Gaucho International Polo 2012 - The Official Showguide

G AUC H O I N T E R NAT I O NA L P O L O 2 0 1 2

4 Welcome

Show your passion tonight and enjoy watching a little excellence and history occur before your very eyes”

“

yEAR AfTER A sUCCEssfUL REsTAURANT OPENING IN The O2 (March 2008), my CEO Zeev Godik suggested to me that we should think about creating a polo event inside the arena. The same month, I sat at a very wet Beach Polo Championships

with HPA Chairman Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers and his wife Annie, who in the miserable drizzle, wistfully announced a gem of an idea – that we create a similar event in an indoor setting.

so here we are: in our second year of The HPA Gaucho International Polo. This year we have strengthened our partnership with the sport’s governing body, the HPA (Hurlingham Polo Association), to make the event faster, more understandable and hopefully even more of an excellent spectacle for you to enjoy.

We have also endeavoured to bring you the finest in Argentine culture - as well as outstanding polo played by the sports finest arena players. We have a complimentary Argentine Wine Tasting Lounge, and the finest in Argentine music from Grammy award-winning collective Bajofondo, supported by Nelson and fede (our house DJ and Percussionist), whom we discovered on the beach at Punte del Este.

The event wouldn’t have been possible without the support and input of many people, who all know who they are and to whom I will be forever indebted; none less than The HPA, AEG, our sponsors and all involved in the production of the event. A special thank you is warranted to the four sponsors who back in 2011 were the first to raise their hands to support and share the risk in this year’s event: Lawson Muncaster and City AM, Tim Hughes at IG INDEX, Andrew Maidment from Wines of Argentina and Cory soutar at Veuve Clicquot – thank you chaps, this is your event and I hope that you enjoy it!

The Gaucho spirit is one of passion for excellence, so whether supporting Argentina, England, scotland or Ireland, please feel free to show your passion tonight and enjoy watching a little excellence and history occur before your eyes... and then nip back into Gaucho or indigO2 to continue the party!

Have a great evening!

Martin WilliamsOperations DirectorGaucho

Great Minds Think Alike!

SOME GAUCHOS PREFER A MORE EXHILARATING RIDE

Available for private charter, cocktail parties and dining experiences

For all hospitality and ticket information please contact [email protected]

gauchorestaurants.com


6 Contents

Details4 Welcome8 Sponsors 10 Map & Timings

Teams

18 England Team Profile 20 Argentina Team Profile 22 Ireland Team Profile 24 Scotland Team Profile Features13 Polo For Dummies A beginner’s guide to the game

17 Spotlight on the HPA About the governing body

27 Behind the Scenes Creating this spectacular event

28 Polo Around the World How the sport is played across the globe

31 Premier Polo All Year Round Highlights of the 2012 polo calendar

44 Master of Ceremonies The two sides of Nacho Figueras

47 Trophy-Tastic More than just mantelpiece ornaments

48 Hot to Trot How white jeans combine style and charity

51 Electro Tango Bajofondo light up the stage

52 Buenos Aires Style Lifting the lid on afterparty glamour

55 Argentinian Flavour Our top ten Argentinian wines

59 Three of the Best A trio of excellent Argentinian wineries

60 Seeing Red Wines of Argentina’s premier producers

64 From the Pampas to the Plate Gaucho’s succulent steak selection

Contents

Published by:

managing director: Eren Ellwooddesign: Dalton Butler

Project manager: Sam Biss

7 Heron Quay, Canary Wharf, London United Kingdom. E14 4JB

Tel: 020 7987 4320 Email: [email protected]

www.rwmg.co.uk

Reproduction without prior permission is strictly prohibited. All details correct at time of going to

press and subject to change.

b e s p o k eRUNWILDM E D I A G R O U P

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

www.cityamcareers.com

over

1000in

Finance,LegaL & i.T.

SaLarieS up To

£250k jobS

INTRODUCING THE NEW JOBSITE FROM CITY A.M.

Qr scaN Here

CAREERS.com

cc100354CA_20120220_CityAM_Careers_200x235.indd 1 23/02/2012 18:17


8 Details

Team Sponsors

IG Index Welbeck MeRcHAnT HUb AUcHenTOSHAn

Official Sponsors

VeUVe clIcqUOT

TAnqUeRAy GIn qUIlMeS POlISTAS

Thanks to our

Event Sponsor

cITy AM

Event Sponsor

HPA

MARTIn cOllInSMAnTIS WIneS Of ARGenTInA

“J.P. Morgan Private Bank” is the marketing name for the private banking business conducted by JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its subsidiaries worldwide. © 2012 JPMorgan Chase & Co. All rights reserved. Photo: V&A Images, London/Art Resource, NY. Reproduced by permission.

J.P. Morgan Private Bank

Precision, passion, unrivaled partnership

London+44 207.742.7512

Geneva+41 22.744.1201

Madrid+34 91.516.1257

Paris+33 1.40.15.40.91

“J.P. Morgan Private Bank” is the marketing name for the private banking business conducted by JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its subsidiaries worldwide. © 2012 JPMorgan Chase & Co. All rights reserved. Photo: V&A Images, London/Art Resource, NY. Reproduced by permission.

J.P. Morgan Private Bank

Precision, passion, unrivaled partnership

London+44 207.742.7512

Geneva+41 22.744.1201

Madrid+34 91.516.1257

Paris+33 1.40.15.40.91


10 Details

Order of Play:5.30pm The o2 arena opens for General Admission tickets

Wines of Argentina Tasting Village is available within The O2 arena for all General Admission tickets and corporate guests

6.30pm DJ and in-house entertainment starts within The O2 arena

7.00pm Bajofondo Remixed live set

7.15 pm 1st Polo Match - Welbeck Team Ireland v Auchentoshan Team Scotland

8.15pm Bajofondo Remixed live set

8.30pm 2nd Polo Match - IG Index Team England v Merchant Hub Team Argentina

9.30pm Team Presentations & final Bajofondo Remixed live set

9.45pm Official Gaucho International Polo 2012 afterparties begin

Entertainment The London Piazza

Entertainment Avenue

West Entrance

Main

Entrance

I

H

G

F

AB

C

E

D

Stage PonyLines

O2

Tanquery Lounge

Wines Of Argentina Tasting Lounge

indigO2 Players After Party & Veuve Clicquot Lounge

Gaucho Corporate Hospitality

Avenue

120321_245x210_GetClose_Gaucho.indd 1 28/02/2012 11:15


Feature 13

Reasons To Like Polo: 1, 2, 3Polo is trying to shake off its posh-boy associations. In all fairness, it does have very humble beginnings. “Hockey on horseback” was the not-so-glam description originally given to the pursuit of driving a small ball into an opposing team’s goal whilst clutching a long-handled mallet, all the while gaining momentum on a toned equestrian beast. That was back when the game was first played in England in 1869. Word had spread westwards after British tea planters set up the first polo club on the Burmese-Indian border. They’d seen it played in

India, where it had travelled from ancient Persia. What epic beginnings!

The game’s come a long way still since. The predominant polo-playing nations are Brazil, Argentina, Chile, the Unites States, England, Mexico, Australia, Spain, France and Switzerland (snow polo central). This dangerous sport is appreciated in 80 countries worldwide.

Polo trivia has a great claim to fame. In the same year that polo was introduced to Australia – 1878 – James Gordon Bennett Junior got the Americans in on the act, having seen the game whilst on a visit to Hurlingham in England. That same Gordon Bennett is one of two suspects

in the coining of that same term of exclamation; the other being his father. Sadly, though, no one still really knows exactly how the saying came to stick.

Sticking To The RulesPeople say polo’s a simple game to follow; that it has few rules and that this makes it fast-flowing. An initial glance at the Arena Polo rulebook written by governing body, the Hurlingham Polo Association, would suggest otherwise; convoluted rules on ‘positioning’ and three diagrams later and I’ve been drawn towards some of the more colourful facts: riders must wear a

Polo novice, ALICE TOzER, takes a crash course in polo basics for the innocent and shares her fondest findings


Feature 13

chin strap to their helmet; may not play under the influence of stimulative drugs and may not use horses that are blind in one eye. The horses’ welfare is officially top priority; players must bandage all four of the horse’s legs, or put him in boots for protection.

For all the minutiae that may exist, on a surface level it seems easy enough for us laypeople to get the gist. A game is split into ‘chukkas’. Four of these comprise a game, and each chukka (what a great word) lasts seven-and-a-half minutes. Players may alternate between two ponies, changing every chukka. Half time lasts just five-and-a-half-minutes. Things can get a little confusing, owing to the speed of it all. After each goal, the teams change ends, for instance. You will need to turn off your iPhone and get in the zone if you want to stand a hope in hell of knowing what’s going on.

Polo players usually have handicaps

which (in the words of Ham Polo club), “enables the brilliant to play with the hopeless.” Not that that’s relevant to this evening’s quality line-up. What is, though, is that it’s arena polo, as opposed to the ‘field’ stuff. This means erecting walls 5 feet tall. The ball’s larger than the outdoor version and is made so as to make for a particularly ‘hard and lively’ object. In arena polo, you have three in a team, not four.

All Decked OutWhat of the kit, then? As will be blatantly obvious when the boys come out to play, they wear a helmet, goggles, boots and knee guards and all these are obligatory. Gloves aren’t compulsory, but most wear them to get a good handle on the mallet. As far as I can tell, the mallet is by far the most exciting member of the equipment list. A lot of love goes into these glorified

hunks of wood, which are custom-made for the player, usually using resilient manau cane (some exotic palm also used in archery bows). Each player strikes their preferred balance when combining their cane with their mallet head, which they choose for weight and length.

Polo horses are referred to as ‘ponies’ but they are not, in fact, ponies. The term has stuck from the days when polo horses did indeed have to be ponies, at 14 hands tall maximum. This rule was abolished after the First World War.

Foul play boils down to bad mallet ‘hooking’ (for example, deliberately knocking the horse), ‘crossing’ and ‘engaging’. Basically, dangerous moves aren’t okay. But you’ve got umpires blowing whistles to make that one clear. Homework done. Time to benefit from the Argentinian wine on offer, and brace yourself for some very serious horsing around.

14 Feature©

Mar

k B

eaum

ont

International Co-Production33 Queen Anne StreetLondon W1G 9HY

Tel: +44 (0)20 7436 4300Fax: +44 (0)20 7436 4343Web: www.icpnet.com


THE HPA sTANds fOR THE Hurlingham Polo Association and it is the governing body for polo in the UK, Ireland and

many Commonwealth countries. It has its equivalent in the Us in the United states Polo Association, and in Argentina in the Asociación Argentina de Polo.

One of the first polo matches to be played in England was at Hurlingham in 1874, so it fell on the shoulders of this part of London to oversee the drawing up of a few English polo rules. In 1925, the Hurlingham Polo Association, as it is called today, was coined. However, not long after, at the outbreak of the second World War, the polo scene was seriously disrupted. Hurlingham’s grounds were turned over for agricultural use, and then built on. The sport was resurrected in 1952, with the HPA then being based at Cowdray.

Whilst rule-making and allocating handicaps to its members are the main remits of the HPA, it does a lot of work to promote polo too. The HPA website (www.hpa-polo.co.uk) is a clear indication

of the body’s determination to make polo more accessible to all. There are some fantastic three-year HPA-funded bursaries to Argentina for potential or current England squad players. It is hoped these will increase the likelihood of English players getting places in high goal teams.

Polo is not a contested Olympic sport these days (it was for the first couple of decades of the 1900s), though it is recognised by the International Olympic

Committee. Essentially, this means it could apply for inclusion in future games (as can netball, chess and cricket, say).

Individuals who are full-playing members of one of the 50-something clubs in the UK or Ireland are automatically associate members of the HPA. In 2011, there were more than 3,030 members registered with the HPA. That’s a big leap from even the year 2000, when the stats weighed in at 1,905 members.

Feature 17

G AUC H O I N T E R NAT I O NA L P O L O 2 0 1 2 G AUC H O I N T E R NAT I O NA L P O L O 2 0 1 2

1. Jamie MorrisonNickName: MorroBorN: 13/08/1976areNa HaNDicaP: 8LocaL cLuB: The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Clubcareer HigHLigHts: Arena Gold Cup 2010; International Test Match 2010PoLo amBitioN: “To keep playing for as long as possible and to keep enjoying the sport”game streNgtH: Big hitterPoNies owNeD: 12 Favourite PoNy: Twiggy toP PLace to PLay: RCBPC on Ground OneBest Bit aBout gaucHo iNterNatioNaL PoLo: “It’s an honour to play in such a unique venue”

2. Gavin TurnerNickName: GTBorN: 26/10/1974areNa HaNDicaP: 4LocaL cLuB: The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club career HigHLigHts: England Tour of South Africa October 2009; China Open October 2011 PoLo amBitioN: “To keep improving and maximise my potential as a player”game streNgtH: Good at marking and in defence in general. As they say in polo, ‘good with the man’.toP PLaces to PLay: Guards Polo Club in Windsor Great Park Best Bit aBout gaucHo iNterNatioNaL PoLo: “The venue is fantastic”

3. Maurice OrmerodNickName: May-RodBorN: 1/11/1986areNa HaNDicaP: 5LocaL cLuBs: Druids Lodge Polo Club and Cowdray Park Polo Club PoLo amBitioN: “To play the Gold Cup with pony club peers and to play snow polo”game streNgtH: Fast in straight lines when going to goalPoNies owNeD: 8 Favourite PoNy: Remolacha (Spanish for ‘beetroot’)toP PLace to PLay: San Cristobal, ChileBest Bit aBout gaucHo iNterNatioNaL PoLo: “It’s a great opportunity to bring arena polo to the masses”

Team

Playing on home turf, this is the triumvirate who will undoubtedly have the greatest cheer to spur them. They come head-to-head with old-time rivals, the Argentines, in an epic contest for their country for the Churchill Cup…

IG INDEX

Capt.


Teams 19

Gaucho International Polo is a great opportunity to bring arena polo to the masses”

“


1. Nacho FiguerasNickName: Nacho (his real name is Ignacio)BorN: 04/03/1977areNa HaNDicaP: 7LocaL cLuB: Bridgehampton, New YorkPoLo amBitioN: “To bring polo to the world a little more”Game streNGtH: Team player, goal scorerPoNies oWNeD: Between 250 and 300, spread across the UK, the US and Argentina. ‘I’m like Carrie Bradshaw and shoes’, he once said to the Evening Standard.toP PLace to PLay: ArgentinaBest Bit aBout GaucHo iNterNatioNaL PoLo: “It’s great to be able to bring polo to a wide audience”

4. Oscar ManciniNickName: OscarcitoBorN: 26/06/1974areNa HaNDicaP: 6LocaL cLuBs: The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club and Ranelaghcareer HiGHLiGHts: Playing on Ground One at Palermo – “a dream for any polo player”; Snow polo in St MoritzPoLo amBitioN: “To play on only my homebred horses”Game streNGtH: “I never give up!”PoNies oWNeD: 80toP PLaces to PLay: Ranelagh Farm and SotograndeBest Bit aBout GaucHo iNterNatioNaL PoLo: “I can’t wait for the opportunity to take revenge on England and reclaim the Churchill Cup!”

3. Juan LeivaNickName: ChinoBorN: 10/4/75areNa HaNDicaP: 4LocaL cLuB: Guards Polo Club, Windsor Great Parkcareer HiGHLiGHt: Winning Guards Polo Club’s Autumn Nations Tournament in 2009PoLo amBitioN: “To keep on improving and to play for Argentina”Game streNGtH: Plays classic polo, clean linestoP PLace to PLay: Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club; “amazing grounds for open polo”Best Bit aBout GaucHo iNterNatioNaL PoLo: “Gaucho is so quintessentially Argentine”

Team

Plucked from the pampas are three of Argentina’s fieriest polo pros. The pressure will be mounting on the shoulders of these international

athletes, whose country remains synonymous with the sport…

MERCHANT HUB

Capt.


I can’t wait for the opportunity to take revenge on Team England and reclaim the Churchill Cup!”

“

Teams 21


1. Sebastian DawnayNickName: SebbieBorN: 03/10/1975areNa HaNDicaP: 8LocaL cLuB: The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Clubcareer HigHLigHts: Winning the Arena Gold Cup 5 timesPoLo amBitioN: ”To keep doing what I’m doing and to enjoy the game”game streNgtHs: Play maker, goal scorer, team playerPoNies owNeD: 21Favourite PoNies: Madgin and my own breed, Tick TacktoP PLace to PLay: Costa Careyes, MexicoBest Bit aBout gaucHo iNterNatioNaL PoLo: “The idea that it will be the first time that some of the audience have seen arena polo is amazing”

2. Richard Le PoerNickName: Dicky Three Names BorN: 19/08/1987 areNa HaNDicaP: 6LocaL cLuB: Cowdray Park Polo Club career HigHLigHts: Winning ‘Most Valuable Young English Player 2011’; reaching the final of The Queen’s CupPoLo amBitioN: “To reach eight goals and to be the best mounted English player ever”game streNgtH: Quick, tough, skilful, always gives 100%, likes to be a playmakerFavourite PoNy: Cheeky MonkeytoP PLaces to PLay: Cowdray Park and Plettenburg Bay, South AfricaBest Bit aBout gaucHo iNterNatioNaL PoLo: “Showing the world how great a sport polo is,` and that it is accessible to anyone, from any walk of life”

3. Siobhan HerbstNickNames: Shiv, Shivi or Tim (as in ‘shiver me timbers’)BorN: 01/02/1982areNa HaNDicaP: 3LocaL cLuB: Polo Wicklowcareer HigHLigHts: Playing in the Ellerstina Gold Cup in 2009career amBitioN: “To be as good as I can be and to encourage as many new players into the sport as possible”game streNgtH: “I’m a team player”Favourite PoNies: Pastora and WinnietoP PLaces to PLay: Wolfgang Kailing’s field in Maspe, Hannover in Germany. Also in Newport, Rhode Island; “we play there every year in front of a big crowd, which is always an adrenaline rush.”Best Bit aBout gaucHo iNterNatioNaL PoLo: “Everything that promotes polo − you gotta love it”

Team

Ireland has a polo history mirroring England’s, both countries having brought the game back from India almost 150 years ago via the British Army. There will be

no combined efforts in today’s event though. Here are three of Ireland’s finest…

Capt.

WeLbeck GRouP


The experience of playing in The O2 shows the world how great a sport polo is and that it is accessible to anyone”

“

Teams 23


1. Jamie Le HardyNickName: Jamie Le Love BorN: 20/5/74areNa HaNDicaP: 7LocaL cLuB: Burningfoldcareer HigHLigHts: Gold Cup, Arena Gold Cup, Polo Mastersgame streNgtH: A team player, hard but fairPoNies owNeD: 18 Favourite PoNies: Cassia, PaulitatoP PLace to PLay: Barbados. Polo is played to a high level on the Caribbean island, with several first-class matches between the Barbados team and visiting international teams throughout the year.Best Bit aBout gaucHo iNterNatioNaL PoLo: “It’s a fantastic arena and a great atmosphere”

2. Howard SmithNickName: SmithyBorN: 27/12/71areNa HaNDicaP: 6LocaL cLuBs: The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club and Guards Polo Clubcareer HigHLigHts: Winning The Arena Gold Cup PoLo amBitioN: “To keep playing as long as possible at the highest level”Game streNgtH: Ball skills and a physical edgePoNies owNeD: 8 Favourite PoNies: Rocket and RootoP PLace to PLay: Twelve OaksBest Bit aBout gaucHo iNterNatioNaL PoLo: “It brings polo to a wider audience and it’s a welcome addition to the winter fixtures list”

3. George McCorkellBorN: 16/1/89LocaL cLuB: Kirtlington Park Polo ClubareNa HaNDicaP: 4career HigHLigHt: Playing elephant polo in ThailandPoLo amBitioN: “To get to four goals”game streNgtH: A style of play similar to high goal legend Bautista Heguy and good at taking penaltiesPoNies owNeD: 4 Favourite PoNy: SpritetoP PLace to PLay: Kenya. Whilst British colonialists largely took part in the sport, it gained a following among some locals in the 1980s and 1990sBest Bit aBout gaucHo iNterNatioNaL PoLo: “Bringing a country sport to the heart of the capital”

Team

Scotland might not be immediately associated with polo, but the country in fact possesses three key clubs. Today’s team will be wanting to give the Irish boys a run for their money. Taking to the saddle are…

Capt.

AUCHENTOSHAN


Gaucho International Polo is a welcome addition to the winter fixtures list”“

Teams 25


Feature 27

Q How long will it take to transform The O2 arena into a polo arena? Last year a day; this year, ten hours!

Q What are the processes involved?First we build the boards for the arena, and then bring in the surface, nearly 450 tonnes of sand, plus all the vehicles and machinery needed for spreading it and levelling the surface. We build the pony lines out in the back to accommodate all the horses; we are expecting about 60 this year. Then we dress the arena, adding advertising hoardings and corporate enclosures.

Q What kind of maintenance is required during the event?We monitor the boards and run a tractor over the surface to level it off at various intervals.

Q How long does it take to clear the polo arena after the event, and do you have to work through the night? Four hours, I hope, otherwise I am in big trouble! No one gets much sleep the night before or after, even though we cannot work between 3am and 6am.

Q Have there been any design or logistical changes since last year’s polo event? We have improved the boards slightly and incorporated the ice hockey boards over more of the area, as this is better for

viewing. We are much tighter for time this year and the production will be much bigger, with a stage for Bajofondo in the evening.

Q Do you think that the success of transforming The O2 will lead other venues to consider hosting arena polo events?They are all different and there is a lot of expertise required from many different areas, but I am sure once it catches on other major cities will start to be interested. I know Nacho Figueras is keen to see this event at Madison Square Gardens.

Q Who designed the polo arena? I suppose ultimately I did, but we used existing equipment and the challenge was working out how big an arena we could have, how it lent itself to the spectacle whilst satisfying the highest professional standards, and being able to get it in and out in the limited time available.

Q What is your best bit of the event?The satisfaction that it has gone well, and seeing the players compete at the highest level for a prize that matters to them, at an iconic venue. I enjoy seeing the achievement of it all, but I am too focused whilst its all going on, to enjoy it properly myself. Although I will say the last moments of the Scotland v. South Africa Game last year were fantastic to watch.

We talk to Event Director for Gaucho Mark Cann about the incredible transformation of The O2 arena from music

venue to polo pitch (and back) in just one day

12 players

60 horses

450 tonnes of sand

3000 bottles of Veuve Clicquot champagne

50,000kg of prime Argentinian beef eaten in Gaucho O2

THE NUMBERS


We take a closer look at the spread of polo around the world and various adaptations that have audiences hooked

IT wAs IN THE ANCIENT NATION of Persia, around 600BC, that someone on a horse first tried hitting a ball with a stick – and found it was quite

good sport! soon afterwards, the first recorded version of the game took place, and before long the exciting pursuit started to spread to neighbouring kingdoms.

skip forward a few thousand years, and polo has become a popular sport all over the world in all sorts of different styles, locations and climates. A little more than hi tting a ball with a stick, today polo is known for its adrenaline-fuelled speed, precision and skill, and is played in more than 80 different countries.

1 GRASS POLOTo the common man, outdoor/grass

polo is the most recognized and played format of the game around the world. This is the game played by British and international royals, the game that has been played in official tournaments for

hundreds of years, and the game that is ordinarily acknowledged as the original form of polo.

This modern game of polo, though formalised and proliferated by the British, is derived from Manipur (India) and the

oldest polo ground in the world is the Imphal Polo Ground located in

Manipur state. In addition, British settlers in the United states and Argentina popularised the game in the Americas, where the

first formal polo matches took place around 1875. The

sport spread fast and in the 1924 Paris and 1936 Berlin Olympic

Games, Argentinian teams obtained the gold medal. Popularity grew to such an extent that today both nations are tough competitors in the international tournaments, and Argentina is credited globally as the beating heart of traditional grass polo.

However, as the sport has blossomed in popularity, a number of variations have emerged as adaptations to various climates, locations and audiences. Arena, beach and snow polo differ from grass polo

in several ways; the most obvious of which is the reduction to three players per team, in order to accommodate smaller spaces and closer spectator stands.

2 SNOW POLOAnother modern variant is snow

polo, which is played outdoors on snow, frozen ground or ice. Polo started to be played at ski stations around 1985, so is one of the newest adaptations of the game; the ball used on snow is made of plastic and much larger than the wooden ball used on grass, the game is slower and the field is smaller.

3 BEACH POLOBeach polo is growing in

popularity, especially here in the UK where major events include matches at watergate in Cornwall and sandbanks in Dorset. similar to arena polo (which can also be played on sand), the rules are almost the time. sandbanks is a particular highlight of the polo social calendar

28 Feature

oldest polo ground in the world is the Imphal Polo Ground located in

Manipur British settlers in the United

took place around 1875. The sport spread fast and in the

1924 Paris and 1936 Berlin Olympic

and before long the exciting pursuit started to spread to neighbouring

hi tting a ball with a stick, today polo is known for its adrenaline-


Grass/Outdoor Polo Players: 4Playing surface: grass Pitch: 300 x 160 yards chukkas: 4–6 periods of play (7-minute chukkas) goals: 8 yards apart locations: Worldwide including major events: abierto de tortugas, abierto de hurlingham, abierrto argentino de Polo (argentina); the cartier Queen’s cup (uk); fiP World cup (international locations)

Arena/Indoor Polo Players: 3–4Playing surface: dirt/sandPitch: varies from full size to 300 x 150 ft chukkas: 4 periods of play (7.5-minute chukkas)goals: 10 x 15 ft area in arena wall locations: Worldwide including the gaucho international Polo at the o2

Beach PoloPlayers: 3Playing surface: sand with a bright inflatable ballPitch: varies on locationchukkas: 4 periods of play, length variesgoals: 6 yards apartlocations: Popular in Miami, fl (usa), Dubai, Dominican republic, ireland and uk including British Beach Polo championships at sandbanks

Snow PoloPlayers: 3Playing surface: snow, flat surface or frozen lake with a bright inflatable ballPitch: varies (usually less than 100 yards long) chukkas: 4 periods of play goals: varies on locationlocations: aspen, co (usa), switzer-land (st. Moritz and klosters), argentina, russia, italy with major events including the fiP (federation of international Polo) 2012 snow Polo World cup at the Metropolitan Polo club in tianjin, china and st Moritz Polo World cup

THE FACTS

(6–7 July this year); home to a breathtaking spectacle of beach polo prowess and skill, the event also attracts party enthusiasts in large numbers, including A-list celebrities, London high society, international socialites and British royals.

Beach polo is popular around the world, and is springing up in new locations every year. In fact, the first official international beach polo event will take place in St Brelade’s Bay, Jersey, this year after local officials agreed to relax beach rules. Locations including Ibiza and Forte dei Marmi (Italy) have also enjoyed huge popularity at inaugural beach polo events since 2010.

4 ARENA POLOArena polo (where the Gaucho

Polo tournament is grouped) is gaining popularity fast and is the next most common version of the game. Renowned for its fast, action- packed pace, it’s a sharper, slightly smaller, version of the original.

The dimensions of an arena pitch can equal that of a grass pitch (300ft

x 150ft) but boasts the addition of 4ft high sideboards containing the action. The boards are used to rebound the ball changing the direction of play, keeping both the spectators and opposing team on their toes. In instances where a smaller

pitch is used, the layout makes for a thrilling game, with the

emphasis on skill rather than hitting power. Picked up and personalised by individual nations, local variants of the

smaller game have also been developed – cowboy polo in the

western United States, polocrosse in Australia and even camel polo in Dubai, to name but a few.

Arena tournaments have been so well received by both players and audiences that events have been established all over the world (even where grass polo is popular). In the UK, arena polo is booming – and for the 363 days a year that The O2 isn’t transformed for a tournament, the arena game can still be enjoyed on a regular basis not far from the capital. Ascot Park Polo Club in Surrey is home to Europe’s largest all-weather polo arena, measuring 100m x 50m, playing host to lessons and tournaments for all levels.

pitch is used, the layout makes for a thrilling game, with the

emphasis on skill rather than

smaller game have also been developed – cowboy polo in the

western United States, polocrosse in

Beach polo is popular around the world, and is springing up in new

including Ibiza and Forte dei Marmi

Privately owned Boutique Hotels,Game Reserves & Eco Lodges for

the discerning traveller

For further information please call+44 (0)207 594 4790, email

[email protected] or visit www.mantiscollection.com

6071 - Mantis HPA Gaucho Advert_Layout 1 28/02/2012 08:54 Page 1


MINT Polo in the Park 2012Hurlingham Park, Fulham8th – 10th June For the fourth year, the hallowed

turf of Hurlingham Park in Fulham will thunder with the hooves of polo ponies. Polo players from all over the world will battle each other in a furious display of horsemanship at MINT Polo in the Park. Spend a quintessentially British summer’s day at Hurlingham, complete with elegant food court, a variety of big name bars, shops and childrens’ play area. Browse and wander through the luxury village, enjoy the Veuve Clicquot champagne garden, along with world-class hospitality and some of the finest polo and pitch-side entertainment in the world. The event is the leading outdoor polo and lifestyle fixture in central London. New for 2012 are an improved luxury and lifestyle shopping

area, the Havana Mojito Bar, Pimm’s Bus and, exclusive to ‘City Friday’, the gorgeous Gaucho lounge.

Sunset Polo 2012Ham Polo Club, Richmond29th June At over 85 years of age, Ham Polo

Club holds an established and distinguished reputation as the last remaining polo club in Greater London. The club is renowned for teaming excellent sporting standards with a relaxed family atmosphere and social facilities – and this summer, Gaucho will once again bring the essence of the Argentina’s national sporting heritage to Ham, stamping Latino passion onto London’s flagship club.

2011 saw Gaucho partner with the world’s best polo player, Adolfo Cambasio,

for a round-robin tournament that saw Team Horseware triumphant against Team Gaucho in the final. On Friday 29 June this year, Sunset Polo welcomes guests once more for a day of corporate entertainment and sporting prowess.

Sunset Polo is the ideal way to introduce those not familiar with Argentina’s greatest sport to the game, and is perfect for both family trips and luxury hospitality.

The Asahi British Beach Polo Championships 2012

Sandbanks, Poole6th – 7th July Yes, Britain does have a premier

beach location – Sandbanks – and this year it will once again play host to polo’s finest in a festival of sport and music. Beach Polo at Sandbanks provides a unique opportunity for businesses to improve brand awareness,

All YeAr round

Alice Tozer finds out Gaucho’s top picks for those of you now itching to fill your diary with polo, inspired by the evening’s events!

Feature 31


Feature 13

promote their services and entertain clients. Building on the success of the last four years, the British Beach Polo Championships 2012 promises to be a phenomenal event. Teams from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales will compete for the Championship title. There’ll be floodlit beach polo on the Friday night, whilst the Professional Beach Volleyball will provide a sporting alternative. Sumptuous refreshments will be provided throughout the day, with guests taking part in this exciting and glamorous spectacle, both on and off the pitch. The renowned Beach Party allows players, celebrities, socialites and supporters alike to dance the night away or just chill until the small hours of the morning.

The Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup 2012Cowdray Park Polo Club15th July (day of the final)The Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup

for the British Open Polo Championship at Cowdray Park is one of most prestigious

polo tournaments in the world. At 22-goal level, the golden trophy is what every player dreams of winning in his career. For three weeks this summer, almost 50 matches will be played at the event. It all started back in 1956, thanks to the late John Cowdray, 3rd Viscount, who launched the event. Veuve Clicquot has been title sponsor since 1995, giving the event that extra splash of class. The Final of the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup will attract over more than 12,000 spectators. At the top of the spectrum are 200 A-list celebrities, ‘connectors’, and clients who are spoilt rotten by Veuve Clicquot in an exclusive, invitation-only VIP marquee.

The HAC 105 Polo Invitational 2012Ham Polo Club, Richmond8th September

The oldest regiment in the British Army, the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) has a strong polo tradition. In this event they battle with the Household

Cavalry and the Parachute Regiment teams, at prestigious Ham Polo Club. For the third year running, you will be able to see the British Army’s most prestigious regiment, made up of the City’s finest professionals, play polo in one of its flagship community engagement events. Last year saw three HAC polo teams compete for a number of prestigious trophies in front of some 800 HAC members, their guests and members of the general public. The day included music and marching displays from the British Imperial Band and the HAC Light Cavalry. The event raises money for the HAC Benevolent Fund and also the Parachute Regiment Charity, and helps raise the profile of the regiment within the army and the wider general public. Rumour has it that this year, a royal presence for the day could even be on the cards.

32 Feature

HA

C P

hoto

: © M

ark

Bea

umon

t

Left: Gaucho Sunset Polo 2011Below: MINT Polo in the Park 2011Bottom: The Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup 2011

© C

live

Ben

nett

Swiss movement, English heart

C8 PILOT MKII VINTAGE EDITION £365.00

Swiss made / 26 jewel automatic movement / 38 hour power reserve / Balance wheel viewing window / Old radium superluminova hands and indicesDiameter: 44mm / Calibre: Sellita SW200-1.

E X C L U S I V E L Y A V A I L A B L E A T christopherward.co.uk

ChristopherWard_GauchoPolo.indd 1 29/02/2012 14:48

Jose Hernandez

MARTÍN FIERRO THE GAUCHO

I AM A GAUCHO, AND TAKE THIS FROM ME AS MY TONGUE EXPLAINS IT TO YOU:

FOR ME THE EARTH IS A SMALL PLACE AND COULD BE BIGGER YET

AND SITTING BESIDE THE FIRE WAITING FOR DAY TO COME

HE’D SUCK AT THE BITTER MATÉ TILL HE WAS GLOWING WARM

BRILLANDO CÁLIDAMENTE

AND SITTING BESIDE THE FIRE WAITING FOR DAY TO COME

HE’D SUCK AT THE BITTER MATÉ TILL HE WAS GLOWING WARM

BRILLANDO CÁLIDAMENTE

GA

NA

DO

Y C

IELO

HE COULD ALWAYS FIND SOME AMUSEMENT, PEOPLE WERE READY FOR ANYTHING...

LOOKING OUT ACROSS THE LAND YOU’D SEE NOTHING BUT CATTLE AND SKY

GA

NA

DO

Y C

IELOHE COULD ALWAYS FIND SOME AMUSEMENT, PEOPLE WERE READY FOR ANYTHING...

LOOKING OUT ACROSS THE LAND YOU’D SEE NOTHING BUT CATTLE AND SKY

JUNTOS OTRA VEZ

AND AS NIGHT FELL, YOU’D SEE THEM TOGETHER AGAIN IN THE KITCHEN

WITH THE FIRE WELL ALIGHT AND A HUNDRED THINGS TO TALK OVERJUNTOS

OTRA VEZ


WITH THE FIRE WELL ALIGHT AND A HUNDRED THINGS TO TALK OVER

JUNTOS OTRA VEZ


WITH THE FIRE WELL ALIGHT AND A HUNDRED THINGS TO TALK OVER

A GAUCHO GOES WHERE HE AIMS FOR

EVEN THOUGH HE CAN’T TELL WHERE HE IS

gauchorestaurants.com


THE MANWhat is your favourite film?Easy – The Godfather. It just has wonderful actors and a great story.

What was the first album you ever bought?I think it was Appetite for Destruction by Guns ‘N’ Roses. It was their first album, so I must have been about 12 years old!

Which book are you reading at the moment?I particularly like biographies, as I like to read about influential people and leaders in their time, and I’ve normally got a couple on the go at once. Right now, I’m reading the Steve Jobs book and the biography of Blake Mycoskie, who created TOMS footwear.

Who’s been the most interesting person you’ve met so far?Not because he’s been my employer, but Ralph Lauren has genuinely been

Polo Times editor James mullan talks to six-goal player and Ralph Lauren model Nacho Figueras, uncovering the two sides to the captain of the Argentina side facing England in Gaucho International Polo 2012’s main event

an inspiration for me. He’s a wonderful family man, a terrific leader and a brilliant business entrepreneur.

Who would you most like to meet?It would have been fun to meet Frank Sinatra. He intrigues me. But, since he’s dead, I’m hopeful that one day I’ll get the chance to meet Nelson Mandela.

Who was your childhood hero?Gonzalo Pieres.

And who has been your biggest influence?My father; he’s the one who taught me that hard work pays off. If you keep going, nothing is impossible.

What ambitions do you still have?To keep expanding polo, but my passion is to do so by linking the game to big brands and businesses in order to find means to ensure there is a significant charitable element to each event as well. The potential is almost limitless.


Feature 45

THE PLAYERWhen was the last time you fell off?Oh, I fall off all the time! But the last nasty one was in December, when I fell heavily whilst playing in a tournament match at Polo One in Pilar. My right shoulder was in pain for about a month afterwards.

Who’s been your hardest opponent in polo?It was always a tough game whenever I played Mariano Aguerre. He and I had some great battles when he was playing for Peter Brant’s team in the US high-goal in Florida. The last time we met, in 2009, he got the better of us in a 15-14 epic.

And who’s been the best teammate?I’ve played quite a lot with both Facundo and Gonzalito Pieres, and they have always been very enjoyable to line up alongside, and brilliant teammates.

What has been your best polo memory?I’d actually have to say playing in front of 18,000 people at the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in New York, with the city’s iconic skyline as our backdrop. For me, it wasn’t just a game, but the culmination of a lot of hard organisational work. It was something I’d nurtured from the start.

Do you have any polo regrets?No, none. I’m a very positive person, and so even when things don’t go quite as you might have hoped; I’ll always learn from them and take something valuable as I go forward.

Previously published in Polo Times

AUSTINREED.CO.UK

Alternatively shop online at

BESPOKE SUITS FROM

MADE TO MEASURE

£599

FROM£399 SUITS

Cabot Place East Canary Wharf

West India Docks Isle of Dogs

E14 4QT


Feature 47

THERE ARE TwO TROPHIEs to be contested tonight, each for a one-off test match. The Churchill Cup will be

presented to either England or Argentina, as they go head to head. And there’s the Ambassador’s Cup whose fate is in the hands of either scotland or Ireland. Of the two, the Churchill Cup has definitely got the edge in terms of its history.

The Churchill Cup is borrowed from the CsPA (the Combined services Polo Association) and dates back to 1890. It’s

a very valuable item. The Cup (aka ‘The United services Cup’) might have been around a long time, but nobody is quite sure what it was originally presented for. In recent years it was given to the winner of a polo final played between the Inter-Regimental Germany and the Inter-Regimental UK sides. when this match ceased to exist - after the Inter-Regimental Germany team disbanded - the Cup was re-designated as the first trophy of the Chapple Cup series (played between the CsPA and the annual visiting touring

team). Incidentally, close up, this most beautiful rosebowl is almost identical to the cup given to the winner of the men’s Australian Tennis Open.

There’s a reason Mr Churchill’s name is behind the trophy. As young officer in the British cavalry in the late 1890s, he was an avid polo player. He had a natural ability to play the sport, and was said to have done so wholeheartedly and with great ferocity. so much did he esteem the pursuit of polo that he is quoted as saying, “A polo handicap is a passport to the world.” He continued to play the sport until he was 52, and to ride up until he was 76!

Last year’s winners of the Churchill and Ambassador’s Cups were England and scotland respectively. Both contests were very close in 2011, meaning there’s everything to play for as this evening’s action pans out, making the event all the more exciting.

There’s often more to a trophy that meets the eye, and those up for the winning tonight are no exception. We take a closer look...


POLO Is NOT sImPLy A sport these days, it’s a mainstay of popular culture. so much so, that in recent years polo

fashion has extended from the pitch into boutiques, high fashion labels and even the high street.

The traditional polo regalia of white jeans, polo shirt and brown leather riding boots is imitated by countless fashion houses, and original polo suppliers such as Polistas and Ralph Lauren have enjoyed a surge in sales from both sporting and non-sporting shoppers.

“It’s as important to ‘look the part’ at a polo event as it is at any other social event” said Polistas founder and mD, Johnny Lynn, to Lusso magazine, “and the fashion -conscious among the new generation of polo spectators will want to take note.”

“A polo tournament is not a night club. But it is amazing to see many novice spectators […] wearing stiletto heels or black suits and dashes of bling in the middle of the English countryside. For the most part, classic is best. For guys, you can’t go wrong with a pair of chinos or white jeans and either a dress shirt and blazer or a nice, plain polo shirt. For girls, the high

heels are tempting but impractical. At less formal weekend polo matches, dress for comfort and don’t over-do it.”

As the stomping ground of royalty, social elite and royalty, what to wear to polo matches has been hotly debated amongst the style-conscious – but currently, white jeans are winning in the fashion stakes with followers such as Prince Harry wearing them at matches around the world.

With such a reputation, it seems only fitting that the theme of the Gaucho International Polo 2012 event is a stylish ‘White Jeans Party’, and numerous celebrity guests (including boy band phenomenon JLs, IT girl Tara Palmer-Tompkinson, made in Chelsea’s millie mackintosh, Rosie Fortescue and Jamie Lang, and Lydia Bright and Lauren Pope from The Only Way of Essex) have already confirmed they will be sporting polo whites when they attend on 21 march.

In keeping with the in-vogue dress code and the positive response from high-profile attendees, for every guest who arrives at the event wearing a pair of white jeans, Gaucho will donate a pound to the British Forces Foundation.

Sumptuous style and support for a worthwhile cause combine to make Gaucho International Polo’s ‘White Jeans Party’ the hottest polo event of the 2012 social calendar

Millie Mackintosh is among those lending her support to the White Jeans campaign.


If you don’t currently own any polo whites or need an excuse for a new pair, we can recommend checking out Polistas for the latest styles. We love the classic men’s whites (£80), which are worn by some of the best players in the world. They can easily serve as practical sportswear on the pitch or slimming casual wear for any occasion – and reassuringly, the website states that “we built them with eight belt loops rather than the usual six so you don’t look like a plumber every time you bend over”. For women, the white polo jeans (£90) promise to be “functional yet flattering, designed for playing polo as well as sip-ping champagne field-side” – what more could you ask for? www.polistas.com

Hot Picks

Feature 49

EQUINE SURFACES – ARGENTINA • EUROPE • MIDDLE EAST • SINGAPORE • UK • USA For a brochure call +44 (0)1488 71100 www.mceltd.com

Teamwork on every level

Official surface supplier

By Appointment toHer Majesty The Queen

Manufacturers of Synthetic Riding SurfacesMartin Collins Enterprises Limited

Berkshire

By Appointment toHer Majesty The Queen

Manufacturers of Synthetic Riding SurfacesMartin Collins Enterprises Limited

Berkshire

Polo Times 2012.indd 1 22/02/2012 14:49


Feature 51

Truly the icing on the cake for the hotly anticipated International Gaucho Polo event, Grammy award-winning South American band Bajofondo will electrify The O2 arena with an evening concert of unforgettable live music. Bringing Argentine soul to the party, Bajofondo are internationally renowned for their unique brand of ‘electro-tango’, which takes the very best elements of South American sounds and mixes it with DNB, house, chill out and trip hop sounds.

“With Bajofondo,” said Santaolalla, “we try to make a contemporary music of Rio

de la Plata (the river that forms part of the border between Argentina and Uruguay) music from Argentina, from Uruguay. Obviously, if you want to do music that comes from there or represents that part of the world, tango is going to be part of it – but, in our case, so is rock ‘n’ roll, electronica and hip-hop. Hopefully a new language, not pure tango.”

The eight-man group is described as a “collective of composers, singers and artists” whose first album, Bajofondo Tango Club reached triple platinum. Since then they have gone from strength to

strength, performing their live Bajofondo Remixed DJ sets at the biggest world and electronic music festivals around the world. Their last appearance in London at KOKO in 2009 sold out and already their O2 performance is set to be one of the hot tickets for 2012.

The band’s eight talented musicians promise to lead revellers at the arena through a sensual soundscape of tango, trip-hop, DNB and pop elements, redefining the essence of tango especially for this exclusive event.

“It is an amazing opportunity for us to be able to play in such an important venue and during this event that has a lot to do with our culture and Argentine tradition.”

The three performances will headline The Gaucho International Polo event, bringing a fresh, upbeat Argentine sound to London, with one of Latin America’s most acclaimed bands. Coupled with exclusive wine tastings from Argentina’s finest producers and afterparties late into the night, this party will rock in true Buenos Aires style!

Tickets are available via Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.co.uk / 0844 248 5022.

Bringing a taste of South American beats to London, get ready to party as Bajofondo lead the festivities at Gaucho International Polo 2012

The crowd went wild for it, invading the stage at the end and cheering for more with a standing ovation”The Financial Times, Bajofondo at the Barbican Centre

“


Feature 52

TO CELEbRATE THE ENd of the spectacular Gaucho International Polo event at London’s O2 arena, Gaucho

invites you to the intimate setting of the indigO2 to continue the celebrations in true Argentinian style.

bursting with vibrant South American beats, delicious exotic cocktails and unforgettable music this fabulous afterparty will be held at the indigO2 once the final chukka has been played. Guests at the party will mingle with the world-famous professional players and countless celebrities that will be attending the event.

Highlights include relaxing with a glass of chilled Veuve Clicquot champagne, whilst soaking up an unforgettable musical evening with some of London’s finest dJs and a mesmerising 3d laser show.

Taking to the decks and ensuring the party flows with a seamless mix of music, dancing, champagne and cocktails will be award-winning dJ Sam Young, who has famously played at Royal weddings, superstars’ birthday bashes (including Elton John’s) and film premieres such as Sex and The City and The Golden Compass. Also wowing the crowds and keeping the party vibe alive will be Hugo Heathcote (founder of Love brunch, London’s hottest all-day Ibiza-style brunch party), James Park, fresh from his tour with N dubz’s dappy, and Sacha bahlsen.

Finally, there will also be a charitable twist to the evening in the form of ‘The White Jeans Party’, which ticket holders are already looking forward to. In keeping with the popularity of traditional polo regalia, for every guest who arrives at the event wearing a pair of white polo jeans, £1 will be donated to the british Forces Foundation (bFF). With enthusiasts such as Prince Harry and professional players donning them at matches around the world, you’ll look right at home in a pair of polo whites, sipping a glass of champagne and soaking up the incredible party atmosphere, buenos Aires-style!

The Gaucho International Polo Players Afterparty at indigO2

9.45pm until late. Tickets £17.50 in advance, £20 on the night available from www.ticketmaster.co.uk

No self respecting polo event is complete without an extravagant after party lasting long into the night. Join in the madness, meet the

players and celebrate Gaucho-style at indigO2

The afterparty has been organised by party planner and professional polo player, Royston Prisk. Having competed around the world and at every level, Royston has also worked with Chinawhite on the Cartier Polo event for nine years, and has produced polo-related parties in both London and at The Royal Berkshire Polo Club. He has worked with many of London’s top nightclubs, including Cuckoo Club, Maddox and Chinawhite.

Party Planner

Welcome to the world’s most exciting game:

www.polotimes.co.uk

Like what you’ve seen at the Gaucho?Well, find out more about the ins and outs of the game with a free trial to Polo Times magazine

Polo is played all over the world, on grass, on snow, in arenas and on beaches, and is a thriving business industry in its own right.

Whether you find the game exhilarating or frustrating, beautiful or just plain dangerous, it’s time you knew what you were talking about.

Head to the Polo Times website and click on the tab

Contact Us64 Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 7JFTel: (+44) 778 963 3309 (UK Direct)

1680 Michigan Avenue. Suite 700,Miami Beach, FL 33139Tel: (+1) 877-615-5050Fax: (+1) 877-615-2723Email: [email protected]: www.merchanthub.co.uk


Feature 55

As Argentine wines become ever more popular here in the UK, selecting the right bottle might seem a little overwhelming. Guiding you through this bewildering barrage of bottles, Gaucho’s Director of Wine PHIL CROzIER

selects his top ten from the current darling of the winemaking world.

Argentinian


1 Colome estate torrontes

Torrontes is the emblematic grape varietal of Northern Argentina, and is fast becoming a great alternative to Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Very aromatic, fresh and clean with grapefruit peel, lychee and elderflower and a clean, fresh finish.

2 FinCa DeCero

Cabernet sauvignon This new winery in Alto Agrelo, the highest point in Lujan de Cuyo, has hit the ground running and is producing fantastic quality wines. Cabernet Sauvignon is often overlooked in favour of Malbec, but Argentina is capable of producing great quality. Lots of ripe cassis, menthol

and leathery tones, rich and smooth in the mouth and fresh on the finish.

3 tapiz reserva

CharDonnay This Chardonnay is a great example of high altitude winemaking. From San Pablo, high up in Uco Valley in Mendoza, this fresh and mineral wine benefits from ten months in oak, but the integration of the oak in the wine supports the fruit, rather than overwhelming it. If you think that you are tired of Chardonnay, try this and think again.

4 humberto Canale gran reserva

pinot noir From the region of the Rio Negro, this Pinot Noir exemplifies why this cool

climate area is so suited to this grape. From old vines, this oak aged Pinot Noir is fresh and delicate, with earthy tones of cranberry and crunchy raspberry, smooth on the palate with racy acidity and a fine, long finish; a very grown-up Pinot Noir.

5 susana balbo seleCCion malbeC

Susana Balbo is one of the most respected winemakers in Argentina, and has been elected president of Wines of Argentina for the second year running. She is known for the precise attention to detail that she puts into her wines. This Malbec has become a classic, blending wines from both the Uco Valley and Lujan de Cuyo, adding a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon to give depth and structure. The nose is pretty, with violets and


Feature 57

lavender over ripe black and red fruits, lush in the mouth with an easy charm on the finish.

6 Bianchi ‘Particular’

MalBec This wine is from the small region of San Rafael, which lies around 200km south east of Mendoza. The climate here is warm, so the wines have a very ripe feel to them. This Malbec is one of the best examples of warmer climate wine, with essence of raisins and prune on the nose, infused with sweet spice and bitter chocolate. Elegant and plummy, with dense chocolate and coffee vanilla in the mouth, and an extraordinarily smooth finish.

7 el Porvenir de los andes

‘laBoruM’ tannat Much hope is being pinned on the success of this grape, mostly known in Madiran in France and for being the national grape of Uruguay, to become the cornerstone of the future of Argentinian winemaking. In the province of Salta, Tannat becomes aromatic and floral, which is at odds with this usually powerful and tannic grape. The long hang-time that tannat needs to mature is amply catered for in the high

altitudes of Cafayate, and Gaucho believes this example is one of the best in the world. Lots of jasmine and dried flowers on the nose, prunes and calvados flavours in the mouth with a silky, long finish.

8 norton Privada

Blend Derived from the Bordeaux blend, this wine has been adapted to become an Argentinian classic. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Merlot, this infusion has now become the most used combination in Argentina. Norton was one of the first wineries to make a premium blend for export, and the Privada Blend is one of the many wines that have enjoyed an uninterrupted special place on the wine list at Gaucho. Ripe black fruits, sweet vanilla and toasty oak with firm tannins and structure, a soft mouth-feel and seamless finish.

9 traPiche oak cask

syrah Syrah needs a warm climate, and so is ideally suited to the eastern side of Mendoza, especially in the district of Cruz de Piedra, home to many old vineyards, some dating back more than 100 years. Very ripe black fruits, leathery notes with kirsch and pepper spice, this has an intensity that belies its price. Sweet in the mouth, rich on the palate and a smooth finish. One of the great Argentine Syrahs.

10 Mauricio lorca

Poetico viognier Mauricio Lorca is one of the great young winemakers of Argentina. His vineyards lie in the Vista Flores district, to the south of the Uco Valley. The region’s cool climate is good for Viognier, as it keeps the grapes fresh, while allowing plenty of sunlight, which this grape loves. Only 50 per cent of this wine was put in oak, which gives weight and body to the wine, the other half expressing the apricot and lime freshness that gives Viognier its heady character.


Feature 59

SaltaBodega ColomeNow under the ownership of Donald Hess, this winery is the oldest working winery in Argentina, having survived the numerous earthquakes that have blighted many of the bodegas in Argentina over the years. Formerly belonging to the Davilos family, this small winery has moved with the times and been transformed by huge investment, so that it is now one of the most modern in Argentina. Colome is around 110km from the town of Cafayate, and is home to the highest vineyards in the world, from 2650m to 3111m above sea level. Intense sunlight and cool nights

make this a place for the production of wines with flavours as dramatic as their environment.

MendozaBodega BressiaWalter Bressia personifies all that is great about Argentinian wine. He is an unassuming figure, but makes wines of great beauty and style. His vineyards lie in the department of Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo – the core of old-vine Mendoza. This is a very small but perfectly formed winery, producing Malbec, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with some Chardonnay to complete the

‘Monteagrelo‘ range, the talisman of which is the delightful ‘Profundo‘.

Rio NegroHumberto CanaleNow in their 103rd year, Humberto Canale represents the family ideal that is core to the success of Argentina. The Rio Negro lies to the south of Mendoza, in Patagonia. This region is home to a number of small boutique wineries that are gaining much interest for the great quality of their Pinot Noir and cool climate grape varietals. Merlot and Malbec also prosper here, as the Rio Negro is home to some very old, low yielding vineyards. The embodiment of these unique qualities is the Black River Gran Reserva range of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Pinot Noir. It exquisitely showcases the unique minerality and freshness found at the southern-most tip of the winemaking world.

After over five centuries of winemaking tradition, Argentina has established itself as one of the world’s foremost producers of top quality wines. Gaucho’s Director of Wine PHIL CROzIER takes a closer look at three of the country’s best vineyards and what makes their wines so highly regarded.

Walter Bressia


AchAvAl Ferrerwww.achaval-ferrer.comImported by:

Corney & [email protected]

AltA vistAwww.altavistawines.comImported by:

Wells and [email protected]

AndelunA cellArs s.r.lwww.andeluna.comImported by:

Hallgarten [email protected]

AtAmisquewww.atamisque.comImported by:

Las [email protected]

BodegA colomewww.bodegacolome.comImported by:

Enotria Wine [email protected]

BodegA del Fin del mundowww.findelmundo.netImported by:

Moreno [email protected]

BodegA domingo molinA www.domingomolina.com.ar Imported by:

[email protected]

BodegA luigi BoscA www.luigibosca.com.ar Imported by:

Bancroft Wines [email protected]

From the rich Malbecs of Mendoza to the aromatic Torrontes of Salta, Wines of Argentina presents a selection of Argentina’s finest wineries. The current sweetheart of the winemaking world, the superb quality and diversity of Argentina’s wineries justify an internationally outstanding reputation as a world player in the wine industry. The wineries featuring in our wine lounge today are...


Feature 61

Bodega NortoNwww.norton.com.arImported by: Berkmann Wine [email protected]

Bodega Piedra Negra - FraNcois LurtoNwww.francoislurton.comImported by:

Roberson Wine Merchantsmathilde.de.caix@ francoislurton.com

Bodega rigLoswww.bodegariglos.comImported by:


Bodegas saLeNteiNwww.bodegassalentein.com Imported by:

Matthew Clark [email protected] [email protected]

Bodegas saNta aNawww.bodegas-santa-ana. com.arImported by:


Bressia Bodegawww.bressiabodega.comImported by:

[email protected]

cateNawww.catenawines.comImported by:

Bibendum [email protected]

chevaL des aNdeswww.chevaldesandes.comImported by:

Moet Hennessy UK Ltdchevaldesandes@ chevaldesandes.com


DiamanDeswww.diamandes.comImported by:


Dominio Del Platawww.dominiodelplata.com.arImported by:


Domaine Vistalba www.domainevistalba.comImported by:

Roberson [email protected]

el PorVenir De los anDeswww.bodegaselporvenir.comImported by:

[email protected]

estancia ancon www.estanciancon.comImported by:

Pampas [email protected]

Familia schroeDerwww.familiaschroeder.comImported by: Ellis of [email protected]

Familia ZuccarDiwww.zuccardiwines.comImported by:

Alliance [email protected]

Finca Decerowww.decero.comImported by:

Berkmann Wine [email protected]


Finca don carlos www.fincadoncarlos.comImported by:

Pampas [email protected]

Finca Flichmanwww.flichman.com.arImported by:

Stevens [email protected]

Finca las moraswww.fincalasmoras.comImported by:

Chalié Richards & Cocustomer.services@ halewood.int.com

Finca sopheniawww.sophenia.com.arImported by:

Ellis of [email protected]

humberto canalewww.bodegahcanale.comImported by:


lagardewww.lagarde.com.arImported by:

Coe [email protected]

manos negraswww.manosnegras.com.arImported by:


masi tupungatowww.masi.itImported by:

Berkmann Wine [email protected]

mauricio lorca - Fosterwww.mauriciolorca.comImported by:


michel torino estatewww.elesteco.com.arImported by:

Hallgarten [email protected]

nQn www.bodeganqn.com.arImported by:

[email protected]

o Fournierwww.ofournier.comImported by:


tapizwww.tapiz.com.arImported by: [email protected]

terrazas de los andeswww.terrazasdelosandes.comImported by:

Moet Hennessy UK [email protected]

tomero and Vistalbawww.carlospulentawines.comImported by:


trapichewww.trapiche.com.arImported by: [email protected]

Valentín bianchi www.vbianchi.comImported by: Liberty Wines [email protected]

Feature 63


Most of you will have enjoyed as great Gaucho steak at some stage.. and if you haven’t, where have you been the past 14 years? We take

a look at the journey behind Gaucho’s beautiful cuts of beef

IT ALL bEGINs IN THE heartlands of Argentina, on the pampas, where Gaucho’s quality controllers select only the best beef on

offer, importing from 43 carefully selected local farms. steak enthusiasts will be pleased to hear that the magnificent free-range cattle are exclusively reared on lush Argentine pampas, where they graze on 17 different types of grass; this controlled diet provides an optimal balance of nutrients, which creates meat of unparalleled leanness and richness.

Once slaughtered, the beef is hung for two days to allow the natural enzymes to break down the muscle fibres, and increase the tenderness of the beef, before maturing in its own natural juices. This wet aging process lasts around 35 days whilst in transit (by ship), so by the time the beef reaches the plate it is richer, more succulent and tender.

Crucially, all the meat is cooked in a uniform method that was devised and introduced by Gaucho’s Master Griller Daniel Veron, who has been with Gaucho for 35 years. Each steak is lightly brushed with corn oil infused with garlic and lemon, before being placed presentation side down on the traditionally designed


The WineAs a marker of its outstanding reputation as the centre of Argentinian cuisine in Europe, Gaucho boasts the largest Argentinian wine list outside South America. The list features over 250 bins sourced from Patagonia in the south (the home of beautiful Pinot Noirs) through Mendoza (where the Malbec grape has made Argentine wine famous) and up to Salta in the north of the country.

As such, Gaucho has formed strong partnerships with many of the country’s

wine makers with a bond that has seen Phil Crozier (Gaucho’s Director of Wine) blend and produce exclusive wines for Gaucho under a ‘Corte G’ selection.

September 2012 will see Gaucho host a series of ‘Winemakers Dinners’, events that will take Club G members on a spell binding journey to the very heart of Argentinean wine culture. Visit www.gauchorestaurants.co.uk/club-g for details.

Feature 65

Argentine grill and salted with Maldon sea salt. Throughout the cooking process the steak is turned only once, ensuring optimum caramelisation of the meat, whilst retaining the rich juices – a sublime taste sensation.

Picaña (Rump cap)This cut is incredibly juicy with lots of flavour and is delicious with traditional Argentinian chimichurri (made from fresh parsley, Spanish onion, red pepper, aji molido, sherry vinegar and corn oil). Picana is typically a Brazilian cut but it is so good that it has made its way to Argentina with great popularity. It is the top of the rump so shares all the characteristics of rump but with a belt of crackling. At Gaucho it is cut very thin and flash grilled to maintain the juices and flavour.Recommended Wine Match:Humberto Canale Pinot Noir

chorizo (siRloin)A tender and succulent cut, the Chorizo cut also boasts a delicious belt of juicy crackling. This classic cut handles being grilled from medium rare, all the way up

to well done, as the belt of crackling keeps it nice and moist whilst cooking.Recommended Wine Match:Riglos Cabernet Sauvignon

Tira de ancho (Rib-eye) The perfect steak to share, the Tira de Ancho is spiral cut and slowly grilled with chimichurri. This is by far one of the most popular cuts on the menu at Gaucho. The cut is spiralled out and slowly grilled, so on one end diners enjoy the juicy skirt and the other tender sirloin – a bit of everything.Recommended Wine Match:Zuccardo Q Tempranillo

Lomo (fillet)The Lomo is the most tender and delicate cut of beef – the opposite of the rump, it is not a working muscle, so it is incredibly soft and tender with a subtle flavour. The meat is so tender, you could actually cut it with a spoon! For something really special, consider the Medallion, which is the eye of the lomo and the perfect choice for those who like it rare.Recommended Wine Match:Sophenia Synthesis Malbec

Rumpcuadril (rump) – the leanest cut with a pure, distinctive flavour Picaña (rump cap) – incredibly juicy and with lots of flavour; great with chimichurri

SiRloinchorizo (sirloin) – tender and succu-lent cut, with a belt of juicy cracklingasado de chorizo – great for sharing; marinated in aji molido (ground red pepper), smoked garlic, parsley, olive oil

Rib EyEancho (rib eye) – delicately marbled throughout for superb, full-bodied flavourTira de ancho – to share; spiral cut, slowly grilled with chimichurri

FillEtLomo (fillet) – the most tender and delicate cutmedallion – eye of the lomochateaubriand – centre cut lomo

SpEcialiSt cutSentraña Fina – marbled succulent thin skirt; very juicy, with a strong distinctive flavourmedia Luna Vacio – half moon of tender flank steak; marinated in Churrasco marinade for 24-48 hours

tHe basics

enTraña Fina (specialist cut)A popular specialist cut, this steak is marbled with fat, with a succulent thin skirt – it’s very juicy, with a strong distinctive flavour, so if rib-eye is your steak of choice, then this is definitely a cut for you to try.Recommended Wine Match:Mauricio Lorca Opalo Malbec

SOME GAUCHOS PREFER THE THRILL OF THE CHASE

The Gaucho International Polo launches the Gaucho Polo Season 2012. View the full calendar at gauchorestaurants.com/polo

SOME GAUCHOS PREFER THE THRILL OF THE CHASE

The Gaucho International Polo launches the Gaucho Polo Season 2012. View the full calendar at gauchorestaurants.com/polo

executive charter with chapman freeborn

expect more

fly anywhere • anytime • any way

Trust the global aircraft charter specialists at Chapman Freeborn and enjoy:

• unparalleled global coverage

• professional staff available 24/7/365

• access to a full range of aircraft carefully matched to your requirements

• transparency, flexibility and value

Call +44 (0)1293 572888 or email [email protected] today!

www.chapman-freeborn.com More than 30 offices worldwide

The world’s largest aircraft charter broker, Chapman Freeborn, has been providing attentive yet discreet private air charter solutions for over 35 years.

CF_Ad_GAUCHO POLO_210x245mm.indd 1 24/02/2012 11:09

Gaucho International Polo 2012 - The Official Showguide

Documents

polo event

outstanding polo

hpa gaucho international

years event

event wouldnt

similar event

argentina team profile

globe31 premier polo