After three months without a competitive match, polo is back in England. The Prince of Wales Trophy, the tournament that usually opens the UK high-goal season, has begun at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club, with seven 22-goal teams taking part and no spectators in attendance.
How the restart came about
The government allowed competitive sport to resume behind closed doors from 1 June, but left each sport to decide for itself when it could meet the necessary protocols. The Hurlingham Polo Association updated its guidance at the start of June, pointing out that social distancing and strict hygiene would stay in force, along with limits on the size of gatherings, and in mid-June it announced that competitive polo could resume on a progressive basis. Guards Polo Club, for its part, had said it hoped to begin competitive play behind closed doors in mid-June, following both government rules and HPA directives.
Rules for a distanced game
Polo is a contact sport, at least when it comes to riding off, so the HPA asked the umpire Tim Bown to lead a committee of umpires, club managers and players to review possible rule variances based on distancing guidelines. The resulting changes are now being enforced. We do not wish to go through the full list, but the principle is clear: play the game, but stay apart wherever you can, and give the umpires every chance of keeping the match safe.
- Tournament: the Prince of Wales Trophy.
- Venue: the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club.
- Teams: seven sides at 22 goals.
- Spectators: none.
The first results
The pre-season favourites, Park Place, won their opening match with a convincing performance, and looked every bit the strong side they were expected to be. Teams that have come through lockdown with horses in good condition and players in match fitness will have an advantage over those that have not, and it will be interesting to see how the early weeks pan out.
It feels good to write about a match again. This is not the summer anyone planned, and there will be many bumps on the way, but the return of high-goal polo, even on empty grounds, is welcome news.
The Gold Cup at Cowdray follows soon, and we will have more to report then.
Sources: Pololine
