Guards Polo Club is to host what will be the highlight of the summer social season, when the England Polo team will play South Africa in the newly formed Audi International Series on 22 July 2012. Formerly known as the Cartier International, the event is the best attended UK polo event of the year.
Jock Green-Armytage, Chairman of Guards Polo Club says: “Guards Polo Club is delighted that its long-standing partner, Audi, is extending its relationship with the Club through its sponsorship of the International Day. Its experience of creating high performance events will ensure the day at Smith’s Lawn, incorporating the England Test Match for the Coronation Cup, will be a polo day to remember.”
For the forthcoming UK polo season, the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA), supported by Audi, have together created a new series of Polo Internationals to be known as the ‘Audi International Polo Series’. Having sponsored the England Polo team since 2005, it is a natural progression for Audi to sponsor the Test Match series of international matches providing more opportunities for England to play against some of the world’s top polo teams.
David Woodd, Chief Executive of the HPA, comments: “Audi and the HPA have been working very closely together with the England team and its increased involvement with this International Series is fantastic news for polo.” Jon Zammett, Head of PR for Audi UK, adds: “This is a very exciting development . Polo delivers an ideal, high end, yet hard to reach target audience, for Audi. It’s also a fast growing sport with both players and spectators rising markedly. In the last 10 years, UK player numbers have increased by over a third and the number of polo clubs has almost doubled. ”
The new extension of existing Audi polo sponsorships will also allow the first ever Audi International match at Chester Racecourse Polo Club. Additionally, the International Series will include the Audi International at Beaufort Polo Club - already a regular fixture on the calendar of Internationals. The England team, sponsored by Audi too, will also be playing in The St Regis International Cup, played at Cowdray Park on 19 May, where it will take on a team from the USA.
The investment by Audi in the International Polo Series, together with its existing sponsorship of the England polo team, will make the car company the biggest supporter of polo in the UK.
“The additional Audi-supported match days will allow us to organise – for the first time ever – an exciting and more cohesive programme of Internationals during the England polo season up and down the country. We are delighted with the addition of the Audi International in Chester. Audi’s investment also gives us the opportunity of providing first class training programmes and facilities not only for the top England professionals but also the young rising stars of the sport via its support for Pony Club Polo,” comments David Woodd of the HPA.
This season, the England polo team will be donning newly designed shirts by the official clothing supplier Joules – a national retailer of country wear with 60 stores nationwide.