18kt white gold
113A Jermyn Street, Mayfair, London, SW1Y 6HJ www.backesandstrauss.com Kapoor Watch Company, G-7 South Extension 1, New Delhi 110049 Rose: The Watch Bar, 72 Bhulhabai Desai Road, Beach Candy, Mumbai 400026
43
Eton COLLEGE 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 governor-generals 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.
Ben Vestey
+3
Alex De Lisle
+3
Guy Schwarzenbach
+2
Tom Hudson
-2
44
”
A key player in the British Polo Day – invest in your lifestyle
The Hideaways Club Members own an equity share in a global collection of exceptional properties and benefit from any future capital growth. They have exclusive use of the entire portfolio of properties, in either Fund, ranging from elegant beachside villas, luxurious ski chalets to stylish apartments in the world’s most fashionable cities, all complemented by a personal Concierge Service each time they travel.
Investment from £65,000 to £250,000 This investment carries the risk of potential loss of capital
W: www.thehideawaysclub.com T: +65 6832 5522 E: info@thehideawaysclub.com Disclaimer ©2011 The Hideaways Club. The content of this promotion has not been approved by an authorised person within the meaning of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Reliance on this promotion for the purpose of engaging in any investment activity may expose an individual to a risk of losing all of the property or other assets invested. Membership is only for self-certified sophisticated investors or high net worth individuals.
45
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.
R.K.K.V. Singh
Kr. Lokendra Singh Mr. Ransher Singh Mr. Vishwaraj Singh
+3
+3 +2 -2
46
47
Taj. Forever s ed u ct ive, f o reve r tr us te d , fo re ve r e nch anting . From a u t hent i c Indi a n p al ac es to l a n d m a rk cit y ho te ls, fro m daz z ling re s o r t pro per t i es t o p as t ora l s afar i l odges, enjoy a t h o u g h t f u l ble nd o f trad itio n and mo d e r nity i n t he di s t i nc t i ve a nd hi g hl y pers o n a l Ta j m a n n er. Fab ulo us s uite s, s ple nd id d ining , a nd t ra nq u i l Ji va s p as a wai t. Di sc ove r t h e Ta j d if f ere nce at ove r 85 h o te ls aro und the w or l d. For r e s e r v a t i on s a n d s p e c i a l of f e r s , p l e a s e v i s i t t a j h ot e l s .c om , c a l l 0 0. 8 0 0.4 5 8 8 .18 2 5 t o l l f r e e , e m a i l r e s e r v a t i on s @ t a j h ot e l s .c om , or c ont a c t y ou r t r a v e l c on s u l t a nt . India
•
N e w Yo r k • B o s t o n • S a n F r a n c i s c o • L o n d o n • C a p e To w n • Z a m b i a Dubai • Maldives • Sri Lanka • Langkawi • Bhutan • Sydney
•
Marrakech
It is very pleasing that The British Army Polo Team will be playing in Jodhpur. British Army Polo has an indelible relationship with India and I am very grateful to His Highness The Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Marwar-Jodhpur for hosting this wonderful match here in the spectacular surroundings and atmosphere of Rajasthan. The founders of The British Polo Day must be commended for their hard-work in engineering, not only The Army Tour but also this rather engaging match between Mayo College and Eton College. This day of polo is a worthwhile celebration of traditional relationships and a salute to the heritage and tradition of this military sport. It is a privilege to spend time here with British and Indian friends and I look forward to some closely fought matches and good conversation.
49
THE BRITISH ARMY The British Army is intrinsicly linked with the spread of the modern game of polo. Captain Robert Stewart and Major General Joe Sherer witnessed a polo match while stationed in Manipur, and in 1859 held the inaugural meeting of the first polo club, the Silchar Polo Club. In 1869, Edward “Chicken” Hartopp, of the 10th Hussars, read an account of the game in The Field magazine while stationed at Aldershot and, with fellow officers, organised the first game. Then known as “hockey on horseback,” it was played on a hastily-rolled Hounslow Heath where a shortlist of about 10 rules was also hastily assembled. But, it was John Watson (1856-1908), of the 13th Hussars, who formulated the first real rules of the game in India in the 1870s. The Army Polo Association (APOLOA) was founded in 1998 to co-ordinate and encourage polo in the Army, both at home and abroad. Key in the development of the British Army Polo has been Lt Col Simon Ledger. He has played polo since 1976 and been chairman of the Army Polo Association since 2003. He is the “voice” of British Polo Days worldwide where players from the British Army have played in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, China, Singapore & Malaysia, keeping up the tradition of spreading the popularity of the game globally.
Major Rupert Lewis
+1
Capt Ben Vestey
+3
Capt Robert Freeman-Kerr
+1
Mr Billy Jackson-Stops
+2
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
51
JODHPUR EAGLES The current Royal Jodhpur Polo Team, or the Eagles, as they are better known, personify the years of heritage of polo in Jodhpur. Elsewhere in the programme you can read about the history of polo in Jodhpur that warrants more than a one paragraph summary, but, put simply, polo as we know it would not be the same without Jodhpur. Since 1993 when H.H.The Maharaja Gaj Singh II re-launched the Jodhpur team, the team has again played all over the world and, we are hopeful that, in the same way that Sir Pratap Singh brought the Jodhpur Eagles team to the UK in the year of Queen Victoria’s diamond Jubillee, that, next year, in the year of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubillee that the Jodhpur Eagles will play at the British Polo Day in the United Kingdom.
R.K.K.V. Singh
Kr. Lokendra Singh
+3
+3
Kr. Niklendra Singh
+2
Lt. Col. Mehendra Singh
-1
52
The Yuvraj Shivraj Singh of Jodhpur Cup Eton vs Mayo Presented by His Highness The Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Marwar-Jodhpur Shiv Gupta Head of RBS Private Banking India
53
The Mehrangarh Trophy British Army vs Jodhpur Eagles Presented by His Highness The Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Marwar-Jodhpur General Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank GCB, LVO, OBE, DL, KCSG, KM, KCJCO
54
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 In 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 romanticizes 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 to the Byzantines (who called it tzykanion), and
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.
55
Sir Winston Churchill Old Harrovian
The Prince of Wales in Jodhpur 1922
Modern Polo The modern game of polo, though formalized and popularized 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 established 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 had been taken by English and Irish engineers and ranchers.
Prince Philip playing polo
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
59
BRITISH POLO DAY CHARITY AUCTION IN AID OF
The British Asian Trust The British Asian Trust was established at the suggestion of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and is one of his core charities. It brings lasting change to the lives of poor people in South Asia through access to education, health and livelihoods. Founded in 2009 the Trust has helped more than 350,000 people overcome poverty in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the UK via a variety of health, education and poverty projects. To ensure that donations make the most impact, the Trust is committed to rigorous due diligence procedures and partnerships that leverage funds and resources. We pride ourselves on:
• • •
Meticulous selection of delivery partners with proven track records Regular monitoring, evaluating and reporting Effective partnerships to maximize funding
60
The Hideaways Club (6 nights for 8 people in a Luxury Villa) Value: $20,000 USD Glide down the slopes of Chamonix, explore the souks of Marrakech, soak up the sun in the South of France, enjoy the culinary delights in Tuscany or explore the nature of Thailand. This amazing auction prize gives you and your friends the opportunity to spend a week living in luxury. Simply select one of the exclusive villas from The Hideaways Club Classic Collection portfolio and your personal Concierge will take care of your every need. From arranging in-house chefs or restaurant bookings to spa treatments, all you have to do is relax and enjoy a hassle free holiday in one of our exquisitely designed and stylishly furnished luxury properties. This is the perfect retreat for friends or family. www.thehideawaysclub.com Terms and Conditions: Includes 6 night accommodation for 8 people on a self-catering basis. Complimentary Central and local concierge service, villa service and Welcome grocery basket on arrival. Subject to availability. Excludes Christmas, Easter and school holiday periods. All arrangements made through the concierge will be charged as taken. Does not include international travel or local transfers.
61
Heritage The Villas, Mauritus (7 nights for 2 people in a 2 Bedroom Villa) Value: $7,000 USD Heritage The Villas... luxury villas in the heart of the unspoilt South of Mauritius. Nestled in the Domaine de Bel Ombre between the mountains and a pristine lagoon and set in the breathtaking beauty of a nature reserve, these scenic villas offer high end services and privileged access to a 18-hole golf course, a 19th century manor house and facilities at two neighbouring deluxe beach resorts‌ Paradise found! The villas are built with excellent quality finishes. All have air-conditioned master bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, infinity pools, large verandas, state of the art communications, a barbecue area, a gazebo and landscaped tropical gardens. They are fully furnished and equipped and they offer free internet access and satellite TV channels as well as daily cleaning and 24-hour concierge service. Enjoy 7 Nights for 2 people in a 2 Bedroom Villa, including daily breakfast Complimentary Limousine Airport Transfers 1 Relaxing Spa Treatment per person at Seven Colours Millesime Collection 1 Frederica Nature Reserve Quad Bike Excursion for 2 adults
62
THE ART OF ENGRAVING EXCELLENCE LUXURY STATIONERY - ENGRAVED CARDS - WEDDING INVITATIONS
47 ELIZABETH STREET LONDON SW1W 9PP UNITED KINGDOM Phone: +44 (0)20 7730 4515 Fax: +44 (0)20 7730 2379 Email: enquiries@grosvenorstationerycompany www.grosvenorstationerycompany.com
MADE IN SCOTLAND
WWW.JOHNSTONSCASHMERE.COM NEWMILL ELGIN IV30 4AF 01343 554099
65
AUTUMN/WINTER ‘11 COLLECTION “CLOTHED IN LOVE” “THE BEULAH EFFECT” FOR EVERY BEAUTIFUL GARMENT BEULAH MAKES, THERE’S AN EQUALLY BEAUTIFUL CHANGE HAPPENING SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD. ALONGSIDE EVERY PURCHASE OF BEULAH, A CANVAS BAG IS GIVEN WHICH HAS BEEN MADE BY WOMEN VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING IN INDIA. THE WOMEN ARE PROVIDED WITH FAIR WAGES, HEALTH INSURANCE, AND TRAINING SCHEMES THAT HELP THEM START THEIR JOURNEY TOWARDS FREEDOM. THE VISION OF BEULAH IS TO FURTHER THE WOMEN’S TEXTILE SKILLS SO THAT ONE DAY THEY CAN BE INVOLVED IN THE WHOLE PROCESS FROM START TO FINISH. THE BEULAH EFFECT COMES ALIVE THROUGH EVERY SMALL PURCHASE YOU MAKE, HELPING BREAK THE CHAINS OF POVERTY IN SOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST MARGINALISED COMMUNITIES.
TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT OR ORDER FROM OUR COLLECTION, PLEASE GO TO WWW.BEULAHLONDON.COM NATASHA@BEULAHLONDON.COM | T: +44 (0)203 010 1031 | LAVINIA@BEULAHLONDON.COM
66
Raffle Prize Scarf A luxury cashmere scarf by Johnston’s of Elgin.
Saffron Dress Beulah London Saffron Dress: in Dazzling Blue Size: 12 Material: silk sandwashed satin.
67
CLASSIC & RESERVE
Four Seasons Vineyard Tours
Experience the magic of every season with Four Seasons
68
COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY, VISUALLY, POWERFULLY We work with you to help you clearly define your needs and goals. Through this collaborative approach, we will create film and digital content that captures the essence of your company. Utilising the power of the Internet and its multiple distribution platforms, Pendragon provides you with a tailor-made end to end solution that will build a community based around content we develop. Founded in 2000, Pendragon Productions deliver exceptional production values and services to its clients who value their communication output and recognise that digital media is at the core of today’s marketing channels. We are delighted to be chosen as the digital and social media partner of The British Polo Day. www.pendragonproductions.com
69
70
map of jodhpur *
BRITISH POLO DAY Places of interest
*
Fort Mehrangarh & Museum
*
Umaid Bahawan Palace
*
The Polo Ground
partners
info@britishpoloday.com - +44 (0) 207 235 6606 - www.britishpoloday.com