BUSINESS OF POLO


HM The Queen with Laurent Feniou and Facundo Pieres on Cartier Queen's Cup Final day


crucial that Guards Polo Club is involved in discussions with the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA) and the Home Office over the current visa issue for our top players and their grooms. Indeed, Guards Polo Club initiated and shared the costs of an economic impact assessment which HPA CEO David Woodd explains further in his exclusive article within this Yearbook, but it was an honour for me to welcome the All- Party Parliamentary Group of MPs looking into polo to Smith’s Lawn last summer – without doubt the best way to truly understand the sport – and I am indebted to the hard work carried out by Robert de By and Siobhan Barney for making this event possible – the first of many I am certain. Of course, the continued and


highly valued support of our President and the courage of our Board to be far-sighted is not just inspiring our patrons, players and social members. It is also encouraging our sponsors to join and then remain part of the Guards Polo Club family. Last year we welcomed OUT-SOURCING! Inc. to the Royal Windsor Cup for the first time. Although David Matsumoto and his team were completely new to polo – the first match they had seen was the Cartier Queen’s Cup Final seven days earlier – they created an event that has already fixed our oldest tournament on the global polo


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The original creator of polo glamour, Cartier has been a supporter of Guards Polo Club for an incredible 34 years


and social calendar. Some incredible prizes – their generosity was overwhelming – a sprinkling of Hollywood glamour courtesy of Susan Sarandon and a fun, post-match party for sponsor’s guests and tournament players highlighted the very best of the international polo community.


This year David is so enthusiastic with the sport that he is sponsoring a team in a series of 15-goal tournaments, including the OUT-SOURCING! Inc. Royal Windsor Cup. Mark Tomlinson, Nina Clarkin, Nico Antinori and James Emlyn will be playing under the OS Challengers moniker and I know David is trying to rearrange his crazily-busy diary to watch as many of their games as possible. The original creator of polo glamour,


Cartier has been a supporter of Guards Polo Club for an incredible 34 years, including eight years sponsoring the Cartier Queen’s Cup. Last year’s final once again delivered the heady and coveted mix of Cartier style with fast-paced polo. The icing on this particularly beautifully gilded cake was HM The Queen. Accompanied by Cartier UK’s Laurent Feniou, Her Majesty presented her coveted trophy to winning patron, Michael Bickford of La Indiana. Access Bank again created a vibrant


Guards Polo Club Chairman Brian Stein with Neil Hobday at the Vérité introduction to the Board


day at Smith’s Lawn last July. There is always such a wonderful atmosphere on this day – Herbert Wigwe and Jamie Simmonds may host more than 700 people for lunch and afternoon tea but everything always appears so relaxed and effortless. Add in some big names on the field of play – the Access Bank Fifth Chukker team featured Adolfo Cambiaso Senior and Junior in 2018 – and this becomes an event to remember at Smith’s Lawn. Although the


GUARDS POLO CLUB OFFICIAL YEARBOOK 2019


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