The European Polo Tour Launches
The Sotogrande European Polo Tour begins Friday 26 February at Santa Maria Polo Club and Dos Lunas Polo Club. The inception of the new fixture was highlighted in our November 2015 issue when we spoke to Alan Kent about the latest European polo option for player looking to get on the grass early. This competition was hoped to reinforce the popularity of the winter season in Sotogrande, with players of many different nationalities participating from countries like Portugal, England, Scotland, Ireland and Germany.
German patron Andy Gollin and Scottish player Peter Donald Reid, have already moved their horses to Santa Maria Polo Club to play specifically in the new tournament. The European patrons will be relying upon Sotogrande´s polo professionals for this competition, which is spread over the course of three weekends.
This tournament is the start of the future development of winter polo in Spain, taking advantage of the excellent weather conditions in the area compared to other European countries. The playing fields at Santa Maria Polo Club with their high capacity drainage systems, allow the games to be played even if there is heavy rain. However, at this time of year you can expect a top temperature for the region of 18°C, who wouldn’t want to escape the British arena season?
Photograph: Action from the famous Santa Maria summer season. By Pablo Ramirez
http://www.polotimes.co.uk/index.php?pg=35&story=1853