Just two home international test matches left on British polo calendar
Cowdray Park has lost its popular home international test match due to lack of sponsorship.
Cowdray usually hosts an annual test match in May, but this year’s event has been cancelled.
The game, organised by the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA) and hosted by Cowdray, had been supported by hotel company St Regis.
However, when the sponsorship deal came to an end, the company did not renew its coverage and a replacement sponsor could not be found.
“It’s very disappointing,” said a spokesman for Cowdray. “We desperately hope to get the test match back in the future.
“It is one of the most popular events, but without sponsorship you cant put on an event. Players require a lot of money to play, not withstanding the money you need to put on the event.”
The popular event has run at Cowdray for several years.
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“It was very popular — one of our most popular events,” the spokesman added. “We have had people ringing us and asking when it was happening.
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England now has just two home international test matches, compared to two years ago when there were four.
Cowdray was the first of the season, followed by an Audi-sponsored three-part series: Beaufort in June, Guards in July (International Day) and the Chester in September.
However, Audi stopped its sponsorship of the series last year. HPA found whiskey company Royal Salute to keep Guards, along with Beaufort, but Chester was lost.
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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.