The Gentleman Magazine Issue 9 | June 2018 | Page 59

So what prevented them from clinching the title of British
Open Champions and lifting the Gold Cup in 2017?
Charlie was quick to respond: “My wedding!” An error in
forward planning, shall we say, meant that he had agreed to
the date for his marriage to wife Johanna taking place the day
before the Gold Cup Final. “I must be the only bridegroom
who attended his own wedding completely sober!” he said.
As for his team-mates, they too stayed off the booze and had
an early night. Even so, James Beim reckons it was their worst
game of the whole tournament, saying that they simply didn’t
match up on the day to a side that had two of the best 10 goalers
in the world, the Pieres brothers, Facundo and Gonzalito, in
top form. The other players in the winning King Power side
were (unusually) two young English players – Hugo Taylor and
Jimbo Fewster – who played the match of their lives.
Was it the horses? I asked. Ollie Cudmore replied: “People
said this, but our horses were well up to the match. Somehow
we just didn’t play as well as we had in other matches. Harper
added: “And Gonzalito came out to win!”
You are effectively the ‘home side’ at Cowdray Park, with your
stables being right next to the Club’s Ambersham grounds.
Does knowing that the crowd is behind you make any
difference?
Charlie said “It’s brilliant to have ‘home team’ status. We even
get free haircuts from one of our greatest supporters Bulldog
Barbers in Midhurst. And the (very occasional) drink from
Pete at Faustino’s in Midhurst! Seriously though, it’s fantastic
to know that the membership is behind us.”
You’ve all been abroad during the winter. Quick round-up:
who’s been where?
Cudmore : “I wintered in Argentina and Australia.”, Hanbury:
“I spent most of the winter at El Remanso in Argentina.” Beim
: “Argentina.” Harper: “Australia, New Zealand and Argentina,
but mainly Oz.”
How have you been preparing for this year’s King Power Gold
Cup?
James Harper: “We did most of April training together in
Argentina. And we’ve been topping up our list of horses. We’ve
been hard at it in the gym since the New Year and now that
we’re back in the UK, our Zimbabwean physio, Gus, is keeping
us fitter than ever.
Hanbury added that he is pleased with the new horses that have
come over from Argentina: “They are looking strong,” he said.
How does the Gold Cup differ from the Queen’s Cup, the other
significant UK tournament?
Harper was quick to say “Grounds: the polo pitches at Cowdray
are so much better to play on.”
Hanbury added: “And their weather is worse!” All team
members agreed too that the support of the home crowd is an
unbelievable bonus.
How much do you want to win the Gold Cup?
“This much!” said James Harper stretching his long arms wide.
Beim added: “It’s the Cup that everyone aspires to win. It’s
what you really want in your polo career.
This is a team which feels incredibly lucky to be playing together
in such a close-knit unit. They truly are having the time of
their lives. Friendship, humour and camaraderie represent all
the old fashioned values of the sport of polo and this team has
them all.
The King Power Gold Cup for the British Open Polo
Championship at Cowdray Park opens on 26th June, with the
Final taking place on Sunday 22nd July. For information and
tickets please visit www.cowdraypolo.co.uk
The Gentleman Magazine | 59