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Welcome to the PQ Winter Issue
T
his is the 70th issue of Polo Quarterly International. From the feedback received since I’ve been Editor of PQ International, we have continued to enhance the long standing international reputation of this great magazine, which is now in its eighteenth year. We have included the most topical international tournaments and accompanied those articles with top quality photographs. During the course of this year we have also become the official magazine of the World Polo Tour (WPT). This winter issue has all the news you’ve been waiting for about the Argentine Triple Crown of Open tournaments and the surprises with delays and results, a variety of other international tournaments, including an article on a new polo destination with a difference in South Africa, a ladies tournament in India, plus a number of other articles of general interest. All of these are accompanied by some great photographs. I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed articles and/or photographs during the course of this year. Lastly, we at PQ wish you, our readers, seasonal greetings and a prosperous and enjoyable 2010.
Iain Forbes-Cockell (“The Major”) Head Editor
PHOTO by Alice Gipps - Camel rides in the Jaiselmer desert, India
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Join the elite, become a member
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Palm Beach season 2010
Special article - Palm Beach
Play and stay at Horseback Africa
Travel - Southafrica
Just like before but with a new President
Institutional Conflict
Organizer of the polo awards and England Team Manager
Adolfo Cambiaso with the ball 116th Argentine Open
Interview - Andrew Hine
Pilar: a popular hub of polo activiy near Buenos Aires
Argentine Polo Clubs
Springboks future polo stars
Interview - Young Southafricans
Raises and low in Argentina
AAP handicap changes
Indios Chapaleufu II return to podium
45th Jockey Club Open
Evolution of Polo
Book Review - Horace Laffaye
The three time champions of Tortugas start with a vengeance
Tortugas Open
Tradition and an excellent level of polo
116th Hurlingham Open
La Dolfina win 116th Argentine Open at Palermo
116th Agentine open
Price £6
Winter Issue 2009 | Nº 70
Making of Julius Bär New Advertisement
What is Excellence Eduardo Fagliano?
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Land of Red Dragons
Travel - Wales
WPT Awards, ceremonies and parties
World Polo Tour Awards 2009
AFB triumph in 8 goal HPA Victor Ludorum
UK Season - Victor Ludorum
Following in the foot steps of Chinngis K han
Travel - Mongolia
Exact equilibrium in Chantilly
Christian Nordheimer French Open
French Season 2009
Taittinger Alpine Polo World Championship
Are 2010 - Sweden
26th St Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow
St Moritz 2010
What is excellence, Eduardo Fagliano?
Making of - Julius BĂ„r new advertisement
Polo and Reggae in Jamaica
Interview - Andy Vernon
Ladies play polo in Pink city of Jaipur
Winter Indian Season
Mago Aguerre
Tip of the Issue
Berlin Olympic Stadium today, 73 years later!
History - Olympics Berlin 1936
Contents
Young Springboks Jean and Ignus du Plessis and Chris Mackenzie
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PQ Staff Publisher
PoloLine Inc. info@pololine.com
Editor
Major Iain Forbes-Cockell major@pqinternational.com
Design & Production
TomĂĄs M. Garbers tomas@pqinternational.com
Photographs
PoloLine Media M&M Productions
Major Iain Forbes-Cockell
Images of Polo
Head Editor of PQ international
Centaur Photographic Alex Photography Alice Gipps
PQ international
Matias Callejo
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PoloLine Travel travel@pololine.com
AUTUMN ISSUE 2009
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AUTUMN ISSUE 2009
Erratum: The excellent cover photograph of the Autumn issue 2009 was taken by Alice Gipps. Our apologies for the incorrect accreditation.
FRONT COVER PHOTO - Adolfo Cambiaso Jr - 116th Argentine Open Final - by Melito Cerezo (M&M Producciones) Š POLOLINE INC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part strictly prohibited without the permission of the publisher. Although the publisher makes every effort to ensure accuracy, we cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions, or guarantee an advertising insertion, date, position or special position. Views expressed may not necessarily be those of the editor or the publisher.
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Calendar January
February
3 Iglehart Cup
5 Red Square Snow Polo World Cup
Handicap 20 goals IPC Polo Club, Palm Beach, US
10 Joe Barry Cup
Handicap 10 goals Moscow, Russia
11 CV Whitney Cup
Handicap 20 goals IPC Polo Club, Palm Beach, US
21 Ylvisaker Cup
Handicap 26 goals IPC Polo Club, Palm Beach, US
12 Hall of Fame Gala Dinner
Handicap 20 goals IPC Polo Club, Palm Beach, US
25 The Five Nations Cup
Polo Event Museum of Polo, Palm Beach, US
March 1 Alpine World Polo Championship Handicap 8 goals Are, Sweden
25 US Open Handicap 26 goals IPC Polo Club, Palm Beach, US
27 Agua Alta Cup Handicap 8-10 goals Costa Careyes PC, Careyes, Mexico
17 Herbie Pennell Cup
Handicap 14 goals Desert Palm PC, Dubai, UAE
28 St Moritz World Cup on Snow Handicap 22 goals St Moritz Polo Club, Switzerland
Handicap 20 goals IPC Polo Club, Palm Beach, US
21 Cortina D´Ampezzo Gold Cup Handicap 15 goals Cortina, Italy
25 USPA Gold Cup Handicap 26 goals IPC Polo Club, Palm Beach, US
PHOTO by Melito Cerezo (M&M Producciones) - 116th Argentine Open Final
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THE WORLD´S
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POLO CHANNEL watch it on-line at www.pololine.tv
pololine.tv 13
ARGENTINE SEASON - 116TH ARGENTINE OPEN
Mariano Aguerre and Pablo MacDonough at the perfect final
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La Dolfina win 116th Argentine Open at Palermo Tournament report by Iain Forbes-Cockell (“The Major”) and additional reporting by Alejandra Ocampos. Photos y M&M Producciones A tournament that looked like it was a foregone conclusion for the two 40 goal teams to meet and make history almost didn’t work out that way. With rain delays and a few surprises, this Open maintained interest right from the start to Mariano Aguerre’s winning golden goal in the delayed final.
The first set of league matches of the 116th Argentine Open
The 116th Argentine Polo Open Championship, in Palermo, started on 14th November, with two Zone A matches. Title holders, Ellerstina and Pilará were the opening day’s winners. Ellerstina 20 v Alegría 15 on Saturday 14 November In the first match of the Open, played on ground 2, the defending champions, Ellerstina, met Alegria, a team that had been one of the two qualifiers for the Open. Fred Mannix’s squad had already created a surprise, with an unexpected victory over Pilará in the Hurlingham Open. Whether it was a surprise or not, the match at Palermo was very even in score until half time, with Ellerstina leading by no more than a two goal advantage at any stage. Alegria, to their credit, had done a good job, particularly with the experienced Pite Merlos and an effective Luke Tomlinson, when it came to converting the penalties. In addition, Fred Mannix, at 6 goals the lowest handicapped player
in any Open team, scored two great goals. By half time, the scoreboard read a 9-9. But the Ellerstina boys are the title holders, the 40 goal team. In the fourth chukka, Juan Martín Nero (2) and Gonzalo Pieres Jr. were in charge to give their team a 12-9 lead. From then on, Ellerstina extended their advantage, supported in their good standard of play by horses that broke Alegria´s defence. Led by a great performance from Gonzalito Pieres, who ended up being the match’s top scorer with eight goals, it was Gonzalito himself who scored the last goal to secure the 20-15 result. That was the first step for Ellerstina towards that big dream which was the Triple Crown. No-one should be in doubt that this had been a very good game from Alegría, the
small team but not that small. In this match they had stood tall and battled with the best, staying level until half time, before the pony power and skill level began to take its toll in the second half of the match. Juan Martín Nero: It was a really tough match. Our idea was playing in eight horses, which we did, and try to play good. Anyway, I don’t think we play completely good, I’d tell you that we had three good chukkas and five more or less. Ellerstina 20 vs Alegria 15 | November 14
Fred Mannix: It was an awesome match. We go in tight, we had a great first half, but then we had some lack of concentration. But in general, it was a great game. They are 40 goals and we had to play against 40 goals! We did it with attitude, not to fear them. They are four guys, we are four guys, maybe they have more talent and more horses, but we had to play hard. Ellerstina 20 vs Alegria 15 | November 14
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Pilará 16 v Indios Chapaleufu II 15 on Saturday 14 November Pilará and Indios Chapaleufu II rode onto the field to play the second match of the Open. The news was Agustín Merlos’s comeback to Pilará, after he missed the Hurlingham Open due to a suspension. And everybody noticed Agustin’s comeback, as he scored nine goals and converted all their penalties. Pilará had a stronger start. They took a commanding 4-0 lead in the
first chukka, which followed in the second period with a 5-2 lead. Sebastián Merlos scored for Pilará, while Eduardo Heguy converted a 60 yards penalty and Pelon Stirling closed the gap almost when the period expired. In the third chukka, Chapa II got closer in the score. With goals by Eduardo Heguy (40 yards penalty) and two by Pelon Stirling, Chapa II cut the margin to one goal, 5-4 in favour of Pilará. It didn’t last that long, as two goals from the men in blue gave them
Adolfo Cambiaso and Lolo Castagnola congratulating each other for achieving the final
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CXVI Argentine Open Place: AAP, Palermo, Argentina Club: Palermo Date: November 14, December 12, 2009 Level: 40 hcp Tournament type: Open WPT Category Ranking: Master Series Winner Points: 200 Finalist Points: 100 Rest of the teams: 50 Winner: La Dolfina Polo Team MVP: Pablo MacDonough (Ellerstina) BPP: Dolfina Cuartetera (Adolfo Cambiaso) Special Award to Effort and Srtength: Javier Novillo Astrada
a 7-5 lead. From the fourth chukka on, led by Agustin Merlos, Pilará extended their advantage and by the end of the sixth period they had a 14-10 lead. Chapa II started to gain ground in the seventh chukka. With goals by Nachi Heguy, brother Eduardo and Pelon Stirling, the match had a bit of suspense, as they entered the last chukka with Pilará leading by one goal, 14-13. A quick run by Pepe Heguy tied the score at 14-14. But Agustin Merlos appeared once again and with two goals, he sent the match to a 16-14 lead for Pilará. Eduardo Heguy scored
Pepe Heguy: We played some horrible chukkas, we had a horrible start. Then we found our way, we got a tie… and I think Chapa II would have to win this match, but it didn’t happen because we had some horrible moments. When we tied in the last chukka, we made some mistakes… Now?? Oh, it’s so easy, we have to defeat Ellerstina! (laughs). Pilará 16 vs Indios Chapaleufu II 15 | November 14
a 60 yards penalty shot, but it was not enough, as the final 16-15 result was already sealed.
Fred Mannix and Sebastian Merlos
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Agustin Merlos: To me it was a real pleasure to be back and play with this great team. It was a lot of fun, and I´m very happy. About the match, they got closer to us, because they played good, but we let them to do so. When they tied, we felt a bit of fear, but we weren’t that worried, because we felt we were playing good. So when things became complicated, we only had to win this match. If we are candidates? Absolutely not, we only are a team who plays good. Pilará 16 vs Indios Chapaleufu II 15 | November 14
La Dolfina & La Aguada, a step ahead on Sunday 15th November La Dolfina and La Aguada got important wins at the start of the Zone B matches on Sunday 15th November.
La Dolfina 21 vs. El Paraiso 8 on Sunday 15 November In the day’s opening match, La Dolfina got a heavy 21-8 win against El Paraiso. With Adolfo Cambiaso almost equaling his Open goals record, he scored 17 goals, the match ended up by being a walk in the park for the men from Cañuelas, who swept away their rivals. By
Paco de Narvaez: It was difficult to win this match. It’s ten years those guys play together and they know each other very well. About us, we have to correct the mistakes. But it’s almost impossible to win a match against four guys who know each other from such a long time. La Dolfina 21 vs El Paraiso 8 | November 15
half time, La Dolfina had taken a comfortable 10-2 lead, which had become 13-2 in the fifth chukka. La Dolfina dominated the match
Miguel Novillo Astrada: It was a crucial match for us, so we had to play good. Fortunately, horses were in great shape, which made a difference, so I think La Aguada played good during the eight chukkas. Besides, it’s true we failed to score many goals, but we know that Javier is not at 100%, so sometimes we got to the goalposts a bit tight. Anyway, I see that Javier is a lot better, he always was our top scorer and he is coming back to what he always was. La Aguada 13 vs Chapa Uno 8 | November 15
from the beginning to the end, and the efforts from El Paraiso were not enough to avoid the heavy loss.
Guillermo “Sapo” Caset
La Aguada 13 vs. Chapa Uno 8 on Sunday 15 November Without doubt, La Aguada was the team that had improved the most throughout the season. The Novillo Astrada brothers showed it in debut in Palermo, with an almost easy 13-8 win over Chapa Uno. La Aguada had a stronger start. After taking 2-1 the first chukka, the Novillo Astradas took a commanding 4-1 lead in the second period, which became
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a 5-3 in the third chukka. By that time, La Aguada had already the match’s best player, Ignacio Novillo Astrada, who scored a total of eight goals, which meant an average of one goal each chukka. Maybe the only worrying moment for La Aguada was in the third chukka, when Chapa Uno cut the margin to one goal, 5-4 in favour of La Aguada. But Javier and Nacho were in charge to put things “back to normal”, and scored to give their team a 7-4 lead. While La Aguada kept it going their way, Chapa Uno battled to gain ground, led by a very good performance by Brazilian born 8-goaler, Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade, who made his debut in Palermo. As chukkas went by, La Aguada scored more goals to expand their advantage. Finally, Javier and Nacho scored the two last goals in the last chukka to seal the final 13-8 result. Their next step was against El Paraiso, where they were due to meet their brother, Alejandro.
The second set of league matches La Dolfina and La Aguada to decide Zone B after another win each Finally, the sun appeared in Palermo, and playing for the 116th Argentine Polo Open resumed on Saturday 28th November, with two Zone B matches. In the first, La Aguada defeated El Paraiso by a dominating 17-8 and next, La Dolfina had to work hard to beat Chapa Uno 15-14 in overtime. With these results, La Aguada and La Dolfina would play the Zone B deciding match, due to be played as their third league match, in their search for a place in the final. La Dolfina 15 v Chapa Uno 14 on Saturday 28 November La Dolfina had a hard time on field 1 against a tough and talented Chapa Uno team. Having lost Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade due to a suspension, Chapa Uno brought in the experience of Alejandro “Piki” Diaz Alberdi. After 2-2 score in the first chukka,
Gonzalito and Nachi the day that Ellerstina lost this year’s winning record
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Chapa Uno took control of the match in the second period, through a great goal by Hilario Ulloa, who gave his team their first lead. It was followed by two goals courtesy of Alejandro Diaz Alberdi to expand Chapa Uno’s advantage to 6-2, in the third chukka, which ended with Bautista Heguy’s team leading 6-5, after three goals by Adolfo Cambiaso (two penalties and one from Hilario Ulloa: I still can’t believe it, it was incredible. We could have won this match against La Dolfina, but beyond the result, I’m very happy. We played really well, four against four, we were completely concentrated and always thinking we could win. Much of the merit for this match today is Piki’s (Diaz Alberdi). He gave us all his experience, he made us play as a team well concentrated and organized. His contribution to the team has been absolutely fantastic. La Dolfina 15 vs Chapa Uno 14 | November 28
Ellerstina
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Facundo Pieres Pablo MacDonough Gonzalo Pieres Jr. Juan Martin Nero
10 10 10 10
La Dolfina
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Adolfo Cambiaso Jr. Lucas Monteverde Mariano Aguerre Bartolome Castagnola
10 10 10 10
Pilará Agustín Merlos Santiago Chavanne Sebastian Merlos Marcos Heguy
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La Aguada
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10 8 9 10
Javier Novillo Astrada Eduardo Novillo Astrada Jr Miguel Novillo Astrada Ignacio Novillo Astrada
9 9 10 9
Chapa Uno
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Indios Chapaleufu II 35 Alberto Heguy Jr. Ignacio Heguy David Stirling Jr. Eduardo Heguy
El Paraíso Guillermo Caset Jr. Ignacio Toccalino Mariano Gonzalez Alejandro Novillo Astrada
9 9 8 9
30 8 7 8 7
| Zone B |
| Zone A |
CXVI Argentine Open
Bautista Heguy Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade Hilario Ulloa Francisco de Narvaez Jr.
9 8 8 9
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Alegría Fred Mannix Jr. Francisco Bensadon Juan Ignacio Merlos Luke Tomlinson
Hilario Ulloa and Javier Novillo Astrada
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6 8 9 8
the field). A play by Lucas Monteverde ended up in Mariano Aguerre’s hands to tie scores at 6-6 in the fourth chukka. That didn’t last long, as Hilario Ulloa put Chapa Uno ahead once again. Quickly, Bautista Heguy passed the ball on to Piki Diaz Alberdi, to extend their advantage to 8-6, but La Dolfina answered with a 40 yard penalty converted by Adolfo Cambiaso and a field goal from Lolo Castagnola, so by half time the scoreboard read 8-8. The two next chukkas, both teams exchanged goals, with La Dolfina remaining in the lead by only one goal (10-9 and 11-10 in the fifth and sixth chukkas, respectively). In the seventh chukka, the boys from Cañuelas exploded and took a commanding three goals lead (13-10). One might think that the match was already decided, but…. …we’ve already talked about a certain Hilario Ulloa. So, yes, the young Hilario, already showing himself as
the best player on the field, was ready to become the star of a breathtaking eighth chukka, to the delight of the enthusiastic attendance. Without Bautista Heguy, who left by the end of the seventh period due to a torn riding muscle, and with Pablo Pieres filling in for him, Chapa Uno made an incredible comeback. Hilario then scored two goals to cut the margin to one goal, until Pablo Pieres put things 13-13. Immediately, a quick run from Lolo Castagnola straight to the scoreboards, gave the lead to La Dolfina once again, and with only 30 seconds to go in regulation time, it was the great Hilario who scored to 14-14 and sent the match into overtime. Chapa Uno’s dream was over within two minutes in the extra chukka, when Adolfo Cambiaso converted a 30 yard penalty to secure La Dolfina a hard working 15-14 win. Despite the result, huge applause and cheers came from the stands to salute Chapa Uno’s great performance, something that brought back some great memories of the glorious Indios Chapaleufu’s days, with the four Heguy brothers in Palermo.
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Eduardo Novillo Astrada jr
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Above: Pablo MacDonough and Lolo Castagnola - Below: Nacho Novillo Astrada and Adolfo Cambiaso jr
La Aguada 17 v El Paraiso 8 on Saturday 28 November Five Novillo Astrada Brothers in Palermo; Javier, Eduardo, Miguel and Nacho in La Aguada and Alejandro in El Paraiso. They played on field 2 in Saturday 28th’s first match in which the older Brothers won by a heavy 17-8. La Aguada dominated the match from the beginning to the end, but it had some even moments. After half time, with La Aguada leading 8-4, the four Novillo Astradas extended their lead, which put them 17-6 up by the end of the seventh chukka. El Paraiso only scored two more goals in the last chukka, but the game was already decided. Nacho Novillo Astrada: It was not a relaxed match, maybe it was relaxed in a way that we played without repeating horses and with the best vibes. The idea was not to get relaxed, as these small teams can give a surprise. Now, we are thinking about the next match, and prepare the horses to get them with more rhythm‌. Hoping that the weather let us play!!! La Aguada 17 vs El Paraiso 8 | November 28
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Indios Chapaleufu II put some suspense into Zone A after rain delays Indios Chapaleufu II 14 v Ellerstina 13 on Wednesday 2 December Indios Chapaleufu II surprised everyone, both spectators and the Ellerstina team, with a performance that brought back memories of their glory days by beating the current title holders by 14-13 in the last of the delayed Zone A 2nd league matches. Chapa II started really fast with the first goal from their experienced No 1 Pepe Heguy, followed by two Ruso Heguy goals from a Penalty 4 and a Penalty 2. Just to show that as a newcomer to
Pepe Heguy: We were doing a good season and we were very confident for the Open, despite we didn't play that good against Pilará. So we had to have a good match, and I'm telling you the truth, we had hopes we could beat Ellerstina! Our attitude is always the same, we put everything and we won. The final? Maybe, but we have to wait and see.
before, at almost six minutes into the second chukka, Juanma Nero eventually scored Ellerstina's opening goal, swiftly followed by his second goal before the chukka ended at 7-2 in favour of Chapa II. The third chukka was a close 1-1 chukka with goals from Juanma and Pelon, then in the fourth, Facu scored a field goal and a Penalty 4 and Juanma a field goal to pull Ellerstina back to within two goals at 8-6 at half time. But Chapa II were not on the field to make up the numbers. They came right back with Ruso scoring from a Penalty 2 and both Pepe and Pelon scoring either side of the only Ellerstina goal that chukka from Gonza Pieres making it 11-7 at the end of the fifth. It's ok, people assumed, there were three more chukkas for Ellerstina to
Juan Martín Nero: Definitely, we didn't play good, we didn’t convert as many shots and goals as normal, but we have no excuses. The game was umpired well and fairly and now we have to focus and win our next match.
I. Chapaleufu II 14 vs Ellerstina 13 | December 2
I. Chapaleufu II 14 vs Ellerstina 13 | December 2
the team, he is not an inexperienced passenger Pelon Stirling scored to put Chapa II into a 4-0 lead at the end of the first chukka. What was happening? Ellerstina were on the field but were unusually slow and a bit unlucky with some of their plays which didn't result in any score, when on another day they would have scored. A further two goals from Pelon and Pepe Heguy's third goal put them into a 7-0 lead
see off Chapa II but although a 3-1 chukka to the boys in black brought them back to within two goals at 12-10 by the end of the sixth, you could tell that they were having a bad day at the office. A great run by Ruso down the length of the field to score at the start of the seventh was followed by a Facu goal to stay two goals behind. Then Ruso scored from a Penalty 4 to put Chapa II at 14-11 at the end of the seventh. Nerves crept in now and a nearside under the neck shot wide of goal by Facu summed up their luck for the day. Then he had a good run to score and added a goal from a Penalty 2. A shot just wide of goal in the last 30 seconds of the eighth chukka saw Ruso able to knock the ball in from the back line knowing that his team had achieved a remarkable 14-13 win. Zone A still offered them an opportunity to get to the final but if Ellerstina managed to beat Pilará on Sunday 6th December by a couple of goals then the current champions would scramble their way through to the 2009 final.
Eduardo Heguy: We rode onto the field to play hard, but at the same time, we weren't sure about the horses, if they were going to be OK after so many days without playing due to the rains. Fortunately, they worked OK and I think we were even superior in that issue. We played classic polo, simple, and we surprised them. I'm very happy to have beaten the 40-goals team, and the title holders, but it's a pity we didn't score more goals to have a wider chance to get into the final. I. Chapaleufu II 14 vs Ellerstina 13 | December 2
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Perfect backhander by Maestro A. Cambiaso
The third set of league matches El Paraiso get their first victory
Chapa Uno 12 v El Paraiso 13 on Saturday 5 December After their great performance against La Dolfina on Saturday 28th, Chapa Uno were back in action against qualifiers El Paraiso. Still without Bauti Heguy, who had not recovered from his torn riding muscle, Pablo Pieres was in again at No 1. Nico Pieres played at No 2, substituting for Alejandro Diaz Alberdi, Hilario Ulloa assumed the No 3 shirt. After a close 1-1 first chukka, El Paraiso got a two goal advantage by the end of the second chukka through goals from Sapo Caset, Cubi Toccalino and Alejandro Novillo Astrada to only one goal from Chapa Uno. A close tactical third chukka with no score was followed by another good chukka by El Paraiso, with Sapo scoring twice and Cubi once, with no reply from Chapa Uno to take a 7-2 half time lead. A comeback by Chapa Uno started in the fifth with two goals from Hilario Ulloa to finish 8-4 in El Paraiso's favour and in the sixth each of the four Chapa Uno players scored to bring the score to within one goal at 9-8. One goal each in the seventh chukka showed everyone that this was a match
Santiago Chavanne: It was a tough match for us, which we couldn't lose again, as it happened in Hurlingham. Maybe we were a bit out of rhythm, but it's not so easy after 17 days without playing. I think we didn't play that good, but despite that, we were in control most of the time. We have to put everything in the next match and play good and concentrated during the eight chukkas. Pilarรก 17 vs Alegria 14 | December 2 Agustin Merlos
Pilarรก 17 v Alegria 14 on Wednesday 2 December Pilarรก beat qualifiers Alegria 17-14 in the three times postponed Zone A 2nd league match. After a great first chukka which they ended 5-1up, Alegria came back at them and slowly but surely over the next few chukkas until at one stage in the fourth chukka a shot that hit the goalpost denied them the equaliser at 11-10. Half time saw Pilara get a two goal
cushion at 12-10, in the second half of the match things were fairly evenly balanced, with Pilara scoring 5 goals to Alegria's 4 goals. A few missed penalties by Alegria may have made up the difference but the match ended with a very creditable 17-14 score line, as the Pilara team had a 6 goal higher handicap. Pite Merlos has got this qualifying team worrying the more established higher handicapped teams.
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Pite Merlos: The team was going well for a new team. We have respect for each other and have a good system where they try to play to each individual's strengths. The horses are getting tired now as they have had nearly 6 weeks more playing because they had all the qualification matches. They are now having to double some of the best horses. Pilarรก 17 vs Alegria 14 | December 2
that was going down to the wire. The qualifiers were determined to get a win but Chapa Uno were also keen to show good form. The eighth chukka saw Paco de Narvaez score a Penalty 4 and Hilario 2 goals to a goal each from Sapo Caset and Mariano Gonzalez to tie the scores at 12-12. In overtime, Sapo Caset scored a great golden goal for El Paraiso as they won with a 13-12 score line. Alegria 14 v Indios Chapaleufú II 15 on Sunday 6 December After their 14-15 defeat by Pilará in their first league match, Indios Chapaleufu II had what a lot of people thought was a surprise 14-13 win against the title holders Ellerstina. So this third league match left the intriguing possibility of them getting to the final, depending on the result of the Ellerstina v Pilará match which was
scheduled to be played after this particular match. After a close 1-1 first chukka, goals from Pelón Stirling and Ruso Heguy gave Chapa II a 3-1 lead at the end of the second chukka. Alegria levelled the score 3-3 by the end of the third chukka with a Penalty from Luke Tomlinson and a field goal from Fred Mannix. Stung into action by this response, Chapa II had a good fourth chukka, knocking in 4 goals, a Penalty 2 by Ruso, two field goals by Nachi and another field goal by Pelón to a Penalty 4 by Luke Tomlinson and a field goal by Pancho Bensadon to make the score 7-5 in favour of Chapa II at half time. Two goals apiece in the fifth chukka and then Alegria having a good sixth chukka to tie the scores at 10-10 meant that this qualifying team was still giving their all and believed that they could get a win. However, a 3-1 score
Gonzalo Pieres Jr and Lucas Monteverde
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by Chapa II in the seventh just opened up a cushion that was enough, despite three Luke Tomlinson penalties in the eighth to two field goals, one from Pepe and one from Pelón for Chapa II to give Indios Chapaleufu II their second victory and the possibility of getting to the final.
Zone A decider: Ellerstina get their place in their third consecutive Open final Ellerstina 15 v Pilará 13 on Sunday 6 December After a slip up on Wednesday 2nd December, when a below par Ellerstina performance and a partial under-estimation of their opponents capabilities saw them lose to Indios Chapaleufú II by one goal, they really put themselves under pressure. They had to win their 3rd league match, against Pilara, who
Bartolome “Lolo� Castagnola
already had two wins to their credit. Not only did they have to beat Pilara, they had to have a two goal difference in the score in their favour and had to score more than 13 goals. You could tell that the boys in black meant business right from the start but Pilara had a very good team, with the experienced Marcos Heguy, who had played well throughout the tournament, brothers Sebastian and Agustin "Tincho" Merlos, who are always tough competitors, with Tincho a prolific goal-scorer and the team's penalty taker always quick and looking for the break to goal, as well as the improving Santi Chavanne, who is worth every bit of his 8 goal handicap and on a good day, can equal the efforts of a 9 goaler. After only 1:25 of the first chukka Facundo Pieres opened the score
for Ellerstina with a goal following a good run. Aah! Normal service resumed. Smiles appeared. This was what was expected. However, less than a minute later at 2:15, Marcos Heguy nipped down the field to even up the score at 1-1. Oh! Was this going to be another nail-biter? Yes, it was and although Facu scored to make it 2-1 at the end of the first chukka and goals from Gonza at 2:44 and Juanma Nero at 6:00 bracketed a Facu Penalty 4 to give Ellerstina a 5-1 advantage at the end of the second chukka, Pilara came back strongly in the third chukka with 3 Tincho Merlos penalties and a Marcos Heguy goal to only one spot hit penalty scored by Facu, to make the score 6-5 at the end of the chukka. Game on. A field goal and a Penalty 3 by Facu notched up two more for 28
Ellerstina but a field goal and two penalties by Tincho Merlos evened up the scores to 8-8 by half time. A very tactical and close sixth chukka ensued, in which neither side seemed to be able to press home their advantage until on the stroke of the seven minute bell, Juanma Nero scored a goal for Ellerstina to break the deadlock. Following this break, Juanma scored again only 15 seconds into the seventh chukka and then a Penalty 2 and a field goal by Facu opened up a four goal (12-8) lead to Ellerstina. Had they finally broken clear of Pilara? People thought that this was crucial lead, especially as Facu had increased it to 13-8 at the start of the chukka but Pilara came back with a tap in field goal by Marcos Heguy from a Tincho Penalty 4, then a great goal by Sebastian Merlos to draw them closer at 13-10 by the end of the seventh. Remember, Ellerstina needed to win by two clear goals to go through to the final an although they had that plus an extra goal cushion at the start of the eighth chukka, Sebastian Merlos had a brilliant run hitting the ball on the near side only 20 seconds into the eighth, to close to 13-11. Facu then scored from a Penalty 2 that drew some whistles from the spectators, who thought Ellerstina lucky to have got the penalty in the first place to put them at 1411. Then Tincho scored from a Penalty 2 to make it 14-12. Nerves were on edge as there were still four minutes remaining. A full two minutes of play elapsed before Pablo Mac Donough scored a vital goal for Ellerstina to put them at 15-12 but the old warrior Marcos Heguy had a great run to score just before the six minute point to make it 15-13. Within 30 seconds, Pilara had a hit from the spot near to the halfway line but they were unable to capitalise and reduce the goal difference to one goal which would have meant that Pilara would go to the final. As Juanma hit out from the backline, Facu picked up the ball and had a run the entire length of the field, just missing the goal but insufficient time remained for Pilara to get the ball back into play and Ellerstina celebrated, with a huge sigh of relief, that they had got to the final and were still in with a chance of the Triple Crown.
Argentine Open Finals 2000 - 2009 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000
La Dolfina 17 La Dolfina 12 La Dolfina 16 La Dolfina 14 La Dolfina 20 Indios Chapaleufu I 11 La Dolfina 10 La Dolfina 20 La Dolfina 16 La Dolfina 13
Zone B decider: delayed for safety reasons then La Dolfina get to the final again La Dolfina 18 v La Aguada 13 on Monday 7 December Delayed from Saturday 5 December, when both teams were on field 1 for a mere 52 seconds before a slip
vs vs vs vs vs vs vs vs vs vs
Ellerstina 16 Ellerstina 13 Ellerstina 15 La Aguada 13 Ellerstina 19 Indios Chapaleufu II 15 La Aguada 12 Indios Chapaleufu II 16 Indios Chapaleufu I 17 Indios Chapaleufu II 16
by Eduardo Novillo Astrada’s pony in front of Adolfo Cambiaso had caused both team captains to ask the match officials to suspend play, as they felt that conditions were unsafe. The two umpires asked the third man to call for the President of the AAP, Luis Lalor and his tournament committee to
Miguel Novillo Astrada: Considering at the beginning of this year we didn’t think we would be able to play together because of Javier’s illness, we are very pleased to have done so well. In the end, La Dolfina just hit great form at the right time and despite our good start, they played better in the rest of the match. La Dolfina 18 vs La Aguada 13 | December 7
rule on their request. The decision was made to postpone the match, with the prospective new date set as Monday 7 December. Although a number of people who had travelled some distance to view this match were disappointed that the decision wasn’t taken earlier, they understood that the importance of this Zone B decider was such that the teams needed safer conditions in which to play.
Javier Novillo Astrada - Inset: receiving a special award for his strenght showed thoroghout the season
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30
So the teams rode out on Monday and did battle. The crowd, who sensed that La Aguada may have the chance for an upset as, up to that point in the tournament, La Dolfina hadn’t been performing to their usual high standards, were eager to see what happened. When Javier Novillo Astrada of La Aguada got the only goal of that first chukka after almost 4:30 of play, they were delighted for him, after his difficult year but could also see that this was going to be a closely fought contest. Adolfo Cambiaso’s four missed
penalties in that chukka didn’t exactly help the La Dolfina supporters’ confidence. When Nachi Novillo Astrada scored from a spot hit and brother Miguel scored a field goal in the second chukka to take a 3-0 lead, there was a suspicion that La Dolfina were going to have another day when they weren’t at their best. However, a minute into the third chukka, Adolfo Cambiaso scored La Dolfina’s first goal and the first of six goals in that chukka, thought the split was four in favour of La Dolfina to two for La Aguada,
making the score 4-5 in La Aguada’s favour at the end of that period. In the fourth chukka, Lucas Monteverde scored then Mariano Aguerre scored two more goals to put La Dolfina into a 7-5 lead at half time. In the fifth chukka, La Aguada came back with two goals from Nachi and one from Miguel, with just the one spot hit goal by Adolfo, so they were 8-8 at the end of the chukka. After that little scare, La Dolfina clicked up a gear and started playing as we know they can play, with Adolfo
Perfect neck shot by Maestro Juan Martin Nero
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scoring three goals and Lucas Monteverde scoring one with a goal apiece from Nachi and Javier in reply to leave La Dolfina leading 12-10 at the end of the sixth chukka. In the seventh, Adolfo scored four more goals and Nachi scored from two penalties making it a 16-12 lead from yet another chukka in which six goals had been scored. In the eighth chukka, the pace slowed a bit with Nachi Novillo Astrada scoring one goal but Adolfo’s eleventh goal of the match and Mariano Aguerre’s fifth goal of the match meant that La Dolfina had got an emphatic 18-13 win and gained their place in what would be yet another final against Ellerstina.
The final between Ellerstina and La Dolfina: the Open’s historic 80 goal match Ellerstina 16 v La Dolfina 17 on Saturday 12 December La Dolfina took Palermo by storm in this historic match. Rain just couldn’t do it. Maybe it just surrendered after almost ruining the 116th Argentine Polo Open Championship, which obliged the AAP to delay the final for a week, not to mention the qualifying games, some of which were re-scheduled three times. Luckily, the rain just couldn’t do it against this historic match, the first 80 goals final ever in the world’s most important polo tournament, which saw La Dolfina beating Ellerstina 17-16, to take the Open cup back to their hometown, Cañuelas. As if that wasn’t enough, the match was even hotter than expected, having ended once again and for the fourth consecutive year, in an extra chukka! Juan Martín Nero: I think they had a little luck. We would have never played an extra chukka, but it happened the same as last year. We were winning by one goal with only a few seconds to go, and then there’s a throw-in! I don’t know if they were lucky or the ball bounced on that side, so we got distracted and didn’t take the player we had to take. That upset us. Then, in the extra chukka, it could go to anyone. Now I can’t say how I feel, but I guess in two days we will be relaxed and happy because we won two tournaments and played this final. Ellerstina 16 vs La Dolfina 17 | December 12
Having won the Open is an achievement which goes far and beyond for La Dolfina, after a year that was maybe the weakest since the team’s foundation, in 2000. But there was Lolo Castagnola saying to everybody who wanted to listen: “They thought we were dead, but we’re well alive and kickin’!” And for sure they were alive. They made an explosive comeback at Palermo in the match against La Aguada to get their place in the final. In the final, La Dolfina did it again, led by a brilliant Adolfo Cambiaso, who scored 11 goals. After watching this performance, many were thinking about how good it would have been to see La Dolfina play like that during the whole Triple Crown. It was a very close match, with both teams coming and going from the goalposts most of the time. After a 2-2 score in the first chukka, the defending champions took the lead in the second period. With goals by Facundo and Gonzalito, both by penalty conversion (40 and 30, respectively), plus another from the field by Gonzalito, Ellerstina took a 5-3 lead. Adolfo Cambiaso scored for La Dolfina. But from the third chukka, the match became very tight and hard fought by both teams. That’s when the real Adolfo Cambiaso appeared and stepped up to the plate. He scored three goals and by the end of the third period the scoreboard read 7-7. Meanwhile, Facundo and Gonzalito scored for Ellerstina. La Dolfina took their first lead in the fourth chukka, 8-7 with a goal by Mariano Aguerre, who picked the ball up after a great play from Lucas Monteverde. With both teams exchanging goals during most of the chukka, they Lolo Castagnola: I’m very happy. I won my seventh Argentine Open. There is a number that is very important in my life, and it’s seven. So today I win my seventh Argentine Open and it is a very important number. Maybe it was the worst final I’ve every played but I’m honest, I tell you I prefer to play bad and win. This is it. I’ve always said, everybody thought we were dead, but we are well and alive. But this is La Dolfina, and we did it again. Ellerstina 16 vs La Dolfina 17 | December 12
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went into half time at 10-10. In the first minute of the fifth chukka, Pablo MacDonough put Ellerstina back in the lead 11-10. It was quickly answered by Lucas Monteverde and finally a long run from Gonzalito Pieres in the last thirty seconds of play ended the chukka with a 12-11 lead for Ellerstina. Then, by the end of the sixth chukka, scores were tied once again at 13-13. With only two chukkas left, the match had become very exciting, with an extremely tight score, and the prospect of an exciting finish to the match. As luck would have it, by the end of the seventh chukka, La Dolfina had taken the lead for the second time 15-14. Adrenaline was in the air when the last chukka began. Facundo Pieres
converted a penalty from the spot to even things up at 15-15. Facundo himself followed this with a 30 yard penalty conversion to put Ellerstina back in the lead 16-15. With only 30 seconds to go, many thought that the match was already decided but a penalty from the spot was given to La Dolfina and in his usual fashion Adolfo Cambiaso scored to send the match into the extra chukka. By this time, Palermo was hotter than hell, with the attendance cheering their respective teams in a final which, besides being a historic event, would end in over time for the fourth consecutive year. After the throw-in, Cambiaso picked up the ball, and run fast towards the goalposts at the road
end of the ground. It seemed that all was said and done, but always expect the unexpected: he failed to score! In the next play, Juanma Nero hit the ball up field but Mariano Aguerre picked up the line quickly and made a backhander. At this point, with Juanma goal-side of him, Cambiaso tried to quickly turn his horse but the horse tripped and he fell and rolled several times on the ground. As the horse got up, its leg was caught in the reins and the whistle was blown for safety reasons and the match was stopped for a while. When the match resumed, the ball went to Mariano Aguerre, who ran to goal and scored. It’s a golden goal and La Dolfina won the Open at Palermo once again.
Adolfo Cambiaso jr
Lucas Monteverde: We played nothing less than the final in Palermo against Ellerstina, and we played the way it is, the final in Palermo. When Adolfito failed to score the goal, I knew we were going to win the match, we couldn’t lose. It was a great match and also it was the ideal thing to close a season which was not good for us and with many people talking nonsense. They say we are not a 40 goal team. I say to them it is five years La Dolfina plays the final in Palermo, so remember those words from Maradona! Ellerstina 16 vs La Dolfina 17 | December 12
Mariano Aguerre: Everybody thought we were dead after a defeat that hurt a lot to us, in Hurlingham. I was upset with the team, because I always knew we could give all our best to fight and be in the lead. A defeat like that one in Hurlingham upsets me, but I think today we shut up many. I don’t know what will happen next year with the team. I guess we have to talk about it. Ellerstina 16 vs La Dolfina 17 | December 12
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ARGENTINE SEASON - 116th HURLINGHAM OPEN
Tradition and an Excellent Level of Polo Photos by M&M Producciones - Article by Federico Levy The best eight teams in the world met in two zones within a tournament that featured the first official 80-goal match.
“As always, we have great expectations for this tournament. Last year, we celebrated the club’s 120th anniversary, so we needed to maintain the level of the event held last season”, mentioned José Santamarina, Hurlingham Club polo captain during the presentation of the tournament. The organization showed the scope of the event, which far exceeded expectations owing to the level of polo the spectators were able to enjoy. History indicates that the club was founded in 1888 by William Damson Campbell, Michael Gibson Fortune, John Ravenscroft, and Hugo Scott Robson. Hurlingham was the predominant institution during the first
years when polo was shaping up in Argentina and it is where the first polo open was played. Great games were played at the club such as the match between La Dolfina and Indios Chapaleufú II on the first scheduled date, when Cambiaso’s team achieved a tight 18-17 win. There was also a surprise in store, as Alegría beat Pilará 18-10. A team that had a much lower handicap was able to dominate the match throughout eight chukkas and achieve victory. But, undoubtedly, the most outstanding game within the qualifying stage towards the final was the closing match for Zone B, when Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra and La Dolfina met on
Ellerstina, with Matias MacDonough again, who substituted for Juan Martin Nero
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field one at Hurlingham Club seeking to become one of the two finalist teams. The match that generated great expectations among those present and which was sold out, started off on a beautiful sunny afternoon with La Dolfina having taken a 1-0 lead after a 40-yard penalty shot hit by Adolfo Cambiaso. That first chukka ended in a 1-1 tie, with a goal scored by Facundo Pieres. From that moment on, the team formed by the Pieres brothers, Pablo Mac Donough and Juan Martín Nero dominated the game and thus achieved a 19-13 victory in the first 80-goal Open match in history. Pilará Piaget and La Aguada were
Juan Martin Nero
Great games were played at the club such as the match between La Dolfina and Indios Chapaleufú II on the first scheduled date, when Cambiaso’s team achieved a tight 18-17 win. There was also a surprise in store, as Alegría beat Pilará 18-10. A team that had a much lower handicap was able to dominate the match throughout eight chukkas and achieve victory. the other two teams that met in the match to determine the second finalist. After the Novillo Astrada brothers’ team took the lead right at the start, Pilará levelled things out during the second chukka. After a goal scored by Ignacio Novillo Astrada, allowing La Aguada to take a 4-1 lead, Pilará Piaget began to reduce the goal difference, until Lucas James, after receiving a pass from Santiago Chavanne, was in charge of tying the match at 4-4. During the following chukkas, it continued to be a very even game, but the blue team of Pilará Piaget was able to find the path towards their rival’s goal posts and, thus, took the lead due to both Sebastián Merlos
and Santiago Chavanne’s contribution. Hence, Pilará Piaget began the seventh chukka determined to polish off the match. With two goals scored by Sebastián Merlos and one by Lucas James, they allowed their team to take a 13-10 lead. But La Aguada were not willing to give up that easily and they managed to tie the match 14 seconds before the final bell rang, with goals scored by Eduardo and Javier Novillo Astrada. Then, only 15 seconds into the extra chukka, it was Miguel Novillo Astrada who achieved victory for his team and the opportunity to play in the tournament final.
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Seeking to raise the Cup: The Final “This is another step towards the Triple Crown. The idea has always been to win the Palermo Open, so this time we will be starting off after having won both the Tortugas and the Hurlingham Open Tournaments. In any case, I think we didn’t play very well. I was pretty dissatisfied with my performance. The only positive thing is that even though we did not play well, we beat a very good team. I think we were very distracted and slightly overconfident after having played the previous game so well” commented Facundo Pieres while being greeted by his team’s fans. The previous game he mentions was the one against La
Dolfina in the first official 80-goal match played in Argentina which took place earlier during the 116th Hurlingham Open. A few days prior to the grand final between Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra and La Aguada, although it was expected that the match would probably be played on Saturday, the weather outlook for that day was not exactly the best and, therefore, the club authorities decided that the match would
take place on Friday; a good decision taking into account the risk at stake, that is, not having another date to play the game before the beginning of the Palermo Open. But, the weather forecast was wrong, and the rain they were expecting for Saturday made its appearance on Friday without prior warning‌ Thus, on an afternoon that reminded many of the UK season due to the weather, Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra beat
La Aguada 14-12 in a very even match, with players moving to and fro, and won their second trophy of the season, placing them in unbeatable conditions as regards the great objective: the Palermo Open and consequently, the Triple Crown. Under stormy overcast skies with ominous black clouds, La Aguada opened the score 4 minutes into the first chukka, with a goal scored by Javier Novillo Astrada. Ellerstina Etiqueta
the most outstanding game within the qualifying stage towards the final was the closing match for Zone B, when Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra and La Dolfina met on field one at Hurlingham Club seeking to become one of the two finalist teams. Pablo MacDonough and Adolfito Cambiaso
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Ellerstina and La Dolfina at the first official 80 goals´ game
La Aguada
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Javier Novillo Astrada Eduardo Novillo Astrada Jr. Miguel Novillo Astrada Ignacio Novillo Astrada
9 9 10 9
Pilará Lucas James Santiago Chavanne Sebastian Merlos Marcos Heguy
Chapa Uno Bautista Heguy Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade Hilario Ulloa Francisco de Narvaez Jr.
Alegría Fred Mannix Jr. Francisco Bensadon Juan Ignacio Merlos Luke Tomlinson
116th Hurlingham Open
Ellerstina
40
Facundo Pieres Pablo MacDonough Gonzalo Pieres Jr. Juan Martin Nero
10 10 10 10
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La Dolfina
40
7 8 9 10
Adolfo Cambiaso Jr. Lucas Monteverde Mariano Aguerre Bartolome Castagnola
10 10 10 10
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Indios Chapaleufu II 35
9 8 8 9
31 6 8 9 8
Negra’s response came immediately after, from Pablo Mac Donough, who managed to tie the match after making a mad dash towards the goal posts. The initial chukka ended with Ellerstina having taken a 2-1 lead, with a goal scored by Matías Mac Donough, who was playing again for the boys in black, replacing Juan Martín Nero, who was suspended for one match after
| Zone B |
| Zone A |
116th Hurlingham Open
Alberto Heguy Jr. Ignacio Heguy David Stirling Jr. Eduardo Heguy
El Paraíso Guillermo Caset Jr. Ignacio Toccalino Mariano Gonzalez Alejandro Novillo Astrada
8 9 8 9
30 8 7 8 7
receiving a double yellow card in the game against La Dolfina. The second period was very even and halfway through the chukka, La Aguada managed to tie the match at 3-3 with a great goal scored by Javier Novillo Astrada, who spotted a gap and did not hesitate to hit the ball from a distance. Subsequently, the third chukka began with a 40-yard penalty shot 37
Place: Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina Club: Hurlingham Club Date: October 13, November 6, 2009 Level: 40 hcp Tournament type: Open WPT Category Ranking: Master Series Winner Points: 150 Finalist Points: 75 Rest of the teams: 35 Winner: Ellerstina Polo Team MVP: Javier Novillo Astrada (La Aguada) BPP: Open 82 (Gonzalo Pieres Jr.)
converted by Facundo Pieres, and it was then, during this period that Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra started dominating the game and managed to take a 7-4 lead at the break. Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra did not score any goals during the fourth chukka, while Nacho Novillo Astrada converted a penalty shot for La Aguada, allowing the Pieres’ team to take a 7-5 lead by the time the long half time break came. Halfway through the fifth chukka, La Aguada managed to tie the match at 7-7, with goals scored by Eduardo and Miguel Novillo Astrada but in the last minute, Matías Mac Donough set the score at 8-7 in favour of Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra. Matías himself opened the sixth chukka with another
Above: Fred Mannix between Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade and Hilario Ulloa - Below: Adolfo Cambiaso jr
goal, stretching their lead to 9-7. Later, a run by Javier Novillo Astrada, whereby he ended up scoring a goal, allowed them to climb even further up the scoreboard when there were only 30 seconds to go till the end of the period. La Aguada continued to reduce the difference in the seventh chukka until they finally took the lead on the scoreboard for the first and only time during the match, after a goal scored by Miguel Novillo Astrada which set the score at 11-10. But Facundo and Gonzalito, along with Pablo Mac Donough made sure that Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra regained control of the game and thus began the last chukka having taken a 13-11 lead. That was when the men in black’s good spirit came to the fore as they managed to take control of the reins in this match and got ahead on the scoreboard once again. The match was defined in the last period, played under a persistent drizzle, with barely two goals – a penalty shot converted by Facundo to secure the result and another goal scored on 38
a play performed by Eduardo Novillo Astrada. Hence, Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra won the 116th Hurlingham Open YPF, and the dream held by the boys in black, that is, the Triple Crown, was drawing closer. Thus, the Hurlingham – YPF Open ended. Eight teams competed in the oldest Open Tournament in the world to win the Ayrshire Cup, which has been at stake for 116 years.
Statements regarding the final Gonzalo Pieres Jr.: Now I think we are really heading towards the Triple Crown. Now, we still have to play the Open, which is our objective, what we want to defend and win once again. And we intend to go out and win it more than ever, because we set our objectives and we have gradually fulfilled them. Now, there is yet another objective, and that is each of our dreams. You want to do well in the first tournaments, but your mind is set on Palermo. MatĂas Mac Donough: I felt very well while playing this final. It was Above: Hilario Ulloa - Below: Facundo Pieres
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very good, and a lot of fun, so I hope I did not look too out of place… I really missed this. It was very good. As regards the match, we slightly lacked pace. They didn’t let us… they didn’t let us and we didn’t try much. I think it could have been nicer. Pablo Mac Donough: It was very good. Above all, it is yet another tournament. It is the Hurlingham Open, and it is a good thing having won it
once again. In any case, I think Ellerstina did not play very well today, though they were very solid, that is to say, although we did not play the way we would have wanted to, we won all the same and we won it fairly. Javier Novillo Astrada: Personally, I felt it was very good being here, playing this final against a great team. I felt this match was a lot of fun to play, sharing really good vibes, though I
Bautista Heguy
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consider we missed lots of goals. In the seventh chukka, we were given a chance to take the lead and we didn’t take advantage of the situation. I also think that the credit goes to Ellerstina for having taking advantage of these chances. La Aguada has performed in ascending order. We now have to correct some mistakes in order to reach the Palermo Open, because I’m convinced that La Aguada can continue to
David “Pelon” Stirling
Last 10 Hurlingham Champions 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999
Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra La Aguada Ellerstina La Dolfina Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufú La Aguada La Dolfina La Dolfina La Dolfina Ellerstina
grow, and this allows me to be very optimistic as regards Palermo, which is what we all aim at. Miguel Novillo Astrada: Over and above the result, I’m glad to have played this final. I think we had a chance of winning, but it faded away when we missed some important goals. But, oh well, we are happy. For us, playing this match was very important. Now we have to continue, correct a few mistakes, get prepared for Palermo and, furthermore, our horses are performing very well, which is a great satisfaction.
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ARGENTINE SEASON - TORTUGAS OPEN
The Three Times Champions of Tortugas Start with a Vengeance Article by Federico Levy - Photos by M&M Producciones Every year, Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra have shown they know how they must play to win the first of the Triple Crown tournaments. With no surplus effort whatsoever, a fine game by the men in black was enough to begin the 2009 Argentine season on the podium.
After many months, nine to be exact, following the World Polo Tour calendar, players arrived in Argentina and tuned up their strings of horses to face up to the Triple Crown 2009. As always, the Tortugas Open was the first tournament, which has the privilege of being one of the three competitions with the highest handicap level worldwide because six of the best teams within the Argentine season take part, whilst another eight teams play a qualifying tournament to win a place in the Hurlingham and Palermo Open Tournaments. The protagonists in the opening match of the tournament were Chapa Uno and La Aguada. On one side were Chapa Uno, a mythical polo name if ever there was one. This is their second tournament featuring their new lineup, as Bautista Heguy, Hilario Ulloa, Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade and Francisco de Narváez Jr. have been playing together since the Jockey Club Open, a tournament in which they made it through to the final that was later postponed due to rain.
For La Aguada (the Novillo Astrada Brothers), this was without a doubt a very special moment and it did not lack emotion despite the result. It was no less than Javier Novillo Astrada’s return to the playing field. He is recovering from a brain tumour. Javier showed great mettle and very good physical fitness throughout the seven chukkas of the match and was able to score 3 goals. Chapa Uno achieved a 12-11 victory
and, at that point, we could already assert that the Triple Crown had begun. Later, each of the different teams gradually made their debuts. Pilará Piaget showed good speed. Indios Chapaleufú II were somewhat imprecise when the time came to execute shots. La Dolfina seemed to be lacking pace and Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra showed enthusiasm though they had some offensive flaws. This is what the first matches were
Tortugas Open Place: Tortuguitas, Buenos Aires, Argentina Club: Tortugas CC Date: September 23, October 10, 2009 Level: 40 hcp Tournament type: Open WPT Category Ranking: Master Series Winner Points: 100 Finalist Points: 50 Rest of the teams: 25 Winner: Ellerstina Polo Team MVP: Santiago Chavanne (Pilara) BPP: Fina Manta (Juan Martin Nero)
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like, although the teams went gradually, feeling their way and improving considerably as the chukkas and practice games moved on. After playing all the qualifying matches, Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra and Pilará Piaget managed to qualify for the final.
The Beginning of the End Both teams were already at their pony lines waiting for the bell that would summon them to meet in the middle of the field. Lucas James, who had made his debut in the match against La Dolfina when Agustín Merlos was sent off for having insulted the referees, was now waiting at Pilará Piaget’s pony lines, bearing a number one on his back. It was his debut in a Triple Crown final. On the opposite side, it was a whole different story. A team that had won the last two years on that field and who were seeking to start the season up there on the podium. And so, chukkas later, Ellerstina Above: Facundo Pieres - Below: Javier Novillo Astrada
Above: Javier Novillo Astrada - Below: Gonzalito Pieres
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Etiqueta Negra became the team to hold the Tortugas Open record. After beating Pilará 14-11 in the final, the boys in black became the first team in history to win the first step in the Argentine Triple Crown Tournament on three consecutive occasions, once again ratifying their quality and their very well deserved 40 goals. At the beginning of the match, Pilará Piaget were clearly in control of the game. As has been mentioned, they had 7 goaler Lucas James replacing Agustín Merlos, who was suspended and thus their handicap was reduced from 37 to 34. Only 40 seconds into the match, Santiago Chavanne converted a 40 yard penalty shot allowing Pilará to take a 1-0 lead. Four and a half minutes later, Santiago himself increased that difference to 2-0, and the first period ended with Pilará Piaget having taken a 3-0 lead after a great goal scored by Sebastián Merlos with a fantastic under the neck shot. After the bucket of cold water those three goals represented, Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra went back onto the field in the second chukka determined to
turn the situation around. Thus, almost one minute into the second period, Juan Martín Nero raced forward and ended up scoring a goal for Ellerstina. Immediately, and following the throw-in, a backhander hit by Gonzalito Pieres landed in the path of his brother Facundo who ran towards the goals posts and managed to reduce the difference (2-3). Subsequently, a great goal scored by Gonzalito Pieres tied the match and then Facu converted a 30 yard penalty shot taking a 4-3 lead which ended the second chukka. After a goal avalanche on the part of Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra, the third period began with a spot hit penalty shot converted by Marcos Heguy who tied the match at 4-4. This was the beginning of two chukkas in which the David “Pelon” Stirling Jr
44
game seemed to even up, with both teams going to and fro, without giving each other a break. Thus, almost at the end of the third chukka, Sebastián Merlos took control of the ball and scored a great under the neck goal and the scoreboard read 6-6. There were hardly any goals scored in the fourth chukka. A 60 yard penalty shot hit by Facundo and another hit from the 40 yard line by Santiago Chavanne who, at that point, was already shaping up as the best player of the match- and the chukka ended in a 7-7 tie. Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra managed to regain the lead in the fifth period. Two goals scored by the boys in black allowed them to take a 9-7 lead and it was Sebastián Merlos who reduced the difference to 9-8.
Ellerstina
40
Facundo Pieres Pablo MacDonough Gonzalo Pieres Jr. Juan Martin Nero
10 10 10 10
La Aguada Javier Novillo Astrada Eduardo Novillo Astrada Jr. Miguel Novillo Astrada Ignacio Novillo Astrada
Chapa Uno Bautista Heguy Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade Hilario Ulloa Francisco de Narvaez Jr.
La Dolfina
40
Adolfo Cambiaso Jr. Lucas Monteverde Mariano Aguerre Bartolome Castagnola
10 10 10 10
37
Pilarรก
37
9 9 10 9
Agustin Merlos Santiago Chavanne Sebastian Merlos Marcos Heguy
10 8 9 10
34
Indios Chapaleufu II 34
9 8 8 9
| Zone 2 |
| Zone 1 |
Tortugas Open - Emilio Anchorena Cup
Alberto Heguy Jr. Ignacio Heguy David Stirling Jr. Eduardo Heguy
Sebastian Merlos
45
8 9 8 9
Up until that moment, one chukka had gone to each team and three of them had been very even, which made it seem as though the title was within reach for both teams. However, as from the sixth chukka, Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra put all their eggs in one basket and gave all they had to give. The defending champions took a 10-8 lead three minutes into this sixth period, when two tremendous goals scored by Gonzalito and Juanma Nero stretched the difference, allowing them to begin the seventh and last chukka comfortably, having taken a 12-9 lead. Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra polished the match off right away. Four minutes before the final chukka ended, two goals scored by Facundo locked up the game with an almost final 14-9 leaving them only a step away from retaining the title. Marcos Heguy and Santiago Chavanne reduced the difference, but it was not enough for Pilarรก Piaget. Once again, Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra took over the match played at Tortugas, a tournament that almost makes them feel at home.
BOOK REVIEW - HORACE LAFFAYE
The Evolution of Polo By Dennis J. Amato
For many sports, the literary tradition has been quite a long and a distinguished one. For example, court tennis or real tennis as it is often called has a pedigree dating back to 1555 with the publication of Antonio Scaino da Sala’s Trattato del giuco della palla. On the other hand, books on “modern polo” have been a relatively recent phenomenon. In fact, the very first book on the sport - at least in the western world - did not emerge until 1890 when Captain George Younghusband’s
Polo in India was printed in London and Calcutta. While such sports as soccer, golf, tennis, yachting and horse racing can each claim a list of books numbering in the thousands, the same cannot be said for polo. A bibliography solely devoted to this equestrian game would at best total only several hundred books. Even adding in publications tangential to the sport such as club histories (e.g. Captain Taprell Dorling’s The Hurlingham Club), autobiographies (e.g. Edward Darley Miller’s Fifty Years
46
of Sport), biographies (e.g. Nelson Aldrich’s Tommy Hitchcock, An American Hero), horse training (e.g. Grove Cullum’s Selection and Training of the Polo Pony) and the like would merely add several hundred more titles. Thus any new book on the game of polo is both a most unusual as well as a most welcome event. One of the more recent contributions to the genre also happens to be one of the most significant to have surfaced in quite some time: Horace Laffaye’s The Evolution of Polo. The book’s importance can be attributed to the prominence of its author as well as the scope of its contents. The writer of this new tract is Dr. Laffaye who is a retired surgeon, a former player and a director at the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in the United States. Over a span of some thirty-five years, Laffaye has justifiably gained a reputation as the world’s leading historian on the sport of polo having published numerous articles and several books including the monumental The Encyclopedia of Polo, El polo international argentino and Profiles in Polo. Consequently, a new release by this renowned authority on the game is certainly cause for celebration in of itself. Moreover, Laffaye’s latest manuscript is unique in the annals of polo publishing. The title suggests yet another rendition of the history of polo over the centuries along the lines of such worthy predecessors as Thomas F. Dale’s Polo at Home and Abroad, Norman J. Cinnamond’s El polo and Herbert Spencer’s Chakkar to mention but a few works. The Evolution of Polo though is much more than a chronological recounting of the game. As stated on the back cover of the book, “this sociological study examines how polo has changed according to the economic and cultural differences of the nations and continents where it is played.” Laffaye’s highly innovative approach therefore provides a context to explain how this most ancient of sports
has managed to morph and to evolve over the years so as not only to survive but also to prosper. Polo in many respects has been a chameleon among games that has adapted to its environment through time and place. Laffaye divides his book into four major sections: The Tribesmen, The Aristocrats, The Amateurs and The Professionals. In turn, each of these groupings is sub-divided into multiple chapters. Part I, The Tribesmen is the shortest of the four segments with only two chapters. The first, “Folk Games,” retraces some familiar ground in retelling how the origins of polo “are shrouded in the mist of history.” The chapter then follows the evolution of the game “from the Silk Road to the Manipuri Valleys.” In the second chapter, the author expounds on “An Ancient Game Discovered by Western Eyes” or more specifically how British army officers in the Indian state of Manipur “first witnessed a game called sagol kanjai... played by the local people” and were immediately “smitten” by it. The army officers, notably Major General Joseph Scherer and Captain Robert Stewart
initially and others subsequently, then transformed a fairly rudimentary and chaotic folk activity into a more organized and formal sport. As Laffaye amusingly notes “[i]n typical British fashion, these pioneers decided to start a polo club.” What ensued were written rules, proper attire and equipment, standards for the size of “polo ponies” (but not always adhered to), training of both players and horses, etc. Part II: The Aristocrats in many respects can be described as polo’s “breakout” phase where the sport emerged from a local pastime among indigenous people in Asia reconfigured by the British in India and was then exported in stages around the world in basically the form that survives today. Not surprisingly, the migration from India was first to Europe but somewhat surprisingly as Laffaye points out possibly to Ireland at the outset and then on to England, Scotland, France, Spain and several other countries on the continent. In the chapter, “The British Carry the Flag,” Laffaye provides an overview of polo’s spread to the far corners of the world: Argentina, America, Australia, South Africa, Canada and New 47
Zealand. Consistent with the overall sociological perspective of the book, the author cites how the game was often tailored to local conditions (e.g. as early polo in California was started by British residents, they played under the rules of the Hurlingham Polo Committee rather than those of the American Polo Association). Part II also has a marvelous chapter providing thumbnail sketches on such legendary clubs as Hurlingham, Ranelagh, Roehampton, Cirencester and Cowdray Park. It is followed by an equally fascinating section on several of the “fashionable chic” watering holes on the continent were polo took hold in its early days: Deauville, Ostende, Cannes and Brioni. Special mention should be made of the concluding chapter which provides what is believed to be the first relatively detailed summary of each of the Olympic polo encounters: Paris 1900, London 1908, Antwerp 1920, Paris 1924 and Berlin 1936. It is a very important piece on a long-overlooked topic. Part III: The Amateurs surveys a number of themes and time periods starting with the so-called “Golden Age
of Polo” during the interwar years. In this section, the ascendancy of American polo through the 1920s and well into the 1930s is covered at considerable length. Polo in England and the “former dominions” is then reviewed with equal attention over this same timeframe. Later in Part III, the heroic efforts in reviving polo throughout most of the English-speaking world following the Second World War are also given their due. The third section also focuses a substantial amount of space to the rise of Argentina as a polo power directly in one chapter as well as indirectly in a separate one reviewing the origins and the history of The Cup of the Americas contest. Other noteworthy chapters in this segment include one which surveys the various international matches in the United Stated, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and Canada in the postwar years and another solely dedicated to arguably polo’s three most “Hallowed Grounds:” Hurlingham, Meadow Brook and Palermo. Part IV: The Professionals drills down into the contemporary state of polo around the world leading off with the self-explanatory chapter
entitled “Patrons and the Dawn of Professionalism” and later on “The State of the Game in the Twenty-First Century.” This final segment of the book also showcases the rise and development of women’s polo from antiquity to modern times. As an aside, it should be noted that women’s polo is a much neglected subject which typically has been relegated to articles but has thus far eluded a full-fledged book on the topic. As one distaff player lamented in the 1930s, women’s polo was more likely to be featured in the photogravure section of a newspaper rather than in its sports pages. Also in Part IV there are separate chapters on a number of specialized subjects. One in particular, “The Game’s Thinkers,” stands out. The author effectively “presents a select group of players that made a life-long study of the game and the ponies.” Among the strategists highlighted are such luminaries as John Watson, Walter Buckmaster, Harry Payne Whitney and Lewis Lacey. Other chapters in this section revolve around the changing rules of the game, umpiring and the evolution of the polo pony. Overall, Horace Laffaye’s The
48
Evolution of Polo is a thoroughly enjoyable and a highly readable book. It is also cleverly structured so that the casual reader can immediately turn to areas of particular interest such as the history of certain polo clubs and tournaments, the rules of the sport and so forth. The publication is embellished by some 100 photographs, including an eight-page section of seventeen color plates. Further enhancing the work’s appeal are three interesting appendixes, detailed chapter footnotes, a useful bibliography and a helpful index. Without a doubt, the book should be part of the library of any aficionado of the game.
Dennis J. Amato is a banker in New York who has written extensively on the sport of polo. His most recent contribution, “The Westchester Cup: A Past Renewed,” appeared in the program for the February 2009 tournament held at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Dennis also has one of the world’s largest collections of books, programs and memorabilia on the game.
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ARGENTINE SEASON - 45th JOCKEY CLUB OPEN
Indios Chapaleufú II Return to the Podium By Federico Levy - Photos by Sergio Llamera The Heguy brothers’ team, who have been playing together with David “Pelon” Stirling throughout 2009, were established as the Jockey Club Open champions after defeating Chapa I in the final, a defining match that was suspended on several occasions.
It already seems to have become a classic: The rain was a real nuisance during the latter part of the Jockey Club Open. This very traditional tournament featured some of the teams and players who participate in the Triple Crown and they were affected by bad weather. Two years ago, it was not even possible for the tournament to begin due to bad weather and a tight schedule in the spring season tournament calendar. The 2009 edition of this tournament featured 10 teams with handicaps up to 35 goals. Everything seemed to indicate it would be a great tournament, since the participation of Indios Chapaleufú II bestowed on it a sense of historical
importance and experience; La Indiana, a team formed by three foreign players and Guillermo Willington, contributed an international flavour; La Baronesa and El Paraíso offered an opportunity to demonstrate their good level of performance and Chapa Uno lived up to the expectations placed on their new team that would also participate in the Tortugas, Hurlingham and Palermo Open Tournaments. It was a good tournament because they were very lucky with the weather during the first match dates of the Jockey Club Open. With games played on the internal fields at the San Isidro racecourse, spectators approached the matches eager to begin experiencing
Indios Chapaleufu II Polo Team
50
the first steps of the spring season. During the early stages some good games were played, such as La Baronesa’s 9-6 victory against El Paraíso. Indios Chapaleufú II gradually stepped up their pace when they beat Don Urbano 10-4. They simply needed to play a few matches to improve their level of tactical play, their stick & ball skills and, above all, to tune up their horses. So it was time for the semi-finals. The Alfredo Lalor field, with its brand new cement stand, was meant to have two matches but the bad weather cropped up and affected the tournament for the first time in the 2009 season, as on the Saturday, the match between La Baronesa and Indios
Jockey Club Open La Baronesa
30
Nicolás Pieres Cristian Laprida Jr. Marcos di Paola Alejandro Agote
7 7 8 8
El Paraiso Guillermo Caset Jr. Ignacio Toccalino Mariano Gonzalez Alejandro Novillo Astrada
Chapa Uno Bautista Heguy Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade Hilario Ulloa Francisco de Narvaez Jr.
La Cañada Ezequiel Martinez Ferrario Juan Gris Zavaleta Manuel Crespo Santiago Toccalino
La Indiana José Donoso Jack Baillieu Guillermo Willington Joao Paulo Gannon
30 8 7 8 7
34
Jockey Club Open
Trenque Lauquen La Tapera
32
Lucas James Agustín Nero Horacio S. Heguy Juan Martín Nero
7 7 8 10
Trenque Lauquen
31
Pablo Pieres Agustin Garcia Grossi Pablo Jauretche Jaime García Huidobro
Indios Chapaleufu II
7 8 8 8
34
9 8 8 9
Alberto Heguy Jr. Ignacio Heguy David Stirling Jr. Eduardo Heguy
8 9 8 9
28
Don Urbano
28
7 7 7 7
28 7 7 7 7
Chapaleufú II could not be played. One day later, both teams were ready to meet and that was when a wellpaced duel took place, with some typical flaws due to season-related commitments and a classic ending to the game loaded with the suspense that so characterizes Triple Crown clashes. So much so, that the match was decided in the last play, with a corner practically hit from the 60 yard line and converted by Eduardo Heguy. It was a fast-paced game and owing to several goals and the fact that Facundo Pieres (10 goal handicap) replaced his brother Nicolas playing for La Baronesa, allowed spectators to enjoy the experience of having the Heguys playing for Chapa II as well as witnessing a good performance from Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra’s number one. The final bell rang and the scoreboard read 1312 in favour of Indios Chapaleufú II, who were already thinking a few days ahead when, once again, they would be playing a final. On the next day (Monday), it was the second semi-final’s turn. There
Diego White Tomás Pieres Miguel del Carril Juan Manuel Echeverz
Hurlingham
7 7 7 7
29
Sebastián Harriott Santiago Araya Silvestre Donovan Marcelo Frayssinet
7 7 8 7
they were, Chapa Uno and Trenque Lauquen La Tapera to see who would become Indios Chapaleufú II’s rival in the defining match of the Jockey Club Open’s 45th edition. Chapa Uno played a good match and by the end of the fourth chukka they were winning 12-5 with a very high goal average of three goals per chukka. A job well done by Hilario Ulloa in midfield, Bautista Heguy’s effectiveness hitting penalty shots and Francisco De Narváez’s defensive power, allowed the team to work as expected, with each player fulfilling his own objective and thus managing to achieve a clear 14-9 win. There were only a few days to go before the tournament final. The calendar dates started going by and the Tortugas Open was drawing closer. Once again, precisely on the weekend prior to the beginning of the first Triple Crown Tournament, the weather played a dirty trick on the Jockey Club, rain came and the inevitable postponement. Then came the Tortugas Open and the teams focused on that tournament 51
Place: San Isidro, Buenos Aires, Argentina Club: Jockey Club Date: September 9 - October 9, 2009 Level: 34 hcp Tournament type: Open Tournament Director: Guillermo Alvarez Fourcade WPT Category Ranking: WPT Cup Winner Points: 70 Finalist Points: 35 Semi Finalist Points: 20 Rest of the Teams: 10 Winner: Indios Chapaleufu II Polo Team Finalist : Chapa Uno MVP: David Stirling (Indios Chapaleufu II) BPP: Polo Prima Donna (owned by Alberto Pedro Heguy, played by Eduardo Heguy)
but some were eliminated since they had not accumulated enough points in order to make it through to the final cut. The Jockey Club found a date on the calendar and it was on Friday, October 9th, a day before the Tortugas final, where Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra would meet Pilará Piaget. On the main field at the Jockey Club, the team formed by the Heguy Brothers and David Stirling gained control of the match from the very first moment and took the lead with a vengeance in the initial chukkas. This allowed them to manage the goal difference during most of the remaining periods. Only at one point, halfway through the match, Chapa I managed to get closer on the scoreboard but the winning team reacted immediately and yet again they achieved a score difference. Indios Chapaleufú II defeated Chapa I 14-12, and thus established themselves as the tournament champions and they celebrated on the podium once more. At the prize-giving, “Polo Prima Donna”, a mare belonging to the Polo Argentino breed owned by Eduardo Heguy, was awarded a prize for its performance in the defining match. Despite everything, once again the rain was a nuisance at the Jockey Club, but all teams, as well as the organization and the spectators, helped towards not allowing the tournament to remain unfinished, thus ensuring a new champion for 2009, Indios Chapaleufú II.
AAP - HANDICAP CHANGES 2010
Argentina New Handicaps The Argentine Polo Association announced the new handicaps, once the high goal season in Argentina has come to an end. Among the most important raises are Hilario Ulloa and David Stirling, both from 8 to 9; Cristian Laprida Jr., Alejandro Novillo Astrada and Lucas James, all of then from 7 to 8; Tomás García del Rio, Joaquin Pittaluga, Diego Cavanagh y Fred Mannix, from 6 to 7.
Main Raises
Lows
8 to 9 Stirling, David; Ulloa, Hilario
10 to 9 Merlos, Agustin
7 to 8 James, Lucas; Laprida, Christian Jr; Novillo Astrada, Alejandro
8 to 7 Araya, Diego; Fernandez Llorente, Tomas; Gracida, Guillermo
6 to 7 Cavanagh, Diego Tomas; Garcia Del Rio, Tomas; Mannix, Frederick Jr; Pittaluga, Joaquin
7 to 6 Echeverz, Juan Manuel; Gaztambide, Santiago Jr; Guerrero, Hector; Menendez De Elia, Eduardo; Trotz, Ernesto Jr
5 to 6 Araya, Marcos; Badiola, Ignacio; Bargallo, Gines; Laprida, Iñaki; Losada, Juan Cruz; Ruiz Guiñazu, Juan Jr; Taranco, Alejo
6 to 5 Badiola, Juan; Beresford, Charles; Dupont, Ezequiel; Zubia, Martin 6 to 2 Heguy, Alberto Pedro
4 to 5 Boudou, Federico; Carranza, Manuel; De Lusarreta, Julian; Elizalde, Francisco; Gelosi, Gregorio; James, Andres; Laborde, Santiago; Talamoni Grether, Lucas; Torres Zavaleta, Matias; Usandizaga, Gustavo
5 to 4 Courreges, Francisco; Fontanarrosa, Nicolas; Rueda, Rodrigo; Sirvent, Jose; Sirvent, Pablo; Vallarino, Diego Blas; Zavaleta, Julio; Zavaleta, Pablo
3 to 4 Alonso Massey, Juan Manuel; Capella, Alfredo; Crespo, Andres; Crotto, Simon; Favilli Siquini, Caio; Fernandez Ocampo, Diego; Gutierrez O´Farrell, Pedro; Larumbe, Lorenzo; Llorente, Pablo Jr; Mendivil Mignaquy, Santiago; Obregon, Agustin; Panelo, Esteban Jr; Perez Iturraspe, Matias; Pinheiro, Norberto; Pinheiro, Rodrigo; Plaza De Ayala, Manuel; Rooney, Federico; Rueda, Tomas; Saenz Rozas, Gonzalo; Talamoni Grether, Nicolas; Urquiza Rueda, Benjamin; Valent, Martin
4 to 3 Anzorreguy, Hugo; Anzorreguy, Ignacio; Courreges, Gustavo; De Narvaez, Francisco; Flores, Ricardo Daniel; Gomez Romero, Fortunato; Laborde, Gonzalo R.; Olivera, Santiago; Pereyra, Gustavo; Santillan, Federico; Sirvent, Martin 3 to 2 De Narvaez, Carlos
2 to 4 Mancini, Oscar
3 to 2 Acuña, Miguel Jr; Blaquier, Juan Jose Jr; Fernandez Ocampo, Christian; Hiriart, Bernardo; Pisarenko Nicolas; Rossi, Andres; Scarfo, Jorge; Schurlein, Enrique; Trigo, Alejandro; Willington, Juan Carlos Jr
2 to 3 Anton, Gonzalo; Anzorreguy, Marcos; Bellande, Maria; Bilbao, Roberto; Bosio, Federico; Canton, Nestor Javier; Charlton, Max; Cudmore, Oliver; Fernandez Llorente, Nicolas Jr; Gandara, Martin; Garcia Labougle, Francisco; Gomez Romero, Santiago; Gonzalez Orfila, Benajmin Roberto; Gowland, Alejandro Jr; Kronhaus, Agustin; Lacroze, Felix; Larralde, Marcos; Lucero, Diego; Martinez, Agustin; Martinez, Paola; Moutous, Andres; Ruiz Guiñazu, Nicolas; Salvo, Lia; Sivori, NIcolas
2 to 1 Pasman, Javier; Pistone, Sebastian; Villa Real, Roberto; Zenteyo Day, Matias Augusto
1 to 4 Garcia Dagna, Ramiro; 1 to 3 Carnero, Juan; Sarli, Juan Martin; Tiseira, Daniel
52
53
INTERVIEW - YOUNG SOUTH AFRICANS
Springboks future Polo Stars By Alejandra Ocampos
Some of South Africa’s rapidly developing stars of polo were interviewed by PQ at Cowdray Park Polo Club. Here’s what three of the most promising players, Ignus du Plessis (20), Jean du Plessis (18) and Chris Mackenzie (16) had to say.
Why did you choose to play in the UK? Jean du Plessis: Mainly, for professional reasons. The money is the best in the world, and because of the good quality of polo. Chris: We play in the UK because
Young Boks Jean du Plessis, Nachi du Plessis and Chris Mackenzie
54
all of the best players are here, and it’s very competitive and it’s a good place to learn and to do well. Nachi: Yes, I definitely think it’s very competitive and that makes it a lot of fun. For South African polo it’s really good, because we have the chance to
Adolfo Cambiaso jr (Dubai) and Chris Mackenzie (Les Lions 2)
play against the 10 goalers, which is really great. We want to play against those guys, and they play in UK. What’s the difference between playing in South Africa and playing in the UK? Nachi: The difference is that basically it’s much better here, the players are better. Also in South Africa, there are good fast fields, more like in Spain, it’s similar to Spain in that way and better weather. Chris: Yes, the difference is in the fields and the playing style. Over here, in UK, the players are better, the horses are better, everything is done almost to perfection. Nachi: There is not really a budget on the teams, but we have good quality of horses in South Africa, but the quality here is the best in the world. We don’t really have the professional play or the quality of players like in Argentina or the UK.
Who contacted you to play in the UK and asked you to play here? Jean: I started last year with Black Bears. Simon Keyte, who I had played with in New Zealand, helped me to come and play for Black Bears. Chris: I came through Alan Kent, he came over to South Africa and invited me. But this year I’ve been invited by Nick Evans to come and play with him. Nachi: The first time I came to UK was when I was 15 years old, and I came on a trip, with the Young South Africa Team to play for a week. The next year I came with the patron for medium goal, and from then on, I’ve been lucky to have many people who invited me to play here. In the past I had played with Bataleur team with Jose Donoso. Which handicap levels did you play? Nachi: I played the Young South Africa team, and then I started playing 55
8-12 goals, that was when I was about 16. Basically I played medium goal, then 18 goals with Sumaya. Three years ago, Nick Evans called me to play in Les Lions, two seasons in the high goal, and then Oussama called me last year to play in his team, Sumaya. Chris: Two years ago I came with my father, when I was 14 years old, and played 4 or 6 goals until the next year, when I was lucky enough to play 12 goals; I did 6, 8 and 12 goals. After that, I went to Argentina, and this year I started to play 22 goals. Jean: Last year, I played with Black Bears 8, 12 and 15 goals last year with Black Bears. Then this year the 22 goal. What did you learn about polo? Jean: I learned it’s a very technical sport, and without the best quality horses, you don’t do well. Luckily, I was with Black Bears last year, we had lots of horses, they were great quality
Above: Nachi du Plessis playing for Sumaya
horses. It is a very technical game, especially from set plays which demands a lot of concentration. Chris: It’s very tough and hard. You have to learn to dominate the man. It’s difficult to tap the ball as the fields don’t allow the ball to run as well as the fields at home or in Argentina. You have to be strong and learn to control the ball well. Nachi: I’ve learnt a lot of things, but the main thing I’ve learnt is to play against all the good players. You have to be very well mounted to do so. To me, the most important thing to play the game, the most serious thing is that you have to get the best horses you can to play against those players. And secondly, you have to have the best grooms and the best people managing it for you, because the horses need to be at their best to play against 56
Nachi du Plessis (Sumaya)
those players. I was very lucky to have a great groom, Dave, he helped me play a lot of polo. What do you think is different from last season? Nachi: One thing about Sumaya is that they spent quite a bit of money to buy some extra horses. It helps, as last year, in 2008, we didn’t have too many horses. We had our horses, they were good, but we needed a few more horses. Definitely, it helped a lot. And I think Hilario and Milo, this is their kind of polo are strong, they are tough, and Ahmed he plays, he helps us a lot when we’re in trouble, he helps a lot, that’s good. It’s lots of fun. Jean, how about playing the high goal with Les Lions this year?
Jean: It is not so relaxed, but it’s a lot more professional, a better organization. But you play against the best players, it helps to improve. You don’t have much time as you have in the medium goal because the other players are better than you. Being a bit slower, you have to get quick as them. The high goal players helped me a lot, Eduardo specially. Basically, you don’t have much time as you have in the medium goal. How about you, Chris? Chris: It’s very good for me, you learn a lot from everyone. The hardest thing for me about jumping up to the 22 goals is the speed, and in general for the first two weeks, you feel very, very slow and you have to get strong. But it’s good. The main thing they told me to do was you can’t be in a losing 57
position. You have to get yourself in a position to win the play against your opponent and if necessary go to the next play to get that winning position. Are you coming back next year to UK? Chris: I don’t know yet, maybe go back to the medium goal, but I’ll definitely be back here. Nachi: I’ll do my best to come back, let’s see after the handicap meetings Jean: It’s basically the same, we don’t know about the handicaps, as the handicaps maybe stops the ability to form the teams, but luckily, for sure I’ll come back the next year. What do you plan to do after the season ends? Jean: I´ll go home for a month, until September and then I will go to
Above: Jean du Plessis (Les Lions)
Argentina with Eduardo Heguy, to stay for three months. Then I’ll be at home for four months, then back to the UK again. Chris: We’ll take a holiday for two weeks, and then go to play in France, then to Argentina. Nachi: I’ll go home, to see my young horses, hopefully I’ve got some good ones and then, in the beginning of August I will play the Gold Cup in Sotogrande with Broncos. Then after that, I’ll spend two weeks at home, and then I’ll go to Argentina. What are your plans in Argentina? Nachi: Eduardo Heguy helped us a lot in Argentina so usually we’ll go to Indios, because he plays there. Where do you get your horses 58
Jean du Plessis playing the Queen´s Cup for Les Lions - Below: Nachi du Plessis’ new seat for watching polo!
from that you play in UK? Nachi: We’re lucky to get the best ones, as in South Africa there are not so many people who buy many horses. Mostly we buy thoroughbreds from the racetrack or from people we know. Are you doing Embryo transfers in South Africa? Nachi: Well, the embryos haven’t quite taken off yet. Basically, there are not so many embryos in South Africa, and there are laws against embryo transfer in the horse racing industry. There aren’t any embryo facilities or centres yet. So we’ve started doing some embryos separately and try that way of breeding them. Are you going to use some of your South African thoroughbred bloodlines? 59
Above: Chris Mackenzie playing the Deaville Gold Cup with Royal Barriere Polo Team
Definitely we’ve got some mares in South Africa that are very good old mares. All of the best mares come here, but the good old mares, we keep them there. Fortunately, we have good bloodlines and some from Carlos. Last question – this year you’ve had a great year, everyone is aware of you now, so what do you think will happen to your handicap and how will it affect you? Nachi: I think from what I’ve heard, I will go up, so it will affect me. For me it’s been a fun season, I’ve learnt a lot from Milo and the other guys. To me, it’s been one of the most enjoyable seasons, on and off the field. For the future, I don’t know, but hopefully I’ll get a great new team next year.
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SPECIAL ARTICLE - ARGENTINE POLO CLUBS
PILAR: A POPULAR HUB OF POLO ACTIVITY NEAR BUENOS AIRES About 40 miles North West of Buenos Aires is Pilar, a small and relatively poor town. Just on the outskirts, polo activity over the last 26 years has created a hub of polo and the area now has around 100 polo fields. Article by Iain Forbes-Cockell (“The Major”) and photographs by Luciano Salseduc.
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Photo by Polo Internacional
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Around 30 years ago, many of the Argentine polo players were scattered far and wide throughout the Buenos Aires province. Those players found it difficult and somewhat impractical to meet on a regular basis to practise. Discussions took place over a number of years and eventually in 1983 some players including the late Gonzalo Tanoira, Alex Garrahan and the Pieres brothers selected a small area just outside the town of Pilar to become a base where horses could be stabled and polo could be played more conveniently and frequently. This base was called “Pilar Chico�. Since that time, the concept has caught on with many other players, patrons and even the AAP developing grounds and facilities. As you drive out of Pilar on route 28 you pass the AAP grounds and also the Golfers and Murray Clubs which are popular with European (particularly English) visitors
during winter visits to Argentina. You also pass La Quinta Beaufort, owned by Alberto Renoso and the Tomlinsons (who bought 50% of the property in 2006). La Quinta is around 40 hectares and has four polo fields, a separate stick and ball area and stabling for over 150 horses. Continuing past La Quinta and approaching Calle Gonzalo Tanoira you notice the landscaped three metre high grass bank on your left which prevents Lagunas de Polo from being overlooked by the road. Lagunas de Polo, owned by Memo Gracida and Gonzalo Pieres, is 40 hectares containing two polo fields, an exercise track and a sizeable barn for stabling horses. As you reach the end of the grass bank, you turn left onto Calle Gonzalo Tanoira you enter a road which has polo properties on both sides for several kilometres. Most readers will recognise the names of nearly all the
Ellerstina Name of Property: Ellerstina Owned by: James Packer How long in Pilar: 1983 Hectares: 36 Polo Fields: 2 Pony Stabling: 3 barns totaling 62 stables Corrals: 15
Excecise Track: 600 metres Pony Schooling: Not, but has a horse walker Accommodation: All barns have accomodation and a private house with pool Other Facilities: 1 stick and ball field Tournaments: Ellerstina Gold Cup (22 goals)
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people who have bases in this area or the property names and in a visit to gather information about this place, which some call the polo capital of the world, I have discovered some interesting similarities. Most of them are around 40 hectares, with at least two fields, some have separate stick & ball areas, barns for their horses and most have the usual additional facilities, such as an exercise track or schooling area. A number have houses or living areas that are for private use or use by staff. Some have hotel or guest accommodation and some have future plans for similar amenities. Information on some of these properties is contained in the boxes accompanying this article. In addition, Martin Garrahan, of Polo One, mentioned that a number of polo organisations had been developing embryo transfer facilities for the last few years, although not necessarily in the Pilar
Don Urbano
Ellerstina Clubhouse
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area and in an unusual twist to the patron and professional game, in his tournaments a patron-scored goal counts as two goals. This encourages the professionals to involve the patrons more in the game for the benefit of the team! Other clubs on Calle Gonzalo Tanoira are Centauros, with has two grounds and a number of properties. Next to it is El Yacare, the property of Nacho Figueras with both Pablo and Matias Mac Donough. If you fancy a meal, you can always go to Chapa 1, Bautista Heguy’s bar and restaurant which overlooks his polo grounds. They are adjacent to Ruki Baillieu’s polo club, La Indiana, named after his favourite mare. The last property before one rejoins Route 28 is the newest development on Calle Gonzalo Tanoira. It has been erected in the last twelve months and is the beautiful E-shaped barn of Enigma La Estrella. The building was designed and built by Ricky Balzano, in consultation with Jerome Wirth and Malcolm Borwick. A little further along Route 28 is Calle El Monte and it contains a 45
Pilar Chico
Centauros Name of Property: Centauros Owned by: Private Club How long in Pilar: Since 1990 Hectares: 48 Polo Fields: 6 Pony Stabling: 25
Corrals: 15 Excercise Track: 1000 metres Pony Schooling: Yes Accommodation: Private Houses Other Facilities: Clubhouse with pool and Gym Tournaments: Polo Tour (16 goals)
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Cuatro Vientos Name of Property: Cuatro Vientos Polo Club Owned by: The Tanoira family How long in Pilar: Since 1983 Hectares: 95 Polo Fields: 3 Pony Stabling: 50 Corrals: 20
Excercise Track: 1000 metres Pony Schooling: None Accommodation: A private house Other Facilities: None Tournaments: 1 private tournament The Gonzalo Tanoira Cup (20 goals)
Polo One Name of Property: Polo One Owned by: Martin and Patricio Garrahan How long in Pilar: Since 1998 Hectares: 20 Polo Fields: 2 Pony Stabling: 76 Corrals: 35
Excercise Track: 480 metres Pony Schooling: 150 x 150 metres Accommodation: 15 grooms ad a house for Head Groom Other Facilities: Clubhouse, 2 stick and ball fields Tournaments: Four 14 goal tournaments
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Alexandria Name of Property: Alexandria Owned by: Piki Diaz Alberdi How long in Pilar: Since 2004 Hectares: 40 Polo Fields: 2 Pony Stabling: 80
Corrals: 20 Excercise Track: 1000 metres Pony Schooling: Yes Accommodation: A private house with pool Other Facilities: 1 stick and ball field Tournaments: One 16 goal tournament
La Baronesa Name of Property: La Baronesa Owned by: Gonzalo Pieres How long in Pilar: Since 1984 Hectares: 60 Polo Fields: 5 Pony Stabling: 3 x 16 stall barns
Corrals: 40 Excercise Track: 600 metres Pony Schooling: None Accommodation: All barns have grooms accommodation and 3 houses for staff.
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Other Facilities: Clubhouse and 12 bedroom hotel Tournaments: Ellerstina Gold Cup (22 goals), Silver Cup (14 goals)
La Mariana Name of Property: La Mariana Owned by: The Merlos family How long in Pilar: Since 1989 Hectares: 15 Polo Fields: 2
Pony Stabling: 98 Corrals: 4 Excercise Track: 500 metres Pony Schooling: Yes
La Indiana Name of Property: La Indiana Polo Club Owned by: Ruki Baillieu How long in Pilar: Since 2007 Hectares: Originally 62, now 44 Polo Fields: 3 with plans for 2 more Pony Stabling: None, ponies kept elsewhere Corrals: None
Excercise Track: Not yet Pony Schooling: None Accommodation: None currently Other Facilities: Plans stables, hotel with health club and bar and restaurant facilities Tournaments: J M Baillieu Cup (22 goals), R M Barr Smith Cup (14 goals)
Enigma La Estrella Name of Property: Enigma La Estrella Owned by: Jerome Wirth and Malcolm Borwick How long in Pilar: Since 2008 Hectares: 18 (purchase from Ruki Baillieu) Polo Fields: 2 Pony Stabling: E-shaped barn with 40 stables
Corrals: 27 Excercise Track: 340 metres Pony Schooling: Yes Accommodation: 12 grooms Other Facilities: Gym and sauna in loft of barn Tournaments: None
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Other Facilities: 2 stick and ball fields Tournaments: Two 16 goal tournaments Accommodation: 12 grooms and 3 apartments for players
hectare property owned by Mariano Aguerre and Nick Manifold, who have been there five years. El Monte has two polo fields, a stick and ball field, five large corrals (each of one hectare), a barn with 30 stables, 600 metre exercise track, a pony schooling area, five houses with a pool and private grounds where they hold practices and matches but hold no official tournaments. There are a number of other professional players and patrons who have properties in this area but in accordance with their wishes for their details to remain private, no information about them has been printed. I am grateful to Martin Garrahan, the Merlos family, Piki Diaz Alberdi, Tatiana Pieres, Javier Tanoira, Fiona Turney, Ruki Baillieu, Jerome Wirth, Malcolm Borwick and Mariano Aguerre for providing me with information and the opportunity to photograph parts of their properties.
INTERVIEW - ANDREW HINE
From polo Player to Polo Empresario In an exclusive interview with PQ International, Andrew Hine tells all about his current activities, polo past and present, and his expectations on the future of British polo.
Without doubt, Andrew Hine is almost a polo legend. One of the most recognized British players of all times, he is still a symbol of a generation that produced great players, such as brothers Julian and Howard Hipwood. Andrew had a highly professional successful career, winning the Queen’s Cup twice and the Cowdray Park Gold Cup. His debut for England was in 1989 and he was appointed the Captain of the England Polo Team from 1999 to 2003. He retired from International Polo immediately after the win against Mexico in the Coronation Cup of 2003. In 2008 he was named Manager of the England Polo Team by the Hurlingham Polo Association.
Besides his work as manager, Andrew Hine, through his Company “Polofix”, is involved in the annual Audi Polo Awards, as the creator and the organizer of one of the top polo events in the UK season. Considered the Oscars of Polo, the Audi Awards gives recognition to the world’s best players and teams. Tell us a little bit about the UK Awards. How did they start and what is your role in them? My brother Nick and I conceptualised the UK Polo Awards about 5 years ago. At the same time I started the company Polofix with Hamish McLachlan, to do some polo events
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and the Audi Awards was the first event we did in partnership with Nick’s Company one year later. We felt that the game really needed an “Oscars” style event to recognize the winners of the big tournaments and the best players of the season. What do you feel has been the reaction of the players, the patrons and polo people in general to the UK Awards? I think that every year it gains more importance and significance. Like all events, they take time to establish themselves and become a regular feature on the calendar. The spread of Awards across all handicap levels gives
the whole polo community a chance to be a “Nominee” and ‘Award Winner” whilst the introduction of our on-line voting system enables all HPA members to vote for their favourite players, so it really gets the polo community involved! Every year at the Awards we also hold an important Charity Auction which is really well supported by the sponsors, patrons, players and the whole polo community. During the past 4 years Polofix Events have raised nearly 500,000 pounds for various Charities including The Andrea Seavill Trust and the David Heaton Ellis Charity Trust. You played the Coronation Cup several times and you won it more than once. What it’s like to play in the Coronation Cup in an English team? What is the feeling you had? When you are stick and balling before the game, you have time to look around and take in the atmosphere - you see 20 – 25,000 people seated there and you feel like you are in a football stadium. A totally different feeling to playing second game, in the
pouring rain, during the Royal Windsor qualifiers with only one man and a dog watching! You enter the field with a buzz of nervous energy, adrenalin and excitement and then you realize that this is what you have been working for all those years. It’s an amazing feeling when they play the National Anthems- you get a lump in your throat but within minutes they’ve thrown the ball in and its “game-on”. How about your own story with the England team? Well, I first played on Cartier Day for the Coronation Cup in 1989, against Australasia but not again until I played against the United States, in 1997, for the Westchester Cup, which fortunately we won 12- 9. England had not beaten the USA for over 70 years so that is a great memory particularly as we were very much the under dogs. It was also the first time my good friend Will Lucas and I played together for England and my first International playing at “back”. In other Coronation Cups, I played in victorious England teams 71
against The Commonwealth, Brazil and Australia but sadly we lost in extra time against Argentina and between the bells in the last chukka against Chile. They were and still are very painful loses! However in 2003, after the game against Mexico I knew it was time to retire from International polo – winning against the Gracida family of Memo, Carlos, Ruben and Roberto Gonzalez was a great way to finish. What is your role with the national teams? My role as England manager is similar to most High Goal Management positions. I have to organize the practice games, practice fields and opposition and help select the Team with the Coach, the Captain and an HPA selection committee. I also help the players with their pony power for the Internationals. This gets quite complicated as the International dates often conflict with their commercial High Goal commitments in England, Sotogrande, Deauville and St Tropez. We have to be frank with one another in terms of which of their best ponies are available. With so much polo being
played, injury or tiredness can suddenly mean a player is without 2 or 3 of his best ponies and so I help locate fresh ponies that we can borrow or rent to top up when we need. I also try to be the main channel of communication between the players and the HPA, and the management and coaching team. I would to like to think we have forged a strong connection with the players hopefully they know they can discuss anything with me, give their opinions and be informed of what is going on. That’s really important especially in terms of solidarity within the England squad. In the run up to the Westchester Cup you had been doing a good job and your team achieved a big
win. All the comments of the US people were about how well organized the team was and they believed that a part of winning was that organization. The difference between the English and the American team was very big in that sense. What did the Westchester give to the team, in terms of experience? What was your feeling? Well, we’ve undoubtedly had more experience than any other country of playing internationals because we have the Cartier every year and the HPA is really pro-active in sending Senior and Young England teams abroad. We play away International matches regularly in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and more recently Argentina. We
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have also sent senior England Teams to Brazil and Chile, so international polo is really something that we’ve been doing for a long time. When we went to the States we were able to draw on all that experience. and recognize the potential pit falls, especially in regard to being realistic about pony power at the 30 goal level. So, we all moved to the States the week before the game and began trying as many horses as we could. Prior to that we had all drawn up a list of friends and contacts in Palm Beach who might be able to lend or rent ponies. Julian Hipwood performed an incredible job sourcing the ponies, and executing all paperwork and admin which enabled the players to be really well mounted and we realised we would have a fighting chance.
We didn’t expect to be as well mounted as the Americans, but in the end the preparation in getting as well mounted as them paid dividends. Obviously, winning The Westchester in the US was very important for the profile of our players internationally, the English game and its now part of history! Ok, that gives me the link for the next question. What do you think about polo in England at the moment? How has it changed or grown from ten years until now, and what do you think needs working on? English polo is generally in very good health from the top downwards and particularly at the Pony Club level and grass roots level. Polo in England has grown exponentially over the past 10 years – to give you an idea, 10 years ago I would have known most players, their good ponies, all the Clubs and the major Tournaments and dates. Now I flick through the polo magazines and struggle to recognize any of the players and Clubs! There are many many more clubs, players, patrons’ teams, private fields, Corporate Events and sponsors. Over the past 10 years the HPA has invested significant funds into developing younger players through the Development Committee whilst at the same time bringing a more professional approach to the England Squad
by engaging Andrew Tucker as Chef d’Equipe. “Tucks” has been instrumental in arranging the England squad sessions and is playing an extremely valuable role in the commercial development of the “England” brand. I feel that as a direct result of this funding and management, the England squad players have been able take a far more professional approach to their game by working on important areas such as individual fitness, diet, physio, sports psychology and physiology. So how can the English players reach 9 and 10 goal handicaps? Now it’s even harder and harder for everyone, not only for the English. I think we have to continue to be pro-active in encouraging more of our players to set up a winter playing and training base in Argentina. The HPA has senior scholarship Funding which helps finance this, so that’s a step in the right direction. It’s so crucially important to get our players to play with and against the best. However I feel we should also focus on our best 14/15/16 year olds. They need to have exposure to the High Goal (Ellerston) type organisations. We should select our most naturally talented younger players and do all we can to give them the knowledge, contacts and opportunities to become 9 and 10 goal players. If they were tennis players they 73
would be training at the Nick Bolliteri Tennis academy, so I think we need to take this approach with this age group and invest time, money, contacts and knowledge in them through a Polo Academy. And for the young ones that are pushing from behind, do you think it’s getting easier? It is certainly harder for them because of the European nationality rule. When I first turned professional in 1989, we were given some protection through the limitation of only 2 Overseas Professional per team rule. This meant that the best English players on their handicaps had more opportunity to play High Goal and to play with and against the best players from around the world. However our younger players today are finding it much tougher as there is seemingly an abundance of European/Argentine players who will get the High Goal jobs – this is not a problem unique to polo and it is occurring in many other sports such as soccer, rugby, and cricket. In their defence the Governing bodies are often limited about what help they can give home grown players due to European employment laws. You’ve had success and a great time in polo and there are some big matches you’ve won in your
career. What is left for you now and what are your highlights? What have you got from polo? I think one of the best the highlights for me must be when we played against Argentina at Palermo, where we won by half a goal. I managed to score the winning goal through a poorly hit 30 yarder with 6 seconds left on the clock! That was an unbelievable feeling. I‘ve never been so nervous approaching a 30 yard penalty. Will Lucas, who could tell I was nervous, defused the situation by saying “Don’t worry mate…in or out…just hit it!” However to Captain your country and to receive the Coronation Cup from the Queen is really something special and something that I’ll never forget. I’m still fiercely competitive and love playing tournament polo so I’ll continue playing as long as I am fit and healthy. However, I also enjoy the managing and coaching part of the game, which hopefully will develop more in the years ahead. I also love breeding, making and trading ponies
and that is something I‘ll continue to do after I finish playing competitive polo. Like many others in polo, I feel so fortunate that “polo” has given me this enormous family of friends and incredible experiences from travelling all over the world. Playing with your good friends and family is special. I played quite a few seasons with my father in 12 and 15 goal polo and a few times we were able to play as a full family team with my brothers Will and Nick, which was great. I can’t wait for my children to be old enough to start playing but I m sure it won’t be long before they are yelling at me… “leave it Dad – get out of the way!” What are the strangest places you have been because of polo? Once, in 1985, I played with a Guards Polo Club team in Jordan on a sandy polo field covered in oil - there really wasn’t any grass. Every time the Jordanian team scored a goal the military band stood up and started playing
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– needless to say on the odd occasion we scored there was deathly silence! I have played in 25 countries, including China, Brunei, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Kenya, India but I would really love to go and play in Mongolia - I´ve seen the pictures of the polo field. ponies and players and it looks amazing. Now the last question, what do you think about the World Polo Tour? It was overdue to have a ranking system like that. You know how many points each tournament carries and as the season goes on the rankings change depending on each tournament result. I’m sure that if you ask the leading high goal players if they actually look at the rankings, I bet they do. In other sports such as golf and tennis we look at the rankings and see how many weeks a particular player has been the number one and it’s natural for polo to follow suit.
Guards Polo Club invites you to enjoy the world’s best polo... Ivan The Terrible Twilight Polo Challenge Jack Wills Varsity Polo Day The Queen’s Cup Final The GCC Polo Trophy Day The Al Habtoor Royal Windsor Cup Final Ganjam Jaipur Trophy Day & Asia Cup The Meyado Archie David Cup Final The Cartier International Polo Day
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To purchase tickets or become a member please contact; Guards Polo Club, Smith’s Lawn,Windsor Great Park, Egham, Surrey,TW20 0HP Telephone: +44 (0)1784 434212 | Ticket Office: +44 (0)1784 437797 www.guardspoloclub.com 75
INSTITUTIONAL CONFLICT
Just like before, but with a new president By Xavier Prieto Astigarraga For 29 days, the United Kingdom, United States of America and Argentina, “the three big” of this sport, considered themselves out of the International Polo Federation (F.I.P.) for being in disagreement with Patrick Guerrand-Hermès. He was the Federation`s head, and was considered as a self-orientated President. The pressure finally succeeded: the Frenchman resigned and the Australian James Ashton took on the position. Now he may be able to complete the period till year 2012. What could have changed with the previous manager?
Three months later the conflict became unsustainable and by the end of October, the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA), United States Polo Association (USPA) and Argentine Polo Association (A.A.P.) resigned their memberships. Almost one month later they came back to the subject in a meeting of the F.I.P. that took place in
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What would FIFA do if all the football world championships quit the institution? How would United Nations proceed if members of G-8 move away? What would OPEC´s fate be if Middle East nations resigned? The Federation of International Polo (F.I.P.) was involved in a very similar situation when, on October 26th 2009, its three main members, Argentina, United States and United Kingdom, decided to quit the institution. These three nations are the only Category A associations (i.e. associations with more than 1.500 federated players) and also the main world championships´ organisers. But, there is nothing to fear now, as the situation has been successfully settled and the “three nations” are back in the organisation. Polo goes on and the storm is over. Only one victim was left on the way, Patrick GuerrandHermès, now ex-President. The Frenchman is not FIP`s President any more, and James Ashton, who was, until now, the treasurer, took his position. The institutional earthquake, the biggest of the latest 27 years life of the organisation, started during the closing months of 2008, maybe even a while before. But it finished being latent by the end of July, 2009. It was only then that differences between the President and the three greatest nations were stated and become louder and louder, always within the limits of diplomacy (not always true, of course).
19 8 2 Buenos Aires. Shortly after, GuerrandHermès had made its resignation public. Ashton, his successor, took the position provisionally, but he could be confirmed by the beginning of 2010 and he could that way complete the period the Frenchman started. With its main leader´s departure and the newcomer´s appointment, the world polo entity took up its activities again though with some changes. Now well, what has Guerrand-Hermès´ 76
departure meant for the organisation? Why have those three nations forced his resignation? It is good to learn about the details of this issue in order to know what was polo´s institutional situation, what was it aiming at, and what are the plans from now on?
London Summit On the occasion of the Argentine Open Championships 2008, an annual F.I.P. meeting took place in Palermo. By the time the last meeting in Buenos Aires was held, some differences among the President and some directors of the institution´s administrative board (composed of 12 members) had already arisen. Among the current Presidents of the three big, only Thomas Biddle (U.S.P.A.) was in the position by then. Both Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers (H.P.A.) and Luis Eduardo Lalor (A.A.P.) assumed the position during 2009. They had a meeting planned in London with Guerrand-Hermès on July 27th, but they finally decided to meet themselves first, two days before, just to get to know each other and share some viewpoints. The three of them agreed as regards some worrying perceptions: a pronounced self-orientated management of the Frenchman and also an interference of the International Federation in national and binational competitions. Those worries multiplied during the conclave with the F.I.P. leader, who immediately
proposed to them an anti-doping policy, both for players and for horses, and a complete alignment with the International Olympic Committee (C.O.I.) in order for polo to be an Olympic sport again. Guerrand-Hermès and his three colleagues could not come to an agreement as regards any of those issues. They had also got upset about F.I.P.´s intention of organising or including under its control two competitions realised by national federations: Westchester Cup (between USA and England on February 2009, in Palm Beach) and the Cup of Nations, between teams from Argentina, Brazil, England and the Rest of the World, in April, in Buenos Aires. The Westchester Cup has been played between British and American teams since 1886. Nations´ Cup started in 2009, thanks to Francisco Dorignac´s initiative. He finished his second period as President of the A.A.P. with this initiative. On the other hand, some pro F.I.P. voice holds that it was actually created by ex directors and ambassadors of the institution, during a meeting at Marcos Urangas´ house, founder and first President of the International Federation. Contact in France The London conclave was held a day after the Coronation Cup´s dispute, when Argentina defeated England 12-5, in Guards Polo Club, Windsor. Five days after that, in Deauville, France, the first 80 goal handicap meeting in the history of Europe took place. The meeting faced off Ellerstina and La Dolfina. Another situation that also lead to the conflict… The match was called “The Rematch” in reference to a return match of Palermo´s final played in 2008. The meeting was organised by Polo De Deauville (a club presided over by Frenchman Philippe De Nicolay, member of the family which owns Rothschild Bank) and ISO company (a firm that joined both Argentinean clubs and Jorge Neuss, a breeder), and sponsored by the F.I.P. itself, with Guerrand-Hermès´ enthusiasm. It also counted on the sponsorship of Rolex, the watchmaker company that accompanies the greatest
Patrick Guerrand-Hermès
competition of the planet. According to A.A.P. authorities, a promotion of the exhibition talked about the “Argentinean Polo Open”, and that bothered its organiser, the Argentinean Polo Association itself. This organisation believes those names are like trademarks and so they cannot be used without the proper authorization. And so the written crossing started. Marked letters Lalor, from his position as A.A.P. leader, sent Guerrand-Hermès a missive questioning the use of that name and also asking him to provide copy of the contracts signed between F.I.P. and Rolex, and also between F.I.P. and Eurosport (the most important sport TV channel in Europe, which broadcasted the live event in more than 100 countries). According to Eurosport, the match played in Deauville in which Ellerstina defeated La Dolfina 11 to 10, was tuned, at least for a moment, by 4.800.000 viewers. The organisers considered the number excellent, auspicious and hopeful for the old continent´s high handicap. In the text sent by the President of A.A.P., signed on August 11th, remarks were not limited to the trademarks rights´ issue. They rejected the 77
application of the World Anti-doping Association´s parameters in this sport: “we will not accept non-applicable, harmful, imposed regulations in this activity”. They criticized, without giving the name, Deauville´s match: “we want to avoid F.I.P. from twisting its objective so that it does not end up competing with each country association or encouraging private competitive initiatives that may turn out being not serious and may be detrimental for polo”. They stated that F.I.P. was deciding over some relevant issues without A.A.P.´s approbation. “They are deciding without our consent, and that has to change”. The addressee, both dazzled and hurt, did not answer the note. Lack of understanding increased. Attitudes between one side and the other grew apart and tension, in crescendo. Colquhoun-Denvers, H.P.A.´s Chairman, unofficially negotiated the resignation of Guerrand-Hermès on behalf of the three greatest, which deeply offended the Frenchman and reaffirmed his attitude, even when before conflict he had already planned to leave the Presidency by the end of current year or beginning of 2010, in order to deal with some familiar health problems.
James Ashton in his first day of presidency at the Park Hyatt - Buenos Aires
United Kingdom´s representative even asked to include in the agenda of the Buenos Aires annual meeting´s, held on November 23th, the resignation of those strongest men in the International Federation. Besides, another complaint the three greatest had: Guerrand-Hermès, because of his supposed dictatorship, had not sent the meeting´s agenda 30 days before, as set in the rules. On one hand, so, were the three most powerful countries which, together, bring more than 9000 federated players together, against some 7500 from the rest. On the other hand, were the president, some loyal directors and several small polo nations. Among pro federation voices, sounded that of Farouk S. Younes, member of the Council of Administration and the Executive Committee of F.I.P. who, on October 25th wrote to his colleagues: “your decision for the removal of President Patrick Guerrand-Hermès saddens and disappoints me [...] Today’s attitude by the three major Federations is unacceptable to me and totally denotes the self serving mercantile interest of these Federations. This bullying behavior is neither constructive nor politically correct in the world we live in today, it denotes a total disregard and lack of respect for the rest
of the Federations [...] I am therefore resigning from the Council of Administration and the Executive Committee of FIP as of the 23rd November, 2009 after the General Assembly Meeting”. Good bye…or, till later” Far from calming the situation, the message from the Egyptian preceded only one day the decision of the three greatest to quit International Polo Federation. Their decision was written in two letters sent, on October 26th, to the Council of Administration. That is how F.I.P. lost its three bastions, members who not only owned more than 50% of the federated polo players around the world and the most important competitions, but also had the majority of votes. Because of this the general meeting of November was not valid since there were not enough quorums. In the same way a human body needs a brain, a heart and two lungs in order to work, the entity needs to count on the participation of Argentina, United States and United Kingdom to go on. That same day, Guerrand-Hermès sent Lalor a very tough letter. “Attacking me as a person or representative of an IOC Institution is totally unwise. [...] the brutality of your action 78
has set a confrontation with some 40 other countries where many Argentines work thanks to the coordination set by FIP [...] This does not mean that they have to be under your boot”, he whipped. And postscript said: “I was interrupted while dictating this letter by the constructor of two new polo grounds in construction in Marrakesh. It is probably the 40th polo ground that I have been promoting somewhere in the world. This is the man you took as a target? How many ponies, saddles, mallets and jobs for Argentines have I helped to secure? Your refusal to speak normally to an old man like me is for the least unreasonable”. The matter that initiated the conflict was politic, though soon after it gave rise to personal resentment. In that sense were addressed the words said by a spokesman of the three national institutions: “it is with the deepest regret that we three associations have resigned from the F.I.P. We strongly believe in the concept of a global body to represent the sport of polo in international forums, but we have been disappointed by the unwillingness of the current President to take on board or even discuss the concerns of ourselves and others. The polo world is a small one, so it is sad day for the game and we will now have to look at how best we can continue to help expand the game in the many countries where it is now played or might be introduced”. The day after the “big” resignations, the French director sent the other members of the Council of Administration an e-mail expressing his upset about the critics and attitude adopted by the quitting countries, beside a wide defence for his work as regards world polo. Although polite, Guerrand-Hermès was harsh in his words. He rejected the political lawsuit order because he considered as false all those accusations against him as regards having acted without asking previously the Council of Administration or Executive Committee, “breaking the unity of the Federation and its proper administration”. He talked about an achievement when referring to the audience of more than 4.800.000 viewers during “The Rematch”:“this is an all time record and will undoubtedly benefit the entire polo community both nationally (including
Ramón Franco, President of the Argentine Polo Players Association; Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers, President of the Hurlingham Polo Association; Luis Lalor, President of the Argentine Polo Association; Patrick Guerrand- Hermés, President of the FIP; Javier Herrera, Director of the World Polo Tour; and Tom Biddle, President of the United States Polo Association
Argentina as it has exposed the best Argentine polo teams as never before) and internationally”, he said. And he even used his irony for highlighting his work at the entity: “it appears to me that I am blamed for having [...] pursued with too much fervour the missions and objectives of FIP”. Which are exactly those aims and tasks the president must watch over? As Guerrand-Hermès stated, those aims are “to promote international tournaments” and “give polo back into the Olympic Games” among others. And one of his main tasks as head of the organization is “to represent FIP in its relationships with other international associations, the IOC, and any other bodies and individuals of importance to FIP functions”. There lies the heart of the conflict: Olympic polo, antidopig, and F.I.P.´s promotion as regards international tournaments, previously organized by national associations. One paragraph of president´s email was clear and convincing: “H.P.A., U.S.P.A. and A.A.P. are strongly opposed to polo joining the I.O.C. mainly due to a refusal to comply with W.A.D.A. regulations, and [...] each of these Federations prefers promoting its own interest, rather than the interest of polo worldwide. I am alarmed by
the terms of the H.P.A. Letter which provide that the status quo needs to be maintained, that FIP «should not interfere» with national federations [...] by organizing international tournaments (such as the Cup of the Nations, the Americas Cup and the Westchester), and that «any F.I.P. additional fixtures are likely to create some sort of conflict with existing national fixtures or tournaments»”, he warned. PQ international interviewed Luis Lalor in order to learn the fundamentals about the drastic determination of quitting F.I.P., before the return of the three greatest. The head of A.A.P. told: “we know there have been several decisions taken without consent or with only few members in agreement. So, the three Vice-Presidents met, we tried to change the orientation, we did not succeed and we decided to quit. It does not mean we do not want to be part of F.I.P.. It is possible to go back, sure, but we haven´t been able to do so in more than six months by now; probably since the last Cup of the Nations (played on April). The high handicap ex-polo player stated why he was opposed to Guerrand-Hermès intentions: “Nations is one of our tournaments and F.I.P. pretended to own it. The same happened 79
with Westchester Cup, and there was also a meddling attempt with the Americas Cup. We would like to manage the times ourselves. We are not against anti-doping, but there is a national law and we can not set out a different situation”. The work of the sub-committee of ponies and equine´s was problematic. And polo, being an Olympic sport, is a dream. But we only get four selected for a 26 goal tournament. The Olympic Games would be the Argentine Open, with eight argentine teams. And the Olympic Games with handicap would be like Paralympics Games, since there is no handicap in the orthodox ones. The Games are a wish, a dream for a next generation. I wish it would happened again what we lived in the ´36. It would be a pride for us”, he said, referring to the victory 73 years ago in Berlin. Lalor, all the same made it clear that the institutions he leads do not wish to be a stone inside a shoe. “A.A.P. does not have any problem about Rolex being a sponsor in other events, we are not against exhibitions, and we are not against La Revancha, neither. We just want there to be no talk of “Argentine Open” in Deauville. We are in favour of polo”, he added.
There is another Argentinean in the Council of Administration, Eduardo Huergo. He also talked to PQ International: “He resigned in order for F.I.P. to be better. We moved away till the situation was cleared. Palermo is a trademark and its name cannot be used without consent. We do not disagree about anti-doping; we disagree about its application. Argentina depends on the Centro Nacional de alto Rendimiento Deportivo and cannot take a commitment by itself. England is our reference nowadays. Polo will never be included in the Olympic Games because of its disparity, so, let us not spend our energy there.” Although Argentina is the world polo leader, it was the Hurlingham Polo Association who took the initiative against F.I.P.´s president and asked him to resign. All this upset GuerrandHermès who also talked with PQ International before the fundamental decision taken by the three greatest. · Personalism: “F.I.P. has spent 3.000 dollars per month in communications with the different countries, the three greatest included. The problem is they think «we should have authority above the President»”. · Argentina open rights: «La Revancha» is a name we learnt about in November 2008, and we talked about it with Luis. I´ve been President of the European Trademark Defence Association; in this case a team has a title and Palermo is a neighbourhood. Besides we have never used it for fear that we could offend the A.A.P. So this institution sent Rolex letter asking them “why have you allowed that?”». And Rolex sent me a letter saying it was in order to increase their investments in polo. · Olympic Game and Polo: “we are recognised inside Olympic movement thanks to Marcos Uranga, but all three associations denied F.I.P´s commitment with C.O.I.
They do not realise about the importance of being part of the Olympics. Federated countries give polo some economic support in order to encourage it as an Olympic discipline. C.O.I. pays 36.000 dollars to boost polo; it is a commitment in favour of this sport. If we deny our commitments, we will have no support. On the other hand, and because of being part of the Olympic movement, we are invited to the World Equestrian Games. Next they are taking place in Lexington, United States, in October 2010. The following will be held in Deauville, in the year 2012. My idea was a limit of 24 to 30 goals, but F.I.P. must express itself as regards this. If we take into account players who have two passports, we can make 12 teams of 25 to 28 goals. We can talk about polo as an exhibition sports not before year 2016 or 2020. It is likely that Brazil includes polo in its Games (Rio de Janeiro, 2016). · Doping: “the three greatest rejected the rules of W.A.D.A. in order to make its own, at the right time. But, in Copenhagen (where the Olympic venue for year 2016 was set) we were asked about the incident in Palm Beach, where 20 horses died (from Lechuza Caracas team). Universal rules as regards fair sport must be fulfilled, and that implies fighting against doping both for horses and humans. But the three of them rejected this. Said attitude meant, if F.I.P. did organize the 24-26 goals world championship, taking out sponsors from the tournament since, big companies committed to not representing sports where W.A.D.A. rules are not fulfilled. · The resignation: “they asked me to resign. They cheated on me telling me «if you leave, we will name you Honorary President», but all ex-Presidents have a title. Nicholas ColquhounDenvers represented the three greatest and asked to add my resignation in the
annual meeting´s agenda. They will not come back till I have resigned”. · The future: “This is a usual growth crisis. It happened in golf, too, when power shifted to P.G.A. and English control was lost. And now again they came back to the International Federation. It also occurred in professional rugby. As regards polo, we are all right in some way. It would be stupid to think that only one owns the truth. As regards me, I do not wish to cause any problem. I have always been pacific and friendly. The next President will have to achieve an understanding between smalls and greatest, and manage to avoid disciples from dominating masters. Things were clear by now. The separation of United States, Argentina and United Kingdom from the entity meant “you resign or we do”. They were not trying to be imitated by B countries (between 101 and 1499 players) or C countries (till 100 federated players). They did not want to establish a new international federation. They just wanted Guerrand-Hermès to resign. And their pressure was really hard: both in politic-diplomatic and politic-normative, as well. You can not govern when you have against you 55% of the world registered polo players (that means 9000 out of 16500 approximately) and also because F.I.P. bylaws do not allow to hold a meeting without quorum. Buenos Aires Summit That was the agenda of the annual meeting held on November 23rd, 2009, in Jockey Club Argentino. As the three greatest were not present, and because of that there was no quorum, the meeting was not considered official. But the conclave resulted at least in a debate where fundamental decisions arisen. The main of those decisions was Guerrand-Hermès´ resignation.
International activity does not stop During last Buenos Aires Summit, both Canada and Argentina have arisen as possible candidates to organise the next world championship up to 14 goals, which would take place during 2011. By year 2010, it has been confirmed the second part of the Cup of the Nations, in April in Buenos Aires. The news is that it may be played by six teams instead of four. They could be Argentina, England, Brazil, Chile, Commonwealth (with players from Oceania) and Mexico or United States.
In case the number of competitors is not even, two local teams could play. A possible match between United Sates and Argentina in Palm Beach was ruled out due to some schedule difficulties. The clash was not meant to dispute the prestigious Americas Cup (prize that has not faced those teams since San Antonio, 1980) since the match was going to be 33 goals per team.
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Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers (HPA), Patrick Guerrand-Hermes (FIP), Tommy Biddle (USPA) and Luis Lalor (AAP), during the meeting in London on July 27, 2009
Guerrand-Hermès´ resignation. It was not an easy decision for the Frenchman. The day before of the meeting was Sunday, and several persons, friends and not friends, tried to encourage him to sign the good-bye letter. Even members of H.P.A., U.S.P.A. and A.A.P. tried to make him understand that F.I.P. will never be considered as a world sport representative without those entities. He accepted to resign just after arranging certain issues, but pressure increased and finally that night he resigned. The next morning his resignation was the first news among F.I.P.´s ambassadors. Guerrand-Hermès did not comment about his reasons, and just then, in the middle of a general applause, he left the room and the highest world polo position. So, Colquhoun-Denvers, Stephen Orthwein (ex head of U.S.P.A. representing Biddle) and Lalor, whose resignations had not been accepted, came back. In this way Argentina, United Kingdom, Ireland and United States were once again members of the F.I.P. (though actually they had never stopped being them). Once the organisation had no head, it was mandatory to elect a President. Preference went to the treasurer, James Ashton, an Australian 68 year old, whose term of office was supposed to be in force till 2010 and who would now be able to complete Guerrand-Hermès mandate till 2012. Meanwhile he is the provisional President and his continuity or departure will be decided in the next annual meeting which has two possible dates and venues: end of February or beginning of March in Palm Beach, or
April in Buenos Aires. “Ashton is a talkative person. He is one of the oldest directors of this institution and will surely give it the principle´s orientation. In other words, he will be a link among countries, will encourage polo in new nations and help the growth of international polo. To unite polo all around the world”, said Lalor as regards that man who lives in Sydney and was responsible for the organization of the 14 goal World Championship held in 2001. The new President started playing polo in 1963 and reached 4 goals in handicap, but he had to give up polo five years later because of a disease. However he came back to polo 15 years later and he still plays. He was the leader of the Australian Polo Council and, in the mid-nineties, he founded Millamolong Club, which hosted female polo and also Ambassador´s championships. Apart from polo, he breeds sheep and cultivates wines. “The crisis is over, but there is still much work to do. With the three largest associations now back in the fold, we will all work together over the coming months to re-define the mission of the FIP for the benefit of all our 50-plus member countries, small and large”, declared the director . Main aims of his mandate are three: transparency, responsibility and decentralisation. In more specific grounds, Ashton focuses on: · handicaps: he wishes to correct existing anomalies between the -2 goals and the 1. · rules: to restore them as they were before polo pro-am advent (professional – amateur), and sign an international agreement about them. · delegating power over F.I.P.´s area 81
coordinators so that they can organize competitions and clinics for children and judges. · increasing entity´s profits (e.g. with merchandising) in order to hire a full time salary-earning general manager and also a secretarial (not already defined where the offices will be set, but it is confirmed that Carolina Donoso will continue as secretary). · introduce a F.I.P. credit card. · to get corporative sponsors for different F.I.P.´s events and so avoid, in this way, conflicts about corporative sponsorships´ interests of national federations´ events. “Our reconstituted Council of Administration and new committees will be studying all the issues of governance and administration that led us into crisis in the first place. We will also be concentrating upon some basics like international rules of the game and the handicapping system. The most important thing is that we now remain completely transparent in what the FIP is doing or planning to do and that we operate in consultation with all the national polo associations and with their approval”, expressed Ashton. It was the first time an international polo president resigned, even more, when polo was going through a great moment. Once all difficulties have been overcome, we will see what was gained and what lost. If we think about the past, prior to Guerrand-Hermès, it seems like there will be little modifications instead of big changes. May be, in a few decades the balance will be more clearly appreciated.
TRAVEL - SOUTHAFRICA
PLAY AND STAY AT HORSEBACK AFRICA Article by Iain Forbes-Cockell (“The Major”). Photos courtesy of Jonathan Doig. Additional photos by Shirley and Anton van Loggerenberg Out of Africa there is always something new.
Indeed now something new and special out of South Africa. Awakening to fresh air, clear blue skies, and peering out of my cosy lodge room I saw a huge giraffe casually strolling by and zebras snatching a last munch of the green grass before the groundsman hastily moved them off his immaculately trimmed lodge lawn. Three cheeky ostriches merely ran circles around this totally unnecessary (according to them) commotion. I heard the last strains of the majestic roars of the resident lions 30 metres from my room (they were behind a high voltage electric fenced compound). No I was not dreaming – I was on a polo holiday at Horseback Africa. The previous evening the MacRae family warmly welcomed me to their bushveld game reserve which is less than an hour away from the Johannesburg
international airport. After tasty starters the family and guests sat down to a hearty meal of expertly barbequed Tbone steak, fresh vegetables and salads and a scrumptious dessert. The perfect evening was rounded off by us all sitting around the open fire sipping superb South African wine and chatting about the many interesting wild animals of the African bush. This family run business is a first to combine the charm and beauty of an African game reserve with the exhilarating “sport of kings”. Horseback Africa started some 15 years ago taking airline pilots and cabin crew members on horse-riding safaris viewing wildlife from exceptionally close by. As the younger generation matured they were smitten by the incurable polo bug (Polomyolitus horribilis). The same zeal that has kept them in the
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competitive and demanding airline stay-over leisure market for so many years has been applied to their new concept of an ideal polo holiday for the whole family. Catering for low goal players, they offer stick and ball sessions in the early mornings, followed by short stick and wooden horse practice, with chukkas in the cooler afternoons. Every holiday has a professional polo coach for the full period with for example Sean Dayus, a Hurlingham Polo Association qualified instructor and member of the Rules Committee who is based at Tidworth. The second course I attended had Gavin Chaplin, a South African former 7 goal international player who specialises in coaching all over the world. Sean is excellent with novices and Gavin’s modern computer based swing analysis package and excellent play strategy insight greatly
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benefits all, even the higher goal players. The friendly and enthusiastic Horseback Africa Polo Club members were always ready to play with visiting guests, ensuring both a fun and safe learning experience for us all. Each course was concluded with a tournament against some invited teams from the vicinity. The well trained low goal ponies, full size polo field, a stick and ball field and the stunning setting, frequently with giraffe, ostrich, zebra or one of the many antelope species as bemused spectators, made this an experience not to be forgotten. What makes the whole experience special is the programme on offer for
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any accompanying family members, so often neglected on polo holidays. Included in their holiday package is the possibility of a daily horseback safari accommodating all levels from absolute beginner to advanced rider – for which Horseback Africa is renowned. Then there are the daily lion tours. Taking up to six month old lions (they are about the size of a large dog) for a bush walk and observing their romping, stalking and natural behaviour is an experience you will never forget. Feeding the baby lions (about the size of a large domestic cat) on the lodge lawn offers you the chance to cuddle the cute little cubs. According to
individual interest and time available they can take guests to places like the elephant rehabilitation sanctuary, the world heritage status Sterkfontein cave and Cradle of Mankind Museum, diamond or gold mine underground tours, a cheetah breeding sanctuary, shopping trips to an African craft market or to one of the largest malls in the southern hemisphere, a visit to the world famous Pretoria zoo - the list is extensive. On every holiday package there is the option of one evening at the Barnyard Theatre where there is a relaxed fun filled atmosphere and you can dance and sing along with the performers.
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In summary, a trip to play and stay at Horseback Africa offers sunshine, good low goal polo with quality instruction, swimming pool, heated spa, charming accommodation, superb food, and an exciting supporting programme for the family. There is also a large selection of airlines flying to Johannesburg, with no jet lag from European destinations. I recommend you visit their website www.horsebackafrica.com and see what they have to offer. The MacRae family would really look forward to your visit.
SPECIAL ARTICLE - PALM BEACH
Palm Beach Season 2010 By Y.A. Teitelbaum Since its launch some 30 years ago, Wellington has been the epicenter of high-goal polo in the United States.
The greatest players of each generation entertained thousands of spectators weekly. Players such as Gonzalo Tanoira, Antonio Herrera, Cacho Merlos, Lionel Macaire and Howard Hipwood joined legendary superstars Gonzalo Pieres, Memo Gracida and Carlos Gracida at Palm Beach Polo
in the 1980s. Pieres and the Gracida brothers were then joined by Mariano Aguerre, Mike Azzaro, Adam Snow, Cristian Laprida, Pite and Sebastian Merlos and the Heguys – as well as a precocious 15-year-old Adolfo Cambiaso, who burst onto the scene in 1991 – throughout the 1990s.
Field 1 of Grand Champion Polo Club (Marc and Melissa Ganzi's house in the backround)
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Now, the latest generation of superstars has joined Cambiaso and Aguerre, including Facundo and Gonzalito Pieres, Juan Martin Nero, Nicolas Roldan and the Astrada brothers at International Polo Club Palm Beach. Polo hasn’t changed much in the 30 years it’s been played in Wellington.
The level of play has remained high, higher than anywhere else in North America, and there’s more of it. It is the major leagues of polo on the continent. Since establishing a base in Wellington, there have been peaks and valleys; perhaps the lowest was in the early part of the current decade when teams played on private fields but without a stadium and large crowds. That hurdle was solved seven years ago when John Goodman had IPC built. “I’m happy to see the sport growing,” said Goodman, whose Isla Carroll has won two U.S. Open titles and will be playing in the 20-goal season
at IPC in 2010. “This is the equestrian center of the world in the winter.” The 2010 season is expected to be very competitive with at least a dozen 20-goal teams and eight 26-goal teams expected to participate, according to IPC polo manager Jimmy Newman. “I’m really excited about this season,” said Newman. “We have more 20-goal teams than last year. We’re doing medium-goal polo and we have a polo school. We have the complete package.” Nine teams competed in two 20goal tournaments last season, down from 11 teams in 2008. Tommy Lee Jones’ San Saba and Kelly Beal’s BTA have dropped out from last season, 87
The remaining infraestructure of the Palm Beach Polo and Country Club, which it was once the best club in the USA
but several teams are expected to step in, including the return of Gillian Johnston and Bendabout as well as Fred Mannix Jr. and Millarville, along with newcomers Faraway Farm, Equuleus and Zacara. The 26-goal season is highlighted by the return of Crab Orchard with Cambiaso, Julio Arellano, Hilario Ulloa and patron George Rawlings. Other 26-goal teams include defending U.S. Open champion Audi with Facundo and Gonzalito Pieres, Orchard Hill, Las Monjitas, Pony Express, Grand Champions, Lechuza Caracas, Nespresso-Black Watch and Valiente, which is making its first appearance at IPC. Missing from the 26-goal season will be Peter Brant’s White Birch, which has been the dominant team in the U.S. for almost 30 years, winning more high-goal titles than anyone. Brant has opted not to play in 2010, although Aguerre is playing the 20-goal season
with Millarville. While the 26-goal tournaments may not be as robust as in some years, it is still a strong turnout. There is always an ebb and flow with teams. “I’m confident high-goal is here for a long time,” said Newman. Goodman, Newman and Audi’s Marc Ganzi, who started Grand Champions Polo Club with his wife, Melissa, several years ago, believe polo’s future remains bright. “The future of high-goal appears to be secure in the Wellington area for many years to come,” said Marc Ganzi. “There are three key factors as to why high-goal thrives here. First, it starts with having the premier high-goal facility in the country (if not the world) in IPC. John Goodman’s commitment to high-goal polo (as well as all levels) is unmatched here in the USA. Second, all of the leading high-goal polo organizations in the United States 88
(Isla Carroll, Orchard Hill, Las Monjitas, Bendabout, Audi, White Birch, Lechuza, Pony Express, Crab Orchard) either reside here or have significant operations here – therefore it allows these teams to compete effectively and on level terms. Lastly, Wellington is really the only venue in the U.S. today that has competitive polo played almost year-round – having polo played here year-round is critical for the economy that supports the game and it allows for that support system to stay in place and keep the game accessible to patrons at all levels. With these three factors in place, high-goal polo will not only survive in Wellington, but when the macro-economic environment turns, it is conceivable that highgoal polo has all the right ingredients to grow over the next five years.”
POLO IS FUN AT SANTA CLARA POLO CLUB By Y.A. Teitelbaum Luis Escobar talks about his passion and development of his polo school and vacation complex.
Luis Escobar enjoys living and playing polo in Wellington and wants to share his passion with the world. He still plays actively, mainly in the USA, specifically in Palm Beach, Aiken and California. Escobar’s polo school and vacation program at his family’s Santa Clara Polo Club is located about one mile from International Polo Club Palm Beach, site of the only three 26 goal tournaments in North America, including the U.S. Open. ”I’ve had a polo school and vacation program for about 14 years,” said Escobar, a 7 goaler, “but I did not want to grow it since I still play very actively in the high goal. People were aware of it mainly by word of mouth.” The 38 year old Escobar continues to play throughout the United States but realizes he must prepare for life after high goal polo. His polo school and vacation program will open in mid-December and run through the end of the U.S. Open (April 18). Escobar said it was possible he would continue the school in May and June if
there was enough interest. “Hopefully, one day it will be year round,” said Escobar, who is dedicating 12 horses to the program, mostly 7 to 10 year olds, complemented by some older retired horses that he has just finished playing regularly. “This is a school but more than that, it is a vacation polo program for all levels, from beginner chukkas to fully organized practices up to 26 goals,” said Escobar, who will also host individual and group clinics of all levels. “I want to attract the players that haven’t had the opportunity to play high-goal polo, to have them try it out. Also, I believe a lot of Europeans can utilize it to get ready for their season, so they can come and play some good practices in Palm Beach.” Escobar first came to Wellington with his parents in 1978 when he was 7 years old and was hooked. He finished high school in Costa Rica, then moved to Wellington in 1989 and attended Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, graduating with a marketing degree. Escobar played polo when he could,
Santa Clarita Polo Club, own by Francisco Escobar
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basing his operation out of Santa Clara Polo Club, which his father purchased in 1984. “My father named it after my mom’s third name, Clara,” said Escobar. “Santa stands for Saint. He realized she had to be a Saint if she was married to him, hence the name Santa Clara.” Santa Clara has two polo fields and two small practice fields with full boarding and stall rentals available. There is a very comfortable lounge for the player’s family and friends to enjoy plus indoor and outdoor tables to enjoy an Argentine style asado. Santa Clara Polo Club is convenient for a plethora of activities, with the exclusivity of Palm Beach and its renowned shopping, restaurants and beaches less than 30 minutes away to the glitz of South Beach about an hour away. For families, Disney is a two-and-ahalf hour drive. Not to mention that it is in the epicenter of world-class polo. “There was no other option in my mind than to live and play in Palm Beach,” said Escobar. “It’s the best place to play in the United States.”
HISTORY - OLYMPICS BERLIN 1936
Berlin Olympic Stadium today, 73 years later! PQ International visited Berlin, to discover the place where the Olympic Games in 1936 were played, to show the actual conditions of both the Olympiastadion and the Maifeld, the ground still remembered as the place where polo was played as an Olympic sport for the last time as well as Argentina's historical victory over England, to win the Gold Medal.
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Entrance to the Olympic Stadium in Berlin,91 today, exactly as it was 73 years ago at the top of the podium
Big Nazi original bell, that was once situated at the top of the big bell tower at the Maifeld polo field during 1936 Olympic Games
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This is where the Olympic flame was placed during the 1936 Olympic Games, in a way that could be seen from all over the Olympic stadium as well as from Maifeld
After the defeat suffered in World War I, Germany was excluded from participating in the Olympic Games. This ban was lifted in May, 1931, when the International Olympic Committee designated Berlin as the venue for the XI Olympic Games of the Modern Age, which had been reinstated by Baron Pierre de Coubertin in 1896, to revive the amateur sporting spirit of Ancient Greece. Due to different reasons, these Games would not only become part of the history of sports but also of Germany’s historic context at the time. At the beginning of the decade of the 1930s, Germany was governed by elderly president Paul von Hindenburg and the country’s socio-economic situation was not at its best due to their humiliating defeat in World War I (1914-1918) that forced Germany to sign the Treaty of Versailles, which brought about serious economic and social consequences for the country, and the Great Depression that followed the Stock Market Crash of 1929. In those days, an individual whom a
few years before had only been considered a minor agitator and leader of a political movement known as the National Socialist Party, was beginning his rise to power. This obscure character would end up becoming one of the most sinister individuals in history: Adolf Hitler. Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist Party were at the height of their power when Berlin hosted the Olympic Games in 1936 and, therefore, all leaders took advantage of the occasion and used this as a powerful propaganda-related show-window for its regime. Hitler specially ordered a film for the occasion, which not only reflected Nazi power but also the superiority of the Aryan race, stressing the achievements of German sportsmen and women. This was depicted in “Olympia”, a film that, despite the regime’s propaganda, is nowadays considered to be one of the best in history, and led by film-maker Leni Riefenstahl, who was part of the dictator’s close circle of friends. The Games were inaugurated on 93
August 1st, 1936, at the impressive Olympiastadion, built by Hitler’s favourite architect, Albert Speer, with the presence of delegations from 52 countries, Argentina among them, who took their polo team amongst their most outstanding representatives, and who won their second gold medal, after the one they obtained in Paris in 1924. As gold-medal defending champions, Argentina sent a 27-goal team to participate in the Games, formed by Luis Duggan, Roberto Cavanagh, Andrés Gazzotti and Manuel Andrada. Unlike the rest of the Argentine sportsmen and women who travelled there on the ocean liner Cap Arcona, polo players did so on a different ship, as Roberto Cavanagh recalls in an interview from the year 2000: “We travelled separately from the rest of the Argentine delegation and we arrived in Europe on a cargo ship that left us in France, and we stayed there for a month. Later, we travelled to Belgium to train during 20 days and we finally arrived in Germany a week before the Games began”.
Maifeld Polo Field as it looks today, 73 years after the Olympics
Argentina received the gold medal presented by one of the most regrettably well-known characters of the Nazi regime. “Hitler was there when we were awarded the medals, but they were presented by his assistant, the guy that had a slight limp”, recalls Cavanagh, referring to Joseph Goebbels, the sinister Nazi propaganda minister.
Cavanagh stayed at a hotel in the centre of the city with Luis Duggan. Every morning, they were awoken by the noise coming from the assault troops’ parade. “We toured around the city with Luis as much as we could”, mentioned Cavanagh. “Back then, Berlin was all about propaganda. We entered every place, but could not forget the little salute (NB: he refers to the typical Nazi salute, with the right arm extended and raised). Even at the hotel, when we sat down for breakfast, the waiter greeted us with a loud Heil Hitler”. Cavanagh got a close-up view of the dictator and he recalls how fanatical the Germans were of this character’s image: “I saw Hitler close up. I remember it was a horrible day, it
seemed like it was going to rain. I told Luis we had better leave because we were going to get wet, and a guy who was standing beside us interrupted and said– ‘Don’t leave, Sirs, it’s not going to rain’. We looked at each other and asked him – ‘What do you mean it’s not going to rain?’ The guy’s answer was a resounding ‘There is Hitler’. They were that fanatical…” All matches were going to be played on a field named Maifeld, adjacent to the Olympiastadion and, in principle, seven countries were going to take part, but in the end those that participated in the competition were Argentina, England, Mexico, Hungary and Germany. The matches began on Monday, 94
August 3rd, and continued until Saturday, with one game played per day. It had been decided that Argentina, England and Mexico would play a roundrobin in order to decide who would be competing for the gold and silver medals, whilst Germany and Hungary would be playing for the bronze medal. So, on that Monday, the debut of powerful England would be taking place, since they had three Olympic gold medals to their credit: Paris 1900, London 1908, and Antwerp 1920, in addition to two silver medals (Paris 1900 and London 1908) and a bronze medal (Paris 1924). The British team started off by winning 13-11 against Mexico in a match
which the English controlled comfortably. Subsequently, Germany and Hungary tied their match at 8-8, and in the third game played on Wednesday, Argentina clearly beat Mexico 15-5. After witnessing this victory, Brigadier Jack Gannon wrote: “For a guy of his age, Andrada played very well, but they all hit the ball well and are spectacularly well mounted, which makes me fear what may happen when they play against England”. After Hungary snatched away Germany’s possibilities of winning the bronze medal when they defeated them 16-6, Mexico came third with their 16-2 victory against the Hungarians. Thus came Friday, the day on which the eagerly awaited match would be played for the gold medal, when England and Argentina would finally meet. The masters of polo would be playing against their pupils. In principle, England would be taking the same line-up that had beaten the United States playing for the Westchester Cup in June 1936: Hesketh Hughes, Gerald Balding, Eric Tyrrell-Martin and Captain
Humphrey Guinness. However, not long before, three of them were unable to travel, and were thus replaced by three officers: Captain Bryan Fowler, Captain William Robert Hinde and Captain David Dawnay, who joined Captain Guinness and played for the English team. Unfortunately for Brigadier Gannon, his forecasts were correct. The English would be mounted on the regiment’s horses, which meant that they would have to come up against spectacular Argentine polo ponies that were superior speed-wise. Completely overwhelmed by the Argentine team, the English did nothing but hit the ball once or twice making it bounce against the goal posts, without scoring a single goal. The final result was a resounding and indisputable 11-0. Roberto Cavanagh, who was 21 years old back then, and was the youngest on the team, recalls: “After the match, we were told that some Germans had said – the Argentines are so mean. They are not allowing the English to score a single goal!”
Part of "the wall" that is still standing in Berlin
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Argentina received the gold medal presented by one of the most regrettably well-known characters of the Nazi regime. “Hitler was there when we were awarded the medals, but they were presented by his assistant, the guy that had a slight limp”, recalls Cavanagh, referring to Joseph Goebbels, the sinister Nazi propaganda minister. Moreover, the champions received an oak tree, which the team brought back to Argentina. Each of them also received a similar one in a flowerpot. As suggested by Jack Nelson, who was the Chairman of the Argentine Polo Association back then, said oak tree was planted at Palermo, between both fields. Today, this oak tree continues to stand tall, with a plate commemorating the feat and the last gold medal won by Argentine polo and, furthermore, on which occasion polo participated as an Olympic sport for the last time.
TIP OF THE ISSUE - MAGO AGUERRE
A master of Physio Mago Aguerre obviously like animals as well as humans. He was physio to Los Pumas, Argentina's Rugby team and now includes being physio for Les Lions amongst his many activities.
I became a physiotherapist in 1982, and later I studied to become a Physical Education Teacher, specializing in High Performance, and graduated in 1986. While studying Movement Analysis, I definitely realized that the path I had followed was the correct one. If I managed to achieve a perfect understanding of the muscle groups taking part in arm elevation, and the nerves affecting them, both the solution and the diagnosis would come closer to being correct. Very often, patients enquire about the techniques used. The answer lies in analysing the problem in a global context as, in many cases, certain pathologies come as a consequence of not resolving others which may be compensatory and in other cases basic, due to the wrong use of a technique. If you want to know which the best technique is, then it would be the one that leads to a definitive cure. This only comes with correct diagnosis that will then lead to a correct solution. If a patient has pulled a rear muscle, the first part of the problem is being solved. But a patient may also say that we have cured a torn muscle and this would be false. That is why there are more comprehensive diagnosis systems such as ultrasound scans, which may clear up any type of doubt.
How to keep fit? I associate keeping fit with effort, adopting the philosophy of life we may choose. And it is also true that due to genetic factors we inherit metabolic rules or bone structure which, in short, will show the deficient areas that must be worked on in order to achieve a better performance. At present, elite sportsmen/women do their training based on the concept of Specificity. As regards polo, there is no need for an exquisite cardiovascular performance, though it must be
concurrent with the multiple effort of levers in different and specific angulations. All 10 goal players have different bone and tonic structures, with different anthropometric measurements but it is their organizations who maintain their success. Feeling well physically, with no pains, enables us to think better and to choose better, and this, in short, is the spirit of the game. This is the reason why medicine is interdisciplinary and essentially preventive. You play the way you live.
The keys to becoming a good physiotherapist Observation is the first condition, the mother of all sciences. Everybody enters my office barefoot. Upon observing each person, I get a first impression of the way they stand, as well as their joint mobility when taking their shoes off. Subsequently, I observe their structure while walking, their shoulder height, the existence of lordosis, scoliosis, etc. The first 20 seconds of their conversation will give us a parameter. We analyse which joint angulations hurt. By restructuring how the injury was caused we will obtain a richer diagnosis as regards pre-established parameters and the treatment that must be followed.
Organisations with whom I have worked When I first started working, I attended to dogs suffering from dysplasia. Thanks to them, I was compelled to find solutions, since results are assessed based on effectiveness, as it was evident that I could not count on the animal’s collaboration. At present, I do the same work with horses. Having completed this lovely phase, rugby took over my professional life during a period of 18 years. I worked with every first division team in Argentina and also with Los Pumas, the 96
Argentine national rugby team. In 2003, on the day the Palermo final was played between La Dolfina and La Aguada, I was visited by Nacho Novillo Astrada, who had a strong pain in one of his shoulders. I became part of high goal polo through La Aguada after Nacho’s consultation. I have a deep respect and admiration for him. From that moment on, I started seeing his father, Taio as well. After that, I began working with the Araya brothers. Coronel Suárez was the first team to carry out a competitive group warm-up, which is the reason why, that great gentleman called Alfonso Pieres let us know how satisfied he was. In 2005, and under Santiago Trotz, I was hired to work as a physiotherapist for the Hurlingham Open, which allowed me to come in contact with all the polo giants and, in addition to my travelling abroad, has provided me with further know-how. That same year, and thanks to my friend Julito Zavaleta, I started working with Fred Mannix and his team Alegría. In 2006, I had the satisfaction of working with a quartet which in my opinion was a great polo team: El Paraíso formed by the three Merlos brothers along with Paco de Narváez, and with Santiago Araya as their coach. From that moment on, a great number of jobs have arisen with different teams and players holding different handicaps, amongst which some names worth mentioning are Cacu Araya and Francisco de Elizalde, two characters of whom I am really fond. At present, I am involved with the Hurlingham Open, Alegría and Indios Chapaleufú II. I also have patients who practice other sports, so I have little time to spare. I am very thankful to Javier Pasman, Rodrigo Rueda, Hugo Amaya, Jannette Jones, Mary and Melito Cerezo and Mr. Gonzalo Pieres, whose vision has allowed me to have a job.
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WINTER SEASON - INDIA
LADIES PLAY POLO IN PINK CITY OF JAIPUR Article and non-polo photos Alice Gipps An international gathering of ladies travelled to play in Clark’s Amer Jaipur Gold Cup and sample a little elephant polo as part of their extra-curricular activities.
Uneku Atawodi, Alice Gipps, Gabriella Benoit, Heloise Lorentzen and Auraro Eastwood
With little idea what to expect three girls from the UK set out to fulfil a generous invitation to play ladies polo in India in October 2009. Colour and chaos were the first impression on the drive from Delhi airport to India’s famous ‘Pink City’ Jaipur. Streets brimming with people, vibrant saris, camel carts waiting in line with scooters at the traffic lights, cows standing aimlessly in the middle of busy roads and trucks honking their horns to excess were adorned with flowers and artwork - the atmosphere was electric as locals prepared for the Festival of
Lights ‘Diwali’. Since 2003 girls from all over the world have been invited to participate in the annual “Clark’s Amer Jaipur Gold Cup for the Ladies”. Colonel Kuldeep Singh Garcha started the tournament so his daughter-in-law could bring a team and also to encourage the female players in India. This year’s guests included three young girls – Maria Alejandra, Maria Laura and Ana Lucia who had come with their parents from Columbia, Uneku Atawodi, originating from Nigeria, where she is due to be the first 98
female to play 16 goal next year and also among the players was designer of exquisite leather products, half Swiss half Mexican Gabriela Benoit. Gabriella had been casually joking with friends that she would take up the opportunity to play anywhere in the world if she found herself with an invitation. Two weeks later an opportunity play in India was too good to turn down, even though she had a 4 month old baby and no nanny. Gabriella, the link in the equation, was to bring the rest of a team from Europe - Aurora Eastwood, Heloise Lorentzen and Alice Gipps.
Alice Gipps
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Through the first evening of introductions and a tour around his magnificent house, smothered in trophies and photographs, the girls learnt more about the history of their host, Colonel Kuldeep Singh Garcha - one of the best players to come out of India. Having joined the National Defence Academy, the Indian equivalent to Sandhurst in 1962, the Colonel had taken up polo as his hobby by 1963. He was appointed Captain of the Academy team by 1964 and later went on to Captain the Indian Military Academy polo team when he came to play in Delhi with the 61st Cavalry – the only active mounted Cavalry in the world. Between 1970 and 1975 he was raised a goal each year and kept his 5 goal handicap until 1994. During his polo career he represented India all over the world in more than 20 countries, including New Zealand, Australia, UK, Germany, France, Malta, Pakistan, USA, Jamaica, Kenya, Argentina, Venezuela… It was between 1973 and 1986 that he played 8-12 goal in the UK, dividing his time between Windsor, Cirencester, Cheshire and Guards. In 1987 he received the Arjuna Award, India’s highest award for outstanding sportsmen and another great achievement
was winning the National Open Championships thirteen times. After taking a team from Jaipur to the USA and Australia, he started to invite teams back to India and by 2000 he had built the spectacular Jaipur Riding and Polo Club. The club has facilities for foreign players to stay in the club house as well as a small annex outside for further guests, a swimming pool and tennis court. Surrounding the club are the stables for both the polo ponies and also the Colonel’s young racehorses which he breeds using a stallion from the famous ‘Storm Cat’. Directly out in front of the club house is the polo field with its unique red silk goal posts and grandstand decked out with pink and purple ribbon awning. The week leading up to the final was spent getting to know everyone. Stick and balling, practice, many visits to the local shops and some amazing parties with big buffet dinners and an impressive Diwali firework show where the louder the bang the better! One of highlights of the week’s entertainment had to be elephant polo. Setting off from the other side of Jaipur, it took the elephants 2 hours
Teams lining up for the final game
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to be painted and a further 12 hours walking through the night to reach the club in time for the game before the polo final. The elephants were wide, slow and the mallets incredibly long but the polo was a lot of fun, although difficult. It wasn’t until after that the shouts from the sidelines of ‘whatever you do, don’t fall off!’ were not only for the obvious reason, that it’s a really long way down but, unlike horses, apparently elephants don’t bother to avoid fallen players. They squash them! By the time it came to the ladies final, evenly handicapped teams had been drawn, taking into consideration everyone’s level in the practice. The main aim was to put on an exciting flowing game for the large crowd of locals who had gathered and the competitive streak between Aurora and her sister Heloise on opposite teams ensured it was fast and furious. The Columbian sisters found this a bit of an eye-opener having only 1 year of polo experience but luckily they were proficient riders and their ground work by ex 8 goal Columbian professional Carlos Urrea stood them well and they adapted quickly. Gabriella had to be substituted after the first chukka much
to her annoyance as her ankle that had been hit by a ball in practice became too painful (it later transpired that it was fractured). The ponies, kindly lent by Colonel Garcha, local players and professionals, were a pleasure to play, resulting in some great runs at high speed close to the grandstand much to the amusement of the crowd. The game ended in a draw and according to the umpire, the Colonel’s son, Satinder, it was apparently the fastest ladies game to date! The local children made the players feel very special giving great applause and running up to meet them after the game. So, the girls’ journey to the unknown was rewarded by breathtaking countryside and a fabulous week, where they were entertained lavishly, met many interesting people and played excellent ladies polo.
Girls with Cups and Colonel Kuldeep Singh Garcha
Clark’s Amer Jaipur Gold Cup for the Ladies Mount Shivalik Ana Lucia Echavarria Uneku Atawodi Gabriela Benoit Aurora Eastwood
Cotton Harbour -2 -2 -1 1
Maria Alejandra Echavarria Maria Laura Echavarria Alice Gipps Heloise Lorentzen
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-2 -2 0 0
no need for brands, ponies are painted to identify ownership!
Buffalo wandering the streets
Indian ladies using the local Rickshaw taxi service
Jodhpur - India’s blue city
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Young Indian Girls at the Amber Palace
Camel with the reins for riding attached to a spike through its nose!
Decorated camels waiting to give tourist rides beside the Jal Mahal water palace in Jaipur
Indian flautist entertainer in the Jaisalmer desert
The Ladies Elephant Polo exhibition game
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Harinder Garcha throws in the ball to start the ladies elephant polo
Elephants painted especially for the occasion
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Indian dancing at sunset in the Jaisalmer desert
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INTERNATIONAL - PAKISTAN SEASON 2009-2010
LAHORE POLO SEASON KICKS OFF WITH HSBC POLO CUP By Abid SK Tarin.
The long awaited polo season at Lahore, started with its initial out of the hat matches, with an excellent and welcoming response by the sponsors and the viewers. Ten (10) teams filed their entries to participate in this tournament to kick-off the season with full enthusiasm and creating hype for the viewers and the sponsors. Like never before to be seen at the out of the hat matches, there was a full show of audience at the finals of the HCBC Polo Cup, to witness a thrilling match between the Guard Group Team and the Vogue Furniture Team. Guard Group lifted the Trophy by a 2 goals lead against the Vogue Furniture
Team (6-4). Hamza Mawaz Khan (1) scored 3 goals for the Guard Group Team and was nominated as the Man of the Match. Pakistan’s polo scene seems to have a rather promising future, lots of youngsters are interested in the game and, over the last 5-6 years, some women members have also been admitted to the major clubs and they are taking to polo with some verve. Although there are a few women players, still, and no formal women’s/ladies league, some clubs here are organizing matches/tournaments for them. It is expected that this trend will grow over the forthcoming years. The most promising development
Hamza Mawaz Khan
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for the future of Pakistani polo is that, increasingly, the corporate sector, big companies in the private class, such as, Land Rover, Pepsi, Orascom Telecom, Multinational Banks etc are taking more and more interest in sponsoring teams as well as polo tournaments and despite the global economic recession, this significant support is available to clubs and organizers. “Traditional”, or Indigenous polo has been played in Pakistan’s Northern Areas (Chitral, Gilgit, Hunza and Baltistan valleys) for over the last 800900 years at least. Early British colonists picked up the game, in its original ‘rough and tumble’ form, from these areas and began to play it enthusiastically; and by the mid-19th century, began to draw up the rules and regulations of ‘modern’ polo, as we know it today. It must be understood that in Pakistan, both forms of polo exist together simultaneously - the traditional/ indigenous version is still played in the Northern Areas and has one major annual tournament, as part of the Shandur Festival. Apart from the assistance of the Ministries of Sports and Tourism, Government of Pakistan, the organization of the Shandur Tournament, the traditional polo is not regulated by any national body; on the other hand, ‘regular’ polo under the Hurlingham Rules is quite popular and played throughout most of Pakistan. Who knows, in years to come, the land where polo was “born” might attain ever greater global recognition?
Adnan Jalil Azam (Black) covered by Mir Shoaib (White)
Hamza Mawaz Khan A rising star of Pakistan polo Photos by Iggy
Hamza Mawaz Khan is the greatgrandson of Brigadier Gul Mawaz Khan, a passionate but steady, 4-goal polo player who played for Pakistan against Prince Phillip’s British side visiting the new country in 1958. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied the prince, and graced the occasion with her presence. Brigadier Gul Mawaz, an acknowledged trainer of polo ponies, passed his passion for polo on to all of his four sons, each of whom made a mark
in the game. Javed Mawaz Khan, Hamza’s grandfather, also rose to 4-goals and played for Pakistan excelling as a solid and long-hitting No.4, or back. But Hamza is special. A tall, gangly youth who has just turned 14, he is electric, and under the close supervision of his grandfather Javed, has made quite an impression on both his polo playing peers, as well as the aficionados who throng the stands of the beautiful Lahore Polo Club located near where the emperor Qutb-ud-din 107
Aibak is said to have been killed playing polo. On 1 goal Hamza is lithe and supple and along with his inborn polo skills, is also credited with an amazing “polo brain” for a boy his age. This comes of his being “born in the saddle” of a stillplaying father, who himself excelled at the game to reach 3 goals. But, Hamza is even more committed -- a chip of the old block but promising to be startlingly better, he’s now in Argentina to further sharpen his polo skills.
MAKING OF - JULIUS BÄR NEW ADVERTISEMENT CAMPAIGN
What is excellence, Eduardo Fagliano? “Excellence is the blend of many aspects associated with the end product that one wishes to offer. This ranges from the philosophy adopted when approaching a piece of work and the way in which the work is carried out, to contact with the customer and relations with the people doing the work.”
The main feature of Casa Fagliano is its family tradition. Since its beginnings in 1892, the company has produced four generations of craftsmen as well as experts in the manufacture of shoes and boots. The descendants of the founders continue to ensure that the same level of excellent quality is provided, as evidenced by the seal of craftsmanship provided by this brand which specialises in the manufacture of polo boots.
What is the difference between the beginnings of the family-run business in 1892 and today? Essentially, there are no major differences; the philosophy and the working concept remain the same. The things which have changed are related to technology. Certain machinery has improved processes but the lion’s share of work on the made-to-measure boots continues to be done by hand.
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What is the working philosophy of Casa Fagliano? The philosophy is to maintain quality in our work. The range of products is limited due to our restricted capacities and the fact that we focus on polo boots. In future, we would also like to sell our products in other countries, such as England, where we already have a relationship, as well as in the USA and in China.
How did Casa Fagliano start in 1892? Back then, it was no more than a simple shoemaker’s. Later, when the Hurlingham Club was created, it began repairing boots, most of which had been manufactured abroad. My great-grandparents worked on boots for the land tenants of Pilar and Bella Vista. They chose polo boots because they could adapt this product for sport using models from England. Do you only make polo boots or do you manufacture other boots as well? We make country boots and polo boots. We also manufacture normal jodhpur boots, rubber jodhpur boots and short, lace-up jodhpur boots. Is there another feature which is based on your family tradition and which is important in the manufacture of the products? Yes, it is the relationship with our customers and our efforts to offer them the best product, made from the best materials coupled with meticulous workmanship. The most important thing is our customers’ trust in the product that we make for them. From a philosophical perspective, how do you see your company’s relationship with sport? It’s about giving the customer the product he needs in order to be at one with his chosen sport. He needs to feel happy when playing the sport. We are a cog in the wheel of the development of an equestrian sport such as polo. In what way does experience get passed from one generation to the next? The decisive factor is the training in the workshop. This encompasses everything from greeting the customer to learning the trade. It is all part of the work. There is more to it than cutting out the leather. It starts with showing respect to the customer who comes in. When both your grandfather and father work, you learn from them and with them. Things develop every day in a family-based atmosphere. That’s the way I learnt. You put your heart and soul into the product, it isn’t just something that you put on a shelf and
then forget about. You involve yourself in the work and think about the customer who will wear it. And that has an added value. Who are the family members who will continue running the company? At present, we are working with my brother and for the future we are thinking about our children. Even though they are still at school, some of them are already involved in the company and are making various things. Have you ever considered mass production? No. Operating our business on a greater scale than we do at present would result in us having to miss out steps or use different type of materials in order to make the boots more quickly. Don’t forget that time is one of the most important ingredients in our work. It is time which makes our products different to the others. How is excellence achieved in a shoe or boot? I believe it is when the customer takes a suitable boot away and wears 109
Since 1890, the name Julius Baer has been synonymous with trust, expertise and passion. Or in the words of our founder, Julius Baer, “If contact between people is based on trust and absolute integrity, then it is of benefit for both sides.” This credo, which guides Julius Baer to this day, is summed up in our corporate values: Care, Passion and Excellence. And with our aspiration of being ‘Committed to Excellence,’ we even go one step further: we are convinced that by constantly striving for the goal of excellence, we can achieve the best possible results for our clients. We realise that we won’t always be able to attain this objective. But that’s certainly no reason not to try. Ultimately it’s precisely this ambitious goal that spurs us on to do our best – every single day. The ‘Committed to Excellence’ advertising campaign is built on our aspiration of delivering excellence in everything we do. Our print ads feature ‘unknown masters,’ people who are unfamiliar to the public because, like us, they do their work behind the scenes. We ask these people – all masters of their trade – the question that constantly guides our own endeavours: What is excellence? Julius Baer sponsoring strategy has a strong committement to polo. We received lots of excellent references of Casa Fagliano and its tailormade polo boots including its high end clients. Therefore we are very happy to cooperate with a member of the family, Eduardo Fagliano.
just hitting balls and training exercises and then there are other, specific types of boots which are worn for playing tournaments. What differences are there between polo boots and riding boots? A polo boot may be more reinforced at critical points. Has there ever been a polo player who has asked you to make something else? No. Although the Sultan of Brunei did want a model of a boot, dating back to 1880, from the time of the English marshals who went to Africa. We had to have special buckles made and obtain particular materials in order to make this model. A boot normally has five eyelets and straps. In this case there had to be nine, which meant that everything had to be redesigned. That kind of work is very unusual.
it. When he is satisfied and thinks that he has bought something that will be of use to him. When he enjoys wearing it and thinks that the purchase represents a bargain. When we can satisfy the customer with our work and commitment. How is the contact between Casa Fagliano and its customers? We have direct contact with our customers. Most of them visit us for a fitting. If any adjustments are required, these are made. Almost every well-known polo player owns a pair of Fagliano boots. Over the years, there have been really important polo players who have worn our products and have recommended us, such as members of the Duggan, Menditeguy, Lacey, Gazotti, Harriot, Garrahan, Moore, Pieres, Novillo Astrada, Heguy and Dorignac families. Now, their children and grandchildren also wear our products. Have your customers ever included any world-famous personalities? Of course, we serve kings and princes. For example, the Sultan of Brunei, the Maharaja of Jaipur, the Albwardy or Al Habtoor families from Dubai.
We have also made boots for Prince Charles and Prince Harry, who came to visit us. We make riding boots for Infanta Elena as well as shoes and moccasins for King Juan Carlos of Spain. We have always acquired contacts via our customers who recommend us to other people by word of mouth. Are the boots that your company makes just for professionals or are they designed for amateurs too? They can be worn by anyone, from beginners through to polo professionals. We have customers in all areas. Depending on what the customer requests, we take personal wishes into account, such as special strengthened safety features, for example.
What do the professionals who buy your boots look for? I believe that they feel secure when they have a good pair of boots on their feet and they can play with confidence. Their feet must not hurt, that is important. Also, the boots must protect the legs. Do polo players wear different types of boots? There are boots which are worn for 110
What is a typical customer requirement? The two most common requirements are that the boots should protect the legs and should be comfortable. This is a common combination but difficult to achieve. It’s only thanks to the use of first-rate materials that the boots are so pleasant to wear, despite being extremely sturdy. How long does it take to make a pair of boots? It takes 45 working hours from starting on the boot until collection by the customer. The work is carried out by four or five people. How are a customer’s feet measured? We have a register in which we enter the measurements. We have recorded sizes in this way since around 1930. If a person’s weight stays the same, the shape of the foot generally doesn’t change. There might perhaps be a slight change if someone has played polo for 20 years. What are the basic materials and the key elements required to make good boots? Good leather, good thread, good soles and the use of certain tools which
allow the working process to be carried out well. How do you find the leather? The tannery provides us with the leather we need. In order to be able to order a particular quantity of the quality we demand, certain characteristics must be present. If something is not right with the goods, they are returned. Which tools are used? Hand tools such as shoemaker’s knives and awls, hammers, needles and sewing machines. How is quality control carried out? Every person working on the product checks very carefully whether it has been done well. Quality assurance is performed gradually, after each stage. Is the same level of quality guaranteed when the boots are ordered online? The quality is the same. When a boot is made to measure, there may be details which need to be changed depending on who takes the measurements. The quality, however, is guaranteed. What are the correct care instructions for polo boots? The most important thing is to remove the horse sweat after use. The boots must be washed with water and then the leather kept moist using oils and creams. Is it worth making boot trees out of wood? Yes, this is an essential point so that the boot stays the same shape as the leg. The tree is indeed adapted to the boot. Using a wooden tree helps the boot to last twice as long as normal, i.e. ten instead of five years. What role do you have in your work? My specific role in manufacturing a boot consists of all of the sewing, embroidery and fitting together. It’s what is termed bootleg stitching. The work involves putting together all of the pieces of leather in such a way that the sole can then be made. I also contact
customers and take measurements. That is my part. When are you satisfied with the results of your work? If the customer says to you – “How beautiful your work is”; “I like these boots, I’m very satisfied”; “I feel great wearing these boots”. This is worth more than the money which was paid for the work. What do you expect from a bank that strives for excellence? Excellent service, the bank should create trust over a long period of time and be an institution where things are done with great care. What is excellence? It is the blend of many aspects associated with the end product that one wishes to offer. That applies to everything, be it a bank, a boot or a car. It starts with the philosophy adopted 111
when approaching a piece of work, going beyond the way in which the work is carried out to contact with the customer and relations with employees. In this sense, excellence means giving one’s best. What is passion? Passion is the devotion and dedication that one puts into carrying out an order. This gives great satisfaction. It is total commitment. What is care? Care relates to the way in which one believes, thinks, expresses and carries out all things. You have to be thorough, detailed and try to be precise in all aspects which the work or craft demands. That is what our seal of quality stands for. We must endeavour to ensure that the work speaks for itself.
INTERVIEW - ANDY VERNON
Polo and Reggae in Jamaica PQ International was present at Kingston Polo Club and was able to interview Andy Vernon, a well-known Jamaican musician, who is a polo lover as well.
The climate in Jamaica is one of happiness. A lovely temperature plus reggae music played in every corner of the island invites you to share relaxed conversations with local people who always make you feel at home. This is the case with Kingston Polo Club, the only polo club situated in the capital of Jamaica. It is also the place where Andy Vernon, a widely renowned reggae musician born in Montego Bay, spends his afternoons among horses and enjoying polo.
Tell me about your first steps in polo? It was my father, Billy, who taught both my brother and me to enjoy polo when we were very young. My father still plays polo. He is seventy years old now and he still feels passion for polo. My two sons play polo too. How do you feel about being one of the most important reggae representatives and a polo player, as well? It is really amazing to be able to
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represent Jamaica in so many different aspects. When talking about polo, we really are a great family. It´s always such fun to play here. Jamaica is a cool place.
What can you tell us about polo in Jamaica? I know that our polo is a low handicap level. But in spite of that I can assure you that it is a quick game. Besides, at the end of every game there is always a party to enjoy and that makes polo an even more attractive sport here.
How do you predict for the future of polo in Jamaica? I believe that with tournaments such as the Jamaica Open, which is played every year at Kingston Polo Club and where well known professional players take part, polo will continue growing as a sport here. In time it will also improve its level, which is what we want. Have you ever taken part in other countries’ polo tournaments? Yes, I have played in Argentina and I liked it very much. I have also played in England, Barbados, Dominican Republic, United Sates and Canada. I have tried to give myself the pleasure of playing in every place I have been to. I am not a professional player. I am a professional musician and an amateur polo player. I want to enjoy the game. I have also been invited to Ireland, Spain, Peru, Australia and Africa, places I hope to visit and also get the chance to play in the near future.
Have you any organization, such as a polo team in Jamaica? Yes I have. My team is called The Gruesome Foursome and we have won the Jamaica Open seven times. We have also won the Senior Cup, The Hurlingham Cup and the Family High Handicap Tournament. All of them are really prestigious tournaments in Jamaica. Do you know any other musician who also plays polo? Yes, of course. There are for sure many other musicians who play polo, but I am sure that I am the only reggae singer who plays polo, too. This is Andy Vernon. With his quiet and lively life he invites us to enjoy a polo day at Kingston Polo Club. By the end of this interview, Andy walked near his car, took his sticks and left ready to enjoy playing six chukkas in the wonderful Jamaican climate.
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ST MORITZ 2010 - PREVIEW
26th St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow 28 - 31 January 2010 Team sponsors include Cartier, Brioni, Bank Julius Baer and Maserati. The world renowned polo tournament has been redesigned for the future.
The world renowned polo tournament on the frozen Lake of St. Moritz in Switzerland will take place between 28 and 31 January 2010. Under the auspices of St. Moritz Polo AG, the annual tournament attracts the world’s best polo players and more than 20,000 spectators to the famous frozen lake. The event will embrace the theme of “Engadin/Graubünden” - the name of the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland where the event is held each year. The tournament, formerly known by the title sponsor - Cartier - is now officially called the St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow. Although the new generic name ensures the longevity of the brand, the polo teams will once again be competing for the Cartier Trophy. Cartier is joined this year once again by Brioni and Bank Julius Baer (both have been sponsors for the past few years) and new to the tournament, the Italian sports car manufacturer, Maserati. Last year’s winning team, Bank Julius Baer, led by George Milford Haven (Great Britain), will be defending its title against the three other participating teams, all of which play to a high goal handicap.
In the region, with the region This year’s St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow, which takes place under the slogan “Engadin/Graubünden”, will very much focus on the local region. Accordingly, players, sponsors and guests will also be treated to regional gastronomic specialities prepared by local partners. The Gala Dinner will be created by Andreas Caminada, the recently crowned twotime Swiss Chef of the Year. Guests in
the Hospitality Tent will be treated to Graubünden specialities prepared by Reto Mathis, head chef of “La Marmite” restaurant, Europe’s highest gourmet venue situated at the upper terminal of the Corviglia funicular. Guests in the Premium Lounge will be hosted by Roland Jöhri, of the “Talvo” restaurant in St. Moritz-Champfèr, who has been awarded two Michelin stars for his culinary talent. Musical entertainment will be provided by the young Swiss Alpine horn player Eliana Burki. The 26 year old is revered as a genuine virtuoso, who can unlock original jazz-funk sounds from this traditional Swiss instrument.
Environmental sustainability St. Moritz Polo AG recognises the importance of climate change and has introduced some changes to the energy requirements of the event. The heated tent space on the lake will be reduced by a third and the energy will increasingly be drawn from renewable sources. This represents a conscious decision on the part of the organisers to structure the concept in line with today’s greater environmental awareness. Furthermore, the infrastructure will be more equally divided over the lake surface, optimizing the weight burden and therefore making the event less dependent on the strength of the ice on Lake St. Moritz. Cartier(22): Saed Bin Drai (1), Rob Archibald (6), JohnPaul Clarkin (8), Glen Gilmore (7). Brioni(22): Amrd Zedan (0), Gastón Laulhé (7), David Stirling (9), Chris Hyde (6). Bank Julius Baer(22): George Milford Haven (1), José Donoso (7), Pablo MacDonough (10), Richard Le Poer (4). Maserati(21): Philip Maeder (0), Federico Bachmann (6), Ignacio Tillous (7), Pablo Jauretche (8).
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About St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow The St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow is the world’s most prestigious winter polo tournament on snow. Four high goal teams with handicaps ranging between 18 and 22 goals compete every year on the frozen Lake St. Moritz for the coveted Cartier Trophy. St. Moritz Polo AG is the tournament organiser and a leading international expert in the field of equestrianism. The services it provides encompass the conception, planning and execution of polo and other equestrian events. The team at St. Moritz Polo AG has 26
years experience of equine husbandry, tournament organisation, infrastructure, hospitality, sponsorship and marketing. It puts this expertise at the disposal of tournaments and organisers both in Switzerland and abroad, with the goal of establishing and anchoring the very highest standards in the international equestrian world for the benefit of animals and riders alike. The team is currently involved in more than ten projects in various countries around the world, including Mongolia, the United Arab Emirates and Russia.
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ÅRE, SWEDEN 2010 - PREVIEW
Taittinger Alpine Polo World Championship During the first week of March, eight international polo teams representing countries on 4 continents will be converging on beautiful Åre, Sweden for 5 days of thrilling, high energy snow polo competition, played on frozen Lake Åresjön, at the foot of the village, 372 meters (1,269 ft.) above sea level.
Sweden is a serious horse riding country with it being the nation’s second most participated in sporting activity. But polo is still in its infancy with only two teams. But it does have a public that is completely raptured by the sport. This was in evidence this past August when an audience of 4,000 VIP’s turned out for the Jaeger-LeCoultre Stockholm Polo International Invitational. Pretty amazing in a country with a total population the size of New York City. In 2010, this largest ski resort in Northern Europe, is celebrating its 100th anniversary as a resort community (when its funicular railway up the mountain first started running) and are commemorating the centennial by inaugurating the country’s first ever annual snow polo tournament,
the Taittinger Alpine Polo World Championship. Similar to St. Moritz, the polo field is on a frozen lake, just off shore which makes it very accessible to all those in Åre that week. The “small city” is actually one of the largest ski resorts in all of Europe with 31,000 guest beds and 9,000+ restaurant seats. Arranging the visiting teams is Polo Sweden’s Sports Director, Cuatro Tolson. He has put together and invited some very skilled teams from Argentina, Austria - Kitzbühel, U.A.E., Dubai. England, Netherlands, Russia, Switzerland, St. Moritz and the United States, Aspen. With the 8 teams competing, there are going to be five days of polo played, each afternoon after the ski lifts close on a lighted field in front of
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what is expected to be an audience at least as large as that attending a month before in St. Moritz. The week of the Taittinger Alpine Polo World Championship will commence on Sunday evening with an invitation only welcoming dinner to greet the polo player and will conclude with a gala awards and fundraising dinner on Friday night after the finals. Each polo team will consist of 3 players with a combined average handicap of 9 goals. Among the players expected are Henry Brett from England, a 6-goaler; 5-goaler Tatu Gomez Romero playing for Russia; Aki Van Andel, a 4-goaler from Holland; Sebastian Amaya playing for Argentina, a 4-goaler; Doug Barnes, the winner in Aspen last year, who is a 4-goaler.
With an avid horse enthusiast crowd, the player will be offering “introductory” polo lessons to any who are interested. The “fee” for a lesson will be a donation to Thomas Fogdö’s Active Life Foundation. A not-for-profit organization working with injured athletes and assists them through recovery and back to competition. (Founded by Tomas Fogdö, a Swedish championship skier who broke his back in a training accident in Åre): http://www. activelife.org/ It will also be the beneficiary of the proceeds from Friday’s dinner. In, easy-to-reach Åre (which was host in 2007 for the FIS Alpine World Ski Championship), not only the audience will be enjoying the special excitement that week, but the players themselves will be treated to some very thrilling winter adventures, some which are unique to Åre! These will include, of course, great downhill and cross country skiing, but also snowmobiling, dog sledding, paragliding, and the most heart-stopping excitement of all: ice driving on a 10km course on the frozen lake in high-performance sports cars! In the evenings it will be Taittinger Champagne dinners and then off to dance the night away to the pulsating of one of the many nightclubs (the largest of which accommodates a bigcity-size party crowd of 1,300 revelers).
expected to attend as will plenty of other international cognoscenti and glitterati. Special packages to the Taittinger Alpine World Championship, including travel, lodging and ski-pass, as well as additional update info on players, sponsors and activities can be found
“Player Centrale” will be the 2 year old, design-award winning Copper Hill Mountain Lodge www.copperhill. se/en which at overlooks the lake and the valley. Several members of the title sponsor, Taittinger family are also
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on the web site: www.TaittingerAlpinePolo.com Everyone is welcome to experience and enjoy this new annual, world-class, snow polo tournament in the visually stunning Swedish ski country.
Chateau de Chantilly
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FRENCH SEASON - OPEN DE FRANCE
Exact Equilibrium in Chantilly Ten 14 to 16 Goal teams formed part of one of the most outstanding French and European polo events with its headquarters at the Chantilly Polo Club. The French Open has shone once again and was the closing event of the European season.
well-balanced and keenly-contested Despite the fact that the Eurothe season, we can still enjoy watching tournament, in which no team is conpean season is coming to an end, the good matches. sidered to be the big favourite before French Open is the tournament that Perhaps there are no high goal playeach match begins. Furthermore, with allows us to continue enjoying a good ers in the teams’ line-ups due to its the handicap level having been raised level of polo in the European Contischeduled date on the polo calendar, two years ago from a 14 goal to a 16 nent during the month of Septemheld at the end of the season. Theregoal tournament, the level of play has ber. With ten “high sporting level” fore, as they are mostly players with a improved considerably. teams, according to what Club Man5 or 6 goal handicap, this enables a After two weeks of qualager Philippe Perrier has ifying matches, a bright, emphasized, they played for with the handicap level having been sunny morning welcomed three weeks on La Ferme 4,500 people who filled the d’Apremont fields and raised two years ago from a 14 goal to stands to the brim, at the showed that even though a 16 goal tournament, the level of play club where In the Wings the big teams are no longhas improved considerably. Jaeger-LeCoultre and Sainte er in action by this time of Saint Mesme Polo Team, winner 2009
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Mesme went out onto the field to play the decisive game of the tournament. After hitting a 30 yard penalty shot, Tomás Goti was in charge of opening the score giving In the Wings an early 1-0 lead. But this did not last long, as and according to Birger Strom, Sainte Mesme’s idea was to begin each match playing with all their might. And so they did. With goals scored by Robert Strom, Christian Nordheimer and Gonzalo von Wernich, Sainte Mesme took a 3-1 lead by the end of the first chukka. Though In the Wings managed to control Saint Mesme’s advances and block their play during the second chukka, this was no obstacle to Sainte Mesme who took a 4-2 lead. No goals were scored during the third period and at that point the game did not flow freely and many fouls were committed. After the half-time break, both teams went out onto the field with great strength and determination to polish off the game. Two penalty shot were converted by Tomás Goti (from the 30 and 60 yards) and the match was tied at 4-4, but Gonzalo von Wernich Above: Christian Nordheimer
Open de France Place: La Ferme d’Apremont, France Club: Polo Club de Chantilly Date: September 5-20, 2009 Level: 16 hcp Tournament type: Open Tournament Director: Philippe Perrier WPT Category Ranking: Challenge Cup Winner Points: 40 Finalist Points: 20 Rest of the teams: 5 Winner: Saint Mesme Polo Team WPT MVP: Gonzalo Von Wernich
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Below: Fati Reynot Blanco
Patricio Neves and Juanchi Ambroggio
Thus, a new French Open has come and gone. Twelve teams have already been entered for the next edition. And, it is no surprise that several teams want to participate in the tournament played at the Chantilly Polo Club. scored another goal allowing his team to regain their lead (5-4), though In the Wings won that chukka (2-1). With Sainte Mesme’s one goal lead, the fifth and last chukka began, and it seemed as though In the Wings would be repeating the semi-finals’ history, when they defeated La Palmeraie with a goal scored by Tomás Goti at the last minute. Then, 2 minutes before the end of the match, Goti himself scored a goal that tied the match at 5-5. And when there was scarcely one minute to go before the final bell rang, young Robert Strom, only 18 years old and
Above: Runner up team, Jaeger LeCoultre - Below: Winner team, Saint Mesme
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Above: Guillermo Terrera - Below: Tomas Goti and Mathias Guerrand-Hermes
playing his first important final, defined the match with a backhander after a great individual play, achieving a final 6-5 and the title for his team. With a great champion (Sainte Mesme), a new Edition of the French Open has come to an end. Only 20 minutes away from Paris, Chantilly Polo Club has concluded its high goal season, in a year that has witnessed how this club has grown stronger with a great competitive level, spectacular fields and strong public attendance. Tres MarĂas came third in the tournament and La Palmeraie came
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JLC In the Wings
16
Veronica Empain Tomás Goti Fati Reynot Blanco Pablo Llorente
0 7 6 3
Saint Mesme
15
Birger Strom Robert Strom Christian Nordheimer Gonzalo von Wernich
Aries Bruno Bensousan Martin Sirvent Ignacio Tillous David Bernal
1 2 5 7
16 0 3 7 6
HB Polo Team
16
Ludovic Pailloncy Sébastien Pailloncy Sebastián Petracci Cristian Bernal
2 3 5 6
Marquard Media Zurich 15 Thomas Rinderknecht Diogo Gallego Patricio Neves Martín Aguerre
0 3 6 6
| Zone B |
| Zone A |
Jaeger-LeCoultre Open de France Polo Cup 2009 La Palmeraie Matthias Guerrand-Hermés Ignacio Tejerina Guillermo Terrera Matias Benoit
Polo de Deauville Alexandre Starkman Dario Musso Juan Ambroggio Max Bochh
Hot Conejos Gery de Cloedt Marcos Riglos Alexis Guinot de Boismenu Martin Iturraspe
Tres Marias Hughes Morin Pierre-Henri N´Goumou Thierry Vetois Olavo Novaes
La Tribune-Paprec Claude Solarz Pablo Sirvent Clément Delfosse Mariano Uranga
Saint Mesme Polo Team all together now, to celebrate a great victory
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16 2 3 7 4
16 1 7 6 2
16 2 6 3 5
16 0 4 4 8
14 0 5 3 6
fourth. Thus, a new French Open has come and gone. Twelve teams have already been entered for the next edition. And, it is no surprise that several teams want to participate in the tournament played at the Chantilly Polo Club since, owing to its beauty, its good fields and its tradition, without a doubt it continues to grow year after year.
Comments regarding theFrench Open Matthias Guerrand-Hermes: “We are very glad to have a team and an organisation like ours, with our horses in France and their offspring in Morocco. It has been a very good and competitive tournament”. Gonchi von Wernich: “It is a pleasure to play here. It’s been four years since I last came to this club and I have noticed an incredible change, mostly as regards the fields which are very good.”
Picnic chic
Many Picnics next to the field
Tomás Goti, wife Daniela and Juan Pepa
Diogo Gallego and girlfriendo Olivia
Family Celebration for Christian Nordheimer, with his wife and newly born baby daughter, Inés
Mireille Solarz, Alberil de Coulange, Yasmine from the club’s Polo Office and Philippe Perrier
PoloLine TV production
Here’s daddy Dario Musso with his son Salva, while Salva’s friend seems to have changed his mind and is more interested about taking some divots...
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A beautiful day to watch polo
Elegant picnic
Philippe Perrier, Polo Club de Chantilly General Manager and Olivier Variot, the Club’s President
Patrick Guerrand-Hermès and Tomás Goti
Nursery and picnics
Thomas Rinderknecht with wife and Christopher Giercke
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TRAVEL - MONGOLIA
Following in the foot steppes of Chinngis Khan This summer Emily Morris Lowe travelled a thousand kilometres across one of the most unforgiving terrains in the world: the Mongolian steppes. She tells Polo Quarterly what it was like.
Mongolia is famous for its immense skies: which stretch out neverendingly above barren gently rolling horizonless hills. But my mind wasn’t on the beauty of my surroundings as I tied on my saddle bags and led my bucking horse –protesting at its unaccustomed load– over to the start line. I was about to become one of the first ever competitors in the Mongol Derby – a 1,000 kilometre horse race across the Mongolian Steppes that was launched by the Adventurists this year.
I had been allotted a chesnut gelding by the race organisers from a group of 60 or 70 horses brought to the start line by Mongolian herders. He was to be my steed for the next 50 kilometres, until the next Utaruu or horse station some four to five hours away. Mongolian horses have a prehistoric appearance: thickset with short legs. They live most of the time in wild herds, with the herders rounding them up only as and when they are needed by the local inhabitants, or to participate in Mongolian horse races – or nadans. They
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certainly don’t take kindly to being laden with tents, sleeping bags and other western-traveller paraphernalia. There were 25 riders at the chaotic start line, all resembling Don Quixote on his donkey with our legs hanging down the sides of our short (13 hand) steeds. Not to mention the film crew, vets and Adventurists in a convoy of jeeps. I was there with my dear friends Jeremy Pemberton and Will KembleClarkson: Will had started riding just six months before the start of the race and we were a little bit nervous about
how he would fare. Later, Juan Pepa –an Argentine banker and excellent horseman dressed in traditional Mongolian garb– joined our little posse, mystifying us all with his ability to look cool in tricky moments. Before I knew it Adventurist leader Tom Morgan gave the word and we were off in a cloud of dust. At least some of us were: 15 minutes into the race Jeremy and I realised that Will wasn’t with us and returned to the startline to find his load had fallen off just as the race began. This non-start put us at the back of the field from the start. The race follows the ancient postal route of Chinggis, or Genghis- Khan, a Mongol leader who created a farreaching empire during the thirteenth century. During this time, he created an efficient postal system of horse messengers to communicate with his nomadic warriors in the outer reaches of his expanding empire. The messenger riders, who I can only conclude had titanium thighs, would remain in the saddle for days, even eating and sleeping while mounted, only pausing at the Urtuu for fresh horses. It was said that Chinggis could get a message from Mongolia to Eastern Europe in just fourteen days. We had a maximum of fourteen
days to complete the 1000 kilometre route, which stretches from Mongola’s ancient capital of Kharkhorin, south of Ulaanbaatar, to Dadal, near the Siberian border to the north. To navigate, all riders had the route uploaded onto a GPS system by the race organisers. We had the choice to take a direct route between Urtuu –as the crow flies– or to follow a recommended route circumnavigating some of the trickier terrain and following established tracks. Conscious of our trailing position, we took the direct route, setting a precedent for the days to come. My first horse was strong, agile, fast and responsive. However later that day –at the first station– I exchanged him for one that lacked any stamina all, meaning that ,with our slow start, it was nightfall before we reached our second station (we had aimed at three in the first day). With a storm gathering, we sought shelter in a Mongol inhabited gur or round nomad’s tent, taking advantage of the local culture of hospitality in exchange for gifts of snuff, sweets and toy weapons. After being fed mutton boiled over hot stones, greasy noodles and tea (the Mongolian staple diet) and having the entire family gather round to watch me remove my contact lenses, we slept 127
in a line in sleeping bags with our heads towards the family altar and our feet towards the fire. The family slept in the same room, and we were woken by their whispers in the morning along with the whinnies of the horses breaking the silence. Soon we were in a routine of rising at dawn, letting the Mongolians tack up for us… and riding some 12 hours a day, changing horses about three times. The variation of horses was one of the biggest challenges and pleasures of the race: at times you sped along on “nadaam” winners (identified by their long manes) at other times you had to coax a truculent horse even to trot. The terrain too varied greatly, particularly because of our preference towards the more unpredictable direct routes, which led to us gathering ground and catching up with many of our fellow competitors as the race progressed. At the start of the race it was mountainous, meaning we often had to dismount and lead our horses down almost sheer drops. Other times we could gallop for 50 kilometres solidly across rolling hills or open valleys, with the occasional river to ford and the the ever-present hazard of marmot holes. Three days into the race we found ourselves riding through sand as we
skirted the Gobi desert: but couldn’t venture deeper into the dunes for obvious reasons. Fortunately the hardy Mongolian horses proved perfectly capable of navigating the varied terrain, displaying agility and fitness that I’ve never before experienced. As one fellow rider put it: sometimes you felt like were “driving a Bugatti”, sometimes “riding a mountain goat”. Feeling the limitless bounds of their toughness was astounding: these horse survive in snow for some seven months of the year. As a horse lover, it was also a pleasure to live alongside a people who truly revere their horses - to the extent that there is a tradition of hanging horse tack by the ger alters. It was a real honour for the herders to have their horses selected for the race… and they would jostle at the stations to explain the attributes of their horses. For the herders, the race was also a lucrative opportunity, the 1,022,000 Togrog (700 us dollars) turag paid them by the Adventurists was enough to put a child through school, I was told. I heard of one 11 year boy who brought his horses many miles for the selection
process and waited with them for three days while the vets made their way there to assess their soundness. Both his animals were selected. Riding alongside the Mongolians, one got a sense of their horse worship. They would appear, silently and mysteriously beside us taking us quite by surprise with faces of irrepressible joy. They’d check the security of our girths, nod their approval, give a thumbs up then “choo choo” us and beckon us to go faster. One, Ulan Bulan –who was responsible for coordinating the race– became our great friend and we learnt to communicate with him about the strengths of various horses in sign language and broken Mongolian. As our stay progressed we also learnt another thing about the Mongolians: their capacity to drink. Arriving at the gers at night we were regularly plied with home brewed vodka, handed round the fire in a bowl and encouraged to drink till it was gone. Then the singing would start, with men and women bellowing out throaty songs and urging us to follow with our own performances. It surprised me how equal the 128
society was: while the women were in charge of cooking and domestic chore they also herded sheep and went out riding with their men. Their warmth, generosity and happiness –in the face of incredible poverty– was also something that will stay with me forever. Those were the good moments though. Each day was an emotional roller coaster: with soaring highs and crashing lows depending on your horse, the weather and terrain and the physical stress you were under. Days of jostling left us bruised and battered and many co-riders suffered dreadful saddle sores. There was also the feeling of being dirt encrusted. We barely washed for the duration of the race, creeping into our sleeping bags fully clothed each night in the subzero temperatures. For the girls there was also the daily nightmare of going to the loo. For most of the ride we were crossing barren plateaus of scrubland with not a tree, bush or rock in sight to hide behind. I, for one, preferred to wait until after dark and risk being eaten by a wolf! It was not until we neared freezing Siberia that trees began to appear. We were relieved, as we reached the
halfway point to learn from the GPS that we were approaching a town, Baruun Urt. Perhaps it would have a hotel! We were to be disappointed. The town consisted of approximately two sheds, some ramshackle Soviet era buildings and a dirt road. There was a hotel, the local shopkeeper told us, but when we investigated it didn’t appear to have a roof. The mood was depressing, contrasted to the warmth and happiness of the gers. Drunks wandered the streets and lashed out at our horse when we wouldn’t share the beers we had just purchased. It was like being in a western. Back in the wilderness, we valued even more the moments of breathtaking beauty and romance: random and curious rock formations, the sheer endlessness of the steppes, wild herds of horses, camels and deer that seemed untroubled by our presence, sunsets that looked like they had been computer generated. We camped out two nights when we failed to make the horse stations by nightfall, sitting late around horse dung fires under
spectacular stars. As the race drew to a close we had had the inevitable tensions over route and pace. However I also felt that an incredible camaraderie had developed between both my immediate group and the other participants of the race, with much of the initial competitiveness falling away. As the race progressed we spent more and more time with our rivals, sleeping alongside them some nights in the gers and sharing their race experiences. In the last days we simply felt a shared grief that this unique experience was ending: nobody cared who won anymore. Even the food was beginning to grow on me. Initially the boiled mutton smell had disgusted me… but sheer hunger made me crave it (although watching a Mongolian family kill, skin and boil a marmot as a delicacy was not a high point for me!) Climbing on to the last horse of the race was one of the saddest moments of my life. Two days before, our friend Ulan Bulan had presented us with traditional Mongolian dress: frock coats
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tied with a sash worn over our clothes (such as Juan had sported from the beginning). We’d also enjoyed a Mongolian style feast to celebrate the end of the race, with a goat slaughtered in our honour and copious amounts of vodka and beer. It was raining, in keeping with our moods as we embarked on the last three hour stint. I could not believe that this was the 25th horse I had ridden: fortunately it was a cooperative one. A drunken Mongolian joined our party as we crossed the finishing line all in line in a cavalry style charge: we came joint 13th, but as a result of failing to get our cards stamped we are officially recorded as “unplaced” . A few days later, after everyone had finished, we endured a 17 hour ride back to Ulan Batoor in Russian combimilitary van. The offroad journey -including being tugged across a river on a raft of planks – was every bit as hairraising as the road journey and made me realise that horseback is just the natural way to get around in a country of this scale and terrain.
Ulan Bator: a concrete Soviet jungle with beggars one every corner and one of the scariest road systems I’ve ever encountered. However for us an oasis in the desert where we could finally enjoy those things we had craved: pizza, alcohol that was not home-brewed and, finally, a shower. Ten days without washing –it felt like a liftime– had left the Mongolian Steppe well and truly ingrained into me. But as I washed away the superficial dirt I knew that there were some aspects of my experience that would never rub off! Towns (hotel) – 2 sheds and dirt road. Depressing. Beers and fags. Drunken Mongolian – kicked horse. Climbing on to the last horse was the saddest thing. Traditional dress. Charge pissing with rain. Ulan Bulan ham sandwiches on beers. Jeremy and Will horse bucked, bad fall, injuries, blonde baby, slaughter goat – word spread wanted a party got dells, 40 people from steppe. The remarkable thing was the sheer number of soaring highs and crashing lows you could experience in one day. This was generally dependent on your current horse, weather, physical stress or any combination of the above.
Given that I accept taking part in an endurance race means that you sign up for physical and mental endurance, I’ll focus here on a high. We’d completed a trying leg of the race. Having lost most of the skin on my thighs to chaff early on and with my dressings tearing free, I was enjoying some discomfort. Admittedly, this was largely due to my trying to dress said thighs with duck tape. Regardless of limited resources this is a method I don’t recommend. We’d had some trouble with sinking bogs and our horses sporting enthusiasm left a little to be desired. A quick interchange saw fresh dressings, a fill of tepid mares milk tea, greasy Mongolian goat noodles and new horses. Redressed, refreshed and remounted we headed off accompanied by the horses proud owner. Temujin spoke a little English and was able to tell us that he’d bred these racehorses. They were all proven winners that had competed in Naadam festival races over a 28km course. As testament to his words, I can confirm that my horse, whom I dubbed The Beast, is the most powerful animal I have ever thrown a leg over in my life. We decided to really open them up across a wide valley 130
floor. At this point The Beast snatched the bit from my hands relieving me from the burden of control and nearly also my saddle. What happened next was a 7km run of ferocious velocity, his relentless muscles powering us forth, and I, the happy hostage. At the end of a day as the shadows of horse and rider stretched gradually beside us we’d arrive at a ger. Sliding out of the saddle onto unforgiving knees we’d stagger about gracelessly while our horses were checked by the vets. There was always a crowd that came forward to meet us consisting of the horse station family, the vets, their drivers and translator and the horse owners. The latter, keen to have their horses chosen for the next leg, wanted to explain the great attributes of each of their horses via complex charades. So proficient we became at this language our families will be brought to their knees this Christmas. In a rough translation an example would be: this one, good horse, very fast, you probably can’t stop it but you won’t need to kick. Our requirements changed as the race continued on. In the beginning we requested the fastest, strongest horse please. As we progressed
we were more interested the fastest, smoothest horse please. Days worth of knee, hip and back compacting jigging wore on our bodies. By the time we finished out day and collapsed into the ger our groans of relief or discomfort – in equal amounts – would crescendo over the presentation of warm food. Sustenance came in the form of mares milk tea to start, salty and weak, an assured restorative. Followed by homemade fried bread that varied in freshness, and the crumbly, pungent curd that looked deceptively like shortbread. Not to be confused at all with shortbread this was referred to only as the ‘c’ word as the mention of it, let alone the experience of eating it, never failed to turn my stomach. More palatable was the noodles as a main, either wet or dry and with small bits of mutton or goat and always with a heavy glaze of animal fat. After dinner came the drink of choice, airag, fermented mares milk. This was homebrewed in a goat skin that hung just inside the ger door. Thin and with vinegar and
yoghurt overtones it was an acquired taste and one that was adopted disconcertingly by a fellow rider. The bowl would be passed round, usually accompanied by the obligatory floating dead flies. We thought of it all in terms of necessary calories. A few of us fell into riding together as a natural team. Keeping a similar pace and with personalities that naturally and surprisingly complemented each other; we found significant benefits to remaining together. Charlotte, a fellow kiwi and great friend, was navigator extraordinaire and kept us on track and on time with military precision. I wrangled loose horses after involuntary dismounts and took care of emergency management. Nick, our English gentleman was ever endearing and eternally chipper, ensuring our spirits remained high or that they recovered quickly from setbacks. While we did experience some setbacks we found ourselves inexplicably near the leaders during the race. We pushed on competitively. Such is the
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nature of this race though, that decisions have to be made about staying in a team or going on alone. This happened a day we helped a fellow rider. Her horse tripped in a marmot hole, unseating her then went for it hammer and tongs bucking and galloping for home. Next the girth snapped and all the tack swung beneath its belly held on by the second Mongolian girth. This encouraged the equine explosion further and dislodged gear sprayed in every direction. Eventually recovering the horse we found it to be lame and much of the tack destroyed. It was an easy choice to stay with Matilda until the vets arrived and get her safely back to the horse station. In the end, sharing the journey with our team meant more to us than winning. The four of us remained together for the duration and crossed the finish line in nine days, easily in the top half of the pack. Many days without washing meant the Mongolian Steppe was well and truly ingrained into me. My skin was dark from sun and dirt and I wondered what it would be like to feel clean again though I felt reluctant to wash it off. The experience affected me so truly I hope never to be separated from the sense of it. Perhaps a little bit of grit might always remain.
UK SEASON - VICTOR LUDORUM
AFB triumph in 8 goal HPA Victor Ludorum After a concerted effort over a number of years, Clive Reid’s team finally triumph in the Victor Ludorum at the 8 Goal level. Article by Iain Forbes-Cockell (“The Major”) and photos from Cowdray Park and Centaur Photographic.
Clive Reid, patron of AFB Polo Team, who bases himself at Guards Polo Club, has this year, at last, achieved a long held wish to win the 8 Goal Victor Ludorum. But his success was not just at 8 Goal level. He had teams play in 2, 4 and 6 Goal as well and those teams also had a reasonably good success rate. The Victor Ludorum is a Championship run under the auspices of the Hurlingham Polo Association, to encourage participation in the designated tournaments and to establish a champion team at each of four levels,
High (18 goal), Medium (15 Goal), Intermediate (12 Goal) and Low (8 Goal). Tournaments qualify for the Victor Ludorum on the basis of entries the previous year and are designated as such on the fixtures list. Teams can accumulate points in all of the named tournaments, with 10 points being awarded for each match won at league/group/qualifying stage (where a draw is permitted and possible both teams get awarded 5 points). Subsequently, 20 points are awarded for a win in main tournament Quarter Finals, 30 points for a Semi Final win
AFB Polo Team
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and 50 points for a win in the Final. A subsidiary tournament final win earns 10 points. Clive and his team had been third in a previous year but this time AFB were the clear winners, with 350 points from their tournaments played. The three teams that tied for second place managed 130 points each, so this was a particularly tough year to win, with the top four teams all winning at least one of the designated tournaments. AFB happened to win three, the Julian and Howard Hipwood at RCBPC, the Holden White at Cowdray (AFB’s third
win in this tournament – previous wins, with different team members, were in 2004 and 2006) and the Budgett Everett at Kirtlington. In addition, they were semi-finalists in the Archie David at Guards, which Les Lions went on to win. AFB also had a win, against Jada, in the Guards Polo Club 8 Goal domestic tournament, the Committee Cup, traditionally used as a warm-up tournament for Guards teams to practice before the Archie David. Throughout the year, at various low goal levels AFB have had a friendly rivalry with Jada, whose patron Maurice Salem is a friend of Clive. It is not only at 8 Goal level that AFB have had a successful year. In fact, the Spring Tournament (6 Goal) AFB were finalists, beaten by Jada, they were finalists in the 4 Goal Cottington Cup and also finalists in the 2 Goal Crawford Cup. Rather inconveniently for Clive, he found himself having to field two different teams (2 and 8 Goal) at the same time, on the same day at two different clubs. One was the final of the Julian and Howard Hipwood at RCBPC and the other was the semi-final of the 2 Goal Crawford Cup at Guards. Needless to say, a few phone calls managed to arrange a few substitute players (myself included!) for the 2 Goal semi-final, whilst Clive and the 8 Goal team went on to win the 8 Goal at RCBPC. Just to puncture the bubble of the 8 Goal success on the Saturday, the 2 Goal team lost a close match on the Sunday. Still, that’s life sometimes. At the end of the season, AFB won Best Team of the Season at Guards Polo Club and John Gunn, who was handicapped at -1, now raised to 0, allowed the team to have two professionals, Pete Webb (5)and Sebastian Dawnay (4), the sum of whose handicaps was 9 goals as the powerhouse of the team. John Gunn received the Most Improved Player of the Season award at Guards. I met up with Clive Reid at the end of the season and asked him about his year. The key to success, Clive told me, was having a good organisation, a good base from which to operate, a good stables/horse manager ( Clive had Juan “Chino” Leiva in that crucial role and he also was the captain of Clive’s 2 and 4 Goal teams) and a good coach
Sebastian Dawnay
plus plenty of practices. In addition, it clearly helps if there is a synergy between the players. Clive believes he has managed a tick in all those boxes this year and is very proud of the fact that he had a 4 man all British 8 Goal team. Clive said that they played as a team and had good horses. I certainly noticed that John Gunn was very effective at marking opposition team members handicapped higher than him and frequently neutralised their game. Clive Reid could always slip away from the lineout two or three times a match and score. Seb and Pete’s experience, good tactical awareness and ability to change things during the match, if one particular tactic or marking strategy wasn’t as effective as they had hoped, was also a valuable weapon in the armoury. It meant that on many occasions they were able to beat teams with three professional players in them. The other crucial element, Clive 133
said, was a good coach on the sidelines. Clive had John Horswell, whose experience as a player and coach is legendary, having both played for the England team and later coached the England International team for a 10 year period. John didn’t attend all the matches that AFB played but he was certainly there for the important matches. Clive said that John’s ability to spot opponents weaknesses and advise AFB on strategic or tactical changes had probably given them a one goal advantage when it really mattered. As Clive sat there, reflecting on a great season, he said that he planned to have a highly competitive team for 2010. A smile appeared on his face, as he refused to divulge any further information and then apologised for having to leave. He was off to practice at Ali Albwardy’s Highfield Farm, near Holyport that afternoon, one of his last practices of the season!
US SEASON 2010 - MUSEUM OF POLO
INDUCTEES FOR 2010 On Friday, February 12th, 2010 the Museum of Polo will welcome into its polo Hall of Fame living legend of polo Julian Hipwood, posthumous inductee Lewis Lacey, posthumous Iglehart Award Winner for outstanding lifetime contributions to the sport of polo “Big Joe” Muldoon, living Iglehart award winner Dave Rizzo and Horses to Remember, Red Ace and Khaki. The 21st Annual Hall of Fame Awards Gala will be held at the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in Lake Worth, Florida. The festivities for the induction gala will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a Cocktail and Champagne Reception and Silent Auction. A seated dinner follows, capped off by the awards presentation and dancing afterward. The Master of Ceremonies for the induction awards presentation will be polo player and star of American’s Most Wanted, John Walsh. Julian Hipwood has lived and played in the United States for many years and earned a 9-goal rating. During his career he won the 30-goal World Cup 1981-1984; the USPA Monty Waterbury in 1996; the USPA Heritage Cup
in 1996; the Barrantes Memorial Tournament; and captured many of Royal Palm Polo Club’s 26-goal Sunshine League tournaments. A player with great international success, Julian was captain of the English National team winning the Coronation Cup six times, and the British Gold and Queen’s Cups, among other prestigious tournaments. Julian became a sought-after coach and coached the Coca Cola team when it won the U.S. Open Championship in 2002. Canadian-born Lewis Lacey had a long and distinguished international polo career in the early part of the 1900s, representing England in the Westchester Cup, and captaining Argentina in the Cup of the Americas. He was a member of the famed Argentine team that took the U.S. Open in 1922, and won the Argentine Open seven times between 1915 and 1937, as well as several other notable tournaments Westchester Cup
Lewis Lacey
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in England and Argentina. Lewis played frequently in America, almost every year from 1922 until 1931, never handicapped less than 9-goals and was rated at 10-goals between 1915 and 1932. Lewis also wrote about the game; his better known essays being Equitation in the Game of Polo and The Judge’s Task in Polo Pony Shows. A well-known figure in polo for over 60 years, Dave Rizzo was, for over 30 of those years, the longtime manager of the famed Meadow Brook Polo Club, and was also the manager of the Squadron A Armory and the Old Westbury Polo Club. Being an accomplished outdoor and arena player, horse trainer, seller and club manager made it possible for him to help many new players get started in the sport of polo. He was known as a skilled horseman and wellliked sportsman in many parts of the country by a variety of players. Considered a mentor to many, he made it
Julian Hipwood
possible for others to experience polo and to become accomplished players and team sponsors. “Big Joe” Muldoon was not only an iconic figure of polo in Maryland, Virginia and throughout the East in the 1980’s and 1990’s, his influence stretched around the globe. A versatile horseman who did not get into polo until middle age, his tournament wins included the USPA Monty Waterbury, Association and Chairman’s Cups and the 8-Goal Championship with his Gone Away Farms team. He helped raise millions of dollars for various charities through polo. From 1981-1989, Joe conceived, underwrote and mounted players in a dynamic series of high-goal “All-Star” international polo games featuring the best of both foreign and American high-goal players. He was president of the Potomac and Poolesville Polo Clubs where he helped to train an entire generation of polo players, including his well-known and talented poloplaying progeny Michael, “Little Joe,” Mary and Charlie. In the 1930s Red Ace was the favorite pony of the great 10 goal polo
player Elmer Boeseke. Considered to be the star of the West’s team in the infamous 1933 and 1934 East/West matches, the great chestnut gelding won the hearts of fans of both East and West alike when, in the grueling 1933 match, he turned and trotted back to nuzzle his master, Boeseke, who lay prone on the ground, unconscious after being knocked off in a particularly rough play. For his outright speed, great courage and tenacity Red Ace won Best Playing Pony for the West in the 1933 series. He added to his laurels when judged the Best Polo Pony in the National Polo Pony Society Show 1934, an epic event, and became one of only two geldings to ever have won this prestigious award. The great Norty Knox said of Red Ace, he was “a brilliant pony.” Hector Galindo’s great dark bay mare, Khaki, proved she was a super star by winning the Best Playing Pony of the 1995 Silver Cup, 1995 East Coast Open, 1997 Sterling Cup, 1998 Silver Cup, 2000 Gold Cup of the Americas, and the 2003 Iglehart Cup. Loved for 135
her quiet disposition around the barn, this gallant mare also had it all on the field - heart, stamina, quick acceleration, sustained speed and incredible overall athletic ability. But further, she seemed to have an innate ability to read the game. “One of the things that makes Khaki so unique is her big heart”, says Galindo. ‘She’s always been a mare with a lot of power and the quickness. That’s what makes her such a great mare.” Khaki is currently a broodmare in Oklahoma, but being recently retired, none of her foals are yet old enough to have started playing polo. Reservations for this black tie affair are $200.00 per person. Seating is limited so please make your reservations early if you wish to attend. Reception hour Sponsor Station opportunities are also available and silent auction items are welcomed at this time. Please contact Brenda Lynn at the Museum of Polo: (561) 969-3210 or (561) 9697015, fax: (561) 964-8299 or e-mail: polomuseum@att.net for further details, information and reservations.
WORLD POLO TOUR AWARDS 2009
World Polo Tour 2009 Awards ceremonies and parties Photos by Matias Callejo and SCL Photo.
World Polo Tour Awards 2009 Most Valuables Players by Month January February March April May June July August September October November December
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José Donoso 25th Cartier World Cup on Snow St Mortiz, Switzerland Santiago Chavanne Ylvisaker Cup, Palm Beach, USA Juan Martin Nero USPA Gold Cup, Palm Beach, USA Gonzalo Pieres Jr US Open Championship, Palm Beach, USA Ignatius Du Plessis Performance in Queen’s Cup, United Kingdom Juan Gris Zavaleta Queen’s Cup, United Kingdom Facundo Pieres Gold Cup, United Kingdom Gonzalo Pieres Jr Gold Cup, Sotogrande, Spain Gonzalo Von Wernich French Open, Paris, France Javier Novillo Astrada Performance in Hurlingham Open, BsAs, Argentina Hilario Ulloa Performance in Argentine Open, BsAs, Argentina Adolfo Cambiaso 116th Argentine Open, Argentina
The World Polo Tour (WPT) held two award ceremonies for 2009. The first event, on Tuesday 24 November was held at La Rural, in Buenos Aires, at what was called the Black & White Polo Party. The World Polo Tour awarded the year’s best players, both professional and amateur: Gonzalo Piers Jr. and Camilo Bautista, respectively. In addition, Javier Novillo Astrada was awarded as October’s MVP. General Ranking (best positions) Professional: Gonzalito Pieres Amateur: Camilo Bautista EFG Annual Race (most points earned during the current year from tournament wins) Professional: Gonzalito Pieres Amateur: Marc Ganzi WPT MVP October 2009: Javier Novillo Astrada
General Ranking Gonzalo Pieres Jr Facundo Pieres Adolfo Cambiaso Pablo MacDonough Juan Martin Nero Eduardo Novillo Astrada Mariano Aguerre David Stirling Jr Lucas Monteverde Bartolome Castagnola
Argentina Argentina Argentina Argentina Argentina/Italy Argentina Argentina Uruguay Argentina Argentina
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Gonzalo Pieres Jr Facundo Pieres Juan Martin Nero Lucas Monteverde Adolfo Cambiaso Jr Juan Gris Zavaleta Marc Ganzi Pablo MacDonough Bartolome Castagnola Mariano Aguerre
General Ranking and EFG Annual Race professional winner 2009 Gonzalo Pieres Jr: Gonzalito was the winner of the WPT Annual 2009. He finished the year in #1 position, after beginning as #2 behind Adolfo Cambiaso Jr. Besides, he is the player who won the most points during the year (490). He won the CV Whitney Cup (USA, 70 points), US Open (USA, 150 points), the British Open Gold Cup (UK, 150 points) and Sotogrande Gold Cup (Spain, 120 points). He was runner up in the Gold Cup in Ellerstina (30 points) and also he helped get 250 points for his team, Ellerstina, in the Master Series, after winning the Tortugas Open and the Hurlingham Open.
General Ranking Amateur winner 2009 Camilo Bautista: Camilo was named the best Amateur in 2009. He reached 136
Argentina Argentina Argentina Argentina Argentina Argentina United States Argentina Argentina Argentina
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the final of the US Open with Las Monjitas, where he got 70 points, as well as the final of the Gold Cup, in Sotogrande, in which he got 60 points. He won the Silver Cup in Sotogrande (60 points) and the Gold Cup in Ellerstina (60 points).
EFG Annual Race 2009 Amateur winner Marc Ganzi: Marc was winner of the US Open with Audi, was named the best amateur in the EFG Annual Race of 2009, as he got the most points of all the amateurs according to the points system this year.
WPT MVP October 2009 winner: Javier Novillo Astrada: Javier was named October’s MVP due to his great performance in the Hurlingham Open, where he reached the final with La Aguada.
THE BLACK AND WHITE PARTY AT LA RURAL
This event which was usually held during the 70’s had a triumphant comeback with guests coming from all over the world. The party, organized by the Movimiento Familia Cristiana del Polo and was a benefit event, as the money raised was to finish the building of the Cervantes School, sited at La Tablada, Partido de La Matanza, Province of Buenos Aires and attended by around 1000 children. All of the players of the Argentine Open were present at the party, in good spirits and keen to play poker, support the auction and dance until 4am. Along with the World Polo Tour Awards, the players received presents made by the school kids, as an award for their generosity. The general idea was to show the solidarity of the polo family wishing to help to change the educational reality in Argentina. Among the brands that co-operated with the event were Bodegas Toso, who donated the wine and champagne; Citi, BMW, Fernet 1882, Joyeria Santino, La Rural, PokerStars Net, Fava Catering, Grupo Sarapura, Nacho Martin, Photo Sajoux, La Martina, Rolex, Las Lenias, Arelauquen, Ceasar Park Hotels, Genetec, Cria G. Tanoira, Norman Vilata, Ellerstina, La Aguada, Polito Ulloa, as well as many other brands that donated presents. Among the media who co-operated with the event were PoloLine, Buenos Aires Polo, Fundación La Nación and ESPN’s Polo Show. The Movimiento Familia Cristiana del Polo was created in 1987, by Nicolás Ruiz Guiñazu. Now, it begins a new stage, as they have not only promised to create infrastructure but also to give content to the Religious Schools, improving the quality of education and giving the opportunity for new technologies. The biggest challenge is that the Movimiento is talking with the One Laptop per Child organization - OLPC - to give computers to all of the children of the elementary at the Colegio Parroquial Cervantes, as a pilot test similar to what’s been done in Uruguay.
Jerome Lambert and his JLC Ambassadors Adolfo Cambiaso and Eduardo Novillo Astrada Camilo Bautista receiving a JLC from Jerome Lambert
THE JAEGER-LECOULTRE PARTY AT THE PALACIO DUHAU PARK HYATT
Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Swiss fine watch-making Manufacture, together with its official agent Simonetta Orsini and the Palacio Duhau-Park Hyatt Buenos Aires joined forces to hold on Tuesday, 1st December, and for the third year in a row, the Grand Polo Party for charity at which polo players were the protagonists. Just as in previous years, JaegerLeCoultre donated US$50 for each handicap goal of the polo players present at the event and this year the cheque handed by Jerome Lambert, CEO Jaeger-LeCoultre amounted to US$ 26,050 for the Christian Family 137
Movement in Polo. The Christian Family Movement in Polo recently launched its Campaign for Education with which it supports the works undertaken by Father Santiago Rostom Maderna, which focus on the Colegio Parroquial Cervantes and the Nuestra Sra. del Rosario de San Nicolás Chapel, both in La Tablada, Buenos Aires Province. As a result of the profound crisis in which education in Argentina currently finds itself, the Movement committed itself to participate and offer collaboration, particularly in an area of such high population density and such scarce resources as is the district of La Matanza. Palacio Duhau-Park Hyatt Buenos Aires continued to participate in this
Grand Polo Party, while Johnny Walker and Navarro Correas were collaborating this year for the first time. 2009 is a very special year for the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre’s ties with Buenos Aires, since just one day before the party the first Jaeger-LeCoultre Boutique in Latin America opened at Ayacucho 1945. The brand also has close ties with Argentine polo players. Adolfo Cambiaso, Eduardo Novillo Astrada and Lía Salvo, some of the world’s best polo players, represent the brand abroad as Jaeger-LeCoultre ambassadors. In this yearly gathering, the best polo players in the world participated in the charity event: Ignacio Novillo Astrada, Matias Magrini, Marcos Heguy, Alberto Pedro Heguy, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Héctor Merlos, Alejandro Garrahan, Carolos Gracida and of course, British ambassadress Clare Milford-Haven amongst others. International personalities also attended and local celebrities have been seen: Gerardo Werthein, entrepreneur and president of Comité Olímpico Argentino, international model and photographer Astrid Muñoz, Pumas rugby player Manuel Contempomi, models María Vázquez, Mariana Arias, Solange Cubillo, Julieta Spina and Julieta Novarro among others. The EFG Bank Annual Race award for a professional player was received by Gonzalito Pieres’ agent Santiago Garrahan, who received the award on behalf of Gonzalito as he was having an early night prior to Ellerstina’s postponed match the following day. Camilo Bautista received a watch from Jaeger-LeCoultre as a reward for being the best Amateur player in the World Polo Tour general ranking for 2009. Again, many of the best players attended this annual event and much fun was had by all at both of these prestigious events, as is evident in the photographs.
Prize Awards at the Gala Dinner, Javier Herrera, Gonzalo Pieres jr, Javier Novillo Astrada, Camilo Bautista and Sebastian Amaya Silvina and Sebastian Merlos
Agustin and Celina Merlos
team La Dolfina: Maria and Adolfo Cambiaso, Camila Castagnola and Lucas & Loli Monteverde
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso & Polo The Swiss Manufacture’s relationship with polo goes back almost 80 years. Its Reverso collection was born in 1931 at the request of a group of British polo players resident in India. They were anxious to have a watch that could withstand the blows sustained in the sport, so the firm came up with this watch which has a revolving case to protect the glass from breaking.
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Frank Dubarry and Horacio Laprida
Presenter of the gala dinner Argentine Top model Ivan de Pineda
Juan Martin Nero together with Pelon Stirling and his wife
VIP’s tables
Gonzalo and Bernardina AvendaĂąo
Jean-Francoise Decaux group entering the party
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| 1. Veronica Novillo Astrada, Franck Juhel and Patrick Boutellier from JLC. | 2. Antonio Alvarez Campillo (Park Hyat), Maria y Adolfo Cambiaso and Jerome Lambert from JLC. | 3. Franck Juhel (JLC), Lia Salvo and Pachi Coulter (La Dolfina Lifestyle). | 4. Brian Stein and Piatina Tong. | 5. Father Santiago Rostom Maderna. | 6. Jerome Lambert, Carlos Gracida and friend and Antonio Alvarez Campillo. | 7. Patrick Boutellier and Franck Juhel from JLC together with Antonio Alvarez Campillo. | 8. Claire Milford Haven and Alice Gipps. | 9. A big group having fun at the Polo Gala Dinner. | 10. Santiago Chavanne, Agustin Merlos, a friend from Costa Rica, Sebastian Merlos and Marcos Heguy. | 11. Sisters Bensadon together with Horacio Heguy. | 12. Sisters in law Tatiana Pieres and Maria Rapetti with more friends having a great time. | 13. Maria and Adolfo who were dancying good part of the night. | 14. English polo players table at the gala dinner party. | 15. A Cambiaso leading the dancing action.
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ARGENTINE SEASON - SALVADOR MARIA POLO TOUR
Lobos Area hosts Patron polo tournament Article by Iain Forbes-Cockell (“The Major”) Dusseldorf won the third edition of the Salvador Maria Polo Tour, recently played in the Lobos area as part of the polo season in Argentina.
The tournament series was created to promote the Salvador Maria area, in Lobos, Province of Buenos Aires. The village owes its name to Salvador Maria del Carril, former Governor of the Province of San Juan (18231826), minister of the first President of Argentina, Bernardino Rivadavia and Vice-President during Justo José de Urquiza´s Presidency (1854-1860), as well as owner of those lands. The Salvador Maria Polo Tour is comprised by a series of tournaments between estancias, for teams up to 1214 goals, featuring players from Argentina and abroad, who also take part in charity events. The Lobos area currently has an important number of polo clubs. Its
constant growth makes Lobos one of the ideal places to play polo and besides, it is the preferred place of some of the most important players and patrons, such as Philipp Maeder (La Bien Mirada), Sebastian Schneberger (San Eugenio); the Hanburys (El Remanso); the Miguens (La Atalaya and Velai); Pedro Fernández Llorente (La Taba) and the Laplacette family (La Alegría). La Araucaria, a club that organizes one of the most important tournaments of the fall season in Argentina, is also in the Lobos area. The two past editions of the Salvador Maria Polo Tour showcased successful professional players. Among them were Alejandro Muzzio, Ignacio Tillous, Francisco Fucci, Bautista
Dusseldorf Polo Team
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Ortiz de Urbina, Martín and Francisco Podestá, Manuel Fernández Llorente, Francisco Crotto and Pancho Marín Moreno. The Salvador Maria Polo Tour was due to be held between November 20 and December 4, 2009 but like all tournaments this season, suffered from rain delays to the playing schedule. The final was eventually played on December 5. The Dusseldorf team, whose patron, Dirk Baumgartner and I know each other from when I played in Germany in the early 1980s, was led by Lucas Labat and Ignacio Tillous. Despite playing while it was actually raining, Dusseldorf beat Equilibrium 14-12 at Philipp Maeder’s Estancia La Bien
Lucas Labat and Rodrigo Fucci
Salvador Maria Polo Tour Los Nocheros Sebastian Schneberger Tomás Dartiguelongue Andrés Fernandez Llorente Pedro Fernandez Llorente
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1 4 3 5
George Hanbury Charlie Hanbury Matt Cudmore Oliver Curdmore
3 4 2 3
Equilibirum
14
Daniel Aegerter Francisco Fucci Gonzalo Fucci Rodrigo Fucci
0 6 5 3
La Bien Mirada 2 Sybille Maeder Palincho Bordieu Alejandro Pichini Fabian Bolanterio
Dusseldorf Dirk Baumgartner Ignacio Tillous Lucas Labat Nicolás Gonzalez
Salvador Maria Polo Tour
11 0 5 4 2
La Bien Mirada Philipp Maeder Agustin Martinez Bautista Ortiz de Urbina Federico Bachmann
Roma PC
12 0 2 5 5
13
Stefano Ottaviani Diego Ortiz José Ortiz Agustin Canale
1 2 4 6
14 1 7 6 0
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Place: Salvador María, Lobos, Argentina Club: La Bien Mirada, San Eugenio, El Remanso Date: November 24 - December 5, 2009 Level: 14 hcp Tournament type: Handicap Winner: Dusseldorf Polo Team Finalist : Equilibrium Polo Team MVP: Lucas Labat (Dusseldorf)
Mirada, Lobos. Other matches in this tournament had been played at neighbouring estancias, namely San Eugenio and El Remanso. The subsidiary match between Los Nacheros and La Bien Mirada 1 was postponed due to the rain.
ARGENTINE SEASON - ELLERSTINA GOLD CUP
DYING SECONDS GOAL SNATCHES GOLD CUP VICTORY FOR LAS MONJITAS Alejandro Novillo Astrada scores in the last ten seconds to snatch victory from the host team and win a close match for Camilo Bautista’s team. Photos by Fotos by PoloLine, Alice Gipps and M&M Productions.
One of the most traditional Argentine season tournaments has taken place. We are talking about the Ellerstina CITI Gold Cup. This tournament has 11 years of history to its credit and is played every season on the seven fields at Ellerstina Polo Club. “It fills us with pride to know that all the work we do during the year, taking care of every single detail so that everything turns out fine, reflects on all teams and players who participate year
after year in the Ellerstina Gold Cup”, mentioned Tatiana Pieres, only a few minutes before the final match began. In this 2009 tournament, ten 22 goal teams took part with some games played during the week. The participants from different nationalities met on the fields of the current Tortugas and Hurlingham Open champions. Las Monjitas and Ellerstina were the teams that made it through to the final. The foreign players on each team
Las Monjitas with the Ellerstina Gold Cup
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were Camilo Bautista playing for Las Monjitas, a quartet that participates in the US and Spanish seasons, and opposite, playing for Ellerstina as the team’s back, Australian James Packer, who owns Ellerston, one of the most traditional and historical world polo teams. A large number of spectators were present at Ellerstina to enjoy the final, and it was a very even match throughout the chukkas with great plays performed by Facundo and Gonzalo
Ellerstina Gold Cup Cabreuva
22
Ricardo Portugal Pablo Llorente Lucas Criado Hilario Ulloa
Enigma
2 3 9 8
21
Jerome Wirth James Beim Matias MacDonough Joaquin Pittaluga
Mansour
Ellerstina
22
Santiago Stirling Facundo Pieres Gonzalo Pieres Jr. James Packer
1 10 10 1
Estancia Villa Maria
22
0 7 8 6
Caio Siquini Nacho Figueras Ricardo Mansur Juan Sanchez Elia
3 6 7 6
22
Las Monjitas
22
Ben Soleimani Fred Mannix Jr. Jeff Hall Nick Roldan
Miramar
Ellerstina Gold Cup
0 6 7 9
22
Camilo Bautista Alejandro Novillo Astrada Alejandro Diaz Alberdi Juan Gris Zavaleta
Patagones
0 7 8 7
22
Santiago Solari Lucas James Diego Araya Alejandro Quentin
6 7 8 1
Gonzalo Avendaño Juan José Brané Milo Fernández Araujo Carlos Avendaño
Techno Polo
22
Sao Jose Audi Polo
Frank Dubarry Javier Cabrera Castilla Pablo MacDonough Alejandro Agote
0 4 10 8
Manuel Plaza William Rodrigues Rodrigo Andrade Jose Eduardo Kalil
1 7 8 6
22 3 6 8 5
Rodrigo Andrade and Santiago Stirling
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Place: Pilar, Buenos Aires, Argentina Club: Ellerstina PC Date: November 5-18, 2009 Level: 22 hcp Tournament type: Open Tournament Director: Tatiana Pieres WPT Category Ranking: Challenge Cup Winner Points: 60 Finalist Points: 30 Semi Finalist Points: 15 Rest of the Teams: 8 Winner: Las Monjitas Polo Team Finalist : Ellerstina BPP: Open Pandora (Facundo Pieres)
Pieres. Both teams had already met on the first date of the tournament when Ellerstina won 14-13 in a match in which Las Monjitas took a five-goal lead on the scoreboard in the fourth chukka. However, the Pieres’ team managed to negate that goal difference due to the power of their string of horses. It was a different type of final as neither team took a big lead at any moment. There was never more than two goals difference in the scores and most
of the time it was just one goal between the two teams. Las Monjitas played as a complete and organised team, featuring three players with experience as regards this level of polo, namely Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Juan Gris Zavaleta and Alejandro Diaz Alberdi. The lineup formed by Colombian player Camilo Bautista was able to keep control of their rivals. Ellerstina, had a powerful James Packer who watched the back door and young Santi Stirling who ran interference that allowed brothers Gonza and Facu Pieres to do their 10 goal plays. They had to keep tight possession of the ball, as the moment there was a missed play, the 3 professional Las Monjitas team was onto the loose ball. Hence, the match was tied at 11-11 in the last few seconds of the game and it was Alejandro Novillo Astrada, playing back for Las Monjitas, who seized control of the ball after a spot hit was awarded to his team only 10 yards from Ellerstina’s goal line and struck the final goal that took his team to a 12-11 lead only 10 seconds before the final bell rang. After the prize-giving on the podium, Above: Juan Gris Zavaleta - Below: Facundo and Gonzalo Pieres jr and Rodrigo Andrade
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Above: Lucas Criado and Milo Fernandez Araujo - Below: Jamie Packer
Open Pandora, the mare belonging to the Argentine polo breed and played by Facundo Pieres was awarded a prize for best playing pony. “This mare played every single Gold Cup match. It has just turned six and will now make its debut at Palermo� stated Facu. Thus, the Gold Cup 2009 concluded, without doubt it has been one of the most traditional tournaments of the Argentine polo season. Good organisation, a good level of polo and, above all, the chance to watch or play polo on the same fields where a 40 goal team practices, was one of the added values of this tournament that forms part of the World Polo Tour Challenge Cup category.
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ART IN BUENOS AIRES - PHOTOGRAPHY
Polo in Buenos Aires exhibition Photos by Matias Callejo
An exhibition opened in Plaza San Martín on 30 November, showing some of the best polo photos taken by PoloLine. The main objective was to bring polo outside the limits of Palermo, its Cathedral, and for the “porteños” and tourists to get closer understanding of this sport and see it in a different way. Organized by the Institute of Tourism Promotion of Argentina, IMPROTUR, the exhibition can be visited until 8th December, and will be shown throughout 2010 in France, Spain and England. The main idea of “Polo in Buenos Aires” is to discover the history, the culture, the legends and habits which come from this sport. It is a diary of travel with the most beautiful images of polo, as well as a tribute and Fernando Stolovas, Frank Juhel, Jerome Lambert, Leonardo Boto, Henri Cantais, Mariano Mussa and Javier Herrera
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Left above: 1 Left below: 1 Right above: 1 Right below: 1
Frank Juhel, Mariano Mussa and Jerome Lambert gives a look at the polo pictures along with Fernando Stolovas, CEO of Chronos BA
149
recognition of players and all those who are a part of a tradition that represents Argentina at its best all over the world. INPROTUR Coordinator, Mariano Mussa, was in charge of opening the exhibition, which was also attended by Jaeger LeCoultre Directors, CEO Jerome Lambert and Senior Area Manager, Frank Juhel. The sponsors are Jaeger-LeCoultre, Escorihuela Gasc贸n, Mercedes Benz, the Secretary of Tourism of Argentina and PoloLine. Captions Left above: Pololine Pictures used at the exhibition. Left below: Frank Juhel, Fernando Stolovas, Jerome Lambert and Henri Cantais. Right above: Jerome Lambert and Leonardo Boto. Right below: Frank Juhel, Mariano Mussa, Jerome Lambert and Fernando Stolovas.
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TRAVEL - WALES
Land of Red Dragons If you are interested in going to a place with something a bit different to offer you have arrived at the right location. Wales has an abundance of activities to entertain the interested traveller, the fun seeker and the beach hunter. Horse riding, fishing, mountain biking, walking and birdwatching are just a few of the activities you can get up to and a great way to explore the countryside. The outstanding Welsh scenery is full of fantastic waterfalls, sites of incredible historic value and beaches along the coast that are second to none. Photos by Ana Clara Cozzi (PoloLine Travel) & Alice Gipps.
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom bordered by England to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. Wales has a population estimated at three million and is officially bilingual; both Welsh and English have equal status and bilingual signs are the norm throughout the land. For the majority English is their only language, although the once-steady decline in Welsh speaking has reversed over recent years, with the total of Welsh speakers currently estimated to be around 20% of the population The capital Cardiff (Welsh: Caerdydd)
is Wales's largest city with 317,500 people. For a period it was the biggest coal port in the world and, for a few years before World War One, handled a greater tonnage of cargo than either London or Liverpool The sheer diversity of tourist attractions in Wales provides fun, interest and relaxation for every type of visitor. Wales has 750 miles of unspoilt coastline, stunning landscapes and countryside, 3 national parks and 4 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. So if you love the outdoors Wales is the ideal location for a holiday or short break. For families, there are numerous locations
152
that will provide entertainment and stimulating interest for children of all ages. Welsh Castles are famous throughout the world.
Fishing
It has a wealth of rivers and lakes in a variety of stunning scenarios, choosing where to fish is often more difficult than actually catching your fish. You can have the choice of Salmon, Sea trout, Brown trout and superb Grayling fishing on many rivers in Wales. Wild brown trout are abundant, whether you fish the famous rivers or intimate brooks.
Accommodation in Wales
There is a wide range of accommodation in Wales in either one of the lively towns or relaxed villages. Whatever your preference, from luxury hotels to basic campsites. If you prefer a self catering holiday in a delightful country cottage or apartment with glorious sea views. Whatever you decide upon, you will find the wonderful accommodation in Wales is hard to beat.
PQ Recommendation
Llanwrthwl Mid Wales & Cardigan Bay - Rhayader 2.5 miles.
The small, pretty village of Llanwrthwl lies in beautiful countryside between Builth Wells and Rhayader, with just a small shop. For further amenities, the bustling market town of Rhayader, 2.5 miles away, has an abundance of small unusual shops, many eating establishments, pubs and a leisure complex, and cycle hire is available in the town. There is also a wonderful feeding station for Red Kites here, where they can be observed quite closely.
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Wales
Capital City: Cardiff National Languages: Welsh, English Patron Saint: David During the Iron Age and early medieval period Wales was inhabited by the Celtic Britons. A distinct Welsh national identity emerged in the centuries after the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century, and Wales is regarded as one of the modern Celtic nations today. The modern Welsh name for themselves is Cymry, and Cymru is Welsh for Land of the Cymry. The etymological origin of Cymry is from the (reconstructed) Brythonic word “combrogi”, meaning “compatriots”, in the sense of “fellow countrymen”.
For a more strenuous but most enjoyable day, try pony trekking through the area. Discover the fabulous Elan Valley Lakes close by, or visit Builth Wells, where the Royal Welsh Show is held annually, and find a wide variety of shops, tea rooms, pubs etc, as well as many craft shows and exhibitions throughout the year. Crych Du Cottage Llanwrthwl Near Elan Valley
Llanwrthwl 1.5 miles. This charming Llanwrthwl cottage, a detached stone barn conversion, stands in a wonderfully peaceful location on a small riverside farm, nestling beside the banks of the River Wye in the picturesque Wye Valley. The cottage, surrounded by the stunning Cambrian Mountains, offers superb views in every direction, plus excellent walking and cycling, with both the Wye Valley Walk and the National Cycle Track running nearby. Full of character, with a Rayburn, woodburner, exposed beams,
154
oak flooring throughout and painted stone walls, the cottage combines modern facilities with an inviting cottage atmosphere. A fisherman's paradise, there is private salmon, trout and grayling fishing at the end of the garden, or why not relax in the conservatory, soaking up the magnificent views? Otters, buzzards and peregrine falcons make their home in the area, while in nearby Rhayader, visit the Red Kite Feeding Centre. The spectacular reservoirs of the Elan Valley are just a few miles away, with walks and cycling galore. Also well placed for trips into Shropshire or the Welsh coast, this truly is a lovely Wales cottage in a stunning location. Accommodation: All ground floor. Two bedrooms: 1 x king-size double, 1 x twin, both with basins. Bathroom with bath, shower over, basin, WC. Kitchen with dining area. Sitting room with woodburner. Conservatory with mountain & river views.
Borth Mid Wales & Cardigan Bay Aberystwyth 5 miles.
Borth is a village seaside resort on the spectacular Ceredigion Heritage Coast overlooking Cardigan Bay. At low tide there are 3 miles of sands stretching to Ynyslas beach, which has vast sand dunes and is home to the Dyfi National Nature Reserve. The village has shops, pubs, a golf course and an “Animalarium�, a mini-zoo with domestic and farm animals, and exotic and endangered species - all great fun for the family. This whole coastline is renowned for its watersports (especially wind, sand and ordinary surfing) as well as wonderful coastal walks. Nearby Snowdonia provides plentiful opportunities for even more energetic pursuits. Discover Aberystwyth's castle ruins and cliff top railway, delightful Aberdovey, the Celtica History Museum, the exciting Centre for Alternative Technology and the Talyllyn narrow gauge railway passing through breathtaking scenery. Haulfor Cottage Near Aberystwyth
An attractive detached, light, airy property, in a wonderful cliff-side 155
location on the edge of the seaside village of Borth, with spectacular views over Cardigan Bay, including easy access to Borth's 3 mile long beach, the village and Snowdonia mountains beyond. The property offers spacious, well-equipped accommodation, with stunning views from nearly every room, as well as from a balcony off one of the double rooms. The ground floor bedroom and wet room make this property ideal for the less mobile. There are cliff top walks practically from the doorstep and in the summer you can look out for dolphins and porpoise, or enjoy the Heritage Coast, National Nature Reserve, the Dovey Estuary, or the narrow gauge railways. A perfect base for a year round family holiday. Accommodation: Five bedrooms: 1 x twin with basin, 1 x double with basin & door to balcony overlooking Cardigan Bay, 1 x double with basin, 1 x single (limited space, suitable for a child), 1 x ground floor double with door to rear patio. Bathroom with bath, shower over, basin, WC. Ground floor wet room with shower with shower seat, basin, WC with hand rail. Utility room. Large open plan living area with fitted kitchen, dining area & sitting area leading to sun lounge, all with wonderful views over Cardigan Bay.
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SHOWCASE
Unit 1A The Hermitage High Street Ascot SL5 7HD tel: 01344875053 john.pye@thefitnessspace.com www.thefitnessspace.com
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.
8 Victoria Street, Englefield Green, Surrey TW20 0QY www.blacklockspoloart.com
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Tel: +44 (0)1784 438025 blacklocks.polo@ntlworld.com
SHOWCASE New Website! Prints - Commissions - Albums - Canvases - Cards
t:+44 (0)7855 742 909 e:alicegipps@hotmail.com
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SHOWCASE
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PQ international
POLO QUARTERLY
MORE THAN 17 YEARS OF POLO
AUTUMN ISSUE 2009
#70
SUMMER ISSUE 2009
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