La Low Goal
june 2020
by low goal for low goal
Contents Features That time when
The HPA accidentally ruled polo
updated VL Fixture List
A look at the updated Victor Ludorum fixture list
Coronavirus
Latest developments on the Covid-19 situation
17
Rule Breakers
The HPA’s response to reports of private games
Warwick University Meet the WUPC committee
Sersh Meenagan
Sersh talks polo introductions, role models and 2020 plans
Chukka Wellness
21
Are you doing Press ups wrong?
21 39 First Chukka
Alice Servaes- My Life in horses
Dismounting techniques YNBACA Hilario Ulloa
Alternative timeline - The Polo Circus
History - Cheshire Polo Club
The weird world of Tuk Tuk Polo
Polo in 200 years
Zero to Hero
Rated - Product reviews
Head to head: Polo vs Polocrosse
49
Another month on, and yet another month without any polo.
Despite the lack of any actual playing (at official clubs anyway) it does appear that we are closer than ever before to getting a real season underway (read the full article on page 36). Officially we are mere days away from the first tournament, and clubs are now entitled to start chukkas again providing they meet all the HPA’s criteria. The end is surely not just in sight, but just around the corner.
Enjoy the issue Connor Kay (editor)
Ignacio Fernandez Llorente The third player
In most cases, professionals take the initiative to form polo teams. For this reason, professionals today are the driving force of polo. There would be no polo without professionals in many places, and if there were, it would be unattractive. In addition, professionals motivate many people to dare to play polo, they are their guide, support and personal advisor. The professional first looks for who can pay him, and then completes the team with other professionals or amateurs depending on the level of the tournament. The professional who brings the Patron, is ultimately the one who leads the team. It is very diďŹƒcult for 4 players to play as a team. In many cases, the captaining pro will try to stand out, and will prevent the other professionals from standing out more than him, to continue to play for the patron. The Pro who leads will try to take the ball, and make the rest work for him, even though this is not the best strategy. In cases where he makes a mistake, he will take any opportunity to blame another player. The teammates take the blame because they don't understand, or they keep quiet because they are invited onto the team. Otherwise the Pro will look for any excuse to hide his performance. On many occasions the team is made up of two professionals, a third player who does
not pay the professionals, and the Patron who pays the Pros. It happens that the professionals blame the third player for everything bad that happens on the field, and they demand a performance well above their handicap. The third player thought that he would enjoy belonging to this team with such good players, but actually he has a nightmare. The patron, as he is the one who pays, never seems to make any mistakes and the professional has to be immune to any mistake because his work depends on it, so the third player bears all the blame. It seems that the Pro discharges the anger of not receiving money from that player, causing that player to have a bad time on the field. The responsibilities are according to the handicap, something that no player or the captain should forget. When you see a professional yelling at the third player, remember that the one with the highest handicap must guide the one with the least handicap so that their performance is better. Instead there are professionals who play as a team, and the players complement and play better. Polo is a team sport, and nothing better is the team greater than the individual sum of the 4 players. Playing as a team is much more enjoyable than being on the field accompanied by 3 players.
Al a
F
All the latest polo reviews, news and opinions in bite size pieces
First
Top 6
Dismounting techniques 01
02
03
Slow roll
Side door
Superman
Although one of least visually impressive ways to fall, the slow roll is at least one of the safer methods. Furthermore it does provide onlookers with plenty of time to laugh as you slowly tumble towards your inevitable destination. The ground.
We’ve all been there. You decide on one direction and your horse chooses the completely opposite one. This disagreement is usually settled quickly and often results in the rider vacating their position in the saddle.
The tried and tested classic. It has stood the test of time for a reason. Majestic yet incredibly painful, the superman method grants you just enough air time to consider all your questionable decisions which led you to this point. Then you hit the deck.
05
06
04
Side Saddle
Abandon Ship
The flip
Quite embarrassing this one. However assuming you partake in the mandatory shouting at your groom upon returning the horse you can save face (if no groom is available a family member will do nicely, and failing that just a random unsuspecting stranger)
Things are beginning to look a bit pear shaped. You are presented with a decision, try and weather the storm or jump off now before things get messy. Before you leap though, just ask yourself, will you be able to live with the shame?
A relative of the superman method. Bonus points are scored for each additional rotation, while landing it scores double points (this is extremely rare). Make sure to bear this in mind next time you find yourself hurtling towards the ground having parted ways with your horse.
You’ll never be as cool as…
Hilario Ulloa Top Tip In order to avoid being legally contacted to buying every player currently on the field a drink, always remember to shout “getting off” before hitting the ground.
If you have ever seen Hilario play you will be in no doubt that he deserves his spot here. Despite being one of the top 10 goalers in the world (which itself is beyond cool) Hilario constantly seems to take up the role of the overachieving underdog. Wether it is with the Las Monjitas team, making it to the final of the Argentine open despite the odds, Algeria, who troubled La Dolfina and Ellerstina when they really had no right to, or with the Daily Racing Form team, when he scored a unlikely victory in the US Open against formidable Valiente despite bleeding heavily from just under his right eye after an injury earlier in the game. Hilario always stands out on the field, riding in a style unmatched by anyone else. Constantly looking like he is barely in control and only seconds away from falling, yet he somehow makes it work. It is not uncommon to see him with his feet up around his ears, or leaning into ride-offs to the extent where he is practically alongside his horse. We have no idea how he manages to pull it off, but its damn impressive to watch. Hilario always offers an exciting watch, no matter what team he is on or where he is playing. That most certainly makes him cool in our book. And who doesn’t like a good underdog?
Getting Off!
Image: uspolo.com
History Cheshire Polo Club Successor of oldest club in the UK The sum off the Manchester and Wirral Polo Club’s Current iteration of the club dates from 1951
In a brand new segment, we are going to take look at the histories of many of the club’s in the UK, and where better to start than the club that is the direct successor to the first ever UK club, the Cheshire Polo Club. The current Cheshire polo club is the descendent of an amalgamation of many of the clubs from the north west, the earliest of which being the Manchester Polo Club. This club, formed in the 1860s by Gaddum and Symonds after they stumbled across the game in India, sourced its ponies from Exmoor and used a field in Cheadle, Manchester. Although very few games are recorded to have been played, it paved the way for Polo in the North West. A number of other clubs began to spring up in the Chester area, including the Wirral Polo Club, founded in 1885. In 1939 the Wirral and Manchester clubs merged to form the first Cheshire club, the ‘Mid-Cheshire Polo Club’. After a break during WW2 the club was reformed into its current iteration, The Cheshire Polo Club, which still stays true to its roots by continuing to play for the Wirral Ladies Cup, a prestigious tournament first played at the old Wirral Club.
The weird world of…
Tuk Tuk Polo
Invented in 2016 in Sri Lanka as a replacement for elephant polo, after the game was banned in 2007 when an elephant “went rogue”, Tuk Tuk Polo has quickly grown in popularity to the sport we see today.
one driver and one hitter per vehicle but only two Tuk Tuks can play for each team at once. Substitutions can be made at any point by driving on and off the field through the goal.
The game borrows heavily from the established rule books of both polo and elephant polo, breaking the game into 7 minute chukkas and disallowing any kind of blocking in the goal mouth. However anything resembling the line of ball and right of way appears to have gone out of the window.
The driver, often a local cab driver controls the Tuk Tuk from the front, while the hitter uses a hand mallet to hit at an orange, polo sized ball from the back seat, often leaning right out (and occasionally falling) from the vehicle.
Other rules mandate the use of the right hand, much like polo, however this rule is lifted for women players who can hit from any side of their Tuk Tuk as they see fit. Teams are made up of three Tuk Tuks, complete with
Although one of the youngest variants of polo, Tuk Tuk polo seems to be on a rise in popularity, especially in its home country of Sri Lanka where it has been reported to be attracting fans from around the world.
News Bites Updated HPA fixture list released
USPA lifts tournament suspension
HPA hoping for a season start ‘in June or July’
FU TU RE
What will polo be lik years time?
This Month In numbers
6
Days Only 6 days from this issue’s publish to the first scheduled Victor Ludurum game, The Prince of Wales 12 goal at Beaufort Polo Club. The end is in sight!
23
Super Horses Suggested by Hannah Woodward
Wether it is via genetically modified super horses, full on mechanical machine horses, simply the continued progress of selected breeding and cloning or something we cannot yet imagine, horses are only likely to get faster and stronger in the future. Perhaps this will require larger fields or fewer players on each team to compensate. Apart from the added spectacle of watching players zooming around at ridiculous speeds, super horses would not have to be changed between chukkas, allowing for longer unbroken periods of play and allowing players to cut costs by only having to own one horse.
Days
23 days until the the start of the Gold Cup, the first of the major UK high goal tournaments this year
2700
Excited Polo players Yes that is still just the official HPA membership number. I told you not to expect much from this section.
Special Mallets Suggested by Zarar Abbasi
Admittedly wooden polo mallets are a bit traditional, and composite mallets, especially in the arena, already exist. However as other sports utilise increasingly sophisticated materials surely polo can not be far behind. Composite mallets have the potential to be not only more predictable, but also stronger, and perhaps even more energy eďŹƒcient. Looking further into the future maybe we could see the emergence of telescopic mallets, adjusting to make sure players always hit the ball on the desired spot, and enhanced mallets, allowing players to add force to the ball, perhaps in the form of miniature rocket motors, allowing the ball to travel distances unimaginable today.
ke in 200
Simulated Games Suggested by Clare Hamilton
In this dystopian timeline humans are struggling at the hands of overpopulation and resource scarcity. People simply cannot justify the large amounts of land required to build polo pitches and keep horses when millions go homeless and farmers are unable to grow enough food on their own land. Instead of see the sport die completely, polo players are forced into the virtual world, utilising advanced virtual reality, saddled simulator rigs allowing for the movement of riding and force feedback mallets allowing players to feel the vibrations of hitting the ball.
Although far removed from the real game, over time the technology develops to a stage where with the advanced rigs simulate the game to such a level where even the most traditional of players can begin to accept it. More over, more people are able to get into the new game, as running costs for a sim are a fraction of that of a real string, allowing more talent to grow and opening the game up to more people than ever before.
No Horses We’ve already discussed the proposition of shifting towards mechanical horses, but at that stage why not just give up with horses all together. As other forms of polo continue to take off (read all about tuk tuk polo on page 12), these could amalgamate with the mother game to give us something completely fresh. Maybe motorbikes are they way forward especially if self stabilising technology (which already exists) can allow players to lean off them like we currently do off our horses. Although this does have merits to it, it is unlikely any traditional vehicle such as a motorbike or car is ever Photo:Dan Volbert going to have the manoeuvrability to match our best horses currently. Perhaps this will just become a new feature of the game, being much faster in straight lines, but trickier on the turns, or maybe a new technology, such as multi-directional wheels, or dare we even say it, hover-bikes, could emerge. These systems are far further off in there development, but in 200 years time could easily be gracing our polo fields, or whatever the current equivalent is.
Who you should be following @dan.volbert
Dan Volbert is a low goal player who likes to paint after playing. He posts a number of different artistic styles on instagram, including the futuristic image at the top of this page.
Hero Polo Ingenuity
Debbie Harris and her family have cracked out all the wooden horses and rocking horses to stage their own polo game in their garden. Reports claim it was not a particularly fast game.
Honestly we’re not sure what is going on here. Does he not have a hand stick? Has he lost his pony? Whatever the reason we like the ingenuity, even if its a little odd.
Not content with simply canceling the eventide organisers had competitors send in photos of their horses in action, which were then judged by the real judges, with the shortlist and winners announced on a livestream.
10 goal superstar Polito Pieres took to instagram show off his impressive balance and hand eye coordination, completing a number of tap ups while balancing on a gym ball. Unfortunately he also included this clip of him face planting on a previous attempt.
zero
alternate timeline the polo circus
With commercial flights to and from Argentina banned until the 1st of September rumour has it that a private jet is due to be hired to get all the high goal Argentine pro players out of the country, allowing them to continue their high goal seasons in the U.K and Europe.
All this got us thinking about what it would be like in a world where the pros and players regularly do travel together, in something comparable to a traveling circus, moving from club to club, country to country would look like…
In our hypothetical universe polo teams would be affiliated in a very similar way to the F1 world championships. Although they themselves would not work together, they would travel together and likely train and practice against one another. Similarly to today’s game teams would travel around the world following the sun and polo seasons, visiting the U.K, America and Argentina to begin with and then likely expanding to a number of other countries such as Spain, France and Germany. Each country could hold up to three high goal tournaments which would count towards a form over overarching championship. Unlike today's game, teams would not change much between tournaments, however there may be a capacity for one local player to join each team every tournament or every time there is a change in country. This would not just help in terms of logistics but could help keep games competitive as dominating teams would be forced to swap a player after at least a couple of tournaments.
Points would be scored for each tournament, and the team with the largest haul of points after a full year would gain the title of 'world champion’ surely something every patron and sponsor would love to have. Then the points tally is reset and it all starts over.
Handicap wise we would likely be looking at something in the region of 25-30 goal, however the handicap of the local player could be varied per team, almost like a kind of success ballast. This would of course have implications for the Argentine triple crown as many would be against it losing its 40 goal handicap limit and with it its position as the crown of global polo. Perhaps in order to get around this issue the Argentine open could play host to a season final where two substitutions are allowed, allowing teams to swap out their patron and domestic player for two more high goal pros, keeping the 40 goal limit but allowing fans to continue supporting the same teams throughout the year.
I was Totally Addicted
Alice Servaes My Life in Horses My Horses I’ve been playing for about 15 years now. I got hooked on polo when I groomed in Australia in my gap year. I fell in love with polo ponies. Then I started to actually play when I went to university and the rest is history! I was totally addicted. Currently I have just joined Cowdray and Great Trippetts for the first time and am based at Great Trippetts although in the current virus situation I’m at home with my ponies in Suffolk , with my boyfriend Corentin Mahe who is a professional . We have some young horses here and ones that we are getting ready for sale so we are working hard here and hoping at some point to be able to play again. We are planning to go to Argentina in November so fingers crossed we will be able to! Merrylegs my first pony. Where it all began! She bucked me off basically every time I rode her but I loved her very much! MalagueĂąa one of my first polo ponies who’s still playing with my sister. The ultimate pocket rocket who took me nearly single handed from -2 to 0. Heart of a lion đ&#x;Ś Nevadito my favourite horse of all time. Just the sweetest most gentle chap who turns it on when he needs too. He had his best season last year at 17 years old winning the international ladies against Argentina and best playing pony in one of the ladies Victrix Ludorum tournaments. He’s a miracle really as he nearly died of colic about 5 years ago but recovered after the surgery thank goodness đ&#x;˜… Profesora. My new super star. I’ve had her 2 seasons now and she’s just the best. She’s not very friendly or cuddly in the stable but she’s an absolute machine on the field. Last season she won the best playing pony in the ladies French open with me in Chantilly. Blancaflor. This mare is 3 and a half now and we’ve just broken her in. She’s just a dream. So beautiful and kind. Perfect in every way and I wish all ponies were as easy as her!
Alice’s Horses
Marrylegs
MalagueĂąa
Nevadito
Profesora
Blancaflor
Rated And quite possibly slated Im sure I’m not the only one who has attempted to alleviate the boredom of quarantine by whiling away endless hours on online configurators. Wether its helmets, boots, or team shirts, you can personalise almost anything these days. That doesn’t mean you should. As with anything there is an element of taste which must be applied. Without it you risk creating an abomination of a kit that your teammates will dread wearing and your opposition dread even more looking at. Our advice, be careful on the patterns, and for gods sake run it past somebody before you stump up the cash.
G a m in g
Stick and Ball
Oh dear. Last month’s game was poor, but honestly you haven’t seen anything yet. Stick and Ball’s solid 1 star rating on the app store shows that it hasn’t really been a hit with the fans, and upon playing you’re very first game you’ll quickly understand why. You are immediately greeted with a side on drawing of a player which vibrates up and down in what I am assuming is meant to be simulating the horse run. A ball then rolls into shot and you are directed to hit it forwards or backwards by swiping in that direction. Even this is buggy and rarely acknowledges when you swipe, and even when working the delay between swiping and the game responding is so large that any aspect of timing goes out of the window. Apart from that its great.
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La Low Goal Shop Available at lalowgoal.co.uk
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Image: Polo Past and Present
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The year is 1875. Queen Victoria is on the English throne and British explorer George Nansen sets a new record for the furthest north ever reached . In London however, polo is about to get one of the biggest overhauls in its long, winding history. One which would fundamentally reshape the game and set it on a path towards the game as we know it today. The Hurlingham club in London is an elite social club of approximately 1500 members. It was established in 1869 by Mr Frank Heathcote as a meeting place for pigeon shooters and grew over a number of years into one of the most exclusive and demanded social clubs in the city. In 1968 the club managed to secure the let of Hurlingham Park as part of the club’s pigeon shooting resort. However when Captain Monson decided to develop the social side of the club he looked into possible attractions, of which he settled upon a little known sport, originally imported to the U.K from India, Polo. In 1973 the Hurlingham club broke ground on a new polo pitch, reportedly going to great lengths to level a former orchard . The field remained the only field in London until 1879, and was by all reports somewhat uneven, oval in shape and inclined towards the centre.
Image: Polo Past and Present by TF
“Polo looked like, and was sometimes called hockey on horseback�
Dale
Interestingly it was also the first field to feature boards lining the outside of the ground, something which many put down as an attempt to disguise the irregularity of the field. These boards became one of staples of the game, and have since been adopted by almost every club across the globe. The polo provided a huge success, attracting large crowds, including the Prince of Wales (who would later go on to become king Edward VII). Tickets where scarce and in high demand, especially for grandstand seating. Despite its popularity few saw the game as serious sport, and polo players in the club were apparently looked down upon by their pigeon shooting counterparts. The game was seen as too costly to really take off (which does
Hurlingham House, the home of the Hurlingham Club since 1869
Images: Polo Past and Present by TF Dale
have an element of truth in it) but was a good spectacle for the short term. Although the game had been played at a number of sites around the country before, not to mention abroad, the game was yet to have properly defined rules. Up until this point players had essentially just been using their own judgment, and in most cases self preservation instincts to play. Polo was only defined as a game where a ball was knocked around from atop a horse. That all changed in 1875 however when the Hurlingham Committee published their initial code of rules featuring 17 laws and 7 by-laws. These rules laid the groundwork for many of the rules that still persist in polo to this
Hurlingham number 1 ground from the air
day. Although there is no mention of any kind of right of way, it is understood that this was enforced as some kind of unwritten rule which most players just followed. Although these rules where written specifically for the Hurlingham Club, as shown by the inclusion of dress code within the official rules, it was offered freely to the rest of the world. Within just a few short years these rules were widely accepted as more and more polo clubs sprung up around the country.
Despite its popularity few saw the game as serious sport
The Polo Pavilion at Hurlingham
Images: Polo Past and Present by TF Dale
The Hurlingham Club continued to reissue further updated codes of rules, refining the rule set further as the game quickly adapted. By the third incarnation of the rules, they were no longer designed simply for use at the Hurlingham Club, but for every club around the country, and suitable for the commonwealth. The Hurlingham Club created the Hurlingham Polo Committee to oversee the polo operations which then morphed into Hurlingham Club Polo Committee by 1903, incorporating members from the three London clubs, Hurlingham, Roehampton and Ranelagh, as well as the Country Polo Association and Council. In 1925 the association was once again redesigned into the HPA we know today.
Updated VL fixture list released
On the 22nd May the HPA released their amended fixture list for all Victor Ludorum and Victoria Ludorum games for the 2020 season. With the coronavirus pandemic significantly delaying the start to the UK season many of the earlier tournaments have had to be shifted later into the year. Despite the delays the HPA have set out a fairly aggressive schedule, obviously keen to get things underway as quickly as possible. The first tournament, The Prince of Wales 12 goal at Beaufort is organised for the 6th June, just 6 days on from the publish of this issue. Just a few short weeks ago while everyone was still under stringent lockdown measures this would have been considered a extremely optimistic pipe dream. But as we edge towards its, it is looking more and more likely that we will be able to get going either on schedule or very shortly afterwards. Currently the HPA is advising a very slightly delayed schedule from what is listed below, with tournament play beginning on the 12th June. The season will then continue with tournaments eectively back to back at all handicap levels as the HPA attempt to cram as much polo as possible into our curtailed season. The VL season is the due to end back where it started at Beaufort, slightly later than a regular season on the 27th September. In other news, the 22 goal tournaments have been switched around this year, with the Gold Cup at Cowdray kicking o on the 23rd June, while we will have to wait until the 28th July to see any high goal action at Guards. This comes after the Queens cup had to be postponed due to COVID-19, but we are all glad to see that we will retain both our premier high goal tournaments for this season.
Do I see a speck of light at the end of the tunnel? With the easing of the coronavirus lockdown measures, can we finally look forward to a polo season in the UK?
T The pubs have been closed for over two months. The apocalypse is now. Stuck indoors for weeks on end with no real end in sight, each day blurred into one, the boredom only briefly interrupted by intermittent trips to the fridge. Quarantine may have stolen our freedom, and, until very recently, looked like it was set to steal our polo season too. The final few high goal tournaments in the US where slashed (meaning we can’t even watch polo yet alone play it). The beginning of the UK season came and passed, but still nobody was allowed to venture onto a polo field. ..
Hope came however on the 10th April when Boris unveiled his ‘roadmap’ for the exiting of lockdown. Between the overly complex 5 stage coronavirus gauge and the vague new slogan, the PM did announce immediate loosening of the lockdown regulations, although not very much. With these new guidelines we were now granted unlimited exercise time, more shops open, and, most crucially to polo, to meet other people from outside our own household, providing we were outdoors and obeying social distancing guidelines. In response to this the HPA issued yet another covid update, the first update finally allowing stick and balling. Covid-19 update number 6 was released on the 12th May, and came into force on the 14th. It opened the doors and encouraged players to actively prepare for the season, which is predicted to start sometime in June or July, although it is still difficult to predict how the situation will evolve. Lessons were allowed to resume, although only in a one to one capacity,
or teaching a group all from the same household. As to be expected, social distancing measures were still to be enforced during these. Update 7, released just 8 days later built upon to core promises of update 6, but added the specific rules and regulations everyone was expected to follow. The update starts off: “No member of the HPA shall be allowed to exercise, take part in training or to play polo or go to an affiliated club unless they have been symptom-free for the last 14 days, nor been in contact with anyone who has those symptoms (except in a professional capacity as a doctor, nurse, or allied health professional)” immediately adding regulations to stick and balling. In addition to this the HPA issued a brand new two tier system for clubs, dictating the maximum number of players who can stick and ball at one time.
Update 6 was the first to finally allow stick and balling
In order for a club to receive level 1 status it must apply to the HPA and prove they have filled out a risk assesment and put relevant measures in place to limit the risk of the virus been transmitted. This grants the club the ability to offer lessons in the capacity already mentioned in update 6 and have up to a maximum of 5 players stick and balling or having lessons, on the field at any one time. Level 2 is very vague. Clubs must have “proven the measures implemented at level 1 where satisfactory and adjust for level 2�. Simply put, they must be better. Level 2 grants the club the ability to allow 7 people on the field at any one time, with a view to expand this to 9 people as soon as the government further relaxes the lockdown measures.
As if this wasn’t enough, clubs are also expected to appoint both Covid Marshals, players or bystanders who are present whenever stick and balling to ensure players are keeping their distances, and C-19 marshals, who takes responsibility for checking player’s symptoms, implementing hygiene measures and any other Covid-19 related activities. Players themselves are expected to carry both hand sanitiser and face masks with them, both of which should be displayed upon entry. Players are also required to check their temperature the day prior to any stick and balling, and must stay at home if their temperature exceeds 37.8. Temperatures will also be checked against the same benchmark on entry to the club.
Although the HPA still doesn’t have a concrete answer for when the season will start, things are definitely looking much more positive than they did just a few short weeks ago. Of course everybody would love to be playing tournaments and chukkas, but given the circumstances, being free of our homes and having the ability to stick and ball is not a bad compromise. Sporting events behind closed doors are set to be allowed in the government's stage 2 of loosening lockdown measures, currently estimated to come in on the 1st of June. With the continuing fall in infection numbers and deaths from the virus, it is looking more and more likely that this will come true. Wether polo actually starts then or not is a different matter, but things are definitely moving in the right direction. The light the end of the tunnel is getting bigger.
Latest On the 28th may, level 3 was added for clubs which can prove their current procedures are satisfactory and have had written authority from the HPA. This allows 7 players on a field at the same time and therefore 3 on 3 minimal contact chukkas. These chukkas will require all players, umpires and grooms to wear face coverings, as well as areas where people congregate such as pony lines to be disinfected between training sessions
things are definitely moving in the right direction
They say rules are made to be broken
They are wrong
This is the issue currently faced by the HPA as they attempt to keep a hold on polo, especially as people become more and more restless to get playing again. Although the HPA is the face of polo in the U.K, it does not have complete control over anybody playing the game here. Instead it controls its HPA affiliated clubs, the tournaments they can put on and the official series such as the high goal and Victor Ludorum. In the words of David Wood, the chief executive of the HPA “you can do what you like on your own [fields]” So it was inevitable that as soon as the HPA released their Covid guidelines, some would take a pass and go on playing anyway. Since the very early covid updates the HPA have been advising against playing on your own private grounds, however these pleas seem to have fallen on deaf ears as reports of chukkas and stick and balling while breaking the government’s social distancing guidelines have steadily poured in. Recently these reports have escaped the polo bubble and been picked up by mainstream journalists, most noticeably the telegraph. Now these players are not only just risking their own health and potentially breaking the government guidelines, risking a possible fine, but they could be putting the entire sport at risk. With polo already in a delicate situation due to the potential drop in investment from patrons and sponsors following
it is considered to be very unhelpful that some have been playing and putting the whole sport at risk
covid-19, polo really doesn’t need any negative publicity which could impact its rebuilding phase. Furthermore, as the world slowly emerges from lockdown, the HPA has to ensure it can return to playing as soon as possible. Currently there is debate over wether polo can be classed as an elite sport since it is made up of both pros and amateurs and is not currently an Olympic sport. Having the status of an elite sport would grant polo the ability to move onto contact training and eventually playing much sooner. If the HPA cannot demonstrate it has the required authority over its players to keep them all safe, it will surely hamper its case in being classified as an elite sport, further delaying the start to the season. As the HPA put it “it is considered to be very unhelpful that some have been playing and putting the whole sport at risk”. So if you do have the means to play remember this: everybody agrees this situation is crap, and everybody, including the HPA, would love nothing more to be out playing the sport we all love. The HPA and Government guidelines are there to protect us and get everything back to normal as quickly as possible. There are no winners in this situation, you are not missing out by just stick and balling for an extra week instead of taking matters into your own hands. The polo season is coming, just wait it out.
Warwick
University
Polo
Clu
y
o
ub
Welcome to the University of Warwick Polo Club! With now over 90 active members in the Club, the interest has consistently grown since the Club’s formulation in 2007. From winning national champion titles, to an incredible social scene, the Club aims to offer something for everyone. We have the pleasure to be able to train at the fantastic Offchurch Bury Polo Club, where both the facilities and the coaching by Grant Collett mean we can compete competitively all year round. The Club aims to introduce all people to Polo, from the seasoned veterans of the saddle, to those who have never dreamed of sitting in one!
The Club also wishes to be much more than just an introduction to Polo. We aim to offer the inclusive nature of the team sport, blended with a massive host of varied social events, seeking to create a family away from home at University. An example of this is our annual charity ball, one of the many occasions used throughout the year to raise money for local charities, and also forge some lifelong memories with both the new, the old, and the unforgettable Alumni. For the new 2020-21 academic season, the Club is forever eager to gain more friendly faces, introduce more people to the sport we all love, and keep pushing forward for those golden national titles.
Joshua Yard president
Course:
3rd year Law and Sociology student from the UK
What do you love about polo? I love the competitive, fun and addictive nature of polo, the constant inclusive socials, and of course its people!
Favourite polo position?
3- it's great fun providing the big hits for the team, and creating and keeping an eye on the plays unfolding ( aka sitting back and relaxing whilst feeling important)
Favourite polo memory?
My first SUPA Winter Nationals: even if I did not play, I loved watching the rest of the club okay and go on to win national championship titles. The company of a fire and beer combined with multiple socials across the weekend made it even better.
Julie Deschaud vice president
Course:
3rd year Law and Business student from France
Favourite polo position?
What do you love about polo? Favourite polo memory? I love the speed, the team play, the
2- love being in defence to win ride-offs
aggressive ride-offs, and of course the horses!
Definitely St Andrews Beach chukkas! Playing polo on the beach was a dream (I'm sure for every polo player) with St Andrews players
Stephanie Stobie secretary
Course: First year History of art student from Scotland and Russia
What do you love about polo? The sport is tremendously addictive, I love the perfect balance of friendlies and competitive play
Favourite polo position? 2- struggling to win ride-offs is the best part of every chukka
Favourite polo memory?
Falling off before the chukka started at Regionals, my very first polo competition
Anish Patel treasurer
Course:
3rd year Spanish and Italian student from the UK
What do you love about polo?
I made some of my favourite memories at university – from competing at Summer Nationals to its amazing socials
Favourite polo position? I prefer being at the back in defence
Favourite polo memory? Christmas circle
Romane Zarzycki public relations
Course:
Favourite polo position?
What do you love about polo?
Favourite polo memory?
1st
year economics student from France
As a person who stresses a bit for anything, polo is a way for me to take a break from work whilst having fun with my friends the best possible way in the countryside!
3- I prefer playing at the back, I absolutely love attempting to hit big shots to my teammates
My first SUPA winter nationals, I absolutely loved the competitive spirit and cheering on for Warwick Polo!
Lauren Wilkinson training captain
Course:
1st year psychology student from the UK
Favourite polo position? 2- riding-off and running off with the ball
What do you love about polo?
Favourite polo memory? Winning SUPA Winter Nationals in B1
It is a great way to be able to get off campus for a bit, a good exercise, and the best way to spend time with your friends!

Dulcie Pelopida social secretary Course:
Favourite polo position?
What do you love about polo?
Favourite polo memory?
1st year history of art student from the UK
I really enjoy being out in the countryside and playing polo completely removes you from any worries.
3- I prefer playing at the back!
Can’t decide between Adoptions and my first circle
Rajdeep Singh welfare officer
Course:
1st year Economics, Politics, and International Studies student form Singapore
What do you love about polo? The camaraderie of the team and how fun and addictive polo is. The club also really feels like a family!

Favourite polo position? 2 - I really enjoy winning ride-offs
Favourite polo memory? My first SUPA Winter Nationals: it was a really fun experience and loved seeing our hard-working trainings with my team paying off with a trophy!
Sersh Meenaghan
Having spent a lot of time the polo sidelines from a young age, Sersh only made the jump into the game in her 20s. Since then she has played at a number of different clubs, both in the UK and abroad, before moving to Cowdray and bolstering her string ahead of the 2020 season
How and when did you first get involved in polo? I've grown up around polo as my Dad played in Cheshire, Cirencester and Dublin. I did a lot of show jumping and cross country when I was younger. I played a kids tournament in Dublin when I was about 10-11. I enjoyed it but didn't have interest in playing polo until
my 20s. I lived in England and have lots of friends who play in the UK. I spent a lot of time at Cowdray on the sidelines until I decided I wanted to play. I have always loved horses since I was a kid and started riding when I was about 9 or 10.
What’s your favourite piece of polo advice anyone has ever given you? Don't overthink things and get inside your own head. I tend to get very frustrated and in turn end up going down hill in my game, being inside my head. I have had a few
friends give me bits of advice along the way. Dad says “practice, practice, practice” and “mark your man!!”
Do you have a favourite coach or teacher? What makes them stand out? I have found I have learnt a lot from various teachers and friends who play on a medium to high goal level. I have had a fair bit of training with Jamie Dickson in Barbados over the last 2 years and have found him to be a great teacher, the backhand was a shot I was not at all confident with, and have come a long way with it. I have also done a season with Niall Donnelly and he's been great,
trusting me to play some of his young ones in a 4 goal at Hurtwood, as well as some of his first string. I have always enjoyed watching high goal, as I feel so much can be learnt from seeing how they play at the top level. I’m looking forward to getting some training and help this year with Niall and Brodie both with my game and with gathering my string.
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1Arena Chukkas at Hickstead Polo Club 2Being a social media influencer Sersh has mastered the art of posing for a camera, her horse not so much 3Dad
in the 80s in The All Ireland Polo Club. On his star pony Little Bull 4After a 4 goal at Hurtwood 2019
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How has polo fitted around being an influencer? It has worked out very well as working on social media means I'm very flexible. I have just started my own freelance social media business in the last 9 months, which again is very flexible. I have moved to the UK to play polo and build my social media management business. The joy of working freelance and specifically in social media my timetable is very flexible. I get myself organised and I work for a couple of hours in the morning, do my meetings etc and I can then head off to the yard.
What is your favourite club to play at? I love the All Ireland Polo Club in Phoenix park in Dublin as I grew up there as a kid when Dad was playing. I have to say Apes Hill has got to be a favourite of mine. Polo in a beautiful setting, nice big pitch so the polo is nice and open. I also like Bunclody Polo Club in Wexford, Ireland. I look forward to playing more here in the UK, Cowdray being one of the main places I'd like to play at.
Do you play ladies polo? What is your opinion on it compared to mixed polo? I've played mixed in the past but I am very excited to dive into ladies! I love the girl gang that is Ladies Polo. I want to play in both mixed and ladies but would like to play more competitive ladies in the long run.
What players do you look up to/admire? I am lucky enough to be able to watch some great polo at Cowdray and Guards every year. Last year I was over for a lot of the Queen's Cup and got to see my friend Tom Brodie play with UAE which was very exciting, great to see friends achieving awesome things in their careers and as I said I learn so much from seeing friends play. I always love the Gold Cup final and seeing the Castagnola Boys play was absolutely incredible. Nina Clarkin of course is one of the most incredible players also, she's such an intelligent player and plays beautifully. I learnt a lot from her, watching her play and run her Apes Hill/Huntington House team the ladies Victor Ludorum 2018. There are so many of the girls I would love to play on the same pitch as, for example Hazel Jackson-Goana & Sarah Wiseman.
What are your plans for the 2020 season and beyond? Well 2020 I had been so excited for as I had just moved to Cowdray and was building my string, and I came out to Barbados and was doing a bit of pre season here and got stuck. I am still stuck here so I really can't say what my 2020 season will consist of just yet. I had also planned to go over Argentina to Los Algarrobos Polo and Pilar for a month or 2 in the winter for my birthday and take Dad to the open. Of course this year is not going to plan for anyone so I will have to wait and see. Fingers crossed for some kind of season, if not I'll put my money towards a few more horses for 2021 for sure.
How do you think the COVID-19 situation will affect polo in the short and long term? The obvious one would be less polo due to the lockdowns and importance of social distancing and we all know polo is a contact sport. In the long term the financial ramifications of this pandemic on businesses therefore will patrons be able to afford/want to play going forward?
La Low Goal Hand-stick Challange results (so far)
“ You May
Be Doing It All Wrong “ India, founder of Chukka Wellness has been a Personal Trainer for 7 years and regularly encounters people in the gym performing exercises incorrectly. This can inhibit not only progression in training but also increase the risk of injury later on in life. Over the next couple of months, Chukka Wellness will provide coaching points on common exercises that are usually found in the standard training program and that can easily be performed incorrectly. This month we will be discussing the Push Up because we have been nominated for the 25 push ups in 25 day challenge to raise awareness for mental health.
How to perform the perfect push up Push ups are a great exercise to improve upper body strength and stabilise the shoulder joint.
Common Mistakes • • • • • • •
Elbows flex outwards too much Upper body muscles are not engaged correctly Not leading the exercise with the chest Not tucking the chin in Head is too low Core is not engaged Lower back is over extended
Now let’s run through the correct coaching points. 1. Start with your body in a plank position with your shoulders directly over your wrists 2. Retract your shoulders back slightly so that you have more extension through the upper back. This engages more of the upper body muscles. 3. Perform a pelvic tilt to engage your abdominal muscles 4. Lengthen your whole body 5. Leading with the chest, flex the arms keeping the elbows tucked in 6. Tuck the chin in but don’t drop the head (aim for a neutral spine position) 7. Keep the core engaged, pause at the bottom of the push up and extend the arms to bring you back to the start position. 8. Use your breathing to control the movement – inhale on the downward phase, exhale on the upward phase.
Competitive? To monitor progression, try to perform as many push ups as you can in 30-50 seconds. Repeat the test every 4 weeks and try to beat your number each time!
*Remember you can still perform an effective push up on your knees. *If you struggle with wrist pain, place the palm of your hand on a rolledup towel to reduce the angle at the wrist. This takes the pressure of the wrist joint!
If you struggle to get fit for polo or have the desire to become a more effective and stronger player; Chukka Wellness have just launched their VIRTUAL EQUINE HUB which is an online resource designed to help riders become fitter and stronger athletes. The mobile-friendly hub is full of polo-specific home workouts, stretching & mobility routines as well as nutritional aids. Each member also receives a monthly guide to help them stay on track with their fitness journey! ** There is currently a 30% Off introductory offer ** Visit www.chukkawellness.co.uk for more information
Pony Club vs
The Polo Pod
In one of the recent episodes of the ‘polo pod’ the presenters Jack Richardson and Rupert Lewis had an interview with David Ashby, who is currently probably best known as the owner of Oxford Polo. The interview covered many issues and was insightful into David’s views of some of the issues polo in the U.K. faces in getting new players into the sport and then retaining them. During this interview David gave credit to the Pony Club for introducing him to competitive polo (plus his now wife) and reminisced on the fun times he had growing up, spending time with his polo peers. All well and good, but why am I bringing this up here?
Well... As any listeners to the pod will already know, is that as the interview went on David and Jack went on to detail how they believe Pony Club Polo has changed since the years they played. And unfortunately Pony Club polo did not fair so well in this discussion.
With quotes like, “they took away the fun”, “gone wrong with English polo”, “no party, there’s no fun”, we look into what has changed and if there is truth in this view.
I’m sure most of you have been a pony club member or a parent of one, but just in case you don’t know, the pony club is an international youth organisation, founded in 1929 and granted independent charity status in 1997. There are around 345 branches and 480 centres in the U.K. making up 19 areas.
Of these only 39 branches currently run polo.
According to the pony club rule book for 2020 the main objectives are:
i. Help young players to understand the basic principles of polo;
rules, riding, tactics, striking the ball and the care and welfare of
ponies
ii. Set high standards of conduct with a competitive spirit in a team
iii. Provide a bridge to the adult game
iv. Have fun
A brief look into pony clubs history shows that polo has had a boom and bust history, as in 1985 there were 23 teams entered but by 1991 this had risen to 84 and continued to increase as of 2003 there were over 100. This was around the peak and we have now returned to 39 teams in 2019.
As you can imagine the pony club polo experience in those boom years would have been a different one to today purely based on the number of children involved.
b
What’s changed?
As discussed on the pod, there are “pay and play pony clubbers now”. Oxford polo along with many other pony hires, take hire ponies to pony club tournaments and this was almost unheard of in the boom years of pony club polo.
Is this in itself a problem?
Some may argue that the ability to hire a pony opens up pony club polo to more people still. Maybe children from families who live in cities or travel a lot during the year are not in a position to have their own ponies, why should that be the sole reason that they are unable to benefit from the pony club introduction to our sport? Just because you are not in the gifted position of owning a pony full time you should not have one of life’s greatest gifts deprived from you. The gift of having a connection with a pony (even if only for a short while) and the joy of being part of a team plus the thrill of galloping the length of a polo field, should surely be available to all?
On the other hand, as David mentioned, its “horse ownership that cements people into the sport”. Do the children who don’t own the ponies really get the same experience from hiring a pony? Isn’t part of pony club the fact that you have to look after your own pony. You have to do the mucking out. You are responsible for keeping your pony fed and hydrated. You have to be the one tacking up and bandaging before a game and washing down after. Isn’t building the bond with a pony and teaching your all rounder kids pony to get used to a stick and ball all part of learning to become a polo player?
Or like David, some hold the view that, when they were regulars at Pony Club polo, they were mainly children who had their own ponies at home and
suggested that maybe in those years there were more stay at home mums. This implies that the children were available with their mounts during the holidays and the single chukka game format of pony club was within reach of all the players. Plus the stay at home mums had more opportunity to travel the pony club polo kids, and ponies from venue to venue.
horse ownership cements people into the sport
They argued that winning isn’t everything and we should remember to “win or learn”. Quite rightly, as David said, you “just want to go out and stick and ball, do outrageously cool stuff, look at your idols, try and imitate them and develop a skill set”. “Winning can be taught” and “loosing doesn’t matter!”
Also discussed were the pony club polo sections, were David said there is “too much choice in pony club”, “this choice thing is about keeping people happy and winning”
Is this really what pony club is about? How did these different sections evolve?
We personally, don’t think it was fair to compare the U.K. pony club with youth polo in Argentina. The numbers, economics and opportunities in each nation are not directly comparable.
The pony club have made changes to the sections over the years to make the kids polo safe for all, available to those with only one pony (right up to age 21) and still with the objective of fun. An effort was made in 2008 to address the issues around Pony club and junior HPA clashing and incorporated junior HPA with pony club polo. This is constantly assessed and as such was separated again in 2014, but the two still work closely together.
Not mentioned on the pod, through the rose tinted glasses of their childhoods, was the fact that the 2020 world is not the same as the one of the 1980’s or 90’s.
The economy was different, not to mention the litigation society we now live in.
What were the health and safety issues the 1980’s PC committee had to consider and had anyone ever thought of safeguarding? Were the host clubs or the PC volunteers held responsible for upholding alcohol and drugs policies?
Anyone who has ever been lucky enough to go to a pony club final at Cowdray will have heard of the now legendary parties of old but these came to an end for some very good reasons. Drinking and drugs were rife and there were issues in the wider community. Quite rightly some changes were made.
As Jack said “no party, there’s no fun”, is this really all PC polo was? Has the fun really been ripped out of pony club? We would need to ask some of the members from 2019 to really be sure but as they eagerly await to see if there is even going to be a PC polo season this year, we would just like to thank all the volunteers and members that work tirelessly every year for the fun our kids have had experiencing polo within the Pony Club and we sincerely hope that pony club polo booms again.
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Contributors Sersh Meenaghan Clare Hamilton Ignacio Fernandez Llorente Chukka Wellness Warwick University Polo Club Alice Servaes Dan Volbert
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