I spent the weekend at the Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club for the first snow polo match ever in Asia. The event was a great chance for China’s luxury-obsessed new wealthy to strut their stuff. The guest list included members of the Tianjin Municipal Government, including two vice mayors, various business and land owners from the city, and members of the international and domestic press.
The vast majority – based on anecdotal evidence, I would estimate close to 99% of the guests – had never witnessed polo played in real life and described the experience as “fresh” and “stimulating” though they weren’t sure whether they or any acquaintances would ever attempt playing or even mounting a horse.
The UK team got the Asprey Cup, winning in a close match with Argentina. No one of the Chinese I asked had heard of the 1982 Falkland’s War. There were six teams competing: Hong Kong (Goldin’s own team), France, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, and the UK. The crowds supported the HK team when it was playing but were not always so sure who to back when the contestants were both foreign.
More on the event from Reuters and the WSJ’s China Real Time Report.
The vast majority – based on anecdotal evidence, I would estimate close to 99% of the guests – had never witnessed polo played life and described the experience as “fresh” and “stimulating” though they weren’t sure whether they or any acquaintances would ever attempt playing or even mounting a horse.
The UK team got the Asprey Cup, winning in a close match with Argentina. No one of the Chinese I asked had heard of the 1982 Falkland’s War. There were six teams competing: Hong Kong (Goldin’s own team), France, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, and the UK. The crowds supported the HK team when it was playing but were not always so sure who to back when the contestants were both foreign.
More on the event from Reuters and the WSJ’s China Real Time Report.
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