Polo in the United Arab Emirates
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The sport of
polo Polo is a ball game played on horseback, a traditional field sport and one of the world's oldest known team sports. The game is played by two opposing teams with the objective of scoring using a long-handled wooden mallet to hit a small hard ...
is played in the
United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East). It is located at th ...
(UAE).


Overview

Polo is popular amongst royal and other UAE families. President Sheikh
Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan ( ar, زَايِد بِن سُلْطَان آل نَهْيَان, Zāyed bin Sulṭān Āl Nahyān; 6 May 1918 – 2 November 2004) was an Emirati politician, statesman, and philanthropist who served as ...
had the Ghantoot Racing and Polo Club built in 1994; it was later under the patronage of his son Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nayan. in May 2013 Sheikha
Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum ( ar, ميثاء بنت محمد بن راشد آل مكتوم; born 5 March 1980) is a karate, taekwondo, polo athlete and Sheikha of Dubai. She was the first woman from UAE to represent t ...
took part in the Cartier Queen's Cup in
Guards Polo Club The Guards Polo Club is an English polo club in Windsor, Berkshire. It was most closely associated with the British Royal Family. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was President of the club from its formation on 25 January 1955 until his death i ...
. There are polo tournaments between the four clubs of the United Arab Emirates, and UAE teams participated in polo tournaments in the UK,
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
, and
Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
. Polo clubs in the UAE follow the rules established by the UK
Hurlingham Polo Association The Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA) is the governing body for polo in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United Arab Emirates and many other countries. The Federation of International Polo produces the International Rules of Polo through a coop ...
(HPA).


UAE polo season

Polo is played in the United Arab Emirates from October to April every year; temperatures are too high to play during the summer months.


UAE polo clubs

The UAE has four active polo clubs between the cities of
Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
and
Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi (, ; ar, أَبُو ظَبْيٍ ' ) is the capital and second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the centre of the Abu Dhabi Metropolitan Area. ...
. Based in
Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
since 1994, Desert Palm, owned and ran by Ali Albawardy, is twenty minutes away from downtown Dubai. It includes three polo fields and one stick & ball field. Each year, the club hosts three medium to high goal tournaments like the Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge, the UAE Nations Cup, and the Sunset Polo International Cup as well as low goal tournaments for its polo members. Desert Palm is also home to the
Dubai Polo Team The Dubai Polo Team is one of the most successful polo teams of all time, playing at the highest level globally. The Dubai Polo Team has bases in UK, Spain, USA, Argentina and Dubai. The Dubai Polo Team have won the British Open for the Gold Cup ...
, patron Ali Albawardy, the UAE Polo Team, patron Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Zedan Polo Team, patron Amr Fareed M. Zedan, Abu Dhabi Polo Team, patron Faris Al Yebhouni and Bin Drai Polo Team, patron Saeed Bin Drai, whose father established the first Polo Club in Dubai in 1974. Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club owned and run by
Emaar Properties Emaar Properties (Emaar Developments or simply Emaar) is an Emirati multinational real estate development company located in the United Arab Emirates. It is a public joint-stock company, listed on the Dubai Financial Market, and has a valuation o ...
has two polo fields and one stick & ball field. Its stables contains 150 polo ponies. The major medium goal polo tournaments host by the club are La Martina Opening Cup (8 goals) played during the month of November. The club is also home for the Dr. A Polo Team, patron Dr. Abbar, and 30 active polo members. The Al Habtoor Polo Club opened its doors in October 2016. An equestrian haven boasting some of the best facilities in the UAE. 3 full- size polo fields, 1 stick and ball polo field and 2 full- size show jumping and dressage arenas. The club has 520 stables, 5 horse walkers and two exercise tracks. With a monumental Al Habtoor Polo Resort (previously known as The St. Regis Dubai) as the centrepiece and 146 villas surrounding the polo fields, the Al Habtoor Polo Club is truly a magnificent addition to the polo and equestrian community of Dubai. The club is situated in
Dubailand Dubailand is an entertainment complex being built in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which is owned by Tatweer (which belongs to Dubai Holding). When announced in 2003 it was one of the most ambitious leisure developments ever proposed anywhere in ...
, being in the heart of all equestrian activities and a mere 15 minutes from
Downtown Dubai Downtown Dubai or The Dubai Downtown, is a large-scale, mixed-use complex in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Dubai Downtown was created by the Emaar Real Estate Development Company. Before 2000, the place was called Umm Al Tarif. It is home to so ...
. The club is now also the new and permanent home of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series, which consists of 5 tournaments, 3 High Goal and 2 Medium to Low Goal. Saif Polo Club, owned by Ahmed Al Guhair, is a private club based in Khawaneej, Dubai. The club organized its first medium goals tournament in December 2012, the National Day Polo Cup. Based 40 minutes from Abu Dhabi city, the Ghantoot Racing and Polo Club is a private club with eight international standard grass fields. It hosts several tournaments during the season like the Pink Polo (in support of Breast Cancer), British Polo Day Abu Dhabi and the UAE President Cup, a 15 goals tournament at the end of every season. Ghantoot has also a breeding facility for polo ponies as well as purebred Arabian horses.


Dubai Polo Academy

The Dubai Polo Academy, coach Steve Thompson, runs from September to May every year and it is based at the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club since 2005.


Al Habtoor Polo Club

The Al Habtoor Polo Club is a state-of-the-art polo and equestrian community devoted to equine sports located in Dubailand. Polo Academy and Riding School cater to new riders through to experienced equestrians combining well-schooled horses and an expert team of fully qualified, professional instructors. Al Habtoor Polo Club was established in 2016.


References

Pink Polo
/ref> {{Sport in the United Arab Emirates