INTERNATIONAL LIASON OFFICER'S by John Rendall
It has been my great pleasure of being a member of Ham Polo Club is to assist with entertaining international visitors and over the years of which there have been so many!
Whilst our wonderful Club staff have been busy running the matches, I have enjoyed sitting at our table, lunching and chatting to our visitors; from Australia, Dubai, America, India, Thailand, Nigeria, Argentina (of course) Japan amongst others and even Mongolia.
All these guests love Ham. The friendly family atmosphere, the camaraderie of the players, and of course Hunt Kendall’s spoiling lunches.
To mention just a few of our visitors, one very special guest was the late Rajmata of Jaipur, Ayesha, whose husband “Bubbles” was one of the great Indian polo players who regularly played in England. On her last visit to Ham Ayesha graciously presented the trophies to winning teams. Also the renowed Kuldeep Garcha of the 61st Cavalry and Raj Kalaan and his wife, to name but a few, who have graced our table.
From America we have an annual visit from John Morris and Luzann Fernandez. John was the organiser of the first Woodstock Festival and continues to manage international art fairs in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Santa Fe so he always has wonderful stories to tell about his colourful life and never fails to visit HPC.
From Australia we have a regular stream of visitors… not surprisingly I suppose because I am an Aussie, and I always delight in entertaining friends from ‘Down Under’; Lindy Hemery and Martin Gray, Robbie Henderson, John and Robbie Fennell, Jono and Louise Sceats, Kirsty McGlouglan from the great polo playing dynasty in South Australia, Stuart Quin… the list goes on and on. Ham reminds them of the country polo spirit of clubs in Australia… Windsor, Scone, (base for Kerry Packer’s Ellerston teams) and Quirindi, home to Australia’s legendary player Sinclair Hill.
And of course it is always a treat to see former Ham- based player Neil McClean back at Ham. Although now mostly living in Dubai, Neil always pops in to catch up with his old friends.
The Dubai connection is strong of course because of our former President, Ali Albawardy. Ali is patron of the Dubai polo team. It has always been a special treat to see Ali and his sons at Ham and, of course, his star
42 HPC • THE LONDON POLO CLUB
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professional, the great Adolpho Cambiaso.
Adolpho’s visits to Ham have been a wonderful treat for our players and members and we have been delighted to support his charity for under-privileged children in Buenos Aires.
The Club has also hosted glamorous local visitors such as actress Rula Lenska, polo playing Christine, Lady de la Rue, art connoisseur Kay Saatchi, theatrical producer Amada Eliasch, Tony Fitzjohn the Field
Director of the George Adamson Wildlife Preservation Trust, former MP Bob Marshall Andrews QC, Ingrid Tarrant, Pattie Boyd and her husband Rod Weston, Vivienne Ventura, (brother of our long-standing member Michael, and aunt of Freddie) who now lives in Miami, Esther Rantzen and Elle McPherson. Also from Romania we have our ‘Ambassador’ Prince Paul of Romania and his vivacious wife Princess Lia and so many more.
All feel relaxed and comfortable at Ham.
I am looking forward to the 2018 Season and a continual stream of international visitors, regular and new.
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