Volume 20 • Issue 6 • July 2015 • £6.50
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Biggest Issue Ever! 124 polo-packed pages
KING POWER REIGN SUPREME Plus: England win at Beaufort Guest Edited by England Captain James Beim
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Contents
Contacts
What’s inside... July 2015
Publisher Nick Hine publisher@polotimes.co.uk
Production Editor & Group Editor in Chief Richenda Hine richenda@polotimes.co.uk Advertising Manager Ben Bovill ben@polotimes.co.uk
Club Liaison & News Manager Lucy Wilson lucy@polotimes.co.uk Polo Reporter & Researcher Tilda Woodd tilda@polotimes.co.uk Editorial Rosabella Hine rosabella@polotimes.co.uk Junior Editor Wiggy Bamforth wiggy@polotimes.co.uk
Principal Design James Morgan
Additional Design Tony Ruddy
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33
26 Cover Story: The Cartier Queen’s Cup 33 Cover Story: England win at Beaufort International 37 Prince of Wales Trophy 38 The Bledisloe Warwickshire Cup 40 Audi Polo Challenge 43 Victor Ludorum Update
51
News
8 All the Latest News 14 Obituary: Major George David Rollinson 15 Obituary: Jeff Thomas 16 HPA News 18 FIP Update
Comment
20 Your views: Letters
Features
22 Team Appitized 48 The Big Picture
Reports
Guest Editor Special
51 GOW Equine: Heart rate monitoring services 57 Getting Mounted: String maintenance 60 My Winter Months 62 Three To Watch
Club Focus Financial Controller Angie Clark accounts@polotimes.co.uk
65 Your Club News from home and abroad
Women’s Polo
73 Women’s Polo Update
Youth Polo Contributors
Mark Beaumont, James Beim, Clive Bennett, Stephen Biddlecombe, Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers, Aurora Eastwood, Lorna Edgar, Lottie Goldstone, John Hankin, Gillian Hughes, Louise Jebson, Gordon Lindsay, Rege Ludwig, Tony Ramirez, Tom Reynolds, Joss Ridley, Kate Scurfield, Murray Shotter BVSc MRCVS, Howard Taylor, Charles Whittington, David Woodd
Contact details Hill Farm Studios, Wainlodes Lane, Bishops Norton, Glos, GL2 9LN Tel: 01452 730770 email:admin@polotimes.co.uk
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© Polo Times Limited 2015 and Database Right 2015 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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77 Youth Round Up 80 SUPA National Universities Championships 84 SUPA National Senior Schools 87 La Aguada Youth Tournament
Knowledge
88 Know Your Game: Playing tips with Rege Ludwig 91 Pony Power 95 Pony Running Reports 98 Vet Insight: A look at high suspensory issues in high goal ponies 100 Nutrition Focus: Alternative energy sources in equine diets 102 Equine Legal Advice: Who is responsible for overhanging branches? 105 Equipment Focus: Different mouthpiece materials
Sidelines
106 Gossip: Don’t be the last to know 106 Sidelines: Social pages
Polo Directory:
115 What’s on in July? 118 Polo Times Marketplace
Final bell:
120 Passions: Hugo Lewis
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Call on +44 (0)1452 730 770 Subscribe online: www.polotimes.co.uk Cover photograph: Her Majesty The Queen and Cartier UK Executive Chairman Arnaud Bamberger, present Aiyawatt ‘Top’ Srivaddhanaprabha of King Power Foxes at the Final of The Cartier Queen’s Cup. By Mark Beaumont/beaumontpolo.com
Polo Times, July 2015
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News
From our Guest Editor James Beim
I was very honoured and excited to be asked to guest edit Polo Times. I have had every issue since its inception and I always really enjoy reading it. It has been very easy and enjoyable working alongside Tilda Woodd, and I’d like to thank Nick, ‘Princess’ Richenda and their team for the opportunity. In this issue we cover some interesting topics: the emergence of GOW Equine, an innovative new company: El Remanso as a winter destination; and the different approaches you can take to try and get yourself as well mounted as possible. I hope the readers find it all both enjoyable and insightful… The season is now half way through and I would like to congratulate King Power Foxes on their recent Cartier Queen’s Cup victory, an incredible feat in only their second season of high goal. I wish them the best of luck to try and complete the double, but on a personal note, hopefully only after their first game of the Gold Cup, as that is when my team La Indiana play against them! The competition for The Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup looks very strong, and as the polo community descend on Cowdray Park, I can’t wait for the action to start. With great sadness I would also like to pass on my condolences onto the Thomas family, who tragically lost Jeff recently. He was a true gentleman and a massive member of the polo community. He will be sadly missed.
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Polo Times, July 2015
Could polo be at the Olympics again? SINCE THE FOUNDING of FIP in 1982, the return of polo to the Olympic Games has been a major goal. Polo has been an Olympic sport in five Summer Olympics: 1900 in Paris, 1908 in London, 1920 in Antwerp, 1924 in Paris and in the 1936 games in Berlin. In 1936 Argentina won Gold, with a line-up of Manuel Andrada, Roberto Cavanagh, The Argentine Olympic Gold Medal winners from 1936 Luis Duggan and Andrés Gazzotti. England received a Silver medal with a team of David Dawnay, Bryan Fowler, Humphrey Patrick Guinness and William Hinde. With the advent of World War II the Olympic Games were suspended and polo was dropped. The sport sadly lost many notable players and many ponies in both World Wars and hasn’t return to the Olympic Community since 1936. However, FIP has continued to work for its return to the Games and as a member of the International Olympic Committee Sports Accord, became an officially recognised International Olympic Committee sport. Recently, FIP has had the honour of being invited to apply for inclusion as an Additive Sport at the Tokyo Games in 2020. This opportunity is the result of a new strategic initiative of the IOC to grant the Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games the right to make proposals for the acceptance of additional International Olympic Committee recognised sports for their specific Olympic event.
Apes Hill to return to English high goal SIR CHARLES WILLIAMS’ Apes Hill have been notably absent from the UK high goal since 2009 – the same year that they won the prestigious Queen’s Cup. However, the 2015 English high goal programme will once again feature Sir Charles’ team. Apes Hill Club are fielding a new combination of players, although not all four team members are strangers to high goal competition, or an Apes Hill shirt. Representing Williams and Apes Hill this time around is Mark Tomlinson, who was of course a member of the victorious Queen’s Cup side in 2009, as well as the previous Apes Hill 22 goal line-up in 2008, and Tom Morley who also represented Apes Hill back in 2008. Joining the two English 6-goalers is Eduardo Novillo Astrada, an English-Argentine 9 goal player and also 1-goaler Ralph Richardson. Eduardo’s previous achievements include wins in The Gold Cup here in the UK and also The Argentine Open while 19-year-old Ralph Richardson will be making his debut in English high goal. In their first outing of the season they have won the Subsidiary Final of the Warwickshire Cup, with a convincing win over HB Polo. As Polo Times goes to press, the 2015 Apes Hill team are in the qualifying stages of the Gold Cup and we wish them all the best.
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News
Exciting new helmet design
Photograph by Robin Spicer
ROBIN SPICER, A 23-year-old final year Industrial Design and Technology undergraduate from Northamptonshire, has already attracted the attention of leading market retailers and manufacturers with his polo helmet redesign, the ARMIS™ Polo Helmet. It has been exhibited to the public at the Loughborough University Design School Show from 12 – 15 June. The unique design contains a ‘crash sensor’ which Robin plans to link to a smartphone app via long range bluetooth. Robin explained the concept to Polo Times, “The prototype was created using a 3D printer and developed for production, comprising of a crumple zone made of expanded polystyrene, a flexible peak, and a Multi-directional Impact Protection System (MIPS) that moves inside the helmet, mimicking the brain’s own protection system. The low friction layer reduces the amount of rotational acceleration to the head and minimises the risk of suffering a serious brain injury.” The ARMIS™ Polo Helmet
Major roller mower keeps Cheshire polo fields in pristine condition
When it came to keeping his polo fields in great order, one of the sport’s newest enthusiasts in Cheshire decided that only a MAJOR Roller Mower would produce the finish required at the two pitches in Over Peover near Knutsford. To handle mowing the 8.5 acre pitches, Mr Irlam turned to Major Equipment at Heysham in Lancashire to source a 16ft (4.9m) TDR rotary gang mower which he had seen working on a friend’s polo fields. “I was sceptical at first what job the rotary blades would do at first compared to reels, but having seen the results elsewhere it was the machine for us,” Mr Irlam comments. “I particularly like the rollers at both front and rear which give a good levelling effect, but also produce nice stripes.” The MAJOR, which is paired to a John Deere 6330 Premium tractor, covers the 260m by 145m pitch areas in quick time.
RoR have launched a new website and logo
The new ROR logo has been launched alongside the new website
THE NEW WEBSITE has an improved registration system to provide owners of former racehorses with the capability to now manage online their own RoR account, as well as providing the opportunity to book onto the growing number of educational and retraining events organised by the RoR’s network of Regional Coordinators throughout the year. Alongside the rebuild of the website, RoR has also introduced a new logo. The new logo features more prominently the ‘RoR’ acronym, which has now become more established since the British horseracing’s official charity for the welfare of retired racehorses was founded in 2000.
Tally Ho Groom of the Month Award
Tally Ho Farm EUROPE’S LARGEST POLO SUPPLIER
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CONGRATULATIONS TO SOPHIE Gazzard and Ellie O’Mally, who groom for James Harper as they have been named the first winners of the Guards Polo Club Tally Ho Farm Groom of the Month Award. The winning grooms received £150 from Tally Ho Farm’s Chris Adkins at Coworth Park in recognition of their hard work behind the scenes to ensure exceptional string turn-out, well ordered and tidy pony lines and excellent pony welfare management. The winners were selected by Guards Polo Club’s vet Holly Baird and Polo Manager Antony Fanshawe. To read more about Exquisite, turn to our Running Reports feature.
Polo Times, July 2015
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News
Sad news
FRIDAY 5 JUNE was an historic milestone at Hurlingham Park as a Cutler and Gross Team England faced AirEuropa Team South America in the first International polo match hosted at this historic venue since 1939. The current England Captain, and our Guest Editor this issue, James Beim, led an 18 goal side but unfortunately were unable to secure victory with the visitors claiming a 6-4 win. The weekend saw exciting matches played at 12 goal level Action from the Final of Chestertons Polo in the Park at Hurlingham Park which left huge crowds wanting more as they watched Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park Team Hong Kong beat Powder Byrne Team Dublin 10-8 in the Final of the Chestertons Polo in the Park tournament. The two teams had already met in the opening match of the tournament, and in their second fixture both pulled out all the stops to exhibit some amazing play.
A MINUTE’S SILENCE was observed at Cirencester Park Polo Club on Sunday 14 June prior to the start of the Humphrey Guinness Plate Final after the polo community learnt of the sad news that Diana Scott had passed away. Diana was a devoted mother to her sons Simon, Mark & Jeremy and wife to the late Major Ronnie Scott. A stalwart supporter of polo, Diana would always be seen at Cirencester – both watching polo and supporting Ronnie for Diana was a stalwart supporter of polo the 25 years that he was Polo Manager at Cirencester Park Polo Club, 1972-1997. We understand a memorial service will be held at the end of August. Details to follow.
Photograph by Rod Kohler
Picture perfect Polo in the Park
EFG Bank signed up to Practitioners sponsorof the Guards Polo Club craft of private banking GUARDS POLO CLUB announced that EFG Bank would be joining their already burgeoning list of sponsors. The newly signed three year Corporate Partner already has a strong history of supporting polo worldwide, which includes just some of the following: Karan Thapar’s EFG Aravali Team, RMA Sandhurst Polo, University of St Andrews Polo Club, The 40 Goal Challenge, Palm Beach, The Thai Polo Open and The EFG is the marketing name for EFG International and its subsidiaries. EFG International’s private bankingduring network includes offices in Zurich, Geneva, London, Channel Islands, International Polo Tournament, Sotogrande. Guards Polo Club most recently partnered with global EFG Bank their international ventures in Luxembourg, Monaco, Madrid, Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Taipei, Miami, Nassau, Grand Cayman, Bogotá and Montevideo. www.efginternational.com Brazil with The Guards International São Paulo Polo Trophy last September. Neil Hobday spoke to Polo Times about the new partnership saying, “EFG International is an ideal partner for Guards Polo Club. This private bank’s dedication to polo, matches our own passion for this EFG – polo montage – Eng – 230+230x300mm + 3mm bleed – quadri – publication: Polo Times 2015 (20.05.2015) -- right hand page great game. EFG Bank and Guards Polo Club have worked together successfully on several projects in the past, but this new Corporate Partnership will now allow us to work more closely together on several exciting initiatives both at home and abroad.” EFG Bank join Cartier, Land Rover, La Martina, Hildon, Martin Collins Equibuild, Capstar, Dorchester Collection, Images of Polo, The Polo Magazine, PoloCam Productions and Pink Food as sponsors of Guards Polo Club.
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Polo Times, July 2015
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News
LA MARTINA HOSTED a dazzling cocktail party to celebrate the launch of their flagship store, located on Jermyn Street just minutes away from Buckingham Palace on Thursday 28 May. VIPs included representatives of La Martina’s Global partners, Guards Polo Club, with CEO Neil Hobday, the Manager for North European Maserati, Peter Denton, the President of the Federation of International Polo, Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers, HPA Chairman Brigadier John Wright and patrons and players from all over the world. La Martina’s Brand Ambassadors, Malcolm Borwick, the Marquess of Blandford, George Spencer Churchill, the Marquess of Blandford and Eduardo Novillo Astrada joined Lucy Soanes in a horse parade held on Jermyn Street, delighting the crowds with polo ponies following a Maserati. Guests were invited in for a long-awaited look at the new premises, hitherto only seen during Guards Polo Club’s exclusive preview. Chauffeur-driven Maserati Quattroportes ensured the guests were
Photograph by La Martina
La Martina flagship store in Jermyn Street opens
La Martina branded players and ponies were present for the opening
amply able to enjoy Royal Salute whisky and Argentinean canapés supplied by Gaucho restaurant. For social coverage of the evening, turn to page 106.
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Polo Times, July 2015
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DIFFERENCE
Obituary
Major George David Rollinson
Major George David Rollinson 25 August 1924 – 23 May 2015 Howard Taylor remembers a true sportsman
M
ajor George David Rollinson passed away peacefully on Saturday 23 May at the age of 90. The funeral service was held at the Vale Royal Crematorium Chapel on Friday 5 June 2015. David was born on Monday 25 August 1924 in the industrial mill town of Colne in the heart of Lancashire, the first son of George and Francis Rollinson. Traditionally, the town was rich from wool and cotton, however the family business, SERFO, was that of salvage and with the activity of the German U-boats in the Irish Sea during the First World War, these skills and equipment were much in demand. With his parents and two younger brothers, Michael and Peter, David moved to the more affluent area of Wilmslow in order that father George and young David could have more land for horses and follow George’s passion for hunting. It wasn’t too long after that that Edge House Farm in Alderley Edge was purchased and both father and son began to hunt with the Cheshire Forest hounds. On leaving school, David attended Manchester University to study architecture, however his tenure was cut short in 1941 when, at the young age of 17, he was called up for duty in the Second World War. He was initially based at the army training camp in High Lee and indeed it was from there that he was to meet his future polo mentor, the late Micky Moseley.
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Polo Times, July 2015
David served with the 1st Battalion the Gordon Highlanders from 1941–47. As a young officer he rapidly climbed the ranks and as a Captain, embarked on the crossing of the Rhine and engaged in many battles including the liberation of the infamous Bergen-Belsen. David also represented the Gordon Highlanders regiment in the Highland Games competition, where he won medals in the high jump, shot-putting and tossing the caber. David was later posted to North Africa, the Arab Legion in Amman and postwar commanded a squadron of the Duke of Lancaster’s Own Yeomanry After a distinguished army career, yet at still only 24-years-old, David returned to civilian life. His brother, Michael, had taken on the running of the farm at Alderley Edge and David soon married his first wife, Joan. They moved to Dunsop Bridge in Lancashire to be near to the family business, where David resumed work. Not long afterwards, David and Joan had two daughters Gail and Amanda. During the post-war years, David excelled in his passion for rugby, playing both for Wilmslow Rugby Club and more latterly Birkenhead Park. He won numerous caps playing as a County player for Cheshire and indeed it was only a serious neck injury that put an end to him furthering his rugby ambitions. By 1952, the family business of SERFO now had offices in Manchester where David was based. It was in these early days of the Trafford Park Industrial Estate that David rekindled his acquaintance with Micky Moseley. Micky was ‘Mr Cheshire Polo Club’, and it was not too long before Micky had David as a playing member. At this time David was 28-years-old and being a natural sportsman, he rapidly rose to a handicap of 3 goals. Probably the biggest achievement ever out of the Cheshire Polo Club was in 1968, when David joined up with Sebastian de Ferranti’s Kerfield House Team and, along with Argentines Alec Mihanovich and Rudolpho Marmol, they beat the Windsor Park Team of Lord Patrick Beresford, the Marquis of Waterford, HRH the Duke of
Edinburgh and Paul Withers to win the Cowdray Park Challenge Cup. David travelled the country playing at different clubs, winning most of the important tournaments of the time, not least The Royal Windsor in 1962. It was when playing in Cirencester Park that David first met Sheryl, a whirlwind romance which led to marriage two years later. At this time they moved back to Cheshire and bought Peckforton Hall in the heart of Cheshire hunting country. Hunting and team chasing were a passion which both David and Sheryl enjoyed for many years. Sheryl and David have one son, James, who has carried on the polo tradition and plays in Oxfordshire. Like his father, James has achieved a handicap of 3 goals. David carried on playing competitively at Cheshire Polo Club, well into his late sixties, and, along with Sheryl, has managed the Club ever since. Apart from the onerous duties of Club Manager, it would not be uncommon to see David umpiring 12 chukkas on the trot when well into his eighties! David was a legendary character in many ways; few will achieve his success. Above all, however, he was always the perfect gentleman, upstanding in every way. He will be greatly missed by his family, all members both current and past of Cheshire Polo Club and everyone who knew him www.polotimes.co.uk
Jeff Thomas
Obituary
Jeff Thomas Friends and family remember the life of a true family-man, polo personality, archetypal sportsman and successful businessman
J
eff started with humble roots. Born in Liverpool, his brother John Henry, fondly recalls the sight of Jeff regularly chewing on a lump of coal and of excitement and chaos when the first carpet was delivered at their family home. His friend for over 50 years, Tom Dickie, remembers Jeff working in a motorbike shop for retired motor racing champion, Eric Oliver. “On long journeys we would change drivers by climbing over each other, which we did several times; we were very proud of ourselves. We told this story to Smiler Reed and he said, ‘That’s nothing pal’ – he and his friends slid the van doors back and walked through to the other side, still doing 70 mph’ – he made us feel like amateurs!” The description ‘amateur’, (‘one who does something for the love of it’), is apt for Jeff – a man whose driving force was a passion, not for victory, but for the competition itself. His son Leigh remembers his father’s career advice; “I don’t care if you want to be a flower arranger, just be a good one.” Taking his own advice, Jeff successfully turned his hand to a number of different jobs. Alan Barrett recalls, “Jeff trained our first winner in 1974. He had to give Nicky Henderson £5 petrol money behind the stands because it was frowned upon to pay amateur riders in those days.” Alan also recalls, “As Jeff was colour-blind, Julie would pack his clothes in piles so that they were colour co-ordinated. However, I thought it fun to jumble them up. Fortunately, Jeff’s sense of humour was legendary, despite resembling Ronald McDonald!”
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When coming off a bike at Brand’s Hatch, Jeff was greeted by a frantic paramedic asking, “How do you feel?” “Like I fell off a motorbike!” came Jeff’s response. His son Leigh recalls his Dad’s attitude to his newly delivered recycling bins in a similarly frank fashion, “We have two types of bin now. One for general rubbish and another one for general rubbish.” Jeff’s witticisms often contained a grain of truth; of his various business ventures he famously said, “Running a business is just common-sense. But common-sense isn’t that common.” However, most of all, as Gary Short recalls, memories of Jeff are of someone who; “Loved his cars, motorbikes and his horses, he was passionate about the business, but all of these things played very much second fiddle to the family. We would often discuss work and business and even when things weren’t great he would say; ‘Never mind, it won’t change my life.’ Money did not rule Jeff, he was only interested in what good he could do with it.” A multi-talented man, Jeff harnessed his competitive nature but also epitomised the mantra, ‘make your hobby your job, and your job your hobby.’ Notable for his unstinting enthusiasm, his unfailingly generous patronage stemmed from a genuine desire for others to appreciate and share his love of the sports that he enjoyed. Although in Motor Cycle News he was picked as one of the top riders to follow; due to lack of money and support he felt he could never become World Champion, so made the difficult decision to stop racing. Jeff became very interested in modern racing and helped a number of young people in different ways. One in particular, Tom Tunstall, recalls; “Jeff was very generous with his time and his focus. He was pivotal to our successful progression to racing in World and British Superbike Championships. Jeff was inspiring to talk to and share time with; whether an issue was personal, racing, or business he never failed to help, give perspective, and highlight that ‘life was a series of disasters that would never actually happen’.” In Leigh’s words; “Dad was known as a businessman and for working hard, but for me, he was a very, very funny man, who loved inappropriate humour with a healthy lack of respect for authority and pomposity.” Funny and often pragmatic, Leigh remembers some of the
best advice his father gave him; “At my age, son, I realise that most of what we worry about is just b******t. If something bad happens or someone disappoints you, ask yourself – ‘Will this change my life in any way?’ Usually the answer is no, so move on.” His daughter Verity says; “Most people think their Dads are perfect, but mine really was. He taught me everything about people, life and business. He taught me to always just do my best, work hard, have fun and be happy. In 2012 he became the perfect ‘Dodo’ too, and nothing was too much for his twins who adored him. We will always talk and think of you and also have a wry smile when people mistake kindness for weakness!” The news of the sudden death of Jeff Thomas comes as a great shock to all who knew him. Never one for watching from the sidelines, Jeff lived life to the full, combining pleasure with pragmatism and seizing every opportunity. His wife Julie, remembers Jeff as, “An amazing husband, my best friend, the perfect Dad and a wonderful ‘Dodo’, I miss him more each day.” Polo Times, July 2015
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HPA News should have been made in writing to the Chief Executive of the HPA by 1 July. Any application for a grant received after 1 July 2015 will be carried forward to 2016. Discretionary grants will not be paid to Cirencester Park, Cowdray, Guards or the RCBPC. For further information please see the HPA Blue Book page 397.
Latest from the HPA HPA chief executive David Woodd rounds up the news from UK polo’s headquarters Royal Salute Coronation Cup at Guards Polo Club on Saturday 25 July 2015 Following the exciting news that Royal Salute are to be the title sponsor of the Coronation Cup we are looking forward to the start of a great new partnership. HPA members will once again be offered Club and South Grandstand tickets at a discounted price of £40 (reduced from £70) and free car entry if they produce their current HPA car pass on arrival. These tickets can be bought online by visiting www.ticketmaster. co.uk/event. Please quote HPAMEMBER in the HPA Member Offer box. Select the number of tickets needed and enter your case sensitive no spaces password HPAMEMBER in the box. Below the code box choose the Section in which you wish to sit – either the Clubhouse Grandstand or South Grandstand and then proceed to Find Tickets. Field side parking The HPA are introducing field side parking at £300 per plot on the north side of The Queen’s Ground for the first time. This great offer will include 10 General Admission Tickets, two car passes and a six by three metre plot, where guests can set up a gazebo and a picnic. There are a limited number of spaces and they will be issued on a first-come first-served basis. For further details, call the Ticket Office on: +44 (0) 1784 437797 Clubs that would like to make a group booking please call the Ticket Office on: +44 (0)1784 437797 Further information about the day’s format can be found at: www.coronationcuppolo.com
End of season handicap meetings The end of season handicap meetings will take place as follows: No 1 Committee: 22 Goal and Victor Ludorum Players (excluding 6 goal Victor Ludorum) – Mon 10 Aug 2015 No 2 Committee: All remaining players – Tue 8 Sep 2015 British Junior Polo Championships 2015 British Junior Polo Championships league matches will commence on Tuesday 7 July. Details and a full schedule of matches can be found on the HPA website. The Finals of the British Junior Polo Championships will run on Thursday 6 and Friday 7 August, alongside the Pony Club Polo Championships at Cowdray Park Polo Club, which will run from 7 – 9 August. Overseas Work Experience Bursary (OSWEB) If you are aged 17, 18 or 19, hold a handicap of 0 goals or above and are planning on furthering your polo career by spending your gap year working overseas in the polo industry, you are eligible to apply for an HPA OSWEB. Application forms have been emailed to all clubs or alternatively please contact the HPA office. Grants As we go to press with this issue, the HPA were inviting applications by clubs for discretionary grants. The applications
The HPA’s partner in business travel: Corporate Traveller Corporate Traveller works with HPA to save its members time and money booking business travel. Powered by Flight Centre Travel Group, Corporate Traveller offers a unique combination of negotiating strength and expert personal service to boost your business travel savings. Currently assisting the HPA and Guards Polo Club, Corporate Traveller is a non-contractual service that looks after organisations large and small. The HPA’s dedicated Travel Manager, Elizabeth Arnold, works tirelessly to ensure members get the best value from their travel budget. Additionally, HPA members have exclusive access to Flight Centre’s leisure Travel Club. This is a members’ only Club giving you access to a huge range of discounted worldwide holiday offers. Contact Elizabeth to discuss your requirements and for a free quote: Email: elizabeth.arnold@thetravelclub.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)20 7324 8340 or 07825918345 www.corptraveller.co.uk These details will reach a Corporate Traveller expert 24 hours a day. For your free membership visit the following web address and receive an extra £100 off your first booking: www.thetravelclub.co.uk/ registration%20%20TC-0008855
Handicaps The mid-season handicap changes became effective on Thursday 18 June. Please see below for full list of changes. Name
Handicaps
Name
Handicaps
Name
Handicaps
Rodrigo de Andrade
(9) to 9
Jose Ramon Araya
(0) to 0
Lucinda Stapleton
(-2) to -2
Agustin Merlos
(9) to 9
Quentin Davis
(0) to 0
Mindi Byrne
-2 to -1
Alejo de Tarenco Stirling
(6) to 6
Joachim Gottschalk
(0) to 0
Alexei Calvert-Ansari
-2 to -1
Juan Martin Garcia Laborde
(5) to 5
Jim Paltridge
(0) to 0
Jean Marc Ciancimino
-2 to -1
Benjamin Urquiza Rueda
(5) to 5
Zhongming Rao
(0) to 0
Stephen Coghill
-2 to -1
Juan Pablo Villela
(5) to 5
Corinne Schuler
(0) to 0
Celio Garcera
-2 to -1
Nick Evans
(3) to 3
Theodore Wethered
(0) to 0
Capucine Granchi
-2 to -1
Felipe Massu
(2) to 2
Lavinia Black
0 to -1
Frances Holman
-2 to -1
Federico Gonzalez Bergez
(1) to 2
Ramon Britos
(-1) to -1
Azeez Jaafar
-2 to -1
Manuel Marchi (Restricted)
(1) to 2
Charlotte Coventry
(-1) to -1
Andrew Keen
-2 to -1
Thomas Clayton
(1) to 1
Padmanabh Singh
(-1) to -1
Abdul Mateen Bolkiah
-2 to -1
Bahar Jefri Bolkiah
(1) to 1
Kevin Cheshire
-1 to 0
Jess Van der Velden
-2 to -1
Navin Khanna
(1) to 0
Harry Hutchings
-1 to 0
Tom Wallis
-2 to -1
Michael MacPherson
(1) to 1
Alya Al Awlaqi
(-2) to -2
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Polo Times, July 2015
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FIP News
FIP Update Chairman of the Federation of International Polo, Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers, gives us an update on the latest FIP news from around the world At the outset of the new administration in December we set out a route plan of what we intended to achieve over the following year. It started with ensuring the success of the FIP World Championship in Chile, recruiting a permanent CEO, establishing a social media platform to raise the awareness of the Federation, and a detailed review of the administration and its practices. I am delighted that we have managed to achieve all these objectives within the first six months of the new regime, thanks to the combined efforts of the Executive Committee and our various offices around the world. The next challenge we faced was to improve communications between our Associations and to this end we have recently contacted them all to refresh the information held by the Federation. As you will appreciate, most Associations are run on an amateur basis and personalities change, it is the intention of the Federation
that we are in direct communication not just with our FIP Ambassadors around the world but also with the decision makers within each Association. It is only in this way that we can get a clear insight as to their views and requirements to enable us to assist wherever possible to help promote the sport in their particular region. Once we have established this communication network we will be addressing both the issue of the Zones as well as encouraging our Associations to express their views on establishing some lower goal International tournaments throughout their regions. We already have Siamack Ilkhanizadeh, the FIP Ambassador from Iran, organising a 4-6 Goal International between the Middle East, North Africa & Central Asia (MENACA) Cup of Nations in October 2015, and a FIP Arena Polo European Championship to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan in September 2015, and I am sure there will be several others in the pipeline.
The final and probably most exciting piece of news is the announcement that the International Federation has been invited to submit an application to be considered as an ‘additional event’ by the Organizing Committee of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. To date, the modern game of polo has not taken off in Japan although for centuries they have played a variation called ‘Kiba-Dakyu’, a royal court sport which consists of traditionally robed mounted players with sticks that have small baskets on the end, scooping up a ball and attempting to throw it through a small hole in the end boards of the ground. Although it would be a great challenge to try and participate in a country which has an extremely limited polo infrastructure, the fact that the IOC approved the decision gives us great hope for the future. A decision is expected in September 2015.
“EURO BENCENO” Recently arrived in the UK, imported by “Stonehurst Polo”
Grappa Casino Euro Benceno Ellerstina Luciernaga
Picaro Ruleta Rainbow Corner I.Bengalita
This beautiful stallion with a superb blood line and amazing temperament is just 7 years old. He has been playing up to 28 goal polo in Argentina, including the “Camara de Diputados” tournament with 6 goal player Martin Aguerre. “Grappa Casino”: Excellent stallion that combines the blood of RAINBOW CORNER & PICARO. He played the Triple Crown in Argentina ’09, ’10, ’11, ’12 with Facundo and Gonzalo Pieres. He is full brother to LAVINIA NAIPE. “Ellerstina Luciernaga”: One of the best donor mares from “25 Embriones” that combines the blood of “Bengalita & Rainbow Corner” two horses that are legend in polo history. “Bengalita”: This mare played all of the Argentinian opens with Gonzalo and Gonzalito Pieres. Winner of the Lady Susan Towley in ’98, champion of the “Argentinian Rural Society” in ’93. Played in Palm Beach ’03 by B.Heguy and in the USPA Gold Cup ’03 by M.Aguerre, where she won best playing pony.
Fee: £1000 Contact: nico@stonehurstfarmstud.com / 07507458629 18
Polo Times, July 2015
Website: stonehurstpolo.com www.polotimes.co.uk
Comment
Your Views
Letters
Write to the editor in the following ways: w letters@polotimes.co.uk wL etters, Polo Times, Hill Farm Studios, Wainlodes Lane, Bishops Norton, Glos GL2 9LN
Letter of the month
The writer of Letter of the month wins a bottle of BLOOM Gin
demanding, and they seldom really know what it takes to keep the ponies happy and get them to the field on time. They just say, “match at 3 o’clock!” They are never grateful, are always asking for a discount, and they do not think that during the season it is sometimes impossible to find a lorry or a driver. They don’t consider the miracles a driver has to perform to take the horses quickly and safely too, often the only option is bending the rules, so that ponies do not have to wait on the lorry, and they arrive on time. For many players, the world circles around them. All the best, Atilio Degrossi By Email
Photographs by Mahesh Parmar
Sir, recently I read about an Award for grooms and I would like to try and define what a groom is. The standards for Argentinean (Latin American) grooms are very different to the job done by others. They groom, school horses, apply first (and often second or third!) aid, sew back the broken leather, drive the lorry, make an asado, order the correct feed, stay up with a sick horse and know when to call the vet. A high goal head groom doesn’t do that much, but a low or medium goal groom must do everything, and take the responsibility for it. So will this Award only recognize the head grooms of high goal horses? Or will it be for the grooms of all horses? For me, I’d like to see a new Award, not for grooms but for another category: ‘Polo Horse Trainers.’ Also, when is there going to be an Award for the independent lorry drivers? Players and patrons are always
Chaos reigns as four gazebos take to the air at the Final of The Cartier Queen’s Cup
Gazebo-wrangling added to the drama of The Cartier Queen’s Cup Final 20
Polo Times, July 2015
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Your Views
Comment
Sir, polo is the perfect sport to enjoy with friends and colleagues and it was only after our third time of attending The Cartier Queen’s Cup as a company that we realised we have so many connections to the sport. Who would have thought that seven girls connected to polo through boyfriends, ex-boyfriends, husbands, ex-husbands, cousins and fathers would end up working together in one office? Well, it has happened… Catherine Turner (née Lucas) set up Rapid Search & Interim, an executive finance search specialist with her business partner, Ben Davies. Three years later they have 23 employees, seven of which are polo connected! Every year, we take our clients to the Semi Finals of The Cartier Queen’s Cup to thank them for their continued support throughout the year. This year we had a fantastic 120 guests joining us for a day of networking and of course, amazing polo. It really is a great day out and as one of our clients reiterated, “Surely this has to be the right way to work!” Daisy Geer-Wooldridge, Georgie Lee-Uff, Rachel Arrowsmith, Catherine Turner, Zoe Williams, Sam Schwind and Sam Smith at Guards Polo Club.
Sam Schwind By Email
Royal Solutions...
Q: The Coronation Cup is sponsored this year for the first time by Royal Salute. When were the first bottles of Royal Salute Scotch Whisky first created? A: Turn to page 116 to check your answer
PJ’s Bar & Grill, Chelsea’s perennial favourite, was opened in 1990 by restaurateur Brian Stein as a tribute to his love of great food and the sport of polo. PJ’s plays proud host to the legendary ‘PJ’s Polo Party’ held annually to celebrate the start of the UK polo season. International dining seven days a week. Casually sophisticated.
PJ’S BAR
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& GRILL | 52 FULHAM ROAD CHELSEA LONDON SW3 | 020 7581 0025 | WWW.PJSBARANDGRILL.CO.UK Polo Times, July 2015
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Feature
Appitized in Focus
Whet your
Appitite?
After their historic victories in the 2007 Gerald Balding and the 2008 Holden White Trophy, Nina Clarkin, Tamara Fox, Lucy Taylor and Emma Wood took a break to concentrate on other things. However, they’ve now re-formed under the team name Appitized. After their most recent win in the Beaufort International, where they beat the ladies of the Rest of the World team 6-2, Wiggy Bamforth reports to discuss marriage, mothering, and what else they’ve been doing in the meantime
O
f course, success in women’s polo has never been easy – having cast off the stigma of being “useless girls”, the complaints now come from other teams whose egos are sore after being, “beaten by a load of f****** mothers.” But eight years on, how much do the girls think has really changed for women’s polo? Tamara Fox reckons the only way is up; “Women’s polo has moved so quickly in just 10 years, I see world domination in 50!” Nina Clarkin agrees, “By then it will have grown out of sight. If we look at how far we have come from the amazing but solitary trail-blazers like Claire Tomlinson and Sunny Hale, then I think looking forward we can be nothing but excited about the future of the sport and the quality of the players that are sure to be coming through.” Of course, with the birth of women’s handicap ratings, female professional polo is becoming more legitimate, “It would be great in 50 years to see more female professionals in high goal polo like Claire Tomlinson, Nina Clarkin and Sunny Hale,” says Tamara. Of course, though it might seem like a fairytale re-formation of a dream team, the girls are under no illusion of what they’ve got themselves into and are approaching cautiously. The seed of the idea for a reformed team came into being last September, after a trip to Devon, as Lucy Taylor explains, “Emma and Tamara had newborns and I was just out of hospital,” she says “And we decided it would be good fun to try and do the team again, something to get fit for and try and get back up to standard.” Lucy is the driving force of the team’s rebirth. Amongst other things, she cites her personal discomfort with growing issues regarding the safety of 22
Polo Times, July 2015
Lucy Taylor, Emma Wood, Nina Clarkin & Tamara Fox are playing the 2015 UK summer season as Appitized
low goal polo at her former Cheshire base, which meant a move to Gloucestershire for the season was inevitable, “It’s good that Cheshire has persuaded Richard Thomas to take on the Chairmanship, but he has a big challenge ahead of him. The best move they have made in a decade is introducing Glyn Henderson as Chief Umpire, he will have a very much needed and valuable input, which will hopefully see an improvement.” So what have they been doing in their
time off? Well, children mostly. They make no attempt to deny their new roles as mothers – between them they’ve got three weddings (with a fourth on the horizon), six children and a few generations of homebred ponies. However, once you get the girls onto the subject of plans for the future, it’s obvious none of them are planning on resting on their laurels, and neither have they got any qualms about how easy a comeback’s going to be. Polo Times asked their opinion on the www.polotimes.co.uk
Appitized in Focus
Feature
Tamara Fox Women’s Handicap 6 UK Handicap 2 The sister of Nina Clarkin, Tamara Fox of Cirencester Park holds a 2 goal UK handicap alongside her impressive women’s rating. As well at the girls’ legendary 2007/8 performance, her impressive polo victories include the Ellerston 16 goal in Australia, The Warwickshire Cup in 2002 and also an England Bronze in the 8 Goal 2010 European Championships. Since then, she has run Foxy Ladies Catering with Sophie Meredith, which she left to get married to George Fox and have her two children, Jack and Melba. She describes herself as being much happier than she was eight years ago, and says her working and family achievements have left her much calmer in the face of adversity. Despite being the only one of the girls without a single 2008 ride left, she has stolen one of Nina’s ponies, Jack, who came to her when Nina was pregnant with Elizabeth and never went home.
Nina Clarkin Women’s Handicap 9 UK Handicap 4
Emma Wood Women’s Handicap 6 UK Handicap 2 Born into the famous Tomlinson family, it is no surprise that Emma continues to be one of England’s top lady players. Married to Nick Wood, the multitalented Cambridge qualified vet has been especially busy since the girls were last at the top of their game. She modestly describes the last seven years as having been taken up with, “working, getting married and playing polo” and neglects to mention her role as the driving force behind the Beaufort Embryo Transfer Centre, established in 2002, where top polo pony, Arab and sport horse stallions stand. As a result, she now plays many of the off-spring of her original string. Though now turning her attentions back to polo, Emma does admit her main focus is now her two sons.
stereotype that once women have children they lose their nerve, “It’s probably true, but we’re trying to prove it wrong,” says Emma, underlining that no matter what else has changed, the girls have lost none of their grit. Nina is more pragmatic, “I think obviously your priorities and focuses shift, but if you are still determined and driven then I think nothing really changes. I am sure it is different for every individual but if you have goals and are determined to achieve them then that is www.polotimes.co.uk
Since we last saw Nina, she has been dividing her time playing polo in the UK and New Zealand, and also having her first child, Elizabeth, with her husband, 8 goal professional John Paul. Nina has the impressive moniker of the best female polo player in the world, boasting both a women’s handicap of 9, and a UK handicap of 4. To this day, Nina remains being the only woman to have won the UK Gold Cup in 2003, a victory that she achieved alongside John Paul and both Mark and Luke Tomlinson. Having been out earlier this season with injury, Nina returns on top form, with a string containing one of her 2008 ponies, Muffit, who she claims is still her best. She has also made good use of JP’s retired high goal ponies, having appropriated a few for her own uses. She plays in Appitized alongside her sister, Tamara.
Lucy Taylor Women’s Handicap 4 UK Handicap 0 Lucy has been based in Cheshire from 2010-2014, but has been travelling extensively abroad to play and coach ladies’ polo, usually spending her summers in the UK and her winters in Barbados or New Zealand. Her first child, Taylor, was born in 2013, the same year she bought a home in New Zealand with her fiancé, Johnny Coddington. Last September she was kicked in the stomach and ruptured her intestine, and spent a few months recovering. In the new line-up of Appitized, she will only be playing one pony, Dublin, from her 2008 8 goal string, though three of his progeny are now in her line-up too. Lucy claims her taste in ponies has not changed much, though thinks she has a better line-up now she has had the time to build it.
entirely within your power.” Tamara agrees, “It’s been hard to get back into shape the second time around, but I think getting older is more of a problem than motherhood. I feel slower and less aggressive than I did eight years ago. Having ridden for so long, getting back in the saddle felt very natural, but the first few games were very fast and I got quite left behind. It’s actually rather nice to get out onto the field and have a break from the children.” We ask if motherhood has changed
the team’s attitude to a potentially dangerous sport and the response is unanimous, “Motherhood is far more dangerous than polo!” jokes Emma. “My view hasn’t changed at all, I don’t think. I love the sport and if I ever get to the point when I am thinking it’s too dangerous, that will be my cue to finish playing,” says Nina. Lucy agrees, saying she’s, “not at all worried for myself but I would worry if [my daughter] Taylor wanted to play!” Even Lucy, who claims to “still live Polo Times, July 2015
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Feature
Appitized in Focus
out of a suitcase”, says “having a child has not changed my lifestyle yet, though I think having more than one makes it trickier.” Which obviously brings us to the most important questions, what’s the plan now? The girls have opted to keep their positions on the team the same. Nina explains, “The dynamics are much the same, we all play in the same positions, but I think all our individual games have changed and developed and that is reflected in the way we now play.” Their results to date have not been as all-conquering as their famous
Quick Q&A Q: Describe yourself in three words? Lucy Taylor (LT): Busy, organized, Northern. Tamara Fox (TF): Er. . . Tired? LT: I think Tamara means polite, tough and talkative. Emma Wood (EW): Work hard, play hard (Sorry, that’s four!) Nina Clarkin (NC): Determined, competitive and loud. Q: Describe the team in three words? NC: Even more determined, competitive and loud! TF: Fun, challenging, determined. LT: Good fun, tough. EW: Awesome good fun. Q. Do you prefer playing mixed or women’s polo? EW: Mixed, definitely. LT: I like both. NC: I always preferred playing mixed polo, but recently, with the enormous growth of women’s polo, I’ve started to enjoy that more. Playing both has developed my game in different ways and led to me being a much more rounded player with the flexibility and ability to play in all positions; something I am not sure I would have achieved from just playing mixed polo. I am enormously excited about the future of women’s polo and am looking forward to being involved with and playing it for a long time to come as I think it is going to undergo some fantastic changes for the good. TF: I like playing as a women’s team in men’s polo, it has the speed of men’s but it’s great playing with four ladies. Q: What qualities do you think a female player has to have to succeed? LT: Good horses and hard work! NC: Drive, determination, power, gameawareness, fitness and good ponies.
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Polo Times, July 2015
2007/08 run, but the girls remain quietly confident; “I find it much easier to leave disappointment and anger on the field now,” admits Nina, “and consequently I am mostly calmer and more focused. I also value enormously the time on my horses with no interruptions!” Lucy agrees with this new, more mature mindset, “I’m far more appreciative. I think I’m more aware of how much work the other three do on the field and I try to join in – from time to time!” Tamara also thinks the break has been illuminating, “It’s great to be back in the
team, I think we are probably anticipating each other too much, and we should be more patient waiting for a pass. We are the same team but we’ve got better at covering each other and moving around a lot.” While we’ll have to wait to see what they achieve in the rest of this season, we ask them if this will be the start of a new campaign? Lucy laughs, “I don’t know if any of us have peaked or will return to our peak! Why don’t you ask me again in 10 years.” In the meantime, we’ll have to be content with that.
TF: Speed getting around the field and good organisational skills off the field! EW: Strength, fight and horses.
Also, to promote women’s polo and be an integral part of the growth and expansion of the sport. For Lucy to continue to find us sponsorship so we can carry on playing together, such as playing in this team, is such a pleasure. I respect these girls as polo players, but also count them as some of my best friends which makes it, despite some ups and downs on the field, an amazing opportunity and enormously good fun, both on the field and off! TF: Not to embarrass myself and to qualify for the Archie David.
Q: Advice for young female players? EW: Work harder on the field. LT: If you want to do it, keep trying, work and make friends. At the end of the day this team is back together because we became great friends over the period of 2007-09. Yes, we all knew each other before, but now we make an effort to get together. There are more opportunities on the international circuit than ever before, when you travel be memorable for being polite as well as fun and a player who tried. It’s sometimes a real effort to be social but it pays off. NC: Keep positive, keep focused and know that it is not an easy sport to succeed in, but if you want it enough then you will find a way to achieve your ambitions. TF: Work hard in the game, there should be no coasting. Also, you can have it all, so aim high. Q: What are your goals now? EW & LT: To win a tournament together! NC: To continue to play at a high level and try and hold on to my title of best female player.
Q: What do your other halves think of the re-formation? EW: They think it’s great news. Nick’s very proud. NC: Very supportive! JP often coaches us when he is able to. They also have to put up with the team dinners, which invariably involve lots of wine and lots of stories from the games! LT: Johnny thinks it’s really good! He’s very supportive! TF: George has been great, he’s working all week, so enjoys being with the kids at the weekend.
Getting to know: Appitized Kevin Harrington of Appitized tells us: “Appitized are a Warrington based mobile app development business. All those apps on your iPhone or Android phone – that’s the sort of thing we make. Our clients use our apps to market their business or improve the business processes. Our clients include Cabinet Office, Reebok and a number of NHS trusts. We like unique sponsorship opportunities and the Appitized polo team, as a reformed ladies team, fitted that bill. We love their determination and the creation from some of the fine teams they have beaten. The Appitized Team are a great advert for polo and they are becoming a great Gary, Lucy Taylor’s pony, visited the Warrington advert for Appitized as well.” based offices to introduce himself to the Appitized Go to www.appitized.com to find out more. business team
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Reports
The Cartier Queen’s Cup, Guards Polo Club
Kings of The Queen’s Cup Dubai and Salkeld outfoxed by King Power in The Cartier Queen’s Cup Finals
Lucy Wilson reports from Guards
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Polo Times, July 2015
Photograph by ©www.imagesofpolo.com
G
uards Polo Club marks its Diamond Jubilee in 2015 and it was a fitting celebration of world class polo on Finals’ Day, which turned out to be a family affair for Aiyawatt ‘Top’ and Apichet ‘Tal’, the Srivaddhanaprabha brothers. Both teams, fielded out of their magnificent Billingbear Park yard, took home trophies in two thrilling Finals which went to nail-biting seventh chukkas. To kick-off the day’s proceedings, Tal Srivaddhanaprabha, who has made his debut at high goal level only this year, and his teammates, took on Salkeld in the Subsidiary Final. King Power were on flying form and were proving a force to be reckoned with, but Salkeld made a last-minute comeback to tie the scores 10-10 in the sixth chukka and pushed the game into extra time. However, it was Tal who, cool as a cucumber, scored the winning goal and secured victory, much to the delight of the crowd. Next on the shopping list for team Srivaddhanprabha was the big prize of the day: The Cartier Queen’s Cup Final. There was just one thing that stood in the way of Top’s King Power Foxes powerhouse: the mighty Dubai. With 10 years in the high goal game and a pony list that brings a tear to many an opponent’s eye, this year Dubai had been plagued with controversy throughout the tournament, with team changes and a
Gonzalito Pieres and Alejo Ortiz de Tarenco Stirling do battle in front of packed stands
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The Cartier Queen’s Cup, Guards Polo Club
dramatic Semi Final. Cambiaso took a heavy ride-off from Lucas Monteverde before storming off the pitch limping and failing to return, leaving Sapo Caset to finish the game for him. With whisperings in the pony lines early on Final’s Day that he would not make an appearance, despite still being listed on the morning team sheets, the question over Cambiaso and his fitness to play wasn’t answered until the players began to make their way onto The Queen’s Ground. It seemed even King Power Foxes were kept in the dark – for when Pablo MacDonough rode onto the ground as a substitute for Cambiaso, the King Power Foxes team immediately cantered off The Queen’s Ground to rearrange their pony lists. Afficionados amongst our readers will note that in a strange twist of fate it was actually MacDonough who played in Facundo’s place to secure victory for the Pieres brothers back in 2008 when he subbed-in and took Ellerston White to victory in The Queen’s Cup, but for this year the MacDonough and Pieres cousins were firmly on opposing sides. Interestingly, the only original team member for Dubai in this year’s Final was Rashid Albwardy. Diego Cavanagh (8) and Tom Brodie (2) were swapped out before the Semi Finals for Alejo Ortiz de Tarenco Stirling (6) and Dubai Manager Martin Valent (4). It seemed that as Cavanagh was injured, the team couldn’t locate another 8 goal player to take his place, so Brodie ended up on the sidelines as www.polotimes.co.uk
Reports
they opted for a more balanced combination. However, whilst Rashid may have been the only original team member left in the lineup, he was not to be underestimated with the usual ‘patron’ moniker. An accurate and effective player, particularly at short plays and with strong marking, Rashid does far more than just receive the plays from his professionals. So, battle commenced and the first chukka looked as though King Power Foxes would continue their unbeaten form through the qualifiers and claim the ultimate win as they led 3-2 and looked fully in charge. However,
“We had a talk at half time and changed everything” in chukkas two, three and four, MacDonough turned up the heat and took the lead for Dubai with the scores reading 4-3, 6-4 and 7-5 respectively. King Power Foxes unusually found themselves trailing for two thirds of the game. Yet a rethink at half-time saw the strategy change as Facundo explained to Polo Times in the players’ tent after the match. “We had a talk at half-time and changed the way of play completely. Instead of trying to run and hit the ball we focused on me and my brother having possession of the ball, plus we changed the way of marking – I started going for the hit-ins Polo Times, July 2015
27
Reports
The Cartier Queen’s Cup, Guards Polo Club
Photograph by ©www.imagesofpolo.com
‘Top’ Srivaddhanaprabha is presented with The Queen’s Cup trophy by Her Majesty The Queen and Cartier Executive Chairman Arnaud Bamberger
and we put Hugo behind to make a difference. With Gonzalito on Pablo, and Hugo on Facha the plan worked.” By the fifth chukka, King Power Foxes had reached a turning point, and in this pivotal chukka, they reversed the lead to 9-8 in their favour. Facundo played most of the fifth on his mare Cube who went on to deservedly win the Best Playing Pony Award and her contribution to the final score line should not be underestimated. With a true battle underway, the sixth chukka was fast, furious and frantic as both teams really had to fight to score, and the match continued to be closely contested. As the final chukka came to a close the score remained 10-10, but a whistle and a penalty for Dubai had the crowds in the stands waiting with baited breath; MacDonough had nearly three quarters of the field to run and a pack of defensive King Power Foxes players to navigate past in order to finish the game. The 10 goaler got close to the goal but the clock stopped him from scoring and the match went to extra time. MacDonough again tried to break away, but in a beautiful piece of play belying his 1 goal handicap, Top set up a goal that was claimed by Facundo to score the winning goal and finish the game 11-10 in favour of King Power Foxes. Her Majesty The Queen, resplendent in pink, and Cartier Executive Chairman Arnaud Bamberger, presented the prizes to all of the Finalists. Home-grown Brit Hugo Lewis, who played for King Power Foxes throughout the tournament, drew a huge cheer from the crowd when he was called up to collect his prize. 28
Polo Times, July 2015
So what were the factors that contributed to King Power’s win in just their second year of high goal? Certainly Hugo Lewis, one of two young players being nurtured by King Power, has come a long way this year. The young English player started his polo career with The Pony Club, and later played at Kirtlington Park Polo Club and Cirencester
“Hugo has been important since the first day, I think he’s really, really good for a one goaler” Park Polo Club, before being selected by King Power for the 2015 season. Commentators Chris Hyde and Ebe Sievwright both remarked on Hugo’s performance with Chris commenting, “Hugo Lewis has been the player of the tournament for me” and Ebe picked up on how Hugo must have felt, “It is Hugo’s first high goal Final. This is nerve racking stuff, but he is holding his nerve.” Hugo really held his own, despite giving away a penalty with just three minutes to go in the sixth chukka that could have cost them their game, he also won his team three other penalties in the last two chukkas alone. At no point did he argue with umpires Dixon and Wright, he was calm and followed instruction from his patron and 10 goal teammates. Hugo spoke to Polo Times after the game. “You can’t really prepare for an occasion like
this with so many people watching, and the pressure of performing to your handicap or above it, but playing the high quality practices prepares you the best you can. It has been really good working for King Power, they put us through our paces at the start, but as soon as we entered tournament mode we really concentrated, and it was more about the playing.” After the game in the King Power Foxes pony lines, Facundo praised the young English player, “Hugo has been important since the first day. I think he’s really, really good for a one goaler, really intelligent. He’s the fighter on this team, and it’s not easy to be one goal and be marking 8, 9 and 10 goalers. It’s very tough for him and we’re very happy he’s on the team with us.” Of course, two 10 goal players in one team cannot be underestimated and two brothers who play with an inbuilt fraternal intuition are a force to be reckoned with. The distinctive purple hat of Facundo marked out this extraordinarily gifted player who, has now completed a consecutive hat-trick of Queen’s Cup wins, taking the title in 2013 and 2014 with Zacara. However, his older brother Gonzalito, the quiet assassin of the two brothers, is silently effective in the Number 3 shirt and always seems to slip like quicksilver into the right position for the ball in the King Power ranks. Father of the two brothers and former 10-goaler himself Gonzalo Pieres explained, “I am very proud, this is even more important because this win is with a new team. King Power have got two teams here which is www.polotimes.co.uk
Action chukka by chukka Chukka 1
Less than 30 seconds into the first chukka Gonzalito scored the opening goal for King Power Foxes, shortly followed by Pablo MacDonough for Dubai. Gonzalito took the second goal and MacDonough answered again to even the score 2-2. The second whistle of the chukka went to King Power Foxes and Gonzalito scored to take the lead. Score: 3-2 to King Power Foxes
Chukka 2
Facundo came out on Sharapova, his Best Playing Pony from the Semi Final, but his team failed to score in this chukka. Dubai converted a penalty to make the score 3-3. Facundo thwarted Albwardy’s attempt on goal, but a whistle stopped him in his tracks. Another converted penalty from MacDonough took Dubai into the lead. Score: 4-3 to Dubai
Chukka 3
‘Top’ began his chukka on the only stallion in the game 10-year-old KP Hippy. MacDonough had a great run to goal, out running Gonzalito and hit an impressive neckshot to goal in front of the Royal Box. Rashid scored for his Dubai team on 14-year-old mare Silvia to make the score 5-3. Gonzalito scored the only goal in this chukka for King Power Foxes. MacDonough scored to end the chukka. Score: 6-4 to Dubai
Chukka 4
Facundo continued his penalty taking prowess and scored the fifth goal for King Power Foxes. Hugo Lewis had a tumble, after a short delay as his pony galloped back to the pony lines, he remounted and continued the game unhurt. MacDonough managed a seventh goal for Dubai. Score: 7-5 to Dubai
Chukka 5
Valent took a tumble just a few seconds into the chukka but got back on unhurt. Facundo scored from in front of the Royal Box despite a strong ride-off and closed the gap, with Dubai just ahead, 7-6. Hugo Lewis was awarded a Penalty 4, which Facundo converted to even the scores 7-7. Gonzalito converted another penalty, 8-7. Valent scored after a great set-up from Rashid and equalised the scores again, 8-8. King Power Foxes converted a penalty and took the lead once more. Score: 9-8 to King Power Foxes
Chukka 6 Dubai won a penalty in the opening seconds but MacDonough faltered. MacDonough fouled Gonzalito, which King Power Foxes converted to make the score 108. MacDonough won back a penalty for Dubai with a lovely ground-shot. Facundo launched a huge shot at goal, after a discussion with the umpires and goal judges the shot was called wide. MacDonough scored another penalty and equalised the scores 10-10. In the dying seconds of the chukka Valent tried for another, but the ball went wide. Meanwhile, Gonzalito made a dash to score but Valent cleared the ball. A penalty in favour of King Power Foxes could have ended the game, but it went wide despite a huge hit from Facundo. Score: 10-10
Chukka 7
MacDonough started the chukka with a break away from the mêlée, but Facundo stole the ball from under his nose. Both players raced to goal, but it was Facundo who slotted the ball over the line and made the golden goal. Score: 11-10 to King Power Foxes
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a very good effort. Today was one of the best wins I have ever seen, because the timing was good, you know? We had plenty of doubts at half-time! Dubai began ahead in the first chukka, we should have been two goals up, after that for the next two chukkas Dubai were blocking us. Even Facundo, who has all the talent in the world, couldn’t get through their defence. The second half was a different game. It could have gone the other way, but in the end it was a good win for King Power Foxes.” The King Power set up isn’t just about ponies and pitches, the Srivaddhanaprabha family, under the guidance of Manager Pete McCormack, have invested heavily in facilities, physios, sports psychologists and trainers for their players. Their grooms out-numbered the Dubai set-up three to one. King Power not only has all the gear, but they also have lots of idea. Dubai’s efforts and skill as a team cannot be forgotten, however. Dubbed by commentators Hyde, Sievwright and Hayward as ‘Danger-man’, MacDonough took King Power Foxes by surprise, hitting balls and running to the right and down the boards on many occasions, as well as utilising Valent, Stirling and Albwardy to their full playing potential to keep the scoring momentum going. Valent’s grey pony Brama, one of only two English-bred ponies in the game, was like a piece of elastic, stretching and turning to place him wherever he needed to be. At the end of the day, maybe it simply came down to penalties (19 conceded by Dubai and 15 to King Power Foxes) which were with effortless efficiency converted by Facundo who is currently considered the best penalty taker in the world. The bottom line was, King Power Foxes made less errors and were more accurate slotting the ball through the posts. Luck, skill, the talent of the players; they all have a part to play. But the 2015 King Power Foxes line-up are a force to be reckoned with as commentator Chris Hyde succinctly put it, “Top and Hugo are not average players for their handicap and playing with Facu and
Photograph by ©www.imagesofpolo.com
Reports
2015 Cartier Queen’s Cup winners: Hugo Lewis, Aiyawatt ‘Top’ Srivaddhanaprabha, Gonzalito Pieres & Facundo Pieres with Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, Arnaud Bamberger, HM The Queen & Jock Green-Armytage
Gonzalito who are not normal 10 goalers, takes the team to another stratosphere”. The Pieres brothers won The British Open Championship (Gold Cup) in 2008 together with La Bamba de Areco and are set on another sibling victory. Top reached the Finals last year and lost out narrowly to Dubai in just his first year of 22 goal competition. With this team operating in another stratosphere, all eyes now turn to Cowdray. Watch this space. The Cartier Queen’s Cup Final teams: King Power Foxes (22): Aiyawatt ‘Top’ Srivaddhanaprabha 1; Hugo Lewis 1; Gonzalito Pieres 10; Facundo Pieres 10 Dubai (22): Rashid Albwardy 2; Martin Valent 4; Alejo Ortiz de Tarenco Stirling 6; Pablo MacDonough 10 The Most Valuable Player: Facundo Pieres The Cartier Queen’s Cup Best Playing Pony: Cube, owned and played by Facundo Pieres The Cartier Queen’s Cup Subsidiary Final teams: King Power (22): Aipchet ‘Tal’ Srivaddhanaprabha 0; Alejandro Muzzio 7; Marcos Di Paola 8; Guillermo Willington 7 Salkeld (22): Nick Clarke 1; Juan Gris Zavaleta 7; Joaquin Pittaluga 7; Luke Tomlinson 7
Facts and figures: Horsepower and team support for the Final King Power Foxes: 43 ponies in total Argentine origin: 34 Irish origin: 2 Australian origin: 6 USA origin: 1 Best Playing Pony Awards: 8 Stallions: 1 Mares: 40 Geldings: 2 Number of grooms: 15 Manager: Pete McCormack
Dubai: 44 ponies in total Argentine origin: 31 USA origin: 8 South African: 1 English origin: 2 Australian origin: 2 Best Playing Pony Awards: 1 Stallions: 0 Mares: 37 Geldings: 7 Number of grooms: 5 Manager: Martin Valent
Gonzalito and Facundo Pieres 22 goal UK wins on same team: 2008: The Queen’s Cup win playing for Ellerston (Facundo was replaced by Pablo McDonough through injury) 2009: Gold Cup win playing for La Bamaba de Areco
Polo Times, July 2015
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The Cartier Queen’s Cup, Guards Polo Club
Photograph by Richenda Hine
Reports
Tack Room Chat
Catching up with Gonzalito and Facundo in their natural habitat with some of the behind the scenes team at Billingbear
Two 10 goalers, one tack room and a moment’s catch-up after their Queen’s Cup victory Just a couple of days after their win in The Queen’s Cup, we exclusively caught up with the star 10 goal members of the King Power Foxes team at their Billingbear Park base. Chatting to Gonzalito and Facundo Pieres as they laconically sip maté in the tack room with The Queen’s Cup for company is surreal (but in a good way). Nick Hine discovers what the plans are for the next big assault, The Gold Cup, from this fraternal powerhouse.
Q
Will you make changes to the team for The Gold Cup? Facundo: No, we will do the same tactics again. We are certainly a bit more happy now that we have won The Queen’s Cup. Gonzalito: But, we do have to adjust and maybe make some changes to the horses and our game plan because the games run faster at Cowdray because the fields are good and run fast.
Q
The Final of The Queen’s Cup was pretty close, it went to an extra chukka. Has this impacted on your plans? Facundo: We are always trying to improve and play better. We know the Final wasn’t our best match, but the team we played
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against were very, very tough and we had a good game. We just need to think about our plan, play a bit better, look after the horses and make sure they’ve recovered from the Final because they had a tough game, and not change that much because the team is the same, so we’re going to play the same way.
Q
With both King Power and King Power Foxes out of this yard, is there any competition between the two? Gonzalito: Until now it’s always been friendly rivalry! But we’re pushing on now, we’re always trying to help each other. Of course we didn’t play against each other in The Queen’s Cup, maybe if it happens in The Gold Cup… things might change.
like to see both teams in the Final of The Gold Cup, that would be brilliant. It is possible – it would be very nice for the organisation to have that result.
Q
How were the horses after The Queen’s Cup Final? Gonzalito: The horses are all good, which is fortunate because it was a very tough game for us.
Q
With three new teams playing in The Gold Cup (Apes Hill, La Indiana, Thai Polo) do you watch them beforehand, to assess their strengths and weaknesses? Facundo: No. We are playing La Indiana in our first Gold Cup game, but we haven’t played or seen them play much. Gonzalito: But we know they beat El Remanso in The Prince of Wales… we will see.
Facundo: We have a very good relationship and they’ve been helping us in every game, because they can look at the game from outside, so whenever they see something, they can give us a hand. This was particularly helpful in the Semi Final and the Final, when they were already out of the tournament. Gonzalito: It’s very good to have their help. This is the first year that King Power have put two teams out and it’s really good. Ideally we’d
Gonzalito and Facundo with their latest addition to the trophy cabinet, The Queen’s Cup
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The Gigaset International, Beaufort Polo Club, Gloucestershire
Reports
Double Win for England The weather conditions may have been damp but the polo was hot
Team England reigned triumphant vs Ireland in the Gigaset International Test Match
Lucy Wilson reports from Gloucestershire
A
fter a less than exciting display of polo at last month’s St. Regis International the change in opposition team line-up for England was worth donning wellies and braving the drizzle for on Saturday 13 June. The day had plenty of other entertainment opportunities for all members of the family, as the Gigaset International and the England vs Rest of the World Ladies’ Match was only a small part of the Gloucestershire Festival of Polo programme at Beaufort Polo Club. The shopping village was well stocked with tempting tipples and cosy cashmere. Before the polo began, a display
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of working sheep dogs in the pen next to an incredible falconry exhibition entertained the guests and the Beaufort hounds took a turn around the field just in time to clean up any left-over picnics post-lunch. The Club had a more than healthy turnout of locals and a strong HPA presence in the stands for both the England vs Ireland and the ladies’ games. Though the weekend held excitement for many, proceedings were overshadowed by news of the sudden death of Jeff Thomas on Friday. A minute’s silence was held for owner of Tally Ho Farm, the Official Equestrian Supplier to the England Polo Team, and keen a sportsman who will be sorely missed. Ireland, as a team, are hugely competitive and in the last year or so have had plenty of opportunities to play as a team, with only a few line-up variations. In the FIP qualifiers Ireland did well with
Richard, the Earl of Tyrone, swapping his seat for Richard Fagan. In the arena earlier this year, Seb Dawnay, Mikey Henderson and Richard, the Earl of Tyrone almost claimed victory over England, but Chris Hyde stopped them in their tracks. Richard was back on form at Beaufort, despite suffering from injury earlier this season causing him to miss playing in last month’s International and some of his games in The Cartier Queen’s Cup. On the sidelines, the Irish tent was also well supported, with a busy group of family and friends as backup. After the game, Ralph Richardson, on his England team debut, confessed, “I don’t normally get nervous before a game, but today I was. I thought I’d be all right, but as I drove past I started shivering. Everyone was trying to get a word out of me; I’m normally quite chatty but today I wasn’t having any of it!” Polo Times, July 2015
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Reports
The Gigaset International, Beaufort Polo Club, Gloucestershire
England mixed their team up with a combination of youth and experience. Team Captain Mark Tomlinson and Pete Webb, both familiar faces on the England squad, played alongside Matt Perry and first-timer Ralph Richardson. This combination of up-and-coming talent and International experience could have been a tricky one to face a polished Irish side. The game was fast, flowing and for the most part free of fouls. The fields at Beaufort played brilliantly considering the overnight rain and damp overcast start to the day. After the first three chukkas it did look ready for potato planting, but a crowd of spectators eager to tread-in soon fixed the field. Chukka one ended in an exciting draw of 3-3 as both teams settled into a routine of passes and plays to challenge their opposition. The second chukka belonged to England, who stretched ahead leading 6-5 on a total of four ponies that have been registered with the Retraining of Racehorses scheme. Webb and Tomlinson worked in a faultless double act to produce three more goals and shut down Dawnay and Henderson as they fought to keep the Irish goals coming. Richardson didn’t look out of place in the game and he almost took the ball the length of the field to score, but lost it just as Tomlinson came through to
finish off the job. Polo Times spoke to Ralph after the game as he praised Captain, Mark Tomlinson, “It was great to play with Mark, and Matt and Pete, obviously. Mark’s been helping me out a lot so it was great to finally play with him.” The third chukka was one of the best of the day, by now the players and the ponies were more confident in the way the ground was holding up. They had more of an idea about their opposition’s game plan, their strengths and weaknesses. The Irish came into their own in this chukka as they came out on some serious horsepower with
the clear intention of changing the scores around. The first penalty went in their favour. Despite a glorious hit from the Earl of Tyrone it never made it though the posts. For the first time that afternoon the game seemed to slow and turned into a confused mush of ponies, players and sticks. Dawnay eventually broke away and managed to score, quickly followed by the Earl of Tyrone and then a final goal from Ireland ended the match with an Irish lead, 8-6. Chukka number four seemed to flow better, but most of the goals were products of penalties. Tomlinson demonstrated why he was an obvious choice to Captain the team as he held his teammates together and between himself and Webb. the penalties started to stack up in their favour. With just 30 seconds left on the clock Webb equalised the scores for a second time after hitting a faultless Penalty 3 to make 9-9. Cracks in the Irish plan of attack developed, as England seemed to cut through their defence. Richard, the Earl of Tyrone spoke about their struggle, “We went out there with a plan to keep it open and be very disciplined. We wanted to keep it simple and clean and it worked until halfway through the fourth chukka.
Photographs by Gordon Lindsay & Tom Reynolds
Action from the England vs Ireland match
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The Gigaset International, Beaufort Polo Club, Gloucestershire
Nick Hine presents Richard, the Earl of Tyrone with The Polo Magazine Most Valuable Player Award
The other guys made a few changes, and slowed it up a bit and that’s how they got the advantage in the end.” Perry, who hadn’t seemed to feature much until the last chukka came into his own, pushing play up to goal on more than one occasion and allowing his teammates to finish the job. Perry spoke to Polo Times, “The Irish went very fast and hard. The field was pretty good considering it was drizzly and horrible in the morning. The last chukka was the best, it was about the only chukka I could hit the ball!” England scored early in the last chukka to make 11-9 but the Earl of Tyrone and Dawnay were yet to admit defeat and between them they scored another two goals to equalise 11-11. Tomlinson, cool, calm and collected as ever, took a penalty for England that flew across the ground and dead centre through the goal posts. Webb seemed to come out of nowhere, slicing his way through the Irish opposition to score the winning goal. Ireland were left wondering who on earth was supposed to be marking him as the Keyte brothers blew the final whistle on a score of 13-11. Webb said after the game that, “Mark pulled it out the bag when we needed it. We always knew we would come back, even when we were two goals down, we had confidence.” Richard, the Earl of Tyrone was awarded The Polo Magazine Most Valuable Player Award and Mikey Henderson’s mare Lucy’s Lady, won the Retraining of Racehorses Best Playing Pony Award. The mare had combined winnings of £20,000 during her time in training before coming to polo. The England Ladies vs Ladies of the Rest of the World match followed after a short interlude of much needed treading in and didn’t disappoint even the most seasoned www.polotimes.co.uk
polo spectator. By this stage in the day, the rain had cleared and the sun was almost present. The ladies played hard, fast and both teams took a lot of risks in their plays. The England Ladies team, more commonly known as their National 8 goal sponsored team name, Appitized, had already played five games in the days leading up to the match. This would either mean they were well tuned as a team, or struggling for pony power. The first chukka’s score line definitely confirmed the former, with England leading 2-0. Ladies of the Rest of the World, in fluorescent pink shirts, were fighting strong and the outcome of the game didn’t reflect the final score. Camaraderie was also a strong theme in the game; Emma Wood lost her mallet in a sticky hook but, as the game continued on, Hazel Jackson rode over to pick her it for her. Izzy Parsons was incredibly strong; ever since she was a teenager she has never been afraid of a hard ride-off or a pony race to goal. She didn’t disappoint in this game either. Hazel Jackson seems to grow in strength from season to season and her skill on the ball is more than just accurate. Sarah Wiseman has a cool head on her, which is vital for keeping a team of players focused, and together on their goal, whilst Claire Brougham provided the final piece to the puzzle as a go-between from defence to attack. The England Ladies simply managed to get the ball between the posts every time they went to goal. The pink-shirted Rest of the World ladies had plenty of misses and close calls at goal. The final chukka of the game was the most thrilling of all, with both teams pushing their ponies and Jackson trying to score with a couple of fantastic runs to goal. However, it was Izzy who managed the second goal after an incredible pony race; she out ran England to finish the game 6-2 with just seconds left on the clock. Tamara Fox was awarded The Polo Magazine Most Valuable Player Award for her contribution to England’s win. Izzy Parsons, who is nowadays rarely a regular on the pitch, since she gave up playing competitively, was kindly lent ponies by Stephen Hutchinson and Janie Dear. Fittingly it was Chisperito, owned by Janie Dear and played by Izzy, who was awarded the Polo Times Best Playing Pony Award. The Gloucestershire Festival of Polo continued on Sunday 14 June with plenty more polo fun for spectators and first time visitors to the Club. The highlight of Sunday was The Gigaset Charity Polo Cup, which thanks to HRH Prince George and
Reports
his parents HRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, made it to every major newspaper front cover on the following day. Sunday saw two very special matches; The Gigaset Charity Polo Cup, in which a Royal Salute team including HRH Prince Harry took on The Duke of Cambridge’s Piaget team. This year it was the younger royal, who went home with the trophy. The match was held in aid of the Household Cavalry Foundation, England and Wales Mountain Rescue and the Irish Guards Charitable Funds. The festivities were rounded off with the inaugural Javier Novillo Astrada U15 Cup as the last match of the weekend. Please turn to the Youth section for a report on the tournament. For more coverage of Ladies’ Polo, please turn to our Women’s Polo section
The Retraining of Racehorses Best Playing Pony Award went to Mikey Henderson’s Lucy’s Lady
Gigaset International Test Match Teams England: Mark Tomlinson (6), Matt Perry (5), Ralph Richardson (1) & Pete Webb (5) Ireland: Max Hutchinson (3), Mikey Henderson (4), Richard, the Earl of Tyrone (6) & Seb Dawnay (4) Result: England beat Ireland, 13-11 The Polo Magazine Most Valuable Player Award: Richard, the Earl of Tyrone RoR Best Playing Pony Award: Lucy’s Lady, owned and played by Mikey Henderson England Ladies vs Ladies of the Rest of the World Teams England Ladies: Lucy Taylor (3), Emma Wood (6), Nina Clarkin (9) & Tamara Fox (6) Ladies of the Rest of the World: Claire Brougham (6), Sarah Wiseman (7), Hazel Jackson (8) & Izzy Parsons (6) Result: England Ladies beat Ladies of the Rest of the World, 6-2 The Polo Magazine Most Valuable Player Award: Tamara Fox Polo Times Best Playing Pony Award: Chisperito, owned by Janie Dear and played by Izzy Parsons. Please turn to Pony Power to read more about him. Polo Times, July 2015
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Metropolitan Polo Club An Exceptionally Refined World at Your Service www.metropolitanpoloclub.com Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club, 16 Hai Tai Hua Ke Jiu Lu, Bin Hai Gao Xin Qu, Tianjin 30384, China.
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The Prince of Wales Trophy, RCBPC
Reports
La Indiana Win Photography by Gillian Hughes
The 2015 Prince of Wales Trophy
La Indiana’s, John Paul Clarkin on the ball
T
he Prince of Wales Trophy, sponsored by Rolls Royce and Eleven, was a contest between El Remanso, fresh from The Cartier Queen’s Cup, and La Indiana. Michael Bickford and his team took the game as a warm-up before the start of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup. James Harper opened the scoring for La Indiana, and after scoring 8 out of their 14 goals he was later deservedly named The Most Valuable Player and received a pair of Carlos Gracida spurs. In the second chukka, Ollie Cudmore’s horse tripped and fell and he was substituted by Australian 4 goaler Alec White, who fitted well into the El Remanso team. Ollie damaged his teeth and cut his mouth, but is now well on the way to recovery. After a close first chukka with the scores at 3-3, La Indiana began to edge ahead, and despite El Remanso scoring five goals in the final chukka, three of which were courtesy of Uruguayan 10 goaler David ‘Pelon’ Stirling, they couldn’t quite combat Michael Bickford’s team, who took the title for the second year in a row. T he Prince of Wales Trophy; Saturday 12 June; The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club Result: La Indiana beat El Remanso, 14-13 Teams: El Remanso (22): George Hanbury 3; Charlie Hanbury 4; Ollie Cudmore 5 (later substituted by Alec White 4); David ‘Pelon’ Stirling 10 La Indiana (24): Michael Bickford 1; James Beim 7; John Paul Clarkin 8; James Harper 6 Most Valuable Player: James Harper Best Playing Pony: True Colours, owned and played by James Harper
La Indiana, winners of The 2015 Prince of Wales Trophy
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Polo Times, July 2015
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Reports
The Bledisloe Warwickshire Cup, Cirencester Park Polo Club
Victorious Apes Hill Club
H
Apes Hill Club have made a mark as they return to the UK high goal scene exactly forty years ago with his team San Flamingo. His line-up then featured Howard Hipwood, Alan Scherer and Ronnie Driver. Naturally, Sir Charles was delighted to finally get his hands on The Bledisloe Warwickshire Cup. Later in the afternoon the match card featured the Casablanca Ladies’ High Goal Exhibition. The girls played under their new ladies’ handicaps. The match ended with a win for Cirencester Polo over Coombe Farm Wines with a final score of 4½-3. T he Bledisloe Warwickshire Cup; Sunday 21 June; Cirencester Park Polo Club Result: Apes Hill Club beat HB Polo, 8-6 Apes Hill Club (22): Ralph Richardson 1; Eduardo Novillo Astrada 9; Mark Tomlinson 6; Tom Morley 6 HB Polo (20): Ludovic Pailloncy 1; Ignacio Toccalino 8; Christian Laprida 8; Sebastian Pailloncy 3 The Most Valuable Player: Mark Tomlinson Best Playing Pony: Milly, owned and played by Mark Tomlinson
The Casablanca Ladies’ High Goal teams
Casablanca Ladies’ High Goal teams; Sunday 21 June; Cirencester Park Polo Club Result: Cirencester Polo beat Coombe Farm Wines, 4½-3 Cirencester Polo (26): Lucy Taylor 4; Izzy Parsons 6; Nina Clarkin 9; Sarah Wiseman 7 Coombe Farm Wines (27): Emma Wood 6; Tamara Fox 6; Lia Salvo 9; Annabel McNaught Davies 6
Photography by John Hankin
alcyon Gallery reigned supreme for three years until Sunday 21 June, when The Bledisloe Warwickshire Cup was handed over to Apes Hill Club, an all-pro team with each teammate also holding a British passport. The 22 goal team beat HB Polo, 8-6 to take the trophy. HB Polo fielded a 20 goal team so started with a 2 goal handicap start on the board. However, Apes Hill Club, confident after a comfortable win over Thai Polo in the Semi Finals, made a very strong start and closed the gap to level the scores to 2-2 by the end of the first chukka. Apes Hill Club went on to take an early lead and by the end of the second chukka they had managed another goal to make it 3-2 in their favour. HB Polo were very determined, and didn’t let Apes Hill Club get too far away, but they could never quite catch them. Mark Tomlinson who was named Most Valuable Player for his pivotal influence on the final score explained, “It was a very close game and HB Polo fought hard throughout.” This was a great result for Apes Hill Club and their patron, Sir Charles Williams who won the Bathurst Cup, the Subsidiary to The Warwickshire,
Sir Charles Williams raises The Bledisloe Warwickshire Cup
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Polo Times, July 2015
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Reports
Audi Polo Challenge
Audi Polo Weekend Audi continue to show their support of English polo and our home-grown players in their annual event at Coworth Park
Tilda Woodd reports from Berkshire
T
he English polo community could be forgiven for thinking that the days of enjoying the impeccably organised Audi polo events that we have grown to know and love over the years have come to an end. However, the atmosphere at the recent Audi Polo Challenge event that has been held annually at Coworth Park Polo Club since 2002, gave off every impression that the friendship between English polo and the leading car brand is still very much in place. Not only did the 13th edition of the event once again illustrate Audi’s close association with HRH Prince Harry, HRH The Duke of Cambridge and their support of the selected charities, but it also highlighted their continuous backing of the English polo players. Over the two-day event, guests were treated to top-class displays of polo, from a compilation of the world’s most talented players, including none other than England Captain James Beim and New Zealand’s Captain, 8 goaler John Paul Clarkin. Also featuring on the team sheet were, and perhaps more notably, Prince Harry and The Duke of Cambridge, who consistently perform well up to their 1 goal handicaps. On both Saturday and Sunday, the crowd watched as an Audi Ultra side took on an Audi Quattro opposition in pursuit of the Audi Polo Challenge title. HRH Prince Harry opened the scoring for his Audi Ultra teammates, Nina Clarkin, Malcolm Borwick and Luke Tomlinson in the weekend’s opening match, with the Prince’s side going on to secure an 8½-6 victory. With one win already under his belt, Prince Harry returned for Sunday’s
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Polo Times, July 2015
HRH The Duke of Cambridge in action
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Photography by Tony Ramirez/www.imagesofpolo.com
Audi Polo Challenge
Reports
Caption
HRH Prince Harry plays a nearside forehand for Audi Ultra
game, determined to claim his second success of the weekend. The Prince took to the field with the refreshed team line-up of his brother, The Duke of Cambridge, who had chosen the event to make his 2015 UK polo debut, Mark Tomlinson and John Paul Clarkin. Despite Audi Quattro putting up a strong fight, and the scoreboard reading 4-4 with just one minute to go, Audi Ultra once again proved to be unbeatable, with Clarkin adding a final goal with just seconds of play remaining. Whilst the two-day event is carefully created to incorporate the original ideals of Audi, the Royal Family and also England polo, most importantly The Audi Polo Challenge raises significant funds for a selection of The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry’s charities. Over the weekend Audi, along with the players and their guests, helped to raise money for Sentebale, Child Bereavement UK and RFU Injured Players Foundation. André Konsbruck, Director of Audi UK, expressed his gratitude, “Thank you to all the polo players for showing your support of the Audi Polo Challenge, we really appreciate it,” before presenting The Duke of Cambridge with a pair of pink wellington boots for his daughter, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge. www.polotimes.co.uk
Since Audi first became involved with the sport, they have established a reputation for hosting some of the greatest events English polo has ever seen, and this year was unsurprisingly no different. Following the entertainment on the pitch, and to celebrate the funds that they had raised, Audi invited their guests inside where they continued to be amused. After enjoying a delicious three-course dinner, guests were treated to an exceptional performance by Brit-Award winner John Newman. Audi Polo Challenge Teams Saturday Audi Ultra: HRH Prince Harry (1) , Nina Clarkin (4), Malcolm Borwick (6), Luke Tomlinson (7) Audi Quattro: Jack Mann (2), Ollie Cudmore (5), Max Charlton (7), Tom Morley (6) Result: Audi Ultra beat Audi Quattro 8½ –6 Sunday Audi Ultra: HRH Prince Harry (1), Mark Tomlinson (6), John Paul Clarkin (8), HRH The Duke of Cambridge (1) Audi Quattro: Michael Bickford (1), Jack Mesquita (1), James Beim (7), James Harper (6) Result: Audi Ultra beat Audi Quattro 5–4 Please turn to our Sidelines section for social coverage of the event. Polo Times, July 2015
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Victor Ludorum Winners
Reports
Victor Ludorum Victories Tilda Woodd has been keeping up to date with all the Victor Ludorum tournaments that have been taking place all over the country. The season is now well underway, and particular teams are proving to be tough to beat 18 Goal
The Duke of Sutherland Cup
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In the early moments of the fifth chukka, both Zavaleta and Sola added one to the board for Murus Sanctus, to reduce the gap to just two goals. However, solid team play from Ferne Park’s Gould and Pittaluga increased their lead once again, and despite a last minute contribution from Sola, Ferne Park had done enough to take home the 2015 Duke of Sutherland Cup, with the final score reading 13 goals to 10. Lady Beresford presented The Duke of Sutherland Cup to winners Ferne Park and the Polo Times Best Playing Pony went
to Joaquin Pittaluga’s 13-year-old mare Vincenta. To read more about Vincenta, please turn to our Pony Power section. T he Duke of Sutherland Cup; Sunday 7 June; Cowdray Park Polo Club Result: Ferne Park beat Murus Sanctus, 13-10 Subsidiary Final: Emlor beat Altamira, 6-5 Teams Ferne Park (18): Joaquin Pittaluga 7; Rodrigo Rueda 6; Dirk Gould 5; Josh Cork 0 Murus Sanctus (18): Facundo Sola 8; Juan Zavaleta 7; Juan Cruz Merlos 3; Corinne Ricard 0
Photograph by Clive Bennett/www.polopictures.co.uk
Cowdray welcomed nine teams to their Duke of Sutherland Cup tournament, which kicked off the season’s Victor Ludorum 18 goal section. Following two weeks of fast-paced competition, it was Jonathan Rothermere’s Ferne Park side and Corinne Ricard’s Murus Sanctus who secured a place in the Final on Sunday 7 June. Unfortunately for Ferne Park, their Patron Jonathan Rothermere, was unable to play in the Final due to an injury. Instead his Number One position was taken on by 18-year-old Josh Cork, who is fast becoming one of the most in-demand 0 goal players on the circuit, and additionally was the only Englishman to feature in the Final. Also representing Ferne Park was Australian Dirk Gould and Argentines Joaquin Pittaluga and Rodrigo Rueda while Corinne Ricard had signed up professionals Facundo Sola, Juan Zavaleta and Juan Cruz Merlos for her Murus Sanctus side. Although it was a high-scoring match, the play was quite scrappy throughout, with ten of the 23 goals resulting from infringements. Ferne Park converted a 30 yard penalty to open the scoring, with the two sides playing a fairly even game throughout the first two chukkas. However, come the third chukka it seemed Ferne Park were beginning to find a few weaknesses in the Murus Sanctus line-up, and three quick field goals followed by an accurate 60 yard penalty courtesy of Pittaluga gave Ferne Park an 8-4 lead at half time. Action in the fourth chukka saw both Ferne Park and Murus Sanctus secure three goals apiece making the score 11-7, meaning Ferne Park still maintained a four goal advantage.
Winners of The Duke of Sutherland Cup 2015: Ferne Park
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Reports
Victor Ludorum Winners
Photography by © www.imagesofpolo.com
Clarita and Bridge House of Twyford in action
15 Goal
The Bentley Royal Windsor Cup With 17 team entries, it was Chris Mathias and his Clarita side and Momin Sheikh’s Bridge House of Twyford who succeeded in seeing off the tough opposition to secure a place in the Final. The Bridge House of Twyford side arrived in the Final unbeaten, while Clarita had suffered a loss to Shalimar in the group stages. Riding onto The Queen’s Ground at Guards to compete for what is arguably the most prestigious
Photography by © www.imagesofpolo.com
Winners of The Bentley Royal Windsor Cup 2015: Clarita with HM The Queen, accompanied by Stephen Reynolds, Bentley’s Regional Director and Jock Green-Armytage, GPC Chairman
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15 goal title in the UK programme, Mathias was aiming for his second Royal Windsor win, having previously been victorious back in 2012. Throughout the first-half of the match, both sides produced strong and competitive performances, with the scoreboard reading 8-6 to Clarita at halftime. Unfortunately for Bridge House of Twyford however, the second-half proved to be a completely different story. On returning to the pitch, Clarita produced a form that was simply unstoppable. Meyrick and Mathias showcased great teamwork, with Horne and Mackenzie also displaying impressive skills, the outcome being that Clarita stormed home to victory with a win of 16 goals to 7. Their great play was rewarded in the post-match presentations when HM The Queen, accompanied by Stephen Reynolds, Bentley’s Regional Director for the Middle East and Asia Pacific, presented Clarita with the trophy. Chris Mackenzie was awarded both the Most Valuable Player
Award and also the Best Playing Pony prize for his 10-year-old South African mare, Prospect. Chris was accompanied by his three grooms, Nico, Derek and Paul who were all introduced to HM The Queen. The Subsidiary Final saw what is believed to be the lowest scoring game ever in medium goal polo, as Mad Dogs were victorious against Four Quarters Orange with just 2 goals to 1. T he Bentley Royal Windsor Cup; Sunday 21 June; Guards Polo Club Result: Clarita beat Bridge House of Twyford, 16-7 Subsidiary Final: Mad Dogs beat Four Quarters Orange, 2-1 Teams Clarita (15): Chris Mackenzie 6; George Meyrick 6; Freddie Horne 3; Chris Mathias 0 Bridge House of Twyford (15): William Emerson 5; Daniel Otamendi 5;Peter Webb 5; Momin Sheikh 0
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Reports
Victor Ludorum Winners
12 Goal
The Dollar Cup success for the Poulton Balvanera boys, with Hunter and Iriarte finding the posts one apiece, before Emerson replied with a fifth goal for Conosco to make the score 5-3 at half-time. The half-time break appeared to benefit the Poulton Balvanera boys a little more than their Conosco opposition, as come the end of the third chukka the scoreboard read an even 5-5, meaning all eight players returned to the field for the final seven minutes with everything to play for. Poulton Balvanera returned, continuing to produce the attacking play they had established in the previous chukka. Iriarte led the way, with Hunter quickly following suit to put them in the lead, 7 goals to 5. However, with three minutes to go, Webb and Emerson illustrated strong teamwork and kept their heads together to make it 7 all, so once again the title was very much open. A final throw-in saw JJ De Alba take-off with the ball, showcasing some impressive stickwork as he galloped towards goal before a foul in the goalmouth resulted in a penalty in favour of Poulton Balvanera. Iriarte showed no signs of hesitation as he sent the ball through the centre of the posts, securing The 2015 Dollar Cup for Poulton Balvanera.
T he Dollar Cup; Monday 25 May; Cowdray Park Polo Club Result: Poulton Balvanera beat Conosco, 8-7 Subsidiary Final: BHC/Cadenza Juniors beat Emlor S, 7-5 Teams Poulton Balvanera (12): Tomas Iriarte 5; Lochie Hunter 4; Juan Jose De Alba 2; Ludo Ephson 1 Conosco (12): Will Emerson 5; Peter Webb 5; George Pearson 2; Josh Cork 0
Photograph by Clive Bennett/www.polopictures.co.uk
A record 19 teams entered this year’s Dollar Cup tournament at Cowdray Park Polo Club, making it one of the most popular in the HPA’s Victor Ludorum series. Following four successive victories, Ludo Ephson and Juan Jose De Alba’s Poulton Balvanera side were the first to secure a place in the Final, with George Pearson’s Conosco following suit shortly after. Both Finalists had achieved confident wins in their Semi Final matches, with Poulton Balvanera defeating Beaufort Black Hound 8 goals to 4 and Conosco beating Maiz Dulce 8-3, meaning come Final’s Day both sides were arriving on form. The Poulton Balvanera line-up featured Ephson and De Alba upfront with New Zealand’s Lochie Hunter at Number Three and Argentine Tomas Iriarte at back, while Josh Cork played in the Number One position for Conosco, with Pearson at Two and 5-goal Englishmen, Will Emerson and Pete Webb securing the Number Three and Number Four positions. Conosco seemed to be the side to take control in the early stages, with the WebbEmerson combination producing four goals to Hunter’s single for Poulton Balvanera. The second chukka however proved to bring more
Winners of The 2015 Dollar Cup: Ludo Ephson, Juan Jose De Alba, Tomas Iriarte & Lochie Hunter with Lila Pearson
The Prince of Wales Cup
Photography by Gordon Lindsay
The second Victor Ludorum 12 goal, which was hosted by Beaufort Polo Club, saw a significant decrease in the number of team entries. However, despite the fact that only nine teams were contesting for the title, both Dollar Cup Finalists featured in the tournament’s programme, meaning competition was as competitive as ever. Throughout the whole of The Prince of Wales Cup tournament, with an exception on one occasion, every match was won or lost by a single goal, with the majority of games being decided in an extra 30 seconds, or even a fifth chukka, and the Final proved to be no different.
Dave Allen, Luke Wiles & Daoud Zekrya in action
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Dollar Cup Finalists Poulton Balvanera and Conosco had already illustrated their team strengths in the series’ first 12 goal tournament, and they returned, determined to reach their second successive Final. Their quest seemed to be going to plan, but only until the Semi Finals. It was at this stage that both Poulton Balvanera and Conosco’s route to the Final came to an end. Poulton Balvanera were defeated by home team Beaufort Black Hound, a side they have come up against four times in this year’s 12 goal competition, while Conosco lost out on a place in the Final to Daoud Zekrya’s Aryana side, a single goal being the deciding factor in both instances. The Final displayed 12 goal level at its best, with Beaufort Black Hound and Aryana producing an extremely exciting and closely fought match. Following four chukkas of fast-paced polo, it was Beaufort Black Hound who managed to secure the title 7 goals to 6, the score once again as close as can be. The Subsidiary Final was also won by a
Winners of The 2015 Prince of Wales Cup: Beaufort Black Hound
Beaufort-based team, with Apache defeating Snakebite with another score of 7-6.
The Prince of Wales Cup; Saturday 6 June; Beaufort Polo Club Result: Beaufort Black Hound beat Aryana, 7-6 Subsidiary Final: Apache beat Snakebite, 7-6 Teams Beaufort Black Hound (12): Mark Tomlinson 6; Nico Antinori 5; Ed Banner-Eve 2; Luke Wiles -1 Aryana (13): Tommy Ruiz Guinazu 6; Dave Allen 4; Justo Mourino 3; Daoud Zekrya 0
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Victor Ludorum Winners
Reports
8 Goal
whatever it was La Rosada returned to the field with a refreshed game plan, and one that saw them close the gap to just one goal by the end of the third chukka. Within the first minute of the final chukka, Fontanarrosa had secured another goal for La Rosada, which saw the scoreboard read three goals apiece, before almost immediately taking the ball down the other end of the field, and through the posts once again giving La Rosada the lead for the first time. Despite their early lead and tough teamwork from Renegade, La Rosada managed to maintain their lead for the remainder of the chukka, rewarding them with a Gerald Balding victory, 4 goals to 3. The Cup was presented to La Rosada by Gerald Balding’s nieces, Judith and Tara, with Lochie Hunter’s mare Absolut being awarded the Retraining of Racehorses prize.
The Final of The Gerald Balding Cup, which was established in memory of England’s last 10 goal player, was played at Cirencester Park Polo Club on Sunday 31 May between the two very even line-ups of La Rosada and Renegade. Renegade were the first to make their mark, putting two quick goals on the board in the first chukka while La Rosada didn’t make quite the same impact. The second chukka featured defensive play from both sides, and as a result there was little change to the score before the half-time whistle. Following two chukkas of action, Renegade were the side with the advantage, but after a short break and a quick team chat, La Rosada returned, very much ready to attack. Perhaps they had just needed two chukkas to warm up, or perhaps they had simply figured out Renegade’s team tactics,
Photograph by Joss Ridley
The Gerald Balding Cup
Winners of The 2015 Gerald Balding Cup: La Rosada
T he Gerald Balding Cup; Sunday 31 May; Cirencester Park Polo Club Result: La Rosada beat Renegade, 4-3 Subsidiary Final: Aryana beat Apache, 4-2 Teams La Rosada (8): Nico Fontanarrosa 5; Pedro Harrison 4; Josh Cork 0; Marcus Cork -1 Renegade (8): Lochie Hunter 4; Shaun Brokensha 3; Rupert Lewis 2; Duncan Wales -1
6 Goal
The Assam Cup
T he Assam Cup; Sunday 21 June; Rutland Polo Club Result: C.A.N.I beat Print on Demand, 8-7 Teams C.A.N.I (6): Tomas Iriate 5; Chris Crawford 3; Emily Johnson -1; Louise Jebson -1 Strategic (6): Nick Pepper 4; Matt Evetts 3; Mark Brown 0; Peter O’Rourke -1 www.polotimes.co.uk
Photograph by Louise Jebson
Eight teams were entered into this year’s Assam Cup, the first tournament in the 6 Goal Victor Ludorum Series. Having seen off competition from the likes of Andy Cork’s Print on Demand and Peter Ferrari’s Quicksilver, Louise Jebson led her C.A.N.I side onto the field on Final’s Day where she faced Peter O’Rourke’s Strategic side. The week long tournament highlighted how competitive 6 Goal level now is. Following four chukkas of fast-paced polo, a winner had still not been decided. The scoreboard read an even 7 goals all, meaning the match had to go into an extra chukka. Although the score could have gone either way, in this instance it was C.A.N.I who were the quickest off the mark, scoring a golden goal to secure The 2015 Assam Cup title.
C.A.N.I’s Chris Crawford and Tomas Iriate with The Assam Cup
Polo Times, July 2015
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the
Big
picture
3,840 hoof prints create unique equine art Great Western Railways have launched their Polo on the Beach Festival with a piece of innovative artwork. Prior to their event on 26 – 28 June, GWR commissioned an impressive 64 metre sand drawing. Made by the ponies themselves, the art stretched over 400 metres of golden sand on Cornwall’s Watergate Bay, and was created by an estimated 3,840 cantering hoof prints and 50 mallet marks, taking two hours to come to life before being washed away just moments later as the tide came in.
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JulyJulyX JulyJulyJulyX w JulyJulyJuly
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Polo Times, July 2015
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HIGHEST GOALS
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Guest Editor Special
Focus
GOW Equine JAMES SAYS... During this winter I was talking with Jamie Peel and he started telling me about his exciting new venture: GOW Equine. I decided to use his systems this year and I have been very impressed, and surprised by the results. Firstly, the weight of horses is always prudent to look at, you would think that as your horses come into work and start losing body mass that their weight would drop, this is not the case. Many of mine have retained the weight and have even put more on in some cases, even though they look a lot thinner – this is obviously due to muscle weighing more than fat. There have been lots of advantages and additionally it has been very useful when looking at my feeding. Working closely with Baileys, we have kept the horses in great condition. It has also been very interesting looking at the horses’ heart rates and recovery rates throughout the season, and how they have improved with time and in some cases as a result of slight changes to the horses’ feed. I have also used the GPS system at times this year, which gives you a massive insight into how hard your horse is working, the distances they travel are immense. However, my favourite part so far has been the speedometer. During a practice I decided to open up my fastest horse, Yacht. He reached a staggering 40.2 mph, and I think I can ask him for a bit more too…watch this space! To sum it up GOW is a highly useful tool and a very accurate way to monitor your string as well as being able to achieve the best results from them. It takes polo to a higher level of professionalism and I would strongly recommend using it.
GOW Equine provides polo’s first sport-specific performance analysis, using advanced technology to achieve your equine athlete’s competitive fitness goals
G
OW Equine offers a range of services that prove vital in maximising your horse’s full potential. Their services include LIVE heart rate and speed data, performance analysis, accurate weight data, equine profile development and marketing. There are two different systems that GOW Equine can supply, with each one enabling them to analyse a horse’s
Fitting a heart rate monitor onto the horse’s girth
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Polo Times, July 2015
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Focus
Guest Editor Special
Throughout this current UK season GOW Equine have been monitoring, among others, the Salkeld high goal team’s string of ponies, as well as Polo Times’ Guest Editor James Beim’s individual string, and their research
and results to date have shown the following information: Max Speed monitored this season = 40.2mph Average Resting Heart Rate of a polo pony = 33 bpm Max Heart Rate measured = 222 bpm Average weight of a polo pony = 470 kg
Monitoring horses live heart rate readings
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Polo Times, July 2015
www.polotimes.co.uk
Guest Editor Special
performance, but in a different way. Their live play analysis enables them to accurately monitor up to 20 horses at any one time on the polo field. Heart rate data gives you the ability to precisely monitor each individual horse’s warm-up, performance and recovery. Being able to spot fatigue is crucial to avoiding injury. With their Equinity system they are also able to record speed, distance and stride length, which can be central to a horse’s training programme. GOW Equine can provide any individual with an easy and accurate way to monitor their horse’s weight, using their mobile weigh station. Closely monitoring weight fluctuations is crucial to assessing and detecting abnormalities in your horse’s training, diet and stable environment. The detailed data obtained by GOW Equine enables their clients to actively grow their horse’s profile, giving them the ability to assess injuries and trends. Providing accurate facts and figures for each individual horse is becoming a crucial tool. www.polotimes.co.uk
Focus
Using the weigh board to monitor weights
Gauges showing heart rate readings during live play
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Focus
Guest Editor Special
first system allows us to monitor up to 20 horses at one time giving live heart rate readings when playing on the polo field. The second system can also record speed, distance and stride data. Our services also include weighing horses with our mobile weigh board. What benefits does it bring to the horses/players? For the players it is all about accuracy, we all think that we know our horses inside out but the reality is we don’t. This gives us the opportunity to understand them better and to have them performing at their best possible levels. Is there anything that you didn’t expect to find out that you have discovered since you’ve been doing it? At first it was all about pre-play and postplay, but when you begin to monitor the horses on a regular basis, you can also start to see when they are in pain, any lameness, and we have also been able to spot a virus. Being able to be this accurate helps me reduce the risk of injury and gives us the chance to act on a problem much quicker than before.
GOW Equine was launched earlier this year by 3 goal professional Jamie Peel. Here he explains how the idea came about and why he thinks the services of GOW Equine are invaluable to any equine athlete. How did you come up with the idea? When I was doing the Mongol Derby last year, at every horse station we had to pass a vet check and the horses had to have a heart rate below 68 for us to be able to continue. I had never considered checking my polo ponies during competition, so when I was back in England two of the Derby crew members came down to Cowdray and we did some trials. What made you decide to pursue it? The results we got were fascinating and the more I monitored the horses the more I 54
Polo Times, July 2015
learnt about them. It made me consider how I was training them and I felt I was beginning to be so much more accurate. When I was in Argentina we did some tests on Miguel Novillo Astrada’s Open horses, his top speeds were 42mph and the heart rates were reaching 220bpm but the recoveries were so quick. After this I knew I had to pursue it. What does the GOW Equine service include? GOW Equine offers heart rate monitoring services using two different systems. The
What are your hopes for the future? To be honest I’m not entirely sure, it is still very early days and we are learning all the time – but if we can begin to raise the standards of how ponies are played, trained and maintained I will feel that we have achieved something. I have a top girl working for me called Jemma Brooks and she is really starting to push things forward, so hopefully this can all continue! Are you only targetting polo? If not, what are the significant differences between the different disciplines? Polo for us has been our training ground and it is obviously the sport that I know the best. Polo is a really tricky market but also a great challenge! We have made greater strides in the Eventing world, with one of our clients, Rose Carnegie, recently completing Badminton Horse Trials. I find this really exciting as it is new to us and the riders are putting everything into one or two horses, so they can be even more accurate. This is our main focus at the moment. Are there any negatives? Getting our invoices paid!
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larion has been an integral part of the famous Ellerston Australia breed. He has been used consistently for the past 6 years and already boast 40 playing horses of 5 years and below. His Mother Claret (Pinky x Monty) won the Gold Cup best playing pony in 2006 with Gonzalito Pieres, and became very famous with Facundo Pieres in Argentina playing the Open 5 times. Pinky is mother to Dinghy, Burgundy, Champagne, Shiraz. Monty sired Music, Casa, Soprano. Claret is also the mother to Clarity, Open Cabernet, Classify, Clarify and Clark amongst others. His father is Night Opera an Australian Thoroughbred, used extensively at Ellerston in Australia. He is sire to Husky, Clark, Samara and Caribbean amongst others. Clarion is Full brother to Clark (Stallion). who played queens and gold cups in UK and Spain for the past two seasons with Pablo MacDonough, and is now in Argentina playing the Open with Pablo. Clark has many promising foals on the ground in the UK. Service Fee: First season offer £1,200 + VAT. Frozen semen also available.
jamesbeim@gmail.com +44 7808961541 For Terms and conditions visit: www.equineembryotransfer.co.uk Contact:
Guest Editor Special
Getting Mounted…
Focus
Polo Times’ Guest Editor James Beim has, throughout the last decade, succeeded in maintaining the reputation as being one of the best-mounted English polo players on the circuit. Any polo player will admit that their pony is responsible for at least 80% of their game. Consequently an individual’s horse power can be a principal factor in whether their team succeeds or fails
H
ere James discusses the different options and approaches that are available for professionals who are trying to build-up, and sustain, the best string of polo ponies that they possibly can. “I think the hardest question in polo is… how do you get yourself well mounted, and how do you stay well mounted? “Obviously, this is something that is strongly based on budget. In an ideal world you would have an open cheque book and buy whatever horse takes your fancy but this,
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for most players, is unfortunately not the case. In my opinion, I believe the best path to follow is a mixture of the following ideas: “Firstly, the best and most straightforward way is to buy in at the top end of your existing string, a horse that is ideally a decent age and sound, either in the UK or abroad. The advantages of buying a horse in the UK are immediate: you have a ready made horse that goes straight into playing matches for you, and brings you an instant return on your investment. Buying in from abroad can have a few disadvantages, such as a year’s grace period for acclimatisation depending on the horse, and also the ever growing cost of flights from most parts of the world. “However, this horse is not always easy to find. If someone possesses that special
horse, the price is normally very high and you will invariably find yourself down the pecking order as to when you get the opportunity to try it. “Secondly, you can look at buying slightly older horses, those that are around 11-years-old and upwards. With these the price will normally be reflected in the age, so it is a good way to get quality horses without breaking the bank. You have a hardened horse that knows its trade and will rarely worsen. However with the increased age, naturally there comes more wear and tear, which ultimately means added maintenance bills and you will only have the horse for a small period of its playing career. “Nevertheless, if managed correctly and with a bit of luck, most horses should play until their mid teens. “Thirdly, you can buy a prospect. I would consider this to be a horse aged between four and six, one that is showing
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Focus
Guest Editor Special
OPTION 1 Ollie Cudmore bought Costa Lotta at the end of last season and this year she is fast becoming one of his best in the high goal Name: Costa Lotta Age: 9 Height: 15.1hh Sex: Mare Breeding: Costa Balena X Liberty Current Owner: Ollie Cudmore Previous Owner: Ollie Tuthill Bought in: August 2014 Cost: £30,000 What is she playing in this season? She played The Cartier Queen’s Cup and went quite well. The more I get to know her the better she goes and I’m sure she will be one of my best horses in The Gold Cup
OPTION 2 James Harper has had Gato in his string for two seasons now. Although she is 12, she is still very much a firm figure in his top string Name: Gato Age: 12 Height: 15.2hh Sex: Mare Breeding: NZ Thoroughbred (Dam: unknown, Sire: Personal Escort) Current Owner: James Harper Previous Owner: George Milford Haven Bought in: 2013 Cost: I got her for less than half the price they wanted, and they were asking for £50,000+! What is she playing in this season? She played for me through all The Gold Cup last year and she will play in all the high goal this year and then go to Spain. She is tough and can be doubled if needed good potential and the promise to improve greatly. These are not always easy to find but if you spend a lot of time at the smaller clubs and watching lower levels of polo, those hidden gems are there. This horse obviously comes with a risk – will it make it to the level you require? A lot of this is in the picking, but you can never be 100% sure. For instance, will the horse’s brain handle the pressure you put it under (this should also be a question you ask yourself on every horse)? “If you get lucky with this option you can buy a relatively cheap horse and turn it into a very good horse, in a relatively short space of time. “Fourthly, you can buy a young one from the racetrack. These horses will generally be somewhere between two-years-old and fouryears-old, and already broken. Nowadays, most of the best polo ponies in the world are former thoroughbreds from the track and the origins of a lot of polo breeding will always come back to this. A common winter job for many professionals is to make their own young ones, whether it be in the UK or abroad 58
Polo Times, July 2015
in places (such as New Zealand or Australia). The process is fairly long and you have to wait a few years, ideally until they reach the age of six, for them to be ready to play properly. There is also a lot of time and hard work required if you are going to take this approach. It can be a difficult process as some thoroughbreds are notoriously temperamental and they can take time, and a lot of patience, to make. But, this is a very good way to get that champion pony that you could otherwise never afford. Due to the seemingly continuous increase in the cost of flights from overseas, especially from New Zealand/Australia, this option seems to be fast becoming the most popular solution for an increasing amount of players making horses here in the UK. “Fifthly, you can always try and breed your own champion! This is obviously the most time consuming and the most risky out of all the options I have mentioned, but it is coming more and more to the fore as many players have that special horse and want to continue breeding that particular bloodline. “In this scenario, you have already paid the money for your champion from option
one, and it has come to the end of its playing career. Then comes the time where putting it in foal seems like a natural decision, and potentially an extremely beneficial one, especially if the horse is from a polo breed. A mare is much more likely to throw a polo type if she is put to the correct stallion, and there is now a strong choice of stallions in the UK. If you do your homework, you should be able to get the right product to start with and then the hard work begins! “It is a very long process, getting the horse from birth to a proper playing age, and it can be expensive. There is also a lot of emotion involved in this option, and you have to make sure you weigh things up with a clear head: don’t just put any old mare in foal. “I have been breeding a few for the past five years here in the UK and it seems to be paying off, although time will tell! I was lucky enough to be able to piggyback on the Ellerston breed, putting my old Ellerston mares over UK based Ellerston stallions – this goes back to what I touched on before, try if you can to follow polo lines, the hard work has been done for you already. www.polotimes.co.uk
Guest Editor Special
Focus
OPTION 3 Ed Hitchman bought a mare named Karina off Billy Aprahamian as a 5-year-old back in 2011. Ed sold her to King Power in 2013 and she is now playing the UK high goal season with them Name: Karina Age: 10 Height: 15.2hh Sex: Mare Breeding: Irish Thoroughbred Current Owner: King Power Previous Owners: Ed Hitchman and Billy Aprahamian Bought in: 2011 Cost: A lot less than what I sold her for in 2013, but still a very fair price for what she was when I purchased her What is she playing in this season? She is now part of the King Power Foxes’ high goal string for both The Queen’s and Gold Cups
OPTION 4 Alan Kent introduces us to Ranga, a mare whom he says “has a great future” and “is one of the best I have had for some time.” Name: Ranga Age: 6 Height: 15.11/2hh Sex: Mare Breeding: My Ballerina X Three Valleys (English Thoroughbred) Previous Owner: She was in training with Tim Easterby Present Owner: Alan Kent Bought in: 2011 Cost: £550.00 (She is now for sale for a lot!) What is she playing in this season? This Season she has played 18 goal with Chris Mackenzie and played in the winning team of The Royal Windsor with Freddie Horne. She will also play a few games in The Gold Cup
OPTION 5 Charlie Hanbury bred Shakira out of one of his best mares, Paprika. At the age of 7, she is now part of his high goal string Name: Lovelocks Shakira Age: 7 Height: 15.2hh Sex: Mare Breeding: Paprika x Atlantic Current Owner: Charlie Hanbury Previous Owner: NA Bought in: NA, I bred her at home Cost: NA What is she playing in this season? She is playing in all the high goal with me and The Coronation Cup with James Beim
“Taking all of the above into account, whichever route you decide to take, it is very hard, expensive and time consuming to get well mounted and, most importantly to stay well mounted. Just as you think you are getting there, you realise you need to find more! www.polotimes.co.uk
“However, it is incredibly good fun and a real challenge to try and be self-mounted to a level where you are able to compete with the best. It will depend greatly on what you can afford to spend and what jobs you have at the time and in the future.
“If I can give any advice, it would be to keep re-investing and to continually try and improve your string. The guy with the best horses will always get the job, and keep getting jobs. And above that, it’s a lot more enjoyable to play nice horses!” Polo Times, July 2015
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Focus
Guest Editor Special
W
hen it comes to the winter months, professional polo players tend to follow the sun to the Southern Hemisphere and Polo Times’ Guest Editor James Beim is no different. Here he introduces us to El Remanso and Lovelocks Polo Stud, his most recent winter residences in Argentina, the polo capital of the world and the different aspects, such as the newly established Lovelocks Polo Stud, that this unique location has on offer.
My Winter Months
EL REMANSO El Remanso is a privately owned estancia situated in the heart of one of Argentina’s most renowned polo regions. Located just 60 km from Buenos Aires, amongst 500 hectares of farmland, El Remanso is the setting of no less than four boarded polo fields, a stick and ball field, a state-of-the- art exercise track and stables for up to 80 horses – the perfect winter location for any top International polo player. El Remanso is also the winter training base for the well-known El Remanso high goal team, who have achieved success both here in the UK as well as in Argentina, and are currently taking part in The Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup British Open tournament. Whilst El Remanso is the ideal set-up for some of the world’s most talented polo players, El Remanso also offers a luxury holiday experience for those who are not necessarily at the top of the polo game. Not only is there the chance for beginners
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to receive expert tuition, but there is also the opportunity to play chukkas with a selection of high goal players, before relaxing in the comfort of your room. With a variety of accommodation available for every individual, from the en-suite hacienda rooms to a suite that overlooks the polo fields and gardens, or their family-friendly stand alone bungalows with their own living space, kitchen, dining area and veranda, El Remanso has an option for everyone, and it doesn’t have to be all about the polo either. 2,000 trees have been planted on the estate since 2004, helping create a serene environment where guests can unwind. There is also the option to relax by the pool or play tennis on the floodlit court. For more information on this unique one-off experience please contact euan@elremansopolo.com
JAMES SAYS... I have visited El Remanso in the past, but never for more than a day or two, so I was interested to get to know the place better. I recently spent three months there, between Christmas and the start of the UK season, and really fell in love with everything. It has a very laid back ‘campo’ feel to it, and is far removed from the hustle and bustle of Pilar. It is very easy and relaxed living and the perfect place to get away during the winter, whilst keeping your polo skills honed! El Remanso offers polo at all levels, right from beginner to high goal level with their own 22 goal tournament – it is a great place to come and try horses in a competitive environment. Because of its location being so close to Buenos Aires, you are able to get your shopping fix easily and also nip into watch The Open. You are also guaranteed a famous Hanbury party at some stage, if you can handle it. I strongly recommend it as a top winter destination.
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Guest Editor Special
Focus
LOVELOCKS POLO STUD Lovelocks Polo Stud is based approximately 20km away from El Remanso at El Quemao and it is where the first stages of the Hanbury’s breeding programme takes place. The stud was established in 2007 and carries out all stages of the breeding process. It has since been responsible for breeding many of the El Remanso team’s ponies, both in England and Argentina. A large investment has been made into their bloodlines, with access to top polo lines such as Ellerston and Ellerstina available, in order to create world-class polo ponies for the future. In recent years, embryos have played an increasing part in polo’s breeding industry, and as a result it is now not uncommon for three generations of the same polo pony family to be playing in the same match. As one of the biggest organisations within the embryo transfer industry, Lovelocks Polo Stud prides itself on their state-of-the-art facilities and specialised team of professionals. However, the Lovelocks Polo Stud process does not start or finish with embryo transfer. They have their own ‘Cria Sector’ which is where, under the watchful eye of
specialised vets, all the foaling occurs. The foals leave this sector when they become yearlings and from here they go to the ‘Recria Sector’ where the yearlings remain for a further year, until it is time for them to be broken in. The ‘breaking-in’ is done by a well-known Australian Jim Board, and takes 6 weeks per pony. Once the breaking-in is complete, the ponies will go back to the field, where they rest for a year. After this they move to El Remanso, where they start schooling and learning to play. There is no doubt that the process from start to finish is long. Diego Rodriguez Piola of Lovelocks Polo Stud talks to Polo Times about some of Lovelocks Polo Stud’s achievements so far. “2013 was our turning point. It was the year that Lovelocks had its first horse, Lovelocks Rafiki, play in The Argentine Open with La Dolfina’s Adolfo Cambiaso. We also started going to shows and auctions with good results, winning prizes with the products to shows and selling our fillies to very important breeders. For more information please visit www.lovelockspolostud.com
JAMES SAYS... El Quemao is the stunning sister property to El Remanso. Previously owned by the respected Garrahan family and the neighbouring estancia to the original home of the famous Open team ‘La Espadana’, it is steeped in polo history. El Quemao is a beautiful property with very old trees and plenty of character. The Hanbury family have given it a recent facelift and it is now one of the best embryo centres in Argentina. They have invested heavily in Ellerstina and Ellerston blood lines amongst others, and have created their own very promising breed. The big news for them this year is that they will hold their first Remate (auction) on November 9th in Pilar, selling a collection of well-known polo bloodlines. This is a very exciting and big step which will hopefully be very successful.
Lovelocks Mississippi (Open Serpentina X Open El Padrino) This is a good example of what Lovelocks produces. This filly won her category at La Rural Show 2013, and was then sold at La Natividad’s Auction in November 2013 for USD 60,000. She is now breeding elsewhere and in a short period of time Lovelocks Polo Stud will have lots of examples such as Lovelocks Mississippi in many different places and the CH logo will become known for the good genetics and the professionalism of each process on the breeding.
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Polo Times, July 2015
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Focus
Guest Editor Special
Young English players who show great potential is something that I have always taken an interest in. It is great to see such promising English talent coming through, and it is obviously very exciting for the future of English polo. Although I am just focusing on three players below, they are by no means the only ones to watch – there are a lot of young kids out there with a lot of talent. All I can hope for is that they get the help and guidance they need to reach good handicaps
Hugo Lewis
Hugo Lewis Unusually the first time I saw Hugo was actually when he was playing football in Argentina two seasons ago, luckily his polo was much better than his football! I was initially very impressed with his riding. He has a very good seat, and is always in unison with the horse. I invited him to come to Spain with us last year, off 0 goals after a successful UK high goal season with El Remanso. I didn’t know how good he was until the first game when he proceeded to score six goals and they threatened to instantly put him from 0 to 3! He was a pleasure to play with and to have around. He is constantly improving and it’s a true credit to him winning The Cartier Queen’s Cup at the age of 20. I understand he was a very talented rugby player too and this combination of skilled rider and sportsman always creates a good polo player. However, he needs to improve his banter! Tom Brodie I have been keeping an eye on Tom for a couple of seasons now. I first saw him playing in a Junior International in China, where he played very well. He is a very nice rider and has good stick work. Two seasons ago I flew him to Spain to fill in for my patron Peter Silling, it was last minute and he made a big impression on new and unfamiliar horses – this is also where Jim Gilmore first saw him. He had a great season in the UK last year under the guidance of Mark Tomlinson, and he then went on to perform very well in Sotogrande with Ellerston. He is now with Dubai playing in the UK high goal and has started the season well. The future looks bright for Tom. Josh Cork I have not seen as much of Josh, but what I have seen I have been very impressed with. He recently played an 18 goal game with me and played very well, making the right plays on the ball every time, and he was also incredibly disciplined with the man – that’s a good combination! Also he has recently won the Cowdray 18 goal, and was a big factor in Ferne Park’s victory. He is a light and good jockey, and gets good speed out of the horses. He is under the watchful eye of Alan Kent, which will help him greatly in the future, as will the fact that he spends time in Argentina, which he should continue to do as much as he can. I recommend you remember this name, as I would be very surprised if you don’t see him in the UK high goal very soon...
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Polo Times, July 2015
Handicap: 1 Age: 20
Photograph by www.imagesofpolo.com
JAMES SAYS...
Hugo was born into the Meyrick family, who are one of the oldest English polo-playing families. Consequently, it was inevitable that Hugo would become involved with the sport at some point in his life. As it turned out, Hugo’s polo career started when he was just 8 years old, playing for the Vine and Craven Pony Club team. A few years later he went on to play for Longdole, alongside two of the Hanbury grandchildren, Jack and Ollie Severn – a family that he states have been instrumental in helping him to get to where he is today. Hugo’s first success in ‘adult polo’ came back in 2012 when he helped Max Kirchoff’s Snakebite side to win the 6 goal Victor Ludorum, and since then he has continued to achieve big things. Having spent the 2013/2014 winter training in Argentina, under the watchful eye of El Remanso’s Coach, Ruso Heguy, Hugo returned to the UK to take part in his first high goal season with the El Remanso team. Following his performance in the 2014 22 goal, he was then selected to go to Sotogrande with Peter Silling’s Equus side, where they won the Copas de Bronce, Plata and Oro in the medium goal. Hugo once again features on the high goal team sheet for the current 2015 season, but this time he is part of the King Power Foxes line-up alongside Facundo and Gonzalito Pieres and ‘Top’ Srivaddhanaprabha.
Major wins and achievements: • Won The 2012 6 goal Victor Ludorum with Snakebite • Played The 2014 Queen’s and Gold Cups with El Remanso • Won The 2014 Copa de Bronce, Plata and Oro in Sotogrande with Equus & Co • Won Most Valuable Player Award at the Semi Finals of The 2015 Cartier Queen’s Cup • Won The 2015 Cartier Queen’s Cup with King Power Foxes www.polotimes.co.uk
Guest Editor Special
Focus
Three to Watch ... Handicap: 0
Tom Brodie
Age: 18
Handicap: 2
Age: 18
Photograph by Tom Reynolds
Photograph by www.imagesofpolo.com
Josh Cork
Josh, unusually, followed his younger brother into the sport at the age of 10. They shared one horse between them and started to play with the Enfield Chase Pony Club teams. At the age of 15, Josh played Junior HPA for the first time and from then on he has continued to improve each season, and has reached the Final of The Buckmaster Trophy at Cowdray twice. For the past two UK seasons, Josh has been based at Alan Kent’s Madams Farm in West Sussex, and along with Alan, he also credits Charles Beresford as being influential in getting him to where he is today. This season Josh has been playing the 8 goal with Ray Fine’s Las Estrellas team alongside James Harper and Tommy Beresford. Plus, following the recent fall of Jonathan Rothermere, Josh has been also playing for Rothermere’s Ferne Park side, with whom he is playing The Royal Windsor and with whom he also won Cowdray’s Duke of Sutherland 18 goal tournament. So far, Josh’s polo talent has taken him to both China and Argentina, and he is once again planning to return to El Metejon in Argentina this coming winter season.
Tom grew up just outside of Guildford in Surrey and already, at the age of 18, he has succeeded in making a significant impact on the global polo stage. With a professional polo player as a father, who in his time represented Maple Leafs in the high goal, Brodie has, from an early age, been familiar with both polo and horses. At 13-years-old, Brodie became a Member at Guards Polo Club, and from there he was selected to be involved with the Club-run Academy system. His earliest days of success came as a result of being part of Brian Stein’s 8 goal side, a man Brodie credits for having a massive influence on his career. Yet it was a phone call from Ellerston’s Jim Gilmore in the middle of last season that really catapulted Brodie into the polo limelight. The opportunity of a lifetime had come up for the then 1 goal player, to play in the Sotogrande high goal with the mighty Ellerston alongside none other than Gonzalito and Facundo Pieres. Brodie took the chance with both hands, and he has been on the go ever since. Over the winter he spent time in both Dubai and Argentina, before returning to the UK to make his debut in the English high goal, where Brodie has been playing for Albwardy’s Dubai side. Although he was part of the original line-up alongside Adolfo Cambiaso, Diego Cavanagh and Rashid Albwardy, as a result of an injured Cavanagh, the team had to be changed, meaning he unfortunately missed out on playing the Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and Finals of The 2015 Cartier Queen’s Cup. However, Polo Times understands that the original line-up is expected to return for the upcoming Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup.
Major wins and achievements:
Major wins and achievements:
• Won MVP at The 2013 Royal Berkshire Festival
• Won The 2014 Prince of Wales with Casablanca
• The 2014 Final of The Buckmaster Trophy (Junior HPA)
• Final of the 2014 Copa de Oro in Sotogrande with Ellerston
• Won The 2015 Gerald Balding 8 goal with La Rosada • Won The 2015 Easebourne Cup with Las Estrellas
• Final of The 2015 McLaren Silver Cup in Dubai with Desert Palm
• Won The 2015 Duke of Sutherland 18 goal with Ferne Park
• Won The 2015 Cartier 12 Goal in Dubai with Desert Palm • Playing The 2015 Cartier Queen’s and Gold Cup with Dubai
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Polo Times, July 2015
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Club Focus
Your Club News from Home and Abroad
Art, design and charity chukkas
Dinner date delay EDGEWORTH POLO CLUB have moved the date of their summer ball. The black tie event will now be held on 22 August. Tickets are £90 and include both dinner and a welcome drink. Email Polo Manager Jono Smail on edgeworthpolo@gmail.com for tickets.
Good going at Guards Guards have had an incredibly busy month. In addition to The Cartier Queen’s Cup, featured in this issue with its own report, please also turn to the Youth section for more on the La Aguada Tournament and to the Victor Ludorum round-up for more about Chris Mathias and his win in The Bentley Royal Windsor Cup with his team Clarita. Access Bank Group also ran a charity polo day at Guards Polo Club on Saturday 13 June to raise funds for UNICEF. The Access Bank/UNICEF Charity Shield included a host of top players from Agustin Merlos to Juan Martin Nero and none other than Adolfito Cambiaso who received the Most Valuable Player Award. The pint-sized Cambiaso was seen holding the trophy almost the same size as him and held his own with the rest of the players on the field. Since the Access Bank/UNICEF initiative was started, it has rebuilt two schools in Kaduna in Northern Nigeria and kept over 2,750 students in continuous education, simultaneously developing new school blocks, a computer literacy building – all in a more secure and friendly school environment. The presentation of The Most Valuable Player Award
Photograph by Malta Polo Club
THE ROYAL COUNTY of Berkshire Polo Club (RCBPC) hosted their second art event this year. Horses in Art opened on Saturday 6 June at The Bucking Horse Showroom for five weeks. From 2 July, Falcon Polo and 40 Goals will also be found in the Bucking Horse Showroom with their products on show. Floriano Falcon and Sergio Silva have invited Polo Times readers to meet them and to learn more about the products and the store on 2 July. On Sunday 21 June, RCBPC held a charity exhibition match to raise funds for Scholas Pope, a charity that has seen growing support with polo events both in the UK and in Argentina. Team Scholas played in the morning against team Berkshire before a BBQ and drinks.
The winning Engel & Völkers team
Europe’s oldest Polo Club still in full swing MALTA POLO CLUB’S Novices Cup took place on Saturday 23 May. The trophy was donated to the Club by Lt.Col R.F. Guy and Capt.T. Gubbins (Wilts. Regt. 1Bn) on the understanding that it was to be played for annually, with the spirit of the competition focused on encouraging lower handicapped players to showcase their skills. First contested back in 1923, this year’s tournament featured some of the sport’s best newcomers in Malta, as well as a few more experienced players in order to encourage the novices. Engel & Völkers opened the scoring in the first minute of play and although their JEEP opponents replied almost immediately with a goal to make the scores equal, Engel & Völkers maintained that early advantage for the remainder of the match, winning 7-5.
Scottish Club reopening Photograph by ©www.imagesofpolo.com
STEWARTON POLO CLUB has announced that they are to reopen after a two year break. Karina Bowlby, owner of Stewarton Polo Club is very much looking forward to getting started again and welcoming everyone back to the Club. The Club will also be charging a membership day rate of £20 rather than a seasonal rate to make it more accessible to all. Contact Karina on 07974 706045 if you would like to play. 64
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Your Club News from Home and Abroad
Hascombe win The Polo Art Cup
The Polo Magazine MVP
HASCOMBE WERE TRIUMPHANT at Druids Lodge Polo Club against Ridgebacks in the Final, with a score of 5½-3 in The Polo Art Cup on the weekend 30 – 31 May. The following weekend in the June Trophy, Balaclava were victorious in an extremely exciting Final of the 2 goal against Emlor, which saw them come back from being down 3-0 at the end of the first chukka. They tied the score by the end of the third chukka and edged ahead in the last to win 6-5.
Photograph by Robert Piper
Polo has returned to Richmond Park thanks to Ham Polo Club
After an absence of 39 years, The Royal Parks reintroduced the Shires in 1993 as a sustainable way to manage parkland. In addition to mowing, the horses’ duties in the Royal Parks also include verge cutting, rolling bracken to preserve grassland and chain harrowing bridleways. The Club ran chukkas every Wednesday until the 1 July.
Ascot Park is now Westcroft Park ASCOT PARK POLO Club is now under the guardianship of professional player Richard Blake Thomas and will take on the new name of Westcroft Park Polo Club. Richard’s mother and former Polo Manager for the Club will continue to run the Ascot Park Academy with ponies available to hire for lessons and chukkas.
ANDREW DECHET WON The Polo Magazine Most Valuable Award in The Committee Cup at Guards Polo Club and Los Lobos defeated Ockholt to win the trophy. The 8 goal tournament proved popular this year, with 15 entries separated into four different leagues. Los Lobos and AFB stormed through the initial rounds to the Final on Sunday 24 May, Ockholt and Clarita battled it out in less than ideal conditions for the Subsidiary Final later that afternoon. Dark clouds and rain made for a slippery game for both Finals, however Los Lobos pipped AFB to the post with a final score of 8-6. Clarita took the Subsidiary Final trophy beating Ockholt 7-3½. Andrew Dechet, pictured here with Tihana Webb was awarded The Polo Magazine Most Valuable Award for his contribution to Los Lobos’ win. The RJ Polo kit bag was crammed full of The Polo Magazine goodies including Pinkster Gin, silverware from Culinary Concepts, a Black Hound Sports gilet, a complimentary subscription to The Polo Magazine, and dinner for two at PJ’s Bar and Grill.
Photograph by ©www.imagesofpolo.com
Polo returns to Richmond Park in London MEMBERS OF HAM Polo Club, the last surviving Club in London, descended on Richmond Park on Wednesday 10 June to play their first match in the park in over 20 years. Preparation of the grounds took a slightly more unusual approach for the 21st century, as a pair of Shire horses, Murdoch and Tom, pulled the mowers to cut the grass.
Club Focus
Andrew Dechet received The Polo Magazine Most Valuable Player Award from Tihana Webb
Over £70,000 raised at Ham On Sunday 21 June a handful of the world’s leading polo players competed in a team sponsored by both AMG and MercedesBenz, against a team representing the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Representing Mercedes-AMG were Rommy Gianni, Eduardo Heguy, David ‘Pelon’ www.polotimes.co.uk
Stirling and James Beh. Representing the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation were, Aiyawatt ‘Top’ Srivaddhanaprabha, Talapichet ‘Tal’ Srivaddhanaprabha, Gonzalito Pieres and Facundo Pieres, fresh from their Cartier Queen’s Cup win. Mercedes-AMG came out on top in an
exciting encounter which ended 2½-2. Over £70,000 was also raised for the Fundación Laureus Argentina, which will be fed back into a host of Argentinian-based projects, which are focused on using the power of sport to influence social change among young people. Polo Times, July 2015
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Club Focus
Your Club News from Home and Abroad
KENNEY JONES’ ANNUAL event for charity, was this year held on 13 June, and saw an incredible line-up gather at Hurtwood Park Polo Club to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK’s movement for men, Men United. Several thousand people attended the event and enjoyed the line-up, which included Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall, Procol Harum, Lisa Stansfield, Andy Fairweather Low, Nik Kershaw and Steve Harley, as well as raising awareness of the disease, which kills over 10,000 men in the UK every year. The stars paid tribute to their friend, the seventies glam-rock singer, Alvin Stardust, who lost his own fight to prostate cancer last October. The main polo event was a charity match between Clogau Wales Polo Team and the Shoreline/Cuervos Negros Team. An exciting match with excellent play resulted in a 7-4 win for the Welsh team. Earlier in the month on Sunday 7 June the Final of the inaugural Mantra Interiors
Lacey Green learns from Rege Ludwig
Photograph by Polo Networks
Rock ‘n’ Horsepower at Hurtwood
White Crane with their weekend of winnings & Chris Davies
Challenge Cup was held at the Club. Mantra Interiors had put up a prize fund of £2,000 for the winning team, which went to Lex CalvertAnsari’s team, White Crane. The Berkshirebased team made it to the Final against Nick Alun-Jones’s Grafton. The fourth and final chukka was the most exciting, a penalty a piece from Andrew Blake Thomas and Jay Jones kept the game on a knife edge until, Phil Seller stole the ball on the half-way line and slotted it through the posts to give White Crane their victory, the silverware and the money, with a final score 7-5.
Photography by John Periam
Presentation of the prizes at Rock ‘n’ Horsepower
WORLD-FAMOUS COACH Rege Ludwig held a five-day intensive polo clinic at Lacey Green Polo Club at the start of the month. Polo Manager Elisabeth Humphreys wrote in to Polo Times about their experiences; “People came to Lacey Green Polo Club from London, Salisbury, Rugby, Cirencester, Scotland, and even Egypt to learn with Rege. Over half of the clinic was spent on Riding for Polo; the style of riding that Rege teaches which is distinctly different from all other styles of riding (dressage, cross-country, western) but which encompasses elements of each. Students were taught how to use their bodies to most efficiently accelerate, stop, and turn their ponies. Rege’s amazing eye for detail meant that students learned how slight differences in their position would dramatically improve their results. Students were then taught in very fine detail how to properly swing a polo stick and the most effective position to be in the saddle when hitting each shot. As with everything that Rege teaches, the swing and hitting elements of the game were brought back to the fundamentals of riding for polo, particularly with regards to stability and grip. Everyone, from beginner to the most advanced student, benefits from a correct foundation.” Ben Marshall, one of the 0 goal players who attended the clinic, commented, “Rege’s continual reference to the mechanics and physics of a movement helped individuals achieve those ‘light bulb’ moments that equal significant improvement, which was visibly evident in both riding and hitting.” Clubs in the UK are already interested in hosting Rege for clinics in Spring 2016, so if you missed Rege this season you may have the chance to learn from him early next year.
BLUEY’S POLO CLUB are delighted to invite all players and the general public to its Charity Day in support of HorseWorld Trust. HorseWorld Trust is a non-profit organisation which rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes horses and donkeys that have been neglected or ill-treated. Last year Bluey’s hosted an exciting day that included a show of Classic cars, music, a Tent Pegging demonstration and successfully raised funds and awareness for HorseWorld Trust and its cause. This summer the Final of Bluey’s Charity Tournament, won last year by ANB Groundcare, will be played on 2 August. Exhibition matches of various levels will take place throughout the day in addition to the 2 goal tournament. Stalls and a Horse Agility Demonstration will also be on show. Entry to the day is free, however donations to the charity on the gate would be very welcome. 66
Polo Times, July 2015
Photograph by Elisabeth Humphries
HorseWorld Trust Charity Day
Rege Ludwig coaching at Lacey Green Polo Club
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Your Club News from Home and Abroad
Merry Devils triumph in The Polo Magazine Cup MERRY DEVILS RAN out winners in The Polo Magazine Cup at Edgeworth Polo Club against Batspeed on Sunday 21 June. Scores were exchanged equally over the first three chukkas, but the fluid team play of the Merry Devils prevailed in the fourth chukka, with the final score reading 7-5. In the Subsidiary Final, Red Santana and The Polo Magazine drew in a fun and fast-paced game.
Club Focus
Kirtlington win back The Rupert Thorneloe Memorial Trophy
Photograph by Rich Hine
ON SUNDAY 21 June, Kirtlington Park Polo Club held the Rupert Thorneloe Memorial Trophy with a match between Kirtlington Park Polo Club (KPPC) and The Army Hackett team. KPPC ran away with an 8-6 win after a fast paced game on Ground 1 in front of picnic-goers and lunch guests.
Merry Devils & Batspeed with their The Polo Magazine prizes
Photograph courtesy of Beaufort Polo Club
THE KERNOW CUP was kindly sponsored by the Beaufort’s own Ali and Phil Foster, who have been an ever-lasting help at the Beaufort Polo Club both time-keeping and scoring for the last 8 years. Unfortunately, this year they say goodbye to Ali and Phil as they move down south to Cornwall. The Kernow Cup 6 goal 2015 drew to a close on 30 May, with a win for Supanova (Luke Wiles, Sarah Hughes, Tom Beim, and Olly Tuthill). The tournament had six strong teams, all who put up a good fight, yet Supanova stole the win beating Babosas Blancas 8-4 in the Final. The Subsidiary Finals brought a battle between Balvanera and Morendera, with Morendera just coming out on top with a win of 3½-3. The Prep Schools and Colts Tournament is now being postponed to 4 – 5 July.
Ali Foster with Supanova
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Photograph by RAF CRANWELL
Goodbye to Ali and Phil Foster
The participating teams at RAF Cranwell
Martyn Bebbington Memorial Trophy 10th Anniversary FOR THE 10TH consecutive year, the RAF College Cranwell hosted the Martyn Bebbington Memorial Trophy on 23 – 24 May, kindly sponsored by TLM Nexus. The Final on Sunday 24 May was between two RAF teams. The play was intense, with neither side able to capitalise and create significant advantage, and the score at the half-way point remained equal. Joe North managed to escape the excellent marking skills of Vicky Woodhead as the seconds ticked down to zero, but a foul meant a final goal was disallowed and the score finished 4-4. After a brief discussion it was considered appropriate that the teams share the trophy this year. Along with the prizes for the winning teams, two RAF players picked up additional accolades, as the Best Playing Pony award went to Pinto, one of Flt Lt Ellie Hoogewerf’s ponies, for her superb performance in the Final, and the Most Valuable Player Award went to Flt Lt Mark Lynch. Polo Times, July 2015
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Club Focus
Best of British
Best of British Polo Scores a Second Hit UK’s top eight under 25 players and five wounded heroes took to the field at Tidworth Polo Club Aurora Eastwood reports from Wiltshire
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Photography by www.markclarke.photography
A
crowd of 3,000 people enjoyed the Best of British Polo event on Sunday 31 May, despite the lacklustre weather. The unique Heroes’ Cup returned for a second time to Tidworth Polo Club. The inspirational match has been played in support of Help for Heroes, and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance. The Isle of Wight Air Ambulance flew one of the para players to hospital following her life changing motorbike crash. The teams were made up of five para players, injured servicemen and women, playing alongside Army players. It was a bravely contested match with all the para players recovering from life altering injuries, including Clifford O’Farrell who only recently recovered from further major surgery to his injured leg. The eponymous Best of British Polo’s Under 25 Hattingley Valley Trophy saw some of the UK’s best international professional polo players, selected for the fifth year by Alan Kent, put on a high goal show piece match. The second Heroes’ Cup para polo match took place before the 15 goal exhibition match. In a demonstration of determination, commitment and courage, five
The Hattingley Valley Trophy teams
injured servicemen and women played with Army players. The injured players on Wilsons Warriors’ were Ange Mason Matthews and Rebecca Foran-Coutts, both playing in their first Heroes’ Cup match, and Andrew Jetliner who was severely injured in the spine whilst in Afghanistan. They played with regular army players Matt Eyre Brook and Nick Cowley. Cayenne Crusaders’ injured players were Elaine Corner, who had her left leg amputated below the knee following a
motorcycle accident, and Cliff O’Farrell who suffered multiple injuries from an IED. The Heroes’ Cup continues to be an inspirational game but this year was markedly different, a confident match played at some speed. Nick Cowley put the first goal on the board for Winterflood Warriors, but it was answered by Nick Hunter for Cayenne Crusaders. In the second chukka Andrew Jelinek slotted another in for Winterflood Warriors who took the 2015 Heroes’ Cup with a final score of 2-1. The players and organisers were particularly pleased that the match was umpired by Peter Wright, the leading UK umpire, and Eddie Kennedy who coaches the para players at Cool Hooves Polo at The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club. Heroes’ Cup player Andrew Jelinek, who sustained a serious spinal injury serving in Afghanistan which resulted in significant loss of his lower body motor control and muscle strength perhaps puts it best, “Polo is immensely exciting and it is a great honour to play in the Heroes’ Cup 2015. 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 www.polotimes.co.uk
Best of British
Best Playing Pony Zorro, 16-year-old gelding owned and played by Eden Ormerod
what recapturing the speed and aggression of sport has given me. There’s no sense of restriction when you’re thundering down a field on a polo pony.” The Best of British Polo’s Hattingley Valley Trophy was another rare opportunity to see eight of Britain’s best young players on the pitch at the same time. Names like Jack Richardson, George Meyrick and Matt Perry are not normally seen so far west of Guards and Cowdray! Eden Ormerod, who has had plenty of experience playing on the Fisher ground at Tidworth, was totally at ease with the unpredictable ball – which bounced a lot and sometimes in some very unexpected directions, making the 6 goal players look very confused as they made perfect swings and – missed. The players soon began tapping the ball in mid-air instead, much to the delight of the onlookers. This, coupled with some highly amusing commentary, made for a thoroughly enjoyable game. Eden almost got the first goal on the board with a lovely shot, but George was there and cleared it, however the tables were soon turned and Wilsons Solicitors scored. They scored again after a foul, but another whistle and another penalty allowed Hattingley Valley to regain some pride. Eden had another crack, this time a huge neck shot, but it just went wide. Lovely passing from John Kent up to his forwards resulted in another goal for Hattingley, but Wilsons Solicitors’ Matt Perry swiftly widened the gap once more with a goal of his own. The second chukka opened with a quick goal from Charlie Scott. As the chukka progressed, the players were stymied many times by the erratically bouncing ball, only Alex Mains was completely unbothered by it. The rest of the chukka was both goalless and whistleless, but not humourless, as the commentator wondered out loud why a 6 goaler, was playing at Number 1. www.polotimes.co.uk
The third chukka still showed a 4½-2 lead for Wilsons Solicitors, and after some lovely shots from Jack and Eden, Hattingley Valley clawed back a goal to reduce the gap. Eden made another goal shot but just sent it wide. By this time Eden was definitely winning the prize for the highest number of attempts. The relaxed nature of the game was illustrated by jokey interaction between the players, as Matt pulled Jack’s shirt as hard as he could but didn’t manage to put him off his pony and a foul in front of goal, totally unrelated to any shirt pulling, was converted by Jack. Ali Paterson reminded everyone why he plays the high goal by slotting in a tricky nearside shot to end the chukka, 5½-4 to Wilsons Solicitors. The pressure was on in the last chukka and a great pass from Ali to Matt resulted in a lovely goal and then Matt had another run to goal, finishing it off perfectly to bring the score up to 7½-4. George had a chance to narrow the scores with a 60 yard penalty, but it bounced and went wide. Both teams had the pedal to the metal, but Matt scored again with
Club Focus
a minute to go, hitting the ball on both sides of the pony and crushing Hattingley Valley’s hopes of victory with a final score of 8½-5. David Cowley of Best of British Polo commented to Polo Times, “It continues to be an extraordinary and moving day. The Heroes’ Cup was a fantastic match this year, an incredible pace was set for only the second match ever played and for some the first. It is a great testament to the hard work of all involved, especially the players. Simon Ledger kept the crowds on the edge of their seats with his superlative commentary and we were delighted and honoured to have Peter Wright umpiring both the Heroes’ Cup and Hattingley Valley Trophy. Thank you to our sponsors, without whom the day could not happen, the teams and the loyal crowds who still flocked in their thousands despite the weather. We will all be back in 2016.”
eroes’ Cup 2015; Sunday 31 May; Tidworth Polo H Club Result: Cayenne Crusaders beat Winterflood Warriors, 2-1 Winterflood Warriors: Andrew Jelinek; Matt Eyre-Brook (Captain); Nick Cowley; Ange Mason-Matthews; Rebecca Foran-Coutts Cayenne Crusaders: Cliff O’Farrell; Elaine Corner; George Walker (Captain); Nick Hunter Hattingley Valley Trophy teams; Sunday 31 May; Tidworth Polo Club Result: Wilsons Solicitors beat Hattingley Valley, 8½-5 Wilsons Solicitors (15): Charlie Scott 2; Ali Paterson 4; Matt Perry 4; Eden Ormerod 5 Hattingley Valley (16): Jack Richardson 6; Alex Mains 2; John Kent 2; George Meyrick 6 Best Playing Pony: Zorro, owned and played by Eden Ormerod
The Heroes’ Cup para players with coach and umpire Eddie Kennedy
Polo Times, July 2015
69
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Women’s Polo Polo Times looks at women’s polo around the world, who’s playing where and what the latest news is
Sunny Hale strikes again
Photograph by Tony Mearman
On the weekend of 20 – 21 June, Bluey’s Farm hosted the fifth edition of their traditional Ladies’ Sugar Bowl tournament. The weekend programme welcomed four separate ladies-only teams, ranging from 4 to 8 goal in handicap. Although Shaft Polo’s Mel Hamilton, Jeanette Jones, Kirsty Craig and Natalia Danilochkina took this year’s title, Bluey’s Insight Corporate Wear (Sarah Williams Kelly, Jeanine Vos, Karina Kaute-Brown, Gemma Craig), Star Fuels (Christine Bowman, Steph Phizackerly/Sarah Brown, Louis Brown, Lucy Bowman) and Adrenaline (Emily Puddifer, Sophie Morrison, Tilly Holt, Georgiana Crofton) all showcased skilful play. Saturday afternoon’s action was followed by an asado at the yard, whilst Sunday’s Final concluded with a prize-giving ceremony as well as tea, cakes and Pimm’s.
Cover photograph by Chris Yeo
Shaft Polo Triumph
5 minutes with…
Jessica Andrews
FOLLOWING HER RECENT Most Valuable Player accolade in the season’s first WIP League Tournament, held at Inglesham Polo Club, Polo Times talks to 4 goal lady player Jessica Andrews. The current Polo Manager at Tidworth Polo Club, a club which has been celebrated for providing low goal polo at its best, discusses her future aims within the sport and her greatest polo achievements to date.
How did your polo career start? “My Dad has played for as long as I can remember, but I didn’t start until I was 15 whilst I was at Millfield School and then I kept playing at Taunton Vale with Dad. Prior to that I was a dressage rider.” What do you like/not like about polo? “I love the horses and the friends I have made through the sport. I can’t say I hate anything about it, although managing polo players can be challenging!” Which lady players do you admire and why? “There are a lot of very good lady players
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who I admire, but closer to home it has to be Heloise Wilson-Smith. She is a tough opponent and a great teammate who, having taken a break to have a baby, came back playing harder than ever before.” What are your personal aims within the sport? “Having taken over Tidworth Polo Club from John Wright nearly three years ago, my priorities lie there in developing and running it to the best of my ability. I would love to get involved with more international opportunities but it is hard to do that whilst also running a Club.” Which version of the sport do you prefer, mixed or girls-only? “I love both, as long as I am playing with friends.” Female polo seems to be constantly increasing, why do you think this is? “The sport has become more accessible on a broad scale, both at a club level and through organisations such as SUPA. Girls who already
America’s most famous female polo player, Sunny Hale, has released her book, Let’s Talk Polo. In what we all know is a male dominated sport, she has achieved what most female players can only dream of. One of her most notable triumphs is perhaps her victory in the US Open – a win that led to her being the first woman in US history to win the prestigious title. Together her triumphs and career highlights create a success story that is the equivalent to a woman being hired to play in the NBA, World Series or the Superbowl. The publication is the first of the Let’s Talk Polo book series, where Hale discusses proven techniques and strategies, as well as what factors led to her having the opportunity to play alongside some of the world’s most talented polo players. Let’s Talk Polo was released on 21 May and is available to buy on Amazon. ride are now finding a new and exciting way to enjoy equestrian sport.” Do you think women’s handicaps are a good thing? “I have mixed feelings…I think creating a bigger spread of handicaps based on ability is a good idea, and is something which would also benefit mixed polo at the lower end. It would however have been good to have trialled the system in England this year from scratch, without including the international handicaps of those who have played abroad as this has caused some problems. It is too early to tell yet whether it will work in practice.” How do you see the future of women’s polo? “I think the future of ladies’ polo is strong, with more and more girls coming into the game, it is all about creating as many opportunities for those players to improve and enjoy the game. I have become involved with WIP and this is an area we are trying to grow.” What is your best polo memory? “I have several great memories of playing in New Zealand and it’s hard to pick any in particular, although winning The NZ Ladies Open was definitely up there.Another was winning the Simon Kuseyo Memorial 4 goal in a 2 goal team alongside my Dad.”
Polo Times, July 2015
73
Women’s Polo Dates for the Diary UK WOMEN’S SUMMER Tournament Dates:
European Women’s Summer Tournament Dates:
Longdole:
WIP Ladies’ League (Open):
Ascot:
National Women’s Tournament (Multiple sections):
Sussex:
Ladies Trophy (-6 - -2):
11 –12 July
Cowdray:
British Ladies Open (Open):
13 – 18 July
Cirencester:
The International Ladies (Open):
21 – 26 July
Beaufort:
The Beaufort Ladies Tournament (0-4):
New Forest:
WIP Ladies’ League (Open):
1 – 2 August
Spain: Ladies’ Cups, July 24 – 26 and
Epsom:
Ladies Tournament (-4 -0):
1 – 2 August
October 9 – 11 Contact: Joanna Mobley
Ranelagh:
Ranelagh Farm Ladies (0-2):
1 – 2 August
(nzmpsalesandmarketing@gmail.com)
White Rose:
Ladies Tournament (-6 - -2):
1 – 2 August
RCBPC:
Polo Festival Ladies (Open):
Jul 28 – 9 August
Wicklow:
International Ladies Invitational Tournament (-4-0):
15 – 16 August
Heathfield:
Tie Polo (Ladies Tournament) (Open):
22 – 23 August
Tidworth:
WIP Ladies’ League (Open):
22 – 23 August
Tidworth:
La Chamiza Ladies Tournament (Open):
22 – 23 August
611209011, klarina_pichler@hotmail.com)
Dundee:
Ladies Cup (0-4):
29 – 30 August
Kirtlington:
Thorneloe Ladies Tournament (Open):
Club de Polo Ampurdan, Figueras,
Taunton:
WIP Ladies’ League (Open):
12 – 13 September
DBPC:
Ladies Tournament (Open):
12 – 13 September
West Wycombe: Ladies Mixed (Open):
4 – 5 July 4 – 5 July
Jul 25 – 2 August
31 August
19 – 20 September
Polo Club Midden, Netherlands: Ladies’ Polo Cup NL, July 11 – 12 Contact: Brenda de Boer (brenda@polo.nl) Santa Maria Polo Club, Sotogrande,
Polo Club La Mata del Herrador, Sevilla, Spain: Copa Internacional Femenina, September 18 – 20 Contact Klarina Pichler (tel: +34
Spain: II Ladies Autumn Polo Cup October 24 - 25 Contact: Eva Campos (eva@villacampos.com)
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Polo Times, July 2015
25/06/2015 13:12
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All Aspects of Youth Polo
Youth
Wiggy Bamforth covers this month’s round up of Youth Polo
Photographs by © Amrita Bilimoria Photography
Winning Day for All at The UK Kids Polo Tour
Action from the UAE vs King Power match.
Sunday 21 June saw four matches as part of the UK Kids Polo Tour. The first match at Billingbear Park saw Thai Polo (composed of Will Harper and Ned, Milly and Louis Hine) play King Power Foxes, which included Marco Di Paola’s sons, Santiago and Beltran. Thai Polo won 8-3, after an impressive match, egged on by the sight of the King Power high
goal teams at practice on an adjoining pitch. The high goal players even took a moment to cheer on their younger counterparts, who were wearing their own versions of their team shirts. Will Harper won the Most Valuable Player prize whilst special recognition was given to Santiago Di Paola who won a prize for Best Sportsmanship as he captained his team wonderfully in his amazing English. The next three matches at Highfield Farm saw an amazing turnout of supporters, whose own accumulated handicap amounted to more than 60 goals. The UAE Polo team, featuring both Mia and Adolfito Cambiaso, then won 10-2 against the all-female King Power Team. After this match, a fast and furious game saw La Aguada beat La Dolfina 5-2, showing some excellent play from both sides.
A post-match handshake.
Lastly, the Beginners & Under 9s Section saw Apes Hill and Salkeld going head to head, with each team supported by a professional to help the game flowing and to give tips and support. Gaston Bardengo’s Salkeld team, featuring the Sifani patron, Hillali Nordeen’s son, Suleymann, narrowly beat Marianela Castagnola’s Apes Hill team, 3-2. After play had ended, the children were delighted to watch a three chukka practice played by Adolfo Cambiaso, Facha Valent and the Dubai team, on the pitch they had just come off. Prize-giving was accompanied by Marianela’s handmade empanadas and an impromptu handstick match between the children, who all said they had an amazing time, both playing and watching their idols.
The Kids UK Polo Tour Teams: Thai Polo Milly Hine Ned Hine Louis Hine Will Harper
King Power Chloe Horswell Alannah Horswell Christabel Horswell Honour Horswell
La Aguada Mia Novillo Astrada Saif Noon Taimur Noon Cruz Novillo Astrada
King Power Foxes Andrea Sund Guy German Beltran Di Paola Santiago Di Paola
UAE Capi Granchi Mia Cambiaso Lucas Montverde Jnr. Adolfito Cambiaso
La Dolfina Eric Appen Flynn Bousson Justo Novillo Astrada Henry Porter
Apes Hill Nicolas Hiller Scarlett Finn Benjamin Quironga Marianela Castagnola (PRO) Salkeld Arabella Henderson Max Spooner Sophia Romero/ Suleyman Noordeen Gaston Bardengo (PRO)
The SUPA National Girls’ Schools Championships
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Araminta Lawson-Smith, Lissy Williams, Mari Gibbons and Rosanna Turk, who also claimed overall victory. Marlborough College, took home the SUPA Trophy for the winning school. The team, composed of Nell Macaire (Captain), Olivia Good, Freya Pinkney and Georgina Millar had played well in all their matches, but unfortunately lost out on overall victory to the Combined teams. Florence Berner from Stowe School
Photograph by Fiona Corthine
This year four teams took part in the RJ Polo sponsored annual tournament, held at Longdole Polo Club on 7 June. Marlborough College, Tudor Hall School, Cheltenham College and Stowe School battled it out in an American style tournament, with separate prizes awarded for the two sections. This year, after a strong run in all their matches, the Combined Trophy was awarded to the Cheltenham College Combined team, of
was named Most Valuable Player, and was presented with a pair of English leather kneepads as a prize by The Worshipful Company of Saddlers.
Action from the Championships
Polo Times, July 2015
77
Youth
All Aspects of Youth Polo
Dark Blues Dominate on Varsity Day
Photograph by Tony Ramirez/www.imagesofpolo.com
Oxford University proved their superiority at the annual Varsity battles at Guards Polo Club on 7 June. Both the Oxford University Polo Team and the Old Oxford Blues won their matches, with a solid victory apiece to take home the silverware. In the match for the Old Blues’ Silver Bowl, the Oxford Old Blues – featuring Billy Del Sel,
Action from the Oxford vs Cambridge match
78
Polo Times, July 2015
Major Jamie Hayward, Andrew Detchet and Cameron Walton Masters – beat the Cambridge Old Blues of Francesca Smith, Sam Browne, Amber Clutton-Brock and Sam Outrridge, convincingly 7-4. Their younger counterparts dominated in their match against Cambridge University Polo Team, with Oxford University Polo Team (Lawrence Wang, Louis Maddison, Vere Harmsworth and George Pearson) beating the opposition 14-2 to take the Varsity Match trophy. The result was not as one-sided as it may first seem, as the Cambridge University team (Mieke Van Vlannderen, Toby Al Mughiery, Theo Weathered, Oliver Lawrence) had a much lower handicap than their opposition, but,
Action from the Javier Novillo Astrada U15 Cup
Photograph by Gordon Lindsay
On Sunday 14 June, the Gloucestershire Festival of Polo played host to the inaugural Javier Novillo Astrada U15 Cup. Played in memory of the late great sportsman, the tournament was played at Beaufort Polo Club, a fitting location, as the Club was where Javier spent one of his first UK summer seasons. Held in partnership with the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, with teams sponsored by Black Hound Sport, RJ Polo, SATS and Zonkey Polo, the tournament simultaneously raised awareness of the illness, and provided a platform for the next generation of polo players to showcase their skills. All matches were hard fought, with an excellent standard of polo played. In the first match the RJ Polo team saw off Black Hound Sports 3-2, in a close game which saw RJ Polo (Lucas Monteverde, Tamara Gibbons, Henry Frizby and Cruz Heguy) pull out all the stops to secure their place in the Final. Eventual victors SATS, dominated in their game against Zonkey Polo, winning 8-1. Although Zonkey Polo (Simon Novillo Astrada, Manuel Novillo Astrada, Jaz Stanhope-White and Marcus Cork) fought bravely, they were no match for the SATS team of Ned Hine, Charlie Townsend, Mia Novillo Astrada and Freddie Jodrell. The Subsidiary Final saw Black Hound Sports (George Deverell, Luke Wiles, Santiago Lllavallol and Milly Hine), beat Zonkey Polo 4-3, a close match which saw Zonkey Polo up their game to lose out by only one goal. However, in the hard fought Final, it was SATS who took home the trophy over RJ Polo, winning the match and the trophy 2-1 after an excellent game which saw both teams show off their skill to the utmost. As well as the Cup, the winners also took home prizes, including sweatshirts, hoodies and magazines were sponsored by Polo Times.
Photograph by Gordon Lindsay
Satisfaction for SATS
The Sub-Finalists on the podium
in accordance with tradition, the match is played Open. However, this did not lessen the sting for Cambridge, who had a goalless first three chukkas, a run only broken by Weathered, who scored a goal and then a penalty in quick succession during the fourth chukka. Old Etonian George Pearson, who has a long history with this tournament, having been a key player for his school in previous years, was named Most Valuable Player, and also took home the Best Playing Pony Prize for his third chukka mount, an ex-Novillo Astrada pony from Argentina. George’s alma mater are obviously doing well despite his absence, as they won the annual Eton vs Harrow match for the John Cowdray Trophy. However, with a 4½-3 result, this match was much closer, with Harrow (Charles Cadogan, James Emlyn, Hugo Taylor, D’Artagnan Giercke) losing out narrowly to Eton’s team of Eric Appen, Tom Barlow, Henry Letts and Seb Hancock. However, the standard of polo was especially high for this game, with some lovely fast flowing runs to entertain the spectators in the sunshine. In the McKinnon Cup, presented by Lady Chelsea, the Old Etonians (Clifton Wrottesley, John Sleeman, Richard PatonPhilip, Felipe Massu) failed to make it a clean sweep, with the Old Harrovians’ team of George Cadogan, Peter Ferrari, Charlie Pidgley (substituting for Nikolai Bahlsen) and Stuart Lodge winning this match 6½-4. www.polotimes.co.uk
All Aspects of Youth Polo
Kirtlington Retain Towler Trophy Photograph by Jane Fleming
Though the conditions were less than perfect, the weather did not discourage either team, as they continued playing fast and open games, exhibiting excellent polo from both sides. The teams, who both had -3 handicaps, comprised on the white-clad SUPA side of Tamara Gibbons (-1), Alex Wood (-2), Dominic Lodge (0) and Thomas Coid (0) and the young KPPC side of James Grayson (0), James Fewster (0), Florence Berner (-1) and Lorna Fleming (-2) in red and white. The game was an excellent example of youth polo, with good fast play, and both teams considered to be playing well beyond their handicaps. The ball didn’t stay in one place for long, but was instead moved quickly between the teammates, enabling all the players a good chance at play, and some exciting viewing. However, Kirtlington’s superior teamwork proved too much for the SUPA team, and they soon started racking up the goals to end the game 6-1 to Kirtlington. Mrs Veronica Thorneloe presented the prizes to both teams in place of Mrs Stella Towler, mother of Stephen, who was unable to attend. Mrs Thornloe’s son, Rupert, played with Stephen in the Pony Club as a teenager.
Team SUPA Britain and KPPC team with The Stephen Towler Trophy
Cheltenham Victorious The Cheltenham College teams won across the board at the Cheltenham College Polo Invitation Day held at Longdole Polo Club on Saturday 30 May. The Prep team beat Summer Fields, the College team beat Stowe School and the Old Cheltonian’s beat Eton.
Youth Dates for the Diary
RCBPC – SUPA vs RCBPC Quatro Amigos Trophy: 28 June Empire Polo Club – SUPA International Polo Festival – Gold Cup: 2 – 4 July Cheshire – SUPA Home Nations Cup: 22 – 23 August Longdole – Longdole Junior Tournament: 28 August Young England Cowdray – The Colts Cup: 11 – 13 August Ham – Stagshead Trophy/ BBVA/ Kingfisher: 16 August Rutland – England Colts vs Scotland Colts: 19 August Kirtlington – Alan Budgett: 29 August
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Photograph by Zahra Lucas
The Stephen Towler Trophy, played at Kirtlington Park Polo Club on 14 June, saw the Kirtlington team beat SUPA Britain. The Trophy is presented in memory of Stephen Towler an outstanding young player and protégée of Pete Fewster and Hector Barrantes, who epitomised both great talent and real sportsmanship.
Cheltenham College conquered all opposing teams
A thoroughly enjoyable day was had by all, especially Cheltenham players old and young as their clean sweep of wins were a first in the Invitation Day’s history.
Pony Club Dates
Vaux Park – Pony Club Tournament: 13 July Taunton – Pony Club Tournament: 14 July Frampton – Pony Club Tournament: 16 July Rugby – Pony Club Tournament: 17 July Suffolk – Pony Club Tournament: 18 July Epsom – Pony Club Tournament: 19 July Kirtlington – Pony Club Tournament: 21 July Ascot – Pony Club Tournament: 22 July Hurtwood – Pony Club Tournament: 23 July Cirencester – Qualifying Pony Club Tournament: 27 – 28 July Longdole – Qualifying Pony Club Tournament: 29 – 30 July Tidworth – Qualifying Pony Club Tournament: 3 – 4 August Hurtwood – Jorrocks Championships: 5 August Cowdray – Pony Club Championships: 7 – 9 August
Youth
Charles Whittington Pony Club Chairman
T
he Cotswold Branch of the Pony Club ran a half-term tournament at Longdole Polo Club at the very kind invitation of Zahra and Will Lucas. In dry weather and on perfect grounds, the Under 14 and Under 16 teams from as far afield as Cowdray and Taunton battled it out for the honours. It was a good opportunity for players to try out new ponies, teams and positions before the hard-work starts next month. Mrs Chamberlain of the Cotswold Pony Club organised a brilliant day and many of our usual volunteers turned out to help – thanks in particular to Dan Banks, umpire extraordinaire, and Jo Beim. As I watched these young players going up and down the ground, I wondered whether we are doing the best we can to teach them how to play the game. This is not necessarily a criticism of the present coaching arrangements, more a question of whether we address team tactics early enough. I know learners don’t necessarily have the technique to execute tactics, but if we keep reminding teams about the positional aspects, perhaps they would learn the techniques required to put tactics into effect? Another pleasure was the Best of British day at Tidworth in aid of Help for Heroes. A large crowd watched service men and women with extraordinary injuries playing polo, of all sports, in front of Tedworth House, the former officers’ mess at Tidworth, which has been converted to a rehabilitation centre for service men and women with serious injuries, both physical and mental. The idea that people can master their injuries by mastering a sport seems to be proving very effective. We also watched two great teams of young British players play 20 goal polo – something remarkable in itself. The event was brilliantly organised by David Cowley, Alan Kent and Tidworth Polo Club. If you missed it, make sure you are there next year.
Polo Times, July 2015
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Youth
SUPA National Universities’ Championships
SUPA National Universities’ Championships Annual tournament sees increase in standard of university polo
Wiggy Bamforth reports from Warwickshire
T
Photography by Lucy Wilson
he weekend of the 5 – 7 June saw 26 universities descend on Dallas Burston Polo Club for the annual SUPA National Universities’ Championships. The University of Reading, whose teams won the Combined, Intermediate 1 and Novice 1 sections dominated this year’s results. However, the University of Reading were not the only team to pull off multiple victories. The University of St Andrews side saw wins in both Beginner 1 and Novice 3, a great achievement for the Club, whose Novice team also won Scotland’s Beginners League at Kinross Polo Club earlier this year. Hannah Cope, Club President, who plays on the Novice team with Phoebe
Grant and Ben Whittle, spoke to Polo Times about her team’s success, “We are a more experienced group of riders and players, but had never played together as a team before this weekend. Because of our work on the committee, we all know each other quite well and slotted into playing together pretty easily.” St Andrews can also boast that their side is multinational, with players from New York City to Edinburgh. It was a busy weekend for Loughborough student Robin Spicer who admitted, “This year I ended up umpiring 61 chukkas over the weekend and filling in for the University of the West of England. As a player and umpire I saw the complete range of polo played and what it meant for students to either play their first match or battle against long-time rivals.” Rich Hine, Captain and Vice-President of Newcastle University Polo Club, spoke to Polo Times about his team’s victory in the Intermediate 2 tournament, “As each match consisted of two chukkas, our aim was to
try and play fast-paced polo to allow us to score as many goals as possible, allowing the team to use an expansive style of play, which paid off.” The win was made even more special for Newcastle University as the team can claim two players who only started polo at university, one of whom, Cameron Turner, contested Beginner 1 last year. Elsewhere, the Open section saw a hard fought tournament between the University of Exeter and the University of the West of England (UWE), which ended in a victory for Exeter. Oxford Brookes University’s Tom Rankin and Grant Polkinghorne joined forces with Sandhurst’s Nick Lowe, to form a team under Greenpoint to take the Novice 2 accolade, while Cardiff University took home the Beginner 2 title, and University of Liverpool A won Beginner 3. There was a definite increase in the standard of play this year; Thom Bell, coach for the Scottish Universities, who umpired a large number of the Open and Combined
The massed teams of SUPA 80
Polo Times, July 2015
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SUPA National Universities’ Championships
chukkas, commented to Polo Times that “some of the matches would not have looked out of place in a 2 goal tournament.” Joshua Lee, President of the University of Aberdeen Polo Club, agreed that, “This year’s SUPA Nationals has been the most well organised and successful in the three years I have been going. Unlike previous years there were no major delays to chukkas.” Elsewhere, on the sidelines, Friday night saw the SUPA Universities AGM, which addressed many issues from the previous year. With the advent of the new website and the Association overhaul, there was praise for this new era of SUPA, even though the system awaits its final few tweaks. Afterwards, The Association of Polo Schools and Pony Hirers held drinks to discuss future endeavours. Thom Bell commented, “With SUPA supporting the new APSPH I feel the standard of ponies and the welfare of those ponies was better monitored, long may the APSPH help to improve the standard of coaching and the quality and suitability of ponies for hire.” Both Huw Bevan and Phil Baker celebrated birthdays over the weekend, the latter forced to endure Charles Betz conducting the massed teams of SUPA in a rendition of Happy Birthday after the prize-giving. Mille Torg succinctly rounded up the weekend when she spoke to Polo Times, “University
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Action from the preliminary rounds on Saturday of Kent Polo Club had an amazing weekend at SUPA with our Novice 1 team coming in 2nd place after a close Final and our Novice 2 team coming in 4th. Our Beginners did an outstanding job at their first Nationals, and we can’t wait to see how they do next year! Alongside the polo, we had a great time
playing rounders and socialising with a lot of the other universities! The only downside was that the weekend flew by so quickly!” For social coverage of the weekend, please turn to our Sidelines pages.
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SUPA National Universities’ Championships
Action from the Open Final Beginner 3
Beginner 2
Beginner 1
Novice 3
Novice 2
Novice 1
1st
Liverpool A
Cardiff
St Andrews
St Andrews
Green Point
Reading R3
Lower Upper Open Intermediate Intermediate Newcastle Reading Exeter
2nd
Exeter
Warwick A
Manchester
Winchester
Warwick
Kent
Birmingham
London
3rd
London E
Warwick
Sandhurst
Edinburgh
Birmingham
Harper Adams
London A
Edinburgh
4th
Kent
Liverpool
Newcastle
Birmingham
Kent
Warwick
Nottingham
5th
Liverpool
Exeter
Norland
Cardiff
Nottingham
London B
Durham
6th
Birmingham/ RVC
Greenwich
Loughborough
Warwick
Birmingham 2A
Edinburgh
7th
Norland
Norland
Bournemouth
Warwick 3A
Edinburgh
Stirling A
8th
Warwick
Birmingham
York
Aberdeen 3A
Nottingham 2
Liverpool
9th
Stirling
Nottingham
Newcastle
York
Brighton
10th
London
Kent
Aberdeen 3B
Newcastle
Newcastle
11th
Nottingham
UWE Lions
Liverpool
UWE Guards
12th
Durham
Liverpool
Exeter
York
13th
Reading
Durham
14th
UWE Sirens
Stirling
15th
Newcastle
Edinburgh
16th
York
Aberdeen
UWE
Combined Reading Birmingham Manchester-Liverpool
The Association of Polo Schools and Pony Hirers Best Playing Pony Best Playing Pony: Ember Owners: Glynn Henderson and Jenny Doherty Age: 8 Height: 15.1hh Colour: Chestnut Sex: Mare Glynn Henderson on Ember: “Ember came from Yorkshire as a racehorse, and has since been played by everyone from university beginners to a 9 goal player last season. Names on her back include Phil Baker, my son Mikey Henderson who has played her up to 15 goal, my partner Jenny Doherty, who took her to the Midlands Polo Festival, and Bettina Solomon and Sophie-Ann Watling, who played her in the Beginner section at SUPA Nationals. Occasionally, when she’s not too in demand, I also get to play a chukka or two.”
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SUPA National Senior Schools
Cheltenham take the Open National Senior Schools Excellent play from all at Kirtlington Park Polo Club promises bright things for the future, reports Lucy Wilson
Action from the tournament
Winners Cheltenham College
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him, Hassan Usman was awarded The Most Promising Player Award for the Intermediate section. Hassan played on Rugby Polo Club’s piebald pony, Bogtrotter and was undoubtedly the linchpin for his team’s win. In the Novice section, with three-a-side teams, Rugby School (Lauren Wright, Eliza Williams & Charlie Tuite-Dalton) defeated Cheltenham College to take the trophy in four slightly shorter chukkas over the course of the day. In the Combined section, Dean Close (Tamar Gibbons, Jake Nainbridge, Charlie Hitchman & David Gibbons) took the trophy with Tudor Hall taking the runner-up spot. Thomas Coid was the awarded The Most Valuable Player Award, which for the last 20 years has been gifted by The Worshipful Company of Saddlers to SUPA National Senior Schools Championships. The standard of play really was very high this summer, and with plenty of polo surnames on the pitch from Barlow to Berner,
Rumsey and Severn, the future of British polo looks strong with well mounted and talented youngsters ready to take on Club level polo. Lucy Wilson, Club Liaison and News Manager for Polo Times was on hand all day to offer subscriptions to the schools, players and parents. All the players that participated in the tournament received a complimentary copy of Polo Times and The Polo Magazine. Winners of each section also received a Polo Times trucker hat as a prize.
Photography by Lucy Wilson
On Sunday 21 June at Kirtlington Park Polo Club, nine schools were represented at SUPA National Senior School Championships. Cheltenham College (Tom Severn, Araminta Lawson-Smith, Alicia Williams and Ollie Severn) took the Open title with Stowe School as runners-up and Radley College in third place. Robert Flemings’ pony Zorro was awarded the Polo Times Best Playing Pony Award after an excellent chukka. In the Under 16s, Radley College (Jonty Barlow, Freddie Jodrell, Freddie Younger and Freddie Barlow) took a deserved win after defeating Marlborough, Tudor Hall and Felstead. Sam Whisby, who wore the red, white and blue shirt for Felsted, was awarded a Most Promising Player Award after scoring a magnificent goal on Greenpoint Polo’s pony Calloy, at a speedy gallop from the halfway line with three nearside forehands. In the Intermediate section, Rugby School (Alex Stasinski, Hassan Usman, Ellie Shepherd and Benji Bradshaw) played exceptionally well for this level to take the trophy. St Bartholomew’s took second place and Stowe School third place. Despite taking a hard ride-off and a tumble in his first chukka of the day, in which he took his pony’s bridle with
Best Playing Pony Zorro
The SUPA National Senior Schools Championships Teams: Open: Radley College 1. Robert Fleming 2. Max Rumsey 3. Patrick Lodge 4. Dominic Lodge
Combined: Dean Close 1. Jake Bainbridge 2. Tamara Gibbons 3. David Gibbons 4. Charlie Hitchman
Stowe School 1. Jamie Grayson 2. Henry Frisby 3. Florence Berner 4. Patrick Robinson
Tudor Hall 1. Hannah Mills 2. Iona Frisby 3. Thomas Coid 4. Amy Harper
Cheltenham 1. Tom Severn 2. Ollie Severn 3. Araminta Lawson Smith 4. Alicia Williams
Under 16s: Marlborough 1. Milo Sweet 2. Nell Macaire 3. George Hankinson 4. Ben Barnes
Radley College 1. Jonty Barlow 2. Freddie Jodrell 3. Freddie Barlow 4. Freddie Younger
Rugby School 1. Alex Stasinski 2. Hassan Usman 3. Ellie Shepherd 4. Benji Bradshaw
Tudor Hall 1. Daisy Flach 2. Lorna Fleming 3. Annabel Beale 4. Rosie Bulwer Long
St Bartholemews 1. Anna Ferguson 2. Cicely Colthurst 3.Michael Osborn
Felsted School 1. Hugo Benz 2. Beau Carter 3. Sam Wisbey 4. Anton Benz
Novice 3-a-Side: Rugby School 1. Lauren Wright 2. Eliza Williams 3. Charlie Tuite-Dalton
Intermediate: Stowe School 1. B illy Hawkings-Byass 2. Algy Stanley 3. Leo Dettori 4. Steven Duncan
Cheltenham College 1. Dany Choudry 2. Ben Kinsman 3. Ben Hillditch
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La Aguada Youth Tournament
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La Aguada Reign Triumphant Team win self-title competition in fine style at Guards Polo Club Now in its third year, the La Aguada Youth Tournament, which is aimed at 10 to 18-year-olds, was originally the idea of Eduardo Novillo Astrada back in 2013. Based on similar Argentine tournaments, the event sees three divisions, Under 10s, 10 to 14-year-olds and 14 to 18-year-olds, showcasing their skills in a tournament. La Aguada had a good day of play on Saturday 20 June, at Guards Polo Club, especially against the two Guards home teams, who they beat 1-0 in the Under 10s
The prize-giving of the La Aguada Youth Tournament
Action from the Final
He was mounted on Alma, his favourite pony, who he thought went very well for him. However, Guards finally came up victorious in the 10 to 14-year-old section, as they beat Coworth 2-1. Mia Cambiaso, daughter of Adolfo, won the Fair Play Award, though it was Most Valuable Player, Luke Wiles, who was most enthusiastic about his win over Coworth, saying “I was really nervous of playing against people like Mia Cambiaso and Mia Novillo Astrada to begin with but we managed to beat them. I had an amazing run where I managed to take the ball round the pitch on my nearside and score a really good goal.” Spectators agreed that this piece of play had not gone unnoticed, and was considered very impressive by all. Prizes for the sections were sponsored by Polo Times, and every player received a Polo Times goody bag.
category, and 4-3 in the 14 to 18-year-old divisions. Rufino Merlos, Most Valuable Under 10 Player, commented, “I thought the day was really fun and enjoyed playing competitively. I rode my favourite mare Pilar and scored a goal I was very proud of.” He also said he enjoyed it so much he wished he could have played more than one chukka. The Fair Play Award went to Jemima Walker, for this section, and in the 14 to 18-year-old section, went to Saif Noon. The Most Valuable Player in the 14 to 18-year-old section was Charles Cooney, who played for Guards, who commented although he was disappointed his team did not win, he was impressed with their strength of play and really enjoyed the day.
The La Aguada Youth Tournament Teams:
Guards Polo Club Felix Toccalino Shrey Rawal Aramaya Sheikh Jemima Walker 10 to 14-year-olds: La Aguada Mia Novillo Astrada Mia Cambiaso Capuchine Granchi Andrea Sund
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Las Monjitas Adolfito Cambiaso Manu Novillo Astrada Lucas Montverde Cristo Brodie Coworth Park Segundo Darrichon Kiki Severn Luke Wiles Simon Novillo Astrada (½) Beltran Di Paola (½) Guards Polo Club Santiago Di Paola Santiago Llavallol Benjamin Quiroga Edward Walker
14 to 18-year-olds: La Aguada Las Monjitas Charlie Cadogan Jamie Grayson Taimur Noon Cruz Novillo Astrada Las Monjitas Justo Novillo Astrada Hugo Taylor Saif Noon James Emlyn Coworth Park Karim Shiekh Livi Alderman Terrence Lent Santiago Llavallol Guards Polo Club Alex Webb Charles Cooney Dart Giercke Nikita Van Gils
Photography by ©www.imagesofpolo.com
Under 10s: La Aguada Rufino Merlos Beltran Laulhe George Copcutt Hector Copcutt
A young player takes a shot
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Know Your Game
Playing tips with Rege Ludwig The How and Why of Gripping the Handle Renowned polo coach, Rege Ludwig gives his expert advice about how to get more out of your game
Figure 1: The fist grip
F
Figure 2: Open hand
ollowing on from last month, holding the mallet handle in the most effective manner is a beneficial thing to know. However, of even greater significance is realising the benefits to be derived from holding it correctly. For the purpose of emphasising the positive, I begin by focusing on the negative. The Destructive Fist Grip The fist grip, as shown in Figure 1, is detrimental from many perspectives. The most significant being that the muscles of the hand, wrist and forearm contract when the fist grip is used. The fist grip typically appears before the downswing is initiated, which severely restricts the creation of
Figure 4: Hand position with the thumb up
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Polo Times, July 2015
Figure 3: Neutral hand position
power during the downswing. Those muscles should, instead, be stretched and that is facilitated when the more openhanded grip is used, as shown in Figure 2. The stretching of those muscles entails three distinct manoeuvres: one of the hand, Figure 4, one of the wrist, Figure 5, and one of the forearm, Figure 6. Three Manoeuvres To identify each of the three manoeuvres, try the following: With your hand in front of you in a neutral position, as shown in Figure 3, the tip of your thumb should be pointing forward, your thumbnail facing up, and the top and inside edge of your thumb knuckle
Figure 5: Wrist going back towards the elbow
pressing lightly onto the bottom and outside edge of the large knuckle of your index finger. Doing so creates a cradle in which the handle rests, as shown in Figure 7. 路 Manoeuvre 1: Engage your hand so the tip of your thumb is pointing almost straight up, with your thumbnail facing your right shoulder, as shown in Figure 4. 路 Manoeuvre 2: Bend your wrist causing the back of your hand to move toward your elbow, as shown in Figure 5. 路 Manoeuvre 3: Rotate your forearm, Radius and Ulna, approximately sixty degrees counter-clockwise from being perpendicular to the ground, as shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6: Forearm is shown here rotated by 60 degrees
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Figure 7: The mallet grip
Figure 8
When holding the handle in this manner, the muscles of the hand, wrist and forearm have been stretched and are ready to contract, which generates significant power during the downswing. Your hand, wrist and forearm should be in this stretched position at the top of the downswing, and at the end of the follow through. The second negative aspect of the fist grip is that it causes the mallet head to be pushed out and away from the plane of the swing and the ball as shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10. When that happens, the mallet head must be moved back toward the plane, causing the ball to be hit left. With the handle diagonally across the hand, the angle on which the cane passes through the head (approximately 15 degrees from vertical) is close to being adjusted for, allowing the mallet head to be: 1. Flush with the ground 2. Below the equator of the ball 3. In the centre of the ball at contact Index Finger The index finger is indisputably the most important finger of the mallet hand. The mallet handle should be pressing firmly onto the index finger throughout the swing process. 路 Downswing: At initiation of the downswing, the most pressure should be on the large knuckle of the index finger. 路 Point of Contact: At contact with the ball, the majority of pressure should be on the middle knuckle. 路 Follow Through: During follow through, the pressure should be primarily on the first, or small, knuckle.
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Figure 9
Middle Finger The middle finger is the single most critical finger relative to stabilizing the mallet handle in your hand. Third and Little Fingers Another detrimental aspect of the fist grip is that of the third and little fingers, gripping the handle too tightly at the wrong time. Even though it is advantageous to have those two fingers applying pressure during the downswing; after contact with the ball, those two fingers should begin to soften on the handle, so as to release the energy of the swing into the ball.
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Figure 10
That is especially true when the cradle is incorporated, Figure 7, and the correct grip, as shown in Figure 11. In Summary Developing the ability to swing and use the mallet most effectively takes time, six months or more of diligent pursuit slowly increasing the strength and coordinated use of the muscles of the fingers, the hand and the wrist. When you know how to, and can use those parts efficiently and effectively, the benefit derived more than justifies any effort you may have put into achieving them.
Thumb The thumb is second in degree of importance only to the index finger. Relative to creating the all-important cradle in which to hold the handle, the thumb should be running up the back and inside edge of the handle so as to be firmly squeezing, pressing or holding the handle onto the index finger throughout the swing process, as shown in Figure 2. As compared to the fist grip, Figure 1, with your thumb lying across and against the width of the handle, the more open handed grip, with your thumb running up the back and inside edge of the handle, Figure 2, allows for greater gripping strength for holding the handle and controlling the head. Additionally, the more openhanded grip can move the mallet head with much greater speed and power than can possibly be accomplished using the fist grip. Figure 11: The correct grip
Polo Times, July 2015
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Photograph by Gordon Lindsay
Best Playing Pony Chisperito Janie Dear and Izzy Parsons talk to Polo Times about Chisperito, the Best Playing Pony in The England vs The Rest of the World Ladies’ International
Chisperito Height: 15.2hh Age: 13-years-old Colour: Chestnut Sex: Gelding Breeding: Argentine Owner: Janie Dear Where is the pony from? Chisperito came from the Novillo Astrada family at their estancia in La Aguada, Argentina. How long have you had him? We have had him now for seven years and everyone in the family plays him in everything from 2 to 15 goal.
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What are his strengths? That’s an easy one – being so versatile! Testament to this is that Izzy Parsons played so well on him, having never sat on him before, and managed to win this Polo Times Best Playing Pony Award at the Beaufort Ladies International. How has he gone this season? He is literally flying! Have you won any other Best Playing Pony awards with him? Not yet, but after this award we expect many more Best Playing Pony rugs to be piling up in the back of the lorry!
Does he have any special quirks? He is very brave on the field, but off the field is a very shy chap. Describe him in three words. Shy, quick, polite. Izzy, how did Chisperito go for you? Janie Dear very kindly lent me some very good horses for the game, all of whom were great fun to play. Chisperito was very handy and ran really well when asked. If I were still playing full-time he would no doubt be top of my string. or full coverage of th match please turn to F pages 35
What are your plans for his future? Chisperito will continue to play at all levels for the rest of the season.
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Photograph by Clive Bennett/ www.polopictures.co.uk
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Pony Power
Best Playing Pony Cube Polo Times caught up with Facundo Pieres at Billingbear Park to talk about Cube, Best Playing Pony in The Cartier Queen’s Cup Final 2015
Cube Height: 15.1hh Age: 10-years-old Colour: Chestnut Sex: Mare Breeding: By Norman Pentaquad out of Cubita Owner: Facundo Pieres Where is the pony from? I only bought her this year from Ellerston, although this is the third year I have played her. Tell us about her background She has played in both Spain and the UK. She first came over to the UK with Ellerston in 2012 when she was six-years-old. That was the last year Ellerston played [at 22 goal level]. In 2013 and 2014 I played her when she was lent to Zacara. This year I have had 92
Polo Times, July 2015
the opportunity to buy her for myself, and I am enjoying playing her as part of my own string. What are her strengths? She has everything and is all round perfection, with a lot of mouth, and although she isn’t the fastest, she has good power and acceleration too. I feel very comfortable on her this season.
Does she have any special quirks? She is very easy in the stable, although sometimes she is grumpy for the first twenty seconds when I get on, but overall she is really easy going and I enjoy playing her. Describe Cube in three words The perfect mare. or full coverage of th match please turn to F pages 26.
Has she won any other Best Playing Pony Awards? Yes she has. Last year she played very well and won the Best Playing Pony Award in The Carlos Gracida Memorial Trophy. Before that, back in 2013 she was awarded Best Playing Pony in the Semi-Final of The Cartier Queen’s Cup, when I played for Zacara. What are your plans for her future? I am not 100% sure yet, although I am most probably going to take her to Argentina in the future.
Cube at home in her stable at Billingbear Park, King Power’s UK base
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Photograph by Clive Bennett/ www.polopictures.co.uk
Best Playing Pony Vicenta 7 goaler Joaquin Pittaluga talks to Polo Times about Vicenta, his Best Playing Pony in The Duke of Sutherland Cup
Vicenta Height: 15hh Age: 14-years-old Colour: Chestnut Sex: Mare Breeding: By Piaccere out of Vendeta Owner: Joaquin Pittaluga Where is the pony from? She is a homebred from my family’s estancia in Argentina, so I have had her since she was born. Tell us about her background She is one of the last foals to be born out of my father’s old fashioned breeding programme. He owned both her mother and father. I took her on when she was three.
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What are her strengths? She is quite well rounded, but after all these years playing her I would say that what makes her special is her heart which keeps her strong, especially at her age after so much polo. How has she gone this season? She has been always very honest, both to handle in the yard and when I ask her to give me acceleration or a change in direction during a game, this season has been no exception. Has she won any other Best Playing Pony Awards? No never, but she has been one of my top mares in the UK and Argentina for more than eight seasons now, so she deserved to win the Polo Times Best Playing Pony rug at Cowdray.
What are your plans for her future? We took a couple of embryos from her, who are on the ground in Argentina. They are five-year-olds now and are already looking promising. I would really like to fly her back to Argentina to take some more embryos and let her retire at my estancia. Does she have any special quirks? None. She is extremely calm on the yard and in fact anyone could ride her, from a beginner to a high goal player. Describe Vicenta in three words? Loyal, trustworthy, powerful. or full coverage of th match please turn to F pages 43.
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Semi-Finals Day Wednesday 15 July
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Pony running reports
PONY running reports The summer season is well underway now and our Running Report ponies have been busy playing, and for some, winning prizes all over the country. Bruno has been to every SUPA Championship in the fixtures list, guiding his young players around the grounds of Dallas Burston Polo Club, Longdole Polo Club and most recently at
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home at Kirtlington Park Polo Club. Carlotta took part in The Cheltenham College Invitational Polo Day with Izzy England on board and won Best Playing Pony. She has also been busy playing 6 Goal, in between escaping from her paddock. Exquisite seems to still be full of beans and is popping in the odd cheeky buck to make sure James Harper is paying attention. Her grooms were also awarded the Tally Ho Groom of the Month Award, the £150 will go a long way towards Sophie’s budget for treats. Fortune has been in the wars with a cut to her eye, but a few stiches and staples later and she is back to work without any longterm problems. Hollywood has had a feed change after some possible naughtiness but has been playing lots of 8 goal up and down the country with Lucy and the ladies’ team.
Fortune before the vet stitched up her nasty cut
Bruno in action for Brighton University Polo Club at SUPA University Nationals
Fortune after her vet visit
Carlotta receiving the Best Playing Pony Rug at the Cheltenham Invitational Polo Day
James, Chris Adkins, Sophie & Ellie with Exquisite receiving the Tally Ho Farm Groom of the Month Award
*PUBLISHER’S NOTE This ongoing feature is aimed at following the training programmes, the amount of polo played, and any additional costs incurred on top of the usual livery or field rental costs. Livery can be hugely expensive, but keeping ponies at home or at grass in a rented field can be vastly different in price. By excluding the cost of livery, which can vary greatly across the UK and internationally, the feature focuses more on the costs such as shoeing, vet bills or chiropractor appointments. Likewise we track the number of miles travelled from an interest point of view, but do not enter in to discussion about costs of diesel, trucks, drivers etc. We hope you find the included facts and figures enlightening. Brutus, one of our usual Running Report horses is taking a break this month, but he will return with an update in the next issue www.polotimes.co.uk
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Pony running reports
HOLLYWOOD Age: 12 Height: 15.3hh Sex: Gelding Type: NZ Thoroughbred by Woodbury Lad Name of owner: Lucy Taylor Base: Cirencester Level of polo expected: -2 to 12 “This month we have been up and down the country to play. We have been to Cheshire and back twice, Beaufort four times, and Cirencester and Dallas at least once so I think Hollywood has seen a few miles fly by in the truck, poor pony. He’s always a calm traveller, thankfully after all these miles. He is well behaved on the yard and in his paddock as well. “He has been getting a little more lively, due to new feed, which I have now dropped! He is a tough Kiwi horse that will play on and on with no requirement for such refined things as conditioning cubes! He never tires like the others do, even when you play six matches a week! So he is just getting Alfa-A, sugar beet, a basic mix, Blue Chip and Iron Excel now – no more conditioning cubes. “We have played three chukkas in the Badmington 8 Goal, four in the Gerald Balding 8 Goal, three in the Archie David 8 Goal, two for The Assam Cup 6 Goal, a couple at The Cheshire Ladies Tournament, four chukkas in the Cheshire 2 Goal and then two chukkas on the last weekend in June.” June overview: Number of chukkas played: 20 Number of miles travelled: At least 800 miles Cost this month: New set of shoes £74 Total cost: £74
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CARLOTTA
BRUNO
Age: 15 years Height: 15hh Sex: Mare Type: Argentine polo pony Name of owner: Simon England, played by Zac Beim Base: Longhill, Cirencester Level of polo expected: Pony Club (Hipwood & Surtees) SUPA & 2, 4 & 6 goal
Age: 17 Height: 15.1hh Sex: Gelding Type: Cebruno (An Argentine native breed) Name of owner: Melissa Wadley Base: Kirtlington Park Polo School Level of polo expected: From beginners to winners!
“May finished on a high note when Carlotta was awarded the Best Playing Pony rug at the Cheltenham College Invitational Polo Day at Longdole Polo Club. Izzy England was playing her that day and together they scored three goals in a 4-1 defeat of Summerfield Prep School. “June saw Carlotta and Zac play the Committee Cup 6 Goal for the Dawson Group Polo Team, and the team ran out the eventual winners of the tournament. At the time of writing, the duo are about to embark on the R J Polo 4 Goal, again at Cirencester, but this time playing for Renegade Polo Team. “Carlotta remains keen and eager to play polo. We are maintaining her weight with ad-lib haylage, balancer (as per last month) and overnight grazing. However, due to her addictive personality she is braving the zap of the electric fence to go beyond the allotted grass! She is also clever enough to return herself back to the right paddock every morning. Carlotta has had a chiropractic treatment this month from Steph Target, to maintain her agility. We are also feeding electrolytes on match days.”
“June has been a busy, busy time for Bruno. He should have a medal for all the SUPA polo he has been to this summer so far. He has completed SUPA National Juniors Schools Championships, National Universities Championships and National Senior Schools Championships. The last of the dates for Senior Schools were luckily at home on Ground 6 at Kirtlington Park Polo Club so we didn’t have to get up super early to drive to another club for the day. Bruno was a star as usual, sadly we didn’t win the Polo Times Best Playing Pony, but I’m sure there is a rug in the office with his name on it saved up for later in the year! “From July, Bruno will have a little down time with just stick and ball and lessons, then he will be back in full swing to play chukkas with Club members at Kirtlington and go on fun hacks in the Park with children on their school holidays. I think he really enjoys his hacks, in fact most of my ponies will go out on hacks. It is great for them to get out and about and do something different, chukkas and lessons can get pretty dull for a school pony so having the chance to just walk round the Park is great for refreshing them. I have in the past taken them cubbing with the Bicester with Whaddon Chase Hunt, which is always fun.”
June Overview: Number of chukkas played: 8 Number of miles travelled: 120 This month’s cost breakdown: Chiropractic treatment £40, shoeing £75 & supplements £5 Total cost this month: £120
June Overview: Number of chukkas played: 18 chukkas and 23 lessons Number of miles travelled: 80 miles to Dallas Burston Polo Club and back This month’s cost breakdown: A new set of shoes £80 Total cost this month: £80 www.polotimes.co.uk
ROCKY RACOON Age: 7 Height: 15.3hh Sex: Gelding Breeding: My Native Gesture X Presenting Type: Irish Thoroughbred Name of owner: Polo Times ‘office’ polo string Base: Bishops Norton, Gloucestershire Level of polo expected: Low goal to medium goal “After a rather slow start in May with just two chukkas played, Rocky’s workload in June has gradually built up. At least every other day Rocky is now playing in either games or chukkas. This has been great for his progression, but has meant he has had a lot of miles to travel. On his non-polo days, Rocky’s workload has been kept varied with a mixture of sets, schooling and hacks. The variety of his work has meant that he is improving all round. Every week, he gets one day off along with the rest of the string, so Rocky has been enjoying the summer sunshine. “Rocky played particularly well at the SUPA University Nationals at Dallas Burston in the first week in June, where he helped take Newcastle University to victory in the Intermediate section. “Having been a complete novice last year, it is remarkable that he is now played in the all-important final chukka, which reflects his huge improvement. Owing to his height, many people seem to dismiss him as a polo pony but as he has proved his worth in recent matches, what he currently lacks in turning ability, he more than makes up for in speed and power! “Moving forward, over July Rocky will continue his development in a mixture of club chukkas and low goal matches where we hope he will continue improving. The rest of the summer season looks bright for Rocky.” June Overview: Number of chukkas played: 10 Number of miles travelled: 503 miles This month’s cost breakdown: £60 shoeing Total cost this month: £60
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Pony running reports
EXQUISITE Age: 13 Height: 15.1hh Sex: Mare Breeding: From Ellerston Australia out of a mare called Beauty by Norman Pentaquad Name of owner: James Harper Base: Cowdray Level of polo expected: 8-22 goal “By the time June is over Exquisite will have played between 12-15 match chukkas. I try and send her to matches as much as possible so she behaves, and when she is not playing I pretty much ride her every day! She has done a fair bit of travelling, a lot around Cowdray and up to Coworth, Guards, Berkshire and Black Bears. She has been playing in the Duke of Sutherland with La Indiana, Royal Windsor with Shalimar and Archie David with Las Estrellas, and a few other Cowdray tournaments! “My two grooms Sophie and Ellie also won the award for Best Turned Out String at Guards for May. They won some money and had their picture taken with Exquisite in a smart rug! “Her feeding I’m very careful with, as we’re still having some bucking issues – if anything I need to cut her feed! I always play her after half time, mainly so I can give her a good warm up, but she has a lot of handle and I like to start the second half like that. When she is behaving she is my best one for penalties but I have to have trust in her that she is behaving herself that day! She does a full chukka very easily and goes better the more I play her.” June overview: Number of chukkas played: 15 Number of miles travelled: Lost count! Cost this month: A set of shoes £85, wormer £7 and a cheeky £20 worth of treats from the doting Sophie Total cost: £112
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FORTUNE Age: 10 Height: 15.2hh Sex: Mare Type: New Zealand thoroughbred Name of owner: Ollie Cudmore Base: Based at Manor Farm, Cowdray Level of polo expected: High goal
“Fortune has been playing in The Cartier Queen’s Cup with Ollie. She has played in each of El Remanso’s four matches and has double chukkered in every one. At the moment she is probably my best horse. I was worried she was going to be a bit heavy in the first couple of games but thankfully that wasn’t the case at all. “Unfortunately though Fortune has suffered an injury this month. On the morning of the day that we were playing the Final of the Prince of Wales Trophy at Berkshire, I arrived at the stables to discover that she had cut her head open – there was a storm that night and I think she might have been scared! The cut needed 20 staples and obviously meant she was unable to play that afternoon. Luckily, because of where the injury is, she didn’t have to have any time off and she is now all good and ready for The Gold Cup. “She has had quite a quiet period between The Queen’s and Gold Cup but she has been playing around two practices per week and I school her twice a week too. I haven’t had to change her feed at all either as I have had no reason too. “ June overview: Number of chukkas played: 14 (4 in The Queen’s Cup and 10 practices) Number of miles travelled: 204 miles (two trips to Guards, one to Trippets) Cost this month: £70 shoeing, £200 vet bills Total cost: £270
Polo Times, July 2015
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Knowledge
Veterinary Focus
Murray Shotter BVSc MRCVS After graduating in 1987 from Massey University in New Zealand, Murray worked in several mixed animal practices before taking on a position at an Equine Practice in Wellington. From there, Murray travelled to the UK to concentrate on Equine Sports Medicine before setting up Shotter & Byers Equine Veterinary Services with Michael Byers. Murray specialises in sports medicine, orthopaedic work and performance horses, in particular, competitive polo ponies. Murray Shotter is also the resident vet for both King Power and King Power Foxes in the UK
High Goal High Suspensory The speed and agility required of a pony in a high goal game results in a huge increase on the demands on their legs. There are some injuries that are therefore more commonly, but not exclusively, encountered at this level of the game. Finding pain affecting the upper suspensory ligament is a daily occurrence for any vet working with high goal ponies. This article aims to outline how I approach and diagnose high suspensory injuries in the forelimb, and work to treat these so that the horse may regain its full athletic potential.
including a hindlimb, can be a predisposing factor for developing high suspensory injuries. For example, a horse with a subtle lameness behind will often overload the opposite forelimb, and the suspensory ligament usually takes the strain from this. This is why I will look over the horse as a complete picture, as identifying other issues will lead to improved management and prognosis for the horse. Diagnosis of high suspensory problems is done through lameness evaluation, including palpation, nerve blocks, ultrasound and radiography. High suspensory tears are often not swollen and sometimes are nonpainful to palpate. The scan image shows a tear within the upper suspensory ligament of a high goal pony. Diagnosis of this injury requires a dedicated treatment program to ensure the ligament heals properly in time for next season. The ligament requires between three to six months to repair, and healing must be complete before the horse comes back into work. Bringing them back into work too soon leads to a high chance of re-injury, which is why follow up scans will be recommended to assess the horse’s
suitability for exercise. Initial therapy of suspensory tears will inevitably include confinement, support bandaging, localised anti-inflammatory treatment and often, systemic pain relief. There are however, some more specific treatments that I use to manage these cases, particularly at high goal level.
The arrow indicates area of high suspensory ligament
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Stem Cell Therapy These described treatments involve injecting either stem cells or a specialised form of the horse’s own blood (PRP) directly into the torn area of the ligament. These treatments are most appropriate for new injuries, however, I have performed PRP on more chronic suspensory and tendon injuries with good results. The therapy aims to place cells, which can form new ligament tissue in the case of stem cells, or a concentrated solution of growth and repair factors, in the case of PRP, exactly where it is required. The benefits include: maximum healing within a given time frame, a higher quality of scar-tissue which will be less susceptible to re-injury, and therefore an improved prognosis for the future. I have achieved particularly good results using PRP therapy, which can usually be done at the client’s yard under sedation, with the whole procedure taking under an hour in most cases. A period of strict box rest is usually required following either of these treatments.
Diagnosis of High Suspensory Problems The vast majority of horses with a genuine upper suspensory issue will be lame on the affected limb. This can be any degree of lameness from the subtle to quite severe, depending on the level of damage and whether there is any bone involvement. Many horses will show pain on palpation of the upper suspensory ligament without any lameness and the vet must then determine if this is a subclinical issue requiring management. Lameness on another leg,
Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy This treatment involves sending audible shockwaves through the injured tissue using a specialised probe. The main aim of the treatment here is to increase the blood flow to the injured area, and with the blood comes an increased supply of growth and repair factors. It aims to produce a greater degree of healing within a given time frame, compared to that which would occur naturally. It is not appropriate for all cases and often the timing of the treatment may
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Polo Times, July 2015
Acute tear in high suspensory ligament
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Veterinary Focus
Knowledge
Pre-match examination of the near fore
Ideally these horses will be brought into work around 4 weeks prior to the others to start a controlled program of walking on a firm surface, before they then join their normal high goal fitness program with the other horses. The initial check should be when the horse first comes in, and then again at around the time they are starting to play first chukkas, when the demands on the horse are just starting to increase. Repeat scans will likely be indicated at these checks, and any further treatment can be discussed at this time also. Although upper suspensory injuries are relatively common in high goal polo, I have found that with early and accurate diagnosis, as well as prompt initiation of treatment, they have a good prognosis for return to full fitness the following season.
Post-match heart rate check
Photographs by Mark Beaumont
Murray Shotter discusses the pony list with Marcos Di Paola
be delayed for a few weeks after the initial injury, but in my experience it is a valuable treatment option for many of these horses. Shockwave therapy also has a pain relief effect, and is therefore often used in horses with more minor suspensory ligament pain in order to keep them in full work. www.polotimes.co.uk
Once a treatment program has been decided upon for the horse’s specific injury, the vet will advise the best plan for management and roughing off for this season. Looking ahead to the following season, these horses should be managed slightly differently.
Murray Shotter BVSc MRCVS Shotter & Byers Equine Veterinary Services Furzen Cottage Furzen Lane Walliswood Dorking RH5 5QE Tel: 01306 627706 Emil: info@shotterandbyers.co.uk Or visit: www.shotterandbyers.co.uk Polo Times, July 2015
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Knowledge
Nutrition Focus
Lorna Edgar – specialist equine nutritionist
Energy! As the weather warms up and the polo season is in full flow, hopefully, if your ponies’ diets have been tailored correctly, their energy levels should be fine. More often than not though, we find ponies are lacking energy and the most common quick fix we reach for is Red Bull for humans and oats for horses!
But, are oats the only thing we can add to the diet to increase energy levels? When talking to a client about a horse needing more energy, I have a list of things to discover before reaching for oats: • Are they receiving a balanced diet to support their workload? A lack of vitamins and minerals can cause a lacklustre performance, so ensure enough feed is being fed and top up with a balancer if necessary. • Are they eating all their feed? If this is a problem, then remove some of the original hard feed and add a balancer to ensure all required vitamins and minerals are being consumed. • How many meals are they having in a day? Whenever possible, it is better to feed 3 feeds per day, ideally with a lunch or late morning feed, so they do not experience so many ‘peaks and troughs’ in their glucose levels/ Glyceamic Index.
100 Polo Times, July 2015
• How much fibre/forage is being eaten? Fibre is an energy source and not just bulk. It is key to tailoring rations and is too often restricted, causing detrimental effects to the digestive tract and energy levels. • How much water is being consumed? This is absolutely essential to the equine athlete, 2% of water loss can significantly affect performance, so withholding water in hot weather is in no way going to enhance achievement. • Are they wearing muzzles for long periods of time? Muzzles can affect water intake, so horses may not be drinking the amounts they should be to maintain good hydration levels. • Are they receiving electrolytes – before and after play? By pre-loading with electrolytes two hours before working hard, the onset of fatigue can be reduced by up to 22%. And I then want to discover what sort of energy is required. Are they needing more stamina to last longer in a chukka or are they needing more initial speed and ‘vavavoom’? Sources of energy which the horse can use are fibre, oils, carbohydrate and, to a lesser extent, protein. The amount of energy a feed is able to deliver is measured in Mega Joules per Kilogrammes (MJ/kg) and known as the Digestible Energy (DE) content of a feed. Fibre is a slow-release energy source, because the structure of fibre is complex and it takes longer for the bonds between the molecules to be broken. The horse relies on a population of micro-organisms that interact
with one another to breakdown fibre. There are different types of fibre, some of which are more easily broken down than others and this greatly affects their value to the horse. Those fibres which are ‘digestible’ are actually broken down in the hindgut, on the horse’s behalf, by a population of bacteria which ferment the fibre, so that it breaks down into free fatty acids. These can then be absorbed into the bloodstream and used to provide energy. Because this process takes some hours, energy obtained from fibre in the diet is known as ‘slow release’. Fats are generally supplied in the equine diet by oils and, while the horse’s natural diet doesn’t contain very much oil, the horse is actually able to utilise it relatively efficiently. Oil contains 2.25 times more calories than the equivalent weight of carbohydrates – which is advantageous
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as only small volumes are required. The process of digesting and metabolising oil, takes time, so it is also referred to as a ‘slow release’ energy source. Oil is an energy source that can be utilised when the horse is working at low intensities, so the body can save valuable stores of glycogen (glucose) to use as work intensity increases – this is known as ‘glycogen sparing’ and improves stamina. Carbohydrate, mainly starch, is provided by cereal grains. Starch is made up of long chains of glucose (sugar) molecules and is used by plants as a form of stored energy in seeds (grain) so that, when the seed germinates, there is a source of food energy to help the seedling grow. Other sugars and carbohydrates are supplied by forage and other elements of the diet and are digested and absorbed by the small intestine. Digestion breaks the starch molecule down into separate glucose molecules which are absorbed into the blood stream in the small intestine, hence cereals are known
Nutrition Focus
as supplying ‘quick release’ energy. Oats are difficult to cook because of their higher fibre content compared to other cereals, but the energy they contain is more readily available, so traditionally they are used as an essential energy source for polo ponies. Oats are deficient in many nutrients so need to be added carefully to a mix or cube. A balancer should be added as well to ensure that any nutritional deficiencies are being counteracted; otherwise you still may not get the ‘vavavoom’ you are hoping for! So, by going through the initial checklist and then deciding which type of energy is required, hopefully, you will be reaching for the right type of energy-providing products
Our shop will be supporting Pony Club for the twentieth year running. A big thank you to all those parents who have supported us.
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before reaching for the ‘only energy provider’ for polo ponies – oats, when they don’t actually suit all individuals. Contact Lorna Edgar of Baileys Horse Feeds on lorna@baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk
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Knowledge
Equine Legal Advice
Legal Issues Relating to
Overhanging Branches Lottie Goldstone, a Solicitor Advocate at Harrison Clark Rickerbys, takes a look at how to deal with poisonous plants and trees overhanging your grazing boundaries
What can you do if your neighbour’s poisonous tree (such as a sycamore) is overhanging your paddock?
T
rees that have overhanging branches into one’s field can be useful in providing shade and shelter in both hot and cold weather conditions. However, what if the overhanging branches were from a Sycamore tree or a Yew tree? At the moment there is a lot of concern regarding the issues and dangers of Atypical Myopathy to horses associated with Sycamore trees. So who exactly is responsible for them? If the branches of the neighbouring landlord’s tree start to grow over to one’s field, then one can cut them back to the boundary point between the two properties, as long as the tree is not under any Tree Preservation Order. It is important to note, however, that the branches, and any fruit on them which may have been cut down on one’s side, still belong to the tree owner so they can ask one to return them and this may be relevant if required for firewood. The reason being for this is that the tree belongs to the person upon whose land it has originally grown. Even if its branches or its roots have begun to grow over or into a neighbouring landlord’s territory, it belongs to the landowner where the tree was originally planted. Furthermore, it is an offence under the Theft Act 1968 to keep the branches or any fruit on them. The neighbouring landlord is legally entitled to ask one to return them. Interestingly one is entitled to dig up and remove any roots that have encroached upon one’s territory. Roots can be problematic, 102 Polo Times, July 2015
causing subsidence and other forms of damage, and therefore one is legally entitled to remove the roots if they appear on one’s territory. Practically it is prudent to discuss this with the neighbouring landlord in advance in order to minimise the likelihood of a potential dispute. This is especially important if an expert has to be called in, which is likely if it involves root removal, as it is ultimately the tree owner’s responsibility to pay the bill. It is important not to just discard the cut branches back over to one’s neighbouring landlord’s territory, as this could potentially constitute as ‘fly tipping’. The best way to deal with this is to ask one’s neighbour if they would like the trimmings back or if they are happy for one to dispose of them. With regards to the Tree Preservation Order, information can be found out from one’s local authority. Please be mindful that if one does cut a tree down that has a Preservation Order, one will be guilty of an offence under section 210 or 211 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. If one chooses to cut down the overhanging branches or trim the trees then generally one would pay for the costs of this oneself. It might be an idea to speak to one’s neighbour in order to reach some sort of agreement in relation to any gardening work that is required, however, they are not obliged to contribute to the cost. One is definitely not entitled to access one’s neighbour’s property to enable one to trim the branches on one’s side of the
boundary without their permission. The tree belongs to whoever owns the property upon which the tree trunk originally grows even if the branches will reach and spread in to another property. The owner has the overriding duty to maintain the tree so that it does not cause a hazard and therefore if branches are broken or hanging precariously then it is the owner that should remove these. One cannot force one’s neighbour to remove overhanging branches or fallen leaves on one’s land. However if these cause excessive damage, one can sue them for the cost of repair or in relation to the loss of an animal. It is however always better to try and resolve these things amicably without any disputes before escalating to the Court. If there was any damage caused by a tree from the neighbouring landlord’s land, however, and this was due to a thunderstorm and the damage was not foreseeable, then one’s neighbour will therefore not be responsible for this. If the damage caused to one’s property is severe, one may wish to contact one’s building insurance company about this. Fallen leaves, fruit and Sycamore seeds are a nuisance but one cannot legally ask one’s neighbour to prevent this or remove any fallen debris. In short it is one’s own responsibility to ensure that the field is safe. Liability to remove any fallen leaves lies with the owner of the property affected. If one is concerned that a tree is diseased, damaged or dangerous and poses a danger, then one should contact the owner of the land on which the tree is growing. If the land belongs to the local council contact them to cut the tree down or have it pruned. So in short, there are a few straightforward rules in relation to overhanging branches in to one’s field and the possible steps that one can take in order to rectify any potentially hazardous situation. For more information call Lottie on 07725 240233 or email her at lgoldstone@hcrlaw. com. As the recognised legal partner of the HPA, all HPA members are entitled to 15 minutes of free legal advice with Lottie and a 10% reduction in fees upon initial instruction. www.polotimes.co.uk
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Equipment Focus: Bits
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Mouthpiece Materials In this continuation of the Polo Times bitting series, Stephen Biddlecombe of Equine Management Ltd. looks at the merits of some of the different mouthpiece materials
This buster roller Pelham utilises ‘sweet iron’ patches
Stainless steel Stainless steel is the most common metal used for making horse bits, as it is very durable – good-quality steel doesn’t oxidise, and with care, provides a long lasting, cost-effective option. Some bits combine stainless steel with other materials, such as copper.
the taste and it does corrode. Copper bits are quite soft, and can become damaged by the teeth if they are not regularly checked by an Equine Dental Technician. Copper is popular as an insert in a more modern bit, for example as a roller or lozenge.
Sweet iron The extruded wrought iron, ‘sweet iron’, such as that used in Bombers Bits, is a good modern choice for a horse bit – it oxidises easily, encourages salivation, helps bit acceptance, and has a comfortable feeling and slightly sweet taste within the mouth. Blue ‘sweet iron’ bits fade with use.
Rubber Vulcanite, also known as Ebonite, is the most well-known rubber material for horse bits – it is a cooked rubber compound with a hardener added. Vulcanised rubber is used to cover an internal metal mouthpiece and therefore creates a thicker bit, which some horses like. Solid rubber bits are also available, sometimes with a wire core for stability.
Copper Copper wears more quickly than stainless steel and sweet iron, although it does conduct more heat than harder materials, giving a pleasant feel. It is said to encourage salivation, however some horses do not like
Plastic bits Polyurethane plastic bits aim to provide a comfortable feel for the horse, and are often impregnated with a taste and smell, such as apple, which is said to increase acceptance
This KK Ultra Loose Ring Snaffle is made of copper to aid salivation and acceptance
A Bomber Blue Polo Pelham 55
of the bit and encourage relaxation. If a plastic bit has a jointed central section, this will usually be metal, commonly steel. Nylon Nylon bits tend to have a metal core and are harder and thinner than rubber bits. They are popular with many riders of horses who do not get on with metal bits, and do tend to last quite well. A modern bit using nylon is the Bombers Blue Pelham, pictured, which is made from a rubber and nylon compound. Aurigan Aurigan bits use a copper alloy and include a blend of copper, silicon and zinc. These bits are said to increase salivation, which leads to a softer and more responsive mouth. They are nickel-free, which is good for sensitive horses. Key points: • Central lozenges may be made of various materials including brass and copper, to aid acceptance. • Polo bits are commonly made from steel or sweet iron, although riders with Pelhams may prefer other materials, such as Vulcanite. • Most gag bits for polo have a jointed section with a roller or lozenge, although ported bits are also popular.
Bombers Bits include hundreds of off the shelf bitting solutions, and customers can even design their own bespoke bit from a selection of mouth pieces, cheek pieces and widths, using the ‘design your own bit’ service at www.bombersbits.co.uk. Bombers bits are made from blue sweet iron – the metal oxidises easily, creating a warm, sweet taste in the horse’s mouth. This encourages the horse to salivate. Call Equine Management on 01825 840 002. www.polotimes.co.uk
Polo Times, July 2015 105
Sidelines
Chauffeur driven Maseratis
Astrid Munoz, Eduardo Novillo Astrada and Adrian Simonetti
Sebastian & Louisa Dawnay & Clare Milford Haven
La Martina Flagship Store Opening; London, Jermyn Street; Thursday 28 May
Shop ‘Til You Drop
George Spencer-Churchill
The opening of the La Martina flagship store in London attracted polo afficionados from all corners of the world. With chauffeur driven Maseratis, Royal Salute whisky and Argentinean canapés supplied by Gaucho restaurant, it was the place to be in London. Polo VIPs such as Neil Hobday, Peter Denton, Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers, Brigadier John Wright, The Marchioness of Milford Haven and Jules Knight were at the store opening. Plus La Martina’s Brand Ambassadors Malcolm Borwick, the Marquess of Blandford, George Spencer-Churchill and Eduardo Novillo Astrada, horsed around with Lucy Soanes in a horse parade outside the store on Jermyn Street, delighting the crowds as they rode ponies behind a Maserati Quattroporte.
La Matina Brand Ambassadors’ horse parade
Photographs courtesy of La Martina
Enrico Roselli & Becky Simpson
A CONUNDRUM FOR RJ POLO’S MASTER SADDLER
Richard Buckett at RJ Polo was asked what he could do with this saddle. The answer to this conundrum could only be a new tree! Needless to say the saddle didn’t make it onto the polo pitch that day.
Phil Day
Lila Pearson & Lando Simonetti
Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers, Roderick Vere-Nicoll & Michael Amoore
VOWS IN HÔTEL LE VALLON DE VALRUGUES
Congratulations to Sophie Heaton-Ellis and Brian Conway. The happy couple wed on Saturday 30 May in Saint-Rémy, Provence-Alpes-Cote D’Azur, France, with all their friends and family.
Tell us yours at gossip@polotimes.co.uk Anonymity guaranteed if you want it...
BUNN’S BLUSHING BRIDE
John Bunn and Lucy Anne Watson tied the knot on Sunday 31 May at Twineham Church, near Hickstead, before flying across the water for a honeymoon in New York. 106 Polo Times, July 2015
DOUBLE DISASTER FOR DIBBLE
Fit for Polo Trainer ‘Dibble’ Woodhouse had a nasty fall from her pony at Edgeworth breaking ribs, fingers and both arms. Get well soon from everyone at Polo Times! www.polotimes.co.uk
Sidelines
Nina, Elizabeth & JP Clarkin
Nina Clarkin takes the ball from Mark Tomlinson
Delicious hog roast
Gillian Buckett, Kate Beim and Fernando Kufer of A2B bicycles
First match of the evening – Pony Club Polo
Kate Beim
Celebrity Bike Polo; Longdole Polo Club; Friday 5 June
Celebrity electric bicycle chukkas
Children meet the multitalented polo and polocrosse player Kelvin Johnson
Laura Tomlinson
To raise money for the RDA, Longdole hosted a fun day for all the family, featuring demonstrations from the Polocrosse 2015 UK World Cup Team, Pony Club Polo players and, the highlight of the day, celebrity bike polo. A hog roast and delicious cakes were sold to raise money for charity, and the ever-present RJ Polo van provided shopping opportunities for all. Between the three teams a hard-fought tournament was played, resulting in, in the words of Kate Beim, “fouls hitherto unknown to the bicycle polo world.” The teams, comprising Terry Fanolua, James Simpson Daniel, Rob Fidler and Tom Beim, Mark Tomlinson, Kelvin Johnson, Jamie Bond and Jamie McDonald, and Laura Tomlinson, Nina Clarkin, Lucie Archer, Debbie Harris and Tabba Woodd, were umpired by Jacob Kirby of eCycles in Stroud, the event’s generous supporters. The Watershed RDA Group in Coates, Cirencester, expressd their thanks to everyone involved. The event has raised over £2,500 for the Charity. Tom Beim showing off his impressive dribbling skills
Photographs by Tom Reynolds
The 2015 Polocrosse UK World Cup Team
Guests enjoying the sunshine
Polo Times, July 2015 107
www.polotimes.co.uk The Pendleton Peddlers, overall winners of the tournament
The Gloucester Old Spots and The Super Heroes United
Sidelines
Paul Erhahiemen modelling his stylish new Polo Times jumper
University of Stirling Polo Club with coach Thom Bell
University of Brighton Polo Club with Kirtlington Park Polo Schools’ Melissa Wadley
University of Stirling Polo Club
University of St Andrews Polo Club
University of London Polo Club
Rex, owned by Ellie Tempest
SUPA National Universities Championships; Dallas Burston Polo Club; Friday 5 – Sunday 7 June
A SUPA Weekend
Birmingham City University Polo Club
Greenwich University Polo Liverpool University Polo Club Club with Saul Wilson
Liverpool University Polo Club
108 Polo Times, JulyNorland 2015 College nannies
A sunny weekend at Dallas Burston Polo Club provided the perfect backdrop for three days of university polo. Despite the wind that threatened to blow the tents away, the weather was still roasting hot, and by the third day the spectators cheering from the sidelines were noticeably more sunkissed, or sunburnt in some cases! The festival atmosphere on the showground was only heightened by the parties on Friday and Saturday night, although no music could have drowned out the shouting of Newcastle University’s Beginner teams, who took their supporting roles very seriously indeed. The weekend saw some very good amateur polo played by all. For a full report turn to the Youth Section.
Warwick University Polo Club with coach Grant Collett
Photographs by Lucy Wilson & Wiggy Bamforth
RMA Sandhurst with Bruce Fraser from Greenpoint Polo
Norland College & The Royal Agricultural University Polo Club
University of Nottingham Polo Club
Hamish McGregor, Natasha Beel, Katharine Burnett and Sam Fox www.polotimes.co.uk
Sidelines
Winchester and Bournemouth University Polo Clubs with coach Sean Wilson-Smith
University of Liverpool & Manchester University Polo Clubs with coach Glynn Henderson & Staffordshire Polo’s Jenny Doherty
Charley Howell’s pony from Exeter
Molly Derbyshire www.polotimes.co.uk
New Polo Times subscribers from Newcastle University
University of Kent Polo Club
Aberdeen University Polo Club
University of Birmingham Polo Club
York University Polo Club
Manchester University Polo Club
Reading University supporters
Robin Spicer from Loughborough grabbing a sandwich in between umpiring Polo Times, July 2015 109
James Fielding from JF Polo Academy
Sidelines
Gerry Gibson & Victoria Elsbury-Legg
Janette Munro Ford, Chris Hyde, Jonathan Munro Ford, David Lewis
Janice & Greg Kyte with Gaynor Hutton
Martin Armstrong, Col. Michael O’Dwyer & Antony Fanshawe
Joanna Lewis, Facundo Pieres & Tim Lewis
Kirsty Otamendi, Vivek Rawal, Wendy Nagal & Kate Kinner
Alex Alderman
David Morley & Murray Shotter
Katka Stankova, Marek Polan, Lenka Polanová, René & Silvie Lelek,
Lukáš Prudil & Leona Musilová of Noe Polo Club 110 Polo Times, July 2015
Apichet ‘Tal’ Srivaddhanaprabha & Aiyawatt ‘Top’ Srivaddhanaprabha with their silverware
Antony Fanshawe & Gareth Davies
Ali Albwardy & Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha
www.polotimes.co.uk
Sidelines
King Power patrons Apichet ‘Tal’ and Aiyawatt ‘Top’ Srivaddhanaprabha celebrate with their family and Gonzalito, Facundo & Gonzalo Pieres
Simon & Lucy Holland with their Baku Guards picnic
Cartier Queen’s Cup Final; Guards Polo Club; Sunday 14 June
Kings and Queens The Final of The Cartier Queen’s Cup was a day out to remember with plenty of people, polo, picnics and parties. The King Power set-up took a double win in the Final and Subsidiary Final and the grandstands and sidelines were like a who’s who of polo. Spectators enjoyed an incredible display of polo in the Final on the Queen’s Ground between King Power Foxes and Dubai, and The Yorkshire Volunteers Brass Band were there to entertain pre- and post-match. Lavish picnics complete with table decorations, and even pitch-side preparation from chefs lined the north sidelines. Her Majesty The Queen, with the help of Cartier’s Arnaud Bamberger, presented the prizes to the day’s Finalists, which included both King Power patrons Apichet ‘Tal’ Srivaddhanaprabha and Aiyawatt ‘Top’ Srivaddhanaprabha.
Rebekah Pizana & David Greenhill
Photographs by Richenda Hine, Lucy Wilson, Mark Beaumont & © www.imagesofpolo.com
Hilali Noordeen & Pite Merlos
Jazz & Tony Pidgley
Hugo Lewis & Pete McCormack
Feredirico Cendoya & Stephanie Price
Coco & Amy Guy, Richard Blake Thomas, James Anderson, Sanchia Blake Thomas, Sarah Anderson, Immy Blake Thomas, Andrew Blake Thomas, Lucia Ramadan, Charlie Blake Thomas, Jasmine Calvert-Ansari, baby Oliver with Heather Traynor, Will Hayllar & Lexi Calvert-Ansari www.polotimes.co.uk
Polo Times, July 2015 111
Georgia Noutsi
Lord & Lady Cowdray
Stephane Belmont
Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup Draw; Jaeger-LeCoultre Flagship Boutique; Monday 8 June
Right on Time The evening of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup draw took place in London in the Jaeger-LeCoultre Flagship Boutique at 13 Old Bond Street. The Draw to decide the matches took place after the traditional opening speech, whereupon the teams’ names were pulled out of The Gold Cup itself. Following this, a representative from each team was invited to draw themselves a section in which that team would play. This occasion also served as the unveiling of the limited edition Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, a collection of 26 pieces, featuring an engraving of the Palace of Westminster. It seemed that everybody from Cowdray Park Polo Club had made the trip up to London, including Jaeger-LeCoultre Ambassadors Claire Mountbatten, Marchioness of Milford Haven, Eduardo Novillo Astrada and Luke Tomlinson to name but a few. P hotographs by Vanessa Taylor Peter & Angela Barfoot
Cata & Luke Tomlinson
Robert Graham
Lord Charles Beresford, Pete McCormack & Martin Valent
Jaeger-LeCoultre Polo Ambassadors Marchioness of Milford Haven & Eduardo Novillo Astrada
Chris Bethell
Santiago Tahier & Ben Soleimani
Sidelines
Tom Reynolds the other side of the lens
Phillipa Blanshard, Tory McIrvine, Andrew Tucker, Oliver Hughes, Lucy Lewis, John & Christiana Wright
Peter Wright & Pauli Roberts
The Gigaset International Test Match; Beaufort Polo Club; Saturday 13 June
Beautiful Beaufort Day one of the Gloucestershire Festival of Polo, held at Beaufort Polo Club on Saturday 13 – Sunday 14 June, saw an impressive turnout of crowds for the Gigaset International Test Match ahead of the Princes’ Charity match and the U15 Javier Novillo Astrada Cup on the Sunday. The weather brightened throughout the day, and the well wrapped-up crowds who gathered to watch the world-class polo were delighted by the range of entertainment provided by the event. There were many shopping opportunities, from luxurious cashmere and jewellery, to beautiful leatherwork, delicious food and the odd tipple from Pinkster’s Gin! Spotted amongst the crowds were the regulars from the HPA contingent enjoying their newly branded marquee next to the grandstand, joined by off-duty players making the most of a relaxing weekend. See main feature in Reports’ section. Lucy Lewis’ Spindle & Harry relax during the second match of the day
Photographs by Lucy Wilson and Richenda Hine
Gordon Lindsay gets the zoom lens out
David Woodd & Jonathan Seddon-Brown
Stephen Hutchinson & Peter West
John Tinsley & Claire Tomlinson
Lady Anne Judge, Dena Brumpton, Robert Brumpton & Louise Somerset, guests and Partners of Smith & Williamson LLP
Karl Ude-Martinez
Luke Tomlinson www.polotimes.co.uk
Milly Hodges and Mole the labrador outside the HPA hospitality ten
Lucy Lewis & Jilly Emerson Polo Times, July 2015 113
Sidelines
Emily Blunt
Sidelines
Harry Treadaway & Holliday Grainger
Clive Owen & Chiwetel Ejiofor
Laurie Calvert & Jamey May
Douglas Booth
The Audi Polo Challenge; Coworth Park; 30 & 31 May 2015
Celebrities at Coworth The Audi Polo Challenge, a celebrity-filled weekend hosted by Audi at Coworth Park, showcased polo alongside glamour and luxury. The weekend tournament exhibited a charity match on both Saturday and Sunday which saw HRH The Duke of Cambridge and HRH Prince Harry playing alongside high goal regulars such as, England Captain James Beim, James Harper, John Paul Clarkin and his wife Nina who is currently the highest handicapped lady player in the world. After a close match on Sunday, Audi Ultra beat Audi Quattro 4-3, after which Andre Konsbruck, Director of Audi UK presented The Duke of Cambridge with a pair of miniature Hunter willies for new arrival HRH Princess Charlotte, much to the delight of the crowd. Since their first involvement in the sport over a decade ago, Audi have hosted some of the most sought after tickets in English polo, and this weekend was no exception. Following the polo action on both evenings, guests enjoyed a spectacular three course dinner and entertainment in the form of Brit Award winner John Newman which was hugely enjoyed by all, including a very enthusiastic Prince Harry on Saturday night. Millie Macintosh & Professor Green
Photographs by Dave Benett, Sam Churchill, Tom Lakeman, JAB Promotions, Š Tony Ramirez/www.imagesofpolo.com
John Newman
114 Polo Samuel Times, L Jackson July 2015 & Tom Hardy www.polotimes.co.uk
Joanne Froggatt
Stanley Tucci
Sam Claflin & Jack O’Connell
HRH Prince Harry
Daisy Lewis
HRH Duke of Cambridge
Gemma Polo ChanTimes, July 2015 114 www.polotimes.co.uk
Dates for Your Diary
What’s on in July 2015 UK highlights – Listed in date order Test Matches
Guards – The Royal Salute Coronation Cup (Open): 25 July
High Goal
Cowdray – Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup British Open: June 23 – 19 July Coworth – Indian Empire Shield (15-18): June 30 – 18 July Cowdray – Cowdray Challenge (15-18): July 22 – 2 August Cirencester – Gloucestershire Cup (24-26): July 21 – 23 July
Medium Goal
RCBPC – The Eduardo Moore Tournament (12-15): June 24 – 11 July
Intermediate 10-12 Goal
Ranelagh – Life Book 12 Goal Trophy (10-12): June 30 – 5 July Guards – Phoenician Cup (6-12): June 22 – 5 July Cirencester – The Queen Mother Trophy (8-12): June 30 – 12 July Ham – Dubai Trophy (8-12): 10 – 14 July
10 Goal
Beaufort – The Bat Cup (0-10): June 23 – 5 July Guards – Social Cup (8-10): 1 – 11 July Cirencester – The Town Cup (7-10): 7 – 18 July
8 Goal
Kirtlington – The Meyrick Cup (4-8): June 30 – 5 July RCBPC – The Julian and Howard Hipwood Trophy (4-8): June 30 – 18 July
6 Goal
Cheshire – Junior Cup (2-6): June 29 – 5 July DBPC – The Fine & Country Dallas Burston Warwickshire Gold Cup (2-6): 4 – 5 July Lacey Green – The Widmer Trophy (2-6): 4 – 5 July Binfield Heath – Phillimore Trophy (4-6): 11 – 12 July Cirencester – Non-Playing Members Trophy (0-6): June 30 – 12 July Kirtlington – Brooke House Trophy (2-6): 7 – 12 July Ranelagh – Polo Manager’s Trophy (4-6): 11 – 12 July Beaufort – The Eduardo Rojas Lanusse Cup (2-6): 7 – 18 July Lacey Green – The Ambassadors Cup (0-6): 18 – 19 July Tidworth – 9th Lancers Cup (4-6): 18 – 19 July RCBPC – The Warwickshire 6 Goal (2-6): 21 – 26 July Wicklow – 0-6 Goal Tournament (0-6): 23 – 26 July www.polotimes.co.uk
4 Goal
Cambridge County – Timba Tournament (0-4): 4 – 5 July Fifield – Hornero Trophy (0-4): 4 – 5 July Ham – Summer Tournament (0-4): June 30 – 5 July Kirtlington – Blenheim Trophy (0-4): 1 – 5 July Norfolk – Norfolk Polo Festival (0-4): 4 – 5 July Ranksboro – Ranksboro 4 Goal (0-4): 4 – 5 July Taunton – The Aden Visit cup (2-4): 4 – 5 July Burningfold – Plaistow Plate (0-4): 9 – 12 July Guards – Roberts Cup (0-4): 1 – 12 July Lacey Green – The Ambassadors Cup (2-4): 11 – 12 July Vaux Park – Polo Mint Challenge (0-4): 18 July Cambridge County – Fendown Dustup Tournament (0-4): 18 – 19 July Edgeworth – The 4 Goal Cup (0-4): 18 – 19 July Kirtlington – Gibbs Cup (0-4): 14 – 19 July Beverley – BPC Summer Tournament (0-4): 25 – 26 July Cheshire – Jaguar Cup (0-4): 26 July Dundee – Summer Cup (0-4): 26 July Hurtwood – Jay’s Trophy (2-4): 24 – 26 July Kirtlington – Chairman’s Trophy (0-4): 21 – 26 July Lacey Green – Summer Trophy (2-4): 24 – 26 July Ranelagh – Copa Fin De Julio (2-4): 25 – 26 July
2 Goal
Binfield Heath – Mixed Tournament (-2-2): 4 – 5 July Edgeworth – Midsummer Plate (0-2): 4 – 5 July Hurtwood – Independence Cup (-2-2): 4 – 5 July Lacey Green – The Widmer Trophy (0-2): 4 – 5 July Ranelagh – Ranelagh Club Trophy (-2-2): 4 – 5 July Sussex – Square Peg Trophy (-2-2): 4 – 5 July Tidworth – Douglas Nugent Cup (0-2): 4 – 5 July Ascot – Mattinson Memorial Trophy (-2-2): 11 – 12 July Cheshire – Heaton Bowl (0-2): 11 – 12 July Druids Lodge – Emerson Trophy (1-2): 11 – 12 July Ranelagh – Polo Manager’s Trophy (0-2): 11 – 12 July Rugby – La Casa Loco Cup (-2-2): 11 – 12 July Suffolk – July Tournament (-4-2): 11 – 12 July Vaux Park – Flapjack Tournament (-2-2): 11 – 12 July Hurtwood – The Ewhurst Charity Cup (-2-2): 11 – 18 July
Polo directory
Longdole – The Zimbabwe Spur (-2-2): 17 – 18 July Fifield – Trojan Horse Challenge (0-2): 18 – 19 July Burningfold – Uber Polo Cup (-2-2): 22 – 26 July Lacey Green – Summer Trophy (0-2): 24 – 26 July Moyne – Patrons Trophy (0-2): 24 – 26 July New Forest – Clitherow Cup (NFPC vs Tidworth) (-2-2): 26 July White Waltham – Six Chukka Matches (-2-2): 26 July
1 Goal
Rutland – The Mobil Cup (-1-1): 11 – 12 July Rutland – The CA Hartopp Trophy (-3-1): 18 – 19 July
0 Goal
Cheshire – Hogan Cup (-1-0): 3 – 4 July Blueys – Members Cup (-2-0): 4 – 5 July Cambridge County – Timba Tournament (-4-0): 4 – 5 July DBPC – The Lexington Cup (-4-0): 4 – 5 July Norfolk – Norfolk Festival (-2-0): 4 – 5 July Tidworth – Douglas Nugent Cup (-4-0): 4 – 5 July White Waltham – Don Carlos de la SERNA Memorial Cup (-4-0): 4 – 5 July Hurtwood – Colin’s Cup (-4-0): 11 – 12 July Kirtlington – Tylor League (-6-0): 10 – 12 July New Forest – Rudkin Cup (-4-0): 11 – 12 July Silver Leys – Silver Leys Cup (-2-0): 11 – 12 July Sussex – Gentlemen’s Trophy (-4-0): 11 – 12 July Taunton – The Dubai Trophy (-2-0): 11 – 12 July Tidworth – Manlein Cup (-2-0): 11 – 12 July White Waltham – 1947 Saunders Davis 3 Handled Challenge Cup (-2-0): 11 – 12 July Cambridge County – Fendown Dustup Tournament (-4-0): 18 – 19 July Cheshire – Inter Hunt Cup (-1-0): 18 – 19 July Eastwood – Eastwood Cup (-2-0): 18 – 19 July Kirtlington – Blind Date (-8-0): 18 – 19 July New Forest – Ellisdawe Cup (-2-0): 18 – 19 July Ranelagh – Copa Verano (-2-0): 18 – 19 July Taunton – Orchard Portman Trophy (-4-0): 18 – 19 July White Waltham – Tai Tai Tournament (-4-0): 18 – 19 July Moyne – Patrons Trophy (-2-0): 24 – 26 July New Forest – Parkinson Cup & Junior Parkinson Cup (-4-0): 24 – 26 July Offchurch Bury – The Silver Plate (-4-0): 25 – 26 July Ranksboro – Ranksboro 0 Goal (-4-0): 24 – 26 July Rugby – The Ranksborough Cup (-4-0): 25 – 26 July Silver Leys – Mid Summer Cup (-2-0): 24 – 26 July White Waltham – Amateur League Cup (-2-0): June 3 – 29 July
Polo Times, July 2015 115
Polo directory
Dates for Your Diary
Below 0 Goal
Cheshire – CPC Trophy (-4- -1): 11 – 12 July Cheshire – Jaguar Shield (-4- -1): 26 July Cheshire – BFSS Trophy (-6- -2): 3 – 4 July Ranksboro – Ranksboro -2 Goal (-6- -2): July Sussex – Square Peg Challenge (-6- -2): 4 – 5 July Rugby – The Phelps Challenge (-6- -2): 11 – 12 July Rutland – The Mobile Cup (-6- -2): 11 – 12 July Silver Leys – Silver Leys Cup (-6- -2): 11 – 12 July Tidworth – 9th Lancers Cup (-6- -2): 18 – 19 July Beverley – BPC Summer Tournament (-6- -2): 25 – 26 July Silver Leys – Mid Summer Cup (-6- -2): 24 – 26 July Rutland – Belvoir Cup (-6- -3): 18 – 19 July Taunton – Pollard Cup (-6- -4): 4 – 5 July White Rose – Low Goal Tournament (-7- -6): 18 – 19 July
Combined Services
RMAS – Honourable Artillery Company Tournament (Open): 5 July RMAS – Combined Services Polo Association Tournament (Open): 9 July Tidworth – Rundle Cup (RN vs Army) & ICOA Trophy (CSPA vs RSA) (Open): 11 July Guards – Inter-Regimental & United Services Cup (CSPA vs RSA) Finals: 12 July RMAS – Chapple Cup Series (CSPA vs RSA) (Open): 9 – 12 July RMAS – Leadership & Excellence Cup (Open): 22 July Tidworth – Captains and Subalterns (Open): 25 – 26 July
West Wycombe – Sponsor’s Cup: 12 July Suffolk – Docs vs Vets, Fishmongers vs Hairdressers: 18 July Vale of York – Joshua’s Cup: 19 July Fifield – Financial Bowl Challenge: 25 July Ascot – Peter Grace Trophy: 26 July Binfield Heath – Summer Festival: 26 July Druids Lodge – Druids Tidworth Amalgamation Trophy: 26 July Vale of York – Parkinsons Cup: 26 July
Save the Date Social Events Poole – Asahi British Beach Polo Championships After Parties: 10 – 11 July Essex – Dukes Polo After Party: 11 July Vale of York – VYPC Summer Ball (Crown Hotel, Bawtry): 17 July Cowdray – Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup After party: 19 July Guards – The Royal Salute Coronation Cup After Party: 25 July
Save the Date Charity Events Kirtlington – Charity Polo Match and Lunch: 12 July Vaux Park – Charity Polo Open Day: 26 July
Argentine spring open dates San Jorge Military Riding Club – San Jorge Military Riding Club Open: 1 – 12 September Jockey Club – Jockey Club Open: 15 – 27 September Tortugas Country Club – Tortugas Open: September 29 – 18 October Hurlingham Club – 122nd Hurlingham Open: October 20 – 8 November Palermo – 122nd Argentine Open: November 21 – 12 December
Women’s Polo For ladies polo highlights turn to our Women’s Polo section for a full list of dates and for all SUPA, Pony Club and Young England dates please turn to the Youth Polo section of the magazine.
Royal Solutions Answer -
to the question posed on our Letters page
OPEN
Royal Salute was first created to celebrate the Coronation of HM The Queen in 1953.
Heathfield – Untapped Polo: 4 – 5 July Vale of York – Bawtry Cup for The Aurora Cancer Centre: 5 July Poole – Asahi British Beach Polo Championships: 10 – 11 July Vale of York – Hunt Cup: 12 July
TRISTAR
Manufacturers of Quality Horseboxes
For our current stock please visit our new & updated website
www.tristarhorsesboxes.co.uk Tel: 01570 422250 Email: sales@tristarhorseboxes.co.uk 116 Polo Times, July 2015
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Childrens Polo Boots £95
Beautiful Spanish leather boots...
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15.1HH SUPER BAY ARGENTINE MARE 18yrs loving home essential would suit pc/lady as less demanding home required. Easy and uncomplicated in every way. Contact 07825 170313 Hertfordshire. POLO PONY REQUIRED We are looking for a safe, sensible, experienced, fast pony to play low and medium goal. Price to be discussed Contact strubsam@aol.com. London
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VERY EASY SCHOOL MISTRESS FOR SALE Camilla 10 years old dark bay mare. Very easy school mistress and level hitting platform. Played by three brothers from ages 12-18. For sale due to school commitments. £5,500 Contact Anne on 07747 777017 or anne@astonadvisor.com. Oxfordshire
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POLO GROOM NEEDED Polo Groom, Non HGV Driver, urgently required, live in/live out. Top pay and conditions. Contact Anthony Lorenz on 07788 945 180 The Haven, Billingshurst, West Sussex
CHILDS FIRST PONY URGENTLY NEEDED A little boy has lost his pony and is desperate to find one up to 13hh to ride, take to pony club, do games, kids polo etc. He is only six and still learning to ride so his stead must be bombproof and go on and off the lead rein. 5 star home awaits. Happy to buy, loan or donate to charity. Happy to collect. Contact 07831 365194. Anywhere, can collect.
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Polo Times, July 2015 119
Final bell
In association with Aprés Polo
Hugo Lewis, Cartier Queen’s Cup winner
Fresh from his recent win in The Cartier Queen’s Cup, King Power Foxes 1 goaler, Englishman Hugo Lewis, talks to Polo Times about how it all began, his favourite memories to date, best teammates and his interests away from the sport. What is your biggest passion and why? Polo. Having played right from Jorrocks in the Pony Club through to Gannon, it has always been part of my life. My family and cousins are also all involved and now it has turned from my passion into my profession.
Favourite hobby outside of polo? I like to keep fit and going to the gym has always been a hobby, if I ever have any spare time that is where I will be. Most prized possession? My car.
Hardest opponent? Adolfo Cambiaso. I have now played him four times and you know it is going to be hard and you know he will make you commit a foul!
Favourite celebrity and why? Jonny Wilkinson, I have always used him as a role model.
Which sports do you like outside of polo? Rugby has always been a passion, particularly rugby sevens, but it is not something you can play alongside polo so I am now playing much more golf.
Best holiday destination & activity Sotogrande, as it allowed me to really mix polo and actually having a holiday with my friends and family. Photograph by Gonzalo Etcheverry/SMPC
What is your all time best polo memory? It was winning the medium goal Gold Cup in Sotogrande with Equus & Co, but that has obviously now been overshadowed by recently winning The Cartier Queen’s Cup with King Power Foxes.
Who are your favourite teammates and why? Apart from my current team, of course, Juan Britos and James Beim, who is a good player, excellent mentor but has fairly average banter!
Favourite film and why? Arthur – it appeals to my sense of humour. Favourite song? My favourite artist is Eminem, my favourite song being Without Me. Favourite food? Chicken kievs, curly fries and kale – I have it before every game.
120 Polo Times, July 2015
Best pony and why. Bongwe, he was my favourite pony with El Remanso in the high goal last year, and then the Hanburys gave him to me at the end of last season. Describe yourself in three words… Energetic, focused, happy. www.polotimes.co.uk