Final details revealed for Aspall Polo on the Beach |
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Final plans have been announced for a three-day beach polo spectacle in north Cornwall.
Internationally-renowned polo players are preparing to do battle on the sands of Watergate Bay at Aspall Polo on the Beach from Friday 19 to Sunday 21 May 2017.
The free event will see two highly-contested polo matches, family and beach entertainment, and an unmissable beach party with live music on Saturday evening.
Spectators will be able to see some of the UK’s top players in action, including former England international Andrew Blake Thomas, who will be going head-to-head against his brother, and Wales international, Richard.
Expert arena polo player Tim Vaux will be returning, along with Andrew Burgess from South West Polo, Daniel Loe and Ben Marshall. Caspar West, who has played and coached polo all over the world, completes the lineup.
The first match will be on Friday evening, when Tarquin’s Team Cornwall take on the Rest of the World in the Treleavens Trophy match, fighting for their fourth consecutive win. The headline Aspall Trophy match will take place on Saturday evening, with Team Jacquart facing Team Joules for the coveted silverware.
Watergate Bay Hotel’s Will Ashworth, who founded the event in 2007, said: “When we held the UK’s first event beach polo match a decade ago, we never expected it to grow into the three day extravaganza that it is today.
“We’re very proud to be making polo accessible to everyone, and it’s fantastic to see so many of the top players who have taken part here in previous years returning to play again in our tenth anniversary year.”
Thousands are expected to attend across the weekend, with the polo matches complemented by a beach packed with entertainment suitable for all ages.
New for 2017 will be an Aspall Cyder Bar, where shrub cocktails, specially created for the event, can be enjoyed alongside Aspall’s full range of cyders; and a Tarquin’s Gin Bar, where the Cornish distiller will be serving a limited edition Polo on the Beach gin.
Also appearing on the beach for the first time will be the Jacquart Champagne Garden, and the Treleavens ice cream horse box, offering speciality Polo on the Beach ice cream.
The festivities will continue into the evening on both Friday and Saturday. Friday night will feature live music from The Big Sets, street food stands, and fireworks on the beach, as well as a ticketed authentic Argentine Asado barbecue priced at £60 per person.
The Asado will include three traditional Argentine courses, including wood-fired Cornish lamb, Argentine beef chorizo, colita de cuadril (whole rump tips) and asado de tira (wood fired short ribs). Tickets for the Asado barbecue are available now via the website: www.watergatebay.co.uk/polo.
The Polo on the Beach after party will be a highlight of the weekend, with live music as the sun sets on Saturday evening. Acts confirmed to play are Ruarri Joseph and William The Conqueror, The Andy Quick Band and headliners Molotov Jukebox. Tickets for the Polo on the Beach party are available now from the website: www.watergatebay.co.uk/polo.
Family entertainment throughout the weekend will include Segway taster sessions, Joules welly wanging, Kids Zone crafts, jousting displays, dance performances, and a charity dog show on Sunday with St Francis Home for Animals.
Aspall, the headline sponsor of the event, will be creating an unmissable Apple Zone. Head of sales and marketing Christian Hamilton added: “We’re planning a real celebration of the humble apple. There will be apple-themed crafts, games and activities, as well as an apple obstacle wall.
“It will be an area to be enjoyed by all the family, with a treasure hunt that cleverly uses QR codes, and giant-sized Jenga and Kerplunk. All the activities will be totally free, and open throughout the weekend.”
Aspall Polo on the Beach timetable: Friday 19 May: 11am: Beach bars and food stalls open. 12pm: Segway taster sessions start. 4pm: Segway Polo match, mixing club members with professional polo players. 5:30pm: An introduction to polo – rules and ‘how to play’ demonstration. 6:30pm: Treleavens Trophy polo match – Team Cornwall vs Rest of the World. 7:15pm: Trophy presentations. 7:30pm: Argentine Asado barbecue (ticketed) and live music begin. Fireworks will begin once the sun has set.
Saturday 20 May: 11am: Beach bars and food stalls open. 12pm: Segway taster sessions start. 2:30pm: Propeller dance performance 3pm: Segway Polo match, mixing club members with professional polo players. 4pm: Horse jousting display from the Knights of Middle England. 5:30pm: An introduction to polo – rules and ‘how to play’ demonstration. 6pm: Propeller dance performance. 6:30pm: The Aspall Trophy polo match – Team Joules vs Team Jacquart. 7:15pm: Trophy presentations. 7:30pm: Polo on the Beach Party, live music from Ruarri Joseph and William The Conqueror, The Andy Quick Band and Molotov Jukebox.
Sunday 21 May: 10am: Street food stalls open, family activities and Segway taster sessions start. 10:30am: Charity dog show with St Francis Home for Animals. 11am: Beach bars open. 2:30pm: Dog show rosette presentations. 4pm: Event closes. |