THE BRITISH OPEN POLO CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE
GOLD CUP
SEMI FINALS
WEDNESDAY 16 TH JULY 2025
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my great honour and privilege to welcome you all to the 2025 British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup, held here at the prestigious Cowdray Park. I am thrilled to see so many familiar faces as well as new enthusiasts who have come to witness the pinnacle of British polo. This event is not only a celebration of the sport but also a testament to the rich heritage and tradition that Cowdray Park has upheld for generations. Our grounds have seen some of the most exhilarating moments in polo history, and this year promises to be no exception.
The dedication, skill, and sportsmanship of the teams competing this year are truly remarkable, and I am confident that we are in for a series of thrilling matches.
To our players, I extend my deepest admiration for your hard work, passion, and the spirit of competition you bring to the field. Your talent and determination are the heart of this event, and we are here to celebrate each of you.
To our spectators, whether you are joining us for the first time or have been part of our community for many years, thank you for your enthusiasm and support. Your presence adds a vibrant energy to this event, and it is your passion for the sport that makes the Cowdray Gold Cup such a special occasion.
Welcome to the Cowdray Gold Cup 2025. Let the games begin!
Michael Cowdray
09:30 Gates open
TIMINGS
12:00 Match 1 - The Ellerston Cup
12:45 Half time competitions
13:30 Ellerston Cup prize giving
16:00 Match 2 - The Tramontana Cup
16:45 Half time competitions
17:30 Tramontana Cup prize giving
18:00 The SafeRock UK Roda Polo Championship
19:30 Last orders
WHAT’S ON TODAY
SHOPPING
» Debbie J Harris Art
» Hide & Seek accessories
» The Surrey Copper Distillery
» Peony
» Carolina-Joy
» Jennifer Bell
» Hook Polo
» Bumbazi London
» Off The Rails
» Paseo Equestrian Limited
» Augustine Jewels
» Memsahib Collections
» HUSK
» The Well Heeled Hippy
» Pin piuma
» Boat Club Trafalgar
» Polo Splice Ltd
» Encompass Furniture & Accessories Ltd
» FINLAY & CO
» Clairefortartist
» Jewel House Rocks
» Pegaso Saddlery
» Finishing Touches
» Estribos Argentina
FOOD & DRINK
» SWC Burger Grill
» Little Fish
» Lisa’s Pizza
» T&M Ices
» Ollies Greek Gyros
» Gusbourne Sparkling Wine Bar
» Hawkstone Public Bar
» Howies Coffee
PARTNER ACTIVATIONS:
Gusbourne are giving spectators the chance to win an exclusive collectors’ membership worth £800. Look out for the QR code to enter by visiting the Gusbourne terrace. The winner will receive a yearlong membership with quarterly deliveries of fine and limited-edition wines. Terms and conditions apply.
Join Bentley Motors to experience the pinnacle of Horsepower meeting Horsepower.
Visit their stunning display to experience unrivalled luxury automotive prowess, discover two of their most newest models and find out more about this iconic British car.
The U.S. Polo Assn. token drop will also return for 2025. Every half time, one token worth £250 in apparel will be dropped on the field for our lucky spectators to find. Find the token and return it to the U.S. Polo Assn. tent to claim the coveted prize.
ONE
Information Point
Members’ Only Grandstand
Private Enclosures
Pearson Private Pagodas
Lawns Enclosure
Brooks Enclosure
Members’ Enclosure
Gazebo Picnic Area
Public Picnic Area
Horseboxes and Players’ Parking
Centenary Front Row Parking
Press
Non-viewing Gazebo Parking
Ruins Front Row Parking
Members’ Parking
Members’ Overflow Parking
Public Parking
Pearson Pagodas and
Brooks Enclosure Parking
Disabled Parking
First Aid
Toilets
Shops
SHOWTIME
FRIDAY 18 TH JULY 2025
6.00p m » start | 10.30p m » end LAWNS POLO GROUNDS GU29 0AJ
THE ELLERSTON CUP
The Ellerston Cup is solid silver. The cup has two scroll handles with acanthus caps. It has a circular stemmed pedestal base mounted on to a shaped cut corner square wooden plinth surrounded by silver plates. These plates are engraved with past winners from 2007 to the present day.
The body of the cup is engraved with ‘The Ellerston Cup’. The Ellerston Cup was introduced in 2007, along with the Tramontana Cup, these cups are presented to the winners of the Gold Cup semi-finals.
HALLMARKED: SHEFFIELD 1923
MAKERS MARK: JAMES DEAKIN AND SONS
THE TRAMONTANA CUP
The Tramontana Cup is solid silver. This cup is a large Victorian vase shaped trophy and has two reeded loop handles and a gilded inside, with a leaf decoration on the base of the bowl. It has a circular pedestal base which is mounted on a wooden plinth surrounded by a single silver band. This band is engraved with past winners from 2006 to the present day.
The body of the cup is engraved with ‘Cowdray Park Polo Club. The Tramontana Trophy.’ And has the Cowdray Park Polo Club crest engraved onto it.
HALLMARKED: LONDON 1893
MAKERS MARK: CHARLES STUART HARRIS
THE CHRISTOPHER HANBURY TROPHY
The Christopher Hanbury Trophy is awarded to the Best Mounted English Player in the Gold Cup.
Major Christopher Hanbury, sadly passed away on 10 May 2022, aged 78. His family have dedicated a cup in his name to the Gold Cup Semi Final.
In 2005 he was appointed chairman of the Hurlingham Polo Association, a position he held until 2008. He was one of the most significant figures in polo, internationally renowned
with friends and colleagues all over the world.
Major and Mrs Hanbury’s sons Charlie and George took on the reins of polo with the same enthusiasm and won the Gold Cup in 2018 for their all-English team.
The Hanbury Cup represents the lasting impact that Christopher dedicated and built in the polo world. He was much loved by all those who knew him, especially for his legendary sense of humour and his affable, caring demeanour. We thank the Hanbury family for providing this cup and working with Cowdray Park Polo Club to honour Christopher Hanbury at the Gold Cup.
BEST PLAYING PONY RUGS
Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) is British Horseracing’s official charity for the welfare of horses that have retired from racing.
RoR’s Vision is for all former racehorses to enjoy a good life. ‘A life wellloved is a life well lived’ and our Mission is to safeguard the wellbeing of all former racehorses by:
» Setting and assuring retraining standards to support their successful transition out of racing and provide training and education for their new owners to help develop lifetime partnerships.
» Creating an engaged and engaging RoR community.
» Increasing the demand for former racehorses by promoting their versatility in a wide variety of equestrian activities and provide opportunities for participation in competitions.
» And on behalf of the racing industry, we will keep track of them and support any former racehorse in need.
RoR annually stages over 40 separate competition series across 15 different disciplines, catering for all levels of ability, from grassroots to elite. For the 10,000 plus thoroughbreds currently registered with RoR, there is an abundance of opportunities to compete against one another in disciplines such as dressage and showing, as well as bespoke series and classes in another dozen activities. Consequently, there is now an increasing demand for former racehorses among the wider equestrian community.
THE ELLERSTON CUP
THE TRAMONTANA CUP
RODA POLO TOURNAMENT 2025
WHAT IS RODA POLO?
A 3-a-side sport where you can experience the speed, teamwork and dynamics of polo in the UK - riding an e-wheel.
WHERE DID IT START?
In 2019 former Argentine polo player Javier Tanoira spotted kids riding their eWheels on the polo field and enjoying tapping the ball - Javier thought they might be on to something. After giving it a go himself, he became instantly hooked. Javier is keen to promote the new sport to the UK and has teamed up with former England Polo Team Captain, Henry Brett, to help expand Roda Polo to the UK.
EXPLAINED POLO
Reproduced by kind permission of
PLAYERS ON EACH TEAM 4
Number 1
The attacking player and goal scorer, whose job it is to also mark the opposing Number 4.
Number 2
Mid-attacking position. Often marks opposing Number 3.
Number 3
Mid-attacking position. Often marks opposing Number 2.
Number 4
Defensive player, the ‘backdoor’ for the team and usually has a very strong backhand. Also marks the opposing Number 1.
For safety reasons, all players must use their right hand to hold the stick, leading to the common practice of offside shots - hitting the ball from the right side of the pony. If a player wishes to strike the ball on the left side, they cannot switch stick hands but must lean over their horse and make the shot from the left side.
Polo is one of the only contact sports in which both men and women can play competitively alongside each other. There is no discrimination and the women play just as hard as the men! Female-only polo has gained momentum as a separate area of the sport, with women’s handicaps introduced ten years ago.
Polo ponies tend to measure from around 15 to 15.2 hands high – there are four inches in a hand. Due to the nature of the sport, polo ponies are required to stop and turn on a sixpence, go from standstill to top speed as quickly as possible, be able to face oncoming horses, tolerate flying sticks and balls, and ride-off other horses.
Hooking is one of the most commonly used defensive plays that you will see in polo. Hooking is when a player blocks their opponent’s swing with their own stick. A player cannot hook across a pony or above shoulder height.
The right of way is the primary rule of the sport. Whenever the ball is in play, the player right on, or at the smallest angle to, the line of the ball will have the right of way, with the line of the ball being the path along which the ball is or has been travelling. No player is allowed to position himself and his pony on the line of the ball if this poses the slightest risk of collision with the player currently holding the right of way.
-2to10
Every polo player is assigned a handicap, a ranking system that commences at -2 for novices and reaches 10 for the most exceptional players globally. Handicaps can vary between countries and for different polo formats, be it arena or outdoor play. In matches where two teams face off, any disparity in their handicaps is reconciled by awarding the team with the lower handicap the corresponding number of goals, ensuring a balanced and fair competition.
EXPLAINED POLO
Reproduced by kind permission of
All players are required to wear a helmet while playing, the style and safety standard of the helmet varies by country, with three-point harnesses usually required to bring polo in line with other equine disciplines.
In a departure from some other sports, teams switch scoring directions after each goal. This practice aims to level the playing field and negate any potential advantage related to factors like wind direction.
A player may not catch, kick, direct or hit the ball with anything but their stick. They may block with any part of their body but not with an open hand. They may not carry the ball intentionally.
A goal judge is placed behind each goalmouth, their job is to indicate whether the ball went through the goalposts (or not) by waving their flag and to place the ball on the back linefor hit ins.
There are two umpires present on the field during matches, there is also a third umpire who watches from the sidelines and is required when the two umpires on the field cannot make a decision.
The cane of a polo stick (or mallet) is most commonly made out of bamboo and the ball is hit with the wide face of the stick in polo, not the end as in croquet. Most professionals tend to use a stick measuring between 51-53 inches and they alter the length of the stick depending on the height of their pony.
RAll players must play with the stick in their right hand: it is illegal to play with the stick with the left hand. Therefore players who are left-handed, such as HRH The Prince of Wales must learn to play with their right hand.
In the normal duration of a match, a pony must not play for more than 7½ minutes without a 10 minute break or 15 minutes in total. Players often credit at least 80% of their performance to their ponies.
In polo, as in many sports, there’s a strict no-tolerance policy for disputing the umpire or using inappropriate language. Umpire decisions are absolute, emphasising a culture of respect and fair play.
Each match played at the level today is divided into four chukkas, each lasting seven minutes. A bell signals the end of each chukka, followed by a 30-second overtime. If there’s a penalty, goal, or the ball goes out during this period, the chukka concludes. The final chukka ends at the first sound of the seven-minute bell, unless the teams are tied.
Polo boots and protective kneepads must always be worn during play and white jeans or breeches for matches.
SOCIAL MEMBERSHIP
Social membership at Cowdray Park Polo Club offers a relaxed and beautiful setting for all to enjoy the ‘Game of Kings’. As the home of British polo, Cowdray Park Polo Club prides itself on making polo accessible to all.
MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
» Free entry to all polo matches, including the Gold Cup semi-finals and final, for a member and guest (excluding junior membership)
» Over 25 reciprocal sporting events – full calendar to be launched pre-season
» Access to the Clubhouse and Members’ enclosure at all matches
» Complimentary diary, a commemorative badge and car pass
» Invitations to all the Club’s social events and exclusive members events throughout the season
» Regular e-newsletters with match reports, club updates and the seasons latest news
» Preferential rate at the Clubhouse at Ambersham
» A complimentary copy of the CPPC Yearbook
Join us at cowdraypolo.co.uk/membership
COWDRAY’S
Maize Maze
Maize Maze
AND FLOWER PICKING PATCH
OPENING 1 ST AUGUST 2025
Cowdray’s Maize Maze is back with an exciting Wild West theme!
Throughout August, enjoy exploring the maze, complete the stamp trail and take in the scenery from our viewing platform. You can also wander through our sunflower and wildflower picking patch and take a bunch home.
This year, we will be hosting a number of exclusive events at the Maze including a Harvest Hoedown, Open-Air Cinema evenings and live music every Friday. Book early to avoid disappointment.
Tickets £7.50, 3’s and under go free. To book, please visit: www.cowdray.co.uk/events or simply scan the QR code.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
KEEP UP TO DATE
» COWDRAY TV
Purchase your tournament pass via our website to watch all the games in the British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup 2024.
» SOCIALS
Instagram / Facebook / TikTok: @cowdraypolo
LinkedIn: Cowdray Park Polo Club
» WEBSITE
Follow all the action leading up to the final stages of the British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup on our website cowdraypolo.co.uk
SATURDAY 19 TH JULY 2025
5.30p m » start | 12.00a m » end LAWNS POLO GROUNDS GU29 0AJ
GUIDE TO POLO
The object of Polo is for a team to score more goals than its opposition to win the game. Each team of four is made up of attackers and defenders, but all members of a polo team are expected to be flexible and make any play whether offensive or defensive and change position as necessary to benefit the team.
PLAYERS HANDICAPS
Each player is given a handicap from -2 to 10 goals depending on his ability. The lowest handicap is -2 and 10 is the highest. A team’s handicap rating is calculated by adding together the 4 players’ handicaps. The handicap of teams entering the Cowdray Gold Cup is 20-22 goals.
THE TEAM
A team is made up of 4 players with each numbered 1 to 4. Each position has a purpose; No.1 and No.2 are the forwards, No.3 is the pivot position (usually the best player in the team) and No.4 (or Back) is the goal defender.
DURATION OF PLAY
Matches are divided into chukkas. In the UK, there are between 4 and 6 chukkas in a match, the number of which depends on the level of the polo (low goal – 4 chukkas, medium goal – 5 chukkas, high goal – 6 chukkas). Each chukka lasts 7 minutes, with an interval of 3 minutes between each one. At half time, the interval is extended and spectators are invited onto the pitch to tread in the divots. The bell is rung at the end of each 7-minute period. Play continues until the ball goes out of play, the umpire stops play for a foul, or the bell is rung for a second time 30 seconds after the first bell. In the final chukka, the match ends after the first bell.
UMPIRES & MATCH OFFICIALS
There are 2 mounted umpires on the pitch following the game and a third man (or referee) in the stands who acts as the arbitrator if the umpires cannot agree. There is a goal judge behind each goal and they will wave a flag when a goal is scored. The scorer and the timekeeper record the goals and track the timing and sound the bell at the end of each chukka.
CHANGING ENDS
Polo is probably the only game in which the teams change ends when a goal is scored, thus equalling out any ground or weather advantage.
THE START
Play starts with the umpire throwing in the ball between the two teams lined up in front of him. In the same way play is restarted after a goal is scored or if the ball goes out over the side boards. If the ball goes over the back line, there is a hit-in by the defending team. There is no offside in polo.
GUIDE TO POLO CONTINUED
RULES OF PLAY
Right of Way – During play there is an imaginary “line of the ball”, which is generally the direction in which the ball is travelling at any one moment. When a player has established the right of way along that line, it may not be crossed by an opposing player if there is the slightest risk of collision.
Crossing – Any player who crosses the player holding the right of way close enough to be dangerous or cause a player to slow up, commits a foul.
Riding Off – pushing another player and his horse out of the way using your horse is permitted, whether the other man is playing the ball or not. But it must not be done by charging in at a dangerous angle, nor must the man in possession of the ball be crossed.
Hooking sticks – A player may hook an opponent’s stick provided he is on the same side of the opponent as the ball, or directly behind him, and provided the stick is below the level of the opponent’s shoulder. Players must not attempt to hook an opponent in front of the pony’s legs.
PENALTIES
Different types of penalties are awarded depending of the nature of the foul:
• Penalty No 1 – Automatic goal
• Penalty No 2 – 30 yd hit to an open goal
• Penalty No 3 – 40 yd hit to an open goal
• Penalty No 4 – 60 yd hit to a defended goal
• Penalty No 5 – A hit from the spot where the foul was committed
• Penalty No 5B – A hit from the centre of the ground. This is used when the defending team are attacking from their own half.
HEALTH & SAFETY
We very much hope that you will enjoy your day at Cowdray Park Polo Club, where accidents are very rare BUT polo is a dangerous sport.
Neither CPPC nor the Cowdray Estate can accept any responsibility for injuries to persons or property on this ground. The following safety rules must be observed:
» Please ensure that you watch the movement of the ball during play at all times and keep yourselves, friends, family and dogs out of the safety zone area.
» Please ensure you supervise your children who will not be as diligent as you.
» Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times.
» All guest access to the pony lines, lorry parking areas and agricultural machinery is strictly forbidden.
» Alcohol may be consumed only by those aged eighteen or over. We operate a ‘Challenge 25’ policy in all bars.
» No private barbecues allowed.
» No E-wheels allowed.
» Vehicles are admitted on condition that Cowdray Park Polo Club shall not be liable for damage to any vehicle. Anything in or on or about any vehicle howsoever such a loss or damage may be caused.
» Please report any suspicious packages to a member of staff
Cowdray Park Polo Club has a duty of care to all Gold Cup attendees and wishes everyone an enjoyable time. Anyone judged to be putting themselves or others at risk may be asked to leave the grounds by officials of the club.
Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 0AQ
COWDRAY PARK POLO CLUB