Ham Polo Club facts for kids

The Ham Polo Club is a famous polo club located in Richmond, in south-west London, England. It is one of the oldest polo clubs in the United Kingdom. It is also the very last polo club still active in London.

The club is in a beautiful spot between Richmond Park and the River Thames. You can even see Ham House from there! It's about eight miles from Hyde Park Corner. The club has three polo fields where games are played. It also has a special field for practicing. There are services for horses, coaching, and a clubhouse for members. This clubhouse has a restaurant and a bar. Polo games happen at Ham Polo Club from May to September. The club has around 70 playing members and hundreds of social members.

History of Ham Polo Club

Ham Polo Club is the only one left from many smaller clubs that used to be near London's three biggest polo clubs. These 'Big Three' were Ranelagh, Hurlingham, and Roehampton.

How the Club Started

The club began in 1926 as the Ham Common Polo Club. It had one large polo field and two smaller ones. The first field was next to Brown Gates House in Ham Common. This was the home of the club's first chairman, Loftus Storey.

A famous polo coach named Johnny Traill often taught at the main field. He was the first player from Argentina to achieve a 10-goal handicap, which is the highest in polo. Ham Common Polo Club was perfect for Londoners who played polo for fun. They didn't compete in the big tournaments at the 'Big Three' clubs. Polo stopped at the club for six years during World War II.

Bringing Polo Back After the War

In 1946, William "Billy" Francis Walsh (1907–1992) brought the club back to life. After serving in the Army, Billy Walsh bought the stables where he used to work. He then reopened Ham Polo Club under the rules of the HPA. Many people believe that Lord Cowdray, Arthur Lucas, and Billy Walsh were the three people who saved polo in the United Kingdom after the war.

The first polo tournament in England after the war was held in 1947. The Ham Polo Club team won the main prize, the Roehampton Cup. This cup is now played for at Ham. A few years later, the club started using a field near Ham House for matches. In 1954, a tenant of the Dysart family agreed to turn the Ham House orchard into a polo field for the club.

Major Archie David was the first president of the club. He gave the Autumn Cup, which is still played for every year at Ham.

Changes and Growth

In 1970, the club bought the land it was on. This was thanks to the hard work of the then President, Sir David Brown. Sixteen years later, the club bought more land and gained another polo field. In 1982, Billy Walsh retired as the club's manager. His daughter, Peggy, and his grandson, Tim, continued to manage the club after him.

Today, the club still plays polo from May to September. It is managed by Will Healy. The current President is Col. Geoffrey Godbold OBE TD DL. The club's Chairman is Howard Davis.

Main Tournaments

Ham Polo Club hosts several tournaments throughout its playing season. The most important ones are:

• The Summer tournament (for players with 0–4 goals)
• The Roehampton Trophy (for players with 6 goals)
• The Billy Walsh Tournament (for players with 0–2 goals)

• 

  England player Eden Ormerod at the Toast New Zealand International match

• 

  Hissam Ali Haider and Marco Forcaccia in The Dubai Trophy final

• 

  Honourable Artillery Company corps of drums at the HAC polo day

• 

  A display of Austin Healey classic British Sports Cars at Roehampton Trophy finals day

Membership at the Club

The number of playing members at Ham Polo Club is limited. People who want to join as playing members must have an interview with the club's committee.

Social membership allows individuals or families to use the clubhouse on match days. Social members are also invited to the club's special events. The club also offers Academy membership for those learning polo. There is a Junior category for young players too.

Helping Charities

Laureus Sporting Foundation Presentation with Boris Becker

Chakravarty Cup Presentation: Paul Barry, Vichai Raksriaksorn, HRH Prince William, Adolfo Cambiaso and Martin Valent

Ham Polo Club has helped raise almost £2 million for charity in recent years. Several big charity events are held there each year.

ChildLine Sundown Polo Challenge

Every June, on a Saturday evening, a polo match, dinner, and charity auction are held. This event raises money for the ChildLine organisation. The charity's patron, Esther Rantzen, is always there, along with many famous guests.

Laureus Sport for Good Foundation

The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation helps millions of children around the world who are less fortunate. An event takes place every year at the club for this foundation. Many Laureus ambassadors have attended, including Edwin Moses, Hugo Porta, Sean Fitzpatrick, Daley Thompson, and Boris Becker.

Chakravarty Cup

For many years, the Chakravarty Cup was held at Ham Polo Club. This event started in 1997. It raises money for charities supported by The Royal Family. The Prince of Wales played in the match for nine years. Now that he has retired, his sons, The Duke of Cambridge and The Duke of Sussex, take part.

Famous Members

Some well-known people have been members of Ham Polo Club:

• Elle Macpherson, an Australian model and businesswoman
• Ali Albwardy, who supports the Dubai Polo Team
• Adolfo Cambiaso, a top professional polo player with a 10-goal handicap
• Lolo Castagnola, a professional polo player with a 9-goal handicap

Trophies Played For