In 2016, Wal Ashton completed the film The Four Horsemen, a story about his father Jim Ashton and his uncles and the Goulburn Polo Team.
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Mr Ashton entered the 55 min film in the Equus Film Festival in New York City in 2016. It won Best International Documentary.
The film, introduced by Mr Ashton, will feature at a History Goulburn event held at the Soldiers' Club on Sunday, August 25 at 3pm.
August is Family History Month and the Ashton family story is one worth sharing.
Jim Ashton and his three brothers, Bob, Geoff and Phil lived at Markdale, near Crookwell and formed the Goulburn Polo team in the 1920s and 30s.
Their father, James Ashton, had bought the property for his sons, believing it would be the best life for the young men coming of age in the 1920s. They took up polo at the newly formed Goulburn Polo Club, and despite their father's disapproval, but supported by their mother, they became incredibly skilful players.
The Ashton brothers team rose to dominate Australian polo and the film The Four Horsemen tells the story of their successful trip to play polo during the 1930 English season. It documents their amazing voyage on the Port Huon cargo freighter from Sydney to Southampton with 25 polo ponies, surviving a ferocious storm en route in the Bay of Biscay and their reception in England. It highlights the string of victories that the Goulburn Polo team achieved in the 1930 English season, including being finalists in the match for English Polo's most coveted trophy, the Hurlingham Championship Cup.
Affected by the onset of the Great Depression and the collapse in wool prices, the prospect of bankruptcy was looming. The brothers proceeded to New York to play a series of exhibition matches in the hope of selling their polo ponies.
The documentary film includes interviews with the adult children of the four brothers and details a story of humble beginnings, teamwork, discipline, attention to detail and triumph against the odds.
There is no charge for the film. For booking and details: email historygoulburn.events@gmail.com subject line: Polo Louise Allison
