Yesterday the press conference for the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series in 2014 took place at the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah. Started in 2010, this year the famous and prestigious tournament is going to take place for the fifth time. Within the past five years, the event has grown steadily and has gained enormous popularity. Today, the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, is firmly fixed in the international polo calendar and a meeting point for the international polo community.
For the anniversary edition, famous local polo players and top international players have announced their attendance. For team Zedan Polo, 10-goaler Pelon Stirling will saddle up, and UAE Polo Team will have 9-goaler Lucas Monteverde in its line-up.
The Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series 2014 (Dubai Open) starts from 1 to 15 of February with the McLaren Cup. Following this, the Bentley Emirates Dubai Polo Gold Cup takes place from February 24th, until March 14th. Ten teams with team handicaps of +16 compete against each other at the Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club.
Since 2012, the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series is part of the World Polo Tour (WPT). This year, the number of points which are available to pick up at the Dubai Polo Gold Cup, are raised up to 50 points. In the category “Challenge Cup”, the Dubai Polo Gold Cup ranks among the tournaments with the most points to make.
Mohammed Al Habtoor, the Chairman of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series: “I am proud to say the Dubai Polo Gold Cup is well established and now running into its fifth year. The ‘Dubai Open’ has earned itself a worldwide reputation thanks to the commitment from the patrons and teams that have participated over the years. This year we have a record number of ten teams – with some very well-known polo names participating yet again! It has been an honor to Chair such a prestigious tournament over the years and to watch it grow to what it is today.
The Dubai Polo Gold Cup has achieved so much in such a short space of time. What started out as a 10-12 handicap game in 2010 is now the highest handicap tournament in the Middle East – with a 16 high goal handicap. But that’s not all… we are currently studying upping the stakes even further – to an 18 goal handicap next year! This will without a doubt increase competition even further.
This year, we not only welcome new teams into the Dubai Open, but we are pleased to welcome Her Highness Shaikha Maitha Bint Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum as patron of her own team. We also welcome His Highness Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan as Patron of Ghantoot, two Desert Palm teams from the Al Barwardi family and we welcome Sultan Edrees patron of Edrees Polo Team.
I am very proud of our achievements so far, and I promise you one thing, we will not let our guard down. Dubai is now well and truly on the world map of polo and we will continue to raise its profile even further. We also have something else to be very proud of this year. Dubai recently won its bid to host the Expo 2020.
This is not only another feather in our cap for our country, but it proves we can compete on the world stage… and win! Finally, I wish all the teams the best of luck in this year’s Dubai Open. May the best team win!”
The teams:
UAE Polo Team (+16)
Her Highness Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (0)
Lucas Monteverde (+9)
Ollie Cudmore (+5)
Tomas Gagliradi (+2)
Ghantoot Polo (+16)
HH. Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (0) / Ali Al Merri (0)
Juan Zubiaurre (+4)
Pelayo Berazadi (+4)
Facundo Sola (+8)
Habtoor Polo (+16)
Mohammed Al Habtoor (0)
Guillermo Cutino (+6)
Francisco Elizalde (+7)
Santiago Gomes Romero / Marcos Panelo (+3)
Bin Drai Team (+16)
Saeed Bin Drai (0)
Tomas Iriarte (+4)
Manuel Fernandez Llorente (+6)
Raul Laplacette (+6)
Mahra Polo (+16)
Rashid Habtoor (0)
Guy Gibrat (+4)
Santiago Cernadas (+6)
Nacho Gonzalez (+6)
Zedan Polo
Amr Zedan (0)
Luis Gagliardi (+2)
Pelon Stirling (+10)
TBA
Desert Palm Polo Team 1 (+16)
Patron Rashid Al Bawardi (+2)
Martin Valent (+5)
Facundo Castagnola (+6)
Ali Paterson (+3)
Desert Palm Polo Team 2 (+16)
Tarik Al Bawardi (+1)
Alejo Taranco (+6)
Matias Machado (+4)
Santiago Laborde (+5)
Abu Dhabi Polo (+16)
Faris Al Yabhouni (0)
Alfredo Capella (+8)
Juan Jose Stroni (+5)
Victorio Monteverde (+3)
Edrees Polo Team (+16)
Sultan Edrees (0)
Brieuc Rigaux (+5)
Max Charlton (+6)
Pierre Henri N’Goumou (+5)
