The work to transform the new airport Gstaad-Saanen into a polo club is already in full swing and in a few days, everything will be ready to host the 23rd edition of the Hublot Polo Gold Cup which begins Thursday, August 16^th and will end Sunday, August 19^th.

It has been more than 20 years since the airport situated in the canton of Bern and the only flat space in the middle of the mountain, has been transformed for a few days, into a grass polo tournament, the most prestigious in Switzerland. The scenery offered by the Alps is not only beautiful, but also unusual for this sport that is more commonly played on large flat spaces. So to offer an unforgettable spectacle to visitors and impeccable conditions to the players and their horses, one needs to be able to … move mountains. And that is exactly what President Pierre Genecand, his organizing committee of 13 members and the 125 volunteers do.

For several days now, the teams have been working on assembling the stables and the exhibitors’ village, as well as preparing the grass field – which requires real expertise – on which the six matches will be played. Early next week, several trucks from across Europe will take the road to the mountain to bring the 120 horses of the 16 players and 2 referees of the tournament. In addition to the 120 boxes needed to house the four-legged athletes, tons of straw, hay, and oats are also needed. The 28.000 m² space will also host 18 exhibitors stands, a children’s play area and an important VIP area where the Gstaad Palace team will serve a total of 1.500 meals during the VIP lunches and the Saturday’s Night Gala.

More than 7000 expected visitors will come to admire players from Argentina mostly, but also from Brazil, the United Arab Emirates and of course Switzerland. The four teams bearing the colours of sponsors Hublot, Bank Eric Sturdza, Gstaad Palace and Clinique La Prairie, will compete in the qualifying games on Thursday, followed by the semi-finals on Saturday and the finals on Sunday. On Friday, the polo atmosphere will come to the streets of Gstaad with the traditional parade. Accompanied by carriages and bell ringers, the players and their horses will come to salute the villagers.

It is therefore a real large-scale operation that began to turn the airport of Gstaad-Saanen into an international polo centre for four days of spectacular sport and festivities from August 16^th to 19^th.

Cheer your favorite Team by wearing their Colors!

The 2018 Polos are available.

If you wish to own one, you can contact us by phone 033 744 07 40 or by email at info@pologstaad.ch

We are happy to inform that the new collection of HUBLOT POLO GOLD CUP GSTAAD is in and will be available for purchase during the tournament from August 16 to the 19, 2018.

If you wish to purchase it beforehand you can do so by calling directly our office at 033 – 744 07 40 or by email at info@pologstaad.ch

The Hublot Polo Gold Cup holds its head high alongside the major European clubs which feature multiple canchas (polo fields). It is rightly proud of its unique difference, offering a high-level tournament in one of the most unusual and prestigious locations in the world. The four teams that have been invited have confirmed their attendance with, notably, some well-known players and major captains, with one new addition this year: a team from Abu Dhabi.

The setting is quite simply majestic: a green valley, nestled in the hillside some 1,000m above sea level at Saanen, the only flat area in Gstaad which can accommodate an aerodrome … and a polo field. Setting aside the famous tribal polo tournament which takes place at Shandur Top in the Hindu Kush region in the north of Pakistan at an altitude of 3,719m, Gstaad is certainly home to the highest summer polo tournament in the world: the Hublot Polo Gold Cup marks its 23rd edition this year. It is the place to be between 16 to 19 August this year. It is a tournament with a particular atmosphere where, between the comings and goings of the private jets, high-quality matches take place on a field which is standard in length but slightly narrower than usual, giving rise to a faster game which is easier for the public to follow.

The magnificently decorated village, featuring prestigious exhibitors such as Ferrari, the sponsors of the four teams and many others, is well worth a visit between the matches. Lunch receptions and gala evenings take place in a magnificent VIP area combining luxury and sophistication.

Sport: four serious candidates

Four teams will fight it out for the four Hublot watches offered to the players of the team which is victorious after their three matches: the qualifying rounds on Thursday, the semi-final on Saturday and the finals on Sunday. Last year, after several failed attempts at the title, the Swiss restaurant owner and company head Cedric Schweri finally won the coveted prize. He’s back this year as the big favourite with just as intense a desire to keep hold of this prestigious title with the Banque Eric Sturdza team. To achieve this goal, he has taken on two Argentineans and Brazil’s Joao Novaes (a five-goaler), a former winner of the French Open in Chantilly. The danger comes in the form of another Swiss captain, Matteo Beffa, who is striving to take the colours of the title partner, Hublot, to the top of the podium. To do so, he has called upon a big handicap”, Argentina’s Julio Novillo Astrada, who is a 7- goaler. His family is famous in Argentina: his cousins have notably won the most sought after professional tournament: the Argentinean Open.

The American Marco Maximilian Elser will sport the colours of the Gstaad Palace. He is counting notably on Argentina’s 5-goaler Pedro Fernandez Llorente.

For the first time in Gstaad, Faris Al Yabhouni’s Abu Dhabi team will sport the colours of the new team sponsor, the Clinique La Prairie. A high-performing team in Dubai, with as its cornerstone and polo manager, Argentina’s Hugo Barabucci. These last two teams have a slightly lower handicap than the others and will start their matches with a 1/2 goal.

Press contact

R&B Presse – Sophie Pailloncy & Pascal Renauldon

press@pologstaad.ch

+44 78 41 39 37 78 – +33 6 08 75 94 07

It is without a doubt one of the most original tournaments of the summer season. It is at least one of the « highest » as it is played at an altitude of 1000 meters. This year, the Hublot Polo Gold Cup in Gstaad will once again welcome four teams for four days of sport, conviviality and festivities.

The famous Swiss resort of Gstaad loves horses, especially polo ponies. The Hublot Polo Gold Cup is a well-established tournament as it celebrates its 22nd edition, the 12th under the presidency of Pierre Genecand. The event has welcomed some of the most famous polo players like Marcos Heguy, winner of the mythical Argentine Open and a true legend of this sport.

This year, four 14-goal teams (this is the highest level played on grass in Switzerland) will fight for the coveted trophy on the airfield of Saanen-Gstaad surrounded by picturesque alpine scenery. The teams include eight professional Argentine players with a handicap of 5 and 6 like Pablo Jauretche (Riva), once a handicap 8 and who played the world’s biggest tournaments like Deauville, Sotogrande and of course the Argentine Copa Càmara de Disputados. Brothers Eduardo and Francisco Menendez who won the tournament in 2005 as well as Brazil’s Olavo Novaez, handicap 7 and last year’s finalist, will demonstrate their talents.

« The sport is of course the main focus of the event, explains Pierre Genecand, but in Gstaad, polo takes a whole new dimensions thanks to our prestigious sponsors who trust us since many years. Hublot, of course, who supports us since 9 years, but also Banque Eric Sturdza and Gstaad Palace who are faithful partners and Ferrari who joined us last year thanks to Garage Zénith SA. Thanks to this prestigious carmaker I was able to share from the inside their recent double success in Monaco. This year, RIVA Motorboats will also sponsor a team. The Hublot Gold Cup is a place where relationships are made and has become a major event where the pleasant and friendly atmosphere is a priority. I personally make sure of that. This year will certainly be another great moment to remember! »

Each year, the Hublot Polo Gold Cup welcomes more than 6000 guests for three days of games and festivities and the famous players parade that takes places in the streets of Gstaad on Friday.

The Hublot Gold Cup is the main event of the Swiss summer season offering sport, gastronomy (served by the team of Gstaad Palace) and lifestyle. A not-to-be-missed event from 17th to 20th of August.

Press release, Tuesday 6th of June 2017

22nd edition of the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad – 17th to 20th of August 2017

The sun was shining down on the Gstaad-Saanen airfield this Sunday, in time to celebrate the Final day of the Hublot Polo Gold Cup 2016.

After a thrilling match, it was Team Gstaad Palace who claimed 3rd place, winning their place on the podium against a very determined Polo Friends Team who proved a solid contestant.

Many spectators had descended to the polo fields for the great Final between Team Banque Eric Sturdza and Team Hublot. After a match full of unexpected twists and turns, the victory went to Team Hublot and his Chinese Captain Shilai Liu.

As crowds are slowly descending upon the Gstaad-Saanen airfield to witness what is promised to be a thrilling day of Polo, Teams are getting ready for the highly anticipated final.

Programme of the day:

The subsidiary Final between Team Gstaad Palace and Team Polo Friends will start at 13:30

The Final between Team Banque Eric Sturdza and Team Hublot will begin at 15:00