Polo Times June 21

Volume 26 • Issue 5 • June 2021 • £6.50

THAI POLO PERFORM Justerini & Brooks Prince of Wales Final 2021 VICTOR LUDORUM The League Has Begun!

LEFT OR RIGHT SIDED? The importance of working both sides of your horse PLUS: Polo Times Pony Powers & Oli Hipwood Yard Focus

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“Polo Times is undoubtedly the most influential contemporary polo magazine” Horace Laffaye

Contents

What’s inside… June 2021

Publisher Nick Hine publisher@polotimes.co.uk

Editor in Chief Richenda Hine richenda@polotimes.co.uk

Editorial Rosabella Hine rosabella@polotimes.co.uk

Principal Design James Morgan

Design Tony Ruddy

17 Financial Controller Angie Clark accounts@polotimes.co.uk

Accounts & Administration Assistant Rosalind Cutter ads@polotimes.co.uk Administration Assistant Lynne Berry

Contributors: Lorna Edgar, Matt Kenna, Dr.med. Andreas Krüger, Rege Ludwig, India Parker-Smith, Tony Ramirez Cover photograph: Thai Polo & Monterosso vie

for the ball in The Justerini & Brooks Prince of Wales Final. By ©www.imagesofpolo.com

Contact details

Hill Farm Studios, Wainlodes Lane, Bishops Norton, Glos, GL2 9LN Tel: 01452 730770 email:admin@polotimes.co.uk

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All subscribers receive an exclusive weekly newsletter and competition offers

Call on +44 (0)1452 730 770 Subscribe online: www.polotimes.co.uk © Polo Times Limited 2021 and Database Right 2021 Polo Times Limited holds the copyright & database right to the information it publishes in Polo Times and on the Polo Times website. No content may be reproduced or distributed without the consent of the Publisher. ‘Polo Times’ is the trade mark of Polo Times Limited. ISSN 1461-4685

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Polo Times, June 2021

22 News 4

All the Latest News

Comment 12

Letters: Your Views & Social Media

Features 14

Big Picture

34 Knowledge 38 40 42 44

Reports

46

17 22

48

Justerini & Brooks Prince of Wales Final Victor Ludorum Update

Club Focus 27

Your Club News from Home and Abroad

Women’s Polo 32

A Round-Up of Women’s Polo

Youth Polo 34

All Aspects of Youth Polo

Polodoc: Unhappy Hip Nutrition Focus: Yard Focus – Oli Hipwood Playing Tips with Rege Ludwig: Two Forms of Rotation Chukka Wellness: Stay Accountable & Become the Best!

Equine Chiropractor: Front, Back & Side to Side Vet Insight: Equine Back Pain

Sidelines 50

Gossip: Don’t Be the Last to Know!

Polo Directory 51 What’s On in June 2021 54 Classifieds

Final Bell 56

Passions: Michael Husted www.polotimes.co.uk

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from the Publisher Iberian Polo Spring Tour On May 9, the Spring stage of the Iberian Polo Tour 2021 ended; six teams participated in the tournament and an exhibition of 22 goals took place on Saturday in the Ayala fields.

Regarding the Strabrock Cup, the last event of the spring tour, PX/Almasanta won the cup by winning 5 to 4 against Los Schatzies. The team made up of Joaquin Castelvi, Aristide Fagionato, Manuel López and Pelayo Berazadi defeated Los Schatzies in a close Final made up of Jella Herzer, Mauricio Bolaña, Juani Otharan and Genaro Ringa.

At the Stake Subsidiary Cup, Nalu Pulu / Real Club de Pineda (Christian Mellentin, Nicolás Álvarez, Pedro Beca and Mario Gómez) defeated Riva/Eleven – Eleven 5½-4 (Federico Rosales, Andy Bihrer, Padmanabh Singh and Gerardo Mazzini).

The tournament saw Facundo Sola take part, playing in the Spion Polo Team alongside Jonathan Strabrock, Sergio Pérez and Juan Carlos Gavira; The sixth team was Horseware led by its patron Tom Mac Guinnes, Daniel Gariador, Agustin Perego and Patricio Neves.

PX/Almasanta, winners of The Spring Iberian Polo Tour The jewel of the weekend was the exhibition between the Iberian Polo Team (Nacho Domecq, Pelayo Berazadi, Martin Iturraspe, Facundo Sola) and Ayala Polo Team (Segundo Fernandez Llorente, Martin Espain, Santiago Laborde, Genaro Ringa) and entertained with their skills.

Moscow Arena Polo Cup Polo Times is involved as Media Partners in an exciting new venture with World Polo – The Moscow Arena Polo Cup Red Square. World Polo was founded in 1987 by Reto Gaudenzi and has been responsible for iconic tournaments across the globe, including the founding of the Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz and the Beach Polo World Cup in Miami.

On 28 August, World Polo will make history with the first ever polo match on Red Square in Moscow, the polo match will form part of the Spasskaya Festival which is one of the largest musical events of the year. There will be a specially created sand arena just for the event, complete with VIP Tent, with four teams confirmed – Planernaya Polo Club Moscow, Evviva Polo Club St. Moritz, La Alegria Polo Farm and Grand Champions Polo Cub. The event will also be twinned with Planernaya Polo Club Moscow, with players trialling horses and taking part in practice chukkas as well as taking part in The Polo World Cup Moscow at the Club.

2022 will see World Polo organise the first FIP European Polo Championship in Azerbaijan with eight European teams competing in Baku.

Nick Hine, Publisher

Polo will be played in Red Square for the first time this August

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Polo Times, June 2021

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Photograph by Neil Egerton/Polo Art Images

As the June issue was going to print, the sun gods were finally kind to us all, as the wall to wall rain that beset most of May, was replaced by beautiful clear, sunny skies. Now, as we all know, there is nowhere better in England than watching polo on a warm sunny summer afternoon, and that is exactly what the guests and spectators were treated to at The Justerini & Brooks Prince of Wales Trophy Final.

A record number of 12 high goal teams had entered the Royal County of Berkshire’s 2021 tournament, showing that polo in the UK has well and truly bounced back from the slow times of last year that were forced upon us all by the global pandemic. I hope you enjoy reading the report in this issue, which highlights how the youth and vigour of Harald Link’s Thai Polo team claimed the silverware from the might and experience of Monterosso.

From low goal to medium goal, the same picture is emerging at clubs the length and breadth of the county – whilst it would be wrong to single out any one particular player, it is reassuring to see that young British players are now being recognised for their true talent, which all demonstrates that polo’s youth of today are clearly already destined for great things in the years ahead.

Patience is not normally a characteristic that comes naturally to the polo community, but resilience and determination on the other hand are. Therefore, as we approach the government’s roadmap dates, it seems inevitable that we will be asked for more patience, resilience and determination to help the nation get back on its feet so that all businesses can finally open the doors and lead the charge at full gallop.

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Through the winter the condition of our horses’ feet, coat and general health and wellbeing has vastly improved as they have access to the PP buckets which they can dip into when they fancy. We have been using it for 4 years now.

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We had no cases of rain scald or abscesses and it has completely eliminated us having to hard feed through the winter saving us both time and money.

Even after a testing winter, the ponies came in looking and feeling great. Their muscle tone and top line were in great shape and this gave us a massive head start in getting them fit for the summer.

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News Teams announced for Triple Crown & Classification

Photograph by Prensa AAP/Matias Callejo

Ellerstina, as well as RS Murus Sanctus will be the two highest rated teams at 39 goals

The polo community’s focus is currently upon the impending European seasons, with the annual influx of players underway.

However, the Argentine Polo Association (AAP) has announced the eight teams who will compete in the 2021 Argentine Triple Crown as well as the seven teams who will be playing in the Classification tournament for the two spots at Palermo.

Whilst in previous years there has often been an inevitability of team line-ups, this year sees only Ellerstina and La Natividad Las Monjitas entering the same line-up as last year. La Dolfina sees their traditional 40 goal handicap decrease to 38 with the replacement of Pablo MacDonough and Juan Martín Nero with Francisco Elizalde (9) and Diego Cavanagh (9), which means Ellerstina

and RS Murus Sanctus will be the two highest rated teams at 39 goals. 2021 will also see the return of Fred Mannix’s Alegria, who will be playing alongside Agustín Merlos, Tomás García del Río and Pedro Zacharias.

Meanwhile, the Classification tournament so far has seven teams confirmed, with many line-ups featuring young up-and-coming players; this tournament will also feature second teams for Alegria and La Irenita with Alegria Fish Creek ad La Irentita II. 2021 Triple Crown Teams: Ellerstina (39): Facundo Pieres (10), Hilario Ulloa (10), Gonzalo Pieres Jr. (9) & Nicolás Pieres (10) RS Murus Sanctus (39): Facundo Sola (9), Guillermo Caset (10), Pablo Mac Donough (10) & Juan Martín Nero (10)

La Dolfina (38): Adolfo Cambiaso (10,) David Stirling (10), Francisco Elizalde (9) & Diego Cavanagh (9) La Natividad Las Monjitas (36): Camilo ‘Jeta’ Castagnola (9), Pablo Pieres (9), Bartolomé Castagnola Jr. (9) & Ignatius du Plessis (9) La Ensenada (33): Juan Britos (9), Alfredo Bigatti (8), Juan M. Zubía (8) & Jerónimo del Carril (8) La Dolfina Brava (33): Adolfo Cambiaso Jr. (8), Guillermo Terrera (9), Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade (8) & Alejo Taranco (8) La Irenita (31): Santiago Loza (8), Segundo Bocchino (7), Ignacio Toccalino (8) & Isidro Strada (8) Alegría (28): Agustín Merlos (7), Pedro Zacharías (7), Tomás García del Río (7) & Fred Mannix (7) 2021 Classification Teams: Alegría Fish Creek (30): Juan Ruiz Guiñazú (8), Clemente Zavaleta (7), Joaquín Pittaluga (7) & Bautista Bayugar (8) La Esquina (29): Pascual Sáinz de Vicuña (6), Cristian Laprida (8), Lucas James (7) & Ignacio Laprida (8) Chapaleufú (29): Rufino Bensadón (7), Juan Martín Zavaleta (8), Julián de Lusarreta (7) & Felipe Dabas (7) La Aguada (29): Peke González (7), Manuel Elizalde (7), Miguel Novillo Astrada (8) & Tomás Beresford (7) La Fija (28): Raúl Colombres (7), Ezequiel Martínez Ferrario (7), Ignacio Negri (7) & Felipe Vercellino (7) La Irenita II (28): Martín Podestá (7), Juan A. García Grossi (7), Facundo Fernández Llorente (7) & Tomás Fernández Llorente (7) Los Machitos (28): Victorino Ruiz Jorba (7), Lucas Díaz Alberdi (7), Mariano Aguerre (7) & Martín Aguerre (7)

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News HPA Summer Polo Procedures HPA Council Minutes On Monday 10 May, the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA) published the minutes from the Council meeting on Wednesday 5 May. The meeting included an outlook for the 2021 season, plus an update to the Victor Ludorum Points System to a less complicated version which will allow a leader board to be kept updated on the HPA website. It was announced that Jilly Emerson, Jeremy Barber and the late Robert Graham will all receive Lifetime Achievement Awards for their contributions to polo; while Simon Tomlinson, Francis Phillimore, Jock GreenArmytage, Richard Britten-Long, Patrick Russell, Arthur Douglas-Nugent, Paul Withers and Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers have accepted the invitation to become Life Members. £15,000 of Discretionary Club Grants had been made in 2021 (£2,000 Cranwell, £1,000 Rutland, £3,000 Druids Lodge and £3,000 Kirtlington) for expenses such as new pony lines and automated gates, with an additional £31,000 of Covid aid distributed, although the specifics of these aid recipients were not published.

There were also some date changes announced, including The Bryan Morrison Trophy at Polo in the Park had been postponed until 2022, with the USPA still keen to take part.

Handicaps are always a contentious issue, and the point was raised that, “Due to the pandemic some players would be arriving without a strong record of polo played during the last 12-18 months. In addition, there were several players with a home handicap 2 goals higher than their HPA handicap. The introduction of the bracket system would help as it highlighted those players under immediate review, but the Handicap Committee would be in for a challenging few weeks early in the season.”

The next meeting will take place on Tuesday 30 November, to view the full Minutes as well as the relevant Annexes (A: Governance – Draft Income and Expenditure 2020 and draft Budget 2021, B: Commercial – Draft Income and Expenditure 2020 and draft Budget 2021, C: Pro Umpire Group, VAR and Umpire Fees and Charges), view the HPA website for more information.

Spectators at polo was given the green light from Monday 17 May, in light of the easing of government restrictions.

The updated government guidelines mean that • Outdoor gatherings are limited to 30 people.

• People can attend outdoor sporting events subject to them following the COVIDsecure measures set out by those venues.

Attendance is capped at 4,000 people or 50 per cent of the venue capacity, whichever is smaller.

• For outdoor seated venues, up to 10,000 attendees are allowed or 25 per cent capacity, whichever is lower. This means, for example, Wembley Stadium will be able to open with 10,000 fans in attendance.

The Hurlingham Polo Association has recommended that for spectators on the side of the ground, parking should be spaced so that individuals are able to adhere to the rules for social distancing and gatherings and where there are stands, the seating should be limited to 25% of the capacity. It is recommended that seating is arranged to allow a choice for any attendees to sit alone, in pairs or in different sized groups of 6 up to 30.

For the full list of summer procedures, visit the HPA website.

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www.polotimes.co.uk 19/06/2020 13:28

News

Gstaad Gold Cup Cancelled

The event organisers for The Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad have made the decision to cancel their 2021 event due to continuing Covid-19 restrictions from the local authorities, Pierre E. Genecand, President of Polo Gstaad announced, “We waited until the last moment before incurring significant expenses to decide if we could organize our next tournament which was to be held August 19th22nd. It is with great regret that we have to cancel it for the second year in a row. This is totally beyond our control”. It is hoped that the event will be able to take place in 2022 from 18 – 21 August.

NZPA 2021/22 Provisional Dates Following a recent New Zealand Polo Association (NZPA) meeting, provisional dates for National games and tournaments have been agreed, with provincial tournaments added to the calendar as they are confirmed: • NZ vs AU School Tests: 28 November and 4 December (Christchurch) • NZ Open (Auckland): High Goal 15 – 20 February & Low Goal 16 – 19 February • Mystery Creek Ladies: 26 – 27 February • Savile Tournament: 1 – 6 March (Auckland)

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Photograph by AAP

Photograph by Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad

The 2021 Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad has been cancelled

The AAP has compiled their Summer/Autumn winners into a Gallery of Champions

AAP Gallery of Champions The Argentine Polo Association (AAP) has released their roster of all the winners of male, female, minor and amateur tournaments, over the Summer/Autumn season in Argentina – you can view these in their new Gallery of Champions via the AAP’s website.

Polo Rider Cup Draw The Polo Rider Cup draw took place on Tuesday 19 May at Polo Club Du Domaine De Chantilly via Zoom. This year will see 12 teams from eight countries compete in the inaugural tournament, scheduled to be played from 10 – 20 June. The 12 teams have been split into two groups and four zones: Group 1 – Zone A Hong Kong Polo Assn., Chantilly Polo Club, Moscow Polo Club Group 1 – Zone B Hamburger Polo Club, Polo Club Dusserldorf, Park Polo Zurich Group 2 – Zone C Deauville International Polo Club, La Aguada Polo Club, Dos Lunas Polo Club Group 2 – Zone D Empire Polo Club Coachella, Las Brisas Polo Club Chicago, Evviva Polo St Moritz

Polo Times, June 2021

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Comment

Your Views

Letter of the month The writer of letter of the month wins a bottle of British Polo Gin @britishpologin 18 years and over only

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Letters

@kentuckypolo Ky Polo’s models doing photoshoot

@blackbears When good friends become on-field rivals..... #blackbearspolo #blackbearspoloteam #bremont #friends #guardspoloclub #friendlyrivalry #queenmotherscentenarytrophy #poloseason2021 #pololife #theartofpolo

@hurlinghampoloassociation This beautifully illustrated map was drawn in the mid 80s.

There are a few more clubs in England now! This year there are 62 outdoor clubs and 32 arena clubs affiliated with the HPA in the UK and Ireland. #throwback #tbt #map #polouk #hurlinghampoloassociation #England #Wales #Ireland #pony

Having been starved of watching polo for the 2020 season, spectators have returned with renewed vigour and excitement for the 2021 season!

Quick Question

@polotimes 10,849 followers @hcruden The now present and yet still future of Polo... @bartocastagnola @antonioheguy @jetacastagnola @felipe. dabas @silvestreheguy @rufinobensadon @cruzheguy @lanatividadpolo

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Q: Ned and Louis Hine recently won The Prince of Wales Final at The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club with Thai Polo, their father Andrew also won the trophy but in which year? For a bonus point, name Andrew’s winning team.

A: Turn to page 52 to check your answer.

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Flourishing Fauna With much of our usual busy lives being placed on hold during the past 18 months, life has taken on a quieter pace, and in its place has emerged a resurgence of wildlife, with unintended re-wilding taking place in every corner of the country. It seems Guards Polo Club is no exception, with this local resident spotted by ©ImagesofPolo photographer Tony Ramirez, dropping into the Club during The Committee Cup Final! w Photograph by ©www.imagesofpolo.com

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Polo Times, June 2021

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P O LO’S O RI G INAL SUPP O RT ER S , A N D M A S T E R S I N O U R F I E L D S I N C E 174 9 .

Justerini & Brooks. Portfolio, expertise and personal service.

Justerinis.com/discover

The Justerini & Brooks Prince of Wales Trophy

Reports

Photography by ©www.imagesofpolo.com

Ignacio Toccalino defends the Monterosso goalmouth

The Justerini & Brooks Prince of Wales Trophy T

he sun shines on the righteous and someone important must have behaved very well ahead of Final’s Day, as wall to wall rain in the qualifying matches, made way for beautiful sunshine, in what would be the first in a series of five high goal Finals in the 2021 UK polo season. With a record 12 teams entering the 2021 Justerini & Brooks Prince of Wales Trophy, the Final would see the experience and might of Monterosso led by Pelon Stirling, pitted against the youthful talent of Thai Polo; with 15-year-old Louis Hine being the youngest ever British high goal finalist, joined by his 18-year-old brother Ned, 19-year-old Rufino Bensadon with www.polotimes.co.uk

8 goaler Alejandro Muzzio being the only Thai player not in his teens.

With Thai Polo playing off 21 goals to Monterosso’s 22 goals, the first chukka began with 1 goal head start on the score board. From the first throw-in and despite being the youngest team in the tournament’s history, Thai Polo showed they meant business with Louis Hine sending an acute neck shot to his brother Ned, who neatly found the uprights, despite Pelon Stirling being in hot pursuit. After an exchange of goals, the first chukka ended 4-2 in favour of Thai Polo, after Louis pounced and scored under the noses’ of Monterosso in the last 10 seconds.

19 2 9 FI

M AY

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NA

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Where: The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club, Berkshire Polo Times, June 2021

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Reports

The Justerini & Brooks Prince of Wales Trophy

The second and third chukkas saw fast, end-to-end polo, with Thai Polo seemingly being unfazed by the might of their opposition. Despite Ned picking up a yellow card early on in the third, the chukka ended with redemption for Ned as he scored a neck shot to take the scores to 7-6 going into half-time.

The pressure continued at the start of the second half with Pelon Stirling showing why he held a 10 goal handicap for so many years and how formidable an opponent he still is, winning almost every line-out. With neither team showing any chinks in their armour, more of the same, frenetic and physical polo saw scores levelled at the end of the fourth chukka, 8-8. The fifth chukka was more edge of the seat stuff and as the fifth ended, the Trophy looked to be Thai Polo’s, with the score board reading 11-9.

Going into the sixth chukka, Justerini & Brooks’ assembled guests could all see they were set for a finale of epic proportions, as both teams were clearly determined to take home the silverware. With each side pushing the limits as far as they could, whistle and penalties were aplenty, showing just how hard all eight players were fighting. With scores tied 11-11 mid-way through the sixth chukka, a penalty for Monterosso saw the talented Mackenzie Weisz take Bassoni’s team into the lead 12-11 and with this goal, the Trophy looked to be theirs. However, as with so many polo games, fortunes were quickly reversed, as in the dying seconds, a 60 yard penalty in favour of Thai, was cooly lofted through Monterosso’s goal.

Mackenzie Weisz challenges Louis Hine for the ball

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Polo Times, June 2021

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The Justerini & Brooks Prince of Wales Trophy

Reports

The Justerini & Brooks Prince of Wales Trophy Final Teams Thai Polo (21) Louis Hine (2) Ned Hine (4) Rufino Bensadon (7) Alejandro Muzzio (8)

Monterosso (22) Alessandro Bazzoni (1) Mackenzie Weisz (4) Ignacio Toccalino (8) David ‘Pelon’ Stirling (9)

Chukka scores: (1-0) 4-2, 5-4, 7-6, 8-8, 11-9, 12-12, 13-12 to Thai Polo

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Polo Times, June 2021

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Reports

The Justerini & Brooks Prince of Wales Trophy

With the scores levelled at 12-12 and with the clock run having already been down, commentators Chris Hyde and Jamie Haywood announced the Final of the Justerini & Brooks Prince of Wales Trophy would be settled by a seventh chukka, ‘golden goal’ where the first to score would be crowned the winner. Despite the chukka starting with a line-out in front of Monterosso’s goal, Pelon yet again won the play and effortlessly took his team out of danger. With each player being limited to a maximum of 10 horses each in the game, individual player and pony stamina started to show for both teams; yet, with an experience that perhaps only comes with age, Thai Polo’s stalwart Muzzio seized the play and carefully passed the ball to Louis, who, somewhat akin to Paul Newman’s early movie Cool Hand Luke showed no sign of pressure and deftly cut a neck shot to goal. The seventh chukka had ended, the same as the first – at the stick of 15-year-old Louis Hine – and with it, the 2021 Justerini & Brooks Prince of Wales Trophy was Thai Polo’s.

BPP Tim Bown & Peter Wright with Third Man, Howard Smith

Irenita Dama (Open Trueno x Irenita Princesa), played by Louis Hine Best Polo Argentino Bred (presented by the Argentine Polo Pony Breeders Association): Luca Penélope (River Slaney x Gete Moon), played by Rufino Bensadon

On a sunny day in Berkshire, there really is nowhere better to be than the sidelines watching polo. Despite the restrictions which were still in place, it was wonderful to see spectators back watching polo after 12 months away. British polo is in a good place, as is its youthful talent.

Road to the Final Wednesday 19 May: Monterosso beat Great Oaks Les Lions, 11-10 Thursday 20 May: Park Place beat White Crane, 12-11 & Emlor beat King Power, 11-10 Friday 21 May: Murus Sanctus – La Magdeleine beat Talandracas, 11-7 & Thai Polo beat Schockemhöle, 10-6 Saturday 22 May: Scone beat MT Vikings, 10-9 Sunday 23 May: Talandracas beat Great Oaks Les Lions, 8-5 Monday 24 May: Thai Polo beat King Power, 12-10 & Monterosso beat White Crane, 9-8 Tuesday 25 May: Park Place beat Murus Sanctus – La Magdeleine, 12-10 Wednesday 26 May: Emlor beat MT Vikings, 15-13 & Schockemhöle beat Scone, 11-10

MVP Rufino Bensadon

A jubilant Thai Polo celebrate their win with family & teammates

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Polo Times, June 2021

www.polotimes.co.uk

Reports

Victor Ludorum Update

Victor Ludorum Update HPA’s 2021 league has begun

T

he Hurlingham Polo Association’s (HPA) Victor Ludorum series, sees teams from across the country compete at Club’s the length and breadth of England from 22 goal to 4 goal. The Victor Ludorum season got underway in May, whereas the ladies Victrix Ludorum is yet to begin. Here we have a look at the results so far from the league, which has seen wins for Black Bears, Senzaltro, Ojo Caliente, Hascombe Stud and Dawson Group

15 Goal Victor Ludorum

At Beaufort Polo Club on Friday 28 May, Senzaltro and Noon Giraffe took to the field to fight for victory in The Justerini & Brooks Arthur Lucas Cup. Within the first chukka of the Final Noon Giraffe took a very early lead, after scoring three goals within the first seven minutes whilst only giving Senzaltro the opportunity to score one. During the second and third chukka Senzaltro revved up their engines creating a more levelled playing field. Meaning by the fourth chukka Senzaltro and Noon Giraffe had made the match nail bitingly intense as it was all to play for. In the end Senzaltro stole the cup after managing to score the final two goals, resulting in a score of 6-4, Alysia played

by Juanchi Ambroggio was chosen as Best Playing Pony and Chris Fagan was named Most Valuable Player. The Subsidiary Final saw SONA Polo defeat Lodge Security with a score of 9-5. Beaufort Polo Club would like to thank Justerini & Brooks for their support and provision of prizes for The Arthur Lucas Cup. The Arthur Lucas Final Teams: Noon Giraffe (15): Chris Fagan (0), Charlie Walton (3), JP Clarkin (6) & Marcus Araya (6) Senzaltro (15): Jules VanVegchel (0), Luke Wiles (4), Juanchi Ambroggio (6) & Luke Tomlinson (5) 22

Polo Times, June 2021

Photography by JRidley Art & Photography

Beaufort Polo Club – The Arthur Lucas Final – Friday 28 May Number of teams: Four Winners: Senzaltro Points: 30

Action from The Justerini & Brooks Arthur Lucas Cup

Senzaltro, winners of The Justerini & Brooks Arthur Lucas Cup

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Reports

12 Goal Victor Ludorum

Cowdray Park Polo Club – The Dollar Cup Final – Monday 31 May Number of teams: Twelve Winners: Ojo Caliente Points: Yet to be ratified by HPA

Photography by Mark Beaumont

Both teams were evenly matched, reflected in the close 5-4 final score

Ojo Caliente, winners of The Dollar Cup

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Bank Holiday Monday saw Brooksfield bathed in sunshine for the Final of The Dollar Cup which was a rematch of the 2019 Final between Ana Escobedo’s Ojo Caliente vs Creighton Boyd’s Confido; both teams had already met in the qualifiers for this year’s tournament with Ojo Caliente taking a win by a goal in extra time, so there was all to play for in the Final. The Dollar Cup Final was the first of the Club’s six HPA tournaments this summer, and an energetic crowd were eager to cheer on the two teams. The match got off to a slow start, with the scores resting on 2-1 going into half-time.

After a swift regroup the teams were back on the field and JP Clarkin was quick to score again for Ojo Caliente giving them a momentary two goal lead, however the scores soon levelled again and Ojo Caliente failed to capitalise on opportunities to gain the upper hand which put Confido in the lead, 4-3. A missed penalty shot was put through the posts by Jonny Good, evening the scores at 4-4 and with the clock ticking further pressured attempts at goal by both teams ensued, but with no change in scores, the match was pushed into extra time. The extra chukka began with a roll in 10 yards off Confido’s back line. After a tussle around the goal mouth and an attempt at goal

by Ana Escobedo, Confido fouled giving Ojo Caliente a spot hit directly in front of the goal. JP Clarkin tapped it in to win the Dollar Cup for Ojo Caliente with a final score of 5-4. The X-Zony Best Playing Pony rug was awarded to Celtic Tiger, played and owned by JP Clarkin, and Zac Beim was awarded the Most Valuable Player prize. The Subsidiary Final for The Robert Fraser Cup was won by Hickstead with a 9-7 win against Gallagher.

The Dollar Cup Final Teams: Ojo Caliente (12): Ana Escobedo (0), Zac Beim (2), Jonny Good (4) & JP Clarkin (6) Confido/Madams Farm (12): Ed Hitchman (3), Creighton Boyd (1), Richard Tyrone (5) & Shaun Brokensha (3) Polo Times, June 2021

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Reports

Victor Ludorum Update

Photograph by Angie Lock

Luke Wiles runs to goal for Hascombe Stud

8 Goal Victor Ludorum

Cirencester Park Polo Club – The Gerald Balding Final – Sunday 23 May Number of teams: Eight Winners: Hascombe Stud Points: 60

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Polo Times, June 2021

the second bell rang. Luke Wiles’ Kimberley was awarded the Best Playing Pony rug.

The Gerald Balding Final Teams: Hascombe Stud (8): Luke Wiles (4), Olivia Lamphee (0), Arabella Oppenheimer (0) & Tommy Severn (4) Coppid Owls (8): Emma Wood (1), Tristan Phillimore (1), Tamara Fox (2) & Mikey Henderson (4)

Photograph by Jon Hankin

The Final of The Gerald Balding was played on Savannah on Sunday 23 May on an overcast, windy day. Despite the poor weather conditions, the game was fast-paced and exciting with Mikey Henderson taking the first goal of the Final for Coppid Owls within the first few minutes of chukka one.

Tommy Severn was hot on his heels and in the last minute of the chukka brought the score to 1-1, scoring for Hascombe Stud.

A 30-yard penalty in favour of Coppid Owls was taken by Mikey Henderson in the second chukka, scoring another goal for his team. Throughout the chukka the score was kept even, with Emma Wood tapping the ball nicely into the goal and Tommy Severn scoring again for Hascombe Stud just at the sound of the first bell. Going into the third chukka the score was 3-3 and goals were scored from both Tristan Phillimore for Coppid Owls and Luke Wiles and Tommy Severn for Hascombe Stud, ending the chukka on 6-4 to Hascombe Stud. As the rain started to fall and the wind picked up, the teams were quick to start the final chukka

with tension rising. Three goals scored early on for Coppid Owls by Mikey Henderson put Coppid Owls in the lead, shortly followed by another goal for Hascombe Stud. With 20 seconds left of the chukka and an extra chukka looking to be on the horizon, a 40yard penalty was awarded to Hascombe Stud.

Tommy Severn, who was later named Most Valuable Player, shot a perfect goal, winning The Gerald Balding Final 8-7, seconds before

Hascombe Stud, winners of The Gerald Balding Final

www.polotimes.co.uk

Victor Ludorum Update

Photography by Catherine Varney

Dawson Group, winners of The Stoneythorpe Trophy

Dallas Burston Polo Club – The Stoneythorpe Trophy Final – Saturday 22 May Number of teams: Five Winners: Dawson Group Points: 60

well. League matches were hard fought by all teams. Dawson Group came first in the league stages with two wins and Bob Music, CANI and Quel Domage all winning one game each. Semi Finals were held on 20 May and in spite of the rain, spirits were not dampened; with Dawson Group beating Quel Domage 4-2 for a spot in the Final and CANI storming through 11-6½ to Bob Music.

The Finals were held on Saturday 22 May under turbid skies. The Subsidiary Final was hard fought between La Rosada and Quel Domage. A closely fought match saw Hugh Humfrey’s Quel Domage team coming out the winners 6-5 with great team play from both sides.

The main Final was held on the immaculate Red ground in front of the Clubhouse. The first chukka started strongly for CANI with Matias Amaya scoring two goals. As the sky turned darker Dawson Group came back in the second with a good goal from Ollie Conway. Strong play from Tamara Fox levelled the score with CANI 2-2 in the third, with Ollie Conway putting Dawson Group into the lead 3-2 at the end of the chukka. The last chukka was fought hard by both teams and despite strong play from Matias for CANI they could not come back and Dawson Group managed to maintain their 1 goal lead and won 3-2.

The Stoneythorpe Trophy Final Teams: Dawson Group (6): Tamara Fox (2), Freya Dawson (0), Oliver Conway (0) & Mikey Henderson (4) CANI (5): Louise Jebson (0), Emily Johnson (0), Charlie Peagram (0) & Matias Amaya (5)

Action from the Final between CANI & Dawson Group

6 Goal Victor Ludorum

Reports

Dallas Burston Polo Club opened the 6 goal Victor Ludorum series with The Stoneythorpe Trophy, with five teams competing over two weeks. The weather was against them but the grounds held up

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Club Focus

Photography by ©www.imagesofpolo.com

Emlor, winners of La Martina Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s Centenary Trophy Final

Guards Polo Club

Weekend of 2 May saw two tournament winners at Guards Polo Club; Kilnwood Park (Thule Sauter, Satnam Dhillon, Daniel Otamendi & Hissam Ali Hyder) secured The Rodney Moore Cup and Previse (Stefan Sund, Fred Thame, Toby Bradshaw & Luke Wiles) took home The Loyd Cup. On Sunday 16 May, Guards Polo Club hosted their annual La Martina Queen Elizabeth

The Queen Mother’s Centenary Trophy Finals.

The Subsidiary Final saw Oakley Court defeat Emlor Black 4-3, while Emlor defeated Black Bears 5-4 in the main Final to take the title, Paco O’Dwyer’s Cruz Montiel was named Polo Times Best Playing Pony – to read more about Cruz Montiel, please turn to our Pony Power pages. Despite the adverse weather conditions and Covid-19 restrictions, Mosimman’s opened

White Crane, winners of The Coworth Park Challenge

the Clubhouse terrace and even provided hot water bottles and blankets so members could enjoy lunch outside.

White Crane Polo Team Alexie Calvert Ansari, Tom Brodie, Andrew Blake Thomas and Juan Gris Zavaleta successfully secured The Coworth Park Challenge on Sunday 30 May at Coworth Park by Guards Polo Club with a narrow 6-5 win against Emlor Black.

Royal County of Al Habtoor Polo Berkshire Polo Club Resort & Club Team Taurus lifted The Polo Manager’s Trophy over the Bank Holiday weekend at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club after defeating Los Gatos in the Final.

The last tournament of the Club’s season ended with a win for Ankora Polo against Hesketh Polo in the 2021 AHPRC League Final. Ankora took an early start and by half-time had secured a four goal lead and they didn’t let the pressure slip as they relentlessly pursued goals and took the title with a final score of 13-5. Lauren Dickson was chosen as the Most Valuable Player.

The club has announced their dates for the 2021 – 2022 season which will begin on 15 October 2021 and culminate on 29 April 2022. The pinnacles of the Club’s fixtures calendar include the 18 goal Silver Cup (21 January – 14 February) and the 18 goal Gold Cup (13 February – 4 March).

Photograph by Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club

Photograph by RCBPC

Team Taurus, winners of The Polo Manager’s Trophy

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Ankora Polo, AHPRC League 2021 winner

Polo Times, June 2021

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Club Focus

Your Club News from Home and Abroad

Photography by Houston Polo Club

Horsegate, winners of The St. Regis Classic

BTA, winners of the 2021 USPA Officer’s Cup

Houston Polo Club On Sunday 25 April, Horsegate and W-S battled it out for the 8 goal St. Regis Classic at Houston Polo Club. Going into the Final, Horsegate held an unbeaten 2-0 scoresheet, which included a win against W-S earlier in the tournament. W-S’ Chino Payan was the first to score, taking an early lead for W-S, however Horsegate began to take the lead in the second chukka with goals from Lance Stefanakis and Toto Collardin. After a half-time team talk, Horsegate flew into the second half and increased their lead to 6-2, however W-S weren’t ready to give up and maintained pressure which saw the scores resting on 8-4 going into the fourth and final chukka.

W-S fought hard in the last chukka, holding Horsegate back from the goalmouth while scoring two goals of their own, but it wasn’t enough and ultimately Horsegate took the win with a score of 8-6. Collardin was named Most Valuable Player and Regi, played by Collardin was chosen as the Best Playing Pony.

Pegasus/Propaganda and W-S faced each other on Sunday 9 May, Mother’s Day in America, for The Ponies and Petals Final. Pegasus/Propaganda took an early

2-0 lead, but W-S pulled themselves back into the game with two field goals and a penalty conversion to end the chukka 3-2.

The second and third chukkas saw W-S continue to pull ahead and by half-time held an 8-4 advantage. The teams traded goals at the start of the fourth chukka, but Pegasus/ Propaganda failed to score in the fifth chukka despite several shots on goal. The sixth and final chukka saw Pegasus/Propaganda convert three unanswered goals, but it wasn’t enough and as the clock ticked down W-S secured the win with 11 goals to 9. W-S’ Nicolai Galindo was named Most Valuable Player and Catwalk, played by Mason Wroe was chosen as the Best Playing Pony.

On Monday 10 May, Houston Polo Club hosted the Final of the 2021 USPA Officer’s Cup between Horsegate and BTA. Horsegate Team Captain Toto Collardin began with a run to goal, but this was swiftly equalised by BTA’s Nachi Viana with a converted penalty; both teams went into the Final with two wins under their belts, so spectators were expecting an evenly matched display of polo.

By half-time however, BTA had found their

Pegasus/Propaganda’s Nick Cifuni carrying the ball to goal

stride and held a two goal lead going into half-time. BTA continued their momentum in the second half and outscored Horsegate 3-1 in the fourth chukka and despite the efforts of Horsegate’s Collardin, BTA secured the win with a convincing 16-9 win. BTA’s KC Krueger was chosen as Most Valuable Player and Zumi, played by KC Krueger and owned

by Chrys Beal was named Best Playing Pony.

Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly

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Polo Times, June 2021

Photograph by Polo Club Du Domaine De Chantilly

The Club has announced that Maison Décalé will be the official and exclusive outfitter for the next three editions of The French Open.

Maison Décalé is a French brand which has supported the Barrière Deauville Polo Cup since 2018, the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly and the French Open, Paris Polo since 2020 as well as the Polo Rider Cup. François Puech Pays d’Alissac, President of

Maison Décalé commented, “Maison Décalé is delighted to be associated with the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly as the official outfitter for the next three years. We share the same values: Family Spirit, Fighting Spirit and Elegance. Furthermore, we are pleased to announce the opening of the boutique on the club’s premises to welcome members and visitors throughout the year.

The permanent collection will be sold at The French Open in addition to the capsule collections of the various tournaments.”

The Club’s 2021 Summer Camp will take place 6 – 11 July, offering young players tuition in all aspects of polo over a

The Club’s youth Summer Camp will take place in July

week-long programme. The full details of the programme are now online, visit www.poloclubchantilly.com to find out more. www.polotimes.co.uk

Your Club News from Home and Abroad

Beaufort Polo Club

Ham Polo Club

The Club is open for matches

Druids Lodge Polo Club Photograph by Michael Berkeley Photography

On Sunday 9 May, Canonbury enjoyed a strong win against Avanti in The Aspiga Trophy 2 goal Final, while Low Profile secured the Subsidiary Final title with a win against Watchman.

Canonbury, winners of The Aspiga Trophy

Carlitos White Waltham Polo Club Despite the high winds, the Club began their chukkas on Bank Holiday weekend. Moving forward the Club will be hosting practice chukkas on Fridays at 6pm and Club Chukkas on Saturdays and Sundays at 11am on both days.

The Club’s marquee will be going up at the start of June, with BBQs starting again on 16 June.

In glorious sunshine on Bank Holiday Monday, 31 May, Carlitos White Waltham Polo Club held the Final of The Recoleta Polo Tournament, which was won by the Mount Loftus Polo Team consisting of Team Captain Georgina Brittain, Possum, Louis and Nicola.

The annual Gordonstoun vs Aiglon Polo Challenge Match was won by Gordonstoun with the team of Nicola Davidson, Charlotte Sweeney, Scarlett McCoy and Lucy Bowman.

Photograph by Carlitos White Waltham Polo Club

Photograph by Beaufort Polo Club

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The Club hosted its first match day of the 2021 season, with Cavaliers securing The Hine Cognac Cup with a 6½-6 win against Colindo, followed

by Oriflamme who won The Double Bett Trophy against the Avengers, 6-4½. The Club are also hosting Friday Night Polo throughout the summer, the event will mostly be outdoors in line with government guidance, with a DJ and bar until late after polo – tickets for non-members can be purchased here.

Photograph by Ham Polo Club

On Monday 10 May, Beaufort Polo Club has announced that the 2021 Gloucestershire Festival of Polo will not go ahead this year. It had been hoped that this event, traditionally held in June, could be rescheduled for late summer, however the financial risk of committing to the large amount of infrastructure with the ongoing volatility of the pandemic has made this year’s event untenable.

Mark Tomlinson, Club Chairman commented, “This has been a difficult decision and not one taken lightly by the Club. We have built a very successful and popular event over the years, and to cancel for a second season is obviously disappointing. We had sincerely hoped to deliver another thrilling event this year, and to provide a great backdrop to top quality polo and opportunities for our valued sponsors and traders. We were of course also looking forward to welcoming back the many thousands of visitors who have made the weekend-long event a regular date in their diaries. We must be sensible however, in regard to financial viability, so this tough decision has been made to ensure we can host another great Festival again in the future.

Dates for next year’s Gloucestershire Festival of Polo will be released this summer and it is expected to take place sometime in June 2022.”

However, the Club hopes spectators will be allowed to attend the England vs Pakistan International Day on Sunday 4 July.

In other news, Beaufort Polo Club has decided to pay recognition to not only the NHS but also health services closer to home, by supporting Tetbury Hospital donating half of new membership fees and for any new member that joined in 2021 and chooses to renew in 2022, the Club will donate half of their membership fee to the Tetbury Hospital. Beaufort Polo Club’s Mark Tomlinson commented, “Here at Beaufort, we would like to pay recognition to not only the NHS but those closer to home. With this in mind, and also considering our long-standing relationship, it seems fitting that through a special ‘BPC social campaign’ we can support the Tetbury Hospital.”

Beaufort Polo Club will be making financial donations to support Tetbury Hospital

Club Focus

Mount Loftus, winners of The Recoleta Polo Tournament

Gordonstoun, winners of the annual Gordonstoun vs Aiglon Polo Challenge Match

Polo Times, June 2021

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Club Focus

Your Club News from Home and Abroad

Photograph by Minuto Siete Polo Facilities/Matias Callejo

Photograph by Minuto Siete

John Smith, winners of The Copa Bienvenida

Smiling faces all round after The KE Cup

Ayala Polo Club The opening tournament of the 2021 Sotogrande season came to an end at Ayala Polo Club on Sunday 16 May. In The Copa Bienvenida Final, John Smith secured a close 6-5 win against Horseware Ireland, with Patricio Neves named Most Valuable Player and Manteca, played

by Santiago Laborde, owned by Iñigo Zóbel; while the Subsidiary Final saw Rhone Hill and Los Schazies compete for The Copa Cancha II, with Rhone Hill securing an 8-4 win. Ayala Polo Club, supported by Minuto Siete, Dos Lunas Polo & Dressage Club and Santa María Polo Club, will see polo played regulary until the return of high goal action in August.

The next tournament is the Copa San Enrique de Guadiaro which will be played over 20 – 23 May and will feature 6 to 8 goal teams.

Sunday 30 May saw Cibao La Pampa claim The KE Sotogrande Cup on Sunday 30 May, even though they lost to John Smith 4—5, as they had already enjoyed two wins in their previous games.

Juan Pepa was named Most Valuable Player while Jet Light, played

by Patricio Cieza was chosen as the Best Playing Pony.

The Copa Bienvenida Final Teams: John Smith (8): Gabriel Aguirre (0), Flora Larkin (-1), Gabriel Jesús Cobino (3) & Santiago Laborde (6) Horseware Ireland (8): Emmet Connolly (0), Agustín Perego (2), Patricio Neves (4) & Daniel Gariador (2) The KE Sotogrande Cup Final Teams: John Smith (8): Gabriel Aguirre (0), Flora Larkin (-1), Jorge Pepa (3) & Santiago Laborde (6) Cibao La Pampa (8): Juan Pepa (1), Naico Desmas (-1), Pedro Beca (2) & Patricio Cieza (6)

Grand Champions Polo Club Photography by Chukker TV

Sebucan (Pablo Pulido, Marc Ganzi, Nic Roldan & Juancito Bollini) secured The Sun Cup with a narrow 8-7 win against Seminole Casio Coconut Creek (Melissa Ganzi, Horacio Heguy, Alejandro Novillo Astrada & Juan Bollini) and Orea Polo Team (Petra Sobotova, Sugar Erskine, Justin Daniels & Pablo Spinacci) took home the Just for the Fun of It title with a 12-11 win against Newport (Gene Goldstein, Grant Ganzi, Nacho Figueras & Tomas Pieres) over a bumper weekend of polo at Grand Champions Polo Club on 8 – 9 May. On Saturday 15 May, the Stand Together for Haiti fundraiser match was hosted at Grand Champions Polo Club. The Stand Together for Haiti team (Tato Bollini, Matias Gonzalez, Nacho Figueras & Kris Kampsen) defeated Grand Champions (Justin Daniels, Grant Ganzi, Nic Roldan & Horacio Heguy) 5-3 in a four chukka exhibition match.

The Stand Together for Haiti Foundation was created to raise awareness of the challenging conditions faced by the people of Haiti, one of the least developed countries in the Americas.

The Pedro Harrison Trophy was won by Sorrento Polo Team (Federico Parker, Tito Gaudenzi, Marc Ganzi and Nic Roldan) who defeated Seminole Casino Coconut Creek (Fran Spinacci, Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini and Alejandro Novillo Astrada) with a narrow 12-11 win in the Final. Nic Roldan was named Most Valuable Player, with Cortina, played by Tito Gaudenzi and owned by Santa Rita Polo Farm, chosen as the Best Playing Pony.

Sebucan, winners of The Sun Cup Final

Sorrento Polo Team, winners of The Pedro Harrison Trophy

The Stand Together for Haiti team

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Polo Times, June 2021

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Women’s Polo

International & Home

La Espadaña Ladies Cup

Photograph by Margu Crotto

On Sunday 25 April, La Espadaña Club in Lobos, Argentina, organised a ladies tournament with four teams of up to 8 goals. Each team played two matches, one of four chukkas and one of five chukkas, which saw Lincoln Polo Club make the most of their handicap advantage and take the title, Patagonia Transfer took second place, La Morenita in third and Beefeatres took fourth place.

La Espadaña Ladies Cup Teams: Patagonia Transfer (7): Mercedes Prario (4), Juana Pando (0), Juana Zucchi (2) & Vale Doranti (1) La Morettina (8): Francesca Moretti (3), Luisa Del Carril (3), Felicitas Paez Allende (1) & Juana Borthaburu (1) Beefeatres (8): Verónica Guerreo (4), Olivia Zucchi (2), Margarita Crotto (1) & Alejandra Rohm (1) Lincoln Polo Club (3): Carolina Arteta (3), Delfina Santillan (0), Agustina Trigo (0) & Maria Guiraldes (0)

Four teams took part in the La Espadaña Ladies Cup

Rutland Ladies Polo Clinic Wednesday 26 May saw Rutland Polo Club host their Ladies Polo Clinic, which despite the rain and cold was an enjoyable day for all involved. The day involved talks from Equine Veterinary physiotherapist Grace Perry, Jess Roche of Oswald Sporting on polo body armour, plus instructional chukkas from Henry Browne and coaching from Paul Gullett, rounded off with pizzas to end the day.

Women in Polo 2021 League Dates Photograph by Rutland Polo Club

The Ladies Polo Clinic feature talks and instruction to all

Celtic Polo Team It has been announced that there will be a new team for the 2021 Women’s Argentine Open – The Celtic Polo Team will be made up of Siobhan Herbst, April Kent, Izzy McGregor and Rosie Ross.

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Women in Polo has confirmed their 2021 league dates for the 12 and 8 goal, as well as announcing Coldstream Equine will be sponsoring the 12 goal league. The dates have been confirmed as: Rutland: 29 – 30 May: 12 & 8 goal Silver Leys: 5 – 6 June: 12 & 8 goal Tedworth Park: 12 – 13 June: 12 & 8 goal Cirencester: 11– 20 June: 8 goal (intro) Binfield Heath: 19 – 20 June: 12 goal Westcroft Park: 26 – 27 June: 12 & 8 goal Knepp Castle: 1 – 4 July: 12 goal New Forest: 10 – 11 July: 12 goal Beaufort: 10 – 18 July: 8 goal Cirencester: 20 July – 1 August: 8 goal Cortium: 7 – 15 August: 12 & 8 goal Rutland: 14 – 15 August: 12 & 8 goal Kirtlington Park: 19 – 22 August: 12 & 8 goal Beaufort: 17 – 29 August: 12 goal Cirencester: 31 August – 5 Sept: 12 goal Thorseby: 4 – 5 September: 8 goal Knepp Castle: 11 – 12 September: 8 goal

For Women’s polo dates for your diary, turn to our What’s On pages

Youth

All Aspects of Youth Polo

Rocket Rentals Junior Tournament

Photography courtesy of Zahra Lucas

Arabella McCartney, winner of The Wellie Trophy

Division 1 teams

Tuesday 1 June saw an impressive 19 teams enter this year’s Rocket Rentals Junior Tournament at Longdole Polo Club, sponsored by Simon and Jessica Tomblin. After an unusual year with lockdowns and school closures, this event had become a muchneeded fun day out for both children and parents, with four divisions there were players from six-year-olds on fluffies to the more experienced and competitive 16 to 18-yearolds. Division 4 (six to 12-year-olds on fluffies) was won by Cotswold Pony Club with Beaufort V in a very close second place; Division 3 (six to 12-year-olds on polo ponies) saw RA take the win with Cotswold in second place; Division 2B (12 to 14-year-olds) was won by Hampshire Hunt with a very strong lead; in Division 2A, La Querceta won both their games to take first place with Neogem a close second; Division 1 (14 to 18-year-olds) saw a very competitive New Forest Hunt take a well-deserved first place.

A special prize consisting of The Wellie Trophy was awarded to six-year-old Arabella McCartney in the Beaufort team for her very adorable grey fluffy pony.

Division 2A teams

Division 2B teams

Division 3 teams

Division 4 teams

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Rocket Rentals Junior Tournament Winners: Division 1 – New Forest Hunt (-3): Jacob Watson (-1), George Williams (-1), Archie Turner (-1) & Lucas Stern (0) Division 2A – La Querceta: Archie Heseltine, Billy Barlow, Marcos Petjovic & George Copcutt Division 2B – Hampshire Hunt: Alice Gregory, Lara Gregory, Ava Burke & Bart Bell Division 3 – RA: Holly Cowley, Henry Whittington, Cosimo Thome & Jack Spring Division 4 – Cotswold Pony Club: Valentine McPherson, Elizabeth Clarkin, Melba Fox & Wills Gouldstone

For Youth polo dates, please turn to our What’s On pages

All Aspects of Youth Polo

Youth

Girls’ National Interscholastic Championship Photograph by 2021 Girls’ National Interscholastic Champions Aiken Polo Club

On Saturday 22 May, Aiken Polo Club and Maryland Polo Club went head-to-head in the Girls’ National Interscholastic Championship (GNIS) Final at New Bridge Polo & Country Club (Aiken, South Carolina). Aiken took charge from the off and swiftly notched up three goals and managed to keep Maryland off the scoreboard entirely in the second chukka, while continuing to add to their tally. Summer Kneece opened the second half with her sixth goal of the Final, but Maryland’s Jordan Peterson fought back with four goals, including a two pointer. Entering the final chukka, Aiken held a seven goal lead, but they didn’t let up in their pursuit of the title and continued to notch up the goals, in the end running out the winners with a convincing 17-5 score. Kylie Beard was presented with the Sportsmanship Award.

Girls’ National Interscholastic Championship Final Teams: Aiken Polo Club: Summer Kneece, Sophie Grant, Robyn Leitner & Reagan Leitner Maryland Polo Club: Kylie Beard, Sierra Blevins & Jordan Peterson

2021 Girls’ National Interscholastic Champions, Aiken Polo Club

Open National Interscholastic Championship

Photography by Oana Moore

Open National Interscholastic Championship winners, Gardnertown Polo Club

On Sunday 16 May, Gardnertown Polo Club faced Houston Polo Club in The George C. Sherman Open National Interscholastic Championship at Virginia Polo Center in Charlottesville, Virginia – both teams had narrowly lost their opportunity to claim the title in 2018 and 2019 respectively, so there was all to play for this year. The scores remained close throughout the first half, with Gardnertown holding a narrow 7-6 advantage at half-time. The second half saw both teams try to create a sizeable lead, but Gardnertown held a one goal lead going into the final chukka and they continued to build upon this to

Best Playing Pony, Minnie

take control of the closing minutes with strong offensive plays and in the end ran out the winners with an impressive 21-10 victory. Minnie, owned by Virginia Polo, was chosen as the Best Playing Pony.

The George C. Sherman Open National Interscholastic Championship Final Teams: Gardnertown Polo Club: Winston Painter, Vlad Tarashansky & Jonathan Wallace Houston Polo Club: Lance Stefanakis, Ashvath Bhatia, Will Mudra & Joe Bob Lequerica

SUPA’s Super New Website The Schools and Universities Polo Association (SUPA) has excitingly launched their new website, which is a one stop shop for all things SUPA, from fixtures to membership, as well as dedicated junior school, senior school and ladies school sections. Visit www.supa.org.uk to find out more.

Is your youth polo not featured? Email editorial@polotimes.co.uk with all your youth polo news!

Polo Times, June 2021

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Knowledge

Pony Power

Cruz Montiel

Where is he from/breeding? OD Chueca x Gete Mercurio.

How long have you had him? I bred him!

What are his strengths? Comfortable, super easy and a big heart.

How has he gone this season? He came over this year from Argentina and has been going very well.

Photograph by ©www.imagesofpolo.com

Height: 15hh Age: 10-years-old Colour: Bay Sex: Stallion Owned and played by: Paco O’Dwyer Tournament: La Martina Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s Centenary Trophy Final at Guards Polo Club

Has he won any other Best Playing Pony Awards? No.

What are your plans for him in the future? I will keep playing him in the UK, also I’m using him as a stallion.

Describe him in three words? Quiet, comfortable, soft

in the Waimai tournament 18 goal in New Zealand with Nina playing her.

I would love to see her under a high goal player and showing off her full potential.

What are your plans for her in the future? I will probably look to sell her as

Describe her in three words? Quick handy machine.

Centrical

Where is she from/breeding? Bred by Ellerston Australia. Shipped to New Zealand as three-year-old, dam is Centimetre and sire is Hermitage.

How long have you had her? I have owned her for six years.

What are her strengths? She is very handy and has a great stop.

How has she gone this season? She is looking and feeling better than ever this season.

Has he won any other Best Playing Pony Awards? She has also won Champion Pony

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Photograph by ©www.imagesofpolo.com

Height: 15.1hh Age: Nine-years-old Colour: Liver chestnut Sex: Mare Owned and played by: JP Clarkin Tournament: The Valerie Halford Memorial Trophy Final at Guards Polo Club

www.polotimes.co.uk

Horse Riding Holidays Worldwide info@farandride.com

01462 701110

Knowledge

Medical Insight: Polodoc

Dr.med. Andreas Krüger is a Swiss board orthopaedic and trauma surgeon in Zurich, who specialises in knee and shoulder surgery. Andi is a second generation of tournament doctors for equine sports, known as Polodoc since 2013

Unhappy Hip

Sudden pain & no idea about the trigger?

Grain of rice shaped calcification as a sign of inflammation of the gluteus mdius tendon

Anatomy Photograph courtesy by MTR Spa

Shockwave application with Swiss DolorClast® EVO Blue on the point of pain where the tendons insert on the bone to trigger regeneration

Introduction

In the evening you go to bed and in the morning you stand up and walking feels like you slept on a bed of needles. Immense pain in the gluteal area and thigh with no idea what the reason is for it. Mostly pain in the joints results from overuse or wear over time, with a constant increase of impairment. Nevertheless subclinical inflammation of the insertion of hip muscle can result in a calcification of the intersection between these two materials (bone – tendon interface). The inflammatory pain can be immense with massive reduction in mobility and loading. Tendinitis is most often caused by 38

Polo Times, June 2021

repetitive, minor impact on the affected area, or from a sudden, more serious injury.

Pain can be so limiting that riding is not possible at all.

Symptoms

In the intimal phase, a sore muscle feeling can be present. Secondly a sharp, disabling pain can limit the free range of motion with very localized area of discomfort.

Mostly rotational movements trigger these sensations. Patients usually try resting in a comfortable position in slight elevation and external rotation.

The hip is built by the femur bone with its ball like head and the acetabulum, which is a cup shape. The cup is surrounded by a soft sealing tissue, which forms a capsule and joint lip. Muscle around the hip bone is in a circumferential position forming a cuff so that movement in all directions is possible. In between the tendon and bone intersection, soft tissue in the form of a bursa, is positioned to minimize friction in this area.

Diagnostics

Clinical signs A clinical examination will highlight joint pain through passively moving the hip. The outer side of the hip, where the soft tissue of the bursa is placed above the insertion of hip muscles, is a typical spot where pain is localised. Local reddening and pseudo infection signs like reddening or swelling and pressure tenderness can be present.

Elevated infection parameter like CRP and white blood count is possible but can also be misleading. www.polotimes.co.uk

Medical Insight: Polodoc

Knowledge

X-ray (flouroscopic) guided punction/infiltration of the hip under sterile conditions executed by PD Saupe in the Radiology of Hirslanden Klinik. With the help of laser light, exact needle placement is possible.

Radiology Alteration of the bursa or inflamed tendon tissue can be pictured well with ultrasound examination. X-ray and additional MRI of the hip can help to better understand unclear clinical symptoms and can help to rule out possible pre-existing conditions of the joint.

Calcifications can be detected best in X-rays.

Mostly small round or triangular deposits are visible in the insertion area of the tendon.

Therapeutic treatment

In an initial phase, anti-inflammatory drug treatment is recommended. In the www.polotimes.co.uk

first instance, non-steroid drugs like oral Ibuprofen is recommended. Additional high dose intake of Vitamin C and Zinc can prove beneficial. Dermal patches can be administered on the painful area with warming or cooling ingredients.

Physical rest in a comfortable position is also recommended. In cases where the acute phase is not reacting to the initial treatment, a secondary infiltration of antiinflammatory drugs to the affected area is favourable. These infiltrations should be executed guided with the use of ultrasound or X-ray technology. If the full treatment

armamentarium is administered in the early stage, quick recovery is very likely. In longer lasting cases, a well-dosed shockwave treatment can boost recovery. Concomitant Physiotherapy is always favourable. In rare cases where high grade partial tears of the hip abductors’ tendons have occured a surgical intervention should be considered.

For more information on Polodoc contact Andreas Krüger at drmedkrueger@gmail.com or www.polodoc.ch Polo Times, June 2021

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Knowledge

Nutrition Focus

Lorna Edgar – specialist equine nutritionist

Yard Focus Oli Hipwood – 4 Goals

Photography by Oli Hipwood

I am so grateful, and very happy, to be out on yards again. I am sure those I visit frequently wonder why I have a ridiculous grin every time I walk on the yard and see polo ponies – it really is because I am in my element!

One yard I have been visiting now for 17 years, is Oli Hipwood’s. I first met Oli at Ascot Park (now Westcroft) in the first summer of working for Baileys. I very much wanted to try and make a small difference to the way polo ponies were fed by combining my grooming experience and nutritional knowledge. One thing we both wanted to work on was feeding polo ponies in a more scientific way by making a greater emphasis on forage and fibre and using those feeds that are best suited to the individual, rather than ‘blanket feed’, so that horses maintain their top line and condition throughout the season, and of course, not using muzzles.

Over the years, Oli’s string has changed, his handicap has gone up and down and the products at Baileys have developed as science has continuously evolved. So naturally we have made changes to the products we have used.

The majority of Oli’s horses will come in from their winter break on Ease & Excel Mix, which provides a low starch ration with calories from digestible fibre and oil. This helps promote sensible behaviour (during the cold months of February and March!) but with enough calories to build up their condition for the season ahead. Depending on their temperament, some will stay on Ease & Excel Mix as they don’t require

Oli’s ponies grazing at home

any extra ‘quick release energy’ from a higher starch feed, whilst those that do will move to Conditioning Cubes! We make a gradual transition between the two feeds, again depending on the individual’s needs and many will begin playing chukkas on a 50:50 ration, which will then increase to 100% Conditioning Cubes once playing regularly. Rations will be topped up with a balancer and adding Outshine, the high oil supplement, where necessary. This regime has meant the majority of his horses have played in low goal right up to the Semi Finals of The Queen’s Cup with the all England team, Maidford.

Oli likes his horses to be out in the field as much as possible, and when stabled they have constant access to hay, which he finds the majority self-regulate – and consequently the environment in the barn is a lot more relaxed as hungry, irritable horses don’t exist!

His grooms, Grace Tapping, Hollie Slater and Helen Evans are in their second season at Oli’s yard in Hampshire, where Justin Taylor also keeps his horses. They are

great at keeping in touch with me, sending WhatsApp messages or photos if there is a horse they have any concerns about or a new horse arrives on the yard.

We have chosen four horses from Oli’s current string that have differing qualities on and off the field which we need to cater for in their feed bowl. These horses will all be playing three to five times per week in 6-12 goal tournaments based at Guards, Cowdray & Black Bears, during the 2021 polo season.

The horses at Oli’s all wintered well this year, but if they do have a tough winter we will introduce the prebiotic Digest Plus as soon as they come back into work to help them digest the fibre in their diet a little more effectively.

This helps promote condition a little quicker by allowing them to utilise their forage more efficiently. Some may stay on the prebiotic throughout the season, and some may have it reintroduced during the season if they are in need of a little more support.

All the horses will receive electrolytes, once or twice per day, depending on how much polo they have and the weather.

He is what you might call a loveable rogue – comes across a little grumpy at times but he is actually a real sweetheart, just preferring human company rather than equine!

Woody generally holds his condition well, and energy is not too much of a problem. He comes back into work on Ease & Excel Mix, and will then have Conditioning Cubes introduced alongside ad lib hay and turnout whenever possible. Woody will often have Outshine, the high oil supplement added to his ration a month into the season, to help provide extra stamina alongside extra calories.

Should he back off his hay at any point Grace will begin to apply the similar routine to Tippex, with extra fibre sources being introduced into his diet, ensuring he holds his condition well and he has plenty of fibre in his diet.

Woody

He is a 13-year-old, Irish Thoroughbred who came to Oli as a six-year-old. He is quite a character and a mainstay of Oli’s string.

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Current Diet 3 heaped round bowl Stubbs scoops of Conditioning Cubes per day 2 measuring mugs of Balancer per day ½ a scoop of alfalfa chaff in each feed www.polotimes.co.uk

Nutrition Focus

Knowledge

Tippex

Peroni

A 10-year-old English Thoroughbred, he generally holds his weight well througout the season and last year played every game with Oli and never lacked energy on his playing diet of conditioning cubes. He can be quite quirky and cheeky (apparently an understatement according to Grace!), but as she says, you can’t be cross with him for long as his ears are always forward providing the cute factor! As previously mentioned his energy levels are generally good – he comes into work on Ease & Excel Mix and as the work increases Conditioning Cubes are introduced and once playing he will end up on just the cubes as he needs the more starch based energy from the cubes.

Current Diet 3 round bowl Stubbs scoops of Conditioning Cubes per day 2 measuring mugs of Balancer per day ½ a scoop of alfalfa chaff in each feed Because he can be cheeky, if there is a quieter period of polo he will have some of the cubes reduced and Ease & Excel Mix re-introduced, reducing the ‘quick release’ energy but ensuring the calories are still present for him to maintain condition but with a level head.

A 12-year-old, he was bred out of one of Howard Hipwood’s favourite mares and is a big gelding that generally holds his weight well though he often needs extra energy – so benefits from higher energy feeds. Tippex is a very easy horse to have on the yard and quite the gentleman, being a firm favourite for Oli’s daughter to ride!

He will come in from the winter break on a combination of Ease & Excel Mix and Conditioning Cubes for more readily available energy.

Being a big gelding he does require a little more food than the others, and should he need even more ‘go’ we will either add a few straight bruised oats to his existing diet or consider a Competition Mix (though we haven’t needed to cross this bridge yet)!

As his work increases Grace will keep an eye on the amount of hay he is eating during the day – sometimes we might have to supplement his fibre intake by increasing the alfalfa or adding some Fibre-Beet to his rations. I would encourage putting these into separate buckets for him to graze on whilst stabled rather than bulking out his feed bowl, and splitting his feeds over three meals would also be preferable as and when Grace can do so.

Current Diet 3 heaped round bowl Stubbs scoops of Conditioning Cubes per day 2 measuring mugs of Balancer per day ½ a scoop of alfalfa chaff in each feed we mainly use a low-calorie balancer for her – but she can also lack energy if we are not careful. Nova is very easy and an absolute pleasure to have on the yard!

Nova

An Irish bred 10-year-old who came to Oli as a 6-year-old. Nova can hold her weight a little too well, which is something we are always taking into consideration when we review her diet so Electrolytes are administered either in their water or in their feed – and wherever possible and depending on personal preferences of individuals, the feed will be wet when it has electrolytes in!

Oli’s grooms always travel their horses www.polotimes.co.uk

Current Diet 5 measuring mugs of Balancer per day 1 scoop of alfalfa chaff in each feed As polo becomes busier and if she is needing energy we will add straight bruised oats to her feed, which on a match day may increase to a scoop in the morning and half a scoop in the evening. The oats will be reduced considerably on easy days and quieter weeks of polo – if she is not utilising the energy in the oats in her work she won’t use the calories and her body condition will increase.

Always being mindful of careful management to reduce the risk of gastric ulcers, particularly with horses that hold their condition well, we don’t restrict Nova’s forage intake too much. Grace double nets her hay to slow down her consumption – she works a little harder to get her hay, but this promotes trickle feeding throughout the day.

with hay nets, and when they have two games in a day they will feed a small feed, provide water and give them a hay net – thus ensuring they are never without their forage too long and always hydrated.

A big thank you to Grace, Hollie and

Helen for all they do in making my job so easy and keeping the horses looking and going well!

C ontact Lorna Edgar of Baileys Horse Feeds on lorna@baileyshorsefeeds.co.uk Polo Times, June 2021

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Knowledge

Playing Tips

Playing tips with Rege Ludwig Two Forms of Rotation Lateral & Vertical

Renowned polo coach, Rege Ludwig gives his expert advice on how to get more out of your game

When executing an offside fore shot, it only makes sense that your right shoulder rotates back, laterally. What is not typically realized is that your hips initiate torso rotation, which initiates torso rotation, and torso rotation initiates shoulder rotation, which is a continuation of The Law of Sequence theory.

The order and the degree of upper body rotation for hitting an offside fore shot are as follows: 1. Your hips rotate first up to a possible 20 degrees from perpendicular, with ten to 15 degrees being the typical degree of range of motion of the hips for most offside fore shots.

2. Your torso, then, rotates laterally up to another possible 40 degrees beyond hip rotation, with 20 to 30 degrees of torso rotation being the norm for most offside fore shots.

At this point, your upper body will have rotated between 30 to 50 degrees from perpendicular.

3. Then your shoulders rotate laterally up to another 25 degrees beyond torso rotation, with the norm being ten to 15 degrees of rotation of your shoulders.

Depending on the power you want to create within the swing process of hitting an offside fore shot, your upper body should

Initial lateral rotation of hips, torso, and shoulders

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Polo Times, June 2021

be rotating between 40 to 75 degrees from perpendicular.

4. Finally, if you want to create more power, your shoulders should begin rotating vertically around your spine, which will have your shoulders rotating close to parallel to your horse’s spine.

When swinging the mallet with the intention of generating power, the rotation of your shoulders should seldom be greater than 75 degrees from perpendicular.

The reason being, when you rotate your shoulders past 75 degrees from perpendicular; you will, most likely, soften your upper leg grip into your horse’s shoulders proportionately to achieve that greater degree of rotation.

A negative effect associated with softening the grip of your upper legs is, your hitting platform begins to destabilize to the degree that your upper leg grip softened.

Because the power of the swing is equated to how strongly your hips rotate against your upper legs gripping strongly into your horse’s shoulders; any softening of your upper leg grip decreases the power that can be generated because your hips are rotating against a softer upper leg grip.

The softening of your upper leg grip is not the only negative effect of rotating

your upper body past 75 degrees from perpendicular. Once you have rotated your shoulders to 75 degrees from perpendicular, your mallet hand has most likely reached the point of being established on a plane of the swing that is correct for a straightforward offside fore shot.

As you continue rotating your shoulders past 75 degrees, your mallet hand begins to move to the inside of the plane of swing to the degree that your shoulders rotated past 75 degrees.

At that point, your hand and the mallet must be moved out toward the plane during the downswing. The problem with the outward movement during the downswing is, your hand and the mallet typically do not stop at the plane, but continue moving out past the plane as the mallet continues its decent down toward the ball. And, because your hand and the mallet have moved out past the plane during the downswing, they both have to be moved back in to the plane before the mallet head reaches the ball.

Because of all of that extraneous movement (inside, to outside, to inside) there is little chance of the mallet head establishing on a plane of swing that is consistent with the desired direction of the hit, prior to reaching the ball. Consequently, there is little chance of the ball going in the intended direction.

Once your shoulders have rotated laterally to a maximum of 75 degrees from perpendicular, that is when your shoulders should begin the second form of rotation, which is vertically up and down around your spine; as well as, parallel to your horse’s spine.

In my first video, “Hitting with Power and Accuracy,” I refer to that action as rotisserating to suggest that your shoulders should rotate around your spine in a manner similar to something cooking on a rotisserie grill. Another example of vertical rotation was stated to me by Carlos Gracida during a penalty lesson I was conducting with him.

Carlos told me, “If I want to hit an offside fore shot with power, I concentrate on pointing my left shoulder down toward the ball”.

From the way I understand the hitting process, the twisting, or rotating, of your shoulders vertically around your spine is the most difficult form of rotation to use correctly.

With that having been said, I must also let www.polotimes.co.uk

Playing Tips you know that it is also the form of rotation that facilitates creating maximum power of the swing effort. That is true because vertical rotation necessitates a strong upper leg attachment of you to your horse as you are in the process of rotating your upper body to swing the mallet; therefore your hips are rotating against a firm to strong grip of your upper legs.

As a matter of fact, the further you rotate your left shoulder down toward the ball, the greater the power you are generating. Because of the power generated by way of your upper hips rotating against a firm upper leg grip into your horse’s shoulders, the upper leg contact into your horse’s shoulders must be at least equal to, or stronger than, the power generated by way of your upper body rotation.

Compare the mechanics of swinging a polo mallet to those of swinging a golf club or a baseball bat. Out of the necessity for swinging the hitting instrument most effective, the mechanical process for swinging each of those hitting instruments, is quite similar.

It is that final vertical rotation of your shoulders around your spine that yields the greatest degree of upper body rotation; and, the greater the degree of upper body rotation, the greater the degree you can rotate your shoulders. A consequence of

Knowledge

Vertical rotation (left shoulder down/right shoulder up)

which is, the greater the degree to which you can point your left shoulder directly down at the ball, the closer you will have come to generating maximum power with which to hit an offside fore shot.

When you can execute both forms of rotation correctly, each directly affects the power with which any offside fore shot can be hit. I am not suggesting that

rotation is easy to accomplish. However, I am unequivocally stating, “When you can execute both forms of rotation correctly, as Carlos could, each form contributes a truly meaningful role to the process of hitting a polo ball with maximum effectiveness”.

Thanks, and I wish for you the best of possible outcomes when practicing the two forms of rotation. Rege

WTR Horse Transport Specialising in the safe transport of Polo Ponies from short UK journeys to European long journeys.

Based in Berkshire.

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Please call Dave 07958479896 WTRhorsetransport@gmail.com www.polotimes.co.uk

Polo Times, June 2021

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Knowledge

Chukka Wellness

India Parker-Smith is the founder and owner of Chukka Wellness which provides the leading training and movement methodology designed for the equestrian athlete to enhance suppleness, stability and strength in the saddle. India is a Personal Trainer who offers online and offline fitness training designed to elevate the well-being of the equestrian athlete. Using her knowledge of seven years she has created a series of masterclasses, a virtual membership hub and online training programmes all designed to complement the equestrian’s health and wellness both in and out of the saddle. You will find more information on India’s services on her website www.chukkawellness.co.uk and Instagram page @chukka_wellness

Stay Accountable & Become the Best!

Accountability: “the quality or state of being accountable; an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility for one’s actions.”

Everyday people are required to be accountable for their actions, whether it is completing their gym session, turning up to a meeting or something as simple as returning a phone call.

When playing in a game situation, it is important to establish your role within the team and stay accountable for your actions whilst working cohesively with your three other teammates.

For this process to work smoothly, there are a few crucial components: - Mental Alertness and Clarity - Physical Fitness and Strength - Clear goals – own your responsibilities and ensure their execution - Communication - Fundamentals in practice - A strong game plan!

Photography by Chukka Wellness

Being accountable is not making excuses, not blaming others or whinging and complaining. It’s about analysing your individual performance and reflecting in order to achieve better results next time.

Improving your fitness is crucial

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Polo is a physically demanding sport but it still requires a clear and calm head. We see many players losing their temper and blaming others which can lead to losing the game and/or low team moral.

This is where accountability takes centre stage; It’s about doing what you say you’re going to do and executing the task to the best of your ability. It’s being able to put your hand up and say ‘this is what I need to do better’ if you don’t get it right.

Mental Skills Coach Nick Dann reminds us, “we play polo to have fun and that we all have to lose or have a bad day sometimes.

Set yourself goals, be accountable to yourself, go into every game as if it’s your last, but don’t forget the feeling of fulfilment you get from polo. Exercise is great for our mental health, so work on yourself and your fitness, enjoy moving your body and playing an amazing sport.”

Focus on the process not the outcome.

Ways to stay accountable:

1. Ensure you are physically ready for action We all know that fitness is a brilliant tool to improve mental health as well as motivation and competitiveness. Adding in a fun and effective fitness regime

can aid in mental focus and strength as well as overall control in the saddle and quicker recovery. Revise your fitness programme every six weeks to ensure you stay on track with your body goals.

2. Start your day off with a productive morning routine How you start your morning can have a huge effect on the rest of the day. I find a good way of starting my day, is with some celery juice, spirulina, task setting, reading, visualisation and of course coffee!

A productive morning routine is crucial

Having this morning routine enhances my mood and gives me clarity for the day ahead! I find that if I skip it, it completely offsets me for the entire day.

3. Reflection Part of being an athlete is analysing past performances. This can be a useful tool for game days, ask yourself how did my last game go with this team? Did I feel strong and energetic? Was I suffering from brain fog? Did I communicate well with the team?

Reflect on your performance and take it on board

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Knowledge Read these goals out loud every morning along with your plan of action! If you struggle with motivation, why not find an accountability partner. This could be a professional or simply a friend who you know you can rely on. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it!

Joss Ridley, Jayne Darling-Parks & Claire Allen

Susie Godwin & Barrie Upton

A delicious lunch

Whether you’re looking to stay accountable in your fitness and health or your polo performance, try adding in a few of these strategies.

And remind that CPPC Christmas Party; Cowley Manor,yourself Cheltenham; long as you know you tried your best and Friday 13as December gave it your all – you cannot punish yourself if the result didn’t go your way. Learn from these experiences and use them to create a You should listen to feedback from your teammates, even if you don’t agree! more on positive outcome.

With Christmas the horizon, Cirencester Park Polo Club

Ciren Does Christmas

Christine Williams & Duncan Branch

Peter O’Rorke, Matt Evetts & Tony Haynes members and friends gathered to celebrate the festive season 4. Feedback Wellness working exclusively at the iconicChukka Cowley Manor nearisCheltenham.

Alongside a This follows on from reflection – be delicious lunch, withserved various virtual to equestrians perfection by via the a lovely Cowley sure to ask for feedback from your staff, there was Check-in Programme whichaplenty, involves laughter and festive cheer as guests teammates. Take it on board even ifexchanged Christmas a weekly catch call to revise tidings up of great joy!

With the all eyes turned you don’t agree with it and work on to thethe 2020 week’s season, goals gossipand flewschedule. around theEach room – who will points in isolation. Listen also to thethe next big participant willWhich then pros receive five for mini Ciren star be? will play which feedback from your body; did your back workouts to complete each week. teams next year? Who will take the most falls? Suffice to say, ache? Did you feel weak in a certaina wonderful The lunchprogramme was had by helps all; theequestrians perfect way to begin a shot? to season. maintain their fitness throughout thrilling festive busy periods and stay accountable for Photography by goals!

John Hankin their Looking to improve your 5. Goal Setting and ‘Accountabilibuddy’ Maureen Moseley, Georgie Seddon-Brown Use this internal and external feedback performance in the saddle? Get in If you struggle with motivation, India suggests an Yanna Mudie, Ginny Williams & Natalie Meredith & Isabel Branch to set or revise your performance goals. touch india@chukkawellness.co.uk Accountabilibuddy

Professional Farriery Services, Specialising in Polo and Competition Horses.

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+44 (0) 7834 551 357 Polo Times, June 2021

45

Knowledge

Equine Chiropractor

Matt Kenna is a fully qualified veterinary and sports chiropractor working with elite athletes and their horses. He is currently working providing consultancy to premiership football teams, high goal players and treats horses across all levels of polo from low goal to high goal. Based between Guards and Cowdray, he travels all over the south of England. This is the second in a series of articles by Matt on equine chiropractic topics, following on from his article in our April issue

Front, Back & Side to Side

Importance of working both sides of your horse It’s a well known fact that humans are right or left handed, ambidexterity is really quite rare, but what is lesser known is that horses are much the same. They have a dominant hemisphere in their brain, as we often talk about in regards to horsemanship, but they are also made naturally one sided, developing what is known as sidedness. I would bet that if you thought about it, you could tell me which of your horses favour the right leg and which are more natural on their left lead. Studies show, like humans, the majority of performance horses, around 85%, are right “handed”.

It is usually evident which is the dominant side in the horses I treat, and other therapists will tell you the same. How? Because they are effectively working out one side harder than the other. Naturally this leads to increased muscle mass, increased muscle tension, joint restrictions and stiffness, muscle imbalances both side to side and from one muscle group to another, and more often than not, in fact almost always, other

pains and injuries on relative parts of the rest of the body. In fact, as riders, we often compound the issue by working them on their “easier” side. I even regularly see more inexperienced riders sitting unevenly in the saddle or gripping a lot more with one leg which conveys the issues even further.

These functional overloads caused by muscle imbalances, over time, will cause excessive tendon loads and joint pressure leading to quicker degeneration of these structures one side as opposed to the other.

This is why recognising which side your horse prefers is so crucial.

Oh, and then there is the nervous system. The part of the brain that controls balance, the cerebellum, is highly important in the function of the nervous system, and it needs training as well. Ever noticed that your horse trips one side more compared to the other? That’s not just because it’s weak or being lazy. Recognising side preferences and training our horses both sides trains that balance and co-ordination and leads to a

more stable horse. This is not only important in schooling, but checking up, turning for a play and even getting over the boards.

These problems can be easily addressed, by working our horses on their less favourable side, which strengthens and conditions their weaker diagonal and loosens up and takes strain off of the dominant one.

If these issues are left to manifest, the problems will escalate until a point whereby the horse will not perform the task which it is being asked and may even become clinically significant enough for the vet or farrier to be called.

If our colleagues cannot resolve the issue with traditional methods, additional therapies such as chiropractic, osteopathy or physiotherapy can help steer the horse back on track by addressing these biomechanical overloads and inherent stiffnesses that develop.

If you’re into more traditional ball sports, such as rugby or football, you may well have noticed that the greatest players work equally both sides so that their less preferential side becomes as good as their dominant, preferential one (think Jonny Wilkinson in the 2003 Rugby World Cup).

To support their training, athletes make treatment a regular part of their regimes to make this easier, it is time that we start taking the same approach to training and treating our horses.

Web: www.mkchiro.co.uk @theequinechiro @theequinechiro

Photography by Matt Kenna

These images show performance horses with issues that I treat. The green lines depict straight and level (where the spine and pelvis should be), the red lines show where the pelvis is and muscle imbalances

46

Polo Times, June 2021

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Knowledge

Vet Insight

David Blakey BVetMed CertAVP(EM) MRCVS started playing polo with The Wilton Hunt Pony Club at the age of 10 and went on to both play and groom in South Africa and the U.K, before setting off for The Royal Veterinary College. He graduated in 2010, and currently works at Waterlane Equine Vets in Gloucestershire, the practice that looks after the Polo Times string. He deals with everything from miniature Shetlands to performance sport horses, although he does have a particular interest in anesthesia and older horse management. David regularly plays polo at Edgeworth’s Wednesday evening chukkas and once held a 1 goal handicap, but lack of time and money has curtailed his polo habit

Equine Back Pain

Case Study

How back pain can hide in plain sight

Photography courtesy of Polo Times

Celine was always a lethargic and sluggish youngster, unwilling to fully engage and not particularly forward going. Initially this was attributed to a relaxed character, but in later months into pre-season preparations her behaviour changed and she became more cold backed and would buck and appear generally uncomfortable when ridden. After a visit from the vet, she was diagnosed with kissing spines and booked in for keyhole surgery.

Post-surgery, Celine seemed to feel much better in herself and after rehabilitation including stretching and lunging she was given six months off from polo in order to let the spine fully heal without being ridden.

The following year, when starting to stick and ball again she seemed slow on the turn and tight in her rear action, David assessed Celine and noticed an additional toe drag of the hind limbs and recommended a steroid injection into the small hock joint in order to address the issues. Since the medication of the hocks, Celine’s performance has improved dramatically and she has reached her full playing form.

Kissing spines can be treated through keyhole surgery

Back pain in horses, as in human medicine, is a complicated issue to satisfactorily diagnose and treat. It should be born in mind, it is more of a clinical sign than a diagnosis in itself, and there are many conditions and reasons why a horse may display signs of back pain – both related to specific structures in the back, and to other areas (e.g. gastric ulcers).

One of the more straight forward conditions to diagnose is kissing spines, a topic which has been covered by Mark Emerson MRCVS in the April 2014 issue of Polo Times. Radiographic (X-ray) changes in association with clinical signs can be enough to diagnose the condition, and the treatment of keyhole surgery or local medication are relatively straight forward. However, it has been shown that what is critical to over coming this condition is rehabilitation to relax and retrain spasming muscles that contributed to the formation of the problem in the first place.

So, how do these muscles start spasming?

It could be the horse’s conformation (short or hollow backed) contributed, a poorly 48

Polo Times, June 2021

fitting saddle, or dare we say it, rider conformation or ability. However, by far the biggest contribution, in my opinion, would be orthopaedic pain – lameness.

Now, most people associate lameness with an obvious head nod indicating one specific limb is lame. The problem is that most lameness in performance horses is bilateral – i.e. both front legs (e.g. navicular syndrome) or hind legs (e.g. hock arthritis).

With polo ponies of Thoroughbred blood, front foot pain can be a recurrent problem due to poor foot structure. And the twisting, turning and rapid stops of polo can easily cause stress and strains on the small hock joints which weren’t really designed for the purpose which leads to arthritis (horse evolved to eat, and then run away in a straight line, not pirouette on their hind legs).

A horse that is lame in both limbs may just look short striding (for front limbs) or for hind limbs, may start struggling to maintain a canter lead on tight circle, not perform flying changes or struggle to engage their hind limbs in a stop. In hindsight many of my teenage polo ponies I played in Pony Club

fitted that bill. This can lead to changes in the way the horses moves as a compensation – if you wear a bad pair of shoes, you can end up with back pain.

So, where am I going with this article. If we diagnose a horse with back pain, and specifically kissing spines, treat it and then expect it to perform intense rehab on painful limbs, our outcomes are likely to be poor. My approach to these cases is that if I find back pain, I go looking for the bilateral lameness.

Hopefully it’s a simple as medication of the hocks, but equally it may be more involved with conditions like high suspensory disease, or navicular syndrome in the front feet.

There is little point treating the back pain and expecting it to stay treated if the initially driving force (for instance bilateral lameness) is still present.

Waterlane Equine Vets Tel: 01452 770268 www.waterlaneequinevets.co.uk waterlaneequine@gmail.com

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BABY BROWN!

Congratulations to Danielle Brown, a familiar face at polo in Gloucestershire over the years, on the birth of Cecily Anne Brown on Thursday 6 May, weighing in at 9lbs 8oz!

MARJORY WILLIAMS’ LIFE CELEBRATION

MINI OUTTRIDGE

Pippa and Samuel Outtridge, both polo players at Cambridge County Polo Club, Advertising are delighted to announce the arrival of their first baby Georgiana Grace, born on Thursday 29 April weighing 7lb 10oz.

On Friday 2 July there will be a celebration of the late Marjory Williams’ life at Cirencester Park Polo Club Clubhouse. If you would be interested in attending and raising a glass in memory of Marjory, please email Zahra Lucas at zahrahanbury@me.com

Polo directory

Tell us yours at gossip@polotimes.co.uk Anonymity guaranteed if you want it...

SWAPPING PONIES FOR PAINTINGS According to The Daily Mail, HRH The Duke of Cambridge commissioned a painting of his ponies by artist Madeleine de St Pierre Bunbury, after hanging up his polo stick for good. There were a total of 12 ponies and apparently a copy was also given to The Duke of Sussex as well as Prince William’s ex-groom.

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For the Pessimist: Rain Sheets, Non-Slip Gloves and Whips For the Optimist: Summer Sheets, Tinted Goggles and Electrolyte

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Polo Times, June 2021

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Polo directory

What’s On – Polo Fixtures Editor’s Note: Dates and venues correct at time of going to press

Club 22+ Goal Guards CPPC Cowdray Park Guards 18 Goal Cowdray CPPC Guards Cowdray 15 Goal RCBPC Guards Cowdray CPPC 12 Goal RCBPC Beaufort CPPC CPPC Guards 8 Goal Guards RCBPC Cowdray Beaufort 6 Goal Beaufort Binfield Heath KPPC Ham CPPC 4 Goal KPPC Rutland Silver Leys Cheshire Druids Lodge Dallas Burston Victrix Ludorum Black Bears Knepp Castle Cowdray CPPC Beaufort RCBPC Guards

Tournament

Handicap

Start Date End Date

Cartier Queen’s Cup Warwickshire Cup King Power Gold Cup The Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup

22 22 22 22

01/06/21 15/06/21 29/06/21 24/07/21

27/06/21 26/06/21 25/07/21 15/08/21

Duke of Sutherland Apsley Cup Indian Empire Shield Cowdray Challenge

18 18 18 18

18/05/21 08/06/21 29/06/21 19/07/21

06/06/21 19/06/21 18/07/21 01/08/21

Eduardo Moore Royal Windsor Harrison Cup County Cup

15 15 15 15

01/06/21 22/06/21 12/07/21 03/08/21

20/06/21 11/07/21 31/07/21 14/08/21

John Prestwich The Justerini & Brooks Prince of Wales Queen Mother Cheltenham Cup Duke of Wellington

12 12 12 12 12

31/05/21 14/06/21 28/06/21 14/07/21 31/07/21

12/06/21 26/06/21 10/07/21 25/07/21 15/08/21

Archie David Julian & Howard Hipwood Holden White Wichenford Bowl

8 8 8 8

04/06/21 30/06/21 19/07/21 09/08/21

27/06/21 17/07/21 01/08/21 22/08/21

Eduardo Rojas Lanusse Cup 6 Goal Budgett Everett Roehampton Cup Kingscote Cup

6 6 6 6 6

01/06/21 05/07/21 29/07/21 10/08/21 24/08/21

12/06/21 11/07/21 08/08/21 22/08/21 05/09/21

4 Goal Assam Cup 4 Goal Junior County Cup Rose Bowl 4 Goal

4 4 4 4 4 4

02/06/21 15/06/21 28/06/21 05/07/21 26/07/21 24/08/21

08/06/21 27/06/21 04/07/21 11/07/21 01/08/21 29/08/21

Black Bears Women’s Tournament Knepp Castle Ladies Tournament Ladies British Open Cirencester Ladies The Claire Tomlinson Trophy RCBPC Ladies Victrix Ludorum Guards Ladies Charity

12 to 18 12 to 18 12 to 18 12 to 18 12 to 18 12 to 18 12 to 18

15/06/21 30/06/21 05/07/21 20/07/21 27/07/21 09/08/21 17/08/21

27/06/21 04/07/21 17/07/21 31/07/21 07/08/21 15/08/21 28/08/21

Youth Polo Offchurch Bury Cowdray Offchurch Bury Black Bears Rugby

University National Championships Pony Club Gannon Final Pony Club Championships Senior and Ladies Schools Friendly Tournament University Challenge

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Open Open Open

06/08/21 15/08/21 20/08/21

08/08/21 15/08/21 22/08/21

Open

17/10/21

17/10/21

Open

12/11/21

14/11/21

UK The below dates for June have been confirmed by clubs Cowdray Easebourne Cup 4 to 8 Cirencester Babdown Cup 6 to 10 Cowdray Jersey Lilies Cup 0 to 6 Cowdray June 4 Goal Cup 0 to 4 Cirencester Cirencester 12 Goal 8 to 12 Cowdray Bryan Bethall Cup 12 to 15 Cowdray Petworth 12 Goal Cup 10 to 12 Guards Phoenician Cup 8 to 12 Cirencester The Junior Cavalry 4 to 8 Cheshire Wirral Challenge Cup 2 to 4 Cirencester The Tyro Cup 0 to 4 –2 to 20 Binfield Heath Decorum Cup & 4 to 6 Cheshire Heywood Trophy 0 to 2 Ranelagh Copa El Casco De Fangio –2 to 0 Druids Lodge India Trophy 4 to 6 Cirencester Cirencester 0 Goal –2 to 0 Edgeworth Thee Blue Panda Capital Isa Trophy 8 RCBPC Pro-Am 2 to 6 White Waltham HM Coronation Anniversary Cup –2 to 2 Dallas Burston Malbec Trophy 0 to 4 Cirencester The Apsley Cup 15 to 18 Cowdray Benson Cup 4 to 8 RCBPC Henryk de Kwiatkowski Open 4 to 6 White Waltham Mar del Plata Silver Tray & Cup –2 to 2 Binfield Heath Anniversary Tournament 0 to 2 Cirencester Cirencester 0 Goal –2 to 0 Cowdray Weekend 2 Goal 0 to 2 & 4 to 6 Cheshire Nunsmere Hall Trophy Edgeworth The Amir Cup 2 Ranelagh Copa Tally Ho 2 to 4 Cheshire Demetriadi Cup 0 to 2 Knepp Castle Polo Escape –2 to 2 Ham Thank You NHS & Military Offchurch Bury Collett Cup –2 to 2 Cowdray Texaco Trophy 10 to 12 Beaufort The Riichard Underwood Cup 0 to 4 Cirencester The Meadow Cup 2 to 6 Cirencester Cirencester 2 Goal 0 to 2 Cowdray Heyshott Cup 0 to 6 White Waltham Madeva Polo Tournament 2 to 4 RCBPC Pro-Am 0 to 4 Edgeworth June 1 Goal 1 Offchurch Bury Wooden Spoon (3 A-Side) –6 to –2 Ranelagh Committee Cup 0 to 2 Cheshire Henbury Cup Silver Leys President’s Weekend Druids Lodge Spring Trophy (Spring League Finals) –4 to 0 Cheshire Fox & Barrel Cup 0 to 2 Ham Gentlemen’s Day Dallas Burston Midsummer Tournament 0 to 2 & 4 to 6 RCBPC Simon Holley Trophy 7 to 10 Guards Roberts Cup 6 to 10 RCBPC The Chairman’s Trophy 0 to 4 Cirencester Cirencester 2 Goal 0 to 2 William IV Cup Veteran’s Match White Waltham –4 to 0 HAC vs Grenadier Guards –4 to 0 & Binfield Heath Borough Marsh Plate 0 to 4 Edgeworth Bluestone 2 Ranelagh Copa La Brava –2 to 0 Cowdray Weekend 2 Goal 0 to 2 Druids Lodge Midsummer Trophy 1 to 2 –4 to 0 & Knepp Castle Charity Tournament 2 to 4 Cheshire White Horse Trophy White Waltham Help for Heroes Polo Tournament –2 to 2 Beaufort The Novices Cup –2 to 2 Cowdray July 4 Goal Cup 0 to 4 Cowdray 1921 Cup 4 to 8 Cirencester The Doug Brown 2 to 6

18/05/21 25/05/21 26/05/21 29/05/21 31/05/21 31/05/21 01/06/21 01/06/21 01/06/21 03/06/21 04/06/21

05/06/21 06/06/21 13/06/21 20/06/21 12/06/21 13/06/21 12/06/21 19/06/21 20/06/21 06/06/21 13/06/21

05/06/21 06/06/21 05/06/21 05/06/21 05/06/21 05/06/21 05/06/21 05/06/21 05/06/21 07/06/21 08/06/21 08/06/21 09/06/21 12/06/21 12/06/21 12/06/21 12/06/21 12/06/21 12/06/21 12/06/21 12/06/21 12/06/21 13/06/21 14/06/21 15/06/21 15/06/21 16/06/21 18/06/21 18/06/21 19/06/21 19/06/21 19/06/21 19/06/21 19/06/21 19/06/21 19/06/21 19/06/21 19/06/21 20/06/21 21/06/21 22/06/21 22/06/21 24/06/21 25/06/21

06/06/21 06/06/21 06/06/21 06/06/21 06/06/21 06/06/21 06/06/21 13/06/21 19/06/21 26/06/21 13/06/21 13/06/21 13/06/21 13/06/21 13/06/21 13/06/21 13/06/21 13/06/21 13/06/21 13/06/21 13/06/21 20/06/21 03/07/21 27/06/21 27/06/21 20/06/21 04/07/21 20/06/21 20/06/21 20/06/21 20/06/21 20/06/21 20/06/21 20/06/21 20/06/21 20/06/21 20/06/21 27/06/21 27/06/21 11/07/21 27/06/21 27/07/21

26/06/21 26/06/21 26/06/21 27/06/21 26/06/21 26/06/21 26/06/21 26/06/21

27/06/21 27/06/21 27/06/21 27/06/21

26/06/21 27/06/21 26/06/21 26/06/21 29/06/21 29/06/21 29/06/21 30/06/21

27/06/21 27/06/21 10/07/21 17/07/21 18/07/21 11/07/21

Polo Times, June 2021

51

Polo directory WOMEN’S Cirencester Silver Leys Dallas Burston Cirencester Tedworth Cortium Binfield Heath Westcroft Park Knepp Castle New Forest Beaufort Cirencester Cortium Rutland Kirtlington Beaufort Cirencester Thoresby Knepp Castle

Ladies Open WIP League Warwickshire Women’s Trophy WIP Intro WIP League Cortium 22 Goal Ladies WIP League (Lady Phillimore’s Ladies Tournament) WIP League WIP League WIP League WIP League WIP League WIP League WIP League WIP League WIP League WIP League WIP League WIP League

EMAIL

01730 813257

enquiries@cowdraypolo.co.uk

Curraghmore Polo Club

00353 51 387102

mkennedy@cssgroup.ie

Dallas Burston Polo Club*

01926 811 111

enquiries@ixlevents.com

Dorset Polo Club

01202 623985

office@dorsetpolo.co.uk

Druids Lodge Polo Club*

01722 782597

abi@druidspolo.co.uk

Dundee and Perth Polo Club*

07831 365 194

jamesscrawford@aol.com

Eastwood Polo Club

07875 743475

frankums@googlemail.com

Edgeworth Polo Club

01285 821695

edgeworthpolo@gmail.com

04/06/21 05/06/21 07/06/21 11/06/21 12/06/21 12/06/21

12

19/06/21 20/06/21

Edinburgh Polo Club*

07971 072336

james.dgls@gmail.com

26/06/21 01/07/21 10/07/21 10/07/21 20/07/21 07/08/21 14/08/21 19/08/21 17/08/21 31/08/21 04/09/21 11/09/21

Emsworth Polo Grounds*

01344 883112

info@fourquarterspolo.co.uk

Epsom Polo Club*

07961 232106

epsompoloclub@hotmail.com

FHM Polo Club*

07778 436468

frances@fhmpolo.co.uk

Fifield Polo Club*

01628 620061

fifieldpoloclub@live.co.uk

Great Trippetts Polo Club

01428 741916

charles@trippetts.com

Guards Polo Club*

01784 434212

polo@guardspoloclub.com

Ham Polo Club

020 8334 0000

office@hampoloclub.com

Hertfordshire Polo Club*

01707 256023

polo@hertspolo.co.uk

Home Farm Polo Grounds

07807672120

rachaelkearnet@hotmail.co.uk

Hurtwood Polo Club

01483 272828

polo@hurtwoodparkpolo.co.uk

Kirtlington Park Polo Club

01869 350138

info@kirtlingtonparkpolo.co.uk

Knepp Castle Polo Club

07920 023639

info@aspectpolo.co.uk

Leadenham Polo Club

07429 299026

office@leadenhampoloclub.com

Longdole Polo Club*

01452 864544

info@longdolepolo.com

Moor Farm Polo Club

07494 114190

shop@moorfarmshop.co.uk

Moor Hall Farm Polo Club*

01279 450637

alecbeve@btinternet.com

New Forest Polo Club

07977 224404

annabelparryjoyner@yahoo.co.uk

Norfolk Polo Club

01508 480400

office@norfolkpolo.co.uk

Northern Ireland Polo Club

07803 020577

info@northernirelandpoloclub.co.uk

Offchurch Bury Polo Club*

07816 830887

info@offchurchburypoloclub.co.uk

Pangbourne Polo Club

07708 906810

aprice@polofix.com

Peover Polo Club

07766 016 833

polomanager@peoverpoloclub.co.uk

Polo Wicklow*

00353 404 67164

siobhan@polowicklow.com

27/06/01 04/07/21 11/07/21 18/07/21 01/08/21 15/08/21 15/08/21 22/08/21 29/08/21 05/09/21 05/09/21 12/09/21

Quick Question Answer -

PHONE

Cowdray Polo Club

18 to 22 12 & 8 0 to 4 8 12 & 8 22 12 & 8 12 12 8 8 12 & 8 12 & 8 12 & 8 12 12 8 8

13/06/21 06/06/21 13/06/21 20/06/21 13/06/21 20/06/21

CLUB

to the question posed on our Letters page

A: Andrew Hine won The Prince of Wales at The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club in 1997.

The team was Geebung.

CLUB

PHONE

EMAIL

RAF Cranwell

07739 569491

rafcranwellpoloclub@yahoo.co.uk

All Ireland Polo Club

00353 01 6896732

dstone@indigo.ie

Ranelagh Polo Club*

01344 885697

ranelagh@labravapolo.com

All England Polo Club Hickstead*

01273 834 315

polo@hickstead.co.uk

RCBPC*

01344 890060

polo@rcbpc.com

Apsley End Polo Club*

01462 712444

tobiana.scott@gmail.com

RMAS Polo Club

07973 174542

rmas-nc-aci-projinters@mod.uk

Ash Farm Polo Club*

07799 812739

ashfarmpolo@hotmail.com

Rugby Polo Club*

01788 817724

info@rugbypoloclub.com

Barfold Polo Club

07778 808853

mborwick@gmail.com

Rutland Polo Club

07772 040668

secretary@rutlandpoloclub.co.uk

Bawtry Polo Club

01302 773282

info@bawtrypoloclub.co.uk

Silver Leys Polo Club

07730 060200

silverleyspoloclub@gmail.com

Beaufort Polo Club

01666 880510

enquiries@beaufortpoloclub.co.uk

St. Albans Polo Club

07956 017090

info@stalbanspoloclub.co.uk

Beverley Polo Club*

01964 544877

info@beverleypoloclub.co.uk

Stewarton Polo Club

07974 706045

info@stewartonpolo.co.uk

Binfield Heath

01491 411969

bhpcmanager@gmail.com

Suffolk Polo Club

07990 576974

aes3@cam.ac.uk

Blueys Polo Club*

07930 323263

polomanager@blueyspolo.co.uk

Sussex Polo Club*

01342 714920

info@sussexpolo.co.uk

Bramham Polo Academy

07811 993316

emmadvh@btinternet.com

Taunton Vale Polo Club

01823 480460

nhs.wheelers@gmail.com

Bunclody Polo Club

00353 87 6605917

info@poloclubbunclody.com

Tidworth Polo Club*

01980 846705

info@tidworthpolo.com

Burningfold Polo Club

01483 200722

derrek@burningfold.com

Toulston Polo Club

01422 372529

info@toulstonpoloclub.com

Cambridge Polo Club*

07711 217004

cambridgepoloclub@icloud.com

Triskelion Polo Club*

07624 272547

polo@triskelionpolo.club

Cambridge County Polo Club*

01223 812922

info@cambridgecountypoloclub.co.uk

Vale of York Polo Club*

07788 426968

info@valeofyorkpoloclub.co.uk

Carlton House

07901 561113

harrietservaes@hotmail.com

Vaux Park Park Polo Club*

07703 524613

vppc@btconnect.com

Chester Racecourse Polo Club

01244 304602

amorris@chester-races.com

West Wycombe Park Polo Club*

07787 560729

secretary@westwycombepolo.co.uk

Cheshire Polo Club

01270 611 100

info@cheshirepoloclub.co.uk

Westcroft Park Polo Club*

01276 858545

info@westcroftparkpolo.co.uk

Chiltern Polo Club

07973 174542

info@chilternpoloclub.com

White Rose Polo Club*

01430 875767

info@whiterosepolo.co.uk

Cirencester Park Polo Club

01285 653225

info@cirencesterpolo.co.uk

White Waltham Polo Club

07748 670587

kim@playpolo.co.uk

* Also open for arena polo in the UK winter

Team Tristar (UK) Ltd

Manufacturers of Quality Horseboxes

For details of our current stock or for a new build, please phone or email or visit our website.

www.tristarhorsesboxes.co.uk Tel: 01570 422250 Email: sales@tristarhorseboxes.co.uk 52

Polo Times, June 2021

www.polotimes.co.uk

Polo directory Equipment

Marketplace In association with Chukkout Polo Transport

ESKADON BANDAGES Set of Navy Blue Eskadron Full fleece bandages.

Used but in excellent condition. £14.

Tel: 07768 141566

POLO STICKS Selection of used polo sticks for sale from 51-53”.

POA. Tel: 07825 153416

2004 DAF LF 7.5t horsebox.

Partitioned for 7 but first stall has saddle and bridle racks. 2004 after service including brakes. Mot expires April 2022. Drives like a car.

No longer required reason for sale.

Berkshire. £11,990.

Tel: 07902 136474

5 STALL HGV DAF LF 14ton DAF LF 5 stall Horsebox. Excellent condition throughout, year 2002, only 28ft overall length, tested until November 2021, just over 300k miles with good paperwork, huge 7 ton payload! Same lady owner for 9 years. Well used and looked after lorry. Chesterfield, Derbyshire. £12,750 ono. Tel: 07377 531881

Ponies

9 Y/O THOROUGHBRED MARE POWERHOUSE Beautiful mare who has it all. A great temperament, easy mouth, soft sides, top end pace and rides off like a bull. A pleasure to have on the yard. Currently playing up to 8 goal with 1 goal player who produced her but she is now ready to make the step up to medium/high goal.

Gloucestershire, POA. Tel: 07969 456214

DARK HAVANA GO 17-17.5 Narrow fit Saddle. Very good condition.

Ideally for a high withered horse. £150. Tel: 07717 055262

POLO STICKS 5 sticks, 2×53 and 3x52 all good to go. £40 each or £150 for the 5. Will post with extra charge. £40. Tel: 077340 05508 FIELD COMPANION FOR LOAN Bojo – 12-yr-old, gelding, friendly, field companion looking for his next home/equine friend! He is currently a field companion for a yearling, who will be moving away to be broken, so Bojo needs to find pastures new.

Due to ongoing mild lameness issues (doesn’t affect him day-to-day) this would need to be a non-riding home, as a companion only. Available from end of September. Tel: 07792 422209

CHARLES OWEN H4000 BLACK For sale Charles Owen H4000 Black hardly worn 57cm gorgeous hat very comfy. £80. Tel: 07759 721014

Livery

8 Y/O QUIET, TALENTED MARE Lovely mare who is positively horizontal on the yard and super easy in every way. Good top end pace and a very light mouth. Would suit lady player or up and coming young player. Currently playing up to 8 goal with 1 goal player who produced her. Gloucestershire, £12,500. Tel: 07969 456214

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Polo Times, June 2021

SUMMER GRAZING AVAILABLE Good grass, safe fencing, very quiet and secure, checked twice daily by live-in groom. Special rates for larger groups. Stonehurst (GU84EA). POA. Tel: 07971 407301

FACEGUARDS & MEN’S BOOTS Faceguards used but VGC. Post at cost. Two at £25 each. Argentine polo boots size 41, used but VGC. Traditional zip front double buckle.

Will post via courier at cost. £120.

Tel: 07725 267837

SADDLES Two hard back racing saddles. £150. Tel: 07753 192046

www.polotimes.co.uk

Polo directory

DOUBLE BRIDLE REINS Reins for double bridle/Pelham/gag.

Jeffries English leather. Traditional range. Havana with white stitching at bit end. Stainless buckle. Billet to bit. 54” long Full size. One pair is 16mm wide & other 20mm wide. £85 includes signed for postage.

Tel: 07969 429220

Misc

SCOREBOARDS AND CLOCKS DESIGNED FOR POLO Outdoor and arena sizes. Fully electronic, displaying the time counting down, both scores and chukka number. Automatic bell/ horn. Controlled wirelessly by a remote control you can even wear on your arm.

Visit www.SportingDesigns.co.uk or call +44 (0)7860 303217

QUILL PHEASENT/GAME FEEDERS & DRINKERS 12 QUILL large Feeders (To include all parts etc..), 3 small nipple Drinkers & 2 large nipple drinkers available together or individually @ 50% less of the new QUILLS price today. £895.

Tel: 07766 086542

PRINT AND DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION UK (direct debit only) UK EU WW SUPA/SAPA

HAND SANITISER Hand sanitiser supplied at 80% ABV to WHO Formula 1. Available in 100ml (from £2), 200ml (from £4) or 5 litre (from £45) sizes.

Personalised labels available at extra cost. Discounts & free delivery for bulk purchases.

Tel: 07969 456214

One year £55 One year £65 One year £80 One year £90 One year £55

Two years £110 Two years £140 Two years £160 Two years £99

MOBILE TACK ROOM Protect your saddles and tack with this convenient, mobile tack room “Cancheros by Polo”, available in the U.K. through Performance Polo. It will accommodate up to four saddles, eight bridles, bandages, tendon boots, etc. £960.

Tel: 07487 548242

(inc App & Website access)

iPad

Digital Only subscription (App & website access) 6 months £30 One year £55 Two years £99 SUPA/SAPA rate One year £45 All subscribers receive an exclusive weekly newsletter and competition offers

Call on +44 (0)1452 730 770

Subscribe online: www.polotimes.co.uk

SP PO ECIA LO L C L R AT UB E ME S FO MB R ER S

OR S F ERS E T RA EMB AL B M I U EC SP O CL L PO FREE HOUSE

B A R & R E S TAU R A N T

A L L D I S H E S A R E F R E S H LY P R E PA R E D T O O R D E R , U S I N G L O C A L LY S O U R C E D P R O D U C E

S O C I A L D I S TA N C I N G O B S E RV E D LARGE BEER GARDEN – PEOPLE SAFE H O R S E F R I E N D LY – R I D E T O T H E F O S T O N ’ S

RUN AND OWNED BY POLO ENTHUSIASTS • DIRECT ACCESS TO BRIDLEWAY & AREAS OF NATURAL BEAUTY

T H E C A M P, N R B I R D L I P, G L O U C E ST E RS H I R E , G L 6 7 E S w w w. fo s t o n s a s h . c o . u k 0 1 4 5 2 8 6 3 2 6 2

www.polotimes.co.uk

Polo Times, June 2021

55

Final bell

In association with Aprés Polo

A spontaneous visit to Val de Vie Polo Club 13 years ago (and some hilarious attempts at hitting a ball, while perched on top of a wooden horse) was Michael Husted’s introduction to polo. Back from holiday, he immediately joined La Estancia outside Budapest and tried to recover the riding skills developed in his childhood. One of the defining factors in polo is that you are never more than one person removed from any other polo player and Michael has been very fortunate to play, and to continue learning, around the world. Michael, is the founder and owner of Performance Polo, a business dedicated to helping players get the most out of their polo. Partnering with Black Bears Polo Club, they are busy opening the first bricks and mortar outlet at the Club in June 2021 What is your biggest passion and why?

Polo, without a doubt! In recent years, this has morphed into a passion for getting the most out of our polo, which a few years ago gave birth to Performance Polo.

I’m fascinated by the fact that aside from developing our skills as polo players and investing in better and better horses, there isn’t actually that much we can do to increase performance. Horses are already very efficient machines and their improvement potential is very limited. A chance conversation with Ross Ainsley 7 or 8 years ago opened my eyes to improvement by avoidance. Some of the habits that have developed in polo over the years turn out to be counterproductive and limit the performance of our horses, ourselves or our teams. Ross and I share the conviction that comfortable horses perform better and yet it is, for example, not uncommon to see polo horses in saddles that sit on, or hit, the withers. This horse will try to evade the pain and discomfort, typically resulting in a hollow back and a reluctance to collect – and there goes effective stopping and turning.

The remedy is a well fitting saddle, which in some cases can change a horse beyond recognition. A lot of polo saddles spread over time, fitting perfectly on day one, but hitting the withers a few years in. I love to play polo, but just as much to help players around the world realise the full the potential of their horses, themselves and their teams.

What is your all time best polo memory?

Playing the first ever polo tournament in Denmark, my home country. Equestrian sports are incredibly popular in Denmark, but

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Polo Times, June 2021

polo had never been played before. Fellow Danish polo enthusiasts, Louise Sandberg and Christian Mellentin organised a ‘polo in the park’ type tournament, the Copenhagen Polo Open, in central Copenhagen in 2013. It was great to play on home soil, and this event spawned Copenhagen Polo Club (Denmark now has two polo clubs).

Who were/are your favourite teammates?

Paul and Sarah Knapp! We played together in the 2017 Mont Tremblant Snow Polo in Canada, what must have been the coldest polo tournament ever played at minus 29C. I thought I was used to cold, but this was something else.

Hardest opponent?

Santi Shanahan, who taught me a valuable lesson: that a ball should never be assumed to go across the line until it has actually done so. Santi came out of nowhere, laid on a hard bump and stole the ball, as I was convinced, I was in the process of scoring a goal.

Favourite hobby outside of polo?

Scuba diving … it’s a different world and time slows down 20 metres below the surface.

Most prized possession?

Two Ainsley MVP polo saddles signed by Adolfo Cambiaso (they were lent to him before the 2020 season in the UK. Best holiday destination & activity Scuba diving at Sipadan island in the Celebes sea, east of Borneo.

Best pony and why?

Skyblue, my first polo pony, bred by Lucas Labat.

Favourite film and why?

My Cousin Winnie … just hugely entertaining!

Are you passionately superstitious?

Not at all.

Favourite song/album?

Eric Clapton – Unplugged.

Describe yourself in four words…

There’s a better way.

Favourite food/dish?

Xiao Long Bao as served in Shanghai (dumplings filled with minced meat and soup)… they are delicious!

One thing which would surprise us about you?

I served in the Danish Navy in Greenland waters. www.polotimes.co.uk

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RRY &

HAND CRAFTED DISTILLED AND BOTTLED IN THE COTSWOLDS, UK BATCH No.

3

THE FOUNDER

500

NUMBER OF BOTTLES

700ml

37.5% alc./vol.

5 060505 620085 >