DESPITE the late arrival of the snow, the 20th edition of the BMW Polo Masters Megève in France was a sparkling success.

Six international teams representing five nationalities (French, Swiss, English, Irish and Australian) were present to celebrate the occasion.

The four-day 20th anniversary celebrations saw medieval troops in the streets, pony rides for children, jousting tournaments, famous French acrobatic cavaliers in the evening and of course the 20th party celebrations through the night took place in the marquee tents on the edge of the pitch with more than 1,000 people in attendance.

After three days of selection, the points accumulated by each team (one win carries two points) enabled the teams to access their places in the finals.

Team BMW, led by Gérard Bonvicini (hcp 0) and Alexandre Sztarkman (HCP1) won the Axa Enterprises cup against team Casino Barrière/Palo Alto, led by Baillot Alexander (hcp 0) by a final score of 7 to 5.

Team Fermes de Marie with the young player Edouard Costes (hcp 0) won the Lucien Barrière cup with a final score 6 to 4 opposite Richard Thomas’s (hcp 0) British team who were sporting the Edmond de Rothschild Group colours.

After a touching demonstration from the Kids Polo by our future champions, the finals pitted the best against the best.

Indeed, under Matthew Delfosse’s (hcp 4) team, Fer à Cheval, accompanied by Laurent Dassault (hcp 0) and Patrick Paillol (hcp 4), tok their place in the final for the 11th time, facing Team Stalis, with Claude Solarz’s (hcp 0), one of the major league players, that he carried off his 8th victory with a final score of 7 to 4.

The Edmond de Rothschild Group’s Trophy, the famous Megève marble snowball was awarded for the fifth time to their captain, Laurent Dassault, by Catherine Jullien-Breche Mayor of Megève, Mr Bertrand Otto of the Edmond de Rothschild bank and the sculptor Pierre Margara.

Event sponsors included Pommery champagne, Château d’Esclans wines and great chefs from Mont d'Arbois/Groupe Edmond de Rothschild, Maisons et Hôtels Sibuet, du Fer à Cheval et du Flocons de Sel who prepared the gastronomical delights.

The S de Megève bar brought an even more festive touch to the event with a DJ, dancer and saxophonist and with the help of the Folie Douce.