With two weeks to go until the Gloucestershire Festival of Polo, the teams have been decided for the two international matches to be played on Saturday, 8 June, when England take on New Zealand on an unmissable day of international polo.

The first match of the day will be for the historic Golden Jubilee trophy, first played for in 2002.

The team playing for England will be:

Alfie Hyde (3)

Luke Wiles (4)

Jimbo Fewster (5) (Captain)

Zac Beim (4)

With Dom Lodge (4) and Toby Bradshaw (3) as reserves.

The team for New Zealand will be:

Dean Fullerton (3)

Ross Ainsley (3)

Jimmy Wood (4)

JP Clarkin (6) (Captain)

with Glenn Sherriff (4) and Lach Appleby (2) as reserves.

The England side features some of the country’s best up-and-coming talent; Alfie Hyde, Luke Wiles, and Zack Beim won this match last year against Peru, while captain Jimbo Fewster, 25, is a Cowdray Gold Cup winner and veteran of the high goal. The team from New Zealand includes the country’s highest-rated player in the formidable JP Clarkin, and draws on a wealth of international experience in Ross Ainsley and Jimmy Wood, combined with a first international appearance for Dean Fullerton. This promises to be an exciting match with two strong sides battling for the win.

Following the Golden Jubilee, Young England will line up to face Young New Zealand for The Buckmaster Trophy, in a rematch from 2023 when the visiting team snatched defeat in the final moments after a fiercely competitive game. Also up for grabs in this match is The Gibley Cup, traditionally awarded whenever these teams meet.

Representing England will be:

Archie Heseltine (1)

Edward Morris (2)

Toby Bradshaw (3) (Captain)

Milly Hine (2)

With reserve Robbie Slatter (2)

And for New Zealand will be:

Zoe Reader (1)

Oscar Power (2)

Tom Turner (2)

Lach Appleby (2) (Captain)

With reserve Joe Gray (0)

The New Zealand line-up sees few changes from 2023, with Tom Turner the only new addition the team. Zoe Reader, playing a blinder here last year, has seen her handicap raised this season, as has her teammate Oscar Power, while captain Lach Appleby is enjoying his fourth season in England, based at Emsworth. England captain Toby Bradshaw played in this match in 2023, but the rest of the line-up sees new faces including Archie Heseltine, a winner already in 2024 when playing in the junior game on Arena International Day, and the in-form Milly Hine, fresh from victory in the 2024 US Women’s Open. Ed Morris is a welcome newcomer to the England squad, making the trip from Lincolnshire to represent his country for the first time.

The HPA team will be in attendance at the Festival; we would be delighted to see all members past, present, and future, so do come and see us on the Saturday for what promises to be a fantastic day of international polo, with something on offer for all the family including a shopping village with more than 25 exhibitors and a traditional funfair. We look forward to seeing you there!