Feature
Kirtlington Park Polo Club
A page from 1935 The Tatler showing a Kirtlington team of Alan and Arthur Budgett. Their mother, Mrs H. M. Budgett, is pictured below watching the game
Timeline 1926 – Hugh Budgett started the Club after much persuasion from Major Deed, formerly of Argentina, who had brought polo ponies to school in the grounds of Kirtlington Park with Hugh and his sons Alan and Arthur 1936 – Brig George Fanshawe (distantly related to Guards Polo Manager Antony Fanshawe) went to the Berlin Olympics as the Chef d’équipe for the England team 1939 – The Club was maintained until the beginning of the Second World War, when the ground was cultivated as part of the ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign. Groundsman ‘Magic’ Mike still maintains the potash from the potatoes grown on Grounds 1 and 2 give them their unique qualities now 1954 – Alan Budgett, son of founder Hugh Budgett, reopened the Club and added a second ground next to Ground 1 1963 – John Tylor, who was a member at Cowdray, was first invited to play at KPPC by Col Alec Harper (then Secretary of the HPA). This was when John first met his now wife, Heather, née Budgett 1970 – Oxford won the Varsity Match 5-0 against Cambridge, which was followed by Windsor Park vs Kirtlington Park with a host of names on the programme 1982 – Current Chairman of the Club, John Tylor, joined KPPC and made considerable improvements, including removing the trees in the park to expand Ground 2 further towards Park Farm 32
Polo Times, June 2015
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Chris ‘Puff’ Whiteley playing on Ground 2 in the 80s
1984 – Robert Thame, now manager for Zacara, was listed in the HPA Blue Book under The Pony Club as -2 1985 – Ground 3 came into action on the opposite side of Akeman Street to Ground 1 and 2 1992 – John Tylor suffered a nasty fall leaving him unconscious with a head injury for three weeks. Although the accident put an end to his playing days, his support and Chairmanship of the Club continues unabated 2002 – The number of Playing Members topped 100 and a purpose built Polo Office was opened on the edge of Ground 4 2005 – The sixth ground came into operation 2003 – The old Clubhouse was decommissioned and the tractor shed on Ground 1 was turned into the current Clubhouse 2004 – The mobile ‘Chukka Bar’ came into action. ‘Magic’ Mike’s project over the winter converted a container on a trailer with a drop down deck into the perfect place to find a sandwich and a cup of tea on Grounds 3, 5 or 6 2013 – A new barn of stables were built on the end of Ground 6 2015 – The Budgett Everett 6 Goal is the hotly contested Victor Ludorum tournament of this season
brothers, Malcolm Borwick to Henry Brett, they all started playing whilst at Kirtlington. Kirtlington is quite literally a breeding ground for future players. The latest wave of polo babies at the Club are courtesy of 4 goaler David and Claire Ashby, 5 goaler Nico and Mandita Fontanarrosa and 4 goaler Pedro Harrison and his partner Harriet Grundy (to name but a few). Generations of families have played at the Club; Mark Barlow played for many years in the 60s and 70s, and now comes to watch his grandsons play, with former 4 goaler and HPA Steward Andrew Barlow coaching from the sidelines. Mark was part of a winning combination, which, all in the same week at Windsor in 1970 – and fielding only an 11 goal Kirtlington team – won the Royal Windsor (then a 14 goal tournament) with Richard Clifford (1), Mark Barlow (2), Antonio Harrera (5), Mark Trotter (3); and then the Friar Cup 8 goal (later called Archie David) with Jeremy Taylor (1), Mark Barlow (2), Mark Trotter (3) and Simon Loder. A quite remarkable feat. The father/daughter/son team combinations and oppositions for which Kirtlington is renowned, often causes havoc for Polo Manager Pete Fewster in the commentary box, with frequent shouts of, “Big Smyth-Osbourne rides off middle SmythOsbourne as mini Smyth-Osbourne shoots to score but one of the Brown brothers has saved the goal – I think.” Pete Fewster joined the management team in 2007 and has been in situ for 9 years now. When he arrived, he was no stranger to the Club as not only had he played there, but his brother Martin has spent most of his career based out of Kirtlington as both a www.polotimes.co.uk
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