The British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup is an annual polo tournament held at Cowdray Park, West Sussex, England.
It is the premier polo tournament in Europe at High Goal (22 goal) level.
The tournament is held at Cowdray Park Polo Club with matches being played at their Lawns Grounds and Ambersham Grounds over the course of a 3-week period. Culminating in the Gold Cup Final held at Lawns grounds in the shadows of the Cowdray Ruins.
The tournament was established in 1956 by 3rd Viscount Cowdray. [1] Players have included members of the British royal family including Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and King Charles III, Kerry Packer and his son James Packer. [1]
It was formerly sponsored by champagne house Veuve Clicquot and watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre. [1]
According to polo player Mark Tomlinson, it is "the most important tournament in the UK". [1]
| Year | Team | Players |
|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Los Indios | J M Mareno, J Nagore, A Heguy, J E Harriott |
| 1957 | Windsor Park | Juan Nelson, E Lalor, Col H P Guinness, HRH the Duke of Edinburgh |
| 1958 | Cowdray Park | Lt Col P W Dollar, Lt Col A F Harper, Rao Raja Hanut Singh, J Lakin |
| 1959 | Casarejo | Baron Elie de Rothschild, R Gracida, A Gracida, P Domecq La Riva |
| 1960 | Casarejo | Baron Elie de Rothschild, R Gracida, A Gracida, P Domecq La Riva |
| 1961 | Cowdray Park | Brig M A Baig, Paul Withers, Lt Col A F Harper, C M T Smith-Ryland |
| 1962 | Cowdray Park | Brig M A Baig, Bryan Bethell, Paul Withers, C M T Smith-Ryland |
| 1963 | La Vulci | Marquess Giacinto Guglielmi di Vulci, J M T Zavaleta, C de la Serna, D Gonzalez |
| 1965 | Jersey Lilies | R Diaz, P Kemple, Rao Raja Hanut Singh, E Moore |
| 1967 | Woolmers Park | E Zorilla, Dr J Marin Moreno, J L Lucas, C Garros |
| 1968 | Pimms | Earl of Brecknock, Julian Hipwood, D Gonzalez, A Goti |
| 1969 | Windsor Park | Major Lord Patrick Beresford, Marquis of Waterford, The Duke of Edinburgh, Paul Withers |
| 1970 | Boca Raton | J Casey, Jack Oxley, Roy Barry Jnr, John T Oxley |
| 1971 | Pimms | Lord Brecknock, E Zorilla, D Gonzalez, Major R I Ferguson |
| 1972 | Pimms | Lord Brecknock, R Tongg, D Gonzalez, Major R I Ferguson |
| 1973 | Stowell Park | Lord Vestey, Hon Mark Vestey, E R Moore, Héctor Barrantes |
| 1974 | Stowell Park | Lord Vestey, D Gemmell, E Moore, Héctor Barrantes |
| 1975 | Greenhill Farm | J R Sharp, L Armour III, T Wayman, Major R I Ferguson |
| 1976 | Stowell Park | J N Williams, Hon Mark Vestey, E R Moore, Héctor Barrantes |
| 1977 | Foxcote | P G Palumbo, Hon Mark Vestey, E R Moore, D Devrient |
| 1978 | Stowell Park | Lord Vestey, A P Marriage, E R Moore, Héctor Barrantes |
| 1979 | Songhai | Ollie Ellis, Alan Kent, Gonzalo Pieres Sr., A Pieres |
| 1980 | Stowell Park | P Elliott, Hon Mark Vestey, E R Moore, Héctor Barrantes |
| 1981 | Falcons | A Ebeid, Gonzalo Pieres Sr., H Merlos, L Amaya |
| 1982 | Southfield | D Yeoman, Carlos Gracida, J Walker, Lord Charles Beresford |
| 1983 | Falcons | A Hine, Carlos Gracida, M Gracida, A Ebeid |
| 1984 | Southfield | D Yeoman, Alan Kent, Owen Rinehart, David Jamison |
| 1985 | Maple Leafs | Julian Hipwood, A Devcich, Galen Weston, L Amaya/M Glue |
| 1986 | Tramontana | Anthony Embiricos, Martin Brown, Carlos Gracida, Jesus Baez |
| 1987 | Tramontana | Anthony Embiricos, R Gonzalez/M Azzaro, Carlos Gracida, David Jamison |
| 1988 | Tramontana | Anthony Embiricos, Valerian Aguillar, Carlos Gracida, David Jamison |
| 1989 | Tramontana | Anthony Embiricos, R Gonzalez, Carlos Gracida, David Jamison |
| 1990 | Hildon | M Amoore, T Llorente, H Hipwood, N Lobel |
| 1991 | Tramontana | Anthony Embiricos, Adolfo Cambiaso, Carlos Gracida, Adam Buchanan |
| 1992 | Black Bears | Urs Schwarzenbach, S Merlos, P Merlos, M Brown |
| 1993 | Alcatel | P Webb, Gabriel Donoso, P Alberdi, I Gonzlez |
| 1994 | Ellerston Black | O Taylor, R Gonzalez, Carlos Gracida, James Packer |
| 1995 | Ellerston White | O Hipwood, Carlos Gracida, Gonzalo Pieres Sr., Kerry Packer |
| 1996 | C S Brooks | Sebastian Dawnay/John Fisher, Ignacio Heguy, Eduardo Heguy, B Johnson |
| 1997 | Labegorce | H Perrodo, J Novillo Astrada, Carlos Gracida, Jamie Le Hardy |
| 1998 | Ellerston | James Beim, Adolfo Cambiaso, Gonzalo Pieres Sr., J Fisher |
| 1999 | Pommery | J Manconi, H Brett, J Bollini, Alejandro Díaz-Alberdi |
| 2000 | Geebung | D Allen, B Heguy, Adolfo Cambiaso, Rick Stowe |
| 2001 | Dubai | A Albwardy, L Castagnola, Adolfo Cambiaso, Ryan Pemble |
| 2002 | Black Bears | Urs Schwarzenbach, J Novillo Astrada, E Novillo Astrada, A Novillo Astrada |
| 2003 | Hildon Sport | Nina Vestey, Mark Tomlinson, Luke Tomlinson, J P Clarkin |
| 2004 | Azzurra | Negro Novillo Astrada, Juan Martin Nero, Marcos Heguy, Stefano Marsaglia |
| 2005 | Dubai | Tariq Albwardy, Lucas Monteverde, Alejandro Díaz-Alberdi, Agustin Nero |
| 2006 | Black Bears | Guy Schwarzenbach,Eduardo Novillo Astrada, Javier Novillo Astrada, Lucas James |
| 2007 | Lechuza Caracas | Victor Vargas, Pite Merlos, Sebastian Merlos, Henry Fisher |
| 2008 | Loro Piana | David Stirling, Alfio Marchini, Juan Martin Nero, Jamie Peel |
| 2009 | La Bamba De Areco | Jean Farncois Decaux, Gonzalito Pieres, Facundo Pieres, Tomas Garbarini Islas |
| 2010 | Dubai | Rashid Albwardy, Francisco Vismara, Pablo Mac Donough, Adolfo Cambiaso |
| 2011 | Zacara | Gonzalo Deltour, Lyndon Lea, Hillario Ulloa, Ignatius Du Plessis |
| 2012 | Cortium | Francisco Elizalde, Polito Pieres, Jaime Huidobro, Adrian Kirby |
| 2013 | Zacara | Facundo Pieres, Lyndon Lea, Rodrigo de Andrade, Mathew Perry |
| 2014 | Dubai | Rashid Albwardy, Ali Paterson, Diego Cavanagh, Adolfo Cambiaso |
| 2015 | King Power Foxes | Top Srivaddhanaprabha, Hugo Lewis, Gonzalito Pieres, Facundo Pieres |
| 2016 | King Power Foxes | Tal Srivaddhanaprabha, Hugo Lewis, Gonzalito Pieres, Facundo Pieres |
| 2017 | King Power Foxes | Hugo Taylor, James Fewster, Gonzalito Pieres, Facundo Pieres |
| 2018 | El Remanso | Charles Hanbury, Oliver Cudmore, James Beim, James Harper |
| 2019 | Dubai | Camilo Castagnola, Rashid Albwardy, Bartolomé Castagnola, Ignatius Du Plessis |
| 2020 | Next Generation | Jean Francois Decaux, Poroto Cambiaso, Diego Cavanagh, Adolfo Cambiaso |
| 2021 | Thai Polo NP | Louis Hine, Ned Hine, Nicolas Pieres, James Harper |
| 2022 | Park Place | Andrey Borodin/Josh Hyde, Louis Hine, Francisco Elizalde, Facundo Pieres |
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