Argentina have won the Olympic Trophy. On Friday evening at Chestertons Polo In The Park in London, the visitors beat England in a three-a-side international in which two-point goals proved decisive.
A format that rewarded the visitors
The match was played on grass using some arena elements, with three players a side. The HPA’s report says the format favoured the visitors, with the two-point goals proving decisive. In a game with small squads and a fast pace, those extra points can swing the result very quickly.
England’s Milly Hine opened the scoring, which gave the home crowd an early moment to celebrate. England’s team had been announced the week before: Max Charlton (6) as captain, Jack Hyde (5) and Hine (2). They were up against Alfredo Bigatti (7), Manuel Plaza de Ayala (5) and Catalina Lavinia (2).
A second loss to Argentina this year
It was England’s second defeat to Argentina in 2025. In January they lost the Bryan Morrison Trophy 18-17 at Hickstead after a golden goal in extra time.
What it tells us
These fixtures are not full international matches in the Westchester Cup sense, but they are a useful guide to where English polo stands. The squads are small, the pace is high and the format favours teams who can finish long chances. England’s selectors will have noted that, and they will have plenty of time to prepare for the next challenges:
- Saturday 14 June: Golden Jubilee, England v USA, Beaufort International, alongside the Buckmaster for Young England, led by Bradshaw.
- Saturday 26 July: Coronation Cup, England v Brazil, at Guards.
The week ahead at Guards
At Guards Polo Club, the Cartier Queen’s Cup final is due next Sunday, 15 June. The competition has been run since 1960, and Cartier has sponsored it since 2012. The high-goal teams who have been preparing in England since the spring will now be making their final push, and we will report on it next week.
Congratulations to Argentina on their win, and to everyone who organised a very enjoyable evening in the heart of London.
Sources: HPA, England team events, Sotheby’s Realty, Queen’s Cup background
