After two breathtaking semi-finals, the 22nd Engel & Völkers French Open will witness a high-level final. On September 18, Talandracas—one of the most successful teams in French polo—and Los Dragones will meet on the field to vie for top honors.
To reach the final, Talandracas took out a great team in their last semi final game against La Magdeleine, the winner of this French Open in 2021.
It was yet another great game that La Magdeleine took on from the start. Clearly dominating the first three chukkers, Juan-Martin Zubia and Rufino Bensadon, who were extremely well supported by Frenchman Hugues Carmignac, woke up and took control at the end of the game. Ending with a 5 to 1, La Magdeleine’s players were unable to make a comeback.
Meanwhile, Chantilly Polo Club-based Los Dragones created a surprise by defeating Brittany Polo Club—and with style! Their (not so) secret ingredient? The gifted Argentine Bautista Bayugar, author of 6 of the 7 goals of his team. He was capable of extraterrestrial recoveries and relaunches and succeeding in raising the level of play of his teammates, in particular of Jota Chavanne who plays a calm and effective game this year. The interventions of Sztarkman father and son were often decisive.
In short, it will be a thrilling Franco-French final come Sunday. Expect the “Deauville-Chantilly” match, which promises to be explosive. Los Dragones also know the taste of great victories and will not let themselves be impressed by the name and history of their prestigious opponent. It is impossible to predict the outcome as most of the games of this tournament have often been played on the edge.
Big surprise in the women’s tournament are also much-awaited. The favorites of Coliflow, with the Venot sisters, suffered a second defeat. It left places for the final to the English team led by 10-goaler Hazel Jackson of Rouge Absolu and French women cleverly led by the relentless Caroline Anier of DS Auto St Maximin 3F.
Everything is planned to welcome the public in the best conditions. There’s a village with stands, food-trucks and an oyster bar, the arrival of the Rally Open with sixty vintage cars, and picnic areas at the edge of the field. There were also a demonstration of roda-polo, a young sport in full boom in Argentina (or polo on a wheel), polo on Shetland ponies, and Cossack acrobatics with Mario Luraschi’s troop. It’s indeed a day full of festivities and top sport at the Chantilly Polo Club!
