Partnership

LA MARTINA AND GUARDS POLO CLUB, WINDSOR GREAT PARK, UK

Guards Polo Club is the Jewel in the Crown of English polo; it is one of the most esteemed polo clubs in the world as well as the largest in Europe in terms of membership and quantity of playing grounds. Guards boasts the Patronage of the Royal Family (being based on Crown Estate land in the middle of glorious Windsor Great Park), and was founded in 1955 by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. Home to the famous Cartier Queen’s Cup as well as the historic Coronation Cup, Guards regularly plays host to celebrities, royalty, and VIP guests from all around the world in it’s famous Clubhouse and Royal Box overlooking the iconic Queen’s Ground.

 

La Martina has been an Official Partner of Guards Polo Club for over 15 years, and it is now the global home of La Martina’s hugely successful technical polo business, based within the beautiful setting of the pavilion-style La Martina Store located in the heart of the Club. The Boutique was officially opened by HRH The Queen in 2009, and has grown considerably in strength and turnover since then in to the destination store that it has now become. Attracting customers from all over the world, visitors are keen to view the seasonal collections, and in particular the La Martina Guards Polo Club military jacket which is now an iconic piece of tailoring and design in it’s own right.

 

As well as managing the Guards Store, designing and producing the global Guards collection, and outfitting the Guards team in their yearly uniform, La Martina also proudly sponsors the Varsity Day at Guards, the Ladies Charity Tournament, and the Guards Polo Club Youth Tournament, to further invest in and support the club and it’s players.

LA MARTINA E CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY POLO CLUB

Cambridge is ranked among the most prestigious universities in the world and currently sits as the world’s second best university, and the best in Europe. The University has won more Nobel Prizes than any other institution, with an incredible 121 Nobel laureates to it’s credit. Founded in 1873, the Polo Club at Cambridge is the oldest surviving polo club in Europe and the second oldest in the world. The annual La Martina Varsity Match against Oxford, established in 1878, is also the oldest continuing polo fixture in the world and is played at the iconic Guards Polo Club, the UK home of La Martina.


La Martina has had a close relationship with both Cambridge and Oxford polo, jointly known as ‘Varsity polo,’ for many years, not just as their Official Kit Supplier but also as the title sponsor of the historic Varsity Day at Guards Polo Club, and license holders of the CUPC and OUPC logos creating global capsule collections each year representing the clubs. Most recently, La Martina entered in to a unique co-branding partnership with Rowing Blazers, delivering a limited edition Rowing Blazers x La Martina Varsity capsule specifically in to the USA market.


King Charles III, who has recently acceded to the throne, is the Honorary President of Cambridge University Polo Club.

LA MARTINA E GUARDS POLO CLUB, WINDSOR GREAT PARK, UK

Oxford University is one of the oldest and most prestigious Universities in the world, with evidence of teaching that dates back as far back as 1096. Oxford has educated a wide range of notable and famous alumni including 29 UK Prime Ministers and many global heads of state and government. The Oxford University Polo Club was founded in 1874, just three years after the introduction of polo to Britain, and it continues to be a thriving and successful university polo club, bringing new students in to the sport as well as training existing players on to the next level.

 

La Martina has had a close relationship with both Cambridge and Oxford polo, jointly known as ‘Varsity polo,’ for many years, not just as their Official Kit Supplier but also as the title sponsor of the historic Varsity Day at Guards Polo Club, and license holders of the CUPC and OUPC logos creating global capsule collections each year representing the clubs. Most recently, La Martina entered in to a unique co-branding partnership with Rowing Blazers, delivering a limited edition Rowing Blazers x La Martina Varsity capsule specifically in to the USA market.

LA MARTINA AND HARVARD UNIVERSITY POLO CLUB

Harvard Polo Club is the oldest intercollegiate polo programme in the USA, building on a tradition of polo at the University which dates back to 1883. The team, re-established in 2006, normally has around 25 members which practise regularly at the nearby Harvard Polo and Equestrian Centre in Hamilton, Massachusetts, where the University has it’s own Barn and polo ponies. The club regularly organises international trips for it’s members, most recently having travelled to South Korea and then the UK, where they played a league match for the Atlantic Cup at Guards Polo Club, Windsor, during the famous and historical La Martina Varsity Day in June 2023.


La Martina boasts a long-standing friendship with Harvard which goes back many years, as both Official Kit Supplier and licensing partner designing and presenting Harvard branded clothing to a global audience. La Martina is proud to work alongside Harvard who also have a strong sustainable working practise and are invested in ensuring polo remains a permanent fixture in campus life for generations of students still to come.

LA MARTINA AND HARROW SCHOOL

Harrow School was founded in 1572 under a Royal Charter granted by Queen Elizabeth I. It is located within a leafy 300 acre estate which makes up most of Harrow on the Hill in North West London and most notably, famous alumni or ‘Harrovians’ include no less than 7 former British Prime Ministers. An all-boys boarding school, Harrow’s distinctive uniform consists of mourning suits and traditional English straw boater hats.

 

Harrow has a long history of sporting excellence, and polo is just one of those sports. Every year, Harrow receives an invitation from La Martina and Guards to play against Eton in the La Martina Varsity Match at Guards Polo Club, which is always held in June. In 2023, Harrow emerged victorious in this competitive and historical match. La Martina is proud to have been Official Supplier of Harrow School for more than 15 years and continues to provide kit for many generations of players and patrons bring educated at Harrow.

LA MARTINA AND ETON COLLEGE POLO TEAM

Eton College is an English independent boarding school for boys in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, and is world renowned for it’s history, wealth and notable famous alumni. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI, and now educates more than 1,300 pupils who can famously be seen walking around the village of Eton wearing the iconic black tailcoat, waistcoat and a white tie. Described as the most famous public school in the world, Eton has educated generations of British and foreign aristocracy and members of the British Royal Family.


The Eton College Polo Team is also steeped in history, and actively trains and plays in many tournaments including the prestigious La Martina Varsity Day at Guards Polo Club where every year they go head to head with Harrow School. The traditional rivalry between Eton and Harrow mirrors that of Cambridge and Oxford, and is always a popular sporting fixture for students and teachers at both schools to support. La Martina has been the Official Supplier of Eton for nearly 20 years, and is proud to call this one of it’s longest running partnerships.