The 2015 English Arena Polo season is almost upon us

By Victoria Elsbury-Legg

As leaves everywhere begin to turn from green to shades of gold and red and a distinctive English autumnal nip is most definitely in the morning air when one makes their early morning trip to the stables – it also signifies the imminent start of the 2015 English Arena Polo season.

The colour green may be rapidly disappearing from the trees, and the more muted brown of arena surfaces may be taking the place of vast pitches of emerald shades, but a green of a different colour will be dropping through many polo players letterboxes soon with the release of The HPA Arena Polo ‘Green Book’ giving all the details of the 2015/16 Winter Arena Polo Season.

Play will be taking place at all the usual venues, from The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club to The All England Polo Club at Hickstead, from university polo at Druids Lodge to the biggest arena tournament in Great Britain – the SUPA University Arena Championships at Rugby. Newcomer on the scene is Emsworth Polo Grounds, Berkshire who have recently been affiliated to the HPA.

Dates for some fixtures are yet to be announced and will be available soon on club websites.

A few key highlights of the English Arena season published to date are:

Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club:

27^th – 29^th November– Paul Castle High Goal Challenge (13-15 goal)

30^th November – 13^th December HPA Christmas National Club Championships (4-6 & 13-15 goal)

4^th – 23^rd January – HPA New Year National Club Championships (1-3 & 10-12 goal)

12^th – 27^th February – The Arena Cup (13-15 goal)

Rugby Polo Club:

11^th – 14^th February – SUPA University National Arena Championships (Open)

All England Polo Club at Hickstead:

5^th March – The Bryan Morrison International Trophy (Test Match)