Guards Polo Club started its 2020 season at the weekend – with a spot of stick & balling at Flemish Farm. Played under strict Covid-19 regulations, several playing members were able to practice on the wonderful Castle Ground. The Club’s regulations, which were based on current government guidelines and approved by the HPA, included compulsory health declarations by all polo personnel the day before their stick & ball session commenced, temperature testing on arrival at the ground, strict 2m distancing for all team personnel at all times and hand sanitiser points throughout the ground.

Polo Manager Antony Fanshawe reflected on these two days, saying: “I would like to thank all of our players who stick & balled this weekend, and their support staff, for observing these vital new rules and regulations. These might seem small steps but are huge leaps forward for the Club as this is the best way of letting our playing members and the wider polo community know that we are doing everything possible to ensure that we will be in a position to play matches from next month. Such was the success of the weekend that we are now reviewing the prospect of introducing non-contact training chukkas as soon as possible and in the meantime have increased the number of stick & ball slots to four times a week from tomorrow.”

Guards Polo Club is hoping to start competitive play, behind closed doors, from early June as per Sport England and government guidelines, with matches for the Valerie Halford and Committee Cup tournaments. However the Club will continue to abide by government and HPA rules and will review its tournament schedule accordingly.