15 May 2013

 

WORLD-CLASS TEAMS TO PLAY IN CARTIER

QUEEN’S CUP AT GUARDS POLO CLUB

Sixteen squads enter this leading high-goal competition

Sixteen high-goal teams will play in The Cartier Queen’s Cup competition in 2013. The world’s greatest players, including 10 goalers Adolfo Cambiaso, Gonzalo and Facundo Pieres, Juan Martin Nero, Pablo MacDonough, David Stirling and Guillermo Caset, will be in action at Guards Polo Club over the next three weeks, playing at the top of their game to ensure that it is their patron who steps forward to receive the historic silver Queen’s Cup from HM The Queen.

This world-class competition will, once again, be sponsored by Cartier, the “King of Jewellers”. Cartier has a long-standing tradition of supporting polo around the globe, including 27 wonderful years of sponsoring polo through the Cartier International Day at Guards Polo Club. It has also created impressive International Polo Days, in conjunction with Guards Polo Club, in both Dubai and China.

The President’s Draw for the Cartier Queen’s Cup was held at Cartier’s New Bond Street maison on 14 May and many patrons and professionals attended eager to discover their opposition in this year’s tournament. Although the current holders of The Cartier Queen’s Cup, Dubai team defending their title, an honour they have now won five times, they will face some stiff opposition. Not least from back-to-back US Open winners Zacara; especially as team patron Lyndon Lea has added Facundo Pieres to his line-up this year.

Competition may come from a new team to the high-goal circuit though, HH Sheikha Maitha’s UAE Polo Team. With an impressive string of ponies and 10-goaler Pablo MacDonough on her side she is certain to impress. In addition, the well regarded Black Bears team returns to the high-goal this season, exactly 20 years since their first Queen’s Cup victory. This time Guy Schwarzenbach is patron of the squad, having taken over the reins from his father Urs who triumphed in 1993.

The first match of the 2013 competition will be played on Tuesday 21 May (Les Lions v EFG Bank Aravali). After three weeks of fast paced games, the leading four teams will head to the semi-finals on Wednesday 12 June 2013. The tournament concludes four days later with a memorable final, historically played in the presence of HM The Queen, on Sunday 16 June 2013 at Guards Polo Club.

To keep up to date with all the Cartier Queen’s Cup matches go to www.guardspoloclub.com

League  One:

Dubai Polo Team: Rashid Albwardy (2); Alec White (3); Nico Pieres (7); Adolfo Cambiaso (10).

El Remanso: Alastair Paterson (2); George Hanbury (3); David Stirling (10); Guillermo Terrera (7).

Emlor: Spencer McCarthy (2); Joachim Pittaluga (7); Luke Tomlinson (7); Nacho Gonzalez (6).

Enigma Polo Team: Charlie Hanbury (4); Guillermo Caset (10); Guillermo Willington (7); Jerome Wirth (1).

League Two

EFG Bank Aravali: Karan Thapar (0); Mark Tomlinson (6); Javier Novillo Astrada (8); Jaime Garcia Huidobro (8).

Twelve Oaks: Christian Laprida (8); Ignacio Laprida (7); Marcos Di Paola (7); Stefano Marsaglia (0).

Les Lions: Henry Fisher (4); Agustin Merlos (9); Sebastian Merlos (9); Joachim Gottschalk (0).

Zacara: Lyndon Lea (1); Facundo Pieres (10); Rodrigo Ribero de Andrade (8); Matt Perry (3).

League Three

Black Bears: Guy Schwarzenbach (2); Nachi du Plessis (8); John Paul Clarkin (8); Jack Richardson (4).

La Bamba De Areco: Jean Francois Decaux (0); Polito Pieres (8); Gonzalito Pieres (10); Ollie Cudmore (4).

Salkeld: Nick Clarke (0); Max Routledge (5); James Beim (7); Miguel Novillo Astrada (9).

UAE Polo Team: HH Sheikha Maitha (0); TBA (4); Lucas Monteverde (8); Pablo MacDonough (10).

League Four

Cortium: Adrian Kirby (1); Chris Mackenzie (5); Francisco Elizalde (7); Eduardo Novillo Astrada (9).

HB Polo: Ludovic Pailloncy (1); Ignaccio Toccalino (8); Pite Merlos (9); Sebastian Pailloncy (3).

Sumaya: Ahmad Aboughazale (1); Facundo Sola (8); Hilario Ulloa (9); Tomas Garbarini (4).

Talandracas: Edouard Carmignac (0); TBA (5); Lucas James (7); Juan Martin Nero (10).

 

Cartier UK has long been associated with the highly disciplined sport of polo. The tradition started in the UK with the creation of the Cartier International Polo Cup in 1985, one of the most important events in the British sporting calendar. As with the Queen’s Cup this year, this was held at the Guards Polo Club in Windsor Great Park. This event has been feted by both the polo world and British high society, and the Queen’s Cup shall continue in this tradition. Cartier’s link with polo can be seen the world over, with other key historic events including the World Elephant Polo Championships in Nepal in 1985, the Cartier Polo World Cup on Snow, first played in 1985 on the frozen waters of Lake St Moritz in Switzerland and the creation of the Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge in 2006 at Ali Albwardy’s Desert Palm Resort and more recently, the Cartier International China Polo Challenge at Tang Polo Club, Beijing.

With each successful enterprise, Cartier confirms its enthusiasm for an exceptional sport of passion and skill - values that Cartier has never ceased to pioneer. The Queen’s Cup is the latest chapter in the Maison’s treasured link with the king of sports, and the sport of kings.

Guards Polo Club is situated in the heart of Windsor Great Park. Europe’s leading polo club, it boasts 10 grounds, two Royal Boxes and an elegant Clubhouse. The Club was founded by HRH Prince Philip in 1955 and he remains President of Guards Polo Club to this day, taking an active interest in all events at the Club. Guards Polo Club hosts some 500 matches throughout the season, which runs from late April to mid September. Tournaments include several prestigious competitions, including the Al Habtoor Royal Windsor Cup, Jack Wills Varsity Polo, Laureus Polo Cup, Ganjam Jaipur Trophy, Pommery Archie David Cup and the Audi International Polo event which this year features England v USA for the historic Westchester Cup. Guards Polo Club also manages the polo and its grounds at Coworth Park, Dorchester Collection’s luxury country house hotel, just five minutes drive from Guards Polo Club.

 

To purchase tickets for The Cartier Queen’s Cup Final please contact:

Guards Polo Club Ticket Office 01784 437797 or purchase

online at www.guardspoloclub.com