{"id":244,"date":"2018-07-16T13:36:34","date_gmt":"2018-07-16T13:36:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pridemagazines.co.uk\/rutland\/?p=244"},"modified":"2018-07-16T13:37:27","modified_gmt":"2018-07-16T13:37:27","slug":"the-sport-of-kings-polo-in-rutland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pridemagazines.co.uk\/rutland-and-stamford\/highlights\/the-sport-of-kings-polo-in-rutland\/07-2018","title":{"rendered":"The Sport of Kings – Polo in Rutland"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Bob Music vs. Las Pulgas – League Matches – Assam Cup Polo, Rutland Polo Club, Langham, Rutland.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Rutland Polo Club is one of the highlights of this area, a magnificent sport played in an equally magnificent setting. It\u2019s also more accessible than you might think, to play and to watch. Here, we give you the low down on the fantastic sport of polo and all the actions and events happening right on your doorstep.<\/h4>\n
The equine population in Rutland exceeds that of most counties in the UK. In addition to hosting The Burghley Horse Trials every year, the area is also the territory for\u00a0the Cottesmore Hunt, one of the oldest<\/div>\n
foxhound packs in Britain. On top of these proud boasts, Rutland has its own Polo Club, home to some of Britain\u2019s best players and has welcomed royals for a game.<\/div>\n
Polo is a team sport played on horseback. The objective is to score goals against an\u00a0opposing team. Players score by driving a small white wooden ball into the opposing team\u2019s goal using a long-handled mallet.<\/div>\n
Each polo team consists of four riders\u00a0and their mounts. The game is played\u00a0professionally in 16 countries and it was<\/div>\n
formerly an Olympic sport.<\/div>\n
It was brought to Rutland in 1971 by eight friends and founders of the club. They were all keen riders and were looking for a spot\u00a0of entertainment outside of the hunting\u00a0season. Edwin de Lisle is the club\u2019s only\u00a0remaining founder.<\/div>\n
\u201cWe were all mad on hunting,\u201d says Edwin. \u201cThe problem was, the hunting season only lasted from October to March. We needed something to keep us entertained during the summer months, so we decided on polo.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cThe nearest club to Rutland was at Melton Mowbray in 1909, having been raised by Col EH Baldock. He had commanded The City of London Yeomanry \u2018Sharp Shooters.\u2019 They first played near Sysonby Lodge and later at Brentingby.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cAfter the First World War, polo was played but the Club ceased to function in the 1930s. In 1971 Colonel Tony Gilks, Major Charlie Humfrey, Mike Seckington, other local\u00a0enthusiasts and myself started up the present Club which was recognised by the Hurlingham Polo Association in 1972.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cPlay was originally at Luffenham Airfield and then moved to Cream Gorse and the Oakham Showground,\u201d says Edwin. \u201cIn 1993 we gave up renting the Rutland\u00a0Showground and made a second polo ground at Langham.\u201d<\/div>\n
Rutland\u2019s tournaments have become very popular and many teams come from across the country to compete.<\/div>\n
\u201cMany former Rutland Polo Club members are now medium and high goal players in top polo competitions across the country,\u201d says Edwin. \u201cHis Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has played at the Club and more recently, in May 2002, Prince Harry played at Rutland in the Eton vs Uppingham schools match.\u201d<\/div>\n
The mounts used are called polo ponies,\u00a0although the term pony is purely traditional and the mount is actually a full-sized horse. They range from 14.2 to 16 hands, and the polo pony is selected carefully for quick bursts of speed, stamina, agility and\u00a0manoeuvrability. Temperament is critical; the horse must remain responsive under pressure and not become excited or difficult to control.<\/div>\n
Many are Thoroughbreds or Thoroughbred crosses. They are trained to be handled with one hand on the reins, and to respond to the rider\u2019s leg and weight cues for moving\u00a0forward, turning and stopping. A well trained horse carries its rider smoothly and swiftly to the ball and can account for 60 to 75 per cent of the player\u2019s skill and net worth to his team.<\/div>\n
\u201cThere are four players per team and when we used to play, you would pick your three closest friends to join you,\u201d says Edwin. \u201cNowadays, the sport is more competitive and participants hire people in to play for them with big cash prizes if they win.\u201d<\/div>\n
Shortly after the formation of the club, the first trophy now known as the Assam Cup was acquired. The cup was a large and splendid example of Victorian silver, originally commissioned as a challenge cup by a club located in the Assam area of India.<\/div>\n
\u201cWhen polo ceased in India, a man named Leetham returned to the UK and brought the cup with him, offering it to the Hurlingham Polo Association. As Rutland had been formed only recently, it was suggested that we might have the cup.\u201d<\/div>\n
The Westerby Group Assam Cup sponsored by Westerby Investment Management was played for in June this year. Winners receive the cup and magnum bottles of Pol Roger champagne, one of the finest champagnes in the world.<\/div>\n
Other cups at the club include the Rutland Cup, the Flindlay Cup, the Ruddles Cup and the Whitbread Cup, all for their own\u00a0individual tournaments played throughout the year.<\/div>\n
In August, there\u2019s the Escalina Ladies Open, The Hartropp Trophy and The Sandicliffe Cup amongst others.<\/div>\n
If you\u2019re a rider and you want to compete or learn to play polo, speak to a qualified\u00a0instructor that is registered for polo training.<\/div>\n
\u201cPolo ponies are extremely sensitive and highly tuned,\u201d says Edwin. \u201cAny small shake or movement may take the horse off in a\u00a0different direction to where you want them to go. It\u2019s a difficult sport and its great\u00a0entertainment to watch them play to such a high level of skill.\u201d<\/div>\n
The ponies at Rutland are from Argentina, South America, New Zealand and Australia.<\/div>\n
The game is played in chukkas; a division in a game of polo. The game consists of four seven and a half minute chukkas, between or during which players change mounts. Players need more than one horse to play, as it\u2019s a very tiring sport for the animals.<\/div>\n
At the end of each seven minute chukka, play continues for an additional 30 seconds or until a stoppage in play, whichever comes first. There is a three minute interval\u00a0between chukkas and a five minute halftime.<\/div>\n
Play is continuous and is only stopped for penalties, broken tack or injury to horse or player. The object is to score goals by hitting the ball between the goal posts, no matter how high in the air. If the ball goes wide of the goal, the defending team is allowed a free knock-in from the place where the ball crossed the goal line, thus getting the ball back into play.<\/div>\n
Each position assigned to a player has\u00a0certain responsibilities. Number One is the most offence-oriented position on the field. The Number One position generally covers the opposing team\u2019s Number Four.<\/div>\n
Number Two has an important role in\u00a0offence, either running through and scoring themselves, or passing to the Number One and getting in behind them. Defensively, they will cover the opposing team\u2019s Number Three, generally the other team\u2019s best player. Given the difficulty of this position, it is not uncommon for the best player on the team to play Number Two so long as another strong player is available to play Three.<\/div>\n
Number Three is the tactical leader and must be a long, powerful hitter to feed balls to Number Two and Number One as well as maintaining a solid defence.<\/div>\n
The best player on the team is usually the Number Three player, usually wielding the highest handicap. The best players in\u00a0the world will have a handicap of 10,\u00a0and all beginners will start with a handicap of -2.<\/div>\n
Number Four is the primary defence player. They can move anywhere on the field, but they usually try to prevent scoring. The\u00a0emphasis on defence by the Number Four allows the Number Three to attempt more offensive plays, since they know that they will be covered if they lose the ball.<\/div>\n
Interestingly, polo must only be played\u00a0right-handed; you can\u2019t play the sport if you\u2019re left handed. It\u2019s been known that<\/div>\n
determined players will tie their left hand behind their back in day-to-day life to force themselves into being right handed!<\/div>\n
In July, Rutland Polo Club supported an armed forces charity in line with WWI\u00a0centenary events. If you would like to see a game in action, visit the club\u2019s website to see what events are coming up on the calendar and simply turn up to watch. There is no fee to watch, but you can book lunch which is \u00a330 for non-members and \u00a325 for member.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

2018 Club Calendar:<\/h4>\n
The Belvoir Cup, 28th – 28th July<\/div>\n
The Preston Lodge Bowl, Sponsored by The Weatherby Family, 28th – 29th July<\/div>\n
The Ruddles Cup, 25th – 26th August<\/div>\n
The Sandicliffe Cup, 18th – 19th August<\/div>\n
The Hartropp Trophy, 18th – 19th August<\/div>\n
Escalina Ladies Open, 18th – 19th August<\/div>\n
For more information, please call 07870 212902 or visit the club\u2019s website at www.rutlandpoloclub.co.uk. The photos across this feature are by Nico Morgan. Visit www.nicomorgan.com or call 07515 029261.<\/strong><\/em><\/div>\n
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Davidsons Homes vs. Rigby & Rigby, Assam Cup Subsidiary Final, Rutland Polo Club.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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