A CELEBRITY polo match is set to light up the Gloucestershire Festival of Polo next weekend.

A team of Olympic legends put together by Zara Tindall will take on a team of jockeys captained by Sir AP McCoy at Beaufort Polo Club near Tetbury on Sunday, June 19.

The Olympic legends team will feature London 2012 cycling gold medallist Victoria Pendleton, no stranger to a horse having finished fifth in the Foxhunter Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March, London 2012 dressage gold medallist Laura Tomlinson (née Bechtolsheimer) and 2008 pentathlon silver medallist Heather Fell.

Zara said: “I’ve watched a bit of polo and played a couple of times in the past, so I know polo ponies are extremely responsive and very quick.

“It’s a difficult sport but great fun.”

Headed by the legendary McCoy, the jockeys’ team will be represented by John Francome, Richard Dunwoody and Marcus Armytage who between them hold 30 champion jockey titles, and have won four Grand Nationals and three Cheltenham Gold Cups.

Sir AP McCoy said: “I’ve ridden a fair few horses in my time but I’ve only had a go at polo once and it wasn’t easy.

“I play a bit of golf these days, so in theory I can hit a ball but I found doing that from the back of a horse a real challenge.”

Proceeds from the event will go to LAPResearchUK, the only charity in the UK dedicated to research into diseases affecting the liver, pancreas and gallbladder.

The Gloucestershire Festival of Polo begins on Saturday, June 18 with, entertainment, arena attractions, bar, a tented shopping village and polo matches throughout the weekend before the Olympians v Jockeys match, which is set to be the highlight, begins at 3pm on Sunday.

The festival is open from 10.30am-6pm both days. Tickets from £15 can be purchased on the gate. For more information visit beaufortpoloclub.com.