Cowdray’s rich polo heritage means that the club has a large number of members and many regular match attendees. Members of the public are welcome to attend all matches and for those that haven’t been to the polo before here’s a quick guide with all the key information about this local institution.
-Polo at Cowdray is played in two different locations! The Lawns and River grounds are in Midhurst on the Cowdray Estate, an easy walk from the town and the Ambersham pitches are located halfway between Petworth and Midhurst (accessible by car)
-The Ambersham Clubhouse is open to everyone and has a superb restaurant managed by Pete Walters owner of the famous Faustinos restaurant and wine bar in Midhurst. As well as a fully stocked bar, delicious food is served every day that there are two or more polo matches at Ambersham plus weekends and Bank Holidays. Light bites include steak ciabatta and bacon butties, main courses feature a Chicken Milanese or asparagus and pea risotto. Salads and bar snacks suit every appetite and price point. As well as regular barbecues and pop-ups there are delicious desserts and a famous carrot cake to enjoy
-At The Lawns a bar as well as a regular food pop-up will serve salads and sandwiches on days with two or more games
-The ‘Daily Play’ feature on the Cowdray Polo website shows which grounds a match is being played on, These are subject to last minute change so check Today/Tomorrow before setting off to the grounds
-Matches take place all through the week, as part of the different tournaments that are being played. It is totally free to attend and watch a weekday match until the Gold Cup starts. Weekend tickets are £10 per adult and children under 12 go free. A ticket is valid for the whole day and matches on either ground
-The Gold Cup showcases high goal polo at its best and is one of three world majors (the others are in Argentina and the USA). Many of the world’s best polo players come and play at the Gold Cup and tickets start at just £15 per adult
Martine Hartridge, Managing Director of Cowdray Park Polo Club, “I am on a mission to make polo accessible to everyone. The standard of polo played here at Cowdray is really high and the grounds are just a lovely place to be. I urge everyone to come and experience it. I know that first-timers might be nervous about attending the Polo but there are no hard and fast rules; bring a car, a picnic, folding chairs, children, dogs on leads - polo is great fun to watch, easy to understand, everyone is friendly and it’s a great day out!”
For all information and tickets visit: www.cowdraypolo.co.uk
