The first tournament of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series concluded with spectacular wins for Zedan Polo and Habtoor Polo teams. The Hildon Cup Subsidiary match between Zedan Polo and IFZA-Mahra Polo opened with a goal from Segundo Amadorri but, Zedan quickly grabbed the lead as Amr Zedan, team patron, and Jeronimo del Carril scored 3 goals for the team. The team kept the momentum going during the second chukker and created a four-goal advantage. The penultimate chukker saw Tariq Al Habtoor score one for IFZA-Mahra followed by another goal from Isidro Strada. However, Zedan kept the lead through to the end of the fifth chukker, closing the game at 9 goals to 6. Match Progression: 3 – 1 | 7 – 3 | 8 -4 | 9 – 6 | 9 – 6 Top scorer: Jeronimo del Carril, 5 goals  Habtoor Polo team faced the formidable UAE Polo team at the final match with Guillermo Willington who grabbed the lead for UAE Polo during the first chukker. Facundo Sola delivered two consecutive penalty goals that shifted the advantage to Habtoor Polo. Spectators witnessed an excellent last-second goal from Felix Esain during the third chukker after he stole the ball from Tomas Panel and drove in a neck shot from 60 yards. UAE Polo inched ahead with their half-point as Lucas Monteverde Jr. and Willington scored mid-chukker. But the 2 goals from Facu plus Felix’ backshot save from a penalty shot that he missed, kept Habtoor Polo’s spirits up that continued through the final chukker. The game ended at 11 goals to 8.5 in favour of Habtoor Polo. Match Progression: 1 – 2.5 | 4 – 3.5 | 6 – 4.5 | 9 – 6.5 | 11 – 8.5 Top scorer: Facundo Sola, 7 goals Martin Pedersen, Chairman of International Free Zone Authority awarded the teams of the day with Facundo Sola as the Most Valuable Player and Nobu, ridden by Tomas Panelo as the Best Playing Pony. Download Images TITLE SPONSOR International Free Zone Authority Strategically situated in Dubai, of the world’s most powerful business gateways, the International Free Zone Authority (IFZA) is your single point of contact for all Free Zone business formation and administration services. IFZA provides local and international businesses the ideal platform, infrastructure and location that optimize the benefits of the UAE’s strategic geographic position, world-class infrastructure and business and tax-friendly environment. IFZA provides competitive Free Zone Business License packages, efficient incorporation services and an expert team with up-to-date knowledge on rules and regulations to ensure that your client’s business foundation is laid in a timely and secure manner. MAIN SPONSOR Al Shirawi Contracting Company LLC  A market leader in the specialist field of Waterproofing for the past 50 years, Al Shirawi Contracting Company has been a part of the country’s developmental fabric since its inception. While waterproofing is a prerequisite for all types of infrastructure, protecting the building’s envelope and structure from natural weathering is equally significant. That’s where Al Shirawi Futureproofing comes into play — a one-of-a-kind service that provides solutions to help improve the service life of built assets and preserves the building’s envelope and systems by protecting it from the harmful effects of time. It is, as they say, the next best thing to being ageless. CO-SPONSORS Firestop Middle East  Firestop Middle East is a single-source contractor specializing in the installation of duct sealing, firestop systems, smoke seal products, acoustic cladding and baffles. We provide professional expertise on new or retrofit projects. We specialize in areas such as High Rise Residential, Commercial and Industrial Buildings as well as Medical Facilities. The company is firmly committed to providing the best possible service and quality to its customers. We take a professional approach and insist on the highest standards of installation and customer service. Hildon Water Hildon is an English Natural Mineral Water which lies deep within the chalk hills of Hampshire, as a result it is of the highest quality. Bottled at its source on the Hildon Estate in Hampshire and Imported from the UK, it is distributed exclusively by Top Shelf Beverages in the region, Hildon Natural Mineral Water is a proud sponsor and supporter of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series 2016. Diamond Lease  Diamondlease L.L.C, a fully owned subsidiary of the Al Habtoor Group, was established in 1996 to offer automotive rental and leasing solutions, as an alternative to owning and maintaining vehicles, to Corporate and Individual customers in the UAE. Diamond lease serves more than 700 companies and multinational conglomerates operating in UAE, handling and managing their transportation requirements. Diamondlease is an ISO 9001:2008 certified company with a fleet of over 8400 vehicles. It was the first local Car Rental Company in UAE to receive an ISO certification and has proudly held the accreditation since 1999. In recognition of its sound business ethics and outstanding customer service, Diamondlease was one of the first car rental companies to have been nominated as a member of the prestigious Dubai Service Excellence Scheme (DSES) in 2003. Diamondlease has been awarded the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Travel Awards being adjudged the “Best Car Rental Company” – Local Brand for 7 years in a row. MEDIA PARTNERS Polo Line TV PLTV is the first online streaming polo site, broadcasting over 25 tournaments LIVE per year around the globe, reaching +200k viewers. The production and edition of exclusive content makes PLTV the most comprehensive polo channel in the world. Al Badia Magazine  Since 2008, Al Badia, the prestigious Arabic venture is devoted to bringing the latest news and views on the equestrian world, Polo sporting and lifestyle. In fact, it is a tribute to the age-old passion for the thoroughbred, an integral part of the rich Arabian culture. Al Badia focuses a gamut of information on the highly valued sport of horseracing, including information about events taking place in the Arab world and about organizations and services sought by equestrians of all disciplines. Besides being a specialized lifestyle magazine to meet the refined taste of the equestrian community, it features a wide range of information including very exclusive coverages like interviews of the Sheikhs and the who’s who of the Arab world. It targets the crème de la crème of the society and is widely circulated across different regions of the Gulf & Middle East. Al Badia is a good platform to showcase premium brands, as it has a wide readership comprising sports enthusiasts, socialites, eminent personalities, celebrities and the royalty. Sport360X Sport360X is a leading digital publisher and sports consultancy agency. Known in the region for almost a decade as the leading sports publisher in Arabic and English, Sport360X is the embodiment of sporting passion. We represent the voice of sports fans, creating unique and engaging content consumed by millions every month. Building on this expertise and passion, Sport360X also helps others tell their sporting story. Combining knowledge with creativity, Sport360X offers a wide-range of sports related services such as strategy and brand development, content creation, events and conferences, athlete and influencer management, and much more. GOVERNMENT SUPPORT Dubai Sports Council Dubai Sports Council is the official government body responsible for the development of the sport sector in the Emirate of Dubai. Under the Chairmanship of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and its 14 Board Members; the Council supervises the work of nine local clubs in Dubai, six of which practice a variety of individual and or team sports, such as football, handball and archery; in addition to the chess club and a club devoted for those with special needs. Since its inception in 2006, with the vision of creating a unique sporting community, the Council organizes various annual major Sports Championships and Conferences, in cooperation with multiple International/National sports bodies and Dubai Government Entities, such as the Dubai International Sports Conference, Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup and the FINA Diving World Series; in an attempt to enhance the culture, knowledge and expertise of professionalism in all aspects of the field; from the overall preparation and/or execution of the event. Dubai became the first Arab and Middle East city to host the Sport Accord International Convention in 2010, and stages the annual Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award, the most prestigious Award of the Middle East Region. Though the Council works on various major international sports events, it does not overlook the importance of spreading the awareness of a healthier, more active lifestyle locally; and in order to achieve such objectives, physical activity programs and initiatives, such as the Dubai Pulse Physical Activity program, the Furjan District Championships and the Dubai Beach Soccer League, have all been designed to target the various communities within the Emirate. Emirates Polo Association  Renowned for their beauty, loyalty, strength and intelligence, the Arabian horse is as much a part of Arab tradition as the camel or falcon. The love and respect for these fine creatures, and their descendants, has been evident first from the very formation of the United Arab Emirates. His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the late ruler of the UAE established Ghantoot Polo Club in 1994 as the only Royal facility in the UAE. Today the patron of the Ghantoot Polo Team, his son His Highness Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, continues his legacy through his love of the sport. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, has long been captivated by the sheer power, elegance, speed and grace of horses and is heavily involved in many equestrian sports. The UAE’s first polo club dates back to 1974, and today there are four active polo clubs between the cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai – Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, Desert Palm Polo Club, Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club and Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club. * All tournaments are subject to the regulations and guidelines issued by the authorities. ABOUT DUBAI POLO GOLD CUP SERIES Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series was founded in 2009 by Mohammed Al Habtoor, patron of the Habtoor Polo team. Growing rapidly every year, the Gold Cup (Dubai Open) was recognized by the World Polo Tour (WPT); in January 2014, the WPT committee credited the Gold Cup tournament as the highest competition in terms of points within the WPT Challenge Cup category, elevating it to 50 points for the winner. 2015 marked the first time ever that the WPT upgraded the Gold Cup Tournament from ‘Challenge Cup’ to the highly coveted ‘WPT Cup’, resulting in winners receiving 60 points. In 2017, the tournament was moved up to WPT Championship Cup – the highest competition point-wise, awarding its winners with 125 points. The Silver Cup is ranked under the WPT Cup category, with 60 points for winners and the Dubai Challenge Cup falls under the WPT Challenge Cup Category, awarding its winners with 20 points. Dubai Gold Cup Series is proud to be the only tournament series with this exclusive accreditation in the GCC and MENA Region, ranking it among the best polo tournaments worldwide. |
