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hurlingham polo association magazine
SPRING 2007
polo association magazine
VIVA CAMBIASO! [polo superstar] TRAILBLAZER [the extraordinary life of Geoffrey Kent] ASTON MARTIN [where polo meets Bond ] LORO PIANA [dressed for action] Q1 SPRING 2007
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foreword By David Woodd, chief executive of the HPA
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Before looking forward to this year, perhaps we should spare a thought for those polo families who lost members in the last year: Jack Williams; Catherine Yates who died as result of an accident during a Pony Club tournament at Cirencester; Gabriel Donoso, from Chile, in Argentina; Pablo Rincon Gallardo in Mexico; Peter Cudmore in Australia; James O’Connell from Ireland as a result of a water skiing accident; Hubert Perrodo in a mountain accident in Courcheval; and James Wentworth Stanley. Mention should also be made of Bryan Morrison who, although out of a coma, remains in a world which none of us can currently reach. During the winter English players have contributed significantly to airport taxes. Teams representing England have played in Mexico, South Africa, Pakistan, India and Chile. Plane loads of the young have made it to Argentina or South Africa during the holidays or for half term, and there has been the usual exodus of players to Australia and New Zealand. In my last foreword, I was optimistic that we were close to achieving a set of International Rules that would be adopted in due course by all countries. This achievement will, I believe, help to significantly improve umpiring throughout the world, but sadly following the meeting in Buenos Aires at which we had hoped to resolve any final issues, it appears that some feel we have tried to go too far too quickly. The HPA would have adopted the new rules for 2007 if they had been agreed, but unfortunately there are currently no rules to adopt. The HPA remains committed to achieving one set of rules for all but for the time being the rules remain on the agenda along with some other old chestnuts like the protection of players and insurance. In spite of the chestnuts, English polo appears to be very healthy. Last year, there were 59 outdoor clubs and a membership of over 3,000, as against 32 clubs and about 1,600 members 10 years ago. Polo at schools and universities and within the Pony Club continues to be a growth area although it is not an automatic deduction that the extra numbers will necessarily produce extra talent. Professional success in any sport requires many qualities, not least talent, and this issue covers several players whose different qualities have been crucial to their success. It is a great sadness that one takes the form of a tribute to Gabriel, a player who possessed all the qualities of a great sportsman and who will be much missed here in England and elsewhere. The HPA would like to wish everyone playing best wishes for the forthcoming season.
Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, no responsibility can be accepted for any errors or omissions. All the information contained in this publication is correct at the time of going to press. HURLINGHAM (ISSN 1750-0486) is published quarterly by Hurlingham Media, distributed in the USA by DSW, 75 Aberdeen Road, Emigsville PA 17318-0437. Periodicals postage paid at Emigsville PA. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Hurlingham, c/o PO Box 437, Emigsville PA 17318-0437. Hurlingham magazine is designed and produced on behalf of Hurlingham Media by Show Media Ltd. Hurlingham magazine is published on behalf of the Hurlingham Polo Association by Hurlingham Media. The products and services advertised are not necessarily endorsed by or connected with the publisher or the Hurlingham Polo Association. The editorial opinions expressed in this publication are those of individual authors and not necessarily those of the publisher or the Hurlingham Polo Association. Hurlingham magazine welcome feedback from readers: hurlinghammedia@hpa-polo.co.uk
contributors Edwina Ings-Chambers is the deputy fashion editor of the Financial Times. She lives in London with her inordinately large collection of cashmere and in grave fear of a moth invasion. In this issue she writes about the polo-loving brothers behind Loro Piana (page 32) and the classic polo-inspired Brooks Brothers button-down shirt (page 16).
Philip Watson joined GQ magazine shortly after its UK launch, becoming deputy editor in 1995. For the past ten years he has written for national newspapers and magazines on a wide range of subjects, especially travel. He currently lives in Cork, where his chief hobby is renovating a Georgian townhouse. He writes about travel magnate Geoffrey Kent (page 24). Hurlingham Deputy Editor Herbert Spencer's luxury book and magazine Chakkar established polo publishing benchmarks in the 1970s and 1980s. He authored other books on polo and the Spanish and Greek royal families and his work as a writer-photographer has been published worldwide. He also has an international communications consultancy, Herbert Spencer Media. Robert Ryan is a journalist and novelist. To relax, he plays at playing trumpet/ flugelhorn, an instrument he learned to help empathise with a character in one of his novels – who subsequently transmuted into a guitar player. He lives in London with his wife, three children, one flat coat retriever (black), and two cats (white, one deaf). He writes about Aston Martin mastermind David Brown (page 28).
HURLINGHAM MAGAZINE Editor in Chief and Publisher Roderick Vere Nicoll Editor Ed Barrett Deputy Editor Herbert Spencer Contributing Editor Sarah Eakin Advertising Director Amanda Bartlett Hurlingham Media 47-49 Chelsea Manor St, London SW3 5RZ +44 (0) 207 870 3170 hurlingham@hpa-polo.co.uk www.hurlinghammedia.com SHOW MEDIA Editorial Managing Director Peter Howarth 1-2 Ravey Street, London EC2A 4QP + 44 (0) 203 222 0101 info@showmedia.net www.showmedia.net
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Ponylines All the news from the world of polo, plus interviews and gossip
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Talk Luke Tomlinson, Martin Ephson, Brooks Brothers and Gabriel Donoso
20 First person Mike Rutherford hits the road with Genesis, and polo takes a back seat for once
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Luxury Polo in the snow amidst the luxury of St Moritz
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Travel Geoffrey Kent crossed Africa as a teenager, built travel giant Abercrombie & Kent, planned trips into space, and still found time to play polo
28 Classic car The man behind James Bond’s Aston Martin designed with polo in mind
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Fashion Loro Piana brings fashion to the world of polo
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Profile
GETTY; COVER SHOT JEAN-MARC LUBRANO
Adolfo Cambiaso is a true polo superstar, with a supermodel wife, his own fashion range, and a glittering sporting career that is far from over
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Toys Polo-loving chef Tom Aikens selects six wonderful watches
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The Action Results, reports, and action photos from the season’s most important fixtures, including the Argentine Triple Crown and England’s tour of Mexico and South Africa
On the cover: Adolfo Cambiaso, polo superstar
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From the archive An ancient Persian text reveals a royal polo legend
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ponylines [news]North American Polo League launch [views]Looking ahead to the English season [gossip]Tom Aikens’ new Chelsea restaurant
ONE TO WATCH: BEST AMATEUR Italy’s Alfio Marchini, chosen as this issue’s Amateur Player, is a rarity amongst patrons on the international circuit. His Loro Piana team competed in the major pro-am tournaments in England, the USA, Argentina and Spain and he has also played in the higher handicapped Argentine tournaments. After winning Spain’s Gold Cup at Sotogrande for the second time last summer, Marchini reached the finals of the Jockey Club Open in Buenos Aires, one of only four tournaments played to the maximum 40-goal handicap. Playing off three in Argentina, he won the Municipalidad de Pilar, was a finalist in the La Dolfina Diamond Cup and competed in the Camara de Diputados and Ellerstina Gold Cup. Over the past three years, Marchini has played in the Queens Cup and the British Open and also took Loro Piana to Florida in 2005, reaching the semis of the US Open. Alfio, with Loro Piano, will beplaying in England in 2007. HERBERT SPENCER
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ENGLISH SEASON PREVIEW More than 20 high-goal teams are planning to compete in one or more of England’s 22-goal ‘big four’ tournaments starting in May, with some newcomers and musical chairs amongst the pros signed up by UK and foreign patrons. Here is how the pundits see the season.
Tom’s new kitchen Polo-loving chef Tom Aikens has opened a new restaurant in Chelsea that spans four floors and offers all-day informal dining and drinking. Tom’s Kitchen features a 90-seat brasserie on the ground level, a first floor bar and games room, two private dining rooms sponsored by Dunhill on the second floor, and a lower ground level tasting room for cheese and wine sessions. Tom and his head chef, Ollie Couillaud (formerly at La Trompette and The Dorchester Grill) will use ingredients from a hand-picked selection of British farmers and food producers. Dishes will be predominantly British, but with occasional French and Italian influences. Tom’s Kitchen is at 27 Cale Street, SW3, and is open from breakfast until midnight. Reservations: +44 (0)20 7349 0202
Black Bears, winners of the 2006 Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup in the British Open Championship, will be taken over by Switzerland’s Guy Schwartzenbach. Last year he substituted for his father Urs, whose injuries in the Queen’s Cup have forced his retirement from the game. Oldest of the high-goal teams competing in England, Black Bears will again be centred on the Argentine brothers Javier and Eduardo Novilla Astrada.
Australian James Packer’s Ellerston White, runners-up in last season’s Gold Cup, will be back, again featuring Gonzalito and Facundo Pieres. Pony power from the famous Ellerston string will make the Packer squad hard to beat. Carlos Gracida signed for the Gold Cup, so one Pieres will be on the sidelines.
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Dubai, patroned by Ali Albwardy from the United Arab Emirates and with 10-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso fresh from his victories in Argentina and Florida, will be another strong favourite. Dubai won the Queen’s Cup and Prince of Wales Trophy in 2006. George Meyrick is returning to play, and Lucas Monteverde on 8 goals will replace veteran Pikki Diaz Alberdi in this powerhouse squad, with Pikki due to move to Adrian Kirby’s Atlantic, with Lucas Criado.
The Marquis of Milford Haven’s Broncos, finalists in last season’s Queen’s Cup, will return to the British Open after a two-year absence, with Pablo and Matias MacDonough taken over from Atlantic. Australian Rick Stowe will give up his place on Geebung, featuring Bautista Heguy, to his son Jason. Germany’s father-son combo Joe and Max Gottschalk will field two Les Lions teams rather than playing together. Alfio Marchini will join Juan Martin Nero, David Sterling and Nicholas Espain as Loro Piana. Charlie Hanbury is teaming up with Lolo Castagnola, Jamie Huidobro and Matt Lodder. Lechuza Caracas is flying in again with 60 horses and the Merlos’.
New teams on the scene will include King, fielded by Michael King from Elysian Polo Club in Australia, and Apes Hill, funded by Sir Charles ‘Cow’ Williams (see page 13). HS
ENGLAND WORLD CUP TEAM Five-goaler Tom Morley, who led England into the final of the 2004 Polo World Cup of the Federation of International Polo (FIP), will again captain the team during the European zone play-offs to fight for a place in the final stage of the 2007 championship in Mexico in October. Brazil captured the World Cup at Chantilly, France, defeating England in the final’s extra-time chukka, which was marred by disputed calls by the umpires. FIP officials admitted then that the umpiring had disadvantaged England. Six teams – Spain, England, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands – are contesting the European play-offs between April 19-29 at Santa Maria Polo Club in Sotogrande on Spain’s Costa del Sol. FIP rules stipulate that no player may be handicapped above five goals in the 10 to 14-goal competition. Joining Morley on England’s first string will be 3goalers George Meyrick, Ed Hitchman and Nina Vestey Clarkin. England’s reserves for Sotogrande are Ollie Hipwood and Johnny Good (both 5) and Matt Lodder, Henry Fisher and Ollie Tuthill (all 3) with team coach Claire Tomlinson (1) also available to play. Altogether, 24 nations are fielding teams in FIP’s VIII Polo World Cup, with six going into the final stage in Mexico, where they will be joined by the host country, reigning champions Brazil, and the winners of the four zone playoffs. HS
POLO FILMS Not many polo players could double for black hip hop singer ‘Big Boi’ from the band Outkast, but when Hollywood came to Aiken, South Carolina they found the perfect candidate in Sain Joseph (right), a black pro player from the Dominican Republic. The polo game, integral to the plot, was staged for a new movie Who’s Your Caddy?, due for release later this year. Argentina’s Matias Magrini was cast as a disgruntled star polo professional. A character clash and a dispute over compensation cause Magrini to switch allegiance from his regular patron and owner of the fictitious Carolina Pines Golf Club to play for newcomer C-note's (aka Big Boi's) hip hop polo team Killer Inc as the two rival patrons go head to head on the polo field. Meanwhile another forthcoming film, Take It To The Boards, follows a group of professional players from ‘everyday’ backgrounds as they compete on behalf of the United States in the Federation of International Polo World Cup VIII. A portion of proceeds will go to Team USA players and to promote the game both in the United States and abroad. SE
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SADDLE UP WITH... EL ALEPH Puerto Madero, close to the financial centre of Buenos Aires is the vibrant setting for the final piece of the waterfront Faena Art District: Foster+Partners’ Al Aleph development. Al Aleph will combine new construction with the selective refurbishment of existing buildings to provide a sustainable mixed-use environment. The scheme comprises 234 apartments and 16 duplex penthouses. The ground floor will feature spacious lobbies around a spectacular central cloister and gardens. The building offers views of the historic docks, the nature reserve, and the River Plate. www.aylesford.com
NAPL LAUNCH Two prominent high-goal patrons have formed a new North American Polo League (NAPL) to work with the US Polo Association (USPA) in attracting a broader audience for the top end of the sport. NAPL’s co-founders are John Goodman (left), owner of two-times US Open winners Isla Carroll and International Polo Club Palm Beach, the country’s premier high-goal centre, and Skeeter Johnston, patron of the Skeeterville team. Both are governors of the USPA. NAPL’s excutive director is Charles Smith, former 7-goaler and son of the late, great Cecil Smith. Another six team owners have signed on as NAPL licensees in an operation that may eventually be offering prize money in the big tournaments.
MILLEDGE AUSTIN; DAVID LOMINSKA; ALEX PACHECO
EQUINE HERPES VIRUS The equine herpes virus outbreak in Florida might be over, but a month of horse lockdown left local businesses in Wellington counting the cost. EHV-1 caused the loss of millions of dollars through money not spent on horse food, blacksmiths and veterinary care, as well as cash not spent by owners and trainers on themselves. Dr Doug Byars is an expert on the disease and former head of Internal Medicine at Hagyard, Davis and McGee in Lexington, Kentucky. Dr Byars was brought in to monitor the outbreak and said that he thought the community had done a good job of limiting the spread of the virus, and would soon be as safe as any other highly populated equine area. Several ponies belonging to the University of Connecticut women’s polo team have tested positive for the neurological form of the equine herpes virus. The state placed the entire string of ponies and their arena under strict quarantine. Yale University generously offered a place to practice, but travelling expenses and chukka fees place a major strain on the budget. They need about $9,000 to cover additional costs. Contributions are appreciated. Cheques payable to ‘UConn Polo’. Contact: University of Connecticut Women’s Polo, c/o Coach Matt Syme, 401 Main Street, S Windsor, CT 06074, USA, or Meaghansca@gmail.com
SKEETER JOHNSTON Nationality USA Age 53 Handicap 2 Tennessee businessman SK 'Skeeter' Johnston III is patron of the Skeeterville high-goal team, a Governor-at-Large of the US Polo Association (USPA) and cofounder of the new North American Polo League (NAPL). Family background in polo? My grandfather played before and after World War II and my father, Skey, was a 2goal player and chairman of the USPA. My sister, Gillian, was the first-ever female patron to win the US Open. My nephew William also plays. So there's sibling rivalry? Gillian and I have good high-goal teams and have played one another many times, but we haven't kept a record of who won the most Skeeterville v Bendabout matches. We’ve often played together on teams in low-goal and medium-goal. Where do you play? During the winter, high goal at International Polo Club Palm Beach, low and medium at Gulfstream down the road. Then on our ranch in Wyoming and in Chattanooga. Where have you played abroad? A bit in Argentina and Australia and once in Peru, but business commitments in the US makes playing overseas impractical for me. How do you mix polo and business? I'm sometimes travelling five or six days a week. Many's the time I've arrived just an hour before a match and left on another business trip immediately after. Which player do you most admire for sportsmanship and professionalism? Owen Rinehart with whom I've played for 10 years or so. He embodies hard work, integrity and determination. Why does the US now have so few players with higher handicaps? This concerns the USPA and NAPL. A strong work ethic and professional approach is required to make it to 8, 9 and 10 handicap. HS
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Polistas opens flagship store Polistas is Argentinian slang for ‘polo players’. It is also a polo lifestyle clothing brand worn by Prince Harry, Prince William and Prince Charles. Now it has opened a flagship store at 12 Burlington Arcade, Piccadilly. This followed the opening of their first stand-alone retail outlet in Buenos Aires and they will open a St Tropez store in the spring.
HOOKED ON POLO Lady Madeleine Lloyd Webber, 44, is the wife of composer Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber. She was a professional threeday eventer and competed in the European and world championships as a member of the British equestrian team. She now breeds thoroughbreds at their Hampshire stud and is a member of the Jockey Club.
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DUBAI ‘It’s often polo-playing parents who bring their children into the sport, but in our family it was the other way round. About five years ago our two boys started playing Pony Club Polo. Watching them, I said, “I can do this.” I had a go – and I was hooked. I’m now handicap –1, but Alastair (14) and Billy (13) are better than me. They have won the Surtees section in the Pony Club Polo Championships at Cowdray Park. Alastair plays for Eton and Billy for his school, Ludgrove. ‘We have a big, all-weather arena for three-a-side polo and have now built a proper grass ground and will start playing on it in June. Our Watership Down is a non-profit, private club run by David Heaton-Ellis. We’ve hosted lots of matches for Pony Club Polo and the Schools and Universities Polo Association and some corporate, charity, and “country house polo” days as well. ‘Three-day eventing is an individual thing; polo is a team game, and I enjoy the tactics. The adrenalin rush of polo doesn't quite match the buzz of approaching the lake complex at Badminton, but it’s extremely close. I love the game and the fact I can play it with my family – so long as they will have me!’ HS
For more information on hurlingham magazine, visit www.hurlinghammedia.com
Property giant Emaar expects to sell more than 60 plots around the Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club through an invitation-only auction in which reserve prices are kept secret. Emaar, who are building what will be the world’s tallest skyscraper in Dubai, has poured millions of gallons of water on the sands outside the city to make the desert bloom at its Arabian Ranches development centred on the polo club. The facility already has a palatial clubhouse and two grass tournament grounds. Irishman Eddie Kennedy, former polo manager to Prince Jefri of Brunei and the Coworth Park Polo Club in England, has been manager of the Dubai club. He has attracted a number of foreign nationals and newly taught locals as playing members who, with visitors from overseas, compete in tournaments in the months when the desert sun is not too hot. HS
PONY SALES
Buyers and sellers from across the USA and abroad flocked to the 2006 Aiken Polo Pony Sale in that historic South Carolina horse town, but the auction included none of the equine superstars that change hands for six-figure sums in more glamorous transactions elsewhere. This largest of pony auctions, an annual event run by Aiken player and hay merchant Charlie Herrick of Banks Mill Feed, is more about the grass roots of the sport, providing mounts for the 99 per cent of players who compete only in low and mediumgoal polo. There were some high-goal ponies amongst the almost 100 horses in the ring, but the emphasis was on more modestly priced mounts for lower levels of the game.The average price paid at the sales, including green and tournament ponies, was $10,222, for a total of more than half-a-million dollars. Sale-topper was the 5-year-old bay mare Grasshopper, hammered down to Aiken’s Barbara Uskup for $35,000. HS
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CHUKKAS Colonel Robert Ffrench-Blake, polo manager for the Windsor princes for the past 13 years, has retired from the job. The Prince of Wales gave up playing in 2005 and princes William and Harry are serving officers in the Army, and their charity polo diary will now be co-ordinated by the Hurlingham Polo Association.
France’s Hubert Perrodo, whose Labegorce team won the British Open in 1997 and the Queen’s Cup twice, was killed in an accident at the Alpine ski resort of Courcheval at the end of December. After retiring from high-goal polo, he had continued to play with friends at his vineyards in France.
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numbers game Polo’s handicapping system can be confusing to the uninitiated, never more so than at the top end of the game with the stars’ ratings differing from country to country, depending on the level of polo, the team and the organisation. Take Ignacio Novilla Astrada (below), whose handicap was raised to 10 by the Argentine Polo Association (AAP) for 2007. In England, he will be playing off 9, as will his brother Miguel (also 10 in Argentina and the USA). Other international differences in handicaps include Gonzalito Pieres (10 in Argentina, 9 in England and the US), Augustin Merlos (10 in Argentina and the US, 9 in England) and Sebastian Merlos (10 in the US, 9 in Argentina and England). Marcos Heguy has gone back to 10 in Argentina and was lowered to 9 in the UK in 2006. Lucas Monteverde is 8 in the UK and 9 in Argentina and the United States. HS
More than 400 black-tied guests are expected at the second annual Audi Polo Awards, England’s polo ‘Oscars’, at the Savoy Hotel on 21 May. For information and tickets, visit www.thepoloawards.com
Gulfstream, once the only polo club on Florida’s Gold Coast and now the main centre for low and medium-goal there, has had a reprieve. Its acreage is up for sale, but a developer let its option drop.
David Jamison is retiring after four years as Chairman of Cowdray Park Polo Club, home of the British Open. A 3-goal player in his prime, he was one of England’s most successful amateurs, winning the British Open four times with Southfields and Tramontana. Robin Butler has been appointed chairman of Cowdray.
Guards Polo Club player Michael Rake, chairman of KPMG International, has just been knighted by the Queen for services to accountancy.
ALICE GIPPS; REX
England’s Beaufort Polo Club has taken a 50 per cent share in a club at Pilar Chico in Argentina. La Quinta Beafort aims to give English players the chance of off-season training for high goal.
Cowdray Park’s Texaco Trophy, won by the Beretta team, was on display at London’s Beretta Gallery when bankers gathered there for cocktails and to view the firm’s collection of fashion and sporting firearms. Attendees included high-goal patron Count Riccardo Pavoncelli and Olympic gold medallist (trap-shooting) Richard Faulks. HS
THE LOVE OF MY LIFE… Pony’s name Age Sex Colour Height Origin
Jasmin (formerly Magician) 14 Mare Chesnut 15.2hh Ireland
Lt Col John Buchanan (US Marines, rtrd) was living in Ireland and England and playing low-goal polo when he bought the pony. He now lives in Yucca Valley, California. ‘Here is a real Cinderella story: I saved this horse from the abattoir and she ended up carrying the world’s greatest player to victory in the Argentine Open. The two-year-old thoroughbred was too small for the track, so no one bid for her at the 1994 Goffs racehorse sales in Ireland. I could see she had just the right confirmation for polo, so I offered her trainer 500 Irish punts – less than £500 then – and he accepted, saying it would be ‘a crime’ to send her to the ‘meat man’. I named her Magician after her sire, Magical Strike. My son Adam and I schooled her for polo and he played her until Mike
Azzaro, the American 10-goaler, bought her from us. Mike renamed her Jasmine after his wife and played her in Florida high-goal before 7-goaler Rubén Sola bought her to Argentina. Then, in the final of the 2005 Argentine Open, Adolfo Cambiaso played her in the fourth chukka and again in the ninth, extra time, and scored the golden goal. She played again in the 2006 abierto, ridden by Rubén. I much appreciate the care he has lavished upon my lovely Magician.’ HS
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ay ay captain Luke Tomlinson on his plans for the future and the state of the game in England WORDS ED BARRETT
Above: Tomlinson sports his Apes Hill team shirt
For a man who is friends with Princes William and Harry, and was one of the pro-hunt demonstrators who invaded the House of Commons, Luke Tomlinson manages to keep a surprisingly low profile in our celebrity-obsessed world. This is a tribute to both his natural modesty and his single-minded dedication to his polo career. Within the sport, however, Luke is a well-respected 7-goal professional and the current captain of the England team. Now his stock looks likely to rise further still in 2007 as captain of the first ever all-English professional side. The story began last summer, when friend of the family Sir Charles ‘Cow’ Williams watched the Gold Cup final at Cowdray and was dismayed at the complete absence of English players. The construction magnate and former 4-goaler decided to do something about this, and the result is Apes Hill Club Barbados – an all-English team cosponsored by American developer Jerry Barton, and named after their Caribbean golf and polo development. ‘The task was to put together a wellmounted team, under-handicapped,’ Luke explains. ‘I was keen to play with my brother Mark [7-goal] because we play well together. Tom Morley is probably one of the best in the world off five goals, and Ed Hitchman is one of the stronger 3-goalers.’ Luke’s priorities are training in Argentina and looking for horses, but in the longer term he hopes the team will
sell Apes Hill and put on a good show in the Queen’s Cup and Gold Cup. He aims to win, of course, but up against teams with top players and years of infrastructure and organisation, he says ‘a team that has got to a semi-final has had a good season.’ He regards Apes Hill as a landmark and hopes it will lead to more corporate sponsorship. To achieve this, he says that polo must reach a wider audience, and he believes this is now happening. He remains optimistic about English polo, and says there is a lot of talent coming through. As a leading light, he hopes to change the culture in which senior players have tended not to help younger players who might soon be competing against them. ‘I try to be free with advice and help,’ he explains, ‘and therefore improve the overall standard of polo.’ ‘English polo is strong,’ he insists. ‘There aren’t any 10-goal players like in Argentina, but there are good players and the national side is probably third or fourth in the world. Gonzalo Tanoira, the Argentine polo president who died a couple of years ago, was very keen on a 28goal World Cup but the Argentinians seem less interested now. A world series would be great, and easy for the pubic to identify with. And individual Test matches can certainly be sponsored.’ Meanwhile, he has other goals. ‘I’d love to play the Argentine Open in a competitive team,’ he reflects. ‘And obviously I’d like to be a 10-goaler – but that’s tough!’
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joining the colours 14
Martin Ephson is not only a passionate polo player, but has a ‘decorated’ history as an entrepreneur… WORDS NIC CICUTTI
Polo, like any sport, thrives on the passion and commitment of its participants – a passion typified by Martin Ephson, who has embraced the game with much fervour over the past decade or so. Ephson not only sponsors the Farrow & Ball team, but also plays regularly and has introduced his three children – Ciara, 18, Patrick, 16, and Ludo, 13 – to the game. They now share his keen enthusiasm and all play for their respective schools. ‘They steal my ponies all the time,’ he jokes. Ephson, who describes himself as a ‘serial entrepreneur’, bought the successful specialist paint and wallpaper manufacturer, Farrow & Ball with his partner and lifelong friend Tom Helme in 1992. Before then he set up and sold a specialist food and drink business and
Above Winning the Holden White Cup at Cowdray Park. From left, Martin Ephson, Adrian Wade, the Marchioness of MilfordHaven, Ignus Du Plessis and Leroux Hendriks
worked in corporate finance. ‘Tom told me about a business with brilliant products which nobody seemed to know about, and asked me to have a look,’ recalls Ephson. Back then, although Farrow & Ball paints were renowned among the cognoscenti for their quality, the Dorsetbased company, founded in the 1930s, had an annual turnover of barely £600,000 and employed just 15 staff. ‘My mother told me as a child that the only good school report I had said I showed a good sense of colour,’ laughs Ephson, who cheerfully admits that he knew little about the paint industry at first. ‘But we could see even then that it had great quality. We bought the company in 1992 and simply superimposed modern management skills, from admin to finance and marketing.’ Over the past 15 years, the company’s reputation has grown, while retaining its commitment to quality. Success has followed: by 2006 the company had an annual turnover of more than £30m, supplying 33 countries including Japan and the US, and there are now 250 staff. Achieving this success was hard work for both Ephson and Helme: ‘It was seven days a week, 364 days a year for most of that time – but we enjoyed ourselves enormously, serving products we felt passionate about to customers we could identify with.’ It was during this time that Ephson was introduced to polo. ‘I was working very intensely and I desperately needed something to act as a foil for my work,’ he says. ‘Some great friends of mine, Piers and Paula Fletcher, play casually at Tidworth and they had urged me for years to have a go myself, knowing that I would love it. I used to ride as a child, but the style is quite different. I went on the novices’ course at Tidworth, where they teach you all the basics – and in a very polite way
demonstrate how appalling you really are. Afterwards, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t done it much earlier – polo combines just about everything you want from sport: speed, adrenalin rush, hand-eye coordination and team-work.’ Ephson’s initial involvement was gradual, playing low-goal chukkas and tournaments in 1999, moving on to buying ponies and, slowly but surely, progressing to a higher level. In the past two years, he says ‘I have found a level I love – 8-goal. It’s a huge amount of fun, intensely competitive and I have had a reasonable degree of success with it.’ During the season, Ephson usually plays three times a week, alternating mainly between Cowdray and Tidworth. His Farrow & Ball team has achieved new heights, winning the Holden White cup in 2005 and reaching five 8-goal finals or semi-finals last year. In July 2006, Ephson and Helme sold Farrow & Ball to a private equity firm for an undisclosed sum, but he retains the right to the name for the team, which he continues to sponsor himself. Now aged 50, Ephson continues to play and support the game. ‘I’m probably fitter than most people my age,’ he says. ‘That said, I am definitely on the downward slope compared to my children and it is almost impossible to refuse them my horses.’ Even so, he adds that in the past year or so he has had ‘great fun’ playing in a team with them in low-goal tournaments. His wife Eugenia also follows the family team’s efforts, offering constructive criticism after a game. As well as retaining the team name, he supports his former company in other ways: ‘Right now I’m using Farrow & Ball paint in my property in Ireland. But they don’t give me a big enough discount!’
JANEY WHITWORTH
hurlingham [ talk]
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Above The classic Brooks Brothers button-down shirt
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getting shirty Inspired by a nineteenth-century polo match, the Brooks Brothers style classic, the button-down polo, is still loved 100 years later WORDS EDWINA INGS-CHAMBERS
There are many iconic designs in fashion. There’s the Yves Saint Laurent tuxedo, the Dior New Look silhouette; even the red sole of a Christian Louboutin shoe has found its own unique place. And then, for men, there’s the Brooks Brothers button-down polo shirt – complete, of course, with button-down collar. Like any classic, the polo shirt has its own evocative story. In 1898 John Brooks, a grandson of founder Henry Sands Brooks, was in England for sourcing and buying purposes. History records that this particular trip was a most successful one. ‘One day he happened to be at a polo match and noticed that the polo players had specially designed shirts,’ recounts John Hind, managing director of Brooks Brothers in the UK and the man behind the house’s 11,000 sq ft flagship London store that opened in September. ‘These special shirts featured soft collars that were fastened down so that they wouldn’t flap around during play. So he took one back to the USA, designed a new one and that was where the button-down originated.’ The shirt, originally called ‘the polo’, was an instant hit, and it has been loved by such style luminaries as John F Kennedy, Clark Gable, F Scott Fitzgerald, Fred Astaire, Andy Warhol and Gianni Agnelli. Hind says that part of its appeal was the new level of comfort it offered – a factor that was revolutionary in its time. ‘Prior to that, gentleman and businessmen used to have separate starched collars and cuffs,’ he explains. These were not just very formal
but also very stiff and with little give to them. ‘The button-down was a fully constructed shirt so was more comfortable on the skin.’ It was also easier to launder. The shirt offered comfort, a break from the traditional, and it was a popular choice with soldiers returning from the war in 1918, who gladly cast off their uniforms and replaced them with the shirt that has become better known as the ‘button-down’. It even became a fashion item, finding great favour in the jazz years of the 1920s, and it was offered in different colours (including pink) which also helped to set it apart. To this day it is one of the company’s best-selling items. Brooks Brothers has, of course, always sought to be an originator for the discerning customer since it opened its doors in New York on April 7, 1818. Its oft-referenced mission statement at the time was clear: ‘To make and deal only in merchandise of the best quality, to sell it at a fair profit only, and to deal only with people who seek and are capable of appreciating such merchandise.’ One of the firm’s first inspirational approaches was the introduction of high quality ready-to-wear clothing. This proved popular with adventurers, and also businessmen at a time when they were travelling the globe and were in need of practical, stylish clothes but had little spare time in which to find it. Sound familiar? Little wonder, then, that they should have achieved the same ideal with a shirt that is loved for the same reasons today as it was over 100 years ago.
CORBIS
Left John F Kennedy, with Jackie, wearing the Brooks Brothers classic
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he made you smile Last November the sport lost a leading light in Gabriel Donoso: a gentleman, a talented coach, and the pride of Chilean polo WORDS RODERICK VERE NICOLL
As Prince Charles was approaching a 30-yard penalty shot at Sandhurst, there was a barely audible ‘Watch out for the windows, Sir!’ from his fellow teammate Gabriel Donoso. Sadly, the polo community lost one its best members, on 10 November 2006, when Gabriel Donoso died after a fall during a practice game in Pilar, Argentina. Chile’s best player ever, he will be remembered as a national hero. Polo was his love and livelihood but, as a man who lived life to its fullest, he also became one of Chile’s top rodeo riders. He was an excellent horseman predominantly playing ponies which he had bred and made himself on his ranch outside Santiago. He would only make nine or ten ponies a year – the most he could ride and school by himself, not trusting anyone else to nurture them along. They were always beautifully trained and it was a joy to watch Gabriel play classic polo with his ponies on a loose rein. As he manoeuvred effortlessly on the field, Gabriel was never in a rush: like all great players, he was in the right place at the right time. Gabriel had an illustrious polo career. He played in the Argentine Open eight times and won the La Provincia Cup. In the USA, Gabriel played many seasons in Palm Beach, where he won the Gold Cup, but his greatest success was in Britain in 1988, when he won the Queens Cup with George Milford-Haven’s Broncos. In 1993, he won the Gold Cup and captained the winning Chilean team in the 1998 and 2004 Coronation Cup with his brother José. Last summer, still in top form, Gabriel reached the finals of the Prince of Wales
Trophy with Emlor, losing by only half a goal to the mighty Cambiaso and the well-organised Dubai. In the ultra competitive medium goal he won the Eduardo Moore Tournament. Also a talented coach, from the sidelines he took the Broncos to the finals of the Queen’s Cup and Ellerstina to the finals of the Gold Cup. Gonzalito and Facundo Pieres had unprecedented success with Gabriel’s insight, help and patience. Whether playing or coaching, Gabriel always got the best out of a player and team – he knew how to win. On the field and off, Gabriel was a gentleman. He was an attentive listener and always had something to add with his wry and enchanting smile. With his terrific sense of humour and zest for life, he made you smile – you felt as though you were the only one he was talking to. Gabriel could always be found at the high-goal games on the other side of Ambersham or maybe at Knepp watching Tommy Beresford, his 10-year-old nephew, in his first tournament. You didn’t have to look very hard to find him following the game with his binoculars, leaning on the back of a car surrounded by young players. His brother José and his sister Teresa – along with his daughters Olivia and Amber – were always close by. Smiling, laughing and joking, and dispensing polo lore and wisdom - that, in my mind’s eye, is how Gabriel Donoso will be this summer. And for many, many seasons to come.
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turning it on again With album sales of 150 million and a Grammy to their name, Genesis enjoyed decades of success. Now, says Mike Rutherford, they’re back on the road, and polo must take a back seat WORDS HERBERT SPENCER ILLUSTRATION JAMES TAYLOR
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Madison Square Garden has always been one of my favourite venues, performing with Genesis in the old days and later with Mike and the Mechanics. I can hardly claim to thrill my audiences with a pretty face – it’s the music that counts – so when I went on stage at the Garden one night back in the Eighties, I suspect few, if any, of the fans ever noticed that I was missing two front teeth. That great Manhattan gig with Genesis came right on the heels of my first 8-goal polo tournament at Cowdray Park. In the second match I was in a collision – both ponies went down and one kicked me in the face. I had a broken nose, dislocated jaw and six teeth knocked out – I looked a real horror. There was no time to get the teeth replaced before our American tour, so I strummed away sans those pearlies. They say lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same place, but don’t you believe it. Some years later, having spent the price of a good polo pony or two on extensive dental work, and with my new front teeth gleaming, I bought a helmet with a faceguard to protect the investment. Then, in my very first match, I topped the ball, something I’ve never done before or since. Where’d the ball go? You guessed it; straight up and under the face guard and into my mouth, smashing my expensive dentures. So it was back into the dentist’s chair again. Over the past 20 years or so I’ve managed to combine polo with my career as a songwriter and musician, but my polo prospects for 2007 don’t look too bright. I’m 56 now and have been easing off, giving up regular competition and only playing the odd exhibition match. But the main reason polo isn’t on the agenda is that Genesis is
hitting the road again for the first time in 15 years. It’s been almost 40 years since, as a teenager, I formed a group with some fellow students – amongst them singer Peter Gabriel and Tony Banks on keyboard. Personnel changed quite a bit after Genesis turned professional, not least with Phil Collins coming in on drums and eventually replacing Peter as lead vocalist, and later with guitarist Steve Hackett. Then, in the mid-Eighties, I formed another group, Mike and the Mechanics, which was quite successful. Peter, Tony, Phil, Steve and I have been doing our own things over the years, but we’ve stayed good friends – unlike some other groups. From time to time we’ve discussed getting Genesis back together, then last year we got really serious about it and decided to do a 2007 tour. Peter Gabriel wasn’t available, but said he might join us later. Steve Hackett didn’t want to come in without all five of us. So the nucleus of the Genesis revival is Rutherford, Collins and Banks, plus some others we have played with before. When we started looking at possible UK venues, our manager Tony Smith suggested the newly reconstructed Twickenham Stadium. We were doubtful, as it’d been so long since we performed in England, but Tony was right: tickets for the July 8 Twickenham show sold out in two hours. We’re also playing Old Trafford on July 7. We will play 22 concerts in 12 European countries, starting in Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium on June 11 and finishing with a sponsored free concert next to the Coliseum in Rome on July 14. Later in the year we’re off to North America for another 22 concerts.
This revival of Genesis, which we’re calling ‘Turn it on Again – The Tour’ after one of our songs, isn’t about making money. If money were the object, we would have scheduled a hell of a lot more shows: in the old days we would play as many as 250 concerts a year. This tour is about reconnecting with our fans, old and new, and we’ll be playing songs from all stages of Genesis’ musical development. Touring now is a far cry from the days when a group would pile into a van with their instruments and tootle up the M1 to a gig. Today everything is much bigger, more elaborate, more complex. It’s hard to believe, but altogether our Genesis ‘family’ this summer will number about 400 souls. This includes three stage crews for the outdoor sets. It takes five days to set up and we’re moving fast from venue to venue, so the crews have to leapfrog: while we’re performing on one stage, the next one and the one after that are being built. We’ll be rehearsing for two or three weeks in April, and in May we’ll test the set design, lighting and so on. Then it’s off to Helsinki, and once we’re done in Europe we’ll be preparing for North America. So sadly there won’t be any time for chukkas this season. It was after a Mechanics tour in the midEighties that I took up polo. There was no history of horse pursuits in the Rutherford line; my wife Angie is the equestrian in our family. She hunted and evented and is an accomplished dressage rider – she’s represented Great Britain internationally. I finally learned to ride, after a fashion, on a retired eventing horse Angie borrowed for me from Olympic equestrian Ginny Leng. I guess Angie thought I was getting too much underfoot at home, because she told me I should take up a ‘hobby’ and suggested this polo lark. I’d never even seen a polo match. A good friend, Gordon Roddick of The Body Shop, was playing polo at [polo commentator] Terry Hanlon’s place and suggested I take lessons there. It was typical of Terry’s teaching methods that he had me playing chukkas the very first day. Polo is a sport in which you can start having fun straightaway before you even learn to hit the ball properly. Once I got the hang of things and earned a handicap, I started playing in low-goal tournaments with Terry. Then, at the end of the Eighties, I moved on to Alan Kent, a 7-goal stalwart of the England national team who has remained my mentor ever since. He took fantastic care of me and my two sons after they started playing. My team was called Mike and the Mechanics and we played a lot of low and medium-goal polo, winning the County Cup and Harrison Cup among others. One year, the American Brook Johnson and I shared a high-goal team as patrons, alternating to play with 10goalers Eduardo and Nachi Heguy and my
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‘I had a broken nose, a dislocated jaw, and six teeth knocked out. There was no time to get them replaced before the American tour, so I strummed sans those pearlies…’
son Tom, who was a member of the England team in the Federation of International Polo competition. A lot of guys in high-pressure jobs play polo for the adrenalin rush. I get plenty of that performing, so for me polo is just relaxation. The greatest thing has been playing with my two sons, and we even had Angie as a fourth Rutherford for chukkas in South Africa a few years back. I’ve always got a kick out of charity matches with the Prince of Wales and his sons. Before Prince Charles retired at 57 after the 2005 season, we used to joke about whose back would hold out the longest. After playing last summer against Prince Harry – a real gung-ho competitor – I thought, ‘Hey, this is the next generation, maybe it’s time for me to go.’ Getting older, it’s more difficult to keep fit enough unless you play regularly. Some of the fun has gone out of the game now that my sons are both busy. Tom, 25, has set up on his own, managing some aspiring musicians, and Harry, 19, is learning about studio production during his gap year. Perhaps they’ll get back into the game once they’ve established themselves. Last season I played in Jodhpur and in charity matches in Palm Beach and in England, but now my pony string is down from a high of 20 mounts some years ago to just a few, and I’m definitely out of polo for this year because of the tours. After that, who knows? As with Genesis, you can never say ‘never’ about revivals.
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Moritz for your money Luxurious Alpine accommodation, your own team of chefs, housekeepers, chauffeurs and assistants, daily champagne, ski instruction, massage… No need to lift a finger WORDS PETER HOWARTH
family retaining many of its original features, like wood panelling and frescos. All the fabrics have been chosen by renowned Zurich based designer Hannes B, the bathrooms have Philippe Starck fittings, and there is a mixture of fine antique and contemporary furniture. This is arguably the most prestigious address in the valley. St Moritz has been a fashionable destination since its beginnings in 1864. As well as the skiing and landscape – and the Cresta Run of course – it also has great bars and après-ski, and fashion retail reminiscent of Bond Street. Up on the slopes at La Corviglia is Reto Mathis’ famous restaurant where it is rumoured that more truffles and caviar are consumed at lunch than in any other eatery in the world. It is also the home of a host of unusual winter sports – horse racing, cricket, show jumping – all of which take place on the ice. And then there is the snow polo tournament, which now has a 101-year history. These days the Cartier Polo World Cup on Snow is the world’s most prestigious winter polo tournament and features four high-goal teams with handicaps between 18 and 22 battling for the coveted Cartier Trophy on the frozen surface of Lake St Moritz. It’s as much a social spectacle as a sporting event, and this year attracted about 10,000 spectators over the four-day competition. Top players from around the world took part and the teams for 2007 were Maybach, Julius Baer, Cartier and Brioni. On Sunday 28 February, in front of packed grandstands, team Brioni won its first Cartier Trophy by beating holders Cartier by a golden goal in an extra fifth chukka in the final, after drawing 3-3 at full time. The Chesa Albertini was the perfect place to stay during the Cartier Polo World Cup on Snow. The combination of home-from-home comfort, high-class service and the thrill of the game played at 1800 metres on the frozen lake made for a heady cocktail, even without the endless supply of Perrier Jouet. www.descent.co.uk
Descent is expanding rapidly, with luxury now about service, exclusivity and quality of experience rather than brand names
The high life Descent chalets (centre left) are the perfect place to stay while taking in the polo and enjoying the jet-set lifestyle of St Moritz
SCOTT BARBOUR/GETTY IMAGES
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If like me you have spent a disproportionate amount of your life fantasising about being James Bond, then Descent International was made for you. Imagine a service that puts you up in the best chalets; provides you with your own staff of black-clad chauffeurs, chefs, housekeepers and general assistants; and attends to the daily grind while you enjoy your well-earned rest. That was Kit Harrison’s dream 10 years ago when he started Descent, a luxury travel company specialising in Alpine properties. Today it is expanding rapidly, with luxury now about service, exclusivity and quality of experience rather than brand names. His 15 privately owned chalets (Descent manage them for their owners) are in places like Verbier, Zermatt, Val D’Isère and Meribel, and boast chic furniture and furnishings with all the mod cons, including saunas, steam rooms and hot tubs (indoor and out), cinemas, massage rooms, ski rooms and wireless broadband. But more than the kit and furnishings, what makes these places special is the fact that you don’t have to lift a finger. Included in the package are meals prepared by your chef, access to a fine wine cellar, an open spirit bar, Perrier Jouet champagne and canapés served daily, fresh flowers, daily newspapers, and a chauffeur-driven VW Touareg 4x4 (or a fleet if you have a bigger party). Then there are skiing lessons and guides, massage on site, live-in or part-time nannies, and all the less exciting but vital stuff like airport transfers and travel insurance, and private flights. One of Descent’s properties is located just outside St Moritz, in La Punt, seven minutes’ drive from the town centre, and five from the private airfield at Samedan. The Chesa Albertini is more a mansion than a chalet: it sleeps 12 to 16, comes with seven staff and features a Jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, cold plunge bath, massage room, gym, card room, reading room, cinema room – you get the picture. The house is a beautifully restored 17th century property built by the Albertini
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‘Today in business you can have paralysis by analysis. It’s okay to analyse a situation, but then let’s do it, or not do it. I’m a great believer in doing things’
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the big adventure From trekking alone across Africa to building the international success that is Abercrombie & Kent, not to mention some major polo tournament wins, Geoffrey Kent is a man who likes to get things done WORDS PHILIP WATSON
When Geoffrey Kent was 16 years old he did something at once utterly remarkable and wholly characteristic. Armed with no more than a Shell map of Africa, tarpaulin, some biltong and raisins, and a 250cc Daimler Puch motorbike, the world-renowned polo player and future chairman and CEO of leading luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent decided, after just an hour's consideration, to travel from his home in the highlands of Kenya all the way to Cape Town. It was a solo journey of 3,000 miles along mostly unmade roads and dirt tracks. Kent travelled through rough country and war zones with no radio or means of communication, and encountered almost daily challenges and accidents – at one point his motorbike fell off a ferry crossing the Zambezi. Yet after three gruelling months he arrived and was soon lauded as an oldstyle, all-action hero. Geoffrey Kent was the first person to complete the journey between the two countries in this way. Kent's African odyssey was a rite of passage that would establish a pattern for the rest of his life. His epic journey was not just an early indication of his unbridled love of travel and adventure; it became a blueprint for his lifelong sense of discovery and ingenuity, for his ardent competitiveness, and for his determination to succeed. ‘The ride to Cape Town was impetuous,’ he concedes, ‘but I am very impetuous to this day. Impetuousness can achieve great things because it means you don't think too much
about something. Today in business you often have what's called “paralysis by analysis”. People spend too much time analysing and worrying about what can go wrong. It's okay to analyse, to get a good handle on a situation, but then let's do it, or not do it. I'm a great believer in doing things.’ This pragmatic credo was evident, often through necessity, from an early age. Born in 1942 while his parents, Valerie and Colonel John Kent, were on safari in what is now Zambia, Geoffrey Kent had an archetypal Out of Africa colonial upbringing on a large farm in Kenya. He was riding horses at the age of four; driving his parents' Land Rover at six, propping himself up on pillows so he could see over the steering wheel; and hunting by 12 – he shot his first elephant when he was 16. His parents were busy running the farm, so Geoffrey and his younger sister Anne became very independent. ‘We had to do everything on our own, and my background taught me to take responsibility for myself,’ he says. ‘It also taught me to go for it, to be bold in my decisions.’ Kent is the first to admit, however, that it was the British Army that honed this innate boldness and impetuousness into far more effective and useful skills. Shortly after Geoffrey returned from Cape Town, his father, worried that his son was by now ‘fully through the bridle’, decided that he needed to be brought back under control. By his seventeenth birthday, he was in training as the youngest cadet at the Royal Military
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26 27 Academy at Sandhurst. Over the next six years he saw active service in Yemen, Bahrain, Oman and Malta. ‘The Army was the best thing that ever happened to me – it completely changed my life,’ he says. ‘It took all the energy and power that I had and it re-shaped it into a highly focused and disciplined box.’ It is an experience and legacy that resonates today in his work at Abercrombie & Kent. A firm believer in pragmatic intelligence, logical thinking and conscientious hard work, Geoffrey Kent runs his company with military efficiency. ‘The army taught me logistics, that everything was about detail and delivery,’ he explains. ‘Even today, Abercrombie & Kent is not really a travel company – it's a logistics company. We have 2,500 employees in 50 offices around the world moving 250,000 clients on an annual basis. Then think of the myriad of movements within all that – planes, Land Rovers, ships, boats, canoes, feluccas, horses, camels – it's all going on. All my troops are out there operating flat out minute by minute by minute.’ His short yet distinguished military career also provided valuable lessons on leadership. Geoffrey Kent is the type of boss who does everything himself first, including the reconnaissance. He is a team player who leads by example. Kent's army career was truncated after he damaged his hearing during his years spent
‘You have to understand that polo is really my only love. Abercrombie & Kent was there to support my addiction to it’
1 Geoffrey Kent and Prince Charles played together for Windsor Park from 1987-1991 2 From 1979 to 1991, Kent played for Rolex, one of the first companies to sponsor a team 3 Geoffrey Kent today
in heavy tanks – but it was also his entrepreneurial nature that spurred his departure. As a teenager he had sold crocodile skins and elephant hair bracelets, and by 1962, while still in the forces, he had started Abercrombie & Kent with his parents. The pioneering idea of a modern luxury safari operation had been born, in part, out of his military experience: he had noted and admired the way many of his senior officers were not prepared to compromise on comfort and luxury even in the most inhospitable of places. He returned to Kenya in 1965, bought a second Land Rover with his compensation money from the army, and took over the running of the business a year later. In 1966 the company's annual gross income was $24,000; today it is $433m. ‘I regularly work 12 to 14-hour days, seven days a week,’ he says. ‘I’m just crazy about the company.’ But there is another abiding love of his life: polo. Kent was captain of the polo team at Sandhurst and later, after committing himself to becoming a high-goal player, became captain of the Windsor Park team. In the 1970s, he developed and captained the celebrated Abercrombie & Kent team that went on, against the odds, to win the US Open twice, as well as triumphing in the US Gold Cup and World Cup. ‘You have to understand that polo is really my only love,’ he confesses unapologetically. ‘Abercrombie & Kent was there to support my drug. Any money I made
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would go to horses and the game. Polo was my complete fixation and total passion.’ His extraordinary winning record on the polo ground was due largely to many of the skills he had developed both in the army and business: Geoffrey Kent is the energetic embodiment of the power of commitment, self-belief and perseverance. ‘The secret of my success in business and in polo is that I never give up,’ he reflects. ‘I also love the tactical nature of the sport, the fact that all polo games are won long before the team sets foot on the ground. I demonstrated that in 1978 when I won the US Open for the first time. My team had come last in the previous two years, and people were saying that I couldn’t do it, it was impossible. But I was determined, and that year I’d worked it all out beforehand. I chose my star players very carefully – people like Antonio Herrera from Mexico and Stuart Mackenzie from New Zealand, who were cheap players; they were underrated and I knew they could play well above their handicaps. I was only a 2-goal player, but I realised that if I got up early every morning and worked and worked and worked and worked and worked, I could play four goals on the day. I then gave that team the organisation, belief and passion to succeed. I knew we would win even before the first match, and we were never beaten all season.’ An horrific accident in 1996 violently interrupted his polo career. He was following
‘I love the tactical nature of the sport, the fact that all polo games are won long before the team sets foot on the ground’ a very high ball at full speed during a practice match at the Palm Beach Polo Club in the US, when he was hit at 30mph or more by an inexperienced player who crossed him, sending him crashing to the ground. The impact was so great that his third vertebra almost severed his spinal cord and he was in a coma for three hours. It took four months for him to recover after which, on the advice of his medical team, he decided never to play or watch the game again – a resolution he has just about stuck to in the intervening years. His horses were sold, he retired from the game, and he threw all his energy into Abercrombie & Kent. Since then, the business has expanded to offer more than 350 tours in 100 countries on every continent, including expeditions to Antarctica. He and his former wife Jorie Butler Kent also developed an early commitment to wildlife preservation and responsible
tourism, and they are founders of Friends of Conservation and the campaigning ecological Abercrombie & Kent Global Foundation. Geoffrey Kent will hopefully soon announce the launch of Abercrombie & Kent Space, an ambitious programme he has been working on for the past 10 years that will offer sub-orbital rocket powered flights by 2011. Passengers will be flown to a height of 55,000 feet or more in a rocket-powered plane that is currently in development. ‘The sub-orbital tourists will be able to see the curvature of the Earth and the deep purple sky above them,’ he explains. ‘The next frontier of tourist travel is definitely space.’ Last October, he was elected chairman of the World Travel & Tourism Council, a body that promotes the interests of a global travel industry that employs 230 million people and generates 10 per cent of world GDP. All this has been achieved, as many of his friends and colleagues often observe, with an inspirational verve and élan. There remains, at the age of 64, something of the dashing adventurer and urbane, youthful charmer about Geoffrey Kent. ‘The secret of success, in business, in polo, or in anything in life, is to be terribly well organised, to work as hard as you can, and to have a complete desire to win,’ he says, his gentle and amiable voice rising a little. ‘Above all else, I've always known one thing: that I love and am absolutely passionate about winning.’
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hurlingham [classic car]
take a brake David Brown was the man who put the ‘DB’ into James Bond’s iconic Aston Martin DB5 – not to mention a customised version built with polo in mind WORDS ROBERT RYAN
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My wife has one of those cute Smart Roadsters, a kind of supercharged hairdryer enclosed in a Lotus Elise that has been left in a hot tumble dryer for too long and has shrunk several sizes. It would be great for dashing off at weekends, but for one problem: if she packs a change of underwear, the boot space is full. I sympathise. Before kids came on the scene, I used to own a Caterham Seven, which was marvellous for sneaky assignations in the country, just as long as you didn’t actually both travel in the same car. Not being a light traveller, I found the passenger seat was essential for my luggage overspill. ‘You take the train, darling, I’ll meet you there’ was never one of my better lines. What can you do? It is the curse of highperformance cars: in order to look sleek and sexy, they have to dispense with any storage space that might ruin the lines. However, there is a solution, as practised by David (later Sir David) Brown. He was the ‘DB’ in Aston Martin, a man who made his original fortune in tractors in the 1940s. Moving from muckrakers to high-performance cars might seem odd, but it’s no stranger than a having a world-famous peace prize sponsored by the man who invented dynamite. Brown saw the company for sale in an ad in The Times and thought – correctly, as it turned out – that it might be a ‘bit of fun’. Although Aston was founded in 1913, its glory years (not counting the current renaissance) came when Brown took over in 1947, buying the outfit for £20,000. Initial success was boosted by the marque’s performance in races, notably winning the Le Mans in 1957. In 1963, the company pulled out of racing (it has, thankfully, recently returned to the track) to concentrate on establishing Aston Martins as the world’s premier sporting road cars. Inspired by the Zagato-designed DB4GT, it unveiled the DB5, the car forever associated with James Bond and Goldfinger – as well, of course, as making a welcome return in Casino Royale. (That greyish paintwork, by the way, is officially known as ‘Silver Birch’.) Odd to think that at first Aston were reluctant to donate a car to the filmmakers,
initially simply offering to sell an example for £4,500. But eventually David Brown agreed to loan them chassis DB216. That car was eventually de-gadgeted and sold but subsequently replicas were built: when one of them disappeared from its home in Florida a few years back there was a $4m insurance pay-out. People love that car. So, too, did David Brown, although he was more often than not seen driving a Jaguar. Why? The rival had a bigger boot. You see, the guv’nor had a few hobbies. These included flying (he was a qualified pilot), race horses, motorcycles, fishing, shooting and, especially, polo. (In the 1960s he captained the Checkers team at Guards Polo Club, and Aston Martin has supported teams over the years.) Brown grumbled that, much as he admired the DB5, it wasn’t very mallet or kit-friendly. Oh, and then there were his dogs to contend with. They liked to chew the soft nappa of the seats. His answer? Tickfords, the coach-building company in Newport Pagnell he had bought, turned a standard DB5 into a ‘shooting brake’, by adding a tailgate and a load bay at the rear. Now let’s just stop here and clear up the terminology. Don’t ever use the term ‘estate’ car, even though that, on the face of it, is what it was. David Brown had a specific function in mind, and it wasn’t transporting samples of ball bearings and screw couplings along the motorways of Great Britain. This was a sporting gentleman’s conveyance, to be taken to track and field, a genuine shooting brake. The term is a corruption of ‘break’, a type of horse-drawn carriage used in the 19th and early 20th centuries, intended primarily for country use. So the ‘shooting brake’ was designed to carry the driver and a gamekeeper/ghillie at the front, facing forward, and up to six sportsmen on parallel benches at the back, along with their guns, dogs and refreshments. It would transport the party from the house to the shoot and/or the shooting lodge and back again. As a practical measure, wooden slats were placed along the outside for hanging the day’s tally of game. In a nod to that tradition, the original motorised shooting brakes of the
The DB5 wasn’t very mallet or kit-friendly, so Brown converted it into a classic shooting brake
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1920s were also wooden-sided (what the Americans call ‘woodies’), although that later died out. Which is just as well, because a half-timbered Aston Martin would not have worked at all. Once he took delivery of his shooting brake, David Brown found he had unleashed a monster. Every time he turned up in the shooting brake at polo, he was pestered by friends and clients who wanted one. This was no ordinary saloon-to-estate conversion: it was beautifully and sympathetically done, and there are those who think it outshines even the original. So Aston made a dozen more, using the Harold Radford company in Hammersmith (demand at Newport Pagnell for the standard car was so high that it couldn’t cope with one-off specials). These now fetch up to £140,000 (a well-loved standard DB5 can be had for £80-90,000). The shooting brake wasn’t perfect. It lost some rigidity because of the removal of the rear panels and so had a degree of ‘scuttle shake’ on rough surfaces, although that was a small price to pay for such an unusual yet practical conveyance. High as it was, however, the final purchase bill didn’t even cover the factory’s costs. This was effectively a hand-built car that was taken apart and reassembled once more. David Brown’s version of Aston Martin was never purely about turning a profit, as Clark Gable is said to have discovered during a personal factory tour with Sir David. ‘Well, I like the cars,’ Gable declared when the visit was over, ‘and I'd like to buy one, but the publicity value of me owning one will be so great, I'd like to pay cost price.’ ‘Well thank you very much, Mr Gable,’ replied the laconic Sir David. ‘Most of our customers pay about £2,000 less than that.’ When the DB6 came along, Radford again produced a few much sought-after shooting brakes – seven in all, most of which went to the USA, although one of them became the Brown family conveyance. Sir David sold Aston Martin in 1972 – a wily move. New safety standards and the oil crisis devastated the luxury sports car market in the USA, and Aston limped on under several owners. The cars became ugly and unreliable (the hi-tech wedge-shaped Lagonda being widely regarded as a disaster), and the brand lost its cachet, although the DB5 never did. A few hugely expensive shooting brakes were still made by coachbuilder Beat Roos in Switzerland, but it looked to be all over for the marque. Ford, who bought part of the company in 1987 and then all of it in 1994 (the year after Sir David’s death) were Aston’s unlikely saviours. Purists were outraged at first, but Ford cannily recreated the old allure, first with the DB7, then the DB9, the superb yet affordable Vantage, and now Daniel Craig’s muscular DBS. The Volante convertible versions are just about the most stunning ragtops on the road. But the problem David Brown noted still
Previous page The majestic DB9 Volante, and ‘DB’ himself Above and left The car’s the star – the DB5 as shooting brake and Bond classic
Brown’s Aston Martin was never purely about turning a profit, as Clark Gable discovered to his cost
exists, even in the eye-wateringly fast top-ofthe-range Vanquish S. Sometimes, a seriously sporting chap (and the majority of customers are men) simply needs more luggage than a sleek two-door sports car can cope with. Hence the Rapide. This is a DB9based four-door, four-seat (albeit cramped in the back) coupe, with a hi-tech glass roof, electrically-operated folding rear seats and a hatchback. So there is a very decent load space – no problems with mallets, boots, guns or dogs. But it also comes with blistering performance from the V12, 5.9 litre, 490bhp engine which generates the gloriously throaty roar of the modern Aston as standard. Furthermore, despite the longer wheelbase and the changed roofline, it is
still a handsome prospect and, thanks to a brilliantly engineered chassis, has none of the jitteriness of earlier attempts at what the Americans would call a ‘station wagon’. It is, in short, a worthy successor to the DB5 shooting brake. What it isn’t yet is a reality. The Rapide is still a concept car and, if it does go into production, is likely to cost well over £100,000. But there are already customers clamouring to put their name down on a waiting list that doesn’t yet exist. I’d like to think that, if he were still around, Sir David Brown would be the first to sign on the dotted line. The company (which, although healthier than ever, is actually for sale, Ford needing to retrench) is still agonising over just how much of a market there is worldwide for such a beast. They shouldn’t. The Los Angeles branch of the Aston Martin Owner’s Club sponsors polo matches at the Will Rogers ground and the car park on those days is a marvellous sight to behold, full of every generation of Aston. I suspect that, were the Rapide to go into production, this practical hatchback rocket would have a very healthy presence there indeed. As Sir David demonstrated, polo and shooting brakes really were made for each other.
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cut from the same cloth With six generations’ experience of manufacturing luxury cashmere and wool, Loro Piana now turn out some of the finest equestrian apparel, says Edwina Ings-Chambers
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It’s certainly true that horses have become fashionable of late. Think not just Madonna and her latest ‘English lady of the manor’ incarnation, but also the preponderance of equestrian-inspired catwalk trends such as riding hats, boots and jodhpurs that popped up everywhere from Balenciaga to Hermès. But at one house, horses – or, more specifically, polo ponies – hold an almost intrinsic importance. ‘The Loro Piana family has always had a love for horses and equestrian sports,’ say Sergio and Pier Luigi Loro Piana, brothers and CEOs of the still family-owned company. ‘This genuine passion reflects the values of the company and led us to establish a cooperation with the Italian Federation of Equestrian Sports (FISE) in 1987 with the setting up of Team Italia – a show jumping and polo team. Furthermore, this sport wisely combines the strong discipline of competition, the physical pleasure of riding, and a relationship with nature, all of which are constant sources of inspiration for Loro Piana’s creations.’ Loro Piana have only been in the creation business for around 20 years, originally concentrating on the more obvious brand extension wearable pieces such as shawls and scarves. Prior to that, they specialised in producing some of the finest woollen and cashmere cloths and supplying some of the biggest names in the tailoring and clothing industry. But it was the horse that inspired the house’s first piece of clothing – the Horsey jacket – back in 1992. It was created for the Italian riders who participated in the
Olympic Games in Barcelona that year, although the brothers point out that ‘it can also be worn for any kind of leisure activity in the city’. The jacket generated interest, and they realised the potential of offering it and other clothes under their own brand at a retail level. In 2001 the official Loro Piana Polo Team was established. ‘It was during a chance meeting between myself and Alfio Marchini (now team captain) one day on a polo field, that the idea was conceived to expand the concept of team play from jumping to polo,’ explains Sergio Loro Piana. ‘In assuring an ongoing relationship of trust with the captain (who always selects his own team each time in accordance with the handicap), Loro Piana, who does not usually sponsor but actually takes part in tournaments with its own team, had found its way in polo.’ Once a team was formed, the clothes naturally followed. ‘One of the first steps was to create, together with the input of the captain and his team, a jacket specially designed for Polo players – the Horsey Short – which is now the team’s official jacket.’ The jacket has been designed to match a rider’s movements, and boasts detailing such as cuffs closed by means of anti-wind and anti-rain velcro fastenings. It should launch in stores this spring. Also designed for the team, and already available at retail, are the long and short-sleeved Polo Open Team shirts. For the brothers these kinds of link-ups are not about marketing or giving some value-added glamour, but about continuing
to forge genuine links with their customers and their interests. ‘Our clients are the core of our strategy,’ they say. ‘They are men and women aged 30-plus who are quality conscious and sensitive to timeless elegance. They are high net-worth, professionally and socially active individuals and frequent international travellers with a passion for outdoor sports such as sailing, riding and vintage car racing. In order to respond to their needs, we develop different functional items that can be very versatile.’ But they also use their serious participation in sport to rigorously test their own products. ‘We use these sports that represent the family’s passions as testing grounds for our products. Rather than talking about challenges, it is simply the capacity of creating functional products specially designed for a specific sport,’ explain the brothers. It all comes as part and parcel of the luxury lifestyle that the Loro Pianas live themselves, but also take great care to so perfectly cater to at retail. It comes complete with a determination not to compromise, with an attention to detail that has been honed to the same level of refinement as those polo ponies themselves. And, though that level of production may make prices formidably high for some, there is at least the knowledge that these are clothes that go beyond trends, beyond fashion, and will likely to go yonder with you into the future. Or, to put it another way, you’re unlikely to chukka them out. www.loropiana.com
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Loro Piana produced some of the very finest wool and cashmere cloths 3
1 The Loro Piana team line up 2 Sergio (left) and Pier Luigi Loro Piana, brothers and CEOs of the company 3 The Horsey Short
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hurlingham [profile]
the golden boy As a teenager, Adolfo Cambiaso created a deafening buzz in the polo world. The youngest ever player to achieve a 10-goal handicap, and with remarkable subsequent success, he’s one of the best to have ever graced the field WORDS SARAH EAKIN
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The year is 1991. A 16-year-old boy has just arrived in England to play in the high goal with a reputation that precedes him by way of the transatlantic polo grapevine. He sits fieldside at Cowdray Park Polo Club on the front of a car he is too young to drive. The joke among polo followers is that while he might show other polo players how to ‘drive the bus’ on the polo field, he needs a chauffeur to get to the club. ‘Always try to be the best, never think you are the best,’ he replies, when asked what goes through his mind as a young player in his first professional year. It is a mantra passed down to him from his father, Adolfo Cambiaso Sr, who in turn borrowed it from one of motor racing’s greats, Argentina’s Juan-Manuel Fangio. ‘I still think it’s right,’ he says today. ‘Every day everybody is trying to beat you. Every day you try to improve. If you think you are the best then you are in trouble.’ It is this self-critical attitude that ensures his continuing reputation as the world’s greatest polo player. Cambiaso grew up at the La Martina Polo Ranch just outside Buenos Aires, where he played from an early age alongside halfbrothers Salvador and Marcial Socas, and went from two to ten goals in five years. When he arrived at 15 years of age in Palm Beach at the instigation of Ernesto Trotz, he was already drawing comparisons with the all-time greats. Dubbed ‘The Boy Wonder’ by the polo press, he caught the eye of Sinclair Hill. ‘He has a gift,’ the Australian former star player told Polo Magazine at the time. ‘He plays as if he had 20 years experience. He can only be compared with Juan Carlos Harriott for his anticipation and hand-eye co-ordination.’ Two years later he became the youngest player to ever reach 10-goal, but he took it in his stride. ‘At 17 you don’t even know you are 10,’ he reflects. ‘You don’t think about it until your twenties.’ In his first year as a pro he even surpassed the expectations of those who knew him well, winning the USPA Gold Cup in Florida with Cellular One and the British Open Championship for the Gold Cup in England with Tramontana.
Cambiaso is a natural, but he is also a winner who works hard for his success. He claims to think of just one thing when playing: putting the ball between the goals. He practices every day, yet when it comes to a match he eschews tactics and team meetings in favour of spontaneity. ‘Not even my teammates know what I’m going to do,’ he laughs. ‘I try to do what the other guy is not thinking; I take responsibility to win or lose.’ It goes without saying that this very rarely results in the latter. He ended last year with a win in the Argentine Open defending the world‘s most coveted polo title with his own team La Dolfina – and scored 505 goals, the biggest total in the tournament’s history. It capped a year that saw an impressive return to the competitive world of Florida high-goal polo, winning the Ylvisaker Trophy and Hall of Fame Cup at the International Polo Club, Palm Beach with New Bridge La Dolfina. In England Cambiaso claimed victory in the Queen’s Cup with Dubai before returning to
‘Not even my team know what I’m going to do. I try to do what the other guy is not thinking: I take responsibility to win or lose’ the US later in the year to claim the USPA Gold Cup with New Bridge in Aiken, South Carolina. In January this year, New Bridge and Cambiaso won the 22-goal Joe Barry Memorial Trophy at IPC at the International Polo Club, Palm Beach. Cambiaso shone throughout the tournament, was MVP in the finals and won best playing pony for his horse José. But after years of success, he admits that the Argentine Open, the US Open, the British Open and the Queens Cup
are the only tournaments that continue to motivate him. For three US winters Cambiaso was sequestered in the private polo barn of Jedi’s patron Eric Koch. When he returned to the competitive arena for the 2006 season in Palm Beach he was exceedingly hot property. Seven years into his own breeding program in Argentina, he felt his horses were ready and when approached by a friend, Matias Magrini, he agreed to play with New Bridge. His criteria for signing for teams are simple. ‘If you don’t have a good relationship you don’t end up having a good team,’ he said. ‘If you don’t like the other player or if you don’t like the way he is… I prefer not to do it. I don’t think about the money. I like to celebrate and play with friends and not with somebody that I don’t like. If I can do it, I will keep on doing it.’ The only noteworthy blip in a 12month winning streak for Cambiaso came in the semi-finals of the Gold Cup at Cowdray Park when his supremacy was challenged by two of the pretenders to the throne – the Pieres brothers Facundo and Gonzalo – and Cambiaso lost in overtime. ‘There are Facundo Pieres, Pablo MacDonough, Juan Martin Nero – the way I see it four or five top, top players and I think they are playing another level,’ he says of the new crop of Argentine players who have the talent and game skills to take him on. ‘They are young and very good players so you have to keep improving and getting better horses and get ready for them.’ For the time being, however, Cambiaso’s position is unassailable, and he is routinely likened to giants of other sports. ‘Tiger Woods is Tiger Woods,’ he responds. ‘Maradona is Maradona, Jordan is Jordan. Different game – different things. In this game it depends which teams you pick, how many tournaments you win during the year. If you have good horses and a good team you can do good. If you have one year that all those things are not together, you are no more the best. I don’t like to talk about me. I just play, I like the game and
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Previous page Cambiaso in the 40-goal Andrew Seavil match at Stedham in June 2006 1 A 20-year-old Adolfo in 1995 2 With his two children, Mia and Adolfo Jr, in January 2007 3 Picture perfect: Adolfo with his wife, Maria Vasquez
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‘I take polo as a hobby. I really don’t think about what I eat, if I sleep or I don’t sleep. I just go and play. That’s the way I am’ one, business acumen for another, with dedication a sure third. And Cambiaso seems to have all three. ‘The horses recharge the battery,’ he believes, ‘and sometimes that motivates you more than the tournament, when you win Best Playing Pony and you breed the horse.’ Finishing his career holds no fears for Cambiaso, who says he prefers breeding his horses to playing polo. He is happy to stay at his stables surrounded by the ponies he loves and the people he trusts. ‘I like the horses but I also like the water,’ he says. ‘So I
know how to windsurf, to surf and to play golf – sports that have nothing to do with polo. I would play tennis if I wasn’t a polo player. When it comes to vacation I can go to the beach and do other things that are disconnected from the horse. But I really like to be connected with the horses because I don’t take it as a job. I’m lucky to get paid to play the sport. I would play it for free if I had enough money. I would keep on playing but the difference would be in picking the places where I want to play.’ Away from sport, does he harbour other ambitions – a career in politics, perhaps? ‘No,’ he smiles. ‘You have to be corrupt for that.’ Polo administration? ‘If I can help, yes,’ he answers thoughtfully. ‘If not, no.’ Then there is the next generation. Cambiaso thinks it unlikely that four-year-old daughter Mia will become a polo player but his expression changes when he considers his son. The chances of one-year-old Adolfo Junior following in his father’s illustrious footsteps are the nearest thing in polo to a racing certainty. Cambiaso laughs. ‘If not,’ he says simply, ‘I kill him!’
ALEX PACHECO; ALICE GIPPS; DAVE LOMINSKA
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that’s it. To be the best you have to show it, not just hear it.’ Cambiaso is universally recognised as a nice guy, loyal to his friends and a hard worker for charity. One cause particularly close to his heart is the plight of children, and he regards it as a scandal that there are children in Argentina without enough to eat. One of his most proud associations is his charitable collaboration with the ShowMatch TV programme. His association with such causes is made even more valuable thanks to his marriage to Argentinian supermodel Maria Vasquez. Their status as a celebrity couple makes them the polo equivalent of the Beckhams. With the help of his wife he recently launched his own lifestyle brand in Argentina ‘La Dolfina‘ (after his nickname ‘Dolphin’) at www.ladolfina.com.ar, and the site is graced with smoldering shots of ‘Adolfito’ sporting his own clothing line. He plays this down, saying he ‘hates modelling’, but he believes in the project. (‘I thought it could work as a brand, because it’s a true story, it’s real.’) This year Cambiaso and fellow Argentine Eduardo Novillo Astrada signed with Jaeger-LeCoultre and were sporting their exclusive ‘Reverso’ edition at the Argentine Open. It is a tasteful and well-matched partnership that could spark a series of further polo endorsements for Cambiaso and others besides. Polo has seen an influx of logos and insignia, and cable coverage of the sport is already in place. Cambiaso is ready to take the route offered but sees the relationship with sponsors as a two-way street. Turning down offers from other companies to endorse their products he signed with Jaegar-LeCoultre with the proviso that they put much back into the sport. In the same spirit, Cambiaso sees La Dolphina as a vehicle for popularising polo, and he ruffled a few feathers when he kitted his team out in the colours of his local football team, Nueva Chicago. ‘Fans took to it,’ he recalls. ‘But some people didn’t want to change – I hate that.’ This philanthropic, populist side to Cambiaso is part of a complex personality – organised and professional, he also has a sense of fun and an almost cavalier approach to his performance on the field that is the luxury of those few sportsmen whose talent comes naturally. ‘I’m not really good on mornings,’ he admits. ‘I’m better at night. I take polo as a hobby. Even if it’s a final or if it’s a practice I take it the same way. It’s another game for me. I really don’t think about what I eat, if I sleep or I don’t sleep. I just go and play. That’s the way I am.’ ‘He has incredible confidence,’ says Russ McCall. ‘If you are a goal down in the last chukka he will say, “Don’t worry, we will win”.’ And with or without all the marketing potential in the world, a player who can deliver those results is priceless. So what does it take to stay at the top? Horses, for
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hurlingham [toys]
perfect timing Polo-playing chef Tom Aikens takes time out from the kitchen to choose six of the best timepieces WORDS MARIA DOULTON PHOTOGRAPHY LUKE KIRWAN
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I haven’t got a watch and I haven’t had time to choose one as I have been tied up with the opening of my second restaurant (see Ponylines), publishing my first cookbook, and my recent engagement to Amber Nuttal. It’s silly because I really need to constantly keep an eye on the time in the kitchen and I do love watches. On the whole watches can’t stand the heat of the kitchen, but timing is vital so it would be good to find something that can take the knocks, be comfortable to wear and not get grubby. I like so many of these watches. Those serious articles by A Lange & Söhne, Parmigiani and Patek Philippe in the tens of
thousands of pounds range are amazing and I would love to have one. With so much on offer I can’t be expected to choose just one, so I think it will have to be a matter of having several watches for different occasions. EBEL 1911 BTR CHRONOGRAPH I like the really smooth case shape on this watch, with no sharp angles that get in the way of your cufflinks or even catch on your shirt cuff. This is a good-looking watch that looks tough but not like some of the sports watches that look like a bit of SAS commando kit which can be a bit over the top. It even works on my dainty little wrist.
DUNHILL CARWATCH DCX331 AM A chocolate-coloured dial is interesting and different and the whole watch has an attractive retro air. It’s quite chunky but really comfortable to wear because it’s made of lightweight high-tech ceramic and titanium – so really tough for the kitchen too. I also like the fact it is matt black and so could also be an evening watch. The car connection with the little number plate is fun too. IWC PORTUGUESE I think the clean design of this watch is just lovely. It is classic, simple and not at all ostentatious, unlike some of the really chavvy
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bling that some people wear. It’s funny how the sub-dials eat away into the number 12 and 6 and I like the history of the company, and the story about how it was a request from two Portuguese gentleman to make a pocket watch into a wrist watch – hence its size. A chronograph function is handy but does anyone know how to use them? TAG HEUER MONACO SIXTY NINE Anything Steve McQueen had was cool, and so this appeals to me as a piece inspired by the Heuer 1969 Monaco worn by the man himself in his race car film, Le Mans. It is very snazzy. The fact it is precise to one-
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thousandth of second means it is the watch for timing the perfect soufflé. And when I go out I can flip it over and have a sleeker evening watch. BREITLING NAVITIMER This bad boy looks like it could take a good bashing. I prefer stainless steel watches and simple monochrome designs rather than the flashier gold and metal combinations. But a watch should have a good weight so as not to feel flimsy, which is why I like this one so much. I really like the leather strap too – it makes it much easier on the eye, although I know it is less practical for my job.
JAEGER-LECOULTRE REVERSO GRANDE TAILLE It is the simplest things in life that are the hardest to do; I know this as my own approach to food is simple. I love the polo connection of this watch, though I regret that I haven’t had time to play for far too long. I really like the version with the plain stainless steel back that flips over to protect the glass – very handy for when you’re climbing onto your horse for a full-on match. God I wish I were in Argentina right now playing polo! With thanks to Watches of Switzerland on Brompton Road, London +44 (0)20 7581 70 37
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the action [thrills] With the latest news from Buenos Aires to Melbourne and Washingto DC, catch up on all the action
42 Triple Crown
50 England overseas
58 Indian Championship
Action highlights from the Tortugas, Hurlingham and Argentine Opens
Mixed results for the English tourists in Mexico and South Africa
The Johor Tigers roar to victory in a thrilling finale in the the national capital
46 Pro-am
54 Aiken Gold Cup
58 Washington DC
news on the latest women’s tournament
Broadcast this year by ESPN, the USPA Gold Cup Final didn’t disappoint
Polo takes its bow at the Verizon Center in front of an enthusiastic crowd
48 Juniors
56 Melbourne Cup
Impressive action from the up-and-coming: these are the stars of tomorrow
Australia’s ‘other’ Melbourne Cup prevailed against the odds
ALICE GIPPS
It’s catching on in Argentina… and get the
Above Returning to 10-goal form, Marcos Heguy, the old master
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Argentina: Triple Crown Setting new records with outstanding performances, the Argentines stayed true to form and showed the rest of us how it’s done, reports Herbert Spencer Look at any sport – golf, tennis, football, you name it – and you won’t find another in which one country so dominates the top levels of the game as does Argentina in polo. Nothing demonstrates this international imbalance more clearly than the big September/December polo season in the land of the gauchos. The sport reached a milestone in Argentina at the end of 2006, with 10 of its professionals now holding polo’s maximum handicap of 10 goals – the only players so rated in the world. These superstars of the game and their 16 compatriots handicapped at nine goals (only three non-Argentines hold this rating) form the nuclei of high-goal teams – both overseas and at home. Of course Argentina’s polo is the best on the planet, goes the old rationale. They’ve got all those horses working cattle out on the pampas, those estancias where children of polo-playing families are in the saddle before they learn to walk, and scores of polo grounds where friendly chukkas are played at a higher level than top tournaments in other countries. In the UK, to satisfy patrons who fund pro-am teams and clubs looking for income, the Hurlingham Polo Association caps tournaments at only 22-goal handicap, and more than 20 teams compete in the ‘big
four’ contests. In North America, the US Polo Association sets a 26-goal limit for its three top tournaments which attract as many as 15 teams. In Argentina, however, the top end of the sport is more about quality than quantity. The Argentine Polo Association’s Triple Crown series – the Tortugas, Hurlingham and Argentine Open Championships – is played at up to the maximum of 40 goals and only eight all-professional teams can enter. With six of the eight rated 35 goals or higher, and the tournaments played open without regard to handicap, the competition is fierce and every game counts. Only the best of the best make it into the finals. The best of those in 2006 were La Dolfina ShowMatch and La Aguada Telemax, with precious little between them. While La Dolfina (handicap 39) won two of the three Triple Crown tournaments, La Aguada (handicap 37) reached the finals of all three, losing two by just one goal. Each won eight matches in the series, while La Aguada was narrowly pipped in the total number of Triple Crown goals scored: 152 to La Dolfina’s 158. As hard as the Novillo Astradas fought (La Aguada was the only full-blooded family team in the series), it was La Dolfina that captured the prize of all prizes, the trophy for
Of course Argentina’s polo is the best, goes the rationale. They’ve got all those horses working out on the pampas, where children of polo-playing families are in the saddle before they learn to walk…
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the Argentine Open – for the second year running. Overall La Aguada played better as a team, while La Dolfina triumphed thanks largely to the individual performance of one player: 10-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso. Top scorer in the Argentine Open, Cambiaso chalked up 47 points in four games, taking him to a career high of 505 goals in the competition. He walked away from Palermo with every individual award: Most Valuable Player in the final; the final’s Best Playing Pony for his mare Dolfina Cuartetera, Best Pony of the tournament for his stallion Aiken Cura [see box overleaf] and Best Mounted Player of the Open. Buenos Aires sportswriters awarded him his sixth Olimpia de Plata figurine as Argentina’s leading polo player. With Cambiaso away in Aiken winning the USPA Gold Cup during the Tortugas Open – the first Triple Crown tournament – La Dolfina lost both their matches to the Heguy teams, Chapa Uno and Indios Chapaleufú II. The Novilla Astradas’ La Aguada showed more promise by making it into the final, but fell to the latter of those Heguy squads. Cambiaso was back for the Hurlingham Open and La Dolfina won all three of its league matches, including those against the two Heguy teams. La Aguada was unbeaten
1 The best two players of the final: Miguel Novillo Astrada chases Adolfo Cambiaso in front of the stands 2 The La Dolfina team before the final 3 Action in the semis as Juan Martin Nero chases Facundo Pieres
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as well, knocking out the Hurlingham titleholders Ellerstina along the way. In the final, La Dolfina took and kept the lead in the first half, but La Aguada reversed the positions in the second, and the final chukka started with the score tied 8-8. Then La Dolfina’s tactics of taking out players to clear the way for Cambiaso paid off, and he scored the final goal to win 10-9. As at Hurlingham, La Dolfina won all its league matches to reach the final of the Argentine Open at Palermo. In its league, La Aguada lost one of its games to Chapa Uno in overtime, leaving it even with Ellerstina. So it was only on goal difference that the Novilla Astradas made it to their third Triple Crown final. Disappointing for Ellerstina, but overall the team had not shown the flair that put it in the Palermo final in 2005. Teamwork gave La Aguada the upper hand through the first half of the final and into the second, with La Dolfina finally pulling ahead only in the sixth chukka after Cambiaso decided to forget teamwork and play his individual game. By the end of the eighth, however, the score was tied, pushing the game into extra time. Lolo Castagnola scored the golden goal, but it was Cambiaso who had made the difference. There were of course impressive performances by other players in the Triple
Crown: Ignacio Novilla Astrada’s handicap was raised from 9 to 10, and Chapo Uno’s Marcos Heguy reclaimed his 10-goal handicap, a rating he had held in 1987-88 and 1991-2000. Juan Martin Nero and Francisco de Narváez Jr also raised their handicaps from 8 to 9. On the flip side, Ignacio Heguy and American Mike Azzaro dropped from 10 to 9. There was an emotional moment at Palermo when 9-goaler Milo Fernández
Araujo, having announced his retirement from high goal and with tears in his eyes, walked a lap of honour with his Indios Chapaleufú II teammates to applause from the crowd. Argentine Open matches are played to eight chukkas, rather than six as in high-goal elsewhere, making higher scores inevitable, but scoring this season went through the roof. Cambiaso hit 17 goals in one match, only to be outdone by 10-goaler Augustin
ALICE GIPPS; SLPHOTOSPORTS.COM
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SPIRIT OF SANTAMARINA The spirit of one of the most respected breeders of polo ponies in the history of the sport, the late Ricardo Santos ‘Dickie’ Santamarina, hovered over the pony lines during the 2006 Triple Crown. Dickie died several years ago, but the bloodlines from stallions and mares bred at his Argentine estancia, La Fortuna, live on. La Fortuna stallion Aiken Cura, owned and played by Adolfo Cambiaso, won the Lady Susan Townley trophy for the most outstanding pony in the Argentine Open for the second straight year, having already won Best Playing Pony in the Hurlingham Open. Cambiaso was distraught when Aiken Cura broke a foot in extra time at the final of the Argentine Open, but vets saved the pony and it will be able to stand at stud to continue the Santamarina bloodlines. Another outstanding Triple Crown pony from the La Fortuna breed was the mare Califa, owned and ridden by 10-goaler Miguel Novillo Astrada of La Aguada in the finals of all three tournaments. Dickie Santamarina, not only a great breeder of ponies, was also a talented 7-goal player. He won the Argentine Open with Santa Paula, and the Hurlingham Open, in 1936.
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Merlos of El Paraiso who set an all-time Palermo record with 18. In the same El Paraiso match against Indios Chapaleufú II, the two teams scored a total of 41 goals – yet another record. With their 2006 home season behind them, Argentina’s professionals hit the road yet again to dominate play in the rest of the world, from the 2007 winter high-goal in Florida to the English season this summer and beyond. Perhaps it will ever be so.
There was an emotional moment when 9-goaler Milo Fernández Araujo anounced his retirement from high goal and with tears in his eyes, walked a lap of honour with his Indios Chapaleufú II teammates to applause from the crowd
1 Adolfo Cambiaso on the ball during extra time 2 Javier and ‘Nacho’ Novillo Astrada salute the crowd 3 Cambiaso clutches his face as Aiken Cura is injured 4 The two number twos
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Argentina: pro-am The pro-am arena is exciting and ripe for patronage, and now Argentina is getting in on the action, reports Herbert Spencer compete. Sandwiched between the summer season in Europe and the winter season in Florida, the Argentine tournaments give patrons a welcome opportunity for more high-goal action with the professionals they play with or against elsewhere in the world. An added attraction for patrons is the lower cost of high-goal in Argentina, compared with playing at the same level in the UK and the US. Even though entry fees for the Ellerstina Gold Cup, for example, were $15,000, one observer reckoned that the overall bill for playing the Argentine season is about a third less than in England and Florida. Everything is cheaper, from pros’ fees to accommodation, food, entertainment and – for those wanting to develop their own Argentine base – property. The 2006 season saw more than a score of patrons from England, the US, Canada, France, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Brazil, Colombia and Thailand entering teams in the Ellerstina Gold and Silver Cups, La Dolfina Diamond Cup and Julio Novillo Astrada Cup. Prominent amateurs competing included
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Until just a few years ago, lower-handicapped amateurs who fielded pro-am teams in major high-goal tournaments in Europe and North America had little opportunity to compete in Argentina. They came for coaching and chukkas out on the estancias, to buy ponies and to watch Argentina’s great professionals in action at the mecca of the sport. Some even bought land here and developed polo ranches. But generally the country’s polo was at too high a professional level for the amateurs to play in traditional tournaments. Now, however, pro-am polo is booming around Buenos Aires, and foreign patrons are flying in to compete in increasing numbers. Thanks to the growing number of pro-am events, the wealthy patrons from abroad are contributing even more substantially to the country’s polo economy. Virtually all of Argentina’s top professionals slot in lucrative pro-am appearances between matches for their high-goal Triple Crown tournaments. The pro-am events are capped at 22-goal or lower so that foreign patrons handicapped as low as 0-goal can
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Switzerland’s Guy Schwarzenbach, British Open winner with Black Bears last year; Colombian Camilo Bautista, who took the 2006 US Open with Las Monjitas; and Italian Alfio Marchini whose Loro Piana won the Gold Cup in Sotogrande [see One to Watch page 5]. Senior amongst the pro-am tournaments is Gonzalo Pieres’s 22-goal Ellerstina Gold Cup that attracted 16 teams, each with a low-handicapped amateur from overseas. It was won by American patron Kelly Beal whose BTA team beat Emerging with Switzerland’s Fabian Pictet, a regular competitor in English high-goal. Adolfo Cambiaso’s Diamond Cup, now in its fourth year at La Dolfina Polo Club, was the second most popular of the 22-goal pro-am tournaments with 10 teams. The winner was Brazilian 4-goal patron Josè Eduardo Kalil whose San Josè team defeated Marchini’s Loro Piana in the final. The 22-goal Julio Novillo Astrada Cup tournament at La Aguada Polo Club was very much a family affair, with seven of the eight participating teams including one or more of the Novillo Astrada pros. The Technomarine team of Frenchman Franck Dubarry came out on top, defeating Puma, whose Guy Schwartzenbach was named Most Valuable Player. Meanwhile, Ellerstina’s 14-goal Silver Cup was the biggest of all the pro-am events, with 24 teams in contention. Englishman Mark Austin’s El Diablos defeated American Marvin Slosman’s The Cliff Community to take the cup. Austin’s squad included George Meyrick, who last season was named England’s Most Promising Young Player.
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There were female patrons from overseas playing in the pro-am tournaments this season: England’s Clare Milford Haven, America’s Elizabeth Iorio, Sotogrande regular Stefania Annunziata. In addition, women had their own tournament in a country where, up to a decade or so ago, the Latin macho mentality still treated female players with some level of distain. The tenth Ladies International at El Metejon, organised by Maria Chavanne, drew players from eight countries: Argentina, Brazil, USA, Canada, England, France, the Netherlands and Australia. Some of the top international players, such as Argentina’s Mummy Bellande and France’s Caroline Anier were there, and others included Brazilian fashion model Paula Chermont and, from England, Cheshire’s Lucy Taylor and Hurlingham photographer Alice Gipps.
Pro-am is booming around Buenos Aires, and thanks to the growing number of these events, the wealthy patrons from abroad are contributing even more substantially to the country’s polo economy
1 Action in the final of the Diamond Cup 2 Marianella Castagnola, an Argentine 2-goal player, in the El Metejon tournament 3 Winner, Kelly Beal of BTA
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Argentina: Juniors For anyone scouting polo’s star players for the 21st century, the place to be last autumn was not Palermo, but the grounds of the Asociación Argentina de Polo (AAP) in Pilar and Los Indios Polo Club to see almost 100 teams of 7 to 14-year-olds in action. The average age of the players in the 2006 Argentine Open Championship was 34, and almost a third were approaching, or well into, their 40s. These superstars, who won’t be at the top of their game in10 or 20 years, will be replaced by a new generation. The United Kingdom has well-organised activities for bringing boys and girls into the sport at an early age, with Pony Club Polo, and Schools and Universities Polo Association (SUPA), while the USA’s wealthy Polo Training Foundation has impressive interscholastic and intercollegiate programmes. In horse-rich Argentina, however, youth polo comes naturally without such extensive official support. Some of the youngsters playing in the two big tournaments around Buenos Aires
travelled with their ponies from estancias as far as 400km away from the capital. There were a few well-known dynastic names such as Tanoira, MacDonough, Monteverde, Araya, Lalor, Crotto and Cavanagh, but the majority of competitors had surnames the polo world at large wouldn’t recognise. Could these be new dynasties in the making? There were 40 teams in the Pilar tournament divided into three age categories: under-8s, 11s and 14s. The youngest player was Martin Zubia’s son Juan, aged just seven. In the junior tournaments at Los Indios, organised by Eduardo Heguy, 26 teams competed in the under-14s ‘Potrillos’ (foals) and 26 sides in the under-11s ‘Potrillitos’ (little foals). Ten-year-old Tommy Beresford, son of Lord Charles and Teresa Beresford, played at both Pilar and Los Indios. ‘They were fantastic scenes,’ Teresa said. ‘All those children, hundreds of ponies, all those mums and dads and grooms, a real crowd. The matches started early in the morning on
POLOLINE
Talented junior players in Argentina are attaining high handicaps in their droves, so watch out for the kids, warns Herbert Spencer
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several grounds and lasted all day, with great asados for the lunch break. ‘The polo was faster and more skilful. They were all out to win, but there was less pressure than one finds in England. There seemed to be more fun in it all.’ Meanwhile the AAP’s Junior Open, also held at Pilar, demonstrated how early its players reach high-goal level. Although the tournament for under-21s was open to teams handicapped from 15 to 22 goals, most of the eight teams competing were rated at 18 or above – and so designated ‘high-goal’ in the UK. It was the Pieres family’s 22-goal Ellerstina, with 10-goaler Facundo, Pablo, Nicholas and Ignacio, who took the trophy over 17-goal Santa Maria de Lobos with Guillermo and Valentin Caset, Facundo Sola and Raul Colombres. It is impressive that so many Argentine players reach high handicaps in their teens and early 20s, but one 10-goal veteran who wished to remain anonymous feels that the country’s players may be peaking too early. There’s an echo of what Tommy Wayman once said of polo ponies: don’t start a horse too soon, it only has so many chukkas in it. In any case, if the trend towards younger stars continues, we may be seeing some of these youngsters taking the field at Palermo sooner than we think.
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1 20-year-old Facundo (10 goals) accelerates with speed 2 16-year-old Nicolas Pieres (4 goals) goes to goal 3 20-year-old Guillermo Caset Jr (7 goals) deftly turns the ball 4 Vicuña Mackenna Potrillos Cup Champions 2006
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England tour No silver lining for England as torrential rain merely postponed their defeat in the South African test. but they earned an honourable draw in Mexico, reports Herbert Spencer The day of the South Africa v England test match in the Rainbow Nation at the end of December dawned in glorious sunshine. Then torrential rains swept across the Eastern Cape Province, the ground in front of the magnificent white clubhouse and pavilion at Kurland Polo Club became too dangerous to play, and the match was postponed. Guests of sponsors BMW and UBS were left to drown their sorrows at the scheduled champagne luncheon and a party that went on into the wee hours. The postponement also put paid to the two-and-a-half hours of live television coverage of the match that had been programmed by the country’s big Supersport channel. Disappointing for fans at the venue and television viewers, yes, but there was compensation – and what compensation! The next day the postponed test was played before just a few hundred spectators on another, better-drained ground at Kurland, and the Springboks finally found their pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. After seven consecutive defeats at home and in the UK, South Africa secured their first victory over England. England’s defeat in the second of its two away tests of 2006 (that against Mexico earlier ended in a draw) came as no great
surprise to coach Alan Kent, himself a onetime 7-goal stalwart of the national team. ‘Our players flew in only two days before the test and there was no time to practice on the ponies provided by the hosts,’ he said. ‘We had wanted James Beim (one of the squad’s favourite score-makers) who was already playing in South Africa, but his patron wouldn’t release him. We knew in advance we would have a tough time of it.’ And so they did, going four down in the first chukka. ‘We found it difficult to regain our confidence after that,’ admitted Nina Vestey Clarkin, the first female player to be included in the England squad. England fielded a 21-goal team in this test, against South Africa’s 20-goal side, but the match was played open. ‘Our hosts provided us with some good mounts,’ said England captain Malcolm Borwick. ‘The country is breeding some fantastic ponies, but they have a problem exporting them because of regulations surrounding the danger of spreading African horse sickness.’ Borwick did feel there was an imbalance of pony power for the test. The South Africans were better mounted and, more importantly, were familiar with their ponies. A key factor in South Africa’s 10-7 victory was the performance of the home team’s two young players, Gareth Evans and
Conditions were heavy going, so with scores level, England and Mexico agreed to call it a day
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Ignacio de Plessis (named Most Valuable Player), both of whom had played for high goal teams in England last season. ‘They were outstanding,’ said Borwick. ‘We are certain to see more of them on the international circuit in future.’ Borwick also captained England in its test against Mexico earlier in December. The match was played at the famous Campo de Marte military ground in the centre of Mexico City, venue for the last stage of the World Cup of the Federation of International Polo (FIP) in October of this year. Both teams were handicapped at 22 goals, but the Mexicans had an advantage in veterans Carlos Gracida and his cousin Robert Gonzalez Gracida, both of whom now live and play in the USA but retain their Mexican citizenship. Carlos, whose handicap dropped from 10 goals to 9 only last year, has one of the greatest international records of any player in history. Amongst other accomplishments, he is the only competitor ever to win all three of the major open championships – Argentine, British and US, in one year. And not once, but three times. ‘Carlos and Roberto were riding all Thoroughbreds from the Gracida strings and this was a big plus for Mexico,’ Borwick said. It was a problem with ponies and the ground that caused the test match to be declared a
1 The Campo de Marte military ground in Mexico City 2 The England v Mexico test was sponsored by future World Cup backers El Palacio de Hierro 3 England captain Malcolm Borwick
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1 Mexico’s Roberto Gonzalez tries to hook the England skipper 2 Flying the flag fieldside
9-9 draw in the end. Ten days before the match, a big national presidential parade had taken place on the polo ground at Campo de Marte. To keep the grass in good condition for the parade, the military had treated it with a moisture-retaining gel. By the time polo rolled round, the turf was well and truly sodden. ‘It was really heavy going, with the ponies’ hooves sinking three or four inches into the ground,’ said Borwick. ‘This not only slowed the game, but was prejudicial to the ponies. So when the last chukka ended with a tie, both teams agreed to call it an honourable draw. Following the test match, England players spilt up to play for local Mexican pro-am teams at clubs around the capitol. ‘Despite the problems with the test match, the overall organisation by the Mexicans was good,’ reflected Borwick. ‘I think this bodes well for their organisation of the FIP World Cup in October and I hope the England team makes it through to that final stage of the championship.’ Young England teams of under-21 players also took to the road, east to Asia and west to South America, for a series of test matches again Young Pakistan and Young Chile sides. The Pakistan trip was organised by London-based Yusuf Baig, that country’s representative on the Council of the Hurlingham Polo Association, and had historical overtones harking back to the days of the British Raj. The visitors became the first Englishmen since the partition of Pakistan and India in 1947 to play at Peshawar up near the Khyber Pass between Pakistan and Afghanistan, where British regiments guarding the pass played polo in the 19th century. The Pakistan tour, with teams handicapped at 10 and 11 goals, started in Rawlpindi. That first match ended in a 9-9 draw. England won the Peshawar match 103 and were presented with the same trophy that was played for 60 years when the English were last there. Back in Rawlpindi at the end of the tour, the hosts won again, 6-5. Between the Rawlpindi and Peshawar tests, the Young England players were hosted by polo-playing Prince Malik Ata at his Kot Fateh Khan palace in the Punjab. Their visit coincided with a tent pegging championship there in which 40 teams from all over the Punjab competed, and with bull racing, another popular sport in the region. The English visitors tried their hands at both tent pegging and bull racing, but proved far less adept than they were with polo sticks on ponies. Young England’s tour of Chile was not as exotic as that of Pakistan, but the team’s three test matches against Young Chile sides in a four-day whirlwind visit produced
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some fast, open polo at the 8 to 9-goal level, according to David Wood, chief executive of the Hurlingham Polo Association who accompanied the team. In the first test at San Cristobel Polo Club in the capitol Santiago, the hosts overpowered the visitors 9-3. In the second match, at Curaco Polo Club in fruit-growing country south of Santiago, the English lads triumphed 9-7. Back in Santiago it went Chile’s way again, running out 10-8 in favour of the home team. With mixed fortunes in its away tests, the England team and Young England must now look to their laurels in its at-home matches back in the UK this coming season.
South Africa were better mounted and more familiar with their ponies
3 Action in front of the stands in South Africa 4 Setting the scene at Kurland
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USPA gold cup Aiken hosted the nail-biting Gold Cup final – but it wasn’t just those in town who got to see it. ESPN showed the whole thing, and polo proponents are predicting great things, including new sponsors, says Sarah Eakin
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When the finals of the USPA Gold Cup Polo Championship aired on America’s leading sports cable network ESPN this autumn, the stage looked set for a onehour Adolfo Cambiaso show. Trailing by five goals at half-time, the situation looked bleak for his opponents, Goose Creek, and the ESPN producers’ dreams of a tight game were fading. But Adam Snow and his Goose Creek team-mates had other ideas. ‘We have nothing to lose,’ said Snow during the half-time team-talk as the Goose Creek line up revamped its strategy. By the end of the fourth chukka they had begun to stem the tide. ‘It was Martin Zegers’ idea to play a little simpler,’ reveals Snow. Zegers is a 5-goal player from Chile whose goal-scoring prowess helped Goose Creek reach the finals. He, Snow, Mariano González (son of Argentina’s former 10-goal player Daniel González) and patron Maureen Brennan clawed their way back into the game. ‘It felt like we were rolling,’ says Snow. ‘In the fourth we scored twice and they scored twice and by the sixth I was convinced it was the right way to play.’ The second-half turnaround set up a nailbiting overtime finish. After Goose Creek made an early foray in the extra chukka, Cambiaso redirected the plot by engineering the winning goal for a 13-12 New Bridge victory scored from the back of his Best Playing Pony, Delta. ‘We controlled the whole game and we were winning,’ said Matias Magrini, New Bridge’s nine-goal Argentine and Cambiaso’s right-hand man. ‘But we made a lot of mistakes in the last chukka.’ New Bridge, lining up Russ McCall, Gonzalo Garcia Del Rio (talent-spotted by Cambiaso in England during the summer), Magrini and Cambiaso, sailed through Gold Cup league play with a straight 4-0 record. Reaching the finals was the culmination of a year’s campaign that started after last year’s disappointing Gold Cup tournament. Home team New Bridge’s hopes of victory in 2005 were diminished after Cambiaso broke his wrist playing in England earlier in the year. Still in the late stages of his recuperation, he soldiered his way through an opening Sunday game, clearly not on full form, and then had to leave Aiken to be by
the side of his half-brother Salvador Socas, injured in practice in Argentina. ‘I’m much fitter this year,’ said Cambiaso at a press conference for the three-week event billed as the Aiken Polo Festival, incorporating art shows, rodeo, black-tie gala and the 57th FIP Ambassadors Cup. FIP’s council of administration and the USPA’s annual general meetings were scheduled to coincide with the Gold Cup’s final week in Aiken. With the annual Aiken Polo Pony Sale also taking place, the small southern town was an international polofest. The revival of polo in Aiken has spawned a new enthusiasm among local residents, and on finals day the crowd swelled to some 6,000 spectators. The Aiken Polo Festival was presented by the Triple Crown of Polo as an encore presentation of its three ESPN2 featured polo games, which took in the Sarasota Polo Club, Florida; Las Colinas Polo Club, Dallas, Texas; and the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club, California. The USPA Gold Cup moves back to Florida in 2007, becoming part of the International Polo Club, Palm Beach’s internationally-profiled high-goal season. The Aiken Polo Festival at New Bridge Polo and Country Club will become the third leg of the Triple Crown of Polo this autumn, following Sarasota in March and Santa Barbara in August. ‘I think it’s great that the Gold Cup final will be on ESPN,’ said Cambiaso. ‘The broadcast will generate additional exposure for the sport of polo. It will help the sport grow in popularity, promote interest in the game, make the players more recognisable and help get more sponsors involved.’ Cambiaso has invested in land at New Bridge and is one of a growing number of polo professionals to look to Aiken as a polo haven in the US. ‘Polo in Aiken is going to continue to grow,’ he predicted. ‘The weather has been great and the fields are in incredible condition. Playing for New Bridge is like playing for my home town. I want to win the USPA Gold Cup as much for myself as I do for New Bridge and Russ [McCall, New Bridge patron].’ Five teams entered the 2006 USPA Gold Cup including two fronted by patrons who are not native to the town but have
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2 relatively new polo set-ups there – David Wigdahl of Chicago with his team, Dahlwood, and Belgium’s Peter Michaels, patron of Stella Artois. Out-of-towners were Canadians John Rooney and Daniel Roenisch, defending the Calgary Polo Club’s hold on the title with their team, Zenas, lining up Aiken’s home-grown Tommy Biddle and Argentina’s Nacho Novillo Astrada. Biddle had considerable power, which was often used to score from the halfway line as demonstrated in their warm up game: his mother was on the sidelines explaining that she had fed him a ‘large steak’ the night before. Yet despite this, and considerable other talent on the team, Zenas finished last in the league after a disappointing tournament. Meanwhile, Snow’s line-up went from strength to strength, showing their capability to take on New Bridge in the finals. ‘They [New Bridge] are a really, really good team,’ said Snow. ‘Any time it goes into overtime, it’s just the bounce of the ball. The game was part heart breaker and part thrill. It was a thrill to come back and a heart break to lose in overtime.’
Biddle had considerable power, often used to score from the halfway line: his mother was on the sidelines explaining she had fed him a ‘large steak’ the night before…
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1 A marching band gives a performance in the final. 2 Mariano Gonzáles (left) hooks Adolfo Cambiaso. 3 The winning team, New Bridge, and their young fans. 4 Matias Magrini gives an interview to ESPN
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Melbourne Cup As equestrian cups go, it could get confusing. But even if you do turn up for the wrong ‘Melbourne Cup’, the likelihood is you won’t be disappointed – it’s first class either way, reports Herbert Spencer sides having pulled out over concerns for the state of the ground at the equestrian centre. (Australia’s terrible drought has hit polo grounds across the country.) In the end, however, thanks to a Herculean effort by ground staff in the weeks before the tournament, the playing surface was in the best condition it had been for 10 years. The local crowd favourite was the Victoria Polo Club team of Australian brothers Gillon and Hamish McLachlan (commentator at England’s Cartier International), Aussie Sterling McGregor and English pro Will Lucas, but they failed to make it through. The Elliconee team of English immigrant Will Burrell, who is developing a polo property at nearby Portsea, also fell by the wayside. So it was Ellerston v Cadenza in the final. Ellerston, from the Queensland club of the late Kerry Packer and his son James
It was pony power, plus the experience of James Beim and Mike Todd – each members of their respective national teams – which combined to give Ellerston its one goal victory over Cadenza
1 MVP James Beim chases Simon Kyete 2 Jim Gilmore (left) and Richard Le Poer (right) holding the Melbourne Cup 3 Michael Todd (left) and Sam Hopkins (right) followed by the rest of Ellerston.
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Horse racing’s Emirates Melbourne Cup ranks with the Kentucky Derby, Epsom Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and they say Australia comes to a standstill while the thoroughbreds are running. And on those days of the week when the track is closed, the horsey set heads for Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre outside Melbourne to watch the battle for another cup of the same name. The Age Melbourne Cup, organised by the Victorian Polo Club, is not as much of an international fixture as the Emirates Cup is in racing, but fans were equally enthusiastic as they cheered players from Australia, New Zealand and England in a tournament that showed medium-goal polo at its best. Unusually, there was not an Argentine pro in sight. Last November the 16-goal Melbourne event was down to four teams, with three
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(unavailable for the game due to business commitments), fielded Australians Mike Todd and George Hill (grandson of former Aussie 10-goaler Sinclair Hill) with Englishmen James Beim and Richard Le Poer. Cadenza had Tony Pidgley, the high-goal patron from England, with Simon Keyte, Sam Hopkinson and England’s Ed Hitchman. The Packer-supported squad had the advantage of ponies from the famous Ellerston string and it was this pony power plus the experience of Beim and Todd, each members of their respective national teams, which combined to give Ellerston its one goal victory over Cadenza. Beim was named Most Valuable Player of the match. And that other Melbourne Cup? The Japanese invader Delta Blues won the AU$5.1m Emirates classic in a photo finish with its stable-mate Pop Rock.
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Indian Championships Johor Tigers won a thrilling last-minute victory in India’s historic national championships held at the Delhi Race Course, reports Herbert Spencer
India’s Minister of Sport, members of the country’s business elite and a bevy of Bollywood stars joined some 4,000 other spectators at the Delhi Race Course in the nation’s capital last November to watch a Malaysian-sponsored team win the 2006 Indian Polo Championship, a competition dating back more than a century to the days of the British Raj. The national tournament, first played at Lucknow in 1900, was played on the Jaipur Polo Ground in the centre of the racetrack less than half a mile from the residence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s official residence. It is the highest goal tournament played in India, and the Army Polo And Riding Club Stands and VIP pavilion were packed to capacity for the final between Johor Tigers and Jindal Steel & Power, both 19-goal teams. Four teams competed in the 14 to 20goal tournament, one of which included English pro James Harper. Both finalists had players who were short-listed for the India team in the Federation of International Polo’s 2007 World Cup and both called on the services of 6-goal Argentine pros to make up the numbers. Johor Tigers were sponsored by HH Tunku Ismail Ibrahim, polo-playing son of the crown prince of the Malaysia sultanate of Johor who is in India serving as a captain in India’s 61st Cavalry Regiment. Non-playing patron of Jindal Steel was Naveen Jindal, managing director of that company and Member of Parliament who played in the team when they previously won the championship. The finalists proved to be evenly matched, with three of the six chukkas end-
ing with the score tied. The last period provided a nail-biting finale to the game and had the crowd on its feet. With only 30 seconds left on the clock, Jindal levelled the score. Then a bare five seconds before the final bell, Argentine Santiago de Estrada found the goal posts to win the championship for Johor. Minister of Sports Mani Shankar Iyer presented the venerable Indian Polo Championship trophy to Johor Tigers and the Most Valuable Player prize to de Estrada. The final day of the polo championship is one of the highlights of the Delhi social season. Other VIPs watching the final included Tarun Joshi, CEO of title sponsors Reid and Taylor; Lt Gen Sudhir Sharma, Quarter Master General of the Indian Army; former cricketer Nawab Mansoor Khan Pataudi; and film actors Anil Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan. During the event members of the 61st Cavalry’s famous display team presented a spectacular exhibition of riding skills, including snatching pegs from the ground with lance, sword and bayonet. The 61st is the world’s only non-mechanised cavalry regiment, and its Rajastani troopers were the last regular horse soldiers in the world to see action, when they served as scouts in the Indo-Pakistan wars. Until just a few years ago most of India’s polo players came from military units like the 61st and the mounted President’s Bodyguard or from amongst the maharajahs and their families. Now, however, an increasing number of civilians have taken up the sport, including those from the rising business elite of the country.
Until recently most players came from the military or maharajahs’ families, but that’s beginning to change
1 Major Ravi Rathore of Johor Tigers leads the pack against Jindal Steel & Power in the final 2 The Tigers celebrate victory
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Washington DC Polo was a resounding success at the Washington International Horse Show, reports Herbert Spencer Two teenage Afro-Americans from inner-city neighbourhoods won the hearts of horselovers last autumn as they showed off their polo skills at the prestigious Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) in the heart of the nation’s capital. As one of America’s most important equestrian fixtures, the WIHS attracts top international show jumpers and dressage riders. This was the first time that polo had been featured at the big Verizon Center, home of Washington’s major basketball and ice hockey events near the White House. With upwards of 10,000 spectators in the stands, the arena exhibition match had one of polo’s largest crowds, including those at major outdoor events, anywhere in the USA in 2006. The two teams in the three-a-side match centred on Virginia’s Debbie and Alan Nash whose Tiger team won the 2006 Arena Open of the US Polo Association (USPA), and Doug Barnes and Kelly Elliott, also cupwinning veterans of the game, who run a polo school in The Plains, VA. It was, however, the two young Afro-American players who most caught the crowd’s imagination. Kareem Rosser, 13, attends Pennsylvania’s Valley Forge Military Academy on a scholarship and John Field, 14, is a freshman at Philadelphia’s World
Communications Charter School. Both regular arena polo competitors at their schools, they are products of America’s unique Work to Ride (WTR) programme, which aids disadvantaged youngsters aged seven to 18 through constructive activities centred on horse pursuits. In the arena after the match, Dr Phillip Karber, chairman of the USPA’s Marketing Committee, presented WTR with the association’s Polo Recognition award for its contribution to the image of the sport in America. It was Karber, also president of Great Meadow Polo Club in Virginia, who spearheaded the introduction of polo at the downtown Washington horse show. In addition to the action in the arena, polo videos were shown on big-screen TVs at the venue and there were exhibitions in the lobbies as well. WIHS officials were delighted with the results and scheduled a return of polo to the show in 2007. With the polo world struggling for greater public awareness, opportunities like the Washington show offer welcome opportunities fpr promotion. Judging from the enthusiastic reaction of the thousands of spectators at the Verizon Center who wildly applauded every goal, polo may well have gained more than a few new fans and, perhaps, some playing recruits as well.
Judging by the enthusiastic reaction of the sepectators, polo may well have gained more than a few new fans
Above Kareem Rosser and John Field really caught the crowd’s imagination
DIANA DEROSA
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ancient history Polo’s origins are shrouded in stories of exoticism and romance from Persia’s distant reaches. Here is the tale of Humay, Queen of Persia, as depicted in ancient manuscripts from the British Museum WORDS HERBERT SPENCER
The miniature shown above, one of three illustrating the story, shows Humay on her black horse, upper right, watching as Darab gallops past the nobleman Rashnavad to strike the ball towards goal
Although there is no hard evidence to prove it, most historians believe the polo we know today originated in the region of the Near East that was known as Persia, now known as Iran, sometime in the first century BC or earlier. Some of the earliest and most striking descriptions and depictions of polo in antiquity are found in works by Persian poet-historians of the thirteenth to seventeenth centuries AD. Rare books and manuscripts of that period, now in the world’s museums and private collections, contain texts often referring to polo in earlier centuries – a tenuous history of the ancient game told through stories that are sometimes more legend than fact. Many of the Persian manuscripts are beautifully illustrated with depictions of the game. The work was often executed by artists working under royal commissions, for in those days polo was very much a ‘game of kings’. It was in the British Museum during research for my 1971 book Chakkar: Polo Around the World that I discovered a number of Persian manuscripts containing, in total, some 35 miniatures with polo scenes. One of the most appealing and unusual stories from the manuscripts was a ‘prodigal son’ tale of how a Persian queen was reunited with her long-lost son during a polo match. It was buried in a 16th century work, Darabnama, an epic poem by Abu Tahir Tarsusi and illustrated by the artist Sanvala. The curator assisting us, Nora Titley, kindly gave a translation of the flowery text on the pages: ‘It is said that after many years Humay Queen of Persia longed for the return of Darab, the son she had sent away at birth, so to console the Queen her courtiers suggested she play polo. Thus it was that Humay decreed that all the nobles and celebrities gather at the maidan [public square] and there was great rejoicing that Humay should play polo and when she arrived at the maidan, dressed in chain mail and wearing her crown, there arose a great noise of drums and cymbals and flutes and elephant bells. ‘Humay and her slaves played against the noble Rashnavad and his men and their horses’ hooves made the dust rise and Humay played until the ground became hot, but she could not get the ball. Then Darab arrived at the maidan, unknown and knowing nothing of his birth but feeling sad for Humay. Darab took a mallet from a slave and disguised himself in the slave’s cloak and galloping onto the field took the ball away from Rashnavad and took it to the goal scoring many times. Then Darab paid homage to Humay and when her eyes fell on him she stopped playing and asked “From where have you come”… and thus was the Queen of Persia reunited with her lost son Darab.’
FRED MAYER FROM HERBERT SPENCER MEDIA
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hurlingham polo association magazine
SPRING 2007
polo association magazine
VIVA CAMBIASO! [polo superstar] TRAILBLAZER [the extraordinary life of Geoffrey Kent] ASTON MARTIN [where polo meets Bond ] LORO PIANA [dressed for action] Q1 SPRING 2007
