Al Habtoor Polo Club honours excellence at end of season polo awards 2024

Gulf Today, Sports Reporter

Al Habtoor Polo Club hosted its eagerly awaited fourth annual end of season polo awards at Al Joud Ballroom, Hilton Al Habtoor City.

The occasion brought together prominent figures from the polo community, including sponsors, polo patrons, players, and enthusiasts, to commemorate a successful season and acknowledge remarkable accomplishments spanning from October 2023 to April 2024.

Among the esteemed attendees were Mohammed Khalaf Al Habtoor, President of the UAE Polo Federation and Vice Chairman and CEO of Al Habtoor Group.

The awards ceremony celebrated top talent, trailblazers, club members, and the invaluable support of sponsors throughout the season. Notably, the event also spotlighted the commitment of polo academy students and other essential contributors to the polo community.

Furthermore, recognition has been extended to the excellence of selected members in the Equestrian and Riding School.

Mohammed Khalaf Al Habtoor emphasized that the Al Habtoor Polo and Equestrian Club is accustomed to annually celebrating the partners of success who contributed to the success of our activities, including sponsors, clubs, teams, and the logistical support team who exerted great efforts throughout the season, as well as the media personnel who showed the bright side of our activities.

He took the opportunity to extend thanks to all the clubs in the country and to the polo community in the UAE, congratulating them on the success of the season and expressing hope that the next season will witness even greater success through concerted efforts aimed at developing the game and achieving positive participation in the World Cup, which the UAE will host in 2026.

Al Habtoor also thanked Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Ghantoot Racing and Polo Club, Sheikha Maitha Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, founder of the UAE Polo Team, as well as everyone who contributed to supporting and ensuring the success of polo championships across all clubs in the country.

“We look forward to creating a broad base of Emirati players to contribute to achieving the aspirations of the federation and the polo enthusiasts, reflecting the great interest our leaders have in the sport in general and polo in particular.”

He affirmed that the UAE Polo Federation has become more optimistic about achieving its strategy aimed at developing the game and raising the flag of our beloved country high in all international arenas.

The honors included 130 individuals representing 27 categories.

The UAE team, led by Sheikha Maitha, won the award for best organized team.

The Al Habtoor team won the award for the best team of the season, having won the Dubai Silver Cup, the National Day Championship, and the 2024 Masters Championship.

The Dubai Wolves team received a special appreciation award for their positive participation in this season's activities.

Bentley Emirates won the award for the most distinguished contribution in sponsorship, AH Stables won the award for the best stable, Sheikha Alia Al Maktoum won the members' appreciation award for her active participation, and the Zedan team from Saudi Arabia won the members' loyalty award. Petra Spankova won the Female Polo Player of the Season award, and Bella Nikova won the Young Best Player Award.

Khalaf Al Habtoor won the Rookie of the Year award, Habtoor Al Habtoor won the Polo Player of the Season award, Tariq Al Habtoor won the award for the Outstanding GCC Players, Rishi Bhanasali won the award for the Best Polo Player with the lowest handicap, Fatima Al Mulla won the National and International Competition Achievers award, Romain Gerardin-Fresse won the Rising Star award, Daniel Salaman won the progress award, Jiwoo Kim won the Academy Amateur award,

Ara Bella Bramley won the rising star for riding school award, and Mahra Al Qasimi waon the Rider Loyalty Award, while Zaara Nawab won the Rookie of the Season award.