press release

POLO DE DEAUVILLE
POLO DE DEAUVILLE
T
he Argentine “Abierto” Polo Championship is the most prestigious
polo open in the world. It has been held
in Buenos Aires since 1922 but its origins date back to the end of the 1800’s.
The first ever European edition took
place at the Deauville–La Touque racecourse, where a select audience was
able to witness the skill of the 8 best
players worldwide. The match was broadcast live by Eurosport in 102 countries, and was won by La Dolfina.
The game of polo was imported to Argentina by the English directly from India
at the end of the 1800’s. The Argentines,
practically born in the saddle, immediately
took to this new sport and the first tournaments were played against the Gauchos
on the Pampas ranches. The first match
took place in 1875 on David Shennan’s
farm, and 1893 saw the first meetings in the
Hurlingham Club in Buenos Aires and the
birth of the ancestor of the Abierto. Since
1928 the matches have been played in what
is known as the Polo Cathedral, a pitch in
the Barrio Palermo district in the heart of
Buenos Aires. Like every sport Argentine
polo has its myths and stories: teams such
as Coronel Suarez with more than 20 titles
or formidable players like the brothers
Alberto and Horacio Heguy, who secured
20 championships and then, at the end of
their match careers, not content with their
own success, had 7 sons who won another
ten editions of the Abierto. In December
2008 two teams competed in the final in
the Barrio Palermo: La Ellerstina and La
Dolfina. Never before had there been a
match between two teams wholly composed of players with 10 handicap goals each,
the world ranking maximum, for a total
of 80 handicap goals, making that match,
won by La Ellerstina, a legend. On August
1st 2009 for the first time ever in Europe
a select audience at Deauville-La Touque
saw the repeat of an Abierto match, and
in particular this legendary match, as the
finalists of the 115th edition of the Abierto,
La Dolfina Peugeot and La Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra challenged each other anew,
the eight riders performing before a public
of 3000 spectators and 100 journalists
whilst being broadcast live in 102 countries by Eurosport. Each team played with
their own horses (16 per team) which were
looked after by true Argentine petiseros
(gauchos) born from more than a century
of experience.
Deauville - La Tourques. Between 6am and 10am the stable horses are taken to the beach to trot along the shoreline. The sand and cold water are beneficial to
their ankles.
1
Deauville - La Tourques. Between 6am and 10am the stable horses are taken to the beach to trot along the shoreline. The sand and cold water are beneficial to
their ankles.
2
Deauville - La Tourques. Between 6am and 10am the stable horses are taken to the beach to trot along the shoreline. The sand and cold water are beneficial to
their ankles.
3
Deauville - La Tourques. A petiserò from Cordoba bridles a horse ready for a match. The typical Argentinian bridle is made from plaited natural rope.
4
Deauville - La Tourques. The horses are led to the pitch.
5
Deauville - La Tourques. The son of a petiserò plays polo on his bicycle.
6
Deauville - La Tourques. Adolfo Cambiaso, n° 3 in the world, inside the La Dolfina box.
7
Deauville - La Tourques. Facundo Pieres, Gonzalo's brother, chatting with some La Dolfina players. Facundo is the 2nd player in the Rolex world ranking table,
whilst the third, Adolfo Cambiaso of La Dolfina, is the player in the foreground drinking Mate.
8
Deauville - La Touques. Facundo Pieres, 23 years old, n° 2 in the world rank tables, going to the field to attend the training match.
9
Deauville - La Touques. Team La Dolfina during the parade in the centre of Deauville the day before the match.
10
Deauville - La Tourques. Adolfo Cambiaso gets ready for a training match.
11
Deauville - La Tourques. Facundo Pieres chats with some friends during the interval between sets.
12
Deauville - La Tourques. Gonzalo Pieres, n° 1 in the world rank tables and an Ellerstina player, at the end of a training match.
13
Deauville - La Tourques. On the day of the match the stands are packed with people despite the rain. The price of a ticket in this sector is over 200.
14
Deauville - La Tourques. On the day of the match the stands are packed with people despite the rain. The price of a ticket in this sector is over 200.
15
Deauville - La Tourques. At the end of the match by tradition the public pours onto the pitch to witness the prizegiving.
16
Deauville - La Tourques. At the end of the match by tradition the public pours onto the pitch to witness the prizegiving.
17
Deauville - La Tourques. The hospitality area.
18
Deauville - La Tourques. At the end of the match by tradition the public pours onto the pitch to witness the prizegiving.
19
Deauville - La Tourques. On the day of the match the stands are packed with people despite the rain. The price of a ticket in this sector is over 200.
20
Deauville - La Tourques. The Ellerstina players make their way to the pitch after the horse change which takes place during the interval between sets.
21
Deauville - La Tourques. On the day of the match the stands are packed with people despite the rain. The price of a ticket in this sector is over 200.
22
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