The week-long tournament held to commemorate the UAE National Day was concluded with two exciting matches on the grounds of Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club.
The subsidiary final kicked off with a promising start as Green Gates Polo team gained a fast lead over Habtoor Polo, 3 – 1. Both teams scored goals during the next chukker, and after half time the teams were tied at 6 – 6. JJ Diaz Alberdi took the lead that was seconded by a goal from Habtoor Al Habtoor that primed Habtoor Polo for the win. JJ scored another goal and closed the match at 9 goals to 8.
Before the final, the UAE National anthem was played followed by the presentation of the players of AM Polo and Bangash/Mahra Polo teams.
The first chukker ended with a 1.5 goal advantage for Bangash/Mahra. The succeeding chukkers were a flurry of goals from both teams with Bangash/Mahra still with the lead by the end of the third chukker. The excitement went up a notch as AM Polo tried to catch up to its opponent as Bangash/Mahra strongly defended its position with 2 more goals making its victory imminent.
With 90 seconds left on the clock, AM Polo surprised the crowd as Alejandro Gowland scored a goal and Tomy Iriarte sealed the win with a 60-yard penalty shot. The match ended with a final score of 7.5 – 7 in favour of AM Polo. HE Humaid Bin Drai, Founder of Bin Drai Enterprises awarded the teams. Travesura was named the Best Playing Pony and Tomy Iriarte as the Most Valuable Player.
This Friday‘s Polo Picnic was in full swing as guests watched the matches in picnic style and the children amused themselves in a dedicated kids area. Three lucky winners received prizes with a total worth of AED 10,000 in cash and gift items during the Run-N-Hunt competition. The UAE National Day Cup 2019 is sponsored by Zio Technologies, a system integration firm with 16 years of experience across the Middle East, India and Africa.
www.alhabtoorpoloresortandclub.com
