Page 31 - QARANC Vol 15 No 2 2017

Renaissance d’AMS Polo
THE GAZETTE QARANC 29
2017 saw the relaunch of the Army Medical Services (AMS) Polo Team, led by Lt Paul Erhahiemen QARANC. AMS Polo was actually formed in 2011 but play slowed down due to operational commitments and financial difficulties.
The Captains and Subalterns Trophy held at Tidworth Polo Club in July saw the AMS team return to the military polo arena and take second place in its division having outperformed the Household Cavalry and the Welsh Guards on day one, with the Royal Dragoon Guards narrowly clinching victory on day two.
The Captains and Subalterns (C&S) Trophy is the second oldest polo cup in the world having been instituted by the 9/12th Lancers playing at Hounslow in 1896. Nowadays, the tournament is held at Tidworth Polo Club over two days, with entries from over 20 Army teams, plus teams from the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. Teams are put into divisions based on handicaps, thus offering a fair chance of winning.
Team AMS delivered an outstanding performance given the challenges faced by the team. Due to players being based all over the world, coming together for training poses an enormous challenge.
The team consisted of Pte Mollie Darwin QARANC, a Student Nurse at the Defence School of Healthcare Studies,
Lt Paul Erhahiemen QARANC, Nursing Officer at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Capt Emily Summers RADC, Dental Officer based in Dhekelia, Cyprus and Maj Olivia Allenby-Dilley RAMC (ICSC (L)).
AMS guests were hosted in the AMS gazebo with a champagne aperitif. The team’s successful relaunch was celebrated with Lt Paul Erhahiemen showing off the art of sabrage with a magnum bottle of Jean Boucton Champagne in the presence of a large crowd of spectators.
The technique of opening a bottle with a sabre became popular in France when the armies of Napoleon celebrated their victories. Napoleon is known to have said “Champagne! In victory one deserves it; in defeat one needs it.” The blade travels up the neck of the bottle to break it away near the cork, leaving the main body of the bottle open and ready to pour.
Also in attendance were the team sponsors: Jean- Christophe Boucton – Director, Jean Boucton Champagne, Alastair Barlow – Director, StaaG Fashion, Richard Glenn – Manager, Jaguar Land Rover Marshall Military. The C&S trophy was a successful event for AMS Polo and an excellent family day out.