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E V E N T N A M E L O C A T I O N D A T E
A C T I O N
B R I T I S H O P E N G O L D C U P , C O W D R A Y P A R K P L O C L U B , U K , J U N E - J U L Y 2 0 1 9
The final of the King Power Gold Cup for the
British Open Polo Championship at Cowdray
Park boasts the largest audience of any polo
event in Europe and is a gala day for the
sport – attracting aficionados and first-
timers alike.
This year Nic Fiddian-Green’s stunning
sculpture of a horse’s head formed the
centrepiece of the revamped retail village and
bar areas, dominated by the Nyetimber
hospitality bus. A variety of singers
entertained from the bandstand throughout
the day, a traditional funfair with helter
skelter and gallopers drew the youngsters,
and when the RAF Falcons Parachute Display
Team dropped onto the pitch, 12,000
spectators knew the match would soon begin.
The four-week-long King Power Gold Cup
opened on 25 June with 10 teams in
contention. Cowdray Park has cleverly
constructed the tournament to include 10
trophy presentations.The Carlos Gracida
Memorial Trophy opened the 2019
Championship and exciting, close-fought
matches were seen throughout including the
Midhurst Town Cup, Smith-Ryland and Cooch
Behar Cups, the Argentine and Hungarian
Ambassador’s Cups and, new for 2019, the
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Memorial Trophy,
played in memory of the King Power chairman
who tragically lost his life in a helicopter
crash at Leicester City Football Club in
October 2018.
Two superb semi-finals played for the
Ellerston and Tramontana Cups took ‘Top’
Srivaddhanaprabha’s VS King Power team
and Ali Albwardy’s Dubai to the final. With VS
added to the King Power team name in
memory of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, his son
‘Top’ played at number 1, Polito Pieres taking
the number-2 slot, Marcos di Paola at 3 and
Juan Martin Zubia at Back. Dubai fielded
16-year-old Camilo Castagnola at 1, Rashid
Albwardy, son of patron Ali Albwardy, at 2,
Bartolomé Castagnola at 3 and Ignacio du
Plessis at Back.
Dubai’s Camilo Castagnola secured the
opening goal of the match and by the end of
the third chukka the score stood at 6-4 in
Dubai’s favour. Fortunes changed after half
time, a fantastic piece of play between Pieres
and Zubia enabling Zubia to narrow the gap
to 6-5,‘Top’ then levelling the score at 6-6.
Another terrific goal from ‘Top’ and VS King
Power were ahead. Pieres extended the lead
to 8-6 and by the time the fifth chukka ended
the score was 11-8 in VS King Power’s favour.
Brilliant play by the two young Castagnola
brothers in the sixth chukka saw Dubai pull
up to 11-11. Excitement rose in the crowd as
Pieres took VS King Power back into the lead,
but Barto scored as the chukka ended making
it 12 goals apiece.The match was forced into
an extra chukka and Zubia raced to Dubai’s
end only to send the ball agonisingly wide. In
came the ball from the back line and off raced
Barto, the intuitive combination with his
brother enabling Camilo to dive forward and
put the ball between the posts. Dubai had won
the King Power Gold Cup on a score of 13-12.
Jon Rudkin, director of football for
Leicester City FC, presented individual prizes
to all players, the tournament umpires and
commentators before handing the coveted
Gold Cup to Rashid Albwardy. The Most
Valuable Player of the match award went
deservedly to Polito Pieres of VS King Power.
Open Chacota, owned and played by ‘Top’
Srivaddhanaprabha, was voted Best Playing
Patron’s Pony, and Camilo Castagnola’s
fantastic Van Rebelde, was awarded Best
Playing Pony of the match.
Not only had the crowd enjoyed a thrilling
match, but there was still shopping to be
done and friends to catch up with. Many
spectators lingered until late in the evening to
enjoy the music and a last glass of Nyetimber
English sparkling wine while watching the
sun sink over the Cowdray Ruins. Another
brilliant Gold Cup was sadly over.
B R I T I S H O P E N G O L D C U P
Liz Higgins reports on a memorable victory for Dubai in the 2019 King Power
Gold Cup for the British Open Polo Championship
M A R K B E A U M O N T
