We had beach volleyball, beach football, and now beach polo. Polo, normally associated with the Royal Family and champagne picnics out on the lawns, came to the land of the millionaires – the sumptuous beaches of Sandbanks in the sun drenched days of early July.
The event was the British Beach Polo Championships, part of Poole’s “Beach Fest.” Six teams battled it out for the title, which involved some of the best players in the world.
Beach Polo action at Sandbanks
The championships also drew their quota of celebs, with boxer Joe Calzaghe and model Jodie Kidd among those in attendance.
And as a special treat there was even a demonstration of camel polo – the first time it had ever been played in Europe.
Calum Best and DJ Brandon Block join other VIPs at the Sand Polo
Back to the more commonly used ponies, the teams had three riders each, and played with an inflated ball 13 inches in circumference.
Despite the unorthodox sand, the beach version of the sport still had all the usual social attributes associated with the regular game played on grass, with plush parties held on both nights of the event. And the dress code was not typical of every day beach wear, with “smart casual” being de rigeur!
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