On Friday June 27, Aureus and UAE claimed wins on a new matchdate of the British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup, hosted by the legendary Cowdray Park Polo Club, in Midhurst, West Sussex. The highlight of the polo season in England, and one of the three Grand Slams of Polo, along the Argentine Open and the US Open, sees eighteen teams up to 22 goals, partake.
Aureus and King Power MB opened fire, in what was a very moving moment; it was the first match for Aureus after the untimely passing of their patron, Sunjay Kapur. Aureus had to fight hard to remain in the lead during four chukkas, with King Power MB on their tail, until the Thai lineup managed to tie at 8-all in the penultimate chukka. As it was anyone’s game, a thrilling last chukka followed, and at the end of the day, Aureus sealed the deal and were victorious 11-10.
Up next, UAE, who defeated Park Place in their debut, earned their second win against Jehangiri by a 13-9 score. The latter had a stronger start, outscoring their contenders 3-0 in the first chukka. But slowly, UAE bounced back, until they reached an impressive 10-5 lead in the fifth chukka, leaving the deal said and done.
THE TOURNAMENT WILL BE ENTIRELY STREAMED LIVE THROUGH COWDRAY TV, WITH THE PRODUCTION OF POLOLINE TV HERE
The British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup will be back on the weekend – Saturday June 28 and Sunday June 29:
- Saturday June 28
12pm: Dubai vs. Signet Thai Polo
3pm: White Crane vs. Bangash (Cooch Behar Trophy)
- Sunday June 29
12pm: La Dolfina Marqués de Riscal vs. Valhalla (Jack Gannon Trophy)
3pm: La Dolfina Scone vs. Calatagan (Midhurst Town Cup)
(Horarios de UK)
The championship match of the British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup is due on Sunday July 20.
The tournament was established in 1956 by Weetman John Churchill Pearson, Third Viscount Cowdray and the man behind the revival of polo in England after the devastating Second World War, is most significant contest of the competitive English season. Thoroghout the years, the British Open saw a large number of stars of the sport in participation, and several had lifted the coveted golden trophy. This significant achievement has been shared by fathers, children and grandchildren on several occasions. The first lineup to claim the British Open, back in 1956, was an Argentine lineup, Los Indios, made of Jorge Marín Moreno, Pablo Nagore, Antonio Heguy and Juan Echeverz. Antonio Heguy was the first member of the legendary great family of polo who won the British Open, and his legacy continued with his grandsons – the first to make it were Eduardo and Ignacio Heguy, in 1996, with CS Brooks; then, Bautista Heguy, with Geebung (2000), in a foursome that saw him playing together with no less than Adolfo Cambiaso. The last member of the Heguy family to claim the British Open was Marcos Heguy, in 2004, with Azzurra.
More info and data about those who made history at Cowdray Park HERE.
British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup – Teams & Fixture
Cover photo by Mark Beaumont.