Polo Player

Instagram, Polo News

Interview LIU Shilai, November 2022

14. November 2022

(Dr. Cinderella von Dungern on behalf of POLO+10-Magazin)

POLO+10: Why and when you started to play polo?

LIU Shilai: This is the old story. In China, the ambassador of Jordan in China, called Mr. Anmar. He was equivalent to seeing me riding my horse in an equestrian club, and then invited me to play polo. At that time, we were in a Beijing equestrian club, and then began to play Arena Polo. At that moment, there was no polo horse in China. We put some ordinary semi -blood horses, that is half of the Mongolian horse‘s half -blooded horse to polo ponies through several months training. That is how and where the story began.

Around 2003, that is 20 years ago, I went to Australia to play polo. After that I went to Argentina to learn polo. Soon after, I won the 4-goal championship of US Polo Open. The polo playing process continued with tournaments in Windsor and Guards in UK as well as the 16-goal Gstaad Gold Cup.

POLO+10: How did polo develop over the time you are playing?

LIU Shilai: I returned to China in 2009 and founded the “Tang Polo Club” in Beijing. Before that, it was about 2008, there was a polo club founded near Shanghai, the “Nine Dragons Hill Polo Club”. It was created by a local listed company investor called Qinfu Li and operated by GM Steve.

However, there was no polo field in Beijing at that moment. Therefore, I returned to Beijing to establish the first club – Tang Polo Club. The second club in Beijing was the “Reignwood Club”. A bit later, another polo club in Tianjin emerged – the “Metropolitan Polo Club”. Last year, I built another club facilities in Anping (Hebei province) because the rules how to use land which “Tang Polo Club” initially used in Beijing, were changed by government. So currently in total, we have four clubs in China.

Regarding the number of players, in the beginning, it was also only 4 polo players in total. After a few years play with the Ambassador Anmar, we went to Argentina to study polo and how to improve our skills. Two of those initial players do not play anymore, only Nan Liu and I have been insisting until now. That was the earliest 2003 situation. To this day, there should be dozens of people who play polo in China. In the early ages in 2008, only I went to play the tournament in Nine Dragons Hills Polo Club Shanghai. Few years later in Tang Polo, we could have five teams with a total of 20 players in our own club, with all Chinese players. This has developed in the past 20 years. Now, the total number of Chinese polo players should be more than thirty or forty probably, but it is just an estimation. In the Polo Association, there should be about 50 players with Handicap.

POLO+10: What is the situation now, especially due to Covid restrictions?

LIU Shilai: The Covid pandemic still has an impact on us, because the pro of Argentina can‘t come. So, for Shanghai‘s horses, there is no good training. But there is no problem for Tang Polo, because we have cultivated our own professionals, with a 2-goal and 1-goal pro. And we also have own veterinarians, horseshoeing masters, all of them trained in China by ourselves through many years. Therefore, Tang Polo Club is not affected by the pandemic, it also serves as training base for the China national polo team. But Covid is still affecting Shanghai and Tianjin a lot. Anyway, as the economy grows, the polo sport will be better and better in China in the future.

(Dr. Cinderella von Dungern on behalf of POLO+10-Magazin) POLO+10: Why and when you started to play polo? LIU Shilai: This is the old story. In China, the ambassador of Jordan…

Personalities & Clubs, Polo News

Interview with Cédric Schweri

5. August 2022

Successful gastro-entrepreneur, polo player and now also winery operator: Cédric Schweri has many passions in life. In POLO+10, the Swiss and grandson of the founder of Denner AG talks about fine wines, professional goals and the polo tournament of his heart.

© Cédric Schweri, private

“we want to become the best bordeaux blend winery in south africa!”

When and how did you first discover your passion for winegrowing, cattle breeding and gastronomy?
As the son of a hotelier, I was practically born with this passion. However, my father wanted to make a middle school student out of me rather than a chef. In the end, however, the cook prevailed and the first important step for my career was taken.

As the main shareholder of the top South African winery De Toren, what are the biggest challenges for you at the moment?
The period under the impact of the Covid pandemic was of course difficult for all of us. There were various obstacles, such as export bans. However, we used this phase creatively, developed new products and completed the restructuring of the winery, and also developed a new marketing strategy. Thanks to these actions, we were able to take off again powerfully in a top position, increase our sales channels – and are now selling more wine than ever before.

What are your medium- to long-term goals in this business field?
We want to become the best Bordeaux blend winery in South Africa without any ifs or buts. To actually achieve this goal, we have acquired additional land on which we are now in the process of planting new vines. We also want to launch two additional products and push our rosé wine even further.

What makes De Toren unique and special for you?
It is mainly the soil that determines the particular quality of a wine. We have more than 20 different soil types on our estate – and depending on the grape variety, one type is better than the other. But if you find the ideal soil, you get top quality grapes and this is then reflected in the wine. Another big plus is of course the elevated location with the cooling sea breeze.

In the fall De Toren brings a pure Malbec, Made in South Africa, in limited bottling on the market. What can wine connoisseurs look forward to?
I brought my passion for Malbec with me from Argentina, of course, and I quickly came to the conclusion that it should be possible to develop a top product with the help of the African climate. After some trial and error, I think we have really managed to bring a pinch of Argentina to Africa.

© Cédric Schweri, private

You‘ve also been a passionate polo player for years and travel the world for your sport, you‘re a father of three, and you‘d also like to set up a professional polo horse breeding program in the near future. How do you manage to combine these different worlds? Just by looking at your schedule?
Fortunately, it‘s much easier nowadays, because you can do a lot of things virtually. The issue of children, such as coordination with school, is a completely different challenge. But with the vacations it actually goes quite well, then I usually pick them up in Switzerland and then they just come to wherever we are. What‘s very important to me is that when I spend time with my children, I‘m also always fully there for them; place great value on the quality and the very conscious use of that time. In my eyes, that‘s worth more than when parents are around a lot but don‘t really care and instead just work through a mandatory program.

What highlights are still on the agenda for you in the current polo season?
Besides the German Polo Masters on Sylt, which are always a highlight for me, I‘m also particularly looking forward to the Gold Cup in Gstaad and the Season Closing in Villa a Sesta in Italy.

Is there a tournament that is particularly close to your heart?
My favorite is Gstaad, because it‘s always special when you can play in front of your home crowd. The mountains and the food – it all always gives me that wonderful feeling of home.

Successful gastro-entrepreneur, polo player and now also winery operator: Cédric Schweri has many passions in life. In POLO+10, the Swiss and grandson of the founder of Denner AG talks about…

North America, Polo News

Bushwood Defeats Ellipse Polo In Top Pony 8-Goal Title ; Kris Kampsen Named MVP

10. March 2021

By Rebecca Baldridge
Photos by ChukkerTV

WELLINGTON, FL, March 9, 2021— Bushwood won a narrow 10-9 victory over Ellipse Polo to win the Top Pony 8-Goal title.

Bushwood (Nick McClelland, Nick Manifold, Kris Kampsen, and Michael Armour) took to the field against Ellipse Polo (Pancha Terrera, Baldo Palomeque, Robi Bilbao, and Louis Devaleix) on Grand Champions Field 4.

Baldo Palomeque put the first goal of the day on the board, picking up a pass to put the ball through at 5:42. With 17 seconds left in the chukker, a powerful shot by Ellipse’s Kris Kampsen evened the score and the period ended 1-all. Play was back and forth for the first three minutes, until Baldo Palomeque swept the ball through the posts at 3:40. Kris Kampsen successfully converted a Penalty 4, bringing the score up to 2-all.

With just over a minute left to play, Pancha Terrera carried the ball downfield to goal, leaving it for Baldo Palomeque to nudge through and end the chukker with Ellipse in the lead at 3-2. Bushwood succeeded in keeping Ellipse off the board in the third chukker, while Kris Kampsen scored a goal from the field and converted a Penalty 2 to end the half with Bushwood leading 4-3.

The pressure started to show in the fourth chukker, with both teams earning goals on penalties. Ellipse wanted an early goal and Robi Bilbao delivered, running to goal with Kampsen in hot pursuit and putting the ball through within 30 seconds. At 4:55, Kampson restored Bushwood’s advantage, with 5-4 on the board. He followed up with a Penalty 4 conversion to extend Bushwood’s lead to 6. At 3:02, Kampsen completed a hat trick for the chukker with a cut shot to goal.

Ellipse was able to narrow the lead with two penalty conversions from Robi Balboa and the chukker ended at 7-6 with Bushwood narrowly in the lead. Kampsen and Bilboa each converted a Penalty 4, while a goal from Nick Manifold kept Bushwood in the lead, with the fifth chukker ending 9-7. Ellipse fought back in the final chukker, with Balboa and Palomeque scoring from the field to tie the match at 9-all. A costly foul put Kris Kampsen on the penalty line to convert a Penalty 3, and Bushwood squeaked by Ellipse at 10-9. Kris Kampsen was the high scoring player of the day with 9 goals.

WINTER 2021 COVID-19 POLICY: The GCPC property, facilities, and events are only accessible to polo players, their immediate families, and necessary staff. This policy will remain in effect until further notice.

The GCPC family is immensely grateful and humbled by the excitement and support shown by locals and new guests over the years. We wish we could welcome everyone to the sidelines to cheer our players on; however, in order to remain in operation amidst a global pandemic, we regret to inform you that Grand Champions Polo Club events and facilities are currently closed to the public. Ultimately, our goal as a Club is to keep polo going, but our goal as a community first and foremost is to keep everyone safe and healthy.

There is nothing we would love more than to have more spectators on the sidelines and to greet new and friendly faces to the Club. Unfortunately, we cannot operate as normal and have temporarily minimized the Club’s capacity in an effort to prioritize the health and safety of our community.

MORE UPDATES TO COME SOON: For potential GCPC policy changes, we encourage our fans to continue to check our Instagram and website for more updates to come.

In the meantime, we thank you for your cooperation in this team effort to ensure we can keep playing polo, as well as keep playing our part in the community to minimize risk and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

We appreciate your loyalty and understanding and hope to see you back on the sidelines soon!

By Rebecca Baldridge Photos by ChukkerTV WELLINGTON, FL, March 9, 2021— Bushwood won a narrow 10-9 victory over Ellipse Polo to win the Top Pony 8-Goal title. Bushwood (Nick McClelland,…

Asia, Polo News

INDIA celebrate its champions: The INDIAN POLO AWARDS

8. March 2021

Country’s greatest players and patrons honour untiring contribution to the sport of royals

Jaipur, Rajasthan: The much-awaited THE INDIAN POLO AWARDS (TIPA) successfully commenced with a grand ceremony on the 21st of February, 2021, at the City Palace, Jaipur, Rajasthan. The event, which saw Polo’s greatest names coming together, started at Subrato Chowk, City Palace, followed by the awards presentation at Pritam Chowk, City Palace.

A spectacular performance by Bollywood actress Vaani Kapoor enthused the audience right at the start. Acclaimed performers Sharat Saxena and Sophie Chaudhay co-hosted the awards presentation, that began with JODHPUR THE LADY POLO PLAYER AWARD. Khundongbam Habe Devi was presented the award by Chirag Parekh, renowned playing polo patron and Chairman and Managing Director, Acrysil Limited.

BARODA THE TRADITIONAL POLO PLAYER AWARD was presented to Taorem Pradeep Kumar Singh by the Consulate General of Japan Michio Harada.

Farah Khan and Simon Khan graced the stage to present KASHMIR THE ARMY POLO PLAYER award to Naik Ravindra Mang.

The sport of Polo has been fastidiously nurtured by polo patrons and the event celebrated their contribution with JAIPUR THE POLO PATRON AWARD. To present the award, the stage of The Indian Polo Awards had Princess Diya Kumari of Jaipur, who gave the trophy to Rajnigandha Achievers, on behalf of which Vikram Singh Rathore took TIPA trophy.

A major part of the sport of Polo is the pony and not every horse can become a polo pony. A lot of hard work and training goes behind-the-scenes. This process is possible only because of the trainers. TIPA awards had ALWAR THE POLO TRAINER AWARD in both the Army and Civil categories. Presenting the awards were Farah Khan and Simon Khan. In the Army category, the award was presented to Dfr Illyas Ali, while Mahmood Khan was awarded in the civil category.

Polo awards ceremony is incomplete without recognising the contribution of polo ponies. Presenting GWALIOR THE BEST POLO PONY AWARD was Zoya Afroz who read out Blitz as the winner for the same. Receiving the award was Vikram Singh Rathore on behalf of the pony.

Polo grounds are an essential part of the game. It is necessary for the ground to be maintained fittingly for the game. It was Jindal Panther Polo and Riding Club that won the BHOPAL PATAUDI THE BEST POLO GROUND award, presented by Lt Gen MKS Yadav.

Presenting THE BEST TEAM (LOW GOAL) was Princess Gauravi Kumari of Jaipur. Amongst some close competitors, it was the Army Service Corps that won the award. Lt Gen MKS Yadav, Col Nakul Yadav and Naik Ravindra Mang received the trophy on behalf of the team.

Indian Polo stands at a great stature today because of the contribution and support of the army. TIPA presented the CONTRIBUTION TO POLO award for which Kushagra Bajaj awarded the Indian Army for the same. Rohit Dagar, Hony Secretary of Indian Polo Association and CO 61st Cavalry received the award on behalf of Chief Of Army Staff.

Presenting the PATIALA THE INTERNATIONAL POLO PLAYER AWARD were Maninder S Sethi, Editor-in-Chief, La Polo and Chirag Parekh, Chairman and Managing Director, Acrysil Limited. The award was presented to Matthew Philip Perry who sent a video message thanking TIPA.

Rhea Parekh, Founder Los Polistas and Actor Vaani Kapoor were on stage to present LOS POLISTAS THE YOUNG POLO PLAYER. The award was won by the young HH Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur who has shown outstanding performance in the last few years. His Highness said: “It’s an honour to receive the award. This event would not have been possible without the effort of Mr Maninder Sethi and Mr Chirag Parekh who came together to recognise Polo. The groomers, ponies and a lot of it goes behind the game. It is important to recognize them all.”

Ashley Parekh received the EMERGING LADY POLO PLAYER AWARD presented by HH Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur.

Sanjiv Bali presented THE PROMISING POLO PLAYER AWARD to Siddhant Sharma.

Princess Diya Kumari of Jaipur presented THE MOST VALUABLE POLO PLAYER AWARD to the +6 handicap polo player, Arjuna Awardee, Simran Singh Shergill.

THE BEST TEAM (HIGH GOAL) was received by Vikram Singh Rathore on behalf of Rajnigandha Achievers, presented by Vaani Kapoor.

The LA POLO LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD was presented to HH Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Jodhpur-Marwar for his tireless contribution and dedication to the sport. No mention of Indian Polo can be complete without the mention of the contribution of HH Maharaja Gaj Singh II. Maninder S Sethi, Editor-in-Chief, La Polo, presented the award to HH in honour of his lifelong contribution. On the occasion, in a video message, His Highness said: “I am completely overwhelmed with a surprise for the award you have honoured me with. I would like to thank LA POLO for such an initiative. Such awards are going to attract more young players and more sponsors for the future of the sport.”

The awards night wound up with a fantastic musical performance by Manasi Scott who fired the celebration with her foot-tapping numbers.

Shivani Joshi from The Indian Polo Award comments:

“The Indian Polo Awards have emerged from the vision to redefine and re-emphasize the entire gamut of the sport that respects the player and the horse, and the bond between the two. It is an event to honour the most illustrious contributions to the sport that has a heritage sprawling over 2,000 years. The awards honour the uncompromising spirit dedicated to Polo, by recognizing true sportsmanship, and people who have been unflinchingly and loyally contributed to its glory.”

Rhea Parekh, Founder, Los Polistas comments:

“Los Polistas is grateful to be a proud sponsor of India’s first-ever polo awards-TIPA. Our brand name ‘Los Polistas’ literally means Polo players. This brand celebrates the skill and passion of polo players who put their heart and their lives on stake to play this majestic sport. TIPA shares the same sentiment by awarding these heroes for their efforts in the game, which is why this makes a perfect collaboration.”

Maninder S Sethi, Editor-in-Chief, LA POLO comments:

“Polo bestowed rewards and riches to many over the course of its history, but never before have we encountered anything remotely identical to The Indian Polo Awards. We at LA POLO, with our consortium to connect Polo, consider The Indian Polo Awards in the right direction to celebrate the champions within, the trailblazing stars who are pushing the benchmark every time. “

Mayank Soni from The House of MBJ:

Mayank Soni has extensive knowledge of the finest handcrafted jewellery and modern productions techniques. The desire to go further in his tryst with jewellery as art has further added to his understanding of the market and its trends. It is his imagination and fervour for art and the sport of Polo that’s visible in the iconic trophy for the awards.

About LA POLO

La Polo emerged as an International polo magazine with a vision to transform itself as the sole magnum opus for archiving the extremely rich tradition of polo. A repository to this royal sport, La Polo understands its sprawl both on and off the arena, thus presenting a prodigious mélange of the game and the bespoke luxury, aristocracy, fashion, and lifestyle surrounding it.

Images: © La Polo International

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Country’s greatest players and patrons honour untiring contribution to the sport of royals Jaipur, Rajasthan: The much-awaited THE INDIAN POLO AWARDS (TIPA) successfully commenced with a grand ceremony on the…

Europe, Polo News

19th BENDURA BANK Snow Polo World Cup scheduled for 14th – 17th January 2021 postponed until January 2022

19. October 2020

Kitzbühel, 19th of October 2020., We have been attentively monitoring the course of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and upon careful evaluation of the matter and in consideration of the figures published by the Austrian Department of Public Health, the management at Lifestyle EventsGmbH, alongside our Sponsors and Kitzbühel Tourismus have decided to postpone the BENDURA BANK Snow Polo World Cup to 2022. We have reached this conclusion with heavy hearts but have decided this is the necessary decision, ensuring the safety of all involved as we align our efforts with an eye toward a wonderful 2022 event.

There are many factors that contributed to the decision to cancel the tournament. First and foremost, our responsibility goes out to all of our esteemed guests, sponsors, players, partners, staff and volunteers. Global uncertainty and travel restrictions, as well as mandatory quarantine guidelines, have made it impossible to successfully organize an event inclusive of our diverse, international audience – with players coming from over 10 countries, over 120 horses and guests from all over the world. The decision was unanimous among Kitzbühel Tourismus and government officials as well as all of our great sponsors and partners including our title sponsor with us since inception, BENDURA BANK. Furthermore, aside from travel restrictions and quarantine guidelines, we have explored all alternative options to safely organize this event, but have come to the conclusion that we cannot execute the event up to our traditional standards and expectations with all the current restrictions in place.

Collectively looking ahead

Founder and organizer Tito Gaudenzi is confidently looking ahead: “We have to adapt to the world the way it is today. Safety is, and always will come first. We have successfully built and organized this event for over 18 years now, and we are in this for the long run! We believe in the future of this crown event for the international sport of Polo, and have been fortunate to grow together with BENDURA BANK and Kitzbühel Tourismus along with all of our great partners and sponsors.”

BENDURA BANK is a sponsor with a long history supporting the Snow Polo World Cup. CEO Dr. Peter Krenn explains: “For 18 years we have been a sponsor of the BENDURA BANK Snow Polo World Cup and carry a very successful partnership with the organizer. The event lives and thrives through it’s connection with our international guests and the pleasure of getting together on this occasion to unite and celebrate the sport, but the safety of our guests is most important. Hence, with renewed appreciation, vigor and confidence, we look forward to the next Polo event and many more Snow Polo World Cups in Kitzbühel.”

Dr. Viktoria Veider-Walser, Executive Director Kitzbühel Tourismus: “Together we are facing great challenges in these eventful times. The Snow Polo World Cup has been one of Kitzbühel‘s winter highlights for 18 years now and is firmly anchored in our calendar. We sincerely regret that the actual situation does not allow the 19th edition to be held nevertheless we look with confidence toward 2022.”

We would like to thank BENDURA BANK for being our partner since day one, as well as Kitzbühel Tourismus. Along with our other sponsors, partners, players and guests. We look forward to welcoming you back to Kitzbühel for Snow Polo in 2022.

VIP tickets that have been purchased for the 2021 event will either be reimbursed or credited towards the 2022 tournament.

www.kitzbuehelpolo.com

Kitzbühel, 19th of October 2020., We have been attentively monitoring the course of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and upon careful evaluation of the matter and in consideration of the figures…

Europe, Polo News

Season opening in the PoloPark Berlin 2020

8. July 2020

The Berlin 2020 polo season was officially opened from June 26-28, 2020. Six polo teams with more than 100 polo horses came to the opening of the season in Polopark Berlin and presented exciting chukka to the guests. The event was moderated by the top moderator Jan Erik Franck, who came from England. The referees of the event were Bernhard Niederhammer and Marco Zubrod. The right sound was provided by Polo DJ Sebastian. Apart from a heavy rain shower on Sunday, the polo teams found the very best polo weather with up to 34 degrees. After a thrilling final game, the following positions were determined on Sunday evening at 8.30pm:

Ranking:

1st place
Baltic Polo Events GmbH
Aziza Ghane (0)
Philippa Luserke (0)
Taio Toledo (2)
Svenja Hölty (0)

2nd place
Ingo Pyko Immobilien
Thomas Liebke (-1)
Nicolai Barnwell (-1)
Jesus Bordoni (2)
Daniel Tümpel TC (1)

3th place
KoCon GmbH
Jolie Lange / Emily Hase Loock (-2)
Dr. Heidi Silvey TC (0)
Tuky Caivano (3)
Dr. Dele Iversen (0)

4th place
TV Berlin / Fancy
Josef Fiebich (-1)
Steffen Lange TC / Romy Schneider (- 1)
Berty Zalazar (2)
Milo Funk Gallardo (-1)

5th place
Cosmopolo
Romy Grüner (0)
Jeanette Diekmann (0)
Thomas Strunck TC (0)
Johan Funk Gallardo (0)

6th place
POLO+10
Hardy Reuter (-1)
Chaja Roeder Thurk TC (-1)
Hector Alvarez (2)
Rainer Raimann (-1)

Gallery: © Nils Rüstmann

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Gallery: © Sebastian Preiss

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© Thomas Wirth

The Berlin 2020 polo season was officially opened from June 26-28, 2020. Six polo teams with more than 100 polo horses came to the opening of the season in Polopark…

North America, Polo News

St. Regis Classic

22. June 2020

It was a beautiful summer evening in Houston, Texas as the Houston Polo Club hosted two fast moving 6 goal games for the audience to enjoy.

In the first match up, Vintage Polo made quick work of the T Squared Energy/Specoil team. T Squared Energy/Specoil started with .5 on handicap and stayed ahead the first chukker up 1.5 to 1 over Vintage Polo. But after the first chukker it was all Vintage Polo. Each team member scored throughout the game, with Cody Ellis being the high scorer with 3 goals on the scoreboard. T Squared Energy/Specoil‘s Bryan Middleton never gave up, and pushed even in the last chukker, but Vintage Polo pulled away with a 6 to 2.5 win.

In the second match of the day, Horsegate Ranch faced Brown Bears/Whitehall Ranch. Brown Bears/Whitehall Ranch‘s Miguel Torres came out on fire as he scored two back to back goals, but Horsegate‘s Lance Stefanakis and Shane Rice kept their team in game with a goal apiece, ending the first chukker in Horsegate‘s favor 2.5 to 2. Over the second and third chukkers, Horsegate kept building on their lead with two goals from Rice and one from Anson Moore. As the teams entered the fourth and final chukker, Brown Bears/Whitehall Ranch‘s Bill Lane converted an open goal penalty 3, to bring his team within 1.5 goals, however Horsegate‘s straight shooter, Lance Stefanakis, scored an open goal penalty 2 to finish off the game in favor of Horsegate 6.5 to 4.

Winning team: Horsegate Ranch
Ariel Mancebo, Lance Stefanakis, Anson Moore, Shane Rice
pictured with St. Regis Director of Sales Matthew Vesely and wife Esther Vesely
© Houston Polo Club

www.houstonpoloclub.com

© Thomas Wirth

It was a beautiful summer evening in Houston, Texas as the Houston Polo Club hosted two fast moving 6 goal games for the audience to enjoy. In the first match…

North America, Polo News

Folded Hills Pope Challenge

17. June 2020

There was a big leadup to the Folded Hills Pope Challenge Final. In order to play in the final, there was a three-way shoot-out on the Friday before between Antelope, BenSoleimani.com, and Dundas 2 to secure a spot against Antelope Jr. on Sunday. The final ended up being a father vs. son matchup between Antelope and Antelope Jr.

The 4 PM match started a little slow as the teams warmed up and felt out how they were going to play. However, halfway through the first chukker, Antelope came out with the first goal from Maco Llambias which Grant Palmer quickly rebutted. The second chukker showed strong defense and clean play with only one goal and one foul the entire seven and a half minutes. The last chukker of the half put Antelope in the lead with two strong penalty shots and another goal from Maco Llambias, ending the half with a score of 4-2.

To start off the second half, Antelope Jr. kicked it into gear scoring five goals total. Felipe Vercillino played this chukker on Best Playing Pony, Sandunga, and made it count with one coast to coast goal and another one from 60 yards out. Antelope tried to turn it back around in the fifth chukker with a nice field goal from Jimmy Wright, but Antelope Jr scored another two goals to keep a steady lead of 9-6 going into the final chukker. Each team scored two goals in the last chukker to maintain the gap in score, but one goal stood out with an impressive cut shot from Grant Palmer. The match finished at 11-8 to Antelope Jr.

Antelope Jr. played cohesively as a team that knows each other very well and they reaped the rewards. Most valuable player, Grant Palmer, commented on the match, “It was a very physical game – by continuously passing the ball up the field we were able to stretch our opponents and come out with the win.” The Folded Hills Pope Challenge Final boasted excellent polo and regardless of missing spectators, all players brought their best.

Photos: © David Lominska / polographics.com

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About Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club

Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club is the premier destination for summer polo. Players and Patrons from all across the globe call Santa Barbara their home for the summer, bringing world class polo to the Southern California coast. No spectators will currently gather for matches due to COVID-19. We are taking all precautions during the 2020 season including weekly testing, face-masks, and social distancing. Please visit the Spectator Information page for more information.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit our website, www.sbpolo.com.

© Thomas Wirth

There was a big leadup to the Folded Hills Pope Challenge Final. In order to play in the final, there was a three-way shoot-out on the Friday before between Antelope,…

Europe, Personalities & Clubs, Polo News, South America

Polo Park Zürich 2020 season kicks off

9. June 2020

Polo Park Zürich is happy to share his polo program for Summer 2020. This season was delayed due to COVID19 in Europe and the closure of Buenos Aires airport. Since a few days, grooms, horses and all players are back and the club is now functioning at full speed. As most of majors events in Switzerland have been postponed or cancelled, PPZ may become this season the biggest polo hub in the center of Europe. And there will be much more than polo in the club, also available for private and companies events, starting art exhibition with some pictures from Irina Kazaridi, and organizing events such as wine tastings, test-drives, etc. “A very exciting season is awaiting us in the club !”

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Polo Park Zürich is happy to share his polo program for Summer 2020. This season was delayed due to COVID19 in Europe and the closure of Buenos Aires airport. Since…

Polo News, Snow Polo

Cîroc Vodka crowned champions!

20. January 2019

It was all excitement in the heart of Reith bei Kitzbühel as the teams and thousands strong throng of spectators prepared for the final day of world class play in the 17th Bendura Bank Snow Polo World Cup.

Following a star-studded Players’ Night Gala on Saturday night, the sun once again shone true on the pristine polo field as host team Bendura Bank came up against the all-German Maserati team in the first match of the day. From the first ‘get-go’, Bendura Bank came firing out of the starting blocks, with a superb 15 yard penalty from Captain Melissa Ganzi. As the only female player in the tournament, Ganzi has proven herself to be more than a worthy adversary for her male opponents, scoring every one of the 15 yard penalties asked of her on Saturday and Sunday. Maserati couldn’t find their footing in the first chukka, succumbing to a 4-1½ lead to their rivals by the bell. By half-time, Argentine Alejandro Novillo Astrada secured a further three goals, to only two in response from Thomas Winter and Caspar Crasemann, ensuring Bendura Bank led 7-3½ by the break. Despite lengthy team talks during the interlude, Maserati were just no match for Bendura Bank’s 8 goal powerhouse. Coming into the fourth and final chukka, Bendura Bank had a seemingly insurmountable 10-3½ lead, but with Maserati praying to the polo gods for a miracle, Winter and Crasemann found the posts twice in the final minutes of the fourth chukka. But, as the match came to a close, event organiser and snow polo favourite Tito Gaudenzi drew on the dotted line for Bendura Bank with their final goal, to secure fifth place with a lucky 13-6½ final score.

The second match for The Kitzbühel Country Club Cup Subsidiary Final saw Corum take on Bernd Gruber. Patron Eckhardt Juls was replaced due to injury by the 19-year-old Enno Grans (0). The yellow shirts of Corum hit the first chukka hard with Patrick Maleitzke scoring a flamboyant hat trick of goals in as many minutes. The Corum path to victory looked certain under his stewardship – but, Grant Ganzi and his Bernd Gruber clan, of Brazilian Eduardo Greghi and 7 goal machine, Frenchman Pierre-Henri Ngoumou, had other ideas. Strong defence and solid teamwork saw them equalise in the second chukka. From then on it was goal for goal as each team evenly matched the fight. But eventually reverting to the form of the first chukka Corum’s dominance prevailed with the final score resting at 6 goals to 7 at the end of the last chukka.

The third and final match of the day was the reason we were all here – the 17th Bendura Bank Snow Polo World Cup Final. It was set to be an exciting extravaganza of international polo prowess, as six players from four countries took to the arena to a collective roar from the crowd. Sebastian Schneberger was in search of his third title, to equal the record breaking three Snow Polo World Cup wins currently held by Brit Jonny Good, and coincidentally 20th January was also the day of St. Sebastian, so perhaps divine intervention would play a key role. Engel & Völkers, four-time finalists and only one-time winners, were looking to be the crowd’s favourite, but as the first ball was thrown-in, Aki Van Andel came flying out of the mêlée with the ball seemingly glued to his stick. His 7 goal team mate Valentin Novillo Astrada wasn’t far behind him, in his usual form. Despite their initial fervour, Engel & Völkers were the first on the scoreboard with a fantastic field goal from Captain Kutlay Yaprak. Following a brief horse change, Novillo Astrada found his rhythm, scoring the first of his many goals. The game was full of tension and high spirits, as players went into ride-offs with extreme energy. By half-time, 2019’s newest team, Cîroc, were 4-2 ahead, to the dismay of the assembled ‘Red Devils’ fans. Adrian Laplacette Jr, usually the one to watch for the boys in red, was consistently shut out of plays by Van Andel, who was later named Most Valuable Player, using his pony’s strength to ensure Novillo Astrada always had a clean run on the ball. By the end of the third chukka, Cîroc continued to hold the lead 6-3, with Engel & Völkers hoping for a polo miracle to bless them in the final six minutes. As if having found renewed energy, Novillo Astrada scored three goals in as many minutes to open the chukka to only one in response from Laplacette Jr. With 9-4 on the scoreboard, Agustin Kronhaus tried desperately to bring his team back into the game, but the clock was not in his favour. As the bell tolled at the end of the 17th Bendura Bank Snow Polo World Cup 2019, Cîroc rode off the field to elated cries of congratulations from the crowd and the coveted trophy in their hands.

Cîroc Captain Sebastian Schnerberger said after the Final, “This was a great event and I’m so happy we’ve walked away with the title. It was a tough match, but we rallied together and did what we came here to do.”

Event Organiser, Tito Gaudenzi continued, “What an exciting weekend this has been. Our team may have not made it to the Final, but this year’s tournament has been the best yet, with record crowds and fantastic players. I can’t wait for next year’s edition and we hope to welcome everyone back for the 18th Bendura Bank Snow Polo World Cup. But for now, off to St. Moritz!”

The 17th Bendura Bank Snow Polo World Cup Kitzbühel Ranking Teams:

1. Cîroc Vodka (12):

Sebastian Schneberger (2/GER),

Aki van Andel (3/NED)

Valentin Novillo Astrada (7/ARG)

2. Engel & Völkers (12):

Kutlay Yaprak (1/TUR)

Agustin Kronhaus (4/ARG)

Adrian Laplacette Jr. (7/ARG)

3. Corum (10):

Eno Grans (0/GER)

Patrick Maleitzke (4/GER)

Juan Ruiz-Guiñazú (6/ARG)

4. Bernd Gruber (10):

Eduardo Greghi (0/BRA)

Grant Ganzi (3/USA)

Pierre Henri Ngoumou (7/FR)

5. Bendura Bank (12):

Melissa Ganzi (1/USA)

Alejandro Novillo Astrada (8/USA – substituted by Isidro Strada 7)

Tito Gaudenzi (3/CH)

6. Maserati (10):

Marc Aberle (1/GER)

Caspar Crasemann (4/GER)

Thomas Winter (5/GER)

Commentator: Jan-Erik Franck

Umpire: Mark Holmes

The Snow Polo World Cup Kitzbühel 2019 programme began on Thursday 17th January, with the team presentations at Hotel zur Tenne in the heart of Kitzbühel village. Following this time-honoured start, matches got underway on Friday 18th January and continue until the Final on Sunday 20th January. For more information about the event, please click here – www.kitzbuehelpolo.com

Photograph courtesy of Snow Polo World Cup Kitzbühel. The photo can be used free of charge for editorial purposes. In this context, you are required to use a photo credit.

Media will find a choice of accredited images at www.kitzbuehelpolo.com/media

http://bit.ly/PressKitzPolo19

If you require high resolution images, please contact kitz@polotimes.co.uk

For journalist accreditation, please contact the Accreditation Office:

Christina Schockemöhle, schockemoehle@sasse-schockemoehle.com Phone + 49 – 171 – 208 5522

For more information and support at the tournament please contact:

English speaking Journalists: Jen Liggins, Call + 44 – 7817 – 254 – 879

German speaking Journalists: Stefanie Stüting, Call + 49 – 171 – 788 2264

It was all excitement in the heart of Reith bei Kitzbühel as the teams and thousands strong throng of spectators prepared for the final day of world class play in…