• • Zacara vs. Les Lions, Gold Cup final 2011
• • Tournament
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Cowdray Park

Fixture ready for the British Open

Sixteen teams will take part of Europe's premier tournament

Cowdray Park Polo Club announces that sixteen teams have entered the 2012 Gold Cup for the British Open Polo Championship.
 
The Draw to decide matchplay in the opening rounds took place on the evening of 11th June when a representative from every team took part in an open draw to decide which of four leagues their team would join for the opening phase of the Championship.
 
Winners of the 2011 Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup, Zacara, return to defend the title.  Dubai, with an impressive Gold Cup history, having won the Gold Cup in 2001, 2005 and 2010 once again features the world’s finest player Adolfo Cambiaso in its line-up.  2009 winners, La Bamba de Areco, with Patron Jean-Francois Decaux, returns with 10 goal player Facundo Pieres.  His brother Gonzalito, also amongst the world’s elite 10 goal players, joins the noted Ellerston White side which returns to a new base at Cowdray Park after a four year absence from the UK.
 
The American side, Coca Cola, returns after a six year absence from UK polo and there is one brand new side for 2012 - EFG/Aravali whose Indian patron Karan Thapar has put together a team which includes the experienced 9 goal player Eduardo Novillo Astrada.  Luke Tomlinson and James Beim, both 7 goal players, Mark Tomlinson, Malcolm Borwick, Max Routledge  and Ollie Cudmore are amongst the British professionals who have secured places in the teams, while George and Charlie Hanbury play in their own El Remanso side.
 
Matchplay starts on the afternoon of 19th June with Piaget vs Salkeld from groups C/D as the opening match followed by La Bamba de Areco vs Les Lions from groups A/B. The opening league phase of the tournament  leads to Quarter Finals over the weekend of 7/8th July, semi Finals on 12th July and the Final on Sunday 15th July.