Muddy Flatts Polo
Muddy Flatts is the country club in the city and is home to James Ashton’s friendly Chukkas.
Muddy Flatts is the polo ground controlled by THEC. We do old fashioned polo as it was played in the bush 50 years ago. Excellent polo field and every thing else is functional. We play fun fast polo and don’t run events. The Glamour; Glitz and Gimmicks are provided by all the other clubs. Our aim is to have the best field, with the best ponies and decent players so the game can appeal to athletic young men.
Hello, World!
Ashton Family History
The history of the Ashton family is fascinating and began with the four Ashton brothers, the generation above James and Wal, who sailed from the Antipodes in January, 1930 to compete in the English polo season. They created not only polo history but fired the imagination of the sporting world. They came unknown, with 25 ponies weary from a 48 day sea voyage over 13,300 miles to pit themselves against the elite of the polo players from England, America and India.
The task of selecting the horses and arranging shipping to England was a major undertaking. The horses had to be kept fit in a sand yard on the ship and during one storm loose boxes were smashed and one horse swept half overboard, only to be manually hauled back. The horses were then exercised by walking the deck. In due course they were off-loaded at Hull and railed to the Beaufort Club in the south of England.
To the wonder of the other internationals, the Ashtons won 15 of the 21 matches played and their trophies included the Whitney, Ranelagh Handicap and the Hargreaves Cups plus the Indian Empire Shield. However, as finalists in the Champion Cup at Hurlingham they were beaten (9-7) by the combined Anglo/American team, the Hurricanes. King Alfonso XIII of Spain was so impressed by James Ashton Snr’s ‘sporting enterprise’ in encouraging the venture and his sons ‘brilliant display’ that he presented a special trophy to them following final play.
Although the now famous brothers were feted in England, they were dismayed at the low price of their wool clip as the Great Depression had also hit Australia and in England there was now no market for high-goal polo ponies.
However, the Americans had extended an invitation to play seven matches at Long Island and, although homesick and worried at the expense of once more moving horses by sea and the unknown cost of their visit, they accepted. With parents and ponies, the now 26-goal rated brothers sailed for America in the Minnewaska and won five of the seven matches.
The auction of their 25 ponies on Long Island in August 1930 exceeded all expectations by realising $US77,000 ($US1,074,000 today). This capital was left in New York for one year and appreciated 60% against the Australian pound thus clearing all the expenses incurred by the great gamble, In addition, four unknown ‘colonial’ brothers had made polo history!