Polo Times July 2014 by Edit

Volume 19 • Issue 6 • July 2014 • £6.50

www.polotimes.co.uk

100 page bumper issue

The power of Zacara: Lyndon Lea’s team retain the Queen’s Cup Pony Special & Fox and Hounds interview Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Cover.indd 1

Guest Edited by

Tom Morley 23/06/2014 10:51

T HERE ARE STORIES THAT DESERVE TO BE CAPTURED FOREVER.

THE GRANDE MAISON It was in 1833, at the heart of the remote Swiss Jura valley, that Antoine LeCoultre founded the first workshop of what would become the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre. The Swiss watch industry pioneer revolutionised the field of precision by inventing the first pinion-cutting machine. A decade later, he created the world’s first instrument capable of micron-level measurements: the Millionometer. The founder’s inventive spirit, perpetuated from generation to generation, has enabled the Grande Maison to register almost 400 patents and create 1,242 mechanical movements – an absolute record in the watchmaking world. United under one roof, over 180 watchmaking professions ranging from the rarest manual crafts to cutting-edge technologies enable the creation of exceptional timepieces from A to Z.

THE LIVING LEGEND The Reverso watch was born in 1931, at a time when British colonial army officers stationed in India dreamed of finding a timepiece able to withstand the rough and tumble of polo tournaments. In response to this daunting challenge, the Manufacture came up with a simple yet brilliant solution in the shape of the swivel case. The Reverso was nonetheless not solely destined to assert itself on polo fields. Its elegance and customisable case-back aroused immediate enthusiasm among devotees of Fine Watchmaking and aesthetes with a taste for Art Deco styling. Since 1931, the Reverso has acquired authentic iconic status and has been constantly reinvented by the Jaeger-LeCoultre artisans and watchmakers, in terms of both design and function. Within the Manufacture, cases and movements are simultaneously developed and produced, which means each calibre is perfectly fitted to the shape of the case, be it round or rectangular. Aesthetic

refinement and technical excellence go hand in hand, in harmony with one of the cardinal values of Jaeger-LeCoultre: integrity.

RARE SKILLS SERVING THE ICON The watchmakers’ talents are echoed by the virtuoso skills of the artists who transform the Reverso into a genuine work of art. The back of the Reverso provides unique space for personalisation. Family crests, monograms or initials: the engraver sculpts the metal to preserve the trace of a tender tie, a symbolic date, or a precious moment. Jaeger-LeCoultre also houses one of the world’s only workshops still exercising the discipline of enamel miniature painting, which calls for endless patience. Jaeger-LeCoultre’s gem-setters display peerless mastery of precious stones and have indeed developed their own gemsetting techniques in order to accentuate the beauty of the swivel case. By way of example, the “snow setting” technique created in the gem-setting workshop of the Manufacture gives pride of place to the sparkle of gems to light up a Reverso. Whether by an engraving, a miniature enamel painting or the radiance of precious stones, our artists will immortalise your legend. Choose the moment that belongs to you. A Reverso just for you.

1931 Reverso patent

GRANDE REVERSO ULTRA THIN TRIBUTE TO 1931. Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 822.

YOU DESERVE A REAL WATCH.

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Contents

Contacts Publishers Nick Hine & Richenda Hine publisher@polotimes.co.uk Guest editor Tom Morley

Deputy editor Polly Bryan polly@polotimes.co.uk Polo reporter and researcher Tilda Woodd tilda@polotimes.co.uk

What’s inside...

July 2014

60 Guest editor special 52 Guest editor comment: handling handicaps 54 The importance of dressage for polo 58 Three young players to watch 60 Thoroughbreds: choosing a champion 62 Destination polo

Knowledge News 8 Foreword by Tom Morley, Guest editor 64 Get chukka-fit with Winston Squire

8 All the latest news

69 Pony running reports

16 HPA news

72 Know your horse

18 International news

74 Know your game

20 Javier Novillo Astrada obituary

76 Equine legal advice

Comment

Youth polo

22 Column: Clare Milford Haven

77 SUPA Junior Schools National Championships

Advertising manager Ben Bovill ben@polotimes.co.uk Subscriptions Sarah Foster sarah@polotimes.co.uk

Contributors

Ross Ainsley, Lorna Edgar, Mark Emerson, Lucy Gibson, Lottie Goldstone, Rege Ludwig, Clare Milford Haven, Tony Ramirez, Winston Squire, Sarah Styler, Laura Tomlinson, Charles Whittington, David Woodd

Contact details Holbrook Farm, East End, North Leigh, Oxfordshire OX29 6PX Tel: 01993 886 885 Fax: 01993 882 660 email: admin@polotimes.co.uk Accounts Angie Clark - accounts@polotimes.co.uk

24 Letters

Features 26 Interview with the

Fox and Hounds team

33 Young British players’ high-goal ponies

78 SUPA Universities National Summer Championships

Sidelines 80 Gossip: Don’t be the last to know 82 Social pages 94 Polo Times Marketplace

Reports 40 Cartier Queen’s Cup 44 Best of British Polo 48 Victor Ludorum round-up 50 Jerudong Park Trophy

97 What’s on in July 98 Passions: James Beim Cover photograph: HM The Queen and Cartier’s Arnaud Bamberger present Zacara patron Lyndon Lea with his second Cartier Queen’s Cup in as many years. By Tony Ramirez, www.imagesofpolo.com

www.polotimes.co.uk www.polotimes.co.uk

Polo Times, July 2014

News

I feel very honoured to have been asked to guest edit this month’s Polo Times. Granted this does feel like the first bit of homework I’ve done since I was 14, and to be honest it will be a miracle if I meet all of the deadlines that I’ve been given, because at school it was definitely my downfall! I remember as a young boy keenly anticipating the A4 one-sided Polo Times being faxed through, and to see the transformation from the curled up bit of fax paper I read those many years ago, to the glossy multi-page spread the magazine is now, is a credit to the hard-working team behind the magazine. With the Queen’s Cup coming to an end amongst other prestigious June tournaments, there have been some incredibly successful wins and games I have been fortunate enough to participate in, and also watch. I was privileged to captain the Fox and Hounds team in the Queen’s Cup. This was an all-British team, coached and managed by Sebastian Dawnay and we made it through to the quarter-finals, narrowly losing to Zacara who went on to lift the coveted trophy. Alongside this, I played for Four Quarters Orange, a team that I put together with Simon Arber. We lifted the Apsley Cup 18-goal trophy hosted by Cirencester Park, again playing alongside two other Englishmen, Jack Richardson and James Beim. With a multitude of topics that I could write about, I’ve tried to pick the ones that interest me the most and the ones that I think the Polo Times readers will enjoy. I’ve been fortunate enough to pick the brains of a top dressage rider and a man who I consider to be at the forefront of training young thoroughbreds for polo. Here’s hoping all of you enjoy this month’s issue and I’d like to take the opportunity to wish you every success both on and off the polo field for the rest of the year.

Tom alongside his Four Quarters teammates who were victorious in the 2014 Apsley Cup

Polo Times, July 2014

Glen Gilmore to leave Guards

GLEN GILMORE WILL step down from his position of Guards polo manager at the end of the season. The Australian seven-goaler will leave Guards Polo Club after two seasons in the role, to manage the Packer family’s Ellerston polo teams in Australia. “I’m sad to be leaving Guards; I’ve been a part of the club since 1993 and I love it,” Glen Gilmore has managed the polo at Guards for two seasons Gilmore told Polo Times. “But managing Ellerston is an opportunity that can’t be missed – it’s a job I can’t refuse. I would really like to thank Guards for being so understanding when I had my cancer troubles last year and now with this. They have been amazing.” Gilmore will continue to oversee polo at Smith’s Lawn until September this year. The club aims to have appointed a successor before the 2015 season, which is also Guards’ 60th anniversary year. “Although we are very sad to be losing Glen, who has done so much to build up the polo at Smith’s Lawn in the past two years, we could not stand in his way,” said Guards CEO Neil Hobday. “We always knew that Glen and the family would be returning to Australia one day and we are delighted that he is returning to such a prestigious role in polo.”

From our Guest Editor Tom Morley

Action on the beach at last year’s event

THE ASAHI BRITISH Beach Polo Championships returns to Sandbanks in Poole, Dorset this month. Now in its seventh year, the popular event takes place on 11-12 July. Teams representing England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales will be taking part, with England bidding to retain their title after beating Wales in last year’s final. The team line-ups were yet to be released as Polo Times went to press, although event-regular Jack Kidd, and arena nine-goaler Chris Hyde have been confirmed to be taking part. As in previous years there will be a race between an Audi Q7 and a polo pony, plus fashion shows and an after-party on both nights. The Oakley International Beach Volleyball will also return to Sandbanks for the fifth year. Tickets start at £25 for general admission, with hospitality packages also available. See www.sandpolo.com for information www.polotimes.co.uk

News

Zacara bidding for doubledouble as Gold Cup begins

FOURTEEN TEAMS ARE currently contesting the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup at Cowdray Park, which got underway as Polo Times went to press. The number is down on last year, which saw 17 teams play in the tournament. Defending champions Zacara are bidding to do the high-goal double for the second year running, having achieved victory in the Cartier Queen’s Cup in June. They took to Lawns 1 on the opening day, playing Thai Polo for the inaugural Carlos Gracida Memorial Trophy on 24 June. Several members of the Gracida family were present for the match, held in memory of tentime Gold Cup winner Carlos Gracida. Harald Link’s Thai Polo is one of three line-ups that will contest the Gold Cup, having not taken part in the Queen’s Cup. Link has teamed up with Juan Ambroggio, Tomás García del Río and Nic Roldan, all Lyndon Lea is hoping to lift the Gold Cup of whom played the Queen’s Cup with other sides. once more The all-British Halcyon Gallery look set to be a popular team, made up of George Hanbury, Mark Tomlinson, James Beim and James Harper. The all-British, all-pro Fox and Hounds team that played in the Queen’s Cup will not play in the Gold Cup. The third new line-up is El Rosario, made up of Alejandro Penafeil, Francisco Elizalde, Salvador Ulloa and Rob Archibald. Several other teams look to have undergone changes for the Gold Cup. Polo Times understands that young British two-goaler Tommy Beresford is playing in place of Rashid Albwardy for Dubai, while the UAE Polo line-up was still to be confirmed as Polo Times went to press. The teams have been drawn into three leagues, with four in each of leagues A and B and six in league C. Each team will play four qualifying games, with groups A and B playing across one another, and group C teams playing within their own group. Seven teams have been seeded according to their result in the Queen’s Cup. These are Zacara, Talandracas, UAE Polo, Enigma, Dubai, El Remanso and Lucchese. Turn to page 33 to find out about some of the ponies playing in the Gold Cup. Keep track of Gold Cup results online at www.polotimes.co.uk

Tally Ho made official supplier to Ascot Racecourse TALLY HO FARM has been made an official supplier to Ascot Racecourse and Windsor Racecourse. The equestrian retailer will supply own-brand bedding to both racecourses, as well as washingoff equipment for use in the winners enclosure and stable equipment, including wheelbarrows, brooms and shavings forks. Tally-Ho Farm will also provide staff to assist at both racecourses during busy racing weeks, plus offer advice and assistance at wash-down points to help improve both drainage and user experience. www.polotimes.co.uk

Polo Times, July 2014

News

Line-ups revealed for Argentine Triple Crown

HIGH-GOAL PREDICTIONS: Polo Times’ forecast certainly proved correct in the Queen’s Cup. The highgoal form guide in our May issue had Zacara and Talandracas topping our predicted team rankings, followed by UAE Polo KIAN HALL: The 16-year-old impressed when he was asked to fill in for HH Sheikha Maitha on the UAE team for the entire Queen’s Cup BRITS IN THE HIGH-GOAL: Fox and Hounds team sponsor Haim Perry has agreed to sponsor an allBritish team in the Queen’s Cup for the next five years

Swinging low OLLIE CUDMORE: The four-goaler was told his goggles saved his right eye after he received a hit to the face during a Queen’s Cup game between his UAE Polo team and Black Bears BLACK BEARS: Guy Schwarzenbach and his Black Bears team lost the Warwickshire Cup to Halcyon Gallery for the third consecutive year on Sunday 22 June HARD GROUND: After the wettest winter on record, the recent English sunshine now means that nonirrigated polo grounds are hardening up, and fast

Polo Times, July 2014

Photo by Tony Ramirez, www.imagesofpolo.com

Aiming high

Following their 2013 success the La Dolfina line-up will be a 40-goal team once again for 2014

THE 2014 ARGENTINE Triple Crown teams have been released by the AAP. Argentine Open title-holders La Dolfina will return to 40 goals, as they field the same line-up, with David “Pelon” Stirling having had his 10-goal status reinstated in the AAP’s end-of-season handicap changes. Stirling will once again be joined on the team by Adolfo Cambiaso, Pablo MacDonough and Juan Martin Nero. Sebastian Merlos is to be the team’s substitute. Fellow Open finalist Alegria also goes forward into the 2014 season with the same line-up, of Polito Pieres, Hilario Ulloa, Lucas Monteverde and Fred Mannix. The team’s handicap will stand at 36 goals, with Pieres and Mannix having both been raised to nine goals after their success in 2013. The Ellerstina line-up will remain unchanged, with Facundo, Gonzalito and Nico Pieres playing alongside Mariano

Aguerre as a 38-goal team. Nine-goaler Sapo Caset and eight-goaler Facundo Sola will join La Aguada for 2014, playing alongside brothers Ignacio and Miguel Novillo Astrada. Magual and La Aguada Las Monjitas make up the six teams that will take part in the Tortugas Open and also go forward to play in the Hurlingham and Argentine Opens. Both team line-ups remain unchanged from 2013. Six teams will contest the qualifiers for the Hurlingham and Argentine Opens. British seven-goaler Luke Tomlinson is among them, playing for La Quinta alongside seven-goalers Juan Ruiz Guiñazú, Joaquín Pittaluga and Guillermo Willington. The other five teams bidding for a place in the world’s most prestigious tournament will be La Natividad, Sao José, Indios Chapaleufú II, Miramar and Santa Teresa.

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News

Pony Club Polo reclaims Gannon and Langford

The traditional Pony Club parade during the Cowdray championships

THE HPA AND the Pony Club Committee have agreed that the Gannon (U21) and Langford (U17) sections will once again be run under Pony Club rules. This will provide multi-chukka polo for Pony Club Members. This year the HPA also introduces the new British Junior Polo Championships for those better-resourced players, incorporating the Hipwood Trophy and two new tournaments, the Buckmaster Trophy (U18) and the John Cowdray Trophy (U21). Players will be able to play in both the Pony Club Polo and British Junior Polo and the finals will once again be contested at Cowdray Park Polo Club. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These changes offer complementary opportunities for young players,â&#x20AC;? Pony Club Polo chairman, Charles Whittington told Polo Times. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They can choose not to be a

News in brief THE HPA ANNOUNCED the mid-season handicap changes in June. 16-year-old Jack Hyde has been raised from one goal to two, following a successful start to the season playing for Jonathan Munro Fordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Black Eagles. A number of seven-goalers have been taken out of brackets, including Ruki Baillieu, Gonzalo Deltour and Matias Torres Zavaleta. The changes were effective as of 19 June. RUTLAND POLO CLUB will hold an interhunt polo tournament on 19-20 July. The teams competing will represent hunts including the Belvoir, the Cottesmore, the Fernie, the Quorn and the Pytchley, competing for the Countryside Alliance Hartopp Trophy. Both days are open to the public, and cost ÂŁ5 per entry. All money raised will go to the Countryside Alliance.

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member of the Pony Club and play in the HPA competitions, or they can choose to play in the Pony Club sections, or they can do both. Quite a few players are opting for both, particularly at the lower levels, which is very encouraging.â&#x20AC;? Members of the Pony Club are still able to play from the ages of six to 21 without needing more than one pony, with the Gannon and Langford levels providing players with the opportunity to experience multiple chukkas and consequently encourage their involvement with polo post-Pony Club age. Both the HPA and the Pony Club agree that this structure will give the children many more opportunities to play with and against their contemporaries, yet at the same time, it will also increase their chances of being spotted and developed.

CAMBRIDGE COUNTY POLO Club hosted the Greenheath and Newmarket Liner tournament in mid-June. The tournament was split into three divisions with Stapleford Park coming through to win the 4-goal section, beating Lambourne 7-6.5. Cambridge County will host two tournaments in July, the Timba Cup on 6-7 July and the Fendown Dustop Tournament on 20-21 July. THE WOMENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NATIONAL Tournament at Ascot Park Polo Club will be held on 23-24 August, having been previously scheduled for 5-6 July. The event is now in its 26th year and is run with the support of Tally Ho Farm. THE JACK WILLS varsity title went to Cambridge, who defeated old rivals Oxford 6-3 in the match at Guards Polo Club. The team of Sam Browne, Oli Lawrence, Simon Bewsey Dyke and Angad Singh lifted the trophy after a fast-paced, highly competitive match, in which Browne was named most valuable player.

Polo Times, July 2014 13

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News

ENGLAND CONTINUED THEIR run of international wins with victory over Goldin Group Hong Kong at Beaufort Polo Club, as Polo Times went to press. The young home side of Max Charlton, George Meyrick, Jack Richardson and James Harper recorded a 10½-8 win over a tough Hong Kong representative side to take first blood in this year’s Audi International Series. Representing Hong Kong were eightgoalers John Paul Clarkin and Guillermo Terrera, joined by former nine-goaler Luis Lalor and four-goaler John Fisher. England began the match with a 1.5-goal advantage due to handicap difference, but were quick to build on this and leave their opponents trailing throughout the five chukkas. This follows England’s victory in the St. Regis Test Match at Cowdray Park in May and Nations Cup win at Palermo. England now looks forward to their clash with Argentina for the The Coronation Cup at this year’s Audi International Day, at Guards Polo Club on Saturday 26 July.

Polo Times, July 2014

Photograph by Tony Ramirez, www.imagesofpolo.com

England defeat Hong Kong at Beaufort

The triumphant England team on the podium at Beaufort

A full report from the Audi International at Beaufort will follow in the August issue

To buy tickets please visit www.coronationcuppolo.com

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News

The grassroots view Pony Club Polo chairman Charles Whittington rounds up the latest youth polo news

Latest from the HPA

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

AUDI INTERNATIONAL AT GUARDS POLO CLUB: SATURDAY 26TH JULY 2014 Members of the HPA are entitled to a discount on tickets in the South Grandstand for The Coronation Cup, which is on Saturday 26 July. On purchasing tickets members will be entered into a prize draw to win a holiday for two to El Remanso, including Business Class flights. This year the award-winning Buddha Bar will be providing the after-party. Please contact the HPA for further details or go to www.coronationcuppolo.com.

Following on from the Pony Club Branch Managers’ meeting at the end of April, the Section Managers of Pony Club Polo had a HANDICAPS tough job sorting out the “pool”. There are The mid-season handicap changes became effective on Thursday 19 June. The complete list seven sections of Pony Club Polo ranging of handicap changes is available on the HPA website and is shown on page 97 of this issue. from age six to 20 and each manager has to work with Branch Managers from all over the END OF SEASON HANDICAP MEETINGS country to place spare players and fill spaces in There has been a change of date for the end-of-season handicap meeting for all 22-goal teams. It is hard work and I thank both Section and Victor Ludorum players (excluding 6-goal). This meeting, which was scheduled for Managers and Branch Managers for striving Wednesday 13 August will now be held on Thursday 4 September. The No 2 Meeting for to get every player the chance of playing. We all remaining players will take place as planned on Tuesday 9 September. Clubs have been now have the general shape of the number of informed of this change of date. DearandBen teams in each section I think it will prove to be a very exciting summer. Remarkably, there BRITISH JUNIOR POLO CHAMPIONSHIPS 2014 is Pony Club polo on promised virtually every day- from British Junior matches commence on Wednesday 10 July; details and a full As the12elements for Polo theleague artwork. July to 10 August. By the time you read this, the schedule of matches can be found on the HPA website. The finals of the British Junior season will be in full swing! Polo tournament will run on Thursday 7 and Friday 8 August alongside the Pony Club My thoughts were (butPolo you guys are the pros): We have had a lot of discussion about Championships at Cowdray Park Polo Club, which run from 8–10 August. We are the best way to introduce young players to delighted that the Championships will once again be sponsored by Audi. umpiring. Apart from knowing the rules and Background colour in our blue (CMYK for the dark blue is C94 M88 Y44 K65). passing the relevant tests, umpiring is an (including OVERSEAS WORK EXPERIENCE BURSARY (OSWEB) - Logo in White words ‘’ underneath). important aspect of learning the game. Players If you are 17, 18 or 19, hold a handicap of ‘0’ goals and above and are planning on - Under that, in white, words: have to start somewhere, and the debate has furthering your polo career by spending your gap year working overseas in the polo - Towards the bottom our website ( been around how this should be approached. industry, you are eligible to apply for an HPA OSWEB. Application forms have been if youabout guys a better problem There are plentyBut of suggestions howhave not emailed toidea, all clubs,no or please contactat the all! HPA office. to go about it, but few positive ideas. Luckily, I have been able to enlist the help of Christopher HPA SCHOOLS FOUR CHUKKA LEAGUE Price to help with this. One idea is to have This season eleven teams entered the HPA Schools Four Chukka League; Cheltenham, Eton, the senior Pony Club players umpire with an Harrow, Marlborough, Millfield, Radley, Seaford, Sherborne, Stowe, Wellington and LVS. experienced umpire but not carry a whistle. This means that play is not stopped incorrectly but GRANTS the learner gets a feel of what play looks like Applications by clubs for discretionary grants should be made in writing to Jim Haigh, from the umpire’s point of view; can discuss Chairman of the Finance and Grants Committee by 1 July. For further information please fouls and penalties with an experienced umpire see the HPA ‘Blue Book’ page 395. and also perhaps learn what it is like to be the butt of players’ discontent! Another idea CORPORATE TRAVELLER: THE HPA’S PARTNER IN BUSINESS TRAVEL is to have a simplified umpiring test for young Corporate Traveller works with the HPA to save its members’ time and money booking people. We would welcome any positive business travel. suggestions from the Polo Times readership. Powered by Flight Centre Travel Group, Corporate Traveller offers a unique combination Last weekend I had the privilege of of negotiating strength and expert, personal service to boost your business travel savings. attending the “Best of British Polo” at Tidworth, Currently assisting the HPA and Guards Polo Club, Corporate Traveller is a non-contractual which was thoroughly enjoyable and very well service that looks after organisations both large and small. attended. Watching servicemen and women The HPA’s dedicated Travel Manager, Sharon McTear, works tirelessly to ensure members who are recovering from very serious injury play get the best value from their travel budget. Contact Sharon to discuss your requirements polo was an inspiration. Thank you to David and for a free quote: Cowley, a former Pony Club Chairman, for sharon.mctear@corptraveller.co.uk +44 (0)20 7324 8340. This number reaches a organising this day. Corporate Traveller expert 24 hours a day www.corptraveller.co.uk. 16

Polo Times, July 2014

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International News

British Polo Day goes Stateside

Courtesy of British Polo Day

British Polo Day was held in the USA for the first time in May

BRITISH POLO DAY made its USA debut in May when it arrived at the Will Rogers State Park in Los Angeles. More than 400 guests and VIPs were present for the inaugural event, enjoying two polo matches, plus a very British display of Brompton bicycle polo, featuring plenty of falls, collisions and laughter. Bicycles were replaced on the field by their more traditional counterparts, as the Hackett Eton College and Royal Salute Will Rogers Polo Club teams faced one another, playing for the Hackett Trophy. The Eton College team of Tristan Phillimore, Andrew Bossom, Nick Dann and Leigh Brecheen took an early lead and held the home side at bay as they secured a 6½-4 win. In the second match of the day the Oxford Group Holdings Oxbridge team took on the London’s Southern California Polo team for the Land Rover Cup. This time, it was the home side that dominated, with Oxbridge never quite able to exert enough pressure to worry Southern California, who recorded a 6-4 win.

Plans revealed for new China polo club

A new luxury polo club will join the likes of the Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club in China

A NEW LUXURY polo club and resort is to be developed just outside Beijing. Plans for the Beijing Polo Resort were unveiled at Guards Polo Club’s inaugural China Day on 18 June. The club will be developed by

the Yida International Investment Group, for which Guards will act as consultants and strategic partners in the project. “It is wonderful to be given a blank sheet of paper and asked to create your

dream polo club,” said Guards CEO Neil Hobday. “I am delighted that our vision has been accepted by Mr Zhang and the Yida International Investment Group.” Work on the resort, which will include world-class, luxury polo facilities is set to get underway in 2015. The project is designed to replicate Guards’ style and standards in China. The club will join China’s four existing polo clubs: the Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club in Tianjin; Beijing-based Tang Polo Club and Sunny Times Polo Club, and Nine Dragons Hill Polo Club near Shanghai.

TATA Communications denies Paisano Dragons the Singapore Triple Crown Photograph courtesy of Singapore Polo Club

Action from the Singapore Open

THE SINGAPORE TRIPLE Crown concluded in June with the final of the 10-goal Singapore Open. The sought-after title went to TATA 18

Polo Times, July 2014

Communications Asia, who denied TATA Communications Europe/Paisano Dragons a clean sweep of the Triple Crown by beating them 4½-3. The Paisano Dragons squad of David Bernal, Nicolas Pieroni, Marco Focaccia, Marc Hogberg, Ronnie Lim, Ang Ban Tong and Abigail Slater triumphed in the first two Triple Crown tournaments at Singapore Polo Club: the 4-goal Diplomat’s Cup and the 6-goal ProAm International. They looked on track to become the first team to secure the Triple Crown, but the TATA communications side of Horacio Llorente, Bautista Arrastúa, Jonathan Gabler and Vinod Kumar had other ideas.

Having beaten Paisano Dragons during the league stages of the tournament, they went into the final looking confident, and immediately piled the pressure onto their opponents. Kumar worked to great effect, keeping Hogberg out of the game and allowing Llorente and Arrastúa to display their impressive teamwork and give TATA Communications an early lead. Attempts by Bernal and Pieroni were all too often countered by Gabler, and it was TATA Communications who celebrated a welldeserved, and long-awaited win, with Arrastúa also being named most valuable player.

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International News

TITLE SPONSORS MASERATI won the 24-goal Metropolitan Polo Classic for the second straight year in June. The team of Gaston Moore, Silvestre Donovan, Bauti Sorzana and John Fisher came up against Fortune Heights in the final at the Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club in Tianjin, China, as they attempted to defend the title. It was the Fortune Heights line-up of Luis, Tomas and Lucas Lalor and Pablo Lauretche that put the first goal on the scoreboard, but Maserati soon woke up, levelling the score by the end of the second chukka and flying out of the blocks in the third chukka to rack up a three-goal lead. Despite all the efforts of Fortune Heights to narrow the margin, they remained on the back foot, and it was Maserati who ran out the winners, 10-8.

Photograph courtesy of the Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club

Maserati races to Tianjin win

Teams and officials line up in front of the Metropolitan Polo Club’s impressive high-rise backdrop

Abu Dhabi wins Polo in the Park ABU DHABI WAS crowned the winner of this year’s Chestertons Polo in the Park. The team of Mohammed Al Habtoor, Juan Cruz Guevara and Guilermo Cuitino romped to an 11-5 victory over Lagos – Kola Karm, China Santiago de Estrada and Andrea Vianini – to take the title on Sunday 8 June. London hopes were dashed after the well-fancied side of Stuart Wrigley, George Meyrick and Max Charlton crashed out in the semi-finals to Abu Dhabi. Things didn’t improve for the home side when they lost to Buenos Aires on the final day to finish in sixth place. The Sydney team of Angus James, Chris Hyde and Oli Hipwood defeated Beijing 7-6 to take third place.

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The Abu Dhabi trio celebrate their win

This is the sixth year Hurlingham Park in Fulham has played host to the event.

Polo Times, July 2014

Obituary

Javier Novillo Astrada

Javier Novillo Astrada, 1975 – 2014 Javier Novillo Astrada, one of the most respected individuals the sport of polo has ever seen, died in Buenos Aires on Friday 23 May, aged 37. THE FORMER NINE-GOALER was born in Buenos Aires on 3 December,1975. The third son of Eduardo “Taio” Novillo Astrada and Veronica Devoto, Javier was brother to Eduardo, Miguel, Ignacio and Alejandro Novillo Astrada. Javier played off nine goals for 13 years, between 1999 and 2012, when he dropped to eight. Javier began to ride at the age of two, and not only was he a natural rider right from the start, it was also immediately obvious

that he had inherited his family’s passion for horses. The first hint at the success that he would go on to achieve in polo came in 1987 when, alongside his brother Miguel, Alejandro Pistone and Delfin Uranga, he won the prestigious children’s tournament Copa Portrillos. Three years later, at just 14-yearsold, Javier became the youngest player to win the Copa Republica, a highly competitive 26-goal tournament in Argentina, alongside

Javier won his first Gold Cup with Labegorce in 1997, alongside Carlos Gracida and Jamie Le Hardy

Polo Times, July 2014

his older brothers Eduardo and Miguel, and father Taio. With his career still in full swing and his handicap continuing to rise, 1995 saw Javier represent Argentina in the FIP World Championships at St Moritz. The team made it to the final, where they narrowly lost out to Brazil. Naturally, the big hope of any top-rated polo player is to compete in the Argentine Open, the world’s most competitive polo tournament. Javier played in the Open an impressive 17 times, going on to reach the final on three occasions. 2003 in particular was a year to remember for Javier and the Novillo Astrada family. Javier won the Argentine Triple crown, playing alongside his brothers Miguel, Eduardo and Ignacio for the La Aguada team. In doing this, the Novillo Astradas made history, becoming the first team of four brothers to do so. With such obvious talent combined with his gentle personality, Javier quickly became one of the most in-demand players, and consequently patrons had started to sign him for the English high-goal. It was with Kerry Packer’s Ellerston that Javier first lifted a UK high-goal trophy, beating Alcatel in the Queen’s Cup final in 1996. He then went on to win the Gold Cup an impressive three times, once with Labegorce in 1997 and twice with Black Bears in 2002 and 2006. In 2008, Javier took up the job of coaching the England team. Under his guidance, England beat Australia to win The Coronation Cup in 2008, with Mark and Luke Tomlinson, Malcolm Borwick and James Beim on the team. The following year, England also won the Westchester Cup in Palm Beach. The team of Malcolm Borwick, Mark and Luke Tomlinson and Javier’s brother, Eduardo Novillo Astrada defeated America to win the oldest sporting trophy in history. www.polotimes.co.uk

Javier Novillo Astrada

Javier won the 2002 Gold Cup playing alongside two of his brothers for Black Bears

Two months later, Javier was diagnosed with a brain tumour, which was later discovered to be terminal. He made an amazing comeback to play the Argentine Open in 2012 with La Aguada, before his condition deteriorated. The global polo community regarded Javier as one of the most influential and talented characters of today’s game and he will be remembered for his actions, both on the polo field and off it. Javier’s legacy will undoubtedly live on through his wife Delfina and their four children, Manuel, Simon, Nina and Clara. The beloved and unforgettable “Javo” received a Christian burial on Saturday 24 May in the Memorial Cemetery in Pilar, Argentina. Malcolm Borwick Member of the winning Coronation Cup and Westchester Cup teams, 2008/09 Back in 2008 Javier was made head coach of the England team. It was an inspirational choice, not only because he was one of the greatest exponents of “complete team polo”, but also for his personal touch as a coach. His approach to working with us was to get the best performance out of each of us by treating us as four different players with one united plan. In any team sport you have different characters, and that was certainly the case in the squad back then; his calm, positive approach worked wonders on a team that was fresh from a big beating by Argentina. Tactical know-how and the ability to express it are hard commodities to find, and Javier had them both. His patience in explaining how La Aguada operated as a team, and willingness to share information with us, to this day remains a surprise. Taking on coaching another national team with the internal politics that are involved is www.polotimes.co.uk

Obituary

Javier, Miguel, Eduardo and Ignacio made history when they won the 2003 Argentine Open

a thankless task, yet he seemed to relish the opportunity to pass on what he had learnt. Polo is a world that thrives on rivalries and disputes, yet not in my 20 years playing as a professional have I heard a bad word about Javier. His conduct on and off the field proves that to be a great sportsman you do not need to seek to take advantage of or abuse other players. That said, his quiet manner shielded a very competitive side; you do not win Gold Cups and Argentine Opens by letting others walk over you. The way he lived his life should be an example to us: let your mallet do the talking. He lived and played to a set of values that reflected who he was, and we should take note. He has left a hole in the family of polo, the quiet brother who never stood too tall, or shouted too loud, but achieved in all that he did. His legacy is now with the next generation; he has installed in them the truths he held dear, and I am sure we will see that bear fruit in ten years time. To Delfi and the children, there are no words that will fill the void he has left, but they must know that he was highly respected as a

player and loved as a person throughout the polo world. We are glad to have known him and will miss him greatly. Rob Cudmore Former teammate Javier was a fantastic polo player and horseman. I played with him and Eduardo and they were great teammates who not only passed the ball but were full of encouragement. Javier loved talking about horses and was very easy to deal with when selling him a horse. He was such a good rider he made everything look easy on the field and I loved seeing him playing my horses. David Morley Long-term friend Javier was one of polo’s true gentlemen. We became friends in 1997 when he joined Carlos Gracida to win the Gold Cup for Labegorce, and we worked closely from this time on. Javier always had time for others, was totally unselfish and his death is a great loss to all who knew him.

Javier (far right) and England’s connections celebrating after the team’s Westchester win in 2009

Polo Times, July 2014

Comment

t’s hard to believe that we are already half way through the English season with the Queen’s Cup now behind us and the Gold Cup imminent. I am surprised and a little smug that my predictions for the Queen’s Cup semis were nearly 100% although I failed to mention Zacara at all as their presence in the latter stage of the tournament seemed so inevitable. As always, I chose to put my money on the perceived underdogs, Talandracas, mostly because I, along with many others, have been bowled over by the rapid rise of Polito Pieres over the past year. Sadly it wasn’t his finest hour in the final. His game was hampered by the heavy ground and he couldn’t make the long runs to goal that have become his trademark. Having said that, nothing seemed to bother his cousin, Facundo. He is now at that stage where his phenomenal skill

Backchat with Clare Milford Haven exceeds all expectations. He’s more than his 10 goals and with 18 horses at his disposal, every one as good as the next one, it’s going to be hard to push him off his World Number 1 perch. It was great to see England represented by Fox & Hounds and we look forward to another all English line up in Halcyon Gallery in the Gold Cup and wish them the best of luck. One thing that was apparent in the Queen’s Cup was the everincreasing habit of substituting patrons with young players. For whatever reasons, UAE’s patron Maitha al Maktoum didn’t play one game, neither did Twelve Oaks’ Stefano Marsaglia – both were replaced by young 0 goal players Kian Hall and Fergus Potter. Aravali’s Karan Thapar and El Remanso’s Scott Luard were out due to injury and were replaced by Charlie Pidgley and Hugo Lewis.

In Sotogrande last summer, a similar occurrence took place with no shows by 3 team patrons in the high goal. This does have the inevitable effect of changing the whole dynamic of the team and indeed the tournament. There are mutterings on the polo grapevine that there is a move for this to be stopped in Sotogrande this year and patrons who are unable to play will have to be replaced by other patrons/amateurs, not by promising youngsters. At Ellerstina in Pilar, if a patron cannot play for whatever reason, there is a rule that they have to be replaced by another amateur player. But this opens up the debate as to what is an amateur player? These days, 0 goal substitute players get paid, and will be mounted by the team. Does that make him a pro? If the ‘amateur’ brings his own horses, does that make the difference.

Does that qualify him as an amateur? Whilst this is a fabulous opportunity for aspiring, young professionals and an equally good opportunity for the team to do well, it advances the present trend of professionalism within the sport. The concern is that the more this happens, the more disenchanted some patrons will become when they find themselves up against a team that has suddenly changed for the better. It would be a shame if this trend had the effect of making polo even more divisive. The knock on effect could be lamentable with more and more patrons opting to play on private grounds simply because they want to have more control, more fun and a better chance of winning.

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Polo Times, July 2014

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Comment

Your views

Letters Write to the editor in the following ways: w letters@polotimes.co.uk wT he Editor, Polo Times,

Holbrook Farm, North Leigh, Oxon OX29 6PX

Think about who you’re employing

Patron or player accidents happen due to the nature of the game, but many accidents are also avoidable. When you think that your horses’ lives are in the hands of your groom, does this make you think twice when you are searching for one? Grooms looking for a job often say the things they know you want to hear but are they really willing to listen and learn to how things are done in your yard? A groom’s background should feature training at all levels of horse care, right from scratch. They should be able to school a horse properly, and by this I mean knowing how, when, and for how long exercise should be carried out. It is advisable to ask for a recommendation, to check with somebody else that the groom really can offer what they say they will. Atilio Degrossi

Letter of the month

Support for British Professionals helps team reach Queen’s Cup Quarter Finals Sir, I wanted to write in to say how great it is that, with the support of Guards Polo Club, a group of four English professionals have come together to play the high goal. By taking El Remanso to extra time yesterday, Fox & Hounds proved that they can compete with the best teams, reaching the Quarter Finals of The Cartier Queen’s Cup. With the support of Guards, Cowdray and the HPA, it would be great to see more of these teams in the future. Yours, Ollie Cudmore Credit where credit’s due We misspelt the name of one of last month’s letter-writers. It was in fact Arthur K Thomson who kindly shared his views regarding the highgoal. Many apologies Arthur!

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Polo Times, July 2014

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Feature

Fox and Hounds

Max Routledge challenges Adolfo Cambiaso in the Fox and Hounds’ clash with Dubai

The thrill of the chase The last minute addition of an all-British, all-pro line-up was the talk of the sidelines during this year’s Cartier Queen’s Cup. The Fox and Hounds team of Tom Morley, George Meyrick, Max Routledge and Jack Richardson exceeded all expectations and while they may not have won the title, losing out to Zacara in the quarter-finals, they certainly topped the popularity stakes as they won over a vast number of supporters. Polly Bryan joins the players and sponsor Haim Perry at the Fox and Hounds pub, to find out more about this year’s most talked-about team 26

Polo Times, July 2014

Polly Bryan at the Fox and Hounds

How did the idea of a Fox and Hounds team first come about? Haim Perry (HP): I have always wanted to be involved with the Cartier Queen’s Cup Tournament so when the opportunity presented itself for me to sponsor a team, I jumped at the chance. My only stipulation was that it had to be young up and coming talent. I had four names proposed, the four Guards www.polotimes.co.uk

ambassadors. Two days before the start of the tournament, Richard Le Poer and Max Charlton were replaced on the team by Tom Morley and Max Routledge. So the guys didn’t play together until the first game. We went out with nothing to lose, and they put on incredible displays and the results speak for themselves. It has now become something that everyone is talking about and everyone is worried about what the team will do next year. I have agreed to continue sponsoring an all-British team for the next five years. So with no time to practise before the tournament, how did the four of you gel as a team? Tom Morley (TM): We had Seb Dawnay as coach and he was great, but this year being the first year, we went into our first game against El Remanso cold, and we worked it all out on the spot, which worked much better than we expected. All the positions were quite selfexplanatory: Jack at the front, Max at number two, George at three and me at the back. That’s the way everyone would expect us to be lined up. Then we fitted together very well because we had good team talks and everyone had a very good understanding of what we were going to achieve on the field. Why do you think you did so well, getting to the quarter-finals against many tough teams? Jack Richardson (JR): We were just trying to keep it simple really, to keep hitting the ball and keep going. There were four of us so we thought, why not use it to our advantage. HP: In my opinion, the biggest advantage was that every team that played against us found it difficult playing against four players who were more or less equal. All our results were so close; Dubai and Zacara each beat us by three goals only. TM: We also set a good rhythm as a team because our handicaps were balanced. Being a balanced team helped because we could then move the ball with speed. We also each had less responsibility as an individual, and more responsibility as the whole team, which was really good, and fun. You had to make one play and make it count and then the next guy can do his. It was all about teamwork and it worked well. I felt like we improved all the way through but we did start strong too. We built on a good foundation. In our first match, we were all shocked to go to extra time against El Remanso, who had played a warm-up tournament and however many practices and have a huge budget for horses – they are a very strong team and have been in the finals and semi-finals for the last two or three years. And then we won our next two games. www.polotimes.co.uk

Feature

Photographs by Tony Ramirez, www.imagesofpolo.com

Fox and Hounds

Jack Richardson hooks ten-goaler Pelon Stirling in their first league match against El Remanso

George Meyrick (GM): I actually think we played our last game really well, against Zacara in the quarters. We got beaten but we weren’t far off. If we’d had a few more practices, who knows? HP: The penalty shoot–out against King Power was the most stressful thing! You could hear a pin drop until Max scored and Jack shouted: “He’s only gone and put it in”, at which point the crowd erupted laughing. We gained a lot of support from people who didn’t expect us to come so far. Suddenly, with such strong performances, we were giving the top teams in the world a very good run for their money. Compliments must go to Guards and La Martina who made a huge effort to make it possible, printing the shirts in no time and supporting every single game. TM: We had so much support – people came from all over to watch us and that really helped. We were also very lucky to have such an amazing coach and organiser in Seb Dawnay – he was outstanding. So what were your strategies when playing against teams as powerful as Zacara and Dubai? JR: Try not to get beaten by too much! HP: The boys are too modest. They were very confident every game. They matched the other players in their game and played as a team rather than just good individuals. They were very relaxed and confident going into every game, and that is the great thing about it, they did so well. GM: Using Dartfish video technology really helped too. It’s the future of polo. TM: Yes it did make a big difference. It

gave us different things to focus on: line-outs, penalties, knock-ins. We could see where we were doing well and the areas we needed to think about in between games. It was really good to use in team analysis. Do you think all-pro teams are particularly useful for helping young Brits play the high-goal? TM: It was a great opportunity for all of us to play. But it’s one of the beauties of polo being a handicapped sport – all the teams make up 22-goals and so the combination actually doesn’t matter. It worked well for us, but I also think having one amateur and three pros is also great. For me that’s the best thing about the sport, you can mix with players much better than you and you’re all competing on a level playing field, which is unusual in sport. But that’s the beauty of polo. Max Routledge: If you’re not getting a run with another team, to have the chance to be in a four-man, all-pro team is great. It’s really different to play in a four-man team though, compared to playing with someone like Facundo or another ten, where you do a lot more blocking and marking. When you play in an all-pro team you actually have to play a bit more so it is completely different. They both have their ups and downs, but it is really good fun. Definitely if you had a choice you’d always rather be playing the high-goal in whatever team you could get. Everyone would take the high-goal option. I would. TM: It’s one of the top levels of polo in the world and to be competing at the top level in any sport is an amazing thing. Polo Times, July 2014

Feature

Fox and Hounds

“Fox and Hounds was one of the most fun teams I’ve had for a long time” George Meyrick

Do you think we might see more all-pro teams in the high-goal in seasons to come? TM: I think so – it would be great. The more teams the better for everyone; the more competitive the polo, the more people will want to play it, from everywhere. MR: The only thing you would have to watch is that if there became a lot of all-pro teams, like us, it could lower the level of the horses, without the big organisations that have spent years building up strings. That is what makes it that high level. If you have six or seven teams like us, say, in the future, the horsepower would come down. It would still be 22-goal, but the horse level would be decreasing, compared to Zacara or Dubai. You have to match those teams, rather than them come down to us. If you get too many people

mounting themselves on a smaller budget, it’s not, I don’t think, going to keep the polo at the highest level. Have you all been playing your own horses? Have you felt more pressure because you were mounting yourselves? TM: Yes, we have all been playing our own horses, but also borrowing and renting horses as well, from people like Matias Ballesteros, Jack Berner, Ross Ainsley and Niall Donnelly. The majority have been our own though. MR: There is pressure but it’s also good because then you know if your good one is actually good. If you’re in the high-goal, it’s nice to play against someone like Facundo and see if your horses measure up. And you want to be as good as people like him. You don’t want

to play four of your mates from the mediumgoal on their horses because it’s not the same. You want to play against the best people and the best horses, as often as you can. GM: It’s quite easy to get over-complacent about how good your horses are in the medium-goal. You need to put them against the best horses to realise what you’ve got. It’s quite easy to go and play an 8-goal and think “my horses are going great”. MR: We have definitely improved over the tournament. Our horses have improved 100 per cent, in terms of their speed and toughness, and also the questions you’re asking of them. You’re asking them to keep up with the best horses, so then they start doing it. In terms of horsepower, how did you compare to other teams? GM: The only time I really thought “jeez!” was against Facundo or Cambiaso when they set off on one of their really good ones. It was like an explosion. JR: When Facundo and Cambiaso get going you’ve got to be on a serious horse to keep up with them. But then again, when we played other teams we often felt well-matched on horses, and sometimes we felt ours were better. MR: There were definitely times when we felt better mounted. Obviously you have weaker chukkas and better ones, but none of us felt under mounted ever, or that the horses were completely letting us down.

The Fox and Hounds team with their army of supporters

Polo Times, July 2014

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Fox and Hounds

Feature

HP: From the perspective of a spectator, I don’t think you could see a huge difference between others’ horses and the boys’ horses. They matched them. It’s like when you play football against a much better team, you raise your game and they lower theirs because they have to. They were normally surprised with the tactics that we applied and they realised it is hard to play against four players who are more or less equal, compared with a team where you get the ten-goaler out the way and then you can score. From the sidelines it was very visible and quite encouraging. Who would you say the overall most valuable player of the team was? GM, JR, MR: Morls. JR: As captain he stepped up and led from the front. GM: You mean from the back! Tom gave us the structure that we needed as a team and that made the difference. If it had been somebody else, it could have been a disaster. JR: Morls has played the high-goal several years before and has more experience than all of us as he has played polo for a bit longer. He’s the natural leader on the field and we tried to listen to what he was saying and it helped us no end. His advice was short, simple with nothing complicated, but things that help you there and then so we could get on with it. GM: We went onto the field with a lot more confidence knowing he’s there. TM: We were quite organised as a team, but I don’t feel that anyone was a particular MVP. Everyone fulfilled their position and their role in the team, and did it well. Mine was to put in the structure and keep the team together. That is what I do and I tried to do that to the best of my ability. But the boys were all doing their roles on the fields well. George and Jack were flying forward and putting in some real speed, and Max was beating the men, feeding players and scoring goals. HP: It was very refreshing to see four guys getting on well, being relaxed and sharing everything, rather than in other teams where it’s one player that makes the decisions. Tom was their captain and you could see this experience coming down through the rest. It was such a pleasure to be part of this incredible group. The boys proved themselves to be real gentlemen and showed true sportsmanship. MR: We never argued or anything, it was amazing. TM: Exactly, there was never anyone trying to put blame on one of the other players. If we made a mistake, we made a mistake as a team and if we did well, we did well as a team. www.polotimes.co.uk

Thoughts from the coach Seb Dawnay It’s been incredible coaching the Fox and Hounds. I’ve been an HPA coach for six years and when Louisa asked me if I would coach the boys, I said absolutely. The four boys were amazing. Tom Morley was the obvious choice for captain, because of his age and his high-goal experience. We always met for team talks in the Fox and Hounds – a good army marches on his stomach and we were very well looked after by the pub. Even on the busiest days Tom was always there, before the pub opened at 8am, ready to go through things. But I can’t praise all four of them enough. They were so professional and all stood out in different ways: Tom for his professionalism and captaincy; Max for pure, working, selfless play – he worked for the other three, often playing against the highest handicapped opposing player; Jack who was very skillful – people would panic when he got the ball – and George, who is another very selfless player and very well mounted. There were no egos involved. The vibe was so good, everybody was just really enjoying the polo. We were super serious but fun too and I loved that. Yes, we wanted to win, but there was a great feeling of everyone working for everyone and it’s the first time I’ve seen that in a while. There were no hidden agendas and none of the pressures that come with playing for a patron. It was one of those things that just worked really well and to qualify for the quarters was incredible. We did really well against Zacara too. There are no regrets. When I sometimes played against all-pro British teams like this in the high-goal, they would often get beaten by 10 or 20 goals! If UK players want to play together in the high-goal, an all-pro team like this is an option. It’s not a solution to anything, but another variation, to help get British five, six and seven-goalers playing that level of polo. The guys all got faster and stronger as they went along. It’s not necessarily the way high-goal should be, but it is an incredible way for four British players to get that level of polo. We’re looking forward to next year!

GM: I have to say, it was definitely one of the most fun teams I’ve had for a long time. It just had a good vibe. MR: We were all really wanting to win, but then it had a really nice, light-hearted feel to it as well. We were all pushing 110 per cent, all

in same boat, but with no pressure, no tension, nothing. It was really relaxed, like playing a fun practice but really competitively. JR: We still always wanted to win and prove ourselves.

Polo Times, July 2014

Feature

Fox and Hounds

How do you think the HPA could try to ensure more British players get runs in the high-goal? GM: I would say to look at what Guards are doing with us. TM: It is very difficult for the HPA, being the governing body. In the past, some other teams have been anti the governing body putting in all-pro teams. Whereas with Haim’s support and Guards helping with the organisation, we were completely separate from the HPA and we were another team like everybody else. The HPA were very supportive of it, but weren’t anything to do with it. JR: The Home Grown Player rule is an ongoing argument. In the end, I think if you’re good enough off your handicap and try hard enough, you’ll get picked, but polo’s such a difficult sport that it gets very hard. MR: All of us have been picked for the

high-goal before. How many people have been through their career and not had a chance, even if they were good and stood out? What is really hard is to play as a two or threegoaler and then to come back to the high-goal as a five, six or seven-goaler. That’s another ballgame. TM: What the HPA can do to help is to make sure that English players are always really competitively handicapped. That’s what it’s all about, being good value on your handicap. You’re not playing in the Gold Cup, but which teams do you think are likely to do well? JR: Zacara obviously are a good bet to win. I think Dubai will pick up and do better in the Gold Cup. MR, TM: UAE Polo too. GM: In the Gold Cup the teams that do

“The HPA can help young Brits get into the highgoal by making sure they are always competitively handicapped” Tom Morley

well are those with real depth in horsepower. The Queen’s Cup is more open to the other teams, when all the horses are fresh at the beginning of the season. Some people would argue that it’s almost easier as a result, but whichever way you look at it, the Queen’s Cup is a more open tournament. Come the Gold Cup, it comes down to the top four or five teams that have got real strength in horses.

The Fox and Hounds: an idyllic polo pub The Fox and Hounds is one of the Windsor area’s oldest public houses, dating back to the 18th century. Nowadays, it is an elegant and atmospheric gastro-pub, blessed with an idyllic location by the Bishopsgate entrance to Windsor Great Park in the village of Englefield Green. The Fox and Hounds offers a variety of delicious home-cooked food, using fresh seasonal produce. Weekends are particularly special, with Sunday roast and a BBQ, making the most of the beautiful terraced gardens both in front of the pub and at the back of the restaurant, with cosy blankets available for those chilly evenings. 30

Polo Times, July 2014

It’s not only the two-legged customers that are treated to great service and superb food at the Fox and Hounds. Dogs and horses are welcome, with space to tie up your mount outside and hay provided. Dogs are welcome in the bar area, and drinking bowls are cleaned and re-filled daily. Booking is advisable, particularly on the weekends. Call 01784 433098 or visit www.thefoxandhoundsrestaurant.com

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Enjoy a taste of the country N estled right on the gates of Windsor Great Park, our pub is the perfect bolt-hole to get away from the hustle and bustle and it’s a great place to stop and refresh yourself after a walk, run or trot! You can relax in the sun in our front garden, graze on our bar snacks or sneak inside for the full works.

We serve tasty fresh food all day and you’re bound to find a glass of something appropriately delicious to go with it, even if it’s just a cup freshly ground coffee.

Every weekend over the summer months if the sun is shining, we fire up a fantastic BBQ from noon until sunset. All our meat comes from our own lovingly raised herds and people tell us our special recipe burgers and sausages are the best!

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Young British Professionals on their ponies

Feature

Competing with The Best I

n polo, the ponies are the most important aspect of a player’s game. You can be the most talented player on the pitch, but if you have a bad horse underneath you then you are not going to be much use to your team. Looking at this year’s Queen’s Cup, there are an increasing number of young British professionals who are able to mount themselves in the high-goal, and they are proving to be tough opposition for the best player’s in the world. Times are changing in the high-goal, and instead of

Richard Le Poer Age: 26 Handicap: 5 Although Richard isn’t taking part in the 22 goal this year, his previous experience at that level has shown him the importance of a player’s horse power, and from then on he has invested a lot of time building up his string. Currently, he is one of the most in demand British players and had to turn down the high goal because of previous commitments in other levels of the game. 1. Do you think it’s important to keep trying to build your own personal string whilst playing the high-goal? If so, why? Yes because horses are assets in polo. Your www.polotimes.co.uk

teams mounting their third player, they are beginning to look more at those players who can mount themselves as a player with good horses is much more of an asset to any team. However, it is not easy for a young player to get their string to that stage; the good horses are expensive, and as an up and coming professional, you simply do not have the funds to compete with the top players. The young pros therefore have to take a slightly different route to achieve the necessary pony power. With thoroughbreds increasingly becoming one of the preferred types of polo

pony, one option is to buy off the track and another is to breed your own. These two solutions are considerably cheaper, however it takes years for a player to see the full results and therefore it takes commitment, patience, talent and sometimes a little bit of luck for their projects to come to fruition.

business will stay strong whilst owning valuable horses and being able to maintain them. A good string of horses will also help you get a job in the medium-goal when you are not playing high-goal. 2. Is your ultimate aim to produce a horse for you to play in the high-goal or are you always trying to make them to then sell on? I am always trying to make quality horses that are easy and correct with power. That way they are good for pros and

amateurs to play at any level. 3. Do you think your game improves when you are riding your own horses? Of course, because you know the horses and they know you. This relationship takes time to build up and improves your game. 4. What do you do with your other ponies, if you have any, that aren’t good enough to play in the high-goal? Try to sell them or rent them out.

Polo Times speaks to Ollie Cudmore, Richard Le Poer, Ali Paterson, Matt Perry and Max Routledge to find out how they compete with the best.

Name: Cheeky Monkey Age: 10 years Breeding: Irish TB Bought from: Robert Hogg IRL Price you paid: €4,500 euros How old was she when you bought her? 2 years old. What polo has she played in? Every level from 0-goal to 22-goal. What are her strengths? Power, lateral movement, capacity, competitiveness. Has she won any prizes? Yes, she won best playing pony in the Cheltenham Cup at Cirencester Park. Brief bit of history: The reason I bought her was partly because I liked her conformation, but most of all I liked the way she moved. When I first tried her, she was extremely natural for polo. She was only two years old yet maintained a very calm nature when put under pressure. The only thing I have learnt over the years is that if you don’t manage her in the right way then she can get quite hot. Facundo Pieres has showed interest in her, and so has Talandracas. Polo Times, July 2014

Feature

Young British Professionals on their ponies

Name: Cleobury Age: 10 years Breeding: Superior Premium x Nine to Five Colour: Bay Bought from: Peter Wright How old was she when you bought her? I bought her when she was seven. What has she played in? She has played the high-goal with me since 2012 as well as medium-goal.

Matt Perry Age: 22 Handicap: 4 Matt is currently the most successful British player in the high goal. As a member of the Zacara team, he has successfully won three consecutive British high goal titles. Matt has concentrated on making his own horses from a young age, and consequently it is no surprise that his own projects have made it into his string for the high goal. 1. Do you think it’s important to keep trying to build your own personal string whilst playing the high-goal? If so, why? I think it is very important to build your own string while involved in the high-goal, as the high-goal won’t last forever. For me it is really important that when you come out of the highgoal you are prepared to be able to mount yourself as well as possible. It is the biggest key to improving and getting in the more desirable teams. It also helps to own horses while involved in the high-goal, as some teams may be just as interested in what the player can bring to the team in terms of horses as in playing abilities. 2. Is your ultimate aim to produce a horse for you to play in the high-goal or are you always trying to make them to then sell on? For now I am always looking to purchase or bring on young ones solely for myself to play, as I am more interested in investing in my career by improving my handicap. 3. Do you think your game improves when you are riding your own horses? It depends on how good your horses are compared to the ones you are given. I find that once you understand and know the horse, whether it is your own or a team horse, you have just as much confidence on them. 4. What do you do with your other ponies, if you have any, that aren’t good enough to play in the high-goal? 34

Polo Times, July 2014

What are her strengths? She is a very tough mare, fast and never really tires.

Has she won any prizes? No prizes yet.

Brief bit of history: I bought her in September 2011 from Peter Wright having not played her. I took a chance with her and luckily it paid off as she is now probably my best horse – I always bring her back in the important games. When I got her she still had young habits and was a magician at getting people on the floor, including me a number of times! She has improved a lot since I got her, mainly just through playing, which for me was all she lacked when I first got her. I have always been keen on young thoroughbreds and when I went to see her I fell in love with how naturally she moved, as well as how stunning she is to look at. Name: Les Soeurs (Biscuit) Age: 11 years Breeding: Indian Lodge x Manazil Colour: Bay Bought from: A Newmarket racehorse trainer How old was she when you bought her? My mum bought her when she was 2½. What has she played in? She started off playing Pony Club polo with me. I took her with me to Cowdray Park for the summer in 2010, which was my first big season in polo. She then spent the whole of 2011 and half of 2012 in the field as I didn’t think she would be strong enough for the high-goal! It was at the end of the 2012 season, while I was playing her in the medium-goal that she felt as though she had matured. I made the decision to take her to Zacara with me where she has been my first chukka horse and also one of the main horses that I repeat when needed. What are her strengths? She has a very good mouth, she is very fast and has a really nice hitting platform. Has she won any prizes? She won the BPP in the Gold Cup semis last year and won Best Retrained Racehorse of 2013. Brief bit of history: My mum bought her from a Newmarket trainer when I was 14, as she did a number of young thoroughbreds while I was young. Biscuit was terrible at the start and had a huge temper problem during the first couple of years, but recently she has matured a lot and is now very sensible. It’s nice seeing her having done all the stages of my polo career so far and she is still only 11 so hopefully she has plenty of miles left in her. Over the last three years I have sold some of the spare horses and have sent a couple of young ones to a friend this year to begin the process. www.polotimes.co.uk

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Feature

Young British Professionals on their ponies

Name: Beluga Age: 11 years Breeding: Up and at Em x Arian Spirit Colour: Bay Bought from: Ascot Sales How old was she when you bought her? Three year old. What polo has she played in? Everything from Pony Club polo to the Gold Cup final. What are her strengths? She’s really tough and never gets tired.

Has she won any prizes? No.

About Beluga: Beluga was unbroken when we bought her. We went to the sales and she was a good price, good size and unraced. I had already worked with young racehorses that had raced and wanted to see what the differences were in training one that was unraced. From the start she has always been grumpy, even now she still bucks! Some high goal teams have approached me to buy her for their third player, but so far I haven’t been tempted to sell her.

Max Routledge Age: 23 Handicap: 5 Ever since Max first played the high goal, it has been a well-known fact that he is an incredible horseman, and can therefore get the best out of any horse. Also a professional show jumper, it is no surprise that Max’s current string is made up of entirely retrained racehorses or homebreds.

1. Do you think it’s important to keep trying to build your own personal string whilst playing the high goal? If so, why? Yes. What’s difficult is that to compete with the big boys, you need to have good horses but if you make your own then it takes time. Before they can play at the top level they need match experience, and that means once they’re made they need a season playing competitive matches before they can play the high goal. However, for a young pro, ready made ponies are too expensive. 2. Is your ultimate aim to produce a horse for you to play in the high goal or are you always trying to make them to then sell on? I aim to produce them for me but if someone then approaches me to buy them then I will sell them – anything and everything goes.

Polo Times, July 2014

Name: Chubba Age: 8 years Breeding: Crafty Politician x Discovery (American thoroughbred from Carlos Gracida) Colour: Chestnut What polo has he played in? All the medium goal last year, this year he has played the Queen’s Cup – it’s his first year in the high goal. What are his strengths? He’s super easy, really easy to stop and turn, and really fast. Has he won any prizes? BPP in The Cicero Cup (15 goal) at Cowdray this year. About Chubba: Chubba has always been really easy. He was a bit scared of the other horses when he was four/five but apart from that I have had no problems with him. Having just started to play him in the high goal, people are beginning to notice him. 3. Do you think your game improves when you are riding your own horses? Yes I feel it does but when you’re with a well organised team like Ellerston then their horses are incredible. At the end of the day, a good horse is good with any player but with your own ones you have a slight advantage in that you know their strengths and weaknesses.

4. What do you do with your other ponies, if you have any, that aren’t good enough to play in the high goal? Once they’re made they get sold, to a patron or a low goal player. As long as they’re safe and easy then there is a job for every horse.

www.polotimes.co.uk

Young British Professionals on their ponies

Feature

Name: Robbie Scott Age: 8 years Breeding: Thoroughbred Colour: Light bay Bought from: Henry Brett How old was he when you bought him? 3 years old. What polo has he played in? He has played in Pony Club, medium goal and last year’s Chester International.

Ali Paterson Age: 22 Handicap: 2 Ali made his high goal debut last year when playing for El Remanso, however he has been working with young horses for years. He has a couple of his self-made ponies with him at Dubai, but perhaps his biggest achievement is the sale of one of his horses, Daisy, to Pelon Stirling in 2012. Daisy went on to play in the 2013 Argentine Open.

1. Do you think it’s important to keep trying to build your own personal string whilst playing the high goal? If so, why? Yes as if you have a competitive string underneath you then you are a more valuable asset to teams, it also allows you to demand a greater fee which is another bonus. If you look at players like Ollie Cudmore and Max Routledge who are able to mount themselves competitively at the top level of the sport they have a big advantage over other players of a similar standard. However I believe that not all money should be invested in horses!! 2. Is your ultimate aim to produce a horse for you to play in the high goal or are you always trying to make them to then sell on? At the moment my plan is to make them for me to play but once I have finished the high goal I think I will concentrate more on making horses to sell. 3. Do you think your game improves when you are riding your own horses? Not necessarily, I think if you have confidence in any horse then it will improve your game. 4. What do you do with your other ponies, if you have any, that aren’t good enough to play in the high goal? Either some friends are playing them or I’m saving them for after I finish the high goal. www.polotimes.co.uk

What are his strengths? He is very handy and has a good turn of pace.

Has he won any prizes? No.

About Robbie: This was also one of the first young ones I bought, although he never showed much potential as a youngster. Thankfully I was persistent with making him and as he has got older he has improved and matured into a reliable horse for the medium goal. He taught me to be patient as some horses can mature; some of them just need more time. Name: Akien George Age: 11 years Breeding: Santararia bloodlines Colour: Chestnut Bought from: William Healy How old was he when you bought him? 8 years old. What polo has he played in? Low goal to the last two seasons of the UK high goal with me.

Has he won any prizes? No.

What are his strengths? He has a good mouth, a lot of power and great endurance. He will also double if you need him. About George: I bought him from William Healy virtually made, he just needed a bit of finishing. He played the first season with me in the medium goal and has carried on with me ever since. A few people tried him prior to me, however George is a nervous gelding and he takes a lot of understanding. Luckily we have found a formula that works for him. Name: Daisy Age: 9 years Breeding: Thoroughbred Colour: Black Bought from: Henry Brett How old was she when you bought her? 2 years old. What polo has she played in? Everything from Pony Club Championships, the medium goal, Queen’s and Gold Cup to the Argentine Open Final. What are her strengths? She’s very easy, has a good mouth, is a great hitting platform and has an incredible turn of speed.

About Daisy: To be honest it was a lot of luck finding this mare – she was one of the first fillies I ever made and she was very easy to make. However, the main thing for me was that she taught me what qualities you need in a top horse. Along the way there was always interest in her from various players but I was adamant I would give her the opportunity to excel. She taught me that finding the correct path for the horses is also important as they can then reach their true potential. I sold her to Pelon in 2011 and thankfully he did a great job taking her to the next level and proving she can compete with the best. Has she won any prizes? No. Polo Times, July 2014

Feature

Young British Professionals on their ponies

Name: Babu Age: 8 years Breeding: Mercedes x Chess Colour: Bay Bought from: She’s a homebred What polo has she played in? She is currently playing her second season of the high-goal in UK and I normally play her in two chukkas per match. What are her strengths? She is very fast and is very strong in the ride-offs. Has she won any prizes? No. About Babu: My father Rob made her. She was not the easiest horse to make as she has a very strong character but she was always talented. A few people have shown interest in her this year as she has been going very well.

Ollie Cudmore Age: 24 Handicap: 4 Since 2010, Ollie has been a consistent young British player in the English high goal. To ensure he is as competitive as possible off his handicap, Ollie has spent time building up a string of horses, and as a result he is one of the best mounted players of his level in the 22-goal.

Name: Bonita Age: 10 years Breeding: Argentine Bought from: Argentina Price you paid: $3000 How old was she when you bought her? Four years old. What polo has she played in? She has played three seasons of high-goal in UK. What are her strengths? She is my best horse and has everything: very easy and a lot of speed.

1. Do you think it’s important to keep trying to build your own personal string whilst playing the high-goal? If so, why? Yes I believe it’s very important. You don’t have to then rely on teams providing horses for you and therefore are more valuable as a player. It also opens up more opportunities for you to play the high-goal. 2. Is your ultimate aim to produce a horse for you to play in the high-goal or are you always trying to make them to then sell on? While I am young and trying to rise up the handicaps I want to keep all my best horses to be as well mounted as possible. 3. Do you think your game improves when you are riding your own horses? Yes, as you know them and have confidence on them. 4. What do you do with your other ponies, if you have any, that aren’t good enough to play in the high-goal? I have a string which consists of my younger and slightly older horses that I will play in August and September in the medium-goal. Some of these ones are for sale. 38

Polo Times, July 2014

Has she won any prizes? No. About Bonita: She was always naturally talented. When I was on my gap year I worked on her and then in 2010 she came over to England. That year I was playing the high-goal and she wasn’t quite ready for that so my brother took her on until she was six, then I was lucky enough to take her off him. A lot of the high-goal players have asked to try her but I don’t want to sell her. I would only sell her if she was going to go and play The Open. Name: Rosita Age: 6 years Breeding: Rose x Chess Colour: Chestnut Bought from: She’s a homebred What polo has she played in? She played the Warwickshire Cup as a 5 year old last year and is currently playing the UK high-goal season with me for UAE. Has she won any prizes? No. What are her strengths? She is very easy and has a very good temperament. About Rosita: She never stood out as being a future high-goal pony when she was younger but as a 5 year old she improved a lot and because she has such a good temperament I have been able to push her quite hard for a young horse. My father used to play her mother, Rose, in Australia and England, and my grandfather used to play the grandmother in Australia, so it’s quite special that I am now playing Rosita. www.polotimes.co.uk

Reports

Queen’s Cup

Zacara’s Queen’s Cup reign continues Lyndon Lea’s Zacara proves unstoppable once again as the team cruises to victory over Talandracas to lift the Cartier Queen’s Cup for the second consecutive year

Polly Bryan

Zacara Talandracas

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his year’s Cartier Queen’s Cup final had a familiar flavour to it, as Facundo Pieres stylishly guided Zacara to a second straight title. The sparkling form of Lyndon Lea’s team was on show yet again, as they recorded a 10-7 victory over Talandracas in the final on Sunday 15 June. The final game marked the 20th match in Zacara’s unbeaten English run, having taken both the Queen’s Cup and Gold Cup titles in 2013. Returning this year with a slightly amended line-up, to include sevengoaler Gonzalo Deltour in place of Rodrigo Andrade, they went into the Queen’s Cup as clear favourites, meaning business from the start. The men in black returned to the English high-goal with a bang when they thundered past Sifani 15- 6 in the opening match, setting a precedent for the rest of the tournament. But it was not all smooth sailing to the final for Lea and Co. In their first

Polo Times, July 2014

Photographs by Tony Ramirez, www.imagesofpolo.com

Reports from Guards

Zacara’s Facundo Pieres races his cousin, Talandracas’ Polito for the ball, aboard Magnifica

year contesting the English high-goal, Top Srivaddhanaprabha’s King Power gave Zacara a run for their money, with tengoaler Gonzalito Pieres clearly knowing his brother Facundo’s play better than anyone. With their talisman ever so slightly compromised, there were a few rocky chukkas for Zacara, but nonetheless they managed to escape with a 10-9 win. While it came as no surprise to anyone when Zacara got the better of a talented Enigma line-up to reserve their place in the final, Talandracas had a harder time against UAE Polo, which featured 16-year-old

Kian Hall superbly filling in for patron HH Sheikha Maitha throughout the tournament. In a close and fiercely competitive semi-final, it was Edouard Carmignac’s impressive Talandracas line-up that were ahead by a goal at the final bell, advancing to their first Queen’s Cup final since taking the title in 2011. Having already caused a stir in the quarters by putting out previously unbeaten Dubai, the trio of Polito Pieres, Juan Martin Nero and Santiago Stirling meant Talandracas was one of the few sides that could be expected to seriously challenge Zacara for the title. And indeed, they set off www.polotimes.co.uk

Reports

in the first chukka of the final determined to do just that, working effectively to shut down Facundo Pieres and send his cousin Polito forward with the ball. Talandracas took a swift 2-1 lead, with Polito racing to goal straight out of the line-up, but it was to be the only time they held the advantage, as Zacara came into their own. Goals from Facundo Pieres, Perry and Deltour gave the defending champions a 6-2 lead at half-time, to which they quickly added another goal in the fourth chukka. As Facundo backed a sharply angled shot straight through the centre of the posts to make it 9-4 in the www.polotimes.co.uk

fifth, it seemed as though the result was a dead certainty. That is until a field goal and two penalties from Polito swiftly brought Talandracas back to within two goals of their rivals, making the occupants of the packed grandstands sit up. But with Facundo aboard his lightning-quick grey mare Moscu, a carefully judged goal by the phenomenal ten-goaler secured Zacaraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s victory. While the final was not the prettiest of matches, being scrappy in places and featuring very heavy marking from both teams, the talk of the sidelines was the ongoing brilliance of Facundo, who was

once again named most valuable player and also picked up the best playing pony prize for Galactica, presented in memory of Carlos Gracida. He also displayed gallant sportsmanship, holding back from the play in the fifth chukka to wait for unseated compatriot Nero, leading the polo world to think, can this man do no wrong? But as always, Facundo was modest and quick to praise his teammates: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think we were lucky to be up by so much at halftime; we made too many fouls in the first chukkas. We tried to play in a very similar way to last year. We are without Rodrigo this year Polo Times, July 2014

Reports

Facundo Pieres receives the most valuable player for the second year

but Gonzalo did a great job. There’s a very similar feel to the team this year both on and off the field.” Patron Lyndon Lea agreed, crediting the chemistry between the four players for Zacara’s success. “This is the best time I’ve ever had in polo, regardless of the results,” he said. The fairytale also continued for 22-yearold British four-goaler Matt Perry, who displayed great maturity in his play as a highly effective back, but seemed a little overcome afterwards as the reality of his achievements sank in. “It was one thing playing and winning the Queen’s Cup last year and now we’ve done it again,” he told Polo Times. “Most people don’t get the opportunity to be in a final let alone win, and to win two is something else.

We won all our games last year and this year so far. Now it’s on to the next to see if we can carry on.” While Perry was the sole Brit to reach the final, the tournament was given a distinctly British flavour with the inclusion of the all-pro Fox and Hounds team among the line-ups. Captained by six-goaler Tom Morley and featuring George Meyrick, Max Routledge and Jack Richardson, the team was sponsored by Haim Perry’s nearby Fox and Hounds pub. They were certainly a surprise package, making it to the quarterfinals after winning a tense penalty shootout against King Power. Perhaps a little unlucky to come up against Zacara in the quarters, they nonetheless held their own against the best in the world, beaten only by three goals. As the eyes of the polo world turn to

Fact of the day Polito Pieres was the sole Talandracas goal-scorer, putting away all seven of their goals. Facundo scored eight of Zacara’s 10, with one goal apiece added by Matt Perry and Gonzalo Deltour 42

Polo Times, July 2014

Cowdray Park, where the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup will be in full swing as Polo Times reaches readers, the question now on everybody’s lips is, will it be another whitewash season for Lyndon Lea’s Zacara?

Cartier Queen’s Cup; 20 May – 15 June 2014; Guards Polo Club Result: Zacara beat Talandracas 10-7 Principal sponsor: Cartier Number of team entries: 15 Most valuable player: Facundo Pieres Best playing pony: Galactica, owned and played by Facundo Pieres Chukka scores (Zacara): 1-2, 3-2, 6-2, 7-4, 9-5, 10-7 Finalists Zacara (22): Facundo Pieres 10; Lyndon Lea 1; Gonzalo Deltour 7; Matt Perry 4 Talandracas (22): Edouard Carmignac 0; Santiago Stirling 4; Juan Martin Nero 10; Polito Pieres 8 www.polotimes.co.uk

Reports

Facundo Pieres, Lyndon Lea, Gonzalo Deltour and Matt Perry lift the Cartier Queen’s Cup at Guards Polo Club

Analysis by Luke Tomlinson The England captain explains what gave Zacara the advantage in the final, and assesses the performance of the individual players: Talandracas had a very good tournament and the combination of Polito and Juanma were going very well – people did think they could have beaten Zacara. But Zacara was amazingly mounted and at the end of the day the horses played a big part in the final. Zacara has exceptional horsepower. Some of the horses Lyndon is on are better than those of some tengoalers on other teams and that makes a massive difference. Talandracas put in great performances in the run up to the final, but by the time they got there, their horses looked a little tired. Facundo was outstanding. He shows amazing maturity and always gets the best out of his team. All the players on his team played at least half a goal above their handicaps, because Facundo makes them play well. There are other very good players who aren’t as concerned about getting the other players on their team to play above their handicap. Facundo’s ability to get his teammates playing as well as they can really struck me when watching the final. www.polotimes.co.uk

Zacara did take a couple of chukkas to really get into it, but that’s quite normal. Then, as always, Facundo comes out on a horse as bionic as he is and scores some bionic goals and that shuts the other team up. It was tough for Talandracas to recover from that, and it changed the dynamic of the game, putting Talandracas on a very defensive angle. Generally the match was a good game, although they were struggling a little on the ground. The field was in great shape considering the amount of polo it had had and the going for the horses looked excellent, but they seemed to be struggling to get hold of the ball early on. Even Facundo wasn’t running with the ball past people as much as usual. His taps were 40 yards long and if he tried to dribble the ball, he got himself into trouble and allowed Polito and Juanma through. Juanma is a legend and played amazingly but in that match, and the rest of the tournament, Facundo played better, and had better horses. Polito Pieres has been a revelation in this Queen’s Cup. Last year he had a very quiet

season here, but he has invested in a new string of horses from Nachi du Plessis and got himself very organised. He is a highly confident player and has definitely been on form during the tournament. He struggled to find his very best form against Zacara but he played ten goals in the quarters and against Dubai in the semis. He will join the likes of Pelon Stirling, Juan Martin Nero, Gonzalito Pieres and Pablo MacDonough. Matt Perry played outstandingly too. He has really come on since last year and has more physical presence on the field. He played great polo, as did Gonzalo Deltour. He had big shoes to fill and I think he did. He is an astounding teammate and makes the players either side of him play well too. He is also a great jockey and gets so much out of his horses. Lyndon was very lucky not to go up in handicap last year. He’s a great player and his work rate and discipline on the field shows that he probably should have done. I think Zacara have all they need to win the Gold Cup again too.

Polo Times, July 2014

Reports

Best of British Polo, Tidworth

The Best of British shine at Tidworth

Photographs by Chloe Crewe-Read

The Wilsons Warriors take a celebratory lap of honour after winning the Heroes Cup

Young Brits and injured servicemen impress at the fourth Best of British Polo event in June, which attracted record

crowds to its new venue, Tidworth Polo Club

est of British Polo once again marked the beginning of the British summer, with a hugely successful day at its new home of Tidworth Polo Club. Previously held at Marriners Farm in Hampshire, the event is now in its fourth year, and in keeping with the new location, featured a para-polo match for the first time in support of Help for Heroes, as well as the annual Best of British Under 25 game. More than 4,000 people turned out for the sun-soaked event, and

Polo Times, July 2014

enjoyed the relaxed, summer atmosphere as well as two entertaining matches. Four injured servicemen took to the field, teaming up with able-bodied Army players for the Heroes Cup in what is thought to be the first ever para-polo match. After two chukkas, it was the Wilsons Warriors team of Matt Eyre-Brook, Nick Hunter and Richard Nichols and para player Cliff O’Farrell, who suffered multiple injuries from an IED, who triumphed. It was O’Farrell who scored twice for his team, slotting in the final

winning goal to bring the score to 2-1 in their favour. The Wilsons Warriors faced the Winterflood Troopers team, which featured para players Elaine Corner, Nick Cowley and Andrew Jelenik, and was captained by Justin Stanhope-White. The para players were coached by Phil Meadows of Cool Hooves Polo, who said: “All the guys at Cool Hooves have really enjoyed the experience of helping to make it possible, especially Eddie Kennedy who worked with the para players come rain or shine, week in, week out. I hope this is the start of something even bigger.” The match was certainly an important milestone for the para players. “It is a great honour to play in the first para polo match,” said Winterflood Troopers’ Jelenik, who www.polotimes.co.uk

Best of British Polo, Tidworth

Commentator Simon Ledger, the superlative voice of Best of British Polo

Reports

The crowds at Tidworth cheer on the Heroes Cup and Hattingley Valley Trophy teams at Best of British Polo 2014

suffered a serious spinal injury while serving in Afghanistan. “When you get injured you completely lose your confidence, you think your active life and sport is something you’ve lost. On a horse you don’t feel limited in any way – it’s hard to describe what recapturing the speed and aggression of sport has given me.” Speed and aggression was certainly an element of the Best of British Under 25 match that followed. As in previous years, it proved to be a fast, flowing display of fluid, four-man polo, showcasing the skills of eight talented young players, with teams put together by Alan Kent. The Hattingley Valley team of Freddie Horne, Jack

Richardson, Eden Ormerod and Alex Mains, who replaced Nick Pepper, took on Pubs on Wheels, made up of Charlie Scott, John Kent, Max Routledge and George Meyrick, who lifted the Hattingley Valley Trophy with a narrow 4½-4 win. Routledge opened the scoring for Pubs on Wheels, but his goal was quickly answered to by Ormerod. Horne and Kent then exchanged goals to keep the scores level between these very evenly-matched teams. Hattingley Valley edged into the lead once more, but a massive shot downfield into goal from Scott gave Pubs on Wheels the edge, and they clinched the victory. Supplemented by the voice of Best of British Polo Simon

Ledger, who kept the crowd entertained with his amusing commentary, the superb performances from all eight players showed that the future of British polo is in very good hands. John Kent celebrated extra honours as he won the best playing pony award and was also named most valuable player, after making some brilliant runs for Pubs on Wheels throughout the game. Best of British Polo chairman David Cowley commented: “It was an extraordinary and moving day. There are so many to thank, chiefly our sponsors and the teams, without whom the day could not happen. There are plans for a Heroes Cup and Best of British Under 25 match in 2015.”

The Best of British U25 teams: Pubs on Wheels and Hattingley Valley

www.polotimes.co.uk

Polo Times, July 2014

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Reports

Putting the sparkle into Best of British Polo

Sparkling wine and summer polo go hand in hand, and Hattingley Valley Wines and Best of British Polo is no exception. We find out more about the wine-producers, which have been involved with the popular event since it began in 2011

attingley Valley sparkling wine was the tipple of choice at this year’s sun-kissed Best of British Polo. Having been associated with the event since its inception in 2011 at Marriners Farm in Bramdean, Hampshire, Hattingley Valley returned as sponsor of this year’s event, at its new home of Tidworth Polo Club, where it raised money for Help for Heroes. The Hampshire-based grower and producer of premium English sparkling wines was established in 2008, with just one vineyard planted with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Six years on, Hattingley Valley boasts more than 60 acres of vines across two well-situated sites, maintained under the watchful eyes of the vineyard managers. The

vines are nurtured throughout the growing year with an environmentally-sensitive approach to viticulture ensuring optimum ripeness and quality fruit. In 2010, Hattingley Valley’s custom-built, eco-friendly winery was completed, equipped to the highest standard with the latest technology and equipment from continental Europe. As well as having sophisticated waste disposal facilities, it was also the first UK Photographs by Chloe Crewe-Read

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winery to adopt solar power. In keeping with its British heritage, Hattingley Valley adopts a traditional method for making wine. A key element is the subtle use of oak barrels to ferment a small proportion of the wines each year, as well as ageing on lees in stainless steel tanks. This helps to soften the wines before they go into bottles for the second fermentation. With such a traditional take on producing wine, it is no surprise that Hattingley Valley has supported Best of British Polo for the past four years, seeing the event evolve into one of the highlights of the summer polo season. With the Best of British Under 25 match displaying the talents of some of the best young players in the country, and injured servicemen playing alongside able-bodied Army players in a para-polo match, the event is a feast of British polo, perfectly complemented by a glass of cool sparkling wine. “The Best of British Polo is a very natural event for Hattingley Valley to sponsor as it has not only the right image for us, but the quality of the polo reinforces the message of quality which is a key part of our overall culture,” said Hattingley Valley chairman, Simon Robinson.

Polo Times, July 2014

Reports

Victor Ludorum round-up

8-goal – Gerald Balding Cup, Cirencester Park

Third Gerald Balding triumph for Chester Polo

Photograph by Tom Reynolds

CHESTER POLO CAME out on top in the final of the Gerald Balding Cup, to take the title for the third year running. Richard Thomas’s team, which featured Jason Warren, Jonny Coddington and Michael Henderson, squeezed past Supernova/Renegade in the semi-finals to come up against Clive Reid’s AFB in the final. Reid was accompanied by Henry Porter, Seb Dawnay and Peter Webb, and it was this line-up that took an early lead, holding on to a 3-2 advantage at half-time. Webb strengthened their lead further as the second half got underway, but some very accurate penalty-taking by Henderson saw Chester Polo pull the score back, putting themselves firmly back in contention. With 30 seconds left on the clock, Warren stole the ball from the line-out, whisking it straight down field and into goal, making the score 6-5 and securing the hat trick for Chester Polo. Peter Webb takes the ball away with Chester Polo’s Jason Warren in close pursuit

18-goal Duke of Sutherland’s Cup, Cowdray Park and Apsley Cup, Cirencester Park

Photograph by Tom Reynolds

British players impress in 18-goal finals which features British sixgoalers Malcolm Borwick and Max Charlton, and five-goaler Richard Le Poer, made the second chukka their own, with goals from Charlton and Borwick bringing the score to 5-2 in their favour. But the La Indiana line-up of Marcos Araya, Ruki Baillieu and Matias Logioco were more than capable of getting back in the game, and fast. By half-time they reduced the margin to a single Tom Morley (in orange) on his way to scoring the winning goal goal, and scored two in the fourth chukka while holding Dell Park NIKOLAI BAHLSEN’S DELL Park went one scoreless to regain the lead. But Dell Park came better than last year to win the 18-goal Duke back fighting, with Bahlsen keen to avenge of Sutherland’s Cup at Cowdray Park in June. his defeat to Bickford last year. Charlton and In a repeat of the 2013 final, Dell Park came Borwick put away three super goals between up against Michael Bickford’s La Indiana them to triumph 8-6 in the first 18-goal Victor side in the final. But despite the first chukka Ludorum tournament of the season. belonging to La Indiana, the Dell Park team, 48

Polo Times, July 2014

But things were not to go Dell Park’s way in the Apsley Cup, which concluded a week later at Cirencester Park, and Bahlsen’s team were denied an early 18-goal double for the second year, as they bowed out to an impressive Four Quarters Orange team in the semi-finals. Patron Simon Arber also teamed up with three Brits, Jack Richardson, James Beim and Tom Morley, who met Adriano Agosti’s Altamira in the final, and it was Arber and his boys who came away with a deserved 8-7 victory after a very closely-contested match. Testing conditions and a very close score line between the two very evenly-matched teams meant tensions were high as the match entered the final chukka. Some impressive runs to goal by Beim were countered by Altamira’s Pepe Heguy who was determined not to let Four Quarters get ahead. With the teams level at 7-7 by the time the final bell rang, an extra chukka was needed to divide them, and it was Morley who proved to be the hero of the day for Four Quarters, sending a huge shot through the posts to score the winning golden goal.

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Victor Ludorum round-up

A Strategic victory at Beaufort

THE FIRST 6-GOAL Victor Ludorum title of 2014, the Eduardo Rojas Lanusse Cup, went to Peter O’Rorke’s Strategic, after a rain-blighted tournament at Beaufort Polo Club. The Strategic team, which featured Peter O’Rouke, Archie Smyth-Osbourne, Nick Pepper and Matt Evetts dominated the final against Nick Wiles’ Thunderbirds. Having gone down to Thunderbirds in one of the league matches, Strategic were keen to ensure the same would not happen again, and certainly lived up to their name as they left the opposition trailing. With one chukka to go, Strategic were 5-1 up and despite a last minute rally by Thunderbirds to help their big guns Nico Antinori and Tom Beim to score two goals, it was not enough to beat Strategic, who won 5-3. The Assam Cup at Rutland Polo Club was added to the Victor Ludorum 6-goal fixture list this season, and as Polo Times goes to press it looks like Strategic and Three Oceans Omega are set to compete for the title on Sunday 22 June.

15-goal – Arthur Lucas Cup, Beaufort

Victory for Bahlsen at Beaufort

Photograph by Gordon Lindsay

6-goal Eduardo Rojas Lanusse Cup, Beaufort

Reports

Nikolai Bahlsen’s Dell Park team celebrate their victory at Beaufort

DELL PARK AVENGED their defeat in the final of the 2013 Arthur Lucas Cup, when they won this year’s 15-goal tournament at Beaufort Polo Club at the end of May. The foursome of patron Nikolai Bahlsen, Richard Le Poer, Max Charlton and Zac Hagedoorn faced stiff competition from Charlie Pidgley’s Cadenza Juniors in the final, with the immaculatelooking field soon proving testing after recent wet weather. Cadenza Juniors started the match as the stronger team, with pros Peter Webb, Will Emerson and Henry Brett using Pidgley at the number one position to great effect. But despite the slow start, Dell Park brought the score back to stand 5-5 at half-time and the second half proved to be anybody’s game as goals were exchanged

between the two teams. The score remained level going into the final chukka, with no team having gained an advantage by the time the first bell went. But in a final effort as the seconds ticked away a huge neck shot from five-goaler La Poer reached teammate, Australian three-goaler Hagedoorn, who was able to calmly run the ball through the goal and secure the sought-after 15-goal title for Dell Park. 2013 winners Four Quarters had to be content with taking the honours in the subsidiary final this year. Simon Arber’s team of Bradley Mallet, Jack Richardson and Tom Morley faced Nick Wiles’ Casablanca, coming out on top with a 6-5 win.

12-goal – Dollar Cup, Cowdray Park

Photograph by Clive Bennett

Black Eagles soar to Dollar Cup win

The Black Eagles team of Jonathan Munro Ford, Jonny Good, Chris Hyde and Jack Hyde

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BLACK EAGLES OUTPACED Maiz Dulce to win the first 12-goal Victor Ludorum tournament of the year, the hotly-contested Jaeger-LeCoultre Dollar Cup at Cowdray Park Polo Club. Jonathan Munro Ford teamed up with Black Eagles regulars, father-and-son combination Chris and Jack Hyde, plus Jonny Good, to topple new Cowdray Park chairman Peter Barfoot’s team, 7-3 in the final. Black Eagles led from the first chukka, with Chris Hyde making the first mark on the scoreboard. A scrappy second chukka nonetheless produced a spot hit goal from

Good, before Maiz Dulce’s Glenn Sherriff pulled one back for his team. But another goal each from Chris Hyde and Good put Black Eagles 4-1 ahead at half-time, and despite a goal from Maiz Dulce’s Guy Gibrat just after the tread-in, Munro Ford’s team were able to maintain their three-goal margin with a penalty goal from Chris Hyde. Another two goals from Black Eagles, to just one from the struggling Maiz Dulce side, was enough to win them the Jaeger-LeCoultre Dollar Cup, and provide the ideal start to Munro Ford’s 2014 Victor Ludorum campaign. Polo Times, July 2014

A duo of princes marks Father’s Day with a victory for Maserati

The teams are led onto the field in style by a Maserati

The Duke of Cambridge and HRH Prince Harry were in action at Ivy Lodge, as the Jerudong Park Trophy was played for as part of the Maserati Centennial Tour

Photographs courtesy of La Martina

he Jerudong Park Polo Trophy formed the British round of the Maserati Centennial Polo Tour. Held at Cirencester Park Polo Club on Sunday 15 June, the event followed centennial events held in Palm Beach and Tianjin, China.

HRH Prince Harry in action for the BMG team

Polo Times, July 2014

The Duke of Cambridge and HRH Prince Harry were both in action on the Ivy Lodge ground, with the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George celebrating Father’s Day by cheering on the Duke of Cambridge and his Maserati team, which also featured Simon Keyte, Amr Zedan

and John Paul Clarkin. HRH Prince Harry teamed up with Saad Audeh, Satnam Dhillon and Malcolm Borwick for the BMG team. A hard-fought match resulted in Maserati securing a well-deserved 8-7½ victory. It was BMG who were the first team to get on the scoreboard, with Borwick opening the scoring. But the Duke of Cambridge soon replied, winning a heavy ride-off by Satnam Dhillon to find the posts for Maserati. Two more goals from the onegoaler, followed by one apiece by Clarkin and Zedan gave Maserati the advantage over BMG, who had started the match with a one and half goal advantage on handicap. But Borwick regained the lead for BMG with an impressive scoring spree. It was a penalty conversion from Clarkin in the final chukka that put Maserati half a goal ahead of their rivals to lift the Jerudong Trophy. The Duke of Cambridge was deservedly named most valuable player, having scored a hat-trick for his team. He received a La Martina Pro Evolution helmet from La Martina co-founder Gachi Ferrari. Fittingly, it was Clarkin’s coincidentally and aptly named New Zealand-bred pony Maserati, that was judged to be best playing pony. On display during the day was the bespoke, one-off polo saddle created by Maserati and global brand partner La Martina in order to celebrate the centennial tour. Also attracting attention was the newest model in the Maserati string: the Ghibli executive saloon, www.polotimes.co.uk

Jerudong Park Trophy

Reports

Ignacio Archain and Gachi Ferrari from La Martina presenting HRH Prince William with the MVP Prize, the La Martina Pro Evolution Helmet

as well as the flagship model, the luxury four-door Quattroporte. The winning Maserati team were presented with the Jerudong Trophy by Maserati Europe’s general manager Giulio Pastore, who said: “Maserati are proud to be at Cirencester Park Polo Club for such a momentous match on the British social calendar. Polo is about passion, performance and style, values which we share at Maserati.” The centennial tour will continue in Monte Carlo from 3-6 July, followed by an event in Dubai this autumn. The final event will be held in Italy in early 2015, where the tour’s best player will receive the Maserati Centennial Award.

J erudong Park Trophy; Sunday 15 June; Cirencester Park Polo Club Result: Maserati beat BMG 8-7½ Handicap: 13-15 Most valuable player: HRH The Duke of Cambridge Best playing pony: Maserati, played by John Paul Clarkin

The Maserati and BMG teams

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Teams Maserati (15): Simon Keyte 6; Amr Zedan 0; John Paul Clarkin 8; HRH The Duke of Cambridge 1 BMG (13): HRH Prince Harry of Wales 1; Saad Audeh 0; Satnam Dhillon 6; Malcolm Borwick 6 Polo Times, July 2014

Focus

Guest editor special

Handling handicaps

ew things in the polo world cause more debate than the issue of handicapping. Guest editor Tom Morley takes a look at the current handicap system, and explains why he thinks there is room for improvement

Players’ handicaps is always a keenly debated topic amongst the polo community. One thing that’s for sure is that it makes the sport of polo unique amongst all team sports. The beauty of the handicap system and handicapped tournaments is that it allows players of different abilities to compete against each other on a level playing field. The first handicap system was introduced in the USA in 1888 and subsequently in the UK in 1910. The handicap ratings range from minus two goals, indicating a novice player, through to 10 goals, which is the best you can achieve. But people don’t often realise that when a player reaches a two-goal handicap, they are in the top 30 per cent of players in the world. Pros and cons of the handicap system The positive thing about having a handicap system in place in polo is, as I said before, the opportunity for different levels of players to play together. Tournaments and games are also far more competitive with a total team handicap in place. Additionally, handicaps provide recognition of a player’s personal and team successes throughout the year, as they are rewarded by their handicap being raised. One of the main problems of working within a handicap system is that teams rarely stay together for more than one season due to handicaps changing both up and down depending on the success of a team that year. This is very different from other team sports, as you have to build team camaraderie very quickly at the beginning of the season, and you know that by the end of the season there is a good chance you will no longer play together as a team the following year (although this is sometimes a good thing). How could the handicap system be improved? When Henry Lloyd Herbert, the first president of the United States Polo 52

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Credit: Photo by Tom Reynolds

TOM SAYS...

Last year’s all-powerful Zacara line-up had to be amended for 2014 due to changes in players’ handicaps

Association (USPA), created the handicapping system back in 1888, he was only trying to fit 142 members into the 13 handicap slots (-2-10). I imagine the handicap meetings all those years ago were not so very different to the ones we have today (very opinionated), but in my opinion they had a far easier time as polo wasn’t such an international community back then, and you were only really handicapping players who were playing against each other in one country. Polo has grown exponentially since, and the polo world has become a far smaller place with players always travelling between destinations to compete. With over 20,000 players worldwide, it makes sense that it is far more difficult to fit them into those same 13 slots. This leads me to wonder, does the way we handicap need to change? I remember back to when I was probably 15-years-old, sitting with Chris Bethell when he was a four-goal professional, and listening to him talk about the fact that all handicaps and tournament handicaps should be doubled to allow for the increase in the polo population. At the time I thought this was a crazy idea, but thinking about it now, it does have a lot of merits. Whether you

doubled the handicaps or added half goals into the current system (allowing tournament handicaps to stay the same) it would give a lot more room for manoeuvre for rating players. Obviously there would still be players who were better on their handicaps than others, but potentially it could make players a lot easier to handicap. The allocation of polo handicaps does not really have much scientific method behind it. A few years ago, whilst sitting on the main HPA handicap committee, I noticed at the end-of-season meeting that the following year there were going to be more seven-goal players in the UK than sixes. This made no sense to me, because I feel that the handicaps should be in a pyramid system with x number of 10s followed by more nines and subsequently more eights and so forth. This got me thinking about whether there could be a way of creating some sort of algorithm to tell the handicap committee how many players should be on each handicap for the following year, based on the number of registered playing members from the current season? This would allow the handicap committee to be very precise when rating players, and also when comparing player with player, knowing www.polotimes.co.uk

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Guest editor special

that they had to have a certain amount of handicapped players in each bracket. However, there are some obvious problems with this, like new players coming in for the following season and retiring players that would alter the results of the equation. Another question I often ask myself is whether a player should be rated solely on their individual performance within the team or whether the committee should take into account the rest of their team, the way they’re mounted that year and the results of tournaments they have played in. It needs to be all of the above for sure. Then you come to the problem concerning a player that only plays the Queen’s and the Gold Cups, that doesn’t make the semi-finals of either but is clearly very good on their handicap, which is the reason they were picked in the first place – their handicap probably will not change. Then consider a player on the same handicap, who plays 20 tournaments in the low-goal, who maybe wins one or two tournaments, but was not considered good enough for the high-goal position of

= six players

= three players

= 11 players

= 25 players

= 22 players

= 34 players

= 46 players

= 70 players

= 127 players

= 176 players

= 424 players

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= 523 players

-2

= 346 players

= 314 players

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Numbers of HPA registered members on each handicap* *www.hpa-polo.co.uk, June 2014

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the other player – their handicap probably will go up. I think that to keep handicapping consistent you also need to compare player versus player, even if they are not playing in the same levels, to keep handicapping as consistent as possible. In short, handicapping is a very difficult

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task and will probably continue to be long after this article has been forgotten. The system does work well, and takes a lot of time and effort from volunteering individuals whose only repayment is the love of the game. Perhaps though, the system just needs a little refinement.

CHAPALEUFU MEDITERRANEO COLOUR: CHESTNUT – AGE: 8 YEARS OLD – HEIGHT: 15.1hh

CHAPALEUFU MEDITERRANEO imported to the UK by Matias Ballesteros and Federico Pasquini to play high and medium goal this coming season with Pepe Heguy. He is at Emsworth Polo Grounds, Simon and Romilla Arber’s private Club in the Windsor Area. Natural covering and frozen semen available. *STUD FEE £1,500* For more details about the stallion contact: Matias Ballesteros Mobile: 07890812409 Email: hnosballesteros@ hotmail.com or Amber Clutton Brock (Veterinary) Mobile: 07917865768 Email: ambercluttonbrock@ hotmail.com

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Polo playing stallion for High Goal & Medium Goal polo, registered with the Argentine Polo Association. RP 184. 2012: Played by Pepe Heguy in qualifying games of The Argentine Open. 2013: Played by Pepe Heguy and Francisco Elizalde (7 goals) in The Tortugas, Hurlingham and Argentine Opens. Also played in The San Jorge Open 25 goal and Copa Republica 28 goal. He is full brother of Chapaleufu Lunatico who played high goal and was sold to Brazil. He has two full sisters that played the Argentine Open 2013 with Pepe Heguy - Chapaleufu Meduza and Chapaleufu Medalla (also best playing pony in The 2013 Copa Republica Final).

FATHER: POLO NEVADITO (POLO PURIPAYO-VIOLETA) Winner in the A.A.C.C.P Polo Stallions Ranking from 2003-2011. Played all the Opens from 1997 to 2004 with Pepe and Nachi Heguy and Milo Fernandez Araujo. Full brother of POLO NEVIZCA – Fourth-generation high goal polo pony (Nevadito, Violeta, Paya Voy and Purita-Paya MarÌa) who played all the Opens from 2001-2008 with Nachi and Pepe Heguy. His mother Violeta played 10 Argentine Opens with Alberto P. Heguy and Eduardo Heguy (Coronel Suarez and Chapaleufu II). 15 sons and daughters played The 2004 Argentine Open, 11 in 2005, 27 in 2006, 20 in 2007 and 18 in 2008.

MOTHER: POLO MEDIA LUNA (EL SOL-GUERRERA) She played high goal polo in Argentina from 2002-2006 with Pepe Heguy. She played The 2001 Hurlingham Open, The 2000 Tortugas Open, and two chukkas in The 2002 Argentine Open with Pepe Heguy and won Best Playing Mare.

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Focus

Guest editor special: special Inter-discipline comparison

TOM SAYS... Laura Tomlinson (née Bechtolsheimer) is one of Britain’s top dressage riders and it is very fortunate for me that she has agreed to write an article for this month’s edition of Polo Times. Her record speaks for itself, having won both Olympic team gold and individual bronze in 2012, and I was surprised that last month’s guest editor (Laura’s husband Mark) decided not to use the amazing resource he had, right on his own doorstep.

The importance of dressage for polo Laura is one third of the Great Britain dressage team that won the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. She also won individual bronze with Mistral Horjis (Alf), and was made an MBE in the 2013 New Year Honours. She is married to six-goaler Mark Tomlinson and based in Gloucestershire.

Dressage and polo are often thought of as being at opposite ends of the equestrian “spectrum”. But as dressage Olympic gold-medallist Laura Tomlinson MBE explains, players shouldn’t disregard basic dressage training as irrelevant to polo, and instead should use it to improve their game

Dressage means “training”. It is as old as Ancient Greece and has its roots in the training of horses for war. Although the old classical movements that were used in combat, known as “the airs above the ground” are still performed by the Spanish Riding School, modern competitive dressage involves similar but refined movements. Dressage is all about making a horse as athletic and strong as possible in order to

Laura Tomlinson (née Bechtolsheimer) and Mistral Horjis on their way to dressage team gold and individual bronze at the 2012 London Olympics

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perform the movements that make up a dressage test. It may seem far removed from what top polo ponies are asked to do but actually, many of the basic principles can be applied to polo. Both types of horse must be strong, coordinated and balanced if they are to compete without suffering stress-related injury. The better the horse is ridden, the more capable it becomes to do what we ask of it. In dressage, the rider’s position is not just about aesthetics, but about enabling the horse. We want to be in perfect balance with the horse so that the horse can do what we ask. A healthy horse who struggles is often being hindered by the rider. I want to go through a few dressage movements that I think can be applied to polo and explain how they are ridden in order to make it easier for the horse.

TOM SAYS... It is very important in polo to have a good position, as you need to strike the perfect balance between a jockey riding the winner in the Derby and Laura winning gold at the Olympics. As a polo player you must be able to pick up good speed and acceleration from your horses, while at the same time being able to stop and turn at any moment. All the while, you need to be in a strong athletic position to optimise your ability to play any shot and strike the ball cleanly at any given moment in the game. Canter/collected canter A horse is naturally on the forehand, and the aim of training a dressage horse is to transfer the weight back so that the horse and rider’s weight is carried more by the hind legs. The horse becomes much stronger behind the saddle and has more ability to flex the hocks. As a result, the horse is lighter in the hand and does not use the reins for balance. We call this being “uphill” and “in balance”. This is achieved, not by hooking the horse up with the hands or using strong bits, but by repeating exercises that strengthen the horse in the right places. For example canter to walk and walk to canter transitions, and also transitions within the canter: bringing a horse back to “collection” for a few strides and then allowing the horse to travel forwards again. The key is to challenge the horse enough to build muscle, but not to hold for too long. It’s the same as us in the www.polotimes.co.uk

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Focus

Photographs by Kevin Sparrow

Guest editor special: Inter-discipline comparison

Bringing a horse back into a collected canter before pushing it forwards again (as pictured) helps to build muscle and lighten the forehand

gym: too much and we build lactic acid, and get tired and injured. If we have regular breaks and focus on the quality rather than quantity of reps, we build muscle. If we repeat these transitions on a horse, we must not hold the horse, we initiate the collection with the reins but keep the horse in collection on our seat and with our legs on maintaining the impulsion, and with giving and retaking the reins so that the horse learns to carry itself rather than lean on the bit.

TOM SAYS... I believe it’s important for polo ponies to be collected as this makes it far easier to accelerate and decelerate “through the gears”. My pet hate in polo is seeing people jamming on the brakes and seeing the horse’s hind legs skidding underneath him and the rider looking very impressed with him/herself. This is about as effective a way of stopping a horse as locking up the brakes in a car when you’re trying to stop it. You lose all power and ability to turn during the skid, whereas if you have your horse or car moving through the gears you maintain power when changing speeds, and always have the ability to turn as and when required.

Pirouettes When a horse is advanced, we work on adding some coordination to the strength and flexion we have built in the hind leg; we are ready to teach them canter pirouettes. This is a very hard movement for a horse as it must “sit” on its hind legs and turn its front end in a circle around a very small circle made by the hind legs. The horse must be very active and in front of the leg so that they do not just spin around, and very responsive in the contact and waiting for the rider’s aids to signal how fast and how much to turn. On a grand prix horse, I can adjust the length of my canter strides as well as the size of my pirouette as I turn using my seat and weight rather than the reins. My shoulders turn in the direction that I am turning the pirouette and my inside rein gives slight flexion in the same direction. My outside leg is further back encouraging the horse to come round but my inside leg controls how much or how quickly we turn; the more the horse bends its hind legs underneath the centre of gravity, the more he is able to turn a tidy pirouette, and the better the mark! In polo, the horse need not be as strong as speed is used rather than pure core strength; but if the rider sits in the right direction and assists the horse with their legs, the horse will turn neater and faster, remaining in balance to go off to the next play. Polo Times, July 2014

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Focus

Guest editor special

TOM SAYS... Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important for all players, especially big players like myself, to remain as still and balanced as possible at all times during a chukka. The more a player moves around on top of the horse, the more energy the horse uses trying to correct its balance. I think the best examples of top players demonstrating this currently come from Miguel Novillo Astrada and Juan Martin Nero.

Half pass/leg yield A half pass is when the horse travels forwards and sideways in trot or canter with the neck flexed in direction of travel, and the legs crossing. A leg yield is how we teach them: they move forwards and sideways but we flex the neck away from the direction of travel making it obvious for the horse to move sideways, effectively falling over the shoulder. For example, to make the horse travel to the right, if I bend it to the left, it will naturally fall out over the right shoulder, if I add a little pressure from my left leg and put a bit more weight into my right stirrup, my body is giving the horse all the signals to go sideways to the right and stay in balance while doing so. This can easily be applied at speed in a ride off; the more in balance the horse and rider are, the stronger the ride off. Think of balancing a broomstick on the tips of your fingers, if the broom falls to the right, your hand has to move right to keep the broom on your fingers. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just about creating a picture of harmony and controlled power, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about understanding exactly what we are asking of our horses biomechanically speaking, and figuring out how best to help the horse understand and answer our questions, regardless of the discipline.

The canter pirouette is a difficult movement, requiring the horse to be very active and responsive

TOM SAYS... In polo, teaching your horses to respond to your legs for lateral movements, not just kicking to gallop faster, enables you to reach and win more plays around the field. Like Laura says, this is especially relevant in ride-offs.

The principles of a half pass can be applied to a ride off in polo

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Focus

Guest editor special

Tommy Beresford

TOM SAYS...

Jack Hyde Jack is a very familiar face amongst everyone in the Windsor area. This season he is playing alongside Nacho Gonzalez in Spencer McCarthy’s Emlor team. Jack has played a lot of arena polo, which makes him very tough with the mallet but he also has very good ball skills, which he possibly inherited from his father six-goaler Chris Hyde. Jack works very hard for the team both on and off the field and makes very few mistakes. He has no problems marking the best player on the opposing team or calling the best player on his team so he can hit a pass back to him. I imagine in the next couple of years we will see him being snapped up by one of the highgoal teams and see his polo continue to progress from there. Jack Richardson I have been fortunate enough to play with Jack in many tournaments over the past four years and for me his attacking skills and eye for the ball make him stand out on the polo field. He also has good composure on the ball in all areas of the field. Jack started his polo career at Knepp Castle Polo Club and played in his first tournament before the age of 10. I started playing with him when he was 17 in Simon Arber’s Four Quarters polo team for a season in the 12-goal. It was clear from the outset that Jack had a natural goal-scoring ability. Jack played the high-goal with UAE in 2013 and played incredibly well. This year he was selected to play alongside me in the Fox and Hounds team in the Cartier Queen’s Cup and again he has been chosen to play alongside me in the 18-goal for Four Quarters Orange. Guards Polo Club have also acknowledged Jack’s future within polo by appointing him as one of their Guards Polo Club Ambassadors earlier this year.

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Handicap: 2

Age: 17

Photographs by Tony Ramirez, www.imagesofpolo.com

Tommy Beresford I’ve watched Tommy playing on a number of occasions this season and what has really impressed me about him for a young player is his positioning on the field and his composure with the ball. He reads the game very well and has good tactical awareness in both attack and defence positions in the low and medium-goal polo I’ve seen him play. Tommy has polo running through his blood: his father Lord Beresford was a former seven-goal England player and his Chilean mother Theresa’s two brothers, the late Gabriel and Jose, reached nine and eight goals respectively. I think this platform coupled with Tommy’s determination will serve him well moving forward and up through the handicaps in the sport. I’ve heard a rumour that Tommy will be playing alongside Cambiaso in the Dubai line-up for the Gold Cup and I wish him all the best for this.

Tommy started to play polo at a young age. As a member of the Cowdray Pony Club, he travelled up through the Pony Club polo ranks and is now one of the most talented young British players. Last year Tommy truly established himself on polo’s world stage, filling in for Cortium’s Adrian Kirby in the Gold Cup. Tommy showed that he is perfectly capable of keeping up with 22-goal polo, before going on to help Peter Silling’s Equus team win the medium-goal Gold Cup in Sotogrande. This season Tommy is playing the 12-goal with RH Polo and the 15-goal with Ferne Park.

Major wins and achievements: • • • •

Filling in for Jerome Wirth in the UK high goal against Dubai and Thai Polo, 2013 Winning the medium goal Silver and Gold Cup, Sotogrande, 2013 Reaching the final of the high goal Gold Cup, Sotogrande, 2013 Winning the Copa Estímulo, Argentina (60+ teams enter)

www.polotimes.co.uk

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Guest editor special

Focus

Three to Watch ... Jack Hyde

Handicap: 2

Age: 16

Jack has been surrounded by polo since birth. With his father, six-goaler Chris Hyde, being one of England’s top players, polo has always been very much part of Jack’s life. Surprisingly however, Jack didn’t actually take the sport up himself until just five years ago, and within that short space of time he has already reached an impressive 2-goal handicap, having been moved up in the 2014 mid-season handicap changes. The early stages of Jack’s polo career were spent at Simon Holley’s Twelve Oaks farm, and consequently he went on to play the Pony Club with Simon’s son, Charlie, with whom he became great friends. Jack still has lessons with John Horswell – he believes all young polo players should always be striving to improve their game.

Jack Richardson Handicap: 5

Age: 22

At just 22-years-old, Jack has achieved more than most people in their whole polo career. With a 5-goal handicap, Jack is the highestrated player of his age, and there is certainly no sign of him slowing down yet. He made his first 22-goal appearance here in the UK last year with HH Sheikha Maitha’s UAE team, and they went on to reach the quarter-finals of both the Queen’s and Gold Cups – not bad for your first year at England’s top level. However, it’s not just in the high-goal that Jack has gained success. This year Jack claimed an England cap when he took to the field for Audi England at the Beaufort International Test Match.

Major wins and achievements:

•

• •

• • •

Representing England in the Bryan Morrison International Test match 2014 Arena Handicap raised to 4 goals, 2014 Winning The Dollar Cup, with Black Eagles 2014 Currently playing the Royal Windsor with Emlor

• •

Winning Royal Windsor Cup with Clarita Black, 2013 Reaching the quarter-finals of the Queen’s Cup and Gold Cup with UAE, 2013 Winning the Snow Polo World Cup with England in Tianjin, 2014 Winning the 18-goal Apsley Cup with Four Quarters Orange, 2014

www.polotimes.co.uk

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Focus

Guest editor special

Choosing a champion

ith a vast number of high-level ponies in the UK being thoroughbred, and more and more players choosing to buy off the track, New Zealander Ross Ainsley gives the low-down on what makes a champion pony, and how to ﬁnd one.

TOM SAYS...

There is no doubting the relevance of the thoroughbred (TB) in the modern game of polo. With fields improving yearly and play speeding up; the rules of the game being interpreted towards increasing the speed and flow of the game; the teams and players being more eager to win, people are searching high and low for better horses. These horses must have pace, power and stamina together with a good brain and the ability to stop and turn inside your opponent. These attributes allow you to win or make a play and give players the advantage and ultimately the winning edge. The horses that possess these traits can give the lowerhandicapped player the chance to compete effectively against higher-handicapped players and the chance to beat his rivals on the same or lower handicaps. It is no secret that not all TBs have all these qualities, as no breed or bloodline ever does. Most TBs have stamina, power and speed, but careful selection aims to find those with good brains and the ability to stop and turn. Power should not be confused with speed. Power is the ability to get around or through another horse with pure heart and desire to beat them, while speed is defined as you would imagine, giving the options to chase down another player or run around the outside. A good brain is defined as being easy to play by anyone in any level. History of the thoroughbred Centuries of selective TB breeding has created a breed that is ideal for polo. The TB can be traced back to records indicating that a stock of Arab and Barb horses were 60

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Photograph by Tom Reynolds

I have worked with Ross Ainsley for 15 years and 90 per cent of my string has come from him. I consider him to be the best maker of thoroughbreds in the world. His expertise in choosing and training New Zealand thoroughbreds can be applied to selecting thoroughbreds for polo in the UK.

Tom Morley on his way to winning the 18-goal Apsley Cup aboard Sharnie, an 11-year-old New Zealand thoroughbred, trained by Ross Ainsley

introduced into England as early as the 3rd century. However, under the reigns of James I and Charles I, 43 mares – the so-called Royal Mares – were imported into England, and a record, the General Stud Book, was started. It includes only those horses that may be traced back to the Royal Mares in direct line, or to one of three other horses imported to England: the Byerly Turk (imported in 1689), the Darley Arabian (after 1700), and the Godolphin Barb (about 1730). Speed and stamina have been the focus of selective breeding for centuries. Fine examples of these TBs with all the noted abilities competing in the modern game, are the Zacara string of polo ponies.

What makes a champion? Picking a champion polo pony is not easy. Some players never get to ride or play a true

champion. They are a rare commodity and highly sought-after. A champion is a horse that loves the game and gives you any option to do whatever you like, wherever you like, at any speed on the ﬁeld. Champions make the ball look big and at the end of a chukka you feel as fresh as when you started. They come in different shapes and sizes but generally have similar characteristics. You could ﬁll a book discussing and breaking down all the relevant characteristics, but there are four important basic points to consider. Temperament Temperament is my number one priority. The TB, being bred for speed and power, has lent itself to producing horses keen to run. The indicators I use to select a horse with a good temperament and willing to be easy and kind are: the head and eye, the attitude and breeding bloodline. www.polotimes.co.uk

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Guest editor special

I like to see a horse with a good width between the eyes and a big, soft, trainable eye. The horse’s body language is the indicator of its attitude. The horse that responds well to requests and is easy to deal with is also willing to work with you and, most importantly, willing to learn. Judging a horse’s attitude while in a racing yard in full feed and work is sometimes difﬁcult as they can be quite a handful depending on the trainer and how much respect that trainer demands from their horses. I ﬁnd that having a good relationship with your horse supplier is very helpful for learning what type of attitude the horses have. Certain bloodlines have better temperaments and brains, and again a good relationship with your supplier can give you the insight into other horses they have had with the same bloodlines. No rules, just percentages Two basic examples are clean legs and short backs. If you pick a horse with good clean legs you have a high percentage probability that the horse will stay sound. If you choose a horse with a short back, it has a higher

percentage probability of being capable of performing the athletic manoeuvres that are required in polo. But be aware that even though you purchased with the percentage probability in your favour, there is still a chance that the unexpected may happen. Soundness It is a slippery slope to start with an unsound horse. Soundness can cover conformation, action and vices. It is one of the hardest areas for which to have clear guides, as there are plenty of great horses who are not sound or who have vices. Thus, it is a balancing act between them all – adopt the percentages guide to help you. If there are any serious problems such as tendon issues or spavins, it is advisable to steer clear. Polo-speciﬁc athletic conformation Every aspect of the polo pony’s conformation can lend itself, for, or against, its ability to perform the athletic manoeuvres that we demand during a game. Three key points we can brieﬂy look at are: a narrow, deep shoulder; head carriage, and a short back.

Focus

A deep, narrow shoulder is of advantage because it tends to have more capacity and body to handle physical contact, giving you power to hold your ground or burst through a player marking you. Bear in mind the horse still needs heart and desire to utilise these attributes. A narrow shoulder not only gives you a good hitting platform, but such horses are also more able to run the turns or be lateral without needing to check or reduce speed. A horse with a high head carriage is more inclined to come off the ground when coming out of speed or stopping. If the head carriage is too low it may have trouble getting its back legs underneath itself when coming out of speed or rating. A short back accommodates the ability to stop hard and turn fast. In general, those with longer backs struggle to properly engage their hind-quarters. It is important to remember that these are only guides and horses love to prove you wrong. If you follow this advice and are committed to a well-structured training programme, then at least you will have the percentages in your favour.

Transforming body and mind

Craniosacral Therapy Animal Communication

Judith Norris Limited 01580 201888 | office@judithnorris.co.uk www.judithnorris.co.uk www.polotimes.co.uk

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Focus

Guest editor special

Destination polo

lthough we are currently right in the middle of the season, many players will already be thinking about where they will be spending the winter months. Tom Morley reveals his favourite foreign polo destinations, and explains why he also loves playing at home in England

TOM SAYS...

Cowdray Park Polo Club Considered by many to be the home of British polo, Cowdray Park is where I learnt my trade. My favourite time to play there is July through to August as the fields are amazing and if you’re not playing in the Gold Cup, there’s always a match to go and see. They have tournaments ranging from 4 to 22-goal over this period so there is likely to be a tournament to suit all abilities. Cowdray Park is set at the base of the South Downs, which makes for stunning views, and you can always pop across the road to play some golf at Cowdray Park Golf Club when your game is finished.

Apes Hill Polo Club, Barbados I have played at Apes Hill in Barbados many times over the past eight years, in all levels from 4-goal to 16-goal. It’s an amazing environment in which to play polo: they have horses to match all levels of polo and the fields and facilities are up with some of the best. Polo in Barbados is competitive, but you also have to be able to hold your own at the bar afterwards if you want to be considered a local. Apes Hill offers an environment which accommodates polo players and their families so that a good time can be had by all. Outside of polo there is a multitude of activities guests can take part in such as golf, lounging by the bar at the yacht club and numerous water sports to dabble in. I’d highly recommend a visit to any polo enthusiast and their family. www.apeshillclub.com

www.cowdraypolo.co.uk

Guards Polo Club A club synonymous with British polo, this club has over 10 polo grounds and a spectacular range of fixtures to suit all abilities, and to play in the Queen’s garden is a sought-after accolade. The calendar of events in June, including the Queen’s Cup, Royal Windsor Cup and Archie David Cup, are amongst the most competitive tournaments in the world, so it’s always a pleasure to compete in them. I also always enjoy relaxing in the Guards clubhouse after a game.

Tipperary Park, New Zealand Tipperary Park is a small polo farm on New Zealand’s North Island, owned by Ross Ainsley and his brother Kel. It is where I have spent many winters for the past 15 years. Visitors are always welcome to come and stay and take in the impressive New Zealand scenery that surrounds the farm. What makes Tipperary Park so spectacular is that the polo field is situated at the base of an extinct volcano. Ross has over 100 horses in work at any one time, as his main business is making and selling retrained thoroughbreds all around the world. The brothers also have a farm on the beach on the west coast of New Zealand, where they train the ponies over the winter months. It is great fun to go and play chukkas or go for long rides on the beach. I’m heading there for January and February 2015 so feel free to come and get involved.

www.guardspoloclub.com

www.ainsleypolo.com

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Get chukka fit

with Winston Squire

We are now three months in to the Chukka-Fit programme, and if you have been exercising a few times a week you should be feeling a noticeable difference. If you are feeling fitter you should now be able to increase the number of circuits you are doing within 30 minutes. This month we are focusing on post-match stretching. Stretching is often considered boring and many people don’t bother to stretch, especially after a match, but it’s essential to maintain general flexibility and reduce soreness. Although many polo players tend not to stretch, as one gets older the body doesn’t respond and bounce back like it used to. Stretching helps to: •

•

Winston Squire in profile Winston Squire is a health and fitness consultant, personal trainer and lecturer with over twenty years’ experience in the industry. He develops bespoke training programmes, based on a thorough knowledge of anatomy, physiology and biomechanics, for a diverse range of private and corporate clients in sports, media and entertainment. He was the first trainer to deliver bespoke strength conditioning, dynamic and flexibility training for polo, improving his team’s fitness levels and reducing the risk of long-term injury. Winston holds a BSc in Sports Science and Psychology, is a Strength Conditioning Coach and an Athletes Performance Coach. Winston is the fitness trainer for the England polo team and through his regular Polo Times columns he will get you chukka fit for this season.

Increase the supply of blood and nutrients to the muscles, which can reduce muscle soreness. Prevent muscle strains: a strong prestretched muscle resists stress better than a strong un-stretched muscle. Promote flexibility, allowing you to move your muscles and joints through their full range of motion. Keep the body limber by releasing muscle tension and tightness allowing the body to relax. Reduce the risk of back problems.

•

• •

• • • •

Following the simple post-match stretches below will enable you to enjoy your game of polo for much longer. A few words of caution before you start: Don’t try to balance and stretch at the same time. Holding onto a chair or wall for standing stretches provides more stability. Don’t bounce while you stretch. Ease off if you experience pain. Stretching should not take a joint past its normal range of motion. Ensure you breathe normally throughout.

You should aim to hold each stretch for 10-20 seconds, unless otherwise specified, and complete 2-3 sets.

Stretches Hamstring • Sit on the floor with your right leg extended out in front of you. • Bring the sole of your left leg to your right inner thigh.

• • •

Reach your left hand forward towards your right ankle or toe. Hold for 10-20 seconds. Repeat on the left leg.

To contact Winston, please email: winston@squireandwinston.com Our thanks to this month’s Guest Editor Tom Morley, for being our model for this issue

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Get chukka fit with Winston

Knowledge

IT Band (Runner’s stretch) • Lie on the floor with your left leg straight out in front of you and your right leg crossed over your left knee. • Place your left hand on your right thigh. • Lie on your back and cross your right leg over your left leg and hold this position for 10–20 seconds. • Repeat on the other leg. Calf/Achilles • Place both hands on a wall and lean slightly forward, keeping your back straight. • Keep your right leg straight and your foot on the floor. • Place your left leg against the wall and bend your knee keeping your knee in line with your big toe and over your ankle. • Lean forward moving your hips towards the wall. • Hold for 10-20 seconds. • Repeat on the left leg.

Quadriceps • Place your left hand against a wall for balance. • Grasp the front of your right ankle or the back of your sock and bring your heel as close to your right buttock as possible. • Keep your abdominals engaged. • Hold for 10-20 seconds. • Repeat on your left leg.

Inner Thigh • Sit on the floor with the soles of your feet together and knees facing outwards. • Lean your upper body slightly forwards. • Put your hands on your ankles. • Pull your feet together towards your groin area as far as comfortably possible. • Hold for 10-20 seconds. www.polotimes.co.uk

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Knowledge

Get chukka fit with Winston

Neck (front) • Stand upright with your shoulders back and down and tilt your head down towards your chest. • Place one hand on the back of the neck and hold the position for 10-20 seconds.

Triceps • Stand upright with your shoulders back and down. • Reach up with your right arm and bend your elbow. • Take your left hand and place it on the back of your right arm and push it back slightly to get a mild stretch. • Hold for 10-20 seconds. • Repeat on your left side.

Neck (side) • Stand upright, with your shoulders back and down and tilt your head to the right side. • Place your left hand on the side of your head. • Hold for 10-20 seconds. • Repeat on your left side.

Head and chest • Stand upright, put your arms behind your head and make a diamond shape with your hands. • Push your elbows and shoulder blades backwards. • Hold for 10-20 seconds.

Front of the shin, upper back and shoulders • Kneel on the ground and reach forwards with both arms. • Let your head fall forward and push your buttocks towards your heels. • Hold for 10-20 seconds. 66

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Get chukka fit with Winston

Knowledge

Shoulder • Stand upright with your shoulders back and down and place your right arm across your chest. • Keep your right arm parallel to the ground and pull your right elbow towards your left shoulder with your left arm and feel the stretch across your shoulder. • Hold for 10-20 seconds. • Change and repeat on your left hand side.

Scapulae • Extend your arms out in front of you in line with your shoulders. • Place your chin down towards your chest. • Join both hands together and extend them out in front of you and feel a mild stretch in the upper back. • Hold for 8-10 seconds.

Wrist • Stand upright with your shoulders back and down. • Hold your right arm out. • Slightly pull back your right hand with your left hand. • Hold for 8-10 seconds. • Repeat on your left hand.

Lower back • Lie on your back with your head on the floor. • Engage your abdominals. • Bring your right knee to your chest and extend your left leg out. • Put both hands on your right shin. • Pull your right knee to your chest and hold for 8 -10 seconds. • Repeat on your left leg. www.polotimes.co.uk

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PONY running reports

ith the UK polo season and the summer weather in full swing, our Pony Running Reports series continues to detail the costs, number of miles travelled and number of chukkas played of six polo ponies at different levels of the game; from Jorrocks to the 22-goal. The Running Reports have highlighted the differences in miles travelled between the high-goal and low-goal. Ollie Cudmore’s Fortune travelled 182 miles to and from Queen’s Cup games and practices, whereas Rocky Racoon clocked up an impressive 598 miles – most of which were attributed to a trip to Chester Racecourse for the LDF International and commuting to and from Edgeworth, Longdole and Cirencester Park Polo Club. Zac Beim has had his final ride on Jerry, as this veteran superstar pony has moved

Rocky has a warm shower at Chester Racecourse

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on to pastures new, along with his bag of medicinal Tumeric. The proud new owner is Lucas Stern from Berkshire. Jerry will continue to play in the Pony Club but has moved to the Jorrocks section, so will be seeing a more leisurely way of life for a while. Unfortunately Malcom Borwick’s Irish has been out of action and on rest with a suspensory ligament injury, however with a treatment of Shockwave Therapy he has now been cleared as match fit and will recoup his lost game time in Sotogrande in August. It has been interesting to note that, excluding livery costs, the day-to-day maintenance of all the ponies does not vary hugely, as all the ponies require regular shoeing and worming. Although some ponies have received perks, with Chita receiving a new turnout rug and Rocky being treated to a routine trip from the chiropractor to check everything was as it should be.

As the season continues to intensify all of the six ponies’ work regimes have also been increased both on and off the polo field; Fortune has had a particularly busy month practising for and playing in the Queen’s Cup tournament. See overleaf for this month’s pony updates.

Zac enjoying his last ride on Jerry

Ollie Cudmore’s Fortune post-match in the pony lines at the Queen’s Cup semi-ﬁnals

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Knowledge

Pony running reports

FORTUNE

CHITA

Age: 9 Height: 15.2hh Sex: Mare Owner: Ollie Cudmore Type: New Zealand Thoroughbred From: New Zealand Base: Previously with Sam Hopkinson at Clevedon in Auckland, New Zealand. She is now based at Anningsley Park, Surrey with UAE during the UK season Level of polo expected: High-goal (22-goal)

Age: 15 Height: 15.1hh Sex: Mare Owner: Freddie Younger Type: Argentine From: Argentina Base: Currently in Kirtlington Level of polo expected: Aiming for the HPA Hipwood. Playing SUPA for Radley College, club chukkas and the Scottish Pony Club Polo camps.

“Fortune has now fully settled into my UK string. She has played in all six of my Queen’s Cup games; I have even doubled her a bit too. “When I decided to buy her in New Zealand, I hadn’t had the chance to play a competitive game on her, so although I had an idea of what she would be like over here I obviously didn’t know her exact character. Since playing her I have learnt that she is extremely powerful and doesn’t lose a ride off. “She is starting to go really well and as a result people have started to notice her, I think partly due to her speed but also I think the fact that she is grey helps her to stand out! We’re now obviously thinking about The Gold Cup and I’m excited about playing her in Cowdray, as I think the grounds will suit her more.”

“Practice, practice, practice! That about sums up this month’s report. Chita has got much fitter, more muscled and her coat is gleaming. She has really settled into her new home at Kirtlington, where she is based for the summer season. Chita and I still haven’t played a match yet. Hopefully, my first match will be on 22 June for Radley College. “My school takes me to play chukkas on her twice a week with David Ashby who coaches Radley. Also, I play chukkas at Martin Fewster’s (where Chita is kept) on a Sunday whenever I can escape school. Sometimes James, his son, and my brother, William, play too, so it’s a real family affair. “She is kept well exercised with lots of canter work and I love playing her now she is much fitter. This is definitely the calm before the storm... Next month it is all about to kick off with the start of the HPA Hipwood Tournament on the 10 July, followed by the Pony Club Surtees Tournament. Chita is now ready to go, roll on the summer holidays!”

June Overview: Number of chukkas played: 6 matches and 10 practices Number of miles travelled: 182 miles (to and from Queen’s Cup games) This month’s cost breakdown: £70 shoeing Total cost this month: £70 70

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June Overview: Number of chukkas played: 6 school coaching/chukkas and 3 home chukkas. Number of miles travelled: 6 This month’s cost breakdown: £45 Turnout Lite rug Total cost this month: £45 plus livery

TIBURON Age: 7 Height: 14.2hh Sex: Gelding Owner: Hugo Taylor Type: Argentine Thoroughbred From: San Antonio d’Areco, Argentina Base: Cheshire, but moved to Trumps Farm, Windsor in April Level of polo expected: 6, 8, 10 and hopefully 12-goal

“Tiburon has been playing loads this month, regularly participating in six and eight goal at Emsworth and Guards Polo Club. This month he has made great progress, getting more and more used to life in England! He is looking very well, and is extremely fit. Tiburon is being played four times a week at Guards and he has just become a member of Cowdray Park Polo Club! He always comes on in the fourth chukka as my secret weapon and is so reliable. “He has been moved to the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club and is being kept there for the remainder of the season. His exercise consists of sets, schooling, chukkas and games. Tiburon is now stabled in the night but is often turned out for a graze in the day. He is being fed one scoop of polo mix, one scoop of maintenance mix and half a scoop of Alfa A, in the morning and afternoon. Tiburon is looking stronger every day due to the combination of what he is being fed and the amount of exercise he is getting. “This month he has really found his feet and is going better than ever! He has a busy summer holidays coming up, playing at Guards and Cowdray. He is now ready to start playing some faster polo and winning some more trophies!” June Overview: Number of chukkas played: 17 Number of miles travelled: 90 (to Guards and back four times a week) This month’s cost breakdown: £84 shoeing Total cost this month: £84 plus livery www.polotimes.co.uk

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Pony running reports

IRISH Age: 13 Height: 15.3hh Sex: Gelding Owner: Malcolm Borwick Breeding: Blue X Norman Pentaquad From: Ellerston, Australia Base: Trippetts, West Sussex Level of polo expected: Medium to high-goal

“It has been a sad month for Irish, having sustained a suspensory ligament on the heavy fields playing the 18 goal at the start of the month. I took a decision to rest him and treat him with Shockwave therapy, a treatment that is regularly used in horse racing, until he was 100% better. Shockwave therapy is used both on humans and animals and is a non-invasive treatment that stimulates healing, particularly in ligaments, tendon and bones. Generally horses are treated a total of three times spaced at 2-3 week intervals, with each treatment lasting around 20 minutes. Shockwave therapy has a 75% success rate and thankfully, three weeks after Irish’s treatment Shane Foughty, my vet, has given him the all clear. For a horse that is used to 50 chukkas a season he has got a lot of catching up to do! “He will pay his way in Sotogrande in August. On the perfect pitches out there he will be playing two chukkas a game.”

June Overview: Number of chukkas played: 2 Number of miles travelled this month: 0 This month’s cost breakdown: Vet £2,000 Total cost this month: £2,000 www.polotimes.co.uk

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ROCKY RACCOON Age: 6 Height: 15.3hh Sex: Gelding Owner: Polo Times “office” polo string Type: Irish Thoroughbred Breeding: My Native Gesture X Presenting From: Originally bred in Ireland, then trained by Jonjo O’Neill Base: Bishops Norton, Gloucestershire Level of polo expected: Low-goal – it’s his first real season “This month has been a busy month of travelling for Rocky. He had a long trip up to Chester Racecourse for the LDF International, as an umpire pony, with an introduction to a brass band, marquees etc. which is all good experience. Post-match he enjoyed a hot shower in the swanky racecourse facilities, which took him back to his pre-polo racing lifestyle up at Jonjo O’Neill’s Jackdaws yard. “Rocky went on to shine at the SUPA Nationals at Dallas Burston, where his team, Newcastle University, were runners up in the intermediate and his rider won MVP. “When Rocky isn’t being played, he is worked daily on a combination of sets, schooling and hacks – he is improving everyday and now regularly plays 2 and 6 goal. The summer season is in full swing and we expect him to be playing around three times a week plus the odd bit of umpiring which helps him get used to the game and reduces his greenness. He is out at grass with energy-boosting feeds in addition and finally he has beefed up a bit. The whole string has been visited by a chiropractor and he had work done on his upper neck/poll where there was a problem found, so we will see how that benefits him.” June Overview: Number of chukkas played: 10 plus 4 x umpire pony, plus practice chukkas Number of miles travelled: 598 This month’s cost breakdown: £60 shoeing, £55 chiropractor Total cost this month: £115

Knowledge

JERRY Age: 22 Height: 13.2hh Sex: Gelding Owner: Lucas Stern Type: Connemara X From: Various Pony Club families, but most recently from the Chamberlains Base: Lyfords Meadow Polo Livery Yard, Winkfield Row, Berkshire Level of polo expected: Pony Club (Jorrocks) “After a relatively busy May with Zac Beim, which included sets and a hack with Zac, Jerry has now moved on to pastures new with novice young player Lucas Stern and is enjoying life in Berkshire. “Lucas tried Jerry on Sunday 8 June and was swiftly moved down to his new home in Berkshire on Thursday 12 June. He has followed a similar fitness regime of going on sets with his new family’s two aged polo ponies and has attended Pony Club training sessions with the SOHS (South) Pony Club. “He was first played by Lucas in the arena at Lyford’s Meadow, due to wet weather, and Lucas judged this to have been, ‘the best chukka I’ve ever had.’ Lucas is now looking forward to playing his first ever competitive polo with Jerry in next month’s Jorrocks competition and also taking him to Pony Club camp.”

June Overview: Number of chukkas played: 0 (after 12 June) Number of miles travelled: 150 (including his move) This month’s cost breakdown: Pre sale – £70 set of shoes, £5 1/2 wormer. Post sale – £14 fly mask, the Beims kindly sent his personal bag of Turmeric with him and he was sold with rugs, general purpose saddle and bridle. Total cost this month: £89 plus livery Polo Times, July 2014

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Knowledge

Know your horse

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

Guarding against tying-up

During the recent period of wet weather I attended to an increased number of polo ponies that had “tied-up”. Tying-up, also known as Azoturia, is a muscle condition that manifests itself as painful cramping of the hindquarters during or immediately after strenuous exercise. Its veterinary name is “exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis” and is often prefixed by the word “recurrent”, as the condition has a tendency to recur in susceptible individuals. I have written about tying-up before, but because it is such a common condition 72

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in polo ponies – and in many cases can be avoided – I feel I cannot write about it enough. At the cellular level the condition is poorly understood, although most cases are thought to be caused by an abnormality in the regulation of calcium within muscle cells. What we do know however is that there are a number of risk factors that increase the chances of it occurring in any individual. For a start, some horses are more susceptible than others. Thoroughbred mares with a nervous temperament are at higher risk of developing the condition. Unless you avoid

buying nervous thoroughbred mares, these factors are not necessarily avoidable, but at least if you own one, you can make an effort to ensure appropriate management to reduce the chances of it tying-up. It is well established that there is a link between high starch diets (grains and most commercial hard feeds are high in starch) and the incidence of tying-up. Limiting starch in the diet not only modifies fuel energy use in the muscles but also decreases excitability and nervousness. High-fibre, high-fat and low-starch diets should be fed to horses with a susceptibility to tying-up. Unless they have difficulty maintaining weight, it is surprising how well excitable polo ponies go on a forage-only diet even when playing at high levels (we’re talking about plentiful high-quality forage such as haylage, alfalfa or even good spring grass). Certain environmental conditions also increase the risk of tying-up. Horses are more likely to tie-up during periods of cold, windy and wet weather. If the weather is cold then the horse’s muscles are also likely to be cold, and blood circulation to the extremities will be reduced. During unseasonably cold or wet weather horses may be kept indoors for longer and exercised less. Polo matches might be cancelled at the last minute and horses that have been prepared to play a match may end up getting no exercise at all, possibly having to play the rescheduled fixture the following day without proper preparation. If there are thunderstorms, nervous horses will be that much more flighty. Bad weather can obviously not be avoided, but management practices then need to be altered to avoid susceptible horses from tying-up. If a horse cannot be exercised normally then starch-based feeds should be cut from the diet immediately and good quality palatable forage should be offered as an alternative. Every effort should be made to ensure horses are exercised normally www.polotimes.co.uk

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Knowledge Lorna Edgar - specialist equine nutritionist

Life’s necessity: water I find it staggering that some polo ponies are, in some yards, still restricted from drinking water before they play, whether that is because the water is taken out of the stable, they are tied up for long periods of time before leaving the yard or from wearing muzzles. What I find absurd is that, years ago, “dealers” would deprive a horse from water to make it quieter, so why would you do this to a polo pony and still expect them to play at their best? It does not make sense on so many levels – physiologically, psychologically and ethically.

lubrication, temperature regulation and elimination of waste – how do we feel with a hangover, which is usually with a 1 per cent loss of body water? During hot weather and humidity, water intake must be carefully monitored as their water intake may increase by 79 per cent. Sweat loss during travelling and exercise which affects water and electrolyte intake must also be taken into consideration. Dehydration can affect stamina, concentration, performance and the ability to recover from work. It can also reduce appetite and increase the onset of fatigue by 20 per cent.

ESSENTIAL reasons why horses need water: - The adult horse’s body mass is 6575 per cent water (brain 85 per cent water, muscles 75 per cent, and bones 30 per cent). Horses have a large muscle mass and generate a lot of muscle heat and sweat when worked hard. When we also consider their dry diet of concentrate feed and limited forage, they are more susceptible to dehydration than most other animals. - A 2 per cent loss of body water compromises performance, digestion (increasing colic risks), joint

Encourage ponies to drink electrolytes whenever possible. One yard I visit has a big “bin” of water and electrolytes always available to ponies after exercise before they go back in the stables. They love it: what a great habit to get into. Other ways to encourage drinking and taking electrolytes is offering a very sloppy beet pulp, or adding chaff to water or sloppy beet pulp. We can also increase hydration by always offering water before a dry feed or forage. Adminster electrolytes on days of exercise/matches when sweating, but not in

when polo matches get cancelled. In the days of working horses the condition used to be known as “Monday morning disease” as inevitably horses that were not exercised on the Sabbath would tie-up on the Monday when returned to work. Prevention is better than cure but what should be done if a horse does tie-up? The condition is not the same as “muscle cramp” in humans and the horse should NOT be made to walk around (lactic acid build-up is not associated with tying-up). Unless it is a very mild episode, you will probably find your horse soon becomes rooted to the spot anyway and unable to move his hindquarters at all (the rump and hamstrings may be palpably hard). Ideally the horse should be placed in a warm, quiet stable, rugged up and offered plenty of water. Electrolytes should be offered. Horses will demonstrate varying degrees of pain depending on the severity of the episode and may sweat profusely, paw the ground, raise their top lip and generally look extremely distressed (often showing similar signs to

colic). In most cases, and particularly if the horse is showing any of the aforementioned symptoms, a vet should be called immediately to administer intravenous pain relief, antiinflammatories, sedatives and potentially muscle relaxants. At the very least their advice should be sought on the phone. Extremely severe cases run the risk of secondary complications such as kidney damage, and may need to be rehydrated via a stomach tube or with intravenous fluids (a drip). All hard feed should be immediately withdrawn – only forage should be fed until the tied-up horse has made a complete recovery and is back in full work. Most affected horses are symptom-free by the following day. If this is the case it can be beneficial to turn the horse out in a small paddock the next day. If this is not possible, the horse should be walked frequently in hand for short periods during the day. It is advisable to ask your vet to take a blood sample to measure muscle enzymes – these leak out of muscle cells when they are

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a dry feed as this increases dehydration and not rehydration – read instructions carefully! Always be aware of how much they drink, especially if they have automatic drinkers. Wearing muzzles is not something I condone, and when it comes to drinking water I am convinced horses do not drink enough. Allowing water to be drunk as soon as possible after playing is ideal, small regular amounts of water will aid a quicker recovery, as we see in racing in the winners’ enclosure with tired “blowing” horses. Let us see this in polo too! So players, while you are hydrating yourself with a sports drink loaded with electrolytes before and after your game, please ensure your grooms are doing exactly same for your ponies. damaged and give an indication of how severely the horse tied-up. Ideally a horse should not resume exercise until muscle enzymes are back to normal levels (repeat blood samples will be required) and then great care should be taken to avoid the circumstances that may have led to the initial incident. It is important to return the horse to work slowly and incrementally. As a rule of thumb if a horse has been off work for a week (ideally turned out in a paddock) then it will probably take at least a further week of careful incremental exercise to get it back to the same level of work it was at before it tiedup. With careful veterinary supervision it may be possible to accelerate the rehabilitation period, although it is worth bearing in mind that damaged muscle tissue takes about three months to regenerate so shortcuts are not recommended in horses that have severely tied up. Horses that are susceptible to tyingup rarely do so if they are permanently kept outdoors in a paddock.

Polo Times, July 2014

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Knowledge

Playing tips with Rege Ludwig

Working Together While riding, controlling, and/or playing your polo horse, there is a single factor of which you should be vitally aware – every message transmitted from you to your horse is delivered through your legs and/or hands. That is true because your legs and hands are the only points of contact you have to your horse. Consequently, your legs and hands are the tools through which you directly communicate your request to your horse. Your hand(s) holding the reins controls the front end of your horse (mouth and neck). Your lower legs contacting your horse’s sides serve to control your horse’s hind end, while your upper legs contacting your horse’s shoulders, serve to control the middle of your horse. Of even greater significance, your legs and hands are connected to your torso; therefore, through your torso, they are connected to each other. When you consider the fact that your legs and hands are what your horse feels and responds to, the necessity of being aware of how your torso is affecting the use of your legs and hands becomes more than significant. When teaching the riding aspect of polo, I use two analogies, which are appropriate to this subject, to make you aware that how you use your body on top of your polo horse directly affects how your polo horse can and will respond to you.

Child on shoulders - Imagine carrying a three or four year old child on your shoulders, then consider how you would respond if that child were to lean either right, left, forward or backward. Chances are, you will begin by moving in the direction the child is leaning; you will also most likely adjust your speed slightly so as to get back under the child to have it centre-balanced on your shoulders again. You produce the same effect on your horse by leaning on top of your horse. And your horse is almost obliged to respond to you in a similar manner as you would to the movement of the child on your shoulders. 74

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Knowledge

Joy Stick – Imagine your body (head to shoulders, to arm and hands to toe) being a joystick. If you were to lean your torso forward and down, your rein hand also moves forward and down, thereby releasing pressure on your horse’s mouth effectively, indicating you wish to accelerate. Not only that, as the top of your joystick body (head, shoulders and hands) is moving forward and down, the bottom part (lower legs and feet) should be moving an equal degree

back and up along your horse’s sides, at which point your lower legs are signaling and energizing your horse’s hind end, effectively indicating to him to accelerate. Using the total of your joystick body with all parts working in unison to send a more accurate and complete message to your horse means your horse can clearly understand that message, and respond accurately to it. Compare that to your hands and legs working independently of each other, which can be confusing to your horse and produce a less than acceptable response for you. Consider being the child on the shoulders: how would you use your joystick body: head, torso, arms/hands, upper legs and feet (paying particular attention to your upper legs) to accommodate leaning right? When you truly understand that, you are in the process of understanding how to use your joystick body to facilitate that lean on your horse. A point to keep in mind is that when leaning your joystick body to the right, not only are your body weight and balance moving right with your torso, your rein hand should also be moving right, and within that process begin to press the left reins onto the left side of your horse’s neck, indicating move right. I fully realize that such analogies are a new way of perceiving the riding and playing of the polo horse. However, I also know that the more aware you are of how the physics (mechanics) between you and your horse dictates how each of you should work with the other toward maximizing the effectiveness between you, the greater become the chances of the two of you playing the game of polo more enjoyably and effectively together.

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Knowledge

Equine legal advice

Why a promise matters…

Have you spent years converting your family’s property into a thriving polo business on the promise that one day it will be yours? LOTTIE GOLDSTONE (née Prentice) explains what happens if that promise is broken and the farm ends up being willed to somebody else These days I see an increasing number of disputes taking place that involve family farms, estates and yards and, of course, many of these property problems involve riders from a number of disciplines. Diversification is often the key to a farm/ estate’s survival and it is the children of the landowners who are often charged with changing the use to make money. Not only that, but in today’s economic climate it is increasingly difficult financially for them to replicate their parents’ set up — i.e. buy land and set up their own yard. So, with your family needing your help to keep the farm afloat and you needing the farm to set up your business, isn’t this a win/win situation? What can possibly go wrong? Families are notoriously complex groups and people’s behaviour can be unpredictable and irrational, especially where land and property are concerned. 76

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Imagine being promised the farm or estate on the death of your parents and, as a result, you invest your whole life and your savings into the property. Maybe you set up a polo yard or a training establishment, installing expensive arenas and stables. Imagine then your parents changing their minds. Instead they leave the property to a different sibling or to the local donkey sanctuary. Where does this leave you? Homeless, jobless, devastated, angry, vulnerable and possibly penniless. There is, however, a safety net — the law of Promissory Estoppel, a doctrine that prevents one party from withdrawing a promise made to a second party if the latter has reasonably relied on that promise. The kind of promise made is important here. Take a car salesman who promises not to sell a car over the weekend. However, he does so and the promise cannot be enforced. If, though, the salesman accepts even a single penny in consideration of the promise it is binding and enforceable in court. Estoppel is not an exception to this rule. Promissory Estoppel requires: • An unequivocal promise in words or conduct

Evidence that the promise has been relied upon by the promisee e.g. financial investment, setting up a business at the premises etc • Inequity if the promisor were to go back on the promise If these elements can be evidenced then Estoppel can be used as a shield to valiantly protect your interests. If you do enter in to an arrangement similar to the one that I have outlined, make sure that you are meticulous with your paperwork. Keep your accounts up together, accurately recording all expenditure and document significant conversations or keep a diary as evidence that the promise has been made and as a result you have relied on it. It also evidences a beneficial interest in the property should this need to be demonstrated at a later date. •

For more information call Lottie on 07725 240233 or email her lgoldstone@hcrlaw.com As the recognised legal partner with the HPA, all HPA members are entitled to 15 minutes free legal advice with Lottie and 10% reduction in fees upon instruction. www.polotimes.co.uk

23/06/2014 13:57

Youth polo SUPA Junior Schools National Championships, Longdole

Youth

Division One winners: Jonty Barlow, Sofia Cupper, SATS’ Tony Emerson, Lorna Fleming and Tamara Gibbons

Junior players show promise at Longdole More than 50 young players descended on Longdole Polo Club for this year’s SUPA Junior Schools’ Championships Sarah Styler reports from Longdole

layers from 12 prep and junior schools met at Longdole Polo Club on Sunday 18 May for the SUPA Junior Schools Championships, kindly sponsored by SATS. 14 teams took part in total, and were split into four divisions. In Division One, Beaudesert took on the combined SUPA team to fight for the Harrow Trophy. A slick and experienced Beaudesert team fought hard against a last minute collaboration of Jonty Barlow, Tamara Gibbons, Lorna Fleming and Sofia Cupper, who eventually took the title. The teams drew 1-1 in an impressive display of junior polo, www.polotimes.co.uk

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and another draw between Summer Fields and the newly-promoted Cheltenham Prep side left all teams with everything to play for. The SUPA team, who gelled more and more as the day progressed, finally won the title on goal difference. Goal difference also decided the results of Division Two, which was dominated by Bruern Abbey and Beaudesert teams. Both teams beat Cheltenham Prep and Summer Fields and on meeting settled for a 0-0 draw. The two perfectly matched teams could only be separated on goal difference, with Beaudesert coming out as the victors. SUPA welcomed players from Cheam and Pinewood in Division Three, with spectators cheering on some very tiny players, many playing their first tournament on a full-size polo field. The mixture of fluffies and polo ponies was expertly umpired and extremely close with all games decided on a single goal. Cheltenham Prep ran out the winners, closely followed by Cheam/Pinewood with Summer Fields and Aldro in a dead heat for third. The fluffy division saw the very young

players of Cothill take on the increasingly proficient boys from Aldro School, with Aldro finally winning the division. SUPA always welcomes new teams from all prep and junior school teams with sections to suit all levels of play. Every player receives a goody bag of prizes to represent the effort that schools and parents put into preparing teams and entering the tournaments.

SUPA Juniors Schools’ Championships individual prizes Most Valuable Player – Tamara Gibbons, Cheltenham Ladies’ College Most Promising Player – Yuriko Fukuda, Cheltenham College Preparatory School Most Improved Player – Freddie Cooper, Aldro School for Boys Best Playing Ponies – Dove, owned by Mimi McGregor, Pinewood; Macho, owned by Jemima Walker, Beaudesert Park School Polo Times, July 2014

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Youth

SUPA University National Summer Championships

Warwick shines bright while Exeter is still the one to beat Lucy Gibson Reports from Dallas Burston

The SUPA University National Summer Championships were hosted by Dallas Burston Polo Club for the first time, with more than one hundred teams displaying promising polo across the weekend 78

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Photographs by Peter James

Inglesham v Exeter Alumni Upper SAPA

n impressive 105 teams from universities across the country including new additions Cardiff and Glasgow, battled it out in the SUPA (Schools and Universities Polo Association) University National Summer Championships held for the first time at the Dallas Burston Polo Club in Warwickshire from 13-15 June. The number of entries was up on last year, showing a positive future for university polo, particularly as many universities had a selection of teams across different divisions. In particular, local Offchurch Bury-trained Warwick University showed an impressive run of form with several victories in the beginner and novice sections. The beginner section is reserved exclusively for players in their first year of polo, and the Division One title was claimed by London over Warwick, with Sam Dunstan of Warwick named most valuable player. Warwick narrowly defeated Edinburgh in Division Two, while London ran out the victors against Loughborough in Division Three. Warwick also claimed the title of Novice One champions by defeating Stirling. However, Will Smith of Stirling proved the trip down from Scotland was worthwhile as he was named most valuable player. The final of Novice Two followed the same pattern with Warwick again being named victors, this time defeating Reading in the final. Exeter took the Novice Three title, an impressive victory considering three of the four players had only started playing polo last September. There were impressive levels of play in the intermediate section, frequented www.polotimes.co.uk

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Rich Hine playing for Exeter against Robin Spicer playing for Exeter Alumni in Upper SAPA

Nottingham v Portsmouth Novice

Regents v Birmingham Combined

Action from the SAPA match

by players usually beginning their polo careers before university. Kent were the Lower Intermediate winners, beating an on-form UWE side in the final. The Upper Intermediate title went to Bristol, who narrowly defeated a competitive Newcastle team. Longdole-based zero-goaler Rich Hine, representing Newcastle, was named most valuable player. “Many of our members have never played polo before but university polo has shown to be a great way into the sport,” said Druids Lodge-based Bristol captain Sophie Turner; “It caters for all standards and the inter-club rivalry between our local universities is friendly and good fun.” The Combined section allows players from universities with smaller polo clubs to play together in mixed teams. Exeter proved victorious over a Combined

Warwick Novice 1 winners

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A-Tahir Nurtala Aliya playing for Nottingham in novice

side from Glasgow, Lancaster and Birmingham. Regents’ Jonathan Willén won the most valuable player award. Likewise, the SAPA section has seen an increase in popularity over the years, being open to entry from players who have played at either school or university. In the Lower Division, The Other Guys narrowly beat Black Barn Farm to take the title. The imperious Harold Hodges has been a fundamental part of Exeter’s success for the last two years in the Open, having helped them claim four titles (two arena and two outdoors). Despite the Open section not being contested this year, an impressive battle for the Upper SAPA title was fought, with Hodges once again guiding Exeter to victory. The two-goaler ended his Exeter career in style by claiming his fifth SUPA most valuable player award.

Warwick Beginner 1 winners

London Beginner Division 3 winners

Dallas Burston Polo Club’s general manager Major Richard Carney said: “It was a great pleasure to welcome the SUPA Nationals to Dallas Burston Polo Club and see such a fantastic turnout of teams from all corners of the country. There was some exceptional play at grass roots level, and we’ll look forward to seeing players develop their talents further in the future.” Section winners Beginner Division one: London, runners-up Warwick Division two: Warwick, runners-up Edinburgh Division three: London, runners-up Loughborough Novice Division one: Warwick, runners-up Stirling Division two: Warwick, runners-up Reading Division three: Exeter, runners-up Nottingham Intermediate Lower division: Kent, runners-up UWE Upper division: Bristol, runners-up Newcastle Combined: Exeter SAPA Lower division: The Other Guys, runners-up Black Barn Farm Upper division: Exeter, runners-up SAPA MVPs: Beginner: Sam Dunstan (Warwick) Novice: Will Smith (Stirling) Intermediate: Rich Hine (Newcastle) Combined: Jonathan Willén (Regents) SAPA: Harold Hodges (Exeter) Polo Times, July 2014

23/06/2014 13:57

Sidelines

Gossip

An Uber wedding

Leigh-Anne Moore of UberPolo has announced her engagement to long-term partner Chris Davies.

Baby Fox Number Two

George and Tamara Fox have announced the arrival of their second child. Their baby daughter, Melba Fox, was born on Tuesday 12 June and weighed 7lbs 11oz.

Tell us yours at gossip@polotimes.co.uk Anonymity guaranteed if you want it...

APT’s Fergus to launch rowing magazine Atlantic Polo Team rower Fergus Scholes is launching a rowing magazine this summer, having been inspired by ﬁnishing overall second in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in January. Row360 will be ofﬁcially launching at the Henley Regatta on 2-6 July and will be available bi-monthly by subscription. Fergus, who rowed the Atlantic in 48 days alongside Henry Brett, James Glasson and Bobby Dundas, told Polo Times: “We are really excited about the content of the launch issue, which includes an interview with Steve Redgrave, among other current international rowing personalities.” Good luck Fergus! 80

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Buddha-Bar Boutique choose Audi International Day as launch date Buddha-Bar, an exclusive restaurant in London’s Knightsbridge, will provide the after-party at this year’s Audi International Day. Set to appear at a selection of high proﬁle events throughout the summer, the new pop-up bar and restaurant, Buddha-Bar Boutique will ofﬁcially launch on Saturday 26 July at Guards Polo Club. Each Buddha-Bar boutique event will not only include an international fusion cuisine to match that of the London venue but also top DJs and live performances. Ticket prices start at £72 for the BuddhaBar after-party at International Day. Tickets are also available for all-day packages, including lunch and cocktails, priced at £500 per ticket. Tickets are available at http://boutique. buddhabarlondon.com/tickets/

Will you sink in your stilettos?

With the polo season now in full swing, the time has come around for us to start thinking about what to wear to the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup or Audi International Day. Whilst considering whether it’s going to be rain or shine, a common problem for polo fans is, what do we wear on our feet? Jodie Kidd, model and polo player revealed that her way of avoiding ‘that sinking feeling’ is simply to wear wedges. However, if you are determined to get those stilettos out then why not visit Debenhams on Oxford Street? They have launched a ‘mini paddock’ where you can test out your shoes before the big day. Reportedly a 4-inch stiletto is the worst for sinking whilst, as Jodie knows, a wedge proves the safest.

Third Tomlinson grandchild

Congratulations to Nick and Emma Wood on the birth of their second son, little brother to Harry and also younger cousin to Luke and Cata Tomlinson’s son. Bertie Wood arrived into the world on June 5th, 10 days earlier than his due date and weighed 6lbs 3 1/2 oz.

www.polotimes.co.uk

23/06/2014 13:57

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India Ringer, Lucy Gibson, Amy Lewis and Harold Hodges

Alberto Sanchez, Maite Presencia. Tristan Vogt and Clelia Bucher

Seb Petragallo, Thor Gilje, Sophie Turner and Thady Gosden

Annabelle Goulding

Dominic Maddison finds it all too exhausting

Warwick University

Team UWE

SUPA Universities Polo Nationals; Thursday 12th to Sunday 15th June; Dallas Burston Polo Club SUPA organisers Jon and Antonia Matthews, Amy Harper and Charles Betz

Emma Cook, Louise Gillman-Welles, Thomas Nuttall-Smith and Emma Boswell

Polo and Partying Over the long weekend 105 university teams from all over Britain gathered together for a weekend of fun polo and partying. As each team’s four chukkas were spread over three days there was a relaxed, festival type vibe to the event with socialising being just as important as the winning! James Fielding’s J F Polo Academy was a particular hotspot as his well kitted out lorry was equipped with flat TV, making it THE place to be on the Saturday night for England’s World Cup clash. Followed of course by a university scale knees-up at the Dallas Burston Clubhouse. Roll on next year.

Amy Alford and Matt Byrne

Livvy Woodhead, Charlotte Bushby, Finlay Lord, Lucy Hall and Helena Robson

Agha Hashim Kamal and Arham Asadehdi

Sue McCollum, Lee Cadman, Dee McCollum and Teddy the dog

Rich Hine with ponies Moon and Doctora

Kitty Lockyear and Jess Brunt with Spice

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James Wilson, George Schreuder, Henry Christiansan, Angus Johnston, Seb Pudley and Chris Milton

Polo Times, July 2014 82 Charlotte Anderson, Charlotte Jones and Tarabella Ward

23/06/2014 13:58

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ĞĂƚ ƐŚŝƉƉŝŶŐ Ɛ ĚŽŽƌ ƚŽ ĚŽŽƌ

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His first 3 offspring all played the 2013 high goal season, pictured below.

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Polo Times, June 2013 77

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Karl Ude Martinez and Lucy Northmore

Cristian Chaves, Kelvin Johnson, Bruce Fraser and George Fox

Max Charlton and Jeff Thomas

The Duke

Henry Brett and James Glasson

The Thai Polo Dream Team

The Polo Awards; Guards Polo Club; 20th May 2014 Karen and Glen Gilmore

Stars Awarded 250 of the world’s most successful patrons and players were in town for the ninth annual Polo Awards, held for the first time at Guards Polo Club. Guests enjoyed flutes of champagne and Royal Salute whisky before sitting down for a supper of salmon carpaccio and aged Angus fillet of beef.

Olga and Tony Ramirez

Lyndon Lea’s Zacara and Facundo Pieres were the big winners of the evening, scooping four of the eight awards. As ever, event organisers, Polofix and the evening’s compère, Hamish McLachlan provided a great awards ceremony to celebrate the 2014 season. Photographs by Tony Ramirez, www.imagesofpolo.com

Carlitos Gracida and Becky Simpson

Patrick Beresford and Arthur Douglas-Nugent Anne & Peter Bond and Richenda & Nick Hine

Katie Tunn and Facundo Pieres

Neil Hobday and Jock Green-Armytage

Fabio Lavinia, Juan Gris Zavaleta, Marcos Araya and Michael Bickford

Peter Webb, Charlie Pidgley, Will Emerson and Matias Carrique

Andrew Hine and Zoe Jenkins

www.polotimes.co.uk John Tylor and David Woodd

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Polo Times, July 2014 Lyndon Lea

Marcos Araya, Manolo Fernandez-Llorente, Laura Ormerod and Ale Muzzio

Jack Richardson and Tom Morley 23/06/2014 13:59

Sidelines

Amy E Williams and Rosie Kempson

The Duke of Argyll

Nick Dann and Sasha Howard

Susan Papipan and Trixie

British Polo Day Los Angeles; Will Rogers Polo Club; Saturday 31 May 2014

City of Angels The British Polo Day caravan rolled into California at the end of May for their inaugural event, presented by Land Rover, in the USA. With guests including Lord Frederick Windsor and his wife, actress and writer, Sophie Winkleman, Royal Salute Ambassador, The Duke of Argyll, Olivier de Givenchy, Ben Vestey and Talulah Riley, the event raised over $50,000 for the benefit of Great Ormond Street Hospital and Homeboy Industries. After a Taittinger champagne reception and a three-course lunch, paired with wines from Royal Warrant Holders, Justerini & Brooks, spectators took their places to watch teams battle out for The Hackett Trophy and The Land Rover Cup. Victors of the day were Eton College and The Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Southern California polo teams who duly celebrated with a Royal Salute Scotch Whisky toast. Photos by Sam Churchill Skye Marshall

Andrew Bossom

Flying the flag

www.polotimes.co.uk Olivier de Givenchy and Elon Musk

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Charlie North

Lord Frederick Windsor

Polo Times, July 2014 David Walton, Nicholas Leeds and Tristan Phillimore

Ben Vestey throws in for the Brompton Bicycle polo match

23/06/2014 13:59

Zachary and Lyndon Lea and Sophie Dickens

Max Routledge

Hugo Porta and his daughter, Luciana

Jack Richardson

Iain Forbes-Cockell

JJ Diaz Alberdi

Zhao Hong and Alamgir Massud

Cartier Queen’s Cup final and subsidary finals; Guards Polo Club; 15th June 2014

Zacara triumph again Crowds gathered despite the blustery weather at Guards Polo Club for the Cartier sponsored Queen’s Cup final and subsidary final on Sunday 15th June. VIP guests, including Jilly Cooper OBE, Bianca Jagger and Boris Becker were treated to a sumptuous lunch in the Cartier hospitality marquee. The final saw Edouard Carmignac’s Talandracas battle Lyndon Lea’s Zacara for the illustrious 22 goal trophy. Despite Talandracas’ best efforts Zacara retained the title for a second year, with Facundo Pieres being mobbed for selfies and autographs in a post-match groupie surge. As the sun finally appeared, the less famous enjoyed drinks and polo chat in the clubhouse about Zacara’s continued domination of the 22 goal. Michael Bickford

John Wright

Santi Gaztambide

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Andrea Vianini

Photographs by Tony Ramirez, www.imagesofpolo.com For the full Queen’s Cup final report see page 40

Bettina Bahlsen and Nikolai Bahlsen

Lucy Northmore and Carla Kyle

Nico Pieres

Pepe Heguy, Mago Aguerre and ‘Ruso’ Heguy

David Morley

Hazel Jackson and Ivan Gaona

23/06/2014 14:00

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Let’s enjoy 2013.

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ƐŚŝƉƉŝŶŐ Žƌ ƚŽ ĚŽŽƌ

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Mobile Catering Trailer. Fully gas Kubota ME8200 Tractor. 80Hp. YOM: 2005. certificated, twin hob, onboard water tank, Wide floatation Tyres, Good condition. hot water hand wash sink, fully fitted kitchen £12,500 with storage, twin hot water urn, large glass fridge. Very tidy condition, easy to set up. Perfect for various hospitality events, direct from show caterer. £4950 (No VAT)

Kawasaki Mule 4010. 4WD. YOM: 2011. 530 hrs. Tipping Body. Excellent utility vehicle. £7900

Massey Ferguson 4345 Tractor. 4700hrs. YOM: 2003. 88Hp, 4WD, Full spec w/ air con. Very nice tractor. £14250

Wessex Sweeper. Can be used for paddocks or yard sweeping. Fantastic condition, As New. £3750 Also, selection of Nicholson Paddock Sweepers available – fully reconditioned. Call for more details.

Selection of Used Wide Area Roller Mowers.

Kubota L3200 Compact Tractor. YOM: 2007.

We’ve got everything for polo For full listings and Look on our website:

more equipment visit: www.greenheath.co.uk

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Kubota RTV 900. YOM: 2009. 1800 Hrs. Weather Cab, Hyd Tipping Body. £5800

Kioti CK30. YOM: 2006. 1800 Hrs.

Ideal for sport pitches & General Maintenance. Very low hours, very nice condition, 4WD, Hydrostatic Drive. Ideal for mowing & Phone us on: 01285 841 542 turf tyres. 32hp. Choice of 3 machines. From 12ft – 20ft cutting width available from general yard duties. Full selection of £4000 equipment to841 suit this size of tractor Fax us on: trailed 01285 546 available, new & used. £6000 Email us on: sats@lineone.net Specialists in groundcare & used equipment supply. www.greenheath.co.uk

South American Trade Services, Sandpool House, Sandpool Lane, Tarlton, Cirencester, Glos GL7 6PB www.polotimes.co.uk

Polo Times, July 2014

Polo Times, April 2013 77 PT-July14_52-100.indd 89

Sublimated playing shirts

23/06/2014 14:00

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Polo Times, July 2014

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Rob Cudmore England Coach, 2 HPA Instructors

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Advertising Polo directory Polo directory Classifieds

KATE HARDING, EQUESTRIAN ARTIST COMMISSIONS TAKEN

Marketplace Ponies

OLD BAY MARE both arena and grass al pro. Plenty of ability o just needs finishing. nce £5,000. Tel: Herts)

CONTACT@KATEHARDING.COM | +44 (0)7717 400 548 WWW.KATEHARDING.COM

Y CLUB PONY a 13-13.2 Pony Club old girl. After an all a good jumper and ith other ponies. 5 ull time groom. Bucks. Marcus on meastwell@

PONY CLUB SCHOOLMISTRESS Great first polo pony. 12 years old. 15HH Strong in Ride off. Won Surtees and National Schools. Runner up Langford 12’. Perfect for young teen. Good hitting platform. Gloucestershire. £3,250. Tel: 07740108572

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Bespoke Conversions new and used builds, Conversions prices guaranteed!and Repairs, and Refurbishments refurbishments of all polo – Horseboxes of allstock sizes of Horseboxes of alland sizes Argentine English

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14.3HH PONY WITH HUGE POTENTIAL 14.3HH CHESTNUT GELDING, HUGE POTENTIAL Handsome 7 year old, Argentinian. Excellent stick and balling, playing chukkas. Needs schooling to progress to next stage of game. £4,000. Cheshire. 01271 373466, 07766 700904 or carolinewrey@gmail.com

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DING Red Roan Criollo stallion Arrayan dam both good £3,000. Dumfriesshire. w.chamfronstud. etails or call Mark on

B GELDING 15.3HH st responsive, played by mmer. Very easy to have club or beginners. hire. Tel: 07800517869

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STUNNING LIVER CHESNUT MARE 15.2HH, 8 years old. Very pretty with good conformation, played both arena and outdoors, good mouth, consistent performance every time. Suit amateur or patron up to 1 goals. Useful pony up to 8 goal. Easy enough for lady player. No vices. Ascot. £7,500. Richard 07711476222

54 plate Daf 65 54 plate Daf 65 .220 .220,12 horse 12 horse max; new tyres; max, new front pads and discs; fully tyres, front service taxed and New MOT, pads and New discs, paintwork, Like new £29,500.00 fully service, taxed, new MOT, new paintwork, like new.Day £26,000.00 11 Horse, Cab

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10 YEAR OLD APPALOOSA GELDING Played Handley Cross through 2 goal with 11 year old and 2 goal pro. Genuine pony. Sadly outgrown. Has been hunted and mounted games. Also loves to jump. Surrey. £3,500 ono. For more info contact Claire 07831 529680

PONIES WANTED I am looking to purchase two ponies, 15.2HH to 16.1HH, TB or cob, 5 to 14 year old, for medium goal polo. £4-8000. Richmond/ Ham Polo Club. Patrick / 07900266047 pteroerde@hotmail.com

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Body all Alloy Lockers Truck Build Ltd, Horn Farm, ReadingOuter Road, Water Tank Berkshire, RG40 4RH FREEWokingham, Classified Advertising On Air. Full Test £24,500.00 +Mobile: VAT for subscribers Phone:Price 01189736217 07811336763 New Paintwork SPECIAL PRICE & FREE or very LOW COST advertising for non subscribers (non-trade only) Ponies • Equipment • Trucks • Tack • Situations Vacant • Property

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SPRING SPECIAL RATES SUBSCRIBERS

Groom wanted for Wiltshire polo yard. Sole charge of 6 pones for 2014 season. Previous polo experience essential. Chance to play some chukkas etc. Reliability essential. On-site accommodation Tel: 0123 000000

s £99

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HANDY CHESNUT MARE 15.2HH 11 years old. Really handy mare with ample top speed. Good conformation, has played both arena and outdoors, great mouth, Suit amateur or patron. Useful pony up to 8 goal. No vices. Easy enough for a lady. Ascot. £9,000. Richard. 07711476222

MINI CRIOLLO skewbald, 10.1HH, 16 years old. Brought on 3 children over last 6 years doing all pony club activities. Would make excellent polo pony as natural skills from previous job as stock pony eg neck reining, speed, turning ability. Good home very important. £1,500. Bradford on Avon. Tel: 01225 860 933

15.3HH ARGENTINE THOROUGHBRED played up to 12 goal. Easy, smooth, powerful. Norfolk. £6,500 ono. Call for more details/pictures 01953 452 688

SELECTION OF LOW GOAL PONIES FOR SALE Two strings for sale, great selection of good playing ponies for patron, children and a few ex high goal ponies. From £3,000 - £6,000. Nr Cirencester. Tel 07545501763

17/07/2013 10:14

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£2 Special A occasion polo cards for EX XA E FREE Classified Advertising birthdays, anniversaries, get well soon, for subscribers FREE weddings, & baby congratulations; & FREE or veryFREE LOW COST advertising for non subscribers (non-trade only) from £2.99 plus p&p £2 ✔ On our website – over 44,000 hits per MONTH English Thoroughbred gelding. 14 years old. True gentleman. Kind & easy to play. No vices. Ideal for low goal level. Good to shoe, box, clip. Winters well and has always played sound. Full vetting welcome. Reluctant sale £8,000. Northants. Tel: 0123 000000

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Amazing Bay Schoolmaster. 15.1HH English Thoroughbred gelding. 14 years old. True gentleman. Kind & easy to play. No vices. Ideal for low goal level. Reluctant sale £8,000. Northants. Tel: 0123 000000

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Amazing Bay Schoolmaster. 15.1HH English Thoroughbred gelding. 14 years old. True gentleman. Kind & easy to play. No vices. Ideal for low goal level. Good to shoe, box, clip. Winters well and has always played sound. Full vetting welcome. Reluctant sale £8,000. Northants. Tel: 0123 000000

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Classifieds

Polo directory

Ponies

Marketplace Experienced and kind gelding. Cleveland. 12 yrs, NZ x TB Bay gelding 15.3hh, kind, easy and comfortable to ride and has played all levels from 2 goal to 15 goal. Would suit amateur or professional player, £6k ono. willhine@tiscali.co.uk or 07778 917209.

Transport

IFOR WILLIAMS HB510 TRAILER 2009 Ifor Williams HB510 3 Horse/4 pony trailer. Serviced every year & in good condition. £5,000. Hampshire. Tel: 07765 048028

SCOREBOARDS AND CLOCKS ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR POLO Outdoor and arena sizes. Fully electronic, displaying the time counting down, both scores and chukka number. 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

12 TONNE HGV MERCEDES TRISTAR HORSEBOX V reg 1999, tristar box renovated last year partitioned for eight ponies. 271,000 km. Winchester, Hampshire. £14,000. 07956 699532 or abi. stuart@btinternet.com A10 HPA / H10 HPA Unique registrations for sale - suit someone with high aspirations or team already there. Offers. 01643 841388 or cadders@thegreathouse.co.uk

Situations FULL/PART TIME GROOM needed for the summer season to take sole-charge of 5/6 polo ponies and help with general yard duties. Non-HGV licence an advantage. Accommodation provided. West Sussex. For more details please email: polo@gmx.org

Equipment

MERLO’S INTERNATIONAL SA SADDLE Fair condition suede saddle. Made in Argentina. 17.5 size. £150. Norfolk. 01953 452 688

PAMPEANO SADDLE Size 18”, excellent condition, call for more pictures or details if required. £375. Norfolk. 01953 452 688

POLO SADDLES All leather good condition. 17.5 size. Email or Call for more details. £180. Norfolk. 01953 452 688

Stunning Black Mare Salta. 9 years old 15.1hh. NZ x TB. Played 2-15 goal, lovely smooth comfortable ride, soft light mouth, stops and turns well. Won numerous pony prizes last season. No vices, fit, sound and ready to go. £15,000 ono. willhine@tiscali.co.uk or 07778 917209.

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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 Publisher. ‘Polo Times’ is the trade mark of Polo Times Limited. ISSN 1461-4685

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PT-July14_52-100.indd 95

Schoolmaster with go. Summer. 12 yrs, bright bay gelding NZ x TB. 15.2hh, gentle, easy ride with a very light mouth. Played all levels from 2 goal to 15 goal, fit and ready to play and a pleasure to have in the yard. Would suit amateur or professional player. £8k ono. willhine@tiscali.co.uk or 07778 917209.

Powerful Ex-Ellerston Scoring Platform 15.2 Dark Bay Gelding, 18 years young. Very soft mouth and super responsive. Never loses a ride off and will go into and win every play. Still has as much go as the day he was bought. Always sound with good legs. Sadly for sale as owner of five years shifting focus to retraining horses. Currently playing up to 8 goal in Cirencester area but equally as first class patron, Pony Club or SUPA pony. Real character so must go to good home. £2,950 ono. 07969 456214

15.0 Argentine TB Grey Mare, 12 years. Intelligent and extremely brave pony. She is a hugely nimble pony and accordingly has a very light mouth with lots of handle. Has taken current her rider right from Surtees in the Pony Club to now excelling at University Polo and 8 goal polo; will rise to higher levels or happily play lower levels depending on what you need on the given day. Sadly for sale as owner of eight years shifting focus to retraining horses. Family favourite so must go to a good home. £6,750 ono. 07969 456214

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Dates for your diary

Club contacts

What’s on in July 2014

South East

UK highlights

UK and Ireland

AEPC, Hickstead – 01273 834315 * Ascot Park – 01276 858545 * Ash Farm – 01932 872521 * Belmont, Mill Hill – 020 7318 4490 * Blueys Polo Club – 07930 323263 Binfield Heath – 01491 411969 Barcombe – 07533 213160 Burningfold – 01483 200722 Cowdray Park – 01730 813257 Coworth Park – 01784 470009 Epsom – 07961 232106 * FHM – 07778 436468 * Fifield – 01628 620061 * Guards – 01784 434212 Ham – 020 8334 0000 Hurtwood Park – 01483 272828 Kirtlington Park – 01869 350138 Knepp Castle – 07957 468220 Lacey Green – 07956 525222 Park Lane – 07976 242877* Ranelagh Farm – 01344 885697 RMAS – 07973 174542 Royal County of Berkshire – 01344 890060 * Sussex Polo – 01342 714920 * West Wycombe – 07841 597045 * White Waltham – 07748 670587

East Apsley End – 01462 712444 * Carlton House – 01986 892231 Cambridge County – 01223 812922 Cambridge – 01223 460353 * Hertfordshire – 01707 256023 Little Bentley – 01206 250435 Luton Hoo – 07934 882713 Norfolk – 01508 480400 * Silver Leys – 07535 697854 St Albans – 07438 076644 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 * Lytchett Heath – 01202 623985 Maywood – 01962 885500 * New Forest – 02380 811818 Taunton Vale – 01823 480460 Tidworth – 01980 846705 * Vaux Park – 07703 524613 * West Somerset – 01884 251632

Midlands Dallas Burston – 01926 812409 Offchurch Bury – 07816 830887 Leadenham – 01400 272980 Ranksboro – 01572 720046* 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 *

Ireland All Ireland – +353 (0) 1 6896732 Bunclody – +353 87 6605917 Curraghmore – +353 51 387102 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 hTo contact the HPA, tel: 01367 242828

www.polotimes.co.uk

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Test Matches Guards – Audi International, The Coronation Cup (England vs Argentina) (25-26): 26 July High Goal Cowdray Park – Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup (British Open) (20-22): 24 June – 20 July Coworth Park – Indian Empire Shield (15-18): 16 June – 4 July Cirencester Park – Gloucestershire Cup (24-26): 22-24 July Beaufort – Duke of Beaufort’s Cup (15-18): 5-19 July Cowdray Park – Cowdray Challenge (15-18): 21 July – 3 August Guards – The Duke of Cornwall’s Trophy (12-16): 29 July – 10 August Medium Goal Guards – Phoenician Cup (12-15): 22 June – 12 July RCBPC – The Eduardo Moore Tournament (12-15): 24 June – 6 July Guards – Coworth Park Challenge (12-15): 7-20 July Cowdray Park – Harrison Cup (12-15): 21 July – 2 August Cirencester Park – The Queen Mother Trophy (8-12): 30 June – 13 July Dallas Burston – The President’s Cup (8-12): 12 – 13 July Kirtlington Park – Kirtlington Summer Cup (8-12): 22 – 27 July Cirencester Park – The Town Cup (7-10): 8 – 20 July RCBPC – Polo Festival (7-10): 28 July – 9 August Low Goal Beaufort – The Badminton Cup (4-8): 29 June – 12 July RCBPC – the Julian and Howard Hipwood Trophy (4-8): 1 – 19 July Kirtlington Park – The Meyrick Cup (4-8): 15 – 20 July Cowdray Park – Holden White Challenge Cup (4-8): 18 July – 3 August Binfield Heath – Summer Festival (0-8): 27 July Druids Lodge – Balaclava Trophy (6-8): 29 July – 10 August Guards – Town & County Championship (4-8): 29 July – 17 August Cheshire – Junior Country Cup (2-6): 1 – 6 July Dallas Burston – Fine & Country Warwickshire Gold Cup (4-6): 12 – 13 July Rugby – The Towns Trophy (2-6): 19 – 20 July Norfolk – Norfolk Polo Festival (-2-0): 5 – 6 July Youth TBC – Pidgley Foundation International Polo Festival (Open): 1 – 5 July

Polo directory

Guards – Diamond Jubilee Trophy, Young England (Open): 26 July Ladies Ascot Park – National Women’s Tournament (-8-2): 5 – 6 July Cowdray Park – British Ladies’ Open (Open): 14 – 19 July Cirencester Park – International Ladies’ tournament (Open): 21 – 27 July

Overseas highlights France Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly – Ladies’ Polo Cup (8-12): 2 – 6 July Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly – Trophée du Coquetier d’Or (8-10): 5 – 13 July Russia Tseleevo Polo Club, Moscow – British Polo Day (Open): 26 July Spain Santa Maria Polo Club – Land Rover International Tournament (high, medium, low goal): 26 July – 31 August Other dates Tattersalls – July Sale: 9 – 11 July Brightwells, Ascot – Bloodstock Sale: 15 July

For a full list of all the tournaments see www.polotimes.co.uk

HPA mid-season handicap changes The mid-season handicap changes were agreed at the mid-season handicap meeting on Monday 16 June. They were effective from Thursday 19 June Name Baillieu, Jack Deltour, Gonzalo Heguy, Alberto Ulloa, Salvador Zavaleta, Matias Torres

Previous Handicap (7) (7) (7) (7) (7)

New Handicap 7 7 7 7 7

de Estrada, Santiago Ruiz Guinazu, Tomas Diaz, Miguel Elizalde, Manuel von Wernich Santiago Archibald, Alasdair Gordon, Jake Hyde, Jack Woodd, Matilda

(6) (6) (5) (5) (5) 3 1 1 1

6 6 5 5 5 2 2 2 0

Ricard, Corinne Soleimani, Benhour Thomas, Katrina Vere-Laurie, George Elliot, Annabel Gosselin, Guy Hutley, Lulu Nuttall, John Schiebel, Laura Boulsein, Abdullah Kudryavtsev, Sergei Lackford, Nigel Warner, Nicholas

(0) (0) (0) (0) (-1) (-1) (-1) (-1) (-1) -1 -1 -1 -1

0 0 0 0 -1 -2 -1 -2 -2 0 0 0 0

Van der Velden, Jess Coats, Peter Smith, Henry

(-2) -2 -2

-2 -1 -1

Polo Times, July 2014

23/06/2014 14:01

Final bell

In association with Aprés Polo

Seven-goaler James Beim’s

England star James Beim tells Polo Times about changes he would make to the sport, his dog training skills and the things he couldn’t live without What is your favourite polo memory? Regular hooking of James Harper’s backhand. If you could change one thing about polo, what would it be? I would change it so there were fewer rules, to help make polo a more flowing, watchable game.

What would you do if you were not a polo player? I would be a dog trainer. I am good at it – my dog Flashman is very obedient. Favourite sport/pastime outside polo? Football.

Your favourite pony that you’ve ever played? Twinkle.

What other sporting teams do you support? Manchester United.

Best teammate? My brother Tom, because he’s my brother.

Who has had the biggest influence on your life? My family and my wife Lozza. Also Michael Chamberlain, my butler.

Hardest opponent? Charlie Hanbury. I find it hard to ride him off, due to his ongoing hygiene issues. Favourite polo venue? Jackbarrow at Cirencester Park. I can hit penalty 5bs there. Favourite holiday destination? Phi Phi Island, Thailand.

What is the most important life lesson you have learned? Treat others as you expect to be treated.

Item you couldn’t live without? My Casio digital watch/calculator. And my head groom “Chileano”. He’s from Chile. Most annoying habit? I have many. Describe yourself in two words. Blue steel.

Who was your biggest crush growing up? Lauren Carter. Person you would most like to meet? Jean-Claude Van Damme. Favourite film? The original Star Wars films, Anchorman, Point Break, Zoolander. What was your first car? A grey Vauxhall Vectra. Bottle of wine or bottle of beer? Beer. New car or new horse? New horse.

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