TRIBUTE
patron at Smith’s Lawn. Ian was passionate about polo and his Club and so was involved in projects off the field too. One of these areas was the development of Flemish Farm. Ian, and his brother Graham’s company, The Wooldridge Group, was awarded the contract to redevelop Flemish Farm in 2006, an ongoing project which will give the Club two full size grounds and a smaller, practice ground at the Club’s stabling area. Ian’s commitment and vision for this project and his own enthusiasm for polo will ensure that Guards Polo Club will be opening an impressive facility across the Park in 2013. In addition to Flemish Farm, Ian was key to Harcourt Developments’
I an Wooldr idg e I
Diana Butler pays tribute to an invaluable patron and supporter to Guards Polo Club On the field, Ian could often be found playing alongside his eldest
an Wooldridge, who was killed alongside the Club’s Chief Executive, Charles Stisted, and the pilot, AJ Taylor, in a helicopter crash in Ireland last October, was so much more than just a polo playing
son, Charlie, in his own Twelve Oaks team. Ian loved playing polo, but wanted it to be fun, so he invariably entered the lower-handicapped tournaments at the Club. Successes have included winning the Stable Cottage Bowl in 2010 and being named Guards Polo Club’s Best Handicapped Player of 2009 at the annual Chairman’s Dinner. In that same year Ian won the Labrador Trophy subsidiary final, playing for Martin Davison’s 666 team. Also in this line-up were Charlie and Charlotte Sweeney, who has looked upon Ian as a father figure since her own father’s tragic death in 2008. In addition to his passion for polo, Ian was a strong supporter of his
decision to sponsor The Queen’s Cup. He introduced the company’s Chairman, Pat Doherty, to polo and could be found standing alongside Pat when HM The Queen presented The Queen’s Cup to both Rashid Albwardy of Dubai in 2009 and Luke Tomlinson of Apes Hill in 2008. So it is appropriate that this year Pat has arranged for the Queen’s Cup Final to be played in memory of both Ian and Charlie and has asked that their wives, Thandi Wooldridge and Melissa Stisted, are his guests in the Royal Box on Sunday, 12 June.
local community, especially his local football team, Windlesham FC, who played near his Twelve Oaks Estate in Surrey. Other local beneficiaries included the Children with Special Needs Foundation in Chobham. The founder of this charity, Gordon Parris MBE, summed up Ian perfectly when he said: “You couldn’t ask for a better dad, husband or employer. He was so generous to everyone and he did it quietly and sincerely.” Ian is survived by his wife Thandi and his sons Charlie and Rhett.
We hope that they can take comfort from the fact that he will not be forgotten at Guards Polo Club and that his legacy will live on with the development of Flemish Farm.
GUARDS POLO CLUB OFFICIAL YEARBOOK 2011 103
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