PT JanFeb2012

Volume 17 • Issue 1 • January/February 2012 • £5.50

www.polotimes.co.uk

LOUD & PROUD La Dolfina records most convincing Argentine Open win this millennium

Plus: the evolution of snow polo, and action in the arena PT p1 cover.indd 1

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PT p8-9 Contents JOS JM PJ.indd 2

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Contents

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30

Contacts Publisher Margie Brett margie@polotimes.co.uk Editor James Mullan jamesmullan@polotimes.co.uk Sub editor John O’Sullivan john@polotimes.co.uk Assistant editor Georgie May georgie@polotimes.co.uk Advertising manager Duncan Wilson duncan@polotimes.co.uk Art editor Nicki Averill nickiaverill@polotimes.co.uk Marketing & PR PJ Seccombe pj@polotimes.co.uk Subscriptions Sarah Foster sarah@polotimes.co.uk Accounts Philippa Hunt - accounts@polotimes.co.uk

Tel: 01993 886885 Fax: 01993 882660

www.polotimes.co.uk

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80

What’s inside...

Jan/Feb 2012

News

Youth polo

10 All the latest news

66 Copa Potrillos, Argentina

20 The big picture

68 Education advice and SUPA news

Comment

Knowledge

22 Backchat with Clare Milford Haven

70 Know your horse

24 Herbert Spencer’s Global view

72 Know your game

26 Arthur Douglas-Nugent’s Umpire’s corner

74 Ones to watch

28 Your views: letters, emails and tweets

78 How to spend it

Features 30 Cover story: The history of snow polo

76 Products: team shirts 80 Review: Metropolitan Hotel, China

Sidelines 82 Gossip: Don’t be the last to know

36 Interview with Goldin Group vice chairman Harvey Lee

84 Social – Buenos Aires: Argentine Open final; Rolex party; Guards party

40 Analysis of the USPA’s ambitious new five-year plan

86 Social: British Polo Day in India; La Aguada pony sale; Copa Longines, Chile; Longdole and Hickstead action

Reports 42 Cover story: Argentine Open, Palermo, Buenos Aires 50 National Club Championships, RCBPC 54 The Copa Cámara de Diputados, Buenos Aires 56 Home and abroad

88 Social: National Club Championships, RCBPC; Copa Las Hermanas, El Remanso; Sunset Polo, Uruguay 90 What’s on in February 98 Passions: Jamie Le Hardy Cover photograph: La Dolfina’s Pablo MacDonough roars with delight as his side secure a 16-10 win over Ellerstina in the Argentine Open final. Photograph by Sergio Llamera

Polo Times, January/February 2012 9

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from the Editor It feels about a decade since I penned my last editorial, with the magazine’s hardworking staff having enjoyed a few weeks off over the Christmas period thanks to the all-toobrief hiatus that the schedule’s two bi-monthly issues create.

But, since replacing the Westlife 2011 calendar on the office wall with 12 tastefully selected shots of X Factor’s Tulisa Contostavlos, a lot has happened.

Most notably, there was chaos in the build-up to the 28th St Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow, with the tournament eventually cancelled at short notice to the dismay of players and spectators alike. You can read the full story on the right of this column, but the decision has posed some serious questions about whether a contingency plan ought to have been in place and has led many to ponder just how suitable the famous frozen lake might be as the venue for the tournament in the future.

The effect of the apparently mild winter in the Alps is a moot point, both for conspiracy theorists (who don’t believe that was the real reason for the cancellation) and environmental campaigners (who resolutely do), but another group of players reflecting on a mild few months is the Ellerstina Polo Team, who – in a dramatic reversal of fortunes from last season – were soundly beaten at Palermo in December. In truth, despite an astonishing smash-and-grab at the Tortugas Open, the defending Triple Crown champions of 2010 were always well-short of the frightening pace set by La Dolfina throughout the whole series. Read our full in-depth analysis of the 118th Argentine Open final on page 42.

The pace of change at Cirencester Park Polo Club has also been rapid. Since carrying an obituary for the 8th Earl Bathurst in the last issue, the historic family-owned venue (a favourite with the royals) has been beset with dilemmas, borne out of tensions between the Earl’s widow and his heir and out of differing management perspectives within the club’s internal staff and the patrons that are instrumental in keeping it afloat. The upshot of both problems is that, after a month of widely publicised uncertainty, the club has a new (acting) chairman and a new “executive manager”, who have fortunately been able to confirm the full use of the club’s facilities in 2012, which for a while had been in some doubt.

Read more on page 12.

Here in the Polo Times office, we’ve welcomed Duncan Wilson to the playpen, who many of you will hopefully have the chance to meet and speak with as the year unfolds. He brings plenty of ideas, and we look forward to building on them between now and the next time that any of us are likely to have another break – in the autumn. Here we go again.

Very best wishes for 2012,

Tweet me: @mullanitunder Email me: jamesmullan@polotimes.co.uk 10

Polo Times, January/February 2012

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News

Snow polo in St M For the first time in its 28-year history, the St Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow has been cancelled. Organisers were forced to pull the plug on the historic snow polo event – due to take place from 26-29 January – after a lack of ice meant the lake was deemed too unsafe.

Players were first informed about the likelihood of a cancellation by Urs Schwarzenbach via email just two weeks before the tournament was due to start.

Various load-bearing-capacity tests were then carried out on the lake in the following few days before a final decision was made on Monday 16 January.

Organisers had hoped that the drop in temperatures over that weekend would have frozen the lake sufficiently.

The ice must measure at least 20cm in thickness and each square metre must be able to bear up to 350 kg for the event to get the go ahead and, although there were areas of the lake which matched the criteria, the risk of the ice collapsing was too great. As a result, the St Moritz Lake Commission decided not to grant clearance for the erection of the infrastructure on the surface of the lake.

The unprecedented move came as a massive blow to organisers, sponsors, partners and players – most of whom had spent many hours preparing for the fourday tournament.

“A huge amount of work goes into getting ready for this event,” Chris Hyde, who was due to play for Cartier, told Polo Times. “I’d spent four to five weeks getting my horses fit specifically for St Moritz. I take my best outdoor ponies so, after they

“I’m absolutely gutted.

To cancel is such a shame” – Jamie Morrison had all been worked, clipped and shod for the snow, I had to turn them all back out again. It’s a huge disappointment as it’s the highlight of the winter but at least everyone’s in the same boat.

“I know the organisers did the best they could but, given that they knew the thickness of the ice was a problem two weeks earlier, a quicker decision might have meant they could have found an alternative venue. Not holding it on the

Woodd fury at “joke” According to the official 2011 HPA regulations, “a representative team is a team that is, or purports to be, representing an official body or entity such as a club, association, city, county, country or geographical region… Any team representing a part of the United Kingdom or Ireland overseas must have the approval of the stewards.”

What action then will face the organisers and members of the “United Kingdom” team at Desert Palm’s UAE Nations Cup in Dubai last month? In case you missed it, the UK team was made up of Shane Younger, Ramiro Guinazu, Rudolfo Ducos and Jan Bladen.

“That was certainly not a side approved by the stewards,” said an angry HPA chief exec David Woodd, “and my first instinct is to ban the players involved from playing here this season.

“However, on closer inspection of our

regulations, strictly speaking we don’t specify that a team representing the whole United Kingdom is forbidden. I doubted the organisers could have been ignorant of what they were doing, as we wrote them a strongly worded letter last year, and the committee includes several Brits, but – I’m afraid – instead it seems they’ve been very clever.”

Polo Times columnist Herbert Spencer used his space in last year’s March issue to vent his fury at just how absurd the situation in polo had become, following France’s victory at last year’s St Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow – a team featuring three players with British passports. David Woodd clarified the HPA’s position in the next issue, when he told editor James Mullan that any players taking part in an unsanctioned England or Great Britain team would be suspended from all HPA competitions. www.polotimes.co.uk

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N

News

t Moritz cancelled

”

lake would have disappointed the sponsors of course but a lot of people are now out of pocket due to it being cancelled altogether. In the future, they must have a plan B.” Urs Schwarzenbach, however, did not think there was enough time: “Lake St Moritz is a venue unique in the world and it is not possible to find an adequate substitute in such a short time,” he said in a statement released by St Moritz Polo Club.

Some British players were already out in Europe ahead of St Moritz. Richard Davis, Tarquin Southwell and Jonny Good took part in the Valartis Bank Snow Polo World Cup in Kitzbühel, Austria, in mid-January. They were then due to head on to St Moritz to join Chris Hyde and together form the Cartier side. Jamie Morrison played in the Klosters Snow Polo tournament – held the week before St Moritz – and, like Hyde, had prepared his ponies for the two events.

“I’m absolutely gutted St Moritz isn’t going ahead, it’s such a shame,” Morrison told Polo Times. “But there was nothing anyone could do – there just wasn’t enough freezing time. I took a mixture of outdoor and arena ponies to Klosters and they would have gone straight onto St Moritz. Instead, the outdoor ponies will go straight back to the field and the arena ponies will stay in to play February’s Arena Gold Cup.”

◗ Read more about the tricky last couple of years for the tournament on page 32

Historical British winners in St Moritz: Paul Withers (1986) Ollie Ellis (1987) James Lucas (1990, 1992, 1993, 1995) Colin Emson (1990) Bryan Morrison (1998) Satnam Dhillon (2000, 2002) Chris Hyde (2001, 2005) Jack Kidd (2004) Simon Holley (2005) Nacho Gonzalez (2005, 2008, 2011) Jonny Good (2006, 2008) Charlie Hanbury (2007) Guy Schwarzenbach (2007, 2008) George Milford Haven (2009) Richard Le Poer (2009) Oliver Hipwood (2011) Players were forced to lay down their sticks for this year’s St Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow, the first time the event has ever been cancelled

Nations Cup that mocks HPA regs Their resolve follows the realisation that the HPA intellectual property rights to the “England Polo” brand (amongst others) were about the strongest and most significant thing that the country’s governing body owned. But it was tested in the autumn, when it emerged that Tang Polo Club’s main tournament in October – also, bizarrely, sponsored by Royal Salute, as was the UAE Nations Cup – originally had a Great Britain team scheduled to compete, as well as an Ireland team featuring Spencer McCarthy and Nacho Gonzalez. The HPA intervened and the teams were re-branded.

Polo Times is of the view the HPA should do so again, retrospectively. Apart from anything, when two Argentines are on a side supposedly representing the United Kingdom, it denies jobs in that team that could have been filled by any number of able and extremely willing true-British professionals. Some might say it amounts to theft, and there’s no doubt the tournament traded off its perception as “international www.polotimes.co.uk

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competition”. In our view it’s a deception, and time to stand up against it.

“Whether or not it is a breach of intellectual property rights,” said Woodd, “at the very least it is discourteous and disrespectful not to clear the teams with the governing bodies first. I can’t imagine Pakistan’s polo association sanctioned a side featuring England’s Clive Reid! On that basis, the FIP should intervene.

“I’ll be interested to hear Polo Times’ readers’ views. While I’m certain that I care about “England”, “Scotland”, “Wales”, “Northern Ireland” and “Great Britain” as representative team images that we must fight to protect, in polo terms is the “United Kingdom” a loophole that we should simply let go? I doubt sponsors are taken in by it. As in other sports, does “Team United Kingdom” actually mean anything, and so should we care about its misuse?” ◗ Tell him by writing to letters@polotimes.co.uk.

And find out who actually won the UAE Nations Cup tournament on page 64

Leading article The Polo Times view on this topic is clear. We firmly believe that the United Kingdom name, while admittedly not often played under in other sports, should still be drafted as part of what the HPA has jurisdiction over, or else it provides a loophole for exploitation.

That exploitation is particularly barbarous to those who care about the British game when the loophole not only allows a UK team to go unapproved, but also means we can expect to see it being made up of players from virtually anywhere. That, in our view, amounts to a laughable devaluation that simply makes a mockery of the game we love.

It’s time for the HPA (and other associations) to give absolute clarity, and then to enforce their resolutions.

Polo Times, January/February 2012

11

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News News in brief w POLO AT MARRINERS will take place again this summer at Lady Amelia Northbrook’s private polo ground in Hampshire on Sunday 27 May. Having hosted a successful inaugural event last year, organisers are planning another Best of British Under 25 match, which is likely to include a similar line-up to 2011. w THE HPA HAS introduced a 6-goal Victor Ludorum this year.

Three tournaments will form the league – The Junior County Cup at Cheshire (3-8 July), the Budgett Everett Trophy at Kirtlington (7-19 August) and the Kingscote Cup at Cirencester (10 August – 3 September). The Junior County Cup and Budgett Everett were formerly 8-goal Victor Ludorum tournaments – no additional tournaments will replace them in the 8-goal league. w PROOF THAT POLO is growing in different corners of the globe; a patron from Macau, an island joined to China by a narrow land corridor, entered a team in January’s Thai Polo Open. The team, however, failed to make it to the semi-finals. w WHILE WATCHING THE Ezra World Cup at Calcutta Polo Club, India, in December, FIP president Eduardo Huergo said he was hopeful that polo will return to the Olympics. He said in the Indian press: “The national bodies of the game across the world are making efforts to get [polo] back in the Olympics… It is essential to attract children, so we have been organising tournaments and special clinics for children across the world. The increase in its global appeal will certainly help get polo back into the Olympics.” wF OR THE THIRD consecutive year, WHDT-TV in the USA will provide televised coverage of high-goal polo from International Polo Club Palm Beach. The onehour programmes – Prime Time Polo – will run throughout the US high-goal season, finishing on 23 April with coverage from the US Open final.

12 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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Ciren hopes for new spring after winter of discontent It’s been a dramatic few months at Cirencester Park Polo Club, which had its future cast into murky waters at the end of 2011, when the club instigated a change in management personnel for its top two jobs, and disagreements arose between the executors of the Bathurst Estate following the death of the 8th Earl in October.

However, acting chairman Kuldip “Kolin” Dhillon and new polo manager Tim Keyte are now installed (in place of Richard Britten-Long and Major Nick Musgrave), and the widely publicised family tensions that looked likely to have ramifications for the access and use of the club’s main Ivy Lodge ground and clubhouse have now been resolved ahead of the 2012 season.

“The important thing to emphasise,” Dhillon told Polo Times, “is that it is business as normal at the club this year.”

Indeed, Dhillon and the board will hope that the changes mean Cirencester can rely on the support of its regular patrons, many of whom had been dissatisfied with the handling of financial difficulties faced by the club in the last few seasons.

“The important thing is that it is business as normal at the club this year” – Kuldip Dhillon However, patron James Scott-Hopkins of Irongate has decided against renewing his membership after 15 years, saying he will be watching with interest to see how the season pans out.

Following the discussions over the winter, the club appears to have acknowledged that the key to unravelling and stabilising their finances will be attracting new sponsors and enticing patrons and pros from teams based elsewhere to come and play on their 10 grounds.

“We’re expanding our polo programme this season, as well as our commercial ambitions, introducing a 24-26 goal tournament, which has been given the go-ahead by the HPA,” said Dhillon. “And, responding to the needs of the players in the area, we’re running more weekendlong tournaments, meaning there are more competitions to enter at all levels.

New polo manager Tim Keyte “It’s been a difficult

few years financially, with the depth of the economic crisis taking us all by surprise, but the trustees of the Bathurst Estate and the club are nevertheless in agreement that investments in the grounds should be high on the agenda for discussion as we look forward.”

At present, only the two Aston Down grounds are irrigated and, with all the grounds leased from the Bathursts on a year-by-year basis, attracting the kind of large-scale sponsorship that would give the club the real incentive to spend money has been a problem.

The Ivy Lodge ground is Acting chairman particularly sensitive, since it Kuldip Dhillon sits on the 3,000 acres inherited

by Henry Bathurst’s widow Gloria, the Dowager Countess of Bathurst, whose views about polo are largely at odds with those of her step-son, Allen, the heir – now the 9th Earl Bathurst – who has taken control of the remaining 10,500 acres owned by the family in Cirencester Park.

The 9th Earl is understood to be prepared to offer a longer lease.

Ironing out the club’s underlying political problems and putting the 118-year-old venue on an even keel will be the board’s priority, and Dhillon is hopeful their projections for a profit in the next financial year can be proved correct. He’ll get the chance to oversee it all for himself if, as expected, he is voted into the position of chairman full time at the club’s AGM, which takes place immediately before the start of the summer season.

In the meantime, the appointment of two new female members to the board should be viewed as a sign of progress in the club’s aims to move their management forward. As one of the country’s most historic and best-loved clubs, they can at least be certain of all the support possible from the HPA and from Polo Times. w G ive us your views on Cirencester Park. What would you want on the agenda at the club’s AGM? Tell us by writing to letters@polotimes.co.uk www.polotimes.co.uk

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News

HPA bucks the trend by posting a larger-than-expected profit DESPITE CONTINUING RECESSIONARY trends in the UK, both the income and expenditure of the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA) in 2011 appear to have exceeded budgets by up to 10 per cent or more, writes Herbert Spencer.

According to draft accounts presented to the governing HPA Council at its November meeting, once the audit is complete the association’s 2011 income is expected to be £1,236,705 against a budgeted £1,021,500, with expenditure of £1,047,200 against a budgeted £988,667.

Continuing a cautious fiscal policy, however, the HPA has projected income for 2012 at £1,079,000, with expenditure budgeted at £976,188.

Draft accounts showed the HPA’s share of profits from its International Day last summer, the last year of Cartier’s longstanding sponsorship, brought in £170,578, well above the budget estimate of £150,000. The association has yet to find a new sponsor or sponsors for this year’s

HPA balance sheets

1500000 1200000

International Day. The St Regis Test Match at Cowdray Park Polo Club returned a modest profit of £10,000 to the HPA. The Beaufort Test lost money for the third year running, although the club agreed to absorb the £33,000 loss. Costs charged by Beaufort for the game there appear to run about 10 per cent higher than those at Cowdray Park, a more prestigious venue, despite the Test Match being part of an existing setup for the Gloucestershire club’s own big three-day country weekend.

The association is committed to holding three at-home Test Matches in its deal with England team sponsors Audi UK. Despite the figures, the HPA has approved Beaufort Polo Club – the home club of England stalwarts Luke and Mark Tomlinson – to hold the eighth Beaufort Test this year, sandwiched between the St Regis Test at Cowdray and the Coronation Cup on International Day at Guards.

2011 (predicted) 2011 (actual)

£1,236,705 £1,021,500

£988,667 £1,047,200

900000 600000 300000 0

£32,833 Income

Expenditure

£189,505

Profit

The HPA’s income and expenditure was greater than predicted for 2011 and, crucially, so too was the overall profit for the year

News in brief ◗ YORKSHIRE-BASED CLUB Beverley Arena is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

Although there were no playing members in the 2010/2011 season due to weather conditions, Beverley strive to promote the sport in Yorkshire and offer polo all-year round. ◗ RUGBY POLO CLUB will host the SUPA National Arena Polo Championships this year, moving from its former location at Hand Equestrian near Bristol. More than 100 teams will be taking part in 13 different sections from 9-12 February. An English Universities team will be chosen from players taking part in the tournament.

They will be play in the Tri-Nations tournament in Dublin in March. ◗ JOHN GOODMAN’S CRIMINAL trial will begin on 6 March. The IPCPB founder has been charged with manslaughter in connection with a car crash that killed another driver in 2010. However, the location of the trial is currently up in the air after Goodman’s lawyers asked a judge to move his trial to Miami, on the basis that bad press has poisoned the minds of local jurors. ◗ A MUSIC FESTIVAL featuring Radiohead and Snoop Dogg will be held at Empire Polo Club in the US from 13-15 April.

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Polo Times, January/February 2012 13

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News

Aiming high < ARLOS GRACIDA: the < Cformer Mexican 10-goaler will be inducted into the American Polo Hall of Fame in February, 15 years after his brother Memo was honoured OLI HIPWOOD: the Berkshire< based player has seen his arena handicap move up from six goals to seven goals in the latest handicap changes – see page 91 for the full list of changes, and page 50 to read about his heroics BIDDLE: the 42-year< ToldOMMY American has become the fourth player in the history of arena polo (which in the US stretches back to the 1940s) to achieve a 10-goal handicap ENTRIES: the 20< UgoalS TEAM season at IPCPB, Florida, received 16 team entries this year – a record number of entries for that level

Swinging low ARRY STOUT: the = BAspen World Snow Polo Championships organiser received some bad press following December’s event after it was discovered a vet was not present and a severely injured pony had to travel 15 minutes away to be put down RENA FIVE-GOALERS: = ADean Lines and Giles Ormerod saw their arena handicaps move down from five goals to four in the latest handicap changes. See page 91 ANIPURI PONIES: the = MIndian polo ponies are on the decline due to loss of habitat, inadequate breeding and veterinarian facilities in Manipur, India. In 2007 there were 1,100 ponies in the hill regions and now only 500 remain AT INCREASE: the = VHMRC are making various livery services subject to VAT. Professional yards, including polo, could soon face 20 per cent VAT

14 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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“Home-grown player” finally defined ahead of new rule in 2012 Victor Ludorum The Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA) has finally agreed the definition of a Home Grown Player (HGP), but has yet to decide how this new category of player will affect tournaments at all the handicap levels, writes Herbert Spencer.

The HGP qualification gives preference to a player of any nationality or age who has spent his or her formative years of polo training in England, as opposed to players coming from abroad.

The HGP category helps to address the effect of European Union (EU) law that has allowed foreign players who have obtained EU passports to compete freely for places on teams playing in UK tournaments. There are currently 128 non-Europeans, mainly Argentines, who have EU passports and are registered to play in the UK. This year the new “Home Grown Player Rule” will only affect tournaments in the HPA’s Victor Ludorum championships. At the Victor Ludorum 8-goal level, no player of a one-goal handicap or below may compete other than a HGP or a team patron. In the Victor Ludorum 12, 15 and 18-goal tournaments, no player of two goals or below is allowed except HGPs and patrons.

Application of the HGP rule to 22-goal tournaments and above, however, has been put

off until 2013 while the HPA continues to seek a consensus among patrons of high-goal teams as to what player restrictions might apply.

The final definition of a HGP, approved by the HPA’s governing Council last November, describes: “a player who, irrespective of his nationality or current age, was an Associate or Junior Associate Member of the HPA for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons during his ‘Development Period’.

‘Development Period’ means a player’s first five years playing polo.

This will generally be taken to start with the season in which a player is awarded his first handicap as a polo player, either by the HPA or by an equivalent overseas polo authority, and to include the four seasons immediately following.

“For the avoidance of doubt, a player who first registers with the HPA will usually be an ‘S’ or -2, and a player with a handicap of 0 or higher from an equivalent overseas polo authority will generally be considered to have already completed at least three years of his five year ‘Development Period’ and will therefore be precluded from qualifying as a Home Grown Player.”

A HGP is one that was a member of the HPA for three entire seasons of his first five years playing polo

New polo manager joins Beaufort BEAUFORT POLO CLUB has appointed Andrew Brown (pictured) as their new polo manager. He will replace Ollie Hughes, who has now started his new role at the HPA as deputy chief executive.

Brown, who starts at Beaufort on 6 February, was formerly the polo and

general manager at Antwerp Polo Club for two seasons but had been keen to re-locate to England. He has prior UK polo experience having worked at Ascot Park and RCBPC. “I am delighted to be joining the Beaufort Polo Club at such an exciting time and in an Olympic year,” Brown said in a statement released by the club. “Beaufort is a club steeped in heritage and talent and I look forward to the challenges of presenting top-class polo in 2012 and beyond.”

His first task will be to try and secure a sponsor for the eighth Beaufort Test Match in June (see previous page). The club has been without a headline supporter since Williams de Broë in 2008. www.polotimes.co.uk

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News

Grace, honour and pride The first ever award for services to polo appeared in this year’s New Year’s Honours List, when it was announced that Ascot Park chairman Peter Grace is to receive the OBE writes Caroline Stern.

“It is a very great honour for services to a sport to which I have dedicated the better part of my life,” said Grace, who is also a life playing member at Guards.

The New Zealander has taught polo in the UK since 1973 and pioneered introducing corporate clients, university students and the wider public, even non-riders, to the sport.

“I derive the most satisfaction from setting up Ascot Park 23 years ago, a club which has taught more people to play polo than anywhere else worldwide.”

“The fact that this is the first such award to anyone in polo is in itself an honour - to my whole family, for making our club the most welcoming in the UK.” Peter (pictured) will receive the OBE at Buckingham Palace on the memorable date of Wednesday 29 February. w Did Peter teach you to play? Write to letters@polotimes.co.uk

New teams on the horizon for 2012 Argentine high-goal season Polo Times understands there will be a new high-goal team on the scene in Argentina this autumn. La Natividad, comprising Bartolomé “Lolo” Castagnola, Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade, Pablo Pieres and Ignacio “Nachi” Heguy will contest the 2012 Triple Crown as a 34-goal team.

La Aguada will also be fielding a second team this year – aptly named La Aguada II – led by Eduardo Novillo Astrada.

Filling Eduardo’s place in La Aguada I will be Guillermo “Sapo” Caset.

Substantial changes

have been made to Alegria and Estancia Grande.

Alegria look to be fielding a stronger side this year, featuring Fred Mannix, Lucas Monteverde, Pite Merlos and Agustin Merlos – amounting to 34-goals. Hilario Ulloa, Francisco Bensadon, Sebastian Merlos and Francisco de Narvaez will form Estancia Grande.

Ten-goaler Mariano Aguerre, who played for Alegria in 2011, will move to Ellerstina this year, joining the three Pieres brothers (replacing Nachi Heguy). La Dolfina’s line-up remains the same. However, since David “Pelon” Stirling’s rise to 10-goals, the team will play as a 40goal side this season.

Eduardo Novillo Astrada, left, is forming a second La Aguada team for the 2012 Triple Crown

Hong Kong launches new federation HPA Steward and FIP Ambassador Roderick Vere Nicoll was on hand to help launch the Hong Kong Polo Development and Promotion Federation (HKPDPF) at the end of November. It is the first member association in China to be recognised by the Federation of International Polo (FIP).

The federation has been launched to “facilitate, promote and regulate the playing of polo in Hong www.polotimes.co.uk

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Kong and its near region, and is supported by Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club.”

Pan Sutong, who founded Goldin Metropolitan, is the president of the new federation, which has co-organised the FIP Snow Polo World Cup on Snow (see pages 16-17 for a preview). Various Goldin Metropolitan staff are on the HKPDPF board, including Harvey Lee and Rowland Wong.

Polo Times, January/February 2012 15

20/1/12 16:19:27

News

England set for busy The next two months promise to be an exciting time for international polo with England sides flying the flag in China and Chile, as well as taking part in two hotly anticipated arena Test Matches on home soil.

The first week of February sees the start of the inaugural FIP Snow Polo World Cup in

London’s O2 Arena, which is back for a second year on Wednesday 21 March.

The international action continues in Chile in late March, where a 20-goal England team will play two Test Matches.

The HPA have confirmed that Chris Hyde will captain England in both the Snow Polo

Chris Hyde will captain England in both the FIP Snow Polo World Cup and the Hickstead International Test Match Photographs by Tony Ramirez and James Mullan

China, where England will do battle with 11 other national sides.

Then, the HPA-sanctioned International Arena Test Match at AEPC Hickstead – absent from the polo calendar last year – makes a welcome return on Saturday March 3, three weeks before the Gaucho International at Chris Hyde will captain England at Hickstead in March. The last time a Test Match was held there in 2010 he played against England for Scotland

World Cup and the Hickstead International Test. In China, at the Metropolitan Polo Club in Tianjin, Hyde (6) will be joined by Max Charlton (5) and Jamie Le Hardy (5).

England start their campaign on the opening day (Thursday 2 February) with a match against South Africa – Tom de Bruin (6), Jean du Plessis (6) and Leroux Hendricks (4). They then take on a Hong Kong representative side, which features English four-goaler John Fisher, on Saturday February 4 before their final league

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www.polotimes.co.uk

20/1/12 15:13:17

News

period of international action match against the USA – Memo Gracida (7), John Gobin (5) and Matt Ladin (4) – on Monday 6 February. The quarter-finals start two days later and the final is on Sunday 12 February.

In the Hickstead Test for the Bryan Morrison Trophy, arena nine-goaler Hyde will once again be joined by Max Charlton (6) for a showdown with a strong 21-goal side from the US. The third member of the England team has yet to be confirmed by chairman of the arena committee Michael Amoore.

The US team is likely to offer stiff opposition to the English trio and will be captained by Tommy Biddle, who recently became only the fourth player in arena polo history to be awarded a 10-goal

www.polotimes.co.uk

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handicap. John Gobin and Brad Blake make up the rest of the team.

The last time the two sides met in the arena was in California last March when the US won 15-9 in the John R Townsend Cup. England did come out on top the last time Hickstead hosted a Test Match, though, beating Scotland 14-13 back in 2010. Interestingly, on that occasion Chris Hyde played against England, for Scotland.

The second edition of the Gaucho International will once again be headlined by a clash between England and Argentina, while Scotland (who beat South Africa last year) will take on Ireland.

Both games will be played at 17-goal level (three goals lower than last year) and, as of yet, the only confirmed player

is Nacho Figueras, who will captain Argentina.

He will be looking for revenge following last year’s 17-16 defeat against England, who are unlikely to be led by Chris Hyde this year. The full list of teams is expected to be confirmed in early February.

Back out in the field, Chile host England for two Test Matches on Saturday 24 March and Sunday 25 March. Six-goaler Mark Tomlinson, pictured left, will captain the side, which also includes Malcolm Borwick (6), Ollie Cudmore (4) and Charlie Hanbury (4).

The 20-goal Chile team is yet to be confirmed, but Polo Times understands that six-goaler Martín Zegers and the five-goal brothers, Matias and Alejandro Pérez Vial, are likely to be involved.

The HPA have also confirmed that the same England quartet will play in a 22-goal tournament in Argentina in early April. ◗ For the latest news on all of these matches, see www.polotimes.co.uk

Polo Times, January/February 2012 17

20/1/12 15:13:26

News

Latest from the HPA HPA chief executive David Woodd rounds up the news from UK polo’s headquarters

Appointments for 2012 Standing Committees Chairmen of the 2012 Standing Committees are: Chairman’s Committee – NJA Colquhoun-Denvers Vice Chairman – Brig JA Wright CBE Handicap Committee – R Vere Nicoll Development Committee – S Tomlinson Umpire and Rules Committee – The Lord Phillimore International Committee – JM Tinsley Finance and Grants Committee – J Haigh MBE Disciplinary Committee – Brig JA Wright CBE Polo Welfare Committee – D Morley Arena Polo Committee – MBJ Amoore

Victor Ludorum This year sees a new Victor Ludorum 6-goal league with tournaments at Cheshire (3-8 July); Kirtlington Park (7-19 July); and Ciren Park (10 Aug to 8 Sept).

Arena International The 2012 Arena International will take place on Saturday 3 March at The All England Polo Club Hickstead between England and the USA.

Gaucho 02 Arena Gaucho is again sponsoring an event at the O2 on Wednesday 21 March with two matches: Scotland v Ireland and England v Argentina

Nominated Stewards Cirencester – Kuldip Dhillon and Jonathan Seddon-Brown; Cowdray Park – David Jamison and Charlie McCowan; RCBPC – Michael Amoore; Guards – Jock Green-Armytage and Joachim Gottschalk; CSPA – Richard Mason

Photograph by Peter Hamblin

Membership subscriptions and fees The subscriptions and fees for 2012 are to remain the same as in 2011, as follows: Full Associate Membership: £115 (UK resident), £205 (Overseas resident); Temporary Associate: £60 (UK), £95 (OR); Junior Associate Membership £45 (UK), £75 (OR); Non Playing Associate (Chukka) Membership £90 (UK), £120 (OR)

18 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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Development South Africa The following youngsters have been selected to attend a one week training clinic in South Africa with Buster McKenzie in February: Ralph Richardson, Tommy Beresford, Hugo Lewis, Tim Pearce-May, Jack Severn and George Pearson.

Argentina The following children are taking part in the HPA exchange visit to Argentina in February: Joshua Cork, Harry Parker, Edward Banner-Eve, Charlie Pidgley, David Gibbons, Tom DaltonMorgan, Oliver Cork, James McCarthy, Tom Severn, John Dalton-Morgan and Hugo Taylor.

Horse Passports

Handicap Committee (Date due to retire in brackets) R Vere Nicoll (chairman); R Graham; AME Barlow (2012); AJ Kent (2013); OJ Ellis (2012); O Tuthill (2013); The Hon T Phillimore (2012); W Hine (2014); J Beim (2013); D Allen (2014)

Charlie Hanbury (4) and Ollie Cudmore (4). It is hoped that the same team will play in a 22-goal International tournament in Argentina in early April.

England – Chris Hyde, Tim Bown and Max Charlton – won the inaugural Gaucho International at the O2

Overseas Matches China Chris Hyde will lead a 16-goal team at the FIP Snow Polo World Cup at the Metropolitan Polo Club on Tuesday 31 January to Sunday 12 February. He is joined by Jamie Le Hardy and Max Charlton. Alan Kent is coach and reserve.

Chile The HPA have been invited to send a 20-goal England team to play two international matches in Chile on the 24 and 25 March.

The following have been invited to play: Mark Tomlinson (6, captain), Malcolm Borwick (6),

Please remember that under EU legislation all equines must hold a DEFRA (Department for Food Environment and Rural Affairs) approved passport.

If your ponies hold passports issued by DEFRA approved Passport Issuing Organisations (eg Weatherby’s or Pet ID Equine) they can be “overstamped” by the HPA so that they are entitled to the HPA’s third party insurance cover.

If you have recently bred, purchased or imported a pony that requires identifying and registering for the first time, please apply for a passport application form and booklet from the HPA office.

The charges for HPA passport endorsement are as follows: Standard Charge (First Class Royal Mail): £15.00 (excluding VAT); Three day turn around (registered delivery): £25.00 (excluding VAT); Overstamp of passport issued by DEFRA approved PIO: £5.00 (including VAT)

www.polotimes.co.uk

20/1/12 14:33:13

Obituary

Mervyn Barnes 1937–2011 Photograph from the Michael Chevis polo archive

Mervyn Barnes, left, with Ronnie Driver, Terry Hanlon and John Kidd in 1978. Playing as San Flamingo they a won a tournament on Cowdray Park’s old Lawns ground

R

enowned groom, pony breaker and trainer Mervyn Barnes, who died on Thursday 15 December last year aged 74, was born into the horse world. His father broke horses for the Indian Army for 12 years between the wars and was later working for Lord Leconfield (Earl of Egremont) when Mervyn was born in 1937 in Petworth House in Sussex where his mother was the housekeeper.

When a teenager, Mervyn was sent by his father to help out Captain Frisby, who ran a dealers yard in Petworth, which dealt mostly in Welsh Mountain ponies. Mervyn’s job was to ride and hunt the ponies and to bring them to local shows, where Captain Frisby sold them.

At the age of 15 he went into hunt service as second whip before going into the army for the King’s Troop, spending each winter in Melton Mowbray breaking horses.

He went on to serve with the Hampshire Hunt for three years and, after a bad fall sidelined him for three months, he started breaking horses for various people on his return to fitness.

It was at this stage of his life that he stumbled into the polo world. Mervyn was approached by Commander Robert de Pass www.polotimes.co.uk

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who asked him to break three promising horses for polo. When Mervyn told the Commander that he knew nothing about polo, the Commander responded: “They don’t either, so you’ll get on well together.” He ended up working for Commander de Pass for 12 years.

One of those three ponies, Tarquin, would go on to become a truly legendary polo pony, playing in every international in England before going over to Argentina where he became the only English horse to win the heavyweight championship there. In 1966 Mervyn travelled to Argentina with the British polo team, a

Mervyn worked for Ronnie Driver – one of the big Cowdray patrons of the day squad comprising Sinclair Hill, Paul Withers, Patrick Kemble, Lord Beresford, Ronnie Ferguson and chef d’equipe Hanut Singh to look after Commander de Pass’s ponies.

In the early 1970s Commander de Pass had a bad fall and gave up playing so Mervyn went to work for one of his good friends Ronnie Driver, who – alongside Lord Cowdray, Archie David, Lord Brecknock and Eric Moller – was

one of the big patrons of the day. During his 12-year tenure with Ronnie Driver he started travelling to Argentina every November to buy ponies from polo greats Eduardo Moore and Hector Barrantes.

He led a jet-setting lifestyle during the summer, travelling between France and England to look after Ronnie Driver’s ponies.

At Cowdray theses ponies were played by some of the game’s top players such as the Hipwoods, the Scherers, Roy Barry, Dickie Santa Marina and Ricardo Diaz.

On occasion Mervyn was also drafted in to play polo himself and had fond memories of playing several eight-goal tournaments on the US east coast with Johnnie Kidd, Alan Kent and Reddy Watt.

Ronnie Driver had introduced Mervyn to Sir Charles “Cow” Williams, who he would eventually work for in Barbados.

After a three year stint with Howard Taylor in Cheshire, Mervyn returned to work for Cow and remained for the greater part of his life in Barbados, coming home to England for a month in the summer.

In his final years diabetes and failing eyesight curtailed Mervyn’s work and lifestyle. He leaves behind Bobby, his wife of 48 years. F Polo Times, January/February 2012 19

20/1/12 14:33:20

the

Big

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picture

23/1/12 09:48:51

Condemned by Lucifer:

The fall of man

Scottish-born photographer Joe McInally captured this sequence of photographs at the Schwarzenbach’s Garangula property, near Canberra, in October last year. It shows Jock MacKay, riding Lucifer, falling during a 15-goal tournament, as six-goaler Juan Losada narrowly evades trampling on him.

Jock fell on the same horse at Ellerston two weeks earlier, breaking his nose. He wore a facemask at Garangula, having had his nose operated on in the week before this fall, but it broke again. However, otherwise, both he and the horse were unharmed and played the rest of the tournament.

McInally has been photographing polo since 2000, after enthusiastic feedback of his photographs at a tournament in Kooralbyn whilst on a long-weekend break in Queensland.

He won several commissions from his chance encounter, including tournaments at Ellerston (where he came across the camera-shy Kerry Packer on a number of memorable occasions), and his reputation grew.

Despite the vast distances now required to cover Australia’s many tournaments, McInally loves shooting the game, and has done so through a string of problems faced by the country in recent years: equine flu, the economic crisis and devastating flooding. He has also photographed in New Zealand and at the 2004 World Cup in France. ◗ McInally’s dream is to take high-goal pictures in Argentina and England.

Contact him via joemac@bigpond.com

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23/1/12 09:49:22

Comment

Backchat with Clare Milford Haven

My big hope for 2012? The Open live on UK telly, for those not at Palermo

I

t is Sod’s Law that the one year I don’t travel to Argentina, there is no rain and the final is played, not a day late, but a day early.

I tried in vain to follow it live.

In my naivety I believed that surely there would be coverage of such an important sporting event on ESPN or perhaps PoloLine?

But I hit a brick wall.

I was told that the only way I could watch the game live outside Argentina was to catch a flight to the States and view it on ESPN3.

That option seemed a little excessive. In desperation I went on to Facebook and found other like-minded souls trying to do the same. Martin Brown helpfully suggested a link where we were able to get an updated score every few minutes, but it is fair to say that this solitary armchair experience lacked that adrenalin rush one gets while sitting on the edge of one’s seat in the packed stands at Palermo. Sitting at home on a dark winter’s evening in front of the fire clicking on to a link is not quite the same.

Isn’t it about time that ESPN showed it live in the UK? Eurosport’s “highlights show” is, by all accounts, a disappointing substitute and most viewers tell me they watch it with the mute button on as the commentary is less than inspiring.

Photograph by Tony Ramirez

Winds of change Could it be that some of the young pros are beginning to feel disillusioned with relying on polo as their only source of income? There are mutterings of an awakening of sorts where the dream of earning a decent living as a pro no longer fits the bill, let alone pays the bills.

The opportunities for young, 22 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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Nothing can match the adrenalin rush of watching the Argentine Open, which puts all the world’s best players on show, all at once

up-and-coming English pros to venture south to Argentina, South Africa and the Antipodes in anticipation of being lent horses – let alone decent ones – to hone their skills during the winter months are becoming less

spent ‘working’ in the southern hemisphere has become no more than an extremely expensive holiday. A few of the young people I have spoken to talk of either gaining further qualifications or of having to

Sitting in a solitary armchair clicking a website link lacked the adrenalin rush one gets sitting on the edge of one’s seat at Palermo and less. Coupled with the fact that the cost of living in these places, previously an economically viable proposition, has risen in line with worldwide inflation, the reality is that a couple of months

consider taking another job on the side. I don’t see this as a negative, but rather as an insurance policy. I also don’t think this is to say that the good times are over forever.

But as in every profession at the

moment, there is the inevitable problem of supply and demand.

The enviable quality of life enjoyed for years by many more mature players is much harder to come by these days. Those seasoned pros, aware that their playing days are numbered, are able to slowly slide into managerial, coaching and teaching roles with their wealth of experience and expertise. They are the mentors of future talent and the young players could do a lot worse than seek their advice when times are hard. F w Read more “Backchat” from Clare at www.polotimes.co.uk www.polotimes.co.uk

18/1/12 15:28:24

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18/1/12 14:02:41

Comment

Global view with Herbert Spencer

Polo could find itself in a fix if it keeps living up to its Persian roots

W

hen I conducted an etymological search for an exotic polo title for my first book about the sport in 1970, I settled on chakkar, the Hindi word from which we derive “chukka” or, as the Americans say, “chukker”.

What I also found in my research was that the pejorative word “chicanery” comes, by an ancient circuitous route, from the Persian for polo stick, chaugan.

I was led to believe then, however, that there was no chicanery in modern polo because it is a “gentleman’s game”, allegedly free of skullduggery, trickery or deception by its players, just good old-fashioned sporting competition. As Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympics, said: “The most important thing … is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.”

The great American sportswriter Grantland Rice once penned a poem to emphasise this:

Photograph by James Mullan

“For when the One Great Scorer comes, To write against your name, He marks – not that you won or lost, But how you played the game.”

Such idealistic ideas seem out of place in much of sport today. Gone are the days of great amateur sportsmen who relished competition, win or lose. By the 1970s and 80s, the Communistbloc countries’ state-supported “amateur” athletes (professionals in all but name) were dominating medal tables in the Olympics.

So in 1986 the International Olympic Committee dropped its prohibition against professionals, 24 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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Former 10-goaler Gonzalo “Gonzo” Pieres has spoken out against the culture of “pre-arranging” results in the UK and the US

no longer making a distinction between amateurs and pros so all could compete on equal terms.

With increasing professionalism in sport has come big money from sponsorship, endorsements, TV rights – millions of pounds and dollars in fees to individual athletes. Where there is big money there are temptations for all manner of chicanery to win competitions, not to mention

abuse to bribery at the highest levels. Polo has escaped such major scandals, but the sport cannot be said to be squeaky clean.

Former Argentine 10-goaler Gonzalo Pieres, father of current 10-goalers Gonzalito and Facundo, has recently attacked the practice of teams “pre-arranging” the outcome of matches in important high-goal tournaments in the UK and the US.

When a respected veteran like “Gonzo” Pieres speaks out, those who run the sport really need to start listening bribery and corruption in the governance of some sports.

Sport in the 21st century, including cricket, rugby, football and Baron de Coubertin’s beloved Olympic games, has been wracked by scandal. Headline-grabbing misdemeanours have involved just about everything from performance-enhancing drugtaking to match-fixing, from racial

When a respected veteran like “Gonzo” Pieres speaks out, those who run the sport should listen.

He describes how a player of one team will ring up a player of another before a match: “I don’t need to win, so you can beat me by one goal.” Sometimes a third team is affected by this, which is an act of very bad faith.

He admitted that such

shenanigans are hard to prove, but was adamant that this is happening and at the highest level of competition. The fact that a team may be willing to lose a match because they want to conserve their energies and their ponies is neither here nor there.

Gonzo refrained from using the phrase “match-fixing”, but I can see no difference between that and “pre-arranged matches”.

If the outcome of a game is surreptitiously decided in advance, by anyone and for whatever reason, it’s been fixed, which is a shameful reflection on the sport.

Polo has been crying out for more recognition by the mainstream media as a serious sport, on TV and on the sports pages. But be warned: if this ever comes about, it would not take canny sports writers long to winkle out such chicanery as match fixing in big events. F w Read more from Herbert at www.polotimes.co.uk www.polotimes.co.uk

18/1/12 15:29:16

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18/1/12 14:10:58

Comment

Umpire’s corner with Arthur Douglas-Nugent

Our New Year’s resolution is to be tougher on players who still appeal

W

hich is the most abused rule in polo? Easy – thou shalt not appeal.

At the start of every year we make the resolution that we, that is the authorities, will clamp down on appealing and what happens – absolutely nothing.

The rule is crystal clear: “No player may appeal in any manner for a foul”. Yet they do – verbally, by gesture (watch Cambiaso) and with the stick.

Of course, were the umpires to blow the whistle every time a player raises his stick the game would never get going and this is recognised in the notes to officials in which it is stated that “umpires must use a certain amount of discretion”. Nonetheless, we must be tougher on appealing in this coming season.

Allied to this is the management of the players by the umpires. Last year we removed the right of the captain to ask for an explanation

the side penalised and a very brief description of the foul, for example: “Penalty four against red for crossing”. That should be it.

Lessons from football I promised to give football a break until the New Year and I was good to my word. But alas we are now in 2012, so here I go again.

Recently Tottenham Hotspur’s players were given a talk from senior referee Phil Dowd, whose main point seems to have been how hard it is for referees to keep up with play owing to the increased speed at which the game is played.

On occasion they will run up to eight miles during a match.

Even if they have kept up with the game and are not too out of breath to blow the whistle, all their good work can be undone in an instant by one bad decision.

The chance of making this mistake is, however, much increased if the referee is not up with the play. And the same, of course, is

Photograph by AFP/Getty Images

The rule is crystal clear: “No player may appeal in any manner for a foul”. Yet they do of the foul awarded and perhaps rather surprisingly this caused hardly a ripple.

As a quid pro quo the umpires are encouraged to state clearly, after having blown the whistle, the penalty awarded,

true of polo. Unless an umpire is correctly positioned throughout he will inevitably make mistakes.

We have been privileged to have a talk from a leading sports official for the last four years at the Chief Umpires meeting and intend to

Polo can learn from football referees such as Phil Dowd, pictured here with John Terry

continue that again at Sunningdale on Wednesday 18 April.

Changing the rules It is now confirmed that there will be just one significant rule change this year – namely that for the Penalty 5a (a hit from the spot) and 5b (a hit from the centre) the nearest umpire will place the ball, making sure there is a good lie.

The striker may not replace the ball, but must play it as it lies.

There are no changes to the rules on hooking, but they often seem to be misunderstood, so I will clarify.

The first important rule is that the player being hooked must be “in the act of striking the ball” and the player hooking (one tries to avoid calling him or her “the hooker”!) must be on the same side or directly behind.

Should the player being hooked delay making his stroke, then his opponent is entitled to take a shot at the ball, often in this case with a nearside backhander – yes, this is legitimate in polo.

Rather surprisingly, even if the player is being ridden off, an opponent may hook his stick. But if the opponent makes contact with his pony he is likely to foul under the “sandwich” rule.

Finally, for a legitimate hook all of the stick of the player hooking must be below the shoulder, which in practice includes part of his arm. In Argentina it is only the head of the stick that must be below the shoulder – this is one of the few areas in which our playing rules now differ from theirs. F ◗ Read more from Arthur at www.polotimes.co.uk

Foul for thought…

This month’s puzzle A player goes to change his pony when the ball has gone out over the boards and a throw-in is about to take place.

What are the rules governing his re-entry into the game?

26 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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Last month’s solution The umpires decide: “No foul”. Where should the throw-in be taken from?

“From the spot where the ball was when the whistle was blown, the throw to be towards the nearest boards or sideline”, as defined in Rule 27b. There is, however, one rather arcane exception. If a goal is scored on a foul and the referee is unsighted so that he cannot make an informed judgement, then the throw-in is taken from the spot where the “foul” occurred, Rule 20c (i). www.polotimes.co.uk

19/1/12 11:39:47

E L

R E M A N S O

El Remanso sits gracefully in the heart of 1000 acres of farmland, harnessing the highest standards from 21st Century craftsmanship yet remaining sympathetic to traditional Argentine architecture, culture, art and sport.

With a number of coaches available, El Remanso is the ideal place to learn polo or perfect your game. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stick and balling, chukkas or a mini tournament El Remanso can meet all your polo requirements The club boasts Argentine and English coaches who will tailor lessons to suit your your ability and aims, making El Remanso the perfect destination for individuals or groups with mixed abilities, ages and interests.

As well as playing there is also the opportunity to see some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best players in action with trips to the Argentine or Hurlingham Open during the months of November and December.

El Remanso (7241), Salvador Maria, Lobos, Prov. De Buenos Aires, Argentina For more information and rates please contact Euan on: Argentina (October to March): 0054 2227 494 552 England (April to September): 0044 7894 521 503

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20/1/12 13:45:36

Comment

Your views

Letters Write to the editor in the following ways: ◗ letters@polotimes.co.uk ◗ Tweet: @PoloTimes or

@mullanitunder ◗ The Editor, Polo Times,

Holbrook Farm, North Leigh, Oxon OX29 6PX

Special edition would be “invaluable” Sir, I happened across a large pile of old, old Polo Times.

Reading through them, it struck me as sad that so many of the excellent horse training and advice features probably just get thrown away once read.

There is a lot of interesting and useful information and I wonder if you and your subscribers wouldn’t benefit from the creation of some special edition issues that compile just the personal training, horse training, horse feeding and vetting pieces?

It would be an invaluable resource always at easy reach when required… Just an idea.

Atilio Degrossi, Argentina

Letter of the month

Nero is a dream player Sir, in December, the Argentine equivalent to the British Sport’s Personality of the Year Award went to Juan Martin Nero for his outstanding performance during the Triple Crown playing for La Dolfina alongside Adolfo Cambiaso, Pablo MacDonough and David Sterling. In April he had also won the US Open with Lechuza Caracas (a year after the tragic loss of 21 of their best ponies).

Juan Martin’s recognition is even more important, bearing in mind that he plays at the back - he’s technically a defender.

He doesn’t tap the ball unnecessarily, instead he carefully chooses his passes, or runs with the ball when he considers it the best possible play for his team.

He hits long backhanders, very seldom commits fouls and when he does, he doesn’t argue (much!). He always seems to be in control of his emotions and of his patch on the field: he’s impossible to pass, even the most talented players like Facundo and Nico Pieres couldn’t avoid his strong, but fair, ride-offs during the Open Final.

In an interview after the final, Adolfo Cambiaso commented that the main reason for his team’s 16-10 success had been Nero’s performance. “Juan Ma played at an incredible level and we just had to support him. I was named MVP but I would like to give it to him. Today he was man of the match”.

With Nero in the team, Cambiaso himself has changed the way he plays. He doesn’t need to run with the ball from one end to the other of the pitch to score goals. Having teammates like Juan Martin allows him to relax slightly and play fast team polo with long passes and backhanders.

It would seem that the new no-turning rule implemented during the previous season has succeeded in making the game more open and more enjoyable to watch and play.

Nero’s style of play thrives in open polo and his performance should be an example to all, in particular young players and those new to the game. They now have someone different to look up to: a quiet and polite player, tough but fair who makes simple and effective plays that win games.

Today’s La Dolfina is a dream team and in Juan Martin Nero, they have a dream player.

Tobias Pejkovic, Lacey Green Polo Club Editor’s note: here in the Polo Times office, we’ve dubbed him Juan Martin “Hero”, ever since his heroics in winning the 2010 Argentine Open final, that time with Ellerstina The writer of the Letter of the month wins a bottle of La Chamiza Argentine red wine

New Hong Kong federation is good for polo in the region Sir, the formation of the Hong Kong Polo Development and Promotion Federation (see page 15) is certainly an interesting development, but one that should not “alarm” the polo fraternity.

If you consider, as an example, the recent “expansion” of Formula One under the leadership of Bernie Ecclestone in re-emerging markets – particularly in Asia and the Middle East – the creation of this federation is part of the game’s “organic growth”. Players with personal endorsements, Snow Polo, Beach Polo, “Polo in the Park” and “Polo in the City” are all 28 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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recent updates to the game and, although not necessarily accepted by polo purists, these derivatives attract a wider audience and greater sponsor awareness.

I do not foresee any one party monopolising the game in China, or this region, as most clubs are private facilities with their own patrons and sponsors etc.

Most prominent on the world scene are arguably the two major clubs (and patrons) in Thailand – Thai Polo & Equestrian Club (Harald Link) and Siam Polo Park (Vichai Raksriaksorn).

Goldin Properties would certainly be

entitled to full control of new clubs in their portfolio should they build new polo properties, but this should not be perceived as a threat, but notable growth of the sport!

Given global warming, the cancellation of St Moritz may become a regular occurrence, which would also present a unique opportunity to grow their snow polo event.

Finally, the fact that a team from Macau is at the 2012 Thai Polo Open indicates the interest in the game in this part of the world.

Torrey Dorsey, Hong Kong www.polotimes.co.uk

20/1/12 12:52:01

Your views

Tweets worth re-tweeting

We follow them on Twitter, to save you bothering: @Nico Pieres (Nico Pieres): Jugamos con mariano aguerre.

Y con nachi heguy hablamos y no juega mas en ellerstina pero quedo todo bien.

(Roughly translated): Playing with Mariano Aguerre. And spoken to Nachi Heguy, who won’t play anymore in Ellerstina, but it’s all good

@glenagilmore (Glen Gilmore): Damn it was difficult getting our Chinese visa for the snow polo today!

RT @ACambiasoOK – hey boss, Adolfito! Totes amazeballs goal we scored there! #VamosLaDolfina! #ArgentineOpen #PoloTimes #PrincesOfPalermo!

I know, major LOLs! It’s so difficult to express a chukka like that in just 140 characters!

Comment

WTF?!

Should I be following you guys?

@mullanitunder (James Mullan): “I wish people would come down off their high horse”, said a friend, victimised after going backrupt selling polo sticks that were too short

@facundopieres (Facundo Pieres): Gracias a todos!! Una lastima que no pudimos jugar bien y ganar la final, ojala tengamos revancha el año que viene.gracias, #movistarpolo (Roughly translated): Thanks to all! A shame we could not play well and win the final, hopefully we will in the rematch this year)

@AgustinCassini (Agustin Cassini): Cambiaso es el Messi del Polo. Pero Pablo MacDonough es Iniesta y Pelon Stirling es Xavi. (Roughly translated): Cambiaso is the Messi of polo. But Pablo MacDonough is the Iniesta and Pelon Stirling is the Xavi.

@stewartonpolo (Stewarton Polo): For those contemplating their waistlines after the Christmas festivities, polo burns off 500 calories per hour. #polo #diet

@PoloTimes (Polo Times): Keep being asked who the models used in the last issue were & whether they’re a couple. What do you think?

The polo fraternity is now slowly getting to grips with twitter

Consultation key to change Sir, whipping has been much in the news with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) initiative being largely kicked into touch (not to mention Jamie Peel’s column in the last issue of Polo Times). The

BHA’s action, though extremely well-intentioned, illustrates the danger of rule changes without thorough consultation.

Arthur Douglas-Nugent, Deputy chief umpire of the HPA

Pony welfare must come higher up the polo agenda Sir, having watched the snow polo in Aspen here in the United States myself, I was amused to see the following letter to the editor in my local rag, The Aspen Times. It comes from a certain George Russell of Snowmass Village, and its outspoken nature I thought might be of particular interest to your readers: “The World Snow Polo Championship held in Aspen recently was the first polo event of any description that I have attended. I was not impressed.

“The event director Barry Stout is reported in The Aspen Times to have said that the U.S. Polo Association-sanctioned plan was followed to the letter when one of the horses was seriously injured. I witnessed the accident and saw said plan put into action. It appeared www.polotimes.co.uk

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to me the top priority was to get the injured horse removed as quickly as possible from the field of play so that the chukkar could quickly be resumed.

The top priority should surely have been to ensure the horse suffered minimum pain. Since the horse was later euthanised, the injury clearly was as severe as it looked. The horse appeared to suffer very significantly. It is incomprehensible to me that a vet was not on hand to euthanise the horse immediately if that was the correct decision — which it later proved to be.

“I shall not be

attending another polo event until the U.S. Polo Associationsanctioned rules have been changed to ensure that an equine vet is always on the spot.

I urge others, and sponsors, to do the same.”

I saw the incident and am inclined to agree that too often polo officials prioritise the smooth continuation of the game over easing the suffering of the injured pony.

Perhaps a change in guidelines is called for?

What are the requirements in the UK? Ginger J Bisson, Ashcroft, Aspen, USA

Editor’s note: Thank you for bringing this to our attention Ginger. HPA rules state simply: “clubs must have an arrangement for cover with a local veterinary practice. For all polo matches a veterinary surgeon who is a current member of the RCVS should either be present or on immediate call…They should ensure that a horse ambulance is on standby at every match and that the team operating it have practiced procedures.” As we understand, similar rules apply in the US. From a practical position, it’s unrealistic to have a vet at every game at every level, but it is clear how important it is for one to be on call – at the very least – and, from a publicity perspective, it seems to have been a worrying oversight by Aspen’s organisers.

Polo Times, January/February 2012 29

20/1/12 12:52:16

Feature

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A history of snow polo

18/1/12 15:36:33

A history of snow polo

Feature

Despite mild winter, polo continues to get cooler With a dizzying number of snow polo events new to the international calendar in the last five or six years, including the first FIP-sanctioned Snow Polo World Cup this February, Polo Times considers the origins and evolution of this most glamorous form of the game

Georgie May in the UK, missing St Moritz

A

lthough ski resorts, with guaranteed snowfall and their picturesque mountainous settings, host probably the world’s best-known winter tournaments, in recent years snow polo has also been cropping up in some more surprising locations. In this feature, I’ll run the rule over what is now being played where.

Action at the foot of the iconic Face de Bellevarde ski run in Val d’Isere, which has hosted polo since 2009

Switzerland At about the time you read this, I should probably have been weaving through the Engadine Valley in the Swiss Alps on my way to the 28th St Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow. However, as you’ll now know from the news pages, the event was cancelled for the first time in its history this year. Nevertheless, it’s this tournament which remains the benchmark in terms of snow polo – a success with players, spectators and sponsors alike for more than a quarter of a century.

St Moritz Polo Club was founded as early u as 1959 but original plans to play on the Polo Times, January/February 2012 31

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18/1/12 15:36:47

Feature

A history of snow polo

Photographs by Tony Ramirez and Georgie May

Italian patron Luca D’Orazio, who has taken part in the last eight Cortina Winter Polo Gold Cups, pictured cut out against the usually frozen lake in St Moritz

u frozen lake were put on hold after a trial in the 1960s failed miserably and the project was deemed impossible. However, Engadine-born Reto Gaudenzi, himself a polo player, and Dr Hanspeter Danuser of the St Moritz tourist board relaunched the project in 1983, realising that by using an inflatable ball similar to that used in the arena in the USA, they might overcome the problems experienced in trying to use traditional lawn balls.

A successful trial in the winter of 1983/84 proved them right and was enough to convince Cartier Switzerland to give the project backing.

The first-ever Cartier Polo World Cup on Snow was born and was hosted by St Moritz Polo Club on the frozen surface of Lake St Moritz in the Engadine valley in 1985.

Only two teams took part in the inaugural year, with the horses brought in from Geneva by rail to play in front of just 32 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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1,000 spectators, but the tournament quickly grew to incorporate four teams (as is still the case) and today features patrons, players and ponies from all corners of the globe.

Played annually in January, the St Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow is one of the few snow polo events that features four-man teams, even though the playing arena is smaller than that of a grass ground.

The event celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2004, when the club’s chairman Urs Schwarzenbach invited the Household Cavalry to carry out their musical ride on the frozen lake – the first time the regiment had carried out their display on ice.

After 26 years of generally smooth sailing,

the tournament hit its first major trouble in 2010 when St Moritz AG – the limited company that took over organisation of the snow polo event from Schwarzenbach in 2005 – announced that the 2011 event would not go ahead. Clashes between the three parties jointly responsible for the safety, sustainability and infrastructure on the lake forced the organisers to cancel.

However, just a few months short of the scheduled date for the 27th Polo World Cup on Snow in 2011, those three parties resolved their differences and the late organisation of the event began. With no title sponsors secured in time, the tournament was run as a Nations Cup, with teams playing under the name of their patron’s nationality.

The 2012 tournament had been returned to its original format, but organisers took the unprecedented decision to cancel the whole event completely just 10 days beforehand because of exceptionally mild conditions in the Alps – the official line being that the ice wasn’t thick enough to support all the largescale infrastructure (marquees, grandstands etc) that accompany the event.

However, no doubt its loyal visitors will be hoping for the return of polo in St Moritz next January, as will the players and grooms that have missed the work, enjoyment and welcome financial remuneration that such a high-profile tournament provides.

J

ust a short train journey from St Moritz is the ski resort of Klosters, where in 2004 a chance meeting between Daniel Waechter and British player Jack Kidd resulted in the formation of another snow polo tournament. Kidd won the Cartier Polo World Cup on Snow in St Moritz that year and suggested there might be place for a three-a-side www.polotimes.co.uk

18/1/12 15:45:33

A history of snow polo

Feature

Timeline

tournament fitted in around the excellent skiing in the region. As such, games at Klosters are played under floodlights in the evenings, to allow spectators, players and VIP guests to enjoy both activities.

“The event has grown quite dramatically,” said Celeste Neil, the co-founder of the Altitude Festival which runs alongside Klosters Snow Polo. “In the early years, spectators stood around in the snow in a small marquee eating peanuts and drinking

tournament, and a clever build-up to the St Moritz event a few days later.

Italy Following Reto Gaudenzi’s lead, three Roman friends and the owner of a hotel came together shortly afterwards to form the Cortina Winter Polo Gold Cup in Cortina D’Ampezzo, Italy. They decided to take their sticks, balls and ponies up to the snow-clad Dolomites and they held their first snow polo

1985

St Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow – Switzerland

1989 1996 2000

Cortina Winter Polo Gold Cup – Italy

Aspen World Snow Polo Championships – USA

2003

Kitzbühel Snow Polo World Cup – Austria Moscow Snow Polo - Russia

2005

Klosters Snow Polo – Switzerland

2007

FEM Snow Polo Tournament, Bariloche – Argentina

2009

Argentina Snow Cup, Chapelco – Argentina

Brits Emma Tomlinson and Tamara Vestey won the inaugural Polo Ladies’ Cup on Snow in Cortina last year beer. Now we attract around 7,000 spectators and we hope that, with the addition of the Altitude Festival [featuring Duran Duran in 2012], we will continue to attract even more.”

Keeping in line with their reputation of throwing a good party, having attracted a number of well-known celebrities, Waechter created the Alpine Soul Kitchen for the 2012 event – a pop-up club constructed from former shipping containers. The event has also collaborated with the charity Sentebale and, from this year, they plan to hold an annual charity match in the arena alongside the tournament’s fixtures.

Though it snowed so heavily in its inaugural year in 2005 that the ponies struggled to run, Klosters is actually at a considerably lower altitude than St Moritz, and the event has come a cropper on a number of occasions because of a lack of powder. In 2006, organisers had to bring in lorry-loads of snow by road and, another year, persistent rain meant they had to hold a football match instead of polo.

However, weather permitting, Klosters has quickly established itself as a very popular www.polotimes.co.uk

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experiment on the frozen surface of Lake Landro in 1989. At the time, the sole facility for the public was an Alpine military tent in which the only refreshment was mulled wine.

Nowadays, the tournament is played on Lake Misurina, 1800 metres above sea level. There’s a sponsors’ hospitality area, restaurant, bar and other attractions surrounding the polo field, which is just shy of the size of a grass polo ground, allowing four-man teams to take part.

No British players have ever won the Gold Cup but in 2011 women took part in the first-ever Polo Ladies’ Cup on Snow, where Brits Emma Tomlinson and Tamara Vestey were part of the winning side.

France The only other event to emerge pre-2000 was in Megève, in France. In 1996, French polo player Jean Yves Delfosse started a tournament, which, like the other early snow polo tournaments, featured four players on each team.

The event is part of what is now known as the Polo Masters Tour, since the introduction of two further snow polo u

Megève Snow Polo – France

Val d’Isere Snow Polo – France S Club Snow Arena Polo World Cup, Courcheval France

2010

Fin del Mundo Snow Polo Cup, Ushuaia – Argentina Accord Salud Senior Cup, Ushuaia – Argentina Polo Sur Kids Cup, Ushuaia – Argentina Sierra Nevada Snow Polo Cup – Spain Alpine Polo World Championship, Åre – Sweden

2011

International Snow Polo Challenge, Tianjin – China Ice Polo Trophy, Carinthia – Austria Polo Ladies’ Cup on Snow, Cortina – Italy

2012

FIP Snow Polo World Cup, Tianjin – China

Polo Times, January/February 2012 33

18/1/12 15:43:44

Feature

A history of snow polo

Three-a-side teams battle for the ball in near-perfect conditions at the 2011 Klosters Snow Polo event, which has been running annually since 2005

u tournaments in more recent years, all played in January.

In 2009, Philippe Fatien organised a tournament in Val d’Isere at the foot of the iconic Face de Bellevarde ski run. St Moritz’s Reto Gaudenzi organised a tournament in Courcheval the same year – the S Club Snow Arena Polo World Cup – but the organisation of this and Val d’Isere were taken over by Delfosse the following year and the three tournaments formed the Polo Masters Tour.

Although the same teams don’t tend to enter all three tournaments, as each one is treated as an individual competition, the player who has the most points at the end of the tour takes home a trophy provided by BMW (who were also sponsoring a team in St Moritz this year).

Unfortunately for French pro and Jean Yves’s son Mathieu Delfosse, who featured in all three winning teams in 2011, the trophy has only been introduced this year.

34 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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USA While the rest of the world celebrated the turn of the millennium, Barry Stout, a local rancher and founder of the Roaring Fork Polo Club, was busy forming plans for the first snow polo event in North America. In December 2000, the Aspen World Snow Polo Championships was born and remains to be the only USPA-sanctioned snow polo tournament in the USA. The snow-covered Rio Grande Park on the outskirts of Aspen provided the venue in the early days, before the two-day event moved to Wagner Park in the middle of town, where Aspen Mountain’s ski runs provided an idyllic backdrop.

However, the 2011 tournament was forced to move again. Last September, Aspen City Council denied organisers a permit to use either Wagner Park or Rio Grande Park due to concerns about degradation of the turf.

Organisers, however, won their appeal in October and they were granted the use of Rio Grande Park. But this wasn’t the end of it.

Just before the event was due to go ahead, a lack of snowfall meant the tournament had to make a last-minute move to Marolt Open Space. It’s likely future events will now be held there.

“The new park in Aspen [Marolt Park] affords more space for the event to grow and it is safer for the horses,” Stout said. “The event has gown every year and the crowds were bigger than ever this year. It’s grown so much that a new licensing agreement for World Snow Polo Championship clothing has been made with Jordache and the USPA.” Austria Continuing his father’s snow polo legacy, Tito Gaudenzi founded a snow polo tournament – the Kitzbühel Snow Polo www.polotimes.co.uk

20/1/12 16:46:54

A history of snow polo

Feature Photograph by Tony Ramirez

Well-travelled champion gives a player’s perspective Jack Kidd is one of few Brits to experience multiple snow polo successes around the globe, having won the St Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow and Klosters Snow Polo in Switzerland, Kitzbühel Snow Polo World Cup in Austria, the Aspen World Snow Polo Championships in the US, Moscow Snow Polo in Russia, and the Snow Polo Cup in Sierra Nevada, Spain.

“I think I have competed in more snow polo tournaments than any other Brit,” Kidd told Polo Times. “It has been an important part of my career. Up until a couple of years ago, my ponies had never had a season off for more than 10 years – having played the summer

World Cup – in Austria, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. Having started out with four team entries, 48 ponies and a 200-square-metre VIP area, the event now attracts eight teams, more than 100 ponies, a 2,000-square-metre VIP area and more than 15,000 spectators over the weekend.

Recently the city of Kitzbühel purchased Münichauer Wiese – the field on which the tournament has been held since its inaugural year – to be used solely for this polo event.

An all-England side of Tony Pidgley, Jack Kidd and Tim Bown won the inaugural and 2004 tournaments. Since then, no other British patron or player has won it and instead the Germans have largely dominated, as they have at various other European snow polo events.

In 2011, another snow polo tournament – the Ice Polo Trophy – cropped up on the Austrian/Italian border. Organised by A Quechua, who also run two-man friendly polo, the tournament features low-goal teams of three players and is held on a 50m x 80m section of the frozen lake in Carinthia.

Argentina Bariloche in Patagonia became the first place in the Southern Hemisphere to host snow polo in 2007, in the form of the FEM Snow Polo Tournament. However, the tournament was a one-off until annual snow polo in southern Argentina properly began in 2009, starting with the Argentina Snow Cup. The event, held at Chapelco Ski Resort, has attracted Adolfo Cambiaso and Juan Martin Nero in the past but seven-goaler Martin Garrahan has undoubtedly been the www.polotimes.co.uk

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season and then travelled round Europe for the snow polo season.”

Kidd first tasted snow polo in 1999, when he was part of John Manconi’s St Moritz team. However, he didn’t win the tournament until 2004.

“The highlight of my snow polo career has to be when I won a succession of tournaments in 2004. The main highlight was winning in St Moritz with Marek Dochnall, Juan Martin Nero and Alejandro Diaz Alberdi – a team that I organised. Tony Pidgely and Tim Bown and I were also a combination hard to beat that year, winning in Kitzbühel, Moscow and Aspen. I don’t think anyone else has beaten that record.”

Understandably, however, Klosters is Kidd’s favourite snow polo venue, having helped set up the tournament with Daniel Waetcher. “Klosters provides the best of everything – skiing in the day, polo in the evenings and partying late into the night. It’s always great fun. Up until I started concentrating more on my polo school in Barbados, I would always be a part of Klosters and have won it a number of times.”

star of the show to date, having been part of the winning side on each occasion.

A year after the first Argentina Snow Cup, the world’s southern-most city, Ushuaia, hosted three new tournaments, organised by the Beagle Channel Polo Club and Tomás Bertotto’s Invictus Snow Polo, who are trying to develop polo in the area.

First, the Accord Salud Senior Cup was held on a 120m x 60m snow arena in the Valley of Tierra Mayor and, following that, the world’s first-ever children’s snow polo tournament – Polo Sur Kids Cup. However, the highlight of the Ushuaia calendar is the Fin del Mundo (End of the World) Snow Cup. In its inaugural year last year, eight male teams competed for the Bodegas Gascon Escorihuela Cup and two women’s teams competed for the Securitas Cup. Building on last year’s success, 12 teams are set to take part in this year’s competition.

Spain Santa Maria Polo Club, most famous for hosting the Sotogrande Bronze, Silver and Gold Cups every summer, turned its attention to a new tournament in 2010 in the form of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Snow Polo Cup. Held in the ski resort of Sierra Nevada – two-anda-half hours drive from Santa Maria – the tournament attracted a handful of Brits including Alan Kent and Jack Kidd.

For reasons unknown, although a lack of sponsor could be feasible, the tournament did not take place in 2011 but will return to the snow polo field at Los Peñones, at a height of 2,400 metres, in 2012. Originally due to take place in January, bad weather conditions have postponed the event to 24-25 February.

China It is unlikely Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club in China will ever be forced to cancel any of their snow polo events for reasons of adverse weather or a lack of sponsorship. Though Tianjin – where the club is based – is pretty much guaranteed no snow in February, the deep pockets and ambitious vision of the club’s chairman Pan Sutong ensured that this was no barrier to the successful running of their first snow-polo event in 2011.

The club spent an eye-watering US$2.5m producing exactly 14,000 square-metres of artificial snow 254mm deep across an arenasized portion of their meticulously prepared ground last year, though the costs are sure to have spiralled this year as they create a bigger, deeper playing area and double the number of teams they are inviting from six to 12.

England are the defending champions, having won the inaugural event, though it wasn’t all plain sailing. The side almost didn’t take part in the tournament at all, after a dispute with the HPA about payment (see the news pages of the April 2011 issue).

This year, however, the 29-year-old Federation of International Polo (FIP) has fully sanctioned it’s first snow-polo event – now named the FIP Snow Polo World Cup – which, as well as confirming China’s place on the modern polo map, means the formation of all the sides in the tournament has been standardised and made entirely official – thus, issues of payment are far more transparent.

The HPA has selected Chris Hyde, Jamie Le Hardy and Max Charlton to represent England there this month. F w Read more about snow polo on pages 10, 63 and 98, and about China’s event over the page Polo Times, January/February 2012 35

20/1/12 16:46:40

Feature

Interview – Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club vice-chairman Harvey Lee

Harvey is hungry for success in China The big-spending Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club in China hosts the inaugural FIP Snow Polo World Cup this month, but the club’s vice-chairman Harvey Lee reveals that their ambitious plans for the growth of the game in the region certainly don’t end there

John O’Sullivan reports from Tianjin

Photograph by John O’Sullivan

T

he Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club in China has taken little time to make a mark on the game of polo. Officially opened just 14 months ago in November 2010, February sees the Tianjin-based club host the inaugural FIP Snow Polo World Cup, the first snow polo event ever to be fully sanctioned by the game’s worldwide governing body. This competition comes 12 months after the club, based two hours from Beijing, hosted Asia’s first ever snow polo tournament – an event which saw them pay a rumoured US$2.5m (£1.6m) to create the requisite artificial snow.

Former Goldman Sachs managing director for Asia, Harvey Lee, came on board as vicechairman shortly after that tournament. The newest member of the club’s executive board joins Goldin Group chairman Pan Sutong and Metropolitan president Rowland Wong at the helm. And, despite having no previous polo experience, he believes prosperous times lie ahead for the club.

I met him for a beer in the impressive seven-star hotel that sits alongside the polo grounds and it was difficult not to be won over by his infectious enthusiasm.

What brought you to Metropolitan, given your lack of background in the game?

Our chairman (Mr Pan Sutong) has a great vision. It is always nice to work for someone 36 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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who is serious and he is committed to making polo big in China.

He was the one who decided that polo was the sport that he would build the company around. He could have picked golf, he could have built a tennis centre – that would have been the easiest, not having to worry about growing the grass or looking after the horses.

But he picked polo and has really spent the resources on it, so it is a very exciting company to be a part of.

What have you learned so far?

Eight months ago I knew nothing about the sport, but I am fortunate that I have people like Derek Reid and John Fisher who can explain to me how the game is played.

When I was a young kid, seven or eight years old, I used to take riding lessons,

“We have a long-term vision.

There are 100 steps and we’ve only taken five or six” but Hong Kong is too small and there was no polo club. But now 40 years later I am learning again.

To be good at this job I need to bridge the gap between people who know the sport and people who do not. There is also a gap between me and those who know the sport, so I am learning to close that gap.

Tell me a bit more about the journey of the club so far?

We first made our investment in Tianjin four or five years ago and then got our design people to come and see what we could do and then we

decided that polo is what we wanted to do.

Very quickly the chairman decided polo was the best choice and then he got in the best polo people – Derek and John. Our President Rowland Wong, who has great club managing experience, then came in. So we have a very good team of people working together. The polo club opened in November 2010. Since then, every tournament that we have had has featured international players that fly in from different parts of the world to play.

The club and the grounds around continue to grow at a remarkable rate. What is your strategy for the future?

We have a long-term vision. We know that there are 100 steps that we have to take and we have only taken the first five or six. I wish I knew the magic formula, a lot of what we are doing is learning as we go along.

We are concentrating in three key areas.

The first is what I call the pure sport aspect – bringing the best international players here to show China what it is all about.

The second aspect is targeting the next generation through junior equestrian and polo programmes. A lot of our members tell us they have no interest in learning to play, but they want their kids to learn.

The third thing is the most difficult aspect and that is making the sport appeal to people who have no interest in polo, or in horses – the social aspect. u Goldin Group vice chairman Harvey Lee at the Metropolitan Polo Club ground, with the seven-star hotel in the distance

www.polotimes.co.uk

20/1/12 16:51:28

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18/1/12 15:33:03

Feature

Interview – Harvey Lee

Harvey Lee holds aloft the winning shield with the victorious USA team at last October’s Under-18 International Tournament. Club president Rowland Wong is to his right

Photograph by John O’Sullivan

u You say the social aspect is the most difficult thing. Presumably this is an important part of what you are trying to create?

Of course, polo is a social activity. It is a sport where you can watch a match and then talk about business, you can bring your friends and can enjoy a glass of champagne or beer.

People can get together and just have fun.

When we sell our polo tournaments we also sell our hotel which includes restaurants, bars and all of the other activities, so we want people to think that it is like going to the park for a few hours during the day when you can watch an exciting tournament and then you can come back to a good hotel where you have good food, a spa and fitness facilities. You can really treat it like a holiday.

For the Goldin Group it is not just polo, it is not just about the hotel and it is not just about the real estate side of things. It is really a combination of all three. Our product is lifestyle and to enjoy this lifestyle you do not need to even have a polo handicap. Of course we would love it if you do, but you can still enjoy the lifestyle without one.

You have identified your annual snow polo tournament as your biggest event of the year and it is set to be bigger and better this year.

Yes, right now we are concentrating all of our resources on the snow polo – that will be our marquee event. We have already increased from six teams in the first year to 12 this year. That’s 100 per cent growth and, for us to make such a big leap with the club and the hotel having only just opened, is quite an achievement. Eventually we want over 20 teams coming to play.

38 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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Is the hope that it will appeal to the social fans as well as the polo aficionados?

I compare snow polo to rugby sevens [the seven-player version of rugby union]. The game is so fast, which makes it very exciting for people learning about it. The field is smaller, so as a spectator it is more enjoyable because you can follow the action more easily. The ball is much bigger, so it is easier to see, too.

I think this is one of the benefits of my not having a polo background. If I were to have a

“Our product is lifestyle and, to enjoy this lifestyle, you don’t need a polo handicap” polo background, I would insist that the real tournament – our main tournament – was field polo. But for the new spectators I think they will enjoy snow polo more.

It is interesting to hear you mention rugby sevens because, of course, that has a very popular following in Asia.

Yes, in Hong Kong there is a very successful tournament, the Hong Kong Sevens. When they started years ago there were people who said: “This is a joke, this is not serious rugby.”

I cannot speak for the entire world but, for China and for Hong Kong, the Rugby Sevens gets higher publicity than the Rugby World Cup. This is because it is built on being a social event, a social activity.

You don’t need to know the game of rugby you can still enjoy it. We are trying to do the same thing here with polo.

Short-term snow polo is the focus, but I understand that long-term the group also has polo plans beyond Tianjin?

Tianjin is only our first project. We will have a similar project in Shanghai, one in Shenzhen and in Hong Kong.

Our company is based in Hong Kong so we feel that we must do something similar there to what we have done here in Tianjin.

It will be difficult to find the land there because land in Hong Kong is very expensive, but our chairman is very committed so I have no doubt it will happen.

And from what you’ve seen so far in your time with the company, are you confident that there is a real desire among the Chinese people to watch and play polo?

If you ask me about the future of this I am very positive because China is very big and the demand is there. China has a very big population and has enjoyed a very fast GDP growth in the past 10 years and in that process a lot of wealth has been created.

You must remember that because of the large population, families in China are only allowed to have one child. Because of this we see that a lot of parents, especially the more affluent ones, really spend vast resources on their children. You see people sending their children overseas to swimming camps and tennis camps and golf camps. So why not polo? We think it can become very popular. F w For a review of the seven-star Goldin Metropolitan hotel next to the polo club in Tianjin, see pages 78-79 www.polotimes.co.uk

20/1/12 16:51:45

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20/1/12 14:56:31

Feature

The USPA’s “Polo 2020 Strategic Plan”

Dream, believe, invest, achieve Executives and the leading lights at polo associations the world over are watching the United States with interest, following the release of a detailed new dossier which promises bright things for the development of the country’s polo

Herbert Spencer brings us up to speed

F

ive-year plans of national governments are nothing new. Last year the People’s Republic of China adopted its 12th, India is currently on its 11th and Wales now has one for its National Health Service. The governing bodies of polo, however, have never been known for planning so far ahead. That is why the new “Polo 2020 Strategic Plan” adopted by the US Polo Association (USPA), which comes into effect this year, can be seen as unique in the game.

The 20-page document approved by the association’s board of governors at its autumn 2011 meeting covers a wide range of activities, from a fresh approach to governance to a new limited company for professional umpires. Firm guidelines are laid down for as far ahead as 2017. The strategic plan projects budgets for most of these, year by year, with a total potential spend of well over $5m dollars anticipated for various initiatives for up to five years hence. These projected budgets are in addition to the USPA’s annual operating costs.

Funding highlighted in the plan also confirms a new approach to the millions of dollars earned by the association’s wholly owned subsidiary, USPA Properties, Inc., through the licensing of its “U.S. Polo Assn.” brand worldwide. For many years the association squirrelled away most of this

40 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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vast income. Now an official USPA spending plan allows almost 40 per cent to be spent annually on new and ongoing programmes, with the rest invested to endow polo for future generations.

Work on the strategic plan began last February with circuit governor Joe Meyer of Atlanta, Georgia, chairman of the USPA’s marketing committee, heading a 16-strong committee. Amongst those included were USPA chairman Tom Biddle, due to retire

away from chairman-driven administration.

Ideas will be “staff and member recommended, board approved and staffimplemented with volunteer engagement,” he said. In effect, members-at-large would have a greater say in how their game is run.

One of the strategic plan’s priorities, according to Weaver, is the setting up of a limited company for the USPA’s professional umpires. As a wholly owned subsidiary of the association, the company will be responsible

One of the priorities in the strategic plan is the setting up of a limited company for the USPA’s professional umpires in October 2011; president Chuck Weaver, expected (correctly as it turned out) to replace Biddle; executive director Peter Rizzo; and other prominent individuals from across the country representing a broad spectrum of interests, from low-goal to high-goal polo, small and large clubs.

Over the next eight months, the committee met in Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta and Denver, with numerous teleconferences by subcommittees, to draft the plan and the resolutions of the board of governors to put it all into effect. “[The committee members] are an excellent cross section of our sport,” commented incoming USPA chairman Weaver. “They did a great job.”

The strategic plan was announced late last year, and brought a new look to how the USPA governs its polo. The governors granted greater power to a small executive board to run the association between its twice-yearly meetings, but Weaver said they would move

for training and certifying umpires and encouraging the use of professional umpires at all levels of the game, including at smaller, “low-goal” clubs. Umpires will be contracted to and paid by this for-profit USPA subsidiary.

To get the new company up and running, the strategic plan has earmarked $1,431,000 in subsidies to the end of 2014.

“We believe umpiring is one thing to have the biggest impact to improve safety and player enjoyment,” Weaver said.

The USPA’s existing Polo Development Initiative (PDI), which makes grants to clubs for specific needs in club growth and improvement, will continue under the strategic plan, with $1.45m budgeted as far as the end of 2015.

An even larger amount, up to $1.8m, has been set aside to expand the association’s National Club Development (NCD) over the next five years. More NCD “regional coordinators” will be recruited and paid by the association. www.polotimes.co.uk

19/1/12 11:00:23

The USPA’s “Polo 2020 Strategic Plan”

Tom Biddle, recently retired USPA chairman, who launched the project

Chuck Weaver, the incumbant USPA chairman, elected in September 2010

The association’s three existing regional centres for polo training and club development will be increased to as many as seven by 2015, costs to be determined.

“These centres are deliberately located in large metropolitan areas where the challenge is the expense of affording to run polo,” said Kris Bowman, USPA director of operations.

“It’s easy to grow the game in areas that are rich in affordable agricultural land, such as Texas, and Aiken South Carolina, and those rich in equestrian culture, but harder where real estate prices are prohibitive to equine endeavours. This grant will help centres afford to thrive in key areas around the

Joe Meyer, who led the 16-strong committee behind the strategic plan

country, where the demographic is ideal and so we can then introduce polo to those most able to sustain and grow the sport.”

Under the strategic plan, the USPA is also subsidising television transmission of big events such as the Argentine and US Open Championships, initially with $350,000 set aside for ESPN coverage from now until the end of 2014, to bring greater pubic attention to the sport. A committee will study and cost out further development of promotional TV exposure and report to the board of governors later this year.

These and other activities covered by the Polo 2020 Strategic Plan are possible only

Feature

Peter Rizzo, USPA executive director and the association’s regular spokesman

with income from USPA Properties’ licensing business. The association has declined to reveal, for reasons of commercial sensitivity, just how much money this brings in year on year, but it obviously runs into millions of dollars.

Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers, chairman of the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA), called the USPA’s Strategic Plan “impressive”.

“Our American cousins can plan years ahead because of the immense success of their marketing subsidiary,” he said. “The HPA does not have such wealth, so our planning must necessarily be confined to the short term depending upon our anticipated income year to year.” F

Strategic plan in brief Budget:

More than $5m

Remit:

2012 to 2017

Year-round regional polo training and development centres

Main plans: (1) set up a company for professional umpires (approx $1.45m) (2) provide grants for clubs in need of improvements (approx $1.45m) (3) expand national club development in new regions (approx $1.8m)

Chicago New York San Francisco

Atlanta

(4) create up to four new regional centres for training and development (right, value TBC) (5) subsidise ESPN coverage and transmission of big events ($350,000)

www.polotimes.co.uk

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Houston Existing centres Planned new centres

Polo Times, January/February 2012 41

19/1/12 11:00:40

Reports

Argentine Open 2011

The birth of an invincible force?

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19/1/12 11:25:37

Argentine Open 2011

Juan Martin Nero, Pablo MacDonough, Pelon Stirling and Adolfo Cambiaso celebrate with team sponsor Ali Albwardi

Caroline Smail

at Palermo, Buenos Aires

La Dolfina Ellerstina

A

16 10

s the final bell heralded the end of the 118th Argentine Open, a feeling of anti-climax and disappointment hung over Palermo. The much-anticipated finale to the Triple Crown series (hitherto tied at 1-1) saw La Dolfina bulldoze their way to a 1610 victory, dominating the throw-ins, controlling possession and, ultimately, running away with the title comfortably.

Although the popular opinion in the build up was that La Dolfina would win, no one predicted the convincing defeat Ellerstina endured at their hands. Ellerstina were the only other side in the tournament able to u

Main photograph by Sergio Llamera

Photograph by Tony Ramirez

Our correspondent laments a scrappy and one-sided final, but wonders whether La Dolfina’s fiercely clinical new “dream team” could be the dawn of a period of dominance by the foursome

Reports

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19/1/12 11:25:46

Reports

Argentine Open 2011

How the game unfolded...

First chukka Cambiaso opened the scoring with the conversion of a penalty in front of goal, 1-0. A good run by Nico Pieres went wide as pressure from his rivals forced him to shoot from an uncomfortable angle. The conversion of a 40 by Facundo, 1-1, was answered by the first field goal of the game

by Juan Martin Nero who neatly picked up a pass from Pelon Stirling and slotted the ball through the posts. A further conversion by Facundo equalised the score to tie the game at the end of the chukka.

La Dolfina 2, Ellerstina 2

Second chukka Ellerstina were held scoreless in this chukka while La Dolfina continued to pile on the pressure and increase their lead. An impressive save by Nico and three missed opportunities to score, two wide, one saved,

by Cambiaso prevented the lead from increasing further. However, two successful penalty conversions by Cambiaso then put them two goals up, 4-2.

La Dolfina 4, Ellerstina 2

Third chukka A field goal by Nero dribbling through his opposing players in full control of the ball increased the La Dolfina lead, 5-2.

Cambiaso scored his first field goal, 6-2, and went on to pass the ball neatly to Nero who finished with an impressive under-the-neck goal 7-2. Once again Ellerstina were held scoreless, with two further missed attempts at goal that the side would eventually regret.

Cambiaso is seen here locked in discussion with teammates Juan Martin Nero and Pelon Stirling. The world number one received widespread praise this year for his improved teamwork and La Dolfinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more open style as a result

u compete with La Dolfina in terms of horses and, thus, the crowd expected a repeat of the Hurlingham and Tortugas Opens, which were both close and well-fought finals. In those games, Ellerstina clawed their way back from significant deficits to win and then lose by just a single goal in each case.

The reality at Palermo was somewhat different. La Dolfina were strong defensively, remaining cool headed and in control throughout, which limited Ellerstinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attempts at goal, pressuring them to shoot from almost impossible angles.

Impressive though that resolute defence was, it meant the game didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make for exciting viewing for spectators. There were countless penalties and pony changes, which broke up the game and slowed it right down. Both teams Tournament top-scorer

Facundo Pieres were guilty of trying to dribble the ball too much, making the open polo contest that had been hoped for impossible.

Importance of penalties 7 scored

La Dolfina 7, Ellerstina 2

6 scored

Photographs by Alice Gipps

Fourth chukka Facundo missed scoring on a breakaway but, given the chance to redeem himself, he went on to convert two penalties and lessen the La Dolfina lead, 7-4. However, a mistake gave away a penalty goal converted

by Cambiaso and the chukka ended with an incredible goal from Stirling who retained control of a bouncing ball three-quarters of the way down the ground and slotted it through the posts, 9-4.

La Dolfina 9, Ellerstina 4

44 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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4 scored

1 scored 2010 La Dolfina

2011 Ellerstina

Final score: 13-14

La Dolfina

Ellerstina

Final score: 16-10

www.polotimes.co.uk

19/1/12 11:26:01

Argentine Open 2011

Former Open player, Norberto FernandezMoreno described the game as one of the worst finals he had ever seen.

In contrast to 2010’s thrilling showpiece, in which just five of the 27 goals came directly from penalties, half of the goals landed in 2011’s finale were struck from the spot, 13 of 26.

Ellerstina’s superior effectiveness with their penalty-taking in 2010 was arguably one the factors in their victory, and in the early stages of the 2011 final the same strengths were what kept them in the game: while Cambiaso missed three for La Dolfina in the first half, and saw a fourth impressively saved off the line by Nico Pieres, Ellerstina’s first two strikes of the day were penalties fired in by Facundo Pieres.

However, La Dolfina gradually found their shooting boots and, with Ellerstina struggling to create many opportunities, the favourites racked up a five-goal lead as early as the end of the third chukka. The usually fluent Ellerstina were clearly unnerved

by La Dolfina’s superior pressure and, being unable to maintain possession, they were trying awkward shots and were missing a significant number of attempts at goal.

La Dolfina, by contrast, were playing the more expansive and flowing polo.

The “dream team” of Cambiaso, Stirling, MacDonough and Nero simply proved far too strong, having grown in confidence throughout the Triple Crown since they formed in mid-September.

This new more open style by the champions marks a significant change

With the ball hidden behind the boards, Cambiaso strikes an off-side forehand riding Dolfina Cuartetera, one of his top horses and best playing pony in the Open final when they last won, in 2009

from previous years, when it was Ellerstina that were recognised for playing the more attractive and effective passing polo. No longer does Cambiaso dominate every La Dolfina play. Now playing alongside three other truly world-class (and exceptionally well mounted)

Such was La Dolfina’s selfassurance, they went out onto the ground for the final with no clear strategy players, he affords them equal respect and the emphasis is on four-man team polo. True, he still scored most of La Dolfina’s goals, but that was principally because he took their penalties.

The skill and quick thinking of each of the four players and their sense of anticipation and reaction to each other’s movements has taken them to a whole new level.

This balance, combined with their remarkable horsepower, means they look like the new force to be reckoned with u

Reports

How the game unfolded... continued Fifth chukka Seemingly refreshed after half-time, Facundo scored his first field goal, 9-5, and converted a 60 after an uncharacteristic cross by Stirling, 9-6. Ellerstina’s fighting spirit re-appeared in this chukka and they managed to hold La Dolfina scoreless blocking their attempts at goal and stepping up a gear.

La Dolfina 9, Ellerstina 6

Sixth chukka This was the most even chukka of the game and there were moments of more open end-to-end exciting polo giving the crowd a glimmer of hope that maybe all was not lost for Ellerstina. The conversion of a spot-hit in front of goal by Cambiaso, 10-6, was answered by a field goal from Gonzalo, set up by Nachi Heguy. A foul by Nico gave Cambiaso a further chance to score, 11-7.

La Dolfina 11, Ellerstina 7

Seventh chukka Despite an early successful strike from Facundo, this period marked the end for Ellerstina, with La Dolfina outscoring them 5-1 in the chukka. After Facundo’s goal, a penalty conversion by Cambiaso was followed

by MacDonough coming across the goal at an awkward angle and scoring under the neck. Cambiaso followed suit with another field goal through his horse’s legs and Stirling effortlessly picked up a pass, kept control of a bouncing ball and scored. The final goal came again from MacDonough who took the ball the length of the ground before finding the goalposts, 16-8.

La Dolfina 16, Ellerstina 8

Eighth chukka In spite of their eight-goal deficit, Ellerstina came back out as if the difference was much less and their fighting spirit remained till the last. An incredible under the neck shot from Facundo 80 yards out just missed the goal but he converted a penalty moments later 16-9.

The final goal of the game came from Nico Pieres again under the neck, 16-10, and the ball was still in Ellerstina’s possession as the final bell sounded.

La Dolfina 16, Ellerstina 10

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19/1/12 15:53:14

Reports

Technology keeps track Satellite technology was used for the first time in Argentina during the Hurlingham and Palermo Opens, writes Tobias Pejkovic.

A trial took place using GPS tracking equipment to gather information about the performance of the polo ponies and players taking part.

Each horse was chipped, in order that analysts could calculate the speed of the horses, the length of time played by each horse, as well as the distance covered throughout the tournaments and during individual games.

For example, during the Argentine Open semis, it was discovered that Lucas Monteverde’s mare Dalia (playing for Estancia Grande) reached the fastest recorded speed of the tournament – an incredible 48.84 mph.

Cambiaso’s mare Silk played 19 minutes and 17 seconds in the three games during the early stages of the Open, but this included the astonishing 11 minutes and 45 seconds she was on the ground in their final group game, against La Aguada [when La Dolfina triumphed 15-7]. In the game against La Aguada, she played in short bursts in each of the first four chukkas (2m24s, 2m01s, 53s and 3m22s) and then again in the 8th (3m05s).

More generally, the data from the whole Above: part of the pageantry in the build-up to the 118th Argentine Open final tournament also revealed that a number two player and his horses tend to cover twice as much ground as someone playing at back. It u in the game. As much as Ellerstina already throughout the is early days for applying GPS in this manner, final – and, crucially, have plans to change their line up next they played with year (replacing Nachi Heguy with former confidence. That was La Dolfina mainstay Mariano Aguerre), it’s precisely what Ellerstina, difficult to see how anyone is going to loosen uncharacteristically, La Dolfina’s grip on the Open trophy, and lacked. possibly even the Triple Crown. but this kind of information may influence a Indeed, such was Nevertheless, while Ellerstina were soundly manager’s tactical decisions about how he sets La Dolfina’s selfbeaten, it is important to remember the up his side, and the players’ decisions on which assurance, they horses to play when – at all levels of the game. went out onto The man behind the idea is Martin Garrahan, Most valuable player the ground a six-goal player whose face and voice are with no well known as one of the commentators of clear the Argentine high-goal season for ESPN, alongside Gustavo Sgalla. GPS technology was strategy. individual ability of their players before we previously used to track endurance horses in A few days chastise them and disregard their chances for the 2010 World Equestrian Games. after the next season entirely. Nico Pieres will improve, The new initiative had a mixed response final Pablo and they’ll need to find some more composure from the players, but Garrahan is confident MacDonough at the crucial moments next year, if they are to it will be fully accepted by all next season. was overheard have any chance.

With England captain Luke As well as the impact the technology may telling Alfonso Tomlinson describing La Dolfi na’s 2011 line up have in the fields of selection and training of Pieres: “We as being “like having three Facundos and one the horses, for broadcasters such as he, it also provides fascinating information on the decided we would Gonzalito on the same team”, Ellerstina needs performance of each horse to share with just play the game. to find a way to make up the deficit. audiences whilst commentating, which will We had a barbeque La Dolfina simply showed more solidarity, help enrich their enjoyment. F the day before the final quality and continued concentration

Lucas Monteverde’s mare Dalia reached an incredible 48.84 mph

Photographs by Sergio Llamera

Adolfo Cambiaso

46 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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www.polotimes.co.uk

20/1/12 16:56:03

Reports How did they perform at the Argentine Open?

We mark the finalists out of 10, based on their effectiveness in terms of handicap

La Dolfina

8 10 9

Adolfo Cambiaso (10) Although the star of the game in terms of his goal-scoring with nine goals (seven were penalties), his overbearing and at times aggressive attitude did little to endear him to the crowd.

David “Pelon” Stirling (9) No surprise to see his handicap go up, having produced the best polo of his life. His particular highlights were two spectacular field goals and his consistently effective teamwork, making him invaluable.

Pablo MacDonough (10) Scored a couple of spectacular underthe-neck goals in the seventh chukka to cement La Dolfina’s dominance, and his effective long passes throughout helped open up the game for his teammates.

Juan Martin Nero (10) Cool and calm at all times, Nero’s quiet style of play renders him stealth-like in his approach and a deadly weapon.

He defended valiantly throughout but also remained a strong and important contributor in attack too.

Below: Juan Martin Nero hits a stunning under-the-neck

and the only decision we made was to mark more on the hit-ins, and other than that we would take the game as it comes.”

Ellerstina will hope they can learn from this season’s wake-up call and emulate that relaxed approach. They were by no means humiliated however: a sign of La Dolfina’s strength this campaign was evident in their demolition of Pilara and Chapa Uno by u

9

Ellerstina Facundo Pieres (10) Always the main goal-scorer for his team, and impressive with his stickwork and agility, he is still prone nevertheless to losing his cool when put under pressure and can be guilty of trying too hard at times.

8

Nico Pieres (8) Nico worked hard in a decent debut at Palermo but the pressure proved too much and exposed his youth. His instincts need time to mature in order to improve his speed of thought and complement his skills, which are there.

7

Gonzalito Pieres (10) Strong when it came to driving the ball forward and at putting La Dolfina’s defence under pressure, but Gonzalito also missed a number of attempts at goal when put under pressure himself.

His best moment came in the sixth chukka, when he capitalised on a rare mistake by his rivals to score.

7

Ignacio “Nachi” Heguy (9) Though no easy task, Nachi struggled to keep Cambiaso under control, and was the only player on the ground not to score. He wasn’t on top form, giving away a number of goals and failing to retain the kind of possession expected from a top-quality back.

6

Polo Times, January/February 2012 47

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19/1/12 11:30:29

Reports

Argentine Open 2011

Analysis

by Claire Tomlinson The former five-goaler recognises the positives in defeat for Ellerstina at December’s Argentine Open final, but says that La Dolfina were just too good La Dolfina impressed me with superior discipline right from the start, having learnt from the finals of the Tortugas and the Hurlingham Opens, where they let Ellerstina back into the two games. They didn’t give the black shirts a sniff at Palermo, however, outwitting and outplaying them throughout.

Pelon, in particular, impressed me. As the junior player on the team, and the only one not rated a 10-goaler, he certainly didn’t look out of place amongst three of the best players in the world.

He rose to the challenge well, and was strong and consistent throughout.

Ellerstina, in this instance, were outclassed – but that is not to say they are not a good team. They lost by fewer goals than those who played La Dolfina in the earlier rounds of the tournament, and there is a lot of potential for them to improve in my view.

For example, I wonder if they might benefit from moving Facundo Pieres to play in the number three position. He is very good there in many of the other teams he plays in elsewhere, and could perhaps have more impact.

Ellerstina’s star man Facundo Pieres had a mixed afternoon but remains his side’s best chance of revenge in 2012

u 13-goal margins earlier in the tournament. A few small changes will bring Ellerstina back fighting, and La Dolfina know from experience that the Pieres boys’ spirit is such that they don’t know when they are beaten, and so can never be written off.

In the meantime, to reflect on this year’s final as a spectacle, it’s worth consulting the The other thing we can expect is for Nico 1954 AAP Rules for Polo, which state that Pieres to improve. He has already shown great “a match is no longer interesting when it is signs of progress over the recent months and frequently interrupted to penalise fouls… years but, playing in his first Triple Crown, he Playing polo is a pleasure but it will no longer suffered under the pressure more than the be so when fouls are committed continually others. He possesses all the skills of a top player or there are discussions that perturb or distort but is lacking in confidence and experience and

Photograph by Tony Ramirez

“I think moving Facundo from number one to play at three might improve Ellerstina’s chances”

just needs to mature.

Where it struck me that La Dolfina had matured this year was in the change in Cambiaso’s tactics. In the past, we have seen him continuously take control of the ball and dominate his teammates, but this year he worked with his colleagues and played with them, opening up the game with fast passing polo that none of the teams they faced could compete with.

It worked and, for Ellerstina, this time they must simply accept that they were just up against the best. They now have their motivation to improve for next season. F

48 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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La Dolfina showed more solidarity and concentration the atmosphere of cordiality that should reign among those who practise the sport.”

The moments of genuinely exciting open polo in the 2011 final were, sadly, all too brief. F ◗ Tell us your own impressions by writing to letters@polotimes.co.uk. UK-based subscribers can watch the final on Horse&Country TV on Friday 13 April at 7.30pm

Game rating

• • • • • • • • • •

u Argentine Open; 19 November – 9 December 2011; Palermo, Buenos Aires Result: La Dolfina beat Ellerstina, 16-10 Sponsors: Rolex, La Martina, Movistar, Mastercard, Mercedez-Benz, Stella Artois, Nespresso, HSBC, Chandon, ESPN Handicap level: Open Number of team entries: eight Chukka scores (La Dolfina): 2-2; 4-2; 7-2; 9-4; 9-6; 11-7; 16-8; 16-10 Most valuable player: Adolfo Cambiaso Tournament top-scorer: Facundo Pieres Best playing pony in the final: Anay Sur Dulce, bred by Marcos Heguy, played by Juan Martin Nero Tournament best playing pony: Dolfina Buenaventura (owned and played by Cambiaso) Best mounted throughout: Juan Martín Nero Finalists La Dolfina (39): Adolfo Cambiaso 10; David Stirling 9; Pablo MacDonough 10; Juan Martin Nero 10 Ellerstina (37): Facundo Pieres 10; Gonzalo Pieres 10; Nicolas Pieres 8; Ignacio Heguy 9 www.polotimes.co.uk

20/1/12 17:01:06

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19/1/12 15:10:42

Reports

HPA National Club Championships, RCBPC

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19/1/12 11:43:01

HPA National Club Championships, RCBPC

Reports

Patrons Simon Holley and Kevin Cheshire tasted success at the National Club Championships as Oliver Hipwood recorded a brilliant double

John O’Sullivan

reports from Berkshire

T

Photographs by Gillian Hughes

o HPA

he HPA National Club Championships took place in an earlier-than-usual mid-December slot this season and turned out to be a real Christmas cracker for the 100-strong spectators who braved the wintery conditions at the Berkshire. Christmas certainly came seven days early for six-goaler Oliver Hipwood, whose arena handicap has – as expected – risen to seven as a result of his significant contribution. He won both the medium-goal and the high-goal title on a chilly day in the Home Counties and also took home a flurry of individual prizes.

Hipwood was voted most valuable player in the 14-16 goal final after teaming up with patron Simon Holley and nine-goaler Chris Hyde in Altyon’s 21-17 win against Paul Knights’ Equibuild team.

This success came just hours after Hipwood helped to deny the Holley family a double success. He joined forces with Canadian patron Kevin Cheshire and irrepressible four-goaler Danny Muriel as Chemas beat Ocho Rios and their 15-year-old patron Charlie Holley – son of Simon – 18-16 in the 7-10 goal final.

Hipwood completed his impressive haul on the day by winning the best string prize, while his teammate Muriel claimed a National Club Championship winners medal for the third straight season.

The National Club Championships, traditionally played in mid-January, was brought forward to its new pre-Christmas slot for the first time this season.

The reason behind this was to lengthen the arena season and to increase interest in the early season tournaments. While there was

Chris Hyde battled through snow to help Simon Holley’s Altyon win the 16-goal title on their home turf

a drop in entries in the low-goal category (from five to two), the medium-goal and the high-goal competitions both experienced an increase in teams.

The high-goal competition, in only its second year, moved from 12-15 goals to 1416 goals to allow more higher handicapped players to take part, and the result was a doubling in the number of entries from two to four. This rise in standard was evident in the final, which was notable for several moments of truly breathtaking end-to-end action.

Equibuild – eight-goaler Jonny Good and six-goaler Tim Bown alongside patron Knights – started with a two-goal headstart over Altyon on handicap. They soon extended this lead as Good scored an early hat-trick but, as the game wore on, Chris Hyde showed just why he is the highest-handicapped British player in the arena and his 15 goals put Altyon in the driving seat in the second half of the game.

A Good penalty narrowed the gap to 18-16 with four minutes to play in the final chukka, but patron Simon Holley effectively sealed his side’s win moments later by bursting clear to score his only goal of the game before showing

As the game wore on, Chris Hyde showed just why he is the highest-handicapped British player in the arena his delight with some vigorous fist-pumping towards the grandstand. The heavens opened in the final two minutes and a mixture of sleet, snow and hail poured down on the Berkshire arena as Hyde added two late goals to give the scoreline a flattering sheen.

Commentator and seven-goal arena player Tarquin Southwell, who kept the freezing crowd entertained throughout with his incisive and accurate calling of the game, delighted in prescribing nicknames to the players. Some of these, like Chris “the Prof ” Hyde, are well known on the polo circuit, while others, like Danny “Carlos the Jackal” Muriel, were a bit u Polo Times, January/February 2012 51

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19/1/12 11:43:14

Reports

HPA National Club Championships, RCBPC

Assessing the Berkshire changes This year’s National Club Championships at the Berkshire witnessed a few notable changes from its normal format.

Firstly, the date of the tournament was moved from its usual January slot to December for the first time. And, perhaps of equal significance, the upper handicap limit of the high-goal tournament was moved from 15 to 16-goals to allow for more entries.

As polo manager at the Berkshire Louisa Dawnay explains, the main reason behind the change of date, was to appeal to players and patrons who have become increasingly interested in Europe’s big snow polo events.

She explains: “There is such great interest in the snow polo these days and those tournaments generally run from the start of January to the middle of February. In some regards we are competing with those tournaments for the same patrons, horses and players. The idea behind having the Chemas – Danny Muriel, Oliver Hipwood and Kevin Cheshire – are all smiles after winning the 7-10 goal final championships before Christmas was so that we don’t conflict with those tournaments.”

One downside of the early season National u more ad hoc. By my estimation, given the sheer Montroc the day before – started the mediumgoal final with a two-goal lead on handicap. quality of a number of his goals, Jonny Good Club Championships is that it does not give Oliver Hipwood and Danny Muriel – who teams a series of “practice” tournaments should simply be given the nickname “very”. that allow them to play together before Despite finishing on the losing team he did his proved to be great value for his four-goal peaking for the more glamorous National rating by scoring 11 goals – helped Chemas reputation no harm whatsoever and a stunning Club Championships. Secondly, there is the extend this lead to 7-2 in the first chukka. tail backhand from inside his own half, which They maintained this five-goal lead until the flew beautifully into the top corner in the third start of the final chukka, leading 17-12, until chukka, will live long in the memory.

Ocho Rios produced a late fightback.

While the high-goal final was dominated by Seven-goaler Seb Dawnay scored four quick some of the best-known names in arena polo, – Louisa Dawnay goals, taking his tally for the day up to 14, to the medium-goal final was very much about put his side back in touch but Chemas held on the newcomers, with two rookie patrons going potential that if teams perform poorly in the to win by two goals. head to head. “earlier” championships, they will not play at Cheshire – who was well-supported from the Charlie Holley, who took up polo three all for the rest of the season. sidelines – has signed up as a summer member years ago and hopes to become a regular With this in mind a date has not been set at the Berkshire for the first time this year, so feature at the National Club championships for next season’s tournament. we can expect to hear more from him as the in the years to come, showed signs of great Louisa Dawnay said: “We haven’t made a year goes on. F promise, particularly in the first half. decision about next season. There are a lot of things to consider.”

In the opening chukka he showed great w Turn to page 89 for social photographs On the upside, the increase in the handicap tenacity to steal the ball from Oliver Hipwood level of the high-goal championships led to a to set up Seb Dawnay for a goal. And the Game rating • • • • • • • • • • doubling in the number of entries, from two in youngster got on the scoresheet himself soon the last championships to four in December. after with a confident flick. u The HPA National Club Championships finals; This higher limit will be retained for next His encouraging form continued throughout, month’s Arena Gold Cup. 18 December 2011; RCBPC most notably when he got the better of his “The Gold Cup will be at the higher Result: Altyon beat Equibuild, 21-17 fellow-patron Kevin Cheshire in a ride-off in handicap level of 16-goal,” Louisa explained.

Handicap level: 16-goal “The simple reason behind that is that the the second chukka.

Number of team entries: four players are just getting better and better and Cheshire, in his first year competing at Chukka scores: 5-7; 12-10; 17-14; 21-17 their handicaps are going up. the medium-goal level in the National Club “We don’t want teams to have to split Teams championships, showed great improvement up and change every year because their Altyon, from RCBPC (16): Simon Holley 1; Chris throughout the tournament and was a popular handicaps keep changing. Ideally we would Hyde 9; Oliver Hipwood 6 choice for the most valuable player award. like teams to remain the same every year so Equibuild, from RCBPC (15): Paul Knights 1; The Canadian’s team – who lost the lowthe teams will get stronger and there will be Jonny Good 8; Tim Bown 6 goal final 20-14 against Richard Herman’s rivalries between them.” F

“Players are getting better, so we had to raise the handicap”

52 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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www.polotimes.co.uk

19/1/12 11:43:37

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18/1/12 13:39:42

Reports

Cámara de Diputados, Argentina

Shutters close on picture-perfect Cámara Two sides packed with young talent lit up Palermo two days after the conclusion of the Argentine Open, producing a visual treat in a final worthy of the venue

Alejandro Comero in Pilar and Buenos Aires

La Quinta La Aventura La Virgencita Loro Piana

Photograph by Tony Ramirez

T

15 14

here was emotion at La Catedral del Polo on Sunday 11 December, when La Quinta La Aventura snuck victory over La Virgencita Loro Piana – a team featuring England’s James Beim – in one of the most evenly matched games of the season. Unlike the largely disappointing spectacle of the Argentine Open final two days beforehand, this was utterly compelling.

Beim was somewhat subdued all game, but La Virgencita Loro Piana began the game better, with 30-year-old eight-goaler Lucas James in particular reading the game superbly and controlling the midfield, helped by his friend and teammate, Agustin Nero.

They pinned La Quinta La Aventura back in the first three chukkas with clever stickwork and cleanly hit backhands that consistently got them out of trouble in defence.

However, if the opening half belonged to James & Co, the final three chukkas definitely went the way of La Quinta La Aventura.

Facundo Sola attempts a hook on James Beim

54

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The balance of experience and youth worked in La Quinta’s favour in the critical moments, with a tireless Milo Fernández Araujo and 41-year-old Alejandro Agote (a previous winner of the Cámera on four occasions, in 1990, 2007, 2008 and 2011) providing a steady platform for the promising young talents of Diego Cavanagh and Facundo Sola (Milo’s godson) to relax and express themselves.

British and Middle Eastern polo-goers already know how devastating Sola can be in front of goal when given enough opportunities and, having missed the bulk of last year’s Argentine season with a broken hand, this was his chance to show his fellow countrymen just what he can do.

Sure enough, he made a mockery of his six-goal handicap, slotting several penalties and passes with steadiness and aplomb, and finishing the top scorer for his team with eight goals. He was involved in the last dramatic play of the game as well when, at 14-14, he was fouled by an overly-enthusiastic Agustin Nero in midfield, who fell off his horse in the

process. But the game continued, Sola fed Diego Cavanagh the ball and he guaranteed their victory with the final goal to make it 15-14.

It was a controversial moment, and one which particularly riled La Virgencita’s nine-

Top-scorer Facundo Sola made a mockery of his six-goal handicap goal hero Lucas James, who reacted badly and was shown, not one, but two yellow cards.

Milo Fernández Araujo and Facundo Sola, winners together of the Queen’s Cup at Guards Polo Club last June, were also emotional in the aftermath, but preferred to focus on the positives: “At this stage of my career, I particularly enjoy these moments,” confessed Milo, despite the loss of one of his best horses in the fifth chukka.

“Playing with Milo and Alejandro Agote is like having an all-day polo clinic,” said Sola.

“It helps me improve all the time.”

Sola certainly will be hot property in the UK again this summer, make no mistake. F

Game rating

• • • • • • • • • •

u C opa Cámara de Diputados; 15 November – 11 December 2011; Pilar and Palermo, Argentina Result: La Quinta La Aventura beat La Virgencita Loro Piana, 15-14 Handicap level: 30 goal Number of team entries: 13 Most valuable player: Facundo Sola Best playing pony: Incarí Ciudadana, played by Facundo Sola and owned by José Chediack Finalists La Quinta La Aventura (29): Diego Cavanagh 7; Facundo Sola 6; Milo Fernández Araujo 8; Alejandro Agote 8 La Virgencita Loro Piana (30): James Beim 7; Agustin Garcia Grossi 7; Lucas James 8; Agustin Nero 8 www.polotimes.co.uk

19/1/12 11:44:44

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Polo Times, January/February 2012 55

19/1/12 13:49:18

Reports

Home and abroad

Ash Farm – Paul Sweeney Memorial Cup

Photograph by Georgia Sweeney

Eagles fly high to retain Paul Sweeney Memorial The annual Paul Sweeney Memorial Cup was played at Ash Farm in mid-January, writes Charlotte Sweeney. In surprisingly warm conditions for the time of year, Black Eagles retained their title after defeating Twelve Oaks 15-13.

Many players, friends and family came to support the two teams battling it out for the prestigious trophy donated by Paul Sweeney’s closest friends Chris Benford, Graham Wooldridge and Neil Beard.

Played over two days, the tournament produced some great skill from both entries – Martin Davison’s Twelve Oaks and Jonathan Munro Ford’s Black Eagles. In Saturday’s game, the combination of Davison, Chris Hyde and Charlie Wooldridge looked hard to beat. However, Munro Ford, Howard Smith and Tim Bown proved they were a match for the side and the game finished in a draw. Although the score was carried over to Sunday, both sides effectively started with a clean slate and it was all to play for.

The viewing galleries were bursting with excitement and it was quickly evident that both teams wanted to leave Ash Farm with the cup. At the end of the second chukka, Black Eagles were trailing by two goals.

However, going into the third chukka Munro

Charlie Wooldridge of Twelve Oaks chases Black Eagles’ Howard Smith during the Paul Sweeney Memorial Cup

Ford’s team pulled themselves together displaying brilliant teamwork between Smith and Bown.

At the start of the final chukka, Twelve Oaks lead 11-10 but it wasn’t long before Black Eagles scored two quick goals putting them ahead. The side managed to retain their

Argentina – Copa Cuatro Tacos, La Quinta Polo Club

Photograph by Caroline Smail

Honours even at La Quinta

The final of the 18-goal Copa Cuatro Tacos between Lila Pearson’s Cowdray and George Gemmell’s La Paz was a close and well-fought game that, still undecided after a penalty shoot out, was declared a draw, 11-11.

The two teams were level pegging the whole way through and there were never more than two goals between them. Although Cowdray opened the scoring with a goal by Tom Morley, they took their time to warm up and La Paz dominated in the first two chukkas and took the lead.

An impressive under the neck goal by Morley followed by a quick goal from Andrew Willans 56 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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on the bell put them in the lead for the first time in the game, 5-4, at half time. The fourth and fifth chukkas were again a display of fast, open polo with both teams fighting to the death and with the score tied at 9-9 it was all to play for in the last chukka. Just as La Paz looked as if they were going to take the title with the score

lead until the final bell and won their second consecutive Paul Sweeney Memorial title.

Ed Magor’s pony, Bidi, played by Howard Smith, won the Polo Times best playing pony rug. Jeff Thomas of Tally Ho Farm, Gwyn Powell of Airworld and Chris Benford donated prizes to the teams.

Joao Paulo Gannon in action for La Paz at La Quinta

11-10 in the last minute, Mark Tomlinson saved the day for Cowdray and scored as the bell went. A penalty shoot out ensued and with both Pearson and Gemmell converting with ease the match was declared a draw. Another eighteen-goal tournament at Mark and Luke Tomlinson’s La Quinta will be held in February. www.polotimes.co.uk

20/1/12 17:06:16

Home and abroad

Reports

South Africa – Formosa 12-Goal, Kurland Polo Club

Black Bears win on South African debut Photographs by Christy Strever

The Plettenberg Bay Christmas polo season concluded with the high-energy Formosa 12-goal final at Kurland. The 2011/2012 season has already been a huge success, with team numbers back up to the high levels that Kurland enjoyed at the club’s peak. To raise the bar, Black Bears entered the fray for their first excursion to South Africa and ran out 6-5½ winners in the Formosa.

Black Bears got off to a bad start in the tournament with a loss against Kurland.

However, the Bears bounced back and proceeded to win their next three games to reach the final against Mablestone.

Mablestone, featuring Buster Mackenzie and his son Mike, tried hard to prevent the Bears from unleashing their quick attacks in the first two chukkas, with the phrase “and the whistle blows” heard from the commentator far too many times for the crowds liking. Mablestone went into the second half 3½-3 up and looked to be on course for victory before a turning point in the third chukka brought the game to life.

As Mablestone’s Brad Mallet took the ball to goal to stretch the lead, Du Plessis hit a huge back hand off the goal-line and Black Bears went down the other end to score. The advantage kept swinging by half goals and it was only in the last 30 seconds that Jean du Plessis scored a 40-yard penalty to put the game away. Buster Mackenzie was named MVP and Leo Baxter’s pony, Arabian Jewel,

Jean du Plessis, Brad Mallet, Vaughn Richardson, Guy Schwarzenbach and Mike Mackenzie in action at Kurland

played by Alfonso Pieres won the best playing pony prize.

The Formosa Cup 12-goal was played in place of the South African Open, which has now been moved to Easter and raised to an 18-goal level.

Chile – Abierto de Chile

u T eams Black Bears (13): Guy Schwarzenbach 2; Alfonso Pieres 3; Jean du Plessis 6; Dirk Van Reenen 2 Mablestone (11): Mike Mackenzie 0; Brad Mallet 3; Buster Mackenzie 6; Vaughn Richardson 2 Pablo MacDonough was beaten in the final in Chile

Victory for Verfrut Chile’s biggest tournament, the 22-goal Abierto de Chile (Chilean Open), took place from 21-23 December. Verfrut defeated HSBC-Casa Silva 13-12 in the final to take home the trophy. Despite HSBC Casa Silva featuring the highest handicapped player in the tournament – 10-goaler Pablo MacDonough – the strong combination of José Donoso and David “Pelon” Stirling helped secure victory for Verfrut.

Polo Times, January/February 2012 57

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20/1/12 17:08:35

Reports

Home and abroad

News in brief

w A rgentina – Three British ladies were part of the team that won the Copa Las Hermanas in December. El Remanso’s Zahra Hanbury, Tilda Woodd, Maddy Meacher and Elisa Gómez defeated El Sotano 3-2 in the final, held at the Hanbury’s Argentine estancia, El Remanso. In the subsidiary final, Lovelocks Polo Stud beat Hope Funds, 3-2. w I ndia – Jaipur Polo Club’s Saragarhi Challenge Cup was won by Sikh Sherdil on 3 December. They beat the British Army – Ben Vestey, Robert Freeman-Kerr, Billy Jackson-Stopps and Rupert Lewis – by four goals, 7-3. The Brits gave away a succession of penalties early on, which they failed to come back from. The two sides will meet each other again in December 2012 for the third fight for the Saragarhi Challenge Cup, this time back in the UK. w I ndia – Central Academy won the Royal Salute Maharaja of Jodhpur Golden Jubilee Cup at Umaid Bhawan Palace at the end of December. With team members Niall Donnelly and Manupal Gorada helping put Central Academy ahead by five-goals at half time, their opponents, Yuvraj Knights, struggled to keep up and eventually lost, 7½-3. The popular Royal Salute Golden Jubilee Ball followed the tournament and was attended by 150 guests, including players and patrons. w Pakistan

– Ahmed Ali Tiwana led RijasWaste Busters to victory in the final of the Lahore Open Polo tournament on 8 January. Held at Lahore Polo Club, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary, RijasWaste Busters had a tough final on their hands against PICIC Insurance, whose star player Santiago Medivil was on top goal scoring form. PICIC Insurance claimed the lead early on, but strong play from Rijas-Waste Busters in the second half secured the latter a win.

58 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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Success for Sund Photographs by Nacho Corbalan

w A EPC – The UberPolo Ladies Arena tournament, held at the end of November, was won by KHHP – Charlie Howell, Saskia Meadows and Rosie Ross. Over the same weekend, the UberPolo Battle of the Sexes Challenge took place. Team Hickstead Men, featuring John Bunn, Chas Taylor and Caio Sorzana, had their revenge this year, beating reigning champions UberPolo Ladies – Alex Jacob, Nell Jacob and Sarah Wiseman – on the first day and Eastwood Stud Ladies on the second day.

Argentina – La Aguada Resort Cup

The inaugural La Aguada Resort Cup took place at the Novillo Astrada’s La Aguada Polo Club at the end of November, writes Mark Emerson. The 16-goal tournament featured four British teams, each enhanced with a member of the Novillo Astrada family.

Following two days of tightly-fought games, which left no team standing out above the rest, a thrilling final day ensued. On a ferociously hot afternoon, the first match saw a thriller between Stefan Sund’s Lost Boys patron Stefan Sund in action and, above, with the Resort Cup Lost Boys and James Scott Hopkins’ Irongate Bulldogs.

Julio Novillo Astrada. The new line-up did The deciding moment of the game not click at first and Twelve Oak’s Alejandro happened in the final minute when a rare Novillo Astrada took full advantage of this Eduardo Novillo Astrada mishit allowed and they controlled the match. Patron Martin Nacho Novillo Astrada to pounce. With Davison was able then able to score six goals, pin-point accuracy he set up Sund to score a making him top scorer of the tournament. clinical winning goal from 50 yards.

Tashan Polo came back strongly in the second This result meant that only a win for half and Rawal hit a few timely goals but his Vivek Rawal’s Tashan Polo in the last match team ran out of time, losing 9-8. would be enough for them to top the table.

This was much to the delight of Lost Boys However, Tashan Polo’s Javier Novillo who celebrated wildly on the sidelines in the Astrada injured himself during an Ellerstina knowledge they had been crowned inaugural Gold Cup match and had to be replaced by Resort Cup champions.

New Zealand – Poverty Bay Open, Poverty Bay Polo Club

Ladies make the grade

Poverty Bay Polo Club in New Zealand became the first club in the country’s polo history to feature a dedicated ladies’ section within its annual Open tournament.

The Poverty Bay Open was held in sunny

Jo Kirkpatrick, Kirsty Hawkins, Rae Poole and Susie Hamilton of the victorious Bayleys Real Estate team

Gisborne between Christmas and New Year.

Poverty Bay’s playing membership was boosted this season with the addition of four new minus-two-goal female players in the form of Jo Kirkpatrick, Laura Clark, Robin Wilkie and Susie Hamilton. Kirkpatrick got together 12 other ladies from different North Island clubs to make up four low-goal teams for the tournament.

After three days of gruelling roundrobin play, Bayleys Real Estate team – Susie Hamilton, Rae Poole, Jo Kirkpatrick and Kirsty Hawkins – came out overall winners, having won all their matches.

They beat Farmlands 8-2, Kirkpatrick Estate Winery 12-1 and EcoWorks 4-2. www.polotimes.co.uk

20/1/12 12:11:12

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Polo Times, January/February 2012 59

20/1/12 16:23:34

Reports

Home and abroad

Australia – Paspaley Polo in the City

Veuve Clicquot clinch overall victory as city series brings polo to the Australian people Now in its sixth year, the annual Paspaley in the City event once again brought polo to the people in five Australian state capitals throughout November and December, writes Sarah Martin.

Official champagne partner and team sponsor for the second year, Veuve Clicquot were the overall winners of the series.

The primary objective of Ruki Baillieu and Janek Gazecki when they formed Polo Enterprizes Australia was to increase polo’s popularity as a spectator sport. There is no denying that they are on track, with more than 12,500 attending the five events in 2011. So popular was the Sydney fixture that marquee space was sold out by March and attendance at other venues increased by an

So popular was the Sydney fixture that marquee space was sold out by March average of 44 per cent from the previous year.

Whilst the format may not please the polo purist, the reduced field – just 140 metres in length so that play never leaves the audience’s field of vision – the inflatable ball and more lenient umpiring make for an extremely spectator-friendly experience. Since the event

Macquarie’s Ric McCarthy (near side) rides off against Rob Ballard of Paspaley during November’s Sydney event

began, the country has seen a large increase in enrolments at various polo coaching facilities around Australia.

Two more events have been added to Polo Enterprizes’ portfolio, in addition to their city series. 2011 saw the inaugural Beach Polo played in Broome, home of Paspaley Pearls and the heart of Australia’s pearl industry, and their latest creation, Polo by the Sea, was launched on the Gold Coast last May.

USA – USPA World Snow Polo Championships

Photograph by David Lominska

Audi win again in Aspen

Jeff Hall in action for Audi during the championships

60 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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For the third consecutive year, Audi took home the World Snow Polo Championships title in Aspen in December.

Melissa Ganzi, joined by Juan Bollini and Jeff Hall, beat Ciroc, 9-6, in the final to be crowned champions.

Four other teams took part in the 16-goal competition, which attracted top players including Nacho Figueras, Nic Roldan, Tommy Biddle and Pelon Escapite.

This year the event moved to a new venue, Marolt Open Space, after a lack of snowfall prevented it from going ahead at Rio Grande Park. However, Marolt also only had a small covering of snow and grass was visible across much of the ground.

u B risbane (Doomben Racecourse), 12 Nov 2011 Result: Paspaley beat Coopers, 13-11 Paspaley (15): Drew Slack-Smith 2; Ruki Baillieu 7; Bud Sorby 4; John Fitzgerald 2 Coopers (14): Richard Rawlings 4; Glen Gilmore 7; Warwick Steen 2; Johnny Kerr 1 Sydney (Centennial Park), 19 November 2011 Result: Paspaley beat Macquarie, 12-9 Paspaley (14): Kelvin Johnson 5; Rob Ballard 5; Ed Matthies 2; Henry Bell 2 Macquarie (14): Glen Gilmore 7; Ric McCarthy 3; Drew Slack-Smith 2; Jasper White 2 Adelaide (Victoria Park), 26 November 2011 Result: Veuve Clicquot beat Audi, 10-8 Veuve Clicquot (13): Sebastian Chialvo 2; Henry Bell 2; Glen Gilmore 7; Callum McLachlan 2 Audi (13): Jock McLachlan 2; Marty Ingham 3; Scott Tonkin 2; Sam Hopkinson 6 Melbourne (Albert Park), 3 December 2011 Result: Paspaley beat British Airways, 9-8 Paspaley (14): Sam Kennedy 0; Kel Johnson 5; Glen Gilmore 7; Sam Baillieu 2 British Airways (15): Corin Gibbs 3; Sam Gairdner 4; Sam Hopkinson 6; Jack Berner 2 Perth (Langley Park), 10 December 2011 Result: Veuve Clicquot beat BDO, 12-10 Veuve Clicquot (12): Colin Ednie-Brown 1; Daren Smith 2; Matt Welsh 4; Kel Johnson 5 BDO (13): Peter Prendiville Jnr 0; Hugo Fischer 2; Tex Webster 4; Glen Gilmore 7 www.polotimes.co.uk

20/1/12 17:11:32

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20/1/12 14:29:05

Reports

Home and abroad

News in brief w N orfolk – Nine teams entered Norfolk Polo Club’s Church Farm Livery Christmas Cup on 28-29 December. The majority of those taking part in the two-player tournament had only started playing polo in the last 12 months. Level One was won by The Puddings – Paul Green and Alice Servaes – after they defeated Chris and Rebecca Townsend who formed The Tinsels. The Stars – Tom Kidner and 10-year-old Charlie Townsend – won Level Two. w S pain – The second Snow Polo Cup will be held at Sierra Nevada in Spain from 2425 February. The tournament, organised

by Santa Maria Polo Club, was originally due to take place in January but was postponed due to weather conditions.

Four 6-8 goal teams will be taking part – the teams are yet to be revealed. w R CBPC – The second annual Paul Castle Memorial Cup ended in a draw at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club (RCBPC) on Sunday January 15. Simon Holley’s Altyon, which featured Leon Allen (5) and Chris Hyde (9), took on Jonathan Munro Ford’s Black Eagles, who also included Howard Smith (6) and Oliver Hipwood (7). After four chukkas the sides could not be split, with the score tied at 13-13, and the patrons decided to share this year’s trophy. w F rance – The impressive Matthieu Delfosse won the BMW Polo Masters title at Val d’Isere for the fourth time in mid-January as he helped guide Barmes de l’Ours to their third straight victory at the event. Delfosse teamed up with fellow four-goaler Patrick Paillol and zero-goaler Claude Solarz during the three-day tournament. In the final on Saturday 14 January they enjoyed a 9-8 win over Avenue Lodge – Clement Delfosse (4), Robert Strom (3) and Michael Redding (1).

Photograph by Sarah Henderson

w U SA – Gillian Johnston’s Coca Cola, pictured, won the Herbie Pennell Cup at International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPCPB) at the beginning of January – the first 20-goal tournament of the 2012 IPCPB season. Coca Cola – Johnston, Sugar Erskine, Julio Arellano and Mason Wroe – defeated Jim Zenni’s Villa del Lago, 11-7. The two sides went on to contest the Joe Barry Memorial Cup, which concluded at the end of January.

62 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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India – Ezra World Cup, Calcutta Polo Club

Meyrick leads Calcutta to victory Calcutta Polo Club celebrated their 150th anniversary by hosting the Ezra World Cup from 18-25 December. The home side, Calcutta Polo Club, defeated Rome in the final on 24 December before going on to claim the Ezra World Masters Cup on Christmas Day. Five teams entered the Ezra World Cup, attracting players from across the globe, including former 10-goaler Carlos Gracida and British player George Meyrick. The HPA’s chairman Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers and FIP president Eduardo Huergo were also present, watching games alongside members of the Indian royal family and other dignitaries and celebrities from India.

Rome, a nine-goal team, were awarded a half-goal advantage at the start of the final as they were to face a 10-goal home team.

With goals from Gofferdo Rendina and Santiago Buzzi in the first two chukkas, Rome retained their lead. However, Calcutta quickly responded with goals from Meyrick and Tarun Sirohi. Vishal Chauhan followed these up with

HPA chairman Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers awards the Ezra Cup to the host team from Calcutta Polo Club

more goals in the third and fourth chukkas, helping secure Calcutta a 6-4½ victory.

On Christmas Day, an exhibition match was played between Calcutta Polo Club and a Rest of the World team for the Ezra World Masters Cup. Before the game got underway, guests were treated to a trickriding performance by the Indian Army and a colourful display from a dance troop.

Calcutta Polo Club, remained on winning form and romped home 5½-3 winners, despite a strong performance by the Rest of the World’s Gofferdo Rendina.

General VK Singh, chief of the army staff in India, awarded the cup to the winners.

Austria – Valartis Bank Snow Polo World Cup

Brits rule in Kitzbühel

Three British players were victorious in the Valartis Bank Snow Polo World Cup in Kitzbühel, Austria, in January, writes LeighAnne Moore. Hawker Beechcraft, featuring patron Richard Davis and pros Tarquin Southwell and Jonny Good, defeated Valartis Bank, 12-8½, in the final.

On the first day of play, Hawker Beechcraft faced the all-German side Tom

Tarquin Southwell, a delighted Jonny Good and patron Richard Davis of Hawker Beechcraft lift the trophy

Tailor. Although the ground had areas of slushy snow, this did not deter Davis’s side as they rode to a comfortable 12-7 win. On a cold and snowy second day of play the Brits faced tough competition from the home side, Mark Hanni’s Kitzbühel, which featured two Argentines. Hawker Beechcraft took an early lead but Kitzbühel soon closed the gap. An exciting yet difficult game for Casper West to umpire ensued, with Southwell scoring a number of goals leading them to an 11-8½ victory and a place in the final.

Going into the final, the Brits were the firm favourites. The team jumped into an early lead but, with Tito Gaudenzi at the helm, Valartis Bank were able to fight back. Hawker Beechcraft, however, dominated the second half, with Good putting a number of goals through the posts, securing a win for the side.

The winners were then due to go on to St Moritz for the Polo World Cup on Snow, to represent Cartier with Chris Hyde. However, as it was cancelled (see page 10) the team had to return home. www.polotimes.co.uk

20/1/12 12:13:48

Home and abroad

Reports

Druids Lodge – schools’ polo

Cheltenham dominate schools’ day at Druids

Druids Lodge hosted a set of friendly fixtures between Cheltenham, Marlborough and Shrewsbury on Sunday 15 January. All three schools fielded an A team, playing a two-chukka league, while Marlborough and Cheltenham B teams also played a four-chukka match. All the teams were well mounted – on horses from both Longdole and Druids Lodge.

In the four-chukka match, Cheltenham B were leading 7-2 by half time. In the spirit of friendly schools’ fixtures, Marlborough B where allowed to make a substitution, but this was to little avail as Cheltenham B ran out the winners, 15-8.

Shrewsbury A, who had travelled half the length of the country, lost both of their

Henry Fuller, Ollie Severn, Jack Severn and Harry Parker during the Marlborough vs Cheltenham match

matches, 8-2 to Marlborough and 10-1 to Cheltenham. Despite the strength and

Druids Lodge – Exeter Cup

RAC face tough opposition Royal Agricultural College (RAC) and University of West England (UWE II) are currently sharing the top spot in League One of the Exeter Cup – Druids Lodge’s winter university league, sponsored by UberPolo.

However, the RAC have one game in hand and look forward to the return of their captain, Jake Lomberg-Williams, who spent the Christmas break in New Zealand.

During December, RAC continued their strong run in the league. However, they came up against stiff competition from UWE II, who narrowly defeated them when the two sides met before Christmas. This resulted in UWE II joining RAC at the top of the league.

The first games of the New Year were certainly full of enthusiasm but, having not

seen a polo mallet or pony over the holidays, the students appeared a bit rusty.

However, Exeter I put on a convincing show in their last outing on Friday 13 January when they beat Exeter III, 14-3. With four wins out of four, Exeter I sit at the top of League Two. The successful combination of Nick Hely-Hutchinson, Alice Etchells and Cameron Houston may be the team to deny last year’s winners, RAC B, a second consecutive title.

Exeter I have one remaining game to play in the league stages, against second placed University of London Union (ULU).

As the number of games left to play quickly decreases, the teams will be fighting hard for wins in February in a bid to earn a place in the semi-finals in March.

composure of Shrewsbury’s Archie SmythOsbourne, the team were simply out-played by their opponents.

The highlight of the day was the battle between Marlborough A and Cheltenham A. Marlborough took an early lead with two quick goals from Chris Pritchard and Harry Parker. Henry Fuller, making an appearance with Marlborough for the first time at this level, was well positioned and calm with his shots. At half time Cheltenham held the lead by a single goal. In the second half Cheltenham’s JJ de Alba kept the back door shut while the Severn brothers helped notch up the score. Despite a great fight from Marlborough, Cheltenham won 9-5. u M arlborough A: Henry Fuller; Harry Parker; Chris Pritchard Cheltenham A: Ollie Severn; Jack Severn; JJ de Alba Shrewsbury A: Henry Kennedy; Seb Haywood; Archie Smyth-Osbourne

Argentina – Julio Novillo Astrada Cup

Federico Virasoro in action for winners El Caburé

El Caburé celebrate

Cameron Houston of Exeter (right) fights Cambridge’s Jamie Hepburn for the ball during an early game at Druids

www.polotimes.co.uk

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El Caburé won the Julio Novillo Astrada Cup at La Aguada Polo Club, Argentina, in December. The side, featuring ninegoaler Agustín Merlos, defeated Alegria Millarville, 13-12.

With the score lying in Alegria’s favour, 12-11, with a minute left to play, a 60-yard penalty was awarded to El Caburé and Merlos’s perfect shot forced the game into an extra chukka. Just a minute into extra time, Federico Virasoro scored the winning goal for El Caburé.

Polo Times, January/February 2012 63

20/1/12 17:18:31

Reports

Home and abroad

Dubai – Royal Salute UAE Nations Cup,

“Home side” secure fourth consecutive title The UAE home team won their fourth consecutive Royal Salute UAE Nations Cup title in mid-January, after defeating Hungary, 6-5, in the final. Adolfo Cambiaso scored the winning goal for his side, which also featured Ali Albwardy, Najieb Khoury and Prince Carl-Eugen Oettingen-Wallerstein.

His Grace the Duke of Argyll presented Albwardy – who owns Desert Palm where the tournament took place – with the winning trophy. Other than Cambiaso, two other 10-goalers took part in the tournament – Pablo MacDonough for Brunei and Juan

Three 10-goalers played in the tournament – Cambiaso, MacDonough and Nero Martin Nero for Pakistan. However, neither were victorious on finals day, losing to Rest of the World and United Kingdom respectively.

Following the prize-giving ceremony His Grace the Duke of Argyll opened the Royal

Action from the Royal Salute UAE Nations Cup final in Dubai between the UAE and Hungary in early January

Salute after-party. A signed photograph of Adolfo Cambiaso by British photographer Jon Nicholson was put up for auction to help raise funds for the Riding for the Disabled Association in Dubai and was bought for US$15,000. w Turn

to the opening news spread for more

u Finalists

UAE: Ali Albwardy 0; Najieb Khoury (replacing Rashid Albwardy) 2; Prince Carl-Eugen OettingenWallerstein 0; Adolfo Cambiaso 10 Hungary: Andres Tombor 1; Matias Machado 4; Martin Valent 5; Matias Pereda 0

India – British Polo Day

British Army march to victory in India British Polo Day India took place over the weekend of 10-11 December at His Highness The Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Marwar-Jodhpur’s private polo field, in the grounds of the Umaid Bhawan Palace.

On the first day of action, Eton College played Mayo College – India’s equivalent of Eton. Mayo College ran out the winners, 8-5, taking home the Yuvraj Shivraj Singh of Jodhpur Cup – named after one of their players who attended both Eton and Mayo.

Fittingly Yuvraj Shivraj also became a father for the first time on the morning of the match. The Mehrangarh Fort celebrated his daughter’s birth with a 21-gun salute.

The following day, the weekend of polo – which was organised in partnership with tailor-made holiday specialists Abercrombie & Kent – culminated with the Umaid Bhawan Palace Trophy. This was won by the British Army team of Ben Vestey, Robert FreemanKerr, Billy Jackson-Stopps and Rupert Lewis. w See page 86 for social snaps from the event 64 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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The victorious British Army team of Ben Vestey, Robert Freeman-Kerr, Billy Jackson-Stopps and Rupert Lewis receive the Umaid Bhawan Palace trophy from Simon Ledger after defeating Royal Jodhpur in early December

www.polotimes.co.uk

20/1/12 10:16:52

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PT p64-65 H&A 5 JOS JM PJ MB.indd 3 3RORB7LPHVB)3BDGB LQGG

20/1/12 10:16:38

Youth polo

The Potrillos Cup, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Presented by

Youngsters grace Palermo’s hallowed turf Photographs by Infomedia

Talented young players with familiar names prove they have what it takes to become the 10-goalers of the future

A mini potrillitos player surveys the action during the parade at the 49th Potrillos Cup in early December

Hernan Alvarez

reports from Buenos Aires

T

he most important children’s polo tournament in Argentina, the Potrillos Cup, celebrated its 49th edition before Christmas by hosting an eye-catching final at Palermo, the home of the Argentine Open.

The famed tournament for boys and girls under the age of 15 was first held at the Los

Indios Polo Club in Buenos Aires in 1963.

It has returned during the South American springtime every year since, making the word potrillos (Spanish for little colt) synonymous with youth polo in Argentina and beyond.

The 2011 event featured an astonishing 67 teams – 10 up on the previous year – playing across four different age ranges.

The main competition for 12-14-year-olds was the most popular section with 31 different teams playing for the Potrillos Cup. New to this year’s tournament was a competition for under-eights, known as the mini mini potrillitos. This proved to be a welcome addition, with eight teams entering.

Traditionally the Potrillos is held at Los

66 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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20/1/12 17:19:52

The Potrillos Cup, Buenos Aires, Argentina

The 2011 event featured an astonishing 67 teams – up 10 on the previous year This nail-biting game saw La Lucila (Juan Lalor, Genaro Ringa, Gino Ringa and Victorino Ruiz) beat Martindale (Nicolas Blanco, Segundo Fernandez Llorente, Lucas Diaz Alberdi and Santos Rueda) 6-5 after an extra chukka. Victorino Ruiz scored the decisive goal to give victory to the team from General Villegas.

Elsewhere, in the second age group – the potrillitos for children between 10 and 11 – there were 18 entries, with Velay La Oracion (Tomas Panelo, Felipe Miguens Casado, Hilario Figueras and Benjamin Panelo) ultimately beating Coronel Suarez (Juan Eduardo Harriott, Marcos Harriott, Bautista Alberdi and Ricardo Garros) to lift the trophy.

Camilo Castagnola – son of 10-goaler Lolo – was a

member of the winning team in the mini potrillitos (eight to nine years old) section alongside Miguel Guerrero, Felix Espain and Javier Guerrero.

While no overall winner was named in the mini mini potrillitos category because of the tender age of the players, there was plenty of interest in a team called El Pegual, which looks to have a very bright future. The line-up includes Adolfo Cambiaso Jr, Matias MacDonough Jr and Lucas Criado Jr playing with teammate Juan Gallego.

Many other famous Argentine polo names were also represented in the tournament including Novillo Astrada, Uranga, Magrini, Garros, Araya, Merlos, Tanoira and Heguy.

The organisers have already started working on plans for the landmark 50th annual Potrillos Cup, scheduled for December in Los Indios.

They hope that several current professionals who started playing at the Potrillos will return to be a part of the tournament. F u P otrillos Cup final; 11 December 2011; Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina Result: La Lucila beat Martindale, 6-5 Number of team entries: 31 Teams La Lucila: Juan Lalor, Genaro Ringa, Gino Ringa and Victorino Ruiz.

Martindale Deutsche Bank: Nicolas Blanco, Segundo Fernandez Llorente, Lucas Diaz Alberdi and Santos Rueda.

La Lucila's Juan Lalor chases Martindale's Segundo Fernandez Llorente during the Potrillos final at Palermo

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Julius Baer says keep your eye on...

Thomas Brodie, 15, Guards Photograph by Michael Chevis

Indios, the home of the Heguy family, but improvement work to the facilities there meant that the tournament was staged across four nearby clubs – Mindanao, La Virgencita, Patagones and San Jose – on Thursday 8 December.

The main final then took place on Sunday 11 December on Palermo’s number two field, just two days after the iconic venue hosted La Dofina’s victory over Ellerstina in the 118th Argentine Open final.

Youth polo

Guards Polo Club youngster Thomas Brodie enjoyed a very successful 2011 and certainly looks to be one of the youngsters that the polo fraternity should be keeping an eye on this year.

The zero-goaler, who moved up from minus-one at the end of the summer, teamed up with Charlie Pidgley, Karim Sheik and Ed Banner-Eve to win the Hipwood League title with a Guards team at the Pony Club Polo Championships in August. During the final against Old Surrey and Burstow, Guards were 3-1 behind at one stage before Brodie helped to inspire a 5-4 win for his side.

Guards fought back to 4-4 before Brodie stole the ball from a throw-in and scored the winning goal.

Indeed, Brodie played so well at Cowdray Park that he was awarded the Young Telegraph Award for the most promising player in the U14 and U15 sections. He was also one of the 16 youngsters from the Pony Club Championships that was selected to play in the HPA’s Under-21 Cup. After impressing during the summer, Brodie was selected to take part in a joint Junior HPA/Pony Club training camp in South Africa. Just before Christmas he travelled with seven other promising young players to Kurland to train with Buster McKenzie.

This was Brodie’s second HPA trip abroad of 2011. During the February half-term he travelled to the famed Coronel Suarez Polo Club in Argentina, where he met legendary former tengoaler Juan Carlos Harriott.

Polo Times, January/February 2012 67

19/1/12 11:48:00

Youth polo

Education from every angle In the first of a new regular column, education expert Adam Caller brings you advice on dealing with the quandaries facing young players looking to balance their polo and their studies.

Families considering taking their children out of school for lifestyle reasons, or to concentrate on polo, have several options.

Which route to take depends on a number of factors, such as whether this move will be for the remainder of a student’s preuniversity education, just for a year or two, or even just for a few months. It will also depend on the child’s age, educational system and academic aspirations.

If children 14 or younger will be away for a short period, it’s best to ask their schools if they will allow a period of absence while the child is still enrolled. A private tutor can easily keep the student up to date with his peers during this time.

For older children, the English educational system offers the most flexibility. There is no fixed age for taking GCSE or A-level exams and no limit on how long the preparation can be. The international versions of courses have little in the way of coursework or labs and there are test centres everywhere.

The US system is also flexible, but requires enrolment in an accredited establishment, even if it’s online, so that a transcript (a record of courses and classes completed and scores achieved) can be maintained.

Students in the US system need a transcript to apply to college (university). It’s hard to work through an online program alone, so I would always recommend the support of a full-time tutor to help manage the material, to share ideas, and to keep motivation.

International Baccalaureate, or IB, has to be taught in a specific type of school. It’s impossible to home educate the IB. If a player is considering taking some time away from school, it’s important to start the planning well in advance. It can take up to nine months to find the right tutor for a full-time assignment and to get all the plans in place. But don’t be put off by the complications; the benefits of taking time to enhance sports performance or to see the world easily outweigh the obstacles. ◗ Adam Caller, a former teacher turned educational consultant, has been Senior Partner of Tutors International for 12 years, a specialist private tutoring company headquartered in Oxford 68 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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Growing grass-roots polo in UK schools Following ambitious trials last summer, SUPA and Junior HPA organisers have joined forces to create a four-chukka league that can be enjoyed by more young players than ever before

Michael Hobday reports from SUPA HQ

T

rialled in 2011 by Rugby’s Jane Phelps and Wellington College’s John Gale with varying degrees of success, a four-chukka league for school children will be running again this summer. The HPA’s Development Committee asked SUPA to help re-organise, under the schools polo banner, a Four Chukka National Schools League to augment the existing Junior HPA and Pony Club polo programmes which take place in the holidays.

It seemed only natural that most poloplaying institutions, who regularly play in the SUPA National Schools Championships, would have a number of young players willing to take part in four-chukka polo.

Thus, building on the best ideas of the 2011 league, the newly formed joint committee – Mike Hobday, Ann Spicer, Jilly Emerson and Jeremy Barber – has created a bigger and more sophisticated competition for 2012.

This new championship will run alongside the existing National Schools Championships, which runs throughout May and June. At present, 10 schools have signed up to play in the four-chukka league. Millfield, Harrow, Wellington College, Cheltenham College and Shrewsbury will play in League One and Marlborough College, Seaford, Eton, Radley and Stowe will play in League Two. Matches will be arranged between participants at a venue of their choice and will follow HPA league match rules (Annex E of the HPA Blue Book). For those that cannot

The project, instigated by the HPA's Development Committee, aims to continue the ethos of "polo for all" championed by SUPA arrange fixtures, several dates fitting into the SUPA calendar are on offer.

Once the league matches have been completed – by 10 June 2012 – the top two “Open” teams (those that are not

Teams confirmed for the new SUPA and Junior HPA chukka league League One

League Two

Cheltenham College Harrow Millfield Shrewsbury Wellington College

Eton Marlborough College Radley Seaford Stowe www.polotimes.co.uk

19/1/12 11:48:14

Youth polo The grass-roots view The latest from Theresa Hodges, UK Pony Club Polo chair, in her regular column Happy New Year Happy New Year to all managers, parents and players involved with the Pony Club and Junior HPA. Below are the 2012 tournaments, please keep these dates free.

South Africa trip In December, the Pony Club and Junior HPA held a very successful training camp at Kurland in South Africa. Eight more lucky players will travel to Kurland during the February half-term. Thanks to Justin Stanhope-White, who took the first group, and to Leppy Richmond-Watson and Susannah Turk, who go with the second.

Rugby's James Hudson (in white), pictured riding off against Josh Woolley, is expected to take part in the combined league

handicapped) in each league will play a crossover semi-final on 17 June at RLS Polo Club. The winners will go through to the Open final on 24 June at RLS – the same day that the finals of the National Schools Championships will take place. The top two Handicap teams (those that are handicapped and not through to the Open semi-finals) will also play a semi-final and final on the same dates.

Continuing SUPA’s ethos of “polo for all” there are many students who attend non polo-playing institutions or are at a school where a four-chukka team is not entered.

Realising this, a Combined Four Chukka Championship is also being instigated, with matches being played under SUPA rules and not individual parent led.

It is hoped that both of the new leagues will help identify those who are more financially committed to polo at a younger age and as such help with youth development within the sport.

Eligibility for new league: • Only bonafide students at the school they represent may play • There is no limit to the number of players in the squad, however SUPA must have a list of all players • Players may “double shirt” but must be aware of handicap restrictions • Players who take part in the semi-finals

What is Annex E? Annex E of the HPA Blue Book lays down the rules for calculating the Order of Merit within and across leagues and groups and related issues. It should be read in conjunction with Annex C, Paragraph 6, which gives guidelines for running tournaments under the league and group systems.

Members can expect the 2012 Blue Book in April. Enquire about older versions of the rules by calling the HPA direct on 01367 242828

(Open and Handicap) may not play in the National Schools Championships on Sunday 24 June.

• All players must be registered and handicapped by the HPA before they play.

“S” handicapped players will be allowed to play as long as they have successfully passed the HPA Rules Theory Test. F ◗ Further information about the new league can be obtained by writing to hobdaypolo@yahoo.co.uk

Ledner success There has been much interest shown in the new Ledner mixed doubles. This year will be a trial year for the competition and we can accommodate a maximum of six teams.

Two teams have already confirmed, so if you are interested contact Laura Armstrong (laura@pcuk.org) at Pony Club HQ. Gentle reminder As a note to all branch managers, parents and players: please remember that all mixed branch teams for the summer season must be approved by the relevant section managers in the first instance.

Key dates for 2012 Arena: 1 April (Longdole); 14 April (Watership Down) Friendlies: 17 July (Vaux Park); 18 July (Taunton Vale); 19 July (Frampton Estate); 20 July (Rugby); 21 July (Ranksboro); 21 July (Knepp Castle); 24 July (Kirtlington); 25 July (Ascot Park); 26 July (Hurtwood Park) Qualifiers: 30 July (Cirencester Park); 31 July (Cirencester); 1-2 August (Longdole); 5-6 August (Tidworth) Pony Club Polo Championships: 8 August (Hurtwood Park); 10-12 August (Cowdray Park)

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Polo Times, January/February 2012 69

19/1/12 11:48:24

Knowledge

Know your horse

Mark Emerson MRCVS is a two-goal polo player and an ambulatory equine vet

Unwelcome winter wounds and Throughout the winter, our duty vet has been called out to treat a number of hoof abscesses and sizeable, unexplained wounds inflicted to ponies while they are turned out, most of which could have been prevented through better field and horse management At the time of writing in early January, the weather in the UK continues to be exceptionally mild and not unseasonably wet. As a result polo ponies that have been turned out are doing pretty well this winter and I am glad that I have not seen any in poor body condition.

I have, however, attended to the usual number of polo ponies who have sustained sizeable wounds and the odd hoof abscess. I don’t think there will ever come a winter when wounds and hoof abscesses are eliminated from the polo pony population.

However, much more can be done to prevent them from occurring.

Photographs by Mark Emerson

Fields are often surrounded by wire fencing and, more alarmingly, barbed wire Many wounds are a consequence of poor fencing. Almost without exception I hear the following from the owner or groom as I am in the process of stitching-up a large wound: “I can’t understand how it could have happened.

I have searched around the field and can’t find anything she could have caught herself on. She must have rolled on a sharp stone or maybe someone knifed her. What do you think?”

Farrier focus Shoeing for snow polo 70 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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Wounds to the hind legs after getting caught in wire fencing

A polo pony with a deep abdominal wound

More often than not, even though the scene of the accident may not be evident, the field in question is surrounded by wire fencing and, more alarmingly, it is often barbed wire.

On the polo field, the HPA bans the use of sharp spurs or tack containing sharp material.

Perhaps the HPA should prohibit the use of barbed wire in fields where ponies are kept?

Arguably hoof abscesses might be more difficult to prevent. It is often difficult to determine their cause and from time-to-time even the best-kept horses develop such

However glamorous snow polo may be, we must spare a thought for how well ponies cope with such a surface. Horses’ feet are designed to cope with cold temperatures and function perfectly in these conditions but asking them to play polo requires a little more help.

Increased grip is required and this is supplied by the addition of a second stud on the inside of the hind shoes and a stud in each of the heels of the front shoes plus one, or sometimes two, studs in the toes of the front

shoes . This depends on whether the surface is snow or ice.

Some choose to use snow pads too, which prevent a build up of snow under the hoof, while others prefer to use oil or Vaseline on the sole, which can also reduce the snowballing effect. The majority of players won’t encounter these playing conditions during their careers but if you wish to ride when there is snow on the ground, or just to keep your wintered ponies comfortable, then the use of snow pads or oil is recommended.

www.polotimes.co.uk

20/1/12 17:20:23

Know your horse

Knowledge

Lorna Edgar – specialist equine nutritionist

abscesses

Start your season the right way Happy New Year to you all! Here’s hoping your ponies have all wintered well – many I have seen over the winter are looking a picture of health. In no time at all your ponies will be coming back into work to begin their fitness regimes for the coming season. So, how about a few pointers to help your ponies settle back into their work routine: • Keep feeding plenty of forage during fitness work – do not restrict or muzzle the ponies. They have come from an environment in the field of trickle-feed grazing and a sudden stop to this is detrimental to their digestive tract and psyche.

A stitched wound on the front of a pony’s nose

An abscess, which spread and devitalised the sole

abscesses. However, the incidence of hoof abscesses is much higher amongst horses turned out during the winter. This is partly due to the relatively wet ground conditions and partly because of the lack of regular attention from a farrier.

Horses turned out in areas with flinty soils will doubtless be more likely to suffer hoof abscesses due to the higher risk of penetrating wounds from sharp flint stones. However, most polo ponies during the winter end up standing around in wet, boggy ground. This will inevitably lead to weaker hoof capsules and result in the formation of fissures, which allow bacteria to get into the subsolar region of the foot.

As horses are generally unshod when turned out, there is also a

greater likelihood of the hoof walls cracking and of separation of the white line. Foot trimming may not appear to be that necessary during the winter months as there is often little hoof growth, but having a farrier attend to your polo ponies at the turn of the year will at least allow the appearance of any cracks to be addressed before they worsen and to ensure the feet are balanced, the toes well rounded, and the heels not becoming under-run. F

A shoe with snow polo studs and a snow pad

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◗ Mark Emerson works as an ambulatory equine vet based near Ascot and has polo clients across the south of England: tel 07973 800358 or email mark@emersonequine.com

◗ Performance Shoeing International is a collaboration of three-times world champion farrier Darren Bazin and Argentine player and farrier Luigi Ferrarese.

They offer a complete farrier service, specialising in polo.

For enquiries please telephone 07896 991489. To read the full article about shoeing for snow polo please visit www.highgoalfarriers.co.uk

• Introduce hard feed straight away BUT slowly – after months of probably not having any hard feed at all, to suddenly be fed twice a day is not good for their digestive tract and not good for you as they have too much energy coming into work! Allow 10-14 days to build up to two scoops* of cubes or mix. A balancer will also need an equal amount of time to be introduced.

• Increase feed as work increases – thus ensuring all nutrients are received to support the workload, as well as muscle development and condition.

• Feed quantities – ensure you are feeding the manufacturer’s recommended quantities. If too much energy is being exhibited it is likely a lower energy feed needs to be considered instead of just feeding a small amount of a high-energy feed.

• Condition score your ponies regularly and define fat from muscle – always look at an individual’s conformation. A deep girth and wide sprung ribs are more likely to give the appearance of being “heavy” or “gutty” – no diet will change their conformation.

• Pre and probiotics can be of huge benefit at this time of the year – they help to settle beneficial bacteria in the hind gut, which are likely to be disrupted during changes in diet, routine and fitness.

Remember, as the nutritionist Gillian McKeith says: “You are what you eat” and the same applies to your horse! ◗ Contact Lorna Edgar on 07808 863864 and lorna@baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk *scoop = Stubbs round bowl scoop

Polo Times, January/February 2012 71

20/1/12 12:18:09

Knowledge

Know your game

Must-have tips for players – from Jamie Peel, three-goal pro and 2008 Gold Cup winner

We must educate overseas With the new year now underway and the holiday period over, it is time for us all to get back to business and look forward to an exciting season ahead.

In a month’s time the horses will be coming back into work and in no time at all chukkas will be starting. It is frightening how quickly time is passing by.

On a personal note, I cannot wait for the English season to begin. My patron, Nick Clarke of Salkeld, has confirmed that he will play the high-goal season with the same team as last year – England’s James Beim and Luke Tomlinson and Chile’s José Donoso.

We have a great atmosphere in the team so hopefully I can help us as we look to improve on last year’s Gold Cup semi-final. Once again there are some very strong teams entered for the high-goal season and it will be fascinating to see who comes out on top.

Photograph by LGEPR

Governing bodies must take responsibility to help foreign athletes competing in the UK Throughout the winter there have been some interesting issues in other sports that I have been following.

One of the most high profile is the Premier League racism case involving Liverpool Football Club’s Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez.

This case will have been particularly interesting for those of you who have played in South America, or with South Americans, who will know that the word “negro” is used every day as a nickname.

“Negro” along with “gordo” (fat) and “flaco”

Luis Suarez, one of South America’s best footballers, has fallen foul of the authorities since joining Liverpool FC

(skinny) are words constantly used in South America as nicknames that describe a person’s appearance. These words are also in constant use in and around the polo community here in England.

There is a comparable case in polo when Bartolomé “Lolo” Castagnola used the word

“negro” to address a patron in 2002. Lolo was sent off the field for the rest of the chukka but was allowed to finish the game and the tournament. Suarez on the other hand was awarded an eight-match ban.

Clearly the Suarez case is more high profile, but the incident was the same. Both cases

Playing tips with Rege Ludwig – Assisting with In the first of his monthly columns, renowned polo coach Rege Ludwig reveals how to get extra control during key manoeuvres 72 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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With the amount of physical effort the player puts into supporting the front end of the horse during the execution of a significant stop, a ride-off or simply while slowing down or turning, it is ludicrous to think that a sufficient degree of support can be provided by the left hand alone. Typically, the horse will benefit from a larger degree of support.

In these circumstances, the right hand

should be brought forward to grip the two right reins directly in front of the left hand. Make sure to apply an equal degree of support to the horse’s mouth and neck with each hand.

With the additional support, the horse will find it easier to compress it’s body and executing any one of the these manoeuvres will be easier and more effective.

As shown, right, hold the mallet using the www.polotimes.co.uk

20/1/12 12:19:47

Know your game

Fitness

players

with James de Mountfort

By the book A Stewards’ Disciplinary Enquiry on 9 July 2002 found Bartolomé Castagnola guilty of misconduct, under HPA regulations 6.1.2 and 6.1.3 and HPA Rule 37(e). He was fined £100.

The incident occurred during a match at Cowdray Park on 7 July 2002 when he was abusive to Prince Albert Esiri.

In a fix

show that there is a need for education.

It is extremely difficult for South Americans to adapt to British culture, especially if they are unaware that their comments could be deemed as racist.

I think in future governing bodies must appear to be taking responsibility to help and direct foreign athletes who are competing in this country.

Knowledge

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has once again been in the limelight due to race-fixing. Match-fixing is a problem that we all know exists in polo as well (see Herbert Spencer’s column on page 24).

I know there was a case in America where the USPA banned a player who was guilty of match-fixing, but I do not know of a case in England.

Match-fixing is more regularly noticed in the high-goal and it is extremely difficult for clubs and officials to police.

It is an aspect of the game that casts a dark shadow over some of our most prestigious tournaments and is something we need to put a stop to.

As we look forward to the 2012 season, I hope that we will not be experiencing similar problems that other sports have incurred. Let’s hope it is a successful year for us all. Good luck. F

James de Mountfort, polo player and personal trainer to the Red Bull F1 Racing Team reveals the exercises and techniques that will help your polo The fitball, which can now be found in all gyms and bought relatively cheaply, is an excellent tool to work on and improve your balance and stability. This exercise will strengthen your posterior chain, which will be useful when it comes to playing a polo shot. As with all sports the more stable you are, the more accurate you’ll be.

Firstly, make sure that the fitball is blown up fully. For beginners, start with Strengthening the posterior chain your feet shoulder-width apart, with through your back, glutes and thighs your back against a wall and with the fitball in front of you. Lower yourself down on top of the fitball in a prone position, with the soles of your feet against the wall and then move your arms behind your back (as in picture one).

In one movement, as you exhale, lift your pelvic floor and engage your navel so that your back makes a straight line with your legs. Then return to the prone position.

Beginners will start with three sets of 10 reps, with one minutes rest in between. For a more advanced workout, try four sets of 50 reps, with 30 seconds of rest between sets.

To make the exercise more challenging, try doing it with your feet together (rather than at shoulder width). You can also add more resistance as you come up by lifting your arms towards the ceiling (as in picture two).

◗ Do you agree or disagree with Jamie’s opinions? Let us know by emailing letters@polotimes.co.uk

the right hand ring and little finger. Wrap your index and middle finger over the reins and your thumb under the reins, making sure to squeeze the reins onto the mallet head. ◗ Rege Ludwig is a world renowned polo coach and author of “Polo for the 21st Century” www.polotimes.co.uk

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20/1/12 12:20:23

Knowledge

Ones to watch

Danny Muriel has proved to be one of the best-value arena players for his handicap, writes John O’Sullivan Four-goaler Danny Muriel once again proved his prowess in the arena with a stunning display during the HPA National Club Championships at the Berkshire. He scored a remarkable 11 goals in the medium goal final as Kevin Cheshire’s Chemas beat Charlie Holley’s Ocho Rios 18-16.

This was the second year in a row that Muriel won the medium goal HPA title, having teamed up with Simon Holley and Max Charlton to beat Paul Knight’s Softrack team in last season’s final. Indeed Muriel’s recent success marks a third straight year that he has won at the National Clubs Championship.

In January 2010 he won the 2-6 goal competition with Charlotte Christadoulou’s Power Hawks team.

In his most recent success, Muriel looked extremely good value for his four-goal handicap and he can be expected to continue to make an impact as the Berkshire arena season continues. The 7-10 goal Olin Tournament is set to get underway shortly, with the final on Sunday 5 February. The month of February also sees the 4-7 goal Katie Tunn Trophy and the 2-6 goal Chairman’s Trophy at the Berkshire and Muriel is likely to feature in these with Chemas.

Chemas patron Kevin Cheshire has also marked his intention to take part in the Berkshire’s summer season, so Muriel may also feature outdoors this year. His outdoor handicap is two.

Sympatica John O’Sullivan talks to 15-year-old up-andcoming arena player Charlie Holley about his father Simon Holley’s impressive mare Sympatica, which he played in the National Club Championships medium-goal final How long have you had Sympatica?

We have had Sympatica for six years, for three of those years she was in Barbados and then he brought her over to England with two other horses. We have had her here for three years and she has played for my dad and for me.

Photographs by Gillian Hughes and John O’Sullivan

Where did you get her from?

My dad bought Sympatica in Argentina from the Villamil family in 2004, and then she was brought to Barbados and trained by Philippe Villamil, a member of the family. She was stabled at a farm in Barbados owned by Jeff Evelyn.

What level has she played?

Sympatica has played for my dad, as well as some professional players in the 16-goal Barbados Open, which they won. Then when she was brought to England the highest level she played was the Duke of Cornwall at Guards, which is also 16-goals. She has also played for me in many different levels as well.

Danny Muriel during the prize presentations of this season’s National Club Championships

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Why is she such a favourite?

Sympatica is such a favourite because she is a

Height: 15.1hh Age: 12 Colour: Roan Sex: Mare Breed: Polo Argentina Owner: Simon Holley

very well balanced pony, and she gives whoever is riding her a very stable platform to play and be competitive on. Personally, I have played her for a very long time, so I am very confident on her.

Does she have any weaknesses?

If Sympatica has any weakness it is that she is very shy on the yard.

What is next for Sympatica?

For the rest of the season Sympatica will probably play the Arena Gold Cup for dad, and hopefully she will be fit enough to play outdoor next season.

Will you get the chance to play in the Arena Gold Cup this year?

I won’t be playing the Gold Cup this year because of horses and money. I was very lucky to have my own team in the Nations and I would like to thank my dad very much for putting in a team for me. I am not a patron and if anything this was a treat from my dad, so will not be a regular occurrence.

I am still so grateful to him for putting a team in the Nations for me. I am 15-years-old, I have been playing polo for four years. This was my first HPA Nations I have played and it was a pleasure to have played in it. w To find out how Sympatica, Charlie Holley and his father, Simon, got on at the HPA National Club Championships, turn to page 50 www.polotimes.co.uk

20/1/12 12:15:32

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20/1/12 12:44:34

Knowledge

Products

Get shirty With 2012 now upon us and a new outdoor season on the horizon, Georgie May picks out team shirt companies that offer a bespoke service so you can ride onto the field in style this summer

La Martina ladies shirts, £POA

becky@lamartina.com

UberPolo, £POA

www.uberpolo.com

Tally Ho Farm, £POA

www.tallyhofarm.co.uk

Akuma, £79.99 (+VAT) each, including personalisation

www.akumapolo.com

Stickheadz, prices from £100 for five shirts including basic personalisation

La Martina, £POA

becky@lamartina.com

www.stickhedz.com

76 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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www.polotimes.co.uk

20/1/12 12:54:48

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19/1/12 16:02:16

Knowledge

How to spend it

Patrons, it’s time to get on A swanky boat has, over the years, become one of the must-have items for any self respecting big-spending polo patron and at the moment V52 from Princess Yachts International is likely to be on many polo people’s shopping list for 2012.

The impressive 54ft 6in cruiser, which has a top speed of 36 knots, has just won the top prize at the prestigious IPC media “Motor Boat of the Year” awards.

The V52 has two en-suite cabins, as well as a saloon that doubles as a third bedroom, is a real jack-of-all-trades and the judges at the awards ceremony said: “The boat offers an almost implausibly well-balanced package of handling, performance, accommodation and practicality.”

For more info www.princessyachts.com From £539,500

Photograph by Princess Yachts

Boating – Princess Yachts V52

Art – Charles Rumsey polo bronzes

Fine dining – Gaucho restaurants

The New York-based Chisholm Gallery, run by polo enthusiast Jeanne Chisholm, have got their hands on a range of stunning polo bronzes, sculpted by a great American polo player of the early 20th century.

Charles Cary Rumsey (1879-1922) was a well renowned artist from Buffalo and upstate New York, best known for his equestrian art.

He was also an eight-goal polo player at the Meadow Brook Polo Club in Long Island, who represented the USA in many early internationals. “Pad”, as he was known amongst the polo fraternity, married his two great loves with a series of bronzes, which are now housed in the Chisholm Gallery.

Harrison Tweed, John R Fell and Skiddy von Stade, the subjects of the three sculptures, were all players at the Meadow Brook Club during the 1910s. Von Stade, like Rumsey, was an eight-goaler.

For more information visit www.chisholmgallery.com

Argentine steak specialists Gaucho have confirmed that they will once again be sponsoring the indoor arena international at the 02 and their restaurants continue to take the UK by storm.

The restaurant chain – which now has 14 restaurants in England – prides itself on offering an “authentic” piece of Argentina by sourcing the finest ingredients. This is shown off best by the Asado de chorizo, or sirloin steak platter, (£119 for 2kg of steak) and the Gaucho sampler, a mix of sirloin, rib-eye, fillet and rump (£89 for 1,200g).

As you’d expect from an Argentine restaurant there is a bumper supply of quality wines, with each restaurant stocking 150 different varieties.

For more information visit www.gauchorestaurants.co.uk

From $5,500 (£3,500) 78 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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www.polotimes.co.uk

23/1/12 09:50:22

How to spend it

board

Motor – Rolls Royce Ghost

From £165,000

This month’s watch – The Rolex Yacht-Master II

– meaning you’ll never be late for a chukka again. The impressive timepiece is made of a steel super-alloy and 18ct gold, so it looks sharp but is also extremely durable.

Finance – Maitland

Never has it been more important to invest your money wisely Amid the constant news of recession and debt the luxury market continues to grow – and there was no surer sign of this in 2011 than the success of Rolls Royce, who last year sold 3,538 cars, the most in their 107 year history. The Rolls Royce Ghost, a 6.6 litre engine luxury saloon car, was the most popular model, with a sales increase in 2011 of 31 per cent from 2010.

The three biggest markets last year were China, the US and the UK and the firm – which is based in the heart of polo country in West Sussex – is hoping to break into South America this year. So, whether you’re in Tianjin, Palm Beach, Cowdray Park or Palermo, expect to see a fair few this year.

Rolex are big sponsors of the Argentine Open each year and their ambassadors include Ellerstina 10-goaler Gonzalito Pieres, but the luxury Swiss watch makers are not only interested in polo.

Their latest offering is inspired by another high-octane, all-action sport – yachting.

The Rolex Yacht-Master II claims to have the most accurate countdown function ever

Knowledge

In constantly changing times, it is essential for families to protect their wealth and plan for the future. One award-winning company that has really made a name for itself in this field over the last quarter of a century is Maitland, who have an impressive geographic reach and offer their clients a rare multi-jurisdictional expertise.

The privately-owned, international firm was founded in Luxembourg in 1976 and now employs over 550 people in 11 offices that span the polo-playing world - from London and Geneva to the Caribbean and South Africa.

Maitland provides a wide range of wealth services to both private and institutional clients and prides itself in offering the highest levels of expertise and competence while working in a way that is uniquely personal and proactive.

Maitland acted as legal advisor to the Oppenheimer family interests in the US$5.1 billion offer of their stake in De Beers to Anglo American plc and the Government of Botswana. In 2010 the company was shortlisted as one of the world’s Top 25 Trust Companies’ by Private Client Practitioner website and was ranked as the second fastest growing hedge fund administrator in the world by both Hedgefund.net and HFM Week.

Maitland’s experts advise on international law and taxation. For globe-trotting polo players and international patrons the UK rules on residence as well as the treatment of inward investment in the UK will be of particular interest.

For more information about the company visit www.maitlandgroup.com

From £18,550 www.polotimes.co.uk

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Polo Times, January/February 2012 79

23/1/12 09:50:45

Knowledge

Hotel review – Tianjin Metropolitan Hotel, China

A Chinese palace fit for the king of games The seven-star Goldin Metropolitan Hotel will be home to the players at the inaugural FIP Snow Polo World Cup this month. As we discovered on our stay late last year, they’re unlikely to be disappointed

John O’Sullivan

Photographs by John O’Sullivan

reports from Tianjin

T

he Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club in China has had a meteoric rise since opening its doors 14 months ago. The Tianjin-based club now holds five international polo tournaments a year, attracting players and spectators from six different continents. Perhaps even more

spectacular than the club’s growth, though, is that of the accompanying luxury seven-star hotel of the same name.

The 167-room Metropolitan hotel officially opened in 2011 and is just a stone’s throw from the main polo field at the club. It offers a luxurious retreat for polo players and spectators, businessmen at the nearby thriving Binhai Hi-tech Park and, due to the vast assortment of eateries and leisure options, for relaxing family breaks as well.

I sampled the delights of the Metropolitan during last year’s U18 International Tournament and was not disappointed.

Where is it?

A two-hour drive from Beijing International airport (with direct flights from Heathrow) and half an hour from Tianjin Airport. The bright lights of downtown Tianjin (a sprawling city with a population of 13 million) are twenty minutes away by taxi, while the Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club is just across the road.

Famed as being an industrial giant, Tianjin also boasts some stunning colonial architecture – dating back to its occupation by a range of European powers over the last two centuries – as well as excellent examples of traditional Chinese temples and statues.

xxxx

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Hotel review – Tianjin Metropolitan Hotel, China

The dramatic water fountain at the front of the hotel

One of the luxury spas at the seven-star hotel

What is the vibe?

True luxury. No expense is spared in delivering a really opulent stay for all visitors. The Hong Kong-based Goldin Group, who own the hotel, polo club and 221–acre surrounding plot, boast that they deal in lifestyle – and that is very evident at the Metropolitan. Whether you want to watch polo, have a swim, enjoy the spa, eat and drink, or simply stay in your room and soak in the free-standing tub – the Metropolitan can offer a relaxing stay with a bit of added style.

How’s the grub?

Excellent and you are absolutely spoilt for choice with eight different restaurants and five lounges on site. The centrally located Derby Café is particularly popular with Western visitors. It offers everything you would expect for breakfast, lunch and dinner from a five-star

Every aspect of the hotel screams luxury and the staff are extremely polite hotel in the UK and the States mixed with a wide variety of Asian delights. The jewel in the crown is undoubtedly the French-inspired Le Pan, run by Singapore-born chef Edward Voon, regarded by many as the best chef in Asia. Feeling particularly brave I ventured to the excellent noodle restaurant Congeodle, which is favoured by Goldin chairman Pan Sutong, to sample some authentic Hong Kong-style dim sum. The hotel also houses Cantonese, Italian and Japanese restaurants as well as an American-style steak house and boasts a 10,000 bottle wine cellar.

Full marks for?

The luxury package. Every aspect of the hotel www.polotimes.co.uk

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Knowledge

An impressive life-size polo bronze in the hotel’s lobby

The swimming pool at the Metropolitan Hotel

from the reception and the restaurants, to the rooms and leisure facilities scream luxury and there is always a polite and pro-active member of staff on hand to offer any help or advice that is needed. The range of restaurants is extraordinary and, while I didn’t have the chance to sample all of them, the quality across the board is remarkably high.

Could do better?

Being such a new hotel, and being situated outside the city centre, the Metropolitan and its impressive restaurants are often very much on the empty side, giving it a bit of a ghosttown feel at times. Having said that, the Goldin Group is in the process of building an array of town houses and apartments within walking distance of all the facilities, so this is unlikely to be the case for long. F

PT Rating

D D D D D

A view of one of the eight restaurants on site

Essentials The Goldin Metropolitan Hotel, Tianjin, China (86) 22 8372 8888; www. metropolitanpoloclub.com; info@metropolitanpoloclub.com The room rate for one night ranges from US$480 (£310) for a deluxe twin or king room to US£800 (£520) for a deluxe suite.

Polo Times, January/February 2012 81

20/1/12 17:25:07

Sidelines

Luke and Caterina photograph by Nicky Randall

‘Tis the season to get engaged The festive period proved a popular time for marriage proposals. Just before Christmas, two-goaler Sean Wilson-Smith proposed to Heloise Lorentzen in his home country, Kenya, while they were holidaying by the beach. They plan to marry sometime in the next year here in the UK. On Christmas Day, international eventer Nick Gauntlett proposed to Amanda Eaton of the HPA (pictured right, top). “He hid the ring in the bottom of my stocking and, as I woke up and had opened my stocking by 6.15am, he had to get on with it rather quickly!” Amanda told Polo Times.. “We plan to marry this November in Chipping Sodbury, where we live.”

Just after Christmas, Burningfold-based players Clare Hudson – also founder of Kit4Kings – and Ben Riordan (pictured right, middle) got engaged. The pair plan to marry later this year and are yet to decide whether they will have a summer wedding in Italy or Spain or a winter wedding in a Scottish castle.

Luke Tomlinson got down on one knee at the beginning of January and asked his girlfriend of four years, Caterina (pictured together on the right), to marry him. “We don’t have a date yet,” Luke told Polo Times. “But it will hopefully be some time this year. As Caterina is Argentine we’ll probably get married in Argentina, although we’ll have a ceremony in England too.”

Kidd and fiancée no Moore Tell us yours at gossip@polotimes.co.uk Anonymity guaranteed if you want it...

Highs and lows in Argentina

A new team has emerged for the 2012 Argentine high-goal season.

It is understood that Pablo Pieres, Ignacio “Nachi” Heguy, Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade and Bartolomé “Lolo” Castagnola have formed a new team – La Natividad. Read more on page 15.

Following the Argentine Open (see pages 42-48), Jamaican Shane Chin (wearing grey number two above) 82 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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received an early Christmas present when he got to play with 10-goalers Pablo MacDonough and Mariano Aguerre in a charity match in Pilar.

Not so lucky though were Jamie Le Hardy, his girlfriend Sally Dawson and Jamie’s business partner Adalberto Barberini, who were caught up in an armed robbery while they were staying near Rodriguez in Argentina over Christmas.

Jack Kidd has split up with his fiancée Callie Moore – 14 months after their son, Jesse, was born. It is understood that the pair wanted different things. While Jack wants to continue running the Holders Estate in Barbados, Callie would prefer to be in Dorset where she is closer to her mother and can go hunting.

Meanwhile, Jack’s sister Jodie has been doing her bit for charity. Entries for the 25th Swimathon opened at the beginning of January, with Jodie swimming the first two lengths at London’s Oasis Sports Centre. The Swimathon takes place at 645 pools across the UK from 27-29 April.

Jodie has also been dipping into another new venture – Aurora Eastwood’s ATFULLCHAT website. Zero-goaler Aurora recently launched the car website, which she says is an upmarket version of PistonHeads. She set it up with former PistonHeads editor Chris Rosamond following a chance meeting between the two last summer and Jodie has been involved in reviewing cars for the website – www.atfullchat.com.

Aurora is also taking a step back from polo this year – scaling down her breeding programme and selling less horses. She won’t be seen playing polo competitively Jodie Kidd and Duncan Goodhew this summer either. www.polotimes.co.uk

20/1/12 16:05:44

Sidelines

Celeb spotting Reality television stars were spotted watching polo in December. Made in Chelsea’s Millie Mackintosh (pictured, left, with fashion designer Clarissa Walsh) was a guest at British Polo Day India. On the same day, Perth held their edition of Paspaley Polo in the City, which attracted Australian X-Factor finalist Johnny Ruffo, who was mobbed by a number of fans while watching the polo at Langley Park. Perhaps more well-known guests-to-be were Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson and James May. The pair were due to attend but dropped out to go sightseeing instead.

At Klosters Snow Polo in Switzerland this year, Scottish singer and songwriter Annie Lennox was the guest of honour at the Sentebale charity dinner. Duran Duran performed at the Altitude Festival, which runs alongside the snow polo tournament.

New projects Plans to build two new private polo grounds in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, received some unwanted attention in January. Demonstrators assembled to protest against Rob Marsh’s plans to build two polo fields – to be used for practice matches only – at Low Grounds Farm.

Residents say that there will be increased traffic at Henley Road junction and the planned access path will become dangerous for walkers and joggers to use. A decision from Wycombe’s District Council will be made in March.

Meanwhile in Warwickshire, RLS Polo Club – which has now been renamed Dallas Burston Polo Grounds for the 2012 season – is awaiting a decision from the council about their planning application for a 140-room hotel at the club. Burston also wants to build new spectator and player facilities, a new arena and re-locate the stables. As part of the clubs rebranding, Ginger Hunt has taken over as polo manager.

Look-a-likes

www.polotimes.co.uk

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My first instinct is to ban the pros involved from playing in any HPA competitions this season.

A furious David Woodd was not amused to see an entirely unapproved “United Kingdom” team featuring two Argentines taking part in the UAE Nations Cup at Desert Palm in Dubai last month. Read the full story on page 10.

As the eagerly anticipated War Horse movie hit the screens in midJanuary, one-goaler, actor, presenter and part-time jouster Karl Ude-Martinez gave Polo Times his opinion of the film.

“On the whole, I enjoyed the film and Joey [the war horse] was definitely the star of the film. It was full of emotion, some history and there were some light-hearted bits too – all set in the glorious setting of Dartmouth and Exmoor. The stunts and horse work were done very well – it was very clever how they filmed the various war scenes showing the danger aspect and how the horses suffered during the war. I thought the film stayed close to the book it is based on – a children’s novel by Michael Morpurgo [Ude-Martinez, pictured below, wrote an article about the book for Live 24-Seven magazine, which was released in January].

“What it lacked for me was the relationship between the horse, Joey, and Albert, the young lad. They did not get it quite right – it lacked the connection and that immense bond that can be formed between horse and human. At times I felt that it was forced and Albert did not seem to show a big enough bond that the author based his original story on. Overall, however, I thought it was one of the best horse films I’ve seen.”

Rating: a strong 3 out of 5

Gordon Watson on top Charlie Gordon Watson, the patron of Felix Polo Team and a bloodstock agent, was the top purchaser at Tattersalls’ December Mare Sale. He bought the two top-priced lots during the sale – Testosterone (above) for 1,200,000 guineas and Jaqueline’s Quest, who is the daughter of Rock of Gibraltar for 600,000 guineas. Overall, he bought 10 lots for various clients totalling 3,650,000 guineas.

Photograph by Walt Disney Pictures

James Wayland and Michael McIntyre

Quote of the month

A polo player’s take on Spielberg’s latest blockbuster

Polo Times, January/February 2012 83

20/1/12 16:06:07

Sidelines

A groom prepares a horse for action

Facundo and Nicolas Pieres having a massage ahead of their big clash with La Dolfina at Palermo

Uruguay fans in the La Dolfina side of the stands at the final

Rolex’s Palermo reception and Argentine Open final 27 November and 9 December 2011 – Buenos Aires

Sun-kissed on the sidelines

Rolex’s Norberto Garcia with AAP president, Luis Lalor Martin Perez, personal fitness trainer for Ellerstina’s back, Nachi Heguy

As those of you that have already got as far as Clare Milford Haven’s column on page 22 will have read, for the first time in three years, there was no rain delay to affect those travellers that had planned their trip to Buenos Aires around the polo.

With Palermo looking as fantastic as ever, the stage was set for another of the epic battles between the game’s biggest rivals, Ellerstina and La Dolfina. Spectators had become accustomed to such contests, spoilt perhaps, with each of the last four consecutive finals between the two teams decided by just a single goal.

However, though the weather made for a deep, rich mahogany brown tan, this year’s game itself did little to enrich the lives of its audience. Disappointingly for Ellerstina fans, the final was almost entirely one-sided, as La Dolfina romped to the success that most had predicted, 16-10.

Also at Palermo, held in the early stages of the Argentine Open, was Rolex’s annual reception to acknowledge their ongoing support for the tournament.

A host of familiar faces gathered under the grandstands to enjoy drinks and conversation, as the assembled company postulated about how Ellerstina might counteract the La Dolfina juggernaut.

Sadly, if anyone from Ellerstina was there, it seems noone took down any notes.

Adolfo Cambiaso

Adriana Calabro, of São José Polo Magazine, and Tracey Scott, of Jumeirah Dubai

w Read the full report of the action on page 42 w Photographs by Alice Gipps and Revolution Sports

Pre-game entertainment

Adolfo Cambiaso’s mother (far left) enjoys the moment with her son’s wife, with Juan Martin Nero’s wife (in blue), and Pablo MacDonough’s wife (hugging Pelon Stirling’s wife far right)

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La Dolfina’s Juan Martin Nero

20/1/12 12:25:12

Adolfo Cambiaso’s wife, Maria Vasquez

Guards CEO Neil Hobday, Tang Polo Club’s Liu Shilai and James Turner

La Dolfina grooms watch anxiously from the team’s base in the corner of the ground

Guards Argentine Cocktail Party, 8 December 2011 La Mansion Four Seasons Hotel, Buenos Aires

Former FIP president Patrick Guerrand-Hermès

Christmas comes early for Guards Players and patrons gathered among key figures from the polo community two-and-ahalf weeks before Christmas for a party hosted by Guards’ chief executive Neil Hobday.

Accompanied by team members Oliver Ellis, James Turner and Florencia Cavalieri, the event was held at Ali Albwardy’s La Mansion Four Seasons Hotel in Buenos Aires.

The party’s clientele included Hobday’s old friend, renowned golfer Eduardo Romero, and many familiar faces from Smith’s Lawn. Amongst them was Guards playing member Adolfo Cambiaso, whose La Dolfina team won the Argentine Open final the following day (left).

Photographer Snoopy in his classic pose on the sidelines

Norberto Garcia, of Rolex Argentina, and Anthony Schaub, of Rolex Geneva

w Photographs by Tony Ramirez Ali Albwardy

Pablo MacDonough’s wife, Mercedes Venancio Scalella, watches on

Dubai’s manager, Martín Valent

Micaela Watt Bozzolo and Cristian Benkö

British Ambassador Shan Morgan and Neil Hobday

Christopher and Bridget Hanbury with Ali Albwardy

Neil McLean

Cecilia and Ramon Franco

Claudia Hodari leads enthusiastic support at the Open final

FIP president Eduardo Huergo, Willy Alvarez Fourcade, Alejandro Moy and Mauricio Fernandez Funes

Guards polo manager Ollie Ellis and his assistant Florencia Cavalieri

La Mansion Four Seasons

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20/1/12 12:25:39

Chas Taylor and Linda Yeoman

Claire Donnelly and Will Blake-Thomas

UberPolo Ladies’ Arena and Battle of the Sexes, AEPC Hickstead – 26-27 November

A band welcomes arriving guests Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs

Men-slaughter Winners: KHHP’s Charlie Howell, Saskia Meadows and Rosie Ross

Hazel Smith, Ashley Payne, UberPolo’s Mansoor Quadri, Karene Hughes and Dan Dommett

Team Hickstead Men ran out victorious in a 12-7 victory against the Eastwood Stud Ladies in the final of the 4-6 goal Battle of the Sexes Challenge. In the 0-3 goal Ladies’ Arena Tournament, KHHP were crowned the queens of the arena in an intensely fought final against Hawksfield. w Photographs by Tony Ramirez

The line-up before the start of the game

British Polo Day in India, 10-11 December 2011 – Jodhpur Daniela Iglund and Fernando Michell

Felipe Iturrate and Tomás Palacios

Copa Longines, 30 November Santiago, Chile

Longines White beat Longines Blue 7-5, with five-goaler Juan Sanchez – star of Chile’s 2011 World Cup team – crowned MVP.

The polo and fashion worlds are often closely related and this link was perfectly evident at the British Polo Day, held at a private polo ground in Jodhpur last December.

The final day featured a fashion show by Beulah, which was fitting in more ways than one. Beulah is an ethical British fashion label firmly integrated in the principals of Indian craftsmanship and design.

w Photos

by Antonia Anastassiou

w Discover what else has happened in India on page 62

White’s alright Tono Iturrate and Amalia Barros

Esnesto Mosso and Juan Sanchez

Maharajas, mahouts and models make perfect day

Ellenborough Park Hotel tournament, 12-13 November 2011, Longdole

Katie Hallam

Ellenborough Park’s Colin Emson with two of the teams

Anything but prosaic Magical Mosaic were the victors, beating a fellow Longdole side comfortably, as guests in the warmth of the clubhouse enjoyed a champagne reception with canapés.

Tim Tucker

Winning patron Tim Dare inspects the cup with sponsor Colin Emson

by Zahra Hanbury w Photographs Jake Lomberg-Williams, with Fifi and Gay Watson

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Zahra Hanbury and Sue Cudmore

Rob Cudmore

Yve Kane

Fifi Watson

19/1/12 16:23:29

Inder Jit Singh

The Army Team’s Rupert Lewis, with Alex de Lisle

Ben and Chloe Vestey

An aerial view of Jodhpur by night

General Guthrie and the Maharaja of Jodhpur

Traditional Indian musical entertainment

Jessica Hudson and Lavinia Brennon

An elephant and mahout

Guy Schwarzenbach and Tom Hudson

Hughie Stanley

Millie Mackintosh and Clarissa Walsh

Colourful transportation

Beulah model Charlotte Cowen

Smita Rao

Sixth La Aguada Selection Horse Sale, 21 November 2011 Tatterstall – Buenos Aires, Argentina

Top ponies draw a notable crowd

Adolfo Cambiaso, David Nalbandian, Pablo MacDonough, Pelon Stirling and Martín Valent kneeling

A beautifully turnedout mare forms one of the many lots

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Adolfo Cambiaso, Facundo Pieres, George Rawlings and the Heguys were among the guests at the pony sale hosted by La Aguada late in November. The lots featured many ponies bred by the Novillo Astrada family directly, including offspring from the family’s top mares, all of which played in the Triple Crown. As ever in Argentina, little was released about the prices paid, though the 30 lots are believed to have varied from US$20,000 to $145,000 and raised more than $1m in total. w Photographs

by Damian and Matias Roth

Gonzalo and Facundo Pieres

Camilo Bautista, Eduardo Novillo Astrada and Astrid Muñoz

Interested parties inspect the fineprint

Marcos Heguy helps advise the auctioneer

20/1/12 16:10:58

Bridget Hanbury celebrates with daughter Zahra, Tilda Woodd, Maddie Meacher and Elisa Gómez

Candalaria FernandezLlorente led the Lovelocks ladies’ side

Champagne for the victors

Spectators enjoying the all-female action

Copa Las Hermanas, 18 December 2011 El Remanso Polo Club, Argentina

Brits the big winners in six-team ladies’ tournament There was fashion on the brain at the ladies’ tournament held at El Remanso Polo Club in Argentina the week before Christmas, with several notable brands sponsoring the event. Bridget Hanbury addressed the crowds with emotive words of thanks, and it was smiles all round for the winners, a team comprising Maddie Meacher, Tilda Woodd, Zahra Hanbury and Elisa Gómez.

The teams look on during Bridget Hanbury’s speech

w Photographs

by Zahra Hanbury

Zahra Hanbury and Tilda Woodd

Five of the six ladies’ teams that took part

Veuve Clicquot Sunset Polo – Uruguay Punte del Este, 29 December 2011

Nico Pieres in action

Hats off at sundown Veuve Clicquot’s invited guests for the final high-goal action of 2011 were treated to a blistering display of action against the beautiful backdrop of the setting sun.

Winners, Black Watch

w Photographs by Sergio Llamera Teamwork Nacho Figueras

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José Donoso, Facundo Pieres, Héctor Guerrero and Nico Pieres

20/1/12 12:57:34

Sidelines

Tara Smith, Tristan Pemble, Elouise Horton and Stewart Lucas

Altyon patron Simon Holley

National Club Championships, sponsored by the Hurlingham Polo Association RCBPC – 18 December 2011

Food, fizz & festivities Celia Crespo

The annual HPA lunch at the National Club Championships came just in the nick of time to save the patrons, players and special guests from the worst of the inclement weather conditions at the Berkshire.

After a chilly, dry day, the heavens opened up during the last minute of the high-goal final, sending spectators scampering for the clubhouse. As always, the HPA lunch, proved a perfect sanctuary.

Georgie Lee-Uff, Sam Smith, Sarah Gonzalez and Catherine Turner

w Photos by Gillian Hughes and John O’Sullivan

Jeff Thomas of Tally Ho Farm with Sarah and Nacho Gonzalez

Mark Hayden-Kellard and Paul Knights

The prizes

Kevin Cheshire

Gonzalito Pieres and José Donoso have fun challenging for the ball

RCBPC’s Michael Amoore and Louisa Dawnay

Georgia Sweeney and Nell Jacob

Charlie Holley Charlotte Sweeney, Andy Weeks of Pampeano and Max Charlton

Kevin Cheshire and Meggie Thomas

Anita Sajjad, Roy Prisk and Leila Sajjad 89

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20/1/12 12:58:52

Polo directory

Dates for your diary

Club contacts

What’s on in February

South East AEPC, Hickstead – 01273 834315 * Ascot Park – 01276 858545 * Ash Farm – 01932 872521 * Belmont, Mill Hill – 020 7318 4490 * Binfield Heath – 01491 411969 Barcombe – 01273 400179 Burningfold – 01483 200722 Cowdray Park – 01730 813257 Coworth Park – 01344 875155 Epsom – 01372 748200 * FHM – 07778 436468 * Fifield – 01628 620061 * Guards – 01784 434212 Ham – 020 8334 0000 Hurtwood Park – 01483 272828 Kirtlington – 01869 350138 Knepp Castle – 01403 741007 Lacey Green – 07946 360569 Park Lane – 01491 411969 RMAS – 01276 412276 Royal County of Berkshire – 01344 890060 * Sussex Polo – 01342 714920 * West Wycombe – 01865 858475 *

UK highlights

UK and Ireland

East Apsley End – 01462 712444 * Cambridge & Newmarket – 07769 976781 Carlton House – 01986 892231 Frolic Farm – 01223 812922 Haggis Farm – 01223 460353 * Hertfordshire – 01707 256023 Little Bentley – 01206 250435 Silver Leys – 01279 652652 St Albans – 07879 866647 Suffolk Polo – 07990 576974 South West Asthall Farm – 01367 860207 Beaufort – 01666 880510 Cirencester Park – 01285 653225 Druids Lodge – 01722 782597 * Edgeworth – 01285 821695 Ladyswood – 01666 840880 Longdole – 01452 864544 * Lynt – 07957 468220 * Maywood – 01962 885500 * New Forest – 02380 811818 Orchard – 01258 471000 Taunton – 01823 480460 Tidworth – 01980 846705 * Vaux Park – 01460 242684 * West Somerset – 01844 820432 Midlands Foxhill – 0115 9651790 Offchurch Bury – 07816 830887 Leadenham – 07816 216356 Ranksboro – 01572 720046 RLS – 01926 812409 Rugby – 01788 817724 * Rutland – 01572 724568 North Beverley – 01964 544455 * Toulston – 01422 372529 Vale of York – 07788 426968 * White Rose – 01430 875767 * Cheshire – 01270 611100 Chester Racecourse – 01244 304602 Scotland Borders Reivers – 01890 840777 Dundee & Perth – 07879 895780 Edinburgh – 0131 449 6696 * Kinross – 07831 365194 * Stewarton – 07974 706045 Ireland All Ireland – +353 (0) 1 6896732 Bunclody – +353 87 6605917 Curraghmore – +353 51 387102 Donaghadee – 02891 882521 Limerick – +353 (0) 87 2231690 Moyne – +353 85 1313224 Northern Ireland – 02890 727905 Wicklow – +353 (0) 404 67164 * Waterford – +353 51 595280 * denotes winter arena polo venue h

w To contact the HPA, tel: 01367 242828

90 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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High and Medium Goal

RCBPC – Olin Trophy (7-10): 31 January – 5 February Emsworth – Heaton-Ellis Trust Tournament (6-10): 4-5 February RCBPC – The Arena Gold Cup (14-16): 10-25 February Epsom – Commonwealth Cup (7-9) – 25-26 February

Low Goal RCBPC – Ladies Tournament (0-4): 31 January – 5 February Druids Lodge – Forest Edge Rosebowl (5-7): 4-5 February RCBPC – Chairmans Trophy (2-6): 7-12 February AEPC – The Hickstead Club Tournament (4-6) 11-12 February Vaux Park – Coffee Cup (2-6) 11-12 February Ascot – The Valentine’s Challenge (0-4): 11-12 February Epsom – St. Valentine’s Cup (2-4): 11-12 February Maywood – 2 Goal Cup (0-2): 11-12 February Ranksboro – 0-2 Goal Tournament (0-2): 1112 February RCBPC – The Katie Tunn Trophy (4-7): 17-19 February Druids Lodge - Valentine Trophy (3-5): 18 February Ascot – Tessa Memorial Challenge (2-6): 18-19 February Epsom – St. David’s Cup (2-4): 18-19 February Druids Lodge – Corramore Trophy (3-5): 25 February

Rugby – 2-6 Goal Tournament (2-6): 25-26 February Rugby – 0-4 Goal Tournament (0-4): 25-26 February FHM – Falcon Equine Feeds Tournament (0-2): 26 February

Open Wicklow – Spain v Ireland (Open): 3-5 February AEPC – Champagne Pommery Challenge Matches (Open): 4-5 February Vaux Park – Mens/Ladies Tournament (Open): 4-5 February Longdole – The Polo Mag Tournament (Open): 11-12 February AEPC – Champagne Pommery Challenge Matches (Open): 18-19 February Vale of York – ABI Beach Challenge (Open): 19 February Vale of York – Lay-Soft Arena Challenge (Open): 22 February Vaux Park – The Casco Cup (Open): 25-26 February

Ladies Ascot – National Women’s Polo Tournament (Open): 25-26 February Youth Rugby – SUPA National Arena Championships (Open): 9-12 February

w For a full up-to-date list of all tournaments, and detailed info on teams and schedules for many of them, see www.polotimes.co.uk

Other dates Tatterstalls – February Sale (Europe’s Premier Midwinter Sale): 2-3 February Goffs – February Sale: 15-16 February Ascot – Brightwells Bloodstock Sale (Flat and NH horses in and out of training, point to pointers and untried youngstock): 21 February

TV Highlights on Horse & Country TV (Sky 280) 10 February, 7.30pm and 11pm: Argentine Open 2011 (La Dolfina vs Chapa Uno) 17 February, 7.30pm and 11pm: Argentine Open 2011 (La Aguada vs Pilará) 24 February, 7.30pm and 11pm: Argentine Open 2011 (Ellerstina vs Alegria) www.polotimes.co.uk

20/1/12 14:44:30

Dates for your diary

Polo directory

HPA mid-season arena handicap changes The mid-season arena handicap changes were agreed at the meeting on Thursday 12 January 2012 and were effective from Friday 13 January 2012

Moving to eight goals Good, Jonny: (8) to 8

Moving to seven goals Hipwood, Oliver: (6) to 7

Moving to five goals Allen, Leon: 4 to 5

Moving to four goals

Photographs by Michael Chevis

Hodges, Harold: 3 to 4 Lines, Dean: 5 to 4 Ormerod, Giles: (5) to 4

Moving to three goals Paterson, Alastair: 2 to 3 Woods, Peter: 2 to 3

Moving to two goals Looking ahead: the Best of British Under 25s’ polo match (pictured) is set to return to Marriners Farm on 27 May

Griffin, Vicky: 1 to 2 Harmsworth, Vere: (1) to 2

Overseas highlights

Moving to one goal

Argentina

South Africa

Chapaleufu Polo Club – Abierto De Chapaleufu Alto Handicap (Open): 2 February Coronel Suárez Polo Club – Copa Juan Carlos Harriott (8-16): 16-19 February Palermo – Argentine Polo Tour (Open): 28 February-10 March

Val de Vie - Veuve Clicquot Exhibition Match (Open): 25 February

Australia Werribee Park – Stella Artois February International (Open): 25 February

China

Italy Cortina d’Ampezza – Cortina Winter Polo Audi Gold Cup (17-20): 19-25 February

Jamaica Kingston Polo Club – Visitors From the UK (Open): 12 February Chukka Blue Polo Club – Hanover Charities Tournament (Open): 17-19 February Kingston Polo Club – Sam Wates Leap Year Trophy (Open): 29 February www.polotimes.co.uk

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Spain Sierra Nevada – Snow Polo Cup (6-8 goal): 24-25 February

Thailand Thai Polo and Equestrian Club – B. Grimm Thai Polo Masters (8-10 goal): 7-12 February Thai Polo and Equestrian Club – British Day Charity Tournament (TBA): 18 February

Moving to zero goals Bambridge, Debbie: (0) to 0 Beese, Tom: (0) to 0 Beitner, Mandie: 1 to 0 Harmsworth, Eleanor: (S) to 0 Le Tissier, Andre: (S) to 0 Morgan, Ella: S to 0 Photograph by John O’Sullivan

Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan – FIP Snow Polo World Cup (14-16): 2-12 February

Cork, Joshua: 0 to 1 Freeman, Ben: (0) to 1 Gibbons, David: 0 to 1 Heelis, Piers: (1) to 1 Tucker, Pandora: 0 to 1

USA International Polo Club, Palm Beach – Ylvisaker Cup (20 goal): 29 January – 26 February Bridgehampton – Monty Waterbury (16-20): 8-29 February International Polo Club, Palm Beach – 40 Goal Outback Challenge (20) – 18 February International Polo Club, Palm Beach – C.V. Whitney Cup (26)- 19 February – 4 March International Polo Club, Palm Beach – Inglehart Cup (20): 22 February – 4 March

Oli Hipwood moves up to seven goals in the arena after winning twice at the HPA Champs (see page 50)

Polo Times, January/February 2012 91

20/1/12 14:44:53

Polo directory

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Polo directory

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Polo Times, January/February 2012 93

20/1/12 16:25:14

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PT p90-97 Polo directory and Classified.indd 6

20/1/12 16:13:57

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Polo Times, January/February 2012 95

20/1/12 17:17:47

Polo directory

Classifieds

Ponies PERFECT PATRON PONIES Black Beautypretty mare 7 years old.

Uncomplicated & fast to turn. Good looking bay mare 8 years old. Easy going sweet natured pony. Both well schooled thoroughbreds, healthy & fit -played low goal grass & arena with 0 & -1 father & son last 3 years. Can be tried in chukkas at Sussex £5,750 each or £10k for two.

Tel: 01342 714920 SCHOOLMISTRESS 12 YEARS OLD ARENA & GRASS & JUMPS/HUNTS Versatile schoolmistress. Always sound & good natured. Comfortable paces and smooth hitting platform. Suit -1/0 player. Owner moved abroad so priced to sell. Can be tried at Sussex polo arena. £4,750 ono. Tel: 01342 714920 NINE YEAR OLD 15.2HH ARGENTINE GELDING Big solid gelding with fabulous nature, gentle giant.

Easy in every way, big hard ride off, and fast and solid. Carries himself very well. Fit and playing in arena. Oxfordshire. £8,500. Tel: 07979 494553 TWO PONIES FOR SALE 7 year old English dark bay, 15.3hh, thoroughbred mare, has been playing low goal up to 4 and 6 goals very well, would suit most players to one or two goal handicap £4,000 ono. 6 year old Argentine mare, 14.3hh, potential all rounder, will make good polo pony came from polo mother who was also a good jumper, been broken but needs training as had no time to do due to work, Both sound, open to vetting, £1,500 ONO. Must go and only for sale as emigrating. Hertfordshire. Tel: 07789 003876 for more information.

TWO 7 YEAR OLD ENGLISH MARES 15.3hh and 15.1hh very easy for patrons or pros £7,500 each. 5 year old 15.2hh bay mare £6,500.

All fit and playing arena. Good mouths and temperaments. Oxfordshire. Tel: 07800 517869.

ARGENTINE GREY MARE 12 years old very easy, light mouth suit girl, very comfortable,

96 Polo Times, January/February 2012

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played inside and out, good to do in all ways. 51 stick. Has some wear but sound. Fit to try now near Windsor. £2,500. Tel: 07765 290036.

POTENTIAL ALL ROUNDER A really nice 6 year old mare, who will make a very nice PC horse or play polo to a high level. Has played up to 8 goal outside, currently playing in the arena.

Has been cubing and placed at only hunter trial.

Oxfordshire. £5,000. Tel: 07989 389130 PERFECT ALLROUND 0-4 GOAL PONIES Three Argentine ponies for sale: mare, 11 years old, 14.3hh, mare 15 years old, 15.1hh and yielding, 9 years old, 15.1hh. All sound, light mouth, steady/easy. Playing low/4-6 goal. Player leaving the UK. Berkshire, Maidenhead. £2,500 £4,500. Tel: 07435 752644.

Transport N REG (1995) VOLVO HGV HORSE LORRY 8-speed split gear box. Air con, power steering, CCTV to horse compartment, twin bunks in cab, air suspension. Partitioned for 12 horses (metal/ wood with rubber skirts). Rubber lined floor throughout. Comfortable ride for both people and horses. Taxed to Jan 2012 and MOT to June 2012. £18,000 ono. Gloucestershire. Please contact Karen on 01793 648603.

55 REG RENAULT MIDLUM 7.5 ton, partitioned for 5 horses, has Luton, new floor, David Williams aluminium crate, excellent condition, plated till Oct 2012, fantastic drive, battery isolator.

Oxfordshire. £10,350. Tel: 07800 517869 DAF LORRY 7.5 ton Sept 2004. Test certificate till August 2012. 12 months tax partitioned for six. Badminton built aluminium body. Excellent condition. Oxfordshire. £10,995. Tel: 07740 774158

Livery PRIVATE POLO FACILITY TO RENT Stables to rent/ Full Livery service available at first class polo facility nr Reading- 24 miles to Guards/RCBPC. 45 miles to Cowdray/Cirencester/Kirtlington.

Facilities include 2 private fields, exercise track, turn out, sand school, lorry park, wooden horse, wireless office. For further details please contact Andrew Hine/ Aislinn Price on 07708 906810 or aprice@polofix.com.

STABLES FOR NEXT SEASON PLUS GROOM’S CARAVAN 12 stables, tack room, groom’s caravan ready for 2012. Plenty of turn out, all weather track, practice polo ground. Also a truck available to rent. 3 miles from Cirencester. £20 per box plus VAT. Tel: 07976 867313

Situations EXPERIENCED POLO GROOMS REQUIRED To work in first class polo facility with 2 private fields, 70 stables, outside Reading (25 mins from Guards/ RCBPC). Accommodation provided if required. Start March 2012. For further details contact Andrew Hine/ Aislinn Price on 07708 906810 or aprice@polofix.com.

PRO/ HPA INSTRUCTOR/ YOUNG HORSE RIDER REQUIRED Starting March 2012 working with Andrew Hine on polo farm nr Reading, to help coach and play with in-house patrons on both made and young ponies. Must have previous experience of coaching and making young horses. For further details please contact Andrew on 07831 611196 or ahine@polofix.com.

FULL TIME GROOM NEEDED FOR 2012 Good wages and accommodation provided for right person. Excellent knowledge/experience with polo ponies required. To work under English yard manager. Easy going nature and flexible attitude a must due to working around clients busy schedules. Reliable and trust worthy individual needed to work for a great family. UK/ NZ or Australian preferred. Late March/early April start, mid to end September finish. HGV licence an advantaged. Leicestershire. CV’s to brownehenry@talk21.com or call 07920 521285 THREE OR FOUR-GOALER WANTED TO PLAY IN FRANCE Would you like to play the 0-4 goal tournaments during the summer season at Chantilly Polo Club as a pro of a fix team? Email : poloteamchantilly@gmx.com GROOM Live in for the Season, sole charge, able to get stuck into whatever required. Box driver essential. Leicestershire. Tel: 07768 821243

Equipment SCOREBOARDS AND CLOCKS ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR POLO Outdoor and arena sizes. Fully electronic, displaying the time counting down, both scores and chukka number.

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Listings Automatic bell/horn. Controlled wirelessly by a remote control you can even wear on your arm.

Visit www.SportingDesigns.co.uk or call +44 (0)7860 303217 POLO SADDLES, STICKS, TACK ETC FOR SALE Polo saddles for sale from £50 to £300, sticks from £35, also tack, bridles, boots and accessories available. Used polo equipment also bought for cash. Please visit www.poloexchange. co.uk or email contact@poloexchange.co.uk or Tel 07909 965940 ADVERTISE ON A BOOT JACK Affordable.

Effective. Different. Reach your target audience today! Find out how at www.giveittheboot.com or call 07503 876573

Advertisers in January/February 2012 Abercrombie & Kent 0845 485 1529 www.abercrombiekent.com

Jeremy Curling Fencing 01483 894888 www.jcfc.co.uk

Metropolitan Polo Club +86 22 8372 8888 www.metropolitanpoloclub.com

Berney Brothers Saddlery +35 3 4548 1228 www.berneybrossaddles.com

Julius Baer & Co Ltd www.juliusbaer.com

Princess Yachts 01752 203888 www.princessyachts.com

Chiltern Equine Clinic 01494 876555 www.chilternequine.com Druids Lodge Polo Club 01722 782597 www.druidspolo.co.uk

Kate’s Art 07887 678421 www.katesart.com

Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club 01344 890060 www.rcbpoloclub.com

Keep a level 01359 250384 www.keep-a-level.com

EFG +41 44 226 1850 www.efginternational.com

Kestrel Ltd 01256 880488 www.kestrelcontractors.co.uk

El Remanso +54 2 22 7494 552 www.elremansopolo.com

Land Rover Centre 01484 542092 www.landrovercentre.com

DO YOU NEED HELP FINDING A PROPERTY FOR THE COMING SEASON? Whether you are looking for a rental property or permanent residence, we offer a complete service from locating the property, negotiating the contract through to the day you take possession. Please contact Simone Jarnet on 07813 668598 or email Simone at simone@pendlypropertysearch.co.uk

Equine Logistics Company 01264 810782 www.equine-logistics-company.com

Logic www.logictoday.co.uk

Submit your

Geronimo Jones 01747 830188 www.geronimojones.com

Property

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or contact Sarah

01993 886885 sarah@polotimes.co.uk Designed by www.nickiaverilldesign.co.uk Printed by The Manson Group Contact details Holbrook Farm, North Leigh Oxfordshire OX29 6PX Tel: 01993 886 885 Fax: 01993 882 660 email: admin@polotimes.co.uk

Equine Management Limited 01825 841303 www.worldwidetack.com Fabtek Solutions 07794 094011 www.fabteksolutions.com

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London Executive Aviation 01708 688 420 www.flylea.com Lovelocks Polo Stud +54 2 22 7481 420 www.lovelockspolostud.com.ar Luke Davey 07779 813328 lukehdavey@yahoo.co.uk

Heli Air Westbourne 01789 470476 www.heliair.com

Maitland 020 3 0771234 www.maitlandgroup.com

Hickstead Ltd 01273 834315 www.hickstead.co.uk

Gaucho International Polo 0844 248 5022 www.gauchopolo.com

HPA 01367 242828 www.hpa-polo.co.uk

Lycetts 01672 512512 www.lycetts.co.uk

Contributors – January/February 2012 Hernan Alvarez, Adam Caller, Alejandro Comero, Arthur Douglas Nugent, Lorna Edgar, Mark Emerson, Luigi Ferrarese, Mike Hobday, Theresa Hodges, Rege Ludwig, Sarah Martin, James de Mountfort, Clare Milford Haven, Jamie Peel, Tobias Pejkovic, Caroline Smail, Herbert Spencer, Caroline Stern, Charlotte Sweeney, Alicia Wright

© Polo Times Limited 2011 and Database Right 2011

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Longdole Polo Club 01452 864544 rob@longdolepolo.com

Greenheath 01638 507785 www.greenheath.co.uk

www.polotimes.co.uk Polo Times Limited holds the copyright & database right to the information it publishes in Polo Times and on the Polo Times website. No content may be reproduced or distributed without the consent of the Editor. ‘Polo Times’ is the trade mark of Polo Times Limited. ISSN 1461-4685

Polo directory

Intern Amy Lodowski

Rolex www.rolex.com SATS 01285 841542 www.satsfaction.com Shahira Industries www.shahiraind.com Spanish Boot Company 0845 313 8167 www.thespanishbootcompany.co.uk Tally Ho 01344 885373 www.tallyhofarm.co.uk T&S Harker Horse Boxes 01325 332649 www.tandsharkerhorseboxes.co.uk The Thai Polo and Equestrian Club +66 2 650 3055 www.thai-polo-club.com Tristar 01570 422250 www.tristarhorseboxes.co.uk Tutors International 01865 435135 www.tutors-international.com Uber Polo 01428 642671 www.uberpolo.com West of England Stabling 01837 810209 www.westofenglandstabling.co.uk Wood Mallets www.woodmallets.com

Subscriptions UK: £55 for one year – £99 for two years Europe: £65 for one year – £115 for two years Rest of the World: £75 for one year – £135 for two years

Call Sarah Foster on +44 (0)1993 886885 Subscribe online: www.polotimes.co.uk Polo Times, January/February 2012 97

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Final bell

In association with Aprés Polo

Five-goaler Jamie Le Hardy’s...

Passions

Ahead of his appearance in this month’s FIP Snow Polo World Cup, the England player tells Georgie May his best polo memories and reveals his remaining ambitions in life What is your favourite polo memory?

One of my best memories is when I scored the winning goal at the 1997 Cowdray Gold Cup with Carlos Gracida, Javier Novillo Astrada and the late Hubert Perrodo. Winning the Hurtwood Polo Masters in 2009 was also a great moment.

If you could change one thing about polo what would it be?

No arguing with the umpires and better sportsmanship generally.

Hardest opponent?

Playing against Adolfo Cambiaso in the final of the Queen’s Cup. His lateral movement is so fast and he’s phenomenally mounted.

Where did you first play polo?

My father originally taught me and I played my first chukka with him in Cyprus, where he was stationed for four years with the army.

Do you have any regrets in your polo life?

We all make mistakes in life as well as in polo but that’s part of the learning process. It’s important to turn negatives into positives – realise mistakes, correct them and then move on.

What do you count yourself as, are you Scottish or are you English?

Both! I’m half Scottish and half English and am incredibly proud to represent either country.

You are playing for England in February – what are your favourite memories of playing for England?

Every time I represent my country it’s a great honour and a fantastic memory. I’ve won many Test Matches abroad but winning the St Regis Test Match at Cowdray in 2008, when we beat Italy 9-6, was a special experience.

One of my best memories was scoring the winning goal in the Cowdray Gold Cup What is your biggest ambition?

I don’t believe in just having one ambition.

Once you’ve achieved that, then where do you go? So I have four, in no particular order: to keep playing for my country and participate in tournaments globally; to produce top-level ponies from my young horse programmes in England and Argentina; as an HPA coach to see my pupils progress and reach their full potential; to continue

promoting the game and introducing new people to the sport.

What is your favourite holiday destination?

I don’t get the chance to go on holiday often but I’m fortunate enough to travel to many beautiful parts of the world through polo. My favourite destination would be Barbados, where I have been going for the past 10 years. I love surfing around the island in the remote spots, with its crystal clear water and fantastic weather. It also has a great selection of restaurants and I have a lot of good friends there.

Person you would most like to meet?

Laird Hamilton [below]. He is the most amazing surfer and was the first person in the world to conquer giant waves.

Favourite film?

Quentin Tarantino’s True Romance Favourite book?

Any sporting autobiographies. Lance Armstrong’s It’s Not About the Bike is one of my favourites.

Who were your heroes growing up?

Rugby’s Mike Teague and Peter Winterbottom.

Describe yourself in three words Down to earth.

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