A Welsh sporting first has been premiered on television with the broadcast of two films made in Wales & featuring the country’s first national polo team.
They feature the first two matches, 2009 & 2010 of the Welsh Polo Team staged at Glanusk Estate, Crickhowell near the Monmouthshire & Powys border, where civilian polo originated in Great Britain. Film maker Roger Mulliner of Red Dog Media said: “The matches took place less than 15 miles from the site of the first civilian polo club established at Clytha Park, near Abergavenny in 1872 so we called the films ‘Polo Comes Home’ & ‘Polo Returns Home’.”
Mr Mulliner, an award winning ex-BBC editor & cameraman & his partner Claire Graham, a former BBC & ITV news & documentary maker, have made seven independent films & offer professional multi-media services from their business in Powys, Wales. Ms Graham, a former award winning press & TV correspondent, added: “We think this is a first for Wales thanks to the hard work of those who helped set up the matches to bring polo home.”
Horse & Country TV in Cwmbran, Wales transmitted the films at Christmas & New Year. Head of Programming Jonathan Rippon said: “We were delighted to feature the Welsh Polo Team.”
The first Welsh national team to play polo bring the game home to Mid Wales after over a century’s absence. Great Britain’s first civilian polo club was set up in Monmouthshire in 1872 and the Glanusk Estate, just over the border, is the stunning venue. Join the thousands who flocked to see professionals Oscar Mancini, Daniel Otamendi, Tarquin Southwell plus Ricky Cooper, Richard Blake Thomas, Stuart Leigh Davies, Chris Christodoulou and Ben Riordan make polo history in this thrilling exhibition match. The film includes a special feature of the stunning Glanusk Estate gardens and park land plus Glanusk House. Also included is a slide show of photographs of the players and the spectators caught on camera at the event. Duration 47 minutes. DVD Format: PAL. Certificate: Exempt.
The Welsh polo team return to the Glanusk estate in Mid Wales to take on a Great British team in a match that will keep you on the edge of your seats. Award winning ex-BBC and ITV film makers capture the game at the Legge-Bourke family home which raised money for the Welsh Guards Afghanistan Appeal. Wales captain Ricky Cooper is joined by Andrew Blake Thomas, Juracy Santos and Stuart Leigh Davies in a gripping match against their Great British rivals captained by Antony Fanshawe with Ali Patterson, Freddie Dear and Harold Hodges. The film includes footage of the Glanusk estate and the crowds watching the action Discover More Here. Duration 38 minutes.
Cardiff-based St David’s Polo Club, which has been promoting polo in Wales for over a decade, was responsible for bringing the players to the Glanusk Estate for the original match 2 & the second game was organised by Glanusk Polo. Both matches raised money for charity.
Full details along with a chance to purchase the films are available here…