There are polo matches, and then there is the polo match. The Cartier Queen’s Cup, held in the dappled green splendour of Windsor Great Park, remains the definitive event on the polo calendar. The annual tableau of athleticism, aristocracy, and aspiration is a place where the thunder of hooves meets the tinkle of ice in a Pimm’s, and the afternoon light catches perfectly on diamonds and horse sweat alike.
This Sunday 15th June, two juggernauts of modern polo, Park Place and La Dolfina Marqués de Riscal, will go head-to-head in the 2025 final. It promises to be not just a contest, but a clash of legacy, flair, and finely honed muscle.
So, What Is the Cartier Queen’s Cup?
For the uninitiated (or simply those who’ve only admired it from the pages of Tatler), the Cartier Queen’s Cup is the crème de la crème of high-goal polo. Established in 1960 and held at Guards Polo Club in the Queen’s very own back garden, Windsor Great Park, it is the tournament where royalty and rivalry intersect.
Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was a long-time patron and frequent guest, often seen presenting the silverware in silk scarves and impeccable tailoring. Since Cartier took over sponsorship in 2012, the event has leaned further into its natural leanings: glamour, pageantry, and a level of polish so gleaming you could check your lipstick in it.
This Year’s Finalists: Grit and Grandeur
The 2025 final is cinematically well matched. On one side, Park Place, helmed by the relentless Hilario Ulloa, who has been playing like a man possessed. Their semi-final clash with Dubai (15–13) was a proper nail-biter, with MVP Rosendo Torreguitar proving he’s more than just a supporting act. But it was the quarterfinal, an 18–9 demolition of La Dolfina Scone, that sent a collective shiver down the line of picnic blankets. Ulloa scored eleven goals. Eleven. You could practically hear the G&Ts gasp.
On the other side, La Dolfina Marqués de Riscal. A name that echoes through Argentine fields and English drawing rooms alike. Led by Poroto Cambiaso, son of the legendary Adolfo Cambiaso and heir to the throne of global polo, the team plays with the kind of chemistry and control that’s hard to coach, and harder to beat. They swept past the Indian Tigers and then outmanoeuvred King Power with a steely, almost surgical elegance. Cambiaso himself scored 11 goals in the quarterfinal. One imagines he does that in his sleep.
The Bigger Picture: A Tournament of Poise and Power
But the Queen’s Cup is never just about the match. It is a living, galloping embodiment of old-school British charm and modern international money. There’s a softness to it, garden roses, billowing linen, the whisper of a Birkin brushing against a picnic rug, but make no mistake: the tournament is also ferociously competitive, and the players are athletes of the highest order. These are not pampered ponies. They are warriors.
That said, there is a performative aspect that’s impossible to ignore. This is a tournament where people speak in hushed tones about breeding, both horses and humans, and where your choice of champagne might get more commentary than the line-up. It is, deliciously, all part of the game.
What to Expect: A High-Octane Final, Delivered in Silk Gloves
This final, in particular, is set to be an exercise in contrasts. Park Place plays with a precision that borders on ruthless, Ulloa commands his squad like a general with a stopwatch, and they’re not afraid to go full throttle. La Dolfina, by contrast, has a fluid, almost instinctive rhythm. They’re quieter, smarter, and deeply Argentinian in their style, think slow build-up, sudden flourish, devastating finish.
Both teams boast players capable of game-changing brilliance. Both have something to prove. And both will arrive at Guards on Sunday carrying the weight of expectation, and, one suspects, a slight hangover from the night before.
A Note on the Crowd
For those in attendance, the sport is only half the story. The Queen’s Cup is an unofficial runway for English summer style: men in cream trousers and aviators, women in dreamy silks and impractical shoes. There will be private marquees and pâté-heavy picnics; the gentle hum of helicopters and heritage. At some point, someone will casually mention they used to ride with Nacho Figueras. Another will claim they bred one of the horses on the field. Everyone will nod politely. No one will be surprised.
In a sport where every inch counts and every second matters, the Cartier Queen’s Cup offers a moment of spectacle unlike any other. Whether it’s Park Place storming down the pitch with unstoppable force or La Dolfina weaving a quiet lesson in tactics and timing, this year’s final is destined to be unforgettable. It will be fierce. It will be fast. It will, undoubtedly, be fabulously dressed.
So polish your sunglasses, practise your applause, and prepare to witness one of the great equestrian duels of our time. The Cartier Queen’s Cup 2025 is ready to crown its champion and you’ll want to be watching when it does.
