Last weekend the Thai Polo Club were hosts to a visiting Australian team led by the internationally renowned polo and sports commentator, Hamish McLauchlan.
The tour had been conceived many months ago as a friendly international by the club Chairman at Thai Polo, Harald Link, who had enjoyed the wonderful hospitality in Australia on many previous occasions and extended the invitation for an exchange visit. Hamish (3 ha) selected a team featuring his brother Gillan (4 ha), cousin Callum (3 ha) and close friend Sam Kennedy (0 ha), who was accompanied by his charming wife, Sarah.
 On Saturday 13th February. Harald Link, playing for SE Asia, was supported by Malaysian stars Edham Shaharuddin (4 ha) and Amran Selamat (2 ha), along with the club’s General Manager, Roddy Matthews (4 ha). The host side set the pace with Selamat and Matthews opening a 2 goal lead, but the Australians were not about to roll over, and Gillan McLauchlan launched some thundering balls towards the SEA goal line, thus keeping them in contention.
However, Edham for SEA was on blistering form and made some superb solo runs to goal with the ball bouncing high, his efforts were enough to earn his team a 4 to 3 victory and himself the honour of “man of the match”. The beautiful trophy, which had been commissioned especially in Melbourne, was duly presented to the SEA winners. The kind visitors had also commissioned a new fun award for the “man of the match”, in the form of a unique jacket bearing the orange of Thai Polo and the green and gold of Australia. Edham wore the garish garment with immense pride at the prize giving.
The weekend’s competition and camaraderie was completely overshadowed by the devastating news that, on Sunday 14th February, the leading Australian polo player and administrator, James Ashton, had sadly lost his life in a polo accident at a neighbouring polo club. Harald Link and all of the players, management and staff at Thai Polo Club would like to express their deepest condolences to his wife, family and the wider polo community.
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