The Pony Polo Club Championships, sponsored by City Capital Corporation, were held this weekend at Cowdray Park Polo Club, West Sussex. The Championships hosted the annual finals for both the Pony Club and Junior HPA Polo sections, including Handley Cross, Surtees, Loriner, Hipwood, Langford, Ledner, Rendell and Gannon. This year’s Championships celebrated the 50th Anniversary of The Pony Club Polo Championships.

The three strong days of youth polo enjoyed fantastic weather, which aided more than 200 players to battle it out for victory in their Sections. On Sunday 9th August the spectacular parade of all Championship players took place in front of past Pony Club Polo Chairmen, Committee Members and Team Managers at a special 50th Anniversary lunch; before everyone enjoyed the nail biting section finals, culminating with the Gannon, which saw Cowdray Park take victory in the sunshine.

The Championships have been played at six different locations throughout their 50 year history beginning at Aldershot, 8th September 1959, when Brigadier Jack Gannon and Major Claude Davenport organized five Pony Club Branch teams to play at the Mons Officer Cadet School. The Championships have changed venue several times throughout the years from Aldershot, to Cirencester then Kirtlington, onto Windsor and back to Cirencester again before finally finding their perfect venue and settling at Cowdray Park in 1977.

“The whole weekend has run so well,” commented Cherry Michell, Chairman of The Pony Club, “the weather has helped tremendously and everyone has felt so proud to be a part of the 50th Anniversary celebrations”.

The following Branches from the Pony Club’s Area thirteen were successful:
• Royal Artillery Hunt Branch – Surtees Division II (The Surtees II Trophy)
• Cowdray Hunt Branch – Hipwood (The Smail Trophy)
• Vine Hunt – Rendell League (The Bank of Ireland Trophy)
• Hampshire Hunt Branch – Rendell (The Frank Rendell Cup)
• Cowdray Park Junior HPA – Gannon (The Daily Telegraph Trophy)
• Tommy Beresford (Cowdray Park) Most promising player in the under 14’s section (Young Telegraph Award)
• Jack Richardson (Cowdray Park Junior HPA Team) Best Ex-Racehorse Playing Pony with Magic Genie
• Lanto Sheridan (Cowdray Park Junior HPA Team) – Best Player of the Season (The Baileys Saddle)