New ‘Palace Rules’
promises glamour, excitement and plenty of action at Abu Dhabi’s society event
of the year, from 23-24 November
26 September - Abu Dhabi, UAE: The inaugural Coutts Polo at the
Palace was unveiled today at Emirates Palace. The two-day tournament promises
polo as you have never seen it before with new ‘Palace Rules’ developed by the
sport’s best players to make it one of the most spectacular spectator sports in
the world.
Representing some of the world’s
leading centres of finance and fashion, the four teams – team Abu Dhabi
sponsored by Coutts, team London, team Milan sponsored by Maserati and team
Buenos Aires – will compete for the Coutts Polo Cup over two days of
adrenalin-fuelled action.
The exclusive event takes place 23-24
November on the West Lawn in the Palace Gardens, Emirates Palace, where a
custom-built polo field, one third smaller than a regular polo field, creates
the most spectacular polo venue in the world.
Admission is restricted to 1,000
people per day to make sure every guest gets a fantastic, up-close view. The
hospitality tickets, starting from AED1,750 per person per day, offers full
catering throughout the day with access to either the shared VIP Hospitality
which is limited to 250 people, or one of five Private Chalets catering for up
to 50 people. These are expected to sell out quickly, so organisers advise to
book early to avoid disappointment. An additional 300 general admission tickets
for AED250 per person per day will go on sale 10 November. These will be
available to buy directly from Emirates Palace.
With delectable catering by Emirates
Palace and an official after party on the Friday night, Coutts Polo at the
Palace is expected to appeal to both equestrian experts and polo novices.
Alongside the high octane polo there will be a La Martina boutique for those
inspired by the polo look and a Maserati showroom which offers an opportunity
to test drive the new Gran Turismo.
The event has been created and brought
to Abu Dhabi by City Events Ltd, a specialist London-based events company,
together with sponsors and partners Coutts, Maserati, La Martina, Nespresso and
proud host Emirates Palace.
City Events Ltd’s CEO, Rory Heron
said: “Abu Dhabi and the UAE has a proud heritage of horsemanship and polo has
found its perfect partner in Emirates Palace. Nowhere in the world is this highly
skilled game played in such a spectacular setting.”
Bugra Berberoglu, General Manager of
Emirates Palace said: “The finest in sport, fashion, and culture will converge
on the grounds of Emirates Palace when we host what will certainly be the most
talked about social event of 2012. We look forward to welcoming polo’s top
players and fans from around the world to showcase the best of Emirati
hospitality here at the iconic Emirates Palace.”
Coutts
Polo at the Palace is a spin-off of popular London event Polo in the Park,
which has pioneered the city polo series, bringing the classic sport of kings
to a cosmopolitan city audience.
Coutts is one of the world’s most
prestigious private banks, founded in the UK in 1692. Amir Sadr, Co-Head
of Coutts Middle East, said: "We are highly committed to the region
and recently announced significant expansion plans in line with our
strategic aim of growing the business in core markets, internationally.
As a further signal of our commitment to the Middle East, we are delighted to
sponsor Coutts Polo at the Palace. This will be a truly spectacular event
and we could not have asked for a more majestic setting than Emirates Palace.
We look forward to welcoming clients, guests and talented polo players to this
iconic event, which brings one of the UAE's most celebrated sports in the heart
of the capital."
About Palace Polo
Coutts Polo at the Palace is all about polo, the sport of
kings, reinvented as a true spectator sport. It is polo, but faster, more
intimate and thus more breath-taking. Played under Hurlingham Polo Association
rules with a few rule adaptations tailored to the environment, Palace Polo
creates a more exciting spectator experience.
Fast facts about Palace Polo
·
Each
team has three players.
·
Each
period of play is called a ‘chukka’. Each chukka lasts seven minutes.
·
The
referee is called an ‘umpire’.
·
A
bell rings to mark a 30 second warning until the end of each chukka, but the
play can continue until the ball goes out of play, the umpire calls a foul or
the second bell rings to end the chukka.
·
Teams
take a three minute break between each chukka to change horses.
·
Polo
teams score points for hitting the ball through the goal posts. 1 point is
awarded for each goal. However, teams will be awarded 2 points for goals scored
from outside the clearly marked scoring line.
·
The
game is divided into quarters. The teams change sides after each quarter.
·
The
game begins with the spectacular ‘Palace dash’ where two opponents race at full
speed from opposite ends of the polo pitch to get to the ball first.
·
The
‘line of ball’ is the direction the ball is travelling in. Players are not
allowed to cross the line of ball or cross the path of any player who has the
‘right of way’.
·
Players
are allowed to push their opponents off course, as long as it is done safely
and isn’t done by charging at a dangerous angle.
·
Palace
Polo is played on a pitch 1/3 smaller than a regular polo field which means the
spectators are closer to the action
Team Captains
An introduction
Faris Al Yabhouni
Team Abu Dhabi
Coming from a UAE family with a
strong tradition of excellence in camel racing and horse endurance racing,
Faris Al Yabhouni is well acquainted with the world of equestrian sports. He
has been playing polo for more than nine years and has gained a 0 goal
handicap. A medium goal patron, Faris led the Abu Dhabi Polo Team to victory in
the 2011 Threadneedle Gold Cup. In 2012, Faris won the Silver Cup and was third
in the Gold Cup. Since then, he has focused on his team and improving
their dynamics for the 2013 Season. Faris also plays in England and
Argentina every year.
Mohammed Al Habtoor
Team Buenos Aires
Mohammed K Al Habtoor’s polo
career started in 1999 after he received an invitation to attend an exhibition match
sponsored by Barclays at the Desert Palm Polo Club. In 2000, he formed Habtoor
Polo which is today recognised as a serious polo organisation. Throughout the
years, he has played and had success in various international tournaments in
England, Spain and France. Mohammed, together with his brother Rashid,
organises several polo competitions in the UAE. These include the Habtoor
Challenge Match in 2008 and the Habtoor Polo Cup in 2009, where he played
alongside his son Habtoor and won both titles. In 2010, he formed the Dubai
Polo Gold Cup Series and invited professional players and teams from around the
world to participate. The series is now recognised as one of the most
successful polo tournaments in the region.
In 2011, Mohammed’s Habtoor Polo
Team participated in the Al Habtoor Royal Windsor Match. He also participated
in Mint Polo in the Park where his Abu Dhabi Team took home the victory. In
2012, the Habtoor Polo Team won the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Trophy, a 15 goal
tournament. Mohammed’s polo career still has a long way ahead, as his passion
for polo is unwavering.
Stuart Wrigley
Team London
Stuart started playing polo in 2010 having never
ridden a horse before and quickly became addicted. Stuart is the 0-goal
patron of the Rhinos polo team based out of Dubai. The Rhinos compete at
all levels of polo in Dubai and several times a season in Thailand up to and
including 15 goal. Last season they won tournaments ranging for 4 to
12-goal in Dubai, Argentina and China. Stuart has played polo in Argentina,
China, France, Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand and the UK
Amr F Zedan
Team Milan
Amr F. Zedan a Saudi National, holds a Bachelors of Science
degree in Engineering Management from the University of the Pacific (UOP)
Stockton, California. Amr started his career in Qualcomm in the
Telecommunication on CDMA Technology in Saudi Arabia. He then worked as Project
Development Engineer in Zedan Consultants and subsequently developed Zedan
Consultants into Zedan Group of today, where he acts as Group Chairman &
President. Zedan Group is a specialized company actively involved in Oil &
Gas, Petrochemicals, Power and Water, Trading, Mining and Earth Moving.
Amr is an avid polo enthusiast and plays for GCC Polo team.
Over the years, Amr has played an active role to further cement bridges
globally among members of European and Middle Eastern entrepreneurs and elite
families who are also polo enthusiasts. Amr is also a member of Young President
Organization and Young Arab Leaders.
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