256 A RETROSPECT. [Chap. X. 



week in July, at Stratford-on-Avon in the third 

 week, at Leamington in the fourth week, and at 

 Rugby in the first week in August. He can then 

 proceed to Dublin and play in the Open Cup, 

 which is always held at the same time as the 

 great Annual Horse Show. In 1891 there were 

 comparatively few polo clubs in England, and 

 almost all the county grounds were to be found at 

 Chester, Barton, Elvaston, Abergavenny, and the 

 great military centres. The idea was then common 

 that polo was too expensive for people of moderate 

 means to take part in, and the game was practically 

 confined to London, Liverpool, and Edinburgh. 

 Now there are over fifty clubs where polo is 

 regularly played, and nineteen of these clubs are 

 affiliated to the County Polo Association, and com- 

 pete for the County Cup, the preliminary ties of 

 which are played off in their own districts : the 

 semi-finals and finals taking place at Hurlingham. 

 Men have found out that provincial polo is not a 

 very expensive amusement, and young country gentle- 

 men who ten years ago only thought of hunting, 

 are now equally keen to play polo. 



During the last few years, polo has made extra- 

 ordinary progress in Ireland, thanks chiefly to that 

 great polo player and organiser. Colonel Rimington 

 of the Inniskilling Dragoons. I believe I am correct 

 in saying that in 1897 there were not more than 

 two men in Ireland who played polo regularly, besides 

 the soldiers who were quartered there. Now, Irish 

 players can be counted by dozens. The County 

 Dublin Club started a ground of their own at 

 Ashtown, and the only difficulty they had to en- 



