Polo Club 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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Hublot Polo Gold Cup 2023: Laplacette in his backyard … once again!

24. August 2023

Polo is a team sport. Wearing the colors of Gstaad, Sébastien Le Page and his Argentinian accomplices provide clear proof. On Sunday afternoon, they masterfully executed their game on the unique polo field at Saanen airport, winning the Hublot Polo Gold Cup for the second consecutive year.

Martincito Aguerre‘s genius was not enough today. Indeed, Raul Laplacette‘s team play proved unbeatable. Despite scoring eleven goals once again (Team Gstaad‘s daily rate since last Thursday), it was the fierce defense of the defending champions that made the difference. The Hublot players could never penetrate their opponents‘ defensive wall. When they did, Raul Laplacette calmly stole the ball from the audacious attacker, freeing up space for the men from Gstaad to advance and score on the other end. Martin Aguerre Jr.‘s only option was to try his luck from a great distance. He succeeded twice and scored his other three goals from penalties. Five goals were all the team could muster today.

Earning their second title in two years, the polo field at Saanen airport has become the domain of Raul Laplacette, the most valuable player of the final and the tournament‘s top scorer with 17 goals. „On this kind of field, you have to keep moving forward with the ball, attacking relentlessly,“ said Laplacette. „Thanks to our organization—good players and fast horses—we were able to play excellent polo.“

The Swiss organization was set up at Polo Park Zurich by team captain Sébastien Le Page. „This second victory is all the more pleasing because it‘s practically the same team as last year, proving that our organization is working exceptionally well,“ Le Page celebrated. „I‘m both exhausted and thrilled, and I‘m looking forward to savoring this victory with some champagne, something I‘ve abstained from for the past two weeks.“ The French captain also praised his star player, „Raul is incredible; he controls the game so effectively that it seems like he‘s doing nothing when, in fact, he‘s everywhere and scoring an incredible number of goals. I believe he‘s one of the best players on the planet.“ On the Gstaad field, he could easily be a 10-goaler!

The match for third place was much tighter, with Kielder Agro Group securing their first win of the tournament thanks to two explosive opening chukkers: 5-0. They maintained this lead by fighting hard until the end, allowing only one goal in the last two periods while Gstaad Palace scored five. The final score was 6-5.

This 26th edition of the Hublot Polo Gold Cup was unanimously praised this year for its flawless and relaxed organization, technically excellent field, friendly reception, and above all, the attention given to the well-being of the horses. They were well-cared-for under new refereeing rules and, despite the weather, appeared to be in particularly good condition and eager to play.

Teams and progressions :

THIRD PLACE

Team GSTAAD: Sébastien Le Page (hcp 0), Facundo Kelly (hcp 4, 2 goals), Francisco Fucci (hcp 4, 2 goals), Raul Laplacette (hcp 6, 7 goals)

Team HUBLOT: Jürgen Schröder (hcp 0), Juan Correa (hcp 3), Matias Gonzalez (hcp 4), Martin Aguerre Jr. (hcp 7, 5 goals)

Progression GSTAAD: 3/1 – 6/2 – 7/3 – 11/5

FINAL

Team KIELDER AGRO GROUP: Cedric Schweri (hcp 0), Joao Novaes (hcp 5, 4 goals), Tomi Astelarra (hcp 3), Francisco Menendez (hcp 6, 2 goals)

Team GSTAAD PALACE: Peter Cromm (hcp 0), Pedro Fernandez Llorente (hcp 5, 2 goals), Teo von Neufforge (hcp 5), Segundo Condesse (hcp 4, 3 goals)

Progression KIELDER: 4/0 – 5/0 – 5/2 – 6/5

MVP: Raul Laplacette

BPP: Tintin, 8-year-old gelding, dark bay born in Argentina (by Cuarteto – a son of the famous Cuartetera – and Pollilla), played by Raul Laplacette.

Photos by Kathrin Gralla / Der Rote Drache and R&B Presse / P.Renauldon

Polo is a team sport. Wearing the colors of Gstaad, Sébastien Le Page and his Argentinian accomplices provide clear proof. On Sunday afternoon, they masterfully executed their game on the…

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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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A unique world polo experience!

13. May 2022

At last! After a two-year hiatus due to the health crisis, polo is back in Gstaad, at the Saanen airport, from August 18 to 21 for four glamorous days dedicated to the oldest of team sports: the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad!

The magnificent resort town of Gstaad and its sublime mountain environment are indeed glamorous. But on the field, it‘s all about sport and high-level equestrianism, as the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad demands it to be. The players are both horsemen and sportsmen who follow an extremely rigorous physical and technical training. But the real stars of this sport are the horses. They are the first polo athletes, bred and selected since the beginning of the last century (mainly in Argentina) to become the best partners, the „legs“ of their riders even. Lively, intelligent, playful, fast, tough, brave, these four-legged rugby players are very endearing horses. As soon as the player has thought of an action, his horse responds and sometimes even anticipates because it knows the game and its rider so well. They are also sometimes called „ponies“ and adapt to all conditions and therefore to the altitude of 1100 m, making this the highest summer tournament in the world.

There will be about one hundred and twenty of these little horses setting up camp for a week on the grounds of the Saanen airport to accompany the sixteen players of the four teams who are dreaming of winning this coveted trophy of the international circuit. Three teams, GSTAAD PALACE, HUBLOT and newcomer KIELDER AGRO, will try to topple title holders CLINIQUE LA PRAIRIE, which will be led this year by the Frenchman from Zurich, Sébastien Le Page. The „boss“ of Polo Park Zurich has built a very competitive team around the Argentinean handicap* 6, Raul Laplacette, winner of last year‘s Pakistan Open. KIELDER AGRO is a new team and will be led by the Swiss Fabio Meier who has entered a 7-goal player, the Argentine Ezequiel Martinez-Ferrario, who is used to playing the high-goal season in Palm Beach where he won the famous Whitney Cup and who also won the Silver Cup in Dubai.

Dario Musso has spent most of his career in France, where he has won the Silver and Gold Cups in Deauville and the French Open in Chantilly, among others. Together with the Brazilian Joao Novaes – a Gstaad devotee and former winner of the French Open – they will be a strong support for the Swiss Cedric Schweriwearing the colors of the GSTAAD PALACE. This captain, loyal to Gstaad, will be more than motivated to renew the victory he celebrated in 2018.

Finally, the HUBLOT team, led by the American Marco Elser, finalist of the last edition of the Hublot Polo Gold Cup, will be able to count on the Argentinean handicaps 5 Teo von Neufforge and Pedro Fernandez Llorente.

Beyond this absolutely exciting sport – and all the more spectacular in Gstaad because the public can watch the games right from the border of the field – the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad is a unique experience in Switzerland. It goes beyond the simple sporting competition: an incredible green setting, on an airport surrounded by majestic Alpine peaks, transformed into a polo club for the duration of four days, on a quality ground that has been „worked“ and maintained for many months before the tournament. This polofield allows a rare proximity with the players and the horses, and is surrounded by a VIP village and exhibitors with original luxury products to discover, a resolutely friendly atmosphere, a catering area for the public and a playground for children. Another tradition of this unique tournament is the parade of the teams on Friday, a picturesque event in the streets of Gstaad. A different way of experiencing high-level polo, unique to the Hublot Polo Gold Cup!

* The handicap corresponds to the level of the polo player (it varies between -2 and +10). The handicap evolves according to the player‘s performance in games and the progress made during the year. The highest handicap in Europe is 7 (England). The very rare handicap 10 is currently held by 9 Argentinians and one Uruguayan.