Hackett Army Novice Polo Team v Project Ultra RMAS

Adorned with Audi sponsorship hoardings and bright sunshine, the Round Ground in front of New College at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) provided the most beautiful setting for an exhibition polo match between the Hackett Army Novice Team and the Project Ultra RMAS side.

For the Army, Maj Ben Marshall RGR lined up at back, Capt Matthew Blakiston LD at 3, Capt Alex Eade RE at 2 and 2Lt Nick Price and Gnr Lawrence Jackson both RA shared the number 1 jersey. RMAS fielded OCdts Henry Edwards at 4, Cameron Bacon at 3, James Willcox at 2 and James Garton and James Foster shared the number 1 spot.

Ponies for the Hackett Army side were kindly provided by J J Spark of Greenpoint Polo and fresh from the EFG Private Bank Army Polo Training Day the red shirts rode onto the pitch in confident mood. Gleaming sports cars adorning the touchline, a large crowd drawn from the RMAS Heritage Day and the mercurial commentary of Lt Col (retd) Simon Ledger all produced a fantastic atmosphere.

Through a series of rehearsed moves and accurate team play, the Army forged an early lead. Marshall, Blakiston and Eade all landed opening blows. Some great hitting from the back and purposeful mid field scrapping suggested a one sided affair but the never-say-die attitude one might expect from the Army’s fresh blood was clear for all to see. The ever-present Bacon went close to evening up proceedings on a number of occasions.

As the game marched on the Army were able to change formation as attention from the RMAS players increased which allowed Marshall to add 2 more to his tally with a series of surging runs. Blakiston and Eade picked up another couple in addition as well as putting several efforts wide and the stage was set for newcomer to the Army team: Gnr Lawrence Jackson. Late in the third chukka he capped a stirling all round performance with a fantastic angled strike bisecting the uprights.

Bacon was eventually able to trouble the scorers and the 4th chukka was largely about controlling the ball from the Army side’s perspective. The final score was 8 – 1_ in favourite of the Hackett Army Novice Team but the roar from the crowd and appreciation shown at the prize giving suggested it had been a much more closely fought affair.

OCdt Bacon’s pony Pogolina won the Best Playing Pony award, indicative of the effort he had put in, and Gnr Jackson became the first known player to be legally allowed to keep his Hackett Army polo shirt by the Chairman of Army Polo.