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Over the last 150 years, the sport of
polo has grown by leaps and bounds thanks to legendary
players, patrons and eye-catching tournaments. However,
it is the strength of an increasing number of polo clubs
that has provided the influential base to enable the
sport of expand so much.
Launched in June 2008, a new coffee table
book “Great Polo Clubs of the World” features vignettes
in words and photographs of 63 polo clubs around the
world, selected by author Roger Chatterton-Newman for
the influence they have had – and continue to have – on
the development of the “galloping game”.
The clubs are a mix of the oldest and the
newest, beginning with Calcutta Polo Club where the
modern game had its formative beginnings, enticing
British military officers into playing this dynamic
game. Before long, groups of officers were challenging
each other to polo matches, taking this addictive sport
with them when they returned to the British Isles,
transitting Malta, and in the process helping to
establish some of the oldest clubs in Europe – Malta,
Beaufort and All Ireland polo clubs.
From there the game spread out to the
British Commonwealth – Canada, Australia, New Zealand,
Singapore, Malaysia, Nigeria and Kenya, all homes to
clubs with long histories – and into Continental Europe,
France and Germany in particular. Even South America
felt the British influence: Lima Polo Club in Peru was
founded by George Lockett, one of a famed polo dynasty
from Liverpool, while Irish settlers and their offspring
(such as the first 10-goal star Juan (Johnnie) Traill
and Roberto Cavanagh) were pre-eminent in the great
early teams in Argentina.
Chatterton-Newman, a former editor of PQ
International and noted polo historian, brings the clubs
to life through fascinating, brief histories that
highlight how much influence each club has had on the
development of polo in their respective countries.
Not all the clubs listed have great
history at their fingertips. Pioneering clubs in China
(Nine Dragons Hill), Mongolia (Genghis Khan), Sweden
(Stockholm) and Russia (Moscow) have only recently
sprung up, showing the spread of polo in hitherto virgin
regions and auguring well for the sport’s future
development.
However, all the clubs have one thing in
common – they were founded by dedicated patrons, whose
enthusiasm for the sport ensured the establishment of
clubs, which in turn provided a setting for players to
hone their skills and tournaments to raise the
competitive edge.
Two such patrons are responsible for
bringing this wonderful book to publication in Thailand.
Harald Link and Nunthinee Tanner were so enthused about
playing polo that they built their own club, Thai Polo
Club, in the beach resort of Pattaya to bring back to
life the game that had remained dormant in Thailand for
over 50 years. This beautiful club in its lush tropical
setting is featured on the book’s cover, with young
professional Matt Evett playing on front of the Thatched
clubhouse.
The club opened in 2004 and has hosted
teams from Royal Selangor, Royal Pahang, Singapore,
Nusantara (Indonesia) and Hamburger in competitive
tournaments, with Royal Barcelona likely to be present
in the coming season’s tournaments.
Nor has Link’s and Tanner’s enthusiasm
dimmed. At the end of 2007, they added a grade 1
eventing course within the club’s massive grounds,
created by noted Australian designer Wayne Copping, to
stage the eventing competition for the Southeast Asian
Games and to host future events. And in October 2008
will open the first Rege Ludwig Polo School in Asia at
the club, with the great man offering personal training
from October to December to help raise polo standards in
Asia.
To give something back to the sport they
loved so much, Link and Tanner conceived the idea of a
book that focuses on great polo clubs instead of players
and tournaments, something that will demonstrate how far
their beloved game has spread. Roger Chatterton-Newman
was commissioned to write the text.
However, getting photographs from the
clubs proved a time-consuming – and at times, seemingly
impossible – task. It is difficult to believe how such a
book could be achieved without the benefits of Internet
and email. For instance, how could you get photos from
Genghis Khan Polo & Riding Club, located a 7-hour drive
into the Mongolian plains from the main city of Ulan
Bator? Fortunately, Internet provided a connection and a
link to Kathmandu, from where photos began to arrive.
One by one, the clubs fell in line, with
someone – club official or professional photographer –
holding up their hands full of photos. There were some
disappointments along the way. Irish photographer Bunny
Parsons gave the editorial team palpitations at the last
minute when he announced the demise of the Herbertstown
club, only to become saviour in the next breath by
pointing to Bunclody as the new driving force in Irish
polo – and providing photos as well.
Unfortunately, Internet proved a
hindrance in attempting to contact Lima Polo Club. All
emails and websites met with failure. It took a letter
to the club to gain a response and Ezio Piaggio, a
former club president, saved the day with information
and photos of this renowned old club.
Finally the design of the book was
completed in March 2008, consisting of 176 pages in
coffee table format, with two pages devoted to each of
the 63 clubs featuring both text and photos, an
historical introduction from the author and a foreword
from His Royal Highness the Sultan of Pahang, Patron of
the Royal Malaysian Polo Association.
Copies of the book can be obtained from
the Thai Polo & Equestrian Club at a cost of US$ 50 plus
postage. Further information and purchases can be made
through Santiago Bachmann, Manager, Thai Polo &
Equestrian Club. Email:
santithaipolo@yahoo.com
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