2nd Grass Arena Polo World Cup Azerbaijan:
Let the games begin
From September 5th to 7th, the Equestrian Federation of Azerbaijan Republic (ARAF), World Polo and the Elite Horse and Polo Club Bina present the second edition of the Grass Arena Polo World Cup Azerbaijan at the capital city of Azerbaijan, Baku. Yesterday a press conference for the team and tournament presentation took place at the Kempinski Hotel Badamdar in Baku.
Four professional teams participate in the tournament, sponsored by world famous brands such as Chopard, Baltika 7, Maserati and Embawood. La Martina will be the official supplier. The polo teams are from Argentina, the US, Europe and also from Azerbaijan, the Azeri polo team being formed by former Chovgan players. Chovgan is an ancient form of polo and is still played in Azerbaijan today.
The newly formed Azeri polo team has been professionally trained by the polo coaches of the La Alegría Polo Farm in Buenos Aires. Adrian Laplacette was the head coach, while his brother Raul Laplacette resided in Azerbaijan through the whole training period monitoring the team, they were complemented by Thomas Winter, who acted as polo teacher. The two brothers prepared the Azeri team for the World Cup 2014 in Baku. While having a talk with Raul Laplacette about the experience he told POLO+10: “I spent five months in Azerbaijan living with the former Chovgan players and teaching them the polo rules. A translator helped us, because the players did not know English before, now they are learning as well. We started with 13 players, and only 6 remained, they made great progress and can really play good polo. This was a great experience and we worked a lot, breaking cultural barriers, learning the polo rules, and even a new language. These players have made a great effort, and now they have become highly competitive proper polo players”.
The event will be held at the Bina Horse Center, where a completely new polo arena with high-definition lighting systems and modern polo facilities including 40 horseboxes have been built.
Azerbaijan is a member of the World Polo Association FIP since last December. Under the leadership of the Equestrian Federation of Azerbaijan Republic and its Vice-President Mr Ahadpur Khangah, polo is developing into a countrywide known sport in Azerbaijan.
World Polo GmbH Zürich, ARAF, Elite Horse Polo Club and Tatyana Sulzenbacher from Aztexnika Baku are responsible for the organisation and production of the event.
The teams:
Team Baltika 7+ (from Europe)
Heinrich Dumrath (D)
Agustin Kronhaus (ARG)
Thomas Winter (D)
Team Maserati (from USA)
Pablo Miguens (ARG)
Tito Gaudenzi (USA)
Satnam Dhillon (GB)
Team Chopard (from Argentina)
Andres Laplacette (ARG)
Simon Crotto (ARG)
Adrian Laplacette Jr. (ARG)
Team Embawood A (from Azerbaijan)
Seyidov Vugar Gasim (AZ)
Jamalli Elchin Shahin (AZ)
Hasanov Rashad Khosrov (AZ)
Raul Laplacette Jr. (ARG)
Team Embawood A (from Azerbaijan)
Abdurahmanov Khayal Shamil (AZ)
Abdurahmanov Tahir Shamil (AZ)
Atayev Sameddin Nuraddin (AZ)
Polo speakers: Jan-Erik Franck and Ilgar Quliyev
FIP Head Umpire: Marcelo Garrahan
Ball Umpire: Antonio d’Aurelio
Time Keeper: Christian Dunkelberg
Score Board: Elmar Balster
Polo DJ: Ray Douglas