A historic 2024 season:
The grass is turning green and the fields are being carefully prepared for what promises to be a spectacular 2024 season. It all starts with a warm-up tournament on 6 April. Things get serious on 10 May with the start of the top-level competitions. The first highlight is the Polo Nations Cup from 13 to 23 June, before the European international season comes to a climax with the French Opens for men and women from 4 to 22 September. In between, a unique event will take place on 7 August: a game between France and the USA to commemorate the opening match of the 1924 Olympic tournament in Paris, sponsored by global, sport-inspired brand, U.S. Polo Assn., the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA). These are all dates to save!
Four high-profile tournaments will kick off the first half of the season from 10 May every weekend until 30 June, culminating in the second Polo Nations Cup, a competition between teams from different regions of the world launched last year by the Fédération Française de Polo (FFP) and the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly.
While the French region of Occitanie, the Hanseatic city of Hamburg and Belgium have already confirmed their participation, other French regions and nations such as Italy, the USA and Pakistan will soon join them. The multi- billion-dollar, global U.S. Polo Assn brand is a partner in this growing tournament, which is expected to attract around ten teams.
(To keep up with the latest entries: @polonationscup_ on Instagram).
The Open de France, the pinnacle of the French international season
The 24th Open de France (4 to 22 September), whose reputation on the international circuit is well established, should exceed this number. It is the highest level of competition currently played in Europe. Fifteen teams have already expressed an interest in taking part, while the women’s category should soon reach the maximum quota of eight teams (the tournament is played
over one week) with some big names already in sight, including those who shone at the Argentine Open last December.
(You can also follow all the action at the French Open on the dedicated Instagram account: @opendefrance_polo).
France and the United States under the Olympic Flag
2024 is, of course, a special year with the Paris Olympic Games, whose equestrian events will conclude on 6 August at Versailles with the crowning of the team show-jumping competition: a gold medal that we hope will be French, as it was in Rio in 2016.
On the following day, 7 August, the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly, in partnership with the Federation Française de Polo and presented by U.S. Polo Assn.,will be organising a memorial game called the PARIS GAMES POLO CHALLENGE 2024, in tribute to the opening match of the 4th Olympic Polo Tournament at the 1924 Paris Games*, which will pit the United States against France. It will be a revenge for France, who lost 15-1 a hundred years ago and has never played in the Olympic tournament again!
The two federations will bring together and select the best of their players for a centenary of high-level competition. The event will be broadcast on ESPN platforms.
Three highlights for the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly, headquarters of the Federation Française de Polo, and from 6 April the fields will be open to the public to discover the most fascinating Olympic equestrian sport.
* For the second time in the modern era (after 1900), the VIIth Olympic Games were held in Paris from 5 to 27 July 1924. On 28 June 1924, before the official opening ceremony, the 4th Olympic Polo Tournament began at Saint-Cloud with a game between the United States and France. France was beaten 15-1! The USA finished the tournament with the silver medal after losing 6-5 on 6 July to Argentina, who went unbeaten throughout the tournament (including a 15-2 win over France on 12 July). Twelve years later, Argentina won the fifth and final Olympic tournament in history, once again crushing all who stood in their way. France and the United States did not send a team to Berlin in 1936.
At Paris 1924, the American team consisted of: Elmer Boeseke, Tommy Hitchcock, Frederick Roe and Rodman Wanamaker.
The Argentine team, Olympic champions, consisted of: Juan Nelson, Enrique Padilla, Juan Miles, Arturo Kenny and Guillermo Naylor
Paris Olympic Games 1924, the French team (made up of Charles De Polignac, Jean Count Pastré, Pierre De Jumilhac, Jules Macaire and Hubert De Monbrison) finished the Olympic tournament in 5th and last place, with 6 goals scored and 59 goals conceded.