Yves Delorme (women) and La Fija Sandbox in paradise
After thirty-one games in the Barnes Open de France and thirteen in the women‘s competition, and above all two outstanding finals, the winners of the 2024 edition are now known: Yves Delorme (Chantilly) in the women‘s tournament and La Fija Sandbox (Argentina) in the mixed competition. These two finals went off without a hitch, thanks to a magnificent stage set to the music of the Garde Républicaine.
The qualifying and knockout rounds were particularly competitive this year, with plenty of last-minute thrills and some spectacular performances from the top players who will now fly to Buenos Aires for the highlight of the world polo season: the Tripla Corona.
The height of the French season was equally enthralling, with the two finals living up to the promise of the qualifying rounds.
In the women‘s competition, it was the revenge game between a team considered to be outsiders, Yves Delorme, made up of three players from the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly, Charlotte Garaud, Margaux Perruchot and Adèle Renauldon, reinforced by the Anglo-Australian Milly Hine, the reigning Argentine champion. On the other side, Luxembourg‘s Augustinus Bader with Argentina‘s Lia Salvo, two-time winner of the Argentine Open (with Millie Hine at her side): a duel within a duel. It was a rematch because Yves Delorme had beaten Augustinus Bader 11-5 in the pools: was that an advantage? Obviously it was, as the Chantilly Polo team once again dominated Augustinus Bader, although this time it was a little more complicated (9-7).
The key for the two professional champions was to make the most of the qualities of their three team-mates. “When I arrived here, explains Milly Hine, I was lucky enough to meet these three girls who knew each other well, who had played and won a lot together and who knew their horses well, so it was easy for me to use their qualities. We immediatly got off well together and became friends, we did lots of things together off the pitch, we had dinners together as a family, and that togetherness is important in this sport. The other key was the incredible horses that Brieuc Rigaux gave me. In short, we had everything we needed to win. But my goodness, I had stage fright. When I arrived here and saw everything the club had put in place, the glamour of the Barnes Open and all the people who were here, I got a bit stressed and found it hard to fall asleep every night.” Tonight, Milly will finally be able to sleep well.
Milly Hine and Lia Salvo will certainly meet again on 7 December in the final of the Argentine Open, this time face to face as they did in Chantilly: another chance for revenge?
Arthur Madrid: “Our secret? Harmony between the players”
In the men‘s competition, some were eager to see how the young Mungo team, also based at the Domaine de Chantilly Polo Club, would fare against the solid Argentinian side La Fija Sandbox. This confident French team has been going from strength to strength since the Deauville Silver Cup last August. After a dominant start to the game, Mungo fought back to take a 10-8 lead in the fourth chukker. That was when Fran Elizalde picked up an injury and was replaced by Alfredo Capella. With this luxury substitution, La Fija Sandbox inflicted a 4-0 defeat in the final chukker to claim the title for their third participation. The secret of this team? More or less the same as the women‘s champions, according to Argentina-based French captain Arthur Madrid: “We had six fabulous games with these guys, including a final that was probably the most intense, very difficult match, and I‘d like to congratulate our opponents, four ultra-fast players… the only secret in sport is harmony between players and that worked for us. We hardly knew each other before this tournament and we quickly became best friends. It‘s that understanding off the pitch that has given us our strength on it.” Fran Elizalde adds on a more technical explanation: „We knew we were up against a strong team and we just had to be patient and play our polo. Despite a very long season, our horses were very competitive.” The magical duo formed by this player and Rufino Bensadon will remain one of the most beautiful sporting images of this 24th Barnes French Open.
This great French season comes to an end with a little tear of nostalgia… although it‘s not really over yet, because there‘s still the epilogue, the French Championships, which start next week. A few Argentinians (one per team allowed) will stay in Chantilly for two extra weekends. The others, handicaps 7 and 8, who lit up the 24th Barnes Open de France and the 13th Women‘s Open, will have already flown out to tackle the ‚alta temporada‘ (high season), which begins on Tuesday with the Abierto de Hurlingham for Fran Elizalde (against La Natividad… hoping he recovers from his injury) and Rufino Bensadon in the colours of Cria La Dolfina (against La Hache)… we told you they were big champions).
Finals results
13th French Women‘s Open
Yves Delorme : Margaux Perruchot FRA 2 (1 goal), Adèle Renauldon FRA 2, Charlotte Garaud FRA 3 and Milly Hine AUS (8 goals including 6 penalties).
Augustinus Bader : Mendoza Houben NED 0, Paloma Lauro LUX 3 (2 goals), Ambre Ploix FRA 4 (2 goals) and Lia Salvo ARG 4 (3 goals including 2 penalties)
Progression Yves Delorme : 3-2 / 7-3 / 9-4 and 9-7
MVP Soriano Motori (Most Valuable Player of the final): Ambre Ploix (Augustinus Bader)
BPP (meilleur cheval du match) : Irenita Galan ridden by Milly Hine owned by Brieuc Rigaux
24e Open de France Barnes
La Fija Sandbox : Arthur Madrid 0, Francisco Elizalde 8 (3 goals), Rufino Bensadon 7 (7 goals, don‘t 3 pénalités), Nicolas Tomasevich 1 (2 goals). Rempl. : Alfredo Capella (1 goal). + 1 Penalty one.
Mungo : Ulysse Eisenchteter FRA 1(2 goals), Lolo Bayugar ARG 4 (4 goals), Alti Garros ARG 5 (6 goals dont 2 pénalités) et Pierre Henri Ngoumou FRA 6 (1 goals) + 1 Penal 1.
BPP : Oriental Griega played by Bartolome Bayugar (Mungo).
AACCP BPP : GT Astrid played by Rufino Bensadon (La Fija Sandbox).
MVP by Soriano Motori : Rufino Bensadon (La Fija Sandbox).
MVP Amateur : Ulysse Eisenchteter (Mungo).
Standing Rock Fair Play Award : Mungo
Progression La Fija Sandbox : 3-2 / 6-4 / 8-7 / 8-10 / 12-10.