A professional polo player will be on hand to give you an insight into the sporting spectacle about to unfold, whislt the players come onto the pitch to warm up at around 2.45 pm and then you can settle back and enjoy the high octane action of the oldest team game in the world. The match you will watch will be the Carlos Gracida Memorial Trophy and will be played at 3.00 pm. Cowdray’s informative commentator will keep you abreast of all the action and your part of the match comes, of course, with the age-old ‘treading-in’ of the divots at half-time.
Cowdray Park Polo Club has a long and prestigious history, having been founded in 1910 by the 2ndViscount Cowdray. This year marks the 60thanniversary of the famous Gold Cup, launched in 1956 by the late John Cowdray, 3rd Viscount. Prince Philip won the Gold Cup in 1958 with his Windsor Park team and went on to win it twice more. Prince Charles, despite playing in the Gold Cup many times, never managed to win and said it was the biggest regret of his polo playing career. The Gold Cup remains the most coveted trophy in polo and, played to decide the winners of the British Open Polo Championship, ranks alongside the Argentine Open and USA Open in world polo terms.
Sponsored by luxury watchmakers Jaeger-LeCoultre, 12 teams will contest the 2016 Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup for the British Open Polo Championship. Most of the world’s leading players will be seen in action during the four weeks that the tournament runs. Last year’s winners King Power, no strangers to sporting success in other fields, return to defend the title of British Open Champions, and for the Cup’s Diamond Jubilee anniversary there will also be a Cowdray home team playing for the first time since 2009. The league phase continues until Quarter Finals over the weekend of 9th/10th July, Semi Finals on 13th July and the thrilling final on Sunday 17th June.
For all match details visit www.cowdraypolo.co.uk
Dress Code
Lightweight suits for the gentlemen and summer dresses for the ladies – which can always be covered with a cardigan or wrap if there’s a breeze blowing. Ladies, remember you will be treading in the divots, so definitely no stiletto heels – but this season’s wedge heels or pretty sandals are glamorous and practical.
