CPPC - MTC event programme

COWDRAY PARK POLO CLUB PRESENTS

MIDHURST TOWN CUP

SUNDAY 30 TH JUNE 2024

WELCOME TO THE HOME OF BRITISH POLO

Dear Guests,

It is my distinct pleasure to welcome you to Cowdray, a historic estate with a rich heritage and a vibrant present. Nestled in the heart of the South Downs, Cowdray is more than just a destination; it is a place where tradition and modernity blend seamlessly, offering a unique experience to all who visit.

At Cowdray, we are committed to preserving the beauty and history of our estate while embracing sustainable practices for the future. We hope today’s Midhurst Town Cup will allow you to indulge in our culinary delights, partake in one of our many outdoor activities, and meet our passionate teams from across the estate, while the two polo matches being played will give you a front row seat to some of the best high-goal polo in Europe.

We take great pride in the rich cultural and historic tapestry that Cowdray represents and are thrilled to share it with you. Thank you for choosing to spend your time with us.

Warm regards,

Jonathan Russell CEO, Cowdray

ON THE PITCH

12pm Lawns 2 The Jack Gannon Trophy

13:40pm Lawns 1

Jason Mayhew’s gundog demonstration

14:10pm Lawns 1 Isle of Wight Hunt

14:25pm Lawns 1

Petworth Town Band

15:00pm Lawns 1 The Midhurst Town Cup

TIMINGS

THE BEER AND SHOW TENT

10am Produce competition entry drop-off

11am Kids yoga

12pm Produce competition judging

1:30am Estate forager George Linklater talks ‘Mushrooms, Mycelium and More’.

2pm Cooking demo with Ben Jupp, farmshop and café Head Chef

5pm Produce competition prize giving 6pm Playing liveBlack Cherry Jam

WHAT’S ON TODAY

ENTERTAINMENT

» Cowdray Polo Academy

» Mini Moor Farm

» Cowdray Golf Club

» All About the Cowdray Estate

» Chainsaw Carving Demo

» Coconut Shy

» Vintage Tractor Display

» Series Land Rover Club

» Farols Tractor Display

» Steam Engine Display

» Midhurst Rugby Club

» Sussex Wildlife Trust

» Chalkpit Forge

» Forest Knights

» Makers Barn

SHOPPING

» Steph Kewell

» Catherine Beaumont

» Alma Proust

» Ramshackle Flowers

» Hampton Tree Services

» Stockley Trading

» Vetsy

» Non-Stop Dogwear

» The Oak Blokes

» Ineos

» Emita Polo

» YellowWood Adventures

» AfterBurn Gym

» Finishing Touches

» George & James Architects

» Locket + Storm

» Mantis Art Studio and Gallery

» Ceramic Story Teller

» Butternut Box

» Indigo Butcher Art

» Sunrays

» Blossom and Blu

» Hortons England

» and more

FOOD & DRINK

» The Yellow Kitchen

» Cowdray Farm Shop

» The Three Cockerels Bar

» De Luca’s Ice Cream

» Forest Hogs

» Howie’s Coffee

» Lisa’s Pizza Oven

» SWA Burger

» Ollie’s Loaded Fries

» Ollie’s Greek Gyros

GATE ONE

LAWNS TWO

1 3 J

Members’ Enclosure

Members‘ Grandstand

Exhibition Site

Cowdray Park Polo Club Shop

Cowdray Marquee

Beer and Show Tent

Cowdray Estate Exhibition

Public Viewing

Cowdray Golf Course

Midhurst RFC

Public Parking

Food and Drink 1

Members’ Parking

Players‘ Parking

Disabled Parking

First Aid

Toilets

SHOWTIME

FRIDAY 19 TH JULY 2024

5.30p m » start | 10p m » end

THE MIDHURST TOWN CUP

The origins of polo at Cowdray Park can be traced back to the early 20th century when the sport was introduced to the estate by the 1st Viscount Cowdray, Weetman Dickinson Pearson.

The Cowdray family has been instrumental in the development of polo in England, and Cowdray Park quickly became a prominent venue for the sport.

The Midhurst Town Cup, specifically, has been a significant fixture in the Cowdray Park polo calendar. Established to celebrate the local heritage and the close ties between the town of Midhurst and Cowdray Park, the Cup has grown in prestige over the decades.

The Midhurst Town Cup is one of the most popular trophies at Cowdray, it was first presented by the Midhurst Chamber of Trade in 1953. Polo, of course, continues to generate a significant income for the businesses of the town. This cup is always presented on the first Sunday of the Gold Cup tournament.

The Midhurst Town Cup is solid silver with two loop wire handles and a plain polished body with a stepped finial topped lid. It has a circular pedestal base which is mounted on a medium sized wooden plinth that has five tiers surrounded by silver plates. These plates are engraved with past winners from 1953 to the present day.

The body of the cup is engraved with ‘The Midhurst Town Cup presented by the Trade’s people of Midhurst.’

THE JACK GANNON TROPHY

THE MIDHURST TOWN CUP

SOCIAL MEMBERSHIP

Social membership at Cowdray Park Polo Club offers a relaxed and beautiful setting for all to enjoy the ‘Game of Kings’. As the home of British polo, Cowdray Park Polo Club prides itself on making polo accessible to all.

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

» Free entry to all polo matches, including the Gold Cup semi-finals and final, for a member and guest (excluding junior membership)

» Over 25 reciprocal sporting events – full calendar to be launched pre-season

» Access to the Clubhouse and Members’ enclosure at all matches

» Complimentary diary, a commemorative badge and car pass

» Invitations to all the Club’s social events and exclusive members events throughout the season

» Regular e-newsletters with match reports, club updates and the seasons latest news

» Preferential rate at the Clubhouse at Ambersham

» A complimentary copy of the CPPC Yearbook

Join us at cowdraypolo.co.uk/membership

OPEN EVERY DAY 1 ST - 26 TH AUGUST 2024

After the success of last summer’s event, the Maize Maze is returning this year with a theme of ‘Farming Through the Ages’. It features a stamp trail, viewing platform as well as teas, coffees and light refreshments provided by the Farm Shop Café.There is even a Cowdray Lifestyle pop-up to browse in.

£6 per person | Three year olds and under go free Book your tickets www.cowdray.co.uk/maize-maze

FOLLOW THE ACTION

KEEP UP TO DATE

» COWDRAY TV

Purchase your tournament pass via our website to watch all the games in the British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup 2024.

» SOCIALS

Instagram / Facebook / X: @cowdraypolo

LinkedIn: Cowdray Park Polo Club

» WEBSITE

Follow all the action leading up to the final stages of the British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup on our website cowdraypolo.co.uk

SATURDAY 20 TH JULY 2024

5.30p m » start | 11.30p m » end LAWNS POLO GROUNDS GU29 0AJ

GUIDE TO POLO

The object of Polo is for a team to score more goals than its opposition to win the game. Each team of four is made up of attackers and defenders, but all members of a polo team are expected to be flexible and make any play whether offensive or defensive and change position as necessary to benefit the team.

PLAYERS HANDICAPS

Each player is given a handicap from -2 to 10 goals depending on his ability. The lowest handicap is -2 and 10 is the highest. A team’s handicap rating is calculated by adding together the 4 players’ handicaps. The handicap of teams entering the Cowdray Gold Cup is 20-22 goals.

THE TEAM

A team is made up of 4 players with each numbered 1 to 4. Each position has a purpose; No.1 and No.2 are the forwards, No.3 is the pivot position (usually the best player in the team) and No.4 (or Back) is the goal defender.

DURATION OF PLAY

Matches are divided into chukkas. In the UK, there are between 4 and 6 chukkas in a match, the number of which depends on the level of the polo (low goal – 4 chukkas, medium goal – 5 chukkas, high goal – 6 chukkas). Each chukka lasts 7 minutes, with an interval of 3 minutes between each one. At half time, the interval is extended and spectators are invited onto the pitch to tread in the divots. The bell is rung at the end of each 7-minute period. Play continues until the ball goes out of play, the umpire stops play for a foul, or the bell is rung for a second time 30 seconds after the first bell. In the final chukka, the match ends after the first bell.

UMPIRES & MATCH OFFICIALS

There are 2 mounted umpires on the pitch following the game and a third man (or referee) in the stands who acts as the arbitrator if the umpires cannot agree. There is a goal judge behind each goal and they will wave a flag when a goal is scored. The scorer and the timekeeper record the goals and track the timing and sound the bell at the end of each chukka.

CHANGING ENDS

Polo is probably the only game in which the teams change ends when a goal is scored, thus equalling out any ground or weather advantage.

THE START

Play starts with the umpire throwing in the ball between the two teams lined up in front of him. In the same way play is restarted after a goal is scored or if the ball goes out over the side boards. If the ball goes over the back line, there is a hit-in by the defending team. There is no offside in polo.

GUIDE TO POLO CONTINUED

RULES OF PLAY

Right of Way – During play there is an imaginary “line of the ball”, which is generally the direction in which the ball is travelling at any one moment. When a player has established the right of way along that line, it may not be crossed by an opposing player if there is the slightest risk of collision. Crossing – Any player who crosses the player holding the right of way close enough to be dangerous or cause a player to slow up, commits a foul.

Riding Off – pushing another player and his horse out of the way using your horse is permitted, whether the other man is playing the ball or not. But it must not be done by charging in at a dangerous angle, nor must the man in possession of the ball be crossed.

Hooking sticks – A player may hook an opponent’s stick provided he is on the same side of the opponent as the ball, or directly behind him, and provided the stick is below the level of the opponent’s shoulder. Players must not attempt to hook an opponent in front of the pony’s legs.

PENALTIES

Different types of penalties are awarded depending of the nature of the foul:

• Penalty No 1 – Automatic goal

• Penalty No 2 – 30 yd hit to an open goal

• Penalty No 3 – 40 yd hit to an open goal

• Penalty No 4 – 60 yd hit to a defended goal

• Penalty No 5 – A hit from the spot where the foul was committed

• Penalty No 5B – A hit from the centre of the ground. This is used when the defending team are attacking from their own half.

HEALTH & SAFETY

We very much hope that you will enjoy your day at Cowdray Park Polo Club, where accidents are very rare BUT polo is a dangerous sport.

Neither CPPC nor the Cowdray Estate can accept any responsibility for injuries to persons or property on this ground. The following safety rules must be observed:

» Please ensure that you watch the movement of the ball during play at all times and keep yourselves, friends, family and dogs out of the safety zone area.

» Please ensure you supervise your children who will not be as diligent as you.

» Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times.

» All guest access to the pony lines, lorry parking areas and agricultural machinery is strictly forbidden.

» Alcohol may be consumed only by those aged eighteen or over. We operate a ‘Challenge 25’ policy in all bars.

» No private barbecues allowed.

» Vehicles are admitted on condition that Cowdray Park Polo Club shall not be liable for damage to any vehicle. Anything in or on or about any vehicle howsoever such a loss or damage may be caused.

» Please report any suspicious packages to a member of staff

Cowdray Park Polo Club has a duty of care to all Gold Cup attendees and wishes everyone an enjoyable time. Anyone judged to be putting themselves or others at risk may be asked to leave the grounds by officials of the club.

Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 0AQ

COWDRAY PARK POLO CLUB