St. Regis British Open Polo Championship 2026: Barto Castagnola, Jeta Castagnola and the Race for the Cowdray Gold Cup
The 2026 St. Regis British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup officially began on 23 June and will culminate on Sunday, 19 July, when Europe's most prestigious high-goal trophy is decided at Cowdray Park Polo Club.
With nineteen 22-goal teams competing throughout the British season's premier event, every match brings the world's best players one step closer to one of polo's most coveted titles.
Among the leading names this summer are two familiar figures from La Natividad: Bartolomé "Barto" Castagnola Jr. and Camilo "Jeta" Castagnola. Competing for different organisations, both have started the tournament in outstanding form while pursuing the same objective — lifting the Gold Cup.
The Pinnacle of European High-Goal Polo
Since its foundation in 1956, the British Open has become one of the defining championships in international polo.
Hosted every summer at Cowdray Park in West Sussex, the tournament has welcomed generations of legendary players and remains one of the most respected titles in the sport.
The 2026 edition also marks a new chapter with St. Regis Hotels & Resorts becoming the tournament's title sponsor, reinforcing the championship's international prestige.
Winning the Gold Cup has always represented far more than a single tournament victory. It places organisations and players alongside some of the greatest names in polo history.
Barto Castagnola Leads Dubai Polo Team
Few organisations understand the demands of Cowdray Park better than Dubai Polo Team.
Six-time champions of the Gold Cup, Dubai has built one of the strongest legacies of the modern era and once again enters the tournament among the favourites.
Leading that challenge is Bartolomé "Barto" Castagnola.
Following his MVP performance in the DMMI Brexa Royal Windsor Cup, Barto has carried his momentum into the Gold Cup, once again becoming the team's attacking reference.
Dubai opened its campaign with a hard-fought 10-9 victory over Ferne Park, demonstrating both resilience and experience in a highly competitive opening fixture.
Alongside Tariq Albwardy, Santos Merlos and Antonio Heguy, Barto forms one of the tournament's most dangerous attacking units.
The team's next challenge comes against Shoreline Polo Team, where another victory would move Dubai significantly closer to securing a place in the quarter-finals.
Jeta Castagnola Continues His Outstanding Season
Camilo "Jeta" Castagnola has arrived at Cowdray Park with enormous confidence.
Only weeks after leading Balanz Capital to the Cartier Queen's Cup title, the Argentine 10-goaler has continued his remarkable British campaign with La Hechicera.
Playing alongside Lorenzo Chavanne, Ned Hine and Pablo Galante, Jeta opened the tournament with victory before producing an impressive 14-9 win over La Dolfina / Marqués de Riscal, earning The Midhurst Town Cup in the process.
The result confirmed La Hechicera as one of the strongest teams in the competition and reinforced Jeta's status as one of the most influential players of the British season.
Their next group-stage match against Park Place promises to be one of the tournament's biggest early tests.
A Family Legacy at Cowdray
The connection between the Castagnola family and the Gold Cup extends well beyond this season.
In 2019, Barto and Jeta announced themselves on the international stage by winning the Gold Cup together while representing Dubai Polo Team.
Nearly two decades earlier, their father, Bartolomé "Lolo" Castagnola, also lifted the same trophy with Dubai, adding another chapter to one of polo's most successful family histories.
Today, the brothers compete on opposite sides of the draw.
While each represents a different organisation, both continue to write the next generation of that legacy.
Could Another Castagnola Derby Be Coming?
One of the most intriguing storylines of the tournament remains the possibility of another meeting between the brothers.
After already facing each other during the Queen's Cup, where Jeta's Balanz Capital narrowly defeated Barto's Dubai Polo Team in an unforgettable semi-final, another encounter could now take place during the Gold Cup knockout stages.
Depending on the final standings after the group phase, Barto and Jeta could meet in either the quarter-finals or the semi-finals.
If both teams continue winning, the anticipation surrounding a new family rivalry will only continue to grow.
Every Match Matters
The format of the Gold Cup leaves little margin for error.
Each team plays four qualifying matches, with every victory moving them closer to the quarter-finals. Teams capable of collecting three or four wins place themselves in the strongest position to compete for the championship during July.
Both Dubai Polo Team and La Hechicera have already made strong starts.
One more victory would leave each organisation within touching distance of qualification and maintain their momentum heading into the decisive stages of Europe's greatest polo tournament.
With the final scheduled for 19 July, the road to Cowdray's most prestigious trophy is only just beginning.
And once again, Barto Castagnola and Jeta Castagnola are at the centre of the story.
