Howard Hipwood Obituary News; Death-Cause of Death
The demise of Howard Hipwood, one of England’s best polo players, on Tuesday, June 6, has shocked and saddened the HPA. Howard, who was a huge presence on the polo field and was recognized as one of the best backs in the world, played off a handicap of 9 goals for more than 10 consecutive years.
He served as the first match of the Coronation Cup revival in 1971 and as captain of England from 1992 to 1997, when they won the Westchester Cup. In his 21 attempts to compete for the Coronation Cup, Howard was successful six times. He won every significant competition held in England, including the Gold Cup and Queen’s Cup. Throughout his career, he played in more than 50 nations, including the Argentine Open, and he won the Gold Cup in Deauville, the Gold Cup in New Zealand, and the World Cup in Florida for four straight years.
Later, Howard tried his hand at umpiring, and in 2006, the people of England chose him as the Best Professional Umpire. Through the VWH Pony Club, Howard learned the game of polo as a young child and trained at Cirencester with his brother Julian. At the 2008 Audi Polo Awards, the brothers shared the HPA Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of their great contributions to the game and to the polo community. Howard, an HPA Life Member, supported polo his entire life, and his family is carrying on his legacy.
Along with his children Oliver, Jessica, Rosanna, and Sebastian, Howard also leaves behind his sister Lyn and brothers Julian and Julian. The polo community will mourn him dearly, and we send our sympathies to his family.
