Royal Salute – the perfect partner for the Coronation Cup
By Victoria Elsbury-Legg
If polo is the ‘game of kings’, then the announcement that Royal Salute will be the new sponsors of the Coronation Cup could not be a more apt pairing, given that Royal Salute was first launched on 2nd June 1953 to honour Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her Coronation. Taking its name from the traditional 21-gun salute that marks many royal occasions, even the colours of the porcelain bottles in which the 21 year old whisky is so exquisitely encased are symbolic, being made from Cornish clay that is burnished to a Ruby, Emerald and Sapphire – representing the jewels on Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation crown.
Now the Coronation Cup will share a history intrinsically linked by name and event. With the inaugural match in 1911 to honour the Coronation of King George V – until 1939 it was traditionally played by the winners of the London Open Tournaments – Hurlingham, Ranelagh, Roehampton and the Inter-Regimental. With polo in decline in post war years, the tournament was played again in 1953 to mark the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Most of the matches took place at Cowdray Park where Lord Cowdray was working to ensure this most historic of British sports did not disappear forever from The Lawns. Not to be played again for a further 18 years, in 1971, Lord Patrick Beresford and Colonel Gerard Leigh (then Chairman of Guards Polo Club) put together a 23 goal English team (Hon. Mark Vestey, Howard & Julian Hipwood and Paul Withers) to face a USA side formed by Michael Butler (Ronnie Tongg, Billy Linfoot, Chico and Joe Barry), who instead of competing for the Westchester Cup competed to hold the Coronation Cup aloft – which the USA did post-match, having won 9-6.
Headed up by the then Polo Manager Major Ronald Ferguson, who had been inspired by the showmanship he had witnessed during a recent tour of America with The Household Calvary’s Musical Ride, he added a Best Playing Pony Award to the match and incorporated another game into the day – between Young England and Young America, with the HPA creating the Silver Jubilee Trophy in 1977 for the winners. From 1977 – 1993 it was HRH Prince Charles who was to captain the English team, missing only two years (1978 when he played for the Commonwealth, the opposing side, and in 1990 due to a fall).
Sponsored by Wills the tobacco firm (1971 – 1978), Cartier for 25 years (1984 – 2011), followed by Audi (2012 – 2014), this International Day, which has featured teams from over ten countries, its format and history remain largely unchanged in more modern times.
Perhaps the intertwining of new history between two great British brands is best summed up by Royal Salute Global Brand Director, Vadim Grigorian who explained, ‘As a longstanding, passionate supporter of the ‘game of kings,’ it is fitting to cement Royal Salute’s association with the most prestigious polo event in Britain – the Coronation Cup. We are deeply fascinated with polo – from its profound origins rooted in noble values to the naturally evolving symbiosis between player and horse; it is a firmly planted in tradition, yet played in the modern world. Honouring time and legacy are in the DNA of Royal Salute, so it is a privilege to extend our patronage to an organisation that also encapsulates comparable values.’
History will continue to be made on Smith’s Lawn this year in The Royal Salute Coronation Cup 2015 on Saturday 25th July when England (whose team has just been announced as James Beim, Max Charlton, Luke and Mark Tomlinson,) meet South America, and pitch-side Royal Salute will present ‘a specially curated open air experience that is an artistic and philosophical reinterpretation of a quintessential British picnic.
Tickets are available at www.coronationcup.com or call 01784 437 797
First published in the June edition of Hurlingham Polo Magazine – The American Season. To read more articles from the Summer Edition EMag go to: https://www.hurlinghampolo.com/backissues/summer_2015/