News AIMING HIGH
AUDI: already one of British polo’s biggest supporters, the car giant is in discussions to become the new title sponsor for the 2010 Pony Club polo championships in August.
ARMCHAIR SPECTATORS: more than 3,000 polo fans tuned into the first
live broadcast of a British high-goal game on the internet, when
PoloLine.com aired the Queen’s Cup final last month.
CHRIS MACKENZIE: the 17-year- old South African has gone to four goals
after his brilliant Queen’s Cup performance. So has Dubai’s Francisco Vismara. Read more on page 28.
ADVENTURE TRAVELLERS AND PT READERS: travel firm Steppes,
which sponsors the Gerald Balding Cup at Cirencester, is offering Polo Times readers £250 off its holidays. Read more about Gerald Balding himself, in the words of his son Ian, on page 48.
and Duane, of Sussex Polo Club, renewed their vows on a Greek island in early June: their first holiday during the polo season for eight years. Polo-playing son Terence was best man.
THE LOVING LENTS: Sallie Anne
JULIAN APPLEBY: the leading pro umpire sustained two broken ribs, a fractured rib and a cracked shoulder- blade after a t-bone collision at Chester Racecourse’s Coutts game. As PTwent to press he was back in the saddle with his whistle. Julian said: “Thankfully the football World Cup has kept me going!”
SWINGING LOW
chief instructor has been laid up with three broken ribs after an early season fall. “With ribs you think they’re mended – but you only have to sneeze to take a step back,” said Phil’s wife, Suzie. Fellow instructors Rosie Ross, Allie Wick and Philip Elliott have been holding the fort until Phil’s return.
TOM BEIM: Sometimes it’s the small things that matter. Ligament
injuries to his right thumb in a fall in May left the Cirencester-based three- goaler with a cast, and put him out of playing action for more than a month. He’s been able to concentrate on his ponies meanwhile though – he was back on board within a fortnight.
THE SULTAN OF BRUNEI: the polo-playing monarch is divorcing his
third wife after five years of marriage. The 63-year-old, who has 11 children, remains married to his first wife.
8 July 2010
www.polotimes.co.uk There were around 50 lots, about 30 of which sold. The total takings were £58,200 PHIL MEADOWS: the Cool Hooves Burningfold Polo Club in Surrey provided a great venue, but some fine-tuning will take place ahead of next year’s sale
THE ORGANISERS OF this summer’s most successful pony sale have revealed they intend to make it a regular fixture. Burningfold Polo Club in Surrey was the venue on Thursday 27 May for a youngstock and playing pony sale organised by club owner Richard Muddle, breeder and retired patron Peter Hewett and pony producer and HPA welfare chief David Morley. The trio recruited Brightwells’ Andrew Elliott as auctioneer, one of the most experienced in the equestrian world. “It was successful in that the venue worked well and people felt they’d got good value,” Muddle told Polo Times. “We’ll do a sale next year at a similar time, although we’ll fine- tune the time, day, trying of horses and reserves. “If next year’s operates on a more commercial basis we’ll consider
holding a second sale at the end of the season.We feel there’s a need for one – but we don’t want to run before we can walk.”
The 150 or so bidders, buyers and onlookers at the May sale ranged from professionals to Pony
“It was a success in that the venue worked and people felt they got good value” – Richard Muddle
Club families, including Hurtwood’s Matt Pannell and Jay Jones, England veteran Alan Kent, Sussex Polo’s Sallie-Anne Lent, the Batchelor family and the Blake Thomas brothers. Some 19 buyers bought 29 of the 50-odd lots, and the total takings were £58,200.
A fenced corral provided an effective auction ring in the large courtyard in front of Burningfold’s main stable block, with plenty of viewing space and the auctioneer at a corner. Buyers could try some ponies the same morning, and an asadoand drinks were laid on.
Hewett entered four three-year-
olds, six four-year-olds and six five- to nine-year-olds by his proven stallion Khan. As his aim was to disperse excess stock, none had reserves and buyers were able to pick up incredible bargains. The first 17 lots sold for between a few hundred pounds (for a four- year-old gelding) and £4,600 (for Lucero, an eight-year-old gelding who had played up to 12-goal – and acted as “leader” for one or two horses that needed persuasion to enter the ring). There followed 30 further lots, entered by the Muddle family, Jamie Le Hardy, Giles Newark, Compton Blood Stock, Martyn Meade, Down View Farm, Peter Wright, The Paddocks and Burton Mill. Top lot, at £12,000, was Burningfold Babe, a six-year-old ex-racehorse of Richard Muddle’s. More than a dozen lots failed to meet their reserves. Muddle added: “Some people were disappointed with their sales but, equally, on the other hand many were thrilled with their purchases.” Elliott declared: “I take my hat off
to Peter, David and Richard: I was impressed by the venue, the quality of horses and the hospitality.”
Burningfold pony sale to run again in 2011
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