Piazza di Siena is back and so is polo played in the Villa Borghese. Just like two years ago the sand arena at the  Galoppatoio will host one of the events called the Italia Polo Challenge, of which the first was held in 2019 during the traditional Roman show. In 2020 this event so greatly supported by the Argentinian player now Roman by adoption, Patricio Rattagan, took polo back to the snow of Cortina d’Ampezzo. The same happened again this year in spite of the absence of spectators due to anti-COVID rules.

In Rome, using the arena polo format in a smaller field and with three players per team, the tournament will be played from Thursday May 27th to Saturday May 29th with two qualifying matches played on the first two days and the finals on the third and fourth days.

“It is of the utmost importance for us - explains Rattagan - to ensure there is continuity for these events and therefore in this case to play in Rome again after the inevitable pause in 2020. The Italia Polo Challenge circuit is growing and we will be playing in Porto Cervo in Sardinia this summer and our objective for the next season is to play throughout the year in all seasons, with Cortina d’Ampezzo in the winter playing on snow, Rome in the spring, Porto Cervo in the summer and a fourth tournament in the autumn.”

POLO TEAMS

KEP Italia/Safe Riding

Carl-Henrik Lundh (SWE), Therance Cusmano (ARG), Patricio Rattagan (ARG)

DeNiroBootsCo

Pedro Soria (ITA), Henry Elser (ITA), Goffredo Cutinelli Rendina (ITA); reserve Lavinia Elser (ITA)

Battistoni/Waldorf Astoria Cavalieri

Stefano Giansanti (ITA), Fabrizio Bulgarini (ITA), Lucas Palmero (ARG)

U.S. Polo Asnn.

Francesco Scardaccione (ITA), Edoardo Fontana (ITA), Bautista Beguerie (ARG)

THE PROGRAMME

Wednesday May 26 at 4.30 pm teams parade down the Via Condotti

Thursday May 27 at 8 pm First qualifying match and at 9pm second qualifying match

Friday May 28 at 8 pm first qualifying g match and at 9 pm second qualifying match

Saturday May 29 at 8 pm finals for third place and at 9pm finals with prizegiving at 10 pm

Photo © CONI / Simone Ferraro