Last weekend took place already the 7th International Open Polo Slovak Championship, BMW Polo Slovakia Open 2013 in Austrian park Ebreichsdorf.
In a high quality competition of six teams with a total handicap of 8-9, the first place gained BMW Team with Argentinean and Austrian composition, which after the Finals penalty shots beat the team of the landlord Perrier Juet and the host baron Drashe-Wartimberg. The winning team BMW is so continuing its successful series of victories and his name will finally be engraved on the trophy made of antique silver that was donated to the I. Polo Klub Bratislava 1888 by its partner Hurlingham Polo Club in Buenos Aires in 2006. In the match for the bronze won Bombardier polo team over the team of J & T Bank. Three unlucky Slovak polo players were not able to play the final day of the competition because of bad weather conditions and dangerous field surface.
Peter Godányi and Ivan Weiss members of the Manurhin team will play the club “derby” against Martin Magál´s Allen & Overy team on an alternative date in late summer.
At the finest polo fields within a thousand kilometres outbound from Slovakia, except our Slovak polo player were presented also polo players from Austria, Germany, Poland, France and Argentina. Title of the best tournament amateur polo player won the Austrian lawyer Kristoph Kerres from the winning team Perrier Juet. Argentinean polo pony El Regalito from the BMW team was declared to be the best horse of the tournament. BMW team’s success was the proof of all paper ambitions of the highest handicapped team of the tournament. By the way, each player brought along 4-7 horses, originating mainly from Argentina and the horse park of all registered teams had a high value of couple of millions Euro. Smooth game flow was supervised by the top arbiter Martin Haurie from Argentina, member of the AAP and internationally certified referee, who umpires the world’s top polo eventsLive. He visited the Slovak Polo Championship for the first time and highly appreciated the level of the organisation.
“I am very happy with the outcome of the tournament even though complicated by weather and technical conditions, as well as with the efforts of the organizing team. This tournament brought a good level matches, teams, players themselves but also a continuing history of successful Slovak championships. Many duels were equable and unexpected twists took care of the dramatic development of the games and surprises at the expense of paper favourites. Although, the last day weather was not very friendly unlike previous years, this day was finally a success for the BMW team. This year didn´t get by without some injuries, an ambulance had to intervene and treated Martin Magál, who injured his shoulder in a fall, but luckily nothing more serious happened to polo players and horses, “said tournament organizer Peter Godányi, President of the I. Polo Klub Bratislava 1888 and General Secretary of the Slovak Polo Association.
President of the Slovak Polo Association (SPA) Ivan Weiss said: “Above all I am very pleased that the Open Slovak Championship has already being played seven consecutive years and significantly contributes to the fact that the map of the world polo registers also our country. High international level of the tournament guarantees a quality competition for Slovak players, who are preparing themselves for the European Championship in 2014. For the next year’s continental championship, we are planning to send our representative team with a handicap 6 – 8. I believe that we will succeed and confirm the rising level of Slovak polo on an international level.”
Final day in Ebreichsdorf was spoiled by the ongoing rains. Visitors; however in good mood lasted out the rain in tents and watched the penalty shots that decided about the winner and spectacular team parade.
Great atmosphere culminated in a spontaneous celebration of the winners during the prize giving ceremony. The good feeling of the whole event was also supported by the competition for the most beautiful hat and a charity auction. The traditional stomping on the lawn during the breaks of matches, especially by ladies and children among the audience to help to correct inequalities in the field did not take place this year because the tournament field survived the final day without any damage!
Except the parents, of the smallest visitors took care a animation team, children could take a ride on ponies or see birds of prey hunting or fairy tale knights and princesses. Within this event, which musically supported Lucia Lužinska, rised the general partner BMW Group Slovakia in cooperation with the I.POLO CLUB BRATISLAVA 1888 charity donation for the Foundation JOJ worth 1111 €.
Results of BMW POLO SLOVAKIA OPEN 2013
1. place – BMW (BMW Polo Slovakia Open – winner PSO 2013)
2. place – Perrier Juet (BMW Polo Slovakia Open – finalist PSO 2013)
3. place – Bombardier (Slovak Polo Association Award – winner)
4. place – J&T Banka (Slovak Polo Association Award – finalist)
5-6. place – Manurhin a Allen&Overy (I.Polo Klub Bratislava 1888)
The best amateur player (MVP) of the tournament: Kristoph Kerres HCP 0 – AT – Perrier Juet Team
Best polo pony of the tournament: El Regalito of Werner Graf – BMW Team
The top event for lovers of this noble horse sport organized I. Polo Klub Bratislava 1888 under the auspices of the Slovak Polo Association (SPA) and the Association of International Polo (FIP). All matches supervised the top polo referee Martin Haurie from the Argentine Polo Association (AAP).
Event was hosted by baron Richard Drasche-Wartinberg, owner of Schloss Ebreichsdorf, whose grandfather founded in 1910 Polo Club Reit-und Polo Club Wien and following his tradition, he founded in 1991 Polo Club Schloss Ebreichsdorf. Superbly maintained courses in Schloss Ebreichsdorf, which meet all the standards are the oldest courses of about one thousand kilometres from Slovakia.