It was certainly one of the most difficult polo spring seasons to organize for the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly’s team, because of this odious weather: postponed games, encounters under the rain, chilly spectators (that we understand), and above all, this France-Argentine encounter first canceled then maimed as it promised to be one of the greatest moment in the life of the polo club and French polo. A first part of season to forget? Maybe not, because it remains to play one of the best finales of the year: the Trophée Bourbon (12 goals).
Six teams entered the competition. Four of them can still claim a place in the final. The Trophée Bourbon is organized as a championships where all teams play against each other before the first two meet in the final; one has really dominated the exchanges: Sainte-Mesme. The West Parisian team has in its ranks Argentine handicap 7 Clemente Zavaleta, winner of the Copa Camara in Argentine, antechamber of the Abierto de Palermo, alongside his step brother and France team player’s Robert Strom, and another young “product” of the Club of Chantilly, Louis Jarrige, who started to ride at the Polo Poney Club! An infernal trio, encompassing the young Lea Siboni (who plays for the first time at this level), has left no chances to its opponents. After a first victory in the Charity Cup, last June 5th, Sainte-Mesme is on its way to a double.
It opponent remains to be known, between André Fabre’s team (In The Wings) based in Chantilly, just like the Swiss team Lynx, with France n°1 Brieuc Rigaux, and Kazak, a formation entirely composed with French players, among them, two other players of the France team, handicap 5 Clément Delfosse and Patrick Paillol. All will be decided during the “last day” that will be played… over two days, on Thursday and Friday, with a slightly favorable prognosis for In The Wings, but the chances are still open for every one and these three choppers games promise to be panting. Three great encounters that will worth being seen.
The final of this concluding event of the spring trilogy , on Sunday, will be a nice time to spend, that will make the disappointments due to the rain disappear (the weather forecasts are quite good), an with some festivities organized around the beautiful Orangerie, bordering the Honnor 1 field, theatre of this event, in the presence of their Royal Highness, the Prince and Princess Charles-Emmanuel de Bourbon-Parme. A program that will start at 2:00pm with the Blessing of the horses, then at 2:30pm with the Coupe des Cadets before the kickoff of the finale, scheduled at 3:00pm.
The season will continue in July, with the Trophée du Coquetier d’Or (10 goals), while waiting for the return un September of the prestigious French Open (mixt and ladies) played at a 16 goals levels, which makes it the highest level tournament played at this time of the year in Europe.