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Tang Polo

First arena polo Tournament in China

The event included a Forum, "Polo in China"

The Tang Polo Club, Beijing recently staged the first arena polo tournament in China. The event

received strong support and assistance from the Chinese and Beijing Equestrian Associations.

There were 12 players from the Beijing and Shanghai area, including some of China's leading

players, Shilai Liu, Nan Liu and Dino Ma Asvaintra. Additional there was one lady Wawa Hao

who also played and through her recent hours of practice, held her own in the fast paced action.

Members and guests enjoyed the first "Asado" of the year for lunch and the day was full of

activities for the family, with not only polo, but also enjoyable games for children, including

introduction "Stick and Ball" games, fun with the horses and trying their hand with remote

controlled cars. The ladies were also not forgotten, with a specially laid on class from Channel.

The action in the area was fast paced with some high scoring games and a special cheer

especially from the ladies in the crowd went up, when Wawa Hao scored a goal. However

through Shilai Liu's winter practice in Argentina, Dubai and Thailand he was in good form and

his team comfortably won their preliminary game 9:2.

The other two preliminary games were closer, but there were still plenty of goals for the crowd to

cheer on, as they looked down from the Art Hotel, which is the clubs boutique hotel.

The Final was between Shilai Liu's Red Team and Nan Liu's White Team. The final started off

a little tentative, however the red team in the end ran off with the cup after a 7:2 score line. All

agreed that it was a great tournament and something that will become an annual event.

After the match the club hosted the "Polo in China" Forum which was chaired by Shilai Liu the

Chairman of Tang Polo and Yanyang Li the Chief Editor of Horsemanship magazine. This was

the first time that the leading Chinese players had all sat down to talk on their ideas of what they

would like to see, in the development of polo in China.

There were several topics of discussion and it was agreed that there needs to be more

tournaments for the Chinese players to take part in and not have continual mid or high goal

tournaments. The Tang Polo Club is leading the way in this and has scaled down some of the

tournaments to 2-4 goals, so as to enable more Chinese players to take part. Additional this will

enable more interaction from the crowds who come out to watch, as they will know more of the

The key tournaments of the year were discussed and agreed and the format of teams for the

China Amateur Open in June, where there will be approximately 8 Chinese only teams taking

part was confirmed.

Finally Shilai Liu briefed on the steps that Tang Polo Club are taking on the development of

local staff. The club have sent staff to Argentina and Thailand over the winter for training, also

the club are soon to have an Argentinean professional farrier to visit the club and train the staff.

While it was a long day, it was also a great start to the polo season again in Beijing and all were

happily looking forward to it.