PTApril 2010 p52-53 Playing YC PJ
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The knowledge Playing Around – Lacey Green Working our way round the UK’s clubs with our intrepid improver Carlie Trotter (–2)
Camaraderie, cheering and ollowing the aroma of lamb asado at the end of last summer, I made my way to Lacey Green Polo Club, one of the newest and fastest-growing in the Home Counties. During my visit, a balmy September weekend, eight home teams were battling for the Bucks Trophy, in a relaxed, intimate and cosmopolitan atmosphere. Like the music that evening, the controlled calm of the pony lines was recognisably
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Photographs by Carlie Trotter
Late-summer action at Lacey Green, a friendly hub for Londoners of various nationalities
52 April 2010 www.polotimes.co.uk
Argentine. On the field, with ex-Woolmers Park’s Nacho Ballesteros (4) and club founder and chairman Mariano Darritchon (4) in charge, novices benefited from instruction at every turn. Players shouted tactics in English, French and Spanish, the cheering reaching fever pitch when one of Mariano’s big hits left him waving a headless stick. The popular Argentine – also of La Mariposa in Buenos Aires province – set up the club in 2007 after several years instructing at nearby West Wycombe. The club, which has three fields and “Argentine-style” grass livery for more than 100 horses, caters for an expanding crowd of mainly London-based members – 91 at the last count. In the campaign to help players progress quickly every match was being captured on video for later analysis. I rode out confidently for team Mont Selas on comfy mare Philomena, after groom Fernando Gomez enthused: “What is special here is that every pony is good quality”. For 2010 the club will have more than 60 hire ponies. My pony stood up to David Koch’s fierce ride-offs, who far out-played his first-season ranking, but hearing Nacho Ballesteros on our tail was enough pressure for me to hit wide. Scoring from 90 degrees, Gaston Carrozzo (2) allowed us a respectable 4-11/2 defeat to Chellomedia-Buzzards.
When children and mini-mallets had been scooped up we moved to the club’s base, Manor Farm, for the evening. With more members buying into the club, founder member Nico Samaran (-1) attributed Lacey Green’s popularity to its friendly, family-orientated atmosphere, and packed calendar. Several people have joined after holidaying at La Mariposa, Mariano Darritchon’s farm in Argentina, and now keep their ponies under La Mariposa philosophy at Manor Farm. Having demolished a scrumptious asado, we took to the dance floor to show off some quartetto rhythm, with varying levels of success. When things turned philosophical and Marcus Lawler (-2) declared he had “come home” after years at other clubs, it was time to retire. On Sunday, Mont Selas faced a formidable foe in Mar Del Plata, but my team-mates Rodney Hunt (-2) and David Acres (-1) recovered their swings to great effect. Nacho Cerboni (2) and Phil Sellers (0) were a troublesome duo, and the last chukka saw sterling teamwork on both sides, but on the final bell we rejoiced in a 7-6 win. It is safe to say that competition at Lacey Green will be even fiercer this summer. Whether its most illustrious members – 10-goal Gonzalo and Facundo Pieres – join the fray remains to be seen but having them on the register is surely a brilliant boost to this Buckinghamshire hub. F