Volume 16 Issue 5 June 2011
ÂŁ5.50
www.polotimes.co.uk
Award-winning British pro
James Beim in action at Coworth Park, at Trippetts and in Argentina Plus: Trophies, feeding and stunning Switzerland in summer PT p1 cover JM.indd 1
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Contents
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Contacts Publisher Margie Brett margie@polotimes.co.uk Editor James Mullan jamesmullan@polotimes.co.uk Sub editor John O’Sullivan john@polotimes.co.uk
June 2011 News
Georgie May georgie@polotimes.co.uk Advertising manager Harriet Kay harriet@polotimes.co.uk Art editor Nicki Averill nickiaverill@polotimes.co.uk
56 Copenhagen Cup, Coworth Park
18 The big picture
59 Opinion
Comment 20 Backchat with Clare Milford Haven 24 Arthur Douglas-Nugent’s Umpire’s corner 26 Your views: letters
Features 28 Cover story: Trophies 34 Polocrosse in the UK
Reports 38 Cover story: Trippetts Challenge
Marketing & PR PJ Seccombe pj@polotimes.co.uk Subscriptions Sarah Foster sarah@polotimes.co.uk Accounts Philippa Hunt - accounts@polotimes.co.uk
Tel: 01993 886885 Fax: 01993 882660
www.polotimes.co.uk
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Youth polo
10 All the latest news
22 Herbert Spencer’s Global view Assistant editor
62
40 Cover story: Nations’ Cup: Argentina vs England, Palermo 44 Cover story: Audi Polo Challenge, Coworth Park
Knowledge 60 Playing around: Bluey’s Farm 62 Cover story: Feeding special 66 Know your horse 68 Know your game 70 Ones to watch 72 Property: The Address, Morocco 73 How to spend it 74 Cover story: Swiss travel 79 Products: polo jewellery 80 Book review: Polo in the USA 81 Restaurant review: Gaucho 82 What’s on in June
Sidelines 84 Gossip: Don’t be the last to know 85 Social: Queen’s Cup draw
46 La Martina Queen Mother’s Centenary Trophy, Guards
86 Social: Audi Polo Challenge
48 Miami Beach Polo World Cup, USA
90 Social: Audi Polo Awards
51 Home and abroad
98 Passions: Brian Stein
88 Social: PJ’s start-of-season party
Cover photograph: James Beim at Palermo, by Eduardo Grumberg of ImagesOfPolo.com
Polo Times, June 2011
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News
from the Editor It’s been a frantic four weeks since we last went to press. Two four-day weekends thanks to the bank holidays, more polo gatherings than your average June and July combined, the British electorate’s first binding public referendum in my lifetime, and we’ve somehow also had to put a magazine together. However, it’s an issue we’re particularly proud of, packed as it is with some stunning spreads, fascinating features, lots of on-the-money news and views and – dare I say it even – several beautiful new adverts. The day of the British referendum on whether or not to adopt the alternative voting system fell on the same day as the memorial service for the life of Charlie Stisted, held at the imposing Guards’ Chapel in Central London. It was fortunate the venue is as cavernous as it is, as the polo and military worlds came together in breathtaking numbers to make for a wonderful tribute to the late longserving Guards CEO. With standing room only in the 800-seat venue, Charlie’s old friend Lieutenant Colonel Sean O’Dwyer began his warm and eloquent address declaring that: “on the day of the AV vote, you’ve certainly all voted with your feet”. How right he was. And, as well as a demonstration of how fondly Charlie himself is remembered, Lt Col O’Dwyer poignantly also pointed out that the turnout was a fitting expression of support for Charlie’s widow Melissa in particular, whose organisational abilities in planning and coordinating such a large-scale event would surely have made Charlie – the master at such ambitious logistical projects – especially proud. The memorial kick-started what was then a busy couple of weeks as the polo community rendezvoused once again for the start of the summer season, with the first high-goal action underway shortly afterwards in the Trippetts Challenge and Holyport Cups, the 21st PJ’s annual party, the official press launch for the third year of Polo In The Park, the president’s draw for the Queen’s Cup, the Audi Polo Awards and, of course, the long-anticipated start of the 2011 Queen’s Cup, which concludes this month. Charlie Stisted, Ian Wooldridge and Paul Castle have been remembered at all these events, and you’ll read about the success of last month’s charity fun-run by Ian’s family in the news section, but now the time comes for the players that knew them to honour their memories with fair play and commitment in the game that exemplified all of their lives, polo. It’s June. All systems look good. And you are go for launch.
Council cuts back as the numbers are crunched Herbert Spencer reports from London
The Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA) is not immune to the current recessionary economic climate and has had to exercise some serious belttightening to keep its 2011 budget in the black, the association’s governing Council learned last month. Accounts presented at the Council’s annual spring meeting at London’s Cavalry & Guards Club on 9 May showed nearly a 15 per cent drop in anticipated income this year compared with 2010. As a result, the association has made comparable cuts in its 2011 expenses. The HPA’s estimated income for 2011 is £1,041,500, down from last year’s £1,203,079. Budgeted expenditure is £988,867, a drop from £1,155,153 in 2010. This would give a profit of £52,633 – provided there is no more bad news on the economic front. The reduction in income is due largely to another drop in the association’s profit from its Cartier International Day. In 2009 International
Day produced £215,656, but this reduced sharply to £181,374 last year as recessionary trends hit corporate hospitality. The 2011 budget has cautiously anticipated profits from the Cartier International next month at only £150,000. Cartier’s contract for sponsoring the HPA’s International Day ends this year and the HPA could be faced with somewhat of a financial crisis in 2012, as finding a new sponsor might not be easy unless the economic climate improves. Stewards have suggested that James Turner, sponsorship and marketing manager at host club Guards, and Andrew Tucker, chef d’equipe of the England team, might be best placed to market International Day to potential new sponsors, but no terms of reference have been decided. The HPA has not budgeted for any donation to the Polo Charity Trust, the fund that can be used as an association reserve for developing polo as well as contributing to charitable causes. There was no donation last year either, but the Trust fund currently stands at £1,248,889. In another move to cut costs, the HPA will not finance an England team for this year’s 14-goal World Cup of
Cartier International Day profits £250,000
£215,656
£200,000
£181,374
£150,000 (predicted)
2010
2011
£150,000 £100,000 £50,000
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£0
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HPA total balance sheets
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2009
Profits from the HPA’s International Day at Guards are dipping due mainly to reduced corporate hospitality
£1,200,000
£1,203,079
£1,041,500
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2010
News the Federation of International Polo (FIP). David Woodd, the HPA’s chief executive, estimated that association funding of the England team for the FIP competition, assuming England qualifies in the European zone playoffs in Italy and goes on to play for the World Cup in Argentina, would hit the budget with at least £60,000. Instead England will be represented by a patron-led, pro-am England team fielded by HPA steward Richard Britten-Long, chairman of Cirencester Park Polo Club. Britten-Long’s son Nick is a 2-goal player, so would be eligible to play in the FIP championships. Details are yet to be agreed. HPA budget cuts for 2011 also include HPA Junior Polo, down from £39,389 to £10,000, and the grant to the Schools and Universities Polo Association (SUPA), down from £26,000 to £15,000. The Council briefly considered the association’s proposed new Home Grown Player (HGP) rule currently under study by a working group [see page 8 of May’s Polo
Meanwhile, the HPA is not alone with problems in offering protection to home-grown high-goal athletes. The US Polo Association (USPA) has dropped plans to apply its “UScitizen player” rule to the top level of high-goal polo, its 26-goal tournaments, in 2012. “We simply do not have enough homegrown players of the right handicaps for the rule to work at this level,” said USPA chairman Tom Biddle. “So the board of governors decided at our April meeting to keep the status quo.” In 20-goal polo, the USPA requires that every team include at least one US citizen in its playing line-up in addition to the team patron if he or she happens to be American. For example, under the US-citizen rule, 12 American professionals, handicapped from four to nine goals, found berths on the nine teams competing for the 20-goal Iglehart Cup at International Polo Club Palm Beach this year. By contrast there were only six US-citizen pros on the 12 teams in the 26-goal US Open
HPA Development Committee chairman Simon Tomlinson is strongly advocating the introduction of a rule that requires one home-grown player in every 22-goal team
new 2011 directive requires all clubs to provide the HPA office with contact details of all their players including postal and email addresses, which would allow the office to send important information direct to players rather than through the clubs. If communications through the clubs does not improve by the end of this season, according to Council notes, the HPA may consider initiating direct membership for players rather than club-based membership. The Council took note of the USPA’s forthcoming rule governing the wearing of Cartier International Day profitsprotective headgear. From 2012 any player competing in USPA-sanctioned tournaments must wear a helmet that passes poloChampionship. Just as in the British Open, the £215,656 specific tests of America’s National Operating vast majority of professionals in the US Open £181,374 £150,000 Committee for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE). were Argentine. (predicted) The USPA has been encouraging On this side of the Atlantic, English pros manufacturers to design new helmets that are faring even worse in England’s 22-goal would pass the NOCSAE tests before the tournaments. With team patrons preferring to association’s new rule kicks in next year. The hire Argentines, there are only seven English HPA will wait to see how the USPA scheme players, handicapped between two and seven works before deciding whether to test helmets goals, in the 16 teams competing for the on sale in the UK, possibly in 2013. When the Queen’s Cup this month. 2009 2011 HPA last tested helmets here three years ago, In other business, the HPA2010 Council heard they fared worse for protection than other that the association is looking to improve equestrian headgear. F communications with its playing members. A
The HPA has decided not to finance an England side for this year’s FIP Polo World Cup, so the country is instead to be represented by a privately funded patron-led team £250,000 Times]. The adoption of an HGP rule was approved by a show of hands, but opinions £200,000 differed as to how it should be written. The higher rated English pros have argued £150,000 for the HPA to rewrite the rule to require one HGP in every 22-goal team, regardless of £100,000 the player’s handicap. This would in principal create more job opportunities for the£50,000 country’s top professionals as well as its lower-rated pros. Support for this formula came from £0 steward Simon Tomlinson, chairman of the HPA’s Development Committee and father of English 7-goal pros Luke and Mark.
HPA total balance sheets
£1,500,000 £1,200,000
£1,203,079
£1,041,500
£1,155,153
2010 2011 (predicted)
£988,867
£900,000 £600,000 £300,000 £0
£52,633
£47,926 Income
Expenditure
Profit
The figures from the total HPA budget show a marked reduction in total income, but the HPA’s plans to cut their spending mean they are actually predicting a bigger profit this year
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Third Polo in the Park gets a busy June underway THE HURLINGHAM CLUB in London hosted the official press launch of MINT Polo in the Park 2011 on a bright sunny weekday morning early last month. Six “international” teams will be taking part in the tournament this year, held from 3-5 June. Much of the press focused on pregnant Jodie Kidd, the event’s ambassador, who arrived in an official Harrods horse-drawn carriage in front of the Hurlingham Club. While more than 25 photographers eagerly snapped away, representatives from each team – London, New York, Sydney, Abu Dhabi, Buenos Aires and Moscow – joined Jodie on the stage. This included Jack Richardson for Moscow, Henry Brett for New York and Jodie’s partner Andrea Vianini for Abu Dhabi. She then drew the teams out of a bowl to decide the schedule of the tournament. On the opening day, “City Friday”, English trio Jack Richardson, Ed Hitchman and Tom Morley, who are representing Moscow, will
Aside from polo, the event offers trade stands, food stalls and drinking holes play Sydney in the first game, and defending champions New York – featuring the unchanged lineup of Jack Kidd, Henry Brett and Jamie Morrison – faces Abu Dhabi.
The Hurlingham witnessed a good old fashioned media scrum as the paparazzi battled for the best position
Jodie’s partner Andrea Vianini appears on the Abu Dhabi teamsheet, alongside former Argentine Open winner Piki Diaz Alberdi and Arabic patron Mohammed Al Habtoor. In the third and final game on the opening day, London face Buenos Aires. Ryan Pemble, Sebastian Dawnay and James Harper will represent the home team, while Oscar Mancini and Nico and Lucas Talamoni will play for Buenos Aires. The last set of league games take place on the Saturday, Ladies Day, before Sunday’s finalists are decided.
Aside from the polo, which is being coordinated by Berkshire’s Louisa Dawnay, the three-day event also offers a large number of trade stands, food stalls and drinking holes. New this year is The Mahiki Bar, The Punch Bowl Pub, The Harrods Food Court and an even bigger Veuve Clicquot Champagne Garden. w A full list of teams and the schedule of play can be found on the tournament pages of Polo Times, and a full report will follow in the July issue of the magazine
Ranelagh unveil dedicated pony pool RANELAGH FARM CELEBRATED Easter Sunday by christening their new pony pool, believed to be the first dedicated pool for ponies to cool down in after exercise in the UK. Roy Moed and his wife Yvette, who own Ranelagh Farm Polo Club – now provisionally affiliated to the HPA – designed the pool to be exactly 1.2 metres deep with a “roadway” through the middle, and it was Roy – along with polo manager Oscar Mancini and groom Lesley Drinn – that gave the ponies their inaugural refreshing dip on a hot April’s afternoon. 12
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Lesley Drinn and Roy Moed took their ponies for a well earned dip in Ranelagh’s new pool during a hot April day
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Dubai honoured at the Audi Awards MORE THAN 350 guests descended on Coworth Park on Monday 16 May for the sixth annual Audi Polo Awards. It was the first year the event has moved out of central London and it did so to great acclaim, fittingly relocating from the Hilton on Park Lane to a marquee beside Coworth’s number one field. Hosted with great flair by Australian Hamish McLachlan, the 15 awards were presented throughout the evening while guests – including
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w THE QUEEN’S CUP is underway at Guards Polo Club. This year 16 teams are taking part, including last year’s winners Dubai. The final takes place on Sunday 12 June. Contact Guards for tickets. See www.polotimes.co.uk for the latest news and results. w BRAZIL HAS NAMED its team to play England for the Coronation Cup at Guards on Cartier International Day on 24 July. Eight-goaler Rodrigo Andrade is joined by Joao Paulo Ganon (8), José Eduardo Kalil (6) and Luiz Paulo Bastos (7), forming an impressive 29-goal side. England are yet to name their four-man team.
It was the first year the event moved out of central London and it did so to great acclaim Adolfo Cambiaso, Urs Schwarzenbach and Lord Patrick Beresford – enjoyed a three-course dinner provided by The Dorchester. Dubai, in particular, had a very successful evening, picking up four of the awards. They were named most outstanding high-goal team, while the team’s patron Rashid Albwardy received the most outstanding high-goal patron award. Cambiaso, who is playing for the team again this season, was named most outstanding high-goal player and his pony, Dolfina Caridad, won the most outstanding high-goal pony award. The Brits also swept up a few awards, including young two-goaler Matthew Perry, who was named most outstanding low-goal player. He is playing
News in brief
English two-goaler Matt Perry won the most outstanding low-goal player award at Coworth Park last month
for Jean Francois Decaux’s La Bamba De Areco team this season, having won the 18-goal Victor Ludorum with Black Bears in 2010. PT cover star James Beim won the most outstanding British professional honours and pregnant Nina Clarkin once again won most outstanding lady player award. Heiko Voelker’s Tchogan won the most outstanding arena team, based on the 2009/2010 arena season. The HPA lifetime achievement awards this year went to Buff Crisp and Alan Budgett.
w LYNT POLO CLUB will be hosting a Horses Help Heroes tournament from 18-26 June. The event will help raise money for the Horses Help Heroes charity, which functions under the umbrella of Help for Heroes. To enter a team or buy a ticket (£10 per car), contact Charlotte Verdon on charlotte@lyntpoloclub.com. w GUARDS POLO CLUB will host the Laureus Polo Cup on Saturday 26 June, for the first time in its sevenyear history. Formerly held at Ham, the event brings together some of the world’s best players, including Adolfo Cambiaso and Eduardo Heguy. It raises money for the Fundacion Laureus Argentina, which helps disadvantaged youngsters through sport. A lunch will be held before the game. Contact Emma Chesworth – emma.chesworth@laureus.com.
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Aiming high < CIRENCESTER: the new < Cirencester Polo Academy has already attracted 30 members, most of whom are new to the game. OLO IN KAZAKHSTAN: the < PCentral Asian country is building its first polo club. Kokpar – a traditional game similar to polo where a goat carcass is used instead of a ball – has been played in the country for years. OLO in morocco: < PQuintessentially Estates have taken polo to Morocco with a brand new development called The Address. See page 72 for more details. WEDDING: a number of < RtheOYAL polo fraternity turned out for William and Kate’s big day – see page 84 to find out who.
Swinging low = EACH POLO GUESTS: the = Bsemi-finals of the Paspaley Beach Polo Festival in Australia were disrupted when a car crashed through the VIP marquee. The driver has been charged with criminal damage and endangering other lives. He was due to appear before court at the end of May. CUP: this = CyearORONATION will be the last year that Cartier will be sponsoring the International Day at Guards. However, all is not lost for Guards as the luxury jewellers have signed a three-year sponsorship deal for the Queen’s Cup. sponsorship: = PtheOLO Hurtwood Polo Masters was cancelled for the second consecutive year after failing to attract a sponsor. At the time of going to press, the Beaufort Test Match between England and New Zealand was also without a title sponsor, but will still going ahead on 19 June.
Photograph by Adam Finer
milford haven: = CnotLare only did her side fail to make
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it to the British Ladies Open Championship final, but the widely-recognised lady player and Polo Times columnist also fell and knocked herself out during the semi-finals, keeping her on the sidelines for 10 days. Polo Times, June 2011
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USA and Mexico first to qualify for FIP World Cup THE FIRST SET of qualifiers for the FIP World Cup took place in May. The Zone A qualifiers were held in the Dominican Republic, where five teams battled it out to win one of the two places available in their zone. The Polo World Cup takes place on 10-22 October in San Luis, Argentina. The USA, Canada and Guatemala were pitted against each other for the first leg of the Zone A qualifiers, where the USA claimed the first place in the World Cup. Mexico saw off the Dominican Republic in the second leg to claim the second place. Defending FIP World Cup champions Chile, in blue, qualify automatically As host country, Argentina for this autumn’s tournament in Argentina, as do the hosts automatically qualifies for the 14-goal Polo Club – are hosting the Zone D qualifiers from tournament, as does Chile, who won the last FIP 10-24 June. Australia, New Zealand, Nigeria, World Cup in 2008. South Africa, Malaysia, India and Pakistan will The Zone B qualifiers take place from 20-25 battle it out between as each aims to bag one of June in Brazil, from which only one of Brazil, the three World Cup slots available. Uruguay, Colombia and Peru will qualify. Brazil The last set of qualifiers, Zone C, will be held were the losing finalists at the World Cup in 2008, at Villa a Sesta in Italy from 22 September to 2 and the winners in 1995, 2001 and 2004, and so October. The teams haven’t been decided but it will be favourites to qualify again later this month. is thought that Italy, France, Spain, Germany, The Three Malaysian clubs – Royal Pahang Polo Netherlands and England will participate. Club, Putrajaya Equestrian and Royal Selangor
Is your ex-racehorse worthy of an award? RETRAINING OF RACEHORSES (RoR) has launched the first RoR Heart Awards. Separate to the big-money RoR Polo Awards, the new prizes are open to owners of registered RoR exracehorses, who can nominate their horses for four separate awards.
The RoR “Heart Throb” award will be judged on a horse’s condition and good looks The RoR “Biggest Heart” award will be given to the horse that has proved itself to have an all round good temperament. The RoR “Heart Throb” award will be judged on the horse’s general condition and good looks. The RoR “Heart Stopper” award will go to a horse that has overcome great adversity rising to challenges of starting a new career. And the final award, the RoR
“Healthy Heart” award, will be for a horse that has shown itself fit enough in body and spirit to adapt across many equine disciplines. “The 2011 RoR Heart Awards are a fun way to recognise the special bond, passion and great achievements of some of the thousands of ex-racehorses that are lovingly re-homed and retrained each year,” said Di Arbuthnot, director of RoR operations. “We hear some great success stories from riders and we hope that by running our campaign through Facebook and our website, we will get people talking passionately about the rewards of owning an ex-racehorse.” If you feel you and your horse have the passion to be a winner of a RoR Heart Award, email entries to awards@ror.org.uk before 1 June. The final four winners will be decided by an online poll, at www. ror.org.uk, and announced on 5 July. The winners will each receive a trophy and horse blanket, plus £100 worth of feed from Baileys Horse Feeds. www.polotimes.co.uk
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Wooldridge family raise more than £30,000 THANDI WOOLDRIDGE AND her sister-in-law Julie Wooldridge conquered the Deep Rock Belfast marathon at the beginning of May, helping raise money for the Mourne Mountain Rescue team. Thandi’s husband, Ian, died in a helicopter crash along with Guards CEO Charlie Stisted last October. The rescue team were the first people to approach the scene. Thandi ran the 26.2 miles in four hours and 11 minutes, while her son Rhett and other family members took part in a three-mile fun run on the same day. At the time of going to press, between them they had raised an incredible £31,413 for the mountain rescue organisation. This includes the £26,000 they have raised so far through their Just Giving page (www.justgiving.com/twelveoaks), gift aid and offline donations. Right: Sophie Castley runs alongside Tatty and Rhett Wooldridge in the fun run
Tally Ho to expand traditional RCBPC festival IN CELEBRATION OF the club’s 25th year anniversary, the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club (RCBPC), is opening their gates free of charge on Saturday 6 August, for the finals of the Polo Festival. The festival runs for two weeks, from 25 July to 6 August, and hopes to attract more young and amateur teams than ever before. Tally Ho Farm equestrian shop and Martell Cognac have teamed up with the club to help make finals day a big hit with the public.
“As well as the polo on offer, there will also be entertainment for all the family,” said Tally Ho’s Chris Adkins. “We will have trade and countryfair stands offering local produce and traditional fairground activities such as a tombola.” As well as free entrance and parking, there will be picnic parking available and bespoke hospitality for those wishing to splash out. For more information about finals day, email events@rcbpoloclub.com
Player sets up new polo bloodstock venture ALICE GIPPS, photographer and zero-goal player, has set up the Polo Bloodstock Agency, sourcing quality ponies for clients, and providing advice on exports, transportation, insurance and after-sales care. The company offers a wide range of ponies from both Argentina and the UK, ranging from lowgoal schoolmasters through to high-goal ponies. Stallions and stallion services from bloodlines such as Polo Nevadito, Vasco Chamuyo and Optimum are also available. Each horse is viewed and tried before being advertised through the website (www. polobloodstockagency.com), with detailed descriptions, photos and videos where possible. The aim of the agency is to save buyers’ time and, according to Alice’s new website, to www.polotimes.co.uk
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“provide honest, independent pony evaluation for both Alice Gipps buyers and sellers”. The launch of the agency marks a bold new venture for the well-known photographer, though Alice is likely to have gained plenty of experience through her long-term friendship with Aurora Eastwood, who runs her own stud farm selling numerous horses. As Polo Times went to press, the pair played together in the British Ladies Open, alongside Clare Milford Haven and Rosie Ross, but they failed to gain a place in the final after losing an incident-packed contest against Hoes Farm, led by Marianela Castagnola and Alice’s friend Sarah Wiseman.
Polo Times, June 2011
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News News in brief w BRITISH LADIES PLAYERS Sarah Wiseman, Sophie Heaton-Ellis, Georgina Brittain and Charlotte Sweeney will feature in the RollsRoyce Girls Only Polo Cup at Wallerstein Castle in Germany this month, from 17-19 June. w AUSTRALIA AND ENGLAND will meet twice at the British Beach Polo Championships in Sandbanks on 8-9 July. The two teams, captained by Glen Gilmore (Australia) and Jack Kidd (England), will provide the finale for both days. Last year England defeated South America. w THE HEATON-ELLIS TRUST Bicycle Polo Tournament takes place on Saturday 25 June at Frith Farm in Hampshire. This year 16 teams have entered. They will be split into four divisions; the winner of each qualifying for the knock-out stages. The event, now in its third year, starts at 11am and includes an asado after-party. Contact c.casson@btconnect.com. w GOVERNORS ISLAND IN New York will once again host the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic this year, on Sunday 5 June. Nacho Figueras and his Black Watch team will play a side put together by Rico Mansur in the exhibition match. Previous events have had up to 14,000 spectators, including a number of celebrities such as Prince Harry, Madonna and Kate Hudson. w HORACE LAFFAYE HAS published a new book, Polo in the United States: A History, which you will see is well received in our review by regular Polo Times columnist Arthur Douglas-Nugent on page 80. w CIRENCESTER POLO ACADEMY (CPA) hosted its first tournament at the end of May, all of which are graded from A to D – the equivalent to -8 to 2 goal – and are held in an instructional environment. CPA has also teamed up with fitness expert Gus Olds who will be training the academy team throughout the season as well as assisting full Cirencester Park members. w NEW HIGH-GOAL SIDE Richard Mille has released this publicity shot of the Queen’s Cup hopefuls.
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Latest from the HPA HPA chief executive David Woodd rounds up the news from UK polo’s headquarters Test Match The St Regis International Test Match between England and South America was played on Saturday 21 May at Cowdray Park Polo Club, while Polo Times was at the printers. England (27): Satnam Dhillon (7); Mark Tomlinson (7); James Beim (7); Malcolm Borwick (6) South America (29): Ignacio Laprida (7); José Donoso (7); Eduardo Novillo Astrada (9); Nacho Figueras (6) England Team sponsorship The HPA is delighted to announce that Audi are continuing their sponsorship of the England Team and of bursaries in Argentina. They will also be continuing their sponsorship of Junior HPA and Pony Club Polo. Lifetime Achievement Awards Buff Crisp and the late Alan Budgett were awarded Lifetime Achievement Awards at The Audi Polo Awards dinner on Monday 16 May. Cartier International 2011 Brazil (29): have nominated their team for the 2011 Cartier International as Rodrigo Andrade (8); Joao Paulo Ganon (8); Jose Eduardo Kalil (6); Luiz Paulo Bastos (7). HPA affiliated clubs are eligible to block-book discounted tickets before Friday 24 June. These can be purchased from the Guards Polo Club ticket office. Club affiliations The Stewards have agreed that Tang Polo Club in
China and Bluey’s Farm near Maidenhead should be granted provisional affiliation. Insurance A summary of the HPA’s Members Liability Insurance cover is set out on page 388 of the Blue Book. It is the responsibility of all associate members to satisfy themselves that the insurance provided through the HPA is sufficient for their polo activities and meets their appetite for risk management. It is also the members responsibility to take out concurrent or additional insurance as they think desirable. Junior HPA For information on Junior HPA this season please see the HPA website (www.hpa-polo.co.uk). The schedule for Junior HPA matches this season will be available to view from the beginning of June. Retraining of Racehorses The Retraining of Racehorses charity is once again awarding prizes to retrained racehorses at low, medium and high-goal level. In order to qualify, a pony must have raced in the UK and be registered with both the HPA and ROR. For more information please see the ROR website www.ror.org.uk. Dates for the diary Wednesday 8 June 10am – Coaching seminar for HPA qualified coaches and instructors, RCBPC Monday 13 June 10am – Mid-season Handicap Meeting, Sunningdale Park Hotel Wednesday 22 June 10.30am – Stewards meeting, Cavalry & Guards
Polo Times loves... …traditional English Willow polo hampers. PH Coate & Son have over a century of experience in growing willow on the Somerset Levels and handcrafting high-quality, elegant baskets. Strong yet lightweight, these hampers are ideally suited to hold all your polo accessories – knee pads, boots, helmets, horse bandages, and bridles, though not your full-length sticks. Whether buying for yourself or as a gift, this hamper will be a treasured possession or even an heirloom. Available with or without battening and hide, the company also offers a full bespoke basket service. For more details, visit www.englishwillowbaskets.co.uk. www.polotimes.co.uk
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Obituary
HH Maharajah of Jaipur 1931-2011 Herbert Spencer recalls the life of “Bubbles”, polo player, war hero and diplomat, who was India’s last titular head of a princely state
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But the former rulers iven the have continued to use champagne their titles. lifestyle of his The new maharajah family, the nickname saw action in the Bubbles could not have Indo-Pak War of 1971, been more appropriate leading commandos for His Highness The in strikes deep into Maharajah of Jaipur who Pakistan territory. He died on 17 April, aged 79. Maharajah of Jaipur was awarded India’s Sawai Bhawani Singh second highest gallantry Bahadur was born on 22 medal, became commandant October 1931 to Sawai Man Singh of the Presidential Bodyguard II, Maharajah of Jaipur from 1911, and was promoted to brigadier. and Marudhar Kanwar of Jodhpur. Later he served as India’s High The long-awaited birth of a male Commissioner in Brunei. heir was celebrated with countless A heart condition forced magnums of champagne, which Bubbles to give up polo, but he prompted the child’s English nanny remained active in the sport. He to nickname him Bubbles. was an enthusiastic supporter In the days of the British Raj, the of the Federation of International family was immensely wealthy. After India’s independence, however, they Polo (FIP) from its inception in 1982. When the FIP inaugurated moved with the times, turning some its 14-goal World Championship in of their palaces into luxury hotels. The reigning maharajah, “Jai”, was a 1987, it was he who donated the impressive Polo World Cup trophy nine-goal polo player, the country’s for which the championships most successful competitor. are still played. He was an FIP Bubbles went to Harrow School in England and became, like his father, honorary ambassador and honorary vice-president of the a polo player. When Jai died in 1970 after a polo Indian Polo Association. Bubbles is survived by his accident at Cirencester Park Polo wife and daughter. His grandson, Club, Bubbles became maharajah 12-year-old Kumar Padmanabh – just three months before Indira Singh, has assumed the title Ghandi abolished the privileges and Maharajah of Jaipur. privy purses of all the princely states.
Photograph by Guarav Chand
The Maharajah of Jaipur (far right) remained an enthusiastic supporter of the game
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the
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Anxious and alert Polo Times likes this shot because of the way that, by shooting in a studio and stripping away the usual rural background, self-taught photographer Mark Harvey distinctly captures the personalities of the horses, as well as their interaction with the groom that stands between them, Dardo Segura. Together, with the traditional Argentine headcollars and Seguraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s boinas hat, the photo also conveys plenty of Southern American character, though the horses are those of Suffolk-based private club, Carlton House, whose owner commissioned the shoot. â&#x2014;&#x2014; Mark Harvey photographs both horses and dogs, with or without their owners in every discipline. See more of his work and background at www.markharvey.com or get in touch with him on 07973 622286
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19/5/11 13:36:52
Comment
Backchat with Clare Milford Haven
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s it really true that most players perform certain rituals before a game or is this just hearsay? Certainly, it is well known that Lolo Castagnola always rides into the game from inside the goals posts and always wears the same sweater to Palermo, as well as keeping his wallet in his back pocket throughout the game. For other players, apparently the choice of underwear is a big thing. Lucky undies and special socks are known to be a key factor in pre-game dressing as is the choice of music in the car on the way to the ground. Polo Times’s sports psychologist Miranda Banks explains the necessity for these repetitive habits: “What you are trying to achieve is consistency of positive performance. “Therefore by performing the same ‘rituals’ before each game, you automatically go into the zone
and it gets your mind focused. The single greatest predictor of positive performance is the perception of being prepared – everything from the gear to the order that things are done, and that includes deciding who is allowed in your space and who is not.” I would welcome feedback from any players about their personal pre-match rituals – from the very regular to the bizarre. But keep them printable please! On the subject of preparing for games, what should we all be eating before playing and how long before a game should we eat? Most sports nutritionists applaud the benefits of slow release carbohydrates such as whole grain pasta and bread, beans and pulses but generally pasta makes people feel sleepy, stodgy and more in need of a siesta than an hour spent haring around the polo field. One thing for sure is that all players should studiously avoid eating anything that might be
Photograph by James Mullan
With the season now in full swing it’s time to fine tune your pre-match ritual
Lolo Castagnola famously plays at Palermo with his wallet tucked in his back pocket
bribing the children to wake up at 5am are all underhand tactics to look out for. And finally, reverting back to the underwear department for
Lucky undies, special socks and music are known to be key factors in pre-game rituals in danger of ‘repeating’ later on in the game – no kippers, anchovies, pate, onions, chili or garlic (the latter of course being very antisocial for close contact in ride-offs and throw-ins!). Likewise I can see a curry causing potential problems. Beware too of potential sabotage from opposing teammates the night before a big game. Encouraging drinking, doctoring of food, chatting up the wife, and 20
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a moment, does everyone suffer from chafed thighs? I was more than a little amused to witness my husband squeezing into a pair of polo skins the other day before a game – shall we say, a bit more Robin Hood than Rudolph Nureyev. However, he had the last laugh as after three weeks back in the saddle, my inner thighs are
as rough as sandpaper. I am a convert and I will certainly be adding skins to my ritual list along with my ‘bed of nails’, lucky charms, Rihanna CD…. the list is endless; its a miracle I even get to the game at all. F w Do you have any eccentric pre-match rituals? Let us know by sending an email to letters@polotimes.co.uk w Read more “Backchat” from Clare at www.polotimes.co.uk
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20/5/11 17:02:21
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20/5/11 11:54:41
Comment
Global view with Herbert Spencer
Umpires must become stricter to help stamp out unappealing player antics
Photograph by Tony Ramirez of ImagesOfPolo.com
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suspect that few if any of the HPA’s professional umpires have ever played serious snooker, much less officiated at the green baize table. To referee the more sedate sport takes just as keen an eye as umpiring polo, but what a holiday it would be for our harassed umpires. I’ve only played snooker a few times and I have never attended a professional match, but it is the only sport I really enjoy watching on TV. Snooker appeals to me because of the precision with which a professional player can hit the cue ball in such a way as to sink one of the coloured spheres into a pocket and leave the white in just the right position for his next shot. I’ve admired the great characters of this other stick and ball game, from the mercurial Alex “Hurricane” Higgins of the 1970s and 80s to my current favourite, Ronnie “The Rocket” O’Sullivan. Imagine the adrenalin flowing in the pressure of a championship final, albeit of a different sort from polo. But one very rarely sees a player challenging a referee’s decision and then only with a quietly spoken query. I once even saw Peter Ebdon calling a foul on himself in a big match, a foul neither the referee nor his opponent had spotted. A real “gentleman’s game” is snooker. By contrast, the great American humorist Will Rogers, a very aggressive polo player himself, once quipped: “They call it [polo] a gentleman’s game for the same reason they call a tall man “Shorty”.” One of my problems is that I am not really a sports journalist. I did report on a few events during the 1960 Rome Olympics including the gold medal triumphs 22
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Dubai’s Rashid Alwardy (left) and Adolfo Cambiaso (back) raise their arms to appeal for a decision in last year’s Gold Cup final
of an 18-year-old boxer by the name of Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr and the young yachtsman Crown Prince Constantine of Greece. I got into reporting on polo matches through the back door, so to speak, having first
Polo’s umpires should stick strictly to the rules of the game as they are written been attracted to the sport by the celebrity of some of the sport’s adherents. Clearly I don’t possess the veteran sports writer’s knack for delving into the personalities of leading sportsmen, finding out what makes them tick.
For example, I don’t fully understand the attitudes of some of polo’s top professionals regarding the rules of the game and their sportsmanship or lack thereof which I referred to in my April column. On the one hand the pros are invariably quoted as saying a match was “fun” (“fun” is the most overworked word in the sport). On the other hand some seem prepared to do anything to bend if not break the rules. Sadly, whenever I’ve asked one of the leading pros what he thinks of a new rule – one which may not be popular with everyone – I almost always get the reply: “We’ll think of a way to get around it.” So how do they “get around” the clearly written and long standing HPA rule that a player
may not appeal for a foul with his stick? Quite simply, the HPA umpires often turn a blind eye. Why? Officials have told me that it is “instinctive” for a player to raise his stick high in the air to warn off an opponent he thinks is about to commit a foul. Instinct be damned. The fact is that the raised stick more often than not comes after, not before, an alleged foul in a clear attempt to get the umpires’ attention. As in snooker, polo’s umpires should stick strictly by the rules of the game as they are written. Let’s have no more appealing with the stick, an unnecessarily unattractive sight for spectators. Or just drop that prohibition from the rules. F w Read more from Herbert at www.polotimes.co.uk www.polotimes.co.uk
20/5/11 17:34:41
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20/5/11 11:59:55
Comment
Umpire’s corner with Arthur Douglas-Nugent
We must learn from Argentine mistakes and impose discipline for whole season
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e have now discussed the imposition of stricter discipline on the players by the umpires in the Argentine, having reserved our judgement until the end of their season. By all accounts the new regime started well but as the season wore on the behaviour of the players became progressively worse until, by the time of the Open at Palermo, things were almost back to square one. I am reminded of the prayer of Sir Francis Drake which reads: “There must be a beginning and an end of any greater matter, but the continuing unto the end until it is thoroughly finished yields the true glory.” Thus, as all things are relative we must continue to impose the new levels of discipline until the end of our season. Respect is key As the football season draws to a close, and this will be the last mention of the sport – if you can call it that – until next season, my eye was caught by a comment by a senior manager. “Why wasn’t I asked about the referee?” Because, he continues: “That was probably the best refereeing performance by any official since I returned to the game. There was no hassle and
the English language is not up to scratch – sadly this does not only include those for whom English is a second language.
Umpires must take heed of Sir Francis Drake’s advice and “continue unto the end”
no aggressiveness against him, he talks to the players, he has a smile on his face and is respected.” Take from that what you will, but the key is at the end summed up in the word “respect”. Test updates For the last few years it has been a condition that those with an S handicap have to pass the Rules Test and be confirmed by
We must impose strict discipline until the end of the season their club as being sufficiently experienced to advance to minus-two. Only then can they play matches at other clubs. This ruling has now been extended to
the Pony Club, which is excellent. It has happily led to many more taking the test which now may be conducted by the club under supervision with the papers, for the most part, being corrected by a regional chief umpire. The umpires are still encouraged to visit clubs in their region from time to time to see how things are going and offer any required advice. We have made it a rule that those handicapped S or minus-two may not take the umpire test except with a strong recommendation from their club as they, by definition, should not be called on to umpire a match until gaining in age and experience. The tests this year have been configured on a multiple choice system to aid those whose command of
Mixed progress It has taken time, but the Professional Umpire Group is now a cohesive whole with a growing international representation – so much so that when it’s members are called on their mobile the first question is “where are you?”. The second or A Group is not such a happy story. The idea is to have a similar cohesive and organised group of those able to umpire important matches at the behest of clubs up and down the country. There are all sorts of reasons and restraints why this has not worked (such as playing or club umpiring commitments and lack of centralised control et cetera). As a first and most important step we have appointed Roddy Matthews (mobile 07798 821309) to run the group and secondly we have attempted to reduce numbers so those on the list make a positive commitment. Some of the same restraints will still apply but we see this as an important step forward and hope that clubs will benefit. F w Read more from Arthur at www.polotimes.co.uk
Play goes on until the whistle blows… This month’s puzzle You are the umpire; jot down the incidents which may occur in a match which would cause you to stop play immediately.
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Last month’s solution Name the circumstances in which a team can play with three players. The most obvious occasion is when a player is sent off for a chukka or a whole match under Rules 10a or 10b. However a team may also start a match with three players if one of their players is late or seriously indisposed and a substitute is not readily available. But beware as the team handicap must still fall within the handicap limits of the tournament. Thus if a minus-one or minus-two is late that team cannot play, much as it would probably like to. www.polotimes.co.uk
19/5/11 13:59:42
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28-May 29-May
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-4 – 0
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4–6
02-Jul 03-Jul
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23-Jul
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0 - 8 Goal
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Chairman’s Cup
0-4
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Alpha Suisse
27-Aug 28-Aug
Corney & Barrow Cup
-4 – 0
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Club Tournament
-6 - -2
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-4 – 0
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-2 - 2
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Comment
Your views
Letters letters@polotimes.co.uk or The Editor, Polo Times, East End Farm, North Leigh, Oxon OX29 6PX Please include your postal address or nearest town on all Letters to the Editor
Nowhere for our young talent to go Sir, I read with interest the reports regarding the HPA proposal to help English professional players compete for employment with foreign professionals. This is a proposal which should have been addressed 15 years ago when first mentioned, if not officially, certainly unofficially, to the HPA. The reason it was always refuted by the HPA, was because in their opinion it was not the HPA’s job to ensure work for English professionals, they had to find their own work in a free market. This is all very well if it is a genuine free market, which is not the case in polo. In the main, high-goal patrons employ high-goal Argentine players to play and organize their high-goal teams. Given the choice between young Argentine players or young English players, there is no choice. Argentines look after their own by telling the patron, if you want to win, you must have Argentine players. The problem for the HPA is high-goal polo is now dominated by foreign players, but more worryingly, the lower levels are now going in the same direction. With 100 foreign players allowed by the existing EU rules, if nothing is done, the lower levels will soon be in the same position as high-goal. Premier League football is a very good example. Teams are dominated 26
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Letter of the month British ladies scaling the heights in Argentina Sir, Having spent a large percentage of the last five years in Argentina, I have been lucky enough to be part of the development of what is essentially a new aspect of the sport here. The growth of the internet and social networking sites, as well as the increase of publicity and sponsorship, has meant that players have been able to join together to create a large network that continues to grow here. Over the “high” and “low” seasons, the Ladies Polo Tour has grown to include 20 tournaments all over the country – counting La Aguada, the Association grounds and even Palermo as venues. Simultaneously, the organisation of the sport has become increasingly professional, with the Ladies Polo Tour, “El Cardo Polo” and “Las Marias” forming the three main forces. As of one year, tournaments have been run under the new ladies-specific handicap system, as sanctioned by the Argentine Polo Association. This rates players between 0 to 10, with 0 equating to -2, 1 to -1, 0 to 2 and 1 to 4 etc. As with all major changes, it took time for the rules and ratings to be corrected and established, but has essentially been hailed as a success. Its main advantage is its ability to differentiate between lower-goal players due to the lack of minus handicaps here and hence create fairer teams. If any of your readers are interested in learning more about ladies polo in Argentina, they can look at the website www.ladiespolotour.com.ar., or email me annabelmcnd@gmail.com Various English players are rated and indeed make up half of the top handicaps – Nina Vestey sharing the highest handicap (of nine) with Sunny Hale. England’s talent was well demonstrated with victory over the Argentine squad in the first “Test Match” at Centauros in 2009. This year saw success for many English girls here, with names such as Hazel Jackson, Heloise Lorentzen and Sophie Kyriazi making the most of the high levels of polo on offer. Lia Salvo, Marianela Castagnola and Mumy Bellande were perhaps the prevailing players of the year, but noticeably an increasing number of younger players are ascending the ranks and the players’ organisation and pony power continues to push new boundaries. Who knows – perhaps England will soon boast the first ladies 10-goaler? Annabel McNaught-Davis, London The writer of the Letter of the month wins a bottle of La Chamiza Argentine red wine
Polo Times subscriber George Smith believes now is the time for action for the HPA’s main men, Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers (left) and David Woodd (right)
by very well-paid foreign players, which is wonderful for spectators as the standard of play is so high. Does it help home grown players? No. Does it help the English National team? No. The performance of England in the last World Cup
was a prime example. No one disputes the undoubted talents that foreign players bring to our domestic polo, but do we have to be dominated by them? I was interested that Nick Colquhoun-Denvers said the new proposals were aimed at
the training of young players, to produce better players not job security. What is the point in producing better young players when there is no chance of them ever making the top grade because the system does not allow it? Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers is a very good chairman who understands polo from all levels of the game, and David Woodd an excellent chief executive and this must be a good opportunity for the HPA to save our sport from total domination by foreign players. Please, no more talking about it, lets have legislation before the lower levels of our game goes the same way as high-goal. Don’t leave it for another 15 years. George Smith Salisbury, Wiltshire www.polotimes.co.uk
20/5/11 12:01:18
Your views
Comment
Promising start for spectators Sir, I have not gone into detail as to how the new rules are working in high-goal in my report from the Trippetts Challenge [page 38], as it’s early days and I imagine this will become a hot topic for your columnists and reporters as the season unfolds. However, on the evidence of the games I saw at Trippetts and Cowdray in May,
it seems as though the effect so far is to produce a quieter, more open spectacle. I saw few raised sticks, I heard little noise and there was little “fiddling about”. As the main 22-goal tournaments get under way, let’s hope this continues. Yolanda Carslaw Peaslake, Surrey
John wins swing vote Sir, I found John Horswell’s analysis of this summer’s highgoal season to come fascinating (“You have to be in it to win it”, p34 May issue). John brings his expert knowledge of horses, many years of experience playing the game and general knowledge of polo together to give a
professional insight for your readers. However, I’ve also heard him called the Sultan of Swing, and am wondering if this has something to do with his coaching prowess or is a coy reference to something rather more nefarious… Can anyone help me please? Jane Ward Northampton
Simon Keyte forgets to leave his ventriloquist’s mask at Coworth (see below, page 13 and pages 90-91)
Kiwi Keyte in flying form Sir, I very much enjoyed this year’s Audi Polo Awards. The change of venue seemed to invigorate the whole event and, in particular, it was equally refreshing to see Simon Keyte up on stage talking sense for a change! Having played on several successful teams with Simon down the years, I know as well as anyone that he is rarely short of anything to say, and so it was
interesting to see how he reacted when someone else took control. Indeed, thinking about it, that ventriloquist could come in useful next time I need to negotiate terms with my bank manager, patron, builder or, perhaps, even the HPA! You don’t have his number do you? Tom Morley Midhurst, West Sussex
Ricahrd has been working in polo for 18 years, is a qualified master saddler and highly specialised in fitting polo saddles. Jeannie has been seen for various years around polo fields all over the UK. Normally with her blue van, she can now be found with her yellow one. You can find many of the known brands that were carried before, and we have also found lots of new equipment for you to enjoy.
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20/5/11 12:01:31
Trophies
Photograph by Tony Ramirez
Feature
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19/5/11 13:43:30
Trophies
Feature
Silverware worth fighting for
With the Queen’s Cup underway and the centenary of the Coronation Cup next month, John O’Sullivan pays tribute to the most historic trophies of the English summer season while also running the rule over some of the newer cups on the scene Coronation Cup Cartier International Day at Guards Polo Club takes on added significance this year as England and Brazil go head to head in the centenary edition of the Coronation Cup. The format of the competition has changed significantly since the inaugural final in 1911. But one thing that has remained constant is that the magnificent King’s Coronation Cup has retained its place as one of the most coveted prizes in polo. The trophy – which cost £250 to make – was presented by the Ranelagh Club to commemorate the coronation of King George V. The first final in 1911 was won by the Indian Polo Association and thereafter the trophy was played for by the winners of the four major Open Cups of the day – the
Two years later, in 1953, the Coronation Cup did return. Cowdray Park hosted the first big post-war international, with teams from England, the USA, Argentina and Chile playing for the trophy. The event coincided with the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, who was among the 10,000-strong crowd in Sussex. The cup sat idle for 18 years after that until 1971, when it was played in a one-off international match between England and the USA. England have played for the Coronation Cup against an
Opposite page: the winning England team from last season’s Coronation Cup, which is also pictured below
The format of the Coronation Cup has changed through the years, but the magnificent trophy remains one of the most coveted prizes in polo
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international side every year since (except in 1992 and 1997 when they played the USA for the Westchester Trophy instead) as International Day at Guards has become an essential part of the English social calendar, particularly in recent years under the direction of the late Guards CEO, Charles Stisted. This year ushers in the 26th and final year of Cartier’s sponsorship of this particular event (see news). u
Photograph by Centaur
Hurlingham, the Ranelagh, the Roehampton and the Inter-Regimental. Barring an interlude for the Great War and a break in 1930, this format carried on until 1939. It is popularly believed that the first postwar Coronation Cup tournament took place in 1951, but famed polo historian Horace A Laffaye contends: “the 1951 contest between England and the Argentine team La Espadaña was for the Festival Cup, in connection with the Festival of Britain in that year”.
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Feature
Trophies
Gold Cup
The original Gold Cup was stolen from the house of the Earl of Brecknock in 1968 and was never recovered the first time. It was never recovered and was replaced for the 1969 season courtesy of the Martini International Club. The Gold Cup was launched as the
post-war successor to the Hurlingham Open and is undoubtedly the country’s premier high-goal tournament. The 1990 tournament saw a record 22 teams from around the world fight it out for the crown at Cowdray Park. 1991 witnessed the English debut of Adolfo Cambiaso, then 16, who won the title with Tramontana. In its 55-year history Nina Clarkin (née Vestey) is the only woman to have won the trophy, alongside her now-husband John Paul Clarkin for Hildon Sport in 2003.
Photograph by Steven Morris
u The British Open Championship for the Gold Cup – the flagship event of the English highgoal season – has seen two different trophies since its inauguration by the third Viscount Cowdray in 1956. The original Gold Cup was stolen from the house of the Earl of Brecknock in 1968 after his Pimms team won the tournament for
Photograph by Tony Ramirez
Queen’s Cup Standing at just 12.5cm tall and with a diameter of 16cm, the five-tiered silver Queen’s Cup is far from the largest trophy of the English summer season, but its understated elegance makes it one of the most stylish. Presented to Guards Polo Club by her majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1960, the
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competition to win the Queen’s Cup has become one of the focal points of the English high-goal season and, alongside the Gold Cup, is one every player wants their hands on. The cup bears the maker’s mark of famed Silversmiths the Barker brothers and was made using Chester silver. It carries the royal
coat of arms as well as the symbol of the English lion and the Scottish unicorn. The handles are decorated with acanthus leaves to represent enduring life and immortality. Below: Dubai patron Rashid Albwardy holds aloft the Queen’s Cup at Guards Polo Club last summer
19/5/11 13:43:51
Trophies
Feature
Warwickshire Cup The history of the Warwickshire Cup stretches back more than 115 years since it was originally presented to Warwickshire Polo Club in 1894 by the townspeople of Leamington. The cup was fought for annually until the Midlands club was dissolved in 1914. The tournament was then dormant for 19 years until Frank Hargreaves, the captain of the victorious 1913 Friz Hill team, presented
the trophy to Roehampton Polo Club in 1932. The Hargreaves Cup, as it became known during this period, was played for by Roehampton and Hurlingham up until the outbreak of the Second World War, when it was kept at the Hurlingham Club in London for safekeeping. In 1960 the cup was loaned to Cirencester Park, where it remains to this day as the final event of the British high-goal season. Photograph by Tony Ramirez
Spencer McCarthy’s Emlor won the Warwickshire Cup at Cirencester Park in 2010
as an international match between an Indian side and a team representing the rest of the world. The shield went into safekeeping in the Garrards vault during the war, where it remained until 1998 when used for the British World Championships high-goal tournament. In 2001, with the Queen’s Cup postponed because of foot and mouth, the Indian Empire Shield bolstered the English high-goal season. It has been held at Coworth ever since and is now played off 18 goals.
Roehampton Trophy
Caballus patron Bruce Merivale-Austin won the Indian Empire Shield in 2005 Photograph by Alice Gipps
Undoubtedly one of the most eye-catching trophies of the British season is the huge gold and silver Indian Empire Shield. Now an early season 18-goal staple at Coworth Park, the magnificent shield spent over half a century in safekeeping until bursting back onto the scene 12 years ago. Originally known as the Indian Princes Challenge Shield, the trophy – which includes etchings of Indian palaces, deities and animals – was presented to the Hurlingham in 1927 by Indian royalty. Until the Second World War it was played for
Photograph from Ham Polo Club
Indian Empire Shield
The Roehampton trophy (above), now played for at Ham Polo Club, is one of the oldest trophies still played for annually in England. The history of the 53cm-high silver trophy goes back to 1902 when it was donated to the newly formed Roehampton club by Mrs Alison Cunninghame of Craigends. Along with the Hurlingham, the Ranelagh and the Inter-Regimental Tournament, the Roehampton was one of the four major Opens of the pre-war era. After the demise of Roehampton Polo Club in 1955, the trophy moved to Ham, where it is now an eight-goal u tournament in August.
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Feature
Trophies
u
Polo in the Park
Photograph by James Mullan
The Polo in the Park trophy (left), launched two years ago, is quickly becoming one of the most recognisable of the summer season. Famed Silversmiths Thomas Lyte, who are official trophy partner for the event, created the “vase” trophy in their London workshop from a single flat sheet of silver in 2009. Thomas Lyte also recently created the 65cm tall Goldin Cup for the inaugural tournament at the Metropolitan Polo Club in Tianjin, China, in November 2010. They have since been commissioned to design two more trophies for the ambitious Asian club.
Photograph by Peter Hamblin
Gaucho International Another recent addition to the English polo scene is the Gaucho International at the O2 Arena, where England held aloft the Churchill Cup (right) in February. The trophy is based on the 10-foot tall, eight-tonne Warwick Vase, which was built for the Roman Emperor Hadrian and is now displayed in the Burrell Collection museum in Glasgow. The same design was previously used for the Grenfell Cup in 1910 and the Cup of the Americas, designed by Mappin & Webb in 1936.
Photograph by Tony Ramirez
St Moritz Snow Polo Established polo sponsors and trophy makers Asprey have cast their net far afield this year by creating two greatly differing snow polo trophies. The sterling silver trophy for the 27th St Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow final in January (left) was handcrafted in Asprey’s Bond Street workshop. Interestingly, the former St Moritz trophy, Cartier’s stunning Mallet D’Or, was awarded to the winners of the Cartier International Trophy in Dubai this year. Sticking to the snow theme, Asprey also created the crystal “icicle” trophy for the Metropolitan Polo Club’s snow polo tournament in February. This innovative trophy took over seven weeks to make. F
w With special thanks to Roger ChattertonNewman, Victoria Elsbury-Legg, Horace A Laffaye and David Woodd 32
Polo Times, June 2011
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333¢ 2� , , ** ( ¢ ¢-
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Feature
Crosse
Cotswold’s Lizzie Shearing, who will represent the UK Ladies World Cup team this July, goes to pass the ball to her teammate Luke Mathie in a National Championships game
over to the wild side
Photographs by SA Images
Qualifiers are underway worldwide for countries looking to book their place in this autumn’s FIP Polo World Cup but, as John Whitehead explains, polo is not the only ball sport on horseback with a 2011 World Cup to look forward to, and this one’s in the UK
P
olocrosse first started out 70 years ago as a training exercise in the National School of Equitation in London and wasn’t played competitively until two Australians transformed it into a sport. After holidaying in the UK, Edward Hirst and his wife took the exercise back to Australia and created polocrosse as it is known today. It wasn’t until some 50 years later that the sport
34
was brought to the UK through the enthusiasm of the Pony Club and a number of expatriate South Africans and Zimbabweans. Since then, Polocrosse has grown rapidly. Currently there are 450 members of the United Kingdom Polocrosse Association (UKPA), with many more young riders playing through their Pony Clubs. As the lead nation, with 119 clubs and a current membership of over 5300, Australia
won the right to host the first World Cup in 2003. From then on the sport has continued to grow across the world with competitive clubs existing in 14 different countries. In 2011 the Polocrosse World Cup will be held at Rugby Polo Club from 4-18 July. Teams from New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ireland and the USA will descend on the club to battle it out for a place on the winner’s podium.
Polo Times, June 2011
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Polocrosse in the UK
In 2007 the UK managed to defeat some of the strongest teams around but failed to beat Australia in the final. Maybe this year
Feature
circle in front of the goal. Unlike polo, the clock doesn’t stop when the umpire blows his whistle.
Many players, including some at the top, compete with just a single mount or enter in different teams with multiple horses the home team can prove themselves the worthy founders of world Polocrosse and lift the trophy on home soil.
The game As the name suggests, polocrosse is a combination of polo and lacrosse. The game is played on a grass field, 146.5m by 50m, and is divided into three areas: the larger midfield area and two goal-scoring areas. Similar to arena polo, there are six players on the field at any one time, three on each team. However, what is different to arena polo is that a club will field a team of six players, split into two sections, so that whilst one section plays a chukka, the other watches and rests their horse. Players in each section are numbered one, two and three. The number three is the defensive player – allowed in the midfield and in his or her side’s defensive area. The number two is the midfielder – allowed in the midfield area only. Meanwhile, the number one is the attacker – allowed in the midfield and attacking areas. The game is structured around each player only being allowed to play one horse in a tournament. Games start with a lineout in the centre of the ground and consist of six short chukkas; three for each section, of six minutes each. Having two sections means the horses get time to rest. The objective is to score goals by throwing the sponge rubber ball between your opponent’s goal posts. However, the ball must be thrown from outside an 11-yard semi-
This ethic of one tournament-one horse, underpins much of what polocrosse is about. Many players, including some at the top, compete with just a single mount, or enter in different teams with multiple horses. In this way it is similar to other equine disciplines such as eventing, show jumping and dressage. In the sport, there is a socially diverse range of people, even in the higher levels. One can find lawyers playing farriers, doctors playing graphic designers and journalists playing nurses. Tournament entries are low, at around £50, regardless of the level of the tournament, hence it attracts players from all walks of life. In the Pony Club, tournaments run according to the age of the player and the height of their ponies, aiming to keep it safer for those just starting out in the game. Through the UKPA, the majority of polocrosse tournaments have a primary junior level for U14s, a junior level for U16s u
Polocrosse by numbers:
8,500
playing members worldwide (excluding Pony Club members)
450
UK Members
20 UK clubs 14 playing countries Handicaps range from 0-20 (the highesthandicapped UK player is rated at 17)
Find out more Further information about Pony Club branches, clubs and riding establishments near you that play polocrosse can be found at www.polocrosse.org.uk. Alternatively contact the UKPA’s Sports Development Officer, John Whitehead, directly at sportsdevelopment@ukpolocrosse.co.uk w For information and tickets for the 2011 Polocrosse World Cup please visit www.polocrosse2011.com
Right: Highlander Polocrosse Club’s Guy Robertson gets ready for a long ball
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Two Pony Club players enjoy their first taste of competitive polocrosee at Kent Target Polocrosse Club. Many young players get involved in the sport through their Pony Club branches
Polo Times, June 2011
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Feature
Polocrosse in the UK
Above: Cotswold Polocrosse Club’s Jonno Keen in action during the National Championships
u and five open levels ranging from E-grade (new adult players and some junior players) to A-grade, where the best players in the UK fight it out. Open players are given handicaps, ranging from 0-20 depending upon their ability. Clubs will group players of a similar ability and enter them as a team in an appropriate standard of play. An average A-grade player will have a handicap of about 14, a B-grade player about nine and so on down the grades. There is no patron-professional system, with the sport consisting purely of amateur sportsmen and women who are members of their local clubs. Tournaments are hosted by clubs and normally take place on farms, polo grounds or estates across the country. They are spread out over the weekend with players arriving on a Friday evening and playing Saturday and Sunday. The vast majority of tournaments have all grades, ranging from A-grade down to primary junior, in attendance, with entries often exceeding 200 people. F ◗ The Polocrosse World Cup takes place from 4-18 July at Rugby Polo Club. Visit www.polocrosse2011.com for more info. 36
Polo Times, June 2011
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Polocrosse profiles Jason Webb
Brought up in New South Wales, Australia, Jason spent his formative years mustering cattle on his father’s farm. Jason first picked up a polocrosse stick aged eight and has used it to travel the world ever since, ending up in the UK in 2002. After setting up a successful horsemanship business Jason met his future wife, Penny, and has stayed here ever since. Born in the saddle, he is one of the best horseman the polocrosse world has to offer and as such has recently been selected to captain the UK’s 2011 Men’s World Cup team this summer. Jason occasionally played polo at the former Brightling Polo Club.
Lizzie Shearing
Introduced to polocrosse at the age of 14 at a Pony Club rally, Lizzie Shearing is a great example of home grown British talent. Hooked from the beginning she focused her life around the sport and in a strange twist of fate ended up marrying the son of her first ever trainer. Lizzie has represented the UK on a number of occasions across the globe and has been selected to play this summer in the UK Ladies World Cup team.
Sarah Simkin
Sarah has been playing polocrosse for 17 years. Having started through a Pony Club branch in Worcestershire with her twin sister, Ruth, and younger brother, Thomas, she now plays for Celyn Polocrosse Club in North Wales. Sarah’s passion for polocrosse comes from an all-round obsession for sport and exercise, whether it is mountain biking, women’s rugby or Zumba dance classes. It will then come as a surprise for some people that she works as a Health and Safety officer for a manufacturing company. Although modest about her abilities, Sarah has represented the UK internationally on a number of occasions, and has been selected as the captain for the Women’s World Cup team this summer.
www.polotimes.co.uk
20/5/11 12:08:02
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Reports
Trippetts Challenge, Great Trippetts Farm
Clarke makes his mark as Salkeld goes in search of Gold Several Brits produced good performances in their first competitive high-goal matches of the season, though there was an injury scare for the England captain, and much of the credit for the winning team’s success must go to its ambitious patron
Yolanda Carslaw in Hampshire
Salkeld Sumaya
Photographs by Yolanda Carslaw and Neil Egerton of ImagesOfPolo.com
A
9 7
strong British-led side lifted the first 22-goal trophy of the season, the James WentworthStanley Cup, held in early May as a warm-up for the Queen’s and Gold Cups and a tribute to the late James Wentworth-Stanley, a keen young player and the son of Polo Times columnist Clare Milford Haven. British patron Nick Clarke gathered a new line-up for his Salkeld team of England captain Luke Tomlinson, fellow England international James Beim and the Chilean José Donoso, a regular of two decades on the UK scene, to beat Sumaya in the final on 15 May at Great Trippetts in West Sussex. Cloudy skies and a brisk wind failed to cool the warm atmosphere at this meeting of two teams that are formed around solid friendships as well as competitive drive. The new-look Salkeld came together in the wake of last August’s Warwickshire Cup, when Beim, Donoso and Clarke, plus Australian Rob Archibald, reached the 20-goal final at Cirencester. Clarke added Tomlinson to the mix and scheduled some pre-season practices in Argentina. Oussama Aboughazale meanwhile has re-formed Sumaya, keeping the great Carlos Gracida as his lynchpin and adding the young blood of Juan Gris Zavaleta and the seasoned hand of Javier Novillo Astrada. 38
Polo Times, June 2011
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Salkeld patron Nick Clarke goes on the attack in a fine individual and team performance against Sumaya
Salkeld reached the final unbeaten, leading Groups A and B on goal difference, with the also unbeaten Loro Piana a close second. In League C, Talandracas, Sumaya and Enigma – which has replaced its British players of last season with Argentines – had a win apiece; Sumaya went through on goal difference. Richard Mille – Prince Bahar Jefri’s team, based around Pablo MacDonough – failed to win a game, as did Adrian Kirby’s Australasian-dominated Silver Spring 1870 side. Matches took place at Cowdray Park as well as Trippetts. Salkeld’s victory in the final on the Milford Havens’ theatre-style main ground came despite
an injury to Tomlinson, who had a clout to his right leg in the fourth chukka. He played on until late in the fifth, when the Argentine Juan Ambroggio relieved him. Salkeld had dominated early on, with a fit-looking Clarke making a difference from the outset: the patron scored the opener, kept in position, rode off opposing pros with confidence and committed few fouls. Having sold the company he founded, Carbon Resource Management, a few months ago, he has spent parts of the winter practising with the Gracidas. “I’ve been in Mexico with Carlos and in Argentina with Memo,” he said, adding. “This final was a really enjoyable game for me.” www.polotimes.co.uk
19/5/11 14:27:23
Trippetts Challenge, Great Trippetts Farm
Reports
Salkeld’s entourage celebrate a convincing victory last month (l-r): Enotria and Nick Clarke, Luke Tomlinson, James Beim, Countess Ludovico del Balzo, her sister Clare Milford Haven (of Great Trippetts), holding the James Wentworth-Stanley Cup, and Elena and José Donoso
A fit-looking Clarke made a difference from the outset, playing with confidence
Salkeld’s high-goal campaign continues in late June with the Gold Cup; until then Clarke is concentrating on 15-goal, pursuing the Cicero and Royal Windsor with his equestrian manager and Polo Times columnist Jamie Peel, the South African five-goaler Tom de Bruin and José Donoso. Meanwhile, Trippetts is as busy as ever: its resident high-goal teams this summer are Loro Piana, Silver Spring 1870, Richard Mille and newcomers Las Monjitas, US Open regulars whose Columbian patron Camilo Bautista will make his UK debut in the Gold Cup. F
opportunity to put in two 30-yarders and a perfect 60. A single successful 30 was not enough to keep Sumaya in the game, and Salkeld won 9-7.
w La Bamba de Areco beat Zacara in the final of the other high-goal opener of the season, the Holyport Cup, organised by Les Lions polo manager Nicky Evans at the team’s private ground
Sumaya’s somewhat back-heavy line-up started to click in the third chukka, with fluent passing and more effective attacks. However, although the game continued to be quiet, with few raised sticks or voices, play became fragmented in the second half, with numerous missed chances on both sides and increasing whistle. Fouls came thick and fast in the sixth chukka, giving José Donoso an
www.polotimes.co.uk
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Game rating
• • • • • • • • • •
u T rippetts Challenge for the James WentworthStanley Cup, 7-15 May; Great Trippetts and Cowdray Park Result: Salkeld beat Sumaya 9-7 Handicap level: 20-22 Number of team entries: seven Chukka scores (Salkeld): 3-1, 4-2, 5-5, 6-6, 6-6, 9-7 Teams Salkeld (21): Nick Clarke 0; José Donoso 7; James Beim 7; Luke Tomlinson 7/Juan Ambroggio 6 Sumaya (22): Oussama Aboughazale 0; Juan Gris Zavaleta 7; Javier Novillo Astrada 8; Carlos Gracida 7 Polo Times, June 2011
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19/5/11 14:27:34
Reports
Nations’ Cup, Argentina
Culture clash: England’s number one James Beim reaches to try and take the ball from impressive Argentine debutant, Valerio Zubiaurre. Right: Luke Tomlinson
England can’t shake the blues England’s familiar international foursome failed to produce a shock against the defending Copa de las Naciones champions Argentina at Palermo this April, though the hosts employed a new experimental line-up
Hernan Alvarez in Buenos Aires
Argentina England
T
13 8
hough the overcast weather seemed more suited to their English visitors, it was the hosts Argentina that adapted best to the conditions and to the pattern of the game, running out victorious in the single match of the 2011 Nations’ Cup comfortably, 13-8. 40
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Organised by the Argentine Polo Association (AAP), the tournament failed to go ahead at all in 2010, but was well received in 2009, when the inaugural event – the brainchild of departing AAP president Francisco Dorignac – welcomed four nations. This included Argentina and England, as well as runners-up Brazil and a “Rest of the World” team made up of Chileans and Mexicans. This year, despite inviting entries from other major polo countries such as the USA, Brazil and Chile, only England and Argentina – who again hosted the event at Palermo – were able to arrange the necessary funding and logistics to get organised in time for the deadline set by the AAP. Thus, rather than push to find other nations at short notice,
the organisers took the decision to reduce the tournament to a single clash, though one that always generates plenty of interest, competition, and some fast and hard-fought polo. Argentina vs England. None of the four players who won in 2009 for Argentina took part this year, with Hilario Ulloa, Gustavo Usandizaga, Pablo Pieres and Adolfo Cambiaso replaced in 2011 with Valerio Zubiaurre, Tomas Garbarini Islas and brothers Gonzalo and Facundo Pieres, who pulled on their country’s famous local colours with pride. It was a particularly memorable moment for Zubiaurre and Garbarini, who were invited by the AAP to take part in the team in recognition of the potential the two u have already shown for the future. www.polotimes.co.uk
19/5/11 14:31:06
Nations’ Cup
Reports
How did they perform? We mark the teams out of 10, based on their effectiveness in terms of handicap
Argentina Tomas Garbarini Islas (2) Anyone watching Garbarini without a match programme or access to the Polo Times tournament pages on his smart phone would surely never believe he plays off just a two-goal handicap. The young player scored once and was very effective in defence.
8
Valerio Zubiaurre (5) “Lerin” Zubiaurre also scored, but was principally effective for the way he supported the real playmakers in the side, Gonzalito and Facundo Pieres. Nevertheless, for his goal, he produced one of the best moments of the game, galloping up the left before cutting the ball nicely to goal.
7
Gonzalo Pieres (10) “My aim was to provide cover and break-up the English attacks, recover the ball wherever possible and set Facundo on his way,” Gonzalito told Polo Times. “I didn’t attack with the ball on the end of my stick much. My job was to do the ugly part.”
8
Facundo Pieres (10) Eight goals proved once again that “Facu” is among the two or three best players in the world. After a slightly slow start to the game, his mares quickly looked on top form and he used the ball to put England to the sword.
9
England James Beim (7) Usually England’s principal goal threat from open play, Beim was reduced to helping more in defence than in attack as he sought to neutralise the danger posed by Facundo Pieres as he broke from the back. “I did some good things but I think I could have played better,” he said honestly. Mark Tomlinson (7) Mark also had to put in a huge effort with tracking back to defend. He constantly had to have one eye over his shoulder, particularly given that his rivals generally had faster horses. Malcolm Borwick (6) Borwick was always near the ball, working hard to get control and coordinate England’s attacks. But on too many occasions his promising build-up play didn’t transfer to goals on the scoreboard. Luke Tomlinson (8) His two precise penalty goals in the opening chukka ignited hopes of an unlikely English victory but, as the game went on, he was largely outpaced by his light-blue opponents.
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Reports
Nations’ Cup, Argentina
Analysis by Andrew Hine
England team manager There are plenty of positives to take despite defeat, says our professional pundit this month, former England captain Andrew Hine, who praises the tactics of coach Milo Fernandez Araujo and the approach of the team against such strong opposition
England’s players make their way back to their tent, where the sponsorship of Harald Link is clearly visible
u
Playing alongside the 10-goal Pieres brothers, and watched by around 7,500 in the stands, once they settled the new boys certainly didn’t let the selectors, who had put faith in them, down – particularly considering the experience in the England side. The team, the same as in 2009 and throughout the British summer in 2010, consisted of brothers
Photographs by Sergio Llamera
England started well, taking a 2-1 lead, but the feeling of optimism didn’t last long Luke and Mark Tomlinson, James Beim and Malcolm Borwick, and the foursome was generously supported by Harald Link’s Thai Polo & Equestrian Club, which has strong links with the UK polo community despite being based more than 6,000 miles away near Pattaya in Thailand. Thus, several representatives from Thailand joined the small but vocal English fans to support the team in white, and they mixed with various watching American, Spanish, Indian and French polo-goers, along with the overwhelming majority of Argentine locals. England started well, as captain Luke Tomlinson landed two penalties in the first chukka to establish their advantage 2-1 going into the second. However, the feeling of optimism didn’t last long for the visitors, when Argentina took control thereafter, outscoring the English 4-0 in the second chukka and then building on towards a comfortable triumph. This was thanks largely to Facundo Pieres, who scored eight of his side’s 13 goals and who linked well with his brother Gonzalito throughout, stretching the English midfield and creating plenty of space for the pace of their superb horses to exploit. 42
Polo Times, June 2011
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“The second and fifth chukkas were what let us down,” explained James Beim. “We’d played well in the first and fourth chukkas, but we kept letting them get back on top of us and, once they had a decent lead at the end of the fifth, that was that, despite two good field goals by Luke late in the game.” England number two Mark Tomlinson suggested that the difference in horsepower was the most decisive factor, something that was echoed by the game’s best player: “When Lerin Zubiaurre and Tomas pressured, they created the room for us,” said Facundo Pieres. “Then, since we had most of our horses here, we took control and, particularly given Gonzalito’s speed, it was easy to play with him and we performed better than them.” “We started a bit hurriedly and nervously,” admitted Argentine debutant Valerio Zubiaurre. “But, once we calmed down and relaxed, we started playing well.” F
Game rating
• • • • • • • • • •
u C opa de Las Naciones (Nations’ Cup); 21 April 2011; Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina Result: Argentina beat England, 13-8 Principal sponsors: Harald Link’s Thai Polo & Equestrian Club, Rolex and HSBC Handicap level: 26-28-goal Number of team entries: two Chukka scores (Argentina): 1-2; 5-2; 7-3; 8-6; 11-7; 13-8 Teams Argentina (27): Tomas Garbarini Islas 2; Valerio Zubiaurre 5; Gonzalo Pieres 10; Facundo Pieres 10 England (28): James Beim 7; Mark Tomlinson 7; Malcolm Borwick 6; Luke Tomlinson 8
On reflection, the game was clearly won and lost in the second chukka and in the final few minutes of the fifth. Having enjoyed a promising start in the first chukka, our boys began to hold onto the ball too much, and took one tap too many, instead of a quick release or a shot at goal. In these short plays, the England mistakes were punished by Argentina who were quick to turn defence into attack. Quick interplay between Gonzalito and Facundo Pieres punished England and Argentina scored four unanswered goals, putting us right back onto the back foot. Then, in the fifth chukka, we began with some terrific team polo (following on from undoubtedly our best spell of the game in the fourth chukka), and we drew back within a single score, at 8-7. It was game on. However, sadly a rather innocuous foul on the boards at the halfway line gave Facundo Pieres a 60-yard penalty, which he converted. This was quickly followed by two “steals” at the back of the throw in by Facundo and, in the space of only a few minutes, England had slipped from 8-7 to 11-7. It was then effectively game over. However, with better accuracy from the penalty spot (unusually, we missed both our 60-yard penalties, while they scored their two) and without those two disappointing periods in the match, it could have been a very different result. This was something the supporters seemed to recognise, as England received enthusiastic and warm applause as they dismounted at the end of the game. Milo Fernandez Araujo should thus be commended in my view for aiming to get the team playing the kind of classical and open style of polo we enjoyed in last year’s Cartier International victory over New Zealand, and which is more typical of the Argentine four-man polo played in the Camera and the Open. Beimy, Mark, Malcs and Luke should be congratulated on their organisations, horses and performances, especially considering the might and depth of their opposition and horsepower, reinforced by two young rising stars (who were clearly a touch under handicapped!). It was always going to be an uphill task. A special mention must be made to James Beim for having drawn together such an impressive string of ponies in such a short space of time. F www.polotimes.co.uk
19/5/11 14:49:50
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19/5/11 14:31:47
Reports
Audi Polo Challenge, Coworth Park
Best man shows his strengths Prince Harry was at the centre of much of the action for what proved to be his second busy weekend in succession, demonstrating his value on the polo field this time as he and two invitation-only crowds of selected VIPs helped raise valuable funds for his charities
James Mullan at Coworth Park
Saturday Sunday
Foundation beat Audi, 8-5 Sentebale and Audi drew, 4-4
F
ollowing the successful completion of his best man duties at the Royal Wedding just eight days earlier, Prince Harry was amongst the best again on the polo grounds of Coworth Park at the two-day Audi Polo Challenge in early May. He top-scored for his victorious Foundation polo team alongside fellow amateur Spencer McCarthy on the Saturday and was on the scoresheet again on the Sunday, when his Sentebale side shared the spoils with Audi in a 4-4 draw.
Photographs by Audi
David Woodd kept an eye on his nephew Oliver Powell through heavy-duty binoculars Saturday’s game began amid some confusion, after the two teams emerged from either end of the ground in virtually identical playing shirts, making things particularly difficult for commentator Ebe Sievwright, who had been specially flown in for a long weekend from his new home in Los Angeles. Fortunately for Sievwright, Rory Bremner came to the rescue, distracting the audience 44
Polo Times, June 2011
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of VIPs at the start of the game with a comic four minutes of topical quips and some offbeat commentary in the style of Geoffrey Boycott thrown in for good measure. Only David Woodd, watching with great interest through heavy-duty binoculars, would have much genuine chance of deciphering what was going on, especially given that as well as similar shirts, everyone was in dark or entirely white helmets. Only Satnam
Dhillon’s familiar bright yellow lid stood out (playing for Audi), as did Prince Harry’s distinctive hunched riding posture (playing at number one for Foundation). This drew attention to the two early on (before new shirts were found in time for the second chukka), and they both went on to have very prominent roles throughout for their respective sides. Prince Harry was effective in front of goal,
scoring three goals in the first two chukkas to give Foundation a 6-2 lead as the audience moved to tread in, while Dhillon simultaneously showed real glimpses of the power and pace that has elevated him to seven goals and yet also seemed to be struggling at times in the heavy-going conditions caused by the first rain on the ground in several weeks from the night before. As comedian Ross Noble could be heard sensibly advising the actresses from 90210 not to tread in the bits of turf that were steaming, many of the polo people present spent the half-time interval remarking on the quality and versatility of Prince Harry’s finishing. His first goal was a simple one after a perfect pass from Oli Hipwood, his second was all of his own making after a good solo run, and his third was a perfectly executed backhand from close range, though on a very tricky angle. His backhand may be slightly unconventional, but the prince’s clear eye for a ball is undeniable. Left: Prince Harry goes on the charge in the Saturday game for his team, The Foundation
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19/5/11 14:41:20
Audi Polo Challenge, Coworth Park
Audi mounted something of a comeback late in the second half, as the ever-reliable Tom Morley landed consecutive 60-yard penalties with metronomic consistency. However, Spencer McCarthy and Nacho Gonzalez continually provided an ongoing attacking threat for Foundation and they triumphed comfortably.
“My horses still need some work if I want to be really competitive” – Satnam Dhillon Sunday’s game featured England captain Luke Tomlinson alongside the prince and fellow Salkeld teammates for the Gold Cup, James Beim and patron Nick Clarke. They drew against Audi, led by New Zealand captain John Paul Clarkin at number three and England’s Malcolm Borwick at two. Given that it was revealed that same weekend that Borwick’s place in the England side has been taken by Audi’s number two from the previous day, Satnam Dhillon, the weekend of the Audi Polo Challenge made for an interesting comparison ahead of the Cowdray Test Match and the start of the Queen’s Cup. www.polotimes.co.uk
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“It was good to give my horses a run out,” said Satnam Dhillon afterwards. “But I was actually rather disappointed with them, so there’s still work to be done if I’m going to peak at the right time and be as competitive as I hope to be this summer”. Also interesting to see was David Woodd’s nephew Oliver Powell, who made a decent contribution to the action on the Saturday and who seems set to be another English player to watch out for. However, of course, all eyes as usual were mainly trained on the weekend’s star attraction Prince Harry, who certainly had much to celebrate. At the end of the second year in which the Audi Polo Challenge at Coworth Park has been extended to a second day, the royals remain unbeaten. Harry’s win and draw either side of the party on the Saturday evening to celebrate his cousin Zara Phillips’s 30th birthday ensured another great Audi-organised weekend as well as raising valuable funds for his two chosen charities. What a few weeks it has been for the young prince. F w See social photographs from the two-day extravaganza, heavily laden with celebrities as well as polo people, on pages 86 and 87
Reports
Above left: Harry attempts to hook New Zealand’s captain John Paul Clarkin in Sunday’s match, which raised money for Sentebale, the charity the prince set up with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho Above right: Prince Harry shows how much he was enjoying being back in the saddle as he warms up for the game on Saturday with a big smile for the cameras
Game rating
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u A udi Polo Challenge; 7-8 May 2011; Coworth Park Polo Club Saturday result: Foundation beat Audi, 8-5 Sunday result: Sentebale and Audi drew, 4-4 Principal ponsors: Audi Handicap level: 16-goal Saturday teams The Foundation (15): Prince Harry 1; Oliver Hipwood 6; Nacho Gonzalez 6; Spencer McCarthy 2 Audi (14): Oliver Powell 1; Satnam Dhillon 7; Tom Morley 6; Paul Oberschneider 0 Sunday teams: Sentebale (15): Prince Harry 1; James Beim 7; Luke Tomlinson 7; Nick Clarke 0 Audi (16): Edmund Parsons 2; Malcolm Borwick 6; John Paul Clarkin 8; Nikolai Bahlsen 0 Polo Times, June 2011
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Reports
La Martina Queen Mother’s Centenary Trophy , Guards Polo Club
Stylish Santos stars as BHC win Queen Mother’s Trophy Brazilians and Englishmen lit up the Queen Mother’s final at Guards two months before the Cartier International clash between the two countries on the same ground
John O’Sullivan at Guards
BHC Polo Clarita Pink
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Photograph by Alec Whitby, Centaur
B
RAZILIAN four-goaler Juracy Santos stole the show at Guards Polo Club’s first big final of the season, scoring five goals as BHC Polo comfortably beat Clarita Pink to win the Queen Mother’s Centenary Trophy. Momin Sheikh’s side always looked in control after taking the lead in the first chukka and with the influence of Henry Brett (6) and Roddy Williams (5) growing as the game went on, BHC cruised to a 10-6 victory. With the flagship event of the Guards calendar, the Cartier International, pitting
BHC Polo’s Henry Brett races past Clarita Pink’s Rafael Villela Rosa during the Queen Mother’s final
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England against Brazil this year, it was fitting that the Queen Mother’s final was dominated by players from these two countries. Brett and Williams came head to head with Clarita’s England six-goaler Malcolm Borwick. And, just as Santos was the star for BHC, his compatriot Rafael Villela Rosa was the stand-out player for the runners-up, scoring three impressive goals. After La Martina’s Becky Simpson hosted a delicious lunch in the Royal Box for a host of polo royalty, it was undoubtedly the Brazilians who made the first impression on the field. Villela Rosa raced clear to give Clarita the lead, before a 60-yard penalty and a close-range spot penalty from Santos put BHC 2-1 ahead at the first bell. Villela Rosa restored parity with a precise long-range shot early in the second chukka, but two more Santos goals and a tap-in by zero-goal patron Sheikh put BHC in command at half time as they led 5-3. The second half witnessed some spectacular free-flowing polo, highlighted by the best team-goal of the game from BHC at the start of the third chukka. The dynamic
Brett broke out of defence and played a precise pass down the left flank for Williams to chase. His clever cut shot squared the ball to Santos who confidently scored his fifth goal of the game. BHC led 7-4 heading into the fourth and final chukka, and any hopes of a Clarita fightback was soon halted by a quick-fire brace from Williams. Simon Holley's Asprey London beat Mad Dogs 9-5 in the subsidiary final. F u L a Martina Queen Mother’s Centenary Trophy, 15 May 2011; Guards Polo Club, Windsor Handicap level: 15 Result: BHC Polo beat Clarita Pink, 10-6 Number of team entries: 8 Chukka scores: 2-1; 5-3; 7-4; 10-6 Most valuable player: Juracy Santos Best playing pony: Jo, ridden by Momin Sheikh Final teams: BHC Polo (15): Momin Sheikh 0; Roddy Williams 5; Henry Brett 6; Juracy Santos 4 Clarita Pink (15): Clare Mathias 0; Rafael Villela Rosa 4; Horacio Etcheverry 5; Malcolm Borwick 6
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100
YEARS
Come and celebrate OF THE CORONATION CUP
Brazil v England â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one of the highest handicapped games to be played on a UK polo ground this year
For tickets go to: www.guardspoloclub.com or call the Ticket Office on 01784 437797 to reserve your grandstand seat For the ultimate after party tickets go to: www.chinawhite.com/polo
The HPAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cartier International Day at Guards Polo Club On Sunday 24 July 2011 *3& 3ROR WLPHV DGYHUW LQGG PT p46-47 Queen Mother JOS JM MB PJ.indd 3
For all your hospitality needs go to: www.keithprowse.com
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Reports
AMG Miami Beach Polo World Cup, Florida
Reigning champions give up title at end of Lent Hublot looked to be a team that had given up losing for the second year in a row on the Miami Beach sand, before being denied a second consecutive title in the final
Alex Webbe in Miami Beach
Photographs by Mitchell Zachs/Magical Photos
Raleigh Hublot
A
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resilient Raleigh team, made up of Bash Kazi, Pelon Escapite and Luis Escobar, beat defending champions Hublot in front of a record crowd to win the seventh annual AMG Miami Beach Polo World Cup on Easter Sunday. Four goals from Mexican Escapite, including three in the final chukka, condemned a talented Hublot team to a 10-6
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defeat in a game that saw Raleigh lead from the opening minutes. This was enough to see Escapite claim the MVP award as over 10,000 spectators flocked to the stunning Florida location over the Easter weekend. “They’re a very good team,” confessed Hublot’s Kris Kampsen following the game. “They just out-played us.” A packed schedule at Miami Beach also included a host of other finals on Easter Sunday. Earlier in the day Grey Goose scored an 8-5 win over AMG-Mercedes – captained by host of America’s Most Wanted John Walsh – in the Carl Fisher International Cup, with Raul “Gringo” Colombres from Argentina taking MVP honours. The Julius Fleischman Memorial Cup went
to the Yellow Cab team in a 9-5 win over LAN/Comcast. American Brandon Phillips and Argentina’s Mauricio Devrient scored four goals apiece, with Devrient being named as the game’s MVP. In the Miami Beach Women’s Polo Cup Hublot’s ladies made amends for the men’s earlier defeat by beating AMG-Mercedes on penalty shots after the final finished 4-4. “This year’s event was the most successful to date,” said Bruce Orosz, founder and Most valuable player
Pelon Escapite president of The Polo Life, producers of The AMG Miami Beach World Cup.
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AMG Miami Beach Polo World Cup
Game rating
Reports
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u A MG Miami Beach Polo World Cup; Sunday 24 April 2011; Miami Beach, Florida Result: Raleigh beat Hublot, 10-6 Sponsors: AMG Handicap: Open Number of team entries: six Most valuable player: Pelon Escapite Teams Raleigh: Bash Kazi; Pelon Escapite; Luis Escobar Hublot: Kris Kampsen; Mark Goode; Thomas Winter
“We set a record attendance each day as a result of the tremendous buzz that spread throughout Miami Beach during the course of the week. This year’s world-class level of play raised the bar for years to come and the fierce competition between the players in the arena kept the crowd on the edge of their seats. “We thank all of our wonderful sponsors, patrons and everyone behind-the-scenes who helped make this year’s competition such an outstanding success. We look forward to seeing everyone again next year.” F
Right: Pelon Escapite and Kris Kampsen battle for the ball in the Miami Beach Polo World Cup final Below: the magnificent setting for the tournament
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Bluey’s Polo Club POLO LESSONS • Horse hire • Livery • Practice matches • Farriery services and in-house transport services Contact Stuart Craig on 07930 323263 / 0118 9341 215 or stuart@equicentre.co.uk www.wix.com/blueyspolo/club
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Home and abroad
Reports
Australia – International Beach Festival
New Zealand’s Craig Wilson (left) and Australia’s Richard Rawlings (right) close in on the ball in a high speed chase, with Tom Hunt framed uncannily by their sticks.
Aussies sweep to victory in Broome Following a successful debut last year, Paspaley Beach Polo returned to the remote outback town of Broome, Western Australia, on 8-15 May. A large crowd gathered on the beach to witness the finals – including 300 in the VIP Paspaley Lounge who were involved in a minor mishap when a car unexpectedly crashed through the marquee. Fortunately no one was injured. The event was expanded to a week-long polo festival comprising the Broome Beach Polo League, in which four three-man patronled teams battled it out on the sands of
Gantheaume Point for the chance to play in the Paspaley Cup final on Cable Beach. The Perth-based league teams, who had transported their horses over 2,000 kilometres to reach Broome, included Riverpark, Troika, Europa and Mandalay, with the latter two teams making it through to the final. Although Europa’s Greg Johnson had played a superb game in the semi-final to render his team as serious contenders for the final, the Mandalay combination of Nick Bowen, Tom Hunt and Matt Welsh proved
too strong for them, running out 5-4 winners. The main final was followed by a clash between New Zealand and Australia. Australia’s campaign was spearheaded by Glen Gilmore, whose miraculous defence of a Tom Hunt penalty kept the scores level in the third chukka, before his side earned the win late on. A quick succession of two more goals by Gilmore – who was named MVP – in the final chukka secured a 6-5 victory for the host country, to the audible delight of the crowd cheering from the sidelines.
Argentina – La Aguada Polo Club Open
Nine-goalers outshine Sol
Los Machitos won the La Aguada Polo Club Open
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Los Machitos beat Sol de Agosto 9-8 to win the La Aguada Polo Club Open at the beginning of May. It is the second time Los Machitos, featuring nine-goalers Eduardo Novillo Astrada and Mariano Aguerre, have won the 30-goal tournament. The two finalists had met earlier in the four-team competition, where Los Machitos won 9-7, making them favourites in the final.
In the subsidiary final, Miguel and Julio Novillo Astrada helped lead their La Aguada side to a win over Alegria, 10-8. Estanislao Ramos picked up the most valuable player award, while Mariano Aguerre’s Machitos Jazmin was named best playing pony. The tournament concluded La Aguada’s autumn season, before the action kicks off again in the spring. Polo Times, June 2011
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Reports
Home and abroad
Dubai – King’s Cup high-goal exhibition
High-goal clash ends season
T
he 2011 polo season in Dubai drew to a close in thrilling fashion at the end of April with the city’s first ever high-goal match. Local patrons Mohammed Al Habtoor and Saeed Bin Drai were each joined by three members of Argentina’s famous Novillo Astrada family in the historic 26-goal encounter at the Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club. Al Habtoor Polo – which featured Eduardo (9), Ignacio (9) and Alejandro (8) Novillo Astrada – beat Bin Drai’s Dubai Falcons 8-7 in a close match. Mohammed Al Habtoor scored four goals in his side’s win, while Saeed Bin Drai – who teamed up with Julio (8), Miguel (9) and Javier (9) Novillo Astrada – scored twice. The match was organised by the Dubai Polo Gold Cup series and was known as the King’s Cup high-goal exhibition. Bin Drai, whose Dubai Falcons team also lost in the finals of both the Dubai Silver Cup and the Dubai Gold Cup this year thinks 2011 has been the city’s best polo season yet. He feels it is down to himself and his fellow patrons to make it even better in the future. And he believes they have taken a big step towards that with their first
high-goal game. He said: “After the great success of both the Silver and Gold Cup we thought why not end the season with a bang. Mohammed Al Habtoor mentioned the idea to me and I thought why not do it. Both of us are trying our best to get the polo circuit going in Dubai. “The season is from October to April, which suits a lot of the players since it is winter in Europe. We thought that we need to take the lead as patrons, and start to promote the sport as much as we can.”
Top: Eduardo, Ignacio and Alejandro Novillo Astrada in blue playing for Al Habtoor. Inset: both Dubai high-goal teams
Argentina – General Manuel Belgrano Cup
Boys in blue win fourth title
Pilara’s Gaston Laulhe drives the ball down the field, with Hope Funds’s Marcos Araya in close pursuit
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Pilara won this year’s General Manuel Belgrano Cup, defeating Estudiantes-Hope Funds in the final, 9-8. Amazingly, the same Pilara line-up of Gaston Laulhe, Lucas James, Horacio Heguy and his brother Marcos Heguy have won the tournament for four consecutive years. They first won the high-goal tournament, held at Coronel Suarez Polo Club, in 2008. The road to the winner’s podium this year began with a win against El Amanecer, 12-7. They then went on to defeat El Tala 9-5 and San Juan-Ford 13-6 to gain themselves a place in the final where the boys in blue prevailed over Estudiantes-Hope Funds.
The successful 33-goal quartet could easily be contenders for the Argentine Open, as well as the Tortugas and Hurlingham Opens where lower-handicapped teams have the opportunity to qualify for the tournaments. For example, last year San José played in the Argentine Triple Crown as a 30-goal team. Meanwhile, El Tala successfully claimed the subsidiary final title. At the same time as the Manuel Belgrano Cup, children played in the Belgranito Cup. Split into three different divisions – Potrillos (12 to 14 year olds), Potrillitos (10 and 11 years old), and Mini Potrillitos (up to nine years old) – twelve teams took part. www.polotimes.co.uk
19/5/11 16:55:13
Home and abroad
News in brief
Cowdray Park – Tyro Cup
Adrian Kirby’s 1870 retain Tyro Cup
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Adrian Kirby in action, wearing yellow
achieved a goal from a penalty to give the side fresh impetus. But all too soon the brilliantly on-form Archibald was back in the game, scoring two more goals and closing the third chukka at 8-2 in 1870’s favour. In the final chukka, Ferne Park’s back Peter Webb managed to pull back a goal. But retaliation in the form of a beautifully angled shot from Archibald put yet another goal on the board for 1870. The match closed at 9-3, with Archibald accepting the trophy on behalf of team 1870.
1870 captain Rob Archibald in full flow during the early stages of the Tyro Cup, which his side won 9-3
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w Malaysia – Royal Johor Polo Club II (RJPC 2) saw off defending champions Royal Johor Polo Club I (RJPC 1) in the final of the Malaysian Open, held at Putrajaya Equestrian Park. David “Pelon” Stirling joined HRH Tunku Mahkota Johor’s RJPC 1 team, but they were unable to shake off their opponents who eventually won by half a goal, 51/2-5.Thai Polo Club’s Harold Link paired up with Mohammed Moiz of Malaysia’s Royal Selangor Polo Club. They defeated Ranhill 71/2-5 in the subsidiary final. w Cirencester Park – Patrick Heffron’s Neptune defeated Bob Music, 61/2-6, in the final of the Cirencester 0-40 goal at the beginning of May. Only five teams took part in the tournament, with teams ranging from 7-14 goals. The two teams had met earlier in the competition, when Neptune also won, 5-41/2.
Photographs by Jon Nicholson
he first of Cowdray Park’s finals of the 2011 season took place on Sunday 8 May, for the historic Tyro Cup. Nine teams started the quest for the 12goal trophy and, once again, Adrian Kirby’s 1870 team was in the final, this time facing Jonathan Rothermere’s Ferne Park. The four-chukka match saw some fast moving polo with just a touch of uncertainty every now and again over the new turning rule brought in for 2011. Will Emerson for Ferne Park opened the scoring but 1870 soon made their mark with Australian Rob Archibald, their team captain, scoring the next three goals in the chukka and stamping his authority on the game. The second chukka saw 1870’s Lanto Sheridan ably backing up his captain, playing intelligently and scoring two goals. This was confirmation that raising his handicap at the end of the 2010 season was the right decision by the Handicap Committee. With another goal from Archibald on the scoreboard before half time, 1870 lay comfortably ahead, 6-1. Ferne Park looked determined after the tread-in and their number three Will Emerson
Reports
w USA – South Africa were crowned the first ever International Weekend champions after defeating the US in a decisive polo encounter at International Polo Club Palm Beach on Easter Sunday. The South Africans won 7-4 to clinch the title in the unique multi-sport event. The two nations went head to head in a host of different sports over two days including rugby, cricket, tennis, golf, croquet, hockey and polo. The countries were awarded points for every win over the two days and before the last event – the polo match – the two countries were tied, making the game an exciting winner-takes-all clash. w France – Brittany Polo Club hosted the Coupe Michelle over the Easter weekend, officially kicking off the club’s summer season. The low-goal tournament featured four teams where the two finalists, Aviator Polo and Les Korrigans, both defeated their opponents by eight goals, 12-4. In the final, the two teams were never more than one goal apart and the game ended on a 6-6 draw, forcing the game into a sudden death fifth chukka. Aviator Polo scored the winning goal, ending the game 7-6. w USA – A British Army polo team lost to a US ladies team, 6-4, at Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, Florida, at the beginning of May. Mark Cann, Alex Hawes, Jack Mann and Martin Adhock had been invited to the club by Marc and Melissa Ganzi to play some friendly polo and chukkas when the idea of hosting a challenge match evolved. The USA’s top female player, three-goaler Sunny Hale, scored three of the six goals for her side, who proved too strong for their opposition. Polo Times, June 2011
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Reports
Home and abroad
Jamaica – Senior Cup, St Ann Polo Club
Chin Brothers steal the show
T
he Jamaica Polo Association’s annual series of tournaments came to a close at the beginning of May with the Senior Cup, held at St Ann Polo Club, Drax Hall. The format of the tournament featured the best teams from each club in Jamaica (handicapped between 10 to 14 goals) playing on an open basis. Chukka Blue, 10-goals, defeated the favoured 12-goal Kingston side in the semifinals to win themselves a place in the final. Despite Kingston’s Jorge Donovan scoring 10 goals for his team, the side looked disorganised on the field and Chukka Blue managed to remain ahead by one goal by the time the final bell rung. Chukka Blue met defending champions St Ann in the final. Craig Russell and brothers Shane, Paul and Kurt Chin represented St Ann, who jumped ahead in the first chukka. However, the wheels came off their wagon in the second chukka. Chukka Blue’s Argentine five-goal professional José Lartirigoyen scored an impressive five goals, with teammate John Byles scoring another to take control of the game. As Chukka Blue extended their lead the spectators were left wondering whether there would be enough numbers for the
scoreboard, before St Ann got their act together and came alive in the second half. Shane Chin scored four goals and brother Kurt scored another to bring the scores level 9-9 at the end of the fourth chukka. Slowly but surely, St Ann crept ahead and, although Chukka Blue’s Marc Melville managed to hit another through the posts, St
Ann ran out the eventual 13-11 winners to retain the title. Shane Chin, who was instrumental in changing the game around in St Ann’s favour, picked up the most valuable player award, while Moon Shadow, owned by Byles and played by Lartirigoyen, was named best playing pony.
St Ann – Shane, Paul and Kurt Chin with Craig Russell – line up before their contest against Chukka Blue
Mexico – Copa Agua Alta
Italia quartet claim cup for second successive year The scenic smooth polo fields at Costa Careyes in Mexico provided perfect conditions for the 12th annual Agua Alta polo tournament, under the always guaranteed sunny blue skies. This year, only five 6-10 goal teams entered the tournament, instead of the usual turnout of eight teams. Nevertheless the players came from eight countries including Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, the United States, Canada, Italy and Portugal. The teams all played each other over five days, providing two worthy finalists on the sixth and final day. Umpired 54 Polo Times, June 2011
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by Argentine referee, Matias Baibiene, all teams gave stalwart performances, producing some attractive polo in front of an appreciative audience. Moments of outstanding play were provided by Mexican Vale Aguilar (5), Columbians Fico Uribe (5) and Andres Samper (3), Argentine Diego White (7) and Peruvian Guillermo Li (5) who was the most consistently brilliant player. There were no clear winners after the fourth day of play, thereby producing a nail biting fifth day to decide who would advance to the final. Last year’s winners, Italia, and Guadalajara rose to the top on
that day to claim their places in the final. Italia, featuring Alberico Ardissone, Manuel Matos, Guillermo Li and Diego Gonzalez, defeated Guadalajara 12-7, although the play was more even than the score suggests with the main difference being shown up in the penalty shooting. While Guadalajara’s Fico Uribe was unlucky to be suffering from a damaged finger as he missed his penalties, Guillermo Li was on top penalty-scoring form, helping Italia creep ahead. This gave Italia their second successive win at the Agua Alta, with the same four players that won last year. www.polotimes.co.uk
19/5/11 17:24:47
Home and abroad
Reports
St Andrews – The EFG Bank St Andrews Charity Polo Tournament
Photograph by Natalie Hazlehurst
St Andrews’ Andrew Drummond Moray aims for the ball as Edinburgh’s Jamie Douglas comes in to ride him off, while two spectators enjoy a bit more than just treading in
Scottish rivalry attracts big crowds for charity
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therefore went head-to-head in a run down to decide the winner, where the Patriots came out on top. White Knights convincingly defeated Las Zorras 5-0 in the novice tournament, with White Knights’ Edward Bellamy displaying tremendous skill throughout. In the second
Seaside victory Audi patron Luca D’Orazio enjoys a dip in the sea (below) following his team’s victory in the Forte Dei Marmi Beach Polo event in Italy, as part of the Audi Polo Gold Cup Circuit, over the Easter weekend. Audi beat US Polo Team, 7-6, in the final.
Aside from the Pimms and delicious food, spectators enjoyed an action-packed day game Licensed to Drill beat All The Gear No Idea 2-1 in a very exciting match, which earned Sarah Middlemiss the most valuable player award. St Andrews took on fellow Scottish university Edinburgh in the varsity match, where the former saw off their opponents 8-31/2. The most valuable player award went to George Mackintosh after his excellent ride-offs and attacking play helped his team secure victory. He played alongside Alasdair Archibald, Hamish Scott and Andrew Drummond Moray.
Photograph by Tony Ramirez of ImagesOfPolo.com
Under the warm Scottish sunshine, the St Andrews Charity Polo Tournament took place at Strathtyrum Estate in front of more than 600 people at the end of April. The event, supported by EFG Bank, raised money for Help for Heroes, the charity which offers support to wounded British servicemen and women. Taking place the day after the royal wedding celebrations, polo enthusiasts needed little persuasion to dabble in one of the Duke of Cambridge’s favourite sports at the place where he met his wife. Aside from the Pimms and delicious food provided by the Balgove Larder, who set up a booth made out of potato crates on the sidelines, spectators enjoyed an action-packed day of polo at all levels. The day kicked-off with a beginners match followed by a novice tournament, before the highlight of the day – the four-goal Scottish Varsity Match – which took place later in the afternoon. In the beginners’ match, Hartley’s Heroes, sponsored by the exuberant nonplaying patron Stuart Hartley, played Patriots. This proved a close game, which ended with the scores tied at four-a-piece. The teams
Italy – Forte Dei Marmi
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Youth polo
Copenhagen Cup
Wellington rules supreme Hosted by Wellington College, finals day of the Copenhagen Cup at Coworth Park produced a spectacular afternoon of polo across the board, from prep schools to universities, where the hosts claimed victory in the highlight of the day Georgie May reports from Coworth Park
Wellington College Cheltenham College
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Photographs by Harri Le Selleur French
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ellington College claimed the Copenhagen Cup in mid-May, following their defeat over rivals Cheltenham College in the final, 71/2-6. The two-day event, set up last year by Wellington College to offer top polo-playing schools a chance to showcase their talent in a competitive environment, hosted league games on the first day to decide who would go through to the final and subsidiary final on the Sunday. Eton, Harrow, Cheltenham College and Wellington College entered teams, with the latter two qualifying for the final. As well as the main Copenhagen Cup final on day two, two exhibition matches took place as well as the subsidiary final, keeping many dozens of spectators well watered with an afternoon of exceptional youth polo. More than 120 guests tucked into a scrumptious lunch, supplied by Coworth Park Country House Hotel, part of the Dorchester Collection, before Beaudesert Prep School and Woodcote House Prep School battled it out in the first exhibition match of the day. Woodcote House, featuring Chris Hyde’s sons Finley and Jack, prevailed over Beaudesert, 1-0, in the two-chukka game. Jack Hyde proved he was in a league of his own, with his fast play, big hits and ball skill which would put many adult players to shame. Next on the agenda was the Copenhagen Cup subsidiary final between Eton and Harrow. Played on Coworth’s ground two, spectators, parents and players moved from the decking overlooking ground one to the grass sidelines of ground two. The walk was well worth it, with gripping play between the two teams. Harrow’s Nikolai Bahlsen, who was named most valuable player, was 56
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Wellington’s Tommy Beresford, left, fights hard for the ball against Cheltenham College’s Amelia Scott-Hopkins
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Copenhagen Cup
Youth polo
Tom Brodie, playing for the winning Wellington College team, breaks away from the pack and storms down the field en route to goal during the Copenhagen Cup final
instrumental in helping his team to victory, where they eventually beat Eton, 61/2-6. Moving back to ground one, the highly anticipated Copenhagen Cup final, between Cheltenham College and Wellington College, took place mid-afternoon.
second chukka, lifting the ball high in the air and watching it fly effortlessly through the posts, putting Wellington ahead by half-a-goal. From then on, the teams constantly chased each other, displaying some eye-watering play, storming up and down the field at lightning
Tommy Beresford was extremely well mounted, playing one of the late Gabriel Donoso’s stallions, Rector, during the game Wellington College were awarded a oneand-a-half goal advantage at the start of the game, as their team was rated at -2-goals, while Cheltenham had put forward a 1-goal team. With Irishman Greg Keating providing the running commentary, Cheltenham wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard, scoring two goals in the opening moments. However, towards the end of the first chukka, Wellington woke up and put two goals through the posts, ending the chukka 4-31/2 in Cheltenham College’s favour. Tommy Beresford, the son of Charles Beresford, converted a superb penalty in the
speed. By the end of the third chukka, Wellington still narrowly held the lead, 51/2-5, before Cheltenham jumped ahead again at the start of the fourth chukka. Both sides, desperate for victory, grappled for the ball in the fourth and final chukka. Following a super run down the field by Beresford, which he sealed with a goal, Cheltenham fought hard to prevent Wellington scoring another. Three Cheltenham players attempted to backhand
Keep your eye on Tommy Beresford, 15, Cowdray Park Young Cowdray Park-based zero-goaler Tommy Beresford proved his credentials as one of the most exciting prospects in the country by winning the MVP award at the Copenhagen Cup final at Coworth Park. The Wellington College student, who is a member of the Cowdray Hunt branch of the Pony Club, was voted the best player as he helped his school chums to the title. Tommy is the son of Lord Charles Beresford and greatnephew of Lord Patrick Beresford. England international four-goaler Richard Le Poer is his cousin and his brother William is a promising two-goaler.
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the ball away from goal, before Tom Brodie came through and tapped it through the goal for Wellington, putting them a goal and a half ahead, 71/2-6, where they remained until the final bell. Inevitably, great play by Beresford – who was extremely well mounted, playing one of the late Gabriel Donoso’s stallions, Rector – earned him the Wellington MVP award (and Martin Ephson’s son Ludo was named MVP for Cheltenham’s team at the prizegiving). Following the final, afternoon tea was served on the decking, as the Oxford versus Harvard exhibition match got underway. The visiting Americans, not used to the ponies they were hiring, were thrashed by Oxford, 13-31/2. F u The Copenhagen Cup finals; 15 May 2011; Coworth Park, Berkshire Result: Wellington College beat Cheltenham College, 71/2-6 Sponsor: Audi Supporting sponsors: Tally Ho Farm, Castle Forbes, Pink & Brown, Roxtons and Polo Times Chukka scores (Wellington College): 31/2-4; 41/2-4; 51/2-5; 71/2-6 Most valuable players: Tommy Beresford (Wellington College) and Ludo Ephson (Cheltenham College) Teams Wellington College (-2): Karim Sheikh -1; Tommy Beresford 0; Andres Papoyans 0; Tom Brodie -1 Cheltenham College (1): Thady Duff 0; Amelia Scott-Hopkins 0; Ludo Ephson 0; JJ De Alba 1 Polo Times, June 2011
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20/5/11 12:16:54
Opinion
Choosing what to play: Pony Club or Junior HPA? Izzy McGregor
decides
S
ince the inception of Junior HPA polo in 2008, there is much debate at this time of year amongst many children and their parents about what polo to commit themselves to each summer. With Pony Club, you are guaranteed to have an amazing summer with your friends but what about the polo – which is best for your game? Having played Pony Club polo for eight fantastic years, once you reach a certain standard, it can feel as though the social side is what you tend to enjoy more than the standard of polo. I owe an awful lot to Pony Club personally, but the format doesn’t prepare you for moving into full outdoor polo later in life. Typically, you play three chukkas spread throughout the day, meaning you can play with only one pony and you get to spend the whole day with your friends, but unfortunately the level of polo is incredibly varied from team to team, no matter what section you play. You have no say in your team; you could be playing with good players that you get on with or you may not. Saying that, some of my best memories are from Pony Club. Waking up on Monday morning at Tidworth after camping the night before with the smell of cinnamon doughnuts wafting through the air, the Cowdray parade when you know you’re not allowed to gallop but everyone collectively thinks “screw it”. Pony Club is a fantastic experience and is great fun. Nevertheless, there comes a stage when the undeniably more advanced set-up of the Junior HPA
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sections should be recommended. It gives players aged between 11 and 21 the chance to greatly improve their polo, because they play in a match situation with three or four consecutive chukkas. Players are also able to decide who they would like to play with, and the additional commitment and cost involved in playing at this level means you always get matches of a good standard and where everyone feels the same about polo as you do – committed. As far as those costs go, it is obviously something that families will also have to consider. Junior HPA is obviously more expensive, given that in three or four consecutive chukkas you need multiple horses. However, from my own experience, the transport costs were not significantly different to Pony Club, and the entry fees for both were pretty much the same. So, in my view, if polo is your passion, you have enough ponies to play the matches and you are totally serious about improving your game, then Junior HPA is the only way forward. If you want to enjoy a more social and relaxed polo experience, then Pony Club will never disappoint you. Whatever you decide, good luck for the summer! F ◗ So Izzy, pictured, will be playing Junior HPA this summer. But what are your own views on the debate? Tell us what you make of Junior HPA or Pony Club polo at letters@polotimes.co.uk
Youth polo
The grass-roots view The latest from Theresa Hodges, UK Pony Club Polo chair, in her regular column Pony Club and Junior HPA entries 2011 Team entries have held up quite well this year although absolute team numbers may vary a bit as last minute decisions are made. We have 12 Jorrocks teams (players under 11); 10 teams in Handley Cross (under 14); 19 Surtees teams (under 15); five teams in Hipwood (under 15); 10 Loriner teams (under 17); five teams in Langford (under 18); eight Rendell teams (under 21) and seven Gannon teams (under 21) who are playing at the 0-5 goal level for the first time. In 2010 there were 86 teams in total and this year it appears that there will be 76. In 2008, before the recession hit home, we had 110 junior teams on the circuit. Reduced team numbers means an ever greater focus on our fixed costs for the Cowdray Championships, qualifiers, friendlies and training. For more information, please consult the Pony Club or the HPA websites, as follows: www.pcuk.org and www.hpa-polo.co.uk Home Grown Player rule While it would be rewarding to see higher standards of play at all levels, we need to be very careful to ensure our own players do not face reduced opportunities to play in good teams because of an influx of players from overseas. It is difficult to consider homegrown approaches in isolation of the equity of the handicapping process and where those handicaps originate. If UK junior polo is doing anything right in the pursuit of better polo at a younger age, then we should see this reflected in the handicaps of our junior players across all sections. This in itself will create better faster polo and therefore more teams able to play four man polo at higher levels. Girls on tour The Pony Club were asked to try out more girls only polo and determine the demand for it going forward. The girls team from Kenya will play two exhibition matches on Wednesday 13 July and Friday 15 July against two girls only sides from Pony Club GB. Kenya will also play in two of our Rendell friendlies.
Polo Times, June 2011
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Knowledge
Playing around – Bluey’s Farm Polo Club
Our intrepid improver Carlie Trotter (-2) works her way around the UK’s polo clubs
Playing the Bluey’s Carlie Trotter travels to Berkshire to the HPA’s newest affiliated club and finds Bluey’s to be a welcoming and laid-back haven for low-goalers and polo newcomers Sipping maté and shooting the proverbial breeze before a friendly knockabout at Bluey’s Farm, a newly-affiliated club nestled between Berkshire’s biggest polo venues, is my kind of Sunday. If RCBPC is a home of English polo then perhaps Bluey’s is its holiday cottage, for non-patrons and their families to enjoy when they can. Straight-talking founder Stuart Craig swears by a simple formula: “We always have a barbecue after chukkas, we don’t do big tournaments and we
If RCBPC is a home of English polo then perhaps Bluey’s is its holiday cottage work hard to keep the grounds in good condition. The only club rule I have is the “No dogs near the barbecue rule”, after one cheeky mutt made off with a tray of finest fillet steak recently.” Otherwise, the club is as laid-back as it gets and armchair-like club pony Petaka gives me the confidence to make some half-decent shots while fending off polocrosse convert Heather Wigglesworth. Team captain Mike Revell
sets up goal after goal so that Grace Wang and I barely have time to gossip, though I do get to congratulate her for getting back on the field just three weeks after giving birth. When the bell rings I’m feeling pretty pleased with myself for helping the team to victory against an Argentine, until the naturally-gifted Fran Silveira confesses it was his first proper chukka. Watching from the sideline, home-grown four-goaler Mat Lodder says Bluey’s is a perfect haven for pros looking for downtime and somewhere to train their youngsters.
Main picture: Carlie Trotter (left) rides off Heather Wigglesworth. Above (inset): action from a club game at Bluey’s Farm
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19/5/11 14:52:21
Playing around – Bluey’s Farm Polo Club
In a more competitive practice match over on ground one, I hear Aussie coach Ed Judge giving John Gibbs (-2) tips on his swing as he brings the ball down the boards and the teamwork makes for nice open polo. Afterwards John says: “Farm chukkas are more fun here than at other clubs I’ve been to where there’s a sense of every man for himself. Many of us here have known each other for years, having done the rounds of other low-goal clubs.” While we gather round the bucket of beers and tuck into steak sandwiches the canine spectators are left to fetch the balls from the ground and I start wishing I could make Thursday evening
chukkas. The fast train into Twyford is perfectly do-able for Londoners during the week, though most stick to morning matches and afternoon lessons during the weekend. With preparations in full swing for the first charity shindig of the season in aid of Cancer Research UK, the club is bound to be welcoming more players and spectators every day. Rather than cannibalising other clubs, the aim is to bring newbies into the sport and offer practice games for casual players. I say Bluey’s is a safe bet for friendly polo, psssst pass it on... F ◗ Bluey’s has been granted provisional affiliation by the HPA Stewards
Knowledge
Bluey’s Farm Vital statistics Playing members 35 Non-playing members Offspring and local equestrians Facilities Two full-size boarded grounds, stick and ball field, exercise track, manège, wooden horse, field-side marquee, shoe forge, shower block and loo. Location The 100-acre Bluey’s Farm is ideally located in England’s polo heartland, 10 minutes off the M4 (junction 8 or 10) or five from Twyford train station (21 minutes by fast train from London Paddington), just down the road from Little Waltham airfield and RCBPC, within half an hour of both Binfield Heath and Coworth Park. Philosophy Relaxed farm polo for beginners and beyond
Soundbites from the sidelines
Running the show Club founder and farrier Stuart Craig, father of female player Kirsty, began transforming the farm for polo around 12 years ago and also set up West Wycombe. He is the man making sure games keep to time
Stuart Craig - club founder “We’ve been operating as a club for the last two years but now it’s official with the HPA new people are arriving all the time. I’m fortunate to have a committed yard team behind me and the aim is to concentrate on lessons rather than big tournaments, which members can find easily at surrounding clubs. There are fantastic bridleways running through the farm and we have a broad spectrum of hirelings to suit players of different levels. We get a good turnout at Thursday evening chukkas and make sure there’s always a pro on each team in practice matches.” Mat Lodder - professional member “I’ve been based here for about five years because it’s so close to RCBPC and Guards for the high-goal but also a perfect environment to bring beginners into. Being able to hire school ponies from Stuart and turn mine out in a private field is a big bonus, and pros here work together to schedule different level matches for different clients. Every year, the facilities get better and a couple of my clients from London are now looking to rent weekend homes in the area to spend more time here. It really feels like a community, plus there’s a nice little pub just down the road.” Mike Revell - low-goal member “When I first moved my string here I planned to play at a different club every weekend but that doesn’t make for good polo and I’m looking forward to this season being busier at Bluey’s. It’s certainly cheaper to play regularly here than at other clubs in the area, which is important for me now I have three children. Grassroots clubs like this open up the sport to a vast number of people who wouldn’t otherwise discover it. I’m always inviting colleagues along to have a go and it’s easy to drop in and out of the game here.” www.polotimes.co.uk
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and grounds are kept in pristine condition. Club coaches Ed Judge (3) and Phillip Elliott (3) keep members busy with regular training and challenge matches, while resident four-goaler Mat Lodder is on hand to guide members through buying their first ponies. Crowd Bluey’s is a popular base for banking bigwigs and busy parents, including a number of migrants from Fifield. Post-match barbecues make for a family-friendly atmosphere and local ramblers often join the sideline posse. Seasonal highlight Charity matches in May and August bring out Berkshire’s glam squad with the temptation of fine dining and dancing. Livery Full livery on the 50-stable yard costs £140 a week including exercise and shoeing, while grass livery with shoes is £60 per week. Membership £515 including HPA and summer booze fund. The club’s 18 hirelings are available for £35 per chukka, and a private lesson costs £80. Contact stuart@equicentre.co.uk; 01189 341215 Polo Times, June 2011
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Knowledge
Feeding special
Fuel up your ponies, not just your lorry Whilst many polo ponies are used to travelling to and from games, our feeding expert explains how the stresses of travel can take their toll so owners need to make sure polo ponies are fed and watered correctly in order for them to perform at their best your faithful steeds who may not have eaten for several hours.
Lorna Edgar Specialist equine nutritionist
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It is generally common practice for polo ponies not to be fed forage the morning before they play, but if we take into consideration the time for ponies to be groomed, travel to polo, arrive at the grounds, tacked up, the duration of the game and travel time home, our ponies have probably not eaten for at least six hours or more. It is unnecessary for ponies to go for such a long period of time without eating. Allowing access to forage/feed is not a problem on the day of polo – the equine digestive tract is very different to a human’s.
Photographs by Alice Gipps
or polo ponies, travel is all part of the game, to-ing and fro-ing from matches is no big thing, but the journey time, feeding, watering and the effect it may have on the physical and mental performance of an individual must be taken into consideration. Whilst you eat your carbohydrate-loaded lunch and drink a Lucozade Sport to enhance your performance on the field, do remember
Feeding
Allowing ponies to eat in moderation shortly before they play isn’t a problem, though at present isn’t common practice and means that horses often go without eating for as long as six hours unnecessarily
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Approximately one and a half litres of acid is produced in the stomach of a horse every hour, which sloshes around and trickles through to the hind gut, causing damage and disruption on the way if a pony has not been fed for a long period of time. Although you do not need to stuff your ponies full of forage or feed, by reducing the time they stand without will help prevent the above.
Watering and electrolytes One of the biggest effects of travelling is the increased loss of fluids. Studies show horses can lose approximately 0.5 per cent of their bodyweight every hour they travel (approximately 2.5kgs in a 500kg horse). The majority of the fluids lost are through sweat and, naturally, in hotter conditions, these losses are greater. Many horses won’t drink when away or travelling, but we have to encourage them and keep offering it so let them have a bucket in front of them in the lines if possible. Try to encourage drinking by taking containers of your own water to polo and mix with water available at the grounds or by adding beet pulp water or flavouring such as apple juice or Ribena. Ponies can have water right up to the moment they travel or 20 minutes before they play and before being loaded again. The body is 75 per cent water, so keep it topped up to help enhance performance. Electrolytes are essential and, for the hours they spend travelling, particularly in the hot weather, the body salts lost in sweat must be replaced. For more information about electrolytes see Lorna’s regular column on page 67. www.polotimes.co.uk
19/5/11 14:55:28
Feeding special
During travel Whilst travelling, it is generally the norm not to feed polo ponies, primarily due to the logistics within the lorry and fighting between individuals. It is not recommended for dusty hay nets to be tied in front of them for dust to be inhaled - haylage or wet hay would be preferable if you are able to do so. If not, let them graze when they arrive at the grounds. This will do no harm as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an opportunity for the molar teeth to grind together and produce some saliva to help buffer some of the stomach acid. Tying up horsesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; heads tightly when travelling prevents them from clearing the mucus and dirt from their respiratory tracts. It is therefore advisable not to tie them up too short. Often polo ponies are travelled in muzzles, which can hinder the amount of fresh air they breathe in and the build up of condensation in
the muzzle could harbour unwanted bacteria. Interestingly, research carried out on racehorses suggested that travelling 300km induced similar metabolic changes to that of cantering 1,500m. Therefore, for those ponies travelling long distances and regularly, these factors must be considered to help their recovery time, energy levels and performance. u
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Knowledge
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Knowledge u
Feeding special
Another study found that horses use as much energy for balancing and bracing themselves during travel as they would if they were walking for the duration (not distance)
Stress and strenuous exercise are associated with incidence of the disease and is most commonly associated with racehorses but polo ponies could also have an increased risk.
Horses use a surprising amount of energy balancing and bracing themselves during travel, which must be considered of the journey, which is a lot of walking before galloping around a polo ground. The energy expended will also be determined by temperament – a stressful traveller will use a lot more energy than a relaxed individual. We may, in such a case, have to increase the diet for the duration of a tournament to ensure those energy levels are being met and condition is maintained. Perhaps arrive at the grounds early and give a small feed with plenty of beet or alfalfa to replenish their energy stores? You may be the only one doing it, but your ponies will be so much better for it.
Long trips abroad Long trips anywhere can be very hard work. Polo ponies very rarely have the pampered experience of a three-day-event horse in a luxury vehicle and, therefore, trying to make the journey as stress free as possible will only be of benefit for their health and fitness on arrival. Implementing the suggestions already made and trying to encourage eating of fibre and drinking during breaks is essential. Those ponies travelling big distances will be more susceptible to “Shipping Fever” (bacterial pleuropneumonia), which usually occurs when the defence mechanisms of the lungs are compromised.
Allowing horses to drink during breaks on a long journey is absolutely essential
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Ensuring a balanced diet is fed to boost immunity and a clean travelling environment is achieved, the risks can be reduced.
The effects of stress on gut health The stress of travelling, and playing, can take its toll, particularly on nervous or stressprone individuals. Trying to maintain good gut health during these times can, primarily, be helped by management. However, going one step further by providing assistance to the gut bacteria with the use of supplements can help to encourage gut health and, therefore, the performance of your ponies. To this end, I have had great success in using products such as Protexin® Gut Balancer, Baileys Digest Plus and Succeed®, which can all be of great benefit to assist in maintaining the beneficial bacteria population in the hind gut to enable efficient utilisation of fibre in the diet.After all, that is what they have evolved to eat. F w Lorna Edgar works for Baileys Horse Feeds. Call her on 07808 863864
Food for thought In order to meet the intensive exercise demands placed upon them, polo ponies need to consume a large amount of food, writes Mark Siddle, a polo-playing vet based on the Cheshire-Shropshire border. This dietary energy intake is often consumed over a relatively short period in the form of concentrate feeds. If fed in large amounts without sufficient forage intake, the acidity in the stomach increases. Prolonged exposure to this increased acidity can lead to erosion of the stomach lining (ulceration). Outward signs are difficult to define but include: attitude change (reluctance to work, less speed and stamina); poor body condition; reduced appetite, and lowgrade colic. A definitive diagnosis can only be made by visualisation of the stomach lining using an endoscope (gastric endoscopy). Intensive exercise may further contribute to gastric ulceration in a number of ways: stress; displacement of acidic stomach contents into the upper, acid-sensitive part of the stomach in the galloping horse; changes in gastric physiology including reduced blood flow to the stomach, increased acid secretion and delayed stomach emptying. Once diagnosed, ulceration can be treated using medication and altering management practices: increased turnout; continual access to forage; reducing the grain content of the diet, and minimising stress. A maintenancemedication and monitoring of the horse is often a good idea to prevent a recurrence of the illness.
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19/5/11 16:52:42
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19/5/11 14:58:15
Knowledge
Know your horse
Mark Emerson MRCVS is a two-goal polo player and an ambulatory equine vet
Stamp out stud injuries With the season now underway, our duty vet has already had to deal with a number of nasty injuries caused by studs, which, as he explains, can be prevented by using protective boots and hind shoes with the correct and legal stud holes for polo
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he last month has been extremely busy with plenty of routine work (largely teeth rasping and vaccinations) combined with the first injuries of the season and lameness investigations. I have sheepishly been avoiding the editor as, at the time of writing, I am well aware that my copy is late but, everytime I put time aside to write this column, my phone rings. Not always emergencies may I add, often a player desperate for a few vaccinations or a new passport before the first game of the season. I cannot urge you enough to book your vets early to do routine pre-season work. So, after several false starts I was determined to write this column one evening in May, when, you guessed it, the phone went for a horse that had been injured in a match earlier that afternoon. I’m not sure why it took four hours to decide that the vet needed 66
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Top left and right: A typical tread wound caused by the stud on the hind shoe of another pony (before and after stitching) Above: the correct (left) and wrong (right) location of hind shoe stud holes for polo
calling. It was a pretty nasty pastern wound almost certainly inflicted by the stud of another horse. Unfortunately, this is one of the most common injuries polo vets have to deal with and they can be very nasty indeed. Often such “tread” injuries involve the coronary band and top of the hoof, which make them impossible to stitch and the damage can be extremely long lasting, affecting hoof growth for months or even years.
Such wounds often don’t heal well because they lie over the coffin joint and tend to open up when the horse walks around even when bandaged. A cast is often required to stabilise the wound until it heals. Even more importantly, deep stud wounds over the coronary band can penetrate the coffin joint itself, which will invariably infect the joint and could be life threatening without aggressive veterinary intervention. Fortunately the wound mentioned above was largely over the pastern and although extensive, did not appear to be too deep. The horse was also sound which hinted that it was unlikely to have penetrated the joint. The lower part did run to the hoof over the coronary band, but in a vertical direction so that I was able to stitch most of it back together. Providing it is kept well bandaged and its movement is restricted for the following few days the stitches should hold and the horse may be back playing within a couple of weeks. As they say, prevention is always better than cure, so how does one prevent such stud injuries? As far as I am concerned, well-fitted overreach boots are a must. However, the other factor that would considerably reduce the number of injuries is to ensure that the correct (legal) studs are used and that stud holes are correctly positioned. The Blue Book clearly defines what is permissible in polo (Rule 4h, page 333 of the 2011 HPA Year Book). F ◗ Mark Emerson works as an ambulatory equine vet based near Ascot and has polo clients across the south of England: tel 07973 800358 or email mark@emersonequine.com www.polotimes.co.uk
19/5/11 17:19:54
Know your horse
Physio for thought Help avoid stiff necks by Australian high-performance vet Nicola Jagger, specialist in chiropractics and cohesive equine physiotherapy
One of the most common reasons for people calling me is to treat neck problems. The neck counters the body’s balance and movement and pain or stiffness is often caused by problems in other areas. Signs of neck problems include stiffness, sensitivity at the poll, changes in head carriage, tight muscles, shortened forelimb gait, standing with the neck in a low position and, most seriously, incoordination (stop riding and call your vet). Neck pain in horses can be due to trauma, arthritis, pulling back when tied up, injection-site reactions, and most commonly muscle strain, usually due to poor posture. Standing by the shoulder and encouraging your horse to follow a carrot and bend around your body is a useful stretching and mobilising technique and is a good way of monitoring changes. Riding long and low, bending the neck from side to side can often release the neck. Keep the neck as long as possible. If the neck does not soften within a week, I would advise calling your vet.
Gaucho
tips for grooms
If you feel your horse isn’t going well, ask yourself what you are doing wrong before you blame your horse. First, ask your vet or someone more experienced for their opinion. It might be that its teeth need rasping, or it may have a sore leg, back or neck. Pain can prevent it from performing as it used to or should do. Perhaps the exercise routine is not suitable. Horses should be trained according to their individual needs. Check their diet – they may be on the wrong diet for the amount of work they are doing. Ask your vet or a reputable feeding company. Could it be the wrong horse for the kind of polo you play? In which case you may want to ask someone to try it at a different level. It takes horses time to adapt to new places. Often, a horse that you tried abroad, where it felt fantastic, doesn’t seem to perform as well once it arrives at home. Give it time - having just arrived after a traumatic flight, having to cope with changes in routine, weather and diet, will all take its toll. It usually takes them a season to settle and adapt. Don’t give up at the first hurdle but do be realistic about your expectations. www.polotimes.co.uk
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Knowledge
Lorna Edgar – specialist equine nutritionist
Why and how should I feed electrolytes? I have talked about electrolytes before, but I feel it is important to refresh your minds, when those allessential electrolytes will have been an absolute must over the last month or so, with the recent warm weather. Even if ponies are sweating on the exercise track, they still need electrolytes. So, what are electrolytes? They are minerals lost during sweating which can lead to an imbalance in the body resulting in negative effects on organ function, muscle fatigue, lack of concentration, reduced co-ordination and slow recovery. Similar to us being dehydrated from a hangover, we need to be replenished! We can reduce the onset of fatigue by 25 per cent when electrolytes are administered before and after exercise or travel. Per hour, 10-15 litres of sweat can be lost, containing 10g of salts per litre. I generally come across electrolyte powders being added to the feed,
which is convenient and ideal, however, I cannot stress how important it is to not put electrolytes in a dry feed as it increases dehydration. Most horses won’t drink water with electrolytes so, instead, add them to sloppy sugar beet water or very wet feeds. For the most difficult individuals, syringe the electrolytes with plenty of water, as you would bute. But don’t forget, access to fresh water must always be available. Ideally, I would administer electrolytes two hours before travelling, playing or working hard – any sooner and the salts will be excreted as excess quantities cannot be stored. After travel or play administer them within one to two hours for maximum effect and, if the weather’s very hot, the next morning as well. Ensure the horse has had water and electrolytes before eating forage or feed to aid rehydration.
Cuándo y cómo dar electrolitos Ya escribí sobre electrolitos en números anteriores pero creo que es importante recordarles que son esenciales en días de calor como los que venimos teniendo, aun después del vareo. Los electrolitos son minerales que se pierden a través de la transpiración y de ocurrir en exceso puede tener efectos negativos como fatiga muscular, falta de concentración, mala coordinación y recuperación lenta y puede afectar el normal funcionamiento de órganos. Es comparable al efecto que tiene la resaca en nosotros a causa de la deshidratación. El efecto de la fatiga puede reducirse un 25% al administrar electrolitos antes y después del ejercicio / transporte. Un dato de interés: el caballo puede llegar a perder entre 10 y 15 litros de sudor, conteniendo 10g de sal por litro. La forma mas común de administrar electrolitos es en la comida. Pero no puedo dejar de remarcar lo importante que es agregar
agua en la ración. Electrolitos en polvo y sin agua causan deshidratación! A la mayoría de los caballos no les gusta el sabor del agua con electrolitos por lo que podés agregarlos a una ración mojada, con sugar beet por ejemplo. Para caballos difícil la mejor opción es administrarlos con una jeringa, como lo harías con buta, pero no dejes de agregarle agua y asegurate que siempre tengan acceso libre a bebederos. Lo ideal es darles electrolitos dos horas antes de viajar, jugar o trabajar fuerte. Si se los das antes los van a haber deshechado para cuando los necesiten. Dales otra vez entre 1 y 2 horas después de jugar o de viajar para tener un mejor resultado. Si hiciera mucho calor, dales electrolitos a la mañana siguiente también. Asegurate de que los caballos hayan tomado agua y electrolitos antes de comer forraje o la ración para evitar la deshidratación.
◗ Contact Lorna Edgar on lorna@baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk and 07808 863864 Polo Times, June 2011
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Knowledge
Know your game
Must-have tips for players – from Jamie Peel, three-goal pro and 2008 Gold Cup winner
Photograph by Unicorn SA, horse-shipping agents, Buenos Aires
Rising costs hit pros The start to the 2011 season has been one of the best that I can remember. The weather has been fantastic and it has made all the difference for everyone who has been preparing their horses for the summer. There are, however, an increasing number of players who are struggling to organise polo and with rising costs across the globe life is starting to get complicated for a lot of people. Many players have employed fewer grooms and have cut down the number of horses that they have in work to try to save money. After my recent trip to Argentina in April I was amazed to see just how expensive it has become to play there. Polo in Argentina is now a serious industry, it has established itself as the world leader and as a result if you want to go and play there you are expected to pay a premium. Prices for keeping horses are now comparable to what we are paying here in the UK, for example the cost of keeping ten horses for a year is in the region of $60,000 (£36,500). A membership at one of the main clubs in Pilar will cost you $5,000$6,000 (£3,000- £3,500) – at Cowdray Park Polo Club for this season you are looking at paying £4,800. If you are renting horses in Argentina, then a string of ponies can cost around $15,000 (£9,000) per month (obviously
The costs associated with transporting ponies have gone through the roof in recent years
this depends on the standard to which you are playing). The cost is now at such a level that it is only really available to the elite players and due to the investment required you must be 100 per cent committed and organised if you are thinking of playing there. In a recent edition of Polo Times the HPA released their bursary figures for the winter 2010/11. It makes very interesting reading and I believe that it is important that the members of the HPA are able to see where and to whom the money is being spent. Please correct me if I am wrong but I think that of the eight players that are listed all of them were playing in Argentina during the winter at some stage. The maximum amount awarded
was £8,000 and you can see from the figures that I have listed just how valuable these donations are and how quickly the money can be spent. The transportation of horses is another cost that is hitting players hard. This year to transport a horse from South Africa it is costing an amazing £18,000. From Australia and New Zealand, it is less expensive but, due to the weak pound, players are not seeing their money stretch as far as it used to. To fly a horse from Australia to the UK is $12,000 (£7,250) and from New Zealand it is around $13,000 (£7,900). Some of the English players based in Argentina have flown horses over from the UK at a cost of nearly $14,000 (£8,500) per horse. The investment required to compete at any level has now become a serious financial commitment and with good jobs becoming increasingly hard to find it is difficult to see just how professionals are going to find the money to invest in horses. It is important that people can see and understand just what is required to make it as a pro, players are investing serious money in their careers and should be applauded for their ambition. F ◗ Read more from Jamie Peel at www.polotimes.co.uk
Mind games Mind games Min Sports psychologist Miranda Banks on what polo players need to think about to optimise “Planning” and “routine” are the key words for effective game preparation. For your strategy, consider all factors, from the opposing team to the ground and weather conditions. For example, strong winds impair your communication and
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accuracy – keep the game shorter and have a super-clear game plan. Minimise last minute crises. Ensure every piece of clothing and equipment is packed well in advance. Every eventuality can’t be anticipated, but the easy things
www.polotimes.co.uk
19/5/11 16:38:50
Know your game
Knowledge
Fit for purpose
Avoiding injury
James de Mountfort, polo player and personal trainer to the Red Bull F1 Racing Team reveals the exercises and techniques that will help your polo
Essential tips from equestrian and extreme sports biomechanics fitness expert, Linda Byrne
This exercise is a great movement to strengthen your backline whilst maintaining neutral posture. The benefits in strengthening postural and rotational muscles and increasing the range of motion in lumbar spine is that it will give you a stronger seat, which should create a more powerful polo shot. For this exercise:
Specific dynamic stretching is an essential warm up for polo as it uses movements similar to that used during the course of a game. Stretches are done with a gradually increasing range of speed and motion, and facilitate the neural pathways that will be used during a chukka by increasing the receptivity of the neurons that are involved in the movement. There are too many stretches to mention in this article however, here are three to get you started and please get in touch if you would like any further advice: • Leg swings x 15 Stand tall and swing your leg backwards and forwards keeping your shoulders back and an upright posture (as pictured below)
1. Get on your hands and knees, placing your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. 2. Inhale and raise your right arm up and out and lift your left leg as high as possible without tilting your pelvis. 3. Exhale and tuck your elbow and knee together under your torso using your abdominals to pull you together 4. Repeat using the opposite arm and leg.
• Side leg swings x 15 Stand tall and swing your leg across in front of the other and then out to the side (as pictured below)
Aim to move with the rate of your breathing
◗ Contact James on 07949 455712 or james@personally-trained.co.uk to put together your own regime to get you fit for purpose.
Mind games Mind games their performances. This month – preparing to play should be done well ahead of time. Leave unrelated tasks (like texting and emailing) until after the game. Building your pre-game routine is essential to managing mental preparation as well as energy levels.
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Develop a match-day routine that reflects your own physical and mental needs. ◗ Contact Miranda on 07789 933936 and miranda@mirandabanks.com
• Arm swings x 15 Swing your arm in a giant circle for 15 rotations backwards, then for 15 rotations forwards. ◗ Contact Linda on 07535 655338 and linda@lvbinc.co.uk, or see www.lvbinc.co.uk for more information Polo Times, June 2011
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Knowledge
Ones to watch
Matt Perry is set for a dream high-goal season, says John O’Sullivan
Photographs by Lucy Northmore and Alec Whitby, Centaur
Fresh from being named the outstanding low-goaler of the year at the Audi Polo Awards, Matt Perry admits to being “nervous and excited” by his debut high-goal season. The Royal County of Berkshire member has replaced Edmund Parsons in the La Bamba de Areco line-up for the Queens Cup and Gold Cup this summer. This will see him play alongside 10-goal Argentine brothers Facundo and Gonzalo Pieres, fresh from their Triple Crown in their homeland with Ellerstina last December. Perry moved up from one-goal to two-goal at the end of last season after winning the 18-goal Victor Ludorum title with Guy Schwarzenbach’s Black Bears. The likeable 19–year-old sees this as his biggest achievement to date, but having spent the last two months training with the Pieres, he is hoping to better that with Jean-Francois Decaux’s side this summer. He said: “They called around July and we’ve been in contact all winter. They’ve been coaching me and helping me with horses since March. “We’ve been doing team practices and we entered the Holyport Tournament. Naturally I’m a little nervous but mostly very excited and of course extremely lucky to have an amazing team.” Perry is using two of his own best horses, but also has 10 of the La Bamba stable at his disposal, so should be extremely well mounted. Asked what he is hoping to achieve this season, the ambitious two-goaler added: “Nothing major, just winning the Queen’s Cup and the Gold Cup!”
Mandarinka
Height: 15.2hh Age: 6 Colour: Chestnut Sex: Gelding Breed: English thoroughbred Owner: Henry Brett
Henry Brett (inset) tells Lucy Northmore about his up-and-coming gelding, originally bred for racing, who has become one of his best ponies but still has a lot more to give
where I played for Nick Britten-Long’s Laird team, so he went from 8-goal straight up to 20-goal. Unfortunately we didn’t get to the final but we did win the subsidiary final against HB Polo Team.
How long have you had Mandarinka? I bought him from the Tattersalls sales in Newmarket three years ago, as a three-year-old. I liked his look and he seemed like a good type for polo – good confirmation and strong. He was a product of my young horse operation, which I started about five years ago. In that time I have made over 22 horses and have 12 left.
What has he played in so far this season? I played him in the 12-15 goal Queen Mother Centenary Cup at Guards in May, which our team, BHC Polo, won. I also played him in the Indian Empire Shield. At the moment, I’m playing him in the Duke of Sutherland and the Royal Windsor.
How long did it take you to make him? It took two years. He played his first season last year as a five-year-old. He learnt really quickly and adapted easily. He was so good that I never even played him in practice chukkas, I took him straight into an 8-goal exhibition charity match where he went on to win best playing pony. Where did he go from there? I played him in the Warwickshire Cup last year,
What plans do you have for him for the near future? I will play him in all the 15 and 18 goal this season. He’s still young and has a lot more to give. He has the potential to be a serious horse so I will see how far he goes. What makes him such a favourite? He has a great temperament and has a lot of speed and power, which is a great combination. He does everything well, so is a very complete horse. I honestly don’t think he has a single weakness.
Page sponsored by Baileys Horse Feeds – experts in polo nutrition Tel: +44 (0)1371 850247 www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk 70 Polo Times, June 2011
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19/5/11 17:27:51
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Polo Times, June 2011
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Knowledge
Property – The Address Jnan Amar Marrakech, Morocco
Exclusive new polo destination set for launch in 2013 Created with the standards of Guards Polo Club as its benchmark, polo’s first residential venue in North Africa combines a visionary property development with ambitious plans for expanding polo in the region
Alice Jónsdóttir Ferrier guides us round
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urrounded by the lush expanse of two world class polo fields and featuring a contemporary, fully equipped polo clubhouse, The Address Jnan Amar Marrakech looks set to be a ground-breaking retreat for modern times. The Jnan Amar project is a collection of 92 villas designed by award-winning architects with views across polo grounds, a five-star hotel, spa, restaurants and an equestrian club. Conveniently positioned on the road to Lalla Takarkoust Lake, yet set in its own peaceful surroundings, The Address is designed to be an accessible retreat, just 20 minutes from the bustling city of Marrakech and 15 minutes from Menara Airport. Incorporating the game of kings is a tribute to the traditions of Morocco’s gallant past, but certainly promises to be far more than just a gimmick. Rather, with all Jnan Amar Marrakech residents awarded free membership and use of the polo fields for the first year, the game is designed to be the focal point of the whole development. International tournaments can be watched from the comfort of the adjoining clubhouse, which borders the main ground, whilst first-line villa residents can enjoy the matches from the privacy of their garden. As well as complimentary polo membership, residents are also given free rein of the gym, outdoor polo, speciality equipment, lounges and restaurants. These include the delectable Argentinean Asado restaurant on the ground floor, offering al fresco dining, and a casual sports lounge up on the roof, where the
Each of the 92 villas is complete with cutting-edge technology and lavish design, all based around easy access to polo, as is the clubhouse (pictured right)
opportunity to enjoy stylish food, a drink and shisha while watching the latest match on the oversize LCD TVs will complete the feel of the prestigious sporting paradise that The Address is aiming to create. Back down at the pony lines, there will be stabling for 104 ponies, allowing residents to bring their own, as well as permanently housing some 40 ponies for guests that want to hire mounts or take lessons. The venue will include a veterinary centre, an equestrian facility complete with accommodation, two paddocks for grazing and 16 tack rooms. Where the polo meets the hotel and the villa accommodation, the project has been designed to make the transition as seamless and attractive as possible. This has been done by starting with the polo grounds and taking nature as the principal inspiration for everything else. As such, the buildings are all created from natural materials including crystal, stone and wood, resulting in
cutting-edge, contemporary features that unite the interior design with the traditional exterior architecture, polo fields and gardens. Each consciously opulent villa comes complete with its own private terrace, stunningly designed expansive living areas, up to five bedrooms, fully-fitted kitchens and separate dining room areas overlooking blossoming gardens. When construction finishes in two years’ time, there will be little doubt that Morocco has arrived on the international polo map. F ◗ Prices for remaining plots range from US$1.2million to US$2.6million (approx £750,000-£1.6million) ◗ For all enquiries, contact penny@ quintessentiallyestates.com
For further information with regard to equestrian property sales contracts, please contact Mark Charter at Blake Lapthorn directly: on 023 8085 7116; via email, at mark.charter@bllaw.co.uk; or write to Mark Charter, Partner, Real Estate, Blake Lapthorn, New Kings Court, Tollgate, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, SO53 3LG
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www.polotimes.co.uk
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How to spend it
Motors
Adrenalin alternatives with Andrew Dent This month: Shark Diving Sitting patiently in a cage underwater, breathing slowly and rhythmically through your scuba mouthpiece and surrounded by a ‘churn’ of fish heads and tuna blood, you contemplate your future with some trepidation. Suddenly there is a looming shape in the distance and in a moment you are face to face with the awesome serrated teeth and conical snout of one of the world’s most successful predators. If you’ve got an underwater camera, now is the time to use it, but don’t put your arms outside the bars, or they might go missing. Growing up to 20 feet in length and 5,000 lbs, the great white is probably the best known of all sharks. Although, in truth, its numbers are dwindling and it is treated as a vulnerable species. Despite the premise of Peter Benchley’s 1975 novel Jaws, such sharks rarely attack humans since our high bone-to-flesh ratio makes us unsuitable prey, and so most incidents are thought to be ‘test tastings’ and are non-fatal. Kayakers have been overturned after being mistaken for seals, the preferred meal. Prey is usually taken from below, at speeds of up to 25mph.
Knowledge
Great whites rarely prosper in captivity and are best viewed in their native seas. Although it is safe to dive unprotected with most species of shark, extra care is necessary with the great white. While baiting a cage with ‘churn’ is undoubtedly safe and successful, it does associate human activity with food, which can have dangerous consequences. You can dive with lemon sharks in the UK, and learn basic scuba techniques at the same time, but the best places to cage-dive with the great whites are South Africa and Australia. Water temperatures are warm, although a wetsuit is usually worn. You need to be familiar with scuba equipment and there are various restrictions on people with asthma, breathing difficulties etc. It also helps if you are not prone to regular panic attacks!
Audi R8 Spyder The Audi brand has been almost omnipresent around the polo world in England this month with the Audi Challenge, the Audi Polo Awards and the successful German car manufacturers’ renewed sponsorship of the England team, the Junior HPA and the Pony Club. But rest assured Audi’s polo commitments have not interfered with what they do best – producing top tier and cutting edge saloon and sports cars. The more eagle-eyed guests at the Audi Polo Awards will have spotted the latest example of this – the R8 Spyder – given pride of place to the right of the stage during the ceremony in May.
www.sharkbookings.com www.virginexperiencedays.co.uk/ experiences/Shark_Diving_123
Impressive equestrian estate in the heart of polo country Graffham Court is situated in the heart of the South Downs National Park, close to Cowdray Park Polo Club. Nestling at the foot of the Downs, the vast 41 acre property, which would be ideal for an equestrian enthusiast, is adjacent to unspoilt countryside and picturesque common land. The eight-bedroom Graffham Court is approached by its own private rhododendronlined driveway. The estate includes paddocks, a stick and ball polo ground and an all-weather manège and exercise track. The bordering woodland has the basis for a cross country course and there is direct access from the property onto Ambersham Common for riding and walking. The estate also boasts equestrian facilities including two foaling boxes with heat lamps, four stables, a tack room, a washing box with hot www.polotimes.co.uk
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water and overhead infra-red heaters. There are also two loose boxes, four mobile stables around a courtyard, a large modern barn for stabling and an open four bay lean-to on the modern barn. In addition to the manor house is a pool house with kitchenette and shower. Available from Jackson-Stops, £8million See www.jackson-stops.co.uk for more info
Based on the most successful Le Mans racing car of all time, which bears the same name, the stylish two-seater comes with a highperformance 4.2 litre V8 engine which is capable of producing a breathtaking 8,250rpm. Boasting Audi’s all-wheel-drive quattro technology, the Spyder has a 0-62mph time of 4.8 seconds and a top-speed of 186mph. The fully-automatic roof can be opened by the single touch of a button, even when moving up to speeds of 31mph. Available from £95,595 Polo Times, June 2011
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Knowledge
Swiss travel
A plan for all seasons
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Swiss travel
Knowledge
The hills are alive: the Swiss town of Gstaad sits in a valley, left, with a flat patch which is home to an airfield and, each August, to a polo ground. The town is bursting with wonderful hotels (Hotel Olden above), spas and restaurants
Set in glorious alpine surroundings, the Swiss town of Gstaad offers an internationally known polo tournament in August and is generally a wonderful place to visit throughout the summer, with its five-star hotels, Swiss cheese, alpine walks and rich history
Yolanda Carslaw in Switzerland
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Gstaad’s alpine surroundings make one of polo’s lovliest settings and colourful chalet, warm wooden balconies lined with geraniums, with lush grass all around, cut for hay twice a summer. Gstaad’s agricultural side may surprise firsttimers: the town has four five-star hotels (a fifth will open next year) and 15 spa hotels; it has hosted international tennis since 1916; and it stages an acclaimed classical music festival. Its development was rooted in the arrival of Polo Times, June 2011
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Photographs by Helen Couchman
hen God was making Saanenland, so legend goes, His hand-print created five valleys, with a hill between each for skiing. Or, in summer, for grazing cattle. Thankfully, He left a flat patch on the valley floor a few miles from the district’s main town, Gstaad, which is home to an airfield. And, each August, to a polo ground. Gstaad’s alpine surroundings make one of polo’s loveliest settings. When I visited to report on the 15th Hublot Polo Gold Cup last August, a highly competitive 18-goal fixture (see October 2010 issue), I made time to explore. My guide was Ruth Lehmann, a ski instructor whose clients include names that make headlines worldwide. Ruth embodies the Swiss dream: she spent childhood summers up
on the meadows of Eggli, where her family have made cheese for six generations. “When I had to go down to the valley I’d cry!” she declares. She is married to an architect, lives in a large and lovely chalet and tends a vegetable garden that would make my mother swoon. This compact town makes wonderful wandering territory: around every corner lies another neat
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Knowledge
Swiss travel
Gstaad Essentials EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES: 16th Hublot Polo Gold Cup, 18-21 August; the 55th Menuhin Festival, 15 July to 3 September; Beach Volleyball World Tour, 4-10 July; Swiss Open Tennis, 23-31 July. All summer: a cheese tour to Ruedi’s chalet, including a cheesy brunch and plenty of chit-chat, costs SF15/£11. All summer: rent electric bikes to explore a well marked network of mountain cycle paths. STAY: Open all year round, Hotel Arc-enCiel (www.arc-en-ciel.ch/e) has 39 rooms and apartments (all with balcony or terrace), outdoor pool, playground, fitness and games rooms, free mountain bikes for guests and private spa. From SF247/£175 for a double with breakfast.
The alpine surroundings can be well explored by bike or on foot, where one can visit a “milk bar” (above) or see how the locals make cheese (below left) before trying it in one of the many restaurants in town (below right)
the railway; the onset of the First World War, when the affluent sent their children there to stay safe; the subsequent development of private schools; and the evolution of winter sports. But cows remain central to its culture, if no longer its economy (Saanenland produces one per cent of Switzerland’s cheese). Pasture is measured not in hectares but in “Kuhrecht” or “cow rights”, depending on slope, aspect, altitude and soil. “Guests like the balance between high-level tourism and the natural farming environment,” says Ruth. We took a telecabin and a short walk to the Eggli farm where Ruth’s brother, Ruedi, keeps 24 cows. We watched him heat milk in a gigantic copper cauldron. “This one’s 50 years old; the last one lasted 150,” says Ruth. The cheese press is ancient, too. “It has gone 200 years without a service!” Ruedi told me. After fermentation, pressing and resting at 38 degrees for 20 days, each cheese gets an ID and date stamp, and is taken to a communal cellar in the valley. 76
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During the Hublot Polo Gold Cup, players enjoy a mountaintop party near Ruedi’s farm; they also have the privilege of parading through Gstaad on horseback, clattering spots that reflect the town’s rich history: the Posthotel Roessli (the Swiss dialect for horse), where carriage teams were changed during their journey over the mountains; the striking painted facade of the Hotel Olden, where artist and musician Heidi Mullener, its most charismatic owner, played the accordion to Europe’s beautiful people in her nightclub during the 1960s and 70s; the minuscule 1402 church that provides the smallest venue of the annual Menuhin Festival – started by Yehudi himself after a ski holiday when he admired the acoustics in another nearby church. To complete the fairytale, if players glance skywards they will see Gstaad’s landmark, the Palace Hotel, complete with turrets, tower and fluttering Swiss flags. F w Keep an eye on the Polo Times website for the teams in the 2011 Hublot Polo Gold Cup
EAT: For tradition and history, don’t miss Posthotel Roessli (four-course menu SF52/£36.50) in the town centre. We enjoyed fennel soup; smoked trout roestis; calves’ livers in butter or vinegar sauce; sliced veal and chanterelles with roesti and Toblerone chocolate mousse. Or try fondue bourguignonne or chinoise (SF59/£41); cheese fondue (SF26/£18). Polo Times loved the Arc-en-Ciel’s Winter Garden and cosy La Sarine, whose walls are decorated with life-size Swiss cows, their backsides painted on the reverse wall. Standout starters (from SF9.50/£6.70) included carpaccio with lime dressing; gazpacho; and lamb’s lettuce salad with bacon. Tasty mains (from SF29.50/£20) included trout from the River Saane; veal “Zurich-style” in cream sauce and mushrooms; and veal and nettle risotto. From the five pages of puddings (many in two sizes), we loved mango and apricot yoghurt ice-cream and a colossal mango crème brulée. At the Arc’s Pizzeria, large pizzas cost from SF18/£12 and children’s menus incorporate drawing paper. To blow the bank, we opted for the Gstaad Palace, caterers at the 2010 Hublot Polo Gold Cup. Have an apéro in the Lobby Bar then dine on La Grande Terrasse if it’s balmy, or choose between Le Grand Restaurant (with fish specialities), Le Grill (mostly meat), Gildo’s (Italian) and La Fromagerie (gorgeously Swiss). Despite its opulence, the Palace has a relaxed vibe, and you may glimpse players tackling a plate of lobster, sea bass or Chateaubriand. TRAVEL: Fly to Geneva with Swiss International Air Lines, which operates daily flights from Heathrow and London City from £100 return (0845 601 0956; www.swiss. com). Gstaad is 2hr45min by rail away – a spectacular journey with wonderful views of Geneva Lake and the mountains. A Swiss Transfer Ticket, bought in advance, costs £79 (£123 in first class) and covers a round-trip between the airport and any Swiss destination (00800 100200 30; www.swisstravelsystem.co.uk). VISIT: www.gstaad.ch/en and www.pologstaad.ch
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Products – polo jewellery
Knowledge
Fashion off the field Whether you need to buy a present for a friend or you just fancy treating yourself to a new piece of jewellery, Blair Abel selects some great items to choose from Polo stick ring, £12
www.satsfaction.com
Bracelet with equestrian charms, £45
www.hihosilver.co.uk Silver stick charm, 2.5cm long, £10
www.satsfaction.com 18ct gold and diamond charm, £260
www.linksoflondon.com Crossed polo mallet necklace, £461
www.sculpturewear.co.uk
Pampa bracelet, £145
www.arandu.com.ar
Multicoloured bracelets, £38
www.arandu.com.ar
Antique polo cufflinks, £3,500
nick@nicholaswratten.com Polo mallet earrings, £313
www.sculpturewear.co.uk Polo mallet necklace, £554
www.sculpturewear.co.uk
Alejandro Moy sterling silver cufflinks, £130
www.polo-art.com / www.geronimojones.com
Rawhide bracelet with charm, £15
www.satsfaction.com
Rawhide bracelet with polo helmet, £15
www.satsfaction.com
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Knowledge
Book review – Polo in the United States
Much more than facts and (illustrated) figures Horace Laffaye’s latest extensive and authoritative offering – Polo in the United States: A History – leaves our reviewer feeling exhausted but immensely satisfied
Arthur Douglas-Nugent reviews
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acts, facts and yet more facts. What an incredible encyclopedia of knowledge this book is. As if we previously had any doubt as to the extent to which author Horace Laffaye painstakingly compiles his weighty volumes (weighty in more ways than one), this should provide any readers with a definitive verdict. And yet, despite the huge amount of work involved, Laffaye is also prolific, having already produced such marvellous works as The Polo Encyclopedia, The Evolution of Polo and Profiles in Polo (with a forward by the Prince of Wales no less). Here is another gem – Polo in the United States looks set to become the definitive work on polo in the US for all time. And not only in the US, as generous coverage is given
These old characters are brought to life with wonderful anecdotes and copious illustrations. And thus, while fascinating information appears on almost every page, this is much more than just a dry collection of facts. There are 95 photographs, including 32 in colour. Each one of the illustrations is fully captioned, with the likes of Britain’s own Paul Withers and Robert Graham appearing alongside those splendid gentlemen in their overcoats which appeared in last month’s Polo Times (see page 18): whom I now know to be Raymond Firestone, Seymour Knox, Harold Talbot and Billy Post. Just as interesting as the history of American polo so comprehensively described is the final chapter (number 26!),
This is much more than just a dry collection of facts, enlivened as it is by anecdotes and copious illustrations to the interchange between those across the Atlantic and those in the UK. The battles for the Westchester Cup and all the other interchanges which have taken place over the years are meticulously recorded, and those many outstanding players who lost their lives in the two World Wars are not forgotten. Of course, in recent years, the connection made between the US and UK through polo has decreased – chiefly of course because, regrettably, the truly gifted and rich amateur players of the bygone days so well depicted here are long gone, to be replaced by Argentine professionals. 80
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which explains the “Current Polo Issues in the US”. As polo is now so international, everyone should be able to identify with the problems that we are all striving to solve. They can probably be broadly summed up by remembering the words of Theodore Roosevelt as we try: “When money goes in at the gate, the game goes out of the window.” This is a book which should find a place on every polo aficionado’s bookshelf, perhaps not to be read at one session, but to be taken down and enjoyed and appreciated from time to time and as a work of reference when the need arises. Holiday reading it is not!
Horace A Laffaye’s Polo in the United States: A History was first published in March, available in hardback only
It is a full and fascinating overview and, as Dennis Amato’s foreword explains, you will certainly not be disappointed. F Polo in the United States: A History by Horace A. Laffaye 416 pages, available in hardback from www.amazon.co.uk for £81. ISBN: 978-0-7864-4527-1 w The book is also available on email from eurospan@turpin-distribution.com
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19/5/11 16:46:00
Restaurant review – Gaucho Charlotte Street, London
Knowledge
Tradition reinvented When ambitious restaurateurs pull off a new event as bold and innovative as February’s Gaucho International, you assume their capability at doing their day job back at the restaurant must be second to none. But, just so neither they or we could be accused of complacence, we dispatched our trusted reviewer to check
Freddie House in Central London
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rom the entry, marshalled by a cloakroom attendant with a list of attendees, through to the restaurant itself, Gaucho seems more like a swanky west end club than a convivial eatery inspired by the Pampas. Arbitrary noughties dance music enlivened the background and the lighting was moody and dark, illuminating the chattering faces of an entirely full restaurant – remarkable for a Tuesday night. I was automatically intrigued. With 14 branches in England and expanding their horizons abroad, Gaucho have clearly created
The garish interior of Gaucho’s bold Charlotte Street restaurant, which probably looks more LA than BA
and lamb as well as a number of other mains. However, it would appear that coming to Gaucho and not ordering a steak might be like
Gaucho’s food and decor have cleverly dragged the rustic elements beloved of Argentine cuisine into the 21st century an identity for their restaurants that resonates well with the hungry public. We began proceedings with wine tasting. An erudite explanation of the several options from different regions of Argentina and their subsequent variations in flavour was a tremendous start to the evening. It is infectious listening to someone talk passionately about something and our sommelier certainly left us inspired by a very practical understanding of the regional idiosyncrasies of Argentine wines. Several glasses down and a more informed idea of how to approach the wine list, we sat at our table and chose our fate. A surprising array of seafood starters are on offer alongside the obligatory empanadas, chorizo and morcilla. A squid and chorizo salad worked surprisingly well whereas a pulled crab and quails egg salad resembled a pleasant if slightly lacking fish coleslaw. The grill offers pork, chicken www.polotimes.co.uk
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ordering from the English menu section at a Chinese takeaway. We chose the Gaucho Sampler (a selection of each different cut of steak), some creamy chard and chips. Served on a slab of wood, the kilo or so of close to raw beef was primeval in its appearance and in the emotions it unlocked deep within. Featuring healthy doses of fillet, rib eye, rump, sirloin and topside of rump, we were spoilt for choice as our waitress knowledgably elucidated the different cuts. It was all cooked superbly and you could cut it with the back of your knife. It dissolved in the mouth to leave you excitedly teeing up another mouthful. A delicious British cheeseboard rounded off proceedings and ensured I had gorged my way into the realm of discomfort. In essence, Gaucho is a lot more than an Argentine chophouse. It has removed the rustic, simple elements beloved of Argentine
cuisine, and dragged the concept into the 21st century – tapping its foot to the soundtrack of a Jamie Oliver montage. It’s fun, absorbing and vibrant without the fusty formality of many of London’s feeding spots. However, the steak, like anything rare, comes at a cost. Starting at around £14 for a small rump and moving up to £38.50 for a large fillet, once you have adorned your plate with the necessary vegetable accessories and filled your glass with wine, you are looking at a steep evening. I wouldn’t rush to take my grandmother to Gaucho. The decor is more Raffles than Ritz. However, if you are looking for a lively venue for a spectacular steak, Gaucho will not disappoint. F Gaucho Taste it for yourself at 60A Charlotte Street, London, W1T 2NU: 0207 580 6252, www.gauchorestaurants.co.uk and charlottestreet@gauchorestaurants.com w Our bill, for two, with two bottles of wine, came to around £200.
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Knowledge
What’s on
What’s on in June 2011 UK highlights Test Matches Beaufort – Beaufort Test Match, England vs. New Zealand (26): 18 June High Goal Guards – The Queen’s Cup (17-22): 18 May – 12 June Cirencester – The Apsley Cup (15-18): 14-26 June Cowdray – Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup British Open Championships (20–22): 21 June – 17 July RCBPC – The Prince of Wales Trophy (17-22): 21 June – 2 July Medium Goal Beaufort – The Arthur Lucas Cup (12–15): 17 May – 4 June Cowdray – Duke of Sutherland Cup (15-18): 21 May – 10 June Guards – Mountbatten Cup (12-15): 27 May – 19 June Guards – Royal Windsor Cup (12-15): 28 May – 11 June Hurtwood – Ronnie Lane Memorial Trophy (12): 31 May – 5 June Cirencester – The Queen Mother Trophy (8-12): 14 June – 3 July Beaufort – Duke of Beaufort Cup (15-18): 28 June – 18 July Intermediate Goal RCBPC – The John Prestwich Trophy (8-12): 24 May – 5 June Guards – Phoenician Cup (6-12): 25 June – 10 July Low goal Guards – The Labrador Trophy (0-2): 20 May 11 – June Beaufort – The Eduardo Rojas Lanusse Cup (4-8): 30 May – 12 June Guards – The Meyado Archie David Cup (4-8): 31 May – 26 June Hurtwood – Bremont Watch Trophy (-2–2): 31 May – 12 June Chester – The Coutts International (8): 3-4 June
Lacey Green – London Business Tournament (2-4): 4-5 June Lynt – Two Goal Cash Prize Tournament (0-2): 4-5 June Kirtlington – Dent Cup (3-6): 14-19 June Binfield Heath – Phillimore Trophy (4-6): 25-26 June Guards – The Novices Cup (-2-2): 25 June – 3 July West Wycombe – Chairman’s Cup, WWPPC Festival (-6-2): 25-26 June Cheshire – National 8 Goal Championships (4-8): 28 June – 3 July Kirtlington – The Meyrick Cup (4-8): 28 June – 3 July Ladies Edgeworth – Ladies Tournament (Open): 4-5 June Beaufort – England Ladies vs. Young England (Open): 18 June Youth Cirencester – Cheltenham College 10th Polo Invitation Day, Cheltenham vs Eton (Open): 4 June Offchurch Bury – AKUMA National Universities Tournament (Open): 3-5 June Beaufort – Prep Schools and Colts (Open): 5 June Millfield – National Girls’ Schools Tournament (Open): 12 June Longdole – SUPA National Schools Intermediate and Combined Tournament (Open): 19 June Longdole – National Schools under 16s (Open): 19 June Longdole – Roxtons National Senior Schools Tournament (Open): 26 June Open Taunton – Ladies’ and Men’s tournaments (Open): 18-19 June RMAS – Heritage Open Day (Open): 19 June White Rose – The Castle Howard Polo Cup (Open): 26 June
Overseas highlights Brazil Helvetia Polo and Country Club – FIP World Cup qualifiers (Zone B): 20-25 June
Malaysia Royal Pahang Polo Club, Putrajaya Equestrian, Royal Selangor Polo Club – FIP World Cup qualifiers (Zone D): 10-24 June
France Polo Club de Chantilly – Coupe Raversine Challenge Elie de Rothschild (Open): 21 May – 5 June Polo Club de Chantilly – Charity High Goal Cup (10-12): 11-26 June Polo de Paris – 117° Open de Paris (8-10): 16-26 June
USA Governors Island, New York – Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic (Open): 5 June Mashomack – Tracey Mactaggart Challenge Cup (6-8):17 June – 3 July Lexington – Mid-states Circuit Congressional Cup (2-4): 19 June
Germany Wallerstein – Rolls-Royce Girls Only Polo Cup (Open): 17-19 June
w For the latest news from all of these tournaments throughout the month don’t forget to visit www.polotimes.co.uk
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What’s on
Club contacts
Special events Hurlingham, London – MINT Polo in the Park (Open): 3-5 June Guards – Jack Wills Varsity Day (Open): 11 June Frith Farm, Hampshire – The Heaton-Ellis Trust Bicycle Polo Tournament (Open): 25 June Cardiff – Polo in the Castle (Open): 26 June
Other dates Brightwells, Ascot – Bloodstock Sale: 1 June Tattersalls, Ireland – Derby Sale (NH three- and four-year olds): 23-24 June Goffs, Ireland – Land Rover Bloodstock Sale: 9-10 June
10
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of outdoor clubs offering the cheapest one-hour private lessons, including pony hire Action from last year’s Coutts International, held at Chester Racecourse Polo Club, who offer a competitive rate for one-hour private lessons
1 Ranksboro 2 Asthall Farm 3= Cambridge and Newmarket Rugby 5= Chester Racecourse Dundee and Perth FHM Frolic Offchurch Bury Silver Leys Toulston NB: prices for HPA affiliated clubs, correct as of 20 May 2011
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Knowledge
£35 £40 £45 £45 £50 £50 £50 £50 £50 £50 £50
UK and Ireland
South East AEPC, Hickstead – 01273 834315 * Ascot Park – 01276 858545 * Ash Farm – 01932 872521 * Belmont, Mill Hill – 01344 829955 * Binfield Heath – 01491 411969 Barcombe – 01273 400179 Burningfold – 01483 200722 Cowdray Park – 01730 813257 Coworth Park – 01344 875155 Epsom – 01372 748200 * FHM – 07778 436468 * Fifield – 01628 620061 * Guards – 01784 434212 Ham – 020 8334 0000 Hurtwood Park – 01483 272828 Kirtlington – 01869 350138 Knepp Castle – 01403 741007 Lacey Green – 07946 360569 Park Lane – 01491 411969 RMAS – 01276 412276 Royal County of Berkshire – 01344 890060 * Sussex Polo – 01342 714920 * West Wycombe – 01865 858475 * East Apsley End – 01462 712444 * Cambridge & Newmarket – 07769 976781 Carlton House – 01986 892231 Frolic Farm – 01223 812922 Haggis Farm – 01223 460353 * Hertfordshire – 01707 256023 Little Bentley – 01206 250435 Silver Leys – 01279 652652 St Albans – 07879 866647 Suffolk Polo – 07990 576974 South West Asthall Farm – 01367 860207 Beaufort – 01666 880510 Cirencester Park – 01285 653225 Druids Lodge – 01722 782597 * Edgeworth – 01285 821695 Ladyswood – 01666 840880 Longdole – 01452 864544 * Lynt – 07957 468220 * Maywood – 01962 885500 * New Forest – 02380 811818 Orchard – 01258 471000 Taunton – 01823 480460 Tidworth – 01980 846705 * Vaux Park – 01460 242684 * West Somerset – 01844 820432 Midlands Foxhill – 0115 9651790 Offchurch Bury – 07816 830887 Leadenham – 07816 216356 Ranksboro – 01572 720046 RLS – 01926 812409 Rugby – 01788 817724 * Rutland – 01572 724568 North Beverley – 01964 544455 * Toulston – 01422 372529 Vale of York – 07788 426968 * White Rose – 01430 875767 * Cheshire – 01270 611100 Chester Racecourse – 01244 304602 Scotland Borders Reivers – 01890 840777 Dundee & Perth – 07879 895780 Edinburgh – 0131 449 6696 * Kinross – 07831 365194 * Stewarton – 07974 706045 Ireland All Ireland – +353 (0) 1 6896732 Bunclody – +353 87 6605917 Curraghmore – +353 51 387102 Donaghadee – 02891 882521 Limerick – +353 (0) 87 2231690 Moyne – +353 85 1313224 Northern Ireland – 02890 727905 Wicklow – +353 (0) 404 67164 * Waterford – +353 51 595280 * denotes winter arena polo venue hTo contact the HPA, tel: 01367 242828
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Tell us yours at gossip@polotimes.co.uk
The pain and the privilege was looking like a ship in full sail. Nina and husband John Paul, who also received invitations to the royal wedding, have decided not to discover the sex of their firstborn, preferring to keep the big news a surprise. However, fellow first-time mum-to-be Jodie Kidd and her six-goal boyfriend Andrea Vianini already know they are expecting a boy (due in August), with the first indications of a baby bump clearly visible last month at the Polo in the Park press launch on the morning after the PJ’s start-of-season party.
Quote of the month
But royal wedding Other polo people at enthusiasts will one-goal polo player have noticed Luke “Life is like a box of chocolates” Prince William’s wedding taking up a highwere brother Harry, who World number one Adolfo profile position a Cambiaso spills the beans when was also best man (see few weeks earlier, asked to tell us something we page 44), England chef when he joined the don’t know, shortly after d’equipe Andrew Tucker, whole family in some naming Forrest Gump as his groom to all three princes of the best seats in favourite film. Austen Clarke, former coach Westminster Abbey for Rob Cudmore, the Sultan of William and Kate’s big day, Brunei, and Audi’s Jon Zammett (see beamed to an estimated threepages 86-87 and 90-91). billion viewers worldwide. However, Polo Times couldn’t see any of the Tomlinson clan Meanwhile, former Polo Times editor at the Audi Polo Awards, where Luke and Yolanda Carslaw has been very busy since Emma were both nominated. leaving us last November. Having spent most of the winter in Switzerland, Austria Mark and Rosie Vestey were at the and Canada taking part in races, leading for awards, and will be hoping they can the Ski Club of Great Britain, ski touring and remember how to change a nappy this writing and researching ski articles, she has summer. Their first grandchild, Sophia launched a ski blog to allow others to keep Isabella, was born last month to son Ben up with her adventures. Visit morethanskiing. and daughter-in-law Chloe and their second wordpress.com. Yolanda’s blog will continue grandchild is due in July, to daughter Nina throughout the summer and she is also (Clarkin). She was voted best lady player contributing to Polo Times again, as you will at the Audi Polo Awards for the second see in this issue (see pages 38 and 74). year running (see pages 13 and 90), and
Photograph by Simon Littlejohn
An X-ray on the day of the Audi Polo Awards confirmed that Luke Tomlinson’s leg wasn’t fractured following a collision with Carlos Gracida during the fourth chukka of the Trippetts Challenge final on Sunday 15 May. However, just as Polo Times went to press, it was revealed that, despite icing his bruises and treating them with arnica, the England captain would be unable to take part in the first Test Match of the summer a week later, when England played a scratch South America side at Cowdray Park.
Is this a stitch up? After a first glance at this photograph, last month’s Prince William look-a-like Oli Hipwood will no doubt be worrying that we are about to stitch him up by making a joke about him requiring emergency hairstyle advice or a need to check if his mascara had run mid-chukka. Fear not Oli, as we’ve actually been left very much in awe, having discovered that this photograph taken by Simon Littlejohn in Sotogrande relates to a nasty injury suffered following a collision with a horse’s head in April. The pony dealt him a vicious uppercut, smashing his Oakley eye protectors and leaving him requiring eight stitches. Rather than suffer hours in Spanish A&E, brave – or possibly foolhardy – Oli elected to have the stitching done on the spot in the ambulance by the paramedics. Fifteen minutes later he carried on playing and took the stitches out himself the following week.
Look-a-likes
Fred Mannix and Benicio Del Toro 84
Former Polo Times editor Yolanda Carslaw has kept busy since leaving us
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Sidelines
Juan Gris Zavaleta and Facundo Pieres La Martina’s Becky Simpson
Guards’ chairman Colonel Paul Belcher
Charlotte Sweeney
Guards’ polo manager Ollie Ellis and Graham Wooldridge
Queen’s Cup Draw at Guards Polo Club – Tuesday May 10 Santiago Gaztambide
A packed house at Guards Polo Club officially ushered in the start of the English high-goal season with the President’s draw for the Queen’s Cup. Players – including Argentine 10-goaler Facundo Pieres – patrons, family members and supporters from across the country travelled to Windsor Great Park for a champagne reception at the famous club. Two Royal Household Cavalry trumpeters brought proceedings to order before club chairman Colonel Paul Belcher took centre stage with a rousing speech. Commentator Greg Keating injected a bit of humour to the event with a selection of comic quips as he introduced representatives of each team. After the draw, players, representatives and special guests enjoyed a delicious asado, served outside on the veranda overlooking the famous Smith’s Lawn Queen’s ground.
Sophie Kyriazi
Ryan Pemble
Chris MacKenzie Commentator Greg Keating checks the draw
On your Guards
w See action from Guards on page 46
Aurora Eastwood
Oli Hipwood
The Royal Household Cavalry trumpeters
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Sidelines
Paloma Faith Tom Hardy and Kaulai Harwood-Scorer
JLS’s JB Gill and his guest
James Martin
Audi Polo Challenge, Coworth Park Polo Club – 7-8 May 2011
Hot ticket ignites season
Andrew Hine and David Woodd
James O’Keefe and Beverly Knight
Colin Dhillon
The now-familiar Audi Polo Challenge at Coworth Park always marks the perfect way to kick start the summer polo season, with invitations to the private and exclusive event amongst the hottest of the year. Polo players and members of the game’s media and its governing body are chauffeured to Coworth Park to mingle together with the beautiful people, in the shape of models and actors, while the action on the field raises money for charity with the help of royalty. Prince William was married little more than a week before Audi’s extravaganza this year, and so perhaps unsurprisingly didn’t make an appearance alongside his brother Harry for the event, which ran to two days for the second year. Prince Harry, surely now the most eligible man in the UK, performed impressively for the two teams representing his two chosen charities, and was the weekend’s top scorer. He impressed many recognisable faces, including Tom Hollander, Vanessa Mae, Rory Bremner, Patrick Kielty and Will Greenwood, but the interest of Hollywood A-lister Charlize Theron was what drew the most media attention from the select members of the wider mainstream media that were fortunate enough to be given an invitation. Entertainment after the games came in the form of an exquisite dinner by Coworth’s resident two-Michelin-starred chef John Campbell, supplied by The Dorchester Collection, and an enchanting musical performance from platinum-selling artist, Paloma Faith, whose songs were more familiar than I’d been expecting. For Audi’s lucky guests, of which there were some 500 over the two days, there is surely no better way to generate excitement for the summer.
Zoe and Brendan Cole, Matt Dawson and Caroline Hauskeller
w Photographs by Audi, words by James Mullan
w Read about the two days of action on ground on page 44
Jessica Lowndes and Rory Bremner
Louise and James Turner
Jon Zammett and Prince Harry
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Tom Hollander James and Lauren Beim
Nacho Gonzalez
Otis Ferry
Vanessa Mae with an R8 LMS Patrick Kielty and Nat Parker
Malcolm and Alix Borwick
Nick Clarke and Jon Zammett
Charlize Theron
Paloma Faith and Benedict Cumberbatch
Polo Times editor James Mullan and Hannah Booth
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Sidelines
Lord Patrick Beresford and Annie Lindquist
PJ’s Jorge Santos and Travis McKechnie deliver the huge birthday cake
Greta Morrison
PJ’s start-of-season polo party and 21st birthday PJ’s Bar & Grill, London – 9 May 2011
A 21st celebration to savour
Kenney Jones, with his daughter Casey
Sebastian and Louisa Dawnay
Gabrielle Cashmorn, Chris MacKenzie, Sophie Kyriazi and Charlotte Sweeney
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Polo players, patrons and party-goers caught up in the convivial surroundings of the Chelsea PJ’s Bar and Grill early last month to look ahead to the season just getting underway, as well as inspect the numerous pieces of polo artwork by former Hurtwood Park polo manager Eddie Kennedy that adorned the walls of the restaurant balcony. Kennedy’s former employer Kenney Jones was among the polo glitterati present, which also included Roddy Matthews, new PQ editor Aurora Eastwood, Polistas owner Johnny Lynn, Aprés polo’s Jan-Erik Franck, UberPolo’s Leigh-Anne Moore, RCBPC’s Michael Amoore, Ranelagh Farm’s Roy Moed, Ascot Park’s Janey Grace, and players Dean Lines, Tristan Phillimore and Louise Sandberg, as well as those pictured. However, the party’s generous host Brian Stein was quick to remember the polo community’s absent friends in a warm and heartfelt speech that celebrated 21 years of the event but also solemnly paid tribute to Charles Stisted, Ian Wooldridge and Paul Castle, all of whom died in sad circumstances since last season. Later, many guests went on to the official after party at Kitts Nightclub in Sloane Square.
PT’s duty vet, Mark Emerson
PoloNetwork’s Lucy Northmore and Roy Prisk
w Words by James Mullan, photographs by Edward Lloyd w Discover Brian Stein’s passions on page 98
Andrea Vianini and Jodie Kidd
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Sidelines
Francesca and Gaston Devrient
Country Life’s Emma McCall and polo coach Casper West
James Mullan and Georgie May of Polo Times Sarah de Vere-Drummond, her sister Jade Lines and Heloise Lorentzen
Henry Brett PJ’s owner, Brian Stein
Nicholas and Annie Colquhoun-Denvers Broderick Munro-Wilson
Lourdes and Antonio Manzorro
Guards Polo Club chairman, Colonel Paul Belcher
Two of PJ’s hardworking kitchen and bar staff
Brian Stein’s partner Platina Tong and French patron François Le Barazer 89
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Sidelines
Adolfo Cambiaso and Ros Packer
Colin Cameron presents the best lady player to a heavilypregnant Nina Clarkin
Charlie Hanbury and James Beim
Audi Polo Awards – 16 May 2011 Coworth Park, Berkshire
Excellence enjoyed The polo fraternity united back on UK soil last month as they gathered to celebrate last year’s UK season at the Audi Polo Awards, hosted by ever-popular Aussie lyricist Hamish McLachlan. Held for the first time in a plush marquee at Coworth Park, the new venue appeared to be generally very well received, as some 400 guests enjoyed a superb three-course dinner, interspersed with entertainment and, of course, the awards (the winners of which are all on the Polo Times website). The highlight of the evening was the ventriloquist Paul Zerdin, who plucked out New Zealand player Simon Keyte to join him on stage as his puppet, receiving raucous laughter all round.
Andrew Hine, David Woodd and Richard Britten-Long
Chelsea footballer Yuri Zhirkov and his wife Inna
Daniel Gerber and Hamish McLachlan
w See also letters, on page 26-27 The Victor Ludorum prizes at each level
w Photographs by Audi and James Wildman at ImagesOfPolo.com Hugh Brett
Alexandra Gray and Lord Patrick Beresford
Simon Keyte played “dummy” for ventriloquist Paul Zerdin
Urs Schwarzenbach
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Maggie and Chris Hyde
Sam Tylor with Liza and Buff Crisp
Guy Schwarzenbach accepts the 18-goal Victor Ludorum trophy
Joaquin Pittaluga
Margie Brett and Herbert Spencer
Audi’s Jon Zammett and HPA chairman Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers
The Thai Polo Dream Team
Coworth Park revelled in a more light-hearted atmosphere than usual
PT’s John O’Sullivan, new recruit Harriet Kay and Georgie May 91
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Lower Valley Farm, Sheepdrove, Lambourn, Berkshire RG17 7XA Phone: 01488 670484 / 07917 007440 Email: reddogspolo@hotmail.co.uk / templetonhouse@gmail.com
www.reddogspolo.co.uk
Rob Cudmore England Coach, 2 HPA Instructors â&#x20AC;˘ International Equitrack Polo Arena â&#x20AC;˘ Fantastic clubhouse with licensed bar & excellent viewing of the arena â&#x20AC;˘ Polo Pony Hire, School Ponies 75$,1,1* &(175( &/8% 32/2 â&#x20AC;˘ Chukkas and Matches - call the ofďŹ ce for Info x )LYH SOD\LQJ ILHOGV P[ P $UHQD x /DUJHVW WUDLQLQJ FHQWUH LQ WKH ZRUOG â&#x20AC;˘ Individual Coaching, Group Lessons, Social & Corporate Events x )XOO /LYHU\ IDFLOLWLHV LQ DFUHV x 1RQ ULGHUV ZHOFRPH DOO HTXLSPHQW SURYLGHG x )XOO IL[WXUH OLVW RI 7RXUQDPHQWV &KDOOHQJHV x -XQLRU DFDGHP\ IURP \HDUV ROG x 0LG ZHHN &KXNNDV DW SP For information on membership, polo lessons and x 6FKRROV 8QLYHUVLW\ GLVFRXQWV x +RPH RI ,QWHUQDWLRQDO :RPHQÂśV 3ROR $VVRFLDWLRQ x *LIW 9RXFKHUV IRU DOO RFFDVLRQV general enquiries please call: x +RUVH +LUH DYDLODEOH IRU DOO &OXE OHYHOV x ,QVWUXFWLRQDO &KXNNDV IRU EHJLQQHUV x 2QO\ PLQV IURP &HQWUDO /RQGRQ x $FDGHP\ FKXNNDV IRU SURJUHVVLQJ SOD\HUV
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Classifieds
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Polo Times, June 2011
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Classifieds
8L LED Medical Box
The ultimate non-powered cool box • Extreme cold longevity (10 days) • Holds 12 bottles of champagne upright • Extremely strong, • Lockable, water tight • 5 year warranty, • Choice of 9 colours • Branding available • Medical coolers and gel packs.
www.coolicebox.co.uk
Tel: 01598 740 685
We have a large selection of NEW & SECOND-HAND Luxury Horseboxes
New body conversions with new coach built bodies, luxury living that offers the best in appliances and workmanship.
7 horse: 2005 IVECO EUROCARGE 75E17 With new 20ft alloy body, 6 partitions, kick board, alloy floor, rubber matted, tow bar. Full test.
2005 FORD IVECO 75E17 5 Horse, new alloy body, kick board, alloy floor, rubber matted. (Choice 2). Full test.
2001 Artic tralier, 2001 FORD IVECO partitions for 17 horses, 5 Horse, conversion, tilt cab, new conversion with fans full living, awning, sleeps 6. and travelling cameras, 2.5 running generator on board. hydraulic ramp, tested for Sold with 12 months MOT. carrying over 8 hours Choice of RENAULT.
2001 VOLVO FM7 290 12 Horse, day cabs, tack lockers, 26 ton, on air.
2003 MERCEDES 1823L 10 Horse, tack lockers, on air.
To view our stock visit our website www.tandsharkerhorseboxes.co.uk Email: enquires@tandsharkerhorseboxes.co.uk Tel: 01325 332 649 Mobile: 07901 857960 Fax: 01325 333554 Eddlethorpe Farm, Stockton Road, Sadberge, Darlington, Co Durham DL2 1TB ALL VEHICLES ARE PLUS VAT FINANCE AVAILABLE 94
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Classifieds Ponies CALL NOW - TAKE YOUR PICK â&#x20AC;&#x201C; EASY STRING FOR SALE Take your pick from string of five great ponies available to good home. 14.2hh to 15.1hh. Three geldings, two mares. 10 to 12 years old. No time wasters! From ÂŁ3,000 ÂŁ10,000. Package deal available. Cirencester. Call Robert 07767 477207
?1447?; ?-<4)6,; VISITOR CENTRE For all things willow Handcrafted basket ware for home and garden.
For our programme of willow related workshops see our website or give us a call Stoke St. Gregory, Taunton TA3 6HY T 01823 490249 E info@englishwillowbaskets.co.uk www.englishwillowbaskets.co.uk
SIX YEAR OLD PALAMINO QUARTER HORSE GELDING Stunning horse with fantastic temperament. Professionally started by renowned horseman with further training by polo professional. Introduced to stick and ball - easy going, fun ride. Contact Helen: 07525 940888 or email helendurose@me.com STUNNING PONIES Selection of ponies for sale: From ÂŁ5,000 to ÂŁ30,000 plus. Schoolmasters on behalf of a client, to my young playing ponies and high goal. Tel 07970 697593 aurora@ eastwoodstud.com EXCEPTIONAL SCHOOLMISTRESS 14-year-old kind mare suitable for beginner. A truly exceptional pony but previous lameness necessitates a quieter life. Worth her weight in gold as a schoolmistress though. ÂŁ2,950. Tel: 07770 526148 CONFIDENCE GIVER Very sweet 18-year-old 15.2hh gelding suitable for real beginner. A steady, safe hitting platform and always stops easily. Ideal starter pony for nervous novice. ÂŁ995. Tel: 07770 526148 SUPER QUICK POLO PONY Stunning 15.3hh chestnut gelding for sale. Played up to 15-goal very fast. Exceptional pony, well mannered with no vices. Suit 0 goal +. ÂŁ5,500. Tel: 07977 521525 YOUNGSTERS FOR SALE Downsizing due to divorce - some extremely nice youngsters from 2 to 5 years old. All lovely looking and well bred. All backed by the best guy in the business! ÂŁ1,500. Tel: 07970 697593 SELECTION OF HORSES FOR SALE to suit all abilities from beginner to medium goal, reasonably priced, ready to try without obligation. Contact Harry 07816 257532 A GREAT SCHOOLMASTER FOR A BEGINNER OR NOVICE Played all levels of Pony Club and 2 goal polo. 11 years old. Great hitting platform, quiet and very well mannered. Travels well. Finished last season sound. ÂŁ8,000 ono. Tel 07886 959256 BY CRAFTY POLITICIAN four-year-old TB gelding by Crafty Politician out of NZ bred mare. Backed. Has stick and balled and played chukkas. Will make nice pony. ÂŁ1,500 ono. Please call 07711 420574
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Polo Times, June 2011
95
20/5/11 15:57:07
Classifieds
10 POLO PONIES FOR SALE TO SUIT ALL PLAYERS A lovely selection of polo ponies to suit all players. All very good ponies. From beginners ponies up to medium and high goal. All fit and ready to go. £4,000 up to £15,000. Please call Alice on 07901 561113 TWO QUALITY PONIES FOR SALE - OWNER HAS GIVEN UP 14.3hh Bay Argentine mare. 15.2hh chestnut Australian TB. Both 11 years old, beautifully schooled, easy in every way, clean legs, fit, fast with good brakes. Priced to sell. £3,250 and £4,250 ono. Tel 07802 434787 NINE YEAR OLD ARGENTINIAN BRED 15hh chesnut gelding, imported 2007. Played all levels of PC including Gannon and club polo up to six goal. Sound, excellent temperament. Suit young player or patron. Fit and ready to play. £5,000. Tel William 07810 542388 EXCEPTIONAL PONIES FOR SALE A selection of ponies - Excellent for low goal or club - Safe and Easy - Fit and playing chukkas. 8 - 12 years old. £4500 - £6000. Tel 07979 645 181 A SELECTION OF ARGENTINE, NEW ZEALAND AND ENGLISH PONIES We have nine easy, competitive ponies for sale all priced to sell aged between 7 to 10 years old which have played low to medium goal. All the ponies are playing at the moment and can be tried. From £1950 - £3500. Three young horses played by 2 goal player in arena and on the grass 4- 5 years good natured and plenty of potential. Tel 01488 670484 FABULOUS PONIES FOR SALE Two lovely, safe, patron ponies for sale. Beautiful skewbald mare six years old suit beginner or nervous rider, 52 stick, £8,500 ono. Really pretty grey mare, seven years old, pocket rocket but safe and kind, 51 stick, £6,500 ono. Can be seen and tried near Hurtwood Polo club. Call Tracey on 07526 500923 or Linda on 01306 627255. BRILLIANT HANDLY X PONY FOR SALE Brilliant 14.2hh, 16-year-old Handly X pony, won Handly x Div 2 in 2009 and Div 1 in 2010! Good to hack, shoe, box and clip. Much loved pony sad sale! £3,500 ono. Tel:01747 821753 PINTA 15.3HH MARE Very bright and forward going solid polo pony for sale. Been kept ticking over quietly over the winter now ready to start new season. Please call Pam on 07879 465352
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CACHITO BAY GELDING 15.1hh calm easy going armchair ride, just in from wintering out. £3,500. Contact 07874 272461 15HH BAY ARGENTINE POLO PONY 15hh bay mare from Argentina for sale, has played grass/ arena. Has had one season off due to rider injury. She loves to play. £5,000. Call 07890 172052 for more details. 15.2HH CHESTNUT TB MARE & 15HH CHESTNUT TB GELDING 15.2hh chestnut TB mare, 10 years old. Lovely pony, easy in all ways. Played 2-12 goal. Would suit patron or up-andcoming player. Playing regularly. Would double chukka. Great to stick and ball. £7,000 ono. 15hh chestnut TB gelding 19 years old (young). Played everything from high goal, schools and Pony Club. Still going strong and playing regularly. A very special pony. £3,000 ono. Tel 01794 367415/07720 054518.
12 HORSE POLO LORRY MAN 18.224. Double cab rear air suspension. Silver, 96,000km, two grooms doors. Chassis 2000, body built 2006. Skirt lockers, water tank, two internal cameras one reverse, entertainment system, leisure battery, tacho recalibrated, MOT until Sep 2011. £28,000. Tel: 07979 956548 IVECO 5 HORSE NON HGV LORRY 12 MONTHS MOT, Non HGV 7.5 tonnes, diesel 1999 lorry. Drives like a dream. Air suspension. New ply to ramp. Good working order. Any inspection welcome. Partitioned for five polo ponies. Living space for tack plus side lockers. £7000, no VAT. Tel 07525 176054 NEW BUILD DAF 45/180 horsepower 7.5 tonne 4/5 horse new build box on immaculate 2003 chassis. Hydrolic ramp, tack area at front. Trip computer, cruise control, only 120000 miles. £13,500 + VAT. Call Eric on 07887 538843.
RANGE OF PONIES FOR SALE Range of ponies available who have played from Pony Club to 15 goal with three-goal player. Good all round ponies, prices negotiable. Contact Nick Pepper: 07939 935076
5/6 HORSE NON-HGV LORRY FOR SALE Volvo FLC horsebox. 1997 registered. Fantastic to drive and perfect for polo. Just been plated with no work needed. £5,900. Please call 07763 772823 or 07903 115551
STUNNING 8 year old 15.2hh bay thoroughbred, quiet, easy to handle, fast and turns quickly. Clean legs. No vices. Tel 07816 257532
MERCEDES 814 RELIABLE 4-5 HORSE HORSEBOX Lightweight container partitioned for four. Separate tack area. New ramp 2009. E reg (1987). Serviced annually. MOT to end March 2012. Tax to end Sept 2011. New lorry forces sale. £3,950 ono. Tel: 07714 338325
FANTASTIC EASY GELDING FOR SALE seven years old, keen and sound. Suitable for up to 15goal. Available and ready to try now. £10,000. Tel: 07970 029927
Transport FOUR HORSE TRAILER Ifor Williams four horse trailer. As new. Three years old. Not used for two years. No tax. No insurance. No MOT. No depreciation. No brainer! £7,500. Tel 07899 977412 LEYLAND DAF 45 7.5 TONNE 1991 J REG EXCELLENT CONDITION Professionally converted in 2004 to high standard. MOT to Nov 2011. Stalled for three horses. Living in light oak with smoked glass topped sink, hob and grill. Bench seat converts to double bed. Large internal cupboard with saddle racks and toilet. Light and spacious horse area with lights, rug racks, rubber to floor, half sides and ramp. Tilt cab for easy maintenance. £6,250 ono. Tel: 01673 844203 or 07714 457945
IMMACULATE 02 HARKER LORRY DAF 7.5 tonne, 02 reg extremely clean, fully lined harker alley body takes eight horses, 21 ft body max width. This lorry has hardly been used, really easy drive, taxed tested windows lockers alley gated Luton, light ramp. £10,500 ono. Tel: 07770 640300 PROFESSIONAL HORSE TRANSPORT DEFRA PROFESSIONAL HORSE TRANSPORT DEFRA approved. Hants/Wilts based. 20+ years horse and transport experience in UK and Europe. Also freelance drivers/grooms. Tel 01794 323195 or 07786 475123/07786 255538 MAN LORRY 4/5 PONIES P Reg Man with David Williams body. Fantastic runner, very reliable, non HGV. Taxed and plated. £5500 ono. Call Victoria 07808 909084. Hampshire.
www.polotimes.co.uk
20/5/11 15:57:15
Classifieds
Equipment SCOREBOARDS AND CLOCKS ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR POLO Outdoor and arena sizes. Fully electronic, displaying the time counting down, both scores and chukka number. Automatic bell/horn. Controlled wirelessly by a remote control you can even wear on your arm. Visit www.SportingDesigns.co.uk or call +44 (0)7860 303217 LLOYDS GANG MOWERS Lloyds cylinder five gang mowers. Regularly serviced and well maintained. Good condition. Adjustable cutting height. Used for mowing polo grounds. £16,000 new. Will sell for £5,000 ono. Please call 07711 420574 SAND SPREADER Sand Spreader available for sale. PTO driven. Adjustable rate of spread. Good condition and ideal for dressing polo grounds with sand. £3,000 ono. Please call 07711 420574
Miscellaneous POLO ART WORK Polo fine art paintings and drawings by renowned artist William Rossoto available from Chisholm Gallery and directly from the artist. Custom polo portraits available. www. rossotoart.com or www.chisholmgallery.com/ william-rossoto WANTED TO BUY - OLDER CROSBY POLO SADDLES I am looking to purchase older crosby polo saddles. I am looking to purchase up to five polo saddles depending on pricing and shipping costs. Also interested in Argentine polo saddles, steeplechase full tree race saddles, gaucho saddles and saddles used in Chile. I would also like to purchase company catalogues on Argentine saddles. Please send photos and details to Stephen Hamilton, 2756 Browne Street, Omaha, NEB 68111, United States.
Designed by www.nickiaverilldesign.co.uk Printed by The Manson Group Contact details East End Farm, North Leigh Oxfordshire OX29 6PX Tel: 01993 886 885 Fax: 01993 882 660 email: admin@polotimes.co.uk
Advertisers in June 2011 Abercrombie & Kent 0845 618 2200 www.abercrombiekent.co.uk Apes Hill Club, Barbados +1 246 262 3286 www.apeshillclub.com Ascot Park Polo Club 01276 858545 www.polo.co.uk
Equine Logistics Company 01264 810782 www.equine-logisticscompany.com Greenheath 01638 507785 www.greenheath.co.uk
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Longdole Polo Club 01452 864544 rob@longdolepolo.com
SATS 01285 841542 www.satsfaction.com
Lycetts 01672 512512 www.lycetts.co.uk
Stonefield Polo Club +27 82 785 4199 gwatson@stonefield.co.za
Metropolitan Polo Club + 86 22 8372 8888 www.metropolitanpoloclub.com
Stomsholm Ltd 01908 250 755www. stromsholm.co.uk
Nomad-Direct www.nomad-direct.co.uk
Strutt & Parker 01285653101 www.struttandparker.com
Audi Baileys Horse Feeds 01371 850247 www.baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk
Heli Air Wellesbourne 01789 470476 www.heliair.com
Binfield Heath Polo Club 07792 211259 www.binfieldheathpoloclub.co.uk
HPA 01367 242828 www.hpa-polo.co.uk
Oakley Coachbuilders 01920 466781 www.oakleyhorseboxes.co.uk
Blake Lapthorn 023 8090 8090 www.bllaw.co.uk
Inchmere 01295 661000 www.inchmerespecialvehicles. co.uk
Pampeano 0871 2001272 www.pampeano.co.uk
Images of Polo www.imagesofpolo.com
Pijaubert Polo +33 (0)62 678 7199 www.pijaubert-polo.com
Blueys Polo Club 07930323263 www.wix.co/blueyspolo/club Bonhams 0207 468 8360 www.bonhams.com
Jackson-Stops & Staff 01730 812357 www.jackson-stops.co.uk
Bulldog Polo 07920 038790 www.bulldogpolo.co.uk
Jnan Amar Marrakech 020 72010700 www.quintessentiallyestates.com
Bunkabin 0845 456 7899 www.bunkabin.co.uk
Jeremy Curling Fencing 01483 894888 www.jcfc.co.uk
Polo Pony Supplements www.poloponyplus.co.uk
Cool Ice Box 01598 740685 www.coolicebox.co.uk
Kate’s Art 07887 678421 www.katesart.com
Reddogs Polo 01488 670484 www.reddogspolo.co.uk
Druids Lodge Polo Club 01722 782597 www.druidspolo.co.uk
Keep-a-Level 01359 250384 www.keep-a-level.com
Richard Mille www.richardmille.com
Elizabeth J. Jones 07826124669 www.elizabethmjjones.com
Kestrel Ltd 01256 880488 www.kestrelcontractors.co.uk
Contributors – June 2011 Hernan Alvarez, Miranda Banks, Linda Byrne, Yolanda Carslaw, James de Mountfort, Andrew Dent, Arthur Douglas-Nugent, Mark Emerson, Freddie House, Nicola Jagger, Alice Jónsdóttir Ferrier, Lorna Jowett, Izzy McGregor, Clare Milford Haven, Lucy Northmore, Jamie Peel, Mark Siddle, Herbert Spencer, Carlie Trotter, Alex Webbe, John Whitehead.
© Polo Times Limited 2011 and Database Right 2011
www.polotimes.co.uk
+54-9 11 3337 6535 www.harassantamargarita.com
Guards Polo Club 01784 434212 www.guardspoloclub.com
www.polotimes.co.uk Polo Times Limited holds the copyright & database right to the information it publishes in Polo Times and on the Polo Times website. No content may be reproduced or distributed without the consent of the Editor. ‘Polo Times’ is the trade mark of Polo Times Limited. ISSN 1461-4685
La Martina www.lamartina.com
Intern – Blair Abel (right)
Polo Bloodstock Agency 07855 742909 www.polobloodstockagency.com Polo Permits 01798 869496 www.polopermits.co.uk
RJ Polo 07909872488 www.rjpolo.com Santa Margarita
T&S Harker Horse Boxes 01325 332649 www. tandsharkerhorseboxes. co.uk Tally Ho Farm 01344 885373 www.tallyhofarm.co.uk The New Muscovy www.newmuscovy.co.uk The Thai Polo and Equestrian Club +66 2 650 3055 www.thai-polo-club.com Tidworth Polo Club 01980 846705 www.tidworthpolo.com Westgate Laboratories 01670791994 www.westgatelabs.co.uk Willows & Wetlands 01823 490249 www.englishwillowbaskets.co.uk Wood Mallets +64 6 85 68119 www.woodmallets.com
Subscriptions UK: £55 for one year – £99 for two years Europe: £65 for one year – £115 for two years Rest of the World: £75 for one year – £135 for two years
Call Sarah Foster on +44 (0)1993 886885 Subscribe online: www.polotimes.co.uk Polo Times, June 2011
97
20/5/11 15:57:22
Final bell
In association with Aprés Polo
Guards patron and restaurateur Brian Stein’s...
Passions
In the aftermath of another epic season-opening PJ’s Polo Party, John O’Sullivan finds out what makes Brian Stein tick, both on and off the polo field What is your favourite polo memory? I think it has to be the first time I ever took a polo lesson at the Berkshire. Bryan Morrison offered me a free lesson and that has really stuck with me ever since. It turned into the most expensive free lesson I’ve ever had. If you could change one thing about polo, what would it be? More space at the side of the field for ponies to stop. Who’s the best teammate you’ve had? It would have to be the surgeon John Browett. He was the man who helped me back into the game after I had a multiple fracture sustained in a fall playing the Gerald Balding at Cirencester Park during my first season.
helicopters since I was in my 20s. I still fly reasonably regularly, but I used to do 250-300 hours a year. Do you support any sporting teams outside of polo? Polo is the only sport that I’m interested in really. I used to play a bit of tennis and I play golf badly from time to time. I have the course record at Stoke Park Club, where I’m a member – not for the best score, but for the most balls lost in a round! Where’s your favourite holiday destination? Difficult for me to say any one place. I would say literally anywhere that is undiscovered and navigable by boat.
Who has been your hardest opponent? It has to be Rob Cudmore – he was the guy I collided with during the Gerald Balding!
Who is the person in the world you would most like to meet? It would have to be Penelope Cruz, particularly if she were to finish with Javier Bardem!
Which is your favourite polo venue? Easy – Guards Polo Club. I’m based there and I think it is the perfect venue for both watching and playing.
What was the first record you ever bought? I think it was Bill Haley’s Rock around the Clock – though no doubt I’m aging myself with that answer.
Favourite form of the game? I played arena for a few seasons when it first started, but it has to be polo on grass for me.
Who was your biggest crush growing up? My best friend’s older sister. She had a developed bust line, which was difficult for a young lad to ignore!
Favourite pastime outside polo? I have many, many things that I love to do but the one that I would say is my favourite pastime is aviation. I’ve been flying planes and
What is your most prized possession? It has got to be Maverick, my shooting Labrador. What is your guilty pleasure? Watching Adolfo Cambiaso missing consecutive penalties in the Argentine Open final a few years back. It showed he is human after all and I must admit it gave me great pleasure to see that it can happen even to him. Who has had the biggest influence on your life? Rudyard Kipling, and his poem If. I just remember hearing it when I was very young and I think it sums all of life up really. First class or economy? It has always been economy, but maybe it’s been upgraded to premium economy in the last few years.
Do you have a favourite film? Rebel Without A Cause with James Dean, particularly the scene with the car race on the cliff. I was a bit of a rebel without a cause in my younger days myself. 98
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19/5/11 17:35:28
19th Century Paintings Wednesday 13 July New Bond Street, London Enquiries Charles O’Brien +44 (0) 20 7468 8360 charles.obrien@bonhams.com Catalogue +44 (0) 1666 502 200 subscriptions@bonhams.com
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Illustrated: Archibald Thorburn (British, 1860-1935) Peacock and Peacock Butterfly ‘Archibald Thorburn/1917.’ watercolour and bodycolour Estimate: £80,000 - 120,000 One of a collection of works by the artist to be offered in this sale.
Bonhams 101 New Bond Street London W1S 1SR www.bonhams.com/19thcenturysale
20/5/11 13:14:55
Abercrombie & Kent has been perfecting the art of tailor-made travel for 50 years. For the ultimate in service and experience please call
0 8 45 61 8 2219 or visit us in Harrods abercrombiekent.co.uk
we discovered the vibrant character of the market that morning. His name was Alfredo.
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