PREPERATION is underway for this years Sandpolo event at Sandbanks.
Organisers are working hard to transform Sandbanks Beach ahead of the British Beach Polo Championships being held across Friday and Saturday.
Teams have been in attendance since Monday to construct the site, which expects to host 6000 visitors over the two days.
The director of Sandpolo, Johnny Wheeler, said: “We have to compress the build time as much as possible.
“At Glastonbury they start six months before, but we’re using a public beach. We’re taking this beach away from the public, so every minute counts for us.
"It’s about a 10-day window we have to build, take down and run an event.
"We very rarely change our suppliers because they are so good. These guys just seem to love the challenge of building marquees in the sand."
The event being prepared for is well-loved across Sandbanks, inviting guests to watch fast-paced professional polo from a picturesque beach arena.
Johnny said: “If anyone hasn’t seen arena polo, I describe it as ice hockey on horseback.
“The spectators will be within inches of the horses. They can get really close.”
The polo is played during the day, but from 7pm each evening, beach parties commence. Guests will be invited to Friday's ‘Boogie on the Beach’ party and Saturday’s Sandpolo weekend closing party.
- Read more: Full guide to Sandpolo at Sandbanks in Poole in 2022
Guests also have access to a food village, with Asian food, Thai, pizza, burgers, paella, buffets, Caribbean food, and an extensive vegetarian menu.
Johnny said: “It provides an opportunity for people to enjoy a day and night time activity.
“Normally when you go to parties or events, its either an evening party or a sporting event in the day, but we combine the two.
“Everyone can relax and have a good time- theres a very cool vibe.
“It is on a beach, so it’s a relaxed atmosphere but people do dress up as if they’re going somewhere fancy.”
The upcoming event will also mark 15 years of Sandpolo at Sandbanks, and organisers have described it as ‘the largest beach polo event in the world”.
Tickets are still available online. For more information visit https://www.sandpolo.com/the-event/
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