Polo

The Duke of Essex Polo Trophy 2012

Jun 022012

Duke of Essex Polo Trophy

14th July Gaynes Park Epping

For the 7th year, the Duke of Essex Polo event has taken place in the relaxed surroundings of the Gaynes Park estate in Epping.

During ths family day out the Duke of Essex Team take on International opponents, to battle it out for the Duke of Essex Trophy.

This year, The Duke of Essex Polo will return to Gaynes Park on the 14th of July in 2012 and will be played in front of thousands of VIP’s and visitors to the day.

It’s the perfect day to entertain friends and family, build business or sell your products. There are packages to suit everyone.

http://www.dukeofessexpolocup.com/

Enjoying the Duke of Essex Event

Enjoying the Day

Polo Teams getting ready

Couple at the Event

10:02 pm Polo

British Polo in St Tropez

May 292012

St Tropez Marina

International Polo St Tropez 2011

Two elite British polo teams will go head to head against two local teams at the Polo Club Saint-Tropez.

The fixture in the first British Polo Day will take place in France on Saturday, 9th June 2012.

British Polo Day carries on the tradition of the British playing polo against friends in a host of different countries.

British Polo Day Saint-Tropez marries this heritage with the French flair for style.

Polo is flourishing among Britain’s oldest institutions, where old rivalries often produce the most fiercely fought matches, be it Eton v Harrow or Oxford v Cambridge. These institutions have produced some of Britain’s finest polo players over the years and British Polo Day provides a platform for these players to continue to play globally.

http://www.polo-st-tropez.com/

9:21 am Polo

British Beach Polo Championship

Jan 022012

British Beach Polo

Polo in Poole Dorset – 6th and 7th July 2012

‘The matches are fast and furious, and the extra-large orange ball, designed not to get lost in the sand, flies around at speeds of up to 100mph..’ The Guardian

This is Polo played in an enclosed arena has been referred to as ‘Ice Hockey on Horse Back’.

Spectators are close to the action – they can fully appreciate the horsemanship, speed and gladiatorial nature of Polo.

The polo ponies love the sand – they can accelerate and stop fast and can turn extremely sharply.

The thrill and excitement of horses galloping on the sand with the English Channel as a backdrop, whilst sipping champagne amongst glamorous company, is a vision to remember – an intoxicating mix.

Polo players engage with the sponsors and spectators both on and off the pitch.

Sandbanks

Sandbanks is probably the most exclusive beach community in the UK.

The infamous Peninsular extends out across Poole Harbour on the scenic Dorset coast. It boasts upmarket luxurious homes and pristine ‘Blue Flag’ beaches.

Poole is easily accessible with a fast rail connection (100 minutes direct from London Waterloo), good road access (30 minutes from Southampton) and 2 International airports within 45 minutes.

The Event

Building on the success of the last 3 years the British Beach Polo Championships 2011 promises to be another phenomenal event bringing with it widespread sporting, business and social acclaim.

Teams of the most talented International and National polo players will compete for the Championship title.
International Polo finale.
The Oakley Professional Beach Volleyball provides a good sporting balance to the Polo.
The 4 x 4/Polo Pony Charity Race is a popular feature and raises money and awareness for a National and Local Charity.
Other sporting and social activities are to be enjoyed with sumptuous refreshments throughout the day whilst guests take in this exciting and glamorous spectacle, both on and off the pitch.
The renowned Beach After-Party allows Players, Celebrities and Supporters to dance, relax and socialise until the small hours of the morning.

http://www.sandpolo.com/

8:27 am Polo

Gaucho International Polo at O2

Jan 022012

Gaucho Polo International O2 Arena February 2011

Gaucho International Polo comes to London and the O2 arena – Again…

On March 21st 2012 Polo will take another historic step into the sporting mainstream with this unique indoor event at The O2.

February 2011 saw the inaugural ‘Gaucho International Polo’ tournament at The O2. The event attracted over 7000 spectators and was the highest attended indoor ‘International’ in the history of the sport.

Wednesday March 21st, 2012 will see the return of the event in a more intense format that will express the passion and culture of Polo, Gaucho and Argentina.

Building on last year’s successful event and the sport’s growing popularity, The O2 offers spectators the chance to get right into the thick of the action with their intimate arena setting. This interesting twist on indoor arena polo provides a dynamic form of the sport which is played on a reduced pitch, providing a quicker, slicker game to add to the already highly-charged gladiatorial contest. Traditional arena polo rules, which feature only three players, enhance the spectator experience and will magnify the intense atmosphere.

http://www.gauchopolo.com/

8:08 am Polo

Cartier International Polo Day

Jul 302011

Guards Polo Club is home to Cartier International Polo

Cartier International Day, is held in association with the Hurlingham Polo Association at the Guards Polo Club each year. It is one of the great events of the Polo calendar.

The main highlight of the day is the afternoon match for the Coronation Cup, which features the very best English players.

Cartier usually entertains about 600 guests from the world of stage, screen, literature and fashion over a gourmet lunch.

All visitors can have the opportunity to visit the unique and extensive Retail Village which offers everything from a cooling glass of champagne to a luxury dog bed; from a beautiful polo paintings to the very latest Audi’s.

http://www.guardspoloclub.com/

9:30 pm Polo

Snow Polo in St. Moritz

Dec 302010

St Moritz Polo 2011 - Click to Enlarge

CANCELLATION 2012
For the first time in the tournament’s almost 30-year history, the St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow had to be cancelled this year (2012) due to the weather conditions.

St.Moritz Snow Polo

The ice covering Lake St. Moritz was too thin to ensure safe conducting of the polo tournament. Looking to the future, the club will do everything to ensure optimal conditions for the next St. Moritz Polo World Cup in 2013.

The world-famous polo tournament on the frozen Lake St. Moritz is now being staged as a Nations Cup.

Patrons therefore represent their countries of origin.

Excellent co-operation with the local authority in St. Moritz, the White Turf organisers and the See-Infra Association has taken preparations for the St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow 2011 to an advanced stage.

http://www.polostmoritz.com/en/

8:16 pm Polo

Hurlingham Polo Fixtures

Mar 302010

Hurlingham Polo Association

The Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA)is the governing body for polo in the UK, Ireland and many other countries throughout the world. As such, it is responsible for the regulations and rules under which the game is played. This includes the handicapping of any one playing in the U.K. or Ireland, and the fixtures list. The object of the HPA is to further the interests of polo generally and support by all possible means the common interests of its affiliated clubs and associations.

In 2004, the HPA became an incorporated company limited by guarantee. The directors of the company are the Stewards who form an executive committee which meets usually four times a year. The members of the company are the elected Council representatives of the affiliated clubs and associations. The Council meets twice a year, in December and in May for the AGM and approval of the accounts.

http://www.hpa-polo.co.uk/fixtures/index.asp

10:09 pm Polo

Federation of International Polo

Mar 092010

Eduardo Huergo Interim President FIP

In the early 1980’s, motivated by a desire to broaden the scope of international polo, as well as to restore the sport’s Olympic status, Marcos Uranga, then President of the Argentine Polo Association, proposed that an international organization be formed among the polo playing countries of the world.

The initial meetings took place in Buenos Aires, and by April of 1982, the Federation of International Polo, quickly known as “FIP,” was created.

Marcos Uranga becasme the FIP’s first President.

It was known from the beginning that in order to gain the recognition of the IOC, Polo had to have international rules. There also had to be a common experience of the game in many countries and FIP had to be able to put on world-class tournaments.

The first World Polo Championship was played in Buenos Aires in 1987. Five teams played – Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Mexico and Spain. There were no surprises; Argentina defeated Mexico in the final and became the first of polo’s modern World Champions at 10 to 14-goal handicap.

In March 2010 Eduardo Huergo was appointed interim President of FIP following the death of James Ashton.

http://www.fippolo.com/

11:22 am Polo

Cartier International Polo 25 years

Jul 302009

Cartier International Day at Guards Polo Club

Cartier International Day, one of the greatest spectator polo days, was marked by the celebration of Cartier’s 25 years of sponsorship of this internationally renowned polo event, held at the Guards Polo Club in Windsor near London, England.

The main highlight of the day was the afternoon match for the Coronation Cup, which was won by Argentina, the home of polo, defeating England 12-5. An array of celebrities and socialites attended Cartier’s silver jubilee including the actress Neve Campbell, the American Actor Jason Segel, British TV program’s ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ judge Piers Morgan.

Cartier first sponsored the International Day in 1984, when a Rest of the World team took the honours. Since then, Cartier International Day has grown to become the world’s largest spectator polo day and leading players from across the globe have worn their national shirts with pride over the past 25 years. In recognition of the talent that has helped make International Day the event we know today, Cartier, in association with the HPA, created the Cartier 25th Anniversary Polo Award 2009, which was presented to former England captain Julian Hipwood.

10:23 am Polo

Understanding Polo Terms and Expressions

Jul 302008

Terms used in Polo

Here is a brief summary of the main terms and expressions used in Polo Play.

Appealing, Claims by players for a foul, expressed by a raising of mallets above the head

Backshot backhand swing, changing the flow of play by sending the ball in the opposite direction

Bowl In, When the umpire starts or resumes a polo match by rolling the ball down the center of a lineup of players, same as a throw in

Bump when a player directs his pony into the side of an opponent’s pony

Check and turn, Done to slow the pony and turn safely

Chukker, This is a term used for period of play in polo, seven and a half minutes long. There are six chukkers in a polo match

Flagman an unofficial goal observer appointed to signal by waving a flag over the head if a goal is scored, or under the waist if no goal

Field usually 300 yards long by 160 yards wide and outlined by sideboards

Handicap. A team’s handicap is the total of its players’ goal ratings. Tournaments are held in handicap categories. High goal polo is considered to be for teams rated nineteen goals or over, and medium goal play is fifteen to eighteen goals. There are many ways to build a team that meets the tournament’s goal limit. Quite often a strong team will want a ringer, a new or under rated player, to balance the team’s higher ranked players. The team with the lower handicap is awarded the difference in goals at the start of the match

Hook, Catching an opponent’s mallet in swing below the level of the horse’s back, to leave or turn the ball for a teammate

Knock In, after the ball crosses the backline, the defending team knocks the ball back into play from their own backline

Leave to ride, past the ball so that the teammate behind can hit it

Line of the ball, the imaginary line produced by the ball when it is hit or deflected

Made pony, A polo pony that is well trained for polo and has been played for some time

Mallet head, The part of the mallet used to strike the ball, the wide face of the head is used to strike the ball

Nearside, The left hand side of the horse

Neck shot, Hitting the ball under the horse’s neck

Officials, Two mounted umpires do most of the officiating, with a referee at midfield having the final say in any dispute between the umpires

Offside, The right hand side of the horse

Pass to hit the ball forward or laterally to a teammate

Player rating players are rated every year by their peers on a scale of -2 to 10 goals. Ratings are based on ability to ride, hit the ball, and perform effective team play

Penalty numbered from 1 to 10, a free hit is awarded to the fouled, from a set distance determined by the severity of the foul committed

Pony goal when a pony causes the ball to go through the goal posts

Positions there are four players on a team, the forwards are numbered one and two, and are mainly concerned with scoring, number three, the center half, assists the scorers and aids in defense, often the most experienced member of the team, defense and fast break opportunities are the responsibilities of the back, number four

Ride off two riders may make contact and attempt to push each other off the line to prevent an opponent from striking the ball

Safety also known as Penalty 6, a defending player hits the ball over his own backline

Sideboards short boards along the sidelines of the field to help keep the ball in play

Standings polo players are ranked yearly by their peers and their federation on a scale of -2 to 10 goals.

Stick the polo mallet

Stick and ball personal practice time

Sudden Death overtime play when the score is tied at the end of the last regular chukker, the first team to score wins

Swing hitting at the ball with the mallet using one of four basic shots: forehander, backhander, neckshot, tailshot

Tack all the equipment used on a pony

Tail shot hitting the ball behind and under the horse’s rump

Third man the referee sitting at the sidelines, if the two umpires on the field are in disagreement, the third man makes the final decision

Throw in when the umpire starts or resumes the match, he rolls the ball down the center of a lineup of players and mounts

Time out an umpire may call a time out when a foul is committed, an accident occurs, or at his or her discretion, a player may only call a time out if he has broken tack or is injured

Turn to backhand hit the ball away from the goal being defended

Umpires two mounted officials, one for each side of the field

Wraps the protective bandages the ponies wear on their legs

7:00 pm Polo

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