The draw for Silver Cup 2020 held at the Al Habtoor Polo Resort, marking the start of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup series.
The 18-goal handicap tournament is celebrating its 10th year anniversary under the Patronage of Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai.
Five tournaments fall under the umbrella of the prestigious Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series: the Silver Cup (18 goal handicap), which will run from Jan.24 to Feb. 7; Polo Masters Cup (6-8 goal handicap) on 10,12 and 1 February; Standard Chartered Gold Cup (18-goal handicap) from Feb.16 to March 6; Dubai Challenge Cup (10-goal handicap) from March 14 to 21; and Dubai Cup (6-8 goal handicap) from April 1 to 10.
The Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series in the UAE is one of only five tournaments in the world played in the WPT Championship Cup category, on par with world-class events held in Argentina, Spain, the United Kingdom and United States.
It started in 2009 with tournaments carrying a handicap of 10-12 goals and has grown to host teams playing in 18-goal handicap matches.
Mohammed Al Habtoor, Founder of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series and patron of the Habtoor Polo team, said: “We are proud to have reached another milestone as we celebrate a decade of high-goal polo in the UAE with the Silver Cup tournament. This achievement would not have been possible without the support of sponsors, team patrons, and the city of Dubai.”
“I am excited to have six participating teams at the Silver Cup 2020. This year, we welcome AM Polo team as one of the teams in the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series for the first time since they started in 2017. In the coming days, top-ranking World Polo Tour players, including Facundo Sola (ranked 19 in the world), Alfredo Capella Barabucci (ranked 42), who are both 9-goal handicap players;Juan Gris Zavaleta (ranked 22), and many others who have come directly from the Argentine Open will playing on our fields,” he added.
The final of the Silver Cup will take place on Feb.7 at the grounds of Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club.
The six participating teams of the Silver Cup 2020 are
AM Polo Team (Patron: Sheikha Alya Al Maktoum), Dubai Wolves (Patron: Habtoor Al Habtoor), Ghantoot Polo Team (Patron: Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan),
Habtoor Polo Team (Patron: Mohammed Al Habtoor),
UAE Polo Team (Patron: Sheikha Maitha Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum), Zedan Polo Team (Patron: Amr Zedan)
The Silver Cup tournament is played under the banner of the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA), with strict international supervision according to the HPA rules and provision of its umpires. The tournament falls under World Polo Tour’s WPT Cup Category.
The winners of the Silver Cup are awarded 50 points, finalists with 25 points, semi-finalists with 20 points and the rest of the players with 5 points.