The English high-goal season entered into action this month with the simultaneous staging of two 22-goal tournaments: the Justerini & Brooks Prince of Wales Trophy, at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club, and the Trippetts Challenge, hosted by Cowdray Park Polo Club. Both contests are the ideal prelude to the two major fixtures of the British Isles: The Queen's Cup and the British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup.
The Prince of Wales Trophy opened fire on Wednesday May 6. The tournament, first played in 1986 at the club founded in 1985 by Bryan Morrison, brings together twelve teams of up to 22 goals in this edition and will have its final on Saturday May 16. Among the participants, Kazak and Park Place remain in strong contention to reach the final, having claimed two wins from two outings. The league stage will close this Wednesday, and after the last matches the finalists will be set.
In parallel, the Trippetts Challenge got underway on Saturday May 9 at Cowdray Park, in Midhurst, West Sussex. Six teams of up to 22 goals are taking part in this edition, including Gaston, of Chilean Jean Paul Luksic, defending champions. The line-up is completed by Ojo Caliente, Murus Sanctus, White Crane, Ferne Park, and Balanz Capital/La Hechicera. Following the opening wins for Gaston, White Crane, and Balanz Capital/La Hechicera, the remaining three matches will be played this Wednesday May 13, deciding the finalists and also the sides that will instead contest the subsidiary final. The final is scheduled for Saturday May 16 at 3pm.
After these tournaments, one of the most emblematic fixtures on the international calendar will arrive: The Queen's Cup, which will commence on Tuesday May 19 at Guards Polo Club, in Windsor Great Park. The contest, established in 1960 in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, reaches its 66th edition and will feature nineteen teams of up to 22 goals, distributed across three groups. The final is set for Sunday June 14.
Group 1 is made up of Aureus, of Jake Coventry; Cibao La Pampa, of Juan Pepa; Gaston, of Jean Paul Luksic; Jehangiri, of Muhammad Jehangiri; La Dolfina Marqués de Riscal, of Alejandro Aznar and Poroto Cambiaso; Signet/Segavas, with Alfredo Bigatti as its top-rated player; and White Crane, of Alexie Calvert-Ansari.
Group 2 brings together Black Bears, of Guy Schwarzenbach; Dubai, of Tariq Albwardy; Ferne Park, of Jonathan Rothermere; Jindal Steel La Dolfina, led by Naveen Jindal and Adolfo Cambiaso; Kazak, of Sébastien Aguettant; Ojo Caliente, of Ana Escobedo; and UAE, of HH Sheikha Maitha Al Maktoum. Group 3 is composed of Akasha, of Alexandre Garese; Balanz Capital, of Claudio Porcel; Park Place, of Andrey Borodin; Shoreline Polo Team, of Adebayo Karim; and Sujan Indian Tigers, of Jaisal Singh. The defending champion is Park Place, who in the 2025 final defeated Marqués de Riscal.
Last to come will be the British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup, at Cowdray Park, from Tuesday June 23 through Sunday July 19. Established in 1956 by Weetman John Churchill Pearson, Third Viscount Cowdray, the title is defended by La Dolfina Scone, who in 2025 defeated Kazak 9-8 with a line-up composed of Mia and Adolfo Cambiaso, Paco de Narváez Jr., and Hugo Taylor. The complete draw will be announced in the coming hours, and it will feature several of the teams already mentioned in the Queen's Cup.
With the first matches already played, the English high goal season arrives with truly high expectations. To the tradition, history and prestige it is known for, an added distinction comes attached: it is recognised by the players themselves as the most competitive in sporting terms and the strongest in horse quality after Argentina.
