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P O N Y L I N E S
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When did you start to play polo?
I started playing in the Goodwood
pony club aged 12. The first few years,
I just did the standard two weeks a
year of pony club, then I got hooked.
What level of polo do you play?
I play all levels of polo from 12 to 22
goal. I’ve spent most of my career
playing in eight and 12 goal. I’m now
lucky enough to be getting a go at the
better levels too.
What makes polo special for you?
It’s all about the horses for me. We
spend our life preparing the horses
and are always looking for the next
champion. Also, my family lives and
breathes polo, especially in the English
summer at Cowdray. It’s a great place
to hang out with them on a sunny day.
Who do you respect most in polo?
I respect anyone who can make a
living from polo, as it’s a very tough
career to choose. But if you can, you
get to do something you love and
have a lot of fun doing it. Anyone
who has won the Argentine Open
S A D D L E U P W I T H . . .
J A M E S H A R P E R
C O U N T R Y : E N G L A N D
H A N D I C A P : 7 ( U K )
A G E : 4 0
P O N Y ’ S N A M E : T W I T T E R
S E X : M A R E
O R I G I N : U K
L O V E O F M Y L I F E
B Y J A M E S G I L M O R E
Twitter was bred by me in 2012 in the UK. Her
damTwiggy, and sire, Livingston, have very
special Ellerston genetics.Twiggy (Kylie x
Norman Pentaquad) has been played by
Gonzalito Pieres for many years in the UK,
and Livingston (Lizzie x Clark) was sold to the
Vicuña and Tanoira families as a three year old.
I was fortunate to breed three very special
fillies by him as a two-year-old colt – Twitter,
Casola and Cello.
Twitter is my perfect type of polo pony, big
body, short legs and strong hindquarters.Very
much opposite to a model. She has a beautiful
economical action, a V8 motor and a flawless
temperament. I would suggest she is
self-made, but that wouldn’t do credit to any of
us, especially Jake Daniels and James Harper
(Harps), who have played and trained her so
beautifully. In her short career she has already
won eight BPP awards with three different
players;winning BPP for Harps in the Queen’s
Cup was special for all of us.
Facundo Pieres played Twitter early last year
in chukkas and asked for an option on her
when she had matured. He has played some
amazing Ellerston ponies, including Dinghy,
Claret, Martini, Elaborate, Sheltie and Cube.
It will be exciting for me to watch him play this
little superstar in 2020 and compare her to
this illustrious group.
I think is due respect too as that is
the pinnacle of our sport.
What is your most memorable
polo game?
Winning the Gold Cup with El
Remanso last year. The whole thing was
like a movie script. That was my first
big tournament win and was something
I dreamt of doing since I started
playing. Also my first Coronation Cup
in 2016 was special as that’s the one
time you know you are in the top four
for England. And being MVP and
winning the Queen’s Cup this year,
plus getting BPP with Jim Gilmore’s
mare Twitter, was amazing as well.
Anything else you would like to cover?
I’m approaching 40 years old and I’m
having the best 5 years of my career by
far. I think you should never stop
trying to improve yourself and your
horses, as you never know when you’ll
get your chance.
T E R R Y H A N L O N
It was with deep sadness that
Cowdray Park Polo Club announced
the death of former chief
commentator Terry Hanlon in May this
year. He had been suffering ill health
for several years. For many decades
Terry was known as the ‘Voice of Polo’
entertaining crowds, which often
included royalty, at the Cowdray Park
Gold Cup and many international
fixtures. He will be greatly missed.
