The region’s largest polo tournament, held under the Patronage of HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, returns for its ninth edition to its new home ground, the Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club in Dubailand. The live draw for the Julius Baer Gold Cup 2018 fixture was conducted on Sunday, February 11, 2018 at The St. Regis Dubai, Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club.
Mohammed K. Al Habtoor, Vice-Chairman & CEO of the Al Habtoor Group Founder of the Gold Cup Series and Patron of the Habtoor Polo team was joined by Saman Habibian, Head GCC International at Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd., Joseph Rogan, Prestige Director, Al Habtoor Motors (Bentley Emirates), Santiago Torreguitar, Tournament Director at Emirates Polo Association, and Victor Zhuravskiy, CEO, LUKOIL Marine Lubricants DMCC.
Held under the umbrella of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series, the Julius Baer Gold Cup 2018 will open its gates to the public on February 16, 2018 with the long-awaited final scheduled for March 9, 2018. The tournament is sponsored by Julius Baer, the leading Swiss private bank, for the fourth consecutive year. The highly anticipated and must-see event on the international polo calendar will host hundreds of polo fans from across the UAE, VIPs, and socialites who will get the chance to enjoy the great ambiance of the five-star property.
Eight internationally renowned teams will be playing in this year’s competition, which is said to be “a true testament to great polo tournaments within the UAE.”
Participation has been confirmed by UAE Polo Team led by Her Highness Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The Julius Baer Gold Cup (Dubai Open), an 18-goal handicap competition, is one of the only tournaments in the United Arab Emirates to be recognized and certified by the World Polo Tour (WPT) and ranked by the highly coveted ‘WPT Cup’, resulting in winners receiving 60 points for their victory. The tournament is played under the banner of the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA) and under strict international supervision according to the HPA rules and provision of its umpires.
Mohammed Al Habtoor said, “With eight world class teams and a line-up of exceptional players, polo fans and guests are guaranteed to experience some exciting matches and top sportsmanship in the coming weeks.”
Saman Habibian, Head GCC International at Bank Julius Baer & Co. said, “This year’s edition of the Julius Baer Gold Cup is very special as it cements the game’s status as the leading polo competition in the region. Through this platform, Julius Baer is very excited to support Dubai’s emergence as a premier hub for equestrian sports and events. Polo perfectly embodies a commitment to exceptional quality and a heritage of excellence – values that we look to bring to our clients every day. We wish the competing teams all the success and a great show for the fans.”
Winners of the 2018 Julius Baer Gold Cup will not only be awarded a prestigious title and trophy, but they will also be given timeless gifts from the sponsors and patrons.
Participating teams include:
UAE Polo Team: Patron Her Highness Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Habtoor Polo: Patron Mohammed Al Habtoor.
Wolves Polo Team: Patron Habtoor Al Habtoor.
Mahra Polo: Patron Rashid Al Habtoor.
Bin Drai Polo Team: Patron Saeed Bin Drai.
Zedan Polo Team: Patron Amr Zedan.
Abu Dhabi Team: Patron Faris Al Yabhouni.
Desert Palm Team: Patron Tariq AlBawardy.
The Julius Baer Gold Cup kicks off on Friday:
2pm: Zedan vs UAE Polo
4pm: Wolves vs Abu Dhabi
All matches for the Dubai Gold Cup Series 2018 will be streamed live on Pololine TV via Polocam.