The very first edition of the Polo Rider Cup crowned the Swiss club Polo Park Zürich this Sunday at the Polo club in Chantilly.
Launched ten days ago, this real club world championship offered very high level matches with some of Argentina's best players in an idyllic setting on the edge of the Chantilly forest.
Polo, a mixed sport
Just like this great week, the final this Sunday opposed two of the twelve clubs (from eight continents) who had achieved the feat of remaining undefeated.
And while the first two of the match's seven (7-minute) periods were balanced, with the Swiss quartet leading with just one goal, they managed to make the difference in the third period by scoring three nice goals to break away 7- 3 then conclude 10-4.
Alongside Richard Harris (handicap 0) and Frenchwoman Elena Venot (handicap 1), because polo is a mixed sport, Argentines Min Podesta (handicap 7) and Carlos Solari (handicap 4) shone by scoring respectively 6 and 4 goals.
The players of the Polo Park Zürich win the Polo Rider Cup
On the side of the Deauville International Polo Club, the young Ulysse Eisenchteter, aged only 15 (handicap 0), and Pierre-Henri N'Goumou (handicap 6) each scored 2 goals alongside Patrick Eisenchteter (handicap 1) and Juan José Storni (handicap 5). But that was not enough to lift the trophy of this first Polo Rider Cup having kept all its promises. And offered an exceptional spectacle with horses galloping at breakneck speeds and mallet artists competing for agility and commitment to win.
In the small final for third place, the Hong Kong Polo Association defeated the Empire Club of Coachella Valley (6-5). The four clubs involved in these two final matches have already indicated that they want to participate in the second edition which should, according to Olivier Godallier, its organizer, take place in 2022 with sixteen teams.