For the next few days our time was taken up sitting by the pool, stick and balling and being looked after incredibly well by the guys from Accra Polo Club. It really is no wonder our Chairman has been returning to Ghana for so many years.
Match day was upon us quickly though. The Ham players and umpires arrived in a convoy of taxis which collectively charged
“I began to wonder about our wellbeing during a six chukka match. Then I decided to take the Ghanian approach; I had a Gin and Tonic and stopped worrying.”
us a 4000% mark up on the going rate for the three minute journey form the hotel. Not to worry, we haggled them down, baffl ing the drivers with our code for the local currency (known offi cially as Ghanian Cedis, we’d begun referring to them as Colquhouns).
The Match was preluded by quite a show. There was a display of Ghanian dance in front of the stunning VIP marquees before we were led on by a full military brass band. Regrettably Hugo was unable to join us in singing ‘God Save the Queen’ as his pony felt compelled to run off some steam by lapping the fi eld at that moment.
The Independence Day Cup match got underway and it was to become one of the greatest tests for Adolfo’s tactical skills and team organization. We had been warned that the local style was to go straight down the middle of the fi eld, and fl at out fast. To address this we had spent time the previous night in the hotel bar discussing tactics. Initially we had moved our numerous empty glasses around as players, but latterly we were on our feet, engaging in what, to onlookers, must have seemed like some kind of strange line dance.
The effect was that we held off the opposition for the fi rst half but failed to extend any kind of lead, so we held a team conference. This was amid much encouragement from team Ham’s huge number of grooms who, honestly, were
The London Polo Club
less interested in coaxing us to victory than they were in convincing us to donate our sticks to them. I politely explained I required mine for the second half.
It was now that Adolfo let us in on his observations thus far. The Ghanian tactics were not entirely based on the polo theory and hours spent rehearsing set plays that we had believed. Our Polo Manager had noticed that their game plan was borne more from the fact that the grass was better in the middle of the fi eld. “Now” he told his troops “we go straight to the goal”.
In the second half we played with more confi dence and despite Accra Polo Club fi elding a very strong and fantastically mounted opposition, we managed to scrape out with half a goal lead.
Naturally the presentation was conducted with the same level of pageantry as the pre match parade. Our team sponsor Virgin Atlantic (who we are very grateful to) were delighted to have backed the winning team. Even Freddie, through gritted teeth, told the representative that Virgin was a far superior airline than any he may have fl own with recently. A brand new Porsche Panamera was driven onto the fi eld for the photo call, though Hugo’s request to take it for a spin was declined. Understandable really, given the amount of champagne parked on the players table.
Winning was a highlight, however, whichever way the match had gone it could not have altered the fact that we had all had an amazing trip to Ghana. The level of hospitality and incredibly welcoming attitude we had been shown made our stay an absolute pleasure. The bottom line is if Nicholas sends you an email next February asking if you are interested in a trip to Ghana reply ‘yes’ fast, I certainly will.
Points to remember when traveling to play in Ghana: • Confi rm the number of Colquhouns required to pay your taxi driver before commencing your journey. • Bring decoy sticks to give your grooms, this saves giving all your good ones away at half time. • Before your trip take a hand stick and a ball to your local gym and practice in the sauna wearing your full polo kit.
Finally I would like to say that I hope the owner of La Palm Casino in Accra enjoys his new beach house and Mercedes Benz, I have a feeling we payed for them.
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