Cowdray House and the Estate date back to 1273, when the original manor house was built across the River Rother from the town of Midhurst in West Sussex. Over five centuries Cowdray Estate has secured a reputation for being one of the greatest sporting estates and picturesque locations in England.
Home of the Viscount Cowdray, the family have owned the estate since 1908. They have welcomed friends and guests to share in their love of sport and wellbeing.
Cowdray has been at the heart of the English summer season for over a century. It hosts the internationally recognised British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup in July, set against the backdrop of the Cowdray Ruins.
Polo teams from around the world flock to Cowdray to participate throughout the season. One of the most important events on the British social calendar, the Gold Cup attracts the largest single polo audience in the United Kingdom.
In addition to its prestigious Polo Club, within its 16,000 acres, Cowdray Estate enterprises include:
- Polo Academy
- Golf Club
- Shooting School
- Farm Shop & Café
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House & Events
- Accommodation
- Wellbeing
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Heritage
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Fishing
- Property
- Farming
- Forestry
Cowdray House is nestled discreetly in 110 acres of private gardens with Capability Brown landscaped flowing water to the rear.
The fourth and current Lord Cowdray lived in Cowdray House with his wife Lady Marina Cowdray and their five children until 2011, when the house saw a transition from family home to luxurious, yet intimate exclusive use venue. The family home feel has been maintained, this is not a hotel. Life has returned to the house in the form of weddings, house parties, business retreats, product launches, press events, polo on the original House Ground and even wellbeing escapes.
The House at a glance:
- 22 beautiful bedrooms
- Stunning event spaces
- Indoor & Outdoor swimming pool
- Bowling alley
- Tennis court
- Croquet Lawn
- Cricket Pitch
- Helicopter Landing Area
Cowdray Park Polo Club is often described as the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ of the Cowdray Estate. For the last century, Cowdray Park has been at the forefront of professional polo in the UK and internationally.
Competitive polo has been played at Cowdray since 1910, when it was founded as a small country club by the Pearson family. Following WWII, John Cowdray, the 3rd Viscount Cowdray established the Club as one of the most famous polo clubs in the world, securing its place at the pinnacle of the sport, nationally and internationally. Having lost his left arm at Dunkirk in 1940, John Cowdray had an artificial arm adapted so that he could hold the reins with a hook and continue to play polo. He proceeded to build his surviving string of twelve polo ponies to make the UK’s leading string. He loaned ponies to other players to increase participation in the sport.
In 1953, Cowdray Park hosted the first Coronation Cup, where teams from the UK, USA, Argentina and Chile competed. The final drew a crowd of more than 10,000 people, including HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.
The Gold Cup was inaugurated in 1956 and remains Europe’s premier high goal tournament, welcoming its Golden Jubilee in 2006.
With all the international stars of the game, Cowdray Park Polo Club is proud to host the British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup.
- Ranked alongside the Argentine and US Opens
- Europe’s premier tournament
- Featuring the world’s best players
- Highlight of the UK polo season
- Key event in the UK summer social calendar
- Three-week long competition (Tuesday 27 June – Sunday 23 July 2023)
- Midhurst Town Cup - Sunday 2 July 2023 (opening weekend)
- Semi-Finals - Wednesday 19 July 2023 (two decider matches)
- Gold Cup Final - Sunday 23 July 2023
- Over 40 high-octane matches
- World class sporting entertainment
- Up to 30,000 spectators throughout tournament
- Live-streamed around the world
Significant investment by Cowdray Park Polo Club in recent years have helped elevate the event ensuring that authenticity, creativity and customer experience remain at the core of everything we do.
The Final of the British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup takes place on Cowdray Park’s famous ‘Lawns’ grounds, set against the backdrop of the iconic Cowdray Ruins.
- Quintessentially British event
- Attracts up to 10,000 spectators
- Relaxed family centric atmosphere
- Full programme of entertainment
- Luxury shopping village
- Artisan food and beverage
- VIP hospitality
- Live music and DJs
- Traditional fairground
- After-party
- Pitch-side hospitality
Watch 2022 Highlights
The Club hosts a number of exciting events throughout the season, mixing exhilarating sport and glitzy parties with family fun and laid back Cowdray charm.The Polo Season runs from April to September.
The Gold Cup Draw – Monday 12 June
Exclusive drinks reception at Cowdray House for patrons and players Held to determine the tournament schedule
The Gold Cup Party – Saturday 24 June
A glamorous black tie affair, held to celebrate the start of the Gold Cup tournament.
Midhurst Town Cup – Sunday 2 July
Gold Cup opening Sunday. Fantastic family day combining high-goal polo with a range of entertainment off the pitch.
Gold Cup Quarter-Finals – Saturday 15 July and Sunday 16 July
Four crucial high-octane matches played to decide which teams will go through to the Semi-Finals.
Gold Cup Semi-Finals – Wednesday 19 July
With two thrilling Gold Cup matches, this is a day loved by true polo aficionados and popular for corporate entertaining.
No. 3 Gin & Jazz – Friday 21 July
An evening of live jazz, artisan gin cocktails and delicious food at our iconic Lawns grounds.
Ibiza Night – Saturday 22 July
An ‘Old Skool’ music night which takes place on the eve of the Gold Cup Final featuring back-to-back 90’s and 00’s classics played only on vinyl.
The Gold Cup Final – Sunday 23 July
The culmination of the tournament for the British Open Championship title and the pinnacle event of the season, attracting up to 10,000 spectators.
Featuring the top female players in the most highly regarded women’s competition in the country.
The Club’s most high-profile competitions outside of the Gold Cup. Six prestigious tournaments attracting teams from all over the UK.
94 patrons with a net worth in excess of £20billion
550+ matches
10 pristine pitches
30,000 visitors to the Cowdray Gold Cup tournament
400,000 page views on cowdraypolo.co.uk
32 hours of polo streamed via Cowdray Polo TV
100+ playing members
600+ social members
70 private schools within a 30 mile radius of Cowdray
16,000 acre Estate offering year-round opportunities
20,700 Instagram followers
10,900 Facebook followers
Cowdray Park Polo Club has experienced significant media growth and reach in recent years.
Polo at Cowdray is regularly featured in lifestyle and sporting media, both nationally and internationally. The Gold Cup tournament, featuring over 40 matches, is streamed live around the world via Cowdray TV.
Website www. cowdraypolo.co.uk
60% growth annually
22,000 returning visitors
Audience 77% UK, 14% USA, 9% rest of world
39,000 followers across all channels
5,000+ visits generated annually to website
2.23 million impressions in July 2021
19,300 engagements during July 2021
Polo has the largest percentage of HNWI and UHNWI participants and spectators of any sport or lifestyle pursuit. The Club has 100+ playing members and 600+ social members.
CPPC also produces and distributes 2,000 copies of its annual Members’ Yearbook, a glossy polo and lifestyle publication.
Steering away from the traditional corporate hospitality model, the Club now prides itself on offering unique front-line entertainment spaces tailored to meet the needs of their guests.
Conveniently located just off the centre line of the pitch, this stylish enclosure is the perfect place to relax with friends or entertain clients. Enjoy delectable seafood platters with refreshing Nyetimber English Sparkling Wine. As the programme of events draws to a close the enclosure ignites to the beat of the resident DJ.
Our frontline pagodas provide the perfect entertaining space close to the action, enabling guests to become fully immersed in the exhilarating sport of polo whilst enjoying unrivalled hospitality. Feast on gourmet picnic hampers bursting with the best local produce or enjoy multiple course seated fine dining.
The opportunity exists to associate your brand with the “Game of Kings” whilst experiencing world class polo in the heart of the South Downs National Park.
We tailor exciting and innovative partnerships that work for your business and your audience. Rights include but not limited to:
Event Activation
- Opportunity to become a tournament, event, club or estate partner, to include The Midhurst Town Cup, Gold Cup Semi-Finals and the prestigious Gold Cup Final
- Exhibition space at The Midhurst Town Cup, Gold Cup Semi-Finals and Gold Cup Final
- Competition activation
Entertaining
- VIP hospitality and bespoke pitch-side entertaining
- Social and corporate memberships to Cowdray Park Polo Club to include access to over 500 matches including the Gold Cup Final and Semi-Finals, and an exciting calendar of exclusive events such as the Gold Cup Draw
- Estate wide partnerships to include Cowdray House, Cowdray Farm Shop & Café, Cowdray Park Golf Club & more
- Bespoke corporate packages for polo, golf, shooting and entertaining at Cowdray Estate
Branding & Marketing
- Seasonal and event branding rights across venues including camera facing pitch-side banners
- Marketing campaigns across all social media platforms
- Access to Cowdray Park Polo Club membership database
- Logo & link on all member e-comms
- Cowdray TV branding and advertising
- Gold Cup Big Screen branding and advertising
- Company logo and link on Cowdray Park Polo Club website
- Adverts and editorial in the Cowdray Park Polo Club Members’ Yearbook and Gold Cup Souvenir Programme
- Prize sponsorship
