The big European summer finals took place at the weekend. In Sotogrande, Dubai won the high-handicap Gold Cup, and in Deauville, Talandracas completed a double by winning the Coupe d’Or.
Sotogrande Gold Cup
The Ayala Polo Club Gold Cup was decided on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 August at Ayala and Los Pinos, with 22 teams across three handicap categories. It was the final stage of the International Polo Tournament, after the Bronze and Silver Cups.
- High handicap (20 to 22 goals): Dubai beat Sainte Mesme 16-9. It was Dubai’s fifth Gold Cup title and their first since 2023. Gonzalo Ferrari was player of the match, and Ve Ocho Monet, ridden by Pedro Chavanne, was the best horse of the final.
- Medium handicap (12 to 14 goals): P1 Cars El Bambú beat ATL Polo Team 14-11. Carlos María Ulloa was player of the match.
- Low handicap (6 to 8 goals): Vamos Korea beat Santa Quiteria 12-8, with Indalecio Pieres the player of the match.
It was a good finish for P1 Cars El Bambú and Vamos Korea, who also won Silver or Bronze trophies earlier in the tournament, while Dubai, who lost the Silver Cup final to Amanara two weeks earlier, got their revenge in style.
Deauville Coupe d’Or
At the Deauville Polo Club, Talandracas beat Barrière Polo Team 9-7 in the final of the Coupe d’Or, the main trophy of the Barrière Deauville Polo Cup. Lucas Criado was MVP, and his mare Lac Chapera took best in show. Talandracas were Edouard Carmignac, Santiago Gaztambide, Lucas Criado and Juan Martin Zubia, who replaced Alfredo Capella. Barrière Polo Team were Isabelle Larenaudie, Bautista Fanelli, Juan Gris Zavaleta and Simon Zavaleta. Love Bandits took third place.
Talandracas had already won the Coupe d’Argent a fortnight earlier, which makes it a rare double in Normandy. The Coupe d’Or was established in 1950, and winning it is something of a rite of passage for French and international teams.
A note on Argentine polo
The Economist has published an extended report on how Argentina consolidated its position as the leader of the sport, according to Polo Press. It is a good reminder of how much of the world game still runs through Argentina.
What is next
- The Argentine season begins in earnest in September, with the Triple Crown starting on 22 September
- Chantilly’s Open de France begins early in September
- The UK calendar winds down with the Autumn Nations Tournament at Guards and the autumn events at Cowdray
The summer high-goal calendar is almost done, but there is plenty more to come.
Sources: Polo Press (Sotogrande Gold Cup), Polo Press (Coupe d’Or), Polo Times (Sotogrande)
