polo teams polomagazine

Fight for the Cartier trophy: intense battles on snow and ice

 

Cartier wins the 30. St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow 2014

 

 

 

St. Moritz, 2 February 2014 – Thirty years since the very first tournament, the St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow continues to attract spectators and polo lovers to the frozen lake. The tournament was a resounding success despite the often heavy snowfall. The highlight of the anniversary tournament was this Sunday’s final, a match of almost incomparable excitement and brilliance. Cartier secured the victory in the sixth chukka, defeating Team Ralph Lauren 2:1 thanks to the team’s excellent players, namely Jonathan Munro Ford (patron), Max Charlton, Chris Hyde and Hissam Ali Hyder. Team BMW claimed third place, with fourth place going to Team Deutsche Bank.

 

 

 

Team Cartier wins the 30. St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow (from left to right: Jonathan Munro Ford (patron), Max Charlton, Chris Hyde, Hissam Ali Hyder)

 

 

 

The 30th edition of the St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow was an exceptional tournament in every conceivable way. The heavy snowfall challenged players and horses alike to give their all. The snow-clearing teams were deployed around the clock to ensure the polo field was playable. Due to the particularly heavy snow during Thursday night, a penalty shoot-out was held on Friday in place of the two matches that had been planned. By then it had become clear that Team Cartier and Team Ralph Lauren would secure their places in the final. This Sunday, the day of the final, was also dominated by the snow, but this did little to detract from the excitement of the occasion. It was a thrilling final game between Team Cartier and Ralph Lauren. The teams were fighting hard right into the sixth chukka. Finally, Team Cartier won 2:1 against Team Ralph Lauren. Team BMW faced Team Deutsche Bank in the third-place play-off. Team BMW secured third place with a narrow 5:4 victory over Team Deutsche Bank, which took fourth place.

 

Bernhard Pöllinger, Head of Sports & Infrastructure at St. Moritz Polo Corporation, is also very pleased with how the 30th St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow unfolded: “Despite the challenging conditions, the tournament could not have been more of a success. The players and horses delivered an exceptional performance and provided a demonstration of polo at its very best. The weather conditions created a special atmosphere and brought the guests, players and organisers together.”

 

 

 

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Match report: a hard-fought victory

 

Once again the Cartier Polo Team take away the Cartier Trophy for this year's final. In an extraordinary game that lasted 5 chukkas and 2 minutes of extra time in the 6th, there were no goals scored until the 3rd chukka!  In the 3rd, Michael Bickford made a heroic interception and lofted a little pass over the Cartier heads to give Figueras a perfect opportunity to score the only field goal of the game bar Hissam Ali Hyders spectacular finish in extra time that won the game. All 8 players gave the performances of their lives but somehow Cartier remain untainted as champions.

 

 

 

St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow 2014 has seen immense competition between all four of the teams. The final could easily have been played by either one of the runners up. Some games ran smoother than others but all were fierce and exciting. The crowds at St. Moritz once again witnessed the unparalleled sportsmanship and spectacle that makes this tournament the most special and unique event on the Polo calendar. (Match report by EBE SIEVWRIGHT)

 

 

 

The polo village with a range of attractions

 

The tournament also offered a range of different attractions off the playing field. The polo village with its various tents, from 1724 Tonic Water, Cȋroc Vodka, BMW, the Ender Sport Polo Shop and the Steffani restaurant, was well attended each day. On Saturday and Sunday, the Huw Lewis Duo provided musical entertainment between the games, adding to the lively atmosphere enjoyed by the spectators on the piazza.

 

 

 

Special awards

 

Special awards were handed out during the St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow.

 

·         Hissam Ali Hyder from Team Cartier was named the Most Valuable Player at the St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow 2014 by St. Moritz Polo AG.

 

·         Lode, ridden by Nacho Figueras from Ralph Lauren, was named Best Playing Pony of the St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow 2014 by St. Moritz Polo AG.

 

·         Hissam Ali Hyder from Team Cartier was named the World Polo Tour Most Valuable Professional Player (WPT MVP) for January 2014 by World Polo Tour.

 

·         Michel Bickford from Team Ralph Lauren was named the World Polo Tour Most Valuable Amateur Player (WPT MVP) for January 2014 by World Polo Tour.

 

·         Nacho Figueras from Team Ralph Lauren was named the Most Trendy/Chic Polo Player of the St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow 2014 by Veuve Clicquot.

 

 

 

Match reports, background information and images directly from the lake

 

• Detailed match reports and rankings are published at www.polostmoritz.com, www.twitter.com/polostmoritz and www.facebook.com/polostmoritz.
• A broad selection of pictures that can be downloaded directly are available at www.flickr.com/polostmoritz.

 

 

 

* Picture of the sponsors, key:
Urs E. Schwarzenbach, President of St. Moritz Polo AG (centre) with the four team sponsors and their representatives from BMW (Philippe Dehennin, CEO BMW Switzerland), Cartier (Arnaud Carrez, CEO Cartier Switzerland), Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management (Carsten Kahl, Managing Director and member of the Executive Board, Deutsche Bank Switzerland) and Ralph Lauren (Nacho Figueras, brand ambassador of Ralph Lauren and player for Team Ralph Lauren), along with Gianni Berry, co-founder of the St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow
The St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow is the world’s most prestigious and highest-level winter polo tournament on snow. Every year, four high-goal teams with handicaps of 15 to 18 goals compete on the frozen Lake St. Moritz for the coveted Cartier Trophy. Against a backdrop of breathtaking mountain scenery, spectators experience a world of sports characterised by strength, elegance, speed, pride and traditional British sportsmanship. St. Moritz Polo AG is the tournament organiser and a leading international expert in the field of equestrianism. The services provided cover the conception, planning and execution of polo events. The team that manages St. Moritz Polo AG has in-depth knowledge of the equestrian world, tournament organisation, infrastructure, hospitality, sponsorship and marketing.