2018 European Polo Championship at Villa a Sesta Polo Club: During the last ten days of September, the Polo Club Villa a Sesta (Ripaltella Pietraviva) will face a new international challenge of great importance. The club, set amidst the wonderful classic Chianti landscape and in the heart of the farming estate owned by the Tattoni family (near the border between the provinces of Arezzo and Siena) will host the matches to be played for the 2018 European titles and medals. For polo teams on the Old Continent, this is the most important event on the international polo calendar.
For the first time, two different tournaments will be held from Thursday September 20th to Sunday September 30th within the framework of the FIP European Polo Championships–Quantocoin Cup, adding the second edition of the Women’s Championship to the 12th European Championship, open to mixed teams like all equestrian sports. This championship was held for the first time last year in Chantilly and the Italian team was the first to have its name on the Roll of Honour.
These championships, organised jointly by the Federation of International Polo, the Italian Federation Equestrian Sports and the Villa a Sesta Polo Club, have already broken all records before starting. There will be ten nations playing in this championships, Austria, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Azerbaijan, Ireland and Italy, with four of these countries (France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands) also fielding a women’s team.
This is a great success considering that only eight teams competed at the last two championships. With the addition of the four women’s teams, this means a total of 14 teams and therefore the arrival of about 300 polo ponies. The Organising Committee, which in 2011 organised a splendid edition of the European Play Off for the World Championships, has already been at work for months preparing a significant number of events that, in addition to the purely sporting aspects, will increase the glamour of this event making it unforgettable for our foreign guests, always sensitive to the welcome and the tourist opportunities only Italy can offer. As far as special moments are concerned for this FIP European Championship–Quantocoin Cup, the opening parade in Siena’s historical Piazza del Campo and an audience with Pope Francis in the Vatican City have already been confirmed.
VAS – Polo Club Villa Sesta
VAS – Polo Club Villa Sesta, created in 2000, the Polo Club Villa a Sesta is one of the best polo clubs in Europe. From the very beginning every phase of its construction was planned and implemented paying meticulous attention to technical aspects, environmental impact and the wellbeing of the players and the ponies.
The VAS has three international standard polo fields (all in Tifton grass) and a practice field, all state of the art as far as technical levels and facilities are concerned. The main field no. 1 measures 260 x 140 metres, the no. 2 field measures 245 x 120 metres and the new “Sorleone” field measures 276 x 150 metres, while the practice field measures 120 x 70 metres. Inaugurated in 2017, the “Sorleone” field is not only the largest in Italy, but is close to a small lake surrounded by vegetation, the ideal location for organising social events or relaxing after a match. A travertine marble grandstand overlooking field no. 1 and a covered and well-equipped reception area, measuring over 100 square metres with an elegant lounge bar half way down the side of the field, make the Villa a Sesta Polo Club an ideal and unique setting for international matches. The most important event hosted so far has been the European Play Off for the 2011 World Championships. On that occasion Villa a Sesta’s candidature was preferred over those of Great Britain and Spain.
