A French win was guaranteed in the Ladies Polo Nations Cup, with the final featuring two French regions — Normandy and Hauts-de-France. But Occitanie-France’s triumph in the main tournament was earned through one of the season’s most thrilling matches — against none other than Argentina. A hard-fought battle, once again decided in overtime.
It was a spectacular afternoon of sport for the spectators at the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly on Sunday. The main fields, cooled by a refreshing breeze, provided ideal conditions for the horses to perform at their best. The crowd was enthralled by the high-paced, open game — minimal fouls, intense rhythm, just the way we love it. And the match offered a dramatic finish: while Occitanie-France appeared in control (5-2) by the second chukker, Argentina clawed its way back thanks to the brilliance of Matias Torres Zavaleta. He launched fierce attacks through a solid defensive wall held by brothers Ramiro and Simon Zavaleta, scoring 7 of his team’s 8 goals — including the equalizer in the final second of regular time after a stunning midfield run.
Ramiro Zavaleta: Golden Goal Specialist
Once again, the match was decided by a golden goal — and once again, Ramiro Zavaleta delivered, this time with a brilliant nearside neck shot. Watching from the sidelines was his father Diego, a long-time figure in Chantilly polo, who nearly fainted with emotion. The outcome: Isabelle Larenaudie’s team retained their title. For Elouan Badarello, the team’s young newcomer, it marked his first major title at the 12-goal level:
“Yes, my first big win — with an incredible team, thanks to Isabelle and the Zavaleta brothers. It was a crazy experience. The match was really tough. We started strong, but Mati Torres is unbelievable — he can score three goals in three plays and bring his team back. But we stayed calm, didn’t panic, and stuck to the system we’ve used since the start of the tournament.”
Elouan played a largely defensive role, often marking Tomas Oviedo, but also occasionally found himself facing the fearsome Matias Torres Zavaleta:
“It’s very hard to defend against him. You need more than one player — if you’re alone, he makes your life miserable. But playing against someone like that is amazing, and having such a star at Chantilly is a huge privilege. I’ve learned so much during this tournament.”
Ladies Polo Nations Cup: A Comeback Win for Hauts-de-France
First edition of the Ladies Polo Nations Cup — first victory for Hauts-de-France! © Justine Jacquemot
The ladies also delivered a fantastic match, likely one of the best women’s games ever seen at Chantilly. Normandy, led by Argentina’s Milagros Sanchez, dominated early on with long forward passes and took a 3-1½ lead into halftime. But Hauts-de-France turned the game around, with Pupi Sirvent and Anaïs Rezkallah stepping up in attack, backed by their cornerstone, Ambre Ploix:
“I expected a really competitive and difficult tournament — and it absolutely was,” said Ambre. “The teams were very evenly matched. We were already thrilled to reach the final … although we basically slept through the first part of the game. It wasn’t until the third chukker that we got into rhythm and turned things around. Anaïs (Rezkallah, amateur MVP) played an incredible match. Actually, all the girls did — I’m just so happy to have been part of it.”
A Promising Outlook for the Rest of the Season
These two French victories — in both the women’s and the main tournament — provided a spectacular close to the third edition of the Polo Nations Cup. None of it would have been possible without the dedication of the team at the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly, led by Philippe Perrier and Club President Arnaud de Chênevarin.
But the season is far from over: a high-level France–Brazil test match is already scheduled for next week (June 27), and from September 4 to 21, the club will host the 24th edition of the Open de France Barnes — a major highlight on the international polo calendar. Sixteen teams are expected, including top global players and former participants of the legendary Argentine Open.
Polo Nations Cup 2025 Final
Occitanie-France:
Isabelle Larenaudie 0 (1 goal), Elouan Badarello 2 (1 goal), Simon Zavaleta 6 (5 goals including 3 penalties), Ramiro Zavaleta 4 (2 goals)
Argentina:
Bruno Bensoussan 0, Tomas Oviedo 2, Juan Cruz Araya 3 (1 goal), Matias Torres Zavaleta 7 (7 goals including 3 penalties)
Score progression: 1-0 / 5-2 / 5-4 / 6-5 / 8-8 / 9-8 (Golden Goal)
- MVP Amateur: Isabelle Larenaudie (Occitanie)
- MVP Pro: Simon Zavaleta (Occitanie)
- BPP: GT Luna, played and owned by Simon Zavaleta (Occitanie)
- BPP AACCP: Aguara V10, played and owned by Matias Torres Zavaleta (Argentina)
Final of the 1st Ladies Polo Nations Cup
Hauts-de-France:
Bianca Verneuil 1, Pupi Sirvent 2 (3 goals), Anaïs Rezkallah 5 (2 goals), Ambre Ploix 5 (1 goal)
Normandy:
Isabelle Koessler 0 (1 goal), Alicia Prat 2 (1 goal), Marion Ambrosetti 3, Milagros Sanchez 7 (2 goals)
Final score: Hauts-de-France (+½): 1½–3 / 1½–3 / 4½–4 / 6½–4
- MVP Amateur by Drimmer: Anaïs Rezkallah (Hauts-de-France)
- MVP Pro by Drimmer: Milagros Sanchez (Normandy)
- BPP: Grassfield Jaipur, played by Anaïs Rezkallah, owned by Pierre-Henri N’Goumou (Hauts-de-France)
Images Justine Jacquemot
Text Pascal Renauldon
