interview
new blood
Antony Fanshawe talks to Gareth Davies on why patrons need to spread their net wider if they want to take on the high-goal super teams
sport after just one season at the reins, and if you are ever looking for forthright thoughts on the sport, its development and continuance, he is something of a sage. Perhaps it comes from his entire family being immersed in all sorts of equine disciplines. Underlying all his observances, indeed, is a love of sport itself and a desire that honesty creates the best environment. In fairness, honesty makes winners in sport. Always has, always will. Fanshawe is steeped in horsemanship. His
A
grandfather was an Olympic three-day eventer, winning bronze in the 1936 Berlin Games, his father Brian a renowned Master of Foxhounds and older brother James, a Group One-winning trainer in Newmarket. As for Guards Polo Club, it has undergone some changes in the off-season, explained Fanshawe, with the number one ground, The Queen’s Ground, re-sown and expected to be in “tip-top shape for the start of the season”, with several other fields all getting major treatment. “All good clubs have a duty and responsibility to their infrastructure,” explained Fanshawe. “In essence, that means good fields. Good fields make great horses – and in turn, great polo.” Four fields got the treatment over the winter – overseen by head groundsman Peter Svoboda and external consultant Nick Hallam. The plan is to have eight top grade fields in the near future. Fanshawe looks into his crystal ball and reckons that for quarter-final events and bigger tournaments, it could even attract crowds and an influx of business for the local economy. Looking ahead to the season, moreover,
Fanshawe cast his experienced view from his lookout post is that the number of patrons could
ntony Fanshawe, in his first administrative role in polo, as manager of the sport at Guards Polo Club, has brought a keen eye to the
bring in
be down in number this year, and coming into the 2016 season, arguing that English polo and patrons could be missing a trick by not signing up a raft of young players - English, Argentine, or whatever nationality – for high-goal polo in this country. But his thoughts are based on youth, which he believes could spark a revolution in the sport, if such a thing is possible. The former professional polo player believes it could herald a change at the top end of the sport during the English high-goal season, currently dominated by two teams – Dubai and King Power. In recent years, only teams featuring either Adolfo Cambiaso or Facundo Pieres have stepped onto the winners’ podium at the Queen’s Cup.
Responding to the call over the winter by
Argentine 10-goaler Pieres who believes the sport ought to be looking at ways of ending the
dominance of a pair of “super teams”, Fanshawe explained: “When you look at the upcoming season, I think there will be fewer teams in the high-goal overall this season which is a shame. “Polo is an expensive game and I don’t think potential patrons have realised that there’s an awful lot of younger players who would come in a lot cheaper than the people who are here right now. I don’t think people have realised that yet. The next generation has just started to come through to play. “My belief is that younger teams should be made up and they should be given the opportunity to give the likes of Adolfo Cambiaso a good run for his money,” explained Fanshawe. “I don’t think the 40-year-olds should move aside, but if patrons realised this I think we could draw some of them back in and change the game. ➤
guards polo club official yearbook 2016 105
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