HURLINGHAM P OL O M AG A Z I N E O C T OB E R 2 012
THE BRITISH SEASON
The private bank for polo
facebook.com/EFGInternational
Proud sponsors of: Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup EFG Bank – Aravali team, Queen’s Cup and Gold Cup 2012 40 Goal Challenge, Palm Beach RMA Sandhurst Polo Cambridge University Polo
Photo (left page, top right) by Rory Merry
Veytay Masters, Switzerland Desert Palm Nations Cup, Dubai Haryana Polo Club, Delhi Thai Polo Open Swiss Team, European Polo Championship 2010 Royal Salute Maharaja of Jodhpur Golden Jubilee Cup
Practitioners of the craft of private banking
EFG International’s global private banking network includes offices in Zurich, Geneva, London, Channel Islands, Luxembourg, Monaco, Madrid, Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Taipei, Miami, Nassau, Bogotá and Montevideo. www.efginternational.com
T HERE ARE STORIES THAT DESERVE TO BE CAPTURED FOREVER.
Created in 1931 for polo players, the Reverso is one of the rare cult watches in horological history. Its second face that may be personalised will enable you to choose exactly the moment you wish to remember forever. What will yours be? Let our engraving, enamelling and gemsetting artists immortalise your legend. A Reverso just for you. GRANDE REVERSO ULTRA THIN TRIBUTE TO 1931. Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 822.
YOU DESERVE A REAL WATCH.
Jaeger-LeCoultre in partnership with UNESCO to raise awareness and protect marine World Heritage. A real commitment to a precious cause. www.jaeger-lecoultre.com
HURLINGHAM
CONTENTS
12
Ponylines News from around the polo world, including the Chief Executive’s column
24
Horses and Hats A charity match kicks off the autumn polo season at the Houston Polo Club
18
Feels Like Team Spirit England polo captain Luke Tomlinson advises young players on the skills needed to become a world-class player
26
Profile: Stevie Orthwein The Florida player talks about his unforgettable experience competing in England for the Gold Cup
21
Games of Grace Patrick Guerrand-Hermès receives a unique and distinguished recognition for his contribution to polo
28
22
Grand Champions The Grand Champions Polo Club in Florida ran a summer school to build the next generation of polo players
SHOW MEDIA Editorial Managing Director Peter Howarth 1-2 Ravey Street, London EC2A 4QP + 44 (0) 203 222 0101 info@showmedia.net; www.showmedia.net Hurlingham Media 47-49 Chelsea Manor Street, London SW3 5RZ +44 (0) 771 483 6102 hurlingham@hpa-polo.co.uk www.hurlinghampolo.com Colour Reproduction fmg (www.groupfmg.com) Printing Gemini Press (www.gemini-press.co.uk)
34
Sporting Style For Ralph Lauren, the famously ‘fashionshy’ designer behind the uniforms for the US Olympic team, sport is the perfect arena for showcasing his designs Tender is the Night St Tropez is the glamorous spot for one of polo’s most high-profile charity events
HURLINGHAM MAGAZINE Publisher Roderick Vere Nicoll Executive Editor Peter Howarth Editor Arabella Dickie Deputy Editor Herbert Spencer Contributing Photographer David Lominska Editor-At-Large Alex Webbe Senior Designer Julia Allen Chief Copy Editor Chris Madigan Copy Editors Sarah Evans, Ming Liu
40
The Art of Acquisition Gallery owner Jeanne Chisholm says building a meaningful art collection starts with being true to one’s taste
47
Action Reports and pictures from across the globe, including the Gold and Queens Cups, the inaugural Audi International Series, Zimbabwe polo, the EFG International at Sandhurst, Deauville and the French Open
66
The Wizard of Oz ‘Waltzing Matilda’ lyricist Andrew Barton ‘Banjo’ Paterson wrote a popular poem about an epic polo match that is still re-enacted today
Cover: Juan Pepa Nick Harvey
Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, no responsibility can be accepted for any errors or omissions. All the information contained in this publication is correct at the time of going to press. The HURLINGHAM Polo Association magazine (ISSN 1750-0486) is published by Hurlingham Media. The magazine is designed and produced on behalf of Hurlingham Media by Show Media Ltd. It is published on behalf of the Hurlingham Polo Association by Hurlingham Media. The products and services advertised are not necessarily endorsed by or connected with the publisher or the Hurlingham Polo Association. The editorial opinions expressed in this publication are those of individual authors and not necessarily those of the publisher or the Hurlingham Polo Association. Hurlingham magazine welcome feedback from readers: hurlinghammedia@hpa-polo.co.uk
hurlinghampolo.com
7
HURLINGHAM
FOREWORD RODERICK VERE NICOLL – PUBLISHER
One aspect of being the publisher of Hurlingham that I enjoy is asking fellow players to write an article and seeing what they come up with. The results are always good. David Woodd never disappoints and his column highlights the horrible British weather this summer. In Ponylines Chris Mathias writes: ‘I am married and have three daughters – thus calling a mare the “Love of of my Life” is likely to be a dumb thing’. In Talk, Luke Tomlinson explains what it takes to become a world-class player and we cover Patrick Guerrand-Hermès’ acceptance speech for the prestigious Trophée Paul de Ganay. Ralph Lauren figured out years ago that polo was special and built a successful fashion business using many of the games’ attributes. In Features, Peter Howarth
explains how the Olympics, tennis and snow polo have become the perfect arena to showcase the brand. Next, Daisy Vega describes how Juan Pepa has taken his passion for polo and convinced many to give generously for charity in St Tropez. In Action, we go around Europe with stops in Asia and North America to give a full update of the summer’s tournaments. Audi has become one of the most important sponsors in UK polo and Herbert Spencer covers the new International Series. I went to France for the first time in years and was impressed by the standard of polo and the fields and organisation at Chantilly. Go to hurlinghampolo.com for highlights of many tournaments from the summer filmed by Blue Tuna. And don’t miss coverage of the Triple Crown in Argentina.
CONTRIBUTORS
Jeanne Chisholm has been a sporting art specialist since 1978. She worked for the National Polo Museum and Hall of Fame founded by her late husband. Jeanne currently runs a gallery in Wellington, Florida, where she curates exhibitions and helps build private and corporate art collections.
8
Luke Tomlinson is captain of the Audi England Polo Team and an ambassador for Jaeger-LeCoultre. This season he played for Salkeld in the high-goal season in the UK and won the Silver Cup in Deauville with Mungo. In the winter months he plays in Argentina where he has played in the Open four times.
Nick Harvey is a London-based photographer. He covers many of the top private parties and weddings throughout Europe as well as events for luxury brands, fashion companies and magazines including Vogue, Tatler and Harper’s Bazaar. Nick photographed our cover star, Juan Pepa, for this issue.
hurlinghampolo.com
Peter Abisheganaden is executive secretary and polo league coordinator of the Royal Malaysian Polo Association. He has raced, showjumped and evented, winning about 10 South East Asian titles. Peter also runs Zack’s Tack, a saddlery at the Royal Selangor Polo Club, and occasionally still plays a little polo.
PONYLINES
DAVID LOMINSKA
ONE TO WATCH It was Adolfo Cambiaso who scored the winning goal for the Lucchese polo team in a sudden-death overtime to capture the 2012 Pacific Coast Open Championship at the Santa Barbara Polo Club as it fought back from a six-goal deficit in the final two chukkas to force the extra chukka, but the nine goals that 18-year-old Santiago Torres scored did not go unnoticed. The young 5-goal phenomenon is no newcomer to the polo scene. He began riding at the age of three and was playing Peewee polo when he was four. By the time he was eight years old, Santi was riding and looking after eight horses. He became a professional polo player at the tender age of 10. ‘I think he has great potential,’ said Adolfo Cambiaso. ‘He just needs time and a little help to get there, but his ability is amazing.’ Alex Webbe
11
PONYLINES POLO NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
12
^ MASHOMACK POLO CHALLENGE On 16 June, The Mashomack Polo Club in New York hosted the 15th annual Mashomack International Polo Challenge luncheon. Over 700 guests watched teams from the United States, India and Italy battle to secure the trophy. This year, MPIC had the honour of hosting His Highness The Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur. Despite closely contested games, the winners, Team Carlyle, proved to everyone that their combination of great offence from James McBride and Bruce Colley and the indestructible defence of their back, John Klopp, was impossible to beat. During the Nespresso awards ceremony, the Best Playing Pony award was presented to Parker Thorne’s Bambina, while Catherine Malandrino presented the Mathias Guerrand-Hermès MVP Award to Shane Finemore.
^ ENGEL & VOELKERS BERLIN MAIFELD CUP On 11-12 August world-class polo found its way back to the Maifeld ground in the Olympic Park, Berlin, for the Engel & Voelkers Berlin Maifeld Cup. Under blue skies, eight international high-goal teams took the stage before more than 20,000 spectators. In the finals the defending champions Engel & Voelkers were able to recapture the title in a breathtaking game against Champagne Lanson with a final score of 8-6. Team Engel & Voelkers featured three returning players from the previous year in team captain Christopher Kirsch (4), James Miller (1), Gastón Maíquez (6), and the newest member of the team and youngest player Lukas Sdrenka (1). In the runners-up cup, the Tom Tailor Trophy, the Samsung team emerged as the winner against the Land Rover team. The Most Valuable Player award went to Samsung’s Jo Schneider, who was one of the few players to have already played on the Maifeld in the early Nineties. Gastón Maíquez’s horse Extatica was crowned Best Playing Pony. The German high-goal Championship will return to the Maifeld in 2013.
hurlinghampolo.com
ENGEL & VOELKERS BERLIN MAIFIELD CUP /BERNHARD WILLROTH,
An African cannot understand the Englishman’s obsession with time, arguing that there is no reason to rush to do something today that can be done tomorrow. If the sun is shining, sit under the tree and enjoy the day. Perhaps the unreliable English weather is what has created this obsession and certainly this summer has been the worst in my memory. Amazingly, tournaments have in the main been completed without undue interruption. The new drainage at Guards has paid huge dividends for the club and Ambersham 1 at Cowdray probably saved the day for the Gold Cup. The Royal County of Berkshire suffered badly with cancelled tournaments due to waterlogged grounds and at Cirencester, whilst the new grounds beyond Peddington held up, Ivy Lodge was not helped by the rain which seemed to wait for the important games to start. Blessed with the best weekend so far this year, the Audi International at Guards produced two great games. In the morning, the new Young England (25 and under) team gave a great display of their abilities and reminded the selectors and established England players that there are others out there snapping at their heels. The Coronation Cup was as good a game as we have seen for many years against a very talented young South Africa but in the end the experience of the England team played its part and, level at 8 all with less than a minute to go, they managed to squeeze in a goal in the last 30 seconds. We have also assisted in putting a team together to play in Zimbabwe. Having hosted a schoolboy team last summer it is hoped that this will help to rebuild the relationship with Zimbabwe, which has somehow managed to keep their polo going in spite of the difficulties there. It would be wrong not to mention the Olympics, and one can only be impressed by the commitment, humility and sporting approach shown by the athletes. It was wonderful to see Laura Bechtolsheimer, who followed the England team to Chile and Chester, winning her team gold and individual bronze.
Piaget Manufacture movement 880P Mechanical self-winding chronograph Flyback, dual time 100 meter water resistant Titanium, sapphire case-back Rubber strap
www.piagetpolo.com
PADDOCKS FOR 200 HORSES
INTERNATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY COURSE
SALT WATER POOL
THAI SPA
PONYLINES
\ DESERT PALM POLO The ultra-chic property of Desert Palm in Dubai is now offering the opportunity to play polo on some of the finest pitches in the world. Players can stroll out from one of the 38 designer suites – situated metres away from the playing fields – mount a pony and be off, racing across Dubai’s beautiful landscape in a chukka. The stables facilitate 300 horses. Budding polo players are welcome, too, with polo lessons catering to all levels. On offer are activities including basic mallet and ball technique, competitive matches, countryside hacks and dressage indoors. Desert Palm is also home to polo events such as the Royal Salute UAE Nations Cup and the Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge – so after a hard day of riding, guests can relax and observe some of the world’s top players. If not, the Lime Spa, infinity pool and award-winning restaurants will keep visitors occupied – and very satisfied. Stefan Knap
HOOKED ON POLO
TONY RAMIREZ/IMAGESOFPOLO.COM,
Adrian Kirby is an international businessman, environmental entrepreneur and investor based in Switzerland. An avid polo player, he is also the founder of Cortium Sports, an organisation dedicated to providing global sports sponsorship opportunities for brands and businesses across the world, particularly in the polo sector. In July of this year, Kirby’s Cortium team won the Gold Cup at Cowdray in a thrilling final.
^ LIFE’S A BEACH On 11 September, a record number of around 4,000 spectators turned out on the sands of Watergate Bay in Cornwall to watch the sixth edition of Veuve Clicquot Polo on the Beach, which saw team Joules earn a hard-fought victory over reigning champions First Great Western. Five goals from England squad member Jamie Le Hardy helped his team win 9-6½, and claim the Most Valuable Player trophy presented by HSBC. Le Hardy said: ‘It was a really nice open game. We [Joules] were lucky they missed a few goals in the second chukka, and apart from that, it was pretty even.’ Before the exhibition match, spectators watched Olympic silver medallist Mary King take part in a public polo lesson before trying her hand at match play in a demonstration chukka. After the game, commentator Peter West remarked: ‘I thought the match was absolutely fantastic, the teams were very attack orientated but equally their defence was marvellous as well. As far as I’m concerned it’s probably the best beach polo match I’ve had the good fortune to commentate on.’ The prize for the Best Playing Pony, presented by Terrazas de los Andes, was awarded to Aceto, an Argentine gelding ridden by James Harper and owned by Rob and Jemima Brockett of Lytchett Heath Polo Club in Dorset, who supplied the majority of the ponies for the match. Veuve Clicquot Polo on the Beach will return to Watergate Bay next year. For more information, visit watergatebay.co.uk/polo
hurlinghampolo.com
I am almost too embarrassed to say when I first started polo, but it was at Ham Polo Club in the Eighties (with the Healys) and then in Argentina with the Avendanos, before I became a Life Playing Member at Guards Polo Club and joining Cowdray. What I love about the sport is that it provides great international experiences and friendships – the polo community is unique, and I feel very fortunate to enjoy such fantastic support from the community generally and locally at Guards Polo Club and Cowdray Park. I think that polo has evolved hugely in the last seven or eight years. Both players’ and sponsors’ expectations concerning facilities have changed quite dramatically as polo has gained traction in other parts of the world – noticeably in Asia. It now has the unique opportunity of being an international platform for sponsors. Additionally with the advent of high-speed internet and streaming, polo feels as if it is reaching a watershed at the top levels. Clubs now need to work closely with established international polo fields to enable maximum benefit for players, sponsors and spectators alike. There is an ever increasing burden on private funding to maintain competitive teams and facilities, with the infrastructure improving and the bar being raised relentlessly year on year with the quality of the horse power, team management, preparation of players, all the while trying to accommodate value. The model needs some careful thought for the future.
15
PONYLINES
CHUKKAS
The Uruguayan Polo Association has approximately 120 players. They have had a very good year on the international polo circuit. David Stirling is now 10 goals all over the world. His younger brother, Santiago (3) and cousin, Alejo Taranco (6) won the Copa de Oro in Sotogrande. Felipe Viana (3) won the 20-goal Hampton Cup and was named MVP. Other Uruguayans playing well are Juan Curbelo (6) and Matias Carrique (5). The Uruguayans will soon be in the top three in terms of fielding high handicap teams in the world. Hopefully, we will soon see them playing against England in the Audi International Series!
The British Equestrian team won five medals in the 2012 Olympics. Laura Bechtolsheimer, recently engaged to Mark Tomlinson, won a team Gold and an individual Bronze in dressage riding her 18-year-old stallion, Alf. Mark also had a successful summer; reaching the semifinals of the Queens Cup and the quarter finals of the Gold Cup. He was on the winning side of the Coronation Cup and in August won the Silver Cup in Deauville.
^ FORTUNE HEIGHTS SUPER NATIONS CUP In September it was formally announced at a press The 24-goal tournament was hosted by the conference in Tianjin, China, that the inaugural Federation of International Polo and the Tianjin Fortune Heights Super Nations Cup 2012 would Sports Bureau. Mr Alejandro Taylor, FIP’s take place from 1 to 5 October 2012 at the Tianjin executive committee member and treasurer said: Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club, China’s most ‘We wanted to inspire young people in China. We extensive polo facility. Team draws also took place believe that China has every potential to become at the press conference. a polo powerhouse of the future if we lay the The Fortune Heights Super Nations Cup 2012 foundations right; the foundations, we believe, saw a gathering of the world’s leading polo nations are in place. We hope to come back in 10, 15 in Tianjin, including four professional teams from years’ time and be able to say that these were Argentina, England, the United States and Hong the moments that we captured the imagination Kong Special Administrative Region. On the same of people in China and the Asian region, and day, an international youth exhibition tournament challenged them to fashion their futures through also took place. the beautiful game of polo.’
The inaugural Jersey Beach Polo tournament was played on 19 September in St Brelade’s Bay in front of over 2,000 spectators. 30 ponies arrived from England by ferry. As the tide went out the 100m x 50m arena was built in glorious sunshine and at 3pm the polo started, with four teams competing. Former England captain, Andrew Hine, led his Banjo team to victory over team Zolfo Cooper, captained by Tarquin Southwell.
[ MICHAEL BUTLER ENTERTAINMENT As a grandson, son and brother of polo players, and former governor of the USPA, American producer Michael Butler has long been fixated by the sport. And during his career as a producer, he has often turned to polo friends for financial support. One of his first projects, the rock musical Hair, was financed mostly by polo players. And they did very well out of it. Hair opened on Broadway in 1968 and was a huge success, running for 1,750 performances. This year marks the beginning of Butler’s latest endeavour, Michael Butler Entertainment Group. The idea is to take new works and develop them in small theatre environments, using the latest technology. His first project, Pope Joan, is a musical of passion, piety and power which opens in theatres next year. A future potential project is Texas Cup – based on a true event in 1922 when a rag-tag team of cowboys challenged a team of elite polo players. Set within a love story, we see the classic tale of the underdogs overcoming cultural and economic challenges in the world of polo. Butler says: ‘With new filming technologies this film could be breathtaking and beautiful.’
The Hurlingham Club in Hurlingham, Argentina was founded in 1888 by leading members of the local British community. The first Argentine Polo Tournament took place at the club in 1893. During October and November 2012, the 119th Hurlingham Open will be played. From 6 to 15 November The Prince of Wales Cup, in honour of Prince Charles’ visit in 1999, will take place. The tournament is 14 goals.
Visit hurlinghampolo.com for match highlights and DVDs of 2012: Cartier Queens Cup Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup Audi International for the Coronation Cup Nespresso Copa de Oro
16
hurlinghampolo.com
PONYLINES
LOVE OF MY LIFE... PONY’S NAME: ELEANORA SEX: MARE ORIGIN: ARGENTINA I am married to Clarita and I have three daughters – thus calling a mare the ‘love of my life’ is likely to be a very dumb thing to do! However, Eleanora is close. She is small, extremely powerful, fast and aggressive. What more could one want in a polo pony? Oh, and did I mention she possesses the most extraordinary sense of balance and timing? She can turn on a sixpence, at any speed. The unwary rider will soon make contact with the ground, as I have done more than once when she read the game and reacted faster than I did. Eleanora came from Pepe Santamarina in Argentina. I visited him and he provided me with a mount for a few chukkas at the Hurlingham Club. I came off and in the bar afterwards I told him that I had to have the horse I had played third – Eleanora! She plays full on, exactly the same every time and I always play her in the first chukka as I do not have the stamina to play her later on! There is a pleasing symmetry to this: I see that Dickie Santamarina won the Royal Windsor in 1959 and I wonder if he was playing one of Eleanora’s forbears...? Chris Mathias
SADDLE UP WITH... Jaime Huidobro was born in Santiago de Chile but now divides most of his time between Argentina and Europe. A regular member of the El Remanso team he has also played at the highest level in the Argentine Open with Chapa Uno, San Jose and Trenque Lauquen. Huidobro holds handicaps of 8-goals (Argentina) and 7-goals (UK). When and how did you start to play polo? I started playing in Santiago, in Chile. My father played so I had all the facilities, but I didn’t much like it at the beginning. I started playing with more focus at 17, and now it’s my life and my hobby, and I’m very happy I can do what I love most as my job. Polo is my way of life. Who do you respect most in polo? There are some great people around, but my top are Gonzalo Pieres and Milo Fernández Araujo. Pieres because he made big changes to professional players, horses and fields, and Araujo is someone who reached 10-goals without the support of a family. What are your plans for next summer? I’m starting in September with the Jockey Club Open in Argentina, and I’m staying in Argentina to play until December. After that I’ll play the Chilean Open, and I hope I can go to Palm Beach following that. What is your most memorable polo game? I should say the final last year, but I have a few others – in particular El Remanso in 2010, when Pelon fell and stopped playing but we still beat Loro Piana with 21 goals. I would love to thank all the people who made it possible for us to win the Gold Cup: the grooms, my manager, Mark Zawadski, my trainer, Martin Glue, my vet Shein, George Milford Haven for the great facilities on his farm, John Horswell, and finally Gonzalo Pieres who lent Polito a few horses for the semis and the final.
\ INTERNATIONAL POLO FIELDS SURVIVE HURRICANE ISAAC In late-August, Hurricane Isaac’s path was far west of Wellington, Florida, but the amount of rain that it deposited on the community’s many polo fields left many gasping for air. Not so at the International Polo Club, according to the club’s agronomist, Ray Mooney. ‘I think we got about 20 inches of rain,’ said Mooney, ‘and we came out fine.’ For years the club has claimed to have the best fields in the world, but few could have foreseen the amount of rain that Hurricane Isaac’s outer bands would deposit on the land. ‘This is the 100-year flood that you hear about,’ said Mooney, ‘you can’t ever properly prepare for something like this.’ With the apron of the fields still wet, the fields are in tournament condition, and the International Polo Club is still ready to play while neighbouring fields remain water-logged. ‘I’m thrilled with the way the drainage systems worked,’ explained Mooney. ‘We’ve been upgrading them over the course of the last five years, and installed a new system when we resurfaced a couple of the fields last year’. John Wash, president of club operations added, ‘The tournament season kicks off on 6 January 2013, and we’re comfortable that the club’s reputation will be upheld by our championship fields.’ Alex Webbe
hurlinghampolo.com
17
TALK
FEELS LIKE TEAM SPIRIT England Polo captain Luke Tomlinson advises young players on the skills needed to become a world-class player
Talent Pool (from left) Ollie Cudmore, Lanto Sheridan, Luke Tomlinson, Richard Le Poer, Jack Richardson and George Meyrick
Although there is an age gap between the current England Squad and the up-and-coming young England squad, there is a wealth of talent of under-25-year-olds who are 4 goals and over. Those who deserve particular mention are Richard Le Poer, George Meyrick, and Max Charlton (off 5 goals) and Charlie Hanbury, Lanto Sheridan, Ollie Cudmore and Jack Richardson (off 4 goals). The ability to develop this talent into its full potential is up to each individual and the opportunities that English polo can give them. Indeed, in the UK there are four factors in polo that make it hard for talented young players to achieve their potential: availability of good horses (or access to them), finding good personal coaches from a young age, the broad skill set, and the limited number of months each year that polo is played. I would advise players with potential to have a good think about whether polo is for them – ie if you like hard work, love horses, are bitten by
18
Do not aim for a handicap of 10, but higher… aim to be as good as you can
the polo bug and are happy to have a career with a limited shelf life, where injuries are frequent, jobs are seasonal and issues with patrons often arise. If your answer is ‘yes’ to all of the above then the first thing you must take on board is that there is no limit to how good you can get and that handicaps are put after your name as a result of how you have played. Do not aim for 10, but higher… aim to be as good as you can and remember that you don’t stop improving in this sport until you start slowing down mentally and
hurlinghampolo.com
physically, a process which can occur as late as your mid-forties. There is absolutely no roof on human achievement! Secondly, you have to acknowledge that polo requires a wide range of skills, and they can be divided and then subdivided into a multitude of different skills. I will discuss the broad headings of the following skills: ] Riding ability ] Stick work and ball control ] Team skills ] Strength and fitness ] Mental power ] Tactics ] Organisation ] PR and communication ] Being well mounted These are the basic overall headings to work on, but the actual work is on the finer points of each one. For example, within riding ability is the skill
TONY RAMIREZ/IMAGESOFPOLO.COM
TALK
to stop a horse correctly and quickly. This in turn involves several skills: balance, use of legs, weight shifting, light but firm hands, feeling for a horse’s stride and mouth etc. Stick work and ball control can be subdivided. Firstly, there are the different shots that need working on (nearside, offside, fore and backhanders), then there are the different skills required to execute each shot (grip, swing, timing, etc). Many of these can then be subdivided, such as the swing, which is made up of various skills including stance, rotation, follow-through and upper body and head position. Quickly we can see the complexities of the sport. Team skills involve learning when to commit to individual play and when to focus on team play, as well as a good relationship with teammates, learning to listen to better players and communicating well on the field. Strength and fitness is crucial. As is one’s diet. You need a full-time personal trainer that
understands the sport. There is no point in bulking up too much and losing flexibility and movement. Taking training on solo is not advisable as you will most likely overwork or underwork muscles leading to injury or lack of energy. Again this section can be subdivided into many different sections and the work to be done is endless. Mental power is, in my opinion, one of the most important factors in becoming a top player. It is probably the hardest thing to manage, improve and control. Many players have the ability but not the mental prowess. The sub-categories I would put under this heading are varied: confidence and positive mental attitude, controlled aggression, determination, competitiveness, and the ability to deal with pressure. Intelligence is needed to be a top player although you don’t necessarily have to be an intellectual. You can improve your intelligence and your ability to make quick decisions well.
hurlinghampolo.com
I would also include reaction speed and anticipation under ‘mental power’. In Argentina it is very common for people to go to a psychologist almost as much as we go to the supermarket. In a sport like polo it is a great benefit to be able to see a sports psychologist on a regular basis, especially through a tough patch. The final four skill sets are quite self-explanatory. Tactics covers not only knowing what plays to do at what time but also how to plan game strategy – in particular knowing your opposition and their horses. Organisation is a skill and a discipline that needs to be practised. The attention to detail and the ability to get things done on time is essential with horse sports, ie dealing with grooms, organising the stables well, paying the bills on time and keeping a good diary. The less organised you are the better skills you will need to get yourself out of tight situations, so you will need to be good at
19
TALK
Clockwise from top left Max Charlton, Jack Richardson, Ollie Cudmore and Richard Le Poer
Try and play as many seasons in Argentina as possible. This will pay off in the long term
My last piece of advice is to play as good polo as you can and to try and play as many seasons in Argentina as possible. This is an investment that will pay off in the long term. Look at what some friends have spent on attending university and spend the same amount of money on going to Argentina for three or four seasons! Obviously the sooner that you make the decision the better. Good luck and never stop enjoying the sport! P.S. Read Bounce by Mathew Syed and also insist that the HPA arrange for you to have at least two seminars with Dave Alred (Jonny Wilkinson’s kicking coach). These two things will help get your mindset right from the start.
The last skill is the ability to be Well mounted. This is one of the most important of all and the hardest to achieve. It is overlapping with the riding and horsemanship skills. The better you ride the more chances there are of you becoming well mounted that is for certain. However, you need to be fussy, have high standards and always keep improving. Now you know the skills required you have
20
to go back to your mindset. The hours that are spent on each individual skill and how you work on them is the key factor in improving. You have to set medium- and short-term goals and to practise constructively every aspect of the skills mentioned above.
hurlinghampolo.com
VANESSA TAYLER, TONY RAMIREZ/IMAGESOFPOLO.COM
PR and communication. You have to chase jobs and opportunities yourself and this only happens by networking and meeting the right people at the right time. I have always been pretty introverted and I think that this has cost me opportunities. Also remember that the world of polo is very small indeed so do not be arrogant to your teammates or the opposition at any time and always treat the umpires with as much respect as you can. You never know, the patron or pro that is currently on the other team may be a future teammate or opportunity!
TALK
GAME OF GRACE
JACKY MACE
Patrick Guerrand-Hermès receives a unique and distinguished recognition for his contribution to polo
On 14 September 2012, during an exclusive dinner at the Polo de Paris, President Jean-Luc Chartier, who is also president of the French Polo Federation, awarded Patrick GuerrandHermès, president of honour of the International Polo Federation and founder of Chantilly Polo Club, the prestigious Trophée Paul de Ganay. In his speech Chartier reminded the hand-picked group of friends that the trophy was created in memory of Count Paul de Ganay, who passed away in 2010. It is awarded to a member of the polo community who, like the Count himself, has demonstrated exceptional devotion to the development of polo and is an example of elegance, fair play and generosity. Chartier took the opportunity to mention that polo is a sport that has traditionally commanded
a certain ‘art de vivre’ and to regret that not all today’s great players reflect the same flattering image. The trophy seeks to recognise those who uphold the high standards previous generations found natural. Serge de Ganay, representing the Ganay family, gave a brilliant and lively speech praising Guerrand-Hermès’ contribution to polo, to which Guerrand-Hermès replied with his customary easy charm. In his speech, he expressed how honoured and moved he felt to be awarded the trophy – and for a number of reasons, the most important being that it was in memory of Paul de Ganay, whom he described as ‘an exceptional friend, much missed’. He added: ‘I would like to come back to Paul’s qualities of moral elegance which would have made him the best recipient of his own trophy, as I’m sure you would all agree.’ He recalled the philosophy of L’École des Rochers, mens sana in corpore sano, or a sound mind in a healthy body: ‘All my life I have loved sport, particularly equestrian sport, and in polo I found a passion. In return, polo has always been very kind to me.’ Since his first polo game, he has always been lucky. He recounted how he arrived in Fez in 1953, as part of the French light cavalry brigade, to be met by two brigadiers who promptly drove him at 100 kmph to a polo field, saying ‘Ton Pitaine has fallen, you have to replace him.’ The match restarted and in the middle of the confusion, luck showed him a ball that had stopped between the posts. He tapped it on the reverse with the round tip of his mallet, scored a goal and achieved glory. Guerrand-Hermès had fond memories of Paul de Ganay and their shared love of the game of kings: ‘The sport of polo which requires self-control, bravery and organisational skills reunited Paul and myself to the extent that in the Fifties we became well-known – rather more for accompanying debutantes than for riding horses.’ Added Guerrand-Hermès: ‘I remember when Paul had just turned 21, during a weekend at the Contades’ property at Montgeoffroy. He was
hurlinghampolo.com
driving a magnificent Jaguar E-Type; we all begged him to let us drive this magnificent car. I heard that all his brothers who had responsibilities and children found his choice of car elegant but hardly essential – on the contrary, however, it was a very serious investment as today a Jaguar E-Type is worth millions.’ Their paths were to cross again, as Guerrand-Hermès recalled: ‘Later on, we were both in the United States at the same time. I was a trainee and was able to play polo between oil wells in Dallas, and then in San Francisco, which Paul visited and I can still hear the words of the Consul General’s wife, Baroness Ladoucette, as she addressed the table about Paul, “Good blood cannot lie”. At the time I found the sentiment a little too royalist but she was quite right, because over 80 years I have seen how the
The trophy recognises the high standards previous generations found natural
discretion and elegance of the Ganay family have set such an example.’ Guerrand-Hermès ended by thanking Serge de Ganay for creating the trophy with his cousin Jean, saying that they were the future leaders of this great family, which had made polo famous and that this prize demonstrated, if proof were needed, their future involvement in the sport. The Trophée Paul de Ganay was founded to inspire today’s players, of every level, to follow in the footsteps of their sporting forefathers who made polo such an elegant, glamorous and challenging sport. Patrick Guerrand-Hermès is a supreme example of such a player. Speech extracts translated by Sarah Evans
21
TALK
This page Coach Robin Sanchez (far right) instructs polo students Opposite Alura Potamkin on Chipmunk
GRAND CHAMPIONS The Grand Champions Polo Club has been an integral part of the Florida polo community for the last five years, opening medium-goal competition in 2007. Charity matches, youth polo and Sunny Hale’s WCT women’s competition have all enjoyed the hospitality of the Grand Champions Polo Club. In 2010 the Grand Champions Polo Club hosted the first of three annual Gay Polo League tournaments, and in 2011 the Wellington club was awarded the honour of hosting the USPA National Twenty Goal Championship and the 20-goal USPA North America Cup. Fielding teams at the International Polo Club in the 20-goal and 26-goal tournaments, Grand Champions continued offering clinics and mini-schools, with 2012 being the turning point in the club’s development. ‘I’m very excited for our organisation to have a new focus,’ said Grand Champions’ Melissa Ganzi. ‘We have been providing horses for all kids for several years,’ she added, ‘and now we are setting up a mechanism to execute a structure to those efforts.’
22
A week-long polo summer camp, The Polo School at Grand Champions Polo Club, was offered from 17 July to 24 July with the primary focus of assisting in building the next generation of polo players. ‘In order to secure the future of polo,’ said Melissa, ‘the next generation needs to understand and appreciate the importance of the equine athlete, this means learning barn management and horsemanship.’ And it is that very foundation that The Polo School at Grand Champions Polo Club emphasises. ‘In addition to polo,’ said Robin Sanchez, a veteran of the Polo Training Foundation’s (PTF) Brushy Creek training facility in Fort Worth, Texas, ‘horsemanship and barn management skills are a central focus of our efforts.’ The Grand Champions fields were flooded with 18 kids ranging in age from eight to 17 years old, and riding skills were completed in conjunction with polo drills, followed up by instructional polo practices. There were a number of highlights of the school, including an afternoon at the Museum of
hurlinghampolo.com
Polo and Hall of Fame with an informative tour given by Brenda DuPont. Additionally, students were able to take part in a scavenger hunt that was created by Robin Sanchez. Meanwhile, at Palm Beach Equine Clinic, Dr Darren Templin (vet for the Audi and Piaget polo teams) gave an insight into the essentials of a veterinary practice. There were a number of barn management lessons based on the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) manual offered. Elements included Robin Sanchez demonstrating how to do a polo wrap; Johnny Lavine explaining the safety knot and Gavin Guinan displaying how to tack up properly and the emergency dismount. Grant Ganzi explained horse rules and reasoning; Riley Ganzi demonstrated ask/tell commands; while Juancito Bollini showed the proper mounting technique; and brother Santos Bollini introduced the four natural aids. Melissa Ganzi added to the lessons by showing the proper English riding position. ‘In terms of the kids’ teaching,’ said Melissa, ‘we had a clinic with the CHA a week prior to our polo school camp. As part of the clinic, all of the
ALEX PACHECO
The Grand Champions Polo Club in Florida ran a summer school to build the next generation of polo players, writes Alex Webbe
TALK
members had to teach lessons. We used the lessons the kids taught in the clinic in our school.’ Added Melissa: ‘The CHA has a wonderful programme for teaching and we adapted it for our polo camp. We were lucky enough to have one of the CHA instructors stay to participate in our camp. It was a great help.’
‘Through her prior work with the PTF,’ continued Melissa, ‘Robin Sanchez had been working with the CHA for a few years. After she started working for Grand Champions over a year ago, I encouraged her to continue to help the PTF coordinate services with the CHA. The result was a hybrid polo training effort, The Polo School at Grand Champions Polo Club.’ The added bonus of having the availability and participation of veteran high-goal stars such as Jason Crowder and Juan Bollini combined with the result that the youthful participants left as very enthusiastic and highly knowledgeable young polo players, evidence of Grand Champions’ contribution towards securing the future of polo. ‘It was a great learning experience for the kids,’ said polo veteran Joey Casey. ‘Melissa flew in a couple of teaching professionals that worked with the Grand Champions staff for a unique experience. I think it was a great success,’ he added.
Youthful participants left as very experienced and highly knowledgeable polo players
‘We structured The Polo School to offer a multidisciplinary approach to polo, thus many instructors and the inclusion of the participants,’ said Melissa. The key ingredient, she added, ‘is the pure love of the horses and the sport.’ Melissa credited the success of the effort to Robin Sanchez, Juan Bollini, Dr Darren Templin and the Audi and Piaget team grooms and staff. If the resounding success of the debut of The Polo School at Grand Champions Polo Club is any indication, polo’s future looks to be secure for another generation.
BESPOKE SILVERSMITHS Unique Designs Hand Crafted Special Commissions Replica Trophies Silver & Bronze Models
SUITE 16 88 - 90 HATTON GARDEN LONDON EC1N 8PN TELEPHONE +44 (0)20 7404 0487 FAX +44 (0)20 7404 6063 MOBILE 07973 824 464 EMAIL:SANSON@BEZANTLTD.CO.UK WWW.BEZANTLTD.COM
TALK
HORSES AND HATS
On 9 September 2012, Houston’s social circle came out in full force, donning hats and the latest fashion in support of ‘Horses and Hats’, a polo charity match benefiting Snowdrop Foundation. Co-hosts Kevin Kline, president of Snowdrop Foundation and polo-playing Rice University student, Ameer Jumabhoy (above, on horseback), treated VIP guests to an impressive culinary feast by restaurant group Landry’s as well as a silent auction, which featured items such as boxing gloves autographed by Mike Tyson. The event was a complete sell-out, with over 1,000 people in attendance to kick off the autumn polo season at the Houston Polo Club. Dominique McGhee, founder of Food Monsters, one of Houston’s largest food blogs, was in attendance and said of the event, ‘I think it was very successful in introducing more people to the sport and I would definitely attend a match
24
again. It was great to see everyone dressed in a polo-inspired fashion theme and it was all in good taste.’ Of the actual polo, Dominique remarked, ‘I enjoyed watching La Sarita and Ameer win and I have much respect for the Golden Goals polo programme. I like that it motivates other people to do great things, and it is fantastic to see a young person like Ameer spearheading such an initiative.’ Up for grabs on the polo field was the Bentley Charity Cup, in honour of the luxury automobile maker that was launching the new V8 Continental GT on the day. La Sarita polo team captain Ameer Jumabhoy led his team to a 6-4 win over Snowdrop Foundation Polo. Over $20,000 was raised for Snowdrop and all guests left the event with hugely positive feedback on the day, many promising to return for another afternoon of action-packed polo in the near future.
hurlinghampolo.com
Golden Goals is an international initiative started by Ameer Jumabhoy that aims to firstly, bring a long-term charity aspect to polo and secondly, showcase the sport to as many people as possible. The initiative was started in conjunction with the Texas Children’s Hospital following Ameer’s dad and aunt being diagnosed with cancer in the summer of 2010. Today, the Golden Goals project has branched out to help various social causes internationally and has raised over $70,000 for breast cancer, fertility treatment in women as well as paediatric cancer. Golden Goals events have taken place in Malaysia and the US with an aim to expand to Jordan, Pakistan and Canada within the next year.
STEVEN DAVID/HOUSTON EVEN T PHOTOS
Snowdrop Foundation was started following a chance meeting between Kevin Kline and Chelsey Campbell, a 15-year-old girl who had been diagnosed with undifferentiated sarcoma, an extremely rare type of cancer. With only a one in ten chance of survival, Chelsey told the doctors that she would be that one person. Sadly, Chelsey lost her battle to cancer on 9 December 2006. Snowdrop Foundation was a gift for Chelsey’s 16th birthday in early 2009 . The organisation’s aim is to provide academic scholarships to current and former cancer patients as well as funds towards research of paediatric cancer.
PROFILE
STEVIE ORTHWEIN Preparing for the Gold Cup in less than clement weather did not detract from the unforgettable experience of competing, says Stevie Orthwein ILLUSTRATION PHIL DISLEY
There I was, standing in a 17th-century English meeting hall, watching the pouring rain continuously drip down the Veuve Clicquotbannered windows. It was a familiar sight as the last seven days had been the same with the next seven days promising more downpours and soggier fields. Next to me stood my teammates, Will Johnston, Alejandro Novillo Astrada and Lucas James. Besides wondering when the sun was coming out, I was thinking to myself, ‘How did I get here?’ I didn’t have a lot of time to answer the question as my rainy reverie was broken up by the moderator calling me to the front of the room to determine our team’s fate in the Gold Cup. ‘Bracket B,’ I called out, smiling at my teammates. To my surprise, instead of warm, smiling faces, I saw anger and despair. I had just drawn Cambiaso for our first game followed by the Merlos brothers, Pablo MacDonough and Javier Novillo Astrada in later fixtures. Over the next few days, as the excitement of the draw subsided and we came to terms with the monster teams we had been fated to play, we settled down to the business of preparing for our matches. Given the deluge that had plagued southern England the previous weeks, practice grounds were in short supply so preparation meant stick and balling or riding in the ring at Trippetts. After a few days of struggling in the arena, Will received a call from Luke Tomlinson of the Salkeld squad saying they had a field and wanted a scrimmage. The field was at a remote club called Knepp Castle and we were given the postcode to enter into the satnav. As the satnav led us down absurdly narrow roads that are only typical of England and Middle Earth, I became
26
sceptical of its accuracy when I remembered a previous debacle that had led me to a Windsor Castle pub in London while trying to find Windsor Castle, but on this particular occasion it steered us in the right direction.
From the first throw-in, we recognised that this was no ordinary polo game
As we pulled up to the field we saw the familiar faces of Luke Tomlinson, James Beim, and José Donoso. They introduced us to their teammate, Nick Clarke and we all exchanged warm greetings. Everyone we met in England was so welcoming. Given this was our first real scrimmage, Will and I were eager to demonstrate what kind of players we were. Unfortunately, that day we demonstrated we were the kind of players that did not belong in the Gold Cup. Early in the game I was slow to turn and embarrassingly T-boned José and things sort of spiralled downward from there. To say we lost the practice would be a gross understatement. At times, we could feel the Salkeld squad’s embarrassment for us. Walking off the field, all I could think about was Nick Clarke blowing past me scoring goal after goal. As we drove away, Luke Tomlinson said reassuringly, ‘Don’t worry, it’s
hurlinghampolo.com
just the first practice. It can only get better.’ I was less than reassured and began to wonder what I was doing in England. Later that week, after recovering from our less than stellar practice performance, Will and I went to watch the opening matches of the tournament. We had both heard a lot about the intensity of the Gold Cup, but of course wanted to see it for ourselves. Just a few months earlier we had played together at the 20-goal level in Florida and seen most of the 26-goal matches that year so we felt pretty confident about how high-goal polo was played. The first match we attended was La Bamba de Areco against Les Lions, the Pieres brothers against Merlos brothers. From the first throw-in, we recognised that this was no ordinary polo game. The players played with an unmatched intensity and physical determination that we had not seen in Florida that year. Sebastian Merlos threw bumps the way that only he knows how. The kind of bumps you hear from the sidelines and make you cringe. I distinctly remember thinking to myself, ‘We have to play these guys?’ At the half, I turned to Will and said, ‘We are in deep s***!’ His only response was, ‘These guys are crazy!’ Needless to say, we both started to question what exactly we were doing in England. After many rain-soaked days and various stops and starts for practices, the day of our first game arrived. Coca-Cola v Dubai, Coca-Cola v Cambiaso, Coca-Cola v the best player in the world. This was both the moment I waited for and the moment I dreaded. As Will and I drove to the field that day you would have thought we were driving to our own executions.
PROFILE
For as long as I can remember, I have listened to my father’s stories about playing in England
Our tanned skin had only been out of the Florida sun for a couple of weeks, but we were so pale with fear, you would have thought we were locals. To put it simply, we did not feel ready. As I sat in the Coca-Cola tent putting on my boots, coach Julian Hipwood went over the game plan, but this did little to quell my fears. Finally, as I mounted my horse for the first chukka, Julian walked over to me and said smiling, ‘Remember, man before the ball.’ This is both the most clichéd and brilliant advice given to all polo players. In this instance, it was the familiar piece of advice I needed to hear. It was time to play the Gold Cup. Looking back on my experience in England, many things come to mind: the close games, a few great plays, a few missed opportunities. However, what comes to the forefront are the
sense of accomplishment and the memories that come from playing abroad. In my family, polo is a way of life. For as long as I can remember, I have listened to my father’s stories about playing in England. I have heard the tales of legendary players that made the journey to compete at the hallowed grounds next to the Cowdray House ruins while staying at the Park House hotel. Now, I have my own English adventures to relish. I have my own tales that may someday inspire players to strike out and travel in the way that other players’ tales have succeeded in inspiring me. All too often I hear players outlining the difficulties of competing abroad and see them choosing to stay in their comfort zones. I see them becoming complacent with their polo
hurlinghampolo.com
challenges. To this I say, time is passing, windows are closing, and the challenges, while significant, aren’t as hard as you might think. In the end, the challenges are what make the experience so rewarding. For those that follow the stats, they saw that Coca-Cola did not have the best record in the 2012 Gold Cup. For those that saw our games, they saw an underdog team that could have pulled a few upsets against some of the strongest teams in the tournament. For those that were closely involved with the team, they saw two friends that accomplished their goals of competing respectably against the best players in the world, fulfilled their dreams of playing internationally at the highest level, and made polo memories that will last a lifetime.
27
SPORTING STYLE For the famously ‘fashion-shy’ designer behind the uniforms for the US Olympic team and at Wimbledon, sport for Ralph Lauren has become the perfect arena for showcasing his designs, writes Peter Howarth
28
hurlinghampolo.com
Opposite Ralph Lauren designs for USA Olympic uniforms; the US team at the Olympic opening ceremony. This page Team USA athletes in Olympic ceremony uniforms
Walking back to the official Ralph Lauren coach after the Olympic opening ceremony in East London, David Lauren picks his way through the crowds streaming out of the Olympic stadium buoyed up by the highly creative tableaux that Danny Boyle has just staged. Accompanied by his wife, Lauren Bush Lauren, niece of the former US President, the son of the brand’s founder and now its senior vice president, advertising, marketing and
The whole Ralph Lauren party looks like it has just stepped out of the competitors’ parade
corporate communications, could be taken for a stray athlete in his white Team USA tracksuit top. Indeed the whole Ralph Lauren party looks like it has just stepped out of the competitors’ parade – the women sporting cheerleader-style navy skirts and matching branded sweats. In fact we do encounter a few members of Team USA, who unlike the people from America’s most famous design house, are
Right Tennis wear from the Ralph Lauren Wimbledon 2012 range Below Boris Becker has been a Ralph Lauren ambassador for Wimbledon Opposite Nacho Figueras, polo player and brand ambassador for Ralph Lauren
actually wearing the official, Lauren-designed uniforms of blue blazer, shirt, tie and white trousers (or skirt) and sporty beret. They are on their way back to the Olympic village and David Lauren stops to exchange a few words. There are some 180 athletes in the American national team participating in the opening ceremony, and Ralph Lauren has been busy kitting them all out – from the six-foot-plus basketball players to the tiny gymnasts and a female weightlifter who apparently was moved to tears by the fact that she was given a skirt that had been tailored to fit her, a first in her experience of team uniforms. And though now at two in the morning it is time to head home, David Lauren still wants to wish his countrymen good luck. He is a genuine sports fan. But beyond that, this is almost the final leg of Ralph Lauren’s remarkable summer of sport, which has seen the firm dressing not only the world’s most powerful Olympic team, but also the Wimbledon tennis championships, the US Open Golf Championship, the Open Golf
30
The name Polo had a sensibility that was sporty and international
Championship and the Black Watch polo team. Only the US Open Tennis Championship remains on its outfitting schedule. Sport is a great association for Ralph Lauren, as he has to be the world’s most reluctant fashion designer. He once told Time magazine he was not a ‘kiss-kiss kind of fashion guy’, and when I met him in his office high above Madison Avenue – manly handshakes all round – he told me, ‘Men don’t look at fashion magazines,’ and was eager to make the distinction between fashion and style. ‘I’m not into trendiness,’ he said, relaxing on a sprawling leather sofa in cowboy boots,
hurlinghampolo.com
worn, ripped jeans, and a Western-style chambray shirt with a brown and cream beaded necklace around his neck. He looked like a man who works out four days a week (he does), suitably healthy, and tanned. ‘But I am into change – people will not come back into stores if there’s nothing new. But there is a consistency of taste.’ After a pause he added: ‘The word “fashion”, I don’t like the word. I like to buy a jacket and know that it suits me, that it’s mine. If someone says, “You’ve got a new look,” it’s a negative. I hope people say, “Hey Ralph, you look good, you look fit,” not that you’re wearing the new long coat or latest tweed jacket.’ That is why sportsmen are the perfect people to promote the man’s designs. And sport the perfect arena in which to showcase his clothing. That is why since 2005 one of his most recognisable ambassadors – in advertising campaigns for the Ralph Lauren Black Label fragrance and the exclusive clothing collection of the same name – has been polo player
hurlinghampolo.com
31
Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Figueras. David Lauren explains why his father chose Figueras for this role: ‘Nacho models for Black Label, which is a collection that reflects the essence of modern elegance. It’s timeless and it’s iconic, but it’s also fresh and it’s active. It’s the guy who travels, plays sports – he is truly international. Nacho is that guy.’ The relationship with an international polo superstar has also prompted Ralph Lauren to start formally sponsoring the sport for the first time. ‘We took the partnership with him [Nacho] even further when we began sponsoring the Black Watch team, which we have done since 2007,’ explains David Lauren. The relationship between Ralph Lauren and polo goes back to 1967 when the then young would-be fashion designer decided to set up his own business selling wide, heavy, bright ties, and needed a name for his new venture. Nacho says it was Ralph’s brother Jerry who
My father had long been inspired by the rich heritage and traditions of England
came up with ‘Polo’. David Lauren explains: ‘The name Polo had a sensibility that was sporty and international, and it represented the kind of clothes that my father liked. He felt this particular sport was sophisticated, it was stylish, and he identified it with his brand – it was a name that invoked an imagery that represented what his clothes were going to be like.’ A year later, that decision was certainly endorsed by one of the most stylish films ever made, The Thomas Crown Affair, starring Steve McQueen as an immaculately turned-out connoisseur-thief who memorably plays polo. Asked if it is a favourite of his and his father’s, David replies, ‘Yes, it’s one we love. It’s a big hit with all my family – it’s required viewing for the Laurens!’ The famous logo – a player with mallet raised – didn’t appear until 1971. Its debut was on the cuffs of a range of women’s blouses. The image actually came from a tie label of Ralph Lauren Polo executive Joe Barrato, who says the logo was, at that time, a public domain graphic anyone could use, just like
32
something on clipart today. Apparently, it was Barrato’s idea to put it on the cuffs of the blouses to make them stand out. Statusconscious Manhattanites loved them and a graphic icon was born. Since then, of course, that polo player has adorned a whole range of items – both menswear and womenswear – and has, in the sports arena, even appeared on the polo shirts of Wimbledon ball boys and ball girls. And lest you think that bit of branding is somewhat schizophrenic, consider this: like polo, tennis ticks the Ralph Lauren boxes. Here’s David Lauren on why the company chose to sponsor Wimbledon (a relationship that started six years ago): ‘My father had long been inspired by the rich heritage and traditions of England, and these were expressed in the game of tennis itself and the English attitude towards it, but also in the style and sensibility of the early players. To play a major role in such a historic sporting event and partner with the All England Club and Wimbledon felt right.’ More surprising than polo logos at the home of lawn tennis then, is that it took so
hurlinghampolo.com
long for the firm to get properly into bed with the sport of polo itself. The iconography of this game runs through the company. It’s visible not just in the logo, but also in the vintage shirts and mallets that decorate the stores and the Ralph Lauren wood-panelled English-country-house-style headquarters in Manhattan. (It’s a big job finding this stuff, David Lauren explains: ‘We have a fantastic creative team who source these products from all over the world.) The family Lauren, too, though not polo players, certainly are riders. Do they have horses on the family’s Double RL ranch in Colorado, I wonder? ‘Yes we do – no polo ponies though, they are a very different animal!’ says David Lauren. And does he ride often? ‘Yes, at the Ranch. It’s a great feeling to be in the outdoors and take in the surroundings. It can be time to be alone, or the opportunity to do something together as a family or with friends. It’s fun to have a John Wayne moment every now and then.’ So given all this, why did it take until 2007 to sponsor a team – Nacho Figueras’s Black Watch polo team (Palm
From far left US Paralympic wheelchair basketball player Matt Scott; Luke Donald at the US Open Golf Championship in June; Ryan Lochte, 2012 Olympic 400-metre individual medley champion
Beach, Bridgehampton and Buenos Aires) – and, until this January, to sponsor a tournament – the St Moritz Polo World Cup (sadly cancelled this year due to lack of snow)? Nacho Figueras has a theory: ‘It is true,’ he agrees, ‘It has been too long. Ralph knows there should be a symbiosis, of the clothes and the sport. So I asked him, why did it take until I came along?’ And his response? ‘He told me that in the early days the business was like a train. A runaway train. Polo kept growing and growing and I can see that, I see how much time he puts in, how focused he is. Looking back, he should have done it earlier, perhaps, but for years the train just wouldn’t stop.’ David Lauren is certainly of the ‘better late than never’ opinion: ‘We felt it was the perfect time to venture into this world, via the Snow Polo tournament, as for us it marked the beginning of a year of sport. The Snow Polo was to kick this all off, leading us into Wimbledon in June, The Open in July, and the Olympics and Paralympics over the summer, for which we are the official outfitters of Team USA.’
Sponsoring the St Moritz Polo World Cup was a natural progression for us
And why choose snow polo as the first tournament sponsorship? ‘With the St Moritz Polo World Cup being the most worldrenowned and famous tournament on snow, we felt that this particular partnership reinforces our leadership in the world’s major sporting events, and showed that we are serious in our dedication to supporting the game of polo,’ he says. ‘We already have an affiliation with the location after opening our first store in St Moritz two years ago, so it was a natural progression for us and was the perfect fit.’ That fit means Ralph Lauren will be back to sponsor the snow polo next January 2013 and will be designing the outfits for it.
hurlinghampolo.com
It also means the firm will continue to invest in sport generally, safe in the knowledge that its founder approves of this non-fashion approach to promoting his brand. When we spoke, back in Manhattan, Ralph talked enthusiastically about the icons who have inspired him – people like Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, Steve McQueen, Joe DiMaggio, John F Kennedy and Clint Eastwood. These stars certainly looked great, but they were never merely fashionable, and their style has endured. From McQueen in desert-biker chinos and T-shirt and Eastwood in rancher jeans, to DiMaggio in active sportswear, Kennedy in preppy Ivy League gear, and Grant and Hepburn in elegant East Coast tailoring, these are timeless US archetypes who represent the variety of the nation’s character. They have great personal style in common, but transcend mere passing fashionable fads. As Ralph Lauren once said of Ernest Hemingway: ‘I love his beard. I love the cragginess. I love the ripped shirt. I love the non-fashioness of the guy.’
33
TENDER IS THE NIGHT Daisy Vega takes us to St Tropez for one of the most glamorous and high-profile charity events in the polo world
34
hurlinghampolo.com
NICK HARVEY
Opposite Vicomte Arthur de Soultrait and Jenna Courtin-Clarins at the Pro-Alvear Polo Trophy Event. This page Students from one of the rural schools supported by Pro-Alvear
When I was asked by my dear friend Juan Pepa to write about his Foundation Pro-Alvear and the charity event hosted in St Tropez this summer I couldn´t refuse. First of all, I admire Juan – Argentinian businessman, polo player and founder of the Fundación Pro-Alvear. He has passion and is devoted to everything he puts his mind to. Secondly, I am closely attached to all the wonderful projects related to children and their education that Pro-Alvear does in the Argentinian region of La Pampa. And last but not least, Pro-Alvear is the pioneer in doing such magnificent work in this remote land, and thus it needs all the support it can get. There are a great number of admirable charities across the world, but only Pro-Alvear focuses on this forgotten and distant area. We all think of Argentina as an emerging market with so many possibilities that it is unthinkable to imagine that there are some parts of its vast land where kids are living without access to any kind of education or hope for a greater future. Fundación Pro-Alvear is a non-profit organisation that supports the educational, social and economic development of the Argentinian Pampas region. As Juan says eight
I believe that every child on earth should have the freedom to achieve their dreams
years after its foundation: ‘Today we find ourselves with a very healthy and humble charity that has expanded into 15 villages across that vast territory, and which continues to support initiatives, including rural schools, IT community centres, sciences laboratories, sports and music academies, large-scale organic vegetable gardens, and major forest regeneration projects.’ These projects are designed to combat poverty and protect hundreds of children who are living in a beautiful part of the world. But let’s get a deeper image of it. Close your eyes and imagine enormous, arid land, without
hurlinghampolo.com
any kind of connection to the modern world. This picture might even be peaceful for some of us more used to the stress of hectic daily lives, but don´t forget that the inhabitants of these villages live without the luxury to dream, without education and a vision for a future. They simply do not have an option to be what they want to be. Before Pro-Alvear, these kids could not become lawyers, writers, teachers or doctors because they simply didn’t have schools where reading and writing were taught. There was no future for them and I firmly believe that every child on earth should have the freedom to achieve their dreams. Thanks to Juan´s work and devotion, a Spanish 31-year-old lady like myself is now aware of where La Pampa is on the map and I can raise my voice out loud for Pro-Alvear. As Juan himself said about the La Pampa region: ‘It feels like time stopped decades ago; the values of friendship are still what they should be in our modern world, families sit down for lunch and dinner on a daily basis and the TV and phones do not interfere in conversations. Through the Pro-Alvear charity we try to get at the root of the problem, the
35
improvement of our education system. We do not hand over clothes to the over 1,500 kids we protect. We open a vegetable garden for them and they learn from early on that by working they can sell what they produce and buy their trainers. We know that by launching a science lab or IT centre their curiosity toward the world will be fostered, and in the meantime, we spoil and pamper each one of our kids.’ And so the social events behind Pro-Alvear are utterly key not only in raising funds in magical and joyful ways – based on sports, friendship, positive vibes and excellent quality auctions – but also to create awareness of these forgotten kids and their families. So now
36
The social events behind Pro-Alvear are key not only in raising funds in magical ways but also to create awareness of these forgotten kids
hurlinghampolo.com
yet-another summer has passed where Juan, employing his Argentinian charm and worldwide contacts, has worked hard to make a major event happen for this beautiful cause. And there I was witnessing the result while enjoying every bit of the evening. The Polo Club St Tropez, besides having extraordinary facilities for polo players and spectators, has come to represent the glamour and elegance of Europe’s high society. Among the many events it hosts throughout the year, I was lucky to attend the Pro-Alvear Polo Trophy which took place on 20 July and I want to share the extraordinary experience with you. There are several aspects to highlight
NICK HARVEY
Opposite Pro-Alvear Cup Final between Camino Real and Vicomte A; dancing to the music performed by the Gypsy Queens This page 15 villages are the locations of Pro-Alvear’s set of initiatives, ranging from science labs and IT centres to music academies and organic vegetable gardens
of this event. Fashion, with a capital ‘F’ is the first. The event was full of impeccably dressed women from all over the world, modelling all the latest trends and, in fact, are indeed trend-setters themselves as many are from inside the fashion world. In this regard, I shall let the images speak for themselves. But the Pro-Alvear Polo Trophy is more than just fashion. Hidden behind pretty images, beautiful people, and an incredibly fun event is the real reason why all these outstanding women, great sportsmen, well-known businessmen and opinion leaders descended onto the Côte d’Azur that July weekend – they are all joined in one single cause, Pro-Alvear.
Sponsored by GH Mumm champagnes, the event kicked off with wonderful cocktails followed by the exciting and competitive polo match. The atmosphere of this impeccable soirée was close and cozy, as we relaxed with old friends and new acquaintances, sharing our summer plans. Following the tournament, an exquisite dinner was served, spiced up by rock band the Gypsy Queens who had us all dancing on our chairs. During dinner, the entertaining and extremely successful auction took place, chaired by the world-famous Harry Dalmeny from Sotheby’s. Thanks to his unique British sense of humour and sharp intelligence,
hurlinghampolo.com
I witnessed one of the most incredible auctions of my life. And just when we thought there could be no more unexpected surprises, as we were finishing the magnificent dessert, acclaimed DJ Bas from London rocked the party under the stars. The climax came when the Argentinian beauty Mercedes Figueras performed on top of the DJ booth with her saxophone, creating the most extraordinary jazz-techno combination. The result was indeed and by far one of the greatest parties of this summer that took place in St Tropez, an award that Juan Pepa and the Fundación Pro-Alvear deserve most of all.
37
Q&A: JUAN PEPA President of Fundación Pro-Alvear
How did the idea for Pro-Alvear begin? The Pro-Alvear charity was founded in the Argentinean Pampas more than eight years ago. It was a difficult time in my country, a time of anarchy in which we had five presidents in two weeks, another one of those famous Argentinian economic crises, and a time in which no one had any hope in the future and the only apparent solution was to renew your passport and run as fast as you could. That’s when Pro-Alvear was able to turn that desperation into positive energy in the Pampas, a movement of many good-hearted patrons and friends who over time have taken this charity as their own crusade. Why is the La Pampa region so special to you? The Germans and French in their language associate the term Pampas to the ‘middle of nowhere’. They couldn’t be more precise, and that’s the sacred and beautiful side of the Pampas. It feels that time stopped decades
38
ago, and the values of friendship are what they should be. It’s delightful to see that when you play polo if you dare change your horse in the middle of the chukka your groom will feel insulted. What are the long-term goals of Pro-Alvear? We aim to expand to every single town and village of the Pampas with its full humble set of social initiatives. We have achieved so far 20 per cent of our target and there is a long way to go. If it takes 20 or 30 years we don’t care –the group of friends behind the charity are all young and we value more a pure and fun process than a spectacular set of results and achievements. What’s the connection to polo, including its famous annual fund-raiser? Pro-Alvear always had a strong connection to polo given that among its founders we have the Heguy family, who were born in the Pampas and have delighted us with their Chapaleufú teams. Later Facundo and Gonzalito Pieres came in and we started with the annual Pro-Alvear
hurlinghampolo.com
Charity Cup that took place in Windsor for several years. This summer we moved it to St Tropez, where we raised over € 200,000. How do you choose the players and teams at the Pro-Alvear Trophy Cup? The essence is on the good chemistry between players. The cup is played for the honour in a tough and fair way, just like Porfirio Rubirosa, Gunter Sachs and Carlos Menditéguy proved right in the Fifties and Sixties. And the charity is honoured to have the support of proper gentlemen like Lyndon Lea and Michael Bickford from the UK, Davor Luksic from Chile, Edouard Guerrand-Hermès from France, Gualtiero Giori and Mani Boni from Italy, Jaime Restrepo from Colombia, Gonzalo Mendoza from Venezuela, Amr Zedan from Saudi Arabia, Michael Borrico and Roderick Vere Nicoll from the US, among many other good-hearted friends from all over the world. We all end up at the happy party, no one remembers the score, some of the unfortunate single ones who have persistently failed to meet the right lady usually find love, and on the back of all this we are helping to recreate that hope that was once lost in the Argentinian Pampas.
Opposite Juan Pepa. This page Pro-Alvear godchildren from the village of Chacharramendi
THE ART OF ACQUISITION Building a meaningful collection should start with being true to one’s tastes, writes gallery owner Jeanne Chisholm
Art has played a huge role in my life. My first gallery was the Suydam Gallery, which opened in 1976 at 112 East 85th Street, New York, in a fabulous townhouse. I lived on the top two floors with my gallery space on the ground and first floor. There was a lovely garden for receptions and outdoor art installations. We exhibited many contemporary international artists and showed art films including the Countess of Wemyss and March’s (née Amanda Feilding), short cult art film entitled Heartbeat in the Brain. In 1978, my fiancé, Hugh Jeremy Chisholm (a gentleman polo player) and I were invited by William (Bill) T Ylvisaker to open a gallery at Palm Beach Polo and Country Club, which at the time was a magnet for the international jet set – the list of members read like a Who’s Who of royalty, aristocracy, and the rich and famous, as did its roster for internationally acclaimed high-goal polo players. After my husband’s tragic death from cancer in 1982
I loved to find the most rare and elusive polo artefacts and still do to this day!
at the age of 41, I devoted myself to the continuation of his dream to further the creation of the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame. In the mid-Eighties the world’s top design houses turned to the Chisholm Gallery to answer their sporting art needs. These included Cartier, who asked me to curate their celebrated exhibit POLO – USA: A Retrospective History of Polo in America, which showed first in Palm Beach and later travelled to New York to Cartier’s headquarters on Fifth Avenue, and Ralph Lauren, who approached the Chisholm Gallery for artefacts and
hurlinghampolo.com
paintings to decorate its flagship store, the historic Rhinelander Mansion on New York’s Madison Avenue. Both of these projects were monumental in scope and I loved the quest to find the most rare and elusive polo paintings, bronzes, photographs, decorations, books and ephemera. I still do to this day! My work with museums has included the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Museum and Hall of Fame, in Aiken, South Carolina (which enlisted Chisholm Gallery to curate an exhibit commemorating 100 years of polo history), the National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York, and most significantly the National Polo Museum and Hall of Fame. I served as Coordinating Director for the latter, an idea that was fostered by H Jeremy Chisholm in the Seventies. The Chisholm Gallery was further invited to participate in the firstever sporting art exhibit at the prestigious Colnaghi Gallery in London.
[[2C]]
The Chisholm Gallery represents over 200 wonderfully diverse and talented artists in nearly 20 countries and remains vitally involved in promoting and elevating their work in the larger international arenas of the art world. We specialise in polo and sporting art, bronzes, trophies and awards, rare books, and equestrian gifts, with many of our clients being polo patrons and art collectors. In order to collect art intelligently, you must first master two basic skills. The first is being able to effectively research and evaluate works of art that attract you. The second is being able to collate individual works to form meaning within their grouping; this is the art of collecting. If you’re like most people, you know how to buy art on a piece-by-piece basis, but may not be all that accomplished at building a collection. Interesting art can be found just
In a superior collection, every piece belongs, nothing is random or arbitary
about anywhere, in an incredible variety of subjects, media and prices – but this variation can be confusing and intimidating. So how do you decide which direction to go in? How can you relate one purchase to the next? Great collectors are often as well known as the art they collect. Take the Rockefeller collection, the Phillips Collection, the Chrysler collection, to name but a few; these collectors
[[1C]]
hurlinghampolo.com
are famous because they demonstrate just as much talent in selecting and grouping their art as the artists show in creating it. Indeed, each work of art commands superior attention and price not only because of its quality, but the company that it keeps: in any mature collection, the whole becomes greater than the sum of the parts. What makes a collector truly great is their ability to select and
‘TURNING ON A DIME’ AND ‘BEFORE THE MATCH’ BOTH BY LISA BOSTWICK, AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY GALLERY COURTESY OF CHISHOLM GALLERY, LLC; ‘DEAUVILLE SAISON DE POLO’ BY JEAN JACQUOT AND ‘PORTRAIT EN PIED DU PRINCE LÉON DE RADZIWILL AU POLO À BAGATELLE, 1910’ BY BERNARD BOUTET DE MONVEL, BOTH COURTESY OF PULLMAN GALLERY LTD.
Opposite, left ‘Turning on a Dime’, portrait of Pete Bostwick by his granddaughter Lisa Bostwick Opposite, right ‘Deauville Saison de Polo’ by Jean Jacquot, circa 1938. Courtesy of Pullman Gallery Ltd. This page ‘Portrait en pied du Prince Léon Radziwill au polo à Bagatelle, 1910’ by Bernard Boutet de Monvel. Courtesy of Pullman Gallery Ltd.
assemble works in such a way as to expand our understanding of that art. Successful collectors spot trends in world art and request works by certain artists or speciality publishers. In many cases, when I find what my clients want, I locate similar works myself. It is often those who make the initial requests who influence my stock and the direction of my buying. Regardless of whether professional or recreational, there are techniques for all collectors in order to maximise the quality and value of your art, as well as your personal enjoyment of it. The first step is being true to your tastes. This means acknowledging your preference of art regardless of current trends. All great collectors share this trait – their personality makes their collections stand out. When personal preference is ignored in favour of the status quo, one collection begins to look just like the next. A few people dictate, the masses follow, and collections become boring and repetitive.
Collectors who aren’t afraid to express themselves yield exactly the opposite results. Take, for example, the artist who put together a collection of paintings bought exclusively second-hand, often for little more than a few dollars each, and yet his collection toured the country and was later published as a book. Many of us are not only entertained but also educated – he teaches us that art can be found anywhere, not just in major museums and galleries; and he would never have put this collection together if he had chosen to mimic the tastes of others rather than to be true to his own. If you’re an art collector, don’t confine yourself to the same museums and galleries. Explore the less conventional if that’s what you’re curious about. Don’t be afraid to experiment – something new may thrill you at some point. Periodic reappraisals of your tastes are always a good idea: what excites you today could easily bore you tomorrow. A quality collection is always evolving and never static.
hurlinghampolo.com
As you gain experience, the reasons why you buy should become increasingly more conscious and purposeful. Fine art is an investment which has been making huge financial news for decades, and will continue to do so. I have hundreds of letters from grateful collectors who have seen their paintings and bronzes grow in value since we first opened the doors of the Chisholm Gallery at Palm Beach Polo and Country Club in 1978 with my late and beloved husband, Hugh Jeremy Chisholm, one of the four founders of the National Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame. Experienced collectors show a sense of direction. And here’s where we get into the essence of collecting, of what distinguishes a superior collection from an inferior one. In a superior collection, every piece belongs; nothing is random or arbitrary. A less experienced collector, on the other hand, may know plenty about each individual work
[[2C]]
If you expect to have any influence over the long-term future of your collection, lay the groundwork now
[[1C]]
hurlinghampolo.com
‘HARVARD/YALE POLO’ BY MICHAEL ANTONIO PONCÉ, AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY COURTESY OF CHISHOLM GALLERY, LLC; ‘BACK SHOT’ BY RICARDO MORALES HENDRY, ‘POLO XI: OFFSIDE FOREHAND’ BY GILL PARKER, ‘THE RIDE OFF’ BY CATHERINE INGLEBY, AND ‘POLO AT CIRENCESTER PARK’ BY HENRY KOEHLER, ALL COURTESY OF CHISHOLM GALLERY, LLC
This page, clockwise from top ‘Harvard/Yale Polo’ by Michael Antonio Poncé, circa 2000; ‘Polo XI: Offside forehand’ by Gill Parker; ‘The Ride Off’ by Catherine Ingleby. Opposite, from top Four polo prints by American artist Paul Brown; ‘Polo at Cirencester Park’, by Henry Koehler, 1973
of art, but lack an overall understanding of how pieces work together, or even if they work together. Another aspect of good collecting is documenting your art. You can see best how documentation affects older art. Suppose, for instance, that two 19th-century equestrian paintings by Rosa Bonheur come up for auction at the same time, and are virtually identical. The first is catalogued rather dully as ‘Ploughing Scene’. The second is catalogued as “‘The Horse Fair’, exhibited at the Salon of 1853 and now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City”. Assuming you find both paintings equally appealing, which would you rather own? Which will sell for more money? The latter, of course. It’s like choosing between a rescue dog and a pedigree. Whenever art dealers and auction houses take on works with poor documentation, they do their best to come up with exciting titles: they know that good titles sell faster.
Having good documentation tends to increase the value of art. Imagine if you had an original receipt from the sale of a Van Gogh painting that changed hands in the early part of this century. Or perhaps your grandfather bought a Picasso and received an inscribed photo of Picasso handing him the painting. I can assure you that either of these items would be worth well into the thousands of dollars today. The worst possible outcome for a collection occurs when the owner passes away and leaves no information about the art. Countless collections have been resold for pennies on the dollar, or even thrown in the trash. I remember receiving a call one day from a haulier who said he had some art in a storage space. He mentioned the artist who I immediately recognized as a well-known Palm Beach area painter. It turned out that the haulier had been asked to cart away seven major paintings by the artist which, at that time, were worth between thirty and fifty thousand dollars. The
hurlinghampolo.com
owners had simply thrown them out. In fact, he had actually been paid to take them away! The lesson in all this is that collectors, no matter how large or small their collections, should provide a complete list of instructions for those who will inherit their art. It is important to include names, addresses, phone numbers, procedures, values, and all other particulars for selling or donating as well as for dispersal within the family. If you expect to have any influence over the long-term future of your collection, lay the groundwork now. Educate your family about what you own. Ultimately you need to instil a love and respect for what you’ve accomplished, and make sure that they understand how important it is to you. Chisholm Gallery now offers handcrafted sterling silver and lead-free pewter polo and racing trophies, loving cups and derby bowls, wine coolers, fox and hound giftware and stirrup cups. All available with engraving; chisholmgallery.com
[[2C]]
T H A N K I N G E V E R Y B O DY W H O S U P P O R T E D T H E T E A M LO C A L LY A N D O U R S P O N S O R S C O R T I U M A N D R AV E N S B O U R N E
ACTION THE LATEST POLO ACTION FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Polito Pieres on Dun Urbano Rollinga having scored two decisive goals in the sixth chukka of the Gold Cup
LUISA SCAMMELL
THE ACTION 48
Gold Cup Cowdray Park saw a waterlogged ground that led to an unusually low-scoring – and close – final match
50
Queens Cup Dubai prove their high-rank position as they take the 2012 Cartier Queen’s Cup
52
Audi International Series This summer’s inaugural Audi International Series was played in three locations and saw some impressive home wins by the England team
56
Zimbabwe An exhibition match showcases the future and promise of polo in the country
61
Deauville Cup Herbert Spencer reports on the action at the Normandy seaside resort
57
Sotogrande Victor Vargas takes home the muchdeserved and hard-fought Gold Cup
62
French Open Blue skies and warm weather provided the perfect backdrop to a thrilling final in which the underdogs triumphed
58
Pacific Coast Open An illustrious Californian polo venue hosts an exciting final with skilful play
64
Malaysian League Great sportsmanship and the spirit of polo shines through at the RMPA International League finals, leading to a well-deserved title for Thai Polo
60
EFG International Historic Sandhurst hosts a new trophy
hurlinghampolo.com
47
ACTION VEUVE CLICQUOT GOLD CUP, COWDRAY PARK, WEST SUSSEX, JULY 2012
GOLD CUP Clare Milford Haven reports from a rainy Cowdray Park, where a waterlogged ground led to an unusually low-scoring, albeit close, final match
This year’s Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup draw made all the difference to the outcome of the tournament. With the 16 teams divided evenly into four leagues, it meant that there were definitely four games for each team to play and the introduction of a ‘penalty shoot-out’ for the last quarter-final place meant that there were no dead rubbers and every match was fiercely contested. From both the spectators’ and players’ point of view, this was a win-win situation all round. The penalty shoot-out added a whole new dimension of excitement to the tournament as even the world’s best players stumbled on converting 40-yard penalties as the pressure got to them. In fact the only negative aspect of the entire tournament was the constant and relentless rain
48
that did its level best to dampen the enthusiasm of even the heartiest of high-goal supporters. The semi-finals were no exception. Played out against a rainy backdrop of Ambersham rather than the traditional venue of Lawns, Adrian Kirby’s Cortium came up against Hanbury’s El Remanso in the final – the first time either team had ever made it to the British Open final. After Dubai’s easy victory over El Remanso in the Queen’s Cup semis, many were anticipating a Dubai v Sumaya final with Sumaya having successfully won all their Gold Cup league games. But things did not go according to plan and Adolfo Cambiaso only scored once for Dubai in their battle in the rain in the semis and Sumaya had their first mediocre game in weeks.
hurlinghampolo.com
For Cowdray members and Midhurst residents it was great to see a local team in this longanticipated final. Adrian Kirby had tried hard for six years to get to this point and it was not an easy journey. His main man, Jamie Huidobro, had fractured his collarbone over Jubilee weekend in a game leading up to a quarter-finals game of the Queen’s Cup and for a while it looked as if the team might be doomed. On the contrary, Cortium came out onto the field confidently and seemed to get off to a positive start with Huidobro scoring the first goal on the nearside having taken the ball all the way from the throw-in. But they then gave away two penalties in quick succession putting El Remanso into a 2-1 lead halfway through the
ACTION
TONY RAMIREZ/IMAGESOFPOLO.COM
Opposite Fran Elizalde (yellow) and Pelon Stirling race for the ball This page Guillermo Terrera leans out of the saddle for a nearside
first chukka. They were only saved by a further 30-yard penalty when Guillermo Terrera succeeded in putting it just wide. In the second chukka, it was El Remanso’s turn to make the majority of the fouls – firstly by sandwiching Polito Pieres resulting in an easy 40-yard hit to equalise at 2-2, and then a dangerous play by Pelon Stirling gave away another penalty three to take Cortium a goal ahead to 3-2 going into the third. What looked like a sure goal by Huidobro was miraculously cleared on the goal line by Stirling and then matched down the other hand by an equally impressive save by Huidobro in his goal mouth. Pieres then shot a hard, clean shot towards goal but the ball hit the post and bounced off wide. El Remanso finally managed to equalise with a 30-yard hit by Terrera, which only just rolled though. At half-time with only three goals apiece on the scoreboard – the unusually low scoring final was put down to the fact that the ground was cutting up badly – hardly surprising after two-and-a-half months of solid rain. A good tread in at half-time and the ground was well prepared for another three chukkas with Pieres converting two more penalties to keep Cortium in front at 5-4, although not without a spectacular cut shot through the goal by George Hanbury. Stirling, now on his handy grey pony, scored a wonderful field goal followed by a well-lofted 60-yard hit to take El Remanso back into the lead at 6-5. With the score and a penalty in their favour going into the fifth chukka, El Remanso came out confidently and a 40-yard hit by Stirling went neatly through the posts to take them two goals ahead at 7-5. What looked like another sure goal by George Hanbury just pipped the post and was backed out of danger by Kirby who then took the ball the whole way down the ground, narrowly missing making an epic goal. Francisco Elizalde made up for it by scoring his first goal of the day and then getting a foul in the front of the scoreboard to take them back to equal status at 7-7. But the goal of the day was yet to come from Charlie Hanbury whose backhand slice took El Remanso a goal ahead again going into the sixth and final chukka. Within seconds of coming back onto the field, Stirling cut a swathe through Cortium’s defence,
For Cowdray members and Midhurst residents it was great to see a local team in the final
scoring another excellent field goal to take his team two goals ahead to 9-7. Things were now looking dicey for Cortium but Pieres came out on his magnificent six-year-old stallion Rolinga and after converting an easy 30-yard penalty, he
succeeded in equalising the score at 9-9 with a fabulous field goal. The tension on the field was palpable through the stands, as El Remanso made a valiant effort to regain the lead again but Pieres was unstoppable and scored one final goal a minute before the end of the game to seal their place in history as the 2012 winners of the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup. Huidobro summed up their victory after the game: ‘I think we did well because we really played as a team, and, regardless of handicaps, everyone had a chance to make the difference. Adrian, in particular, was a strong team member. He is mounted well and was very fit this year. It makes a huge difference when you have a patron who plays well on his handicap.’ DVD available. View this match online at hurlinghampolo.com
hurlinghampolo.com
49
ACTION CARTIER QUEEN’S CUP, GUARDS POLO CLUB, WINDSOR, JUNE 2012
QUEEN’S CUP Dubai prove their high-rank position as they take the 2012 Cartier Queen’s Cup, reports Herbert Spencer
England’s first major high-goal final of the 2012 season was bound to be a very special occasion as the country celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of HM Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen was at Guards Polo Club to present her own polo cup. The red-coated band of the Welsh Guards provided musical accompaniment and HM the Sultan of Oman sent his Royal Cavalry and bagpipers to entertain a sell-out crowd of 5,000. The polo action in this Cartier Queen’s Cup finale lived up to the occasion, with undefeated newcomers Ayala pushing four-time winners Dubai right down to the wire in one of the most exiting finals of recent years. The game was tied no fewer than six times before 10-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso won it for Dubai 12-11 in the dying seconds of the final chukka. The Cartier Queen’s Cup at Guards in June was, as usual, a most cosmopolitan polo
50
competition, with amateurs and professionals from 14 countries including 20 of the top pros holding handicaps of 10, 9 and 8 goals. This year the 22-goal tournament was marked by the successes of newcomers among the 16 teams competing and the fall of old favourites that had won the tournament in previous years. For the first time, Karan Thapar’s EFG Bank Aravali and the Hanburys’ El Remanso made it through to the semi-finals before being knocked out by Ayala and Dubai. Iñigo Zobel, 55-year-old patron of the Ayala team, was a newcomer to English high goal. Hailing from the Philippines, he is the son of the late Enrique Zobel who started polo in Sotogrande. Iñigo now runs his own polo club, Ayala, near the Spanish resort and has won 20-goal tournaments at Santa Maria Polo Club. Ayala was the only team that came through the
hurlinghampolo.com
Cartier Queen’s Cup leagues and the quarterfinals and semi-finals undefeated. While Ali Albwardy’s Dubai had lost their first league match, they were veterans of the Queen’s Cup, having won it in 2010, 2006, 2005 and 2003, and so were the clear favourites. The horsepower brought to the final by both teams was impressive, although Dubai had a slight edge in strength of depth of their pony string. Three-quarters of the 43 ponies listed by Dubai were from Argentina. The majority of Ayala’s 36 ponies were from Australia and New Zealand. Dubai drew first blood with a spot penalty conversion by Ignacio Heguy in the first minute of the opening chukka. Ayala patron Zobel evened the score when he took a pass from 10-goaler Gonzalito Pieres to find the posts. Cambiaso retook the lead for Dubai before
ACTION
Opposite Nachi Heguy in front of the Cartier marquee. This page HM The Queen speaks with Jean-Paul Clarkin; the Royal Cavalry of Oman on parade
TONY RAMIREZ/IMAGESOFPOLO.COM
Dubai had a potential disaster at half-time, as Cambiaso had pulled a riding muscle
Ayala’s John Paul Clarkin tied it up again, 2-2, at the bell. Heguy restored Dubai’s lead a minute into the second chukka, scoring from a scrum. Ayala’s Clarkin immediately equalised with a breakaway field goal. Pieres broke clear and put Ayala ahead for the first time, but Cambiaso chipped in a goal to tie the game up again 4-4. Dubai recaptured the lead in the third period with a 30-yard penalty conversion by Heguy.
Cambiaso took the ball straight from the next throw-in and raced to goal to increase their advantage. Pieres pulled one back for Ayala with a penalty conversion at the bell and the first half ended with Dubai ahead 6-5. Dubai had a potential disaster threatening at half-time. ‘Aldolfo has a pulled riding muscle,’ confided worried team owner Ali Albwardy. ‘He’ll see how it goes in the next chukka, but he isn’t sure that he’ll be able to continue.’ But Cambiaso did ride on for another three chukkas. He found the posts a minute into the fourth period and in the second minute Heguy also scored, giving Dubai a three-point lead. Pieres pulled one back for Ayala with a spot-hit conversion before Cambiaso scored again at the bell to end the chukka 9-6 up. Ayala rallied strongly in the fifth chukka, outscoring Dubai with two field goals and two
penalty conversions by Pieres, while Cambiaso scored only once for Dubai. So the period ended with a 10-10 tie. A 60-yard penalty conversion by Pieres gave Ayala the lead at the start of the sixth and final chukka. Cambiaso equalised with a conversion. Cambiaso on his way to goal again when Ayala fouled after the first bell. Umpires awarded a 30-yard penalty, Cambiaso hit it in and the 2012 Cartier Queen’s Cup was Dubai’s. This was Dubai’s fifth Queen’s Cup win, but it was the eighth for Cambiaso, a record. The Queen presented the 10-goaler with the Most Valuable Player award, well deserved. After the match Cambiaso admitted he had been in pain from his pulled riding muscle ‘and I still am.’ But he was euphoric over Dubai’s victory. ‘Now for the Gold Cup,’ he said. ‘After today, we should be the only team without pressure.’ But that is another story. DVD available. View this match online at hurlinghampolo.com
hurlinghampolo.com
51
ACTION AUDI INTERNATIONAL POLO SERIES, BERKSHIRE, GLOUCESTERSHIRE AND CHESHIRE, JUNE-SEPTEMBER 2012
AUDI INTERNATIONAL SERIES Herbert Spencer reports from the inaugural Audi International Polo Series, which saw impressive wins from the home team
Audi England won two of the three test matches in the Hurlingham Polo Association’s new Audi International Polo Series this summer, a performance that was praised by Audi UK, who are sponsors of both the series and the national England team. The HPA has the only permanent national team organisation in polo, with a manager, chef d’equipe, coaches, trainers, and currently a squad of 11 seasoned professional players available for selection to play in international test matches at home and abroad. Audi UK has been the main sponsor of England in home tests for seven years. ‘It has been a highly rewarding first year for the Audi International Polo Series with impressive England victories and some remarkably skilful play,’ said Jon Zammett, head of PR for Audi UK. Audi UK has also been a sponsor of Pony Club Polo for two years and is the HPA’s most important corporate partner, from grassroots youth development to test matches at the top end of the sport.
52
AUDI INTERNATIONAL DAY
The HPA’s flagship event in the 2012 Audi International series was the association’s annual International Day held at Guards Polo Club in July. Audi UK has taken over this 41-year-old HPA event from long-time sponsor Cartier UK. Under Audi sponsorship, International Day this year took on more of the atmosphere of a major sports event rather than that of a social occasion as previously promoted by Cartier. In the main match on International Day, Audi England played Equus & Co South Africa for the 1911 Coronation Cup, defeating South Africa
International Day took on more of the atmosphere of a major sports event this year
hurlinghampolo.com
9-8 to retain the trophy for the third straight year. It was a close-run, however, with a seasoned England team prevailing over a young South African side only in the final seconds of the match. The action on the Queen’s Ground, on a hot and sunny day after weeks of rain, was fast and open. There were fewer umpires’ whistles than usual and only two of each team’s points were scored on penalty conversions. England were a 26-goal team with South Africa handicapped at 25, so the visitors started the match with a goal on the scoreboard. The visitors took the opening chukka 3-2, but the home team won the next 4-3. England held South Africa scoreless in the third period to take a 5-3 lead at half-time. The home side kept the lead 7-6 in the fourth chukka, but South Africa denied them any goals in the fifth and edged forward to tie the match 7-7. In the nail-biting sixth and final chukka, England skipper Luke Tomlinson converted a 30-yard penalty to retake the lead. South Africa equalised when Nachi du Plessis took the ball to goal and his brother Jean finished it off.
ACTION
TONY RAMIREZ/IMAGESOFPOLO.COM
Opposite James Harper, playing for England, chases Marcos Araya at Chester. This page Mark Tomlinson chats with Prince Philip at Guards; James Harper (in blue, playing for Metropolitan Commonwealth) and Tom Morley jostle for the ball at Beaufort Polo Club
As the clock ran down, it looked like the match would go into extra time. But in the last seconds, Audi England’s James Beim took a pass from Malcolm Borwick and found the posts to give the home team victory. In the morning match for the HPA’s new Diamond Jubilee Trophy, Howtospendit.com Hurlingham Young England, dominated Audi Prince of Wales Young Commonwealth 6-3½. HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, patron of the HPA, presented the prizes together with Audi UK’s Zammett and HPA chairman Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers. Audi England captain Luke Tomlinson took honours as Most Valuable Player for the Coronation Cup and James Beim’s Australian gelding Yacht was named Best Playing Pony.
BEAUFORT POLO CLUB
In June, Metropolitan Commonwealth beat Audi England 7-5 in the first Audi International series at Beaufort Polo Club in Gloucestershire.
The Commonwealth side was comprised of two Australians, a South African and an Englishman, sponsored by the Hong Kong-based Goldin Group’s Metropolitan Polo Club in Tianjin, China. The weather for this test was atrocious. The rain-soaked Beaufort ground cut up badly, making accurate hitting difficult for both teams, and there were downpours and blustery winds during the game. The Commonwealth dominated the fivechukka match, keeping the lead throughout. They held England scoreless in the opening period to take a 2-0 lead and were 4-3 up in the second period. Neither team scored in the third chukka, but the Commonwealth built a 6-3 advantage in the fourth. England rallied to outscore their opponents in the final period, but too late to prevent the Commonwealth’s 7-5 victory at the final bell. The Commonwealth’s Rob Archibald was named Most Valuable Player and Mark Tomlinson of England’s ex-racehorse Abba took home the Best Playing Pony award.
The weather for the Beaufort test was atrocious with downpours and blustery winds
DVD available. View this match online at hurlinghampolo.com
hurlinghampolo.com
53
ACTION AUDI INTERNATIONAL POLO SERIES, BERKSHIRE, GLOUCESTERSHIRE AND CHESHIRE, JUNE-SEPTEMBER 2012
Above James Beim (in white and red) and Chris Mackenzie on the ball Below Ignatius du Plessis stretches to hook James Beim at Guards
54
hurlinghampolo.com
ACTION
Guillermo Cuitino, stick raised, in front of the starting gate at Chester
TONY RAMIREZ/IMAGESOFPOLO.COM
CHESTER RACECOURSE POLO CLUB
The Audi England team defeated an allArgentine Veuve Clicquot South America team 8½-8 at Chester Racecourse Polo Club, Cheshire, in September. This was the third and last test of the HPA’s 2012 Audi International Polo Series and also the first time that an international match has ever been held in the north of England. Chester Racecourse is the oldest horseracing venue in the country still in use, the first race in Chester having been run in 1539. Its current chief executive, Richard Thomas, is a 0-goal polo player and chairman of the polo club based at the historic track. Chester provided a superb venue for the last test of the season. The racecourse is overlooked by Chester’s ancient Roman wall and is just a short walk from the centre of the city. The polo club’s main ground is in the centre of the mile-
and-a-furlong racetrack, with a large hospitality marquee and viewing terrace for spectators. South America were a 24-goal team with England rated 23-goals, so the home side started the match with a point on the scoreboard. The Argentine foursome denied England any goals in the opening chukka and took the lead, keeping it in the second and third periods. The home team rallied to go in front 5½-5 in the fourth chukka. The fifth and final period was a cliffhanger with scoring equal. South America briefly retook the lead with a field goal by Marcos Araya, but James Beim put England ahead again with a field goal and, in the final minute, a penalty conversion. Pepe Araya scored one for South America just before the final bell, leaving Audi England the winners. Marcos Araya was most valuable player of the test and his mount Cocaine was awarded Best Playing Pony.
The fifth and final period was a cliffhanger with scoring equal
DVD available. View this match online at hurlinghampolo.com
hurlinghampolo.com
55
ACTION INTERNATIONAL OPEN, HARARE, ZIMBABWE, SEPTEMBER 2012
ZIMBABWE An exhilarating exhibition match showed that polo is on the rise in Zimbabwe and also that the country is open for business, writes Muzi Dube
Zimbabwe is a nation with a long history of polo and the game has been played here since the late 19th century. The past few years have seen player numbers dip and clubs close, however, a dedicated few remain and now, as the country starts its slow climb out of the economic doldrums, Zimbabwe polo seems to have taken on a new lease on life. After a wonderful schoolboys tour to England in 2011, the Polo Association of Zimbabwe invited an HPA-accredited team to tour the country and take part in an international exhibition match against a Zimbabwean Development team. We welcomed with great anticipation the Young England team, under the captaincy of Bobby Melville to our country on 2 September. This was to mark the beginning of a great week of festivities and exhibition polo that saw the team tour Harare, Victoria Falls, Marondera and Bromely. On Saturday and Sunday the Young England team were mixed into teams playing in the historic Carnival Cup, allowing players to test their loaned horses for the international test match the following weekend and also get to know the local game. The following week saw a plethora of travel that included a scenic flight to the famous Victoria Falls, a walk with the lions at a private lodge outside Harare, and an evening at the impressive Sambok Farm, owned by Johnny and Hillary
56
Cheers from the crowd were more attune to a football match than polo
Campbell, whose Sambok polo team won the Zimbabwe Open in 2012. On Saturday 8 September the English team (in white, above) of Bobby Melville, Alexander Mains, Rupert Lewis and Oliver Powell lined up against (in red) David Meikle (captain), Smart Kusiwa, Thomas Wood and Gary Aitchison. Shortly after the first throw-in, Smart ran the ball through the goals for the first score of the day. England fought back and the lead continually changed throughout the next two chukkas. The fourth chukka proved to be the turning point when Rupert hit an incredible under-the-neck shot that flew through the goals. The final score came to 9–7 to England, and most people left saying that as England were now used to their ponies, Sunday was going to be a rout. On Sunday, excitement gradually crept in and when, at the first throw-in, Zimbabwe took the ball and scored immediately, the cheers from the crowd
hurlinghampolo.com
were more attune to a football match than polo. The rout predicted by many was soon forgotten as Zimbabwe stepped up their game. In order to win the International, Zimbabwe had to win by three goals or more and as they came cantering out for the fifth chukka the scores were equal. The fast and furious nature of the match continued and as the match drew to a close, Zim had a narrow one-goal lead. Seconds from the final bell, Zimbabwe was awarded a penalty four and Captain Meikle knocked the ball through the posts. By the rules, a sudden-death 30 seconds was to be played and if no result was achieved a penalty shootout was to take place. However, in a display of wonderful sportsmanship, camaraderie and respect for the ponies, both captains agreed to a draw. The 2012 International Open was a showcase for our country, one that illustrated that not only is our country open for business but most importantly, as a nation, we remain among the top hosts in both Southern and wider Africa. Thanks must be extended to all our partners namely Premier Auto Services; chair of the Polo Association of Zimbabwe, Grant Flanagan; Bushman Rock Safaris and its chairman of the board Mr A Gwaradzimba; Charlotte Haggie of our adopted charity, the Projects Foundation; and last but not least, Jane and Michelle from A-squared.
GERALD MASHONGA
From left Bobby Melville, Davey Meikle and Alex Mains
ACTION NESPRESSO GOLD CUP, SOTOGRANDE, SPAIN, AUGUST 2012
Santiago Stirling (left) and Rodrigo Rueda Jr
SOTOGRANDE
TONY RAMIREZ/IMAGESOFPOLO.COM
A jubilant Victor Vargas takes home, finally, a hard-fought Gold Cup, reports Herbert Spencer
When Venezuelan banker Victor Vargas’s sleek, 190ft yacht Ronin steamed into port at Sotogrande on Spain’s Costa del Sol in August, it was not just on a pleasure cruise seeking the sun, sea and sand of the famous Andalusian resort. Instead Vargas, one of polo’s most prominent and successful amateur players and team patrons, had sailed in to prospect for gold: the high-goal Gold Cup at Sotogrande’s Santa Maria Polo Club. In previous years the Venezuelan’s Lechuza Caracas team had won top tournaments on both sides of the Atlantic including the British Open and the US Open. Vargas had played at Sotogrande before, winning trophies including the Silver Cup, but the 20-goal Gold Cup at Santa Maria had eluded him. This year Lechuza Caracas finally struck gold, decisively defeating Dos Lunas-Hublot 12-8 in a hard-fought final for the Nespresso Gold Cup, the top prize in Santa Maria’s 41st International BMW Tournament season. There were seven high-goal teams competing at Santa Maria this season. Playing with
1-goaler Vargas on his Lechuza Caracas team were the 10-goal Argentine Juan Martin Nero and two talented Uruguayans, 6-goaler Alejo Taranco and 3-goaler Santiago Sterling. Facing them in the Gold Cup final were Dos LunasHublot, consisting of Luis Domecq, handicap 1; Diego Cavanagh, 7; Rodrigo Rueda Jr, 6; and Pascual Sainz de Vicuña, 6. Lechuza Caracas got off to a disappointing start in the first chukkas of the final. Dos LunasHublot won the opening chukka 2-1 and held Lechuza Caracas scoreless in the second period as they increased their lead to 4-1. But then Vargas’s squad rallied strongly in the third chukka, holding their opponents to a single goal and finding the posts four times to tie up the match 5-5 at half-time. The second half went all Lechuza Caracas’s way. They took the lead for the first time in the fourth chukka, ending it 7-6 in front. Holding Dos Lunas-Hublot to a single goal in each of the last two periods, they increased their lead to 10-7 in the fifth chukka and finished the final with a solid 12-8 victory.
Princess Beatrice d’Orleans presented the Gold Cup to a jubilant Vargas. Lechuza Caracas’s Juan Martin Nero was named Most Valuable Player of the final and Reebock, played by Nero, was Best Playing Pony. In the earlier high-goal Hublot Silver Cup final at Santa Maria, Vargas’s Lechuza Caracas lost by a single goal to Ayala, a home team fielded by the Philippine’s Iñigo Zobel, son of the late Enrique Zobel who started polo at Sotogrande. After losing the opening chukka to Ayala, Lechuza Caracas held them scoreless for the next two periods to finish 3-1 up at half-time. But Ayala bounced back in the fourth period to tie the match 3-3, then went on to deny Lechuza Caracas any goals in the fifth and take the lead 5-3. At the final bell Ayala claimed the Silver Cup, winning 7-6. But never mind the silverware, because when Vargas’s yacht Ronin steamed out of Sotogrande’s beautiful port, there was Lechuza Caracas gold in the hold – and Vargas was back on top of the World Polo Tour rankings as the leading amateur player. DVD available. View this match online at hurlinghampolo.com
hurlinghampolo.com
57
ACTION BOMBARDIER PACIFIC COAST OPEN, SANTA BARBARA POLO CLUB, CALIFORNIA, AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2012
PACIFIC COAST OPEN Skilled play and thrilling stickwork made for a superb event that culminated in an exciting final at this illustrious Californian polo venue, writes Paige Beard The Bombardier Pacific Coast Open is one of the oldest and most coveted polo trophies in the world. It is the pinnacle of the Santa Barbara high-goal season with all pros and patrons aspiring to have their names emblazoned on one of the most beautiful polo trophies in the world, alongside many polo legends. To kick off the tournament, the Bombardier Pacific Coast Open High Goal Challenge Matches were played to accommodate all the
58
patrons and professionals in Santa Barbara (participating in either the high-goal season or the outside league play at the newly formed clubs). It had been over 20 years since this level of play graced any fields in Southern California. Sunday 20 August saw some exciting action with The Patrons Match (played at the 7 to 10 goal level) followed by an All Pro 30-goal match. The 30-goal match saw teams battling for victory in the highest rated game in the nation for
hurlinghampolo.com
the year. Learjet – comprised of Sugar Erskine, Hilario Ulloa, Adam Snow and Mike Azzaro – took on Challenger with Pablo Spinacci, Lucas Criado, Paco De Narvaez and Luis Escobar. This game was a story of two very different halves. In the first half Challenger was on fire and was able to fly out to a 7–1 lead thanks to great penalty shooting from Luis Escobar. Then in the second half just as everyone was ready to head for the exits, Learjet turned up the
ACTION
DAVID LOMINSKA
Opposite Adolfo Cambiaso (in white) with Jeff Hall This page Adolfo scores with Polito Pieres on his hip
pressure, outscoring Challenger 6-2 and making a formidable comeback thanks to five goals from Hilario Ulloa. Unfortunately for Learjet and all of the fans cheering them on, the clock ran out on their comeback and they lost by a score of 7-9. The most valuable player of this all-pro match was Challenger’s Luis Escobar. The first week of the Bombardier Pacific Coast Open matches began on 19 August and the finals were played on 2 September. Competition between the four teams was fierce, with some very close games leading up to the final. The four teams were John Muse’s Lucchese, Ben Soleimani’s Mansour, club president Dan Walker and Henry Walker’s Farmers & Merchants Bank and Andy Busch’s local team, Grant’s Farm. The semi-finals of the BPCO were held on Thursday 30 August, however, since both Grant’s Farm and Lucchese had winning records the final two teams were already determined and it would be Grant’s Farm taking on Lucchese in one of the most exciting PCO finals to date. Saturday 1 September saw the match-up of Farmers & Merchants Bank and Mansour
A crowd of close to 4,000 people were treated to a spectacular game
battling it out for the Western Badge and Trophy Consolation Finals. Mansour took home the title with a win of 12-9. Santiago von Wernich was crowned MVP and Lucas Criado’s Big Bertha took the Best Playing Pony Award. The most extraordinary party of the season, and possibly even the entire year, kicked off on Saturday night. Scott Wood hosted the event and was instrumental in bringing all of the polo community together to celebrate the club and potential for the outside league of players to join with the club for the 2013 season. The final of the BPCO took place on Sunday 2 September, and a crowd of close to 4,000 people was treated to a spectacular game.
Grant’s Farm was ahead by six goals going into the fifth chukka 14-8 and Jeff Hall could do no wrong. However, Lucchese made a fantastic comeback with three unanswered goals in the fifth, two from Santi Torres and one from Andres Weisz. They then continued to steamroll ahead in the sixth chukka with four more straight goals, two from Torres and two from Cambiaso to take the lead 15-14. Lucchese looked set for victory, however, with less than a minute left in regulation play, Polito Pieres fired the ball through the posts to equal out the score, 15-15. The game went into sudden death overtime, during which Cambiaso took the opening throw-in and raced 150 yards down the field to score the winning goal with a final score of 16-15. Lucchese won its third Bombardier Pacific Coast Open Final in a row. Adolfo was crowned MVP of the game and local superstar Santi Torres was granted The Robert Skene Memorial Season MVP award while Adolfo’s Noriega, played by Santi Torres, was awarded Best Playing Pony. View this match online at hurlinghampolo.com and uspolotv.com
hurlinghampolo.com
59
ACTION EFG INTERNATIONAL BICENTENNIAL TROPHY, ROYAL MILITARY ACADEMY, SANDHURST, AUGUST 2012
EFG BICENTENNIAL Dara Williams reports from the inaugural EFG Bicentennial Trophy Day at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The day was rounded off with a champagne reception on the steps of the Old College
Cadet Jess Wood – saw the difference reduced although by the start of the final chukka Cambridge were still ahead, 5½-4. With two minutes gone, Officer Cadet Cameron Bacon scored for Young
60
Cambridge University vs Hackett Young Army (in red) in front of Old College
Army, returning the Cambridge advantage to half a goal. There were seconds left to play as Brown went for a 30-yard penalty shot, but his ball hit the post. He just had time for another chance, and Cambridge rode out victorious, 6½-5. The second game of the afternoon was for the Bicentennial Trophy, which saw Cambridge Alumni Select play against British Army Select. Browne was back on the field, substituting for Robert Freeman-Kerr in the Cambridge squad, captained by Dean Lines. The opposition were led by Army team coach, Gaston Devrient. Also in the Army line-up was Robert Mehm of EFG Bank, a popular, well-known figure on international polo fields. The Army livery of blue with a yellow cross comes from from a 4th Hussars Crossbelts team of the 1890s, for which Winston Churchill played as a subaltern. The green collar denotes the Irish origins of the 8th Hussars, now part of the amalgamated Queen’s Royal Hussars. Devrient opened the scoring in the first chukka with two quick goals. He was answered by Lines with two goals for Cambridge, who had again
hurlinghampolo.com
received a half-goal on handicap. By treading-in time, Cambridge led 4½-3. Cambridge’s Tobi Edun scored the only goal of the penultimate chukka, a 60-yard penalty try from Devrient having gone wide. Early in the final chukka, Selfe scored for Army with a field goal, but this was the last goal of the match, Cambridge again emerging the winners, 5½-4. EFG’s Gapp handed the GH Mumm’s Polo Cup to Browne for the Varsity team, and gifts to all his fellow players. Browne was also named MVP. Major General Tim Evans, commandant of Sandhurst, presented Lines with the Bicentennial Trophy. The plinth of the trophy was made in India in 1934 by the 38/39th Central India Horse, a well-known polo regiment of the time and winners of the Indian Inter-Regimental on five occasions. The day was rounded off with a champagne reception on the steps of Old College and in the Indian Army Memorial Room, to the sound of the combined band of the Royal Logistic Corps and the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. The commentator for both games was Simon Ledger, chairman of the Army Polo Association.
PETER MEADE
Two hundred years of history at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst was celebrated in early August with the inaugural EFG International Bicentennial Trophy. Well known for its support of polo around the world, EFG also sponsors the Cambridge University Polo Club, members of which rode out the winners in both matches of the day. Although polo had been played at Sandhurst, and nearby Aldershot Camp, for much of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the game eventually became based at Tidworth in Wiltshire. It was not until 1998 that the commandant, Major General Arthur Denaro, oversaw a revival at Sandhurst, with the Round Ground being created in front of New College. The EFG Bicentennial Trophy Day started with a champagne reception and luncheon, hosted by Keith Gapp, head of strategic marketing and communications for EFG International. The first, four-chukka game was then played, for the GH Mumm’s Polo Cup, between Cambridge Varsity, captained by Sam Browne, and Hackett Young Army, led by Lieutenant Doug White of the Queen’s Royal Hussars. At the age of 21, Browne was the youngest player on the field but has already made a name in polo by scoring eight of Cambridge’s goals in this year’s Varsity Match. The light blues’ 13-2 defeat of Oxford was a rare occasion in the long history of that tournament. At Sandhurst, Cambridge received a half-goal on handicap and at half-time led by 3½-3. They took a real lead in the second half, however, with Browne scoring twice, including a 60-yard penalty conversion. Excellent teamwork by Young Army – whose ranks included the only lady player, Officer
ACTION DEAUVILLE POLO CUP, NORMANDY, FRANCE, JULY-AUGUST 2012
Left Team Richard Mille with the Gold Cup. Right Luke Tomlinson (left) in action during the 17-goal Silver Cup
DEAUVILLE CUP RICHARD MILLE, PASCAL RENAULDON, R&B PRESSE
Herbert Spencer reports from the gripping Gold Cup final and the season-ending Silver Cup
Polo in France’s Normandy seaside resort of Deauville got a big boost this summer with the Deauville International Polo Club raising the handicap level of its Gold Cup tournament from 20 to 22-goals. The 105-year-old club now outranks its much younger Continental rival, Spain’s Santa Maria Polo Club in Sotogrande, in the handicap stakes, as Santa Maria’s Gold Cup is still pegged at 20-goals. Deauville’s higher-rated tournament and the resort’s luxury hotels, casino, horse racing and thoroughbred yearling sales enticed one of Sotogrande’s most prominent regulars to compete in France rather than Spain this August. HRH Prince Bahar Jefri of Brunei brought his Richard Mille team – spearheaded by 10-goaler Pablo MacDonough – north to play in Normandy. In the final of the Lucien Barrière Gold Cup, Richard Mille were faced with titleholders Royal Barrière, fielded by Frenchman André Fabre. Fabre, 66, a former champion jump jockey, is one of the world’s most successful trainers of thoroughbreds. Last year the Fabre-trained horse Pour Moi won England’s Epsom Derby. Richard Mille won all their Gold Cup league
games save one, which they lost to Royal Barrière 17-16. Then, playing on the club’s main ground, the two teams treated spectators to one of the hardest fought finals of recent years. The lead changed repeatedly and the match went into extra time before Richard Mille finally won 15-14. Prince Bahar’s foursome drew first blood in the opening chukka, winning 3-2. Richard Mille maintained the lead in the second, 5-4, but by half-time Royal Barrière had drawn even 7-7. England’s Ollie Cudmore scored Richard Mille’s only goal in the fourth period as Royal Barrière’s Facundo Sola found the posts three times in a row to put his team ahead 10-8. Royal Barrière increased their lead in the fifth chukka before Richard Mille’s Guillermo Willington scored three goals to equalise. Fabre’s side briefly took the advantage, but Willington converted a penalty to tie 12-12. In the final chukka of regulation time, Richard Mille took the lead again with two penalty goals by MacDonough. Royal Barrière responded with two penalty conversions by Sola, tying the match 14-14 and pushing it into extra time. It was Willington who scored the golden goal for
hurlinghampolo.com
Richard Mille in the seventh chukka, converting a 60-yard penalty shot to secure the Gold Cup. Pablo MacDonough was named MVP of the Gold Cup final and Willington’s mare Fernanda was best playing pony. Willington was top scorer in the tournament with 37 goals and Prince Bahar was top amateur scorer with 8. The Deauville season concluded with the 17-goal Silver Cup. In the final, Frenchman Patrick Eisenchteter’s Mungo met Jean Marc Tyberg of Luxembourg’s Blackstorm. Mungo’s players were all European, with England’s Tomlinson brothers, Luke and Mark, and France’s Thibault Guillemin as the pros. Blackstorm dominated Mungo for the first three of five chukkas but Mungo rallied strongly, holding Blackstorm scoreless for the last two periods to take the lead and win the cup 8-4½. Luke Tomlinson was MVP and his mare Maria was best playing pony. Facundo Sola was top tournament scorer with 25 goals. ‘Our 2012 season went very well,’ said the Deauville club’s president, Philippe Bouchara. ‘In 2013 we may look to extending our August season back into July and forward into September.’
61
ACTION FRENCH OPEN, POLO CLUB DE DOMAINE DE CHANTILLY, FRANCE, SEPTEMBER 2012
FRENCH OPEN Blue skies and warm weather provided the perfect backdrop to a thrilling final in which the underdogs triumphed, writes Melanie Vere Nicoll unanswered goals achieved with passing that reflected their five weeks of playing together. The overall sentiment expressed by many players during the tournament was that it was a great success. Shortly after the match James Beim commented, ‘I really loved playing here. The best thing about the club is the fields. They are dead flat with a lot of sand and have had a lot of money put into them. We came into this tournament as the underdogs but we have been together for five weeks now and practising in Deauville really helped.’ Beim further stated that
Pancho Bensadón on the ball with James Beim in close pursuit
Under crystal blue skies and temperatures that held a mere suggestion of autumn’s arrival, the final of the French Open 2012 was played at the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly in front of a crowd of enthusiastic and knowlegeable supporters. The final score of 14–9 did not fairly reflect the thrilling, close match that saw French patron André Fabre’s In The Wings take on JeanChristophe David’s Body Minute, who came into the match as the underdogs. In a fast, open game, Pancho Bensadón (9 goals) went head-to-head with James Beim playing superbly off his 7 goals and triumphing comfortably with four unanswered goals in the final chukka. The match was played a day early and on a secondary field to accomodate patron
62
Fabre – one of France’s leading racehorse trainers – who had a number of horses running on Sunday to qualify for the Arc. The start of the match saw In The Wings jump to a two-goal lead before Body Minute executed it’s game plan of drawing Pancho Bensadón to the ball and then hitting it away from him. This resulted in a half time score of 8-4 to Body Minute. The match also saw several goals scored by young French player Edouard Pan from outside the 60-yard line. Bensadón made several skilled runs on goal resulting in a tight score of 10-9 at the end of the fourth chukka. However, at the start of the fifth and final chukka In the Wings had the chance to tie the match with a penalty shot which went wide, allowing Body Minute the four
hurlinghampolo.com
he was happy for his team mate Edouard Pan who has just gone up in handicap to 4 and further paid tribute to his patron, commenting that, ‘Jean-Christophe David did everything right with excellent rented horses and strategic planning.’ Also worth noting was the fine play by Tommy Reinoso, who has found himself in the final for the past three years in a row and was finally able to hold up the impressive trophy. In addition to the 16-goal French Open, the season ended with the Open de France Féminin which saw eight 8-12 goal teams – including top female player Lia Salvo – compete for the Chopard-sponsored ladies trophy. Patrick Guerrand-Hermès who founded the Chantilly Polo Club in 1996 has now fully realised his vision of a vibrant centre for polo. Set in 220 hectares at the heart of the forêt domaniale du Château de Chantilly, the club is only 30 minutes by train from the centre of Paris and even closer to Charles de Gaulle. Perhaps not suprisingly – given its location – the Club has an air of easy elegance which is reflected not only by the spectators but also by the high standards and sportsmanship on the field for which polo has been historically known. All in all, Chantilly is a European club to watch and one which is positioned to become an increasingly popular destination for discerning polo players and fans alike.
R&B PRESSE/P.RENAULDON
The best thing about the club is the fields. They are dead flat and have had a lot of money put into them
ACTION ROYAL MALAYSIAN POLO ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE 2012, THAILAND AND MALAYSIA
RMPA INTERNATIONAL Great sportsmanship and the spirit of polo shines through at the RMPA International League finals, leading to a well-deserved title for Thai Polo, writes Peter Abisheganaden
When Thai Polo lost a crucial semi-final in the Royal Malaysian Polo Association’s (RMPA) International League final in June, they thought they had blown their chance of winning the league. Their fate was in the hands of two Royal Pahang teams – the famous Royal Pahang Polo Club, and their second team, KotaSAS. The two Royal Pahang teams would meet in the final. Cynics assumed royal orders would be issued and Royal Pahang would win the match, and with it, the 2012 league title. Thai Polo needed a KotaSAS victory for them to win the 2012 RMPA International League, which takes the results of four tournaments and awards points according to each team’s finish at those tournaments. But first, however, Thai Polo had to overcome Jogo Polo in their match for third place in the
64
tournament. Even though they triumphed with a goal in the final seconds, they did not celebrate, thinking their league fate was sealed. Back at the International League final, it was unspoken but assumed that KotaSAS, led by HRH Tengku Abdullah’s son Tengku Amir, would concede, allowing Royal Pahang Polo Club to win the match, and with it, the 2012 league title. To his credit, however, HRH Crown Prince Abdullah Shah refused to give that order. The Prince was adamant that KotaSAS be given a fair chance to win the final, knowing that Thai Polo would then go on to win the league if that happened. It was a great act of sportsmanship, done in the spirit of polo. Royal Pahang, with Gaston Moore and Tomas Gandara, led early in the match. HRH Prince Abdullah played a leading role while he was on
hurlinghampolo.com
the field. It was a full-blooded match with plenty of fierce contact, such that the Prince went out with a cracked rib after two chukkas. He was replaced by Dato’ Mohamed Moiz. It was not until the final chukka that Manuel Crespo and KotaSAS clawed back Royal Pahang’s lead, to win the league final 8-7, handing the league title to Dato’ Harald Link’s Thai Polo. After six months of play, taking part in four tournaments in two countries, Thai Polo won the RMPA International League by just half a point. The RMPA Polo Leagues were started in 2005 by the RMPA, after many years of planning. The first International League event, the Cartier International, was a 13- to 16-goal tournament, and three teams took part in the first tournament: Royal Pahang Polo Club, Royal Selangor Polo Club (Ranhill) and Singapore Polo Club. By the time that
ARMAND ALI
ACTION
the league held its final that year, there were a total of five teams in the International League. As the league concept caught fire, other divisions were added. Today the RMPA Polo League consists of four leagues: the International League (14 to 16 goals), National League 1 (6 to 8 goals), National League 2 (4 to 6 goals) and Merdeka League (0 to 2 goals). This year saw 29 teams from three countries – Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia – participate in the 2012 league. Seven 14-goal teams played in the International League, which comprised of four tournaments, starting in January at the Thai Polo Open at the Thai Polo & Equestrian Club in Pattaya, Thailand. The Malaysian tournaments were the Royal Pahang Classic in April, the Royal Pahang International in May, and the RMPA International at the end of May to early June. It was a very close season that saw different winners in each of the league’s tournaments. Thai Polo made it to three finals this year. The first was their home tournament, the Thai Polo Open in January, against La Sarita, and which they lost in amazing circumstances. Awarded an undefended 30-yarder with just nine seconds left on the clock, had Lucas Labat scored the penalty it would have all been over. But in a finish that defied belief, Labat’s ball deflected off a divot and onto the goalpost, refusing to go in.
The team then qualified in April to play Jogo Polo in the final of the Royal Pahang Classic – a match that was ultimately rained off and points were shared. In the Royal Pahang International, Thai Polo again qualified for the final. This time they met a resurgent Royal Pahang who defeated them 4-2, setting the stage for the dramatic league final. It was a consistent season for Thai Polo, finishing with the best record of nine wins in their 15 competitive matches. Thai Polo won the 2012 RMPA International League without actually winning a tournament outright. In this final, action-packed match, Link, who was watching from the sidelines, his fate in Royal Pahang’s hands, must have thought he would never win the RMPA International League. Twice before, Thai Polo had been the best team but had not won. So needless to say he was overjoyed and ecstatic upon KotaSAS’s victory, and his taking of the RMPA International League title for the first time. ‘The leadership of Prince Abdullah is extraordinary,’ he said. ‘He showed it again today in his sportsmanship. It’s a great day for Thai Polo, but also for Malaysian polo, which has shown to be extraordinarily fair.’ Prince Abdullah Shah, also president of the RMPA, was gracious in defeat, adding, ‘Congratulations to Dato’ Harald Link and Thai Polo. They were the most consistent team over the whole season. They deserved to win the league.’
hurlinghampolo.com
It was a consistent season for Thai Polo, with the best record of nine wins in 15 matches
Opposite A victorious Thai Polo (left to right) Raul Laplacette, Carlos Pando, Dato’ Harald Link and Julian Sagarna. This page, from left HRH Crown Prince Abdullah Shah, captain of the Royal Pahang team; Thai Polo vs KotaSAS (left to right), Carlos Pando, Ali Mazlan, Julian Sagarna and Pablo Jaureteche
65
ARCHIVE
THE WIZARD OF OZ The lyrics for ‘Waltzing Matilda’, Australia’s ‘unofficial’ national anthem, came from the prolific pen of Aussie bush poet Andrew Barton ‘Banjo’ Paterson (1864-1941). Less well known by the general public but much loved by the polo fraternity Down Under is a poem Paterson penned in 1893, two years before ‘Waltzing Matilda’: ‘The Geebung Polo Club’. In his time Paterson was considered second only in popularity to Rudyard Kipling among living poets writing in English. Although he spent most of his life in the city as a lawyer, journalist and scholar, his poetry was written in the idiom of the rough, tough life of the outback. Born and raised in remote rural areas of New South Wales, Paterson spent his childhood watching hard-riding horsemen rounding up livestock, competing in country races and playing polo. He learned to ride and developed a lifelong love for horses that inspired much of his verse. His nickname came from his early publishing nom de plume, ‘The Banjo’, the name of a country racehorse owned by his father. Paterson moved to Sydney to complete his education and became a lawyer, soldier, journalist and foreign correspondent, covering the Boer War and China just after the Boxer Rebellion. But his heart remained in the bush and his muse was the rugged up-country life of fellow Australians. As an avid horseman, Banjo played polo at the Cooma Polo Club, was an amateur jockey in country races and rode to hounds with the Sydney Hunt Club. During World War I, after being wounded in the Middle East, he returned to duty as a major commanding the Australian Remount Squadron. Banjo’s best-known works are ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and ‘The Man from Snowy River’, a heroic tale of a bush rider who goes after,
66
It was somewhere up the country, in a land of rock and scrub, That they formed an institution called the Geebung Polo Club. They were long and wiry natives from the rugged mountainside, And the horse was never saddled that the Geebungs couldn’t ride; But their style of playing polo was irregular and rash They had mighty little science, but a mighty lot of dash: And they played on mountain ponies that were muscular and strong, Though their coats were quite unpolished, and their manes and tails were long. And they used to train those ponies wheeling cattle in the scrub: They were demons, were the members of the Geebung Polo Club. It was somewhere down the country, in a city’s smoke and steam, That a polo club existed, called ‘The Cuff and Collar Team’. As a social institution ‘twas a marvellous success, For the members were distinguished by exclusiveness and dress. They had natty little ponies that were nice, and smooth, and sleek, For their cultivated owners only rode ’em once a week. So they started up the country in pursuit of sport and fame, For they meant to show the Geebungs how they ought to play the game; And they took their valets with them - just to give their boots a rub Ere they started operations on the Geebung Polo Club.
‘The Geebung Polo Club’ Banjo Paterson, 1893
hurlinghampolo.com
and captures, a prize thoroughbred colt running in the hills with a mob of brumbies (wild horses). Paterson and the ‘Snowy River’ saga are memorialised on the face of today’s Australian $10 note, above. ‘The Geebung Polo Club’ is a fanciful tale that illustrated the difference between the two styles of polo prevalent in 19th-century Australia, that of rugged outback players and their more polished city cousins. This contrast is described in the first two verses of the poem, left. The poem goes on to describe an epic encounter between the Geebung players and the Cuff and Collar boys, so fierce that ‘a spectator’s leg was broken – just from merely looking on…’ As the battle rages, one player after another killed with neither side gaining the advantage. With all the players dead or dying and the score tied, the Geebung captain ‘scrambled on his pony for his last expiring chance, For he meant to make an effort to get victory to his side; So he struck at goal – and missed it – then he tumbled off and died.’ ‘The Geebung Polo Club’ concludes with ghosts of the Geebung and Cuff and Collar players, said to lie buried by the Campaspe River, frightening passing horsemen ‘Till the terrified spectator rides like blazes to the pub – He’s been haunted by the spectres of the Geebung Polo Club.’ Today, in the high-country town of Dinner Plain, Victoria, there is an annual Easter re-enactment of that legendary game. The ‘city slickers’ are dressed in proper polo kit, while the cattlemen’s team representing Geebung wear typical stockmen’s gear with blue jeans and wide-brimmed hats. Competition is fierce, but without the fatal consequences described in Banjo Paterson’s poem.
ALAMY
‘Waltzing Matilda’ lyricist Andrew Barton ‘Banjo’ Paterson wrote a popular poem about an epic polo match that is still re-enacted today, writes Herbert Spencer
TRIPLE CROWN CUSTOM BESPOKE TEAM SHIRT DESIGNS
MAXIMIZE YOUR VISUAL IMPACT!
Custom
TRIPLE CROWN DON’T LEAVE IT UNTIL NEXT SEASON, GET READY NOW! Off season and introductory rates Contact Ronan: +353 42 9389039 ronan.halpenny@horseware.com Triple Crown Custom a division of Horseware®
MEMORABLE PRIZE RUGS THE ONLY LIMIT IS YOUR IMAGINATION! DESIGN CONSULTATION AVAILABLE
Reem Acra NEW YORK
L’ÈVÈNEMENT CHEVAL
TripleCrownCustom.co.uk
