On Saturday 26th July, British Polo Day Russia – presented by Land Rover – returned to the Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club for a day of fast-paced polo, fine dining and glamour. Hosted by the Rodzianko family, some of Moscow’s most influential figures in business and culture joined over 300 VIP guests at the Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club. Guests included renowned Russian ballet dancer Andris Liepa, Special Olympics athlete Ekaterina Sazonova, famous fashion designer Alisa Tolkacheva, Jean Louis Davide owner Tatiana Rogatchenko, and business mogul Elena Filipchenkova.
Arriving in chauffer-driver Land Rovers and helicopters, guests were greeted with a Champagne Taittinger reception, after which the day officially began with an exhilarating head-to-head match between Royal Salute Moscow Polo Club and Oxford Group Holdings British Schools polo teams. This was a closely-fought encounter that saw Royal Salute Moscow Polo Club walk away with the highly-coveted Hackett Cup.
Following this, spectators sat down to a quintessential pitch-side afternoon tea, created by the expert chefs at Intercontinental Moscow, Tverskaya. Over a delicious array of delicate sandwiches, cakes, tarts and coffee cocktails from the connoisseurs at Nespresso, guests enjoyed the day’s second polo match. Intercontinental Moscow Tverskaya Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club – our hosts and the generous patrons who have firmly placed Russia on the global polo ‘map’ – took to the field against Hackett Oxbridge, in the hope of securing the Land Rover Trophy for a second year running. It was a thrilling, fiercely- competitive game, in which the Hackett Oxbridge team clinched a close victory over Moscow Tverskaya Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club with a 5-4 win – the first three goals being scored by British Polo Day Co-Founder Tom Hudson.
As the sun set over the stunning Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club forest, proceedings drew to a close with the British Polo Day Russia prize giving ceremony. The most valuable player Cameron Bacon was also honoured with a bottle of Royal Salute The Diamond Tribute, an esteemed expression within the Royal Salute’s portfolio, launched in June 2013 to mark the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.
With the crowds gathered, Frank Wittermann, General Director of Jaguar Land Rover Russia, presented Hackett Oxbridge with the coveted Hackett Cup, while our host Inna Rodzianko, presented the Land Rover Trophy to its well-deserved winners, the InterContinental Moscow Tverskaya Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club team. The Holland & Holland ‘Shot of the Day’ was awarded by Mathieu Van Alphen, General Manager at Intercontinental Moscow to Tom Hudson of the Hackett Oxbridge team for his stunning hat-trick. Meanwhile, Pond Mobile’s ‘Best Playing Pony’ was awarded to the fine-looking Gisar from the InterContinental Moscow Tverskaya Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club team.
As the evening drew to a close, the official after party then kicked off with an authentic Argentinian asado at the Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club, which continued late into the night with a famous in-house DJ from one of Moscow’s hottest nightspots.
Commenting on this year’s British Polo Day Russia, our host, Alex Rodzianko said: “We are thrilled to have hosted British Polo Day for the second time at the Moscow Polo Club. We have built upon our success and, this year, the event exceeded our high expectations. Events like British Polo Day promote and help the development of polo in Russia, as well as create lasting international friendships, which today are more important and necessary than ever.”
Chadwick Delaney, General Manager of Justerini & Brooks added: “British Polo Day is luxury at its best. The bringing together of atmosphere, people and high-quality sport. It’s a rare skill.”
The event is partnered with Jaguar Land Rover, Royal Salute, Oxford Group Holdings, Hackett London, The Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club, The InterContinental Moscow Tverskaya, Protection Group International, Holland & Holland, Charles Russell, Billionaire.com, Global Partnership Family Offices, Justerini & Brooks, Abercrombie & Kent, Ettinger London, D.R Harris & Co, Prestat, 3RD HOME, Nihiwatu, The Grosvenor Stationary Company, Champagne Taittinger, Pendragon Productions, Pond Mobile, Nespresso and Walpole.
The British Polo Day, presented by Land Rover, is a worldwide tournament series and celebrates the British lifestyle as well as the heritage and tradition of polo around the globe. In 2014 there are events in eleven countries on the tournament calendar. In addition to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the countries China, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Russia, Singapore, Thailand and the United Kingdom are counted among the locations. Next stop of British Polo Day is the event on Sunday 14th September at Tang Polo Club in Beijing, China.
For more information please visit: www.britishpoloday.com
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