The Fifth-annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic Rides On To New Ground

NEW YORK, May 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Veuve Clicquot Champagne is pleased to announce that the fifth annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic will return on Saturday, June 2 taking place this year at beautiful Liberty State Park. Known as one of the summer's most unique and glamorous star-studded social events, the 2012 Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic will showcase the sport of polo with a new backdrop—less than 2,000 feet from the Statue of Liberty with a breathtaking view of the New York City skyline on more than 15 acres of gorgeous park land.

The current construction taking place on the Governors' Island playing field, the original home of the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic since its inception in 2008, required Veuve Clicquot to find a new location this year. Veuve Clicquot was committed to finding a space accessible to city dwellers to host the event, which has become a staple of the summer season. Rather than moving the event to one of the many professional polo fields in the areas outside the of New York City, Veuve Clicquot was determined to stay true to its urban roots and find an inspiring location where the exhibition game could be played within a stone's throw from Manhattan.  After going through the arduous process of carefully surveying 27 locations in the Greater New York area, including parks, beaches, fields and islands throughout the five boroughs and beyond, Veuve Clicquot is pleased to call Liberty State Park its new home for the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic this year. 

"With love and appreciation for the thousands of New Yorkers who have supported the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic these past four years, we are delighted that the 2012 Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic will be held at Liberty State Park," says Vanessa Kay, President of Veuve Clicquot U.S. "After a great deal of researching, surveying and examining a number of locations in the Greater Metropolitan area, we are thrilled to have found the ideal location to host the fifth-annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic. With views of the New York City skyline, the iconic Statue of Liberty and historic Ellis Island, the park truly reflects the spirit of the event, a signature occasion of Veuve Clicquot's social season that New Yorkers continue to look forward to year after year."

The game of polo and Liberty State Park both have storied and significant histories in New York and New Jersey. A tradition that was reintroduced by Veuve Clicquot in 2008, the sport of polo was first played in the United States nearly 70 years ago. The area that is now Liberty State Park was a major waterfront industrial area with an extensive freight and passenger transportation network during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Once considered the lifeline of New York City and the harbor area of Jersey City, NJ, today Liberty State Park is a leading tourist attraction and gateway to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. With over 1,212 acres of land and water, this green oasis in New Jersey is one of the most dramatic parks around New York City with spectacular views.

This year, as a result of the event's new smaller stomping grounds at Liberty State Park, the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic is a ticketed event with an admission of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per person. ln addition to entry, ticket price will cover ferry transportation to and from Manhattan to Liberty State Park or shuttle service available from the Liberty State Park station on the New Jersey Transit Hudson-Bergen Light Rail line. As always, Veuve Clicquot is committed to responsible alcohol consumption – accordingly, all guests must be ticketed and be aged 21 and over to attend the event. Furthermore, parking will not be permitted onsite – guests must either arrive via ferry or Light Rail. The 2012 Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic will also benefit a charity, to be announced in the coming weeks, as well as the Friends of Liberty State Park. In previous years, the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic has generously supported Sentebale and Hope Help Rebuild Haiti as well as The Will Rogers Ranch Foundation and California State Parks for the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in Los Angeles.

Guests will be able to watch the exciting polo exhibition match, sip champagne, enjoy catering from Silkstone and celebrate a wonderful day in the park. All guests to the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic must purchase a ticket in advance to gain admittance; tickets will be available on wwww.vcpoloclassic.com starting May 1, 2012. Veuve Clicquot will host several lotteries through their Facebook page in the month leading up to the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic, giving fans the opportunity to win free tickets to the event. Check http://www.facebook.com/veuveclicquot for more details.

Spectators will watch Nacho Figueras lead his team, Black Watch, against some of the world's best polo players on team Nespresso. Nespresso has a long association with polo, sponsoring some of the most prestigious tournaments worldwide, including St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow in Switzerland, the Argentine Polo Open Championship, and recently the Nespresso 108th U.S. Open Polo Championship at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Veuve Clicquot welcomes Nespresso as a sponsor of the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic this June, followed by the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in Los Angeles this fall.  

"The Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic is my favorite occasion of the year and I am grateful to share my love for the sport of polo with the people of this great city," says event co-host Nacho Figueras. "Working with Veuve Clicquot to make polo a fun, exciting and accessible sport is very important to me, and I'm proud that we searched long and hard to find a new location to keep the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic right next to where it first started. We always want to ensure that the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic has an element of the unexpected, so playing polo at Liberty State Park where polo has never been played is very exciting."

Synonymous with flutes of champagne and top-notch fashion, guests of the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic are encouraged to don classic polo style inspired by the traditional looks of fascinators and summer dresses for women and daytime suits for men. To help guests achieve their most fashionable moment, Veuve Clicquot will debut the new custom, limited-edition Veuve Clicquot-yellow parasol, created in collaboration with celebrated parasol maker, Penelope Parasols. The perfect accessory for an afternoon of polo-watching and champagne-sipping, the parasol is made of 100% silk dupioni fabric in Veuve Clicquot's iconic yellow hue with a solid hardwood shaft, brass-finish handle, ferrule and tips. Available for $189, the Veuve Clicquot Penelope parasols will be for sale at the event on June 2 as well as on Penelopeparasols.com, starting May 8.

To create a spectacular dining experience for all guests, Veuve Clicquot has partnered with Silkstone, one of New York's most creative culinary experts. Hailing from the highly buzzed about dining destinations, The Fat Radish in New York City and Ruschmeyer's in Montauk, Silkstone will create unique polo-paired dishes, of course in addition to Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label and Rose by the glass and bottle, will be available for purchase.

Co-hosts Vanessa Kay and world-renowned polo player Nacho Figueras will be joined by New York's most glamorous crowd, friends of Veuve Clicquot and polo enthusiasts in the VIP Marquee. In previous years, the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic has been attended by Mayor Bloomberg, Madonna, Kate Hudson, Ivanka Trump & Jared Kushner, Naomi Watts, Isla Fisher, Wyclef Jean, Amber Heard, Alek Wek, Julianna Margulies, Keith Lieberthal, Rachel Zoe and Rodger Berman, Zoe Saldana, Adam Sandler, Greg Kinnear, Jeremy Piven, Jaime King, Selma Blair, Sofia Vergara and more.

For additional event information, b-roll and/or still images of the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic, background on Liberty State Park or to arrange an interview with participating Veuve Clicquot representatives or Nacho Figueras, please go to www.vcpoloclassic.com or contact [email protected].

ABOUT VEUVE CLICQUOT

Veuve Clicquot has a long association with polo in England with the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup and now in the United States of America with the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic, which kicks-off the Veuve Clicquot Season summer opening.  The champagne house was established in 1772 by Philippe Clicquot, and began to thrive when Madame Clicquot took the helm 1805.  For over 200 years, Veuve Clicquot has been inspiring the world to "Be Clicquot": modern, audacious and premium quality.  These values, set forth by the ground-breaking and extraordinary Madame Clicquot and maintained by generations of Clicquot drinkers, promise a remarkable experience with each sip of Veuve Clicquot.  Today its eponymous Yellow Label continues to be one of the world's most beloved champagnes.  The Veuve Clicquot Season is an essential guide to the most exclusive social events and parties of the year across the country.  For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/veuveclicquot or www.veuve-clicquot.com. Always sip responsibly.

ABOUT BLACK WATCH

Black Watch is a world-class polo team which has won numerous tournaments throughout the United States. In 2007, Black Watch was the champion of the Mercedes Benz Polo Challenge and the winter champion of the Palm Beach Hall of Fame Cup. The team is captained by Nacho Figueras, professional polo player, face of Ralph Lauren's Polo Fragrances and model for Ralph Lauren's Black Label Collection. For more information, please visit http://www.Facebook.com/NachoFigueras.

ABOUT NESPRESSO

Nespresso began more than 25 years ago with a simple but revolutionary idea to create the perfect cup of Espresso coffee. The unique combination of our premium quality Grand Cru coffees, stylish machines, and exceptional customer service all together provide the ultimate coffee experience.

Nestle Nespresso SA is the pioneer and reference for highest-quality portioned premium coffee. Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, Nespresso operates in more than 50 countries and has more than 7,000 employees. In 2011, it operated a global retail network of 270 exclusive Boutiques. For more information, please visit www.nespresso.com.

SOURCE Veuve Clicquot Champagne