Tourney: Christmas Bench, Sunday 22 December 2013, Hackney Downs MUGA

I am trying to keep it as nice and chillax as possible. The planned trial of the new hooking rule would no longer apply deferred until further notice. We could start earlier but I think players might have booked their tickets already.

As for pub > polo if it is raining, I too would love to do that, call the tourney off and have a massive party at a pub instead (hmmmm... tempting but read further), however plenty of peeps are traveling to London for this - members of the UK polo family are sacrificing their weekend before Christmas to make this.

Lets just start earlier on the day so more teams! But I do like the idea of it being nice chillaxo although it is your tourney ben. If you draft and people don't show it sucks this way we play with what we got. It will be fun.

Also if it rains I will be in the pub!

Cam, the draft over a series of days was just a suggestion, the draft would be on the day itself.

Yep.

It's only a Christmas laugh isn't it! What's all that about selecting players round the clock over a series of days? Far too serious.

Jimmy, yes it is the season for giving and be merry but it is also the season when peeps look forward to after making plans for it. Re: reply to Adam's post. I would love to have a massive tourney with no cap on number of players on a team but... re: the next reply.

Yeah earlier! Woooo!

Beagle it's all about the merriment, not the polo. Check the tags for inspiration.

This:

Beagle **it's cold outside **is brilliant. I'll be there with some mince pies and a bottle of White Lightning.

Let's get together and have a massive post Christmas meetup.

I am sorry that I could not make everyone happy about this. It will be 35 max, those who turn up on the day would be accepted in if someone drops off the list. As for those who have expressed interest on this thread but not on the list (Max, Cam, Fuchsia + those who PMed me but didnt post on the list or thread) + Iain (on the list but could only confirm on Saturday morning) you would be included in the final 35.

In all fairness, yes, this should be a fun tourney; fun however could be defined in many ways not less depending on the individual involved but as I already said, it's a meetup for all in UK polo who made the effort to come to London to have a good time and hence the decision to cap it. I have also relax the sub rule, **players who are not in the initial 35 would be allowed to sub in. **So if you can't make it in time for the draft, do still turn up and you can play as a sub.

Plenty of changes has already been made based on feedback of everyone in the community and I would love to have 2 courts and more teams (Newington anyone? #notserious) but I think this is the best (or is it?) format.

I am sorry to have made this tourney sounds way too serious partly due to my lack of communication and that I was too keen to try out new rules due to it not being a serious tourney. My apologies again.