Dubai: The Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, the UAE’s only Royal polo club, are gearing up for the launch of another busy season where the marquee event is the prestigious HH The President of UAE Polo Cup.
The Abu Dhabi — based facility is also home to some of the region’s most renowned charity events including the season-opening Pink Polo tournament and the Future Centre Autism Charity Polo Match, which is the pet project of Shaikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club.
- Shaikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman
“The affection and care of horses is part of our cultural heritage from which we have taken inspiration to create an environment that upholds our traditional values as can be seen in the exceptional venue facilities as well as the exciting polo tournaments and exhibition matched that take place at Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club,” says Shaikh Falah in a message.
Held in the name of The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, The H.H President of UAE Polo Cup attracts some of the best polo players in the world who, together with the pride of the Emirates, will form part of teams in the premium tournament.
The tournament, which takes place between January 5 and 19, next year, will also offer fans and guests with the unique opportunity to be a part of an exclusive state of the art Polo experience at the most prestigious tournament in the Middle East.
Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club will also use the ‘must see’ event to showcase the UAE’s rich cultural heritage and sporting & social lifestyle, to the world.
The new season at Ghantoot will kickoff on November 3 with the popular Pink Polo where the highlight is a polo match between an all-woman team skippered by accomplished equestrian Shaikha Maitha Bint Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will test their skills against a men’s squad.
The all-star women’s team will also comprise Shaikha Alia Bint Marwan Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum, Her Royal Highness Princess Azima, daughter of the King of Brunei and Germany’s Sandra Scheider.
Members of the UAE Royal families, top officials, celebrities and hundreds of fans are expected to attend the tournament whose objective is the support breast cancer awareness and to raise funds and awareness.
Additional attractions at Ghantoot Racing & Polo club showpiece will include camel and pony rides, face painting, magicians and a military skydiving show, which help give the one-of-its-kind event an overall family feel.
The popularity of the Pink Polo tournament has inspired South Africa, Malaysia and Thailand to conduct similar events as part of their annual equestrian calendar.
Another highlight of the season at Ghantoot is the Maserati-sponsored Emirates Open Polo tournament from December 20-22, an exclusive event for Emirati players, which will be broadcast live to the UK and USA, among other polo-playing countries.
Ghantoot Racing & Polo club will use the event as a platform to project the cultural landscape of the seven Emirates in the UAE and pay tribute to the strong relationship between the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
The season culminates with the traditional British Polo Day, a closed-door event organised jointly with the British Embassy in the UAE on March 24. The exclusive tournament features leading polo professionals from the UK and is attended by Shaikhs, diplomats and dignitaries.
