Seated on the transparent stools scattered along Val de Vie Estate’s Polo Clubhouse, the first thing you notice is the view. Blue sky stretches wide against the jagged peaks of the Cape Fold Mountain range, a setting that almost demands a pause and perhaps a second glass of champagne.
Then the stillness breaks. Thundering hooves cut across the manicured field and the sharp thwack of mallet meeting ball turns heads in unison. It’s a fitting backdrop for Absa’s latest foray into multi-sensory cultural experiences, Absa Du Champ, which made its debut on February 7 and, judging by the atmosphere, the national bank’s debut was met with enthusiasm.
Guests in breezy linens, silk dresses and the occasional straw canotier drifted between clubhouse and field with relaxed ease. Champagne flutes caught the light as conversations flowed. It was easy to imagine that somewhere between the first chukka and the next refill, a business deal or two quietly took shape.
Perched beside me during the curtain raiser match is Candice Thurston, Absa Group’s marketing executive and the architect behind many of the bank’s more resonant cultural activations. As a team of female riders charge onto the field, I raise an eyebrow in pleasant surprise. Thurston smiles.
“Having the female polo match was special for me. We’re big in driving women in sport, especially through golf, cycling, running and our polo.”
For a first-time spectator, polo borders on theatrical as the riders move in seamless tandem with their horses. The ball arcs through the sky at impressive heights, prompting a reflexive flinch from those of us learning to track its path. Some guests press against the glass barrier in rapt attention. Others watch between conversations. Polo, it turns out, accommodates both the purist and the social strategist.
For Thurston, who moves through the afternoon with practised ease, the success of Absa Du Champ lies in the experience rather than the spectacle.
“We want to talk to people’s passion points. We want to be the sponsors of passion,” she explains. “It’s not just Absa as this brand that sells products. We don’t sell products. Products are benefit driven. But passion points are tapping into what people love, so we focus on sports, lifestyle and culture.”
Absa Du Champ provided a natural intersection of all three.
Beyond the field, master caterer and chef Johnny Hamman curated a harvest table that quickly became the pavilion’s focal point. Charred artichoke, buffalo bocconcini and generous cuts of camembert were stacked atop raw stone like an edible installation. Saldanha Bay oysters disappeared quickly, leaving behind melting ice and neatly discarded lemon slices. As night approached, freshly made French flatbreads topped with seasonal ingredients began circulating. It was a celebration of abundance and a mastery of flavour.
Outside, mastery took on liquid form.
Glenfiddich’s silent guided tastings invited guests to slow down and engage with the nuances of aged single malts. Laurent-Perrier’s vintage 2015 remained a firm favourite, while Whispering Angel’s wines and Mount Nelson’s signature tea blends added further layers to the afternoon.
“These brands, they show up for their customers,” Thurston says. “They’re teaching people about the real background of how whisky is produced, how champagne is made. You’re not just putting it through a factory and hoping to sell lots of volumes, you’re creating something that’s beautiful and crafted for individuals and teaching them why it is what it is.”
That emphasis on craft runs quietly through the entire day.
It becomes particularly evident in The Art Chapter exhibition, presented in collaboration with Absa L’Atelier partner Gallery Momo. Curated by the gallery’s director Monna Mokoena and Absa Art Museum curator Dr Paul Bayliss, the collection featured contemporary works by artists including Blessing Blaai, Vivien Kohler, Phoka Nyokong, Ayobola Kekere-Ekun and Bevan de Wet.
Thurston explains initiatives like this are about more than simply displaying beautiful work. “What we did is bring artists and seasoned collectors together,” she says. “But there’s a big middle market we weren’t speaking to, people who are interested in art but don’t necessarily know how to enter that world. Through Absa L’Atelier, we want to start teaching people about art. [Explain] why it’s an asset and really empower the audience.”
It’s a strategic articulation of Absa’s broader repositioning. “I’ve been with the brand for two years and we really looked at re-establishing what Absa’s positioning was in the market,” she reflects. “We repositioned the brand around Your Story Matters. It’s built on the understanding that every story counts and that we see your story. We wanted to move Absa from being seen [purely] as a functional bank to being a partner in your journey.”
As dusk settles over the Winelands and the last glasses are cleared, Absa Du Champ feels less like a one-day affair and more like a conversation starter. What ultimately lingers is not just the image of riders silhouetted against the mountains or the memory of a particularly good oyster, it’s the sense that the day was built with intention. That sport, food, art and hospitality were brought together not simply to impress, but to connect.
