Cartier International Day

July 27, 2009 Game Reports 0

Cartier International Day


 


Argentina retained their winning form in the Coronation Cup – this year defeating England 12-5, thus adding to their victories on this day in 2000 and 1995. However the final result did not do justice to what was a great game which provided plenty of thrills – and fortunately no spills – for the 20,000 plus spectators at Guards Polo Club.


 


The Audi-sponsored England team always knew that they had a tough game, but were ready for the challenge and as England captain Luke Tomlinson said after the match, “at least there was not as much pressure on us as last year”.


 


Argentina, sponsored by EFG, were hot favourites the moment it was announced that the Hurlingham Polo Association had invited the South Americans to play in the Coronation Cup in Cartier’s 25th anniversary year. And once the team was announced the odds dropped even further as Argentina fielded both Adolfo Cambiaso and Facundo Pieres. These 10-goalers are superstars in the world of polo across the globe and it was almost an understatement when Cambiaso said after this year’s game: “We tried to play as a team today and I knew that the team was good.”


 


However these two pros had to take a step back at the presentations and watch their team-mate, Martin Valent receive the Cartier Pegasus Trophy for the Most Valuable Player Award from HRH Prince Charles. Adolfo was rewarded with the Xtra Recordings Best Playing Pony Award for his own mare Mi Gatita, an eight-year-old Australian-bred mare.


 


HRH Prince Charles also presented the Ferguson Cup to the HPA’s Most Promising Young Player of 2009 to Charlie Hanbury, who has had a fantastic season playing for the high-goal Apes Hill team. Hanbury was already in the presentation arena as he had been a member of the Prince of Wales Team, also supported by Audi, in the morning Golden Jubilee Trophy match. Honours in that game went to the Hurlingham team, which this year was backed by The Financial Times and was captained by Guards Polo Club Board member Chris Hyde.


 


This year’s Cartier International Day also marked the leading luxury brand’s 25th anniversary of supporting this great sporting occasion and many leading stars from the worlds of stage and screen, including Anna Friel, David Threlfell, Gerri Halliwell, Damien Lewis, Piers Morgan, Rupert Penry Jones and Helen McCrory flocked to the Cartier Marquee to take part in the celebrations and enjoy a sumptuous lunch prepared by Anton Mosimann.  Cartier first sponsored the International Day in 1984, when a Rest of the World team took the honours. Since then, Cartier International Day has grown to become the world’s largest spectator polo day. Leading players from across the globe have worn their national shirts with pride over the past 25 years and in recognition of the talent that has helped make International Day the event we know today, Cartier, in association with the HPA, created the Cartier 25th Anniversary Polo Award 2009. This inaugural trophy was presented to former England captain Julian Hipwood.


 


Argentina: Gustavo Usandizaga (3); Martin Valent (3); Adolfo Cambiaso (10); Facundo Pieres (10)


England: James Beim (7); Mark Tomlinson (6); Malcolm Borwick (6); Luke Tomlinson (7)


 


Hurlingham: Max Routledge (3); Satnam Dhillon (6); Tom Morley (6); Chris Hyde (6)


Prince of Wales: Charlie Hanbury (3); James Harper (6); Henry Brett (6); Nacho Gonzalez (6)