The El Remanso Pony Club Polo Championships 2015

The El Remanso Pony Club Polo Championships, held 7th to 9th August 2015 at Cowdray Park, West Sussex, were hot, hot, hot with amazing weather and play from some of the best young players in the UK.

46 teams played more than 150 chukkas across the weekend as the Championships hosted the annual finals for both The Pony Club Polo sections of Handley Cross, Surtees, Loriner, Langford, Rendell and Gannon, as well as the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA) British Junior Polo sections for the Hipwood Trophy, Buckmaster Trophy and John Cowdray Trophy.

The action kicked off on Friday morning and continued throughout Saturday across the sections, with teams on a mission to secure a coveted slot in the Sunday afternoon finals, held on Cowdray Park’s hallowed Lawns I. 

When finals day arrived on Sunday there was no let up in the glorious weather or the amazing display of young polo talent, beginning with the parade of all players and the presentation of the Jambo Trophy, for the best combination that hunts and plays Pony Club Polo, awarded to Spook ridden by Barney Hughes from the South Oxfordshire Hunt South Branch.

The finals got underway with the hotly contested and fast paced Gannon section, which saw the Cotswold Hunt fighting it out against Old Surrey and Burstow; with the Cotswold Hunt emerging victorious 7-6, and a team that was very much a family affair made up of the three siblings in Jack (19), Ollie (17) and Tommy (15) Severn alongside their cousin Oscar Luard (15).

“The championships have been great fun” said Oscar Luard. “I started out in Jorrocks and worked my way through the sections so to win the Gannon section alongside family members is great.”

As the afternoon progressed other section victories included; Surtees – South Berkshire, Loriner – Grafton Hunt, Langford – Heythrop Hunt and Rendell – Vine Hunt.

The Handley Cross section, for those aged nine-14, also proved very exciting with just one six minute chukka for teams to give it all they had got, and the Cowdray Hunt gold team and the Old Surrey and Burstow Hunt Branch certainly did that; with the Cowdray Hunt team of Alfie Hyde (11), Freddie Cooper (10), Christoph Weissberg (12) and Beanie Bradley (10)  quickly taking control of the ball and the win.

“It was a lot fun in the final!” said Cowdray’s number four, Beanie Bradley. “We have a brilliant coach who is very encouraging and patient and our spotty ponies really help!”

The prize giving saw an incredible 18 trophies given out, alongside numerous awards, including a generous week of polo development for a player under 15 courtesy of new sponsors El Remanso, who run polo and non polo holidays at their estancia in Argentina, awarded to Frankie Barlow from the Grafton Hunt Branch.

“The 2015 Pony Club Polo Championships were blessed with fabulous weather, great polo grounds and camping facilities prepared by Cowdray Park Polo Club” commented Charles Whittington, Chairman of Pony Club Polo.  “Our New sponsors El Remanso were incredibly generous and we are grateful to have their continuing sponsorship into 2016; thanks must also go to The Hurlingham Polo Association and Thai Polo for their additional support.”

Earlier in the week the Jorrocks section, for those aged under 11, had enjoyed their Championships at Hurtwood Park Polo Club, which saw the Grafton Hunt Branch take the top spot.

A full set of results can be found HERE