British Open Championship
The Cowdray Gold Cup
First awarded 1956The tournament was established in 1956 by 3rd Viscount Cowdray . Players have included members of the British royal family including Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and King Charles III , Kerry Packer and his son James Packer . It was formerly sponsored by champagne house Veuve Clicquot and watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre . According to polo player Mark Tomlinson , it is "the most important tournament in the UK". According to polo patron of la Lechuza Caracas Team Victor Vargas , it was "the most important tournament for my career as a polo Patron and a polo Player . Winner of British Gold Cup in 2007.
About the Tournament
The British Open Polo Championship is the United Kingdom's national polo title — the most prestigious domestic championship in the HPA calendar and the culmination of the English summer polo season. Held at Guards Polo Club at Smith's Lawn in Windsor Great Park, the British Open crowns the national club champion at the highest handicap level and attracts the finest professional talent competing on the English circuit. The Guards Polo Club setting — a short drive from Windsor Castle in parkland maintained by the Crown Estate — gives the British Open a royal and historic grandeur unmatched by any other club polo event in the UK.
Organizer
Organized by Hurlingham Polo Association
Event Details
Dates
Wednesday, July 15, 2026 – Friday, July 31, 2026
Venue
Cowdray Park Polo Club
Level
High Goal
Handicap Range
18 to 22 goals
Organizer
Hurlingham Polo Association
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