Summer 2016

Page 16

TALK

GOLD STANDARD On the 60th anniversary of the esteemed Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup, the competition at Cowdray Park is as fierce as ever, writes Liz Higgins

It was a very different world when John Cowdray launched the Gold Cup in 1956, and in its Diamond Jubilee year, he would be both amazed and thrilled to see the assembly of world-class players taking part in the annual celebration of polo that has become the Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup for the British Open Polo Championship. Sponsors Jaeger-LeCoultre have been closely involved with Cowdray Park since 2006, when it became Official Timekeeper to the club. The luxury watchmaker extended its support by becoming title sponsors of the Gold Cup in 2015. This year, the brand celebrates the 85th anniversary of its iconic Reverso watch – the

historic timepiece developed in the 1930s specifically for the sporting gentleman who played polo – with a new Reverso collection: the Reverso One is dedicated to femininity; the Reverso Tribute for men has a contemporary Art Deco inspiration; and the Classic collection for men and women introduces an automatic movement on a number of models. Cowdray Park’s high-goal season opened with the Jaeger-LeCoultre Trippetts Challenge for the James Wentworth Stanley Cup, giving locally based teams a good warm-up for the demanding competition ahead. The La Indiana team of Michael Bickford with Julian de

Lusarreta, Agustin Merlos and Nic Roldan achieved a confidence-boosting win, and as they contemplate the 2016 Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup opening on 21 June, a wider look at all the teams entered reveals some new and very exciting combinations. Two Jaeger-LeCoultre brand ambassadors are playing, including Luke Tomlinson with Nick Clarke’s Clarke & Green. His side includes Juan Gris Zavaleta and John-Paul Clarkin, making for an evenly matched and powerful combination. Sir Charles Williams lends the support of his Apes Hill Club, Barbados, to George Hanbury. The 2016 Apes Hill side also includes Mark

This page 2015 Gold Cup final at Cowdray Opposite Jaeger-LeCoultre ambassadors (from left) Luke Tomlinson, Clare Milford Haven and Eduardo Novillo Astrada

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03/06/2016 12:37


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