TRIBUTE


POLO IN HIS OWN WORDS


“AS THE TEAMS ride out to the field it all looks splendid; shining ponies glistening in the sun as they glide over the green turf; players doing their best to look unconcerned and as comfortable in their saddles as cowboys, while they make elaborately stylish practice swings. Meanwhile there is much exchanging of pleasantries for the last time with the opposition and umpires. The match then begins and all the previous anxiety


and planning, organisation and practice is put to the test in 40 minutes of flashing sticks, galloping ponies, curses, bumps, shouts, hits to warm the heart and misses to chill the spine. Some can do it right away, but others require a


moment or two before they settle down and remember to get into the right position, look for and cover their opposite number, check where their team mates have got to and move to anticipate the next development. There is time for a moment of satisfaction as things go your way and the game surges towards the opponent’s goal, disappointment as it goes over the back line or elation as it goes through the goal. ...There are moments of awful realisation. The ball is


Above: HM The Queen in coversation with HRH Prince Philip, wearing the shirt of a Welsh Guards team, at Smith's Lawn in the 1950s. Watching on are HRH Prince Charles and HRH Princess Anne


Top, left: Our President in conversation with two members of the Brazilian Polo Team at polo in 2011


Middle, left: HRH Prince Philip in conversation with his former team-mate Lord Patrick Beresford at a Guards Polo Club reception at Windsor Castle


Below, left: HRH Prince Philip prepares to umpire a polo match at Smith's Lawn, in July 1961, just two weeks after breaking his ankle playing polo


Right: HRH Prince Philip heads out to play for the Welsh Guards at Guards Polo Club - then the Household Brigade Polo Club - in the summer of 1959


overrun by the rest of the players and there it sits, rolling gently to a standstill and all you have to do is to get your pony balanced and going in the right direction. You take a swing – and miss. Fortunately, the games go on and something else happens before you can think of a quick and easy way to commit suicide.”


An extract from the Polo chapter in Men, Machines, & Sacred Cows by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (Hamish Hamilton, 1984)


GUARDS POLO CLUB OFFICIAL YEARBOOK 2021


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