The Twilight Beach Polo tournament returns to St Kilda on Saturday, February 5, 2022.
After a two-year hiatus due to the global pandemic, six of the country’s top polo teams will hit the sand at West Beach Pavilion in front of 3000 spectators for three high-energy matches under the palms near the West Beach St Kilda shoreline.
Former Miss World Australia – Esma Voloder
“Miami, Ibiza, Dubai, Singapore, and Thailand are all home to incredible beach polo tournaments, and it’s great that we can again host top-level polo and entertainment on the sand at St Kilda for the 2022 Twilight Beach Polo event,” Tournament Director Brad Taylor said.
Teams of three players will suit up to play four chukkas, each of seven minutes in duration, to determine the 2022 Twilight Beach Polo champion.
“It’s an exciting spectacle as players swap horses at the end of each chukka, so a player ends up riding four different horses in one match,” Brad explained.
“There could be up to 72 horses taking part, and around 50 percent will be retired thoroughbred racehorses. It’s wonderful to see them being retrained for polo.”
Esma Voloder & Josh Dales
One of the team sponsors for the event is Off the Track, a division of Racing Victoria, that facilitates the placement of retired racehorses in second careers. Many are successfully re-educated as polo mounts. All the ex-racehorses at Twilight Beach Polo will wear an identifying disc on their bridle.
The Twilight Beach Polo tournament is one of Melbourne’s summer signature events, which will draw a host of sporting stars, personalities, and business leaders to watch the polo spectacular and join in the fun on the St Kilda sand.
Besides the thrilling polo action, VIPs will enjoy catering by Tommy Collins, Grainshaker cocktails, Heineken beer, and plenty of entertainment – including seeing the match ball and the Twilight Beach Polo Cup dropped in by Skydive Melbourne and a special celebrity guest. There will also be roving performers and beats from some of the city’s finest DJs.
For tickets and further information please see https://www.twilightbeachpolo.com.au/
Photography by Darren Mc Namara
Styled by Alicia Marshall
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