WELLINGTON, Fla – March 24, 2010 – On March 21, International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC) and Piaget hosted the conclusion of one the most prestigious tournaments in polo, the USPA Piaget Gold Cup.  Record-breaking crowds witnessed ten-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso, universally recognized by his peers as the sport’s best player, score five times to lead Crab Orchard to a stunning 12-7 victory over Las Monjitas.  Equally as stunning were the festivities surrounding the impressive win.

The afternoon was set in motion by Jeffrey Donovan, star of the TV series “Burn Notice,” who made a spectacular entrance by landing on the Piaget Field in a helicopter.  America’s top-ranked player and Piaget Man to Watch in 2010 Nicolas Roldan was in attendance, along with polo champion and face of Ralph Lauren fragrances Nacho Figueras, as well as Academy Award-winning actor and respected polo player Tommy Lee Jones.

Yves G. Piaget and Larry Boland, president of Piaget, hosted an exclusive and highly-attended post-match celebration which featured whimsical synchronized swimmers and a preview of the Piaget Polo FortyFive Timepiece Collection.

“I was both pleased and excited to see over five thousand spectators on hand for the championship game,” said Yves G. Piaget.  “It was like the old days at Palm Beach Polo and Country Club.  I am so pleased that Piaget has taken such an active part in this great game.”

“The 2010 Palm Beach Polo Season has welcomed the largest crowds since IPC’s inception in 2004, confirmation that polo at IPC is attracting scores of new fans from Miami to Jupiter,” said John Wash, President of Operations for IPC.  “The USPA Piaget Gold Cup Final was an amazing illustration of polo’s appeal throughout South Florida.”

About International Polo Club Palm Beach (www.internationalpoloclub.com)

International Polo Club Palm Beach is located in Wellington, Florida – in the heart of South Florida’s famed horse country.  Founded in 2004, IPC is host to major tournaments and world-class events throughout the Palm Beach Polo Season, including the Highest Goal Polo played in the U.S. and such prestigious competitions as the Iglehart Cup, Joe Barry Memorial Cup, Ylvisaker Cup, C.V. Whitney Cup, and USPA Piaget Gold Cup, culminating with the USPA Arcalux 106^th U.S. Open Polo Championship ^TM.  The world’s polo elite descend upon Wellington each season to enjoy their love of the sport and the lifestyle in the most prominent and well-equipped polo facility in the nation.  IPC features eight manicured polo fields and the Piaget Field, the Nespresso Grande Pavilion, private boxes and viewing stands, tennis courts, a croquet field, a state-of-the-art spa, a lushly landscaped pool deck, après polo celebrations and a fabled gourmet Sunday brunch, presented by NYC’s Bistrot Bagatelle.  The 2010 Palm Beach Polo Season begins on January 3 and concludes on April 18.

About Piaget SA (www.piaget.com)

Piaget has stood as an icon of excellence and creativity since its founding in 1874, elevating the manufacture of fine jewelry and timepieces to an absolute art.  The firm is known for its legendary Piaget Polo timepieces, as well as for its ultra-thin movements, artistic dials and complications including chronographs, tourbillons and perpetual calendars. Piaget is one of the only remaining watchmakers that designs and crafts its own cases, bracelets and movements.

About Piaget Gold Cup

The prestigious Piaget Gold Cup, first played in 1974, is a symbol of professionalism, good sportsmanship and high goal polo at its finest.  First introduced at Oakbrook Polo Club in Illinois, it then headed north to Milwaukee Polo Club in 1975 and remained there until 1978.  After moving south in 1979, the Gold Cup continued a 17-year stretch at Palm Beach Polo and Country Club, only to move down the road to Boca Raton at Royal Palm Polo & Sports Club in 1996.  In 2002, the Gold Cup headed back up north to Greenwich Polo Club where play resumed until 2004.  Aiken, South Carolina then hosted the Gold Cup in 2005 and 2006.  Now International Polo Club Palm Beach is pleased to host this prestigious polo championship tournament.

About United States Polo Association (www.uspolo.org)
The USPA was organized and exists for the purposes of promoting the game of polo, coordinating the activities of its Member Clubs and Registered Players, arranging and supervising polo tournaments, competitions, and games, and providing rules, handicaps, and conditions for those tournaments, competitions, and games including the safety and welfare of participants and mounts.

For media inquiries please contact Shamin Abas or Elizabeth Rose at Shamin Abas Public Relations, 561.366.1226 or email shamin@shaminabaspr.com or elizabeth@shaminabaspr.com.

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“I was both pleased and excited to see over five thousand spectators on hand for the championship game,“ said Yves Piaget who was on hand for the game and the presentation ceremony.   “It was like the old days at Palm Beach Polo and Country Club.  I am so pleased that Piaget has taken such an active part in this great game.”

The day began with ominous clouds filling the skies that later gave way to breaks and streams of sunlight and mild temperatures with gentle, easterly winds.

Yves Piaget, patriarch of the distinguished Swill family that had elevated the manner of watchmaking to a fine art, had returned to Wellington, Florida to witness the finals of the 2010 USPA Piaget Gold Cup, and a view of some of the game’s top players at the International Polo Club.

Complimented by Piaget North America President Larry Boland and the helicopter arrival of television’s Jeffrey Donovan, star of the hit series,  Burn Notice and the largest crowd in Piaget Gold Cup history, and the preliminary match of the day-the finals of the 2010 Butler Handicap- the International Polo Club presented the second 26-goal tournament finals of the season.

Because of the amount of talent on the field, the game got off to a surprisingly slow start.   Las Monjitas got on the scoreboard first with penalty goals from brothers Javier and Alejandro Astrada.  Crab Orchard got a goal from Hilario Ulloa to end the chukker trailing 2-1.

Julio Arellano tied the score at 2-2 with a penalty conversion followed by a go-ahead goal from Adolfo Cambiaso.  Arellano’s second goal 0f the chukker, a ninety-yard shot through the goal posts,  had Crab Orchard ahead 4-2 until Javier Astrada managed a chukker ending goal for Las Monjitas.  Crab Orchard held on to a 4-3 lead.

Defenses tightened in the third chukker, with Cambiaso supplying all of the firepower with a pair of goals from the field, and the teams ended the first half with Crab Orchard holding a 6-3 advantage.

Crab Orchard returned to the pitch in the fourth chukker a renewed team.  A goal from Ulloa was followed by a pair of goals from Arellano.  Cambiaso scored his fourth goal of the game to end the period with Crab Orchard holding on to a commanding 10-3 lead.

Although it was Las Monjitas team captain Camilo Bautista’s first game back since an early season injury, and their injured 10-goaler, Eduardo Astrada was replaced by Facundo Pieres, Crab Orchard was the far superior team from offense to defense.

Ulloa put Crab Orchard up 11-3 in the opening seconds of the fifth chukker before the sleeping offense of Las Monjitas got back on track.  Javier Astrada scored Las Monjitas’ first goal since the second chukker, and on a subsequent play, carried the ball the length of the field before having a goal shot blocked by Cambiaso.  With less than three minutes left in the period, Alejandro Astrada converted a penalty goal for Las Monjitas, but the chukker ended with Crab Orchard holding a very comfortable lead of 11-5 with one chukker left to be played.

As if to remind the large Sunday crowd who they came to see, Cambiaso scored his fifth goal of the game to put Crab Orchard ahead by seven goals, 12-5.

Las Monjitas continued to try to organize an attack, but had to settle for a penalty goal from Alejandro Astrada before getting one last field goal from Javier Astrada.

The final horn sounded as the Crab Orchard celebrated its second consecutive major tournament championship of the year with a 12-7 win.

Hilario Ulloa was named MVP while Julio Arellano’s Blue Dragon was named Best Playing Pony.

BENDABOUT/WANDERERS 12. AUDI 9

Earlier in the day, the Bendabout/Wanderers team took advantage of two goals by handicap to capture the 2010 Butler Handicap in a 12-9 win over the high-powered Audi foursome.

Audi took the field with two of the world’s ten goal players with brothers Gonzalito and Facundo Pieres, and their reputation as the 2009 US Open Champions, but couldn’t overcome the determination of a patchwork 24-goal Bendabout team who took the trophy in a 12-9 game.

The contest was close in the opening chukkers with the teams battling to a 5-5 halftime score until Bendabout turned up the heat in the second half.  With goals from Sugar Erskine, Jeff Hall and Mike Azzaro, Bendabout took an 8-7 lead after the fourth, while limiting Audi to a field goal from Gonzalito Pieres and a penalty conversion from brother Facundo.

Bendabout put three more goals on the scoreboard in the fifth chukker as a sputtering Audi offense managed a single penalty goal, falling behind 10-8.

Hall converted a penalty shot in the sixth followed by Erskine’s fourth goal of the game to make it 12-8.  A late goal from Gonzalito Pieres gave Audi the last word in a 12-9 Bendabout victory.

Jorie Butler was on hand to present the fifty-six year trophy that celebrates the support that the Butler family has contributed to the game of polo over the last eight decades.

Sugar Erskine was named MVP while his horse, McPollo received Best Playing Pony Honors.

High-goal polo action will continue next weekend at the International Polo Club with the start of the 2010 United States Open Championship.

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In the opening game of the day, Fred Mannix, Jr. scored the tying goal in regulation time and came back in overtime to notch the winner on the opening play of the overtime period to lead the Hawks (2-0) to a come-from-behind win over Bendabout in Gold Cup play in the morning contest. 

The steadily improving Bendabout/Wanderers lineup received two goals by handicap and quickly built a humble 7-6 halftime lead in a contest that both teams struggled to control. 

Bendabout continued to lead with a 9-7 edge after four chukkers and an 11-10 advantage after five, but that was when everything changed.  Fred Mannix, Jr. came alive in the second half of play, and in particular in the final chukker of regulation play.  He scored three of his game-high seven goals in the sixth period to force an overtime chukker. 

On the first play of the sudden-death period, Fred Mannix, Jr, took a pass from 10-goaler Mariano Aguerre and raced over 150 yards to score the winning goal.  The victory gives the Hawks a 2-0 record and puts them in a great position to try and grab a spot in next week’s Gold Cup semifinals. 

ORCHARD HILL 11, PIAGET 10

Orchard Hill 10-goaler Pablo MacDonough scored seven goals Thursday afternoon, but none was more important than his game-high seventh as his tie breaking penalty conversion lifted his team to an 11-10 win over Piaget with forty-eight seconds left on the clock.

 In a see-saw battle that kept Orchard Hill (2-0) undefeated and Piaget (0-2) winless, the teams battled to a 6-6 halftime score before the Orchard Hill attack seemed to take control.  Goals from MacDonough and Lucas Criado gave Orchard an 8-7 lead after the fourth, holding Piaget to a single penalty conversion from Juan Bollini. 

Orchard Hill extended the lead to 10-8 after five before Piaget rushed back in the sixth and final chukker.  Two goals from Bollini (one from the field and one by penalty shot) evened it at 10-10 with both teams scrambling for the deciding goal.  Hector Galindo carried the ball toward the Piaget goal with less than a minute left to play when he was fouled.  MacDonough converted the penalty shot with fort-eight seconds left to play for the 11-10 win.

LAS MONJITAS 13, PONY EXPRESS 11

 In the day’s finale, Negro Astrada scored three of his team high six goals in the final chukker Thursday afternoon to lead his Las Monjitas (2-0) team to an exciting 13-11 win over Pony Express (0-2) in 2010 USPA Piaget Gold Cup competition

Pony Express held a 10-9 lead going into the final chukker of play, but had the game taken away from them in the final seven minutes of play as Negro Astrada took control of the game.  Two goals from the field and a game-winning penalty conversion game him five goals on the day, with brother Eduardo Astrada adding six goals and brother Javier chipping in two in the win.

The neck-and-neck game was tied on five different occasions, as Las Monjitas rode out to a 6-5 halftime lead.  The victory gives Las Monjitas a 2-0 record and an opportunity to make it into next week’s semifinals depending on the outcome of the weekend matches.  Pony Express is out of competition for the Gold Cup with an 0-2 record. 

Piaget Gold Cup play will continue on Saturday, March, 13 with matches at 1 pm (Lechuza vs. Crab Orchard) and 3 pm (Audi vs. Valiente).

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WELLINGTON, Fla. – Nov. 3, 2009 – International Polo Club Palm Beach has secured a three-year sponsorship agreement with the luxury Swiss watch maker, Piaget. After three seasons as title sponsor of the Gold Cup, Piaget has increased their interests, and acquired naming rights to the Piaget Championship Field, as the 2010 through 2012 Club Sponsor, and Official Watch of the International Polo Club Palm Beach and the Palm Beach Polo Season.

“Piaget brings to IPC, and our upcoming 2010 season, the style, panache and world-renowned cachet, commensurate with their brand and international polo,” said John Goodman, Founder of IPC. “This is an extraordinary partnership, and we are honored to have Piaget involved with our organization.”

“When IPC presents sponsorship opportunities to international brands, we speak only to those organizations that already are well-known names among our shared audience,” added John Wash, IPC President. “Their reputation for excellence makes them a fitting and exciting sponsor for IPC.”

Piaget’s name will be associated with IPC’s finely manicured Championship Field, which hosts the most competitive polo tournaments in the country, including the Piaget Gold Cup to take place March 7-21.

“Having our name adorn the sport’s American field of play makes this the perfect partnership,” said Larry Boland, President of Piaget.

Now entering its seventh year, IPC is regarded as the finest polo facility in the nation. It serves as the highest goal polo played in the country. IPC will also host the U.S. Open Polo Championship, now in its 106th year. This year, IPC will feature the new eight- and 14-goal tournaments, which will open the facility to a host of new teams. The 2010 Palm Beach Polo Season begins on January 3 and concludes on April 18. Remaining sponsorship opportunities include the U.S. Open Polo Championship, and the 20-Goal Tournament, among others.

About International Polo Club Palm Beach
International Polo Club Palm Beach is located in Wellington, Florida – in the heart of South Florida’s famed horse country. Founded in 2002, IPC is host to major tournaments and world-class events throughout the Palm Beach Polo Season, including the Highest Goal Polo played in the U.S. and such prestigious competitions as the Iglehart Cup, Joe Barry Memorial Cup, Ylvisaker Cup, C.V. Whitney Cup, and Piaget Gold Cup, culminating with the 106th playing of the coveted U.S. Open Polo Championship. The world’s polo elite descend upon Wellington each season to enjoy their love of the sport and the lifestyle in the most prominent and well-equipped polo facility in the nation. IPC features eight manicured polo fields and the Piaget Championship Field, the Nespresso Grande Pavilion, private boxes and viewing stands, tennis courts, a croquet field, a state-of-the-art spa, a lushly landscaped pool deck, après polo celebrations and a fabled gourmet Sunday brunch. The 2010 Palm Beach Polo Season begins on January 3 and concludes on April 18. Learn more about IPC and their exclusive membership and sponsorship opportunities at www.internationalpoloclub.com.

About Piaget SA
Piaget has stood as an icon of excellence and creativity since its founding in 1874, elevating the manufacture of fine jewelry and timepieces to an absolute art. The firm is known for its legendary Piaget Polo timepieces, as well as for its ultra-thin movements, artistic dials and complications including chronographs, tourbillons and perpetual calendars. Piaget is one of the only remaining watchmakers that designs and crafts its own cases, bracelets and movements. For more information, please visit www.piaget.com.

About Piaget Gold Cup
The prestigious Piaget Gold Cup, first played in 1974, is a symbol of professionalism, good sportsmanship and high goal polo at its finest. First introduced at Oakbrook Polo Club in Illinois, it then headed north to Milwaukee Polo Club in 1975 and remained there until 1978. After moving south in 1979, the Gold Cup continued a 17-year stretch at Palm Beach Polo and Country Club, only to move down the road to Boca Raton at Royal Palm Polo & Sports Club in 1996. In 2002, the Gold Cup headed back up north to Greenwich Polo Club where play resumed until 2004. Aiken, South Carolina then hosted the Gold Cup in 2005 and 2006. Now International Polo Club Palm Beach is pleased to host this prestigious polo championship tournament.

For media inquiries please contact Shamin Abas or Elizabeth Rose at Shamin Abas Public Relations, 561.366.1226 or email shamin@shaminabaspr.com or elizabeth@shaminabaspr.com.

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