The Polo del Sol - HPA Most Improved Player Award 2009

[Taymour Abidi]

This award, set up with the kind support of the HPA, is designed to recognise what is widely regarded as the backbone of Polo in the United Kingdom and Republic Of Ireland; this is of course, the Amateur Player.

All HPA Affiliated Clubs are invited to nominate one amateur player who has, over the course of the season, been seen not only to have improved their skill at Polo but also has been a consistently good asset to the Club. The nominations from each club will then be pooled with the other nominations from the other clubs in that area, of which there are four.

The HPA will then pick, at random, one nominee from each area. These four players will then each be invited to put together a team of between 0 and 2 goals, with a maximum of only one Professional in each team who has a handicap no greater than 4 goals, and to come down to Polo del Sol, near Jerez in Spain, all expenses paid* in October of this year.

These four teams will compete in a weekend-long, ‘round robin’ tournament against each other, and the winner of the tournament will be crowned the Polo Del Sol – HPA Most Improved Player of 2009, receiving their award, with their team, at the Audi Polo Awards in 2010. Player nominations must be lodged with the HPA by 31st August 2009 to qualify for the draw.

Below, there has been a list of criteria set out, which the nominee from each club must best follow:
Most improved horsemanship
Most improved skill
Most improved understanding of the Rules
Most improved tactical awareness
A sustained high level of Sportsmanship on the field
A continuing positive contribution to the club’s environment

These are six of the most important areas of Polo, which span both on and off the Field. Clubs are implored to follow these criteria as best they can when picking their nominee.

The UK and ROI have been split into four separate areas, each consisting of a similar number of clubs, in order to create the fairest chance for each and every nominee. The following clubs are all HPA affiliated, and have been separated as follows:

Area 1 – Republic of Ireland,Northern Ireland, Scotland and the North of England - 16
All Ireland Polo Club
Beverley Polo Club
Brannockstown Polo Club
Bunclody Polo Club
Curragmore Polo Club
Donaghadee Polo Club
Dundee Polo Club
Limerick Polo Club
Moyne Polo Club
Northern Ireland Polo Club
Stewarton Polo Club
Toulston Polo Club
Vale of York Polo Club
Waterford Polo Club
White Rose Polo Club
Wicklow Polo Club

Area 2: East Anglia, Midlands, North and Wales - 16
Apsley End Polo Club
Cambridge and Newmarket Polo Club
Cheshire Polo Club
Chester Polo Club
Dedham Polo Club
Haggis Farm Polo Club
Kirtlington Polo Club
Leadenham Polo Club
Little Bentley Polo Club
Offchurch Bury Polo Club
Ranksboro Polo Club
RLS Polo Club
Rugby Polo Club
Rutland Polo Club
Stapleford Polo Club
Suffolk Polo Club

Area 3: South and South West - 17
Asthall Polo Club
Beaufort Polo Club
Cirencester Polo Club
Cowdray Polo Club
Druids Lodge Polo Club
Edgworth Polo Club
Inglesham Polo Club
Lacey Green Polo Club
Ladyswood Polo Club
Longdole Polo Club
New Forest Polo Club
RMA Sandhurst Polo Club
Taunton Polo Club
Tidworth Polo Club
Vaux Park Polo Club
West Somerset Polo Club
West Wycombe Polo Club

Area 4: South East - 16
Ascot Park Polo Club
Binfield Heath Polo Club
Brightling Polo Club
Burningfold Polo Club
Coworth Polo Club
Epsom Polo Club
FHM Polo Club
Fifield Polo Club
Guards Polo Club
Ham Polo Club
Hurtwood Polo Club
Knepp Castle Polo Club
Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club
Silver Leys Polo Club
St. Albans Polo Club
Sussex Polo Club

*Flights not included, Players only receive free horse hire, accommodation and food.