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The Corona Virus pandemic is undoubtedly already having an effect on sporting events internationally, cancelling the NBA, postponing Formula 1 and all football in the U.K. to name just a few. As you would expect, Polo has not escaped the virus, with American high goal games still taking place, but being held behind closed doors, with only critical staff permitted. All this has already led to speculation that the virus could essentially wash out the entire U.K. polo season, dooming it before many of the preparations have even begun.
Although it may be easy to take the pessimistic view that the season is over already, there are things that can be done to minimise the risk of spreading the infection, all without the need for cancellation. The Pony Club has already set a good example of setting CoronaVirus guidelines for both competitors and organisers to follow. Many of these could also be carried over to polo, and hopefully help towards making the 2020 season a success.
The Pony Club have expressed a desire to move as much of the organisation and registration process online, in order to
reduce the amount of time people spend around one another, as a result lowering the risk of spreading the disease. Although many polo clubs run on a much more informal system, text systems and the like can be used to inform people of everyone’s arrival and catering services can be reduced to decrease the build up of people in one area, another thing the Pony Club have suggested, instead is to ‘bring your own food and drink to eat in cars’.
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The Pony Club also suggests reducing the overall time competitors are at the event by posting out prizes and sharing final results online, as a result making a prize giving ceremony obsolete. Polo could easily copy the idea of posting prizes, and unlike many equestrian sports, the final score should be known by the end of each match regardless, making things much easier for the organisers.
“there are things that can be done to minimise the risk of spreading the infection”
