Photography Celine M-P Genoceau Words by Leny Delos Reyes
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Ghantoot ADCB wins the Bentley Emirates Gold Cup
Cristina Guisita and the Dubai Polo Gold Cup
Photography Celine M-P Genoceau Words by Leny Delos Reyes
Ghantoot ADCB won the Bentley Emirates Gold Cup, the most important tournament of the UAE polo season, after defeating Habtoor Polo in the final by 7 goals to 5. Team made by Ali Al Merri, Oscar Colombres, Facundo Sola andPelayo Berazadi successfully defended 2013 Gold Cup title and also raised the second trophy in a row at the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series after winning also the Mc Laren Silver Cup.
With a full speed start, Ghantoot achieved to control the finalfrom the first chukka despite of the great reaction of Habtoor in the last seven minutes to close the gap toonly two goals. Pelayo Berazadi was the MVP of the final and Cenicienta, played byFacundo Sola, was the BPP of the game.
Before the most important match of the season, Mahra defeated BinDrai in over time by 8 goals to 7 to raise the Power Horse Cup. A great goal scored by Santiago Cernadas gave patron Rashid AlHabtoor team the victory after a tight match full of emotion and great polo. With the coronation of Ghantoot ADCB as the best team of the season the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series 2014 came to an end.
With a record of 10 teams taking part of the season, great polo level, amazing matches and an excellent organization the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series continues growing in the international polo calendar. Thanks to the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series, Dubai is one of the most attractive spots in the polo world and next year, with the handicap level increasing to 18 goals, the best players and great polo is guaranteed.
Bentley Emirates Gold Cup Final Progression
Ghantoot ADCB: 2-0/ 3-0/ 6-1/ 7-3/ 7-5
Power Horse Cup Progression
Mahra: 2-2/ 5-3/ 6-5/ 7-7/ 8-7
The Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series 2014 in its Fifth Year of Success
Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammedbin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai.
Below - Sultan Edrees, Ali Albwardy, Faris Al Yabhouni, Saaed Bin Drai
This is the fifth year in a row that the much anticipated eventwill be held. It takes place at the Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club at the Arabian Ranches in Dubai.
There will be ten teams competing at this year’s Dubai Polo GoldCup Series
The tournament will kick off with the McLaren Cup, beginningFebruary 1 ending February 15, the Bentley
Emirates Dubai Polo Gold Cup will commence on February 24 and willend on March 14, 2014. The Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series is the fourth-largest tournament ofits kind after Argentina, the US and the UK. Each year the event reaches new heights growing in tandem withthe city of Dubai which has quickly gained popularity and found its place on the Polo world stage. In 2012, the Dubai Gold Cup Series was recognized by the WorldPolo Tour (WPT) and this year at the WPT annual meeting committee, decided that Dubai Polo Gold CupTournament gets the highest tournament in points inside the Challenge Cup Category.
Below - Sultan Edrees, Ali Albwardy, Faris Al Yabhouni, Saaed Bin Drai
Played under the banner of the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA),the Gold Cup is being played according to HPA rules and the provision of umpires will be managed understrict international supervision by the HPA. For this season we have the 16 goal handicap. This means the DubaiPolo Gold Cup Series (Dubai Open) is now the highest handicapped tournament in the Middle East, Africaand Asia. With its exciting mix of top-class sportsmanship and glamour, ithas earned a reputation as one of the most prestigious events on the international polo calendar. This yearit looks set to be more popular than ever and some of the most respected names from the world of polo haveconfirmed their participation. “I am proud to say the Dubai Polo Gold Cup is well establishedand now running into its fifth year,” message by Mohammed Al Habtoor, the Chairman of the Dubai Polo Gold CupSeries. “The ‘Dubai Open’ has earned itself a worldwide reputationthanks to the commitment from the patrons and teams that have participated over the years. This year we have arecord number of ten teams – with some very well-known polo names participating yet again! It has been anhonor 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 spaceof time. What started out as a 10-12 handicap game in 2010 is now the highest handicap tournament inthe Middle East – with a 16 high goal. But that’s not all… we are currently studying uppingthe stakes even further – to an 18 goal handicap next year! This will without a doubt increase competitioneven further. This year, we not only welcome new teams into the Dubai Open, butwe are pleased to welcome Her Highness Shaikha Maitha Bint Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum aspatron of her own team. We also welcome His Highness Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan as Patron ofGhantoot, two Desert Palm teams from the Al Barwardi family and we welcome Sultan Edrees patron of Edrees Polo Team.
Below - Rashid Al Habtoor & Faris Al Yabhouni
I am very proud of our achievements so far, and I promise you onething, we will not let our guard down. Dubai is now well and truly on the world map of polo and we willcontinue to raise its profile even further. We also have something else to be very proud of this year. Dubairecently won its bid to host the Expo 2020. This is not only another feather in our cap for our country, butit proves we can compete on the world stage… and win! Finally, I wish all the teams the best of luckin this year’s Dubai Open. May the best team win!” We are extending our gratitude to all our Sponsor’s supportingthe 2014 Gold Cup Series
Emirates NBD Wealth Management Division is very proud to be themain sponsor for the fifth Dubai Polo Gold Cup, which falls in line with our commitment to supportimportant sports activities that are of interest to our clients,” said Saif Al Mansoori, Deputy Head – GroupMarketing and Branding, Emirates NBD. “As a leading wealth management specialist in the region, we look afterthe financial needs of diverse clients from a variety of professional backgrounds and events such as thisprovide us with the opportunity to network with our valued clientele and remain close to our customers.”
Emirates NBD is a leading banking Group in the region. As at 30thSeptember 2013, total assets were AED 332.3 billion. The Group has a leading retail banking franchise inthe UAE, with 210 branches and over 921 ATMs and CDMs in the UAE and overseas. It is a major player in theUAE corporate and retail banking arena and has strong Islamic Banking, Global Markets &Treasury, Investment Banking, Private Banking,
Asset Management and Brokerage operations.
The Group has operations in the UAE, Egypt, the Kingdom of SaudiArabia, Qatar, Singapore, the United Kingdom and Jersey (Channel Islands), and representative officesin India, China and Indonesia.
The Group is an active participant and supporter of the UAE’smain development initiatives and of the various educational, environmental, cultural, charity andcommunity welfare establishments.
Bentley Emirates the Luxury car manufacturer is the title sponsorof the Dubai Polo Gold Cup 2014. As part of the Prestige Cars Division of Al Habtoor, Bentley Emirates havebeen the sole authorised importer of Bentley motor cars in the UAE since 1982. Driven byprofessionalism, quality and high standards, Bentley Emirates continues to serve with utmost confidence and is poisedto scale even greater heights.
McLaren Dubai In support of the sporting spirit of the nation, McLaren Dubai -Al Habtoor Motors is proud to present itself as the title sponsor for Silver Cup of the prestigious Dubai PoloGold Cup Series 2014. McLaren Dubai is honoured to have been selected to join theMcLaren team. Now we have to match the highest standards in the world – those we share with McLaren –to the highest expectations: those of our discerning customers.
At McLaren, an unswerving commitment to excellence and innovationunderpins everything we do: from performance of the Formula One ™ team on race day, to theownership experience we offer with our road car, the MP4-12C and the eagerly awaited McLaren P1 Hypercar.
The Ybike.com " The Story Of One Yellow Bike" is a short documentaryfilm produced by Samerai productions and Sahara Productions who are proud to be associated with the prestigiousDubai Polo Gold Cup 2014. The movie ( www.theYbike.com) tells the story of how one yellowbike travelled from Dubai to the remote village of Abem. The charity organization, Bicycles for humanity,who are operating on the ground, empowers many in the developing world with the gift of mobilitydelivered by a bicycle. The Bicycle Empowerment Model concept, creates many jobs servicing andsupporting the bicycles and we are creating an micro- economies around mobility. Karamoja is a place wheretime has truly stood still. After 30 years of the karamojong are now faced with a new life. Their old pastorallife is now shifting to one of living in communities.
Samerai Productions is part of The SAHARA Group(www.thesaharagroup.com) It creates short movies to raise awareness of good causes in the community. The scripts,production, directing and the whole business of movie-making are funded internally. Any profits made are usedto support graduate directors and producers who want to create charity movies and documentaries forthemselves.
Dubai Calendar Dubaicalendar.com is your single, reliable, bi-lingual source forthe best events Dubai has to offer throughout the year, helping you plan and make the most of yourstay, and making sure there is always a reason to visit and revisit Dubai. Highlighting Dubai’sfestivals, exhibitions, cultural and sporting events, dubaicalendar.com is the official point of reference on events andpromotions in Dubai, keeping business and leisure visitors, and residents informed about the multitudeof events that the city offers.
Dubaicalendar.com is the key information channel managed by DubaiCalendar, an initiative born out of the vision for a more dynamic events industry for the Emirate ofDubai. Part of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Dubai Calendar helps bring togetherthe government, consumer and industry to establish Dubai as a world-class events destination.Since its inception, Dubai Calendar has become an enabler for the local community, events industry,tourists and government bodies alike.
DiamondLease DIAMONDLEASE L.L.C. is a member of the Al Habtoor Group ofCompanies. Established in 1996, it has emerged as one of the biggest localcar rental company in the UAE with a fleet close to 7500 vehicles, at par or bigger than most of theinternational franchises in the U.A.E. DIAMONDLEASE was the first car rental & leasing company to beawarded the ISO 9002 certification in 1999, and subsequently upgraded to the latest ISO 9001:2008standards in 2009. DIAMONDLEASE has been a member of the prestigious Dubai ServiceExcellence Scheme since October 2003 Diamondlease has a wide network of 16 branches covering Dubai,Dubai International Airport, Habtoor
Grand Hotel, Knowledge Village, Dubai Investment Park, Abu DhabiCity, Abu Dhabi (Mussafa), Sharjah, RAK and Fujairah. The company provides 24-hour emergency road side assistance to allits customers. Diamondlease operations facility in Dubai Investments Park is thelargest and ‘best-in-class’. This facility is built up in a 365,000 square feet prime plot in Dubai InvestmentPark, Dubai, and has a capacity to service 150 vehicles per day. Diamondlease has state-of-the-art website www.diamondlease.com forhassle-free and convenient online reservations and service bookings. Diamondlease is available onFacebook.com and can also be followed on Twitter. We are specialized in long term leasing of vehicles - ranging fromsmall/mid-size saloons, 4-wheel drive SUVs, pick-up trucks and buses. We offer a range of vehicles on Daily, Weekly & Monthly hire that are less
than 2 years and 50,000 kms. At Diamondlease, customers have theoption of selecting vehicles that meet any type of transportation need at very competitive prices.In recognition of its sound business ethics & outstandingcustomer service, Diamondlease is the first car rental company to have been nominated as a member of theprestigious Dubai Service Excellence Scheme (DSES) since 2003. Diamondlease has been awarded the Middle Eastand North Africa Travel (MENA) Awards being adjudged the Best Car Rental Company – Local Brandfor 7 years in a row starting from 2004.
Hildon Water Hildon is an English Natural Mineral Water which lies deep withinthe chalk hills of Hampshire, as a result it is of the highest quality. Bottled at its source on the HildonEstate in Hampshire and Imported from the UK, it is distributed exclusively by Top Shelf Beverages in theregion, Hildon Natural Mineral Water is a proud sponsor and supporter of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series 2014. Formore information and to stock Hildon, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call +971 4 4531782.
Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah Discover an incredible destination, with alluring tranquillity andbreath-taking views, just a short drive away from the vibrant city. Marking the debut of the luxurious WaldorfAstoria brand in Dubai, the hotel exudes timeless elegance and brings True Waldorf Service to one of theMiddle East’s premier beach front locations. The resort claims an Eastern stretch on the crescent of PalmJumeirah, the world’s largest manmade island,with a private white sand beach and unobstructed sea views. Guests can select from 319 luxury rooms and suites and make themost of six dining and entertainment venues, state of the art meeting facilities, ballroom, glamorousswimming pools, a tennis court, and a 21,530 sqft health club and spa.
MEDIA PARTNERS :
OK! Middle East The exclusive official media sponsor for the Dubai Polo Gold CupSeries 2014 (Dubai Open). OK! Middle East celebrates the A-list each week, revealing thelatest news, photos and in-depth features on international celebrities and home-grown VIPs, socialites andtrendsetters in an engaging and positive way; bringing the OK! reader closer to the stars than any othermagazine. With access all areas to the glamour of Hollywood, OK! featuresinspirational celebrity-led fashion and beauty, providing our in-the-know readers with the tips and trendsto look and feel their A-list best.
OK! Middle East is the only magazine to be invited into the homesof the rich, famous and influential, and is always on the guestlist for the glittering red carpet events, hotopenings and invite-only launches that are synonymous with our region. Welcome to your exclusive entry into the world of stardom, glamourand celebrity life... welcome to OK! Middle East.
Sport 360 As the leading sports information and news provider in the MiddleEast Sport360 is proud to be associated with the Dubai Gold Polo Cup. With its daily newspaper and Weekendedition, Sport360 reaches out to all sports fans in the UAE and provides them with all the latest newsand results, as well as key lifestyle and business of sport features. Its daily qualified circulation asissued by BPA Worldwide stands at 36,762 with an estimated 151,000 readers per day enjoy a depth and breadth ofcontent unmatched in the region, which is assembled by a team of specialists in football, cricket, golf,tennis, motorsport, horseracing, sailing, and much more. Sport360’s digital platforms have also attracted sportsenthusiasts from around the GCC and MENA region, thanks to the www.sport360.com website, social media channels andsmart phone applications.
Equestrio Arabia Equestrio Arabia is the media sponsor. EQUESTRIO changed the faceof equestrian publishing when it launched in Switzerland in 2003 and set new standards for thegenre in terms of quality and content. By showcasing and celebrating the lifestyles surroundingequestrianism in all its forms, while at the same time providing expert and informed editorial illustrated with thefinest photography, the title won instant appeal, both at home and abroad. EQUESTRIO Arabia became the second title in the series when itlaunched in Dubai. EQUESTRIO France followed in 2006 with EQUESTRIO China and EQUESTRIO Italytaking up the reins in 2008. Now published in five countries, in five languages, on threecontinents, EQUESTRIO is to be found at the heart of equestrian communities worldwide. A delicious melange ofinformed sporting editorial, fine art, luxury travel and lifestyle features.
PoloLine - PoloLine is the leading global provider of news, information andservices about polo, offering up to the minute news from all the major polo events around the world With over 100,000 unique visitors from more than 80 countries. PoloLine offers unprecedented reach to the highly desirable target market of Polo enthusiasts.
Al Badia Al Badia is proud to be one of the media sponsor. Al Badia, theprestigious Arabic venture is devoted to bringing the latest news and views on the equestrian world. Polosporting and lifestyle. In fact it is a tribute to the age old passion for the thoroughbred, an integral part ofthe rich Arabian culture. Al Badia focuses a gamut of information on the highly valued sportof horseracing, including information about events taking place in the Arab world and aboutorganizations and services sought by equestrians of all disciplines. Besides being a specialized magazine to meet the refined taste ofthe equestrian community, it features a wide range of information including very exclusive coverages likeinterviews of the Sheikhs and the who’s who of the Arab world. It targets the crme de la crme of thesociety and is widely circulated across different regions of the Gulf and Middle East.
Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series has been growing by leaps and bounds,and at present is one of the most eagerly awaited polo events in the Middle East.
The 2014 Teams :
UAE Polo Team
Her Highness Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Lucas Monterverde 9 Goal
Ollie Cudmore 5 Goal
Tomas Gagliradi 2 Goal
0 Goal
Ghantoot Polo
HH. Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan 0 Goal
Ali Al Merri 0 GoalJuan Zubiaurre 4 Goal
Pelayo Berazadi 4 Goal
Facundo Sola 8 Goal
Habtoor Team
Mohammed Al Habtoor 0 Goal
Guillermo Cutino 6 Goal
Francisco Elizalde 7 Goal
Santiago Gomes Romero 3 Goal
Marcos Panelo 3 Goal
Bin Drai team
Saeed Bin Drai 0 Goal
Tomas Iriarte 4 Goal
Manuel Fernandez Llorente 6 Goal
Raul Laplacette 6 Goal
Mahra Polo
Rashid Habtoor (UAE) 0 Goal
Guy gibrat 4 Goal
Santiago Cernadas 6 Goal
Nacho Gonzalez 6 Goal
Zedan Team - Saudi
Amr Zedan 0 Goal
Luis Gagliardi 2 Goal
Pelon Stirling 10 Goal
TBA 0 Goal
Desert Palm Polo Team (1)
Patron Rashid Al Bawardi (UAE) 2 Goal
Martin Valent (ARG) 5 Goal
Facundo Castagnola (ARG) 6 Goal
Ali Paterson 3 Goal
Desert Palm Polo Team (2)
Tarik Al Bawardi (UAE) 1 Goal
Alejo Taranco 6 Goal
Matias Machado 4 Goal
Santiago Laborde 5 Goal
Abu Dhabi Polo
Faris Al Yabhouni (UAE) 0 Goal
Alfredo Capella (ARG) 8 Goal
Juan Jose Stroni (ARG) 5 Goal
Victorio Monteverde (ARG) 3 Goal
Edrees Polo Team
Sultan Edrees 0 Goal
Brieuc Rigaux 5 Goal
Max Charlton 6 Goal
Pierre Henri N'Goumou 5 Goal
Photograph Captions -
4 At the middle Sultan Edrees & Pierre-Henri N'Goumou
5 Sultan Edrees, Ali Albwardy, Faris Al Yabhouni, Saaed Bin Drai
12 HH Maitha Sheika MR Al Maktoum
19-2 Facha Valent y Lupe Roldan little one
22 Rashid Al Habtoor & Ali Albwardy
28 Raja Abuljebain & Yoyo faouzi
29 Rashid Al Habtoor & Faris Al Yabhouni
30 Cristina Guisita - Lead Photograph
