There is no doubt that Polo has returned to the Mongol steppes. Today, players from over 13 nations competed on the fenceless pitch, surrounded by seemingly endless mountain ranges at the Genghis Khan Polo & Riding Club. Among them were an elite team of Mongol players who were trained through the club's programmes with support from Shanghai Tang.
Our third day in remote Mongolia began with a guided tour of World Heritage Site, the Erdene Zuu Monastery, in Karakorum, the ancient capital of Genghis Khan in the 13th Century situated about 25km from our campsite. Our guide, published author, lecturer and all-around sage, Glenn Mullin, provided insight into the history of Buddhism in Mongolia and introduced us to revered monks there.
The afternoon's highlight was the Genghis Khan Polo Cup, which featured full teams of all Mongol players. Although the high level of these locally-trained players was evident, it was the Royal Salute Puissance Longest Hit Competition which confirmed it. The aim of the contest is to strike the ball over a barrier and as far as possible - a sort of Polo homerun. With spectators sitting on the sidelines, sipping tea or Bloody Marys, the pressure was on. Ultimately, it was Dob Chin, a Mongol, who achieved the longest hit. For the first time ever, a women's competition was also held this year. Everyone's efforts were celebrated later that evening at the Royal Salute Sovereign Dinner Reception hosted by Peter Prentice. Prizes were awarded to all the winners. Key individuals were also honoured, including: Raphael Le Masne de Chermont of Shanghai Tang; Colonel Raj Kalaan; and Jack Edwards, who has deftly been helping to run the camp this summer and is the son of the late Jim Edwards. The distinguished Kalaan, endearingly known as The Silver Fox, summed it up perfectly when he said, "We first came here over 10 years ago to re-introduce Polo to Mongolia and, well, just look at the level of playing today. Amazing."
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