Martin Frederick Trotter
1935 – 2009
Martin Trotter, a very well known figure in British Polo for over fifty years, sadly died on 18 September 2009 after a long and courageous fight against an hereditary muscular disease.
Martin was brought up initially at Dyrham Park, Barnet and subsequently at his father’s family estate, Mells Park, near Frome in Somerset. He had an elder brother Colin, who also became a very keen Polo player. After school at Summerfields and Eton, Martin followed his brother to the Royal Agricultural College. Where time off from studies provided ample opportunity both for Hunting and for developing his Polo talents.
After graduating from the RAC, Martin started farming as a tenant on the Mells Park estate, where he established an outdoor pig herd. He continued to pursue his Polo at Cirencester Park and also hunted with the Blackmoor Vale and shot at Mells. In 1959 he married Rosemary Valentine “Val” Nash and purchased Winterwell Farm, Northleach. He had met Val through her Polo playing sister and brother- in-law, Juliet and Richard Worsley, who were based at Beechanger in Sapperton before purchasing Marsden Manor.
Over the following years Martin progressed with his Polo career while farming at Winterwell, where he established an internationally renowned herd of polled Herefords . He attained a handicap of 4 Goals in 1971 and played in and captained many successful Polo teams. His name appears on many of Cirencester Park’s trophies, frequently a number of times and often in teams with his brother. He won the Gerald Balding and Cheltenham Cups each three times. His major successes included winning the inaugural Archie David Cup at Guards (then known as the Friar Park Cup) with his brother Colin, and Colonels Raymond Barrow and Mike Watson. He played for several years with Alan Budgett in the successful Kirtlington Park team which was the first team ever to win both the Royal Windsor and Archie David Cups in the same week and year in 1971.
In 1960 his eldest son Peter was born and his eldest daughter Diana in 1963. The latter’s birth was accelerated by Val witnessing Martin scoring a winning goal and collecting the goal post at the same time which ended up balanced across the pommel of the saddle. The pony bolted and Martin had to eject himself off its back.
Having hunted regularly with the VWH and Cotswold during his early years in Gloucestershire, in the late seventies and early eighties, he was Field Master of the Heythrop when Ronnie Wallace was Huntsman. Martin was an expert with hounds and across country. He served as a County Councillor for a number of years and was District Commissioner for the Cotswold Pony Club during the mid-seventies.
Martin finally retired from Polo as a result of an arm injury in 1976, and sold the farm away from the house in 1987. During his later years in Polo he devoted a lot of effort into umpiring, regularly officiating at the International and other High Goal matches. In 1990 he was appointed HPA Senior Umpire, and was instrumental in bringing the Rules of Polo up to an international standard. His major achievement was the introduction of the High Goal Professional Umpires Group in 1994. He initiated the group’s programme of regular debriefing meetings involving discussion of video recordings, to generally improve the standard of umpiring for the High Goal. He retired as HPA Chief Umpire in 2000.
In 1981 Martin married Georgina “George” Blunt. His second son Jamie was born in 1982 and second daughter Camilla in1985.
From 2000 Martin became more and more disabled as the illness progressed. However while his physical state deteriorated, his mind remained sharp right to the end. He leaves five grandchildren who were a source of great pleasure to him during his illness.
Martin’s Memorial Service will take place at 12 Noon on Thursday 29 October at St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Northleach, Gloucestershire.