Military
A Round-Up of Military Polo Action
Royal Air Force Polo Association Sponsors Day
Photograph by Corporal Nick Egan
Saturday 18 June saw RAF Polo join forces with August and Masraf London hosting a Sponsors Day at Ham Polo Club to raise funds to develop the skills of the next generation of RAF polo players. After a drinks reception and three course lunch, the polo match got underway between the RAF team, sponsored by Masraf London, and the Ham team, sponsored by August. The teams battled it out over four chukkas; it was nail-bitingly close throughout and the end-to-end action could easily have gone either way. After a great exhibition of polo to an audience that was largely new to the sport, the final score was Masraf RAF 7-6½ to August Ham. The Royal Air Force Polo Association are incredibly grateful to Ham Polo Club for being such outstanding hosts and for their continued support to RAF Polo and a huge thank you to their two main sponsors. August offer a professionally managed coownership model for holiday homes www.augustcollection.co.uk Masraf London is a management company offering commercial and financial services in Europe, Middle East, and Africa www.masraflondon.com Most RAF Polo players do not come from a polo playing background; indeed some have never sat on a horse before trying this sport! If it not for the sporting ethos the RAF upholds, many would never have dreamed of trying polo or have been able to afford it. It is events such as this that help RAF Polo to continue the journey, making polo truly inclusive; accessible to all ages, ranks and job titles. RAF Polo currently have polo playing pilots,
Masraf RAF defeated August Ham
engineers, operations managers, medics, logisticians and more, to find out more follow @RAFPoloOfficial on Twitter and Instagram. Royal Air Force Polo Association Sponsors Day Masraf Royal Air Force (3): Flight Lieutenant Georgie Harwood (0), Squadron Leader Ellie Hoogewerf (0),Wing Commander Ed Whitechurch (0) & Matt Thake (3) August Ham Polo (2): Mark Hallam (-1), Mark Sheldon (0), Lucy Dowie (1) & Manuel Perez (2)
Photography by ©www.imagesofpolo.com
Inter Regimental Polo
The United Services Cup teams, US Military & Armed Forces Polo
The Queen’s Royal Hussars have proved best at Inter Regimental Polo for the second year in succession. This year they overwhelmed The Royal Air Force 8-1½ at Guards Polo Club to win the oldest polo trophy still played for in the UK. The Hussars team delivered strong play throughout all four chukkas and some excellent team-work ensured they were 4-1½ up at half-time. Brigadier Nick Cowley, the youngest Brigadier in the British Army, was always in the right place to push the 44
Polo Times, August 2022
Hussars team forward and some great runs from Capt Henry Amor ensured the Army team were in control from the first whistle. Such four-man play resulted in Capt Jamie Fry receiving the magnificent trophy, which was first played for in 1871, from Air Commodore Tim Brown, Director of the Armed Forces Polo Association. The final score however does not do justice to the RAF team, who were making their debut in this Inter Regimental final. Officer Cadet Jonathan Perry, who was
playing his own ponies, worked tirelessly under a scorching sun to keep the Air Force team in contention and all four RAF players continued to battle until the final whistle. Sadly luck was not on their side on Sunday on The Duke’s Ground. The RAF players did not go home empty handed though as the Pringle Cup, originally donated by Major Jack Pringle of the 8th Hussars who dedicated his life to military polo after serving in the Second World War, was presented to the RAF’s Wing Commander Ed Whitechurch. www.polotimes.co.uk
