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Cocktails and an almighty social at the Portsea Polo - Australia
by Charlie Inglefield | Date >
2006-03-08 | Country : Australia | City : Melbourne
| Area : Sorrento |
“Your Polo horse has to have the face of a princess, the legs and the walk of a hooker and the backside of a washerwoman.”
I am in the middle of the first game of three matches at the Annual Portsea Polo charity event held at Point Nepean Army Barracks between Sorrento and Portsea and I am learning my first rule of polo via the pitch-side commentator.
It is midday and the line of Mercs, Beeemers and Range-Rovers edge slowly towards the perfectly cut polo fields. People compete with each other for the shade and in no time there is an elegant sprinkling of fancy picnic baskets, colourful rugs and expensive cutlery decorating the boundaries of the playing field. It is one of the hottest days for Melbourne’s younger social and corporate sets and there are enough designer tops, tanned skin, outrageous hats and PRADA sunglasses to rival Royal Ascot.
My only previous equestrian experiences are the traditional post-Christmas chilly race meetings in the Midlands normally armed with a sloe gin to dim the cold. My focus should be on the polo, after all there are three cups to challenge for. The Point Nepean Cup between Country Road and Lexus of Brighton being the showcase finale and Ruki Baillieu, Australia’s premier polo player making an appearance.
It is difficult to concentrate though the warm sunny skies complement the gentle breeze coming off the Bay and I cannot help but enjoy the complementary hospitality and ‘people watching’ that the 60 corporate marquees provide. There is enough socialising to get through to last the entire year. The rumours over mid-afternoon cocktails are that Heath Ledger is flying in by helicopter and there is a set of car-keys hidden somewhere on the playing field giving the lucky winner a free Lexus.
The glamour is certainly out in force; the ‘IT’ girls are kitted out in cowboy boots, strapless dresses and this is no place for Stilettos – fashionable and glittering thongs are the choice of footwear. The men have swapped their suits for pale pink polo shirts, long shorts and prep jeans and for a moment I feel as if I am one of them. All eyes turn when the former Miss Australia, Baillieu’s rumoured current beau, glides into our hospitality tent. The men and I are transfixed and a little jealous to say the least of Ruki and his polo playing buddies.
However as the champagne begins to run out and the evening draws in, I am determined to take in some polo and get to grips with the sport. I find out the basics from the few polo diehards that there are usually six periods called ‘Chukkas’ each seven minutes long. There are four players in each team, numbers 1 and 2 are the forwards and 3 and 4 are covering and defending. The players should mark their opposite numbers, the aim being to stop each other scoring by ‘hooking’ the ball and riding off. There is no offside rule and the team that scores the most goals wins. There are numerous technicalities but keeping those facts in mind, the game is relatively simple to watch.
As the game enters its final stages the stars of the show, Hamish McLachlan and Baillieu of Lexus begin to stamp their class on proceedings. The dashing Baillieu recovers from a nasty fall and re-enters the fray much to the delighted gasps from the female sections of the crowd. Country Road are brave but succumb 9-6 and the Point Nepean Cup goes to Lexus of Brighton.
The partying and hobnobbing with Melbourne’s finest continue long into the night and I complete a memorable first polo experience by arriving at the Portsea Pub by private boat, with a chilled glass of Chardonnay to hand, just in time for the sunset. It has become a tradition that those whose are still standing after the polo should take the party onto the nearby Portsea pub. It is the ideal venue - a huge sprawling beer- garden perfect for cold beers and conversation. The constant sound of clinking bottles, the popping of champagne corks and much laughter carry onto well past midnight. Preparations for the Commonwealth Games can wait for the moment.
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