Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club to
showcase the crème de la crème in
international youth and professional polo teams in
the inaugural “Goldin Gold Cup 2011”
Jul 2 – 3, 2011
(Tianjin, 22 June, 2011) – Boasting the largest polo facilities in China, Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club (“Metropolitan Polo Club”) will host a 2-day summer international polo weekend on July 2 – 3, 2011, showcasing not just world class professional polo players but Europe’s most promising youth teams from England and France. The event on Saturday, July 2 will be by invitation-only.
The Goldin Gold Cup 2011 launches on Saturday 2 July with a 6-chukka match. Players from England and Argentina will make up the home team, Hong Kong Goldin, among them are the Jauretches, an uncle and nephew from Argentina. They will play a team from France’s prestigious Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly. Just outside Paris, Chantilly is famous for its opulent chateaux, handmade lace, fine porcelain and delicious vanilla-flavoured cream.
On Sunday 3 July the afternoon will herald a thrilling 4-chukka Under-18 match between Young England and Young France with players as young as fifteen taking to the saddle. Two players from Young England, Ralph Richardson and Tomas Beresford hail from well known polo dynasties. As part of the Club’s initiative to promote polo to young people, the tournament will be open to a limited number of the public.
The trophies are all designed by Garrard of London, jewellers to HM Queen Elizabeth II, a company famed for making world-class sports trophies as well as the historic Crown Jewels.
The Goldin Gold Cup – awarded to the winning team of professionals, is made of gold and ceramic and carries a painted motif of polo players, emulating the style of the Tang Dynasty wall paintings – a reminder of polo’s long heritage in China and the fact the word ‘polo’ comes from the ancient Tibetan word pulumeaning ball. Symbolically entwined by a dragon, the Goldin Gold Cup is surmounted by a polo ball engraved with the Club’s logo. The winning junior team will be awarded specially commissioned silver platters, also by Garrard.
The event will formally launch the Metropolitan Polo Club’s Junior Equestrian & Polo Programme (“JEPP”) aimed to inspire new equestrian talent from China and showcase the discipline, skills and enjoyment that young people can gain from this thrilling sport.
Chairman of Goldin Properties and patron of the home team Mr. Pan Sutong highlighted the positive role polo can play in the development of youth saying “Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club is extremely proud to host the inaugural Goldin Gold Cup 2011, this wonderful occasion allows us to showcase the rare talents of professional and youth polo players, some as young as fifteen, as well as launch our Junior Equestrian & Polo Programmes that we hope will nurture new polo and equestrian talent in China”.
He added “As part of our drive to promote polo and encourage international sporting exchanges between overseas learning institutions and Chinese youth, our Club hopes to host show matches by overseas schools and University polo teams in the very near future.”
Adjacent to the Metropolitan Polo Club is Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Hotel. Opening in July 2011, this 167-room boutique property offers destination resort-style facilities and access to the Club’s two full-sized polo grounds. It includes ten exquisite restaurants, a five-storey wine collection and a pillar-free ballroom that can cater up to 1,000 people. Opulently furnished in a mix of neo-classical and contemporary styles the hotel’s elegant glass conservatory, rich art collection and sparkling chandeliers project a sumptuous atmosphere that will impress even the most discerning of guests.
About Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club
Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club (“Metropolitan Polo Club”) currently features two international-sized polo fields, stabling for 150 horses, indoor training facilities, a riding school and a luxurious Club House. The state-of-the-art equestrian facilities are supervised by professional international managers.
Major international fixtures on the Club’s annual events calendar include various spring and autumn matches as well as Asia’s only Snow Polo Challenge which, at its inauguration in February 2011, attracted more than 7,000 spectators.
Metropolitan Polo Club was opened in November 2010 by Hong Kong-listed developer Goldin Properties Holdings Limited as the sporting and social flagship of the “Goldin Metropolitan” mega-development which will comprise three zones: a Central Business District, home to the 117-storey Goldin Finance tower; the 898,000 square metres (222-acre) Metropolitan Polo Club, and a low density luxury residential belt due to launch later this year.
For more information, please visit www.metropolitanpoloclub.com.