Polo Times July 2023

A FRENCH CONNECTION

Murus Sanctus Secure Cartier Queen’s Cup

SUPA UNIVERSITIES NATIONAL

SUMMER CHAMPIONSHIPS

University Teams Descend Upon O church Bury

GOLDEN JUBILEE INTERNATIONAL TEST MATCH

England Defeat Peru at Beaufort

PLUS: Bin eld Heath Club Focus, Importance of Authenticity & Keeping Your Toes Up

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Cheltenham 8 miles | Cirencester 10 miles | Tetbury 16 miles

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Contributors:

Mark Beaumont, Russell Best, Diana Butler, Dr.med. Andreas Krüger, Lorna Edgar, Gill Glimmerveen, Luisa Maskowitz, Nigel Mercer, Rege Ludwig, Tony Ramirez/ ©www.imagesofpolo.com, Tom Reynolds, Paul Stalker, Lolly Stanhope-White & Luke Wiles

Cover photograph: Murus Sanctus celebrate their inaugural Cartier Queen’s Cup win despite the drizzle. By ©www.imagesofpolo.com

Contact details Hill Farm Studios, Wainlodes Lane, Bishops Norton, Glos, GL2 9LN Tel: 01452 730770

email:admin@polotimes.co.uk www.polotimes.co.uk

What’s inside… July 2023

As this issue was being prepared, the country was bathed in wall-towall sunshine, with the summer 2023 season already officially recorded as being hotter than the heat wave of 1976, which itself was the hottest recorded summer for more than 350 years.

Whilst the long, hot, scorching, sunny days have been particularly challenging for the older polo players amongst us, it is testament to the collective polo community that our fourlegged equine athletes seemingly cope with the heat without even breaking into a sweat. Pony lines have never been so appealing a place to chill out, with their fans, cooling mist sprays and shaded areas!

This month’s hot Polo Property on The Market is the quite simply unique Brimpsfield Park. Set amidst 375 acres of the finest land – with sales hyperbole removed – this Cotswold Estate is a hidden gem, being a stone’s throw from Longdole Polo Club, within hacking distance of Edgeworth, whilst only a short drive to both Beaufort and Cirencester, With all this being teamed with one of the best driven pheasant and partridge shoots in the country, Brimpsfield Park really is a once in a lifetime country home.

With our polo reports pages over-flowing, our lead polo feature and cover story this month reports on French lady player Corinne Ricard’s historic win of the coveted high goal tournament, The Cartier Queen’s Cup. Whilst unreserved salutations are definitely due to Corinne and her whole Murus Sanctus team for their undefeated run in this year’s tournament, the stand-out comment from the side-lines was that of the staggering advancement of pony power. As all levels of players will benefit from the ‘trickle effect’, this has to be very good news for polo.

The Knowledge pages continue to help you get the most out of your polo, whilst the Social pages showcase that polo parties are invariably every bit as fun as the sport itself.

All the positivity of the season so far was sadly tempered with the news that we recently lost another polo stalwart, with the passing of Howard Hipwood. A true polo hero in every sense, Howard’s career, along with that of his brother Julian, saw him start in the Pony Club and go on to reach the top echelons of polo, both dominating and winning every major polo tournament. When he would finally decide to hang up his professional polo boots, Howard then switched his attention and set the benchmark as one of the most revered pro-umpires. Howard was an inspiration who leaves a longlasting legacy for future generations.

Keep well and play safe, Nick

Hine, Publisher

2023 Argentine Triple Crown Dates Announced

The Argentine Association of Polo (AAP) has announced the calendar, format and venues of the 2023 Argentine Triple Crown. There is a significant shake up for this year’s series which will begin with The Hurlingham Open, followed by The Tortugas Open – the latter having historically opened the competition. The third leg will as usual be the 130th Argentine Open. The change has been agreed between the AAP, the Tortugas Country Club and the Hurlingham Club, in order to preserve the grounds of the AAP Headquarters, in Pilar.

The Hurlingham Open (Ayrshire Cup) will be played at single elimination, starting with the Quarter Finals and The Tortugas Open will see the eight teams split into two leagues and the winners of each league will compete in the Final.

The Argentine Open will have 10 teams, with the eight highest rated line-ups joined by two teams from The Qualification Tournament, the teams will be split into two leagues. The Qualification Tournament will see nine teams split into three leagues.

2023 Argentine Triple Crown Dates:

130th Hurlingham Open: 26 September – 7 October

83rd Tortugas Open: 10 – 28 October

130th Argentine Open: 31 October – 2 December

2023 Argentine Triple Crown Teams:

La Dolfina (40): Adolfo Cambiaso (10), David Stirling (10), Poroto Cambiaso (10) & Juan Martín Nero (10)

La Natividad (39): Camilo Castagnola (10), Facundo Pieres (9), Barto Castagnola (10) & Pablo Mac Donough (10)

La Hache (36): Pablo Pieres (9), Hilario Ulloa (9), Guillermo Caset (9) & Francisco Elizalde (9)

Ellerstina (35): Nico Pieres (9), Gonzalito Pieres (9), Bautista Bayugar (8) & Ignatius du Plessis (9)

La Ensenada (35): Juan Britos (9), Alfredo Bigatti (9), Juan Martín Zubía (9) & Jerónimo del Carril (8)

Cría La Dolfina (35): Guillermo Terrera (9), Tomás Panelo (9), Diego Cavanagh (8) & Alejo Taranco (9)

La Irenita Clinova (32): Facundo Fernández Llorente (8), Tomás Fernández Llorente Jr. (8), Matías Torres Zavaleta (8) & Isidro Strada (8)

La Hache II (31): Juan Ruiz Guiñazú (8), Carlos María Ulloa (7), Facundo Sola (8) & Joaquín Pittaluga (8)

2023 Qualification Tournament Teams: League A Alegría (29): Rufino Bensadón (8), Benjamín Panelo (7), Santiago Cernadas (7) & Frederick Mannix (7)

Don Ercole (28): Segundo Bocchino (7), Ignacio Toccalino (7), Kris Kampsen (6) & Santiago Toccalino (8)

El Overo Z7 UAE (28): Lucas Monteverde Jr. (7), Victorino Ruiz Jorba (7), Teodoro Lacau (7) & Cruz Heguy (7)

League B

Nuestra Tierra (28): Santiago Loza (7), Alejandro Muzzio (8), Santiago Laborde (6) & Jared Zenni (7)

La Irenita II (28): Juan Jauretche (7), Valerio Zubiaurre (7), Matías Mac Donough Jr. (6) & Alfredo Cappella Barabucci (8)

La Fija (28): Manuel Elizalde (7), Ezequiel Martínez Ferrario (7), Mariano González Jr. (7) & Tomas Beresford (7)

League C

La Esquina (29): Pascual Sáinz de Vicuña (6), Cristian Laprida (8), Lucas James (7) & Ignacio Laprida (8)

Cañuelas (28): Pedro Zacharias (8), Gonzalo Ferrari (6), Hilario Figueras (6) & Miguel Novillo Astrada (8)

La Cañada LE (28): Facundo Llosa (7), Raúl Colombres (7), Lucas Díaz Alberdi (7) & Pedro Falabella (7)

Photograph by Matías Callejo / AAP Press

La Dolfina will be returning to defend their Argentine Open title

Sandpolo 2023

entries include Audi (Chris Gregory, Hazel Jackson & Adolfo Casabal) and Whispering Angel (Garrie Renucci, Jimmy Wood & Josh Cork) and the event showcases polo to a wide audience with up to 8,000 spectators flocking to the ‘blue flag’ Dorset beach over the weekend to enjoy the arena polo, stunt riding act, charity race (in aid of Lewis Manning Hospice) and parties. The Friday after-party ‘Boogie on the Beach’ with Mica Paris and Saturday’s ‘Closing Party’ hosted by Martin Kemp promise to pack the dancefloor after the arena action finishes.

Johnny Wheeler, Sandpolo Founder commented, “We are so privileged to host the event on Sandbanks beach again it is a stunning location. With sufficient water pumped from the sea binding the sand above the high-water mark it makes for a decent, genuine beach polo arena”.

Any HPA Members who want to join the evening parties after polo on either day should contact Sarah Marston (sm@ sandpolo.com) for discounted tickets. To find out more about the event, visit www.sandpolo.com

Permitted Medications Update

On Tuesday 6 June, all HPA Members received a Permitted Medications Update; below are a list of permitted medications, it is worth noting that there is a 24 hour rule for horses that have been given certain medications and that any medications not included in the list are prohibited for competition. All yards should keep medication records for all ponies, and this must be available for inspection if required.

Permitted without restrictions:

Anthelmintics (wormers)

Permitted only when prescribed by a practicing and licenced MRCVS for a specific condition:

Antibiotics

Equine Artist Exhibition

Jessica Hills is a painter living and working in Linkenholt, Hampshire; only a stone’s throw from where she grew up in Lambourn. Jess prepares her own wood panels, sanding and adding layers of gesso and an underpainting in burnt sienna to give a luminosity to each painting. Jess has recently been commissioned by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery to commemorate their role in the coronation of King Charles III. Coming from a family entwined with racing she is thrilled to be celebrating the sport in ‘Impressions of the Turf ’ at the Osborne Studio Gallery (SW1X 8JU) from Tuesday 20 June to Saturday 15 July.

Jessica also does commissions, should you want to immortalise something or someone special, please contact her here: jess@jessicahillsart.com

Morocco Claim Trophée International Mohammed VI

The Trophée International Mohammed VI is a tribute to Mohammmed VI, the King of Morocco, and saw a total of eight countries (USA, Morocco, Argentina, Spain, Egypt, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and UAE) take part in the tournament which this year had the support of the FIP (Federation of International Polo) and the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Polo.

On Saturday 27 May, Morocco secured The Trophée International Mohammed VI with a 10½-8 win against Egypt in the Final at Polo Club Souissi, in Rabat. Segundo Fernández Llorente was the Most Valuable Player.

The Trophée International Mohammed VI Final Teams: Morocco (6): Sidi Mohamed El Mhamdi (2), Ahmed Kadiri (-1), Abdessalam El Hanafi (1) & Segundo Fernandez Llorente (4) Egypt (8): Hussein Abozeind (1), Mohamed Elsewedy (1), Marwan Elafandy (1) & Francisco Menéndez (5)

Antifungals Diuretics

Clenbuterol (e.g. Ventipulmin®)

Dembrexine (e.g. Sputolosin®)

Isoxuprine (e.g. Navilox®)

Altrenogest (e.g. Regumate®)

Cemetidine (e.g. Tagamet®)

Ranitidine (e.g. Zantac®)

Omeprazole (e.g. Gastrogard®)

Methocarbamol (e.g. Robaxin®)

Dantrolene (e.g. Dantrium®)

Permitted only when prescribed by a practicing and licenced MRCVS for a specific condition and not administered within 24 hours of competition:

Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) (e.g. Phenylbutazone/‘bute’)

Corticosteroids (e.g. Dexamethasone®)

Jessica Hills will be exhibiting 20 June – 15 July

The 16th British Beach Polo Championships, otherwise known as ‘Sandpolo’ will be held at Sandbanks, Poole on 7 – 8 July. Team

Sandpolo will be returning for its 16th year

Photograph by Sandpolo

Photograph by Jessica Hills

Photograph by Olivia Correa

Morocco secured The Trophée International Mohammed VI Trophy

The Jewel in the Crown of Polo

Bellamar Pampa Norte comeback, but by the fifth and sixth chukkas, it was Lavinia who were controlling the action with Carlos María Ulloa and Manuel Giménez Villamil commanding the team from the back and combining well with their forwards, Ramon Cassino and Jack Whitman to secure Lavinia their first Thai Polo Cup title, 10½-4.

The Hipwood and Rocksavage, which have previously been Junior HPA tournaments, will now be merged into the Pony Club from this season onwards, while the Buckmaster section will be discontinued. The format of Hipwood and Rocksavage will remain unchanged, with three and four chukka matches on private grounds over 4 – 17 July, which will allow players to also compete in other Pony Club tournaments. Hipwood and Rocksavage players will be required to be members of both the HPA

Obituary

Polo Rider Cup 2022

Argentine Association of Horse Breeders’ Best Playing Pony: Future Lituania, played by Carlos María Ulloa

Rocksavage & Hipwood Merged into Pony Club

Best Playing Pony of the Final:

Alberta Belvedere, played by Carlos María Ulloa

Gaston Lucero & Federico Martelli

Howard Hipwood is widely acknowledged as one of England’s greatest and most talented polo players of all time, having achieved a 9 goal handicap and being awarded an HPA Lifetime Achievement Award at the Audi Polo Awards in 2008, in honour of his outstanding contribution to the sport. Born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1950 he took up polo as a child through the VWH Pony Club, alongside his brother Julian. He went on to become a stalwart member of the English team, notching up an impressive 21 times competing for the Coronation Cup for his country, with wins in 1979, 1982, 1983, 1990, 1993 and 1996. Howard took over the England Captaincy from his brother Julian in 1992. He won most of the major tournaments in the England, including the Cowdray Gold Cup in 1990 with Hildon House. Also the Queen’s Cup in 1970 and 1972 with Cowdray Park, 1974 and 1976 with San Flamingo and in 1982 with Boehm Team. He also won The Royal Windsor, Prince of Wales and Warwickshire – to name just a few.

financial support from Park Place this new partnership enables us to focus on our structured development pathway whilst wholeheartedly supporting and promoting Pony Club Polo”. For more information on Pony Club polo please contact Charles Whittington, or for Hipwood and Rocksavage specifically contact Jilly Emerson.

Fair Play

Award: Carlos Braun

His success at home was matched by an impressive career overseas, having played in over 50 countries worldwide. Twotime finalist in the Argentine Open, he also won the Gold Cup in Deauville and the World Cup in Florida for four consecutive years (1981–1984). He was a finalist in the U.S. Open in 1982 and 1983 and won the Gold Cup in New Zealand. He also represented England in two Westchester Cup line-ups in 1992 and 1997, winning on the latter occasion. The 1997 Westchester Cup win was a pivotal moment in polo history as this ended an 83-year drought for Britain.

Later in his career, he was a respected umpire at the top level of the game and was recognised for this when voted as the Best Professional Umpire in the inaugural Polo Awards in 2006.

As one of the highest-rated British players in history, and considered amongst the best backs in the world, his passing leaves a huge void in the polo community.

Howard leaves behind his children, Oliver, Jessica, Rosanna

and Pony Club; all Pony Club members less than 3 goals will play a flat rate of £50 for their HPA membership. Andrew Barlow, Chairman of the HPA Development and Coaching Committee, commented, “A vital HPA role is to promote grassroots polo and the development of young polo players. In combining the previous Junior HPA with Pony Club tournaments, this allows us to enhance our long-term objectives of promoting talent for the benefit of all players and the sport in the future. With generous Photography by PRC

Authorised by the OISC Ref No F201400827

Polo Club Niederweiden will be competing in the 2022 Polo Rider Cup

Carlos María Ulloa

Santiago Llavallol & Carlos María Ulloa

Photography by Matias Callejo

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Letter of the month

The writer of letter of the month wins a bottle of British Polo Gin @britishpologin 18 years and over & UK addresses only

Dear Editor

We’ve all been there, tacked up, checked your girth, stick in hand and something doesn’t feel right. It might be some hiccups, a touch of heart burn or a last-minute dash to the bathroom before you head out onto the polo field. Or it might be afterwards, you’re stood washing your horse and you can’t help but belch, or you can’t stomach anything but a cup of tea or a few sips of water for several hours until you and your horse get home.

In academic settings, stomach issues and related sensations such as these are known as gastro-intestinal symptoms or gastrointestinal distress. Common in most sports, in extreme cases they may be responsible for people dropping out of events. They do not appear to discriminate between males and females but may be affected by our use of some products such as caffeine or antibiotics, as well as broader factors.

These may be nutritional, for instance carbohydrate and fat intakes have been shown to be particularly important in running and triathlon, as has the environment, with heat and dehydration being particularly damaging to the gut. With last season’s heat waves in the UK and heat a regular feature of Sotogrande and the Southern Hemisphere seasons, we may start to face these issues more frequently. Similarly, how we move can affect how settled our stomachs are, with runners often showing higher symptoms compared to cyclists because of their need to bounce along the road, compared to sitting tight on a bike.

Equestrians sit somewhere in the middle of these two sports, as we move smaller muscle groups in a controlled way to ask our horses to perform. Polo, however, may sit at the upper end of equestrian sports, given the need to ride-off, move in and out of a half-seat, and rotate to get around the horse and reach on the near and off-sides. As with all equestrian sports polo requires players to work through a variety of speeds and technical movements mostly through our seats. This places an obvious stress on the core and other muscles around the gut and areas where symptoms are felt. Taking this a step further, especially in higher handicapped players, a single player will have multiple interactions with each of their horses and we must adapt our seat or posture to accommodate individual horses’ gaits. The potential for this to affect gut symptoms isn’t too farfetched, especially if you’re swapping between a 14.2hh mare and a 16hh gelding, but is unknown at the moment. Similarly, previous work from our group has shown players may reach speeds in excess of 60km per hour and accelerate and decelerate up to 400 times in a game, all further stressing relevant muscles and adding to the internal bounce our gut is already experiencing.

Most readers will be familiar with the impact performance psychology can have, whether it be when working with a challenging horse, leaning into a ride-off, or digging deep in that last chukka. Previous research from our group and others has shown that equestrian athletes may experience feelings of anxiety when riding, and that this often worsens in competition with riders showing higher scores for cognitive and somatic anxiety, and lower self-confidence. In other sports, similar mental states have been shown to increase the likelihood and or severity of gastrointestinal issues athletes experience during competition.

It’s for this reason, that we are hoping to assess how big and how severe an issue gastrointestinal issues are for equestrian

athletes, when training and competing. We’re particularly keen to capture as much data as we can from Polo players, given the full body nature and intensity of the sport. We’ll be using two short surveys to gather this information and hope to have the results in early 2024 as we’re targeting athletes and events all over the world. We are hoping that by making the survey as accessible as possible, we can dig deeper and set up future work to address the potential causes of and solutions for gastrointestinal issues in equestrian athletes.

We are keen to learn from as many people and equestrian disciplines as possible to establish a strong baseline of the prevalence and severity of gastro-intestinal symptoms in equestrian sport. Unlike other sports we don’t yet have these data, so this is an opportunity to contribute to something that will benefit you and the wider equestrian community. It’s hoped that through better understanding the size and scope of gut issues equestrian athletes face, often self-managing them, we can provide education and targeted nutrition or dietetic support where it is most needed, and then link back to areas where our understanding is more established such as psychology, or physiology.

If you’d like to take part in the surveys, please scan the QR code.

For further information about our equestrian research you can follow me @SimplyRussBest on Twitter or Instagram, email Russell. Best@wintec.ac.nz or find me on Researchgate and LinkedIn.

Russ Best

Quick Question

the Big picture

More Than Just Polo

The Gloucestershire Festival of Polo has really gathered steam over the past years, becoming a hybrid of Point-to-Point Fair x International Polo Day atmosphere. From the Champagne filled VIP tent overlooking the stunning immaculate polo ground and pitchside picnic gazebos to the empanada stand offering a taste of Argentine cuisine, there was something for everyone. The weekend was bathed in glorious sunshine and even when stormy downpours soaked the neighbouring town of Tetbury, Beaufort Polo Club did not get a drop. British Polo Gin were on hand with their refreshingly chilled drinks, much needed in the soaring temperatures and alongside the polo, spectators enjoyed a funfair, gun dog and gaucho displays. To read all about the Peru vs England match, please turn to the Reports pages.

w Photograph by Tom Reynolds

against

in

England Win!

Over the weekend of Saturday 11 June and Sunday 12 June, hundreds of spectators descended upon Beaufort Polo Club for The Gloucestershire Festival of Polo for a bonanza of polo, rural demonstrations, shopping and funfairs.

As always this is a real highlight of the polo calendar, with the best polo action to keep true polo aficionados happy, alongside a great shopping village, gun dog displays and much more to keep the large numbers of general public entertained too.

It was a blisteringly hot weekend which saw the Pimm’s and the busy British Polo Gin bars keeping the crowds’ thirst at bay and the pitch side picnickers settled in for The Golden Jubilee International Test Match which this year was played between England and, for the first time in living memory – Peru.

Would the youthful home side, bristling with impressive horsepower be able to see off the advances of a Peruvian team who were extremely well mounted on supplied ponies?

Alfie Hyde opened the scoring with a lovely run from past the halfway line, much to the delight of the home crowd and a great start for England, with their supporters hoping it was a sign of dominance that would continue throughout the game. However, Peru quickly replied with a goal of their own, but combined teamwork from England saw Zac Beim score to regain the lead, which was followed by a fast-flowing display of international polo between both sides. England were persistently on the attack and their relentless assault on the Peru goal line saw the chukka end 3-1½ in the home side’s favour.

Peru flew out of the second chukka starting blocks with a quick goal, 3-2½, in what ended up being a hard-fought phase

The Golden Jubilee International Test Match Teams

Victory

Peru

The Golden Jubilee International Test Match

Greg Keyte & Chris Hyde

Rupert Lewis

Luke Wiles vies for the ball

MVP

To read more about Lovelock M, please turn to our Pony Power pages

Rodrigo Vieljeux

RoR: Tottie, owned and played by Zac Beim

Lovelocks M (Atlantic x Dolfina Espia), owned and played by Luke Wiles

Alfie Hyde chases down his opponent

of play. England’s teamwork continued to pay off as they managed to weave their way through the traffic not once, but twice, ending the second chukka, 5-2½.

The muggy, oppressive heat made the spectators wilt and it seemed to have a similar effect on the field as the flow faltered and close marking from both sides saw only one goal in the third chukka, again for England, taking the score to 6-2½ going into half-time. Beim, especially when playing his RoR ponies had a standout first half and the remaining two chukkas were full of promise.

Going into the second half Peru had a bit of a hill to climb, but it was not insurmountable and as we all know, polo scores (just like the ponies) can turn on a sixpence. The England players, armed with half-time coaching from Luke Tomlinson, came out with all guns blazing and capitalised on every chance sent their way as Hyde flew into action for his second goal of the match, swiftly followed up by Luke Wiles, which put England into the lead 8

The Gloucestershire Festival of Polo

goals to 2½. Catching the home side off guard, Peru scored back-to-back goals to bring them back into contention, 8-4½, but Hyde swiftly and impressively dampened their hopes and scored on the buzzer to end the penultimate chukka, 9-4½. Going into the last chukka, the scoreboard certainly did not reflect the talent on display, nor the efforts of Peru, who doggedly defended and seized every opportunity that came their way. England scored a further two goals, one of which saw Beim scorch down the ground on another impressive pony. In a match that had seen hardly any whistle, it was unusual that the last goal of the day was a penalty opportunity and playing for the pride of Peru, they managed to convert their fifth goal of the day, albeit straight into the car park behind! The match ended 11-6½ in favour of a jubilant England side. It was fantastic to see such a youthful England team lift the trophy and also to see such fantastic pony welfare in the heat, which saw even the waiting to play Young England team members recruited in to aid

distribution of water to ponies and players alike.

As always this is a weekend packed full of polo, so – as the storm clouds gathered over the tress and the humidity soared after The Golden Jubilee Cup the action swiftly continued with The Buckmaster Trophy played between A Young England and New Zealand. This was followed by the Javier Novillo Astrada Trophy played for by the juniors on the next day of polo at the Beaufort. Please turn to our Youth pages for full reports on those matches – and much more on our up-and-coming polo talent, which is such an important part of the ongoing success of the sport.

With our fingers on the pulse of polo you can also read about what makes Luke Wiles tick in our Passions pages – and Zac Beim’s in our last issue’s Passions.

To read more about The Buckmaster Trophy and The Javier Novillo Astrada U15 Cup, please turn to our Youth pages

Alfie Hyde (3)

“Playing in the International at Beaufort Polo Club for England was a huge honour to be a part of. The team was really strong and we worked well as a team to take home the win for England. I really enjoyed playing against such great opponents, who put on a tough battle throughout the game. Winning was definitely a highlight of my polo career to date and I very much looking forward to playing for England again.”

Dom Lodge (4)

“It was very special to represent England alongside three other young players who I have grown up playing with and against. The game was very enjoyable, open and fast. Getting the win was the cherry on the cake and will definitely be the highlight of my season.”

Luke Wiles (4)

“For me it was a huge honour to represent England and I felt as a team we did really well against a strong Peruvian side. The field at Beaufort was in immaculate condition contributing to what was a great show put on by the Club and us as a team were extremely happy to bring home the trophy for England.”

Zac Beim (4)

“To play for England was an honour, the support was amazing and as soon as we stepped on the field we all did our job and played well and luckily had a good win, but playing for England was amazing – it’s what all of us dream about.”

England Victory at Polo in the Park

Narrow 7-6 win in The Olympic Trophy

Chestertons Polo in The Park uses a unique format which is a hybrid of arena and outdoor polo, which optimises the space available at The Hurlingham Club and also brings the actions up close to the spectators. Alongside the Champagne, music and food extravaganza, there are polo matches each day and on Friday 9 June in a hard-fought battle, England clinched The Olympic Trophy, 7-6, against Ireland in an evening match in front of a packed crowd who had enjoyed the alluring combination of polo and sunshine in the unique capital setting.

Going into the Final, Irish Captain Richard Tyrone commented, “There’s experienced players on both sides. Myself, Evan, and Niall have experience playing in the arena, which is a bit of a different game. The number one thing here is being able to play in front of such a big crowd, in the middle of London, and there’s a lot of history behind this cup and a lot of prestige in competing for this trophy.”

Ireland met Tyrone’s expectations and opened the scoring with a goal from Evan Power, but Max Charlton quickly responded with a goal of his own. By half-time Ireland were still in the lead, 4-3, but the home side came out with all cylinders firing in the second half and managed to simultaneously hold their opponents scoreless while scoring two goals of their own to take the lead, 5-4. This meant it was all to play for in the fourth and final chukka, while Ireland determinedly tried to regain the lead England countered with two goals of their own to take the win, 7-6.

Where: The Hurlingham Club, London

Chestertons Polo in The Park brings polo into the heart of London

England, winners of The Olympic Trophy

With the countdown to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games underway, the French Polo Federation (FFP) and Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly were inspired to put together the first ever Polo Nations Cup. The Nations Cup is already a popular team format in Olympic disciplines such as show jumping, dressage and eventing and it is hoped The Polo Nations Cup will pave the way for the sport to return to the Olympic Games, after it was dropped from the programme after the 1936 Olympics.

Four federations – the US Polo Association, the Korea Polo Federation (South Korea), the Deutscher Polo Verband e.V. (Germany) and the Fédération Française de Polo – supported the initiative, and a total of eight teams competed in the first edition. The Final on Sunday 18 June saw the young, all-French PACA France line-up against Korea Polo Club – the Korean Polo Federation (KPF) entry is part of a drive to develop polo in Korea through a program that notably encourages the introduction and practice of the sport in secondary schools and

universities, supervised by British and New Zealand coaches, which has been set up on the model long developed in the United States. The ambitious, confident French team took control from the outset and took the lead in the first half, however Korea Polo Club fought back to equalise in the third chukka until PACA France’s teamwork broke the stalemate in the fourth chukka. By the end of the fifth chukka PACA France’s early lead secured them the win, 9-5, Most Valuable Pro Player Julien Reynes commented on his team’s win, “It really is above all a team

Sweet Success

Home Team for

Where: Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly, Apremont

PACA France faced Korea Polo Club in The Polo Nations Cup Final

victory, as this was a team tournament, we played all our games as a foursome, and we won all our victories as a foursome”.

David Ko, the Most Valuable Amateur Player, was gracious in defeat and for his team, qualifying for the Final was an achievement in itself, “It was a great feeling to be in the Final, it was quite unexpected, but we were here thanks in particular to our two professional players, Santiago Irastorza and Tito Guiñazu. Being MVP is one thing, but above all it’s a great start for Korean polo. This kind of tournament teaches us to play better, and we’ll be back next year for the Polo Nations Cup and before that for other major tournaments in France, such as the Open de France here in September. Polo

The Polo Nations Cup Final Teams

PACA France (12)

Elena Venot (1)

Dorian Bulteau (3)

Louis Jarrige (4)

Julien Reynes (4)

Korea Polo Club (12)

David Ko (0)

Jerry Kwak (0)

Santiago Irastorza (5)

Tito Ruiz Guiñazú (7)

Chukka scores: 2-1, 3-1, 4-3, 7-3, 9-5 to PACA France

Pro: Julien Reynes

Amateur: David Ko

Oración, played by Louis Jarrige and owned by Jean-Claude Le Grand

Photography by ©Justine Jacquemot

PACA France, winners of the First Polo Nations Cup

Photography by Pablo Ramirez The

The Cartier Queen’s Cup Final Teams

The Cartier Queen’s Cup is one of the most coveted trophies in polo, bringing together some of the best players, on the most impressive ponies, in the quintessentially English setting of Guards Polo Club and sponsored for over 10 years by the iconic luxury brand of Cartier. This year saw a whopping 17 teams competing for the title, and after four weeks of back-to-back action in May and June it was two French teams who faced one another on the historic Queen’s Ground in the Final.

The Cartier Queen’s Cup Final was a rematch between Corinne Ricard’s Murus Sanctus and Alexander Garese La Magdeleine who had met just a month before in The Trippett’s Challenge Final at Cowdray Park Polo Club and had seen La Magdeleine lead throughout to take the win. Yet Murus Sanctus were certainly not the underdogs as they entered The Cartier Queen’s Cup Final undefeated.

With both sides knowing each other well and this year’s horsepower being on another level, this all-French Final certainly had a lot of promise.

Santiago Laborde has enjoyed a pivotal role in this team and true to form, opened the scoring with a penalty. However, Murus Sanctus swiftly took the attacking position and scored three goals in the first chukka to take an early lead, 3-1.

La Magdeleine took advantage of the penalty opportunities that came their way in the second chukka with three conversions by Pablo Mac Donough, but Murus Sanctus’ Politio Pieres replied with two field goals to maintain Murus Sanctus’ one goal lead, 5-4. Pieres’ turning power, speed and overall energy had the spectators on the edge of their seats throughout the tournament and everyone agreed that this year there is simply another level of horsepower on display.

With five field goals between the two teams in the third chukka, they displayed the accuracy of the two sides, who were leaving nothing in reserve, and the half-time score of 7-7 reflected the evenness of the line-ups.

Peter Wright & Jason Dixon (Third man: Tim Bown)

Pablo Mac Donough shows off his 9 goal skills

MVP BPP

After the break, Alejandro Muzzio and Pieres proved they were a force to be reckoned with, with their harmonious yet frenetic teamwork resulting in three further goals for Murus Sanctus in the fourth and fifth chukka, giving them a moment to breathe. Meanwhile La Magdeleine were held scoreless during these two chukkas, which meant they not only had to score in

the sixth chukka but also lockdown their opponent’s goal-scoring spree if they were to remain in contention – a lot of pressure for the four players, but as they say, “pressure makes diamonds” and La Magdeleine certainly sparkled in the sixth chukka.

Mac Donough and Laborde pounced into action with back-to-back goals, bringing them within just one goal and supporters

waited with bated breath to see if the Final would be pushed into over-time. However, their momentum was checked by Pieres, later named Most Valuable Player, who managed to hold off Mac Donough’s last ditch efforts, ensuring Murus Sanctus held on for an electrifying 11-10 victory to capture their first Cartier Queen’s Cup title. The win means that Murus Sanctus are the third French team to secure the trophy, joining the hall of fame alongside Labergorce (2004) and Talandracas (2011) and their celebrations in the rain certainly reflected their exhilaration.

Polito Pieres

Irenita La Kiosquera, played by Pablo Mac Donough

The jubilant Murus Sanctus team celebrate their victory

Photograph by Pablo Ramirez

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Victor Ludorum Update

Another season heralds another Victor Ludorum series, which sees teams competing across the UK in a number of competitions at a variety of clubs, with the overall winner of each section crowned winner of the games.

This year the Hurlingham Polo Association has introduced the new Victor Ludorum 4 Goal Super League series with a unique format for 2023, new venues and knockout Finals. The new league sees the series run on a regional league structure, with four zones. In each zone, three clubs will host tournaments, and points will be awarded to competing teams based on their results. The winning team from each zone will qualify for the knockout Semi Final, and these winners will go head-to-head in the Final to crown the first Super League Champions. Zones are organised geographically – North, Central, East, and West – to reduce travel times and encourage more teams to join the series. Semi Finals will be held at a mutually convenient ground, to be decided with the qualified teams. The grounds for the Final will be decided by the HPA, to achieve the best location for the prestige of the tournament.

2023 series is well underway 18 Goal Victor Ludorum

Les Lions Polo Club – The Oxfordshire Cup Final – Tuesday 23 May

Number of teams: Eight

Winners: Ojo Caliente Points: 60

The Oxfordshire Cup is hosted each year by Black Bears Polo Club, but the 2023 Final was played at Les Lions between Great Oaks LL and Ojo Caliente. Ojo Caliente’s Ana Escobedo was fresh from her The La Martina Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s Centenary Trophy win at Guards Polo Club. By the end of the first chukka, Great Oaks LL were ahead 1-0, but this was the last time they would hold the lead for the remainder of the Final as Ojo Caliente secured the lead from the second chukka onwards. Facundo Sola and Félix Esaín scored five goals apiece and Ojo Caliente ran out the winners, 10-8. Sola was chosen as the Most Valuable Player and the Best Playing Pony was Irenita Soprano, played by Sola.

The Oxfordshire Cup Final Teams: Ojo Caliente (18): Ana Escobedo (0), Felix Esain (5), Facundo Sola (7) & John Paul Clarkin (6) Great Oaks LL (18): Gonzalo Deltour (6), Dillon Bacon (2), Michel Del Carril (6) & Nico Roberts (4)

Ojo Caliente, winners of The Oxfordshire Cup

Photograph courtesy of Black Bears

Cowdray Park Polo Club – The Duke of Sutherland Final – Sunday 11 June

Number of teams: 15

Winners: Ojo Caliente Points: 90

On Sunday 11 June, Ojo Caliente’s winning streak continued with a narrow 7-6 win against La Irenita in The Duke of Sutherland Final. The match between both sides was very equal for the first three chukkas, with the scores tied at 3-3 going into the fourth chukka. It was at this moment that Ojo Caliente pushed ahead, outscoring La Irenita three goals to one in the fourth chukka. Although La Irenita fought back in the fifth chukka, the winning goal was scored in the last minute by Felix Esain, who was later named Most Valuable Player. Poroto Cambiaso, who substituted for Pablo Mac Donough, played the Best Playing Pony, Polka.

The Duke of Sutherland Final Teams: Ojo Caliente (18): Ana Escobedo (0), Felix Esain (5), Facundo Sola (7) & John Paul Clarkin (6) La Irenita (18): Gilberto Sayao (0), Will Harper (4), Pablo Mac Donough (9) (substituted by Poroto Cambiaso) & Matias Mac Donough (5)

Photography by Mark Beaumont

Ojo Caliente, winners of The Duke of Sutherland

The Duke of Sutherland Final was hard fought between La Irenita & Ojo Caliente

15 Goal Victor Ludorum

Beaufort Polo Club – The Justerini & Brooks

Arthur Lucas Cup Final – Saturday 3 June

Number of teams: Four

Winners: Silvertown Properties

Points: 30

With the beginning of June welcoming the best of British summer weather, Beaufort Polo Club played host to Silvertown Properties and Vampire Bats 2.0 battling it out to win The Justerini & Brooks Arthur Lucas Cup. The first chukka saw Mark Tomlinson and Luke Wiles setting Silvertown Properties up for a great game with several goals out of the line-up. Silvertown Properties continuously showed that they were determined to claim the win, racking up the goals and leaving little room for Vampire Bats 2.0 to make a play for a win. With a final score of 7-5, it was Silvertown Properties who proved victorious against Vampire Bats 2.0 in the Final of the Justerini & Brooks Arthur Lucas Cup.

Luke Wiles proved to be an integral part of Silvertown Properties and was awarded the Most Valuable Player prize, while the Polo Times Best Playing Pony rug was awarded to Richard Tyrone’s, Monkey Business – to read more about Monkey Business, please turn to our Pony Power pages.

The Justerini & Brooks Arthur Lucas Cup

Final Teams:

Vampire Bats 2.0 (15): Milo Sweet (0), Javier Guerrero (5), Richard Tyrone (6) & Dom Lodge (4)

Silvertown Properties (15): Olivia Clowes (0), Luke Wiles (4), Luke Tomlinson (5) & Mark Tomlinson (6)

12 Goal Victor Ludorum

The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club – The John Prestwich Challenge Trophy Final – Saturday 17 June

Winners: Conosco

Points: 60

Saturday 17 June saw Members and friends of the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club gather to watch the Final and Subsidiary Final of The John Prestwich Challenge Trophy.

Jeremy Pemberton and his team Consoco took on the defending champions, Tahanto, in the main Final of the day. As the final hooter sounded the scoreboard read 6-4 in favour of Conosco. Rufino Laulhe was chosen as the Most Valuable Player and Laucha, a 10-year-old Argentine mare, owned and played by Manuel Plaza, was chosen as the Best Playing Pony.

The Subsidiary Final saw father and son duo of Philipp and Pierandrea Mueller and their team, Wascosa/Standing Rock, victorious over Bel Polo Team with a final score of 7-5.

The John Prestwich Challenge Trophy Final Teams: Tahanto (12): Jon Puckhaber (0), Segundo Darritchon (3), Fabio Lavinia (3) & Manuel Plaza (6) Conosco (12): Rufino Laulhe (2), Jeremy Pemberton (1), Will Harper (4) & Will Emerson (5)

Silvertown Properties, winners of The Justerini & Brooks Arthur Lucas Cup

Conosco, winners of The John Prestwich Challenge Trophy

Photograph courtesy of RCBPC

The Final was played in the best of British weather

Photography by Tom Reynolds

Victor Ludorum Update

Cowdray Park Polo Club – The Dollar Cup Final – Sunday 4 June

Number of teams: 20

Winners: Confido

Points: 60

Confido and Snakebite went head-to-head on Sunday 4 June in The Dollar Cup Final on Brooks Field, which was bathed in glorious sunshine. After hot action on both sides, Confido defeated their opponents, 7-5, with Ed Hitchman sweeping the floor in the post-match presentations with both the Most Valuable Player prize and then the Best Playing Pony rug for Honey, played and owned by Hitchman.

The Dollar Cup Final Teams:

Snakebite (12): Max Kirchhoff (1), Toby Bradshaw (2), John Paul Clarkin (6) & David Ashby (3)

Confido (12): Ed Hitchman (4), Creighton Boyd (1), Hissam Ali Hyder (4) & Shaun Brokensha (3)

8 Goal Victor Ludorum

Cirencester Park Polo Club – The Gerald

Balding Final – Monday 29 May

Number of teams: 12

Winners: Kulin Rock

Points: 60

The The Gerald Balding Trophy Final was held on the gloriously sunny bank holiday Monday 29 May. Umpires Tarquin Southwell and Chris Hyde led the two teams on the field, Kulin Rock and Oriflamme, as commentator Peter Morris introduced them. Play began and it was Jack Berner who put the first goal on the scoreboard for Oriflamme, shortly followed by Jason Warren pushing the score to 2-0.

Confido & Snakebite battled it out in The Dollar Cup Final

Kulin Rock, winners of The Gerald Balding

Confido, winners of The Dollar Cup

Photography by Mark Beaumont

By the end of the first chukka Nico Fontanarossa had placed Kulin Rock back in the game, scoring the first goal for his team. Tom Dalton-Morgan was quick to separate the gap between the two teams and scored Oriflamme’s third goal at the start of the second chukka, swiftly supported by Jason Warren who added two more goals. However, Nico was not going to let his team fall off the radar and scored again for Kulin Rock. As the crowds wandered onto the field to tread in, the teams finished the first half 5-2 in favour of Oriflamme. After a team chat during half-time, Kulin Rock came back out ready to fight. Chukka three saw three unfortunate fouls by Oriflamme allowing Charlie Walton to get his first two goals on the scoreboard for Kulin Rock. Fontanarossa who was unstoppable by this point scored his third goal. Kulin Rock had climbed their way back up and as the bell rang for the end of chukka three, Kulin Rock were in the lead 7 goals to 5. Chukka four saw a last-ditch attempt by Oriflamme to win the trophy with Tom Dalton-Morgan scoring his second goal in the game. However, ultimately it wasn’t quite enough to overcome Charlie Walton for Kulin Rock, who scored his third goal finishing the game 8 goals to 6 to Kulin Rock. MVP was won by Kulin Rock’s Charlotte Pykett, who is also this month’s Polo Times Yard Focus, so turn to our Nutrition Focus pages to read more about Charlotte’s string. Best Playing Pony was won by Melingo, owned and played by Charlie Walton.

The Gerald Balding Final Teams:

Oriflamme (8): Benn Shepherd (0), Tom Dalton-Morgan (2), Jack Berner (3) & Jason Warren (3)

Kulin Rock (8): Richard Bailey (0), Charlotte Pykett (0), Charlie Walton (4) & Nico Fontanarossa (4)

6 Goal Victor Ludorum

Beaufort Polo Club – The Eduardo Rojas Lanusse Final – Saturday 17 June

Number of teams: Five

Winners: R&R Polo

Points: Not yet ratified by the HPA

On Saturday 17 June Hookum/Winkfield went up against R&R Polo in The Eduardo Rojas Lanusse Final and with both teams having played great games in the run up to the Final, spectators were eager to see who would claim the win. The first chukka started off with strong goals for R&R Polo and Ollie Jones with a striking goal under the neck. Hot on their heels, Hookum/Winkfield were not far behind with Vieri Antinori scoring strong goals left, right, and centre. In the end R&R Polo claimed the victory by the skin of their teeth with a half goal handicap start finalising their 6½-6 win. The Polo Times Best Playing Pony was awarded to Vieri Antinori’s Rolex, to read more about Rolex please turn to our Pony Power pages.

The Eduardo Rojas Lanusse Final Teams:

R&R Polo (5): Justin Neal (0), Challon Nazirre (-1), Ollie Jones (3) & Johnny Coddington (3)

Hookum/Winkfield (6): Guru Johal (0), Robert Wilson (0), Joshua Clover (2) & Vieri Antinor (4)

Best Playing Pony, Melingo

Photography by Tom Reynolds

R&R Polo, winners of in The Eduardo Rojas Lanusse

Action from The Eduardo Rojas Lanusse Final between R&R Polo & Hookum/Winkfield

Photography by Joss Ridley

4 Goal Victor Ludorum

Binfield Polo Club – The The B.H.P.C 4 Goal Super League Final – Sunday 11 June

Number of teams: Four

Winners: Airslie

Points: Not yet ratified by the HPA

In an exhilarating finale, Airslie emerged victorious with an impressive 8-6 win over Exchange Communications in the B.H.P.C 4 Goal Super League VL Final. The match showcased exceptional horsemanship and strategic play from both teams, keeping spectators on the edge of their seats throughout. Henry Brett of Airslie proved to be the standout player of the match, earning himself the coveted Most Valuable Player title. Brett’s skill and keen eye for the game were on full display, as he expertly manoeuvred across the field, contributing

White Rose Polo Club – The Summit Cup Final – Sunday 11 June

Number of teams: Four

Winners: Summit

Points: Not yet ratified by the HPA

crucial goals and leading his team to victory. Not to be overshadowed, Seductora, owned and played by Pedro De Lamare, was awarded the Best Playing Pony accolade. The horse’s speed, agility, and responsiveness were instrumental in Airslie’s success, solidifying its reputation as a remarkable polo mount.

The B.H.P.C 4 Goal Super League Final Teams: Airslie (4): Hugh Cairns (-1), Michael Mylonas (0), Pedro De Lamare (2) & Henry Brett (3) Exchange Communications (4): Tom Sime (-1), Jose Luis Salas (0), Freddie Rosso-Baldachino (1) & Nico Roberts (4)

White Rose Polo Club in Yorkshire held the first of the Northern 4 Goal Super League VL tournaments on 10 – 11 June. It was a hotly contested competition with four teams competing over the weekend travelling from Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Cheshire to play. The polo grounds were in perfect condition having been rested and well irrigated before the tournament allowing fast and accurate play.

Played in beautiful weather, Saturday saw two close Semi Finals between Summit and Thoresby Jodpurs with Summit going through to the Final 8-3. In the other Semi Final Timb-Ply Polo were beaten by Parc Ferme 7-6.

The Final was set up to be a thriller between Summit and Parc Ferme Anglo Asian Mining who went into an early lead with a penalty from Sebastian Funes. From then on there was never more than one goal difference with the game tightly balanced. Summit drew several fouls but were unbale to convert the penalties including a 60 yard opportunity in the last five seconds

Photography by Roger Popp

Airslie, winners of The B.H.P.C 4 Goal Super League

Airslie faced Exchange Communications in The B.H.P.C 4 Goal Super League Final Best Playing Pony, Seductora

Summit, winners of The Summit Cup

of the match. This left the score at 6-6 and it would be decided by golden goal in a fifth chukka. With two minutes on the clock, Corey Meikle for Summit brought the ball from deep in Parc Ferme’s half and scored a beautiful nearside goal to win the tournament 7-6 in extra-time. Bautista Funes was chosen as Most Valuable Player and the Best Playing Pony was chosen as Oruga, played and owned by Sebastian Funes.

Kirtlington Park Polo Club –The Kirtlington

4 Goal VL Super League Final – Sunday 18

June

Winners: CPG

Points: Not yet ratified by the HPA

The Final of The Kirtlington 4 Goal VL Super League was played on Ground 1 at Kirtlington Park Polo Club on Sunday 18 June.

Sally Turner (substituted in the third chukka by Benjie Bradshaw), Rob Morran, Hector Rogberg and David Ashby of CPG

The Summit Cup Final Teams: Summit (4): Hedley Aylott (1), Federico Gómez (-2), Corey Meikle (2), Bautista Funes (3)

Parc Ferme Anglo Asian Mining (4): Guido Baisile (-1), Ehab Allam (0), Sebastian Funes (2) & Ben Malasomma (3)

faced off against Lolo Fontanarrosa, Emily Price, Frank Barlow and Vieri Antinori of Kulin Rock in a competitive match.

Kulin Rock began the match with a bang, scoring four goals in the first two chukkas. Down by three goals in the second half, CPG seized the opportunity to mount a comeback. In a thrilling last chukka, the CPG team levelled the score to 6-6. David Ashby, then went above and beyond, securing a penalty and leading the team to a hard-fought victory with a final score of 7-6. Vasca Lucia,

owned and played by David Ashby, was the Best Playing Pony.

The Kirtlington 4 Goal VL Super League

Final Teams:

CPG (4): Sally Turner (0) (substituted in the 3rd chukka by Benjie Bradshaw), Rob Morran (0), Hector Rogberg (1) & David Ashby (3)

Kulin Rock (4): Lolo Fontanarrosa (-1), Emily Price (0), Frank Barlow (1) & Vieri Antinori (4)

Spectators on Ground 1 enjoyed the Final action

CPG, winners of The Kirtlington 4 Goal VL Super League

Photography courtesy of KPPC

Photography by EKS Images

Corey Meikle chasing Sebastian Funes in the Final

Binfield Heath Polo Club

Binfield Heath Polo Club was founded in 1994 by a core of Members who had previously played at Checkendon Park Polo Club, founded two years earlier by Toby Greenbury and Lord Francis Phillimore.

The Club is based at Lord Phillimore’s grounds in Binfield Heath which is between Henley-on-Thames and Reading. Full affiliation was granted to the Club by the Hurlingham Polo Association in 1996.

Club Stats

Photography by Roger Popp

Any highlights for 2023 season? Two major highlights for the Club are the two Victor Ludorum tournaments – The B.H.P.C 4 Goal Super League (turn to the Reports pages to read more) and the upcoming 6 goal Philimore Trophy Victor Ludorum in July.

What are the Club’s plans for the future? The Club aims to provide the best possible playing surface for fun fast competitive polo on two beautiful fully irrigated grounds.

Club Address & Contact: Binfield Heath Polo Club, Polo Ground, Gravel Road, Binfield Heath, RG9 4LY

Polo Manager Name & Contact: Pedro De Lamare (07792 211259)

The Club’s highlights includes two Victor Ludorum tournaments

Binfield Heath Polo Club

On Sunday 28 May, Hookum/Winkfield secured a 10-5 win against Exchange Communication in the 6 goal Margaret Duvall Tournament. Eugenio Imaz was chosen as the Most Valuable Player and Mint, owned by Vieri Antinori, was the Best Playing Pony. Over the weekend 3 – 4 June, the Club hosted their Bottle & Glass Trophy. Ausherra beat Wildcats 5-4 to take the title, with Carlton Nelson named Most Valuable Player and Playboy, owned by Michael Mylonas, the Best Playing Pony. The Subsidiary Final was won by Truth who defeated Las Aguilas, 3-2.

Cambridge and Newmarket Polo Club

Over 27 – 28 May the Club hosted the BolebecPink Ladies 4-8 goal and Bolebec Mixed 0 and 4 goal tournaments, turn to the Women’s Polo pages for the ladies results.

The mixed upper games between Cambridge Neurotec, the Pink Gins and Bolebec displayed some flowing open polo with team Bolebec beating Cambridge Neurotec in a close Final by one goal on Sunday. The Best Playing Pony prize was presented as a joint prize to Connie six-year old Thoroughbred owned, produced and played by Rory Ferguson and 15-year-old Juancho owned and played by Will Hopkins, bred by Fabio Lavinia.

Ham Polo Club Inanda Polo Club

On Saturday 20 May, Argentina faced South Africa in The Inanda International Polo Test Match at Inanda Polo Club located in the centre of Johannesburg. Despite the humid conditions, both teams fought hard over the five chukkas which ended in a 7-7 tie.

The Inanda International Polo Test Match Teams:

South Africa: Lance Watson, Dirk Van Reenen, Tom de Bruin & Gareth Evans

Argentina: Manuel Sundblad, Juan Lalor, Eduardo Zorrilla & Tomás Alberdi

On Sunday 21 May at Gentleman’s Day at the Club, the Avengers clinched The Goal Cup Final with a narrow 7-6 win which almost went into an extra chukka, while Los Cariocas secured the Subsidiary Final against Hugs & Co.

On Sunday 11 June the Club held The RAF vs Ham Challenge which saw two teams, Tiger Mountain and Ham Polo, battle it out for the title. Tiger Mountain took the win 6-3½ with great goals from Ellie

Hoogewerf, Will Healy and Vicky Woodhead, which saw Hoogewerf chosen as Most Valuable Player.

Following on from the RAF match, Rolling Hills Polo took on Los Cariocas in The Petersham Bowl Final; Los Cariocas took the lead early on with four goals but after half-time Rolling Hills Polo fought back and returned with three goals in the third chukka. In the end, Los Cariocas’ lead was too much to overcome and they took the trophy, 7½-3.

Edgeworth Polo Club

On Sunday 4 June, Otterhouse defeated Bluestone Insurance 6-3 in the 8 goal Isa Trophy Final at Edgeworth Polo Club.

Hookum/Winkfield, winners of The Margaret Duvall Tournament

Photography by BHPC

The Bottle & Glass Trophy finalists

Photograph by Tom Reynolds

The Isa Trophy finalists

Photograph by Ham Polo Club

RAF, winners of The RAF vs Ham Challenge Los Cariocas, winners of The Petersham Bowl

Photography by ©Mark Greenwood

The Goal Cup finalists

Cowdray Park Polo Club

On Monday 29 May, Ferne Park/Cowdray Vikings (Vere Harmsworth, George Pearson, Joaquin Pittaluga & Tom Brodie) took The Cicero Cup after defeating their opponents, Valhalla/Madams Farm, with Tom Brodie named Most Valuable Player.

The Club had a busy end of May Bank Holiday weekend which saw FWP & Co defeat Hinch Pelota, 5-3 in The Jubilee Cup Final, with Red, played and owned by Will Millard, chosen as the Best Playing Pony. The 2 goal Tillington Trophy Final saw Bandidos gain

Houston Polo Club

an early lead which they maintained against Team AG to take a 5-1 win. The Best Playing Pony rug was presented to Steve, played and owned by Harry Revell.

On Sunday 4 June, Confido defeated Snakebite, 7-5, in The Dollar Cup Final. Ed Hitchman was chosen as Most Valuable Player and Honey, owned and played by Ed Hitchman, was the Best Playing Pony. The Subsidiary Final for The Robert Fraser Cup, saw La Hechicera defeat Yaguara, 8-7.

Brookshire Polo Club and Eureka went head-to-head in The J. Talasek Homes Cup

Final at Houston Polo Club, which saw the evenly matched teams put on a great display of 12 goal polo. Going into the last chukka the scores were tied 7-7 and by the middle of the last chukka the scores were tied again at 8-8, Jack Kiely was dependable as ever on the penalty line and converted his fourth penalty shot to give Eureka a one goal lead with two minutes remaining, which Mason Wroe built upon to take the 10-8 win for Eureka (Rene Campos, Jack Kiely, Jorge Cernadas & Mason Wroe).

The last 12 Goal Sunday of the Spring 2023 Houston Polo Club Season was an exciting game between BTA and Old Pueblo, BTA, handicapped at 13 goals, gave the 12 Goal Old Pueblo team 1 goal on the scoreboard to begin the game. Old Pueblo’s captain and the highest rated player on the team, Jeff Hall, was quick to add on to his team’s lead as he scored immediately out of the throw-in in the first chukka, BTA regrouped for the second chukka which they ended just one goal behind, 5-4. BTA found a better team rhythm in the third chukka, as Krueger scored three goals to Giannico’s one, earning BTA’s first lead of the game ending the first half 7 to 6. Old Pueblo took advantage of penalty opportunities in the fourth chukka and by the start of the sixth chukka had taken a one goal lead. With to and fro action on both sides, the scores tied again at 12-12 as regulation time ran out and a golden goal overtime chukka was needed. Old Pueblo’s Hall ended the game just like he started it, he grabbed the ball out of the throw-in and carried it from midfield to the goal just out of the defender’s reach scoring the golden goal and earning his team the overtime win.

Photography by Mark Beaumont

Ferne Park/Cowdray Vikings, winners of The Cicero Cup

Bandidos, winners of The Tillington Trophy

FWP & Co, winners of The Jubilee Cup

Confido, winners of The Dollar Cup

Photography by HPC

Eureka, winners of The J. Talasek Homes Cup

Old Pueblo (Sterling Giannico, Jeff Hall, Duilio Diaz & Leigh Anne Hall), winners of The Vaqueros Cup

White Waltham Polo Club

The Club celebrated the Cannes Film Festival over the weekend 27 – 28 May with The Premiere Trophy sponsored by Executive Film Producer James Spring (of Fisherman’s Friend fame). The final score of 8½-8 reflected how close the match was between Sarah Grant’s Mountgerald Polo Team and Bilal Shaykh’s Cedar Polo Team, however it was the winning Mountgerald Polo Team (Sarah Grant, Lt Col. Tom Armitage, Malcolm Ford & Gonzalo Bazan) who lifted the polo pony trophy. A delicious Argentine Asado was enjoyed after the Final on Sunday. The Club thanked all those who visited from Ash Farm, Tedworth Park and Sussex as it was a fabulous start to the 2023 polo season.

Over the weekend 3 – 4 June, The Divot Trophy was competed for at White Waltham Polo Club. Georgina Brittain’s Mount Loftus Polo Team scored three goals in the first

chukka, however in the second chukka Georgy Armitage’s Abercairny fought back and with a final penalty in the last few seconds of the fourth chukka, Abercairny won by 5½-5 goals.

The Challenge Ice Bucket was won by Grand Cru Polo Team (Alex Hayman-Joyce, Georgina Brittain, Georgy Armitage and Tariq Dag Khan) in a hard fought Final against Shakib Polo Team who came back in the final chukkas, but not enough to defeat Grand Cru.

To celebrate King Charles III official birthday, White Waltham Polo Club competed for The Coronation Cup with prizes donated and presented by Lt.Col. Howard Flood of the Grenadier Guards regiment.

Mountgerald Polo Team and Carlitos Polo Team competed in the Final with a win for Mountgerald and final score of 5½-7. Sarah Grants’ Mountgerald Polo Team (Bilal Shaykh, Gonzalo Bazan & Catarina Bazan)

Kirtlington Park Polo Club

The Club hosted its annual open day on Sunday 28 May, the sun illuminated the festivities, the stallholders offered a unique selection of goods, and the food trucks were fragranced with the tantalizing aromas of delectable treats.

The children had plenty of options to choose from: face painting, a bouncy castle, and a fun game of tug of war.

The highlight of the day was the dog race in which Mr Spinkles owned by Christopher Crawford and Sarah Rippon won with great conviction, although there were accusations of a false start.

Teams Windrush and Woodperry took over the pitch with a thrilling performance to give guests a full taste of the polo experience. With a mixture of young guns and wise pros in both teams it made for a well-balanced game although Windrush took home the trophy with a final score of 4-2.

KPPC’s Fiona Kalies commented, “With an array of prizes supplied by their generous sponsors the Oxford Ski Company and excitable commentary by Mandy Fontanarrosa the atmosphere was electric. Overall the Open Day at Kirtlington Polo Club was an enjoyable

experience for all. With the sun out, horses strutting their stuff, Pimm’s alongside the fun activities, who wouldn’t be tempted back next year?”

KPPC Open Day Teams: Windrush: Harry Earnshaw, Eskander Fouladi, George Cronin & David Ashby Woodperry: Bruno Bradshaw, Christopher Purcell, Daniel Flavell & Dane Csaszar

played exceptionally well, with Sarah herself scoring three goals, the Most Valuable Player award went to Claire Graham. The Club also enjoyed the fly past of the typhoon fighter jets and Red Arrows on their way home from London on Saturday lunchtime.

Mountgerald Polo Team, winners of The Premiere Trophy

Abercairny Polo Team (Georgy Armitage, Tariq Dag Khan, Acie Davies-Khan & Alex Hayman-Joyce), winners of The Divot Trophy

Alex Hayman-Joyce, Georgina Brittain, Georgy Armitage and Tariq Dag Khan with Nala the dog, winners of The Challenge Ice Bucket

Photography by WWPC

Mountgerald Polo Team, winners of The Coronation Cup

The children enjoyed a game of tug of war

Windrush & Woodperry, the Open Day teams

Photography by KPPC

Cheshire Polo Club

A fabulous sunny day greeted the spectators at Cheshire Polo Club on Sunday 4 June for The Wirral Challenge Cup between A.W. Jenkinson/Timb-Ply vs Salto/Burley Polo. It was a close game throughout, with both teams scoring equally and by the third chukka the score was 4-4. Eventually Cristian Chaves put A.W. Jenkinson/ Timb-Ply ahead with a soaring 60 yard penalty followed by another 40 yard penalty put away by Jonny Coddington for the opposing side. Both sides strived to take the lead but at full time it was 6-6 and the match went into a fifth chukka, with Will Padden clinching victory for Salto-Burley with a penalty. The Wirral Challenge Cup and

Beaufort Polo Club

prizes were presented to Steffan Groch and Challon Nazaire, joint patrons of the winning team, by Anna Hall CEO of the HPA, and to Jonny Coddington the Most Valuable Player and to Best Playing Pony Zabaleta, owned and ridden by Will Padden.

The Wirral Challenge Cup Final Teams:

A.W. Jenkinson/Timb-Ply (4): Don Gibbs (-1), Sam Chaves (-1), Henry Smith (2) & Cristian Chaves (4)

Salto/Burley Polo Team (4): Challon Nazaire (-1), Steffan Groch (0), Will Padden (2) & Jonny Coddington (3)

The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club

Newport Polo

Newport Polo has raised more than $7,000 for humanitarian aid for Ukraine by more than 250 attendees of the benefit premiere and associated events held on the eve of opening day of the Newport International Polo Series; Contributing to the fundraising results for www.LUkraine.lu were silent auction proceeds featuring pieces by Ukrainian artists from art, fashion and brands that joined the cause, organized by Polo House Prive, the Ukraine team’s Global Tour sponsor, and endorsed by the Ukrainian Polo Federation. USA and Ukraine went head-to-head in an international match which saw Ukraine secure a 10-7 debut win.

Salto-Burley, winners of The Wirral Challenge Cup

Best Playing Pony Zabaleta

On Sunday 11 June, Senzaltro defeated Coppid Owls, 6-7½ in The Non-Playing Members Babdown Cup Final as part of the Club’s Gloucestershire Festival of Polo.

Senzaltro, winners of The Non-Playing Members Babdown Cup

Photograph by Polo House Prive

Ukrainian polo player Charlie Lott with supporters and teammate Oleksandr Ukrainskyy

Photograph by Tom Reynolds

On Sunday 28 May, Broadsword secured The Jim McEnteggart Trophy in an exciting Final against Cuatro Colas which went down to an extra chukka.

Photograph by RCBPC

Broadsword, winners of The Jim McEnteggart Trophy

Longdole Polo Club

Over 10 – 11 June, four teams battled it out for The Zimbabwe Spur, sponsored by Patrick Mavros. After the Semi Finals on Saturday 10 June, the finalists were decided as Fidus Capital vs Bluestone/ Charisma. The Final could have gone either way, but in the final seconds of the third chukka Bluestone took the lead by half a goal. John Watson came out in the fourth chukka with a goal straight from the throw-in and Mikey Howe scored two more to give them a healthy 8½-6 win. Kelvin Johnson had a fantastic match and took the Most Valuable Player prize.

The Zimbabwe Spur Final Teams:

Bluestone/Charisma (4): Pauline Rushton (-1), Colm Purcell (-1), Harry Tucker (2) & Kelvin Johnson (4)

Fidus Capital (3): Josh Mannings (-2), Lorna Broughton (0), John Watson (1) & Mikey Howe (4)

Guards Polo Club

On Sunday 4 June the Club hosted their annual Guards Polo Club Charity Dog Show with the £1,500 raised on the day going to Dogs For Good who make life-changing differences to people with disabilities through the power of expertly trained dogs. Every class was full and these are the results:

Best In Show Champion: Ruairi, shown by Rupert Paton-Philip

The Reserve: Bruno, shown by Louie Emanuel

Fancy Dress: Teddy & Christian Waldron-Knights

Happiest Dog/Best Trick: Muriel & Mags Lucas

Agility: Forest & Melanie

Gun Dog: Bruno & Louie Emanuel

Dog Most Like Its Owner: Luchia & June Howell Jones

Best Rescue Dog: Ruby & Simon Ezgi

On Monday 29 May, the Mad Lemons defeated Mono Polo, 7-6, in The Committee Cup Final. Rosendo Torreguitar was chosen as the Most Valuable Player and Adran, played and owned by Pedro Harrison was the Polo Times Best Playing Pony (to read more about Adran please turn to our Pony Power pages). The Subsidiary Final was won by Kilnwood Park 6½-5 against Signet Wealth.

The Committee Cup Final Teams:

Mad Lemons (8): Simon Franc (0), Alan Fall (1), Rufino Merlos (2) & Pedro Harrison (5)

Mono Polo (8): Derek MacLennan (0), Hamish MacLennan (0), James Mann (3) & Rosendo Torreguitar (5)

Photograph by Longdole Polo Club

The Zimbabwe Spur finalists, Fidus Capital v Bluestone/Charisma

Photograph by Art of

Polo The Guards Polo Club Charity Dog Show raised £1,500 for Dogs For Good

Adran, the Polo Times Best Playing Pony Mad Lemons, winners of The Committee Cup

The Ham Ladies Tournament

Three teams battled it out over the end of May Bank Holiday weekend to win the title of The Ham Ladies Tournament. In contention were Rouge Absolu, Tattleton and Hugs & Co who competed in a round robin to decide the winner. After three games, Rouge Absolu took the trophy with four points, with Hazel Jackson named Most Valuable Player.

The Ham Ladies Tournament Teams:

Rouge Absolu (16): Louise Owen (0), Kristina White (1), Rebecca Walters (5) & Hazel Jackson (10)

Tattleton (16): Katherine Smithwick (3), Alexandra Stone (3), Lucy Dowie (5) & Rosanna Turk (5)

Hugs & Co (9): Georgia Harding (3), Lottie Lamacraft (6), Nicola Hodges (2) & Angela Moran (-2)

Cambridge & Newmarket Bolebec Tournament

Cambridge and Newmarket Polo Club kicked off its summer season in glorious sunshine with The Bolebec-Pink Ladies 4-8 goal and Bolebec Mixed 0 and 4 goal tournaments on 27 – 28 May.

The ladies’ tournament produced exciting close matches between CNPC, Pink Ibis and Galley’s Farm Pink over the weekend with the rhubarb and custard colours of CNPC team taking home the trophy. Galley’s Farm player Kerry Wallace receiving MVP in her first tournament. The Best Playing Pony was 15-year-old Milagros owned and played by Tanya Pepper, bred by Fabio Lavinia.

To read about the Bolebec Mixed 0 and 4 goal tournaments, please turn to our Club News pages.

Tedworth WIP

Congratulations to Maiz Dulce who ran out the winners of The Women in Polo 12 goal Final at Tedworth Park Polo Club on Sunday 11 June after defeating Legal Action. In the Subsidiary Final White Horse beat Seriously Cool Events.

Action from The Ham Ladies Tournament on Sunday 28 May

Photograph by Charles Coldrey

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Maiz Dulce, winners of WIP 12 Goal

Exeter University Polo Club Summer Invitational

The first inaugural Exeter University Polo Club Summer Invitational tournament was held on Wednesday 31 May at Druids Lodge Polo Club. It was a gorgeous day of sunshine, polo, and Pimm’s on the Salisbury plains and once the prizes were presented the party continued well into the night.

The tournament was made up of four divisions playing three chukka back-to-back matches. Beginning with the Lower Intermediate matches, which involved heated competition between the London team ‘Zayds of London’ and Exeter’s team, with London coming out on top, the afternoon progressed to an Exeter vs Durham novice face-off which ended in a draw and was decided by wellspectated foot mallet penalties. Next the Exeter Beginners took to the pitch for some of their first ever grass tournaments. Finally, the play culminated with a contentious Exeter vs Durham Intermediate showdown, where Exeter were victorious.

Most Valuable Player prizes were presented for each division: Oakley Carr (Beginner), Sasha Hills (Novice), Annabel De Jong (Lower Intermediate) and Vavara Knott (Upper Intermediate) and the overall tournament Most Promising Player went to Jemima Hugh-Smith, and most improved went to Alexandra Camaly.

Javier Novillo Astrada U15 Cup

The Javier Novillo Astrada U15 Cup is played for annually at Beaufort Polo Club as part of The Gloucestershire Festival of Polo. The Cup is held in memory of the late Javier Novillo Astrada and is a chance for upcoming junior talents to exhibit their skills in front of the large crowds at the event.

This year saw Beaufort White (Bruno Bradshaw, Beatrice Leyland, Charlie Hodges & Edward Raybould) defeat Beaufort Blue in the Final, while Beaufort Black (Hari Dhillon, Justo Del Carril, Ina Del Carril & Moji Davenport) took the win against Beaufort Green in the Subsidiary Final.

Exeter University Polo Club Summer Invitational Results: Beginners

1st – Exeter Black (Iona Macmillian, Oakley Carr, Imogen Roger & Srijan Sahu)

2nd – Exeter Green (Allegra Sheen, Jemima Hugh-Smith, Emily Rintoul-McCabe & Millie Mae Warman)

Novice

1st – Durham (Sam Heathcote-Amory, Annabel De Jong, Lily Grimwade & Razzaqzharfam Hakeemuddin)

2nd – Exeter (Libby Hounslow, Greta Kennedy, Emily Player, Alexandra Camaly & Hannah Ingham)

Lower Inters

1st – London (Omar St Paul, Adam St Paul, Zayd Sharif & Annabel De Jong)

2nd – Exeter (Lottie Prosser-Wrench, Warren Whiting, Xander Younger, Sasha Hills, Hannah Roberts, Ruan Welsman & Harry Rugman)

Upper Inters

1st – Exeter (Zac Campbell-Breeden, Lottie Harper, Tim Revell & Vavara Knott)

2nd – Durham (Henry Morris, Francesca Grazebrook, Anastasia Kravtsova & Suryaveer Bali)

Photography by Michael Berkeley Photography

Jemima Hugh Smith, Allegra Sheen, Annabel De Jong, Emily Player & Emily Rintoul McCabe at the tournament prize-giving

Lottie Prosser-Wrench, Adam St Paul & Omar St Paul in action

Photograph by Tom Reynolds

The Javier Novillo Astrada U15 Cup Final & Subsidiary Final Teams

The Buckmaster Trophy

As part of The Gloucestershire Festival of Polo, The Buckmaster Trophy was played between Young England and a visiting Young New Zealand side and saw a very tight match between the two youth sides.

John Paul Clarkin coached the Young New Zealand to an 8-7 win against Young England, with Dave Allen also helping to manage the team. Lachie Appleby was named Most Valuable Player and Toby

Bradshaw’s Open Cuba was chosen as the Polo Times Best Playing Pony.

The Buckmaster Trophy Teams: Young England (6): Frank Barlow (1), Toby Bradshaw (2), Will Millard (2) & Rufus Uloth (1)

Young New Zealand (6): Zoe Reader (0), Oscar Power (1), Lachie Appleby (3) & George Cronin (2)

The La Martina 2023 Varsity Day

this match over the past nine years and won this annual battle 7-5 at Guards Polo Club. However Cambridge, who received four goals on handicap, put up a spirited defence and remained in close contention for all four chukkas. One reason for Cambridge’s improvement in form on the field, despite being substantially lower handicapped than their rivals, is their new partnership with the King Power organisation. This high-goal outfit has been supporting the university polo club with ponies and training from the start of the year and it definitely showed in this match. Cambridge might not have found the flags after the first chukka, but they made Oxford work hard for victory.

On Saturday 10 June, a very sunny Guards Polo Club hosted The La Martina 2023 Varsity Day with four action packed games throughout the day. The day started with the traditional Old Blues match, featuring former students from both Oxford and Cambridge and some familiar names from Guards Polo

Club. Oxford Old Blues ran out the winners, heading home with The Arthur Lucas Trophy thanks to a 5-3½ victory.

The 124th edition of the annual Varsity match, one of the oldest polo trophies still played for in the UK, was again won by Oxford. The dark blue shirts have dominated

Camila Cimadamore scored Cambridge’s only field goal and was later rewarded with the La Martina Most Valuable Player prize after a strong, defensive game. Bolawa

Tejuoso received the La Martina Best Playing Pony prize for Escobito, who is owned by Shoreline team patron Tunde Karim.

Later in the day, Harrow retained The Jenny Walton Masters Trophy following their annual Schools Test against Eton. This was

Action from the Young England vs Young New Zealand match

Young New Zealand, winners of The Buckmaster Trophy Open Cuba, Polo Times Best Playing Pony

Lachie Appleby, Most Valuable Player

The Old Blues & Varsity

another closely fought match, with Eton ahead, 3-2 at half-time. It went to 4-4 at the end of the third but Harrow were able to pull away by one in the fourth to win the game. Hector Rogberg was named the La Martina Most Valuable Player. Eton’s Oliver Drewitt received the La Martina Best Playing Pony prize for Brazil.

A welcome addition to this year’s Varsity programme was the return of The Atlantic Cup. This trophy is traditionally played for by two Ivy League, American universities, Harvard and Yale. Harvard won this year’s contest, impressively defeating Yale (who received 3½ goals on handicap) 12-4½.

The La Martina 2023 Varsity Day Teams:

Oxford (0): Camilla Hyslop (-1), Jamie Baillie (0), Bolawa Tejuoso (0) & Thomas Gordon-Colebrooke (1)

Cambridge (-6): Jess Chapman (-2), Charlotte Wade (-2), Callum Westwood (-2) & Camila Cimadamore (0)

Harrow (3): Ibrahim Faisal (-2), Arthur Porter (-2), Ulysses Hu (0) & Hector Rogberg (1)

Eton (3): Eliott Gallienne (-1), John Buchan (-2), Beau Buchan (-1) & Oliver Drewitt (1)

Harvard (-1): William Lobcowitz (0), Nico Michel (-2), Carlos Roca de Togores (0) & Jonathan Willen (1)

Yale (-5): Marco Marsans (-1), Calaway Swanson (0)/Aia Alvarez Nishio (0), Leopold Schwarz-Schutte (-2) & Yan Davidoff (-2)

Cambridge Old Blues (3): Sam Outtridge (1), Jeremy Allen (1), Maximilian Kirchhoff (1) & Tahl Holtzmann (0)

Oxford Old Blues (2): Henrietta Seligmann (-1), Hilali Noordeen (0), Konstantin Graf von Schweinitz (0) & Ross Ainsley (3)

Rocket Rentals Junior Tournament

On Saturday 27 May, 19 teams entered The Rocket Rentals Junior Tournament across four divisions, ranging from 6 to 12-year-olds on their adorable fluffy ponies to the older 14 to 18-year-olds speeding along on their finely tuned polo ponies.

Longdole Polo Club always aims to make this tournament as fun and friendly as possible, as for some players it is their first time entering a polo tournament and for others it a great warm up for the Pony Club season. British Polo Gin were on site to keep everyone fed with their delicious empanadas and the parents were happy with a fully stocked bar.

19 teams entered the 2023 Rocket Rentals Junior Tournament

Photograph by LPC

Annalisa Tomlinson, winner of the Wellie Trophy for the best fluffy pony

Division 1 1st and 2nd teams: Harris Hounds & Old Berks Hunt

Harrow, winners of The Jenny Walton Masters Trophy Schools Test

Harvard, winners of The Atlantic Cup

Record Breaking Final’s Day

The Paul Sweeney Memorial was founded by Lesley, Charlotte and Georgia Sweeney in memory of Paul Sweeney after his unexpected death in 2009 at just 48-years-old in order to keep his spirit and legacy alive. Each year, the tournament attracts a number of players and spectators, gathering at Ash Farm Polo Club to cheer on the finalists. This year saw a record number of teams and after a two-year postponement due to Covid-19, the grandstands were packed. Twelve Oaks managed to stave off a last-minute attempt by Rosina to claim the title and took a 14-12 victory.

The winner of the Wellie Trophy for the best fluffy pony was Annalisa Tomlinson and there were two players picked for the Most Notable Player on each ground – William Whittington playing in Division 3 and 4, and Matias Maldonado playing in Division 1 and 2. The Club effused their thanks to the support of Rocket Rentals and a massive thank you to Simon and Jessica Tomlin.

The Rocket Rentals Junior Tournament Results:

Division 1 (14 to 18-years-old): Harris Hounds (Edward Raybould, Scarlet Picksley, Matias Maldonado & Ava Greenland)

Division 2 (12 to 14-years-old): Cuatro Amigos (Matias Maldonado, William Raybould, Ocean Williams & Jonty Hodges)

Division 3 (6 to 12-years-old on polo ponies): Cotswold B (Jack Fox, Ceci Armitage-Lyon, Taylor Coddington & Nina Vestey)

Division 4 (6 to 12-years-old on Fluffies under 13.2hh): Cotswold A (Elizabeth Clarkin, Melba Fox, Taylor Coddington & Ceci Armitage-Lyon)

Division 2 winners, Cuatro Amigos

Division 3 winners, Cotswold B

Division 4 1st and 2nd teams: Cotswold A & Beaufort

Umpires Joe Gray & Gary Aitchison

Division 1 and 2 Most Notable Player, Matias Maldonado

The British Polo Gin bar was on hand with hot empanadas, iced coffee and much more

Division 3 and 4 Most Notable Player, William Whittington

Lola Lucas enjoying a rest in the sun

Paul Sweeney Memorial Final; Ash Farm Polo Club; Sunday 20 February

Photography by Antonia Bullrich

Rhett Wooldridge

Olivia Whittle & Lisa Knight

Harry Applegate, Anton Nymans, Charlie Graham, Issy Litvak & Issy Langrish

Georgia Sweeney & Gemma Byrne

Frankie & Alex Antony

Pete & George Woodward

Bridie Courtney Morgan

Charlie Simpson & Jade Louise Wheeler

Sandy & Mike Warren, Ross Byrne

Sophie Morrison

Mary Kelly

Issy Litvak & Libby Connaughton

Jemima Wilson & Graham Wooldridge

Durham Invitational Polo Tournament

The Durham Invitational Polo Tournament took place on 3 – 4 June at Leadenham Polo Club and was blessed with glorious weather over the weekend. For its second year running, the event saw exponential growth, hosting a total of 17 teams across four different divisions from nine universities across the UK, including Nottingham, Exeter, Newcastle, Loughborough, Warwick, St Andrew’s, and London. All players competed head-to-head in four chukkas during the tournament, as well as relaxing at the party and BBQ on Saturday evening which provided a valuable opportunity for players from different teams to build new connections.

A high standard of competitive ability was demonstrated by all university teams, however, a particular mention must go to the University of Nottingham and Durham University, both of whom had winning teams in multiple divisions. Nottingham took the trophy for the Beginner and Intermediate categories, whilst Durham was triumphant in the Upper and Lower Novice divisions. The organisers offered their thanks to Henry Browne for his excellent umpiring; Thom Bell for hiring and providing fantastic commentary over the weekend;

Adam Fanthorpe for his incredible photography; and Leadenham Polo Club for providing an outstanding venue and ponies for the tournament, with their very own Pimmi taking home the Best Playing Pony prize.

Durham Invitational Polo Tournament Results:

Beginner: University of Nottingham (Lara Cuthbertson, Abi Middleton & Leonie Appiah)

Lower Novice: Durham University (Vladimir Borgijin, Razzaqzharfan Hakeemuddin & Lily Grimwade)

Lower Novice MVP: Lily Grimwade

Upper Novice: Durham University (Anastasia Kravtsova, Suryaveer Bali, Tabitha Bennet & Francesca Grazebrook)

Upper Novice MVP: Tabitha Bennet

Intermediate: University of Nottingham (Abbie Grant, Raf Redmond, Oliver Beyrich & Suryaveer Bali)

Intermediate MVP: Abbie Grant

Best Playing Pony: Pimmi, owned by Leadenham Polo Club

Lara Cuthbertson, Abi Middleton, Leonie Appiah

Vladimir Borgijin, Lily Grimwade & Razzaqzharfan Hakeemuddin

Best Playing Pony, Pimmi (Leadenham)

Mohib Shazad (Durham Inters)

Raf Redmond, Suryaveer Bali, Abbie Grant & Oliver Beyrich

Anastasia Kravtsova, Suryaveer Bali, Tabitha Bennet & Francesca Grazebrook

Photography by Adam Fanthorpe

SUPA Seniors in Action at Kirtlington

Gill Glimmerveen (Ladies & Junior Schools Section Manager) reports

Weather always seems to feature in the SUPA National Championships reports and the latest tournament held at Kirtlington Park Polo Club on Sunday 18 June was no exception.

In the middle of a heatwave, Sunday’s forecast was for heavy showers and lightening! We managed to play all 24 chukkas before the grey clouds appeared but they only succeeded in giving the gathered crowds a refreshing light drizzle for a few minutes before prize-giving.

Once again, the grassroots players, so important to the future of polo, were in attendance at The SUPA Senior national Summer Championships with every player receiving a prize at the end of play.

The opportunity to compete against other schools at this level of fun but very competitive polo is highlighted by one team travelling down from Scotland to take part in the one-day Championship, and the day did not disappoint.

Over 15 schools were represented in the 15 teams, some of which incorporated

individual players from schools who did not have players to complete a full team.

Sadly, this may be the last Schools Summer Championships held by SUPA as difficulties securing suitable grounds to hold the tournament at this time of year is always a problem. We would welcome offers from polo clubs and grounds to host a SUPA tournament, as it also gives the clubs a unique opportunity to showcase their

Every player received a prize

15 schools were represented in the 15 teams

MPP, Charlie from Stowe School

grounds and facilities to polo players and their families of the future.

The Open Division, this year played in a round robin format, was held in the middle of the day’s schedule. Teams from Stowe, Rugby and Cheltenham College took full advantage of the ground and played some magnificent fast chukkas, resulting in Cheltenham A team taking first place and being awarded luxury padded jackets

generously supplied by our partners Black Hound Sports.

Most Promising Player was Charlie from Stowe School, who received knee pads from the Worshipful Company of saddlers.

As always, we are extremely grateful for the continued support of our partners and sponsors Polo Times, RJ Polo, The Worshipful Company of Saddlers, Play Polo app and Black Hound Sports. SUPA is a

charity run by volunteers who give their time freely to encourage and support polo for schools and university players. Thank you to the SUPA team Caroline, Nigel, Gill, Luke and Lavinia.

The SUPA Senior Schools National Summer Championships Results

Beginners

1st – Stowe School C

2nd – Heathfield Emeralds

Novice

1st – Kings High

2nd – St Marys Ascot

3rd – Edinburgh School

4th – Heathfield/Kings High

Lower Intermediate

1st – Stowe B

2nd – Winchester College

Upper Intermediate

1st – Sherbourne

2nd – Cheltenham B

3rd – Radley

4th – Marlborough College

Open

1st – Cheltenham A

2nd – Stowe A

3rd – Rugby

Open winners, Cheltenham A

Photography courtesy of SUPA

Twelve Oaks, winners of The Paul Sweeney Memorial

Paul Sweeney Memorial Final Teams:

Rosina (4)

Ola Kelly (0)

Will Newman (2) Charlie Simpson (2)

Twelve Oaks (4)

Tatty Wooldridge (0)

Georgia Sweeney (1)

Charlie Wooldridge (3)

Chukka Score: 3-2, 5-5, 11-11, 14-13, to Twelve Oaks

Georgia Sweeney

Where: Ash Farm Polo Club, Surrey

Paul Sweeney Memorial

Jubilee, owned and played by Will Newman

145 Teams & Four Days of Uni Polo

SUPA Universities Summer National Championships at Offchurch Bury

Nigel Mercer (Chair of SUPA & Universities Manager) reports

Setting up for the Universities Summer National is always tricky. Make the date too early or too late and you are in somebody’s exam season. Also, once the finals have been taken then there is a mass exodus to foreign climes until the beginning of the next academic year.

So even a day can make a difference. This year, with thoughts turning to a repeat of the hot, hot summer last year, combined with 50 plus chukkas on each pitch, meant that horse welfare, as always, was at the top of everyone’s agenda. Meetings held back in March, led to a decision to run the tournament over four days (8 – 11 June), instead of the usual three with a reduction of chukkas to around the 35 mark each day.

This invariably led to some players not being able to attend for all four days due to exam or other commitments. However, once entries had opened, we were able to assess which games could be played later on the first day and almost everyone was able to fit the matches in around their exam schedule. The entries system has been updated considerably over the past year or so and our teams list draw is now simpler to build for each tournament. However, Luke

145 teams competed in the four day tournament

Sandys-Renton, still had his hands full with the actual organisation of the four days play. Ably backed up by Caroline Grayson (the only SUPA Manager with access to the GDPR sensitive database), players were gradually slotted into the correct teams.

Once the teams were in and entries closed there was still the little matter of making sure that the highest seeded players were playing in our upper Divisions, whilst those new to polo, with less ability, were in our beginner Divisions. This involves a fair bit of phone-bashing and emails flying around! 145 teams entered, in total by the deadline.

Then the draw builds in earnest with chukka times locked in for each team. Not as simple as it sounds as some of our horse hirers and coaches are mounting up to four universities each day. The times of play need

to take this into account so that hirers are not over-stretched. When this is happening over two pitches you need stereoscopic vision! Colour-coded spread sheets help this, along with each hirer highlighted in a different colour.

One additional problem was the fact that Oxford University, who field a fair number of teams, were committed to playing in the Varsity Match at Guards Polo Club on Saturday 10 June. This meant that all their matches would need to be fitted around getting away at something like 11.30am on the Saturday. (I do not know how he did it but Luke managed to work out times for the Saturday that worked for all).

At the same time as the draw is happening, the logistics of this mammoth tournament are being set up at Offchurch Bury Polo Club. As with most large events, on site catering, the SUPA control box and PA system, portaloos and showers all need booking and installing. Paramedics, on site vets, timekeepers and security for the campsite where up to 500 students may be staying each night. With umpires at a premium during the peak summer season we are lucky to have two regulars, Tom Coid and Jeremy Pidgeon, who miss a weekend of polo to come and work for SUPA!

At the back of one’s mind is always the uncertainty of British weather. A glance at the weather apps every day showed rain on a couple of days, but by the time Thursday rolled around it had changed to fine weather for all four days.

Folks had arrived on the Wednesday. Each player must have a SUPA tag attached to their helmet, denoting that it is up to spec and conforms with all the safety regulations. So, Luke and I were there early to start hat tagging. We introduced a new version this summer and so it was essential to tag all the early riders on Thursday morning.

The campsite was up and running and with smoke from barbecues wafting around and music emanating from many of the tents, there was quite a festival vibe!

The tournament started on time on Thursday, with some hard-fought beginner Division games by players who only started polo in September and who had only been out on grass for a few weeks. The games built up through the higher Divisions culminating with an open match played out in full at the end of the day.

The new draw system means that during a tournament, everything runs automatically and once it has gone live, continuously updates the next stage of play once scores are in.

So, standings and next rounds are available almost immediately on the app. This was all worked out manually in years gone by and with the complexity of a draw where only one chukka per day is played by each team, folks would often wait until the

end of the day to find out when they were playing on the next day.

From my point of view, this means that I am not constantly on the PA system chasing folks up or telling them what chukka we are on; it’s all there on the app. Also, Luke Sandys-Renton has more time to work his social media magic and take pictures and generally circulate around the site.

Because of the heat, I had arranged to do a tour of the pony lines regularly each day to check on the condition of our most valuable assets.

Together with our vet Laura, Welfare Officer, Lavinia Black and Thom Bell, our Scotland Steward, we did three checks each day and all looked well on all of the days.

Offchurch Bury Polo Club is a stunning place, surrounded by mature trees that offer shade to the horses and I am always instantly relaxed (as most of us are) by a walk down the cool pony lines on a hot day. Horses that have played furiously earlier are chilled out, standing patiently awaiting their next call to duty and I find it quite peaceful and reaffirming!

Thus was the pattern for the next three days. Saturday’s players’ party must have gone well, as Luke (who was staying with us) didn’t make it home! Sunday was very competitive with final matches being played out with undiminished intensity.

All in all, a very relaxed and satisfying experience (from my personal point of view anyway). The icing on the cake was the fact that as we were finishing our de-rig and putting the last few things into the cars at the end, the heavens opened up to a very violent thunderstorm and torrential rain.

Thanks go to Tessa and Grant Collett of Offchurch Bury Polo Club for hosting us yet again. Luke Sandys-Renton, Caroline Grayson, Donna Stephens and Thom Bell who comprise our super SUPA team. The dates are already in for next year.

Smiles all round!

SUPA Universities Summer National Championship Results

Beginner 1

1st – Oxford B1

2nd – Nottingham B1

3rd – Edinburgh B1

Top of the Beginners

The Quatro Amigos Cup – Oxford

Beginner 2

1st – Cardiff Hatchlings

2nd – Royal Holloway B2

3rd – Nottingham B2 Eagles

Beginner 3

1st – Warwick B3 Black

2nd – FearLeics B3

3rd – Royal Holloway B3

Beginner 4

1st – Brookes B4 B

2nd – Saucy Surrey

3rd – Warwick B4

Combined Beginner

1st – Polo Bears

2nd – Warnotts/Harper Phoenix

3rd – RAU/Lboro

Median 1

1st – Nottingham Median

2nd – Brookes M1

3rd – Newcastle Angels

Median 2

1st – London Saint Germain

2nd – Durham Dominion

Combined Median

1st – Winchester Viper

2nd – Essex / Bournemouth

3rd – Polo Posse

Novice 1

1st – Exeter Topcat

2nd – St Andrews

3rd – Durham’s Bali’s Babes

Novice 2

1st – Birmingham Lions

2nd – Durham Polo Bankers

3rd – Oxford N2

Novice 3

1st – FearLeics N3

2nd – Liverpool Big Goal Energy

3rd – Durham’s B.E.F

Novice 4

1st – Cardiff Dragons

2nd – UCD

3rd – Manchester Mares

The SUPA Universities Summer National Championships

Combined Upper Novice

1st – Lboro/Kent

2nd – Winchester/Bournemouth

3rd – No Hit Sherlock

Combined Lower Novice

1st – Charlie and his Pitches

2nd – Harper/Manchester

3rd – Liverpool/Birmingham

Lower Intermediate

1st – Inter the Luff

2nd – Oxford 2nds

3rd – London De Jong

Combined Lower Intermediate

1st – Edinburgh / UEA

2nd – Bournemouth Tigers Comb

3rd – Winchester Goose

Upper Intermediate

1st – Exeter Ones

2nd – Durham Dragons

3rd – Kent Intermediate

Combined Upper Intermediate

1st – Los Chukkacabres

2nd – Exe Notters

3rd – Henrys Hero’s

Open

1st – Daddy Where’s My Pony

2nd – London Bengals

3rd – Newcastle

SAPA Novice

1st – Mane Attraction

2nd – Whip Me Graddy

SAPA Open

1st – Kinross

2nd – EIC

3rd – What the Buck

Polo Times Best Playing Pony Africa, owned by Tessa Collet

The RA Cup

On Monday 29 May, Tedworth Park Polo Club rounded off a sunny Bank Holiday weekend with The RA Cup. There were 11 teams split across four divisions, which resulted in some round robins.

Division 1 consisted of a round robin between The Royal Navy, The RAF, and The Royal Artillery. The Royal Navy were

defending champions and therefore the RAF and RA knew they were in for a tough game. The RAF are a newly constructed team but played well together, they had many runs to goal but were stumped on penalties, with The Navy slotting in a couple of 30 yard penalties followed by a field goal to take a 3-0 lead. After the RA beat the RAF 4-0, it meant the eagerly awaited game was between the RA and The Royal Navy. The RA started strong with fast acceleration from the line out which resulted in a goal on the board for the RA within the first 30 seconds. The Royal Navy were quick to re-group and pull things back. They dominated the second half of the match and finished with a convincing win of 4-1 to take the Division 1 title. The Household Cavalry were the Division 2 winners, The Royal Lancers won Division 3 and The Veterans won Division 4. There were two tournament awards, with LBdr Robyn Locke receiving The Royal Artillery Most Promising Player award and 2Lt Henry Whichelo-Page chosen as the tournament Most Valuable Player.

The Royal Artillery Most Promising Player, LBdr Robyn Locke

Photography by Peter Meade

The tournament was played in stunning sunshine

11 teams competed in The RA Cup

The Royal Navy, winners of Division 1

Tournament Most Valuable Player, 2Lt Henry Whichelo-Page

Division 2 winners, The Household Cavalry

Division 3 winners, The Royal Lancers

Division 4 winners, The Veterans

Lorna Edgar – specialist equine nutritionist

Yard Focus

Charlotte Pykett

Time again for a Yard Focus! I had the pleasure of meeting Charlotte last summer, it was her first full season of polo after playing polocrosse for many years, including representing the United Kingdom on many occasions all over the world. In polocrosse she reached a handicap of 16 (handicaps are out of 20 in polocrosse) and now in polo she plays off a handicap of 0. Charlotte has had her own horses for many years, based at her yard in Worcestershire and started her own breeding programme to breed her own polocrosse horses with great success (see Bolt below). They are now in her string of polo ponies and adapting to the game of polo very well!

When I met Charlotte, she wanted to do the right thing for her horses when it came to their nutrition, admitting that her polocrosse horses always looked, and went well but her

nutritional knowledge was limited. However, her polo schedule was set to be very busy, with a lot of travelling involved as well so she felt she needed to pay more attention to detail, and as we say, it’s all about the ‘marginal gains’!

We discussed their individual needs, and how she likes them to live out all the time, only coming in to be worked and fed. She has a lot of turnout and grass, so for the majority of them, calories from their hard feed were not going to be essential. But they were going to be travelling a lot, and during busy periods of polo, diets needed to be adapted to keep energy levels up without calories becoming an issue. Equally important was how to manage their nutritional needs to reduce the risks of gastric ulcers.

So, we wind the clock on a year, and

Humblebee Usain Bolt (or Bolt to his friends!)

A 12-year-old gelding, Quarter Horse/Stock Horse x Thoroughbred (Top Gun X Smartie-Lee (NZ)), he is Charlotte’s first home bred, for polo cross, where he won Best Playing Pony titles at two Nationals. Charlotte describes him as having the best mouth and stop, he is adapting to polo well and is still a mainstay of her string. He is that special that he is being cloned – very exciting indeed! Bolt is quite a character and knows he is good – and good looking! However, he can drop off condition quite quickly, which we need to be mindful of. He hasn’t been diagnosed with gastric ulcers, but he is managed as though he does have them, keeping him on a low starch diet and constant access to forage/fibre.

Current Diet

2 round bowl Stubbs scoops (3.6kgs) of No.24 Ease & Excel Cubes per day

3 measuring mugs (650gms) of Performance Balancer per day

Bulked out with half a scoop of soaked Fibre-Beet Electrolytes

Humblebee Rayban

A 7-year-old mare, bred by Charlotte for polocrosse but has only played polo, she is out of Rosebrook Sasha (an old favourite polocrosse mare of Charlotte’s) by Stonebrook Fino; she is a real pet, but is actually now coming into her own on the polo field where she is becoming a consistent and reliable chukka.

Current Diet

4 measuring mugs (900gms) of Performance Balancer per day

Bulked out with half a scoop of soaked Fibre-Beet Electrolytes

During busy periods of polo her balancer will be increased, she will receive ½ to 1 scoop of oats per day, and she may also have the Fibre-Beet increased to 1 soaked scoop per feed.

Charlotte has acquired more horses and her polo schedule is really very busy! At the beginning of the season, I went to visit Charlotte after she had been working the horses quietly for three weeks. A couple needed to put on some condition as their work was increasing, whilst the majority were doing well. However, their workload was about to increase and with it their nutrient demands, but we were waiting for the grass to come through as well, which would again change the feeds.

When I visited the yard in June to take some photographs for this article, the horses looked absolutely fantastic, Charlotte has done a great job considering they have been very busy playing 2 goal to high goal polo, from Cirencester to Guards and everywhere in between!

Charlotte’s Chosen Five are:

Photography courtesy of Lorna Edgar

Poverty

A 14-year-old mare, bred by Rob Cudmore out of a mare called Pampita (played by Ollie Cudmore in the Nations Cup, 28 goal) by a well-known stallion, Atlantic (played in Argentina, again by Ollie Cudmore). She came to Charlotte last season and is a very reliable chukka playing in all levels of polo. She can be ‘quirky’, so energy is generally not required, and you need to keep your wits about you too! Poverty generally holds her condition well, especially whilst living out on grass, so she requires those essential nutrients (quality proteins, vitamins and minerals) to support muscle development and integrity as well as supporting performance, immunity and good health – in the form of a balancer.

Current Diet

4 measuring mugs (900gms) of Performance Balancer per day

Bulked out with half a scoop of soaked Fibre-Beet Electrolytes

During busy periods of polo her balancer will be increased, she will receive ½ to 1 scoop of oats per day, and she may also have the Fibre-Beet increased to 1 soaked scoop per feed.

Lovelocks Bopeep

A 12-year-old mare, bred by Lovelocks, out of a mare called Jill by Dijon – she is very easy and reliable and is therefore the last chukka pony – as well as being a yard favourite as she is so sweet natured. She’s an interesting mare as she can very easily have a ‘tummy’, but she has the typical conformation that exaggerates this look, being wide sprung and deep in the ribs, but actually not that deep in the girth which gives a pot belly look. She doesn’t need extra calories, so as with Poverty, is playing off just balancer. She wouldn’t benefit from being fed a coarse hay or haylage as this would sit in her hind gut for longer periods of time causing her to have an even bigger tummy; however, she does not lack speed, and recently played in the high goal without lacking energy.

Current Diet

4 measuring mugs (900gms) of Performance Balancer per day

Bulked out with half a scoop of soaked Fibre-Beet Electrolytes

During busy periods of polo her balancer will be increased, she will receive ½ to

Dubious

A 14-year-old mare, bred by Dave Allen out of a Thoroughbred mare, Iffy, by Beaufort Casanova, she came to Charlotte at the end of last season. She is very quick and nimble and has a big heart but drops condition quickly when playing, so we brought her back into work on Ease & Excel Cubes as we didn’t want to give her any starch-based energy as she has plenty of her own! As her work increased, we kept her on the cubes and added some balancer to increase her plane of nutrition to support her work. She can go through phases of losing her appetite as her polo increases, so we have removed the Ease & Excel Cubes and just fed balancer, at the moment she is looking and going well. If she starts to drop any condition we may have to look at different calorie sources without over-facing her, perhaps the oil supplement, Outshine, and larger quantities of Fibre-Beet, for instance.

Current Diet

4 measuring mugs (900gms) of Performance Balancer per day

Bulked out with half a scoop of soaked Fibre-Beet Electrolytes

When playing and has an appetite she will receive:

When the horses are travelling, they have access to hay on the way to polo and on the way home, they are all fed electrolytes on a daily basis during the summer months and

2 scoops of Ease & Excel Cubes per day

2 measuring mugs of Performance Balancer per day

Bulked out with half a scoop of soaked Fibre-Beet

the Fibre-Beet is made quite sloppy to ensure the electrolytes are not fed in a dry feed. It seems Charlotte has a very simple feeding regime, which is working well,

and the horses are definitely thriving on it – brilliant! Good Luck in your polo career, Charlotte!

1 scoop of oats per day, and she may also have the Fibre-Beet increased to 1 soaked scoop per feed.

Dr.med. Andreas Krüger is a Swiss board orthopaedic and trauma surgeon in Zurich, who specialises in knee and shoulder surgery. Andi is a second generation of tournament doctors for equine sports, known as Polodoc since 2013

Cinderella Shoe or Foot Problem

When foot pain stops you from playing

The foot in general is a complex construction. Each of your feet has 28 bones, 30 joints, and more than 100 muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Weightbearing and propulsion (forward movement) are the main functions of the foot. Multiple causes of foot pain are known which include plantar fasciitis, bunions, flat feet, heel spurs, mallet toe, metatarsalgia, claw toe, and Morton’s neuroma. If the feet start to hurt, then fast and effective help is needed to ease the pain due to the high loading during standing in the stirrup and being in boots.

Problems Inside/Pathologies

Due to possible special foot configurations and problematic shoe or boot design certain areas of the foot are exposed to more stressful forces and are therefore prone to be painful. Attention to the front and end of the foot is crucial.

Bunions

A bunion is a bony protrusion on either the inside edge of the foot or the pinkie toe side. Bunions form gradually when the bones in the foot become misaligned, often problematic when wearing shoes that don’t fit well or that squeeze the toes together tightly. The big toe can bend so far inward that it actually crosses under or over the adjacent toe, causing a secondary misalignment called a hammertoe. Usually, a painful callous will form on top of the second toe.

Heel Spurs

As the largest bone in the foot, the calcaneus (heel) is the area where most of the load from the lower part of the leg is transferred to the foot. Altered biomechanics around tendon and muscle insertion may lead to ongoing problems even when shoes are fitted well. One of the more common problems is the development of bony overgrowth called heel spurs that cause severe pain when

standing or walking. Other conditions like plantar fasciitis, flat feet, or high arches can additionally stress this specific area.

Diagnostics

Clinical assessment: To diagnose problems related to the anatomical structures in the foot, an orthopedic specialist will look at your foot to look for signs of swelling, deformity, skin growth, or misalignment. The review of symptoms and medical history and the search for abnormalities in the gait (referred to as a gait analysis). Imaging tests are often central to the diagnosis and can include:

Radiological assessment: Different radiological techniques are available to visualize the foot.

X-ray: This standard imaging test involves low-level radiation and is suitable for detecting things like bone fractures, dislocations, or arthritis damage.

Computed tomography (CT): This imaging technology combines multiple

X-rays to create a more three-dimensional representation of the foot structure for more complex bone pathologies or injuries.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): This imaging technique uses a powerful magnet to create highly detailed images without radiation. It is especially good at imaging soft tissues like tendons, cartilage and ligaments.

Treatment

Conservative treatment: The standard treatment for a foot problem is adjustment of the shoes which is quite difficult and expensive in polo itself. The correction of shoes which are used off the field is much easier and will help to reduce the exposure of the painful area. Foot pain from any cause

Photography courtesy of Polodoc

A bunion is a bony protrusion on the side of the foot

X-ray images of bunions

can often be relieved with over-the-counter painkillers (non-steroidal medication) such as Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen or Paracetamol. More severe cases may require injections (non-steroid or steroid injections, Hyaluronic acid or PRP) to reduce inflammation or to relieve chronic joint pain. For foot problems caused by anatomical deformities, foot orthotics (inserts worn inside the shoes) can help compensate for these problems and reduce pain. Standard versions are available in pharmacies, but custom-made orthotics or custom-fitted shoes are the better way to address these highly complicated deformities. Physical therapy can improve the strength and flexibility of the feet and ankles.

Operative treatment:

When the conservative treatment is ineffective, and the underlying biomechanical configuration is the cause mostly surgery is required to reduce ongoing pain or secondary disability. Correction of these deformities is feasible and shoe / boot fitting will be simplified. Of course, a certain downtime has to be accepted but with reproduceable postoperative results sometimes even an increase in performance is possible.

Expert Box

PD Dr. med. Norman Espinosa (Fussinstitut Zürich)

The foot is a wonderful but also complicated construction with a combination of numerous ligaments, tendon and bones working perfectly together to propel the human body. Already small alterations in anatomic configuration can lead to tremendous changes in the loading of the foot. Particularly when overuse or injury adversely affects the foot an early assessment work up is crucial to speed up recovery and prolong performance. Complex pathologies may need a good team of therapist (radiologist, surgeon, orthotic technician, biomechanical engineer) to customize the treatment on all levels.

Haglund Exostosis pre-operation

Pre-surgery bunion

Post-surgery bunion

Intra operative view after bunion resection and bone cut and correction

Pre-op clinical picture

Understanding what it takes to overcome fear and self-doubt has been at the root of Paul ‘Stalkie’ Stalker’s personal transformation. He has proven experience of working with Polo Teams, Patrons and individual players for the past 2 years achieving outstanding results. With individual clients, Stalkie’s aim is to untap, nurture and focus their passion and potential on becoming the best versions of themselves in all aspects of their lives, whatever their starting point

Importance of Authenticity

Are You Letting the Real Polo Player In You Shine Through?

In order to take an elite team, from any sport, from good to great to world-class, the need for an authentic, no bullsh*t, no hidden agenda culture is key.

Every player needs to be allowed to express themselves but also to buy into each other, to understand what each of their team members bring to the team and how to communicate most effectively with each other regardless of seniority, playing position, language and cultural differences.

As I write this article, I’m struck by how Pep Guardiola has achieved this with

his awesome treble-winning Manchester City team, full of outstanding players who clearly share a common vision and purpose. And you can be sure the winners of this year’s major team-sports tournaments such as The Ashes, the Rugby World Cup, the Women’s Soccer World Cup, the World Aquatics championships, the World Rowing Championships (did I mention The Westchester Cup?!) will exhibit similar qualities.

And what of our very own glorious polo tournaments? From my experience, the

chances of victory are exponentially linked to how unified a team’s culture is. Your polo team may have signed a multi-goal handicapper for the season, your very own Erling Haaland maybe, but unless they understand and embody your team values and mission, their pockets of individual excellence will only get them and the team so far.

When Manchester City won the FA Cup, the second of the three major trophies they were hunting down this season, it was Erling who was going round every teammate after the final whistle, giving each of them a determined hug, saying ‘that’s two out of three, two out of three’. And it was Erling, when interviewed after the Champions League victory against Inter, who said, ‘I’m always happy for my achievements, but they’re never possible without my teammates” and “Be kind, be generous, be comprehensive. But most of all be thankful”.

Being authentic, being real on and off the polo field, brings a raft of benefits to a vibrant, winning team culture:

• It removes any of the negative moods, stress and anxiety you associate with polo and replaces them with an abundant, positive mindset

• It motivates players to choose the best course of action in most high-pressure scenarios

• It inspires players to become accountable for their behaviour and actions

• It encourages players to be a positive role model to other polo players, as well as to their families and friends

So, what are my top tips towards building such authenticity in your team and let the real you shine through on and off the polo field?

1) Players need to identify what their values are and build their purpose (or ‘mission’) around them

2) They need to behave in line with their values which will result in a brilliant, resilient polo mindset

3) They need to give the emotions they wish to receive

4) They need to communicate openly, yet empathetically

When coaching the mindset of my stable of polo teams and individual players, I have developed a program solely dedicated to achieving the above – that’s how important I perceive it to be.

Here’s an idea of the tools I have used

Stalkie working with the Escobar family – Luis, Nico & Luca

to turn around the fortunes of two teams last UK season, both of whom bagged more trophies and experienced more exhilaration and joy than ever before.

What Do You Value?

“Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.”

– Oscar Wilde

If you were to die today, would your last thoughts and feelings be of contentment and satisfaction with what you have achieved in and outside polo?

Would you be happy with the way that you have achieved your potential, with your legacy and the role model you have been to other players, patrons, family members and the whole team set-up?

If you consider all the various aspects of your polo life – such as your physical and mental health and resilience, your relationships with patrons, coaches, players and horses, your social life off the field – are you allowing the real you to consistently shine through?

When the doctors told me they thought I was going to die from cancer, I spent many days replaying moments in my life, wondering whether I was proud of what I stood for and what my legacy might be.

I scored myself about a 5 out of 10. Why? Because most of my greatest achievements in my personal and professional life up to that point had been undermined by my damaging behaviour (I was ruthless in achieving wealth and status, I abused my body, I wasn’t a good husband or attentive father).

I fully believe that my behaviour had put me out of synch with my values in life. Deep down I’m sure I always knew what mattered, I just never felt entitled to live by it.

Where are you? What exactly are your

values? And do you behave in line with them? Are you being authentic?

What You Value Most Exercise:

Imagine a journalist is writing your obituary for your favourite polo magazine (Polo Times, of course). The journalist asks a patron, a manager, team members and other polo players to describe you.

What would YOU like them to say about you? Choose five words you would like them to use.

Example 1 – What would you like your team patron to say about you?

(Recent examples from current players: Kind, positive, friendly, inspiring)

Example 2 – What would you like your team manager/coach to say?

(Recent examples from current players: Real, always there for the team)

Example 3 – What would you like your fellow team members to say?

(Recent examples from current players: He always mucked in. No job too small. One of us. Had our backs)

The words you have just written down describe the emotions and behaviours that you personally value most. Now sense check your list of words – are these honestly what everyone would say about you?

When I ask players to undertake the ‘Obituary’ exercise, I make sure they seek real and honest feedback from their polo colleagues. Many people find it difficult being told how they really are, and many are too embarrassed to give people uncensored feedback.

That’s why we tend to live a lot of our time in a state of limbo with our colleagues. On the surface, people are being nice and respectful to each other and there are few signs of dysfunctions such as conflict,

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• To focus on what you’re doing rather than what you’re thinking

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• To understand ‘why we do what we do’ in our mindset, giving us freedom to play better polo, improve our relationships and lead fulfilling, purposeful lives on and off the field

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shouting, and anger. But beneath the surface there are fragile egos, vulnerability, limited trust, a shortage of courage and a fear of conflict. Living in Limboland defeats all the benefits of teamwork.

The payback from becoming a role model will grow in direct proportion to the effort you make. Once you are happy with the words you have chosen to represent your values, these can form the basis of your own personal mission statement.

Photography by Raise Polo Stalkie working with Emlor

Your Polo Mission Statement

Imagine you are the boss of your own company and your job is to successfully market and sell brand ‘you’. My mindset mentor Stephen Covey describes this in ‘Habit 2’ of his seminal book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: “Writing a mission statement can be the most important activity an individual can take to truly lead one’s life. That statement is more powerful more significant, more influential than the baggage of the past, or even the accumulated noise of the present…” www.stephencovey.com

What would you like your personal polo mission statement to say? Take time now to prioritise your values into your first draft statement.

Exercise: Write Your Personal Polo Mission Statement Draft (As a guide, my own Personal Mission Statement is ‘To make friends, spread love and happiness and to have faith’.)

My Mission Statement is:

Living in line with your values means backing them up with your behaviour. If, for example, you state that you love the game and wish to inspire other polo players – the love and inspiration will come back to you.

Give the emotions you wish to receive.

When you create an environment where your values are known and appreciated by others (and vice versa), there is a real opportunity for growth and development.

Bringing Your Values & Mission Alive Focus on the positive things that you can do each day when playing polo to reinforce the behaviour and feelings that best reflect your values. Remember – what you focus on, you feel.

Exercise: Bringing Your Values Alive Write your answers to the questions below.

Example 1 – What am I going to do today to contribute positively and inspire my team on the field?

(My Example: Turn up with a can-do attitude and actions)

Example 2 – What am I going to do today to improve my technical skills?

(My Example: Study the players, study videos of the players, ask experts)

Example 3 – What am I going to do today to delight and support my team off the field?

(My Example: Provide snacks and drinks for the team. Do 1-2-1 coaching and group coaching sessions)

Example 4 – What am I going to do today to improve my mindset and resilience for polo?

The paradox is to ask yourself what will happen if you don’t follow through with your promised change of behaviour? What consequences will your current behaviour have upon your life and those around you?

When players are at one with their values and live in line with their mission, they will understand why they feel a certain way about events, relationships and situations in their polo lives. They will then reap the benefits of adjusting their mindset and behaviour to make every polo day a proud and meaningful day.

Join Stalkie’s Free Webinar: Raising Your Polo Game Stalkie will be sharing three of the top tips that have supported two of the teams he’s worked with this season, achieve new heights. Register by emailing polotimes@rygp.co.uk with your name, contact phone number and team name. Please follow the QR code to see a short Introduction video clip

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Playing tips with Rege Ludwig Why Toes Up / Heels Down

Renowned polo coach, Rege Ludwig gives his expert advice on how to get more out of your game

Most riding disciplines advocate riding with your toes turned up, while pushing your heels down. Toes up/heels down is important from two major perspectives. First, with your toes turned up, your heels can more easily be pushed down; and, when your heels are down the muscles, tendons, and ligaments on the back of your legs are being stretched down to where the back of your hips are being pulled down. That, in turn, causes your upper body to be moved back and over your hips where you have the greatest degree of upper body balance control, and potential of creating power within the swing process, as compared to your toes being down causing your upper body balance to be forward.

The second major reason for toes up/heels down is; with your toes turned up and your heels pushed down, your legs are caused to move down along the horse’ sides. That, in turn, increases the gripping strength of your legs gripping onto the horse’s shoulders which, in effect, increases the security of your riding platform; thereby lending itself to the stability of your hitting platform; which, increases the chances of hitting the ball with a greater degree of accuracy and power.

Contrastingly, with your toes turned down, and your heels lifted up, your upper body balance has been negatively affected, by way of shifting forward. Which, in turn, makes it difficult to accurately control upper body movement; thereby, negatively

affecting the swing of the mallet; therefore, the hit of the ball.

Within the process of riding in the polo style of riding is; with your toes turned up and your heels pushed down, your upper legs are being stretched down along the horse’s sides to the point of generating a greater degree of gripping strength that cannot be realized when your toes are turned down and your heels are lifted up. The fact of the matter is, to control the horse with a greater degree of precision and hit the ball with a greater degree of accuracy and power; your toes should be turned up with your heels actively being pushed down.

Upper leg gripping strength is directly related to developing and maintaining upper body balance control and hitting power. The fact of the matter is; your upper leg gripping strength is probably the most critical factor of the polo style of riding. That is true because it is your upper legs contacting the horse’s shoulders that is essentially stabilizing you in the saddle on top of the horse, and guiding the horse.

The fact of the matter is, the greater the power of your upper leg gripping strength, the clearer your message to the horse will be relative to how it should be responding to your request for it to manoeuvre under you, i.e., degree of intensity with which to accelerate, decelerate, and/or change direction.

Upper leg contact takes place between your knee and the upper most portion of your upper legs where they go well up into

your hips. With that degree of contact, you have maximized the gripping strength of your upper legs, and have increased the chances of accurately communicating to the horse, what you want, the degree of intensity with which the horse is to deliver it, and when you want it. As compared to a softer upper leg gripping effort; with a strong upper leg gripping effort, the horse can more easily, and accurately, understand and respond to your directions. That is true because with a strong upper leg gripping effort you can more effectively and accurately use your lower legs on the horse’s sides.

Getting back to the intent of this article; your upper leg use is critical to both controlling the horse, and hitting the ball; With that having been said, your heels being down significantly affects the strength with which you can use your upper legs for the purpose of controlling the horse and hitting the ball. The strength of your upper legs for the purpose of gripping onto the horse’s shoulders, stems mainly from strong lower abdominal muscles, and adductor muscles; located on the inner side of your upper legs. Relatively speaking, whatever exercises you can use to increase the strength of those muscles, those are the exercises that you should be executing on a frequent basis for the purpose of more effectively riding and controlling the polo horse and accurately hitting the polo ball.

The reality is, riding every day is probably the best form of exercising and developing those muscles.

To impress upon students the importance of gripping with the upper legs, I often tell them, “Imagine having a thousand-dollar gold coin between each knee and the saddle and BE CAREFUL to not soften your upper leg gripping effort for fear of losing the coins”.

Gripping with that degree of gripping effort goes a long way towards creating a secure and stable hitting platform from which to hit any shot.

In conclusion, when riding within the polo style of riding, turning your toes up and pushing your heels down goes a long way towards creating a strong upper leg attachment of you to the horse; and from that strong upper leg attachment, you are establishing and can maintain a secure and stable hitting platform from which to more effectively control the horse, and hit any shot.

Toes up/Heels down effects body balance control and hitting power

Height: 15hh

Age: 12-years-old

Colour: Bay

Sex: Female

Owned and played by: Vieri Antinori

Tournament: The Eduardo Rojas Lanusse Final at Beaufort Polo Club

How long have you had her? I’ve had Rolex for four years.

What are her strengths? She is very fast and handy.

How has she gone this season? She has gone really well this season.

Has she won any other Best Playing Pony Awards? No, this is her first BPP award.

Rolex Monkey Business

Height: 15hh

Age: Seven-years-old

Colour: Dark bay

Sex: Stallion

Owned and played by: Richard Tyrone

Tournament: The Arthur Lucas Final at Beaufort Polo Club

Where is he from/breeding? He is from my breeding programme back home in Ireland. He is by Clarion and out of Cheeky Monkey. His half-sister by the same dam is called Monkey Puzzle who won The Lady Susan Townley Cup in 2021 for the BPP of the Argentine Open.

How long have you had him? I have had him since he was born.

What are his strengths? He is incredibly agile and sensitive and he has incredible power and acceleration. He also makes the

What are your plans for her in the future? I plan to keep playing her.

Does she have any special quirks? No.

Describe her in three words? Amazing polo mare.

ball feel much easier to hit than my other horses.

What are your plans for him in the future? I plan to keep using him as a playing pony and offering his stallion services to the public, as well as using him myself in my own breeding programme.

Does he have any special quirks? He can’t go anywhere without his best friend Paddy the gelding.

Describe him in three words? Kind. Powerful. Agile.

Photograph by Joss Ridley

Photograph by Tom Reynolds

Vieri Antinori Jr, Nicolas Antinori, Vieri Antinori & David Varela Cortez

Knowledge Pony Power

Adran

Height: 15.1hh

Age: 13-years-old

Colour: Bay

Sex: Mare

Owned and played by: Pedro Harrison Tournament: The Committee Cup Final at Guards Polo Club

Where is she from/breeding? She is an Ellerston bred mare.

How long have you had her? I’ve had her for three years.

What are her strengths? She is extremely quick and agile.

How has she gone this season? She seems to get better as she gets older.

Lovelocks M

Height: 15hh

Age: Nine-years-old

Colour: Bay

Sex: Mare

Owned and played by: Luke Wiles

Tournament: The Golden Jubilee International Test Match at Beaufort Polo Club

Where is she from/breeding? She is from Argentina bred by Charlie Hanbury from his breed Lovelocks. She is by Atlantic out of a mare which is also a part of my string, Dolfina Espia.

How long have you had her? I bought her in 2021 in Argentina and she came to England that year. She was recommended to me by Tom Beim and after taking a season to settle when she came over in 2021, she has been my best horse in 2022 and this season.

What are her strengths? She has incredible acceleration and sides which allows me to attempt plays I wouldn’t dare to on some horses.

How has she gone this season? She has been my best this season and has most

Has she won any other Best Playing Pony Awards? No, she hasn’t won any other awards with me.

What are your plans for her in the future? I plan to breed from her in the future.

often played two chukkas in all my 15 and 18 goal games and normally plays the last chukka in my low goal games.

Has she won any other Best Playing Pony Awards? This is her first, hopefully the first of many!

What are your plans for her in the future? I had considered selling her so she could show her qualities with a top player,

however I have now decided against this as ultimately horses are the key to success in polo and I plan to keep her in my string for as long as possible.

Does she have any special quirks? Not particularly, she is one of the favourites on the yard and is very easy to look after.

Describe her in three words? Always gives 100 percent.

Photograph by ©www.imagesofpolo.com

Photograph by Tom Reynolds

Africa

Height: 15hh

Age: 25-years-old

Colour: Black

Sex: Mare

Owned and played by: Owned by Tessa Collett and used as a school pony at Offchurch Bury Polo Club

Tournament: SUPA Summer National Championships at Offchurch Bury Polo Club

Where is she from/breeding? I bought her from Thomas Coid, she is an Australian mare.

How long have you had her? I have had her for four years.

What are her strengths? She is super handy and nippy and can alter her playing depending on the rider’s ability.

How has she gone this season? She has been going really well, but is now on her summer holidays as she will play the winter season.

Has she won any other Best Playing Pony Awards? Not that we know of.

What are your plans for her in the future? She will continue to play the lower levels until she decides she wants to retire.

Does she have any special quirks? No, she is super easy.

Describe her in three words? Small but mighty.

Photograph by Emmpix

The Cartier Queen’s Cup Final; Sunday 18 June; Guards Polo Club

Murus Sanctus Singing in the Rain

Three weeks, 41 matches and 17 high goal teams culminated in a fast and furious French Final between Murus Sanctus and La Magdeleine for the 2023 Cartier Queen’s Cup. Despite the Gallic flavour of the Final, the weather was truly British with the sunny start of the day slowly descending into dampness, with sunnies swapped for brollies by the end of the day. Nothing could dampen the energy of the two wellbalanced and evenly matched teams on The Queen’s Ground, who thrilled the spectators with edge-ofthe-seat, end-to-end action. A brilliant last-minute goal from Most Valuable Player Polito Pieres secured Murus Sanctus their first Queen’s Cup title. To read a full report from the day, please turn to page 25.

Photography by ©www.imgaesofpolo.com

Lt Col Sean O’Dwyer & Antony Fanshawe

Jason Dixon

A jubilant Murus Sanctus celebrate their first Queen’s Cup win

Household Cavalry Band

Corinne Ricard & Marcos ‘Cacu’ Araya

David Emanuel & David Byrne

David Dickman

Diana James, Claudia Stadnik & Dianne Flatt

Ava Simpson

Jock Green-Armytage

Pao Maldonado Maquin

Sarah & Francesca Beni

Polito Pieres

Freddie Huxtable

Stephanie & Martin Brown

Lee-Ann Spark & Rebecca Walters

Imogen Blake-Thomas & Louise Richardson

Major Jamie Hayward Vicky Muzzio

Anuschka Bahlsen with daughter, Esme

This year’s goal judges have been working on their synchronisation

Hugo & Louise Turner

Natasha Hamilton Posey O’Flaherty & Vivek Rawal

Passionate About Polo

This year’s Durham University Polo Ball took place in Ramside Hall’s marquee. Attended by players from Durham, Edinburgh, Exeter, Oxford and London Universities, alongside other equestrian enthusiasts, the event was enjoyed by all with entertainment including a rodeo bull competition, which was won with an astonishing time of over four minutes, a band and DJ, plus a raffle including prizes from Leadenham and Silver Leys Polo Clubs. Guests were also greeted at the ball by a duo of polo ponies, driven all the way from Leadenham Polo Club after a hugely successful invitational tournament which took place over the two days before (turn to our Youth Polo pages to read more).

Durham University Polo Ball; Monday 5 June; Ramside Hall Hotel, County Durham

Photography by Georgina Feltham-White

Alexa Theinert, Francesca Grazebrook & Tabitha Bennet

Oliver Clarke

Anna Pynadath Jacob & Che Burnett

Lily Grimwade, Miray Kose, Penry Herdman, Evie Tongue, Pablo Camprubí & Izzy Birtwistle

Jemima Finlay, Anastasia Kravtsova, Rachel Pentolfe & Livi Hosking

Lottie Prosser-Wrench

Honor Stevens & Adeline Zhao

Natalia Henderson

Emma Dobby

Jack Goaman, Laura Landale, Jack Bonas & Archie Mackesy

Chestertons Polo in the Park; 9 – 11 June; Hurlingham Park, London

Champagne at Chestertons

Chestertons Polo in the Park brings polo into the heart of London, allowing spectators to enjoy the sport’s fast-pace up close and personal thanks to the hybrid style of arena and outdoor polo. With three players, a smaller grass ground and the crowd up close and personal to the action, the London crowds cheered on their teams in some of the hottest weather of the year so far. Alongside polo matches, which included an international match between England and Ireland and saw the home side claim The Olympic Trophy with a 7-6 win, the crowds also enjoyed a combination of music, food, Champagne and fashion.

Photography by Dave Benett

Naila Mansour

Nikita Bathia

Robert Rand & Hana Cross

India Shaw-Smith & Digby Edgley

Crowds enjoying the sunshine & polo action in the arena

Victoria Brown

Mathias Le Fevre

Anisa Sojka

Roxy Horner

Emily Valentine

Mark Ebulue

Olivia Cox

Chris Kowalski

Kevin Bonsu & Karlon Bonsu aka The Flag Twins

Cocktail Party; Saturday 27 May; Beaufort Polo Club, Gloucestershire

Celebrating the 2023 Summer

Beaufort Polo Club Members were joined by Non-Members, friends and family at the Club’s annual Cocktail Party on Saturday 27 May for the delicious mix of Champagne, cocktails and canapés. The party gave everyone the opportunity to catch up with friends after a long winter apart as everyone congregated at the Club for another exciting season of polo. Even the weather got the memo as the evening was bathed in glorious sunshine – there really is no place better than the English countryside in May.

IT’S A YES!

Congratulations to Henry Porter and Grace Busch who got engaged on Friday 12 May!

Tell us yours at gossip@polotimes.co.uk

CELEBS APLENTY

The Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic at Liberty State Park, New Jersey, on Saturday 3 June was a starstudded day of polo across the pond. From Emma Stone and Danai Gurira to Nicky Hilton and Coco Rocha, it is no wonder it was a sell-out event! Nacho Figueras’ team took the win and celebrated with… you’ve guessed it… Veuve Clicquot!

CONGRATULATIONS

Hugo Lewis and Tiffany Luckett tied the knot on Saturday 29 April, surrounded by friends and family, with their daughter Ophelia as a flower girl, followed by a honeymoon in Bali

WEDDING BELLS

Congratulations to Pamela Alina and Louis Devaliex, who are both regular players on the American polo circuit, who tied the knot on Saturday 3 June at The Breakers in Palm Beach.

Photography by Joss Ridley Photography

The sun turned up for the party as well

Kitty Sokola & Niul Wood Nick & Louisa Budd

Guests gathered in the Clubhouse for cocktails and canapés

John & Geraldine Shepherd with Candida Molyneux

Kim & Seb Chialvo with Lisa Smith

Peter Baldwin with Anna & Nick Wiles

What’s On – Polo Fixtures

WOMEN’S

Youth Polo

polo@hickstead.co.uk tobiana.scott@gmail.com

ashfarmpolo@hotmail.com mborwick@gmail.com info@bawtrypoloclub.co.uk enquiries@beaufortpoloclub.co.uk info@beverleypoloclub.co.uk bhpcmanager@gmail.com polomanager@blueyspolo.co.uk emmadvh@btinternet.com info@poloclubbunclody.com derrek@burningfold.com cambridgepoloclub@icloud.com

info@cambridgecountypoloclub.co.uk

harrietservaes@hotmail.com

amorris@chester-races.com

info@cheshirepoloclub.co.uk

info@chilternpoloclub.com

info@cirencesterpolo.co.uk

enquiries@cowdraypolo.co.uk

mkennedy@cssgroup.ie enquiries@ixlevents.com

ce@dorsetpolo.co.uk abi@druidspolo.co.uk jamesscrawford@aol.com

frankums@googlemail.com

edgeworthpolo@gmail.com

james.dgls@gmail.com info@fourquarterspolo.co.uk epsompoloclub@hotmail.com

frances@fhmpolo.co.uk eldpoloclub@live.co.uk charles@trippetts.com polo@guardspoloclub.com

Polo directory

EMAIL

rachaelkearnet@hotmail.co.uk

272828 polo@hurtwoodparkpolo.co.uk

350138 info@kirtlingtonparkpolo.co.uk

023639 info@aspectpolo.co.uk

299026 office@leadenhampoloclub.com

864544 info@longdolepolo.com

114190 shop@moorfarmshop.co.uk

450637 alecbeve@btinternet.com

224404 annabelparryjoyner@yahoo.co.uk

480400 office@norfolkpolo.co.uk

020577 info@northernirelandpoloclub.co.uk

830887 info@offchurchburypoloclub.co.uk

Polo Club 07708 906810 aprice@polofix.com

Peover Polo Club

Wicklow*

Advertising Polo directory

016 833 polomanager@peoverpoloclub.co.uk

404 67164 siobhan@polowicklow.com RAF Cranwell 07739 569491 rafcranwellpoloclub@yahoo.co.uk

Ranelagh Polo Club* 01344 885697 ranelagh@labravapolo.com

RCBPC* 01344 890060 polo@rcbpc.com

RMAS Polo Club 07973 174542 rmas-nc-aci-projinters@mod.uk

Rugby Polo Club* 01788 817724 info@rugbypoloclub.com

Rutland Polo Club 07772 040668 secretary@rutlandpoloclub.co.uk Silver Leys Polo Club 07730 060200 silverleyspoloclub@gmail.com

St. Albans Polo Club

017090 info@stalbanspoloclub.co.uk

Stewarton Polo Club 07974 706045 info@stewartonpolo.co.uk

Suffolk Polo Club 07990 576974 aes3@cam.ac.uk

CLUB PHONE EMAIL

All Ireland Polo Club 00353 01 6896732 dstone@indigo.ie

All England Polo Club Hickstead* 01273 834 315 polo@hickstead.co.uk

Apsley End Polo Club* 01462 712444 tobiana.scott@gmail.com

Ash Farm Polo Club* 07799 812739 ashfarmpolo@hotmail.com

Barfold Polo Club 07778 808853 mborwick@gmail.com

Bawtry Polo Club 01302 773282 info@bawtrypoloclub.co.uk

Beaufort Polo Club 01666 880510 enquiries@beaufortpoloclub.co.uk

Beverley Polo Club* 01964 544877 info@beverleypoloclub.co.uk

Binfield Heath 01491 411969 bhpcmanager@gmail.com

Blueys Polo Club* 07930 323263 polomanager@blueyspolo.co.uk

Bramham Polo Academy 07811 993316 emmadvh@btinternet.com

Bunclody Polo Club 00353 87 6605917 info@poloclubbunclody.com

Burningfold Polo Club 01483 200722 derrek@burningfold.com

Cambridge Polo Club* 07711 217004 cambridgepoloclub@icloud.com

Cambridge County Polo Club* 01223 812922 info@cambridgecountypoloclub.co.uk

Carlton House 07901 561113 harrietservaes@hotmail.com

Chester Racecourse Polo Club 01244 304602 amorris@chester-races.com

Cheshire Polo Club 01948 861020 info@cheshirepoloclub.co.uk

Chiltern Polo Club 07973 174542 info@chilternpoloclub.com

Cirencester Park Polo Club 01285 653225 info@cirencesterpolo.co.uk

Cowdray Polo Club 01730 813257 enquiries@cowdraypolo.co.uk

Curraghmore Polo Club 00353 51 387102 mkennedy@cssgroup.ie

Dallas Burston Polo Club* 01926 811 111 enquiries@ixlevents.com

Dorset Polo Club 01202 623985 office@dorsetpolo.co.uk

Druids Lodge Polo Club* 01722 782597 abi@druidspolo.co.uk

Dundee and Perth Polo Club* 07831 365 194 jamesscrawford@aol.com

Eastwood Polo Club 07968 300063 frankums@googlemail.com

Edgeworth Polo Club 01285 821695 edgeworthpolo@gmail.com

Edinburgh Polo Club* 07971 072336 james.dgls@gmail.com

Emsworth Polo Grounds* 01344 883112 info@fourquarterspolo.co.uk

Sussex Polo Club* 01342 714920 info@sussexpolo.co.uk

Quick Question

480460 nhs.wheelers@gmail.com

Epsom Polo Club* 07961 232106 epsompoloclub@hotmail.com

Answer - to the question posed on our Letters page

846705 info@tidworthpolo.com Toulston Polo Club

234638 info@toulstonpoloclub.com

FHM Polo Club* 07778 436468 frances@fhmpolo.co.uk

Fifield Polo Club* 01628 620061 fifieldpoloclub@live.co.uk

Triskelion Polo Club*

272547 polo@triskelionpolo.club

Vale of York Polo Club* 07788 426968 info@valeofyorkpoloclub.co.uk

Park Park Polo Club*

524613 vppc@btconnect.com

A: The Julian and Howard Hipwood Trophy was first played for in 1999 as a 4 to 8 goal and part of a rebranding of low goal polo at The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club. The tournament now forms part of the Victor Ludorum series.

560729 secretary@westwycombepolo.co.uk

858545 info@westcroftparkpolo.co.uk

info@whiterosepolo.co.uk

kim@playpolo.co.uk

Great Trippetts Polo Club 01428 741916 charles@trippetts.com

Guards Polo Club* 01784 434212 polo@guardspoloclub.com

Ham Polo Club 020 8334 0000 office@hampoloclub.com

Hertfordshire Polo Club* 01707 256023 polo@hertspolo.co.uk

Home Farm Polo Grounds 07807672120 rachaelkearnet@hotmail.co.uk

Hurtwood Polo Club 01483 272828 polo@hurtwoodparkpolo.co.uk

Kirtlington Park Polo Club 01869 350138 info@kirtlingtonparkpolo.co.uk

Knepp Castle Polo Club 07920 023639 info@aspectpolo.co.uk

Leadenham Polo Club 07429 299026 office@leadenhampoloclub.com

Longdole Polo Club* 01452 864544 info@longdolepolo.com

Moor Farm Polo Club 07494 114190 shop@moorfarmshop.co.uk

Moor Hall Farm Polo Club* 01279 450637 alecbeve@btinternet.com

New Forest Polo Club 07977 224404 annabelparryjoyner@yahoo.co.uk

Norfolk Polo Club 01508 480400 office@norfolkpolo.co.uk

Northern Ireland Polo Club 07803 020577 info@northernirelandpoloclub.co.uk

Offchurch Bury Polo Club* 07816 830887 info@offchurchburypoloclub.co.uk

Pangbourne Polo Club 07708 906810 aprice@polofix.com

Peover Polo Club 07766 016 833 polomanager@peoverpoloclub.co.uk

Polo Wicklow* 00353 404 67164 siobhan@polowicklow.com

RAF Cranwell 07739 569491 rafcranwellpoloclub@yahoo.co.uk

Ranelagh Polo Club* 01344 885697 ranelagh@labravapolo.com

RCBPC* 01344 890060 polo@rcbpc.com

RMAS Polo Club 07973 174542 rmas-nc-aci-projinters@mod.uk

Rugby Polo Club* 01788 817724 info@rugbypoloclub.com

Rutland Polo Club 07772 040668 secretary@rutlandpoloclub.co.uk

Silver Leys Polo Club 07730 060200 silverleyspoloclub@gmail.com

St. Albans Polo Club 07956 017090 info@stalbanspoloclub.co.uk

Stewarton Polo Club 07974 706045 info@stewartonpolo.co.uk

Suffolk Polo Club 07990 576974 aes3@cam.ac.uk

Sussex Polo Club* 01342 714920 info@sussexpolo.co.uk

Taunton Vale Polo Club 07771 931541 Chairman_tcvpc@btinternet.com

Tedworth Park Polo Club* 01980 846705 info@tedworthparkpolo.com

Toulston Polo Club 07776 234638 info@toulstonpoloclub.com

Triskelion Polo Club* 07624 272547 polo@triskelionpolo.club

Vale of York Polo Club* 07788 426968 info@valeofyorkpoloclub.co.uk

Vaux Park Park Polo Club* 07703 524613 vppc@btconnect.com

vO Polo Club 01536 639018 membership@vopoloclub.com

West Wycombe Park Polo Club* 07787 560729 secretary@westwycombepolo.co.uk

Westcroft Park Polo Club* 01276 858545 info@westcroftparkpolo.co.uk

White Rose Polo Club* 01430 875767 info@whiterosepolo.co.uk

White Waltham Polo Club 07748 670587 kim@playpolo.co.uk

* Also open for arena polo in the UK winter

In association with Chukkout Polo Marketplace

Ponies

TB 7y.o Gelding - Safe, Easy and Reliable 52” stick Irish. Perfect gentleman and excellent hitting platform. Played 2,4,6,8 goal with 1 goal player. Kind, Willing and Wellbalanced horse with a good mouth and good sides. Has the stamina to double-chukka. Will take amateur confidently up the levels. Available to try in chukkas or S&B at Beaufort PC. £19.5k 07528 804768

2012 TB Mare Very genuine, strong ride off and powerful acceleration. Would suit competent patron/ pro. Played with me (0 goals) in all levels up to and including 18 goal mixed as well as with 5/7/8 goal professionals. No vices or injuries, delight to handle. Currently based Somerset. £15,000.

Tel: 07539 262760

Over 3T Payload. MoT until June 2024 with no advisories. We are selling our super reliable little lorry and replacing her with a trailer. Clean and economical little lorry that has been stored and kept at our local coachworks where all works were carried out as and when needed. Travelled together my 16.1h, 14h and 15h with ease. Ramp is easy on my own (I am 5ft 5). 23ft long and horse area height is 7ft floor to ceiling. Priced to sell quickly £3,500. Based near Stansted airport. Tel: 07717 867306

2005 MAN 18 Tonne Tristar

Horsebox With Full Living

Lovely TB 15hh, 10-y-o, Schoolmaster Mare 10 years old, has been with current owner for the past six years. Easy to do in every way: shoe, clip, box etc. Loves her job as well as going for hacks and being loved on the yard. Has played from -8 goal with 10-yearold to 12 goal with 1 goal owner. Five star home essential. £12,000 (Gloucestershire). Tel: 07969 456214

2013 Homebred Mare Lolita, 2013 homebred mare, from stallion Lovelocks Bonjovi. Very good all round horse , great mouth and sides. Would suit all from competent patron to pro. 14.3h. Played with owner (4 goals) in all levels up to and including 12 goal. £30,000 (Reading).

Tel: 07549 884103

Seven Yr Old Mare 14.3hh. Fantastic sides. Great mouth. Good in a ride off. A beautiful temperament on the ground. Good to shoe, clip, load, travel. Suit player from -2-0 goal women or child. Has played 8 goal in the arena. An extremely easy type that you will travel the world to find the same. No time wasters and the right home is essential for this beautiful girl. £22,000 (Daventry).

Tel: 07487 251252

Transport

TB 15hh, 11-y-o, Powerhouse Mare11 years old, a lovely forward going mare that has played up to 12 goal with current 1 goal owner. Great sides with a lot of power and pace, never loses a ride-off. Would suit a forward going amateur player or pro looking for more firepower mid-season. Ideally suited to playing four minutes and then coming back on later in the game. £12,000 (Gloucestershire). Tel: 07969 456214

07760 881270

7.5T Leyland Daf Horsebox 1997 65k miles from New. Main battery isolator, new shock absorbers, new brakes, pads and discs, new track rod ends & drag links, ramp has been rebuilt, new front tyres, two new batteries, alley flooring with rubber matting, telescopic partitions. Solid lorry with no rot. Tilt cab, water tank, 4 ring gas hob, 3 way fridge with ice box, sink, large comfortable mattress in luton, seating, cupboards, wardrobe, two outside lockers, blackout blinds, electric hook up, 3 x leisure battery. Don’t be put off by age. I have owned this lorry for approx 8 years. We have stayed away at competitions all over the country. Everything that ever needed doing to it, has been done. MoT until 31 Jan 2024 – no advisories. Only selling as I want a 3.5T now as I only take one horse out. Offers around £7,000 or swap for 3.5T preferably van style. (Swadlincote). Tel: 07720 560566

577,211 kms.Manual 6 gear. Sold with full year’s MoT (expires June 2024). Large double bed luton, table seating at the bottom that also turns into a large single bed. Hob + oven, sink (only 3yrs old), TV with DVD player, fridge, wardrobe, and cupboard space. Separate room with bathroom facilities (sink, toilet, & shower). Has hook up facility and separate living batteries to lorry. Huge locker at the front for tack space & one sealed skirt tack, one further skirt locker for boots etc on near side. Further 3 skirt lockers on driver’s side; one with large water tank with living water pump. Oil hydraulic ramp which is fantastic with a manual handle pump override. Serviced Feb 2023. Double skinned insulated roof which keeps it warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Ramp redone in 2019 – very solid and sound with loading LED lamp. Same owner since body new & kept inside all year round. Private Plate. Fantastic lorry that’s been well maintained and always been totally reliable. Excellent runner. Has isolator as well. We have been all over the country with it and it has never let us down. Only for sale as downsized. £16,500. (Woodbridge).

Tel: 07771 608376

2011 Ifor Williams 511 Ifor Williams 511 trailer. Bought new in 2011 and has been with one lady owner ever since. Never had any issues with it. Carries two big 17hh horses. Serviced every year. Only selling as no longer needed. Aluminium floor. In very good condition for its age. £6,000 (Bourne). Tel: 07704 631836

Mercedes 2011 HGV Auto Silver

Mercedes 2011 HGV Auto Silver. Smart new conversion to 10 horse polo box by Tristar in 2020 recent MoT & Service. Can be viewed in Midhurst. £24,000. Tel: 07747 020808

Equipment

07581 173571

6.5T Golden Oldie 3 Horse Lorry

2002 MAN MOT until end of May 2024. Stalled for 5. 7.5t. Aluminium floor and ramp. £6,500. Tel:

Bargain Albion K2 GP Saddle Black 17” Used Albion K2 GP Saddle. Had this Saddle for 10 years, few little scuffs on the seat, still in good use. £650 (Chorley). Tel:

SCOREBOARDS AND CLOCKS

DESIGNED FOR POLO Outdoor and arena sizes. Fully electronic, displaying the time counting down, both scores and chukka number. Automatic bell/ horn. Controlled wirelessly by a remote control you can even wear on your arm. Visit www.SportingDesigns.co.uk or call +44 (0)7860 303217

Misc

133231

07624 491466

Tel: 07968 942910

REGISTRATIONS FOR SALE

Sand

Grader Perfect for keeping your sand riding arena level and in top condition Easy to tow and manoeuvre. Easy level adjustment. Tow behind any quad or tractor with a ball hitch. Roughly 2m wide and 3m long. £300 (Melton Mowbray). Tel: 07858 337067

WANTED

HAND

SANITISER Hand sanitiser supplied at 80% ABV to WHO Formula 1. Available in 100ml (from £2), 200ml (from £4) or 5 litre (from £45) sizes.

Personalised labels available at extra cost. Discounts & free delivery for bulk purchases. Tel: 07969 456214 Polo Art

POLO &

All held on Certificate

If you wish to purchase then I would ask that you email me an offer at stuartbroughton3@gmail.com

If you are interested in selling your car or motorcycle and are looking for a prompt, hassle-free cash buyer! I am always very keen to add to my current stock, so please feel free to contact me for a no obligation discussion about your vehicle.

I am particularly interested in purchasing prestige, sports, classic, vintage, racing and competition cars and motorcycles, as well as any interesting or unusual models.

Complete collections purchased and all conditions considered, from barn-finds to concours. I will travel any distance for the right vehicle/s, and discretion is always assured. I am a cash buyer not an agent.

If you are looking for a specific vehicle then please also get in contact as I may have or could source what you are looking for?

CALL DIRECT ON: 07787 528131

Argentine Havanna Leather Old Argy havanna leather standing martingale. £25 posted. Tel:

17” Polo Saddle Older but still servicable 17” Argentine polo saddle. Can post at cost if required. £50 (East Grinstead). Tel: 07904 085902

Charles Barnsby Leather Saddles 2 x Charles Barnsby 16.5 leather saddles. £120 (Collection from Warwick). Tel: 07983 602372

Foot Mallets Foot mallets. Postage available. £30 each. Whatsapp: +923133

Poo Pan Paddock Blade Work smarter not harder. Original Poo Pan - excellent working condition, with heavy duty chain to attach to tow bar on car or quad. Tow big bales of hay into field. Collection only or courier arranged by buyer. £250 (RRP £340) (Alton).

Arena Leveller / Menage

Luke Wiles became the first Englishman to win the Copa Potrillos in Argentina alongside three great teammates, Cruz, Silvestre & Antonio Heguy for Indios Chapaleufú II. Career highlights closer to home include: The Challenge Cup with Apes Hill, The La Martina Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s Centenary Trophy with HB Polo and playing in The Cartier Queen’s Cup with Segavas and Clinova in 2020 & 2022. We caught up with Luke just after his England victory in The Golden Jubilee International Test Match at The Gloucestershire Festival of Polo

What is your biggest passion and why? It’s a tie between polo and hunting, two things I have done throughout my life and still enjoy today.

What is your all-time best polo memory? When I made my debut for England in 2021 in the International at Beaufort, which was special given Beaufort is my home club and I was surrounded by my friends and family.

Hardest opponent?

Luke Tomlinson, no explanation needed!

Which sports do you like outside of polo? Football. I’m a huge Man United fan and look forward to seeing them win the League next year!

Favourite film and why?

About Time, always been my favourite and always will be.

Favourite song/album?

‘Every Teardrop is a Waterfall’, by Coldplay.

Favourite food/dish?

An Argentine Asado.

Favourite hobby outside of polo?

Hunting with the Beaufort Hunt followed by the pub in the evening with my mates, pub being the Rattlebone.

Best holiday destination & activity?

Obviously a tough one as spending time in Argentina is amazing, but it has to be a boys holiday in Zante!

Best pony and why?

Very tough one, as while she may now not be my best, my all-time favourite has got to be Ink, who has given me some of my best moments on a polo field. She is now carving it up with Jemima Walker. My current best pony is probably Lovelocks M who’s a machine.

Who were/are your favourite teammates? It has to be between the Tomlinson brothers Mark & Luke, Ed Walker and Mark & Pete Baldwin.

Most prized possession?

My dog Jack

Favourite celebrity and why?

Marcus Rashford, as he’s an incredible role model on and off the field and an amazing footballer.

Are you passionately superstitious?

Yes slightly. I wear the same pair of socks for the whole season and go through certain rituals before every game.

Describe yourself in three words? Hard-working, loyal, focused.

One thing which would surprise us about you? I almost chose a career in hunting.

Photograph by Tom Reynolds