Polo comes to Cardiff Castle

The first ever polo event to be held in the walls of Cardiff Castle will take place this summer in a bid to raise money for Welsh charity The Noah's Ark appeal.

Tickets have gone on sale for ‘Polo in the Castle’, which will be held in Cardiff Castle on Sunday 27th June and is designed to give the people of Cardiff and Wales unprecedented access to the noble and international sport, which dates back over 1400 years.

Organised by Sponsorship and Events company, Fusion, in partnership with the Noah’s Ark Appeal, the event has attracted support from a number of high profile Welsh celebrities including Wales’ own international star and patron of the Noah’s Ark Appeal Charlotte Church, who said: “I am particularly looking forward to the inaugural Polo in the Castle which is being held actually inside Cardiff Castle’s grounds. It is an event that I fully support and I hope to see you all there.”

Usually recognised as the ‘Sport of Kings’, ‘Polo in the Castle’ is set to attract several thousand people from Cardiff and the surrounding areas. Spectators will be able to enjoy three fast and furious matches between four teams, who will battle it out to win the inaugural ‘Polo in the Castle Cup’.  Some of the UK’s top polo professionals, from two of the country’s finest polo clubs Ascot and Beaufort, which boast members such as Princes William and Harry, will play in this show stopping event.

Former Great Britain captain Jason Dixon is amongst the players chosen to compete on the day. On taking part, Jason said: “I am honoured to have been asked to play in this event. The day will offer spectators a unique insight into the sport of polo whilst in the setting of an iconic Welsh landmark. The match will undoubtedly be challenging, however I am delighted to be involved in raising money for such an important cause.”

With 100 per cent of the profits made on ticket sales going to the Noah’s Ark Appeal, ‘Polo in the Castle’ is a key event in the charity’s 10th anniversary celebrations as it looks to raise a further £7m to equip and complete the second phase of the hospital.
 
On launching the event, Victoria Ward, managing director of Fusion said: “When we decided to host this event, my vision was to create an event accessible to all. The day will offer not only first class corporate hospitality but will also appeal to families and friends who are looking for a different way to spend a summer’s day.  There will be children’s entertainment as well as a champagne marquee and the opportunity for people to get up close to the action.”

Established in 2000, The Noah’s Ark Appeal was set up to help support the Children’s Hospital for Wales. The Noah’s Ark appeal is the only charity exclusively raising money for the hospital and relies on the support and generosity of individuals, companies, and charitable trusts, across Wales.  The second and final phase of the appeal is dedicated to raising money for a number of projects including building five state-of-the-art operating theatres and updating and a critical care unit.
Lyn Jones, chairman of The Noah’s Ark appeal said: “We are delighted to be working with Fusion to create a day of entertainment suitable for people of all ages. The day is set to be a great success and we are confident that this will become an annual event for a cause close to all our hearts. The event will help to raise the profile of the charity and the Children’s Hospital for Wales.
“It is a perfect way to mark our 10th anniversary and raise money for our new appeal. Having completed phase one and successfully opened the hospital in 2005, we are now aiming to raise another £7m for vital projects in phase two of the Children’s Hospital, which is due to open in the latter part 2013.

“We rely heavily on donations and without fundraising events, like this one, we would not be able to continue to support and fund the important work the hospital carries out on a day-to-day basis. We are really looking forward to the polo and hope that the people of Cardiff and the surrounding areas will come join us and support the event.”

Continued Victoria: “I am delighted that we have created a partnership with the Noah’s Ark Appeal which will not only raise funds for the charity but will also raise its profile which we hope will have a lasting effect on the future of their campaign.

“The event website is now live and we have already sold over 150 places in hospitality. I strongly encourage those interested in attending to book tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.”

Those interested in attending or sponsoring ‘Polo in the Castle’ should visit www.polointhecastle.com. 

For further information on this press release, please contact freshbaked PR at pr@freshbaked.co.uk. freshbaked PR is a Cardiff based public relations agency which represents a number of private and public sector organisations in the Cardiff, Swansea and Bristol business communities, as well as Newport in south Wales, home of golf’s 2010 Ryder Cup at the Celtic Manor Resort Hotel. For clients based in Cardiff, PR agency services are provided from the Head Office in The Maltings.