Clinique La Prairie

Clinique La Prairie wins the 25th Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad
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After two years of absence, the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad made a magnificent return with a sensational final that decided its winner only in the last seconds. A breathtaking game that saw Clinique La Prairie win this 25th edition of the Hublot Polo Gold Cup, the highest polo in Switzerland, and with it, four watches offered by the Swiss watchmaker.

Clinique La Prairie won on the wire, 9 to 7 ½, thanks to an imperial Raul Laplacette who made sure his team remained calm and concentrated in the crucial final minutes when the game could still go either way. Sébastien Le Page, the captain ofClinique La Prairie, was indeed worried: „I must admit that at the end of the third chukker, I told myself that we were going to miss this final, but we woke up for the last chukker.” Playing for the first time in Gstaad, the French captain and boss of the Swiss club Polo Park Zurich, wanted to prepare well with a specific method … sobriety: „It‘s the first time I play this level, I haven’t been drinking for the last three weeks so tonight it will be full-on champagne!“ Talking about the game, Le Page has an explanation of what made the odds turn in their favor: „This final could have gone either way, but I felt that Kielder Agro started to put pressure on themselves in the last chukker, I felt them more nervous and that‘s maybe what made the difference. The fact that they could not play with Bautista Beguerie (injured yesterday, broke his arm in the semi-final, ed.), must have disturbed them too, it must have certainly changed their strategy.” Clinique La Prairie‘s strategy was clearly based on calmness, especially that of its pillar, Argentine Laplacette: „Raul? He‘s the quiet force! It seems like he‘s in slow motion all the time, but he‘s actually always on the ball. This is the first time I‘ve played with him, but it‘s definitely not the last,“ said the French captain. But they could also count on Lucas Labat’s experience as he already won this tournament in 2019 wearing the same colors!


Raul Laplacette, the key man in this final, getting the better of the excellent Ezequiel Martinez-Ferrario. ©R&B Presse – Pascal Renauldon

The small final, the one for third place, allowed the Hublot team to leave Gstaad with a victory over the solid Gstaad Palace team. A game that was very balanced and pleasant to watch, one goal being immediately countered with another, a duel between Argentines Pedro Fernandez-Llorente in purple and Dario Musso in red, the latter missing a 40-yard penalty in the last 30 seconds that would have allowed them to battle it out in overtime. A beautiful victory for Hublot much to the delight of its captain Henry Fielding Elser, at 16 years the youngest player to ever be in this tournament.

It was a pleasure to be back at the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad, which reunited with its public, packed at the edge of the field and captivated by the intensity of these finals. No doubt that they will come back next year, when the Saanen airfield will once again be the scene of highly competitive polo in the heart of the mountains from August 17 to 20 2023.


The young Swiss Luca Meier (7 goals during the tournament) was crowned best amateur player. ©R&B Presse – Pascal Renauldon

MVP: Raul Laplacette
Best amateur player: Luca Meier
Top scorer of the tournament: Raul Laplacette (15 goals)
BBP: Blanquita (ridden by Ezequiel Martinez-Ferrario in the 1st and 3rd chukker) by Dolfina Cuarteto (Cuartetera) and Blanquita, 8-year-old grey mare
Best groom: Claudio Marquez (team Gstaad Palace)

 

Teams and progression

FINAL:

Team Clinique La Prairie
Sébastien Le Page (0)
Facundo Kelly (+3), 1 goal
Lucas Labat (+5)
Raul Laplacette (+6), 8 goals

Team Kielder Agro
Luca Meier (+1), 2 goals
Fabian Bolantario (+4)
Ezequiel Martinez-Ferrario (+7), 5 goals
Fabio Meier (+1)

Progression Clinique La Prairie:
(advantage ½ goal for Kielder)
3/3½ – 6/5½ – 6/7½ et 9/7½

Subsidary final:

Team Hublot
Henry Fielding Elser (0)
Teo von Neufforge (+5), 1 goal
Goffredo Cutinelli-Rendina (+3)
Pedro Fernandez Llorente (+5), 4 goals

Team Gstaad Palace
Cedric Schweri (0)
Tomi Astelarra (+3), 1 goal
Joao Novaes (+5)
Dario Musso (+5), 3 goals

Progression Hublot:
2/1 – 3/2 – 4/3 et 5/4

After two years of absence, the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad made a magnificent return with a sensational final that decided its winner only in the last seconds. A breathtaking…
A unique world polo experience!
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At last! After a two-year hiatus due to the health crisis, polo is back in Gstaad, at the Saanen airport, from August 18 to 21 for four glamorous days dedicated to the oldest of team sports: the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad!

The magnificent resort town of Gstaad and its sublime mountain environment are indeed glamorous. But on the field, it‘s all about sport and high-level equestrianism, as the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad demands it to be. The players are both horsemen and sportsmen who follow an extremely rigorous physical and technical training. But the real stars of this sport are the horses. They are the first polo athletes, bred and selected since the beginning of the last century (mainly in Argentina) to become the best partners, the „legs“ of their riders even. Lively, intelligent, playful, fast, tough, brave, these four-legged rugby players are very endearing horses. As soon as the player has thought of an action, his horse responds and sometimes even anticipates because it knows the game and its rider so well. They are also sometimes called „ponies“ and adapt to all conditions and therefore to the altitude of 1100 m, making this the highest summer tournament in the world.

There will be about one hundred and twenty of these little horses setting up camp for a week on the grounds of the Saanen airport to accompany the sixteen players of the four teams who are dreaming of winning this coveted trophy of the international circuit. Three teams, GSTAAD PALACE, HUBLOT and newcomer KIELDER AGRO, will try to topple title holders CLINIQUE LA PRAIRIE, which will be led this year by the Frenchman from Zurich, Sébastien Le Page. The „boss“ of Polo Park Zurich has built a very competitive team around the Argentinean handicap* 6, Raul Laplacette, winner of last year‘s Pakistan Open. KIELDER AGRO is a new team and will be led by the Swiss Fabio Meier who has entered a 7-goal player, the Argentine Ezequiel Martinez-Ferrario, who is used to playing the high-goal season in Palm Beach where he won the famous Whitney Cup and who also won the Silver Cup in Dubai.

Dario Musso has spent most of his career in France, where he has won the Silver and Gold Cups in Deauville and the French Open in Chantilly, among others. Together with the Brazilian Joao Novaes – a Gstaad devotee and former winner of the French Open – they will be a strong support for the Swiss Cedric Schweriwearing the colors of the GSTAAD PALACE. This captain, loyal to Gstaad, will be more than motivated to renew the victory he celebrated in 2018.

Finally, the HUBLOT team, led by the American Marco Elser, finalist of the last edition of the Hublot Polo Gold Cup, will be able to count on the Argentinean handicaps 5 Teo von Neufforge and Pedro Fernandez Llorente.

Beyond this absolutely exciting sport – and all the more spectacular in Gstaad because the public can watch the games right from the border of the field – the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad is a unique experience in Switzerland. It goes beyond the simple sporting competition: an incredible green setting, on an airport surrounded by majestic Alpine peaks, transformed into a polo club for the duration of four days, on a quality ground that has been „worked“ and maintained for many months before the tournament. This polofield allows a rare proximity with the players and the horses, and is surrounded by a VIP village and exhibitors with original luxury products to discover, a resolutely friendly atmosphere, a catering area for the public and a playground for children. Another tradition of this unique tournament is the parade of the teams on Friday, a picturesque event in the streets of Gstaad. A different way of experiencing high-level polo, unique to the Hublot Polo Gold Cup!

* The 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 Europe is 7 (England). The very rare handicap 10 is currently held by 9 Argentinians and one Uruguayan.


© Polo Club Gstaad

Polo Club Gstaad – Lauenenstrasse 18 – Postfach 419 – CH-3780 Gstaad
Tel: +41 33 744 07 40 – info@pologstaad.ch – www.pologstaad.ch

 

At last! After a two-year hiatus due to the health crisis, polo is back in Gstaad, at the Saanen airport, from August 18 to 21 for four glamorous days dedicated…
Clinique La Prairie wins Hublot Polo Gold Cup in Gstaad
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The 24th Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad at the Saanen airfield saw spectacular polo matches against the breathtaking alpine backdrop. Polo Grandsigneur Dr Piero Dillier and his team could take the victory home.

With perfect weather and unforgettable alpine views it was only fitting the final be equally spectacular, and as expected, the teams boasting some of the world’s best, didn’t disappoint. Finally it was team Clinique La Prairie with Piero Dillier, Bautista Beguerie, Juan Manuel Gonzales and Lucas Labat who made it to the very top of the 24th Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad. They defeated opponent Team Hublot with Marco Elser, Marcos Antinori, Nicola Antinori and Julio Novillo Astrada by a clear 10-5.

The best amateur player of the tournament, American Marco Elser, wore his trademarked grin while explaining that despite the clear defeat (10-5) there was no place for disappointment at the awards ceremony: “Being a finalist is already a great success in and of itself, and the winner was a beautiful team which produced a beautiful game with effective team organization and very good horses.”

Lucas Labat, Clinique La Prairie’s backbone, admitted it wasn’t that difficult to win with a team which has both, talent and chemistry. “I think this team is one of the best I’ve played with here in Europe, where I’ve been playing since 1998. The team worked together perfectly, the conditions were ideal, and the organization a well-oiled machine. For me, Gstaad is one of the best tournaments in Europe. My job was to send the ball to my forwards, who could then chain the goals. This is the type of polo I believe in, and I am convinced that in the future, we must return to this kind of open game.” In the match for 3rd, Banque Eric Sturdza made good on their promise to try for the best result despite being dethroned of their title by Clinique La Prairie. In a much tighter game, they beat Gstaad Palace. In August 2020 this unique polo event will celebrate its 25th anniversary. With Pierre Genecand and his teams at the helm, the quarter century celebration is sure to amaze team.

www.polo-gstaad.ch

© ThomasWirth
The 24th Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad at the Saanen airfield saw spectacular polo matches against the breathtaking alpine backdrop. Polo Grandsigneur Dr Piero Dillier and his team could take…
Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad 2019
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The ‘‘Sport of the Kings and King of Sports’’ is back in Gstaad, at Saanen Airport, from August 22nd to 25th for four days dedicated to the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad – at an altitude of 1000m the highest summer tournament in the world.

Three teams, Clinique La Prairie, Gstaad Palace and Hublot will try to overthrow the one of Banque Eric Sturdza and his Swiss captain, Cedric Schweri, unbeatable since he won his first title in 2017: ‘‘Well, I wouldn’t say that the Hublot Polo Gold Cup is my only goal of the season, but it’s one of my favourite tournaments since it’s the most important one in Switzerland and, of course, as a Swiss player, I am honoured to be a participant. I’m as ready as I can be, I mean it would be amazing to win for the third time”. He will count this year on the Brazilian Novaes brothers to win a new victory in this new edition.

Remembering the final 2018 won on a knife edge by the team Banque Eric Sturdza after an incredible ‘‘remontada’’ when Cedric Schweri and his team were led by three goals, it looks like, once again, it will not be easy for the Swiss captain even though his combativeness got the upper hand. The competition will be strong. The Swiss captains of Clinique La Prairie, Piero Dillier and Andy Bihrer, for example, have called on Lucas Labat, the Argentinian handicap 6 player, who is playing at the highest level on all continents. Julio Novillo Astrada (h7), who is said in his country that he is certainly the strongest player of this renowned family who won the prestigious Argentinean Open, will return to Gstaad for Team Hublot and American Captain Marco Maximilian Elser. As for the captain of the Gstaad Palace team, Gerardo Cosentino of Liechtenstein, he will introduce three new Argentinean players to the cosmopolitan public of Gstaad, including handicap 6 Franco Gai.

Beyond this thrilling sport – and all the more spectacular in Gstaad on a field close to the public – the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad is a unique experience in the Swiss sports calendar that goes beyond the competition: a stunning setting of greenery, on an by alpine peaks surrounded airport that becomes a polo club for a single weekend, a rare proximity with players and horses, a VIP village and exhibitors with original luxury products to discover, a friendly atmosphere, a public dining area, a playground for children and, on Friday, a picturesque animation in the streets of Gstaad with the parade of teams. A different way to live high level polo!

www.polo-gstaad.ch

Photos: R&B Presse

 

The ‘‘Sport of the Kings and King of Sports’’ is back in Gstaad, at Saanen Airport, from August 22nd to 25th for four days dedicated to the Hublot Polo Gold…
Cédric Schweri and Banque Eric Sturdza keep their title
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Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad – What a finale! Probably the most beautiful in twenty-three editions of the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad. Incredibly intense to the point that the audience (2,000 spectators again) completely got caught up in game and greatly cheered from the sidelines. Although Cédric Schweri and his teammates of Banque Eric Sturdza were able to raise the trophy for the second year in a row, they truly had to fight for it.

It was more than a fight, it was a battle! Clinique La Prairie attacked very strongly to the point where one could wonder if the game was not going to be one-sided: “In the beginning of the game, we did not really play well, concedes the happy captain of Banque Eric Sturdza. The other team started the game off very strongly and it began to look bad for us. But our team is like a good Swiss clock, it takes time to adjust, but once it runs, it runs with great regularity.” 

In short, in the score, this resulted in a severe 4-1 after the first chukker with two goals scored by the one who would be crowned the tournament’s top scorer, the Argentine Agustin Canale (15 goals in the end, 5 average per game). Things got better in the second period, when Banque Eric Sturdza came back to 7-5. “We then started to speed up our game”, says Schweri. Notably thanks to Marcelo Pascual, author of lightning accelerations, brilliantly organizing the game of his team and scoring the two goals that would put the two teams to a tie in the last chukker. All there was left to do for Brazilian Joao Novaes was to conclude by scoring a 30-yard penalty giving Banque Eric Sturdzatheir second title: “Two successive titles in five finals, it’s true that it’s great, but I promise you that I will come back for a third conquest! These victories are the most beautiful because they are at home!”
 
The final, which will be remembered as one of the greatest of the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad was preceded by the game for the third place easily won by team Gstaad Palace defeating team Hublot, 8-4. Pedro Fernandez Llorente scored four goals for the victorious team, while in the other team only Julio Novillo Astrada managed to score … But, unlike the hardly fought final, this subsidiary final was more of a friendly game. Friendship is also the hallmark of this tournament, which has been presided for thirteen years now by Pierre Génécand who managed to turn it into a huge event, supported by renowned sponsors – including Hublot, Gstaad Palace, Clinique la Prairie, Banque Eric Sturdza and Ferrai among others – while keeping a friendly atmosphere and bringing together a nice audience.

The next year’s edition of the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad takes place from August 15 to 18, 2019!
by R&B Presse

www.polo-gstaad.ch

Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad – What a finale! Probably the most beautiful in twenty-three editions of the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad. Incredibly intense to the point that the…
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