La Magdeleine

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20. June 2023

Murus Sanctus 11 – 10 La Magdeleine The Queen’s Ground

Navigating through a deep field of 17 teams over four weeks of elite competition, Murus Sanctus and La Magdeleine went head-to-head on the historic Queen’s Ground to crown a new Cartier Queen’s Cup champion. Posting an early penalty conversion off the mallet of La Magdeleine’s Santiago Laborde to open the scoring, Murus Sanctus was then on the attack, hitting three in the first chukka, including a Penalty 2 from Alejandro Muzzio to take a 3-1 lead. Taking advantage of Murus Sanctus’s foul troubles in the second, three penalties from La Magdeleine’s Pablo MacDonough were answered by two goals in open play from a driving Polito Pieres to maintain Murus Sanctus’ narrow one-goal advantage. With a combined five field shots between the two teams in the third, the accuracy of these evenly matched opponents was on full display before the half-time bell. MacDonough and Facundo Fernandez Llorente found the goal in the third chukka, as Marcos Araya and Pieres delivered for Murus Sanctus. These deadlocked teams made their way into the tents tied 7-7 at the break.

Emerging with a charge, Murus Sanctus generated some much-needed air in the score to open the second half of play. Pieres and Muzzio worked beautifully in tandem from the field to combine for three goals and give Murus Sanctus a 10-7 lead. Generating only two shots with no opportunities to score from penalties, La Magdeleine was forced to make a late push in the sixth chukka. Rebounding on back-to-back goals from MacDonough and Santiago Laborde, La Magdeleine managed to cut their deficit down to one. Stifling La Magdeleine’s sudden momentum, a brilliant drive from Pieres was all Murus Sanctus needed to hold off MacDonough’s final effort and ensure Murus Sanctus held on for an electrifying 11-10 victory to capture their first Cartier Queen’s Cup title.

Murus Sanctus’s Corinne Ricard received Queen’s Cup from Cartier’s Managing Director Laurent Feniou. Not surprisingly, thanks to an impressive, seven-goal performance, including six in open play, Polito Pieres was named the Cartier Most Valuable Player. Meanwhile, the Cartier Best Playing Pony prize was awarded to Irenita La Kiosquera, played by Pablo MacDonough.

Earlier in the day, Vikings defeated Twelve Oaks 10-9 in the sub final for the Cartier Trophy on The Duke’s Ground. This was a stop/start game full of penalties, highlighting the tension and determination from both teams to secure a win on the last day of such a magnificent competition. A Cartier Most Valuable Player prize was awarded to Juan Martin Zubia of the Vikings team.

Photos by Pablo Ramirez

Murus Sanctus 11 – 10 La Magdeleine The Queen’s Ground Navigating through a deep field of 17 teams over four weeks of elite competition, Murus Sanctus and La Magdeleine went…

Europe, Polo News

Cartier Queen’s Cup Day 7

25. May 2022

Park Place Vaara 12 – 9 La Magdeleine The Duke’s Ground
Dubai Polo Team 17 – 13 Clinova Billingbear Park

The second week of the Cartier Queen’s Cup began with Park Place Vaara meeting La Magdeleine in a League One matchup on The Duke’s Ground at Guards Polo Club. A game of contrasting styles, Park Place Vaara excelled from the field, while La Magdeleine found most of their attack from the penalty shooting of Pablo MacDonough. Striking early in the first chukka, MacDonough produced three penalty goals to give his team the 3-1 advantage but Park Place Vaara stormed back to take the lead just one chukka later. Holding La Magdeleine without a shot or penalty attempt in the chukka, Park Place Vaara pushed forward, receiving one goal each from Hilario Ulloa and Juan Britos. However the highlight of the chukka came as time was expiring when Santos Merlos picked up the ball on his own 60-yard line and ran the length of the field, running past MacDonough to finish the play and give Park Place Vaara a 4-3 lead. MacDonough’s fourth penalty conversion brought the game level once again at half-time as La Magdeleine would score all but two of their goals from the penalty line. In the decisive moment of the match, Park Place Vaara scored four goals in the fourth chukka, two off the mallet of Britos to take a significant three-goal lead. Scoring all 12 of their goals from the field, the proficient Park Place Vaara attack guided them to victory as perfect 7 for 7 penalty shooting from MacDonough was not enough to avoid La Magdeleine experiencing a 12-9 defeat.

Striving to be the first team to three wins in the tournament, Rashid Albwardy’s Dubai Polo Team faced Clinova at Billingbear Park, picking up where they left off with a dynamic attack led by nine goals from Camilo Castagnola. Executing an exceptional two-man game with Castagnola and Guillermo Terrera, Dubai Polo Team scored five field goals in the first two chukkas of play. This fast pace was matched by a determined Clinova side though that answered with five goals of their own as each team capitalised on their chances around goal. After Castagnola and Malcolm Borwick exchanged penalty goals to begin the third chukka, Albwardy scored his first of two goals in the game to complete a strong Dubai half with an 8-6 lead. The high-scoring game carried into the second half, but Dubai continued to have the edge as the ball moved at an electric pace. Shooting an impressive 72% from the field, Dubai Polo Team pushed their lead to five after three more goals from Castagnola and Perry’s first goal of the match. Despite some good attacking play of their own, with 10 goals through five chukkas, Clinova faced a difficult task with one chukka remaining. Two goals from Luke Wiles highlighted a final push from Clinova but the deficit was too great to overcome as Dubai Polo Team not only secured their third win but set themselves up for a highly anticipated match on Friday against Park Place Vaara for the top spot in League One.

Wednesday’s Fixtures

12:30 pm – Monterosso vs Marques de Riscal on The Queen’s Ground
3:30 pm – Twelve Oaks vs UAE Polo Team on The Princes’ Ground

All games are being livestreamed by Guards TV in association with Polocam TV. Go to https://guards.polocam.tv/package

Photos by IMAGES OF POLO

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Park Place Vaara 12 – 9 La Magdeleine The Duke’s Ground Dubai Polo Team 17 – 13 Clinova Billingbear Park The second week of the Cartier Queen’s Cup began with…

Europe, Polo News

Cartier Queen’s Cup Day 4

23. May 2022

Dubai Polo Team 16 – 12 Thai Polo NP Coworth Park 1
La Magdeleine 14 – 11 Clinova Prince’s Ground

Looking to keep their early momentum flowing following a win against La Magdeleine, Dubai Polo Team was back in action in the Cartier Queen’s Cup at Coworth Park 1 against Thai Polo NP. Leading his team in scoring, Camilo Castagnola was quick to get Dubai on the scoreboard with two penalty conversions from the 30-yard line. A battle from the penalty line emerged as Thai Polo NP’s Ned Hine answered Castagnola’s success with two conversions of his own, followed by goals from brother Louis and Ignacio Negri. Accounting for five of Dubai’s first half goals, including four from the penalty line, the strong play of Castagnola saw Dubai take a narrow, one-goal lead going into the half-time break. In a match which saw 25 fouls between the two teams, Castagnola and Ned Hine once again traded conversions in the fourth chukka, with a drive from Matt Perry breaking the stalemate to keep Dubai ahead 10-8. In arguably the most defining moment of the match, Castagnola found some space to score three consecutive goals and put Dubai ahead by five. Despite a late push from Ned Hine with three goals in the final chukka, Castagnola finished his day with an astounding 11 goals, moving into second in tournament scoring and ensuring Dubai Polo Team remain undefeated, winning this match 16-12.

Last playing in the Cartier Queen’s Cup in 2018, Clinova returned to the high-goal stage with a 2022 debut on the Prince’s Ground. The team had changed from the published line up, with six-goal, American player Jared Zenni, making his Queen’s Cup debut and young Englishman Luke Wiles (4 goals) teaming up with Alejandro Muzzio and Malcolm Borwick. Their opponents this afternoon were a determined La Magdeleine team led by Pablo MacDonough. Searching for their first win of the tournament, La Magdeleine took an early lead after first chukka foul trouble for Clinova resulted in three penalty conversions for MacDonough. Responding for Clinova, a combined effort from Muzzio and Borwick kept the score tied at 3-all. With only 15 shots combined from the field in the first half of play, the success of both teams from the penalty line defined play, as Borwick’s five first half conversions pushed Clinova ahead by one, leading 8-7 at half-time. After nearly three minutes of goaless play to begin the second half, an exceptional knock-in for La Magdeleine sprung Ollie Cudmore on the breakaway to tie the match. Quickly adding two more to their tally, La Magdeleine surged ahead, but this closely contested match carried into the final chukka. Borwick opened the scoring for Clinova in the final chukka to bring the game level for the seventh time. Extra time now seemed likely. However, La Magdeleine turned to tournament-scoring leader Pablo MacDonough, who completed two crucial penalty conversions to secure a hard-fought 14-11 victory.

Tomorrow’s Fixtures – Saturday May 21

11:30 am – King Power vs Twelve Oaks at Noel Farm – SL6 2NW
3:30 pm – Monterosso vs UAE Polo Team at TBC

All games are being livestreamed by Guards TV in association with Polocam TV. Go to https://guards.polocam.tv/package

Photos by IMAGES OF POLO

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Dubai Polo Team 16 – 12 Thai Polo NP Coworth Park 1 La Magdeleine 14 – 11 Clinova Prince’s Ground Looking to keep their early momentum flowing following a win…

Europe, Polo News

Cartier Queen’s Cup Day 1

18. May 2022

Park Place Vaara 20 – 11 Thai Polo NP Princes’ Ground Guards Polo Club
Dubai Polo Team 12 – 11 La Magdeleine Dukes Ground Guards Polo Club

The prestigious Cartier Queens Cup tournament began today with the first 22-goal match on Guards Polo Club’s new Princes’ Ground. The result was a successful Park Place Vaara debut in an impressive match against Thai Polo NP. Coming off a successful season in the USA for Park Place, Hilario Ulloa, Juan Britos, Josh Hyde and new addition to the team, Santos Merlos, drew upon established chemistry to give Park Place Vaara a first half lead (8-6). Combining for all eight of their team’s goals, Ulloa and Britos were relentless towards goal with Ulloa adding two penalty conversions. Trying to recapture the magic from last year, Thai Polo NP responded with the Hine brothers, Ned and Louis, answering with six goals to trail by just two at the end of the high-scoring first half. Always ahead in this game, Park Place Vaara surged out of the half-time break with an 11-1 run that was led by perfect 7 for 7 shooting in the game from Ulloa. Despite eight penalty conversions from Ned Hine, Thai Polo NP were unable to slow the electric Park Place Vaara attack as Ulloa finished with a game-high 11 goals to claim an impressive 20-11 victory.

Moving to The Duke’s Ground for the second match of the opening day, the return of Rashid Albwardy’s Dubai Polo Team to the high-goal stage provided a nail-biting game that came down to the final moments. A competitive opening half featured a back and forth start to the match with the two teams exchanging goals to remain tied through the first two chukkas. Five goals from La Magdeleine’s Pablo MacDonough paced his team’s attack, including three successful penalty conversions, while Dubai Polo Team were unable to convert any of their first four penalty attempts. Regrouping in the third chukka, Camilo Castagnola drove forward to score his second and third goals of the first half to give Dubai a narrow 7-5 lead at half-time. Creating separation in the second half, Castagnola continued his success from the field, adding an additional four goals on just five shots, while an organised defence held La Magdeleine to just two goals from MacDonough over the fourth and fifth chukkas. Holding a three-goal lead and just one chukka away from victory, Dubai faced unrelenting pressure from La Magdeleine, who brought the game back within one thanks to an incredible shot from distance by MacDonough with just one minute of the match remaining. Time was now La Madeleine’s enemy and on the bell Dubai Polo Team were ensured a successful return to Guards Polo Club, winning this match 12-11.

Tomorrow’s fixtures – Wednesday 18 May

11.30am: Twelve Oaks v Monterosso at Castle Ground, Flemish Farm
3pm: King Power v Marques de Riscal at King Power

All games are being streamed by Guards TV in association with Polocam TV. Go to https://guards.polocam.tv/package

Action in the Queen’s Cup continues May 18, with Twelve Oaks facing Monterosso followed by King Power against Marques de Riscal.

Photos by IMAGES OF POLO

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Park Place Vaara 20 – 11 Thai Polo NP Princes’ Ground Guards Polo Club Dubai Polo Team 12 – 11 La Magdeleine Dukes Ground Guards Polo Club The prestigious Cartier…

Europe, Polo News

OPEN DE FRANCE: La Magdeleine and Polo Park Zürich reach their dream!

20. September 2021

Open de France Engel & Völkers

A day of finals at the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly is a day of celebration with a touch of nostalgia: once the winners are known, three weeks of beautiful polo, conviviality and interactions come to an end. The Argentinean professionals will take the plane back home to prepare and start the „alta temporada“, the great season, the 700 horses will gradually leave the club, the lights will go out… If, in the women‘s category, Polo Park Zürich was an expected winner, in the Open de France Engel & Völkers, the result was a little more surprising.

It was not so much the name of the winner, La Magdeleine, that was a surprise, but the way in which this beautiful team, led by a luminous Facundo Llorente, logically nominated most valuable player of the game, dominated this final from start to finish. On paper, the two teams started as equals: Kazak had won all their games and La Magdeleine had only lost one… to Kazak. But today, things went very fast: 4 – 1 in the first chukker, 11-3 in the fourth before La Magdeleine lifted their foot off the gas (12 – 5 at the final bell).

The key to this domination was clearly the horses ridden by Facundo Llorente, a loan from one of the world’s best players, Pablo Mc Donough (h10). The spectacular accelerations of these Formula 1 ponies for sure made the difference today. It was one of these mares, La Irenita Loli, who was crowned best playing pony of the tournament and of the final. After their first and only defeat in the qualifying phase of the tournament, La Magdeleine put things right: „It‘s true that we were a bit worried because we had lost that first game against today’s opponents,“ confirms Facundo Llorente. „Their team plays hard. But today I brought out my best mares and we clearly played our best game of the season, we quickly understood that this was our day.” This is the fourth time in his career that Facundo Llorente has lifted the Open de France Engel & Völkers Cup but he will hardly have time to celebrate this triumph as he is leaving for Buenos Aires: „Now we have to get ready and try to qualify for the Argentine Open with La Irenita.” It is the stud of La Irinita that entrusted him with these wonderful horses that delighted the dense audience that came to enjoy this sporting show under a beautiful blue sky.

© R&B Presse

French Women‘s Open: Polo Park Zürich, as expected

There was no chance of a surprise in the Women‘s Open, as Polo Park Zurich dominated the tournament from start to finish, and it was with a high score (11-3) that the French Venot sisters lifted the trophy for the second year running: „We were under a bit of pressure, but we had already played them in the qualifying round. At the beginning of the tournament, we had a bit of trouble because we hadn‘t played together for a long time, but we soon found each other again,“ says Elena, the eldest. Because the „secret weapon“ of the Venot sisters… is being sisters! “We know each other by heart and we know before anyone else what the other will do… or not do.” Elena Venot, who is France’s best female player, also has plans for Argentina as she has been invited to take part in the Abierto Feminino, the most competitive competition in the world: „It was Luisa Del Carril who asked me to join her in a new team, La Ensenada. It‘s an incredible opportunity. I‘m going to leave at the beginning of November to organize my horses and prepare myself to put all the chances on our side“. But the dream of the Frenchwoman, who is expected to move up to handicap 7 next season, goes even further: „The idea is that we can participate together with my sisters in this Argentine Open. I don‘t know if it will happen, but it is a goal we are working on.”

Polo is a story of dreams. That of two captains, Morgan Van Overbroek and Alexandre Garese, who saw their efforts rewarded today with this first title in the Open de France Engel & Völkers; that of the Venot sisters who are dreaming of Palermo; that of the defeated teams who are already thinking about the organization that needs to be put in place to win this beautiful trophy in 2022; and that of the great players and speedy horses who have offered the world of polo and the public pure magic during these three weeks. Now it‘s time for the French Championships, which will start next week on these same grounds of the Polo Club de Chantilly, which is also the federal polo center. A great way to enjoy the thrilling French polo season just a little longer.