Chantilly celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Ladies‘ Open
Eleven players at Argentinean Open level or winners of the Copa Camara, the best French players, ten teams, nine nations represented, a maharaja who is a high level sportsman because of his 2 goal handicap and more than thirty matches: the 2021 edition of the Open de France Engel & Völkers promises to be exciting once again. The Women’s Open will celebrate its tenth anniversary with six brilliant teams
With ten teams of 16 goals*, the Open de France Engel & Völkers is undoubtedly the most competitive of the international tournaments played in France and this in the largest club with its eight fields, the quality of which is unanimously appreciated by the best players in the world. This is one of the reasons why the ten team captains have once again entered eleven of these best players, big names who usually liven up the alta temporada, the Argentinean high season:
Camilo Castagnola (8 goal handicap*, Argentine Open), Tomas Beresford (7, Copa Camara 2020 finalist), Martin Aguerre (7, Argentine Open player and 2018 Copa Camara winner), Clemente and Juan-Gris Zavaleta (7, Argentine Open players and Copa Camara winners), Alejandro Muzzio, Bautista Bayugar and Tito Ruiz Guiñazu (8, 8 and 7, Argentine Open and Copa Camara), Facundo Llorente(7, Copa Camara), Jero Del Carril (7, Copa Camara) and finally, the return to Chantilly of Rufino Bensadon who last played in Apremont at the age of 16 as a 4 goaler and who returns this year at age 19 as a 7-goaler and, among other things, a Copa Camara winner (2019).
This year, the Open de France Engel & Völkers is more international than ever with nine nations represented in the ten teams: United Kingdom, Argentina, Chile, Spain, United States, France, Russia, Switzerland and India with the Maharadja of Jaipur, Prince Pacho Padmanabh Singh who will play in the Sainte-Mesme team.
France’s polo elite will be well represented, with players from the national team spread across four lineups: Pierre Henri N‘Goumou (6, Mungo), Robert Strom (5, Sainte-Mesme), Patrick Paillol (5, Kazak) and Brieuc Rigaux (6, Brittany Polo).
Women’s Open: tenth anniversary and Argentinean stars
From 14 September, the women‘s top level will be on show to compete in the tenth anniversary edition. Six well-balanced teams will battle for the 2021 title. They are built either around a strong pillar or with four players of equal level. Among the pillars, a loyal Chantilly player and title holder of the Argentine Open, Lia Salvo, handicap 9, who will cleverly lead the Maison Décalé team. Playing against La Dolfina in the 2020 final of the Abierto Feminino, Lia had faced Fatima Balzano (6); she will meet her again in Chantilly with the German team Cosmo Polo Los Floreales. Also handicap 6, British player Izzie Mc Gregor will lead the French-American team DS Automobiles DS Store Saint-Maximin. As in the Engel & Völkers Open, many nations will be represented in this Women‘s Open, five to be exact: Argentina, England, Germany, Switzerland and France with eleven players from the Polo Club de Chantilly. Among them, the three Venot sisters, holders of the title that they will defend this year under the Swiss colors of Polo Park Zürich alongside the President of the Swiss Polo Federation, Morgane van Overbroek. A team to follow and to beat! The oldest of the Venot sisters, Elena, has joined the circle of the best players in the world; handicap 6 as well, she will play the next Argentinean Open for La Ensenada.
See you in Chantilly from 4 September!
After last year’s flamboyant twentieth anniversary edition and with this year’s tenth anniversary of the Women’s Open, the 2021 edition promises to be just as intense to experience. Whether in the peaceful atmosphere of the weekday matches, often at dusk, or in the feverishness of the weekend games and in particular the final on 19 September, where a village of stalls, food-trucks and entertainment welcomes visitors. Not forgetting the polo Fridays, where the last game of the day can be watched from the Orangerie, with a glass of champagne or Malbec in hand, while waiting for the asado (Argentinean barbecue) and the equestrian event with a few surprises on the program, such as the Compagnie équestre des Grandes Écuries de Chantilly or Mario Lurashi. Three weeks of sports and festivities.
*A team of 16 goals is made of four players whose goal handicaps add up to 16. The goal handicap corresponds to the level of the polo player (it varies between -2 and +10). The handicap evolves according to the player‘s performance in games and the progress made during the year. The highest handicap in France is 6 and in Europe 7 (England). The handicap 10 is currently held by 9 Argentinians and one Uruguayan.
One of the prodigies of the young Argentinean generation, Rufino Bensadon, wearing the green jersey of Le Pommeray HM, who will play in Chantilly against the French 6 goaler Pierre Henri N‘Goumou, author of a very good season with Mungo. ©Pascal Renauldon / R&B Presse
TEAMS
BRITTANY POLO CLUB 16
Jean-François DECAUX CAP 1
Brieuc RIGAUX 6
Rodrigo RUEDA 6
Thierry VETOIS 3
LOS DRAGONES 16
Sam SZTARKMAN CAP 1
Jota CHAVANNE 5
Martin JOAQUIN 5
Nicolas CORTI MADERNA 5
MARQUARD MEDIA 16
Ignacio KENNEDY 5
Ramiro Zavaleta 4
Martin AGUERRE JR 7
Tommy RINDERKNECHT CAP 0
MUNGO 16
Patrick EISENCHTETER CAP 1
Juan José STORNI 5
Simon ZAVALETA 4
Pierre-Henri N’GOUMOU 6
TALANDRACAS 16
Édouard CARMIGNAC CAP 0
Hugues CARMIGNAC 1
Tommy BERESFORD 7
Camilo CASTAGNOLA 8
LE POMMERAY 16
Rufino BENSADON 7
Juan GRIS ZAVALETA 7
Derek SMITH CAP 1
Caroline ANIER 1
LA MAGDELEINE 16
Alexandre GARESE 0
Lucas NOTTIN 2
Facundo F.LLORENTE 7
Tito RUIZ GUIÑAZU 7
POLO TEAM SCHOCKEMÖHLE 16
Daniel DEISTLER CAP 0
Antonino MENARD 5
Clément DELFOSSE 5
Patrick MALEITZKE 5
KAZAK 16
Sébastien AGUETTANT CAP 0
Patrick PAILLOL 5
Jero DEL CARRIL 7
Santiago IRASTORZA 4
SAINTE-MESME 16
Robert STROM CAP 5
Clemente ZAVALETA 7
Pacho PADMANABH SINGH 2
Jaime SERRA 2
CLINOVA NOA CAPITAL 16
Raja KARIM Pedro CAP 0
Alejandro MUZZIO 8
Bautista BAYUGAR 8
Victor LOUARN 0
Zones of the French Open Engel & Völkers
All teams from each zone will play against each other, the first of each zone will meet the second if the other zone in the semi-finals.
ZONE 1
Clinova Noa Capital
Kazak
Marquard Media
Brittany Polo Club
La Magdeleine
ZONE 2
Talandracas
Sainte-Mesme
Los Dragones
Le Pommeray
Mungo
TEAMS WOMEN OPEN
DS AUTOMOBILES DS STORE SAINT-MAXIMIN 16
Margaux PERRUCHOT 3
Adèle RENAULDON 3
Olivia UECHTRITZ 4
Izzie MCGREGOR 6
COSMO POLO LOS FLOREALES 14
Anne GROßMANN 0
Maike HÖLTY 4
Fatima BALZANO 6
Svenja HÖLTY 4
MAISON DÉCALÉ 16
Lavinia FABRE 3
Bianca VERNEUIL 1
Agathe MOBIAN 3
Lia SALVO 9
POLO PARK ZÜRICH 16
Morgane VAN OVERBROEK 2
Pearl VENOT 4
Lucie VENOT 4
Elena VENOT 6
CASANERA 12
Clarissa MARGGRAF 3
Marie HAUPT 3
Philippa LUSERKE 3
Naomi SCHROEDER 3
SPIRIT OF POLO 13
Romane JAMET 3
Ambre PLOIX 3
Sandrine DUBOIS 3
Carla ALVAREZ 4
FINALS PROGRAMME SUNDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2019
11H00 : Opening of the village
12H00 : Final of the Ladies French Open
12H00 : Finals cocktail
13H30 : Finals lunch
14H00 : Potrillos Cup
15H00: Parade of the French Open Engel & Völkers
15H30: Final of the Open de France Engel & Völkers
17H00: Trophy C final
