RUTLAND POLO CLUB
Established in the beautiful rural County of Rutland in 1971, the club boasts two full size boarded pitches, a pitchside clubhouse and a fantastic family friendly atmosphere.
Here at Rutland Polo Club we play regular monthly tournaments - where teams play for our collection of prized silverware, to be taken home by the winning teams. The most prestigious of these cups being the Assam Cup, played for in our main tournament of the season normally in the month of June.
Usually, visitors are very welcome at our Club to come along and spectate, enjoy the thrilling polo action and bring along a picnic or take advantage of our clubhouse refreshments. Unfortunately, due to government guidelines regarding spectators at sport we are not able to open our gates to members of the public.
You can find all the latest Covid-19 updates, documents, advice and a list of FAQ's can be found on the HPA's website.
How did Rutland Polo Club come to be? Find out more below
CLUB HISTORY
Polo was brought to the County of Rutland in 1971 by eight friends and founders of the club.
Edwin de Lisle, one of the Club's founders shares a brief overview of the Club's history...
The nearest club to Rutland prior to this was at Melton Mowbray in 1909, having been raised by Col E H Baldock. He had commanded the City of London Yeomanry 'Sharp Shooters'. They first played near Sysonby Lodge and later at Brentingby. After the First World War, polo was played but the club ceased to function in the 1930's.
In 1971 Colonel Tony Gilks, Major Charlie Humfrey, Mike Seckington, other local enthusiasts and myself started up the present club, which was recognised by the Hurlingham Polo Association in 1972. Play was originally at Luffenham Airfield and then moved to Cream Gorse and the Oakham Showground. In 1993 we created a second polo ground at Langham.
Shortly after the formation of the club, the first trophy now known as the Assam Cup was gifted to us by Mr and Mrs Ian Leetham. The cup was a large and splendid example of Victorian silver, originally commissioned as a challenge cup by a club located in the Assam area of India.
When polo ceased in India in 1963, Leetham returned to the UK and brought the cup with him, offering it to the Hurlingham Polo Association. As Rutland had been formed only recently, it was suggested that we might have the cup. Rutland were fortunate to be given it and Toulston were the first to win it at Rutland in 1975.