The opening day of the Bentley Emirates Silver Cup 2022 kicked off with an exciting start on the grounds of Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club.
Before the first match of the tournament, spectators witnessed a friendly game of kids polo that showcased the skills of aspiring young polo players of Al Habtoor Polo Academy. Mohammed Al Habtoor, Chairman of the UAE Polo Federation, awarded the players with gifts from Black Hound Sports Dubai.
The anticipated match between Habtoor Polo and Dubai Wolves by CAFU opened with a goal from Carlos Ulloa for the Wolves. The goal was matched by Bautista Bayugar and closed the first chukker in a tie. Habtoor Polo had taken the lead by the next chukker and managed a 2-goal lead mid of the third chukker. With the Wolves on the prowl, Alfredo Cappella’s goal pass allowed Ulloa to tie the match again.
At halftime, the picnic area was in full swing with spectators watching the match in polo picnic style. Fun activities were in place for the little ones as well. The call for the Gold Coin Hunt – a twist on the divot stomping tradition – was made and, two winners won prizes worth a total of AED 6,000 in cash and gifts.
As the polo continued, the penultimate chukker had Matias Gonzales score a goal for Habtoor Polo, but Charles Cooney flicked a goal under his pony’s tail kept the game tied at 4 goals. Habtoor Polo kicked up speed with back to back goals from Bayugar and Matias Gonzales during the final chukker. The Wolves closed in on its opponent with an under the neck shot from its patron – Habtoor Al Habtoor. However, with the limited time, Habtoor Polo kept its lead and ended the game at 7 goals to 6.
Match Progression:
1 – 1 | 2 – 1 | 3 – 3 | 4 – 4 | 7 – 6
Top Scorer of the match: Bautista Bayugar, 4 goals
The qualifying matches of the Bentley Emirates Silver Cup 2022 will continue on the 24th of January on Field 3 of Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club.
14:00 – Bangash Dodson & Horrell Polo vs. AM Polo
16:00 – Zedan Polo vs. Clinova – Scone Polo
TITLE SPONSOR – Bentley Emirates
Bentley Emirates, part of Al Habtoor Motors, the official dealer of Bentley in the UAE, displays its iconic range of Bentley Vehicles at the Gold Cup Polo.
Bentley Emirates, the largest Bentley Dealer in the world, is the partner of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series since 2009. Part of the region’s largest family business Al Habtoor Group, the Dubai-based business conglomerate Al Habtoor Motors, the Prestige Cars Division is the official dealer of some of the world’s coveted marques in the UAE. Al Habtoor Motors is the sole authorized retailer of Bentley motor cars in the UAE since 1983 and has the world’s largest iconic Bentley showroom on Sheikh Zayed Road. Al Habtoor Motors also hosted one of the world’s largest Bentley Aftersales facilities.
Driven by professionalism, quality and high standards of customer service, Bentley Emirates continues to serve with utmost confidence and is poised to scale even greater heights.
For more information: www.dubai.bentleymotors.com
OTHER SPONSORS:
Progress Security
Founded in 2009, Progress has become a leading security system integrator in the United Arab Emirates with our management team having decades of experience in the security industry. This allows us to design and execute tailor made security and safety solutions as well as provide guidance to clients related to system brands, budget, and timelines to meet the organizations requirements and in compliance with various regulations including SIRA and ADMCC.
For more information: https://www.progress-security.com/
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
Pololine 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.
UAE Polo Federation
The UAE Polo Federation (UPF) aims to strengthen the roots of polo that has been established in the country and will serve as the governing body for polo in the UAE. The UPF will support the athletes, teams and the polo clubs it is in association with, ultimately growing the sport through the coming years.