Join us on the lawns of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst for the Inter-Regimental Polo Cup semi-finals…
Part 3 of 3
Barbour has sponsored the Household Cavalry Polo team for over a decade now; and year after year they have continued to release a collection designed for, and inspired by these highly acclaimed brand ambassadors.
The Household Cavalry team is composed of players from Britain’s most renowned regiments of cavalry – The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals. So the resulting apparel certainly needs to be the cloth of champions! The team has an excellent record in tournaments and competitions from around the globe; including India, Pakistan, South Africa and the USA. Well, we wouldn’t expect anything less from our boys!
The Inter-Regimental Cup is the oldest and one of the most prestigious Polo tournaments in the world, dating back to 1878 when it was first played at the cavalry school at Netheravon in Wiltshire.
The Barbour Household Cavalry team is a regular name amidst tournament finals and semi’s finals and in the 2014 Inter-Regimental Cup tournament they once again reached the semi-finals in a fast-paced and exciting battle to become victors once again.
The semi-final took place on a gloriously sunny Thursday in July at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where masses gathered to soak up the sunshine, enjoy the atmosphere and of course watch the eagerly anticipated match. There was certainly tension in the air as both teams lined up in front of the spectacular New College; the Kings Royal Hussars dressed in their signature burgundy and gold, whilst the Barbour Household Cavalry team stood tall in their striking blue and red polo shirts, proudly representing 120 years of a true British brand…
A last minute re-shuffle of the Barbour team due to a key player being called to Kenya to assist with a high level terror threat was a very real reminder that this team stands for much than just the game, this news sending an inimitable wave of respect and recognition through the crowd.
The Barbour team consisted of Major J E A De St John-Pryce along with fellow Captains Bacon, Drummond-Murray and Marshall. As the bell rang to signify the start the scurry of blues, reds and golds across the ground was spectacular to see! The Barbour Household Cavalry team stormed the first chukka taking a 2-1 lead in their stride. The sun continued to beat down on the second chukka as the Kings Royal Hussars gained ground with a 3-2 lead over the Barbour team. After the second chukka the crowd seemed very eager to stomp the divots, ourselves included! Whilst the team cooled down, changed ponies and discussed tactics…
The third chukka saw Barbour score again – spurring the Kings Royal Hussars to fight back once again taking the lead with 5 goals to 3. As the final chukka began the buzz of the crowd was electric, the commentary getting louder and faster with every second that passed. The Kings Royal Hussars scored again only to be met with rallied retaliation from the Barbour Household Cavalry team. During the last minute of the last chukka the Kings Royal Hussars took the lead and held it with a final score of 7 to Barbour’s 4.
The crowds applaud could surely be head for miles around as each and every spectator cheered for such a fast-paced and well played game of Polo. Both teams congratulated one another on such a great match and the respect felt by all players was clearly visible from the side lines.
From this the Kings Royal Hussars will go on to play the Navy at Guards Polo Club in what is likely to be a phenomenal show-down for the Inter-Regimental Cup 2014 title! However unlike a lot of matches the feelings taken from this semi-final didn’t seem to be the usual winning and losing, much more a sense of sportsmanship and fun.
After seeing the Barbour Household Cavalry team in action we for one certainly feel a much deeper understanding and appreciation of this collaboration, for although the collaboration is relatively new, it is so fitting. Barbour and the Household Cavalry team have come together acknowledging that their backgrounds differ on many levels, but also realising that so many other aspects merge in so many ways. A true British brand supporting an iconic and irreplaceable part of Britain’s heritage.
Take a look at the exciting new Barbour autumn winter collection for yourself today, at Outdoor & Country.