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hurlinghampolo.com
TA L K
JACKY MACÉ
A T R A D I T I O N A L A P P R O A C H
The 94th Ambassador’s Cup kicked off
on 27 April at Paris’s Polo de Paris. Twelve
ambassadors flew in for the event, from
seven countries, and the foreign players
were generously provided with ponies
by the French ambassadors.
The five teams were presented with
their jerseys in the historic clubhouse,
at a ceremony presided over by the
president of the International Polo
Federation, Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers;
president of the French Polo Association,
Jean-Luc Chartier; and Serge de Ganay,
representing the de Ganay family, who
hosted the matches at the magnificent
Château de Courances.
Play began at 4pm and the teams soon found
a natural order with Courances Blue heavily
defeated by Courances Yellow in the first
match, and Courances Black dominating
the round-robin. After the matches, there
was a relaxed dinner for players and their
partners in the club’s dining room.
Play continued on 29 April, against
the backdrop of the château’s park wall
– the setting could not have been more
appropriate for a weekend of friendly
matches. Courances Blue took another
beating by Courances Black in the first
match, and Courances Yellow dominated
the round-robin over the Courances Red
and Green teams.
A sense of community and sportsmanship made the 94th FIP Ambassador's Cup
a special event, writes Patrick Deedes
After the first day’s matches, as they
changed for dinner, the players experienced
the luxurious facilities of the estate’s new
holiday cottages, managed by historic
restoration specialists Pierres d’Histoire.
The guests enjoyed drinks on the
château’s terrace overlooking the water
gardens, joined by members of the de
Ganay family (including Norbert and Antoine
who recently hung up their mallets) and
the Italian Ladies’ Team. Tournament
sponsors Hysek, OJ Perrin, Casa Fagliano
and Lancelot were also present and
champagne flowed courtesy of Taittinger.
A black-tie dinner was then held and,
amid the good cheer, Serge de Ganay
This page, from left:
Nicholas Colquhoun-
Denvers, Serge de Ganay,
Patrick Guerrand-
Hermès at Courances.
Opposite, top:
Courances
Black vs Courances Blue.
Opposite, below:
Jean-Luc
Chartier with the
Trophée Paul de Ganay
