Beach Polo – a ‘Shore’ Success

Last Friday, the ‘Sport of Kings’ took to the sands of the iconic Takapuna Beach on Auckland’s North Shore. With summer coming out to play in all her golden glory and a backdrop of Rangitoto and the Hauraki Gulf, the day was a visual spectacle like no other.

Following in the hoof prints of a 30-strong string of ponies were the fashionable and fabulous of Auckland that included corporates looking for a Christmas hospitality experience with a difference. From gourmet picnics in a dedicated hillside hospitality area that was fringed by pohutukawa in bloom to the Champagne Jacquart VIP lounge in the clubhouse, there was excitement, glamour and sportsmanship both on and off the sands.

Staged by Auckland event and experience company, Event-Horizon, the Takapuna event was the culmination of nearly a year’s planning by Event Director, Amy Calway. Amy’s previous experience with the NZ Polo Open told her that there was an audience looking for glamour and excitement that was also accessible and a whole lot of fun. The combination of polo and the beach in a series of exhibition styled matches really does “encapsulate the spirit of sport and summer” says Amy. “We love the beach, and we love our sport, plus we love an excuse to get dressed up and have some fun.”

Amy explains that the beach polo audience embraces the full lifestyle experience, so it made perfect sense that the musical accompaniment to the thunder of hooves, clash of mallets and calls of the players was the “smooth stylings of DJ Murray Sweetpants”. This together with a ‘best in beach’ fashion competition which was won by the irrepressible Colin Mathura-Jeffree and lady of the moment Erin Sokolowsky added to an entertainment lineup that also included the fiercely contested Les Mills ‘beach dash’.

In hot pursuit of fashion and fun, was form on the field. With four teams battling it out for kudos and an impressive piece of silverware in the form of the Calway Cup, the final two teams were Volvo New Zealand and Seismic Performance with Team Volvo New Zealand taking home the cup 7 goals to 5.
For players and ponies it was a day out with a difference. Teams comprised local and international players with strong female representation and the youngest player being 16 year-old rising star Ethan Wade, son of British player Jonny Wade who played in an opposing team.

Given the success of the inaugural event and strong support from a lineup of exceptional sponsors that included local business and global brands; Harcourts Cooper & Co, Volvo New Zealand, Champagne Jacquart,
Fee Langstone, Waiheke Water, Cherry Black, Seismic Performance, House of Travel Takapuna, Auckland Seaplanes, Les Mills, The Fairy Light Shop and media partners QMS and Country TV, Director Amy Calway says planning is already well underway to make this an annual event as well as extending the series to include Bay of Plenty hotspot, Tauranga.

https://www.event-horizon.co.nz/beach-polo

Event-Horizon is sanctioned by the IBPA http://internationalbeachpoloassociation.com/

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