News

Loro Piana prepare to defend their Vivari Queen's Cup title

Guards Polo Club is delighted to announce that 19 teams have so far entered the Vivari Queen's Cup and closing date for entries is still a week away (1 May). Loro Piana will be back to defend their title but with two-goaler Jamie Peel wearing the Loro Piana shirt. There had to be a change Juan Martin Nero, patron Alfio Marchini and David Stirling all saw their handicaps rise at the end of the 2007 season.
Another winning team which will be in action from 20 May - 15 June is Ali Albwardy's Dubai squad, which once again will be featuring the 10-goal skills of Adolfo Cambiaso. Dubai is looking for its fourth victory in this competition - having taken the honours in 2003, 2005 and 2006. Piki Alberdi was a member of the winning quartet in 2006 and he rejoins Dubai for this season.

George Milford Haven has also tasted Queen's Cup victory before. His Broncos team won in 1988, and also took the runner-up spot in 2006. Pablo MacDonough is the lynchpin of the squad this year. His brother, Matias will also be playing out of the same stable, but in action for a new name on the team sheet, Clare Milford Haven's Bucking Broncos.

Another new team taking part this year is Spencer Young's Yindarra squad from Australia. Their highest ranked player is the eight-goaler Fransisco Bensadon and this team is making its high-goal debut in the UK in 2008. Sumaya took part in this competition last year but are fielding two new players in 2008. Patron Oussama Aboughazale has recruited Pepe Heguy and Hilario Ulloa to play alongside Milo Fernandez Araujo.

Some of the other teams who have declared their hand have teamed up with old friends for their 2008 campaign. Tony Pidgley has once again engaged the services of John Paul Clarkin for Cadenza; Jean-Francois Decaux will be playing alongside Miguel Novillo Astrada, and the nine-goal Argentine, Marcos Heguy, brother of Bautista, will be wearing the shirt of Stefano Marsaglia's Azzurra.

The Apes Hill Club Barbados team is going one step further and producing a completely unchanged line-up from 2007 and so will be the only all professional, all English team in the competition.

Apes Hill Club Barbados: Ed Hitchman (3), Mark Tomlinson (7), LukeTomlinson (7), Tom Morley (5)

Atlantic Capital: Adrian Kirby (1), Nicolas Pieres (6); Lucas Criado (9); Juan Gris Zavaletta (6)

Azzurra: Lucas James (6); Gaston Laulhe (7) Marcos Heguy (9); Stefano Marsaglia (0)

Brittany Polo Club: John Francois Decaux (0); Julio Arellano (8); Miguel Novillo Astrada (9); Juan Ambroggio (5)

Broncos: George Milford Haven (1); Santiago Chavanne (8); Pablo MacDonough (9); John Fisher (4)

Bucking Broncos: Clare Milford Haven (0); Christian Laprida (7); Matias MacDonough (8); Bautista Sorzana (6)

Cadenza: Tony Pidgley (1); Alejandro Muzzio (8); John Paul Clarkin (8); Santiago Laborde (5)

Dubai: Ali Albwardy (0); George Meyrick (4); Adolfo Cambiaso (10); Piki Alberdi (8)

Ellerston: Max Routledge (2), Gonzalito Pieres (9), Facundo Pieres (10), James Packer (1)

Geebung: Jason Stowe (0); Lucas Monteverde (8); Bautista Heguy (9); Gareth Evans (5)

Grayshurst: Martyn Ratcliffe (0); Ruki Baillieu (7); Augustine Merlos (9); James Beim (6)

Lechuza Caracas: Victor Vargas (1); Guillermo Aguero (7); Marcos di Paola (8); Tomas Garcia del Rio (6)

Les Lions: TBA; Ignacio Heguy (8); Eduardo Heguy (9); Joe Gottschalk (0)

Les Lions 2: Ignus du Plessis (5); Ignacio Novillo Astrada (8); Mariano Gonzalez (8); Max Gottschalk (1)

Loro Piana: Alfio Marchini (2); David Stirling (8); Juan Martin Nero (10); Jamie Peel (2)

Lovelocks: Charles Hanbury (2); Matt Loder (3); Jaime Huidobro (8); Lolo Castagnola (9)

Sumaya: Oussama Aboughazale (0); Pepe Heguy (8); Milo Fernandez Araujo (8); Hilario Ulloa (6)

Yindarra: Spencer Young (0); Fransisco Bensadon (8); Gonchi Von Wernich (7); Nicolas Espain (7)

Zacara: Lyndon Lea (0); Eduardo Novillo Astrada (9); Javier Novillo Astrada (9); Tom de Bruin