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New rules to chukka out polo's elitist image
Tim Stewart12.02.09
The sport of polo is to undergo a massive overhaul in a bid to broaden its appeal as it returns to its traditional west London home for the first time in seven decades.
Some of the sport's biggest names will today announce plans for a new £1million international tournament - World Series Polo - to be played in Hurlingham Park, Fulham.
Polo has not been played in the park, which is widely considered to be the home of English polo, since the end of the Second World War when its pitches were bought by the local council to build a housing estate.
But tournament organisers are risking a backlash within the sport after revealing plans to introduce changes aimed at shedding the sport's elitist image.
Taking their lead from cricket's Twenty20 series, organisers want to overhaul the sport's rules, governed in this country by the Hurlingham Polo Association.
Changes include a smaller pitch, new scoring system, red and yellow cards for foul play and sin bins and could see the players and referees wearing microphones.
The changes were set to cause consternation among purists who fear the sport's new image will alienate established, loyal devotees.
Model Jodie Kidd, the star of Strictly Come Dancing, will today unveil the team representing London in the World Polo Series in June.
Team London, which includes Jodie's brother Jack, will play Paris, New York, Sydney, Buenos Aires and Mumbai in front of an estimated 5,000 in the park, which is next to the private Hurlingham Club.
Jack Kidd, 35, said: "Polo is really stuck in the Dark Ages and misunderstood as elitist. It is an exhilarating sport that so many people are playing around the country now and we want to take away the stuffiness and make it exciting to watch on TV. The rule changes will make the game faster, more free-flowing and fun."
World Polo Ltd is in talks with ITV about screening the event and has pledged £200,000 to repair any damage.
Founder Daniel Fox-Davies predicted the tournament would "change the face of polo forever".
He said: "Our ultimate goal is to revolutionise polo in the same way that Twenty20 has for cricket.
"We cannot keep polo as a nice little club with its traditional associations to the highest class.
"Polo is exciting, skilful and already quite sexy. There are good-looking players, horses and a lot of attractive women attending."
But polo traditionalists are unimpressed. William Taylor, a retired steward of the English Polo Federation, said: "Polo is never going to be a sport for the masses. It will always be for people who are slightly better off and enjoy horses.
"Such wholesale changes risk devaluing the game within polo's loyal fanbase. I cannot see Prince Charles donning a head-cam and heart monitor the next time he takes to the pitch."
Team London's other members are former England polo captain Henry Brett, England ladies' polo star Kirsty Craig and Jamie Morrison, son of legendary polo player Bryan Morrison.
The changes
DANNY BRIERLEY
• The pitch will be smaller, re-marked and balls and kits will be brighter.
• Players will wear cameras on their helmets and heart monitors.
• They will also wear microphones, as will match officials.
• Teams will not change ends after goals, and red and yellow cards will be brandished for transgressions of the rules and foul play.
• Players can be sent to sin bins.
• A new scoring system is being introduced.
Reader views (4)
I believe any lover of polo can appreciate the reason behind these changes. It is the same progression seen by many sports in the past. I believe the T.V. coverage will bring a tremendous boost to the popularity of the sport as a whole. Everyone will benefit from the increase in revenue flow and popularity; from the local stable owners who will see more new participants drawn by the excitement of the TV coverage, to the grassroots level championships, all the way up to the start-up teams which will with no doubt grow and generate many jobs in the equestrian and peripheral industries. Imagine how much smaller the job pool would be in England had it not been for the growth in Motorsports brought by sponsorships and TV coverage.. All of these rule changes will also make the sport more marketable, fast paced, and fun to watch.
- Nm, Surrey, UK
I love watching polo - the skill involved is awesome and I love the horses too. I know I will never own a string of polo ponies but it doesn't stop me enjoying the sport and the people involved.
- Suzy, London UK
Have been involved with horses at varying levels most of my life and 3 yrs ago had first polo lesson. Now play regularly at the most un-stuckup stables and have bought polo pony. i wasn't born with a silver spoon anywhere. i work v hard for what i have and enjoy time with horses and players alike. i agree there has always been an elitist attachment to polo but many clubs are seeing this and know that to continue and expand the sport they must make it accessible to 'normal' people. I can't stand prima donna football players who are paid ridiculous amounts of money to kick a small ball about(in Englands case, not very well) but if i don't enjoy it, i can always turn it off. i also know how much friends pay for a football season ticket... i'm also a member of england rugby supporters club.. have you seen the price for an international ticket lately??
- Helen, Surrey
Oh Please.....OK for those with a silver spoon stuck in their gobs but for most people we got a football not a horse for Xmas to practice on. I think watching paint dry is more exciting than polo and having to look at stuck up people prancing around with ther mummys and daddys in tow.
- Dc, London
