Scotland beat England at a unique polo match that saw the teams battling it out on Victorian-style bicycles.
They were competing for the Penny Farthing Calcutta Cup in London, with the Scottish side pipping the Auld Enemy 8-7.
It was the sixth edition of the match since 2013, held at the Ham Polo Club by the Penny Farthing Club.
© Max Milligan / SWNS
One Scotland player, Jon Beswick, even took to the field wearing a traditional kilt
One Scotland player, Jon Beswick, even took to the field wearing a traditional kilt.
The penny farthing was a popular form of transport in the 1870s and 1880s, named after British penny and farthing coins that differed greatly in size.
But the style of bike became obsolete from the late 1880s with the development of modern bicycles which had reduced risk of falling from height.
Competitive Penny Farthing Polo was invented by Neil Laughton, an entrepreneur and adventurer who holds three Guinness World Records for riding a penny farthing no handed.
© Max Milligan / SWNS
The two sides were competing for the Penny Farthing Calcutta Cup in Richmond
He said: “When I ride through Westminster on my 54 inch wheeled bike, everyone waves, cheers or takes a photo and it always puts a big smile on people’s faces.”
England captain Laughton has ridden his farthing 100 miles in a day and competes in international races.
Last year alongside David Fox-Pitt, Scotland’s victorious captain from the weekend, he raised £26,000 for the charity Mary’s Meals by riding from Land’s End to John O’Groats in 11 days.
For the Calcutta Cup, the rules are broadly similar to polo on horseback – four a side, mallet in the right hand, the usual ‘riding off’ and hook stick defence allowed.
Fox-Pitt, who made his way down from the Highlands for the match, plays for Dundee and Perth Polo Club, Scotland’s largest.
His teammates over the weekend included Beswick, who kept his kilt on for the game and First Lady international Melissa Eisdell.
© Max Milligan / SWNS.COM
Jon Beswick celebrates the win in style
Despite Scotland’s victory in the blazing sunshine, England are ahead 3-2 in the series, after the eternal rivals’ first encounter at Cowdray Park in West Sussex ended in a stalemate.
Other fixtures have been played at Herne Hill and at Guards Polo Club.
Inevitably, riders were seen crashing and falling off their bikes and hitting the ground.
Laughton hit the turf nine times during the five, seven-minute chukkas which they played this year in front of just 100 club members and players.
In past years there have been thousands of spectators cheering them on.