VISA CRISIS


The MPs and their families enjoying a day at Guards Polc Club


POLO POLITICS


AFTER ITS FORMATION, the APPG and its support team, including David Woodd, and Guards Polo Club’s Neil Hobday, Robert de By and Siobhan Barney, set about its first task of addressing the dramatic consequences of the visa restrictions imposed by the Home Office. Creating a greater understanding of polo, its importance as a sport, its role in British military history, and its impact on the UK economy, was an essential part of achieving a dialogue with MPs and government ministers because their assistance could only be achieved from a position of knowledge and understanding. The invitation from Neil Hobday for the APPG to attend the Cartier Queen’s Cup Final was an inspired one. Walking the pony lines, accompanied by Stephen Hutchinson, Chairman of the HPA, Andrew Hine (former England captain) and John Paul Clarkin (captain of the Commonwealth team), enabled ministers and MPs to see what happens behind the scenes in polo, off the field. In addition to meeting some of the players, the APPG had the opportunity to watch some of the highest level of competitive English polo.


PWC STUDY REVEALED THAT OF ALL SPORTS PLAYED IN THE UK, POLO HAS THE HIGHEST IMPACT FOR EQUIVALENT POUNDS SPENT COMPARED TO ANY OTHER SPORT PLAYED


economy. The results were surprising. The study revealed that of all sports played in the UK, polo has the highest impact for equivalent pounds spent compared to any other sport played. Clearly, polo does not command the absolute amount of revenue generated by sports such as football. However, this study proved that polo punches far above its weight in its relative contribution to the UK economy. The HPA’s efforts, together with Robert de By’s own meetings with various ministers, including last autumn with the Immigration Minister, the Rt Hon Caroline Nokes, has already resulted in significant visa concessions by the Home Office, averting a crisis and creating a clear way forward for future discussions. This includes the creation of a recently formed working group, headed up by the HPA’s Stephen Hutchinson, David Woodd, and Nick Wiles, together with Brian Stein and


Those in attendance included the Rt Hon Philip Hammond (Chancellor of the Exchequer and Guards Polo Club’s local MP), the Rt Hon Caroline Nokes (Immigration Minister), Tracey Crouch (then Minister for Sport and Civil Society), Rt Hon Brandon Lewis MP, Chairman of the Conservative Party and the APPG Chair Rt Hon John Whittingdale MP, plus a number of influential Members of Parliament. In addition to allowing MPs to see polo close up and personal, the HPA and Guards Polo Club jointly commissioned PWC to study the impact of polo on the UK


Neil Hobday, Siobhan Barney and Robert de By. Of course, whilst no one can predict what the world will look like for polo post Brexit, having the support of the APPG and a strong co-operation between the HPA and the UK’s leading high-goal clubs, Guards Polo Club and Cowdray Park, surely gives polo the best chance of successful visa- negotiations moving forward.


GUARDS POLO CLUB OFFICIAL YEARBOOK 2019


31


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162  |  Page 163  |  Page 164  |  Page 165  |  Page 166  |  Page 167  |  Page 168  |  Page 169  |  Page 170  |  Page 171  |  Page 172  |  Page 173  |  Page 174  |  Page 175  |  Page 176  |  Page 177  |  Page 178  |  Page 179  |  Page 180  |  Page 181  |  Page 182  |  Page 183  |  Page 184  |  Page 185  |  Page 186  |  Page 187  |  Page 188  |  Page 189  |  Page 190  |  Page 191  |  Page 192  |  Page 193  |  Page 194  |  Page 195  |  Page 196  |  Page 197  |  Page 198  |  Page 199  |  Page 200  |  Page 201  |  Page 202  |  Page 203  |  Page 204  |  Page 205  |  Page 206  |  Page 207  |  Page 208  |  Page 209  |  Page 210  |  Page 211  |  Page 212  |  Page 213  |  Page 214  |  Page 215  |  Page 216