Hello again! Here is the text and captions; attached you'll find the first 10 (of 49) photos.
Best!
Rodrigo
“La Copa de Muertos”
between Jamaica and Mexico took place on Saturday November 4th at the Ameyalco Polo Club near Mexico City.
Story by Rodrigo Lopez-Portillo y Lancaster-Jones
Photos by Ricardo LPyLJ photography, Toño Madrazo and Jaime Rincon-Gallardo.
Nothing is quite like the sensation of cantering down a polo field with he soft breeze on your face…
Polo is an international game, literally spanning the globe, and this time was no exception as a celebration of international friendship between Jamaica (white) and Mexico (green) was commemorated on the first Saturday of November at the prestigious Club de Polo Ameyalco with theTournament “La Copa de Muertos” – in coincidence with the traditional festivities of Mexico’s “Day of the Dead”…
Hosted by Toño Madrazo and Jaime Rincon-Gallardo.
Toño's grandfather Francisco Madrazo García-Granados y García-Rojas used to play the sport along Mexican President Manuel Avila Camacho in the 1940s and was the owner of the famous “Hacienda La Punta” in Jalisco, a place where prestigious Spanish fighting bulls and thoroughbreds were bred. By the way, Francisco Madrazo's got the Horse Association of America Medal Award for the Best Playing Polo Pony “La Reina” during the 1923 season. On his García-Rojas side of the family, Toño's forebears are: the first Governor of the State of Zacatecas, Jose Maria Garcia-Rojas and the first Governor of the State of Aguascalientes, Pedro Jose Garcia-Rojas; also Jose Guadalupe Garcia-Rojas, owner of the ancient “Hacienda de San Nicolasde Quixas” and the first 'hacendado' who introduced British thoroughbreds in the State of Zacatecas seven years after Mexico's Independence, in 1828.
Jaime's grandfather, Sebastian Rincon-Gallardo y Corcuera on the other hand, is also a polo player, brother of the late Pablo Rincon-Gallardo y Corcuera – an international figure in the Polo Set, President of the Mexican Federation of Polo, and responsible of the 8th World Polo Championship being hosted in Mexico City, 2008. Jaime is a 5th generation polo player, as his great-great-grandfather Alfonso Rincon-Gallardo y Romero de Terreros and his great-grandfather Jaime Rincon-Gallardo y De Mier, also played the sport.The Rincon-Gallardos still breed those famous thoroughbreds at their “Hacienda Cienega de Mata” in Jalisco – a country estate that has been in the family since the late 16th Century!
The Ameyalco Polo Club has 85 hectares and two polofields, one of them was an exclusive creation of Alejandro Battro – you know what we're talking about. Battro is the most recognized name in Polo Fields and Equestrian Area Design. It's located 15 minutes away from Mexico City's Santa Fe neighbourhood and it's surrounded by pine trees and mountains...
The teams: Jamaica (white) was represented by: Lesley-Ann Masterton Fong-Yee, Rachel Turner, Craig Russell and Shane Chin. Mexico (green) was re presented by: Jaime Rincon-Gallardo, Rodrigo Anaya, Luis Miguel Basaguren and Diego Aguilar – Ameyalco Polo Club's President. The referees where Toño Madrazo and Nicolas Spitznagel.
The breath taking landscape of this unique Club was the perfect scenery for an evening of celebrations…With a final score of 6 to 5 we all raised our glasses to honour both teams: Many congrats to the Jamaican champions!
Till next time!
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Photo captions:
010.- Referees Nicolas Spitznagel and Toño Madrazo with Craig Russell.
016.- Jaime Rincon-Gallardo and Rachel Turner.
027.- Lesley-Ann Masterton Fong-Yee.
031.- Gala Halyna and Rodrigo Lopez-Portillo yLancaster-Jones.
033.- Gala Halyna.
035.- Referees Nicolas Spitznagel and Toño Madrazo with Jaime Rincon-Gallardo.
036.- Gala Halyna with Luis Miguel Basaguren.
037.- Craig Russell, Shane Chin, Rachel Turner, and Lesley-Ann MastertonFong-Yee; Luis Miguel Basaguren, Diego Aguilar, Jaime Rincon-Gallardo, and RodrigoAnaya.
038.- Shane Chin, Rachel Turner, Ricardo Lopez-Portillo y Lancaster-Jones,Craig Russell, and Lesley-Ann Masterton Fong-Yee.
039.- Ricardo Lopez-Portillo y Lancaster-Jones, RachelTurner, Andrea Ehrenberg, Rodrigo Lopez-Portillo y Lancaster-Jones, and GalaHalyna.
100.- Francisco Madrazo García-Granados y García-Rojas.
101.- Francisco Madrazo’s “La Reina” was awarded as the BestPlaying Polo Pony for the 1923 season by the Horse Association of America.
102 & 103.- Obverse and reverse of the Horse Association of America Medal Award granted to Toño Madrazo’s grandfather.
200.- Jaime Rincon-Gallardo y De Mier (Jaime Rincon-Gallardo’s great-grandfather), with Jesus Solorzano, Porfirio Rubirosa and Cano Gracida, at Deauville (1950s).
201.- Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, and Jaime Rincon-Gallardo’s grandfather Sebastian Rincon-Gallardo y Corcuera.
202.- Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, and Pablo Rincon-Gallardo y Corcuera.
203.- The Gracida brothers: Carlos, Memo and Pato with PabloRincon-Gallardo y Corcuera.
"Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly" 
Rabii Benadada
