Apes Hill Club Barbados Polo Team Gallops Across England

Now in its second year as a world-class sponsored club, the Apes Hill Club Barbados polo team enjoyed a string of successes during the 2008 polo season in England.

The team was formed by Apes Hill Club founder Sir Charles Williams, a veteran polo player and sports figurehead who has given British polo a major boost by underwriting an all-professional team. Sir Charles and project partner Landmark Land Company’s sponsorship of the elite team is the largest in British polo to date.

The all-English team of Luke and Mark Tomlinson, Tom Morley and Ed Hitchman quartet, regarded as the best of British talent, completed a clean sweep in the group stages of the famed Vivari Queen’s Cup held at the Guards Polo Club in June. Apes Hill faced Azzura, the 2004 Gold Cup winner, in their quarter-final tie, only to miss out 7 - 6 in the final seconds of the last chukka.

Next up: local rival Lovelocks. At stake: a place in the subsidiary final of the Queen’s Cup. In a thrilling tactical battle, the Apes Hill Club quartet prevailed as winners, 11 goals to 10.

The final match against the highly touted Grayshurst team was even closer. The Apes Hill team led by 8 – 6 at halftime, but Grayshurst tied the game at 11 goals apiece with 30 seconds remaining. The final whistle signaled that the Vivari Queen’s Cup was to be decided by a golden goal. After Apes Hill’s Tom Worley won the throw in, he galloped up the field to seal the victory.

The triumphant team received the Vivari Queen’s Cup trophy from Her Majesty The Queen, who had donated the prestigious cup to the club in 1960.

On June 23, the Apes Hill Club team invited Princes’ William and Harry to join Tom Morley and Ollie Williams, grandson of Sir Charles, to go head-to-head against Stobart at the Beaufort Polo Club in Gloucestershire. The team came from behind to beat Stobart by 5 goals to 3 in a charity match. Prince William scored two goals before he, his brother Prince Harry and their teammates lifted the Calcot Manor Hotel Cup in a post-match trophy presentation.

The previous day, Apes Hill Club sponsored an English Ladies team that took on a ‘Ladies of the Resort of the World’ team in the Williams De Broe Test Match at the Beaufort Polo Club. The English ladies dominated the game, with Barbados regulars Nina Clarkin, Tamara Vestey, Emma Tomlinson and Lucy Taylor tallying 6 ½ to 1 winners.

CAPTIONS (l. to rt.)

The Apes Hill Club team accepts the Vivari Queen’s Cup trophy from Her Majesty The Queen.

The Apes Hill Club team in action with Prince William ready to strike at the Calcot Manor Hotel Cup

Prince William, Tom Morley, Oliver Williams and Prince Harry on the victory stand at the Beaufort Polo Club.

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