Contents Winter issue 2007 Nº 62
THE TEAM
42 52 84 124 136
18 Argentine Season
INIGO ZOBEL Spanish Champion CELINE CHARLOUX Polo Femme ERNESTO TROTZ “I will play polo till I die” ALFIO MARCHINI Italian do it better LUKE TOMLINSON A Formula 1 Polo Team can be achieved
THE PONY LINES
30 34 36 38 106
90 Bernard Chandran
TIMELESS TRADITIONS Polo Museum TIPS Eduardo Amaya WORLD POLO TOUR Scoring system & Rankings POLO PROFILES REVIEW Horace Laffaye´s book KENYA A Century in Kenya
THE FIELDS OF PLAY 18 44 68 78 98 100 108
52 Celine Charloux
76 Beauty on Hand
ARGENTINE SEASON Drenched / The Ultimate Price SOTOGRANDE On the Polo Coast GSTAAD OPEN Land Rover Triumph in Gstaad ST TROPEZ Golden Champions WOMEN´S BRITISH OPEN Cadenza capture the British Open Ladies´ Championship PORTUGAL OPEN Hat-trick in Lisbon DEAUVILLE GOLD CUP One Hundred years of polo
THE LIFESTYLE 84 86 90 92 94 96 98
136 Luke Tomlinson
BRYN WILLIAMS A Man of Talent THE LOOK Restaurant Review BERNARD CHANDRAN Style THE LOOK Fashion Trends...News THE LOOK For Him...For Her THE LOOK Men´s Fashion THE LOOK Beauty News...New Winter Ranges
FRONT COVER PHOTO - St Moritz - PoloLine Inc.
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POLO QUARTERLY MAGAZINE WINTER ISSUE NO. 62
PQ INTERNATIONAL ENTERS A NEW ERA
Publisher & Editor PoloLine Inc. info@pololine.com Contributor Editor Roger Chatterton-Newman editor@pqinternaional.co.uk Beauty Editor & UK Sales Andria Dorler publisher@pqinternational.co.uk Administration & Distribution Tony Ramirez tony@imagesofpolo.com Fashion Editor Sally-Anne Shrimpton lifestyle@pqinternational.co.uk Design & Production Tomas M. Garbers tomas@pololine.com
O
nce again, you are holding PQ International in your hands, although this is not just another issue for us, and we hope you feel the same way. You will start noticing several changes owing to a merger between PQ International and PoloLine International. This merger, which began some time ago and was agreed upon after several months of negotiations, intends to be the start of a new era for the most important and long-standing English polo magazine. Thus, Argentina and England, the two countries with the greatest worldwide polo tradition, are coming together in this project. It is our intention to continue showing and analysing the various and numerous activities generated by polo around the world, not only in America and Europe. It is through these pages that we intend to offer you a brief though complete review embracing the significance of this sport in the different countries where we are usually present.
Photographs PoloLine Media Centaur Photographic Kim Kumpart M&M Productions Alice Gipps
PQ International and PoloLine International are formalizing this merger and will continue their hard work so you can enjoy our quarterly magazine. In this first joint issue we combined our forces and took pleasure in covering this amazing sport. We wish to continue our worldwide growth and bring new followers, not only to practice polo but also to learn from the stands as spectators.
Advertising Sales PoloLine Inc. pq@pololine.com
We now bid you farewell and hope you will rejoice in our coverage throughout the seasons, the analysis, interviews and photographs. Having the knowledge that you enjoy reading PQ International is our ultimate reward.
Printing Platt Printing Group PQ International 101 Western Road, Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex. BN6 9SY, United Kingdom Tel./Fax +44 (0)1273 835449 www.pqinternational.com E-mail: polo@pqinternational.co.uk
Thank you.
PQ International
Š POLOLINE INC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part strictly prohibited without the permission of the publisher. Although the publisher makes every effort to ensure accuracy, we cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions, or guarantee an advertising insertion, date, position or special position. Views expressed may not necessarily be those of the editor or the publisher.
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THE WORLD´S
POLO CHANNEL watch it on-line at www.pololine.tv
pololine.tv
Agustin Garcia Grossi and Marcos Di Paola
THE WINTER SEASON Preparations for the 24th Cartier Polo World Cup on snow
The world’s most prestigious winter polo tournament will be taking place for the 24th time on the frozen lake of St. Moritz from Thursday 24th to Sunday 27th January 2008. Around 20,000 spectators and over 130 media representatives from all over the globe will be watching 16 of the world’s best players in four high-goal handicap teams battling it out for the coveted Cartier Trophy. The Cartier Polo World Cup on Snow is one of the world’s highestranking polo tournaments. With a
team handicap of at least twenty, the St. Moritz winter polo event is one of just the dozen or so high-goal tournaments held in the course of the year. For a team to have such a high overall handicap means that some of the world’s top players have to make regular appearances. And that’s the reason why some of the world’s greatest polo stars spend four days charging across the frozen surface of the lake in St. Moritz. Last year, for example, they included Argentinian cracks Eduardo
Novillo Astrada, Milo Fernandez Araujo and Marcos Di Paola – names that fill any self-respecting polo fan with admiration. The players heading up the Cartier, Maybach, Brioni and Bank Julius Bär teams in 2008 are as follows: Cartier: Adriano Agosti (Switzerland) – Maybach: Philipp Maeder (Switzerland) – Brioni: Guy Schwarzenbach (Switzerland) – Bank Julius Bär: Charlie Hanbury (UK) and George Hanbury (UK). Brioni winners of the last edition
F
or many years it has been usual for a lucky few to spend the winter months of the polo season in the Southern hemisphere, where sunshine and polo go hand in hand. It is also a well trodden training ground for both ponies and players alike. The sale of La Taba offers just such an opportunity to provide a base for the migration from colder climes. Developed over the last 6 years, this is a quality farm and is part of a portfolio of land, which is in close proximity to the polo town of Lobos and Pilla. La Taba Polo Farm is situated approximately 120 km from Buenos Aires near the town of Lobos. It provides a wonderful base for the polo community being near other well known polo farms. Situated in 28 hectares ( 69.18 acres)
LA TABA amongst both mature and newly planted trees, La Taba extends to a full sized polo pitch, stick and ball ground and paddocks. The property is currently used as a family house and its position is beautifully private with large rooms and entertaining rooms and enough bedrooms to house all the guests. The main house is about 7 years old and is in very good condition with modern fixtures and fittings throughout. There are many traditional features in the main living areas such as fireplaces and a delightful gallery situated above the main reception room. La Taba has 10 bedrooms with 9 en suite bathrooms spread between the main section of the house and guest wings. Please refer to the agents for floor
plans and further information. In addition to the main farmhouse there is further accommodation for guests or staff. These include a 2 bedroom caretaker’s house and a further bedroom in the tower housing the water tank on the roof. There is an abundance of storage in the stable area with several loose boxes situated by the practice pitch and pony lines. The paddocks are connected with water and the full sized polo pitch is superbly irrigated. It is rare to find as property of this nature in this area, and very few properties come for sale. We see this as a unique opportunity to purchase a home from home in a fabulous setting.
Lobos – Argentina
La Taba Polo Farm Traditional farm house, 10 bedroom house with garden and swimming pool, two bedroom staff house with further accommodation. The property includes stables and corrals, ancillary barns, paddocks, irrigated polo field, stick and ball ground. In all, about 28 hectares (67.56 acres)
Price: $5,000,000
Apply: Robert Fanshawe Equestrian Property Services Tel: +44 (0)20 7861 1373 robert.fanshawe@knightfrank.com www.knightfrank.com
ARGENTINE SEASON 2007
DRENCHED
The latest Argentine season has been once again hit by appalling weather conditions, as Alejandra Ocampos reports
E
very year, the Argentine polo season creates great expectation. This is understandable, since it is considered the best polo in the world; the only place where a perfect 40-goal handicap can be achieved, where all the star players get together, with its highlight being the Argentine Open Championship, at the Palermo ‘Cathedral’, which is comparable to playing tennis at Wimbledon or racing at Monte Carlo. But this season no-one had anticipated such an undesired visit: constant rain, which produced a drenched spring season, and which has been wreaking havoc since.
FIRST CANCELLATION: THE JOCKEY CLUB OPEN
The Jockey Club Open is the step prior to the Triple Crown. It is a tournament in which, in general, high-goal players are divided into different teams, thus obtaining a rather interesting mix. In fact, the Jockey Club tournament, which takes place in San Isidro, Province of Buenos Aires, north of the Federal Capital, has earned great prestige and high rank. Just remember that in the 2006 edition, Ellerstina was the winner, made up of Gonzalito, Facundo and Nicolás Pieres, together with their father, the
legendary Gonzalo, who returned to the field for a while and took great pleasure in playing with his three extremely talented sons. So, the rain was up to its old tricks and the tournament had to be cancelled. And among others, we never did get to watch Alfio Marchini’s Loro Piana (2006 finalists),in which he was to be accompanied by stars such as Juan Martín Nero, his team-mate in England, Milo Fernández Araujo, and someone named Adolfo Cambiaso... Therefore, in order to have their fields in good conditions, the Tortugas Country Club, 35 km from Buenos Aires, in
Left: Facundo Pieres and Adolfo Cambiaso during one of Tortuga´s semifinals played at Palermo - Below: Paco de Narvaez
Above: Lucas Criado playing for the first time for Chapaleufu II - Right: Matias MacDonough
the locality of Tortuguitas, postponed the start of the tournament for a week.
THE TORTUGAS OPEN: A LONG AND WINDING JOURNEY
For El Paraíso and Ellerstina, the path towards the final was rather complicated. Tortugas began its Open Championship on a weekend with spectacular weather, presenting the first two classification matches: El Paraíso vs. La Aguada (Saturday, September 29) and Ellerstina vs. Chapa Uno (Sunday, September 30). Unfortunately, rain made a triumphant return during the first week in October. Rain and more rain during almost two solid weeks forced the Tortugas Country Club and the Argentine Polo Association authorities to permanently cancel the following two matches: La Aguada vs. Indios Chapaleufú II and Chapa Uno vs. La Dolfina. And, therefore, the planning and organisation was altered in order to directly move on to the semi-fi-
nals: El Paraíso vs. Indios Chapaleufú II and La Dolfina vs. Ellerstina. There were two other postponements, and it was only on Thursday, October 18 that the semi-finals were finally played, although not at Tortugas Country Club
Alejandro (7), the youngest brother, replacing Miguel (10) who was playing in Aiken, USA, at the time. El Paraíso won 11-7, in a slow, and far from free-flowing match, in which neither of the teams played well, al-
. THE QUESTION ARISES: WILL THIS BE THE PROMISING START, THE RETURN OF THE “Z” GUYS. PABLO MACDONOUGH SHOWS CAUTION WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING AN ANALYSIS: “WE STILL CANNOT TALK ABOUT AN ACTUAL RETURN. I WOULD SAY THAT THINGS WILL START BEING NOTICEABLE ONLY HALFWAY THROUGH THE HURLINGHAM OPEN.” but at Palermo, since the fields were in no condition to be played on. El Paraíso made their debut against La Aguada, and both teams presented certain changes. In El Paraíso, Ignacio Toccalino (6) replaced Sebastián Merlos (9), who was complying with the first date of his three-match suspension. Furthermore, Agustín Merlos had been suffering from ‘flu, which caused him doubts about his debut till the last moment. For their part, La Aguada had 20
though El Paraíso was slightly superior at all times; especially Ignacio Toccalino, who was coping with the difficult task of replacing Sebastián. For their part, La Aguada seemed to be disoriented, unable to find their way around the match. They were imprecise in their plays and practically ineffective when the time came to converting penalty shots. In the semi-final, El Paraíso played against defending champion, Indios Chapaleufú II. The Heguy brothers’ team
and their new team member, Lucas Criado, controlled a great deal of the game, always at the top of the scoreboard. But things changed as from the sixth chukka when El Paraíso, led by their great figure, Agustín Merlos, managed to tie the match (13-13). Only then did El Paraíso come out with a vengeance in the seventh and definitive chukka, scoring four goals (three scored by Agustín) against three scored by Chapa II, to later seal the final result (17-16), which allowed them to reach their first Triple Crown final. Ellerstina made their debut on Sunday, September 30, against Chapa Uno, in a great match which Ellerstina won 17-11. Both these teams also presented changes, since Ellerstina moved their chips around and had Pablo MacDonough play number 1, Gonzalo Pieres Jr number 2, Facundo Pieres number 3, and Matías MacDonough played back. Chapa Uno bet on Juan Martín Nero to play forward, and Bautista Heguy number 2, whilst Horacito and Marcos Heguy kept their positions as number 3 and back, respectively. On the day of their debut, Ellerstina made it clear that they were looking forward to a rematch after a bad 2006. They want to go back to being the explosive Left: Miguel Novillo Astrada - Above: Ruso Heguy and Tincho Merlos - Below: Gonzalo Pieres Jr.
Left: Eduardo Novillo Astrada between Tincho and Pite Merlos - Above: Gonzalo Pieres Jr. this year playing as N’ 2
Tortugas Open - Emilio de Anchorena Cup Argentina Zone 1 El Paraiso Agustin Merlos Ignacio Toccalino Juan Ignacio Merlos Francisco De Narváez
35 10 7 9 9
Indios Chapaleufu II Alberto Heguy Jr Ignacio Heguy Lucas Criado Eduardo Heguy
36 9 9 9 9
La Aguada Javier Novillo Astrada Eduardo Novillo Astrada Miguel Novillo Astrada Ignacio Novillo Astrada
38 9 9 10 10
Zone 2 Chapa Uno Juan Martín Nero Bautista Heguy Horacio S. Heguy Marcos Heguy
37 9 10 8 10
team they were in 2005; a team that was only one step away from winning the Triple Crown. Moreover, it is worth mentioning Facundo Pieres’ superb performance, which was more inspired than ever: he scored 11 out of 17 goals for his team. As an interesting piece of informa-
Ellerstina
38
Facundo Pieres Pablo Mac Donough Gonzalo Pieres Jr Matías Mac Donough
10 9 10 9
tion, the match play by these teams almost ended up being a clash between the legendary Mexican brothers, Memo and Carlos Gracida. Memo is Ellerstina’s coach and Carlos is Chapa Uno’s coach, though he did not arrive in time for the debut. 25
La Dolfina Adolfo Cambiaso Lucas Monteverde Mariano Aguerre Bartolomé Castagnola
39 10 9 10 10
In the semi-finals, Ellerstina left La Dolfina behind, after a resounding 1712, having controlled the game from the very beginning. They started the first chukka 4-0, with Facundo Pieres playing once again as their outstanding figure and with Pablo MacDonough highly
recovered from the debut, in which he had not scored a single goal; against La Dolfina he had scored five. For their part, La Dolfina, a tough team if ever there was one (it is enough to mention Adolfo Cambiaso), did not demonstrate their usual level of play. Perhaps, it may all be summed up in Bartolomé Castagnola words at the end of the match: “La Dolfina will be the ones to appear at Hurlingham’s first match.” Ellerstina and El Paraíso took part in a vibrant final, with a crushing start performed by the Pieres and the MacDonough’s teams, and ended the first chukka 4-1. Ellerstina’s team began to flag in the fourth chukka, a situation which El Paraíso took advantage of, Bartolome Castagnola
headed by very good performances of Ignacio Toccalino and Pite Merlos. This chukka ended in a 5-5 tie, and would be the first of four ties which continued until the end of the game. It became a constant two-way match, in which both teams did not give each other a break, coming and going constantly towards each other’s goal posts. This went on until the end of the seventh and last chukka with a 13-13 tie, forcing the match to be extended. Slightly before the supplementary chukka began, an on-the-spot penalty converted by Facundo Pieres allowed Ellerstina to win the match as well as their second Tortugas Open Championship. The question arises: will this be the
promising start, the return of the “Z” guys. Pablo MacDonough shows caution when it comes to making an analysis: “We still cannot talk about an actual return. I would say that things will start being noticeable only halfway through the Hurlingham Open.” Place Tortugas, Argentina Tortugas Country Club Date 25-09-2007 to 13-10-2007 WPT Category Polo Masters
Above: Pite Merlos full speed at Tortuga´s Open Final - Below: Ellerstina at the podium
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ARGENTINE SEASON 2007
THE ULTIMATE PRIZE
Roger Chatterton-Newman looks at the history of the Argentine Open, the 114th edition of which is about to take place
T
here can be no doubt that the trophy for the Argentine Open – or, more correctly, the Campeonato Argentino Abierto – is the most coveted polo prize in the world. Although the number of teams entering the tournament is usually restricted to eight, for reasons not immediately obvious, some of the greatest players to have lifted a mallet have taken part, and this year’s edition – the 114th – promises to be no different. As the ancient Greeks regarded Parnassus as being sacred to the Muses, so in modern times one could term Palermo, Buenos Aires, as the Parnassus of polo. It is there that the final of the Argen-
tine Open takes place before the largest polo crowd imaginable and, let it be said, without a commentator. Argentine spectators know their game – unlike so many crowds in England and the USA, they are there for the game! The success of Argentine polo, and the Open in particular, would delight David Anderson Shennan, the rancher who organized the first ‘official’ game on his estancia, La Negrette, in 1875. Shennan, who came from Kircudbrightshire in Scotland, was not the first settler to play polo in South America. There are traditions of British and Irish ranchers, who had seen or played the game in India, forming scratch teams on the pampas
28
some years before Shennan’s Country versus City tournament. Shennan, however, appears to have been the first to have thought on tournament lines, even though the City team was ignorant of even the basic rules. Initially, indeed until the early part of the twentieth century, Argentine polo remained firmly in the hands of Shennan’s fellow settlers; and after the inauguration of the Open in 1893 the dominant squads, Hurlingham and The Casuals, were comprised of Englishmen or Scotsmen. Shennan himself never played in the tournament. In 1891 he married Margarita Dolores Parish, a grand-daughter
of the celebrated Sir Woodbine Parish (1796-1882) who, as first British Minister in Buenos Aires had negotiated treaties with the fledgling South American nations, newly independent of Spain. So much were Sir Woodbine’s efforts on their behalf appreciated that, in 1839, he had been grantez citizenship of Argentina and the right to bears its coat of arms as his own. He retired to London where he died in 1919, leaving £467,000 – the equivalent today, it has been suggested, of around £40 million in modern money. One of his sons was to marry into the polo-playing Daly family from Ireland but in Argentina other names – Balfour, Scott-Robson, Traill and Lacey among them – were to be pre-eminent in guiding polo forwards. The Open was known initially as the River Plate Championship, after the River Plate Polo Association, formed early in 1892. Eleven of the scattered Argentine polo clubs joined the association, which was to amalgamate with the Argentine Polo Federation thirty years later and which could best be repaired with the old County Polo Association in England.
The aim of the River Plate Polo Association was to introduce some form or order into the rapidly expanding polo world and, to these ends, the rules of the Hurlingham Polo Committee in London were adopted. The Argentine equivalent and namesake of the Hurlingham Club was to win the Open fourteen times between 1893 and 1929. The inaugural tournament saw a Hurlingham team victorious in two games – beating Quilmes 4-1 and North Santa Fé 1-1, both games being held on provincial grounds. In 1904 North Santa Fé, based around the celebrated Anglo-Irish cousins Johnny and Joe Traill, won for the first time and were to be victorious a further six times until 1917. The Traills – Johnny was the first Argentine player rated at 10-goals – also helped to bring Argentine polo to a wider audience. Since 1893 there have been only three breaks in continuity in the Open – 1914, 1945 and 1985 – and since 1928 the venue has been Palermo. Initially, perhaps, the most prominent team was Venado Tuerto, a combination of Cavanaghs and Alberdia, with seven wins between 1944 29
and 1955. The record, though, of no less than twenty-four victories remains with Coronel Suarez, achieved between 1952 and 1981. The brother Alberto and Horacio Heguy, together with the Harriotts, introduced a new and formidable dimension to polo, one that continues today with a new generation. An Indios Chapeleufú team last won the Open in 2004, although victory for the last two seasons has belonged to the phenomenon known as La Dolfina, led by the inimitable Adolfo Cambiaso. He will certainly be trying for a hat-trick this year. Whatever the result at Palermo on 9 December, once can be certain that leading international names will be engraved on the trophy, although one must admit a certain longing for a team visiting from outside Argentina to carry off the cup. In 1932, a Meadow Brook team from the USA – Michael Phipps, Winston Guest, Elmer Boeseke Jr and William Post – won the Open, the last non-Argentines to do so. No British team has ever reached the final, so there is another goal to be attained in the not too distant future.
The front-side of the museum at Florida
TIMELESS TRADITIONS Horace A. Laffaye visits the National Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in Florida
T
ucked in the corner of Lake Worth Road and Lyons Road, in the western fringes of the town of Lake Worth in Florida, stands the National Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame. It is a unique institution in the world of polo because in addition to its own vast collection of art, trophies and artifacts, it is the repository for the United States Polo Association’s most valuable trophies, houses a large variety of the game’s memorabilia, including a respectable polo art collection, comprising paintings, bronzes and prints, and a comprehensive sporting and video library. The museum also provides something intangible, but nevertheless priceless for lovers of polo: an atmosphere that exudes an exquisite appreciation for the game’s history and timeless traditions. First conceived by the fertile minds of Philip Iglehart, Leverett Miller,
George Sherman and Jeremy Chisholm, the museum opened its doors in 1997. Philip Iglehart donated a third of the land; the Beal family, S.K. Johnston Jr,
are welcome. The museum staff prepares rotating temporary exhibits on many aspects of the game of polo. During the summer
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF POLO AND HALL OF FAME IS A SELF-SUSTAINING, NON-PROFITMAKING ORGANIZATION, TOTALLY INDEPENDENT FROM THE U.S. POLO ASSOCIATION. the Orthwein family, and John T. Oxley subscribed for the balance. The building’s construction began in 1996 and was completed one year later. The National Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame is a self-sustaining, nonprofitmaking organization, totally independent from the U.S. Polo Association. The Oxley Foundation recently gave the main impetus to a fundraising campaign by donating a matching gift of one-million dollars. Admission is free, although donations 30
months, when there is no polo in south Florida, there is a traveling exhibition that visits polo centers in America, from California to Rhode Island and from Saratoga to Aiken or Houston, to name just a few locations. The permanent collections are most impressive. The US Open Championship Trophy, presented by Joseph B. Thomas in 1910, which was crafted by the talented artist Sally James Faraham, occupies place of pride. Also on exhibit are the main national and international
polo trophies: the Gold Cup, the C.V. Whitney Cup, the Monty Waterbury Cup, the Hall of Fame Cup and the oldest USPA polo trophy in America, the Silver Cup, originally the trophy for the Junior Championship, which dates back to 1900. As to the international scene, there is a replica of the Westchester Cup, first played in 1886, and the oldest extant international polo tournament. The Willis L. Hartman Trophy, given to the Best Playing Pony in the US Open is a gem manufactured by Garrards, the British Crown jewelers. Related to international polo, is the Lawrence J. Fitzpatrick Bowl, presented to Mr Fitzpatrick by the players and alternates of the 1911 American team in appreciation of his care and conditioning of their ponies for the Westchester Cup. The trophy was donated by his daughter, Mrs Mary Silfvernagel. There also are many trophies from the nineteenth century, whose craftsmanship is admirable. Among these, mention must be made of the 1898 Championship Trophy and several individual trophies showing the elaborate contemporary designs. The art collection is quite impressive. Perhaps the jewel of the crown is a Chinese scroll from the T’ang dynasty period presented by polo player and Palm Beach resident Leverett Miller, Harry Payne Whitney’s grandson. The most impressive picture is an oil painting of Devereux Milburn on a pony, tentatively identified as Tenby, by the hand of Franklin Brooke Voss. Milburn, whose career included playing for Oxford University, Myopia Hunt Club and Meadow Brook Club, was a 10-goal international player who in his prime was reckoned to be the best Back in the Brenda Lynn and George Dupont
world. He played for America in every Westchester Cup match from 1909 until 1927, an unbeatable 14-match record, all but six as captain. Tenby was Milburn’s favorite pony. This painting was donated by the Milburn family. Other important paintings include Hurricanes vs. Templeton by Larrence McKenna; the famous mare Fairy Story by Thomas Percy Earl and Sam Savitt’s George Haas and Feather. Last, but certainly not least, are the paintings of all the ponies honored in the Hall of Fame’s Horses to Remember category, painted by Canadian artist Melinda Brewer. An interesting item is a photograph of an unknown mounted polo player, highlighted with watercolor and gouache,
Brenda Lynn and George Dupont
a gala function at the Museum every February. The inductees’ names are displayed on suitable plaques on the Hall of Fame Wall, within the museum’s main exhibit area. It is a veritable collection of polo
ANOTHER IMPORTANT PART OF THE MUSEUM’S MISSION IS THE SELECTION OF NOMINATED CANDIDATES INTO THE POLO HALL OF FAME. dated 1882 and formerly in the Sanford collection. The Museum’s best bronzes are two examples by Charles Cary Rumsey, an 8-goal player and distinguished sculptor: Harrison Tweed and John R. Fell. The Philip L.B. Iglehart Library room was donated by Mr and Mrs Carlton Beal. On its shelves are important books and magazines related to polo and other equestrian pastimes. There is a complete run of the USPA’s Blue Books, starting in 1890, its founding year.The 1890 Year Book is probably the only volume in existence; some years ago a facsimile edition was printed, and that particular edition has already become a collector’s item. The Media Room was donated by Adolphus A. Busch, IV. It is a state-ofthe-art projection facility, which also serves as a meeting and conference room. The movie and video collection numbers hundreds of items. Another important part of the museum’s mission is the selection of nominated candidates into the Polo Hall of Fame. It is a long and laborious process carried out by the nominating committee. Anyone can nominate a player or a pony for induction into the Hall of Fame’s different categories: the Hall of Fame proper, the Iglehart Award for lifetime contributions to the game, and the Horses to Remember Award. Each nomination is carefully reviewed yearly and submitted for a written vote. The selections are then presented to the board of directors which renders a final decision. The awards are presented at 31
greats and outstanding ponies who left their mark in the history of the game. Each recipient – or a relative – and the pony’s owner is presented with a bronze modeled by Rich Roenisch as a tangible memento of their achievements. If you are in southern Florida, a visit to the Museum is a must stop on your itinerary. George DuPont, the museum’s director, and Brenda Lynn, director of development, are friendly and most knowledgeable people. They will welcome and take you on a most informative and interesting tour of the museum’s holdings and will answer just about every question you may have.They will even offer you a cup of coffee and a slice of delicious chocolate cake. Bring along the kids as well; they will enjoy watching Mickey Mouse and his friends playing a fierce polo match, where the good guys always win. Dr Horace Laffaye is on the board of directors of the Museum of Polo and is a member of the Hall of Fame Nominating Committee. Location & Directions: 9011 Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth, FL 33467. Take the Turnpike Exit 93 for Lake Worth Road. Located just one mile west of the Turnpike, at the intersection of Lake Worth and Lyons Road, East of Hwy. 441.
A FEW LINES REGARDING THE GAME By Eduardo Amaya - Polo Instructor (El Molino Viejo Polo Ranch, Lobos, Argentina - eamaya@pololine.com)
1
Polo is a complex sport in which two athletes perform individually. On one hand the player and on the other the horse. There should exist a perfect balance.
7
To be able to anticipate, it is important to read the ‘mimic’ of the person who will hit the ball - ‘mimic’ is self-expression through movement.
2
Before hitting the ball whether forward or backward, look up and ahead so you know where you will be hitting it.
8
Practicing how to hit all backhanders teaches you how to anticipate.
3 4
Trust among players on a team facilitates anticipation.
9
When a player speculates while jostling, look at his hands which, in point of fact, are the ones that order the horse to move, because otherwise you will always be responding too late.
It is important to anticipate where a team-mate or an opponent will be hitting the ball in order to arrive there first and score or create a new play.
5
When you anticipate and you achieve what you had planned, it means you are playing well.
6
The backhander is the key to anticipation. 32
10
When you focus on a player always try to be a few centimetres ahead of him, so you can win the play.
11
Make sure you play at angles, always looking for a new line and never wandering in circles around the field or you will never have a line.
12
Being tense during the match is of no use whatsoever. This has an overall detrimental effect, even on your way of thinking. The only things that should be tense are your adductors.
28
As a match develops, a good player knows exactly where each opponent and each team-mate is positioned on the field. This is category glittering.
13
Dragging a mark is good, but being marked and dragged out of a play is bad.
29
In every throw-in, watch the way the referee throws the ball. This will help you to anticipate. Not all of them do it the same way.
So, when you get the ball, you will need to know for certain where the rest of the players are positioned on the field, what distance they are at and the speed at which they are moving.
14
30
A short and well-placed hit is more efficient than a long and aimless one.
15
Remember: man first, later the ball, so you can control your area.
31
16
When attacking, always play in the centre. When defending, always towards the sides.
A discerning player takes the right decision in a simple and easy way in each play, whereas an undiscerning player gets easily muddled up.
17
32
When you move towards a play, if you have made your decision, do not have any doubts, for this is fatal.
There is no better defence than attacking continuously.
18
33
The best players show great adaptability in the face of abrupt changes in play.
A backhander hit at an angle is important and it establishes a line, but a forehand which is not hit at an angle leads to trouble.
19
If you want someone to improve, encourage him. Never discourage him.
34
A team that hits the ball directly (passes) maintains the speed of the ball.
20
Penalty shots are mental barriers. In order to vanquish them you must silence the ghosts and act with conviction.
35
Practices among bad players,or mainly without any guidance,will lead you nowhere. This, as well as senseless stick n´ball, only causes bad habits since you will accentuate any defects.
21
There are players who distract you with the ball (there is magic in the way they act), and then, when you fix your eye on the ball, they pass it on to another player who is in the exact right place, and this is what we call ‘polo magic’.
36
Speculating when an opponent misses a ball will lead you to missing a play.
37
Two players belonging to the same team heading towards the same play (ball or opponent) show lack of concentration.
38 39
If possible, before jostling, rebalance the horse.
40
For a forward, the most valuable hit is the one that provides the key to scoring an approach goal.
41
Remember: the higher the speed of your horse, the lower swing speed.
42
When you set out to tack in order to improve you should do so practicing every possible hit and shooting the ball towards a clearly-defined target.
43
During the game, great players economize musclewise. They play relaxed. New or inexperienced players save no energy. They do not economize musclewise.
22
There is no such thing in polo as a play that has not yet occurred. So, how do you learn? Improving the good plays and eradicating or forgetting the bad ones.
23
Only a bad sportsman deliberately hits the ball outside the field to kill time.
24
When you ask a team-mate to pass on the ball, you must be sure you can hit it because otherwise you will both be losing it.
25
Good players use their headlights on the field whereas bad ones use their dipped headlights.
26
A well-hit and well-placed backhander is the type of hit that causes the most devastating effect on the opposing team.
27
Talking a lot on the field leaves less time to think.
33
Being good at tacking, being well mounted and knowing how to anticipate grants advantages in polo.
WELCOME TO THE WORLD POLO TOUR
T
he World Polo Tour (WPT) is the most important international polo ranking in the world, specializing in press coverage of the most prestigious tournaments. Both amateur and professional players follow it continuously, turning it into an exciting activity; and it is through the website ( www.worldpolotour.com) that all the information is gathered, including the points obtained by each player, as well as the results of the different tournaments that make up the WPT. The World Polo Tour is divided into several categories made up of the tournaments played in different parts of the world. The categories are as follows: the Grand Slam, the Polo Masters, the WPT Cup and the Challenge Cup, in order of importance. The Grand Slam includes the three most important Open Championships in the world: the Argentine Open, the US Open, in the USA, and the Gold Cup for the British Open in England. The Polo Masters category includes the Hurlingham and Tortugas Open Championships in Argentina, the Queen’s Cup and the Prince of Wales Trophy in England, as well as the CV Whitney Cup and the USPA Gold Cup in the USA. It also includes the Copa Cåmara de Diputados (Chamber of Representatives Cup) and the Jockey Club Open (Argentina), the Cartier World Cup on Snow (St. Moritz), the Gold Cup in Sotogrande (Spain), the Warwickshire Cup (England), the Pacific Coast Open (USA) and the Deauville Gold Cup (France). Finally, the Polo Masters includes the Ellerstina Gold Cup, the Argentine Republic Cup, the Indian Empire Shield Trophy (England), the Ylvisaker Cup (USA), and the Mercedes Benz Cup (USA), among others. Polo on snow also has its own space within said WPT, under the Snow Polo category. Players participating in this category obtain extra points in three of the tournaments comprised within this category: the Cartier World Cup on
1st
34
World Polo Tour EVENT CATEGORY
NATIONALITY
WINNER POINTS
Grand Slam Grand Slam Grand Slam
Argentina USA England
170 150 150
80 70 70
50 50 50
25 25 25
Polo Masters Polo Masters Polo Masters Polo Masters Polo Masters Polo Masters
Argentina Argentina England USA USA England
150 130 120 100 100 100
70 65 60 60 50 50
50 40 40 40 30 30
25 20 20 20 15 15
Cámara de Diputados Cup Sotogrande Gold Cup Pacific Coast Open Jockey Club Open Deauville Gold Cup Warwickshire Cup Cartier on Snow
WPT Cup WPT Cup WPT Cup WPT Cup WPT Cup WPT Cup WPT Cup
Argentina Spain USA Argentina France Englando Switzerland
90 90 80 70 70 60 60
45 45 40 40 35 35 30
30 30 20 20 20 15 15
15 15 10 10 10 8 8
Gold Cup (Ellerstina) Sotogrande Silver Cup Argentine Republic Cup French Open Royal Windsor
Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge Challenge
Argentina Spain Argentina France England Switzerland England France USA Switzerland France Argentina USA Argentina Argentina Argentina USA Spain Argentina England Argentina Portugal England France Argentina Argentina Argentina Argentina Argentina Argentina
60 50 50 50 50 60 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40
30 25 25 25 25 30 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
15 10 10 10 10 15 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
8 5 5 5 5 8 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
TOURNAMENT Argentine Open United States Open British Open Hurlingham Open Tortugas C.C. Open Queen’s Cup CV Whitney Cup USPA Gold Cup Prince of Wales Trophy
HSBC Guyerzeller Polo Gold Cup Gstaad Indian Empire Shield Trophy Mercedes-Benz Cup 113 open de Paris Swiss Open International St. Tropez Copa Lan Arelauquen Ylvisaker Cup Mitre Cup Araucaria Open Balfour Cup USPA Monty Waterbury Cup Memorial Domecq Cup National Arg Tournament The Queen Mother Centenary Cup Flag Day Cup Portugal Open Duke Of Wellington Gold Cup (St Tropez) President Cup Argentine Open under 21 years old John Miles Cup Remonta y Veterinaria Cup Province Cup Diamond Cup
35
FINALIST SEMI REST OF POINTS FINALIST PLAYERS
Snow, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, the most important and prestigious polo tournament played on snow, and the Moscow Tournaments (Russia) and Aspen Tournaments (US). On the other hand, the Cartier World Polo Cup on Snow is the only tournament that adds points in both rankings, that is to say, the general and the snow category. Soon, the World Polo Tour will include a new category: a points-per-team system in each season, by which the best polo teams of the year will be made known.
SCORING SYSTEM AND RANKINGS
Regardless of the position achieved with their teams in each tournament, all players participating in the competitions, which make up the different categories, will be awarded points individually. According to the position, points will be awarded to winners, finalist, semifinalists and the rest of the players. The Palermo Argentine Open is the tournament that
awards the highest amount of points: a total of 325 distributed as follows: the winner: 170 points; finalist: 80; semifinalist: 50, and the rest of the players: 25 points. Besides the overall scoreboard, all players participating in snow polo tournaments are ranked independently within the Snow Ranking, which means they compete to be the best in each category. All players adding points, both professional and amateur, appear within the general ranking which in turn have their own rankings. All rankings and profiles of each player, with their points, highlights and other details can be found on the World Polo Tour Web Page at: www.worldpolotour.com. In short, an exciting ranking, with an ATP-Tour style, and the Formula 1 Championship, so you can follow world tournaments and your favourite player’s race closely.
36
WPT Best Players
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Adolfo Cambiaso (1115 points)
Eduardo Novillo Astrada Jr (788 points)
Gonzalo Pieres Jr. (744 points)
Juan Martin Nero (729 points)
Mariano Aguerre (697 points)
Javier Novillo Astrada (689 points)
Pablo MacDonough (645 points)
Facundo Pieres (642 points)
Lucas Monteverde (602 points)
David Stirling Jr. (527 points) (as for November 2007)
PROFILES IN POLO Edited by Horace Laffaye - Prologue by HRH The Prince of Wales
If there is anyone within the world of polo who knows the history of this sport in full detail, it is Horace Laffaye. A passionate historian and member of the Board of Directors of the Polo Museum in Wellington, Florida, Laffaye presents his new book: Profiles in Polo, in which he transcribes the history of brilliant players with contributions from different collaborators. It has been elaborated with the different profiles of the protagonists within the stages of evolution of modern polo, which began in the mid-XIX century and continues to develop today. The book is divided into five parts. The first is devoted to the pioneers, those who brought polo to the west from India and who were mostly English officers stationed in this country during the mid-XIX century (back in the days when India was part of the British Empire ruled by Queen Victoria). And so, Roger Chatterton-Newman is in charge of the first piece of history, and it is he who outlines the profile of Edward ‘Chicken’ Hartopp, to whom he attributes the first polo match played in England in 1869, as well as the first rules of the game. This section also includes John Watson, a British officer, who created the backhander and was considered to be the ‘Father of British Polo’. American player Foxhall Keene also appears; an amazing sportsman to whom we ascribe the honour of having been the first to hold a 10-goal handicap in history, back in 1890. The second part, amid wars, covers the period subsequent to the development of World War I, between 1914 and 1918. From then onwards, the first big international tours take place as well as the irruption of Argentina as a dangerous rival to both polo powers at the time: England and the United States, who used to compete for supremacy in the Westchester Cup series. Thus, the first two players to hold a 10-goal handicap in Argentina make their first appearance Johnny Traill (1913), the ‘Irishman from the Pampas’, and Lewis Lacey (1915), the ‘Polo Knight’, with Horace Laffaye himself portraying their history. This section also includes Earl Mountbatten of Burma, who, later, would be the driving force behind his grandnephew, the Prince of Wales. The third part looks at the polo
superstars, over a period covering the ‘thirties up to the ‘sixties. It was the time of Tommy Hitchcock and Cecil Smith and the Hurricanes, Bob Skeene and Carlos Menditeguy who, according to Laffaye, “deserves a separate paragraph, owing to a rare mixture of two generally contrasting components: on one hand, an informal guy, always in a good mood and with an incredible self-esteem; and, on the other hand, a guy with a great mental preparation and a dedicated game expert”. Among the star figures, legendary Juan Carlitos Harriott, who is considered to be best polo player of all times, could not be left out. Horace Laffaye named him 38
“The Polo Aristocrat”. The fourth part is devoted to those who became great polo patrons and driving forces. Thus, and subsequent to an introduction covering events which occurred within the international scene after World War II (1939-1945), the different polo patrons appear, characters who, according to Laffaye, have been a part of the polo world for over one hundred years (according to common knowledge, the first polo patron was the Maharaja of Patiala). This section opens with Roger Chatterton-Newman’s comment on Lord Cowdray, responsible for the resurgence of postwar British polo, cousin of Winston Churchill (who was an outstanding amateur polo player) and creator of the Gold Cup in 1956, nowadays the most important polo tournament in Europe. Chris Asthon provides a profile of Kerry Packer, the Australian player who founded Ellerston as well as Ellerstina, its counterpart in Argentina, and who constituted a memorable partnership with Gonzalo Pieres. ‘Win at any cost’, is the title of the story of this great polo businessman. Marcos Uranga, the first president of the Federation of International Polo is portrayed, followed by Claire Tomlinson, one of the women to have gone farthest within this sport, not only as a player but as a horse breeder and trainer and, furthermore, as the driving force behind the careers of her children, Luke, Mark and Emma. The book ends with a section devoted to great contemporary players. The introduction mentions that polo is the ‘king of games and the game of kings’, with a review of members of the royal family who have devoted their time to C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
EU
UROTRACK
this sport, with England taking the lead, including Edward VII (a regular polo spectator), right up to Princes William and Harry, as well as George V, George VI and the Duke of Edinburgh. Thus, this section begins with a profile of Prince Charles, who has contributed the foreword to the book, who mentions Australian player Sinclair Hill as his greatest influence and inspiration. This stage also includes Alberto Pedro Heguy, the legendary team member of Coronel Suárez who participated in twenty-eight consecutive Argentine Open Championships, from 1963 up to 1991; Gonzalo Pieres, ‘Superstar player and businessman’; Memo Gracida, ‘Field Marshal’; Julian Hipwood, ‘Living polo legend’; and concludes with the profile of the top star player nowadays, the highly talented Adolfo Cambiaso, whom Sebastián Amaya calls ‘A kid from Cañuelas’. Reading through its 266 pages, Profiles in Polo becomes a fascinating journey through time, casting light on the history of those who have contributed towards this fascinating game. Furthermore, it is illustrated with a large number of photographs, many of which had never been published till now. The contribution CUARTO.pdf 19/11/2007 10:26:07 by Horace Laffaye himself and by those who have collaborated in this book, some of the most respected polo writers, have turned Profiles in Polo into an indispensable read for all of those who love polo, and for those want to know what it is all about.
EUROTRACK Tel: 0044 (0) 1797 253900 email: parkwayuk@btconnect.com
by
Fax: 0044 (0) 1797 253811 web: www.parkwayuk.co.uk
PARKWAY acknowledges the growing demand of all-weather Polo and therefore developed EUROTRACK (PF) to accommodate the stringent standards required by this market. The superb resilient qualities ofEUROTRACK (PF) and it’s ability to stand up to play at the highest level makes it the ultimate choice of an all-weather surface for Polo. For further information on EUROTRACK or our other quality surfaces contact the synthetic surface inventor PARKWAY PARKWAY UK LTD Coppards Lane Industrial Estate Northiam, East Sussex, TN31 6QR 39
IÑIGO ZOBEL
SPANISH CHAMPION Iñigo Zobel started to play polo over thirty years ago in Sotogrande. Few people know this place as well as he does and now, into the bargain, he has also won the Gold Cup, Spain’s premier polo trophy. He spoke to PQinternational about his polo career and his hopes for the future W hen did you start playing polo? I began when I was thirteen years old. My father and my grandfather used to play, so it seemed only natural that I would follow suit. Now my son also plays, so I guess you can say we are a polo family. My father was the pioneer of polo in Sotogrande. He was the one who started everything, and we are continuing his work. How old were you when your fa-
ther started polo in Sotogrande?
It was back in the 1960s, so I was around ten years old. W hat
do
you
about those days?
remember
most
The fields on the beaches – they were amazing and everybody used to talk about them. I think that, back then, the idea was to create a polo centre in Europe, especially in Spain. Much of this has been achieved. We have the fields and there is a polo season. Of course, the most important time of the year is in July and August and during Easter week. Therefore, the only problem is figuring out what can be done during the rest of the year. W hat would be the solution? I think winter polo could be brought to Europe, for instance from England, considering the weather over there isn’t very good. We always have good weather in Sotogrande, so they could come and train their horses here.
Above: Playing the final against Celine´s Charloux team
Last
year you started with your
new club, Ayala.
Yes, I used to rent this place from the Moras, for the Santa María Polo Club. Basically, we worked on the fields, improved facilities and stables. And then I rented a part of the Río (River) fields, half of which belongs to Ayala. W hat
aiming?
are
you
and
your
club
We want it to be a residential area, and we are awaiting a government permit. Besides, I want Ayala to be a polo and equestrian club. I believe that a lot more can also be done as regards equestrian sports. Are you involved in showjumping? No, I only play polo, but my daughter is into showjumping, and of course, I support her.
Is
this
season?
your
first
high-goal
I played high-goal around twelve years ago but later on, I didn’t have much time to play during the season. Last year, I played medium-goal, to get organised with the proper horses and go back to playing high-goal. I think we now have good horses, that is the reason we won the Gold Cup this year. We were very fortunate. The team worked very well. After all, somebody has to win, and this time it was our turn, although it was a tough final against Loro Piana La Capilla, whom we know very well. Has
this victory changed your
life or your plans as regards polo?
No, nothing has changed. I am happy to have won, to have included my name in this tournament.
Many
people say
‘If
we don’t win,
we will try again next year’. win, they say
‘Well,
If they
we need to go
and play somewhere else, such as
England’.
No, I am staying in Sotogrande. I like it here and, besides, I do what I like doing and I can improve, and at the same time I get to play polo. I live in the Philippines, where I do business and hold investments, and that’s where my home is. We have a polo season from December through March. I then return to Sotogrande, to play in the Easter Week season which lasts three weeks. Therefore, to me, Sotogrande is like being on holidays. I spend half the day at the office and the other half enjoying life and relaxing. W hat does the name Ayala mean? Ayala is a company in the Philippines that belongs to my family, which has
Below: Iñigo, Santiago Laborde and Jose Donoso celebrating the victory in quarterfinals
Above: Receiving the Gold Cup at Sotogrande from the Marchioness of Milford Haven
been diversified into different businesses. It is the name of the company, which is around a hundred years old. Then there is also Ayala España (Ayala Spain), which is a separate company, independent from the one in the Philippines. We only carry one per cent of the business. Ayala owns some property here, through which we are also linked to polo. W hat
do you imagine the polo
business will be like in twenty years’ time?
I don’t intend to worry anybody, but I think that if we wish to maintain polo in Sotogrande, we will have to enhance the fields at Santa María. This has already been talked about. Otherwise, people will choose to go elsewhere. Furthermore, teams should become involved in organisation matters. It is all a question of communication. It is as simple as that 45
but it must be done. We have everything here, so we must invest more towards making better fields and getting people involved in the programmes. How
do you feel about profes-
sional polo nowadays?
Everything is becoming more professional. Polo has changed and it is different to the classic game that used to be played. Nowadays, it is as if everybody were marking the way for someone else. Polo in Spain has gone a long way. It is different in England – it seems to be more established. After Argentina, I believe it is the best polo, with the best players and the best horses in the world. Every year, they break all the records for team entries, and nobody can compete against that.
SOTOGRANDE
ON THE POLO COAST
PQ International visits the polo centre of continental Europe for the latest season at Santa María Polo Club, Sotogrande
Polo is considered to be the number one means of getting people together in the south of Spain, and Santa María Polo Club, which becoming increasingly better organised and more professional, has all eyes on it for the high season. It began on July 26th and continued August 31st, with the Jaeger Le Coultre Gold Cup, the ABN AMRO Silver Cup and the Hackett Bronze Cup as the high-goal championships. Medium and low-goal tournaments are also played.
S
otogrande never stops growing, or ever ceases to surprise us, and this sustained growth of polo in the south of Spain is a pleasant surprise to anybody coming here for the first time. Quite some time ago, Sotogrande had become the most important polo centre in continental Europe: only in the British Isles can we appreciate a greater
season as regards organisation, number of players, horses and teams. Not only are equestrian sports growing but the whole area of Andalusia, better known as the Costa del Sol or Costa del Golf (Golf Coast) – basically between the city of Malaga and the Rock of Gibraltar – which is involved in a real estate and construction boom, and there
are not many places like this in Europe. Constantly promoted by the club and the press as a record, having registered a total of 116 players divided into twentynine teams mounted on over 1,000 horses, the XXXVI Lexus Polo Tournaments (the Triple Crown mentioned above) have already become a classic in Spanish sports. José Donoso and Agustìn Nero
According to club registers, throughout the month over 4,000 people gathered around these polo fields, and owing to an agreement achieved by Santa María Polo Club, EuroSport television network, the greatest sports TV channel in the world, broadcasted the event in over fifty countries, reaching over 100 million homes and three million hotel rooms, having translated their programs into
more than nineteen languages. But not everything was about television in Sotogrande, since there was also an inscription record as regards accredited press, besides the outstanding support as sponsors offered by three traditional media groups from Spain - El Mundo newspaper, Telva (a women’s magazine) and Hola magazine, as well as other local media companies including La Bocha
The Loro Piana La Capilla´s player: Jaime Garcia Hudobro (Chile)
The Chilean player Cote Zegers and Pablo MacDonough
magazine, Absolute from Madrid and the new local edition of Polo Lifestyle.
A LITTLE HISTORY
Urbanization in Sotogrande began in 1964, when Joseph McMicking, a North American citizen based in the Philippines, settled in the area and planned the first steps of urban development. A year later, his nephew Enrique Zobel inaugurated the first field in Sotogrande, in a place nowadays known as El Cucurucho Beach Club. In 1967, Sotogrande received the definitive boost necessary to achieve major growth: the Summer Tournament, although the Sotogrande Gold Cup was actually played for the first time in 1971, and won by Pedro Domecq de la Riva’s Casarejo Portales team. Almost forty years later, the winning teams list has become very long and includes historical polo teams such as Casarejo,Villafranca, La Alicia, Geebung, Outback, Woodchester, Talandracas, Scapa-John Smith, Cingiñuelas, Las Monjitas and Loro Piana, among others. Players of international stature such as Juan Carlos Harriott, Luis Lalor, the Heguys, Adolfo Cambiaso, Gonzalo Pieres, Alejandro Díaz Alberdi and the Novillo Astradas, just to name a few, have won the Silver or Gold Cup in Sotogrande. Historical patrons such
Gaston Toto Urturi
Bronze Cup High Goal Final Ayala Polo Team Iñigo Zobel. David Stirling jr José Donoso Santiago Laborde
Ahmibah
20 2 7 7 4
20
Jeffri Bolkiah George Meyrick Pablo Mac Donough Gastón Urturi
2 4 9 5
Date 26-07-2007 to 01-08-2007 Level 20 hdp Winner Ahmibah (15 - 10)
Medium Goal
Villa Real Xie Xie
FINAL A
FINAL B
Leones Capial Esperanza
Date 27-07-2007 to 31-08-2007 Level 12 hdp
10 9 7 8
Alfio Marchini, Alberto Moretti, Guido Boehi, Camilo Bautista, Álvaro Sainz de Vicuña, Patrick Guerrand Hermés, the Marquis of Artasona and Horacio Annunziata, among others, have realised their dream of becoming champions.
AYALA WON THE GOLD CUP, LORO PIANA WON THE SILVER CUP
The year also had its great polo celebration, and several teams left feeling satisfied and having achieved their objectives. First of all, a special mention should be made to patron Iñigo Zobel’s team Ayala, the Gold Cup champion, also featuring Argentine players Alejandro Muzzio and Santiago Laborde as well as Chilean player José Donoso. Muzzio was replaced by Uruguayan player David Stirling, who was injured during the British Open final while playing for Loro Piana, paradoxically the rival defeated by Ayala in the Sotogrande final by scarcely one goal (13-12). Other teams also left with smiles on their faces, such as Loro Piana, having presented two line-ups during this season: Loro Piana Terranova (Alfio Marchini, Matt Loder, Juan Martín Nero and Martín Espain) and Loro Piana 49
Hilario Ulloa
Brothers Juan Martin and Agustin Nero
SILVER CUP High Goal Final
Loro Piana Terranova Alfio Marchini Matt Loder Juan Martín Nero Martín Espain
Scapa Michael Redding Agustín García Grossi Marcos Di Paola José Zegers
Medium Goal Final
20 0 6 8 6
20 2 6 8 4
Date 03-08-2007 to 16-08-2007 Level 20 hdp Winner Loro Piana Terranova Result 10 - 9 Challenge Cup
La Capilla (Celine Charloux, Agustín Nero, Jaime García Huidobro and Lucas James). The first, that is Marchini’s team, won the Silver Cup (they won the Gold Cup last year) and were defeated by Loro Piana La Capilla in the semifinals, thus having won the Gold Cup sub-championship.
Dr. A A.A. Abar Santiago Cernadas Ignacio Domecq Gabriel Iglesias
Esperanza
Low Goal Final
12
Santa Quiteria
6
0 5 4 3
Javier Entrecanales J.M Entrecanales Pablo Soria Pelayo Berazadi
0 0 4 2
Capial - Ke
6
Eduardo Camacho Juan Carlos Gavira R. Gimenez A.M Escassi
0 2 4 0
12
Kevin Korst J. Torroba Carlos Solari Nicolás Alvarez
0 3 6 3
Date 02-08-2007 to 15-08-2007 Level 12 hdp Winner Dr. A Result 12 - 9
Bahar Jefri, native of Brunei, and his Ahmibah team also left the competition feeling satisfied. Jefri, together with professional players George Meyrick, Pablo Mac Donough and Gastón Urturi, won the subsidiary Gold Cup, after beating Michael Redding’s traditional Scapa team in the final. 50
Date 27-07-2007 to 12-08-2007 Level 4-6 hdp Winner Santa Quiteria Result 9 - 8
Thus, another successful season has come to an end in the south of Spain, having vibrated once again with the best polo in continental Europe. Urbanisation in Sotogrande continues to grow, and quite a few people want to change its nickname the Polo Coast.
GOLD CUP Low Goal Final
Medium Goal Final
Santa Quiteria
6
Villa Real
Javier Entrecanales J.M Entrecanales Pablo Soria Pelayo Berazadi
0 0 4 2
Roberto Villa Real L. Rodriguez Hilario Ulloa P. Alvarez
Bisontes
6
Woodchester
J. Carabasa G. Moriconi Santiago Moyano A. Sainz
0 2 4 0
Gabriel Aguirre Mario Gómez Silvestre Garros Craig Mckinney
Date 17-08-2007 to 30-08-2007 Level 4-6 hdp Winner: Santa Quiteria Result: 9 - 7
Gold Cup Low Goal Winner Santa Quiteria
Date 17-08-2007 to 30-08-2007 Level 12 hdp Winner: Villa Real Result: 13 - 10
High Goal Final
12 0 4 6 2
12 1 3 7 1
Ayala Polo Team Iñigo Zobel Alejandro Muzzio José Donoso Santiago Laborde
Loro Piana La Capilla Céline Charloux Agustín Nero Jaime García Huidobro Lucas James
20 2 7 7 4
20 0 6 8 6
Date 18-08-2007 to 31-08-2007 Level WPT Cup Winner: Ayala Polo Team Result: 14 - 13 MVP: Alejandro Muzzio (Ayala) BPP: Patagonia (owned by Pelon Stirling rode by Alejandro Muzzio) Gold Cup Medium Goal Winner Villa Real
Gold Cup - High Goal Winner: Ayala Polo Team
CELINE CHARLOUX
POLO FEMME Finalist in this year’s Copa de Oro in Sotogrande with Loro Piana La Capilla, and married to Alfio Marchini, who is one of the most successful patrons of the last few years, Celine Charloux enjoys polo with her husband and family. In an exclusive interview with PQinternational, she talks about a life surrounded by horses and polo
W hat is your life like, Celine? At
present, apart from playing polo, you have yet another occupation, as you recently had a baby.
I don’t have much time to think about it – but I am happy. Everything is going very well, and I make the most of my time to rest, swim. I am still breastfeeding my baby, so that takes up quite a lot of my energy, but all the same I manage to recover so I can play polo. W hat
difficult,
would you say was more playing
semi-final Alfio, or the Nero brothers, Martín, played the
against your husband final in which the
Agustín
and
Juan
against each other?
I think the semi-final was more difficult. It’s different – the struggle is different and it felt very weird. But they are happy because they did well during the British season, and they have Juan Martín, who is the future Cambiaso, so they have the rest of their lives to win. How did that semi-final unfold? Did you and Alfio discuss it? No, Alfio talked to me all the time – it was horrible! Alfio loves watching videos and commenting on them, so he helps me watch the matches and if I make a mistake he points it out. He gives me advice – he did so in the final – although I am not quite sure whether it is good or bad!
W hat was the atmosphere before
the semi-final, when you were going to play against Alfio?
We were slightly nervous. At first we laughed, we thought it would be fun, but in the end it wasn’t, because we both wanted to win. Tell
us a little about the story
of La Capilla, in Sotogrande.
My father bought this place ten years ago. It used to be an orange-growing area and he changed it completely and created the polo paradise it is today, with horses everywhere and very good fields, only ten minutes away from the Santa María Polo Club. My father lived in Argentina for twenty years and this was his way of placing Argentina in the centre of Andalusia. What does Sotogrande mean to you? As regards polo, I love it. The Moras, the Santa María Polo Club, they have all done a enormous job, and they are developing a very important facility at Los Pinos fields. They have done something marvellous, similar to Punta del Este only without Jose Ignacio! We are lucky to be very isolated and the truth is that, after England, this is the best polo. Besides, Argentines have a good time because they speak Spanish and it’s as if they were always on holiday. People come and enjoy themselves. W hat does polo mean to you? W hat is it like sharing this passion with Alfio? I started playing polo in Paris with my brother when I was twelve years old. Back then, I used to ride, but one day we went to watch a match and I completely fell in love with polo. We started saying that we wanted to play, but everyone said no, not in France, although in Argentina we could play. The Macaires, especially Lionel’s father, tutored us taught us everything we know, but I only started playing tournaments when I was twenty-three. I began playing 8-goal tournaments, later 14-goals and two years ago I started playing high goal with Alfio. My father never let me play high-goal, but Alfio said yes because high-goal is easier and less dangerous than low-goal. We have
this passion that brings us closer together, and now his son started playing, as well. We already entered him in a children’s tournament; and the youngest, Cruz, is five months old, he has already mounted a horse with his godfather, AgustĂn Nero. I do hope he can play. It is my lifelong dream, and it would represent the utmost achievement to my father. Have you ever imagined your life
without polo?
I don’t know. I started when I was twelve, and it is something I have always lived with. I definitely consider it to be a part of my life. Due to polo you both live in Argentina, England and Sotogrande? Yes, Alfio works in Italy, but he manages well because he sleeps very little. He jumps from one plane to another and tries to comply with his schedule so he can work in Italy. Otherwise, we spend six months in Argentina, England and Sotogrande, and I also travel to Paris to work for my foundation. Alfio is one of the few players La Capilla: a little of Argentina in Andalucia
who takes part in almost every season.
But
he doesn’t play that
much in Italy or France, why?
I believe that the level in Italy isn’t that high. It is very pleasant, but Alfio cannot find what he wants and, as regards France, we don’t live there. We are mostly in Sotogrande and Argentina, and it is in Argentina where the best level can be found. Once you start playing there, you don’t feel like playing anywhere else. If someone asks us where we are living now, I always say: ‘Argentina, where we have a beautiful house: we love the place and the people.’ There
has been a great deal of
Alfio wanting to play Open this year. Can you picture him on F ield 1 at Palermo? talk about the
I’d love that, but if he manages to do so someday, it will have to be the right moment. He would have to play at a level in which nobody can say he is there because he is the patron, since this would be very bad for polo as well as the professional world. If he keeps on 55
improving – and, after all, he works very hard at the game – and if someday he feels he is in the right condition, he will do so. He isn’t the kind of person who does things haphazardly, and this isn’t the right moment. Tell
us
what
foundation in Paris.
about
your
I began six years ago, in order to help children suffering from cancer, with the idea of collecting funds for hospitals and to provide medical supplies. There is also an aspect devoted to horsemanship, since we bring convalescent children to ride as we believe that a horse can be a recovering child’s best friend. We now want to do something similar in Andalusia and create an exchange programme for Spanish and French children and, considering I live six months a year in Argentina, we want the foundation to help homeless children there, as well.
PACIFIC COAST OPEN
ZACARA POUNDS OUT A 14-10 WIN IN THE BOMBARDIER PACIFIC COAST OPEN Report by Alex Webbe - photos by Kim Kumpart
A
ccording to club manager Andy Smith, the field of only four teams in this year’s Bombardier Pacific Coast Open has been attributed to a number of injuries to California’s high goal patrons. “We lost at least four high-goal patrons due to injuries in the last few months,” Smith offered, “but the teams we do have this year are quality entries that feature some of the game’s top players.” Piocho Ranch emerged as the early favorite for the tournament after winning the Americas, a competition immediately preceding the Open, but some interesting developments would soon scramble that picture. Piocho Ranch scored the opening win in the 2007 Bombardier Pacific Coast Open with a hard-fought 12-11 win over Audi Polo. The Piocho Ranch attack was wellbalanced and effective with Memo Gracida, Kris Kampsen and Julio Gracida each scoring four goals for the win. Audi’s Gonzalito Pieres scored nine goals with seven of them coming from open-goal penalty shots. In the Open’s second match, Zacara handed Andy Busch’s Grants Farm/ERG team an 8-5 beating in a low scoring tedious affair. Paco de Narvaez set the pace for Grants Farm/ERG with four goals while Australian 7-goaler Ruki Baillieu netted five goals on the day. “It wasn’t pretty polo,” said player/ spectator Salazar Lopez. “There were too many unnecessary whistles that continued stopping the game”, he added. “They never had an opportunity to get any kind of rhythm going.” Ugly or not, the win left Piocho Ranch and Zacara as the only unbeaten teams, and set them on a collision course for the
Kris Kampsen in front of the main stands
Nick Roldan and Julio Gracida going for he ball
56
following Sunday. In the second round of play Audi Polo rebounded from an opening loss to defeat Grants Farm/ERG as Gonzalito Pieres scored eight goals in regulation play and the deciding goal in sudden-
Audi that cost them the game. . Audi’s Gonzalito Pieres had 10 opportunities to convert unguarded penalty shots. The nine-goaler was good on five of them, and Zacara took the match. Piocho Ranch returned a realigned
“IT WASN’T PRETTY POLO”. “THERE WERE TOO MANY UNNECESSARY WHISTLES THAT CONTINUED STOPPING THE GAME”. “THEY NEVER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET ANY KIND OF RHYTHM GOING.” death overtime for the 12-11 victory. The second game of the day would be one not soon forgotten as Zacara rode out to meet Memo Gracida and Piocho Ranch. The superior horses of Piocho Ranch were soon neutralized by the hard-riding style of the Zacara players, and the pace picked up as major fouls were overlooked while minor infractions were whistled. “The umpiring wasn’t one-sided,” noted one spectator, “it was just inconsistent.” It was in the third chukker, with Zacara leading 6-2 that it happened. Zacara sponsor Lyndon Lea crossed Gracida, forcing his horse to the ground. Kampsen had just been jarred by an aggressive bump from Nicolas Roldan, and by the time he looked up found Gracida and horse directly in front of him and had no time to avoid another collision. Play stopped with Kampsen and Gracida and their horses on the ground. While both players were forced to leave the game, the unthinkable happened. Not only was there no whistle on the play, but as replacements were being pulled from the sidelines to replace the two players, the Zacara supporters were shouting for the umpires to throw the ball in and start the game. With four Zacara players and only Tom Barrack and Julio Gracida on the line for Piocho Ranch, the umpires threw the ball in and play resumed, (Kampsen and Gracida were replaced with J. J. Celis and Gonzalito Pieres). but the Piocho team struggled to reclaim its composure for the rest of the game). Zacara rode an 8-2 halftime lead to a 1410 win. The third round of action pitted Audi Polo (1-1) against Zacara (2-0) in a game that was much closer than its score.. Zacara rode on the back of Ruki Baillieu’s six goals on the way to a 13-9 win, but it was the penalty shooting of
team to the field to face Grants Farm/ ERG. Kampsen would return to the field with a sore right shoulder while T. J. Barrack Jr. would take his father’s place while Carlos Gracida took the Number 3 spot for his brother Memo. Carlos scored eight goals in leading
Nick Roldan
TEAMS AUDI POLO
19
Melissa Ganzi Gonzalito Pieres Juan Bollini Sunny Hale
0 9 7 3
Scott Wood Jeff Blake Francisco de Narvaez Andy Busch
0 6 9 3
20
PIOCHO RANCH
20
ZACARA Lyndon Lea Ruki Baillieu Nicolas Roldan Brandon Phillips
0 7 8 5
Ruki Baillieu
57
GRANT´S FARM/ERG
Tom Barrack Kris Kampsen Memo Gracida Julio Gracida
19
1 6 8 5
PACIFIC COAST OPEN 2007 by Kim Kumpart
A
spate of unexpected injuries to the high goal patrons in Santa Barbara this year cut the list of teams from the normal down to just four. In most cases you would think that the competition would be limited but such was not the case. The stage was set as Tom Barrack and the injury plagued Piocho Ranch took the field to square off against a strong Lyndon Lea and the Zacara squad. Piocho was first to score and took an early lead, but it was to be the only lead they held all day. Ruki Bailieu quickly evened the score as Zacara stretched their lead in the first chukka and never looked back. The pace of played continued to pick up in what was to become one of the fastest and most exciting Pacific Coast Opens them to a 14-12 victory. The win would return Piocho Ranch to the field for the Pacific Coast Open Championship against a dangerous and unbeaten Zacara team. Audi Polo would salvage its trip to the West Coast by scoring an 11-7 win in the tournament’s consolation match, the Western Badge & Trophy championship, a game in which they never trailed. With speculation running rampant as
in recent memory. It was fast end to end competition on the perfectly manicure polo pitch. Through the next two chukka’s of play it was all Zacara as Piocho struggled to keep pace. At the break Zacara held a 2goal lead 8-6. As the teams went to their corners to analysis and prepare for the second half the crowd took to the field in the traditional divot stomp. The teams returned to the field as play was set to start in the second half. Would Piocho be able to return to its pre-injury form? Would Zacara be able to control the field of play as they had in the first half? Only time would tell. The fourth chukka was one of the fastest ever played at Santa Barbara as the teams raced from end to end to who would take the field for Piocho Ranch, 9-goaler Julio Arellano was flown in from Big Horn, Wyoming, and Tom Barrack (broken finger on his mallet hand and all) returned to the lineup. The handicap of never having practiced with the Piocho Ranch team and riding on strange horses seemed to be too much to overcome for Arellano as Piocho Ranch fell behind 8-4 after the first three chukkers. The combination of
with both teams scoring. It was clear that this game was not over yet as the horn sounded ending the chukka it was still a 2-goal advantage for Zacara though. Piocho mounted an attack in the fifth chukka that drew them to within on goals by Julio Gracida and Kris Kampsen. That was as close as they would get though as Zacara rallied and as the chukka ended they again held a 3-goal lead. It was now crunch time for Piocho as the sixth and final chukka got underway. They were going to have to get some breaks if they expected to prevail. It was not to be though as Zacara remained strong and missed opportunities by Piocho spelled defeat. In the end it was a very fast, end to end, clean polo match that will set the standard for future matches. Roldan and Baillieu were in fine form as they combined for ten goals (five apiece) while Brandon Phillips added four goals on the day. Julio Gracida scored four goals with teammates Kampsen and Arellano adding three goals apiece. Nicolas Roldan received MVP honors while Memo Gracida’s 11-year-old mare Petaca (played by Julio Arellano) won Best Playing Pony honors. Place: Santa Barbara, CA SANTA BARBARA POLO CLUB Date: 03-08-2007 to 26-08-2007 Level: Amateur Category: WPT Cup Winner: Zacara MVP: Nicolas Roldan (Zacara) BPP: Petaca WPT Points: 80
Zacara
58
www.pololine.com
PALM BEACH PREVIEW
POLO ROCKS IN PALM BEACH Alex Webbe looks forward to the new season at North America’s leading high-goal club
T
he vast green expanses of polo fields sit quietly idle at the International Polo Club Palm Beach awaiting the anticipated onslaught of horses, groom and players that will soon be taking control of the hallowed turf. Horses coming in from far and near will take up residence in area barns and the click of mallet on ball will fill the quiet air from dusk until dawn as the curtain is once again raised on Florida’s high-goal polo season.
Familiar settings and comfortable surroundings, but the 2008 season has some new twists to it as the recently-organized North American Polo League makes its entrance onto the center stage this year amid traditional tournaments and competitions. “We’re looking at one of our most successful seasons this year,” said IPC Polo Director Jimmy Newman. “We’ve adjusted the handicap limit on the Joe Barry Memorial Cup and The Ylvisaker
Cup down to 20 goals in an effort to conform to the national levels of competition while keeping the season anchored with the Whitney Cup, the USPA Gold Cup and the United States Open Championship.” As for the emergence of the North American Polo League on the International Polo Club landscape, Newman promises a showcase that will introduce the sporting public to a professional brand of the game that looking to estabMatias Magrini and Gonzalo Pieres Jr.
Above: nearside neck shot from Pablo MacDonough of Jedi Polo Team at the 2006 US Open Semifinals - Below: Pite Merlos
lish itself and its franchises as the cornerstone of professional polo. Newman was pleased with the initial response to the re-fashioned Barry and Ylvisaker competitions at the 20-goal level, with nine teams entered in the initial January competition. “We only had seven teams in the Joe Barry Memorial Cup last season,” said Newman, “a lot of the teams and players like to get settled into their barns and fields for a few weeks before jumping into competition, but I’m very pleased with the response we received.” Among the teams looking to make a mark for themselves in the early season is the All-American Mt. Brilliant team. Hailing from the Lexington, Kentucky area and captained by Hutton Goodman ( John Goodman’s nephew), the Mt. Brilliant 20-goal lineup boasts the talents of 8-goaler Jeff Hall, and six-goalers Kris Kampsen and Jeff Blake. Michigan’s Scott Devon (3) will be returning with his Catamount team that will include Brandon Phillips (5) and Todd Offen (5), and Nicolas Roldan (8), while movie star/cowboy Tommy Lee
Jones will bring Toto Collardin (7) and Luis Echezarreta (3) into battle with him on his San Saba team. Paco de Narvaez (9) will be the final compliment to the team. John Goodman and his Isla Carroll team will be returning to the ranks of high-goal play after a hiatus. Joining him will be Sugar Erskine (7) the young Californian 5-goaler Shane Rice and Silvestre Donovan (7). Two teams will be returning from the Johnston stables in 2008, as Gillian Johnston and David Stirling Jr. (10) will represent Bendabout. Will Johnston will join the balance of his late uncle’s Skeeterville team of Julio Arellano (8) and Owen Rinehart (7). Four-goaler Chris Nevins will join them. New York’s Matias Bullrich will be making his debut on the Florida highgoal scene with this Polo Do team of Guille Aguero (7) and Michele Dorignac (7). A veteran of Bridgehampton Polo competition, Bullrich will get a chance to measure the strength of the Florida teams this season. The Audi entry will field a team of Melissa Ganzi, Gonzalito Pieres (9), Juan Bollini (7) and a Stevie Orthwein (4). Ganzi, Gonzalito and Bollini played
together in this summer’s Pacific Coast Open with Sunny Hale, and will be looking to capitalize on their experience together this winter in Wellington. Pony Express will fill out the field in the early tournaments with Bob Daniels at the helm of a team that includes Federico (6) and Gonzalo Von Wernich (7) and Tomas Goti (7). With the field of teams still unsettled for the Ylvisaker Cup, it is uncertain as to just how many entries there will be. Last year there were only seven teams in the Joe Barry Memorial but thirteen entries in the Ylvisaker Cup. “Its hard to say what to expect at this stage of the game,” said Newman. “Sometimes we get teams showing up at the last minute trying to get their horses started for the 26-goal, sometimes we just get a few teams interested in the Ylvisaker Cup. There’s no telling.” The 26-goal season at the International Polo club promises to be as competitive as ever. Currently there are 12 teams on deck featuring no less than six of the worlds ten 10-goalers. The Catamount team won’t be back to defend its C. V. Whitney Cup crown as
team captain Scott Devon has decided to limit his tournament play to the 20goal level, and last year’s Piaget Gold Cup and Stanford Financial U. S. Open Championship Crab Orchard team was handicapped out of existence. David Stirling, Jr., was moved up to eight goals; Matias Magrini was elevated to ten goals; and even team captain George Rawlings was kicked up a goal. This year’s Crab Orchard team will continue to be built around 10-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso with Nachi Heguy (9) and Jeff Blake (6) joining George Rawlings (1) in the lineup. The team is sure to be well mounted, and will return a great deal of firepower to the field again this year. Victor Vargas and his Lechuza Caracas team that will include Pite and Sebastian Merlos will mount another charge this year after falling in the finals of the Piaget Gold Cup last spring. Lechuza had a very successful summer, scoring an impressive win in the British Open, and it will be looking to improve upon an impressive record from last season’s competition. Peter Brant will bring back 10-goaler Mariano Aguerre to lead White Birch as it looks to add to its impressive record
Adolfo Cambiaso lead Crab Orchard to win the Gold Cup and the US Open in the 2006
Mariano Aguerre from White Birch Polo Team, one of the oldest and strongest teams in the US polo history - Below: Nacho Novillo Astrada.
number of gold Cup wins and take another shot at returning to the winner’s circle of the U. S. Open. The full team hasn’t been selected as yet, but it is sure to be a competitive one. Facundo Pieres has found himself in the middle of a realigned Isla Carroll 26goal entry that will include Marcos DiPaola and Magoo LaPrida and, of course, John Goodman. Camilo Bautista’s Las Monjitas team won the Open in 2006 with two Novillo Astradas (Nachi-8, and Eduardo-9), and this year hopes that three Astradas is a charm. Los Monjitas has added Javier Astrada (9) to the lineup. Audi is scheduled to compete in the 26-goal competition as well with Melissa Ganzi again joining forces with Bollini
lini and Gonzalito Pieres and Francisco de Narvaez (9). This will be Melissa Ganzi’s first foray into the 26-goal level of play. Bob Daniels has added a little punch to his Pony Express high-goal entry with half of last year’s Open championship team in David Stirling Jr. (8) and Matias Magrini (10). Nick Roldan will be brought in to complete the Pony Express threat. The Johnston stables will be busy again this season with Gillian’s Bendabout team relying on the talents of Miguel Novillo Astrada (10) Alejandro Novillo Astrada (7) and 8-goaler Mariano Gonzales. Skeeterville will return to competition with Will Johnston filling in for his late uncle. Julio Arellano (8), Adam Snow (9) and Owen Rinehart (7) will do their best to win a major high-goal event to
honor their late friend and teammate. Black Watch has a new look to it with 9-goalers Pablo and Matias MacDonough joining Neil Hirsch and Nacho Figueras (6) in an effort to better their 2007 record. Steve Van Andel’s Orchard Hill team made it to the finals of the Open in 2001, 2002 and 2006 leaving with only a taste of the champagne poured into the trophy, but will be looking to take it all this year as it returns to Florida the same lineup. The thinking is that the team has had a year of playing together to get the chemistry right, and this year will be the year for Orchard Hill. Finally, Jedi is scheduled to return to 26-goal action this coming season built around 10-goaler Juan Martin Nero and patron Torsten Koch. Jedi will be without Magoo Laprida (who will be
playing with Isla Carroll) and Pablo MacDonough (playing with Black Watch) who helped carry them to last year’s U. S. Open finals, but promise to field another competitive team. It’s a long season, and there are a lot of talented teams in competition, but in the words of Adolfo Cambiaso. When asked to speculate on the winner of the 2007 U. S. Open Championship, “I think it will be a matter of horse management”. It’s tough to argue with a man with the credentials that Cambiaso has. So before you make any wagers on the winners you might want to take a good hard look at their barns and pay attention to how they are managing their horses throughout the season.
Matias Magrini together with Adolfo Cambiaso won 5 of the 6 Palm Beach High Goal Tournaments
Left: Victor Vargas - Right Camilo Bautista
TEAMS for the 20 goal league Mt. Brilliant Hutton Goodman Jeff Hall Kris Kampsen Jeff Blake
Bendabout 0 8 6 6
Catamount Scott Devon Brandon Phillips Todd Offen Nicolas Roldan
1 10 -
Skeeterville 3 5 5 8
San Saba Tommy Lee Jones Gerardo Collardin Luis Echezarreta Francisco de Narvaez
Pony Express
Gillian Johnston Miguel Novillo Astrada TBC TBC
0 6 7 7
Audi
Will Johnston Julio Arellano Owen Rinenart Chris Nevins
2 8 7 4
Polo Do 0 7 3 9
Bob Daniels Federico Von Wernich Gonzalo Von Wernich Tomas Goti
Melissa Ganzi Gonzalito Pieres Juan Bollini Stevie Orthwein
0 9 7 4
Isla Carrol
Matias Bullrich Guille Aguero Michele Dorignac TBC
0 7 7 -
John Goodman Sugar Erskine Silvestre Donovan TBC
0 9 7 -
TEAMS for the 26 goal league (CV Whitney, Gold Cup and US Open) Lechuza Caracas Victor Vargas Juan Ignacio Merlos Sebastian Merlos TBC
Bendabout 1 9 10 -
White Birch Peter Brant Mariano Aguerre TBC TBC
2 8 7 9
0 8 10 8
George Rawlings Adolfo Cambiaso Ignacio Heguy Jeff Blake
1 10 9 6
Orchad Hill
Torsten Koch Juan Martin Nero Francisco Bensandon TBC
0 10 8 -
Audi 1 8 10 7
Bob Daniels Nick Roldan Matias Magrini David Stirling Jr.
Crab Orchard
Will Johnston Julio Arellano Owen Rinenart Adam Snow
Jedi 0 8 9 9
Isla Carrol John Goodman Marcos Di Paola Facundo Pieres Cristian Laprida Jr.
1 10 7 8
Skeeterville 3 10 -
Las Monjitas Camilo Bautista Ignacio Novillo Astrada Eduardo Novillo Astrada Javier Novillo Astrada
Pony Express
Gillian Johnston Miguel Novillo Astrada Alejandro Novillo Astrada Mariano Gonzalez
Steve Van Andel Lucas Criado Jeff Hall Hector Galindo
0 9 8 8
Black Watch
Melissa Ganzi Gonzao Pieres Jr. Juan Bollini Francisco de Narvaez
67
0 9 7 9
Neil Hirsch Pablo Mac Donough Matias Mac Donough Ignacio Figueiras
0 9 9 6
GSTAAD
LAND ROVER TRIUMPH IN GSTAAD
Santiago Chavanne was the key player when it came to reasons for the men in white defeating Gstaad Palace 10-7 in this years final in the Swiss resort. Previously, HSBC had beaten Nespresso 7-6 ½ for third place
Francisco Irastroza and Francis Fucci
O
ver five thousand people awaited with bated breath the final match between Land Rover and Gstaad. It was obviously going to be well worthwhile, with no less than six Argentines out of the eight players on the field. A highly inspired Santiago Chavanne set the course of the match from beginning to end, although he only managed to score in the second chukka: the first of Santiago Charanne
his six goals out of the ten he converted during the match. Another Santiago, this time Marambio, was the outstanding figure for the runners-up. His team based all their hopes on him, but these were frozen after that great performance by Chavanne, who was awarded the prize for best player of the match and the championship. The atmosphere of the 2007 Gstaad
final, as regards the landscape and the stands, was a vivid reflection of an impeccable organisation, very enjoyable polo, a friendly environment and the general enthusiasm for having a good time. Good weather was almost an exception in this part of Europe, which had experienced a summer worth forgetting, with constant rain and temperatures way below for this time of year.
Above: Santiago Marambio - Below: Phillip Maeder and Kirsty Craig
As on the day of the final, both weather and organisation earlier in the tournament were also favourable, especially on the Saturday, a defining day towards playing a decisive match or finding consolation in playing for third place. Another sunny day was in store, with perfect temperatures, a lot of good polo and a background in accordance with a top-level world sporting event. Switzerland has accustomed us to the fact that no detail should be left to chance when it comes to organising polo tournaments. This 2007 edition at Gstaad Airport did not depart from the script. During the first of Saturday’s qualifying matches, Land Rover beat HSBC 76, with a 60-yard penalty shot converted by Santiago Chavanne. The game would have ended a couple of minutes before if an incredible penalty from the spot had been converted, but was missed having been hit less than 30 yards away from the goal posts. Remarkable goals scored by Chavanne and Francisco Fucci elevated this match to an exciting level. Above: Robert Kofler and Phillip Maeder - Below: Ignacio Tillons and Francisco Irastroza
Next, Nespresso was defeated by Gstaad Palace 9-7 ½, in an pretty odd match that seemed to be totally defined by the winners but in which, however, the losing team surprisingly managed to draw closer on the scoreboard. Kirsty Craig entered during the third chukka and his outstanding drive gave the game a certain dramatic quality, which never existed before. These four-chukka matches are played on a field of reduced dimensions, approximately twenty-five per cent of the size of field 1 at Palermo. However, in this case, its size allows the action, players and horses to be seen closer up, offering a unique and attractive extra touch. Polo can be enjoyed with close-up views.
Above: Human Transporters team at the town parade - Below: Land Rover team
Above: The winners: Land Rover celebrating at the podium - Below left: spectators watching the final - Below right: Stefano Marsaglia
Left: Gstaad Palace Team - Right: Pierre Genecand, Gstaad Polo Club President
TEAMS HSBC Guyerzeller
0 5 8
Francisco Fucci
5
Team Gstaad Palace Robert Kofler Santiago Marambio Ignacio Tillous Gaston Gassiebayle
Team Land Rover Tomás Ruiz Guiñazú Francisco Irastorza Santiago Chavanne Stefano Marsaglia
Team Nespresso HSBC Team
Andrew Foreman Christophe Levrat Julio Novillo Astrada Jr. Justo Saavedra
Winner: Land Rover MVP: Santiago Chavanne (Land Rover) BPP: Bataclana, by Santiago Chavanne Gstaad, Switzerland Gstaad Polo Club Date 16-08-2007 to 19-08-2007 Level 18 hcp WPT Category Challenge Cup
Nespresso Team
75
18
Philipp Maeder Federico Bachmann Pablo Jauretche
18 0 5 7 6
18 4 6 8 0
17 1 2 8 6
ST. TROPEZ
GOLDEN CHAMPIONS
Zurich won the closing tournament of the European summer high-goal season, riding to victory over Easy Polo in St Tropez.
Z
urich, comprising Thomas Rinderknecht, Piero Dillier, Lucas Labat and Ignacio Tillous, won the Gold Cup after defeating Easy Polo, consisting of Philip Maeder, Frederico Bachmann, Werner Meier and Pablo Jauretche, 10-9 in an extra chukka. Zurich took the lead in the first (5-1) and second chukkas (7-4), although Easy Polo Team recovered during the third and tied the game at 7-7. Two goals were scored by each team during the fourth chukka, with a 9-9 tie on the scoreboard. A golden goal scored by Ignacio Tillous secured Zurich’s victory. Haras de Gassin Polo Club in St Tropez, venue for the tournament, is one that has grown considerably during the last few years. With European Above: Julius Baer Polo Team - Below: Corinne Schuler
80
Above Left: Carlos Farinati - Above Right: Thomas Rinderknecht and Piero Dillier - Below: David Bernal
Above: Zurich Polo Team - Below Left: Chilean Jaime Garcia Huidobro - Below Right: Cutinelli Jr.
polo also expanding, Haras de Gassin has become a summer season classic, the perfect combination of polo, good weather and the sea is a more and more tempting invitation for players worldwide. On a day of celebration, prior to the final, the home team, St Tropez, beat Julius Baer 10-7 in the subsidiary cup. 82
EASY POLO Philipp Maeder Werner Meier Federico Bachmann Pablo Jauretche
13 0 0 5 8
JULIUS BAER
12
Carlos Farinati Santiago Irastorza Michael Readding Kiko Kasarova
5 3 2 2
RESULTS Zurich v. Julius Baer Easy Polo Team v. Saint Tropez Zurich v. Saint Tropez Julius Baer v. Easy Polo Saint Tropez v. Julius Baer Zurich v. Easy Polo Team Subsidiary: Saint Tropez . Julius Baer Final: Zurich vs. Easy Polo
12 - 8 7.5 - 6 4.5 - 7 6 - 7.5 7 - 6.5 6-5 10 - 7 10 - 9
SAINT TROPEZ GOLD CUP SAINT TROPEZ
13
José Luis Bravo Corinne Schuler Salvador Ulloa Jaime García Huidobro
ZURICH
0 0 6 8
13
Thomas Rinderknecht Lucas Labat Piero Dillier Ignacio Tillous
0 6 0 7
Winner: Zurich Polo Team BPP: Pablito (by Pablo Jauretche) Place: St. Tropez Club: St. Tropez Polo Club 01-09-2007 to 09-09-2007 WPT: Category Challenge Cup
Above: Corinne Schuler - Below: La Locura, International Cup winners
83
The Look…Celebrity Chef Interview… Bryn Williams
A MAN OF TALENT Bryn Williams is one of the brightest young stars on the London culinary scene
Welshman Bryn Williams was recently chosen by Vince Power to reopening Odette’s iconic restaurtant in Primrose Hill, London. He has also cooked for the Queen and represented Wales on television, to add but two of his many achievements in a relatively short space of time. Recently, he took time off from Odette’s kitchen to tell PQinternational more about his career to date and hopes for the future. How old were you when you first knew you wanted to cook for career, and who inspired you? I wanted to do it from a very early age – nine or ten. In my last year at primary school I went to a local bakery and was fascinated by watching how bread was made – the different stages and then being able to eat it. I knew, from that day, that I wanted to do something with food. You could say that the baker, Owen Thomas, was my first inspiration – and my first employer. He would let my imagination run wild in the bakery and discover my inner feelings about food. I’ve worked with some big names but I still go back to see him every year, to say hello and a big ‘thank you’.
W hat
was your next step up the
culinary ladder, and when did you come to London?
About ten years ago I came to London for my twentieth birthday and work for Marco-Pierre White. It was fantastic experience – leaving the countryside for the big smoke! I had to do my own cleaning and washing and lived in a bedsit for four to five years, which was the biggest shock. I was working a sixteen or eighteen hour day but it was interesting, because you either embrace
W hat was the first meal you ever
cooked, and at what age?
I was brought up with a farming background and was always helping my Mum with Sunday lunch. The first meal I made by myself was when I was twelve. It was nice to be able to go and pick the vegetables and cook them, something rare nowadays. You
started your career as a
bakery assistant in more about this.
Denbigh. Tell us
I got a part-time job there and then went full-time after five years. I loved getting up early and the smell of bread. Any time I smell fresh bread now takes me back to those days. 84
it or you don’t. You evolve or leave. I love what I do, and look on it as more of a challenge than a job. In 1996 you represented Wales Stichting Europa Culinair in Maastricht; and then last year you represented Wales in BBC2’s Great British Menu. Is there such a thing as a typically Welsh menu? It is more a case of a fully balanced menu. Wales is a fantastic land and there is a good handful of really good Welsh at
dishes. We have a lot of dried fruit, for instance, because the coalminers ate it underground. There is also a lot of pork in Wales, and because it rains such a lot we always need good warm meals, such as stews. The ingredients are now probably the best in Europe. You
cooked
birthday
for
banquet.
the
How
Queen’s
did
this
come about and were you able to make any suggestions for the menu?
Somebody once asked me if I’d ever met the Queen, and I said the only time was on a £5 note. To actually cook for her on her 80th birthday was fantastic – I still pinch myself when I think that a young lad from North Wales actually did that! There were seven chefs in the final and it came down to a public vote after the judges whittled it down to three starters, three main courses and three desserts. My fish course was one of them. You
have worked under some of
the leading chefs, such as
MarcoPierre W hite, Michel Roux and Andre Garrett. How did they inspire you individually? I think if you work for Marco-Pierre, or any big name, you do so because you want to do so. It draws you to that person and that kind of food. It was a fantastic experience working for Marco-Pierre, because he was still in the kitchen. It was hard work but you couldn’t have paid for what you gained in knowledge and experience. Then I moved to La Gavroche to work with Michel Roux – another great chef and great man manager. He always gets the best out of you. He could shout at you but he always spoke to you as a
human being. Both those great chefs were right but ran their kitchens in different ways. So I got to the stage of blending a little of both and try to blend it into Bryn Williams. Have
there been any memorable
or dramatic incidents in the course of your career?
Loads, but I remember one when I was seventeen and we were preparing for a wedding party. I was doing croquet potatoes in a restaurant in North Wales and while mixing the powder and eggs the chef said that I must test one. I didn’t understand what he meant (which was to put a potato in the deep fat fryer and see if it held up). I never did it, so when it came to the main course all my potatoes fell apart in the pan. We had to mash them and serve them with breadcrumbs on top, au gratin. I had the biggest rollicking I’d ever had. What
would be your favourite
meal, relaxing and cooking at home?
My favourite meal is one someone else has cooked for me! My girlfriend makes the most amazing cheese on toast but, if I had to cook for myself, it would be a roast dinner. You
have
already
received
excellent reviews for your cooking
at Odette’s. How did you meet V ince Power and what is the philosophy behind the restaurant? When I first met Vince it was eighteen months ago. I was doing television at the time but had gone out one evening with
85
a friend from Ireland, Sean Smith, who used to work for Vince, who had just bought the lease on Odette’s. It was just pot luck that I happened to be out with Sean and Vince was out with his righthand man, and we met and liked each others’ way of thinking. I mentioned that I was looking for a new job, and it went from there. The logic behind Odette’s I like to think of as modern British French healthy food – we’ve taken the creams and butters out of all the sauces, for example. Would
you eventually like to
open a restaurant of your own – and would it be in Wales, perhaps?
I am actually opening a restaurant in Fulham – hopefully in early February – but can’t say too much at the moment, except that it is with Vince again. He is a great boss – he comes in each to not to check up but to eat, and if he doesn’t like something he will tell me. He has also given me this great opportunity. He is happy with what I do in Odette’s and happy to back me down in Fulham. W hat
do you enjoy doing when
not cooking?
Being a proud Welshman I like to play rugby and squash and also cycle into work. Luckily, we close on Mondays so I can always book a squash court for that day!
The Look... Restaurant Reviews
L’AUTRE PIED
A growing trend has begun with some restaurants beginning to set up premises in what has always been, until recently, the quieter streets of W.1
N
ow Blandford Street, mostly home to a few shops and offices installed in the once fine houses, has began to appeal to those wishing to venture into newer territory. Now there are eateries dotted here and there and a few closer together at the George St end, offering diners a choice that suits their taste and pocket. This issue we visited two French restaurants both offering high end cooking,
but entirely different in their approach. Our first stop is the very recently opened L’Autre Pied. A new venture for Marcus Eaves who opens his first restaurant with his mentors Shane Osborne and David Moore of 2 Michelin starred Pied a Terre. The dÊcor is unpretentious, the atmosphere relaxed, perhaps a little surprisingly as we expected the room to be more formal as is usual in restaurants that aim to achieve the high standards of Haute Cuisine. Our visit was only a few days after the opening. However, we were pleasantly surprised. No sign of pressure in the kitchen, the staff confident and charming, the food arrived in good time and was both very enjoyable and innovative. So innovative that there were dishes on the menu that were so creative, it took us time to decide just how adventurous we were prepared to be! For some of us there are aversions to certain foods that are associated with unpleasant experiences, which too easily recall memories that in some cases stay with us for life! Being particularly fond of seafood, and game, I was tempted to try the Roasted Brest of Mallard which would certainly have been a first, but alas for 86
me came accompanied with Turnip! This vegetable had left me with rather unpleasant associations of school dinners of soggy Swede and Turnip, on which our cook overdosed us on an all too frequent basis and which has remained deeply engrained in my psyche as not something to be repeated! So moving swiftly on, I chose for my main course the Roasted Partridge, which followed my starter of Ballotine of
Cornish Mackerel, both of which turned out to be an excellent choice. As is the case in most French restaurants that are representative of Haute Cuisine, they are a little economical with the portions particularly in the case of the Ballotine of Mackerel. However, I believe that the reasoning here is the quality not the quantity, and the quality is definitely very good and reasonably priced. Realistically, eating out anywhere in central London, is no longer a cheap option. Even the most ghastly establishments charge top dollar for inedible junk. This is an opportunity to enjoy excellent food, well presented and affordable.
OUR CHOICES STARTER
Ballotine of Cornish Mackerel, Pickled Baby Carrot, Red Mustard Leaves £8.95 Pan-fried Fois Gras, Apple Puree and Sage Jus £13.95
MAIN COURSE
Roasted Partridge, Pearl Barley, Game Broth Scented Lemon Thyme £15.95 Haunch of Venison, Butternut Squash and Orange Puree and Rosemary Jus £17.95
DESERT
Bitter chocolate Parfait, Clementine Marmalade, Orange Ice Cream £6.50 Twice! L’Autre Pied 5-7 Blandford Street Marylebone Village London W1U 3DB Tel 0207 486 9696 Lunch Two courses - £16.50 Three courses - £19.95 A La Carte £25 to £30 87
L’ATELIER DE JOEL ROBUCHON Is situated in the heart of the West End in West Street and Covent Garden and adjacent to the The Ivy. It is the brainchild of super chef Joel Robuchon, whose name has been synonymous with haute cuisine for over two decades.
One of only two chefs in the world to hold six Michelin stars, he has been the inspiration of celebrated British chefs Gordon Ramsey, Michael Caines and Tom Aitken, who learned their culinary skills under his watchful eye. In 1996 he retired, but with former friends and colleagues, he was persuaded to participate in a new venture whose concept was a more casual eatery, and after eight years L’Atelier was born. There are two dining rooms; L’Atelier is on the ground floor, where you can eat high quality food in an informal atmosphere. It has an interesting feature of real green ivy lit up from behind a wall of glass that gives the room an interesting
contrast to the black and red furniture. Here you can sit at the counter that surrounds the whole kitchen where the food is prepared, and offers a congenial and relaxed opportunity to dine in less than an hour or at leisure, if you so wish. La Cuisine on the first floor is more formal and serves a quite elaborate and sophisticated menu. The décor consists of black and white tiled walls and black tables and chairs. This is the room for serious dining where the menu consists of many choices. Our waitress convinced us that the menu decouverte, which consists of eight courses, was an opportunity to sample a wide example of the chef ’s skills. The dishes were accompanied by 88
OUR CHOICES MENU DECOUVERTE
different wines to suit each course. My guest and I took her advice. This menu is really seven tastings and a dessert. Otherwise one would have to be wheeled out on a trolley to survive the experience! Naturally the smaller portions allow for the opportunity to try dishes that would normally take a number of visits to try. This was a first visit to L’Atelier and we enjoyed the food and the opportunity to try everything at a leisurely pace,
which was several hours! The service was excellent and those who enjoy French food at this level should splash out and give it a try. For a less formal dining experience, but still an opportunity to sample this level of cooking, perhaps the downstairs L’Atelier would be a good idea and more affordable, and it seemed to attract younger clientele.
L’amuse-Bouche PRE STARTER Le Tourteau Crabmeat in tomato jelly and avocado Les Chanterelles Pan fried chanterelle mushrooms with ‘Iberico de Bellota’ ham shavings L’oeuf Egg cocotte topped with light wild mushroom cream La Noix de Saint-Jaques Scallop cooked in its shell with seaweed butter Le Rouget Red Mullet on crisp pastry base, citrus fruit dressing L’agneau Lamb cutlets with fresh thyme (the choice of my guest)
OR
La Caille Free range quail stuffed with foie gras served with truffled mashed potatoes (my choice)
DESSERTS
Les deux desserts de francois Francois’s duo of deserts Le café express ou the Coffee or tea of your choice
La Cuisine Menu Decouverte £95 with a selection of a accompanying wines £130 L’Atelier Main courses from £15 Small dishes start from £9 L’Atelier de Robuchon 13-15 West Street Covent Garden London WC2H 9NQ Tel: 020 7101 8600
89
STYLE Who´s who!...
BERNARD CHANDRAN
Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia designer Bernard Chandran launched his self named line in 1993. The designer’s talent quickly earned him numerous International awards. Trained in Paris, his distinctive style marries the rich cultural heritage of his native Malaysia with more modern and contemporary designs. He was the first designer to revolutionize the traditional Malay ‘Kebayas’ and ‘Kurungs’, turning them into modern, wearable pieces. In January 2004 he opened his first store in Knightsbridge, London. In 2006, the designer decided to launch his first Ready-toWear collection, at London Fashion Week. Bernard Chandran has an impressive list of celebrated clients including members of royal families in Malaysia, Brunei and celebrities the world over... Where do you find inspiration for your fabrics? It really depends, sometimes from animals, the texture of their skin or the feet of a bird…it really can come from any moment in my life’s experience. What are you currently working on for the label? We are currently expanding the label. We are really working on expanding our outlets globally and its going very well. Where do you like to travel? All over, am not bound by boundaries. I love to travel extensively to pick up new inspiration and ideas. I often find the most interest trinkets in the most unexpected places and pull from them within my collections W hat type of women do you have
in mind when designing?
Confident..she must have effortless confidence! A confident women is sexy and striking! How do you start your design process? Do you follow a routine when creating a new collection or does each session differ? I tend to do it differently each season. Sometime I get inspiration from my fabric and make sketches and other times I just put pencil to paper or drape pieces of fabric over each other. I get very excited this is my favourite time of the whole design process and then to see the final production on the runway is so rewarding. 90
How do you like your dresses to be worn? With style! I like women to feel sexy when wearing any of my designs, this is key to my collections and fabrics i use. What do you never leave home without? My Watch! I must be on time! What was the last thing you bought? A white frame top house it a very special memory Which designers do you enjoy wearing yourself and why? Homme Dior I love the fit, and my Adidas, as they’re comfortable. To date, what has been your greatest achievement? To be able to inspire and continue inspiring through my designs. What is your ultimate ambition? To have everyone dressing in Bernard Chandran, haha! What is next for you? New challenges, planning next season and I always look forward to hitting the runways. Which is the most successful market (country/continent) for you and why? South East Asia, as I first established the Bernard Chandran brand here. What 3 things would you suggest are always a staple of a woman’s wardrobe to ensure timeless style? A black jersey dress, a solitaire ring and a glass of champagne!
91
The Look…Trend…for the merry season
Miss Mandalay underwear set: Bra £35.00, Shorty £20.00 and Thong £19.00 Available from www.missmandalay.com
The practical Ipa Nima purple leather bag. Price £240 StockistTel. 020 8440 5174 Purple Beatle satin scoop neck dress.Price £85. Black suede ankle boots. Price £90 Available from French Connection.
Elegant Purple Cascade necklace. Tanzinite with natural pink and white diamond tassel from the
Cascade Collection. Price on request. Available from Hirsh, Tel. 0207 4996814 The Originals collection is a limitededition range of exquisitely designed evening wear.
Bea Tunic. Price £100 Available from Monsoon.
Les Nereides purple Price £67.95 Available from www.accessoriesonline.co.uk drop earrings.
by
Leather purple pumps French Connection. Price £70
Note to self… Wardrobe full of interesting dresses and accessories in this season’s hot colour…purple.
Vita Castille purple clutch or shoulder bag. Price £145.00 Available from Harrods. 92
The Look…News...
Sammy Brown leather boots by Penelope Chilvers. Price £265 Available Worldwide. For retailers visit www.penelopechilvers.com
CC Skye Gold Mesh Cuff Bracelet. Price £165. Available from www.bunnyhug.co.uk
Black leather boots Penelope Chilvers. Price £372. Available from
by
Aquascutum black military style coat. Price £2200. Available at Aquascutum outlets nationwide.
www.penelopechilvers.com
Alice Mccall Group of Tinkers long double breasted cardigan/coat. Soft cashmere knit with silk trim and single button
closure.
Eight gold button
detail to front and self tie
waist with belt loops to side.
Available from
www.bunnyhug.co.uk
Price £350
Red leather gloves. Price £49.95. Available from www.hattiesmart.com
Black Divina Collection Visconti, the oversized fountain pen. Price £495. Available from Harrods, Selfridges, Fortnum and Mason and Penfriend, amongst other outlets
from
Note to self… A selection of Winter must have… 93
The Look…For Him… The Becker Mexico 7948 Classic uses state of the art technology with a classical retro-look.
It is a compact infotainment 2-RDS Tuners, Navigation on CF card for 34 Countries, Bluetooth Telephone and iPod Ready. Price £1099 Available from www. beckerstore.com system featuring
LG camera phone. Prices vary
according to model. Available nationwide at all good phone shops.
First Luggage is the world’s leading international door to door luggage collection and delivery service. For information visit www.firstluggage.com
Snow and Rock Ipod Jacket. Price £260 Available from The Kings Road Sporting Club, 3842 Kings Rd.London, SW3 4UD Tel 0207 589 5418
Corum watch – Romulus Special 18 ct rose gold, 437 diamonds 2.4 ct, 44 baguette diamonds 1.15 ct. and 850 diamond bracelet 7.06 ct. Price £105,000. Available from Corum Tel. 01932 574650 or visit www.corum.ch
Snowman Platinum and Diamonds tie pin. Price £2195.00 Rocky the rooster gold and pearls tie pin Price £1995 Two original tie-pins from the Hirsh Objets D’art collection using natural pearls and gemstones. Unique Cufflinks featuring bi-colour tourmaline and rutilated quartz. Price £1095 All available from Hirsh 56-57 Burlington Arcade, London W1 J BGN Tel 020 7499 6814 and 10 Hatton Garden,London EC1N 8AH
Note to self… Useful ideas for Christmas 94
The Look…For Her…
The Imperial an important sapphire and diamond necklace
17.82ct 333 fine white diamonds 41.53ct. Handmade by Hirsh Price on application. Available from Hirsh 56-57 Burlington Arcade, London W1 J BGN Tel 020 7499 6814 and 10 Hatton Garden,London EC1N 8AH certified natural sapphire
and
Seiko Sportura ladies diamond watch with white strap. Price £575. Stockist Tel. 0870 700 0988
Latest Dior Gold and Crystal face watch. Prices on application. Stockist Tel. 0207 1720172
GHD Christmas Gift Box Contains Gold range with clutch bag which doubles as a heat mat, mirror, thermal protector, creation spray and purse styler. Price £149. Available from www.ghdhair.com
Pet’s Corner Crown Royale Plaid Jacket A jacket fit for a King/Queen. This soft-to-touch fleece jacket has a stunning crown design on the back
created with many stones.
For an extra
touch of luxury, the hood features
faux fur trim which ensures thatthe head and ears are kept warm.
Price £32 to £33.99, depending on size. Santa suit Price £21.90
All available from www.yumepetstore.com
– Tel. 0207 2785850
Note to Self… Special gifts for special ladies 95
The Look… Men’s Fashion… Pinstripe jacket Richard Anderson Ltd one of Savile Row’s leading tailoring houses. Custom tailored clothing, each garment made to order. Suit price is £3,117.00. to a suit created by
Hackett Red cashmere cable knit jumper Price£225 Leather & tweed gloves Pirce £79 Aston Martin Racing Tweed Jacket in tan and green. Price £395 Available from Hacket, 137-138 Sloane Street, London, SW1X 9AY. Stockist Tel. 020 7939 6865
Cheetah Slippers. Price from £65. Available from www.rubyanded.co.uk
John Lobb 2007 Shoe & Belvior Boots. Available from Harrods, Selfridges or Jemyn Street or visit www.johnlobb.com
Note to Self… Get cool and comfortable with an edge! 96
The Look…Male Grooming… Quinessence ‘Guys World’
range
natural skincare designed for men.
Problem Skin Lotion. This
-
lotion
is soothing to all types of red,
Frederic Malle’s ‘Vetiver Extraordinaire’
flaky, skin.
contains the highest percentage of
sensitised
Used
and
problem
regularly it helps to
encourage a healthy blemish-free
Haitian vetiver in modern perfumery. Dark green, with a spicy effect, with bergamot, pink pepper, nutmeg, oakmoss and myrrh. A stylish masterpiece and future classic. Price £70. Available from Les Senteurs Tel. 020 7730 2322
complexion.
Contains
soothing
chamomile, cooling bergamot and
balancing Lavender. Price £3.50 for 50ml
Available from
www.Quinessence.com
Dovo Mammoth Bone Open Razor This special limited edition razor has a genuine handmade Mammoth bone handle. The raw material is from Siberia and is approx 40,000 years old. Each razor’s handle is unique and individual due to the
one-of-a-kind graining that reveals itself during the shaping and polishing of each handle.
Price £350
Available from www.gentlemans-shop.com
The Organic Pharmacy
men’s
grooming range is launched
Deep Cleansing Face wash with Antioxidants. To decongest, cleanse and protect. Price £19 Ultra Light Moisture Gel with Antioxidants. Price £19 All available from The Organic Pharmacy 27 Thurloe St. London,SW7 2LQ Tel: +44 (0) 207 225 0524
Virgin Island Water The Virgin Islands, named by Christopher Columbus for their untouched beauty, are the inspiration behind the new fragrance from the legendary House of Creed. This delicious cocktail of summer scents of Coconut, Lime and Hibiscus will whisk you away to the Caribbean where life is gentle and serene and fragrance rides the breeze. Price £55 for 30ml - £95 for 75mls Available from Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, Liberty and selected perfumeries.
Note to Self… Try a special fragrance and a healthy skin to entrance that special someone! 97
The Look…Beauty News…
T.LeClerc belle de Nuit A trio of powdery pearls that catch the light for a luminous
pearlescent complexion.
Signature Lipstick Encased in elegant, golden, fluted packaging with a decadently
luxurious new formula, ESTĒE LAUDER Signature Lipstick promises hours of moisture and rich, lustrous,
Comes
with a small half moon brush.
Price £26 Available from www.t-leclerc .co.uk
Caron ‘Montaigne’ Named after the Avenue in Paris that houses the first Caron Boutique, this is a beautiful combination of the sensual mystery
comfortable colour to lips
of oriental woods and spices
Price £16.00 Available from all Estee Lauder
balanced by the freshness and delicacy of flower blossoms.
Price £55 for 50ml Available from Fortnum & Mason. Tel. 020 7734 8040
stores nationwide also at www.esteelauder.co.uk
Clarins Beauty Flash Balm A very successful product that in moments helps lift the face to a more youthful and firmer appearance, resulting in a perfect base for makeup or a natural look.
Price £24 Available nationwide.
New Banana Travel Powder Is known as the S.O.S of powders by make-up artists to transform dull, lacklustre, tired complexions into that of a screen goddess.
Use under the eyes and
it will banish dark circles, but its real secret is in its luminescence
Price £26 Available from T.LeClerc at www.t-leclerc .co.uk and selected independent retailers nationwide.
Clarins Creme de Soins Hydro Care Tinted Moisturizer, light in texture giving a gentle sun kissed complexion in
Price £22.50
‘Dore’
Available nationwide
Tocca launches ‘Cleopatra’ Eau de Parfum named after the woman that
inspired it, and is fragranced with the ingredients she used in her
notorious milk baths.
The exotic
ingredients deliver a heady-dark and powerful combination.
Priced £48 for 50ml Available from Selfridges, Liberty, Rouloer White and Les Senteurs
Note to Self… Subtle, fragrant and beautiful! 98
The Look…New Winter Ranges…
Ahava Low Sodium Dead Sea mineral Mud for the body. Price £17.50 Available from Ahava UK Tel 01452 864574 or visit www.ahava.co.uk Hydrating Day Cream from AromaBotanicals by Quinessence contains organic rose, geranium, evening primrose oil, to lock in vital moisture to protect against
Advanced Night Repair Is dermatologist and ophthalmologist tested and is non-comedegenic. Its formula has remained a well-kept secret and contains ingredients such as
Bifidus extract, soy proteins and vitamins C and E. The repair process, which takes place at night, enables skin to repair visible signs of ageing. Price £66.00 for 100ml Available at Estee Lauder counters nationwide and from
environment aggressors.
Suitable for all skins types. Price £8.99 for 30ml
www.esteelauder.co.uk
Marinal Masque by Quinessence a triple action formula containing a rich harvest of marine
photo-nutrients combined with Geranium oil and purifying natural clay to lift impurities, revitalize and tone the skin. Price £7.50 Both items available from www.quinessence.com
Ahava Time-line age defying Optimizer Serum a light gel-lotion contains dead sea minerals.The serum Rose Plus anti ageing face cream. intensifies anti wrinkle effect. Price £105. Price £37 for 30ml. Available from The Organic Pharmacy, Available from Ahava UK 27 Thurloe St. London,SW7 2LQ Tel 01452 864574 or visit Tel. 0207 225 0524 www.ahava.co.uk
Note to Self… Pure essentials for a perfect complexion 99
Photo by Clive Bennet
WOMEN´S BRITISH OPEN
CADENZA CAPTURE THE BRITISH OPEN LADIES’ CHAMPIONSHIP The ladies’ tournament at Cowdray Park is played on the hallowed turf of Lawns 2 in front of a large crowd, as Sarah Wiseman reports.
100
Photo by eventphotosports.com and Richard Gipps
U
nderstandably year after year the competition gets tougher with some of the best female players in the world taking part. Ladies´ polo in the UK has grown substantially with more and more professional women players emerging each year; so putting together a successful ladies team can be an expensive proposition! An ideal solution is to find a sponsor. This is what Alice Gipps and myself undertook to do this year. We wanted to put together a fun, competitive team but did not have the money to do it on our own. When approached to sponsor a ladies´ side in the British Open Ladies Championships at Cowdray Park. Tony Pidgley understandably had one key demand – to put in the best team possible and to take the title! Not an easy task to undertake as for the last two years the tournament has been won by the Audi sponsored side featuring Nina Clarkin nee Vestey, Clare Milford Haven, Teresa Beresford and Vanessa Taylor . Four teams entered this year’s British Open Ladies´ Championship sponsored by Audi. The two day tournament saw the ladies teams battle it out on the best grounds at Cowdray Park and the semi final victors were rewarded by playing the final on the Gold Cup pitch in front of crowds gathering to see the International Test Match. The Open handicap system allows teams of all levels to compete in the tournament, but no one gets a handicap advantage. Some people argue that this is unfair and others see it as an opportunity to play a high level of ladies´ polo with their friends. The first day’s play saw Audi take on the Bricklayers Arms. Audi won 7-2 but the score line did not give the game the justice it deserves. It was a similar story when Cadenza took on Emlor in the second of the Semi-finals, winning 10-2. Spectators were treated to a highly competitive ladies´ final that displayed some brilliant team and individual skills. The 2 goal handicap level of the game did not match the speed and aggression on the field. Spectators were very surprised with the quality of the polo that was demonstrated. The Audi side were incredibly disciplined with their marking and with Nina Clarkin’s experience and guidance were a confident side. Cadenza with Marianela Castagnola at the helm were a very attacking team were up for a challenge and looked very strong in the earlier stage of
the tournament. The first chukka appeared to go all Cadenza’s way with a quick field goal by Marianlla Castagnola, a converted penalty and another field goal towards the end of the chukka. Audi fought back with Nina Clarkin scoring a quick goal to take the score to 3-1. The second chukka was hard fought with both sides producing some great team plays, but Cadenza still continued to hold a small lead ending 4-2. The third chukka ended 5-3 and the level of the polo kept on improving. The final chukka saw some great defensive play by Cadenza to maintain a two goal lead, but with seconds on the clock Nina Clarkin snuck in a quick goal with the final score 6-5. With Cadenza’s debut ending in victory, team captain, Marianela Castagnola was awarded the most valuable player for her hard work. With both sides being sponsored by large companies, it goes to show the developing interest in women’s polo in the UK and in polo in general. Cadenza Group chairman Tony Pidgley was understandably very happy with his sponsored side winning this prestigious trophy “As supporters of the England polo team, it was a natural progression for Cadenza to sponsor the ladies, and they repaid our support admirably on the pitch.”. Cadenza has indicated an interest in further sponsorship of a ladies´ side in the future. The growth of Ladies´ polo is astounding with more and more competitive tournaments emerging internationally. There are now ladies tournaments held at all the best clubs in the world, and with continuing interest from sponsors, the ladies game looks to have a very exciting future.
CADENZA
2
Alice Gipps Erica Hodges Sarah Wiseman Marianela Castagnola
0 0 0 2
AUDI
2
Teresa Beresford Clare Milford Haven Nina Clarkin Vanessa Taylor
-1 0 3 0
EMLOR
1
Clare MacNamara Laura McCarthy Chrsitina Thome Lucy Taylor
0 0 0 1
BRICKLAYERS´ ARMS
0
Falicity Hotston Laura Plant Sophie Heaton Ellis Hazel Jackson
-1 0 1 0
British Open Ladies´ Championships Sponsored by Audi COWDRAY PARK POLO CLUB Winners: Cadenza MVP: Marianela Castagnola
Above: Sarah Wiseman - Below: Cadenza and Audi at the podium
PORTUGAL OPEN
Tiago Gallego Jr.
HAT-TRICK IN LISBON
La Varzea beat CFA in the final and won the first Portugal Open, thus obtaining the three championships of the season. They had already won the Bronze and Silver Cups, also played at La Varzea Polo Club, twenty minutes away from Lisbon. La Varzea achieved a 2-1 lead in the first chukka. After scoring every one of his penalty shots during the second period, Horacio Etcheverry undoubtedly became the most outstanding player on the field, allowing CFA to enjoy a 5-3 lead. CFA kept this up during the third chukka, though La Varzea proved to be
stronger with goals scored by Esteban Martelli and Enrique Zorrilla, and so they moved onto the last chukka with CFA taking a 7-6 lead. After a 40-yard penalty shot scored by Horacio Etcheverry which translated into CFA’s 8-6 lead on the scoreboard, La Varzea pulled themselves together and 102
showed their highest potential through Tiago Gallego Jr and Enrique Zorrilla, who were in charge of securing the title for their team. Earlier, Capial had claimed third place after beating Lusitania 9-8 in an extra chukka, with a golden goal scored by Gerardo Mazzini, the best player on
Diego Gallego and Gerardo Mazzini
the field. It was an extremely tough and exhilarating match, with ties galore, and both teams struggled throughout the game. Towards the end of the first chukka, Lusitania’s Sebastián Harriott was replaced by Eduardo Zorrilla. Tiago Gallego, a polo fan at heart, is the creator of La Varzea Polo Club. He is the mentor as well as the life and soul of the only polo club in Portugal. Tiago’s dream of a lifetime is to establish La Varzea among the best polo clubs in the world and, in time, he intends to organize even bigger tournaments. La Varzea’s newest fields, which were inaugurated last season, provided an ideal venue for the Portugal Open, the first big event held at the club. The main field has been seeded with tifton, and although there is still some work to be done, without a doubt La Varzea is ready to organize important tournaments using both fields. The club has been highly enhanced, offering the best facilities in the area: 16 first-class hotel rooms overlooking Field 1, swimming pool, gym, sauna and restaurant. In order to maintain a high
level throughout the season, La Varzea has undoubtedly gone to a lot of effort and hard work to hire a number of 4 to 6-goalers to play during the season. Furthermore, the warm and friendly atmosHoracio Etcheverry
phere at the club, with everyone around giving their best, creates an ideal meeting point. All visitors feel welcome and very much at home. As regards polo at La Varzea, the
C.F.A.
TEAMS
Miguel Freitas Tedy Magrutsch Esteban Iturrioz Horacio Etcheverry
CAPIAL - LA TRINIDAD Eduardo Camacho Carlos Piñal Nicolás Alvarez Gerardo Mazzini
LA VARZEA POLO CLUB Tiago Gallego Tiago Gallego jr Enrique Martelli Enrique Zorrilla
LUSITANIA Diogo Gallego João Rufino Horacio Laprida jr Sebastián Harriott
11 0 1 4 6
10
SEMIFINALS C.F.A. LUSITANIA LA VARZEA POLO CLUB CAPIAL - LA TRINIDAD
0 1 3 6
10 1 1 3 5
11 1 0 3 7
results of the matches were very even during the tournament; particularly in the Gold Cup. Just about every match ended with a one-goal difference, and every player on the field did his very best to win the 100,000 Euro prize. Matias Baibiene, the Argentine umpire specially hired by the club for the occasion, is by far one of the most respected umpires, contributing a significant degree of professionalism to the final. Above: Tiago Gallego - Below: All the players for the final picture
RESULTS
6.5 6 7 6
FINAL GOLD CUP LA VARZEA POLO CLUB C.F.A. THIRD PLACE
LUSITANIA CAPIAL - LA TRINIDAD
9 8 8 9
A CENTURY IN KENYA Philippa Perry reports from this year’s celebrations at Nairobi Polo Club
N
airobi Polo Club, with its two picturesque grounds set just outside Kenya’s capital city, has just celebrated its centenary, with a series of sporting and social occasions. The club’s major sponsor, East African Breweries, helped to put on an impressive spectacle during the entire tournament,on the grounds at Jamhuri Park and the Muthaiga Country Club. No less than fourteen teams from the Nairobi, Manyatta and North Kenya clubs took part, with the fields looking their best for several years. The tournament was divided into several novelty sections, and each brought with it some exciting polo. Providing innovation for such a special occasion, the first two days involved a knockout competition, in which four leagues acknowledged a particular trait of Kenyan polo. This made the experience
especially enjoyable for the teams as well as for the cheering spectators in the clubhouse. The Family Feuds league illustrated the somewhat hereditary and incestuous aspects of polo. This is perhaps a global
by his two sons and supported by Robin Stanley at Back, the Moi squad won the following weekend. Also highly entertaining was the Battle of the Ages, which displayed the contribution of all age groups to Kenya
THE TEAMS WERE MADE UP BY FAMILY UNITS, PERFECT TIMING WITH THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS HAVING JUST STARTED, AND WERE REPRESENTED BY THE GROSS, MCLELLAN, MILLAR AND MOI FAMILIES. phenomenon and although the Argentine Open may field somewhat faster feuds between families on the field, ours was no less fierce. The teams were made up by family units, perfect timing with the summer holidays having just started, and were represented by the Gross, McLellan, Millar and Moi families. With Gideon on top form, backed up
White Cap and Stanbic line up before the Duke of Connaught Cup
106
polo in a 5-goal handicap competition. A team with the collective age of 216 bravely challenged a much younger team with a total age of 85. The ‘youngsters’ only just triumphed after two days of exciting polo, beating the ‘oldies’ by a narrow one goal margin. Played at the handicap level of 2-goals, the Happy Valley league recognised
Phillip Arungah and Hussein Hassan ride off in the Bwana Begg - The Kenya Police band passes the impressive line-up of trophies
the long history of mixed gender polo in the country, and the winning team was Technology Today, which included husband and wife Rowena and Jonathan Stichbury. The fourth league was meant to illustrate the role of the handicapping system in levelling all family, gender and age prejudices. The final result however, indicated the presence of a few perhaps economical, budget-handicapped players on the winning team of Ultimate security, led by Phillip Arungah, who won with a hefty margin on the scoreboard. Being ‘winter’ in Kenya, where overcast grey skies are the standard, the Sunday saw the sun come out for the first time in weeks, much to the delight of the crowds. So, bathed in glorious sunshine, for the third day of celebrations the polo battles on the ground had a different set of teams. They included the Duke of Connaught Cup, an annual open competition between Kenya’s eight highest-rated players. Both teams were strong and evenly matched, and after six chukkas and extra time, the score was 12 goals each. A unanimous decision was made to leave it as a draw, a most fitting conclusion to such a historic weekend of polo in the club’s centenary year. In the photo call after the match, both teams shared the beautiful Duke of Connaught Cup, which in 1909 had been presented to the Nairobi Polo Club by Queen Victoria’s third son, Prince Arthur, first Duke of Connaught, while he was on safari in Kenya. Throughout the weekend the overflowing clubhouse and hospitality tents were treated not only to some exciting polo, but to the splendour of the Kenya Police band who led in the teams on the Sunday, as well as some remarkable displays of equine dexterity by the Anti-Stock Theft Unit of the Kenya Police. There was also less equestrian entertainment in the way
Raphael Nzomo show some fancy stick work
of a couple of enthralling performances of Kenyan sparkle by the Sarakasi Dancers, behind a glistening prize-giving table boasting an impressive eight trophies and some unique individual prizes from the renowned Matbronze gallery, including four wonderful bronze sculptures of a dung beetle rolling a polo ball. The Kenyan polo scene has always been notorious for its festivities off the field, so the social side of the polo also 107
had an equally prominent role for such an historic weekend. The first weekend saw the clubhouse host a ‘back to school’ party and the second weekend had the social climax with the glamorous1907 themed Centenary Ball, held at Muthaiga Country Club, attended by over three hundred guests and continuing until 9 o’clock in the morning. Among the guests were the British High Commissioner, Adam Wood, and club veteran Francis Erskine.
DEAUVILLE
ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF POLO In the north of France, Wildmoor, based around Bautista Heguy, captured the Deauville Coupe d’Or in the club’s centenary year
D
eauville, two hours north-west of Paris, tends to be a tourist centre for thousands of holidaymakers seeking sun and the seaside. It has also been a base for polo for a century. Good weather, however, was not invited to the centenary celebration, since this was one of the coldest and rainiest Augusts of recent years. The main tournament, the Coupe d’Or, had to be reduced to just a few matches after a whole week of complete inactivity. Several leading Argentine players were, as usual, present for the celebration. It is worth mentioning Ernesto Trotz, who has won the cup more than anyone else – Marcos, Bautista and Eduardo Heguy, Alfonso Pieres and Lucas Criado, among others. In fact, as part of the centenary, a ‘polo legends’match was played by figures teams holding more than a 30goal handicap. Advancing rapidly through the tournament Wildmoor and Marchiopolo reached the final with a Heguy cousin Bautista and Eduardo – on either team. Finally, and after a clear 12-10 win by Wildmoor, Bautista also won the prize for best player of the final, his contribution being a determining factor in his team’s victory. It was a team also featuring English players Edward Hitchman and Above: Guillermo Terrera playing for Talandracas - Below: Cousins Bautista and Eduardo Heguy playing in the final
Above: Talandracas Polo Team - Below: Alfonso Pieres, Manager of Deauville Polo Club,at the Legends Cup
Mark Booth as well as Australian 5-goal player Rob Archibald. For Marchipolo, Eduardo Heguy was backed-up by Argentine players Eduardo Menéndez and Paulo Bertola and the Italian Gian Luiggi Marchiorello. The winners managed to gain a broad lead after a long half-time break, while Marchiopolo was not able to catch up with the two-goal lead in the last chukker, which they had done in the semi-finals against Talandracas. Earlier, Lamorlaye had won the Silver Cup after beating La Candelaria in the decisive match. The winning team’s main figure was Martín Iturraspe, who won the prize for best player of the final, whilst Martín Aguerre, another Argentine player with vast experience in French polo, was the outstanding figure for La Candelaria.
TALANDRACAS THROUGH AND THROUGH
With an outstanding performance of Guillermo Terrera, Talandracas beat Lamorlaye 10-7 and won the Royal
Left: Bautista Heguy with the cup - Above: Eduardo and Bautista Heguy - Below: Jack Kid neckshot
Deauville Gold Cup Wildmoor
19
Eduard Hitchman Robert Archibald Bautista Heguy Mark Booth
3 5 10 1
Talandracas
19 0 7 7 5
Edouard Carmignac Guillermo Terrera Ignacio Toccalino Santiago Toccalino
Winner: Wildmoor
Seguriber Alejandro Aznar Diego Araya Gastón Laulhé Manuel Carranza
Royal Barriere André Fabre Tomás Goti Marcos Heguy Santiago Goñi
20 2 7 7 4
20 0 7 10 3
Marchiopolo Gian Luiggi Marchiorello Eduardo Menendez Eduardo Heguy Paulo Bertola
HB Ludovic Pailloncy Lucas Criado Ernesto Trotz Sébastien Pailloncy
20 0 7 9 4
20 1 9 7 3
MVP: Bautista Heguy (Wildmoor)
Deauville Silver Cup Yves Laplace
10
Virgile Dubriny Pierre Henri N’Goumou Edouard Pan Thibault Guillermin
R.E.I
2 3 0 3
12
Paul Burrus Matías Colombres Oscar Colombres jr Juan Uranga
Winner: Lamorlaye MVP: Martin Iturraspe (Lamorlaye)
0 4 5 3
Lamorlaye Brian Lynam Lindor Corvalan Martín Iturraspe Jack Kidd
La Candelaria Alain Clery Gustavo Capellari Martin Aguerre Arthur de Monbrison
Gold Cup Level 22 goal Category WPT Cup Silver Cup Level 12 goal
12 0 4 4 4
11 0 4 6 1
Caroline Laurent Sébastien Decommer Carlos Sola Dario Musso Evrard de Spa
La Palmeraie Patrick Guerrand Hermes Brieuc Rigaux Fernando Reynot Blanco Clement Gosset
11 0 5 6 0
12 0 5 6 1
Club Deauville Polo Club Date 14-08-2007 to 26-08-2007 Wildmor Polo Team winners of the Gold Cup
The victors with the cup
Barriere Cup, a 12-goal tournament preceding the Gold Cup in the Deauville season. MartĂn Iturraspe’s early goal was only a mirage within Lamorlaye’s illusions, since immediately Santiago Toccalino scored a goal which proved to be an important step towards victory. Excepting the fact that Carmignac received an involuntary blow to the face with a mallet after a pass from Terrera, a little before the chukka ended, it was a fast and entertaining game, constantly moving from one side of the field to the other. The final offered an interesting game on both sides, with amazingly spectacular goals scored by both teams, and every time Lamorlaye got excited about evening up the scoreboard, Talandracas responded resoundingly. These were the most outstanding features of the 2007 season in Deauville where, despite the weather, the centenary was celebrated in the best possible way.
E U RO P E ’ S L A R G E S T P O L O S U P P L I E R
TA L LY H O FA R M
C ro u c h L a n e • Wi n k f i e l d • Wi n d s o r • B e rk s h i re S L 4 4 R Z • t e l 0 1 3 4 4 8 8 5 3 7 3 • e m a i l e n q u i r i e s @ t a l ly h o f a r m . c o . u k
w w w. t a l ly h o f a r m . c o . u k
ERNESTO TROTZ
“I WILL PLAY POLO TILL THE DAY I DIE”
Twenty-five years ago, Ernesto Trotz travelled to Deauville, the place where the interview took place for the first time. In a quarter of a century, this Argentine figure became the player who won the most in the history of the Gold Cup, which precisely in 2007 has celebrated its 100th anniversary. He recalls his first steps in France with certain scepticism, since “we used to play 22 goals during a whole month. Polo used to be played a lot; a lot more than nowadays. In fact, there used to be a tournament per week. We used to start on Tuesday and finish on Sunday with the finals. The Bronze, Silver and Gold Cups used to be played during the last three weeks. The first was called the Nervo Cup. So, we used to play all month. I really don’t know how it is handled nowadays. However, I don’t have any unpleasant memories about playing the Gold Cup on an impossible field. If the field was a wreck, we used to play all the same, as usual.”
Ernesto playing the Legend´s Cup
How does it feel having won the Gold Cup seven times? Well… It feels good… The framed pictures of all the Gold Cup winners are at the hotel, and there I am, more times than anyone else... W hat
is your organisation in
Deauville like? It has changed a lot... For many years, I played with Carlos Gracida and Alex Ebeid, for the Falcons team. We won five cups, with horses from England belonging to Alex. Nowadays, as everything has changed, both here as everywhere else, most professional players come with their horses, which is what I do. I bring my own horses from England. Here, we play for HP, which belongs to the Pailloncy family who also have their own horses. W hat is the secret to still be in
the spotlight and among the best after so many years?
It’s very funny... It is the combination of two or three things; no mysteries nor anything strange. Since I was young, I have always taken care of myself. I always have, so at this stage I don’t find it at all difficult taking care of myself. On the other hand, this is what I like doing, having a group of horses, taking care of them, feeding them. This is what I have always enjoyed doing. Basically it all
comes down to this, besides competition, in which as far as I felt I could do it, this is something I have always enjoyed. We are now entering a stage when I don’t feel that comfortable any longer nor do I feel I can manage that much. So I may probably start restructuring the whole thing. As
a player on the field, per-
haps you feel that before you used to get the hang of the play a lot easier?
Or
do you enjoy yourself
the way you used to before, even when it comes to a one-on-one
play against someone a lot younger than you?
Indeed, it is a very difficult feeling to explain. There is a moment in which you are playing and the only thing you can think about is playing, and if this horse is enough or if the other one isn’t. And then there comes a time when you start thinking that you shouldn’t be there any longer. It
you are normally intelligent, you will arrive at the conclusion that you should step aside. If I think I can’t advance towards a play because I am scared, I am the one who is in bad shape. You
become
more
responsible
when you reach a certain age....
Polo is dangerous and not only because there’s a dangerous part to it, but also because of the game itself. All of a sudden, you are playing and an opponent charges towards you, and you give him an odd look. The only conclusion you arrive at is that you shouldn’t be there. And so, then you start playing the Palermo Open Championship, and so does everybody else. I am no exception at all. My entire generation has gradually left Palermo, including me, because you realize you can’t be there. Likewise, you start feeling this happening in different places, in different stages. As long as I feel comfortable, I will continue doing it. The day
“IF I THINK I CAN’T ADVANCE TOWARDS A PLAY BECAUSE I AM SCARED, I AM THE ONE WHO IS IN BAD SHAPE” is a combination of things - reflexes, a feeling of control, danger... So you start dodging plays which you never used to think about before... as soon as you start thinking, you realize you can’t be there any longer. Therefore, if 119
I stop feeling comfortable, I won’t do it any longer. And this is something I have always thought to myself. It is absolutely personal. So, I began lowering my level of polo, I started travelling less, and adapting my way of doing things. There
are things I feel I cannot do, and which I don’t enjoy that much with regard to the game, the danger, the dedication, and that is where restructuring comes in. As
ment, be
regards a sportsman’s retirewhich
difficult,
usually
do
you
tends
have
to
that
depressing feeling about not being
able to continue, or do you say “that ’s it, I have played for 25 years and now I am going to devote my time to something else”? Well, to begin with, a polo player has a very long lifespan as regards this sport; if a football player stays healthy and fit, he can play till he is 34 years old, a tennis player till he is 30 and he is already considered to be old. In polo, you are 40 years old and you can still go on playing the Open Championship. In fact, there are polo players who are 40 years old and who hold a 9 or 10-goal handicap. On the other hand, there is such a lot going on around polo that it can give you much more leeway. I have the horses, the breeding and the embryo structure,
things on to my son that I took longer to learn, and which, in turn, I learnt by force. And, furthermore, I am giving my son the opportunity of having an organised structure from the word go, in spite of the fact that he still hasn’t decided
BUT ONE THING IS FOR CERTAIN, I INTEND TO PLAY POLO TILL THE DAY I DIE. which I set up in order to maintain work continuity. And this is why polo is not only about the player. Besides, I have a son who plays polo which is something that helps him as well as it helps me. The whole structure and know-how I have amassed during so many years, watching successful people work, allows me to pass
whether he is going to be a professional polo player or not; I haven’t yet decided it and neither has he. Should he decide to play polo, he will have the whole infrastructure he needs and he will study at University. Later on, in times to come, if God blesses him the way he blessed me with the ability to play slightly better,
he may become devoted to this sport. Otherwise, he will play polo as a hobby. But one thing is for certain, I intend to play polo till the day I die. How
do you feel about the idea
of becoming a coach?
I am going to be a coach. I was a substitute coach though at odd moments. But I will be coaching El Paraíso during the 2007 Argentine season. I have spoken to the players, and as I see it, within polo it is a two-way street. That is to say, how do you want to play? How do I consider a game should be played? If we agree upon the way we are going to play, I’ll be the coach. Because I don’t feel the polo head-coach has reached an advanced level which entitles him to say, “you must play in such-and-such a way”, and then you find the player doesn’t feel it that way. I spoke to the Merlos brothers and Paco de Narváez and we realized that we all think alike when it comes to the way they want to play. As I used to say to them, I will be the visible face of all the ideas we have talked about and which they have committed themselves to perform on the field. I have been on the field, in extreme situations, but it all has to do with being intelligent, facing up to reality, which is what happens to those who are most successful and those who win the most. An intelligent player knows how to restrain himself; he knows he is in an extreme situation and when he is overwhelmed by nerves, eager to win, and that question of reaching the seventh chukker of the final having tied
the game at 11-11, and winning the Open Championship is the dream of a lifetime... When you need to perform a play and it requires to be decided upon, the most convenient thing to do is to think about how the play should be performed and not think about anything else. I may be the visible face, but the idea is “do you guys remember what you decided to do? Because I won’t be playing... In such situations, the more the pressure, the much more important it is to go back to basics. Going back to basics is what will save you. If you are playing the seventh chukker of the Palermo final and you want to perform a fantastic play, this will most probably cost you the match. But, if you go back to basics, polo-wise, it’s not just what I think… What I have done, what I have seen people do, people who have won a great deal, is go back to basics at times of maximum tension. This is what must be done. And this calls for a cool head; not performing a play you think is the best and which never turns out right. Choosing the clearest, safest play; a play with a very slight risk to it in order to score a goal if the match is tied, but trying not to overdo it. A play must be performed and chosen according to the mental moment you are going through. Going back to the question of being a coach, it has a little to do with this. I cannot tell a guy who plays polo like nobody on earth, such as Sebastián Merlos, to hit a backhander. But the team will be positioned on the field in a certain way, will have an infrastructure, and we all agree on this point. Later, they will come and see me at the tethering post, but it is their duty to do everything because they are the ones playing. As
regards going back to basics,
lots of people say that polo used to be simpler before.
Nowadays, there
are many more tricks, a lot more hitting the ball in the air, and individual plays.
Is
there any truth
70’s 80’s used to be simpler, four long poles from one goal to the other, in the claim that polo in the or
and that nowadays players think a
lot more about the line or commit-
ting a foul than they think about their opponent ’s goal posts?
In my opinion, polo started changing with La Espadaña-Chapaleufú. Before that it used to be different. And the reason why it has changed is very simple,
because polo became professional. The Heguys playing for Chapaleufú, those playing for Chapa II as well as our team started travelling. We started playing 12 months a year and that is when it started changing. And it continues to change and improve. Better and better players, better and better horses, and players who are more skilful. I am a great believer in the fact that the best way to play polo is combining order with a team that is well positioned on the field. Then, as a consequence of order and being well positioned on the field, a professional polo player uses his skilfulness, which never used to exist before and puts it into practice when it is really useful. A whole team cannot be based on a personal ability – the only one who can do that is Cambiaso, since he is the exception to the rule – and the team cannot be based on Coronel Suárez-Santa Ana either, with all due respect to this classic game. You have to make a combination, because 121
polo has been progressing, and horses as well as players have gradually improved. Coronel Suárez and Santa Ana used to play differently, as you mentioned, hitting long balls. With the classic match played by La Espadaña against Indios Chapaleufú, you could already start noticing the pause before a play, or the turning round. Gonzalo Pieres always used to turn round. He was forbidden to hit backhanders because if he did, the team did not work properly. From then on, polo started becoming more sophisticated. If you analyse the last 23 Palermo finals, with the exception of Cambiaso, every single one of those finals was won by teams that are properly positioned on the field. If your team is correctly positioned, and you then use skilfulness within that order, you will win the Open Championship. Two years ago, Chapaleufú II used to play a lot going back to basics. How did the Novillo Astradas win the Triple Crown? They
used to play going back to basics, with Nacho Novillo playing back, passing the ball among themselves, the team being properly positioned on the field, and then a guy like Miguel or Javier would appear and perform an individual play, which is very welcome, but this comes as a consequence of being correctly positioned on the field. Incorporate anything that is useful. Regarding the horse issue, if you
had to choose, how would you compare these two stages?
That
is to
say, getting on a horse at the very
first minute and not stopping until
you go back to the tethering post, or the stage in which there are up to two changes per chukker?
Yes, this is the same as what we were
talking about before. It is the same answer I gave to what we just talked about. We cannot discard the possibility of getting onto a fresh horse because during the chukker the reins were harshly tightened on three occasions and there were three 15-yard runs, and then I am left with nothing... So, I change my horse and come back with a fresh one. If we are playing a faster ball and I need not change my horse, if my mare is still in one piece, I keep the same one. If you change horses at a moment when you shouldn’t be changing them, this will cost you goals. Therefore, whether current or not, you cannot grumble about progress-related matters. If your mare has the stamina to endure then keep her; if you need to change her, just go ahead and do it. Everything is valid.
Another
very
common
phrase
during the polo season is that who-
ever starts off with good horses in
Tortugas will not make it to Palermo, which did not happen with the Novillo Astradas in 2003. How much is true about this statement? Well, the same is said about whoever changed horses. Because you now need to look back, before Tortugas, that is to say, where the horse has come from and which matches it has played. It has come from the countryside, as from December, after that come the UK and the US seasons, having travelled three times by plane; based on all of this, you must draw your own conclusions... So, you must prepare a plan according to the matches
it has played. I am a believer in the fact that, exceptions being left aside, if you set your mare loose in the countryside in December after Palermo, if at Tortugas you play your mare two or three minutes and then you get off the horse, and at Hurlingham she plays five minutes without getting tired, that is the mare I like the most. A mare that is fat and heavy when she reaches Hurlingham is the worst thing that can happen, because by then the players have achieved the rhythm of a 40-goal type of polo. And that mare is not prepared. Probably you were keeping her in store. You may start playing her at Hurlingham and perhaps you will end up exhausting her. I have seen many cases like this one.
Are horses themselves what have
evolved most in the last 25 years?
I think that what has evolved in a higher percentage is the care-taking rather than the horses themselves. It is my belief that all good mares belonging to La Espadaña and Chapaleufú, would be good mares nowadays. Care-taking today is far more sophisticated than it used to be back then. If we take La Marsellesa as an example, considered to be the best mare in history, she would have been a champion nowadays. If into the bargain, you add all the care-taking in this day and age, that is to say, if you weigh the horse, prepare a profile per week, X-rays, ultrasound scans, you can’t go wrong. Before it used to be the polo 123
groom and myself trying to figure out what was going on. The entire care-taking process is very welcome; I wish all of this would have existed when I began. Another
revolutionary issue is
that of embryos, having mares that
can constantly breed and still go on playing…
Yes, you bet! This has already made horses improve. Not only have these horses improved but also those with the possibility of breeding, the embryos, the fact that an excellent mother can have five mares per year instead of one. Quantitative is also qualitative.
Gold Cup: Martín Espain The winner: Royal Pahang with HRH The Sultan of Pahang
MALAYSIAN CELEBRATIONS The home team recorded a hat-trick in the latest Royal Pahang Polo Classic, in Pekan, as Dara Williams reports
T
his year’s edition of the Royal Pahang Classic, top polo tournament in Malaysia, was special for two reasons. Not only did it coincide with the fiftieth anniversary celebrations of Merdeka – the granting of Malaysian independence – but saw the third victory in a row for Royal Pahang, and on home soil at Pekan. Crown Prince Abdullah of Pahang, captained his team to an easy 6-3 victory over Jogo Polo, who were making their debut in high-goal polo this season. Joint patron-player of Jogo Polo, Asad Jumabhoy, active at the Singapore Polo Club since his teens, certainly had a birthday tournament to remember, as his squad made their way to the final, improving steadily with each encounter. Six teams had entered the Classic this time round, Royal Pahang and Jogo
Polo qualifying for the final with three wins in group play. Royal Pahang had beaten BRDB 11-5½, Ranhill 5-2½ and Thailand Polo 3-2; while Jogo Polo edged out Ranhill 4-3½, and grew stronger as they defeated Thailand Polo 6-4 and disposed of BRDB 8-4½. The final was a well-matched encounter between two Argentine professionals – Royal Pahang’s Francisco ‘Frankie’ Menendez and Jogo Polo’s Ginnes Bargallo, both of whom had played a good, consistent, game to take their teams through. Menendez was supported ably by Jorge LaMarche, while Bargallo had the hardworking Pablo Dorignac to back him up. Menendez, as it happened, hardly needed the help – he was outstanding in midfield from the beginning of the match, taking Royal Pahang into 124
a significant 6-1 lead going into the last chukka. Although Asad Jumabhoy had scored for Jogo Polo in the second chukka, only at the end could his side pull back to make the score more respectable, Bargallo sending through their final goal with sixty seconds left on the clock. Jogo Polo had tried their best, but the opposition proved unquenchable, determined to record a hat-trick. It was the luck of the draw, and no one could deny that Royal Pahang’s victory in this very special year was welcomed warmly by the large crowds. Francisco Menendez was named Most Valuable Player, while Prince Amir Naseer, No 1 for Royal Pahang, was Most Improved Player of the Tournament. Third and fourth place matches had been scheduled between Cameron Highlands – whose patrons are Brian
Miller and Hiro Kume – and Thailand Polo, put together by Harald Link and Nicholas Kosmatos. But, on the day, rain lashed the royal town of Pekan, and, with the field under three inches of water and goalposts floating, play had to be called off after a chukka. Incredibly, the field was playable the next day, although a much-anticipated game between a Malaysian selection and an Argentine selection had to be called off. Royal Pahang received the coveted trophy from Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah of Pahang, who had himself been a well-known player in the past. It was interesting, however, to read the Sultan’s words in the commemorative programme. “Polo in Malasyia has evolved to a much higher standard. The game is more demanding on the horses and players alike, and the end result is more enjoyable for the spectators and all concerned. “However, I am still not convinced if my Malaysian selection of players from the time I was active in polo would not be victorious over today’s Malaysian selection. That is food for thought.”
Polo in Pahang has most romantic origins. In 1926, the then Crown Prince – later Sultan – Abu Bakar fell in love with Raja Fatimah, daughter of Sultan Iskandar of Perak. When asked for her hand in marriage, her father issued a challenge: if the young suitor learned to play polo, his request would be granted. Sultan Abu Bakar became a passionate advocate of the galloping game, playing in the Philippines and Indonesia as early as the 1930s. His enthusiasm has continued down through his son, the present Sultan, and to the next two generations of the royal family. Crown Prince Abdullah is, of course, a familiar figure on polo fields in three continents, and in the 1990s regularly entered a Royal Pahang squad in the British high-goal season. Prince Amir Naseer was enjoying his first high-goal season at home this year. Royal Pahang Polo Club, Pekan, venue for the Classic, has become a flourishing centre for the game in this corner of the world. It is half an hour from Kuantan and only a forty-minute plane journey from Kuala Lumpur.
HRH Crown Prince Abdullah of Pahang
ROYAL PAHANG CLASSIC RESULTS 2007 Saturday 18 August Jogo Polo Ranhill Royal Pahang BRDB Thailand Polo Cameron Highlands Tuesday 21 August Jogo Polo Thailand Polo BRDB Cameron Higlands Royal Pahang Ranhill Thursday 23 August Cameron Highlands Ranhill Royal Pahang Thailand Polo Jogo Polo BRDB Sunday 26 August (final) Royal Pahang Jogo Polo
4 3.5 11 5.5 5 4.5 6 4 7 4 5 2.5 7.5 7 3 2 8 4.5 6 3
TEAMS ROYAL PAHANG HRH Prince Amir Naseer HRH Crown Prince Abdullah of Pahang Francisco Menendez Elia Jorge LaMarche Subst: HRH Prince Shazril
JOGO POLO
Toh Muda Rizal Ramli Pablo Droignac Gines Bargallo Asad Jumabhoy
14 1 2 7 4
14 1 6 6 1
CAMERON HIGHLANDS Brian Miller Hiroshi Kume Gonzalo Bourdieu Diego White
13 0 0 7 6
THAILAND POLO Nicholas Kosmatos Harald Link Lucas Di Paola Carlos Pando
14 1 0 7 6
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BRDB
9
Peter Abisheganaden Shaik Reisman Edham Shaharuddin Dato´Mohamed Moiz
1 2 4 2
RANDHILL POLO Ali Mazlan Harum Saladin Mazlan Harun Agustin Von Wernich Huzaini Yunos
13 1 2 5 5
ALFIO MARCHINI
ITALIANS DO IT BETTER
PQ International talks to Alfio Marchini, one of the most successful and highly-rated patrons of recent years
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talian patron Alfio Marchini, recently raised to 3-goals in England and holding a 4-goal handicap in Argentina is, without a doubt, one of the most successful polo patrons of the moment. He and his team, Loro Piana, have established themselves as champions in the 2007 British season, after winning the Queen’s Cup and reaching the Gold Cup final. Marchini is no a regular patron: he is one of the few who participate in almost every high-goal season. With the exception of the USA, Marchini Loro Piana, answer ‘present’ in England, Sotogrande and Argentina, the latter being the country he considers ideal to
develop his passion for polo. “The best are there,” he says enthusiastically. “Playing in Argentina is marvellous. Playing this type of polo is great. I prefer Argentina by far because it is the life and soul of polo, the people, the polo grooms, the breeding; and there is also the countryside. Argentina is definitely the ideal place to practice this sport.” Alfio knows perfectly well what he is talking about and he knows how to choose the best. He won the Queen’s Cup together with Uruguayan player David ‘Pelón’ Stirling, one of the players who has grown the most during this last year; Juan Martín Nero, whom many people regard as the best player in the
Alfio Marchini, Loro Piana´s Patron
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world after Adolfo Cambiaso, and young Martín Espain, the great revelation during the last British season. “I find it amusing to be surrounded by young people and good vibes,” says Marchini. The Queen’s Cup was glorious: an exultant Marchini received the trophy which established his team as the unbeaten champion, from the Queen. While they were at it, Loro Piana took great delight in leaving behind none other than Adolfo Cambiaso’s powerful Dubai – who were defending the title – in the semi-finals. “Adolfito and I get along very well, and beating him is such a lot of fun!” says Marchini, amid laughter. Subsequently, in the Queen’s Cup finals,
Loro Piana defeated Ellerston White, another powerful team. Juan Martín Nero and Pelón Stirling are two of the professional players who are closest to Marchini, and who know him best. Juan Martín’s case is far more particular, since both he and his brother Agustín, also a polo player, have known Marchini for a long time, and one could even say that they almost have a family relationship. “We started with Alfio quite a time ago, around 2000, when he began playing polo,” said Juan Martín. “I began playing with him sometime around 2001, through Vittorio Cutinelli, and now this is no longer a patron-player relationship. I wouldn’t say we are friends, though he is older than I am and he gives me his advice about lots of things. He has helped me a lot, not only sports-wise so I could go and play abroad, but also in many other aspects, in lots of decisions I have had to take; he has not only helped me but also my brother. “ We have a great relationship. Alfio is very demanding, and as he works very hard so that everything is fine, he is entitled to demand the same from others. He gives you everything, so that everything is first rate. This is why he has always done well in life”. For his part, Pelón has spent less time with Alfio, but this talented Uruguayan player and his patron have definitively constituted a great partnership. “I met Above:Alfio during Queens Cup final - Below: Receiving the trophy from HM The Queen
Alfio around two years ago, but I had the opportunity of getting to know him better during the 2007 British season, which was spectacular for us”, said Pelón, who stressed the fact that the most important thing in the Loro Piana teams boils down to the good vibes among team members: “Alfio has been a great help to me. He isn’t just a patron, but rather a person with whom I have a friendship. And he has taught me a few things about my career, such as how to concentrate more on making up a good team before focusing on the economic aspect.” Milo Fernández Araujo is another of the great players who have been teammates and friends of Marchini. “Personally, I have a very good friendship with him, as there are different things in life that have joined us together. We challenge each other on the field but we have a lot of fun”, says Milo, three times cham127
pion at Palermo with Indios Chapaleufú II, and currently retired from high goal although he still competes, among others, in the British season. “He is a very observant person who likes to learn everything he can about polo, and he always finds something good in every person.” Juan Martín, Pelón and Milo agree upon one thing regarding Alfio: his generosity and his ability to get on well with people: “He is a good guy who helps lots and lots of people, which is something that probably goes unnoticed. He is very generous. This is something I would like to emphasize concerning his personality”, asserts Juan Martín. Pelón Stirling, his team-mate in Loro Piana, adds: “The main thing about Alfio is the fact that he is a very good person, very pleasant, a very relaxed type of guy. And on the field he is always very calm. He will never scream at you. He will only give you a piece of advice”. During 2007, something occurred that placed Marchini at the centre of the storm. Rumours went around that he wanted to play in the Argentine Triple Crown, which created all types of controversy. A patron playing in the Argentine season? Opinions were divided: some said that the presence of a patron would undermine the level and prestige of the only polo in the world that is played to perfection (40-goals); therefore, his handicap would not be on a par with the level at which matches are habitually played on Field 1 at Palermo. On the other hand, and knowing that professional polo players do not win much during the Argentine season, many scratched their head entertaining the idea of a possible offer from a patron such as Marchini. The latest rumours even say that there is a possibility that Alfio Marchini may become the substitute player for La Dolfina during the Tortugas Open Championship. Marchini himself forestalled some of these comments, denying his possible foray into the Triple Crown. “I have never even considered playing at Palermo,” he said, “above all because I love polo, I love playing polo, and the worst thing that can happen to you is getting into something which is not at your level. And I have neither the level of polo nor the horses to play at Palermo. I will be watching the Triple Crown from the grandstand.”
Above: Alfio Marchini with Juan Martin Nero behind - Below: playing the Queen´s Cup final
Alfio with his Loro Piana team-mates
It was in Italy that Marchini discovered his passion for horses, although he discovered polo later on. “I had no idea whatsoever about polo. I had ridden for a long time, in the countryside, and then I started playing polo in Rome. It is a shame. There are nice fields in Italy, though they lack horse culture, which I do have in Argentina, in England. They think about polo on the lines of a show rather than a sport.” That being said, one day he arrived in Argentina, the Mecca of polo. “I came to watch polo, and I started playing, and I said to myself – if I realize I am not very good at this, I’ll give it up. Otherwise, I’ll continue until I learn and improve.” Juan Martín Nero said: “Alfio started playing polo in Argentina, and he loves Argentina. He lives in Italy, but his second country is Argentina. This guy plays the Cámara (Chamber of Representatives Cup), he plays in Alvear, in Coronel Suárez; and this helps a great deal because ever since he started doing so, many more people come”. Milo Fernández Araujo asserted: “If
he wants to, Alfio can change polo for the better, and I hope that someday he does so. Just like Kerry Packer made history with private organisations, Alfio will do the same with tournaments in Argentina” Marchini has gradually improved both his organisation and his playing level, which have led him to becoming what he is today, one of the patrons who perform best on the field, and who enjoys an impeccable physical and mental condition. He considers that his and Loro Piana’s secret to success is based on something very simple: good vibes and having fun. As Pelón Stirling says: “He always tells you to make up teams that get along well, over and above the economic aspect; and the truth is that the main thing about the group working with him, is that they are very good people and they all get along very well”. For Marchini, polo does not end on the field: it continues at home and with his family. His French wife, Celine Charloux, is also a polo and horse lover: “polo unites us very much, and he gives 129
me lots of advice”, said Celine, who with her Loro Piana La Capilla team, played against her husband’s team, Loro Piana Terranova, in the last Sotogrande Gold Cup semi-final. “We thought it would be fun, but it wasn’t because we both wanted to win!” said Celine. The Marchinis live in Pilar, where Alfio with baby Cruz, who was born in Argentina. On March 25, Alfio Marchini and Loro Piana won the Ellerstina stage within the Argentine Polo Tour, but Alfio was not able to stay for the prize-giving: that day was the baby’s christening, and his godfather is Agustín Nero, Juan Martín’s brother. Will Cruz follow his parents’ steps? “I hope so, Alfio and I would be thrilled,” said Celine. Together with his family, polo is everything to Alfio – his life and his passion. “Polo clears my mind as regards work and worries. I think that if I did not have polo, I would be lacking a great deal, because it allows me to spend time with the woman I love, with my children and my friends.”
UBS SILVER JUBILEE CUP
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he 2007 UBS Silver Jubilee Cup saw defenders Lamrei all out to lift the prized trophy for a third year. Charlie McCowen’s side included three seven goal Argentine professionals, Gaston Moore, at no:1, Santiago Gaztambide at no: 2 and Andrea Vianini at no: 3, with the English patron playing off 2 goals at back to make a 23 goal team. Their opponents, Cowdray Park, with 5 goaler Gareth Evans, South African born but who spends his summers
Andrea Vianini with his Best Playing Pony
Winner: Lamrei Polo with the Cup
the scoreboard before the end of the first chukka which ended 2-1 in their favour. Lamrei mounted a spirited defence and were 4-3 up at the end of the second chukka, but some determined play by Gonzales and McKenzie saw Cowdray ahead 7-5 by half time. Following the tread-in, Gaston Moore pushed two goals through for the Lamrei side in the fourth chukka and, with only one goal scored by Cowdray, the gap narrowed. However, the fifth and final chukka saw the Lamrei side concentrate their efforts, with four goals coming from the sticks of Vianini and Gaztambide. The final score was 119 to Lamrei, Charlie McCowen was delighted to accept the magnificent trophy once again and spectators agreed they had watched an exciting display of excellent high goal polo. John Pottage and Laila Pakzad of UBS Wealth Management presented the magnificent silver trophy and team prizes.
based at Cowdray at the front, South African Buster McKenzie (6 goals) at 2, Will Lucas (6 goals) at 3 and England international Nacho Gonzales (6 goals) at Back. Cowdray matched the Lamrei side on 23 goals. In a close game, which saw good free-flowing polo and plenty of end to end movement of the ball, Lamrei were first to score with a fine field goal from patron McCowen. Gonzales for Cowdray followed up with two goals on The one and only Andrea Vianini
Above: teams at the podium - Below: South African Buster McKenzie
DUKE OF WELLINGTON TROPHY
GRAYSHURST WIN WELLINGTON HONOURS by Diana Butler
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rayshurst put up a convincing performance to win the Duke of Wellington Trophy at Guards Polo Club on Sunday, 2nd September. Martyn Ratcliffe’s team took the lead in the opening chukka of this 12-16-goal tournament, listed as a high-goal event by the Hurlingham Polo Association, and never relinquished that position throughout the game. John Paul Clarkin was in great form throughout the match, which was played on The Queen’s Ground, and teamed up well with Antonio Manzorro to form a strong and confident partnership. With Roddy Matthews keeping their back door shut for much of the match, Grayshurst were a formidable opposition. Lambourne, one of seven teams which entered this annual tournament, struggled to get into this final and were 6-2 down by the end of the third Above: Grayhurst team with the Duke of Wellington Trophy - Below: Ben Turner fighting with John Paul Clarkin for the ball
Grayhurst Above: Roddy vs Lambourne Mathewswas controling a tough the finalball - Below: Martyn Radcliffe
FINAL
GRAYSHURST
16
Martyn Ratcliffe Antonio Manzorro John Paul Clarkin Roddy Mathews
0 4 8 4
LAMBOURNE Ben Turner Oliver Hipwood Tommy Wilson John Seabrook
SUBSIDIARY FINAL BLACK CATS Mark Wadhwa Hernan Muzzio Tomas Ruiz Gui単azu Alejandro Muzzio
CLARITA
Chris Mathias Howard Hipwood Santiago de Estrada Sam Gairdner
16 4 5 7 0
16 0 4 5 7
16 1 5 6 4
chukka. They rallied in the fourth, with Tommy Wilson, Ben Turner and Oliver Hipwood, all producing some great play, to close the gap to 6-5. However time was against Lambourne and when Grayshurst were awarded a penalty, successfully converted by Clarkin, the final result was inevitable. During the prize giving Clarkin received the Best Playing Trophy for Taneira, a six-year-old chestnut mare whom Clarkin had played in the third chukka. This was her first Duke of Wellington Tournament and the New Zealand international looked delighted that her talent had been recognised. Mark Wadhwa retained the subsidiary trophy after his Black Cats defeated Clarita 7-6. Level 16 hcp WPT Category Challenge Cup MVP: John-Paul Clarkin (Grayshurst) BPP: Taneira (by John-Paul Clarkin)
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below: Martin Radcliffe
CASA VILLAGIO
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These luxury townhouses in a perfect location offer a wealth of amenities and activities on the doorstep
asa Villagio announces the grand opening of luxury townhomes in Wellington, Florida, U.S.A., home of the Winter Equestrian Festival and world famous polo events. According to Dennis J. Caruso, developer of Casa Villagio, “This is a rare opportunity to own a brand new private rooftop terrace townhome on Lake Wellington. The lake offers fishing and boating and the rooftop provides fantastic views of the waterway and evening sunsets.” These well-appointed homes have a functional two-story floor plan that range in size from 3 to 4 bedrooms as well as sophisticated interior and exterior architectural accents and are priced from
just $459,900! The provincial-style exterior of these townhomes features covered entries, lanai, second-story balconies, private rooftop terraces, designer lights, and brick driveways – all in keeping with a Mediterranean-inspired influence. Casa Villagio is ideal for a buyer who does not want to worry about maintenance or security. The location is convenient for major shopping malls, banks, medical facilities, hospitals, restaurants, speciality stores, parks and polo fields. Each home features ceilings in excess of 9 feet, breakfast nook, large master bedroom and closets, garden tub, and his and her own sink areas. Tile in most areas with carpet in the bedrooms,
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separate laundry room with full size washer and dryer. Additional features include granite countertops in kitchen and bathrooms, stainless steel appliances and a gas barbecue grill for each rooftop terrace. Each of the two-story townhomes in Wellington is crowned by a spacious private rooftop terrace, perfect for entertaining, barbecuing, sunbathing, or watching the beautiful sunsets while enjoying wine and cheese. Casa Villagio is the only development in Wellington with these private rooftop terraces! Must see to believe that you could own a place like this! Closings are slated for the fall of 2007. Visit www.serealtyadvisors.com or call +1 (561) 683-2336 USA.
LUKE TOMLINSON
“A FORMULA 1 POLO TEAM CAN BE ACHIEVED”
Part of a famous polo family, Luke Tomlinson is currently the top British player. He is preparing for the great challenge of playing the Hurlingham and Palermo Open Championships in Argentina for the second time – he first played in 2005 with Centauros Beaufort.
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his time, Luke will be showing his talent before a demanding Argentine public with Alegría Park Hyatt Polo Team, together with Fred Mannix Jr from Canada, Jack Baillieu from Australia and Francisco Bensadon from Argentina. PQinternational met up with him one afternoon in Buenos Aires to talk, among other topics, about the expectations for this latest step in his career. How
do you feel after having
qualified with your team,
Alegría, Hurlingham and Palermo Open Championships for the second time? I feel very well. Qualifying for the Open was tough because all teams were extremely even. This team is a lot of fun. Perhaps we lack a little order, which is required to play at this level, but having been given this new opportunity is very good. Obviously, there is an abyss between the six big teams and the two that simply qualified, but the idea is to go, learn, improve our group of horses, our game and to gain experience. to
play
the
W hat
are
the
differences
between that first season two years ago and this one?
Horsewise, this team is more organised. It is better assembled, and we have dedicated more time to it. For each classification round, all teams are slightly better organised. This year, we were at Alegría, Fred Mannix’s place, where he has two fields, as well as at Lechuza, and this helped us a lot. The first year we did not have our own field.
You have also been learning – what did you get out of that first experience? I learnt a lot as regards horses; which can be used and which are no good. I also learnt about the system of the game, how to play against big teams, how to mark good players.
1-goal handicap. Lechuza did a good job winning the Gold Cup, but I think Loro Piana deserved to win. Of course, Pelon was injured at the time...
Back then you had Juni Crotto as
Well, Juan Martín Nero reached 10-goals in England. Yes, that’s right, but I think that reaching 10-goals in England is a lot more difficult than anywhere else, because there are only three or four 10goal players. Without a doubt, polo in England is highly competitive.
your coach.
Yes, that’s right, and we now have Clemente Zavaleta, who is helping us a lot. W hat
do you think about the
tendency for all polo teams to have a coach?
I think that, as regards sports in general, a coach is fundamental. A coach is essential, no matter what sport. It isn’t easy, though, because this isn’t something that has been done historically in polo, which is very complicated tactically speaking, and there aren’t that many people fit for the job. There are lots who have played, who know about polo, but they don’t want to be coaches. In other sports, such as rugby, I am impressed at how they train. In the Australian World Cup, I watched how the English coach took things from other sports, such as Australian football, and applied them to rugby.
that he gave us four a great opportunity; in fact, he also helps us a lot here in Argentina. Unfortunately, my brother Mark was injured, so we played the last
“I ALSO LEARNT ABOUT THE SYSTEM OF THE GAME, HOW TO PLAY AGAINST BIG TEAMS, HOW TO MARK GOOD PLAYERS”
How did Apes Hill, your team in England, spring up? Our patron, Sir Charles Williams, is a polo fan. He was a fellow countryman in Barbados who lived out in the countryside and used to play polo there. Later, he started doing business, and as he could not play in England, he tried to make up a team with four British players because he realized that there weren’t that many British playing high-goal. The truth is
Let ’s talk a little about polo in England. How do you feel about the 2007 season? It was horrible due to the lousy weather, and very difficult for everybody. I think that more horses were injured compared to other years, but the level and the competition were good. I would like the season to be organised for 24 or 26-goals, because we have the horses; the main horses belonging to each team can play at an Open level, and lots of teams are always competing. Personally, were you surprised by Loro Piana’s success during the last season? No, I wasn’t surprised because all four of them are very good and they play very well as a team. Furthermore, they all get along very well. I thoroughly enjoyed watching them play. I think that both Juan Martín Nero and Pelón Stirling are tremendously good players. Alfio also plays very well. I remember him scoring an 80-yarder, and he did that with only a 138
match with him against Loro Piana and lost in the extra chukka. Until then, our team was working very well. Will Apes Hill
be participating
in the next British season?
Yes, and the good thing about Mark having been injured is that we all have the same handicap, so we will be able to continue next year. Tell me a little about the Apes Hill Club project in Barbados. It is located in the north of the island. It is high, with a panoramic view of every single point. It is a tremendously nice place. I was told it was very nice, and I did not believe it until I saw the place in the midst of being constructed – you know, when everything is under
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construction and it looks horrible. In this case, it wasn’t at all like that. It was amazing. All the plots are for sale. They showed me, and I am not exagerating, around twenty of them and I did not know which to choose, because the topography is so good that it seems as if you were on a mountain. They are making golf courses with Landmark, the only company to have two or three of the best golf courses in the world. Apes Hill played in Greenwich, USA. How did you get on? We did very well. We played against Peter Brant, at his place, and it wasn’t easy, we had rented horses, but it was a lot of fun. I would like to do it again, changing our horses. Would you like to play a season in Palm Beach? Yes, I would love to. It would be fun, but we shouldn’t rent horses! In polo, you can’t do a thing without good horses. Do you, Argentina
magnet to players
Tomlinsons, play in Could this be a attract other British
the
often?
to
participate
in
the
Argentine season? What happens is that having an organisation in Argentina is difficult for a professional British player. It has taken me a lot of hard work to finally have the ideal horses in order to play the Camara Below: Luke with coach Clemente Zavaleta
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(Chamber of Representatives Cup). For me, playing this tournament was a dream come true. It was awesome! The first time I came, I only had seven horses, and although they were useful, they weren’t very good. Back then, every penny I earned in England I later invested here. There came a time when I told myself I wouldn’t come back or, if I did, I would only do so if I was well-mounted. So, one day I invested everything I had earned, and even a little more... in order to be well mounted. Playing in Argentina is expensive, and economically speaking it is difficult if you are not among the teams that play the Open Championship. How do you see polo nowadays? I would like it to be given a lot more publicity. In England there were lots of very good things. They have spent a lot on polo. A very good article was published in The Times, as well as a programme that was broadcasted on Sky TV for two weeks. I think it was something they won back. I consider that much can be done as regards polo. Perhaps a kind of Formula 1 can be organised with an international series played among Argentina, England, Brazil and Chile. This can be done focusing on television. If you turn on the TV set and Chile is playing against Argentina, you’ll watch the match because it is being played between countries. Look at what happened recently with rugby in Argentina during this last World Cup. Rugby will grow a lot taking this as a starting point, and in the case of polo, something like this would be very important. A test match could be organised every year. Three have already been played in England: against South Africa, Mercosur, and the Coronation Cup against Chile; and we always organise one in South Africa. Nowadays, polo is being played in an increasing number of countries. Recently, Malcolm Borwick played in Shangai, China, and he did very well. I have been talking to Patrick GuerrandHermès about the possibility of making up a Formula 1 polo team, with the idea of promoting this sport even further, and for it to gain more popularity in turn. I think this can be achieved.
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ARELAUQUEN
PLAYING POLO IN PATAGONIA IS NOW POSSIBLE
In the Argentine Patagonia, amid national parks, mountains, woods and lakes, there’s a place that overwhelms the senses, Arelauquen Golf & Country Club
Above: Milo Fernandez Araujo playing one of La Martina series tournament on January 2007 Below:View of Gutierrez Lake and Arelauquen on the right
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relauquen is a real estate development of 1930 acres (1380 of which constitute a nature reserve and other green spaces), perfect for experiencing Patagonia in a most exclusive way. Only minutes from Mount Catedral, one of South America’s prime ski resorts, the airport and the City of Bariloche, Arelauquen offers lots and houses in the midst of the Patagonia’s incredible landscape, a spectacular Club House, an 18-hole golf course, and the only polo club in this amazing region Arelauquen Polo Club has three fields, boxes, an exercise ring and an International School for children and adults offering programs that include the use of four horses, stable hands and hitting lessons. Polo season extends form November to March, during the Argentine summer, and the club is opened to polo players from around the world, who may arrive with their own horses, or simply with their boots and helmets, ready to play, and everything is provided for. The club is hosted by the Novillo Astrada brothers, members of team La Aguada Arelauquen (38) and managed by Juan Martin Garcia Laborde, who is St Tropez´s polo Club manager during the European summer season. For this next season, the club has already organized the first high-goal exhibition, Above: Juan Martin Garcia Laborde -Below: Pire He Polo Team with Hubert Gosse of Arelauquen
which will take place on January 11, a series of polo practices, open tournaments and the six week-end Grand Prix La Martina, for teams comprised of professional and amateur players, organized by IMG. For polo players, and for tourists in general, wishing to combine the virgin landscapes of Patagonia, with polo, sports and five star traveling, Arelauquen Lodge - of typical Andean style and exquisite decoration - features magnificent views from its salons and twenty-three guest rooms of Mount Catedral, Lake Gutiérrez, and the woods of Mount Otto that frame Arelauquen. Guests can also enjoy the kids’ club, health club and fitness centre, climate-controlled indoor/ outdoor swimming pool, and sauna and five restaurants offering high-end gourmet cuisine. Those who favour higher doses of activity can enjoy paragliding, kayaking, rock climbing, rappelling and Tyrolean rides at the Hamburg rock, or riding and trekking along trails through Arelauquen’s own natural reserve, with ancient specimens of coigue, Nothofagus obliqua, and cypress. It is also worth reaching the El Refugio mountain restaurant, at 14,639 feet, to enjoy an assortment of panoramic views, smoked produce and Above: Santiago Bondon -Below: Milo Fernandez Araujo
Above: Santiago Irastroza -Below::Gonzalo Eddy and Miguel Novillo Astrada
panoramic views, smoked produce and fondues. If your aim is to get to know Patagonia, Arelauquen is definitely the ideal starting point. Here, the Burco Group offers sophisticated activities, such as heliskiing, fly-fishing, and adventure tourism through a net of own lodges in Argentina and Chilean Patagonian. It is hard to resist the temptation of becoming one of the privileged inhabitants of this paradise, where imposing landscapes and a social and sports infrastructure of the highest level blend with the robustness and quality of the most important development group in Patagonia. For more information: www.arelauquen.com
BRITISH TRIPLE CROWN
Left: John Paul Clarkin - Above:Bautista Heguy
BRITISH BONANZA Juan Cruz Díaz reviews the British equivalent of the Triple Crown and discovers a thriving polo scene
I
n order to illustrate the English polo boom, as well as the success of the 2007 season, it was definitely worth a few pages in The Times, which gave itself a break in the midst of the news turmoil produced in Great Britain, and devoted several pages to the sport of equines in its Sunday magazine. To be precise, an eight-page report entitled ‘Polo’s New Breed’.
There, amid the juicy information, it was asserted that big money is drawing closer to this sport, that there is a growing spectator boom and that, besides professionals, a significant number of amateurs are becoming interested in gripping a mallet for the first time in Europe and the rest of the world. According to The Times, the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup, known correctly as 151
the British Open Championship, is the most prestigious tournament in the world played outside Argentina, and the final is broadcast in over thirty-five countries throughout the world. The Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA) has three thousandregistered polo players, three times more than ten years ago. But this also sounded alarms about the number of professional English play-
Loro Piana and Ellerston White with HM The Queen
ers who participated in the international tournament – only nine out of eighty. This is where the supremacy of Argentine polo players is emphasized. There are ten professional players in the world who hold a 10-goal handicap and sixteen players with a 9-goal handicap. All twenty-six are Argentine, out of which only two of them did not play the British Gold Cup, namely Mariano Aguerre and Francisco de Narváez.
land, four less than in the high season in the USA, and the maximum among other European nations.. Some of the favourite teams? For starters, it is worth mentioning three, and then another three barely one step below. As in the last few years, among the top was Adolfo Cambiaso’s Dubai, this year joined by Lucas Monteverde, who is also Cambiaso’s team-mate in La
THE HURLINGHAM POLO ASSOCIATION HAS DECIDED THAT FROM 2007 THE PRINCE OF WALES TROPHY SHOULD BECOME A QUEEN’S CUP SUBSIDIARY.
QUEEN’S CUP
As from this year, the HPA decided that the Prince of Wales Trophy should become a Queen’s Cup subsidiary. Therefore, basically, the British highgoal season was reduced to two classic and historic tournaments that all polo players wish to win – the Queen’s Cup and the Gold Cup. The Warwickshire Cup is also played halfway through the season, although many teams consider it to be merely a tuning-up for horses and players, always focusing on the Gold Cup. It is something along the lines of the Tortugas Open Tournament within the Argentine Triple Crown. Twenty-two teams with between a 21 and a 22-goal handicap signed up for the first of the tournament. Precisely 22goals is the maximum possible in teams playing high-goal tournaments in Eng-
Dolfina, and who paradoxically played with 21-goals, since Lucas has an 8-goal handicap here instead of his usual 9-goals in Argentina. Other leading contenders were Black Bears, the team for which the Eduardo and Javier Novillo Astrada play, and who have won both the Gold Cup and the Queen’s Cup recent years; and Ellerston, an English classic ever since Gonzalo Pieres Sr used to play, and which now has Gonzalo Jr and Facundo Pieres as key players. The step only just below was taken by Lechuza Caracas, an squad still new in England but which has been working in Palm Beach for several years, and based around the Merlos brothers, Juan Ignacio and Sebastián; Azzurra, headed by the Italian Stéfano Marsaglia, who has been playing for years with Marcos Heguy and who also played with Santiago Chavanne during 2007; and Loro Piana, 152
QUEEN´SFINAL CUP
WINNER
SEMIFINALS QUARTERFINALS Loro Piana
10
Loro Piana
7
Loro Piana
ELLERSTON WHITE
12 Les Lions
10
Dubai
11
Dubai 8
Lechuza Caracas
8
Loro Piana Black Bears
MVP: David Stirling BPP: Nutria (David Stirling)
10 Black Bears
10
Ellerston White
13
Talandracas
11
Ellerston White 11 Ellerston White 11
12
David Stirling Jr. Alfio Marchini Juan Martín Nero Martín Espain
9 Elysian Fields
FINAL
LORO PIANA
11
Richard Le Poer Facundo Pieres Gonzalo Pieres Jr. Johnnie Williams Smith´s Lawn, Windsor Great Park, Egham, UK GUARDS POLO CLUB Date 27-05-2007 to 17-06-2007 Level 22 hdp WPT Category Polo Masters
Adolfo Cambiaso
8
9 Sebastián Merlos takes a tumble
headed by Alfio Marchini, an Italian who chose three professionals: Uruguayan David Stirling and Argentines Juan Martin Nero and Martin Espain. The list of favourite players was probably made by reputation and horsepower, leaving out several important players on the way, which is unfair as they were present in England. Among them were Bautista, Alberto and Eduardo Heguy, Alejandro Díaz Alberdi, Milo Fernández Araujo, Agustín Merlos, Bartolomé Castagnola, Miguel and Ignacio Novillo Astrada, Pablo and Matías MacDonough, English players Mark and Luke Tomlinson, and Chilean players Jaime García Huidobro and José Donoso.
During the semi-finals, two great matches took place: Loro Piana v Dubai and Ellerston v Black Bears. Was it to be a final played by Dubai v Black Bears, this being a classic match of the British
Black Bears by 11-10, and thus reached the finals. Triumph in the decisive match was also tight and was achieved by the ‘Italians’ over the ‘Australians’, 12-11. Thus,
SOME TEAMS PREFER TO REST AND CONCENTRATE ON THE MOST IMPORTANT DATE OF THE SEASON: THE GOLD CUP. OTHERS USE THIS CUP ESSENTIALLY TO TUNE UP THEIR HORSES. season over the last few years? Both teams were left behind, allowing two of the newest British polo teams to reach the Queen’s Cup finals. In two heartstopping matches, Loro Piana beat Dubai 9-8 and Ellerston White defeated 154
for the first time Loro Piana managed to have their name engraved on the trophy, presented to Alfio Marchini and by Queen Elizabeth II herself.
The Warwickshire Cup
WARWICKSHIRE CUP
Cadenza
10
Grayhurst
9
Black Bears
8
Elysian Fields
Cadenza
FINAL
SEMIFINALS
Cadenza
8
Elysian Fields
9
9
Gloucestershire, UK CLUB CIRENCESTER PARK PC Date 18-06-2007 to 11-07-2007 Level 22 hcp Category WPT Cup
This championship is played at Cirencester Park Polo Club, in Gloucestershire, and many team that later sign up for the Gold Cup do not play with the same four players in both tournaments. Which teams signed up? Apes Hill, Black Bears, Caballus, Cadenza, Elysian Fields, Emlor, Grayhurst, Lovelocks and Waterhall Polo Villas. Among outstanding we may name Argentines Bartolomé Castagnola, Alberto Heguy, Alejandro Muzzio, Marcos Di Paola, Tomás Fernández Llorente, Francisco de Narváez, Javier Novillo Astrada and Pablo Jauretche; English Luke Tomlinson, Henry Brett, James Beim, Ignacio González
Tony Pidgley Tomás Fernandez Llorente John-Paul Clarkin Nicolás Espain
Elysian Fields
Pite Merlos takes a fall (photos: Alice Gipps)
WARWICKSHIRE CUP
FINAL
and Chris Hyde; Chilean José Donoso and Jaime García Huidobro, and New Zealanders John Paul Clarkin and Simon Keyte. The cup was won by Elysian Fields and the subsidiary championship went to Cadenza. The winners belonged to four different nations: Michael King (Australia), James Beim (England), José Donoso (Chile) and Marcos Di Paola (Argentina).
BRITISH OPEN
Based at Cowdray Park, it is the most important cup in Europe and one of the most important in the world, together with the Argentine Championship and the US Open. Without a doubt, these 155
Michael King James Beim José Donoso Marcos Di Paola
are the three tournaments that every polo player wants to win at some point in his career. Twenty teams signed up, which were divided into five zones with four teams each. But there remains a fact that cannot go unnoticed: more than half of the players were Argentines, with a total of forty-two out of eight. And the rest? Twelve Englishmen, six Australians and a combination of different nationalities: another ten in total. Basically, it was a repetition of the same teams that played the Queen’s Cup. Some of the exceptions? One of the teams was entirely made up of professionals, and all four of them were English. Apes Hill was formed by Ed Hitchman (3), Tom Morley (5) and the Tomlinson brothers, Mark (7) and Luke (7). They were pretty unlucky as far as injuries went, and the four of them bare-
Martín Espain
ly managed to play together. After a tough classification stage, the time came for the quarterfinals, with the following teams and results: Loro Piana 13 v Atlantic 7, Lechuza Caracas 15 v Elysian Fields 9, Les Lions 18 v Dubai 10 and Ellerston White 13 v Azzurra 12. Yes, you read that correctly, it is not a typing error. The favourite team, Adolfo
unexpectedly found they were only one goal ahead at the last minute and with a penalty shot hit by their opponents from 40 yards. One of the most dramatic modern classics of Argentine polo seemed to repeat itself thousands of kilometres away. Who can still doubt the desire to win felt by the Heguy brothers playing for Chapa II and the Merlos brothers
MORE THAN HALF OF THE PLAYERS WERE ARGENTINES, WITH A TOTAL OF 42 OUT OF 80. AND THE REST? 12 ENGLISHMEN, 6 AUSTRALIANS AND A COMPILATION OF DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES: ANOTHER 10 IN TOTAL. Cambiaso’s Dubai, were given a beating by Nachi and el Ruso Heguy’s team, and left behind in the quarter finals. For Nachi and el Ruso, this was the confirmation of an excellent British season. In the semi-finals all sorts of things happened, including pouring rain during one of the matches. In the first game, Lechuza Caracas were heading towards a comfortable victory over Les Lions, but
each time they come face to face? Eduardo Heguy’s slightly deflected shot decided Lechuza Caracas’ victory and their first Gold Cup final in barely three seasons. Les Lions dealt with the bitterness of having been eliminated, but with the reassurance of having done their duty as well as a good season. One of the important factors of this match was the constant rain during the second half of 156
the game. The second semi-final match looked as though it would be an exciting duel, with Loro Piana and a great Juan Martín Nero on one side, and Ellerston White with Gonzalo Pieres and Carlos Gracida on the other side. This was the highlight of the day. However, an unrecognisable Ellerston rapidly succumbed to Loro Piana who intended to achieve a double victory in England and were heading towards becoming the favourite to capture the Gold Cup after a resounding 12-6 in the semis. On one side, the favourites, Loro Piana, who had enjoyed a calm semi-final as regards their horses, and who had not yet lost a single game during the English season. On the other side, the guests, Lechuza Caracas, a team that felt totally fulfilled by the mere fact of being able to play that final match in so little time, and who had already suffered a much more significant wearing-down process in the previous match. All that was left to do was
FINAL
BRITISH OPEN SEMIFINALS
QUARTERFINALS
FINAL
WINNER
Lechuza Caracas 15 Lechuza Caracas Elysian Fields
14
9 18
Dubai
10
Loro Piana
13
Les Lions
13 Lechuzas Caracas
Loro Piana Atlantic
12
BPP: Nutria (D. Stirling)
Loro Piana 13
Azzurra
12
Ellerston White
10
6
to play the match and give the prizes to Loro Piana, and all voices were unanimous before the game: Lechuza Caracas did not stand a chance. However, polo is a sport and, as such, it requires to be played. In general, the results are given after the matches, especially in sports which are not marred by fraudulent
10
David Stirling Jr. Alfio Marchini Juan Martín Nero Martín Espain
MVP: David Stirling
7
Ellerston White
11
Victor Vargas Sebastian Merlos Juan Ignacio Merlos Henry Fischer
LORO PIANA
Lechuzas Caracas 11 Les Lions
LECHUZAS CARACAS
betting, and therefore Lechuza Caracas fought every second in an incredibly long match, and achieved the glory of winning the British Open Championship Gold Cup, beating Loro Piana 11-10. In The Times, Chile’s victory over the English in the Coronation Cup was the only thing missing, which together with
Midhurst, West Sussex, UK COWDRAY PARK POLO CLUB Date 27-06-2007 to 22-07-2007 Level 22 hcp WPT Category Grand Slam
changes in handicap, end a great 2007 season. There can be no doubt that polo, as The Times mentioned, is growing year after year, raising the hopes of those who make their living from the game in England, because nobody really knows how far it can go. Juan Ignacio Merlos
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