PTJan/Feb 2010 p56-59 Travel 1 YC TH MB 22/1/10 10:54 Page 3
Play on, rain or shine
bar, she told me the two-week England tour to The Drakensburg Mountains are within easy
Oaklands is her ideal holiday from a high- reach and Oaklands is in the heart of the Boer
Oaklands, by Sophie Montagne
pressured job in the City. War battlefields. There are 13 sites nearby and I
IT WAS OCTOBER and British polo had scaled The club offers courses to players of all levels passed a few of these on an overnight outride
down, so I turned to South Africa to see where – I went for the beginners’ option – and local (trail ride) through the spectacular Lost Valley at
I could brush up my rather basic skills. Jamie coaches Terence and Sipho Spilsbury provide nearby Highlands Farm Estate. Landowner Cas
Bruce’s offer to spend a week at his Oaklands training and pony hire from their 50-strong Human was my guide as we rode ex-polo ponies
Polo and Country Club in Kwazulu-Natal was too string. For novices it is reassuring to practise in into the steep valley and camped for the night.
good to miss, so I off headed, sunwards. the confines of an arena before being let loose on With an encyclopaedic knowledge of South
It was a warm 25 degrees as I passed paddocks the grass. But for experts there’s the scope to Africa, Cass was wonderful company in
en route to the property, which lies three hours stick and ball in the morning, play chukkas in the spectacular surroundings.
from Johannesburg, half-way to Durban, outside afternoon and matches by prior arrangement. For a great value polo holiday, at any time of
the village of Van Reenen. To my left, a winding Thanks to the favourable climate it is possible year, with the sun, but without the jet-lag,
river valley, dramatic cliffs and a striking and to play all year round, both on the grass pitch Oaklands has to be hard to beat.
distinctive pair of peaks formed a beautiful frame and in the arena. ◗ A five-day polo course at Oaklands Polo and
to the polo fields – think Cowdray’s River Ground, “Not many places have both the arena and Country Club costs £1,126 per person, including
but with altitude. field options, and it’s really good value,” says tuition and seven nights’ accommodation.
I pulled up at the freshly painted reception and Bown (arena hcp 6; grass hcp 3). “The time zone Contact: www.oaklands.co.za
was greeted by two giraffe-sized great danes, is also a big bonus – if you have a business you Tel: +27 58 671 0067,
majestically patrolling the veranda. Jamie can come over for a long weekend.” email: info@oaklands.co.za
welcomed me like an old friend, introducing me The advantage of South Africa, especially for
to his wife Caroline and sister-in-laws Annie and families, is that the coaches and staff are all
Kathy who all help run the hotel with a lively English-speaking. Oaklands is very much a family-
Escape to the hills
dose of South African charm. run business, and I found the atmosphere Franshoek, by Leah Ludlow
Born in South Africa, Jamie served in the incredibly friendly, with no hint of stuffiness. At the foothills of the Free State’s craggy Maluti
British Army for 26 years before moving back to Children are well catered for with a playground, mountains, a three-hour drive from Johannesburg,
his homeland and buying the property in 1996. A swimming pool, trampoline, tennis, TV room and a friendly, picturesque polo school, ideal for
polo fanatic, he heard about arena polo in 2004 separate mealtimes, and there is also the option improvers who want to “get away”, nestles
and decided to build his own arena in the of self-catering apartments for families. contentedly in a picturesque valley.
If the images on Franshoek Polo School’s
At the freshly painted reception I was greeted by two giraffe-
website – of a gingerbread cottage, prettily
sized great danes, majestically patrolling the veranda
furnished rooms, free-roaming ponies and
dramatic scenery – aren’t alluring enough, the
prospect of learning with a familiar face from
grounds. By 2007 he had cleared the river, drained My room was newly refurbished, stylish and Ascot Park, charismatic former Springbok captain
some marshland and carried out minor excavation comfortable with its own terrace overlooking the Rod Gutridge, clinched the deal for me.
work to create a grass ground that complements paddocks to the cliffs beyond. The restaurant I headed there with a small group – earning us
the rest of the club’s modern facilities. served huge, hearty breakfasts with Oaklands’ a decent discount – in November, a month into
Although the majority of visitors are families, own-recipe, to-die-for toasted muesli (also for Franshoek’s main tourist season, which runs from
beginners and low-goal patrons from the UK, polo sale in the shop). The highlight of the evening October until June. The club – which 15 years ago
professionals also visit – Seb Dawnay and Tim menu, for me, was wildebeest carpaccio. became one of South Africa’s first to offer tuition
Bown have been to Oaklands four times. During When in Africa it would be a shame not to see to holidaymakers – is also a hub for local players.
my stay, they were there for the annual Arena game in between games. The Spioenkop Reserve Our arrival was more dramatic than
International between England and South Africa – is 15 minutes’ drive from the hotel, but to see all anticipated: the vehicle sent to collect us battled
and stayed on afterwards for more play. the Big Five you’d want to spend a night at the storms for the duration of our drive, and at one
Chatting to Dawnay’s patron Sara Hale in the Nambithi reserve, an hour away at Ladysmith. point we needed help crossing a gushing ford. X
www.polotimes.co.uk January/February 2010 57
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