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Aiming high < SIMPSON: she gave < BbirthECKY to a baby girl, Ava Florence Southwell, on Christmas Day. See page 84 for more details BORWICK: he < MandALCOLM his wife Alix welcomed Ines Carolina Borwick into the world on 25 October in Argentina. PONIES: the charity < RTheETIRED Polo Pony Retirement Trust, has set up a new website. Visit www.thepoloponyretirementtrust.org EB DAWNAY: the arena seven< Sgoaler proposed to Louisa Crofton on New Year’s eve. See page 84.
Swinging low = XAGGERATED REPORTS: a = Eformer “polo player” at Cheshire, Giles Cross, was recently jailed in a high-profile child sex offence case. In fact, however, Cross was only ever a social member, and has never had an HPA handicap. OHN GOODMAN: the high-goal = Jpatron has been in court in the US for a civil trial this January. He’s accused in the fatal hit and run of a student last February. A trial date hasn’t been set for the criminal case. POLO: entries in the 12= AgoalRENA section of the HPA National Club Championships are down from 12 to two this year.
Federation gives green light to fullest schedule in years THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY of the Federation of International Polo (FIP) has approved one of the federation’s fullest schedules of events ever for 2011, writes Herbert Spencer. Heading the list of official FIP events confirmed by the assembly in Buenos Aires in December and the subsequent Council of Administration is the ninth 14-goal World Championship for the Polo World Cup. Argentina will host the final stage at the new Estancia Grande Polo Club in San Luis on the pampas, 500 miles from Buenos Aires, from 10 to 23 October. There will be 10 teams in the final stage: Argentina as hosts, Chile as reigning champions, and two teams from each of the federation’s four geographic zones, decided by playoffs. The FIP continued to answer delegates’ calls for more tournaments at lower handicap levels for countries unable to field 14-goal teams. Portugal, Italy and Hungary put in bids to host the federation’s second Trophy of the Nations this year, a European tournament at 0-4 goal level. The assembly also approved five Ambassadors Cup tournaments for 2011, in Mexico (February), Australia (September), India (September), Argentina (October) and Chile (November). These low-goal events, in which FIP Ambassadors and officials team up with local host players who provide the ponies, contribute significantly to the federation’s budget.
There will be four FIP youth tournaments for under-14s this year, in Argentina (February), Chile (March), Germany (April), and Ecuador (June). These are being supported by development funds from the International Olympic Committee. Argentina will host the FIP’s first umpires and referees clinic in April or May and a players clinic will be held in Egypt in December. The General Assembly approved a 20102011 budget with US$435,465 income and US$302,143 expense. A new headquarters office
Reorganisation of the FIP must wait until the next General Assembly, in October has been opened in Buenos Aires, headed by 27-year-old Argentine Felipe del Sel, a two-goal amateur who previously worked for Deloitte. There was, however, no movement in the federation’s long-awaited “reorganisation” [see Global view, page 18]. FIP President Eduardo Huergo of Argentina told delegates that the Council of Administration and Executive Committee would be working on revisions of the federation’s by-laws during 2011, but any changes can only be made by a two-thirds vote of delegates at the next General Assembly in Buenos Aires on 24 October.
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Polo Times, January/February 2011
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www.polotimes.co.uk
21/1/11 13:44:12