Gstaad

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Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad: Kielder Agro Group: an English victory!

26. August 2024

It may not have been the most beautiful match of the week, but when the final is on the line the only appealing result is a win. Today, polo was a sport of strategy, combat, and patience: and Britain’s Max Charlton proved to be the strongest at this game. All the talent of Raul Laplacette could do nothing about it, despite being named best player of the match.

It was a defensive final which, naturally, concluded with a low score of 6-5. It was unbearable suspense until the end, with each team returning goals blow for blow. With only two minutes left on the clock, a remarkable individual play by Raul Laplacette leveled the score once again, and with mere seconds to go, Max Charlton took advantage of another 60-yard penalty. It was the goal that ultimately determined the match.

“Yes, it was a tough fight played out on penalties,” the Briton admitted. “We won today because we were a little bit luckier than Gstaad Palace since both teams were on equal footing. But I‘m particularly pleased to have won here, for Phillipp [Müller, his captain]. It’s amazing!”

J. Safra Sarasin landed on the third step of the podium.

Today’s opening match, the final for third place, was clinched by French captain François Okala‘s team, donning the distinctive J.Safra Sarasin colors, after an action-packed second chukker. Argentinian handicap 6 Horacio Fernandez Llorente led the charge, capturing four goals. The “blues” dominated the match from start to finish, after measuring up the pitch they only discovered last Thursday.

“Actually…not quite,” Tete Fanelli was keen to point out. “This is the third time I‘ve played here. I‘ve been a finalist twice before but lost on both occasions. I thought this would be my year, so I‘m not completely satisfied with third place. That doesn‘t stop me from enjoying this tournament enormously—the organization, the environment, the atmosphere. So I‘m looking forward to coming back here and leaving with the watch!”

So, maybe next year from August 21-24. The date has already been set for this one-of-a-kind tournament, whose teams continuously express their satisfaction before they return home. This edition was no exception, an extraordinary celebration of polo that couldn’t possibly be spoiled by a little cold on Sunday.

Final for 3rd & 4th place

J. Safra Sarasin
Françoise Okala 0
Bautista Fanelli 3 (2 goals)
Horacio Fernandez Llorente 6 (4 goals)
Tete Fanelli 5 (2 goals)

Hublot
Jurgen Schröder 0 (1 goal)
Juan Correa 3 (3 goals)
Pedro Fernandez Llorente 5 (1 goal)
Manuel Fernandez Llorente 6 (1 goal)

Progression J. Safra Sarasin: 3-1 / 7-2 / 8-3 and 8-6

FINALE

Gstaad Palace
Fabio Meier 1 (1 goal)
Luca Meier 1
Adrian Laplacette 6 (1 goal)
Raul Laplacette 6 (3 goals)

Kielder Agro Group
Philipp Mueller 0,
Jaime Robert 3 (1 goal)
Nacho Gonzales 4(1 goal)
Max Charlton 6 (4 goals)

Progression Kielder Agro Group: 1-1 / 2-2 / 4-4 et 6-5

Tournament top scorer: Max Charlton (Kielder Agro Group) with 17 goals

Best professional player of the final: Raul Laplacette (Gstaad Palace)

Best amateur player: Luca Meier (Gstaad Palace)

Best horse of the final: Germania, a 9-year-old bay mare bred in Argentina by Colo Germano, owned by Fabio Meier and played by Raul Laplacette

It may not have been the most beautiful match of the week, but when the final is on the line the only appealing result is a win. Today, polo was…

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The Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad: sophistication, sport, and elegance, 22 to 25 August 2024

16. May 2024

The Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad is a special time in the international polo calendar, an enchanted interlude on the world circuit. A unique world of intense competition and glamour in the heart of the magnificent Swiss Alps. At an altitude of 1,100 meters, in the unusual setting of the Gstaad/Saanen airport, this unique event promises four extraordinary days dedicated to the world‘s oldest team sport.

Much more than a tournament, the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad is a unique sporting event and a celebration of equestrian excellence and luxury. The number of teams wanting to take part in the tournament increases every year, making it a daunting task for the organizers to select those who will be lucky enough to set foot on this very special field.

This year, the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad will welcome a new team: first of all, a new partner, the prestigious investment bank J. SAFRA SARASIN, whose French captain Françoise Okala will be playing in Gstaad for the first time together with the Argentine Fanelli brothers as well as Horacio Fernández Llorente.

The GSTAAD PALACE will be represented this year by two Swiss brothers, Fabio and Luca Meier, who have often shone in Gstaad: will this be the year? Chances are good as they team up with Argentine brothers Adrian and Raul Laplacette. The latter, who has already won the Hublot Polo Gold Cup twice, knows this particular terrain like the back of his hand.

But the battle will be fierce. Swiss captains Philipp Müller and Cedric Schweri have opted for an all-British squad for their KIELDER AGRO GROUP team, including the formidable Max Charlton, a very fast and responsive player with his English horses. Charlton is an all-round player who shone on the snow in Saint-Moritz and has a handicap of 10 in arena polo! But he is just as impressive on grass: last year he won the traditional Westchester Cup in Wellington (USA), a high-goal match between Great Britain and the United States.

The team of title sponsor HUBLOT and German captain Jürgen Schröder, who was a finalist last year, will also be supported by a sibling pair – there will be four in total at this tournament – brothers Pedro and Manuel Fernández Llorente. The final will be broadcast on Pololine TV and there will be free access for the public, with children‘s play areas and catering.

A VIP experience

The Hublot Polo Gold Cup is not only a top-class sporting event, but also an exceptional experience on the sidelines with a VIP village (open to the public), exhibitors offering exclusive luxury products, the latest models from Aston Martin, as well as the latest model from Dassault Aviation, which will be exhibiting its brand new Falcon 6X at the airport, Albinati Aeronautics, Barnes… and of course Hublot, which will be presenting its new collections.

Celebrate the sport, its conviviality and its festive atmosphere in VIP style, with elegant lunches and refined cuisine prepared by the chefs of the Gstaad Palace, as well as a sumptuous gala dinner with entertainment from the band Dora on Stage.

All you have to do is book your place for this unforgettable experience at www.pologstaad.ch, because the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad is much more than just a tournament – it is an event not to be missed for lovers of refinement and thrills.

The Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad is a special time in the international polo calendar, an enchanted interlude on the world circuit. A unique world of intense competition and glamour…

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HUBLOT POLO GOLD CUP GSTAAD, 17-20 AUGUST 2023

13. June 2023

THE TEAMS ARE UNVEILED

The 2023 edition of the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad, from August 17th to 20th, promises to be highly competitive… as usual! Four teams with two captains from Germany, one from Switzerland and one from France (the defending champion), and three other nations will be represented: England, Brazil and, of course, Argentina, headlined by Martin Aguerre Jr, winner of the prestigious Copa Càmara in Argentina.

It‘s in the colors of HUBLOT that ‚Martincito‘ Aguerre, handicap 7, will discover the very special polo field at Saanen-Gstaad airport for the first time in his career. A valuable asset for German captain Jürgen Schröder. Martin Aguerre Jr. is a player who essentially „grew up“ in France, at the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly. His father, Martin, was a pillar of the Chantilly-based Swiss team, Marquard Media, and played in Gstaad. Martin Jr. took over naturally, while his father has become a renowned referee who can be seen judging the biggest matches, such as those of the Argentine Open. This Abierto, which Martincito’s uncle Mariano won twelve times with three different teams, including La Dolfina. Enough of a reference to underline the fact that we‘re dealing here with one of the great families of Argentine polo… and therefore of international polo.

Former winner of the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad in 2018, Swiss businessman Cedric Schweri returns this year in the green colors of KIELDER AGRO GROUP, still counting on Brazilian World Champion Joao Novaes. The Gstaad public knows and appreciates his spectacular, forward-moving game. In top form, he is capable of turning around the game. Last year, KIELDER AGRO GROUP was a finalist with a different team: will Cedric Schweri‘s new line-up offer him a chance for revenge?

The other German captain, Peter Cromm, will be counting on British player Max Charlton to lead GSTAAD PALACE to victory. Max Charlton is vivid player with his horses from England. Charlton is an all-round player, having shone on the snow in St. Moritz and is handicap 10 in Arena Polo! But he‘s just as daunting on grass: he more or less won all UK medium goal cups like the Queen Mother’s Cup (15-goal) and he recently won the traditional Westchester Cup in Wellington (USA), a high-goal match between the United Kingdom and the United States?

Last, but not least, title-holder Sébastien Le Page of France, seduced by Raul Laplacette‘s play and efficiency at the last edition where he promised to return with the Argentinian this year: „Raul? He‘s the quiet force! Yes, you get the impression that he‘s in slow motion all the time, but in fact he‘s always on the ball. This is the first time I‘ve played with him, but it won‘t be the last.” It‘s true that the Argentinian moves around the field with ease, giving the impression of being in several places at once and regularly sending long, decisive passes to his team-mates. A crucial player capable of bringing a second title to Lepage and a first to the new colors of Team GSTAAD.

For four days, the lawn bordering the airport‘s runway will be transformed into a competition field to which all eyes in the polo world will turn. But this sport is not just for the initiated: it‘s spectacular, easy to follow and fascinating. The beauty of the horses amazes, the skill of the players is jaw dropping. And it doesn‘t take long for the public to take up the cause of one of the four teams battling it out on the field. Six games in all, two each day, on Thursday 17th, Saturday 19th and the finals on Sunday 20th. Friday the 18th is dedicated to the traditional and picturesque team parade through the streets of Gstaad.

After the games, life doesn‘t stop: you can visit the village with its magnificent stalls, eat and drink, meet the players and a huge playground awaits the children.

From August 17th, the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad is sure to be the Alpine event not to be missed.

THE 2023 TEAMS

TEAM HUBLOT
Jürgen SCHRÖDER – DE – Hcp. 0 (CAP)
Juan CORREA – ARG – Hcp.3
Matias GONZALEZ – ARG – Hcp. 4
Martin AGUERRE Jr. – ARG – Hcp. 7

TEAM KIELDER AGRO GROUP
Cedric SCHWERI – CH – Hcp. 0 (CAP)
Joao NOVAES – BRA – Hcp. 5
Thomas ASTELARRA – ARG – Hcp. 3
Francisco MENENDEZ – ARG – Hcp. 6

TEAM GSTAAD PALACE
Peter CROMM – DE – Hcp. 0 (CAP)
Max CHARLTON – ENG – Hcp. 6
Matias MAIQUEZ – ARG – Hcp. 5
James EMLYN – ENG – Hcp. 3

TEAM GSTAAD
Sébastien LE PAGE – FRA – Hcp. 0 (CAP)
Facundo KELLY – ARG – Hcp. 4
Francisco FUCCI – ARG – Hcp. 4
Raul LAPLACETTE – ARG – Hcp. 6

THE TEAMS ARE UNVEILED The 2023 edition of the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad, from August 17th to 20th, promises to be highly competitive… as usual! Four teams with two…

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Clinique La Prairie wins the 25th Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad

22. August 2022

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…

Europe, Polo News

Clinique La Prairie wins Hublot Polo Gold Cup in Gstaad

29. October 2019

The 24^th 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 24^th 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 3^rd, 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 25^th anniversary. With Pierre Genecand and his teams at the helm, the quarter century celebration is sure to amaze team.

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