Cream of the crop

French and Argentine teams on the podium at Chantilly, 1996

The Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly marks 20 years as one of the most prominent – and most welcoming – clubs in Europe, writes Martha Norman

Since 1996, the 500-acre Apremont Farm, bordering the Chantilly Forest, has been home to Patrick Guerrand-Hermès’ Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly. 2016 marks the 20th anniversary of the club, which, in its two decades under the guidance of its director, Philippe Perrier, has become the largest club in France of its kind, and is considered one of the most prestigious polo institutions in Europe.

The club has always had a unique stake in the sport, partly due to its location. By setting the clubhouse in Apremont, Guerrand-Hermès and Perrier consciously contributed to the area’s relationship with equine history. Robert de Rothschild, who founded Deauville International Polo Club in 1907, had himself chosen Apremont in the hope of unifying France’s capital of horses (Chantilly) and the leagues of world polo. The region’s rich association with equine culture and sport is epitomised with the Great Stables of the Château de Chantilly, which, like the polo club, sit some 40 miles north of Paris. The stabling at today’s Chantilly Polo Club is vast, with 30 paddocks housing hundreds of horses.

While the club is famed for its facilities – which include nine irrigated polo fields, two sand fields and an academy run by Perrier and internationally revered player Brieuc Rigaux – the longevity of the institution is also a testament to its dedicated community. The clubhouse prides itself on being ‘a friendly place where all polo fans meet’, and where players traditionally congregate after each game among past trophies and antique polo memorabilia. On 22 May, the club hosted a series of events to celebrate its anniversary and achievements. During its 20 years, it has hosted and organised countless competitions, including the World Championships, two European Championships and the French Open. The festivities in May featured a match between Argentina and France, who played behind Rigaux (6). Before the game, each equestrian discipline for which Chantilly is known was represented in the Equestrian World Parade: racing, hunting, carriage driving and showjumping, to recognise the club hosting the Global Champions Tour the following week.

In all, the 20th-anniversary celebrations were a testament to the club’s successful promotion of polo as a sport, and championed the work of devoted instructors and sponsors.

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