hurlinghampolo.com
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M U S E U M O F P O LO
But sadly, weekly games and the polo school
weren’t enough to save the money-losing
property and it was sold by the City of LA
to be used as a multi-purpose venue hosting
only an occasional polo match, putting an
end to the uninterrupted association of the
70-acre facility with the polo community.
After the loss of the LA Equestrian
Center, and the end of arena polo in
Texas (also due to financial struggles),
the spotlight on the smaller version of
the game ended, with the association and
the clubs failing to see how important the
arena game was in terms of introducing
new players to the game. In the US, there’s
a widespread preconception that only the
rich can play polo and nobody can see it
because when played outdoors, the field is
nine times the size of an American football
field and can only be followed easily with the
use of binoculars or a drone. Arena polo,
however, compresses the game’s action
within the spectators’ range of visibility, and
on occasion, when horses, players and ball
converge on a corner, the game is dropped
right into the spectators’ laps.
The arena version should therefore be
looked at as one of the game’s most valuable
assets. It allows for entry-level access to
the game with minimal investment of time
or money, and delivers an exciting spectator
sport which is easier to watch.
But there is hope. With the resurrection of
the Townsend International Cup and the
Bryan Morrison Trophy, international
high-goal arena polo has returned, and with
it, top international players. For the first
time, the arena game boasted two 10-goal
players, England’s Chris Hyde and Tommy
Biddle from the US, and although both are
now playing off 9-goal ratings, the popularity
of the game has attracted a host of young
talented players. And, possibly the best news
for arena polo, is the recent support of the
game by Wellington’s Mark Bellissimo, with
his $250,000 Gladiator Polo series. It seems
the resilient nature of arena polo is seeing it
rise up once again. Get involved.
This page, left:
10-goaler Joe Henderson of the LA Colts.
Right:
A high-goal arena polo match in Denver,
Colorado, with Ginger Baker, former drummer of the
band Cream, on the far left
