Autumn 2018

Page 22

TA L K

GAME CHANGERS APPL founder Javier Tanoira has had a huge influence on the game, but now is a time for reflection – so what’s next, asks Carolina Beresford

Love it or hate it, the All Pro Polo League (APPL) has certainly shaken things up in the polo world over the past few years. Whether recruiting young, up-and-coming players, 10-goal superstars or high-goal veterans, Javier Tanoira has proven that a different type of polo model exists. After a successful 2018 World Tour – the highlight of which was hosting the first ever 40-goal match played at Cowdray Park Polo Club (supported by Hurlingham 1875, the APPL’s first official sponsor) – the league finds itself at a very interesting junction. Up to this point, no

T H E A P P L H A S P R O V E N T H AT A M O R E DYNAMIC VERSION OF POLO IS POSSIBLE

player or club has been paid for their involvement in the league; all parties have supported the project because of their willingness to improve the sport as a whole. Now the APPL has shown that a more entertaining, dynamic version of polo is

hurlinghampolo.com

possible, it is time to figure out what’s next on the agenda for the organisation. The APPL did not have any specific objectives when it started hosting matches in 2015, but one thing was clear: polo needed a reboot. ‘Our biggest achievement has been

ABI HANCOCK / THE ART OF POLO

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