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ENGLAND TAKES ON AMERICA FOR THE WESTCHESTER CUP IN SHOWDOWN AT GUARDS POLO CLUB, WINDSOR GREAT PARK
Audi International Polo Series 2013 sees England in battle with USA, South Africa and Australasia
Polo's oldest and most prestigious international trophy will be the prize this summer when England takes on the USA at Guards Polo Club, Windsor Great Park, on July 28. This will be the first UK staging of the Westchester Cup in 16 years. There is everything to play for as the USA currently holds the record for the most wins since the trophy's inception in 1886 with ten victories to England's six.
The Westchester Cup will be the flagship fixture of the largest ever Audi International Polo Series for the 2013 season. This will be a rare chance to watch on UK shores the highly successful England team battle against a very competitive team from the USA desperate to take the cup home. The two teams have not clashed here since 1997, when England won 12-9. In Florida in 2009, when the cup was last contested, England was again successful, winning 10– 9.
The American team will be supported by Equus Wealth Management for the occasion.
The England team, which has been supported by Audi since 2005, will also face internationals against South Africa and Australasia as part of a three-match UK series.
As well as being key dates on the sporting calendar, these three events are guaranteed to be highlights of the summer social season, entertaining the great and good from the world of film, television, music and sport.
The highlights of the polo calendar for 2013 were announced at a special reception at Audi City London, in the heart of Piccadilly, the first digital showroom for the prestige car brand worldwide:
- §15 June: England v South Africa (Beaufort Polo Club, Tetbury, Gloucestershire)
- §28 July: England v USA for the Westchester Cup (Guards Polo Club, Windsor Great Park)
- §7 September: England v Australasia (Chester Racecourse Polo Club)
David Woodd, Chief Executive of the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA), the sport’s governing body, says: "We have an incredibly exciting season of Audi Internationals planned for 2013 – not least the Westchester Cup. Busy schedules from both sides of the Atlantic don’t allow us to play this tournament regularly. It has an important place in the history of polo and a huge amount of pride is wrapped up in the Westchester legend. We’re looking forward to a thrilling new chapter in this great story."
Jon Zammett, Head of PR for Audi UK, adds: "We are hugely excited at the prospect of major polo battles taking place at Audi Internationals around the country. The Americans are experts at all kinds of horse power and the drama of this prestigious match at Guards Polo Club will truly make it a national occasion. The US polo team can only inspire the England players to raise their game even further – the match will certainly be dramatic and one not to be missed.”
Nigel à Brassard, a former polo patron and collector of Westchester memorabilia, explains why the Westchester Cup is held in such high esteem: "It is often said that there is a 'special relationship' between Britain and the US and the Westchester Cup embodies the special relationship in polo between the two: the first polo super-powers. The Westchester Cup is without doubt the 'blue riband' event of International Polo, it is to polo what the Ashes are to cricket, the Ryder Cup is to golf and the America's Cup is to yachting."
Tickets for all three events are on immediate sale. Please contact: Audi Polo Sport, telephone 020 7736 8183 or email
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The Westchester Cup - Key Facts
United States 10, England 6
- §Player with most appearances:
Devereux Milburn, 7 appearances (1909-1927)
- §Largest margin of victory:
12 Goals (England 14, US 2, 1886)
- §Smallest margin of victory:
¼ goal (United States 4½ -4¼, 1913)
- §Most goals by a winning team:
16, United states (1924)
- §Least goals by a winning team:
8 - United States (1992) & England (1900)
- §Most combined goals in a series:
30 - United States (1924)
- §First goal:
Foxhall Keene scored the first goal in the first 24 seconds of play in the opening match of the 1886 series. He was only 19.
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