Polo in 1906.

The polo season of 1906 commenced at Rugby and Leamington early in April, and has been continued up to the time of writing in the most glorious weather, which reminds one more of the middle of June than the beginning of April; it is only to be hoped that we shall not have to pay for it later on. Warwickshire seems to start polo before the other clubs, and in greater numbers than any other county; on April 9, there were 17 players at Rugby and 16 at Leamington.

The prospects of the London season never were brighter, and the only difficulty for polo managers will be to satisfy their clients with the number of matches that they are able to allot them, provided only the weather is favourable.

The great difficulty for polo players, who have not already mounted themselves for the season, will be to supply themselves with handy, easy ponies that they can play on; for I think it will be found more than ever this year that the supply is not equal to the demand.

The great increase in the all-round demand for good ponies and the improvement of polo in England is, I think, due in a large measure to the number of civilian teams that have been started in London during the last few years; it is not only due to the fact that the players in these teams improve their own play through playing constantly with the same men against other good teams, but after playing in a team they are never again satisfied with members’ game polo, and they go away to their county clubs and teach these what they have themselves learnt in London, to the all-round betterment and benefit of the game.

I append a list of the probable civilian combinations this season, in addition to which there will be teams representing Worcester Park, the Crystal Palace, and Kingsbury, and probably Hatfield and Essex.

American Freebooters.

I. Bell, J. I. Blair, R. J. Collier, F. J. Mackey.

Beavers.

W. Roylance Court, Capt. Phipps Hornby, A. M. Tree, F. Barbour.

Eden Park.

H. Bucknall, F. Rich, P. Bucknall, P. Bullivant (F. C. Nash, Secretary).

Ireland.

A. Rotherham, S. Watt, P. O’Reilly, C. O’Hara.

Magpies.

C. Grenfell, R. Grenfell, Capt. Gosling, Duke of Roxburgbe, Duke of Westminster, Capt. Long, F. Bellville.

Moonlighters.

J. Pearce, N. Baring, J. B. Dale, J. Lawson.

Moreton Morrell.

C. Garland, Lord Wodehouse, I. Bell, W. S. Buckmaster, C. P. Nickalls.

Parthians.

Capt. F. W. Barrett, Lord Kensington, Capt. Mathew Lassowe, Capt. C. Hunter, W. B. Burdon, G. R. Powell.

Roehampton.

M. Nickalls, C. P. Nickalls, Capt. H. Wilson, Capt. H. Lloyd, P. W. Nickalls.

Rugby.

Lord Shrewsbury, Walter Jones, G. A. Miller, C. D. Miller, Capt. E. D. Miller.

Tiverton.

M. de Las Casas, J. C. de Las Casas, L. de Las Casas, A. de Las Casas.

Ranelagh.

Capt. H. Jenner, Hon. A. Hastings, Capt. de Crespigny, Capt. Hon. F. Guest, F. A. Gill.

Rokeby.

Capt. Dunbar, Capt. A. Harman, Capt. Lee, Comte J. de Madre.

Three of the best of the London players will be much missed this season. Mr. F. M. Freake has temporarily retired from the game, and Captain Heseltine has joined his regiment in India, which has caused Mr. Buckmaster to abandon the attempt to produce an old Cantab team. They will be much missed in London, as they were a very fine team, and for the last eight years have always been either runners up or winners of the Champion Cup.

Another great loss to London polo will be Mr. U. O. Thynne, who has decided to give up the game for a time. He has run the Magpie team for a number of years, and his place will be hard to fill.

The great attraction of the London season will be the visit of the Irish team, who distinguished themselves so much last autumn by winning the Irish Open Cup and the International match in Dublin. They are engaged to play exhibition matches at Roehampton, on June 9th and 13th, against Rugby and Roehampton, and on June 6th at Hurlingham. The International match, England v. Ireland, will take place at Hurlington on June 16th, and the team is also expected to play in the Champion Cup.

As regards regimental polo prospects are fairly bright, but some of the regiments labour under great disadvantages.

The 7th Hussars are at Ipswich, and find themselves without a ground to play on; they have, however, one squadron at Weedon, where they can get plenty of play, and though they have only just come home they have every intention of producing a useful team at the Tournament. The 7th Hussars, like the 9th Lancers, no matter how the regiment changes, are always formidable. The 9th has just proved the truth of this in India, by defeating the hitherto (for four years) invincible 15th. Indeed, their most formidable opponents turned out to be the 17th, of whom the same may be said as of the 7th and 9th.

The Inniskillings will probably be without the invaluable services of Major Haig, who has had a serious illness, but is, I am glad to say, on the high road to recovery.

The 20th Hussars will probably lose Captain Lee, whose broken leg has taken a very long time to mend, and he is not in the saddle yet.

The 8th Hussars had some very good players last year, and the transfer of Major Wormald from the 7th should strengthen them and enable them to produce a really good team.

The 11th Hussars were so near the Inniskillings last year that with very slight improvement they should prove themselves dangerous competitors for any regiment.

The Household regiments will be represented probably by much the same teams, except that the Blues may find themselves stronger by the inclusion of Lord A. Innes Kerr, who has joined them from the Royals. In fact, the prospects of a most interesting Regimental Tournament are of the best.

The Champion Cup is sure to produce a good contest with such teams as Roehampton, Ireland, Rugby, Ranelagh, and Moreton Morrell competing for it, and the County Cup should be very even between Rugby (last year’s winners), Cirencester, Eden Park, and the best of the Yorkshire clubs.

I append a list of the tournaments that will probably take place, with the dates.

TOURNAMENTS, 1906.

April 16–21Warwickshire(Leamington) Spring Tournament.
April 23–28Eden ParkMembers’ Tournament.
May 2–5RanelaghHandicap Tournament.
May 7–11RoehamptonHandicap Tournament.
May 7-11Eden ParkOpen Tournament (Tues. to Sat.).
May 14–19RanelaghHunt Cup.
May 21–26RoehamptonPublic Schools’ Cup.
May 28–June 2HurlinghamSocial Clubs’ Tournament.
May 28–June 2MiddlewoodCounty Cup Northern Ties (Tues. to Sat.), and Handicap Tournament.
June 4–9RanelaghArmy Cup.
June 4–9ParisInternational Tournament.
June 18–23HurlinghamChampion Cup.
June 18–23RanelaghNovices’ Cup.
June 25–30RanelaghOpen Cup.
June 25–30RoehamptonJunior Championship.
June 25–30HurlinghamUniversity Match (Mon.).
July 2–7HurlinghamInter-Regimental Tournament (semi-finals, Wed. and Thurs.; Final, Sat.).
July 2–7RoehamptonCup.
July 9–14HurlinghamCounty Cup (semi-finals, Wed. and Thurs.; final, Sat.).
July 9–14RanelaghSubalterns’ Cup.
July 9–14RoehamptonLadies’ Nomination Tournament.
July 9–14Otter ValeNorth Devon Tournament.
July 9–14OstendTournaments commence.
July 16–21HurlinghamHandicap Tournament.
July 16–21RanelaghHunt Tournament.
July 16–21Blackmore ValeJunior Championship.
July 16–21OstendTournaments continued.
July 24–29Stratford-on-AvonTournament.
July 24–29Blackmore ValeCountry Clubs’ Junior Championship.
July 24–29Co. WestmeathTournament.
July 24–29OstendPrix des Dames.
July 30–Aug. 4WarwickshireTournament.
July 30–Aug. 4Eden ParkInvitation Tournament.
Aug. 6–11RugbyTournament.
Aug. 6–11YorkHunt Tournament.
Aug. 6–11Co. WexfordAmerican Tournament (probably Thurs. to Sat.).
Aug. 13–18CirencesterTournament.
Aug. 13–18Eaton, ChesterTournament.
Aug. 13–18All IrelandCounty Cup.
Aug. 13–18DeauvilleInternational Tournament (probably).
Aug. 20–25Blackmore ValeTournament.
Aug. 20–25Catterick BridgeOpen Handicap Tournament.
Aug. 20–25All IrelandCounty Cup.
Aug. 27–Sept. 1North WiltsTournament
Aug. 27–Sept. 1All IrelandOpen Tournament.
Sept. 4–9All IrelandRegimental Tournament.
Sept. 17–22RugbyAutumn Tournament.
Oct. 1–6RugbyOctober Handicap Tournament.

E. D. Miller.