Cowdray Park Polo Club’s Operations Manager to retire
Cowdray Park Polo Club’s Operations Manager, Lt Col Paddy Bangham, will retire from the Club at the end of January. Since his appointment in 2006, Paddy has overseen a key period of modernisation and development at the club and now looks forward to retirement with his wife Sabine at their new home in Wiltshire.
Peter Barfoot, the Club’s Chairman says: “Paddy has done sterling work through a period of great change at the Club and in his understated way has played a most important role in overseeing the journey of the Club into the modern era of polo. His immaculate eye for detail and accuracy has made my job as Chairman easy and I thank him for his valued support and friendship. His shoes will not be easily filled. On behalf of us all, I wish him the best as he pursues his love of fishing in his much deserved retirement.”
Taking the role of General Manager at Cowdray Park Polo Club will be Col Matt Petersen. Originally commissioned into the Royal Regiment of Wales, Matt transferred to the Parachute Regiment in 1993. His most recent full-time appointment was as Military Assistant to Major General Simon Brooks-Ward, Deputy Commander of the Field Army in the UK. However, Matt inevitably had exposure to Gen Brooks-Ward’s role as the Director of the Royal Windsor Horse Show, the Olympia International Horse Show and other leading equestrian events.
Matt Petersen has been an enthusiastic member of Cirencester Park Polo Club – becoming the club’s ‘most improved player’ of 2015. He has represented the Army and Army Reserve in low goal tournaments. Matt has also held commercial Account Management roles with McCann Erikson and Ogilvy & Mather. He and his fiancé, Emma, will be moving to the Midhurst area.
Paddy Bangham says: “Since retiring from the army 11 years ago, I have been privileged to be a part of one of the most prestigious Polo Clubs in the country. Much has changed in that time, both in the world of polo and at the Club. I have had the support of a fantastic team and Chairman and am very proud of the esteem in which Cowdray Park Polo Club is held internationally. A new era is dawning for both and there are exciting and challenging times ahead for my successor. I wish Matt every success in his new post.”
The new season of polo at Cowdray Park opens on 29th April. Visit www.cowdraypolo.co.uk to view the 2017 Fixtures List.