El polo llega al desierto
El impresionante yermo de Al Una, en Araba Saudí, acoge la primera edición del Desert Polo, un concepto que abre fronteras a ese espectacular deporte
El polo crece, de manera internacional, hasta puntos nunca antes soñados. Se disputó el primero torneo oficial de Arabia Saudí en pleno desierto, concretamente en el de Al Una, unpoloa de las grandes joyas naturales de Arabia y patrimonio de la UNESCO. Lo que supone un nuevo concepto en el polo mundial e inspirado en el prestigioso torneo de polo de nieve celebrado en St Moritz, que además contará con algunos de los jugadores y patrocinadores más reconocidos en el mundo del polo.
Amr F Zedan, presidente de la Federación de Polo de Arabia Saudita y patrocinador internacional del polo, dijo: “Este torneo es una celebración del viaje transformador que estamos haciendo en Arabia Saudita. “Nuestro objetivo en la promoción de este evento extraordinario es doble. Queremos aprovechar el talento deportivo no descubierto que sabemos que existe entre los hombres y mujeres jóvenes sauditas y fomentar mayores niveles de participación en nuestro deporte. También nos enorgullece utilizar el deporte, y el polo en particular, como vehículo para mostrar un destino verdaderamente único y una experiencia global increíble para el mundo. Arabia Saudita tiene la capacidad, la infraestructura y, lo que es más importante, la voluntad de organizar grandes eventos en el escenario mundial y Desert Polo es solo un ejemplo de esto ".
WORLD FIRST DESERT POLO IS BORN IN THE UNSPOILED BEAUTY OF AL ULA HERITAGE SITE
International Polo Celebrated at Saudi Arabia’s First Official Polo Tournament
Al Ula Desert Polo, the first tournament in Saudi Arabia to be held in cooperation with the Saudi Polo Federation, is to make its debut on January 16-18, 2020 as part of the Winter at Tantora cultural festival.
Cradled against the backdrop of one of Arabia’s best kept secrets - the exquisite UNESCO heritage site in AlUla that will officially open to the public in October 2020
- AlUla Desert Polo represents a milestone in Saudi Arabia’s sporting and social journey.
A new concept in world polo and inspired by the prestigious snow polo tournament held in St Moritz, Switzerland, Desert Polo will feature some of the most renowned players and patrons in the world of polo.
Organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla in partnership with the Saudi Polo Federation, Desert Polo is one of the highlights of the three-month long Winter at Tantora festival, running from December to March and held in the historic and untouched region.
Amr F Zedan, Chairman of the Saudi Polo Federation and an international polo patron said: “This tournament is a celebration of the transformational journey that we are making in Saudi Arabia.
“Our goal in promoting this extraordinary event is twofold. We want to tap into the undiscovered sporting talent that we know exists among young Saudi men and women and encourage greater levels of participation in our sport. We are also proud to use sport, and polo in particular, as a vehicle to showcase a truly unique destination and an incredible overall experience to the world. Saudi Arabia has the capability, the infrastructure and, crucially, the will, to stage major events on the world stage and Desert Polo is just one example of this.”
Amr AlMadani, the CEO of the Royal Commission for AlUla, welcomed the addition of Desert Polo to the prestigious and exciting roster of weekend events on the Winter at Tantora calendar: “AlUla is a place that sums up to the world the rich and as yet widely undiscovered culture within Saudi Arabia,” he said. “A major contributor to the heritage in this part of the world is our peoples’ connection to the horse. Therefore, it is symbolic that we are showcasing the progress of modern day Saudi Arabia here, in one of our most significant cultural sites.” Winter at Tantora is offering two special polo package, for one day or three days featuring a special “Introduction to Polo” clinic. It includes a 1-hour introduction clinic to Polo, with a maximum limit of 10-per-day (first-come first-serve basis).
