The Paul Sweeney Memorial Tournament at Ash Farm
By Victoria Elsbury-Legg
This Sunday (11th January 2015) brought with it a quintessentially sunny English winter day for all the familiar faces that turned out to join Lesley, Charlotte, Georgia and the Sweeney family, for what is always a well-supported annual event in the English Arena Polo calendar – The Paul Sweeney Memorial Tournament.
With the welcoming roar and warmth of a log fire, distinctly decorated with vintage polo boots, to greet all players and visitors on entering what I firmly believe is one of the most well designed and friendly clubhouses in the country, spectators were able to enjoy the hospitality in the beautiful viewing gallery as they watched the polo action unfold below.
A number of different teams and players have competed in the tournament, this year it was the turn of Eclipse Polo Team – patron Jonathan Tidswell-Pretorius with pros, brothers Alec and Ed Banner-Eve, who made the trip down from their base at Moor Hall Farm Polo Club and School (MHF Polo) to meet home team Ash Farm – Georgia Sweeney, Charlotte Sweeney and Sebastian Dawnay.
Play commenced at 1pm in what was to be a high scoring game on both sides, with team Eclipse finally riding out of the arena the winners with a score of Eclipse 18 – 15 Ash Farm. Alongside the trophy on the presentation table were prizes for both teams of the finest gentleman’s toiletries from the Castle Forbes collection, an exclusive perfumery formed through a collaboration between Lady Forbes and professional fragrance creator Andrew French, based since 1996 in what was formerly a dairy building behind Castle Forbes on the 6000 acre Scottish Estate in Aberdeenshire which is the seat of the Chief of the Forbes Clan. MVP was awarded to a member of the home side – Charlotte Sweeney.
Summing up the day, Ash Farm Polo Manager Georgia Sweeney thanked all involved both on and off the pitch, commenting post-match, ‘we really appreciate everyone that came to support what was a really fun match that epitomised the polo we play at Ash Farm.’