Polo Times July 2011 preview

Volume 16 Issue 6 July 2011

ÂŁ5.50

www.polotimes.co.uk

Happy 100th!

The Coronation Cup moves into a new era Plus:

25 years at the Berkshire, the Queen’s Cup and making it as a pro PT p1 cover_v4.indd 1

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savills.co.uk

B!QFSJPE!FRVFTUSJBO!FTUBUF! dipcibn-!tvssfz Sunningdale: 2.7 miles, Windsor: 10.5 miles, Heathrow: 18.6 miles, London: 31.9 miles

London Country Department

Savills Sunningdale

4 reception rooms kitchen/breakfast room 5 bedrooms 3 bathrooms 3 cottages indoor swimming pool and leisure complex outdoor swimming pool tennis court mature gardens American barn with 8 loose boxes groom’s accommodation manège paddocks Available as a whole or in 3 lots

Crispin Holborow cholborow@savills.com

Dan Burstow dburstow@savills.com

020 7016 3780

01344 626162

About 27 acres Price on application

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savills.co.uk

PVTUBOEJOH!FRVFTUSJBO!IPNF! dppmibn-!xftu!tvttfy Billingshurst: 4 miles, Horsham: 9.3 miles, Gatwick: 24 miles

Savills Guildford

Reception hall 5 reception rooms master suite with dressing room guest suite 5 further bedrooms 3 further bath/shower rooms (1 en suite) kitchen/breakfast room period granary annexe traditional stable yard with 7 loose boxes American barn stabling (24 horses) period Sussex barn landscaped gardens all-weather-manège 2 polo fields fenced paddocks woodland with lakes and stream

Niki Scott nscott@savills.com

01483 796800

About 70.5 acres Guide £3.6 million

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News

from the Editor The office has been something of a second home this month unfortunately but, as far as I can tell from what action I have been able to see first hand, the striking feature of the season so far appears to be just how open, exciting and unpredictable most games have been.

The high-goal has thrown up a number of unexpected results and, though matches have often looked marginally lower-scoring than in recent years, I suspect this has a lot to do with there being fewer penalties, as teams are restricted from putting pressure on umpires and appealing for fouls.

Most players, albeit excepting a few who are yet to get used to it, have shown a general willingness to comply with the changes. And, further to this positive attitude, teams have also sought to play open, passing polo and it has largely made the game a decent spectacle.

I have also been reminded this season of just how important the medium-goal is. Often overlooked amid the drama and big spending razzmatazz of the high-goal, the keenly fought nature of the 15 and 18-goal tends to make for equally compelling viewing. It is the breeding ground of the highgoal patrons of the future and this year’s crop appears to contain perhaps a handful not far off making that transition.

The medium-goal is also of course a pleasing source of employment for many British pros, especially when you consider that there were only 11 Brits playing in the Queen’s Cup altogether, including four patrons. There will also be just 11 Brits in the Gold Cup, despite an increase to 18 teams. John O’Sullivan investigates just how tough it is to make it work as a pro in the UK game on page 32.

Photographs from Michael Chevis Polo Archive and Graham Dennis at Blacklocks Bookshop (blacklockspoloart.com)

I hope those of you that have made it your passion can make it work for you this summer. Do let us know how practical it is to survive. Do new events such as Polo in the Park last month and the British Beach Polo Championships this month help many of the medium-handicapped players?

Presumably they do.

A centenary of the Coronation Cup WHEN ENGLAND FACE Brazil on Sunday 24 July at Guards Polo Club for the Hurlingham Polo Association’s International Day, they will be playing an historic game for the Coronation Cup, writes Margie Brett. The cup itself is now 100 years old (see the feature on page 29 of our June issue entitled “Silverware worth fighting for”) and this year will be the 27th and final year of

Matches at Cowdray Park and Beaufort and International Day at Guards Polo Club. A handsome trio for any sponsor.

Since 1971, the Coronation Cup has been the main prize of the Hurlingham Polo Association’s International Day, played for each year, except in 1992 and 1997, when the Westchester Cup took its place. The Westchester Cup is contested exclusively by the USA and Great Britain.

However, when the USA have visited as England’s opponents, they have also played for the Coronation Cup, as they did in 1971 (see front cover and below right) and in 1972, 1973 and 1974.

The HPA International Day in 1971 was held at Cowdray Park, as it was during 2001, when the foot and mouth epidemic closed Windsor Park, which includes Guards Polo Club. Apart from 2001, International Day has been held at Guards Polo Club since 1972.

Cartier are transferring their sponsorship of International Day to Guards’ Queen’s Cup after this season Cartier’s sponsorship of International Day. Cartier are transferring their sponsorship to the Queen’s Cup and the Hurlingham Polo Association is offering an opportunity to interested parties to sponsor all three annual international games – the two Test

As such, Polo Times is never resistant to innovations, so long as they are in keeping with the essential ethos of the game.

Indeed, it is at this time of year in particular that we remember that polo is a game which, more than most, is built on tradition. It seeps from every pore. That is what I had in mind when I went to our designer Nicki with the concept for the cover. What you see is the fantastic fruit of her labours, which I hope you’ll agree makes quite an impression.

So, as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the mighty Coronation Cup, doffing our caps to the heritage of all those that have helped grow its prestige down the years (not least departing sponsor Cartier), we should also nevertheless look forward with optimism as the International Day passes into a new era and into new hands as we head into the future. I’m excited.

Email me: jamesmullan@polotimes.co.uk 10

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King George V, for whose coronation the Ranelagh Club commissioned the Coronation Cup, right.

Photo above: Courtesy of Blacklocks Polo Art

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News Statistics In its 100 years, the Coronation cup has only been played for 66 times, due to the following gaps: 1914 – 1918 4 years 1940 – 1950 11 years 1952 1 year 1954 – 1970 17 years 1992 1 year (Westchester Cup played for) 1997 1 year (Westchester Cup played for) Winners in 1911, the Indian Polo Association (Captains Leslie Cheape, Shah Mirza Beg, Ralph Ritson and Vivian Lockett) Photo: Blacklocks Polo Art

HM the Queen and HRH Prince Philip with Lord and Lady Cowdray attending the Coronation Cup in 1953. This was Her Majesty’s first public appearance following her coronation on 2 June.

The Coronation Cup has been played for 37 times since 1972 and won by England 15 times during that period.

Photo: Michael Chevis Polo Archive

England caps since 1972 The Hipwood brothers lead the field by a long way for the number of times they have played for England:

Winners of the Coronation Cup 1953, Argentina (Eduardo Braun Menendez, Ernesto Lalor, Alejandro Mihanovich and Juan Carlos Alberdi). The taller figure in coat and tie in the centre is Juan Carlos Alberdi’s brother, Enrique Julian Alberdi, also a former 10-goal player.

Lord Louis Mountbatten and Prince Charles at the 1971 Coronation Cup at Cowdray Park

Photo: Michael Chevis Polo Archive, www.michaelchevis.com

Photo: Michael Chevis Polo Archive

Name Hipwood, H Hipwood, J Kent, A Brett, H Lucas, W Tomlinson, L Beresford, Lord C Hine, A Withers, P Daniels, J Tomlinson, M Beim, J Borwick, M Horswell, J Churchward, P Ferguson, R Lucas, J Wade, A Beresford, Lord P Gonzalez, N Hare, Hon M Hill, S* Mackenzie, S+ Matthews, R Seavill, A Williams, R

No. of caps 21 20 13 11 11 9 8 7 7 6 6 4 4 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

* Sinclair Hill, an Australian 10-goaler, appeared for England in 1977

The winning USA team (Harold Barry, Ronald Tongg, Joe Barry and William Linfoot) in 1971, when the Coronation Cup was contested for the first time since 1953 at Cowdray Park. Photo: from Michael Chevis Polo Archive

www.polotimes.co.uk

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+ Stuart Mackenzie played for England in 1986. He also appeared for his native New Zealand beforehand, in 1982 and 1983, and afterwards in 1991 (and in 1989 for Australasia) Polo Times, July 2011

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the

Big

picture

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Make my shot a double Talandracas’s Lucas Monteverde demonstrates the rare ability to hit a double neck shot, as the ferocity of his strike towards goal means the follow-through to his swing wraps his stick round his neck as well as that of his pony.

Monteverde played a crucial role in his side’s success in difficult conditions in the Queen’s Cup final last month, where this photograph was taken, as did patron Edouard Carmignac’s two other pros in the background, Facundo Sola and Milo Fernandez-Araujo.

The side narrowly beat another French-funded team, in the shape of Jerome Wirth’s Enigma – who, having reached the semi-finals of the Gold Cup last year, can take plenty of encouragement that they will soon get their hands on one of the country’s big trophies. ◗ Read the full story from the wet and wild Queen’s Cup final on pages 38-41, where you will also see more photographs, including another taken by Centaur Photographic’s Alec Whitby, who is Guards Polo Club’s official snapper for all their main events.

Contact him at 01344 891642 or info@centaurphotographic.com

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Feature

Interview – Clinton and Spencer McCarthy

Brand of brothers James Mullan meets Emlor patrons Clinton and Spencer McCarthy, who explain their driving ambitions for the team going forward – including, hopefully, an all-English side in next year’s Queen’s and Gold Cups – and reveal where the brand’s name came from Who’s going to win the Gold Cup this year?

Spencer (SM): We haven’t seen the best of La Bamba or Dubai yet, so they’ll still be the forces to reckon with in my opinion.

However, from a patron’s perspective, I was actually impressed with Prince Bahar Jefri on the Richard Mille side in the Queen’s Cup and Enigma’s Jerome Wirth played well.

What happened as far as Emlor was concerned in the Queen’s?

SM: I think we were slightly unlucky, as we had the disruption of Luke [Tomlinson] getting injured in the Trippetts Challenge immediately beforehand and, even then, we only lost to eventual finalists Enigma in extra time after they equalised in the final minute while I’d gone off to change a horse. It was frustrating but gives me confidence that Emlor is ready for a full high-goal season.

Is that what you’re planning?

SM: I’m definitely doing both the Queen’s and the Gold Cups next year. I’ll base the team around our long-serving pro Nacho Gonzalez and hopefully two other Englishmen that I’m currently in negotiations with. It’s an exciting prospect as, if this year is anything to go by, the high-goal is looking increasingly open and competitive. As a 28

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patron, it’s enjoyable because you need to be able to play four-man polo to be successful.

The patrons have a big role in the modern game. It’s a challenge I enjoy.

Clinton (CM): The high-goal is also definitely a long-term aim for myself as well. I’m 46 now so I’ve got another three full seasons before I’m 50 – and that is the time frame I’m

“I only buy horses now that are going to go straight into my top five” – Spencer McCarthy giving myself to get myself and my horses up to speed and ready for it. Ideally I’d like to keep improving my string, get up to one-goal, and have at least one season in the 22-goal.

Would the two of you ever consider playing the high-goal together and bringing in a couple of world-class names?

SM: That’s honestly something I’d never thought of actually. What, me and Clinton and two 10-goalers?!

CM: That would be fun – we’ve had some success playing together in actual fact, though we don’t get to do it often nowadays. We came runners up behind Apes Hill in the

Victor Ludorum 12-goal in 2009. Of course, 22-goal would be quite a different prospect but, anyway, we’ve got to get past playing against each other first – in the 15-goal Eduardo Moore (getting underway as Polo Times went to press). And we also had two Emlor teams qualified for the Royal Windsor.

So, particularly given that you are just a year apart in age, are the two of you competitive?

CM: Well, yes – to some extent, naturally.

But we’re also good friends and our families spend a lot of time together, plus it’s important we have a good working relationship for the business.

SM: We went into business together in 1994, launching Emlor Homes, which built stone and thatched “chocolate box” houses across Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset. Our mantra was to build the kind of houses we’d want to live in ourselves. They were sexy at the time and quite rare, so things sold well.

CM: Then, in 2000, we decided to expand to a new market and began buying land for sheltered housing, which has to be within half-a-mile of town centres and on flat ground because the projects are designed specifically for the over 60s. We build self-contained flats, but with a communal u

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Feature

Making polo pay

The highlights of staying part-time Karl Ude-Martinez funds his polo habit through work as an actor, commentator, presenter, model and jousting instructor

O

ne promising polo player who has long since given up the ghost of becoming a full-time pro has turned into a jack of all trades to maximise his involvement in the sport.

Midlands-based one-goaler Karl UdeMartinez will be familiar to most, not necessarily because of his performances on the field, but because of his activities on the sideline.

The 32-year-old commentated at Polo in the Park and the Gaucho International this

Karl Ude-Martinez can be seen jousting (left) and playing polo (above) all over the country these days

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Making polo pay

Karl Ude-Martinez is a regular presenter on Horse and Country TV and on Sky Sports’s equestrian coverage

year and is regularly seen as an equestrian presenter on Sky Sports and Horse and Country TV. Ude-Martinez, who first played the game at North Warwickshire Pony Club as a 14-yearold and is now a member at Rugby, also has a budding acting career and runs his own medieval jousting troupe.

Despite having many fingers in many different pies, Ude-Martinez admits he still wonders what could have been with his polo career. He said: “I would have absolutely loved to be a full-time polo pro. I’ve been

Feature

Modelling (above) and medieval demonstrations (below), when he uses his polo ponies, also help polo-mad Karl Ude-Martinez pay the bills

good three-goaler, but I think I’d need to give full commitment 365 days a year to get up to five-goals and, in this financial climate, it is just so difficult for me to contemplate that.

“I love being around the circuit and being an ambassador for the sport, so I get my fix that way.”

A skiing accident back in 2004 kept UdeMartinez out of action for a year and led to him founding his jousting group, the Knights of Middle England, to make ends meet.

He’s even managed to use his polo contacts in this pursuit. He revealed: “We use a lot of

“I love being around the circuit and being an ambassador for the sport, so I get my fix that way. But I’d like to think I could still make it to three goals if I committed to it” – Karl Ude-Martinez completely smitten with the sport since the first time I hit a ball.

“I spent my gap year before university at Carlos Gracida’s place in Palm Beach – watching the 26-goal and working in the stables.

“I came back thinking all I’d do for the rest of my life is play polo, but then I went to university and got a job and it never quite happened. Maybe I was never in the right place at the right time.”

These days Ude-Martinez regularly turns out at Rugby, Kirtlington, RLS and Beaufort in 2-6 goal tournaments.

He adds: “I’m a one-goaler and I do get paid to play, so I consider myself to be a lowgoal pro. I’d like to think I can still become a www.polotimes.co.uk

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ex-polo ponies, which is great. Many of them are not quite up to the high octane action of the polo field any more, but still have a lot left to give.

“The idea came about because I couldn’t act or ride, or anything for a year so I needed to set up my own business. Jousting is something I had a lot of experience in from when I was younger.

“We perform at places like the NEC and county fairs and also offer experience days for things like stag and hen dos.” F w To find out how the next generation of polo pros are getting on, see our dedicated Youth Polo section on page 58-61

Polo Times, July 2011

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Reports

MINT Polo in the Park, Hurlingham

More Pimms please!

Following a sunny and sell-out Saturday, unwelcome rain put a dampener on finals day, when two teams from the heat of the UAE and South America did battle in front of a die-hard crowd of undeterred spectators in the stands while the rest took their interest to the bars

Georgie May

in Fulham, London

Abu Dhabi Buenos Aires

8 5

A

bu Dhabi secured a deserved victory over Buenos Aires in the final of MINT Polo in the Park at the beginning of June, triumphing with a line-up featuring a pleasing blend of youth and experience, though the side’s two most seasoned professionals themselves hold

their two sun-drenched league games against defending champions New York on the Friday and against Moscow on the Saturday.

Fellow finalists Buenos Aires meanwhile had won their first game but lost their second, against London and New York respectively, but managed to secure a place in the final on goal difference.

This year, teams were split into two groups and played two league games against teams from their opposing group – one of the Friday and one on the Saturday – before it was decided who would go through to the final.

London and Sydney played out the highest-scoring game of the tournament on Saturday evening but, despite being one of 2011’s tightest and most exciting contests,

“The event was a great success, particularly with the fantastic sell out on Saturday, and the players were happy” – Louisa Dawnay Argentine passports and so were forced to beat their own compatriots.

Abu Dhabi, led by eight-goaler Piki Diaz Alberdi, did so in pouring rain on the Sunday, after advancing to the final with victories in 42

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both sides missed out on a slot on finals day, having been soundly beaten in their opening games on the day before.

New York, who won the tournament last year, went through to the subsidiary final, for

the Camino Real Plate, to meet Moscow. New York were without their number one, Jack Kidd, who sadly suffered a knee injury from a hard ride-off in Friday’s game, so had to be replaced in Saturday and Sunday’s matches by three-goaler Facundo Guevara. On Saturday they were also without Henry Brett, who was playing in the final of the Arthur Lucas at Beaufort. And South African Gareth Evans stepped in for Tom Morley for Moscow on the final two days of play as Morley had commitments elsewhere.

Despite the change in line-ups, the two teams were evenly matched with Moscow fighting to keep level with New York. The game ended with a draw, 9-9, forcing the teams to take part in a penalty shootout. Each player had one shot at goal and surprisingly Facundo Guevara was the only player to hit his through the posts, securing victory for New York, 10-9.

Come the final, with the majority of spectators shielding themselves from the rain in the confines of the Punch Bowl bar, www.polotimes.co.uk

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MINT Polo in the Park, Hurlingham

Reports

situated at one end of the ground with limited spectating space, or the Mahiki Bar located at the opposite end with no direct view of the field, the grandstand wasn’t exactly bursting at the seams. Indeed, for most attendees over the three days, the real sport appeared to be the drinking. The polo was of largely incidental interest to many, though its highbrow cache and plentiful access to alcohol is also what looks set to ensure Polo In The Park will achieve its place among the other main society events of the British summer.

Nevertheless, those with umbrellas or the odd plastic poncho braved the conditions and witnessed Abu Dhabi sweep into an early lead. Andrea Vianini scored the opening goal, while Mohammed Al Habtoor, the lowest handicapped player

Former Argentine Open winner Piki Diaz Alberdi (left) goes head to head with BA’s Oscar Mancini in the final

Jack Richardson makes a break to goal, playing for Moscow, who finished fourth of the six teams at the end of the tournament

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in the tournament, scored double points for his side with a superb backhand before the end of the first chukka.

As in previous years, the tournament is played on a smaller ground with altered rules. A clean shot hit from outside the “D” earned the side two goals.

Buenos Aires suffered a blow on Saturday when team member Lucas Talamoni crashed into

New York’s Juan Cruz Guevara and was knocked out for four minutes. Fortunately it was nothing more than concussion, putting him on the sidelines for seven days. Ironically, Guevara then replaced Talamoni for Sunday’s final.

The rain progressively became heavier and the ground was its first victim. After two days of games, by Saturday evening the ground was already choppy and, with the rain u Polo Times, July 2011

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Knowledge

Travel - Sotogrande

Grande designs

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Travel – Sotogrande

Knowledge All photographs by James Mullan

The action at Santa María Polo Club, above, might be the biggest draw to the region for readers of Polo Times, but the historical beauty of nearby San Roque, the military and financial significance of Gibraltar and Sotogrande’s stunning opulence, left, also make Andalucia well worth a visit

Do your bit for the struggling Spanish economy this summer, and discover that there is plenty more on offer in and around Sotogrande than simply watching polo

James Mullan in Spain

D

escribing your chosen home as an “island of contrasts” appears to be a favourite pastime for cliché-keen tourist offices the world over. Tenerife, Cyprus, Bali, New Zealand and Ibiza – they’re all at it. However, if such an arbitrator of these things exists (which I suspect it doesn’t), then he or she should take a look at the short geographical stretch of coast between Santa Maria Polo Club’s Sotogrande home and its nearest airport, less than 10 miles away in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar.

From oil refineries and a huge shipping port to some of Europe’s most highly-rated golf courses and polo grounds, and from the historic white-washed Spanish town of San Roque, with its huge religious, military and cultural significance, to the luxurious modern architectural plots of Sotogrande’s sprawling housing and maritime venues, this is truly an area with a vast array of activities, views, www.polotimes.co.uk

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personalities and plans. Thus, complete with reliably good weather during the polo season, the highlight of which sits conveniently in the twilight of the British season and before the end of the school holidays, it’s a region that certainly offers something for everyone.

Polo visitors from the UK can access Sotogrande with ease, with daily flights to Gibraltar and to Málaga both offering a straightforward commute (though Gibraltar is considerably closer). And this year’s series of tournaments has added significance – it is the 40th Gold Cup, and organisers at the 2010 tournaments went to particular pains

Sotogrande feels rather like Beverley Hills – large, luxurious and alluring to ensure the patrons were happy with everything, in order to provide every possible encouragement for them to make the effort to return in 2011. They want the strongest teams possible taking part, given the publicity they intend to generate for the Ruby anniversary celebrations, and my own experience from the climax to last year’s season was that the impressive scale u Polo Times, July 2011

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the Maharana of Udaipur’s powder blue Rolls Royce awaited us.

With matching chauffeur.

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