Throughout the whole week team Cartier including Adriano Agosti (0, CH), Saeed Bin Drai (0, UAE), Francisco Elizalde (+7, ARG) and Raul Laplacette (+6, ARG) had played at their best and emerged as odds-on favourite. In the final against team CNN the foursome once again played a fantastic match and defeated Amr Zedan (0, KSA), Faris Al Yabhouni (0, UAE), Facundo Fernandez Llorente (+4, ARG) and David Stirling (+10, URU) by 11,5-7. This makes team Cartier winner of the 9th Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge at Desert Palm Polo Club.
The prize trophy was presented by HH Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, youngest son of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. Raul Laplacette (+6) of team Cartier was presented with the La Martina Most Valuable Player Award. The award for La Martina Best Playing Pony was given to the seven-year-old mare Cata, ridden during the final by Saeed Bin Drai (0).
The fight for the Desert Palm Trophy was won by team Desert Palm against UAE Polo Team by 7-5.
The 2014 Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge was hosted under the patronage of HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. A total of four teams with an international line-up had signed up for the prestigious event at the Desert Palm Polo Club in Dubai. These included among others: 10-goaler David Stirling from Uruguay.
The standings:
Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge Trophy
1. Cartier (+13)
Adriano Agosti (0, CH)
Saeed Bin Drai (0, UAE)
Francisco Elizalde (+7, ARG)
Raul Laplacette (+6, ARG)
2. CNN (+14)
Amr Zedan (0, KSA)
Faris Al Yabhouni (0, UAE)
Facundo Fernandez Llorente (+4, ARG)
David Stirling (+10, URU)
Desert Palm Trophy
1. Desert Palm (+14)
Tariq Albwardy (+1, UAE)
Rashid Albwardy (+2, UAE)
Martin Valent (+5, ARG)
Facundo Castagnola (+6, ARG)
2. UAE Polo Team (+14)
HH Sheikha Maitha (0, UAE)
Alfredo Capella (+8, ARG)
Guillermo Cuitino (+6, ARG)
Mohammed Al Habtoor (0, UAE)
Gallery:
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