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The Veuve Clicquot Polo Masters is just around the corner, so it's time to start planning your outfit for this chic event. We love the fascinators made by The Little Hattery. They are undeniably glamourous and really take an outfit to the next level. Be sure to check out their gorgeous range of fascinators and hats, we're smitten!

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Val de Vie is hosting the Veuve Clicquot Polo Master this February, and it's guaranteed to be a chic, celebrity-studded event! If you've bought tickets, then it's time to start planning your outfit. If you haven't bought tickets, be sure sure to do so soon, so that you can be part of this style savvy occasion!

Chloe Sevigny, Sofia-Vergara and Selma Blair

Rachel Zoe, Isla Fisher and Nikki Hilton

Natasha Bedingfield, Zoe Saldana and High Jackman

Isla Fisher, Marc Jacobs and Mischa Barton

LL Cool J, Selma Blair and Alek Wek

The Veuve Clicquot Polo Masters is taking place on Saturday 25 February 2012, and we can't wait for this glamorous day of fashion, fun and French Champagne! It's a highly anticipated occasion on the social calendar and promises to be a showcase of exceptional style and polo action.

We invite you to buy tickets at Webtickets.co.za so that you can take part of this dazzling event.

Please view the Save the Date below for the full details. For those who like to experience the ultimate in luxury, there is also an exclusive VIP Corporate Lounge Package available, click here to read more.

The second Veuve Clicquot Masters, one of the most sophisticated events on the South African Polo calendar, is set to take place on Saturday 25th February 2012 at Val de Vie Wine and Polo Estate outside Cape Town.

The prestigious Champagne House sponsors some of the world’s biggest polo events, and the 2011 Veuve Clicquot Masters was their first foray into African polo. The event proved to be a resounding success, enjoyed by SA’s elite, including top celebrities, glamorous socialites and polo lovers.

The 2012 Veuve Clicquot Masters is set to grow in size, drawing in crowds dressed to impress for a stylish day of polo. Utilising Val de Vie’s world-class polo fields and luxurious club house facilities, VIP guests can expect a glamorous day out filled with champagne, gourmet canapés, haute couture, and of course, thrilling polo.

SAVE THE DATE DIARY DETAILS:
Event: Veuve Clicquot Masters
Date: Saturday 25th February 2012
Venue: Val de Vie Estate (Paarl-Franschhoek Valley)
Tickets: Available online through Webtickets
Click here to visit the event's Facebook page for more details.

On Friday 25 November Bentley, Veuve Clicquot, Pirelli, Breitling and LIVEOUTLOUD partnered in an event like no other at the Val de Vie Wine and Polo Estate in Paarl, Western Cape. The day’s proceedings consisted of an exclusive Polo tournament between four sponsored teams as well as a glitzy unveiling ceremony and cocktail celebration for the much anticipated Bentley Continental GTC during the evening.

Invited VIP guests were given access to the exclusive estate for the polo tournament, which saw a round-robin clash between four professional polo teams. Guests were welcomed to relax under the Veuve Clicquot umbrellas or enjoy a cold Peroni at the bar whilst watching the games against the backdrop of the Paarl Mountain Range. The start of the tournament was commenced with Kristina Diehl from Bentley UK throwing the opening ball onto the pitch from the passenger seat of the new Continental GTC’s predecessor before they raced away from a slew of horses clashing for the ball.

Michael Eilertsen, CEO of LIVEOUTLOUD explains: ‘The 2011 Bentley Polo Invitational has positioned itself as the pioneer event before LIVEOUTLOUD hosts the inaugural 2012 Beach Polo Festival in Camps Bay, Cape Town. This festival is set to become one of South Africa’s premier events and we look forward to breaking ground on this truly remarkable and original concept.’

The 2011 Bentley Polo Invitational culminated with guests being entertained by the vehicles on show; a jazz band playing smooth melodic tunes, and drew to a close as the sun set behind the mountains with as much style and sophistication as the vehicle itself, a day encapsulating both sporting and luxury living.

Holiday time is approaching and I am sure everyone can’t wait for the long awaited festive season the lies ahead of us.
The polo club will be closed from the 19 December and will re-open on the 4 January.

The ponies are going to enjoy a mid season break, which will give them time to re charge those batteries, put on a bit of condition and get them ready for the busy polo that awaits them next year.

We have had a great season so far, the polo and skill that has been exceptional and we are expecting a number of overseas visitors in the new year.

We have sadly said goodbye to a very important Val De Vie personality, Toffee. He was a very precious and dear little chap. He has moved to a big farm in Stellenbosch, with huge lush fields that would be the dream of any pony, to be a companion to another horse. We are also sadly saying goodbye to a very special polo pony, Angel, who has been with us since July 2011. She has unfortunately become blind in her one eye and can’t play polo anymore. She will be going back to Natal to retire on a farm with her previous owners.

We have had a number of new ponies arriving at Val De Vie over the past couple of months. We also welcomed Jason Drew s three ponies, Whistler, Charlie and Hunk at the beginning of October, Gavin Watson’s two ponies, Fernanda and Pepita that arrived at the beginning of November and we welcomed Joseph Bronn s three polo ponies that arrived on the 6 December all the way from Natal. Girlie, BMW and Jura stepped out of the truck late Tuesday afternoon and settled into the Val De Vie way of life as if they had been here before.

The Bentley Polo was held on Friday 25 November, with all the top polo players from around the province coming together to display their talents and skill on the polo field. This was truly a chart topper of an event with the prestigious Bentleys everywhere added in the mixture with exceptional polo, what more could you ask for?

Val De Vie was very proud to sponsor a Championship class at the South African Dressage Championships that were held in Stellenbosch from the 14 till the 20 November. We have a number of talented Dressage riders from Val De Vie that will start competing in shows next year such as Karen Dormehl on her young horses Kontikki and Frosty Kiss, Stacey de Villiers on her horse Dallas and Michelle Evert riding her new polo pony, True Rhythm. Hopefully all of these riders will be competing at the next SA Dressage Championships and we can offer as much support to them along the way as possible.

That’s all from us at the Polo club for now, wishing you all the best for the holidays!

Tehri

The Western Province Show Jumping Championships where held at Glenellen Farm in Hout Bay over the weekend of the 25, 26 and 27 November. There where riders from all over the country that travelled the 1000km + to compete for the title, Western Province Adult Show Jumping Champion. The riders who compete in the big championship class are tested over fences that can get up to 1.40m high, over a course of 12 plus jumps ranging from water jumps to a triple combination with one stride in between. Jumping those heights is the ultimate test between every horse/rider combination. The final result was in first place Jeanne Engela and Liam Stevens in second place.

Tehri travelled through to the Championships on the Saturday morning with her horse, Alfonso. It was their first show together as a team and they competed in the 90cm class. Tehri was very pleased with her talented young horse, being his first time in that arena, he did not put a foot/hoof wrong.

We are looking forward to an exciting new year in 2012 with all our competitive riders, we will be sure to keep you updated with all the show results.

We love Twisted Lifestyle's write-up on the recent BlackBerry Pink Polo event. As Twisted Ross puts it, it was "a day of fashion, wine, bubbles and sweet goodness but the beautiful day out is all about raising awareness as well as funds in aid of Breast Cancer." Click here to read his full blog post about the occasion, as well as to see more photos.

Here are some gorgeous shots from our recent Blackberry Pink Polo Event, which was held in aid of breast cancer. It was a glamorous day attended by a host of stylish guests and chic celebs, all eager to support this worthy cause.

Visit The Jog Blog to see more pictures and to read more about the fabulous event.

The Blackberry Pink Polo Event was hosted at Val de Vie over the weekend, and what a wonderful occasion it was! Held in aid of breast cancer, the event has become a major highlight on our polo calendar. Here's a glimpse of the grand Carrol Boyes Floating Trophy and team player awards that were handed out. Be sure to look out for more photos of this fabulous event...

Polo is not only famous for being an exciting and intriguing sport - it's also associated with elegant fashion and crisp, elegant styling. Ready to pull off the polo look with aplomb? Here are some fashion tips from Cameron Silver, owner of DECADES vintage boutiques.

Polo style tips for Women:
• Wear a hat and wear it proud. The bigger the better.
• Shoes need to be sensible and stylish. Go for a wedge and avoid a stiletto heel and avoid sinking into the lawn.
• Prints are your new best friend. A floral tea dress paired with a cashmere cardigan creates a great sophisticated, retro look that's very Polo-esque.
• Dress the part: Throw on a pair of jodhpurs into your riding boots with a crisp polo shirt. Don't be surprised if you end up on a horse, however!
• This isn't a night club - leave the all-black wardrobe for the after-party!

Polo style tips for Men:
• Ask yourself, "What would Cary Grant wear?" Buy a grown up suit and dress to impress.
• Step out of the box and add some color to your wardrobe. An Etro print tie or pocket square with a colorful shirt exudes a bit of English-inspired eccentrics.
• It’s polo after all: When all else fails, a fresh pique polo shirt, slim flat front khakis, a cashmere pullover, and a gold Rolex will work wonders. Top it off with a fedora and aviators for a sense of mystery.

We're getting more and more excited about the upcoming Pink Polo event on 15 October 2011, held in aid of breast cancer. This chic event is all about looking fabulous, so be sure to don your most gorgeous pink outfit and be prepared to dazzle! Did we mention that there will be a polo match, Kobus Dippenaar fashion show and a host of decadent treats for all who attend?

Tickets cost R350.00 and can be reserved by clicking here. Alternatively you can email edith@edithunlimited.co.za or call 011 783 5887.

Three of our young and talented riders competed in the Interschools Team Championships at the Evergreen Stables over the weekend of the 24 and 25 September. Tristene Joubert, Jaydee Joubert, Bronwyn Haasbroek and Erin Pape made Val De Vie very proud with their turn out, skill and overall results at the show. On the Saturday, Tristene and Jaydee competed in the Dressage classes scoring over 53% for their tests. This is a very good score considering that Jaydee is a National Polo Cross Player and Wild Cat, her horse is in fact a Polo Cross/Polo Pony.

On the Sunday, Erin competed in the 50cm Individual Competition, but unfortunately took a pole in the Jump off. Then she showed us all what she is made of and produced the most beautiful clear round in the Team Championship Class on her pony, Leo. Erin s team (Bridge House) ended up coming second overall. Tristene competed in the 60cm individual and produced a brilliant double clear but was not fast enough in the jump off to be in the top 4 places. We were very happy with her result, as it was also her first outing with her new horse, Edo. Jaydee competed in the individual 60cm competition and had a cracking round and ended up receiving third place. In the team event, Jaydee’s team (Girls High) ended up winning the 60cm Team Championship!

We would like to congratulate the Val De Vie Riders! We are very proud of you.

On Saturday 10 September, Karen Dormehl and her beautiful warm blood gelding, Kontiki, left Val De Vie early in the morning to set out for Kintiki’s first showing show (Kontiki is only four years old). We were very proud when we learnt that Kontiki came first in two of his classes on the weekend. He competed in the Milnerton Riding Club Spring Festival in the Best Walk and Best Trot categories. He was up against a large group of older and more experienced horses but managed to prove that he was the champion at the end of the day. Well done to Karen Dormehl, proud owner of Kontiki. It is very exciting and we can't wait to see him back in the show ring.

Val de Vie is thrilled that Pink Pigeon is one of the sponsors of our upcoming Pink Polo Event. This Vanilla Spiced Mauritian Rum is named after the rare and endangered species of bird found only on the magnificent jewel island of Mauritius. It is the first pure premium spiced rum from the island to be blended with “Black Gold”, which is the finest hand-pollinated and hand-picked natural vanilla from the islands of Madagascar and Reunion. Although complex in flavour, Pink Pigeon is delicious to drink and distilled five times with the purest of spirit.

Here is a recipe for their signature cocktail, the Pink Pigeon Mojito:

Ingredients:
1 ½ shots of Pink Pigeon Premium rum
½ shot of Giffard vanilla syrup or sugar if you don’t have
10 Fresh mint leaves
4 wedges of lime
1 shot of Cranberry Juice

Method:
First focus on muddling the lime wedges, mint leaves and sugar in the glass of service. Then add in your Pink Pigeon rum, top half the glass with crushed ice and stir with a spoon to mix and chill. Top up the glass with crushed ice and finish of by adding the cranberry juice.

Morne Bosch, MD Val de Vie Estate; Simone de Wet, MD Val de Vie Events; and Ryk Neethling, Marketing Director Val de Vie

The Val de Vie Team was delighted to be invited by BMW to the BMW Polo Series that recently took place at the Indanda Club in Sandton on 22nd August 2010.

With a fresh theme of tones of green and gold, it was a glamorous event that included a  fashion show featuring the work of 10 fashion designers.  Guests were also treated to a three course meal before viewing the exciting polo match between South Africa and Australia. The Australian team secured two points against the South African team with a final score of 9–7 to Australia.

As the start to the new polo season is on the horizon, we are getting ready for what should be the best, most exciting polo season Val De Vie has see yet. With the growing numbers of people wanting to become members of the Val de Vie polo club every week, and our stables at full capacity, we are all very excited and can’t wait for the season to start in October.

I thought I would share a little information about what we, the Polo Club and Stable personal have been up to all winter. With the end of Polo Season at the beginning of 2011, the polo ponies have all had a well, long deserved rest. They have had the opportunity to re charge their batteries, relax, get as fat as possible and as furry as possible. The grooms and Polo Team have been keeping a close eye on them, making sure they get sufficient feed, love and attention.

The horses have been kept to a very structured schedule, being creatures of habit, they do not adjust to drastic changes very well. So we have to make sure that they get their feed at specific times in the morning and afternoon. Horses mainly get two meals a day . With drastic cases with horses either being drastically under weight, or at times of excess pressure and hard work, they can get up to 4 meals a day. The stomach structure is such that they need to have sufficient grazing all day long. Without this grazing, the stomach acids can cause serious damage which can lead to serious medical complications and stomach alsers. With the lack of grazing down at the sand paddock, we supplement the horses grazing with a product called oat hay.

We have also had a few more livery clients joining us over these past months, I would like to welcome them. Karen Lewis who has just recently purchased her new Polo Pony Angel. Stacey and Kaylee, they came to us from Franschoek with their three beautiful warm blood mares, Star Bucks, Dallas and Moet. Stacey is also a qualified Equine Physiotherapist, so if you are interested in having her look at your horse please feel free to contact me for more information. Tessa Moxon who also moved from Franschoek with her Polo Ponies and young warm blood mare that she will be training as a dressage horse. The Anderson Family, Anuchka, Albert and Sharron and their lovely ponies Trixi and Leo. Anuchka has represented South Africa in Show Jumping up in Johannesberg. Candice Starke who will be with us at the end of the month with her two very talented show jumpers Just London and Chase. Candice was competing in the 1.45m show jumping classes last year. We are very excited to have such top quality horses and riders at our yard. I am sure that the Val De Vie flag will be flying high at many of the big horse shows locally and nationwide in the months to come.

I would also like to welcome Erin and Marilyn Young. Erin has recently joined us from another stable yard in Cape Town, she is leasing a lovely pony from the Anderson Family, Leo. Erin is a very talented and gutsy rider and we can t wait for her to start competing and going to shows on her lovely pony.

The Polo Ponies have also just received their second African Horse Sickness Vaccination. We vaccinate the horses once a year during the “off season” . The purpose of this vaccination is to strengthen the horses immunity against this deadly viral disease which kills thousands of horses around South Africa every year. The vaccination consists of 2 injections 3 weeks apart. There are two types of AHS ( African Horse Sickness) that the horses can contract, Dunkop and Dikkop. I have inserted some additional information with regards to AHS below.

WHAT IS AFRICAN HORSE SICKNESS?
African horse sickness (AHS) is a highly infectious non-contagious, vector born viral disease affecting all species of Equidae. It is classified as an Orbivirus of the Reoviridae family of which there are 9 serotypes. All serotypes (1-9) are distributed throughout South Africa, although there is a variation in their temporal distribution. It is endemic to (occurs naturally on) the African continent, and is characterised by respiratory and circulatory damage, accompanied by fever and loss of appetite.

Host and Vector
Animals affected are, all breeds of horses (mortality rate of 70-90%), mules and donkeys. Wild life Equine species (Zebras) are resistant to the disease. The vector host, Culicoides midge, spreads AHS virus.

How do horses contract the disease?
AHS does not spread directly from one horse to another, but is transmitted by the Culicoides midge, which becomes infected when feeding on other infected equidae. It occurs mostly in the warm, rainy season when midges are plentiful, and disappears after frost, when the midges die. Most animals become infected in the period associated with sunset and sunrise, when the midges are most active.

Symptoms
The disease manifests in three ways, namely the lung form, the heart form and the mixed form. The lung (dunkop) form is characterised in the following manner:

• very high fever (up to 41 degrees).
• difficulty in breathing, with mouth open and head hanging down.
• frothy discharge may pour from the nose.
• sudden onset of death.
• very high death rate (90%).

The heart (dikkop) form is characterised in the following manner:

• fever, followed by swelling of the head and eyes.
• in severe cases, the entire head swells (“dikkop”).
• loss of ability to swallow and possible colic symptoms may occur.
• terminal signs include bleeding (of pinpoint size) in the membranes of the mouth and eyes.
• Slower onset of death, occurring 4 to 8 days after the fever has started.
• Lower death rate (50%).

The Polo Ponies will start exercising in September so they can lose their winter “fat layer” and get into shape for Polo Season that starts in October. I am sure many of the Polo Players will also be exercising to rid themselves of the excess “winter warmth layers” that have accumulated over the past couple of months. The horses exercise program will consist mainly of walking for the first couple of days around the track located around the stick n ball field and then we will gradually increase the exercise speed and distance as the weeks go by, so the Ponies will be sleek, fit galloping machines come polo season. As for the Polo Players, we have the gym and Mieke! There are many exciting events, tournaments and family days planned so be sure to keep a close eye on the Events calendar. Polo lessons and educational chukkas with Kevin Rixon will also start in October.

Tehri

BlackBerry and Val de Vie invite you to our Pink Polo event on 15 October 2011, held in aid of breast cancer. The exceptional event includes a captivating polo match, a Kobus Dippenaar fashion show and a host of decadent treats for all who attend.

Tickets cost R350.00 and can be reserved by emailing edith@edithunlimited.co.za or calling 011 783 5887.

Click here to download the full invitation.

Here's a closer look at the Veuve Clicquot Masters Polo which was hosted by Val de Vie. As the video shows, this glamorous event was all about sensational style and pure polo excitement - what a dazzling day!

Here are some great photos from the Educational Chukkas we hosted on 14 April 2011.

Val De Vie Red: Rolf Thielen, George Mumba, Gavin Kanigowski, Tessa Moxon
Val De Vie Blue: Jessica Henrich, Karen Lewis, Kevin Rixon, Gavin Watson
Referee: Roy Rixon

Val de Vie invites you to the Veuve Clicquot Masters Polo Tournament on Sunday 17 April 2011. This exclusive high society event is not to be missed and promises a day of glamour, excitement and luxury.

Click on the flyer for a closer look at what this event promises.

Val de Vie is absolutely thrilled that Malcolm Kluk and CGDT have been voted the best designers of the year in SA! To top it off, they will be the only South African designers representing our country at New York Fashion Week. We congratulate them on this fantastic achievement which recognises their flair for fashion.

The team also designed Val die Vie's chic new polo shirts (pictured below), which are on sale to the public. Kindly contact Tehri at the Val de Vie Polo Club if you would like to order one.

Val de Vie invites you to the Veuve Clicquot Masters Polo Tournament on Sunday 17 April 2011. This exclusive high society event is not to be missed and promises a day of glamour, excitement and luxury.

Click here for information about corporate packages, or click on the image above for more details about the event itself.

The Val de Vie Cape Town Cup was recently hosted in the elegant surroundings of the Val de Vie Estate utilising the estate’s world-class polo fields and luxurious club house facilities.

The line up for the 6-Goal tournament saw a number of international players from Argentina, Holland, Italy, Germany, Zimbabwe, the UK, India, and South Africa competing, bringing an exciting flavour to the matches, lunches and the prize giving Val de Vie Polo Club Captain Rolf Thielen said that he was particularly pleased with how well the tournament was received and how much support there had been for the tournament had been throughout.

This is the third time the Cape Town Cup has been hosted at Val de Vie. Western Cape Polo Chairman Pawel Kanigowski originally conceived the cup in 2007 and with the support of the clubs in Cape Town and Boland areas it has now become and exciting annual fixture. The format of the tournament was a round robin over three days with a subsidiary final and a final on day 4. The four teams, Lanquedoc, Maremmana – Central Academy, Cape Town Polo Club and Val de Vie were in fierce competition from day one.

Val de Vie walked away as the winners of the trophy but it was a hard fought competition. The Lanquedoc team of Martin Hartmann took second place. Best Playing Pony went to Cold Steel, owned by Tom de Bruin, who also took the coveted Most Valued Player award.

Val de Vie Polo Club President Allesandro Balestri de Verrand thanked SAPA Executive Director Clive Peddle, the visiting and local patrons as well Martin Venter (Chairman of the Val de Vie Group) and sponsor of POLO SA magazine. Alessandro mentioned that without the support of patrons such as Pawel Kanigowski, Peter Stuart, Martin Hartmann and Ankur Mishra polo in the Cape would not have been able to grow as quickly and successfully as it has.

The Cape Town Cup is set to grow to an 8 team two week event over the next few years and the interest and excitement has left us all with bated breath for next years gala performance.

We also look forward to seeing you join us for another exciting polo event coming soon. The Veuve Clicquot Masters is to be held at Val de Vie for the first time this year on Sunday 17th April and is set to become the jewel of the South African Polo Season, expect a sophisticated day amongst South Africa’s socialites, VIPs and celebrities, so get your designer dresses ready!

Two ticket types are available for purchase through Computicket – The Polo Club at R350, which includes a bottle of wine and a light lunch on arrival and The Masters VIP Lounge at R950, which includes an array of delicious foods, Veuve Clicquot Champagne and a selection of Val de Vie's award winning wines.

Tickets available at: Computicket: http://www.computicket.com/web/event/the_veuve_clicquot_masters/323640746/0/24774328
For more information: www.valdevie.co.za

Kind regards,
The Val de Vie Team

Val de Vie's got the gossip pages talking! The recent BMW Polo International attracted celebs such as Roxy Louw and Lyndall Jarvis, as seen in the pages of Heatand You. Swimming star Roland Schoeman also got a mention in You, as well as Arno Carstens and his wife, Melanie.

Here are some stunning shots from the BMW Polo International that was recently held at Val de Vie.

Photographs courtesy of National Polo and Wedding Photographer, Shane Doyle.

South Africa’s passionate and glamorous polo community witnessed one of the world’s most iconic polo nations in action when India toured South Africa this weekend as part of the BMW International Polo Series.

On Saturday, 26 February, the lush polo fields of Val de Vie Estate in the magnificent Paarl Franschhoek Valley hosted a classic encounter between India and South Africa.

A day of elegance between man and beast was matched by a host of celebrities and VIPs reveling in the finest Val de Vie wines, gourmet food, and a display of the latest BMW vehicles.

“Polo is an exciting sport, and we are proud to be associated with a sport that so epitomises excellence and with which we have a long and successful relationship with. People marvel at the ability of man and horse to achieve such perfect unity, and BMW shares this drive for creating perfect partnerships in the pursuit of a passion,” said Guy Kilfoil, General Manager: Communications and Public Affairs at BMW South Africa.

India brought with them a rich legacy in the sport dating back to medieval times, and which has earned the country the status of being the cradle of modern polo.

“The prestige of this particular contest is highlighted by the fact that India rarely tours South Africa, having done so on only a handful of occasions in the past 20 years,” said Clive Peddle, the Executive Director of the South African Polo Association.

“But equally important is the overall enjoyment of a wonderful event. India are a very hospitable nation and the South Africans were treated with five star luxury on their recent trip..”

Now in its third year, the BMW International Polo at Val de Vie has become one of the most keenly anticipated events on the Cape Town social calendar. It is arguably one of the most sleek, glamorous and sought-after tickets in town.

Chile was the first to tour South Africa as part of this series. Last year the series was highlighted by a 14 to 5 goal victory over Italy.

This year’s event was attended by Cape Town’s glitterati, including the likes of Roxy Louw, Lyndall Jarvis, Lieschen Botes, Arno & Melanie Carstens, and Mark Bayly.

“The BMW International Polo at Val de Vie is an elegant affair where Cape Town’s elite enjoyed an exclusive, elegant and relaxing day of Polo,” said Michelle van Eyden of SAIL, the Executive Promoter of the BMW International Polo at Val de Vie as well as the highly successful L’Ormarins Queens Plate held recently.

The final score of the incredibly exciting game was 7 to 10 for South Africa.