HAM

charity day

by Dara Williams

The annual Charity Day at Ham is a prime example of how polo players are always ready to help others less fortunate than themselves.

This year’s edition was a case in point, with fi ve charities benefi ting. These were HMS Alliance, a 62-year-old submarine that has become the most popular exhibit at the Royal Naval Submarine Museum; Sentebale, which helps children in the African kingdom of Lesotho; English Schools Swimming Association; Mapaction, which co-ordinates disaster relief; and Dolen Cymru – Wales Lesotho Link, a charity working in the fi elds of education, disability and health.

Prince William and Prince Harry, both connected closely with three of the charities, rode onto the fi eld for Umbogo, which also enlisted England’s 6-goaler Satnam Dhillon and US superstar Nick Roldan, who still holds the record of being the youngest player ever to win the US Open. This was at the age of fi fteen in 1998.

Facing Umbogo was Crestview Farm, whose strong man was former US 10-goaler Owen Rinehart. He joined patron Alan Meeker who had also recruited Alan Martinez and Ham’s own Adolfo Casabal.

At the end of the fi rst chukka, Umbogo was ahead 3-1, and while Crestview narrowed the difference as the game progressed, by the time the fourth and fi nal chukka opened Umbogo were still in the lead, 5-3.

Crestview suddenly surged ahead, sending through three balls in succession and gaining a 6-5 advantage. Roldan converted a 60-yard penalty for Umbogo, equalising on the bell. It was decided unanimously that the game should be an amicable draw, and the trophy was presented by Ham chairman Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers.

Umbogo:

1. HRH The Prince Harry of Wales (1), 2. Satnam Dhillon (6), 3. Nicolas Roldan (8), Bk. HRH The Prince William of Wales (1).

16

Crestview Farm:

1. Alan Meeker (0), 2. Alan Martinez (5), 3. Owen Rinehart (7), Bk. Adolfo Casabal (4).

A DAY IN THE LIFE

by Bruce Middleton

Horses have been evolved by both nature and by man to become the amazing athletic animal that we all know so well. Polo represents a unique test for these animals – it is one of the only equine sports in which the unpredictable ball is pursued leading to huge stopping and turning forces being applied to the horses’ legs. It’s also at times a close contact sport played by people armed with sticks that get wielded as if they were a weapon. Finally it is played in tournaments; periods of intensive activity which the horses play hard over several days.

The polo vet’s aim is to keep the animals going without compromising their welfare. The horse comes fi rst. We are however aided by the HPA’s list of allowable medications; and can use our own judgement in treating our patients, again something unique in equine sports. The ponies have six months off a year, it’s our job to try and make them have the right six months. Being a vet has been described as humbling as unfortunately we are often dealing with problems that do not have a good outcome either short or long term.

I start my days with my one and only coffee – no further stimulation is required. I will usually have a full day planned with visits to various yards. My aim is not to start too early as the day invariably will go on late and generally I will get to one of the yards around Cowdray for 8am. Whatever plans I have are usually disrupted by a phone call or two which may change everything. Ultra urgent calls such as colics have to be attended to immediately other calls like cuts or tying up are best seen within a few hours. The mobile phone is the means by which everything works – visits can be juggled – another vet in the practice found and sent to an emergency – or I keep my own diary which generally is a list of things that need to be done – as fast as things are crossed off something else is added. I have become used to becoming slightly vague as to where I might be going as despite my best laid plans everything might change in a moment. Through this seeming chaos a large amount

T H E L O N D O N P O L O C L U B

of a polo vet

of work is done every day that tends to keep my head above water.

My car is my beast of burden carrying my equipment and me wherever it is needed. I load up with drugs and other consumables at the offi ce often at the ends of the day and then ready to set forth. The equipment nowadays is amazing – portable x rays machines that instantly display the images on a laptop, high quality mobile ultrasound and 1.6 metre long endoscope. The car is like a mini veterinary clinic.

I will drive 1000 miles a week (around the world every eight months) and often seem to do a circuit of the South of England every day. In this way it is possible to fi t in calls to pretty well anywhere fairly promptly. The car is also my refuge – a bit of my own space although it is shared with the phone. I tend to graze on sandwiches throughout the day to keep my energy up.

Once at a call an amazing amount can be done there and then. Lame horses will be nerve blocked, x rayed and medicated. Minor surgery performed – sinuses drilled, splint fragments removed, joints fl ushed, drips set up, wounds stitched, medications injected and dispensed. Horses are wonderful at damaging themselves given half a chance, add in the demands of polo and random problems such as colic and it’s enough to keep me very busy. I am presented with a wide variety of problems and it is amazing how one is constantly surprised at what turns up – there is often a unique twist that keeps my brain working.

Generally I will keep going until about 8pm. There is still out of hours work to be covered which is shared between four of us as not to mention, the paper work, the trials of employing people, and running a business.

I try to take every other weekend off as otherwise my wife accuses me of making her feel like a single mother but it doesn’t always work out that well especially during the high goal season. But believe it or not, I never have a problem sleeping. Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72