A R G E N T I N E P O L O OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP THUNDERING HOOVES. IMPOSSIBLE PRECISION. BALLS HURTLING THROUGH THE AIR AT 160 KM/H. WITH THE VERY FIRST THROW-IN, ALL THE TRADITION, PRESTIGE AND GRACE OF THIS
2,500 -YEAR-OLD “SPORT OF KINGS” COME RACING HEADLONG INTO THE PRESENT. THE WORLD’S GREATEST PL AYERS BATTLE FOR POLO’S OLDEST TITLE, AND WE ARE REMINDED THAT THIS IS NOT A SPORT. IT’S A WAY OF LIFE.
OYSTER PERPETUAL DATEJUST II
118TH A R G E N T I N E POLO O P E N CHAM PI O NSH I P NOVE M B E R 19T H TO DECE MB E R 10TH, 2011
Piaget Manufacture movement 880P Mechanical self-winding chronograph Flyback, dual time 100 meter water resistant Titanium, sapphire case-back Rubber strap
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www.piagetpolo.com
PQ | 5
PQ Staff Publisher
PoloLine Inc. info@pololine.com
Editor
Aurora Eastwood aurora@pqinternational.com
Design & Production
Tomás M. Garbers tomas@pqinternational.com
PR and Marketing Director
María Noel Raffo Antin noel@pqinternational.com
Photographs
PoloLine Media Ana Clara Cozzi M&M Productions Images of Polo Alice Gipps Alex Photography
Aurora Eastwood Editor
Matías Callejo Contributors
Federico Levy Horace Laffaye Alex Webbe Alejandra Ocampos Diana Butler Eduardo Amaya
Polo Quarterly
Dara Williams Fashion Editor
Giovanna Eastwood giovanna@pqinternational.com
Travel Editor
PoloLine Travel travel@pololine.com Advent Print Group
Spring Issue 2011 - # 79 - Year XIX
Printing
Cover Photo
PQ international
By Ana Clara Cozzi
5 Charters Lane, Sunninghill, Ascot, Berkshire. SL5 9NU, United Kingdom Mobile/Cell: +44 (0) 7970 697593 www.pqinternational.com E-mail: info@pqinternational.com
© 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.
PQ #79
Calendar Spring
May
June
July
13_Maxima Cup 5-8 goal Polo Club Vreeland, Netherlands
5_Final National Universities Polo Championship Offchurch Burry, UK
1_Final Archie David Cup 4-8 goal Guards PC, UK
15_Cartier Queen´s Cup Presentation 10_Final Coupé Laversine 22 goal Challenge Elie de Rotschild London, UK 10-12 goal Chantilly PC, France 16_Audi Polo Awards 17_Final Cartier Queen´s Cup Coworth Park, UK 22 goal Guards PC, UK 18_Final Indian Empire Shield 18 goal Coworth Park & Guards PC, UK 20_GCC Day Guards PC, UK 19_St. Regis Test Match 23_The Laureus Polo Cup Day UK vs USA Cowdray Park, UK Guards PC, UK
1_Final The Orange Polo 5-8 goal Wassenaar PC, Netherlands
20_Final La Martina Queen Mother Centenary Trophy 12-15 goal Guards PC, UK
24_Final The Al Habtoor Royal Windsor Cup 12-15 goal Guards PC, UK
20_Final Coupé Patrick Guerrand-Hermes 10-12 goal Chantilly PC, France
24_Final Polo Club´s 14th Anniversary Tournament 12-15 goal St Tropez PC, France
21_PJ´s Polo Party PJ´s Restaurant, London, UK
24_Final Scapa Trophy 10-12 goal Antwerp PC, Kapellen, Belgium
27_Final Pinkster Polo 4-6 goal Waalre, Netherlands 28_Final Scapa Beach Tournament Knokke-Heist, Belgium
30_Final Trophy Charity Cup 10-12 goal Chantilly PC, France 30_Ganjam Jaipur Trophy & Asia Cup Guards PC, UK
1_Russian Polo Cup 14 goal President´s Club, Moscow, Russia 7_Final World Equestrian Festival Dressage Aachen, Germany 15_Final Gold Cup for the British Open 22 goal Cowdray Park, UK 15_Final International Polo Cup 12-15 goal PC St Tropez, France 15_Final USPA Robert Skene Trophy 20 goal Santa Barbara PC, US 22_HPA Day - Coronation Cup UK vs Australia Guards PC, UK 28_Deauville Gold Cup 22 goal Polo de Deauville, France 29_Final USPA America Cup 20 goal Santa Barbara, US
T HERE ARE STORIES THAT DESERVE TO BE CAPTURED FOREVER.
THE GRANDE MAISON It was in 1833, at the heart of the remote Swiss Jura valley, that Antoine LeCoultre founded the first workshop of what would become the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre. The Swiss watch industry pioneer revolutionised the field of precision by inventing the first pinion-cutting machine. A decade later, he created the world’s first instrument capable of micron-level measurements: the Millionometer. The founder’s inventive spirit, perpetuated from generation to generation, has enabled the Grande Maison to register almost 400 patents and create 1,231 mechanical movements – an absolute record in the watchmaking world. United under one roof, over 180 watchmaking professions ranging from the rarest manual crafts to cutting-edge technologies enable the creation of exceptional timepieces from A to Z.
THE LIVING LEGEND The Reverso watch was born in 1931, at a time when British colonial army officers stationed in India dreamed of finding a timepiece able to withstand the rough and tumble of polo tournaments. In response to this daunting challenge, the Manufacture came up with a simple yet brilliant solution in the shape of the swivel case. The Reverso was nonetheless not solely destined to assert itself on polo fields. Its elegance and customisable case-back aroused immediate enthusiasm among devotees of Fine Watchmaking and aesthetes with a taste for Art Deco styling. Since 1931, the Reverso has acquired authentic iconic status and has been constantly reinvented by the Jaeger-LeCoultre artisans and watchmakers, in terms of both design and function. Within the Manufacture, cases and movements are simultaneously developed and produced, which means each calibre is perfectly fitted to the shape of the
case, be it round or rectangular. Aesthetic refinement and technical excellence go hand in hand, in harmony with one of the cardinal values of Jaeger-LeCoultre: integrity.
RARE SKILLS SERVING THE ICON The watchmakers’ talents are echoed by the virtuoso skills of the artists who transform the Reverso into a genuine work of art. The back of the Reverso provides unique space for personalisation. Family crests, monograms or initials: the engraver sculpts the metal to preserve the trace of a tender tie, a symbolic date, or a precious moment. Jaeger-LeCoultre also houses one of the world’s only workshops still exercising the discipline of enamel miniature painting, which calls for endless patience. Jaeger-LeCoultre’s gem-setters display peerless mastery of precious stones and have indeed developed their own gemsetting techniques in order to accentuate the beauty of the swivel case. By way of example, the “snow setting” technique created in the gem-setting workshop of the Manufacture gives pride of place to the sparkle of gems to light up a Reverso. Whether by an engraving, a miniature enamel painting or the radiance of precious stones, our artists will immortalise your legend. Choose the moment that belongs to you. A Reverso just for you.
1931 Reverso patent
GRANDE REVERSO ULTRA THIN TRIBUTE TO 1931. Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 822.
YOU DESERVE A REAL WATCH.
Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vallée 9 de Joux, Switzerland, since 1833. www.jaeger-lecoultre.com
Spring Issue 2012 Price £6
Tournaments
Off the Field
14
58
CV Whitney Cup Family Duel in Palm Beach
18
USPA Gold Cup
72
Valiente II takes home the Gold
22
108 th US Open
Hickstead - International Test Match
74
Dubai Gold Cup A worthwhile effort
98
Argentine 2012 High Goal Season Preview Teams set up for Argentine Triple Crown
102
UK High Goal Season Preview Who will be gracing England’s verdant fields this summer?
Lovelocks Polo Stud Progress in the pursuit of excellence
84
UK vs USA at Hickstead Polo Club
46
INPROTUR Courchevel Snow Polo in Courchevel with Argentinian presence
Zacara closed US Season
42
Argentine Polo Day at Dubai 2012´s first Argentine Night
Richard Mille + Pablo Mac Donough Tourbillon RM053 - Pablo Mac Donough
108
World Polo Tour Important news in the ranking
110 Veterinary Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy...
120 Equestrian Florida isn´t just about Polo
#79
Contents
Lifestyle
Interviews
127
76
Summer Feature Hot Summer brights
128
Mother & Daughter Feature
80
Mothers at the Polo / Daughters at the Polo
131
Cosmetics Spring has arrived
132
134
Social Schedule
Mohammed Al Habtoor “There are lots of high-goal players who want to come and play in Dubai”
90
Guillermo Terrera Jr
92
Carlos Gracida The Living Legend
London 2012 An Olympic Year
138
86
"I´m glad to be back to work" Where to go and what to see
136
Pablo Mac Donough "I think La Dolfina have a very good chance of repeating their feat at Palermo"
Men's Grooming Falling on your feet The Diamond Queen
Prince Bahar Jefri of Brunei "I want to play competitive Polo"
96
Edouard Carmignac “Our Goal is to win the British Open”
Restaurants Picnics, Pimms and not just Polo
Spring Issue 2012
Editorial
Summer 2012. This really is set to be one of the most exciting UK season in years. Not only is the polo going to be amazing due to the shakeup in a few teams (assuming it stops raining, of course) but there is so much going on - the Olympics are really a unique event, and I will be attending - not track and field, but the beach volleyball! I’m sure a few male Polo players would want my ticket… We mustn’t forget the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. England will be awash with events, from local to national, celebrating an incredible 60 years on the throne. The UK is now in a double dip recession - but this time round I don’t think polo will be adversely affected; we’ve all learnt to cope and we will all carry on. Competition for jobs will be fierce as usual, and this season also sees the HGP rule enforced. It will be interesting to see how that pans out. Our lifestyle section grows larger and larger - and there is now a bigger motoring section and a bigger yachting section. As it’s the pick of Britain, do read the section on the best places to eat - whether you are at a high goal club or in London - do go and try some of the places on the list and tell the manager where you read all about it, of course. I’ll be seen more on the side of a field than the back of a horse this season, so do come and say hello if you see me. I’d love any feedback and want to hear your views.
Aurora Eastwood Editor
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A RACING MACHINE ON THE WRIST
POLO TOURBILLON RM 053 PABLO MAC DONOUGH Manual winding tourbillon movement tilted 30째 Power reserve: circa 48 hours Baseplate and bridges made of titanium Free sprung balance with variable inertia Fast rotating barrel (6 hours per revolution instead of 7.5 hours) Barrel pawl with progressive recoil Winding barrel teeth and third-wheel pinion with central involute profile Case in titanium with bezel in titanium carbide Hand-polished and drawn bevelling Microblasted milled sections Drawn outer faces Polished sinks Limited edition of 15 pieces
www.richardmille.com
CV Whitney Cup
Family Duel in Palm Beach Bob Jornayvaz’s Valiente beat Valiente II, under his son Robert, and won the CV Whitney Cup. By Federico Levy. Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi.
Robert Jornayvaz
A few days after Marc and Melissa Ganzi met in the Ylvisaker Cup final, another family final was played at the International Polo Club Palm Beach for the first American Triple Crown competition: the CV Whitney Cup. On one side, Bob Jornayvaz with Valiente, and on the other, his son Robert, with his new line-up Valiente II, including Cambiaso and Stirling. Two teams not only united by blood ties but also related to each other as their line-ups feature several of the world’s best polo players: Bob together with two of the Novillo Astrada brothers - Miguel and Nacho - plus Polito Pieres; and Robert, along with two Palermo Open champions Adolfo Cambiaso and Pelón Stirling, plus “Jejo” Taranco. The eagerly awaited match was finally won by the father, as Valiente I beat Valiente II 10-8, in a very even final match which was sealed off in the last chukka.
CV Whitney Cup // Info Place: Wellington, Palm Beach, Florida, United States of America Club: International Polo Club Date: February 19 - March 4, 2012 Level: 26 goal WPT Tournament: WPT Cup
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Winner Points: 70 Finalist Points: 35 Semifinalist Points: 20 Rest of Player Points: 10 Winner: Valiente Polo Team MVP: Pablo Pieres Jr (Valiente) BPP: Viva (Adolfo Cambiaso)
Miguel Novillo Astrada
Pelón Stirling inaugurated the scoreboard as soon as the game began. Miguel Novillo Astrada and Adolfo Cambiaso crashed and Miguel ended up on the ground, resulting with a penalty shot in favour of Valiente I which was converted by Miguel himself who tied the game. The first period concluded with Valiente I having taken a 2-1 lead, after another penalty shot executed by Miguel. Valiente II took the lead for the first time in the second chukka, with goals scored by Cambiaso and Stirling. Valiente I’s response came swiftly, and both the Novillo Astrada brothers – first Miguel, and later Nacho – each scored a goal allowing their team to maintain a 4-3 lead. Barely into the third period, Alejo Taranco tied the game after scoring a 30-yard penalty. This impasse quickly became a lead in favour of Robert Jornayvaz and his boys scarcely one minute later, owing to a goal scored after an under-the-neck shot by Adolfo Cambiaso. During the rest of the chukka, both teams went to and
fro without scoring a single goal, until a foul committed by Valiente II ended in a penalty, and once again Miguel Novillo Astrada was in charge of converting it. When they reached half-time the match was tied at 5-5. After the long break, Valiente II shifted into first gear, annulled Valiente I’s defence, and owing to goals tallied The Jornayvazes come face to by Cambiaso and Taranco, increased their lead by two
face before the game
PoloLineTV carried out an exclusive interview with Bob and Robert Jornayvaz just a few hours before the grand final was played between their teams. In addition, Adolfo Cambiaso and Miguel Novillo Astrada also commented on their preparations for the final match. www.pololine.tv PQ | 15
Magoo Laprida and Nico Pieres
goals, thus achieving a 7-5 partial score. Subsequently, and only a few seconds into the fifth period, Pelón Stirling scored an amazing goal enabling them to take an 8-5 lead. Bob and his boys acknowledged the situation. One whole chukka during which no goals were scored was more than enough. Therefore, Nacho and Miguel each converted a penalty shot, reducing the lead to just one goal (8-7 in favour of Valiente II). And in the 30 additional seconds, once again, Miguel sent the game into the sixth chukka having tied the match at 8-8.
Both teams struggled during the last chukka, doing their utmost to win the game, which became clearly manifested in the numerous opportunities that both sides had to polish off the match, ending up in some missed goals and several others saved by their respective defences. But Valiente I had luck on their side. First, it was Nacho Novillo Astrada who enabled his team to take a 9-8 lead, and finally, a 40-yard penalty converted by Miguel Novillo Astrada, allowed Valiente I to achieve a 10-8 victory and the first US Triple Crown title.
CV Whitney Cup // Teams Alegría Julian Mannix Fred Mannix Mariano Aguerre Tomás García del Rio
26 3 6 9 8
Audi Marc Ganzi Nicolás Pieres Jeff Hall Gonzalo Pieres Jr
26 1 8 7 10
Coca Cola Gillian Johnston Hilario Ulloa Julio Arellano Luis Escobar
26 1 9 9 7
ERG Scott Wood Sebastián Merlos Agustín Merlos Francisco de Narvaez Jr
26 0 9 9 8
La Ensenada Ernesto Gutierrez Lucas James Matías Magrini Juan Agustín García Grossi
25 0 8 9 8
Las Monjitas Camilo Bautista Eduardo Novillo Astrada Jr Javier Novillo Astrada Iñaki Laprida
26 0 10 9 7
Orchard Hill Steve Van Andel Lucas Criado Pablo Mac Donough Mariano González
26 0 9 10 7
Piaget Melissa Ganzi Alejandro Novillo Astrada Nic Roldan Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade
26 0 8 7 8
Lechuza Caracas Victor Vargas Guillermo Caset Jr Juan Martín Nero Facundo Obregon
26 1 10 10 5
Valiente Bob Jornayvaz Pablo Pieres Jr Miguel Novillo Astrada Ignacio Novillo Astrada
26 0 8 9 9
Valiente II Robert Jornayvaz David Stirling Jr Adolfo Cambiaso Alejo Taranco
26 0 10 10 6
Zacara Cristian Laprida Jr Lyndon Lea Facundo Pieres Joaquín Pittaluga
26 8 1 10 7
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Adolfo Cambiaso
Valiente I’s Polito Pieres received the MVP award, and Adolfo Cambiaso’s mare Viva was named BPP. Miguel Novillo Astrada was the goal-scorer of the match, having tallied six goals.
It was the first IPC 26-goal final and the game was broadcast live on PoloLine.TV and supported by the USPA. Ron Allen and Tony Coppola hosted the event along with Julio Arellano as the commentator. To relive the match please visit www.polotv.us PQ | 17
USPA Gold Cup
Valiente II takes home the Gold By Alex Webbe. Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi. The Royal Salute C. V. Whitney Cup gave everyone a glimpse of the strength and weaknesses of the field of teams that would take the field for the 2012 USPA Piaget Gold Cup. Certainly the two Valiente teams were early favorites, and one couldn’t help but be impressed with the teamplay exhibited between Pelon Stirling and Adolfo Cambiaso on Valiente II. Miguel Astrada showed flashes of brilliance that highlighted his 10-goal career and a determination that echoed campaigns of earlier days. ERG couldn’t be overlooked with the veteran pairing of brothers Agustin and Sebastián Merlos. The sheer potential of scoring power of ERG had to be accounted for with Agustín “Tincho” Merlos having set a scoring record with 18 goals in one Argentine Open match and having scored a record 50 goals in the British Open. It might have been easy to dismiss Victor Vargas and his Lechuza Caracas team after a first round loss in the single elimination C.V. Whitney Cup, but the talented combination of Sapo Caset and Juan Martín Nero had to be considered. Returning to the competition this year with the addition of a brilliant young 5-goaler in Facundo Obregon and a Mariano Gonzalez and Francisco de Narvaez Jr
18 | PQ
Valiente II with the Gold Cup
seemingly endless supply of horses, they couldn’t be overlooked. It was Lechuza Caracas that came within one overtime goal of sweeping the Palm Beach highgoal season last year. Lechuza Caracas beat Coca-Cola and Orchard Hill before losing consecutive games to Valiente II (11-10) and Valiente I (11-10 in overtime). Lechuza wasn’t quite there, but they were certainly a force with which to be reckoned. Lyndon Lea re-loaded his Zacara lineup about halfway through the Gold Cup, replacing Joaquín Pittaluga with Mike Azzaro. The former 10-goaler slowly adjusted to his role at Back in the lineup, and Zacara gained some traction until they were tripped up by Piaget (Marc Ganzi, Nico Pieres, Gonzalito Pieres and Jeff Hall), falling out of the competition with a 10-9 loss. Coca-Cola fell flat early in spite of the potentially lethal combination of Hilario Ulloa and Julio Arellano in the middle of the lineup. An opening loss to Lechuza Caracas (15-8) forced them to run the table with consecutive wins over Orchard Hill (14-7), Las Monjitas (9-8) and ERG (11-10) in order to make it into the semifinals. They fizzled out with a 13-10 loss to Valiente I and found themselves watching the finals from the sidelines. Marc Ganzi’s Piaget foursome slowly and methodically made their way into the semifinals with an opening win over Las Monjitas (10-9) before dropping a key game to Lechuza Caracas (15-14) after leading 8-5 at the end of the first half. Successive wins over Orchard Hill (14-10) Zacara (10-9) vaulted them into the semifinals where they were controlled by Valiente II and held to a single goal from the field. For the second time in the season, Valiente I would face off against Valiente II as both teams stormed into the finals of the 2012 USPA Piaget Gold Cup. The matchup between Bob Jornayvaz’s Valiente I team of Polito
Bob Jornayvaz
USPA Gold Cup // Teams Bracket I
Bracket II
Bracket III
Bracket IV
Valiente Bob Jornayvaz Pablo Pieres Jr Miguel Novillo Astrada Ignacio Novillo Astrada
26 0 8 9 9
Alegría Julian Mannix Fred Mannix Mariano Aguerre Tomás García del Rio
26 3 6 9 8
Coca Cola Gillian Johnston Hilario Ulloa Julio Arellano Luis Escobar
26 1 9 9 7
Orchard Hill Steve Van Andel Lucas Criado Pablo Mac Donough Mariano González
26 0 9 10 7
ERG Scott Wood Sebastián Merlos Agustín Merlos Francisco de Narvaez Jr
26 0 9 9 8
Audi Marc Ganzi Nicolás Pieres Jeff Hall Gonzalo Pieres Jr
26 1 8 7 10
Piaget Melissa Ganzi Alejandro Novillo Astrada Nic Roldan Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade
26 0 8 7 8
Lechuza Caracas Victor Vargas Guillermo Caset Jr Juan Martín Nero Facundo Obregon
26 1 10 10 5
Zacara Cristian Laprida Jr Lyndon Lea Facundo Pieres Mike Azzaro
26 8 1 10 7
La Ensenada Ernesto Gutierrez Lucas James Matías Magrini Juan Agustín García Grossi
25 0 8 9 8
Valiente II Robert Jornayvaz David Stirling Jr Adolfo Cambiaso Alejo Taranco
26 0 10 10 6
Las Monjitas Camilo Bautista Eduardo Novillo Astrada Jr Javier Novillo Astrada Iñaki Laprida
26 0 10 9 7 PQ | 19
Gillian Johnston and Eduardo Novillo Astrada Jr
Pieres, Miguel Astrada and Nacho Astrada would meet young Robert Jornayvaz’s lineup of Adolfo Cambiaso, Pelón Stirling and Alejo Taranco. Valiente II had blown a three goals lead in the fifth chukka of the finals of the C.V. Whitney Cup and they were bound and determined that it wouldn’t happen again. Valiente II took the early lead with Cambiaso scoring four first chukka goals. Valiente I responded with single goals from Polito Pieres and Miguel Astrada, but it was evident from the onset that Valiente II was in control. The mastery of Cambiaso and the fluid teamwork between him and Stirling was impressive to watch as the Valiente I lineup exhausted themselves trying to rein 20 | PQ
in the free flowing offense that is so characteristic of Cambiaso. What looked like a minor mishap in the final seconds of the fifth chukka would have far-reaching repercussions on the balance of the Florida high-goal season. While attacking the Valiente I goal, Cambiaso was struck in the mallet hand with a ball and slid from his horse in pain. Medics were call out and Cambiaso was attended to, but after attempting to return to the field, was sidelined with the injury. Juan Martín Nero (already eliminated from the tournament) was called in to replace Cambiaso for the final chukka. The two teams exchanged single goals in the final
USPA Gold Cup // Info Place: Wellington, Palm Beach, Florida, United States of America Club: International Polo Club Date: March 7-25, 2012 Level: 26 goal WPT Tournament: WPT Championship Cup
period of play as Valiente II went on to win, 11-9. Valiente I had its opportunities, but a number of missed penalty shots kept them trailing the fast-paced attack of the Valiente II players in the loss. Revenge had been extracted and Valiente II celebrated the victory, but the win was bitter-sweet as Cambiaso sat by with an icepack on the back of his hand. It would be a couple of days before he would know the extent of his injury, so all thoughts were positive. David “Pelón” Stirling was named MVP and his 11-year-old grey Chilean Thoroughbred, Capilla, was honored as Best Playing Pony.
Winner Points: 100 Finalist Points: 50 Semifinalist Points: 30 Rest of Player Points: 15 Winner: Valiente II Polo Team MVP: David Stirling Jr BPP: Capilla (David Stirling Jr)
“It was a great game,” offered Bob Jornayvaz of the loss to his son’s Valiente II team. “He (Robert) played well, and we thought we were in it all the way.” “We had our chances,” said Polito Pieres. “I never felt like we were out of the game, but we missed some scoring opportunities.” PQ | 21
108th US Open
Zacara closed US Season By Alex Webbe. Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi. Once word had filtered out that Adolfo Cambiaso had suffered a slight fracture to a bone in the back of his mallet hand, Valiente II scrambled to replace him in the lineup in preparation of the team’s opening game in the 2012 US Open. “Replacing a 10-goaler is no easy task,” offered Bob Jornayvaz, the creator of the Valiente II team. “We had a couple of weeks before we played and hoped that Adolfo would be able to play, but finding someone to fill in for a 10-goal player wasn’t going to be easy.” With a limited number of players available, Valiente II was forced to assemble a hodge-podge of available players into a 26-goal lineup that had its team captain watching from the sidelines. With Cambiaso and Robert Jornayvaz sitting out, Valiente II took the field with Stirling, Taranco, Santi Torres (5) and Santiago Bottaro (5). “This isn’t what I had in mind,” said a visibly displeased Bob Jornayvaz as Valiente II and their “replacement” players jumped all over Coca-Cola in a 12-5 win. Four days later, Argentine 9-goaler Santiago Chavanne was inserted into the lineup and Robert Jornayvaz took his place with his team once again. This time, things
Zacara Polo Team with the US Open trophy
22 | PQ
didn’t go quite as smoothly as they fell to Marc Ganzi’s Audi team (no longer playing under the name Piaget), 12-11 in a sixth chukka loss. Valiente II bounced back with an unimpressive 10-8 win over La Ensenada before losing to Lechuza Caracas in a 12-10 ride-about that would have no effect on their qualifying for the tournament quarterfinals, and therein lay a basic problem with the structure of the 2012 tournament structure. With a field of 11 teams only three of them would be eliminated before the quarterfinals, making many of the games inconsequential. At the end of the day, Alegria, La Ensenada and Las Monjitas were the only teams eliminated after two weeks of play and the quarterfinals were set. ERG stepped up its game and knocked Audi out of competition with a 12-10 win that had Audi miss three key penalty shots including a 30-yard Penalty 2. The Merlos brothers combined for nine goals with Paco de Narvaez adding three in the victory. Lechuza Caracas was tested by a surprising Orchard Hill offense that put eleven goals on the scoreboard, and led 8-7 at the end of the first half. Sapo Caset scored
Magoo Laprida
PQ | 23
Hilario Ulloa
five of his game high nine goals in the second half for the 13-11 win, but the match made Lechuza Caracas look vulnerable. The injured Adolfo Cambiaso returned to the field with the Valiente II team to face stable mate Valiente I in an effort to play through the pain. After three chukkas of play and one goal, Cambiaso was forced to leave the game with 10-goaler Pablo Macdonough taking his place. Pablo Mac Donough, it appeared, had an instant impact on the game, scoring a pair of goals and leading Valiente II to a 9-7 lead after four chukkas, but that was where it ended. The combination of Polito Pieres and the Novillo Astrada brothers, Miguel and Nacho, proved to be too much for the reshuffled Valiente II lineup as they outscored them 7-2 in the final two periods of play for the 14-11 win. Valiente I was the first casualty of the semifinals, falling to Lechuza in the tightest of contests, 9-8 in overtime. The brilliance that Polito Pieres had displayed earlier in the season wasn’t able to shine, and the hardworking Miguel Astrada couldn’t seem to break free of the onerous strains of the defense exerted by the
108th US Open // Info Place: Wellington, Palm Beach, Florida, United States of America Club: International Polo Club Date: March 7-25, 2012 Level: 26 goal WPT Tournament: Grand Slam
24 | PQ
Winner Points: 150 Finalist Points: 70 Semifinalist Points: 50 Rest of Player Points: 25 Winner: Zacara Polo Team MVP: Mike Azzaro BPP: Lelani (owned by Lyndon Lea, ridden by Facu Pieres)
Guillermo Caset Jr
PQ | 25
Julio Arellano and Gonzalo Pieres Jr
Lechuza lineup. Facundo Obregon accentuated a great effort with the winning goal one minute and twenty seconds into overtime. For the second straight game, Facundo Pieres scored ten goals, and the Zacara team remained the only undefeated team in Open play with a hard-fought 14-13 win over ERG. The foul-laden game had sixteen goals scored on penalty shots with AgustĂn Merlos scoring only two of his game high 11 goals from the field. Pieres scored seven of his goals on penalties. Zacara took an early lead and managed to hold on for the win. The final showdown was threatened by overcast skies coming on the heels of overnight rainfall. No less than three helicopters took to the field in the horning to hover over the vast green expanse in an effort to speed up the drying process that was receiving some assistance from an easterly wind. Early money was on Lechuza Caracas, the defending Open champion. Returning with 10-goalers Sapo Caset and Juan MartĂn Nero the core of its 2011 team with the added assistance of a talented young Facundo Obregon and the depth of the Victor Vargas stables, they were certainly impressive. The slight rub might have been the trouble they had in their 9-7 loss to a lightly regarded Coca-Cola team, but they were still a team to be respected. Valiente I, however, took them to the breaking point before Obregon managed to break loose 26 | PQ
with the ball in the opening 90 seconds of the extra chukka to score the winning goal, 9-8. The Zacara team rolled into the finals with the only unblemished record in Open play (4-0). Wins over Alegria (15-10), Orchard Hill (15-12) and Valiente I (11-9) had them ready to play, and the easy romp over Coca Cola (13-7) in the quarterfinals had them peaking at the proper time. The finals looked like they would be highlighted by Lechuza Caracas 10-goalers Caset and Nero and Zacara’s Facundo Pieres, but veterans of the game know that it takes a team to win a championship, and every member would have to contribute. Facundo Pieres scored the opening goal of the game in the first two minutes, but Lechuza responded with goals from the field from Nero and Caset for a 2-1 lead. Lechuza Caracas maintained the single goal lead after the second period with the teams exchanging goals. Pieres tied it up, 2-2, to open the chukka with Caset converting a penalty shot for a one goal Lechuza Caracas advantage. Mike Azzaro had it all even again with 1:25 left in the chukka, but a goal from Victor Vargas in the waning seconds put Lechuza back in the lead, 4-3. The Zacara defense took it to another level in the third, shutting down the offensive punch usually supplied by Caset and Nero. Shots at goal went wide or were cleared out of danger. Former 10-goaler Azzaro
Polo TV hits the web By Ron Allen. Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi. The game of polo has received more electronic media exposure than in any time in the history of the sport. It all started in the United States three years ago with weekly TV coverage of the primary Sunday matches at the International Polo Club in Palm Beach. Those games were shown on local television to a vast potential audience of over six million viewers from Palm Beach to Miami. The following year, in 2011, Prime Time Polo combined their television efforts with PoloLine’s popular web site in an effort to bring the game to a much wider audience worldwide. During the second stage of the plan viewership more than tripled with the 26 goal games now available on television as well as re-play on the internet through the PoloLine web site. In the fall of 2011 everything took a dramatic turn toward a much larger commitment to the sport. The United States Polo Association got involved in a big way making their biggest effort ever to support and grow the game with live streaming on the internet. The coverage started in Argentina, in conjunction with ESPN Deportes, full “live” stream coverage of the three most important tournaments in the world went on line. American audiences were now able to watch the world’s best Polo “in English” as popular American polo commentator Tony Coppola was recruited to get behind the microphone. When the high goal season moved back to Palm Beach the USPA continued its coverage of the three biggest tournaments in North America; the C.V. Whitney Cup, the USPA Gold Cup and the U.S. Open Polo Championship. The U.S. Polo Association developed its own web site, polotv.us, to allow fans from around the world to watch the games “live” on line. The site also offers 20 feature stories, game highlights and player interviews. The end result, over 26,000 people around the world were able the watch the U.S. Open this year. If the Internet is the wave of the future, the future looks very bright for the game of Polo. PQ | 27
Jejo Taranco
scored the tying goal, 4-4, in the opening minute of the chukka, and added to it just two minutes later when he jumped a Lechuza Caracas player and added another goal for Zacara’s first lead of the game, 5-4, since the opening goal. The first half ended with Zacara ahead, 5-4. Azzaro continued to provide lights out defense from his Back position throughout the fourth chukka adding another goal from the field. Teammates Magoo Laprida and Facundo Pieres added single goals for a heady 8-5 lead and with the smother defenses provided by both teams, the game seemed all but decided. Caset scored the first goal of the fifth just twoand-a-half minutes into play as Lechuza Caracas tried desperately to get back into the game. Another goal from Caset came with just over two minutes in the chukka. In spite of a chukka of shutout defense by Lechuza Caracas, the continued to trail, 8-7 with one period left in regulation time. Magoo Laprida stretched the Zacara lead to two goals, 9-7, to open the sixth. Lechuza Caracas made a frenzied attack on the Zacara goal, hitting the goal posts twice on shots on goal to no avail. Azzaro cleared the ball and shutdown the threat. A couple of minutes later Zacara team captain Lyndon Lea drove the ball through 28 | PQ
the Lechuza Caracas goalposts to make it 10-7. Caset converted a 40-yard penalty shot with just under three minutes in the game, but that was where it ended. Zacara rode out the final minutes of play, controlling the ball and eliminating any thought of a rally. When the horn sounded Zacara celebrated their first US Open championship with a 10-8 victory. The unlikely hero of the day was former 10-goaler Mike Azzaro who led the Zacara team in scoring with four goals. Jobless after his Crab Orchard team imploded just before the start of the season, Azzaro was picked up by Zacara halfway through Gold Cup play and slowly grew into his role with the team. Although Azzaro has played on winning teams five times before, he hasn’t enjoyed the winner’s platform since 1997, and enjoyed his first Open MVP award. “This is what it was like when I was 10-goals,” said Azzaro. “I got support from guys like Lyndon Lea that do it right. It’s just awesome. It is great to be a part of it,” he said. Lea’s La Lina was named Best Playing Pony. She was played by Facundo Pieres and she played in the 2nd and 6th chukka.
Victor Vargas
108th US Open // Teams Bracket I
Bracket II
Bracket III
Bracket IV
Valiente Bob Jornayvaz Pablo Pieres Jr Miguel Novillo Astrada Ignacio Novillo Astrada
26 0 8 9 9
Alegría Julian Mannix Fred Mannix Mariano Aguerre Tomás García del Rio
26 3 6 9 8
Coca Cola Gillian Johnston Hilario Ulloa Julio Arellano Luis Escobar
26 1 9 9 7
Orchard Hill Steve Van Andel Lucas Criado Pablo Mac Donough Mariano González
26 0 9 10 7
ERG Scott Wood Sebastián Merlos Agustín Merlos Francisco de Narvaez Jr
26 0 9 9 8
Audi Marc Ganzi Nicolás Pieres Jeff Hall Gonzalo Pieres Jr
26 1 8 7 10
Piaget Melissa Ganzi Alejandro Novillo Astrada Nic Roldan Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade
26 0 8 7 8
Lechuza Caracas Victor Vargas Guillermo Caset Jr Juan Martín Nero Facundo Obregon
26 1 10 10 5
Zacara Cristian Laprida Jr Lyndon Lea Facundo Pieres Mike Azzaro
26 8 1 10 7
La Ensenada Ernesto Gutierrez Lucas James Matías Magrini Juan Agustín García Grossi
25 0 8 9 8
Valiente II Robert Jornayvaz David Stirling Jr Adolfo Cambiaso Alejo Taranco
26 0 10 10 6
Las Monjitas Camilo Bautista Eduardo Novillo Astrada Jr Javier Novillo Astrada Iñaki Laprida
26 0 10 9 7 PQ | 29
US 20 Goals Tournaments
Coca-Cola and Piaget first to celebrate Both teams climbed onto the podium in the 20-goal season played at the International Polo Club. Gillian Johnston’s team showed their power throughout the first two tournaments of the season. By Federico Levy. Photos by David Lominska.
Herbie Pennell Cup The year begins and so does the Palm Beach Polo Season. After the first week of 2012, the match played by Coca-Cola and Villa del Lago took place on the main field at the International Polo Club during the following week to settle the Herbie Pennell Cup. It was an amusing game in which Julio Arellano and Sugar Erskine’s performances were outstanding, as they kept control of the ball as well as the match right from the first chukka. But the most-heard comment in the stands was undoubtedly related to 3-goaler Mason Wroe’s performance playing as the team’s back, since
he constantly attacked and opened gaps among the Villa del Lago’s players so his team-mates could show off their abilities. Coca-Cola defeated their rivals 11-7 with Wroe on their team, who was debuting in Palm Beach’s 20-goal tournaments and established himself as the winner after the match. Thus, the first cup of the year kicked off in Palm Beach. It was a great final and all spectators were filled with expectation. Despite the cold, they gradually congregated to enjoy the first Sunday Game of 2012, with Coca-Cola as the winning team.
Coca Cola: Mason Wroe, Julio Arellano, Sugar Erskine and Gillian Johnston with the Herbie Pennell Cup
30 | PQ
Joe Barry Memorial Cup The second 20-goal tournament had a great number of teams sign up for this 2012 competition. A total of 13 line-ups who played 20 matches throughout the qualifying stage to secure a place in the semi-finals, which were played by Valiente II, Lucchese, Coca-Cola and Circa. For their part, Audi and Orchard Hill made their way to the subsidiary cup final: the Bobby Barry Cup. Having played the semi-finals, yet again Coca-Cola secured a place in the most important game of the second 20-goal tournament, and Lucchese was the other finalist. Sugar Erskine was the goal-scorer in the final match, and that of Coca Cola’s team, having scored a total
of seven goals. For his part, David Stirling scored six goals for Lucchese. Several pairs of eyes were set on “Pelón” because after this tournament the USPA was supposedly going to raise his handicap. That was the rumour going around the stands in Palm Beach. It was undoubtedly well-deserved, as said player proved that he is capable of taking the team upon his shoulders and keeping it going in any situation. Finally, Coca-Cola beat Lucchese 11-10, and received the Joe Barry Memorial Cup. Thus, Gillian Johnston’s team won their second 20-goal competition. After the final, Lucchese’s Santiago Torres received the MVP award, and Sugar Erskine’s mare Optima won the BPP award.
Coca Cola: Mason Wroe, Julio Arellano, Sugar Erskine and Gillian Johnston with the Joe Barry Memorial Cup
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The Ylvisaker Cup, the Last 20-Goal Final If 13 teams seemed like a plentiful number for the previously-mentioned competition, the Ylvisaker Cup involved even more. A total of 16 line-ups took part in hope of making it through to the grand final match. And, it was undoubtedly a celebration for the Grand Champions Polo Club players because, on one hand there was Marc Ganzi’s team, Audi, and on the other, Melissa Ganzi’s Piaget Polo Team, who made it through to the final match; a familiar final though it proved a very tight game and was polished off in the last few seconds. Piaget had a better start and took a quick 2-0 lead, with goals by Jason Crowder (scored on a play) and Miguel Novillo Astrada (scored on a penalty shot), which received a response from Lucas Lalor playing for Audi who, in turn, were counter attacked by Piaget, with another goal scored by Miguel, and so the scoreboard read 3-1. That first chukka concluded 3-2 in favour of Piaget, after Nick Roldán managed to reduce the goal difference. In the second chukka, Audi managed to get ahead under Nick Roldán who tallied two goals (one scored on a play and the other on a penalty shot), thus taking a 4-3 lead. This result was soon tied at 4-4 by Piaget, after another goal scored by Miguel Novillo Astrada. When it seemed as though Piaget was going to take control of the situation, after a goal scored by Jason Crowder which allowed them to take a 5-4 lead, Nick Roldán came into the picture. Nick started Audi’s motor,
stepped on the accelerator, shifted into first gear, and scored three consecutive goals turning the result around to 7-5 in favour of Marc Ganzi’s team. When they had almost reached half-time, Juan Bollini managed to reduce the goal difference to 7-6 in favour of Audi. With the second half of the game yet to be played, Piaget returned to the field with the idea of going all out to face this second part of the match; or at least, so it seemed in the fourth chukka. After a penalty shot converted by Miguel Novillo Astrada, there were two very good plays performed by Jason Crowder that concluded with a goal. Thus, Piaget’s offensive performance completely annulled the defensive work carried out by Audi, who went into the break emptyhanded. Piaget was 9-7 ahead. It seemed as though Piaget wanted to polish off the deal as soon as possible. Once again, Miguel Novillo Astrada converted another penalty shot, which increased Melissa and her boys’ goal difference to 107; but it so happened that Audi was able to recover after their lack of control during the fourth chukka and yet again it was Nick Roldán, Audi’s star player who, after scoring two goals, enabled his team to reduce the lead to a one-goal difference, with only seven minutes to go before the end of the match. ...and by the way, what an amazing seven minutes! The sixth chukka lacked nothing. It was filled with excitement and suspense right up until the last minute. Piaget and Audi went out onto the field with a knife between their teeth, determined to give it their all to win
Piaget: Juan Bollini, Melissa Ganzi, Miguel Novillo Astrada and Jason Crowder with the Ylvisaker Cup
32 | PQ
the cup. Lucas Lalor started off by scoring an amazing goal that tied the game at 10-10. It was pay-back time for Miguel Novillo Astrada, as he executed a perfect 60-yard penalty shot to achieve an 11-10 partial score. In turn, Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade’s response tied the match at 11-11. It seemed like pay-back time would never end, as Jason Crowder appeared once again allowing Piaget to take a 12-11 lead. And when there were less than two minutes to go, a foul committed by Piaget led to a penalty shot for Audi, converted by Nick Roldán, and thus the scoreboard read 12-12. They were granted no respite whatsoever. It was a continuous end-to-end game. With less than one minute to go before the end of the match, a good many spectators could already envisage an extra chukka. But yet again a foul was committed, though this time in favour of Piaget. A 30-yard penalty shot converted by Miguel changed the score to 13-12. The final bell rang and Piaget won the Ylvisaker Cup. A very good performance delivered by Jason Crowder (the young 6-goal player and perfect game partner for Miguel Novillo Astrada) was awarded with the MVP award. Furthermore, Ruby, one of Jason’s mares, won the BPP award. With Piaget’s triumph, the 2012 20-goal season has come to an end. As a result, two teams reached the podium, Pelón Stirling is the new 10-goal player, and all spectators are now ready to begin to experience the 26goal season: the US High Goal Season.
Agustín Merlos
A very good performance delivered by Jason Crowder (the young 6-goal player and perfect game partner for Miguel Novillo Astrada) was awarded with the MVP award. Furthermore, Ruby, one of Jason’s mares, won the BPP award.
Ylvisaker Cup // Teams Zone A
Zone B
Zone C
Zone D
Lucchese John Muse Andrés Weisz (Cote Zegers) David Stirling Jr. Santiago Torres
20 0 5 10 5
Pony Express Bob Daniels Nick Snow Tomas Goti Agustin Garcia Grossi
19 0 4 7 8
Coca-Cola Gillian Johnston Sugar Erskine Julio Arellano Mason Wroe
20 1 7 9 3
ERG Scott Wood Agustin Merlos Constancio Caset Luis Escobar
20 0 9 4 7
Zacara Gonzalo del Tour Lyndon Lea Jeff Blake Marcos Llambias
20 7 1 6 6
Orchard Hill Steve van Andel Kris Kampsen (Pablo Spinacci) Lucas Criado Facundo Obregón
20 0 6 9 5
Circa Chris del Gatto (Marcos Alberdi) Martín Pepa Hilario Ulloa Guille Aguero
20 1 4 9 6
Equuleus Joe DiMenna Mariano Gonzalez Paco de Narvaez Brandon Phillips
20 0 7 8 5
Valiente II - Tonkawa Jeff Hildebrand Toto Collardin Ignacio Novillo Astrada Julio Gracida
20 0 7 9 4
Valiente I Robert Jornayvaz Jeff Hall Santiago Toccalino Santiago Bottaro
20 0 7 8 5
Heathcote Steve Lefkowicz Lucas Monteverde Tommy Biddle Nick Manifold
20 0 9 6 5
Piaget Melissa Ganzi Jason Crowder Miguel Novillo Astrada Juan Bollini
20 0 6 9 5
Villa del Lago Jared Zenni Matias Obregon Magoo Laprida Pelon Escapite
19 0 5 8 6
Metaltek Will Johnston Carlucho Arellano Sebastián Merlos Stevie Orthwein
20 2 5 9 4
Alegría 20 Julian Mannix 3 Naco Taverna 6 Mariano Aguerre 9 Jake Stimmel (Peter V. Gontard) 2
Audi Marc Ganzi Nick Roldán Rodrigo R. de Andrade Lucas Lalor
20 1 7 8 4 PQ | 33
Sebastiรกn Amaya, Marc Ganzi, Gonzalo Pieres Jr., Sugar Erskine & Cris Nevins above to take the flight to Augusta Masters
Bob Jornayvaz with wife and son Robert watched the US Open final
Lechuza Caracas Team Gonzalo Pieres Jr. at Augusta Masters
Carlitos, Carlos and Mariano Gracida
The Obregon family and Josefina Nero
Mercedes Venancio Scalella, Rochi and Brigida Gonz
Nicholas and Annie Colquhoun-Denvers
Gillian Johnston and Alejandro Novillo Astrada
John Wash and Miss America Laura Kaeppeler
Palm City Open Podium, Grand Champions Polo Club
WCT 2012 Podium, Grand Champions Polo Club
Palm Beach Polo Season Postal Dolfi Cambiaso Jr. tells Milo Mac Donough to take the mallet
Buzz Welker Memorial, Grand Champions Polo Club Adolfo and Adolfito Cambiaso Mike Azzaro, wife Amy and their son
Tim Ganon, Patrick Nesbitt and girlfriend Ursula
Ana Clara Cozzi giving BPP award
Matías Baibiene and Martín Goti
Adolfo Cambiaso chekking his mallet
Always beautiful and looking cool, María Cambiaso, mate in hand
Walter Scherb with his wife, Irina and son Alvaro
Jonathan Cameron-Hayes, Whitney Baldwin and Julian Hipwood
Alex and Misha Rodzianko
Magoo Laprida and future wife Rochi
George and Brenda Dupont
Beatriz Rodriguez, María Beatriz, Melanie and Juan Gerardo Alvarez
Gonzalo Avendaño and Ernesto Gutierrez
Jeff Hall, Jean-Francois Decaux and the three Pieres brothers (Facundo, Nicolás and Gonzalo)
US Open final presentation
Maria Pieres and daughter Violeta
Roberto Gonzalez, Lechuza’s Coach Bruce Colley and Joe Meyer enjoying the season
Frances Hinkle, Kaila Dowd and Audry Persano
Chris Stratemann, Lucas Criado and Steve Van Andel
PoloLine LIVE Broadcast
Andres Weisz and wife Heather
MartĂn Ravina and girlfriend Sel Fraire
Raquel, Silvina Merlos and Celina Caset
Juan Pablo Quiroga, Emilano Novillo, Pablo Spinachi, Pablo Mac Donough and David Nalbandian
Adolfo Cambiaso, Pelon Stirling, Alejo Taranco and Lucas james watching sunday Polo
Maria Lia Garrahan, Melissa Ganzi, Cecilia Taylor, Luis Garrahan and Juan Bollini
The Republica Cup
La Esquina beat La Alexandra in the last seconds By Alejandra Ocampos. Photos by Matías Callejo. La Esquina beat La Alexandra (who received nine goals by handicap) by a 2019 score and won the Copa República Argentina, the world’s only polo competition that allows teams with no handicap limits (040 goals). It was a very hard fought game, played on field #1, in Palermo. La Esquina trailed most of the time, trying to cut the difference, which happened in the fifth chukker, when the scoreboard read a 18-all. La Esquina got their first advantage in the sixth chukker, when they led 19-18, but La Alexandra replied quickly, with two minutes remaining. But in the thirty additiona seconds, a long run by Diego Cavanagh ended up in the winning goal scored by Spain’s Pascual Sainz de Vicuña. Diego Cavanagh’s Citi Gold was presented with the Jorge Amorin BPP Award, and Alejandro Agote’s Abrojito Novena won the Asociación Argentina de Criadores de Caballos de Polo Award.
Prior to the Copa República final, Indios Chapaleufu II El Remanso beat El Rincón Talandracas 12-8 and won the Subsidiary. The winners had Matt Perry (3) filling in for Charlie Hanbury, who traveled to Chile to play an international test match.
The Republica Cup // Teams Zone A Don Alejandro Mariano Uranga Nachi Du Plessis Jorge Monsegou Jaime García Huidobro
26 6 7 5 8
El Rincón Edouard Carmignac Milo Fernández Araujo Christopher Mckenzie Lucas Monteverde
22 0 8 5 9
Estancia Grande Iván Lariguet Nicolás Corti Maderna Jr Miguel Amieva Saravia Andrés Lariguet
19 5 5 4 5
Santa Catalina Tulio Acquarone Martín Inchauspe Rafael Silva Gabriel O. Batistuta
14 2 5 6 1
La Irenita - Enigma Claudio Palomeque Felipe Llorente Guillermo Willington Matías Mac Donough
22 5 2 7 8
Hípico Gualeguaychú Agustín von Wernich Facundo Castagnola Federico Von Potobsky Salvador Veronesi
19 5 6 6 2
La Alexandra Lucas Díaz Alberdi Miguel Bourdieu Alejandro Díaz Alberdi Bautista Bayugar
17 2 4 8 3
Coronel Suarez - El Malón Eulogio Olariaga Nicolás Garrós Ramiro Garrós Diego Araya
20 3 5 5 7
Las Rosas Julian Tomás Ruíz Guiñazú Franco Gai Jr Juan Ruíz Guiñazú Jr Federico Scopsi Wulf
20 6 5 6 3
La Natividad Gastón Giovanelli Ignacio Kennedy Marcelo Frayssinet Bartolomé Castagnola
18 0 2 7 9
Zone B I. Chapaleufú II - El Remanso 24 Charlie Hanbury 5 George Hanbury 4 Guillermo Terrera Jr 7 Eduardo Heguy 8
Zone C La Esquina Pascual Sáinz de Vicuña Rodrigo Rueda Jr Diego Cavanagh Alejandro Agote 38 | PQ
26 5 6 7 8
PQ | 39
International Series
Argentina is unbeaten on the International Series at Palermo By Alejandra Ocampos. Photos by Matías Callejo. Hosts Argentina won the International Series at Palermo on Easter Sunday by making it three wins out of three in the 22-goal tournament with a narrow 7-6 victory over Chile. The Rest of the World – made up of Brits Ollie Cudmore, Charlie Hanbury, Malcolm Borwick and Mark Tomlinson – thrashed Brazil 11-4 in the other game on Easter Sunday to secure second place, with two wins out of three. Having comfortably won their opening two games, against the Rest of the World and Brazil, the hosts knew that anything but a heavy defeat against Chile would guarantee them the International Series title.
Argentina Polo Team
40 | PQ
As is happened, Argentina – Matías Torres Zavaleta, Juan Zubiaurre, Juan Ruiz Guiñazú and Facundo Sola – needed an extra chukka to secure victory in this match. Chile battled back from 6-3 down to level at 6-6 at the end of normal time before seven-goaler Facundo Sola scored the decisive goal. In the other game on Easter Sunday the Rest of the World led from the first chukka against Brazil and dominated the second half of the game to win by seven goals. Six-goaler Borwick scored six goals, while Ollie Cudmore had an excellent game and scored three.
International Polo Series at Palermo // Teams Argentina Juan Zubiaurre Jr Juan Ruiz Guiñazú Facundo Sola Matías Torres Zavaleta
22 3 6 7 6
Chile Felipe Vercellino José Rafael Zegers José Donoso Jaime García Huidobro
22 2 5 7 8
Brazil Angelo Antonio M. Bastos Joao Gaspar M. Bastos Luiz Paulo M. Bastos Carlos Francisco M. Bastos
21 5 5 7 4
Rest of the World (UK) Ollie Cudmore Charlie Hanbury Mark Tomlinson Malcolm Borwick
22 4 5 7 6
Facundo Sola and Charlie Hanbury Mark Tomlinson
Ollie Cudmore
PQ | 41
Hickstead - International Test Match
UK vs USA at Hickstead Polo Club International Polo returns in the first of two HPA sanctioned Test Matches. By Aurora Eastwood. Photos by Tony Ramirez. The magnificent setting of Hickstead’s arena was home to a showdown between two big Arena polo nations; England and the USA. Chris Hyde was to captain England, and Tommy Biddle to captain the USA. But it didn’t quite play out like that... Weeks before the event, the American players began muttering of “injury” and other such ailments. Before long, 10 goaler Tommy Biddle had withdrawn, citing an injury. The more likely scenario was that he wasn’t being paid enough and that his patron in the 26 goal (grass) polo in Florida wasn’t best pleased. Shortly after, another USA member withdrew - this time Brad Blake - also citing injury. The USA team was now some way below its original 21 goal handicap. This naturally caused a dramatic rethink for the English side - Chris Hyde remained captain, but now
Max Charlton and John Gobin
42 | PQ
Danny Muriel was brought in to bring the aggregate handicap down to meet the USA’s 19 goal side. It seems a shame that the USPA appear to not support their countrymen playing abroad (and representing American polo) - as with poor financial incentive, it is hard for a professional player to justify the trip. Sadly the days of men playing for honour are long gone. However despite the shambolic USA organisational skills - the day was still a success. Action began with a High Goal Challenge game between Michael Bickford’s Cold Smoke and John Bunn’s Hickstead. Unfortunately for Micheal, he and his horse had differing opinions about who should be on top and he fractured his collarbone. This was more fortunate for Jake Gordon, who substituted for him. Every cloud and all that though; Michael still won MVP and his team beat Hickstead by a single goal.
Chris Hyde
PQ | 43
England Polo Team
So on to the main event:
Arena Test Match // Teams & info England Danny Muriel Max Charlton Chris Hyde
19 4 6 9
Place: Hickstead, United Kingdom Club: All England Polo Club Date: March 3, 2012 Level: 19 goal Tournament: Arena Test Match
USA Steve Krueger Carlos Galindo John Gobin
18 6 6 6
Result: England 12 vs USA 9 Winner: England MVP: John Gobin (USA) BPP: Caledonia (John Gobin, owned by Hickstead member, Caio Sorzana)
England are very good at Arena Polo - and no player more so than Chris Hyde. On paper, England always looked stronger, and when talking about Chris Hyde, literally stronger. The USA, with a depleted side, on strange ponies that drive on the wrong side of the road, were always going to be at a disadvantage. England clearly dominated from the outset; Chris and Max linked well together, and Danny, on home soil, played brilliantly. All well mounted and lifted on a tide of support from the crowd, England gently pummelled the USA to a 12-9 defeat. The USA had some consolation - John Gobin deservedly won MVP, and one of his mounts won BPP - Caledonia, owned by Hickstead member Caio Sorzana. International Polo is a real draw and deserves more support from all sides - the media, the national polo organisations and the players themselves - not to mention FIP, who ought to support these events. Perhaps they ought to have supported this rather than a tournament on snow? Controversy reigns.
44 | PQ
The size of the landscape is fascinating. Immensity is overwhelming. The polo fields and the meadows extends out of sight only caught by a beautiful XVII° century from construction. Patrick GUERRAND-HERMèS, founder of the Polo Club together with his crew has successfully integrated the club into this «green ocean» situated in the heart of the domain forest of Chantilly castle :
220 hectares - 150 hectares of pasture land 320 players 700 horses in high season 500 matches per year - 44 tournaments Fields matching the International Polo specifications :
© Antoine Delaporte
1 «honor field» in «fiber» 8 competitions grass fields 2 «all weather» sand fields 10 maintenance professionals 10 administration and reception professionals
© Pascal Renauldon
D
uring our polo season, you can play in the numerous tournaments that are organized including women’s polo and junior polo. The schedule is available on the Chantilly Polo Club’s website : www.poloclubchantilly.com Winter : Practice and tournaments on sand fields April : 0-4 / 4-6 goals May-June : 0-4 / 6-8 / 10-12 goals July : Ladies Polo Cup Paris - 0-4 / 4-6 / 8-10 goals September : 0-4 / 6-8 / French Open 14-16 goals 1ER Open de France Féminin Chopard October : 0-4 goals The Polo school is open to every level polo players from beginners to expert. Classes are collective or individual. The Pony Club welcomes children from 3 years old, with pony polo, riding lessons, and rides in the domain’s forest. Quality polo ponies are available for rent at the club. Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly 60300 Apremont +33 3 44 64 04 30 secretariat@poloclubchantilly.com
PQ | 45
© Antoine Delaporte
aron de Rothschild certainly was inspired when he organized back in the 1920’s, the first polo match precisely on the territory where «Le Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly» is located today.
© Antoine Delaporte
B
© Pascal Renauldon
Chantilly Polo Club… a unique exPerienCe within your reaCh…
Dubai Gold Cup
A worthwhile effort Mohamed Al Habtoor’s team took the Dubai Gold Cup after attempting to do so for three years in a match that was broadcast live to the entire world on PoloLine TV. By Federico Levy. Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi. Habtoor Polo, Mohammed Al Habtoor’s team, won the Dubai Polo Gold Cup for the first time in a 6-5 victory against Bin Drai, in the final that took place at Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, and was broadcast live on PoloLine TV. The match played by Habtoor and Bin Drai was a very tight and hard-fought game, tied at 2-2 in the first chukka. Habtoor’s performance was very good during the second period, and were able to take a 5-2 lead in the third chukka. Bin Drai’s reaction came in the last period as they
46 | PQ
scored three goals including a tremendous goal bashed in by Juan José Brané, who tied the game at 5-5, with only 30 seconds to go before the end of the match. It was then that Habtoor’s lethal weapon and top goal-scorer of the competition Guillermo Cuitiño came into the picture, and little before the fourth chukka concluded, scored a goal that enabled Habtoor to achieve a 6-5 win. Habtoor’s Ignacio Acuña was named MVP, and Mohammed Al Habtoor’s Crack, played by Francisco Elizalde received the BPP award.
Mohammed Al Habtoor: “I can’t believe it…” “I really can’t believe it. I’ve been trying for three years but it is only now that the ponies I bought to be able to win this tournament and my years of work invested in this team are bearing fruit. Our players put their heart and soul into this team and the competition, and this is magnificent. I can say that by the time the scoreboard read 5-3 in our favour, we had already made several mistakes. But I knew we had our best horses ready for that extra chukka. We were lucky. In the last few seconds, Guillermo scored a goal that allowed us to achieve victory. With only two seconds to go, we accomplished this amazing feat. The only thing that came to mind was to go and fetch the flag at our ponylines and run around waving it like crazy!!!! Guillermo Cuitiño has been playing for us for the past three years, both in England and Dubai. Polo is his life and his passion. He has supported me as well as the tournament, and helped the team a great deal. I trust him a lot whenever he gives me a piece of advice on any horse. John Horswell helped us a lot. He became an essential
part of the team in order to organise our game. He made sure that each of us knew what we had to do. Thanks to the fact that the match was broadcast live on PoloLine, my friends in California woke up at 3 a.m. just to watch the game!!! They sent me photos and messages telling me that they were watching the match. It’s great for people who can’t travel there to be able to watch the event on PoloLine TV. And I would like to express my appreciation to all of those who came to watch us play, not only because it was my team that was playing but also because people are beginning to show their interest in Dubai and polo at the Dubai Gold Cup. We’re already planning next year’s tournament, which will be a 16-goal competition. And despite the fact that it only implies a one-goal raise, this is a big step for us, since we want to continue bringing players such as Nachi Heguy because it enables polo to reach a higher level. Guillermo and I will now be travelling to England to play a couple of tournaments, a 15 and an 18-goal, but I still have to decide which we will be playing. I plan to organise my team to play with Fran, Guillermo and perhaps a one-goal player”.
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WPT Ranking: Challenge Cup Winner Points: 30 Finalist Points: 15
Guillermo Cuitiño
The Subsidiary Cup went to Abu Dhabi Before the Gold Cup final took place, Abu Dhabi met Mahra to play the Subsidiary Cup. The match started off with Mahra taking an early 2-0 lead, but Abu Dhabi showed a great reaction and scored
four goals in the second chukka, thus taking a 4-2 lead. In the third period, once again Mahra managed to move ahead on the scoreboard which read 5-4, but Abu Dhabi defended their game in the last chukka and won 7-5.
Dubai Gold Cup // Teams & info Abu Dhabi Faris Al Yabhouni Sebastian Borghi Alfredo Capella Patricio Neves
15 0 4 5 6
Habtoor Polo Mohammed Al Habtoor Ignacio Acuña Guillermo Cuitiño Francisco Elizalde
15 0 3 6 6
Bin Drai Adriano Agosti Nicolas Petracchi Tomás Iriarte Juan José Brané
15 0 4 4 7
Place: Dubai, UAE Club: Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club Date: February 25 - March 9, 2012 Level: 15 goal
Zedan Amr Zedan Alec White Nachi Heguy Rodolfo Ducos
15 0 2 8 5
Ghantoot Nasser Al Dhari Ramiro Cordero Lanto Sheridan Oscar Colombres
15 1 4 5 5
Mahra Rashid Al Habtoor Guy Gibrat Agustin Canale Nacho Gonzalez
15 0 3 6 6
Winner: Habtoor Polo Team MVP: Ignacio Acuña BPP: Crack (owned by Mohammed Al Habtoor, played by Francisco Elizalde)
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Nachi Heguy
Dubai Gold Cup // Teams
Al Habtoor Polo Team
Zedan Polo Team
Ghantoot Polo Team
Bin Drai Polo Team
Mahra Polo Team
Abu Dhabi Polo Team
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Dubai Silver Cup
Silver Cup went to Abu Dhabi By Federico Levy. Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi.
During the first fortnight of February, seven teams took part in the first Open Tournament of the year at Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club. Abu Dhabi Polo Team
Abu Dhabi beat Zedan 7-3, and won the Silver Cup, after playing the final held at Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club. A large number of people attended the grand final despite unfavourable weather conditions owing to a very windy sandstorm that affected Dubai and the surrounding areas. This meteorological phenomenon reduced visibility drastically, which made it quite difficult to watch the games, especially the first one. But no sandstorm was going to stop polo from being played in Dubai. Thus, Mahra and Habtoor got ready to play the match for the Subsidiary Cup, in a duel between the Al Habtoor brothers, Rashid and Mohammed, each playing with their respective 50 | PQ
teams. It was a very tight game right up to the third chukka when Habtoor’s Guillermo Cuitiño received a tremendous blow in his right elbow as he got hit by a ball. At first, Cuitiño was able to continue playing but the pain became increasingly stronger, and therefore he had to stop and was replaced by Abu Dhabi’s Alfredo Capella. Mahra finally won the match 6-4. Next, Abu Dhabi and Zedan moved out onto the field to play the Silver Cup final. Nachi Heguy opened the scoring enabling Zedan to take a 1-0 lead. The second period was far more even and ended in a 2-2 tie. Alfredo Capella and Sebastián Borghi scored for Faris Al Yabhouni’s team.
Abu Dhabi took the lead in the third chukka with two goals courtesy of Sebastián Borghi, before Patricio Neves’ horse stumbled and made Abu Dhabi’s player fall to the ground. Habtoor’s Francisco Elizalde replaced Neves. Fran adapted immediately to the team’s interaction and complemented perfectly with Alfredo Capella. Elizalde’s collaboration was essential towards achieving Abu Dhabi’s triumph.
Thus, Abu Dhabi took control of the situation throughout the entire fourth chukka. Capella, Borghi and Elizalde sealed off Al Yabhouni’s 7-3 victory. Abu Dhabi’s Alfredo Capella received the MVP award, and his team-mate Sebastián Borghi was the top goalscorer of the match having tallied four goals. Nachi’s mare Riña obtained the BPP award.
Fran Elizalde and Nacho Gonzalez
Dubai Silver Cup // Teams Zona A Abu Dhabi 15 Faris Al Yabhouni/Tarik Fatheldin 0 Sebastian Borghi 4 Alfredo Capella 5 Patricio Neves 6
Habtoor Polo Mohammed Al Habtoor Ignacio Acuña Guillermo Cuitiño Francisco Elizalde
15 0 3 6 6
Bin Drai Mohammed Bin Drai Nicolas Petracchi Tomás Iriarte Juan José Brané
15 0 4 4 7
Ghantoot Nasser Al Dhari Ramiro Cordero Jorge Cernadas Oscar Colombres
15 1 4 5 5
Mahra Rashid Al Habtoor Guy Gibrat Agustin Canale Nacho Gonzalez
15 0 3 6 6
Zedan Amr Zedan Alex White Nachi Heguy Rodolfo Ducos
15 0 2 8 5
Zona B Rhinos Stuart Wrigley Mario Gomez Augustin Lorea Manuel Fernandez Llorente
15 0 4 5 6
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Humaid Bin Drai, Sheik Madid Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Mohammed Al Habtoor, Khalaf Al Habtoor and Sebastián Amaya (World Polo Tour)
Maria A. Petit and Alida Boer
Tomás Iriarte, Juan José Brane and Nicolás Petracchi
Amr Zedan, Mubarak Al Yabhouni and Saeed Bin Drai
Mohammed Al Habtoor with the representatives of KBL, the main sponsor of the Dubai Gold Cup
Benedikt Count of Duerckheim, Rashid Al Habtoor and his father Khalaf Al Habtoor
Celebration for champion Habtoor Polo Team
Francisco Elizalde and girlfriend Gerez
Alfredo Capella and Gonzalo Azumendi
Alice Garmond and Delfina Sola
Rashid Al Habtoor, Faris Al Yabhouni, Amr Zedan, Mohammed Al Habtoor, Saeed Bin Drai and Adriano Agosti
Cristina Gusita, event organizer
Raja Albujeiban, Annemieke Goos, Fidelio Cavalli, Guillermo Cuitiño and Mohammed Al Habtoor
Mohammed Al Habtoor, Humaid Bin Drai and Rashid Al Habtoor
Chris Bethell, Juan José Diaz Alberdi and Peter Wright
Rashid and Mohammed Al Habtoor with their friends
Raja Albujeiban and friends
Ghantoot group: players and friends
Nicolás Petracchi, Ana Clara Cozzi and Tomás Iriarte
Belarus and Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Karim Massimov who visited the first day of the Gold Cup with their committee
Carolina Sepulveda and Isabella Arguelles
Josh Morris Lowe, Neel Zum Vohrde and Adam Snowdon
Mohid Bsaiso, Faris Al Yabhouni Mayaz Dallal, Alfredro Capella, Hugo Barbucci and Mattar Al Yabhouni
Fidelio Cavalli, Tramar Dillard of Flo Rida and Mohammed Al Habtoor with friends
Lauri and Adriano Agosti
Mom Natascha Heguy with little IĂąigo Santiago Torreguitar and Luis Estrada of Santa MarĂa Polo Club, Sotogrande
The Bonde and & the mallet
Vieri Antinori and Pancho Marin Moreno at the Ski Dubai located at the Emirates Mall
Eugenia Laprida with Cesar, Daphne Ducos with Santos and Astrid Petracchi with Olivia
Khitam Bin Drai, Daphne Ducos and Sonia Del Carril Mikhail Myasnikovich, Prime Minister of Belarus with Mohammed Al Habtoor
Jan Bladen and wife Rita with son Alexander
Sbusisu Duma
Tragic loss of South African player Sbu Duma
The Wilhelm & Karl Maybach Foundation is shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Sbu Duma, longtime protégé of the Foundation. For over three years the Maybach Foundation had been supporting Sbu in a shared effort to have this South African native achieve success in the polo world. As a stable boy, Sbu was destined to follow in his father’s shoes as a groomsman, until his undeniable talent brought him to the attention of the BBC and the Maybach Foundation. He was also supported by the local Lions River Polo Club and the South African Polo Association. He has trained and played internationally and was scheduled to go to the United Kingdom to further compete and train. He was, and should remain, an inspiration to all who aspire to achieve their individual greatness and to share their gifts. The Maybach Foundation mourns his loss but will continue his legacy. Our condolences go out to his family, friends and supporters throughout the international polo family.
Recent Events Sbu had been busy playing high level polo matches in South Africa. At one of his most recent matches in the North West Province of South Africa, Sbu was awarded the honor of Most Valuable Player. To further hone his skills and increase his impact as a positive role model in his home country of South Africa, Sbu returned to Argentina for continued training. The Maybach Foundation worked with Sbu Duma for almost three years, supporting him in a shared effort to 56 | PQ
have this South African native make it in the polo world. No stranger to adversity, Sbu was born into a family of little means. As a stable boy he was destined to fill his father's shoes as a groomsman. But history would see it differently and Sbu's undeniable talent eventually came to the Foundation's attention through a chance meeting with a producer for the BBC. The pros checked him out and with a thumbsup the Foundation sent him to Argentina several times where he trained with his high-goal mentor Federico Bachmann in the ways of Argentine stick and ball. The Foundation saw that he pursued an equestrian career parallel to his championship track and watched him go on to play matches throughout Europe. Sbu was selected as part of the South African Team scheduled to compete at the Federation of International Polo, IX World Championship Zone D Playoffs held in Malaysia from June 11-27th, 2011. See the excerpt from the SA Polo March Newsletter below.
Zone "D" FIP Playoffs - Malaysia The team selected from available squad members to represent South Africa at the Zone "D" playoffs in Malaysia is as follows: 4 Goal - Terence Spilsbury, Duncan Watson and Lance Watson 3 Goal - Sbu Duma, Shaun Brokensha and Campbell Macnab
In selecting the team, the selectors felt the best combination for Malaysian conditions and ponies would be two fours and two three goal players with some flexibility in having a reserve in each handicap bracket.
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Argentine Polo Day at Dubai
2012´s first Argentine Night More than 200 people enjoyed the Argentine Night at Desert Palm. By Alejandra Ocampos. Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi. The Instituto Nacional de Promoción Turística de la República Argentina (INPROTUR), hosted the first traditional Argentine Night of the year, that was held as usual at Desert Palm Polo Club, in Dubai, owned by Ali Albwardy, Adolfo Cambiaso's patron. The magnific event was held within the framework of the Royal Salute UAE Nation's Cup, which is being
58 | PQ
played at Desert Palm Polo Club, and features no less than three ten-goalers and recent Palermo winners, Adolfo Cambiaso, Pablo MacDonough and Juan Martin Nero. At the same time, their presence cooperated to extend invitations to visit Argentina to Ministers, businessmen and personalites of the touristic entourage.
Besides, the Argentine Night was the perfect occasion for the World Polo Tour to present the awards to the winners of the latest months of 2011, Adolfo Cambiaso (September) and Juan Martin Nero (November and December). Attending the event were more than 200 guests, including 60 business people from the Middle East, all of them related to touristic issues, who were very interested to work together with Argentina. As usual in each event hosted by INPROTUR, guests enjoyed the worldwide famous Argentine asado, and an exclusive tango show. Once again, Argentina showed its beauty to the world, where the most influential people in the Middle East were invited to enjoy Argentina.
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Argentine Night - Dubai 2012
Shane Younger and Kate Instone
Najieb Khoory,Patrick Gerrand Hermes, Ali Alwardy and Fahed Bin Drai Al Shaikh
Emirates Travel Agents
Saeed Bin Drai and his lovely doughter Asia
Peter Webb, Sandra Schneider and Jeremy Pemperton
Argentine Night - Dubai 2012
Mohamed Delleb, Natalie Lamsfuss, Becky Urquhart and Lupe Roldan
Mariano Mussa, from INPROTUR; Adolfo Cambiaso with his WPT Award and Marta Luz Gonzalez Nieves, Argentine Consul in UAE
Walid Alkaddour (Director Arab-Arg Chamber of Commerce), Shaz Aslam Peshiman (manager Dubai Northern Emirates UAE sales), Ibrahim Al Janahi (CEO jafza) and friend
Tango Show
Andras Tombor, Enese Der and Jon Bamford
Juan MartĂn Nero Awarded of the WPT in November and December
Sandy, Faris Al Yabhouni and Thomas Claesen
Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge 2012
Cartier sparkle despite home side´s best efforts By Diana Butler. Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi. For the first time the Cartier team are the proud winners of their own Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge, held under the patronage of HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, at Ali Albwardy’s Desert Palm Resort and Polo Club. Late last month the Cartier team, co-patroned by Adriano Agosti and Mohammed Bin Drai, narrowly defeated the current holders of the trophy, Desert Palm, 10-9 in one of the most exciting finals to be seen in the history of the competition.
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Cartier was favourites in this final as they were the only one of the four teams taking part who had won all of their league games. The combination of Francisco Elizalde and Juan Jose Brane had proved dominant for the red shirts in the early stages of the competition. Desert Palm had earned the other final ticket after victories over Julius Baer and CNN. However, their first league match against Cartier, had exposed some weaknesses in the home team for the first time and so it looked likely that there could be a new name on the trophy in 2012.
Despite that form guide, the final was an unpredictable affair. Desert Palm led 3-2 at the end of the first chukka and looked to be biding their time, just waiting to pull away from Cartier to confirm their dominance in this competition for the third successive year. But everything changed in the next two chukkas, with Desert Palm failing to find the flags at all, while Cartier scored eight impressive goals. This was not just thanks to the team’s two pros either. Both patrons were in the thick of the action throughout the match and it came as no surprise see Mohammed Bin Drai named La Martina Most Valuable Player. He had impressed everyone with his game all week.
So at the start of the fourth, Cartier looked to be in line for comfortable victory; they were leading 10-3. However the spectators had not taken into consideration the passion and determination of Desert Palm’s captain, Martin Valent. He was ferocious in attack in this final period, helping his team to score six goals to none in reply this time from Cartier. OK, it wasn’t textbook polo and tended on the side of scrappy at times, but such a comeback in the dying minutes of the game produced a final to remember. Despite such valiant play from Desert Palm, time this year was on the side of Cartier and the final bell rang before Desert Palm could level the score and take the game into extra time.
Fran Elizalde
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As the event’s patron, HRH Princess Haya, was unable to attend the final day of polo, HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum presented the prizes, accompanied by Cartier’s main guest Charlotte Casiraghi and it was Adriano Agosti who stepped forward to receive the trophy on behalf of the Cartier team. Saeed Bin Drai, who had been unable to play for the Cartier team due to injury, received a La Martina saddle for the Best Playing Pony, Sybarita. She had been played by Brane in the final chukka. After the main presentations HH Sheikh Mansour and Ali Albwardy presented a cheque for 50,000 dirham to Satish Seemar, Director of the Riding for the Disabled Association of Dubai, which is based at Desert Palm. The two teams that did not make it to the final had the opportunity to play for the Desert Palm Trophy on the same afternoon. This went to Julius Baer, who defeated CNN, made up of Guards Polo Club players and patrons, 8-6. The Swiss bank is in its third year of team sponsorship and so was delighted to register its first win at the event. A unique feature of the Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge is that both matches start thanks to a ball being thrown in from the back seat of a Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet. Porsche Centre Dubai is the official car supplier and is happy to provide a car for this event. With more than 400-invitation only guests enjoying some great polo and sumptuous hospitality courtesy of the team at Desert Palm Resort, this year’s event really was one to remember. Alfredo Capella
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Martín Valent and Juan José Brane
Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge // Teams & info Team Cartier Adriano Agosti Mohammed Bin Drai Francisco Elizalde Juan José Brane
12 0 -1 6 7
Team Desert Palm Tariq Albwardy Faris Al Yabhouni Martín Valent Alfredo Capella
12 1 0 5 6
Place: Dubai, UAE Club: Desert Palm Date: February 21-24, 2012 Level: 12 goal
Winner: Team Cartier MVP: Mohammed Bin Drai BPP: Sybarita (owned by Saed Bin Drai, played by Juan José Brané)
Desert Palm Trophy (Subsidiary Final) Team Julius Bär Amr Zedan Saad Audeh Pancho Marin Moreno Rodolfo Ducos
11 0 0 6 5
Team CNN Gary Shepherd Kassem Shafi Vieri Antimori Hissam Ali Hyder
11 -1 0 6 6 PQ | 65
Master Class by Julius Bär
Polo Lessons by Julius Bär at Desert Palm Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi.
The master class was conducted by international polo players and Julius Baer polo team members Rodolfo Ducós and Francisco Marin Moreno who instructed media in the rules of the game as well as providing practical demonstrations before members of the press tested their newly developed skills on the polo pitch. The Julius Baer master class was held at the magnificent Desert Palm Polo Club which is home to the prestigious Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge taking place from 20-24th February 2012. Sponsoring a team for the third consecutive year, the Julius Baer team line-up for the 2012 Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge, consists of Chairman of the Zedan Group, patron Amr Zedan; Chairman of the Audeh Group, Saad Audeh; and Argentine professional polo players, five-goaler Rodolfo Ducós and six-goaler Franciscos “Pancho” Marin Moreno. 66 | PQ
“Polo combines tradition with drive in a fascinating way. As one of the oldest sports in the world, Polo has for centuries promoted discipline and team spirit amongst all those who play it. It also proves to spectators in an impressive fashion that these values are what lead to success. These are the values that Julius Baer have embodied since the 19th century, and firmly believes in.” “Polo provides the ideal platform for Julius Baer’s brand positioning and creation of a global brand awareness in its existing core and growth markets. It has been the main focus of the bank’s global sponsorship activities in the area of sport since 2006, supporting high-profile events such as the Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge, the Audi Polo Awards held in London and the Ascona Polo Cup, Switzerland. Julius Baer is also title sponsor of the Julius Baer Beach Polo World Cup, Sylt, Germany,” continued Peter Schaer.
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Khitam and Jelena Bin Drai
Rebecca Genty-Nott, Andrea Schneider, Kerry Chmiel
Lauri Agosti with Khitam Bin Drai
Daphne Ducos and Eugenia Laprida Fiona and Gary Shepherd
Ibrahim Ahmed, Mattar, Mubarak, Sultan Al Yabhouni and Tarik Fatheldin
Mubarak and Faris Al Yabhouni with friends
Nicolรกs Petracchi with his lovely daughters
Cool people
Desert Palm Hotel
Kassem Shafi and girlfriend Natasha with Hissam Al Hyder
Mubarak and Faris Al Yabhouni with friends
Hikmat Al kaitoob and friends Lupe Roldan with her mother, and Becky Urquart
VIP spectators enjoying the final match
BMW Polo Masters - Courchevel
SCAPA wins the final of the Polo Masters Courchevel Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi. After two days of tough weather conditions the sun finally graced the finals of the BMW Polo Masters Courchevel shining on the teams Doux Joaillier and Scapa who fought for the magnificent K2 trophies. These stunning bronze Mandala sculptures were offered by the prestigious new hotel K2, the latest luxury hotel to grace the resort and our main sponsor for the Courchevel stage of the tournament. The conquest for these trophies was akin to scaling the 2nd highest peak in the world, one of the toughest matches yet and produced intense playing that was loaded with rebounds. The return of the cold and dry weather enabled the horsemen to ride faster, with continuous
70 | PQ
rapid attacks and counter-attacks, which were watched closely by the masses of spectators who were shouting encouragement from the sidelines and cheering at the sheer prowess of the players. Cyrille Costes, Doux Joallier’s team captain, attempted to repeat last week’s victorious performance at the Megève BMW Polo Masters without counting on the tenacity of the Scapa team, who had already been finalists in the Val D’Isère BMW Polo Masters. Mickael Redding, Scapa’s team captain, who was playing under his company’s colours took a number of risks, engaging in some very combative moves and succeeded in scoring 2 goals out of the 5 goals scored by his team.
After 2 chukkas in a row, Mickael Redding, one of the rare captains with a handicap of 1, supported by the two young French prodigies, Robert Stom and Clément Delfosse, succeeded in muscling in with a score of 5 to 3. SCAPA, who lost out last year in the finals by one point in the last few minutes were highly motivated for this well-earned victory. The third and fourth-place play-off was between BMW, led by Laurent Dassault and Courchevel with Alejandro Pastorio at the reins. Despite the amazing performances of the BMW team and notably Patrick Paillol one of the rising stars in French polo, it was Laurent Dassault’s team, the 2011 title-holder who gained a point for a final score of 6 to 5. This second edition of the BMW Polo Masters Courchevel attracted a massive public following, both around the pitch and in the polo village tents. As usual during this tour VIP tents and public spaces were set up to welcome spectators and also offered everyone the chance to admire the new BMW collection. On Courchevel’s altiport, transformed for the occasion into
a polo pitch, you could even come and admire a Pilatus PC 12 airplane. The Courchevel stage marked the end of the winter tournament of the BMW Polo Masters Tour, which saw 3 captains from different teams win 3 stages. Gracing the podium were Matthieu Delfosse and the rising French polo stars, Patrick Paillol, Robert Strom and Clement Delfosse. This winter tournament, like the X Drive models of our sponsors BMW, has succeeded in braving difficult weather conditions to offer top quality performances in all the stages. Rendezvous for the next stage of the tour the 27th, 28th and 29th July 2012 for the BMW Polo Masters By Night in Saint Tropez/Gassin. COURCHEVEL PODIUM 1st Scapa 2nd Doux 3rd BMW 4th Courchevel
Polo Masters Courchevel // Teams & info Courchevel Alejandro Pastorio Benjamin Polledo Patrick Paillol
Place: Courchevel, France Club: S Club Date: January 26-29, 2012
6 0 2 4
Scapa Michael Redding Clément Delfosse Robert Strom
8 1 4 3
BMW Laurent Dassault Matthieu Delfosse Thierry Vetois
8 0 4 4
Doux Joillier Cyrille et Edouard Costes Simon Luginbuehl Brieuc Rigaux
7 0 2 5
Level: 8 goal Tournament: Snow Cup Winner: Scapa Polo Team PQ | 71
INPROTUR Courchevel
Snow Polo in Courchevel with Argentinian presence By Alejandra Ocampos. Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi. Courchevel 1750 near Saint-Bon-Tarentaise, Savoy, in the Rhône-Alpes region (French Alps) organised the Polo Masters, the snow polo tournament that took place from January 26th through January 29th. Four teams up to 8 goals took part in the tournament - Courchevel, Scapa, BMW and Doux Jouaillier – with each line-up featuring three players. The tournament had two qualifying days with matches played under an intense cold spell and continuous snowfall, which did not crush the spirit of the great number of spectators who attended the event at this ski resort to watch the games. Scapa and Doux Jouaillier were the qualifying round winners who played the Grand Final. BMW and Courchevel played for third place.
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Scapa was the winner of the competition after dominating Doux Jouaillier 6-5 and took the K2 Trophy, a bronze Mandala sculpture. K2 is not only that of the resort’s new luxury hotel but also the name of the impressive Mount K2 within the Himalayan mountain range and the second highest mountain peak on earth after Mount Everest.
BMW beat Courchevel 6-5 and won the third place Not only did they have snow polo within the framework of the Courchevel competition but also Argentina’s presence through INPROTUR, the National Institute for Tourism Promotion of the Argentine Republic.
This was the second event of the year organised by INPROTUR (the first took place at Desert Palm Polo Club in Dubai), where they set up a stand alongside competition sponsors such as BMW, Scapa, Richard Mille and two of the most exclusive hotels in Courchevel, accompanying these three days of pure polo. Those attending the event visited the INPROTUR stand and received balls as gifts and all kinds of information about Argentina, especially from the point of view of a tourism centre for winter sports. A comfortable and cosy atmosphere allowed visitors to enjoy the “living room� setting with the idea of taking shelter from the intense cold weather and a chance of having a look at some magnificent photography books featuring wonderful landscapes of Argentina. A great number of people visited the INPROTUR stand, which has proven yet again that Argentina is one of the favourite destinations within the polo community.
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Lovelocks Polo Stud
Progress in the pursuit of excellence History Two years ago, the Hanbury Family decided to develop and progress in the polo industry. They built their own Embryo Transfer Centre at one of their farms, El Quemao, situated in LOBOS, one of the emerging polo locations in Argentina. This ET Centre opened to the public this breeding season resulting in almost 250 pregnancies. Diego Rodriguez Piola, Director of Operations, spoke about the progress of the project: “As director of LPS and in charge of the Lovelocks Breeding Plan I am really proud of the team we made to achieve this important aim - to breed the best polo ponies. In this way, and with Charlie Hanbury as our main man, we launched and opened the centre.
Facilities We prepared the place with good facilities, 21 stallion paddocks, 16 of them with wooden fences and boxes, to keep them safe and fresh in summer time, five of them are bigger paddocks with wired fences and pastures. On the farm we have different fields with pastures, wide roads to allow us to move animals from one field to another and bring them safely to the ET Centre. We work with donors and surrogate mares separately on the farm. We prepared fields and pastures
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for each category looking for the best nutrition and contemplating every requirement the embryo has at each stage of pregnancy. The main barn is divided in two sectors. Each sector counts with its own specially trained staff and facilities. The Donor sector is prepared with good corrals and crushes. They use their own headcollars (black ones) and their own staff (trained to deal with donors). The Surrogate Mare sector with good facilities to work with them in a safe, easy and dynamic manner, with different staff and different colour of headcollars (blue ones). We also have a qualified team of vets, each one with a responsibility, but working together and in a professional way.
Business We can offer our clients really good and interesting blood lines, such as Ellerston’s with four incredible sires from the Australian Breed (Atlantic, Botox, Nutbush and Christian), also Ellerstina’s genetics with sires like (Open El Padrino, Open Chavo, Open Merengue and Open Nueva York). At Lovelocks Polo Stud Embryo Centre, our clients can choose the embryos they want, we can prepare frozen semen from their stallions, frozen embryos, and store them here as well.
250 PREGNANCIES IN 2011
16/21 STALLION SPADOCKS
(16 WODDEN FENCES AND BOXES)
We also offer to sex the pregnancies and in the future we will be able to sex the semen, so we can decide the sex of the embryo from the very beginning. We have also made an agreement with Kheiron (Cloning Lab) and are actually transferring the clones they are producing. Next season we will try to reach 400 pregnancies, and hope to be able to work at full capacity. We are working on some collaborations, to have the possibility of offering Ellerstina’s best blood lines at our ET Centre and letting our clients have the combinations of stallions they’ve always wanted. Lovelocks will be the main place where Ellerstina will direct their semen production”
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Prince Bahar Jefri of Brunei
"I want to play competitive Polo" By Alejandra Ocampos. Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi. Prince Bahar Jefri of Brunei travelled to Dubai to play the Nation's Cup with his team, Brunei. The lineup included none other than Palermo Open champion Pablo MacDonough, who also happened to be number one in the 2011 World Polo Tour ranking. The relationship between Pablo and Bahar Jefri started many years ago, when Pablo was 14 and used to travel to Brunei with his brother, Matías. Pablo and Bahar have remained close friends since then and started playing together, achieving some important wins, such as the Triple Crown in Sotogrande in 2009. Last year, they played for the first time with Richard Mille in England, and are now looking forward to their second season there.
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Whilst in Dubai, Bahar Jefri spoke to PQ international about his present and his plans for the future. How do you feel about playing with Pablo MacDonough, the world's best polo player today? Pablo is absolutely amazing. He is a great player, and very competitive too. It's a pleasure and an honour to play with him.
You’ve been playing with him for years now. How do you feel about his evolution as a player? Well, he was very good right from the beginning, and he still is, but he’s getting better every day. Why did you decide to play high goal in England? The idea was to play the most important tournaments
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PM Bahar Jefri // Profile Birthplace: Brunei Darussalam Residence: United Kingdom Highlights: 2009 - Sotogrande Triple Crown High Goal (Ahmibah Polo Team) He is playing a lot in the UK, Sotogrande, Brunei and Dubai.
and have a chance to do so along with the world's best players and, of course, be competitive. I think England is a good choice because it offers a very strong and competitive season.
What are your expectations concerning the upcoming UK season? Last year, we played our first season there to gain experience and see how the fields play. So this will be our second year in UK. Therefore, our expectations continue to grow, and we intend to do better than last year. You are one of the very few teams that are named after a brand, Richard Mille. How did you decide upon this name? The idea of having Richard Mille as a sponsor and naming our team after him was to attract more people to polo and get them to see polo as a serious sport and something worth watching. Having such a prestigious and internationally-renowned brand as Richard Mille as our sponsor is a very good thing, not only for me or the team but also for polo itself. Is Richard Mille pleased with the team? Oh, yes. Well, at least I hope so!!! We're very pleased with them, so I hope Richard Mille continues to sponsor our team for many years to come. Was it difficult getting them involved in polo? It wasn’t that hard at the start, despite the fact that we had to explain a few things about polo and what it was all about. I think they're pleased with the team as well as the results we achieved both in England and Sotogrande. You
also play polo in your country,
Brunei. What
is it
like playing polo there?
Polo in Brunei is much more relaxed. I want to be competitive. That's why I play a lot in Europe.
What are your plans once the UK season comes to an end? After the US season, we’ll be travelling to Deauville. This will be a brand new experience as I've been to Deauville a couple of times, but we’ve never played there. In
your opinion, what are the most important things you
must take into consideration when you travel somewhere to play polo?
Do
you look out for level, scenery,
tradition...?
Well, the level of polo is definitely very important, but the history and tradition of a place is also important. Such is the case with England, a country with a huge polo tradition. I know Deauville has a big polo tradition too, so I think this destination will be a great experience for me.
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Pablo Mac Donough
"I think La Dolfina have a very good chance of repeating their feat at Palermo" By Alejandra Ocampos. Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi. He was named the world's number one player of the World Polo Tour ranking in 2011, and the winner of the Argentine Open in Palermo with La Dolfina for the second consecutive year. Pablo MacDonough met up with PoloLine in Dubai, a place he was visiting for the first time, where he was playing with old friend Bahar Jeffri's Brunei Polo Team. Pablo and his wife Mechi are expecting their second child, and he talked about his experience in the Middle East, his achievements in Argentina, his life as the world's number one of the WPT, and his expectations for 2012.
So, what does it feel like to visit Dubai for the first time? My first time in Dubai, yes, my first time playing, watching... everything! It is a great place, fantastic. There are lots of things to do here. It’s a thrilling country. My expectations for this trip to Dubai were high, and were all fulfilled. There's a lot to see and do every day. And there are many cool things that only happen in Dubai. What do you think about polo in Dubai? Well, that's not what I came to do. It is a place where you can play in a more relaxed way. We came to have
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fun. Anyway, from what I’d heard, I imagined this was not going to be an insignificant place to play polo. It is a great polo destination. There are many Argentine players, which is good for polo. Besides, Desert Palm is such a fantastic club.
Going back to the latest Argentine season, how do you feel after winning your second consecutive Argentine Open? I'm very happy we won. It's the third time I’ve won the Open, and this I achieved playing with Juanma (Nero). There's a long way to go. However, I hope we can repeat this success in 2012. We had a great first year with this team. We got along like a house on fire and we played very well, so I think we have a good chance of winning again. What
do you think about the idea of having ten teams
play the Argentine
Open? It doesn’t make much difference to me, but I guess that giving younger players the opportunity to compete at a higher level is a very good thing. I still don't know if it's good or bad, but it's all about giving these young guys a chance. And if the Open lasts one more week, it will also give us a chance to use Palermo a little more, which is good. However, this may have a downside,
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Pablo Mac Donough // Profile Birthdate: February 21, 1982 Handicap: 10 Highlights: #1 Player World Polo Tour 2011 2011 - Argentine Open, Hurlingham Open, Sotogrande Silver Cup. 2010 - Argentine Open, Hurlingham Open, Tortugas Open, Jockey Club Open, Gold Cup for British Open, Queen´s Cup. 2009 - Hurlingham Open, Tortugas Open, St Moritz World Cup on Snow. 2008 - Argentine Open, Tortugas Open, Sotogrande Gold Cup and Silver Cup, Queen´s Cup, Prince of Wales Trophy. 2007 - Hurlingham Open, Tortugas Open. 2006 - CV Whitney, Ellerstina Gold Cup. 2005 - Hurlingham Open, Tortugas Open.
such as a free date or a big difference between the first and the tenth team. But if it's all about supporting new players and teams, and helping them reach a higher level, then I agree...
A new year has just begun, your wife Mechi is expecting your second child, and you have a new project. What is it about? Well, it has to do with watchmaker Richard Mille, whose brand has been on the market for ten years now. Every year, a new brand ambassador who is related to sports is presented. A special watch has been made for each of them, as is the case with Rafa Nadal, Bubba Watson and Felipe Massa. And now, they've selected me to represent Polo. It's an honour and a privilege to have been chosen as brand ambassador. You finished last year as the number one player of the World Polo Tour. What does this mean to you? Polo is a team sport, so the ranking issue may not be that important; but, on the other hand, it shows you're there, always competitive, and playing and winning lots of tournaments. Being in the ranking with some of the world's best players as well as being part of a team such as La Dolfina makes you want more; to acquire better horses, set up a better organization. Obviously, the hardest part is staying at the top, which means you have to work harder. What are your expectations for this year? I have different expectations every year. I would probably like to enjoy a better season in the US, after three weak years. I will then travel to UK for the second season in England with Bahar, where I hope we will do better than last year. And my main goal in Argentina, the most important of all, is winning the Palermo Open.
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Richard Mille + Pablo Mac Donough
Tourbillon RM053 Pablo Mac Donough Polo is possibly one of the toughest sports for any tourbillon watch to have to deal with. Sudden turns, wild swings, the clash of horses and riders: these are forces far greater than the norms found in other sports. Known as the ‘king of sports’ polo is uniquely elegant and highly physical. For Pablo Mac Donough, partner of the brand, Richard Mille had an idea for a totally new case design inspired by the tonneau shape and engineered to tolerate the extreme shocks likely to occur during a polo match. He created an ‘armored’ case in titanium carbide with two raised arcs leading to two viewing windows. The movement design and windows are tilted at a 30˚ angle. The seconds run with the tourbillon cage on the left viewing window and on the right the hours and minutes are shown. This angled view is ideal when seen from the rider’s saddle. The highly compact, totally new tourbillon movement design utilizes a highly skeletonized baseplate and bridges with a compact going train-winding barrel arrangement. Since the movement itself is ultra light and tightly unified, it is less susceptible to the centrifugal and centripetal forces generated during a game.
Pablo Mac Donough Polo has always played a very important role in the Mac Donough’s lives. It is therefore no surprise that the Argentinean began playing polo at only 6 years old in the Nueva Escocia Polo Ranch, Buenos Aires, where Pablo’s father breads his own horses. Pablo Mac Donough played as a pro soon after he finished high school. At 23 years old, Pablo Mac Donough became part of La Irenita where the breeding program for polo horses is held. His career kicked off in 2001 when he won the Camara de Diputados Cup in Buenos Aires. In 2003, he began playing for Ellerstina, one of the best Argentinean Polo teams of the last decade, where he played eight seasons and won the 2010 Argentinean Triple Crown. In 2010, Pablo Mac Donough was regarded as one of the best polo players in the world when he became Number One of the World Polo Tour Ranking. In May 2011, he joined the elite crowd of the Richard Mille Polo Team alongside H.E Bahar Jefri. Last December, Pablo Mac Donough and La Dolfina won the Argentinian Open confirming his position as World Number One.
Pablo Mac Donough with Bahar Jefri, Richard Mille and tow other executives of the brand launching a RM boutique shop in Geneva
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The RM 053 Pablo Mac Donough is a limited edition of 15 pieces in microblasted titanium and titanium carbide.
Bahar Jefri, Richard Mille and Pablo Mac Donough having fun in Dubai during an exhibition match in January
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Mohammed Al Habtoor
“There are lots of high-goal players who want to come and play in Dubai� Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi.
PQ international met Mohammed Al Habtoor in Dubai to talk about the growth and great success of the tournaments played at Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, and his plans for the future, among other things.
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Mohammed Al Habtoor is one of the most enthusiastic promoters of Polo in Dubai. He is the Chairman of the Gold Cup Series, which has been held for the past three years at the Al Habtoor´s family club, the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club. It began as a 12-goal tournament, and has increasingly improved both regarding the quality of the games played and the organisation, which has now become one of the most successful events in the Middle East. The growth and success of this tournament is such that it attracts an increasing number of spectators who are becoming more and more enthusiastic about attending very tight and keenly-contested matches from start to finish, played by teams featuring both local and foreign players. The great attraction for 2012 at Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club was undoubtedly the presence of none other than Nachi Heguy, who became the first high-goal player to take part in the Gold Cup Series. Not only that: the Gold Cup, which was won by Mohammed with his team, Habtoor, has recently received its certificate of entry to the World Polo Tour, within the Challenge Cup category, thus becoming the first tournament in the region to enter the international polo ranking.
What
changes have been made to the
Gold Cup Series
as compared to last year?
A couple of years ago, when we held the first edition of the Gold Cup, teams up to 12 goals took part. The tournament gradually became more and more competitive, and in 2012 we reached 16 goals. As you may have noticed, all games are very even, and most of them end up in a one-goal difference or an extra chukka. The Dubai Polo Gold Cup is a great opportunity for players to become internationally renowned, as happened last year with Facundo Sola, who established himself as a winner in Dubai and won the Queen's Cup in England and the French Open in Chantilly.
There are lots of people who know nothing about polo in Dubai. What are organisations like in Dubai, and what about the upkeep of polo ponies? There are three clubs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE): Ghantoot, which belongs to Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Desert Palm, owned by Ali Albwardy; and ours, Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club. The Gold Cup started off at 12 goal and then moved on to 15. What can we expect to happen in the coming years? The problem we have in Dubai is the amount of fields; we can’t play at clubs that only have two polo fields. We want to take this tournament to the next level, namely high goal - 20 goal. But of course, we still need to know if all patrons are able to participate, as this would entail bringing more horses, acquiring more fields as well as the entire and necessary infrastructure to achieve a tournament that can offer a higher level of polo.
This year, you had Nachi Heguy high-goal player to take part in
who became the first this competition.
Did
you get a chance to chat with him?
I’ve chatted with Nachi on several occasions, and he mentioned that he’d be willing to come to Dubai at any time; because this place is very near the city, lots of tournaments are held around here, and everything is much closer, the beach, the city itself, and the weather is gorgeous.
Are there any plans to hold high-goal exhibitions, like last year? This is the second time we’ve held the King's Cup; on the first occasion, it was an 18-goal tournament, and the second time around we had a 26-goal competition. The idea is to organise a charity tournament. Santiago Torreguitar is the Club’s Polo Manager and he is also the Polo Manager for Santa María Polo Club… For the past three years, we have been to Spain to play medium-goal polo. Santiago has been very kind to us, he works very well, and he is highly professional. He is exactly the person we needed. Are
Habtoor organisaEngland? Yes. In fact, for the past two years we’ve been looking around with the intention of buying polo fields over there, have our own stables... We have played several tournaments, took part in the exhibition, and sponsored the Royal Windsor Cup. We do have plans, but I cannot disclose a single thing for the time being until I know for certain it’s all in my hands. Last there any plans to extend the
tion in
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year, we had two of our teams participate in the Royal Windsor Cup, and a couple of years ago, we played the Queen's Cup and we did pretty well.
You’ve
been in
Sotogrande, Palm Beach
and
England,
but you still haven’t been to Argentina…
Well, the thing is that I feel a little lazy about travelling all the way there!!! (laughter). But seriously, it’s a very long trip, and there’s just no way that I can travel abroad for a long time and so far away. The trip to Argentina requires a whole day to travel there plus another day to travel back, and a whole other day to recover from the trip. In any case, my idea is to travel there at some time or other and stay for a couple of weeks, before the Silver and Gold Cup in Dubai, with the intention of taking a look at a few more horses. I have around seven polo ponies per player. The idea is to improve the quality of my horses, so they are suitable for high goal polo in order to get myself prepared to play at that level.
Could
you describe the rest of the patrons, who are
friends of yours, in just a few words?
They are always willing to help. They are not demanding at all. They always want to come here, and they appreciate what we have done for polo in Dubai. This is exactly what we need.
Mohammed Al Habtoor // Profile Residence: United Arab Emirates Highlights: 2012 - Dubai Gold Cup He is playing in the UK and Dubai.
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Guillermo Terrera Jr
"I´m glad to be back to work" By Alejandra Ocampos. Photos by Matías Callejo. Guillermo Terrera, better known as “Terre”, as we shall call him from now on, is a good guy. In fact, he is a very good guy. He's always positive, in good spirits, joking and laughing. He’s definitely the kind of guy you love as soon as you exchange a couple of words with him. Terre is back. After a somewhat tough 2011, when he went through a complicated health problem that kept him off the fields for a while, he made a comeback during the last Argentine season when he played the Copa Municipalidad de Pilar. Now, fully recovered and enjoying the unconditional support of family and friends, Terre has taken part in a couple of competitions during the autumn season in Argentina: the first stage of the Argentina Polo Tour in Palermo, and the Copa República Argentina, as the winner of its subsidiary trophy with Indios Chapaleufú II El Remanso. He now looks forward to travelling to England in a few days. PQ international met up with Terre in Palermo, and he talked about his awesome present and even better future.
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What are you up to at the moment? I took part in a couple of tournaments during the autumn season. I joined Lolo (Castagnola) and played for La Mimosa during the first stage of the Argentina Polo Tour, in Palermo. I then played the Copa República Argentina with Ruso (Heguy). We didn't have a good start. We lost our first match in Pilar against Piqui Díaz Alberdi's team (La Alexandra)... things got a little difficult, but oh, well, at least we won the Subsidiary Cup. Are
you planning to play any other tournament in
A r-
gentina at present?
No, that's all for the time being. I've just finished playing my autumn season in Argentina. All that lies ahead is a tournament in Monte, where I live, the Copa de las Estancias to be held during Holy Week. I will then leave for England.
What
are your expectations for the upcom-
England? I have high expectations. I'm very happy because I wasn’t able to go last year, but I am now playing with a new team, El Remanso, including the Hanbury brothers and Pelón Stirling. Quite a change, as I've always played with Talandracas. I've been anxiously waiting for this year to begin.
ing season in
Do you have any projects after the UK season? For the moment, there are no plans; perhaps something in Deauville or Sotogrande in August. There’s nothing confirmed yet, but I do hope something crops up! How
are you feeling and what ’s going on in
your life right now?
I'm very well, thank you... What can I say? I'm glad I’m back to work, and very thankful for all the support.
So there’s big news for 2012 Argentine season
you regarding the too, as you’ll be
playing the qualifiers with
Chapa II. What
does this opportunity mean to you?
It's incredible! Ruso came up with the idea when I travelled to La Pampa in February. He said we were going to talk about playing the qualifiers once he was back in Buenos Aires. So we started off together playing the Copa República Argentina. We didn't do too well at the start... so I got a little scared. I thought he was maybe regretting having contacted me (laughs). But everything turned out fine, and he confirmed I’d be playing with him. I really can't believe it! I hope we manage to qualify because I've never played the Open Championship, and I definitely want to do this. PQ | 91
Carlos Gracida
The Living Legend By Nadine Mentior. Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi. Carlos Gracida, born in Mexico City in 1960, is often called the “living legend”; he held a 10 goal handicap over 21 years, has won every major tournament, including the British Gold Cup ten times, the US Open nine times, the Argentine Open five times, and in 1998, he was the only nonArgentinian ever to be awarded the most valuable player of the season.
So you went on your own to Texas? No, my brother Memo was there already - he had a job with the same sponsor. I went to play a few tournaments and we won together and from there I got a job with Steve Gose and I played for him from 19781984. He had the biggest polo club ever, he had 16 polo fields, so it was incredible, and it was the home of the US Open, so he was the biggest sponsor in the US.
How did you get into polo? I had no choice! My grandfather and my father played Polo, so that’s how.
Who was your hero when you were a young player? Well, I think it was Memo, my brother, because he won the US Open when he came from Mexico, then he became 10 goals, he won the Palermo Open before me, he won the US Open before me, so he was my hero and I wanted to become as good as him.
So how old were you when you first rode? I have pictures of me when I was 2, 3 years old on a horse. When did you decide you wanted to be a great polo player? (Laughing) I decided to be a professional at 17. I finished high school and I got an invitation to play in America in San Antonio, Texas. They offered me a salary and I said I’m going to go for it.
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Who were other polo influences in your life? I played with Gonzalo Pieres in Argentina and we won Palermo 5 times together. I was very lucky to play with him.
I would say three achievements; one is in 1988 I won the Palermo Open, I scored 10 goals and they gave me the Most Valuable Player of the season in Argentina and that’s a big achievement. In the same year I won the US Open and the Gold Cup in England. And probably the other one that should be mentioned would be winning the Triple Crown in Argentina. PQ | 93
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Carlos Gracida // Profile Birthday: September 5, 1960 Birthplace: Mexico Handicap: 10 goal handicap in 1985 Highlights: Winner of Argentine Open Championship with La Espadaña in 1987-1990 and with Ellerstina in 1994, the Hurlingham Open in 1988-1990 and 1990, the Indios-Tortugas Open in 1995, the 12 de Octubre, San Martín, and Anchorena Cups. In England took the Cowdray Gold Cup in 1982, Southfield in 1983 with Falcons, in 1986-1989 and 1991 with Tramontana, in 1994-1995 with Ellerston, and in 1997 with Labegorce. Also win the Warwickshire, Smith Ryland, Midhurst Town, and Cowdray Park Challenge Cups, the Prince of Wales and Prince Phillip Trophies. Winner of the US Open Championship in 1982 and 1984 with Retama, in 1985 with Cartier Ranch, in 1987 with Aloha, in 1988 with Les Diables Bleus, in 1991 with Grant´s Farm Manor, in 1992 with Hanalei Bay, in 1994 with Aspen, in 1995 with Outback, and in 2003 with C-Spear. WOn the Gold Cup at Deauville; the Rolex, CV Whitney, World, Silver, North American, Chairman´s, Inter-Circuit, Barrantes, and Monty Waterbury Cups.
Carlos Gracida is the only player to have taken the American, Argentine and British Open Championships in the same year.
What’s your favourite country to play in? It was always England for me. I first played in England in 1982, so it’s 30 years ago. I was told that it was the place where I played the best and I was most relaxed and I always like it. And are you going to play in England this year? No, I’m not. I’m going to play practice games and organise Sumaya, which I played for last year and you never know, somebody may get hurt and I will be ready. What was your most exciting win? The biggest was to win Palermo. What for you is your greatest achievement in polo? Well, actually, I would say three achievements; one is in 1988 I won the Palermo Open, I scored 10 goals and they gave me the Most Valuable Player of the season in Argentina and that’s a big achievement. In the same year I won the US
Open and the Gold Cup in England. And probably the other one that should be mentioned would be winning the Triple Crown in Argentina.
Where is the most unusual place you’ve played? I don’t know if it’s the most unusual, but it would be China, for sure, Beijing. We are opening a new Polo Club called the Beijing International Polo Club. I’m part of the organisation - organiser and business partner of the club. That will open this year. So what’s next for you in polo? I’m currently opening a company called Gracida Polo – we’re going to start endorsing some products like wine, we’re talking to a clothing company and we are working on having some horse products, like saddles. Everything we will be doing will be special. I’m also breeding horses with Cambiaso in Argentina. Everything that you can do that’s business-related to Polo. How
do you think polo has changed in your lifetime,
and where do you see it going?
Polo is growing a lot in the world, people are more aware of it, there’s more sponsorship, there are more clothing companies. Some things have improved, like the horses, the organisations, but the thing that bothers me most about the new generation and Polo changing over the years, what is going the wrong way, is the fixing of games. There are too many games being fixed – at the US Open now, I promise you that 80% of the games are fixed and that’s something which is out of control. Polo needs to change, it has to be run professionally, it has been run in a very relaxed way. It needs to be run as a real business, like Formula 1. I believe the rules have to change, they are too old. Sometimes I feel like Polo should be more exciting to watch - too many breaks in the game and the rules are difficult to understand.
How would you change the rules? First of all, I would not change sides every goal, because the people get confused. I would make the umpiring more aggressive in the way of less fouls, but if you make a foul it should cost you much more. I would have the umpiring run more professionally, it’s still run too casually. I think they do a good job with running the Gold Cup - it’s run very, very well. And
on a lighter note, what is your most embarrass-
ing moment?
I don’t know if it’s the most embarrassing, but the most funny is the time I was knocked out by my team mate - I banged my head and I was unconscious for a little bit, but I was not 100% and I was the captain of my team in the Coronation Cup, so I had to go to the presentation to get the trophy from the Queen and instead of bowing like a man, I did it like a woman, so everybody was laughing.
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Edouard Carmignac
“Our Goal is to win
the British Open” By Alejandra Ocampos. Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi.
Talandracas’ patron, Frenchman Edouard Carmignac, was thrilled to play at Palermo for the first time. Since he usually plays in England and Deauville, this was Carmignac’s chance to play the Copa República Argentina with his team, El Rincón Talandracas, an experience including two games played at Palermo, one of which was the Subsidiary Trophy final. Before leaving for France, Edouard Carmignac met PQ international and spoke about a few topics including the thrill of playing in Palermo and his expectations regarding Talandracas for the upcoming UK season, which is just around the corner.
What were you doing in Argentina? I came to Argentina to play at Palermo, and it has been such an amazing experience for me! We played twice on field two... Obviously, I would have liked to play on field one, but hopefully I will able to do so next time. Anyway, it was a great feeling. We played the Copa República Argentina with the idea of trying out the new Talandracas team before the UK season. We still have Lucas (Monteverde) and Milo (Fernández Araujo), and we’ve hired Chris Mackenzie. The team worked well, despite the fact that we have some new horses. So, the idea was to put the team together before to England, mostly for the new boy, Chris...?
Edouard receiving the Queen's Cup from HRH Prince Harry
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going
Exactly, that's right. We had a good season in 2011. We won the Queen's Cup with Facundo Sola, and now our goal is winning the Gold Cup. We’ll see what we can do.
Is this your first time at Palermo? Yes, my first time, and it was a great experience. Are
you playing any other tournaments in
Argentina
at
present?
No, because I’ll soon be leaving as I have to work on a couple of things in France. Later we will be travelling to England in order to start off our season with Talandracas.
Due
to a raise in handicap,
Facundo Sola won't be playUK. How did you feel talented boy like Facundo on
ing for Talandracas next season in about having had such a
your team last year, considering he continues to grow as a player?
The experience of having such a young and talented player like Facundo was very positive. But let me tell you something else: Facundo is not only a great, fantastic player, but he also has the skills to know what he or any other player has to do to be well mounted. He knows a lot about horses and has this incredible ability that not many players have, no matter how talented they are.
Edouard Carmignac // Profile Residence: France Highlights: 2011 - Queen’s Cup 2010 - Deauville Gold Cup 2004 - Deauville Gold Cup 2002 - Deauville Gold Cup He is playing in the UK and Deauville.
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Argentine 2012 High Goal Season Preview
A taste of the 2012 Argentine Season By Alejandra Ocampos. Photos by Matías Callejo. News surrounding polo in Argentina has always set people talking. Back in June, 2010 it became known that Pablo Mac Donough and Juan Martín Nero were leaving Ellerstina to join La Dolfina. There is also the topic of the day, which started at the end of 2011, when people began talking about the modifications and new teams that will be taking part in the 2012 season; and with good reason, as among them, the comeback of no less than the 40-goal team will take place. Let’s see...
winner, who played a leading role during a spectacular season in which this new line-up made their debut, with some kind of “dream team”, featuring four superstars who far from fighting a battle of egos, have managed to adapt perfectly. Furthermore, La Dolfina showed good teamwork throughout the Triple Crown Championship and were able to ditch the so-called “Cambiaso dependency”. It is by far the best team of the season. After their victory in Palermo, they crowned their year with a 40-goal comeback, after Pelón Stirling was raised to 10 goals.
LA DOLFINA, 40 GOALS AND A GREAT CHALLENGE The first piece of news regarding what’s coming up next in Argentina 2012 is the comeback of a 40-goal team. The honour goes to La Dolfina, the Argentine Palermo Open Championship
La Dolfina winner of Argentine Open 2011
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So, La Dolfina will be the only team whose line-up will remain intact during 2012, setting a challenge to confirm all they have done up until now.
The Big changes, Mariano Aguerre back in Ellerstina and Eduardo Novillo Astrada Jr joining forces with the fifth Novillo Astrada brother, Alejandro to play the Qualys.
ELLERSTINA, FAMILY UNION La Dolfina Adolfo Cambiaso David Stirling Pablo Mac Donough Juan Martín Nero
40 10 10 10 10
Ellerstina Facundo Pieres Gonzalo Pieres Jr Nicolás Pieres Mariano Aguerre
38 10 10 9 9
La Aguada Javier Novillo Astrada Guillermo Caset Jr Miguel Novillo Astrada Ignacio Novillo Astrada
36 9 9 9 9
Pilará Hilario Ulloa Francisco Bensadon Sebastián Merlos Francisco de Narvaez Jr
34 9 8 9 8
La Natividad Pablo Pieres Jr Ignacio Heguy Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade Bartolomé Castagnola
34 8 9 8 9
Alegría Fred Mannix Lucas Monteverde Juan Ignacio Merlos Sebastián Merlos
33 7 9 8 9
Keeping close tabs on their great rival, Ellerstina has undergone an important change for 2012, following the modifications carried out during the last season, with Pablo and Juan Martín having left and the youngest of the Pieres brothers (Nicolás) having joined the team, along with former Indios Chapaleufu II player, Nachi Heguy. Though perhaps not entirely satisfied with the results, Nachi will no longer be part of Ellerstina in 2012, and his place will be taken by Mariano Aguerre, an incorporation which was not at all surprising. Furthermore, many were wondering when the time would come for Gonzalito’s brothers-in-law, Facundo and Nicolás, to join the team. Let’s remember that Mariano is married to Tatiana, and she is their sister. So, not only has Mariano Aguerre’s comeback to the Triple Crown Championship become a reality, after two years of participating in the qualifiers with Alegría, but it will also be his return to Ellerstina, the team with which he won the Triple Crown Championship in 1994.
LA AGUADA X 2 Another important piece of news regarding 2012 comes handin-hand with the Novillo Astrada brothers, who will be presenting two teams with the idea of including Alejandro, the youngest of the four, once and for all. La Aguada will be featuring Miguel (9), Javier (9) and Ignacio Novillo Astrada (9), plus Guillermo Caset (Jr.), who was raised to 9 goals at the end of last season and will be playing the entire Triple Crown Championship as a first-team player for one of the top line-ups for the first time. La Aguada’s other team will comprise Eduardo Jr. (9) and Alejandro Novillo Astrada (8), plus Lucas James (8) and Cristian Laprida Jr. (8), adding up to 33 goals and enabling them to play the qualifying round for a place in the Hurlingham and Palermo Open Championships. Therefore, it will be the first time that Eduardo, the eldest of the Novillo Astrada brothers, will not be playing the entire Triple Crown Tournament. PQ | 99
NEW LINE-UPS FOR THE TRIPLE CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP The group of the “Big Six”: the six foursomes that due to handicap make it through to the Triple Crown directly, will be completed by three new line-ups. One of them is Alegría, Canadian patron Fred Mannix’s team, which after entering the Hurlingham and Palermo Open Championships through the qualification round for two consecutive years, has changed its team-members, and currently adding up to 34 goals, will be going straight through to the three most important competitions in the world. The 2012 version of Alegría will comprise Fred Mannix, Lucas Monteverde, Agustín and Juan Ignacio Merlos. Just like Mariano Aguerre, Pite will be returning to the Triple Crown. In 2011, he took part coaching Estancia Grande, the team with which he made a brief comeback in the game played against Ellerstina in Palermo, and where it became clear that Pite’s quality as a player remains intact. Pilará Piaget will be presented as an almost fully renovated line-up, with Sebastián, the third Merlos brother, having returned to the blue team, together with two former team-members of Alegría, Francisco Bensadon and Francisco de Narvaez Jr., who will be joining Hilario Ulloa, the only player remaining from the team that played in 2011. The other new team will be La Natividad, featuring Lolo Castagnola, Nachi Heguy and two former Chapa Uno players, Polito
Hilario Ulloa, Pilará Polo Team
100 | PQ
Pieres and Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade. La Natividad was intended to be Lolo and Lucas Monteverde’s project in 2011 after they both quit playing for La Dolfina, but they finally gave up the idea of getting involved in this project to play for Estancia Grande.
THE QUALIFICATION-STAGE MYSTERY The qualification round for the Palermo and Hurlingham Open Championships still remains an unknown quantity. Apart from La Aguada’s second team, Indios Chapaleufú II have also confirmed their participation with a 29-goal line-up comprising Pepe Heguy (7), Guillermo Terrera Jr. (7), South African player Nachi du Plessis (7) and Eduardo Heguy (8). Regardless of the participation of these two teams, the number of line-ups that will be taking part in the tournament which will be incorporating two teams into the two most important polo competitions worldwide is still a mystery. The remaining teams that will be playing the qualifiers may probably comprise some of the players who are available for the time being, as is the case of Bautista Heguy, Jaime García Huidobro, Tomás García del Rio and Matías Mac Donough, among others. There are still several months ahead and a long way to go. These mysteries will be revealed little by little as we head towards a new Argentine season.
pololine.com
Welcome to the
Universe
PQ | 101
UK High Goal Season Preview
Who will be gracing England’s verdant fields this summer? By Aurora Eastwood. Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi. There have been changes aplenty for the 2012 season. Adrian Kirby’s Silver Spring has not a single player from the last year; and all-new Ellerston look like they will play some beautiful classic polo with Gonza and JP teaming up. How will La Bamba fare with no Gonza? But Nico is a force to be reckoned with. Adolfo Cambiaso has paired up with Ale Muzzio that’s actually a perfect personality blend - Ale’s quiet nature will balance out Adolfo’s fieriness. Happily, British players have not been left on the
sidelines. Both Tomlinson’s and James Beim all have jobs for the whole season. Younger players are also enjoying runs; Matt Perry, Max Routledge, and Olly Cudmore all fly the flag for British talent. Our commonwealth compatriots fare well; stratospherically talented Nachi du Plessis and Chris Mackenzie are firmly on the scene as is Australian Alec White. Sadly, Sapo Caset will not be making an appearance in the UK this season as the Lechuza Caracas patron will prefer to play in Europe.
UK High Goal Season 2012 // Teams Aravali
22
0
7
9 Eduardo Novillo Astrada Jr
Karan Thapar
Marcos di Paola
6 Mark Tomlinson
22
Steffano Marsaglia
7 Ale Muzzio
8 Magoo Laprida Jr
Joaquín Pittaluga
9 Nachi Heguy
10 Adolfo Cambiaso
El Remanso
102 | PQ
9 Pelón Stirling
2 George Hanbury
1
10 Juan Martín Nero
8
3
Matías Mac Donough TBA
La Bamba
22
0
10
7 Nico Pieres
5 Max Charlton
Les Lions
7 Guillermo Terrera Jr
8 JP Clarkin
22
Jean Francois Decaux Facu Pieres
22
4 Charlie Hanbury
Gonzalo Pieres Jr
Enigma
2 Alec White
10
3 Tomás Garbarini
Jerome Wirth
22
1
1
7
Dubai
Rashi Albwardy
22
Jamie Packer
Azzurra Piaget
0
Ellerston
22
0 Joe Gottschalk
10 Sebastián Merlos
9 Agustín Merlos
3 Matt Perry
Zedan Polo
22
0
7
9 Miguel N. Astrada
Amr Zedan
Lucas James
6 Agustín Nero
Richard Mille
1 Prince Jeffri Bahar
7
Pablo Mac Donough Tomás García del Rio Ollie Cudmore
0
7 Luke Tomlinson
7 José Donoso
1 Adrian Kirby
7
Fran Elizalde
8
8
0
? TBA
22
? TBA
? TBA
Zacara
22
1 Lyndon Lea
5
Milo Fernandez Araujo Chris Mackenzie
Thai Polo (only for Gold Cup)
6
8
7 Facu Sola
21
0
Harald Link
22
Jaime García Huidobro Polito Pieres
6
Talandracas
7 James Beim
Silver Spring
8
Edouard Carmignac Lucas Monteverde
21
Nick Clarke
1
4
Salkeld
22
Ahmad Aboughazale Javier Novillo Astrada Matías Vial
22
10
Sumaya
9 Hilario Ulloa
8 Nachi Du Plessis
4 Manuel Plaza de Ayala
PQ | 103
Buffalo Adventure in Alamosa, Colorado
Polo Player Home on the Range... Where the Buffalo Roam By Cuatro Tolson. Photos by Karen Myers and Cuatro Tolson. I have been fortunate enough to play polo all over the world, and along the way I have had the opportunity to participate in local equine customs such as Pato near Buenos Aires, Polo de Campo in the Patagonia region and Cowboy Polo in West Texas. However, when a friend at a recent family dinner mentioned that he was going on a buffalo round-up in Colorado, I couldn’t resist the urge to say “Count me in!” Growing up in Texas, when playing the childhood game “Cowboys and Indians,” I always felt more the latter. Maybe it was because of my father’s story of an ancestor who married a woman from the Choctaw nation sometime in the late 1800s. The truth is, I was quick to say yes because of my love for adventure, especially those that include horseback riding. It could be argued that no one was a better horseman than the American Indian, something I continuously work to replicate in my polo game. But the natives had a much different reason to ride than just for sport. The American Indian had to be skilled at riding in order to succeed in pursuing their most worthy adversary: the American buffalo. The American buffalo, or bison (as it is often called), at one time roamed the grasslands of North America in numbers estimated to reach some sixty million, but by the late 1800’s fewer than one thousand buffalo remained. They can weigh up to one ton, can be more than a dozen feet long and stand up to six feet tall at their massive shoulder hump, which serves as a storehouse for energy-rich fat. They can also run for very long periods at up to thirty-five miles per hour. Today, many ranchers, farmers and enthusiasts have begun raising buffalo as a means of preserving a piece of the past. Over time, a renewed interest in buffalo emerged due to their heartiness and their ability to survive the extremes of climate, especially the harsh winters of Colorado, where my adventure took place: the Zapata Ranch. The ranch, owned by The Nature Conservancy, is a 103,000-acre bison and guest ranch located on the eastern side of the San Luis Valley in Southern Colorado. It borders the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, the newest National Park in the United States. After boarding a commuter flight in Denver, I arrived late in Alamosa, Colorado and was greeted by the ranch manager and head cowboy, Duke Philips. Duke showed me to historic bunkhouse and informed me that “chow time” would be at 5:30 am, at which point I would be allowed to pick my saddle and horse (from a group of about sixty). 104 | PQ
The next day came very quickly, but I was more than anxious to get started on this already chilly October morning in Colorado. At breakfast, I was greeted by a group of “top hands” from several surrounding ranches who were on loan to Zapata Ranch for the week long round-up. Once a year -before winter- the 2,500+ buffalo on Zapata are rounded up for their annual checkups, counted for population control and a small number culled for their meat and hides. The rest of the year, they roam free and untouched in the rich grass plains that rest at the bottom of the San Luis Valley. (I was one of the only non-cowboys allowed to participate in this year’s round-up. The round-up was also an opportunity for Zapata to showcase the experience in front of a small New York film crew who were invited to document the weeklong event). With icy dew on the ground and the sun peaking up over the mountains, we converged at the horse corral and began to saddle up. I was given my first horse named “Mary Jane,” a stalky black horse with a white striped face and a battle scar on her right hind leg. It appeared that Mary Jane didn’t like to be tied up early in the morning (and a testament I guess) to why I was told by several of the cowboys: “Oh you got the fastest horse in the barn…and have fun.” After everyone was tacked up and ready, we congregated in a large circle more than thirty cowboys strong ready for the instructions from the trail boss. Duke laid a plan for the day that consisted of culling three to four groups of buffalo, working on the closest
and most visible herds first. In the vast distance we did see several scattered herds of buffalo (some two hundred large), but it was still a long ride before we could get close. The idea was to run the herd of buffalo from the surrounding plains into a smaller paddock and through one of several fences visible by a sixty-foot tall pole with a white flag perched on top. In order to circle the herd without spooking it, we rode an extra hour or two out of the way to come in from the side -against the wind- to avoid them picking up the scent and moving away. We then split into the instructed five squads with about six cowboys each. Once in formation we marched toward the herd of buffalo until they eventually began to feel uncomfortable with our presence and started to run away. Our job was to box them in a V-shaped formation, making sure to corral the alpha cows at the front of the herd from splitting off. We were told that where the alpha cow goes, so does the herd, and I quickly found out that if we let the alpha cow veer too much one way or another into the open or through the ranks, well, all hell breaks loose! Our first round-up was close to home and went smoothly. Most of the herd followed the path across the semi-frozen tundra, trampling over the tall grass and short brush. Not bad for a first try, I thought to myself. I heard a chuckle in the distance and Duke say, “Yeah, just wait!”. We ventured further into the vast plains in search of a much larger prize. We rode for at least four hours, raising
PQ | 105
the stakes of the round-up and for our horses against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. We stumbled across a much larger herd of grazing buffalo congregated around Duke. As was often the case prior to the charge, we spent two hours plotting strategy. As I stood on the top of a sandy knoll, I found myself daydreaming about what it was like to be an Indian over a hundred years ago. While waiting, I joined the cowboys in smoking cigars and chatted about polo with a group of excellent riders, who had only heard of the sport before. After waiting and having been in the saddle for most of the day, we were all anxious to get a start to yet another adrenaline rushed stampede behind these massive and occasionally dangerous animals. I noted we were at least a four hour ride from home base. Finally, Duke gave the word for us to move into formation and we split into our respective squads, armed with buffalo whips. I was told the whip would be “necessary this time round,� because there were some feisty bulls in the herd and a long way to go. Silently in formation, like a modern-day cavalry, we began our assault on the massive herd. However, the terrain was more difficult and was littered with medium-sized brush, scrubs and flowing rivers between us and the white flag. Maintaining our formation at great speed on horseback was going to be a challenge. Hundreds of years ago there was little brush across the Great Plains 106 | PQ
because of the running buffalo that would trample it down. A horse, on the other hand, must navigate through with finesse and jumps when giving chase. But there was no time to think about that; we were already off and running. What followed was a blur of spinning scenery, and I saw to my immediate left, a tumble of a horse, tack, arms and legs into the thorny brush and wind-blown sand. I had to make a split-second decision and thought about turning to help, but doing that would break the line and could cause more chaos. We were spread out and the dust and sand kicked up by the herd of buffalo silhouetted the other riders within close range. Only the sounds of “yaw!” and the crack of whips assured me that the formation was still intact. After about a half an hour of full gallop, we were getting closer to the enclosed pasture and the herd then made a collective right turn into the right flank, then continued head-on toward the barbed wire fence, missing our open fence target. The stampede destroyed the barbed wire fence in a matter of seconds, and the buffalo scattered everywhere, some turning around to charge if you got too close. They were tired and angry, and would charge looking for an exit back to the vast open plains. It appeared during this round-up, the buffalo had won. After another twenty minutes of buffalo scattering and cowboys frantically rushing to and fro, it was over. At the expense of some very tired horses, only a small percentage of buffalo had found their way in the pasture. We were instructed to quickly dismount and remove our saddles from the backs of our sweat drenched steeds. Mary Jane had clearly enjoyed leaping into two chilly rivers while running full speed through the brush and chasing the American buffalo. For the next three days I was able to participate in this incredible adventure, spending over eleven hours a day in the saddle and each round-up just
as exciting and often more challenging than the last. I was able to witness to some of the most breathtaking scenery in the United States on horseback. And as a bonus, at night we were entertained under the stars, singing country by the campfire despite the crisp air and howling coyotes. But the most enjoyable time was spent with the horses, who were clearly as enthusiastic about the chase as we were and very similar to how I figure my polo ponies feel during a highly competitive match.
“I highly recommend this adventure to anyone who has both a love for riding and willingness to take part in an exhilarating experience rooted in the American past”. If you wish to find out more about how to participate, you can contact me at cuatrotolson@yahoo.com or Zapata Ranch directly at cowboy@zranch.org
PQ | 107
World Polo Tour
Important news in the ranking By Alejandra Ocampos. Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi. With Zacara having achieved victory against Lechuza Caracas in the 108th US Open final, the Palm Beach season has come to an end. The World Polo Tour has already shown more than significant changes in the race towards becoming the number one player. Despite the complications suffered by Adolfo Cambiaso during the US Open due to an injury to his right hand, which left him out of much of the competition, he remains No. 1 in the ranking (with 870 points). The first variation applies to the runner-up, a position now held by Facundo Pieres, brand new US Open champion, who has accumulated 809 points. Facundo, having risen from sixth position, displaced Pablo Mac Donough from second place, who has now moved into fourth position. Juan Martín Nero remains in third place.
World Polo Tour Top10 Points 870 809 800 772 709 685 505 491 458 431
Player 1. Adolfo Cambiaso 2. Facundo Pieres 3. Juan Martín Nero 4. Pablo Mac Donough 5. Gonzalo Pieres Jr 6. David Stirling Jr 7. Hilario Ulloa 8. Miguel Novillo Astrada 9. Nicolás Pieres 10. Eduardo Novillo Astrada Jr 2nd May, 2012
Another player who has dropped one place is Gonzalito Pieres, as he went from fourth to fifth position. And the same thing happened to Pelón Stirling, who moved down from fifth to sixth place. There were no changes between the seventh and ninth position, held by Hilario Ulloa, Miguel Novillo Astrada and Nicolás Pieres, respectively. The top ten was rounded off with Eduardo Novillo Astrada Jr., though this time he will be sharing his position with Magoo Laprida
#1
Facundo Obregon Upcoming Player March 2012 IPC, Palm Beach, US
Marcos Alberdi Upcoming Player April 2012 IPC, Palm Beach, US 108 | PQ
(both having achieved 431 points). Eduardo’s brother Nacho remained in 11th place, while Sapo Caset climbed one position, from 13 to 12. Among the amateur players, Zacara’s patron Lyndon Lea achieved the most important rise, as he climbed from no less than position 26th to 13th in the general ranking, and moved into the top position in the amateur ranking. He displaced Victor Vargas, who moved into second place within the amateur ranking, climbing from position 15 to position 14 in the general ranking. However, Mike Azzaro and Facundo Obregon were responsible for the most remarkable changes. Azzaro, MVP of the US Open Cup final, climbed from position
111 to position 33, and young Facu moved up from 117th to 69th. As regards the Masters category, in which teams are awarded points, Zacara ended up in first place with a total of 205 points, followed by Valiente I who achieved 170 points and Valiente II with 160 points. Lechuza Caracas, who earned 110 points reached fourth place, and ERG wrapped up the Top five with 86 points. Players and teams shift into first gear and head towards England and various other European destinations.ºLikewise, the World Polo Tour steers in that direction, in search for the World’s best polo player.
Ignacio Acuña MVP Pro February 2012 Dubai Gold Cup, UAE
Faris Al Yabouni MVP Am February 2012 Dubai Gold Cup, UAE
David Stirling Jr MVP Pro March 2012 USPA Gold Cup, US
Robert Jornayvaz MVP Am March 2012 Dubai Gold Cup, UAE
Mike Azzaro MVP Pro April 2012 US Open, US
Lyndon Lea MVP Am April 2012 Dubai Gold Cup, UAE PQ | 109
Veterinary
Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy:
Why you should be worried By Leah Ludlow. Photos by PoloLine. Flu strains and swamp fever have blighted horses imported from other countries in recent years, and now there is another disease making its way over. PSSM is on the rise in horses in America, and as a sport that imports and exports hundreds of horses every year, it is a disease the Polo world should be aware of. PSSM (Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy) is a genetic muscle disease, and the symptoms startlingly similar to tying up: muscle stiffness, reluctance to move, stretching out of back legs and sweating. These characteristics that can be witnessed in normal horses due to exhaustive exercise more than their exercise level have made them capable of, respiratory infections, lack of minerals (especially selenium and vitamin E) and exhausting exercise, common sights seen in Polo ponies. It can also cause the horse to display signs of a sore back, lameness and bucking, regular actions that can be overlooked due to their commonness in Polo ponies and unfortunately frequently ignored to some extent. The signs can also be witnessed with no exercise at all, or even after light exercise of walk and trot work. PSSM is thought to be caused by an irregularly fast intake of glucose from the bloodstream, causing storage problems within the muscles, and is passed on by a dominant gene, one that is not necessarily tested for during breeding. The disease can be tested for by a muscle biopsy or DNA test. The gene pool of Polo ponies is one that cannot always be guaranteed, especially when a horse could have changed hands many times and have a mix of breeds in their history. PSSM is especially prevalent in Quarter Horses, a breed that has had an influence in Polo ponies in America, including ones that have consequently been sent over here to play and breed. The disease does not always show up immediately in horses that are predisposed to it, and signs are usually not obvious until the horse comes into work at two to four years old. It is of paramount importance that if a Polo pony
110 | PQ
is suspected of having this disease it is tested and treated as soon as possible. A hair test can be performed through the Royal Veterinary College in North Mimms. A hair-only test is £43. It is important to be able to distinguish between an attack of PSSM and tying up, and this can be done by a blood test, and it can take weeks for a horse to recover from an attack of PSSM symptoms. If a horse has had an attack, the most important steps to take are: • Stop exercise and move the pony to a stable. • Call your vet. • Keep the horse comfortable with a light blanket to wick away sweat or keep the chill off, depending on the pony’s temperature. • Offer the pony small amounts of water with electrolytes. • Only allow the pony access to hay, no hard feed is allowed until the symptoms have stopped. • Turnout in a small paddock until the pony is walking comfortably (usually after 12-24 hours). The good news about PSSM is that the likeliness of an attack can be reduced by correct diet and exercise. Ponies with PSSM should be turned out as much as possible, but with limited grazing and plenty of low-sugar forage to eat instead, and not stabled for more than 12 hours at a time. Ponies with this condition need longer warm up and cool down periods, and need plenty of walk work and walk breaks during exercise. Fat should be a main source of energy in the pony’s diet, and sugar kept to a minimum (including treats like apples). Flax seed, vegetable oil and rice bran provide the perfect solution. Luckily PSSM is not a condition that is widely seen in Polo at the moment, but with symptoms so similar to common conditions seen in polo ponies, it is something we should all be aware of and ready to diagnose.
Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy is a genetic muscle disease, and the symptoms startlingly similar to tying up: muscle stiffness, reluctance to move, stretching out of back legs and sweating.
PQ | 111
High Goal Pony Review 2012
Best ponies of the Palm Beach Season PQ international choose the best horses of the Palm Beach High Goal Season. Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi.
Lelani | Lyndon Lea
Name of the Pony: Lelani Owner: Lyndon Lea Sex: Mare Age: 10 years old Colour: Red Chestnut Played by: Facundo Pieres Award: Best Playing Pony US Open 2012
Capilla | David Stirling Jr Name of the Pony: Capilla Name of the Player: David Stirling Jr Sex: Mare Age: 11 years old Colour: Sorrel Sire: Chileno Dam: Pura Award: Best Playing Pony USPA Gold Cup 2012
112 | PQ
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PQ | 113
High Goal Pony Review 2012
Anselmo | Sebastián Merlos Name of the Pony: Anselmo Name of the Player: Sebastián Merlos Sex: Gelding Colour: Red Chestnut Sire: Pícaro Dam: Anizeta Daughters: -Gury Petaca (Lyndon Lea) -Gury Patagonia (Sebastián Merlos) -Gury Vagabunda (Sebastián Merlos) -Gury Tabita (Agustín Merlos) Breeding: Ellerstina Seasons in High Goal: - 4 Argentine Open - 2 USPA High Goal Seasons Awards: -Best Playing Pony Ylvisaker 2012 -Horse of the year 2012
Best String 2012 | Adolfo Cambiaso
114 | PQ
Name of the Player: Adolfo Cambiaso Breeding: La Dolfina
PQ | 115
Charlie Langton
Sculptor of Champions Aurora Eastwood meets the brightest star of British equine sculptors. At only 28 years old, Charlie’s career has already gone stellar. The Investec Derby trophy is his creation, as is the outstandingly beautiful ten per cent over lifesize statue of Yeats, unveiled by HM The Queen in June 2011.
How did he get here, and so fast? Charlie went to school at Radley College, from where he gained an art travel scholarship. He decided to go to Florence, followed by an art foundation course at Edinburgh College of Art. He then returned to Florence for 18 months and studied portraiture.
116 | PQ
“I wanted more of a technical understanding of classical drawing and sculpture, and how to really look at a subject properly.” Now 21, he offered commissions at charity auctions in the racing world as a way of promoting his work. It paid off. Commissions began to snowball and by 2008 he had his first solo exhibition at the Tryon Gallery in London. “It was my first big thing and it went quite well. I sold nearly everything” said Charlie, charmingly modest even about monumental achievements.
It was through this exhibition that Charlie met Harry Herbert from Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, an encounter that was to prove significant. Herbert asked him to paint Motivator (who won the Derby in 2005). The painting was a huge success and together with John Warren (Racing Manager to HM The Queen), Harry pushed Charlie’s work forward. The next turning point was when Charlie wrote to Investec, who had just taken over from Vodafone as title sponsors of the Epsom Derby, the jewel in the flat racing crown. He asked if they had thought of designing a new trophy and to his delight was asked to pitch, along with two other sculptors. “I then pitched an idea to Asprey’s, in that I’d sculpt a trophy and they’d produce it. We won the pitch and the trophy got massive exposure. It’s now the perpetual trophy – there has never been one before”. Certainly the highlight of Charlie’s career so far has been the commission to sculpt Yeats for Ascot Racecourse. “I was working on a painting for John Warren at the time and I mentioned that I thought of myself as more of a sculptor than a painter. He had heard that Ascot were thinking about commissioning a life-size sculpture
of the four-time Gold Cup winner Yeats, so I asked him to put my hat in the ring, which he very kindly did. Again, three sculptors were asked to pitch. The maquettes (scale models) were judged by The Duke of Devonshire and members of the Ascot authority, and also by Mr and Mrs John Magnier (who own Yeats). I won the commission and I just couldn’t believe it. It has always been my ambition to sculpt life-size horses in bronze and to have this as my first one was unthinkable. The sculpture was unveiled on the first day of Royal Ascot 2011 by Her Majesty The Queen. It was the most incredible experience.” On site in the studio, a spectacular life-size clay model of Pegasus stood, wings outstretched. Although dull clay and not gleaming bronze, and now missing a leg, having just been moulded, the statue had a powerful, commanding, yet utterly serene presence. A commission for the Airborne Forces and Parachute Regiment, the horse has now been cast and is being dismantled. “It’s pretty gut wrenching pulling him apart but I need the armature (underlying steel framework) for my next commission. It takes around five months to complete the clay sculpture and then it will be another four months or so at the foundry. The whole process takes around 10 months”.
PQ | 117
With so much under his belt already, what is left for Charlie to achieve? “I want, more than anything to keep creating life size bronzes. It tends to be the champion horses who have sculpture s commissioned of them, so it’s even more important to try to establish what about each of their characters and physical attributes that made them so successful. I think my training as a portrait painter helps me to see them that way. These big commissions don’t come along that often and I count myself extremely lucky to be given the opportunity to sculpt them when they do. I still have a lot to learn about anatomy, racing, breeding... You never stop learning with horses and you have to keep your eye in. I’m getting an equine skeleton soon, which I cannot wait to put together. I find the anatomy fascinating. It’s a huge challenge to try and capture in bronze what it is exactly that makes these animals so alluring. It’s a challenge that I’m becoming addicted to.” Charlie used to ride, and wants to get back into it, but is constrained by time. His great uncle used to breed racehorses and his mother took over the breeding
118 | PQ
operation on a smaller scale. The plan is to build a stable on to the side of the studio, with one side facing out into a paddock. This will enable a real live model to be on site at all times – and perhaps allow Charlie back in the saddle...
And
in the immediate future?
Charlie
is working on
four life-size sculptures, three of whom are stallions in Ireland, he also has an exhibition in
June 2012 at The London. This will keep him busy for the next two years or so. And beyond that? “I’m very interested in polo from an artistic perspective. The angles that the horses get into, the different positions are very interesting. In racing there are only really two poses – galloping or walking. In polo there are so many more – accelerating, stopping, turning”. Sladmore Gallery
in
Anyone in Polo to have a pony sculpted by Charlie will be one of a few, fortunate people to have a work of art from such a talented man. Contact Charlie at Charlie@charlielangtonart.com www.charlielangtonart.com
PQ | 119
Equestrian
Florida isn´t just about Polo Equestrianism forms the heart of the state and the purest discipline of all is in full force: Dressage. USDF Gold Medallist Mary Ann Grant is based in Wellington and spoke of her family background in the sport. “I do come from a family of dressage trainers. My mother (Carole Grant) has been on the United States World Championship Team, and won a double gold medal at the Pan Am Games. My father (Chuck Grant) was the second inductee into the United States Dressage Federation Hall of Fame. He was one of the first dressage trainers here in America, and he is considered by many to be the Father of American Dressage.”
What is the history of dressage as a sport? “It is the oldest recorded equestrian discipline. We have writings on dressage theory which go back before Christ by the Greek commander Xenophon. The fundamental theory has not changed. It is a French word meaning “training,” therefore, the basis for all equestrian disciplines. Through the years it became a sport, but originally it was used to create a superior battle horse. They had to do a lot of movements which required flexibility, suppleness, strong core muscles, strong haunches, and at the same time quick reactions”.
How has the sport evolved in the USA? “Evolution of the sport came originally to America from two different sources. Dressage was already very developed in Europe because of the military schools and courts. When some of the military personal migrated to this country they brought with them there horsemanship skills. Also, European circus families performed dressage movements on tours exposing the American public to dressage. Our very first civilian dressage competition was in 1949, so not very long ago. Over the years we have progressed, and are very competitive on the international level”. What is the annual competition circuit? “The competitions are year round. If you are trying to qualify for the Olympics, World Cup, World Championships, Dressage Masters, or Pan Am Games you have to go to were the CDI competition qualifiers are offered. Wellington, Florida has more CDI’s than any other location in the country. This brings a lot of international riders here in the winter. Championships
Aerial view of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center Showgrounds
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are at major cities around the globe, so there is a lot of traveling involved”.
What is the ultimate prize in Dressage? The Olympics? “I would say that making an Olympic team is definitely a defining point of any dressage rider’s career. But it only comes every four years, so there are other events which are equally important. The Reem Acra FEI World Cup, which highlights the Grand Prix Freestlye is held annually. Each qualified country is allowed two rider/ horse combinations. The Alex Johnson Group Dressage Masters is held annually consisting of 3 to 6 major cities around the world. Each competition offers EUR 100,000.00 prize money. The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games is held every 4 years in different locations, the last being Lexington, Kentucky. These events distinguish our top competitors. In addition, the FEI, our international governing body, publishes a ranking of dressage riders based on current international placing”. In
terms of venue
-
Have you ever done show jumping? “Yes. Before I decided on dressage, I rode hunters, equitation, and jumpers”. What
are the main differences between schooling the
horse for dressage or for jumping?
“Of course there are differences, but the foundation is the same. Top horses have to be able to cover ground and collect while keeping the bascule. This requires gymnastic development. They also have to turn well and listen to their rider’s aids. They need a rider whom they trust and gives them confidence.
Aerial view of the showgrounds in Wellington
what has the most history and the
most importance?
“I would say that Aachen, Germany is probably our best facility as far as competition, and nostalgia. It is very old and prestigious, having had many great riders and horses on it grounds. It is our Palermo”.
Mary Ann Grant
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Jumping horses have to jump many different types of obstacles. The rider has to use slightly different aids depending on what type of obstacle they are jumping, such as a wide oxer, a narrow plank, or water. In dressage we have at least 32 different movements at the Grand Prix, such as pirouette, passage, piaffe, half pass, and flying changes of leg every stride. We strive to perform them like mirror images to the left and to the right. You can imagine how clear we have to be with our aids to accomplish this”.
Can
you tell us a little also about the show jumping in
this country?
“Jumping is a very important sport here, and has played a leading role in developing equestrian sport in our country. They have developed a strong system of competitions which attract sponsors, and reward winners with large purses. Internationally they have been at the very top and now we are in a place where we need to rise up again. But they are still very competitive”.
Why
do you think
Wellington
has become so popular in
the last years?
“Originally, Wellington was developed as a horse community by Bill Ylvisaker for Polo. They had some jumping shows here, and dressage shows as well. People came for the season to find relief from the cold weather. Now it is really the place where equestrian have to be to succeed”.
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Final competition at the West Palm Beach Global Dressage Festival on March 30th
View of one of the Equestrian Stables next to the showgrounds
View of the Stadium showgrounds dressage in Wellington during the final night show
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So
in the
USA,
is Wellington one of the places to be if
you want to be competing at the top levels?
“I would say it is the place to be in the winter time if you want to be on the top level”.
You are trying to get onto the Olympic Team. How much work has it taken over all these years? “I’m involved 100% in riding at a high level. It involves physical and mental development for both horse and rider which can only come day by day. Building the relationship with the horse is very important, you can imagine, as we have to be so specific with our aids. Of course, of high importance is having athletic, willing, and intelligent horses”. PQ then heard from Chrystine J Tauber, Secretary of the United States Equestrian Federation.
Why
do you think
Wellington
has become so popular in
the last few years?
Wellington was developed as a polo community by Bill Ylvisaker. They started to have some jumping shows here, and the dressage shows as well. Now it is really the place where everyone comes to compete. Major qualifiers and championships, great facilities and prize money, these are what bring equestrians. And the sunny weather helps!
Central showground arena ready for the final day of the season
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Polo Player and Show Jumping ridder Robert Jornayvaz
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PQ Lifestyle A chukka only lasts some seven minutes. So what to do when not on a horse?
Lifestyle
The UK has something for everyone. From some of the best fashion outlets to superb sailing - there is no shortage of things to buy, see and do. This is the season where clothes really matter. The standard of dress and presentation is higher in the UK than any other polo destination - so what is one to wear? What are the best beauty products on offer? Giovanna Eastwood and Karen Davis bring us the best key pieces and ultimate cosmetics, whereas I indulged my passion for speed on the sea and on the road to bring you the best of alternative adrenaline. Cars, yachts and polo. It’s quite the combination, be you a participant or spectator. Roll on summer!
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Summer Feature
Hot Summer brights Here are my picks of the best items and looks for this season. The Olympics are adding an extra frisson to the proceedings so embrace colour and vibrancy - and look amazing! By Giovanna Eastwood.
Add funky glamour to your summer outfit – the perfect accessory.
Finest Seven Price: £495.00 www.finestseven.com
Belen Echandia Price: £425.00 www.belenechandia.com
This delicate bracelet channels tribal design alongside gentle tones.
Bling Chakra Bracelet Price: £184.00 www.easternmystic.com
A figure hugging cobalt blue dress is the perfect way to make an impact in the warmer weather.
Lifestyle
Beautifully crafted with bright colours- a dynamic accessory for everyday use.
Malene Birger Price: £145.00 www.bymalenebirger.com
Everything that summer fashion should be – unashamedly joyous, bold and cheerful. Allow your shoes to set the tone this summer.
Dolce & Gabbana Price: £270.00 www.dolcegabbana.com
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Mother & Daughter Feature
Mothers at the Polo A day at the Polo, dressed up to the nines, is the perfect girls day out. And with this striking ensemble, Mothers will certainly turn heads. Embrace the season’s most prominent trends vibrant prints, earthy colours presented and elegantly simple cuts.
These tortoise shell sunglasses are a summer essential
Miu Miu
Lifestyle
Price: £165.00 www.harveynicols.com
Be a bold, striking, trendsetter this Polo season with this exquisite dress.
Jonathan Saunders Price: £800.00 www.harveynicols.com
Youthful but so elegant with a playful splash of colour .
Gianmarco Lorenzi Price: £590.00 www.gianmarcolorenzi.com
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Daughters at the Polo An oh-so-cute and ultra-feminine look for daughters to complement their mothers this Polo season.
Perfect lines define these understated and stylish sunglasses.
Tom Ford Price: £290.00 www.tomford.com
Lifestyle
Superb detailing on this stud clutch will add some edginess to your outfit.
Lemaresca Price: £850.00 www.lemaresca.com
Elegant Simplicity with this 18 carat gold ring.
Sho Price: £250.00 www.shojewellery.co
Be pastel perfect this summer with this divine sorbet pink dress with clean lines and delicate ruffled collar.
Jexika Price: £972.00 www.jexika.com
From morning tea to the end of the afterparty, add some drama with these gold island platforms heels.
Charlotte Olympia Price: £575.00 www.charlotteolympia.com PQ | 129
Designer in the spotlight
Nina Naustdat
Lifestyle
Norwegian couture designer Nina Naustdal debuts her first ever ready to wear collection, Nina Naustdal Gold. Embracing season defining trends, Nina Naustdal showcases eye catching bold prints on classic designs to create a timeless collection. Sumptuous jewel tones ranging from ruby red and amethyst to sapphire and emerald, in a further nod to the aesthetic of gemstones. A cocktail dress with a splash of personality for the discerning modern woman.
www.nina-naustdal.com
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Cosmetics
Spring has arrived Spring has arrived and bits of our bodies that have been well and truly hidden are beginning to emerge on display. Fear not! Instant fixes are here and we have found you some of the best. Diamond Jubilee beauty also requires us to make an effort so assume patriotic thoughts and enjoy these ideas that both work and are fun!
3
of the best Instant lift products
An increasing number of both men and women want the look of Botox without the expense, complications and frozen face. Whilst “filler” products have been around for a while (notably the brilliant one by Chanel that’s no longer on sale), here are three of the best currently on the market.
Shinso Essence The creator of this range has formulated a unique blend botanicals and herbs as well as minerals from the bottom of the ocean bed. Loved by cosmetic surgeons and celebrities alike (think Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Aniston, Charlize Theron, Eva Longoria, Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna) this range instantly lifts but at a price. Size: 30ml Price: £255.00 Stockist: www.shinso.com
Lifestyle
Nanoblur Not so much a lifter as a trick of the eye. Nanoblur has received widespread coverage for the products, but it is designed to blur lines and wrinkles to the eye in much the same way YSL’s Touché Éclat does, via mirrored particles that are so small as to be individually invisible to the naked eye. Size: 30ml Price: £19.99 Stockist: www.boots.com
Minus 417
Dead Sea Cosmetics Miracle Immediate Wrinkle Filler Every year I go to the biggest beauty show in Europe in Bologna and every year I love this product. Packed with Dead Sea Minerals this filler really does melt wrinkles away in front of your eyes – even if it is only temporary. Size: 30ml Price: €110 Stockist: www.minus417.com PQ | 131
Men's Grooming
Falling on your feet
Lifestyle
Occasionally, Hobbit-like feet lurk in a man’s shoes and with the season of sandals almost upon us, here’s a few tips on clipping, exfoliating and preening to get them into tip top shape for summer.
Tweezerman Barrel Spring Toe Nail Clipper
Pedro Callus Stone
If your toenails have the same properties as industrial steel then these are the toenail clippers for you. Powerful, German-made with good leverage in the handles, make light work of a chiropodist’s job. Price: £25.00 Stockist: www.tweezerman.co.uk
For filing you need a heavy-duty tool that will last, be strong enough for the job and have good ergonomics. The Pedro Callus Stone has a rough and smooth file in order to get right into the job without scratching or hurting – bliss. Price: £17.00 Stockist: www.tweezerman.co.uk
Saicara Foot Gel This pleasantly light gel vitalises and refreshes tired, wornout feet after a long day, with papaya extract and red vine leaves. Betaine, provitamin B5 and chamomile soothe and moisturise your skin, without making it greasy. Price: £8.25 Size: 100ml Stockist: www.saicara.co.uk
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The Diamond Queen Even the beauty industry is celebrating 60 years of Her Majesty’s reign. We take a look at a selection of the very best.
Floris Royal Arms Diamond Edition One of the great fragrance houses of the world, Floris has adapted the fragrance “Royal Arms” which was originally created to celebrate the birth of Princess Elizabeth in 1926. The heart of this fragrance is rose, jasmine, iris, ylang ylang, violet and lemon. The perfume is presented in a vintage 60ml crystal bottle dating back to the early 1900’s from the Floris archive, dressed with a 50 point white diamond on an 18 carat gold chain and engraved charm. It is quite simply stunning. Only 6 bottles have been made, with one being presented to the Queen and two for sale in the Floris Jermyn Street shop. Mere mortals can purchase the Eau de Parfum for £99.00 but trust me, having sampled both, the original is the one to have. Size: 60ml Price: £15,000 Stockist: www.florislondon.com
Minx Nails Union Jack
Paperself Lashes Irresistible for a bit of patriotic fun, the rose is a recurring theme for the Diamond Jubilee as one of the Queen’s favourite flowers. If you prefer your lashes to last until the Olympics, go with the London landmarks version, which are just as much fun and even more of a statement. Price: £12.50 Stockist: www.paperself.com
Yardley Royal Diamond Yardley is another “by Royal Appointment” brand to create a fragrance celebrating the Diamond Jubilee. Honey, pear, bergamot, rose, lily of the valley and peony combine to create a fragrance that is light and feminine. Size: 50ml Eau de Toilette Price: £9.99 Stockist: www.yardleylondon.co.uk
Leighton Denny Diamond Rose Nail Lacquer The softest rose shade with a subtle diamond sparkle. Diamond Rose looks stunning alone or over a Diamond Ice tip for a luxurious Diamond French Manicure and should see even the most demure of us through the Summer. Size: 12ml Price: £13.20 Stockist: www.leightondenny.com PQ | 133
Lifestyle
If you’ve come over all patriotic then nail art specialist Minx have their lovely Union Jack design to see you neatly through both the Jubilee and Olympics. Minx is a salon treatment as they are heat-applied transfers but don’t worry, they don’t hurt and are very quick. In my experience (because I’m quite hard on my fingernails with all this typing for you) Minx is best on toes where it lasts around 4 weeks making their designs fun and affordable. Price: from £30 per set Stockist: Salons nationwide plus Champneys Day Spas www.champneys.com
Social Schedule
Where to go and what to see By Aurora Eastwood
The UK is without question the place in Europe if you want to spend the summer attending events with the country’s elite. Centuries of tradition and strict dress codes often overshadow the fact that most of the events are in reality an excuse to dress up, organise a good group of friends and get merrily (and discretely) sozzled. My personal highlights are, well, highlighted.
The Social Season MAY
JUNE
May 3rd – 7th | Badminton Horse Trials
June 1st – 2nd | Investec Derby, Epsom
The best riders in the world compete in one of the most stunning settings in the country.
THE most important flat race of the UK season. Polo playing trainer Andre Fabre won it last year with Pour Moi. Epsom’s notoriously difficult course means that there is no such thing as a dead cert here.
Wear: Wellies, jeans and a field coat. www.badminton-horse.co.uk May 5th | FA Cup Final May 9th – 13th | Royal Windsor Horse Show May 16th – 27th | Cannes Film Festival May 17th – 20th | Mille Miglia May 20th to August 26th | Glyndebourne Festival Opera
Lifestyle
Outdoor Opera - picnic outside and enjoy the spectacle. Wear: Black Tie (but take a warm layer!) http://glyndebourne.com/ May 22nd – 26th | Chelsea Flower Show May 24th to 27th | Monaco F1 GP
Wear: Formal - Morning Dress for Men, Dresses and hats for ladies. www.epsomdowns.co.uk June 15th – 17th | Cholmondeley Pageant of Power June 16th – 17th | Le Mans 24hr Race June 19th – 23rd | Royal Ascot
Entrance to the Royal Enclosure is by application - if you are really well connected you’ll have a picnic in car park number 1 first. See you there ;) Wear: Morning Dress for men; dresses and hats for women. The dress code is strict! www.ascot.co.uk June 20th – 24th | Carpetright British Jumping Derby, Hickstead June 22nd to 24th | Isle of Wight Festival June 22nd to August 30th | Verona Opera June 25th to July 8th | Wimbledon Tennis Championships
The most famous tennis tournament in the world. It always rains. It’s always brilliant. Wear: Whatever you like! www.wimbledon.com June 27th to July 1st | Henley Royal Regatta Goodwood Festival of Speed June 29th to July 1st
Badmington Horse Trial
Royal Ascot
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Wimbledon Tennis Championships
JULY
AUGUST
July 6th to 8th | Santander British F1 GP
August 3rd – 27th | Edinburgh Fringe Festival August 5th to 26th | International race meeting, Deauville August 5th | Wilton House Supercars
Formula 1 is and always will be the most glamorous aspect of motorsport. The British GP is at Silverstone. Go and hear those cars scream like dragons. You’ll never forget it. Wear: Casual. www.silverstone.co.uk July 7th to 14th | Running of the Bulls, Pamplona
Ok, so it isn’t in England, but it’s utterly mad and you have to go before you die. Or go AND die. Be careful! Wear: White T shirt, white trousers, red scarf as a belt, red hanky. July 12th – 15th | Latitude July 17th – 22nd | Longines Royal International Horse Show July 19th - 22nd | Secret Garden Party July 20th – 22nd | CLA Game Fair July 21st | King George Day, Ascot July 21st – 27th | Whistable Oyster Festival July 31st – August 3rd | Glorious Goodwood
Lord March’s beautiful course is a stone’s throw from Cowdray Park. Watch out for the celebrity flat race; Clare Milford Haven took part last year. Wear: Linens and Panamas for men; pretty dresses for ladies. www.goodwood.co.uk July 26th to 29th | Camp Bestival July 27th - 29th | Hungarian F1 GP
Beautiful cars outside one of England’s most beautiful stately homes. The Earl of Pembroke is a total car nut and his Veyron will be in pride of place. Wear: Casual www.wiltonhousesupercars.co.uk August 7th to 11th | Great British Beer Festival August 9th – 12th | 94th PGA Championship August 11th – 18th | Cowes Week
Yachty Heaven. Watch hundreds and hundreds of beautiful sailing yachts racing around the Isle of Wight. Warning: you won’t be able to MOVE in Cowes. Wear: Shorts, Polo Shirts with the collar turned up and Deck Shoes. www.cowesweek.co.uk August 17th – 20th | England vs South Africa, Lords August 29th – September 8th | International Venice Film Festival August 30th – September 2nd | Burghley International Horse Trials
SEPTEMBER September 2nd | Chelsea AutoLegends
Right in the middle of London; The Royal Hospital is a spectacular setting for this car show.
Go to this; Big screens in Hyde Park mean you won’t miss the show. Wear: Anything. www.bbc.co.uk/proms September 12th – 15th | St Leger Festival September 14th – 16th | Goodwood Revival
This is an absolute hoot as well as a nostalgic visual spectacle. Everyone enters into the spirit of it and dresses up in vintage regalia to match the inordinately beautiful vintage cars. Running of the Bulls, Pamplona
Glorious Goodwood
Wear: Vintage clothing www.goodwood.co.uk/revival September 22nd – 23rd | Great British Cheese Festival September 23rd – October 7th | Munich Oktoberfest September 24th | Opening night, the Metropolitan Opera September 28th – 30th | Galway International Oyster Festival
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Lifestyle
Wear: Smart casual www.chelseaautolegends.com September 7th – 9th | Ludlow Food Festival September 7th – 9th | Italian F1 GP September 8th | Last night of the Proms
London 2012
An Olympic Year The London 2012 Olympics is fast approaching, and supporting the athletes should be some familiar faces from the world of polo. Despite polo not being a game featured in the Olympics since 1936 (when it was dropped after only five Olympic Games), the equestrian contingents of the games have some strong links with Polo.
Lifestyle
Mark Tomlinson, a member of the England Polo Team and part of the revered Tomlinson family, is the partner of dressage rider Laura Bechtolsheimer. 26 year old Laura was a competitor in the British dressage team last year when they won silver at the European championships. She is currently ranked third in the world by the FEI. Originally from Mainz, Germany, Laura grew up in England where she became the youngest ever British dressage champion at 20 in 2005. She has had previous Olympic success in 2008, gaining
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The Olympics are the most important event to take place in England this year. But with polo not included, are they relevant? Indeed they are, writes Leah Ludlow.
18th place in the Individual Grand Prix Special and 6th place in the team event, earning her the title of British Dressage's Rider of the Year. With regard to the Polo scene, Laura has been quoted as saying “when I started seeing Mark, I did find myself thinking, 'why on earth am I going out with a Polo player?' But he's lovely, and his polo friends are really good fun, too, so I take it back. Though there probably are some that are still, you know!� Another Olympic hopeful rider who will have some popular and prestigious polo faces supporting her is Zara Philips. Samsung have snapped her up as one of the ambassadors for the brand (alongside David Beckham) and she will be helping to aid awareness of their digital activities. Zara is hopeful for a place last year after missing out on Beijing three years ago due to
Toytown’s injury. She had several people involved in polo at her wedding, including Mark Tomlinson and Laura Bechtolsheimer. Mark’s brother Luke Tomlinson was also one of the few with a personal invitation. Zara’s wedding also included Ben Vestey, Robert Cudmore and Jack Mann. Despite Polo coming to London in the form of MINT polo in the park and the Gaucho sponsored event at the O2, it has yet to be reinstated as an Olympic sport. There are certainly supporters of this idea, including the FIP, who are keen to see polo’s return to the Olympics. The FIP’s website states: “When the Federation of International Polo (FIP) was organized in 1982, a return to the Olympic Games once more became a goal and a possibility. In 1998, the first and perhaps most important step has been taken to one day return Polo to the Olympic Games. FIP was granted “outright recognition” as the “Recognized Federation” to represent the sport of Polo by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This official recognition means that FIP and the IOC are
working closely together to prepare the Federation and its members for participation in future Olympic Games”. The possibility of this still seems distant however, and it has been indicated that there would be a handicap limit put in place if it were to return. This would have the advantage of potentially including more players and therefore a more competitive field, but the disadvantage of ruling out some of the best. This would have an adverse effect on broadcasting the game to a worldwide audience if none of the very best Polo playing talent were allowed to participate and demonstrate the brilliance and excitement of the game, as well as not keeping with the ethos of the Olympics to represent the best of the athletes in their sporting spheres. It would also need to be ensured there is enough commitment to enter under these conditions. Previously only nine countries were represented from 1900-1936, with Argentina dominating the last two Olympic Games it was played in, in 1924 and 1936. It would seem that some things never change!
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Restaurants
Picnics, Pimms and not just Polo
England’s high goal clubs are in some of the loveliest places in the UK. Sunny days watching polo are followed by dreamy evenings...and hungry players and spectators. Here is PQ’s pick of the best places to eat and hang out close to the “big three” - Cowdray, Guards and Cirencester. Of course, London is the heart of England’s culture so must be included by default...
Cowdray
Lifestyle
A club close to my heart; the setting is unparalleled and the atmosphere is totally unique. The crowd is still old school and pure. It’s about the polo, not the posing. The places to eat are the same; good food and no boasting.
Badger’s, Coultershaw Bridge, Petworth.
Duke of Cumberland, Henley.
www.badgerspetworth.co.uk 01798 342651 Following Tom and Jana Morley down the road last summer I did wonder where we were going - but once inside we all had the most fantastic dinner. It was big group but the service was superb and the food is fresh and there is lots of seafood, which I love. The prawns were delicious.
www.dukeofcumberland.com 01428 652280 If you can get your car down the steep, narrow road, you won’t be disappointed. The view alone is worth the trip; looking down over gently wooded valleys, the garden is filled with little nooks and crannies in which to sit, as privately as you wish. It won the Good Food Guide Pub of the Year 2012 and deservedly so. Booking highly recommended.
The Horse Guards Inn, Tillington. www.thehorseguardsinn.co.uk 01798 342332 This is such a cosy pub and has real old school charm. I went after a very wet match; soaking wet - they didn’t mind at all and brought me hot chocolate to warm up. The views across the valley are lovely, and you very much feel like you are in somebody’s house - but in a nice way - relaxed and informal and certainly not just another customer here. Perfect for couples there are lots of little places you can hide behind and be quite private.
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Guards In the spectacular Windsor Great Park, this club has a Royal history and a more formal feel - very different but just as appealing club as Cowdray. Its proximity to London means that there are not the country pub options of Cirencester and Cowdray; but this has its merits in the choices available.
Guards Clubhouse www.guardspoloclub.com 01784 477650 Rebuilt just a couple of years ago, the clubhouse offers bar snacks as well as buffet and a la carte lunches. The chicken goujons and burgers are my particular favourite from the bar - as I’m usually in a hurry these are quick and very yummy. You must be a playing member or social member to eat here though.
Dorchester Collection, Coworth Park
The Belvedere Arms www.thebelvederearms.co.uk 01344 870931 A polo favourite - it’s always packed at weekends and usually advisable to book. The pizzas, risottos, burgers and salads always hit the spot, and it’s nicely decorated inside. In summer months the tables outside get very popular - and spotting a fellow white jeans-clad polo player is almost a dead cert. Reasonably priced and literally only a hundred metres from the entrance to the park, you can’t miss it.
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Lifestyle
www.coworthpark.com 01344 876600 Literally just outside the gates, there are two options here - both excellent. The Restaurant Coworth Park - situated in the Mansion, this is a modern take on classic food, in very elegant surroundings. The Barn - a bit more relaxed, and closer to the Polo fields, the food is more bistro-esque and perfect if you want something less formal.
Cirencester Soushi, 12 Castle St, Cirencester.
Lifestyle
www.soushi.co.uk 01285 641414 Nina Clarkin’s excellent venture is proving very successful; right in the centre of Cirencester beautiful centre (only five minutes from the club), Soushi has got it just right. Fusion food as it should be. With lots of clever innovations and interesting twists on sushi - you can have takeaways including your very own picnic, made up and ready to go. There is even Japanese fish ‘n chips - a modern take on a very British classic! Sweet potato chips are definitely the way to go - and low GI to boot.
The Wheatsheaf, Northleach. www.thecotswoldswheatsheaf.com 01451 860244 This Inn has won numerous awards - Tatler, The Times, The Telegraph - have heaped accolades and praise upon it - and for good reason. It’s beautiful, and only minutes from the Fosseway and Cirencester. Traditionally decorated yet with all the mod cons, the food is superb, and if you want cosy privacy you can have it - there is a little room just tucked away from the main restaurant - a very convival evening was passed there with five friends. The food is just brilliant and the wine list wants for nothing.
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London There are no polo clubs in London, granted, but as many players and fans either live in London or stay there whilst in the UK, I can’t not mention it! Polo related haunts
PJ’s Bar and Grill - 52 Fulham Road. www.pjsbarandgrill.co.uk 020 7581 0025 Brian Stein’s ever popular destination and home to the legendary pre season party - polo paraphernalia, copies of PQ and superb burgers, wild mushroom risotto, steak tartare and more. The atmosphere is lively and there is always the smug satisfaction that not everyone knows how great this place is...like being let in on some racy gossip. Don’t tell the world though, or you’ll never get a table!
Gaucho - 25 Swallow St, W1.
South American: Ceviche - 17 Frith St, W1. www.cevicheuk.com 020 7292 2040 Finally this Peruvian speciality comes to the UK. Buenos Aires has the fabulous Osaka; now we can get our fix of this incredible sushi alternative. The restaurant is small and as such absolutely brimming with atmosphere happy, chattering diners all transmit masses of “buena onda” - and the food is just superb. All served in small portions, pick several savoury dishes and share with friends - the sea bass was sharp and so fresh, the lomo cooked to perfection, and the beef heart was tender and full of flavour. My favourite was the arroz con pato - sublime. Unmissable.
Institutions: It has to be The Wolseley - 160 Piccadilly www.thewolseley.com 020 7499 6996 It is famous for every course - from breakfast (as lauded by AA Gill) to the most amazing scones for tea and very classic dinners. The Eggs Benedict are legendary. You will need to book...
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Lifestyle
www.gauchorestaurants.co.uk 020 7734 4040 Incredible Argentine steaks, sweet potato puree, tamales and some seriously good wine...I went to the one just off Piccadilly and if I hadn’t been so contentedly full, I’d have popped next door and finished off my Argentine interlude with Freddo (here named Freggo) ice cream.
Sotogrande Travel Feature
Aprovechando the best that the Costa del Sol has to offer By Aurora Eastwood. Photos by Matt Darwin. Although PQ is predominantly an English magazine, the importance of the Polo season in Sotogrande must not be underestimated. The summer season attracts the biggest names in Polo over the later summer months. But there is more to life than Polo (apparently!) so here are some suggestions of things to do in Sotogrande and the surrounding areas.
Sotogrande Polo – obviously – at Santa Maria Polo Club! Golf One of the best courses in the world is in Sotogrande – the famous Valderrama golf club is there. It’s a Par 71 Championship course and that won’t come cheap. The Green Fee is €300 on weekdays and €320 at weekends. www.valderrama.com
Lifestyle
La Reserva is another excellent course, designed by Cabell B. Robinson. The course is almost 10 years old and is considered to be one of the best in Spain. The Green fee is €160 on weekdays and weekends. www.sotogrande.com
Sailing - there are Marinas aplenty on the Costa del Sol, and lots of places are worth visiting by boat Gibraltar is just up the coast, and Cueta, the Spanish enclave in North Africa, is only a couple of hours away (less by powerboat) as is Morocco. If you don’t have your own boat, you can charter one, with or without skipper. Highly recommended are Allabroad, who are certified by the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and offer private charters aboard one of their many sailing yachts. If you have the time you can even do a course and get certified to sail yourself.
Seville - the river at night
Seville - Orange trees
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Eating Surrounding Areas Gibraltar. British since 1713, this is the most extraordinary place. Caught in an existential timewarp, Gibraltar is a curious mix of tourists gazing in a sophomoric fashion at endless tiny shops selling cut price alcohol and cigarettes; said shops juxtaposed with the biggest official Rolex store I have ever seen. There’s no VAT, you see… The town bears the scars of its turbulent past; the vast, original casement walls herald the entrance to the old town, the much battered but stoically resolute Moorish
castle above, overlooking the bay. Beyond the castle, the rock itself heaves towards the sky; containing a honeycomb of tunnels (31 miles in all) and several colonies of Barbary Apes. Legend says that if the Apes leave, Gibraltar will fall to Spanish control. Go. You won’t be disappointed. Stay at the Rock Hotel; also caught in a time warp (art deco this time). The rooms are big and the views even bigger. Rooms from £100. Just don’t be surprised if a monkey scampers along your balcony! www.rockhotelgibraltar.com
Lifestyle Gibraltar - view from The Rock
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Lifestyle
Puerto Banus. Much maligned due to an excessive intake of inebriated oiks on a regular basis, Puerto Banus does however have very good nightlife and a huge marina; there are some spectacular superyachts moored in the summer months. Some good cafes and bars make it worth a visit.
Getting there
Tarifa. OK, maybe more than a day, but it’s a hip place (though it helps if you like wind) and the undisputed European capital of Kitesurfing and Windsurfing. Worth going and having a few lessons - there are no end of schools offering courses.
By Car
Salamanca
Hospes Las Casas del Rey de Baeza
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By Plane The closest airport is Gibraltar. British Airways (BA) fly direct from Heathrow and Easyjet from Gatwick. If Gibraltar is too expensive, Malaga is only an hour or so up the coast and is a major hub; Iberia, Easyjet, BA and so on all fly direct from London.
Driving down from England is really not that onerous if one chooses the route carefully. Make the journey into a holiday in its own right and it is really rather enjoyable - there are some spectacular places to stop or stay along the way. I suggest doing France in one hit (as that’s another story) and
Smoked Jamon
along the way. I suggest doing France in one hit (as that’s another story) and stopping for the night in San Sebastian. This is heralded as one of the gastronomic capitals of Spain and with good reason. The Old Town is literally buzzing with tapas (pinchos) bars. You don’t go to one restaurant and sit down to eat; rather, you join the vibrant, chattering crowds as they go from one bar to the next, each with its own speciality. Brochetta de Gambas at Goiz Argi, foie gras at La Cuchara, jamon crudo at Bar Gorriti, cheesecake at La Cepa. Each washed down with a glass of beer, naturally. A couple of hours of this is absolute heaven as you meander back to your hotel, happily drunk and just the right amount full. We stayed at the Pension Bellas Artes (www.pension-bellasartes.com) run by the sweetest mother and daughter, who painstakingly drew us a map of the best places to eat tapas - and in which order! Only a ten minute walk to the centre of the old town and in a lovely old building, this has simple charm. Rooms from €80. From San Sebastian head towards Seville, via lunch in Salamanca. Salamanca’s ancient walls and buildings are well worth a visit - and there are myriad options for food. Plus, it’s only minutes off the motorway.
Seville is spectacular and it would be a crime to miss it out. The cathedral is a work of art, and there is a very cool bar at the top of a trendy hotel that overlooks it and most of the city - go up and have a cocktail - it’s incredibly romantic. There is no shortage of hotels, but recommended by my friend Fiona Turney was the Hospes Las Casas del Rey de Baeza. It is a beautiful building, set in a quiet courtyard, only minutes from the Alcazar. It only has 41 rooms so feels very intimate, and has a a rooftop pool and bar at the top, overlooking the tiled roofs of the old town. www.i-escape.com/hospes-las-casas-del-rey-de-baeza/overview Rooms from €130 From Seville it’s only a hop and a skip to Sotogrande. Make the most of being in a good car (if you are!) and go via the whitewashed pueblo of Ronda - there are some fabulously twisty roads and coming down the mountain is stunning. I was kindly lent a new 3 series BMW and the hairpin bends were extremely enjoyable, to say the least...it made light work of the 2,000 odd kms as well. After all, it’s all about the journey.
Lifestyle The Cathedral in Seville
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Dominican Republic Travel Feature
A comprehensive array of activities in a tropical paradise
Lifestyle
Casa de Campo is a genuinely spectaucular resort in a 7,000 acre estate in the Dominican Republic. A member of the Leading Hotels of the World, guests needn’t even walk if they don’t want – buggies are used to transport guests around the resort.
Restaurant near beach in Casa de Campo Resort
Poolside in Casa de Campo Resort
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The resort is on the south east coast, only minutes from the sea on one side and the Chavon river on the other. Even the flora will delight; awash with trees, flowers and bougainvillaea. The scenery really is breathtaking; craggy coastline mixed with soft sand – and a topography that is pleasing to the eye as the land rises and falls.
Heaven for foodies; there are no less than 20 places to eat on the resort; 6 fine dining restaurants alone. There really is something to suit every palate. Guests cannot get bored – sporting and leisure activities are on offer at every turn. Award winning Golf courses
Spectaculkar view of the Golf course and the Marina
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are within easy reach, a 13 court tennis centre, a shooting centre, a Spa, Marina, and of course extensive beaches offering everything from snorkelling to sailing, scuba diving, kayaking and more. The Golf facilities must be mentioned – designed by the famous Pete Dye, the latest 9 holes took five years to build and are on one of the most stunning locations. With a “mere” 63 holes available to play, golfers are spoilt for choice. As PQ this is a Polo magazine, there is of course Polo on offer as well. There are three grounds (one match field and two practice fields) a huge string of ponies and a season from November to May. Altos de Chavon Amphitheater
Beginners are welcome – the facility offers lessons. For those who want a go but feel that polo ponies are bit far from the ground – Donkey Polo is available for a bit of fun! The Equestrian Centre provides trail riding, jumping and dressage for anyone not playing Polo. Culture is not forgotten; the resort has its very own cultural centre – Altos de Chavon. Purpose built and modelled on a 16th century Mediterranean village, visitors can browse workshops, galleries, shops, boutiques and restaurants.
The Alcazar de Colon was built under Diego, son of Christopher Columbus; when he became Viceroy of La Española and the Indies in 1509. He ordered the construction of a family home and governor´s
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mansion between 1510 and 1512
St. Stanislaus Church
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Santo Domingo´s Zona Colonial
Santo Domingo was founded in 1496 by Bartholomew Columbus
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Hotels
Rest your weary head
This issue PQ brings you a selection of sublime hotels and resorts from around the world - from NYC to BA, The Alps to the Pampas. All are luxurious, all are cool, all are very PQ…
Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires, Argentina
Lifestyle
Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires offers the city at its best in two distinctive environments: the modern, luxurious comforts of a contemporary tower and the grand elegance of the adjacent Belle Époque mansion. Its location, next to the exclusive district of La Recoleta, brings together the city's many business, shopping and cultural possibilities within an enclave of warmth and hospitality. Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires offers 165 rooms (including its 7 suites in La Mansión) designed for the most demanding travelers. Chosen by discerning travelers’ royalty and celebrities alike for its incomparable location, service and luxurious accommodations.
Sunday Brunch at La Mansion Every Sunday from 12.00 pm to 4.00 pm, you can enjoy the most spectacular brunch in the city at La Mansión of Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires. You can choose amongst a wide selection of food stations – Italian, sushi, seafood, salads, meat and desserts-; sparkling wine, non-alcoholic beverages, red and white wine, coffee and tea. Posadas 1086/88 - Buenos Aires - ARGETINA Tel. 54 (11) 4321 1200 Fax. 54 (11) 4321 1201 www.fourseasons.com/buenosaires
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Hotel Le K2, Courchevel 1850, France
Le K2 - Rue des Clarines - 73120 Courchevel 1850 – FRANCE Tel. +33 (0)4 79 40 08 80 Fax. +33 (0)4 79 40 08 89 Email : welcome@hotellek2.com www.hotellek2.com
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Lifestyle
The hotel features exceptional equipments; some even have never been used in prestige mountain hotels before. A 550 m2 spa, equipped with 4 treatment booths - one of which is a double booth - this spa also enjoys an herbal tea bar. An infinity edge pool, two restaurants, a lounge bar, a smoking room, a top of the range gym, a hairdressing salon, two leisure areas for children and teenagers, cinema room, private nightclub, a 150 m2 ski shop are there to complete this intimate space painted in bright and luxurious colours. All of the 29 rooms and suites of the K2 spread in the central building enjoy an exceptional view on the valley or on the mountain ranges of «Dent du Villard» or «Mont Bel-Air». All 4 categories of bedrooms have space: average of 60 m2 for the prestige rooms, 110 m2 for the duplex suite K2. For very big size rooms, here are the five «K2» chalets: Abruzzes, Baltoro, Karakoram, Muztagh and Panmah. There name will remind some clients of the far away mountain ranges in the Himalaya. From 500 to 640 m2 of usable surface, 5 to 6 rooms depending on the chalet, all equipped with a private pool, hammam, a large sitting room, a dining room, a TV room and vast terraces. For the whole duration of the stay, the « K2 » chalets offer a perfectly tailor-made service. A private and intimate holiday resort.
Puesto Viejo
Lifestyle
A stay at Puesto Viejo is an experience like no other. From the moment you arrive, you will begin to relax. Set within a 250 acre estancia, the hotel offers stunning views and a wide variety of activities to enjoy. Explore the area by bike or on horseback or head to the infinity pool for a swim. Take a carriage ride around the grounds or watch the polo club members as they practice their skills on the field. You can be as active or in-active as you wish and staff will attend to your every need! Thecurrent 10 en-suite bedrooms, named after the owner’s favourite horses, are all individually designed using antiques sourced from local markets to give an eclectic feel. The living room, complete with open fire, WiFi and library, is the ideal place for guests to relax after a dayexploring the countryside. An honesty bar is also available for guests to help themselves to drinks throughout their stay. Enjoy lunch outside under the trees and dinner in the beautiful hotel dining room. Ruta Nacional 6, 70 km from Buenos Aires City and 8 km from Au Ezeiza-Caùuelas. liliana.baker@btinternet.com Tel. +54 (11) 5279 6893 www.puestoviejoestancia.com.ar
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Trump Soho® Hotel Condominium
246 Spring Street, New York, New York 10013 Tel. +1 212 965 0008 info@trumpsoho.com www.trumpsoho.com Trump SoHo is a registered trademark of Donald J. Trump.
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The very best of New York City comes together in Trump SoHo® Hotel Condominium, a gleaming tower rising 46 stories above downtown’s most exclusive destination neighborhood. Trump SoHo®’s spacious and luxuriously appointed Studios, One Bedroom Suites and spectacular Penthouses are fully furnished by Fendi Casa. The Spa at Trump®, the award-winning spa brand of the Trump Hotel Collection™, has an 11,000 sq ft serene and sensuous space. It offers nine private treatment rooms, salon services, indoor and outdoor relaxation areas, and the first authentic luxury hammams in NY City. Trump SoHo®’s crown jewel is SoHi, the extraordinary 1,700 sq ft private events space perched above the penthouses. The unique ambiance and astounding views set the stage for unforgettable celebrations. Experience legendary Trump Hotel Collection™ white glove hospitality every time you stay, including 24-hour room service, around-theclock concierge, private luxury transportation, and state-of-the-art security.
Motoring
Lifestyle
Has automotive design ever been more beautiful?
ATFULLCHAT.com brings you the best of what’s on offer in the world of alternative horse power.
The Geneva Auto Salon The famous Geneva Auto Salon swings around every year at springtime with the daffodils, and as the premier event in the motor industry’s show calendar there are always plenty of pretty new models to ogle writes Chris Rosamond. Grabbing most of the limelight at this year’s Salon was the astonishing Lamborghini Aventador J, a chop-topped roadster version of the latest Lambo supercar. Not the most practical of chariots perhaps, but certainly one of the rarest and most expensive. Lamborghini says the one-off machine was created for a wealthy enthusiast with a £2m itch that needed scratching. At that price it will be interesting to see if the J’s 700hp 6.5-litre V12 is ever unleashed in public, or if its owner prefers to keep 180mph flysplatter off the car’s provocatively pointed visage. And off his own, for that matter, the Aventador J coming rather impractically without a windscreen. You only need to find a tenth of the Lamborghini’s asking price to climb into the new Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, for which you’ll be rewarded with even 154 | PQ
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more hp – around 730 – and a top speed (allegedly, officer) of 211mph. With advanced chassis and active aero technology leaking from every pore of its aluminium skin, we’ll bet there’s not a performance enthusiast anywhere who isn’t gagging to find out by what sort of margin the F12 outclasses the already awesome Ferrari 599 it replaces. The flashy Italians didn’t grab all the supercar headlines at Geneva of course, as iconic British brand Aston Martin wowed punters with its V12 Zagato – a standard V12 Vantage apparently restyled by the eponymous Italian design-house. Fortunately for Anglophile enthusiasts the Aston Zagato was designed and is hand-built in the UK in spite of the Zagatobadging. It uses a bespoke mixture of aluminium and carbon fibre exterior panels, a fact which helps to explain why Aston’s latest limited edition costs a cool £330k. Oddly, the car unveiled at Geneva by Britain’s oldest surviving car company AC hails from a factory in South Africa. Even oddlier, it too bears Zagato badging but at a mere £90k with American 6.2 litre V8 power and fibreglass bodywork you’re going to be a lot less worried where you park the AC 378 GT Zagato. AC also announced the launch of a sub-£50k Ace, a sort of junior Cobra roadster from the same South African factory, but we haven’t had a glimpse of that one yet. Amongst such exalted company we’re almost embarrassed to mention the new Porsche Boxster, but as ‘entry-models’ go it’s always been a cracker. The latest version looks a good bit swoopier than the old half-used bar of soap design, but don’t despair if you need a double-take to differentiate it from the new 911 at speed – we think that’s the point! So skipping lightly over the Series II Rolls-Royce Phantom (if we linger too long we’ll fall asleep on the back seat but, just so you know, it gets an odd new headlamp treatment, new 8-speed auto gearbox and - finally - a decent satnav), what delights did Geneva hold for more practical, say, horsey types? PQ | 155
We’ve mentioned the Audi RS4 elsewhere in this issue of PQ, but adding a definite frisson of extra excitement to the show for premium station-wagon fans was Jaguar with its new XF Sportbrake. It’s been rather a long time coming, this one, but the car looks worth the wait. It’s not quite as capacious as Merc’s E-class wagon, but load space is on roughly equal terms with Audi’s A6 and the BMW 5. And, by jingo, it’s British! It’s only available in Europe too, which might be missing a trick, but with a 270+ hp V6 twin-turbodiesel and plenty of spec we wouldn’t mind slinging our kit and/or caboodle in the back. Something we can’t say about the new Bentley SUV/4x4 concept, sadly, which caused something of a sensation at Geneva for all the wrong reasons. ‘It’s too big and too ugly’ hissed the gathered media pundits, but you can be the judge of that. Suffice to say Bentley big-wigs have already hinted that their mooted production version will be toned down a bit.
Lifestyle
While we’re in show-stopping mood it seems churlish not to mention two stars of the New York Auto Show, an event which follows hard on the heels of the Geneva spectacular. Talk of the town was the new Dodge Viper, which retains
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its V10 front-engined rear-drive configuration, but has been completely re-engineered and redesigned to be lighter and more powerful. 631hp is the quoted figure, in a car that gets a significantly smarter cabin to help counter criticism that the old ‘redneck Ferrari’s’ interior was a bit of a joke outside Detroit. New York also showcased the AMG-fettled SL65 version of Mercedes-Benz’s all-new roadster, which boasts a similar output to the Viper courtesy of its twin-turbo V12, albeit wrapped in an arguably more discreet package. ‘Horses for courses’ being the appropriate aphorism. So appropriate that we’d leave you there, were it not for the small matter of the Beijing motor show which opens its doors the moment this issue closes for press. Why? Because Mercedes-Benz has already revealed details of a car that we confidently predict will become a legend in its own lifetime. It’s a new 6.0 V12, twin-turbo, 612hp version of the ancient but awesome Gelandewagen 4x4, or G-class as we’re now encouraged to call it. Now that really will be SHOOOOOW TIME!
Lifestyle
Wilton Classsic and Supercar Show
Upcoming Car Events It’s more than just motorsport writes Aurora Eastwood. There are increasing numbers of events for enthusiasts at lovely locations - and they aren’t about modified monstrosities. These are in genteel surroundings and attract a different crowd. Interestingly, all the events below are run by members of the aristocracy...
Goodwood Festival of Speed
Wilton Classic and Supercar Show
Chelsea Auto Legends
28 th June to 1st July
August 5 th
September 2nd
Lord March’s event has grown from strength to strength and last year had every major manufacturer present as well as F1 cars, rally cars, historic racing cars and even a fly-by from a Vulcan Bomber. Hugely popular; the hillclimb is always the highlight and a real spectacle. www.goodwood.com
The lawn in front of Lord Pembroke’s family home Wilton House in Salisbury provides a stunning backdrop for some truly extraordinary cars - not only his own Bugatti Veyron, but last year saw Pagani Zondas, Lamborghinis, McLaren MP4s as well as myriad classics. This is a real family day out, and it’s a lot less hectic than Goodwood. www.wiltonclassicandsupercars.co.uk
The theme this year is 70’s cool - think Le Mans, Steve McQueen and beautiful long-legged girls with Rapunzel-esque locks and you won’t go wrong. Set in the grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, this year’s event aims to be better than ever. www.chelseaautolegends.com
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Sailing
Lifestyle
Sailing Oman
Whether you like sails or engines, taking part or watching, PQ now brings you a selection of news from everything sea worthy...
Feature The intoxicating image of traditional dhows meandering along the Arabian coastline, transporting spices, timber, fruit and other merchandise, is forever engrained in the trade history of the countries around the Indian Ocean. It is this history that inspired a unique project – Oman Sail - to reconnect the people of Oman with their proud maritime heritage and which over the past three years has not only seen Oman establish itself as a serious sailing nation but also made a significant contribution to raising the profile of Oman internationally and boosting the country’s economy. Oman Sail is a project with many fronts; grassroots sailing, elite sailor development, world class events, sponsorship, tourism and pioneering maritime achievement, are just the headliners. But at the centre of all of this sit two words epitomising Oman Sail’s ethos ‘opportunity’ and ‘inspiration’. When Mohsin Al Busaidi, a former Petty Officer in the Sultan of Oman's Navy, became the first Arab to sail around the world non-stop in 2009 he set the bar for his fellow countrymen and women to aspire to. 158 | PQ
Since then Oman Sail has continued writing international headlines with the achievements of its sailors in the some of the world’s highest profile sailing events at home and abroad, including the Extreme 40 Sailing Series, Tour de France à la Voile, Asian Beach Games, the Clipper Round the World Race and the new Mussanah Race Week dinghy regatta. Along the way, Oman Sail sailors have achieved feat after feat. Khamis Al Anbouri was the first Omani to ever stand on the podium at a top international regatta (Extreme Sailing Series), Oman Sail’s first ever leg win in the gruelling Tour de France à la Voile was achieved in 2011 and a 100% Omani crew represented Oman in the West for the first time at a J80 event in France. But all the while, tireless work has continued at home to ensure that everything an inspired young Omani could need to forge a career in the maritime industry – whether as a sailor, boatbuilder, instructor, sailmaker - is in place. It is a project that has captured the imagination and resulted in Oman Sail selling the country and its history
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across the globe. Oman Sail may present ‘opportunity’ and ‘inspiration’ for the nation’s young people but equally important is the ‘opportunity’ and ‘inspiration’ the project presents for the country. Ahmed Al Ma’amari completed both Oman Sail’s Tour de France à la Voile race campaigns in 2010 and 2011. He explains: “Our main objective has always been to represent our country and tell everyone about home, Oman’s nature, culture and hospitality. But I’m not going to lie, winning was also at the forefront of our thoughts!”
Lifestyle
The launch of a sailing programme aimed exclusively at Oman’s female population in July 2011 was another major milestone for Oman Sail. At the heart of the Women’s Programme is instilling confidence and teaching valuable, transferable life skills while also creating jobs and unique opportunities for the nation’s women. From Oman Sail’s national grassroots community programme to its 2020 Olympic ambitions, Omani women are being trained, coached, qualified, employed, developed and nurtured every step of the way, equipping them with all the necessary skills to excel. Double Olympic gold medalist, Shirley Robertson, and round-the-world yachtswoman, Samantha Davies, are Project Ambassadors. Meanwhile record-breaking round-the-world skipper Dee Caffari led the project’s history-making all female crew in the second edition of Oman Sail’s Sailing Arabia – The Tour (SATT) in February 2012.
SATT enjoyed a successful test run the previous year, created as an Arabian Peninsula equivalent of the iconic Tour de France à la Voile. SATT 2011 was the first time the Gulf countries had welcomed an international sailing event on this scale and Bahrain’s Layla Mohsin made history as the region’s first female to take part in an offshore yacht race. The 2012 Tour saw Layla’s legacy built on as four Omani women - Intisar Al Tobi, Raya Al Habsi, Tahira Al Yahyai and Khulood Al Kindi - were selected from 30 participants of Oman Sail’s Women’s Sailing Programme to join Caffari’s team aboard Al Thuraya Bank Muscat. 160 | PQ
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Caffari said: “These girls are role models and inspirations to other women now and that is very exciting. We’ve heard that as a result of the Tour, there are other countries in the Gulf region we visited that want the same kind of women’s programmes there. That is incredible. Oman Sail has started something massive and I feel really proud to be part of that.”
Oman Sail is giving its country’s young people a future they would never have previously dreamt possible. In return the sailors are doing more for their country than they probably ever would have imagined they could.
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Sailing
Lifestyle
Yacht Events
RC44 The RC44 Class is one of the most competitive in the international yacht racing scene. Designed by Russell Coutts, four time Americas Cup winner, the boats are one-design, light displacement and high performance. This year, 15 teams comprising all manner of sailors from Olympians to Americas Cup winners to business magnates will contest the various rounds. Cascais was the first venue in 2012, Austria is next (yes, despite not having an ocean!) followed by Sweden and Croatia. For more information go to www.rc44.com
Olympics Obviously the sailing events that form part of the Olympic games are a rather key feature of the summer - these will take place in Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour from Sunday 29th July to Saturday 11th August.
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There are 10 different events (six for men, four for women) involving 237 male athletes and 143 female - from windsurfing boards through to keel boats and dinghies.
Ocean Race
Lifestyle
IN 1973 the Whitbread round the world race paved the way for what is now the Volvo Ocean Race - a nine month long, 39.000 mile epic across some of the most dangerous seas in the world. Each team consists of a crew of 11, all of whom need to be super fit as they sometimes race for 20 straight days without a break. This year’s race started last October in Alicante, and ends in Galway, Ireland this July. The boats will have gone around the notorious Cape Horn - often the scene of capsized boats and sometimes worse... www.volvooceanrace.com
Extreme 40 Designed to fit into a 40ft shipping container (like the RC44 boats), the Extreme 40 is a very fast, inshore catamaran built from incredibly advanced and lightweight composite materials (carbon fibre with a Nomex core). The boats can reach 35knots on flat water - which is unbelievably fast for a sailing boat. This adrenaline filled series is designed to run alongside events such as the Ocean race but is not an ocean racing boat - they are designed for fast inshore or coastal racing. The season started in February in Muscat and ends in December in Brazil. To find out more or to buy a boat: www.extreme40.org PQ | 163
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Ponies from Eastwood Stud were sold and played: Queen´s Cup 2011 Gold Cup 2011 Warwickshire Cup 2011
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For full information visit www.eastwoodstud.com | Natural covering or AI
Tel: 07970 697 593 aurora.eastwood@btinternet.com
The Old Stables, South Wonston Farm, South Wonston, Winchester, Hampshire SO21 3HL
fox Pro
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BLACKLOCKS Polo Books and Prints Antiquarian and leatherbound polo books All new titles from stock 19th & 20th Century polo prints and limited editions. Trophies, memorabilia and magazines.
Tel: +44 (0)1784 438025 blacklocks.polo@ntlworld.com
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8 Victoria Street, Englefield Green, Surrey TW20 0QY www.blacklockspoloart.com
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Showcase PQ | 167
Polo Quarterly
Almost 20 years of Polo tradition, excellence and glamour, all in one magazine. 5 Charters Lane, Sunninghill, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 9NU, United Kingdom Mobile/Cel. +44 (0) 7970 697593 www.pqinternational.com info@pqinternational.com
Photo by Ana Clara Cozzi - 108th US Open 168 | PQ
Michael My occupation: Architect My passion: Polo My dream: A +4 handicap My private bank: Julius Baer, because they respect the performance of others, too My name:
www.juliusbaer.com Julius Baer, the leading Swiss private banking group, was founded in 1890 and today is present in over 40 locations worldwide. From Dubai, Frankfurt, Geneva, Guernsey, Hong Kong, London, Milan, Monaco, Montevideo, Moscow, Nassau, Shanghai, Singapore to Zurich (head office).