Travelsleuth's July Diary. Equestrian Events

England's summer polo season began in May and will continue through the summer into September. Each month has its highlights with July providing three major tournament finals and regular games that draw players and onlookers to clubs like the Beaufort, Cowdray Park, Cirencester Park, Epsom, Guards, Ham, Stoneleigh Park, Tidworth and Ascot Park. There are in fact a total of 32 major grounds in England and two in Scotland catering for some 50 clubs not including Schools and Universities. 18 universities and 15 private schools now compete in fixtures against eachother and at national tournaments as participating members of the Schools and Universities Polo Association founded in 1991.

July highlights in England are the finals of the 107 year old Warwickshire Cup at Cirencester Park, the British Open Polo Championship played at Cowdray Park in West Sussex for the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup, the Cartier International Polo Tournament at Smith's Lawn in Windsor Great Park. These high goal events draw an ever larger crowd of spectators each year as the sport gathers momentum with the general public and business sponsorship.

Polo is the most favoured of the Royal Family's sports apart from horseracing and royal support is reflected in the social composition of polo clubs across the country. The Duke of Edinburgh took an early interest in polo, playing until age and arthritic joints overtook him and he was forced to give up the sport.

Today it is the Prince of Wales's sport. Prince Charles plays as often as he can, subject to injury, and you may see him at Smith's Lawn in Windsor Great Park, Cowdray Park in Sussex and Cirencester Park, Gloucestershire. Charles played for Cambridge University while studying there, for the Royal Navy, and recently, (at back), for Les Diables Bleus and the Maple Leaf. His game has not been without its sacrifices: in 1990, the Prince broke his arm in two places after falling from his pony at Cirencester Park and in 2001 he was knocked out cold in a fall during a charity match. Given his chronic back problems it is perhaps remarkable that Prince Charles can play at all, but play he does, raising considerable sums of money for charity by his appearance.

The Prince follows royal tradition by giving his own patronage to Polo with the the Prince of Wales Polo Trophy, played in May prior to The Queen's Cup in June, the Duke of Cornwall's Trophy in July, (Prince Charles is also Duke of Cornwall), and the European Open for the Prince Philip Trophy in mid-August. Prince Charles's sons William and Harry, have taken to the sport with their father's aggressive sporting vigour. Harry now plays for his school Eton and both play regularly with their father in the Prince's own Highgrove team raising money in charity matches against the Beaufort in Gloucestershire. The participation by William and Harry has had much to do with the raised profile and new popularity of the sport both for participants, and the onlookers who flock to see them play.

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