By Diana Butler
Twelve teams have entered this year’s 22-goal Cartier Queen’s Cup competition, which starts on Tuesday 19th May. The current holders, Lyndon Lea’s Zacara are back to defend their title, but will be without Facundo Pieres. However they can call upon the 10-goal skills of the experienced Juan Martin Nero, who will be playing alongside Brazil’s top player Rodrigo Andrade and the young English player Jack Hyde. Facundo meanwhile will team up with his brother, fellow 10-goaler Gonzalito in the King Power Foxes team – one of two entries from the Srivaddhanaprabha family.
A new entry is Ben Soleimani’s RH Polo team, featuring Nico Pieres. His cousin Polito Pieres will be in action for Edouard Carmignac’s Talandracas, runners-up in 2014. The Pailloncy brothers return to the fray with their HB Polo, while another sibling partnership – Charlie and George Hanbury – will be playing for their El Remanso team alongside 10-goaler David Stirling.
The World’s Number One Adolfo Cambiaso, looking for his 9th Queen’s Cup victory, will be playing with Rashid Albwardy and young Englishman Tom Brodie for the Dubai team. Another UAE representative is HH Sheikha Maitha and her UAE Polo squad, featuring 10-goaler Pablo MacDonough. Nick Clarke makes a welcome return with his Salkeld team, which is based around three seven-goalers – Juan Gris Zavaleta, Joaquin Pittaluga and Luke Tomlinson.
Hilali Noordeen, who made his debut in the high-goal in 2014, is back with his VPS Healthcare Sifani, playing alongside leading English player Max Charlton and Agustin Merlos. The final name to add to this year’s mix is the all-pro Somerton Polo team, featuring two of our Guards Ambassadors – Richard Le Poer and Jack Richardson.
The leagues will be announced after the draw on Tuesday 12 May, but with six 10-goalers included in this year’s line-up we look set for another thrilling tournament. So not surprisingly, Guards Polo Club, in conjunction with PoloCam Productions, will be live streaming every league game, which will be viewed at www.guardspoloclub.com.
Cartier Queen’s Cup Teams 2015
Dubai: Rashid Albwardy (1); Diego Cavanagh (8); Adolfo Cambiaso (10); Tom Brodie (2)
El Remanso: George Hanbury (3); Charlie Hanbury (4); Ollie Cudmore (5); David Stirling (10).
HB Polo: Ludovic Pailloncy (1); Ignacio Toccalino (8); Ignacio Laprida (8); Sebastien Pailloncy (3).
King Power: Tot Srivaddhanaprabha (0); Alejandro Muzzio (7); Guillermo Willington (7); Marcos di Paola (8).
King Power Foxes: Top Srivaddhanaprabha (1); TBC (1); Gonzalito Pieres (10); Facundo Pieres (10).
RH Polo: Ben Soleimani (0); Francisco Elizalde (7); Nico Pieres (9); Santi von Wernich (5).
Salkeld: Nick Clarke (1); Juan Gris Zavaleta (7); Joaquin Pittaluga (7); Luke Tomlinson (7).
Somerton Polo: Matt Perry (4); Richard Le Poer (6); Jack Richardson (6); Ed Hitchman (5).
Talandracas: Edouard Carmignac (0); Polito Pieres (8); Sapo Caset (9); Zac Hagedoorn (4).
UAE Polo: HH Sheikha Maitha Al Maktoum (0); Lucas Monteverde (8); Pablo MacDonough (10); Santiago Stirling (4).
VPS Healthcare Sifani: Hilali Noordeen (0); Max Charlton (7); Augustin Merlos (9); Malcolm Borwick (6).
Zacara: Lyndon Lea (1); Rodrigo Andrade (9); Juan Martin Nero (10); Jack Hyde (2).
http://www.hurlinghampolo.com/news/read/1702/Perfect-dozen-for-Cartier-Queens-Cup-2015-