4 Sunday, September 15, 2019 SPORT INSIGHT Andrew Leung (left, bottom right) in action for Hong Kong and then joining teammates Freddie Ventura, Lawrence Geung and Kwan Lo for the victory ceremony after beating The Horse Guards at the Ham Polo Club in Surrey; Geung (below, left) receives his MVP award; Hong Kong fans Hannah Hui and Christine Wang. Photos: Ham Polo Club Hong Kong disarm Guards The annual polo match between Hong Kong and The Horse Guards is a feature event for the Ham Polo Club in Richmond Park, Surrey. But this year’s match was historic. It was the first time the visiting team fielded three Hong Kong Chinese players – a testament to the efforts of Hong Kong lawyer Andrew Leung to promote the game in the city. Leung, Lawrence Geung and Kwan Lo were joined by Ham player Freddie Ventura to score an excellent 5-2½ victory over The Horse Guards. “This was the first time three ethnically Chinese Hong Kong players had been in the team and it resulted in a great victory for Hong Kong,” said co-organiser Peter Hunter. “Next year it’s planned to have a three-match series, one on a sandy beach in UK and sponsors are being sought.” This year’s event was supported by Aquila and Chow Tai Fook Jewellery. Geung won the MVP award. Last year, Leung organised the first Hong Kong Beginners’ Cup, in which he took rookie players – some who had never ridden a horse before – and turned them into competent polo players within nine months. The tournament was held at the Goldin Grand Metropolitan Polo Club in Tianjin, which will host the second event on October 19-20. Leung is hoping that more people in Hong Kong will be attracted to the sport. The first Hong Kong versus The Horse Guards match was played in 2017. This year was the 150th anniversary of polo being introduced to England from India. LEFT FIELD RIGHT FIELD JONATHAN WHITE TIM NOONAN Is worse yet to come for HK sport? Why All Blacks are men of mana he Hong Kong Sevens is the biggest single-event being postponed because organisers could not guarantee othing says art like New York. Chelsea is the Naturally there are shots of the late, great Jonah Lomu. deal in town and has been for years. By attracting the tournament would run smoothly. The Hong Kong epicentre, with contemporary art in every form, But long before the legendary big man became the first T120,000 fans in three days, there’s really no ASTC Sprint Triathlon Asian Cup and the Asian Aquathlon Nwhile Midtown has history and the Upper East rugby superstar in the 1990s, the All Black mythology was comparison, but even with the next tournament six Championships have also been cancelled and trail Side boasts stately and stylish galleries. But it’s downtown being written globally as the team found themselves in the months away, Sevens lovers may already be thinking twice running events called off. in the Lower East Side where you find edgy and gritty. midst of political violence in Northern Ireland in the 1970s about coming because of anti-government protests. The protests have become a hot topic for the Hong “Our focus over the years has been as a socially and apartheid South Africa in the 1980s. Nowadays, half of the Sevens crowd comes from Kong Marathon in February. Debate has raged on local conscious gallery in New York that specialises in In one chilling photo, the team are marching ball in overseas, but the number of visitors to the city has forum lihk.com and this added interest could be why showcasing the work of documentary photojournalists,” hand out to the pitch to play Ulster in Belfast in 1972. “Ian dwindled since the protests began earlier this summer. organisers have shunned a press conference in favour of a said Felicia Anastasia, founder and creative director at Kirkpatrick led the All Blacks out flanked by British troops In the past week, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po press release. Truth is, if the unrest continues, no one is Anastasia Photo Gallery in the Lower East Side. Recent packing 7.62mm SLR rifles,” Bush recalled. posted on his blog that arrivals fell nearly 40 per cent last allowing 70,000 people the run of the city. shows like “The Treachery of Impermanence”, which month from the same time last year. It is a drop-off rate When Manchester City were here this summer, the examined how “technology hijacked us into an era of post- unseen since the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome subject of the protests was raised to manager Pep individualism”, would seem to fit into Anastasia’s ethos of (Sars) outbreak – and it follows a 5 per cent drop in July. Guardiola by the travelling British press and their football trend forecasting some of the world’s most current and If that pattern continues, Hong Kong sports’ jewel in game was marked with protests at Hong Kong Stadium. pressing issues. the crown might as well be paste, the flint glass of costume Things have intensified since, on the streets and in the Where the most famous and accomplished rugby team There is something heroic jewellery that is essentially worthless. stands. The number booing at Hong Kong’s World Cup in the world belong in this weighty realm seems a bit of a that the Japanese see in qualifier against Iran last week dwarfed those taking part head scratcher. Still, if it’s grit you want, few can match in the planned protest at the City versus Kitchee game. New Zealand’s All Blacks and as the squad prepare to the All Blacks that But, as we saw when Kitchee kicked off their Hong defend their World Cup crown in Japan later this week, Kong Premier League season at Mong Kok Stadium last their historical prowess will be on full display for transcends sport month, sporting events provide the perfect platform for Manhattan gallery goers. From September 19-30, Who could blame fans for vocalising dissent. But what’s the alternative? Playing Anastasia Photo will host an exhibition entitled “Mana; 60 “They were sharpshooters, hand-picked from a couple hedging their bets when behind closed doors? Years of All Blacks Photography”, featuring photos from of regiments based in Northern Ireland. They were on a Empty stadiums might be the future for sport if people legendary lens man Peter Bush. The gallery will also co- ‘shoot to kill’ order if, as had been suggested, any of the they see the chaos on the stay away – and not just in Hong Kong. UFC boss Dana host a showing in Tokyo next month offering World Cup different terrorist factions showed signs of trouble.” White admitted protests messed with their Shenzhen fans a look at a series of pictures that in the pre-digital era Luckily there was no trouble as the All Blacks prevailed streets every week? show and we will never know how many Hong Kong came to define the All Blacks for an entire country. over Ulster 19-6. The rapturous reception the team mixed martial arts fans snubbed it on account of not Bush covered his first rugby union test match in 1949 received this week in Japan must have seemed worlds The Sevens is worth a fortune to the city – the 2017 wanting to cross the border. for The New Zealand Herald and according to gallery away from their traumatic arrival in Northern Ireland 47 event saw at least HK$380 million pumped into the Travel plans also threaten Hong Kong’s Olympic notes, “no other photographer has had such privileged years ago. The Japanese are not only some of the most economy from overseas visitors. Rugby fans are hearty preparations. Hong Kong’s swimmers – in one of the few access to the All Blacks, matching their strides on and off outwardly hospitable people on the planet, they are souls so maybe there is little cause for concern, but that is sports in which the city has medal hopefuls for Tokyo 2020 the field”. The notes say they are, “the most successful unreserved in celebrating the celebrated. not the same across all sports. The Hong Kong Jockey – were affected by the airport protests. international sporting team of all time, maintaining a There is something heroic the Japanese see in the All Club’s year-ending International Races draw crowds from Stephanie Au Hoi-Shun was in the team that had their 77 per cent win rate since their formation in 1903”. Blacks that transcends sport. Hopefully, gallery goers in abroad but who could blame fans for hedging their bets flight to Singapore cancelled when they were on the way to Anastasia said: “Four years ago, I was looking for a gift Manhattan will see it as well. “In Maori culture, mana is when they see the chaos on the streets every week? an Olympic qualifying event. Au booked her place in for an All Blacks fan and decided on a great action photo.” honour,” according to the gallery notes. “To have mana is There is no suggestion the Jockey Club, one of the most Tokyo after she eventually got to Singapore, but will she She found a few online and sent them to her friend, who to have great authority, presence or prestige. It is respect. well-oiled wheels in world sport, would struggle with the even be able to get a flight next summer? happened to be a former director of the New Zealand Bush captures the All Blacks’ tenacity, team dynamic and logistics of the event, but it has already had to postpone its Snooker star Ng On-yee was delayed at the airport at Rugby Union.