BUSINESS OF POLO


and lobbying to make sure that polo is restructured properly for the future. “I would hope that the visa situation has illustrated to the polo world that we have to be much more united and communicative together as a sport – we are too disparate. I understand the reasons for that, but we have to be much more joined up. This is a unique and passionate sport with lots of elements to it and if all those elements are disparate it looks disunited. Maybe the big clubs should get together and see how we can help smaller clubs. Although we don’t want too many small clubs as it creates a leakage of our own membership and it is good for English polo to have strong, high- goal clubs.” A well-travelled friend who is making a welcome return to Smith’s Lawn this season is the team from Mosimann’s. They have spent the past few weeks in South Korea, managing the hospitality for the many dignitaries at the Winter Olympics. Great practise for another busy season at Smith’s Lawn. “I believe they exceeded everyone’s expectations last year,” said Neil. “For an organisation like Mosimann’s to come into the middle of the Park and provide five- star catering for an unpredictable number of covers from one day to the next was impressive! Their Clubhouse team has worked seamlessly with our own in-house events team and we really couldn’t have had a better first season.”


And thanks to the Club’s Official Supplier


status for both Laurent-Perrier Champagne and Ivan The Terrible vodka, Mosimann’s has all the ingredients to hand to whip up another impressive season. The Executive Board and senior management team at Guards Polo Club is not only focusing on this season, with its impressive plans to improve all of the grounds at Smith’s Lawn. “We should hear whether planning permission to improve grounds 3-6 has been approved by 24th April. Although, in reality, we cannot really begin moving the road or developing The Princes’ Ground until early next year due to the start of our season and other Park commitments,” said Neil. “However, over at Flemish Farm, Martin


the overseas players and grooms, when the UK season is over, head off to play or groom somewhere else. They are not sitting here on benefits waiting for the next English season to begin.


“The APPG has attracted some seriously heavyweight MPs – Zac Goldsmith (Richmond Park), Sir Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex), John Whittingdale (Maldon, Essex) and Tracey Crouch (Chatham and Aylesford) for example. And once we get through the visa crisis it is vital that we retain this group because there is a lot of work to do in polo in the UK in terms of governance. I think we need that guidance, support, advice


Collins has already replaced and repaired the exercise track with new material which is terrific. I am also delighted to report that Flemish is over capacity. We have had to get some temporary stables in as we have about 110 horses in livery for this season.” The office team is also at full capacity, ready for the season, headed up by the Chief Financial Officer James Neighbour, who is continuing to work tirelessly on the new grounds project to keep it on budget and on schedule. Holly Baird has returned from Australia to take up her veterinary duties for the Club, while Stephanie Price has returned as Events Manager after a winter spent in the USA. Kym Lake also returns from maternity leave in May to retake her seat in the Polo Office. So what does the polo universe look like in the UK? It is a world where Hurlingham Polo Association membership is down, but schools, universities and Pony Club polo are all increasing quite significantly, as is ladies’ game. So Neil is pragmatic, yet upbeat about the game. “Polo is always a sport that is torpedoed by the economy or political events, but now that we have our feet back on the ground after the visa situation, there seems to be more confidence in the sport. We are certainly seeing that at Guards, year-on-year increase in commercial income with no reduction in quality of polo. With all of our units – in terms of Coworth Park, Flemish Farm and Smith’s Lawn – we are at full stretch, which is a nice problem to have. All in all, I think Guards Polo Club, and I hope the rest of UK polo, can expect a busy, exciting, successful, but most of all fun season.


GUARDS POLO CLUB OFFICIAL YEARBOOK 2018 39


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