Volume 19 • Issue 10 • November/December 2014 • £6.50
www.polotimes.co.uk
100 page bumper issue
La Dolfina’s Tortugas & Hurlingham victories Arena construction focus Christmas gift guide
PLUS: Jonathan Munro Ford interview & England’s FIP results
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The private bank for polo
facebook.com/EFGInternational
Proud sponsors of: EFG Aravali Team, UK High Goal Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup XLIII International Polo Tournament, Sotogrande 40 Goal Challenge, Palm Beach RMA Sandhurst Polo City Polo at Horse Guards Parade Cambridge University Polo
University of St Andrews Polo Veytay Masters, Switzerland Haryana Polo Club, Delhi Thai Polo Open Kakira Nile Polo Club Copa Desafío, Punta del Este Guards International São Paulo Polo Trophy
Photos: www.imagesofpolo.com; Abhishek Acharya; Elsa Ochoa.
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EFG – polo montage – 230+230x300mm + 3mm bleed – quadri – publication: Polo Times December 2014 issue (21.11.2014)
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Practitioners of the craft of private banking
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– polo 5montage – 230+230x300mm + 3mm bleed – quadri – publication: Polo Times December 2014 issue (21.11.2014) PT Nov/Dec14EFG 3-49.indd
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Tally Ho Farm EUROPE’S LARGEST POLO SUPPLIER
Official Equestrian Supplier to the England Polo Team
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Contents
Contacts Publisher Nick Hine publisher@polotimes.co.uk
What’s inside...
November/ December 2014
Production Editor & Group Editor in Chief Richenda Hine richenda@polotimes.co.uk Commissioning Editor Charley Larcombe charley@polotimes.co.uk
Polo Reporter & Researcher
News
Tilda Woodd tilda@polotimes.co.uk
10 26
Advertising Manager
Comment
Ben Bovill ben@polotimes.co.uk
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30
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All the latest news HPA news
Your views: Letters
Features Club Liaison & News Manager
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Cover Story: Interview with patron Jonathan Munro Ford Cover Story: Arena Construction Cover Story: Christmas Gift Guide
Lucy Wilson lucy@polotimes.co.uk
32 60
Principal Design
Reports
James Morgan
Additional Design Tony Ruddy
42 46 49 52 56
Cover Story: The Hurlingham Open Cover Story: The Tortugas Open La Martina Argentina Polo Cup; Desert Palm FIP 14 Goal European Qualifiers; Beaufort Polo Club Super Nations Cup; Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club Garangula’s Spring Cup; Australia
Financial Controller
58
Angie Clark accounts@polotimes.co.uk
Women’s Polo 64
Subscription Sales Richard Hine renewals@polotimes.co.uk
Youth Polo 68
Contributors
Holly Baird, Alejandro Comero, Lorna Edgar, Sarah Gardener, Lottie Goldstone, Nicola Hewer, Tony Ramirez
Contact details Hill Farm Studios, Wainlodes Lane, Bishops Norton, Glos, GL2 9LN Tel: 01452 730770 email:admin@polotimes.co.uk
www.polotimes.co.uk
© Polo Times Limited 2014 and Database Right 2014 Polo Times Limited holds the copyright & database right to the information it publishes in Polo Times and on the Polo Times website. No content may be reproduced or distributed without the consent of the Publisher. ‘Polo Times’ is the trade mark of Polo Times Limited. ISSN 1461-4685
Exciting times for women’s polo: a round-up of recent all-female polo tournaments
Round-up of youth polo
Knowledge 71 72 73 74 76 78 80 82
Pony Power: Spangles Spicer Know your horse: wound management Nutrition focus: winter weight loss Accountancy matters Equine legal advice: construction issues Equine stereotypic behaviour Pony running reports Umpire’s corner with Sebastian Dawnay
Give Polo Times this Christmas, to subscribe visit www.polotimes.co.uk
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42 Sidelines 84 87 90 95 98
Social pages Gossip: don’t be the last to know What’s on in December/January Polo Times Marketplace Passions: Sarah Wiseman
Cover photograph: La Dolfina’s Adolfo Cambiaso leads his side to victory in The Hurlingham Open By © Eduardo Grunberg, www.imagesofpolo.com
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Call on +44 (0)1452 730 770 Subscribe online: www.polotimes.co.uk Polo Times, November / December 2014
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29 JANUARY - 1 FEBRUARY 2015 on the frozen lake of St. Moritz
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Nick Hine
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Polo Times, November / December 2014
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Jaeger-LeCoultre announced as new title sponsor of The British Open COWDRAY PARK POLO Club have announced Jaeger-LeCoultre will become title sponsor of The Gold Cup for The British Open Polo Championship in 2015 with a long term commitment to the Club and the tournament. Jaeger-LeCoultre has been Official Time Keeper at Cowdray Park since 2006 in a significant partnership, which has seen the iconic Reverso watch become the recognisable face of the scoreboard on Lawns 2, the pitch where the Final of The Gold Cup is played. The luxury timepiece brand has also supported Zahra Kassim-Lakha of JaegerCowdray Park’s long-standing and popular HPA series LeCoultre with Adolfo Cambiaso at of tournaments, ranging from 8 to 18 goal handicap The 2014 Gold Cup and indicating the company’s interest in all levels of the sport. Zahra Kassim-Lakha, Director UK Market and Global Strategy spoke exclusively to Polo Times, “We are so delighted to be the new title sponsors of The Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup for The British Open Polo Championship at Cowdray Park. Our intention is to take the prestigious Gold Cup for The British Open right back to its polo roots, share in its authenticity and embrace the true spirit of polo, which already exists at Cowdray. We have worked with Cowdray Park Polo Club as Official Time Keeper since 2006 in a sincere and proactive collaboration which can only be enhanced by our significant new partnership.” The 2015 Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup for The British Open Polo Championship will begin on 23 June, with the Final taking place on Sunday 19 July. Clive Bennet
Welcome to the Christmas November/ December ’14 issue of Polo Times. At 100 pages, this is the sixth issue out of 10 this year that has reached a bumper number of pages. I hope that you enjoy the read over the next few weeks and that the Christmas Guide helps you treat your nearest and dearest. To say that the year has flown-by is a clichéd understatement… but it genuinely has. So, on the premise that time only flies when you are having fun, I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to Polo Times this year – but in particular, to the Team here; the contributors; the advertisers; the HPA and ultimately the subscribers… for without your advice and support, none of this would have been possible. Reading this issue, it is clear that polo in the UK is continuing to flourish at every level – particularly, the youth and women’s polo, where the best players are now being talent spotted for the very best teams by seasoned patrons. The number of successfully Retrained Racehorses entering polo has increased exponentially, which bodes well for both racing’s and polo’s future equine superstars. The number of UK players representing English polo overseas is burgeoning – and in recognition of the importance of this to polo’s future, Polo Times is delighted to support an HPA Approved England Team who are competing in Manipur, India – the birthplace of the modern game as we know it. This particular International sees eight teams competing in the 150th anniversary of the first polo match played in 1864 between the Manipuri’s and the British Calcutta team. Looking to next year and 2015 sees Polo Times mark its 20th anniversary. Whilst there are a number of new initiatives already in the pipeline to mark this milestone, please do email me with your thoughts and ideas: publisher@polotimes.co.uk On behalf of the team here, best wishes for a fun-filled, safe, rested and enjoyable Christmas & New Year.
News
Antony Fanshawe named Polo Manager of Guards Polo Club
the globe will be invaluable THE FORMER HIGH goal as we expand our renowned player, who has competed in international polo series. some of the sport’s biggest tournaments – including “The Chairman, the Board and The Queen’s and Gold Cups my team look forward to welcoming – overcame stiff opposition Antony, his wife Georgia and their to be awarded the role at family to Smith’s Lawn next season. Guards Polo Club. Although he will not need much Neil Hobday, Chairman introduction as he has played here of the selection committee, for many years. Antony Fanshawe will join made the announcement, Antony is equally delighted the Guards Polo Club team for the 2015 season saying, “We are delighted with his new role, “This really is that Antony will be joining the team at the number one job in polo and to take Smith’s Lawn in 2015 – our 60th year up the reins at such an auspicious time of first class sport. He is a consummate for the Club is incredible. I have played horseman with an impeccable polo CV. many times at Smith’s Lawn throughout This includes playing for some of the Club’s my career at all levels and cannot wait to biggest teams, such as Dubai, Labegorce be involved in the day-to-day management and Royal Pahang. However, he is equally of so many world class fixtures and familiar with the lower handicapped grounds. This year is my 30th anniversary tournaments and so is ideally placed to of playing polo and there could not be a enhance all levels of polo – be they juniors, more fitting way for me to celebrate such ladies, military or amateur. In addition, his an anniversary than by becoming Polo experience of the game across Manager at Smith’s Lawn.” Tony Ramirez/ www.imagesofpolo.com
from the Publisher
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News
Former Chairman of the HPA, The Hon Mark Vestey awarded honour HRH THE COUNTESS of Wessex unveiled Mark Vestey’s name on the Stoke Mandeville Hall of Fame for his services to British wheelchair sport at the Stoke Mandeville Stadium, the birthplace of the Paralympic movement. Mark was patron of Foxcote, the famous high goal team of the 1970s and was also part of his brother, Lord Sam Vestey’s Stowell Park side. Mark won four Gold Cups and six Queen’s Cups before a tragic hunting accident left him in a wheelchair. His love of polo has been passed on to his Former HPA Chairman, The Hon Mark Vestey was honoured for his two daughters, Tamara and Nina (one of services to British wheelchair sport the highest handicapped women players in the world) and his son, Ben who works with the internationally recognised, British Polo Day. Mark has been president of WheelPower, the owners of Stoke Mandeville Stadium, for over 23 years. He has played a key role in providing the facilities and opportunities for disabled people to play sport at the impressive facility. The redevelopment of Stoke Mandeville Stadium in 2003 would not have been possible without Mark’s influence and the £10.2 million raised by the Sporting Chance Committee, a Committee recruited and spearheaded by Mark.
The 121st Argentine Open is underway
THE 121ST ARGENTINE Open is underway as the Nov/ Dec issue of Polo Times goes to press. The opening day (15 November) programme saw defending champions La Dolfina claim their 21st successive victory, defeating Miramar 17 goals to 6. The second match of the tournament saw La Aguada achieve their first win in a very close contest against Magual 12 goals to 10.
Royal Salute premieres Stories of Power and Grace Courtesy of Royal Salute
ROYAL SALUTE HAS created the Stories of Power and Grace series to enhance the link between this exceptional whisky and the extraordinary characters within the equine world; a world at the heart of Royal Salute. The film features Global Polo Ambassador for Royal Salute Ambassador, Facundo Pieres stars Royal Salute World Polo and 10 goal in the whisky brand’s new film professional, Facundo Pieres and Jean-Francois Pignon, a horse whisperer from rural France. Head to the Polo Times website to see the film online. 12
Polo Times, November / December 2014
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Polo world mourns passing of John Lucas 19 December 1929 – 1 November 2014 Several members of the polo community gathered at Exeter crematorium to mourn the death of John Lucas from the famous polo dynastic family. A former 6 goal player and sister of Claire Tomlinson, John played for some of the biggest polo teams and with the greatest players of his era. One of his most successful seasons occurred in 1967 as a member of Woolmers Park, his father Arthur Lucas’ high goal team. John joined Jorge Marin Moreno, Enrique Zorrilla and Celsestino Garros in winning both The Queen’s Cup and The British Open Gold Cup, the team not losing one high goal game all season. He is survived by his four children, Annabel, Caroline and of course, polo-playing brothers, Will and James. A full obituary will appear in the Jan/Feb issue of Polo Times. Gary Morse, founder of The Villages Residential and Polo community in Florida sadly passed away on 29 October 2014 aged 77.
British Pro’s migrate to New Zealand for the English Winter OUR NEW CORRESPONDENT Katherine Andrews will be reporting on the action in the upcoming New Zealand polo season. It promises to be an exciting one with a number of British professionals playing in some of the most prominent tournaments in the polo Polo Times new correspondent calendar. The South Island’s Katherine Andrews biggest tournament, The South Island Open, starts on the 28 November and runs over three weeks. It will feature British pros, Tom Beim and Olly Tuthill, alongside a number of New Zealand professionals that frequent the British polo scene. The North Island will host some of the most prominent tournaments in the New Zealand calendar next year. The Kihikihi International takes place on 14 February and sees the home team, New Zealand take on an English side featuring new Captain, James Beim. The Auckland Open, a fortnight later, will showcase six 18 goal teams. English players James Beim, Ed Hitchman and Olly Tuthill will play in a team alongside Kiwi 0 goaler, Pete Dormer, President of the Christchurch Polo Club.
Give Polo Times this Christmas, to subscribe visit www.polotimes.co.uk
21/11/2014 15:48
News
Museum of Polo announces 2015 inductees for the Polo Hall of Fame GEORGE DUPONT, DIRECTOR of the National Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in Palm Beach, Florida has announced that the Board of Directors has approved the following inductees into the Hall of Fame. Juan Carlos Harriott, a 10 goal player for 20 years, is widely considered one of the top players in the history of the game whilst Stephen “Laddie” Sanford took five U.S. Open Championships between 1926 and 1949, amongst numerous tournaments worldwide. Two Canadian players were recommended for the Hall of Fame Philip Iglehart Award for their contributions to polo: Frederick Mannix Sr., a life-long player and supporter of the game in both the United States and Canada and Michael Sifton, a strong force within the Polo Training Foundation through the years and a stalwart figure in Toronto. Two polo ponies, were also selected: Katrina was a pony played by the great Hall of Famer, Tommy Hitchcock Jr. in many international matches in the 1930s, whilst the great mare, Sue Ellen is also being honored. She was bred in Wyoming by 10 goaler Tommy Wayman, who played the mare for many years, but is now the ownership of Nacho Figueras. The induction ceremony will be held at the Museum of polo on 13 February 2015 and is the most important fundraising event for the Museum each year.
News in brief The Midlands Polo Festival at Rugby Polo Club will return for its second edition from 20 – 22 February. The Festival will offer players a choice of five tournaments: 15 goal, 8 goal, 4 goal, a University section and a School’s tournament. A Ball will also take place in aid of the Warwickshire and North Air Ambulance. For further info contact Huw Bevan: 01788 817724/ huw@rugbypoloclub.com Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club, in association with Tally Ho Farm, hosted the Winkfield Fireworks extravaganza on Saturday 8 November. The event was in aid of Action for Children, supporting the Margaret Wells-Furby Centre, which provides support for families, disabled children and those going through adoption or fostering. Jamie Morrison, Chairman of RCBPC said, “I was humbled by my visit to this incredible centre. We, at the Berkshire, are so proud to open our doors to the whole community for this remarkable cause.” Druids Lodge are adding further leagues to their existing University polo. The Wiltshire Club is now the Druids University Super League, a second league for more experienced players, which will be aimed at players of 0 – 4 goal arena standard. For more details on the Clubs university polo schedule and results please turn to the ‘Youth’ Section of the magazine on page 68 The All England Polo Club, Hickstead will host the Ladies Arena Tournament sponsored by Porto Polo on the weekend of 20 – 21 December and is now open for entires. Teams can enter levels from -1 to 6 goal. Please contact Phern Latta: polo@hickstead.co.uk Ascot Park Polo Club, hosts of The National Women’s Arena Tournament have rescheduled the event and will now run on 21 – 22 February 2015. Tom Collie will take over from Henry Brown as Polo Manager for Rutland Polo Club as from the 2015 summer season. Rugby Polo Club has been trialling new website, www.bookachukka.com the site has been created by Miles Underwood, former Polo Manager at Beaufort Polo Club, who has set up the site to allow members to view chukka lists and book chukkas online. The Bryan Morrison International match is tipped to be a contest between England and Ireland, so we hear at Polo Times. Clogau Wales are also confirmed to play on the day and may play a Scottish team.
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News
Vale of York Polo Club set for Tally Ho Ho Ho a winter of beach polo Club news
with kind permission Duncan Hill and Ray Brammall
Club news in brief BLUEY’S POLO CLUB is currently offering membership for the 2014 season for just £400, if taken up before Tuesday 15 April. For more information please contact polomanager@blueyspolo.co.uk. HEATHFIELD POLO CLUB will run two new tournaments this season. The La Golondrina Cup, for players aged 18 and below, is on 12-13 July, while the ladies’ Tie Polo tournament runs from 17-18 August.
With Father Christmas on his way into town, Tally Ho Farm has been called in to assist with the feeding of his reindeer at Lapland UK, based at Swinley Forest. The COWDRAY PARK POLO Club has appointed Peter UK’s award winning Barfoot as its new club chairman for the 2014 season. premier Christmas He takes over from Robin Butler, who has retired after family theatrical seven years in the role. Barfoot is the former chairman ofexperience New Forestrecreates Polo Club, where he also worked as treasurer, has Fatherand Christmas’ arctic homeland for one month every winter. played at Cowdray Park with his Maiz SoDulce what team does for Santa feed Rudolph? Chris Adkins of Tally Ho the past 14 years, from 4-goal to 12-goal level. Farm has sourced the finest Wheat Straw and Meadow Hay, rock “It would be difficult to replicate the special Cowdray salt licks, Sugar Beet and Flaked Barley to keep them flying all atmosphere anywhere else,” he said. “I know all the night. lucky elves have been given Stubbs scoops to help playing members really well and I also lookThe forward withmembers the feeding, to meeting as many of the non-playing as but Chris was unable to disclose to Polo Times possible during the course of the season.” the magic ingredient they’re giving to Rudolph to make his nose so bright. We’re sure carrot sales are set to go through the roof.
New chairman at Cowdray Park
Peter Barfoot, the new chairman at Cowdray Park Polo Club ABI Beach Polo at Cleethorpes gets off to a start RUTLAND POLO CLUB’S 6-goal Assam Cup tournament VALE has had yet another brilliant summer will OF be YORK added Polo to theClub Victor season, withfixture all butlist one played Ludorum forday 2014. It on their pitch, which is fortunately place from 12-22 laidtakes on ancient glacial sandJune. affording excellent drainage year round.
Cambridge County Polo Two new events at Dallas Burston Club’s new arena
In addition to their fortnightly scheduled ABI BeachBURSTON match series on Club has announced as a 20-goal four-a-side arena tournament. DALLAS POLO ST ALBANS POLO Club will Cleethorpes theyfor willHeroes be holding a itChristmas Fancy The winning teams of each tournament will will host two newDress tournaments in 2014, with a once againBeach, host Polo receive £10,000 prizeCambridge money. Entries are combined poton of the £20,000. THE NEW ADDITION this summer. The28 charity event and a Burns Tournament on the December Nightprize match to the arena in circuit County take place on Saturday currently open for the tournament July, of two IXL Gold be Club played at released 25 will January to include players dressed in kiltsThe andfirst tartan! There will Cups will Polo have diary dates; on12-goal 14 December theyinwill 28 June and feature a match with team entries costing £400. 12-goal level on 12-13 July, as part of the club’s also be a Valentines match on 8 February and to complete the winter be hosting the Mr. Clause Match – Santa’s warm up to Christmas. between military and civilian Please email phil@rugbypoloclub.com for Fine & Country Polo Day. It will be the highest beach season they will holdemail an End of Season match on 22 March. Spectators and players will enjoy a festive match, followed by teams. To find out more further details or to handicapped Theinfo@stalbanspoloclub.co.uk. ABI league started on grass with the first points going to ABI Blue cheese and wine afterwards. Entry is £70 per person including enter a team. tournament the who won against ABI White. The Hobgoblin Hallowe’en Match took the match fee and refreshments. Sunday Challenges will run Warwickshire club THE OUTDOOR POLO season has hosted to date. place again on the grass team Hobgoblins beating the Skeletons every Sunday up until Christmas. For more information about is already underway at with the Vale second IX York Polo Club,the with the firstThe first ABIThe andofGhouls to claim Trophy. Beach Challenge made team entries please contact Dean Lines on 07500927249 or chukkas played on grass on Gold Cup will be Dallas Burston for an excellent contest, however the Hobgoblin team proved too deanlines@gmail.com. To read more about the The building of this arena SuperArena, which Sunday 9 March. The club’s played in the club’s much for ABI Orange and claimed two points for the league and the please turn to the Knowledge section of the magazine to read about will host the 20-goal polo field is built on glacial sand SuperArena in arena tournament in firstdeposits, silverware of the beachdrainage. season. arena construction on page 32. giving it great November, November
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PJ’s Bar & Grill, Chelsea’s perennial favourite, was opened in 1990 by restaurateur Brian Stein as a tribute to his love of great food and the sport of polo. PJ’s plays proud host to the legendary ‘PJ’s Polo Party’ held annually to celebrate the start of the UK polo season. International dining seven days a week. Casually sophisticated.
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News
WHEN SQUADRON LEADER Ed Whitechurch, a member at Carlitos’ White Waltham Polo Club, heard that Cristian, a groom who had worked at the Club all summer, was diagnosed with lukeamia, he was moved to action. Ed has since raised Ed Whitechurch at the end of a staggering £1,105 his marathon in sponsorship by running the gruelling Gower Costal Trail in 2 hours 14 minutes, placed 106th out of 338 finishers. With two months of chemotherephy now completed and three more months to go, Cristian is expected to make a full recovery and, with the money raised, he will be able to spend Christmas in the UK with at least one family member from Argentina. Cristian, who is staying with Carlito and Kim Gonzalez when he is not in the Royal Surrey Hospital, would like to thank everyone who sponsored Ed. Cristian’s relatives, Juan Carlos and Susana Cardenas have also written from Argentina, “Thank you to everyone that is in charge of caring and helping our nephew Cristian. God bless you all. May God keep you in his heart and watch over your life, for being such good people.”
Hurtwood Park Polo Club date for the diary John Periam, Photojournalist 01243 584718
White Waltham Polo Club are raising funds for Cristian Cardenas
Next year’s Rock ‘n’ Horsepower event will take place on Saturday 13 June 2015. Hurtwood Park Polo Club is proud to once again be teaming up with Prostate Cancer UK to create a totally unique event where horsepower meets pony power. The day will offer polo with the added benefit of a large array of high performance super cars on display followed by a spectacular evening concert featuring Kenney Jones and some very special friends. 2014 saw Kenney join forces with The Who alongside Jeff Beck, Mick Hucknall, Mike Rutherford, Procol Harum, Alvin Stardust, John Lodge and a host of others supporting the cause. Prostate Cancer UK is the leading UK charity supporting men with prostate cancer and prostate disease. They are building Men United, a growing team across the UK, to get the message out there about one of the UK’s biggest man killers, support men affected by it, and to raise money to fined more reliable tests and treatments for the future.
Start of winter season at West Wycombe Park Polo Club
THE CLUB HAS announced that they will be running a winter arena season out of the floodlit Pyatts Farm Arena in collaboration with Greenpoint Polo. WWPPC will be running a full programme of chukkas, matches, tournaments and lessons from November through to March 2015. Chukkas and matches will run weekly on Wednesdays and Thursdays as well as weekends, whilst individual and group lessons can be arranged by appointment with Sophie Heath of Greenpoint Polo on 07973 174 542. Ponies (suitable for all ages and abilities) can be rented in advance for Club chukkas and matches.
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News Aiming High WIN WIN WIN Maggie Routledge was the lucky winner of our Hay Hutch Subscribers competition. Hopefully Maggie’s ponies will be enjoying their new hay feeder worth £150 FLAGSHIP STORE OPENING La Martina have announced the opening of their London flagship store at 23 Jermyn Street in the prestigious St. James’s area. Dates are yet to be confirmed OPEN UMPIRING Peter Wright, one of England’s leading umpires, has become the first nonArgentine to wear the black and white umpire shirt in The Triple Crown
Swinging Low BROKEN LEG Phillip Baker is out of action having broken his leg in three places following a kick from a youngster he had just dismounted from SELLING UP Lyndon Lea is selling up the Florida base for Zacara with a starting price of $32,000,000 for 120 stables, grounds and accommodation on the 100 acres plot. For more information contact selling agents Southfields Real Estate www.southfieldsre.com
Equine Atypical Myopathy cases dramatically rise this autumn POLO TIMES TALKS to Nicola Bell BVetMed MRCVS from Riverside Vets Equine about what signs to look out for in your ponies. Atypical Myopathy is a highly fatal muscle disease, most commonly seen in young horses out to graze in autumn and spring, in both the UK and Northern Europe, which causes severe damage to muscles, affecting postural and respiratory muscles. It is attributed to the toxin Hypoglycin A, which is found in Sycamore seeds. The seeds can contain a variable amount of this toxin, so there is not necessarily a correlation between quantity ingested and Sycamore trees can cause Atypical Myopathy and severity of disease. Hypoglycin A interferes death for equines with muscle metabolism, and the breakdown of muscle tissues causes waste products to be released in high levels into the blood stream, which in turn results in kidney failure. Unfortunately there is no antidote available, so treatment consists of intravenous fluid therapy, pain relief and attentive nursing care – this is often best achieved via admittance to an equine hospital. The prognosis is very poor, and survival rates are reported as low as 26%.1 Nicola Bell reports to Polo Times. “There have been an abnormally high number of cases reported this autumn.” Nicola advises that the clinical signs to look out for include: weakness, muscle tremors, pain, lethargy, reluctance to walk, recumbancy (lying down with difficultly standing), discoloured urine (brown-red), difficulty breathing or swallowing. These are often confused with signs of colic. Prevention of the disease requires restricting horses from gaining access to Sycamore seeds; avoiding pasture with Sycamore trees, fencing off areas where seeds/leaves have fallen. You should also reduce stocking densities down to ensure that there is enough grazing, or alternatively supplementing the pasture with extra forage. If you suspect a horse is suffering from Atypical Myopathy, contact your vet as a matter of urgency. Try not to move the horse as excessive movement may cause further muscle damage. If the horse urinates, try to collect a urine sample as this will aid the vet in their diagnosis. Removal of all other horses grazing on the same pasture and careful monitoring for clinical signs should be undertaken. 1. European outbreaks of Atypical Myopathy in grazing equines (2006–2009): Spatiotemporal distribution, history and clinical features, G. van GALEN et al, Equine Veterinary Journal Volume 44, Issue 5, pages 614–620, September 2012
BLUEYS POLO CLUB have kicked off their arena polo with a Winter Season Grand Opening including an exhibition match, which took place on Wednesday 8 October at the Berkshire College of Agriculture. The Blueys Polo Team of Franco Mancini, Nicholas Brocklebank and Matt Pinney took on team Form IT consisting of Jeanine Vos, Mindy Byrne & Roddy Williams. Club Polo Manager, Juan Quintana commented, “Jeanine and Franco played brilliantly; what these two have achieved in so little time is amazing.” For more details of their chukka dates, contact Juan Quintana: polomanager@blueyspolo.co.uk.
Juan Quintana
Winter Season Grand Opening at Blueys Polo Club
The Grand Opening exhibition teams
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News
Lovelocks Polo Stud claim The Copa El Remanso
Euan Douglas
The Final of The Copa El Remanso 22 goal tournament was played in Lobos, Argentina on Sunday 19 October between Lovelocks Polo Stud (Brad Mallett (4), Manuel Plaza de Ayala (6), Federico Von Potovsky (6) and Manolo Fernandez Llorente (6)) and La Alegria CentraLab (Adrian Laplacette (6), Andres Laplacette (5), Pablo Miguens (5) and Simon Crotto (4)). Most Valuable Player was awarded to Lovelocks’ Federico Von Potovsky whilst Lovelocks Polo Stud, winners of the 2014 Copa El Remanso. Manuel Plaza de Ayala’s Tonina was given the Best Playing Pony prize. The Subsidiary Final for The Copa La Sonada was won by El Remanso (Charlie Hanbury (5), Ollie Cudmore (5), Will White (2) and Juilo Arellano (8)). They beat El Carmen (Daniel Dartiguelongue (4), Juan Dartiguelongue (6), Luis Gotelli (6) and Gaston Dartiguelongue (5)) 10 goals to 7.
A very Argentine affair at The Rutini Wines Invitational Match Tony Ramirez/ www.imagesofpolo.com
EMSWORTH POLO GROUNDS played host on Sunday 16 November to delegates and diplomats from the Argentine Embassy and to sponsors of the day, Rutini Wines. Guests included Rolando Vinales from Rutini Wines, Alejandro Pineiro the Argentine Minister of The Exhibition match players with Alejandro Pineiro & Rolando Vinales International Business and the Uruguay Amdasador. Simon’s Four Quarters team featuring his son, Emile and their professional, Tom Morley won the invitational match, beating their opposition made up of Nick Beitner, James Crossley and Tarquin Southwell by a healthy five goal difference. The game was fast and an excellent example of arena polo for the spectators. Morley’s quiet approach to the game and the well-tuned and practiced team of Four Quarters outshone the opposition. The guests returned to the Clubhouse for wine tasting, canapés and cake in honour of Black Hound’s Sebastian Sabaj’s birthday.
Dubai Gold Cup first participating team announced
THE DUBAI POLO Gold Cup Series (The Dubai Open) 18 goal handicap, now in its sixth year, will occur from 23 February to 13 March 2015. The organisers have announced the first participating team, Rashid Al Habtoor’s Mahra Polo Team. Winners of The Threadneedle Gold Cup (2010), Royal Jet Silver Cup 2011 (2011), Subsidiary Winner of The Silver Cup (2012), Power House Cup (Subsidiary Gold Cup; 2014) the 2015 team will consist of Rashid Al Habtoor (0), Guy Gibrat (5), Nacho Gonzalez (6) and Marcos Araya (7). The last Dubai Gold Cup was a contest between Ghantoot ADCB and Habtoor Polo with Ghantot winning 7-5 in the Final. Give Polo Times this Christmas, to subscribe visit www.polotimes.co.uk
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News
Stanbroke, winners of The 2014 Jaime Mackay Memorial
The Club de Polo Ampurdan in Spain hosts The Wolfgang Reber Memorial
Claudia Quintana
Stephen Mowbray
Stanbroke win Jaime Mackay Memorial at Windsor Polo Club, Australia
The eight international participating teams & their supporters
GUY SCHWARZENBACH’S GARANGULA featuring Patrick O’Dwyer – his Black Bears high goal teammate during the UK THE CLUB DE Polo Ampurdan run by the Campos family, held its sixth summer – Tom Hunt and Jasper White met Brendan Menegazzo’s tournament spanning over two weekends with eight international teams Stanbroke in an exciting Final on Sunday 12 October. Six chukkas competinig for a place in the Finals on 12 October. The Final of the of close polo umpired by Andrew Williams and Jim Gilmore, tournament played in memory of the Club’s founder, Wolfgang Reber, took meant the game was forced into extra time. For Stanbroke place between La Serreta (Guillermo Campos (0), Cristóbal Méndez de Vigo supporters cheering on Menegazzo, 6 goalers Rob Archibald (0), Juan Torroba (2) and Miguel Amieva (4)) and Amigos & Friends (Caroline and James Harper and fourth team member Damien Johnston, Morandi (0), Eva Campos (0), Eva Brühl (2) and Nicolás Ruiz Guiñazú (3)). La it was a tense few moments when the teams rode back onto the Serreta, led by Miguel Amieva never gave up and in the last minute managed Hi Ben, pitch. However, on a scorching day where temperatures soared to turn the result around to take the lead by only half a goal. Amigos & to 34°, it was Rob Archibald who scored the winning goal for and strap Here is the image linecould for have the advert: Friends scored the winning goal after a spectacular run from his team at Windsor Polo Club. The Subsidiary Final was played one end of the field to the other, but the ball rolled wide of the goal posts by between Riverpark (Angus Janes, Dirk Gould, Kelvin Johnson and millimeters and victory was awarded to Le Serreta. Oli Hipwood) and Sandalford (Charlie Pidgley, Sam Hopkinson, Max Charlton and Warwick Prendiville). Sam Hopkinson of the www.freddieparker.com Sandalford team took them from one goal down in the last chukka Correction to scoring the winning goal and securing the game. For more We apologise for errors in the October issue Victor Ludorum 15 goal report, news from Australia please turn to page 58 for a report on the particularly to Pete Webb & Will Emerson who were erroneously omitted. British Polo Day at Garangula Polo Club.
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Freddie
‘Fall In Love With Freddie Parker’ www.freddieparker.com
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News
Zone D playoffs for The FIP World Championships
PAKISTAN ARE THROUGH to The FIP World Championships in Chile after beating India in the Zone D playoffs at Tianjin Metropolitan Polo Club in China. The historic arch rivals took the game into a sudden death, seventh chukka to decide who would face England (who had previously qualified at Beaufort Polo Club in September), Argentina and the hosts, Chile in March 2015. As the final bell rang, it was the Pakistan team line-up of Maj Haseeb Minhas (Captain, 3), Zain Khakwani (3), Saqib Khakwani (4) and Ahmed Ali Tiwana (4) who beat Naveen Singh (1), Lt. Col. Ravi Rthore (4), Abhimanyu Pathak (4) and Simran Shergill (5) of India. The Most Valuable Player award went to Pakistan’s Saquib Khakwani. The Pakistan team’s 4 goaler, Ahmed Ali Tiwana, reporting from the tournament in China, told Polo Times, “It was a great game and we fought hard to win as India led the way until the fourth chukka”. A round-up of the qualifying rounds will be in the next issue of Polo Times, which will be out at the end of January.
Riviera Polo Club
THE RIVIERA POLO Club hosted an action packed afternoon on the 28 September, of polo to showcase polo to the French Riviera. VIPs for the day were treated to a magnificent lunch at the very über smart 5 star Terre Blanche Spa and Golf resort before a 4x4 rally to the polo ground in the valley below. After three chukkas of furious end to end polo Douqué Capital Partners eventually ran out winners having beaten both Flag Riviera and Blohm + Voss. It was a particularly proud moment for Jamie Pike who runs the polo school at the Riviera Polo Club because not only had the day gone so well, but Axel Douqué had only first picked up a polo stick for the first time six weeks prior to the tournament whilst another polo school player, Patrick Coote, also shone for the Blohm + Voss team. Lahcene El-Hamri won the Most Valuable Player prize. For more sidelines action please turn to page 84.
Ahmed Ali Tiwana
The Korea Cup stays with Singapore Polo Club The winning Pakistan team at the grounds of the Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club in China
Empire Polo Club dates confirmed
ESTABLISHED IN 1987, Empire Polo Club is one of the largest polo Clubs on the West Coast of America boasting 12 polo fields, stabling for more than 500 horses, an indoor arena and polo school. The Club are gearing up for the start of their season on 11 January with preseason games starting in December. They will be running a schedule of Sunday polo up to 8 goal, Friday evening chukkas and ‘Polo Under the Lights’ on 9 January, 13 February and 13 March. They will also be hosting the bi-annual USPA Townsend International Challenge Cup in their indoor arena where USA will play England on Saturday 14 March. Their grand finale tournament on the closing day of their season (29 March) includes an incredible $70,000 in cash and prizes to be awarded to the teams that make the Finals of The Champions 6-8 goal and The Lions Cup 4 goal. 22
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SINGAPORE POLO CLUB and Pocari Sweat emerged as winners in The Korea Cup at the Singapore Polo Club. The tournament consisted of four teams, which played in two different divisions over the weekend of 18 – 19 October. The team from Singapore Polo Club, captained by Ali Reda The winning teams at The Korea Cup also featured Yeo Kuo Lee and Ronnie Lim with the final place split between Tan Hock and Ranbir Singh. The home side produced a consistent performance throughout, scoring six goals on both days. Their opposition, Korea Polo Country Club, made up of David Ko, James Lee, Captina Lee Joo Bae (Captain), also featured a shared seat, this time between YJ Park and YK Chung. They only managed to secure one goal on the first day thanks to 0 goal player Ko, but faired slightly better on the second day, this time managing to add another three goals to the combined score. However, it was the home team of Singapore Polo Club who ran away with the silverware, 12 goals to 4. The lower handicapped division saw captain Ameer Jumabhoy lead his Pocari Sweat teammates, Giles Twiss, Melissa Ko and Greg Parkhurst/Paul Hodes to victory over Uzen Life’s Gerry Gan, Isabelle Larenaudie, Wee Tiong Han/ Leon Chu, Diane and Marc Goldenberg/ Adeline Jen with a final score of 17-7. Giles Twiss took the honours as Most Valuable Player while Ranbir Singh’s pony, Timida and his groom Sundram were presented with the Best Turned Out Pony Award. Unica, who belongs to Singapore Polo Club won the Best Playing Pony Award. Give Polo Times this Christmas, to subscribe visit www.polotimes.co.uk
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News
Polo Times supports HPA-approved England team competing in The Manipur Polo International
Matias Callejo
El Milagro win La Aguada Cowdray Park Polo Cup
El Milagro, winners of the 2014 La Aguada Cowdray Park Polo Cup.
EL MILAGRO WITH a line-up of Federico Tomasevich (0), Matt Coppola (3), Fermin Iturrioz (4) and Sebastian Merlos (9) defeated Snakebite’s Max Kirchhoff (0), David Ashby (4), Alejandro Pistone (4) and Alejandro Novillo Astrada (8), 9-4 in the Final of the 16 goal tournament which took place at La Aguada Polo Club in Open Door, Argentina on Friday. The teams had met earlier in the tournament during the league stages, when it was in fact European patron, Max Kirchhoff’s team who rode off the pitch the winners. Sadly for the visiting side, come Final’s Day, victory belonged to El Milagro. 9 goaler Merlos went on to have a supremely successful weekend, also winning The Copa de Municipalidad, before replacing an injured Pelon Stirling during La Dolfina’s first match – and win – in The Argentine Open. In the Subsidiary games of The La Aguada Cowdray Park Polo tournament, Murus Sanctus’ Corrine Ricard (0), Juan Isla (4), Gonzalo Garcia del Rio (6) and Malcolm Borwick (6), beat Irongate’s James Scott-Hopkins (0), Will Johnston (2), Juan Pedro Harriet (4) and Eduardo Novillo Astrada (9), 8-7 whilst La Vanguardia’s Williem Melchior (1), Henry Brett (5), Will Emerson (5) and Andres Crespo (5) overcame Ziani’s Leonora de Ferranti (0), Charlie Holley (0), Juan Carlos Harriet (5) and Miguel Novillo Astrada (10), 8 goals to 6.
Richard Hine (0), Alistair Paterson (3), Lt. Hiro Suzuki (2) and Elliot Sands (2) will represent England at the eighth Manipur International Tournament, which takes place between the 22 and 29 November. The tournament is being held at one of the oldest polo grounds in the world at Imphal to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the first match played between the Manipuri’s and the British Calcutta team in 1864. Seven other teams will compete including India (two teams), U.S.A, France, Poland, Thailand and Mongolia. Polo Times is delighted to be sponsoring the England team alongside team kit supplier, Black Hound Sports. According to the Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association (affiliated to the Indian Polo Association), King Kangba who reigned over Manipur before the birth of Christ introduced Sagol Kangjei, the precursor to polo. The players are mounted on the indigenous Manipuri pony, which stand between 11-13 hands. They normally play on just one pony per game; there are no goal posts, and a player scores simply by hitting the ball out of either end of the field. The tournament consists of three to four games of four chukkas, four aside, as per the modern polo rules.
Michael Howe
Team USPA warm HPA England team in Pakistan up with a win in Wellington prior to FIP Zone Qualifications
THE ISLAMABAD POLO Club invited the HPA to play in The Karim Khan Afridi Memorial Polo Match at the beginning of November. Michael Howe (Captain), Roderick Vere Nicoll, Marcus Hancock and Ed Winterton represented England. The match was played in memory of Karim Khan Afridi, son of Tariq and Cristina Afridi who tragically passed away aged 19 in June this year. Cristina and Tariq, The ground at Islamabad Polo Club alongside friends, are setting up the Karim Khan Welfare Foundation that will help and guide young people to cope with many challenges and problems they may face. Michael Howe, speaking to Polo Times from Islamabad, commented, “The polo field played really well and in fact, beats most places I have played on! The atmosphere around the pitch was very intense and the game finished with the Islamabad team winning by one goal. The result was 8-7.” 24
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THE PLAYERS SELECTED for the US FIP team are still trying to finalise their strategy before competing in the Zone Qualifier next month. Team USPA’s line-up of Jared Sheldon, Patrick Uretz, Mason Wroe, Felipe Viana and Jesse Bray (the five-strong team are still finalising who will play as reserve) managed to score their first win of the season against PB Equine/PB Polo’s Glenn Straub, Jeff Hall, Nic Roldan and Scott Swerdlin. The two teams played for The Morrison Family Memorial Cup at the Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington on Tuesday 11 November.
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Metropolitan Polo Club An Exceptionally Refined World at Your Service www.metropolitanpoloclub.com Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club, 16 Hai Tai Hua Ke Jiu Lu, Bin Hai Gao Xin Qu, Tianjin 30384, China.
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T: (86) 22 8372 8888 F: (86) 22 8371 7733
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HPA News
PASSPORTS The HPA will be continuing to process Equine Passports for the foreseeable future. DEFRA are continually tightening their regulations and we urge you to ensure all of your equine passports are fully up to date. If you have any queries, please contact the HPA. END OF SEASON HANDICAP CHANGES The end of season handicap changes have now been published and you can access them from our website www.hpa-polo.co.uk Please be aware that they will become effective as of 1 January 2015. HELMET STANDARDS Following on from the recent publicity with regards to polo helmets safety standards, the HPA are in the process of seeking professional advice so as to ensure the best outcome is reached, taking into consideration the safety of players and the sport. ARENA HPA National Tournaments There will be two HPA National Championship Tournaments held at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club this winter: • The HPA Christmas National Club Championships from 1 – 14 December at 4-6 goal and 13-15 goal • The HPA New Year National Club Championships from 5 – 24 January at 10-12 goal and 1-3 goal • The Arena Gold Cup will run from 13 – 28 February 2015
Action in the FIP Qualifiers at Beaufort
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Latest from the HPA HPA chief executive David Woodd rounds up the news from UK polo’s headquarters OVERSEAS Pakistan November 2014 An England team recently played two matches in Pakistan, one of which was The Karim Khan Afridi Memorial Polo Match at Islamabad Polo Club; the team was M Howe (4), E Winterton (2), M Hancock (2), R Vere Nicoll (1). China The HPA has accepted an invitation to send an England team to play in the FIP Snow Polo World Cup in China from 28 January – 8 February 2015. The England Team will be J Richardson (6), M Routledge (5) and M Perry (5) with Alan Kent as Coach. An England team recently travelled to China to play the Super Nations tournament at Tianjin’s Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club. The team of Jack Richardson, George Meyrick, Max Charlton and Tom Morley reached the Final of the tournament for the second year running. For a full report see page 56. New Zealand England have been invited to play a Test Match versus New Zealand on Saturday 7 February. The team has yet to be confirmed, but will be captained by James Beim. FIP QUALIFIERS Having qualified top of Zone C, an England team (George Pearson, Tommy Beresford, Will Emerson and Pete Webb) have qualified for the World Championships. The Championships will take place in Chile next March. For a full report of the FIP Qualifiers please see page 52.
DEVELOPMENT Overseas Training The Development Committee has selected the following to attend a training course with Buster Mackenzie from 12 – 22 December 2014: Marcus Cork, Charlie Turk, George Deverall, Jasmine Stanhope White, Henry Frisby, Charlie Townsend, Freddie Jodrell. WELFARE The HPA Welfare Committee would like to remind all members that they have a responsibility year round for the welfare of their horses. Please ensure they receive the necessary care this winter and if you have any concerns for pony welfare or queries relating to welfare please contact the HPA. COACHING The HPA have revised the procedure as to how members qualify as an HPA Accredited Coach/Instructor. The changes have been made to ensure the highest standard but also to bring polo coaching in line with other national sports associations. For further information please contact the HPA. MEETING DATES Arena mid-season handicap: • Tuesday 6 January; Sunningdale Stewards: • Wednesday 5 February; Cavalry and Guards Club, London
England’s Jack Richardson and Hong Kong’s John Paul Clarkin in China
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From
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Comment
Your views
Sir, With all the end of season groans and moans regarding handicaps, team makeups, match fixing and team selections, I just have to say that I have just witnessed the most exciting polo I have seen all season. This made The Queen’s Cup, the majority of The Gold Cup and other high goal tournaments look pedestrian! I am referring to The FIP 14 Goal Tournament at Beaufort. It was of course so lucky that the weather was glorious and we were enjoying an ‘Indian Summer’. The sun shone everyday; the ground was fast and the polo spectacular. There were no shouts of “leave it”, no turning of the ball and no slowing the game down, instead we just saw good old fashioned backhanders to their team members who had anticipated and turned up for them. Very tough riding-off and end-to-end galloping with some incredible ball skills and breathtaking goals. All four members in each team played their hearts out with such passion, and may never have played so well before. There was great sportsmanship on all sides, and the umpiring was also good; blowing fouls but also allowing the game to flow. This is how polo should be played: with no great pots of money at the end and no ‘bonus’ for winning. I’m not sure how the HPA can replicate such good polo again, but well done to all the teams and organisers for such wonderful polo matches that we witnessed. Lavinia Black Gloucestershire By Email
Foul for thought… Q: In what scenario would the Umpire use a Penalty 9 in the arena? A: Turn to page 91 for the answer!
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Feature
Interview with patron, Jonathan Munro Ford
Play to Win Photographs by Tony Ramirez/www.imagesofpolo.com
Jonathan Munro Ford has been a successful patron of his Black Eagles team for several seasons. He and teammates – including his long-term professional, Chris Hyde – have dominated the higher level arena season, won The St. Moritz Snow Polo World Cup twice and this summer secured the 12 goal Victor Ludorum. Polo Times talks to the Australian player about his thoughts on team chemistry, climbing the polo ladder and the importance of winning.
O
riginally from Queensland, Australia, Munro Ford didn’t begin to play polo until he was in his twenties, despite being a keen rider. Like many before him, he was instantly hooked and has been playing ever since.
Tell us about your first foray into polo. “I’ve been riding since I was a young child, so I was often around horses. My first introduction to polo was about 20-25 years ago when my family, who had property in Queensland, were approached to host The Gold Cup, which was then a 20 goal tournament. Although I didn’t play, our grounds hosted many tournaments for the likes of Kerry Packer and his Ellerston team. It was my mother who encouraged me to play and I loved the game immediately. The Doolan and Hoeys – great Australian polo families, helped me learn the game and I’d play anything up to 16 goal level. It was a great time with the likes of Packer and Sinclair Hill doing the commentary; it was a perfect introduction to the game.”
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Interview with patron, Jonathan Munro Ford
Since those early days of involvement in the sport, Munro Ford has made quite an impression on the English polo scene. After a temporary hiatus from the game, when he moved to the UK, Jonathan once again began to play at Andrew LloydWebber’s Watership Down. Relaxed chukkas in his local area re-ignited his interest and he rapidly threw himself into entering tournaments. He joined Guards four years ago, and for the last couple of seasons he’s found success both in the arena and out on grass. The Black Eagles are an exciting team who feature in particular, some of the best English players including Max Charlton and Ollie Cudmore as well as of course Chris, and his son Jack Hyde.
How do you choose your team? What sort of attributes do you look for in your players? “I think first and foremost, there needs to be a chemistry within a team as that brings all the players up another level. The combination of that, with a little hunger, a desire to win, is always very important. And of course the other thing is the horses – they are a massive part of the game as any player or patron will tell you.” How do you plan your season? How did you approach the Victor Ludorum series for 2014? “For this past summer, Chris [Hyde] and I sat down and planned in September 2013. We always plan ahead for the following season; always thinking of the long-term plan. After a relatively successful couple of seasons at Guards, we felt like a new challenge, with an opportunity to play at other Clubs, against other teams. We mapped out a strategy with players, horses, tournaments, locations and we were lucky in the sense that we won on our first attempt. Winning the Victor Ludorum series says a lot about the particular team – I don’t believe in one player making the critical difference to the end result, but, as I’ve mentioned earlier, it’s the chemistry of the entire team and the will to succeed.” Has winning the 12 goal affected your plans of climbing the ‘polo ladder’? “Yes the success from this year, has undoubtedly helped us to make the decision to try for the 15 goal next season. I very much doubt that I will ever do the high goal, mainly because it is another level in cost and organisation – nothing is guaranteed of course, but it would be one hell of a move for me to www.polotimes.co.uk
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do the high goal. What really inspires me is looking forward to what we’re doing next, improving the level Black Eagles are playing at. The 15 goal will be very important to me, as I particularly enjoy playing at that, and the 12 goal level.”
Argentines are. It hasn’t been a conscious effort, but the Black Eagles team love to support people like Jack [Hyde], a good young player who is coming up through the ranks and who will hopefully go on to do very well in the years to come.”
What are the plans for the immediate polo future? “I would like the team to do well in the arena again – we’ve got a positive team strategy focussed on that at present. I will be travelling due to business so I won’t be playing as much polo as I have in previous years, but I will still try and be committed as possible. I would also like to win in St. Moritz again and go for the ‘triple crown’…”
You’ve had great success in polo; is winning an important factor for you? How do you minimise the risk of losing? “One of my dislikes is to lose. I think success is one area that you can measure over both a long and a short term, period of time as to the performance of the team. Because I’m not a particularly good player myself, I look at how the team plays and the results tell you a lot. “Our team work hard to be prepared. Naturally the use of good horses cannot be underestimated; most of mine are former high goal ponies that didn’t quite cut it at that very top level. As I’ve said, the chemistry of the team on and off the pitch is an important factor. I also think we have an ability to identify any problems with an individual player – whether that’s in their personal life, an injury etc. We quickly work on the problem, before it impacts on their performance.”
Jonathan first played – and won – The St. Moritz Snow Polo World Cup in 2013 with three English pros, Hyde, Max Charlton and Nacho Gonzalez. This year, he followed it up with a second win, once again with Hyde and Charlton, but with the addition of Guards Polo Club 6 goaler, Hissam Ali Hyder. At 18 goal level with the difficult elements of snow polo, winning this tournament once, let alone twice is quite the achievement. And the Black Eagles set-up are looking to make it three in a row when they travel to Switzerland in January. Speaking of which, how do you prepare yourself and the team for St. Moritz? “We have a couple of practice matches as a team and carefully look at the horses that we hope to take out. The horses come in, obviously, well before the tournament commences so we pay close attention to which ones will travel to Switzerland with us. 2015 will be our third time, and Chris will once again be our captain so, due to that continuity and our past experience, logistics do become easier.”
What have you learnt about polo? “The sport of polo has an image or perception of aloofness. But in reality it isn’t at all; the game has a large element of comradeship.”
As you play both arena and outdoor polo, do you ever take a break? “I also play polo for fitness, which is a big plus for me. I don’t like going to the gym, I don’t like running around the paddock so polo is a great form of exercise for me.” Your teams are often comprised of English players (Chris and his son Jack, Ollie Cudmore and Max Charlton); do you actively decide to support UK talent? “I think English players are exceptional, just as the Polo Times, November / December 2014
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Arena construction focus
Arena Construction There is a whole science to arena construction. Maybe you are thinking of installing an arena, have unanswered questions, or perhaps have never really thought about ‘what lies beneath’. Lucy Wilson investigates and gets to know her aggregates from cross drainage on your behalf.
Arena polo has grown by a massive 342% over the last 19 years, with only seven Clubs registered with the HPA in 1995 growing to 31 for the 2014 season. Arena polo may not be for everyone, but installing an arena facility has become one of the best facilities a Club or polo school can offer for starting members, and new players to the sport. There is no doubt that building an arena is a substantial financial commitment, but the opportunity to continue to play throughout the year can be invaluable for some Clubs.
Of course, with the wetter spring and summer months that we have witnessed in more recent years, having an arena can also provide an excellent back up plan when the grounds turn to duck ponds and players and ponies need to keep moving. The choices for construction are no longer limited and the options for surfaces are extensive, with new products coming on the market all the time. The same technology is often transferable for other facilities at Clubs, from all-weather exercise tracks, to holding
Martin Collins Equibuild floodlit arena at Gill Polo Club in Poland
corrals and pens. Getting the drainage and choice of surface mix right is critical for player, and pony, enjoyment. Having a wet porridgelike surface means slow polo and tough going for horses. Hard surfaces will cause ponies’ injuries whilst over-waxed surfaces mean the ball will not move across the surface with any speed. Fluffy or over-sanded surfaces are uneven and the direction of the ball will be unpredictable and choppy, which is obviously not ideal.
What goes into building an arena?
An example of 40mm carboniferous limestone aggregates used for drainage
Aggregates: The aggregate (stones) you choose will form the base layer of your drainage system. To avoid clogging up the drainage system they need to be hard, dust free, and of an angular cut, so carboniferous limestone or granite between 20-40mm is recommended for arenas. Skimping on the cost of aggregates can cause serious problems with drainage throughout the lifespan of the arena. Around the perforated drainage pipes, a smaller grade of shingle should be used to allow the water to free drain. 32
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The King Power arena at Gadbridge with the 2012 re-waxed Olympic surface
Sand: Any sand used in the surface should be washed to remove any dust, organic material and general contaminates. Again, as with aggregates, the sand needs to be angular, so ordinary beach sand (which is rounded by the action of the sea) cannot be used. Fibres: These need to be as synthetic as possible: the higher the percentage of organic material, the shorter the lifespan of
the surface as it will start to rot prematurely, especially if it has poor drainage. Fibres can come from shredded carpet, recycled industrial PVC or rubber. These materials add bounce, aid drainage and stop the sand and wax from over-compaction. Bales of organic fibre cost around 15-20p per kilo, whereas a higher percentile of synthetic fibre will cost 80p per kilo. Poly Felt, which is chopped up pieces of membrane, can also
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Arena construction focus
Modern wax surfaces include washed angular sand, rubber, synthetic fibers, wax and PVC
Waxed surfaces require rolling before and after games as shown here at Rugby Polo Club
be added. Fibres most importantly emulate the root structure of turf and bind the other elements of the surface together. Wax: The wax used in the surface is a petroleum-based Vaseline-like substance
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that comes from one supplier in the UK, Kerax. Kerax is a crude oil product that costs around £1 per litre (26p cheaper than petrol). Interestingly, Kerax also supplies wax for Warburton’s waxed bread packaging and candles. The amount of wax in the surface will determine how ‘fast’ the surface will play and how hard it will be. Too much wax and the ball won’t run and the surface can be overly hard, whilst not enough wax results in the surface being too fluffy. Surrounds: The surrounding boards differ from arena to arena, some are set vertically angling outwards from the arena or they can be horizontal and upright. The height also varies. It is becoming more popular for boards to be higher to avoid the necessity for netting. If wood is used it should be seasoned and treated, as rotting uprights will weaken over time and, if gone unnoticed, a strong ride-off could cause a wall to collapse. Drainage: Drainage is key to the performance and durability of any arena and surface you choose. Drainage will be made up of
The arena at Cambridge County Polo Club showing the surface being laid over the textile membrane also known as terram
perforated plastic pipes, membranes (also known as Terram) or porous Tarmac, and aggregates (stones). As already discussed, aggregates must be dust-free to prevent the drainage systems from clogging up. Planning: Arenas of any size will require planning permission; this also includes any changes or extensions to an existing arena. Many companies that are able to construct arenas will also be able to help with the planning process. If you build an arena without planning permission you run the risk of being asked to remove it and put the land back to its original state.
Tel: +44 (0) 1842 862 068 Fax: +44 (0) 1842 861 936 Email: info@greenheath.co.uk www.greenheath.co.uk
Mobile Catering Trailer. Fully gas Kubota ME8200 Tractor. 80Hp. YOM: 2005. certificated, twin hob, onboard water tank, Wide floatation Tyres, Good condition. hot water hand wash sink, fully fitted kitchen £12,500 with storage, twin hot water urn, large glass fridge. Very tidy condition, easy to set up. Perfect for various hospitality events, direct from show caterer. £4950 (No VAT)
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Wessex Sweeper. Can be used for paddocks or yard sweeping. Fantastic condition, As New. £3750 Also, selection of Nicholson Paddock Sweepers available – fully reconditioned. Call for more details.
For full listings and more equipment visit: www.greenheath.co.uk Kubota RTV 900. YOM: 2009. 1800 Hrs. Weather Cab, Hyd Tipping Body. £5800
Kioti CK30. YOM: 2006. 1800 Hrs. Hydrostatic Drive. Ideal for mowing & general yard duties. Full selection of trailed equipment to suit this size of tractor available, new & used. £6000
Kubota L3200 Compact Tractor. YOM: 2007. Selection of Used Wide Area Roller Mowers. Ideal for sport pitches & General Maintenance. Very low hours, very nice condition, 4WD, turf tyres. 32hp. Choice of 3 machines. From 12ft – 20ft cutting width available from £4000
Specialists in groundcare & used equipment supply. www.greenheath.co.uk Give Polo Times this Christmas, to subscribe visit www.polotimes.co.uk
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Arena construction focus
The construction and surface suppliers
Cross sectional drawing Boards
Upper Membrane or porous asphult
150mm uncompacted surface
150mm Clean Angular Stone Lower Membrane
10 mtrs 100mm Land Drain
100mm Land Drain Concrete
We spoke to three different companies at the forefront of arena construction; Day Equestrian, Equestrian Surfaces and Martin Collins. Between them they have supplied and built most of the polo arenas in the UK, as well as a large proportion of arenas used for polo around the world. They have spent their time developing surfaces and drainage methods that allow polo to be played 365 days of the year. There are numerous other companies that work with Day Equestrian, Equestrian Surfaces and Martin Collins, such as Aztec Plant. Based in Oxfordshire, Aztec Plant have been involved in all aspects of equestrian establishment construction for over 20 years, specialising in the construction of all-weather riding arenas and gallops. Most recently they have worked with Day Equestrian on the arena and exercise track at Billingbear Park, and Gadbridge for King Power. Day Equestrian: Day Equestrian was formed to bring together Day Aggregates’ no-nonsense way of doing business, with the product knowledge and construction experience inherent within the rest of the company. The result is a one-stop-shop for construction materials and services specifically targeted at the equestrian sector. So, whether it’s a surface top-up, planning application, refurbishment, self-build, new build arena or gallop they can help. www.daygroup.co.uk/equestrian/index.php Equestrian Surfaces: Specialising in the supply, manufacture and installation of all-weather, fully synthetic riding surfaces for all disciplines. Equestrian Surfaces are able to supply and install synthetic riding surface and also a supply-only option for clients undertaking the works themselves. With over 20 years of positive feedback, the company has valuable experience in the field. www.equestriansurfaces.co.uk
Difficult ground works and excavation for the Equibuild team on a hillside arena
Laying the Martin Collins Clopf fibres at Sussex Polo Club
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The arena at Gadbridge demonstrates the curved wooden boards that enclose the arena
Martin Collins Enterprises: The business was founded by Martin Collins over 30 years ago as a growing international operation across all equestrian disciplines. Its equestrian origins still remain at the heart of the business today. All Martin Collins senior and client service staff have had first hand experience, as owners/ riders at amateur and/or professional competition level, and therefore understand horses and their needs. They provide both the material and a full construction service, and undertake projects which range from the single horse owner, to the large commercial projects. www.martincollins.com/ Equestrian-Surfaces/Polo-Surfaces
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Arena construction focus
Day Equestrian How many different surface options do you have? What are these surfaces actually made of?
What is the lifespan of these surfaces?
How many tonnes do you need for each surface per square metre? How do you develop and test this technology?
How do the elements impact on the surface?
What kind of maintenance does the surface need?
What suggestions would you have for a Club considering building an arena?
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Day Equestrian can put together tailor-made surfaces to suit the client and/or re-wax second-hand surfaces. Good grade silica sand, shredded synthetic fibres, rubber, PVC and wax.
All of the surfaces are made up of a high-grade multi-washed silica sand, a fully synthetic fibre (manufactured by themselves) then blended with an advanced waxed coating. The only difference between the Polo Track and Cushion Track Premier is the type of fibre which is used. A quality surface can last its users between This all depends on the amount of use, and how well it is maintained. Surface should last eight and 10 years. This is dependent on a at least five to six years before it would need strict maintenance schedule in accordance with Equestrian Surfaces, which must be to be re-graded. A good wax surface could adhered to at all times. As these types of last 20 years, but of course you may need surfaces have only been around for the above to top it up over this time as quite a bit gets dragged out with machinery, pony traffic and period, we are unable to guarantee that surfaces will last longer than that. poo picking. For 125mm (5”) depth of surface you would For 125mm (5”) depth of surface you would need 0.2 tonnes of surface/metre2 and need 0.2 tonnes of surface/metre2. Therefore for 150mm (6”) of surface, which is the we would estimate that 1 tonne of surface recommended depth for polo arenas, would achieve 5 square metres at a depth of 125mm (5”). For polo, we would always 0.25 tonnes/metre2. recommend a depth of 150mm (6”) which works out at 0.25 tonnes/metre2. The main testing of these surfaces has been It’s all about experience; knowing what has or hasn’t worked in the past. Day Equestrian over the past 15 years, in which the products have developed in conjunction with feedback have two test arenas that we use to lay from players/establishments. Additionally surfaces and see how they perform for at least a year before we put the surface on the through testing the surface at facilities, we have shown that we can make a product market. using less wax (a common misconception within the industry is that more wax means better product), and better grades of synthetic fibres to achieve a greater performance. Drainage is critical to deal with the elements. The elements have little variation on the surface. In the UK climate, only cold weather The only way you can really stop a surface will slightly impact on the performance of freezing during really arctic conditions is to increase the amount of fibre and rubber in the the surface in that it becomes firmer as the advanced wax tightens around the silica sand mix, but this would then have a detrimental effect on the way the surface plays during the and fibre. rest of the year. We would recommend the surface be Poo picking is essential, but it is also periodically maintained, either six monthly or important to remove any other organic material such as leaves or any other seasonal annually, depending on the footfall across the surface. This involves aerating and rotivating plant debris. It is best to have some kind of equipment that can break the surface up, for the surface, this causes any contamination to be spread throughout the 150mm of surface instance a set of tines in front of your roller. instead of just throughout the top 25mm. If this is undertaken, the lifespan of the surface can be increased to reach its maximum. Consider budget. The client should have a Do your homework and, if you are on a clear idea as to the cost of installing an arena budget, start smaller with good quality work and surfaces because you can always extend and the surface as well. Many people claim to be able to supply/install polo arenas and the arena. surfaces, but it is only those with an extensive background in the market that should be used. Try before you buy – everybody will have a difference of opinion on the surface. Don’t forget the fencing of a polo arena is not an easy task. It needs to be structured to cope with the heavy load it is going to receive from the traffic of horses playing and also the surface. If this is not done correctly from the outset, it will cause drastic issues down the line.
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Equestrian Surfaces Polo Track and Cushion Track Premier (which is a newly developed surface).
Martin Collins ECOTRACK Arena Polo Surface.
The waxed surfaces are made from mixed synthetic fibres, high-grade industrial washed silica sand, blended with a wax coating. Some blends also include PVC.
Lifespan depends on usage and the aftercare. Surfaces can also be re-generated. For a professional yard we would recommend allowing a budget for top up and/or regeneration every five years.
The tonnage required will depend on the product, but as a general rule for a compacted 125mm (5”) depth you will require 1 tonne. Therefore for a 50 x 100m arena, you will need 1,000 tonnes.
Major investments in overseas plant, research and development continue. All products undergo stringent environmental testing. In-situ stability testing of installations demonstrates product stability typically in the range of minus 10˚C to plus 35˚C without any perceived detrimental effects to the product performance.
During periods of prolonged extremes of temperature, the maintenance regime may need to be altered in order to provide the desired ‘going’/footing.
We recommend use of our range of in-house designed arena equipment for arenas of all sizes from the Tow Master to the Arena Master Deluxe.
When choosing an arena building company, the client should look for testimonials, reference sites, track records and trading history, as well as the supplier’s equestrian background. It is wise to anticipate future needs as well as considering the amount of land you will need, and of course your budget. Consider the use, number of games and tournaments you expect to hold in the arena. Do you need the arena to be multi-functional and to allow other equine disciplines such as dressage and show jumping? Lastly look at the age, weight and size of the horses using the arena as that is a factor that is worth consideration too.
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CHRIS LONGMORE SPECIALIST IN ALL ASPECTS OF EQUESTRIAN CONSTRUCTION
MANUFACTURER OF MANUFACTURER OF QUALITY SURFACES QUALITY WAXED WAXED SURFACES TO TOSUIT SUIT ALL ALL DISCIPLINES DISCIPLINES
● free quotation and site survey ● arena construction ● refurbishments ● stable bases ● drainage ● hard standing and road ways ● covering entire of the West Midlands
www.chris-longmore.co.uk chrislongmore@live.co.uk Telephone 01384 440 057 Mobile 07702 323 777
The complete solution to all your equestrian construction needs
The complete solution to all your equestrian construction needs
National Line: 0845 0845 0066444 0066444 National Sales Sales Line: Derek Lea: 07551 153415 Equestrian Sales Manager: 07551 153415 derek.lea@daygroup.co.uk
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equestrian@daygroup.co.uk www.daygroup.co.uk n
By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen Manufacturers of Synthetic Riding Surfaces Martin Collins Enterprises Limited Berkshire
By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen Manufacturers of Synthetic Riding Surfaces Martin Collins Enterprises Limited Berkshire
Construct your polo ground and complete equestrian facilities with Martin Collins EQUIBUILD WORLDWIDE INSTALLATIONS INCLUDE Gaucho Polo – O2 London
The Hickstead arena
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La Bamba Arena – La Baille
The Metropolitan Polo Club
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Ellerston Polo
Polo Del Sol
Polo arena and training tracks Enigma Polo
El Romaso Polo
www.mceltd.com 19/03/2012 12:26
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Arena construction focus
Club case studies
To fully understand how different types of arenas are built, refurbished, extended, and maintained we have highlighted six different case studies of Clubs and their differing experiences.
Case Study one: Arena extension – Sussex Polo Club Sussex Polo Club has one open arena, which features high-boarded walls, requiring no perimeter nets. It was originally built in 2002 with woodchip surface, which required renewal on a regular basis. It was upgraded in 2010 by Jeremy Curling and extended in 2014 by 25m to make it 85 x 26m. Sallie-Anne & Duane Lent initially decided to build the arena to enable them to feed their addiction to playing polo all year round, but it has also proved to be invaluable in enabling them to continue developing their young horses. Pre-winter season maintenance: This year the surface was refreshed when the arena was lengthened. What kind of maintenance equipment do you have for your arena? We have a 3.5 tonne roller and a harrow for occasional aeration. We usually get three to four chukkas before we need to roll. How are your goals constructed? They were built by Jeremy Curling and so are recessed into the end walls. Do you have any problems with the surface in extreme conditions? No problems so far. The arena was excellent
all last season – we didn’t miss a day as it drains so well. As a general rule we only stop play if its snows or if the temperature remains below zero for a few days as it will then freeze. Who did the base work construction for you? A private contractor worked to our design along with Jeremy Curling. What kinds of boards did you choose and why? Jeremy Curling polo arena fence was installed to create the right look and feel and to keep the horses focused on the play rather than what was happening outside the arena. What kind of drainage system did you install? Underneath, there is 250cm of crushed limestone and a serpentine set of perimeter drains plus longitudinal drains 250cm deep and at 3m intervals all joined at the bottom and draining to a ditch away from the arena. There is an extensive herringbone network around and down the length at 3m intervals. What kind of surface did you choose? We have made our own mix from Redhill fine silica sand mixed with Martin Collins Clopf (fibre) in the top 3”of the 10” depth.
The completed 2014 extension at Sussex Polo Club
In 2010, the Sussex arena was upgraded and a new surface was laid replacing the woodchip
What problems did you encounter when you were building the arena? Movement of the spoil from the extension.
Case Study two: New build – Cambridge County Polo Club How are your goals constructed? The goals are set back in the boarding and awaiting a lick of white paint on a sunny day! Feature scoreboard? At present we use our summer scoreboard, which is a double decker bus – this has a scoreboard as well as commentary and a The aggregates being laid at Cambridge County Polo Club viewing platform. Do you have any problems with the Cambridge County Polo Club have just surface in extreme conditions? No. begun playing in their newly completed Why did you decide to build one? Raving open 90 x 40m floodlit arena. The build is mad! an addition to the Club’s existing sand and Who did the base work construction rubber-schooling arena. for you? We constructed the base and drainage ourselves as we have the What kind of maintenance equipment do equipment and experience. you have for your arena? Rollers and What kinds of boards did you choose harrows. and why? We used horizontal boarding, What ongoing maintenance do you which is easy to replace if broken and employ? At present, with the new which we have treated heavily against surface, we are harrowing and rolling the elements. They are angled back and while it consolidates, which we have to are 8’ high all around so we don’t say has been very successful as now we need nets. think we have a near perfect surface. What kind of drainage system did you How is your arena lit? We have 7 x 400w install? Every 10m we have land drains floodlights down each side of the arena. 38
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Polo Track from Equestrian Surfaces being delivered to Cambridge County
running across the arena which all run to an open ditch. What kind of surface did you choose? Polo Track from Equestrian Surfaces, which is their latest wax and fibre product. What problems did you encounter when you were building the arena? None.
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Arena construction focus
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Case Study three: Ongoing maintenance – Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club The 110 x 40 yards (approx 91 x 36m) open arena at the RCBPC was built in the late 1980s to provide polo all year round. It is now the traditional home of the UK’s winter arena season. The arena has never been extended, but has a thorough pre-season maintenance schedule. What seasonal maintenance do you do pre-season? Pre-season drains are dug and checked and a new surface is added. This year we are doing it far more extensively. What kind of maintenance equipment do you have? Roller, harrow and power harrow. What ongoing maintenance do you do? Daily harrowing and rolling before and during all matches. Power harrowed every six to eight weeks. Is your arena netted? Yes.
How is your arena lit? 12 main floodlights; six equally spread down each side. How are your goals constructed? Set back and painted. A goal is not scored unless the ball makes contact with the backboard. Do you have any problems with the surface in extreme conditions? If the temperature drops to below 2˚C /3˚C then the top surface tends to freeze; however this can be avoided if deeply harrowed the night before. Who did the base work construction for you? Martin Collins. What kinds of boards did you choose and why? Wood, as they are easy and safe. What kind of drainage system did you install? Perforated pipe and shingle at every 10m.
Seasonal drainage maintenance and surface top-up at The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club
What kind of surface did you choose? Martin Collins provided the surface initially but most recently Polo Track from Equestrian Surfaces What problems did you encounter when you were building the arena or carrying out pre-season maintenance? None.
Case Study four: The mega multi-purpose build – Dallas Burston Polo Club The 140 x 70m Super Arena was finished in May 2013, is netted and is due to be floodlit for this winter season. The Super Arena came about because Dr Burston wanted to build an arena that would allow polo to continue through the notorious lows of the British summer. The idea of the Super Arena was to allow all members of the team to continue playing if the game had to move from grass to the arena. What seasonal maintenance do you do? Roll the surface, but occasionally harrow to turn the sand. What kind of maintenance equipment do you have? Roller, Arena Master, Kubota tractor, harrows. What ongoing maintenance does the arena require? At the moment, we try not to roll it every time it is used as it can end up too hard for the pony’s legs. The surface is Martin Collins Ecotrack and packs tightly together. This means we can also use the arena for exhibitions as an extension to the IXL Events Centre or for outdoor demonstrations – we’ve had enquiries for car shows this year. So it’s good that the surface will go firm enough to support activities like this, but we just try not to over-roll. How are your goals constructed? They are slightly set back with two poles either side. They have netting, particularly at the goal www.polotimes.co.uk
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that faces the IXL, which is our conference centre with plate glass windows! How many access gates do you have? We currently have one. However, we will be adding an additional gate leading straight out of the warm-up arena in order to maximise the use of the arena for all equestrian disciplines. We are receiving enquiries for larger shows including dressage and jumping as our arena can fit six 20 x 60 dressage arenas side by side so this extra gate will assist with the functionality of the arena. Feature scoreboard? We have a scoreboard specifically for the arena provided by Sporting Designs. It is LED and can be adapted for most sports.
The 2.4 acre Super Arena at Dallas Burston Polo Club
Do you have any problems with the surface in extreme conditions? We don’t have problems with freezing/ flooding etc. but it does harden due to the nature of the surface – we’ll see how the winter goes. Who did the base work construction for you? All the construction work was done in house. What kinds of boards did you choose and why? They are plastic coated which means they are easier to maintain, which is a key consideration on such a big site. What kind of drainage system did you install? There is a herringbone system and porous tarmac underneath the surface of the arena, which acts as a membrane. What problems did you encounter when you were building the arena or carrying out pre season maintenance? Only the weather!
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Feature
Arena construction focus
Case Study five: The indoor arena – Rugby Polo Club The home of The Midlands Festival has two covered arenas and one open arena. The indoor arena, which is mainly used for polo, was built five years ago and cost a staggering £1million. The outdoor arena was extended in 2009, two years after it was first built, by 40m to make it 100 x 45m. The warm-up indoor arena is 22 x 56m and the main indoor arena is 40 x 77m. Outside of the Berkshire area, Rugby has the healthiest arena membership with 46 players 2014/15 registered HPA members. What seasonal maintenance do you do pre-season? We rotate the whole surface every two years, and add 40 tonnes of surface every year. What kind of maintenance equipment do you have? Tractor for either rolling or raking. What ongoing maintenance do you do? We roll it before any lessons or matches, we poo pick every time the arena is used, or between chukkas if a match. Philip Baker, owner of the Club explains, “You can always add a lorry load of surface in a year’s time, but you can’t take out a lorry load of poo”. How are your arenas lit? The outdoor has 10 floodlights, two at either corner, three pairs along the side and two at one end above the goal.
Do you have any problems with the surface in extreme conditions? The outdoor facility occasionally freezes, but we find if we rake it the night before and in the morning, it helps prevent the arena being unusable. Obviously the indoor arena never freezes. Who did the base work construction for you? Another company put the shed up; we have our own ground staff and kit for the rest. What kinds of boards did you choose and why? Wood set vertically so you don’t get splinters and your horse won’t lose its footing if ridden-off too close to the wall. The slight angle means you don’t catch your knee. What kind of drainage system did you install? Indoor arenas don’t need drainage and the outdoor is herringboned every 5m. What kind of surface did you choose? Andrews Bowen Waxed Surface which is by far the best, but also very expensive. What problems did you encounter when you were building the arena? The extension to the outdoor arena; this was done late because the ground was built up so far that it had become compacted.
The view at Rugby Polo Club from the newly completed restaurant
What kind of construction did you go for for the covered arena? A Portal Frame building with a fibre cement roof as it is quieter in the rain. How does it compare to your other arena experiences? Fantastic – you cannot compare it, especially in the winter. At night, when we have the lights on, it is like playing in the day with no shadows. If you have an indoor it must have a waxed surface. Does it affect the arena surface at all, not being rained on? No not if it’s waxed, it is consistent whatever the weather. You can have more wax in an indoor arena. How much did it cost? Too much! The outdoor came to £250,000 and the indoor arena roughly totaled £1million, the shed came to £500,000, lights £60,000 and finally the surface was £98,000.
Case Study six: The private arena facility – Emsworth Simon Arber and his family of Four Quarters teams, get plenty of use out of their arena at Emsworth. The arena was originally built around 2007, and when Arber bought the facility he resurfaced it, introduced a walk track from the barns, and resurfaced the exercise track, as well as upgrading the drainage of the arena. The 80 x 40m arena is used for invitation matches throughout the winter as well as schooling young horses in the summer season. What seasonal maintenance do you do pre-season? We add surface every two years as well as topping up, as and when. We power harrow and re-grade every year. What kind of maintenance equipment do you have? We use a Martin Collins Arena Master and a 3 tonne roller. What ongoing maintenance do you do? We have a Martin Collins Ecotrack. We pick up the horse muck every chukka and roll every two chukkas to keep the arena clean and tidy. This helps the 40
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arena to not freeze in low temperatures throughout the winter. The arena is good to play down to -9. Have you extended your arena at any point? No, we believe that is the perfect sized arena to play three-a-side. How is your arena lit? We have temporary floodlights, which are demountable. We have yet to gain planning permission for permanent floodlights. We have 12 floodlights on 6m poles. Is your arena netted? Only at each end, we find this makes for more controlled play rather than launching the ball from the back line every time. Do you have any problems with the surface in extreme conditions? No. Our surface is ok to play down to -9, but not many players want to play at this temperature. Who did the base work construction for you? Equibuild/Martin Collins. How are your goals constructed? The goals are made of wood and recessed into the walls and painted in a different colour.
The Emsworth arena and exercise track
What kind of surface did you choose? We use Martin Collins Polo Arena surface. How much did it cost? I would guess the construction costs are around £3-400,000, excluding the surface which cost about £110,000 laid.
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Season’s Greetings and Best Wishes for a Happy New Year from Porto Polo
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Pelon Stirling of La Dolfina aiming for a back hand in front of The Hurlingham crowd
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The Hurlingham Open, Argentina
Reports
On Track for Glory Brilliant polo, but no surprises as spectators witness La Dolfina defend The Hurlingham Open crown against Ellerstina.
The winners of The Hurlingham Open, La Dolfina
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Photography by © Eduardo Grunberg/ www.imagesofpolo.com
t seems only a force of nature can stop the 40 goal ‘dream team’ of Hope Funds La Dolfina at present. Which is exactly what happened when severe rain caused the Final of The Hurlingham Open to be delayed for seven days. However, once the sun shone brightly down on the deciding match of the second Triple Crown instalment, the 40 goal side served up another treat of overwhelming and flawless polo, defeating Ellerstina Piaget 18-15 on the Lewis Lacey ground at The 121st Hurlingham Open. Despite the unusual amount of rainfall the week before the final match (more than 120 millimetres meant thousands of hectares were under water near Hurlingham Club), the fifth straight Hurlingham Open Final to pit Adolfo Cambiaso against the Pieres family got underway on Saturday 8 November – and it proved to be one of the best matches of the Argentine season so far for the spectators. Both teams came into the Final on the back of thrilling victories. Ellerstina trounced La Aguada 14-12 in an exciting game, which was down to the wire and close to the last bell. Meanwhile, in one of the more emotional games of the tournament, La Dolfina suffered a great deal to defeat Alegria 13-12, coming face-to-face again after their Palermo Open finale at ‘La Catedral del Polo’ last year. The Final of The Hurlingham Open meant a re-match for the Pieres family, who
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Alejandro Comero reports from Argentina
Hope Funds La Dolfina Ellerstina Piaget
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suffered the dynamic and extremely solid presence of La Dolfina who took first blood for The Triple Crown after the win of The Tortugas. However, the illusion of de-throning the champions and blighting La Dolfina’s route to a second Triple Crown victory was quickly dissipated at the start of the game. La Dolfina stormed ahead with a four-goal lead, taking control of the match and reducing the Ellerstina dreams to dust. The first five chukkas seemed to be an exact copy of The Tortugas Final, as Cambiaso – top scorer of the tournament and the final game with eleven goals – and Juan Martín Nero achieved both a great transition from defence to attack alternating their positions in the field. Every time Nero ran forward, Cambiaso played the back position. With Pablo MacDonough ruling the possession of the ball in mid-field and Pelon Stirling playing with great passion, La Dolfina stretched the lead in the second and third chukka resulting in a scoreline of 9-4. At half-time, the black shirts of Ellerstina trailed by five goals with the scoreboard reading 11-6 in La Dolfina’s favour. Any retaliation from the Pieres and Aguerre camp, was met with swift and lethal defence work from La Dolfina. Whilst Nico Pieres was first out of the starting blocks to score his team’s seventh and eighth goals in the fifth, La Dolfina ensured that they maintained their lead. However, Ellerstina’s hopes revived in the sixth, when some individual and Polo Times, November / December 2014
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Reports
The Hurlingham Open, Argentina
The late Javier Novillo Astrada was remembered at the Final, his shirt on the saddle of a La Aguada pony
felt pain.” Undoubtedly a second victory in The 2014 Triple Crown series helped ease the ache – something not available in the Ellerstina team tent. “We can’t give away an entire chukka as we did in the first,” said Facundo Pieres, clearly frustrated with the Final game. “But I think that referees were very unfair in some plays today, which didn’t help.” Questions about umpiring and concerns over injury aside, the big question remains: is any team able to beat La Dolfina at this level? When posed this question, Juan Martin Nero replied, “We are 40 goals and everyone will want to beat us in Palermo, but we must go on like this, handling the pressure.” The last fight in this modern polo battle will be set in Palermo, where La Dolfina will once again be searching for glory. One more time. Ellerstinas’ Facundo Pieres reaches for the ball
epic plays by Facundo Pieres reduced the disadvantage by scoring four goals to the opposition’s one. Sadly for Ellerstina supporters, this respite lasted only until the beginning of the seventh chukka. With La Dolfina 15-12 up on the scoreboard, a burst of two goals, first from Nero with a nice long-distance shot, and then from a 60-yard penalty scored by Cambiaso, in only one and a half minutes from the Cañuelas based men, left many spectators feeling the game was already over. Despite Ellerstina outscoring La Dolfina 2 to 1 in the final chukka, they couldn’t make up their early loss. 44
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La Dolfina continued to dominate both in attack and defence proving themselves as a team full of extraordinary talent. “We played five or six amazing chukkas, and we felt far superior today,” reflected Cambiaso after the game. “This means that we still have the chance to win the three titles again.” La Dolfina wasn’t without its trials and tribulations though, as several of the team members were suffering from injuring including Cambiaso who continued to play despite a hip injury which was worrying him. “The rain delay helped me a lot to recover from the injury, but I still
The Hurlingham Club Open; Saturday 8 November; Hurlingham Club, Argentina. Result: La Dolfina beat Ellerstina Piaget, 18-15 Handicap: Open Most Valuable Player of the Final: Juan Martin Nero Top Scorer of the Final: Adolfo Cambiaso – 11 goals Argentine Breeders Polo Association & Best Playing Pony in the Final: Open Chequera, owned and played by Facundo Pieres Teams: La Dolfina (40): Adolfo Cambiaso 10, Pelon Stirling 10, Pablo MacDonough 10, Juan Martin Nero 10 Ellerstina Piaget (38): Facundo Pieres 10, Gonzalo Pieres Jr. 10, Mariano Aguerre 9, Nicolas Pieres 9
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La Dolfina play the perfect game
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The Tortugas Open, Argentina
Adolfo Cambiaso’s 40 goal La Dolfina side defend their title at The Tortugas Open to set up an overwhelming finale for the first blood in Triple Crown battle
Reports
Alejandro Comero reports from Argentina
La Dolfina Ellerstina Piaget
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Ellerstina & La Dolfina in action during the Final of The Tortugas Open
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he end of the 2013 Argentine season left a big question in everyone’s mind after Cambiaso and Co. secured The Triple Crown by playing close to perfection polo: Is any team able to defeat La Dolfina at this level? It seems, as the Argentine season kicks into gear again, that the answer may well be no. La Dolfina – the spectacular formation that combines dynamic and passionate polo – won the 2014 Tortugas Country Club Open with a 14-8 victory over Ellerstina Piaget on 12 October. Having lost only three games with the current line-up which has remained unchanged since 2011, and having won 16 matches in a row, La Dolfina threatens to become an invincible force like Coronel Suarez in the 60s and 70s, and La Espadaña and Chapaleufú in the 80s and 90s. Their perennial rivals Ellerstina had renewed hopes of de-throning Cambiaso and his teammates, as they did in the 2012 Palermo Final, however the classic Pieres brothers’ guile and the wisdom of 45-year-old Mariano Aguerre was quickly reduced at the start of the match, as a three-goal lead by La Dolfina in the first chukka took the reins of the game. This was a lead they would never relinquish. Ellerstina fought back to try to tie the game, but the closest they got was trailing by two goals in the second (4-2) and third (5-3). As the game progressed, there were further examples from Ellerstina with some isolated attempts by Facundo, but the courage of Uruguayan David ‘Pelon’ Stirling, and the effectiveness of Pablo MacDonough shooting to goal, stretched the lead in the fourth chukka for La Dolfina, resulting in a scorline of 8-3. Not much changed in the last three chukkas; the match was clearly dominated by La Dolfina. With the game set at 11-6 at the end of the sixth, Pablo MacDonough (who played with an injured left leg after a clash in the Semi Final against Magual), took a long pass from eventual Most Valuable Player Adolfo Cambiaso and scored an excellent goal from 60-yards, adding a twelth goal to their tally. Polo Times, November / December 2014
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Reports
The Tortugas Open, Argentina
Photography by © Eduardo Grunberg/ www.imagesofpolo.com
La Dolfina, winners of the 2014 Tortugas Open. L-R: Juan Martin Nero, Pablo MacDonough, Pelon Stirling & Adolfo Cambiaso
This year, the Argentine Polo Association made some rule changes with the intent of speeding up the game and made the referees more permissive so as not to interrupt the game too much. What was originally seen as an advantage for the wide and open polo of the Pieres family, quickly became a nightmare. “Their [La Dolfina’s] horses performed better than ours. However, we threw away many attempts in front of goal. Today was not the day,” confessed Ellerstina’s 10 goal talisman Facundo Pieres. In a very uncommon move for a player of his quality, he scored only three goals and missed three of four penalties from the 60-yard line during the Final. The magnificent defence of Juan Martin Nero and La Dolfina’s perfect commitment to retrieve the ball annulled the offensive power of the black shirted boys who scored only seven of their fifteen attempts at field goals. During the seventh and final chukka, Pelon Stirling – with a little help from the indominatable Cambiaso – scored the 48
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“the team played fantastically today and everything went as we hoped. We look forward to winning back The Triple Crown, but it is a long, hard road still ahead” best goal of the game from an impossible angle. “Honestly I closed my eyes and I shot towards goal,” commented Pelon after the match. “It was strange for me to score that kind of goal in a game, but the team played fantastically today and everything went as we hoped. We look forward to winning back The Triple Crown, but it is a long, hard road still ahead.” Before the start of the season, Adolfo Cambiaso was asked what would motivate him this year, considering he had won everything with La Dolfina? He answered: “This year I [and La Dolfina] haven’t won anything yet. I start from scratch every year. It’s the only way to stay motivated.” And thus plays La Dolfina. With the commitment and sacrifice from a team that has just begun.
The Tortugas Country Club Open; Sunday 12 October; Tortugas Country Club, Argentina Result: La Dolfina beat Ellerstina Piaget, 14-8 Handicap: Open Most Valuable Player: Adolfo Cambiaso Top Scorer of the Final: Adolfo Cambiaso Argentine Polo Association Best Playing Pony: Lucky, played by Adolfo Cambiaso Teams: La Dolfina (40): Adolfo Cambiaso 10; Pelon Stirling 10; Pablo MacDonough 10; Juan Martin Nero 10 Ellerstina Piaget (38): Facundo Pieres (10); Gonzalo Pieres Jr. (10); Mariano Aguerre (9); Nicolas Pieres (9)
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La Martina Argentina Polo Cup, Dubai
Tariq Albwardy lifts La Martina trophy The Maserati Centennial Polo Tour concludes at Desert Palm, Dubai with The Argentina Polo Cup
Winners of The La Martina Argentina Polo Cup, Desert Palm
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ariq Albwardy’s Desert Palm team just eased ahead of their opposition, Baha Mar to win The La Martina Argentina Polo Cup on Friday 14 November. Now in its seventh year, the tournament, held at Ali Albwardy’s Desert Palm Polo Club and resort, also celebrated the conclusion of The Maserati Centennial Polo Tour. From Palm Beach to Monte Carlo, the luxury car brand has sponsored events as diverse as The US Open, to a charity day featuring The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry – all with the support of La Martina. Speaking of the association with La Martina, Umberto Cini, Managing Director of Maserati General Overseas Markets said, “It is our second time to be associated with the La Martina polo tournament in the UAE and we are proud to be a part of this championship
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again. It is an exciting event, combining sport and fashion in an elegant setting much similar to the values Maserati stands for – sporty performance and refined luxury.” The week-long tournament kicked off with an opening ceremony hosted by Fortnum & Mason, before the four teams, American Express, Baha Mar, Desert Palm and Maserati took to the oasis-like pitches for an intense week of polo. The teams battled through the league stages throughout the week, before Friday’s Final saw Desert Palm face Baha Mar. Tariq Albwardy led his Desert Palm teammates Helen Tatham, Samuel Instone and Ayaad Damouni right from the start whilst the Baha Mar side of Musab Al Wandawi, Talal Al Wandawi, Jan Bladen and
Reports
Desert Palm Baha Mar
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Cedric Coucke matched them goal for goal. As the son of high goal patron, Ali Albwardy, it came as no surprise to the knowledgeable polo crowd that Tariq dominated much of the game, securing four of the six goals for his winning team. Deservedly he was awarded the Most Valuable Player award, which included a week’s stay at the luxurious Baha Mar resort in the Bahamas, for his efforts. The losing opposition were not without their accolades though, as Musab Al Wandawi’s Anarquia, a 10-year-old mare from Argentina, was deemed the Best Playing Pony of the tournament. The Subsidiary Final was played earlier in the day between Maserati (HH Sheikha Maitha, Sandra Schneider, Kristian Petersson and Henry Porter) and American Express (Amr Zedan, Wilf Laugher, Jonathan Bamford and Michel Nseir/ Ross Fields). HH Sheikha Maitha, fresh from her success winning The Ralph Lauren International Ladies Tournament the week before, worked brilliantly with her team, but the real star of the match was the young Henry Porter. At only 15-years-old, he is a regular player at Desert Palm and scored most of the goals for his Maserati team to beat American Express, 8 goals to 4. Away from the polo action, guests were treated to a Latin-inspired lunch on the Clubhouse terrace and ice cream from Fortnum & Mason whilst those who were impressive in the style stakes won La Martina vouchers, ensuring they continued to look good on and off the polo pitch. The La Martina Argentina Polo Cup; Friday 14 November; Desert Palm, Dubai Result: Desert Palm beat Baha Mar, 6-5 Principal sponsor: La Martina & Maserati Most Valuable Player: Tariq Albwardy Best Playing Pony: Anarquia owned by Musab Al Wandawi Teams: Desert Palm: Helen Tatham; Samuel Instone; Ayaad Damouni; Tariq Albwardy Baha Mar: Musab Al Wandawi; Talal Al Wandawi; Jan Bladen; Cedric Coucke
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England triumph Tilda Woodd
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reports
ecent results indicate that English polo is booming. Fresh from victory in The FIP 8 Goal European Championships, England’s next challenge, and success, came just weeks later, this time at The FIP 14 Goal European Qualifiers. Back in July it was announced that England would be hosting the Play Offs for Zone C (Europe) for the 10th FIP 14 Goal World Championships which are scheduled to take place at Club de Polo y Equitacion San Cristobal in Chile from 20–30 March 2015. The current format allows just one team from each Zone to qualify through to next year’s Championships. Therefore there was very little room for error; every goal, and every game were crucial for England and their European opponents. Led by 5 goalers Pete Webb and Will Emerson, England’s line-up for the Zone C Play Offs of The FIP 14 Goal World Championship Qualifiers also featured 18-year-olds George Pearson and Tommy Beresford. The selectors clearly showed their faith in the younger generation, as did their teammate, 52
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England qualify first in Zone C to secure a place in next year’s FIP 14 Goal World Championships Emerson who explained his confidence in the young team, “They already understand the whole game of polo, which is one of the big reasons they are already such good polo players and have great futures in the sport.” Although regularly headed by an experienced and established player, England are increasingly including up-and-coming young talents in their team line-ups – it is a structure that has worked in the past, and with so much potential coming up through the ranks there is no reason to believe it won’t continue to work in the future. Team selection is not straightforward. A polo player’s game is made up of several different factors and consequently there are many things to consider when putting together a ‘winning’ team. When looking at an individual’s performance, it is often not wholly down to his or her own, innate skill; there are many other additional aspects of a polo player’s game that must be evaluated. Selectors have to take into account horses, availability, positioning, consistency and ultimately team partnership. David Wood, Chief Executive of the HPA
explains the thinking process behind this particular team selection. “The organisation behind any team is key to its success and the HPA were lucky to be able to tap into the existing Pearson/Emerson/Webb partnership, which had already enjoyed some success in the 15 goal. The addition of Tommy Beresford was a logical one as he had previous experience of playing with the other three.” However, before any player or pony was able to take to the field, there was a large amount of ‘behind-the-scenes’ organisation required, and having had limited notice, it had to be done in a reasonably short space of time. Credit should go not only to all four teams for prolonging their season in order to take part, but also to Beaufort Polo Club who were quick to step up to the challenge of hosting – a task which would test most English Clubs. Caspar West, Polo Manager at Beaufort Polo Club, explained to Polo Times why Beaufort accepted the role. “When Beaufort received the news that there was an opportunity to host The FIP European Qualifiers for The World Championships
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we were very keen to volunteer our facilities. It had been 20 years since the Club had hosted an FIP event outside The Ambassadors Tournament in 2007 and it is such an honour for the Club.” However, with the French and Spanish teams having to completely relocate for the tournament, committing as hosts for such an event was certainly not for the faint hearted. Looking at the logistics behind hosting such a tournament, John Tinsley, Chairman of the International Committee said, “there were various venues and countries considered to hold the European qualifiers, but eventually England was invited, at very short notice, to organise the tournament on behalf of FIP. Very fortunately the Beaufort Polo Club volunteered to be the hosts, and with the hugely enthusiastic support from Caspar and the Tomlinson family it was a great success. Claire and Mark Tomlinson were excellent hosts and greatly added to the atmosphere surrounding the tournament.” West discussed Beaufort’s early concerns when they first considered agreeing to be hosts. “Housing and stabling the travelling teams – in this case 50 horses from the French and Spanish – was the easier part. The slightly more difficult element was that we were adding another two weeks to what had already been a long season, and therefore a lot of our seasonal staff were already headed off elsewhere. Add in no promise of good weather and suddenly it could have been viewed as a pretty daunting prospect.” While the Beaufort and HPA had taken care of logistics and administration, the players just had to ensure that they arrived on the pitch as prepared as possible. All four countries produced strong line-ups and as a result there was no ‘easy’ match for anyone – each appearance was certain to test players and ponies to the maximum. England and Spain took to the field first, both determined to secure an opening win. England’s number one, George Pearson, recalled his pre-match anticipation, “Because we were all so keen to qualify, I was actually quite nervous at the beginning of the first game.” It seemed the nerves perhaps impacted more than just one of our players, as Spain went on to take full control of the first chukka, introducing themselves to the competition with a confidence that left England trailing 3 goals to 0. Returning for the second, and thankfully seemingly unaffected by their early flaws, Emerson
Ireland’s Max Hutchinson & England’s Will Emerson in action
and Webb proceeded to get to work for England. Two quick goals later and England were all of sudden back in with a chance – a chance they ensured they didn’t lose sight of. “Because Pete, Will, Tommy and I have played together a lot, thankfully it didn’t take long for us all to settle down,” reflected Pearson. Spain’s early lead was quickly forgotten, and come the last chukka there was no definite victor. As it turned out, the final seconds of the fifth chukka could not have gone more perfectly for England. A penalty converted by Webb with just seconds left on the clock left Spain unable to reply with any vengeance. England had transformed themselves, changing their not-so perfect start into a perfect result. This opening match set a very exciting, and apt, introduction for the tournament – apart from one game, the final result in each match was separated by no more than a single goal, with one even concluding in a draw. “We saw some of the best competitive polo played all year, with every game an incredible contest,” said West, who was present at every game throughout the tournament. England’s second chapter featured non-stop action against a keenly supported Ireland Team. Unfortunately for the visiting
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Reports
Photography by Gordon Lindsay
FIP 14 Goal World Championships Qualifiers, Beaufort Polo Club
Irish side, this was to be England’s strongest, and most consistent, performance. Emerson revealed why he thought England performed so well in their second match, “All of us had played alongside each other at some point in the season, and although it was never all four of us playing for the same team, we were all successful.” Perhaps one match of experience was all they needed to up their game. Emerson went on to say, “We knew the team would work without any problems as we all knew each other’s games. Pete [Webb] and I have a very specific way of playing polo and Tommy and George fit so well into our team philosophy and strategy.” England proceeded to defeat Ireland 8-6, putting themselves in as good a position as possible before their final contest of the tournament against France. With just one game left to play, England were very much aware they needed to achieve either a draw or a win in order to secure qualification. However, France were also still in with a chance and so a win was equally as important for them. England kicked off the game with the form they had shown in their match against Ireland. Throughout the first half, England, together with their opposition, created some of the best polo of the UK season. Polo Times, November / December 2014
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Reports
FIP 14 Goal World Championships Qualifiers, Beaufort Polo Club
As well as producing end-to-end play, every player showed courage and bravery. The crowd, as a result, were treated to a ‘real’ display of the sport. At half-time, England held a four goal advantage and it was at this point that the home supporters started to get a little excited; just two chukkas left of play and qualification could then have been confirmed. However, to the delight of the spectators, the match instead headed in a different direction and became even more exciting. France bounced back, timing their comeback to perfection and with just 30 seconds left of play, the scoreboard, incredibly, read 8 goals all. France continued their attack, and with another impeccably timed play, they slotted their fifth goal of the second half, securing a 9-8 victory. England’s definite chance of making it to Chile had disappeared, right in front of their eyes. Taking into consideration that this was England’s third appearance in the tournament, and only France’s second, you would be forgiven to think that England might have been at a slight disadvantage on this occasion with regard to horse power. When participating in any FIP tournament, there are very strict restrictions on horses
– in this instance, each team was limited to 25 horses in order to ensure equality and fairness, and only those 25 horses could be played from start to finish. However, Pearson was quick to state that England’s loss was nothing to do with horse power. “The restrictions are very tight and after a long season it’s difficult for the horses to play three very intense matches in such quick succession.” Referring to the last two chukkas, Pearson said, “The French also came out on their best horses in the final two chukkas, so yes, horses were certainly a factor, but this is the case in any polo match! In fact, I think our poor performance in the last chukka was perhaps more likely to have been a result of being so close to qualifying and therefore slightly losing our composure as we were all so desperate to make sure that we would make it to Chile.” With no straightforward winner, the qualifying nation had to be decided as a result of a very complicated scoring system, which depended on the result of the Ireland v France game. England simply had to sit and wait. The result: Ireland defeated France 7-6. The conclusion: England remained top of the leader board. The outcome: England had qualified for The World Championships.
FIP 14 Goal World Championships Qualifiers; 24 – 28 September, Beaufort Polo Club Result: England qualified over Spain, France and Ireland Handicap level: 14 goal Number of team entries: 4 Teams: England (14): George Pearson 1; Pete Webb 5; Tommy Beresford 2; Will Emerson 5 France (14): Clement Delfosse 4; Etienne Croquet 1; Pierre-Henri N’Goumou-Jikam 5, Robert Strom 4 Ireland (14): Max Hutchinson 2; Michael Henderson 4; Niall Donnelly 4; Sebastian Dawnay 4 Spain: (14): Ignacio Domecq 3; Luis Domecq 3; Mario Gomez-Duran 4; Pelayo Berazadi 4
The England Team
The Spanish Team
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So, although one obstacle has been completed, England should prepare for even tougher competition next time around, and will also have to take into account the added disadvantage that they will not be playing on their own horses. Emerson expresses his excitement for next year’s challenge, “Chile will be different because we will not be on our own horses and so we may have to change our game a bit. In England, we sometimes rely on having very strong and powerful horses, and this probably will not be the case out there, but by continuing to play good, team polo and putting pressure on the opposition at all times, you always have a big chance.” With the tournament deemed a resolute success, West expressed his gratitude to all those who made the events possible. “Throughout the tournament we were incredibly lucky with amazing weather and a great support from so many who came to watch and welcome all the visiting teams. However, special thanks must go to the team at the Club, Wlodek Sterkowicz for the preparation of such good quality fields at such a late part of the year, Ali and Phil Foster and Will Blake Thomas for their meticulous timekeeping and assistance around the games, of course the Tomlinson family for the provision of the stabling and accommodation, the FIP officials, umpires and HPA for their wonderful support and lunch!”
The French Team
The Irish Team
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Reports
Jack Richardson in attack for England in the Final
Hong Kong raise the bar to defeat England in China Tilda Woodd reports
T
ianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club is located on a world-class 222-acre private facility directly between Beijing and Shanghai. It boasts perfectly manicured lawns, is home to two international polo fields and a collection of 260 horses, many of which include some of the polo world’s most famous polo bloodlines. So, it is no surprise that all this, teamed with The Fortune Heights Super Nations Cup tournament played at 24 goal level, attracts international players from around the world and also that all four nation contenders from 2013 returned again this year to do battle for the title.
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Hong Kong and England meet for the second consecutive year in the Final of The Fortune Heights Super Nations Cup Both Hong Kong and USA showed faith in their 2013 line-ups with defending champions, Hong Kong, once again featuring 8 goaler John Paul Clarkin and their Director of Stable Operations, the reliable 4 goal player John Fisher, while the USA supported the same Azzaro/Roldan backbone. England and Argentina, on the other hand, had entered completely fresh lineups. Led by Tom Morley, England fielded an impressively young side, with Max Charlton, George Meyrick and Jack Richardson all under the age of 26. Charlton and Richardson were making their second Metropolitan appearance of the year, having
won gold back in January at The FIP Snow Polo World Cup and so were determined to add another international victory to their records. Although it was a new line-up as far as the Fortune Heights Super Nations was concerned, this same English contingent had already achieved national success together. Back in September, the Morley-RichardsonCharlton-Meyrick foursome defeated a Rest of the World side to win The Diamond Jubilee Trophy at Chester Racecourse in the final Audi International of the year, providing a perfect conclusion to the UK season. Polo Times spoke to Tom Morley as
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FIP Fortune Heights Super Nations Cup
he explained why it was ideal to have the opportunity to play together before China. “It was a good opportunity for the team to play together in a competitive fixture before The Super Nations in China. You can play as many practices as you want, but you never get the true feeling of playing as a team until you put your whites on and play against a team who are also trying their hardest to win.” So, with one team performance under their belt, England arrived in China ready for action. The tournament kicked off on Wednesday 1 October, with defending champions Hong Kong taking on the USA. Hong Kong, it seemed, had returned to this year’s competition complete with their winning 2013 form. Clarkin led the home team to an 8-4 victory, and ultimately a place in Sunday’s Final. Day two saw England face their first test, which came in the form of their Coronation Cup nemesis, Argentina. However, with neither Adolfo Cambiaso nor Facundo Pieres featuring in the opposing line-up, this England-Argentina meeting thankfully went on to tell a slightly different tale. On this occasion it was Pablo Dorignac, Tomas Ruiz Guinazu, Pablo Llorente and Martin Tassara who represented Argentina. England took their time to establish an attacking rhythm, but as the game progressed, they went on to become more of a danger to their South American opposition. Good partnership between the England teammates produced a 7-5 advantage in their favour at the end of the fourth chukka, with Charlton silencing any doubts about his new 2015 7 goal handicap as he went on to lead his team to an increased four goal advantage by the
end of the fifth. Despite a late effort which saw Argentina produce two goals in the last chukka, unfortunately for South America’s toughest polo nation, the damage had already been done: England had defeated Argentina to reach the Final for a second consecutive year. With Hong Kong and England once again meeting on Final’s Day, spectators took to their seats to watch as the two sides fought it out for Tianjin’s 2014 high goal title. Accompanied by perfect weather conditions, the game went on to be a fast, open display of the sport. Hong Kong’s Fisher-Clarkin partnership wasted no time in exhibiting their firmly established teamwork; a neat backhand courtesy of Fisher was sent directly to the end of Clarkin’s stick, at which point the 8 goaler, as expected, swiftly found the posts. With England determined not to let Hong Kong take any advantage, dynamic team plays from both sides meant the scores remained level come half-time. Hong Kong arrived back onto the field for the second half, and from the first play it was apparent that things were about to change. Three quick goals in as many minutes in the fourth chukka was a result of some of the best teamwork in the entire tournament. Hong Kong had raised their standard of play and, as a result, England were left trailing by five goals with just seven minutes to fight back. Despite continuing to show true professionalism and determination, England were unable to claw back the five goals needed to claim victory, and once again they had to settle for second in The Super Nations. Hong Kong’s spectacular performance had given them
Reports
their second consecutive Super Nations title, 11 goals to 8. Looking back at the Final, Jack Richardson reveals why he thinks Hong Kong achieved victory this time around. “To be honest, Hong Kong were just better on the day. We were level at half-time, but we had a bad fourth chukka, we gave away too many fouls and naturally we were punished for that. I like to think if were able to have a re-match the result would be a lot closer!” And as it turns out that re-match could be taking place very soon. The HPA recently announced that Jack Richardson, Max Routledge and Matt Perry will be representing England in 2015’s FIP Snow Polo World Cup from January 28 – 2 February, once again held at Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club. FIP Fortune Heights Super Nations Cup Final; Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club; 2 – 5 October Result: Hong Kong beat England, 11-8 Handicap: 24 goal Most Valuable Player: John Paul Clarkin Best Playing Pony: Lawyer, played by Hong Kong China Teams: Finalists: Hong Kong (24): Lucas Lalor 6; Santiago Cernadas 6; John Paul Clarkin 8; John Fisher 4 England (24): Jack Richardson 5; George Meyrick 5; Max Charlton 6; Tom Morley 6 USA (24): Carlitos Gracida 3; Andres Weisz 5; Nic Roldan 8; Mike Azzaro 8 Argentina (24): Pablo Llorente 6; Pablo Dorignac 6; Tomas Ruiz Guinazu 6; Martin Tassara 6
The Presentation: Teams from USA, Hong Kong, England and Argentina line-up alongside one another on Final’s Day
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Reports
Garangula Spring Tournament, Australia
Garangula Secure Home Win
Garangula Ellerston Black
T
8 6
he Final of Garangula’s Spring Polo Tournament was a flawless representation of Australian polo at its best. Held at the Schwarzenbach family’s private family estate near Harden, New South Wales, the 16 goal tournament welcomed six teams to this year’s competition, including the mighty Ellerston who had returned to defend their fifth consecutive Spring Tournament title. As well as the usual collection of Australasian players, this year’s event also featured a large contingent of British players, with the presence of British Polo Day only adding to the English element of the event. The tournament’s history reads like a who’s who of Australia’s polo greats, with many of the champion ponies and previous winners recognised as true heroes of the sport. Subsequently, an appearance in The Spring Polo Tournament is an exciting prospect for any young player. Hosts Garangula had failed to claim a Spring Polo Tournament victory since 2003 – the last Garangula line-up featuring Urs and Guy Schwarzenbach, Simon Keyte and Mike Todd. Now, over a decade later, Guy Schwarzenbach was determined to reclaim the title. Accompanied by Australian Jasper White, New Zealander Tom Hunt and Irish-Argentine, Patrick O’Dwyer, this refreshed Garangula line-up had set their sights on keeping the trophy on Schwarzenbach soil. In keeping with the tournament’s tradition, the tournament concluded with a contest between two of the country’s most renowned polo organisations, Garangula and Ellerston Black, and as British Polo Day 58
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Photography by British Polo Day
Guy Schwarzenbach’s team beat Ellerston in the 16 goal Final of the inaugural British Polo Day in Australia.
Action between Guy Schwazenbach for Garangula & Charlie Pidgley for Ellerston in the Final
were celebrating their Australian debut, they ensured that they kicked off the event in style, with a Royal Salute Scotch Whisky and Taittinger Champagne reception – a perfect ‘warm-up act’ to any polo Final. Schwarzenbach’s opposition was a side led by no less than Australia’s former Captain, Glen Gilmore and by no means did Gilmore go into battle alone. Ably assited by young Australian Alex Barnet and a duo of talented Englishmen, Max Charlton and 17-year-old Charlie Pidgley, Ellerston Black certainly put Garangula to work. Both sides arrived on the field and continued to stick to a strict game plan, with tight marking preventing either side from gaining any advantage. As a result, the scoreboard read just one goal apiece after two chukkas of play. With both teams still within reach of victory, all eight players seemed to simultaneously increase the level of play. Assisted by the impeccable conditions of the Garangula fields, the match featured technical team plays, which were performed at pace, making exceptional and exciting viewing for the spectators. However, there can only be one victorious team and this time around it was the Schwarzenbach’s Garangula who lifted the trophy. Ellerston’s winning streak had been brought to an end and Guy Schwarzenbach had successfully reclaimed The Spring Polo
Tournament for Garangula for the first time in 11 years. Following Guy Schwarzenbach’s opening triumph in The Spring Polo Tournament, he returned to the field to take part in British Polo Day’s heritage match, where he once again represented his Garangula team. With a visiting British Schools Team as their opposition, Garangula continued their victorious streak, winning the match 6 goals to 4. The Holland & Holland ‘Shot of the Day’, presented by His Excellency, Paul Madden British High Commissioner to Australia, went to Alex de Lisle of the British Schools Team; Guy Schwarzenbach was presented with The Royal Salute Diamond Tribute Most Valuable Player, while Locket Out Of Pocket received The InterContinental Sydney Best Playing Pony prize. Spring Polo Tournament; Garangula Polo Club; 26 October 2014 Result: Black Bears beat Ellerston 8-6 Handicap: 16 goal Best Playing Pony: Stiletto played by Tom Hunt, owned by Joe Curran Most Valuable Player: Charlie Pidgley Teams: Garangula (16): Guy Schwarzenbach 2; Tom Hunt 6; Jasper White 3; Patrick O’Dwyer 5 Ellerston Black (16): Charlie Pidgley 1; Max Charlton 7; Glen Gilmore 7; Alex Barnet 1
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Knowledge
Christmas gift guide
Polo Times takes you Christmas shopping We’ve trawled the streets, sifted through all the tack rooms, scoured the websites and spoken to all the top polo suppliers. In short, we’ve done the hard work for you. Read on and find the ideal gift for you, your horse, your dog and your home.
England polo team soft shell jacket, £75 www.akumasportswear.com
For you
Red leather toggle bags, from £295 www.dunmorescotland.com
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Regina Boots, £295 (tassels £20) www.fairfaxandfavor.com
Sandhurst fishtail jacket, £395 www.thespanishbootcompany.co.uk
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Argentine belts, £35 www.thepoloshop.co.uk
Mombasa red hand-beaded leather belt, from £55.99 www.portopolo.com Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Reverso Ultra Thin 1948, £7,600 www.jaeger-lecoultre.com
Horsehair jewellery for him & her, from £125 www.theburnishedhorse.co.uk
Polo kit & tack bags, from £35 www.rjpolo.com
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Christmas gift guide
Knowledge
For your home
Alpaca fur hat, £225 www.perilla.co.uk
Horse head book ends, £45 per pair www.desresdesign.co.uk Polo by Peter Grace OBE, £34.99 info@polo.co.uk
GALLOPING THROUGH LIFE MAJOR HUGH DAWNAY
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born in Lucknow, Major Hugh Dawnay was son of an Olympic India in 1932, the twin British Army. He polo player serving in the Sandhurst, before was educated at Eton and the 10th Hussars. being commissioned into on a highly successful He immediately embarked ting point-tocareer with horses, incorpora show-jumping points, National Hunt racing, went on to captain and ultimately polo and He became an the British Army polo team. coach and in 1976 polo famous ally internation polo school at set up the world’s first residential Waterford. The Polo Whitfield Court in County He also spent many School ran for 27 years. the Palm Beach Polo summers teaching polo in Club, Florida. and Playmaker He was the author of Polo Vision
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38-year-old Scotch Whisky, £630 www.royalsalute.com
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Polo (J.A. Allen). and is survived by He died in Waterford in 2013, and two sons. his Argentinian wife, Maria-Ines is a professional polo His younger son, Sebastian,
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Branded Team Directors’ chairs, from £120 and towels, from £14 www.blackhoundsports.com
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Competitive Edge II by Vineta Sayer, £2,450 www.equestrianartuk.com
Croquet set, NZ $530 www.woodmallets.com
Polo Times, November / December 2014
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Knowledge
Christmas gift guide
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Team rugs with logos, from £85 www.blackhoundsports.com
Argentine rawhide headcollar, £72.50 www.satsfaction.com Premium complete bridle set, £370 www.casablancapolo.co.uk Professional’s choice sports medicine boots II, from £55.45 www.tallyhofarm.co.uk
For your dog Mattress bed with tunnel cover, £64 (bed), £48 (cover) www.tuffies.co.uk
Jolly ball, £24.55 www.tallyhofarm.co.uk
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Women’s Polo
International
These are exciting times for women’s polo as the all-female tournaments become more competitive and lady players travel the world on a professional polo circuit. Polo Times reports on the latest wave of global Finals and hears from the players at the forefront of the sport.
Photography by Claire Brougham
The 2014 U.S. Women’s Open Polo Championship
Team Northern Trust at The U.S. Women’s Open Polo Championship
A week-long tournament culminated in an exciting and hard-fought Final between the BTA and Northern Trust teams at Houston Polo Club, Texas on Saturday 8 November. Team BTA, led by 9 goal Argentine player, Lia Salvo also included Brianna Galindo, KC Kruger and Sheila Lequerica, whilst their opposition, Northern Trust featured 6 goalers Sarah Wiseman and Claire Brougham alongside Maureen Brennan and Julia Smith. BTA led in chukkas one and two, riding off the pitch at half-time with the scoreboard reading 3-2 in their favour. The second half of the match saw Northern Trust drastically
improve their game with Sarah Wiseman tying the score at 3 all before notching up another goal in the fourth and final chukka to take her team ahead for the first time in the match. BTA excitingly answered the challenge with a goal to equal the score at 4-4 and forced the Final into an extra, sudden death chukka. It was down to the young University of Virginia player, Julia Smith who scored the winning goal for Northern Trust and assured their victory in the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open Polo Championship presented by Land Rover. The Most Valuable Player prize went to
Sarah Wiseman, whilst Bucky was awarded Best Playing Pony of the Final. The tournament win marked a four-outof-four success rate for Claire Brougham who has spent two months on the Women’s International Polo Tour. Claire spoke to Polo Times about her victory at Houston Polo Club, “It still hasn’t sunk in that we’ve won The U.S. Open! We had a tough ride to get there having lost our first match in extra time which meant that our only option was to win the second. After giving everything we had, we won against the strongest team in the tournament, 7 goals to 6. Straight away, we took a penalty shootout against that same team to determine who would go through to the Final as we were level on points – I’ve never been so relieved to hit a 40-yard penalty through in my life. The cheers from the grooms, our Team Manager and the spectators were immense! The Final was another nail-biting game and we were down by two goals after the first chukka, but after a pep talk from ‘Captain Cool’, Sarah Wiseman, we went on to take the lead. “I feel extremely privileged to have been asked to play for Northern Trust; we won because the entire team worked so hard – we won The U.S. Open as the lowest handicapped team in the tournament. It just proves that hard graft and team work pays off!”
Claire Brougham wins in Singapore for second consecutive year The Singapore Polo Club hosted four teams over four days at the beginning of October; Honey Badgers, Cameron Highlands, Headhunters and Asian Strategies. The teams included British lady players Sarah Wiseman, Izzy Parsons, Claire Brougham and Hazel Jackson, who was most recently 64
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seen playing at Chantilly for the winning Tom Tailor Polo Team in the Open de Feminin. The remaining participating 2 goal players included Argentine’s Paola Martinez and Lia Salvo playing on opposite teams Honey Badgers and Headhunters. Izzy Parsons, Claire Brougham and Sarah
Wiseman played in the tournament in 2013, which Claire won and Izzy was awarded The Most Valuable Player Award. It was a distinctly strong British contingent who appeared in the Finalist team lineups including Sarah Wiseman and Izzy Parsons playing for the Cameron Highlands
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21/11/2014 17:54
alongside their International teammates Stephanie Masefield, Maryam Reda and April McKenna, whilst 2 goaler Hazel Jackson and Claire Brougham appeared in the Asian Strategies quartet. Asian Strategies beat Cameron Highlands, 6 ½ goals to 4 in the Final with Claire Brougham adding to her victory from last year – will she be trying for a triple in 2015? It was a tough fight to win the tournament with impressive plays and games from each of the four teams in the league stages. With five 2 goalers also present in the tournament, Singapore Polo Club proved that ladies polo is very much on the rise with the all-female International teams constantly improving. Honey Badgers featuring the impressive Argentine player, Lia Salvo beat the pink-shirted Headhunters 6 goals to 4 in the Subsidiary Final.
Women’s Polo
Photography by Claire Brougham
International
The winning team, Asian Strategies
Team UAE, the expected favourites, played Princess Azemah’s Team Europe in the Final of the second Ralph Lauren International Ladies Polo Tournament on Saturday 8 November at Desert Palm Polo Club, Dubai. The match got off to a tumultuous start with Team Europe trailing 2 goals to 1, whilst one of their players, Ann-Marie Cavanagh also had a fall. After a quick medical check she was cleared to continue, but the UAE team powered ahead and took a four-goal lead at the end of the first chukka, with the scoreboard reading 6-2. Team Europe had clearly rethought tactics at half-time and rode back on the pitch with Princess Azemah up front and the rest of her teammates working on more defensive plays. Due to this tactical alteration, Europe managed to claw two goals back, whilst only allowing UAE to score a solitary goal in the third chukka. However, UAE once again surged forward in the fourth and, despite Europe’s Nina Clarkin displaying her worth as one of the best lady players in the world, HH Sheikha Maitha and her teammates won the tournament 8 goals to 4. The Best Playing Pony award went to Chisme, played by Marianela Castagnola and owned by HH Sheikha Maitha whilst the Best Playing Amateur Award went to Princess Azemah. The Desert Palm Polo Club also hosted an All Stars exhibition match, which brought
Photography by Ralph Lauren
HH Sheikha Maitha reclaims Ralph Lauren International
The winners of The All Stars Exhibition Match, with Patrick Chalhoub, Tariq Albawardy, Ingie Chalhoub and John Hooks
together the highest-ranking female polo players in the world. All Stars Team A (HH Sheikha Maitha, Lucy Taylor, Nina Clarkin and Marianela Castagnola) dominated All Stars Team B (Sunny Hale, Ploy Bhinsaeng, Hazel Jackson and Eva Breuhl) running out the winners 5 goals to 2, but nonetheless it was a fantastic display of women’s polo. “I am pleased to participate in the second edition of The Ralph Lauren International Ladies Polo Tournament after it has proven to be a great success,” said HH Sheikha
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Maitha pre-tournament. “This year’s line-up features some of the world’s most seasoned and well-respected players, and I am proud to be participating alongside them to benefit a great cause in cooperation with Dubai Cares, a charity close to my heart.” Tournament Director, Pete McCormack said, “This is a historical moment for women’s polo to have such a great partnership with leading brand, Ralph Lauren and stage this wonderful Ladies International Tournament.” Polo Times, November / December 2014
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Women’s Polo
International
5 minutes with…
SUNNY HALE IS widely regarded as one of the best lady players of her generation having been the first woman in history to win The U.S. Open as a member of the Outback Steakhouse team alongside Adolfo Cambiaso. During her time in Dubai at The Ralph Lauren International Ladies Tournament, she talks to Charley Larcombe about her greatest achievements and which polo myths she’d like to dispel. What would you consider your greatest polo achievement? “I followed my own personal dream to play amongst the best players in the world because they asked me to be there…and I feel I achieved it with perfection to the intent. I was extremely fortunate to play over 15 seasons alongside some of the greatest players of our time – including Carlos and Memo Gracida, Owen Rinehart, Gonzalito Pieres and Adolfo Cambiaso – winning and playing in the highest level of the sport as a professional.” Who do you admire? “I admire the athlete who has the heart of a champion and is true to their art and their passion. For example, the night before our Finals match in The Ylvisaker Cup 22 goal, Adolfo Cambiaso was suffering from an excruciating injury, which had been plaguing him for the entire tournament. We were at a benefit the night before and I asked how he was managing and he replied, ‘no excuses, let’s go for it’. We went on to win the Final the next day where the lead changed nine times during a hard fought victory. This is what I admire in all great athletes.” Which myth would you like to dispel in polo? “Two myths I would like to dispel in polo: Myth one: Great horses come from one country or source. The truth: Great horses come from many sources, not just one breed or country. Some of the greatest polo ponies come from absolutely no connection to polo at birth
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and are a mix of many people’s input to arrive as a made pony. Myth two: It is acceptable for women to act in an ugly and unsportsmanlike manner because they are playing polo or have a goal to achieve in the sport. The truth: It is not necessary and should be unacceptable at any level of the sport. Sportsmanship is number one and acting like a lady is all the more effective in achieving your goal, don’t be fooled… these are your best weapons!” How do you feel events such as the Ralph Lauren International Ladies Polo Tournament benefit women’s’ polo? “I feel these type of events and especially this one, bring a highlight to the top female players in the world and not to just what is happening in women’s polo today. Dubai and women’s polo... really? Thanks must go to Sheikha Maitha and Ralph Lauren for bringing her passion and women’s polo to a country to enjoy at the highest level for only the second time in history. For women all over the world to see and hear what is happening there in Dubai opens another level of awareness, to just how powerful this current movement in women’s polo is right now in the world. I participate and travel to events like this one in support of showcasing the passion and talent that women have in the sport… the same passion that has kept this sport around for almost 2,000 years. What they do with their own inspiration from these events and meeting the best players in the world is what is fuelling the movement and I believe great things are yet to come.”
Photography by Dara Williams
Sunny Hale
The victorious Migual Palacio team
The Campeonato de España Femenino Now in its eighth season, The Campeonato de España Femenino took place over the weekend of 4–5 October in the beautiful setting of Hacienda La Mata del Herrador in Seville, Spain. The home squad, Miguel Palacio consisted of Karina Pilcher of Austria, Carla and Leticia Alvarez of Spain and Ana Escobedo of Mexico. They faced the Spagnolo/Angry Birds team, which included Natalia Danilochkina from Blueys Polo Club and Assistant Polo Manager at The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club, Alex Jacob who flew out from England especially for the event to play alongside Lola Cramazo from Spain and Argentina’s Veronica Mendez. It was a well-fought tournament, but the advantage lay with Miguel Palacio as not only were they lucky enough to be playing their own horses, but they had also played numerous tournaments together before. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the home team rode off the Seville polo grounds as winners with 9-4 on the scoreboard. Klarina Pichler, the Polo Manager for Mata del Herrador Club de Polo was fortunate enough to be on the winning side for Miguel Palacio.
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International
La Pampa win The Malaysian International Women’s Tournament
Women’s Polo
NEWS SNIPPETS The National Women’s Tournament at Ascot Park Polo Club has been rescheduled and will now take place the weekend of the 21–22 February 2015. The Campeonato Feminino de la AAP tournament in Pilar, Argentina has been postponed due to the heavy rains, which have beset the country. The tournament Finals will be played for after The Argentine Open at the grounds of Palermo. The Ladies Cup at Perth Polo Club, Western Australia will take place 24–25 January 2015.
Photography by Armand Ali
Victorian Polo Club will host The Jeep Ladies Day at the Polo on Saturday 21 February 2015 and will feature both visiting International and Australian players.
The winning team at the Royal Selangor Polo Club, Kuala Lumpur
The Finals of The Malaysian International Women’s Tournament were delayed from their scheduled date of Saturday 18 October to Sunday due to rain. Claire Brougham and her team, La Pampa started their game with a 30-yard penalty goal converted by Sarah Wiseman, closely followed by a run down the field from Brougham to take the score to 2-0, whilst Paula Martinez scored the first goal for La Justina by shooting a safety 60 through the posts. In the second chukka, clever play from Sarah and Claire produced another goal just before Martinez scored again to bring the scoreboard to 3-2 in favour of La Pampa. Sarah’s horse slipped over behind the goal during a defensive play,
which meant a pause of five minutes during the second chukka. Once play resumed, La Pampa increased the goal margin by two. The third chukka didn’t produce any goals for either team leaving the score on 4-2 despite the best efforts from La Justina’s Mumy Bellande, who missed a beautiful hit at goal from 30 yards not long before a foul was blown which marked the end of the chukka. The fourth started with a spot hit to goal that was tapped in by Paula Martinez. Some strong defence from Sarah and Claire resulted in a counter attack goal bringing the score to 5-3. Datin Norlin Khan took the ball from behind the halfway line to score an impressive goal for La Justina to narrow the
The Arden’s Jewelers Polo Team (Kelly Beck, Theresa King, Tiva Goss and Claire Brougham) won The Women’s Championship Tournament held at The Villages Polo Club, Florida on Sunday 2 November. gap, but the last minute attempt from her team wasn’t enough leaving the score on 5-4 and The Visa International Trophy going to La Pampa. April Kent from Moyne Polo Club in Ireland and her team of Sunny Hale, Jennifer Too and Chloe Kiely won The Jaeger-LeCoultre Cup for the Subsidiary Final against Tu Polo. Paula Martinez won Most Valuable Player and Jennifer Too won the Most Valuable Patron award from Jaeger-LeCoultre, which included two tickets to The Argentine Open and passes to the Jaeger-LeCoultre hospitality tent.
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Youth
A round-up of youth polo around the UK
Photography by John Preece
Edinburgh University Polo Club Annual Tournament After much anticipation Edinburgh University Polo Club hosted their Annual Tournament from 31 October to 2 November at Dalmahoy. Taking part were Edinburgh, Stirling, St. Andrews and Newcastle. Spurred on by the wonderful weather, excellent polo was played by all, particularly Carlos Baird, who was awarded Most Valuable Player and Edinburgh’s Most Improved Player, Victoria Lombardi. The Beginner section was won by St. Andrews A, St. Andrews B team came second and Edinburgh B team, third. Stirling won the Novice section with Edinburgh C in second place and St. Andrews A third. However, Edinburgh dominated the Open and Alumni sections with the A team winning the Open and Edinburgh B securing the Alumni match. Players let their hair down on Friday night, with extra Hallowe’en enthusiasm and
Theo Varenne & Josh Charlton-Briggs in a strong ride-off
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News Snippets
New appointment Rugby Polo Club’s Chief Umpire, Philip Baker has been appointed to run the Universities section of SUPA. As Rugby is one of the strongest supporters of schools and universities polo, undoubtedly Philip will be able to offer huge support in this area.
Overseas Training The Development Committee has selected the following to attend a training course with Buster Mackenzie from 12 – 22 December 2014: Marcus Cork, Charlie Turk, George Deverall, Jasmine Stanhope White, Henry Frisby, Charlie Townsend and Freddie Jodrell.
Dates for your Diary 13 – 16 February: University Nationals at Rugby Polo Club 9 March: National Senior Schools at Rugby Polo Club 15 March: National Prep Schools at Longdole Polo Club 27 September 2015: SUPA AGM location TBA
New SUPA website SUPA will soon be launching a brand new website which will include live results, full team lists and profiles on all teams and players. A one-stop shop for all of your SUPA needs. Watch this space.
on Saturday night players dined at Candy Bar before going to the University Club’s sponsors, Lola Lo Club.
Krayenhoff and Patricia Haylock Vize. The novice level was a round-robin tournament won by Reading University (Harriet Rankine, Rob Cameron and Luke Daines) who beat Exeter and London Alumni.
First polo team at Hartpury College
Hurtwood Park Polo Club Six young teams joined together at Hurtwood Park Polo Club for the Haywards@Hurtwood Fancy Dress Tournament back on Sunday 31 August. The children’s tournament was organised by one of Hurtwood Polo Club’s young members, Rosie Fonseca and kindly sponsored by Haywards@Hurwood. The Snakes and Ladders team won the Jorrocks level, the Dominoes side won the Handley Cross and Onesie Direction claimed the Junior Polo match. Richard Hayward of Haywards@ Hurtwood presented Juanita, owned by Sophie Preston with the Best Playing Pony Sash. Organiser, Rosie Fonseca said, “Thank you very much to our umpires Superman (David Harris) and Batman (Nick Johnson). Well done to all teams who played this year, and thank you for making such an effort with your fancy dress – you all looked fantastic.”
The new recruits of the Hartpury College polo team
Hartpury College, the largest equine college in the world, have announced the formation of the very first Hartpury Polo Team. Lessons are hosted throughout the week at nearby Longdole Polo Club, who offer Hartpury College Polo Club members competitive student rate prices. HCPC have their sights firmly set on contending the SUPA University Nationals Titles in both the arena and outdoor championships in 2015. Any current or prospective students interested in polo at Hartpury should e-mail Nicola.hewer@hartpury.ac.uk. Ascot Park Polo Club On Saturday 8 November Ascot Park Polo Club held their first Schools’ and Universities Academy Tournament of the winter season. Harrow, Exeter, London Alumni and Reading were the four teams who participated in the intermediate level. Harrow were the overall winners, with their team line-up of Hugo Taylor, James Emlyn and D’artangnan Giercke beating London Alumni’s Thijs Povel, Michael
Photography by Charlotte Rice Photography
Cambridge University The first match of the Michaelmas term for Cambridge University was held at their new Club, Cambridge County Polo Club on Sunday 12 October. Despite it being their first game back in the arena saddle, they still impressed onlookers as they hit shots off the walls and embarked on plenty of rigorous ride-offs, spurts of galloping and much ferocious hooking. A total of three Cambridge alumni members took on their current University student rivals in a set of tense chukkas, but fortunately for CUPC, the alumni team weren’t able to reach a victory with the afternoon culminating in a 9-8 win for current CUPC students.
The teams at Haywards@Hurtwood
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Pony Power
Knowledge
Champagne for everybody
Spangles’ 32nd birthday celebrations. L-R Camilla Tice, Fiona and Chloe Spencer, Wilfred Spicer (sitting on Spangles), Mollie Tice, Freddie Spicer (holding Spangles), Victoria Kilminster, Max Graham, Harry Barwood, Jack and Max Wilson, Sophie Barwood, Edward Smyth-Osborne and Robin Spicer.
Spangles Spicer’s birthday party Height: 11 hh Age: 32 Colour: Chestnut Sex: Mare Breeding: Welsh Section A With glossy high-goal ponies often gracing the pages of Polo Times we thought it was time for a real veteran of children’s ponies to have her moment of glory. Let us introduce Spangles, owned by Ann Spicer, who has reached the grand old age of 32 and enjoyed her birthday party on 5 October with cupcakes and a reunion of her past owners and riders. Over the years, Spangles has taught a veritable army of children to ride and has now returned to Spicer headquarters to continue the tradition by teaching the grandchildren to play. In her time, Spangles has gone from sidesaddle pairs as a four year-old with the Fortesque family, to Victoria Brown, Master of Grafton’s daughter for hunting and Pony Club, then on to be the trusty steed of Harry, Rupert and Sophie
Barwood, grandchildren of the Master of Grafton, and then Edward Smyth-Osborne. Spangles’ career then continued at Ann Spicer’s yard for her son, Robin, where she hunted and played polo. Robin was heartbroken when he outgrew Spangles and made Ann promise that she would never sell his loyal companion! So, at Robin’s behest it was on loan that Spangles was passed on to Frankie Dent (Robin’s cousin) to play polo and then to Max and Oliver Graham to learn to ride on. Next it was Charlotte Main, Mollie Tice and Camilla Tice (granddaughter of Pytchley Master) who benefitted from Spangles’ wisdom, followed by Jack and Max Wilson (grandsons and nephews of Pytchley Master). The latest chapter in Spangles’ story is that she’s finally back to the Spicer family for Ann’s grandchildren Freddie, Wilfie and Otti to learn on. Freddie is already having polo lessons and Robin and Wilfie rode her at an autumn hunt meet this year. Here’s to many more happy birthdays Spangles – keep on doing what you love!
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Another year, another generation of children for Spangles
Max Graham and Sophie Barwood
M Spangles inspired birthday cupcakes made by Karena Spicer, with some help from Freddie Spicer
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Knowledge
Know your horse
Holly Baird BVSCV MRCVS works for Scott Dunn’s Equine Clinic and is also the Guards Polo Club Veterinary and Welfare Representative.
Wound Management H First Aid for Fresh Wounds
orses, by way of their ‘fight or flight’ nature are heavily overrepresented as a species when it comes to suffering from skin wounds. Wounds can occur in the field or stable through conflict with other horses, through an altercation with stationary objects, or most commonly via mysterious causes that even the best CSIs will never discover. Polo ponies, as sports horses who are playing a contact sport, are further predisposed to lacerations, especially on the face and pasterns. At some point every horse owner will be faced with a wounded animal, hence there are entire textbooks devoted to the topic of wound management, but it is the steps taken on day one (especially during the first few hours after the wound has occurred) that will dictate the healing outcome. When faced with a wounded horse, it is imperative that the first action you take is to make the situation safe for yourself. Basic common sense should prevail here. If you are placing yourself at unnecessary risk to attempt to treat an injured animal that is loose in the field, has other loose horses running around, is still at risk from the original cause of the wound, or is of a fractious nature, get help and move the horse to an environment in which it is safe from further
harm and you can administer first aid safely. Sedation may be required and this will need to be administered by your veterinarian. In deciding whether you need to call for professional help or not, you will need to take into account the following factors. There are also useful details that the veterinary team can use to triage appointments, so take a moment before picking up the ‘phone and mentally note the following initial details:
Haemorrhage Active blood loss needs to be managed as a priority. If a large blood vessel has been damaged during the injury that led to the wound, profuse blood loss can occur. The average polo pony can lose up to 10 litres of blood before there is a significant problem, but it is best to control bleeding with haste using a clean dressing, a piece of gamgee or even a clean towel applied with direct pressure. Veterinary advice should be sought in this instance. Size The size of the wound will often dictate whether it is something that you can deal with for yourself, or whether you are going to need veterinary assistance. The depth of the wound should also be taken into account. Often smaller injuries can be dealt with using first aid and experienced horse owners can manage these for themselves, however wounds greater than 5cm long or greater than skin depth may warrant veterinary examination. Location The position of the wound on the horse is crucial. Wounds over joints and wounds exposing bones or tendons will require veterinary assistance to establish whether or not vital structures have been damaged and to formulate a plan of management to reduce the risk of infection or complication. Wounds on the face involving the eyelids, nostrils and lips should also be examined by a veterinary surgeon. Wounds to other parts of the horse may be managed by experienced owners if they are small.
A granulating wire wound. The extensor tendon had been severed and there is granulation tissue forming at the wound edges.
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Coincident Injuries When dealing with wounds on limbs there is a reasonable probability that structures other
than the skin have been injured. Even with a large skin deficit, injured horses can usually still walk, albeit with mild discomfort. Any horse which is non weight bearing should be examined as a priority by your veterinary surgeon. Severe lameness may be indicative of a fracture or of joint or tendon sheath involvement, all of which require specialised treatment. In this case do not force the injured horse to walk, as you will only cause further distress and may exacerbate the injury. A good rule of thumb here is to ask yourself “is the degree of lameness consistent with what I can see?” If the answer is “no”, seek help. To stitch, or not to stitch? That is the question. There is often pressure from owners for veterinarians to suture every wound. If the injury is less than six hours old, has little contamination, involves only the skin and there is little tissue loss so that the wound edges can be apposed without tension, then there is a good chance that suturing the wound will be a success and the wound will heal in a matter of a couple of weeks. As soon as any of these criteria are not met, the chances of a successful outcome are dramatically reduced. Your veterinarian may elect to place sutures to support all or part of the wound whilst it heals, knowing that there is a possibility that the sutures will fail, but that if they do the wound should have had the opportunity for good healing whilst they remained. Often your veterinarian will indicate that sutures are not appropriate, or that they may even be detrimental and that the wound is best left to heal via secondary intention. What should you do? Once you have observed a wound on your horse, and made an assessment of whether or not you need veterinary assistance, you can administer first aid. As long as there is no profuse bleeding, cleaning the wound to remove contamination is advisable, if this can be done safely. Ideally sterile saline should be used, but as it is unlikely you will have this in your tack room you can make your own using cool boiled water and adding 2 level teaspoons of salt per litre of water. A clean syringe can be used to flush the
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Nutrition focus
Knowledge
Lorna Edgar – specialist equine nutritionist
Winter Weight Loss
W
inter is finally settling in and what a shock to the system it is! During these chilly months I often think of the pampered polo pony in the summer, which is then turned away and has to battle the winter elements. I would love to think that all of you with ponies in the fields are giving them some hard feed to help them maintain condition, boost immunity, aid good coat growth, maintain quality hoof growth and health… and how the list goes on! Those of you that do feed during the winter I know reap the benefits from horses ‘muscling up’ quicker, and not having weak feet that your poor farrier has to deal with at the peak of the playing season. Those ponies that do not do so well over the winter will benefit from being fed, but what are those types likely to be and how can we feed them? Older ponies: The older pony can lose weight a lot quicker as their digestive tract is not as efficient as it once was. Once the grass has stopped growing and its nutritional values are negligible, they rely on hay/haylage as their calorie intake, but if their teeth are not in great condition they will struggle to chew and break down the lignified stems, and not be able to absorb essential nutrients.
A laceration of a hind cannon that involves the flexor tendons and the tendon sheath. This picture shows a degloving wound that was not noticed for 24 hours. A wound like this will require surgical flushing.
Their droppings will become very loose due to the lack of digestible fibre going through their gut and the chewing process not being very efficient. The hind gut will not be working as an efficient ‘fermentation vat’ and the pony’s natural ‘central heating system’ will not be providing enough warmth as fibre is digested and therefore weight loss will be inevitable. Feeding a cube, not a mix, for ponies with teeth problems is much more beneficial (preferably a Conditioning Cube), as well as using hay/grass replacement chaffs for digestible fibre and adding pre/ probiotics to settle hind gut bacteria, thereby helping to reduce loose droppings and increase fibre digestion. Ulcers/cribbing/wind-sucking: Very often these ponies will struggle to hold condition during the winter or summer, but by being allowed to access grass, hay or haylage 24/7, will do them a favour, both physically and psychologically. Usually, when the quality of the grass begins to drop, they will begin to lose weight, so feeding them out at grass is ideal to try and maintain condition, but I would use a cube, not a mix (to keep the starch to minimum). However, using a Horse & Pony Cube initially will help to maintain condition before too much is lost and a higher calorie/starch feed is needed – contacting a feed company directly for advice on specific diets is advised. wound, and clean cotton swabs are ideal for cleaning the surrounding skin. If this is not available, gently running water from a hosepipe is a good substitute, but do be careful with the pressure. Inside the fresh wound remain living cells that will already have received chemical messages to begin the healing process. What you apply to the wound at this stage is crucial to preserve these cells. Please do not apply disinfectants such as chlorhexadine (Hibiscrub) or iodone, and especially never use household products such as bleach. Astringents such as Lotagen and Dermisol and sprays of any colour are also detrimental in the initial stages of wound management. Maintaining moisture is vital for the living cells to go about their healing processes. A moist environment can be achieved using wound gel such as Vetalintex or Intrasite Gel. If the wound is in a position where it
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First UK winter: What a shock to the system any pony must experience during its first winter here, and I feel these ponies would benefit from some TLC when battling the elements in order to try and bring them in with condition on. Ensure they look well before being turned away and feed them concentrates throughout the winter to provide calories, with the advantage of a balance of vitamins and minerals for the coat to grow nice and thick. Out of racing: Usually these horses have been in training and fed since they were foals throughout their racing lives. They are usually reliant on their calories coming from concentrates, and consequently their hind gut/fibre digestion is not as efficient, and therefore they do not always winter well. Again, ensure they are holding adequate condition prior to turning away and provide hard feed – if they become hollow or tucked up then adding pre/probiotics will help them to hold condition. As always, it is more economical (and better for your ponies) to feed during the winter so you don’t have to feed twice as much when they come back into work in February when you are trying to get condition on them whilst working. The ‘YoYo’ diet is not ideal for anyone, and in particular the equine athlete! Contact Lorna Edgar of Baileys Horse Feeds on lorna@baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk
can be dressed, use a non-stick dressing such as Melolin or Alevyn underneath clean bandages. Never use any type of poultice dressing on fresh wounds, as these contain high concentrations of salts and acid which are perfect for drawing pus from abscessed feet, but are highly toxic to the cells within a fresh wound and will cause more damage than they will prevent. Bandages should be applied in such a way that they provide light pressure to reduce bleeding and limit mobility while awaiting the arrival of professional help. Holly Baird BVSCV MRCVS is the Guards Polo Club Veterinary and Welfare Representative and also works for Scott Dunn’s Equine Clinic based in Berkshire with polo clients across the south of England. Tel: 01344 426066 or visit www.scott-dunns.co.uk.
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Knowledge
Accountancy matters
Do you employ grooms? •
•
If so, then as an employer, you normally have to operate PAYE as part of your payroll. Legislation in this area is changing constantly, so it is important to keep up-to-date. At Shaw Gibbs, we have our own payroll department who can help. Below I have summarised the areas we find are currently leading to the most confusion. Taking on a new employee • Firstly, you must identify your new employee by way of a passport or a driving licence. • If they do not have any photographic ID, then you need two forms of ID (birth certificate, National Insurance letter, recent utility bill etc.). • If they are not a UK citizen you must check that they are allowed to work in the UK.
They must have a National Insurance number. If they do not have one then they must apply for one before they commence work for you. If they do not hold one they will need to make an appointment at the nearest Job Centre Plus to apply for one. Copies of all documentation should be kept in the employees’ personal files along with their terms and conditions of employment (contract).
National Minimum Wage Regulations From the 01 October 2014, the National Minimum Wage increased to £6.50 for employees over the age of 21, to which all employees are entitled for the hours that they work. If they are only receiving the National Minimum Wage then you cannot ask them to work any additional hours without payment. Real Time Information It is now a legal requirement to file a return online whenever you pay an employee. From October 2014, any return which is not filed online before the due date will receive a £100 fine. If there are any months in which there are no employees to be paid, you still need to file a Nil return with HMRC. It is also important to remember that you also need to pay your PAYE on time. The PAYE needs to be paid by the 19th of the
TRISTAR
following month, or if the amount of PAYE due is less than £1,500 per month, it can be paid on a quarterly basis. If two or more payments are received late then HMRC will apply a fine of debit interest of a percentage of the outstanding amount of PAYE. The more payments which are received late, the higher the interest rate which is applied. Pension Auto Enrolment As an employer it will be a requirement to auto enrol any eligible employees into a qualifying pension scheme upon your staging date. It is important to find out your staging date and be prepared. The Pension Regulator will write to you a year before your staging date or you can log onto the Pension Regulator website quoting your Employer’s Reference Number and find out. All of the points above are statutory and legal requirements. HMRC can fine for all payroll procedures, which are not followed in accordance with the regulations. If you would like any further information on any of the topics covered in this article or would like to discuss your own position further, please contact Sarah who is the specialist within the Shaw Gibbs team in looking after equestrian and polo-related businesses. Please email sarah.gardener@shawgibbs.com or call 01865 292 286.
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Knowledge
Equine legal advice
Legal Issues Relating to Construction This month Solicitor, Lottie Goldstone (neé Prentice), focuses on the issues surrounding various construction work that may take place in relation to the polo industry – for example arena construction and stableyard development.
I
n construction projects, the nature and type of defects can vary hugely, as can the definitive point in time in which the defects become apparent. Minor defects can potentially be easily corrected before completing the project. However, there is the possibility that other extreme significant defects may occur a long time after the original work has been completed and these defects may require extensive remedial works in order to be fixed to a satisfactory level. Defects can arise because the wrong materials have been used or because the work has not been carried out in a “good and workman-like manner” in accordance with good practice or a specific design. The former issue is usually the responsibility of the building contractor and its supply chain. On the other hand, the actual designer could be at fault if a particular design has not worked or is not as effective as it should be. Most arena construction businesses use a design and build scenario and, in this instance, the contractor would normally have primary liability for both types of failure. However there could potentially be consequential claims against the designers and businesses or individuals in the supply chain. Identifying a defect should be fairly straightforward i.e. foundations of a stable yard crack and subside. However, in
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considering defects as a matter of principle, it may be defective even if it has been carried out with all due skill and care, but it fails to meet a particular specification. For example, an arena may have been constructed correctly, but the wrong type of surface led to water logging problems or if the wrong colour of brick was used in a stableyard development then this could lead to a breach of planning permission. It is important to identify the difference between patent and latent defects. The former is one that is detectable either at or before apparent practical completion or during the liability period. Courts have held that patent defects must be apparent on inspection but need not necessarily have been seen by the people carrying out the inspection. By contract, a latent defect is one, which is as it sounds i.e. concealed in the works and may not become apparent for many years. The question of defects often arises in the context of practical completion, and whether or not completion can be said to have occurred even though minor defects exist. In the absence of any definition, guidelines have been developed from case law which broadly state that: 1. At the date of practical completion the work should be complete and free from patent defects
2. Practical completion will be achieved not withstanding presence of latent defects, because such defects are by definition not apparent at the time of completion 3. Any defects, which are not apparent at practical completion but do become evident during the defects liability period may be addressed in that period 4. Discretion usually exists to certify practical completion when minor work remains to be carried out, although it is possible to insist on completion of all snagging items before practical completion. This last point is important to give all yard owners and land owners peace of mind that a project is going to be completed satisfactorily. Potential Rights and Remedies One issue that frequently arises in the context of construction projects is whether the contractor has a right to return to the site to remedy defects. There is no such right unless one is specifically conferred upon the contractor by the defect liability provisions in the contract. Where there is no express right identified in the contract allowing the contractor to return to the site to attend to remedial works or the relevant time period has passed, you are entitled to employ others to rectify the defects. However, where a third party is appointed and it is thought to be unreasonable in the circumstances of the case then there is a risk that you may be criticised for failing to mitigate your loss. Be mindful that it must be just, fair and reasonable to appoint a third party, and it really must be considered the last resort to rectify the situation. Be aware and look for these provisions within the contract in advance of signing, so that you are aware of what steps to take if the project needs to be remedied. In circumstances where defective work is present, several legal remedies may exist. In the first instance there may be remedies in the contract, where defective work is present as a consequence of a breach of contract then you as the claimant are entitled to have
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Knowledge the project put into the position that it would have been if work had been correctly carried out and this is achieved by a monetary award. The claimant losses could potentially be assessed on the basis of: 1. The reasonable cost of repair of the defect 2. The difference in value or loss of amenity of the relevant work Strictly speaking, the date for assessment of loss is when the defect is noticed but (when actually considering the cost of repair) the date of assessment is usually taken as when it is reasonable in the circumstances to undertake the relevant works. If one is seeking to bring an action for breach of contract in relation to defective works, a claimant has six years in which to do so if the contract is executed by a single authorised representative or, 12 years if the contract is executed by deed. Both of these periods run from the date of the breach of contract. In the situation of patent defects, this should be obvious as it is the date when the defective work is carried out, but for latent defects the date of course in action is usually taken as the date on which practical completion is certified or at least given. Conclusion Practically, it is worth thinking about how defects and completion issues should be addressed at the procurement stage. Whether something is defective will often depend not so much on whether it is completed competently from a workmanship
perspective, but on the precise standard and specification, which needs to be met. Similarly, if specific tests are to be passed these will need to be provided for contractually – and consideration given to whether general or liquidated damages should apply in the event of failure. The precise standard and level of completion required for practical completion is something which is often contentious, so careful consideration should be given as to whether the completion requirements are clear and what risks they may or may not hold. Those that are passing their obligations down a supply chain of subcontractors should seek the same assumption of responsibility in relation to defects. Defects are most likely to be picked up on site if there is regular monitoring and testing, therefore it is advisable to visit the site regularly. It will be a commercial judgement for you as to exactly how much time you wish to spend monitoring and testing the works. However, what is crucially important is that if defects that are likely to have implications for the project are identified, then comprehensive records will need to be taken (this includes photographic and written). Similarly, if it is intended to reduce a payment or advance a claim as a result of a defect, then consideration should very rapidly be given to the basis of the claim. It is very common for issues to arise as to whether or not you waivered or agreed to allow the defect to remain in place and in order to move this forward, evidence of agreement and waiver should be obtained with the burden of proof being on the contractor.
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Post completion, if a defect occurs within a defects liability period under the contract then in all probability you will be entitled to acquire the contractor to correct the defect. It cannot be emphasised enough that early consideration should be given to the contractual procedures and relevant notice periods. Even if the defects liability period has ended, the contractor will, in the vast majority of cases, remain liable for damages. In short, you must ensure that careful attention is paid to the following: • A clear coherent contract is in place – possibly using an industry standard form • Detail within the contract in relation to defects liability period • A clear understanding for both parties of what to do should there be any defective work • Careful monitoring throughout the project • Evidencing this monitoring via photographic and written reports • If the defect has been allowed to remain then this needs to be fully documented in a report • If it is a latent defect then reliance on the contract is critical therefore the detail in the contract is paramount • Seek independent legal advice prior to signing the contract to ensure that you are protected in all eventualities For more advice please contact Solicitor Advocate Lottie Goldstone (neé Prentice) at lgoldstone@hcrlaw.com or 07725 240233. Your membership with the HPA allows for a 15 minute free consultation with Lottie and 10% discount in fees for the first instruction. Polo Times, November / December 2014
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Equine Stereotypic Behaviour
Equine Stereotypic Behaviour: Stable Vice or Training Virtue? Nicky Hewer, lecturer in equine behaviour at Hartpury College, looks at how a polo pony with behavioural vices may, in fact, be a blessing in disguise.
A pony wind-sucking, a classic form of equine stereotypic behaviour
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raditionally referred to as ‘vices’, research into equine stereotypic behaviour (STB) over the past decade has significantly changed perceptions. STB is an umbrella term that encompasses the repetitive behavioural patterns of box-walking, weaving, crib-biting and wind-sucking. Interestingly, archaeological evidence suggests these behaviours did not exist amongst the free-living ancestors of the horse, occurring only after domestication 6,000 years ago. Causes of Equine Stereotypic Behaviour There are many theories surrounding the causation of STB in the horse, with 78
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emerging facts being surrounded by long held, out-dated beliefs. Post-mortem sampling of the Basal Ganglia region of the equid brain has shown stereotypic horses have a greater number of receptor sites for the endogenous, opioid dopamine. When dopamine binds to its receptor sites, a pleasurable effect is produced. This is the body’s internal reward system, and is likened to the human feeling of taking cocaine. Owing to the elevated pleasure sensation the horse receives, STB can therefore be considered a stress-coping (rather than a stress-inducing) activity. The basis for increased dopamine receptor sensitivity is believed to be genetically determined, developing further into a stereotypy if the
horse is exposed to one of the risk factors of social isolation, restricted locomotion, or reduced capability to forage. Confirmation of a genetic link could potentially explain how the frequency and intensity of STB differs between horses on similar diets and under similar management techniques. Copycat Cribbing? Although it is widely believed that horses learn to crib-bite by copying the same behaviour from a neighbour, there is, in fact, no scientific evidence to support the theory that this style of learning occurs in horses as it does in other species. Instead, it is more likely that occurrence of stereotypies in horses stabled in close proximity is due to a
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Equine Stereotypic Behaviour
genetic relatedness and/ or to the particular stresses of cohabiting the same environment under the same management conditions. That is, they develop stereotypic behaviour for the same reasons as each other, rather than directly from each other. Therefore, segregating a stereotypic horse will have no benefit to the behaviour of the others, and potentially be further detrimental to the stereotypic horse that has been isolated. Prevalence Until recently, general opinion of STB has focused on associated negative aspects such as incisor teeth wear and colic in crib-biters, uneven limb loading in weavers, joint damage and hoof wear in box-walkers and lowered reproductive viability in mares. However, more recent research, coupled with increasing prevalence of stereotypic behaviour seen in elite performance horses, suggests there may be a positive rather than a negative effect. The exact prevalence of equine stereotypies remains an issue of debate amongst researchers, with studies suggesting figures ranging from 3 – 37%, depending on the type of study group populations. Recently, a study into prevalence of STB in elite level event horses revealed that nearly 25% of all horses Hartpury Equine is the largest equestrian centre in the world, providing top class education alongside elite equestrian training. With a reputation for producing top riders, the facilities and opportunities available to students provide the ideal setting for achievement in a competitive environment. Alongside the equestrian elements, Hartpury Equine provides a range of educational courses from diploma to degree and postgraduate and short courses. www.hartpury.ac.uk Nicky Hewer holds a BSc (Hons) in Equine Science from Hartpury (UWE) and an MSc in Applied Equine Science from the Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester. Nicky is a lecturer in equine behaviour, and is a keen polo player, having taken up the sport whilst studying at University.
registered with British Eventing displayed at least one form of STB. If presence of these behaviours were detrimental, a lower than average prevalence in the elite performance horse would be expected. The relatively high figure suggests there may, in fact, be a factor that predisposes the stereotypic horse to thrive in competition. Prevention vs Environmental Enrichment Preventative measures include the use of a crib collar, which physically prevents the horse from arching its neck to perform the crib manoeuvre. In fact, crib collars have actually been shown to raise the levels of the stress hormone, cortisol in the horse’s blood. Following removal of the collar, the horse will then crib at a greater rate for a prolonged amount of time. Stemming from research into captive zoo animal behaviour, the emerging field of environmental enrichment is a preferable technique for management of STB. Enrichment techniques seek to normalise the daily time budget of the domesticated stabled horse to that of the free living horse, which lives in a herd structure on open plains and spends 16 – 18 hours a day foraging and eating. Techniques include provision of multiple different forages
located at different points in a stable as well as food toys, treat balls, neighbours and in some cases, mirrors. Learning Research into learning capabilities has revealed the stereotypic horse learns a task much quicker (in fewer attempts) than the non-stereotypic horse. However, the stereotypic horse takes almost twice as long as the ‘control’ horse to modify or extinguish the behaviour, going some way to explaining the increased habit formation trait of the stereotypic horse. In a practical sense, this means the STB horse will be more readily trainable, with further research being required to determine the extent of this altered learning capability. In the sport of polo, a horse that is more trainable and reactive to the aids would surely be a virtue. Not all research is done in a laboratory! Do you own a crib-biting, box-walking or weaving horse? Hartpury College’s Higher Education Equine Team would like to hear from you! Please contact: nicola.hewer@hartpury.ac.uk 01452 702345 Ext: 2678.
The use of a collar to stop wind-sucking is a widely used method to control this behaviour, but new research suggests that their use may increase stress hormones
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Pony running reports
PONY running reports Whilst outdoor polo may have finished here in the UK for the time being, we still have the arena polo to look forward to – and for those lucky enough, a chance to play around the world too. For our winter series of Pony Running Reports, we focus on two arena polo ponies from Matt Evetts and Huw Bevan and Chris Crawford’s polo pony who finds an alternative winter career as a hunter and team
MEXICANITA Age: 5 Height: 15.1hh Sex: Mare Owners: Carlitos & Mariano Gracida Breeding: Out of Valid Expectations From: Mexico Base: The former Crab Orchard barn, Palm Beach, Florida Level of polo: Up to 26 goal “Mexicanita is probably in the top five list of best horses I’ve ever sat on. Her siblings are: Bruma who is currently a brood mare at La Dolfina, but has played The US Open with my dad and The Argentine and British Opens with Adolfo Cambiaso; Mexicana who was played by Lyndon Lea in The US and British Opens and The Queen’s Cup and Marajah who is a stallion that Cambiaso bought from me last year. He has played the 26 goal with Juan Martin Nero and is currently in Argentina playing
chaser. We also hear about Glen Armstrong’s pony, Passion, in New Zealand and follow their progress throughout the season in the southern hemisphere; whilst Carlitos Gracida talks us through the training of Mexicanita, a pony he and his brother, Mariano have very high hopes for. Follow these players and their ponies this winter as they tackle the different polo seasons around the world. the Tortugas and Hurlingham Opens with La Dolfina. He will soon be one of La Dolfina’s main stallions for their breeding operation. So Mexicanita has quite a family! “She arrived from Mexico this summer and is young so she still has some progress to make, but so far she has shown me that she has the mind and the capacity to be one of the top horses. I hope I don’t have to sell her, but I would like to see her reach her full potential. Hopefully she can help me gain a place in The US Open, so she can reach that level under me, but if not then I would love someone like Cambiaso or Lyndon – those with a top organisation – to play her so she can perform at her peak! I am going to have her in Florida this season and I’m sure she will draw attention from people who know how to spot a top horse. “She is named so because she looks and plays very similarly to her sister, Mexicana. I wanted to change her name, but I decided not to as she was my dad’s baby and one of his favourites; he named her, so I think I will keep it unless I think of something more meaningful. “I played her in Aspen, so at the moment she’s turned out, taking a break at Melissa Ganzi’s farm in Ocala, Florida – the Ganzi family have helped me a great deal – and then she’ll come back to Wellington at the end of the month to prepare for the Palm Beach season. She has a really bright future, so I’m really excited about how she is going to develop.” November/December overview Number of chukkas played: 0 Number of miles travelled: 0 Cost this month: $150 per month on grazing Total cost this month: $150
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SQUEAKY Age: 16 Height: 15hh Sex: Mare Type: Polo pony Name of owner: Matt Evetts Base: Inglesham Polo Club Level of polo expected: Beginners to intermediate “Squeaky was bred by Will Lucas – I think she has a little bit of New Zealand and English Thoroughbred in her and possibly some Criollo! She used to belong to my sister, Lucy Evetts, who played Pony Club polo on her, but sadly, Squeaky was sold when Lucy moved to London. However, six years later Squeaky has made it back to Inglesham and has quickly become one of the favourite school ponies! She is very handy and turns on a sixpence, often leaving everyone else behind. She is a great school pony because she is very easy to keep going; you don’t need to kick her on all the time, so she will go into gear and stay in it. Also she is never flustered by stick-wielding, enthusiastic students! “On non-lesson days, she will do at least 15 minutes of canter on a set, then she’ll play chukkas on the weekends, probably two to three lessons a week – often with Down House Girls School or Bath Spa students – exercise in between and then a day off as per usual on a Monday. She is fed pony mix, with some Baileys Number 4 for condition, chaff, and sugar beat with Blue Chip Balancer. “Squeaky only really travels to matches if Lucy wants to play her (she is still her favourite) as I prefer the ponies to play at home at Inglesham. However, she will be going to the University Nationals and possibly some polo at Longdole.” November/December overview: Number of chukkas played: 10 since beginning of November Number of miles travelled: 0 Cost this month: Shoeing £80 Total Cost: £80
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Pony running reports
RAINBOW Age: 6 Height: 15.1hh Sex: Mare Type: Argentine Thoroughbred Name of owners: Chris Crawford (CSC Polo)/ Tristan Pemble Base: Kirtlington Park Polo Club Level of polo expected: 10 goal in arena “Bred by the high goal team Cadenza, I acquired Rainbow as a three-year-old after the team disbanded. I backed her that year, and continued her education alongside my other youngsters at CSC Polo. She’s now six-years-old, and this summer she embarked on her first full season as a polo pony, playing up to 8 goal at various Clubs across the UK. As the summer drew to a close, we decided to try her out at the Kirtlington Sponsored Ride – despite her never having jumped before. She boldly tackled all the obstacles and has now gone on to compete in several hunter trials etc. “She has competed in the Puppy Walker Hunter Trials at Primrose Hill XC; run in the Novice class at the Grafton Hunt Team Chase with Kirtlington Stampede (placed third with only three seconds splitting the top three teams); hunted with the Bicester Hunt; came third in the Pairs class with the Whaddon Chase at the Bicester Hunt; and competed in the Whaddon Chase team chase over 3ft. 9” hedges with Agnes Stamp as her jockey. “Rainbow’s fitness regime includes a stint on the walker for an hour each day, as well as up to an hour of jump schooling, chukkas, lessons or general riding. She has the usual ‘polo day off’ on a Monday and so far she has also had a week of holiday in the field.” November/December overview: Number of chukkas played: 4 chukkas, 1 hunt meet, 2 clear round team chases, 2 hunter trial pairs. Number of miles travelled: 151 Cost this month: Shoeing £70, wormer £20 Total Cost: £90
MADGE
(ON THE BIAS)
Age: 4 Height: 15.2hh Sex: Mare Type: Thoroughbred Name of owner: Huw Beavan Base: Rugby Arena Polo Club Level of polo expected: Unsure. She is being retrained from racing “I bought Madge at the beginning of October from Tara Derry who is based in Rutland. She is an ex racehorse who I understand has run a couple of times under Frankie Dettori, although I don’t think she was placed. I think she came from America (breeding-wise she’s out of Storm Cat). “I spent the first few days mouthing her, followed by another few days long-reining. Since then, I have been working on neck-reining with her, whilst getting her head in the right position. I have also been asking her to respond to my leg aids. All of this is being done at a walk at the moment. She is a quick learner, has a very soft mouth and isn’t bothered by the stick. She’s also pretty relaxed in the arena when I’m teaching, which is great. I normally do about an hours work with her under saddle; occasionally she has a day off. I tend not to give youngsters too much time off as it breaks the momentum! “I bought her because I needed to expand my string and I am interested in making young ponies off the track as it’s far more cost effective than importing from abroad. I am always looking to turn ponies over, but she will go into my young horse string for 2015, then my main string for the season after before I have to sell her on, so Madge is a three-year project.”
November/December overview: Number of chukkas played: 0 Number of miles travelled: 0 Cost this month: Shoeing £30, Worming £20 Total Cost: £50
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PASSION Age: 13 Height: 15.1hh Sex: Mare Owner: Glen Armstrong Breeding: NZ Thoroughbred Base: Christchurch, New Zealand. Level of polo: 4-18 goal
Passion was previously owned by Guy Kirkpatrick who had her from the age of three, straight off the race track, and he retrained her to play polo. “Passion wintered really well and came in nice and chubby. I brought her in on the 1 October and have been getting her fit for the past month. Initially, in the first two weeks she did 20 minutes of walking and light trotting every day round the set track or hacking on the hills. This has then been increased to 20-30 minutes of trotting and cantering everyday. This has been broken up by long canters along the beach once a week. “At the moment, all of my horses are just playing practice chukkas and Passion is pretty fresh at the start of the season and bucked me off in our first practice! Despite this, she is my best horse, really powerful, but with a light mouth – she won Best Playing Pony at The Poverty Bay Open 12 goal 2011. She is just being fed on grass at the moment, but a couple of weeks before tournaments start I will feed her Fibre Protect and a high protein grain.”
November/December overview: Number of chukkas so far: 3 Number of miles travelled: 60km to beach & chukka practice Cost this month: NZD $70 (dentist) & Glen does his own shoeing Total Cost: NZD $70 Polo Times, November / December 2014
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Umpire’s corner with Sebastian Dawnay
Understanding arena rules from the perspective of a player and umpire As the arena season is underway Sebastian Dawnay talks to Polo Times about some of the rules and regulations of the game Sebastian Dawnay has been playing arena polo at the highest level for nearly two decades, both domestically and internationally. His career highlights include playing the Royal County of Berkshire’s coveted Arena Gold Cup eight times, going on to lift the trophy on an impressive six occasions; captaining England to victory in The Townsend Cup in January 2013 (a feat that was last achieved in 1923); and recently captaining Ireland in 2014 at the inaugural City Polo at Horse Guards. Dawnay has been lucky enough to play at some of the best arenas the sport has to offer and has witnessed a great deal of vital development in arena polo over the years. Dawnay also puts in the hours away from the action – he has been part of the HPA Arena Handicap Committee since the 2010/11 season and the Arena Rules Committee since the 2009/10 season yet has attended all the handicap and rules meetings since 2005. For Dawnay, one of the most exciting things about the winter polo culture is the mission to establish it as equally enjoyable for both players and spectators. For this very reason, rules are constantly being revisited, adapted and new rules adopted. How do the rules for arena differ from grass polo? Bryan Morrison was the man who started it all here in the UK after seeing arena polo being played in America. However, he recognised that the rules could be adapted slightly in order to make the game more fun, both to play and watch. The main differences in the rules from grass to arena are all about allowing continuous play. The rules were only born in the early ‘90s and so they are still in their infancy. This is why we have so many changes. As the game evolves, becomes faster and more popular, the committee have to constantly revisit and update the regulations, in particular to stop players from bending the rules. Positive and negative play are the main words banded around in any rules meetings. Why do teams not change ends after each goal is scored or line-up after a goal like grass polo? They aren’t changed to allow for continuous play. In outside polo, the rule was brought in to allow fairness for any dips in front of the goal, fields that slope away, trees behind the goals at one end or any other obstruction in the field. In the arena you have a consistent surface, straight walls and no interruptions at either goal so it isn’t necessary to make changes of ends. In America, even now, they still have throw-ins 82
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after goals are scored in the arena. Taking the spot hit, following a goal, and not lining-up for a throw-in makes for a faster game, which is infinitely more enjoyable for both spectators and players. Why do we give 2 points for goals scored outside of the 25 yard line? This rule was brought in to encourage players to score outside the 25 yard line. Instead of dribbling the ball around, we wanted players to shoot; not only does it make for a more positive game to play, but also creates more of a show for spectators. Personally, I think that the goals in most arenas are too small. The Green Book regulations state that arena goals should be 10’ – 12’ wide and 12’ – 14’ tall, in smaller arenas the goals may be reduced to no less than 8’ wide by 10’ tall. Having larger goals would not only make it easier to score in the arena, but it would also speed up the game. Two-a-side polo and three-a-side polo is mentioned in the Green Book. Is there likely to be a change to four aside polo in the arena, especially with the 2.4 acre arena in place at Dallas Burston Polo Club? It is unlikely that the rules will change to accommodate this as there is only the one arena at this size. The rules can be adapted for exhibition style arena games, but again they are
unlikely to ever be held in arenas this big. I think two-a-side will remain in the rules and is a great training method, and for getting horses fit. Also if you have a smaller arena it still allows you to teach as well as stick and ball. The ideal size for an arena stated in the Green Book is 300’ x 150’ which works out to a 100 x 50m arena. The minimum size is 150’ x 75’ which is 50 x 25m which is really only suitable for two on two. The ball testing Rule 1.d is quite strict with regard to size, weight and density. Has anyone ever been caught out? Do you test the balls prior to HPA tournaments for this or is this rule not really applicable? The players always know what they want to play with, the rule exists to try and create a standard so people don’t play with beach balls or something like that. The balls used should be no less than 15” or more than 16.5” in circumference and weigh between 130 – 150 grams. The rule does state how to perform a bounce test but the players know straight away if the balls aren’t right. In the arena there is one mounted and one unmounted umpire. Is there also a need for a third man in the arena situation when the mounted umpire has the final say in the severity of the foul and penalty? No I dont think so. The mounted umpire only has the power to choose where the penalty will be. This was brought in to eliminate problems with who could see clearly out of the two umpires as to where to place the foul. It works very well like this at the moment. You could have a third official, like the Polo Manager for example, looking for rough play, but really the system works well as it is. There should be a throw-in if there was ever a case where the two umpires disagree, but this doesn’t happen often. Sebastian Dawnay continues the conversation on arena rules in the next issue of Polo Times. Do you have a rules question or opinion? Send us a letter or email editor@polotimes.co.uk
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Sidelines
Virginitas Maldeikis & Tatiana Efimovich
Tom Linington & Tom Braitland
Sharon Farone & Caroline Pike
Rachel Karam & Tarak Debs Axel Douqué & Jaqueline Douqué
Champagne and Chukkas; Riviera Polo Club; France; 28 September 2014 Commentator Nicole Petchek & Simon Saveryes
Chic Chukka
Lahcene el Hamri with Lilly
Colette & Goanluca de Francisci
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To mark the end of the season on the French Riviera, the upand-coming Riviera Polo Club hosted an exhibition of polo to showcase the sport in the region. A really friendly event, we hope this happens every year when the sunshine is on the wane in the UK. After a VIP lunch of the best Provencal-inspired foods at the Terre Blanche Spa and Golf resort, guests enjoyed their introduction to polo action, which was played for at a fast pace, bathed in the last rays of summer. As the classic French party anthems began to pump out at the end of the final chukka the guests were in the mood to party; so naturally the champagne began to flow ever-more readily as the guests enjoyed the post-polo mood until sundown.
Gary Pike & Olga Risé
Polo Times, November / December 2014 Patrick Coot, Lahcene el Hamri & Alexia Pike
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Jamie Pike & Hocine Boudouaia
David Francotte
www.polotimes.co.uk Knut Domstein, Nikolay Domstein & Zarina Helle
James Fielding
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Teams line-up before the exhibition match
Revellers at Rock the Polo
Rock the Polo; 15 November 2014; Ash Farm Polo Club
Royally Rocking Organised by the Royal Holloway polo team and Ash Farm, this year’s Rock the Polo saw 200 guests descend on the arena. The black tie evening kicked off with an exhibition match, which saw RHUL (Seb Dawnay, Georgia Sweeney and James Mann) beat Ash Farm (Charlie Wooldridge, Charlotte Sweeney and Alex Vent) 8 goals to 4. After all that exertion – the players in the arena and the spectators cheering – everyone pounced on the hog roast and the bar, which means they were amply refueled to buy up lots of raffle tickets. Prizes included items donated by Joules, the Dorchester Collection, Sopranos restaurant and Smart Turnout London and helped raise £1,000 for the chosen charity Help for Heroes. Andrew Bassett & Kristina Karailieva
Photographs by Hugo Reade
Here come the girls!
Katherine Mordant & Ellie Norton-Bicknell
James Mann, Lesley Sweeney & Melissa Hicks
Phern Latta, Jennifer Hazel-Smith & Stephanie Dean
Sallie-Anne & Duane Lent
Harry Cranston & Susannah Mair
John Pierre & Zoe Bucknall
End of Season Ball; Sussex Polo Club; Saturday 11 October 2014
Awards Season Held at the Ravenswood Hotel, the Sussex Polo Club end of season ball was an exclusive and intimate event to celebrate another successful polo summer at the Club. Guests were welcomed with a champagne reception followed by a gourmet meal served with Argentine red wine – of course! The award winners were voted by members of the Club with popular couple, Catherine Isted and Malcolm Ford (known as Team Iconic) winning the coveted Player of the Year Award. The unstoppable and larger-than-life, Hugh McKie won Newcomer of the Year. Despite planning to only hire ponies for the season, Hugh ended up buying three before the summer was out. The inaugural Directors VIP Award chosen by Duane and Sallie-Anne Lent, went to Richard Buckfield for his contribution to the Club over the past nine years and the special care he has given to his horses. A VIP indeed. Richard Buckfield
Photographs by NND Photography
www.polotimes.co.uk Malcolm Ford & Catherine Isted
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Hugh McKie
Polo Times, November / December 2014 Chris Wightman
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Charlotte Barrett McGowan & Sallie-Anne Lent
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Wicklow Polo’s Herbst family Kate Haley, Michael Herbst, Wendy Herbst, Juliet Herbst, Fiona Herbst & Marco Herbst
Druids Lodge’s Josh Noakes, Grace Blest Hopley & Reda Shetty
Druids Lodge’s Giles Ormerod, Elizabeth Humphreys, Tae Ormerod & Abi Meakin
Winners of the Druids Lodge costume award – Mystery Inc made up of Sammi Dartnall, Robin Spicer, Harold Hodges, Elizabeth Humphreys & Theo Nuttal-Smith
Ghosts and Ghouls gather at many polo clubs across the country to celebrate Hallowe’en
Inglesham Polo’s Tom Seaton, Matt Evetts & Amy Young
Inglesham Polo Club, Polo Wicklow and Druids Lodge dressed up for hallowe’en themed parties and themed tournaments. From Mrs. Brown to scary jesters and the cast of Scooby Doo. Club members raised a glass to tournament winners and the best dressed costume winners. Inglesham Polo Club’s fancy dress prize went to Mike ‘jester’ Hobday and second prize to Hayden ‘Madd Hatter’ Trumen Grienke. Polo Wicklow also held their Novice Cup with a win going to Luciano Racca, David Hanlon, Robert Patton and the club also appointed their new president Denis Connolly. Druids Lodge Hallowe’en Tournament was won by “The Ghosts”; Josh Noakes, Peter Philips, Grace Blest Hopley and Henry Fuller. The winners of the costume award went to Mystery Inc. made up of Sammi Dartnall, Robin Spicer, Harold Hodges, Elizabeth Humphreys and Theo Nuttal-Smith. Photographs by Abi Meakin, Matt Evetts and Siobhan Herbst
The Druids Lodge dance floor
Druids Lodge’s Tarek El Ahmar, Michael Karlsson Greenhill & Tess Olley from Southampton University
Druids Lodge’s Tom Marr, Josh Noakes, Tess Olley, Tarek El Ahmar & Jess Richardson
Druids Lodge’s Harold Hodges, Kristina Karalieva, Grace Blest-Hopley & Elizabeth Humphreys from London University
Wicklow Polo’s Carol Hogan, Sarah Goodbody, Sue O’Doherty, Ray Doyle & Siobhan Herbst Wicklow Polo Hallowe’en speeches
The Druids Lodge Hallowe’en Tournament
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Congratulations Matias Amaya and Emily Johnson
Winners of the Druids Lodge Hallowe’en Trophy “The Ghosts”; Josh Noakes, Peter Philips, Grace Blest Hopley & Henry Fuller
Inglesham Polo’s Amy Young & Ed Shelton
The Warwickshire based team Rigby & Rigby’s 5 goal professional Matias Amaya and his partner Emily Johnson recently became parents for the first time. Isabel Rose Amaya-Johnson was born on Monday 6 October weighing in at 6lb 8oz and is pictured here with new ‘nanny’, Molly the dog.
Something in the Warwickshire water
The 4 goal professional Grant Collet, who also plays for Rigby & Rigby, and his wife Tessa, whose sister Emily Johnson also gave birth recently, welcomed their second daughter at 9.58am on Wednesday 10 November. The Polo Manager for Offchurch Bury Polo Club and her husband’s new daughter Abigail Diana Collett weighed in at 8lbs 3oz and is a baby sister to Megan, congratulations to Tessa and Grant!
Bunn baby
Inglesham Polo’s winner of the fancy dress competition Mike ‘jester’ Hobday
Druids Lodge’s UWE Polo Club Members
Druids Lodge’s Bradley Heslop & Col. Simon Goldstein
The All England Polo Club Chairman John Bunn and his partner Lucy Watson welcomed Douglas Richard Boris Bunn four weeks ahead of schedule on Thursday 4 October. Douglas weighed in at 5lbs 15oz and both baby and Lucy are doing well.
Wicklow Polo’s Ray Doyle picks up Charlie O’Reilly Hyland showing old ladies do have strength!
Tell us yours at gossip@polotimes.co.uk Anonymity guaranteed if you want it...
Inglesham Polo’s Hayden Truman Grienke, runner-up in the fancy dress competition, & Ellen Richards
Wicklow Polo’s players from the weekends tournament
New England Captain is having a great year
The new England Captain James Beim and his wife Lauren have doubled their luck with the arrival of Maxwell David Beim on Saturday 18 October. Sister Willow is said to be over the moon at having a new side-line companion. Only two more for a full polo team!
BBC Correspondent is introduced to polo Rowley Park Polo Club recently welcomed the BBC to their grounds to film the antiques show, Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is where the co expert, Caroline Hawley, showed Manager George Carter a riding hat that dated back to Victorian times. While Caroline was at the Club, George suggested she should try polo and on offering a very basic lesson, she accepted the task willingly. The programme is due to be screened in the spring. Rowley Park will issue the day and time once confirmed.
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Druids Lodge’s Tom Morrison, Sam Tay, Chloe Whitfield, Daisy Dunn, Ria Harteveld & Lily Warne
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Sidelines
Jessica Pollock
Rebecca Wills, Debbie Houghton, Scarlett Taylor-Marsh, Nikki Ferguson-Lees, Nick Wills, Jack & Lucy Dowie
Leo Stuart
End of Season Fun; Ham Polo Club; September
Ham Dresses Up
Freddie Ventura
Ham Polo Club hosted their annual ‘Billy Awards’ to recognise and celebrate those players who have improved or excelled over the season. Named after the Club’s founder, Billy Walsh, the awards were presented by the Chairman, Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers at the Great Gatsby-themed player’s black tie dinner. Martin Hay took the award for Most Improved Player, Good Fellowship went to Paul de Rivaz and Umpire of the Year was awarded to Will Healy. Katherine Smithwick picked up the prize for Lady Player of the Season whilst, for the first time ever, there were two winners of Player of the Year, Katy Letman and Martin Roman. Madness ensued on the last closing Sunday of the season after the Qatar Airways sponsored main matches, when players and members took to the pitch for a fancy dress competition. With a plethora of outfits on display, it was generally regarded that everyone was a winner. The evening finished with drinks and supper in the Clubhouse and a second appearance of the Ham Jam Band, made up of talented Ham Polo Club players. A very happy end to a great season. Photographs by Robert Piper Logan Anderson & Abi Mowat
Charlie Wood
Maria Eugenia, Cuauh Azmar & Robert Allton
Kate Lyndsay Fynn & Katy Letman
Nastassia Frey & Freddie Ventura
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Charlotte Freed & Martin Roman
Michelle Lawrence & Jaqueline Cox
Niul Wood & Kitty Sotol www.polotimes.co.uk
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Polo directory
Dates for your diary
What’s on in December 2014 and January 2015 UK highlights – Listed in date order Main Events/Test Matches
University Highlights
RCBPC – HPA Christmas National Club Championships (13-15 and 4-6): 1 – 14 December
Druids Lodge – Varsity Match – Exeter vs. UWE (OPEN): 7 December Druids Lodge – Christmas University Tournament (OPEN): 10 December Rugby – University Challenge Tournament (OPEN): 17 – 18 December
High Goal RCBPC – Paul Castle High Goal Challenge (13-15): 28 – 30 November
Medium Goal RCBPC – Arena Challenge Trophy (7-10): 19 – 21 December Rugby – The WPPG Cup (6-10): 20 – 21 December RCBPC – Metropolitan Trophy (8-12): December 27 – 4 January
Low Goal RCBPC – Chairman’s Trophy (2-6): 28 – 30 November Maywood – Christmas Tournament (2-4): 29 – 30 November Ascot Park – Front Room Cup (0-3): 29 – 30 November Vaux Park – Novices Challenge (0-2): 29 – 30 November Vaux Park – Sponsors Tournament (4-6): 29 – 30 November Rugby – The Sworder Trophy (-3-0 and 2-6): 6 – 7 December Ascot Park – Santa’s Challenge (2-6): 6 – 7 December Epsom – St. Stephen’s Day Cup (2-4): 6 – 7 December Vaux Park – Christmas Tournament (4-8): 13 – 14 December Rugby – The WPPG Cup (-2-2): 20 – 21 December RCBPC – The Richmond Trophy (2-6): 2 – 4 January Epsom – Cape Down Cup (2-4): 3 – 4 January Rugby – The New Year’s Cup (-3-0 and 4-8): 3 – 4 January Vaux Park – New Year’s Tournament (2-6): 3 – 4 January Ascot Park – Rangitiki Arena Trophy (2-6): 3 – 4 January Vaux Park – Smarties Challenge (6-8): 10 – 11 January Maywood – New Year Tournament (2-6): 10 – 11 January Ascot Park – The Ice Trophy (4-8): 17 – 18 January
Ladies AEPC – The Porto Polo Ladies Tournament (OPEN): 20 – 21 December
Open AEPC – Sponsors Tournament Weekend (OPEN): 6 – 7 December Rugby – T-Bone Challenge (OPEN): 9 December Vale of York – ABI Beach Challenge (OPEN): 14 December Cambridge County Polo Club – Mr. Claus Match: 14 December Druids Lodge – Druids Junior Trophy (OPEN): 17 December Longdole – Cotswold Hunt Pony Club Arena Tournament: 19 December Longdole – Xmas Club Tournament (OPEN): 20 – 21 December Vale of York – The Patrick Wilkinson Christmas Plate (OPEN): 24 December Druids Lodge – Druids Autumn League Finals Weekend (Pig Trophy) (OPEN): 27 – 28 December AEPC – The Hickstead Club Tournament (OPEN): 3 – 4 January Druids Lodge – Druids Spring League - Chatanooga (OPEN): January 3 – 8 March Vale of York – New Year Cup (OPEN): 4 January Rugby – T-Bone Challenge (OPEN): 13 January AEPC – The Arundal Tournament (OPEN): 17 – 18 January Longdole – Winter Club Tournament (OPEN): 24 – 25 January
Snow Polo Highlights Aspen, U.S.A. – World Snow Polo Championships: 19 December Val d’Isere, France – 20th BMW Polo Masters Tour (6-8): 4 – 17 January Munich, Germany – PIPA International Snow Polo Championship Tour: 4 – 6 January Kitzbühel, Austria – 13th Valartis Bank Snow Polo World Cup (10-12): 15 – 18 January Prague, Czech Republic – PIPA International Snow Polo Championship Tour: 16 – 18 January Megève, France – 20th BMW Polo Masters Tour (6-8): 22 – 25 January Tianjin, China – FIP Snow Polo World Cup (14-16): January 28 – 8 February St. Moritz, Switzerland – 31st St. Moritz Polo World Cup (17-18): January 29 – 1 February Klosters, Switzerland – PIPA International Snow Polo Championship Tour (Handicap TBC): January 30 – 1 February Courcheval, France – 20th BMW Polo Masters Tour (6-8): January 29 – 1 February Liechtenstien/ Austria – PIPA International Snow Polo Championship Tour (Handicap TBC): 13 – 15 February Bad Gastein, Austria – PIPA International Snow Polo Championship Tour (Handicap TBC): February 27 – 1 March Gröden/ Wolkenstein, Italy – PIPA International Snow Polo Championship Tour (Handicap TBC): 13 – 15 March
International Highlights Argentina
Palermo – Argentine Open (28-40): November 15 – 6 December Pilar – Mixto Pilar (Ladies Tournament): 18 – 23 November Pilar – IV Mix Cup (Ladies Tournament): 24 – 28 November Buenos Aires – FIP 85th Ambassador Cup: November 28 – 2 December Pilar – The Maharani (Ladies Tournament): 1 – 5 December Pilar – La Aguada Ladies Cup (16): 8 – 12 December Pilar – Myriam Heguy Cup (12): 12 December
Australia Brisbane – Polo in the City: 22 November Windsor Polo Club – Riverlands Ladies International: 22 – 23 November Melbourne – Polo in the City: 29 November Perth, Langley Par – Polo in the City: 6 December Adelaide – Polo in the City: 12 December Victorian Polo Club – Open Invitation D Grade (0, 4 and 6): 13 – 14 December
Dominican Republic Casa de Campo – FIP Zone A Playoffs Mexico, Canada, USA, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic (14): 5 – 16 December
India Manipur – 150th Anniversary International Tournament: 20 – 28 November Jodhpur Polo and Equestrian Institute – British Polo Day: 12 – 14 December
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Dates for your diary
Polo directory
Peru
Thailand
FIP World Championship Qualifiers Zone B – Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Uruguay: 25 – 29 November
Polo Escape – International Women’s Tournament (OPEN): 1 – 5 January For a full list of all the tournaments and results dating back to 2007 visit www.polotimes.co.uk
Spain Ibiza Polo Club – 3rd New Year Polo Cup: 26 – 28 November
Foul for thought… Answer
Singapore
A Penalty 9 is when a match is forfeited and is only awarded in the arena. It can be used by the umpires in the case of extreme weather or even if one of the teams were showing particularly bad behaviour. There will be more on the rules of arena with HPA Umpire Committee member Sebastian Dawnay in the January/ February issue.
Singapore Polo Club – Grooms Cup: 6 – 7 December Singapore Polo Club – Battle of the Sexes: 13 – 14 December
Club contacts UK and Ireland CLUB
PHONE
All Ireland Polo Club
+353 (0) 1 6896732 dstone@indigo.ie
* denotes winter arena polo venue hTo contact the HPA, tel: 01367 242828
CLUB
PHONE
Lacey Green Polo Club
07956 525222
mfdarritchon@fibertel.com.ar jameshreeve@hotmail.com
All England Polo Club Hickstead* 01273 834 315
polo@hickstead.co.uk
Leadenham Polo Club
01400 272885
Ascot Park Polo Club*
01276 858545
info@polo.co.uk
Little Bentley
01206 250435
fred@littlebentleypark.co.uk
Ash Farm Polo Club*
07799 812739
ashfarmpolo@hotmail.com
Longdole Polo Club*
01452 864544
jo@longdolepolo.com
Asthall Farm Polo Club
01367 860207
ashfarmpolo@hotmail.com
Luton Hoo
07934 882713
poloprive1@gmail.com
Apsley End
01462 712444
peter.pollak@btopenworld.com
Lychett Heath
01202 623985
office@lytchettpolo.co.uk alec@mhfpolo.co.uk
Beaufort Polo Club
01666 880510
enquiries@beaufortpoloclub.co.uk
Moor Hall Farm Polo Club*
01279 450637
Beverley Polo Club*
01964 544877
info@beverleypoloclub.co.uk
Moyne
+353 85 1313224
moynepolo@hotmail.com
Binfield Heath
01491 411969
bhpcmanager@googlemail.com
New Forest Polo Club
02380 811818
info@newforestpoloclub.co.uk
Blueys Polo Club*
0771 0558485
polomanager@blueyspolo.co.uk
Norfolk Polo Club
01508 480400
office@norfolkpolo.co.uk
Bunclody Polo Club
00 353 87 6605917 info@poloclubbunclody.com
Northern Ireland Polo Club
02890 727905
shutchinson@tayto.com
Burningfold Polo Club
01483 200722
info@burningfoldpolo.co.uk
Offchurch Bury Polo Club*
07816 830887
info@offchurchburypoloclub.co.uk
Cambridge County Polo Club
01223 812922
info@cambridgecountypoloclub.co.uk
Pangbourne Polo Club
07708 906810
aprice@polofix.com
Chester Racecourse Polo Club
01244 304602
ctaylor@chester-races.com
Peover Polo Club
07876 254110
polomanager@peoverpoloclub.co.uk
Cheshire Polo Club
01270 611 100
info@cheshirepoloclub.co.uk
RAF Cranwell
07739 569491
rafcranwellpoloclub@yahoo.co.uk
Cirencester Polo Club
01285 653225
kim@cirencesterpolo.co.uk
Ranelagh Polo Club*
01344 885697
polo@ranelaghfarm.com
Cowdray Polo Club
01730 813257
enquiries@cowdraypolo.co.uk
Ranksboro Polo Club*
01572 720046
joe@ranksboropolo.co.uk
CSPA
01672 5649114
markcann@cspa.org.uk
RCBPC*
01344 890060
info@rcbpoloclub.com
Curraghmore Polo Club
00353 51 387102
mkennedy@cssgroup.ie
RMAS Polo Club
07738 414133
rmas-stables-polo-oic@mod.uk
Dallas Burston Polo Club*
01926 812409
april@dbpoloclub.com
Royal Navy Polo Club
07950 328097
jockiewilson@hotmail.co.uk
Druids Lodge Polo Club*
01722 782597
abi@druidspolo.co.uk
Rugby Polo Club*
01788 817724
huw@rugbypoloclub.com
Dundee and Perth Polo Club*
07831 365 194
gillian@glockhart.wanadoo.co.uk
Rutland Polo Club
01572 724568
polomanager@rutlandpoloclub.co.uk
Eastwood
07875 743475
secretary@eastwoodpolo.co.uk
Rockett’s Castle
353 87 2520301
rcpoloclub@gmail.com
Edgworth Polo Club
01285 821695
edgeworthpolo@gmail.com
Rowley Park Polo Club*
07971 200160
carterlegeorge@hotmail.co.uk
Edinburgh Polo Club*
01314 496696
djamesjamie@aol.com
Silver Leys Polo Club
07535 697854
silverleyspoloclub@gmail.com
Epsom Polo Club*
07961 232106
epsompoloclub@hotmail.com
St. Albans Polo lub
07535 697854
info@stalbanspoloclub.co.uk
Fifield Polo Club*
01628 620061
fifieldpoloclub@live.co.uk
Suffolk Polo Club
07990 576974
aes3@cam.ac.uk
FHM Polo Club
07778 436468
fhmpolo@yahoo.co.uk
Sussex Polo Club
01342 714920
admin@sussexpolo.co.uk
Guards Polo Club*
01784 434212
polo@guardspoloclub.com
SWF*
01962 885500
info@maywoodpolo.com
Cambridge Polo Club*
07711 217004
info@haggisfarmpolo.com
Taunton Vale Polo Club
01823 480460
jstanhopewhite@aol.com
Ham Polo Club
020 8334 0000
polomanager@hampoloclub.com
Tidworth Polo Club*
01980 846705
tidpolo@tiscali.co.uk
Heathfield Polo Club*
07762 069 420
chris@cscpolo.com
Toulston Polo Club
01422 372529
info@toulstonpoloclub.com
Hertfordshire Polo Club*
01707 256023
polo@hertspolo.co.uk
Vale of York Polo Club
07788 426968
info@valeofyorkpoloclub.co.uk
Higham Polo Club
07788 753948
sarah@highampoloclub.com
Vaux Park Park Polo Club*
07703 524613
vauxpark@gmail.com
Hurtwood Polo Club
01483 272828
hurtwoodparkpolo@btconnect.com
West Wycombe Park Polo Club* 01494 264725
secretary@westwycombepolo.co.uk
Inglesham Polo Club*
01367 358051
mattevetts@hotmail.com
White Rose Polo Club
01430 875767
info@whiterosepolo.co.uk
Kirtlington Park Polo Club
01869 350138
secretary@kirtlingtonparkpolo.co.uk
White Waltham Polo Club
07748 670587
kim@playpolo.co.uk
Knepp Castle Polo Club
07920 023639
info@aspectpolo.co.uk
Wicklow Polo*
+353 404 67164
siobhan@polowicklow.com
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Amazing Bay Schoolmaster. 15.1HH English Thoroughbred gelding. 14 years old. True gentleman. Kind & easy to play. No vices. Ideal for low goal level. Good to shoe, box, clip. Winters well and has always played sound. Full vetting welcome. Reluctant sale £8,000. Northants. Tel: 0123 000000
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Groom wanted for Wiltshire polo yard. Sole charge of 6 pones for 2014 season. Previous polo experience essential. Chance to play some chukkas etc. Reliability essential. On-site accommodation Tel: 0123 000000
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Amazing Bay Schoolmaster. 15.1HH English Thoroughbred gelding. 14 years old. True gentleman. Kind & easy to play. No vices. Ideal for low goal level. Reluctant sale £8,000. Northants. Tel: 0123 000000
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Polo directory Located in the heart of the New Zealand Polo Scene we offer Polo for beginners and experienced players alike, together with an unforgettable Kiwi holiday experience. Chukkas, matches and tournaments at the famous Waimai Club plus farm chukkas trekking and beach rides. Holidays tailored to suite your requirements. Reduced rates for early bookings, Groups, Schools and Universities.
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OLD BAY MARE both arena and grass al pro. Plenty of ability just needs finishing. ce ÂŁ5,000. Tel: erts)
Y CLUB PONY 13-13.2 Pony Club old girl. After an all good jumper and th other ponies. 5 ll time groom. Bucks. arcus on meastwell@
17:10
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POLOTACKSHOP Closing down sale‌lowest prices guaranteed!
Polo Times, November / December 2014
97
21/11/2014 17:56
Final bell
In association with Aprés Polo
International polo player, Sarah Wiseman
Charley Larcombe talks to the successful 2 goaler about her polo heroes, her toughest opponents and how polo enables her to see the world. What is your favourite polo memory? Having played for 18 years, I have a few! One of my greatest moments was taking to the field wearing an England shirt for The Ladies International Match against the USA in Florida in 2012... and winning! Favourite teammates? It’s always a lot of fun going on tour for the ladies circuit and playing with Claire Brougham – we’ve won a lot of tournaments together too. Favourite polo venue? Cowdray Park. I have a lot of fond memories playing there. If you weren’t involved in the sport, what would you be doing as a career? Probably sat in an office somewhere putting my marketing degree to some use! Person you would most like to meet? I have been lucky to meet most of my polo heroes, although I would have loved to have sat and talked about horses to the late, great Carlos Gracida. He was a magician on horseback. What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you? Probably ripping my jeans right across my bottom during the first chukka of a University polo match, having to continue to play and then go to the prize-giving flashing some very unattractive pants! Favourite film? Gladiator (I have “Unleash Hell” on the back of my helmet) or, anything with Will Ferrell makes me smile! 98
Polo Times, November / December 2014
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Most prized material possession? My cowboy boots. Who has had the biggest influence on your life? My mum. She has supported me so much throughout my polo career. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without her! Which has been your proudest polo achievement to date? Winning the Most Outstanding Lady Player Award at The 2013 Audi Polo Awards. What do you like/dislike about playing women’s polo? I like the fact that the level and quality of ladies polo has improved so much in the last five years. It is really very competitive, which is great for the lady players of the future. I also love that we get to travel the world playing the sport we love in a professional capacity. I dislike the reputation it had in the past but that is all changing now. Who would be your dream polo team? I have just come back from playing in Arizona where we played as an all-lady side with some of my heroines: Sunny Hale, Caroline Anier and Paola Martinez. They are such great lady players that have done so much in the sport, so it was such an honour to take to the field with them. I would love to team up with Sunny and Nina [Clarkin] one day and play a mixed tournament. Which is your favourite polo pony in your string and why? I love them all, but it would have to be Janice. My mum bought her for me 10 years ago from Johnny Wade and she is amazing. I have played my best polo on her and she always gives 110%. She is a sweetie off the field too. Sadly she is getting on a bit now, but I might trot her out for a few games in the summer.
If you could have one top player’s string, whose would it be? I would love to sit on Cuartetera. She looks like my type of horse... so I guess it would be Cambiaso’s string. I may as well try the best! What makes you angry? Having a bad game! I don’t mind losing, but I like to know I have done all I can to win. If you could change one thing in polo, what would it be? The perception that it is a male dominated, elite sport. Anyone can play. I’m not from a polo playing family – I just tried it and fell in love with the sport. Which polo person offers the best advice? Everyone has little tricks or ideas. These pearls of wisdom can come from the greatest players in the world or from the novices out there. I learn something new every time I step onto the polo field from my teammates or from the opposition. In terms of advice on my career as a professional female polo player, I love quizzing Sunny Hale about all she has achieved and how she did it.
Photographs by Tony Ramirez/ www.imagesofpolo.com
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T HERE ARE STORIES THAT DESERVE TO BE CAPTURED FOREVER.
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Official Timekeeper of Cowdray Park Polo Club