British Open Polo Champions 2013 Zacara Polo Team L-R  1. Facundo Pieres 10, 2. Lyndon Lea 1, 3. Rodrigo Andrade 8 in Back, 4. Matt Perry 3, with Gold Cup.   Photograph Clive Bennett

British Open Polo Championship Gold Cup

By Liz Higgins  Cowdray Park Polo Club

An epic Final of the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup, with the world’s two leading players on opposing sides, saw Lyndon Lea’s Zacara beat Rashid Albwardy’s Dubai on Sunday 21^st July after four weeks of enthralling matchplay in the British Open Polo Championship.

 

Zacara Polo Team L-R  Jersey 1. Facundo Pieres  Argentina, 2. Lyndon Lea England, 3. Rodrigo Andrade Brazil 4. Matt Perry  England    Photography Celine Genonceau.

 Alongside Zacara’s patron Lyndon Lea, who won the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup in 2011, was 10 goaler Facundo Pieres, with whom he has won both the US Open and the Cartier Queen’s Cup in 2013.  An impressive partnership has been forged between Facundo and 8 goal Brazilian player Rodrigo Andrade, with talented young Englishman Matt Perry, 3 goals, completing the team.

 

Dubai Polo Team  L-R Jersey 4  Aldolfo Cambiaso  Argentina,  3  Alec White Australia,  2 Nico Pieres Argentina, 1 Rashid Albwardy Dubai.   Photography Celine Genonceau.

Lynchpin of the Dubai team was the world’s number one player, 10 goaler Adolfo Cambiaso, joined for the 2013 season by Nico Pieres, younger brother of 10 goalers Gonzalo and Facundo Pieres, who has been playing way beyond his 7 goal English handicap, and impressive young Australian Alec White.

Dubai Polo Team Patron on field in the No1 Jersey Rashid Albwardy.     Photography Celine Genonceau.

 Rashid Albwardy, the young Patron, distinguished himself throughout the tournament by scoring a crop of goals.

Photography Celine Genonceau.

" Cambiaso Quickly took the First Goal in the First Chukker taking the Ball  All-The-Way Up through the Play.  Retaliation from Zacara was Swift. "

 Rodrigo Andrada, Adolfo Cambiaso and  Facundo Pieres makes his play on the ball.   Photograph Clive Bennett.

 

Cambiaso took the ball straight through the field to secure the first goal. Retaliation was swift as Facundo Pieres snared the ball and sent a nifty pass to Andrade who pushed it between the posts. The frantic pace continued as both teams worked to a game plan of marking their opponent to close down their opportunities for goals, whilst waiting for any loose ball to pick up and run with. 

Photography Celine Genonceau.

Photography Celine Genonceau

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Photograph Celine Genonceau.

Photography Celine Genonceau

 

 Photography Celine Genonceau

" Nico Pieres, Surrounded by the Opposition,  Held his Nerve Sending the Ball to Cambiaso, who Delivered a Classic Cut Shot Straight Through the Posts.  "

 Photography Celine Genonceau.

 

End-to-end play continued through the second chukka but a 40 yard penalty for Zacara was the only goal to be produced.  The third chukka began with Cambiaso passing a great ball to Alec White who made no mistake in equalling the scores at 2-2.  Facu stole the ball from his brother Nico and scored a splendid field goal taking Zacara ahead again. A foul gave Dubai a 60 yard penalty which Nico Pieres sent straight through the posts to 3-3. A foul on Facundo Pieres gave Zacara a 30 yard hit at goal which he powerfully smacked between the posts so that at the end of the first half Zacara were ahead 4-3.

 

 Photography Celine Genonceau.

Photograph Celine Genonceau.

Photography Celine Genonceau

 

 Photography Celine Genonceau

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The second half started with a hit in for Zacara and Facundo Pieres’ pass to Matt Perry gave the young English player a supreme chance to make his mark on his first Gold Cup final and 5-3 to Zacara.  Nico Pieres, surrounded by the opposition, held his nerve sending the ball to Cambiaso, who delivered a classic cut shot straight through the posts.  An uncharacteristic mistake by Nico saw his brother seize the ball from under him and race away to take Zacara ahead 6-4.  Andrade stole the ball from Cambiaso, to be picked up by Facu and a nifty shot saw Zacara ahead again 7-4 to close the fourth chukka.

Photography Celine Genonceau.

Chukka number 5 began with Cambiaso picking up a loose ball and taking full advantage to gallop away and score. Zacara giving away a penalty at this point set a few nerves tingling as another goal was pulled back for the Dubai team, but Facundo managed two field goals before a penalty for Dubai closed the chukka with Zacara still ahead 9-7.

 Facu sneaks ball away for the Gold Cup.    Photograph Henry Ascoli

Both sides tightened their defences for the sixth chukka. Zacara took their score on to 10-7 from a penalty. When Nico Pieres was given the chance to convert another, his mighty lofted shot took Dubai on to 8-10. Could they pull up? Andrade suddenly steered the ball away from the pack, Cambiaso went after him, but as he turned Facundo Pieres had stolen the ball and was away.  Down the field he went and his ninth goal of the match secured victory for Zacara at 11-8.

Lord and Lady Cowdray     Photograph  John Periam

The Gold Cup was presented to Lyndon Lea by Lady Cowdray, a Salamanzar of Veuve Clicquot was presented to him by Jo Thornton, Managing Director of Moët Hennessy UK, and individual prizes were presented by Elsa Corbineau, Marketing Director, Champagnes, Moët Hennessy UK.  The Peter Holman prize for Most Valuable Player went to Facundo Pieres, and the Veuve Clicquot saddle for the Highest Goal Scorer of the British Open Championship went to Pelon Stirling and was presented by Christina Jesaitis, Senior Brand Manager, Veuve Clicquot, to Mrs Bridget Hanbury on his behalf. The Harper Spurs were presented to Rashid Albwardy by Eugenie Harper, and the Award for Best Playing Pony sponsored by Armstrong International and presented by Spencer George went to Top Model, owned by Facundo Pieres. 

Most Valuable Player Facundo Pieres with Lila Pearson. Photograph Clive Bennett.

Jack Kidd, Jodie Kidd and their father Johnny Kidd and little kidd.   Photograph Clive Bennett.

 

The polo field drained out well in time for a hot summer's day for a big crowd infront of the big adi.tv screen.  Photograph Clive Bennett.

 

 

 

 

 

     

 

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British Open Polo Championships 2013

Polo Photography of Celine Genonceau

 

 

 

 

Photography Celine Genonceau

Photography Celine Genonceau

 

 

 

 

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