THE UNMISSABLE MONTH OF POLO
Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023
The Barrière Deauville Polo Cup is an important tournament in the history of polo. This not-to-be-missed event on the international calendar makes its traditional return in August with three renowned cups, including the prestigious Marta & Lucien Barrière Gold Cup. The latter is one of the most coveted trophies on the world circuit, both for European captains and for the world’s greatest polo professionals.
New this year will be that the season kicks off with a particularly intense Coupe d’Or: six teams challenging each other during three weeks of competition (August 7th to 27th, the start having been postponed to Monday 7th due to heavy rains during the week)! The Ladies Polo Cup, with five teams, kicks off on August 9th. This increasingly international competition will see the participation of six different nations, including Argentina with the title holder, the charismatic Lìa Salvo, who will be defending her trophy with her team-mates from the Augustinus Bader team from Luxemburg. The final will be played on Sunday August 12th.
The legendary Marta & Lucien Barrière Gold Cup, which will be held for the seventy-fourth time this year, is one of the most important tournaments of the international season. It has seen the likes of Cambiaso, Pieres, Gracida, Heguy and many other great names come to compete. And the 2023 edition will be no exception, with Guillermo Terrera of La Dolfina (currently Argentina’s best team) joining the French team Eternal J, as well as the younger generation with Rufino Bensadon and Juan Martin Zubia (Talandracas), the Bayugar brothers Bartolome and Bautista (Dragones Rouges) and the Zavaleta cousins (Barrière) Simon, Ramiro and Juan-Gris. French professionals will also be well represented, with one of France’s top two players, Pierre-Henri N’Goumou, accompanied by Edouard Pan for Mungo, as well as three talented young players making their first appearance in the Coupe d’Or: Jules Legoubin, Julien Reynes and Louis Jarrige. The final will be played on August 27th.
The Bronze Cup kicks off on August 14th, with the final to be played on Sunday August 27th, to coincide with the Gold Cup final. At a lower level than the Coupe d’Or, this tournament gives amateurs the chance to test themselves against professional players and is also a great opportunity to discover the talent of up-and-coming young players! This year’s Bronze Cup will see the participation of five teams with players representing six nations.
Polo in Deauville is a unique and festive experience. After the prize-giving ceremonies, players and spectators gather in the village, a large, cozy and friendly space where people meet at the bar to discuss the games of the day. There are also a number of Polo After Parties evenings in the village: small Afters on Tuesdays in the form of extended aperitifs (until 10:00 p.m.) and big Afters on Friday evenings with DJs until midnight!
All in all, Polo in Deauville is a total celebration of this magnificent equestrian sport in one of its most emblematic locations, and in the land of the horse par excellence. It’s a not-to-be-missed sports and glamor event that has been enlivening the Deauville summer for… 143 years!