France

Europe, Polo News

The Lions devoured the 20th French Open!

25. September 2020

We were expecting a lot from Les Lions Panarea… and they didn’t let us down. In front of the boiling spectators, the team of the traditional British club, led by the American captain, Dillon Bacon, triumphed in the 20th edition of the French Open – a victory that will be forever staying as a grand cru, THE grand cru of this French tournament.

Les Lions Panarea
Aristide FAGGIONATO (ITA, h1)
Dilon BACON (USA, h2, 1 goal)
Barto CASTAGNOLA (ARG, h8, 5 goals)
Tommy BERESFORD (IRL, h6, 4 goals)

Talandracas
Nick ROGERSON (GBR, h1)
Jeta Castagnola (ARG, h7, 3 goals)
Fran Elizalde (ARG, h8, 2 goals)
Édouard CARMIGNAC (FRA, h0)

Progression Les Lions Panarea : (0/1) – 3/2 – 5/2 – 7/4 – 9/6 – 10/6

MVP : Barto Castagnola (Les Lions Panarea)

MVP amateur : Dillon Bacon (Les Lions Panarea)

BPP : Federico played by Barto Castagnola

The Women’s French Open: tough win for Maison Décal

In the Women’s French Open, the Venot sisters and Caroline Anier were surely not expecting such a formidable resistance by DS Automobile DS Store St Maximin. After their heavy defeat during the qualification phase, Lia Savo organized a new strategy which is more defensive, allowing their team to lead during two chukkers, before losing at the end of the match, essentially because of the fouls whistled by the umpire against them.

A tiny difference of a goal and a half in conclusion. A small consolation prize for Lia Salvo, she could be the best scorer of this 9th edition of the Women’s French Open, firing 12 goals in 4 matches.

Progression Maison Décalé : 1/1 ½ – 2/2 ½ – 4/3 ½ – 6/4 ½

MVP : Elena Venot (Maison Décalé)

BPP : Bacana jouée par Lia Salvo

Fotos: @R&B Presse/P.Renauldon

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We were expecting a lot from Les Lions Panarea… and they didn’t let us down. In front of the boiling spectators, the team of the traditional British club, led by…

Europe, Polo News

Silver Cup – the quirky surprise: Coupe d’Argent Diane Barrière Desseigne

18. August 2020

Maison Décalé (Quirly House), an essentially French team, were not really the favorites for this Silver Cup. Composed of three French players and an Argentinian who partly grew up in France (Ramiro Zavaleta, h4, is also bilingual), this close-knit team came up with a string of surprises.

It started with the victory over Talandracas last Thursday which allowed them to advance to the penalty play-off and then to the final where they would face the impressive Spanish team Marqués de Riscal and its two Argentinian stars, the 8-goaler Alejandro Muzzio and the 7-goaler Santiago Cernadas alongside two amateurs playing „very strong“, the Aznar father and son. In short, a big piece for the „little ones“ of Maison Décalé. But obviously, the victory over Talandracas had given wings to the young Thomas Rolland (best man of the match) and his acolytes. A united game, not giving up, with an impeccable back (Ramiro Zavaleta), a perfect organizer (Pierre-Henri Ngoumou, h6 and scorer of 5 goals) and a decisive Édouard Pan in the key moments.

It was a Hitchcock-style match scenario where neither team ever gave up, making it a blow for blow, so much so that at the end of regular time the score was still undecided: 9 – 9 and overtime! Pierre-Henri Ngoumou put an end to the suspense until the end with a third goal with a mare named Vaivia: „Basically, we are four friends which makes it easier to get along on the field,“ he explained. “I played with Édouard (Pan) at the beginning of the season, I had already won the Gold Cup with Ramiro (Zavaleta) here a few years ago. This team got organized very quickly, we were still in La Baule last week. After losing the first game against Barrière, we got back on track after a comeback against Talandracas, who had dominated us for a good half of the match. It was a structuring victory for the team. We then started to believe in it and we‘re winning today and it‘s always a joy to win here in Deauville“.

The first match between Barrière and Taladrancas will be played on Tuesday. A double for Maison Décalé? Why not?

Maison Décalé: Thomas Rolland (FRA, h2, 3 goals), Édouard Pan (FRA, h4, 2 goals), Pierre Henri Ngoumou (FRA, h6, 5 goals) and Ramiro Zavaleta (ARG, h4)
Marqués de Riscal: Luis Aznar (ESP, h1, ), Santiago Cernadas (ARG, h7.4 goals), Alejandro Muzzio (ARG, h8, 4 goals) and Alejandro Aznar (ESP, h0, 1 goal)
Best playing poney: British, 11 year-olds mare bred, owned and played by Alejandro Muzzio, dark bay by Theol and Franganzia.

www.deauvillepoloclub.com

Maison Décalé (Quirly House), an essentially French team, were not really the favorites for this Silver Cup. Composed of three French players and an Argentinian who partly grew up in…

Europe, Polo News

French Polo Open: 20 years already!

8. July 2020

The French polo season resumed last week with the first official tournaments. In Chantilly, 2 titles were already awarded last weekend and polo will now return to a cruising speed, close to what it used to be in „the world before“. With its traditional high point: The French Open and the celebration of its 20th anniversary this year!

More than 400 horses currently live on the grounds of the Ferme d‘Apremont, where the Polo Club is located. 300 more will arrive in September for the French Open, during which 3 other important tournaments will take place, including the Women‘s French Open.

Because polo is played by both men and women, especially in Chantilly during the 2 tournaments exclusively dedicated to female players: the Ladies Cup in August and the prestigious French Open in September, attracting the best players in the world for the most important women‘s competition outside Argentina.

At least 6 teams are expected for each version of the French Open, represented by players from 10 nations. For the men‘s Open, it will be a special year: created in 2000, we will celebrate its 20th anniversary! In the past 2 decades, this prestigious tournament has welcomed many great names of the sport, including living legends who have won the most coveted title: the Argentine Open.

The French Open is also the last step of the French Triple Crown, after the Silver and Gold Cups of Deauville. So far, only one team has achieved this triple crown, the Argentinean team of Cibao La Pampa in 2017.

Live a polo experience, a sensational sport par excellence: breathtaking accelerations at the speed of a racehorse – in the open air at the heart of the forests of the Domaine de Chantilly. This is a sport open to the world, open to everyone.

Come and breathe the air of South America… only 45 minutes away from Paris! Discover Argentina and its gauchos, its horses on the 160 hectares of greenery of the Ferme d‘Apremont, and its delicacy in the restaurant Estancia, the little jewel of the Chantilly Polo Club. Share the great moments with family and friends, whether during a weekday match or on the days of the finals. This is the ultimate definition of, the glamourous “country chic”!

During these 3 weeks of tournaments in September, the Polo Club de Chantilly will become a cosmopolitan where everyone is welcome to join!

Despite the exceptional circumstances this year, the loyal partners of the Domaine de Chantilly Polo Club and its prestigious tournaments have decided to renew their support.

A big thank you to RICHARD MILLE – COMMUNITY OF COMMUNES AIRE CANTILLIENNE – CREDIT AGRICOLE BRIE PICARDIE – DS AUTOMOBILES SAINT-MAXIMIM – ENGEL & VÖELKERS – MOËT et CHANDON – OMEDIA PARIS – PAPREC – WALLIMIK

www.poloclubchantilly.com

The French polo season resumed last week with the first official tournaments. In Chantilly, 2 titles were already awarded last weekend and polo will now return to a cruising speed,…

Europe, Polo News

FIP & GAME Polo teams up to promote for the next 8 years the POLO Rider Cup

9. January 2020

French sports marketing agency to promote for the next eight editions the POLO Rider Cup, the ultimate Polo Club competition at the international level.

FIP (Fédération Internationale de Polo) has signed an agreement with GAME Polo to sanction and promote the POLO Rider Cup which will be held for the first edition at the Polo Club of Chantilly, on the North of Paris, from the 2nd to 12th July 2020.

“The POLO Rider Cup is to initially bring together the best polo clubs in the world from eight different countries and later extend this selection to 16 clubs. The POLO Rider Cup will be formatted to offer a 10-day international competition playing with the same rules in a single club. The POLO Rider Cup will be held in a different country every two years.”

2020 POLO Rider Cup Schedule

July 2 to 7, 2020 – Group Games

July 9, 2020 – Classification Games

July 10, 2020 – Semi-Finals

July 11, 2020 – Classification Games Finals 5 to 8

July 12, 2020 – Final 3/4 and FINAL

About FIP (www.fippolo.com)

The FIP is the international federation representing the sport of polo, officially recognized by the IOC (International Olympic Committee). It was founded in 1982 by representatives of eleven national polo associations and currently represents the national polo associations of more than 90 countries. The FIP’s main objective is to enhance the image and status of the great game of polo at the international level.

About GAME Polo (www.game-polo.com)

GAME Polo is a French sports marketing agency with activities in event management, marketing & sponsorship, licensing & merchandising, TV & digital distribution and hospitality.

www.poloridercup.com
www.game-polo.com

© Thomas Wirth

French sports marketing agency to promote for the next eight editions the POLO Rider Cup, the ultimate Polo Club competition at the international level. FIP (Fédération Internationale de Polo) has…

Europe, Polo News

Deauville: The can’t miss polo event of the summer

30. July 2019

Deauville is undoubtedly one of the most emblematic tournaments of the world polo circuit. The club, founded in 1907, birthed the Gold Cup in 1950, and since then the greatest polo players on the planet have met in Normandy to try and capture the prestigious title and add it to their list of accolades.

This year will not divert tradition. Already having won this Gold Cup in 2017 with Cibao La Pampa, the 8-goaler Argentine Francisco Elizalde returns with Talandracas after a tantalizing English season with Alejandro Muzzio (h7). While the first, semi-finalist of the 2018 Argentinian Open having already qualified for the 2019 edition, the second will attempt to qualify with the Pilara team, as this tournament is a dream for all the world’s best athletes.This Deauville Gold Cup is in the sights of Elizalde and Muzzio, which would be the sixth for Talandracas and Édouard Carmignac.

The competition is strong, with the winner of the 2015 edition, Barrière (Marquard Media), returning in force with Martin Aguerre, winner of the Copa Camara 2018. Chasing this year for a qualification for the Argentinian Open alongside his uncle Mariano, a 12 time winner of this legendary competition, there is nothing better to gain the necessary confidence like a victory in the Deauville Gold Cup.

Spanish captain Alejandro Aznar returns to Deauville presenting an illustrious lineup which includes Marques de Riscal, with the mainstay of the Argentine 7-goaler and Santiago Cernadas, a former finalist of the Copa Camara and recently semi-finalist of the US Gold Cup in Palm Beach.

The fourth team, Mungo, features dynamic duo Brieuc Rigaux of France and Juan Jose Storni of Argentina, (h6 and h5 respectively). Storni, also known as “Tete”, is a talented player whose foundation was built in pato (the original version of horse-ball) which in Argentina is almost as popular as polo. Tete is one of the best players in his country and is a spectacular rider to follow on the polo field.

But it’s not just the Gold Cup in Deauville. The tournament will begin August 7th with the popular Ladies Cup. Unfortunately, Lia Salvo will not be able to defend her title this year after the withdrawal of her team after an injury sustained by the captain, but her teammate of the Argentina Women’s Open, Clara Cassino, will certainly step up as headliner on the team with Françoise Okala and Caroline Anier, a finalist of last year. It’s four teams representing five different nations competing in this exciting event.

In the Bronze Cup (8 goals), there are five teams with professionals from France, such as Patrick Paillol (h 5), Argentina, with brothers Ramiro and Simon Zavaleta (h 4) and Germany, including Naomi Schröder who will be in Deauville for the first time. La Concepcion, after a brilliant start to the season, will put its title in play after recording victories in the Paris region.

Deauville is also a more laid back environment, games on the beach, children pony match, “country lifestyle” at the edge of the arena (free entrance on weekdays), and a festive atmosphere over the 18 days of this one of a kind tournament. Not to be missed, it is the polo event of the summer.

by R&B Presse

www.deauvillepoloclub.com

Deauville is undoubtedly one of the most emblematic tournaments of the world polo circuit. The club, founded in 1907, birthed the Gold Cup in 1950, and since then the greatest polo…

Europe, Polo News

Barrière Deauville Polo Cup in August

5. June 2019

Le Deauville International Polo Club, the place to be in August !

The Deauville International Polo Club and his tournaments organized in August make part of the worldwide polo heritage. For The Telegraph, the Barrière Deauville Polo Cup is the second-ranked of the “twelve stylish events that should be on every socialite’s bucket list” after the Jazz Festival of Montreux! This event is back in August with three main tournaments, including the prestigious Gold Cup much coveted by European team captains and great Argentine professionals.

Ladies first… A rich program that starts with the Ladies Polo Cup on August 7. A growing female tournament with a rising level of play (1 4-goal handicaps are attributed to expert female players). A very international tournament, as four countries were represented in 2018 and the defending champion, No. 1 very charismatic Argentine player Lia Salvo will be there to defend his trophy with her French team-mates of the Brok café team.

The final match is held on Saturday, August 1 0, kick-off day of the 70th edition of the legendary Gold Cup (14/16 goals). It’s one of the most important international tournaments featuring the sport’s finest players: the Cambiaso, Pieres, Gracida, Heguy, Ulloa, Caset and Bensadon – father and son – families, defending champions that enchanted the public last year in Deauville. The final match is held on August 25 this year.

The best French professionals are awaited for this prestigious tournament, and even more of them for the Bronze Cup (6-8 goals, on August 1 4-23). During this tournament, the public often attends epic challenges as there’s nothing more important in the career of a French polo players than winning a title in Deauville.

Polo matches in Deauville are unique experiences lived in a special atmosphere. Here, the public and the players meet after the prize- awarding ceremony in a large cosy and friendly area where they can have a drink and talk about the most thrilling moments of the match! Enjoy a pleasant atmosphere and don’t forget to take selfies! Sometimes, polo leaves the Deauville – La Touques racecourse and heads to the beach of Deauville, where Beach Polo demonstrations are held at low tide. It’s the opportunity for holidaymakers to discover how this noble sport can become accessible to them, as they can finally approach these strong horses with a gold personality! In the morning, horses are seen in groups led by petiseros (Argentine horse trainers) that ensure the physical preparation of horses on the seaside.

Polo can also be played at a young age in France: several polo clubs and equestrian centres now include a Polo Pony Club. A major national championship for children is held in Lamotte-Beuvron in June. The Deauville International Polo Club organizes a few Kids Polo exhibition matches in which children ride Shetland ponies: they are adorable! On the day before and in the morning of final matches (August 10 and 24), traditional team parades are welcomed in the streets of Deauville. In a few words, the oldest team sport is celebrated in an emblematic place. It’s an unmissable stylish event, as reported by The Telegraph!

Thomas Wirth, CEO POLO+10: “Deauville is one of the most outstanding polo destinations in Europe and the POLO+10 team will of course try to attend the polo highlights at the Deauville International Polo Club in August.”

Fixture August 2019

Ladies Polo Cup – 10/14 goals – 7/10 August
Gold Cup : 14/16 goals – 10/25 August
Bronze Cup : 6/8 goals – 14/23 August

Kids Polo : 25 August
Parades in Deauville : 10 & 24 August
Beach Polo : 12&13 August

www.deauvillepoloclub.com

By RB Presse. Photo: Sandrine Carole