The annual international day gives English polo its chance to measure itself against the world. On Saturday 27 July, at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club, GRM Argentina beat Frasers England 14-6 in the Coronation Cup, part of the 49th Hurlingham Polo International.
The England team
The Hurlingham Polo Association named a side with a total handicap of 27 goals. James Beim captained at number one, with Olly Cudmore at two, Jack Richardson at three and James Harper at back. Mark Tomlinson and Tomas Beresford were named as reserves, with Will Lucas as coach and Tom Morley as his assistant.
It was a team built around players who had been prominent in the English high-goal season, and it was a strong group.
The Argentine challenge
Argentina came to Windsor led by Facundo Pieres, one of the two or three best players in the world. Facing a side led by him is a daunting task for any team, and on the day the visitors were simply too strong. The margin was eight goals.
- Trophy: the Coronation Cup.
- Venue: Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club.
- Score: Argentina 14, England 6.
More than a result
Results like this are easy to read as a reflection of the state of the English game, but we would urge caution. The Argentine side is made up of full-time professionals who spend much of the year playing 20-goal polo or better, while the England side combines professionals and amateurs and a few players who divide their time between several countries. A loss to a team led by Pieres is not a disgrace.
What the international day does well is bring the sport to the public. Thousands came through the gates, and many of them will have seen high-goal polo at close quarters for the first time. That is the real benefit of a fixture like this, and a good reason to keep it in the calendar.
The season now moves to the long summer weeks at Cowdray, Guards and Sotogrande, and we look forward to the coming round-ups.
Sources: Lady, Hurlingham Polo Association
