A FOREWORDA Foreword
Geoffrey Godbold OBE. TD. DL
As spring appears again – thank goodness after such a freezing winter for those of us locked in the UK – our thoughts turn to the approaching polo season. For the players, the excitement of practice and chukkas, for the spectators the image of delicious lunches - and the excitement of polo of course!
This is the 38th season that I have been a member of Ham Polo Club (I joined as a teenager – I wish!) and so I have seen, as a few others, the changes that have happened over those years. As a result, I am often asked whether Ham was better in the old days. My view is that our Polo Club has always provided exactly what was wanted and then, as now, was brilliant at doing so. After all we know that in business, if you do not change with the market, you die. We have certainly changed – often led – and, as a result, have always been a very successful club.
But, ‘twas not always thus; Nicholas C-D, Quentin Davies and I can recall that in the mid 70’s we were down to literally about ten players and, without putting too fi ne a point on it, a revolution had to happen or we would go under. Peter Adams and I took over joint – chairmanship and, thanks to his work with the great Ronald Ferguson, managed to secure The Prince of Wales to come and play on a few charity days, which raised the Club’s reputation again. The number of players started to grow and reached around 45 at the high point!
The clubhouse was literally an ex-Army hut which did not really serve food but provided drink after the game and very rickety loos. Food came in the form of picnics – or tailgating as was the fashionable expression; as always we were very good at the latter, Herbert Spencer commenting that the best picnics were to be found at Ham!
I would say that it was the 80’s that saw the foundations of the Club as we know it today. Literally - for we found the money to build proper foundations for the original Clubhouse which prevented its demise and is still the core of the building that we know today. This came from Yves St Laurent Perfumes who for three years sponsored a low goal team out of Ham – normally Nicholas, Chris Tauchert, Sam Houston and myself, who generously paid a substantial fee each year to the Club for the privilege of doing so! Camilla – now Mrs Tim Healy – introduced real Club catering and David Healy, Tim’s father, began badgering the Committee for a watering system! Remember we only had one ground at the Club which took a real hammering.
Then I retired and Nicholas took over and real change has happened since then to produce the wonderful Club as we know it today. Two grounds, amazing catering, stabling, exercise tracks – who knows, one day even an arena! The Chairman and his various Committee members really deserve such admiration for all that they have achieved.
Yes, Ham Polo Club has changed – thank goodness – and, as a result, we have a Club which is the envy of the rest of the polo world. One at which we are going to have another wonderful season which I sincerely hope you will all – players and non-players - continue to enjoy as we have always done.
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T H E L O N D O N P O L O C L U B
Photography: Jeremy Schomberg
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