June 20, 2023

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The 48th German Polo Championship in the “Low Goal” category took place at PoloPark Berlin from June 16th to 18th, 2023

20. June 2023

It was three days filled with intense polo action as six German teams, supported by over 100 polo horses, journeyed to PoloPark Berlin to participate in the official German Championship. The German Polo Association graciously acted as the patron of the championship.

Despite a significant rain shower featuring hail and 15 liters of precipitation per square meter, the weather remained largely favorable. As a result, the games were only delayed by two hours on Saturday. Over the weekend, 700 guests enjoyed thrilling chukkas and a variety of entertainment, including a Spanish-themed evening on Friday and an Argentinian ASADO dinner on Saturday.

Jan Zavazal from Prague, known as “The Polo Speaker,” expertly moderated all matches. The German Polo Association appointed Thomas Winter from Hamburg and Dominik Velasquez from Switzerland as the official referees, and they presided over all games.

The exhilarating final on Sunday concluded with Team Löwenbrücke Braunschweig triumphing over Team Brand Galaxy Group with a score of 9.5 to 5. The German Low Goal Polo Champions were hence decided. The champions were an all-female team from Berlin, comprising players Clarissa Marggraf, Maike Hölty, Svenja Hölty, and Marie Haupt.

Thomas Winter, on behalf of Oliver Winter, the President of the German Polo Association, presented the medals and the championship trophy. The details of other match results will follow.

1. place and German champion in Low Goal 2023Team Stiftung Löwenbrücke Braunschweig (+1)
Clarissa Marggraf HCP 0
Maike Hölty HCP 0
Svenja Hölty HCP 1
Marie Haupt HCP 0

2. place and runners-up of 2023: Team Brand Galaxy Group (0)
Ascan Tümpel (-1)
Nico Wollenberg (+1)
Daniel Tümpel (+1)
Max Kexel (-1)

3. place Team Ostseebad Sellin (+2)
Anne Grossmann (-1)
Philippa Luserke (0)
Lukas Sdrenka (+2)
Alexander Piltz (+1)

4. place Team Polo Sylt (+2)
Mona Scharf (0)
Ken Kawamoto (0)
Daniel Hauss (+2)
Rainer Raimann (0)

5. place Team NetworkX / Polo & Lifestyle (+1)
Emily Hase-Loock (-1)
Josef Fiebig (0)
Johan Funk Gallardo (+1)
Moritz Mahns (+1)

6. place Team TUMI (0)
Torsten Klein (-2)
Jeanette Diekmann (0)
Comanche Gallardo (+2)
Thomas Strunck (0)

Photos by: Polo Sylt & Baltic Polo Events GmbH

It was three days filled with intense polo action as six German teams, supported by over 100 polo horses, journeyed to PoloPark Berlin to participate in the official German Championship.…

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Cartier Queen’s Cup – Final

20. June 2023

Murus Sanctus 11 – 10 La Magdeleine The Queen’s Ground

Navigating through a deep field of 17 teams over four weeks of elite competition, Murus Sanctus and La Magdeleine went head-to-head on the historic Queen’s Ground to crown a new Cartier Queen’s Cup champion. Posting an early penalty conversion off the mallet of La Magdeleine’s Santiago Laborde to open the scoring, Murus Sanctus was then on the attack, hitting three in the first chukka, including a Penalty 2 from Alejandro Muzzio to take a 3-1 lead. Taking advantage of Murus Sanctus’s foul troubles in the second, three penalties from La Magdeleine’s Pablo MacDonough were answered by two goals in open play from a driving Polito Pieres to maintain Murus Sanctus’ narrow one-goal advantage. With a combined five field shots between the two teams in the third, the accuracy of these evenly matched opponents was on full display before the half-time bell. MacDonough and Facundo Fernandez Llorente found the goal in the third chukka, as Marcos Araya and Pieres delivered for Murus Sanctus. These deadlocked teams made their way into the tents tied 7-7 at the break.

Emerging with a charge, Murus Sanctus generated some much-needed air in the score to open the second half of play. Pieres and Muzzio worked beautifully in tandem from the field to combine for three goals and give Murus Sanctus a 10-7 lead. Generating only two shots with no opportunities to score from penalties, La Magdeleine was forced to make a late push in the sixth chukka. Rebounding on back-to-back goals from MacDonough and Santiago Laborde, La Magdeleine managed to cut their deficit down to one. Stifling La Magdeleine’s sudden momentum, a brilliant drive from Pieres was all Murus Sanctus needed to hold off MacDonough’s final effort and ensure Murus Sanctus held on for an electrifying 11-10 victory to capture their first Cartier Queen’s Cup title.

Murus Sanctus’s Corinne Ricard received Queen’s Cup from Cartier’s Managing Director Laurent Feniou. Not surprisingly, thanks to an impressive, seven-goal performance, including six in open play, Polito Pieres was named the Cartier Most Valuable Player. Meanwhile, the Cartier Best Playing Pony prize was awarded to Irenita La Kiosquera, played by Pablo MacDonough.

Earlier in the day, Vikings defeated Twelve Oaks 10-9 in the sub final for the Cartier Trophy on The Duke’s Ground. This was a stop/start game full of penalties, highlighting the tension and determination from both teams to secure a win on the last day of such a magnificent competition. A Cartier Most Valuable Player prize was awarded to Juan Martin Zubia of the Vikings team.

Photos by Pablo Ramirez

Murus Sanctus 11 – 10 La Magdeleine The Queen’s Ground Navigating through a deep field of 17 teams over four weeks of elite competition, Murus Sanctus and La Magdeleine went…

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French Victory in the first Polo Nations Cup

20. June 2023

The first Polo Nations Cup, launched by the Fédération française de polo and the Polo Club de Chantilly, was a real success: eight teams took part, ten days of games, each as exciting as the next, and a magnificent final won by PACA France, a wonderful team made up of four young players all from French training.

This first final opposed France against South Korea, a young polo federation eager to develop the sport in its country and position itself on the international polo map. A first success with their qualification for this final in Chantilly. But Korea had to contend with an ambitious young French team, who took control of the game right from the start with a goal from Dorian Bulteau. Although Pandy Irstorza equalized with a corner shot, Louis Jarrige gave France the lead in the first half. This dominance was confirmed in the second chukker (3-1), but in the following period, again thanks to Pandy Irstorza, the two teams were tied again… at least for a few moments. It was in the fourth chukker that the team in blue broke the deadlock, thanks mainly to collective action (everyone scored today), as explained by MVP (best player of the final) Julien Reynes: „It really is above all a team victory, as this was a team tournament, we played all our games as a foursome and we won all our victories as a foursome. The start of the game was closed, which is what Tito was looking for, keeping the ball for fear we‘d get it back, and in the fourth chukker we opened up the game by hitting our first balls, and that‘s when we made the difference. Last year, we won a tournament of the same level with this team, and this shows that we‘re on the right track. We‘re delighted to have won this first edition, as the Polo Nations Cup is destined to become a benchmark tournament on the international circuit“.

For David Ko, the Korean captain (best amateur player), qualifying for the final was a victory in itself: „It was a great feeling to be in the final, it was quite unexpected, but we were here thanks in particular to our two professional players, Santiago Irastorza and Tito Guiñazu. Being MVP is one thing, but above all it‘s a great start for Korean polo. This kind of tournament teaches us to play better, and we‘ll be back next year for the Polo Nations Cup and before that for other major tournaments in France, such as the Open de France here in September. Polo is still in its infancy in Korea, but I hope we‘ll be able to bring more players to France next year.”

This first and „young“ Nations‘ Cup is destined to become a major event. Its concept has already won over a number of new nations, who have signified their interest in taking part next year, the Olympic year. As is often the case on these days at the Polo Club de Chantilly, this day of the final was a beautiful one… but there are many more to come, starting with the next tournament of the same level which begins this week, the Charity Cup, and above all the Open de France next September, where at least twenty teams have been announced to take part. It‘s going to be great sport! High level sport!

Statistics

PACA France: Elena Venot (1, 1 goal), Dorian Bulteau (3, 2 goals, yellow card at 3rd chukker), Louis Jarrige (4, 4 goals including 2 penalties) and Julien Reynes (4, 2 goals and MVP)

South Korea: David Ko (0, amateur MVP), Jerry Kwak/Bin Kim (0), Tito Guiñazu (7.1 goals, yellow card at 5th chukker) and Santiago Irastorza (5, 4 goals including 1 penalty and 1 corner, yellow card at 3rd chukker)

Best horse of the final, Oración, born in Argentina, ridden by Louis Jarrige and owned by Jean-Claude Le Grand.

Progression PACA France: 2/1 – 3/1 – 4/3 – 7-3 and 9/5

The first Polo Nations Cup, launched by the Fédération française de polo and the Polo Club de Chantilly, was a real success: eight teams took part, ten days of games,…

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Day 3 at the 2023 POLO RIDER CUP

20. June 2023

The action continues at the Polo Club Saint-Tropez with the last zone games to define the Quarter Finals of the 2023 POLO RIDER CUP with the following games: Araucaria Polo Club and Evviva Polo Club St. Moritz, Polo Club Schockemöhle and Aquedotto Romano Polo Club, Amadeus Polo Club and Roma Polo Club and later Polo Club Saint-Tropez against Rincón Polo José Ignacio.

The opening game between Araucaria Polo Club and Evviva Polo Club St. Moritz witnesses a narrow victory from the Argentinian team by 8 ½ – 8 goals.

The Swiss team came out very strong in the first part of the game ending the chukker 2 in front of the score 6-1/2. But from the third chukker, there was a complete turnaround, and Araucaria Polo Club worked very well. Just 40 seconds before the end of the last chukker, Salvador Jauretche scored a goal that gave the win to the Argentinian team by just ½ goal.

Polo Club Schockemöhle won the day's second game by 11-6 to Aquedotto Romano Polo Club.

The German team came into the beginning of the game with a light start and took them two chukkers to find their rhythm. Instead, Aquedotto Romano Polo Club dominated the game until more or less the second half of the game, but Polo Club Schockemöhle came back very strong, with a great run of 8 goals in a row. Tomás Pieres led and dragged his team to their second win, with Vanessa Schockemöhle scoring the last goal for her team.

A very close and tight game between Amadeus Polo Club and Roma Polo Club, where the Argentinian team beat the Italian team by 8 – 6 ½ goals.

In the first chukker, Amadeus Polo Club took the lead, but in the second chukker, it was the turn of Roma Polo Club to play stronger. But it wasn’t until the second half when Amadeus Polo Club won the game leading by 2 to 1 in the third and fourth chukkers.

The closing game of the day ended with the victory of Polo Club Saint-Tropez against El Rincón Polo José Ignacio by 10-4 goals.

The first half of the match ended with two goal-lead for the French team, and an impressive Lorenzo Chavanne, who scored four goals in the last chukker, gave a clear win to Polo Club Saint-Tropez.

POLO RIDER CUP – DAY 3

ARAUCARIA POLO CLUB 8 ½ – 8 4 EVVIVA POLO CLUB ST. MORITZ

Score progression: 1 ½ – 3 / 1 ½ – 6 / 4 ½ -7 / 8 ½ – 8.

Araucaria Polo Club: Luca Meier 1 (3 goals), Fabian Bolanteiro 4, Salvador Jauretche 5 (4 goals), Fabio Meier 2. Total HC: 12.

Evviva Polo Club St. Moritz: Valentín Farinati 1, Ignacio Kennedy 5 (1 goal), Martin Aguerre H. 7 (7 goals), Thomas Rinderknecht 0. Total HC: 13.

Umpires: Juan José Diaz Alberdi & Nicolás Scortichini.

POLO CLUB SCHOCKMÖHLE 11 – 6 AQUEDOTTO ROMANO POLO CLUB

Score progression: 2-2 / 3-6 / 6-6 / 11-6.

Polo Club Schockemöhle: Vanessa Schockemöhle 0 (1 goal), Giordano Magini 2 (2 goals), Matias Nigoul 4 (2 goals), Tomas Pieres 6 (6 goals). Total HC: 12.

Aquedotto Romano Polo Club: Andreas Bihrer 0, Sebastián Sorbac 2, Ramiro Zavaleta 4 (1 goal), Gastón Maiquez 6 (5 goals). Total HC: 12.

Umpires: Hugo Iturraspe & Martin Haurie.

AMADEUS POLO CLUB 8 – 6 ½ ROMA POLO CLUB

Score progression: 3 – 1½ / 4 – 4½ / 6 – 5½ / 8 – 6½.

Amadeus Polo Club: Robert Kofler 0, Hilario Ruiz Guiñazú 3 (1 goal), Bartolomé Bayugar 4 (2 goals), Santiago C. Marambio 6 (4 goals). Total HC: 13.

Roma Polo Club: Alessandro Barnaba 0, Juan Jauretche 6 (6 goals), Pierre Jauretche 4 (6 goals), Tomas Joaquin 2. Total HC: 12.

Umpires: Juan José Diaz Alberdi & Hugo Iturraspe.

POLO CLUB SAINT-TROPEZ 10 – 4 EL RINCÓN POLO JOSÉ IGNACIO

Score progression: 3-0 / 5-3 / 6-4 / 10-4.

Polo Club Saint-Tropez: Nicky Sen 0, Pedro Chavanne 1 (1 goal), Lorenzo Chavanne 4 (6 goals), Santiago Chavanne 7 (3 goals). Total HC: 12.

Rincón Polo José Ignacio: Sacha Fedier 1, Martín Ferrari 2 (1 goal), Bautista Beguerie 5 (3 goals), Matías Carrique 4. Total HC: 12.

Umpires: Martin Haurie & Nicolás Scortichini.

The POLO RIDER CUP continues on Tuesday, June 20

10:00 Evviva Polo St. Moritz vs Polo Club Schockemöhle

12:00 Araucaria Polo Club vs Aquedotto Romano Polo Club

16:00 Amadeus Polo Club vs Coronel Suárez Polo Club

18:00 Polo Club Saint-Tropez vs. Golden Greens Polo Club