Obituary: Claire Tomlinson

Obituary Claire Tomlinson 1944 – 2022

14 February 1944 – 12 January 2022

Claire was the daughter of Ethel and Lascelles Arthur Lucas, founders of Woolmers Park Polo Club in Hertfordshire in 1949 and instrumental characters in the revival of polo in the UK after the Second World War. Claire was a talented sportswoman from an early age, riding and hunting as a child and while at Millfield school she was selected for the British Junior Fencing Team competing in France, Holland and Hungary. Later while at Oxford University Claire was shortlisted for the Olympic fencing team. Whilst at Oxford University, the polo team were short of players and Claire took part in the 1964 Varsity Match, becoming the first female player in the history of the match, although the Oxford University Polo Club (OUPC) had cautiously entered her as Mr Lucas rather than Miss Lucas. Two years later, in 1966, Claire became the first female Captain of OUPC and in her final year at university was rated 0 goals.

Claire had always wanted to visit Argentina and when she graduated her father agreed to pay half her airfare if she got a job, which Claire promptly did doing fertilizer research in Buenos Aires for a British firm. In September 1966, Claire’s brother John visited Argentina to source ponies for the following year’s high goal season, and so Claire began her first horse-hunting foray which continued throughout her life. It was during this time that Claire began to play 25 goal practices to try the horses and so her polo improved, by 1967 with her fertilizer project completed and 25 ponies gathered, Claire arranged to fly them back to England, something which had only been done a handful of times before. After an interesting flight home, with a burst tire in Las Palmas on the Canary Islands and the plane’s navigation system struck by lightning, they safely landed in Gatwick where fire engines lined the runway! In 1967 Claire was raised to two goals, alongside Lavinia Roberts, and they became the first British women to rise above 1 goal.

In 1968 Claire married Simon Tomlinson, they played the 1969 season at Cheshire Polo Club as Los Locos, adopting the red and green colours of Woolmers Park. A decade later, now based in Gloucestershire and after winning a handful of low and medium goal trophies including The County Cup at Cirencester Park Polo Club in 1972 and 1977, Los Locos moved to the high goal; however women could not play the high goal. Claire’s initial request was refused, but she persevered and collected signatures and presented the petition to the HPA Stewards who relented and in 1979 Los Locos stormed into their first high goal season winning The Queen’s Cup. Claire later became the first female player to reach 5 goals (mixed handicap) winning some of the most prestigious titles in the country including: Cowdray Park Challenge, Cheltenham Cup, Apsley Cup, Harrison Cup, Junior County Cup, Smith’s Lawn Cup, Royal Windsor Cup, Duke of Wellington, Mountbatten Cup, Archie David Cup, Kingscote Cup, Stockland Cup and County Cup.

After a decade in the high goal, Los Locos returned to the medium goal and with their children – Emma, Luke and Mark – now playing polo, Claire and Simon founded the Beaufort Polo Club in 1989. The early 1980s also saw a ground put in at Down Farm, which had been the home of the Beaufort Polo Club from 1929 – 1939, and their doors opened to the Pony Club and new members when nearby Cirencester Park Polo Club closed entry for new members due to it being full.

Claire was also one of the first ever polo coaches, coaching the English international team in Australia, Argentina and Mexico, in 1993 alongside Hugh Dawnay she set up a coaching system for the HPA and was always admired for her ability to coach novices and professionals alike.

On Wednesday 12 January, the polo community lost one of its trailblazers with the sad passing of Claire Tomlinson at the age of 77-years-old. Claire suffered from advanced dementia and died peacefully at home with her three children, Luke, Emma and Mark, at her side.