Put these dates in the diary now. The Cartier Queen’s Cup will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2020, running from 19 May to 14 June at Guards Polo Club in Windsor Great Park. The announcement was made at the end of October, and the organisers have promised big celebrations for the occasion.
Why this tournament matters
The Queen’s Cup is the opening high-goal event of the English summer, and it has a history that few polo events can match. It has been played at Guards for decades, in the shadow of Windsor Castle, and its final has traditionally taken place in the presence of the Queen. For polo followers in Britain it is the day when the season really begins. For the players, it is a title that carries real prestige, and a good run here often shapes the rest of the summer.
The organisers have not yet given details of the anniversary celebrations, only that there will be a lot of them. We will report as soon as there is more to say.
A look back at 2019
Before turning to the new season, it is worth remembering how the 2019 edition ended. Scone Polo, the team of David Paradice, won the trophy in their first attempt, beating Andrey Borodin’s Park Place 9-5 in the final in mid-June. Twelve teams entered, which made it a demanding tournament. In the subsidiary final, the Cartier Trophy, Talandracas beat La Bamba de Areco 11-8.
- 2019 winners: Scone Polo.
- 2019 runners-up: Park Place.
- 2020 dates: 19 May to 14 June, at Guards Polo Club.
Planning for next season
Teams will soon be thinking about their 2020 entries. The English season is short, and the order of the big events, the Queen’s Cup first, then the Royal Windsor Cup and the Gold Cup at Cowdray in July, means that a team has only a few weeks to settle its line-up and find its form. An anniversary year will, we expect, attract a very strong field.
It is some months away yet, of course. In the meantime there is the Argentine Triple Crown to follow and, in Florida, the new Gauntlet of Polo season. But for those of us who live for the English summer, it is nice to have a date to look forward to.
Sources: POLO+10
