Ascot Park Polo Club
Introduction & Home Page
Ascot Park Polo Club is the world's largest and best renowned polo training centre. It prides itself on making the game accessible to a wide audience in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. The family-run club, which is set in 120 acres of beautiful countryside near Chobham, Surrey , teaches about 2,500 people, aged 7-70, every year to play "The Game of Kings." Among them are the supermodel Jodie Kidd and the Hollywood actress Stephanie Powers.
Ascot Park provides a complete polo experience whether you're a complete beginner who may never have ridden before or a top international player. Facilities include four grass pitches, the largest polo arena in Europe, the only mechanical wooden teaching horse in England and extensive livery.
The enthusiastic and professional team at Ascot Park help to dispel some of the myths that surround polo: the danger, the level of riding ability and fitness required and the biggest misconception of all that polo is a closed shop! The team makes polo egalitarian and not elitist.
The club was started by Peter Grace in 1988 after he moved from New Zealand to the UK with his family. He and his wife Elizabeth have four daughters: Janey, Pippa , Victoria and Katie. All four have played at international level and as a single team known as The Amazing Graces! It is also home to the International Women's Polo Association which was set-up by Pippa Grace to encourage and promote more women to play the game.
HRH The Prince of Wales, who has played the game with Peter Grace and his daughters, says the Olympic standard former show jumper turned polo player is "one of the best instructors that there is in polo." This is one of the many reasons why Ascot Park has developed a worldwide reputation that is second to none.
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CORPORATE DAYS OUT
There are some distinctly unique advantages for companies and organisations which come to Ascot Park with colleagues and/or clients:
• Clients and colleagues can enjoy the challenge of learning to ride polo ponies. Regarded as the sports cars of the equestrian world - the acceleration and agility of top ponies is legendary - presenting the rider, whether experienced or a novice, with a chance to test themselves as individuals in a safe and controlled environment. Being the world's largest training centre, the club has a wide variety of ponies which are matched to people's riding skill levels. Remember, 65% of those we teach have never ridden before! There's then the added dimension of learning to hit a ball with a polo stick at the same time.
• Polo is ideal for team building and building relationships between colleagues and clients. As each polo team has four players on grass and three in the arena, it's vital each individual works as a cohesive unit with his/her team mates to try to win. It involves using individual talents with an ability to communicate with each other and respond to fast changing situations in the arena or on the field where team dynamics and strategy are as important as the individual player's skills.
• The game is an exhilarating challenge which tests the physical and mental skills of players who can enjoy being in beautiful rural surroundings. Safety is paramount and so all coaching takes place in our all-weather arena, the largest in Europe , and all our instructors are approved by the sport's ruling body, the Hurlingham Polo Association. It is the perfect day out for 4-100 participants and one to which spectators are also most welcome.
• Top class catering and hospitality facilities in a beautiful part of the Surrey countryside with close links to Heathrow and London .
Corporate Days are tailored to your needs whether it's a Full-Day or Half-Day .
For information about prices and packages contact Caroline Stern
PRIVATE HOSPITALITY
• 120 acres of beautiful countryside
• Sumptuous dining in elegant surroundings in fully lined marquees or out on the lawn
• Fun barbecues in a relaxed family atmosphere
• Picnics
• Extensive space for wedding receptions & other functions
• Polo days for the family, stag & hen parties
For more details contact Caroline Stern
CORPORATE HOSPITALITY
• 120 acres of beautiful countryside
• Sponsored and exclusive polo days
• Product launches, presentations and promotions
• Lunches & dinner/dances
• Outdoor events: Theatre, music & fireworks
For more details contact Caroline Stern
