Women’s Open

Instagram, Polo News

Barnes Open de France and Women‘s Open finals: promises kept

23. September 2024

Yves Delorme (women) and La Fija Sandbox in paradise

After thirty-one games in the Barnes Open de France and thirteen in the women‘s competition, and above all two outstanding finals, the winners of the 2024 edition are now known: Yves Delorme (Chantilly) in the women‘s tournament and La Fija Sandbox (Argentina) in the mixed competition. These two finals went off without a hitch, thanks to a magnificent stage set to the music of the Garde Républicaine.

The qualifying and knockout rounds were particularly competitive this year, with plenty of last-minute thrills and some spectacular performances from the top players who will now fly to Buenos Aires for the highlight of the world polo season: the Tripla Corona.

The height of the French season was equally enthralling, with the two finals living up to the promise of the qualifying rounds.

In the women‘s competition, it was the revenge game between a team considered to be outsiders, Yves Delorme, made up of three players from the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly, Charlotte Garaud, Margaux Perruchot and Adèle Renauldon, reinforced by the Anglo-Australian Milly Hine, the reigning Argentine champion. On the other side, Luxembourg‘s Augustinus Bader with Argentina‘s Lia Salvo, two-time winner of the Argentine Open (with Millie Hine at her side): a duel within a duel. It was a rematch because Yves Delorme had beaten Augustinus Bader 11-5 in the pools: was that an advantage? Obviously it was, as the Chantilly Polo team once again dominated Augustinus Bader, although this time it was a little more complicated (9-7).

The key for the two professional champions was to make the most of the qualities of their three team-mates. “When I arrived here, explains Milly Hine, I was lucky enough to meet these three girls who knew each other well, who had played and won a lot together and who knew their horses well, so it was easy for me to use their qualities. We immediatly got off well together and became friends, we did lots of things together off the pitch, we had dinners together as a family, and that togetherness is important in this sport. The other key was the incredible horses that Brieuc Rigaux gave me. In short, we had everything we needed to win. But my goodness, I had stage fright. When I arrived here and saw everything the club had put in place, the glamour of the Barnes Open and all the people who were here, I got a bit stressed and found it hard to fall asleep every night.” Tonight, Milly will finally be able to sleep well.

Milly Hine and Lia Salvo will certainly meet again on 7 December in the final of the Argentine Open, this time face to face as they did in Chantilly: another chance for revenge?

Arthur Madrid: “Our secret? Harmony between the players”

In the men‘s competition, some were eager to see how the young Mungo team, also based at the Domaine de Chantilly Polo Club, would fare against the solid Argentinian side La Fija Sandbox. This confident French team has been going from strength to strength since the Deauville Silver Cup last August. After a dominant start to the game, Mungo fought back to take a 10-8 lead in the fourth chukker. That was when Fran Elizalde picked up an injury and was replaced by Alfredo Capella. With this luxury substitution, La Fija Sandbox inflicted a 4-0 defeat in the final chukker to claim the title for their third participation. The secret of this team? More or less the same as the women‘s champions, according to Argentina-based French captain Arthur Madrid: “We had six fabulous games with these guys, including a final that was probably the most intense, very difficult match, and I‘d like to congratulate our opponents, four ultra-fast players… the only secret in sport is harmony between players and that worked for us. We hardly knew each other before this tournament and we quickly became best friends. It‘s that understanding off the pitch that has given us our strength on it.” Fran Elizalde adds on a more technical explanation: „We knew we were up against a strong team and we just had to be patient and play our polo. Despite a very long season, our horses were very competitive.” The magical duo formed by this player and Rufino Bensadon will remain one of the most beautiful sporting images of this 24th Barnes French Open.

This great French season comes to an end with a little tear of nostalgia… although it‘s not really over yet, because there‘s still the epilogue, the French Championships, which start next week. A few Argentinians (one per team allowed) will stay in Chantilly for two extra weekends. The others, handicaps 7 and 8, who lit up the 24th Barnes Open de France and the 13th Women‘s Open, will have already flown out to tackle the ‚alta temporada‘ (high season), which begins on Tuesday with the Abierto de Hurlingham for Fran Elizalde (against La Natividad… hoping he recovers from his injury) and Rufino Bensadon in the colours of Cria La Dolfina (against La Hache)… we told you they were big champions).

Finals results

13th French Women‘s Open

Yves Delorme : Margaux Perruchot FRA 2 (1 goal), Adèle Renauldon FRA 2, Charlotte Garaud FRA 3 and Milly Hine AUS (8 goals including 6 penalties).

Augustinus Bader : Mendoza Houben NED 0, Paloma Lauro LUX 3 (2 goals), Ambre Ploix FRA 4 (2 goals) and Lia Salvo ARG 4 (3 goals including 2 penalties)

Progression Yves Delorme : 3-2 / 7-3 / 9-4 and 9-7

MVP Soriano Motori (Most Valuable Player of the final): Ambre Ploix (Augustinus Bader)

BPP (meilleur cheval du match) : Irenita Galan ridden by Milly Hine owned by Brieuc Rigaux

24e Open de France Barnes

La Fija Sandbox : Arthur Madrid 0, Francisco Elizalde 8 (3 goals), Rufino Bensadon 7 (7 goals, don‘t 3 pénalités), Nicolas Tomasevich 1 (2 goals). Rempl. : Alfredo Capella (1 goal). + 1 Penalty one.

Mungo : Ulysse Eisenchteter FRA 1(2 goals), Lolo Bayugar ARG 4 (4 goals), Alti Garros ARG 5 (6 goals dont 2 pénalités) et Pierre Henri Ngoumou FRA 6 (1 goals) + 1 Penal 1.

BPP : Oriental Griega played by Bartolome Bayugar (Mungo).

AACCP BPP : GT Astrid played by Rufino Bensadon (La Fija Sandbox).

MVP by Soriano Motori : Rufino Bensadon (La Fija Sandbox).

MVP Amateur : Ulysse Eisenchteter (Mungo).

Standing Rock Fair Play Award : Mungo

Progression La Fija Sandbox : 3-2 / 6-4 / 8-7 / 8-10 / 12-10.

Yves Delorme (women) and La Fija Sandbox in paradise After thirty-one games in the Barnes Open de France and thirteen in the women‘s competition, and above all two outstanding finals,…

Instagram, Polo News

2023 Finals OPEN DE FRANCE: A Polo Highlight

20. September 2023

Eighteen teams at the start, eight in the women‘s category, and two (times two) at the finish line. After a flamboyant qualifying phase (50 games) that gave rise to some sublime battles over three weeks, four fine teams faced each other on Sunday afternoon at the Ferme d‘Apremont, home of the Chantilly Polo Club, in front of… a lot of people! The French Open was a resounding success, with TTR Sotheby in the women‘s category and Kazak in the men‘s category coming out on top after a game of insane intensity that went into extra time. Two finals that will be remembered for a long time writing a new chapter in the history of the Open de France.

First title for Kazak

Kazak has been competing for four years now and this magnificent team won its first title, one of the most coveted on the international circuit, in Apremont on Sunday. An incredibly intense game and polo of the highest quality, thanks to some horses worthy of Palermo. From one end of the game to the other, the teams gave blow for blow, none of them managing to get the upper hand. And as is often the case in such evenly matches, it was in extra time that the 23rd Open de France was decided. After a decisive pass from Nico Pieres, Antonio Heguy scored the golden goal in front of his father, polo legend Pepe Heguy. For Nico Pieres, it was his first participation in the Open de France and his first victory: „I‘m happy, obviously, but I‘m especially happy for this fine Kazak team, who gave themselves the means to win this title by investing in the right horses. It was a very complicated game to win and I knew it was going to be tough because I have watched Amanara‘s games. I knew the score was going to be very close. In the extra chukker, I had to be patient and not rush things and that worked. It is the first time I have played polo at this level, and the first time I have played a tournament with eighteen teams, and I was surprised by the level of polo that was played here. It is a good preparation for the Argentinian Triple Crown, which I will be flying to tomorrow, but for the moment I don‘t want to think about that because tonight we are going to celebrate this French victory as we should.”

Women‘s Open: second appearance and second victory for world No. 1 Nina Clarkin

With three of the four best female players in the world, all of whom have won the Argentine Open, the pinnacle of the sport for both men and women, the Women’s Open de France reached an exceptional level for its 12th edition. In the end, it was the two English female 10-goalers who came face to face, just as they did in Palermo (the Argentine championship stadium) last year and in Chantilly in 2018! It took a while for the game to get going and it really took off in the third chukker. The promise of an intense battle between the two Englishwomen was fulfilled, but in the end, it was Nina Clarkin‘s experience that sealed the deal: „It was a great tournament this year with some very good teams. Some of the games were very tough, like this final, but it is a fantastic tournament with a great organization,“ said the world‘s best female player. “We were lucky enough to be able to bring our own horses here. It was a really great week, especially as it ended with a win. A game against Hazel is always difficult, she is a great player and very combative. We really had to fight. They got the better of us at the start of the game, but we recovered at the end of the second half to hold on. Little Margaux (Guillemin) has really helped us and she is a great surprise. We needed a fourth player with a handicap of 0 and the organizers suggested us this young Frenchwoman who has a lot of talent and whom we didn‘t know at all: but I don‘t think she‘ll remain unknown for long.” Like the men, Nina will now turn her attention to Argentina, where she will be defending her title with La Dolfina alongside Mia Cambiaso: „I always enjoy playing over there with this team, especially as I have some top quality horses over there. The Argentine Open is now my goal for the end of the season.”

Trophée Castel: battle of the juniors and victory for Mustang Polo Team

This festive day ended with a nice bonus: the final of the Trophée Castel, which pitted two French teams against each other, and in particular two juniors with great hopes for the future of French polo. The battle between two childhood friends, Elouan Badarello and Ulysse Eisenchteter, as well as his sister Noémie, was won by the former, who scored two magnificent and important goals, as Mustang Polo Team took the last victory of these magnificent three weeks by the narrowest of margins.

Most of these champions will be back on the road tomorrow, or rather on the plane to Argentina, where the Triple Crown tournaments await them, the peak of the international season ending in apotheosis with the Argentine Opens, reserved for the ten best teams in the world, and therefore the forty best players in the world: fourteen of them were in Chantilly, which puts the Open de France on the world map of top-level polo. We are a little sad to see these players, horses and petiseros who have brought so much joy to the Chantilly Polo Club leave, letting the club gradually return to its winter structure. But only gradually as next week the French Championships are starting, marking the end of the green season.

Photos by Adèle Renauldon – R&B Presse

TEAMS AND PROGRESSION

23rd Open de France

Kazak: Sébastien Aguettant (FRA 0), Beltran Laulhe (ARG 3, 2 goals), Antonio Heguy (ARG 5, 1 goal) et Nico Pieres (ARG 8, 8 goals)

Amanara (17): Nicky Sen (HOL 0), Lorenzo Chavanne (ARG 4, 2 goals), Santiago Chavanne (ARG 7, 3 goals), Benjamin Panelo (ARG 6, 4 goals).

Progression Kazak: 3-2 / 4-5 / 6-5 / 8-7 / 9-9 / 10-9 (OT)

MVP: Beltran Laulhe (ARG 3)

Best amateur player of the final by Soriano Motori: Sébastien Aguettant (Kazak)

BPP: V8 Back Home, owned by Nicky Sen and played by Lorenzo Chavanne (Amanara)

Best Argentinian studbook horse in the final (AACCP BPP) : Open Exquisita, jouée par Nicolas Pieres (Kazak).

12th Women’s Open de France

TTR Sotheby’s: Margaux Guillemin (FRA 0), Laura Farell (GBR 1, 1 goal), Lucy Coddington (GBR 5, 4 goals dont 3 pénalités) et Nina Clarkin (GBR 10, 2 goals dont 1 pénalité)

La Mariposa Polo Team: Annalise Phillips (USA 1), Nina Fruehaufn (ALL 0), Rebecca Walters (GBR 5, 3 goals) et Hazel Jackson (GBR 10, 2 goals dont 1 pénalité)

Progression TTR Sotheby’s: 0-1 / 3-3 / 4-3 / 6-5.

MVP: Nina Clarkin (TTR Sotheby’s)

Rookie of the tournament: Margaux Guillemin (14 years old – TTR Sotheby’s)

BPP by Majoa: Lovelocks Florin, Nina Clarkin (TTR Sotheby’s)

Trophée Castel 2023

Mustang Polo Team: Françoise Okala (FRA 0), Elouan Badarello (FRA 0, 2 goals), Nicolas Lopez Fuentes (ARG 3, 3 goals) et Tete Fanelli (ARG 5,3 goals)

Mungo: Ulysse Eisenchteter (FRA 0, 1 goal), Noémie Eisenchteter (FRA -1, 2 goals), Jules Legoubin (FRA 3, 1 goal) et Pierre Henri N’Goumou (FRA 6, 3 goals)

Progression Mustang Polo Team: 1-1 / 3-2 / 6-5 / 8/7

MVP: Elouan Badarello (Mustang)

BPP: Absolute Revoltosa owned and ridden by Pierre Henri Ngoumou (Mungo)

Eighteen teams at the start, eight in the women‘s category, and two (times two) at the finish line. After a flamboyant qualifying phase (50 games) that gave rise to some…

Polo News

Two dream finals on Sunday

18. September 2023

The semi-finals of both the women‘s and mixed Open de France were so spectacular that we can only look forward to two great finals on Sunday (12 p.m. for the women, 3.30 p.m. for the mixed). Both competitions have taken another step forward this year.

The women will be kicking off Sunday’s competition with a clash between two English teams, those of 10-goalers Hazel Jackson and Nina Clarkin.

To access the final, Hazel Jackson, pillar of La Mariposa Polo Team, had to work hard as her team was being lead 4-1 in the second chukker. At this stage of the match, Lia Salvo and her Augustinus Bader team seemed to have the game in hand. Little did they know that the 4 goals were all they would mark today: the Mariposa Polo Team, and above all Hazel Jackson, scored 4 more goals in quick succession to emerge victorious with a 5-4 score. A cruel remontada.

Three outstanding French female players

In the other semi-final, French sisters Pearl and Lucie Venot put up a great fight, more than holding their own against the world‘s best player, England‘s Nina Clarkin, who had to fight hard to keep the score at 7-4, the smallest gap realized by TTR Sotheby‘s since the start of the tournament. Another piece of good news for French polo was the performance of the very young Margaux Guillemin, called in by Nina Clarkin to complete her team. At 14, Margaux is the youngest player in the history of this Women‘s Open and will be playing in the final in her first appearance at a tournament of this level, having even scored one of her team‘s seven goals. No doubt some of this talent is due to her genetics: her grandfather, Lionel Macaire, is still the best French player of all time.

Clash of titans

In yesterday‘s first final at the La Magdeleine club, the home team and their Kazak neighbors went head-to-head. For the first four chukkers, neither team was able to break away from the other; there was never more than a one goal difference with each team taking its turn at the lead. It all came down to the final chukker when Nico Pieres and his two young teammates, Antonio Heguy (20) and Beltran Laulhe (16), gave the all-important boost needed to win by two goals. “The talent of the young generation”, laughed Nico Pieres. It‘s true that my two teammates were more than valuable to me today. I used to be the youngest in my teams, and now I feel old. Well, not that old, despite being 32. But now I‘m looking at my son and I‘m already thinking about my succession.”

Nico, his captain Sébastien Aguettant and his two young warriors will meet a nice team, Amanara, in Sunday‘s final. Put together by Germany‘s Nicky Sen, the team played a magnificent semi-final game in Chantilly on Friday. A great moment of polo that would not have been possible without a fine opponent. And Essso, lead by Facundo Sola, fulfilled this role well, even if the final score of 11-7 might suggest otherwise. „No, no,“ clarifies Nicky Sen, „this game was very balanced, it was a very difficult battle, we were luckier, more successful, converting more goal opportunities. In any case, I‘m happy, so happy, to be in the final on Sunday, it is a dream come true. We have been coming here for three or four years with this goal in mind, and now we have achieved it.” The team’s pillar, Argentinean 7-goaler Santiago Chavanne, who graced the crowd with some incredible actions together with his son, was no less happy: „Chantilly is the most beautiful tournament in Europe at this level, by far. The grounds are magnificent and eighteen teams is something incredible. Today was complicated: it was a semi-final and we wanted to reach the final at all costs.” On Sunday, Santiago and his team will meet Nico Pieres, a winner of the Argentine Open, but the strategy for this final was not yet on the agenda: „We first want to savor this victory and this place in the final, which was our objective. Tomorrow, we‘ll start working out our strategy for Sunday.” One of the strong points of this team is Santiago‘s understanding with his son Lorenzo, who at 15 years of age is shaping up to be a great player of the new generation: „Yes, we don‘t need to talk much. Today, we have changed the positions on the field. He used to play up front, but we swapped positions with Benja (Panelo), who was more of an attacking player. Lorenzo played in the middle, hinging the ball to us up front, and he handled this new role wonderfully.“ This did not prevent the new No.3 from scoring four of his team‘s twelve goals.

Sunday will be a day of celebration for polo in France with these two finals, as well as the Trophée Castel final, a great 8-goal tournament. A village awaits visitors (free access) with fifteen exhibitors offering polo related gear and art as well as interior design, gifts, cosmetics and a few foodtrucks to enjoy this beautiful day from 11 a.m. There will also be a children‘s pony game (2 p.m.) followed by a roda (polo on a wheel) competition, and fifty vintage cars from the Rallye de l‘Open to admire.

Women‘s semi-final teams and progressions:

La Mariposa Polo Team : Annalise Phillips (USA 1), Nina Fruehaufn (GER 0), Rebecca Walters (GBR, 5) and Hazel Jackson (GBR 10, 5 goals)

Augustinus Bader : Paloma Lauro (LUX, 0), Anais Rezkallah (FRA 2) , Lia Salvo (ARG 9, 2 goals) and Lucia Heyes (GER 3, 2 goals)

La Mariposa Polo Team : 1-2 / 1-4 / 3-4 / 5-4.

TTR Sotheby’s : Margaux Guillemin (FRA 0), Laura Farell (GBR 1, 1 goal), Lucy Coddington (GBR 5, 1 goal) and Nina Clarkin (GBR 10, 5 goals)

Yves Delorme : Marie Louise Haupt (GER, 3), Maike Holty (GER, 4), Pearl Venot (FRA 5, 2 goals) and Lucie Venot (FRA 3, 2 goals)

TTR Sotheby’s : 4-0 / 5-2 / 6-2 / 7-4.

Teams and semi-final progressions 23rd Open de France mixed :

Kazak (16) : Sébastien Aguettant (FRA 0), Beltran Laulhe (ARG 3, 2 goals), Antonio Heguy (ARG 5, 3 goals) et Nico Pieres (ARG 8, 6 goals)

La Magedeleine (16) : Alexandre Garese (FRA 0), Elena Venot (FRA 1), Facundo F Llorente (ARG 8, 3 goals) et Tito Ruiz Guiñazu (ARG 7, 5 goals)

Kazak: 2-2 / 5-4 / 7-8 / 9-8 / 11-9.

Amanara (17) : Nicky Sen (ALL 0), Lorenzo Chavanne (ARG 4, 4 goals), Santiago Chavanne (ARG 7, 3 goals), Benjamin Panelo (ARG 6, 5 goals).

Essso (16) : Ian Gallienne (FRA 0), William Harper (GBR 4), Facundo Sola (ARG 7, 6 goals), Javier Guerrero (ARG 5 1 goal).

Amanara : 1-3 / 6-3 / 8-3 / 10-6 / 12-8.

The semi-finals of both the women‘s and mixed Open de France were so spectacular that we can only look forward to two great finals on Sunday (12 p.m. for the…

Instagram, Polo News

The 23rd edition of the Open de France de Polo 2023

20. July 2023

Eighteen teams, six nations: A record-breaking 2023 edition!

The 23rd edition of the Open de France de Polo (September 1st to 17th, 2023), born with this century, promises to be gigantic. And yet, since the beginning of its history, and even more so since 2020 when the tournament took a new turn, French polo‘s top event has always offered thrilling moments with world-class teams and players.

The apotheosis was reached in 2020 with the anthology game between two of the three current young wonders of Argentine polo, the Castagnola brothers, Barto and Jeta, in a match between Talandracas (France) and Les Lions (Great Britain) which ended with a score that was both overwhelming and extremely close: 14 to 15! But this year‘s French Open is sure to take on a whole new dimension, particularly with a record of 18 teams already entered. Thus, the French tournament outstrips major English ones such as the Queen‘s Cup and the British Open (Gold Cup) in terms of the number of teams entered.

To host all these teams, the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly has teamed up with the La Magdeleine club, which will host three of them and, as well as with Sainte-Mesme, who will host part of the tournament in the south of Paris. Some subsidiary cup matches will also be played at La Moinerie, located in the same geographical area. La Magdeleine, winner in 2021, and Sainte-Mesme, winner in 2009, 2011 and 2018, will of course be taking part in this edition of the Open.

Seven 8-goalers in Chantilly!

Beyond the numbers, it‘s the quality of the players that will also mark this 23rd edition, with some of the world‘s greatest professionals, led by Nico Pieres (h8), winner of the most prestigious and famous Argentine Open, which is played in the heart of Buenos Aires, in Palermo, the „Cathedral of polo“, in front of 18,000 spectators. The Argentine Open is reserved for the world‘s top forty players, fourteen of whom will be in Chantilly in September: a first for France!

In addition to Nico Pieres, the young prodigies Juan Matin Zubia (h8) and Rufino Bensadon (h7) will be in Chantilly for the title holder Talandracas, thus presenting the same formidable line-up as last year. Bautista Bayugar (h8, Los Dragones, FRA), La Dolfina players Guillermo Terrera (h8, Eternal J), Alejandro Muzzio (h8, Clinova, UK) and Diego Cavanagh (h8, Brittany Polo) and Facundo Llorente (h8, La Magdeleine, winner of the Franch Open in 2021 and recent Queen‘s Cup finalist) will also be present. Also of note is the return to Chantilly of Facundo Sola (h7), 12 years after his French Open victory with Murus Sanctus and who was a finalist in the Argentine Open in 2013 and 2018.

Six nations will be represented at the 2023 Open de France: Argentina, England (including the legendary Emlor team), Sweden, Germany, Netherlands and, of course, France with thirteen teams.

Women take centre stage

The Women‘s Open is not to be outdone, with the maximum possible number of eight teams already entered! Teams from Germany, England, Luxembourg and, of course, France will be joined by some of the world‘s greatest female players, including British 10-goalers Nina Clarkin and Hazel Jackson, and Argentine 9-goaler Lia Salvo, who is returning to the competition after the birth of her daughter India in April. Year after year, women‘s polo is progressing at lightning speed, and these matches are just as interesting to follow as those of men‘s polo or rather „mixed“ polo as women can take part in all the tournaments, like Dutchwoman Nicky Sen and Frenchwomen Isabelle Larenaudie and professional Elena Venot, who will be seen in the mixed Open de France.

These three weeks of top-level competition on the magnificent facilities of the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly are magical. Moments of encounter between the great Argentine players, who are very accessible, and the young French professionals, inspiring interactions, horses that are more and more extraordinary every year, matches every day, in the calm of the early hours of the week or in the excitement of the weekend, with live commentary and re-commentary in the evening in the Orangerie bar (particularly during the convivial ‚Vendredis du Polo‘ with asado and fiesta), parallel tournaments such as the highly competitive Trophée Castel, where you can also see some great players, and, to cap it all, a flamboyant and festive finals day.

The Open de France: The French polo event not to be missed. Access to the grounds is free, even on the days of the semi-finals and finals.

Photos by R&B Presse

TEAMS

Eighteen teams, six nations: A record-breaking 2023 edition! The 23rd edition of the Open de France de Polo (September 1st to 17th, 2023), born with this century, promises to be…

Europe, Polo News

French Open 2021: high level and even more international

27. August 2021

Chantilly celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Ladies‘ Open

Eleven players at Argentinean Open level or winners of the Copa Camara, the best French players, ten teams, nine nations represented, a maharaja who is a high level sportsman because of his 2 goal handicap and more than thirty matches: the 2021 edition of the Open de France Engel & Völkers promises to be exciting once again. The Women’s Open will celebrate its tenth anniversary with six brilliant teams

With ten teams of 16 goals*, the Open de France Engel & Völkers is undoubtedly the most competitive of the international tournaments played in France and this in the largest club with its eight fields, the quality of which is unanimously appreciated by the best players in the world. This is one of the reasons why the ten team captains have once again entered eleven of these best players, big names who usually liven up the alta temporada, the Argentinean high season:

Camilo Castagnola (8 goal handicap*, Argentine Open), Tomas Beresford (7, Copa Camara 2020 finalist), Martin Aguerre (7, Argentine Open player and 2018 Copa Camara winner), Clemente and Juan-Gris Zavaleta (7, Argentine Open players and Copa Camara winners), Alejandro Muzzio, Bautista Bayugar and Tito Ruiz Guiñazu (8, 8 and 7, Argentine Open and Copa Camara), Facundo Llorente(7, Copa Camara), Jero Del Carril (7, Copa Camara) and finally, the return to Chantilly of Rufino Bensadon who last played in Apremont at the age of 16 as a 4 goaler and who returns this year at age 19 as a 7-goaler and, among other things, a Copa Camara winner (2019).

This year, the Open de France Engel & Völkers is more international than ever with nine nations represented in the ten teams: United Kingdom, Argentina, Chile, Spain, United States, France, Russia, Switzerland and India with the Maharadja of Jaipur, Prince Pacho Padmanabh Singh who will play in the Sainte-Mesme team.

France’s polo elite will be well represented, with players from the national team spread across four lineups: Pierre Henri N‘Goumou (6, Mungo), Robert Strom (5, Sainte-Mesme), Patrick Paillol (5, Kazak) and Brieuc Rigaux (6, Brittany Polo).

Women’s Open: tenth anniversary and Argentinean stars

From 14 September, the women‘s top level will be on show to compete in the tenth anniversary edition. Six well-balanced teams will battle for the 2021 title. They are built either around a strong pillar or with four players of equal level. Among the pillars, a loyal Chantilly player and title holder of the Argentine Open, Lia Salvo, handicap 9, who will cleverly lead the Maison Décalé team. Playing against La Dolfina in the 2020 final of the Abierto Feminino, Lia had faced Fatima Balzano (6); she will meet her again in Chantilly with the German team Cosmo Polo Los Floreales. Also handicap 6, British player Izzie Mc Gregor will lead the French-American team DS Automobiles DS Store Saint-Maximin. As in the Engel & Völkers Open, many nations will be represented in this Women‘s Open, five to be exact: Argentina, England, Germany, Switzerland and France with eleven players from the Polo Club de Chantilly. Among them, the three Venot sisters, holders of the title that they will defend this year under the Swiss colors of Polo Park Zürich alongside the President of the Swiss Polo Federation, Morgane van Overbroek. A team to follow and to beat! The oldest of the Venot sisters, Elena, has joined the circle of the best players in the world; handicap 6 as well, she will play the next Argentinean Open for La Ensenada.

See you in Chantilly from 4 September!

After last year’s flamboyant twentieth anniversary edition and with this year’s tenth anniversary of the Women’s Open, the 2021 edition promises to be just as intense to experience. Whether in the peaceful atmosphere of the weekday matches, often at dusk, or in the feverishness of the weekend games and in particular the final on 19 September, where a village of stalls, food-trucks and entertainment welcomes visitors. Not forgetting the polo Fridays, where the last game of the day can be watched from the Orangerie, with a glass of champagne or Malbec in hand, while waiting for the asado (Argentinean barbecue) and the equestrian event with a few surprises on the program, such as the Compagnie équestre des Grandes Écuries de Chantilly or Mario Lurashi. Three weeks of sports and festivities.

*A team of 16 goals is made of four players whose goal handicaps add up to 16. The goal 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 France is 6 and in Europe 7 (England). The handicap 10 is currently held by 9 Argentinians and one Uruguayan.

One of the prodigies of the young Argentinean generation, Rufino Bensadon, wearing the green jersey of Le Pommeray HM, who will play in Chantilly against the French 6 goaler Pierre Henri N‘Goumou, author of a very good season with Mungo. ©Pascal Renauldon / R&B Presse

TEAMS

BRITTANY POLO CLUB 16
Jean-François DECAUX CAP 1
Brieuc RIGAUX 6
Rodrigo RUEDA 6
Thierry VETOIS 3

LOS DRAGONES 16
Sam SZTARKMAN CAP 1
Jota CHAVANNE 5
Martin JOAQUIN 5
Nicolas CORTI MADERNA 5

MARQUARD MEDIA 16
Ignacio KENNEDY 5
Ramiro Zavaleta 4
Martin AGUERRE JR 7
Tommy RINDERKNECHT CAP 0

MUNGO 16
Patrick EISENCHTETER CAP 1
Juan José STORNI 5
Simon ZAVALETA 4
Pierre-Henri N’GOUMOU 6

TALANDRACAS 16
Édouard CARMIGNAC CAP 0
Hugues CARMIGNAC 1
Tommy BERESFORD 7
Camilo CASTAGNOLA 8

LE POMMERAY 16
Rufino BENSADON 7
Juan GRIS ZAVALETA 7
Derek SMITH CAP 1
Caroline ANIER 1

LA MAGDELEINE 16
Alexandre GARESE 0
Lucas NOTTIN 2
Facundo F.LLORENTE 7
Tito RUIZ GUIÑAZU 7

POLO TEAM SCHOCKEMÖHLE 16
Daniel DEISTLER CAP 0
Antonino MENARD 5
Clément DELFOSSE 5
Patrick MALEITZKE 5

KAZAK 16
Sébastien AGUETTANT CAP 0
Patrick PAILLOL 5
Jero DEL CARRIL 7
Santiago IRASTORZA 4

SAINTE-MESME 16
Robert STROM CAP 5
Clemente ZAVALETA 7
Pacho PADMANABH SINGH 2
Jaime SERRA 2

CLINOVA NOA CAPITAL 16
Raja KARIM Pedro CAP 0
Alejandro MUZZIO 8
Bautista BAYUGAR 8
Victor LOUARN 0

Zones of the French Open Engel & Völkers

All teams from each zone will play against each other, the first of each zone will meet the second if the other zone in the semi-finals.

ZONE 1
Clinova Noa Capital
Kazak
Marquard Media
Brittany Polo Club
La Magdeleine

ZONE 2
Talandracas
Sainte-Mesme
Los Dragones
Le Pommeray
Mungo

TEAMS WOMEN OPEN

DS AUTOMOBILES DS STORE SAINT-MAXIMIN 16
Margaux PERRUCHOT 3
Adèle RENAULDON 3
Olivia UECHTRITZ 4
Izzie MCGREGOR 6

COSMO POLO LOS FLOREALES 14
Anne GROßMANN 0
Maike HÖLTY 4
Fatima BALZANO 6
Svenja HÖLTY 4

MAISON DÉCALÉ 16
Lavinia FABRE 3
Bianca VERNEUIL 1
Agathe MOBIAN 3
Lia SALVO 9

POLO PARK ZÜRICH 16
Morgane VAN OVERBROEK 2
Pearl VENOT 4
Lucie VENOT 4
Elena VENOT 6

CASANERA 12
Clarissa MARGGRAF 3
Marie HAUPT 3
Philippa LUSERKE 3
Naomi SCHROEDER 3

SPIRIT OF POLO 13
Romane JAMET 3
Ambre PLOIX 3
Sandrine DUBOIS 3
Carla ALVAREZ 4

FINALS PROGRAMME SUNDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2019
11H00 : Opening of the village
12H00 : Final of the Ladies French Open
12H00 : Finals cocktail
13H30 : Finals lunch
14H00 : Potrillos Cup
15H00: Parade of the French Open Engel & Völkers
15H30: Final of the Open de France Engel & Völkers
17H00: Trophy C final

Chantilly celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Ladies‘ Open Eleven players at Argentinean Open level or winners of the Copa Camara, the best French players, ten teams, nine nations represented,…