Guards Polo Club

Europe, Polo News

African Youth Polo Team touring United Kingdom

18. June 2019

U.S. Polo Assn., the official brand of the United States Polo Association and its licensing partners, Brand Machine (United Kingdom) and Stable Brands (South Africa), announced the collaboration with PoloAfrica to bring youth polo players from Africa to tour the United Kingdom this summer.

The two-week trip will culminate in a game to be played at the world-famous Guards Polo Club on June 23, 2019, the same day as the Royal Windsor Cup Final, an event at which the trophy is traditionally presented by Her Majesty the Queen and attended by many celebrities. Other participating sponsors supporting this initiative include Polo150 and the U.K. Armed Forces Polo Association.

Now in its 12^th year, PoloAfrica is based in the foothills of the Maluti mountains in the Eastern Free State of South Africa, on the border of Lesotho. Created to benefit rural economically disadvantaged communities, it provides adults the opportunity to engage in equestrian activities in a professional manner and provides children the chance to learn to ride and play polo. A chief goal is helping children expand their horizons, provided they maintain their schoolwork and demonstrate discipline and commitment to caring for the program’s polo ponies.

Ranging in age from 15 to 24, the PoloAfrica team making this groundbreaking tour of the United Kingdom this summer includes: Tebello Mokoarane, NkopaneNikopane, Johanne Mofokeng, Molefi Ralebenya and Tinto Mothijoa. Other members of the PoloAfrica organization accompanying the young players on the tour include Thabo Johannes Mkhwanazi, who will serve as coach and captain; Naledi Nkopane, who will oversee the ponies and will also serve as umpire and coach; and Catherine Cairns, Founder of the PoloAfrica Development Trust.

“We are thrilled to partner with PoloAfrica to support these young aspiring players who have demonstrated the dedication and desire to learn the sport of polo,” said J. Michael Prince, President and CEO of USPA Global Licensing Inc., who manages U.S. Polo Assn. globally. “We have a significant brand presence in both the United Kingdom and Africa and believe this event is another authentic way to engage both sports fans and consumers in our key markets while supporting an important cause and the sport of polo.”

“U.S. Polo Assn. continues to build momentum in the African market through our collaborations with key partners such as PoloAfrica and Sentebale that support the sport of polo and important causes in the region,” commented Andrew Robinson, CEO of Stable Brands. “We are also very excited about the rapid expansion U.S. Polo Assn. is having in Africa and believe it will soon be one of the largest global brands in the market.”

www.uspolo.org

Europe, Polo News

Scone Polo wins Cartier Queen’s Cup on debut

17. June 2019

Scone Polo added their name to the Cartier Queen’s Cup at the first time of asking! David Paradice’s team delivered a strong performance on The Queen’s Ground at Guards Polo Club in the second half of this final – playing their crowd-pleasing four-man polo – to win the match and the trophy 9-5. The popular Australian patron not only received the coveted cup from HM The Queen and Laurent Feniou, Managing Director of Cartier UK, but a huge cheer from the crowd too.

Their opponents, Andrey Borodin’s Park Place, were runners-up for the second successive year and, on paper, were favourites to lift the trophy. The game started in Park Place’s favour – they were 2-0 up after the first chukka and although Scone Polo got themselves on even terms in the second (3-3) Park Place seemed to be in the driving seat.

Scone Polo’s story through this year’s competition has been incredible and this final was no exception. Many people had written off this new team after they lost their first two games. Things changed in the third league match of the tournament – they suddenly found a winning way of playing and have not looked back since. Some great teamwork had put this team in the final and it won them the Cup too. Park Place struggled to counteract Scone Polo’s increasing confidence – failing to score at all in the fifth – and all of sudden, with just seven minutes left to play, this was Scone Polo’s game.

Winning player, Englishman James Harper, who had a brilliant game at back for Scone Polo, was named the Cartier Most Valuable Player. He also received the Cartier Best Playing Pony Rug for Twitter – a Jim Gilmore-owned, seven-year-old chestnut mare.

HM The Queen also presented the subsidiary final prize, the Cartier Trophy to Hugues Carmignac, patron of Talandracas, one of 12 teams that had entered this year’s Cartier Queen’s Cup competition. They beat Jean-Francois Decaux’s La Bamba de Areco 11-8 in an earlier match on this day. There was little air between these two teams at half time – 7-6 to Talandracas. Things only changed when La Bamba’s David Stirling retired after the third chukka – he had been injured in the second and although he continued to play until half-time it was clear he was in some pain.

Pablo Pieres subbed for him but a change of personnel always upsets a team’s dynamics and La Bamba failed to score in the next two chukkas. Talandracas, meanwhile, put four more goals on the board. La Bamba got back into the game in the sixth but it was too late and Talandracas won the sub final by three goals. The winning team’s Alejandro Muzzio was later named The Most Valuable Player, receiving his prize from HM The Queen.

Scone Polo: David Paradice (0); James Beim (7); Nico Pieres (9); James Harper (6).
Park Place: Andrey Borodin (0); Juan Britos (7); Hilario Ulloa (10); Benjamin Urquiza (5).

Talandracas: Hugues Carmignac (0); Francisco Elizalde (8); Julian De Lusarreta (7); Alejandro Muzzio (7).
La Bamba de Areco: Jean-Francois Decaux (0); Kian Hall (3); David Stirling /Pablo Pieres (9); Juan Martin Nero (10).

By Diana Butler

www.guardspoloclub.com

Scone Polo added their name to the Cartier Queen’s Cup at the first time of asking! David Paradice’s team delivered a strong performance on The Queen’s Ground at Guards Polo…

Europe, Polo News

Cartier Queen’s Cup 2019

7. May 2019

Guards Polo Club has announced that 12 teams will be playing in the 2019 Cartier Queen’s Cup Tournament (21 May – 16 June).

One of the world’s most prestigious polo tournaments, featuring the sport’s finest high-goal players and their impressive strings of ponies. Three weeks of 22-goal polo culminates in a stunning final, historically played in the presence of HM The Queen.

The teams include the defending champions, Michael Bickford’s La Indiana. His team will not only feature 10-goal star Facundo Pieres but also Brazil’s top player, Rodrigo Andrade. This impressive duo experienced success in this tournament in 2013 with Zacara and will be keen to repeat that feat in 2019. There are several other familiar names in the mix – 2018 finalists, Andrey Borodin’s Park Place, again featuring tournament top scorer Juan Britos – and 2011 winners, the Carmignac family’s Talandracas team. Spencer McCarthy’s Emlor, winners of the 2018 Cartier Trophy (sub final) are hoping to go even further this year by fielding a strong combination of Alfredo Bigatti, Agustin Merlos and Fred Mannix Jnr.

Rashid Albwardy’s Dubai makes a welcome return and will be looking to secure their seventh win in this competition. The Middle East is also represented by HH Sheikha Maitha’s UAE Polo Team, featuring Guillermo Caset and Santiago Toccalino. It is good to see Top Srivaddhanaprabha and his VS King Power team back in this high-goal mix too. Guards patrons Alessandro Bazzoni (Monterosso) and Hilali Noordeen (Casa La Vista Ibiza) are also returning to contest for honours in this world-class contest.

Corinne Ricard is the only lady patron in the mix, bringing her Murus Sanctus Polo Team to play the high-goal this season. This year she can call on the impressive, high-goal experience of Gonzalo Pieres. Fellow Frenchman Jean-Francois Decaux is bringing some of the sport’s big guns to his La Bamba de Areco matches – 10-goaler Juan Martin Nero and 9-goaler David Stirling – ensuring they will deliver some fast-paced polo.

The final team to this list is a new name to the 22-goal polo here in the UK – David Paradice’s Scone Polo. This Australian is no stranger to the game at the highest level though and with Nico Pieres and England captain James Beim in Scone shirts, they definitely warrant being on anyone’s shortlist.

The matches start on Tuesday 21 May – full schedule will be published at www.guardspoloclub.com

Draw Cartier Queen’s Cup 2019 (Photo: Tony Ramirez, Images of Polo)

Guards Polo Club has announced that 12 teams will be playing in the 2019 Cartier Queen’s Cup Tournament (21 May – 16 June). One of the world’s most prestigious polo…

Europe, Polo News

Snake Bite prove dangerous in Hildon Archie David Cup

2. July 2018

Snake Bite wins Hildon Archie David Cup at Guards Polo Club. Maximilian Kirchhoff’s Snake Bite added their name to one of Guards Polo Club’s most prestigious trophies on Sunday – the Hildon Archie David Cup. His blue and maroon shirts came out best of the 22 teams who had entered this competitive competition, defeating Vivek Rawal’s Tashan Polo 6-4 on the Queen’s Ground.

Kirchhoff received the trophy, first played for in 1958, from Simon Prosser, Hildon’s Operations Director. His team-mate David Ashby was named The Polo Magazine’s Most Valuable Player, receiving a kit bag full of prizes, while fellow Snake Bite player, Matt Perry received the Hildon Best Playing Pony Rug and Hildon goody bag for the 14-year-old thoroughbred mare Biscuit.

These prizes, which also included Taylor Morris sunglasses for the winning team, were well deserved as Snake Bit dominated the game, leading 3-0 at the end of the first chukka, and never relinquishing the lead. Tashan Polo, distinctive in their orange colours, failed to get into the game in the first half. They made plenty of runs to goal but failed to convert them to goals. It was Daniel Otamendi who put Tashan Polo on the scoreboard just before half-time.

The second half was a more even affair, although Snake Bite’s George Deverall continued to do a great job of supporting Perry and Ashby, allowing them free runs with the ball. Tashan’s Hamza Mawaz also made the most of any opportunities that he had to break free but was unable to convert some fast play into goals. Although goals from Ashby and Otamendi in the third (4-2), ensured this was still anyone’s game going into the fourth and final chukka.

Snake Bite confirmed their intent in this final chukka, powering through a penalty at the start of the fourth. Tashan replied with a penalty, only for Perry to produce a fabulous shot to goal to give Snake Bite a comfortable 6-3 lead with only minutes of this game left. Mawaz delivered another great run up the Queen’s Ground to score, but time was now against Tashan Polo and Snake Bite, who had been beaten finalists in 2017, ran out the winners 6-4 this year.

The subsidiary final for the Caterham Cup, saw a 9-8 win for Mindi Byrne’s Tex8n Polo. Mindi’s team was retaining this trophy for the second successive year. They defeated Alexie Calvert-Ansari’s White Crane in a close match, 9-8, on The Duke’s Ground.

Guards Polo Club always plays for a third trophy on Hildon Archie David Cup Finals Day – the Claude Pert Trophy. This is played for by Guards teams which are knocked out of the main competition at the early stages. This year’s contest featured Mad Dogs and Shoreline, with victory going to Tunde Karim’s Shoreline, winning another close game 7-6.

Teams:

Snake Bite:
Maximillian Kirchhoff (0); George Deverall (0); Matt Perry (5); David Ashby (3).
Tashan Polo:
Vivek Rawal (-1); James Emlyn (1); Hamza Mawaz (3); Daniel Otamendi (5).
Tex8n Polo:
Mindi Byrne (0); Kian Hall (2); Nicolas San Roman (3); Fabio Lavinia (3). White Crane:
Alexie Calvert-Ansari (0); Marcus Cork (1); Andrew Blake Thomas (3); Henry Fisher (4).
Shoreline:
Tunde Karim (0); Santiago de Estrada (6); Julian Drake (0); Henry Porter (2).
Mad Dogs:
Jeremy Pemberton (0); Charles Cooney (1); Phil Seller (2); Vieri Antinori (5).

www.guardspoloclub.com

Photo: Tony Ramirez / Images of Polo

The Hildon Archie David Cup finals at Guards Polo Club, 01/07/18 – Claude Pert Cup: Mad Dogs vs Shoreline – Caterham Cup: Tex8n Polo vs White Crane – Archie David Cup: Snake Bite vs Tashan Polo – © www.imagesofpolo.com

Snake Bite wins Hildon Archie David Cup at Guards Polo Club. Maximilian Kirchhoff’s Snake Bite added their name to one of Guards Polo Club’s most prestigious trophies on Sunday –…

Europe, Polo News

Cartier Queen’s Cup Final

18. June 2018

Michael Bickford and his La Indiana team made it third time lucky on the Queen’s Ground at Guards Polo Club yesterday. La Indiana fought back from a 6-4 deficit at half-time to win the Cartier Queen’s Cup 9-7. Bickford, who has been a finalist in the previous two years, was the winning patron this time around, receiving the prestigious silver trophy from HM The Queen and Laurent Feniou of Cartier UK. Michael Bickford’s team-mate, Facundo Pieres, who last added his name to this high-goal trophy in 2016, was named the Cartier Most Valuable Player after turning the game around in the second half. His second favourite pony, Cube, winner of the Best Playing Pony prize on this day in 2015, was named top equine again today. Facundo had played her twice in this match, including the crucial fifth chukka.

Andrey Borodin’s Park Place, who are in their first season of high-goal polo, had impressed everyone with their wonderful-to-watch, four-man polo on their road to this final, but fortune did not favour them today. In the first 1 1/2 minutes of the game Hilario Ulloa was on the floor following a collision with La Indiana’s Alec White. Fortunately Ulloa got back in the saddle after a short delay and play resumed – with White spending the next two minutes in the sin bin. Meanwhile, Juan Britos, the Cartier Queen’s Cup top goal scorer – 35 goals under his name coming into this final – converted the penalty awarded for dangerous play only for Pieres to convert a penalty before the end of the chukka.

Things did not improve in the second chukka with Andrey Borodin having to be taken off the field in an ambulance after a collision with La Indiana’s Nic Roldan. He was substituted by the young Charlie Tighe, who has been playing for the Park Place team in some of their 15-goal Out-Sourcing Royal Windsor Cup games this season. This change in personnel did not seem to disrupt the Park Place team too much, although they could not take advantage of a three-man La Indiana side while Roldan sat out his 2-minute penalty. Another penalty conversion by Pieres and a quick goal by Ulloa after the first bell saw the teams all tied 2-2 going into the third.

This chukka was dominated by Park Place – finding some of that previous form that had earned them a place in this final. Britos converted a penalty and then produced a lovely run to goal for the subsequent throw in. With goals from team-mates Ulloa and Tommy Beresford to only two in reply from La Indiana – one was off the stick of Bickford who received a lovely pass from Roldan – to make it 6-4 at half-time. It was all change in the fourth though, with Pieres and Roldan firing through a couple of goals to none in reply from Park Place. With the scores back level once again, this was still anyone’s game. A goal apiece in the fifth failed to produce a clearer picture – although it should be noted that the Park Place goal came off the stick of young Charlie Tighe.

So with the score all square at the start of the sixth, the many spectators wondered if this final would be the first match of the 2018 Cartier Queen’s Cup tournament to go into overtime. Man of the match Pieres had other ideas and he not only saved a Britos penalty, but fired through two goals to secure victory for La Indiana and earn himself an MVP award in the process.

Cartier Queen’s Cup Sub-Final for the Cartier Trophy

Emlor and Talandracas produced one of the best games of the tournament this morning in the subsidiary Cartier Trophy match. Spencer McCarthy’s Emlor, featuring his son James in this game, took the lead for the first time in the sixth chukka to win the trophy. Appropriately for finals day, these teams had been finely balanced throughout all six chukkas and Emlor never allowed Hugues Carmignac’s Talandracas team to be more than a goal ahead at any time. Tension was apparent in the early stages of the game, with far too many whistles, but by the third chukka the teams had found their rhythm and the spectators on the Duke’s Ground were treated to a display of fast, running polo. With both teams failing to find the flags at all in the fifth, they headed into the sixth chukka 8-8 and so much still to play for. Agustin Merlos, Diego Cavanagh and James McCarthy all found the flags in this chukka – Merlos making his a double – to only one in reply off the stick of Francisco Elizalde. This immediately shifted the balance and was enough to win the match for Emlor. Patron James McCarthy was later named Most Valuable Player and stepped up to receive his accolade – and the Cartier Trophy – from HM The Queen during the afternoon’s presentations.

Eleven teams had taken part in this year’s Cartier Queen’s Cup competition and the evenness of the teams was highlighted in today’s finals. Throughout the three weeks of the competition, sponsored by Cartier for the seventh year, no team had stood out head and shoulders above their peers. This even-handedness delivered some superb, competitive polo and no outright favourites. With patrons being as competitive on the field as their pros and several young English players making their mark at the highest level of the game here, it all signifies that the UK polo season is thriving.

www.guardspoloclub.com

Photo: Cymon Skinner

Michael Bickford and his La Indiana team made it third time lucky on the Queen’s Ground at Guards Polo Club yesterday. La Indiana fought back from a 6-4 deficit at…

Europe, Polo News

Happy Birthday Guards Polo Club!

25. January 2018

The Guards Polo Club is celebrating it’s 63rd birthday today. The Club was founded on 25th January 1955 with HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, as President. Originally named the Household Brigade Polo Club, the name was changed to its present form in 1969. Since inception the Club has grown considerably and it is now the largest polo club in Europe in terms of membership and number of grounds.

There are currently about 1,000 non-playing members and about 160 playing members, among whom are some of the highest rated players in the world. Approximately 25 per cent of the players are overseas visitors from Europe, the Middle and Far East, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand. Around half of the playing members are professionals.

Within the Great Park at Windsor, the Club is set in the outstanding natural surroundings of Smith’s Lawn, which is thought to have been named after a game keeper at the time of the Restoration in the 17th century. Nearby are the renowned Savill and Valley Gardens.

On Smith’s Lawn, there is a Clubhouse incorporating offices for management and staff and a restaurant and bar for members and guests. The Club has around 12 full time employees. There are 10 grounds extending over an area of some 130 acres. At nearby Flemish Farm, the Club has two polo grounds, 120 stables and an all-weather exercise track.

The Club’s playing season starts in April and finishes in mid September. The premier official tournaments are the Queen’s Cup (high goal), Royal Windsor (medium goal) and the Archie David (low goal), all of which take place in June. In July each year, the Club is host to the Hurlingham Polo Association’s Coronation Cup Day- the great showpiece polo occasion of the year. The Club is also home to the Inter-Regimental in July, The Duke of Wellington and Duke of Cornwall Trophies in August. The Ladies’ Charity Polo Day is also played in August, while the Autumn Nations Cup has a September date.

The Club has been in the forefront of supporting polo for the young. Through the season it holds representative matches and tournaments for the Pony Club, and for Schools, Universities and young players from the Armed Forces. This includes the annual Varsity Day, featuring the best players from Oxford and Cambridge Universities.

www.guardspoloclub.com

Save the Date:
Cartier Queen’s Cup 2018: Tuesday 22nd May – Sunday 17th June

The Cartier Queen’s Cup is one of the most important 22-goal polo tournaments in the world – attracting the world’s greatest players and their first-class string of ponies. Add to that Cartier’s impressive VIP guestlist, fabulous Clubhouse hospitality and the stunning backdrop of Windsor Great Park and the Cartier Queen’s Cup Final once again has all the hallmarks of being a key event in the English social season.

Grandstand and hospitality tickets for non-members will go on sale in the spring.

The Guards Polo Club is celebrating it’s 63rd birthday today. The Club was founded on 25th January 1955 with HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, as President. Originally named…