Polo

Above: Polo

AN extraordinary phenomenon is happening in the world of Yorkshire polo: where five years ago there was one polo club, today there are four registered with British polo’s regulatory body, the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA). What is happening in Yorkshire is very much part of a national trend; the levels of growth make it the fastest growing equine sport in Britain. While some have certainly come to the sport in the wake of the hunting ban, there has not been the exodus from hunting that many predicted. Instead, polo is very much growing through its own merits.

Of the four clubs, Toulston Polo Club near Tadcaster, is the longest established. It was founded in 1913 by William Riley Smith as a private club. At the time, there were grounds at Leeds and York, and matches were even played on the Stray in Harrogate, but after the end of the First World War, only Toulston remained as the focal point for Yorkshire polo for the next 90 years. The club, which is located in beautiful mature parkland, has one full ground and a practice ground.

Successful entrepreneur and one of Yorkshire’s foremost polo veterans, Jim Haigh MBE, started playing in 1975. More than 30 years on, he is the owner of Toulston Polo Club, has a string of fine polo ponies and is also an HPA steward. Now in his 70s, Haigh still plays (and hits a mean shot). ‘Toulston is an amateur club and it is always a pleasure to go there. We play for fun,’ he says.

So what’s the main attraction? Certainly, polo is allconsuming, and provides the ultimate adrenaline rush. ‘I was drawn to polo because it was one way of getting away from the business,’ says Mr Haigh. ‘It relieves all your tensions because you’ve got to think about what you are doing.’

Polo has a similar effect on Yorkshire’s new wave of successful entrepreneurs. Multi-millionaire Andrew Foreman was hooked in 2001 when he first came across the game at Toulston. ‘I just thought it looked interesting,’ says Foreman, ‘so I borrowed a horse and had a go.’ Now he runs his own polo empire – a club with a strong teaching emphasis, 45-50 club ponies, professional players and his entire family of three children, plus his exwife and girlfriend. His club, Beverley Polo Club, now has an enormous indoor arena, indoor stabling and four polo pitches on site, all catering for around 50 members.

Passion for polo has taken over Foreman’s life. He now plays all over the world – Soto Grande in Spain is a favourite destination, but he has also competed in Russia and in snow polo tournaments in Switzerland.

Foreman is a living example of another reason why polo is such an attractive sport for those with the commitment, the enthusiasm and, of course, the cash (although there are those who do play on a tight budget). Gareth Gaunt, chairman of Toulston Polo Club, says: ‘Polo is the only ball sport in which the patron can actually play. If you buy a football team, you can’t score the winning goal in the FA Cup. In polo you can be a relative novice to the game and hire the best players in the world to win a tournament like the Gold Cup alongside you.’ (The Gold Cup is one of the three major world tournaments, played every year at Cowdray Park in West Sussex).

On top of this, polo is genuinely a family sport and it is not uncommon to see two generations playing on the same team. Similarly, it is quite usual to have husband and wives on the same (or even opposing) teams.

Polo coach Paul Piddington, who taught at Beverley for two years and has recently founded the Vale of York Polo Club in the grounds of Houghton Hall, says: ‘One thing that makes polo so attractive is that it makes you accessible. Suddenly you’re in the scene, playing with a competitive team and winning. That’s what makes it so attractive to successful entrepreneurs in their 30s. You could say that it’s a bit of social engineering.’ Another new club on the scene, White Rose Polo Club at Townend Farm near Market Weighton is run by media entrepreneur Hedley Aylott, who says he got the bug after watching the Cartier International at Guards Polo. ‘It was a red letter day. After the last chukka I bought myself a hat, a stick and a pair of white jeans, and I was busy asking where I could play polo in Yorkshire,’ he says.

Before long he had his own club. Aylott runs his media empire from the farm, where his company Summit employs 20 staff, who also have the added benefits of being able to take part. Polo has become an important part of Summit’s client entertainment programme and Aylott now also offers corporate polo experience days which, he says, have been hugely popular. ‘It’s a difficult, exciting sport and I think that as many people as possible should have a go. It’s not just about the patron winning, it’s about playing as a team.’

Throughout the summer, Yorkshire polo clubs have a large number of events and tournaments open to the public. Members of the public are also welcome to watch club chukkas, and for those wishing to try out the sport, there is ample opportunity at any of the clubs.

For more information visit the following websites: