The polo season commenced in anything but cheerful weather, but in spite
of climatic conditions a number of good games were witnessed during the
first week. Better weather and more summerlike surroundings were enjoyed
during the second week, when several important events were decided. At
Hurlingham, on May 5th, the Royal Horse Guards beat Hurlingham by 4
goals to 3. The Guards’ team consisted of Lord Ingestre, Lord Herbert,
Captain Fitzgerald, and Captain H. Brassey; their opponents being
Captain Lockett, Mr. F. C. G. Menzies, Major Egerton Green, and Mr. E.
B. Sheppard. The same evening a Roehampton team consisting of Mr. Nigel
Baring, the Hon. Ivor Guest, M.P., Mr. A. R. Leys, and Mr. A. de Las
Casas drew with Hurlingham, represented by Captain Rose, Mr. F.
Belville, Captain S. Gosling, and Mr. H. Scott Robson, the score being 5
goals all. Other notable games played at Hurlingham during the first
fortnight of the month were Aldershot _v._ Hurlingham and Eaton Hall
_v._ Hurlingham, both of which were won by Hurlingham; the Cavalry Club
_v._ Hurlingham won by the Cavalry; and the match between the Beavers
and Hurlingham, which resulted after an exciting game in a draw of 7
all.
At Ranelagh, the handicap tournament concluded with the game between C
team, made up of the Earl of Harrington, Mr. R. Fleming, Mr. A. R.
Dugdale and Mr. N. Furlong, and B, comprising Mr. E. Barbour, Lord
Longford, Mr. J. C. Las Casas, and Mr. T. B. Drybrough. A good game
resulted in B team finally winning by 5 goals to 2. Matches were played
by the Club against the Wanderers (Mr. F. Barbour, Lieut.-Colonel W. S.
Sparkes, Mr. G. A. Lockett, and Major A. M. Pirie), ending in a draw;
the Parthians (Mr. R. J. L. Ogilvy, Mr. E. B. Horlick, Mr. B. P.
Schreiber, and Captain M. Lannowe), won by the Parthians by 4 goals to
1; the Magpies, won by Ranelagh by 7 goals to 5; Aldershot, won by
Ranelagh by 8 goals to 2; and the 2nd Life Guards (subalterns), won by
Ranelagh by 6 goals to 3. In the match between Moreton Morrell and a
Ranelagh side, the teams consisted of Mr. C. P. Nickalls, Mr. E. B.
Sheppard, Mr. W. S. Buckmaster, and Lord Wodehouse for the former, and
Mr. A. Las Casas, Mr. F. A. Gill, the Hon. F. Guest, and Mr. H. Scott
Robson for the latter. A fast game ended in the Moreton Morrell team
being victors by 10 goals to 4.
The chief event at Roehampton during the first fortnight of the season
was the match played by teams representing England and Rugby, which took
place on May 12th. The England four consisted of Mr. C. R. Nickalls, Mr.
M. Nickalls, Mr. W. S. Buckmaster, and Mr. P. W. Nickalls, and Rugby of
Mr. Walter Jones, Mr. G. A. Miller, Captain E. D. Miller, and Mr. C. D.
Miller. A magnificent exhibition of polo was seen, and although England
won by 6 goals to 1, it looked at one time as if it would have been a
close finish. Roehampton drew with the 21st Lancers, the teams being
represented by Mr. D. W. Godfrey, Mr. C. N. Reynolds, Mr. C. H. Delmege,
and Major A. M. Pirie for the soldiers, and Mr. E. C. Robson, the Duke
of Westminster, Mr. E. B. Horlick, and Mr. H. Scott Robson for the Club.
Other teams that were beaten early in May by a Roehampton combination
included Eaton Hall and the Wanderers. The Royal Horse Guards met and
defeated Roehampton by 6 goals to 5, after the England and Rugby match
was finished.
The London and Stoke D’Abernon Clubs have begun the season well, and
many of the provincial clubs show plenty of life and vigour.