Celebrities to take to polo field for charity bicycle game
Celebrities will be putting their pedal power into practice in a polo match with a difference.
The Watershed Riding for the Disabled (RDA) group based in Coates, Gloucestershire, will be hosting a celebrity electric bicycle polo match on Friday (5 June).
A star-studded lineup will be taking to the polo field at Longdole Polo Club, near Birdlip, including international polo player Mark Tomlinson and his Olympic gold medal-winning wife Laura.
All funds raised from the event will go towards installing facilities at the RDA group’s centre.
“The money is being specifically raised to provide a warm, dry and fully-plumbed area for the RDA riders and volunteers,” said Diane Green of the Watershed RDA group.
“We are aiming to raise more than £100,000 to build a warm and dry room with toilet facilities, to replace the portaloo we have been using.”
International rugby players Phil Vickery, Rob Fidler, Tom Beim and James Simpson-Daniel — who part owns Welsh Grand National winner Monbeg Dude — will be taking part. Jamie Bond, principle dancer with the Birmingham Royal Ballet, is also due to play.
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The current England ladies polo captain Nina Clarkin adds to the impressive lineup, alongside Debbie Harris, the most capped player in UK polocrosse history.
“Our brave celebrities will pedal their way to victory or defeat on electric bicycles provided by eCycles of Stroud,” added Ms Green.
Cheltenham-based A2B bicycles manufacture these bikes and will be providing shirts for the players and RJ Polo, Cirencester, will be supplying the sticks.
Prizes will be presented by the Countess Bathurst.
Alongside the bicycle polo match the 2015 UK world cup polocrosse team will showcase their sport and children from the Pony Club will be showing off their arena polo skills.
Tickets for the charity event cost £10 on the gate with under 14s entering for free.
For more information contact kate.beim@customade.co.uk
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Rachael joined Horse & Hound in 2014, initially as a digital sub editor then became part of the news team as a writer in 2015. The philosophy graduate studied journalism at the Press Association before working as a local reporter at the Brentwood Gazette. Rachael is now a mum of two and still loves all things equestrian, including hacking, dressage and jumping with her cob Bert. Rachael left the H&H staff to go freelance in June 2019, but still contributes to our magazine and website, as well as our sister magazine Country Life, among others.