H&H polo reporter dies
H&H is sad to report that our long-time polo reporter Herbert Spencer died last week.
He was 85 and has been suffering with an ongoing illness.
Herbert spent more than 40 years working in the polo community and published numerous books on the sport.
In 2011 he was awarded a lifetime membership to the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA).
A trophy for the subsidiary final of the Prince of Wales Trophy was presented in honour of his longevity of service to the polo world as an author, reporter and writer last month (14 June).
“He did a lot for polo in his time and he was always very willing to take on a task,” said HPA chairman David Woodd.
“He was a perfectionist about everything he did.”
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Members of the polo community took to social media to pay their respects.
“Very sad to hear of the passing of Herbert Spencer. He was the most inquisitive of polo journalists,” said England international Malcom Borwick.
Picture courtesy of Images of Polo
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Sophia Heath joined Horse & Hound in July 2013 having previously worked for the Daily Telegraph's Olympics website, CNN International and Omnisport. A Durham graduate with a Masters in journalism from City University, Sophia has evented, showjumped and hunted. Sophia left Horse & Hound in early 2015 to join an international boating website.