The English season and beyond – some key polo dates in the upcoming months
By Victoria Elsbury-Legg
As calendars change to read the 1st May 2015 and summer ebbs ever nearer, with it the English polo season has begun in full force reuniting friends and brought it with it chukkas and the opening tournaments. As high goal practises get underway, the lawns of England undergo their final preparations in readiness for the hooves of the four-legged stunningly beautiful equine athletes of the high goal (and their two-legged, 10 goal mounts) to fly the length of all the top English polo pitches in their quest to put as many goals as possible between the posts.
Below are some of the upcoming polo tournaments to be played from May to August 2015, this is not intended to be a fully inclusive list, but highlights of some of the key matches of the game which is played in almost eighty countries around the globe. With the English high goal season starting in the latter part of May through to the end of July, games in the the Spanish Sotogrande sun follow hot on their heels in August.
All that remains is to wish all players, ponies and spectators a fantastic (and successful) 2015 English season.
May
The La Martina Queen Mother’s Centenary Tournament, Guards Polo Club (12-15 goal)
St Regis International Test Match, Cowdray Park Polo Club (high goal HPA)
Dollar Cup, Cowdray Park Polo Club (8-12 goal HPA)
The Gerald Balding Cup, Cirencester Park Polo Club (4-8 goal HPA)
The Cirencester 0-40 goal Final, Cirencester Park Polo Club
The Arthur Lucas Cup, Beaufort Polo Club (12 -15 goal)
LDF International Polo, Chester Racecourse
May/June
Cartier Queen’s Cup, Guards Polo Club (high goal HPA)
Duke of Sutherland Cup, Cowdray Park Polo Club (15-18 goal HPA)
Bentley Royal Windsor Cup, Guards Polo Club (12-15 goal HPA)
Cicero Cup, Cowdray Park Polo Club (12-15 goal)
June
The Bledisloe Warwickshire Cup, Cirencester Park Polo Club (high goal HPA)
International Test Match, Beaufort Polo Club (HPA) & Gloucestershire Festival of Polo
Archie David, Guards Polo Club (4-8 goal HPA)
The Apsley Cup, Cirencester Park Polo Club (15 – 18 goal HPA)
Byran Bethell, Cowdray Park Polo Club (12-15 goal)
Chesterton’s Polo in the Park, Hurlingham Park
Prince of Wales Trophy, Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club (high goal)
British Polo Day presented by Land Rover, Black Bears Polo Club
June/July
Jaeger LeCoultre Gold Cup, Cowdray Park Polo Club (high goal HPA)
Indian Empire Shield, Guards Polo Club (15-18 goal)
July
International Test Match, Guards Polo Club (high goal HPA)
Cirencester International Ladies Tournament (WCT), Cirencester Park Polo Club (12-18 goal)
The Queen Mother Trophy, Cirencester Park Polo Club (8-12 goal HPA)
The Gloucestershire Cup Final, Cirencester Park Polo Club (24-26 goal HPA)
The Coworth Park Challenge, Coworth Park/Guards Polo Club (12-15 goal)
Cowdray Park Polo Club, Harrison Cup (12-15 goal HPA)
Cowdray Park Polo Club, Holden White Cup (4-8 goal HPA)
Russia – British Polo Day presented by Land Rover, Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club, Dmitrovsky region
Spain – Women’s Tournament, Santa Maria Polo Club, Sotogrande
USA – USPA Nespresso America Cup, Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club, California
July/August
Spain – 44th Land Rover International Tournament (Bronze, Silver, Gold Cups) Santa Maria Polo Club, Sotogrande (low, medium & high goal)
Cowdray Park Polo Club, Challenge Cup (15-18 goal HPA)
England International Polo Weekend, Chester Racecourse
USA – USPA Lucchese Heritage Cup, Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club, California
Germany – German Polo Masters, Sylt Polo Club
August
France – Deauville Polo Cup (Bronze, Platinum and Gold Cups) Deauville Polo Club
Duke of Cornwall, Guards Polo Club (12-16 goal)
The Colts Cup, Cowdray Park Polo Club (HPA)
The County Cup (12-15 goal HPA)
Switzerland – Hublot Gold Cup, Gstaad Polo Club
Russian Open, Moscow Polo Club
Germany – German High Goal Championships, Berlin Polo Club
USA – Bombardier Pacific Coast Open, Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club, California (high goal)