Monterosso

Europe, Polo News

23. May 2022

Twelve Oaks 12 – 10 King Power Noel Farm
UAE Polo Team 12 – 10 Monterosso Castle Ground- Flemish Farm

Twelve Oaks and King Power found themselves locked in a closely contested battle with the score remaining within one goal in all but the final chukka. Trading goals early in the match, King Power’s James Harper struck from the field, while Joaquin Pittaluga and Charlie Wooldridge combined to post two goals for Twelve Oaks. Despite being outshot by their opponents in open play, Twelve Oaks’s 57% shooting accuracy and consecutive goals from Cristian Laprida sent them into the half-time break with a narrow one-goal advantage. Continuing his strong play from the first half, Laprida opened the second half scoring on a good counterattack, with Pittaluga passing the ball forward for the goal. Fighting back into the game with an exceptional passing attack, King Power controlled the fifth chukka with two assisted goals and two penalty conversions to retake the lead and enter the final chukka ahead by one. Trailing by one with two minutes remaining, Charlie Wooldridge made his impact on the match, collecting his second assist of the chukka on a pass to Pittaluga that put Twelve Oaks ahead and they held off King Power in the final moments to claim their first victory 12-10.

The reigning Cartier Queen’s Cup champions UAE Polo Team made their long-awaited debut on The Duke’s Ground at Guards Polo Club without the services of young Lucas Monteverde Jnr, who was replaced by Juan Ambroggio. Poroto Cambiaso was playing once again for Monterosso too. Wasting little time, UAE Polo Team quickly established their early dominance, blanking Monterosso in the first chukka while Tomas Beresford and Bartolome Castagnola Jnr ignited an attack for a 2-0 lead. Awarded one goal on handicap, Monterosso ended their scoring drought when Matias Gonzalez hit the posts on a drive from the field and this kickstarted a run of four unanswered goals to race into the lead. Limited to just one more goal from Tomas Beresford in the remainder of the half, Monterosso was firing on all cylinders and headed into the half-time break with a 7-4. Regrouping during the break, UAE Polo Team’s Tommy Beresford delivered five penalty conversions in a six-goal fourth chukka that quickly turned a three-goal deficit into a three-goal lead. Fixing their foul troubles, Monterosso slowly worked their way back into the game behind the duo of Ignacio Toccalino and Cambiaso, but UAE’s advantage allowed them to withstand this late push from Monterosso and register a successful debut with a 12-10 win. This victory also ensured that the UAE team won the Royal Windsor Horse Show Cup, traditionally played on the first weekend of the Cartier Queen’s Cup tournament.

Tomorrow’s Fixtures

11:30 am – Murus Sanctus vs Park Place at The Castle Ground- Flemish Farm
3:30 pm – Great Oaks LL vs Vikings at The Queen’s 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

[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”1241″ display=”basic_thumbnail” thumbnail_crop=”0″]

Twelve Oaks 12 – 10 King Power Noel Farm UAE Polo Team 12 – 10 Monterosso Castle Ground- Flemish Farm Twelve Oaks and King Power found themselves locked in a…

Europe, Polo News

Cartier Queen’s Cup Day 2

19. May 2022

Monterosso 14 – 11 Twelve Oaks The Castle – Ground-Flemish Farm
King Power 13 – 10 Marques de Riscal – Noel Farm

Twelve Oaks, fresh from victory in the Royal Berkshire’s Prince of Wales’s Trophy, found themselves up against Monterosso (rec 1 goal on handicap) on the Castle Ground at Flemish Farm on day two of the Cartier Queen’s Cup. A line-up change for Monterosso brought Adolfo Cambiaso Jnr into the line-up in place of Pelon Stirling, resulting in a one-goal on handicap. Quickly adding to their advantage, Monterosso raced out to a 4-0 lead and carried their strong play throughout the first half. Ignacio Toccalino and Cambiaso combined for seven of Monterosso’s eight goals in the first half while the team finished a perfect 6 for 6 from the field and 2 for 2 from the penalty line to extend the lead to five (9-4). A yellow card given to Toccalino and two penalty conversions for Twelve Oaks’ Joaquin Pittaluga in the third chukka helped overcome the slow start as they began to match Monterosso stride-for-stride. A huge pass from Cambiaso sprung Toccalino on a breakaway to open the scoring in the second half, but Twelve Oaks quickly recovered, turning to Pittaluga and Cristian Laprida to try and fight back within reach. Despite 10 combined goals from the duo, Monterosso took advantage of nearly every opportunity in the game, finishing an astounding 83% from the field to complete the 14-11 triumph.

Newcomer to the high-goal stage, Marques de Riscal, led by nine-goaler Sapo Caset, met King Power at Noel Farm in their 2022 debuts. Top Srivaddhanaprabha enters this season with three new teammates in Mackenzie Weisz, Nico Pieres and James Harper, but they quickly demonstrated that King Power is a team to watch in the Cartier Queen’s Cup. Scoring the first five goals of this game, four from Pieres, gave King Power a commanding lead. However, Marques de Riscal showed their resilience and held the potent King Power attack to just one goal over the third and fourth chukkas. Relying on four penalty conversions from Caset, Marques de Riscal fought back to within one, trailing 7-6 at the end of the fourth chukka. Returning to the quick, passing style of play that proved to be successful early in the game, King Power exploded for four goals, including a tally from Srivaddhanaprabha in a decisive fifth chukka. Playing from behind throughout the game, Marques de Riscal made a final push to begin the sixth chukka, pulling back within two after a goal from Facundo Llosa, but the well-balanced King Power team stayed focused to secure a 13-10 victory.

Tomorrow’s Fixtures – Thursday 19 May

11:30am – Great Oaks LL v Scone Polo at Les Lions
3:00pm – Vikings v Murus Sanctus at Guards Polo Club

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

[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”1238″ display=”basic_thumbnail” thumbnail_crop=”0″]

Monterosso 14 – 11 Twelve Oaks The Castle – Ground-Flemish Farm King Power 13 – 10 Marques de Riscal – Noel Farm Twelve Oaks, fresh from victory in the Royal…

Europe, Polo News

Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup, Day 1

6. August 2021

Vikings 11 – 10 Monterosso

The Vikings team started their Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup campaign with a win, beating Monterosso in a tight game on the Castle Ground at Flemish Farm. Max Voelker was standing in for Vikings’ patron Siri Evjemo-Nysveen and was joined by Vikings’ regulars Chris Mackenzie, Sebastian Merlos and Juan Martin Zubia. Monterosso was fielding a different line-up to this Queen’s Cup, with Matt Perry and Facundo Sola coming into the team to play alongside Monterosso stalwart Ignacio “Cubi” Toccalino.

There was little air between these two teams for all six chukkas, with both squads eager to register a win on the opening day of this new 22-goal tournament. The Vikings had a narrow, 6-5 lead at half-time but this was still anyone’s game. Both Sebastian Merlos and Facundo Sola made the most of any opportunities when they were given space but their great efforts just cancelled each other out. It was also a fairly feisty game with several yellow cards and Cubi Toccalino being sent to the “sin bin” for two minutes in the closing minutes of the fourth chukka. Despite being a man down, Monterosso, who were trailing at this point 7-6, managed to level the scores with Sola successfully converting a penalty three.

Merlos started the fifth with lovely goal to put the Vikings ahead once more but the rest of this chukka belonged to Monterosso. They managed to put some air in the scoreline (10-8), with Cubi and Sola successfully converting penalties. Many might have thought this was the moment that Monterosso would pull away but the Vikings had written a different script. Juan Martin Zubia, who is always an impressive penalty taker, first converted a 30-yard penalty. Then some great team-work from Merlos, Zubia and Mackenzie enabled the Vikings to level the score again, 10-10. Then with 90 seconds left on the clock Zubia converted his second penalty of this chukka, a 60-yarder, to give the Vikings the edge. Despite some frantic play neither team could add to their tally and Vikings won the day.

This is the first time Guards Polo Club has hosted 22-goal tournament in August and the first game did not disappoint. Five, 22-goal teams have entered this new tournament in its inaugural year and it aims to deliver some top quality sport over the next 19 days. The tournament is sponsored by Talacrest, a classic Ferrari specialist owned by former high-goal player John Collins, and all matches are being filmed live at Guards TV.

Tomorrow: Bardon Polo Team v Park Place on The Queen’s Ground at 3.30pm.

Photos by IMAGES OF POLO

[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”1172″ display=”basic_thumbnail” thumbnail_crop=”0″]

Vikings 11 – 10 Monterosso The Vikings team started their Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup campaign with a win, beating Monterosso in a tight game on the Castle…

Europe, Polo News

Cartier Queen’s Cup Semi-Finals 2021

24. June 2021

Scone Polo 11 – 8 Monterosso for the Hubert Perrodo Trophy & UAE Polo Team 13 – 10 UAE Polo Team ll for the Kerry Packer Trophy

The first Cartier Queen’s Cup Semi-Final featured a Scone Polo team led by father-son duo Adolfo and Poroto Cambiaso against the only undefeated team in Monterosso on the Duke’s Ground at Guards Polo Club. Scoring the first six goals of the match, Scone Polo never looked back to win the match 11-8 victory and secure a place in Sunday’s final, writes Michael Foster.

Setting the tone in the first two chukkas, Scone Polo controlled possession and prevented Monterosso from generating any scoring chances to build a large lead. Perfect 7 for 7 penalty shooting led Scone Polo to victory, despite going without a field goal in the entire second half. Finishing with a game-high nine goals, Isidro Strada took advantage of each opportunity while an organised defence for Scone Polo held Monterosso Polo Team to just 25% shooting on 12 shot attempts. A determined Monterosso tried to mount a comeback in the second half, but four penalty conversions for Scone Polo sealed the outcome.

Scoring inside the first minute of the game, Scone Polo’s Adolfo Cambiaso worked the ball downfield with a deflected pass setting up Strada in front of goal for a quick 1-0 lead. Cambiaso continued to keep the ball attached to his mallet, placing an immense amount of pressure on Monterosso’s defence. Receiving two fouls, Cambiaso sent his team to the penalty line as both opportunities were converted by Strada, giving Scone Polo the 3-0 lead. Completing a dominant first chukka, Strada added his fourth goal leaving Monterosso facing a difficult task to close the gap. A delay of game in front of the Monterosso goal resulted in Scone Polo’s third penalty conversion, with Adolfo Cambiaso quickly following with a long pass to son Poroto to take a commanding 6-0 lead. Before the end of the half, Monterosso Polo Team found some momentum from the penalty line as Ignacio Toccalino converted two penalties, while David Stirling also scored from the field, but the result was a significant 7-3 difference at half-time in favour of Scone Polo.

Turning to a balanced attack that had been successful throughout the tournament, Monterosso Polo Team received goals from Toccalino and the team patron, with Mackenzie Weisz collecting the assist as they began to inch closer. A foul-ridden fifth chukka sent Toccalino to the penalty line twice more, converting both to suddenly bring Monterosso within just two goals entering the sixth chukka. Continuing their pressure, Monterosso shot at goal four times over the final minutes but were unable to find the mark. Despite being held to zero field goals in the second half, Scone Polo added penalty conversions from Cambiaso Snr and Strada to seal the 11-8 victory and book their place in the final.

Nathalie Perrodo presented David Paradice with the Perrodo Trophy, named after her late father Hubert Perrodo, patron of the Labegorce Polo Team. Labegorce were twice winners of the Queen’s Cup. Adolfo Cambiaso was named Most Valuable Player while his Lapa 07 received the Best Playing Pony prize.

The second semi-final of the Cartier Queen’s Cup featured a match-up between the two UAE Polo Team organisations, with a late charge over the final two chukkas securing the 13-10 victory for UAE Polo Team over UAE Polo Team II. HH Sheikha Maitha made a welcome return to the UAE Polo Team after watching earlier games from the sidelines due to injury.

An efficient game on both sides of the ball, UAE Polo Team produced twice as many shots at goal in what was ultimately the difference in the late stages of the game. Polito Pieres and Tomy Beresford combined for 12 of their team’s 13 goals, while consistently working to control possession. Winning 18 of the 26 throw-ins in the game, the extra possessions for UAE Polo Team paid dividends in what was a close match throughout. Lucas Monteverde Jr. produced another strong showing, leading UAE Polo Team II with five goals as part of an accurate attack that shot 78%, but they could not slow UAE Polo Team with a spot in the semi-final on the line in the 13-10 defeat.

The opening seconds of the game began with UAE Polo Team charging towards goal but were unable to convert any of their three shot attempts, opening the door for UAE Polo Team II to take the lead. A field goal from Monteverde Jr. and penalty conversion from Alfredo Cappella gave UAE Polo Team II a two-goal advantage, but UAE Polo Team stormed back, scoring four unanswered goals, two from the penalty line, to take their first lead. However, the score was brought back to even by the end of the second chukka as UAE Polo Team II continued to take advantage of each opportunity around goal. The pace increased before the end of the half, providing end-to-end action and few whistles in an exciting third chukka that produced five goals. UAE Polo Team II excelled with Cappella and Huidobro setting up Monteverde Jr. for two goals, while UAE Polo Team responded with individual runs from Pieres and Beresford that propelled them into the one-goal lead and set the scene for a tense final three chukkas.

After defeating Park Place in the quarter-finals, UAE Polo Team II was in search of their next victory and turned to their young two players at the front of the game. Receiving one goal each from Hugo Taylor and Monteverde Jr., UAE Polo Team II tied the game at 8-8, leaving two chukkas to determine the finalist to meet Scone Polo. Zero fouls were seen over the final two chukkas as the teams battled in open play and it was the additional scoring opportunities for UAE Polo Team that pushed them ahead. Beresford accounted for both UAE Polo Team goals in the fifth chukka, accurately receiving passes and finishing with confidence, but they turned to their 9-goaler, Pieres, in the final minutes to seal the victory. Scoring all three goals in the final chukka, Polito Pieres completed an impressive performance with eight goals, sending UAE Polo Team into the final, where they will meet Scone Polo for the prestigious Cartier Queen’s Cup.

UAE Polo Team received the Kerry Packer Trophy. This was given by Laurent Feniou, Managing Director Cartier UK, who was presenting the cup on behalf of Ros Packer. Lucas Monteverde Junior was named the Most Valuable Player and one of the horses he played in this game, El Overa Sensata, received the Best Playing Pony prize.

Images: ©Images of Polo

[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”1163″ display=”basic_thumbnail” thumbnail_crop=”0″]

Scone Polo 11 – 8 Monterosso for the Hubert Perrodo Trophy & UAE Polo Team 13 – 10 UAE Polo Team ll for the Kerry Packer Trophy The first Cartier Queen’s…

Europe, Polo News

Cartier Queen’s Cup Day 15

17. June 2021

Monterosso 10 – 6 White Crane & Thai Polo 13 – 9 BP Polo

Monterosso confirmed their dominance in the league stages of the Cartier Queen’s Cup, the only team to remain unbeaten going into the weekend’s quarter-finals. Today they defeated Jasmine Calvert- Ansari’s White Crane (rec 2) 10-6 to put themselves at the top of League Three. Monterosso were in command of this game from the start and although Cubi Toccalino’s penalty taking was not quite as accurate as in previous matches he had still put his team ahead 5-2 at half-time. White Crane did not get themselves into this game until the fifth chukka, until then relying on their handicap advantage to give them a presence on the scoreboard. However in this penultimate chukka Nico Pieres converted two penalties, while James Harper and Andrew Blake Thomas fired through goals to take the score to 9-6 going into the final chukka. Suddenly White Crane, playing in their first Cartier Queen’s Cup competition were back in contention. It quickly changed back to Monterosso in control in the sixth, with Alessandro Bazzoni finding the flags for his team to confirm their supremacy.

The other game today featured Thai Polo and BP Polo who were just playing for team honour. Both squads already knew that they had been knocked out of the tournament. Thai Polo were in command of this game from the first whistle, they were 7-5 up at half-time and continued to push until the final chukka. There were some flashes of brilliance from James Beh and his son Joevy for BP Polo and some tight marking from all the team in the third stopped Thai Polo from scoring. Juan Martin Nero offered a lifeline for BP Polo when converting a couple of penalties in the fourth, so that they were just a goal adrift (8-7) going into the fifth. However a clutch of goals from Thai Polo in this chukka confirmed Thai’s dominance (12-8) and goals from Joevy Beh and Louis Hine in the sixth chukka was just an added kudos for both young players.

Penalty Shoot Out

At 5.30pm a penalty shoot out was held to confirm which teams would finish seventh and eighth in the league. It was a three-way contest between Alfredo Capella of UAE Polo ll, Barto Castagnola of Great Oaks LL and Nico Pieres of White Crane. Capella had his eye in and won the penalty shoot-out, confirming UAE Polo ll as seventh place finishers. There was then a sudden death situation which was won by Nico Pieres, confirming White Crane as the 8^th team.

Cartier Queen’s Cup Quarter-Finals

Saturday 19 June

12noon King Power v Scone Polo at Les Lions

3pm Monterosso v White Crane at Guards Polo Club

Sunday 20 June

12noon Murus Sanctus/La Magdeleine v UAE Polo Team at King Power

3pm Park Place v UAE Polo ll at Guards Polo Club. The winner of this match will receive the Gerard Leigh Trophy

Images: ©Images of Polo

[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”1158″ display=”basic_thumbnail” thumbnail_crop=”0″]

Monterosso 10 – 6 White Crane & Thai Polo 13 – 9 BP Polo Monterosso confirmed their dominance in the league stages of the Cartier Queen’s Cup, the only team…

Europe, Polo News

Cartier Queen’s Cup Day 12

15. June 2021

Scone Polo 10 – 7 Thai Polo NP & Monterosso 12 – 8 BP Polo

Scone Polo saw the welcome addition of their patron, David Paradice, to the team this afternoon, the first time he has played for Scone in this year’s competition. His return was a winning one as Scone Polo registered their third win, defeating Thai Polo NP 10-7, in their last league match of the tournament. Thai Polo NP really needed to win this one to keep their tournament hopes alive and Louis and Ned Hine did all they could to stop the Cambiaso duo playing any running polo. Thanks to the Hine brothers’ efforts Thai Polo kept Scone Polo in their sights for all six chukkas. That said, Scone Polo led from the first chukka (2-1) and never relinquished their lead. They delivered a team effort with goals from Cambiaso Senior, Junior and Isidro Strada.

Monterosso retained their unbeaten run – three games out of three – this afternoon to beat BP Polo 12-8. Winning this match on The Queen’s Ground ensured Alessandro Bazzoni headed home with the Richard Watt Cup too, named after a former Chairman of Guards Polo Club. Cubi Toccalino was again the star of the show for Monterosso, scoring nine of their 12 goals, six of them penalties. Similar to yesterday’s King Power match, Monterosso did the hard work in the early stages of this match, they were ahead 6-1 at the end of the second, to ensure victory later on. BP Polo upped their marking in the second half, which stopped Monterosso getting to goal with such regularity. The fifth saw Juan Martin Nero and James Beh add a clutch of goals to BP Polo’s tally which kept them in contention going into the sixth chukka (11-8 to Monterosso). This though was always Monterosso’s game and like Scone Polo earlier in the day, they were in control from the first chukka. Monterosso now have one league game left to play – the very last league match of the tournament – against White Crane on Wednesday afternoon.

[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”1155″ display=”basic_thumbnail” thumbnail_crop=”0″]

Scone Polo 10 – 7 Thai Polo NP & Monterosso 12 – 8 BP Polo Scone Polo saw the welcome addition of their patron, David Paradice, to the team this…

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