SUPA takes on the West Indies at Polo

SUPA Takes on the West Indies at Polo

 

The Pidgley Foundation 2009 SUPA International Polo Festival, supported annually by La Martina and Roxtons, commences 4^th to 12^th July, where the next generation of polo stars from Britain and the West Indies have been selected and invited to come together for a week long polo extravaganza, culminating in the Pidgley Foundation International SUPA Festival day, hosted by Cirencester Park Polo Club on Saturday July 11^th.

 

Event sponsor Pidgley Foundation, with its Junior Gold Cup, now joins key sponsors La Martina and Roxtons who came forward to support SUPA three years ago to transform this 13 year-old fixture. The Festival represents the best of British Schools and Universities players and also hosts invited international school/university teams showcasing their most promising players.

This year, players were flown over from the West Indies and SUPA teams selected at the National Schools Trials to participate in the all important two-test match series. The 1^st Test Match takes place at the start of the week, July 7 at Guards Polo Club on the prestigious Duke’s Ground.  The second test will be held on the Festival Day at the “Home of SUPA Polo” Cirencester Park Polo Club. 

The carefully selected players, from both Jamaica and Barbados invited, will come together as a national team – many of whom who are not often given this kind of an international opportunity and rose to the challenge.

With the involvement of Pidgley Foundation, 2009 will launch a new era in the history of SUPA polo and provide a significant opportunity for the development of the Festival, as well as SUPA’s overall objectives by allowing the larger student community to access the sport of polo.

 

Pidgley Foundation now joins La Martina as an ardent sponsor of the Schools and Universities Polo Association. The Junior Gold Cup was created and will be annually awarded to winners of the International Test Match Series.  Tony Pidgley, genuinely excited about the opportunities that surround SUPA and the support he can offer said of last year’s festival:

 

“I have been involved in polo at the top end and it only makes sense to get involved at the foundation level too, as this is the next generation of polo players. It also motivates the young and keeps me involved. This is what polo is all about –there are no pro’s out there, these young people are playing against their peers and some of the talent I saw today made me think that some of these guys might be worth employing for my own team! I am looking forward to supporting this event and a number of initiatives with SUPA”.

 

With the talent displayed during last year’s week long festival and the generosity and support of sponsors and supporters there looks to be an exciting future ahead for the next generation of polo players.

The Schools and Universities Polo Association would like to extend its gratitude to overall sponsor the Pidgley Foundation and key sponsors La Martina and Roxtons, and event sponsors CoCo’s of Ascot, Polonetworks, Tinas-Sparkle.com and Lycetts Insurance.